Chapter 44 Change

Just as Aunt Fang and Aunt Song had expected, after they took turns explaining the ten rules set by Gu Xiyue, Aunt Li and the others had unusually good expressions.

Xu Rulan was fine because she had just heard what Aunt Fang had said.

But it was the first time for the others to hear it. The three aunts widened their eyes in disbelief.

Do I need to apply to take a concubine?

Not living with your in-laws after marriage?

…

Right here, in this godforsaken place?

And they also came up with this weird rule.

Several people curled their lips, especially the three aunts. They turned around and looked at their sons, older and younger, and felt that they were finally going to become mothers-in-law. They hadn't gotten rid of the anger they had endured from their own mothers-in-law yet, so how could they let their daughters-in-law get away with it?

So in the end, they didn't listen to what Aunt Fang and Aunt Song said and treated it as a joke.

Including Xu Rulan.

After Aunt Song and Aunt Fang finished speaking, they found that they were not listening at all. Their arrogant attitude was even worse than that of others. Their faces suddenly turned serious. They stood up and left together without saying goodbye.

After talking for a while, my throat was dry, but I still put on a smile and made myself sound excited, but the other person remained the same.

Why waste your saliva? You might as well go home and take a nap during this time, pick more salt in the afternoon, and make more money.

As for them, no matter what they do, they will act so aloof when the new thing starts. We will see in a few days. By then, they will ignore us even if we beg them to tell us the rules.

Aunt Li and the others didn't feel anything when they saw the two of them leave like that. After discussing it a little, they decided to go back and take a nap. Then, when the sun wasn't shining too brightly in the afternoon, they would go to the beach and take a look at the salt in their mouths.

Gu Xiyue didn't know what Aunt Song and Aunt Fang had done. At that time, she was thinking about when to go to Ganzhou. Xiao Heng disappeared after coming back with her. Gu Xiyue decided to wait for him to come back and ask him if his people knew about Liu Xiyun's situation, and then determine the time to leave Nanhuang based on the time she came.

In the afternoon, when the sun was setting, she went to the beach as usual to see if there were any problems that needed to be solved today.

When she was going out, she happened to meet Li Sanniang who came to look for her. Seeing that she was going to the beach, she immediately wanted to follow her.

After Aunt Li and the others woke up at home, the three families called each other and got up. Then they all dressed themselves up, changed into their most decent clothes, and prepared to go to the beach. They looked like they were going on a trip.

Perhaps deep down they still feel that they are the military commander's family members, and the people here are exiled criminals.

Their identities are completely different from those of the people here.

When they walked slowly from the path in front of the door to the seaside and saw four large salt fields paved with stone slabs, they were still quite shocked.

Not only are the salt fields paved with stone slabs, but the roads connecting the salt fields and the road to the seaside are also paved with stone slabs. The ground is smoother than the roads in the capital.

The men in the four salt fields were busy in an orderly manner. Some of the salt fields still had sea water in them, while others had dried up. Thick white crystals were formed on the ground and around them. Some people were shoveling these crystals into bags, and after they were packed, some people carried them and put them on the carts next to them. When the carts were full, someone would guard them and pull them away. After making room, the empty carts waiting on the side would come over and continue to load the bulging bags onto them.

The men laughed while working and said that when they were tired they would sit in the shed inside and drink.

The water took a break. No one shouted at them to work, and no one was lazy or slacking off. Everyone was very conscientious. Wherever there was a need for help, someone would be there to take up the responsibility. Everything was busy but not chaotic.

A few people followed the direction of the cart and walked west along the beach. The sea breeze blew gently and it was not hot at all. There was a row of drying racks made of wood and planks on the beach. Ropes were tied between the upright pillars. Sea fish were placed on the drying racks and hung on the ropes. The whole row was full of sea fish. There was a woman wearing a triangular scarf squatting on the beach, busy killing fish. The killed fish would be dried immediately.

It was the same scene of talking and laughing.

Aunt Li and others frowned and covered their noses, feeling strongly irritated by the special smell of sea fish.

Xu Rulan even wanted to go back to the house right now.

The smell is so unpleasant, and these people are still laughing. How can they laugh?

She thought with disdain.

When we were almost at the west end, we met a few women gathered around thatch, constantly picking white things from it and putting them into their pockets.

When they passed by, the woman at the outermost corner turned her head, and Aunt Li recognized her as Aunt Song, who had explained the rules to them at noon. She smiled and waved at her.

Aunt Song didn't want to pay attention to it at first, but for the sake of the three military masters, she held back and smiled at her faintly.

"You said before that you get paid every month, is this what you pick?"

Aunt Song nodded.

"Is this salt?"

Aunt Li asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Not only was she confused, but the others around her also didn't understand why the salt they ate every day could grow on this. This kind of thatch was also common in the capital, so why didn't salt form on it? Why did the thatch here form salt?

Aunt Song nodded.

"Yes, it's salt, sea salt!"

Seeing the confused faces of the people, she explained, "When the tide is high, the thatch will be soaked in the sea. When the sea recedes, the salt will settle on it, accumulating little by little, and slowly it will become more."

"Sea salt... can I eat it?"

Xu Rulan asked doubtfully.

Aunt Song looked at her with an indescribable expression. "The salt in the dumplings you ate at noon was sea salt. Do you think it's okay to eat? Do you feel uncomfortable after eating it?"

Xu Rulan closed her mouth.

She was already a little hungry and missed the dumplings she had at noon.

"So how much sea salt can you pick in a day?"

Aunt Li's heart was moved.

Aunt Song said embarrassedly, "My hands are slow, and I can only pick a dozen pounds a day."

"How much does Madam Gu give you per pound?"

"One pound, one penny."

"One pound is only one cent?"

Aunt Xu sneered, "The salt we eat in the capital costs seven cents per pound, and you work so hard all day to only earn one cent per pound!"

Aunt Song was not annoyed. "Then how much does Sister Xu make a day?"

"I..." Aunt Xu said disdainfully, "I have a shop, so I don't need to do this kind of work at all."

"Then Miss Xu has no shop to make money now."

Aunt Song laughed and shot back, not holding back at all.

"You..." Aunt Xu turned her head and thought for a moment, then sneered, "Mrs. Gu charges you a penny per pound, and she sells it for several more. You're just working for her, earning a tiny bit of money. What's there to be happy about?"

As soon as she said this, several women picking sea salt nearby looked over here with unfriendly eyes.

Aunt Song was even more rude.

"Of course we're happy that Madam Gu is making money. Even if she takes this salt and sells it for ten cents, we're happy for her. Madam Gu said she'll provide us with food and let us earn money. When she makes money, she'll build roads and big houses for us, and we'll have meat every meal. Where can you find a boss like that?"

Aunt Xu was speechless, her lips moved and her face turned pale.

Seeing her mother's frustration, Xu Rulan, in order to save face, said, "Who knows if she's lying to you?"

After she finished speaking, she looked at her mother proudly, but was glared at by her mother.

Aunt Song's words made Aunt Li, Aunt Wang and Aunt Xu feel relieved.

Yes, where can I find such a good boss?

You can't find such a good boss in the whole capital. Those bosses are eager to make you work hard all day long, eat less, and ask for as little money as possible.

From the salt fields, drying sea fish, and picking sea salt that they saw along the way, none of them had a sad face, and no one was holding a whip to force them. They were free, and each of them had a peaceful smile on their face, as if they were working in their own fields.

And, to be honest, the wages that Madam Gu paid them were not low.

There are three meals a day.

Thinking of the meat-filled dumplings they had at noon, they had no way of denying it.

Moreover, I heard that Mrs. Gu would build roads and big houses after making money so that they could have meat every meal.

They had heard their husbands describe life here before, and it was completely different from what they saw now. Except for the houses they lived in which were still adobe houses with thatched roofs, everything else had changed dramatically.

Because of Xu Rulan's words, Aunt Song ignored them. The other women picking sea salt took the initiative to talk to Aunt Song, and no one paid any attention to Aunt Li and the others.

"Sister Song, the child is ignorant, don't take her words to heart!"

After Aunt Li finished speaking, Aunt Song just glanced at them indifferently without saying anything.

Aunt Li and the others looked embarrassed. At this moment, a woman's cheerful voice came from the front. It was obviously Madam Gu.

They walked forward in the direction of the sound, and after passing a place where several women were picking sea salt, a large pit suddenly appeared on the left side in front of them. At the bottom of the pit was a large wooden frame, which, upon closer inspection, looked like the shape of a boat.

There was a pile of wood neatly stacked next to it, some of which had been processed into boards and neatly stacked on the other side.

Several men were busy working in an orderly manner, each with their own division of labor.

Gu Xiyue, who was speaking, was standing at the bottom of the pit, looking around at the wooden shelves.

Behind her followed Li Sanniang and her two children.

"Brother Zhao, you just said that this boat will be ready in ten days?"

Gu Xiyue's voice was full of surprise, and at this moment she was as happy as a child who had eaten candy.

After experiencing the scenes they had just seen along the way, Aunt Li and the others knew that all of this was led by the thin and weak-looking girl in front of them, and they suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

It's more unbelievable.

Xu Rulan looked at the man who was called Brother Zhao by Madam Gu and was talking to her gently, and she felt a little unhappy.

The man looked like a married man, tall and reliable.

Not only was he gentle, but the men working nearby all smiled respectfully when they saw Madam Gu, and many of them looked at her as if she were their own sister.

Her heart suddenly felt sour.

Her husband Xiao is such a good man, why is she so ungrateful and still has contact with so many men behind his back?

She may be able to find a market for it, but who knows what's going on.

Maybe it was obtained by...

At this time, Gu Xiyue had no idea what others thought of her. When she heard Zhao Yancheng say that the boat would be completed in ten days, she was so happy. She was just thinking that when she went to Ganzhou, she would bring some dried sea fish to show the prefect and see whether the Naxi people in Ganzhou liked to eat fish. By the way, she would find an opportunity to visit the area bordering the neighboring country. She heard that there was a trade market there, and she would find a chance to find buyers then.

If the market for sea fish can be opened up, Nanhuang will have an additional source of income.

While chatting with Brother Zhao, Gu Xiyue heard someone calling her. She looked up and saw several people standing on the road.

It was Aunt Li and the others.

Gu Xiyue waved at them with a smile, said a few words to Zhao Yancheng, and then walked upstairs.

She and Zhao Yancheng agreed that after this boat was built, they would build another one for their daily fishing use, so that they would have four boats, which would be enough for the time being, and they could build more boats later if needed.

Zhao Yancheng nodded.

The key point is that during this period, Zhao Yancheng and Wang Hu had to oversee the shipbuilding and transport sea salt. The two of them were busy back and forth and had almost no time to rest. They could only take a break after the next ship was built.

Otherwise it will make people exhausted.

After Gu Xiyue went up, Li Sanniang followed with the child.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Aunt Li and the others, they saw a boat docking on the west side. Gu Xiyue hurriedly greeted them and turned back to the pier. Aunt Li and the others were very curious and followed to see.

The pier looked newly built.

When Xu Rulan saw that the dock was full of men, she felt even more disgusted.

This Madam Gu hangs out with men all day long, it's strange that she can be a good person! She despises women who take themselves seriously among men the most.

I think they are too frivolous.

Meixiang saw all her expressions. She looked at her coldly and kept them in mind.

This salt transport was led by Wang Hu. As soon as his ship docked, Zhao Yancheng's team immediately sent out their ship. Gu Xiyue shouted that this trip was over after it was completed.

Zhao Yancheng stood at the bow of the boat and waved towards the dock.

When Wang Hu came back, he dragged the fishing net as usual. After catching a bag of sea fish, he handed it to the person who was waiting for him. He just waved his hand and got off the boat, and walked up to Gu Xiyue with a smile.

He looked back at Aunt Li and the others and whispered, "Madam Gu, they seem very surprised. Are they not used to this place?"

Gu Xiyue smiled and nodded, "It's normal. They may feel a little uncomfortable when they first come here, but it will be fine in a few days. We need to give them time."

"But why did I notice that there was a girl staring at you with sparks in her eyes? Does she have a grudge against you?"

Even an outsider like Wang Hu could see Xu Rulan's hostility towards Gu Xiyue. How could Gu Xiyue not know this? She shook her head nonchalantly and said, "You are dazzled. You must be seasick. Go back and rest first. We will have dinner later."

Wang Hu stopped chatting with her and left with his team members with a smile. When he passed by Xu Rulan, he turned his head to look at her with a smile in his eyes.

Xu Rulan felt uncomfortable being stared at and immediately covered her chest, as if she was being stared at by a gangster.

Wang Hu finally left a comment: "Not at all like Master Xu!"

Then he walked away.

Xu Rulan was so angry that she stomped her feet on the spot.

Gu Xiyue went to the salt warehouse again and was filled with emotion. After transporting salt day after day, the warehouse was more than half empty. In a few days, after all the salt was transported, she could go and collect the extra money.

You will have more money in your hands by then.

She made a rough estimate based on the performances during this period and found that the monthly salt output is about 500,000 kilograms. This number is still quite impressive. She will maintain this level for the time being and wait until she finds other buyers.

"Madam Gu, you are truly amazing!"

Aunt Li said this sincerely when Gu Xiyue came over.

After looking around, she finally realized that Madam Gu was really a formidable person. No matter who she interacted with, she was always generous and open-minded, without any girlish shyness.

Those who were undecided would ask her and she would give them a solution in a few words.

Moreover, everyone she met, no matter whether they were women or young or old, was respectful to Madam Gu and did not show any offense.

Aunt Li is forty years old after all. She has a clear understanding of people and her mind changes quickly.

She originally thought that it was so dusty here and she didn't know how she could live. But now, it seems that everyone here is full of energy under the leadership of Gu Xiyue. They are just like one big family. She has never felt this way before.

This feeling makes people feel very warm.

When Gu Xiyue heard Aunt Li say this, she smiled and shook her head, "Aunt Li, you're too kind. I just did some ordinary things."

"Mrs. Gu, please see what kind of work I can do. I want to work starting tomorrow."

Aunt Li said sincerely.

After hearing what she said, Li Sanniang also echoed, "Yes, yes, that's what I meant. Madam Gu, please help me take a look too."

Although Aunt Wang and Aunt Xu were moved, they didn't say anything in the end.

Gu Xiyue smiled and took Aunt Li's hand, saying earnestly, "Aunt Li, don't worry for now. You haven't seen Jun Ye and the others for a few years. It's not easy for the family to be reunited. Just adapt for a few days. Once your bodies are fully rested, I will see what is suitable for you based on your actual situation. Jun Ye Li and the others have worked hard here all these years. You should spend more time with them first."

How can one not be moved by these words!

After hearing this, Aunt Li felt warm in her heart.

Let them have a good rest first, spend time with their families, and then arrange work according to the situation after they have fully recovered.

How come Mrs. Gu is so considerate?

She is even more considerate than my own daughter.

Originally, Aunt Li didn't think there was anything wrong with being separated from Master Li Jun for all these years, but now, after hearing just a few words from Gu Xiyue, her heart felt a little sour.

Yes, their men had been here for many years. It was hard to imagine how they felt facing such a harsh environment alone without their family members around.

Aunt Wang thought about how she had complained to her husband at noon and how his face had turned black. She suddenly felt bad. She thought that she was the one who didn't know how to feel sorry for him and why did she say so much.

Aunt Xu's heart had begun to relax at this time.

Apart from anything else, I just saw that they were able to repair ships, build a dock, and actually ship the salt out.

I thought of the meat dumplings at lunch.

Her heart softened unconsciously.

When she was in Beijing before, she was always pretentious and her man always went along with her. Later, he was sent here and has been here for several years. She saw that her man had become darker and older.

At this moment, the three women felt very uncomfortable.

"Come on, it's time for dinner, let's go eat first."

"But they haven't come back yet?"

Aunt Li looked at the ship that was no longer visible on the sea.

"It's okay. They can eat when they come back. Dinner takes about an hour. Some go early, some go late."

"Let's go early and eat slowly."

Gu Xiyue greeted them warmly and didn't care about the complicated looks from Xu Rulan and the others.

"Madam Gu, I'm going back to find my husband and children and eat with them. You've worked hard, so go eat first."

Aunt Li felt really embarrassed to go eat first. Everyone was still working, and it would be embarrassing for them to go early.

Gu Xiyue was about to persuade them when she looked up and saw Xiao Heng striding towards her, followed by Wei Lin and Hu Mazi.

As soon as Hu Mazi came over, he simply bowed to Gu Xiyue and took Li Sanniang and the two children away.

Aunt Li and the others turned around and left immediately. Only Xu Rulan stood there, hesitating, "Madam Gu, can I follow you?"

She was talking, but her eyes were on Xiao Heng.

But Xiao Heng didn't even look at her.

Gu Xiyue could see what was going on. She pursed her lips and was about to speak when Xiao Heng tilted his head and said, "I'm sorry, my wife and I have some private matters to discuss, and it's inconvenient for us to have outsiders around."

Xu Rulan's face changed immediately. She moved her hands in panic, twisting them together and squeezing them hard, and was finally pulled away by her mother who rushed over.

"You have no sense. Can't you see that Madam Gu has something to say to her husband? What are you still standing there for?"

Xu Rulan was originally rejected by Xiao Heng, and then scolded by her mother, especially since there were other people around and her mother's voice was quite loud. She suddenly felt wronged and ashamed, turned around, covered her face and ran forward.

Aunt Li hurriedly called for help, but Aunt Xu waved her hand and said, "Let her go, don't bother with her!"

Gu Xiyue looked at all these things, raised her brow and looked at Xiao Heng's face, "You should be gentler to the girl, look how scared she is."

Xiao Heng was bewildered. "I didn't scold her. I just said I had something to tell you in private, and it's inconvenient for outsiders to be present. Isn't she an outsider?"

Gu Xiyue pursed her lips and smiled without saying a word, her gaze lingering on his face.

There's nothing I can do about it, it's because her man is so attractive.

The girl fell in love with her man at first sight, and it was unclear whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

The key is that she is Mr. Xu’s daughter.

Mr. Xu is a very good man, but his daughter...

Gu Xiyue sighed.

I hope things will get better after some time, otherwise, given this girl's personality, she will suffer a great loss sooner or later.

Seeing that the person had gone far away and there was no one else around, Xiao Heng pulled Gu Xiyue to the corner next to the salt warehouse and whispered, "Gu Xiyun has arrived in Xifeng Town."

"real?"

"My people found out that she is currently staying at the Tongfu Inn in Xifeng Town."

Gu Xiyue pondered for a moment, "Do you think she can find her way here?"

Xiao Heng nodded, then shook his head, "But I don't want her to come here. Why don't we go to Xifeng Town to find her?"