Rendering lard is a process that is both enjoyable and agonizing. Not only is the kitchen hot, but the aroma of the lard stimulates everyone's taste buds in waves. It smells so good!

Tao Wan's mother filtered out all the cracklings and put the shiny lard in a large bowl. It would take some time for the lard to solidify into white fat.

"Da Hu, you go first tomorrow and use a cart to push my things to the stall."

Tao Wanniang instructed, "I need to go to the butcher shop and get some pork shoulder. When I get there, I'll have it chopped and wrapped right away!"

"Mom, why are you so determined to run a wonton business?"

Ling Dahu was a little worried. His mother had never made wontons for them even once in her entire life! He felt a pang of regret when the iron pot and stove were delivered.

Ignoring her son's worries, Tao Wanniang compared the prices in the system with those in the provincial capital and still decisively chose the system.

In Shanhai Prefecture, flour costs 200 wen per jin, while the system provides 100 wen. Naturally, she chooses to spend one tael of silver from the system to buy ten jin of flour first. If she wants to set up her stall at dawn, she needs to roll out some dough before sunrise. To start doing business at the morning market, she naturally has to get up early.

"Take a basket, put the lard and scallions in it, and then put the basket in the well."

Tao Wan's mother pondered for a moment and then instructed, "If you buy too much meat in the future, store it like this, understand? The well water is cool, so the food won't spoil this way!"

"Oh, okay, Mom, then tomorrow my older brother will push the cart there, and what about me?" Ling Dapeng was also in the kitchen, looking at the fried pork cracklings and swallowing hard.

"You, get up early in the morning and knead the dough. In short, one of you will get up early to knead the dough for me so I can roll out the wonton wrappers, and the other of you will go with me to set up the stall."

Tao Wan's mother had already planned it out. She would ask her two sons to get involved. As for her two daughters-in-law, firstly, the children were still young and needed to be cared for by their mothers; secondly, if they saw their husbands were busy and didn't help out, that was the young couple's business, and she wouldn't interfere.

Ling Dahu and Ling Dapeng thought about it and agreed that it was a good idea for the two brothers to each take charge of one side, and their mother would not show favoritism to either of them this time.

After finishing her business in the kitchen, Tao Wanniang made an excuse to go back to her room for a nap.

"It seems like ginger and Sichuan peppercorns are cheaper in the system. I'll take five pounds of ginger and less Sichuan peppercorns, one pound will be fine."

"I'll also take the spice packet. I can braise some offal later and earn some extra income."

Tao Wanniang placed orders for quite a few things through the system. Compared to current prices, the system, as a multi-dimensional trading platform, is really convenient.

"What does Mother mean by this? Making you get up early to knead dough and having your older brother set up the stall together—isn't this clearly a way of supporting your older brother's side?"

Zhou Xiaoyun listened to Ling Dapeng relay Tao Wanniang's arrangements and expressed her strong disapproval.

"No, Mom probably just wanted me to sleep in a little longer because I got up early, so I wouldn't have to go to the stall."

Ling Dapeng scratched his head, grinned foolishly, and said to Zhou Xiaoyun, "Xiaoyun, I know you're just worried I'll suffer, but I still trust my mother. Tell me, isn't it our mother who gave us a good life?"

Zhou Xiaoyun frowned; she felt uneasy because she had no money.

"My sister-in-law went to check on the chicks and ducklings. I wonder if she'll overreport the number. From now on, when feeding the chickens and ducks, she might skimp on the amount. The eldest son's family is living much better than us."

Zhou Xiaoyun hugged Er Gou and muttered, "I knew Mom still resented me, but back then, wasn't it because she wanted to throw Er Gou away? Er Gou is my life!"

"Ayi ayi..." Er Gou, who could only make syllables, made a sound in his mother's arms at just the right time.

Ling Dapeng stepped forward and picked up the child.

"Xiaoyun, you can say these things to me, but don't let your mother hear them. Your mother's temper is changing little by little. She used to get angry so easily, but now she doesn't act up anymore. Even if she favors your older brother, it doesn't matter."

"Let's just live our lives peacefully. Anyway, we don't have to worry about food and drink; Mom will take care of everything!"

Seeing Ling Dapeng's silly grin, Zhou Xiaoyun was secretly annoyed. How could he be so clueless!

"You're so naive, I don't care anymore!"

Zhou Xiaoyun said indignantly, then helplessly picked up her needle and thread and started sewing again. "Mother bought clothes for Xiao Qiao'er, but I haven't seen her buy any for her own grandson!"

"This money was given by Xiao Qiao'er's father, so it's only right that Mother takes good care of Xiao Qiao'er. Xiao Yun, stop complaining. Why don't you spend your time with Er Gou and raise chickens and ducks with your sister-in-law?"

Zhou Xiaoyun felt utterly exhausted. She glared at Ling Dapeng with a mixture of helplessness and resentment, then fell silent.

On the other hand, Wang Hongyu was also worried when she learned that Ling Dahu was going to set up a stall with Tao Wanniang.

"You're the one doing all the hard and tiring work. I've never run a business before. Why are you suddenly opening a wonton shop? Isn't this ridiculous?"

"That's not quite right. Mother is getting on in years, but she's still working hard for our family. Hongyu, Mother isn't the same as before. We have to trust her."

Wang Hongyu frowned and hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Well, five chicks and five ducklings, thirty coins, Dog Boy's father, do you think Mother would give it to us if we said fifty coins?"

"Are you crazy? You're even trying to steal your mother's money?"

Ling Dahu immediately shouted, "Hongyu, hasn't Mother done enough for us? How can you think like that?"

"I... I was just thinking about the future. Raising chickens and ducks takes a lot of food, and I don't have any money. Even if I wanted to buy grain, I wouldn't have any!"

Wang Hongyu said anxiously, "Besides, isn't this all for you and the children? I've already bought two new pairs of shoes for Xiao Qiao'er, but look at Gouwa, and Huani, and yourself. Even if I wanted to make new shoes for you, I... I don't have the money!"

Seeing Wang Hongyu's eyes redden with anxiety, Ling Dahu felt very guilty.

"Wait a little longer, I'll make sure you and the child have a good life." Although Ling Dahu had no clue what to do, he just felt confident that he could do it!

Tao Wan's mother didn't pay any attention to her son and daughter-in-law's little schemes. The next morning, she woke up around 3:45 AM and went straight to Ling Dapeng's room.

"Ling Dapeng, get up! You promised to knead the dough, are you going to slack off?"

Ling Dapeng, who was woken up, looked sleepy. He had never gotten up this early before when farming!

"Mom, I know, I'll go knead the dough right now, ha~" Ling Dapeng said, yawning.

"Go to the kitchen and wash your face. I've already poured the flour into the basin. I'm going to the butcher to get some meat. When I get back, I'll start rolling out the dough. If you delay me, you'll see what I do to you!"

Tao Wanniang said with a stern face.

"Mom, don't worry, I'll take care of this." Ling Dapeng shook his head, feeling much more awake. These were chores they had been doing since they were little.

Tao Wan's mother didn't waste any more words with Ling Dapeng. After giving her son some instructions, she went out to the butcher shop!