Zhao Jinlong, who was in charge of land deeds at the yamen, did not make things difficult for Lu Yunfeng. On the contrary, he was very enthusiastic towards Lu Yunfeng. "Before Magistrate Wang came to Fenggu County to take office, he had heard about Xiulou and had long ago instructed your family to do business with you. As long as it is in accordance with the rules, we will do our best to help you."

Lu Yunfeng thanked them and treated the people in charge of the land deeds to a drink before taking the land deeds home.

Qin Xiaozhou understood after hearing what the county yamen runners said.

"This Magistrate Wang is indeed here to gain experience in Fenggu County. Although the Zhu family's shipping business, the Shen family's rice business, and other restaurants and shops are doing big business in Fenggu County, we are now a major economic pillar in the county. If he wants to achieve results and get promoted in two or three years, he will have to give strong support to our embroidery workshop and textile factory."

Lu Yunfeng nodded, "This year, a large number of farmers are planting mulberry trees and raising silkworms. Textile factories need to make preparations early. The first batch of silkworm cocoons should be ready in about half a month."

Silkworms hatch at the end of February and produce cocoons by the beginning of April. Several batches can be raised throughout the year.

Qin Xiaozhou sighed, "There are business opportunities everywhere. I remember last year there were no merchants buying silkworm cocoons in Zhao Jiataizi. You can remind your uncles in the Zhao family to buy silkworm cocoons and earn some money from the price difference. It's better than the whole family having to toil in the fields and rely on the weather for their livelihood."

The Zhao family has eleven members, and both of their cousins ​​are still young and may be pregnant at any time. With so many people, relying solely on the land for food is always difficult. Fortunately, last year Zhao Yong delivered goods to the Lu family, which allowed them to barely have enough to eat and wear.

"Okay, I'll talk to my second cousin about this this afternoon."

When Zhao Yong heard about this in the afternoon, he did not agree on the spot. He only said that he would go home and think about it. He thought about it all the way home but could not come up with any ideas. He could only tell his family about it.

The Zhao family members were not very bright and were used to being honest farmers. They had no idea how to harvest silkworm cocoons. They were all neighbors, and if things went wrong, they could easily become enemies.

Most importantly, no one in the Zhao family has ever been to school and can't even do math, which is a major taboo in business.

Finally, the old man sighed, "Forget it, stop making trouble. The Lu family needs manpower to manage the orchard and take care of the chickens and ducks. Eldest son and second son, you two will go to the Lu family to work as farmhands. Zhong'er will stay at home to look after us, and Yong'er will continue to deliver chickens and ducks to the Lu family. Let's settle on this."

No one in the family objected. The Lu family didn't own any land, so it wouldn't affect their farming season. Going there to work as long-term laborers was the most suitable option for them.

The next day at noon, Zhao Yong came to deliver chickens and ducks as usual, and told Lu Yunfeng about his family's plans. This outcome was within Lu Yunfeng's expectations.

Qin Xiaozhou didn't insist. "When a business opportunity arises, someone will always seize it. Just wait and see, in less than two months, there will be people in Zhao Jiatai collecting silkworm cocoons."

There are many things to worry about right now.

Lu Yan was quite interested in the idea of ​​opening a school. "Sister-in-law, last winter we helped fifty-seven girls, and the embroidery building was already full. If we recruit apprentices again this year, the embroidery building can't support so many people. Can't we postpone it?"

Spring has arrived and flowers are in bloom. The pomegranate flowers in the yard have already sprouted buds. Qin Xiaozhou is holding a newly drawn clothing design in her hand. "Once you've made a decision, you should do it right away. Don't wait."

"But we're not ready yet. When those people arrive, they'll have problems with food, lodging, and clothing. Can't we wait until everything is ready before recruiting them?"

Qin Xiaozhou picked a pomegranate flower and pinned it in the little girl's hair. "Nothing in this world is ever perfectly prepared. Think back to the past year. We've gotten to where we are today step by step. Just take the first step, and solve problems as they arise. There will always be a day when we get back on track. What's the use of just thinking about it all day?"

Lu Yunfeng, holding the land deed and planning the building development, smiled upon hearing this, "Your sister-in-law is the type to act on her impulses; she's always on a whim. We'll just follow in her footsteps and not fall behind."

Lu Yan glanced back and forth between the two, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "Alright then, in order to keep up with my sister-in-law, I'll go find Granny Qian and learn management from her. When new apprentices arrive, sister-in-law, could you let me be their second-in-command to keep them in check?"

"I'll make you the head of the school. You've been with me for a year and managed this Smooth Sailing Building very well. When the time comes, I'll hand this over to Jing Shu, and you can go to the school. Besides being the teacher, you can be the boss, okay?" Qin Xiaozhou handed over the blueprints.

"Give these to Granny Qian and have her make the pattern and finish them as soon as possible."

Lu Yan ran off happily, but Qin Xiaozhou started to have wild thoughts. The textile factory used the best silk threads, so the fabrics they wove were naturally of the highest quality. The embroidery workers at the embroidery workshop were now famous in the surrounding area, and the clothes they made cost ten or twenty taels each, some better ones forty or fifty taels each, and there were even better ones.

But only a minority of people in this world can afford these clothes; most people wear coarse linen and hemp clothing. These people are also a market, and she cannot give them up.

Qin Xiaozhou suddenly stood up and headed towards Gu Yunyao's courtyard.

Gu Yunyao was doing woodworking with her two children in the yard? To be precise, they were making various small toys out of wood, such as this miniature wooden car, which would be perfect for children to play with.

Qin Xiaozhou admired these female engineers. "I want to build another garment factory on the east side of the county town. This time, I'll take a low-end, people-friendly approach and make styles that are suitable for working people."

Gu Yunyao said "Oh," and then asked, "Is your school ready?"

"without."

Qin Xiaozhou went home dejectedly like a defeated rooster. Lu Yunfeng stood under the pomegranate tree and laughed at her, "You took too big a step and got hurt?"

Qin Xiaozhou rolled her eyes at him, but immediately perked up again.

With the land deed in hand, the Lu family began to build a school and announced that they would recruit embroiderers and weavers again. This time, they only wanted children as young as seven or eight, and for the first three years, they would not pay wages. They would only be responsible for the apprentices' food, clothing and lodging, and nothing else.

Seven- or eight-year-old girls in the village are already able to work in the fields or take care of their younger siblings; in short, they are a source of labor. But now, they are expected to be useless for three years, so many people refuse to do it.

“We finally raised them to be seven or eight years old, the perfect age to work, and then we sent them to that brothel without paying them a single penny. They've been working for them for free for three years. All these years of raising them have been for nothing.”

"What's the point of girls reading books? My two sons have never even touched a book."

Some people even ran up to the cake shop and shouted that they could send their sons there, saying, "My son is very smart. If he goes there to study for two years, he might become an accountant and be able to establish himself in the city."

“I don’t need my son to be an accountant. He just needs to know how to do math. I’ll set up a stall for him at the market in the east of the city and let him be a vendor. It’s tough if you can’t do math. Last time, he almost got cheated when he sold thirteen catties of silkworm cocoons.”

"Hahaha, your son probably doesn't even know how old he is, does he?"

The shop entrance was noisy, and even Sun Xunqiao went to Qin Xiaozhou to ask if she could send her husband's nephew to her school.