Chapter 108 The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs
"Mom, I'm not that stupid to let her enter the Cheng family." Cheng Fangjiao felt a little embarrassed after her thoughts were exposed. She stood behind Madam Cheng, pinching her shoulders and said, "Mom, I did this for my eldest brother's own good!"
"Oh?" Mrs. Cheng chuckled. "I thought you were trying to be vindictive with Fang Caiwei."
"Mother, I am angry with her, but no matter what, she is also my eldest brother's concubine. I will definitely not harm my eldest brother just because of my anger." Cheng Fangjiao didn't notice that Madam Cheng was angry. She pinched his shoulders more gently and said, "Mother, didn't you think that my eldest brother used to spend a lot of effort on women?"
"I was thinking, maybe, after this incident, big brother has calmed down and focused on his studies." Cheng Fangjiao knew very well that her mother was particularly concerned about the fact that big brother was not good at either literature or martial arts.
"If it's really as you said, then I'll give you a credit." Mrs. Cheng's lips curled up slightly.
"Don't worry, mom. Big brother will definitely calm down." Cheng Fangjiao said confidently.
Madam Cheng asked, "Aren't you afraid that the Xiao family really wants to marry you?"
"This..." Cheng Fangjiao's eyes turned, and she said, "If the Xiao family really wants to marry her, then she can only be a concubine. How can the daughter of a criminal be the eldest brother's wife?"
…
"Miss Xiao, something happened."
As Xiao Jiuyue entered the village, his carriage was stopped. Tian Jinhong said in a panic, "The government officials came today and said that our workshop was not reported to the government, which is against the rules, and they want to close it down."
"Seal off the workshop?" Xiao Jiuyue raised her eyebrows and asked, "Shi Lizheng has completed all the necessary procedures, so why didn't he report it to the authorities?" The Cheng family was even more shameless than she had imagined.
"Yes, father-in-law took out the documents, but they said the stamps were not clear, so they couldn't be accepted." Tian Jinhong said anxiously: "Father-in-law asked me to stay here to tell Miss Xiao not to go to the workshop. Father-in-law said that the other party might be coming for you."
"Well, go back and tell Shi Lizheng that the workshop has been sealed. Spring sowing is more important now!" Xiao Jiuyue nodded slightly. She was not panic at all. The carriage slowly drove away. Tian Jinhong looked at the swaying carriage as it left. Her heart, which had been pounding, slowly calmed down.
Tian Jinhong patted her chest and muttered to herself, "It's not easy to be a young lady." It was her first time dealing with government officials. Those yamen runners were so cruel. They had sticks in their hands and would beat people up at will!
The seal is clearly visible, but those people are blind and insist that it is unclear.
"Miss, this couldn't be the Cheng family's trick, could it?" Lian Xin said indignantly, speaking up for her young lady. "It was the Cheng family who nearly injured the Third Young Master yesterday, so why are they sealing the workshop with such despicable tactics?"
"Maybe they want to test the waters." Xiao Jiuyue lifted the curtain and looked from afar. There were many people surrounding the workshop, including officials, yamen runners, and villagers from Fu'an Village!
The workshop is not just Xiao Jiuyue’s workshop, but also the golden cradle for making money and the goose that lays golden eggs for their Fu’an Village!
"Bottoming out?" Lian Xin was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked, "Could it be related to the rumor from last time? But it's been going on for so long..."
"Spring sowing is the most important. Plant the crops first. Oh, and go back and tell Mother Yu and the others not to forget to plant edamame on the ridges." Xiao Jiuyue thought of the bare ridges and immediately realized that the land should not be wasted.
"Ah?" Lian Xin was stunned. She was sold since she was a child. After entering the Xiao Mansion, she had always been with Xiao Jiuyue and had never farmed.
"You'll know if you tell Mother Yu." Xiao Jiuyue smiled and looked at how the harvest was this year. If it was good, she could try raising rice fish in the future.
Whenever you want to eat fish, you can go to the fields and catch them! Fish not only remove weeds and pests, but also provide nutrients for the rice fields, killing two birds with one stone!
Xiao Jiuyue had just returned to the Xiao family's old house. Before Jin Wen had time to speak, Mother Jiang came over: "Miss, the old lady wants to see you."
"I'll be right there." Xiao Jiuyue went straight to the main courtyard. As soon as she entered, Madam Xiao gestured for her to sit down. Tea was already brewed beside her. "Have you heard about the workshop?"
Xiao Jiuyue took a sip of tea before saying, "When we came back, Tian Jinhong explained it to me clearly. Grandma, don't worry. This villain is causing trouble, and it's not worth your worry."
Seeing her calm demeanor and knowing she had already made up her mind, Old Madam Xiao felt relieved and said, "I've seen that young master from the Cheng family. He's nothing but an embroidered pillow with a straw core, a complete fool!"
"Grandmother." Xiao Jiuyue laughed uncontrollably. "This Young Master Cheng has a bad reputation in the county. He wears the title of the county magistrate's son, but he likes to drink and bully his classmates. In the academy, he's the one who's scolded by the teacher every day."
"A dandy boy." Madam Xiao finished her scolding and added, "No, those young masters in Shengjing are at least from noble families. He's just the son of a county magistrate, but he's so arrogant. From now on..."
"Grandmother, I've inquired about it. The Cheng family exploits the people's wealth. Every year when it comes to corvée labor, the Cheng family receives a lot of money."
Xiao Jiuyue had read the county annals. After the incident involving canned oranges and the deaths, she had also inquired about the Cheng family. She said, "County Magistrate Cheng was a third-class Jinshi in the thirteenth year of Emperor Jingdi. He waited another two years before being assigned to Lancang County as magistrate. It has been nine years now."
"A fellow Jinshi, this ability is not bad for ordinary people." Old Madam Xiao twisted the Buddhist beads. If he were in Shengjing, he would not be in the eyes of the Xiao family at all. A fellow Jinshi could not even enter the Hanlin Academy and stay in Shengjing.
"Since the Cheng family has closed the workshop, let him do it. Let's see what he wants to do."
Xiao Jiuyue was not in a hurry at all. The pickled radishes and pickled cabbages had already been made and sealed in the jars. If the workshop wanted to start working again, it would have to wait until the peaches were ripe.
…
At night, Shi Lizheng brought several people from the village here. Even though they were tired all day, having run to the county for workshop matters and having to worry about spring sowing, they didn't even have a bite of food at home before rushing over.
"Miss Xiao, I've already completed all the formalities for the workshop. Now, the seal on this deed is unclear, but when I went to the county government office today, I couldn't find the person who used to be so idle! "
"Miss Xiao, did you offend someone?"
"Workshops can be big or small."
Shi Li was so anxious that his mouth was covered with blisters. Seeing Xiao Jiuyue sitting there calmly drinking tea, Shi Li was so anxious that he didn't know what to say.
Xiao Jiuyue asked Lianxin to serve tea: "This is the honeysuckle tea I specially asked someone to brew, it can dispel internal heat."
Shi Lizheng had no mood to drink tea. He asked anxiously: "Miss Xiao, do you have an idea?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com