Chapter 303: Sister-in-law Gossip
On the day of Zhao Xiaomi's little girl's third birthday, Sui Yu took the little girl there early in the morning, and the business of the guesthouse was left to A Shui, who could write and count, and was competent in collecting money and purchasing.
Since they left home early and were not in a hurry, Sui Yu let the kid ride a camel by himself. He sat in the middle of the camel's hump, holding a basket of eggs in his arms. A stack of red cloth was draped over the basket of eggs. Sui Yu was holding six hens in his hands, three on each side. The chickens' wings were tied so they could only curl their necks and cluck.
"Aning, your aunt is here. Go and welcome her on behalf of your mother," said Cui Hongxia.
Aning ran out quickly and called out, "Aunt, brother. Brother, can you ride a camel by yourself? I heard from my father that you have a beautiful pony, right? Why don't you ride it over here?"
He had a lot to say and started asking a series of questions as soon as we met.
Cui Hongxia and Huang's mother came out of the door one after another. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged polite greetings and took the hens, eggs and red cloth. Cui Hongxia felt indescribable envy in her heart. Her sister-in-law had only one brother and sister-in-law from her family in Dunhuang, and they never came empty-handed. Her family was quite a lot, and the table was full of people for dinner. She only received four chickens and a basket of eggs during her confinement.
"Sister-in-law, congratulations to you, there is one more child who calls you aunt." Cui Hongxia said flatteringly.
"I'm so happy, I'm having a niece, and you're having a niece." Sui Yu said with a smile, "Aunt, I haven't congratulated you on having a granddaughter yet, but now you have both a grandson and a granddaughter. Your family is so prosperous, you must be smiling even in your dreams, right?"
Huang's mother smiled and nodded, "I'm busy all the time, just to have a house full of children and grandchildren."
"It's you who has to suffer." Sui Yu said.
"It's a pleasure to suffer."
As they were talking, a group of people entered the yard. Father Huang said a few words to Sui Yu and then went out to feed the camels with grass.
Sui Yu scooped up some water to wash her hands, then washed the cub, then said, "Let's go in and see Xiaomi and the child."
"Third sister-in-law, come in." Zhao Xiaomi shouted from inside the house.
Cui Hongxia led Sui Yu in, then brought a pot of honey water and two bowls, said hello, and went out to do her work.
"Brother, look, this is my sister, her name is Jinhua." Aning showed off.
The boy was a little confused. He leaned over and stared at Aning. He thought Aning would dislike this sister.
"Why are you looking at me? Look at her." Aning was puzzled. "Brother, does my sister look like me?"
The boy lowered his head. The child wrapped in the blanket was so tiny and bright red. He couldn't say it was ugly, because it had a nose and eyes, after all. But if he wanted to say it was beautiful, he couldn't open his mouth. He was just amazed. What did the child look like after coming out of the belly? Was it born as a human? He looked up at his aunt lying in bed. Her belly was deflated.
"Does he look like me?" Aning asked again.
"I don't know, maybe she looks like my uncle." The boy thought Aning was pretty good-looking.
Aning sighed, "Everyone says my sister looks like my dad."
Sui Yu leaned over and said, "The nose looks like yours."
"Brother?" Cui Hongxia's son Ashan shouted from outside.
The little girl was woken up from her sleep and burst into tears. Xiaozai and Aning covered their ears together. The two cousins looked at each other and ran away quickly.
The bedside was empty, and Sui Yu carried a chair and sat over, saying, "Are you hungry? I'll hold you, you lie down."
"Okay, you can hug me. Let your niece bring you some good luck. Let her be your big sister next year." Zhao Xiaomi said.
Sui Yu smiled and did not refute. Seeing this, Zhao Xiaomi knew that she had guessed right. Her third sister-in-law did not go to Chang'an with the caravan because she probably wanted to have another child.
"Jinhua?" Sui Yu asked, "A nickname or a real name?"
"That's the only name. I made my fortune by growing golden flowers. I love golden flowers the most, so I named the girl after them," Zhao Xiaomi explained. "When her brother was born, I pretended to give him a nice name. You see, you're Jade, and your son is Mingguang. You're both bright, so I like your names, but I couldn't think of anything similar. Finally, since he's quiet, I chose Ning. Oh, it worried me to death. I might as well have given him a more vulgar name, Aning. He's timid, doesn't like to talk, and gets sick easily. Now that this one's coming up, I won't bother with it. A more vulgar name is easier to raise."
"Jinhua sounds nice too. It has the brilliance of gold and the splendor of flowers. I hope I can be as capable as you in the future," said Sui Yu.
"Then I'll take advantage of her aunt's good wishes." Zhao Xiaomi was happy.
The little girl fell asleep again, and Sui Yu gently put her on the small wooden bed.
"How is the grain business this year?" Sui Yu asked.
"Not bad. I was pregnant and it was inconvenient for me to work, so my sister-in-law took over and asked your brother-in-law to have some time to go to the guest house to contact business." Zhao Xiaomi propped herself up and sat up. She used the mattress to cushion her back and spoke while half lying down.
"Third sister-in-law, I heard from your brother-in-law that Sui Liang went to Chang'an alone with a caravan to sell horses? How can you be so relieved?" Zhao Xiaomi had been thinking about this matter. "When I heard the news, I thought you were pregnant. When I calculated the time, it didn't match. Is there something special going on?"
"I originally planned to go to Chang'an myself. Before I left for Dayuan, I promised Liang'er and Xiaozai that I would take them with me when I went to Chang'an." Sui Yu smiled and sighed. She had been holding it in for a long time. Song Xian was not at home, so she could only talk to Zhao Xiaomi. "Plans are not as good as changes. I've been outside the Great Wall for a year and a half. It's not good to leave immediately after I come back. If I go to Chang'an without stopping, it will be like I haven't spent two years at home. I still have a family. I can't just focus on business and abandon my family, right? After I come back, I want your third brother to ask Captain Qu for a long vacation, even if it's just to send a horse. Our family will go to Chang'an for the New Year, so that we can take care of both business and family. Unfortunately, your third brother doesn't agree and is unwilling to ask for leave. Of course, it may be because it's not easy to take a long vacation. Among the ten thousand households, he has the least seniority. If people knew that he asked for a year and a half of leave to go to Chang'an for fun, people would gossip about it in the future, and it would be even more of a handle for him to use against him if it involves promotion."
Zhao Xiaomi nodded. "Yes, I can't take a long vacation. I'm going to Chang'an this year, and I might not be back until next summer. Although I can't be on duty in the winter when it snows, I can't get rid of this time. To outsiders, it's like taking a year-long vacation."
"Yes, so I took a step back and thought I could go to Chang'an next year. Coincidentally, your third brother insisted that I see a doctor, and the doctor said that my body was weak and my lungs and internal organs were in trouble. If I continued to work hard, it would affect my lifespan. So I gave up my plan to go to Chang'an this year."
Zhao Xiaomi was so frightened that she sat up straight and cried out, "Oh my god, is it so serious?"
"The old doctor is kidding. Look, I've been eating and sleeping well for three months, and the flesh has grown back." Sui Yu pulled a face.
Zhao Xiaomi didn't believe her. The flesh had grown back, but the blood had not. She had just given birth to a child, but the color of her lips was brighter than her sister-in-law's.
"You still have to listen to the doctor, take your medicine properly, and rest when you're told to. You can earn money again if you lose it, but if you die, your son will cry his heart out, and the family business you built up will be lost to others," Zhao Xiaomi said. "What did you advise me to do in the first place? Don't be so foolish when it's your turn."
"I'm not confused. I didn't go," Sui Yu smiled. "What happened next was so fast, it wasn't in my plan at all. A large group of tall horses entered the city, which was too conspicuous. People from all walks of life showed up. Those who wanted to take advantage of it were fine, but they could be dealt with. But there was also Captain Qu. He had his eye on the most valuable horse, but he couldn't control it. He was still thinking about testing the horse every day. He was not young anymore. If he fell off the horse, not only would my business be ruined, but your third brother would also be ruined in the army. I was still hesitating at the time, but your third brother had already made the decision for me. He wanted Liang Ge'er to take a group of slaves to lead the caravan to Chang'an, and he didn't even tell me beforehand."
Sui Yu knew then and there that Zhao Xiping wouldn't let her go back to the prison this year. She didn't know if it was out of concern for her health, or because she'd been out for two years and hadn't been home, and now she was feeling annoyed about having to leave home again. Or maybe it was both. She was at a disadvantage on both counts, and she couldn't go against him. In the long run, she wanted her business, and she had to hold on to her family. Song Xian's example was right before her eyes, and she couldn't let her husband and son become alienated from her. Otherwise, making money would be meaningless.
"So I chose to take a gamble. At worst, I'll make less money," said Sui Yu.
With conflicting interests, the legal system to rely on, Song Xian as her support, and her own faith in people, she was 90% certain her servants wouldn't betray her. The only uncertainty was the possibility of the horses falling sick along the way, the caravan encountering bandits, or the servants' inflexibility, preventing them from fetching a high price. She couldn't avoid the first two risks even if she followed the caravan, and the uncertainty surrounding the latter meant she could only console herself with a lower profit margin. Furthermore, if this crossing went smoothly, she could arrange for a small amount of goods to be shipped to some of her servants, along with silk and satin, to follow Song Xian out of the customs. If this route worked, the loss would be worth it, and she could afford it.
The most important thing is that she has cotton seeds, which can help her turn things around.
Zhao Xiaomi's heart was also in turmoil. She had her own reasons. She tried to put herself in her brother and sister-in-law's shoes, but she couldn't think of a better solution, nor could she find fault. She could only say, "You can earn money again, but your health is the most important thing. My third brother values you the most. If your health fails, he won't be able to support this family."
Sui Yu smiled and said, "Yes, I am the pillar of this family."
Seeing that she wasn't angry, Zhao Xiaomi relaxed. She admired her and said, "Third sister-in-law, you are really brave. If this happened to me, I wouldn't be willing to gamble my family fortune. I'd rather bet that Captain Qu won't fall to his death."
Sui Yu laughed, "That won't do. I'm the pillar of our family, and your third brother is the foundation of our family. If the foundation collapses, the house won't be able to withstand the wind and rain, and then you and I will be in trouble. Don't underestimate him because he has no important duties in the army and seems useless. He relies on Captain Qu to stand firm, so that we can run a booming business."
"I didn't say my third brother is useless." Zhao Xiaomi never thought so.
A groaning sound came from the small wooden bed. Sui Yu turned her head and saw that the little girl had woken up, this time because she was hungry. Sui Yu handed her to Zhao Xiaomi's arms and was about to go out.
"Third sister-in-law, please don't go. We are all women. There is nothing we can't see. Just sit here and let's talk." Zhao Xiaomi lifted her clothes with one hand and hurriedly called out to others, "It's rare for us to start a conversation. Please talk more. The more I listen to you, the clearer my mind becomes."
"I'll go out and see if anyone needs help." Sui Yu said.
"There's nothing for you to do. My mother-in-law is afraid of you and won't let you do any work."
Sui Yu laughed, "Is she afraid of me?"
"That's right. She said it herself. She is afraid to talk to you. Please spare her and come talk to me." Zhao Xiaomi smiled.
Sui Yu turned aside and sat down again. Coming to her senses, she said, "I almost forgot. I was so busy talking about my own business. I wanted to ask you, do you want to buy another maid to serve you? A slave trader came in a few days ago. His slaves were all bought from outside the Great Wall, and they were sold cheaply. Older maids who couldn't have children could be bought for 1,300 coins."
"I won't buy it. After I'm out of confinement, I can do the laundry and cooking, and Aning will help me..."
"A Ning isn't going to school anymore?" Sui Yu interrupted her. "Teacher Chen has been back for half a month, and the school has been open for half a month. Don't you know?"
Zhao Xiaomi really didn't know. She thought about it and realized that if she hadn't gotten this good sister-in-law, she wouldn't have been able to teach her son to read no matter how hard she tried. So she just hardened her heart and said, "Buy it! It's stupid to hold on to the money and let the whole family suffer. I earn money for this purpose."
"Then I'll help you pick one." Sui Yu said.
"Okay, sister-in-law, once you've picked one, put it in the guesthouse for a while and ask someone from your place to help me train it. The old women from outside the Great Wall probably won't speak our language." Zhao Xiaomi said.
In fact, the slaves bought from outside the Great Wall could speak some Chinese and common words. The slave traders had already taught them how to speak them. They had been beaten and tamed. With a beating and a sweet reward, these slaves were bought into the Great Wall. No matter what they thought in their hearts, they would appear obedient.
After getting Zhao Xiaomi's approval, Sui Yu went back in the afternoon and started to select slaves. There were six female slaves and five male slaves. After they were bought, they were arranged to live in the guest house. The five male slaves went to work in the fields the next day, and the six female slaves were arranged by Sui Yu to collect grass for the Huang family. They were good at this job.
By the time the Golden Flower moon was full, news of Sui Liang had been delivered through the caravan. He had arrived safely in Chang'an, and all the people, horses, and camels were safe.
This was also the last news sent from Chang'an. The road was blocked by snow and no caravans were traveling on the road. The caravans would not set out again until the beginning of next spring.
The letter sent by Sui Liang did not mention how much Qin Wenshan's white horse was sold for, but Sui Yu heard from the merchants staying in the guesthouse that it was sold for 200,000 coins and was said to have been transferred to the palace.
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