"Do you have enough charcoal in your room?" Zhou asked.
"The one in the house isn't enough, but if you add the one in the earthen mound outside, it should be enough. Didn't you ask me what the earthen mound is for? It's filled with charcoal." Chunxiao calculated the time and realized the two kilns were almost done. "Mom, come with me and take a look."
Chunxiao brought Zhou to the main hall again, put on her bamboo hat and rushed into the thatched shed. "Everywhere is wet now, only this place can be burned." She used a stick to knock open the mud, and the black charcoal inside was exposed.
Zhou was amazed but did not ask any more questions. She helped to put the carbon into the house.
"Mom, please make me a few pairs of straw sandals when you have time. It's more convenient to wear straw sandals." Chunxiao tried her best to avoid the mud and water, but the edges of her shoes were still dirty.
"Okay, I'll make you a few more pairs when I have time."
"Mom, I'm going to make charcoal. It needs someone to watch over me, otherwise it's easy to fail. Could you please tell my brothers about what I just told you? I'm thinking of this: if they help, I'll give them 20% of the money they make. For example, if I make 200 jin of charcoal and get 12 taels of silver, each of them can get 2 taels and 4 cents. What do you think?"
"Okay, of course. I can earn money just by delivering the goods. What a great thing! I'll let them chop the wood in the future. They don't understand the firing process, so they don't get involved. Otherwise, they'll burn the wood and waste it."
In the afternoon, Zhou watched Chunxiao put wood, lay grass, paste mud and dig a hole, then light a fire and stand guard by the side. "Your process is so complicated, how did you figure it out?" She felt that her daughter had an amazing brain.
"I'll try, think, and improve as I go. See, why didn't I tell you right from the start? I can't explain it. If it works, then it works. There's also some luck involved."
Zhou nodded, agreeing deeply. "In a word, my daughter is really smart. You have to stay here all the time. It's raining outside and it's very cold."
"We have to guard it. If there's a fire at the hole below, we have to seal it up slowly, depending on the situation. Otherwise, it'll be useless if the inside burns out."
"This is too complicated. I was thinking of waiting for you to go back to your room. If you say that, no one else can do it."
Chun Xiao smiled and said, "Mom, if you watch me cook it from beginning to end a few times, you will get it. It's a little difficult at the beginning."
"I also think living at the end of the village is pretty good now. This money-making trick shouldn't be publicized. You can burn it in this yard now and no one will ask. If it was in our yard at the end, I'm afraid someone would ask what you're doing in no time. You can't hide anything. This area is good, really good. I should have built a big shed in the backyard earlier. It will be even better later."
"Some time ago, when it wasn't raining, I burned it in the backyard. I burned it at night. It wasn't cold at all with a bonfire next to it. I delivered charcoal in the morning and chopped wood in the afternoon. My day was packed."
"You're such a fool! I can't even tell you what's wrong with you. If you're afraid, just tell me. You're working yourself to death without even finding a helper. Making money is a big deal, you should consider it first." Zhou looked at Chunxiao, "There's something I wanted to ask you just now. What's wrong with your forehead? The scab has fallen off. Did you bump into something a while ago? You didn't go over because you were afraid I'd find out and tell on you, right?
"How could that be?" Chun Xiao touched his forehead reflexively. "I just bumped into it when I was cutting stakes in the mountains a while ago. It's all healed now. I didn't go over because I was busy. Didn't I just tell you that?"
"Those little bastards saw it and went back without saying anything."
"Don't tell them when you go back. They're very obedient. I told them not to mention it because I was afraid you'd worry if you knew. Look, everything is fine." Chun Xiao put his head close to her. "Look carefully, see if everything is fine."
Zhou pushed her head away in anger and said, "You've become so opinionated now. I can't control you." She took out the 7 taels and 9 qian of silver and said, "You gave me all this money. You're broke, so you should keep this 9 qian."
"No, mother, I still have money. I'll have more money after this charcoal delivery. Take it."
Zhou looked towards the kitchen again and said, "You only have two sets of clothes. Where can you hang them out to dry on a rainy day? You should have built a shelf at home before. You only know if you need something when you need it."
"In about two hours, when I'm done here, I'll light a fire in the main room and dry my clothes and shoes. I need to wear them tomorrow." Speaking of clothes, she thought of the cotton in the house. "Mom, when can you help me make a coat? There are many people in our family, and two pieces of cloth are enough, but there's not enough cotton. Can you make me a thick coat first? I can't stand being outside all day."
Zhou thought for a moment and said, "I have to go back quickly and tell everyone at home about this. I'll come back later. I'll be staying here for the next two days so I can take care of you. I'll make you a jacket tonight."
Chun Xiao was delighted when she heard this, "Mom, are you serious?"
"It couldn't be more true." Zhou smiled. "I'm leaving now. This is a serious matter. I won't feel at ease until I explain it to them clearly."
"Then please be careful on the road. I'll wait for you to come over."
Zhou returned home happily and didn't notice that her shoes were soaked. It was only when Tian asked her to change her shoes that she realized her shoes were wet.
"How's Chunxiao doing?" Yan Bingfa sat in the main room and looked at her. "You look quite happy, so everything must be going well."
Tian looked at the people in the room and asked, "Where is Yan Dashan?" Several children were there, but Yan Dashan was nowhere to be seen.
"Dad said it was cold outside, so he went back to the house to sleep."
"Xiaoqi, go back to the room and wake up your father. Mom has something to say."
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