"Chunxiao, this farm is nice, but where are we going to get 1,350 taels of silver?" Yan Bangfa started to get anxious the moment he left the farm. "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have sold the 80 mu of land in Zhoujia Village."
"Dad, you can't say that. That place is already my brothers' property. I will find a way to get the money. You don't have to worry about it. In November, you just need to help me tidy up the farm." If she were to look for a farm worth 1,350 taels and 258 acres of land, it would probably not be easy to find.
Chunxiao didn't look worried at all. Even though she said that, Yan Bingfa was still worried. "You make it sound so easy, but do you know that even a penny can make a hero fall?"
"Anyway, Dad, I will find a way. Don't tell my family until the matter is handled properly. Otherwise, they will worry." She only hoped that her brothers would come back as promised, so that she could have another 200 taels of income, and in a few days she could get another 60 or 70 taels. Then she could borrow 50 taels from each of her brothers, and that money would be enough.
When she got home, she counted her silver again. She indeed had 1,037 taels and several hundred copper coins, but she was still short of 350 taels. She was now looking forward to her elder brother coming back soon.
In the evening, Yan Bingfa and Zhou came over and gave her 110 taels of silver. "This is what you gave us before. Take it. If it's not enough, we can think of a way. Or talk to your sister-in-law and the others. They will definitely lend it to you if they have money."
"My sister-in-law and the others have used up all their money to buy land. They don't have much money left. Don't worry, mother. There's still time. When my brothers come back, there will be money."
"Well, I just hope they have a safe journey and come back soon."
"If there is really no other way, can we borrow some money from the restaurant owner? We are still doing business, so just consider it as paying the bill in advance." Although Chunxiao asked him not to worry about it, he felt that as a father, he had to think of a solution.
"Dad, if I really can't make it, I'll go find him. Don't worry. I told you not to worry about it, but you still keep thinking about it."
"We don't know how much money you have now. If the shortfall was significant, we shouldn't have rushed into buying such a large farm." Yan Bangfa was feeling conflicted. On one hand, he was thinking about not paying the deposit and pretending it never happened, but on the other hand, he felt like he had to give such a large farm a try. In short, his emotions were extremely conflicted. Now, he was regretting his rash decision to let Dashan and Dahe buy the 80 mu of land. Otherwise, even if he was short of money, it wouldn't have been much.
The next day, Chunxiao went to the Lucun village again and gave the manager a silver note of 500 taels. The manager did not expect that she would actually come to make a deposit, so he made a list of the things in the village for her, gave her a deposit receipt, and agreed that the balance should be paid on November 5th, otherwise the deposit would be considered as compensation.
Chunxiao took the list and went home. Yan Bingfa and Zhou were there at the time. She was so happy that she read the list to the couple.
"What is this host and guest courtyard? What is the slave quarters?" Zhou had never been to the farm, so she couldn't imagine what it looked like, but she had heard a lot about it.
"The main and guest courtyard is where the master lives. Ask Dad, it's quite large, not much worse than ours. They even have corridors in the front and back yards. The slave quarters are where the servants live."
After hearing her say this, Zhou turned to look at Yan Bingfa and said, "The house is really better than ours."
"I only took a quick walk and didn't look closely, but it's true that they have more houses than us and look prettier."
Chunxiao continued to read.
"What does this mean with 27 people? Do they want to keep anyone? Haven't they all been sold?"
"Mother, there are 27 prostitutes among them, and they are all transferred to us."
"What?" Zhou was shocked. She hadn't been surprised when she heard about buying a farm, but now she was surprised when she heard about buying people. "You got 27 people in one go? Are you buying people?"
When Yan Bingfa heard that there were 27 people indentured to their bodies, he vaguely guessed what it meant. But now that he actually heard that they were the people being sold to Chunxiao, he couldn't calm down.
"We have to buy so many people and feed them, Chunxiao. How much food will it cost? 27 people will be a huge expense."
"Mom, I was a little reluctant about hiring people at first, but after thinking about it, it's a good idea. The people we buy will become our family members, and they won't dare tell anyone what I do or do. 200 acres of land would require quite a few people, and we have to pay them extra wages, and we're also worried that they might spread their planting techniques. 27 people are definitely not enough. I'm thinking of hiring some people from nearby farms and letting them grow wheat while we grow cotton. The land we bought is better than mine, and if we grow it well, the harvest will be much more."
Yan Bingfa listened and nodded. "It is true now. It would be great if your brothers' land could be guarded by a few of their own people."
"Do you also want to buy a few people and send them to Zhoujia Village?" Zhou looked at Yan Bingfa.
"Let's wait for Dashan and the others to come back and hear what they have to say." Yan Bingfa's thoughts changed quickly. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that hiring someone would be beneficial. Although they weren't used to having slaves at home, it was fine if they didn't have to work in the fields.
There hadn't been much work in the fields lately, just the occasional weeding. The charcoal wasn't burning, but the cotton roots at home were long enough to last, and there was no need to go up the mountain to chop wood. Besides delivering and receiving goods, the rest of the day was pretty free. On the 21st, Chunxiao divided the money again. She got 72 taels for herself, and her two sisters-in-law got 50 taels. She had originally planned to take some of the cotton to the mattress shop to be made into mattresses, and buy some extra cloth for quilt covers. But now, she's so short of money that she doesn't dare do anything. As her father said, a penny can make a hero fall.
The two older brothers now have their own yards and wells, so sometimes, for convenience, they take the braising ingredients from her and braise them at their own place. Even if they have to braise until late at night, it's no problem.
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