After hearing Meng Zhao's words, Shen Qinghe, who had just realized that he had eaten so much, also came to his senses. A hint of confusion appeared in his beautiful eyes. What did his sister-in-law mean by that? Did she think he was a thin and weak scholar and that he ate a lot?
Shen Qinghe lowered his head and thought about it for a moment. It seemed that it was indeed the case. His mother could help his sister-in-law cook and help her set up her stall.
Qingze and Qingyu can start fires and clean up, and when setting up a stall, they can also help sell soup.
As for himself, he used to be able to help his family chop firewood, but since he came back last time, his sister-in-law has found Zhao the hunter in the east of the village and asked his brothers to chop some firewood to sell to her when they go hunting, so he no longer has to do the chopping work.
They were never helpful to begin with, and now they have the added disadvantage of eating too much.
But he really didn't do it on purpose. He usually didn't eat much at the academy, often just a steamed bun or a bowl of rice soup. He would stop eating as soon as he felt unbearably hungry.
But his sister-in-law's cooking was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating without realizing it.
After her mother and younger siblings finished eating, Shen Qinghe took the initiative to clean up the dishes.
These past few days haven't been busy, and Madam Gu hasn't felt tired. She didn't want her son to do anything, so she tried to stop him. But today, her son was so proactive. He wouldn't let her do it, so she had no choice but to let go and go with Meng Zhao to digest their food.
After dinner, Meng Zhao led Gu Shi, Qing Ze, and Qing Yu in practicing the Eight Pieces of Brocade, while Shen Qinghe chopped firewood. Meng Zhao was puzzled, wondering why they were chopping firewood so late at night.
Just as she was about to go back to her room to rest, she heard Shen Qinghe call out to her and take out a cloth bag from his chest.
"Sister-in-law, here's some money for you. Use it to help with household expenses. I'll be leaving you with the trouble of taking care of Mother and Qingze and Qingyu while I'm away."
Meng Zhao then understood why Shen Qinghe was chopping wood in the middle of the night; it turned out that he felt Shen Qinghe was complaining about him eating too much at the dinner table.
It's surprising that the former chief minister, who could remain unfazed and secretly retaliate even after being verbally abused years later, is now so thin-skinned. She only made a few teasing remarks, and he couldn't hold back his temper.
Meng Zhao reached out and took the sachet, pried it open with a few fingers to take a look, and found it weighed less than two ounces before closing it again.
"How did you make this money? Are you still copying those books?"
Shen Qinghe, who had been slightly bowing his head, suddenly raised his head, his earlobes turning visibly red, and said excitedly, "No, since last time... since last time, I haven't taken any more orders for those books. This is the money the academy gave me for copying rare books in the academy."
Hearing this, Meng Zhao handed the money back and said earnestly, "Since it's money for copying books, you can keep it yourself. I just want to remind you that you will be taking the imperial examinations in the future, and reputation is very important. Don't sow the seeds of future trouble for a little money."
Although Chief Minister Shen in the book doesn't have the black mark of reading forbidden books as a teenager, he still has a whole host of other black marks that are attacked by court officials.
After saying that, she relaxed her tone and said, "Besides, they are not only your relatives, but also my relatives. I'm here at home, so don't worry. Just focus on your studies."
After hearing Meng Zhao's words, Shen Qinghe put away her previous embarrassment and said seriously, "Thank you for your teachings, sister-in-law. I will remember them."
He had always been suspicious of his sister-in-law, but he wasn't blind. He had seen the changes in the family over the past few days, and if he continued to be suspicious, he would be ungrateful.
Meng Zhao stuffed the purse back into Shen Qinghe's hands. "You're still young, so it's good that you eat more. Don't skimp on food and drink at the academy to save money, or you won't grow tall." With that, she went back to her room.
These words were originally meant to scare Shen Qingze and Shen Qingyu, but they were also true. When she first arrived, she was about 160 cm tall, but these days she has been eating and sleeping well and exercising enough, and she is now about 163 cm tall, looking even taller and more upright.
Shen Qinghe recalled that when he looked at his sister-in-law earlier, his gaze was slightly upward, which meant that he was currently shorter than his sister-in-law.
Shen Qing was startled, and then secretly decided that she should eat more in the future.
With Meng Zhao's explanation, the three members of the Shen family were no longer worried. They prepared fifty boxed meals every day, and went home after selling them all.
In the height of summer in July, under a cloudless sky, after buying the ingredients needed for the next day, Meng Zhao asked Gu Shi to take the children back first, while she herself strolled around the county town.
As the weather gets hotter, the Shen family members are wearing thicker clothes, and she wants to buy some fabric to take home.
The reason I didn't let Madam Gu come along was because I was afraid she wouldn't be willing to spend the money. I would just buy it myself, and I couldn't just leave it unused.
We arrived at the place after walking for a short while. This shop was recommended by Aunt Feng'e, who said that the prices were fair and the quality was good.
As soon as you enter, a waiter comes forward to greet you warmly, "Miss, what kind of fabric do you need? Just tell me and I'll recommend one for you."
This shop is quite large, about the size of two rooms, with a separate room next to it, which is probably used for taking measurements and trying on clothes.
Meng Zhao usually stayed in the village or at the dock, where most of the people he saw were low-level laborers, and the colors of their clothes were relatively monotonous. Now that he came to this fabric shop, he realized that there were so many different kinds of brightly colored fabrics. These fabrics were laid out flat in bolts, which was dazzling to the eye.
Instead of choosing for himself, he simply told the servant his needs: "I want to make two sets of summer clothes for my parents and my five- or six-year-old younger brother and sister. Ideally, they should be made of durable, soft, and breathable fabric that is resistant to dirt and wear."
They have to work on weekdays, so they didn't plan to buy expensive materials; they just needed something sturdy, durable, and comfortable against their skin.
Then, remembering that Shen Qinghe was not at home, she added, "Pick two more pieces of fabric suitable for a fourteen or fifteen-year-old student, preferably in bright colors."
Shen Qinghe's clothes were mostly dark-colored, making him look much older and wasting his handsome face.
Upon hearing her request, the servant immediately asked her to wait a moment and brought her several pieces of fabric: "Miss, please take a look at these pieces of fabric. They were all chosen according to your requirements."
As he spoke, he took out a few samples and handed them to Meng Zhao. "Touch this piece. It's a newly arrived material. It's sturdy and breathable, and the color is the trendy lake green."
"And this piece of cotton feels cool to the touch, and wearing it is like a gentle breeze, very refreshing, perfect for summer."
"This moon-white fabric is perfect for making a long robe. It has subtle patterns woven into it, and it would look very elegant when worn."
Meng Zhao didn't know much about these ancient fabrics, so he could only look at the styles and feel the texture. He liked each piece he saw, and in the end, he almost spent all the silver he had brought with him.
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