When Chen heard Niu Da boast about promising to build a road, she was somewhat disdainful and said:
"If he has the means to build the road, why wait until next year?"
The other women she was chatting with ignored her.
Only one newlywed woman named Li Chuntao said, "They just built a new commercial street, and it's only just been completed. It's understandable that they're having some cash flow problems right now."
Chen looked at her with the same expression she had for a fool, making Li Chuntao feel embarrassed.
Chen's eyes darted around: "Yes, the Niu family runs such a large business, they must be having some cash flow problems. What if the pickle shop closes down..."
She planned to lie in a corner of the hill behind the Niu family every day, looking for an opportunity to put something into the ingredients for the pickles.
Also, his family's osmanthus grove...
Yes, that osmanthus grove is located at the border of Niushan Village and Haijia Village, three kilometers away from here. Even if she finds a way to destroy the osmanthus grove, no one will know that she did it.
Moreover, Xiangfafang would be missing one ingredient in its recipe for several years afterward.
Since they're so stingy as to refuse to spend fifteen taels of silver to buy her dry land, let them suffer even greater losses and teach them a lesson.
Since the Niu family bought more than a dozen osmanthus trees from Master Zhen three years ago and grafted them, they are now blooming this year thanks to the meticulous cultivation by Xiao Fubao.
The saplings have grown to about half their original size.
In the dead of winter, in the middle of the night, Chen, carrying an axe, stood furtively at the entrance of the osmanthus grove, looking like a clown on a stage.
As she moved forward, her head darted in and out, resembling a turtle.
The servant on night watch in the osmanthus grove fell asleep.
The snoring was deafening.
Chen swung his axe at the osmanthus tree...
He fell flat on his back.
She paddled to her feet again, intending to chop once more, but...
I strained my back!
"Ouch!" Chen cried out in pain.
Despite the pain in her lower back, she prepared to strike again with the axe, but... her foot slipped, and she fell forward.
He bumped into the osmanthus tree.
My tooth fell out.
The tree is perfectly fine.
Just then, a gust of cold wind swept by, making Chen shiver. She suddenly felt that this place was a bit eerie...
She didn't believe in any hellish retribution, but now she couldn't help but believe it.
While clutching her teeth, Ms. Chen hurried home.
As she passed by the back mountain, she suddenly remembered that once she had seen Xiao Fubao alone stuffing gold leaves into that tree on the back mountain.
She even snatched a gold leaf from the tree, but later that gold leaf was chipped off...
The more she thought about it, the more sinister it seemed.
Today we must go to the back mountain to find out what's going on.
When Chen went there.
It is the time when the money tree absorbs the essence of heaven and earth, and it is surrounded by golden light. At midnight, it will also show its original appearance as a money tree.
For a moment, Chen forgot who she was.
the next day,
When she went back to the back mountain, the tree looked like an ordinary tree again.
But she firmly believed that what she saw was real.
"May the master be blessed!" Chen immediately went to inform Steward Tao about this, but when she arrived, Steward Tao was not there; there were only two gatekeepers at the door.
“I’m looking for your housekeeper, Mr. Tao,” Chen continued.
"How dare you call Butler Tao by his name? Who are you to him?" the gatekeeper said.
"Uncle, I'm a relative of his, a relative from Niushan Village. I'm looking for him about something. What has he been doing?"
The gatekeeper didn't want to say much to her, only saying:
"You just stand there and wait!"
They waited until it got dark.
Chen cursed the two gatekeepers in her heart: "Pah, what are they but two watchdogs? They think they're so great."
After listening to Chen's account of the Niu family's comings and goings, Steward Tao learned that the Niu family was going to visit their mother-in-law, Old Lady Zhong, on the second day of the Lunar New Year.
The Niu family treated their servants kindly, often granting them holidays, so there were few people to look after the house after the New Year.
“Ah, Uncle Tao, there’s another strange thing. The Niu family has become very wealthy in recent years, and I’m afraid it’s related to this matter,” Chen said.
Then, Mr. Chen started talking about the money tree.
She didn't know it was a money tree; she only thought it was a feng shui tree belonging to the Niu family. Butler Tao didn't take it seriously.
Chen received ten taels of silver and went home happily. But as the saying goes, there is no limit to how unlucky things can get, and more unlucky days are slowly approaching.
This year was relatively peaceful.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Niu Xiaomei came to pay her respects. After Niu Da and Shen Yu received her, they set off for Old Lady Zhong's house on the third day.
Ever since Granny Zhong came to help take care of Xiao Fubao six years ago, she has never come to the Niu family again. Every year when Niu Da picks her up, she always says that the journey is too far and inconvenient.
In addition, Shen Zishan's health was deteriorating.
Fortunately, horse-drawn carriages are faster than oxcarts, so Xiao Fubao goes to her maternal grandmother's house every year.
When Old Mrs. Zhong saw Little Fu Bao, she was overjoyed. This little child was even more lovable than her own grandchildren.
"Little Fu Bao, let Grandma hold you and see if you've gotten any fatter."
Little Fu Bao jumped into Grandma Zhong's arms, calling out in a clear, sweet voice, "Grandma!"
Little jealous Niu Baolan got angry, pouting.
"Baolan, let Grandma hug you too," Old Mrs. Zhong said, pulling Niu Baolan into her arms and giving her a sweet kiss.
Madam Cai, the eldest maternal uncle's wife.
Second maternal aunt, née Liu.
Liu was born with willow-leaf eyebrows, which made her beautiful but also gave her the appearance of a formidable character. In recent years, as the Niu family prospered, she became extremely obsequious and ingratiating.
He is a smart and capable character.
"Little Fu Bao, come to your second aunt's place. Your second aunt has some good food saved for you," Liu Shi beckoned.
Xiao Fubao neither particularly liked nor disliked her second aunt, but she was still very happy when there was food.
"Aunt, what is it?" Little Fu Bao asked.
"Peach shortbread, so soft and fluffy, it's delicious," said Madam Liu.
Old Mrs. Zhong watched as Xiao Fubao followed Liu Shi inside and smiled faintly:
"It's true what they say, money talks. Before, she always looked down on you women and children," she said. "Now, she's starting to fawn over you."
Chen Yu said:
“My sister-in-law isn’t a bad person. The last time she visited her parents’ home, she didn’t bring anything to show her respect, and instead, she made my brothers and sisters-in-law spend money. It’s understandable that she felt uncomfortable, so why should I hold it against her?” “The most important thing for a family is harmony; let’s turn big problems into small ones and small problems into nothing.”
Old Mrs. Zhong said, "It's kind of you to be so magnanimous. How long do you plan to stay this time?"
"About four or five days, I still need to visit my sister for the New Year afterwards," Chen Yu said. "Besides, things are pretty busy at home."
As night fell, the air grew slightly cool.
In the large courtyard, only Niu Yong and Tuan Yuan were there. Xiao Heng and Xiao Fu Bao had gone to visit relatives, and the other servants in the house had also gone to celebrate the New Year one after another.
There are only small family reunions, but no real family members.
The two sat around a fire made of silver charcoal.
The door creaked open.
"Who?" Tuanyuan asked.
Niu Yong instinctively picked up the fire tongs, stood up, and said to Tuanyuan, "Second Master, let me go take a look. Perhaps it's the rats causing the trouble."
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