Encouraged by Zhao Qingyan, the eldest aunt indeed went to look for a shop.
The prices in Kanerna City are really not expensive. Wang Caixia spent 70 taels of silver to buy a shop that was not small in size and in a decent location.
If you're making regular snacks, the ingredients are naturally easy to find.
Because the people in Kanerna City prefer to eat beef and mutton, Wang Caixia decided to make steamed buns with beef and mutton filling.
Lamb soup, spicy soup, and beef bone soup can also be combined. You could also sell some braised eggs and pickled vegetables along with it.
I don't seek to amass mountains of gold and silver; I only wish to have something to do to pass the time and prevent the family's money from dwindling day by day.
Indeed, working women are the most beautiful.
Since Wang Caixia started organizing the business, her entire demeanor has changed.
Previously, the wives of the registrar and the county magistrate would often come to chat with Wang Caixia, whether they had something to say or not.
They spout nonsense about the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, and even bring up the topic of female virtues and precepts.
Not to mention that the Wang family came from the countryside, even after she married into the Zhao family, no one ever used those ridiculous things to restrain her.
As the Zhao family rose to prominence, even when the men of the Zhao family studied and passed the imperial examinations, they never said that women were inferior to men.
But what exactly were these two women thinking?
At first, Wang Caixia felt that the two were just trying to get close to each other and had nothing else to say, so they just made up an excuse.
After a while, Wang Caixia sensed something was wrong; this was someone coming to show off to her mother.
Does that mean everyone can read?
Does not having read the "Women's Virtues and Precepts" mean one cannot be an official's wife? Where did this nonsense come from?
Later, Wang Caixia figured it out: these women had their eyes on her husband, Zhao Changgeng.
They want to send their niece into the family as a concubine.
Therefore, Wang Caixia gradually distanced herself from the two women.
He also mentioned this matter to Zhao Changgeng, telling him to be careful.
If you're not afraid of getting your legs broken by the old lady, then go ahead and take a concubine.
Anyway, she has both sons and daughters, and her sons are all married. As a county magistrate, she can go to either of her sons' homes without any problem.
If she really didn't want to stay with her son anymore, she would go and take care of her mother-in-law.
This left Zhao Changgeng both amused and exasperated.
Even if he had grown incredibly brave, he was still afraid of being whipped by his mother's bamboo cane.
One slap and the flesh would be torn apart. Of course, Huang has never been ruthless to her own children so far.
Those who could anger the old lady must be people who dared to bully their family, or bad people.
Zhao Changgeng remembers that when he was a child, his mother took him to town to buy things.
Back then, we didn't have donkey carts or oxcarts; we relied solely on our own two feet.
Because he saw someone selling sugar figurines by the roadside, he didn't greet Huang and went to watch them make sugar figurines by himself.
Half an hour later, the candy seller said it was too sunny under the sun and he needed to find a shady spot.
So, the candy seller moved to a different spot, and the children who were watching the spectacle followed suit.
The so-called shady place was just a hutong (alleyway).
The children went into the alley and were blocked by a group of men.
The children, who were completely defenseless, were all charmed and bewitched one by one with handkerchiefs.
Just as Zhao Changgeng was about to be taken down, Huang arrived in a flurry of activity.
They kicked each person down.
He grabbed a bamboo strip from the roadside and slashed it, leaving a long gash on one of the men's arms.
The blood flowing out looked just like the way a village butcher would gut a pig after slaughtering it, leaving the flesh exposed.
Zhao Changgeng was so frightened that he fainted.
When he woke up, he was already lying in his own bed.
He didn't see his mother by his side, but he did see his father watching over him.
His father gave him a bowl of porridge, asked him what had happened, and then asked him if he knew he was wrong.
Zhao Changgeng was completely bewildered at the time, not knowing exactly where he had gone wrong.
Then, Zhao Qianci stopped paying attention to him.
For a whole month, his mother ignored him completely.
He spoke to his mother, but she acted as if she didn't hear or see him.
No longer like before, asking him if he's eaten enough, or burning mugwort in his room before he goes to sleep.
At that time, Zhao Changgeng was very distressed, feeling that his own mother no longer liked him.
A month later, Zhao Qianci pulled Zhao Changgeng aside to talk.
Do you know why your mother is ignoring you?
Zhao Changgeng shook his head, and Zhao Qianci sighed, "You really are a simpleton."
Let me ask you, do you remember when you followed the candy seller?
Zhao Changgeng nodded, and Zhao Qianci continued, "Were you scared at the time?"
Zhao Changgeng continued to nod.
Zhao Qianci then began to explain to Zhao Changgeng,
If Huang hadn't arrived in time, Zhao Changgeng would have been sold off. As for where he would have been sold, it's unclear, but it certainly wouldn't have been a good place.
Those who were lucky were sold into slavery to other people's families.
There's always work to be done.
They were constantly beaten, never had enough to eat, and never slept well, because they never knew when their master would send someone to serve them.
Those with bad luck were naturally sold to some filthy places.
If his fate were any worse, he could recall whether there were any beggars on the street who were missing arms or legs.
That's what happens when someone takes you away.
Of course, I'll never see my mother again.
"Your mother is ignoring you to teach you a lesson. It's easy for a child to get caught by bad guys if he runs away."
It's okay to be curious, but you must tell an adult and be accompanied by one of your family members.
I had that long month of processing my fear and helplessness on my own.
Zhao Changgeng was more afraid of being beaten by his mother than anyone else, and more afraid of not being liked by his mother than anyone else.
Wang Caixia had perfectly grasped Zhao Changgeng's Achilles' heel.
In order to maintain family harmony, Zhao Changgeng also subtly explained to his subordinates that according to the Zhao family rules, a man could only take a concubine if he had no offspring by the age of 40.
"Having no offspring" means having no children at all, regardless of gender.
Even if you have a daughter, that doesn't mean you have no offspring.
Undeterred, the county magistrate asked, "What if Your Excellency takes a concubine?"
Zhao Changgeng looked at the county magistrate with a sinister gaze.
"I'm sure my mother will beat me so badly that my skin is torn open, remove me from the family register, and leave me penniless."
"A concubine? Beat her up and sell her to a brokerage firm."
The county magistrate and the registrar then gave up their idea of sending people into Zhao Changgeng's residence.
Zhao Changgeng wasn't stupid; he knew this wasn't flattery, but rather an attempt to disrupt his family's affairs.
Therefore, he also secretly kept an eye on the actions of the county magistrate and the registrar. After the people from Zhao Family Village arrived, Zhao Changgeng specially arranged for someone to keep an eye on the two of them.
Once the right opportunity arises and they find fault, they will replace these two.
However, his foundation is still weak, so he has to proceed step by step.
Zhao Qingyan was unaware of these matters.
If they knew, they would surely say, "Take it slow, just put a sack over it, and everything will be solved."
Is it really necessary to go through all that trouble?
If someone dares to send people into their own household, then buy a few more beautiful courtesans from the brothel and give them directly to your subordinates as a form of pity.
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