“I want to learn a skill so that I can pass it on to my descendants,” Li Shan said in a low voice.
This brother-in-law looks really impressive; he was a little afraid to speak loudly.
Zhou Quan was amused by his words, "Good, that's ambitious."
Li Mai had recovered by now and gestured for the two of them to sit down. She then carefully inquired about Uncle Wan Chun and Aunt Wan Chun's exact words and why they hadn't come.
Li Dong: "They haven't finished harvesting yet, there are still some things in the fields. They said they'll come to see you after the harvest."
Li Mai nodded and replied, "Okay, Li Dong, I was just thinking of changing your job. I can't let you be a groom forever. Go and learn bookkeeping and abacus from Zhou Heng. You'd better study hard and learn it within a year. Next year, I want your brother-in-law to take you with him when he goes out to manage the accounts and collect money."
"Huh? I have read some books in the past few years, but am I capable?"
In the past three years, besides working as a coachman, Li Dong would squat by the carriage after Li Mai and the others went to work, take out the books Zhou Lei had given him, and learn to read, or practice writing on the ground with a twig.
Believe it or not, he has learned quite a few characters. Now he can recite the Three Character Classic, and he's almost ready to recite the Thousand Character Classic as well.
“If I say you can do it, then you can. Your brother-in-law can also guide you. But remember one thing: after you come with us, you must never do anything to betray us. Managing the accounts is a very important thing. If your accounts don’t match the money in your brother-in-law’s hands, then there’s a problem with the accounts, and we need to check them. Do you understand?” Li Mai said to Li Dong.
"Okay, I know, I'll study hard, thank you, boss." Li Dong was happy; he had finally made it through and could now focus on learning.
Li Mai then looked at Li Shan, "Can you read?"
Li Shan shook his head.
"Then you should follow Manager Lu. For the next two years, you will work as his errand boy and servant. Find opportunities to learn accounting, management, and how to conduct yourself. If you can earn his apprenticeship and be taught to read and write and practice martial arts, that would be your good fortune."
“But you also remember, since you have decided to come with us, we are the Lord from now on, and you are working for us. In our eyes, you are the same as everyone else who works for our family. We will not give you preferential treatment, so that you will feel superior to others just because you have known me since childhood.”
“Since you’re out here doing this, you should be just like them. And your sister Li Mai won’t tolerate any traitors. If I find out, I’ll break their legs and send them back to your parents. Li Shan, did you hear what I said?” Li Mai asked Li Shan seriously.
"I heard you right away, Sister Limai. Don't worry, as long as I have the opportunity to learn something, I will definitely work hard. Besides, in my eyes, you are my sister, and I will never betray you," Li Shan immediately swore.
"Well, let's see how you are for two years first. Remember, whether you can persuade Manager Lu to take you as his apprentice depends on your own abilities, understand?" Li Mai reminded him again.
"Understood!" Li Shan replied.
Li Mai and Zhou Quan took the two of them to the pomegranate area.
The shop was packed with people, so they had to go help out first. When there were fewer people around, Li Mai introduced Li Dong and Li Shan to Zhou Heng and Manager Qian.
Both of them laughed when they heard that a servant had been assigned to them. Zhou Heng and Li Dong were quite familiar with each other and knew that Li Mai was going to start training him. He said that he would do his best to teach him well.
When Manager Lu heard that Li Shan also had the surname Li, he understood that these were Li Mai's younger brothers from her maternal family. It seemed that he was going to train his younger brothers.
After Li Mai found a moment to explain to Manager Lu that she wanted him to manage the inn and to assign him a servant, Manager Lu nodded in agreement and said no problem.
For the time being, Li Mai arranged for Li Shan and Li Dong to live together, and Li Shan agreed.
When the two of them entered the store in the afternoon and left in the evening, Zhou Heng had them each choose an outfit to work in the store, as their original clothes were definitely not acceptable.
After Li Mai made arrangements for them, Zhou Quan said that there was news from the tung oil mill that they were willing to let them try making tung oil linen.
Li Mai wants to test greenhouses in the village so that the villagers who follow them in planting flowers can grow flowers in the summer and vegetables in the greenhouses in the winter. Then Zhou Tao's shop can also sell vegetables and flowers in the winter.
In this era, it's impossible to get green vegetables in winter. If they can produce them, they will be a rare commodity. In the future, there will be more and more wealthy people in the town, and there will be no shortage of people who can afford to eat vegetables in winter.
Last time, she asked Zhou Quan to lead the villagers to cut cattails so that they could make cattail curtains. This tung oil-soaked linen cloth would replace modern plastic sheeting.
She wanted to try and see if it would work. If it really didn't work, she would have to ask Zhou Quan to find someone from the Luo family to help buy plastic sheeting there and bring it here.
However, the origin of this strange thing is somewhat difficult to explain.
If the tung oil-coated linen can also block some of the cold, and with a layer of cattail mats covering the outside at night, it seems that it would be possible to grow a crop of vegetables.
In order not to cause trouble for the villagers, Li Mai and Zhou Quan decided to first test it out on a piece of land in the bamboo garden of their eldest sister's house, where there were many bamboo poles, making it convenient for them to build a greenhouse.
In late August, the first batch of tung oil linen arrived.
I took a look at it, and it seems to block the wind quite well, but it's not very light-permeable. I wonder if sunlight can penetrate this cloth during the day and bring light to the vegetables.
Let's go try it out!
In early September, the first greenhouse was erected.
After Li Mai and Zhou Quan consulted with Lu Qian and Zhou Tao, they decided to plant celery, chives, coriander, and spinach inside.
For chives, just transplant the roots; for the other three types, just sow the seeds.
After turning the soil in early September and watering it once, I sowed the seeds and waited for them to germinate.
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