Chapter 136: All-inclusive

Zhulan told her daughter-in-law about food, drink and household expenses, and Zhou Shuren told Zhou Lao Da how to take good care of the family.

Not only was Li taken care of by Zhulan this month, Zhou Shuren also kept Zhou Lao Da by his side all day long. The happiest time of the month for the couple in the eldest house was sleeping. The effect was also remarkable. When Zhou Shuren was not at home, Zhou Lao Da could take care of himself, and with the support of the second child, there was nothing to worry about at home.

Zhou Shuren also left money for each of his sons. Two hundred coins each for his two married sons, one hundred coins each for his two younger sons, and one hundred coins each for Rongchuan. This was also a test left by Zhou Shuren. He said it was pocket money for more than a month. He wanted to see how these people who had no money in the past would spend it when they suddenly had money, and deepen his understanding of his sons through money.

The couple explained everything that needed to be explained and checked the luggage. Zhulan did not bring much silver this time, only 100 taels of silver and a dozen taels of loose change. However, she took the bracelets and hairpins she had hidden with her, intending to pawn them all.

The carriage arrived, and Zhulan had prepared three large suitcases of luggage, with clothes and quilts taking up the most space.

Two people from the clan who went to take the exam together, Ming Qing from the clan leader's family and Zhou Shumo from the clan, rented a horse-drawn carriage.

It costs one or two taels of silver per person to rent a carriage from the county to Pingzhou. Children between five and ten years old are counted as half the price. The travel fee is already a considerable expense. One also has to stay in a hotel, eat and drink, and take the return trip. It costs at least ten taels of silver to take the examination for a scholar, not to mention the cost of the imperial examination.

This time when I went to Pingzhou to stay at Zhulan's house, the accommodation fee was free. I only needed to pay for meals. Zhou Shuren and the clan leader agreed on twenty cents a day. After staying there for more than a month, the food and drink cost less than one or two taels of silver, which saved a lot of money. In the past, the phone bill was at least ten taels of silver, but this time five taels of silver was enough.

Zhulan had the experience of rushing for the first time, so she adapted a lot the second time. At least it wasn't so uncomfortable. Mingteng and Yushuang were full of energy. They were just kids after all, and they found rushing for the second time very new. Xuehan, on the contrary, was exceptionally quiet. Since she started studying with Zhulan and not just reading Three Character Classic and Hundred Family Names, Xuehan became more and more like a lady. After the Chinese New Year, she seldom went out to play and developed some scholarly temperament.

Arriving in Pingzhou, the carriage continued to move forward. Ming Teng leaned against the window and looked at the bustling streets. He felt a little timid, "Grandma, where are we going to live?"

Zhulan hugged the soft and fragrant Yushuang and said, "Let's go home."

Ming Teng turned around and looked confused, "Grandma, there is no house here."

He is young but not stupid!

Zhulan understood Mingteng's expression and felt a bit upset. She was so young and yet she was so confused. She couldn't afford to be hurt by her grandmother. "We have a house in Pingzhou, so we'll go back home and live there naturally."

Ming Teng's eyes widened. He had been looking outside since he entered the city. The largest place he had ever been to was the county. This was the state capital. His mother had said that houses in the county were very expensive. The state capital must be even more expensive. His eyes widened. "Grandma, do we have a lot of money?"

Zhulan laughed, "There are many people who don't quite understand."

Ming Teng was proud, "I heard it from my mother. She would count the money every night. At first I didn't understand what I could buy, but she told me and I knew it."

Xue Han teased Ming Teng, "Tell your aunt why your mother counts money every night?"

Ming Teng said quickly, "Because my mother said that the only joy she had in life was counting money, and she also said that it would be better if my grandmother forgot about her."

Xue Han, "........"

The second nephew is indeed a child who betrays his parents. He couldn't help but turn his head to look at his smiling mother and smiled. His mother must know everything.

Zhou Shuren was coming to Pingzhou and had sent a letter to Zhao Bo long ago. When the carriage arrived, Zhao Bo was already standing at the gate waiting. As soon as the carriage stopped, Zhao Bo came up to greet him.

Zhou Shuren got off the carriage and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhao, for helping me take care of everything."

Zhao Bo replied, "Brother Zhou, you are too polite. There is no need to thank us for our relationship. The house has just been cleaned, the firewood has been bought, the rice and grain have been arranged, and the cook you asked me to find has also been found. The food is already prepared and we are just waiting for Brother Zhou to arrive."

Zhou Shuren thanked him again, "Thank you for your hard work, Brother Zhao."

Zhao Bo, "You're too polite again, I'll help with the luggage."

Zhou Shuren hurriedly said, "We have troubled Brother Zhao enough. We can move this small matter ourselves."

Zhao Bo benefited a lot. He didn't help everyone. Brother Zhou was an open-minded and generous person. By helping others, he could get a lot of benefits. He wished he could help Brother Zhou more. Brother Zhou's sincere gratitude made his efforts worthwhile.

Zhulan had already brought the children into the house first. Because there were outsiders present, Mingteng behaved very obediently. Xuehan held one child in each hand, while Zhulan carried a bundle of silver in her hand and went into the main room where they lived.

Zhao Bo didn't plan to visit every room in Zhulan. The only room he could visit was the main room. People in the north rarely live in beds, and most people live in kangs. The kang in the main room was covered with a newly bought kang mat, and there were two large boxes on the kang, with newly made bedding on the boxes. There was a kang table on the kang, with a teapot and teacups on the table. Zhulan reached out and touched it. There was hot water in the teapot, and the water temperature was not particularly hot, as it had been there for a while.

He put down his bag and said to Xue Han, "You feel cold after sitting in the car all day. The kang is warm. Take them to the kang to warm themselves up."

Xue Han responded and poured a cup of hot water for her mother, "Mom, you should also drink a cup of hot water to warm yourself up."

Zhulan took it and looked around while drinking. There were two empty cabinets on the ground, which were used to store cloth and clothes. She touched the cabinets and found them very clean. Zhao Bo was a very thoughtful person and he handled even the smallest things very well.

Zhou Shuren took Mingqing to the main room with the boxes he brought. Zhou Shuren said, "We're going to the front to have dinner. The cook will bring a table in a while. You can eat with the children."

Zhulan, "Okay."

There is no way to find a cook. Zhulan's cooking is not delicious, and we can't expect Xuehan to cook for Mingqing and several other men. It is better to find a cook. Four hundred yuan a month, in fact, only three hundred yuan for cooking is enough. But the cook Zhulan hired not only cooks, but also has to be responsible for washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, and boiling water. She does more work, so the salary is increased by one hundred cents.

Zhulan was in no hurry to pack the suitcases she brought. Zhou Shuren and Zhao Bo were having dinner in the front yard, so she could look around. She first went to the side room next to the main house. This was Xuehan's room. The room was not small. There were not only cabinets on the floor, but also a dressing table and a bronze mirror. The kang was also heated, and the quilt was also newly made. Xuehan could just bring Yushuang and Mingteng to live there directly. Mingteng was only four years old during the Chinese New Year, so it was okay for them to live together.