Chapter 153 Separation and Rooting
With just two and a half days' wages, the entire dependents' village was filled with a New Year atmosphere.
The women were happily discussing what to do with the wages.
Someone has to save it.
Someone wants to buy cloth to make a set of casual clothes for her husband to wear in summer.
Someone said, let’s go to the city first to buy some delicious food and make the whole family happy.
Some people hope to save enough money as soon as possible to send their children to study in the city...
These were all very ordinary plans, but He Jinglan seemed to be thinking about something after listening to them.
It's done once this batch of epilepsy grass is handed over to Meng Chengping.
On the way back to the courtyard, He Jinglan asked Gu Xixi, "I've never seen them so happy. It would be great if they could be like this all the time."
Gu Xixi said, "It's not a common opportunity to work for a general."
"I know, so..." He Jinglan hesitated and looked at Gu Xixi.
Gu Xixi was not surprised and said, "So you want to ask if there is any way to help them."
He Jinglan nodded happily when she was told the real story. "Yeah!"
She said with great anticipation, "Xixi, if you have a way, I want to join in too. I can work now!"
Gu Xixi took He Jinglan's little hand, looked at the newly uncovered skin on her fingertips and the red marks on the back of her hand caused by a straw stick, and couldn't help but shake her head and sigh.
"What a pair of beautiful hands, white, tender and smooth since childhood, I love to pinch them."
"It would be a shame if it was damaged by rough work."
He Jinglan turned her palm over nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? Xixi, you still have calluses on your hands."
"It's different." Gu Xixi said, "I'm a farmer, so my hands are a bit rough, which is the mark of a farmer."
He Jinglan pouted unhappily, "Do you dislike me because I grew up in the backyard and don't work hard and don't know how to grow crops?"
Gu Xixi laughed, "If I thought so, I wouldn't have paid any attention to you in the beginning. What's the point of us being friends?!"
He Jinglan asked anxiously, "What do you mean? I really want to do something to help them before I leave."
"After all, once I return to the capital, I don't know when I can come back to the northwest."
At the end of her speech, her eyes dimmed and she seemed to be thinking of something else that made her unhappy.
Gu Xixi said, "As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. What's so shameful about being a lady from a rich family? You don't have to force yourself to accompany me to do things that you are not good at and don't really like to do."
When mowing the lawn these two days, Gu Xixi had already noticed that He Jinglan was having a hard time.
He Jinglan tried hard to adapt from beginning to end and keep up with everyone's work pace. This experience was obviously not a very pleasant one.
He Jinglan lowered her head and remained silent for a moment when Gu Xixi spoke out her true feelings.
"But Xixi...it seems that the only things I'm good at are music, chess, calligraphy and painting."
She sighed, "I've finally seen clearly this time. The things I learned are not for eating, drinking, or use. To put it nicely, they are for elegance and pleasure. The actual use is in banquets and boudoirs competing with each other. The rest is to improve my value in choosing a husband."
Gu Xixi was amused by this remark, "It's already amazing to be proficient in one of the four arts, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but you have mastered all four. How dare you belittle yourself?"
He Jinglan was still very troubled, "Then tell me, can you make money and fill your stomach?"
Gu Xixi said, "Yes."
An unexpected answer.
He Jinglan widened her eyes, thinking that Gu Xixi was teasing her.
Gu Xixi was very serious and asked, "You are not only literate, but also have read many books. I heard that there are women's schools in this world, where the teachers are women and the students are also women."
"In the previous dynasty, there was a world-famous female chess player who was named Chess Doctor by the Queen Mother."
"There is Meng Chengping's elder sister nearby. Madam Meng is very smart and capable. Not only does she manage the entire Meng family, she also runs a jewelry store."
"There are also musicians, painters, and so on."
"There are indeed very few places for us women out there, and it is even harder to achieve something, but we can't block the way in our hearts from the beginning."
He Jinglan stood there in a daze, she seemed to... have heard some extraordinary remarks!
Gu Xixi continued to smile and said, "For example, in a year or two, when my Pinellia fruit is in season, I will hire you to write for me. I have seen your handwriting, it is very good, not like mine."
"But by then, I'm afraid you'll dislike the low salary."
When He Jinglan heard the word "wages", her eyes immediately lit up.
She was no longer in shock, and ran over to ask, "How much can I get for my wages?"
"Oh no, why would you need to write when you have fruit hanging? Wouldn't one or two years be too long?"
Gu Xixi was already touched by the cuteness of this girl. "Wait a year or two. I can't change much about this, but for you, I will do it as soon as possible."
"Writing is very useful. It can quadruple the price of Pinellia before the New Year. You will know the details when the time comes."
"As for wages, it's hard to say now. It depends on how I priced the fruit that year."
He Jinglan said, "Okay, I've written it down, you can't ask someone else to write it!"
Gu Xixi blinked, "It's a deal!"
In fact, she couldn't find a more suitable writer than He Jinglan. Good handwriting was one thing, but the strokes were also round and soft, which made people feel happy when looking at them, and was just right for writing various auspicious characters.
Cut it and stick it on the Pinellia fruit, and the New Year's lucky fruit that can be sold at a high price is ready to be born.
As for the dependents' village, Gu Xixi returned to the original topic.
"I have a way to help the villagers make some changes."
"However, you should know that you and I cannot make the decision when it comes to moving the dependents' village."
He Jinglan looked embarrassed and hesitated, "Do we have to report to General Huo again?"
Gu Xixi raised her eyebrows, "What else?"
He Jinglan thought for a moment and said, "Then go and see General Huo, but don't ever mention me. Don't let him remember that I exist!"
She added eagerly, "I'm not staying here forever. I just want to postpone it a little bit. At least I can help in a small way."
Gu Xixi was helpless. If her plan was to be approved, she would need a clerk and an accountant.
But……
The art of war is all about deception. As the commander of an army, Huo Jiang must not be an idiot with a terrible memory.
How can you get away with it so easily?
"...Okay." Gu Xixi promised solemnly, "I'll try my best."
"As long as the general doesn't mention it, I will definitely not mention it. If the general mentions it, I can only say... I will try my best to say a few good words for you."
That afternoon, Gu Xixi went to the military camp.
She found that the atmosphere in the military camp seemed busier and more tense than the last time she came.
In front of the central military tent, Gu Xixi waited for a while and saw Meng Chengping coming out with a few people.
As he hurried past, he just glanced at Xixi without saying hello or showing any expression.
Gu Xixi thought that General Meng was a completely different person when he was performing his official duties.
At this time, Huo Jiang's voice came, "What are you thinking about? I have something important to tell you, come in quickly!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com