"By the way, let's also find a carpenter. We can build the house while simultaneously making tables, chairs, wardrobes, and other furniture. Doing both at the same time will allow us to move into the new house sooner."
"Uncle, here's twenty taels of silver. Please take it and use it first. Let me know if you need more."
Uncle Jiang accepted the silver and happily agreed.
"As for the making of mosquito coils, in order to keep the secret recipe from being revealed, my father still personally prepares all the ingredients, and everyone else just goes about their business."
From now on, I will personally handle the transport of locusts to the county town. Whenever anything happens, you must discuss it with your family; never act on your own, lest you fall into Su Wan'er's trap.”
Madam Lu looked at Jiang Wanwan with concern, "Wanwan, didn't you say that Su Wan'er came with ill intentions? Won't it be safe for you to go to the county town alone?"
"Yes, why don't you have your older brother or second brother accompany you to deliver the locusts? It's too unsafe for a young girl like you to go to the county town all by yourself."
"Or, your second uncle can go with you."
Jiang Wanwan naturally had to refuse. If she brought someone along, wouldn't that give her away?
"No need, I can go by myself. Don't forget, I know martial arts, and no one can easily hurt me. Besides, the orders from Wanhuofang and Ruixiangju need to be delivered every fifteen days. We need to make as many mosquito coils as possible. Later, when we build our house, we'll need people to help with cooking, supervising, etc., so we'll have fewer people to make mosquito coils. Therefore, having more people to make mosquito coils will help us complete the orders faster and avoid not being able to deliver on time."
Okay, that's settled then. If there's nothing else, everyone go wash up and go to bed. We need to get up early tomorrow to make mosquito coils and catch locusts.
Having said all that, the Jiang family members couldn't say anything more and went back to their rooms to rest.
After washing up, Jiang Wanwan returned to her room, laid out paper and prepared ink, and began to reply to Su Er and Su Si.
The letter begins, of course, with expressions of gratitude to Su Er and Su Si, conveying how fortunate they were to have helped him, otherwise he would have had to continue eating tree bark and mud. He then proceeds to lament his plight, describing himself as living the life of a refugee, to satisfy the sense of superiority Su Si and Su Er derive from him, and to subtly hint that they might give him some more money.
Next, the letter included two or three more details about the Crown Prince's preferences, encouraging the two to seize the opportunity and not let Su Wan'er succeed. It also praised Su Er and Su Si, declaring them both the perfect candidates for Crown Princess.
Later, Jiang Wanwan inadvertently mentioned that Su Wan'er had told her that once she had gained a foothold in the General's Mansion, she would have her mother, Madam Hu, marry off Su Er and Su Si to old men in their forties or fifties as second wives, or marry them all off to poor families, so as to make up for the bitter life she had endured for the past twelve years.
At this point, Jiang Wanwan added fuel to the fire, telling the two women to remind their respective aunts that if Hu Shi really got pregnant, their lives would not be easy.
Finally, Jiang Wanwan told the two of them to pay close attention to Su Wan'er's movements and to write down her whereabouts so she could offer them advice.
The contents of the two letters were almost identical. Jiang Wanwan folded them neatly and placed them on her desk, satisfied. She would take the letters with her when she went to the county town the next day.
*
As dawn broke, Jiang Wanwan, still half asleep, heard rhythmic pounding sounds coming from the courtyard.
Without a doubt, the family must have gotten up early to start preparing mosquito coils.
Jiang Wanwan rolled around in bed, clutching her blanket, then jumped out of bed. From now on, she would be busy again.
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