Zhao Fang shook her head, then, fearing her daughter-in-law might suspect something, said, "I'm thinking about how many chickens and ducks to buy."
Qin Xiaozhou didn't think much of it. "I'll buy five hundred half-grown chicks to raise first, and then buy a thousand newly hatched chicks and ducklings a month later."
These half-grown chickens hatched last autumn, survived the cold winter, and are about to enter spring, making them relatively easy to raise. As for the chicks, it's best to buy them a month later when the weather is warmer, as they will be easier to raise.
Zhao Fang nodded casually, "Then let my nephew from my maternal family handle this."
It's not easy to buy several hundred half-grown chickens and ducks in a village; you might have to visit several villages to find them all.
Qin Xiaozhou had no objection. "This money should come from the kilometer; we can't let my cousin work for nothing."
Behind the orchard, Wang Dahe often kept an eye on Wang Shugen, only feeling at ease when he saw that Wang Shugen wasn't slacking off. They would each go home for lunch and continue working in the afternoon.
Some women also come to the garden to work, burying the chicken and duck manure that has been fermenting for several months halfway into the roots of the fruit trees, waiting for the spring rains to come and make it fertile.
It took two days of hard work to finally get an orchard on a hilltop ready.
Two days later, Zhao Zhong delivered a batch of half-grown chickens and ducks, a total of seventy. He went to the duck pen in Qingzhugou and reinforced the fence around the yard before going home.
Over the next two or three days, the Zhao family delivered chickens and ducks in twos and threes. It took them five days to sell a total of 500 chickens and ducks.
Qin Xiaozhou settled the accounts, paying his cousin and uncle 350 coins based on the daily wage of 35 coins.
Uncle Zhao refused to accept the money, saying, "The money for the chickens and ducks has already been settled, so there's no need for this money. We're all relatives, it's just a matter of two or three days, no need for money."
That's how it is in the village; when someone needs help, they just ask for a meal.
Qin Xiaozhou stuffed the money into his uncle's hand, saying, "You should be paid for the work you've done. There will be many things I need to trouble you uncles with in the future, so I can't let you work for nothing."
The men of the Zhao family were no match for Qin Xiaozhou in eloquence, and unable to argue with her, they had no choice but to accept it.
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