Chapter 231: All the Way to Good
beginning of winter.
It's a bit cold.
A charcoal fire was lit in the house.
It's getting a lot warmer, but it's still cold outside.
When Jiang Miaomiao got up, the whole family was sitting around the fire.
Xier moved a chair for her, sat in front of her mother, ate buns, and listened to everyone chatting.
She still quite likes listening to her aunt talk about the village's gossip.
My mother and aunt also like to listen to it.
But they simply like to listen, not talk.
Then I heard my aunt say to my mother, "Sister-in-law, the fish in your yard are doing very well. Uncle Fu even found someone who knows how to raise fish to take care of them."
"Is the fish still alive?"
Lu Qingyao was a little surprised. She had already forgotten about the fish.
The villagers really care about it.
"What are you talking about? Everyone treats them as the God of Wealth." Liu Yu Niang wanted to cover her mouth.
Jiang Miaomiao remembered the vat that was as wide as her door.
I heard that koi can live for sixty or seventy years, and some can even live for hundreds of years.
I don’t know if this feng shui really works.
Anyway, things have been going pretty well at home in the past two years.
My mother's business is getting better and better. She has also made friends with some noble people. My brothers have also passed the imperial examinations and become scholars. Now there is hope for my grandfather to be rehabilitated.
In short, things are getting better.
Then the aunt talked about Jiang Yunyan and his wife: They didn't give up, and later came to the house to ask for money, but were eventually driven out by the villagers.
Unwilling to give up, he went to Lu's house in the town to make trouble again. Before anyone could report to the police, he was arrested and imprisoned for three months. After he was released, he became quiet.
But what is sad is their eldest nephew Chu Mingyuan.
I almost starved to death at home.
After his parents were imprisoned, he could do nothing. After spending all the money in the family, he went out to beg.
What a waste.
Jiang Miaomiao looked at her aunt who was talking with great joy and enthusiasm. It was obvious that she had been feeling depressed for many years and now she could finally hold her head high.
Look at uncle again.
Holding the tea, he said nothing.
After all, they are siblings from the same mother, so he must be feeling bad about it.
In fact, my mother didn't do anything extreme.
She guessed that Jiang Yunyan and his wife would not give up, so she asked County Magistrate Xu to help keep an eye on them. If they committed any crime, they would be thrown into jail and locked up for a long time.
I just didn't expect that mama's boy Chu Mingyuan would be such a loser.
A big guy with healthy hands and feet.
He could actually starve to death.
Then, I heard my uncle say quietly, "What's the big deal about going hungry for a few meals? As long as he doesn't starve to death, it's all because of his parents spoiling him..."
Jiang Miaomiao: ...
I feel like my uncle has changed.
"Uncle, how are Li Erlang and Sanlang? Are they okay?" Jiang Zifeng was a little worried about his little friends.
Neither of them could read or write, and they stumbled over their letters, making irrelevant remarks and no one knew what they were saying.
It’s easier to just ask my uncle directly.
"Those two guys are actually quite down-to-earth and steady. Erlang joined the car team, and Sanlang joined the forest protection team. They go to the village private school as soon as they have a day off, and they already know quite a few words. Erlang got engaged not long ago, and the wedding is scheduled for early spring next year..." Jiang Yunhu said with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Ever since the two boys joined the car team and the forest ranger team, they helped him take care of those naughty monkeys, and he had less worries.
Speaking of the forest protection team, Jiang Miaomiao thought of asking the county magistrate's wife to join.
Very insightful.
After tying everyone's interests together, this person tasted the sweetness and did things differently, treating everything as his own business.
My uncle said that the forest protection team was initiated and established by County Magistrate Xu, and there is a forest protection team in every village and hamlet.
Nowadays, bamboo shoots and bamboo fungus have become the pillar industries of the entire Qingshi Town. Naturally, the vast bamboo forests have also become treasures of the villagers. They not only need to plant new bamboo forests, but also protect the old bamboo forests.
The villagers regard the bamboo forest as their life.
Once County Magistrate Xu called on everyone, every household spontaneously sent people to join the forest protection team.
As for the fleet, it is still under the management of my uncle.
Today's fleet is not what it used to be.
My mother provided the funds, and County Magistrate Xu led people to level and widen the road from Qingshi Town to Jiangzhou.
In the past, we had to go out before dawn, and after pulling the bamboo shoots to Jiangzhou, we had to rush back without stopping for a moment, otherwise we would not be able to return to Qingshi Town before dark.
In ancient times, traveling at night was a very dangerous thing.
If you are not careful, you will fall into the tiger's mouth.
Nowadays, the caravans are divided into several waves. One trip comes to Jiangzhou in the morning, and after returning, another trip can come before dark. Jiangzhou also has places for the drivers to stay and have meals.
The scale is getting bigger and bigger.
As for the Lu family in the town, my mother hired a manager, but the family still relied on my aunt to run the business. Although she could not read or write, she was quite capable in managing the young girls and wives in the village.
Anyone who tries to be sneaky or steal things will get into trouble under her nose.
Lu Qingyao poured tea for the two of them. "Brother and sister-in-law, thanks to you for taking care of the affairs in Qingshi Town, I am here to toast you with tea instead of wine."
"Sister-in-law, we are all family, what are you talking about..." Liu Yu Niang was a little at a loss when she saw her suddenly like this.
She quickly looked at her husband, not knowing how to respond, so she let her husband speak.
Jiang Yunhu looked at his younger brother and sister-in-law in front of him. Her demeanor was no longer the same as before. In the past, she always tried hard to blend into the village.
Deliberately conceal one's shortcomings.
perhaps……
This is her original appearance now.
Now she is no longer just their younger sister, but also their boss and the breadwinner of the entire Qingshi Town.
Talking to her now doesn't feel as comfortable as before, as if there is an invisible pressure.
He quickly took the tea and said, "Sister-in-law, you're so embarrassed to say that. If we're going to thank someone, we should thank you. Thanks to you, your sister-in-law and I can now live a good life. Thanks to you for being the matchmaker for Qiao'er, she can have such a good home. Your sister-in-law and I don't have much ability, so we can only do our best to help you succeed in the business of Qingshi Town. Please don't despise it..."
"That's right, sister-in-law, what your elder brother said is what I want to say." Liu Yu Niang nodded continuously, like a chick pecking at rice.
She took Lu Qingyao's hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I came here this time to ask you something..."
As soon as the aunt finished speaking, Sister Qiao blushed and stretched out her hand, "Miaomiao, let me take you out to play."
Jiang Miaomiao actually didn't want to go.
But my uncle, eldest brother and second brother were all out.
I knew that the topic that my aunt and mother were going to talk about next was something that Sister Qiao didn't want them to hear.
What is it about?
Jiang Miaomiao was a little curious.
But he still followed Sister Qiao out obediently.
Anyway, she has Jiujiu, and Jiujiu will tell her if she eavesdrops.
After watching them go out, the aunt closed the door.
To be honest, Lu Qingyao and Xiuxiu were also a little curious, and they always felt that it might be something inappropriate for children.
Then Liu Yu Niang spoke, "Sister-in-law, I...I came here to ask you, how should we prepare Qiao'er's dowry?"
This matter worried her to death.
I asked the uncles and aunts in the village, but none of them had any reference value.
Because Qiao'er had told them about Yanshu's family background. It would have been fine if she hadn't told them, but they were shocked when she did.
If nothing was said, they would just assume that Manager Sun was just the owner of a small bookstore in Qingshi Town.
It turned out that the person was the Grand Tutor's staff member and had once been an official in the capital.
Yanshu comes from a family of scholars with a strong financial background. There is a high possibility that he will become a high-ranking official in the future, and Qiaoer will become an official wife if she marries him.
The most important thing is that Yanshu is a great kid.
I don’t know whether it is good or bad for Qiao’er to have such a good thing happen to her.
She discussed it with her husband and came to Jiangzhou.
I need to ask my brother and sister-in-law to feel at ease. "The Sun family came to propose marriage, offering a betrothal gift of 600 taels, and also put a silk and satin shop in Jiangzhou City under Qiao'er's name..."
Liu Yu Niang held the handkerchief tightly, feeling both nervous and excited.
But there is more worry.
"We've given so much as a betrothal gift and the shop, and I wonder how much dowry we should give? I can't afford it if I give too much, but if I give too little, I'm afraid people will think I'm selling my daughter, and Qiao'er will be looked down upon after she gets married..."
"We probably can't afford a house or shop in Jiangzhou. Sister-in-law, do you think we should buy a few acres of land?"
Liu Yu Niang told everything to her brother and sister-in-law. Apart from her husband and brother and sister-in-law, she didn't know who else to talk to.
But my husband doesn’t know how to prepare it.
Even though life is better nowadays, when a village boy wants to get married, the betrothal gift is no more than eighty taels.
Six hundred taels, returned to the shop.
She was a little panicked and didn't know how to prepare a dowry for her daughter.
Lu Qingyao patted her hand gently and said soothingly, "Sister-in-law, don't be nervous. First, tell me how much dowry you and your elder brother can come up with now."
It was originally a good thing, but why did it make this couple so worried...
She calculated that with her eldest brother's family's monthly allowance, plus the year-end dividends, minus the cost of building a house, buying land, and raising servants, she should be able to save a thousand taels in three years.
Liu Yu Niang counted on her fingers and muttered, "After deducting household expenses and the cost of the banquet, I should be able to come up with about 600 taels..."
"Sister-in-law, do you know how much the silk shop Yanshu gave me is worth?"
"I estimate that the annual income is about one or two thousand." Lu Qingyao was afraid of scaring her, so she lowered the figure.
One or two thousand.
"So many!" Liu Yu Niang opened her mouth wide and couldn't close it for a long time.
"Yes... a little more..."
Jiang Miaomiao was sitting on a small stool in the yard, teasing the little red bird. The little red bird flew over and then flew back.
After hearing this, she was not surprised at all.
The betrothal gifts in ancient times were very expensive, far beyond your imagination.
Sister Qiao'er's situation is still considered good. The daughters of wealthy families start with a fortune of tens of thousands when they get married, and they also have good land, shops, and jewelry.
This is why the ancients paid great attention to matching social status.
Whether it's the rich young man Cinderella, or the rich young lady and poor scholar, they can't get past the hurdle of bride price and betrothal gift.
So there are quite a few people who elope.
As for why A Niang married her scumbag father, probably...
He is just stupid and has a lot of money.
Jiang Miaomiao quickly knocked her little head.
You can't think that way.
Whatever you think about during the day, you will dream about at night. What if your mother hears you talking in your sleep?
You'll get beaten...
It must be my scumbag father who deceived my mother. People say that civil servants are more cunning than lotus roots.
Jiang Qiaoer walked back and forth in the yard, and then was pulled by a small hand towards the door.
A big one and a small one were squatting outside the door.
Jiang Miaomiao knew that her mother would not act as a matchmaker for others.
She took out two brocade boxes from the cabinet.
Open……
There is a set of jewelry and head ornaments in each box.
A pair of pearl headpieces and a pair of jadeite floating flower bracelets.
A headpiece with red gold and gemstone-inlaid Ruyi patterns.
Then I heard my mother say to my aunt: That was the makeup she and Princess Rong'an prepared for Qiao'er. She asked the jewelry shop to make the Ruyi headpiece, and the pearl headpiece and bracelet were given by Princess Rong'an.
The princess and Qiao'er were friends for a while. Qiao'er embroidered a lot of clothes for her. She usually didn't accept them from Qiao'er, so she gave them to Qiao'er as a dowry.
Then my mother took out a deed and handed it to my aunt. "Sister-in-law, I'm going to let Qiao'er run the Baihuazhai across the street. I'll give you 40% of the profit, and that's my gift to Qiao'er."
Liu Yu Niang was a little hesitant to accept it.
Although she couldn't calculate how much the 40% profit was, it must be a lot.
Her family only got a tiny fraction of the bamboo shoots from Qingshi Town, but they could get several hundred taels of silver every year, let alone 40%.
Although she was very tempted, she also knew that she couldn't accept it, so she refused, "This... this must be a lot of silver, too much, Qiao'er can't accept it."
Lu Qingyao smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, please accept it. Don't worry. Whether Baihuazhai can be successful and profitable depends on Qiao'er's management. If it makes money, it's all hers."
Although she said so, she was sure that she could earn money, otherwise she would not give it to Qiao'er.
Xiuxiu also echoed: "Sister-in-law, I have some too. Only when you earn money can you have money."
"Really? You didn't scare me?" After hearing what they said, Liu Yu Niang accepted it with peace of mind.
The two shook their heads, "Of course not."
"Sister-in-law, there is one thing that worries me. I heard from Qiao'er that Yanshu has two older brothers. Both of their wives are powerful. One is a daughter of an official, and the other is the daughter of a wealthy businessman. I am worried that they will bully Qiao'er." Liu Yu Niang clutched her handkerchief with a worried look on her face.
It was only after she saw Qi Caiwei's behavior that she realized how cunning those rich girls were. When they became cruel and ruthless, they were even more poisonous than scorpions.
Although Qiao'er is smart, she is also careless.
He is much younger than others in age and seniority, so it is obvious that he will be bullied.
Her heart was in turmoil.
Lu Qingyao understood her worries. "Don't worry, sister-in-law. After all, they don't live together. Although my family background is slightly inferior to theirs now, who can say what will happen in the future? Maybe Yanshu will win an imperial decree for Qiao'er..."
After a woman gets married, her world becomes a completely different place.
No matter how good your life is in your parents' home, if you marry poorly, you will still live in dire straits.
Even if you come from a poor background, if you find a good partner, your life may be different.
No one can guess how it will end.
Jiang Miaomiao felt her feet go numb, and when she stood up, she saw Sister Qiao was already in tears.
I don’t know whether she was crying because she was moved or because she was excited.
I can still understand her to some extent. In the past, she had to work hard for a month to embroider a handkerchief, and she could only sell it for one or two taels of silver.
Nowadays, any makeup will cost several hundred taels.
Her fiancé was even more generous. He gave her a shop and over a hundred taels of pocket money every month.
It seems that my future brother-in-law's family is also a wealthy family.
Jiang Miaomiao felt that she should give something as well, as reciprocity is the norm.
She remembered the jewelry given by the ladies at the Chrysanthemum Banquet. There were quite a lot of them and they were all very beautiful.
"Sister Qiao, I'll add some makeup for you too..."
As he said that, he pulled Sister Qiao'er into his room.
…
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