"Father, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Mu Yi'an walked up to Jiang's father and bowed.
"Let's talk in the study."
Jiang's father knew his second daughter-in-law; she usually brought up important matters.
"Sit down. Just tell me what's on your mind."
Jiang's father sat behind the desk, pointed to a chair not far from the desk, and gestured for Mu Yi'an to sit down and talk.
"Thank you, Dad."
Mu Yi'an sat down gently on the chair, only occupying about a third of it, as the rules were still very strict at this time.
"There are two things. First, before the Lunar New Year, my second brother helped us buy a farm. This year, besides planting watermelons, we'll also be raising sheep, pigs, and several hundred chickens. We need to hire a few long-term workers, and I'd like to ask if it would be suitable to find people in Jiangjia Village?"
Secondly, I bought a shop a few days ago and wanted to sell some agricultural products. I was thinking of buying up leftover vegetables and eggs from households in the village to help them earn some extra money.
After Mu Yi'an finished speaking, he looked at Jiang's father, waiting for his instructions.
"Second daughter-in-law, your idea is really good. It can help the villagers earn more income."
Mr. Jiang never expected his second daughter-in-law to have built such a large business empire; according to her, the estate couldn't be small anymore. However, this was their own property and had nothing to do with anyone else.
"I'm not sure either. I was thinking of coming back and talking to Dad about it. Should we talk to Third Grandfather about this?"
"We need to tell your third grandfather. He is the patriarch of our Jiang clan. Although we don't do things for fame or fortune, we can't just do them silently. We don't know how far Shuyun will go in the future, but having a good reputation is still very important."
Jiang's father was not a rigid or inflexible person; for a scholar, having a good reputation was still very important.
“That’s what I think too. I did a good deed, so I can’t leave my name behind. Even if Shuyun doesn’t enter officialdom in the future, Shaoming and his generation might rise in rank, and they’ll definitely be able to use her.”
Mu Yi'an isn't a living bodhisattva who saves all living beings. She can do things that benefit both herself and others within her means, but she doesn't want to be an unsung hero.
Most importantly, she made money growing watermelons. Although the villagers didn't know exactly how much she earned, they knew she was wealthy. Rather than waiting for people to come and borrow money, she decided to make her money first and let everyone know that her money had been invested, spent, and was gone.
“Yes, you’re right. Come on, let’s go to the clan chief’s house. We need to talk to your third grandfather about this. There are some elderly people in the clan who are still alive and well. They can’t do any heavy work, but they can still herd sheep, feed pigs, and cut grass.”
Jiang's father thought that taking care of the widowed and orphaned and being friendly to the neighbors would be beneficial to both Shuyun and the Jiang family.
"I'll have Third Grandfather make the arrangements later. I can help the clan with some things within my capacity, but their character must be guaranteed. I'm paying people to do the work, not to go back and live like a king."
Mu Yi'an first stated her position that her place should not be treated as a nursing home for the clan.
“I will talk to your third grandfather. You don’t need to. There are some things that you shouldn’t say.
"Thank you, Dad!"
Mu Yi'an looked at Jiang's taciturn father; he truly didn't say much.
Jiang Qi accompanied her second sister-in-law and went with her father to her third grandfather's house.
"Third Uncle, are you home?"
"Home? Who is it? Come in."
Jiang's father pushed open the door and entered the courtyard, followed closely by Mu Yi'an and Jiang Qi.
"Ziwen is here. By the way, the school is closed today. Shuyun's wife is back too. Is something the matter?"
Third Grandfather wasn't too surprised to see Jiang's father; he would occasionally come over and talk to him during breaks at school. But Shuyun's wife had moved to the county town, so there must be something she wanted to do today.
"Third Uncle, I do have something to ask you for your opinion today."
Jiang's father recounted what Mu Yi'an had told him, emphasizing that the child wanted to help the clan with some tasks.
"Shuyun's wife, you are wonderful! On behalf of the Jiang clan, I thank you, and on behalf of the villagers of Jiangjia Village, I thank you!"
Grandpa San was very excited and got up and spun around several times. Their Jiangjia Village had several hundred households and more than a thousand people. Although they were a little better off than other places, they could barely make ends meet. Last year, when the harvest was good and the weather was favorable, everyone had a little surplus food, but there was nothing left.
"Third Uncle, the children's roots are in Jiangjia Village. They're doing a little better now, so it's only right and proper for them to do what they can for the clan. But, Third Uncle, as you know, Shuyun is currently at Bailu Academy in the prefectural city. She's not home much throughout the year, and the family relies entirely on her second daughter-in-law."
She was willing to do something for the clan, and asked her third uncle to help select people, choosing honest, reliable, and obedient individuals. She didn't want anyone who acted arrogantly because of their status; otherwise, things would be difficult for the children.
Jiang's father made his point very clearly, and his third grandfather understood what he meant.
"No, that won't do. As for farmhands, Shuyun's family can find one themselves and see if there's anyone suitable. There's a couple in the clan who feed pigs and herd sheep. Their only son died of illness, and their daughter-in-law remarried. They sold their land to pay for their only son's medical treatment, and now they make a living by doing odd jobs at the docks."
"Is Third Uncle referring to Jiang Hua?"
After thinking it over, Jiang's father realized that Jiang Hua was the only one in the clan who met the requirements.
"Yes, it's Jiang Hua. They're not related to you by five degrees of kinship, but they're still members of the Jiang family. The main reason is that Jiang Hua is an honest person. Over the years, he's suffered a lot for his two grandchildren and his frail wife."
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