Shao Ming officially enrolled in school and went to school very enthusiastically every day, returning home happy as well.
"Shao Ming, are you settling in well at school?"
"Mother, I like this school. The teacher's lessons are very interesting, and we can even learn martial arts!"
"I want to learn martial arts, Mother."
When Shao Yun heard that his brother could practice martial arts, he clamored that he also wanted to go to school.
"Shao Yun, do you also want to go to school?"
"Yeah, I want to go, practice martial arts, and fight bad guys."
A few days ago, his second uncle took him to see a street performer. He found it very interesting to watch those people wielding large knives.
"Then you should learn more characters at home and study hard. Next year, your father will send you to school."
"Alright, I'll study hard, go to school, and learn martial arts, haha..."
Shao Yun laughed and gestured the actions he had seen that day, very seriously.
I wonder if there are any martial arts instructors around these days. Flying over rooftops and scaling walls is just something from stories, but learning some self-defense techniques is still quite necessary. I'll ask my second brother sometime; my sister-in-law's family are in the escort business, they should know something.
Mu Yi'an thought to herself that she would have to wait for Shu Yun to come back and discuss this matter with him.
"Second sister-in-law, what are you thinking about?"
"I wonder when your second brother will come back. Shao Yun likes to practice martial arts. Ask him if he has any connections."
"Shao Yun is quite agile. A few days ago, he was playing with Mu Lin and a few others, and several of them couldn't catch him."
Jiang Qi is really free now. There are people to cook and do chores at home, so she has plenty of free time. She spends her days playing with Chu Yue and Shao Yun, and has gotten to know the two children better.
"Right? This child loves practicing with knives and sticks, and doesn't seem to get tired at all. I was thinking, if we could find a suitable martial arts instructor to teach him properly, whether he'll need it in the future or not, at least it would improve his health. I'll let Shao Ming and Chu Yue practice with him too."
"You practice Chuyue too?"
Jiang Qi was surprised that her second sister-in-law wanted Chu Yue to practice martial arts; wasn't that a bit too much?
"That's right, Chuyue is still young, and the separation between boys and girls will continue for a few more years. She can exercise with her older brother and learn self-defense so she won't be bullied in the future."
Mu Yi'an thought this was a good thing. Putting aside everything else, if her health improved, it would be easier to get through the major hurdle of childbirth after marriage. Modern medicine is so advanced, and we still occasionally see news reports of accidents during childbirth. In ancient times, childbirth was truly a matter of stepping into the gates of hell.
"Second sister-in-law is so thoughtful. Having good health is really important."
Jiang Qi thought of the lively and lovely Chu Yue and truly hoped that she would live a peaceful and happy life.
The two women, sister-in-law and aunt, chatted and laughed, watching the children making noise in the yard. This kind of life was truly comforting.
Jiang Shuyun has been gone for almost a month, and Mu Yi'an has been busy lately.
"Madam, we've bought twenty ewes on the estate, eight of which have ewes with foals, and five rams. We've also caught thirty piglets, five of which can be kept as sows to breed piglets. As for chicks, there's a woman in the village who knows how to hatch chicks using a heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed). Her ancestors were from the north, and she knows this skill. My father has ordered five hundred chicks from her."
Steward Li recounted what had been happening on the estate recently. He was now shuttling between his home and the estate, full of energy.
"Okay, well done. Tell Uncle Li to take care of himself and not overwork himself."
Mu Yi'an was very satisfied with the Li family's performance; they did a good job, and she wouldn't be stingy with her rewards.
"Madam Xie is concerned. My father enjoys farming and is happy doing it. There's also Master Shuhe, who is hardworking and takes good care of my father."
The Li family also respected Jiang Shuhe. No matter what, he was the master's cousin, unlike the servants who had sold themselves into servitude. They needed to know their place, which was also a sign of respect for the master.
"Alright, Uncle Li will take care of things on the estate. We'll be starting seedling cultivation soon, and we'll be short-handed. We'll hire a few day laborers from the village, but don't overwork them. Also, Steward Li, we need to hurry up with the shop arrangements. If we find a suitable one, we'll finalize the deal."
"Understood, Madam."
After finishing his business, Steward Li left. Sister Fang, who used to be the housekeeper's wife, took notes. She was literate.
“Madam, the spring clothes need to be redone. The two young masters and young ladies have grown taller, and last year’s clothes are a bit too small.”
"Okay, go find your great-aunt and have her take Cotton to the storeroom to pick out fabric. Make two sets for each child, two sets for the master, and one set for me and your great-aunt. You and your daughter, and everyone in the Li family, will each make one set. You are responsible for making your own clothes; Cotton can't make that many by herself."
Mu Yi'an had seen in TV dramas before that wealthy families would receive clothes all year round. Her family wasn't wealthy, so they only had one set of clothes per season.
"Understood, Madam."
Sister-in-law Fang went downstairs to find her great-aunt and her daughter. Her steps were light, as if she had become several years younger.
A few days later, Steward Li brought news about the shop.
"Madam, there are two shops for sale. One is near the county government office, with a large flow of customers, but the shop does not have a backyard. The other is not far from where we live, at a street corner, and consists of three connected shops with a backyard."
“It sounds like each has its advantages and disadvantages, Sister Fang. Let’s go with Steward Li to take a look.”
Mu Yi'an wanted to open a shop similar to a modern vegetable store, selling produce from her own farm and also purchasing some from Jiangjia Village. She and Jiang Shuyun had discussed it and decided that, within their means, they would help the villagers. Even if it didn't earn them a good reputation, they could at least feel at peace with themselves; after all, they had received a great fortune, hadn't they?
Fang's wife took the things her mistress needed for her trip, told her aunt, and the two of them boarded the carriage driven by Steward Li. Although it wasn't far, it was still two streets away. The shops near the county government office were quite a distance away, and since they wanted to visit both places, taking a carriage was the most convenient option.
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