When Old Man Zheng saw that his wife had already said what she wanted, he also asked what he needed to ask. It was indeed as his daughter said. Zhou Shuren was very confident in being selected as a Juren. His status as a Juren was enough to protect his house. As for whether he would be successful in the future, he didn’t need to worry if he became an official and never came back, as long as the house was not sold.

He had experienced ups and downs in his life and also experienced a great escape. He had no trust in the court at all. He was really afraid. If his ancestors had a way out, their family would not be forced to have no way out. He did not want his grandchildren to face the same situation. In this way, the rise and fall of families was normal, and there must be a way out here.

And as the most secretive way out, it’s best to have some connection with the family, but not too deep. That’s the most secure approach. The Zheng family had experience, so at least in the future, they wouldn’t easily fall into trouble. After several decades, when those who should know have passed away, it would be difficult to investigate even if someone wanted to.

He had his own ability to judge people, and Zhou Shuren was a calculated man, with a general direction in mind. He was hinting at a way out and ensuring the safety of the mansion. That was the most secretive way out for the Zheng family.

Zhou Shuren didn’t know that Old Man Zheng had so many psychological activities, but he could guess that it was the first time he had been plotted against in ancient times. Why was he feeling so unhappy? Even though he knew that the Zheng family would definitely provide some benefits, he was not happy. As expected, Pies were never easy to catch.

Zhou Shuren coughed and said, “Old man, we have been sitting here for so long, why don’t we go and see the ground first?”

Old Man Zheng stood up, stroking his beard, “Let’s go, I will take you out for a walk.”

Zhou Shuren said, “.”

He didn’t plan to take him to see the land.

Seeing Zhou Shuren leaving, Zhulan blinked. This was a private conversation.

Old Lady Zheng stood up with a smile and said, “I will also take you to visit the various courtyards. Our family has a large population and there are many small courtyards in the mansion. It took a lot of effort to build the house, which is warm in winter and cool in summer, and we also dug a deep cellar. It is specially used to hold ice. It is very convenient to use ice to relieve the heat in summer.”

Zhulan, “.”

She realized that she had thought over six hundred taels was enough, but in reality, it wasn’t nearly enough. This mansion was worth a lot of money, and if the Zheng family didn’t come knocking, they wouldn’t be able to afford it.

The Old Lady continued: “Each courtyard is independent.”

The more Zhulan looked at it, the more she liked it. She liked independent courtyards so that they would not disturb each other. She and Zhou Shuren could also have more private space, but it was a pity that their family was going to move to Pingzhou.

Zhulan and Old Lady Zheng were walking around in the yard. Zhulan didn’t see anyone from the Zheng family. She didn’t know if they had left or were in the house.

After walking around and returning to the main house, Zhou Shuren and Old Man Zheng were also back. The two were as affectionate as if they were biological father and son. Zhulan, who was watching closely, silently looked away. They were all foxes. This was to find the same kind.

Old Lady Zheng was delighted, and it had been a long time since the Old Man had been so happy. Their sons lacked both physical and mental agility, which irritated her husband when he looked at them. The grandsons, on the other hand, were not bad, but Old Man Zheng, as the head of the family, could only hold back. The third son was a taciturn man, which meant that Old Man Zheng hadn’t been this happy chatting in years.

Old Man Zheng said, “Old lady, hurry up and pack some snacks for your dà zhízi’s children.”

Old Lady Zheng smiled and said, “It has been prepared a long time ago.”

As soon as Old Lady Zheng finished speaking, the eldest son, Eldest Master Zheng, brought in two baskets. One basket was filled with pastries, while the other was filled with jujubes and other nourishing foods.

Zhulan was embarrassed, “This is too much. Those who know might think we came to inspect the land, but those who don’t might think I’ve gone back to my mother’s house to enjoy myself.”

Old Lady Zheng laughed, “How do you say this?”

Zhulan talked about how her parents subsidized her. Old Lady Zheng felt the same way, patted Zhulan’s hand, and said, “This is the heart of a parent, always thinking about their children.”

She also didn’t skimp on subsidizing her daughter. Otherwise, the medicinal herbs her daughter used for recuperation were not something her son-in-law could afford. Her daughter could survive until now because of the subsidies from her and her husband.

About a quarter of an hour later, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren walked out of Zheng’s house. Boss Zhou was taken away by Eldest Master Zheng. Now he was back and waiting on the bullock cart.

Boss Zhou was a little confused. When he saw his father and mother coming out, he quickly took the basket from his father and put it in the cart.

Zhou Shuren and Zhulan were polite to Zheng’s brother again before getting into the carriage and going home.

After leaving Lijiacun, there was no one around. Boss Zhou couldn’t hold back his words. “Dad, didn’t you come here to see the land? Why did I go to see the land instead?”

He was a little confused. He really didn’t expect Eldest Master Zheng to take him there. Looking at the land, he also introduced it very carefully. The paddy fields were medium to good, and the dry fields were really good. The most important thing was that they were in large areas. One look at them made your heart bright.

He asked about his parents several times, but Boss Zheng always changed the conversation. If he hadn’t known that his parents would be fine, he would have rushed through the door!

Zhou Shuren raised an eyebrow, realizing that they were here to inspect the land. Without answering the eldest son’s question directly, he responded with a question of his own, “How is the land belonging to the Zheng family?”

Seeing his father’s silence, Boss Zhou understood that this wasn’t something he should ask about. He replied, “The paddy fields will become top-quality paddy fields in a few more years, and the dry fields are already top-quality. They are exceptionally well cared for, and the land is fertile. Dad, buying the land from the Zheng family will be a huge profit, especially the paddy fields. After a few years, we can sell them for a big profit. Buying land from the Zheng family is definitely a good idea. If it weren’t for our connection with Aunt Zheng, I doubt we would have had the chance to buy it.”

Zhou Shuren chuckled, “Indeed, it’s thanks to your Aunt Zheng’s connection that we stumbled upon this opportunity.”

Boss Zhou didn’t look back. There was a hidden meaning in his father’s words. He asked, “Dad, did it not go well?”

Zhou Shuren looked at the sky, “We’ve talked about it, and we will transfer the ownership tomorrow.”

Boss Zhou turned abruptly, surprised by the speed of events. Did his father finalize the deal without even inspecting the land? “Dad, how much did you buy it for?”

He remembered that they were supposed to buy the mansion along with the land. He swallowed hard. Their scale was quite large now. Not only did they have shops and houses in the city, but they also had nearly a hundred acres of land and a large mansion. He pinched himself hard; the pain proved it wasn’t a dream, but it felt like one.

Zhulan also looked at Zhou Shuren. She really didn’t know what the discussion was about, but she touched the bracelet on her hand and found that no matter how much money they had, they had made money.

Zhou Shuren was not happy about being plotted, but everything else was good. He relied on the bullock cart and said, “Let’s talk about it when we go home.”

Boss Zhou was very anxious, but his father’s mood seemed to have improved. The price must not be high. He urged the oxen with the whip, hoping to get home faster. He thought about the future, not only not worrying about food and drink, but also having such a solid foundation. He felt energized all over and silently vowed in his heart that he would never divorce his wife, never!

Zhulan looked at the Eldest who was injected with chicken blood, feeling that he had been somewhat overwhelmed. She chuckled softly. She had been stimulated today as well, giving them a lesson. There were places they hadn’t calculated, and pitfalls they hadn’t noticed. Fortunately, today it was the Zheng family who harbored thoughts of using them. If it had been someone with ill intentions, it would have been too late for regrets. They still weren’t careful enough.

Back at Zhou’s house, Zhulan got out of the car and stretched her legs for a while before entering the house. Second Zhou helped the Eldest unload the cattle cart. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren entered the house and their two sons came in soon after.

Boss Zhou was thinking about the journey and looked at him eagerly, “Dad.”

(End of this chapter)

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