Zhou Shuren curved his eyes in a smile. “Just by flattering him, of course!”

Zhulan was speechless.

Who asked Lord Chen to show off? She suddenly felt a bit sorry for him.

Zhulan smiled. “Let me tell you, I’m thinking of holding a tea party during your days off. We’ll be drinking tea bestowed by the Emperor. I think it will make things much easier when you are telling stories to Lord Chen.”

Zhou Shuren held Zhulan’s hand. “Then it’s settled.”

The couple smiled at each other, deciding how to trick Lord Chen.

That evening, the Zhou family’s meals became increasingly elaborate. There were six dishes in the evening: four meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. Even the servants’ meals consisted of one meat dish and one vegetable dish.

The servants were well-fed and had some oil; the skinny young servants and maids all gained weight within a month.

Early the next morning, it was the day the servants received their monthly wages. The steward received one and a half taels each month. The older servant women were given eight hundred wen, and Eryue’s pay had also been raised to one tael. The three little maids who served Xinghua were still young and couldn’t help much, so they each received two hundred wen a month. The two maids who followed Xuehan received four hundred wen.

The older servants all had work, earning four hundred coins a month.

The monthly stipends for the masters of the household were also increased. Boss Zhou now received three taels a month. Li Shi and Xuehan received two taels, and each of the grandchildren received one tael.

Li Shi went to oversee the distribution of wages, and after the monthly payments were completed, she came to the main courtyard. “Mother, Li Qiu, who voluntarily sold herself, has taken leave to go home.”

Zhulan thought of Dong Zhi and Xiao Han, who had also voluntarily sold themselves, and remembered that they had gone to Chuanzhou with Steward Ding yesterday and couldn’t collect their wages today; otherwise, they would have taken leave too. “She is sending her wages home.”

Li Shi: “Mother, didn’t you let the boss hire Liqiu’s family to watch the mountains?” There should be some money in Li Qiu’s family now. Why do you still need Li Qiu’s money?”

Zhulan fiddled with the abacus. “Several people in Li Qiu’s family are getting married, and they need a lot of money.”

Besides, no one would think they could just take more money than they need. She also wanted to see how long Li Qiu’s family would need her wages to decide whether to continue using Li Qiu’s family to look after the mountain.

Zhulan had finished calculating the accounts. Since Steward Ding wasn’t home today, the sale of the shop wasn’t urgent. “Let’s go, come with me to see your grandparents.”

Li Shi had been in Lizhou City for a month. Her husband had been busy, and she rarely went out. She cherished every opportunity to go out. “Okay.”

Zhulan led Li Shi and her daughter to the Yang residence. The Yang residence was guarded. After getting off the carriage, they went directly to Sun Shi’s room.

Sun Shi sat by the window. “I said you would definitely come today. Your father said you were too busy to come. I even made a bet with him, and I won.”

Yang Dayong smiled. “Yes, you won.”

Zhulan had brought two sets of clothes. “It’s almost the change of seasons, so I made two sets of clothes for you two. Would you like to try them on and see if they fit?”

Sun Shi said, “You’re busy enough already. Why are you making clothes for us?”

But her hands honestly touched the clothes; she had never seen such thin fabric in her life.

Zhulan had chosen only the best fabrics, and now not only could she wear them, but her parents could too. She had bought three bolts of fabric in Sichuan, perfect for the elderly to wear in the summer—breathable and comfortable.

Zhulan smiled and took the clothes, helping her parents change. After changing, her parents looked even more like the old matriarch and patriarch. It wasn’t that Wu Chun wouldn’t buy them; the Yang family’s savings were almost depleted, and now they relied on Wu Chun’s salary!

Wu Chun’s salary wasn’t small, but it wasn’t enough to support the large family and several servants. Currently, they barely have enough food without spending money.

Zhulan said, “We still have some fabric at home. We’ll make two more outfits for Mom and Dad when we go back.”

Yang Dayong also cherished the clothes he was wearing, feeling grateful for his daughter’s filial piety in his old age. He had consumed quite a bit of ginseng on the journey. “Your family is quite wealthy, and you’ve spent a lot of money recently. Your expenses will only increase in the future. Don’t burden us with more money. We have enough clothes. Mom and Dad will shamelessly accept the outfit you made. Please don’t make any more for us.”

Zhulan smiled. “Dad, I sold my house in Pingzhou for 1,300 taels of silver. I still have some money. You don’t need to worry about me. You and Mom can wear these without worry. This is Shuren’s idea.”

Yang Dayong was stunned. The house in Pingzhou was worth that much?

Hearing that it was his son-in-law’s idea, Yang Dayong smiled happily. He was afraid his son-in-law would object.

The journey from the capital to Pingzhou cost their daughter a considerable sum of money. Every time she went shopping, she would send some to the Yang family. Now, all the meat the Yang family ate was from her, and yes, even the tonics for him and his wife were bought by her.

He and Sun Shi were happy that their daughter always kept them in mind, but they also feared their son-in-law might have thoughts about it. Their son-in-law was now a Zhizhou, an official of higher rank—things were different. He even had Wu Chun quietly inquire and found out that the Tongzhi in Lizhou City had three concubines, and the Tongpan’s household had quite a few as well. He was afraid their son-in-law might start having such ideas too.

Even with Wu Chun’s reassurance, his heart was still on edge. Now, hearing that it was from his son-in-law’s filial piety, he felt much more at ease.

Zhulan sat with her parents for a while but didn’t stay for a meal at the Yang family’s residence. She took her daughter and Li Shi home.

Time passed quickly. Three days later, Steward Ding returned with Dongzhi and Xiaohan, having spent three days carefully transporting the porcelain and flowers.

This trip cost Zhulan a considerable amount of money. Five tea sets alone cost 240 taels, and the exquisite bowls and plates cost 80 taels—a whole cartload of bowls and plates!

Zhulan also had many vases bought, all for flower arranging. Yes, flower arranging existed in this dynasty too; her tea tasting would also include flower arrangements.

Since she didn’t have the money to buy expensive flowers for appreciation, she had Steward Ding buy various affordable ones.

Although Zhulan hadn’t specifically studied flower arranging, she had seen her grandmother arrange flowers many times, and she had also seen many flower arrangements, so she knew a little bit.

This trip cost Zhulan 450 taels, and her heart ached. She told Steward Ding to take two servants to collect their monthly wages and then go home to rest.

Zhulan called Eryue and asked her to take Da Han to cut some bamboo and tree trunks.

When Zhou Shuren returned, he saw a lot of bamboo and tree trunks in the house and asked Zhulan, “What are you going to do with all this bamboo and these tree trunks?”

(End of Chapter)

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