The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor

Chapter 1096: Goddaughter, great harvest

When Mo Yan returned home, she wrote a letter to Xiao Ruiyuan, telling him that her best friend was pregnant and that she was about to become a stepmother. In her words, she unconsciously revealed that she was happy that her friend had a gentle and considerate husband, and that she would soon have a new life, making her, the other person, feel happy.

This letter was just some trivial matters between parents. It was the same as usual, but it changed in Xiao Ruiyuan's eyes.

After lunch the next day, Mo Yan was slumped on a wicker chair, fanning himself, and eating watermelon fished out of the well. He asked Li Xiu when the beginning of autumn would come, and the bells under the eaves in the yard rang. When Li Yan ran to open the courtyard door, a stream of lumps wrapped in old quilts were carried in.

These blocks are about two feet long, wide and high. They seem to be quite heavy and require two people to work together to transport them in. Mo Yan was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth when he learned that Xiao Ruiyuan had specially ordered these "big guys" to be transported from the Hou Mansion.

She realized belatedly that someone was stimulated by yesterday's letter and sent so many ice cubes today. Wasn't he just telling her that she didn't need to envy others as she also had a considerate fiancé?

These ice cubes were stored last winter and were stored in the ice cellar of the Marquis Mansion. The Marquis Mansion only had one master, Xiao Xiong, who had been deprived of the title of Marquis, and could not use so much ice. The general's mansion is full of old men, and they don't take the scorching heat seriously.

So, under Xiao Shiyi's reminder, Xiao Ruiyuan finally remembered that the Hou Mansion still had good things to prevent heatstroke and cool down, so he ordered people to move most of them to Mo's house.

The Mo family has a cellar, but there are a lot of good things piled in the cellar. Fortunately, the cellar is large enough. If you move around a bit, the two hundred pieces of ice can just fit in.

The temperature in the cellar is not low. If a piece of ice is put in, it will probably turn into water in a short time. Now that so many ice cubes are piled together, the heat is driven away "mercilessly". If you want to go in and stay for a while, you must put on a cotton-padded jacket.

 With ice, the family's life will be much easier. Each of these ice cubes is twice as big as the Shen family's, and three cubes are enough for a whole day. At night, everyone spreads mats on the ground and opens all the doors and windows, so there is no need to use ice. With six beasts guarding it, there is no need to worry about thieves breaking in.

"Sister, my brother-in-law is so kind. He even thought of this. So many ice cubes are enough for us to use until the weather cools down!" Xin'er sat down tightly next to the ice basin, enjoying the slightest chill from it. : "Ice cubes are so expensive now, so why don't we dig a big ice cellar and store some ice cubes every winter in the future? Even if our family can't use them all, we can still sell them. One thousand yuan is more than two hundred taels of silver." "

"Your brother-in-law is not here, and no matter how many nice things you say, he won't be able to hear you." Mo Yan looked at her sister's "good-for-nothing" look and joked rudely: "Besides, the weather this year is abnormal. Some large households did not have enough ice, so the supply exceeded demand, allowing ice sellers to make a fortune, which was not the case in previous years."

 No one is a fool. Ice has no cost. At most, you just need to hire someone to repair the ice cellar and spend some money. Who doesn’t want to do this kind of business? Extremely hot weather like this year is very rare, and the ice business is not as easy as expected.

Besides, not everyone has the space to build such a large ice cellar, so the families who engage in the ice business are often from a good family, and selling ice is mostly just a side dish. Otherwise, the money earned in a year may not even be able to support the family.

Upon hearing this, Xin'er said disappointedly: "I thought I could make a lot of money selling ice so that I could open an embroidery shop as soon as possible. Alas, money is really not that easy to make."

Everyone looked at her exaggerated expression and laughed. Li Yan pointed at the flower and bird pictures that were mostly embroidered in Xin'er's hand, and encouraged: "Your embroidery skills have become more and more refined. Now a large screen can be sold for twenty taels of silver. In two years, it will definitely be If you sell it for fifty taels a pair, then you won’t have to worry about making money.”

Xin'er glanced at the embroidery in her hand and wailed: "I've been embroidering this for four months, and it will take another two months to finish it. In other words, it will take six months to embroider a large screen. , even if it can be sold for fifty taels, you can only earn more than eighty taels of silver after a month of hard work. Now, it is only worth twenty taels, and you can only earn more than three taels a month. I don’t know how much it will take. You can only earn fifty taels of silver per year!"

The more she calculated, the more worthless she felt. Xin'er glared at the embroidered noodles in her hand with a fierce look, and began to doubt her life.

This appearance made everyone laugh again. Mo Yan stretched out his hand and pinched his sister's bulging face and said, "If I had known that you were learning embroidery from Aunt Li just to make money, I might as well have taught you herbal medicine. , I will take you into the mountains every day to look for medicinal materials."

"Who said I came here to earn money?" Xin'er immediately retorted, looking at her sister with a look like "you don't understand me": "I just like embroidery and these colorful patterns, so I decided to follow Li My aunt learned it, otherwise I would have given up long ago.”

A smile flashed in Mo Yan's eyes, but she was troubled: "In this case, why are you complaining about the little money you earn? After all, you still learned it for the money, right?"

Xiner was choked for a moment, not knowing how to refute. She just felt that it was not worth it because of the small amount of money.

Mo Yan touched her sister's head and said something very pretentious with a profound look on her face: "Don't forget your original intention!"

Xiner took these words into her heart. She looked at the embroidered noodles in her hand thoughtfully, with a flash of determination in her eyes.

"By the way, it's best if you can embroider this screen in two months. If you can't finish it, don't stay up late and keep your eyes peeled." Mo Yan warned. Apart from eating and sleeping every day, this girl only focused on embroidering a screen. It's often swollen, and it's obvious that I'm still doing embroidery at night.

Xin'er threaded the needle quickly and said without raising her head: "Dad's big day will be in two months. I have to embroider it into a screen in advance, otherwise it will be a waste of time." Months of work.”

Since Mo Qingze and Cui Qingrou were engaged, Xin'er decided to embroider a large screen with her own hands and give it to her father as a wedding gift. Based on the size of the room, Xin'er chose eight colors and a flower and bird pattern, so the embroidery was extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.

"Even if it's a few days late, Dad won't care. Your body and eyes are the most important." Mo Yan advised.

"That's different." Xin'er obviously didn't listen: "Giving it before the wedding is meaningful and shows sincerity. Besides, there isn't much left. I can embroider faster than before. I can embroider well before the big gift. Don’t force it.”

Hearing this, Mo Yan felt sour in her heart. This girl has not really accepted Aunt Cui in her heart. Otherwise, if the whole family treats each other sincerely, how can we talk about sincerity and dishonesty?

Looking at the embroidered face, where every stitch was filled with her sister's hard work, Mo Yan turned her face away and didn't look at it again. However, Xin'er remembered something and said to her sister: "The Mid-Autumn Festival will be in one month. Is it time to prepare the festival gifts to be sent to the Cui family?"

Mo Yan calmed down the strange look on her face, shook her head and said, "It's all about moon cakes and other foods. If you prepare them too early, they will spoil. Just three or five days in advance."

Xin'er thought for a while and then asked: "On the Mid-Autumn Festival, there should be a lantern festival in the city, right? How about we go to the city to celebrate the festival this year. After worshiping the moon god, our family will go to enjoy the lanterns, and bring brother-in-law, brother Yan, And Cui Xiaoqi and the others are also called?"

Mo Yan thought about it for a moment and thought it was a good idea. Since she was almost kidnapped that year, the family has never participated in any lantern festivals. They spend the annual Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival at home. Although there is nothing wrong with being plain and warm, but doing it every year does not bring any sense of freshness.

This year, if we go to the city to enjoy the lanterns, and we invite Brother Xiao and the others to celebrate the festival together, and everyone can have fun together, it will feel good just thinking about it. If possible, it would be better to call Aunt Cui's family so that my sister can get acquainted with her and get to know her better.

Thinking of this, Mo Yan agreed without hesitation: "When dad comes back next time, we will mention it to him. As long as dad has no objection, we will go to the city to celebrate the festival this year."

Within a few days, Mo Qingze came back. After listening to the sisters' suggestion, he hesitated for a moment and did not agree directly, fearing that there would be unforeseen dangers due to the large number of people that day.

However, with Zhen'er, a troublesome guy, as an assistant, Mo Qingze was so entangled that he had no choice but to finally agree. He also agreed to Xin'er's suggestion and called Xiao Ruiyuan and others.

As for Mo Yan's deliberate joke, asking his father to write a letter in person to invite Cui Qingrou to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival together, Mo Qingze was too embarrassed to write it and was not in harmony with etiquette, so he decisively pushed the matter onto his younger son.

Zhen'er was very happy and went back to the study immediately to write the letter. However, he was very clever and wrote his father's name at the end of the signature. Although the handwriting looks different and is very childish, which can be seen at a glance, the message is very obvious.

Not to mention how Cui Qingrou felt when she received this "special" letter, Mrs. Cui was very happy to hear about it. She called the embroidery room in the mansion that afternoon to tailor clothes for her daughter. She also called the shopkeeper of Zhenbao Pavilion to do it in person. A head and face pattern was selected and asked to be made by Zhenbao Pavilion within a month.

Cui Qingrou had no shortage of clothes to wear. She didn't want to go to such trouble to avoid being called frivolous, but she was persuaded by Mrs. Cui's words: "You dress decently not for your future husband to see, but to let those children know that you are You value their invitation very much, in other words, you take them into your heart."

Cui Qingrou did not expect this. After hearing what her mother said, she said happily: "My mother is thoughtful, thank you mother!"

Mrs. Cui gently patted her daughter's hand and said with a smile: "You don't have much contact with those children, so it is inevitable that you will be unfamiliar with each other. You have to be careful about small things. When you get to know each other in the future, you won't be able to do anything in front of them. If you are too deliberate, treat them as your own children and let them know that you and them are a family..."

Cui Qingrou listened very carefully and nodded from time to time. If Mrs. Cui hadn't often reminded her, she really didn't know how to get along with her stepson and stepdaughter in the future. These tips are so important to her.

Mrs. Cui looked at her still young daughter and talked a lot, wishing she could teach her everything she could. She only has one daughter, and for the first time she failed to choose a satisfactory husband for her. She only hopes that her daughter can live a comfortable life after remarrying.

But the stepmother was in a difficult situation. She had to nip it in the bud and let her daughter know as much as possible how to get along with her step-son and step-daughter. She was afraid that her daughter would make a mistake and ruin the hard-earned marriage.

 …

 The sweltering hot July has just passed, and the weather is gradually getting cooler. Although it is still hot at noon, it is very comfortable in the morning and evening, allowing people to finally recover from the heat for more than two months.

August is the harvest season. The green fields are gradually covered by large tracts of yellow fruits. Liuyang Village is filled with the fragrance of grain, silently urging people to sharpen their knives and sickles and prepare for the autumn harvest early.

Amidst the joy of harvest, the most eye-catching thing is the Mo family’s large orchard that stretches for several miles. The branches of the fruit trees are covered with heavy fruits, including red apples, purple and black grapes, and bright yellow oranges... The fruity fragrance of various fruits attracts thousands of people. A bird.

They kept hovering on the branches, making sharp calls, but they never dared to rush down to eat, just because there was a big bird or a big snake hidden on every five fruit trees. After watching over it, small birds such as sparrows and gray sparrows did not dare to get close.

These big birds taking care of the fruits were lured by Mo Yan with spiritual spring water. The big snake was threatened by the red python's true nature as a robber and had to come. However, after getting a drop of spiritual spring water, it willingly entangled itself in the fruit tree, day after day. Guarding for the Mo family.

Zhao Mu and others were originally prepared to guard the orchard twelve hours a day to drive away the birds that steal food. They did not expect that it would be so easy and they would not have to worry at all.

But every time they see Mo Yan standing among extremely poisonous snakes and extremely ferocious birds, feeding them fresh pieces of meat, Zhao Mu and others always feel anxious, fearing that she might accidentally step on them. One day, I was bitten by the snake.

These snake-birds can not only guard against birds and other small animals that steal food, but also some villagers who like to take advantage of the fruits and intend to steal the fruits to eat or buy them.

Liuyang Village has strict village rules, and stealing is one of the most important. Even if some villagers have the idea of ​​stealing fruits, they dare not commit the crime. What's more, they had already received the warning from the village chief and knew that there were poisonous snakes and birds guarding the orchard. Even if they had a hundred courages, they would not go.

 Therefore, these snakes and birds are guarding against some villagers in other villages who do not believe in evil. If someone is really bitten and causes unnecessary trouble, Zhao Mu and others will set up defenses around the orchard to prevent anyone from taking the risk of getting in.

Fortunately, such days did not last long. When the fruits on the branches reached the picking requirements, Mo Yan notified Yan Junyu one day in advance. The next day, he and Zhao Mu and others carried a bamboo basket on their backs. The basket began to pick fruits.

This time, except for Mo Qingze, Zhen'er, Yun Zhao and Li Zhong who were not at home, everyone else in the Mo family participated in picking. Even the youngest Sheng'er was carrying a small basket and stood on tiptoes under the fruit tree. Pick whatever fruit you can reach.

At this time, the Mo family’s orchard attracted many people watching the excitement, including people from Liuyang Village and several nearby villages. A few shameless villagers sneaked into the orchard while Mo Yan and others were not paying attention, and quickly picked the fruits and carried them in their clothes.

Until I couldn’t carry it anymore, I reluctantly came out. These people were about to take the fruit back and bring their families to steal it later, when they were stopped by the people Mo Yan arranged to guard outside.

Mo Yan had expected this situation a long time ago. In the past, there were poisonous snakes and birds guarding the orchard, and these people didn't dare. Now that the poisonous snakes and birds are gone, there will always be people who can't help but take advantage of the opportunity to attack.

Mo Yan invited Lin Yong, Lin Da and others to help and asked them to catch these people who were greedy for petty gains. If you let them go easily, others will be jealous, and the orchard will lose more than just a few kilograms of fruit.

Lin Yong and others did not make things difficult for the villagers who stole the fruit. They only asked them to give them silver according to the price of the fruit and let them take the fruit away.

How can ordinary farmers afford fruits that cost at least 300 cash per catty? A few people were quite happy and kept the fruit directly, but some people felt embarrassed and in turn accused Lin Yong and others of blackmailing him.

Lin Yong didn’t talk nonsense to these people and directly called out the hair ball that Mo Yan gave him. Before Mao Tuan could open his mouth, those people hurriedly dropped the fruits and ran away. After doing this several times, no one dared to take advantage of those fruits.

However, these people also knew the price of each fruit and were shocked. They silently calculated in their hearts how many taels of silver the Mo family could earn from this season's fruits. In the end, they found that they were not able to calculate it.

 There are more than 20 orchards, and it cannot be picked in one day. After the first day, everyone was tired. Mo Yan asked Zhao Mu and others to rest and continue picking tomorrow. She invited Lin Yong and others to weigh the fruits overnight. At last count, it turned out to be 700,000 kilograms.

"Sister, these fruits can be sold for more money when used to make wine. Why do I feel so distressed!" Xiner lay on the fruit mountain, smelling the attractive fruit aroma, and was reluctant to turn these beautiful and delicious fruits into Become wine.

"If you don't use it to make wine, what will you use it for?" Mo Yan taught her sister business skills while classifying accounts: "Our orchard is too big. After two years, all the fruit trees will bear fruit normally, and the output will reach tens of millions. More than kilograms. Most of these fruits are not easy to preserve and store. If they are only sold within the capital, the supply will exceed demand. As a result, the price will drop. It is better to make wine and sell it throughout Dachu to earn money for those who have money. The money of the rich.”

Xin'er thought for a while and felt that this was the truth. She nodded and said with some worry: "I still have the foresight, but if I want to brew so much wine, I must ask for help. If someone leaks the brewing recipe, what to do?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan rubbed her sister's head and said, "You don't need to worry about these things. I have my own way to keep them secure."

As for how to keep it secret, naturally I can’t tell anyone...

 (End of this chapter)