stingy landlady

Chapter 185 mentions selling vegetables again

At the clinic, Guizhi recounted Dazhu's condition. The doctor said that Dazhu might have caught a cold due to overwork, which caused the fever, and prescribed more medicine. He advised Dazhu to go home, take a hot bath, and get plenty of rest.

Only then did Madam Li feel relieved. Upon returning home, she helped Dazhu directly to her room, refusing to let Chunlan serve her personally. She simply instructed Aunt Lan to boil water, prepare medicine, and do other chores in the kitchen.

Guizhi then led Jinxiu around to look at the plants. Seeing the vegetables in the garden, she asked Jinxiu:

"Are our side dishes selling well?"

Jinxiu's clear voice said:

"Miss! Yesterday we sold vegetables from our own garden, and today we're selling from the old master's! Just like last year, we're alternating between the two!"

Guizhi nodded and said:

"Oh! Then let's sell it to Xiangmanlou!"

Jinxiu hesitated for a moment and said:

"Miss! There are plenty of small green vegetables planted in the paddy fields of Xiwadi, and they look quite big! The master doesn't even have time to sell them!"

Guizhi's heart stirred, and she asked:

"Oh? There are still quite a few left to sell over in Xiwadi? Let's go take a look!"

The two little girls were walking along the road, and Jinxiu told Guizhi about the recent events that had happened at home.

Naturally, the drama of Li Shi and Chunlan vying for the emperor's favor was inevitable. It was also mentioned that someone came to propose marriage to Guixiang!

Do you know who these people are?

Jinxiu said as she thought:

"There was someone who said he was a relative of Gou Sheng's mother. His family was of average means, just an ordinary farming family like ours. His wife thought he was too poor and didn't agree."

There was also a landlord who was taking a concubine, and somehow the question came up to his eldest daughter! His wife scolded him and sent him away!

I heard there was another man who wanted to become a live-in son-in-law, and the lady was somewhat tempted. But after meeting him, she found him too old and ugly, and kicked him out too!

Gui Xiang is now facing a situation where she's neither good enough for a high-end job nor good enough for a low-end one!

Families with better means looked down on Guixiang because of her humble origins and poor education. Families with poorer means, however, would certainly not be interested in her, as Li Shi would certainly not approve! This caused Guixiang's marriage prospects to be fraught with difficulties.

Guizhi saw the small green vegetables in the western depression, and they were indeed growing very well! Lush green and glistening with moisture!

"Let's go! Let's go back now and find some people to pick the bok choy and bundle it up. Have Ping An drive the horse-drawn cart to Huanghua Village as soon as possible, and arrange for someone to sell it in the county town!"

Guizhi sent Jinxiu to the farmhands' quarters in the west to find Qiuju, while she went home to find Zhou Niangzi, Zhou Qiong, and even Chunlan! Everyone took baskets and tools to pick small green vegetables.

When the group reached the western depression, Zhao heard the commotion and ran over to help.

"Guizhi! Your father grows so many vegetables, but we can't sell them all in town! Where are you going to send them?"

Guizhi didn't think there was anything she couldn't say:

"Second Aunt! I also grew a lot of vegetables in Huanghua Village, and I took them all to the county town to sell! The county town is so big, and even the nearby villages grow vegetables, so they can all be sold!"

There are many towns and villages under the county seat! Many people go to the county seat to buy goods and then go back to sell them!

Zhao said happily:

"Guizhi! That's great! To tell you the truth, I asked my family to grow some vegetables to sell during the New Year! I never expected that you would grow so many this year!"

I'm also worried that we won't be able to sell them in town, which will mess up the prices! Guizhi, could you do me a favor and buy the vegetables from my family's side as well?

Even a penny or two less per pound would be fine! It would give my family some financial security!

Guizhi stood up, thought for a moment, and said:

"Alright! Take some of the vegetables my dad planted away today! When you come to pick these vegetables tomorrow, Second Aunt, have your family pick them and bundle them up like this too!"

You know how clean our vegetables are! Don't let them get all muddy and wet – that doesn't look good! Tomorrow, when you're picking up these vegetables, take some from your family's farm to the county town to sell too!

I won't make much money from such a small amount of vegetables. Consider it a small favor! The vegetables are prone to weight loss though; I'll settle the bill with your family after I sell them in the county town!

Tell your family not to be petty and worry about the lost moisture. There's no other way; the vegetables you just washed are still wet when you weigh them. By the time I get to the county town, they'll be dried out, and I can't possibly spray them with water again to sell them! What kind of situation would that be!

We're in this for the long haul, so we have to be honest! Auntie! My dad won't plant any more vegetables after he finishes this batch. One reason is to save the land for rice seedlings, and another is that there will be plenty of vegetables in a couple of days!

It'll be cheaper then, so after I finish planting the vegetables, I'll plant early cucumbers and green beans! Just like last year, I'll sell them early! If your family wants to work with me, just let them plant without worry!

I'll have someone collect it then!

Zhao laughed:

"Oh! That's great! Guizhi! You've done your second aunt a huge favor! Your second aunt was worried you'd scold me, saying I can't tell right from wrong and that I'm stealing our own family's livelihood!"

Ever since my second aunt said those words when she went back to her parents' home for the Lunar New Year, she's been keeping them to herself! She's worried that her family's vegetables won't sell, and she's also concerned that their new vegetables will disrupt the prices!

Then my second aunt will become a sinner in our family, and our good days of making money will be over! Guizhi! You are so kind-hearted!

My family was poor too! Our whole large family relied on my father and my brothers to make a living by digging in the fields! Guizhi! Don't laugh at me!

Seeing how much money your family made selling boxed lunches back then, my second aunt also encouraged her family to do the same! But instead of making money, they lost a lot! Now she dares not even mention doing business again!

They toil in the fields, their livelihood dependent on the weather, and they still have to pay all sorts of taxes! The whole family has to tighten their belts just to have enough to eat! There's no other way!

Guizhi! Your second aunt is going back to her parents' house after helping you pick the vegetables! Tell them the good news!

Guizhi said as she picked vegetables:

"Second Aunt! We'll take the carriage later! We'll also let Ping'an familiarize himself with the way and the gate! He'll know how to get to your parents' house tomorrow!"

"Alright! Okay!"

After seeing Ping An and Zhao Shi off, Gui Zhi took Jin Xiu to find the old man.

The old man was sweating profusely as he planted wheat on his land. Last year, he planted two crops and paid taxes once. The extra harvest was free. Of course, a few other people in the village also planted wheat this year!

Not everyone can afford or is willing to buy manure. If the land isn't properly fertilized, you won't get much grain in one season! If you plant two more seasons, isn't that just a waste of seeds and time?

Everyone has a different perspective and calculates things differently! The old man didn't insist, he just talked to the village chief's family and those he was close to, suggesting they apply more manure and plant another season of wheat.

Guizhi and others were waiting at the edge of the field. When they saw the old man working there, she quickly ran over and called out:

"Grandpa! You're tired, take a rest in the field! Here! Have some water first!"

As Guizhi spoke, she handed the old man the water she had poured at the edge of the field.

The old man took a sip of water and sat down at the edge of the field.

"Guizhi! Your fourth aunt said last night that she's going to work and earn money over there! She's taking the child with her; won't the child be a burden to you?"