Chapter 231: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 231: The Plan Falls Through, Mo Fu Goes to School (6)
Usually, fruit trees would bloom in the second year, but they rarely bore fruit, and even if they did, the fruit wouldn't be of good quality. Although the spiritual spring water could produce excellent fruit, if the fruit trees bore fruit before they were fully grown, it would affect their growth and development.
"Alright, it's settled then!" Liu Tinglan happily agreed.
The two of them walked around for a while before heading to Aunt Tong's house to inquire about the fruit saplings.
Uncle Tong was sitting inside weaving bamboo baskets. Upon seeing the young landlord, he hurriedly tried to stand up.
"Uncle Tong, please sit down. There's no need for such formality."
Mo Yan quickly stopped him. Uncle Tong's health wasn't good, and his legs were weak, making it easy for him to fall if he tried to stand up.
Uncle Tong knew his own condition, so he didn't insist and just let Mo Yan and the other person sit as they pleased.
Mo Yan sat on a small stool. Not seeing Aunt Tong and Xiao Qing, she asked, "Where are Aunt Tong and Xiao Qing?"
Uncle Tong, still weaving bamboo baskets, replied, "They went to weed the other orchard."
Mo Yan nodded, "Are there many weeds? If Aunt Tong can't manage, I can find someone to help. Xiao Qing is still young, don't let him get too tired."
The family had been busy these days, so she hadn't had time to check the other mountain.
Uncle Tong smiled gratefully at her, "Not too many, just a few patches that grew after the recent rain. They can handle it."
Hearing this, Mo Yan said no more. Seeing how finely and sturdily Uncle Tong's baskets were woven, she curiously asked, "Uncle Tong, how much can you sell one of these baskets for?"
"One can sell for four to five copper coins!" Uncle Tong smiled contentedly.
Liu Tinglan then asked, "And how many can you weave in a day?"
Uncle Tong, seeing her dressed unusually well and feeling somewhat restrained, replied, "Miss, I can weave two a day."
Liu Tinglan calculated and found that working all day only earned ten copper coins, which added up to just two or three hundred a month, not even enough to buy a box of her face cream.
"Why don't you sell these excellent baskets for a bit more?"
Uncle Tong's eyes widened, "Selling for four to five copper coins is already good. If it's more expensive, no one will buy it."
In rural households, everyone knows how to weave baskets. Those who buy them are usually merchants who use them for packing goods. With so many people weaving baskets, they aren't worth much. Uncle Tong's baskets sell for four to five copper coins because they are sturdy and durable.
Liu Tinglan didn't know this and just felt that Uncle Tong's way of earning money was hard. She thought about how she spent no less than ten taels of silver monthly on clothes and accessories. Even though her father had a decent monthly salary and their family business brought in some income, it now seemed rather extravagant.
Before long, Aunt Tong returned with a hoe and her grandson, Xiao Qing.
Mo Yan asked about the saplings' condition, and Aunt Tong gave a detailed account. It was already August, not the peak season for pests on saplings, so regular weeding and watering sufficed.
Aunt Tong had gradually figured out the habits of many saplings and explained everything clearly to Mo Yan.
Mo Yan nodded in satisfaction, secretly pleased to have found someone as capable as Aunt Tong, which saved her a lot of trouble.
By the time they left Aunt Tong's house, it was already evening. On their way down the mountain, they happened to meet Xiao Hua returning from the woods.
Xiao Hua had a bad temper. With many people at home today, Mo Yan had driven it to the mountain early in the morning to prevent any mischievous children from provoking it and getting hurt.
As soon as Xiao Hua saw her, it rushed over, opened its big mouth, and spat out a fluffy bundle.
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