Chapter 457: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 457: Preparing to Build a Winery (3)
The bright future seemed just within reach, bringing radiant smiles to the faces of Wu shi and her daughter. However, Mo Wu's smile gradually dimmed as she looked at the strings of copper coins on the table. With some hesitation, she said to Mo Yan, "Yan girl, if my daughter and I go to the city every day to set up the stall, we can't hide it from those people at home. If they find out how profitable the stall is, they might get greedy. From now on, we’ll keep the daily earnings with you, and I'll come to you when we need money."
"Those people" naturally referred to Hong shi and Niu shi, even including Old Mo. These three were notoriously greedy and had often sought benefits under the pretext of taking care of Mo Qingze. After settling in Liuyang Village, they had also caused trouble for the Mo family, trying to take advantage whenever possible.
Given their insatiable greed, if they discovered the stall's profitability and Wu shi's involvement, they certainly wouldn't let her run it alone. It's no wonder Wu shi was being cautious.
"Aunt, don't worry. Keeping the money with me ensures no one will have any bad ideas," Mo Yan quickly agreed, not wanting Old Mo and his family to take advantage.
From then on, the responsibility for the stall was handed entirely to Wu shi and her daughter. Mo Yan no longer intervened. She noticed that they were bringing more ingredients daily and returning with heavier money bags, which reassured her and allowed her to focus on another important matter.
Even though it was the end of the first month of the lunar year and spring had technically arrived, the weather remained very cold. In the orchard, only the hardy orange seedlings had a few green leaves, while other saplings were bare. Fortunately, they had been watered with spiritual spring water, significantly enhancing their cold resistance. They were also wrapped in straw ropes for warmth, which kept them alive through the harsh winter.
"Young miss, these saplings are in their second year now and are growing well. Once it warms up, they might bloom. If they bear fruit, should we keep them?" Aunt Tong cautiously asked Mo Yan for her opinion, knowing how much she valued these precious saplings.
Typically, transplanted saplings bloom in their second year, but they are still young and need nutrients to grow, making them not suitable for bearing fruit. However, if the saplings were growing exceptionally well and absorbing enough nutrients, they might produce a few fruits, though these wouldn't be very large or tasty. To prevent the fruit from hindering the tree's growth, it would be best to remove the fruit.
Aunt Tong asked because she didn't fully understand the growth characteristics of these rare saplings and felt that if they bore fruit, keeping one or two wouldn't hurt.
With the spirit spring water, there was no worry about insufficient nutrients. However, having these saplings thrive after just one year and bear fruit the next would be too conspicuous. If this drew unnecessary trouble, Mo Yan wanted to avoid it. Though the thought of removing potential fruit was disheartening, she knew it was for the best.
After thinking for a while, Mo Yan decided, "Let's wait and see. If they don't bear fruit, that's fine. If they do, we'll leave one or two on each sapling to at least get a taste and see what they're like."
Aunt Tong understood and planned to collect more chicken manure to fertilize the saplings before they bloomed, ensuring the fruit wouldn't stunt their growth.
Leaving the orchard, Mo Yan walked upstream along the river, carefully observing the terrain near the banks. Since New Year's Eve, when she had the idea of starting a winery, it had been on her mind. Now, with the time and resources, she wanted to finalize the location for the vineyard and winery to begin construction as soon as possible.
Mo Yan envisioned a winery and vineyard that wasn't just a piece of land with grapevines and a few buildings for winemaking but a manor themed around wine culture.
In her past life, countless poets and scholars praised wine. Unlike other wines, grape wine had a romantic allure. If she could perfectly integrate wine culture into the winery, it would elevate the wine's status and attract the elite's favor.
Mo Yan knew building such a winery wouldn't happen overnight. The complexity, scale, and cost far exceeded her current capabilities. Once grape wine became popular in Da Chu, it would bring not only significant economic value but also potential dangers.
The allure of wine was undeniable, but as a poor farm girl without wealth or power, she couldn't manage it alone. She needed a partner, and she already had someone in mind.
However, convincing that person to willingly invest time and money required significant leverage. With a plan in mind, Mo Yan returned home and locked herself in her study, forbidding any interruptions. Except for essential needs, she didn't leave the room.
Xin'er and the others, knowing she was working on something important, didn't disturb her. Even the three animals, having been instructed beforehand, refrained from causing trouble. After a few days of boredom at home, Da Bai took Xiao Hua and Mao Tuan back to their old haunt, patrolling their territory, playing, and hunting freely.
Half a month later, Mo Yan emerged from her room with red, swollen eyes. Without resting, she took a 120-page proposal for the winery, drove her cart, and headed straight to Huixian Residence with full confidence.
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