Chapter 296: Mrs. Xu's Complaint

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 Chapter 295: Thinking of Announcing a Marriage for Ziluo?

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  Chapter 66: Glittering Big Thick Legs

After bidding farewell to Uncle Meng, Mo Yan walked home with a heavy heart.

Uncle Meng's words might not be entirely correct, but they did serve as a wake-up call for Mo Yan. Wealthy and powerful families might set their sights on her produce, and there was no guarantee that opportunists attached to influential figures wouldn't try to seize their benefits. If they encountered such people, the Mo family would be powerless to resist.

Moreover, the greenhouse vegetables were just a small part of her plan for prosperity. She valued the orchard, medicinal garden, and especially the high-yield rice in her space even more. In a society where the average yield per acre was only three hundred catties, even the elite might be tempted by these crops. If utilized properly, it would certainly be a remarkable achievement worthy of recognition throughout history.

With her extraordinary ancient jade space, building her dream estate wasn't difficult for Mo Yan. However, she didn't want to pave the way for others. In this feudal society where imperial power was supreme and social hierarchy was strict, her family had no foundation whatsoever. Once they started to grow, they would be defenseless against those "nobles" who became envious.

Just like Bu Shiren before, even though he was just a small shopkeeper, he dared to frame others and even resort to private punishment against a scholar, all because of the influence of the Wuan Mansion. Mo Yan found it difficult to cope with such insignificant characters, let alone those of higher status.

What should she do? Was she only capable of growing vegetables in her space?

Mo Yan scratched her head, feeling frustrated with her own incompetence. In the past, when she read transmigration novels, the female protagonist could easily encounter powerful figures just by strolling around, and they would help her solve all sorts of problems. However, since she arrived in this world, let alone powerful figures, she hadn't even met a small official—

Wait a minute, she seemed to have met one! Mo Yan suddenly remembered Xiao Ruiyuan, the big block of ice! Unfortunately, because she was afraid of trouble, she didn't approach him properly back then. Although it wasn't impolite, it certainly wasn't courteous either. It's no wonder the guy left without even saying goodbye, leaving behind a thousand taels of silver and a precious sword.

Ah, there was once a glittering pair of long thick legs right in front of her, and she didn't know how to hold on to them. She only regretted it after losing them!

Well, she didn't really regret it. For a person or a family to truly grow and prosper, they had to rely on themselves! Xiao Ruiyuan might indeed be a big shot, but he came with big troubles. It was better to keep a safe distance from him!

After some reflection, Mo Yan arrogantly concluded that her decision back then was extremely wise. She easily brushed aside that bit of regret and began to secretly plan which dishes to cook to celebrate the successful sale of vegetables that evening.

When she returned home, it was already dark. Mo Yan called Xin'er and Li Yan into the kitchen to help prepare dinner.

There weren't many ingredients at home, just a small piece of pork belly, two pounds of spare ribs, and some previously made lamb jerky. With these ingredients, Mo Yan planned to make twice-cooked pork, sweet and sour spare ribs, steamed lamb jerky, garlic stir-fried greens, stir-fried shredded radish, and a light tofu and pickled vegetable soup.

These were all simple home-cooked dishes that could be prepared quickly in less than half an hour.

Although everyone knew that Mo Yan was a skilled cook, even ordinary radishes could be made delicious, each time she cooked, they would have new expectations. It was because she could make so many dishes, even if there was no repetition in ten days or half a month.

Many of the dishes Li Zhong had never tasted before, and he hadn't even heard of some of them. Li Zhong had joked more than once that with Mo Yan's cooking skills, even if she opened a small restaurant, she would be successful, and the family would have no worries about food and clothing.

Mo Yan had never thought of making money from her cooking. Cooking was just her hobby. Cooking for family and friends and conquering their taste buds made her feel proud. If cooking became a profession, where would the interest lie?

---

The next day, as dawn broke, the father and daughter hurriedly had breakfast and rushed to the North City Gate.

Not long after they arrived, Uncle Meng and the others drove their carts slowly through the gate. The carts were covered tightly with oilcloth, so they didn't attract much attention from passersby. Lin Da and the others greeted Mo Yan and her father as they got off the carts.

Lin Da and Lin Song were selling vegetables in the West Market. Since neither of them had been to the vegetable market before, they were led there by Uncle Meng. The West Market was inhabited by ordinary commoners who might not be willing to spend the price of pork on vegetables, so for now, only Uncle Meng's cart of vegetables would be sold there.

The South Market was inhabited by wealthy merchants, and even though it was the first day of sales, there should be many buyers. To prevent a repeat of yesterday's situation in the East Market, Mo Yan arranged for three carts to go with Mo Qingze and Lin An.

The remaining five carts of vegetables were taken to the East Market by Mo Yan herself. Just like yesterday, as soon as they unloaded the vegetables from the carts, many people crowded around to buy. Some were repeat customers from yesterday, who had found the vegetables even more delicious than seasonal ones and wanted to buy more to give to their relatives and friends. Others had heard the neighbors' praise and came early in the morning to taste the freshness. Seeing the well-grown vegetables, they didn't mind the higher price and bought a little of everything.

Xiong Shi and Zhou Shi were efficient in serving the customers, and their enthusiasm attracted Mo Yan's praise. With their help in packaging and weighing the vegetables, Mo Yan and Lin Meng managed to handle the money and change, just about coping with the steady stream of customers.

Although they were busy, no one felt tired! Especially Lin Meng and the others, who could hardly believe that vegetables, comparable to the price of meat, could sell so well. The money they made that day was probably stronger than what they could earn through a year of hard work!

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 Chapter 797: Hou shi's Opportunity

Qi Chan smiled and said, "That's considered fast."

As he expected, the Emperor felt guilty about the wrongful judgment of Yao Tianqin's case five years ago, which led to his exile. That's why he promptly reinstated him without hesitation. Additionally, Yao Tianqin didn't have many enemies or deep grudges, so there wasn't much opposition in the court after he achieved merit. Thus, the decision was made quickly. After confirming the practical value of the rotary plow, the Emperor issued the decree and sent it over.

As for Shu Yu's case, it shouldn't take too long, and she didn't pose much of a threat to the people in the court.

But just to be safe, Qi Chan advised her to be patient.

Shu Yu was not in a hurry and remained calm. "Actually, I haven't suffered much here. It's been you who has been concerned about my affairs."

"What are you saying? Do you think that the heat packs will only benefit you? By handing them to me, you have also helped me. Not to mention the heat packs, your contribution played a part in Yao Tianqin being reinstated."

Shu Yu laughed, "Master Qi, you sound just like Uncle Yao. That day, Uncle Yao said to my father that we helped him, and now that his days are getting better, he will take care of us. My father is afraid that Uncle Yao will try everything to help me avoid punishment once he returns. He said that Uncle Yao has finally been reinstated, and if he displeases the Emperor again because of my matter, it would all be in vain. My father advised him not to rush and focus on doing his job well. It's important to get along well with his superiors and colleagues. He can't bury himself in work alone."

While listening, Qi Chan nodded. He hadn't expected that Lu Erbai was such a perceptive person.

But when Shu Yu mentioned "superiors," his hand suddenly paused.

Yao Tianqin's superior was none other than Gong Qiu, right?

Thinking that Gong Qiu had arranged for Cheng Dong to be with the Governor for many years and that there was also a spy lurking by the Cheng Daren's side, he had a feeling that Gong Qiu might be planning something big.

Yao Tianqin had just returned, and if he got involved, he would have to come back to this place.

He had to go back and discuss this matter with Yao Tianqin.

Shu Yu naturally noticed the momentary pause from Qi Chan, so she lowered her eyes and stopped saying more.

Instead, she asked about the time when Yao Tianqin would leave. "Uncle Yao said that the official from the Ministry of Justice who came to deliver the decree has been in Heichang County all this time. He wanted to meet you before leaving. Once he meets you, he plans to return to the capital with Uncle Yao. Have you met that official?"

Qi Chan shook his head. "No, I heard from the County Magistrate that he went to the post station yesterday. It's quite a coincidence. When he first arrived in the county, he startled a horse and got injured. Later, after arriving at the post station, his wound reopened. It was a woman at the post station who gave him hemostatic medicine. That medicine was better than the one prescribed by the doctor. Before leaving, that official went back to the post station to thank her. From the description, it seems that woman was Hou Shi."

Shu Yu opened her mouth in surprise. Hou Shi?

Speaking of which, it was she who gave Hou Shi the medicine.

She had taken some common pills and powders from Zhao Xi and sent them over. Zhao Xi's medicine was more effective than those prescribed by ordinary doctors.

Hou Shi helped the official, and he specifically went back to visit her. It seemed that Hou Shi's life at the post station would be better from now on.

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  Chapter 65: Well-Intentioned Reminder

Upon arriving at Liu Yang Village, the father and daughter headed straight to the greenhouse.

Today's weather was nice, and all the oilcloth covers in the field had been removed. At first glance, all that could be seen were lush green vegetables, which stood out prominently in the barren wilderness of withered grass and trees. A gentle breeze swept through, creating waves of green.

The peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and others had grown to about a foot tall. The deep green leaves looked very pleasing to the eye. In about ten days, they would probably start flowering and fruiting. The tomatoes needed to be supported with wooden sticks; otherwise, the fruits would weigh down the main stem and break it. The cucumbers and loofahs also needed wooden frames to prevent the fruits from rotting on the ground.

Several old farmers were carrying wooden buckets and watering cans, watering the vegetables. When they saw the landlord approaching, they quickly stopped their work and gathered around.

"Landlord, did the vegetables we sent today sell well?" The first to approach was Old Lin, nervously rubbing his hands as he cautiously asked Mo Qingze.

Mo Qingze smiled and nodded, "All three carts of vegetables were sold out! We came today to ask you to prepare six more carts of vegetables. We'll come to pick them up early tomorrow morning."

"Great! Great! That's wonderful! We'll go pick the vegetables right away."

Adding six more carts of vegetables made Old Lin extremely happy. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he smiled.

These vegetables sold well, which meant the landlord would continue to grow them, and they would have work to do. This kind of job was even better than farming. He really didn't want to lose such a good opportunity.

The other people hurried over and heard Mo Qingze's words. They all smiled happily, as if their own vegetables had sold well.

Mo Yan and her father could guess what was on their minds. Mo Yan took the opportunity to encourage them, "Uncles, please rest assured. As long as these greenhouses don't encounter any problems, our family will give you additional rewards at the end of each month! However, now that these vegetables can be sold for money, I'm afraid some people might be envious and have bad intentions. So, please take extra care tonight!"

After saying this, she bowed to the group of people.

Seeing this, the group of people hurriedly stepped back, avoiding her, and said, "Landlord, rest assured, we will take turns guarding the fields at night, ensuring that not a single leaf is stolen."

These were things they should do anyway. If something went wrong with these valuable vegetables, it wouldn't just be a matter of not getting a reward or losing money; they couldn't afford to lose such a good job.

Mo Yan smiled and thanked them again, then gave a few more instructions. Seeing that there was nothing else to do here, she let them go about their own business. Together with Mo Qingze, they went to the village to find Lin Yong to help find reliable people to help sell the vegetables.

The reason they asked Lin Yong for help was also to repay him. Previously, when Mo Qingze was falsely accused by Bu Shiren, if it weren't for Lin Yong finding a way to get the Wuan Mansion of the Treasure Pavilion to intervene, the Mo family would have suffered even more.

The 660 taels of "compensation silver" given by the Wuan Mansion was originally intended to be given to Lin Yong. However, Lin Yong refused to accept it no matter what, and even denied that it was his credit.

Mo Yan had no choice but to give up. Later, when hiring workers, they tried to prioritize Lin's family as a way of repaying Lin Yong.

After hearing the purpose of the father and daughter's visit, Lin Yong thought for a moment and came up with a few candidates. He mentioned their names: "These few people are quite clever; they should be able to handle the vegetable sales. Why not let them try tomorrow?"

The father and daughter thanked him repeatedly. Lin Yong was not one to make empty promises. If he said "they should be able to," it meant "they definitely can."

With the matter resolved so easily, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. On the way here, they had been somewhat worried. Besides the East Market, they also had to set up stalls in the South Market and West Market tomorrow. With just the two of them, it was impossible to manage all three stalls, so they needed to find someone reliable to handle the third one.

When Lin Yong called the candidates over, there were a total of four men and two women.

Mo Yan knew all five of these people. They were all people she had seen before in the refugee camp. Among them was Lin Da, who had a good relationship with Lin Yong. The other three men had also eaten at her house before. The older one was named Lin Meng, the stronger one was named Lin Song, and the other one was named Lin An. As for the two women, she had only seen them and was not familiar with them, but they were introduced by Lin Yong, so their character should be reliable.

Mo Yan immediately made arrangements for these five people. Since she didn't know the sales situation in the South Market and West Market, she decided to assign two people to guard there first.

Although they were all from the same village, it was better to separate men and women to avoid any suspicion. Therefore, when making arrangements, she assigned the clever and quick-thinking Lin Da to guard the West Market with Lin Song. Mo Qingze would take Lin An to guard the South Market, while the remaining three, Lin Meng, Xiong Shi, and Zhou Shi, would guard the East Market with Mo Yan.

"The wages are thirty wen per day, paid daily; starting from tomorrow morning, there will be ox carts coming to the village to transport the vegetables. You can take the carts together. If you have something urgent at home and can't come, just let me know in advance..."

Mo Yan explained the wage and other matters in detail, then looked at the six people attentively and asked, "Do any of you have any questions?"

The six people shook their heads in unison. With such generous wages and not having to work from morning till night, only a fool would have questions.

With the matters in Liu Yang Village settled for the time being, the father and daughter hurried back to the city.

Mo Yan asked Mo Qingze to go home first and waited on the street for someone. After a while, she saw Uncle Meng driving his mule cart slowly approaching.

"What's wrong, girl? Are you waiting for this old man here?"

Uncle Meng approached and realized it was Mo Yan, so he quickly stopped the mule cart by pulling the reins.

Mo Yan took the reins and helped Uncle Meng park the cart by the roadside before saying, "Uncle Meng, my family will need six more carts of vegetables tomorrow. Can you help find six more carts?"

Today, besides Uncle Meng's mule cart, there were also two ox carts helping with the vegetable transportation. Since both of them had some kinship with Uncle Meng, it was better to ask people they were familiar with to help.

"Sure! You think highly of this old man. I'll definitely find you some reliable carts." Uncle Meng smiled happily when he heard this, "It seems your greenhouse vegetables are selling well. But there's one thing I have to remind you, which you may not like to hear."

As he finished speaking, Uncle Meng paused, looking at Mo Yan with a hesitant expression in his eyes.

Seeing Uncle Meng's cautiousness, Mo Yan knew that what he was about to say must be very important, so she restrained her smile and said seriously, "Uncle Meng, you are experienced and knowledgeable. What you say must be for my own good. Why wouldn't I want to hear it?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Meng felt even more that the girl was mature and sensible beyond her years. Without further ado, he voiced his concerns:

"In our village, there are people who work for wealthy families. It's said that those wealthy families also build greenhouses in winter to grow vegetables for themselves. The cost of building these greenhouses is something ordinary families can't earn in their entire lives, but the quality of the vegetables grown is not necessarily better. I've seen the vegetables grown in your greenhouse. They look better than seasonal vegetables, but the greenhouse itself is quite simple. Winter vegetables are so precious, and many wealthy families are tempted by the benefits. If someone forces your family to hand over the greenhouse vegetables, you won't be able to resist at all!"

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 Chapter 796: Qi Chan Returns

Shu Yu saw Xu Zhensheng not far ahead and remembered the few "ground rats" left in the cart by one of the children. She waved to him.

Xu Zhensheng ran over and peered into the cart. "Where's Da Hu?"

"He'll be back in a few days, but he asked me to give you a gift."

"What is it?"

Shu Yu took out a cloth bag from the cart. "Fireworks. It's something my older brother bought in the capital for Da Hu and San Ya. Da Hu specifically left some for you. Take it."

The bag was bulging, containing not only fireworks but also some candies and pastries wrapped in paper.

These were brought back by Da Hu when he went to visit other families on New Year's Day. Knowing that the Xu family didn't prepare much for the New Year, he brought some for his friends.

Xu Zhensheng pursed his lips. Despite being several years younger, Da Hu took good care of him.

Xu Zhensheng accepted the cloth bag. "Thank you."

Shu Yu waved her hand. "Tell him when he comes back. Alright, go play. I'll go home first."

Xu Zhensheng took two steps back and stood aside to let her pass.

Shu Yu resumed her work diligently. The next day during the registration, she saw Second Master and his wife

Both of them looked pale, shivering as if they were sick.

Apparently, the rain that afternoon on the first day of the lunar new year was not in vain.

Shu Yu thought they would continue to inquire about the Hou family, but to her surprise, they didn't say anything.

They didn't cause trouble, and Shu Yu couldn't be bothered to deal with them either.

The old lady didn't wait until the sixth day of the lunar new year. She arrived on the fourth day and said to Shu Yu, "I came early to prepare some dried goods for the Yao family to take back to the capital. The Yao family has a good relationship with your father, and we can't cut off ties just because they're leaving. That would be a loss for us."

The old lady had her own understanding of social relationships, and Shu Yu let her be.

Soon after the old lady left, Qi Chan finally returned to Heichang County.

However, he only stayed in the county for less than half a day before following up and coming to Zhengdao Village, directly finding Shu Yu.

Wang Changdong was shocked to see Qi Chan personally coming to find Miss Lu. He quickly tidied up the study and let them in. He personally served tea and snacks on the table, then stood outside the door, guarding it.

He had a hunch that Qi Chan had come to find Miss Lu with an important matter and couldn't let anyone disturb them.

Qi Chan unexpectedly glanced at Wang Changdong a couple of times and nodded with a smile, seeming to be very satisfied with his actions.

Wang Changdong became excited and more attentive. "You two can talk slowly. If you need anything, just call me."

He left, leaving only Shu Yu and Qi Chan in the study.

Looking at the little girl in front of him who hadn't changed much, Qi Chan couldn't help but smile. "I've come with good news. The prefect magistrate was very pleased when he saw the hot packs you made. He's already on his way to the capital at full speed. However, it will take some time for the heast packs to be delivered and tested before they are officially rewarded. So please be patient."

Shu Yu calculated in her mind and had a clear understanding.

"I know. Just like Uncle Yao, I'll been waiting for over two months."

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  Chapter 64: Making a Heap of Money

The sun had just risen, and the vegetable market street in the Eastern Market was gradually filling up with pedestrians buying vegetables. Vegetable vendors energetically shouted their wares, smiling and attracting customers.

In the depth of winter, there weren't many types of vegetables available for sale. Besides radishes and Chinese cabbage, there were also pickled tofu and pickled vegetables. There were also quite a few vendors selling chicken, duck, and pork, as well as some selling dried mushrooms and fungus.

Most of the people living in the Eastern Market were well-off, and they usually lacked interest in buying fresh vegetables since they couldn't find any. However, today was different. Many people who came to buy vegetables all headed towards the end of the street. Some hurried over but were still a step too late. The small stall was already surrounded by layers of people, making it impossible to see what was inside.

"Miss, give me thirty catties of spinach and thirty catties of bok choy. We have a happy occasion at home and need plenty!"

"Boss, I was here first, so please weigh mine first!"

"Hey, hey, don't push in the back, you're crushing the baskets!"

...

"Everyone, please come one by one. There are plenty of these leafy greens, plenty!"

Mo Yan was sweating profusely as she weighed and packed cabbage for the customers. Seeing that the vegetable stall was almost toppled over by the crowd, she quickly asked them to step back a bit.

Beside her, Mo Qingze was also busy weighing for the customers. They had never done this before, so with so many people, they naturally felt a bit flustered.

"Oh my, you're all so slow. Business is booming, why don't you call in more help? I've been waiting for ages!"

"Yeah, that's right. I've been waiting for a quarter of an hour, and it's still not my turn. The people at the back are getting impatient."

...

Listening to the customers' complaints, Mo Yan and her father could only smile apologetically.

They had originally thought that the vegetable prices were almost comparable to pork. On the first day of selling, they didn't expect so many people to come. They had thought that with just some greens and spinach, people wouldn't be willing to buy, but as soon as these leafy vegetables were displayed, people swarmed over. If they had known that business would be this good, they would have definitely hired more help.

It wasn't surprising that they miscalculated. After all, ordinary vegetables cost fifteen wen per catty, while spinach and celery were even more expensive, at eighteen wen per catty. Ordinary families couldn't bear to buy them.

But little did they know that since the onset of winter, the people living in the city could hardly get fresh vegetables. Every day, it was either radishes and Chinese cabbage or meat and pickled vegetables. It was getting boring!

So, after holding back for a month or two, when they saw these lush, tender leafy greens, how could they resist? They were willing to buy even if they were expensive!

As the money kept coming in, the money pouch hanging from Mo Yan's waist became heavier and heavier. With a slight movement, you could hear the clinking sound inside. Mo Yan didn't know how much money she had earned this morning, but just looking at the three carts of vegetables almost sold out, she knew it was a lot.

In less than an hour, all the vegetables were sold out. Several women who had heard the news rushed over, only to see scattered green vegetable leaves left on the stall.

Oh, but these vegetable leaves were also very green and tender!

In the end, when there was nothing left on the stall, those who hadn't bought anything could only regret that the woman was too quick, and they couldn't even grab any vegetable leaves!

Under the resentful gazes of several women, the father and daughter had to promise to come back tomorrow and set up their stall here again, asking them to come earlier.

The faces of several women improved a bit at this, worried that something might delay them tomorrow. They repeatedly requested the father and daughter to reserve some greens for them tomorrow. They would come and pick them up directly when they arrived. After the father and daughter agreed, they were satisfied and left with their empty baskets.

After tidying up the vegetable stall and getting on the hired ox cart, the father and daughter were too tired to move.

Once they left the Eastern Market, Mo Yan felt a bit better. She specifically asked the carter to take them to the vegetable market street in the Western Market. Seeing the bustling crowd and similar goods being sold, she couldn't help but consider setting up a stall here tomorrow. The Southern Market was full of wealthy merchants and tycoons, so they could also set up a stall there.

After paying for the cart and returning home, Mo Yan couldn't wait to pour out the two money pouches on the table. With a clatter, copper coins and silver pieces covered the entire table, with some rolling onto the ground.

Xin'er, and Zhen'er immediately rushed to the table, their eyes wide and mouths gaping. It was the first time they had seen so much money!

Mo Qingze was also quite surprised. He knew that they had earned quite a bit of money from selling three carts of vegetables today, but seeing it all piled together, he realized it was a lot!

"Don't just stand there foolishly. Hurry up and count the money. If you make a mistake, you'll get a slap on the palm."

Mo Yan happily took out some cotton thread and scissors. Seeing the four of them like this, she couldn't help but laugh.

Counting money? That was truly a happy thing!

The four of them sat around the table, each with a piece of cotton thread, counting and stringing coins. After half an hour, all the copper coins were counted and strung together. The final count was astonishing: eighty strings and seventy copper coins, plus more than twenty silver pieces of various denominations.

"A string has one hundred copper coins, so eighty strings is eight taels of silver. These silver pieces total two taels and nine maces. Together, it's..." Xin'er earnestly counted on her fingers, then suddenly widened her eyes and looked at Mo Yan. "Sister, pinch me quick, to see if I'm dreaming!"

"Hehe! Haha..." Zhen'er was the first one to burst into laughter without giving face, teasing his second sister, "Second sister is really ridiculous, she's actually scared by a dozen taels of silver. Haha, it's so funny!"

Everyone laughed along, not mocking Xin'er, but genuinely happy. No one expected that in just one hour, they would earn nearly eleven taels of silver.

Seeing Xin'er come back to her senses, glaring fiercely at Zhen'er as if she was about to pounce and hit him, Mo Yan lightly slapped the back of Saner's head. "How dare you speak to your second sister like that? Quick, apologize!"

Seeing his second sister's fierce expression and fearing getting beaten up, Zhen'er reluctantly walked over, hugged Xin'er 's neck, and coquettishly begged for forgiveness.

Xin'er unceremoniously twisted his ear for a bit before finally letting go, scolding him and letting it go.

After the laughter died down, Mo Yan solemnly placed all the silver coins into a wooden box. Although this amount of silver wasn't much, it brought confidence to the family. She believed that this box of copper coins would eventually turn into a box of gold and silver!

As it was nearing noon, Mo Yan originally wanted to cook a table of good dishes to celebrate, but Li Zhong was busy looking for his daughter and hadn't returned for lunch recently. So, she decided to cook a simple meal for dinner instead. Combined with the busy morning, they also needed to go to Liu Yang Village in the afternoon. They only made three dishes and a soup.

The family was in a good mood, and the simple home-cooked meal was delicious.

After finishing their meal, Mo Yan and Mo Qingze rushed off to Liu Yang Village again. This time, they not only had to make sure the villagers prepared more vegetables but also had to find more people to help sell the vegetables!

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  Chapter 61: Completion of the Greenhouse

The recent commotion once again made the old Mo family the laughingstock of the entire Liuyang Village. Hong Shi's act of laying hands on her husband not only solidified her fierce reputation but also turned Mo Yong Xi into a topic of gossip among the villagers. Many villagers would shake their heads and caution their daughters against associating with her whenever they heard her name.

Hong Shi's blunt words also sparked various speculations about the Mo family among the villagers. However, due to the benefits they received from the Mo family and the fact that they often encountered them in daily life, many villagers dared not gossip openly. Some upright men even forbade their wives and children from discussing the matter at home.

Mo Qingze had to go to Liuyang Village every day, inevitably encountering some strange glances. However, he was not a narrow-minded person and had already come to terms with certain things. He didn't feel embarrassed by the situation but was worried that idle gossip might reach the ears of his three children.

Fortunately, after a few days, there was no more gossip in the village, and Mo Qingze breathed a sigh of relief. Moreover, with the completion of the greenhouse frame and the excavation of all the water channels, he was kept busy every day and had no time to dwell on such matters.

Since the construction of the greenhouse frame began, Mo Yan had been running to Liu Yang Village every day, worried that the greenhouse might not be built properly. Fortunately, the task was not too difficult, and everyone worked diligently, resulting in a well-built and stable frame.

The most challenging part of the entire greenhouse construction was building the heating stove. Although it might not be necessary, in case of extreme weather conditions such as snowstorms, even with the spiritual spring, Mo Yan couldn't guarantee that the vegetables wouldn't freeze to death. Therefore, she spent some effort to have an experienced mason build a closed fireplace based on the enclosed fireplace design from her past life.

"Miss, this fireplace is excellent! It burns without producing any smoke or being too dry!"

After the fireplace in the first greenhouse was completed, Mo Yan had someone light a fire and add firewood to test it. To her surprise, the effect was even better than she expected. The villagers who watched were curious and impressed, with some even expressing a desire to install one in their own homes.

However, Mo Yan disagreed with their plans. "While this is convenient, sparks can easily escape from the chimney and cause fires. Sometimes, if the chimney temperature is too high, it can also lead to fires!"

In a society where construction materials were relatively primitive, safety concerns regarding fireplaces used for greenhouse heating were not significant. However, if installed in homes, especially in the majority of villagers' thatched houses, the danger would be much greater.

Upon hearing her warning, the villagers who had initially considered installing fireplaces in their homes broke out in a cold sweat. They were fortunate that Miss Mo reminded them; otherwise, if they rashly installed one at home and an accident occurred, they would have nowhere to cry.

Seeing that they took her advice seriously, Mo Yan didn't say much more and continued to have fireplaces built for the other greenhouses.

A total of twenty greenhouses were built on twenty acres of barren land, with each greenhouse covering about one acre, and each greenhouse was equipped with two fireplaces.

As for what vegetables to grow on the twenty acres of land, Mo Yan had already planned it out. Being located in the northern region where the winter climate was cold, apart from cold-resistant radishes and Chinese cabbage, there were hardly any other vegetables available. Even radishes and Chinese cabbage needed to be harvested and stored properly before freezing temperatures arrived, or they would also freeze and rot.

In addition to leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and cabbage, which had short growth periods and were popular among people, Mo Yan also planned to grow melons and tomatoes, which had longer growth periods. These vegetables didn't mind a longer growth period, as they could still fetch high prices even by May of the following year. As for garlic, scallions, ginger, and bell peppers used for seasoning, she planned to grow two acres of each.

In a city as large as the capital, with numerous aristocrats and wealthy merchants, the off-season vegetables produced in winter would surely fetch a good price. Mo Yan believed that she would make a considerable profit, allowing her to buy mountains and plant fruit trees worry-free next spring.

After a few days, all forty fireplaces were completed. Mo Yan handed over the prepared vegetable seeds to several experienced farmers and asked them to help with the planting.

In addition to the vegetables originally grown in the space, all other vegetable seeds were purchased from the seed store and were sown in the space multiple times before being collected. As a result, the quality of the vegetables greatly improved. Not to mention other factors, even the germination rate and disease resistance were better than those sold outside.

After all the seeds were planted, Mo Yan secretly injected a considerable amount of spiritual spring water into the water channels. She didn't dare to directly pour spiritual spring water onto the ground, as the seeds might sprout the next day, causing trouble for herself.

Mo Yan was confident with the spiritual spring in her hands, but Mo Qingze was worried sick. Initially, he supported his daughter and agreed without much thought when he first heard about "greenhouse vegetables." However, as the barren land was reclaimed, the water channels were dug, the greenhouses were built, and various vegetable seeds were sown, he realized he had been too impulsive.

"Dad, don't worry too much. The temperature and humidity in the greenhouse are sufficient, and there are people taking care of it. We'll definitely grow some vegetables!" 

In the main room, Mo Yan watched her father pacing back and forth with a headache, feeling dizzy herself. It was the first time she had seen her usually stable father so unsettled.

"Dad, I've checked today, and none of the seeds have sprouted yet. After all the effort we've put in, if it doesn't work out, will you be upset?" 

Mo Qingze stared at his daughter speechlessly. The ungrateful girl! The greenhouse vegetables were her painstaking effort. Wasn't he worried about her feeling upset?

Mo Yan was even more speechless. "Dad, did you not sleep well last night? The seeds were only planted the day before yesterday. It would be strange if they sprouted today!"

Mo Qingze furrowed his brows uncertainly. "Was it really planted the day before yesterday? Why does Dad remember it as if it was planted several days ago?"

Mo Yan rolled her eyes and continued to focus on her work. She had been so busy these days that she hadn't even finished making the cotton clothes and pants for San Ni'er!

Mo Qingze awkwardly rubbed his nose, feeling aggrieved at being looked down upon by his daughter. Ever since the villagers found out that their family was going to grow greenhouse vegetables, they had been advised several times not to take risks. Even today, when he went to Liu Yang Village, the old farmers who helped with the planting subtly expressed their doubts, asking him to be cautious. How could he not be anxious?

Looking at Uncle Tang and the others laughing and playing in the room, the siblings couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh. Being stared at fiercely by Mo Qingze, they realized that in the hearts of these children, their father's authority was not as high as their older sister's. At least when their older sister said something, they believed it without question.

Sitting beside Xin'er, San Ni'er watched her uncle's family play and laughed, feeling an indescribable warmth. If they sisters were to play like this with their parents, their parents would definitely scold them for being immature, and their grandparents would dislike them even more.

Having stayed at Uncle's house for almost ten days, it was the most comfortable time San Ni'er could remember since she was born. There was no arguing or fighting, and they had enough food and warm clothes every day. Uncle and Cousins treated them well. However, tomorrow, their mother would come to take her and her brother home. Sigh! 

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  Chapter 62: A Bountiful Harvest (Part 1)

The next day, Wu Shi arrived early at the Mo residence to pick up the two children and take them back to Liu Yang Village. She looked at the children dressed in new cotton clothes and pants, which were both beautiful and warm, obviously the result of considerable effort.

"Yan Yan, Auntie really doesn't know how to thank you!"

Wu Shi gratefully held Mo Yan's hand, her eyes moist. It was the first time the two children had worn such good clothes.

"Look at Auntie's words. San Ni'er and Shi Tou are like my younger siblings. There's no need for you to thank me." Mo Yan smiled helplessly, patting Shi Tou's little head. "San Ni'er and Shi Tou are obedient and sensible. We all like them. If you didn't insist on taking them back, I would have wanted to keep them here for a while longer!"

Wu Shi repeatedly waved her hand. "I've already troubled your family for quite a while. The two children have been eating and drinking at your place for almost half a month. If they stay longer, Auntie won't have the face to enter your home anymore."

Mo Yan heard her say this and didn't want to insist anymore, lest people in Liu Yang Village gossip about their Aunt.

Mo Yan insisted that they eat lunch before returning. Wu Shi refused to budge, so Mo Yan had to sneakily give her two packets of snacks to take back for her son and daughter, which brought tears to Wu Shi's eyes again.

The two little ones were very reluctant to leave their older cousins. Their eyes turned red, but they were well-behaved and didn't cry loudly, which made Mo Yan feel even more heartbroken. She wanted to keep them here a little longer.

"Sister, San Ni'er and Shi Tou are so pitiful. They can't even eat their fill at their own home, and Second Grandma often hits San Ni'er and scolds her as a burden."

Watching the departing donkey cart, Xin'er's eyes were red with sadness.

In the past, in Mo Village, because of Hong Shi's influence, Xin'er was not close to San Ni'er. However, in the short ten days or so, she had almost treated San Ni'er as her own younger sister.

"Yes, Big Sister. Shi Tou has never even eaten candied haws or played with sugar figurines before."

Zhen'er didn't cry, but he was quite low-spirited.

"It's okay. When we move to Liu Yang Village in the future, you two can invite them over to our house to play and share what you eat and play with. Won't they have that then?"

Mo Yan comforted them softly. These two seemed to have forgotten the days when they also couldn't eat their fill or dress warmly enough. However, having good intentions was always a good thing, right?

After hearing their older sister's words, the siblings became happy again and started looking forward to the day they would move to Yang Liu Village.

...

In the following days, Mo Qingze continued to go to Liu Yang Village every day. Fortunately, after just two days, all the seeds had germinated, and the germination was very uniform. There was almost no loss of seeds, which surprised the several old farmers responsible for taking care of the greenhouses.

"Haha, Zhong Shu, you don't know how anxious I've been these days. Now it's finally all right, and I can finally sleep peacefully!"

In the evening, when Mo Qingze returned home, he swept away his previous worries and happily shared the good news with Li Zhong who had just returned.

"As long as the seeds have germinated, these vegetables will eventually grow," Li Zhong relieved his worries and joked, "If it weren't for some delays, I would have prepared my ten acres of barren land and planted vegetables with you."

Mo Qingze's face gradually lost its smile when he heard this and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Zhong Shu, is there still no news of Shu Er?"

Li Zhong's face also lost its smile, and he sighed deeply in the end. "An old friend helped me find out a bit of news, saying that someone saw a woman very similar to Shu Er in the northern city. However, it's not confirmed yet. I plan to go to the northern city again to look for her."

The northern city?

Mo Qingze furrowed his brows. Having been in the capital for so long, he also had some understanding of its layout.

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  Chapter 63: A Bountiful Harvest (Part 2)

Just like the Eastern Market, which concentrated nearly half of the aristocratic and influential families of Da Chu, the Southern Market was the domain of wealthy merchants and tycoons. The Western Market where they were located was where ordinary commoners resided, while the Northern Market, the smallest in size, was known as the "beggar's nest of the affluent neighborhood". This was because those who lived there were either paupers or beggars, often engaging in petty theft and mischief, leading to disorder.

If Li Zhong's daughter truly appeared there, it could only mean that her days were very difficult, which was why he was so worried.

Thinking of this, Mo Qingze comforted him, "Any news is good news. As long as Shu'er is still in the capital, we'll find her sooner or later. If you need any help, Uncle Zhong, just say the word."

Li Zhong gratefully patted his shoulder, feeling fortunate countless times that he and his granddaughter had encountered the Mo family.

At this time, they heard Mo Yan calling them to dinner from the main hall, so they didn't continue their conversation and went to have their meal together.

Seeing that her father and Grandpa Li didn't look too good, Mo Yan couldn't help but speculate whether there was any news about Li Grandpa's daughter these days. However, both of them didn't seem like they were going to say anything, so she didn't inquire further.

Since the seeds had germinated, the most important thing now was insulation and moisture retention.

When planting the seeds, Mo Yan had listed a series of precautions and explained them carefully to the several old farmers responsible for planting. For example, when there was sun, they should lift the oil cloth near noon to let in more sunlight. When the temperature dropped, they should lower it again.

If there was frosty weather, and the temperature dropped too low at night, they would need to light the stove to warm the greenhouse. Some vegetables needed ample water, so they should be watered every other day, while others needed less, so they would be watered every five or six days, and so on.

Although she explained it very clearly, Mo Yan would still go to Liu Yang Village every two days to check, mainly to inject the irrigation channels with spring water. These areas were slightly higher than the riverbank, so they needed to use a waterwheel to draw water from the river into the channels.

In this era, there were already manual waterwheels, usually operated by two people. It took a full two days to fill the irrigation channels for twenty acres of land.

In reality, wheeling water was a tiring job, so Mo Yan didn't hire people on a daily basis but paid them monthly. It cost five hundred wen per person per month, and there were about fifteen to twenty days of work per month. It was slightly higher than the twenty wen per day wage.

When hiring people, many were eager to take up the job upon hearing such generous wages. After consulting Mo Qingze's opinion, Mo Yan chose Zhang Erniu and Zhang Dayou, who worked very diligently.

As for the ten old farmers responsible for taking care of the greenhouse, some were from the Lin family, and some were from other families. They were all experienced in farming, and they needed to guard the fields every day, even at night. This was also very exhausting, so they were paid eight hundred wen per month.

These twelve people all had large families and were short of food. Mo Yan wanted to help them, and since they had worked diligently before and had offered many suggestions, she had a good impression of them, so she hired them.

It proved that she had chosen the right people. They were all very responsible and took good care of the vegetables in the fields. In just half a month, leafy vegetables such as greens, spinach, and lettuce grew one after another at a surprisingly fast rate, exceeding everyone's expectations. The old farmers kept saying that the Feng Shui in Liu Yang Village was good; otherwise, how could the vegetables grow so quickly? Hearing this, Mo Yan couldn't help but smile to herself.

Mo Yan deliberately went to Liu Yang Village to take a look and found that the appearance of the vegetables in the greenhouse was much better than the small vegetable garden in their courtyard. There were still two or three yellow leaves on each vegetable in the small vegetable garden, but there were none in the greenhouse. They were all lush, like jade dripping with dew.

It could be seen that even with the "cheat" of spring water, certain environmental conditions were needed to ensure that the vegetables grew fast and well. Now that the first batch of vegetables was ready to be sold, Mo Yan and Mo Qingze had differing opinions on how to sell them.

In the end, it was decided, under Li Zhong's analysis, to sell them Mo Yan's way, which was to set up a stall in the vegetable market street and promote the "greenhouse vegetables" of the Mo family...

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 Chapter 294: The Skill of Inquiring About Information

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