Southern Song Dynasty Life Consultant

Chapter 54

Xiao Yuan knew they must have come from the north, and were experts at making noodles, so she smiled slightly and stood aside to watch how they did it, hoping to learn a thing or two from them.

First, Tian's wife took a sling and put it on. The sling was a long rope with hooks at both ends. She hung the rope around her neck and used the two hooks to hook onto her two rolled-up sleeves to prevent them from slipping down and affecting her work.

Chapter 161 Wu Ge is Sick

Two pounds of mutton and one pound of mutton fat are finely chopped into minced meat. Add plenty of scallions and dried bamboo shoots, roll them into a thinly rolled pancake, seal the ends with batter, and fry over low heat in the oil until they turn a reddish-brown color.

Tian's wife made a rolled pancake, plated it, and presented it to Xiao Yuan, saying with a smile, "Young Madam, try it. It tastes even better with some chili and vinegar."

Xiao Yuan took a bite; the skin was thin, the filling plentiful, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—it was indeed delicious. She praised Tian Da's wife a few times, then turned and instructed A Cai, "Send someone into the mountains to call Wu Ge back for some rolled pancakes." A Cai obeyed and left, but as soon as she reached the door, she was bumped into by Xi Ge, who was carrying two wild rabbits. Xi Ge shoved the rabbits into her hands and hurriedly ran into the kitchen to find Xiao Yuan, urgently saying, "Young Madam, Wu Ge has fallen into the stream!" Xiao Yuan was quite frightened; disregarding all decorum, she lifted her skirt and ran towards Wu Ge's room.

When she arrived at the room where her two sons were entertaining guests, she found a puddle of water on the floor. When she went into the bedroom, she saw that Wu Ge was soaked to the bone, with water dripping from his clothes. She quickly went to help Yu Da Sao, and in a few moments, she stripped him naked, threw him into the bed, and wrapped him in a thick quilt.

"Mother, I'm fine," Wu Ge said, trying to comfort his mother, but his voice was thick with a nasal tone. Xiao Yuan quickly ordered the kitchen to make ginger soup to warm him up, but Wu Ge twisted around in bed, saying, "I don't want ginger soup, I want to eat. Cook the rabbit I caught." Xiao Yuan pressed him down in the blankets to keep him from moving, threatening him, "If you don't drink the ginger soup, I'll throw your rabbit away." Wu Ge was never afraid of being scared, but he still obediently nodded. When the ginger soup was ready, he didn't use a spoon or let anyone feed him. He picked up the bowl and drank it all in one go, urging Xiao Yuan to cook the rabbit. Seeing that he was still in good spirits, Xiao Yuan went to the kitchen with peace of mind and told the cooks to clean the wild rabbit and make a stewed rabbit.

Before she could ask, Cheng Fu took the initiative to apologize, blaming himself, "After catching the rabbit, Wu-ge said he wanted to groom it himself. I couldn't stop him, and he ran to the stream. Then I couldn't stop him again, and he fell in." Xiao Yuan was both amused and exasperated, "Couldn't stop him? I think you wanted it too, didn't you? How deep is the stream? Did he swallow any water?" Cheng Fu slapped his thigh, crying out in protest, "I have a son too, how could I be so foolish? Young Madam, you don't know how cunning Wu-ge is. I was tricked into going without warning. Luckily, the stream is shallow, only up to his waist, so nothing serious happened." Xiao Yuan asked suspiciously, "If it's only up to his waist, how come he's completely soaked?" Cheng Fu sighed, "That little devil fell into the stream, and not only was he not afraid, he even said it would be a good opportunity to learn to swim. He splashed around in the water for a while before I had to pull him out."

Xiao Yuan now understood why Cheng Mutian was always so angry at Wu Ge that he wanted to hit him. This son was indeed too naughty; he wouldn't learn his lesson unless he was taught a lesson. She stormed back to Wu Ge's room, slapped him hard through the blankets a few times, and angrily asked, "Are you stupid or dumb? Going into the water in the dead of winter?" Wu Ge sniffed and replied aggrievedly, "I'm not your uncle, how am I stupid or dumb?" Xiao Yuan touched his body; he was already warm, and she felt a little relieved. She said, "If anything were to happen to you, how would your mother live?" Wu Ge was the type who responded better to gentle persuasion than harshness. Seeing that his mother's eyes were a little red, he quickly patted his chest and promised that he would never make the same mistake again.

Xiao Yuan was afraid that he would start moving around in bed again if she left, so she sat by the bed to keep him company. After a while, A Cai came to ask if lunch was ready and whether they should serve it now. Wu Ge had been running around on the mountain for half a day and was already hungry. He threw off the covers and was about to get up when Xiao Yuan quickly took out his new cotton clothes, which had just been warmed by the fire, and helped him change into them. She then carried him to eat.

When Cheng Mutian learned that his son had fallen into the stream, he scolded Cheng Fu before returning home. He sat at the dinner table with a dark face, not saying a word. Wu Ge glanced at his expression, picked up a piece of rabbit meat, and put it in his bowl: "Dad, I heard you like to eat rabbit meat, so I caught this rabbit especially for you."

Runtu is white-cut rabbit, which is made by boiling rabbit legs, cooling them, and then drizzling them with ginger juice. Cheng Mutian really liked to eat this. For a moment, he didn't know whether to praise him for being filial or scold him for being disobedient. After thinking for a while, he said, "I will not punish you for falling into the stream and suffering, but from now on, after you finish reading during the day, you will have to follow me to learn how to use an abacus and do accounting at night."

Wu Ge's mouth gaped open, and he forgot to eat the rolled pancake in his hand: "Dad, you might as well hit me a couple of times."

Xiao Yuan stuffed the rolled pancake into his mouth and laughed, "Now you understand? When I beat you before, it was all bark and no bite. This is the real deal." Wu Ge pouted. He couldn't argue with his father, and he lost his appetite. He took a few bites of the rolled pancake and got off the table listlessly.

Cheng Mutian noticed his pale face, called out to him, and touched his head, exclaiming in alarm, "Wife, he's burning up!" Xiaoyuan went over and touched the back of his neck, confirming he had a fever. She immediately sent someone to check on the whereabouts of the doctors who had gone into the mountains. Cheng Mutian was frantic with worry and couldn't wait for the servant to go. He rode a fast horse down the mountain, met the two doctors halfway down, helped one who specialized in treating children onto his horse, and galloped back to the manor.

Xiao Yuan was wringing out a towel soaked in warm water to apply to Wu Ge's forehead when she saw Cheng Mutian anxiously pulling the doctor in. She quickly made room for him by the bed. The doctor, surnamed Yan, had his hat blown askew by the wind. Without even straightening it, he reached out to take Wu Ge's pulse. After a moment, he said, "He caught a chill. He's in good health, so it's nothing serious. I'll write a prescription and have him decoct some medicine. He'll sweat it out and he'll be fine." Cheng Mutian, who had been worried all the way, finally relaxed and asked him to go next door to get the prescription. Xiao Yuan followed and asked, "Did you bring the medicine?" Doctor Yan quickly wrote the prescription while smiling and replying, "Don't worry, Madam, I've brought everything." Xiao Yuan thanked him, took the still-wet prescription, and went to get the medicine herself to decoct it in the kitchen.

Cheng Mutian summoned A Cai to take Doctor Yan to the pre-arranged lodgings, while he went to see Wu Ge. Wu Ge's little face was flushed red, and he was huddled under the covers, too afraid to move. His eyes were wide open, and he asked with a hint of joy, "Dad, do I not have to go to school tomorrow?" This child always had a way of making his father angry. Cheng Mutian took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to hit him, and forced a smile to coax him, "Just rest and get better. You can go after the fever goes down."

Wu Ge muttered under his breath, "Then let him burn for a few more days." Cheng Mutian felt that if he stayed any longer, he would definitely be driven crazy by him, so he got up and went to the kitchen to find Xiao Yuan, asking to switch shifts with her. After hearing what had happened, Xiao Yuan scolded, "Who told you to always force him?" Cheng Mutian sighed, "If it were Chen Ge like this, it would be fine, but Wu Ge is the eldest son of the Cheng family and will inherit the family business in the future. Look at his lazy and irresponsible attitude, can he support the family? I get angry as soon as I see that he doesn't like to study and doesn't follow the rules. Hitting him and forcing him is still too lenient."

Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly to herself. The country was on the verge of collapse, so what was the point of having a home? Being able to escape to the outside world by sea was already a stroke of luck. Why bother with inheriting the family business and supporting the household? She couldn't tell anyone what was on her mind, so she could only sigh, pour a bowl of the medicine she had prepared, and go with Cheng Mutian to feed Wu Ge.

Wu Ge stared at the medicine bowl, refusing to open his mouth. Xiao Yuan took a piece of candied fruit and coaxed, "Good boy, swallow the medicine in one gulp, then eat this fruit and it won't be bitter." Wu Ge glanced at Cheng Mutian beside him and whispered, "I don't want to study all day." Before Cheng Mutian could even frown, Xiao Yuan readily agreed, "Mother will hire a martial arts instructor to come to the manor. You can learn to read in the morning, practice boxing in the afternoon, and learn some business management skills from your father in the evening. On the first and last days of each month, I'll even allow you to go to the mountain to play. But if you continue to act like this today, I won't let you off easily." Wu Ge's eyes lit up with surprise, but he didn't say anything, only looking at Cheng Mutian until he nodded. Then he cheered, took the medicine from Xiao Yuan, and gulped it down in one go.

After taking his medicine, Wu Ge was drowsy. Xiao Yuan covered him with a blanket, gave Yu Da Sao a few instructions, and then pulled Cheng Mutian out, laughing, "I thought you were going to shake your head." Cheng Mutian said, "I'm just annoyed that he's so unruly and unambitious. If he could behave politely and study hard for the imperial examinations, what would it matter if he just played around on the mountain every day?" Xiao Yuan laughed at him, "You're too ambitious. You just said you wanted him to inherit the business, and now you want him to take the imperial examinations? Do you think he's a god?"

Cheng Mutian was taken aback. Had he set his expectations too high for his son? As a young father, he was confused and asked his wife, "Do you think I should let him take the imperial examination or go into business?" Xiaoyuan smiled and said, "I think you are not only ambitious but also impatient. He has only just begun to learn to read. Why think so much? Let him learn to read and do accounting first. When the time comes, let him decide which path to take." She had already thought it through. In a few decades, war would break out again, and the imperial examination would definitely not work. While her son was young, she would let him learn a few characters and memorize a few articles. When he was older, she would let him learn business skills so that he could make a living elsewhere.

After dinner, Wu Ge's fever subsided. The child, full of energy, started running around again as soon as he recovered. Xiao Yuan, at her wits' end, had to ask Cheng Mutian to bring out the account book, coaxing him to look at the ship. Cheng Mutian spread the account book out in front of them, laughing at Xiao Yuan, "I think you just want to see it yourself." Xiao Yuan, still worried that the considerable amount of gold and silver in the house was too heavy to carry, didn't argue and began to look at the account book seriously. Although it was called an account book, it didn't contain any accounts. The first page depicted a large, square ship with a high bow and a square stern, with oars on both sides. She counted ten pairs. According to the description below the picture, the ship also had two stone anchors and sails made of canvas.

Seeing that she was engrossed in watching, Cheng Mutian explained, "There are dozens of small, isolated cabins at the front of the ship, all of which are waterproof, so even if the hull is slightly damaged, it won't be a problem; the small boats towed by the ship at the rear carry firewood and fresh water, which are replenished from the ports along the way."

Chapter 162 Mountain Tour

The most important thing in sea navigation is probably finding your way. This big ship sounds impressive, but Xiao Yuan wondered what tricks it had up its sleeve for navigation. Cheng Mutian explained with some pride, "When the weather is fine, we rely on the sun, moon, and stars, supplemented by star charts and nautical charts; if the weather is gloomy, we use a conch shell."

"What's a snail shell?" Xiao Yuan asked curiously. Cheng Mutian turned around and rummaged through the box, finding one for her to see. It turned out to be a compass based on the principle of a compass, with twenty-four directions engraved on it and a magnetic needle indicating south. Wu Ge grabbed the snail shell and started playing with it. Seeing that he liked it, Cheng Mutian was somewhat gratified, patted his head, and gave him the snail shell as a toy.

Xiao Yuan's most pressing question remained unanswered, and she eagerly asked, "Erlang, how much weight can such a boat carry?" Cheng Mutian replied, "There are big and small ones. The largest boat can carry six or seven hundred people and tens of thousands of catties of goods." Xiao Yuan beamed, "No need to calculate it in detail. Our family's gold and silver can definitely fit. We need to earn more, so that if we arrive in an unfamiliar place and can't find a way to make money, we won't starve." Cheng Mutian shook his head helplessly, "Are you looking forward to war?" Xiao Yuan didn't want to argue with him about things decades later, so she said, "Then earning more money is never a bad thing, is it?" Cheng Mutian laughed, "Before we went into the mountains, you advised me not to attract attention, and now you want to make money?" Xiao Yuan rolled her eyes at him. Making money doesn't have to be done discreetly. With the produce from the manor, they could earn money and quietly transport it to the mountains. It was a thousand times better than opening a shop in the city and attracting unwanted attention.

Fearing that she wouldn't convince Cheng Mutian with just words, she took out the account book and abacus to calculate for him. However, Cheng Mutian asked, "Do you know what kind of business our family's ships do?" Xiao Yuan was stunned for a moment and said, "The external accounts don't go through me, so how would I know? Probably rhinoceros horn and coral?" Cheng Mutian tapped the conch shell in Wu Ge's hand and said, "The goods we bring from abroad, besides rhinoceros horn and coral, include ivory, agate, pearls, crystal, sandalwood, agarwood, spices, camphor, cloves, and cardamom; what we sell includes silk and brocade, pottery, and porcelain."

Xiao Yuan understood; all these goods were valuable, any one of them more profitable than the produce from her estate. Seeing her dejected, Cheng Mutian comforted her, "The estate needs to be managed well too. We can't use the money from the shipping business to support the farmers. Besides, they raise sheep and grow vegetables, so we have fewer expenses." Wu Ge, clutching the snail, threw himself into his arms, exclaiming, "Dad, this is so much fun! I want to go boating!" For once, Cheng Mutian didn't push him away, laughing, "You should learn your skills well; all those boats will be yours someday."

Two days later, Wu Ge's illness was much better, and Chen Ge, who had been carsick, was also in good spirits. Xiao Yuan suggested going up the mountain for a walk. The family of four changed into light clothes, took a few servants, and, led by Tian Da's wife, went up the hillside together.

Halfway up the mountain, the houses were all farmers, but at this time there were hardly any people at home, only a few old people sitting at the door, looking after the children.

Ah Xiu asked curiously, "It's almost New Year's, and this is when farmers are usually at their most relaxed. Why are we not seeing anyone?" Tian Da's wife pointed towards the hillside and laughed, "The men are busy herding sheep, and the women are busy harvesting vegetables. It's the New Year when they can make money."

Around those thatched cottages, small courtyards were enclosed by fences, where chickens, ducks, geese, and dogs were kept. The pigs in the pigsty were fat and plump, and they would probably be slaughtered for meat in a few days. At noon, a group of teenagers, carrying firewood and leading oxen, came down the mountain to start a fire and cook. Xiao Yuan asked, "Aren't the adults coming back for lunch?" Tian Da's wife replied, "The more sheep and vegetables they sell, the more money they get, so they don't want to come back for lunch. They just have the children bring it over."

The villagers seemed to be working with great enthusiasm. Xiao Yuan nodded with a smile, then led Wu Ge and Chen Ge into a house. The family had two daughters, the older one around ten years old, was putting a fish into a pot of boiling water, while the younger one, a little over four, was tending the fire in the stove. The older girl, who was cooking the fish, saw the hostess enter and quickly wiped her hands to pour tea. She then picked two radishes from the corner and handed them to Wu Ge and Chen Ge. Xiao Yuan went to the pot and looked at it, smiling, "The food is quite good." The older girl smiled, "I caught these in the river." She then pointed to a large vat and said, "Thanks to the young mistress, the sorghum harvest is plentiful; we won't go hungry anymore." Seeing that the fish in the pot was overcooked and worried about delaying their cooking, Xiao Yuan grabbed some candy from Wu Ge's purse and gave it to the little boy tending the fire, then led her two sons to the fields to eat.

She had only wanted to try some country dishes, but Cheng Mutian firmly disagreed, insisting on calling their own cook to prepare a meal that was no different from usual. After lunch, Wu Ge, thinking about the fish at Da Ni's house, ran up to Cheng Mutian, recited an article, and, taking advantage of his beaming smile, begged, "Dad, I want to go fishing."

Seeing Cheng Mutian frown and about to lose his temper again, Xiao Yuan quickly said, "If fishing is no good, let him go fishing. It'll be good for him to develop patience." Cheng Mutian reluctantly nodded, then called Cheng Fu over and told him to keep a close eye on Wu Ge this time and not let him fall into the water again. Cheng Fu nodded repeatedly and, with great tact, took all the children away so that the couple could have some time alone.

Cheng Mutian, naturally unwilling to disappoint her kindness, sent the maids back and personally helped Xiaoyuan, leading her up the mountain. Xiaoyuan looked at the vast expanse of cedar forest and laughed, "You said you wanted to find someone to teach the farmers silkworm rearing and silk reeling, but I'm afraid there's not even enough land to plant mulberry trees." Cheng Mutian loved this secluded hillside, sheltered by dense forest, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her sweetly. He said, "I was just saying it casually that day, without much thought. We have plenty of land; planting cedar is more profitable than mulberry or silkworm farming." Xiaoyuan poked his chest and laughed, "You planted these cedars to save for your daughter's dowry, but unfortunately, I had two sons, dashing your hopes." Cheng Mutian hugged her tighter and whispered in her ear, "Wife, once Chen-ge goes to school, you'll have more free time. How about we have another one then?"

Xiao Yuan smiled and nodded, then asked, "Erlang, what foreign languages do you speak?" Cheng Mutian replied, "I can speak some of the languages of the Arabs, Koreans, Japanese, and the dialects of several island nations in the South China Sea. Why did you ask this?" Xiao Yuan didn't dare to say that she also wanted to learn, so she used her son as an excuse and said, "Didn't you want Wu Ge to inherit the family business? Why not teach him to speak foreign languages from a young age? Since our family is in the shipping business, he should also learn to swim and drive boats."

Cheng Mutian smiled and shook his head: "Learning a foreign language makes some sense, but since he doesn't need to personally drive the ship in the shipping business, what's the point of learning that?" Xiao Yuan retorted: "He needs to know something so that he won't be manipulated. Can you say you don't know anything at all?" Cheng Mutian thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright, learning a skill is better than letting him run around the mountains. I'll go along with it."

Xiao Yuan was one step closer to her plan. She happily took his hand and continued walking up the mountain.

The view from the mountaintop was exceptionally beautiful. Sheep grazed in the valley on one side, while vegetables were grown on the other, and the farmers were busily working. Cheng Mutian observed carefully for a while and said, "I see that everyone has work to do. If we plant other crops, we might not have enough manpower. Let's leave it at that for now and think of some other jobs for them when the farming season is over."

Xiao Yuan nodded and pointed to the stream at the foot of the mountain, where a group of children were fishing. You could vaguely make out that the one in the middle was Brother Wu, and Brother Chen was playing under a tree nearby. Cheng Mutian took her hand, wanting to go down the mountain from there to find his sons, but Xiao Yuan stopped him, saying, "Brother Wu finally has a day off. He won't be free from morning till night tomorrow. Let him play freely for a while."

Cheng Mutian said, "Would he feel uncomfortable if I went there?" Xiao Yuan pretended not to hear and walked down the way she came. Afraid that she would fall, he quickly stopped talking and followed her, half-supporting and half-carrying her, and pinched her waist a few times.

At dinner, a steamed fish was added to the table. Wu Ge showed off his superb fishing skills with great enthusiasm. Cheng Mutian tapped him with his chopsticks with a stern face, but said to Xiao Yuan with his back to him, "He is my son after all. He is very smart. He caught a big one on his first time fishing."

This year was a bumper harvest, and the farmers were so busy they barely had time to breathe. They only had a break around the Lunar New Year, when some slaughtered chickens and others butchered pigs. Fujian is famous for its sugarcane, and the ships brought back several sacks along the way. Xiao Yuan had a large pot set up in the open space where the villagers lived, and they started boiling sugar syrup. Families with children each received a bowl. Axiu, while distributing the sugar, lamented, "We should have made sesame or peanut syrup." Xiao Yuan said, "That was my original plan, but there are so many children in the village, and the farmers are so busy. Where would we find the manpower?" Tian Da's wife laughed, "This is already very good. In previous years, they didn't even see sugar syrup during the Lunar New Year."

During the first month of the lunar calendar, Aunt Chen, Sister Cheng, and Third Sister Cheng all agreed to come to the mountains together for a New Year's feast. Since many children came, Xiao Yuan quickly ordered someone to make "water dumplings" (a type of sweet dumpling) from sorghum flour and sugar, which were then cooked in fragrant soup and served. Aunt Chen, who had just entered, admired the fruit trees along the way and praised, "Your villa is beautifully built, so tranquil." Sister Cheng, seeing the warm chimney inside, also said, "I thought you were suffering in the mountains, but it turns out you've come to enjoy yourself." Third Sister Cheng, however, envied her for raising sheep and growing vegetables, and asked, "Sister-in-law, you must have earned quite a bit this winter, right?"

Xiao Yuan teased her, "Have you ever cared about these things? Could it be that Gan Shier can't afford to support you anymore?" Cheng San Niang blushed and lowered her head, remaining silent. Cheng Da Jie glanced at her and said, "What's so hard about it? You're just shy." It turned out that Cheng San Niang herself had suffered hardship since childhood and was determined to pamper her daughter, providing her with the best food and clothes. A mother's love for her daughter wasn't inherently wrong, but their family's income, consisting only of Gan Shier's earnings from working at the toy store, was simply not enough. Hearing Cheng Da Jie's explanation and seeing Cheng San Niang's embarrassed expression, Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "San Niangzi, do you perhaps want to come to the mountains and farm with me?"

Cheng San Niang shook her head repeatedly and whispered, "I want to ask Aunt Chen and my eldest sister to act as intermediaries and borrow some capital from my sister-in-law to buy some materials to make bionic flowers."

People in the Song Dynasty loved flowers. Men and women, regardless of social status, all liked to wear a flower in their hair. Even peddlers and laborers were no exception. They not only loved to wear fresh flowers, but also wore lifelike flowers made in the shape of fresh flowers.

Xiao Yuan praised, "This is an excellent idea. The business will surely be booming. I just don't know how you plan to proceed?" Encouraged by her sister-in-law, Cheng San Niang raised her head and replied, "I don't have the skill to make lifelike flowers from glass, but I can weave a few patterns from pith paper. However, wealthy families don't care for pith paper. Therefore, I want to borrow money from you to buy some silk and gauze to make some silk and gauze flowers."

She was a timid person, so why would she borrow money in front of everyone this time? Xiao Yuan glanced at Aunt Chen and Sister Cheng, who were staring intently at her, and chuckled, "You're just being polite with me, I'll pretend I don't know anything." Aunt Chen laughed along, saying, "I have another purpose. My eldest and second sisters-in-law also want to invest, but they don't have the money. I do have some money, but I'm afraid I won't get it back if I lend it out. So I'm asking you to be my cover, to say that the money was lent to them by you, so they'll feel embarrassed not to pay it back." Xiao Yuan thought to herself that the Xue family's eldest and second sisters-in-law treated Aunt Chen very well, but unfortunately, they were too close, treating her like family and the money like their own. Fortunately, Aunt Chen was good at handling things and hadn't caused any major conflicts. She nodded to Aunt Chen and said, "It's not difficult at all, Aunt, if you encounter such a situation, just bring me up." Then she smiled and asked Sister Cheng, "What are you planning now?"

Sister Cheng said, "I won't borrow money, I'll just invest quietly. Don't tell my husband, lest he find out I've made money and go out to indulge in debauchery again." Xiao Yuan laughed, "You don't need to tell me that. If you're just making a few flowers, why are you being so serious? Do you want to make it big?"

Cheng San Niang nodded and said, "Everyone knows this is easy to make money. There are many flower shops, flower markets and flower markets in Guanxiang. The Qi family and Gui family flower shops also occupy a lot of business. If we only do small-scale business, we will definitely not make money. Therefore, we want to open a shop."

Since entering the mountains, Cheng Mutian had been bored all day long. Hearing this from inside, he couldn't wait to come out and scold, "You want to open a shop before you've even sold a single flower? Don't you think you're losing money soon enough?" Cheng San Niang was afraid of her brother, and when she heard him say this, she dared not speak again.

Xiao Yuan hurriedly nudged her, saying, "Your brother is a seasoned businessman with a wealth of experience. You should quickly ask him for some advice." Cheng San Niang mustered her courage, stood up, bowed, and respectfully said, "I hope my brother will enlighten me."

Chapter 163 Bionic Flowers

"Take over a shop, and it will cost at least forty or fifty strings of cash. You also said you want to make silk flowers that only the rich can afford, so you'll have to take over a shop on the Imperial Street. Have you thought about what the prices are for shops on the Imperial Street?" Cheng Mutian picked up his tea, took a sip to moisten his throat, and said, "Besides, you also said that there are many flower sellers nowadays. Can you be sure that the bionic flowers you make will definitely be more popular than others?"

Cheng San Niang arrived full of hope, but before she even received the borrowed money, her plans were shattered. Disheartened, she said, "It seems I'm not destined to make money." Aunt Chen, more perceptive than her, quickly asked Cheng Mutian, "Second Brother, do you have any good ideas? Tell us!" Cheng Mutian put down his teacup and replied, "I don't have any particularly good ideas, but if it were me, I'd make a few boxes first and ask some flower-selling old women to take them to wealthy families to test the waters." Cheng San Niang exclaimed happily, "Brother, that's a great idea! That's exactly it! Once I can make money, I'll open a shop!"

Cheng Mutian tapped his knuckles on the teacup and frowned, saying, "Why are you always thinking about opening a shop? Don't you take a look at your own strengths and weaknesses first?"

"Advantages and disadvantages?" Cheng San Niang was stunned.

Cheng Mutian explained, “If you take over a shop, you won’t have the capital, which is a disadvantage; but your two courtyards are empty, which is an advantage. Why not turn one of them into a workshop? You know, the people who sell flowers at the flower market aren’t necessarily the ones who make them; most of the artificial flowers sold daily by the Qi and Gui families’ flower shops are also purchased from elsewhere. Once the flower-selling grandma helps you build a reputation, you can hire some skillful women to make artificial flowers in the workshop and sell them in bulk to the flower market and large shops.”

After he finished speaking, everyone looked at him with admiration. Cheng San Niang smiled and said, "I'll listen to you, brother. If the workshop can be opened, I'll give you two shares." Xiao Yuan was worried about not having a way to make money quietly, so she didn't refuse. She ordered someone to bring her a few strings of cash and handed it to her, saying, "I'm buying materials for you. This isn't a loan. Consider it my investment."

Aunt Chen smiled and said, "Since we're discussing this matter, let's get everything done." She then took out a pre-written IOU, the borrowers being Xue's eldest and second sisters-in-law. Xiao Yuan picked up a pen, filled in her name in the creditor's column, handed it back, and smiled, "Aunt, I'm only responsible for signing; I won't contribute any money." Aunt Chen put the IOU away and smiled, "Of course, I can afford this amount."

When Sister Cheng saw that she couldn't open her shop and had to hire a flower-selling old woman instead, she lost interest and said, "Let me know when your workshop is open. I don't have time to weave artificial flowers." Third Sister Cheng was very easy to talk to and nodded, saying, "Okay, Sister-in-law Xue and I will weave them first and see how they sell before making any plans."

After the important matters were discussed, sitting idly became boring, and since they all had bound feet and couldn't climb the mountain, Xiao Yuan had someone bring over a charcoal-filled fire bucket to grill lamb skewers. The tender lamb, sprinkled with pepper and fennel, sizzled and dripped with oil over the fire. The kitchen also brought over a plate of thinly sliced cucumbers and some fresh chives, and the room was filled with a delicious aroma that made one's mouth water.

Sister Cheng picked up a bamboo skewer to eat mutton, but the bracelet on her wrist was extremely cumbersome. She swished it off and tossed it onto the small table. Suddenly remembering its origin, she handed it to Xiao Yuan and asked, "Look, does it look familiar?" Xiao Yuan didn't take it, but recognized it after just a glance. She exclaimed in surprise, "These are the same bracelet my stepmother always wore. How did she give them to you?" Then she laughed, "You must have won her favor." Sister Cheng laughed loudly, "Is she worth my flattery? Her family couldn't make ends meet, so she sold them to me."

Xiao Yuan was even more surprised: "Dad left her quite a bit of savings, and it's all gone already?" Sister Cheng smiled happily: "She's always been extravagant, don't you know that? Luckily you used the long distance as an excuse not to visit her for the New Year, otherwise she would have taken advantage of you too." Third Sister Cheng looked reluctant and said: "It's true that my stepmother is extravagant, but most of that money was spent on Zhonglang's medical treatment. Chen Ge can already recognize many characters, but Zhonglang can't even speak properly, she's very worried."

Sister Cheng dismissed it: "She's the one who caused the mental breakdown, who else can she blame?"

Upon hearing this news, Xiaoyuan became even more reluctant to return to the city. If she went back, she would have to borrow money again. The money she had worked so hard to earn was meant for her sons to live overseas, and she couldn't let it go to fill her brother-in-law's bottomless pit.

The three women, Sister Cheng, stayed in the village for the night. The next day, worried that they wouldn't be able to get home before dark, they left early in the morning.

Having received guidance from Cheng Mutian, Cheng Sanniang couldn't wait even a day. She got up early the next morning and asked Gan Shier to help her go to the morning market to pick out some silk and gauze to make lifelike flowers. Gan Shier laughed and said, "How would I know what colors to buy? You might as well come with me. We're just a humble family now, we don't have those old-fashioned rules. There are plenty of women out shopping." Cheng Sanniang tried to take her veil to cover her face, but he threw it aside, took her hand generously, and accompanied her to the market.

The people of the Song Dynasty were extremely enthusiastic about early morning markets. Outside the Houchao Gate in Lin'an, as early as four in the morning, countless brokers and vendors would sit under the gate with their salt loads, waiting for it to open. There were also singers, gossips, and small traders...

Cheng San Niang, her hand tightly held by Gan Shier, blushed but reluctant to break free. She stood beside him in front of a row of morning market stalls, carefully examining the signs—paper shops, cypress candle shops, toothbrush shops, headscarf shops, powder shops, medicine shops, seven-treasure shops, white clothing shops, belt shops, ironware shops, woolen yarn shops, crown shops, tin shops, plaque shops, cloud-patterned silk shoe shops, tassel shops, flower shops, folding fan shops, blue comb fan shops, cage shops, gold-embroidered shops, headwear shops, jade shops, gold paper shops, lacquer shops, gold and silver shops, rhinoceros hide shops, pillow and crown shops, bead shops…

Overwhelmed by the variety of shops, she gently tugged at Gan Shier's hand and asked, "My lord, which shop should I go to to buy silk and gauze?" Gan Shier, having worked away from home for a long time, now knew a thing or two and replied, "If you're buying a lot, we should go find a 'fabu fabu' who sells fabrics. Their prices are cheap, and many small shops get their supplies from them."

After listening to his words, Cheng San Niang was led to a shop where she picked out a bolt of red, yellow, and silver-red silk and gauze. When she asked the price, she was shocked to find that even a single bolt of silk cost four strings of cash. She pinched the money in her sleeve again and again, hesitated for a long time, and still did not buy anything.

Gan Shier knew she didn't have enough capital, so he discussed with her, "Should I go into the mountains and borrow some more from my brother and sister-in-law?" Cheng San Niang also had this idea, but the mountain road was far away, and even if she rode a fast horse, it would take a whole day to go and return. So she shook her head and went to discuss it with her eldest sister Cheng and her two sisters-in-law Xue first.

Sister Cheng still had some money and was willing to lend it, but she hesitated: "Money is a small matter, but a whole bolt of silk or gauze is far more than we could use. Shall we buy one bolt first and see?" Sister-in-law Xue, who had both made artificial flowers, laughed and said, "Sister, a single flower has several colors; one type of fabric is hardly enough." Third Sister Cheng sighed and nodded: "That's exactly the point, which is why I'm in a dilemma." She was in a dilemma, but Sister-in-law Xue was in an even greater dilemma. If they were to buy materials like this, it would cost more than twenty strings of cash at a time. Their current capital was all borrowed, and they couldn't afford such an expense. They couldn't help but consider backing out.

Cheng San Niang had invited them to invest because she admired their craft of making lifelike flowers, so she naturally didn't want them to leave. She borrowed a fast horse from Cheng Da Jie and had Gan Shi Er ask for a day off from the toy store to go to the mountains to find Xiao Yuan for advice.

Remembering his wife's instructions, Gan Shier dismounted and, without even drinking water, wiped the sweat from his brow and explained the situation to Xiao Yuan. He then asked, "Sister-in-law, it would be best if you had a plan. If she hasn't given birth yet—you've already taken two shares—then add some more money."

Cheng Mutian, who had been sitting quietly to the side, felt that he was bullying his wife when he heard this. He snorted and said, "What kind of amazing deal is this? We don't have any money to add, and we don't care about the share price. You can go back now."

Gan Shier only remembered to protect his wife and forgot that Cheng Mutian was also a husband who would protect his wife. He quickly stood up and sang a fat syllable, pleading, "My wife has finally found something to do, and we can't let her give up halfway. Brother, please help me out."

Xiao Yuan said enviously, "Third Sister is so lucky. Twelve always talks about her." Cheng Mutian knew what she was thinking as soon as he heard her sour words. He glared at Gan Twelve and said irritably, "How many inches of fabric do you need to make a few artificial flowers? Is it necessary to buy a whole bolt? Just go to a headscarf shop or a tailor shop and collect some scraps. Wouldn't that work just as well?"

Gan Shier was completely convinced, and even Xiao Yuan looked at him with admiration, praising, "Wonderful! This way of doing things only costs a few coins."

Gan Shier had a brilliant idea. Without even eating, he stuffed two steamed buns into his pocket and rushed down the mountain to tell Cheng San Niang. Cheng San Niang was overjoyed. She invited Xue Da Sao and Xue Er Sao, and they browsed through all the shops on Imperial Street that made silk headscarves, silk shoes, tailors, and anything else that made silk and gauze. They collected three bundles of brightly colored artificial flower materials, and in the end, they only spent a few dozen coins.

Having saved several dozen strings of cash, the three were in high spirits and worked through the night to dye the silk with wax and match the colors of the gauze. The next day, Cheng San Niang summoned several maids to clean up an empty room, set up a large table, arranged several stools around it, and prepared three sets of scissors, small baskets, and other items.

She first made some red peonies and white jasmine flowers with Sister-in-law Xue, and then called in an old woman selling flowers to take a look, asking if she would like to sell them. The old woman saw that the flowers were made very exquisitely and loved them very much, but she tried to bargain down the price: "You only have two kinds of flowers. If I buy them, who will I sell them to? The young ladies of wealthy families have high standards."

Chapter 164 Flower Festival

Cheng San Niang had never dealt with such people before and lacked experience, so she immediately prepared to lower the price. However, Xue Da Sao had done similar business before, so she immediately lifted the lid of the box and pointed to a few crudely made bionic flowers inside, saying, "Look at your flowers, you can't even tell which is the petal and which is the leaf, and you still have the nerve to complain that we don't have many varieties."

The flower seller blushed at her words and quickly hid the original flowers, replacing them with Cheng San Niang's, and paid the agreed price. She carried the box to the streets and alleys, knocking on the doors of mansions one by one. The women in those deep courtyards rarely left their homes, so they greatly admired these well-informed flower sellers who roamed the streets, partly for business and partly for gossip. With demand and good quality flowers, the flower seller's business was booming that day. By evening, only two peonies remained. Just as she was preparing to return home, a kind maidservant told her, "Madam Qian of the Cheng family's villa wants to sell her jewelry but doesn't want to pawn it cheaply. She's looking for someone like you to gather information. Why don't you sell these last two flowers to her?"

The flower seller had long admired Madam Qian's reputation and knew she was generous, so she chuckled, thanked the girl, and immediately set off for the east of the city to knock on the door of the Cheng family's villa. Madam Qian was indeed pleased to see her and immediately asked, "Do you know which young lady in the city wants to buy jewelry? I have some of the best quality here; I wonder who will snatch it up at a bargain price." The flower seller secretly scoffed. No wonder everyone said this Madam Qian was a bit naive; even if you want to inquire about information, you should at least offer a little something first.

Little Copper Coin noticed that her eyes were only glancing at the box containing her flowers, and he immediately understood. He quickly told her to take out the two peonies and present them to Madam Qian, whispering, "Madam, buy her flowers first, then you can ask about them." Madam Qian's face darkened, and she threw down a few copper coins, cursing, "Snobbish!" The flower seller exclaimed "Oh, oh!" twice, clicking her tongue, "Madam, your two coins aren't enough to buy my flowers. Look at the style, the workmanship, they're different from what I usually sell."

Madam Qian didn't believe it and even thought she was being extorted. However, when she picked up the peony to examine it closely, she discovered that it was indeed two beautiful flowers. Not only were they intricately woven and brightly colored, but she could even distinguish their varieties. The deep red, multi-layered petals belonged to the "Qianxi Fei" peony, while the creamy yellow, multi-petaled one was the "Yao Huang," the king of peonies. Madam Qian was so engrossed in looking at it that she forgot her original purpose and couldn't help but ask, "Such exquisite lifelike flowers are rare even in large shops. Where did you find them?"

The flower seller chuckled, "Madam, you don't know? This is your daughter San Niangzi's handiwork." Madam Qian had heard that the Cheng couple had refused to take a concubine, and the Gan family elders had cut off their supplies in anger, leaving them in dire straits. She twirled the two flowers in her hand, somewhat gloating, "Who told her to learn from her sister-in-law? Now she's in such a state. Well, I'll buy these two flowers to prevent her from going hungry due to poor business."

The flower seller chuckled inwardly. She herself was so poor that she had to sell her jewelry, yet she was pitying others. She looked down on the ambitious Mrs. Qian, but having taken her money, she couldn't help but spread the news, telling her which family's daughter was getting her hair and jewelry, and which family was getting married and needed to buy "three gold pieces".

As darkness fell, she finished dealing with Madam Qian and hurriedly went to Cheng San Niang's place to buy her artificial flowers. Cheng San Niang was overjoyed to see that the flowers were selling so well, but unfortunately, the three of them could only make a few dozen in a whole day, not even enough for the flower seller. Helpless, the whole family had to pitch in. The maid, the old woman, and the wet nurse were all taught on the spot, and even Gan Shier, who had just returned from work, came to help cut the silk.

After two or three busy days, they not only supplied the flower seller with enough goods, but also saved up about a hundred flowers. It just so happened to be the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Women who usually couldn't afford to buy silk flowers saved up money to buy them so they would look good when they went shopping. Cheng San Niang and her group took this opportunity to sell the artificial flowers at double the price, making a net profit of six strings of cash and three hundred coins.

Seeing how profitable the artificial flowers were, Sister-in-law Xue and Sister-in-law Xue advised Cheng San Niang to open the workshop as soon as possible: "The place is ready, and you don't need to spend any money. You just need to hire a few wives. The sooner you open, the sooner you'll earn money." Cheng San Niang secretly considered that the maids and servants at home all had housework to do, and the wet nurse couldn't be away from the children for too long. If there weren't enough people, it would affect the income, so she might as well agree with them.

That day, after discussing it with Gan Shier, she moved the whole family to the last courtyard and cleared out the second courtyard. The two side rooms were all opened up and a large table was placed in each. Silk flowers were made in the east wing and silk flowers in the west wing.