After a whole month of busy farming, the scorching heat of July came.
Although the work in the fields had come to an end, there was still work in the water.
Not only were there lotus seeds in the lotus pond waiting to be picked, but after a month of spawning and growth, the pond was full of fish, prawns, and crabs.
"Old Xia, did the fish and prawns increase in production this year?"
Aunt Lao stood under the shade of a willow tree beside the pond. She waved her fan and smiled as she asked Old Xia, the pond manager, who was resting by the shore after a busy morning.
He turned his head to look at the fishing boat that had stopped by the shore. A few smiling servants were neatly moving the fish from the boat into the large two-horse carriage that had come forward to transport them.
"Yes, I've been busy for two days and sent out a few boats. There's still a large batch to catch," Old Xia drank a mouthful of herbal tea and said happily while wiping his sweat.
"That's great.
Let me choose two for the next boat. It's best if I can get two crabs to try. The old man has been talking about it for a long time. "
Aunt Lao rummaged through her purse and found dozens of copper coins. It was enough for her to buy a few big fish and a few crabs.
She might as well let her husband eat until he was full.
"Don't worry.
Madam said that the last boat is for you to choose. "
Old Xia quickly stopped Aunt Lao. Every year during the fishing season, a portion of the fish would be left for the villagers to choose.
Although it was said to be a purchase, it was just a fee for the hard work. For example, the fish sold outside cost 30 copper coins per catty. Here, they only charged 8 copper coins.
"Really?
That's great.
When will we stop work?
I'll come early. Old Xia, leave some big fish for me, "Aunt Lao said to Old Xia happily as she kept her purse.
"Don't worry. Didn't you see that the people on the boats are all big?
I can't bear to catch the small fish. "
Sherlie tapped his pipe and squinted his eyes as he looked at the beautiful lake that was sparkling under the sunlight. "It looks like it'll take another two days.
When the last boat arrives, the village chief will ring the gong in the ancestral hall to remind us. "
"Old Xia, time to stop work."
After moving the fish, the servant waved at Old Xia, who was on the shore. "I heard that the kitchen stewed brisket today. Hurry up and grab it.
If you're late, you won't be able to enjoy it. "
"Beef brisket?
They were indeed in for a treat.
I heard that the food in your big kitchen is delicious.
The kitchen maid was from the imperial kitchen?
Tsk tsk … Our old man is more satisfied working than eating at home. "Aunt Lao waved her fan and smiled," It's getting late, we should go back.
Sherlie, go back and try the sirloin. It's best if you ask the cook how to cook it. I stewed it once during the Lunar New Year, but no one at home said it was delicious.
I don't like the smell, but I can't chew it … "
"That's easy. Come with me. Isn't your husband there too?
Try the lunch in the kitchen and you'll know. "Sherlie chuckled as he put away his pipe and dusted off the catkins on his body. He then raised his head at Aunt Lao with his hands behind his back.
"How can that be?
It's not like I don't know the rules of the main house. They are very strict. "Aunt Lao shook her head fiercely.
Although that girl Shui Yong always asked her to visit when she had nothing to do, she also knew that the maidservants and grannies in the residence all came from the Prince's Mansion. Their rules were different from those of ordinary wealthy families.
In the beginning, she and Auntie Tian often went to look for Shui Yue to chat and reminisce about the past. However, in the past few years, the three towns had merged, and that girl obviously had more things to do. Recently, they even heard that the silk weaving workshop had officially started work. She would run to the foot of Xiu Feng every two to three days. She was also busy with farming and harvesting. After she was done with the work in her own field, she helped the master's family with temporary work for more than ten days. After going back and forth, she had not seen that girl for about a month.
"You're not going to cause trouble. Let's go. I'll give you my sirloin." Sherlie picked up his straw hat and walked out of the shade of the willow trees.
Aunt Lao shook her head with a smile. She was the only one at home at noon. Her daughter-in-law had recently returned to her mother's house. She would have to make do with the porridge in the morning. She simply followed Sherlie to the main house. She wondered if she would have a chance to meet Shuiche and hug her third son.
The willow trees and ginkgo trees planted on both sides of the village road were already very dense. Once summer came, the branches and leaves that spread out were enough to completely cover the village road. Only a little mottled sunlight shone through the branches. From the "He Garden" to the main house, this side road could be said to be like spring in all four seasons. It was cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If it weren't for the fear of affecting the carriages going back and forth, the villagers would have moved a reclining chair under the tree to take a nap.
Along the way, Aunt Lao listened to Sherlie excitedly talk about the recent changes in He Garden. For example, the pickled vegetable shop was going to open a branch in Shuiyue City, the two sides of the official road into the city were going to be redeveloped to build houses and shops, and the name of Fanluo City was going to be changed to Fanluo Prefecture.
"Huh?
When did this happen? "Aunt Lao asked in surprise.
She had heard the village elder talk about these things before, but there was no way he wouldn't have mentioned something as big as Fanluo City changing its name.
"Hehe, I heard the chief steward mention it this morning. It seems to be news from the imperial capital."
Sherlie scratched his head. In fact, he had gone to report to the chief steward about the lake and happened to overhear the chief steward and his wife talking about it.
"No wonder!
But why would Fanluo City be changed to Fanluo Prefecture out of the blue?
Is there a prefecture in the Dahui? "
Aunt Lao didn't understand. However, these were all matters of the imperial court and had nothing to do with rural women like her.
To put it bluntly, even if the Dahui changed dynasties, their lives wouldn't change much.
Now that the taxes on the land had been waived, they were even less affected.
As they spoke, the two arrived at the entrance of the main house's main kitchen.
She was about to shamelessly follow Sherlie in when Mama Liang called out, "Sister-in-law Lao!
I saw it was you from afar.
Madam said to wait for you to find her in the study after lunch. She happened to be looking for you! "
"Oh, Mama Liang is too polite.
I heard that the main kitchen's sirloin is delicious and wanted to learn from it. I … I'll go to Madam's place immediately … "Aunt Lao's face flushed red, feeling embarrassed as if she had been caught red-handed doing something bad.
"Hehe, our Aunt Fang has been taught by the chef of the imperial kitchen. You can ask her to come and learn from her at any time.
This old servant has already passed on the message. I'll go and deliver lunch to the masters first. If you haven't eaten yet, you can go to the main kitchen to try Aunt Fang's cooking. "
Mama Liang said a few polite words and passed on Su Shuiche's instructions. Then, she went to deliver the young masters' meals.
Aunt Lao smiled embarrassedly. She remembered Mama Liang saying that Shuiche was looking for her. It must be about her eldest son's smithy.
A while ago, she had heard Aunt Tian mention it to the village head. However, during the busy farming season, she had almost forgotten about it. She didn't expect that Aunt Fang would come and talk to her today.
That was a good thing.
She had long hoped that her eldest son's family would be able to steadily earn a hundred copper a day.
Thinking like this, she wasn't in a hurry to taste the sirloin. She first went to find Shuiche … Uh, no, she should call her Madam.
Otherwise, the main household would laugh at her for being unruly.
Su Shuiche sat in front of the desk and frowned for a long time. Then, she picked up the brush and wrote a letter to Liang Xuanjing and his wife who were far away in the imperial capital.
Yesterday, she received the latest news from the "Guang Ci Tower" from the imperial capital. She was shocked.
The Great Emperor of the Great Hui Kingdom abdicated due to illness and passed the throne to the five-year-old Ninth Prince. Prince Xiang, Lou Xianer, was appointed by the Great Emperor as the Regent of the Great Hui Kingdom. Before the Ninth Prince turned eighteen, he would assist the new Emperor in handling the affairs of the Great Hui Kingdom.
What was even more shocking was that Liang Xuanjing, the Lord Protector, had retired and returned home. Liang Enzai, who had been in charge of the military, had his military authority revoked and was made the Commandery Prince of Fanluo Prefecture.
Fanluo Prefecture, or Fanluo City, had been renamed by the new Emperor Dahui ten days ago. It was separated from the thirty-one cities of the Dahui and became a relatively independent prefecture.
Starting from the seventh month, all policies in Fanluo Prefecture would follow the orders of the Commandery Prince. There was no need to pay any taxes to the Dahui.
Fortunately, the procedures for entering and leaving the prefecture were much more relaxed than those for entering and exiting the Dahui's borders. As a result, trade between Fanluo Prefecture and the surrounding cities would only improve.
As a result, Fanluo Prefecture had truly become an independent city that wasn't subject to the interference of the Dahui's imperial family.
The Commandery Prince was waiting for Liang Enzai's return to make bold and decisive reforms.
The rules that had previously restricted their hands and feet could now be issued one by one without any worries.
However, she was worried about the old prince and his wife. Although she had heard from her elder brother that they were doing well and were packing their bags to retire at Fanhua Courtyard, she couldn't help but worry about the old prince and his wife.
She still couldn't help but write a letter to the two elders. After deliberating for a long time, she didn't write her worries in the letter. She only advised them to take care of themselves and return home as soon as possible.
Yes, this was their home from now on.
"Madame, Aunt Lao is here. This servant had her wait in the central room." Xin Zhi's gentle report interrupted her thoughts.
"Alright, I'll go out immediately."
Su Shuiche nodded. After she finished writing, she sealed the letter with red clay and handed it to Xin Zhi. "When you have time in the afternoon, send this to Guang Ci Tower for me. While you're at it, make a trip to the medical center and pass a message to Jingzhi that Eldest Brother is coming back."
"Yes."
Xin Zhi carefully put the letter away, tidied up the table, and walked with Su Shuiche to the central room. "Madame, are we having lunch in the central room?
Today, Auntie Fang stewed brisket. Everyone who's eaten it said it was good. "
"Alright, you should go eat as well.
Oh right, ask Aunt Lao if she's had lunch yet. If she hasn't, she can eat with me in the central room. "Su Shuiche washed her hands on the simple washstand outside the study before heading to the central room.
She was indeed looking for Aunt Lao because of the blacksmith shop.
A month ago, he heard from Yangxin Hall that there were two blacksmith shops in the city that were fighting over customers. One of the men from one of the shops was injured in the eye by the other shop with a hot iron fork. He was considered to be disabled and the person who injured him was now imprisoned by the acting mayor.
These two blacksmith shops could be considered to have reached the end.
The eldest son of the family was left struggling to support, but because he wasn't familiar with the skills, he couldn't take on many big projects.
As a matter of fact, the acting mayor came to discuss with Ah Yao, hoping to lend out He Yuan's Lao Yongfu.
This matter should have been handled by the Lao Family during the Dragon Boat Festival, but recently, there were so many things that she forgot about it.
Today, when she heard Mama Liang mention that Aunt Lao was in the house, she quickly asked her to come over to ask.
"Aunt Lao, go back and discuss with Uncle Lao. If he's willing, there's an official looking for the shop. He doesn't need to pay any rent for the first two months. In the future, he'll pay the rent of an ordinary shop. If he's willing, he can start this month.
Of course, He Yuan hopes that his shop here won't end. Every month, he'll come back a few days to help the villagers repair the ironware in their homes. "
"No problem, girl. Oh, look at me, I'm being unruly again. Madam, I'll agree on behalf of Yongfu.
There's a lot of work in the city, so it's easier to raise a family. Not to mention a few days every month, even a few days every month is fine. "Aunt Lao slapped her thigh and agreed straightforwardly.
To have the government looking for a shop for them, such a good thing couldn't be found even with a lantern. Whoever rejected it would be an idiot.
"Aunt Lao, there's no need to be so polite with me. I'm still used to you calling me Shui Yatou."
Su Shuiche said with a smile. Seeing Aunt Lao agree, she thought that there wouldn't be any more problems. Finally, one of her worries was resolved. She pulled Aunt Lao to try the stewed beef brisket made by Aunt Fang.
(To be continued.)
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