Chapter 271: It's Not That I'm Selfish

After settling Lin Xianniang at home, Qiu Chen was secretly relieved. The responsibilities of the family are divided, with the Chen family and the Shunzi family taking care of it, and Lin Xianniang to handle it after the last, Qiu Chen basically shook off his hand.

An painter, who is good at painting flowers and birds, Qiu Chen didn't waste it, and after asking for people's opinions, he directly packed it and sent it back to Liujiaao to be an art teacher for the children.

All this has passed, it is the fifth day that Qiu Chen has come to Anyang City, and it is also the sixth day that the third prince Yang Jingyu has stayed. Although Qin Zheng also came to Anyang with Yang Jingyu, he was very quiet, and the silence almost did not exist. However, the third prince Yang Jingyu was very high-profile, and was guarded by countless guards every day, and after gathering the squire rich Jia to pledge donations the next day, it is said that more than 300,000 taels of silver were raised. Then, the soldiers of the garrison began to go around to the villages to gather the people and start the river repair. Of course, there is no Yishui River in Anyang County, but there are also Luo River, Xiaoqing River, and Majia River...... Six or seven rivers, large and small.

The third prince Yang Jingyu is worthy of being born in the royal family, and he is a big deal, and he actually asked all the river dredging projects to start together, and before the spring flood at the end of February, all the inspections will be completed, and this plan is just a matter of the three princes Yang Jingyu, who is high above him, but it is very difficult to realize. In October, the soil is completely frozen, especially the soil by the river, because of the proximity to the water, the soil moisture content is high, and the hardness of freezing is much higher than that of the soil in the field, which is almost like a stone. If you go down with a shovel, you can only gnaw down dirt that is not much bigger than your fist. At this rate, it is simply too difficult to complete the river project in just three months.

So, the crowd tactics were introduced. The three princes ordered that all men who were over 14 years old and under 60 years old should all be recruited to repair the river. If you are unable to participate due to illness for any reason, you need to pay two taels of silver per person.

This order was given, and complaints arose.

Two taels of silver, not to mention a disaster year, is a bumper harvest year, and most farmers can't save two taels of silver. What's more, it's two taels of silver per person, and if you have a large population, why not two taels?

Moreover, the husband is still a volunteer, and there are only two meals of brown rice per person a day on the river construction site, and there is no half of the pay. Those families who were already barely able to make ends meet, their laborers were requisitioned to work in the river, and where did the remaining old and weak women and children go to smear the money, grain and rice? How will it survive this winter?

As soon as the husband ordered, Qiu Chen was drinking tea, and with a shake of his hand, the tea bowl with sweet white glaze of fine porcelain rolled to the ground and shattered.

Qin Li, who came in to summon the news, was stunned for a moment, and Yufeng hurriedly stepped forward to clean up the broken porcelain pieces.

"Madam......" Qin Li couldn't help but scream when he saw that Qiu Chen's face was really ugly.

Qiu Chen waved his hand, "I have nothing to do, you, you all go down." ”

Qin Li glanced at Yufeng a little helplessly, and the two of them silently lowered their hands and retreated.

Throughout history, almost no one has really cared about the lives of the people, and the difference between light and dusk is only whether the approach is implicit. Just like this arrangement made by the third prince, most people just felt that it was a little harsh...... Or, some people will be overjoyed, hating that the three princes will do something more brainless, so as to give them a reason to attack...... Who would have thought that a certain family, many households, because of such a decision and order of the three princes, the elderly and children have no one to support, no food and clothing, hunger and cold in the cold winter, and even die of cold and starvation?

Qiu Chen let out a long breath, leaned on the kang very dejectedly, relaxed his body, closed his eyes, calmed his mood, and began to ponder.

After all, she is only one person, her ability is limited, her financial resources are limited, she can't manage the people surnamed Limin, but she still has the 4,000 acres of land she just bought, and the villagers above will be her tenants if nothing else. These people, Qiu Chen did not simply think about how to get more support, she just regarded those people as the agricultural workers she hired, she issued production tools and production conditions, and the workers worked, and each other could get what they needed, just like the Zhuangzi she ran before, she worked hard to improve the production conditions of those farmers, and the life of the farmers was better, she put away the tenant rent, and naturally it was logical and sufficient, a win-win situation, this was the best situation she could think of.

Just do it when you think of it, Qiu Chen doesn't give himself a reason to be lazy.

She raised her voice and called Yufeng in, and sent a message to Daxing to come over, and she had something to say.

Yufeng agreed, and did not leave immediately, but looked at Qiu Chen's face and asked, "Master Li, are you still waiting outside!" ”

Qiu Chen patted his head, and then remembered that he had reacted a little aggressively before, which probably made Qin Li feel apprehensive all the time. After thinking about it, after all, he was not familiar with the things in the yamen, and if he didn't understand some of the tricks, maybe something would happen, so it was better to let Qin Li pass on a message and ask Qin Zheng to act again.

So, he called Qin Li in, told Qin Li about his plans, and then asked him to pass on the word to Qin Zheng and ask if there would be any obstacles, after all, at this time, the third prince Yang Jing was here, just such an almost neurotic person, who knew what Lu Dao would do.

Qin Li listened to Qiu Chen's plan in a daze, nodded again and again, raised his eyes to look at Qiu Chen, who couldn't see the shocked and angry expression before, and at the same time secretly wondered in his heart, he couldn't help but sigh, he was really similar to his own Hou Ye, he was able to control his emotions so well...... Also, otherwise, Master Hou would not have taken a fancy to Madame!

Thinking that he had done a good job of building his heart, Qin Li repeated the content of Qiu Chen's confession, and saw that Qiu Chen had nothing to say, so he bowed down and retreated, and went straight to Qin Zheng to reply and pass the word.

Daxing also followed Yufeng in, and entered the house with Qin Li, Qiu Chen smiled and said, "Sit, I have something to discuss with you, and I can't finish it in one sentence or two...... Yufeng is a stupid girl, and she doesn't know how to bring a bowl of tea to your father. ”

Yufeng smiled and responded, poured a cup of tea and handed it to Daxing's hand, and then retreated to Qiu Chen's side and stood.

Daxing thanked him, Qiu Chen raised his hand, and then he opened his mouth to say his plan, "...... In the past few days, the situation may be tense, don't make a noise, just take those Zhuangzi to see the situation, see how many people are short of food and clothing, come back, let's sum up, how to help them pass this winter. Also, let's see if there are any sick or injured people who can't serve in conscription, and we will also reach out and help them get through this hurdle...... We don't have the strength elsewhere, and the dealers on our own Zhuangzi have to protect them! ”

Qiu Chen said it this time, not to mention Yufeng, even the old and sophisticated Daxing also felt hot in his heart.

These servants, although they generally do not worry about food and clothing, but they are really not as good as those villagers, at least the villagers are still free and can be autonomous, unlike them, not to mention others, even their lives are in the hands of the master's family, which makes them even more hope to meet an enlightened and kind master, so that they can live a stable life by relying on the master's family. Therefore, Qiu Chen's words, the sentence 'The Zhuang households on their own Zhuangzi have to protect them well', made Daxing and Yufeng particularly moved.

Those Zhuangzi have just been bought, and the master doesn't even have a look at them, so he can think of arranging for someone to 'protect them', and these servants are naturally much closer, as long as they don't have other unwanted thoughts, they will naturally be blessed all the time...... This is undoubtedly more important to them than anything else.

Da got up, bowed solemnly and said: "Don't worry, Mrs., the little one will set off, go to each Zhuangzi to check carefully, and rush back as soon as possible to find out the situation!" ”

Qiu Chen glanced at the table clock on the kang cabinet, and said with a smile: "Don't be in such a hurry, this is the end of the day, you go and see who you bring with you first, I will ask the kitchen to send you the food, you are almost cold on the road when you are full of heat." ”

Daxing bowed down warmly in his heart, and then retreated.

Qiu Chen sent Yufeng away: "Your mother is not here, you go and help your father clean up, watch him wear thicker, don't freeze." ”

Yufeng agreed with a happy face and chased after Daxing.

In less than half an hour, Qiu Chen had just set up lunch here, and Yufeng turned back and said that Daxing had eaten and took Erkui to Zhuangzi together. Qiu Chen agreed and didn't say much. Relieved, I had lunch with Lin Xianniang, Lin Xianniang went back to her room to learn embroidery, Qin Li also came back and handed over a letter to Qiu Chen, which was written by Qin Zheng.

Qiu Chen opened it and looked at it, and the letter began with a sentence that said, 'Everything is good, don't read it', and then directly turned to Qiu Chen's Zhuangzi. Qin Zheng did not object to Qiu Chen's plan, but just told Qiu Chen to make arrangements as low-key as possible, and the dealers should just take care of it, and don't make any moves.

This point also happened to coincide with Qiu Chen's plan, and Qiu Chen was relieved.

Then, Qin Zheng wrote that two days later, the third prince Yang Jingyu would leave Anyang and return to Zhengding Mansion, leaving only a member of the Ministry of Works to supervise the river work. Qin Zheng also mentioned that Yang Jingyu turned to Zhengding, and his previous errand was handed over, and he would go on the road with the third prince Yang Jingyu, but he did not go to Zhengding, but returned to the capital through Zhengding.

After the errand is done, you must first return to Beijing to resume the order, as for what errands you will take in the future and where you will go, it depends on your fate.

After that, Qin Zheng told her that before the third prince Yang Jingyu left Zhengding, she must be more careful, put aside the glass or something, and pay attention to the things of pharmaceutical soap making first, and don't expand it anymore......

Qiu Chen also felt the same way.

From Yang Jingyu's forcing the squires and wealthy to pledge donations, as well as forcibly conscripting migrant workers to build river works, it can be seen that this Yang Jingyu is stubborn and rude, and he really ignores it...... When encountering this kind of person, the status of the other people is still outrageous, what can the surnamed Li Min do except endure it?

It's just that if you don't die in silence, you explode in silence!

It's just that no one will do this outbreak easily. There are family members with parents, wives and children, who have a good life or no good life, but they can survive for a long time, and how many of them will commit the kind of big crime of punishing the nine clans......

After reading the letter, such a cold person was concerned about every word...... It makes people's hearts unfree to give birth to a strong warmth.

It's just that the parting mentioned in the letter also makes people feel a little sad.

This farewell, according to the current situation, she can't go to send it off.

I don't know when I will see you again......

Sighing softly, Qiu Chen raised his eyes, only to find that Qin Li was still standing in front of him, waiting for a possible reply.

After a pause, Qiu Chen waved his hand and said to Qin Li: "You also go down to rest, if there is anything, I will send someone to call you again." ”

Qin Li didn't ask much, and arched his hand and exited the main room.

Standing still under the verandah, Qin Li looked up at the cloudy sky and sighed secretly. Hou Ye is about to return to Beijing, and I don't know what will happen to him when he goes......

Qiu Chen took the letterhead and read it again, thought about it, and finally didn't take it down and burn it, but opened the kang cabinet by himself, found a rectangular box and put it in.

After that, Qiu Chen took out the account book and began to take stock of the accounts.

Although it is said that in the year since the beginning of soap making, there are large dividends every month, but the development of Nannuma Lake, the purchase of two houses in Anyang Cheng and Zhengding City, the dowry for his daughter, a few days ago, it was a soup kitchen, and a pledge, and nearly 4,000 wood fields, as well as the investment of burning glaze...... A large sum of money was spent, and although there was still some savings in his hand, he had to think about spending it.

Seeing that Junwen will be seventeen years old during the New Year, and Junshu will be fourteen years old, and he will have to say goodbye in a year or two at the latest. Lin Xu will also enter the Fucheng next year to participate in the Autumn Festival, according to the current strict requirements and teachings of Master Guo, not to mention the high test level, the chance of passing is still very high. After the autumn festival, it is followed by the spring festival that enters Beijing...... Everything went well, and he was admitted to the Jinshi, and he didn't have much money for half a year, and he needed to be subsidized by his family, and after that, he also said that he would marry his relatives......

Well, Qiu Chen's thinking is relatively fast and he thinks farther, but in a moment, he thinks of everything that will happen in a few years, but ten years later......

However, she didn't think badly, the children are all older, and the things that cost money are coming. As an actual family...... The head of the three families, she had to plan early.

Qiu Chen took the abacus, calculated the income and expenditure of this year, checked the cash on hand, and there were less than 30,000 taels, if you count the dividends receivable and upcoming income, there would be about 40,000. These silver taels seem to be a lot, but if you really want to take them out to help, it will not be enough to see, just to relieve the Zhuang households in your own Zhuangzi, it should be no problem.

After settling the accounts and checking his finances, Qiu Chen was slightly relieved. The silver is almost enough, and then it depends on the results of the investigation brought back by Daxing, to see how many farmers need to be rescued, and what is the specific situation, whether it is only necessary to take a little silver out, and whether there is any sick and weak silver can not be solved......

Closing the account book, Qiu Chen quickly figured out a few plans in her mind, and felt that several possible situations had a way to deal with them, so she put this matter down.

"Sister-in-law!" Lin Xianniang's voice came from outside the door.

Qiu Chen raised his eyes and looked at the clock, it was already the middle of the afternoon, and Lin Xianniang's daily afternoon class should be finished. Only then did he respond with a smile, called Lin Xianniang in, and handed over the account books, abacus, etc. to Yufeng to put away.

Lin Xianniang brought a plain white cocoon silk handkerchief, and a white hosta flower was embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief.

"Sister-in-law, look at the ...... I learned to embroider," Lin Xianniang held the handkerchief in front of Qiu Chen.

Qiu Chen took the handkerchief, unfolded it to meet the light of the window, looked at it carefully for a while, and said with a smile: "The fifth sister really worked hard, this hosta embroidery is already very good." ”

Lin Xianniang was a little embarrassed, and said slightly shyly: "This is my sister-in-law looking at my sister...... The master said that I still work hard, that is, this work needs to be carefully pondered and exercised, and it is not enough to only master the needlework, there is no form and no god. ”

Qiu Chen put down the handkerchief, took the teacup with a smile, motioned for Lin Xianniang to drink tea too, and said with a smile: "The fifth sister is also a little anxious, how long have you learned embroidery, and it is already very good to be able to embroider like this." First have its shape, and then give it gods, this your master is right, you need to exercise slowly, who can make perfect, not in a hurry. ”

Lin Xianniang nodded with a smile in her eyes: "Well, I know it, sister-in-law." ”

Next, Qiu Chen asked a few more words about Lin Xianniang's reading and painting studies, and Lin Xianniang also answered them one by one, and after a while, Lin Xianniang changed her words and said: "Sister-in-law, after staying at home for a few days, my sister's impetuous mind gradually calmed down. In the past few days, my sister has become more and more aware that she had thought about it before, and she shouldn't be so impetuous...... Well, my sister has been out for three or four months, and there are two old ladies and aunts at home, and my sister wants to go home and take a look, and accompany the old lady more......"

Although I don't know what the reason for Lu Dao made Lin Xianniang suddenly want to go back to Liujiaao, Qiu Chen was still happy to let her go back. When she returned to Liu Jiaao and handed her over to Mrs. Lin, she could worry a lot less, and she didn't have to worry about her all day long.

"Oh, my sister can think like this, and it is naturally good to have this filial piety. The old lady must be pleased. Now that the two shops have been straightened out, their reputation and reputation can be regarded as out, and the rest is in a hurry, and it will take time to slowly accumulate...... You just need to arrange the shop, go back to live and live here, there is no difference, and it is enough to check the account at the end of the month and at the end of the quarter. ”

Lin Xianniang lowered her head and hesitated slightly: "It's just that my sister has just started to study in class, and several masters are also very good, if my sister goes back, I don't know if a few masters are willing to accompany her." ”

Qiu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, and said with a smile: "Don't talk about the other two, have you asked your embroidery master?" ”

Lin Xianniang smiled and said: "The embroidery master doesn't have much to worry about at home, but he promised to follow me back to his hometown." ”

Qiu Chen smiled slightly: "The other two masters, I'll ask, if you are willing, you will bring them back, if you are unwilling, then it is not too difficult to find a master again." The fifth sister doesn't have to worry about this. ”

Lin Xianniang's face was filled with joy, and she nodded again and again: "It's bothering my sister-in-law again." ”

Qiu Chen smiled, took a sip of tea and said, "Fifth sister is out again, where are there so many polite words from our sister-in-law!" ”

In the evening, Lin Xu came back, and after the family had dinner, Qiu Chen told him about Lin Xianniang's return to his hometown, and asked Lin Xu to ask the two gentlemen if they were willing to follow him to the countryside to continue teaching Lin Xianniang.

Qiu Chen instructed Lin Xu carefully: "...... Politely tell people, if they are willing to follow to the countryside, we will add an extra five taels of silver every month, if not, you don't have to say much, come back and tell me, we have prepared a gift to send people away. ”

Over the past year or so, Lin Xu has gone to county school and government school, and studied with Guo Jingquan, the master of Guo, coupled with the improvement of the level of the communication circle, although Lin Xu is still simple and honest, he has made a lot of progress in his speech.

Hearing Qiu Chen's order, he got up without hesitation and agreed to retreat, and went to the front yard to find two gentlemen for questioning.

The two gentlemen came to the Lin family for a short time, but after a few days, they really felt the kindness of the Lin family and the respect for the two gentlemen. Although the teacher is a female student, she is also older, but she is smart and smart, and it is not difficult to teach. Especially, those who came out to be gentlemen, their family backgrounds are generally not superior, and when they heard that the main family added five taels of silver a month, even if there was a little hesitation, they were gone, and they happily agreed.

Lin Xu came back to report back to Qiu Chen, and Qiu Chen was relieved.

The next day, Lin Xianniang didn't go to class, went to the shop after breakfast, explained something, and started to pack her luggage after coming back for lunch.

The next day, two carriages, carrying Lin Xianniang and three gentlemen, followed by Shen Hu and Daxing, went back to Liujiaao.

Seeing off Lin Xianniang and her party, Qiu Chen finally let out a long breath.

Since the third prince Yang Jingyu came to Anyang, and knew that Lin Xianniang had the intention of marrying highly, Qiu Chen was always worried, but he was afraid that Lin Xianniang would do something in order to enter the high gate. I am also afraid that Lin Xianniang didn't do anything, but she was taken by the third prince Yang Jingyu...... This time, the person packed it and sent it back to Liujiaao and handed it over to Mrs. Lin, and she was finally able to put her mind at ease.

This time when he returned to Anyang City, one thing after another, Qiu Chen tried his best to avoid attracting attention, so he didn't move around. Therefore, when Qin Li came back with the news that the third prince Yang Jingyu had left Anyang and returned to Zhengding County, Qiu Chen took it easy, prepared the post, and sent people to Guo Mansion and Tang Mansion to prepare to go over to pay a visit.

At the same time, Qiu Chen also asked people to inquire about Liao Wenqing's mother's condition, saying that because of the timely rescue and the use of good medicine, Gao's condition stabilized again, but it was obviously a little worse than the situation after the last episode......

Qiu Chen got the news, was silent for a long time, and finally asked Yuliang to go to Liao's mansion, and found a way to deliver a letter to Liao Wenqing's servant, and asked Liao Wenqing to take a chance to come over, she had something to say to him.

Although Yu Liang is young, he has grown a lot of knowledge with Lin Xu in the past year, and this kid himself is also very clever, this time the errand was very good, and he came to Qiu Chen to reply before noon: "Madam, the little one saw frankincense, frankincense went in and talked back to the third young master Liao, and came out to say, it just so happened that the wife of the Liao family has improved her condition today, and the third young master Liao can come out, but it may be too late to come to our house, so I will ask my wife to go to the Yuexuan by the South Lake to meet him......"

Yueyue Xuan is a moving restaurant by the south lake, built near the water, when the moonlight is good, the bright moon hangs in the air and is unattainable, the lake reflects the moon but seems to be able to reach out and grab it in the hand, it is in the name of 'Yuexuan'.

Qiu Chen didn't expect it to go so smoothly, waved his hand and smiled and rewarded Yuliang with a silver bean, sent them all down, turned around and took out the box containing heart disease medicine from the drawer of the kang cabinet, rubbed his fingers on a few fine porcelain vials for a while, and then closed it and handed it to Yufeng: "You clean up, and you will go out with me later." ”

Regardless of Gao's attitude towards her, Qiu Chen essentially understood Gao's heart as a mother. Of course, understanding is understanding, she has no masochistic tendencies, so she completely ignores Gao's attitude, and even extends to the attitude of other members of the Liao family, marrying Liao Wenqing hard, hoping to forbear and curry favor in exchange for a little good face to live...... She still can't stand it, and she can't do it. Of course, if she sees it clearly, she will never do it.

Liao Wenqing is good, if there were no such obstacles, she might also consider marrying him and living a peaceful life. However, no matter how good Liao Wenqing is, she can't let her give up her dignity, let alone ignore the unfair treatment that her children may receive, she tries her best to treat everyone well, of course, on the basis of treating herself, her relatives, and the people around her.

Perhaps, some people will say that she is selfish and has no spirit of sacrifice, but she is who she is, and she has the power and the ability to choose the life she wants.

If you really want to ask the reason, there may be another one, that is, her feelings for Liao Wenqing are just appreciation, and there is a tacit understanding of partners, but she really doesn't love enough. Perhaps, she is too rational and will never do that kind of thing that lowers herself to the dust for love. Because, she firmly believes and insists that love is interaction, and the premise is mutual respect and equality.

Gao's, Liao Wenqing's mother was seriously ill, and after learning that there was no cure for Lang, Qiu Chen decided to give Liao Wenqing the medicine he had done before to treat heart disease. She can't ignore it, it has nothing to do with whether she plans to marry Liao Wenqing or not, it's just that, as Liao Wenqing's business partner, Zhilu's partner's mother is seriously ill, and she happens to have the medicine available, so she should also send the medicine over to do her best.

Of course, if it is an ordinary partner, she can come to the door openly, and it is precisely because Gao's illness is related to her, so in order to avoid changes in Gao's condition and avoid provoking any gossip, she asked Yuliang to send a message to Liao Wenqing, ask Liao Wenqing to come out to meet, and then give him the medicine.

The medicine was handed over to Liao Wenqing, and after doing her best, it was time for her to make a decision. She is not suitable for Liao Wenqing.

Although he thought it through and made a decision, Qiu Chen still couldn't do it easily and didn't care......

She freshened up silently, changed into a narrow sleeved skirt embroidered with cloves in smoke and purple satin, and a wide skirt embroidered with purple twig patterns on the bottom, let Yuxiang take the indigo fox fur cloak and put it on, took the handh handed by Chunxiang and held it in his hand, Qiu Chen pursed the corners of his lips, walked to the courtyard, boarded the carriage that had been prepared, and slowly drove out of the house and out of the official hat alley under the escort of Qin Li.

------Off topic------

It's late, bow sorry...... No reason!