Zhu watched Zheng's mother hold the box. He pulled Chen Lan to sit down next to him on the kang, and then said with a smile: "Of course, what you said just now is not wrong, but if you really want to say that you are young, you are not small, and Zhuangtian's affairs should always be familiar." It just so happens that there are those Zhuang heads in the house today, and you will see it through the screen at that time. After all, it was the Zhuang Tian that the emperor gave back to your two sisters and brothers, and it would be better for you to take a look at who would be the head of the village. ”

There are hundreds of people in the Hou Mansion, and the consumption of clothes is a big expense just for the four seasons of the year, not to mention the need for charcoal in winter, ice in summer, and the cost of favors during the New Year's holidays on weekdays, and the birthday of the emperor and concubine in the palace, which all need money. Therefore, in addition to the industrial shops under their names, the granges distributed in the north bear a large part of the expenses. As for the paddy fields in the south of the Yangtze River, the rice and grain were sold locally, and then converted into silver and sent up. The stewards in the south are all old family members, and every year the Hou Mansion also sends people to take inventory, and the north side is every other season because of the close distance. The heads of the village will go to the house to say goodbye.

Hearing what Zhu said, Chen Lan understood in his heart that this was the old lady giving herself a reassurance, so he nodded with a smile. At this time, Zheng's mother saw a girl at the door poking her head out, so she stepped forward to ask, and then echoed: "Old lady, it's Miss Su Jiabiao who is here." ”

Chen Lan hurriedly stood up, only to see the door curtain lifted, and a figure bowed his head and came in, it was Su Wan'er. Yu Bai's placket and silk jacket, and the pleated skirt of baked silver, this ordinary person wears a slightly plain color, but she wears a kind of clear water hibiscus-like beauty. After stepping forward to salute the Zhu family, she met Chen Lan, and as soon as she sat down and saw the box in Zheng's mother's hand, a trace of discoloration flashed on her face, and then she returned to nothing.

"Third sister, is this another good thing to honor the old lady?"

Although Su Wan'er is a guest in the Hou Mansion, Chen Lan would not believe that this girl who is very good at drilling camps really doesn't know anything, and at this time, listening to her curious question, she smiled and said: "Cousin Wan'er said that it was funny, where is a good thing, it is the most troublesome thing in this world, so I have to beg the old lady to keep it and save myself trouble." ”

Zhu Shi smiled dumbly when she heard this, and when she saw Su Wan'er looking over, she shook her head: "Don't listen to your third sister's arrangement." The emperor's will. returned the thousands of acres of farmland in the family's long house that was not in the official, and today the little father-in-law in the palace sent the land deed, and she sent me here and asked me to keep it for her. Since she trusts me as an old woman, I have to worry more about her! ”

"How can the old lady say this, they are all close relatives and flesh and blood, where is there anything that can be trusted?"

Seeing Zhu hugging Chen Lan and laughing, Su Wan'er sat down and laughed with her, but she was sneering in her heart. The Zhu family is not the grandmother of the in-laws, how can Chen Lan dare to send the thousands of acres of fertile land that he can live on with his hands, and he is not afraid of being eaten to the point that there are no bones left? If it were her grandmother, she would have tried to hide her things, and she would never let her know about them. Otherwise, once you pass those hands, you don't know how many achievements you will have left.

"Your third sister is filial, and if she changes someone, she has already found a secret place to hide by herself, and she will come to beg me?"

Su Wan'er was taken aback by Zhu's words, and almost excused herself, but when she realized that she was not coming at her, the different color on her face was clearly seen by Mother Zheng. At this time. Zheng's mother went to the inner room with the box to collect it, and when she came out, it happened that the green calyx came in to report that the head of the village who had entered the house to ask for peace had arrived, so she smiled and said: "Old lady, that matter is in charge of my family, they are all big men, and I don't know when I see them one by one, why don't I let him recommend a few reliable ones, and let the third lady ask through the screen?" ”

Chen Lan handed over the deed because now she and Chen Yan's sister and brother have no way to control such a large amount of wealth, rather than arousing the covetousness of others, it is better to use these things to plan some benefits for herself and Chen Yan. Sure enough, Zhu felt that her granddaughter was reliable and obedient, so he left the appointment of the head of the village to her own decision. Now although Zheng's mother is inserted, she still has the four old generals of the Chu family, and she does not seek the position of steward, but it is no obstacle to be placed in the grange.

"It's up to you, you take Lan'er to take a look, and explain the explanation. Those people are not good at stubble, don't let them think that this is a clever sect to fool and deceive, other farms often pay a rent of seventy or eighty percent every year, but this grange is a good land on the side of the Chaobai River in Tongzhou, and it is necessary to hand over ten full land every year. There is no need to say anything else, lest they go out and be called a collision! ”

Although he didn't understand the tricks in the crop field, Chen Lan could hear the meaning of Zhu's words, and hurriedly stood up and agreed with Zheng's mother, and then took Hongluo and Ruixue out with Zheng's mother.

Seeing that they were leaving, Zhu called Su Wan'er over, looked at her carefully and said, "I ordered someone to invite your old lady a few days ago. She actually said that your brother was busy trying and couldn't spare time to come, so she left you here. I see that your old lady's mind is on your brother, and she can't take care of you, but I feel sorry for you. Every year in the imperial examination, there are many prodigies in the provinces, if it is so easy to take the test, how can there be only two or three hundred jinshi a year? Besides, this imperial examination is originally about a disciple and a county, if your brother is blindly bored at home and does not go to see those seniors and fellow villagers, I am afraid that it will be difficult. ”

Su Wan'er listened to Yang Jinzhou's judgment of her eldest brother Su Yi in Huguo Temple that day, and her heart was already half cold, and later the Marquis of Yangning gently and skillfully returned the title, and she also received a large reward, so she knew that marriage was difficult to achieve. At this moment, Zhu Shi clearly analyzed the words clearly, she couldn't help gritting her teeth, and then stood up and knelt down in front of Zhu.

"Old lady...... I didn't stay with you for a few days, but you treated me like a granddaughter, and I have long regarded you as my own grandmother. Wan'er has been studying with her eldest brother since she was a child, and I have read almost all the scriptures and histories that my eldest brother has read. Nothing is autonomous. ”

Seeing that Su Wan'er was already in tears as she spoke, holding her knees and refusing to let go, Zhu couldn't help but smile slightly, then put her hand on her shoulder, whispered a few words of comfort, and said meaningfully at the end: "The old marquis signed that marriage contract with your family when he was alive, but after all, he only left a jade pendant, and did not make a marriage certificate." Your brother won't mention it for the time being, but you are very likable, and I have the heart to come back as a granddaughter-in-law for any grandson......"

Although Zhu's words were not finished, Su Wan'er already felt that there was a sudden light in front of her. Even his body trembled slightly. After entering the Yangning Hou Mansion, she only knew what kind of life the wealthy family lived, everything was exquisite and exquisite to the bones, and one of her guests was also three or four girls, where was it like at home, and the women were popular every day, not to mention, and even had to cook? The Zhu family is very good to her, if she can really marry such a family, she has not lived in vain in this life, and many skills have not been learned in vain!

Chen Lan followed Zheng's mother all the way to the front yard, listening to her babbling about the old lady's daily living habits, knowing that this was a reminder, he secretly listened and wrote it down. Because the family had already been informed, so the group went out of the second door, and those little guys and so on all retreated, and when they entered the water collection, they sat down on the big cedar armchair behind the glazed octagonal screen, and listened to the Zheng steward outside report a series of names, she felt a little tricky, and looked at Zheng's mother with a slight groan.

"It's still as my mother said before, just recommend a few reliable people to meet, I only ask two things."

Zheng's mother thought that her family was already at the top of the house, and the old lady's reward was rich on weekdays, and her husband's income was also more, and the yield of this thousand acres of fertile land was more than her hand and her hand was not bad, so she asked her husband to come forward to recommend people, just to prevent those inferior people from seeking benefits, so she nodded and went out to whisper a few words to her husband. Not long after, Steward Zheng outside reported four people. Chen Lan directly ordered people to come in one by one, but only asked two questions as he had just said.

Which kind of paddy field, dry land, and slope land are they best at, and what is the best place to grow in each land? If there is a famine, and the tenant cannot afford to pay the rent, how much can he collect this year's rent?

Hearing this, Zheng's mother showed a trace of surprise on her face, and Steward Zheng also groaned thoughtfully. The four stewards who were called in one by one answered almost unanimously on the first question, but the latter question was different.

A plainly dressed steward replied that he was eighty percent, and then confidently said that he was in charge of the three Zhuangzi of the Hou Mansion in the Zhending Mansion. There has not been a year of arrears of land rent; A steward with the most gorgeous clothes replied that the reputation of the Hou Mansion was important, and he could not be forced too much; A white-washed village head with knees and elbows said that the rent of the Hou Mansion has always been reduced by 30% in the famine years, which is also a rule; Only a short old steward muttered for a long time, saying that in the famine year, it can also be scored, if it is good, it can be collected in seven or eighty percent, and if it is bad, it can only be collected in several periods, but how many percent do not dare to pack the ticket, but if the seeds are lent, the next year will definitely be able to settle the account. However, it must be known that the people in the north are fierce, and it is common for tenants to resist tenants, especially those who have worked for Huangzhuang, and there may be any problems left behind by the head of the village when they leave, and it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no changes.

Chen Lanyuan just wanted to give it a try, but when he heard the last answer, his face suddenly stretched, and when Zheng's mother came in to reply, he said his decision. Because these four are all favored by her husband, Zheng's mother naturally didn't say anything, and soon called people in again. When the short Zhang Zhuangtou knelt down and kowtowed, she knocked two more sentences on the side, and saw that Chen Lan had nothing to say, so she sent the person out, and then sent Chen Lan back.

This time it looks simple, in fact, the four village stewards are talking endlessly, so when Chen Lan returned to the Tatexiang Courtyard again, it happened that several boys in the family had already gotten out of school, and the main hall was lively after the battle, even Chen Bing, Chen Yun and Chen Xi were there.

Seeing Chen Lan come in, everyone in the room took a few more glances at her, and among them, Chen Yan's gaze was quite strange. When Zhu saw Zheng's mother coming, he smiled and said, "You came just in time, you were sick and missed school a few years ago, and then there were many things at home, so this matter was put aside." It just so happens that Mr. Wu, who teaches you four sisters now, has gone home, so you can just take a break and learn more about female red, and I also invited Aunt Zhou, who was next to the Empress Dowager, to teach you some advance and retreat etiquette, which will be used in the future. ”

As soon as these words came out, the boys were just gone, and the four girls, including Chen Lan, were all taken aback.