Chapter 123: Agreement
Editor: Atlas Studios
When Mu Yangling took out the money bag and placed it on the table, the entire family widened their eyes. Even Shu Wanniang could not help but touch the silver.
Mu Shi asked with a slight frown, “How can a deer be sold for so much money? Ah Ling, although we’re short of money, we can’t cheat others.”
Mu Yangling said, “Father, do you still not trust my character? When have I ever cheated anyone? This time, it was Little General and Young Master Fan who helped find a big client.”
“Since Little General found him, that’s all the more reason not to take advantage of him,” Mu Shi said. Shu Wanniang and Madam Ma-Liu also nodded.
Being honest people, they felt that they should gift this deer to Little General’s friend since Little General had done them a favor.
“That customer is Magistrate Wu’s eldest son. He bought the deer to show filial piety to his father. The price was also negotiated by Young Master Fan and Little General.”
Mu Shi was silent for a moment before nodding. “He’s indeed a big customer. Since Little General was the one who pulled the strings, keep this money well.” Since this money came from Magistrate Wu, it wasn’t overboard to accept this money.
Only then did Mu Yangling happily put away the money bag and take out ten taels of silver. “Great-aunt, let’s go to the county to buy things tomorrow. Buy some grains and hens, and hundreds of eggs for my mother. See if there’s anything we lack at home. We’ll buy them all at once.”
Shu Wanniang opened her mouth, but Mu Shi held her hand and looked at her with a smile. Shu Wanniang swallowed her words.
At night, when Mu Shi was not paying attention, Shu Wanniang pulled her daughter over and asked, “Ah Ling, how much did you sell the handkerchief for?”
“600 copper coins.”
Shu Wanniang frowned. “So little?”
“Mother, double-sided embroidery consumes too much energy. Since you still have to breastfeed, you’d better not embroider that. Embroider something else. I’m sure it’ll fetch decent money, too.”
“Did you ask how much a double-sided embroidered screen can fetch?”
Mu Yangling answered in a deflated tone, “I didn’t ask. That shopkeeper isn’t honest. Even if I asked, he definitely wouldn’t tell me. However, I feel that it should be quite expensive.”
Shu Wanniang thought for a moment and finally said, “Ah Ling, give me some money. I’ll go to the county to buy some needles, thread, and satin. I want to embroider a big screen.” She gently stroked her daughter’s head and smiled gently. “I’ve always relied on you and your father. Now, I want to do something for you guys. Even if I can’t hold up the sky for you, I can at least share some of your weight.”
“But why are you hiding this from Father?” Mu Yangling asked in confusion.
Her mother clearly did not want her father to know about this, so Mu Yangling instinctively felt that there was more to it. Her mother was used to keeping her worries to herself and had always been very careful with her. Afraid of accidentally hurting her, Mu Yangling did not dare to make the decision.
After a moment of silence, Shu Wanniang sighed and said, “I’m afraid your father won’t agree.”
This double-sided embroidery method was passed down by the Shu family’s ancestors. It was impossible to tell which generation’s ancestor had brought it over from their maternal family to pass it down to a Shu family’s daughter. In short, every girl had to learn it after turning eight years old. Some succeeded, and some did not.
As Shu Wanniang had a gentle and patient personality, she was the best at double-sided embroidery among her sisters. Even her smartest sister could not compare to her.
However, the Shu family also had rules. They could make this for themselves and gift it to others, but they were not allowed to sell it. They were very strict about this rule.
In the past, no matter how difficult life was, Shu Wanniang had never thought of using double-sided embroidery to earn money. However, she saw how tired her husband was and how her daughter, who had always had some baby fat, became sharp-faced. In addition, because of the resentment of being stopped from going south, Shu Wanniang decided to make use of this embroidery skill to make some money.
Even though she wanted to help her husband and daughter, she didn’t know how to farm and was weak. She couldn’t do anything else, but she could do embroidery.
Shu Wanniang sat by the brick bed uneasily. After making the bed, Mu Yangling crawled to Mu Shi’s side and whispered in his ear, “Father, hurry up and coax Mother.”
Mu Shi glared at her, his heart sour, bitter, and sweet all at once. Taking advantage of the time when his daughter went out to get hot water, he went forward and held his wife’s hand. He said in a low voice, “Do whatever you want. However, don’t tire yourself out lest you hurt your eyes.”
Tearing up slightly, Shu Wanniang held her husband’s hand tightly and leaned her head on his shoulder.
Mu Shi patted her back.
Actually, he didn’t want his wife to make money by doing double-sided embroidery. Firstly, he didn’t want to have such entanglements with the Shu family, and secondly, he didn’t want his wife to have a knot in her heart because of this.
After Mu Yangling bought some fine rice and ground it into powder, she steamed it with two eggs every day. Before the new year, the twins’ faces turned chubby again.
Mu Yangling was overjoyed to see this. Every day when she came back, she would kiss them. It was the same today. When Mu Yangling kissed their faces, Hu Dian’s voice sounded outside.
Mu Yangling put down the child and walked out. Shu Wanniang was hiding in the kitchen helplessly.
“Uncle Hu, what’s the matter?”
Hu Dian glanced at the kitchen. During this period of time, he also knew that Mu Shi and Mu Yangling were in charge of the Mu Residence. When Mu Shi was not at home, he only needed to look for Mu Yangling. On the other hand, Mu Shi’s wife stayed at home all day and almost did not go out. She was like a well-bred young lady.
As this thought flashed across his mind, Hu Dian smiled and said, “I’ve received word that the farming tools and plowing oxen assigned by the Imperial Court have already arrived. They’re asking every family to collect them. Your father isn’t at home, so someone from your family should go as well.”
A smile bloomed on Mu Yangling’s face. “The items are here? Are there many?”
Hu Dian touched his head and said, “I haven’t gone yet. I don’t know if it’s a lot. Why don’t we go and take a look together?”
“Uncle Hu, you can go first. I’ll pack up before leaving.”
Hu Dian agreed.
Mu Yangling turned around and ran to look for Madam Ma-Liu. Not knowing how to assess farming tools, she had to find her great-aunt to go with her.
By the time Mu Yangling and Madam Ma-Liu rushed to the camp area, there were already many people standing in front of the camp area. There were old and young people, and Mu Yangling was the only child there.
The person in front shouted, “The higher-ups have already divided the farming tools. Every family has a limited number of things. However, because there are limited plowing oxens, they are divided according to section. Each section will receive five oxen, to be shared among the section. You have to remember that these oxen belong to the camp. Don’t work them to death after bringing them back. If they really die, that’s it. Do you hear me?”
The people below were already clamoring loudly. Someone shouted, “Since each section only receives five oxen, when will it be our turn?”
“That’s right. There are so many families and each family has so much land…”
The person above shouted, “You think it’s too few? If you think it’s too few, you can choose not to have it. It’s not as if you had oxen at home in the past? Behave yourself. If you continue making a ruckus, you won’t have any.”
Everyone immediately fell silent.
Mu Yangling was instantly discouraged. She said to Madam Ma-Liu, “Since there are only five cows per section, I think our family can forget about using it.”
However, Madam Ma-Liu said, “Since your father is a section commander, he should get to use it first.”
Mu Yangling shook her head. “Forget it. I’m strong. We should let his subordinates use the oxen instead. Consider us setting a good example to help Qi Haoran out.”