《Farming with Taobao》


 C1

    Chapter I: One Poor, Two White, Three Mouth (1)


    In the middle of winter, the fine snowflakes were like the purest sugar, rustling down and wrapping up the serene village layer by layer. Gradually, the green steps, the farmland, and the roof beams were obscured, leaving only endless pure white.


    "If only it was real sugar."


    The fifteen year old Black Bean licked his chapped lips and sighed, as if he was talking to his sick sister on the bed, or talking to himself, "Er Niu, you have to get better soon, your brother Mao Dou is still waiting for you to wake up and eat New Year''s Eve dumplings with him."


    Mao Dou, who was lying on the side of the wooden bed, heard the noise and rubbed his eyes before sitting up.


    "Bro, do we have dumplings to eat?"


    How could there be a dumpling made with white noodles in the house? It was just saying it was nice to listen to and coaxing his sister to open her eyes. Black Bean shook his head and remembered that his brother couldn''t see anything even if there was no light in the house, so he asked: "Are you hungry? I''ll make you a bowl of wild vegetable soup. "


    He was hungry to the point that his heart was pressed against his back. When he heard that he was about to get up from the wild herb soup, he was quickly held down by Black Bean.


    "Don''t get up on such a cold day. Big Bro will bring the bowl to you and eat on the bed. Your sister is still sick, hurry up and press the blanket down, don''t shake the wind. "


    Mao Dou nodded sensibly, sniffling a few times from the cold. He looked longingly at the stove with carbon still in his stomach, then suddenly changed his mind.


    "Bro, I better not drink anymore. I''ll keep it for Sis. When she wakes up, I''ll give it to her."


    Black Bean''s eyes immediately reddened. If his uncle''s family did not take over three acres of land left behind by his parents, his third uncle''s family would have taken away everything they could take. The three siblings would not have nothing left to stutter about by the end of the year.


    The wild vegetables in the pot were the ones that he had previously dug up and stored in the sun. Even if the villagers were to dislike the old wild vegetables, they would only pick the sprouts from before the spring. did not even bother to feed the pigs as he had dug all these.


    Black Bean wiped the corner of his eyes and said: "You just need to rest assured to eat, there''s still some wild vegetables that I dug up, even if your sister wakes up, it''s not enough."


    Mao Dou nodded his head obediently. With a smile, his eyes turned into crescent moons as he greedily smacked his lips. "Brother, then give me a bowl. I can''t eat anymore if I have more Mao Dou."


    The soup was sparse, what could there be that could not be drunk. Black Bean knew that his little brother felt sorry for them and purposefully let them go. He answered somewhat uncomfortably, touching the darkness only to see a snow-white light coming out from the crack. He carefully made a bowl of vegetable soup and handed it over to the bed.


    "Be careful not to spill the soup onto the bed."


    "En, brother, I can''t bear to sprinkle the blankets on you. This wild vegetable soup is so delicious."


    While the two brothers were talking in low voices, two knocks on the door sounded out from outside. Who else came to burn the cold brick bed during the new year?


    "I''ll go out and take a look. Once you''ve finished drinking, bring the bowl to me. Wait for me to come back and get it for you."


    After Black Bean instructed his brother, he went to the kitchen door and put on his raincoat, then went outside to open the door.


    Lotus''s face turned red. Luckily, it was dark and no one could see her.


    "Brother, our family did the wrong thing. I didn''t have the face to see you guys at first, but I heard that Little Sister Hong Dou was sick. Did you see the doctor take the medicine?" If I don''t have any money, I''ll think about it when I get home. "It''s a bit of a mess here. My mom doesn''t know this, but why don''t you boil some meat for me and your little brother? If I get sick, I have to eat some solid food."


    As she said that, Lotus shoved a flour bag that she had carefully hid along the way into Black Bean''s arms. Black Bean subconsciously said "Who wants your things". Before he could say it, Lotus had already turned around and ran away.


    Black Bean stared at the jumbled bag in his hand as if it was filled with thorns. In the end, he was not willing to throw it away and took it into the house.


    When Mao Dou heard the door creak, he curiously stuck his head out. "Brother, who is it?"


    Black Bean said in a depressed voice: "Your sister Lotus, she stole a bag of noodles and brought it over for you guys to boil."


    Mao Dou frowned unhappily. "Aunt''s house is full of bad people. They stole our land. We don''t want their things!"


    Before Black Bean could speak, he suddenly heard a creak from the small wooden bed, and immediately turned to look with rapt attention. He realised that he had misheard, and upon closer inspection, it was his sister who had woken up, struggling to get up.


    Mao Dou also discovered it. The two of them were both surprised and happy as they rushed over to help him.


    One said in a coaxing tone, "Are you better now, are you thirsty? I''ll have Mao Dou go heat up some water. Your Sister Lotus has just sent a bag of noodles, so I''ll make some noodles for you to eat later. I''ll make a big bowl for you ¡­ "


    It was a naive and romantic scene. In the blink of an eye, he had forgotten that he was angry with someone from a moment ago. He clapped his hands in joy: "Big sister is great, big sister is great!"


    When Li Yannian heard their undisguised expressions of concern and joy, she felt both sad and touched.


    She had actually been awake for a while. Because the facts of his previous life''s death were now clear, and Lei Yutian had even opened his computer network and died from being struck by lightning on the head, there were almost no obstacles as he had to accept the fact that his soul had pierced through his body.


    When she received the original owner''s memories, she couldn''t help but sigh at the misfortune of this family. Only three siblings remained in the family. They had lost their parents at such a young age, and now they met such an unscrupulous uncle. Without money and resources, it was truly difficult for them. Fortunately, as the older brother, he had shoulders, so he would rather freeze hungry than the two small ones. If it wasn''t for the extreme cold this winter, the original owner of his body wouldn''t have gone so early.


    Thinking up to this point, she looked at the simple clothes that Black Bean was wearing, then touched the thin cotton-padded jacket that she and Mao Dou were wearing, and remembered that this was the only winter clothes that he had taken from the original owner''s parents. When Third Uncle of the Li family came to rob things, this old cotton jacket was worn out beyond recognition. He stuffed it at the bottom of the cupboard and shook it a little. In the end, he did not take a fancy to it and left behind a blue bead.


    Fortunately, Black Bean was very meticulous, and thought of the strict winter later in the summer. Taking advantage of the fact that the weather had not turned cold yet, he brazenly begged to go next door to the Wang family and cut the pigweed for them for ten days. Only then did Aunt Ren find the time to help change the coat into two smaller ones, one for Mao Dou and the other for the original owner, Hong Dou. Although it was not as thick as the winter clothes of the other children, it could at least store some heat so that the two children wouldn''t freeze to death.


    As for Black Bean himself, from summer to winter, he only wore the same clothes he had the day their parents died. With their family property taken over by their uncles, it was difficult for the siblings to even eat, much less have the spare money to buy winter coats. As soon as the day got cold, Black Bean would tie a straw stick to his body, and whether or not it was raining, he would wear a rain cape to block the wind. Only then did he grit his teeth and endured half the winter.


    Li Yannian couldn''t help but sigh. It was unfortunate, but also fortunate, that she had teleported to such a place. Since the heavens were willing to give her another chance, she must be connected to the original owner to live on.


    Black Bean did not know that his own sister had already changed her focus. Seeing that she did not say anything, he thought that she was sick and did not have the strength to speak, so he quickly assigned Mao Dou to work, "Ah, Dou, go cook the stove for me and I will cook for you. Let''s eat a bowl of hot food to celebrate New Year."


    "Eh, I''ll go right now."


    Mao Dou kicked off the ground and reached for the stove to add firewood.


    For a moment, the room was silent, except for the crackling sound of the small fire licking the dry wood.

 C2

    Chapter II Poverty-stricken Two White Three Mouth (2)


    Black Bean held the mixed looking bag, and was at a loss on the stove. The amount of the powder in his hand was only about three pounds. Other than the leftover wild herbs in the pot, he could not find anything else to eat. It was freezing cold outside. The snow had sealed off the mountains, and there were no roots of wild vegetables to be dug out. If he ate a little more, he would be able to survive for another ten to fifteen days to half a month.


    However, Er Niu had just woken up. Her body was the fault of being hungry. If she didn''t give Er Niu some food now ¡­ He gritted his teeth and gave up on making the Clear Broth Noodle Soup. He poured half a bag of mixed noodles into a cold water pot, picked up a branch and slowly stirred the mixed flour paste while saying to the small wooden bed, "Er Niu, don''t worry. Big bro will make you some soup now. We''ll have something to eat when the water is boiled."


    If he did not say that Li Yannian had not felt it, but when it came to eating, it was like his stomach was being grinded dry, causing his stomach to throb in pain. This kind of strange yet familiar hunger that seemed to be able to swallow everything Li Yannian had never experienced before.


    If it was in the past, when someone told her that you would cry from hunger one day, Li Yannian would definitely treat that person as a lunatic and leave him with a cold smile. Not to mention that she was an online shopper, her house was always filled with stored rations, and it was not difficult for her to get snacks and local specialties from all over the place. She could buy them from any treasure, even if the water and electricity were cut off for a week or two.


    Besides, society was so prosperous these days. He could brush anywhere he went out with a phone, even if he didn''t have money in his pocket. To give an extreme example, even if he went to the hospital alone for surgery, he would still be able to order takeout using his phone when he woke up with an anesthetic. These days, he had only seen people who overate themselves to death, but he had never heard of anyone who starved to death without eating anything.


    But now, she was personally experiencing the pain of living a life worse than death. Li Yannian reckoned that if she was able to bite the wooden board, she would be able to eat the bed.


    Fortunately the tofu was burning hot, and the sauce in the wok quickly ripened. The small room immediately emitted a sweet smell of food, attracting Li Yannian''s drool.


    Black Bean carefully scooped up the top layer of the meat and scooped up half a bowl of it. After blowing until the bowl wasn''t scalding hot enough, he handed it over to his little sister.


    Black Bean was afraid that she would be injured from eating, hence he warned her repeatedly, "Er Niu, eat at a slower pace. You have been hungry for quite a few days, so you shouldn''t eat too much in one go. "Don''t worry, there''s still a lot left in the pot. I''ve cooked a big pot, enough for us to eat twice. When you''ve recovered, I''ll serve it to you."


    Li Yannian had also heard this phrase from the older generation. Knowing that he said it for her own good, she squeezed out a smile and said, "Un, big bro, don''t just stand there with Mao Dou. Eat it while it''s hot."


    However, Black Bean and Mao Dou stood there without moving. The little one watched her as she took small sips of the porridge. No matter how bad the light in the room was, Li Yannian could understand the desire in Mao Dou''s eyes.


    She finally remembered that only the broken bowl was left in her hands and couldn''t help but sigh. She waved at Mao Dou and said, "Dou''er, come over here. Big Sis isn''t hungry anymore. Take the bowl to the pot and scoop some meat."


    Mao Dou shook his head. "Big sis, I''m not hungry. I''ll eat again after you''re done eating."


    To tell the truth, this wild vegetable noodle soup truly wasn''t tasty. The wild vegetables were old and astringent, the mixed noodles were coarse and scraping at the throat, making Li Yannian, who was used to eating good food, feel extremely bitter. After taking the first bite, she closed his eyes and swallowed them. She knew very well that this was not the time to be hypocritical. Being shunned by her as a mixed blemish was already a rare delicacy for the two brothers.


    With that in mind, Li Yannian precious drank the last mouthful. Her stomach finally felt a little full, and even her frozen limbs warmed up a lot.


    Black Bean, who was waiting at the side, saw that she had finished her soup, so he went up and took the bowl. He first poured a bowl for his younger brother Mao Dou, and only drank it himself in the end.


    Mao Dou''s eyes were sharp as he shouted, "Brother, how can you eat so little?"


    Black Bean laughed, "I''m not hungry. Are you hungry enough?


    Mao Dou licked his lips and savored the mixed flavor. He shook his head like a rattle drum. "I still need to keep it for tomorrow. I won''t be eating it. After all, I won''t be hungry after I fall asleep."


    Li Yannian was stung by Black Bean and Mao Dou''s understanding, she really couldn''t understand why the uncle and uncle pair would have the heart to be so harsh on his nephew. In the ancient villages, there should have been some people who cared about their nephew as well, even if the Li Clan''s Clan Chief had the ability to sit still and do nothing, allowing the elders of the two families to bully the younger generation.


    It was a pity that the original owner was still young and was only nine years old. He had been doted on by his parents to the point that he didn''t have a deep impression of the Li family''s elders. Li Yannian calculated that she could only follow the instructions in her mind and slowly probe Black Bean in the future.


    However, he didn''t know which dynasty he was wearing it to. Li Yannian''s history was not good, and had graduated and worked for many years, so it was already good enough for him to remember a few famous people in the dynasty. He didn''t expect that he could be like the other female lords who had experienced the world and relied on their ability "to foresee the future" to stay by the princes'' side to advise them on how to lead a peaceful life.


    Perhaps she could go to the town''s art studio and see if she could find some suitable job to do as she pleased. After all, she couldn''t afford to eat wild vegetables mixed together every day ¡­ Just as she was losing herself in her thoughts, Black Bean had already went out of the house and used the snow to clean the bowl. Since it was dark, there was no entertainment. After filling his stomach, it was time for him to sleep.


    In the room, there was a broken blanket that Black Bean had picked up. The three siblings were lying on the small wooden bed that Li Yannian was recuperating on, on top of a thick layer of straw. She slept, Mao Dou at least slept in the middle, and Black Bean at the outer most. She silently brought the blankets over to them and covered her stomach.


    Li Yannian''s throat immediately became choked.


    Outside, the snow was still falling in fine pieces. The deeper the snow, the more clear the light of the snow was seeping out from the cracks in the roof. It clearly showed the despicable poverty of this small house.


    A farmhouse stove, a gaping pottery bowl, an old raincoat, a crippled chest of drawers, and a small wooden bed with a door board were all the possessions of the Li Family.


    Li Yannian suddenly thought of the "brainwashing" phrase that was often seen in the "Pager Ads": In the beginning, one person and one dog, all of their equipment were picked up from the ground. Her transcending from the start mode looked even worse than a pager.


    As she listened to the sound of falling snow, the wild roots that she had just eaten, after briefly satisfying her stomach, which was filled with a spasm of hunger, began to reveal its true appearance. They rolled over and over, burning her to the point where she could no longer sleep. However, his body was stiff and he did not dare to easily flip the quilt. The slightest movement on his bed was like a gust of cold wind blowing from head to toe, dispersing even the hot air that he had saved for a long time.


    "Er Niu, can''t you sleep because of hunger?" In the darkness, Li Yannian''s fingers were stiff, and she hadn''t even moved an inch. No one knew how Black Bean found out that she was still awake.


    Afraid that Black Bean would climb up to make food for her, Li Yannian immediately clarified: "Brother, it''s not like that. I slept for too long before I couldn''t fall asleep. "


    Black Bean went to sleep at ease. After pondering for a while, he suddenly spoke out, "Er Niu, after the new year, I''ll look for a job in the town, and when I earn money, I''ll take you to see a doctor. You''re just a girl, not like Mao Dou, you''re sick."


    It was as if warmth flowed through his heart, Li Yannian resisted the warmth that was swirling in his eyes, and only spoke one sentence out of every thousand: "Brother, our family will definitely get better in the future, if we don''t get frozen, if we don''t starve, no one will be able to bully us!"


    Black Bean remembered the expressions on his Eldest and Third Uncle''s face when they forcibly took over his family''s property. After a moment of silence, he answered resolutely, "En!"

 C3

    Chapter III The Small forage leaf Save the Poor (1)


    Early in the morning, the heavy snowfall finally stopped. The snow on the ground was as deep as his calves. As soon as he stepped on it, it creaked and creaked, but as soon as he wasn''t careful, his shoes would sink into the snow.


    However, all of this could not stop the villagers from celebrating the New Year. At daybreak, every household faced the cold wind and could not wait to ignite the strings of firecrackers on the open space in front of their house. With every explosion, layers of fragmented red clothes gradually covered the silvery white snow. The children were laughing and making a ruckus. The entire village was filled with joy.


    Li Yannian was woken up early in the morning by the sound of firecrackers. It was cold and hungry, and her head hurt so much that it felt like a little person was hammering.


    had obviously tried her best to cover herself when she was sleeping yesterday, and there was even an extra coat on her body compared to Black Bean''s. This night, her teeth were still chattering from the cold, and once again, she woke up with a feeling that she had never experienced before.


    Don''t be sick again, Li Yannian thought as she reached out to feel the warmth of her forehead.


    Black Bean also woke up, and when he heard the commotion, he turned and asked: "Er Niu, you''re awake, are you better? "Then bro will just get up and get heated up with you guys."


    Li Yannian thought back to how she had lost her appetite yesterday, but her stomach was singing a different tune to her. Thinking about it, it was better to have something to eat than a hungry stomach, so she could only nod her head: "Brother, I''m much better now.


    Mao Dou was awakened by the sound of their voices. He had yet to fully open his eyes, and his stomach was growling loudly in response. He laid on the bed and laughed for a while, then rubbed his stomach. Then he stretched and turned to ask Black Bean: "Brother, what do you want to eat in the morning?"


    Black Bean rubbed his soft heart: "There''s still some sauce in the pot, you can eat it once it''s hot."


    Mao Dou licked his lips greedily and said happily, "That''s great! We can eat the porridge again."


    Li Yannian immediately blushed. Compared to Mao Dou, he wondered how lucky she was.


    Black Bean''s movements were very fast. In a few moments, he had already taken care of breakfast with his two younger brothers and sisters.


    "Brother, what are we doing today? "Today is the first day of the new year, so it''s firecrackers out there. In the past, when Mother was there, she was most afraid of us playing bomb the most. Every time, we would hide far away ¡­"


    In the end, Mao Dou was still a child. No matter how sensible he was, he still couldn''t have imagined that something that he didn''t care about would suddenly prick Black Bean''s sore spot.


    Li Yannian saw that Black Bean''s eyes were rimmed red, and immediately interrupted: "Since we aren''t setting off firecrackers today, then let''s stay at home and tidy up the house. Since I''ve been sick, big brother hasn''t had the time to clean the house, right? This is the first day of the new year. If there is a new weather for the new year, we will start with this house. "


    Black Bean nodded his head, and choked with emotions: "Er Mei is right, we should clean the house properly. "Hey, can you clean up the floor for me?"


    Mao Dou''s eyes widened until they were round. He puffed out his chest and made a promise, "Big Brother, I know how to sweep the floor the most. Leave it to me!"


    Li Yannian did not know if she could use a broom in his house during New Year''s. In the past, his house would always clean it up before New Year''s Eve, but now was a good time to divert everyone''s attention. She tightened her coat and was about to go to the stove to get a broken bowl to help pour water on Mao Dou.


    Black Bean immediately stopped her, "You''re the better one. You should just lie on the bed and take care of the work in this room. I and Mao Dou will be done soon."


    Mao Dou also nodded his head in agreement. His thin and small hands helped his brother hold her down, as if Li Yannian wouldn''t let go if he didn''t lie down to rest.


    Li Yannian was a little dizzy when she suddenly stood up just now. Most likely, her blood sugar was not enough and her foundation was still weak.


    The living room was not big to begin with. Black Bean brought his brother and cleanly swept the dust with the reed broom, then turned to wipe the stove. Taking advantage of this, Li Yannian took a careful look at her new home.


    Last night, she had thought that the situation in the Li family could be summarized perfectly with the words "four walls of the Li family''s disciple", but after seeing it today, she realized that she was too optimistic.


    The four walls of a household were the walls of poverty. At the very least, the walls were still intact. However, the Li Family''s house was flooded at the end of this summer. Unfortunately, half of the houses that the Li Family lived in had been washed away. The entire hall that the Li Family used to live in had been buried in mud and stone. As for the room they were currently living in, it had originally been the Li family''s kitchen. The situation was slightly better, and only the wall near the mountain had been destroyed in half.


    The three siblings had no money on them, and the house could not be built either. They tore down the door of the living room and used it as a bed. They all lived in the kitchen. The kitchen was a red mud house of less than ten square meters. On the east side, there was a stove with a fire on the wall. Two bundles of dry wood were piled on the side. On the right side of the stove was an old water jar. The bamboo that was leading the water had dried up and cracked. Clearly, it had been out of water for a long time. She searched the house but didn''t find a bucket. She didn''t know if it was taken by that uncle from the Li family.


    Sigh, in such a situation, it was truly not easy for Black Bean, the elder brother, to take care of his two younger brothers and sisters to such an extent.


    As Li Yannian was sighing emotionally, she suddenly saw a vegetable basket hanging on the high ceiling. Her eyes immediately lit up.


    "Big brother, what''s the headgear over there?"


    Black Bean looked in the direction where her finger pointed, and his eyes lit up.


    Mao Dou joyfully jumped up and down as he urged, "Brother, hurry and pick them out. They might be his father''s secret stash of money!"


    Black Bean scoffed at him, thinking that his father was not that kind of person, he would never secretly hide money behind his mother''s back, while looking around to see if there was anything he could use, so that he could pick the vegetable basket off the roof.


    With much difficulty, Black Bean finally found a bamboo basket outside the house. When it landed, all three pairs of eyes were glued onto it.


    "Brother, what''s inside?"


    Mao Dou and Li Yannian curiously looked over, but were greatly disappointed when they saw this. The basket was filled to the brim, not with money nor food, but with forage leaf s used to wrap the dumplings.


    Mao Dou blinked. He suddenly thought of something and said dejectedly, "This was something mother told us to pick first. It was something elder sister helped to dry." He said that he would wait until the new year, then spend half a cent to buy meat to buy rice and wrap up the dumplings. "When I''m done cooking, I''ll hang it on the beam. If you''re obedient, mother will cook one for me every day ¡­"


    Black Bean also remembered the happy look his mother had back then, "Brother Dou, after the new year, Father and Mother will work harder and gather more money and send you to school to read. When we return, you can teach your brother ¡­ "Since you''ve made the dumplings, hang them on the beam in the future. You can bring along a few from school and eat them while you heat them up. Mother inside will give you more fat meat to wrap around ¡­"


    At that time, he was both happy and worried. He was happy that he could read now, but worried that his family would have enough money. His parents wanted to send him to school.

 C4

    Black Bean and Mao Dou were immersed in the reminiscing of their deceased mother, but at this moment, Li Yannian was struck dumb by the bolt of lightning that suddenly exploded in his head.


    The moment she saw the forage leaf clearly, Li Yannian could not help but sigh. How good would it be if it was something that could be exchanged for money. However, just as he thought that, a gentle female voice rang in his mind, "This is the Taobao Crossing Service. This is your first time using it, please be aware of the following matters. You may face the punishment of being sealed off."


    Li Yannian could no longer be bothered to investigate what the Taobao Travelling Service was. Hearing that sentence, even if she was to be punished, she was shocked in her heart.


    With this thought, in a blink of an eye, Li Yannian''s attention had turned to the matters that the customer service was about to announce. The most important things were the following:


    First, you are not allowed to trade prescription drugs, prohibited tools, etc.


    Secondly, they could only buy and sell postal items. Even if there was a quality problem with the items they bought, they would not retreat or compensate for them. A one star seller could initiate four transactions within a month and if there were any quality disputes, the seller would be responsible for the entire transaction, making it ten times the compensation.


    Third, a 1-star buyer can only launch four transactions in a month, browsing the page for a minute. If the time limit exceeds the prescribed time limit, the trading limit shall be used automatically.


    Fourth, a 1-star buyer must not sell for more than a thousand yuan within a month. After reaching the Ascending Star, the amount should be appropriately relaxed according to the amount of credit.


    Of course, in accordance with international practice, all the right of interpretation lies with the Taobao Travelling Service.


    With regards to the Overlord''s Terms contained within, Li Yannian did not have time to retort.


    Now that she had this golden finger that she didn''t know how thick it was, she felt slightly more at ease. But then there was the new problem. She lived in this house, things were changing less and less, and there were always two pairs of eyes staring at her, brothers and brothers who knew everything. How was she going to explain this lie? Honestly speaking, with the original owner''s age, what he had seen was limited, and even he himself only knew a little about the current world. What kind of items that he had bought from the Taobao Crossing Service could be sold without arousing suspicion?


    For the current Li Yannian, this question was truly a big problem. She could either starve to death with the two brothers while hugging Goldfinger, or she could hide and enjoy life by herself, or ¡­ Be honest with them.


    Black Bean had already regained his senses, seeing his sister and brother looking at the forage leaf in a daze, the sadness in his eyes receded a little. He reached out to rub his brother and sister''s heads, and said softly, "We will eat dumplings, after the new year, brother will go to Lizheng''s house and ask for an explanation. He is a village head, he can''t just watch us starve to death."


    Mao Dou gave a loud and clear grunt. He was extremely obedient. Li Yannian saw that he was clearly six years old, yet his bones were not even four or five years old. Because of his long term malnutrition, he could not even hang a little bit of baby fat on his face.


    Black Bean''s lips were now purple from the cold, the hand that was rubbing Mao Dou''s head was red and swollen, with chilblains all over. He was clearly the same as Mao Dou, both were only children of half a year old.


    Forget it, I can''t starve to death just by guarding the mountain.


    Li Yannian thought for a bit in her heart. Let''s do this first, and see how they react, and how they walk off from here, all we can do is see if they ask questions or not.


    Having made up her mind, she used the excuse of taking advantage of the snow to sweep away the snow before the door, in case she had to block the door from coming in or coming out. Black Bean thought about it and felt that it made sense. He donned his rain cape and walked out, Mao Dou felt that his brother''s clothes were thin and insisted on following him, causing Li Yannian to feel that it was unnecessary to follow him.


    Waiting until the two brothers left the room, Li Yannian calculated in her heart. She recited that I want to sell something and a simple and crude online shop appeared in front of him ¡ª Village Lady Mountain Trading Company. It could only sell four items, and the transaction restrictions were exactly the same as that of the one star buyer''s.


    The system did not specify the time limit for him to sell anything previously, so Li Yannian was worried that one minute was enough for him to set the price and write the description for the treasure. Fortunately, when she placed the basket of forage leaf on the trading shelf, the system automatically flashed with a light:


    Commodity Name: Natural First Class forage leaf Harvest


    Number: 367


    Unit price: 25 RMB per 60 sheets


    Freight rate: Jiangzhe-Shanghai parcel mail


    Li Yannian didn''t even have the time to look at it carefully before she received 144 Yuan in the income column. After calculating it mentally, the additional 7 Leaves probably didn''t count, so he gave her a round trip to get 0 Yuan, and also deducted a delivery fee of 6 Yuan. It should have been 150 Yuan, but it was only 144 Yuan.


    Indeed, there was no reason for him to be unscrupulous! It was obviously the system, but he still wanted to earn a quick delivery fee from her!


    However, at least this was the first pot of gold that she had earned, Li Yannian''s heart was filled with excitement. He looked at the hundred over dollars in his account, as if it was millions of dollars.


    Wait a minute, there was still a treasure deposit? However, they were currently unable to pay any interest on the hundred yuan. Furthermore, their family was still waiting for the money to save them. The business of generating large amounts of money could only be considered in the future when they had more money.


    However, what should he buy with these hundred yuan?


    It was a pity that the forage leaf could only do business at this time of day. It was unknown if they could produce forage leaf in the middle of the winter.


    In other words, she wouldn''t be able to sell her things for a sum of money in the near future. This meant that she had to use the hundred yuan that she had, to solve the two problems in front of her, and to be gentle and full!


    White Face needed to go up about $3.50 per catty and the rice also needed to go up about 2.50 per catty. The key point was that these were both heavy food and freight, so he didn''t know how much they would sell for. Li Yannian only had a minute of purchase time, she didn''t have the time to compare the two in detail. She also bought some rice noodles and some seasonings and side dishes. Otherwise, it would be boring and dull to eat just these two dishes.


    Thinking about that, Li Yannian looked at the stove. As she expected, the salt and oil cans were all empty.


    Or just buy instant noodles? Li Yannian quickly dismissed the idea. It looked to be instant noodles were indeed cheap and tasty, but then she remembered that Li siblings had a body that had been starving for a long time. Her stomach must have a problem, for she still had to buy a bag of rice. She remembered that she had often seen five or ten kilograms of packaged rice in the past, so she might as well use the packet of rice as a keyword search.


    Buy five or ten? Li Yannian subconsciously wanted to save some money to buy less, but then she thought that if the system suddenly lost its effectiveness, it would be better to buy more rice for safety.


    She made up her mind. She opened the Taobao interface and quickly typed the two keywords "rice packet mail" into the search bar. Instantly, over a hundred pages of search results popped up. Li Yannian skimmed through the ten lines on the first page, and then took out the first order. Ten kilograms of Black Dragon River Long Grain Japonica Rice, fifty-one packets of mail.


    There was no need to think about the clothes to protect against the cold. He did not even need to search for it, and he could not find any clothes, not to mention those sweater and down jacket, which were all strange and strange clothes. Even if he bought the goods, it would be difficult for Li siblings to wear them outside his house.


    Li Yannian thought back to the price of the student blankets she had bought in the past. The cheapest seemed to be worth around seventy to eighty dollars. If you buy more than seven pounds of Xinjiang quilt, no matter how cheap the price is, 120, 130 up.


    Only a minute of browsing and ordering time was different from buying a blanket and rice. Even if one saw a link to the lowest price, it still wouldn''t be the final price because different sizes and weights of the blanket would have different prices. Li Yannian was most afraid that if she kept looking around, she would waste too much time ordering.


    It would be great if this system had a pooling function. She had bought bed products from the pointers several times before, and they were basically all at the same price.

 C5

    CHAPTER V FIRST STEP OF WELL LIFE (1)


    Probably her luck today was pretty good, Li Yannian tried to open the system and indeed, he saw the costed icon. She quickly opened up the pointers and quickly typed in the keywords "student quilt". A dozen or so brand winter quilts instantly appeared on the page.


    Most of the students were filled with chemical fiber cotton, so the price was much cheaper than the cotton. Furthermore, the covers were lighter and warmer than the cotton, just not as healthy as the natural cotton. Since they were heroes that would die for a single coin, Li Yannian couldn''t care less.


    Her eyes quickly scanned through the many items, and she conveniently ordered them according to the price. In an instant, she found the cheapest one.


    Just as he was sighing to himself, he realized that he had taken a glance around. Luckily, with a tap of his mouse, the maximum price of two meters, four meters, and an extremely thick eight kilograms was only worth seventy-eight yuan. He immediately slapped his hands down, and just happened to be stuck there for a minute, causing Li Yannian, who almost wasted a chance, to break out in cold sweat.


    However, he did not know how fast the delivery speed of the system was. As she was thinking, a bag of Heilongjiang rice grains and a big blanket appeared out of nowhere before her eyes.


    "The transaction has been successful. You have received two favorable comments from the seller with a credit rating of 100%."


    Just as the message from the Taobao waiter ended, before Li Yannian could open the bag, Black Bean and the Mao Dou brothers came in.


    The final outcome was naturally the wide-eyed stare she had imagined. The two brothers'' faces were filled with disbelief, and the room became extremely quiet for a moment.


    After a while, Li Yannian still made the first move.


    She first tore the white string sealing the rice bag. Seeing the white rice inside, she was unable to resist her impulse and grabbed it in her hand. A strange happiness surged in her heart. Lowering his head to take a whiff of the fragrant rice, Li Yannian then said to Black Bean and Mao Dou calmly, "Brother, go wash the wok and pour the water.


    Mao Dou raised his head to look at his brother, then he looked at the colorful bag in her hand. He was extremely curious, but he didn''t move.


    Black Bean looked at her deeply, his eyes finally opening his mouth: "Ah, beans, listen to your sister, go burn them."


    Li Yannian knew that he wasn''t prepared to get to the bottom of this, although she didn''t understand why Black Bean resisted his curiosity and didn''t ask, she secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    Mao Dou replied and obediently sat down under the stove to start a fire. Black Bean took the broken bowl and weighed the two bowls of rice in it, washed it carefully twice, and then carefully poured it into the pot. He carefully stayed by the stove and stirred it from time to time, as if he was afraid that the rice grains would stick to the bottom and rot.


    Li Yannian had wanted to tell him not to look at the porridge like that, she just needed to stir it a few times after the water was boiled. But when she saw how the brothers were drooling and their eyes glued to the pot, she stopped talking.


    This was a good start, much better than she had expected. Since this person held hope in this desperate situation, she would subconsciously ignore all sorts of unreasonable details. After they drank the rice porridge and remembered where the rice came from, it wouldn''t be too late for her to explain.


    Mao Dou set fire to the fire, and after a while, the water in the pot began to boil.


    Black Bean became even more excited, the rice in the pot was already full of hot water, it became white and fat, releasing a rich fragrance of rice, the fragrance was so strong that it could even lure the gluttony in people''s stomach out.


    Even Li Yannian who was used to eating precious delicacies in her previous life was now salivating. If only she had known earlier, she would have let Black Bean eat two more bowls. Now that there was such a small pot, she did not know if there was enough for them to eat.


    Turning her head to the side, she almost burst into laughter.


    , who was usually calm and collected in front of his younger brother and sister, was swallowing his saliva soundlessly, his throat moving a little. Mao Dou, who was supposed to be in charge of lighting the fire, had already stopped what he was doing. He stood beside the pot while licking his lips.


    No wonder they did.


    He hadn''t eaten a good meal in the past half year, not to mention the fact that he was only willing to eat some rice and flour during the new year. Now that the pot of rice porridge was boiling in the pot, the two brothers couldn''t take it anymore.


    This was just rice porridge with no taste at all ¡­ Thinking about it, Li Yannian became increasingly determined to lead this family of three out of poverty and into prosperity. She looked at the degree of swelling of the rice in the pot, it was obvious that it had been boiled until it was soft. She then told Black Bean and Mao Dou to put the fire out and bring the rice in a bowl.


    Although Mao Dou had followed them for more than half a year, he still hadn''t worn out his childish nature. He was so excited that he started jumping around while mumbling something incomprehensible from his mouth. While Li Yannian was eating the porridge, he was paying attention and almost laughed out loud.


    The words that came out of Mao Dou''s mouth were, "Thank you, thank you, bless you, thank you, bless you."


    As expected, he was still a child. He thought that the reason for the food he was eating was due to his sincerity. The Bodhisattva''s heart was kind as he heard his New Year''s prayer.


    Black Bean obviously heard it too, as his eyes met hers with a smile. His eyes flashed, and the corners of his mouth that had been puckered up suddenly hooked up.


    As usual, Li Yannian was the first to eat. Black Bean carefully blew the scalding hot porridge to cool before bringing it to her.


    Li Yannian smiled at him: "Thank you brother, this porridge is so delicious."


    Black Bean looked at her with a complicated gaze, but did not say a word.


    Li Yannian did not think that much, the two of them were still waiting for the bowl to drink the porridge, and immediately gulped down the whole bowl of porridge. The rice grains had been cooked to a perfect degree, the bones were broken but the frame was not rotten. The rice grains were mellow and juicy, filling her throat with a fragrant taste. It was simply the most delicious rice porridge she had ever tasted in her life!


    Black Bean took the bowl, filled it with fresh air and handed it over to Mao Dou, and after he finished drinking, he filled the bowl up to the stove, broke off three thin branches and lit them up, then raised the branch to the stove to kowtow three times.


    Mao Dou looked at him strangely. "Brother, what are you doing?"


    Black Bean''s face did not have much of an expression as he turned around and said, "Give father and mother incense and let them taste the rice porridge as well."


    Mao Dou and Li Yannian''s faces immediately darkened. One of them was young, and was still worried about the days where they had parents and fathers. The other one was very thoughtful, and understood that Black Bean did not mention anything about offering incense to parents before.


    In his eyes, the plain rice porridge without even a side dish was already an excellent thing that could let his parents feel at ease.


    "Even though my parents'' memorial tablets haven''t been found in the main hall, and it''s the same with the stove. Er Niu, Dou''er, come over and burn some incense for my parents as well. Say hello."


    Li Yannian pulled Mao Dou over to pay her respects with piety. Black Bean stuck the branch on the stove, and only after the branch had been completely burnt off, did he start to drink the porridge slowly.


    As he watched his brother eat the porridge, Mao Dou''s stomach was so full that he couldn''t even drink a single bit. He touched his belly and said happily, "Sis, this porridge is so delicious. When I have money in the future, I will cook porridge and drink it for you everyday."


    Li Yannian patted his head, and laughed: "Dou''er is so obedient!"


    Mao Dou was praised and shyly stepped aside. He touched his stomach and felt that he had eaten his fill. Even his body felt warm, so he could not help but squint his crescent eyes in satisfaction. Lying on the bed, he looked at Li Yannian and then at the bag of rice on the ground, and started chuckling.

 C6

    CHAPTER VI FIRST STEP OF WELL LIFE (2)


    Black Bean ate the rice porridge in his bowl slowly, as if he wanted to memorise the taste of the porridge deeply in his taste buds. Seeing that his younger brother was a little silly, he couldn''t help but put down his chopsticks and ask, "What are you doing eating your fill of idiocy?"


    Mao Dou looked at them mysteriously and said in a low voice, "Big brother, big sis, is our family rich now? There''s a lot of rice on the ground, even Lizheng''s house doesn''t have such good white rice to eat! "


    Li Yannian looked at him, then turned back to look at Black Bean, and warmly said, "Our family has matters regarding the rice, we cannot speak of it to the outside, and in the future, no matter what Bodhisattva says, you cannot speak of it to the outside world. Even if they say that we are poor beggars who cannot eat, you cannot fight over it, Mao Dou, do you understand?"


    These words caused Black Bean and Li Yannian to stare blankly. They thought that Mao Dou had slept soundly, but it turned out that he had heard them all.


    Black Bean''s eyes flashed, and became choked with sobs: "Mao Dou is right, in the future, we will shut up and eat well, and drink well, and not let others see anything."


    "That''s right, especially the family of uncle and uncle, they will be angered to death!" Mao Dou clenched his small fists. He clearly treated his uncle and uncle''s family as irreconcilable enemies. His appearance was truly a bit adorable.


    Come to think of it, it was weird, but to be able to raise such a Li siblings, Li Hongshan and Zhang Sanniang should not be idiots either. After all, a parent was the first teacher in their child''s life. But how could Li Hongshan''s two brothers, Li Qingshan and Li Jun Shan, who were siblings from the same mother, have such different characters?


    What was even more strange was that the three Li siblings s were openly robbed of their family property by their uncles. It was as if the villagers was just watching a show, no one stood up to speak up for them.


    Besides, the Li family had no elders. Li Hongshan''s parents, who were also the grandparents of the Li family''s three siblings, lived at the entrance of the village. The Zhang Sanniang''s parents were also not far away, at the top of a mountain behind the Li Village.


    However, Li Hongshan and Zhang Sanniang have both been dead for almost half a year, yet the two families had not made any movements during this half a year, and there was no one who came to look after three siblings.


    Li Yannian thought back carefully, only that it was a pity that the old master was still young, and could not remember the many things, and only remembered that the Zhang Sanniang never seemed to have taken the initiative to mention his grandma and grandpa in front of them. Her mother''s home was so close, so logically speaking, it would be very convenient for Zhang Sanniang to return home, but according to the original owner''s memories, Zhang Sanniang didn''t seem to have gone home even once.


    It seemed that the relationship between the Zhang Sanniang and his family wasn''t good, and they might have cut off for some reason. So much so that after such a huge incident with the Lee family and the Zhang siblings, no one from the Zhang family came to support them.


    In comparison, her grandparents who lived in the same village seemed even more indifferent. Li Yannian had seen such families before. A one-tailed adult child was in so much pain that he was flustered. It was as if he had just picked up a child from the middle of the house.


    Thinking up to here, Li Yannian''s expression immediately became serious as she instructed Black Bean and Mao Dou, "Brother, little brother, these things were indeed all exchanged by the Bodhisattva for me. The rice and blankets today, were all exchanged with the forage leaf that I used my mother''s savings to buy. I''m not too sure about the details, you just have to remember one thing, you definitely can''t tell anyone about me meeting a Bodhisattva after I get sick. In the future, our family will have many more things like this. Since the three of us are still so young, no matter how strong you are, you can''t stop those black-hearted people from saying that you took the things away. "You''re still talking so perfectly. Even if we wanted to come over and reason with you, we can''t even be compared to him."


    Hearing that, Black Bean clenched his porridge bowl tightly into a fist, his eyes was filled with anger, even Mao Dou was frowning, with a look of deep thought.


    Back then, their eldest uncle, Li Qingshan, had held a promissory note saying that their father had borrowed twenty pieces of money from him and snatched away all the land within a few acres that Li Hongshan had left behind. Hong Dou and Mao Dou were still young and inexperienced, but Black Bean wasn''t.


    villagers''s life was miserable and ha-ha ha, whoever''s family could still bring out a little over two taels of money during New Year''s, would be considered a good person. Where did his uncle''s family get such a large sum of money to lend to others! As for what was written on the promissory note, three siblings didn''t even see a single word, who knows what was written on it!


    However, even though this IOU was full of doubts, Li Jun still handed over the land deed to her uncle''s family on the spot. The meaning behind the words was that a few acres of land owned by the Li family were worthless.


    Wasn''t this what the little sister said, that they could snatch whatever they wanted, snatch things from her more reasonable point of view than others, yet they couldn''t even compete with her?!


    Li Yannian carefully observed the expression on the two brothers'' faces, and seeing that they had obviously been persuaded, she smiled reassuringly, and continued, "Besides, you guys have also seen it. The things that the Bodhisattva has given us are not things that we can buy here. Once outsiders find out, it''s still light to come snatch the items away. I might as well use the title of Demon''s Evildoer on my head, even if I have been burned alive. If it wasn''t for the fact that our family life was really difficult, I wouldn''t even take the risk to shake these things in front of your eyes. "


    Black Bean and Mao Dou''s eyes were filled with panic. Mao Dou actually cried as he said it. He went forward and tightly hugged Li Yannian''s arms, as if he was afraid that someone would drag her away in the next moment.


    "Mao Dou won''t say a word. If you don''t want to burn Big Sister, you''re not allowed to!"


    Obviously Black Bean did not think about it before, but after being pointed out by Li Yannian, his expression became serious. He stared at her for a full minute, not knowing what he was thinking. In the end, he promised his in a serious tone, "Don''t worry, Er Niu. I''ll listen to everything at home, me and Dou''er will watch my mouth. We won''t say a single word that shouldn''t be said."


    With that, he asked Mao Dou, "Dou''er, don''t you think so?"


    Mao Dou''s snot and tears were all over his face as he cried. He was still hiccuping, but when he heard Black Bean''s question, he hurriedly said, "I won''t say it, I won''t say it, I won''t say it even if it costs me my life. Dou''er, don''t let Big Sister die! Big Sister, don''t die! "


    Seeing that he was so angry that he was about to cry, Li Yannian immediately held her in his arms and patted her back to ease his anger. In the future, as long as she and Big Bro keep the family''s secret, Big Sis will be fine and will always be with you. "


    Black Bean was afraid that she wouldn''t be able to hold him, so he reached out his hands to his crying brother and tried to coax her. After a while, he finally managed to coax his.


    The biggest problem that laid in front of her was perfectly solved. This time, Li Yannian was finally relieved. Today, their family had finally taken the first step towards getting food and drinks. The days to come were still long in the future. Let''s see how they would lead their days on fire and in heat!

 C7

    CHAPTER VII INITIATING THE LITERATURE TARGET OF PROGRESS (1)


    Calming himself down, Li Yannian said to Black Bean: "Since there''s still some fire in the kitchen, let''s burn the outer packaging of the rice and blankets."


    She pointed to the two items on the floor, the non-woven cloth and the plastic bags. They were all foreign objects of this era, and if anyone saw them, they wouldn''t be able to explain it.


    Black Bean had wanted to ask what these bags were made of, but they were so exquisite that they were hard and colorful, not to mention exquisite.


    But after thinking about it, he endured it and did not ask. He took the big basket of forage leaf s and poured the rice into it. Fortunately, the vegetable basket was woven so that not even a single grain of rice could escape from it.


    Intrigued, Mao Dou reached out to touch the big bag of rice. The one outside was rough (nylon woven bag), but the one inside was slippery (transparent plastic bag). It was something he had never seen before, and he couldn''t bear to burn it.


    "Sis, did all of these really burn up in the stove in the stronghold?"


    "Mmm, it will be a little stinky when I burn it later. I have no choice now, we''ll talk about it in the future."


    Mao Dou could only give up the thought of collecting them, and buried his head to help Li Yannian "destroy the corpse and erase the evidence".


    At this moment, Black Bean''s eyes landed on the delivery slip wrapped around the blanket. He curiously touched it and started to tear off a small piece of the slip, only then did he confirm that the thing in front of him was really made of paper. He looked at Li Yannian with a gaze that wanted to say something but hesitated.


    "Er Niu, you''re going to burn this as well?"


    Li Yannian nodded her head, the delivery slip was typed in simplified form, there was no use in keeping it.


    Black Bean had a pained expression on his face: "This is made of paper, it costs a lot of money."


    Li Yannian was moved when she heard it.


    As she unwrapped the blanket, she asked Black Bean: "How much money does this town need for a piece of paper? Brother, tell me, I have uses for it."


    Black Bean did not know the reason, and recalled to answer: "I heard that one needs to use money on a piece of paper, and it would be even more expensive at the beginning, a thousand and eight hundred gold. But now, there are a lot of paper, so it''s really cheap."


    Sigh, if she had known that paper could be sold at such a high price, she would have saved up some money to buy some half-cooked Xuan paper!


    Li Yannian was a little regretful. This place usually had more than eight hundred gold, she remembered this fact. The usual amount of money was not in fact the same as in the field. There was a fixed number of one thousand, but in reality there were frequent changes, sometimes close to one thousand, sometimes less than seven hundred. But generally speaking, money could be exchanged for one tael of silver, one tael was 16 taels of silver, and one tael was about 37.375 grams.


    However, Taobao''s previous price of four pieces of silver was only four pieces of silver. If there was a brand premium, then there was also a price of seven to eight pieces of silver to several thousand pieces of silver. However, according to the original value of the silver, a single piece of silver here, regardless of its quality, would cost approximately one hundred and fifty pieces of silver.


    However, it was different from the modern era. The ratio of gold and silver here was only one to six. Six taels of silver could be used to exchange for one tael of gold. However, on Taobao, the gold price would be almost 300 yuan per gram after the brand''s premium was removed. The gold and silver ratio would be as high as one to seventy yuan.


    Li Yannian''s mind was spinning very quickly, when a light suddenly flashed past. She couldn''t hold on to the bag for a moment, so she hurriedly stopped her actions of opening it.


    Black Bean saw her strange expression, and was about to speak, but instead saw Li Yannian smacking herself on the forehead, "Why am I so stupid, what a great way to earn money, I didn''t even think of it!"


    That loud voice, even Black Bean felt pain for her. Although he did not know what she was vexed about, but he believed that with the Bodhisattva watching over the girl, he would not be able to earn all the money. It was obviously his responsibility to support his family. When her sister woke up from his illness, she acted like she was a different person, putting all her effort into carrying on.


    Black Bean was a little worried, and couldn''t help but remind her: "It''s better for you to be sick, since there''s food and clothes at home, don''t be anxious about those things that don''t exist, just focus on recovering."


    Li Yannian could hear the deep concern in his voice, and laughed: "Brother, don''t worry, I know."


    Then he went back to his bed. Li Yannian tidied up the tattered blanket that the siblings had covered previously and used it as a cushion. If this bed was made thick, it would be very warm. After that, the newly bought students were refreshed, resulting in them being too greedy, causing half of the blanket to droop to the ground. Li Yannian had no choice but to fold off the blanket again and pull it away when he was about to sleep.


    Mao Dou had already finished burning the fire, and seeing that there was a new blanket on the bed, his face was filled with joy. He wanted to reach out to touch the bed, but he was afraid that his hands would be dirty and break the blanket.


    However, even if he couldn''t get a hold of the blanket, Mao Dou could not hold in his excitement. He smiled happily at Black Bean, "Brother, we have a new blanket to sleep on tonight!"


    Black Bean replied as he looked at the bed, his face filled with excitement.


    Mao Dou ran in front of Li Yannian as if he was offering a treasure. He held her hand and covered his mouth as he laughed, "Sis, we have a new blanket to take care of tonight!"


    This time, the siblings could not hold it in any longer and burst out in laughter.


    Black Bean looked like he couldn''t do anything to him, he rubbed Mao Dou''s little head and said, "Look at how cocky you are."


    However, Li Yannian pushed Mao Dou onto the bed and bared her teeth as she laughed, "Ah Dou, there''s no need to wait for the night. You''ll have a new blanket to sleep under now."


    At first, Mao Dou did not dare move, afraid that he would dirty the blanket, but after Li Yannian scratched his body a few times, she could no longer stretch his body even if she wanted to.


    "So soft, Sis. This blanket is too comfortable, it''s even warm!" Brother, Sis, you guys come up too. It''s so warm.


    It was a cold winter, and the brick bed wasn''t hot. There was only an eight-kilogram bed. It would be a joke to say that the bed was covered with hot sweat. However, neither of the brother nor sister laughed, nor did they expose him. Black Bean turned his body to wipe the corner of his eyes, and then followed Li Yannian to get into bed, one on the left and one on the right.


    Mao Dou slept between his older brother and sister, looking from left to right, his body warm and his heart warm. Ever since his parents died, he had never been as happy and happy as he was now.


    Mao Dou held the quilt close to his face and carefully rubbed it against his face. This quilt was really soft, as soft as a cloud floating in the sky. Bodhisattva is so good, to give sister such a good thing. He let out a long sigh of satisfaction. In the end, it was just a child that was tired quickly and had no worries. It only took a while for him to close his eyes and sleep soundly.


    This winter, it was the first time Black Bean covered himself with a blanket. He excitedly touched his bed, which was still rather plentiful, and under the assault of the unfamiliar warmth, he actually couldn''t hold back his sleepiness.


    Hearing the long and short breaths, Li Yannian''s body finally warmed up a little, but when she woke up in the morning, she could not sleep at all, so she opened her eyes and started looking through her books silently.

 C8

    Chapter VIII Primarily Setting Small Objectives for Earning Money (2)


    If he had known earlier that the paper could sell for a lot of money, he would have exchanged all the 144 dollars he earned from selling all the forage leaf for Xuan paper. Buying this on Taobao was too cheap. She still remembered when she helped the big sister at work buy the Xuan paper for the child to practice her calligraphy. She was half cooked, and it seemed like it was only a hundred or so pieces of paper.


    Unfortunately, he was too shocked just now. He didn''t have the time to ask in detail how many pieces of paper were on the blade.


    Li Yannian thought for a while. Sigh, even if she knew that selling Xuan paper could earn him money, it would be useless. It was the new year, and the book shop in the town was not open for the holidays. She couldn''t bear to go to the other party''s house without food and clothes. In the end, she had to buy some rice and quilts. After all, being warm and full was the best way to survive.


    When he thought about the pitiful fifteen yuan he had in his bank account, at most, he could only look at the nine yuan and nine packets of emails ¡­ After all, the most important thing was to find a way to dig out the second barrel of gold in his life as soon as possible.


    When he had the money, in addition to selling paper, he would also save up for some silver pieces to exchange for gold. Taobao''s silver shop required 30 grams of silver to start selling. They were all pieces cut from international silver, with a purity of 999 points. However, the silver did not have the purity of the silver bricks or the brand logo, so it was more convenient for her to sell them. In the past, the elder sister in their unit had often asked her to buy longevity locks and small bracelets that she could use to beat children in a gold shop. One was for cheap items, while the other was for safety.


    However, she couldn''t afford to spend too much money. After all, there were very few opportunities for people to live and live in small areas. When villagers went to the town to buy things, he would either barter or use a large sum of money. It was rare to see people buying things with silver.


    Besides, there was no such thing as a wall without wind. If she were to take the pieces of silver to the silver shop to exchange them for gold, someone would definitely see it. Their family didn''t even have a single adult male. In other words, anyone could step on their head. What could have happened to them? Wasn''t this something that they had instigated themselves?


    Li Yannian turned the pancake over in her bed. She was worried about the sales of silver and the origins of the silver, the family was so poor that they had a few forage leaf s to exchange for some money. It was all thanks to her protection under the protection of the Zhang Sanniang. What else could she sell?


    Li Yannian sighed, if it was not winter, she would have been better. She would have gone to the fields to dig up some wild vegetables, fish and prawns, and even the wild fruits that she picked from the mountains, all of these would be good stuff that was completely free of pollution.


    Furthermore, today she had used a one star seller''s chance to trade with two one star buyers. In the following month, there were only three sales and two purchases left. The credit limit for this Star was too low. If he only had a minute of time to browse, he might accidentally waste this chance.


    As she was thinking, she suddenly heard someone calling from outside. Li Yannian was afraid that he would wake the two who were sleeping on the bed up, hence he quickly put on his cotton-padded jacket and went to the door.


    "Brother Hu Zi, why are you here?"


    Li Yannian recognized the teenager outside the door. His family was one of the families that was willing to lend money to help with the funeral, hence she smiled and was extremely courteous to him.


    Hu Zi''s face reddened, he did not expect her to answer his door, and muttered: "Didn''t you get sick? Why haven''t Brother Black Bean come out yet?"


    Without waiting for Li Yannian''s reply, Hu Zi once again handed over a basket. A thick blue cloth covered her head, and she didn''t know what was under it.


    "Well, my mother told me to bring this."


    After saying that, without waiting for Li Yannian''s reaction, she immediately put the basket into her hands, slipped away, and even had suspicious red ears. It was unknown whether it was cold or embarrassed from talking to a girl.


    Li Yannian laughed helplessly, as cold wind blew into the sleeves of her neck, she did not bother to look at the things in the basket, and immediately closed the door and hid inside.


    However, Black Bean woke up. Seeing the thing in her hands, he asked curiously: "Who sent this?"


    "Brother Hu Zi brought it." "Oh my, I still have half a leg here."


    As Li Yannian spoke, she had already lifted the cover of the basket. Inside, there were twelve eggs, some pickled vegetables and rice noodles.


    Black Bean took it and looked, his eyes flashed, and then spoke out: "Uncle Li''s family is not well, they still owe them three hundred gold coins, and they have not paid it back yet, but this time ¡­."


    Li Yannian thought back to the words Hu Zi had mumbled when he first saw her, and thought that he must have intentionally gifted her this item because he knew that she was sick. His heart was also moved: "We will remember Uncle and Aunt''s feelings, and return it to you later. Oh right, brother, what kind of leg is this? "It doesn''t look that big, but it''s still hairy ¡­"


    "Oh, this is a jump. Uncle is probably going to enter the mountain again. It''s been snowing heavily, and it won''t be easy for us to fight this battle. "


    Li Yannian was not sure if the jump was a State-protected wild animal, but she immediately gave up on the idea of selling it in the system. Besides, this family of three was too lacking in oil and water. It would be better to boil some soup at night to give everyone a good rest.


    "If only there was a radish, it would be great to have a stew with the jump leg. It would definitely be delicious when cooked."


    Hearing her words, Black Bean looked a little sad. If the three acres of land left behind for them by their parents were still there, and their sister still wanted to eat vegetables, then how hard would it be ¡­?


    "After the new year, I will go to uncle and ask for rations!"


    Black Bean made up his mind. He didn''t care about his face at all, he just wanted to take back what they had given him.


    Li Yannian shook her head: "I don''t think I can come here for the rations. Since Li Zheng is so biased this time, there must be some other things we don''t know about. If it makes a ruckus between the three of us, who would take us seriously? The only thing she was afraid of was that if she didn''t bring the item back, he would have some sort of mishap. In the end, our lives are still cheap. If someone steps on us, we''ll step on them, and we won''t even have to turn around to take a bite. Brother, listen to me. Let''s keep this in mind. When people do what they do, the heavens will watch. There will always come a day when they need to pay it back. "


    Black Bean looked at her, as if he thought of something.


    Li Yannian laughed and said: "Brother, don''t worry, we will not be this unlucky, forever living so lowly. There are still a lot of days ahead of us, and it''s fine to be cheated for a while. We just have to slowly look back and see how long they can take advantage of us. "


    At the moment, Li Yannian''s eyes looked as if they were filled with the color of a new year. Black Bean was stunned by the sight, but before he could even react, he subconsciously nodded towards her.


    Seeing that he was no longer concerned about going to Li Qingshan''s house to cause trouble, Li Yannian heaved a sigh of relief. Even if three acres of land was brought back, they wouldn''t be able to grow it. Furthermore, she was truly worried that Black Bean would suffer a loss in the Li Qingshan family. No matter how much of a bastard Li Qingshan was, he was their uncle after all.

 C9

    CHAPTER IX INITIATING THE SMALL TRADING TARGET (3)


    After dispelling the thought of Black Bean making trouble during the new year, Li Yannian''s eyes turned back to the basket that Hu Zi had delivered to him. In the end, her heart was still thinking about buying Xuan paper, and after thinking about it, only the twelve eggs could be sold.


    She hesitated and looked at Black Bean, then said, "Brother, I think we should stew half of this jump leg tonight. After boiling some soup, we can give Mao Dou a good nourishment. Look at these eggs, they''re only four for each person. They''re all finished in a few days. "Right now, I have a way to make money. Selling these eggs might be enough. Do you think we can ¡­"


    Black Bean never planned to eat eggs from the start, he just wanted to eat one every day with his brother and sister. He didn''t expect that when his sister counted the eggs, she would naturally consider herself to be part of it. She felt as sweet as if she had swallowed honey in her heart.


    Although he still had some scruples about this "Er''jiu" that had become very different ever since she recovered from her illness, but after watching it for the past two days, some of her unintentional actions were still the same as the original Er''jiu. Moreover, everything she said and done was for the sake of this family, for the sake of him and Mao Dou ¡­ Perhaps it was really just as Mao Dou had said. His younger sister had revealed her power as a Bodhisattva Spirit, and had come here to help his family overcome their difficulties.


    "I''ll listen to you. Since it''s of use, I''ll sell it first. We can buy it after I earn some money."


    With Black Bean''s permission, Li Yannian didn''t waste any time and immediately took out the twelve eggs from the basket. Originally, she wanted to save one egg for Mao Dou to satisfy her craving, but after thinking about it, if she was too close to the price of the Xuan paper, then she would have to joke.


    After all, in this month, the system had given her four trading rights, and there were only three trading opportunities left, she had only sold twelve eggs and needed to use them again. Li Yannian felt her heart ache just thinking about it.


    Forget it, just as Black Bean had said. After selling the Xuan paper and exchanging it for a large sum of money, I will buy some delicious food for Mao Dou. As Li Yannian thought about this, she silently chanted "I want to sell something" in his heart. Her own "Village Ensemble Shop" once again appeared in front of him.


    Just as she put her hand on the egg, there was a flash in front of her and a few large words appeared:


    Commodity name: Natural green ecological eggs


    Number: 12


    Unit price: 3.5 yuan per pellet


    Freight rate: Jiangzhe-Shanghai parcel mail


    The eggs here could actually be sold for $3.55 each! Li Yannian originally thought that it would only sell for two dollars, but she never expected that the price would actually be so much higher than what she had expected! Looking at the new 34 yuan in her account, she was delighted. She quickly realized that the price was not right. The total should be 42 yuan. Excluding the 6 yuan postage for Jiang Yao and Shanghai, it should be 36 yuan!


    If it was before, she wouldn''t be so fussy about the two yuan, but now, she couldn''t afford to not fight over her living conditions. The system probably detected her doubt, the female voice that appeared before now explained dryly, "Eggs are fragile goods, every 12 eggs that are sold will be separately packaged for 2 yuan, if they are broken, the system will automatically compensate the customers."


    Hearing her words, Li Yannian remembered that there was a rule in the previous transaction rules. If the seller had any problems with the quality of the goods, the seller would need to compensate the buyer ten times the price for the goods lost. With this comparison, it would be better to pay a fee of two pieces of packaging.


    In the future, she could go to Tao Bao to buy a whole box of reared eggs, or gather cheap eggs with green shells, or use them to exchange for eggs raised by the villagers, or take them to the town to sell. It would be best if her family raised more chickens to lay eggs, or maybe ask the villagers for eggs ¡­


    Li Yannian had too many thoughts in one go that she couldn''t stop the car. When she thought of the good way to earn money with a low profile in the future, the corner of her mouth couldn''t help but raise. However, in Black Bean''s eyes, this scene was not any better than that silly laughing big girl at the entrance of the village. No matter how she looked at it, it looked like she was possessed by a ghost.


    Black Bean immediately called out to her. Li Yannian came back to her senses and asked Black Bean what the Xuan paper looked like. After all, her original body rarely even went to the town, so it was impossible for him to use the paper like that.


    Black Bean recalled the size and quality of the paper and Li Yannian immediately became happy when she heard it. It turned out that Tao Bao''s last cut had mostly cost a hundred pieces, but this time, there were only thirty pieces, which was three times more than what he had expected.


    After getting a clear understanding of the situation, she immediately called out to the system and typed in the words "Half-cooked Xuan Paper" in the search window. The moment she pressed the button on the return car, the search results immediately appeared in front of her.


    One minute was limited. She bought the paper directly from the recommendation table. The mail was 13.8 letters in four feet four and 19.8 letters in four feet three. Li Yannian only had 49 yuan on him, so no matter how much shshebought, she couldn''t afford it. With the same size, he was afraid that the shop wouldn''t be able to take it in, so he quickly calculated.


    After buying all three pieces of Xuan paper, Li Yannian only had one piece of 60 Spirit Stones left on her account. This time, she was truly at the end of her rope.


    Although Black Bean had seen her ability to change things out of thin air before, but now that he saw the three big bundles of paper that suddenly popped up, he still couldn''t believe his eyes. He couldn''t help but reach out to touch them and felt that everything that had happened in the past two days was real.


    "Sister, I think this paper is even better than the ones sold in the ink shop. If you touch it, it will be thinner and whiter."


    Li Yannian''s heart thumped, and she asked hesitantly, "Then are we selling it or not?"


    Black Bean understood what she meant, he thought for a moment, then replied slowly, "Let''s not go to Clear Water Town to sell, go further, we''ll try it in the neighboring town, we''re not afraid of others remembering our faces."


    Li Yannian felt his carefulness, and her heart became calmer. She asked Black Bean: "Brother, when will there be a market in the town next door? How far is it? How are we going to go then?"


    Black Bean shook his head, "Don''t ask about this, leave it to me to handle this, if there are more people there, it will become more eye-catching, you just stay at home and watch your brother."


    Li Yannian was worried that he would go alone, but Black Bean had already made up her mind. No matter how she tried to persuade him, she was not willing to change his mind. Li Yannian saw that he really could not fight him, so she could only let go, and gave some advice to be more careful on the road, after selling the papers, she immediately went home, and did not take the money to buy things in the town, since there was no shortage of food at home, after a few days, she would slowly go to the town to fill up some daily necessities.


    When Li Yannian was troubled by this matter, her mind was in turmoil at night. She could not help but think that if she almost became a victim of murder by selling Xuan paper, then in the future, if she sold anything again, wouldn''t that scare him to the point of making him sick? In the end, this place was still too small, and the people living in the village were all old people. Not a single person''s face could be seen, not a single movement could be heard, and before anyone even returned from the town, the news had already spread to the back of the village.

 C10

    Chapter X Primarily Setting Small Objectives for Earning Money (4)


    Li Yannian looked at the house they were staying. It was so broken that the wind could not stop them. If the villagers were to ask about it, how could the three siblings use this excuse to say that they earned the money themselves? At that time, everyone would say that someone''s family had stolen something.


    With that in mind, she didn''t even have the mood to enjoy the broth that night. During the night, while Mao Dou was sleeping soundly, once the two siblings revealed the truth, Black Bean also felt that this matter was indeed a little difficult to deal with. The cheapest thing in the villagers was that crappy mouth, which could be talked about for ten days or even half a month for trivial matters. Their family had no land and no money, but suddenly they became rich, which would make anyone who saw them cry out in surprise, saying, "Huh?"?


    "Brother, there is something that I have never dared to ask. Why is my grandma so biased towards my uncle and uncle? Something big has happened at home, so it''s fine if my grandma doesn''t ask anything. But why is it that my grandpa and grandma can''t even make a sound? I''ve never seen what my grandparents look like in my life. "


    Black Bean sighed and said: "You are still young and you don''t even remember what mother told us. My family used to live with my grandma as well. My parents worked diligently and did the most work, but my grandma was still biased enough to allow Eldest Aunt and Third Aunt to bully my mother. If it wasn''t for that, mother wouldn''t have had me only to have you six years later. You were only pregnant when you were working and following your father to the ground, and your body was broken. These mothers also tolerated it. They were hoping that their father would be tough enough to split the family ties with their grandpa. But no matter what Mother says, no matter how my grandfather''s family tried to persuade me, Father just refused. "


    Li Yannian''s guess was right, the Li Hongshan couple was really unlucky to have met such eccentric parents. However, what was even more unlucky was that the Zhang Sanniang, who married a man, was actually so filial. She was speechless, "So Grandpa and Grandmother actually have connections with our family."


    "Yeah, before you were three years old, your grandma and grandpa often came to visit, and our uncles treated us very well. When we came back, they would bring us food to play with." But when you were three years old, you had a high fever and were dying. Father went to ask me for some money so he could go to the town and get a doctor. Grandfather refused, saying that it would be a waste to keep the little girl alive, and it was fine if she died of illness, but there was no reason to spend money to see a doctor. The major chamber''s Third House usually did not do much work, and they even took a lot of money. They were not like their father, who only knew how to work and not hide money. When Father heard this, he became angry and slapped Mother once. Mother pulled me along and hugged you. After packing up a few sets of clothes, I returned to my mother''s house. "


    Li Yannian''s jaw almost dropped off when she heard it, what the heck, what do you mean by ''girl''s child'' being raised is a waste of money, and it''s fine if she dies from a disease! Is this what a grandfather and grandmother should say!?


    "And then?"


    When mother comes to my house, my uncles will gather money to help you treat your illness. They said that once you recovered, my grandparents would come out and take care of the marriage between mother and father. After that, they would find a closer family to take care of you.


    "Mother also agreed at that time. Actually, Grandma also had someone she liked, so she almost wanted to go to her home to ask for a letter of departure. However, when father came knocking on the door, mother softened her heart and took us home. "Grandma was so angry that she threw out everything mother used to make you want to stop going back for the rest of your life. Just pretend that you never gave birth to this daughter of yours ¡­"


    After Black Bean finished reminiscing about the past, his expression was somewhat gloomy.


    Li Yannian looked at him and did not say a word. Back then, he was still around ten years old. At that age, he had personally witnessed her sister on the verge of death, as well as the conflict between her parents and the outsiders.


    She asked carefully, "Brother, were you afraid?"


    Black Bean stared blankly for a while, as if he was carefully recalling his memories. After a while, he nodded his head and replied, "I am actually extremely afraid in my heart. At that time, you were very sick and your little face was burning hot. Mother would wipe your face with a handkerchief that was soaked in water all night long. I was really afraid that you would die just like that. At night, you have to reach out and touch your body that''s still hot before you dare to close your eyes and sleep for a while. Later on, mother took us to grandma''s house and finally had the money to ask the doctor to come see you. You are getting better day by day ¡­ My uncles also bought me a lot of delicious food and new clothes to wear. Mom no longer had to work all day, so I felt that this kind of life was really great. I didn''t want Mom to go back to grandpa''s house at all. In the end, when father came to pick me up, I didn''t even dare to look at him, for fear that father would see through my thoughts. "


    Li Yannian comforted him by patting his hand, "You must be feeling sorry for your mother ¡­ "Brother, you''ve already done very well."


    She paused, then asked: "What happened next? Since our family has already moved out, it must be father''s fault with grandma, right? "


    Black Bean nodded his head: "I don''t know what mother told dad when I returned, but after a few days, father asked me for a branch family. Of course not, the third wife of the major chamber was also not willing. After that, father invited the clan uncle over and told me to bring you and Lotus and the others to the back of the house to play. Several of the elders talked all afternoon in the main room, and from the back of the house I could hear our mother yelling curses and throwing pots and bowls. "I was worried that this branch family might not be able to separate again. I didn''t expect that grandpa and grandma would kick our family out that evening."


    Li Yannian thought that with this method, the whole family would fall out. It was no wonder that after Li Hongshan and Zhang Sanniang died, the Li family elders would not care about the two families'' three children. major chamber and the three families would take advantage of the situation to rob them.


    "Your grandpa is so heartless? Is it because the clan uncle has more family property? "


    Black Bean seemed to have heard some kind of funny joke, he shook his head and said: "When my clan uncle came, he could only advise me to think of splitting the family for my children, but no matter what, my clan uncle doesn''t want to care, after all it is my own property. [No one can handle the trouble caused by my mother. If we want to split the family, we will have to take her life. Without my father, who will be able to support uncle and uncle for nothing?] How could he be willing to give so many things to his parents!? "In the end, it was just a bundle. She gave a few broken bowls to her parents, then chased them out."


    Li Yannian thought that Li Hongshan was most likely someone who had been picked up, and this was what his parents thought, it was fine if she did not give them anything, but it was almost night, and the branch family had already kicked out the entire family that day, not giving them time to rest, they didn''t even have time to find a place to rest.


    The more Black Bean spoke, the angrier he got. His little sister did not remember the hardships she suffered through when she was young, but Black Bean could clearly remember everything about her.


    "Uncle saw that dad and mom were really pitiful. We didn''t get to eat dinner, so he pulled a big and a small one and took us back to his house out of kindness. Later on, my uncle borrowed some money from my father and bought the house we are currently staying in. After that, she gave Father a job in the town, and Mother stayed at home to do some embroidery work to sell. It took Mom and Dad two years of working early and early to get everything back from Uncle.


    Li Yannian asked, "What about that clan uncle? Still living in the village? After all, he helped our family before. When the days are over, we''ll go over to thank him on behalf of our parents. "

 C11

    Small initial target for making money (5)


    "Half a year ago, just like my parents, they were swept away by the flood. "There''s an aunt at home with a younger brother named Ah Bao. He''s two years older than you and is studying in Mr. Liu''s private school ¡­"


    Black Bean suddenly stopped talking and looked at him puzzledly. He laughed dryly and continued: "Before mother left, I told brother that I would send brother to Mr. Liu''s place to read some words. I can be his partner with Ah Bao. I was already too old to go to school at my age. It was my aunt who had tied the strings for us, so Mr. Liu agreed. It''s a pity that something happened to our family later on and we won''t be able to go to the private school. The villagers has already said that our family is unlucky, and whoever touches it will die.


    Li Yannian could not help but scold: "Nonsense! If our family is really that smart, then why haven''t we seen the retribution of our father, mother, major chamber and three concubines? "


    Black Bean''s face darkened, he frowned: "Er Niu, how can you say that?"


    Li Yannian thought to herself in her heart. Black Bean was not such a filial person, at least in the story of Li Hongshan''s branch family, she already felt that Black Bean did not hold any hope for the Li family, nor did she have any good feelings towards them.


    She raised her head and probed, "Brother, are you thinking of returning to grandpa''s home in the future?"


    Black Bean shook his head and denied it, "This grandpa doesn''t treat us as his relatives, why would I bring you guys back? Father and Mother have not suffered enough? "


    Li Yannian said with relief: "Then why do you still say that."


    "You don''t know, villagers is a chatty person, just the word ''filial piety'' is enough to crush people to death. "You''re not young anymore. In a few years time we will get married, and our family''s reputation will already be like this. If you continue to speak nonsense and provoke this sort of gossip, then let''s see how you''ll marry in the future!"


    would slowly think about it himself. At least, Li Yannian himself didn''t have such thoughts, it wasn''t even possible for him to earn money.


    However, Black Bean could make good use of this idea. Li Yannian made up her mind, and laughed: "Brother, have you ever thought of leaving Li Village? The three of us no longer have anything to linger for in the village, our loved ones are not like our loved ones, and our reputations are not good. Who dares to form a marriage alliance with our family in this village? Brother, you are already 15 after the new year. Right now, there is no money in the family, so you have never thought about marriage. "Think about it carefully. If our family had money now, which family do you think would be willing to give you their daughter?"


    Black Bean was completely shocked by her straightforward words. As a girl, when it came to marriage, he was not the least bit embarrassed, as if he was talking about what to eat tomorrow morning.


    Li Yannian could see that he did not agree with him and was determined not to get too used to him. In the future, there would be a lot of things that would shock the world like him.


    "Bro, don''t be in such a hurry to scold me. "Think about it again. In our situation, there will be my marriage, and Mao Dou''s marriage. Which family do you think is willing to marry?"


    Black Bean was stopped by her question. After thinking for a long time, he finally shook his head helplessly.


    Li Yannian said proudly: "So we need to find a chance to leave, and the best place to live is a bigger place. If you and Mao Dou go to school, I will be in charge of making money to support my family. At that time, who knows what sort of reputation our family has in the village? If you want to pick a lady, then this sister will ask the matchmaker to propose a marriage for you. "


    Black Bean didn''t agree that during the period when she was making money to support her family and talking about marriage, he was the only one left, so no matter how useless it was, he shouldn''t have let his little sister shoulder the burden of supporting her family. However, his little sister''s words were very true. In this village, they really could not stay any longer. Aside from the marriage between the two of them, and the big secret of Red Bean, if the people in the village saw anything, they might really burn their little sister as an evil spirit.


    He thought for a while and finally nodded: "We should leave, but we have not yet passed the test, so where can we go?"


    Public trial?


    Li Yannian was at a loss. After hearing Black Bean''s explanation, he wanted to die. There was actually such a scientific method of teleportation set up by Lu Yin?! She did all sorts of calculations, but she didn''t realize that the common people of this era were loitering around. Even when travelling far away, they had to go to Lizheng to check on the situation, which was also the legendary road guide. In addition to basic information such as the name and appearance of the public examiner, the number and number of people in the family, etc., one had to clearly state which year, which month, where the public examiner would go, what he would go to, and who would guarantee payment of the tax during his stay in the family.


    If they entered the city without a public trial, they would be charged with trespassing and imprisoned by the city guards. In addition, with the official admittance test succeeding in entering the city, things would not be so easy after that. There would be no more troubles after that. The Public Examination usually stated the time limit for the public to stay in the city, i.e., the month or year before which they would have to return to the village. In the event that they encountered some problems and were delayed, before they were done with their work, the Public Examiner would have to promptly go to the local yamen to handle the matter of postponement of their return. Otherwise, if he didn''t return home within the prescribed time limit, he would be found guilty of a felony of desertion. It could be seen that the government was very meticulous in investigating the household registration and had strict management.


    She suddenly collapsed onto the bed like a deflated balloon, feeling her body being hollowed out. The first small target to earn money, "Leave the Li Village", aborted naturally just like that.


    Black Bean saw that she had lost all his energy and immediately comforted her: "I''ll think of a way to deal with matters of the official trial later. In any case, I''m not in a hurry."


    Li Yannian thought that this was true, since the fare had not dropped yet, she could not rush it either.


    "However, Er''jie, what you said is right. Our family''s reputation is already lower than others by half. If we don''t find a backer, no one will be willing to stick out for us even if our family is in trouble."


    Li Yannian, the black guy asked. Did I say this before? How come I don''t have any impression of him at all?


    Black Bean was immersed in his own unfocused thoughts, and continued to speak: "It''s the new year, wait until the snow on the mountain melts, we''ll bring Mao Dou and we''ll go to Grandma''s house."


    Li Yannian hesitated: "Will Grandma listen to us? Mother has been gone for almost half a year, but didn''t Grandma''s house have no reaction at all? "


    Black Bean sighed: "I''m afraid Grandma and the rest still don''t know about what is happening here."


    Separated by a mountain, how could the Zhang Family not know about such a huge flood? Li Yannian remained skeptical of Black Bean''s words.


    "Ever since Grandma got angry and said she was going to break up with Mother, she never came to see Mother again. She had people bring things back to her parents'' house a few times, and they all taught her to throw them out. The villagers all laughed at their mother for not having a mother. Even if someone sent them gifts, they would not be willing to give up their dignity. Gradually, the news regarding the two families has been cut off. "


    Li Yannian was unable to understand: "Why doesn''t Mother go back and plead for herself? Where did the mother and daughter come from? Is this outsider''s message reliable or not!? "


    Black Bean was startled for a moment, and then said faintly after a long while: "Perhaps mother thinks it''s too shameful, and doesn''t dare to go."


    This Zhang Sanniang is real! Li Yannian was powerless to retort and nodded her head: "Brother, then I will listen to you. We will make a trip for Mother and ask her about the results so that Mother can feel at ease."


    Since they were going out to be guests, the siblings had to wear decent clothes. Moreover, the house they were living in now was time to be renovated. Now that he thought about it, there were quite a few places that he needed to spend money. Sigh, I hope the Xuan paper I bought back this time can be sold for a good price!

 C12

    Blessed or not (1)


    In the new year, the Uncle Li next door said that he wanted to sell the leather goods they had saved up a few years ago. Black Bean had already made an agreement with her. When the day of the auction arrived, Black Bean wrapped his raincoat around the three blades of Xuan paper and quietly went out.


    This trip lasted for an entire day.


    In Li Yannian''s heart, she was so anxious that a mouse would use its claws to scratch it. Li Yannian thought to herself that she also wanted to ask someone, why did it get to this point, the sky was about to turn completely dark, and she still didn''t see anyone coming back! The Uncle Li next door would arrive home in the afternoon.


    Don''t let those three blades of Xuan paper cause any trouble.


    This was the first time he was using the products of a future great industry to earn money, even Li Yannian herself was not confident. The two siblings were not in the mood to clean up their dinner. They simply made some porridge and ate some of the wild vegetables. Just when they were about to be hit, two knocks finally came from the Li family''s door. When they heard it, they felt extremely close.


    "Big brother must be back!" Mao Dou was so excited that he wanted to run out of the room.


    Li Yannian immediately held him down: "Sit down obediently, I''ll go take a look."


    While speaking, Li Yannian ignored Mao Dou''s pout, which was high enough to hang oil bottles, and came out to answer the door.


    In the dark night, although she was anxious, her tone was very cautious. "Who is it?"


    "It''s me. It''s cold outside. Let''s talk inside."


    Hearing the familiar voice, Li Yannian''s heart relaxed, and immediately unlatched the door and let Black Bean in.


    "Brother, why did you only return now?"


    Li Yannian was both surprised and happy. Seeing that Black Bean''s shoulders were covered with snow, she felt her heart ache and hurriedly pulled him in, while patting him and complaining, "Brother, where''s your raincoat? Aren''t you going to bring it along with you this morning?"


    "Hey, don''t mention it anymore, we met a jinx."


    Black Bean unintentionally brought up that unfortunate incident, and revealed a smile that was like a gift, letting Li Yannian see the large bundle on his back.


    "Look, Er''jiu, these are all from this trip ¡­"


    "Shh, let''s go in first."


    The two siblings carefully closed the door. Black Bean took the initiative to carry his things and enter the house, naturally receiving a warm welcome from his younger brother.


    "Alright, alright. Dou, go and bring the flint and oil lamp over. Hurry."


    Mao Dou was puzzled. "What are you going to do with all this? There''s no oil in the house. "


    Black Bean chuckled: "If I told you to bring it, then hurry up and bring it. I bought the tung oil."


    Mao Dou''s eyes immediately lit up. He sprung up from the bed and probed the stove for the flint and oil lamp. They were already out of use.


    Li Yannian had never seen an oil lamp in her life, so she curiously looked at it. She saw Black Bean carefully take out a jar of tung oil from her bag, pour some into the oil lamp, then fiddle with the wick twice. Sparks flew out from the flint, and the room that was initially covered in moonlight and snow suddenly lit up with light.


    Mao Dou was clearly more excited than she was. "Wow, I can finally see it again."


    Then, as expected, Black Bean lightly patted his head, and smiled at him. "You speak as if you were blind in the past."


    Mao Dou scratched his head and laughed embarrassedly, while pushing Black Bean to quickly take out all of the things in his bag. "Brother, what did you buy?


    "Alright, don''t be in such a hurry. Bro will bring it out for you right now." Look, what is this? "


    Mao Dou was instantly drooling over it. Fortunately, Black Bean did not tease him, he only teased him for a bit before throwing the bag of dim sum over to him.


    At his age, Mao Dou was his favorite dessert. After getting a whole bag of honey dates, he smiled like a cat who had stolen something fishy, contentedly sitting to one side and eating it.


    Black Bean then lowered his voice and said to his own sister: "Those three blade papers, sold this number at the Du Jia Village."


    He gestured with four fingers.


    Li Yannian thought, four taels of silver? The three pieces of paper had sold for almost six or seven hundred dollars, but she had only raised the price by fifty dollars, which was a hundred times the profit!


    She couldn''t help but exclaim, "So many!"


    Black Bean shook his head, his tone filled with pity: "It''s not much, if the paper had not been dirtied by that young master of the Gu family, I could have sold it for even more silver!"


    Only now did Li Yannian realize that Black Bean''s left eye socket had a small bruise. "What''s going on, brother, what''s wrong with you?"


    When Black Bean realized that he had leaked his mouth, he could only honestly say: "Sigh, it''s nothing, it''s just that on the way to Du Jia Village after leaving Li Jia Village, I was hit by the Gu family''s carriage ¡­"


    Li Yannian cried out in alarm again, "You got hit by a carriage, is it serious? Brother, where''s the pain in your body? "


    Black Bean''s heart warmed, and he relaxed: "It''s fine. There''s snow on the way, and even if it''s smashed, it''s only scratched a little. It was a pity that less than half of the papers and raincoats that were rolled into the snow had been saved. Otherwise, they would have been able to sell for even more money. "It''s all because I''m useless and didn''t take a good look at the item ¡­"


    Li Yannian heaved a sigh of relief, being hit by a horse carriage was not a small matter, she was lucky that she was not injured, if only Black Bean had coincidentally rolled under the hooves of the horses ¡­ She couldn''t imagine what the consequences would be.


    "Brother, it''s fine." I''ll just buy the paper next time. Four taels of silver is enough for our family for a period of time. Now that I think about it, getting dirty on this paper is a good thing. Think about it, selling it for four taels of silver with just a little bit of paper. Right, then what did the Gu family say after bumping into you? "


    Black Bean was indignant: As soon as I said it, I got angry, the Gu family''s carriage driver saw that I had bumped into someone and wanted to take a look, the carriage owner said something, but he just sat back down to drive the carriage. On the other hand, the carriage driver stopped to ask, seeing that my clothes were all dirty from the snow, he even had a servant bring a handkerchief over. "From what I heard, the one sitting in the car in front is the second young master of the Gu family. The one who gave me the handkerchief is the third young master."


    Li Yannian was curious: "What kind of background does the Gu Family have? Why are they still acting so arrogantly even after bumping into someone?"


    Black Bean sighed: "Who told the Gu family to be the Royal Merchant, famous for their wealth in all eight countries! Gu Chengye, the head of the Gu family, was not only friendly with a few county lords but also with the people in the palace. In this world, money and power were things to begin with, so he could do whatever he wanted. Since the Gu family had already taken the two of them, who would dare to offend them? It''s no wonder that the Second Young Master doesn''t take running into someone seriously and is only interested in travelling by himself. "


    Li Yannian could not say what she felt in her heart at this moment, but it was the first time since she had teleported that she had deeply experienced the meaning of human life.


    The two of them were silent. They weren''t on guard against Mao Dou, who had already finished eating the sweet jujube long ago. Blinking, he once again squatted beside them. It was unknown just how much he had overheard from the crowd.


    Black Bean regained his senses, remembered his new cotton jacket, and immediately took it out from his backpack: "Let''s not talk about the Gu family, look at the new clothes I bought for you! "I was thinking that it would be too late to buy new cotton and cloth, so I bought the ready-made one. You two should hurry up and try out the size. I''ve talked to the shopkeeper about it. If it''s a bit big, he can bring it back to exchange."


    Hearing that they were wearing new clothes, the siblings immediately became happy. But what made Li Yannian not know whether to laugh or cry was that Black Bean had bought a set of bright red flowery clothes for herself. But thinking that it was Black Bean''s kind intentions, Li Yannian wiped her hands clean and put it on.


    The coat was loose, but the dress was fine. Under the dim oil lamp, Li Yannian turned to Black Bean and asked: "Brother, are you looking good?"


    Black Bean nodded: "Yes!"


    The girl''s skin was white, and her red dress looked really good. Black Bean was very satisfied with his taste, and grinned.

 C13

    Blessed or not (2)


    Other than the winter clothes of his family, Black Bean also brought back the essential daily necessities such as the oily salt, bowls, chopsticks that he had been instructed to buy, as well as the thin cotton clothes that he planned to bring to his maternal grandma''s house. He had wanted to cut some meat and return, but he was delayed by the matter with the Gu family. Although he didn''t buy much of any of these things, the cost was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, half of the money he got from selling the xuan paper had been spent.


    "These broken bowls are actually so expensive!"


    Li Yannian had always thought that porcelain was nothing precious, but she never thought that just buying a few rough bowls and pans would cost him about four to five hundred gold.


    "These things have always been expensive. If it wasn''t for the fact that Third Uncle didn''t come down in time, our big pot would have been taken away and sold." A new big iron pot costs seven hundred dollars. "


    Li Yannian was speechless, but after thinking about it, she understood that the ancient handicraft industry was not developed, so these things required a lot of effort and resources, so naturally the price would go up.


    In the end, he still had to find a way to earn some money early on. He wouldn''t be as shabby as he was now. Spending money would hurt his heart even if he had to spend it all day.


    After thinking for a while, Li Yannian suggested, "Brother, wait for the weather to warm up a bit, let''s raise some chickens."


    Black Bean frowned, "Raising chickens? These things were not easy to raise. One was sick, and the rest were all dead. Besides, where did we get the leftovers to feed the chickens? Even if we let them out every day to graze, they wouldn''t be able to grow much. "


    Li Yannian was very confident in this matter, and laughed: "Don''t worry, I have a way to deal with it. Brother, look where you''re going to get the chicken seedlings. Remember to leave some silver to buy the chicken seedlings. When you go back and ask Auntie Li, tell her to go to the village and help us collect some eggs. Just tell her that there''s a large family in the village who wants them, and you can pay for them. "


    Black Bean was even more confused, thinking that if he took the egg, he wouldn''t be able to eat it at home, but due to his unconditional trust in his sister, he nodded his head and asked her: "Last year''s egg was three pieces of money, now I don''t know how much it is, Second Girl, how many eggs do you want?"


    Li Yannian winked at him, "How much do you want? Only with eggs can you get Xuan paper and trade for money. Brother, you can take it with ease, it doesn''t matter if you spend all your money, since there will be more anyway."


    Black Bean thought, could it be that the deities in the sky loved eating eggs so much? The hobbies of deities were really a bit hard to understand. He shook his head. Anyway, he just had to listen to his sister.


    "Alright, then I''ll go and find my aunt tomorrow."


    After the two discussed everything, Li Yannian took care of the things that Black Bean brought back, while Mao Dou went to give his big brother some hot porridge to drink, after a while, the man and the woman finally fell asleep, satisfied with their unlimited prospects for the future.


    On the second day, Black Bean went to look for the Auntie Li next door as per his sister''s wish. When the other party heard that Black Bean had found a job collecting goods for someone else, they pitied their family and agreed without hesitation.


    Li Yannian''s prediction was not wrong. New Year was not wrong, this period of time was the most prosperous time for the Kan Zi villagers. As a result, before even half a day had passed, when villagers found out that Auntie Li''s family collected all the eggs, and gave them all the money, they stopped chatting and stopped counting the children in their hands. After counting the eggs, she rushed over to the Li Family.


    Amongst them, of course, was Li Yannian''s shrewd aunt and her Third Aunt who loved to take advantage of people the most. One of them held three eggs the size of dates, and under the mocking and sarcastic gazes of the other aunts, their expressions did not change, and they were not in a hurry to do business with the Auntie Li, chattering away.


    One of them smiled and complimented Auntie Li: "Aunt is so rich, to be able to find such a good way, it is all because Aunt is a good person. This, the way to make money does not fall on other people''s shoulders, it is Auntie Luo''s house!"


    A faked voice chimed in, "That''s right. I wonder which big family in the town is having a wedding. They need so many eggs and all the cash. Aunt must be really lucky to be able to work for such a family. The rich people shook their hands, and enough fell out of their fingers for us to eat and drink for a while. "


    Auntie Li was initially very busy with collecting eggs, but these two kept walking around in front of him. Not only did they not talk about business, they even talked about other stuff, which annoyed them a lot.


    Now that these two sentences had been spoken, Auntie Li finally understood why the Li Family and the Buddha came here. She could not help but sneer and pull at the corner of her mouth: "I say, why are the two of you holding onto these three little chickens like they were some sort of treasures? As for me, I am indeed very lucky. As a person, I am also kind and honest. That''s why these fortune reports came to me. "Sister Xiu, Cui Er, don''t worry about me. No one is an idiot. If you have the ability to earn money, then go and find out for yourselves. If you don''t, then come back and sell some chicken meat ¡­"


    With such a big movement, of course the other aunties in the room wouldn''t miss it. They all turned around, stifling their laughter, the two daughter-in-law from Old Man Li''s family sure had done an ugly job, to think that they could find such a small chicken!


    Wang Xiumei and Xu Cui''e''s expressions finally changed. The two sister-in-law and sister-in-law looked at each other. Their faces were both red as a pig''s liver. How could they have the face to stay any longer?


    Auntie Li spat at the two people''s backs, "Pui! These two shamelessly want to dig their way out of the wall, what a beautiful idea! "


    Actually, they also wanted to ask which big family in the town was collecting chickens. The price that the Auntie Li was asking was three gold coins a coin, so the price couldn''t be said to be unfair. If they didn''t give too high of a price, then it would be fine. They thought that if they took the chicken directly to the town, they might even be able to get a higher price from the big families there.


    However, their skin was not as thick as Old Man Li''s. After selling their eggs, they stayed in Auntie Li''s house to help them chat. They only wanted to keep Auntie Li''s mouth shut, so that they might be able to hear a word or two from him. Now that the Auntie Li had said it so straightforwardly, everyone''s hearts were clear. There was no hope, there was no interest in sitting anyway, and once they saw that the time was right, they got up and said their goodbyes one by one.


    After sending off the last aunt, Auntie Li stood up and relaxed his muscles and bones. He then counted the eggs that he had received, other than Black Bean''s old debt of three hundred coins, he had used up most of the money he had given in the morning. Looking at the pile of eggs in front of her, she was curious to see whose home Black Bean was actually taking them for.


    But seeing that Black Bean brat''s shut mouth, Auntie Li was not as tactless as Soo Soo and the others. Who told that brat, Black Bean, once he had the money, he would repay the debt of lending his family for the funeral. Not to mention that he had set a different price for his family, he even paid a coin for an egg! Even though this amount of money didn''t seem like much, accumulated over time, it was definitely not a small sum!


    Don''t look at the straightforward look on Auntie Li''s face, she had already recognized Black Bean''s words, and would be collecting things more often in the future. The extra money was for free, only a fool would tell the two black-hearted Old Man Li family members! When Auntie Li thought about how and Xu Cui Er would react if they found out that the method to collect eggs was actually Black Bean''s, he started laughing so hard that he couldn''t even straighten his back.


    Who would have thought that there would be a day when he would be able to make a comeback?

 C14

    CHAPTER XIV Luck Is Not a Disaster (3)


    When Li Yannian was selling the eggs, she realized that she had made a huge mistake! She had forgotten that the system had a trading limit. Previously, she had sold forage leaf and eggs for a total of 178 yuan, leaving her with only 822 yuan in monthly transactions. She could not help but smile bitterly as she looked at the few baskets of eggs at home. Fortunately, they were still in the middle of winter and would not be bad in a few more days, so she could only hope that after the seller''s credit rose to two stars, the transaction value would increase from one thousand to a little more.


    In the end, Li Yannian only sold 288 eggs, 12 for a dozen, and a dozen for 34. She sold them for 816 yuan.


    Looking at the three digits that jumped out of the account, that sense of frustration Li Yannian had instantly disappeared without a trace.


    Black Bean had told her before, that the previous time they went to Bookstore, the shopkeeper had preferred the four-foot-four paper grade, and said that the size was just right for the paper that the teacher in the school had reserved for him to do her homework. Furthermore, because the paper they had provided was of good quality, the shopkeeper had even asked if there was a four-foot-one grade, and if there was, the price could be agreed upon.


    So once Li Yannian sold the egg, she immediately opened the system''s search Xuan paper. There wasn''t enough time to compare the prices, and there wasn''t enough time to see if there were any historical orders available, so she clicked on the link to the sixth grade Xuan paper at the very front, adding 10 blades 4 feet into the shopping cart.


    After the fourth order purchase rights were exercised, the limit of this month''s transaction was considered to have been exhausted. Li Yannian sighed, a one star merchant was truly bitter. It seemed that they would have to continue with their porridge and wild vegetables for some time. She turned her head and her gaze fell upon the baskets of eggs piled in the corner. Well, the only thing she didn''t have to worry about this time was not having eggs to eat.


    With a "pa ji" sound, the air suddenly exploded and a large package appeared out of nowhere on the ground. Li Yannian was already used to this scene. Familiar with it, she lifted up her robes, squatted, and began to unpack.


    Just with Li Yannian''s small physique, it took a bit of effort for her to finish checking the number of goods she had bought. She was pleased to find that the seller had generously given her an additional four feet cut, and also given her a few handwritten books, two brushes, and a small bottle of ink.


    On the other hand, the brush and ink could be kept for Black Bean to use. Thinking like this, Li Yannian left the Xuan paper that the seller gifted him, and the ink and the written word brush in the basket. She was prepared to tell the two brothers about this after they returned home. Although they couldn''t go to the private school, they could still learn by themselves with a letter in hand.


    Just as he was thinking about this, Mao Dou''s cheerful knocking voice came from outside the door. "Big sis, we''re back. Hurry and open the door. Big brother will buy it for you ¡­"


    Li Yannian guessed that Black Bean was definitely covering his mouth to prevent him from speaking. Opening the door to take a look, it turned out to be true, Black Bean''s large palm was tightly covering her brother''s mouth, when he saw the door open, Mao Dou looked at her with a pitiful expression, and then rolled his eyes at Black Bean who was the elder brother.


    Puchi ¡­ Li Yannian could not hold back and laughed: "Brother, let him go quickly. Look at his face, how stifled is he?"


    Black Bean laughed and pushed people in, and only after entering the door did he let go of his brother. Once Mao Dou was free, he immediately forgot how he was beaten up by Black Bean just now.


    "Sis, we just met the young man, and I already bought some osmanthus oil for you. Get your bro to take it out quickly, that oil smells really good."


    Black Bean''s face reddened, and he glared at his brother: You''re the one who''s talking too much.


    He then took out two items from his bosom and handed them over to Li Yannian: "In a few years, you will be a big girl. Although mother is no longer around, and brother is here, other girls have them, you should have them too."


    The osmanthus oil was emitting a cheap fragrance, the hair string was not too long off, its essence was not simple, it was gorgeous, and from head to toe, it emitted an aesthetics that could kill people, but it was the best gift Li Yannian had ever received. Being cared for and protected by a child who was actually a dozen years younger than her, she couldn''t describe the feeling in her heart. She was moved and said, "Brother, this rope is so beautiful. I''ll go and put it away first."


    Black Bean nodded his head, and then casually pushed her into the house. He saw that there were obviously a few baskets of eggs missing, and when he looked at the Xuan paper in the middle of the house, he immediately understood.


    "Is this a new piece of paper?"


    As Black Bean spoke, he reached out his hand to touch it, and Mao Dou also had a face full of curiosity, but as he was afraid that he might touch something broken, he endured the pain and did not move, sticking to his brother''s side, opening his eyes to take a closer look.


    "The paper this time seems to be better than the last one. I can''t say for sure, but it feels thinner and more even when I touch it ¡­"


    Li Yannian thought for a while. Last time, she bought less than 14 yuan, but this time, it was worth 16.8 yuan. In the past, she had also conveniently placed an order on behalf of the big sister units that she couldn''t buy online, so she really didn''t know the difference between them. Now that she heard Black Bean''s words, she was actually happy in her heart. It seemed that the old saying of splitting the goods with a single point was reasonable.


    Black Bean shook his head: "You don''t have to worry about this, I really didn''t hide it from you, the shopkeeper liked it the last time I gave him paper, he didn''t even ask about anything, and directly offered a price, and if there''s still more, I''ll just directly bring it to his house, the price is fine anyways."


    Li Yannian kept feeling that this matter was going too smoothly, and she was unsure of what to do.


    Black Bean saw through her concerns and comforted her: "Don''t worry, brother knows what to do. This time, I will send a paper back to their home. On the other hand, why are there so many eggs left at home? "


    Li Yannian''s face immediately flushed red, feeling extremely embarrassed. At that time, she was still telling Black Bean how she would take as much as she could, but in the end, she had already put in half of the money she had on hand. In the end, she had completely forgotten the rules set by the system.


    "This... Eh, I''ll have to wait a few more days. I''ll have to wait until next month to be transferred out. When we cook lunch, brother, let''s fry some eggs and vegetables. Oh yes, how can we send these papers to the Bookstore? "It''s not light ¡­"


    Li Yannian tried to change the topic, but as soon as she asked, she was immediately distracted.


    "On this matter, we still have to go to the Uncle Li''s house next door. In the entire village, only his family is willing to help us, and his mouth is firm, what do you think? "


    Fifty yuan plus a day''s worth of beans really wasn''t a cheap price. Originally, he had wanted to let the Uncle Li drive the carriage to the Du Jia Village with him, but it was true that the less people knew about this matter, the better.


    Black Bean immediately nodded his head in agreement: "Alright, I''ll do as you say. I''ll go ask after lunch."


    Mao Dou, who had been silent all this time, blinked his bright eyes. "Big bro, can you bring me along?"


    Li Yannian and Black Bean turned to look at him at the same time. One of them smiled while the other spoke in unison with an ashen face: "Of course, no!"


    Mao Dou immediately withered like a dead bean.


    "Hmph, if you don''t want to go, then don''t! Who cares!"


    Li Yannian was so angry by his small appearance that she started laughing. When she thought of the words written on the brush that she put away previously, she immediately took it out as if she was offering treasures as she removed the transparent membrane that sealed it, and opened it for the two brothers to see.


    "That''s because Dou Dou will be studying hard at home in the future. In the future, she will be a top scholar and she will be a senior official protecting her brother and sister. Of course, she can''t play around like before. Don''t you think so, Dou Dou?"


    Black Bean touched the letter excitedly and shockingly, the words on it were even better than what the teacher had written, but Mao Dou was so excited that he hugged his brush while laughing and jumping, "Bro, it''s really a brush! I can also learn how to read in the future. Sis, I won''t play with big brother anymore, I want to stay home and practice. "


    Black Bean looked at his sister excitedly. Under her gaze, Li Yannian smiled and nodded: "Brother, after we''ve been busy all this time, we''ll earn the money to fix the house. You should stay home and learn how to write."


    At this moment, countless questions flashed past Black Bean''s mind. Where did all these things come from, and how did he get hold of them? But it was the same as before, he had deliberately ignored the changes after his sister''s illness had awoken. Perhaps subconsciously, he wanted to grasp the happiness in front of him tightly and not change anything ¡­


    "Mm, I''ll listen to you."


    He nodded heavily, and met Li Yannian''s gaze with a grin on her face.

 C15

    Blessed or not (4)


    Black Bean was efficient, after eating lunch he went to the Uncle Li''s house next door to visit. In less than a quarter of an hour, the two of them brought back good news.


    "Uncle said that the ox-cart would be free in the next few days, so we can come and take it whenever we want to. As for the beans and the car rental, we don''t need to give them to the villagers."


    Li Yannian shook her head. "Is aunt at home when I say this?"


    Black Bean opened his eyes wide, filled with surprise: "How do you know that aunty isn''t at home? Uncle said that aunty went out to see her daughter in the morning, and it was your sister Plum Blossom who had a big fat boy. Originally, Aunt was going to go yesterday to help us collect eggs, delaying us a day. "Your Hu-ge went with you."


    Li Yannian thought, could it be that her brother had the intention to couple her with the tiger next door, if not why would he add the last sentence? In her eyes, Hu Zi was just a silly little kid, and she was not interested in him at all. However, Black Bean might have just said it casually, she didn''t want to say it out loud, in case she really taught him to worry about her.


    "Big Brother, Uncle was generous enough to not put these things in his eyes, but Auntie is different. Let''s not talk about this for now. After we return the ox-cart, we can send the things that should be given to her."


    Black Bean nodded his head, he did not have any objections, "Alright, I will listen to you."


    Li Yannian thought for a while, then scratched her head and said worriedly: "Brother, this time we gave a lot of goods to you, take a look at the silver that we gave back, can we only leave behind enough to build a house?


    Black Bean did not understand why his sister insisted for him to change the silver into gold. However, last time when he went to the town market with Uncle Li, he had deliberately asked around, in the Lee family town, there was no such fire shop as could exchange for gold. The prices of the other two pawnshops were also very poor, if he really wanted to exchange it he would have to ask the Du Jia Village about it.


    After thinking about it, he nodded his head and said, "Alright, then I''ll be sure to ask when I go back to sell paper." "I don''t need much money to fix the house, but it''s a good time for farming. Even if we hire people to buy more mud and wood, we only get four to five taels of silver for breakfast and lunch, so we can talk about this after we''ve gone to Grandmother''s house. We don''t want our family to come over and fight after hearing so much noise."


    Fight over what? Black Bean was afraid that his family''s few coveted silver coins, and was also bullying his family''s brat without the protection of a senior. After all, this was his Li Family''s matter, so the rest of the villagers did not have the right to meddle in this matter.


    "Mm, then it''s a deal. Brother, when are you going to transport the items out? I''ll go with you. "


    Mao Dou, who was practicing his calligraphy by the side after lunch, heard this. Although his eyes were still fixed on the brush, he deliberately let out a heavy snort to express his dissatisfaction.


    Only then did Li Yannian remember that the person who was being teased was also present. She laughed dryly and apologized, "Dou Dou, this sister was just joking, this sister will definitely bring good food back for you when I go to the town. "Big Sis and Big Sis are going to take care of business in town. Can you promise to stay home and look after the house obediently?"


    Mao Dou didn''t even glance at her. He suddenly put on an aged look and sighed. "Sigh, just watch the house and forget about the good stuff. Just remember to come back early."


    Black Bean and Li Yannian were both amused by his actions, and were surprised that Mao Dou could learn how to write so firmly. After lunch, he sat there and copied for almost an hour, yet he didn''t act like any other kid, practicing for a short while before making a ruckus and going out to play.


    Li Yannian could not help but curiously look closer. She saw that the xuan paper was already filled with half a set of words, without any gaps in it. The ones that could be written had all been written. As for how it was written, the person who came in and out of the door was a child with insufficient wrist strength.


    Li Yannian tenderly touched his head, "Dou Dou is so good at cherishing paper. However, the writing pattern is also very important. You don''t have to save this paper for your sister, I''ll buy it for you after I use it. "


    Black Bean didn''t agree, even his own house wouldn''t waste paper like that, "I just started learning things like Mao Dou, it''s too wasteful to use paper, I''ll make a sand table for him later, and use that practice manual after I''m done."


    Looking at them, Li Yannian could not bear to see them, but she thought that the two brothers'' concept of money and consumption was not something that could be changed overnight, in other words, it was something to fear, and she was used to spending money at her own expense. In the future, there would also be areas where she could clash with them at any time, take it slow, she could not be impatient.


    So he nodded and took a small step back, "It''s fine to make a sand table to train one''s wrist strength, but this brush is different from the branch. As for the cost of writing and writing, this brother doesn''t have to worry about that. The paper here is expensive, but I came here for a low price, so I don''t have to spend much.


    After Black Bean heard her words, he originally felt sorry for his little brother, so he did not voice any more objections.


    Mao Dou''s tensed face instantly relaxed. After showing a smile, he even asked Black Bean if he wanted to help.


    Black Bean thought that since he had nothing to do in the afternoon, he brought Mao Dou along to the small river bank at the village entrance to dig for sand.


    Li Yannian was idle anyway, so she rearranged all the eggs in the room. It was good that the count didn''t count, but the count immediately made her feel despair, if the sum of one thousand yuan didn''t change, then these eggs would be enough for her to sell to April.


    At this time, the two brothers had already dug up the sand. Li Yannian didn''t care about the egg anymore and wanted to see how they would make the sand table. Black Bean flipped over a square wooden board from the Old house. The wood on top of the board was a little rotten from being soaked in water, Black Bean used a stone to grind it a little, after handling it a little, it looked much better, and after filling it with sand, a simple and crude sand table was made.


    Mao Dou was initially unwilling to part with his brush and paper, but seeing his elder brother gesticulating and gesticulating with the branch on the sand, he immediately gave up on the idea and snatched the branch away to play.


    Li Yannian took a glance and saw that Mao Dou''s gestures were correct.


    Turning his head, Li Yannian saw that Black Bean was looking at the pen and ink paper that had not been collected. Li Yannian''s heart moved, and he smiled: "Brother, after we return the money, you should follow Mao Dou to the private school."


    However, Black Bean shook his head: "I''ve thought about it. At my age, I only know a few words and it''s a waste of time. In the past, there were still parents who thought about me, but now that father and mother are not here anymore, I ¡­"


    He sighed as he looked at his younger sister and brother. Although he did not want to admit it, his younger sister seemed to be much more useful than him now. "It''s not enough to just rely on you at home.


    Li Yannian wanted to continue persuading him, but seeing that Black Bean was determined to win, she decided to give up. She would wait until she went to her grandma''s home before making any other plans.

 C16

    It is a disaster that cannot be avoided (1)


    The brother and sister duo had reached an agreement on not being able to read or not to read, but they had reached an agreement on not mentioning this part again. Early the next morning, they went to Uncle Li''s house to borrow an ox cart.


    Since they left early and it was not the market day, the two siblings did not meet anyone along the way. Li Yannian took out the four cooked eggs she had hidden in her robes. They had just been boiled in the morning, and were still hot enough to burn one''s hands. She gave three to Black Bean.


    Initially, Black Bean wanted to push one back to her, but seeing how Li Yannian was waving it around, she thought that it was reasonable. Currently, the thing that was lacking at home were only eggs, so she was afraid that if she were to be seen smiling, he would be angry. Since he had grown up and ate too much, she didn''t have the stomach to eat before. Now that she could eat freely, the three boiled eggs were just for fun and she swallowed them in a few bites. In fact, she was still half full and didn''t have the nerve to tell her sister.


    After walking for almost four hours, the two of them went around Li Jia Village and arrived at Du Jia Village. Li Yannian''s butt was already hurting from being hit by the ox-cart. When she heard the place, she immediately jumped out, and rubbed her sore legs, and bared her teeth at Black Bean: "Brother, go ahead, I''ll wait for you outside."


    It was rare for Black Bean to see her like this, he could not help but burst out laughing, and spoke while holding back his laughter: "Un, there''s a restaurant at the side, we also need to eat, why don''t you go sit inside for a while, casually order two dishes, I''ll be out in a while."


    Coincidentally, she was also hungry, so Li Yannian nodded her head obediently: "Then hurry up, the food won''t taste good if it gets cold when you come late."


    Black Bean could not help but laugh, "Alright, I was just thinking about eating, and you said it''s different from Mao Dou."


    Li Yannian made a face at him, touching the half a tael of silver in her bag, she went back to the dining hall with ease.


    But when the two dishes that she had ordered were served, the two cups of water that she had poured for free had turned completely cold, so she still did not see Black Bean. Li Yannian''s heart could not help but beat up. Even though he was hungry, he had no appetite.


    After waiting for a while, Black Bean still did not come. Li Yannian could no longer wait and paid the bill under the waiter''s surprised gaze, leaving behind a table of untouched dishes.


    "This is really weird, and it''s enough for me to come to the restaurant and smell the fragrance of rice over the new year."


    As the waiter muttered, he was distracted and almost bumped into the little boss. Although he said he was from a small clan, he was actually the Gu Clan''s Third Young Master, Gu Mingyuan. The young masters of the Gu family all had their own businesses in the Du Jia Village, as it was, after all, a family of merchants, and Gu Chengye, the patriarch, had always paid attention to the cultivation of the business mind of the children below him. Like the Bookstore next door, it belonged to the Gu family''s eldest young master, Gu Mingde.


    "Boss, I''m sorry, I wasn''t paying attention just now and almost collided with him. Are you looking for the shopkeeper? "He''s settling his accounts in the accounting room right now."


    Don''t look at the young master''s age. Five years ago, he started from a small restaurant, from scratch to his current restaurant, from the south to the north. There were no less than a hundred restaurants opened, but when the old shopkeeper mentioned the young master, he couldn''t help but give a thumbs up in praise.


    "I''m fine. I just came from the manager''s place. What were you reading just now?"


    In truth, Gu Mingyuan had long seen Li Yannian sitting at the window on the second floor, a cute little girl dressed in a coarse flowery coat that even his level three maidservants would despise, but her eyes were extremely good, like a spring water. Her skin was extremely white, making her eyes look like autumn water, which made her look even more attractive.


    She was obviously just a young girl that had not grown up yet, yet Gu Mingyuan only took her in one glance. Even the way she drew circles on the table with her fingers as she supported her cheeks and was bored out of her mind was very pleasant to look at.


    Now that she had left, he subconsciously followed her. Seeing that flowery jacket had entered the Bookstore in a flash, wanting to ask more about her, he stopped the waiter from gossiping.


    The waiter didn''t doubt it, so he curled his lips and said, "Well, that''s the customer at that table. He saved some money and ordered two vegetarian dishes, sat for a while, and then suddenly stopped eating. But don''t worry, boss, that young lady only left after settling the bill. "


    Gu Mingyuan could tell that this young lady was not from a nearby household, if not the waiter would have mentioned the details earlier, and laughed: "Let''s open up a shop and have all kinds of people. Since we gave him the money, we can go with him, he likes to eat or not, but after hearing about the customers, it will not be good."


    The waiter quickly smiled, "Thank you for your advice, Boss. I will definitely pay attention to that in the future. If Boss has nothing else, then I will go to Back Chef first."


    "You can go yourself," Gu Mingyuan nodded, while he was talking with the waiter, his eyes never left the Bookstore, and seeing that Hua Zi had not come out, he calmed down and headed towards her big brother''s Bookstore.


    And at this time, the fear in Li Yannian''s heart had indeed become reality. There were no traces of Black Bean in the Bookstore at all. When she asked the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper''s face immediately became unnatural.


    "The paper sent by your brother has an unknown origin. Our boss suspects that he has stolen from a large family and is currently interrogating him. He might even have to meet with an official. Little girl, I see that you are very young and pitiful. If you tell me where your brother got those papers, I''ll plead for you in front of the young master and let him go. Think carefully, did your brother ever tell you where he stole them? "


    The cold feeling in his body almost froze Li Yannian into ice. The shopkeeper thought that she was young and didn''t understand, so he tried to lure her into revealing the origins of this Xuan paper. The scene that she was afraid of finally appeared.


    "Shopkeeper, please don''t try to coax me." My brother wouldn''t steal from someone else, and you have no proof. What makes you think my brother stole these papers from somewhere else? Since when did your Bookstore become a yamen, with the right to set up a private hall and interrogate others? "


    The shopkeeper had never expected to see such a cold gaze and sharp words from a girl who was not even ten years old. For a moment, he was speechless with a face full of shock.


    "If you don''t release my brother, I''ll go report to the yamen right now. My brother did as you requested, and gave a total of 1900 pieces of goods, one big one thousand and one small one nine hundred. Even if you''re selling them at a low price, they''re worth at least several dozens of silver taels ¡­" Is this considered plundering money? "


    The shopkeeper''s face became increasingly pale. He quickly beckoned for a nearby shop assistant and whispered in a low voice. Only then did he have people rush inside to spread the news.


    Li Yannian noticed his gaze drift towards the door of Bookstore, and could not help but snort coldly: "What, you still want to use my brain? If not for the fact that our family has fallen, our family would not have been able to afford to lose this face. Why would our juniors come to sell paper, it is simply a disgrace to our family! "


    The shopkeeper had originally thought that the youth called Black Bean was nothing more than a clown, which was why he was so relaxed and bold. He wanted to scare him, to figure out from his mouth where this paper came from, and who was the one who made it. No wonder he was envious. These two batches of paper were completely white, and the pulp was washed evenly. The rare thing was that the ink was still not too thick. To have this kind of skill, he had to be a master with more than ten years of hard work. The production was huge, but he had never heard of such a paper workshop before.


    Recently, the young master of his family had been purposely working with the bookseller from Anhui province to do business. He was short on good quality and cheap paper! The shopkeeper was old, but his two sons couldn''t compare to him. Thus, he wanted to use this opportunity to make a big contribution in front of the Eldest Young Master. With this, he wouldn''t have to worry about the lives of his two sons.


    However, he didn''t expect that this country bumpkin had such a troublesome younger sister. The head storekeeper had been acting in the name of the eldest young master. He was feeling guilty, but seeing that the situation today was not going to end well, this young lady was still yelling about reporting to the officials ¡­


    The shopkeeper wasn''t stupid, so he naturally didn''t believe a word of it. He was just thinking that if he didn''t do it, he would catch this girl and bring her to the back of the house, when Third Young Master Gu Mingyuan suddenly entered. He looked at the two of them suspiciously and smiled with a good temper: "What''s wrong?"

 C17

    It is a disaster that cannot be avoided (2)


    The shopkeeper''s heart skipped a beat. Letting the third young master know about this was the same as letting the eldest young master know ¡­ He was a seasoned fox after all, so when he thought about it, his expression immediately changed. He smiled at Third Young Master Gu Mingyuan, his tone was warm yet not overly fawning, wanting to send him away quickly.


    "Third Young Master, why are you free today? They came to look for our boss, but unfortunately, he went to the manor to discuss business with the merchant and was not in the shop today. If you have any urgent matters, can I ask the boy on the bed to take you there? "


    Li Yannian suddenly interjected from the side, her voice became as cold as ice: "Your boss is really busy, didn''t she tell me just now that he was trying to interrogate my brother who stole this paper? Why are you talking about business with the merchant now? "


    The shopkeeper secretly groaned in his heart. He actually forgot that he had used the young master to make a raft to intimidate this country girl. Now, he had been pinched seven inches.


    Gu Mingyuan was originally here for Li Yannian, but after hearing her mention this all of a sudden, and thinking of how her brother had brought in a few days ago, he immediately understood what the shopkeeper was thinking. At that time, he had heard that his big brother had a hidden problem with the shopkeeper''s abilities, but he didn''t pay attention to the origins of this thing. Otherwise, when he discussed the business of the bookstore with the merchant, the problems with the paper would be easily solved.


    Gu Mingyuan could not help but have a cold expression, he stared straight at Shopkeeper Xing, his gaze pressuring: "What happened, what this girl said was the truth. Where is her brother, where did you put him? "Shopkeeper Xing, our Gu family has a righteous path of business, we cannot tolerate our subordinates taking the title of master and acting unscrupulously outside. This will ruin our Gu family''s reputation!"


    When Li Yannian heard the name of the Gu family, she immediately knew that she had coincidentally bumped into the Royal Merchant''s Gu family. Ignoring the ashen-faced Bookstore manager, she turned around and greeted the teenager who was only fourteen or fifteen years old but was surprisingly able to speak.


    "I wonder if Third Young Master Gu is the Third Young Master of the Royal Merchant''s Gu family?"


    Gu Mingyuan was a little surprised: "It''s me, you recognize me?"


    Li Yannian shook her head: "The last time my brother came to the Manor to deliver paper, he was hit by a horse carriage, and it was with your help. Brother came home and told me about this matter. Today, I unexpectedly met my benefactor, so on behalf of Brother, I thank you again. "If it wasn''t for the cold weather, my brother might have gotten home and caused a chill."


    When Gu Mingyuan heard her gentle and generous words, he had a good impression of his. He felt that it was strange, although his clothes were rough, his conduct was not that of a country girl, but more like he was raised by someone who knew how to cultivate. Being reminded by Li Yannian, he immediately remembered what happened that day, and instantly felt his face turn red.


    This little girl had still saved his face. Wasn''t it her second brother, Gu Mingliang, who had bumped into her brother? After all, they were the ones that their family had provoked first.


    This time, Gu Mingyuan didn''t need to mention anything else as he said to Shopkeeper Xing, "I am an old friend of hers, and he is not the kind of person that Shopkeeper Xing said was capable of stealing from a chicken to a dog, and there might be some misunderstanding. Shopkeeper Xing, on my account, hurry and release his."


    "Brother, are you alright?" After all he was still in someone else''s territory, and the origin of the paper involved the system''s secret. Li Yannian was truly guilty, so he did not pursue the matter further.


    Black Bean saw that he was not injured, but his expression was a little ugly. He stared at Shopkeeper Xing for a while, then turned to the girl and said: "I''m fine.


    His words were pale, and everyone present knew what was going on. However, the Li siblings thought that it was a blessing to be able to get out of this situation, it was better not to fight with wealth, and it was better to not fight with officials. They decided to go back on their words, and did not want to bother with the Bookstore manager anymore.


    He turned around and looked at the two siblings'' faces, smiled amiably and said, "You haven''t eaten yet after all this time. Why don''t you go to the next restaurant and let me treat you guys to a good meal as compensation?"


    Black Bean still wanted to return the papers he sent his previously, but just as he was about to speak, Li Yannian snatched them away: "There''s no need to eat, there''s still a lot of miscellaneous things waiting for us to return home. Third Young Master, thank you very much. "Brother, let''s go."


    Black Bean''s heart ached for the carriage full of papers, but seeing that his face was so dark and he did not want to stay in Bookstore any longer, he endured the pain and was dragged out the door by Li Yannian.


    "Eh, little girl ¡­" Gu Mingyuan didn''t have enough time to react, he had probably never seen a pair of siblings who left just like that in their entire lives. There wasn''t a single trace of guilt in their words, when he went back and gave chase, he would have already gotten onto the ox-cart road. He, the dignified Third Young Master of the Gu family, couldn''t possibly pull this along with him on the streets, so he had no choice but to give up.


    After returning, he felt a bit stifled. After three slow beats, Gu Mingyuan finally thought of something, and realized that the two siblings were treating the Gu family like a dragon and a tiger''s den. Once they got their freedom, they were afraid that they would bite back and stop eating their apologies. Gu Mingyuan found the Shopkeeper Xing even more unpleasant to the eye, and the Gu family''s reputation had been completely ruined by him.


    When Gu Mingyuan returned to the Gu family mansion at night, he completely tidied up the matter with his big brother Gu Mingde. When Gu Mingde heard this, he immediately asked his trusted aides to come back and ask him about it. When he asked around, it was even more amazing, other than what Gu Mingyuan had said before, the Shopkeeper Xing actually took the initiative to take the morning paper and transport it to another place, neither going to the shop nor returning it to the delivery man. It was obvious that he wanted to hide it from the person up there so that he could swallow the goods himself, and then slowly make his move.


    One thousand nine hundred pieces of high-quality Xuan paper, hehe, was enough for Shopkeeper Xing to work hard for the Gu family for three years. The Xing Family really didn''t want to work for them anymore. They actually dared to take over their boss''s property!


    Gu Mingde''s prediction was probably correct. The Shopkeeper Xing reckoned that he would not be able to hide the matter of the Li siblings in the end. After all, he did not have much time left in the shop, so he simply withheld the pile of papers that Gu Mingyuan did not know about privately, treating it as his boss''s severance fee. In truth, other than the goods that Black Bean had given them, he had also placed quite a lot of them at the front. Bookstore would always use up some of the papers, but no one knew whether or not they had gotten damp and moldy.


    Gu Mingde was well aware of the principle that there is no end to water. Originally, Shopkeeper Xing was very experienced in handling matters, and he did not care if his hands and feet were a little dirty, but now that he had made a move, it had deeply touched his bottom line.


    What he cared about was not the thousands of pieces of paper. The fifty to sixty taels of silver was not enough for him to spend in a day. Instead, he cared about the thousands of pieces of paper behind them! But this damned Shopkeeper Xing, had foolishly offended such a key character and even let him go!


    Where in the world was he supposed to find these two siblings?


    "What a failure!" After Gu Mingde scolded them for a while, the rest of the people in the room looked at each other. To be able to infuriate the normally calm young master to such a state, they all felt their hearts tensed up, and did not dare to breathe out.


    However, Gu Mingyuan was stunned. "Good boy, that little girl is actually willing to give it up. Several tens of silver coins, is enough to live a lifetime in the countryside."


    Gu Mingde turned his head upon hearing the voice, a rare confused expression appeared on his face, but after a moment, his expression became clear and bright, "The silver that I should have taken but I didn''t dare to take it, even if I was bullied by that old thing Xing Youfu, I didn''t dare make a sound. There''s something wrong with these two siblings. "

 C18

    It is a disaster that cannot be avoided (3)


    "What problem can there be?" His voice was a little dry. "Brother Human, it''s not like you didn''t hear it, it''s not like there''s anything wrong with a silly fourteen or fifteen year old countryside boy, or a silly little girl who doesn''t even seem to be over ten years old."


    Gu Mingde turned her head to look at him strangely. In the end, he shook her head and laughed, "I don''t know what problems they have, but you, Ming Yuan, are a bit curious today. Suddenly, you became so enthusiastic about Big Brother''s business.


    Gu Mingyuan''s face was slightly hot, he felt extremely embarrassed, as though someone had seen through his thoughts.


    "Big Brother, you don''t need me to help you. It''s already good enough that I''m not here to cause you trouble."


    However, these words were too modest. In the entire Gu family, there had never been someone like Gu Mingyuan, who had managed to cause their business to reach such a level at a mere age of fifteen years old. The restaurant business might seem small, but the income that Gu Mingyuan earned from the shop was already equivalent to a year''s worth of income from the shop under Gu Mingliang, his second brother. Compared to Gu Mingde''s total income of almost ten years, the total income of the whole year was not much worse than the total income of the businesses under his command.


    "Alright, let''s not talk about formalities between us two brothers. The most important thing right now is to first find the people and see how many people they can supply at the most. It would be great if you could fit my requirements, if not, then I will say something else. "


    At the moment, what Gu Mingde was most anxious to do was to negotiate a cooperation printing book with the merchant. The forty thousand copies of the [Thirteen Sutra], if it wasn''t too big of a list for the merchant to eat alone, such a good deal would not have landed on him. Formations master and ink were provided by the dealer, while Gu Mingde was responsible for the 70,000 copies of paper that needed a knife. A total of 286 pages in each of the "Thirteen Classics", including the front and back covers, was already up to 110 thousand pages in total, even without considering the cost. Thus, the cost of the paper was evident.


    And it was paper for the official register, so the requirement for paper was even higher. Gu Mingde had been busy during these past two months trying to find the paper workshop and find the source of the goods. However, most of them were limited in quantity and the quality of their products was also uneven. In order to win this large order, Gu Mingde had left a good impression on Eunuch Huang. It had not been a good year since he returned home.


    In the middle of it all, he had the thought of asking his father, Gu Chengye, for help. But one of the reasons was that he was a big brother, and there were still two younger brothers who looked up at him. Secondly, the Gu Clan did not have such a precedent. They wanted their leader to clean up the mess for them. After all, according to the rules of the Gu family, the future head of the family was not chosen based on his age, but based on the ability of his children and grandchildren, he could earn the most wealth and become the next head of the family.


    To ask for help from the chief was equivalent to openly cheating and withdrawing from the competition for the head of the family.


    Gu Mingde did not care that much about this position. After all, the descendants of the Gu family had been exposed to this kind of environment since they were young. Even if they did not have the inheritance, the money they had accumulated from relying on their own efforts and family connections was enough for the rest of the world to look up to them for the rest of their lives. However, he had admitted his defeat in advance even before he had done one thing. In the end, he felt extremely humiliated.


    That was why he had taken a special interest in the appearance of Black Bean and Li Yannian. The merchant''s intuition told him that behind these two weird siblings, there must be something he wanted.


    In a blink of an eye, Gu Mingde had already thought of five different ways to find him. Gu Mingyuan, who was at the side, saw that he was determined to look for someone, and immediately thought about it.


    "Big brother, I think that it won''t be difficult for you to find these two siblings."


    Gu Mingde''s mind was instantly hooked, and he asked repeatedly: "Oh, you know where they are? "What methods do you have? Quickly tell me."


    "I was hit by Second Brother''s carriage a few days ago when I was still a big brother. Last time he walked, he only arrived at Bookstore in the afternoon. This time, he drove until he arrived at noon. The villagers had to hurry on their way. Even if he borrowed someone else''s oxcart, he still had to return it early. Therefore, he speculated that these two siblings were definitely not from the nearby town. They were most likely from the village near Li Jia Village. "Elder brother, why don''t you send someone to ask which family in the village has passed away or fallen seriously ill, and left behind children around the same age."


    "I''m afraid there are still a lot of families in this situation. Whatever, I''ll listen to you. Tomorrow, I''ll send someone to the nearby villages to ask around."


    Gu Mingyuan smiled and nodded: "Big brother''s subordinates have never seen those two siblings. I have nothing to do recently and have nothing to do at home, so I''ll take a walk for you. "Oh yeah, big brother, there''s still the sixty silver that you owe me."


    Gu Mingyuan laughed with complete calmness. Gu Mingde touched the pouch on his waist, the pieces of silver had been sold away and he was only left with two gold. He was so angry that he laughed and threw out a gold ingot: "So what if I am paying it back for big brother. "I''ll give it to you. Recently, they have been quite stingy. They should be satisfied with the five taels of silver. It''s already much higher than the price given to them by the Xing family."


    Gu Mingyuan shook his hand to feel the weight of the gold, and after confirming that there were five or two of them, he giggled and stuffed it into the bag on his waist, "Brother, you know what you need to do, didn''t you want me to borrow two taels of silver to earn six pieces of silver?


    Gu Mingde was amused by his younger brother. When his father was mentioned, he remembered something.


    "Did mom tell you that I have to help you arrange your marriage in the new year?"


    Gu Mingyuan had obviously never heard his elders mention it before, and was extremely shocked: "When did you say it? I am only fifteen years old and have not established myself yet.


    Hearing his words, Gu Mingde laughed: "Could it be that you have long thought of me as someone who is afraid that I might misunderstand the Lovers Index?"


    Gu Mingyuan blushed again. He was not that kind of beast, with just a glance, he had already decided to get married off to a little girl. It should be said that his mind had always been focused on earning money in the business. He had rarely paid attention to the opposite sex and had never thought about it in that way. He only felt that he had met a very special girl in the afternoon. He was just curious about her and felt close to her.


    But between men and women, who didn''t start with that little bit of inexplicable attraction?


    Gu Mingde was an experienced man, and seeing the strange expression on his face, he suddenly felt lucky that he had mentioned something along the way. From the words he had heard, it was sufficient to infer that his family was planning to make a big fuss about his two younger brothers'' marriage, hoping that he would be able to marry into the royal family.


    In the past, this was completely impossible. Merchants were a lowly race, and their descendants were not allowed to take part in the Imperial Examinations. However, after the new emperor ascended to the throne, he changed from the previous dynasty to pursuing a series of new policies, greatly improving the position of merchants. Not only did he allow merchants to donate their origins and pay a certain amount of silver, he could also expend his descendants and participate in the Imperial examinations as a commoner.


    To Gu Mingde, it was already too late for the Gu family. The three legitimate sons of the Gu family were already past the age of a student, and from Gu Mingde himself to Gu Mingyuan, they had all been reading books from teachers since they were young for the sake of understanding.


    However, as the world often said, a woman had two choices in life. One was to be born, the other was to be married. For the Gu family, this also worked. It was all because of the ''Medallion of Gratitude'' that had just been introduced by the Imperial Court half a year ago.

 C19

    It is a disaster that cannot be avoided (4)


    In the previous dynasty, the royal family had as many descendants as cow hair. As long as they were born on the ground, the imperial government would produce grain and cloth to support these princes. To a certain extent, it allowed these royal family members to go to great lengths to produce children. By the time the new emperor was born, the imperial government had already given up on him. The rules were set once again. A first-rate prince would serve his son in law, his son in law, and his grandson in law ¡­ With this kind of analogy, the only thing left to pass on to the public was a false reputation, and no longer had any form of support.


    In other words, from the beginning of the ''Medallion of Gratitude'', the government had only raised three generations of princes and below, and only limited them to the direct line of descendants. As for the concubines, I''m sorry, but whoever gave birth to them would have to raise them.


    This will make things difficult for these prolific princes. In the past, every family had thirty to forty children who were suspected of lacking some sort of function or function. But now, every child would have one more to eat, and the marriage would be in vain.


    The somewhat barren prince could not do anything but lower his noble head. He "sold" the girls of bastard son that he did not even know of at a high price, "sold" to merchants who he had never put in his eyes before, but earnestly wished to raise their status through a marriage.


    The bastard son was still alright, at least he could guarantee the status of a "legal man". A concubine would be in trouble. He had to pay attention to his face and even tell her that he was going to be the official wife before he was willing to marry her.


    It had only been half a year since the "Medallion of Gratitude" had been introduced, and chaos had already erupted everywhere. Gu Mingde had long since heard of it, but he had already gotten married. Furthermore, his relationship with his wife was close, and after their marriage, he had given birth to two young girls.


    But his third brother was different. In the eyes of a big brother, there was no good child in the world who was more sensible and obedient than his third brother. Such a good third brother was definitely worthy of the best woman in the world to match with. Thus, when he heard that his parents had such thoughts, he did his best to encourage them and was very happy to see it happen.


    However, he had never expected that his younger brother, who had always been indifferent to the matters between men and women, would unknowingly start to show signs of enlightenment.


    Gu Mingde''s expression immediately darkened, his tone filled with warning: "Ming Yuan, there are considerations in our family, you better not secretly do anything that you''re betting your life on, at that time, it will be the lady''s fault. Look at our family, a normal family''s girl, how could she marry in so casually? "


    Gu Mingyuan''s face paled, and for some reason, a hint of disappointment and pity surfaced in his heart: "Big Brother, what are you thinking about? "It''s not like I''ve been busy all day long and you haven''t seen it. Where did I get the time to make a personal life promise with someone?"


    It was just a marriage, they didn''t even know each other before they got married. Even after they got married, they would still be as amiable and amiable as before. Gu Mingyuan thought about the silly looking little girl who sat in front of the table near the window, and suddenly smiled. She still needed a few more years to get married.


    "No is best. Mingyuan, I''ll leave those words here for now. Think about it carefully, even if you didn''t marry the prince''s daughter, your future marriage wouldn''t be too low. Our family isn''t like the Du Family, where we don''t care about marriage at all.


    Gu Mingde was referring to the parents of the Madam Gu. As they were also of the Royal Merchant, the Du Family and the Du Family were happy to have the Old Ancestors come to the Du Jia Village to celebrate New Year together. As they were getting closer, they could not hide some of the Du Clan''s rubbish, and it landed in Gu Mingde''s ears.


    For example, on the New Year''s Eve, his Little Uncle did not appear and guard the year with the others. It was not because his First Aunt had said that he was sick, but because he had drunk too much and slept with a maid. Originally, sleeping with a girl in a big family was not a big deal. The bad news was that this servant girl was in his brother''s house, so she was most likely his brother''s family. If the two brothers shared a girl, it would be an ugly matter even if it happened to an ordinary family, not to mention a large family like theirs.


    Only after Gu Mingde finished speaking did he realize that he should not speak of this nonsense to his brother. Fortunately, Gu Mingyuan did not understand the last part of the story, and pretended to care about his brother''s matters and changed the topic.


    While the Gu brothers were in a state of harmony, the Li family''s three siblings was in a state of despair.


    Mao Dou was originally waiting for his older brother and sister to bring him some delicious food from the town, but when he saw the expressions of the two as they entered the house, he knew that the big meat bun and snack he had been looking forward to all day was completely hopeless. He was sensible and unlike other boys of his age who were disgusted by dogs, he only pursed his lips in disappointment and went to the stove to pour hot water for the two of them.


    Only now did Li Yannian remember that previously, she had only been in a hurry to escape, but she had forgotten about her promise to Mao Dou.


    "Ah, Dou, sister was wrong. I forgot to buy you something delicious. Next time, I''ll definitely make up for it."


    Black Bean heaved a long sigh, it was not only his brother''s food, he also did not buy the beans that he promised Uncle Li.


    Li Yannian apparently thought of this too, and pouted towards the big rice bag: "Brother, measure the rice in two bowls, and give me fifty coins, although I didn''t earn any money, I still have to give my money."


    Speaking of money, Black Bean felt his heart ache. Nearly two thousand pieces of paper, just like that, had been taken advantage of by the Gu family. Ihee knew earlier, he would have bought it directly. After all, with a bit more than 800 yuan, she could have bought around 200 grams of Pure Silver, which was equivalent to 5 taels of silver from here. Even though he only had 10% of the original amount, at least he would be able to get it in the end. It would not be as bad as it was today. He would give it all to someone else!


    Black Bean''s face was filled with a gloomy expression as he muttered: "I got it, I''ll go and return the oxcart now. Ah Dou, I''ll help your sister make food."


    As he spoke, he took two bowls of rice and ordered some copper coins to return the ox-cart to the Lee family.


    Mao Dou answered crisply. His stomach was growling with hunger. He was waiting for his elder brother and sister to come back for dinner.


    Seeing him acting so sensibly, Li Yannian''s heart felt even more at a loss for words. In the evening, however, he steeled her heart and poured a pot full of oil, beat eight eggs and sprinkled the chopped green onions on top. The fragrance was really strong, causing Black Bean and the others to suck in a deep breath. When it was time to sleep, the two brothers were still rubbing their swollen stomachs.


    Since the system could no longer count on him this month, Li Yannian put aside his big plan to earn money and discussed with Black Bean: "Brother, which day do you think is good?


    "Tomorrow is fine. Tomorrow is good. When the time comes, we''ll bring the muslin we bought last time. The two of you should pack up and go in the morning. "


    "And a basket of eggs."


    He didn''t know if it was because Li Yannian was being paranoid, but he had a nagging feeling that Black Bean was trying to hold back his laughter. Alright, it was just that she had forgotten the limitations of the system and had gotten more eggs. Why did she keep making fun of her with this!


    At this time, Mao Dou''s soft voice came from the side. "Is Grandma''s house stronger than Grandma''s?"


    The brother and sister fell silent.


    After a long while, Black Bean started to console him. "Grandmother has four uncles, two more sons than Grandma."


    Mao Dou was relieved. He chuckled sweetly. "Then the next time Big Brother Da Niu hits me, I''ll let uncle hit him."


    Da Niu was Big Uncle''s son, and he was younger than Black Bean by two years.


    This time, the two siblings were completely silent.


    A child without a father or mother, what a pain!

 C20

    Chapter 20 Uncle Dodo (1)


    The next day, before dawn, Black Bean woke his younger brother and sister up. After the family hastily took care of breakfast, they set off for the outer sect area at the other side of the mountain.


    Zhang Jia Village was not that far from the Li Village. It was just a mountain peak away, and was originally a part of the Kan Zi Village. A few decades ago, there was a huge drought that lasted for two months without any rain. The village was a wasteland, and the Zhang and Li Clans were involved in a life-and-death lawsuit over water. Young Master Ding''s family name was also narrow, and could not match up with Li''s family name.


    In a fit of anger, the Zhang Clan moved to the top of the mountain and changed its name to Zhang Village. The original number of villagers were still many with the surname Li, and gradually, Kan Zi Village was often called Li Village. Actually, in the documents of the land guards and the county, the two villages sold land, and the land deed was even written with the name of Kanzi Village.


    Li Yannian had only figured this out after hearing the gossip from Auntie Li''s family. Later on, when she thought about it, besides the Li family elders and sister-in-law who were insensible, there were also historical factors that played a part in the matter. Li Hongshan''s parents, the and his parents were not taken seriously by the two family''s elders.


    However, the Li Village and the Zhang Family Village were only separated by a mountain, and the three siblings had to climb the mountain for an entire morning before arriving at the boundary of the Zhang Family Village. Although it was already close to dinner time and they walked down the mountain road, they still encountered many villagers who came home to chop firewood.


    Probably because they rarely saw any living beings entering the village, they curiously looked at the three three siblings s that were not led by adults. However, one of them looked at a fifty year old uncle and asked whom they were going to meet.


    Li Yannian took this opportunity to inquire about their outer sect''s situation, and replied while grinning: "We''re from Zhang Sanniang''s family, it''s our first time here to pay respects to Grandma. This uncle, I wonder if you are close with my grandma''s family. The first time I came, I didn''t know anything. "


    The wood chopping uncle''s expression immediately became strange, and he glared at them a few times, "No wonder it looks so familiar, it looks just like Third Mother when she was little. One look and it''s obvious that it''s a child from her house. You are Red Bean, right? I even held you when you were little. "


    As he spoke, he extended his hand.


    Hearing him say that, Black Bean looked at him carefully, and felt that he looked familiar, so he asked hesitantly: "Is it the Zhang Wu Shu?"


    The person called Zhang Wu Shu slapped his thigh and laughed: "Oh, isn''t this Black Bean!? "You''ve already grown up into a young man, but you don''t look like Sanniang. You look like your father more."


    Suddenly, when and Mao Dou''s parents were mentioned about their deaths, their eyes darkened. The Zhang Wu Shu was completely unaware of this, he only volunteered, "Our village is winding around, once you guys return, you won''t be able to find it. I''m going back with Fifth Uncle. It was already the first day of the new moon, and the snow was still falling non-stop. "There''s less firewood in the house, so wouldn''t I have to come out and chop some wet wood? I stuffed it into the stove and filled the room with green smoke ¡­"


    Zhang Wu Shu was obviously a talkative person, when he saw a junior who looked at everyone in a way that Li Yannian liked, her talkative nature was lit up, and she explained the situation of Zhang Sanniang''s mother''s home to her clearly along the way.


    Although they did not leave the village, and did not belong to any branch families, it was all because of the Zhang Clan''s two elders who were wealthy and had strong backers. The four daughter-in-law were all daughters of a virtuous family, and a large family had always been polite and amiable, no one had ever heard of such a time where they had a face full of red.


    If what Zhang Wu Shu said was all true, Li Yannian felt that the Zhang Family''s reputation was many times better than that of the Li Family''s. At the end of the day, as an elder, he still had to be magnanimous in his actions. He even needed to be aware of his actions as he tried his best to level the bowl of water in front of him. If not, he would be pampered fiercely towards one and two rooms, and what was left would not be just wood. There would be a day when he would not be able to endure it any longer, and his whole family would be separated from him sooner or later.


    Mao Dou was a little shy when he saw strangers, so he kept hiding behind Li Yannian. But looking at his bright eyes, he clearly heard Zhang Wu Shu''s description and felt that his maternal grandma''s house was pretty good.


    However, Li Yannian suspected that Mao Dou was only very satisfied with the fact that he was about to have four uncles.


    After walking for less than two hours and speaking a basket of words, Zhang Wu Shu had already brought three siblings to a very ordinary farmyard.


    three siblings quietly sized up the outer sect disciples. The outermost gate was a tall fence made out of bamboo strips, and there were a few big red roosters in the courtyard eating in the snow fearlessly. They heard the footsteps of strangers and tilted their heads alertly, staring at them with their small round eyes.


    Further in was a two-storey house made of yellow mud. It seemed rather large, but it was also quite new. At this moment, the door that was only coated with a layer of varnish was tightly shut, but one could faintly hear someone speaking from inside.


    This was their maternal grandma''s home.


    The three siblings looked at each other silently. It was probably due to the fear of coming back to the village, but Li Yannian could tell that Black Bean and Mao Dou had become a little more nervous.


    "Sis, there''s a guest at your house. Why aren''t you coming out to pick up your Jinsun?!"


    Zhang Wu Shu shook the bell on the fencing door, and just as he called out the door, there was movement in the courtyard. The door was pulled open and an old lady dressed in a red cotton jacket and blue cotton pants came out. She wore a plain bun on her head and wore no jewelry. She looked to be in her fifties. However, even though everyone here looked old, Li Yannian was not sure of their actual age.


    "It''s fifth brother ah, why are you still chopping firewood in the middle of the snow, and there''s no firewood left at home?" If only she hadn''t come to my house to eat, then I would have burnt them. I haven''t even touched my chopsticks, "Only now did she notice the three children at the side of Zhang Wu Shu, and she didn''t dare admit it. The more she looked at Li Yannian''s eyes, the redder her eyes became. Black Bean, Mao Dou? "


    Zhang Wu Shu laughed: "I told you just now that your Goldsun is here, little sister, your ears aren''t old enough yet. Alright, I''ve already sent the food over. I''m not eating at your house, the woman is still waiting for the firewood. She''s been scolded for the whole morning, if I don''t go back now, she won''t let me get on the brick bed in the evening. "Big bro will be leaving first. Hurry up and take the children inside to warm them up. Look at how cold they are, your face is white and white ¡­"


    She had clearly said that she was in a hurry to leave, yet in the end, she had chatted with Zhang Yaomei for a long time at the entrance of the courtyard. Li Yannian saw that the Zhang Wu Shu was really interesting, and listened to the two with interest. Not long later, the Zhang family''s eldest daughter-in-law, Xia Taohua saw that her mother-in-law had still not come in after half a day, and was still worried about calling for help. Only then did the Zhang Wu Shu walk away with a load of firewood.


    Finally!


    It was unknown if it was just an illusion on Li Yannian''s part, but everyone present seemed to have let out a sigh of relief.


    "Mother, these children are ¡­" Seeing that the Zhang Wu Shu had left, Xia Taohua felt that it was strange that there were still three children standing in the courtyard.


    Just as Black Bean and the others were hesitating to announce themselves, Zhang Yaomei spoke out from the side.


    "Black Bean, Hong Dou, Mao Dou, this is your First Aunt, quickly call for help."


    The three of them obediently called out to Xia Taohua, "First Aunt."


    Xia Taohua blinked, and finally regained her senses. "These are Third Mother''s children, and they have grown up to this extent in a blink of an eye."


    Zhang Yaomei reached out to her eyes and said with a trembling voice: "Let''s go in and talk."


    three siblings followed him into the house. A few Zhang Family s surrounded the round table to build a furnace, and the moment they saw them, the room instantly quietened down. The smiling expression on their faces froze.


    Zhang Yaomei didn''t say anything, but Xia Taohua lowered her head and quietly stood by her side.


    Almost everyone in the room was watching them.


    Black Bean pursed his lips stubbornly, his expression not knowing what to say. However, Mao Dou was holding Li Yannian''s hand tightly, his palm-sized face was filled with fear. Under the gazes of these unfamiliar relatives, he was obviously very uneasy.


    Zhang Yaomei was the first to break the silence, "Where is your mother?"

 C21

    At this time, Black Bean did not allow Li Yannian to speak.


    He looked straight into Zhang Yaomei''s eyes and answered clearly, "Mother and Father left half a year ago. The village was flooded. Father and Mother went to the fields to snatch the food, and the moment they weren''t careful they would teach the Great Water to wash away the food. "


    Tears that had been held back in Zhang Yaomei''s eyes immediately rolled down. She was angry and resentful, but it was unknown who she was speaking to.


    "I told her not to marry, and not to listen to my mother''s words! "I''ve followed such a short-lived bastard and didn''t get to enjoy any good fortune. It''s so early ¡­"


    Hearing Zhang Yaomei call Li Hongshan a short-lived ghost, Black Bean and Mao Dou immediately revealed an extremely dissatisfied expression. She had actually broken free from Li Yannian and rushed in front of him. Waving her small hands, she wanted to hit Zhang Yaomei, but she kept yelling, "Don''t you scold my father, my father is not a short-lived ghost! I don''t want my grandmother anymore, I don''t want my grandmother! "


    The daughter-in-law by the side was shocked. Only the younger children didn''t know what the adults were so anxious for, and even giggled with their eyes wide open.


    On the other hand, Zhang Yaomei grabbed onto Mao Dou''s hands first as she hugged her tightly with tears all over her face.


    "Grandmother was wrong. Grandmother won''t scold your father in the future." "Oh, Mao Dou, I''m your grandma. How can you say you don''t want me anymore?"


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Xu Zhangshu who had been silent the entire time suddenly stood up and walked towards the two siblings. He first looked at Black Bean, then patted his head. The juniors of the Zhang Clan immediately understood what was going on. It could be said that their parents had said that they wanted to reunite with the children of the Third Mother.


    Relying on the fact that his original body was young, it wasn''t shameful for Li Yannian to act cute. He raised his head, blinked his big eyes, and carefully tested the man who looked like his grandfather: "Grandfather?"


    Xu Zhangshu nodded his head, it took a lot of effort to resist the urge to hug his granddaughter high up.


    No wonder. Ever since he had married into the Zhang Family, his wife had always blamed him for not being able to give birth to a girl.


    Zhang Yaomei was the sixth, with five other brothers. She had been spoiled like a treasure by her parents and five older brothers since she was young. Her family couldn''t bear for her to get married, so she adopted Xu Zhangshu, a peerless family who had no parents or any parents, as her family. In the end, she was the same as her mother. The children were born one after another, but other than the Zhang Sanniang''s daughter, the rest were all sons. What was even more infuriating was that the four daughter-in-law that she had married were all sons.


    As a result, Xu Zhangshu who had experienced the taste of being surrounded by a bunch of noisy and smelly grandsons, looked at his granddaughter who seemed to have been carved out of the same mold as San Niang. He didn''t even need Li Yannian to say anything as his heart had already turned into mush.


    Zhang Yaomei turned her head to look at her husband''s movements, how could she not understand what was going on. The corner of her mouth couldn''t help but curl up, and her eyes were filled with warmth.


    Xu Zhangshu also noticed his gaze and turned around to look at his wife. Seeing her squatting down to coax Mao Dou, afraid that she would waste his time, he pulled up a chair and gestured for her to sit down. Zhang Yaomei''s legs were already numb, but he was still an old man, so he took the chance to support the chair and sit down. He did not forget to pick up Mao Dou and place him on his knees, he patted his back and continued to make fun of him, yet he did not spare anyone.


    "As grandmothers, I don''t want to curse your fathers in front of you kids. It''s just that your dad''s actions are too scoundrelly, making people hate him!"


    "You guys have just arrived today, so you didn''t want to go back to those bad debts from back then. However, there were some words that were not very clear, and there was always a knot in his heart. In case you say something wrong and everyone feels unhappy, you three siblings better listen up. Our Zhang family is different from others. Our son is grass and our daughter is treasure. Other people look forward to see their son so much that their eyes almost fell out of their windows. Our family has always wanted our daughter to be crazy ever since the Grand Matriarch''s generation, even to the point of dreaming! As for your grandfather, he was the husband that your great-aunt found for me. He had five children in total, and your mother was the only daughter. "Originally, I wanted your mother to be like me and have a husband ¡­"


    "In the end, the result is that the person is not as good as he is. One mistake and he was not able to stop himself from being coaxed away by your father."


    With that said, Zhang Family''s face turned ugly. The village had always hated people with the surname Li. In the end, their family''s most treasured daughter/sister was kidnapped by a poor boy with the surname Li.


    Zhang Yaomei sighed, thinking about what happened all those years ago, and said with a helpless tone, "It''s not that your father is poor, but that the couple is willing to live a good life. Even if we, the two elders, help each other out, we would still have hope. But what kind of life did your mother have in your grandma''s house? That was a place that ate people without spitting out their bones! The parents-in-law is biased, the sister-in-law cheats and cheats, as the husband only cares about the filial piety, even own wife can''t protect! That is the girl that I loved and grew up with since I was young. I am too afraid of her when I am in my mouth. I hold her in my hands for fear of falling off. I don''t even want to say a few harsh words to her. "In the end, before she even married into your Li Clan for half a year, she had already been disgraced to the point of losing her smile."


    "As long as your mother can muster up some energy, your father would be willing to extend a hand to protect her. It''s also unlikely that your mother would be forced to the point where she almost couldn''t bear the child!"


    "Sigh, I won''t bring up the rest of this matter. Your mother came to me that year with red beans in her arms. If I had been more ruthless and forced your father to write a marriage letter, your mother would have been perfectly fine in front of me. It has been so many years, but why do we have to be so stubborn? "If there was someone willing to give in and the two families still moved around, it''s not like I didn''t know that my daughter died half a year ago ¡­"


    Zhang Yaomei was extremely regretful at the moment, and started to cry while wiping her tears. Xia Taohua looked at his mother-in-law''s sorrowful expression, and immediately gave a few of his sister-in-law''s eyes a look. The group of people surrounded her to try and persuade her, but were unable to do so.


    Fortunately, Xu Zhangshu understood his old wife, and only said one sentence in a low voice: "Don''t be in such a rush to cry, our daughter will definitely cause trouble for her own family!"


    Zhang Yaomei immediately stopped her tears, "Yes, such a big thing happened, there wasn''t even someone who came to report it. Since our daughter has suffered so much after marrying into their family, when have we ever had a quarrel with them? No matter how much they dislike Sanniang, she is still the daughter of my Zhang family. There is no such logic in the world! "


    At this time, Li Yannian weakly reminded her, "Grandmother, when father and mother went back that year, they split up with my grandfather and mother ¡­"


    Black Bean added on, "It''s that Red Bean that got sick when he was three years old. Grandma wanted my father, mother, and the year Li. After returning home, a few days later, my father went to find my uncle and talked about the matter of the branch family. Your grandpa probably won''t be able to save face. Although I agreed to my uncle''s words, I didn''t give him anything and kicked our family out. "


    Zhang Yaomei was obviously stunned, the Zhang family''s uncles and aunties also had a face full of shock.


    Black Bean looked hesitant: "Grandma, my mother had people deliver the things to you a few times, but you threw them out."


    Zhang Family''s face instantly changed, even the stern Xu Zhangshu was defeated.


    Zhang Yaomei immediately exclaimed: "How is that possible?! Your family has never seen anyone from Li Village before, and they even said that they gave us something to throw out?! Whose family did you come from to deliver these? "


    Black Bean shook his head, he had coincidentally heard this matter when his mother was secretly talking to his father, and knew that there was such a thing, but he did not know who exactly was asked to deliver the message to the two families.


    As for Li Yannian and Mao Dou, one was still young at the time and the other was not even born yet, so they had no idea.


    At this time, First Aunt Xia Taohua gently asked Black Bean: "Aunt, may I ask, did your uncle and third uncle follow the branch family out as well?"


    Black Bean nodded his head: "I think they did, but I didn''t notice when they did."


    Xia Taohua laughed gently: "Then it''s not wrong. As parents, they all liked to live in a lively family and would never let their brothers get separated from them. At that time, the young concubine and the young master split up in an unsightly manner. The brothers, one after the other, split up and went out. It was difficult to protect their family and put the blame on the young concubine and the young master. Thus, it is very likely that the reason why they intentionally stopped the news is because of their own family. This way, our sister-in-law and her family would completely fall out, and without the help of our family, we can make them suffer and taste the bitterness of being separated. "


    Hearing her words, Zhang Yaomei could not help but start to wonder if his eldest son''s family had the same thoughts as her, but looking at the eldest son''s wife''s calm face, it did not seem like it.


    Zhang Bao Duo looked at his mother''s expression and immediately followed up, "Mother, the Lee family is too much of a bully. If this is really them doing it, it means they are the enemy that caused our bones and flesh to be separated!" "We''re not done with the Li family. If we don''t get this out, where is our Zhang family''s face?"


    Xia Taohua looked at her husband, and continued to speak in that soft voice, "I was only guessing, and I may not be accurate."


    Xu Zhangshu''s face was ashen as he said sullenly: "No matter if it''s true or not, when the first month is over, ask me for an explanation."


    All of his sons nodded their heads in agreement.


    When Zhang Yaomei thought about how she had been at loggerheads with his daughter for so many years, only to end up being instigated by someone else in the end, pitiful her precious daughter who died without knowing why, her heart immediately felt tight. She lowered her head to take a look. It turned out that Mao Dou was no longer able to bear the conversation of the adults and was once again exhausted from the journey. She had long fallen into a deep sleep.


    Li Yannian wanted to go up and pull the beans over, but she shook his head at her, and then picked her up and gave her to Xu Zhangshu.


    Xu Zhangshu nodded his head, holding onto Mao Dou''s arm, he walked towards the side of the room.


    With this interruption, Zhang Yaomei calmed herself down and paid attention to the two siblings'' clothing. Especially when she saw the shoes on their feet, she could not help but frown.

 C22

    CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Uncles of the Outer Family (3)


    "How did the Lee family treat you? Why can''t they even afford a pair of shoes? Why are you wearing these in the middle of winter?"


    Black Bean revealed some embarrassment. He did have new shoes, but he was reluctant to wear them as he was going to walk on the mountain road today. He didn''t even want to wear his brother and sister.


    Li Yannian hurriedly said, "After Father and Mother left, Uncle and Third Uncle took our land and never cared about us. The money that I used to buy clothes was all earned by my brother in the town. Grandmother, look at these eggs and clothes, I also earned money from buying them. I specifically bought them to nourish Grandmother''s body and make clothes. "


    Just as Li Yannian was wondering in her heart what was wrong with her uncles, she heard one of them yell, "The Li Clan is really vicious!"


    Zhang Yaomei sighed, "You three children just passed half a year like that? "Why are you so stupid as your mother? You don''t know how to stay at Grandma''s house!"


    Li Yannian giggled and acted like a spoiled child, "We don''t know! If I had known that Grandmother would be so heartbroken, I would have dragged us here a long time ago. Grandmother, it''s been so long since you''ve let us recognize you. There are so many uncles, aunties, cousins, and I don''t recognize any of them ¡­ "


    Only then did Zhang Yaomei remember that she was too preoccupied with her sadness just now and had forgotten to teach her children how to recognize people. She pointed to her sons and said: "This is your uncle, Zhang Bao, she is working at the Du Jia Village''s clothing shop. She is only home today because of the holidays, she still has to go to the shop tomorrow. This is your First Aunt, surnamed Xia, called Peach Blossom. This is your second uncle, Zhang Erbao, the village pig killer, your second aunt''s surname is Wang ¡­ "


    A few of his uncles did all sorts of business. In addition to the business and pig slaughtering uncle, third uncle is a carpenter, fourth uncle makes mud to help people build a house. As soon as he introduced them, a few uncles would happily stand up and point at themselves. The few uncles would be different, when the aunt called him, she immediately fished out a few red packets from her purse, and with her sister-in-law Xia Taohua as a representative, she gently placed them on Li Yannian''s hands, speaking very affectionately, "I didn''t know that you guys would come today, the red packets you prepared weren''t big, they were just for your children to play around with. Don''t give up on me, I promise your uncles will take another big one for you tonight."


    Li Yannian did not refuse as she smiled sweetly, "Auntie already gave a lot. It''s good to have Auntie''s pain. I thank First Aunt on behalf of my brother, Second Aunt, Third Aunt and Third Aunt. "


    This string of aunts made the whole family laugh.


    Only now did Zhang Yaomei have a smile on her face. The more she looked at Li Yannian, the more she liked her. Fortunately, Li Yannian still remembered Black Bean who was standing motionlessly at the side, and said to Zhang Yaomei in a spoiled manner: "Grandma, my brother is still standing. We climbed the mountain the whole morning, you shouldn''t ask my brother to sit down and rest."


    Only then did Zhang Yaomei turn her head to look at Black Bean. She was a little embarrassed, she had truly forgotten about his grandson Black Bean just now. Fortunately, her wife Xu Zhangshu helped her out, and waved at Black Bean, causing him to sit beside her grandfather.


    "Eat, eat. The two children have been on the road for the whole morning. They must be hungry as well ¡­"


    On the other side, her wife Xia Taohua had already added two more sets of tableware onto the table. The two of them looked at each other in mid air, and Xia Taohua''s cheeks immediately turned completely red.


    "Eat, eat, eat. Black Bean, this is your first time coming to my house, don''t be embarrassed, just let go of your stomach and eat ¡­"


    Zhang Erbao also smiled boyishly as he greeted his new nephew, but he couldn''t help but look at his niece again. Seeing Li Yannian steadily sitting by his wife''s side with a bowl of food in her hand, no matter how you looked at her cute little appearance, she truly looked pretty! If only his daughter-in-law could give him a daughter.


    The pot was boiling with steaming hot soup. The family sat around the table with similar smiles on their faces. Li Yannian was busy trying to eliminate the dishes his grandmother kept in her bowl, looking at her newlywed relatives with great satisfaction. Her heart felt like her stomach, warm up gradually.


    After eating a lively reunion dinner, Zhang Yaomei liked his granddaughter more the more she saw her, so she suggested to keep the three siblings at home for a period of time.


    Black Bean was planning to come to visit a relative in a year and leave, but upon hearing this he hesitated. Li Yannian reacted quickly as she laughed, "Grandmother, we didn''t think of this when we came. We didn''t bring any new clothes, it would have been better if we stayed for a day or two, if we stayed for another two days, Grandmother would find us stinky."


    This sentence made everyone laugh. The First Aunt smiled gently and made a compromise, "Mother, why don''t we keep them at home for two days. Since the first day of the new year has coincidentally been out for the first month, we should go out and ask about little sister-in-law first. Why don''t we send Black Bean and the others back home today and take a look at the Li family on the way? If the Li Family members are really bad, why don''t we help Black Bean and the others pack up and come back to live with us? "


    As soon as the idea came out, the three wives also agreed. Originally, when they heard that their grandma wanted to bring their granddaughter back to live, they didn''t say anything and were unhappy in their hearts. There were only so many things in the house, and three more people to share them with. The difference was too great. In the end, people''s hearts were all biased, and even their own children could not understand them. A child left behind by three of these sister-in-law had appeared halfway, and they had not seen it since they were young. They were no different from strangers, so how could they have feelings for each other?


    It was not a big deal for the eldest sister-in-law to suggest such an idea, but since the child was sent back to the Li Village, the Li Family still needed some face. They wouldn''t sit idly by and watch the outer sect take care of the child and raise him in the Zhang Family Village! Otherwise, the light villagers''s saliva would have drowned them all.


    Zhang Yaomei was used to being strong, and thus, the daughter-in-law below had always been obedient. Xu Zhangshu, as a man, was not that meticulous. The two of them looked at each other and thought that it was just right.


    "Alright then. Peach Blossom, clean up the room with the cuckoo in a while and see how Black Bean and Mao Dou can sleep. Red Bean will sleep with me. Camphor Tree, go to the outer room and sleep. "


    Li Yannian, on the other hand, would rather sleep alone.


    Zhang Yaomei saw through her worries at first glance and smiled as she rubbed her head, "Your grandfather is really wishing that he could sleep in the outer room by himself.


    Xu Zhangshu looked at his wife. He did not nod his head, nor did he object.


    Xia Taohua pulled the dissatisfied Third Sister-in-law, Du Gun, and quietly pulled at the corner of her clothes. She also asked Zhang Yaomei for her opinion in a gentle tone, "Black Bean is pretty much the same as Da Jun, so let''s sleep with him. Mao Dou is still young, and is afraid that he won''t be able to leave brother.


    Zhang Yaomei nodded her head impatiently. "Just watch over and clean up the mess between you two, boys can''t compare to girls, there''s no need to be so particular."


    These words made all the daughter-in-law choked. None of the other families could afford to have a son to eat their mother-in-law. Old Zhang''s family was out of line, so the sister-in-law would be very angry if her granddaughter was not with them.


    However, when they saw their husband glued his eyes onto the red bean, Peach Blossom and the others could only sigh helplessly. In truth, they themselves also wanted their daughter. Just like the Zhang family''s daughter who was next door and knew how to move a small stool next to her mother to help her pick vegetables. Her chubby face was full of seriousness, making people''s hearts melt.


    The peach blossoms came back to reality and laughed: "Then I''ll go clean up with the cuckoo. We''ve been under the blanket once before, and have kept it in the cage for so long. Only after we take it out and bask it in the sun will Black Bean and the rest warm up."


    Zhang Yaomei''s thoughts were all on Li Yannian, she did not hear what she said, and sent her away.


    "Such a pitiful sight. His hair is so yellow like this. When your mother was your age, her hair was thick and black, and when she came back, your grandmother would raise you as well as your mother. "Also, this small arm is too thin. I''ll need to eat more in the next two days at home ¡­"


    Li Yannian couldn''t help but to laugh, thinking back to those scenes and photos of her granny and her grandmother being raised that year on Weibo, thinking that her job of getting fatter was just around the corner.


    Other than First Uncle on break, Second Uncle was resting since he didn''t have any pig to kill today. Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle still had to do their work, thus they accompanied Black Bean and Li Yannian out the door while carrying the fellow who was eating.


    It was at this time that Mao Dou woke up in the room next door. When he saw that he was sleeping in an unfamiliar room with his older brother and sister not beside him, he was so scared that he started crying, scaring the few people who were talking in the living room. Black Bean immediately carried them over.


    Previously, Peach Blossom thought that his nephew would wake up hungry, so she left a bowl of rice on the stove and kept it warm in the pot. Now, after Black Bean had coaxed her, she could eat with her. Mao Dou was just woken up from his hunger and when he saw the food, he immediately burst into laughter. Even Zhang Yaomei and Xu Zhangshu who didn''t like boys couldn''t help but stroke the soft yellow hair on his head when they saw this child.


    Watching from the side, Peach Blossom couldn''t help but be convinced. The three children of his wife''s family were much more thoughtful and sensible than his own children. He couldn''t blame his mother for liking them so much.


    In fact, Li Yannian had noticed that his aunts did not really welcome them. After all, they were not like her grandparents and uncles, who were blood related to them. She could understand that her aunts viewed them as strangers who might be able to squeeze into their living space. It was strange that they could be welcomed.


    Their worries were too worrisome. Firstly, the reason why Li Yannian instigated Black Bean to marry them was to find a backer; secondly, Li Yannian''s secret was already at the limit of what they could say to the Mao Dou brothers. If they continued to stay in such a large family, wouldn''t that be courting death? Even blood relatives might not be able to keep her secret, let alone these "outsiders".

 C23

    CHAPTER XXIII EXTERNAL UNCLE DOUBLE (4)


    After staying at the Zhang house for two days, the uncles seemed to want to make up for their five or six years of absence, so they played with the red beans and the hairy beans with all their might. In the morning, he would go to the mountains to dig winter bamboo shoots, and in the afternoon, he would go to the ice river to dig holes and fish. Forget about Mao Dou, even Li Yannian, the genuine child who had long since become an adult, was having a great time playing around.


    But February''s footsteps had arrived in the blink of an eye.


    Other than the Zhang family''s few daughter-in-law, who stayed at home to take care of the children, almost all the members of the Zhang family moved out. Early in the morning, with Zhang Yaomei taking the lead, under the escort of the Zhang Family Village, they brought Black Bean to Li Village.


    Li Yannian did not know about her return trip until the moment she stepped out of the door, and her grandmother had even called Zhang Wen Bing, who was in the middle of the village, to accompany him. From the looks of it, the Zhang Clan was planning to blow up this small matter of theirs. She was not worried at all that the Zhang Family would suffer a loss, not to mention having their own businesses, just these three uncles of hers ¨C First Uncle had returned to the Du Jia Village to work the day before yesterday, and she did not even need to say a single word. Just standing there was enough to make her feel pressured.


    The Li family, the major chamber and the Third Branch were just bullying their lonely three siblings. They would see if they could still bully them in the future!


    Li Yannian snickered, and even the long mountain road that she thought was extremely long was no longer difficult to walk on, with light and quick steps, she was about to fly.


    After four hours, the group of people entered the entrance of Li Village. Zhang Yaomei first asked her wife, Xu Zhangshu, and her second son, Zhang Erbao, to go with him to invite Li Qingfeng, the leader of the Li Village. Under the curious and probing gazes of the rest of the villagers, she first went to the small house where the three siblings were staying to check out the situation. At the same time, she also arranged for the food and clothing prepared for the three siblings to be placed in the small house.


    But if he did not go, that would be good. If he did, Zhang Family''s lungs would have exploded from anger. The three small red mud huts that occupied the space had mostly collapsed, and only the stove remained standing. The door was shaking from the north wind. Strange creaking sounds came from it. It made people wonder if, in the next moment, this worn-out door would suddenly fall to the ground with a loud bang.


    The stove was narrow and narrow, the moment they entered, they had a clear view of three siblings''s house, where should they be staying? If he had known earlier that they would suffer so much, he would have taken them away no matter what!


    Zhang Yaomei''s heart ached as though a piece of her heart''s core had been cut off. She asked in disbelief, "You all have been living in this kind of place for the most part of half a year?"


    Black Bean blushed and nodded, "I had plans to build a house, but I didn''t have the time for that."


    What did it mean not having enough time? If there was money, who wouldn''t build a house in the middle of winter, leaving a room with no kang and no wind to cool it down?


    Zhang Yaomei''s face was so dark that the ink could come out, she turned and spoke to the shocked and unwilling Zhang Wen Bing: "Uncle Zhang, you saw it too, how the Li Family bullied my granddaughter and the rest, for that reason, we must get to the bottom of it!"


    Uncle Zhang looked at Li Yannian and Mao Dou with sympathy. He could not help but shake his head and sigh.


    The faces of the Zhang family''s three uncles turned ashen, hearing the commotion outside the door, they all turned their heads, but they were so scared that they were startled by Li Village who was following Black Bean and the rest into the room.


    Since there were so many people in the small kitchen, Zhang Yaomei gestured for her sons to retreat into the courtyard so that Xu Zhangshu and Li Qingfeng could enter and see what the Li Family had done to their children.


    Li Qingfeng had originally heard that the three children of the second house of the Li family were having a hard time, but he never would have thought that it would be this hard. Although he had accepted two taels of silver from major chamber to help him take the three acres of land, major chamber still agreed with him.


    He was secretly complaining on the side, this time the children''s outer sect disciples had come looking for him, and even brought him some money. He might just make things difficult for them, but he had the attitude of wanting to meet an official in the county, how good was the Li Family major chamber''s silver from the start, now he was regretting it a lot, and had already scolded Li Qingshan and his wife to death in his stomach.


    Uncle Zhang tapped the smoke gun in his hand and laughed. "Brother Qing Feng, we haven''t seen each other for some time." This time, if it wasn''t because of your Li Village being so unreliable, this old skeleton wouldn''t have spent so much effort to come all the way here. It''s a terrible thing to do, and it''s bad for the reputation of your village if it gets out, isn''t it? After bullying a few children to such an extent, we should at least have an explanation for it. Why don''t we go to the children''s parents'' house and talk about it? "


    Li Qingfeng forced a smile and said: "Since Big Bro already said that, then I will accompany Big Bro on a trip to the Li Family. I want to hear what the Li Family members have to say, so I will be the witness."


    Zhang Yaomei glared at him coldly, and said with a smile that did not reach her eyes: "Since Uncle Li has agreed to be a witness, then in the future when the county magistrate has something to say, I ask that Uncle Li come as well.


    The smile on Li Qingfeng''s face stiffened, he turned around and looked at Zhang Wen Bing who was begging him for help, then looked at Xu Zhangshu who had invited him over, but the two of them did not seem to understand his gaze, and turned around.


    If this were to end up in the county, the county magistrate would be the one to eat the defendant after the plaintiff had eaten him. In terms of family background, the Zhang Family was richer than the Li Family. A poke into the county, that would mean that he, as a Li Village, was done for.


    Had he known earlier, he would not have taken Li Qingshan''s mere two taels of silver! Li Qingfeng was regretting his mistake, he was forced to do nothing, and could only promise the Zhang Family: "Your child''s life is so good, my heart aches for her. I really should accompany his to the Li Clan to seek an explanation for all of you."


    Li Yannian kept shouting in her heart, thinking that her grandmother was the strongest, opening her mouth to capture Li Village, the local tyrant.


    Black Bean looked at them in satisfaction. There were times when he would not even so much as glance at them!


    The group of people put down their things and was about to head towards the Li family estate. Mao Dou purposely lagged behind as he tugged at the corner of Li Yannian''s clothes. He asked in a low voice, "Sis, why are so many eggs missing from our house?"


    Li Yannian tapped his forehead and smiled mysteriously: "I already said it''s something that the deities want, so when I wanted to take it away, I naturally took it."


    At first, he thought that there was a thief in the house, but when he saw that Li Yannian was not surprised at all, he knew that she had done it in a weird way. He was extremely curious, but there was still someone at home, so he held himself back and didn''t ask.


    It was not that Li Yannian purposely hid this from them to scare them, it was just that the System was progressing too quickly. Just as she was about to enter the room, as she was thinking that there were so many eggs piled up in front of her grandmother and uncle, she suddenly thought that there might be some doubt within. Beginner transactions amount to 1000 yuan, free 10 square meters of storage space next month)


    Since it is free, there is no need to waste it!


    Li Yannian immediately chose to agree, and then felt that all the eggs in the room had instantly been moved to the warehouse. Upon entering, he found that the place where the eggs had been piled was now empty.


    This was good as well. In the future, if there were any things that were inconvenient for her to reveal, she could just stuff them into the warehouse.


    Of course, it was best to keep such incredible things hidden from the two brothers. As long as Black Bean and Mao Dou enjoyed the convenience that her Treasure Shop brought, the less they knew about it, be it for them or for her, it would be safer.


    Li Qingfeng rubbed his hands together, smiling awkwardly: "Uncle, you''re eating right now? Yo, this food is pretty good. There''s wine and meat, so your life is quite comfortable. "


    After saying that, Li Qingfeng wanted to slap himself in the face. He really wanted to add oil to the fire by sprinkling salt onto Zhang Family''s wound!


    Sure enough, when Zhang Yaomei heard that, she became extremely angry and sneered at the two Li Family elders: "Your own family eats very delicious food and drinks spicy food, and you even left the small ones below to eat until they''re full or wear warm, what are you doing? When I get back, I really want to go to the village and tell them that your Li family really doesn''t change their way of doing things.


    Madame Li immediately threw down her chopsticks: "Which family''s dog came to bite people during the new year''s celebration? Did all of your Zhang family grow up eating feces?" Your mouth stinks like that? "


    She still wanted to come up and beat Zhang Yaomei up? The Zhang family''s uncles could see how impressive the situation was. Not only had their mother been scolded by others, they even had their mother beaten up right in front of them?


    They immediately picked up their things on the spot, Zhang Erbao picked up his chair, Zhang Sanbao grabbed the ancestral tablets that were on the incense table in the living room. Li Yannian was sighing inwardly about her uncles'' straightforward and aggressive ways when she saw Little Uncle turn his head around. Seeing that she really had nothing left to take, felt wronged and picked up the feather duster that was thrown beside the door.


    Eh, something doesn''t seem right about this scene ¡­


    However, in the end, they still weren''t able to win. The Li family''s old man impatiently shouted at Madame Li, "It''s the new year, calm down a little."


    Madame Li''s anger had been completely wiped out in an instant, so she obediently retreated to the side.


    Old Man Li put down the wine cup in his hand heavily and raised his chin towards Xu Zhangshu: "My dear family, have you eaten lunch yet? Sit down and drink a cup of wine to warm your body. The two guards also sat down. There weren''t any good dishes or wine at home, so don''t mind them.


    Zhang Yaomei was about to lose her temper when his wife shook her head at her. Outside, Zhang Yaomei was still giving some face to his wife, causing the fire to go out, so the men could handle this matter.


    Everyone was sitting at the table. Old Man Li raised his eyelids and said indifferently to Madame Li: "Guests are all knocking on my door, there''s no need to make me hungry. You go inside and cook another pot of noodles and fry two eggs. "


    Madame Li opened her mouth to curse, but Zhang Yaomei first rejected her with a cold voice.


    "I can''t take my mother''s noodles, who knows if there''s poison inside! My daughter married into your family and worked as a horse for so many years. It''s fine if she didn''t give anything to the branch family, but she didn''t even report her loss when she died. Don''t think that I don''t know that you''ve stopped my mother and daughter from meeting for so many years. Your Li family has done too many wicked things. Black Bean, Hong Dou, if you bring your brother along, let''s go home and make dinner! "


    Madame Li was almost angered to the point of falling backwards. Just as she was about to chase after him and scold him, the three Zhang brothers suddenly glared at her, and she immediately became breathless.


    Old Man Li''s face turned dark, he was quiet for a moment, seeing that the Zhang brothers did not follow them back, he nodded his head to signal for them to sit down and eat, then glared at Madame Li, implying a warning.


    Lady Li shrank back from her wife''s stare, knowing that she was in the wrong, and seeing that there weren''t many dishes on the table, she could only go to the stove and fry another plate of eggs and a plate of leek. Originally, she wanted to spit in the food, but when she remembered the warning look in Old Man Li''s eyes, she gave up.

 C24

    CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR The Uncles of the Outer Family (5)


    Zhang Yaomei used her toes to think about it, shsheknew that these children did not have much to eat, so she took out some money to ask the Auntie Li next door to cut half a piece of meat, and then asked someone to buy some vegetables and mixed food noodles. After returning back home and neatly cleaning up, he cooked hot noodles for Li Yannian and the others.


    The few of them were really hungry, and were not afraid of the heat, they kept sucking at the big bowl, feeling that Zhang Yaomei''s pot of noodles was so delicious that it could make people swallow their tongues.


    As Li Yannian was snoring the noodles, he did not forget to give Zhang Yaomei a thumbs up, "Grandma, this noodles smells so good!"


    Seeing that she was eating so well, Zhang Yaomei squinted his eyes in satisfaction: "It''s really that delicious?"


    Mao Dou quickly replied with a nod. "Grandmother, this is the most delicious noodles I''ve ever eaten!"


    The smirk deepened at the corner of Zhang Yaomei''s eyes.


    Zhang Yaomei was even more concerned about it than Li Yannian and the rest. She did not wait for them to confirm and asked anxiously, "How is it, what did the Li Family say?"


    Xu Zhangshu glanced at three siblings, only then did Zhang Yaomei react, and pointed at his youngest son, Zhang Sibao. She assigned some tasks to him: "Xiao Bao, bring your nieces and nephew out to buy some fun, see if anyone is here, buy some sweets for them."


    The pile of food that the Zhang siblings had brought back contained sugar. These words clearly indicated that they wanted to part with them. Looks like the Li family really isn''t willing to let him go ¡­


    Although Li Yannian didn''t know exactly what the two families said, he knew clearly in her heart that this time, Zhang Yaomei would definitely not be able to bring them away.


    However, she was still curious about the Li family''s reaction. The Li family was being so unfair in this matter, so there was no reason for the Zhang family to let them off so easily. Her eyes rolled and turned, and then decided on Little Uncle.


    When they left the house, Black Bean led Mao Dou to walk in front. Li Yannian shook Zhang Sibao''s hand and asked in a spoiled tone, "Little Uncle, when are we going to go home? In the morning, Auntie stuffed the sugar. Why did Grandmother want us to buy the sugar? "Why don''t I just go back and pack my stuff, or else I won''t be able to pick up my things before I leave."


    Zhang Sibao was a little helpless, his face flushed red from anxiousness, "Ah, red beans ¡­ "The sugar Aunt gave us isn''t tasty, let''s go buy something even more tasty ¡­"


    Li Yannian opened her eyes wide, as if she didn''t understand what she meant, "But the sugar that Aunt gave me was something I ate in the morning, and it was much sweeter than the candy that I brought over. Little Uncle, why don''t you go with my brother and the others, I''ll go back and help Grandma pack. "


    Seeing that she was really going to return home after getting rid of his hand, Zhang Sibao clenched his teeth, since he would have to say it sooner or later. He straightened his neck and said: "Come back, Red Bean!"


    Looking at his niece''s confused expression, he felt heartache and guilt. "Your grandfather can''t bear for you to leave and won''t let grandmother and uncles bring you home ¡­" But, Red Bean, don''t be sad. Grandmother and uncles will come to your village to see you whenever they have time. "


    Li Yannian blinked and nodded: "Oh, then Little Uncle, you should come visit us more often. Otherwise, uncle and third uncle will come and bully us again. "


    Speaking of the Li Family members, Zhang Sibao''s eyes burned with anger: "Don''t worry, even if you give them ten guts, they wouldn''t dare. Grandfather has already brought back your family''s three acres of land. Since this matter is being witnessed, they can''t go back on their word. "In addition, the other two families will each compensate you with two taels of silver. Consider it as the money for the food in this half a year, and also the money for taking your family''s items."


    Unexpectedly, his silent grandfather''s negotiating methods were not bad! They actually forced the two families to spit out food that entered their stomachs.


    "Is this all Grandfather wants back? Grandfather is so powerful! "


    Zhang Sibao was struck by her sparkling, starry eyes and couldn''t help but reach out to stroke her head.


    "Not all of them are for my grandfather to come back. Your grandma knows what your eldest uncle and third uncle are doing, but your grandpa doesn''t. That was why everything had gone so smoothly. I see that your grandfather is also a fool, he actually thought that you had already reported your loss to our family ¡­ As for the rest of you, sigh, he still hates your dad. "


    Just as he finished speaking, he realized that Black Bean and Mao Dou, who were walking in front, had suddenly turned back and just happened to hear everything he said, making him feel a little awkward. Originally, these things should not have been said by him, but somehow fell out.


    Mao Dou was still young, so he didn''t understand. At the same time, only Black Bean and Li Yannian had thoughtful expressions on their faces.


    Only now did Li Yannian understand why the Li Clan Elder would not care about his direct relatives for half a year. She had thought that it was because Li Hongshan did not like the two elders, but in the end, it was all because of the matter of the branch family.


    From the looks of it, Old Man Li only had an unyielding character, and could not bear to see his sons and daughters resisting and challenging his authority. Although their actions were tyrannical, at the very least, they still remembered some kinship. Then the one who stirred up trouble between the Zhang and Li families for so many years should be Lady Li.


    When he thought about the fight between the Li Clan and the Li Clan just now, in just a few minutes, Li Yannian was completely sure that she really couldn''t like the Li Clan anymore.


    Zhang Sibao sighed, the three children that Third Sister left behind were really painful, obedient and sensible. If he had known earlier, he would have let his parents go to the Li Family to cause trouble, and secretly raise the children at home. However, it was too late now.


    After a long while, he finally choked out a sentence: "Black Bean, as a brother, you are very good!"


    The way he said it sounded a bit weird, but the three siblings understood what he meant.


    Li Yannian giggled: "That''s true, my brother is the best brother in the world."


    Mao Dou also covered his mouth and laughed. "In the future, I want to be the best brother in the world."


    Li Yannian poked his forehead, "Are you stupid? You''re the little brother, and the best brother is something you can''t do anymore, so just be the most obedient little brother."


    Mao Dou was the most tactful. He nodded his head as if he was pounding garlic. "Yes, I''m the most obedient."


    Zhang Sibao was amused by the siblings'' conversation, and his heavy mood relaxed a lot. When the four of them returned home, they saw Zhang Yaomei looking at the three siblings, somewhat hesitating to speak. Zhang Sibao pursed his lips into a smile, "Mother, they already know about it. "Don''t make things difficult for yourself."


    Zhang Yaomei looked at three siblings in disbelief. None of their faces had anything strange, how did it look like they had heard of him not bringing them back to Zhang Village?


    Black Bean opened his mouth at the right moment: "Little Uncle has indeed already told us. Grandmother, Grandfather, don''t worry, I''ll take good care of my brother and sister. I''ll come visit you guys when I have time. "


    Zhang Yaomei rubbed the wet corner of her eyes. She felt a little sad but at the same time, she felt a little happy. If you say so, Granny will be relieved. Today, your grandfather asked your grandpa for five taels of silver. Your grandpa asked your grandpa for five taels of silver. But don''t be afraid, if she dares to cause trouble, Black Bean, you go and find your grandfather. Your grandfather''s words are all over there. If the Li Clan ever does anything out of line again, then write a letter of rest for the Li Clan! "


    Li Yannian and Black Bean were both shocked. Li Yannian was shocked that Little Uncle did not mention a single word to them just now because of such a huge matter. Black Bean, on the other hand, felt that his grandfather''s reaction was somewhat puzzling. All these years, he had never seen the Li Clan lose so much face!


    Li Yannian understood after she thought about it carefully. With the Li family deliberately obstructing the Zhang mother and daughter meeting all these years, the Old Man Li was unable to stand up straight in front of the Zhang family, not to mention that the Li family had allowed their eldest son and youngest son to bully the second family members. The matter was too excessive, to the point that the family on the other side of the mountain was alarmed. It must be because Old Man Li wanted to use the matter of Lady Li to block the Zhang Clan''s mouth, which was why she deliberately gave face to Madame Li.


    The Li family had suffered a loss of heart this time. Even their old branch family''s silver coins had been taken out by the Zhang family. Li Yannian could not help but want to laugh, for the two brothers to take out five taels of silver, it was really not an easy task, she did not know how they would feel at home. If the Li family were to come and cause trouble for her, she was not afraid. At that time, it would be as Zhang Yaomei had said, she would run towards the Li family.


    Zhang Yaomei continued to speak, "Other than the silver from your grandfather''s and grandmother''s families, as well as the silver from your uncle and third uncle''s families, all of these are already available. If those two families come and cause trouble again, it''s the same, go complain to the Old Man Li. "


    "The Li family gives me a total of nine liang of silver. Grandmother and Grandfather can arrange it for you. With fifteen liang of silver in your hand, you can still find someone to build the house for you." Black Bean, keep this three acre land deed properly. When it''s spring and Grandmother asks your uncle to come and help, there''s not much else in our family, there are a lot of uncles. The uncles go round and round one day, and all the work in the field is done. "


    Li Yannian had originally thought that within his family''s three acres of land, there would be more people who would have to pay for it. According to what she had heard, the meager yield per mu and the taxes on the crops would not be enough to pay. This time, hearing Zhang Yaomei say that a few uncles from the outer sect would come to help him, she calmed down.


    It was already late in the night, if Zhang Family did not continue on the road, they would reach home in the dark. When they parted ways, Zhang Yaomei wiped away her tears and pulled Li Yannian''s hand. She looked again and again, but she just could not move. Xu Zhangshu wasn''t as emotional as her old wife, he merely caressed three siblings''s head lovingly, giving them a few words of advice before coming to the Zhang Family Village. Then, he left without turning back.


    The three uncles looked at each other, then scratched their heads and followed Xu Zhangshu.


    Zhang Yaomei was unable to do so and could only be unwilling to look at the three siblings. With each step she took, she turned her head and gradually, the Zhang Family''s figure finally disappeared into the distance.


    Li Yannian raised her head and looked at his brother, just in time to see Black Bean also looking at her and Mao Dou. She grinned and pulled their hands from left to right. "Brother, let''s go home!"


    Black Bean nodded strongly, a smile appearing in his eyes: "En, let''s go home ¡­"

 C25

    Chapter 25 The Road to Well-off (1)


    It was different from what Zhang Yaomei expected. Zhang Family had already left for a few days, the Li family was quiet, there were no signs of trouble at all. Although Li Yannian was not afraid of them, it was good that there were a few flies buzzing in front of the door. She secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    With Zhang Family''s disturbance, fifteen silver taels suddenly appeared in Li Yannian''s hands. The brother and sister pair then started to discuss the matter of reconstructing the house.


    Black Bean was thinking of cleaning up the place where the house had collapsed and re-built the wall, but he was thinking of doing it in one move. The siblings wanted to save money, while the other was not lacking in money. Their starting points were different, so naturally, they would not be heading in the same direction.


    However, in the end, it was Li Yannian who gained the upper hand. She obtained the final say in building the house, and decided to push down and rebuild all the places where the old house had not fallen.


    The plan was set. Next was the question of how to build it. The siblings had asked about the prices of all kinds of building materials. Of course, clay pulp was the cheapest, while wood was slightly more expensive. However, it was still not even half of the price of green brick. The Lee family was originally made of clay paste. Half of the water would collapse from the impact. They were afraid of fire, which was a big problem for them. Thus, from the very beginning, Li Yannian had thought of using green brick, house girders and these irreplaceable pieces of wood. However, according to Li Yannian''s plan, the fifteen silver this time would only be enough to cover the bottom tier.


    Even if all of Li Yannian''s one thousand yuan worth of eggs sold in this month were completely converted into silver, it would still only be around the amount of six taels of silver, and would not be enough to fill the gap in the construction of the house.


    Li Yannian was wondering if she should listen to Black Bean, so she went along with the plan and an uninvited guest came knocking on her door.


    "It''s you?"


    The moment Li Yannian opened the door, she saw the Gu family''s third young master who had helped them out of the predicament at Du Jia Village that day. The other party was obviously still sizing up their "dangerous room", and was probably too shocked.


    "That uncle at the village entrance really didn''t point the way in the wrong direction. I thought I had found the wrong place ¡­" Gu Mingyuan laughed embarrassedly, but his eyes were focused on the door instead. He did not understand that the brother and sister pair who made a move on him, who had over a thousand pieces of paper, were actually famous for being poor in Li Village.


    Since Li Yannian did not have a good impression of the Gu family, she did not open his mouth to invite anyone in. Instead, she just stood at the entrance, courteously but estranged, "Third Young Master, it''s inconvenient for us at home, so I will not invite you in. I wonder why Third Young Master is here this time? "


    Gu Mingyuan was already happy when he saw her, and did not care about her attitude towards him. The two waiters behind him obviously frowned. This girl was actually a country bumpkin. He was too lacking in manners.


    Of course, Li Yannian was not surprised by their disdainful expressions, but when she saw the person in front of him staring straight at him, she was slightly annoyed. Although her body was only ten years old, she was already half a girl. If Gu Mingyuan knew how to be courteous, he wouldn''t have stared straight at a girl that he didn''t know.


    Gu Mingyuan was a very observant person, the little girl in front of him seemed to be very disgusted with him, this caused him to feel wronged. He had asked so many questions just to help his big brother out. The reason he had sat in the carriage for so long was just to catch a glimpse of her. Those outside who knew that the Gu family had returned to the Du Jia Village to celebrate the New Year''s Eve, yet were still begging for help everywhere.


    Instead, her downcast eyes were filled with impatience. For the first time, Third Young Master Gu felt that he wasn''t that popular.


    He found it hard to hide his disappointment as he remembered her question before. He replied lightly: "Last time, when I ran into you people in Bookstore, I was extremely concerned. It was only after understanding the situation that he found out that he had hidden the money he was supposed to give you and that he was keeping the goods for himself. "Our Gu family has always relied on the word ''honest'' for our business, but to let you guys meet such a situation, my heart cannot rest at ease, let alone my big brother."


    "Unfortunately, he''s been busy lately, so he told me to slowly search for him. He told me to personally deliver the sixty taels of silver to the two of you." Shopkeeper Xing has already been kicked out of Bookstore by my big brother. The next time your big brother wants to sell paper, our Gu family will definitely give you a fair price. "


    Gu Mingyuan said, while gesturing to the shop assistant behind him to bring the silver bag over, and personally took it, and gave it to Li Yannian.


    Li Yannian looked at him suspiciously. She still couldn''t quite believe his words just now. As the Royal Merchant, the young masters of the Gu family were not playboys who had grown up with nothing to eat. She did not believe that Gu Mingyuan was not suspicious at all when he looked at his house.


    A pauper like them, who hardly had any roof over their heads, had used 1900 pieces of paper the moment he had attacked. They were obviously supposed to collect the money, but the siblings had run for the door in a panic ¡­ No matter how he looked at it, he looked like he had a guilty conscience from selling his goods.


    But Gu Mingyuan still looked at him sincerely, and indicated for him to take the money.


    Li Yannian couldn''t think of a reason for this at the moment, but since the other party had chosen to ignore all of their doubts and doubts, she was obviously encouraging her to continue selling paper in the Gu Family''s young master''s Bookstore. If you have money, you don''t earn it, bastard! She chose to take a gamble.


    "Third Young Master is too serious. At that time, I was too worried that no one would watch my little brother at home, so I forgot to ask for the money. I had to trouble you to deliver it to me personally." My house has been busy these past few days building a house. When it''s empty, I''ll have my big brother go to Bookstore to deliver some paper. "Third Young Master, don''t worry. I will definitely send her off in at most two days. It won''t be missed."


    What can''t be missed? Gu Mingyuan''s eyes flashed. He was surprised that she was quick-witted, and remembered that the Gu Family had a request for them. However, he wasn''t afraid that they would raise the price. At the beginning, the little girl was in a stalemate and refused to accept the money because she was afraid that he would ask for the origin of the paper.


    I didn''t expect 60 taels of silver to be so heavy. Li Yannian did not notice the look in Gu Mingyuan''s eyes, his entire mind was already on the money that was going to fall into his hands. Even his lips that had always been pursed upwards curved his lips in joy, making him look just like a money grubber.


    In Gu Mingyuan''s eyes, the Third Young Master could not help but laugh, what quick thinking, but he was still a child.


    He resisted the urge to rub her soft hair and coughed to regain her attention: "The words have been sent, the money that needs to be paid has been paid. Miss Li, I will take my leave now, goodbye!"


    Li Yannian cupped his hands towards him, and revealed a formal smile: "Thank you for your hard work Third Young Master. If you have anything to do, you can go ahead and busy yourself. I will definitely ask my brother to send some paper over later. Thank you. Goodbye! "


    Although the other party had a very warm smile on his face, Gu Mingyuan''s heart was empty, and he was inexplicably a little disappointed. When Guangjin helped Yun Che into the carriage, and the carriage swayed for a long time, Gu Mingyuan suddenly understood why he felt disappointed at the time.


    He was so familiar with that smile. That was how he smiled every day at the guests who came to him and then he had to entertain them.


    This kind of understanding hurt Gu Mingyuan''s noble self-esteem. The other party did not seem to be interested in the Gu family''s third young master.


    In the past, when those people rushed forward continuously towards the Gu Clan''s Third Young Master''s name, Gu Mingyuan only felt annoyed. Now, he hoped that the special young lady would look at him a little differently because of this, and fawn on him a little ¡­


    Gu Mingyuan was suddenly awakened. What was he doing? He was just a little country girl, so skinny that he didn''t even have a bit of a girl. Could it be that his big brother had hit on his, and he had really thought about it?


    He shook his head. No, this won''t do!


    The financial backer who was driving the carriage heard Gu Mingyuan suddenly shout "No!" and was shocked, he immediately reined his horse. He first looked towards the side at Guang Jin, and when he saw that the other party was also shaking his head, he carefully asked for instructions from behind the curtain: "Young master, there''s a big wind outside, what did you say just now, do you want me to stop?"


    He had actually said that to himself! In that moment, Gu Mingyuan felt as though someone had broken through his thoughts. Luckily Wealth and Guang Jin did not have that kind of courage, and without his orders, they rashly lifted the curtain of the carriage, and as a result, no one saw Gu Mingyuan''s sorry state. He focused his mind, silently reciting his brothers'' total bonus income for this year, and reciting his own again. His obsession with the position of head of the Gu family had once again successfully helped him consolidate his thoughts, and he had discarded all distractions that he shouldn''t have.


    In the blink of an eye, Gu Mingyuan''s eyes no longer showed any signs of confusion or panic, and he returned to being familiar with the people. He was familiar with the appearance of the Gu family''s third young master, who was calm, composed, and every part of his body, revealing a refined temperament that was praised by his seniors and seniors.


    Wealth and Guangjin were still waiting outside for their young master to speak when Third Young Master''s voice came from inside, "It''s fine, let''s continue on our way."


    The two of them looked at each other and simultaneously shrunk their necks back to continue their journey. However, they were no longer in the mood to chat while driving.


    The experience and intuition of being a servant told them that the Third Young Master was in a very bad mood right now. It was very simple if he wanted to get into trouble. Just shut up.


    As compared to when Gu Mingyuan was happy to go, he sat cross-legged on the bed with the silver and counted time and time again. He smiled until his teeth were exposed and his eyes were almost squinting to a slit.


    When Black Bean and Mao Dou returned, they saw this strange scene.


    One of them exclaimed, "Where did all this silver come from?"


    A sorrowful, "Brother, what''s wrong with elder sister? Why can''t we even see her coming home? Are you so happy that you''ve gone stupid?"


    Li Yannian had already heard the sound of the door latch being opened, but no one came here. Just by hearing it, she knew that the two brothers did not want him to be frozen in the cold, so he brought the door latch in. Now that Mao Dou was insulting her, she jumped down from the bed and lightly knocked on his little head. "You''re the fool," she said with a chuckle. You little heartless, and yet you laugh at me. "


    Mao Dou dodged with a giggle, while Li Yannian rubbed his soft and fine hair, explaining to Black Bean.


    "It''s the Gu family''s third young master who came looking for us. However, he doesn''t seem to be interested in our family at all. He even gave us the money to sell the paper last time." Brother, I think that we can still do this business with the Gu family. How about you ask Uncle Li when his oxcart is free and how many more times do we send him back while the Gu family still needs more paper? "


    Black Bean was initially hesitant, but when he thought about how much money his family had, the money they had spent on building houses, Mao Dou''s school money, and his younger brother and sister''s dowry ¡­ How could those three acres be enough!


    Thus, he nodded his head fiercely, "I will listen to you and ask."


    After Li Yannian heard this, he sat back on the bed. This time, she did not count the silver, but picked up the brush and started drawing on the paper.


    Mao Dou curiously moved closer to take a look. He could barely read the first few words, but he could not understand the rest.


    "The path of what? Sis, what did you write?"


    Li Yannian gave him a mysterious smile, "The path to prosperity! "Little brother, just wait and have a good time with big sister. The whole family will get rich and poor hand in hand!"


    Mao Dou only understood half of what was said, but when he saw the glint in his sister''s eyes, he couldn''t help but laugh.


    One big and one small, they all laughed like idiots.

 C26

    Chapter 26 The Road to Well-off (2)


    With the sudden increase in money, the feeling of being short on money to build a house disappeared, replacing it with a feeling of being rich overnight. Li Yannian spent the entire day floating in the air. Fortunately, she was still rational and did not lose her mind completely.


    Since the Gu family was so "at ease" with her, it was either because the paper she was selling was extremely profitable, or because they were in urgent need of a large supply of goods. After Li Yannian carefully thought about it, she thought back to what the Shopkeeper Xing had told the Gu family''s third young master that day. She thought it was probably because of this that the young master was able to discuss business with the books in the manor. It was a pity that she could only earn a maximum of one thousand yuan per month. Even if she bought the cheapest paper, it probably wouldn''t be enough to cover the gap that their family needed.


    So far, she had only accumulated eight credit points. If she remembered correctly, if she wanted to reach two stars in the next month, she would have to sell her eggs twice more.


    What made Li Yannian depressed was that there was no hope for this month''s worth of silver to be exchanged for gold. For the time being, he could only repair the house and use the leftover money from the Gu family''s return to sell it back next month.


    Black Bean brought back the good news very quickly, "Uncle said that he doesn''t need an oxcart tomorrow, and Aunty even warmly told me to bring the oxcart home today, so as to not delay any further time in the morning."


    He laughed foolishly, "I thought auntie''s words were quite reasonable, so I pulled the oxcart back. Er Niu, then I''ll go to Du Jia Village tomorrow morning to deliver the goods. "


    Li Yannian thought that if it wasn''t for the last time where Black Bean listened to him and gave him the white rice to rent the ox-cart, she wouldn''t have agreed so easily. She was just a country bumpkin, and once or twice she would try to help him out. That was because she was very righteous. However, if she were to shamelessly take the kindness of others as a matter of course, then she would truly be a villain.


    No matter how familiar they were with each other, they had to have a certain level of familiarity with each other.


    Li Yannian did not figure out the reason, and continued: "Alright, brother, let''s go to bed early tonight, tomorrow we will head to Du Jia Village with Mao Dou."


    Black Bean was a little shocked, he looked at his little brother who had a surprised expression and asked hesitantly, "Mao Dou is going too? "The road is so far, but Mao Dou is still young ¡­"


    Li Yannian didn''t even need to say anything as Mao Dou patted his chest and jumped out, "I''m already seven years old after the new year. Bro, I''m not small anymore. Furthermore, you still haven''t made up your mind about what you promised last time. This time, I''ll go with you guys, but Sis has already spoken, so don''t mess around. "


    Li Yannian and Black Bean were amused, seeing that his brother was insisting, Black Bean did not object anymore. She rubbed her chin and nodded: "It''s good for you to follow me. When I''ve finished delivering my goods, let''s go to First Uncle''s clothing store and have a look. If there''s anything that''s ready, let me buy two sets of clothes for you. "


    "Great, then I have new clothes to wear again!" Mao Dou was so happy that he jumped up and down. "When I buy a new jacket, I''ll dress to the point that Da Niu will covet it!" Last time, when Da Niu saw my new cotton-padded jacket, his eyes were so wide that they almost went numb. He shouted for Eldest Aunt to wear a new set of clothes, hahahaha, Eldest Aunt dragged him all the way home with his ears, it''s so funny! "


    Li Yannian felt that the tempo wasn''t right. Although there were many times when a child''s words were spoken carelessly, a young girl like her had such a strong desire for revenge. To her, a person who had never raised a child before was truly worrisome.


    In the end, Black Bean was still a big brother, so he had more methods to take care of his younger brother and sister than Li Yannian. When he had heard Mao Dou''s words, he had frowned. However, his expression did not turn cold. Instead, he had put on an extremely serious expression as he tried to reason with Mao Dou.


    "Dou, I know it''s bad for Da Niu so I often bully you." But you have to remember, it''s someone else''s business to spoil others. We have to do our own thing. For example, if Da Niu hit you, you would either hit him back then, or come back and find your elder brother and sister to ask for an explanation. Big Sis He only wanted to buy yummy things and new clothes for you, so that you would feel that they were delicious. The new clothes were beautiful, but it was not intentional to show them to people who didn''t have these good things, which made them feel uncomfortable. I feel that if you do this, then I, Big Sister He''s, will be biased towards you. The food will no longer taste good, and the clothes will no longer look good. Can you understand what I''m saying? "


    Although it sounded a bit roundabout, Mao Dou still understood. He lowered his head, a little embarrassed, and whispered, "I know, then I won''t purposely get so angry next time. If he dares to hit me again, I''ll get big sis to help me beat him up."


    Li Yannian could not help but burst out laughing, "Sure, then big sis will definitely help you the next time. But Da Niu also has a big sister. If your Sister Lotus comes to fight, what should we do? Sister Lotus secretly gave us a bag of noodles before. "


    Mao Dou immediately felt troubled. His small face was almost puckered into a bitter melon.


    "If Sister Lotus really comes, then let her hit me. I''m not afraid of pain."


    Black Bean could not help but stroke his little head, "Dou''er is so obedient. Don''t worry, your Sister Lotus knows what''s good for him, even if she comes, he wouldn''t beat him up. "


    Mao Dou heaved a sigh of relief. As long as he didn''t beat him up. Suddenly, he saw his big brother and big sister looking at him with a funny expression. His face was slightly hanging, and he scratched the back of his head as an excuse, saying that he wanted to practice and leave.


    Black Bean and Li Yannian looked at each other and laughed, then the former said: "We''ve talked for the better part of the day, the food is still not ready yet. I''ll go heat up the fire in the kitchen and boil some hot water in a while.


    Li Yannian nodded, and turned to look through the things they bought today, only to see a pork chop, two white radishes, and a cabbage inside the vegetable basket. It looked normal, but from what Li Yannian had seen from other people''s houses, there were many people who could not afford to eat at this time of year. It would be nice if there was even a plate of salted bamboo shoots on the table. Most of them were a small bowl of fried salt. Their chopsticks were smeared with some flavor as they drank a big bowl of porridge for the day.


    If a guest came and sliced a salty duck egg and put it on the table to watch, there wouldn''t be such an untactful person as to actually put chopsticks on and off the salted duck egg. When the guest left, the host put the salted duck egg into the cupboard and continued to take it out the next day.


    She couldn''t understand it at first. It was obvious that they had their own fields and fields to grow their own dishes, so why couldn''t they even eat vegetables? When she heard the Auntie Li counting the expenses of her family for a year, she suddenly realized. It was not that the people of Li Village were not diligent, but that the taxes they had to pay were too high. At the end of the year, after selling the grains and paying taxes, they didn''t have much left over except to buy seedlings and other miscellaneous expenses. The fields that could be planted were all tightly planted with food. Usually, the vegetables would also grow in the large areas in front of and behind the house.


    It was no wonder that major chamber spent so much effort to obtain the two rooms'' three acres of land. The land was originally bought by the Li Hongshan couple using the wasteland as their home. Since the taxes in the county were low and they had raised the land for the next few years, they had long since cooked the land up. As a result, when the two of them left, the major chamber did not take seriously at all.


    If a person was poor, his ambition would be short.


    Li Yannian could understand them, but that did not mean she could forgive them. At most, she would be able to avoid taking revenge on them. A person who could hurt his own flesh and blood without a care in the world was not a good person. Li Yannian was curious, that kind of family could actually raise such a kind-hearted and beautiful girl like her.


    "Er Niu, Er Niu!"


    Just as Li Yannian was lost in thought, she was woken up by Black Bean''s shout. Baffled, she blinked her eyes, only to realize that she had already been squatting on the ground with the radish in his hands and her ribs in his hands for a long time.


    "What are you thinking about? I called for you a few times but you didn''t even hear me," However, Black Bean merely teased her casually and didn''t seriously wait for Li Yannian''s reply. She pointed at the empty basket and said: "Er Niu, there''s no rice left.


    Mao Dou, who was still arguing with Sha Huang, immediately frowned. "Ah, aren''t we eating today?"


    Li Yannian could not help but laugh, "Why is it that I remember someone previously telling me that rice porridge is the most delicious, and that they would have to cook rice porridge for me every day?"


    Mao Dou knew that Li Yannian was laughing at him, so he hurriedly pretended to be "Aiya, I''m practicing my writing skills, I actually didn''t say anything, and didn''t hear anything".


    In fact, Black Bean was also somewhat shocked in his heart. In a short span of a month, not only Mao Dou, even he himself had become accustomed to eating food that was almost extravagant on a daily basis. If it was in the past, when they had such good white rice to eat, their parents would occasionally cook some mashed meat, and the two of them would feel like it was the new year.


    In the end, it was her sister who changed their lives. Black Bean looked at Li Yannian with a complicated gaze. The latter didn''t care at all, as she was still considering whether she should spend her remaining points on eating or not. Although she still had the authority to purchase and sell the goods four times this month, the Gu family was still waiting for them ¡­


    After thinking about it for a long time, Li Yannian finally made a decision. Since she was lacking a lot of papers from the Gu family, she wouldn''t need three to four hundred of them. After making up her mind, she immediately turned on the Taobao System. However, before she could type in a few rice packets into the search bar, she was greeted with a large golden word:


    "Your current credit is good. Considering your needs, you can choose to start spending the money. Your current quota is 501, your bill is the 20th of every month, and your repayment is the 14th of every month ¡­"


    There was no need to explain the results anymore. Li Yannian did not hesitate to open the flower shop to pay. This sum just happened to be within the limit of one thousand yuan. She had to pay it back completely, and if her credit level rose to two stars next month, she might be able to propose that the transaction limit be raised. The amount of money she had to pay for the paper next month wouldn''t be just four or five hundred yuan.


    With the set up of silver, Li Yannian no longer hesitated and directly opened the Sky Cat Market. She took out the rice, soy sauce, vinegar, and other condiments that could be seen on the first page, and threw all the things that she randomly picked into the shopping cart.


    The next second, three parcels appeared out of nowhere.


    Although it was not Black Bean''s first time seeing such a scene, he was still shocked inwardly. However, seeing Li Yannian''s happy look as if she was engrossed in opening the bag, he did not say anything, but took a kitchen knife from the stove, and cut the white stitches on the big rice bag as if she was familiar with it.


    "Sis, what are these?" Mao Dou could not help but come over to watch the commotion. When he saw the multicolored "jar" in the chest, he asked curiously.


    In truth, Li Yannian couldn''t even remember what sshe bought just now, the one minute rule was really too crappy. In the past, he didn''t dare to buy anything casually since she didn''t have any money, but now it was different.


    "Oh, this one consumes oil. If you put a little bit of it in when cooking, it will taste really good." This is Harmony... Sigh, this is the cooking oil. This is the soy sauce and this is the Soup Dumplings with Shrimp Rice. These are the dried shrimps and seaweed. You can drink the soup by boiling it in boiling water ¡­ "Aiyah, why did I buy this!"


    Li Yannian stared at the things in her hands for a long time, she couldn''t remember when she threw them into the shopping cart. The original owner would need at least three or four years for him to use her useless body.


    The two brothers saw the awkwardness on her face and tactfully did not pursue the matter. Li Yannian spent a total of 113.8 on this one, while Cat''s Chao had a total of 88 packets of emails. She had frequented this place many times before as well. The first reason was because she was too lazy to drive to the supermarket. The second reason was because she really liked the feeling of flipping through her brand when she placed the order. However, in terms of price, Cat Chao might not be cheap.


    Li Yannian only wanted "convenience", the things she could do in a minute was too little. How she wished that the moment she opened her eyes, she would be able to jump onto a diamond and be crowned with a crown ¡­ Sigh, I still have to quickly level up!

 C27

    The seasonings of the ancient era were naturally incomparable to those of the modern era. The three siblings had finished their meal in a bare bowl, almost licking the bottom of the bowl clean.


    When Li Yannian was going to sleep at night, she suddenly remembered that the Gu family''s third young master had told them to continue sending out paper, but did not say what size paper they wanted. After thinking about it, it would be best to ask when she went to Du Jia Village tomorrow. After all, there were too many restrictions on the transaction of this treasure system.


    Li Yannian vaguely mentioned this thought to Black Bean. After thinking for a while, Black Bean gave her a rather reliable idea.


    Let''s just bring the ox-cart to the manor tomorrow. We''ll leave the ox-cart at First Uncle first, then go there and ask about the papers they want. After that, you can decide whether or not we should deliver the goods that day.


    Li Yannian could not help but nod his head: "I think that''s good, then I''ll listen to you tomorrow, we''ll act accordingly."


    Thus, it was decided that the family would sleep peacefully for the entire night.


    The next morning, the three siblings finished packing and headed towards Du Jia Village. It was easy to find the Du Family''s Cloth Shop that the First Uncle was working in. They were just one street away from the Gu Family''s Bookstore. When three siblings arrived, it was already noon. First Uncle Zhang Bao was originally eating behind his table, and when he heard the shop assistant say that his nephew and niece had arrived, he was both surprised and happy. He even forgot to put down his bowl and ran out.


    Zhang Bao''s eyes were filled with happiness, but he still asked them in surprise: "Why did you come to the village? Have you eaten? "


    As he spoke, he habitually reached for the money at his waist.


    Li Yannian looked at the bowl in his hands. Inside, there was still some grains and rice left, the color was a little suspicious, and there was even a small piece of pickled radish. It was obvious that the quality of the lunch given to the workers was not very high.


    Li Yannian immediately stopped First Uncle from taking out the money and laughed: "Let''s take a walk around the villa to see you. We would also like to buy two sets of new clothes for Mao Dou. We only came here after eating, First Uncle, don''t be busy. "


    After saying that, Li Yannian glanced at Mao Dou worriedly, afraid that he would see through her own lie. Although the outer sect''s conditions were better than the Li family''s, they weren''t rich either, and they didn''t have the reason to extend a hand for things every day.


    Zhang Bao thought that the three siblings had a lot of money to spend on repairing the house. The kids wanted to wear new clothes, so he wanted to tell them to live a long life with water and save some money, but when he thought about how the three of them had lived a miserable life for more than half a year, he decided against it and nodded, "Alright, you guys can buy some clothes to find uncle. I''ll pick out some good stuff for you guys to let the shopkeeper be a bit cheaper."


    Black Bean nodded his head and laughed: "There''s no rush, Uncle. You haven''t even eaten lunch yet, I will first take the red beans to the streets for a stroll, and then come back to buy things. Also, we need to borrow the Uncle Li''s cart, so it would be inconvenient for us to carry it. Uncle, where do you think we should put it? "


    Only then did Zhang Bao notice the oxcart behind them, and laughed boldly: "I''ll lead you guys to the back of the shop, it''s no big deal! Black Bean, take your little brother and sister and play around with them, and be careful not to get taken away. There are a lot of children abducting on the streets recently. "


    Black Bean was old, so no one needed to worry about him. However, Red Bean and Mao Dou were both only 7 years old, and were both young children. If they played with each other later on, it was unknown whether Black Bean would be able to continue watching them.


    Li Yannian saw his worry and laughed as she guaranteed, "Uncle, don''t worry. There''s also me holding onto my little brother, I definitely won''t lose him."


    Black Bean hurriedly guaranteed, "I will take good care of them. Uncle, go eat lunch, we''ll be back soon."


    Zhang Bao could only agree and lead the oxcart back to the store.


    As soon as he left, Mao Dou''s stomach rumbled loudly. Li Yannian smiled and pointed to his nose: "Luckily, Uncle was so sensible when you were here earlier, otherwise you would have been a joke. Let''s go to Bookstore with Big Bro and have a look. After we finish, Big Sis will take you to have some good food. "


    Mao Dou nodded his head obediently. He patted his belly with his hand. "Endure your belly a little longer. There''ll be something to eat later."


    Originally, he wanted to go alone and let Li Yannian bring his brother to eat. However, seeing that Li Yannian was worried, she could only compromise: "Then let''s go, let''s hurry and ask them what kind of paper they want."


    Li Yannian nodded.


    The Bookstore wasn''t far away. They had only walked a short distance when they saw the main gate of the Gu family''s Bookstore.


    It was noon, and there was no business in the shop. Thus, the moment the siblings entered the shop, they attracted the attention of the shop assistant and the shopkeeper. Just as the shop assistant was politely asking them if there was anything they needed, the shopkeeper had already walked up to them enthusiastically.


    "Are you from the Li Family? The last time we let this little brother suffer in the shop, our boss was very sorry. But don''t worry, the shopkeeper from before is no longer working at the Gu family. If you have any more goods, you can just come and find me directly.


    Black Bean cupped his hands politely to the others: "Manager Xu is being too courteous. Yesterday, your Third Young Master specifically came to us to explain the situation and we were already extremely embarrassed. If you continue to be this polite, we won''t dare to come again. "


    The Manager Xu laughed: "That is only natural, you do not need to care about this, that is because you have a stomach, if you did something wrong in the shop, it would be our master doing the wrong thing, if you have an apology, then just apologize, the Gu family has always been this way, you do not need to be afraid, just take it as it is. This matter, was really too unsightly done by our Shopkeeper Xing. "


    Fortunately, Manager Xu did not continue with his pleasantries and directly went straight to the point. "However, I wonder what business Brother Li has here today?"


    What he really wanted to ask was, how come there was no delivery? When the Third Young Master passed by the Bookstore yesterday, he specifically told her that the Li Family might come to deliver paper today. He had been anxiously looking out the door all morning and thought that they wouldn''t come, but the person just appeared with a bang. But no matter how you looked at it, it didn''t look like this Li family was carrying dozens of blades of paper.


    Manager Xu looked towards the outside of the shop again. Last time, the goods in front of the shop belonged to Li family members who used the ox-cart camels.


    Black Bean laughed: "Yesterday, when Third Young Master left in a hurry, he forgot to mention what size paper your store wanted. It''s not like I can casually ask people for the goods. After all, it''s something from a large sect.


    Black Bean spoke as if he was the source of the paper shop, the Manager Xu did not suspect him, and replied with a smile: "Third Young Master is busy, it''s no wonder he forgot to bring his word. Brother Li, this time, the paper is for printing books. This is the first time you sent Little Zhang''s paper.


    She rushed to speak in front of Black Bean: "We did have some luck with Xiao Zhang''s paper, but we are not sure which type you want, so my brother already has friends and family."


    Manager Xu''s face lit up when he heard about the goods: I wonder how many of them have you brought over?


    Black Bean did not recklessly say how much it was, but asked the Manager Xu: "How much does your store want? I''ll see if it''s enough. I''ll send it over to you guys first. If it''s not enough, we''ll add more later. "


    Manager Xu stroked his beard, as if he was talking to himself, and finally thought of a number. "I only recruited people this month at the bookstore, and I''m still working on the rigidity. It''s not yet time for me to use a lot of paper ¡­ The scribe was already in place. If it was originally meant to be copied, then so be it.


    Black Bean was speechless, he subconsciously looked at Li Yannian, there were six thousand pieces of paper and two hundred blades! Can my family supply it?


    Unexpectedly, Li Yannian nodded at him with absolute certainty.


    Even though Black Bean''s heart was thumping, under his sister''s attentive gaze, he still nodded his head: "I do. It''s just that the number of people who come today isn''t too much. Six thousand pieces isn''t a small number after all ¡­"


    Manager Xu heaved a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that the Lee family would not be able to say so much to him.


    "That''s not a problem, just send as many as you have. We still need to discuss about the price. Brother Li, you should know that since there''s been a lot of this paper lately, the price won''t be as good as it is now. "According to our boss, these three knives are worth one tael of silver. As you can see ¡­"


    The more Manager Xu spoke, the redder his face became. He had been a shopkeeper for many years and was shamelessly trying to push down the price for these children. If not for his boss''s instructions, he would not have said anything.


    Three blades and one taels of silver. This was more than half the original price. It turned out that the Gu family was planning this. In fact, the price they had offered the last time was not very fair. The full size of the Xuan paper was one thousand pieces of paper and the full price of four feet four hundred pieces of paper was only sixty taels of silver. The young lord of the Gu family had taken advantage of the weakness of their guilty conscience. The other party had raised the price on the spot, while he had lowered the price on the spot.


    Three cuts, which was one tael of silver for ninety pieces, was equivalent to 157 yuan. As for her, she only sold them for thirteen to sixteen yuan each. Not only did she make a lot, but she also made a ton of money!


    Li Yannian immediately nodded her head at Black Bean. Black Bean understood, although he was unhappy, he still agreed: "Then let''s go with the price, we will send a carriage over first, the silver was paid on the spot, and I will urge the workshop to send the rest over."


    "I think we should do it like this. Brother Li, you guys still have to specially drive the paper over every time. It''s really tiring. "Give me a rough estimate and I''ll have the shop assistant come to collect it. We''ll take as much as we can and it''ll be settled in cash. What do you think?"


    Just as Black Bean was hesitating, he heard Li Yannian respond crisply: "That''s for the best. Boss, please send someone to take this in, I can let my brother stay home and work, it will save us a lot of work."


    Manager Xu''s heart dropped for half a second before he chuckled and said: "Then when should I have this fellow come?"


    Manager Xu was secretly speechless in his heart. Good heavens, what paper workshop was so powerful in this area? And what was even more puzzling was that their boss had not found such a paper workshop before! If he had found them long ago, he would have eaten up the large order from the merchant. There was no need for him to be so bored with the Du Family''s little rascal.


    "Alright, then it''s a deal. Seven days later, I sent someone over to my door and didn''t say anything else. "


    Black Bean nodded his head. With the excuse that he had other things to do, he brought Li Yannian and the others out.

 C28

    Chapter 28 The Road to Well-off (4)


    Manager Xu was very enthusiastic as he escorted the three siblings to an intersection before turning back.


    Seeing that the person finally left, Black Bean heaved a long sigh of relief, and asked Li Yannian in puzzlement: "Er Niu, this time their price is so low, why are you still willing ¡­"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Although the Gu family did not give us much, but it would save us a lot of time and trouble, so I won''t ask too much. Big brother, don''t worry. I won''t do business with a loss. I''m confident in my knowledge of the Gu family''s deal. Let''s go eat first. You see, give the beans to the poor. "


    After Black Bean heard his sister say that, he did not want to continue anymore. The three of them found a noodle house and ordered three bowls of noodles. The taste was not good, so they quickly filled their stomachs. On the way, he saw a cake shop. He conveniently bought some honey beans and pastries for Mao Dou, and also bought two bags of easy to put away dim sum for First Uncle to bring back to the outer sect.


    By the time they got back, Zhang Bao and the others had already started their work.


    When the shopkeeper found out that the person who came to buy the material was the nephew of his capable shop assistant, he cheerfully recommended some of the better cotton that were sold in the shop for a very reasonable price. Li Yannian originally planned to directly buy the clothes, but seeing that the clothes in First Uncle''s shop were made of silk and cloth, she could only give up on this idea. The price of silk and silk was more than five times that of coarse cotton. They had never worn such expensive and delicate clothes in a place like this.


    However, even if he bought the materials, he wouldn''t be able to make clothes.


    So that''s how it was. The poor families would naturally get one point less, no wonder there were no coarse clothes in this shop.


    Zhang Bao patted her head and said kindly, "You are too young to learn, so you can''t do it yourself. You can just buy the materials and go back to the auntie next door to help out with it. He''s just a country bumpkin, there''s no need to care so much about him. There aren''t enough people in the shop, so it''s not worth the money to work for your clothes. Besides, it''s not convenient for you to come and get them. Listen to First Uncle, the three of you wear new clothes, a thin jacket and a simple one. Then we''ll go next door and weigh a few pounds of cotton.


    Li Yannian raised her head and looked at Black Bean, seeing that her brother was nodding to him, she agreed: "Uncle has thought it through, then let''s go ahead and buy."


    Zhang Bao decided to pick out three pieces for them, one red and two green. Hehe, sure enough, all the straight men of the world have similar aesthetic mysteries. Fortunately, she didn''t care much about what she was wearing. As long as it was red, it was fine.


    "Apart from the ones outside, it''s about time for you guys to get another set up. The materials that mom brought back for you guys last time were just nice, but they were still too little. How about this, I''ll buy another piece of muslin today. I think this should be enough. "


    In the end, the three of them only spent around one tael of silver, the coarse cloth was cheap, as long as it was one hundred and fifty gold per piece, it would be worth a little too much. Even though it cost three hundred and eight gold coins, they still had to give their acquaintances a price to take it so cheap.


    However, compared to Cheng Yi, it was much more worthwhile. Any one of the items hanging in the shop would cost at least six or seven hundred gold coins each. Although the cloth was meticulously used, it could still be used for at least two and a half sets. Thinking about it this way, Li Yannian felt that if she let the Auntie Li next door help him make clothes, it would be a loss for him.


    Zhang Bao helped them put the materials on the oxcart, thought for a while and said, "I think it''s better if I buy cotton for you guys next door. I''m also familiar with the staff in the shop, so it''s good for you guys to go out and take a look, it''s also a rare occasion to visit the manor."


    These words were exactly what Li Yannian wanted, she immediately asked for two taels of silver to pass it to Zhang Bao: "Then I''ll be counting on Uncle, I wonder if this amount of money is enough?"


    However, Zhang Bao pushed the silver back. "No need, Uncle Qian has some cotton on him. Keep the money well, you have a lot of things to use at home, so don''t use them all up." That''s right, your Little Uncle had thought about it when they went home, and said that since they were going to fix the house, his master would be free recently, so there was no need to worry about the homes of the other senior brothers. As for the salary, we''re all on the same side, so we definitely won''t be like those fools outside. "


    Before Black Bean could say anything, Li Yannian agreed, "I was just about to ask if Little Uncle was free, that''s for the best. Then, First Uncle, when you return home, help me inform Little Uncle. They know better when to move the soil than we do, and they listen to them. "We can do that at any time."


    Zhang Bao could see that his niece had agreed so easily without even asking for the price. His whole body was filled with a heroic spirit. He was truly worthy of being a child of Old Zhang''s family! He could not help but smile satisfactorily, and extended his hand to rub her head: "Alright, it''s just the right time for me to go on vacation the day after tomorrow. I''ll tell your Little Uncle later, and let him choose a day to come to my door."


    After he settled another big matter, Li Yannian''s heart relaxed. He turned around and took the bag of snacks from Mao Dou''s hands, and stuffed it into Da Bao''s hands.


    When he reacted, he was about to put the dessert back to Li Yannian. "Child, what are you doing? Take the thing back, how can we possibly lack such a mouthful of food at home!"


    "First Uncle, of course the little brothers would eat this mouthful, but at least it is the hearts of the three of us, so you can accept it. You have to go back and forth in the future, otherwise the next time you and Grandma come back to our house, I won''t dare to pick up your things. "I just happened to buy dessert on the way here. I don''t know if it''s okay either, so don''t mind it."


    Zhang Bao could only accept it. "Alright, I''ll thank you on behalf of my family''s children."


    Li Yannian thought of another thing, "First Uncle, is there anyone who sells white sugar in this villa? "I''m hungry. He ate all the food my grandma gave me in one night. I just went to look around the street but didn''t see anyone selling it. Big Bro and I still need to buy him some candy."


    She spoke in a very ordinary and sparse manner, so much so that Zhang Bao didn''t even know how much heartache he felt when he heard her words. This prodigal child, that little bit of sugar was the white candy that his uncle the lord had brought with him when he came to the house. His entire family''s children had been drooling over that candy for two months, but his mother was still so happy that she knocked on a little corner for them to lick. Last time, when he knew that his mother had decided to bring back all the candies for Black Bean and the others, he wasn''t happy with the few small ones at home, but in the end, this brat, Mao Dou, had been taken care of overnight.


    Li Yannian noticed that First Uncle''s expression had suddenly become very subtle. Just as she was puzzled, Mao Dou pouted and protested, "Big sis, you''re talking nonsense. It''s not like it was me who ate it.


    Black Bean who was suddenly asked to eat turned extremely red. He had actually only eaten a little and then looked at Mao Dou who was greedy to the point that his eyes were fixated on the candy, allowing him to eat all of it.


    Zhang Bao sighed. It seemed that Zhang family''s men loved to eat sugar, but he couldn''t change that. When his son reached out his small hand to ask his mother for sugar, Zhang Bao actually really wanted to reach out his hand.


    He answered Li Yannian''s previous question with a sour feeling, "There''s a sale on the street in front of the candy store, it''s just that the price is expensive. One kilogram of candy costs half a tael of silver, Mao Dou really wants to eat it. Uncle will buy it for you later ¡­"


    Sugar had always been a high priced item, but the half a tael of silver per catty was already enough for Black Bean to be speechless, "To think it would be so expensive!"


    Mao Dou shook his head sensibly, then waved his hand to reject Zhang Bao''s good intentions. "There''s no need for First Uncle, my teeth are aching. I won''t eat candy."


    While speaking, he was afraid that Zhang Bao might not believe him, so he opened his mouth wide to let him see the row of pitch black teeth in his mouth.


    This was the first time Li Yannian heard him mention toothache, so she stuck her head out to look, only to find that Mao Dou''s row of teeth were caved in, but thankfully he had not changed his teeth, and there was still some hope for survival.


    Li Yannian couldn''t help but pat Mao Dou, "Why didn''t you say earlier that you had toothache? No wonder when you were eating the candy, you would cover your mouth and squint your eyes, I thought you ate too happily. "When we go back, we won''t be able to eat these honey beans anymore. By then, your teeth will be completely rotten. Let''s see if you intend to eat porridge for the rest of your life ¡­"


    Mao Dou was so scared that his face paled. "Can teeth still rot?"


    Black Bean also scared him: "Of course, look at the village''s Old Man Li. Their teeth are all broken from smoking a gun, they can''t even eat tofu, they''re all still eating soup."


    Mao Dou struggled to look at the honey beans and pastries in his hands, then painfully handed them over to Da Bao. "First Uncle, take these back to your brothers for them to eat.


    He pitied the three of them and felt extremely happy in his heart. He also had to keep a straight face and keep from laughing. Zhang Bao did not decline this time. Holding back his laughter, he received the dessert, "Then I''ll also thank you on behalf of my brothers. Next time, when your teeth are ready, First Uncle will buy you some white sugar to eat."


    Li Yannian saw that it was getting late and nudged Black Bean with his elbow. Black Bean understood and said to Zhang Bao: "Uncle, it''s already been half a day since we came out, so we have to hurry back early. Otherwise, it would already be dark by the time we get back."


    Zhang Bao slapped his forehead as he remembered that the journey from Li Village to the manor was not very close. He hurriedly said, "Seeing my memory, I''ll go buy some cotton for you guys. Put the carriage on first, I''ll be back soon."


    The three siblings nodded obediently, and Zhang Bao ran to the front like a wisp of smoke.


    Black Bean was in a difficult position: "You just promised to send some goods to the Gu family. How are we going to send the items over now?"


    With their little sister''s ability to conjure things out of thin air, where could they find a place to hide?


    Li Yannian laughed: "Brother, don''t worry, what do you think is that?"


    She pointed to a grass shack behind them. Black Bean focused his gaze, it should be the place where the cloth shop stored all the rubbish.


    "I''ll put the things inside first. When uncle comes, you go ahead and let him go. I''ll put the things together with Mao Dou. The four-foot-four piece of paper is not that big, so you can just stack it up and cover it with an oilcloth. No one will notice."


    After hearing her affirmation, Black Bean wasn''t that nervous anymore. Li Yannian looked around. Seeing that no one was around, she sneaked into the grass shed and opened up the system. She quickly bought 21 pieces of Xuan paper. With a slight explosion, a large package appeared on the grass hut.


    She opened it as if she were familiar with it. The plastic bags that were wrapped around it were crumpled into a ball and stuffed into the bag. She would deal with them when she got home.


    Less than a minute later, she heard Da Bao''s voice. In her hands were two large bundles of white cotton, and she said to three siblings, full of smiles on her face, "It''s such a coincidence, the cotton that was recently bought by the shop next door, go back to take their clothes, it''s done."


    Li Yannian smiled sweetly: "First Uncle is still the best. After buying such a good thing for us, this trip was right, thank you First Uncle."


    Being praised like this by his precious niece, Zhang Bao''s heart was elated. It was even sweeter than eating honey. Suddenly, he heard the shopkeeper in front call out to him, causing him to immediately turn around and respond. If you really want to sleep, then someone will pass you a pillow. Now, Black Bean did not need to think of a way to get rid of his. Li Yannian said sensibly: "Uncle, go ahead and busy yourself. It''s been half a day already. "My brother knows how to hitchhike. Don''t worry, go quickly. Otherwise, the shopkeeper won''t be happy."


    Just as Zhang Bao was about to say that there were no big issues in the shop, a nagging voice came from ahead. The shopkeeper really had something to talk to him about, so he could only nod at the three siblings: "Then Uncle won''t send you guys off, you guys should be careful on your way."


    Li Yannian pulled Mao Dou and gave him a cute smile, saying in unison, "We will, thank you First Uncle. Goodbye Uncle."


    Zhang Bao only felt a blow to his heart. He gave them a reluctant look and waved his hand. "Mm, then Uncle will be leaving. Come back next time if you''re free."


    The three siblings nodded his head. When Zhang Bao left, Black Bean rushed the oxcart over to the small hut, and the three of them went in and out of the hut and emptied the paper.


    Li Yannian carefully covered everything on the carriage with the tarpaulin, and then, together with Mao Dou, they went to deliver the goods to the Gu family''s Bookstore.

 C29

    Chapter 29 The Road to Well-off (5)


    When they arrived at Bookstore, the siblings, under the guidance of Manager Xu, pulled the ox-cart to the backyard, and then lifted up the oilcloth for the shop assistant to help unload the goods.


    Manager Xu had not even begun to count when he heard Black Bean open his mouth to discuss: "Manager Xu, there is a total of 2100 pieces of paper here, 100 stacks. I plan to give you one tael of silver for each stack, but I have a request."


    100 pieces of paper for a tael of silver? That was ten more pieces than before. However, his many years of experience in the business field had taught him that there must be a reason why the other party was willing to give up so many benefits. It might not be a good thing for him. As a result, he was not knocked unconscious by the big cake that Black Bean threw, but instead smiled politely and modestly: "I wonder what difficulties Brother Li has. If I could open my mouth and become the host for Boss, I would definitely reject the benefits of coming here."


    Black Bean followed up with the original instruction given by Li Yannian: "I have two requests. Firstly, we can only supply these to June, if your boss still needs any more, he should prepare earlier. Second, from now on, we won''t accept any more silver, we only want gold. "


    The first one was still understandable. Perhaps they knew that the supply of the paper mill was limited, so they had calculated the time well. However, the Manager Xu could not think of a reason why the Li siblings would not accept silver and would only accept gold. In order to buy things, they would first have to go to a blacksmith''s or pawnshop to buy gold. In the middle, they would naturally have to give the shop owners some advantages to consume the gold. To them, collecting gold was clearly a loss.


    "This ¡­"


    Before Manager Xu could finish his thought, he heard from Black Bean, "The silver is very heavy, so we only need the gold. The ten pieces of paper that we didn''t give you are considered as the cost of adding gold to the shop. If you can''t make up your mind right now, you can go back and ask your boss. This time, I will first charge you 21 taels of silver for the goods. I hope we have another chance to do business. "


    It was Li Yannian who suggested this idea. She had already spent most of the money on the eggs she kept in the warehouse, and the village probably didn''t have much eggs to buy in a short period of time. Next month, she planned to sell the gold directly. The gold and silver ratio was only 6: 1. If the system didn''t consider the loss of purity, it would be at least 70: 1.


    Considering that they were unfamiliar with this place, it would not be safe for them to take a large amount of silver to the pawnshop to exchange for gold. Li Yannian decided to firmly grasp onto the Gu Family''s leg. With the condition of giving up a portion of her profits, she directly settled the payment with gold.


    She was sure that with the Gu family''s business acumen, they would not push such a fragrant meat patty out.


    Manager Xu hesitated for a moment, then nodded his head and said: "I cannot make a decision on this matter at the moment, but Brother Li can be rest assured, I will definitely pass on your intentions to our boss, I will bring you good news later."


    While they were talking, the shop assistant had already finished counting all the papers. He took out 21 taels of silver from the accounting office in Manager Xu. After thinking for a while, he put 12 taels of silver back and traded it for a 2 taels gold ingot.


    "Brother Li, this is the payment for this time''s goods. Take a look." There isn''t much money in the shop. Since you like gold better, you can use this little ingot to pay 12 taels of silver. However, in the end, we still have to listen to our boss. "


    He passed over a coarse cloth money bag, and Black Bean accepted it. He opened the bag and counted it in front of him, and seeing that the count was correct, he nodded towards Manager Xu: "Thank you, shopkeeper, for your concern. It''s getting late, and we still have to hurry on our way, so we won''t be late. If the shopkeeper still wants more, send someone to the Li Village to pick it up. The three of us will take our leave first. You are very busy, shopkeeper, so there''s no need to send you off. "


    He cupped his hands towards Manager Xu, who also returned the gesture and sent them out the door.


    Li Yannian helped Mao Dou onto the carriage, while Black Bean led the old cow and walked in front. The wooden wheel squeaked as it grinded across the limestone road. The old cow beside him occasionally snorted, causing Black Bean to suddenly feel a little absent-minded, as if all the good things that had happened in the recent days seemed to be unreal. He sank into a deep slumber, as if he was in a deep slumber.


    "Brother!"


    Black Bean turned his head in confusion. The Du Jia Village was already hidden behind layers of grass.


    Only now did he realize that the path he was treading on had long since turned from a limestone path to a dirt road.


    Unknowingly, he had already left the city for a long time.


    Li Yannian called out to him a few times, and finally called Black Bean back to reality, "Brother, what are you thinking about?


    Black Bean shook his head, the girl in front of him was alive, his brother was also alive, the bag of silver that he just took was also real, why would he suddenly have such a ridiculous thought? However, before he could think about it further, he saw the girl suddenly stop in her tracks and stare at the tall grass by the side of the road.


    "Er Niu, what are you looking at?"


    "Brother, look. Is there someone over there?"


    From Black Bean''s height and position, what he saw was only a large patch of dry, close-fitting grass that swayed gently in the cold wind.


    He frowned in confusion. "Where is everyone?"


    Li Yannian had already slipped out of the car. At this time, Mao Dou shouted a little fearfully, "Brother, there really is a person lying down. Elder sister, don''t go over there. There''s a dead person ¡­ "


    Black Bean was shocked, he immediately stopped Li Yannian who was heading towards the bush, and his face darkened: "You little girl, what are you doing rushing inside, hurry up and sit in the car!"


    This was the first time Li Yannian roared so viciously. After being stunned for a moment, just as Black Bean was distracted, she had already carried a boy out from the Grass Sakai.


    Mao Dou screamed and hid in Li Yannian''s embrace.


    Li Yannian saw that the child''s face was shockingly white, and her heart was thumping loudly, "Is he dead?"


    Black Bean shook his head: "I just tested his nose, and he''s still alive."


    Li Yannian heaved a sigh of relief, seeing that this child''s body was only wearing a set of white clothes, it was already considered lucky that he did not freeze to death in this barren wasteland.


    "Why is this child here? Brother, what do we do now? "


    "What else can we do? Go back and find a doctor at the manor. Then ask First Uncle to help find out who lost their child."


    After saying that, he suddenly remembered that the sis had been calling the boy "child" all along. She couldn''t help but pat Li Yannian on the head: "He seems to be a few years older than you.


    Li Yannan thought to himself, I''m almost at the top of the third level! In my eyes, aren''t all of you little kids just children!? However, how could she dare to argue now? She quickly changed the topic, "Brother, then we''ll have to stay at the Manor tonight. The oxcart isn''t back yet. I wonder if Uncle and Auntie will be in a hurry to use it tomorrow."


    Black Bean carefully put the person on the carriage, removed the recently bought materials and covered the child''s body with a blanket. He then said to her, "I asked about it a long time ago, don''t worry, uncle''s house doesn''t need it before the ice is opened."


    "Oh, it''s good as long as you''re not in a hurry." She lowered her head to look at Mao Dou who was still hugging her and couldn''t help but to laugh. "A manly man says that he wants to protect his sister. Look, who''s protecting who?"


    Mao Dou blinked in embarrassment. "Big sister, I''m still young. I''ll protect you when I grow up."


    Black Bean turned around and glanced at him, then used his finger to scratch his face twice: "You''re still crying, are you embarrassed?"


    Mao Dou''s face became even redder. She still treated it as her big sister''s honor and did not make fun of him anymore. Seeing that Black Bean had already settled the people, she pulled Mao Dou''s hand and leaned over.


    "Look, he''s not a dead man. There''s nothing to be afraid of."


    Mao Dou was still a little afraid. He tilted his head to the side, not daring to open his eyes. But when he saw that his sister was looking at him with encouragement, he gathered up his courage and glanced at the ox-cart. Ah, so he was the same age as Da Niu and his little brother.


    Mao Dou was no longer afraid. He even stretched out his hand to touch that person''s face. It was soft and slippery, not as hard as his parents''.


    Probably because his body was warm, the boy suddenly breathed out. His body started to tremble, and his teeth chattered. Mao Dou retracted his hand in fright and looked at Li Yannian with a face full of fear.


    "Sis, what happened to him?"


    Black Bean looked over: "He''s frozen, hurry, you guys get in the car too, we''ll send him back to the manor, aiya, this is so pitiful."


    The three of them did not dare to delay any longer. They rushed the old cow all the way back, but fortunately, they were lucky. As soon as they entered the Manor, they saw a banner from a large medical store fluttering in the wind.


    "Doctor, doctor, quickly come take a look. This person is about to die."


    Black Bean did not even care about the two little ones, as soon as he stopped the car, he rushed into the infirmary while hugging the child whose lips were already starting to turn purple.


    "Hey you, why are you rushing in blindly? If you want to see a doctor, you have to first come first serve. Don''t you see that there are three to five people lined up outside? And have you got enough money with you? Our infirmary is not a nice place, any cat or dog can cure it. "


    Li Yannian followed behind, but upon hearing those words, she became displeased, her delicate eyebrows frowned: A doctor''s mother''s heart, this young brother, did your teacher not teach you these words?


    As he said that, he turned around and explained to the patients in the hall, "Sorry everyone, we found this person by the side of the road. The situation doesn''t look good, but my brother was too impatient. Can the aunts and uncles let the doctor see the patient first? If it''s okay, we''ll just wait behind you. "


    Everyone waved their hands and said that it was okay, they would save him first.


    The shop assistant''s expression turned even darker, "Since he was picked up, then when the time comes, who will pay for the medicine for him?"


    Li Yannian could not bear to look at her face. If it was not more important to save the person, she would have definitely pulled Black Bean and left. However, they didn''t know where the hospital was. If the child''s illness was delayed and he couldn''t be rescued, then they would have wasted their time on this trip. She immediately took out a piece of silver from her bag and threw it to the shop assistant coldly, "Don''t worry about the silver, it will go to your family. Let''s just say that I''ve already sent the person over, and I''ve also given him a tael of silver in advance for the medicine. If he were to die in your infirmary, then you should consider it. "


    The shop assistant''s face immediately paled. Today, he just happened to be scolded by the shopkeeper. He was unhappy, so he bit one and vented his anger on the others.


    The reason why everyone endured him was not because they were afraid of the shop assistant, but because of the face of the doctor in charge of the infirmary, Du Huichun, and the fact that he did not care about other people. Du Huichun came from the Du Family, and was famous for being the medical saint''s hand. Furthermore, his family was quite wealthy, and he only sat in the hall because he liked it, so he did not care about the money. Medical skills and medical ethics were both good and bad, it was no wonder that everyone in Huichun Hall received a bit of his kindness, and everyone gave a bit of face.


    The shop assistant still wanted to argue with Li Yannian, but Du Huichun, who had just sent a patient away to rest, was woken up by their sound and chased out.


    "What''s all this noise about?" He glanced at Li Yannian, then looked at the young lad with a red face, and his gaze finally landed on the person Black Bean was carrying, "Quickly carry them in, how do you see children, and freeze them to such a state?"


    Black Bean felt a bit wronged: "Doctor, this isn''t a child of our family, we just picked him up by the side of the road ¡­"


    Li Yannian caught hold of the important part and asked: "Doctor, do you think he will still be saved?"


    Du Huichun turned around and glanced at her, "If you ask him a few more questions, he''ll really be beyond saving. Why don''t you come over and give us a hand?!"


    Li Yannian immediately shut her mouth and followed, thinking that this doctor had a big temper, it seemed like his medical skills would not be lacking. Some people might not have quite the temper, but there were some people who had quite a bit of temper as well. The two of them didn''t seem to be any different, but the truth was, they were far from being able to compare.


    "Bring the hot water from the stove and add some cold water. It''s not hot, it needs to be warm."


    Du Huichun instructed Li Yannian as he stripped the child''s clothes clean, leaving not even the tiniest bit of cover.


    "Aiya!" Li Yannian was caught off guard when she turned her head around, and her gaze met with the child''s most important part!


    "What are you saying, aren''t you talking about the parents of doctors? Since it was her parents'' heart, what else was there to hide? Saving someone was more important! The three of you, don''t just stand there. Wipe his limbs with warm water and let him warm them up! Huang Lian! "


    After Du Huichun finished speaking, it was probably because his aura was too strong, and as his brother, he couldn''t even say a single word to refute Du Huichun''s words, as he began to act according to his orders. Just when Li Yannian was wondering what she wanted Huang Lian to do, she saw the shop assistant that he had quarreled with earlier bring in a brazier.


    "Sir, one is not enough. I''ll go get a few more."


    The dog-leg looked like a completely different person.


    Du Huichun impatiently nodded his head and sent his people away. He himself used some cotton cloth and soaked it in hot water to vigorously rub the patient''s chest.


    Noticing the look in Li Yannian''s eyes, he did not even flinch her eyelids. "Little miss, if we move any slower, we would all be wasting our time."


    Li Yannian didn''t dare to look around anymore and started rubbing the man''s right hand with concentration.

 C30

    Chapter 30 Road to Well-off (6)


    The few people in the room had to work hard to finally see the child''s face gradually turning better and more lively, unlike the terrifyingly pale face when he first entered the room.


    "It''s about time. All of you go out first, don''t crowd around inside. Huang Lian! "


    Du Huichun suddenly raised his voice again. Right after he finished speaking, he replied with a tone of his own: "Coming, sir. Look at this ginger soup, it''s half cold from blowing, it''s definitely not scalding. "


    Du Huichun looked at it and curled his lips. He did not say anything, nor did he say anything bad. Huang Lian immediately understood that she could use it. Proficiently, she used her chopsticks to pry open the man''s mouth and fed each spoon into the bowl.


    Li Yannian understood what else she had not understood.


    Li Yannian thought, it must be that he heard everything she said when she was arguing with Huang Lian, whether it was because she was protecting her son, or because her words "he died in your infirmary" made him angry, so she was worried that she had offended him, so she used some tricks on him to make herself look bad.


    did not dare to guarantee it now, but he was sure that this doctor was very narrow-minded. Could it be that he was a person who would take revenge and hold grudges against others?


    "Doctor, how many months have you been a stranger?" Li Yannian''s mouth was faster than her brain, so she accidentally asked.


    Du Huichun looked at her lazily, but ignored his, and only said impatiently: "I told you guys to go out, why are you still standing here?"


    Black Bean tugged at the corner of Li Yannian''s clothes, just now he wanted to listen to the doctor and wait outside, but seeing that the girl was not willing to move, he was not at ease, and stayed behind as well.


    Li Yannian revealed an extremely sincere smile on her face: "Isn''t this just to let you take a rest and treat your illness? This person is someone we picked up. We don''t have any relatives or relatives, if we really go out, who would you ask for the money from? Don''t regret dying? "


    Huang Lian choked in anger, but it was not good for him to help others feed them. She could only carry out the secret technique of killing with her eyes, and bore holes in Li Yannian''s body time and time again, almost wanting to kill him with her glare.


    Du Huichun was momentarily at a loss for words. His expression did not look good, and he unhappily waved his sleeves: "Huichun Hall is never afraid of people reneging on their promise, as long as they come they won''t be able to escape. I told you guys to leave immediately, why are you all squeezed inside! Huang Lian, is the medicine ready? When you''re done, hurry over here and write a prescription to take them to the pharmacy to get the medicine, don''t forget about the medical fee! "


    "Ah, don''t worry. I''ll never forget it!"


    Huang Lian immediately responded and flippantly took out some straw paper, and did not forget to shoot a few eye knives at Li Yannian.


    He didn''t know if it was just an illusion on Black Bean''s part, but he always felt that the doctor had paid extra attention to the word "medical fee", and he was gnashing his teeth in anger.


    Li Yannian succeeded in adding to their displeasure, but did not say anything, pushed open the door and followed Black Bean and the others to the front hall to wait.


    After a quarter of an hour, Huang Lian indeed pinched a prescription. Li Yannian took a quick glance, the first one being the ginseng and 3 taels, then all of them were for nourishing Qi and warming up her body, some of them were like astragalus and medlar, she could not help but laugh, this doctor was truly vindictive, and treated her as a big brother.


    Huang Lian shook the prescription proudly at her. She had an expression of achievement: "Look, my master just prescribed a medicine, whether or not this person can live, it all depends on these few doses. "Since you saved everyone and sent Buddha to the end, you should pay for the medicine as well!"


    Black Bean did not recognize much and did not take a careful look at the prescription. He thought that it was only a matter of three to five silver coins at most, and laughed: "Can I ask little brother, how much does it total?"


    Huang Lian extended five of her fingers and waved them in front of him.


    Black Bean was speechless. Seeing a patient was really not cheap, he just rubbed it a few times to feed it ginger soup. To open a few sets of herbs, it would cost five hundred gold coins! Although his heart ached for money, he remembered that saving others was good luck. He nodded towards Huang Lian: "Just now, my sister gave you a tael of silver.


    Before he even finished speaking, he was snatched away by Huang Lian, who spoke with ridicule: "What are you still looking for, look carefully, it''s 5 taels of silver, not 500 taels of gold. This is truly something the countryside people do not know, do you see the ginseng that has such a big fight written on it? This is because our teacher pitied you. He even changed the ginseng foam and purposely changed the price. Otherwise, where else would you go to buy such a cheap ginseng? "


    It was obviously the dark heart of the doctor! Black Bean held his neck up wanting to argue with him, but he heard Li Yannian speak in a neutral tone, "Speaking of which, we have to thank your mister for his kind heart. However, thanks anyway, I don''t know how much money it would cost to pay for a clinic and what grade of ginseng would cost, but it would cost several years. Should there be more dregs, or should there be less dregs? How much did it cost? And the astragalus in the prescription, was it a thick slice, or a thin slice? Smoked or sunburned? And at what price? "And this wolfberry ¡­"


    The more Li Yannian spoke, the paler Huang Lian''s face became. How could he remember the prices of these things? There was someone in charge of the shop for the purpose of seizing the medicines and calculating the money. He only needed to wait upon the mister and do some chores by the side. He had made up the price of five taels of silver randomly, just like how she made these bumpkins make a fool of themselves in front of everyone. But he did not expect that this little girl would be so hard to deal with. Her tone was light and indifferent, and with just a few words, she had forced him into a dead end.


    Li Yannian''s voice was not loud, but it was enough for the other patients in the medicine hall to hear what was happening, they could not help but look at Huang Lian, revealing their suspicions, they probably did not expect the famous Huichun Hall, to actually do such a wicked thing, and started whispering to each other.


    The owner of the infirmary saw that the situation was not good, so he quickly said, "Everyone, please do not blame this shop assistant who is not often in the infirmary and is naturally not familiar with the price. If there is anything that you do not understand, please follow me to my ear room so that you do not disturb other people from seeking medical treatment."


    Li Yannian laughed faintly: "That is unnecessary, since even you lot are unable to clearly determine the price of the medicinal ingredients, but are able to say out a whole number of them, us laymen, if we were to ask in a different place, we would just be butchered in a different place. I''ll leave the money in your infirmary, you can chase him away after you''ve used up the money for the medicine. We saved his life once, and that was fate. As for whether or not he''ll live through this, that''s his own fortune, and the abilities of the doctors. "Here, take two taels. Also, I already gave one tael to that little brother. These aunts and uncles can all testify for me."


    The shopkeeper was complaining incessantly, and before he could stop him, Li Yannian had already opened his round eyes with an innocent and patient look, and asked the patients at the side for confirmation: "Uncle, aunties, what do you say?"


    The aunts nodded in succession, and whispered to each other, "What a pitiful person. Kind enough to save a person. For no reason, you were treated like a fat sheep that was slaughtered for five taels of silver."


    "That''s right. Look at these children, they''re not young at all, and their clothes aren''t the children of some wealthy family." "Heh, I can really do it. Five taels of silver!"


    "Why don''t we go to the Nan Zhuang to take a look. This Huichun Hall, don''t even mention becoming a doctor in charge, her methods are so evil!"


    "Did you or didn''t you not? Just now, Doctor Du came out to bring that child in ¡­"


    "It''s the Doctor Du, that shouldn''t be ¡­"


    The more Huang Lian heard, the more she felt his face heating up. She had really picked up a rock and smashed her own feet this time, it''s fine if it ruined her reputation, but it can''t even implicate Mister. Seeing Li Yannian''s hateful face, she immediately became angry, and rushed towards Li Yannian, grabbing her collar and giving her a slap.


    With a loud smack, it was extremely loud.


    Everything happened too quickly. No one expected something like this to happen. Everyone was so stunned that they forgot to say anything.


    Li Yannian only felt that his face was hot and numb, to the point that she was actually stunned by the punch. Ever since she was young, she had never been hit like this before. Before she could even feel wronged, tears had already flowed down her face.


    Mao Dou cried in fear. He was so scared that his face turned white, but he still swung his little fist and charged towards Huang Lian without a care, "I''ll beat you to death. You hit my sister, I''ll beat you to death!"


    Being bullied like that right in front of him, Black Bean''s ears rang with a buzz, and in a moment, he could no longer hear anything. He only felt a surge of anger rising up, and his eyes turned blood-red, his mind a blank, but his fist seemed to have developed its own will, and only punched towards the blurry figure.


    Puff, puff, puff ¡­


    This was the first time Black Bean realized that this was the sound of a fist hitting flesh.


    Dong, dong, dong ¡­


    When he reached a place with less meat, his voice became a bit muffled, and he also didn''t feel good about it.


    "Don''t get hit, help, help ¡­"


    "Brother!" "Big brother, stop ¡­"


    "What are you all still standing there in a daze for? Hurry up and pull him away!"


    "Brother, I''m afraid ¡­" "Brother, stop hitting me ¡­"


    Huang Lian could no longer hear Huang Lian''s pleas for mercy, her brother and sister''s anxious cries for help, and the owner''s persuasive words.


    At this moment, he was like a trapped beast out of its cage, staring with its blood-red eyes, wanting to smash the thing in front of its eyes into pieces.


    Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his neck. Black Bean still wanted to turn his head to see who was hitting him. However, there was another pain in his neck, and his hands and feet had been drained of strength. He could no longer hold on and slowly fell to the ground.


    It was Du Huichun.


    He truly did not think of it. He only wanted to make things difficult for this sharp-tongued little girl to cause such a ruckus. Looking at the two faces that looked exactly the same, he suddenly felt a little guilty and explained, "He just fainted. If he doesn''t stop it, something will happen to him too."


    Li Yannian extended her hand to check Black Bean''s breath, seeing that he was still breathing and there were no obvious wounds on his neck, she finally relaxed. She turned around and touched Mao Dou''s head. She used her sleeve to wipe away Mao Dou''s tears. Then, she looked around, as if she was looking for someone.


    Du Huichun''s attitude became a lot softer this time, probably because of guilt, so he quickly asked: "Little miss, who are you looking for?"


    Li Yannian originally did not want to bother with him, but if she wanted to be despicable, then she would have to charge at her.


    Turning his head to look at him coldly, Li Yannian''s mouth revealed a ridiculing smile: "There''s no need for you to put on a show, as long as you follow him, whatever virtue or character he has, you are nothing more than virtue. No matter how much praise outsiders have, whether it is a ghost or a Buddha, you know it yourself."


    After saying that, she finally recognized the shopkeeper from the crowd. She quickly waved at him and asked, "How much does he need for the medicine?"


    The shopkeeper sneaked a peek at Du Huichun''s face, seeing him nod at him, he quietly replied: "The medicine is not expensive, with this little bit of skin injury, the medicine plus the stick and ointment, one silver is enough."


    Li Yannian did not make a sound, and took out half a tael of silver from her bag: "My brother hit him, and he hit me too. Bullying a girl, your infirmary is really capable! As for the money in the medicine, don''t say that I''m relying on you for it, I''m willing to give you half of it because we''re loyal to you. I''ll tell this shop assistant later, as a man, you should take your time. Your Huichun Hall, tsktsk, tsktsk, it''s better to see than to see anything! "


    The surrounding people were also discussing unevenly, pointing at them, it looked like in less than an afternoon, the entire Du Jia Village would know that their servants were bullying others.


    The poor storekeeper was already over a hundred years old, but this was the first time he was roasted by a young girl the age of his granddaughter. He had never felt so ashamed in his life before.


    Did he really like saving others and not asking for anything in return? Not really. Being in the Du Family, he did not have to worry about food and clothing. The purpose of supporting his family and seeking for wealth was not his goal. He only enjoyed the feeling of being admired, of having the hands to control the life and death of others, of being happy when he was happy, of being worried when he was sad when he was sad. This was completely different from how a single sentence from the Du Clan could decide whether a person was going to rise or fall, whether they were happy or worried.


    The latter was only the master while the former was the god!


    And for the rest of the Du Jia Village, just receiving a little benefit was enough to make him look like a living god. After so long, even Du Huichun himself believed these lies, and truly treated himself as a genius doctor.


    But the little girl in front of him today, with a single sentence, had sent him back to his original form. The temperature in Du Huichun''s eyes dropped bit by bit.

 C31

    Chapter 31 The Road to Well-off (7)


    Li Yannian was completely focused on the unconscious Black Bean, so how could she possibly have time to pay attention to him? She frowned slightly as she looked at Black Bean and then at the oxcart that was still tied to the door. She could not help but have a headache. A person''s unconscious body would be extremely heavy, even if she managed to drag them outside the door with great difficulty, she wouldn''t have the strength to carry Black Bean inside the car.


    She had to turn to the people around her for help, and this time there was no need to pretend: "Would any uncle be willing to help? "My brother is like that, even my brother and I can''t move him."


    Then, a kind and compassionate brother and sister jumped out and said, "This is not difficult. Little girl, where do you live? Why haven''t I seen you guys in the manor before? "


    Li Yannian had no intention to reveal her information in front of everyone: "Uncle, thank you so much. Our car is right outside. Eh, it''s all thanks to you, otherwise we really wouldn''t know what to do. Uncle, you live on that street, I''ll tell our master to come and thank you. Uncle, you''re such a nice person! "


    The beautiful words were as if it was free, spitting out the words continuously from Li Yannian''s small mouth, coaxing the uncle to be beaming with joy. How could he remember to ask where the other party was just now?


    "It''s just a small matter. If you don''t want to thank me, just say so." Me? I''m just a noodle seller on the front street. I''ll know the moment I ask Old Wu. "If you''re free, come over and eat noodles. Uncle will give you one less coin."


    Uncle Wu laughed heartily. Li Yannian raised her head and sized him up. No wonder her strength was so strong, she was only here to cook, that big pot already had a few kilograms of strength to carry it.


    "Okay, Uncle Wu. Next time, I''ll definitely come to your shop to eat noodles. When that time comes, you must remember to consider me cheaper!"


    Not only Uncle Wu, even the people around were amused by this. This little girl was really interesting. She had previously said that she wanted her family members to come and thank her. Now that she called someone to eat noodles, it could be considered cheap. She was truly not a person for life.


    "Sure, I don''t have anything on that stall of mine. If you want noodles, you have to eat it."


    While they were talking, Uncle Wu had already helped the two siblings carry Black Bean onto the ox-cart. He looked at the siblings'' expressions and was still a little worried, "Little girl, can you two do it? Do you want me to send you off? "


    Li Yannian thanked him sincerely and said: "I will drive the carriage, and my relatives will not be far from here. Don''t worry uncle, I will thank you very much today."


    Uncle Wu''s face turned red from her gratitude as he waved his hands, "It''s alright. Alright, you can go. Be careful on the way."


    "Mm, thank you uncle. Mao Dou, why aren''t you thanking Uncle Wu yet? "


    Mao Dou looked at Li Yannian and said softly, "Thank you, Uncle Wu."


    "Good boy! Your family''s adults really know how to teach children. The one in my family, aiya, has been badly skinned. "


    Uncle Wu patted Mao Dou''s head and suddenly exclaimed.


    Li Yannian smiled at him, then imitated Black Bean and lightly whipped Old Cow: "Then Uncle Wu, let''s go. We''ll visit your business next time."


    Uncle Wu nodded. Seeing that she was still driving the carriage, he was relieved and returned to the infirmary. He had been suffering from shoulder pain for several days. If it wasn''t because of the pain, he wouldn''t have been willing to rest for half a day to see a doctor.


    However, the moment he turned around, he almost bumped into someone.


    Uncle Wu jumped in fright, he looked carefully, and could not help but be surprised: "Doctor Du, what''s wrong with your face, something doesn''t seem right, is he sick?"


    Du Huichun looked at him coldly, then his gaze landed on the hand that was massaging his shoulder and laughed: "Your shoulder bones have been pulled out of position, and you still dare to mess around with people helping to carry people. Do you think your life is long enough for you to cripple yourself?"


    Uncle Wu choked, unable to respond. Strictly speaking, he was shocked. Was this still the Doctor Du he used to have? Even though he still looks the same, he can poke people when he says anything.


    "What are you looking at? Why aren''t you going in and waiting?" I''m a doctor myself, and I know if I''m sick or not. "


    Uncle Wu answered with embarrassment. As he walked in, he turned around to look at him. He couldn''t help but wonder if he was angered by that little girl. However, he did not think too much about it. The moment he reached the lobby, he quickly immersed himself in communicating with his fellow patients about his symptoms.


    Du Huichun stood at the entrance of the infirmary and looked towards Li Yannian''s direction. He was worried that his owner would chase after him, but seeing that his expression was ugly, he asked: "Boss, this little lady ¡­ Shall I send someone to take a look and see if it''s the children of that family? "


    Du Huichun turned his head and stared at him, "What are you looking at? Can it be that a person as big as us has the nerve to get angry with a young lady? When Huang Lian wakes up, you need to calculate your wages and give him some money.


    The shopkeeper secretly cursed. Who was it that was so big to provoke such a series of events with a girl like her? As a shopkeeper, he only needed to remember what the shopkeeper said and just listen to it. He absolutely did not jump up and point at the shopkeeper''s nose and say "where did you do wrong".


    Even though their boss had a big heart and a big heart, he was still able to hold a grudge even after being scolded by the little girl. Yet, he was still able to restrain his temper. The sun was rising in the west.


    However, before the shopkeeper could finish sighing, he heard his boss say, "Let''s not argue with the child. We can only fuss with her family." "Go, go to our cloth shop and ask who made the Songjiang Fine Cotton Fabric Trading today. If you are sure, immediately go back and talk."


    The shopkeeper''s mouth twitched. As expected, dogs couldn''t stop themselves from eating sh * t. Their boss'' vengeful attitude still hadn''t changed, but he still showed a respectful expression on his face. "Then I''ll let the shop assistant ask around."


    Coincidentally, the medicine shop assistant had arrived just in time, Li Yannian drove the ox-cart over. In the end, it was because she wasn''t familiar with her business that she managed to persuade Old Ox to go on a rampage.


    The shop assistant caught sight of the person from the corner of his eye and immediately stopped talking with the shopkeeper. When the shopkeeper saw Li Yannian walking in, he greeted in surprise, "Eh, didn''t your uncle say you guys had gone back? But did something fall and come back? "


    Li Yannian looked for Zhang Bao anxiously, and did not notice that the person who was talking to the shopkeeper was wearing a dark blue medical gown, and only looked around: "I met with some matters on the way, and can''t go back, so I came back to ask First Uncle, where can I find an inn to stay in in?"


    The shopkeeper shook his head: "Your First Uncle had just gone out to deliver the goods and I''m afraid that he won''t be able to come back soon. It''s not convenient for you kids to stay outside, why not stay in our shop and wait for your uncle to come back before cleaning up a place."


    Li Yannian smiled and tactfully declined: "No, we appreciate your kind intentions. After all, the store is a place to do business, so it''s not appropriate for us to live here. Furthermore, there''s also my little brother. He''s a bit noisy at night, so he''s fine while arguing with us and everyone else. I''m sorry, but shopkeeper, thank you very much.


    The shopkeeper praised Zhang Bao''s niece in his heart. He was just casually saying that she was going to let someone live in the store. If she really agreed, then it would be difficult for him. All the shop assistants were signed, so they took the monthly money and ate and lived in the same place. For those who worked and ate, it naturally wouldn''t be much good to live there. Where could she find room for a girl in a large shared house?


    As a result, when he gave the three siblings a recommendation to settle down, the shopkeeper seemed especially sincere: "There are quite a few inns in the manor, and there are a lot of merchants going in and out. If the three of you want to be lively, then go to the Great East Inn on the street in front and live. There''s food and drinks. Furthermore, a few steps away is a small yamen. Even if you fall asleep at night, you would still be able to rest easy. It''s just that the price is a bit more expensive.


    "And then there''s the Hongyun Inn on the east side of the street. It was opened by the Gu family. However, the price was much more suitable. It was only two hundred letters a night. Miss Li, why don''t you discuss it with your brother. You''ve decided to tell me first, that when your uncle comes back, there will be a place to report to me. "


    Li Yannian smiled with gratitude. "Thank you, shopkeeper, then I will have to trouble you to tell my uncle that we will be staying at Great East Inn on the front street. If he is free at night, he will come over to rest."


    Li Yannian did not delay any further, she bid farewell to the shopkeeper, and went according to his instructions to the Great East Inn. In the eyes of the "ruined girl", money was not saved, but earned. Three hundred gold was not much different from two hundred, and the shopkeeper had purposely pointed out to her that there was a small yamen near the Great East Inn. In fact, he was already warning her that it was safer to live here.


    Moreover, Black Bean was still unconscious, she had to quickly find a place to rest and get someone to look for a doctor.


    Li Yannian left in a hurry while the staff of the infirmary spoke to the shopkeeper quietly, "Who is this young lady? She is young, but her speech and actions are extremely quick and nimble, as if she was born in our line of work."


    The shopkeeper understood what he meant and laughed, "Yeah. When I saw her in the afternoon, I thought that she was following Zhang Dayao''s teachings and was taught by the lord to be so experienced. After hearing about it from Da Bao, I realized that this little girl is not close to the outer sect at all.


    The doorman rolled his eyes, "Zhang Bao? "Is that the worker in this shop, with a square face and thick eyebrows?"


    The shopkeeper was suspicious, "It''s him. Why are you asking about this?"


    The shop assistant chuckled, "I''m afraid you won''t be able to work for long if I tell you the truth." "Prepare yourself. The fourth master will have someone drive him in the next few days."


    "Ah?!"


    The storekeeper couldn''t stop moaning in his heart. He had gone through so much difficulty to help this hard-working and quick-witted young master. Just what kind of play was Fourth Young Master singing about? Did he remember his enmity at Eldest Young Master''s store?


    "Sigh, he should be considered unlucky!" The shop assistant gloated as he told the storekeeper everything that had happened this afternoon. Finally, he pretended to sigh, "This family is really unlucky. It''s not good to fight with other people, but to offend our Fourth Young Master. That''s a person that even the master and wife can''t control!"


    The shopkeeper was infuriated and held in his anger. This was truly like a mortal suffering from a fight between a god and a mortal. Fourth Young Master, what a sin!

 C32

    Chapter 32 Road to Well-off (8)


    As expected, the Great East Inn recommended by the cloth farm owner was very close. After turning around the corner, he saw the large restaurant banner.


    The inn waiter had a wide range of knowledge, so when he saw the two children carrying an unconscious youth to stay in the inn, he did not reveal much surprise on his face. His gaze quickly stopped at Li Yannian''s slightly red and swollen left cheek. As he called for people to come in, he asked smilingly, "Miss, do you want to stay in the shop or do you want to be an expert? The rooms on the second floor are all free, far away from the stairs. It''s not noisy at night, so it''s just right that you have the patient with you. "


    Mao Dou held Li Yannian''s hand tightly and looked at the furnishings in the inn curiously. When he saw the shop assistant''s gaze sweeping over him, he immediately hid behind his sister.


    Li Yannian caressed his head and asked the doorman: "Then we want a room, how much do we get for one night?"


    He was not surprised to hear that she only wanted one room, so he replied patiently with a smile, "The middle room is 300 yuan a night. If you decide to pack hot water for lunch, I''ll get someone to add a small bed for you in a bit. The room is quite large, and it won''t even be crowded if there''s an extra bed, do you think that''s appropriate?"


    Li Yannian nodded. Actually, the price is still expensive, 300 yuan a night, the yuan is more than 600 yuan: "Then we''ll get a room, you help to see, which one is suitable is which. I''ll also have to trouble you to carry my brother into the house and help me get a doctor back. "


    The doorman was hesitating when he heard Li Yannian''s words: "Other than the Huichun Hall, there are other medical institutions in this village, right?"


    The servant revealed a smile, "Yes there is, but his reputation is not as good as the Huichun Hall''s doctor. I was just about to tell you this, if I had another doctor, I could have invited them, but I won''t be able to get someone from Huichun Hall. Miss, this might not be the first time you are here, but you may not know that the doctor in charge of the Huichun Hall, Young Master Du, is the fourth young master of the Du Family, the owner of this villa.


    Li Yannian was relieved: "That''s just nice, there''s no need to invite Huichun Hall, you''re familiar with the place, so I hope you can help me invite a few doctors, as for running errands, I''ll give it to you separately."


    The waiters had all made preparations to help out with this trip, and when they heard that there was a reward, they happily said, "Sure, I won''t miss any part of your business. I''ll be there in a while."


    After saying that, he called the servants at the side to help him carry the girls to the Wu Xiang Room on the second floor, and had them bring Li Yannian downstairs to draw and pay the bill. Then, they turned around and hurriedly went to get a doctor.


    After settling the deal, Li Yannian told the shop assistant to bring some hot water and food to his room first, then she dragged Mao Dou back to his room. Once she entered, Mao Dou''s tears that she had been holding back in front of others flowed down like a river. They startled Li Yannian, and after a while, she couldn''t help but feel extremely guilty.


    If it wasn''t for him being too impulsive today, he wouldn''t have put the two brothers in danger. Mao Dou must have been frightened when he saw his big brother, who always stood in front of the two of them, fall to the ground like this. It was also his own fault for being careless and not noticing Mao Dou''s abnormal behavior along the way. He really wasn''t a competent older sister.


    "Dou Dou, don''t be afraid. Big Bro is fine. Big Sis has already sent someone to get a doctor. When the doctor comes, everything will be fine. Big Sis is still here, so be good."


    As she slowly coaxed him, Mao Dou finally finished venting his emotions. His convulsions slowed down a bit. Coincidentally the hot water and noodles had also arrived, Li Yannian took out a few large coins from his bag and thanked the shop assistant. After squeezing and heating up the handkerchief, he first wiped his little brother''s face, then used the original hot water to wipe Black Bean''s face on the bed.


    Seeing that she still hadn''t woken up yet, she sighed in her heart. In fact, she wasn''t any less worried than Mao Dou, but she was still a child, so she was afraid that if she felt uncomfortable, she would still cry. She was only half a girl, but she was an adult without a doubt.


    "Come on, Dou Dou, let''s eat the noodles first. If it''s hot, the noodles will turn sticky later."


    Mao Dou looked at the steaming hot big bowl of noodles, then looked at Big Brother. He sniffed and asked Li Yannian, "When Big Brother wakes up, Big Sister, don''t forget to order a bowl of noodles for Big Brother as well."


    Li Yannian smiled gently at him. "Don''t worry, big sister will remember this. You eat yours first."


    The two siblings had been scared and frightened the whole afternoon. Their stomachs were already empty. The big bowl of noodles was sucked into their stomachs in a few gulps, and they had even drunk all the soup.


    With a bit of heat in their stomachs, the two regained some of their spirit. When they heard two knocks on the door, Mao Dou''s eyes immediately lit up, and he ran to open the door with his short legs.


    "It must be a doctor."


    Before Li Yannian could ask who was outside, Mao Dou opened the door. Luckily, the person who came was the waiter who welcomed them downstairs.


    Before the waiter could see anyone, he revealed a professional smile, "Lady, the doctor has invited you. Is the patient in there?"


    Li Yannian pulled Mao Dou, who was blocking the way, and silently sized up the doctor. Then, he nodded to the assistant: "I''m lying on the bed. The doctor, please, had been unconscious for three-quarters of an hour, and had only fainted when someone had hit him in the back of the neck. Before he fainted, he was rather agitated. He had fought with others before, but it was unknown if it was because of this that he was still unable to wake up. Hurry and take a look, could it be that there''s something wrong with that person? "


    When the doctor heard her detailed explanation, he had a rough idea of the situation. He stroked his goatee and followed the two siblings around to the back of the screen. Sure enough, he saw a fourteen or fifteen year old boy lying on the bed. He first checked his pulse, then flipped Black Bean''s eyelids to take a closer look, and finally got the assistant to help him flip his body over, and extended his hand to touch the red spot on Black Bean''s skin.


    "Doctor, how is it? Is my brother alright?" Seeing that he did not speak for a long time, Li Yannian was worried, afraid that he would hear some bad news from the doctor''s mouth in the next second.


    The doctor relaxed and waved his hand. "The patient''s breathing is a bit unstable, but it''s fine." He still hadn''t woken up yet. It was probably due to his shock and excitement. You talk beside him and watch to see if there is any sweat later. If there is, wipe it off in time to keep warm so that the wind won''t blow again when you''re weak. This old man reckons that at the latest tonight, he will definitely wake up. You all can just wait and see. "


    Li Yannian was finally relieved, and a smile appeared on her face: "With your words, we can finally relax. "Doctor, thank you for coming all the way here. Would you like to make a prescription for the medicine?"


    The doctor habitually reached out to stroke the goatee, saying in a light tone, "Whether you can open the recipe or not is up to you guys. The doctor habitually reached out to the goatee, saying calmly," Whether you can open the recipe is up to you guys. However, this is also a treatment that cannot be cured. This is the age when one''s body is growing, and if one is short, they will eventually fall ill. "


    Li Yannian listened and nodded her head: "Since it''s like this, then we should ask the doctor to prescribe a set of ingredients and try eating it first."


    As he spoke to the shop assistant, he said, "I don''t want to bother you two. I have some sick people and some small ones, so it''s inconvenient for me to walk around. I''ll have to trouble you to run over again and get some medicine from the doctor."


    The assistant hurriedly replied, "You are too courteous, Miss. As long as you speak up, I am in charge of my business."


    Li Yannian turned to the doctor: "Doctor, look at the prescription and the medical fee, how much should I pay you in total?"


    "Since you want the medicine, there''s no need for the medical fee. Two hundred and twenty coins is enough."


    Li Yannian thought for a while, and then took out the broken silver that she just broke, which was around 4 gold coins, and handed it over to the shop assistant.


    "No no no, this is giving too much. "Just run back and forth a few times, it''s not worth that much money," the shop assistant repeatedly said. If the generous guest next door gave it to him, he could easily accept it. But Li Yannian was not even as big as his sister, how could he have the face to ask for more money from the three siblings?


    Li Yannian smiled slightly: "It''s not all for you. Other than the money to catch the medicine, I have to trouble you to buy some candied fruits for me.


    Only then did the shop assistant accept it.


    Li Yannian sent the two out, and sat beside Mao Dou on the bed. After a short while, another waiter came to collect the bowls, and another came to send the extra beds. After tossing and turning a few times, the person who grabbed the herbs returned as well.


    The medicine was sent to the Back Chef to cook, and the candied fruits were bought to coax the beans. This child was worried about him for the rest of the day. Li Yannian did not care that he had mothballed teeth anymore, it was not excessive for him to eat sweet food to pacify and comfort him.


    While they were waiting for the medicine to arrive from the kitchen, they heard some pulling sounds coming from outside the door. The reason for the argument was very simple. Originally, they had agreed that the both of them would buy the pepper from the same hometown, but when the Du Family goods arrived, one of the shopkeepers secretly told the shopkeeper that they would eat all of the pepper from the Du Family''s cargo ship with a price of 5% higher than the original price.


    "Liu Yungui, you don''t care about morality, how did you come to my house to beg for my money during New Year''s? I read about how I fought with your brother and sold my family''s Tian Residence. I only followed you to Du Jia Village every year. Oh, now that you say you don''t want to bring me, then don''t. We agreed on it at the beginning that each of us will split the money, and we''ll split it 50/50 when the goods come out. You can''t lose your conscience just because you have so little money! "


    He only heard the cold laugh that was called Liu Yungui: "Don''t make your words sound too nice. Back then, you were the one who was willing to sell the fields and houses, not the one I made you sell. Besides, I heard it was two peppers and I didn''t have enough money to look for you. But now, with less than one stone, I can eat it myself. Why would I need to beg for someone else''s help? "


    "You! Liu Yungui, are you so determined to not acknowledge money? " the man demanded, his voice shrill with anger.


    Liu Yungui sneered again: "Xu Zijun, don''t say how arrogant you are. If you were arrogant and didn''t recognize money, and only recognized people, then why would you be angry with me right now? Other than the matter of us buying pepper from each other, I am also Liu Yungui, your good brother right? "


    Li Yannian''s eyes widened as Ge Liang''s expression suddenly appeared in her mind. There was actually such a shameless person in this world! It was simply refreshing.


    But is pepper expensive here? Two stones was a bit less than a hundred and twenty pounds, which was a total of less than two hundred and forty pounds. This Liu fellow could not afford to eat alone and insisted on coming with him to get the goods, willing to give away half of his profits. And when they found out that the Du Family''s goods were not even worth a single stone, the wealth that Pepper had gained was enough to incite Liu Yungui to be a disloyal person without any face.


    This made Li Yannian extremely curious about the pepper.


    She was just about to ask the assistant about it tomorrow when she heard Mao Dou call out happily from the side, "Brother!" Big sister, quickly look, big brother is awake. "


    Li Yannian turned her head, and sure enough, she saw that Black Bean had already opened his eyes, and was looking around in confusion, as if he was still confused about why he suddenly came here.


    Li Yannian immediately helped her up, and asked clearly if there was anything wrong with Black Bean''s body, and finally calmed her down.

 C33

    Chapter 33 The Road to Well-off (9)


    After Black Bean woke up and drank the medicine, he had a talk with Li Yannian. Being slapped wasn''t such a big deal. Besides, the person who beat him up was just a shop assistant. As long as he got justice from the shop owner, the shop assistant would apologize to him.


    But when Black Bean fought with others afterwards, they lost the opportunity to negotiate. It was one thing to give in to others when they were at a disadvantage. However, if it was a slightly overbearing family, they would be at a disadvantage instead.


    Besides, there was no limit to the number of times a hand could be used. After injuring someone, it would be better to use money to deal with them. If a hand was used to kill someone, it would result in a prison term. Furthermore, they were on the other party''s territory, so if the other party were to come to their senses, they would surround Black Bean and beat him up.


    After Black Bean finished listening to what Li Yannian had to say, she did not say anything good, nor did she say anything bad. Li Yannian was not sure what he meant, the palm imprint on her face had already disappeared, but Black Bean and Mao Dou had suffered due to her, the viciousness of almost risking their lives was deeply engraved in her heart.


    She silently warned herself that even if it was for the sake of the two brothers, she should still be cautious and not run rampant like before. An impulsive and unrestrained action without a foundation would only bring disaster to their family.


    She wasn''t alone now, but she had a weakness.


    After all, the youngster did not worry about anything. In addition to having a good night''s sleep, the three siblings woke up early the next morning. They seemed to be in a much better mood than yesterday, as if none of them cared too much about the inconvenience of the infirmary.


    The tavern staff brought hot water over early in the morning. Li Yannian helped Mao Dou clean up and put on some clothes before following Black Bean to the dining room on the second floor to eat breakfast.


    The breakfast in the middle room was a bowl of porridge for each person, along with a large plate of mixed noodles and steamed buns along with a small plate of pickled vegetables. The taste wasn''t good, it was just a matter of being full. Li Yannian ate a bowl of porridge with the pickled vegetables and left the steamed buns to the two brothers to eat.


    Seeing that she ate less, Black Bean frowned.


    Li Yannian laughed: "I''m really not hungry, brother, if the two of you can''t finish, then let the servant pack you up and take you away. If you''re hungry on the way, you can still go up. Brother, when you were unconscious yesterday, I drove to the First Uncle''s Fabric Store. Since he was not there, the shopkeeper sent a message on his behalf. But since First Uncle did not come last night, why don''t we go and take a look later? That way, First Uncle can be at ease. "


    Black Bean nodded his head: "Perhaps First Uncle is too busy and forgot to. We''ll listen to you, and go see the First Uncle in a while. "


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she went down the stairs, she heard a shop assistant shouting upstairs: "Not good, not good! Dead!"


    Li Yannian was startled and curiously chased after the sound. She saw that there were a lot of people squeezed into the room to watch the scene, it was just a wall away from their home. Li Yannian could not help but feel a lingering fear, as she did not know what kind of disaster the people inside had.


    Black Bean, together with Mao Dou, was also crowded around the door. Seeing that Li Yannian was still trying to peek into the house, she suddenly grabbed and pointed at her forehead with her finger.


    Li Yannian vaguely heard the sound of someone exclaiming in surprise: "Not dead yet not dead, have you drunk your fill? This ring is still alive, it''s not enough to trap someone to death."


    As he spoke, as if there was a tiger chasing behind him, he disappeared in an instant.


    The clerk at the first floor counter just happened to be the shop assistant who welcomed them yesterday. When he saw Li Yannian come over, he smiled warmly: "Miss, are you going to check out now? Did you have a good rest last night? "


    Li Yannian first nodded his head, then shook it.


    The shop assistant instantly understood what was going on. He pointed upstairs and lowered his voice, saying, "Could it be that they started to cause trouble last night?"


    Li Yannian said in a low voice. Yesterday I heard him arguing with his fellow townsman in the aisle, saying that they had agreed to buy and sell pepper together, and that they had also sold all the capital they had gathered from the farmhouse. In the end, the fellow townsman turned hostile and stopped doing business with him. "


    The clerk sighed. "No wonder. I know the guest of the camphor bed, he has been here for many days, eating and living in the country, listening to him talk to others, only then do I know that in order to do this business, the family has sold all they can sell, even his daughter-in-law has been distracted by him, and is waiting to take the money and go home to coax her daughter-in-law. "Great, now the silver in my hands is going to fly away, it''s no wonder that I''m having such a hard time thinking about it."


    Li Yannian thought to herself that this person did not know her own limits. She did not even know if the other party could say anything, but she dared to bet all of her family''s assets on this one bet, and pissed his wife off. Thus, it was better to listen to the old saying. Only by listening to the words of his wife could she silently make a fortune.


    After expressing her sympathy, the assistant lowered his head and calculated the room fee that Li Yannian had yet to pay: "Other than what you gave me yesterday, you have to give me one hundred and eighty more coins as well. Are you leaving the shop in a moment? Then I''ll ask my friend to help you pull the oxcart out? "I''ve already fed the grass a long time ago. If there''s anything I need on the way, I''ll get someone to prepare them in the carriage."


    Li Yannian thanked him for his good intentions, paid for the room, and then asked: "Yesterday I heard those two argue, and in any case, the weight of the pepper that the Du Family gave was one stone less than before. That person from the same village was able to eat it, so we left him and swallowed it ourselves. Is this pepper expensive? "


    The waiter smiled and said, "You little girl, it''s only natural that you don''t know this. There were only a few species of pepper in Guangdong province, and their output was limited each year. Since there was a huge demand for incense and soup, they had to rely on the Du Family''s merchant ships to collect them from overseas. It is said that overseas pepper is not much, and the sea trade routes are risky, so it is common for a whole ship''s cargo to be robbed by pirates. Thus, the price of pepper that can reach us naturally increases. The highest price is one tael of pepper and two taels of gold! "


    Li Yannian''s eyes immediately lit up when she heard it, and could not help but exclaim, "It''s actually so expensive!"


    The shop assistant laughed. "That''s when it''s expensive. Currently, it''s only being sold for one tael of pepper and one tael of gold." It''s different for big orders, but I don''t know the specifics. "


    Li Yannian did some mental calculations. The black pepper produced in Hunan from Taobao was only 28 yuan per catty. One gram of gold cost three hundred! The price difference was even more exaggerated than the ratio of gold to silver. At this moment, she seemed to be able to see a dazzling gold ingot flying towards her with a flap of its wings. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked towards the second floor with glowing eyes.


    She quickly said to the shop assistant, "I suddenly remember that I still haven''t packed some things. Don''t be too busy pulling the oxcart, I''ll have my brother take them later."


    The shop assistant did not ask any further and only smiled. "Alright then. Anyway, I''m here. If there''s anything you need to say, please say it."


    Li Yannian went up the stairs, and when she passed by the camphor bed, she saw that the people around had left. The door was ajar, and there was an inn guarding the people, probably afraid of dying in the inn, hence she looked at them worriedly.


    Unfortunately, from her point of view, she could not see Xu Zijun. It was possible that he was still lying on the bed. Li Yannian thought for a while, then quietly went back to her room. Black Bean and Mao Dou had just packed everything, and was about to look for her, when she sneakily came back.


    Mao Dou asked curiously, "Big sister, why did you come up again? Didn''t you say you were waiting for us downstairs?"


    Li Yannian patted his head and shushed him, then turned to Black Bean and said: "Brother, I have something that I need your help with. If I do it well, I can even help the person next door."


    Mao Dou''s eyes were bright, but he obediently didn''t interrupt his older brother and sister to talk about proper business. He only looked at her with a curious expression.


    Black Bean also felt that the person next door was pitiful, and said in a deep voice: "Since you have already decided, tell me, I will definitely do my best to help."


    "In a while, bro, go and lure the waiter away from the next inn. I just need to go in and talk to him for a bit."


    Black Bean nodded his head: "That''s easy, I already said that I want him to bring me to the kitchen to see, what are you going to do with some meat for us to eat on the way there?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "En, I was just about to follow him, and said that I would help him look after the others, that shop assistant will definitely not refuse."


    Just as Black Bean wanted to ask her what he was planning to do, he saw that Li Yannian''s face had lost all expression, and was staring in a direction. Then, with a familiar "pu" sound, a big box suddenly appeared at the side.


    The two brothers were already used to this scene, so they were not very surprised. They just surrounded over curiously, and watched Li Yannian opening the chest miraculously.


    When he saw the contents of the box, Black Bean could not help but widely open his eyes: "This is ¡­ Pepper? "


    Li Yannian was surprised that Black Bean was able to recognize this, she immediately understood and explained: "Last night, I heard the reason, the root is on this pepper, since you are going to help that person, I guess this is what you want from the deity."


    So it was like this. Li Yannian smiled at him: "This item is only us who are expensive. Gods and Immortals are not worth much, if we were to help others, we would be helping ourselves, nothing more but mutual benefits. "Brother, right now we''re in a dilemma on how to get these things over with."


    The 18 catties pepper shop owner bought with the remaining balance was packed like this with 1 catty each. It wasn''t heavy, but the bags outside weren''t so heavy. Now that people were here, they had to think of a way to pack them in another container.


    At this time, Black Bean saw the bathtub in the room, he smacked his head and laughed, then pointed to Li Yannian and said: "I think this is good, is it something you can do with Mao Dou?"


    Before Li Yannian could say anything, Mao Dou patted his chest and said confidently, "Big brother, I can carry it. Just watch me."


    The two siblings laughed, and without further ado, the three of them started to work together to break the peppers into bags and pour them into the bathtub. The cartons were broken down and folded into small pieces by Li Yannian, and the 18 white zippered sealed bags were also carefully kept by Li Yannian.


    The three siblings was well-prepared, so Black Bean led the way and went next door to the camphor bed. Not long later, he turned back and called out to Li Yannian intentionally: "Er Mei, stop playing, quickly come and help look after the people."


    Li Yannian and Mao Dou made a gesture for him to wait obediently in the room and then went over by herself. came to find him for a while to sneak out, what she wished for was good. Moreover, it was not as if no one was watching, so she took Black Bean to Back Chef to rest assured.


    Seeing that everyone had left, Li Yannian gently closed the door and went behind the screen.


    Xu Zijun, who was seeking death, was lying on the bed. Li Yannian thought that he was sleeping, but when he walked in, his eyes were wide open.


    Xu Zijun was in a daze and felt someone looking at him. When he turned his head, he saw a little girl who looked extremely familiar, and thought that she had come to watch the show out of curiosity. He could not help but laugh bitterly: "You little girl, whose family''s girl are you?


    Li Yannian blinked his eyes, and laughed indifferently: "I didn''t come in randomly, I was just looking for you. "Since you have the determination to court death, do you dare to gamble again? Believe a little child like me, I will give you what you want?"


    Xu Zijun became even more bitter: "You little girl, why are you so evil, making fun of me, where is your master?"


    Li Yannian was afraid that Black Bean wouldn''t be able to keep him busy for too long, so she decided to cut straight to the point, "A taichi is only worth a taichi, I don''t have much black gold here, it''s only about 240 gold (Here is about 37.38 gold), but as long as you pay 50 gold, I don''t know if you can afford the price?"


    Xu Zijun''s eyes suddenly stared wide open as he turned his head to look at her in disbelief: "Really? You''re not joking with me? "


    Seeing that the big fish was willing to take the bait, Li Yannian laughed even more confidently. "Don''t be serious, as long as you can take out 50 gold and give it a try, won''t you know?"


    Xu Zijun sized up the girl in front of him, who was dressed normally, with suspicion. He thought twice about it, it was just taking out 50 gold coins for her to see, could it be that as a man, he couldn''t snatch away this girl?


    He took out a banknote worth three hundred taels from the bag at the foot of the bed and said, "It''s not convenient to be out for a long time. I don''t have much gold, and only this banknote is worth a little. Look, this banknote is worth a lot of money."


    When Li Yannian saw that it was just a silver note, she looked a little disappointed. SheShead originally hoped that the other party would have some gold on him. However, if she thought about it carefully, it was just like how she used to only take her card and a little change to take the bus. He didn''t even like to take money that was so light, let alone the heavy and lifeless gold ingot and ingot.


    Initially, Xu Zijun was still full of suspicions towards Li Yannian, but seeing that she was not satisfied with the banknotes, his heart was raised, as he was afraid that if she was not satisfied with it, the business would go sour.

 C34

    The Road to Well-off (10)


    A quarter of an hour later, Xu Zijun looked at the large bowl of pepper in front of him, still unable to recover.


    He vaguely remembered when Liu Yungui came to his doorstep in the last month of the year, bitterly fawning on him, coaxing him to spend some of his wealth to help him take down the Du Family''s ship, the sight of him turning hostile last night, mocking and ridiculing him once again flashed before his eyes ¡­


    His wife Yang was still right, Liu Yungui was a vile and disloyal person who only cared about profits. Unfortunately, he had eyes but could not see, and was blinded by lard, so he could not listen to her words. In order to gather some money, not only did he mortgage the Tian Residence, but he also mortgaged the dowry of the Yang family ¡­


    Xu Zijun was truly regretful now that he thought about it. Without the half of the profits that Liu Yungui had promised him, he would never be able to redeem all of the silver bills he had with him. His heart of regret continued to ferment due to the alcohol. In the dead of night, Xu Zijun became more and more desperate, and only then did he untie his belt and tie it to the bed frame, wanting to hang himself, and it would be over.


    Who would have thought that it was due to the drunkenness that had caused the accident? Last night, the ring had loosened, and he had been wearing it inside for the whole night. Not only did he not die, he had also alerted many of the guests in the inn, making him a joke in the eyes of the bystanders!


    A scholar is of no use. When the little girl came in, he was lying on his bed, tired of giving up, thinking about how to get the banknotes brought home, and how he could find another quiet place to settle for himself.


    But now ¡­


    Xu Zijun looked at the round, black pepper shavings again. He couldn''t help but stick his fingers in it. That rough and real sensation reminded him that what he was seeing really wasn''t a dream.


    Xu Zijun wanted to laugh if he knew that not only did he get the pepper, he even received less than a fifth of the Du Family''s goods, with what kind of expression on his face. When he thought back to what the little girl had told him when she took him away, that as long as he could get rid of all the pepper, he would get as much as he could from now on, so he would have to give it to her first. Xu Zijun couldn''t help but chuckle at the large pot of pepper.


    It was really lucky that Liu Yungui tricked him, lucky that he was drunk, lucky that he did not die successfully ¡­ Xu Zijun''s heart was filled with all sorts of emotions. He was extremely grateful to fate, because he was not at the most difficult time, where he would never be able to recover.


    While he was sighing with emotion and rejoicing, Xu Zijun pushed the bathtub full of pepper onto the back of the clothes rack with great care. With the curtains and hangers to conceal them, the visitors would not be able to see the gold pepper unless they went around to the back.


    When he came back and saw that no one was guarding the room, he thought that it was no good. As expected, the little girl was not reliable and he knew that a guest in the camphor bed could not let anything happen to them in such a short period of time.


    He anxiously rushed to the back of the screen, and only after seeing that Xu Zijun was still alive and sitting on the bed did he heave a sigh of relief.


    "Customer, why are you up? Are you feeling better?" Shall I send in some hot water? "Aiya, I remember that you haven''t eaten breakfast yet. Do you want someone to send you breakfast as well?"


    After the servant finished speaking, he looked at Xu Zijun with some unease. However, he heard the tone of the person who was still looking for death, and said lightly: "If you don''t say it, then I''ll trouble you to send some inside. "In addition, help me buy a few gunny sacks from the street. First, leave the money, if it''s not enough, then come back and take it from me. If there''s more, leave it for me."


    The shop assistant took the 100 gold coins from Xu Zijun in a daze. He thought, why did he need someone to buy a jute bag so early in the morning?


    Seeing that he still had a face full of unease, Xu Zijun couldn''t help but find it funny: "Don''t worry, I don''t want to die anymore. Yesterday, I was drunk and I couldn''t bear to drink. Your store is open for business, yet someone died in there for no reason. How unlucky! This is all my fault. I have to trouble you to tell the managers that I will treat you guys to wine tonight. This is not only to vent my anger, but also to apologize to you guys.


    As he spoke, he sincerely bowed to the shop assistant.


    Seeing him like that, the servant believed him and said with relief: "Dear guest, it''s good as long as you can think it through, as the old saying goes, it''s better to die than to live. In this life, no one has encountered many difficulties, but what problems do you have that you really can''t get through? "As long as you want to open it, don''t be too unreasonable. Think about it, if your wish was granted yesterday, how sad would your family be when they found out?"


    Xu Zijun blushed because of what he said, "Little brother is right, I have learnt my lesson, I have learned my lesson. I definitely won''t be so muddleheaded in the future. "


    The shop assistant waved his hand, seeing that he was really fine, he then said with a smile, "Esteemed guest is too courteous. I''ll go get you breakfast and hot water first. When you''re free, I''ll buy you some things."


    Xu Zijun nodded, seeing him leave, he did not know what was going on, but unknowingly, he walked to the window.


    The camphor wood house was directly facing the street. When he opened the window, he saw an old tree with a crooked neck. If it was yesterday, when Xu Zijun saw this branch, who knows how many more injuries he would have suffered. But today, when he saw it, he saw the green spots growing on it with a single glance. He thought that once it was warm spring, this old tree would once again be full of vitality.


    As he was watching, he heard a crisp laugh coming from under the tree branch. He looked down and saw that the person sitting on the oxcart was also looking up with a hint of emotion in his eyes. Xu Zijun''s pupils instantly enlarged. So it was her.


    Li Yannian also saw Xu Zijun, and seeing his astonished look, it was clear that he did not understand why she was sitting on such a poor ox cart. Li Yannian laughed and then naturally waved at him, saying goodbye with his mouth.


    As for whether or not he would be able to answer his question, it would depend on whether or not they had a next chance to do business.


    Black Bean''s skill in driving the ox-cart was much better than Li Yannian''s. Soon enough, the three of them arrived at the fabric shop made by Da Bao. However, what surprised them was that Zhang Bao actually left the store last night after he asked the shop assistant. It was still the same person who left with his luggage that night. He did not stay in the manor for the entire night.


    Li Yannian could not help but frown. "This doesn''t sound quite right."


    Black Bean was also filled with suspicions, "Why did First Uncle suddenly say that he is leaving for work for no reason?"


    Li Yannian shook her head: "No, I still have to ask about this matter. "Bro, you stay outside and watch over little brother, I''ll ask after I go in."


    The shop assistants were busy introducing the ingredients to the customers. Li Yannian swept her gaze over everyone and in the end, her gaze fixed on the shopkeeper who had been avoiding her eyes the entire time.


    She felt more suspicious, and while there was no one around the shopkeeper, she approached him and whispered, "Shopkeeper, can you give me a thorough explanation? Did my uncle do something wrong to be thrown out? "


    The shopkeeper sighed, looked around, and walked around to the back before he spoke in a low voice, "It''s not your uncle who did something wrong. It was you who offended our fourth master." The Du Family can offend anyone but Fourth Young Master. Ai, you shouldn''t stay in this manor any longer. Hurry up and go home with your brother. "Who knows what Fourth Young Master will be able to do when he comes back."


    Li Yannian was speechless, it turned out that the doctor in the clinic had some background, at that time when she did not get angry, later on, he came to find her for revenge.


    If he knew that there was such a person in the Du Family that he could not afford to offend, even if he was bullied by others and had a few cheap words, what could he not endure? After all, it was due to his impulsive actions that he had implicated others.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Manager. Don''t worry, we won''t come to the manor if there''s nothing going on in the future." In addition, I also want to ask the shopkeeper to keep an eye on something. It was a person that my brother and I picked up from the grass heap less than a mile away from the manor yesterday afternoon. He was placed in Huichun Hall and stuffed with five taels of silver. If there''s still not enough silver, please help me pay. When we get back, ask someone to pass a message to Li Village, I will definitely send it over as promised. "


    Li Yannian finished and laughed embarrassedly: "Originally, I wanted to ask my First Uncle to help me with this matter, but now that people are being dragged home because of me, I can only ask you to help me take a look. However, if you feel that it''s difficult, don''t take this matter to heart.


    The shopkeeper thought for a moment and nodded, "I am not sure if I can help with this matter." "But don''t worry, I''ll definitely do my best to help. If there''s any news, I''ll have someone send you a letter."


    Li Yannian understood in her heart that he was after all a busybody under the Du Family''s command. Even if there were some things she was powerless against, she still said gratefully, "Then I''ll thank the shopkeeper first. If you have any news, you can ask the Bookstore under the name of the Gu family''s eldest young master to help you pass the message. The new owner''s surname is Xu, and is someone easy to talk with. "


    The storekeeper nodded his head: "Okay, I am also familiar with that Xu Maocai, if I cannot do this then I can tell him too."


    Li Yannian did not expect this, and thanked the shopkeeper again, before lowering his head and hurriedly walking out of the cloth shop.


    Seeing that she had come out, with a face as black as ink, Black Bean could not help but ask anxiously in his heart, "What happened? "What does it say?"


    Li Yannian was afraid that Black Bean would act rashly like yesterday, and if she knew the truth, she would return to the infirmary to cause trouble. She immediately shook her head: "Let''s go first, we will talk while we walk."


    Seeing that she insisted, Black Bean could only pick up the oxcart. Li Yannian waited until he was out of the manor before he spoke the shopkeeper''s words to the two of them.


    Black Bean and Mao Dou were speechless for a moment, and the siblings all had serious expressions on their faces.


    After a long while, Black Bean said in annoyance: "It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t rushed forward to beat someone up, First Uncle wouldn''t have lost his job."


    Mao Dou was also sad. "Me too. I also hit someone."


    Li Yannian shook his head: "The root is not on you. It was my bad mouth that wouldn''t forgive me. I could have endured this, but I couldn''t suppress my temper. This was all because of me. Bro, Dou Dou, don''t blame yourself. After we go back, we will have to go to Grandma''s home to apologize to First Uncle. "


    Black Bean nodded and replied: "Yes, I do."


    Li Yannian thought that since she had offended the Du Family, First Uncle Zhang Bao would probably not be able to find a decent job in the Du Jia Village to earn a living. To go to an outer sect this time, she did not know if Zhang Family would resent them, especially the First Aunt.


    If that was really the case, Li Yannian did not blame them. For some reason, they had been implicated with him and lost what was seen as a brilliant job in the eyes of outsiders. The most important thing right now was to think of a way to help the First Uncle find a better way out.


    Suddenly, Li Yannian''s eyes lit up. Oh right, why was she so stupid? Why hadn''t she thought of that at the moment?


    Since First Uncle had the experience of helping out in the shop, letting him help his shop was just a good idea.


    Although, this small shop still only exists in his own future blueprint. But for the First Uncle, she could still move her plan of opening a shop forward and put it into practice earlier.

 C35

    CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE The Road to Well-off (11)


    The moment the three siblings returned home, the door to Uncle Li''s house next door opened with a creak.


    Auntie Li first looked at the three siblings'' expressions. "Why didn''t I see you three return yesterday, and even said that he was afraid that something might have happened to you three. Your uncle wasn''t at ease, and even said that he would go to the town to ask."


    Black Bean said embarrassedly: "It''s our fault for making uncle and aunty worry. Originally, he had no intention to stay the night outside. However, something had happened and he was unable to leave. Thus, he could only stay for the night. "Auntie, you didn''t disturb your use of the car, did you?"


    Auntie Li laughed heartily: "It''s fine, I''m not in a hurry to use this. Since all of you have returned safely, I am relieved. "You guys go ahead. If you guys still have any use for this car, then you guys can keep it for yourselves."


    Li Yannian smiled sweetly, "Then I''ll have to thank Aunt."


    Auntie Li waved to them and closed the door before returning back to her room.


    Black Bean supported the two little ones out of the car, and told them: "I''ll go feed the cows, take a look at the beans, heat up more hot water, and warm your body with the bubbles."


    "Yeah, I know. Bro, you''re so long-winded."


    Li Yannian felt that Black Bean was a nagging naughty guy and chased him away before entering the house with Mao Dou. Furthermore, Li Yannian had the storage system that gave away gifts, so all the valuable things were kept on him. As a result, their house only had a latch on the door, and only with a slight bit of a stick, would they be able to open it.


    In the end, they really didn''t expect that they, who were in need of money, would be robbed.


    Li Yannian felt that something was wrong as she stood in front of the door. She reached out to push, and the door creaked open.


    Mao Dou raised his head. "Big Sister, did Big Brother forget to bolt the door when we were leaving?"


    Li Yannian shook her head and did not say a word. She had personally seen Black Bean latch the door from the crack of the door.


    "Let''s go in and take a look."


    With that, Li Yannian held onto Mao Dou''s hand and continued walking. The door to the kitchen was also open, and the siblings saw that everything inside had been turned into a mess. The new quilt on the door board was gone, as were the salt and oil jar on the stove and the basket of rice on the stove.


    Mao Dou anxiously shouted, "Sis, our family has been robbed?"


    "Sis, what should we do now?"


    Li Yannian patted his brother''s shoulder, and said calmly: "It''s fine, big sister is keeping all the valuable things. Go to Uncle Li''s house next door. If uncle is home, tell him to help find Lizheng, then ask his aunt to report to Master''s house. If Uncle isn''t home, then you should go to Li Zheng. If he isn''t willing to come, then you should say that we are going to the county to report. "


    Throwing a bed away, a few kilograms of rice, and adding a few seasoning jars wasn''t anything big of a deal. Li Yannian was just worried, that if they were to become thieves again, they would taste some sweetness in their houses, and if they were to become familiar with one another, wouldn''t Black Bean alone be able to fight a little, if she coincidentally bumped into one, that would be fatal.


    This time, she was determined to make this a big issue, so that the thief would know that his family wasn''t someone he could steal just because he wanted to and get bullied for nothing.


    Mao Dou came back very quickly. Auntie Li, who had a burnt face, entered the room together with him, and when he saw that the room had been turned upside down, he quickly asked, "Red Bean, did you see clearly what was missing?"


    Li Yannian snapped her fingers and told her.


    Auntie Li was speechless. "Good boy, are you guys just going to live like this? It''s about ten kilograms of white rice. Although you have a few coins, you shouldn''t spend it like this. Even the family with the best days in the village will eat rice with the aid of the millet in the valley. I said, where did you get the white rice from? Aiyo, if I want to let your grandfathers and mothers hear this, I will beat you to death. "It''s a good thing they''re not at home today. They''ve all gone off to visit relatives." "


    Li Yannian thought that it was no wonder that she did not see anyone and was unable to explain to her that buying rice using the system was not expensive at all, but she knew that the other party was actually thinking for her sake and could only nod her head humbly: "My big brother only bought rice because he saw us being greedy. "Aunt, did you hear anything from our side of the house yesterday?"


    Auntie Li shook her head at first, but then her eyes suddenly glazed over, as if she remembered something.


    Coincidentally, the Uncle Li also brought the Lizheng over, and Li Yannian explained the situation to the two of them. This time, Li Qingfeng did not take their family''s matter to heart, and obviously remembered the last time when Zhang Family Village brought people to ask for an explanation. After hearing that, she nodded her head thoughtfully and said, "The person who lost the item must have been from her own village. Everyone in the village is familiar with one another, so everyone will pay attention if anyone comes back."


    Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Just as Li Jun finished speaking, she frowned. She really did not expect that there would be someone in the village who would do such a thing.


    The Auntie Li hesitated and said: "Yesterday, these children didn''t come home. I was listening at the door and paying attention to their movements. When I took a rest at night, I was still a little worried and did not sleep soundly. It was as if I heard someone talking in their room in the middle of the night, and as I was half asleep, I thought that a few children had come home overnight, so I did not think much of it. "Now that I think about it, the item was probably lost at that time."


    Uncle Li had been silent ever since they entered the house, but when he heard his wife say this, his tone carried a hint of reproach, "Why didn''t you wake up at that time and take a look, even if a few kids came back, we should have went over to take a look at the commotion at that time. How many children are easy to deal with in the middle of the night?"


    Auntie Li immediately felt wronged, "You know it''s the middle of the night, did you wake up because I pushed you? I slept like a pig, I was also trapped. Who would have thought that I would be robbed? "


    Li Yannian tried to smooth things over: "Uncle, don''t blame Aunty, no one is an immortal. Besides, you and your wife usually take good care of us. The three of us will always remember your kindness in our hearts. "This is the mistake of that thief. His heart is filled with darkness, let''s not let our friendship be damaged by such a person."


    Auntie Li was originally a little dissatisfied in his heart, but seeing Li Yannian being so sensible and obedient, the bit of anger in his heart immediately disappeared like smoke in thin air. She replied after spitting out a mouthful of smoke: "Right, that''s the hateful person who killed those thousand times as a thief. Such a shameful event has never happened in our village before. Which village isn''t open all year round? If this thief really can''t be caught, then no one will dare to open their doors and wander around. "


    Li Zheng frowned and nodded his head, "You don''t need to tell me about this, I will ask around." "Red Bean, are there any marks on the things your family lost?"


    As Li Yannian was struggling to recall her memories, Mao Dou said clearly, "The blanket that we lost at home was yellow in color and was covered with little white flowers. There was a black handprint on the corner of the blanket that I couldn''t even wash my hands on. The rice basket had my mother''s name written on it. Father said that there were too many people with the surname Li in the village, so he wrote "Sanniang" on it. He even put a red ribbon on it. The salt pipe in the oil tank was similar to other people''s salt pipe, so it was hard to recognize. However, there''s a seasoning inside. My brother bought it from the manor. The flavor is different from the others'', and it''s especially fresh. You can taste it just by tasting it. "


    She proudly stroked Mao Dou''s small head, but then said, "Even if I knew, it would still be difficult. If we have no proof, we can''t just go to someone else''s room to look at the quilts and go up to the stove to taste it. "


    Auntie Li also shook his head, "Indeed, if you change the blanket, you would be unable to see anything. After all, it''s just a vegetable basket, so we should be able to check it. "


    Li Zheng nodded her head and said to Uncle Li: "I still need to see who else in the village has a basket like this. After we find out who the person is, we can then find some other evidence to catch the thief."


    Uncle Li looked at his wife who had a face full of pride, and laughed helplessly: "Alright, leave this matter to me."


    Auntie Li whispered: "Uncle is talking about me, what are you fighting for?"


    Being glanced at by Uncle Li, he immediately became silent.


    Seeing that the matter had been decided, he decided to take his leave. However, when he was about to leave, Li Yannian suddenly walked towards him with a few steps, blocking his path.


    "Hong Dou, what''s the meaning of this? Do you still have something to say to Lizheng?"


    Li Yannian nodded, looked at Auntie Li and Uncle Li with gratitude, and spoke to them solemnly: "Uncle, you don''t need to investigate this matter in secret, it isn''t important to not catch that thief, and if you capture someone from your village, when the time comes, we will not look good either."


    Li Zheng was somewhat surprised. "So you''re saying that we should just let this matter pass and not investigate anything?"


    He thought to himself, if that''s the case, why did he get others to find him? Wasn''t this purposely playing around with him?


    Li Yannian shook her head and laughed, "Of course I can''t let him go just like this. The Li Village has always had a clear name, and stealing from my family is a small matter, if my reputation is ruined by someone like him, it will ruin our Li Village''s atmosphere, and that will be huge. "


    Li Zheng was confused by her words and said in confusion, "I don''t want to capture people and I don''t want to smooth this matter over. What do you want to do?"


    Li Yannian smiled, "That is simple. Uncle, get someone to set up a stage in the village for a talk tomorrow. Tell everyone in the village about our family and get them to help look for us. There''s a blanket with a black handprint on it, and a vegetable basket with big red words written on it.


    Razor was getting more and more confused. "Everything has been cleaned up, so what are we going to look for?"


    Li Yannian continued to explain, "He did clean up the things, but his heart was not clean. The whole village would talk about it if they didn''t catch the thief in a day. Every time someone came to their house to chat, he got scared out of his wits. Uncle, you did not realize that, not only did you not hurt villagers''s face, you also did not dare to act anymore, and killed two birds with one stone? "


    Li Jun pondered over her words for a moment. Indeed, if they were to find out that someone in the village was a thief, then the reputation of the entire family would be completely ruined. They were all from the same village, and many of the young boys had watched as they grew up. This time, perhaps they were just impulsive and had taken wrong steps. Who hasn''t made some mistakes before? He couldn''t bear to crush someone to death with a stick.


    "Then we will do as you say. Tomorrow, I will have everyone gather at the drying field and explain this to everyone in detail." If such a thing still happens in the village next time, then you can''t blame me for turning hostile and doing official business. "


    Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Li Yannian stepped aside and sent him out the door while grinning.


    Seeing that there was no place for them to sleep, the Auntie Li and the Uncle Li could not bear to look at each other, so the Auntie Li said to Li Yannian: "Oh, Hong Dou, look at your house. Why don''t you come and stay at our house for a few days? When winter comes and the house is cleaned up, do you think it''s time to go home and live? "


    Li Yannian looked at Mao Dou and saw him nod at him. Then she said happily: "I was just about to discuss it with Aunt, can you rent a room for us to stay in temporarily? After a few days, the Old house will have to be pushed down and covered up again. My brother was originally worried about where we live, but now, we two families want to go together. Then when my brother comes back, we''ll come together. "


    Auntie Li laughed: "We are all neighbors, why are you still talking about renting a house with your aunt? Just relax and come over. Me, I''ve always liked girls. Ever since that one in my family got married, none of the bad guys in my family are considerate. You live at home, so you can be my partner. Don''t bring up the matter of the room money anymore, even Auntie Uncle isn''t happy. "


    Li Yannian didn''t know if she was serious or not, but she made up her mind that she couldn''t stay in the house for free. Coincidentally, there was still material on the ox-cart that she needed to ask the aunt to make clothes for him, so she changed the topic and led her out.


    "Aunt, I have something I need to trouble you with. We went to the villa to look at the First Uncle and bought some materials, but we didn''t know how to make them. If you have time, you can help us make two sets of clothes.


    Li Yannian took off the tarpaulin on the oxcart, revealing a few pieces of cloth and cotton under it. Auntie Li''s eyes suddenly straightened up. It was no wonder that she, an ordinary farmer, could not make a new set of clothes throughout the year. The children in her family were all old and worn out, while those who could wear a new set of clothes during the new year were people with better conditions. Other than the materials bought at Du Jia Village, there was also the fabric that Li Yannian had brought from the warehouse on the oxcart. The two pieces of fabric that the Zhang Family had gifted him earlier, was extremely eye-catching.


    "So many materials. Child, spending money is really too extravagant!"


    Auntie Li ridiculed, while lovingly stroking a few pieces of cloth. She thought, in the end, these were all the materials from her first uncle''s house, even the same coarse cloth would feel better than touching the clothes in town. Especially the siblings bought a thin cotton cloth to make a jacket, the material was fine and soft, and very comfortable to touch.


    "Not all of them were bought, and they were even given to me by the First Uncle. It''s just so much material, Auntie, can you keep busy? "


    Just as Li Yannian was hesitating, the Auntie Li had already agreed: "There are only a few sets of clothes, if there''s anything that''s busy, there''s no need to look for someone else."


    What a joke. With so much material, not to mention getting addicted to cutting clothes and making clothes for herself, the rest would be enough for her to make clothes for her family from head to toe. She could not allow others to take advantage of this ready-made advantage of her!


    Li Yannian laughed with relief: "Alright, then I''ll leave it all to Aunt."


    "En, when Black Bean comes back, you guys should come earlier. I''ll go back and make lunch first. Don''t open fire at your house, let''s eat together. Your uncle and I will bring the things over first. After lunch, we''ll measure your sizes. "


    Li Yannian answered crisply.


    Auntie Li was uncontrollably happy to move the materials as she tugged at the corner of her wife''s clothes. She wanted her to be more polite and not think about taking advantage of these children, but as expected, she was stared at and could only shrink back and not speak.

 C36

    CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX The Road to Well-off (12)


    Later, when Black Bean brought the old cow back home, he couldn''t help but be dumbstruck when he saw the miserable scene in the house. Li Yannian had to explain again before she could calm down.


    "Bro, to tell you the truth, I have always suspected that this thief is from uncle or third uncle''s house." First, they''ve only recently been forced to pay their bills and are gritting their teeth over our family. Second, they''re the only ones who are familiar with our situation, and they''ve been here once or twice. So I wanted to call my grandpa over at first and have them go back and see if it was something big uncle and little uncle did. "Unfortunately, grandpa isn''t home at the moment."


    Black Bean was still confused: "Then why didn''t you just say that directly to Li Zheng?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Without proof, it''s not good for Lizheng to search my uncle''s house. Furthermore, the Lizheng has already taken advantage of our uncle''s family before, and the land in front of us is not solid yet. Do you think the Lizheng is willing to help us look into it this time? He probably thought of this too, which is why he was so easily persuaded by me and agreed to my request. "


    Mao Dou tilted his head. "Sis, what are you trying to do? I still don''t understand. "


    Li Yannian poked his round face with her finger, and giggled: "So you want me to teach you a lesson and take care of them, I see that our grandfather is still a parent, regardless of our father''s previous debt, just look at how Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle vomited out the food they ate. If he finds out about this matter, she will definitely not forgive Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle, and give them a hard time to eat. But now that I''m not at home, I can only think of another way to torment this thief and let them have a taste of my guilty conscience. "


    Black Bean pondered for a moment and finally understood what Li Yannian meant. Everything in this world was originally black or white, whether it was right or wrong, simple, simple, and clear. However, once it was mixed with worldly wisdom and personal feelings, she could no longer tell her original appearance.


    He rubbed Mao Dou''s small head and sighed helplessly. "When you''re older, you''ll understand."


    Mao Dou wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction. "I''ve already grown up. Big brother, please don''t keep treating me like a child."


    Li Yannian purposely avoided the topic and decided to temporarily stay at Auntie Li''s place. "Brother, we will be building a house in a few days, even if we can get people to stay in the kitchen, it would be noisy and inconvenient. Besides, they came to help us build a house, so we don''t know how to make the meals. If they were to stay at our place, we would have a senior helping us out in the Auntie Li. It''s not that I''m talking about it, but there are so many people eating here that I really can''t make it. "


    Black Bean nodded in agreement, "What you said makes sense. We indeed need an elder to watch over this matter, in case we fail to think carefully and mistreat our uncles and the others. Since aunty has already mentioned it, let''s not be late. Take a look and see if there''s anything else you need to pack up.


    Li Yannian surveyed her surroundings, then laughed: "It''s been taken away by someone, what else is there to clean up? It''s my parents'' ancestral tablet, big bro don''t forget to keep it properly later."


    Black Bean thought about it, and his eyes dimmed: "Then let''s go. Dou Dou, you have to listen to me when we get to Aunt''s house.


    After the three siblings cleaned up the room, Li Yannian took out a few taels of silver from the warehouse and placed it into her bag. She planned to use the excuse of giving money to the Auntie Li to buy food and cook in a while.


    When he arrived at Auntie Li''s house, he was shocked to discover that Auntie Li had long cleaned up their house. Black Bean lived in the same room as Mao Dou and the original Hu Zi''s house. Li Yannian stayed in the same room as the Auntie Li''s daughter.


    Auntie Li saw that the three siblings did not have anything on them, and thought to herself that it was a sin to steal from someone else''s house, and steal from those three children who did not have any parents. Thinking about this, she felt even more sympathetic towards the trio and warmly said, "How is it? Don''t you guys see that this room is lacking something? Is the blanket thick enough?"


    The last sentence was said to Li Yannian. Auntie Li was afraid that they would be too polite with him and would get frozen in the night, so she explained while laughing: "Your Brother Hu Zi has been burning fires since he was young, and other people would wear cotton-padded jackets in the middle of winter to keep him cold. There was only one quilt in the room, and I thought that you two were different from him, and had added a bed thickness. See if you''re warm enough, but don''t be polite with your aunt. "


    Li Yannian went over and touched a thick blanket, then turned and smiled towards Auntie Li: "It''s enough, the blanket in our house is not as thick as this."


    Black Bean also added, "Mao Dou and I are not afraid of the cold.


    Only then did Auntie Li relax and nodded: "Alright. You guys stay put for now, come to the living room later, I''ll measure your sizes, and when I see you guys get out of the house with the two coats first, I''ll start from the smallest one. Black Bean, you are the big brother, and I will make you the last one.


    Black Bean nodded with a smile, "Of course, Aunt, it will be hard on you."


    "There''s no need to say that. I''m not helping you guys for free. Hong Dou agreed to my request. The rest of the materials are all from my family. You don''t have to be polite with my aunty anymore."


    Li Yannian rolled her eyes and followed up: "Speaking of help, Aunt, I still have something I need your help with."


    The Auntie Li asked curiously: "The little child still has quite a lot of things to do at home. Is it because the townspeople are going to use eggs again? "


    Li Yannian shook her head: "It''s not about collecting eggs, it''s about our house being rebuilt."


    The Auntie Li thought that they wanted to ask him for money and was troubled. This was just a country bumpkin, it was unwise to say that she would not help, but it was hard to find a home for him. She even needed to save up enough money to help two children get married. Besides, would she be able to repay the money she borrowed?


    Seeing her expression, Li Yannian knew that she wanted to change her mind, and smiled: "Aunt, we were able to get enough money from grandpa''s family last time. Furthermore, we also got some money from the outer sect. The people who will help build the house will be here in two days, but we siblings are too young to know the rules of the village. Tell us, is the customer''s family planning to provide food? "How much food do you usually prepare every day?"


    The Auntie Li heaved a sigh of relief, seeing that she was not going to ask for more money, her face became more affectionate: "This depends on what the helper says, it is usually eaten at the customer''s house, in case you go back and forth in the village and cause trouble. As for the food, there was no need for the best. As long as there was a bowl of soy sauce and a steamed bun, it would suffice. "Of course there are customers who are a bit more courteous, but also a little bit more fishy after a few meals."


    While talking, Auntie Li frowned, "If they are really eating at your house, can you guys bring them over?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "I was worried about that, that''s why I asked for one thing from my wife. Can you help us with the food after you''ve seen the helpers come in two days? "I''ll pay for the food and noodles, but you don''t have to be polite with us. You''ll definitely accept the money you should take. Otherwise, the three of us won''t have the face to stay with aunty anymore."


    Hearing this, Auntie Li naturally felt very comfortable in her heart. Helping others was one thing, but the helpers knew that if they did not take advantage of them, it would be another.


    She thought for a while and decided that it would be enough for her to cook for about an hour more each day. She could help a few children and could also make up for some of her family''s daily necessities, but she could do it. As for the money, don''t be in a hurry to give it to me. "When the helpers arrive, I can only estimate how much rice noodles I have to buy by counting the number of people."


    Li Yannian was satisfied: "Alright, I will listen to aunt."


    With the deal made, Black Bean remembered about First Uncle during lunch time and mentioned about it to Uncle Li. He said that the three siblings would go to the outer sect early tomorrow morning.


    Uncle Li was sucking on the rice porridge and not paying attention to the scalding anymore. As he was gasping for breath, Auntie Li scolded him, "Such a big person and he could even burn his tongue after drinking the porridge. Aren''t you afraid of the children making fun of him?"


    He then asked Black Bean and the others: "Are you coming back tomorrow? If you come back tonight, I''ll leave the door open for you. "


    Li Yannian quickly said: "This I don''t know, maybe I will stay over for the night. If Aunt doesn''t come back when we are eating, then don''t wait tonight. I lived outside the house last time. Grandmother has a place to sleep. "


    Mao Dou looked at Black Bean with a troubled look. Along the way, he had eaten a lot of candied fruits and snacks, to the point where his stomach was still full. He really couldn''t eat anymore, but he didn''t dare tell Auntie Li about it.


    Li Yannian poked him with his finger and helped him out, "Aunt, Mao Dou doesn''t like to eat vegetables. "I like to eat this, so it''s better to give it to me. It''s winter and I haven''t seen any green dishes in a long time at home."


    As he spoke, he picked up all the dishes in the bowl.


    Mao Dou heaved a sigh of relief and stole a glance at Auntie Li. After confirming that she was not angry, he obediently picked up his rice bowl and started drinking the rice porridge.


    Auntie Li''s attention shifted and agreed: "That''s right! It was snowing early this year, and the vegetables in the field were frozen to death before they were ready. I still don''t see it right. I stole it in time and left it in the cellar to recuperate. It''s not bad at all, I can still have a taste of it. "Sigh, this winter is long, and even now, the snow on the mountain has yet to melt. Your uncle has said quite a few times that he is going to enter the mountain, so I was afraid something might happen to him."


    Uncle Li gave a timely snort, and was glared at again, falling silent.


    Li Yannian and Black Bean looked at each other, laughing uncontrollably. This couple was also very interesting, seizing the opportunity to take advantage of Li Er and force her down. This was a battle of wits and courage.


    "It''s freezing. Are there any living beings left in the mountains?" Li Yannian asked curiously.


    Speaking of his area of expertise, Uncle Li finally spoke up, "The colder it is, the more those little things have to come out and look for food. As long as we are careful, fighting one or two wild rabbits isn''t a problem. "Lucky, and the deer."


    They continued to talk endlessly about their hunting experiences in the mountains when they were young. Black Bean and Mao Dou''s eyes suddenly focused on Uncle Li, looking at them like fans looking at their idols.


    Seeing that the Li Family dinner table had turned into the Deep Mountain Hunter Story, Auntie Li shook his head at Li Yannian, obviously accustomed to it.


    "Don''t worry about them. When you get back, you''ll have to watch over Black Bean and Mao Dou. Don''t let your uncle bring them into the mountain."


    Li Yannian subconsciously said, "That can''t be, Mao Dou is only so big."


    Auntie Li said with hatred: "There is nothing that he can''t do. Your Brother Hu Zi followed your uncle into the mountains at the age of five. I went to the river to wash my clothes, and when I looked back, there was no child, and I was almost scared out of my wits. "Or did someone tell me that it was your Uncle Li who carried me into the mountain ¡­"


    Looks like I''ll have to pay attention to Uncle Fireproof and Burglar Protection in the future.

 C37

    The Road to Well-off (13)


    Early morning of the second day, Auntie Li specially cooked a hot breakfast, letting the three siblings eat their fill before leaving.


    Although they were in a hurry, the three of them still reached the village of Zhang when it was almost lunch time. He didn''t know the way before, but this time, he was familiar with the place. When he knocked on the door, Zhang Family was having lunch.


    "Why did the three of you suddenly come to my door? You haven''t eaten, sit down," Zhang Yaomei was happy, he immediately asked his eldest daughter to add a few sets of chopsticks.


    Black Bean pulled his brother and sister to sit down. Just as he was about to explain the reason for this trip to his grandmother, he saw First Uncle winking at him with his eyes. He hesitated and changed his tone, "Yes, it''s Mao Dou who says he misses your grandmother and wants to come and visit your grandmother. "Since there''s nothing to do at home, I''ll just bring two young ones over, and say hello to Grandma."


    Zhang Yaomei''s smile blossomed as she hugged Mao Dou and gave him a fierce kiss. "You really are grandmother''s obedient grandson."


    Mao Dou''s big black eyes blinked as he shyly smiled and hid behind Li Yannian.


    As long as he didn''t invite anyone into his house, Xia Taohua liked his sister-in-law''s children. She gently stroked Mao Dou''s small head and said with a smile, "Little Mao Dou, don''t be shy. Grandmother kissed you because she was happy when she saw you. After walking for half a day, you must be hungry.


    Xu Zhangshu also said to Black Bean, "You are not allowed to leave today. Listen to your First Aunt and stay at home for the night. It just so happens that your Little Uncle has found his seniors and brothers for us to discuss some things with them in the afternoon, so you should listen and discuss with them first. "


    Black Bean asked while looking at Li Yannian. Seeing the latter nod at him, he finally responded: Alright, I originally wanted to ask about the construction of the house at Little Uncle, so I won''t be leaving today.


    Zhang Yaomei and Xu Zhangshu were instantly overjoyed, and even a few of their uncles revealed smiles on their faces.


    First Uncle saw that Li Yannian was looking at the faces of the women in the house, and immediately called for him: "Eat, eat, eat. The children are all hungry, if there are any issues, we can talk after dinner."


    Zhang Yaomei immediately stuffed two chopsticks with tofu and lung slices into Li Yannian''s bowl. "I just bought this morning, eat more red beans, don''t be as elegant as your brother."


    Li Yannian promised as she lowered her head to drink the porridge.


    The Zhang Clan also ate rice porridge with coarse grains at noon. In the wok, there was a huge pot of pig intestines and lung slices mixed with a little bit of tofu. Since they had cut quite a number of scallions, it was quite fragrant. The children of the Zhang family were all sent off to learn their skills, while the young ones were still being carried by the adults. Their eyes were already glued to the fragrance of the roasted meat in the wok, waiting for the adults to speak. Once Zhang Bao said this, the children immediately extended their fingers, asking their own mothers to fish for them to eat.


    Other than having a lively meal, everyone else''s hands had to move quickly as well. With just a few bites, the water in the wok and the tofu in the wok were almost all scooped up. Although Mao Dou was taken care of by Black Bean, he had only eaten two chopsticks worth of food, and there was nothing left in the pot.


    Zhang Family was already used to this kind of situation. She scooped up all the food in the pot and even divided the soup between the spoons.


    This was not the first time Li Yannian had seen such a scene, but looking back, she still felt somewhat shocked. To put it bluntly, she still relied on the Taobao system, a great killing tool, or her life would not even be half as good as the Zhang Family''s.


    After lunch, Li Yannian wanted to help First Aunt clean up the table, but her grandmother Zhang Yaomei pulled him away and stuffed him into a brazier, forcing him to bring her to the living room to roast the fire.


    Li Yannian could only smile embarrassedly at First Aunt and rest in the living room with the Zhang brothers. The Little Uncle was pulling Black Bean along to talk about building a house, and Li Yannian followed him for a while, thinking that it was meaningless. She coincidentally saw the guilty look the First Uncle was looking at him with, and had an idea.


    She pointed to the small hut beside, Zhang Bao''s face had a look of hesitation, Li Yannian''s gaze drifted towards the kitchen, Zhang Bao was threatened and could only stand up and walk towards the small hut.


    Seeing that no one was paying attention, Li Yannian touched it herself. When she entered the room, she saw First Uncle squatting on the ground, looking at her with a helpless look.


    Li Yannian also followed his example and squatted, lowering her voice and asked, "Uncle, you lost your job, didn''t you tell Grandma and Aunt when you got home?"


    Zhang Bao sighed helplessly, "I can''t say it, but your grandma asked for this job. She''s been doing it for almost 10 years, so there''s no point in doing it. If your grandma knew, she''d probably die from anxiety."


    It was only now that Zhang Bao finally understood the true reason why he was chased out of the fabric shop by the shopkeeper. He was stunned for a moment before he shook his head at Li Yannian. However, you must promise First Uncle not to tell your grandmother about this. "


    Li Yannian asked doubtfully: "But First Uncle, do you still have to go to the Manor to work? If I stay at home every day, my grandmother will be suspicious. "


    Zhang Bao''s face revealed a hint of worry, "Anyway, I''ll keep it a secret for as long as I can. "I''ll go to the town tomorrow and ask which families have people."


    Even though he knew that with the Du Family''s methods, perhaps no cloth shop in the town would dare to hire him.


    Li Yannian took the opportunity to say: "Uncle, I do have an idea, and it depends on whether or not you are willing to help me with this favor."


    Zhang Bao asked curiously, "What is it? Tell me quickly."


    Li Yannian took out a silver note that was worth a hundred silver and handed it over to Zhang Dayong Bao.


    Da Bao had not seen what was in his hands at the start, but when he saw that Li Yannian had given him a silver note, which was even a one hundred silver note, he almost jumped up from the ground.


    He almost roared it out, but he still remembered to not alarm his family. Zhang Bao lowered his voice with all his might and asked, "Where did you get all this silver from?"


    Li Yannian smiled at him, "Don''t worry uncle, this money is just and honorable. It is not stolen nor stolen, as for anything else, I can''t tell you right away. "Just think of it as someone else giving you the money to do business, and I''m just a middleman helping to make a connection."


    Zhang Bao still had a puzzled expression as he refused to accept the one hundred silver taels. Li Yannian continued to speak, "Uncle, look at my small body, do I look like I can steal it? Besides, with the Du Family''s influence, who would still dare to take a person that they chased out? It was my fault anyway. I can''t just watch you suffer for me, Uncle. So with such a chance to make money, I immediately thought of you. "


    continued to persuade him: "Uncle, don''t worry, I really didn''t trick anyone into buying this money. Otherwise, how would I have the guts to bring a silver note in front of you? Uncle, just help me out. Take a look for me and see if there is anything good in this town. Brother and I have never been in business before, so we really need your help in the shop. "


    The more Zhang Bao listened, the more tempted he was. Just as he was hesitating, his wife Xia Taohua''s voice suddenly came from the door.


    "Since your niece wants your help, you should hurry up and do it. It was always better to have something to do than nothing. You can hide it for a day or two. All other things aside, where are you going to find the money you have to pay at the end of the month? We never had a word on hand for the night. I wanted to ask you last night, but I thought better of it. Waiting for you to tell me yourself. You, ah! "


    The two people in the room were shocked by Xia Taohua''s sudden appearance. Zhang Bao stammered, his face flushed red: "My wife, you know about it?"


    Xia Taohua walked in and rolled her eyes: "I''ve been married to your family for more than a decade, and I still can''t figure out what you''re thinking."


    Li Yannian did not know what to say. On the contrary, she took their words and asked: "Hong Dou, do you have any ideas on what shop you want to open?"


    Li Yannian said hesitantly: "I think it''s best to do the food business. They were small in capital and didn''t need to be sold. They were all things that could be sold on a single day. "Let''s start with a few days of figuring out how much we can sell in a day, then we can start to figure it out later."


    "Make food?"


    Zhang Bao and his wife were both very surprised by this answer, and they shouted out at the same time.


    Li Yannian shushed them before continuing: "Un, that was my initial plan. However, First Uncle, if you have any other thoughts, you can do it your way first. In any case, you should be the main customer in the shop.


    Zhang Bao shook his head and said with a wry smile, "I will spend most of my life buying and selling cloth, but I don''t know anything else. If he were to continue doing the old business, he would be snatching food from the mouth of the Du Family. Within a few days of opening the restaurant, he would have to rest. Since you''ve already decided that you want to cook, then I''ll listen to you. I don''t have any other abilities, so it''s fine for me to call in customers. You still have to find someone else to handle this. "


    Li Yannian nodded: "We''ll talk about this later. Uncle, then let''s make this deal. In the next few days, you can go to the town and take a look. There are shops that you can rent, but you can decide for yourself. There''s no need to look for a good shop location. I remember my brother saying that there''s a shallow water dock in the town, and those are all menial labourers carrying large bags, right? "Uncle, if the shop can be located near the dock, try to look for it."


    Xia Taohua was afraid that she would not understand, and continued to speak: "That pier is specially used by the Du and Gu Families, a few years ago, the two families worked together to dig a shallow beach, so other families cannot unload their goods there. Your uncle knows that there is no one there, so he has the most coolies. A laborer who only earns twenty or so coins a day would never be able to bear to eat in the restaurant. "


    Li Yannian smiled at the two of them, "First Uncle, First Aunt, don''t worry, I am clear about this matter. You can just find me the store. I know what''s going on, and I''ve already planned it all out. Don''t worry about it. "


    Li Yannian saw that the two still did not believe him, and could only coax them: "Let''s do this business then and there. It''s fine if we lose money, but the person who gave me the money said that he wanted me to use it for other purposes. Uncle, Aunt, I''ll tell you guys the truth. I only plan to sell my food in the shop since the Three Coins s will be full and I can still earn a lot from selling them at this price. "


    The Three Coins is full? How could he still make money? Zhang Bao and Xia Taohua looked at each other in dismay. How was this possible?


    Li Yannian smiled mysteriously at them: "In short, as long as you find a shop to negotiate the contract, it would be best if the place was larger and the lease duration longer. Leave the rest to me. Uncle, I will give you twice the price of cloth every month. Uncle, Auntie, please believe me this time. You''ll know when the shop opens. "


    Zhang Bao looked at his wife helplessly. His niece had already eaten a heavy burden and had hardened her heart to ask for a hundred taels of silver. This was a note worth 100 taels of silver, he had never seen so much money in his life! But his precious niece said that she would open a shop, and the Three Coins even made those laborers eat their fill! Those people could eat more than the average man in the crop. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were a rice bucket. At this rate, not to mention a hundred silver taels, even the mountains of gold and silver would shine sooner or later.


    Xia Taohua nodded his head at him and said softly: "Since it is someone else''s money, then we will follow Hong Dou''s instructions. You better hurry up and arrange it for her. "If the business in the store isn''t good, there''s still time for us to switch to another business."


    Zhang Bao thought to himself, it''s really an amateur watching a show. For example, a restaurant had to have a good location in a bustling area with a large number of people. Moreover, the fact that the restaurant had a good location meant that the restaurant had a solid foundation, and that its owners could afford to spend such a large amount of money. However, a normal restaurant was different. The location could be a bit smaller, but it couldn''t be too far from the street. People would stop by and would always come in to rest. You are a restaurant in a remote and desolate place. Who did you cook for?


    For example, Red Bean''s shop that was closer to the dock, basically had no other passersby apart from the laborers. If it was bustling, there would be no bustle. If it was crowded, there would be no area at all. Even if he changed his business, he probably wouldn''t be able to sell one or two things every month.


    But he had already said what he needed to say, and his niece refused to listen. The money was his, but the work was his. After some thought, he could only nod his head in agreement. He thought that if the store lost the money, he could just save the extra monthly allowance and return it to his niece to make up for the loss.

 C38

    Chapter 38 The Road to Well-off (14)


    The three Li siblings stayed at the Zhang family''s residence for the night. Originally, Zhang Yaomei wanted to keep them there for a while longer, but building a house was more important.


    However, the three of them were not the only ones returning to the Li Village this time, there was also Zhang Da Bao who was heading back to the village with them. With the excuse of working in the village, he planned to go to the town to find a suitable shop for Li Yannian to do business for him and also Little Uncle Zhang Sibao who was carrying the food guy. Zhang Sibao thought that he would go out sooner or later anyways, so he decided to go with Black Bean and his sister.


    When they arrived at Li Village, they split up. Zhang Bao not even told his little brother that he wanted to open a shop for his niece, so Zhang Sibao had always thought that he was just going to Du Jia Village to work. He was even happy to tell him to bring a bottle of osmanthus oil for his wife the next time he returned home.


    Zhang Bao didn''t say anything and waved goodbye to the others. Carrying a bag on his back, he walked on the road looking extremely heavy, with a faint sense of desolation.


    Li Yannian shook her head in amusement. It would be difficult for the First Uncle and the others to understand how to earn money. After all, it had been centuries since they had last seen the Treasure Shop.


    Li Yannian paid special attention to this when she was in the Du Jia Village. As the Du Jia Village was an important business town, a home of the Du Family, all the merchants from various places would come here to buy and sell their goods, the majority of the money earned by the shops in the town was from these merchants, and the share of purchasing power that really fell onto the ordinary citizens was not very prominent.


    Originally, she wanted to see what kind of skills the Du Jia Village had to do with this business, to prevent the amount of money they had in the future from becoming too much, and to attract suspicion. But after causing trouble for the Huichun Hall, Li Yannian still wanted to stay in the Du Jia Village and get a share of the Du Family''s spoils. It was obviously impossible.


    As a second choice, she set her eyes on the Du and Gu Families'' shared shore and pier.


    People ate like the sky. Whichever generation or generation it was placed in, it was an eternally immutable truth. With the information he got from Black Bean, Li Yannian felt that the people in the town could no longer support an upscale restaurant. As for the middle section, it already had the Gu family''s third young master''s restaurant, and it was doing quite well. After all, with the large amount of rice noodles that the Gu family had bought as a base, the prices of the food in the restaurant were not high. Ordinary people would be merciless, but they would also be willing to occasionally treat members of the Gu family''s restaurant to a meal.


    The higher the better, the more saturated the market they were in, the better. The only high ground Li Yannian could occupy, was the market, which was actually a huge place for him to stay.


    These kinds of people had great strength and consumed a lot of energy every day. Usually, in order to save money, some brought black flour, steamed buns, mixed grains, and some were willing to buy food from nearby shops, but they could only earn enough to eat. Those who were willing to spend money like this were mostly the type who were single, who ate their fill while their families were not hungry.


    Facing such a potential market, Li Yannian could totally imagine what would happen after her Three Coins food filled small restaurant was opened, and she was afraid that there would be a lot of people coming to eat.


    But here?


    Black Bean had told Li Yannian before that when Shangguan Family collected the rent and taxes, they did it based on the amount of money they earned. After the entire family paid the taxes, there wasn''t much left over for them to eat. However, if she wanted to go to a grain store, the price of rice would soar all the way up to twenty cents a game. That was to say, for the same Three Coins, Li Yannian could buy two to three hundred kilograms of rice from the system when she replaced them with gold. Not only was it much cheaper than buying the rice here, the quality of the rice was also much higher.


    After all, the rice in the grain depot was famous for its three liters of white rice.


    Then, with the copper coins she earned from the small restaurant, she would continue to convert them into gold and then buy rice for the system. With such a virtuous cycle, not only would she silently make a fortune, she would also be able to help out these laborers.


    Li Yannian was laughing foolishly to herself, when she was hit on the back of her head by Little Uncle. Although she did not use much strength, it was still enough to scare Li Yannian.


    "What are you thinking, Red Bean? Laughing, I didn''t even make a sound at all. "


    Seeing Zhang Sibao''s curious face, Li Yannian chuckled, pretending to be mysterious, and extended his hand, gesturing for him to come over to talk.


    Zhang Sibao had originally asked casually, but now, he completely piqued his curiosity and carefully walked over. He didn''t expect Li Yannian to whisper in his ear, "Little Uncle, do you really want to know?"


    Li Yannian: "Hehe, I won''t tell you!"


    Zhang Sibao:...


    Black Bean tried his best to hold back his laughter, pointed at Old house, who was not far from collapsing, and intentionally changed the topic: "Little Uncle, if we continue walking forward, we will arrive soon."


    Zhang Sibao who had been humiliated wanted to reply, because he was not blind. Who could not see the vast wasteland in front of him? Besides, they already came here before, okay?


    However, after thinking about it, he held back and nodded: "Yes, I saw it."


    Mao Dou looked at this, then at that, and then scratched his head helplessly. What were his brothers and sisters talking about with the Little Uncle?


    Fortunately, they quickly reached their destination. Knowing that there was no place for business in their house, Zhang Sibao shamelessly followed his nephews to the neighboring Li Clan to eat.


    With one more person to eat at home, Auntie Li did not say anything. Although there was nothing good to eat in the farmers'' houses, their food was always good, so they did not feel nervous if there was one more person.


    From a certain point of view, Zhang Sibao could also be considered to have eaten a lot. Not only was he able to chat happily with the Eastern Family''s short Auntie Li, he was even able to rely on his lunch hour to become sworn brothers with the silent Uncle Li. He had truly shown Li Yannian what it meant to talk when you see someone, what the hell would you say when you see someone, the skill of dancing with long sleeves.


    Auntie Li obviously liked the young lad from Zhang Jia Village. When he found out that he was planning to sleep in Li siblings at night, Auntie Li''s face immediately darkened to express his opposition: "How can they live in that burning house? There wasn''t even a bed, and the blanket was stolen by a thief. How could you sleep there in such a cold weather? Listening to Aunt, you still stay in Aunt''s house, so you should sleep in the same room as Black Bean. Aunt will find a pillow for you in a while. "


    Zhang Sibao immediately stopped her, and explained while laughing: "I appreciate Aunt''s good intentions. In the afternoon, when all our people are here, a lot of people, it''s not right for me to live alone in my aunt''s house. I can''t stay in my aunt''s house. "Aunt, don''t be polite with me. We are all rough people, not as delicate as children. We build a shed in front of the house, and we all sleep together on the big shared bed with the kang burning underneath. It won''t freeze us, Aunt, don''t worry."


    The Auntie Li wanted to advise him otherwise, but she only heard the Uncle Li puffing on his pipe and slowly said, "Four Bao brothers are right. If you tell him to sleep with us, it won''t be good for him to talk to those brothers. He is, after all, the uncle who is closest to Black Bean and the others, and can''t break it apart no matter what.


    Zhang Sibao quickly continued: "That''s exactly what I said. Those who forge iron cannot get on the brick bed, and those who burn cannot get on the table. There is a line of rules that cannot be broken."


    Seeing that they had all said it like that, Auntie Li could only give up. However, she was still worried: "Then Brother Little Zhang, when you have finished setting up your shed, can Aunt give you two blankets? "I can see that you can''t wrap anything up with your bundle."


    Zhang Sibao laughed and said: "No need, no need, at night, a lot of men will sleep on the hot brick bed. "Aunty, don''t worry. If it''s really cold, I''ll ask you again for a blanket."


    He didn''t know what else to say. A bunch of men were as dirty as mud monkeys after finishing their day''s work. Even if they used the quilt, they wouldn''t be able to clean it if they smashed it with a club. His family knew about this, so they rolled up the quilt and returned with it. When he brought it home, his wife would soak it in soap for half a day before washing it off. It meant that it would be a bit clean and he would use it again when he returned to his host''s house.


    He wouldn''t be willing to bring out such a good blanket and ruin it.


    Black Bean took the opportunity to say: "Aunt, just listen to Little Uncle, he is also a straightforward person, and is not faking politeness with you, Aunt."


    Li Yannian also laughed: "That''s right, Aunt. If you truly care for my Little Uncle, then just cook properly and don''t save up for me. Only when you have eaten your fill will you have the strength to work."


    Auntie Li was amused. "Sure! It''s not like I have money, so of course I don''t feel bad. Brother Little Zhang, wait until the house moves, aunty will cook good food for you. You will have strength every day after eating the bag. "


    Zhang Sibao laughed honestly: "Alright, Aunt, with your cooking skills, even my wife wouldn''t be able to catch up. Let alone making delicious foods, even if I ate wild herbs, I would still be able to."


    Everyone in the room was amused. The Auntie Li even patted her chest and said, "Cooking wild vegetables is too cheap. Just you wait, Aunty will cook for you all at once. Tomorrow, I''ll go and order a pig for you."


    Everyone laughed. Uncle Li saw that she was becoming more and more confused, and even fixed his pig, villagers had already killed almost all of the New Year meat, even if he was rich, there would still have to be someone to raise his from home! He did not expect Li Yannian to take it for real, and continued: "That''s fine."


    Uncle Li had a headache, but if his wife were to let this matter go, even if he were to kneel down, he would definitely take it back, "I really don''t have this."


    Mao Dou raised his head at this moment, his eyes rolling around. He said naively, "Uncle Li, Li Zheng still has pigs to sell. There really is one."


    Uncle Li looked at Li Yannian''s face which instantly lit up, and his wife who only knew better, covering her mouth and not saying anything. He sighed, looks like this really had to happen.


    Fine, let''s go to Qingfeng''s house tomorrow. At least let him pay a bit more cheaply.

 C39

    Chapter 39 The Road to Well-off (15)


    The Uncle Li had really brought back a pig for Black Bean and the others. The helpers who had arrived at the Li Village in the afternoon were simply going crazy.


    Other than Zhang Sibao''s master, who was around 40 years old, who other than him, who else wouldn''t have the strength to be a thief, a young man? This was the moment when everyone felt that they couldn''t eat their fill, and when they found out that a few small bosses had prepared a whole pig for them, they couldn''t stop grinning in joy. If it wasn''t for the fact that tomorrow was the official start of the construction, they would have immediately pushed the Li Family''s broken house to the ground and covered it up.


    The helpers, who had originally planned to rest for the whole afternoon, put up the grass huts first. Now, they were no longer in a hurry to sleep at night. They looked around the old house one by one, trying to figure out how to build it better.


    When Zhang Sibao saw his brothers that were full of energy, the pain in his heart also disappeared. Ye Zichen couldn''t help but sigh. This group of people with shallow eyes had all been bribed by a pig.


    Li Yannian was not surprised at all by this result. Since sshe wanted the horses to run, he had to let them eat their fill first. Moreover, during this period of building houses, they had to eat and live in Auntie Li''s house, giving others more benefits.


    Moreover, a pig was just an exaggeration, it was truly not expensive. The Li Zheng only sold them one pig for less than seven hundred gold. Unlike the modern era, the people here preferred to eat mutton, while the lower class citizens would only buy pork for their food. Country people usually felled their cattle and chopped firewood while cutting some pig grass, and then cooked it with wheat bran and rice bran to feed their pigs. After raising it for half a year, it was only a little bit, which was very far from the modern era''s four or five hundred kilograms. Raising a pig took time and effort. If it wasn''t for the fact that there was a lot of labour in the family and they had a lot of spare time, not many people would be willing to raise a pig.


    Li Yannian thought that when the system levelled up in the future, she would also encourage the villagers to raise pigs. With the environment and breeding methods here, she reckoned that the pork meat would be sold at a high price just like the eggs that were previously sold.


    The Li Family three siblings''s side was extremely busy with building houses, so naturally, the heart of the villagers''s idle chatter these days couldn''t escape from it. As the few wives sat in front of the door under the sun, the more virtuous families would have to eat winter melons, which were also watermelons, and the melon seeds they had saved up. They could talk about the matters of Li siblings for an entire afternoon just by talking about it.


    Some said that the Old Li Family''s punishment for the Li Family''s second house was as such, but there were also those who excitedly pulled everyone''s strings to guess who stole the items from the Li Family''s children. There were also those who were curious as to why the Li Family''s three siblings suddenly became rich, who asked him to buy pigs, and who built a house.


    Every time this happened, the expression on the face of Black Bean''s Eldest Aunt, Wang Xiumei, would turn very strange. Everyone only thought that she was feeling uncomfortable after hearing that the three children in the second house would live better than he did. After all, the major chamber had given them money to build a new house. With Wang Xiumei''s sharp personality, taking money from her was no different from taking a knife to cut her flesh.


    One of them, who usually went against Wang Xiumei, intentionally used this as a conversation topic. One sentence, where did the Li siblings''s house go to today, and one sentence, in the end, came from a house with a grandma and an outsider helping it out. The yellow mud used by the villagers to build a house, they used the green brick and jade tiles that were shipped from the town.


    Wang Xiumei always listened to him for a while before she disinterestedly carried away her half-finished shoes. Everyone had always thought that she was narrow-minded and petty. Who would have known that she was the one who couldn''t listen to what was happening with three siblings the most? However, it wasn''t for anything else but purely a guilty conscience.


    Ever since their parents forced them to return Li Hongshan''s land, and even forced them to spit out the silver, Li Qingshan and Wang Xiumei had been holding back their anger. They wanted to go to Black Bean''s house to cause trouble, but were afraid of angering their father, so they turned around and broke their legs. It''s not a hassle, it''s not going to end well for me right here in my heart. "" No, no.


    The couple thought about it for a long time. Even if they couldn''t live their days, they still had to add fuel to the fire. Since it wasn''t possible to do it in broad daylight, he decided to do it in the dark. The couple had been silently rubbing their hands, waiting for an opportunity. They didn''t think that the opportunity would arrive so soon. Black Bean brought the two red beans and an ox cart to the town, but no one came back until night.


    It was really a nap, but someone had delivered a pillow to him. The couple immediately went to Black Bean''s house with a kitchen knife in hand, kicked the door latch loose, and entered the house to search around the kitchen under the bed. They thought that these kids would not take all that money with them, as they would not run around the house.


    In the end, he didn''t find anything. The two of them were infuriated. They had been busy the entire night, yet they hadn''t even managed to get a single copper coin.


    The couple thought that they couldn''t come here for nothing. They immediately plundered everything that was worth a bit of money from Black Bean''s family. It was too dark to be seen clearly. When the two sneakily returned home, they lit an oil lamp to see what they had stolen.


    New thick quilts, white rice, and jars full of oil and salt!


    Li Qingshan was stupefied. In his entire life, he had never seen such good rice. These three brats were actually using his money so recklessly!


    Wang Xiumei was the same as well, gritting her teeth in hatred. "This isn''t the way to go even if you have money. We''ll go sue them tomorrow and see if Mother won''t break their legs."


    Li Qingshan tilted his head and roared at her: "Are you stupid?! "If you tell Dad about the stolen goods, he''ll know about it. The first one to break your legs!"


    The couple was furious and resentful. They were so angry that they didn''t get a good night''s sleep. He was still trying to think of a way to get rid of the children of his second brother''s family. He didn''t expect that the next morning, the village would ring a gong to gather everyone at the grain sunning ground.


    When he arrived at the village, he saw Li Zheng and a few of the village''s uncles leading the way. The first few words he said sounded like gentle rain, but later on he said that there were people in the village who didn''t want to be thieves and even stole from parentless children. The more Li Qingshan and her wife heard about this, the more they felt that something was off. They looked at each other in fear, as if they were talking about the two of them.


    Li Qingshan thought, but he just took back something that should originally be his own home, Lizheng was also muddleheaded, he even helped the few kids in the second house by making a big fuss over nothing.


    Li Qingshan didn''t expect that when he passed through the crowd and looked straight at him, his heart skipped a beat. Looking at his expression, it seemed like he thought he was that thief.


    He suddenly felt guilty. Seeing that his wife''s face was completely pale from fright, he quickly dragged her and ran towards his home in a panic.


    However, Li Qingfeng''s voice came from behind them, "No matter who is caught as a thief next time, after cutting off their fingers and chasing them out of the village, Li Village will not accept this kind of shameless person."


    "Yes, drive out of the village."


    "That''s what we should do, otherwise we won''t be able to sleep at night!"


    villagers''s angry words could still be heard. This time, Wang Xiumei was truly frightened, and every time she heard someone talk about the bed and the basket of dishes, she would feel a burst of fear.


    Although she kept comforting herself that she had already sewed the old blanket to death and Third Mother''s basket had already been burnt to ashes, no one would be able to realise that she was the one who stole Black Bean''s family. At night, she would even be woken up by nightmares. When she dreamt that she had been caught, Lizheng and the clan uncles would drag her to the ancestral hall to cut off their fingers ¡­


    After all, Li Qingshan was a man. He was more daring, and was afraid for a period of time. They had been hiding their stolen rice and not daring to eat it. Furthermore, from the look of fear on their faces, their wife, Wang Xiumei, was probably not in the mood to eat it. As time passed, the things that he had stolen would become a scourge if they remained at home. Thus, when his family members were not paying attention, Li Qingshan secretly took the opportunity to take out a bag of rice and sold it to the Du Jia Village for a cheap price. Even though it was only seven or eight kilograms, he was only able to sell it for about a dozen gold.


    What a fine rice, and he didn''t even have a taste for it.


    Coincidentally, Li Qingshan was selling this little bit of rice on the Gu family''s rice store. The shopkeeper, Hu You, had been doing business for many years and had mastered a pair of Fiery Eyes of Truth. With one glance, he could tell that this bag of rice was not normal, so he immediately put it in at a low price.


    However, Li Qingshan stammered out some vague words, sometimes saying that it was given by someone else, and sometimes saying that it was his family''s younger generation who planted the best food to honor his. When Hu You Lai heard this, he immediately knew that there was an article in it. He got the underling to give him money, and at the same time, he signaled for people to follow him and find out who this person who sold rice was.


    The reason Hu You Lai was so interested in the bag of rice was also because the third young master of his family mainly ran the restaurant. At the restaurant, as its name implied, rice was the most important part. If you can get such fine and fine rice at a low price, then the cost of using rice at the restaurant will be reduced.


    The shop assistant quickly found out the news, Li Qingshan was just a country bumpkin, he did not have that much of a wariness towards people, and was not that smart either. The shop assistant only chatted with him for a short while, before they found out everything about him.


    When Hu You Lai heard that Li Qingshan was merely a stocky fellow who had lived and eaten in the Li Village for generations, he could not help but be a little disappointed. He was familiar with the little village in Li Village. Every year, when the rent was collected, he would go to the door with the officials to check and decide on the price. The rice planted by the Li Village was even better at farming, with only medium rice growing. The grains were not very full, and the yield was low.


    For a grain like this, the Gu family could only buy it at a low price from the official warehouse. Along with the medium and high rice, it was mixed with the rice that was sold in the rice store. The market price was also not high.


    Li Yannian did not expect the bag of rice that she had lost at home to cause such a ruckus in Du Jia Village. For the past half month, she had been so focused on her bridal chamber that she forgot to prepare even the Xuan paper that she had arranged with the Gu family''s Bookstore. Only when the shop assistant came to ask for the goods did Li Yannian react.


    Fortunately, Auntie Li and Uncle Li had been helping out at the bridal chamber for the past few days, so there were no outsiders in the house. Li Yannian made the servant sit in the living room for a while, then quickly bought the remaining Xuan paper. She tore it down and destroyed it, but fortunately, she did not move slowly, and quickly packed the Xuan paper and allowed the servant to carry it away.


    As expected, the young lord of the Gu family couldn''t resist the huge profit of being sent to his door for free. He agreed to all of her conditions, not to mention that he even arranged to send some servants to pick up the goods on the eighth and twentieth day of the month.


    Looking at the newly acquired gold ingots, Li Yannian couldn''t help but to let out a satisfied smile.


    Dear Taobao system, just wait for me to throw gold at you next month!

 C40

    Chapter 40 Road to Well-off (16)


    Li Yannian casually stored the six taels of gold and three taels of silver into the warehouse. The only thing she did not know was how pure the gold was.


    I''m rich, I''m rich... Li Yannian suddenly felt that his sister was a rich person too. He was overjoyed and was just about to celebrate when someone knocked on the door.


    Li Yannian heard this voice that was extremely unfamiliar, and the accent was also different from that of the villagers. Out of caution, she did not recklessly open the door, and asked through the door: "Who is it? Who are you looking for? "


    Before the person who knocked on the door could reply, someone exclaimed in surprise, "It''s her. I remember her voice."


    Li Yannian heard that this person looked like a teenage boy, because he was changing his voice, it was very unique to his voice.


    Who was this person to say that he remembered his voice? Could it be that his enemy had come to look for him? That''s not right. I haven''t worn a gunny sack since I came here.


    Just as she was thinking, another high-pitched voice said lightly: "Miss, please open the door. We are from Prince Yi''s Mansion, and we came here specifically to thank you for saving us."


    Li Yannian, who said that they were from the Duke Palaces, started to believe that the person who said those words just now was just a eunuch, who seemed to have his throat grabbed by someone.


    Seeing that she was not willing to open the door, the people outside were amused and helpless, waiting for further proof of his identity. However, a person that Li Yannian was familiar with opened her mouth at the right time: "Miss Li, so the Little Marquis is looking for you. Hurry up and open the door, I am Gu Mingyuan, I have seen you before, do you remember me? "


    The Gu family''s third young master had also come? Li Yannian opened the door in a daze as she saw a bunch of people standing in front of the Auntie Li''s house. Gu Mingyuan stood respectfully at the side and looked very low key, very different from the previous two times when Li Yannian looked at him.


    Beside him was a middle-aged man with an indifferent expression. He was neither fat nor thin, of medium height, and wore a black robe with a golden background. Around his waist was a five-colored belt with pearls and gems wrapped around his waist, and on his feet was a pair of black shoes with white boots.


    The person lightly teased her and warmly confirmed: "You are Li Hong Dou, Miss Li?"


    Hearing his voice, Li Yannian noticed that he had a pale face and was dressed in luxurious clothes. He was only an eunuch, and couldn''t help but be surprised.


    However, she did not forget to reply, "Yes, it''s me. May I know why you are looking for me?"


    She didn''t know how to address him, so she could only vaguely lead the way.


    "Do you still remember seven days ago, you saved a person outside the Du Jia Village and then sent him to the Huichun Hall to be treated?"


    Li Yannian nodded her head: "It''s like that."


    Could it be that the person I saved so casually is not a simple person? Just now, she had heard someone mention the young prince. Sure enough, as long as he transmigrated, he would be inseparable from the nobility? They were all young princes.


    That person''s face finally revealed a smile. "Then that''s it. My surname is Lu and I am the internal supervisor of the Pingyang Prince Yi''s Mansion. Miss, the one you saved that day was my young master, the twenty-second son of the King Yi, Zhao Xu. "


    He pointed at the delicate teenager behind him, surrounded by his servants. Yes, exquisite. Li Yannian had been extremely anxious when she saved him, and the other party''s dishevelled appearance could not be clearly seen as well. This was why, after today''s exchange, this was the first word that popped out in her mind.


    Her lips were red and her teeth were white. Her bright eyes were filled with spring. Originally, it was meant to describe a woman''s appearance, but on his body, it did not feel out of place. Moreover, it did not make people feel like a woman was that much of a sissy.


    The corners of Manager Lu''s mouth raised into a meaningful smile, as if he was very satisfied with Li Yannian''s reaction. He cleared his throat and said, "The young prince was out on a tour and encountered some mishaps on the way. She almost fell into the hands of a thief. Fortunately, I was saved by my young mistress. When the Prince received the reward, she specially instructed us to come and thank you. Here is a small gift, please do not decline it and accept it. "


    As he said this, he waved to the servants behind him, and a few of them lowered their heads as they carried a few boxes that seemed to be extremely valuable inside the house.


    Li Yannian waved her hands, wanting to reject the offer. Manager Lu pretended that he could not see, and looked into the house, smiling lightly he asked: "Miss Li, is it possible for me to make a place for my young master to sit down and warm his hands and feet? It was cold outside, and my little master was anxious to see his savior. He didn''t even sit on the palanquin as he blew all the way here. I''ll have to go back later. This time, I''m afraid that if I go back, I''ll get a headache. It''ll be another illness. "


    Li Yannian sized up Zhao Xu who was wearing the white fox hat and cloak, seeing that the youth''s face was pale white, she remembered that he was also heavily injured and had not recovered yet, and could not help but feel pity in his heart, hence he nodded his head, and said: "It''s not difficult for me to rest, it''s just that the place is small, it''s just that so many people will not be able to sit."


    Manager Lu smiled, "Miss Li need not worry. Since master and servant are different, they will naturally not enter the house. Just wait outside."


    With that, he did not wait for Li Yannian''s reaction, and directly sent Zhao Xu to the back with a hand gesture. The few of them immediately lifted up their little masters and rushed into the house.


    That look was very strange, as if what they were carrying was not their own master but some kind of scalding gunpowder bag.


    Just when Li Yannian felt that something was wrong, she turned around and met Gu Mingyuan''s gaze. The other party quickly took a glance at the people from the Duke Palace, and under the cover of her wide sleeves, she lightly waved her hand and made a "No" gesture.


    What do you mean? Doubt surfaced in Li Yannian''s eyes.


    But Steward Lu had already turned his sharp gaze towards the two of them, causing Gu Mingyuan to immediately turn his gaze away, pretending as if nothing had happened.


    Manager Lu retracted his gaze and chuckled: "Miss Li, can I trouble you to boil more hot water? Young Prince is thirsty and wants to drink some water. "


    There was more on the hot water stove. Furthermore, the person who asked for water was a patient. Li Yannian nodded and replied: Yes, please take a seat. I will be right back.


    Manager Lu smiled and nodded, "Please do as you please Miss Li, I''ll have to trouble you."


    Gu Mingyuan saw that the situation was still going in the direction of the direction that the Prince Yi''s Mansion was delighted to see, and shook his head helplessly. He had already tried his best, it was just that there was a limit to his manpower.


    Rich and powerful like the Royal Merchant, in front of the imperial power, was only slightly better than fighting against small citizens.


    Who told him to have such a inferior background? Even an overseer, a servant without any roots still dared to order his servants around like he was a servant. But Gu Mingyuan had to endure it.


    He had not forgotten how his father had treated him so well before this, and warned him not to offend the people in the Prince Yi''s Mansion. After all, in the entire Da Song, it was most likely that she would be married to the Gu family. Only the Prince Yi''s Mansion would be willing to let the Gu family marry a direct descendant with the surname Zhao.


    The other princes, if it wasn''t because they already had a husband for all of their direct daughters, then their family style was so ridiculous that it would make anyone change their expressions when they heard about it. Or they would rather die than look up to a family of merchants, even if they starved to death while holding onto their reputations, they wouldn''t marry their direct daughter to a family like the Gu family; at most, they would give her to a concubine.


    But with the Gu family''s eyesight, how could they look down on the Shu girl? Furthermore, the Du Family of Royal Merchant was said to have used a lot of money to beat up the previously unwilling Prince Ruyang. At the price of ten thousand gold, he had "bought" the second daughter of the previous princess. Gu Mingyuan secretly thought that the reason why the Du Family could achieve what they wanted this time, was probably because Prince Ruyang''s wife was jealous of her predecessor.


    Since the Du Clan was able to marry a princess, the Gu Clan naturally couldn''t fall behind. After all, there were only two daughters left behind by the previous princess. One of them had already been settled by her birth mother, and the other had been given to the Du Family. After weighing them up, the Prince Yi''s Mansion became the Gu family''s only choice.


    Therefore, even if Gu Mingyuan was extremely unwilling and could not bear it, he could not defy the will of the clan and stop Li Yannian from jumping into the pit of fire.


    He had spent a great deal of effort to do that reminder just now. It was the best he could do now.


    Seeing that the young lady from the Li family had left, Manager Lu turned and looked at Gu Mingyuan with a smile that was not a smile, and said: "It has been hard on you, Third Young Master."


    Gu Mingyuan was not sure if he could clearly see his own movements, and calmly replied: "Thank you."


    He did not know if this "master" had managed to please him, but Manager Lu''s eyes revealed a smile, he squinted his eyes and nodded towards Gu Mingyuan: "I do not dare to call myself master, I am only a servant of the Prince Yi''s Mansion, Third Young Master, everything is done, so, shall we go?"


    Gu Mingyuan looked at the opened door in front of him, the Prince Yi''s Mansion who had lost his consciousness was looking around, even his hands had loosened up, the white fox cloak that was used to protect himself from the cold fell onto the ground and he was completely oblivious, looking like a child. He did not know what to feel, as it felt pity for him, but it felt like it had hurt him.


    The Gu Family wanted to marry the Prince Yi''s Mansion, so they naturally had a good understanding of the past of the Prince Yi''s Mansion.


    It was hard to say which was worse between the two of them.


    Although he was born in the Gu family, he was the legitimate son. Since he was young, he had always been doted upon by his parents and had never suffered any grievances. He was the only one who had suffered grievances to others.


    As for Zhao Xu?


    For some unfathomable reason, a person left the Duke''s Mansion, was mysteriously tied up, and was inexplicably thrown out of Du Jia Village. After waking up, a smart person became a fool.


    It was fine if he was the direct descendant, but even if King Yi didn''t have the face to not cherish his children, he would have to spend his entire life to raise this son of his. After which, he would have to arrange for a daughter of a family who was willing to pay for this loss of face to enter the door, and Zhao Xu would be able to live this life peacefully. But unfortunately, he was a bastard son, and he was even the son of the once famous and hated Aunt Xue, the son of the Yi Wangfei.


    This mother and son duo had once enjoyed such glory, but now that they had been defeated, they were extremely desolate.


    He was once one of the most beloved sons of the King Yi, but now ¡­ Gu Mingyuan''s eyes dimmed, everyone said that merchants valued their profits the most, and were the most heartless. However, in his opinion, the heavens were the most merciless in the world. Once his flesh and blood, which were connected to his flesh and blood, lost its value, he would simply throw them away.


    However, this Li Family three siblings, who only saved a person in passing, actually recruited such a great Buddha into the family for no reason ¡­


    Seeing that he did not make a sound for a long time, Manager Lu was afraid that the little girl who went to boil the hot water would come back, so he reminded her impatiently.


    Gu Mingyuan regained his senses and smiled apologetically: "I was distracted for a while, don''t blame me, my Lord. "Then we''ll listen to you, milord. Let''s go."


    Manager Lu politely stepped forward, "Third Young Master, please enter first."


    Gu Mingyuan did not dare to say too much, "Let Master take care of this first."


    He was young, but his speech and actions were very mature and calm. He also had a strong family background, the only drawback was that he was too soft-hearted. However, this was also good.


    The corner of his mouth curled up in a smile as he walked to the front. He neatly jumped on the horse, and when he ordered the servants of the manor, his face instantly turned pale, "All of you shut your mouths and keep quiet. No one dares to say a word when they return."


    All the servants'' faces were ashen, no one dared to make a sound. Just like when they came, the group of people silently left the village with their horses and whips raised.


    And at the head of the house, Li Yannian did not expect that Auntie Li had forgotten to leave a fire on the stove. When she finally lit the fire and the water was hot, she thought about the hall and informed the people waiting to drink, but the hall was quiet. Not only the servants who had gathered around just now couldn''t see anything, even Manager Lu and the Gu family''s third young master had disappeared.


    If not for the young man who looked so exquisite that he looked like a porcelain doll sitting on the bench in the living room, Li Yannian would have suspected that everything that had just happened was just an illusion.


    "Young prince, where are they? Where are they?"


    Li Yannian turned to ask around, only to realize that the white fox cloak that Zhao Xu was wearing was gone, and he was only wearing a thin white silk undergarment, looking at his face, it was obvious that it had been frozen for a long time, yet he did not even bother to pick up the cloak and put it back on.


    When the youth heard her question, he turned his face and stared at her for a moment. His eyebrows suddenly curved into a bashful smile. "Red Bean."


    Just as Li Yannian was about to pick up the white fox cloak for him to put on, he was wondering why the people from Prince Yi''s Mansion were acting strangely and why Gu Mingyuan had purposely avoided people to gesture to her.


    Zhao Xu then shouted out again: "Hong Dou."


    Li Yannian regained her senses, "Young Marquis, I''m here. "Where are your servants? Why did they all disappear in such a short time?"


    Zhao Xu still smiled sweetly at her. "Hong Dou."


    Li Yannian, "..."


    "Young prince, let''s discuss this. Since I''ve saved your life, can you say something else?"


    "Red Bean."


    Li Yannian, "..."


    She finally understood why the people of the Prince Yi''s Mansion came to this place. With a thought, she opened the boxes that Manager Lu had sent in one by one.


    En, very good. He threw a young prince to her. At any rate, he knew to leave some food fees for her, and put a silver tael in a box ¡­ However, he didn''t know how long they were planning to take care of him with just three taels of silver.


    "Young prince, no matter what, you are still a duke. What are the thoughts of your family members? Why did they throw you over to a country girl like me?"


    Zhao Xu tugged on the fur on his White Fox''s hood and bared his teeth at her, "Red Bean."


    Li Yannian, "..."

 C41

    Chapter 41 The Road to Well-off (17)


    Uncle Li, Auntie Li, and Black Bean and Mao Dou, when they returned home, saw this kind of strange scene:


    "Eh ¡­" Uncle Li was the first to break the silence, he looked at the live people who appeared suddenly, and asked Li Yannian: "Hong Dou, whose family does this child belong to, why do I see him in the eyes, it doesn''t seem to be from our village?"


    Li Yannian thought that since she was not a Li Village, she should be the one. After all, she was a Young Prince, to be able to be like a villager, what was wrong with that.


    She scratched her head impatiently, not knowing where to begin.


    At this moment, Mao Dou suddenly called out, "Big brother, it''s the little big brother that we saved the other day."


    Mao Dou''s eyes were extremely venomous. He was able to recognize a person just like that. Li Yannian was shocked, she looked at the confused Black Bean and nodded: "Dou Dou is right, it is him. Brother, come with me. I have something that I want to say to you in private. "


    When the Uncle Li and the Auntie Li heard this, although they were curious, they still found an excuse to leave. The Auntie Li was even very considerate as she casually pulled Mao Dou away who wanted to watch the show.


    In the living room, Black Bean looked at the stunned Zhao Xu. After everyone had chatted for a while, this strange youth only stared blankly at his sister. It didn''t seem like he was having a brainstorm. He pointed at his own head, then looked at Li Yannian for confirmation.


    Li Yannian sighed and nodded: "It''s probably a head injury, Huichun Hall did not treat it. "Today, Third Young Master Gu brought his family over. He said he came to thank us, but just as I was about to boil some water in the kitchen, he disappeared."


    Black Bean asked curiously: "Since Gu San Shao has brought them, they must be familiar with each other. Why don''t we send them back tomorrow?"


    Li Yannian shook her head: "I''m afraid it''s not that simple."


    "What?" Black Bean cried out in shock. Realizing that he had lost control of himself, he immediately lowered his voice and asked, "A dignified king, why did he throw his own son away?"


    Li Yannian could not understand, she only knew that the one who was sending the guests was the Head Supervisor of Prince Yi''s Mansion, and the one she saved was the 22nd son of King Yi, Zhao Xu. She did not know anything else, not to mention why did the people of Prince Yi''s Mansion spend so much effort to come and throw the person over to her.


    "It''s my own stupidity that''s to blame. Even Third Young Master Gu, who was secretly gesturing with his hands to warn me not to fall for the trap, was foolishly tricked. If this person could return the favor, there would be no need for Third Young Master Gu to avoid being reminded. After all, monks can run but not the temple. That''s why I thought that even if we send him to the Du Jia Village, Gu Sanniang won''t accept him for him. "


    "Then what should we do? We are still living in Uncle''s house, this person ¡­ Even if he is brain-damaged, he is still a Young Prince, our little temple cannot afford to support a great Buddha like him. If we offend him later on, we''ll be in trouble. "


    Li Yannian sighed again, "I don''t know what to do now either. It''s freezing cold and I can''t just throw him out. I''ll talk to my aunt later and see if I can keep him for the night. Tomorrow, I''ll go to Du Jia Village and ask Third Young Master Gu about his plans. "


    Black Bean shook his head: "No, I''m still going. It''s not a big deal for a girl like you to go out and live all day, stay at home peacefully, I''ll go and ask the Third Young Master."


    Seeing that he was adamant, Li Yannian could only nod his head and give in: "Alright, but brother, go to the manor and avoid the Du Family. Don''t cause trouble, if you see anyone, quickly come back home."


    Black Bean laughed: "If I know, then you don''t need to worry about food. If you focus more on your body, you won''t grow up much in the future."


    Li Yannian looked at his brother who was still in the mood to laugh and changed the topic, "Brother, how is the building going? Did Little Uncle say what you want? "


    This time, it was Black Bean''s turn to sigh. He rubbed Li Yannian''s messy hair helplessly, "I ask once a day, but houses are built, and not built from wind, so the foundations are built firmly. Don''t worry, Little Uncle and Uncle Li will be building the house, and they will definitely watch over the building, so don''t worry, little old granny."


    At this time, a pfft sound came out. The two siblings turned their heads in surprise, only to see Zhao Xu, who was staring at Li Yannian in a daze, smiling so hard that his eyes curved into a curve, as if he was about to melt their laughter.


    "Little old woman."


    He suddenly pointed at Li Yannian and chuckled.


    Li Yannian slapped his hand away in dissatisfaction: "Young Prince, don''t learn to speak like my brother."


    Zhao Xu laughed again, "Little old granny."


    Li Yannian looked at Black Bean with a little anger: "Brother, look at you, what nonsense are you spouting, you''ve taught me bad. "He called me Red Bean before, but now he''s done. He''s learnt a new phrase."


    Black Bean was not afraid of anything, he was only afraid of the little sister glaring at him, and immediately ran towards the kitchen like a wisp of smoke: "It''s none of my business, I''ll go and see if Aunt is willing to help ignite the fire."


    Now, only Li Yannian and Zhao Xu were left in the living room. She frowned and poked Zhao Xu, thinking that beautiful people were indeed born with the advantage, if they were ugly, she would throw them to the side every minute.


    "What is your royal father thinking? He''s a pretty good child, just that his brain is a little funny. How hard can it be to raise a child? Isn''t it good to let you stay at home and watch it? It''s not easy to be that good-looking. "


    Although Li Yannian was speaking to him, she seemed more like she was talking to herself. Zhao Xu had laughed it off, and also quieted down. A pair of crystal clear eyes focused on Li Yannian.


    Li Yannian had never treated herself as a little girl, and was of an elder''s point of view when facing a teenager. She felt that this child was not easy to deal with, that she had been ruthlessly abandoned by her family for such a minor ailment. She caressed Zhao Xu''s head as if she was coaxing a child. Remembering that she still had a few dollars left from buying things four times a month and only had a few items to buy on her account, she casually searched for a bag of mail and cow milk candy. She bought the peanut butter that was wrapped in paper and peeled the icing on the paper before turning around and stuffing it into Zhao Xu''s mouth.


    The moment he tasted the candy, the little fool''s eyes lit up.


    Li Yannian was amused by his actions. "Delicious?"


    Zhao Xu did not answer her, but only puffed up his cheeks and sipped the candy, looking as if he had just discovered a new continent.


    Li Yannian rubbed his head: "Sit down obediently and don''t run, I''ll go inside to get you a stove to dry your hands."


    He looked at the door again to make sure the bolt was in place before he took the sugar out of his pocket and went to the back to find Mao Dou.


    Mao Dou was helping Auntie Li heat the fire inside up, but Li Yannian waved him over, secretly transferring the sugar from his sleeves to him while smiling and making a shushing gesture.


    Mao Dou quickly received it with a smile. When the Auntie Li heard someone walk in, he turned around to see Li Yannian. He smiled and said, "Did you tell your brother about the matter?"


    Li Yannian nodded: "Mn, I just finished speaking. Auntie, I''m afraid the kid will have to stay with us for a few days. Do you think he and my brother can squeeze together? Their family has given us food, so don''t mention it, you have to accept it. "


    Auntie Li curled her lips and said: "Child, you are too formal. It''s just a matter of opening your mouth to eat more, what money do you need?"


    Li Yannian ignored her, took out five pieces of silver from her bag and threw it into her hands: "Since she has already given me the money, I will not take it. "This child will be staying at home for a long time. Aunty, please keep this small amount of broken silver until my brother can go to the manor tomorrow and find out about it. If he still lives here, we can use it later."


    Auntie Li said that it was fine to stay out of the way, but she kept the silver anyway. Her face was full of happiness as she said, "Alright, I''ll see if anyone from the village has come to town, then I''ll get someone to buy some fresh vegetables."


    Seeing that the Auntie Li accepted the money, Li Yannian then turned to Mao Dou and said: "Ah pea, pass some charcoal for a hand stove. It''s pretty cold outside, little big brother is sitting on it."


    Mao Dou obediently answered. He took out a pair of fire pincers and turned it over in the stove. Soon, he had a hand stove ready. "Big Sister, here you go."


    "Good, good," she rubbed Mao Dou''s head and thought of something, then said to Auntie Li: "Aunt, are you free this afternoon?"


    Auntie Li was puzzled: "What''s wrong?"


    "If you''re free, then help the kid outside measure him. We need to make him two sets of clothes first, and if there''s not enough materials, I''ll get my brother to buy some from the town."


    Auntie Li did not know of Zhao Xu''s identity and started to feel sorry for her. "Two sets of clothes can cost me a lot of materials, why is it that no one in my family can find enough clothes to send over to me, and for no reason at all I need people to spend money."


    Li Yannian laughed: "It''s not because my family is inconvenient, and I haven''t thought about it properly. Aunt, don''t worry, they already gave me money, and didn''t take any advantage of me."


    The Auntie Li thought that it was great to have another piece of cloth for herself, so she added on, "Alright, I won''t be going to the house in the afternoon. Your group of people from Little Uncle sure have a lot of work to do, but they really can eat. "Only you siblings don''t feel bad looking at all. Which family built a house for them to eat in such a manner? You can''t just die."


    Li Yannian laughed: "No matter what, he is my own uncle. If you can''t eat well, then when I return back, I will definitely not be scolded by anyone. "If you like to eat, it means that you are very skilled. If you were to tell others about it later, who wouldn''t remember that you were skilled?"


    These words made Auntie Li praise him so much that he lost his smile.


    "Aunt, if there''s nothing else, then I''ll go out first. The child is still sitting outside. I''ll take him in to rest first. There''s no need to freeze him up."


    Auntie Li hurried her: "Then alright, go busy yourself with it, it''s enough with Mao Dou''s help."


    Li Yannian came out with the furnace. Seeing that Zhao Xu was still alive, she heaved a sigh of relief and patted on his shoulder: "Good girl, don''t sit here. Go back inside the house."


    Zhao Xu looked straight at her, his face filled with ignorance, as if he did not understand what she had said.


    Li Yannian reached out to pull him, but she couldn''t move an inch. Sighing, she fished in her pocket, fished out another candy, peeled it, and stuffed it in his mouth. Zhao Xu squinted her eyes blissfully. When Li Yannian stretched out her hand to help him up, he did not struggle anymore and obediently followed along.


    Li Yannian speechlessly retorted, "If there''s milk, then there''s a mother. Young Prince, are you really stupid or are you just pretending to be stupid? Why do I feel like I''ve heard you utter a whole bunch of words before, and you couldn''t say it after entering my house? "


    Zhao Xu''s expression suddenly froze, but quickly returned to normal. Li Yannian was only paying attention to the road, so she did not notice anything strange.


    Li Yannian had no other choice but to take out her trump card and peel another piece of candy from inside his mouth: "Sleep well, I''ll wake you up after we''ve eaten."


    Zhao Xu''s white and tender face almost turned into the wrinkles of a bun.


    Li Yannian sniffed: "Where''s the stench? If that''s the case, don''t be a princess on a pea. Just lie down. "


    Honestly speaking, there really was a bit of a smell in this room. Li Yannian had also frequently smelled it when she stayed at her mother''s house in the countryside. It was that kind of poverty-stricken smell that came from a quilt that had been used for a long time and had melted away the sweat and grease and moisture.


    But where was she to find a clean quilt now? It was not that Li Yannian did not have money in her pockets, it was just that right now, even she was living under someone else''s roof. If she said that she wanted to buy a new blanket, wouldn''t that just be smacking Uncle''s face?


    Maybe her serious expression and tone were effective, Zhao Xu pouted and laid down grievously, her eyes still filled with tears, as if she was bullying him.


    His face was extremely handsome, causing Li Yannian to not have much of a temper, he consoled himself by rubbing Zhao Xu''s head: "Be a little more obedient, when my new house is built, I''ll buy you a new blanket, don''t be angry anymore, otherwise you won''t be given candy."


    It was unknown if it was because of the promise she made or the effect it had, but Zhao Xu finally relaxed and no longer had the look of someone who could cry at any time.


    After a long time, Li Yannian was finally able to settle her down. When she walked out of the room, she felt very tired, why did it feel like she had experienced the pain of having a baby?

 C42

    Chapter 42 The Road to Well-off (18)


    There was an extra person at home, but his days didn''t change much.


    It was just that the houses Black Bean and the others had built were extremely bustling. villagers had built several groups to watch the show, but Old Li had not made any noise at all. Li Yannian thought that it was weird, why were the few people from the Old Li Family so tactful this time, that not a single one came to cause trouble. It made her wonder when the second shoe would fall off the ceiling.


    What she didn''t know was that the Li family had already caused a ruckus.


    Although major chamber had a guilty conscience, and did not dare try anything funny, the third house did not have much of an opening. When they heard that Black Bean''s family had built a house, and built green bricks and glazed tiles to house the major chamber, they had already instigated Black Bean once in front of his grandpa.


    When Grandma Black Bean Li heard how the Second Branch was showing off his money, how could he sit still? He jumped and was about to head towards Black Bean''s house, but was stopped by Old Man Li''s cold shout.


    "Since we''ve already given them the money, we can spend whatever the child likes. Do you think that what we do is not shameful enough? You still want to make a scene in front of your child''s uncle? If you dare to leave this place today, you will not have to come back. "


    Madame Li''s face alternated between red and white. This was the first time that this old man had shamed himself in front of a child. She walked around for a while before finally heading to the kitchen. "Who said that I was going to cause trouble? The radishes have not even been sliced off at home."


    Li Junshan failed to stir up any trouble, and was glared at by the Old Man Li.


    Li Junshan could only smile, "Dad, please calm down. I was just casually saying that, how could I ¡­"


    The Old Man Li snorted, then took his Smoke Bomb and left.


    When Li Junshan returned home, he told his wife what the old couple meant. Even if the two of them had grudges, they could only restrain themselves and not cause trouble, which saved Li Yannian and the rest a lot of trouble.


    On the second day of Zhao Xu''s stay in the Li family estate, he left early in the morning for Du Jia Village, but only returned home in the evening. As expected, when Black Bean went to the Manor this time, he did not even see the shadow of the Gu family''s third young master. He asked the employees of the restaurant and Bookstore about how their boss had gone out to discuss business with someone.


    Black Bean shook his head and sighed: "This obviously means that he is relying on us."


    With his little bit of experience, he really couldn''t understand how a father would be willing to leave his son outside, the biggest official he had ever seen in his life was only the village. Strictly speaking, Li Zheng couldn''t even be considered an official, his family was even better than villagers, he didn''t even see Lizheng throw his son out of the house, not to mention a prince!


    Li Yannian could roughly guess that there was someone in the Duke Palaces who was not willing to let Zhao Xu go back. As for who that person was, even if she was blind, she had no way of knowing.


    "At this point, I can only leave it as it is. Oh yeah, brother, this time when we went to Bookstore, did Manager Xu say how many goods he wanted next month? "


    When it came to proper business, Black Bean''s expression became serious too: "I didn''t see Manager Xu, but the shop assistant on the cabinet said that this month''s paper looks even shorter, so there will definitely be more next month."


    He said hesitantly, "Next month, if you want 8,000, 10,000... Is there a problem with your side? "


    Li Yannian''s heart was thumping hard as well, but even if she told Black Bean the truth, it would not help the situation. She only nodded and smiled, "Brother, don''t worry about this matter, focus on building the house.


    Black Bean thought about it and said with a relieved smile, "I think we''ll be done with it by the middle of next month. With the food and drinks provided by you and your aunty, your uncle and his group of brothers will have to work hard, and the pork in our house will not be eaten in vain. "


    Li Yannian''s days were numbered, she was relieved: "Then we will get a share of the meat, it sounds like we will be giving meat to others everyday, no need to worry. "Bro, let''s see if we can add some meat dishes to uncle and them every day. Building a house is hard work, not to mention uncle is still working inside, even without him, we can''t just order some salted vegetables with steamed buns every day."


    Under her influence, Black Bean no longer held so much money in his heart. Although he did not feel that the days of pickled vegetables and steamed buns were bitter, but since the little girl said it like that, he could only nod his head in agreement.


    "Make your decision. Tell my aunt about the meat deal."


    The next day, there was a huge plate of porcupine stewed radishes on the table, and a small plate of sliced pig fat that was boiled in white water. The helpers who built the house had all gone crazy, grabbing the meat crazily while giving Zhang Sibao a thumbs up.


    One of them lowered his head to snatch the meat, while saying vaguely, "Fourth Treasure, us bros really came with you this time. We haven''t even eaten like this on New Year''s Day."


    Another scolded those who were snatching meat for being too fast, "Which bastard was that? In the blink of an eye, I lost all my meat. Hurry up and spit out a piece for me!"


    One of them shamelessly walked up and opened his mouth to let the man see the fat foam that was half chewed on. "Do you want this? If you want this, then I''ll let you have it. "


    Everyone was laughing and cursing at the same time. It was extremely noisy at the dining table. Zhang Sibao quickly dug a few pieces of fat into his mouth, and after chewing a few times, he swallowed them down. Then, he wiped the oily light from his mouth and said to the rest of them: There''s something good happening, when have I left you guys? "After eating someone else''s food, we bros shouldn''t let our chain fall off while we work. We should hurry and help the children build the house!"


    Everyone laughed. "From what you''ve said, you''re just not looking for the kind treatment of our bosses. We haven''t lost any face for our team. Everyone has put in a lot of effort just to do this."


    Everyone was so full from the meal that their stomachs were bursting when they met Auntie Li who came to collect the tableware. They praised her craftsmanship until there was no taste in her fat intestines, and lamented that they had never tasted such delicious pig water in their lives.


    He would change to a braised pig''s tail tomorrow and raise a group of men. When March came and the house was built, he would have to pay some of the fat that he lost every time he went out to work. Instead of wasting weight, his face would turn red and he would become white and fat.


    However, the two taels of silver was indeed worth it.


    Anyone who saw three siblings''s new home would raise their thumbs up in praise of how beautiful and sturdy this house was. Different from villagers''s yellow clay house, the green brick house was clean and tidy. Not only did it look elegant, it was also a lot more practical than the yellow clay house. At this point, the Yellow Mud Room lost its bearing ability. It could at most build up to two storeys, but it could not move up any further.


    Black Bean''s house''s base area was small, so when he first designed it, he decided to build it to be at least three storeys high. After Zhang Sibao and the others discussed it, he raised the terrace to half a floor, making it convenient for his house to dry his blankets and vegetables, making it much more practical.


    But in this way, Black Bean''s family was completely famous in the Li Village.


    Many people were envious and jealous. Originally, those who were not close to their family took the opportunity to come to the Auntie Li''s to chat, hoping that they could talk with Li Yannian. But how could Li Yannian have time? Either she went out to buy things in the town, or she went with Zhang Sibao to the carpenter''s house to rush the furniture.


    Even if it was rare to be at home, he was still tightly entangled by the old Zhao Xu, so he had no mood to play mind chitchat with these Third and Sixth Aunt.


    The house was built too smoothly. The carpenter had said that they would deliver it in the middle of March with three willow beds, three camphor suitcases, and matching furniture and chairs. Then, with Zhao Xu as a burden, Li Yannian had temporarily added a bed, how could a carpenter make such a bed? Until now, he was still lacking a bed and table chair.


    After all, it was a place where outsiders could come to at any time, so it was not suitable to leave furniture bought from the system. Li Yannian saw that she did not have any other choice. She could not possibly stay in someone else''s house after building all the houses, even if the furniture was shorter. She did not have to worry about the difference in prices between the system, so she busied herself with buying all the other things.


    However, he knew that the two siblings were in a hurry to move out, so he reminded them: "Our village still needs to move out for wine. Logically speaking, since you two are able to build this house, it would be worth it for you two to not treat them to wine."


    Li Yannian did not think about this at all, and thought that it would be true. After all, the modern era was the only place where one could buy a house and decorate it, and invite close relatives and friends to meet at one of their new homes for a warm feast.


    But she was a bit troubled, "To tell you the truth, aunty, we''re not experienced in this kind of banquet. Tell me, who should we hire, how much should we pay? Aunt, you''ve already helped us cook for the next month, why don''t you make this banquet yourself? It would be better to take care of Aunt."


    When Auntie Li heard this, she felt comfortable in her heart, but she did not dare to take responsibility for such a big matter like handling the feast. She rejected the offer, saying, "It''s not that Aunt does not want to earn this money, but there are so many people whose food is different from the helpers from before. Look, your grandparents and uncles have paid for the building, so they have to be invited. By then, even if your entire family comes, there will still be around a dozen people. Including your own family, there will be only two tables. "


    Li Yannian nodded her head: "Aunt, I''m listening, what else?"


    "Also, you''re from the outer sect. I don''t know how many people there are from the outer sect. If there''s no division between them, there should be at least two tables, plus their Zhang family village''s Lizheng. Also, our village''s few clan uncles, Lizheng s, must have at least three tables. "


    Li Yannian laughed: "Aunt, don''t forget about Uncle and you. If Brother Hu Zi and the others are free, they can come back and join in the fun."


    Auntie Li pointed at her and laughed: "How could I forget such a good thing? If it''s like this, there''s no need for ten tables, just seven or eight of them will be enough."


    I remember that my brother told me that a few days ago, there was a clan uncle who helped my parents talk about a branch family. Afterwards, he left, and there was only his wife and brother still around, so you should help him invite them in. And the ones who built the houses. "


    Auntie Li thought in her heart, and then felt a bit of heartache: "That would require quite a bit of money. For this village to eat wine, add in the money for the dishes and the helpers, it would need at least two hundred pieces of paper.


    Li Yannian laughed: "Moving is a good thing. There will only be more people. "That''s probably what my brother said. Aunt, you can relax and go make a deal. We don''t need any money, so I''ll leave four taels of silver here for you. Please help us out as if we''re elders."


    Auntie Li laughed embarrassedly: "How can I live up to your expectations?"


    One side accepted the money. Over the past month, the Li Family three siblings had been living in his house. Not only did he eat well, he even ate well. It was one thing to help a bunch of people, but staying at home for a long time, no matter how good their relationship was, it would still be easy for them to be bad. But people like the Li Family three siblings who knew their limits and also knew how to let others take advantage of them were really not many. So Auntie Li really liked them from the bottom of her heart, and wanted them to stay at home for a few more days.


    After paying the money, Li Yannian was completely free from charge and entrusted the task of moving the wine to Auntie Li. Most of the furniture she had brought back from the carpenters had already been put away, especially the reinforced wooden door she had specially instructed, so as to prevent the next little thief who didn''t have eyes from sneaking into their house.


    Everything was ready for the day of the move.

 C43

    Chapter 43 The Road to Well-off (19)


    Other than joyous move, Li Yannian was also happy.


    Just after 28 February, she immediately went to the system. She first sold the last of her eggs in two pieces, then cut a small piece of gold with a pair of scissors and sold it in the system. The result was quite satisfactory. The moment she placed the item on the shelf, the system flashed with light.


    Quantity: 1.6 grams


    Unit price: 263.2 per gram


    Freight rate: Jiangzhe-Shanghai parcel mail


    The account instantly had an extra 400 yuan. The least of the deductions was to deduct the delivery fee from Shunfeng. Li Yannian saw that she had enough money in his account to pay back the money she spent last month. She planned to settle the bill first so that she wouldn''t have to use the system in the future if she lost too much credit.


    At this moment, the soft voice of the system rang out again, "Congratulations, shopkeeper. Your credit has reached 11 points and you have risen to a 2 star rating."


    He then continued, "A two star seller can initiate eight trades every month, which means the total amount must not exceed ten thousand. Friendly reminder: Your buyer''s credit level is not up to 2 stars, the number of transactions per month is still 4, but the purchase quota is not limited. In addition, please note that your search time is still limited to one minute, longer than the time limit, and is still recorded as a transaction. Please do not waste it. "


    Li Yannian quickly calculated the price, which meant that she would be selling them for around one tael of gold a month. Originally, according to the original price of 300 yuan a gram of pure gold, the price of one tael of gold would be more than 1,100.


    Before she could finish rejoicing, the system''s female voice reminded her, "Because your reputation is good, the amount of money spent has been increased from RMB 501 to RMB 11000. I hope you enjoy using it."


    That was equivalent to her having an 11100 yuan purchase fund every month! It''s been two months, it''s been a long time! Li Yannian placed the previously cut gold on the system, and only then did she remember about it. She did not know whether the original one star quota still occupied the two star quota or not. Fortunately, she was lucky. When she saw the number 9987.6 that popped up in her bank account, she felt relieved.


    After that, she bought the 100-knife, 4-foot, half-cooked paper. This time, she only spent 1,300 yuan, and after receiving the goods, she checked if there were any problems, then threw them into the system warehouse, waiting for them to tidy up after.


    She used the second transaction to buy food and things to use. Since she didn''t have time to compare the price, Li Yannian directly opened the Sky Cat Market to buy whatever he saw. When he came out, he accidentally spent more than 1000 yuan on the transaction.


    These things could not be seen in public for the moment, so Li Yannian casually threw it into the storage, where she ate it while no one was looking, and took it out to coax Mao Dou and Zhao Xu the little fool. As for those things, she could only take them out after she moved her house.


    Initially, Li Yannian wanted to buy pepper for the third trade, but after thinking about it again, that bookworm didn''t know how the business was doing. Pepper was still a rare commodity here, after all, it would be better to meet people at the end of the month and see what the situation was.


    As for the rice that his little restaurant didn''t have a shadow of, Li Yannian considered whether he should buy it or not. Firstly, he did not know that even if First Uncle managed to find a shop this month, he would still need to spend some time to prepare a shop, decorate it, make it into long tables and stools, and even invite people. Secondly, the area of his small warehouse was also very tight. It was a waste of resources to hoard rice for nothing.


    Therefore, after thinking about it, although she wanted to raise the buyer''s credit to two stars as soon as possible, with the 2 points from this month and the 7 points from the previous two months, as long as she bought two more things, she would be able to reach the next level. Li Yannian patiently resisted the temptation of levelling up. Who knew if a two star buyer would be like a two star seller, having a qualitative breakthrough in their trading restrictions? If all four trading opportunities were used up and the system did not give him anything, then he would be on the losing end.


    But what about broken silver? The 30 grams of crushed silver on Taobao costed 126 yuan. If he added 7 or 8 grams of silver in here, it would be worth one tael of silver. Afterwards, six taels of silver could be exchanged for one tael of gold ¡­ Li Yannian was almost drooling as she shook her head to reject this idea.


    He still had enough silver and gold in his pockets, and the Gu family had already taken care of his family. Before he could find a thicker thigh, it was better for him to keep a low profile.


    Of course, she had never told a single word of this to the Mao Dou brothers. Keeping such a big secret was actually a very painful thing for Li Yannian. Even though she carried a huge amount of happiness in her heart, there wasn''t even someone she could share it with.


    Fortunately, the house had been busy lately, and it helped to distract him a little.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the auspicious day for moving house. Auntie Li did not disappoint Li Yannian and invited him over to the best gang in town, which consisted of a chicken, a fish, and a pig leg. Each table was served with three main dishes, a few hot dishes, as well as the final highlight of the meal.


    Old Man Li brought the Li Clan, his two sons, Li Qingshan, Li Jun Shan and a few other members from the two families over. There were thirteen people in total, but the Li Clan took up two tables worth of seats.


    The guide went up to persuade them to sit down so that the other guests could sit down. Unexpectedly, he was met by Li Jun''s wife, Xu Cui Er, and spat: "You didn''t ask about who had the moving wine today, my nephew and daughter! My own nephew''s family''s wine, this aunt of mine just sat there like that, what''s the matter? Someone who can treat others who are not related to him to food and drinks, and forbid his uncle and his cousins from sitting down and having a bite to eat? "


    When the Auntie Li heard the commotion, she rushed over, but seeing that Old Man Li and Li family did not seem to be able to see the Third House of the Li Family and the major chamber making trouble, even though she was thinking it in her heart, on such a good day, this family was truly unpresentable. However, she still had to settle this matter on face. She looked at the person in the lead seat and made a gesture with his eyes. He didn''t want anyone to worry about him, so he let this family cause a ruckus.


    Old Man Li was happy before he came, thinking that Second Brother''s children could be considered to have some conscience, and had not forgotten his family members. But today, when he came over to take a look, not only did the three siblings treat him intimately, they even greeted him and went off to welcome the other guests. Furthermore, the treat cost was really too much! With just the dishes on the table, he could not even eat three hundred taels of rice!


    At this moment, he understood the thoughts of the three elders. What they were eating was his money! Who would be willing to move their own house to host such a banquet? Even if he married his wife, he wouldn''t be so generous! It made the little fellows in Old Man Li angry, but they were too lazy to care about it. It was better for you to make a ruckus and bring Black Bean over here. In the end, he was still young and didn''t know how to act.


    He had also calculated in his heart that the amount of silver his family would be paying this time would probably be a lot. I heard that the house in front of us would cost seventeen taels of silver if it was built. In addition to today''s banquet... His gaze could not help but drift towards the Zhang Family''s table, where the two elders of the Zhang family sat in their seats of honor. The table of sons, wives, grandsons and grandsons were all sitting in their proper places, while the little brat still in their mother''s embrace was very obedient.


    Then, he looked at his own side ¡­ The big brother and second brother''s kids were all eating on the table. In order to snatch a chicken leg, the big bull was tugging at Erniu''s collar, cursing and swearing. Cui Cui and Soo Soo held the chopsticks and kept flipping through the plate of chicken soup. They did not flip anything over. They put the chopsticks in their mouth to take a sip, but did not give up and continued to flip. Only the old family''s lotus flower still looked the same. It was gentle and gentle as it carried the bowl and sat, neither fighting nor snatching. It waited until all its siblings had finished picking up the crumbs before putting them into the bowl with its chopsticks.


    As for their own mothers and fathers, they were still preoccupied with their own food. Their chopsticks were flipping in the air, causing the soup on the table to splatter everywhere.


    There really was no comparison, so there was no harm. Old Man Li only felt like his face had been completely thrown away by the three big families. He could not help but regret that he did not manage the two small ones before. Now that they were split into two tables, he could neither call them nor refuse.


    The Zhang Family had naturally seen the disgrace of the Li Family. Xia Taohua gave a light snort and lowered her voice to say something to her own man. When Zhang Yaomei was near, she naturally heard the words "no noodles can be served on the pork". The corners of her mouth twitched in ridicule, but she did not say a word, and only glanced at her daughter-in-law.


    The calm look in her eyes was extremely intimidating as the Zhang Family became more and more disciplined.


    What a joke, this was his nephew''s and niece''s moving wine. Even if they did not stew, they would still fight for it, letting the people of Li Village have a good look at the difference between the Zhang family and the Li family.


    It was not that Li Yannian did not notice the situation with the Old Li Family, she was truly impressed with her foresight, luckily Auntie Li had prepared two more tables of food, otherwise, it would be really awkward if someone like the major chamber and the Third House did not have a place to sit at. If the Li family wanted to cause trouble, then so be it. She really didn''t care about the money for two tables of food. Fortunately Li Hongshan had made it out alive, otherwise, she would have had to eat at the same table as these people everyday.


    However, what made Black Bean and her a little disappointed was that, in the end, the widow of the family who had helped their family before still rejected the Auntie Li''s invitation. It was too late for them to ask for it. Li Yannian told Black Bean that it would be better to wait until after he moved his home. Then, he would choose a day to bring some things to visit that concubine''s house.


    As for Zhao Xu, it was not convenient for him to come out in days like this. Li Yannian had told and the others to cook a few more light dishes and fill up their stomachs when the guests had not arrived. Otherwise, when the banquet was about to start, not only would Zhao Xu not have any food to eat, he would also not leave the guests alone.


    By the time she thought of this, all the guests had already settled down, their butts sticking to their stools, and the noodles were already half-way open, not to mention that by the time the dishes were served, the legs and wings of the whole chicken had already disappeared without a trace, and even the chest of the chicken had been ripped to the bone. It was unknown who''s child had not eaten enough for them to come over to their table.


    When he thought about the dishes on the table being eaten by someone, Li Yannian lost his appetite. The others didn''t mind this at all, as their stomachs were already empty from the effort and they ate the dishes on the spot. Li Yannian saw that there was nothing on the left and right, so he spoke to Black Bean before going around the Back Chef to get some mutton soup and carried it back to the Auntie Li''s house.


    Previously, she had bought a box of instant noodles from the Tiantang Market. With this mixed lamb soup, it was perfect for a bowl. Only the heavens knew how greedy she was for the instant noodles after arriving here!


    There was already boiling water on the stove. Li Yannian took a bag of noodles from the warehouse and treated all the wrappings, then poured some water into the wok. She didn''t manage to get any more than a biscuit or a vegetable packet.


    Since the soup was covered with oil, the mixed lamb soup that she had called over had not cooled down for a long time. It was perfectly eaten along with the steamed noodles that had been soaked in it. She squinted her eyes and happily sipped a large mouthful of noodles, seeing the little fool, Zhao Xu, standing in front of her with a face full of curiosity. She sniffed her nose, as if trying to discern whether the food in Li Yannian''s hands were edible.


    It was as if Li Yannian was committing an extremely evil crime by carrying him on her own!


    "Enough, enough, don''t cry. Aiyo, I''m scared of you. Let me get you another bowl of soup."


    Li Yannian immediately gave in, afraid that he would attract the attention of Auntie Li and the others. However, she had only gotten herself such a bowl of goat soup. At that time, sshe was only thinking about Zhao Xu, the Young Prince, and not eating anything under the water, so he did not take any trouble to bring back an extra bowl. How about this, you want him to eat your leftovers?


    Li Yannian was at her wit''s end as she resigned herself to her fate and helped the person sit down in front of the furnace: "Just sit down and light a fire for me. If I tell you to put some firewood in, just put it in; if the fire is extinguished, you won''t be able to eat any more."


    God knows if Zhao Xu understood. Li Yannian lit a fire and fried a golden poached egg. After thinking for a while, she added two more eggs. When the egg was ripe, she scooped it up and poured it into boiling water. She cut two sausages and tore a package of pickled vegetables into it. Finally, she poured the pastries, vegetable buns and seasoning packets into the water one by one.


    After the noodles had been boiled for two minutes, they started to soften and become translucent. Li Yannian picked up the bowl and scooped up the noodles. After the noodles were ready, she suddenly thought of a problem. She seemed to have forgotten to let this little fool add fuel to the fire. When she turned around, she saw that Zhao Xu was bent over and stuffing fine branches into the furnace, almost causing the fire inside to burn out.


    Li Yannian could not help but laugh bitterly and quickly pulled him out: "Alright, alright, there''s no need to add firewood. Didn''t you want to eat noodles?


    She lowered her head and mixed the noodles, while blowing on them to cool them, she did not notice the astonishment in Zhao Xu''s eyes, as though it was very strange, that a ten year old girl would address her, who was obviously a lot older, as big sister.


    However, what was even more strange was that she was able to conjure something with her bare hands.


    Zhao Xu lowered his eyes and concentrated on blow-drying his noodles, but he was filled with all kinds of doubts. No matter how shrewd a person was, it was natural for him to lose his vigilance when facing idiots. For example, this young girl from the Li family, her mother, Yi Wangfei Madam Tu.


    He sneaked a glance at Li Yannian, who was contentedly sucking the golden egg liquid. Just how many more secrets did this countryside girl have?

 C44

    Chapter 44 The Road to Well-off (20)


    Li Yannian used a bowl of instant noodles to satisfy her yearning towards the civilized society of the past, and also conquered the stomach of the aboriginal Zhao Xu. Li Yannian had good reason to suspect that if she hadn''t eaten fast enough, judging from Zhao Xu''s gaze when she was eating so much, he would have definitely considered to snatch her food.


    After eating their fill, the two of them went to wash the dishes and the wok. Of course, it was mainly Li Yannian who did it. Li Yannian thought that since there were two people supporting the scene outside, he, a "child", would have nothing to worry about. Since he had been busy recently, Zhao Xu''s personal hygiene would naturally be neglected by everyone.


    Just as he said. She poured half a bucket of water into the wok, touched the water to warm up enough, and waved for Zhao Xu to rest his back against the bench and rest well. She then poured some water into a wooden basin at the bottom of the well and took off Zhao Xu''s hair to slowly get it wet.


    "Not hot, right? Be good, close your eyes, sister will wash the fragrance for you, it will be alright after a while, "After she finished speaking, she was still worried that this child would cause trouble after washing her hair halfway, thus Li Yannian took out a piece of chocolate from his pocket, peeled off the sweet paper and stuffed it into Zhao Xu''s mouth, then smiled and reminded him," Eat slowly, don''t bite off until you shatter them, only then will you open your eyes.


    Zhao Xu was busy thinking with his eyes closed when a strange thing suddenly appeared in his mouth. It tasted a little bitter, yet was also a little sweet. It was completely different from any of the candies he had ever eaten before.


    Although he still had his eyes closed, he pointed at his cheeks and pretended to be stupid. "Mhmm?"


    Li Yannian was overwhelmed by his reaction. As she smeared the fragrant shampoo on his hair to make it foam, she laughed: "Delicious? Big sister''s new sugar, you have to be obedient before you can eat it. Be good, there are people with stinging eyes, close your eyes and don''t open them. "


    It was only then that Zhao Xu noticed that the thing she used to wash his hair seemed to be extraordinary. The comfortable feeling on his scalp told him that she seemed to have used something new. Zhao Xu smelt the scent of Jasmine and the citrus. It was rather light, but it was enough to shock him. This ordinary looking little girl seemed to possess endless secrets.


    Even as a noble, the spices used for a year were very limited. In the past, his aunt was pampered, and when the royal family was still "respectable" enough, Prince Yi had once rewarded her with a small piece of spice, allowing her to use it to smoke clothes.


    However, she could just casually take it out and use it to wash her hair for a fool like herself ¡­


    Zhao Xu was absent-minded for a moment, and did not hear Li Yannian say "Watch out, we''re about to bubble". Suddenly, a spoonful of hot water poured over his head, almost causing him to sit up in fright.


    "Ai, don''t move. It hasn''t been washed clean yet. It''s going to be soaked in foam soon."


    Li Yannian immediately grabbed onto his shoulder. The moment she touched him, she was shocked in her heart, kids grew really fast, they had only been raised for a few days, and they already had meat on them.


    Zhao Xu laid back down obediently and washed the water with the spoon in his hand a few more times. Finally, he had washed the foam clean and squeezed all the remaining water out of her hair. She then took down a new towel and carefully sucked Zhao Xu''s head dry. Relieved, she pushed him back to the stove and took advantage of the heat to dry his hair.


    When the second pot of shampoo was boiling, Auntie Li and the others came back. Seeing the little activity in the kitchen, Auntie Li laughed: "You sure know how to be lazy. It can be considered that you haven''t seen the disgraceful matter of your third uncle''s family."


    Uncle Li coughed, and glared at his wife with half a grudge, meaning that he should ignore the shame of the family. After all, he was from the same family, there was no meaning in saying such things in front of a child.


    Auntie Li also came back to her senses, regretfully half-covering her mouth, just as she was about to change the topic, Black Bean instead laughed open-mindedly, and said without a care: "Uncle, Aunt, there is nothing to say. Our family is ours, our third uncle''s family is third uncle''s family. The people who lost him have nothing to do with us. Just treat it as a joke and I was just about to tell Red Bean. "


    "What''s going on? What''s going on with Third Uncle and the rest of them?" Li Yannian asked curiously, while thinking that the water in the pot was probably boiling, she might as well add more into the pot and treat it as Zhao Xu''s bath water.


    "Just as we finished the feast, we were just about to leave. Your Third Uncle''s entire family already left, and after a while they came back. I was curious, did they forget something and came back? In the end, they used a wooden basin and, seeing that there were leftover dishes on the table, all of them were immediately thrown back. Tsk tsk, with that appearance, if Old Man Li was still here, he would have jumped up in anger. "


    Seeing that the siblings did not mind, Auntie Li opened her mouth to speak. Black Bean saw that Li Yannian was still confused, and added: "The leftovers from the feast always come from the master himself. After all, good dishes are rare, one meal is equivalent to three meals. If the others wanted leftovers, the owner would have to agree and allow them to be beaten back. Some of them would rather not have it, so they would go and pour it out to the helpers. This is customary. Third Uncle''s family would not even ask for it, and would just sweep away the dishes and soup one by one. It would be a great shame. "


    No matter how delicious the food was, she didn''t want to continue to eat other people''s food for days on end. She had just seen how her big uncle and the other brothers'' family ate their chopsticks, and her uncle from the village picking their teeth with chopsticks. Even if it was something disgusting, she couldn''t eat it no matter how much it felt.


    Zhao Xu was also at a loss on what to say. Although he had never seen that scene before, when he thought about following Li siblings to eat other people''s leftovers, his stomach started to churn.


    Thinking about it, Li Yannian laughed: "It''s not a big deal, Third Uncle and Third Aunt are probably still feeling sorry for the money they spent earlier, just let them eat it."


    Auntie Li shook her head in disapproval. This little girl''s temper was too good, she did not get angry even after eating such a big loss. If it was another village to try, they would have already poured a spoonful of fecal water on her. If you don''t want face, then don''t blame others for not giving it to you.


    When he thought about this, the Auntie Li suddenly remembered something, "Oh, that''s right, Black Bean, Hong Dou, a few days ago, I saw that there seemed to be green seedlings growing in your land. When did you guys plant these plants? It''s a little too early for this kind of weather. "


    The Uncle Li was also confused as he looked at Black Bean and Black Bean: "Such a big thing is farming, why have I never heard of it before? Didn''t you guys agree to wait for my land to be cleaned up together? You two children are too polite and careful. What is there to be concerned about with your uncle?


    Black Bean and Hong Dou looked at each other and said at the same time, "We don''t have any seeds in that place."


    After speaking, the room became deathly silent. At this time, Mao Dou said softly, "Uncle, Aunt, my elder brother and sister said that they want to leave that place for you to grow. You just have to help them pay the tax every year. When I grow up, my family will be busy, and we''ll plant our own plants. "


    Uncle Li and Auntie Li did not expect that the three siblings had such a plan and were slightly moved for a moment. The Uncle Li sighed: "You kids, I already told you not to be polite with uncle. Keep that land for yourselves, it''s only three mu of land. Since you have money, you shouldn''t plant rice. Besides, the three acres of land your parents have left you are not weak at all, and even if you spend so much effort to grow it, you won''t get much food. "Since you don''t care about the output, I think it''s better if you grow some beans or something this year. At the same time, you should also get some grains, eat them yourself, or sell them to the Rice Oil Company."


    Li Yannian swept her eyes across Mao Dou. Originally, she wanted to hide this from Uncle Li''s family and give them the surplus food at the end of the year. In the end, she was sold out by this little guy.


    Mao Dou stuck out his tongue, guiltily hiding behind his brother Black Bean.


    Li Yannian retracted her gaze, and said to Uncle Li and the others: "Then we will listen to uncle, at that time you can casually plant something in the ground without worrying about it. Tomorrow, we''ll go up to the fields and have a look. If he really doesn''t care about my grandpa''s milk and still dares to take over our family''s land, then I''ll find justice for him. "


    Auntie Li nodded: "Yes, we are going to take a look. Aunt will accompany you, your two elders are too similar, we can''t let villagers see the joke."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Who knows, but fortunately, the three of us are lucky to have met such good people like Aunt and Uncle."


    Auntie Li''s face immediately turned red as she said awkwardly: "Look at your mouth, did you smeared honey or just ate sugar today? Your words are so funny that it makes people happy."


    Black Bean laughed: "What Hong Dou says is right, for us three siblings to have such a day, we must not forget the kindness that Uncle and Aunt have shown us. If it wasn''t for the fact that we were able to stay at her aunt''s house, we wouldn''t have been able to find a place to stay. And today''s move wine, I''m sorry to trouble you. If it weren''t for Aunt''s trouble, how could we have gotten through such a big situation? Thank you, Aunt. I''ll send a message back to Hu-ge. He''s not drinking this moving wine, so the next time he comes home, he''ll definitely come to our house to drink. "


    Uncle Li laughed blandly: Don''t learn from your sister, even if it''s just a small matter, your wife will still have nothing to do at home.


    Auntie Li also said: "That''s right, we won''t need to spend too much effort. Besides, I didn''t help you guys for nothing. However, the three of you have finally came to the end of your suffering. Now that there is a new house to live in, everyone in villagers is jealous. "But listen to aunty''s words. We still have to watch over the money we spend in the future. The old saying goes, ''If you can''t afford to eat, you can''t afford to live in poverty ¡­''"


    Li Yannian hurriedly nodded, and said with an incomparably sincere tone: "Aunt is right, in the future I will definitely make my brother pay attention."


    Everyone in the room turned to glance at her, even the little fool Zhao Xu turned to look at her.


    [That is clearly saying, how about you?]


    Li Yannian, "..."

 C45

    Chapter 45 Road to Well-off (21)


    After everyone finished their banter, they returned to the main topic at hand.


    The Auntie Li asked Black Bean, "Are you done cleaning up the house? What else is missing? "Don''t be courteous with my aunt. If there''s anything else, just say it. Today''s a good day, and I''m living in it for good luck. I can''t drag this on until tomorrow."


    Black Bean smiled as he replied, "Aunt, don''t worry. I have already packed everything up, and don''t worry about the things that are missing. We''re going to move in today. At night, we''re all going to squeeze together, so we''ll be living there. Fortunately, the weather is cold, so it''s warm to squeeze in. "


    Li Yannian took the chance and said: "I just so happen to know about this matter. Brother, look at you, you guys have been busy these past few days, aren''t you all so dirty that you can rub mud rope on your bodies? We need a new atmosphere when we move. While the afternoon is warm, all of you should take a bath together and change into a set of clean clothes. Otherwise, we can squeeze in at night and smoke each other to death. "


    Black Bean''s face reddened, he thought to himself that he loved cleanliness in the village, which young man was as diligent as he was, getting pushed by girls to wash their hair and bathe every few days, and there were even more who didn''t see water in half a year?


    Mao Dou immediately covered his nose and grimaced. "So smelly, so smelly."


    In the end, without any accidents, Black Bean gave him a chestnut to eat, "I was also talking about you, in a while rub it clean, if you don''t wash it clean, don''t go to bed."


    Auntie Li was immediately amused when she saw this. "Alright, alright, hurry up and boil some water for you. If you clean up earlier, then go back to your home."


    Everyone laughed.


    An afternoon passed just like that. Li siblings, Zhao Xu and the other two finished their last meal at the Auntie Li''s house, then carried their bags back to their new home.


    The carpenter hurriedly rushed to make three beds. Li Yannian would sleep on the third floor, Mao Dou and Black Bean would sleep on the first floor, and the remaining bed would be given to Zhao Xu. He was afraid that if anything happened at night, no one would care for him, so he followed the two brothers to sleep on the first floor.


    The bedding on the bed was all new bedding that was bought in the town. When the sun was high, Li Yannian had taken out the terrace to bask in the sun for a while, so naturally, her fluidity and lightness couldn''t compare to the modern duvet, but it was much better than Auntie Li''s.


    Lying in bed at night with a soft quilt covering them, the entire family was somewhat emotional and excited. Mao Dou was too young to remember, so naturally, he didn''t feel very touched. He just felt too happy that he had a new house and a new bed to sleep in.


    But Black Bean was different. During this half year, he had experienced the feeling of hunger and cold, as well as the taste of despair. But suddenly, his days became better day by day, as if he was sinking into a pot of honey. When he looked back, the life that he could not eat or sleep with was just like hell. He didn''t want to see another day like that.


    Compared to the two brothers, Li Yannian was simply excited because she finally obtained an independent space of her own. The house was built according to her wishes. The three siblings each had their own bedroom and cloakroom. It was a pity that the current conditions were limited and she couldn''t get the bathroom system in. The convenience was still not that convenient. When she had more money in the future and had the ability to reform the housing environment, she would definitely find a house with a personal guard to stay in.


    Zhao Xu shook his head, the breathing of the Black Bean and Mao Dou brothers on the bed next door had gradually become steady, and in the silent night, it was extremely clear. He kept counting until his eyelids started to feel heavy. Unknowingly, he had fallen asleep as well.


    The next morning, the entire family was brimming with smiles. It was obvious that they were still immersed in the joy of moving to a new home. Li Yannian and Mao Dou made a simple breakfast for everyone. There was a bowl of rice porridge, 70% of cooked yellowish fried eggs, and a small plate of pickled vegetables.


    When Zhao Xu saw the porridge, his eyes brightened up, but when Li Yannian looked over suspiciously, his eyes became lifeless once again.


    Black Bean could tell that his sister was "buying" things, and thinking back to the words that the Auntie Li said yesterday, "If you can''t eat, you can''t wear it, and you''ll be poor", he couldn''t help but laugh, and shook his head without saying a word. He picked up his bowl of porridge and started eating after blowing on it.


    Halfway through his meal, Black Bean suddenly thought of something, "Er Niu, why hasn''t the Gu Family come for paper today? It can''t be that he changed his mind at the last minute and didn''t acknowledge what we said? "


    Li Yannian laughed: "How could you reject the benefits of sending yourself to my doorstep? However, even if they don''t want it, it doesn''t matter. They aren''t the only ones who want it. "


    It was easy to say, but she was also worried. With so many pieces of paper in her hands, she didn''t dare take the risk of giving them to someone else. If she had one or two more shopkeepers, it would be bad if she caused any more trouble. If the Gu Family really changed their mind, then those ten thousand pieces of paper could only be left for Black Bean to play with.


    But Black Bean did not doubt her words, seeing her calm expression, he did not continue asking. After breakfast, the family then packed a trip home. Before lunch, an unexpected guest arrived.


    "Manager Xu, why are you here in person?"


    When Black Bean opened the door, he saw a familiar smiling face through the crack of the door, he could not help but exclaim in shock.


    He rubbed his nose and said: "A few days ago I heard that there were happy events in your house, and that there were even papers stored in the workshop. Our boss said that he would not cause trouble for your house, and would only come to ask for more after you guys have made the wine ¡­ Um, congratulations on the success of Brother Li''s new house. This month, our boss said that we have enough people in the workshop. Ten thousand is enough for sale, but I don''t know if Brother Li ¡­ Is that convenient? "


    Black Bean was happy that he came to ask for more, he did not even have time to be happy, how could he care about the strange attitude of the Manager Xu, he immediately said: "This is not convenient, wait a moment, I will go call my sister."


    Manager Xu''s expression became a lot more relaxed, and his attitude became even more natural: "That''s good. Brother Li, do as you please. I''ll just stand there."


    Black Bean was in a hurry to call for his subordinates, so he did not bother to greet them. He ran up to the third floor and said, "Er Niu, Manager Xu is here. He said he wanted ten thousand pieces of paper."


    Li Yannian blinked, thinking that this person could not bear it any longer, so she came.


    "Alright, big brother will go down and ask him if he has enough men and gold." There was plenty of paper, but he didn''t know if he could finish moving it today. I''ll go to the second floor and put everything away.


    Black Bean nodded his head: "Alright, I will go now."


    As he spoke, he left like the wind.


    Manager Xu was walking around the first floor in circles anxiously. The few waiters who came along looked at each other, confused as to why the restaurant manager was suddenly in such a awkward position.


    But soon, Big Brother Li came down from the second floor.


    Manager Xu went up to him anxiously. "What do you mean?"


    Black Bean was curious in his heart. Naturally, he would hand the goods over with money, what else could he say? He remembered his sister''s instructions and leisurely said: "The goods are all on the second floor. Has Manager Xu brought enough people? If it''s not enough, I''ll help you borrow an ox cart from the Uncle Li next door. "


    For some reason, Manager Xu''s face flushed red as he nodded his head, "I brought three carriages with me, it should be enough."


    He was a little surprised again. "You really have ten thousand pieces of paper?"


    Manager Xu laughed awkwardly: "How could that be, of course it''s because of you. "Well, this is just a hundred taels of gold. Brother Li, are you sure you can trust me now?"


    Black Bean peeked inside his opened purse, revealing a piece of yellow and shiny fatty ingot, he said with satisfaction: "Manager Xu is straightforward, then quickly bring your helper to carry the paper with me."


    The suspense in Manager Xu had finally subsided. Before he came, his boss had already instructed him to screw over the Li Family''s young lady. He was probably unhappy about this matter, and did not know if he would be able to complete this important transaction. After all, the Gu family had a huge advantage in this business, so no matter who they sought, they would not force them to buy or sell it, even as a noble Royal Merchant.


    He didn''t expect things to go so smoothly.


    Taking advantage of the servants following Black Bean up to the second floor to carry paper, Manager Xu touched the door of the first floor''s bedroom, which was partially closed, and peeked inside. He only saw a fourteen or fifteen year old boy, who was wearing a coarse cloth jacket, sitting there with a dazed look in his eyes. To his left was the youngest child of the Li family, Mao Dou. He held a brush in his hand and carefully copied a letter.


    He was curious about who Mao Dou was talking about. With a quick glance, he felt that Mao Dou was abnormal. However, he suddenly felt that someone was looking at him with alertness. He immediately raised his head and looked at Zhao Xu who was rumored to be abandoned by the Prince Yi''s Mansion due to his stupidity.


    "Alright, we should finish this round. Manager Xu ¡­"


    Manager Xu hurriedly returned to the living room and took a seat. When he turned his head, his gaze met Li Yannian''s gaze. The depth of that gaze seemed to contain a hint of hidden probing. Manager Xu''s heart stopped beating for no reason, and then he laughed at himself for being sensitive. Today, he probably felt guilty, so it seemed like everyone had their own article, which was difficult to understand.


    He''s just a kid...


    Li Yannian knew she had startled her, and smiled apologetically: "I just heard that it was from the Manager Xu, so I came down to take a look. "There isn''t much good tea in the countryside. If it''s too expensive, there won''t be any in the house, so I can only drink my tea in vain."


    Manager Xu ridiculed in his heart. Just today''s matter alone was enough for the Li Family to accept a hundred gold liangs. No matter how expensive the tea leaves were, they were not as expensive as the gold. However, he still smiled and nodded: "Miss Li is too polite, there''s no need to trouble yourself.


    Seeing him say that, Li Yannian also gave up, and sat in the living room together with him, waiting for the shop assistant and Black Bean to count all the papers.


    A hundred pieces of paper and knives were easily moved. In a short while, it was all moved. Li Yannian looked at Manager Xu and Black Bean who had finished calculating the accounts, received the payment for the goods and sent them out the door.


    Li Yannian saw that the horse carriages were all sealed, from the outside, she could not see what was inside, and said worriedly: "Manager Xu, please wait a while before leaving the village, if anyone asks why you guys are here, please help them out."


    The Manager Xu nodded his head in understanding, "Do not reveal your wealth. I know what you mean, rest assured."


    As he said this, he waved goodbye to them and led a few waiters on their way to the manor.


    If it was anyone else, Li Yannian would have stayed behind to eat a meal before leaving. Even if it was someone from the Gu family, she still remembered Black Bean sending himself to her doorstep to receive a slap across the face. No wonder they were only here now. They probably wanted to take advantage of their family''s happy occasion when everyone was in a good mood to reduce the negative points they had left behind.


    Truly a wise man.


    Li Yannian and the Manager Xu not far away, one of them closed the door and counted the money.

 C46

    Chapter 46 Road to Well-off (22)


    In the afternoon, Uncle Li and Auntie Li came over to look for siblings. They said that they just happened to have time to accompany them on their journey to the fields to take a look at the situation. Black Bean had originally said that he would follow them. Li Yannian thought that he didn''t even know where his own field was, so he insisted on following them to see it. When Mao Dou saw that his older brother and sister were going to the fields, he also shouted that they were going. This time, only Zhao Xu was left at home. Li Yannian was also worried, and in the end, it became a situation where his entire family was going out together.


    Li Hongshan and Zhang Sanniang set up a total of three acres of land, which was slightly off from their original location due to the high fertility. The group walked for more than twenty minutes before they reached it.


    Auntie Li could already see the lush and green seedling from afar, pointing out to Li Yannian, "Red Bean, look, it has already sprouted so high."


    Li Yannian''s heart dropped, her heart saying that the two sons of the Old Li Family were really noisy, they were forced to return the land to him, and now they are growing strong, are they not afraid of him going to Old Man Li to complain, not only did they give him their all, they even threw in the money to buy the seedlings.


    When they got closer, the Uncle Li saw clearly what was being planted in the fields, and his face instantly changed.


    Black Bean asked the two of them in confusion. "Uncle, Aunt, what''s wrong?


    The Uncle Li sighed, "This attack was too ruthless. It was obvious that they wanted to waste your land."


    This time, it was Li Yannian who was puzzled. "Uncle, what do you mean?"


    The one who explained it to them was the Auntie Li: "In this field, there aren''t any proper seedlings. Everyone in the village calls this place the head of dysentery, as long as it grows in the field, it''s like leek, even if it''s cut or cut, it''s useless to burn the land. Once it takes root and drills into the soil, when the proper vegetables and crops are planted, it''ll snatch up a lot of fat and raise all the weeds.


    Black Bean had heard of this thing before, and knew how powerful it was. When his father, Li Hongshan, was taking care of these three acres of fields, he had always been careful and pulled off the weeds in time the moment he saw them. He didn''t expect that Tian Tian would end up in his hands like this before he could even start tidying up the area...


    Uncle Li took the opportunity to say: "Those who plant these in the fields are not fit to be farmers. What crop handle would be willing to waste the field like this? When we get back, I''ll go and tell your grandfathers and daughters that they won''t be able to get away with it, that it must have been their family. "


    Li Yannian thought so too. Although she did not have any evidence, it would be good if they could cause trouble at the Old Man Li''s home.


    After Mao Dou heard the adults finish speaking, he said angrily, "Uncle''s family is too bad. Big brother, big sister, let''s go and discuss this with my grandma. Let my grandma administer justice for us."


    Li Yannian didn''t want him to face all these negative emotions at such a young age. She rubbed his head and said: "Don''t worry, Dou Dou, remember, you have a big brother and big sister at home. No matter if it was Eldest Uncle''s doing or Third Uncle''s, he must have the heart to anger us. "Say, if we really get angry now, wouldn''t we be allowing them to succeed?"


    Mao Dou thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Big Sister is right. I''m not angry."


    The people around him all felt touched by his words, but even so, they had no choice but to solve the problem in front of them.


    The Uncle Li was worried about the fields full of head of dysentery: "Good land, Sigh, I have nothing to do in the afternoon, how about we take advantage of the fact that we have not been growing for long, let''s go home and take a hoe of flint. We''ll dig up the grass, set it on fire, and get some ashes to grow the land."


    Black Bean subconsciously looked towards Li Yannian, and the latter laughed, "This method is not bad. Brother, then go back with Uncle and get your hoe. We''ll stay here and take a look around. We''ll pick up some dead branches and use them for the fire later. "


    Everyone agreed, and immediately split up into two separate groups. After Li Yannian brought Mao Dou and the others to pick up firewood from the fields, the two people who went back to get tools also slowly came back.


    There were three hoes. Li Yannian subconsciously wanted to take them, but she was stopped by Auntie Li who laughed loudly, "What strength can a kid have? Leave Aunt here, you can just watch by the side."


    Li Yannian couldn''t win against her, so he could only watch as the three of them hoed from the head of the field to the tail of the field.


    "Er Niu, you light the fire. I''ll go with uncle to hoe the grass."


    Black Bean said as he carried his hoe and went to the side.


    Li Yannian replied as she ran back and forth with Mao Dou to shake off the soil at the roots and slowly build a fire to burn. The smoke from the burning green seedlings was quite large. The siblings could not open their eyes because of the wind blowing them this way and that.


    However, Zhao Xu followed beside Li Yannian in a daze, not even knowing how to dodge the smoke that was drifting towards him. Li Yannian sighed and said to Mao Dou: "After we finish burning this field, we''ll all take it slowly. This grass is too humid and won''t be easy to burn.


    Mao Dou nodded sensibly and pointed to his own cheeks. He then took out a small handkerchief for Li Yannian to wipe his face.


    She subconsciously wiped it away with the back of her hand. Unsurprisingly, a small piece of ash that had stuck to her face was wiped away, instantly causing her face to change.


    "Hahahahaha ¡­"


    There was a burst of direct mocking laughter in the field. Just as Li Yannian wanted to glare at Mao Dou, who was completely devoid of love for his sister, the latter was currently innocently looking at him. Only then did she realise that the one laughing was not Mao Dou, but the little fool, Zhao Xu.


    Li Yannian, "..."


    Why wasn''t he a fool now?


    rolled his eyes at Zhao Xu as he got Mao Dou to help him clean his face. Only after he was sure that the face was clean did he feel at ease.


    Zhao Xu really couldn''t resist it just now, but when he received that big round eyes from Li Yannian, he felt nervous. He forgot a very important point, no matter what age a woman is, she would always love to be beautiful.


    The farce caused the people in the field, who were almost exhausted, to relax a little. By the time they had finished hoeing the three acres of land, the field had already been wiped black. Li Yannian thought that she had troubled Uncle Li''s house for the entire afternoon. No matter what, she had to treat some people to a meal, otherwise, it would be unjustifiable.


    The Auntie Li refused repeatedly. "We won''t be eating at your house tonight. We still have some food to cook at noon, and if we don''t eat at night, we might ruin it tomorrow. Next time, come visit your house next time."


    The Uncle Li also said, "I understand. You all should hurry back. It''s getting late, the grass is already piled on the ridge. I will come again to burn it in a few days. "We''ll see what happens in the fields then. Let''s see if we can grow more."


    Li siblings saw that the two of them were very insistent, and could only give up, the two families taking advantage of the light to return home.


    Upon entering the house, Black Bean was so tired that he laid on the sofa in the living room. The carpenter did as Li Yannian requested, although there was no An Zhi, it was still soft with a thick cotton pad.


    Li Yannian laughed and pushed Mao Dou forward. "Go, quickly pinch your brother''s legs. I''ll go cook.


    Xu Zi was Zhao Xu''s nickname. Firstly, it was not good to call him Young Prince, and secondly, it wasn''t good to call him a little fool. Since he was a member of the royal family, his surname was China, so it was not good to call him by name. In the end, the three siblings decided to just call him by name, so they gave him this title.


    Black Bean and Black Bean both responded to her, so Li Yannian went back to the kitchen with ease. After buying a piece of paper, he got a hundred taels of gold. Li Yannian thought that he could spend some money on it, and went to Widow Hu at the head of the village to buy a rooster that weighed less than three kilograms. He used a wicker basket to cover the rooster and planned to boil some hot water in the afternoon to kill the rooster.


    In the end, she had been busy all afternoon in the fields. Not to mention killing the chicken and removing its blood and hair, even if she gave it to her, she wouldn''t be able to stew the chicken on the ground in such a short period of time. After all, it wasn''t a modern feed chicken.


    Other than the "chicken" that was still alive and kicking in the house, there was only a pile of cabbage and radishes that had been bought while they were having a banquet. It was just this inconvenience in the countryside. If you wanted to eat something new, you had to grow it or eat it at home. It was hard to even buy it.


    It was an impossible situation for a beautiful woman to cook, causing Li Yannian to worry over a pile of cabbages and radishes. After washing the rice and steamed it, she picked a cabbage and a radish and washed them clean. Then she cut them into pieces and wiped them clean. After cooking the rice and fried them with oil, she tasted them and felt that they were passable. Vegetarian dishes must be delicious, or oil enough to taste.


    She then rummaged through the pile of things she had bought previously. After finding a jar of red oil curd, she took out a small bowl and picked up three pieces, placing them on the table as well.


    She did not expect that such a small piece of tofu milk would let Black Bean and Mao Dou eat three bowls of rice in a row.


    Black Bean generously praised, "Er Niu, when did you buy this? It''s spicy and fragrant, too delicious! "


    Mao Dou could not help but nod. "Sis, it''s really delicious. It''s just that I can''t eat enough from my stomach. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to eat enough."


    Li Yannian asked curiously: "Have you never made moldy tofu at home before?"


    Black Bean was shocked, "This is moldy tofu? "It doesn''t look like it at all. Mom has learned to make it before, it''s stinky and salty, coarse bean dregs and nothing else. It''s not like this, it''s extremely fragrant, extremely slippery and spicy. It''s really fun to eat it."


    Mao Dou also said, "Yes, this is delicious! Mother made it! Luckily I didn''t eat it. "


    Li Yannian thought for a while. If she had a way in the future, she could try selling these dishes, but it would be troublesome just to order other cans to change the packaging. She also didn''t know if there was anything delicious made from rotten milk, maybe it was just that Black Bean and his brother had never eaten anything delicious.


    When he heard the two brothers say this, he knew that it was probably another good item "transformed" by the little girl from Li Clan. If he were to try it again, he would definitely not be able to taste the bowl anymore, and would only have a little bit of it left.


    He curiously reached out his chopsticks and tasted the food, then his eyes suddenly lit up with a light that Li Yannian was very familiar with. It was the light that came from eating good food exclusive to foodies.


    Then, in the next second, the Li Family three siblings watched as Young Prince snatched the small bowl of decaying milk, afraid that others would try to snatch it away, and poured the entire bowl of red oil curd juice into his own bowl.


    Looking at Zhao Xu who was frantically eating, the Li Family three siblings was speechless.


    No matter what, he was still a Young Prince.

 C47

    Chapter 47 The Road to Well-Being (23)


    The fact that the red oil curd was popular at the Li Family dining table had undoubtedly deeply enlightened Li Yannian. The next day at noon, when she was delivering chicken soup to Auntie Li''s family, she conveniently brought a few pieces of tofu milk in a small bowl. It could be considered as a preliminary "market investigation", since Auntie Li and Uncle Li had eaten more than a few years of salt than them. If they had agreed on this, then Li Yannian planned to include the red oil curd in his blueprint for his future career.


    When she went there, the Li family was eating, but when he saw her left hand holding a bowl and right hand holding a bowl, the Auntie Li cried out in alarm. She quickly stood up to receive the food, and when she clearly saw what was inside, she could not help but say: "You brat, why are you being so courteous, aiya, this chicken, which family did you buy, and how much did you sell it for, don''t you get tricked by others."


    Li Yannian first greeted the Uncle Li, then giggled and said: "Aunt, you are nagging again, I''ve already bought it, if it''s expensive, I won''t be able to negotiate anyways."


    The Auntie Li tilted his head and wanted to say something, but Li Yannian hurriedly surrendered, "I bought it from the Widow Hu at the head of the village. It wasn''t expensive, it only cost me 26 gold coins. "I''ll consider it cheaper if you''re just a country bumpkin."


    Auntie Li picked up the chicken leg with her chopsticks and shook her head: "Pfft, this Widow Hu, doesn''t know the situation when bullying your child. Just with this little chicken leg, it''s already not bad to have three catties of meat. It can''t be sold for 30 gold coins. "


    Seeing that she did not finish her sentence, Uncle Li knocked the bowl with his chopsticks: "Alright, alright, it''s about time."


    He then said to Li Yannian: "Oh, red beans, next time you want to buy chicken, tell your wife to buy it, so she doesn''t have to be so long-winded when eating it."


    Li Yannian covered her mouth and laughed, she finally remembered the reason she came here for and immediately pointed at the red oil curd: "Uncle, Aunt, I made this moldy tofu myself, you guys try it, see if it suits you."


    "You made it yourself?" The Auntie Li looked at Li Yannian suspiciously. After all, even though the person who brought the moon up was living in his house, he didn''t see her messing things up like this.


    Li Yannian had already made her preparations long ago: "I made a jar before and I even forgot to put it on the stove. I only remembered to move home later on and it looked better now.


    When the Auntie Li heard her words, she did not think too much into it. Carefully, she put a small piece of bright red tofu milk into her mouth, and her eyes immediately lit up.


    "Red Bean, your cooking skills are really too good. We often make moldy tofu when we have money, but we can''t make you taste so good. Why is it so spicy, yet so moist?"


    Hehe ¡­ Li Yannian was unable to answer this question, so she immediately changed the topic: "Aunt, then I''ll sell it in the shop. Someone should buy it, right?"


    Auntie Li originally wanted to ask her for advice on how to make the moldy tofu taste so good, but she knew that she was planning on doing so for money, so she felt embarrassed to ask again. After thinking for a bit, she said, "I don''t know about that, why don''t we go to the restaurant next time we go to town and ask them about it, and about the soy sauce restaurant? I don''t know if they would accept it or not. "However, Hong Dou, let me remind you. Our place is a small place after all, and we don''t have much money on hand. There aren''t many people here who would like to buy soy sauce and food."


    Uncle Li, who had been quietly listening to the two talk, suddenly spoke: "I think we should go to the town to ask. We might as well go to Du Jia Village to take a look. There are a lot of merchants there, maybe we can find a way."


    Du Jia Village ¡­ Li Yannian blinked her eyes, then smiled at the two of them: "Thank you Uncle and Aunt, then I''ll ask my brother again when we get back to the villa. My family is still waiting for me to eat dinner. Uncle, Aunt, I''ll be going back first. You guys eat, and I''ll come back for the bowls and bowls in one night. "


    Auntie Li sent him out the door, and coincidentally met his eyes when he turned around. He shook his head and smiled helplessly: "These kids really love to mess around."


    He was still deep in his heart, not saying a word. This Li family girl, wasn''t she a bit too arrogant? She was even different than a village girl. Looking at her, it seemed that she was going to be the same in the future.


    Uncle Li took a big bite out of the bowl but did not say a word. Only then did Auntie Li realize that there was only a small piece of tofu left in the bowl.


    Naturally, Li Yannian hadn''t seen the bustle of Auntie Li and Uncle Li fighting over food since a long time ago. Otherwise, she would have been able to cover her mouth and laugh merrily for a while. The trip to the woman''s house made her even more certain that modern foods with rich seasonings had a market in ancient times where the taste was poor and the taste buds lacked stimulation. Furthermore, the market was quite vast, but she didn''t have the means to promote it yet.


    For a moment, she thought of the Gu family, especially the Gu family''s third young master, Gu Mingyuan. With the Gu family''s network of contacts and the business road, if he could work with them, he would naturally be able to save a lot of effort. The more he involved himself with the Gu family, the sooner the other party would find out about his secret. Li Yannian didn''t trust the Gu family, so she naturally didn''t dare take the risk.


    He decided to open up the small restaurant first. If he couldn''t eat all the dishes in one bite and became rich, he would have to do it step by step.


    He really did get what he wanted. Two days later, Zhang Bao, who had just come to have a glass of wine, came back with the good news that he had finally found a suitable store.


    "This shop was originally used to making storehouses. The cloth shop at the front turned over to the owner and separated one shop into two. They rented out each other and no longer traded cloth anymore. The two families were both small businesses and didn''t need such a large warehouse, so they had to leave it empty. The landlord was asking around and wondered if anyone wanted the warehouse in his possession. "I saw that the place was rather large and was in a suitable location. I''ve asked the landlord about it, so there''s no rush to cook. The windows on the street have been taken down and we can change the place into a shop.


    Zhang Bao had long known that there was such a warehouse near the shallow water dock, and he was familiar with the landlord as well. It turned out that the shopkeeper who rented his store for cloth business often came to the manor to stock up, so naturally, he could hear the commotion in the town. However, because he was selfish, he felt that his niece was an outsider who was only interested in finding a place for Li Yannian to do business. However, due to the fact that he wanted to find a place for Li Yannian to shop, he felt angry.


    However, this kind of good store with a price ratio had long been taken away by others. Generally, land deeds were signed for three to five years, or even ten years, because those who did business had to be old customers. If they moved, the old customers wouldn''t be able to find a new store, and the customer would lose more than half of their source. As long as there were no accidents, Old Pu Zi would not easily take over the business.


    So Dabao went back and forth in the town, running a hundred times inside and out, but still couldn''t find a satisfactory store. He guessed that he was probably going to take off the Du Family''s own clothes, so he got interested. He asked Zhang Bao what kind of shop he was going to open, and seemingly inadvertently brought up several times the warehouse that had been empty for a long time.


    The landlord originally wanted to say that since they were familiar with each other, if there was a need to stock up in the warehouse, he would take care of his own business first. However, he didn''t expect Da Bao to ask him if he could change the storehouse into a restaurant for food.


    The landlord was completely stunned. Cooking food? Not far away from that land was the shallow water pier where the Gu and Du Families'' goods were coming in and out. All day long, the only people that could be seen were those who carried bags to unload the goods.


    However, it was not a good place to stay empty all the time. When he rented the cloth shop, seven to eight taels of silver had been transferred into his account every year. This time, it was a year and a half. Although he had previously rented the entire shop into two separate rooms, each year he would receive six more silver taels. However, when calculating the gains and losses, the businessmen subconsciously took the new profits for granted.


    He immediately made up his mind. Whatever Da Bao said, he would do. No matter what he wanted to change the warehouse into, as long as it was not empty, he would have no objections even if Da Bao changed his mind and wanted to open a bathhouse there.


    The landlord was afraid that Zhang Bao would be unwilling, so he lowered the rent. There were almost three hundred square meters of storage room, and it only cost Zhang Bao six taels of silver a year.


    Facing such a low rent, Zhang Bao was still tempted.


    After calculating for the better part of a month, that his nieces had already moved into his new home, he was really unable to find another store. After weighing the pros and cons, Zhang Bao came over and divulged this news to Li Yannian.


    After Li Yannian quietly listened to everything, she asked, "Uncle, since it''s okay to watch, then let''s go to town together in the afternoon. Do you know the landlord? Can you trust me? If we decide to rent his house, then we must write a land deed for him. If we change the house and don''t come over later on, it would be best if we can extend the signature a bit longer so that his business won''t get too hot and he''s jealous, so he wants to increase the rent. "


    Zhang Bao laughed bitterly in his heart, in a place like that, no matter how good the business was, Three Coins would never become popular. It was still a lot of losses, and he did not want to sign a contract, it would be best if the one year short contract was not more than three years.


    When Li Yannian saw his expression, she knew that Zhang Bao was still not confident about what he was going to do, and that human values could not be changed easily either. She did not waste any more words, and quickly ate her lunch at home, leaving Mao Dou to look after Zhao Xu at home. Then, and Black Bean followed Zhang Bao to look at the shops in the town.


    The landlord was waiting for the good news from Dabao. When he heard that he was going to bring his family to see the place, he was so excited that he took the key and brought someone to the dock.


    He had a feeling in his heart that it was time to rent out the warehouse that he had been suppressing for a year and a half. Two days ago, he had specially called his wife to clean the house, cleaning it clean of all the accumulated dust. Then, people really came to take a look.


    The moment Li Yannian saw this warehouse, she made a decision: she would be here. The place was big, so the rent was also suitable. Even if the restaurant became closed later on, they could make a chicken hair shop after a change. A single coin a night would make a poor person willing to sleep.


    She looked at Black Bean, then nodded at Zhang Bao.


    Since his niece had already made up her mind, Zhang Bao had no other choice. He immediately said to the landlord, "We are going to do a food business here. At that time, we will definitely have to set up a few more stoves in the house, and we will also have to tear down this wall on the street. I have told you all of this before. "Old Fang, you can say for sure that the rent of six taels of silver a year will be written into the lease agreement. If you are willing, we will go find a Chinese person to handle the formalities and write the documents and seal them according to your hand."


    The landlord was extremely happy, but he did not show it on his face. He rubbed his hands together and said, "Of course, we''ve already agreed on this. We should be the first to be honest."


    He thought that he was smiling humorously, but when he saw that Zhang Bao''s face did not look like he was smiling at all, his heart skipped a beat and he suddenly felt blessed.


    "However, there is one thing that I have to mention, Brother Zhang. Don''t worry about me. If you were to use this place as a storeroom to store things, I wouldn''t have said anything. You have your own methods, and I, Old Fang, am unable to read your Heavenly Book. If you are willing to rent it, then I am willing to give it up. But if you keep doing this, if you don''t do it in a year or two, and this shop ends up doing it again and again, and I have to build walls and paint white walls, that would be a waste of effort, wouldn''t it? "You know that I''m renting this house to you. I really didn''t earn much money from it. So you also know how much I''m renting ¡­"


    Now that things had come to this point, if Zhang Bao still couldn''t tell what was going on, then he would really be confused. He could only continue, "I understand. You have your troubles, how long do you think you should sign this lease?"


    When the landlord heard this, he felt that something wasn''t right. This Zhang Ye clearly didn''t know what was going on. Wasn''t he just messing around? Thus, he steeled his heart and opened his mouth to speak for ten years.


    "Ten years?!" Zhang Bao was both shocked and astonished. His mouth opened widely, and when Fang saw his expression, his previous speculation was confirmed.


    This time, it hit right into Li Yannian''s heart, and she immediately laughed: "Uncle, let''s say ten years, what we are doing is a long-term business, and the landlord is also straightforward and efficient, it just so happens that."


    The landlord took advantage of the situation and said happily, "Little girl, you''re right. Brother Zhang, it would be better if you signed a long business contract for a longer time, so that I don''t increase the rent midway."


    Zhang Bao''s heart was filled with hatred. You want to increase the rent in this crappy place? Dream on!


    No matter how unhappy he was, the lease was still written under the witness of the middleman, Li Yannian immediately paid the rent for the first three years, and the two families agreed that after the three years were over, the landlord would come to collect the rent once a year, and surnamed Fang even specially stressed that during this period of time, regardless of whether Zhang Bao could continue doing business, he would still need to collect the annual rent.


    A lease was written down. Both sides had checked on each other and pressed their fingers on it. This was the result. However, the difference between the two families was too great. Renting a house was a bargain that had taken ten years, yet their faces were filled with distress. The renter was abnormally overjoyed over the long contract, looking as if he had picked up a treasure.


    The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed in puzzlement. Strange things happened every year, so he wasn''t surprised at all.

 C48

    Chapter 48 The Road to Well-off (24)


    The new shop''s decorations were actually not arduous, they still called the Little Uncle''s group to work, tearing down the parts of the Old house that needed to be taken down, and everything that needed to be taken care of, within a few days, Li Yannian''s small restaurant was in its elementary stage.


    Naturally, the sound of the warehouse renovation alerted the laborers working on the dock. When it was time for work, groups of people would come to the warehouse and point at the construction site. When they found out that they were going to open a restaurant in the future, even they themselves would laugh.


    "Is your boss crazy? Where did this business come from? Did you guys see how much money we earn every day? How could we bear to spend it on you?"


    "Exactly, it''s more like your boss has opened a good hall."


    Black Bean heard the words with an ear-piercing voice, and the expression on his face did not look good. Li Yannian pressed his hands to indicate for him to stop talking, and smiled merrily as she welcomed the labourers. She had an innocent expression on his face: "Brothers, don''t you guys have to eat while working? Our boss has set up his dining room here. Isn''t it convenient for you guys to come over to eat after work? You don''t even need to go out to the streets anymore. It''s such a good thing, why aren''t you welcoming him? "


    One of the men stepped forward. He looked to be about twenty years old, about 1.9 meters tall, and had a dark, robust appearance. It was obvious that he possessed great strength. Li Yannian carefully noted that this person''s clothes were sixty percent new, and the patches on his clothes were very few. It was only two pieces at the knees and elbows that were easy to be worn out.


    "Little girl, you''re really stupid. What is your store planning to sell? Black nest or gruel? We even brought them to your store to eat and earn money for your boss? Brother, you have to put in all your effort to work every day. At most, you can only earn a few dozen coins, and that''s not even enough for a meal. Who can afford it? Tell your boss to rest early. This beating should cost a lot of money, right? Don''t cry when the time comes. "


    After that man finished talking, he was also kind. He didn''t want to see someone losing a lot of money, so stopping the damage in time was the most important thing.


    However, Li Yannian laughed: "Our shop does not sell Black Nest, these things that don''t taste good. Our boss has said that he only sells plain rice.


    "What?!" "White rice?"


    The group of people cried out in shock and looked at each other for a long time. It was unknown who laughed first, but the situation became uncontrollable. They all laughed until tears and snot flowed out.


    One of them managed to hold back his laughter with great difficulty as he uttered half a sentence, "Your boss is really ¡­"


    Before he could finish, he had to hold his stomach and roll on the floor laughing.


    The dark burly man from before helped him to finish, "His brain got kicked by a donkey."


    When Zhang Bao and Zhang Sibao saw this scene, they actually thought the same as the laborers. However, it was still uncomfortable to see their niece being mocked like this. However, Li Yannian remained calm and waited for everyone''s laughter to gradually die down before he smiled and said: "Brothers, don''t laugh too early, when our boss opens his shop, it won''t be too late to laugh."


    The few laborers who were watching the scene all laughed, and only treated Li Yannian like a child who did not take things lightly, and joked: "Alright, then when you guys open it, we''ll come over to support you guys."


    As she spoke, she put her arms around his shoulders and left while laughing.


    Black Bean was a little uneasy. He looked at her sister, her eyes clearly saying, Are you sure you want to open this shop?


    Li Yannian turned around to look at the Zhang brothers and the few familiar faces who had come to help with the work. With a smirk, she said in an extremely mature manner, "It''s fine, uncle, you guys continue with your work. I will go with brother to the carpenter to check if the chairs and tables are ready."


    She purposely didn''t reveal the price of the restaurant in front of the laborers just now because she wanted to use their mouths to spread the news that a "ass kicked in the head" idiot owner was going to open a restaurant on the dock. Li Yannian could imagine that within half a day, this joke would spread around the wharf. When the shop truly opened, these people would definitely come to visit.


    What else could match the effects of this advertisement? It was worth it to be laughed at, not to mention the fact that she had saved the money she had originally expected to spend on free meals on her first day of business to attract customers to advertise.


    Seeing that their niece had made up her mind, the Zhang brothers could not say anything else. They each shook their heads and sighed, then silently went back to their work.


    On the other side, Du Jia Village.


    Gu Mingyuan absent-mindedly looked at the green branch that was newly sent out outside the window. Hearing a knock on the door, he turned around and saw Manager Xu on his big brother''s shop, and subconsciously revealed a polite smile.


    "Why did the Manager Xu come here today? Did he just report back from my big brother?"


    Manager Xu laughed blandly: "I can''t hide anything from Third Young Master, I did indeed just come over from the boss''s side. As I passed by Third Young Master''s study, I think I have to tell Third Young Master about something."


    Gu Mingyuan''s curiosity was piqued, his brows slightly raised: "Oh? What''s worth of a visit from Manager Xu? Please state it clearly. "


    Manager Xu slightly nodded, and said slowly: "Speaking of it, it''s not a big deal, it''s just related to the Li Family''s little girl. There was a recent joke on the docks that someone was going to open a restaurant at the edge of the docks and sell only white rice. I heard that it was rather interesting, so I sent the shop assistant to investigate, but in the end, there were some people with the surname Zhang, some people with surname Li, and some who couldn''t be determined, but there were indeed two old acquaintances, namely Li Village''s two children, Little Brother Black Bean and the red bean.


    Gu Mingyuan revealed a rare look of surprise, and was stunned for a moment before saying: "She wants to open a restaurant? "How can you do business in that position?"


    In the end, she seemed to be talking to herself, "I haven''t seen them stock up at our place yet ¡­"


    Manager Xu laughed: That''s right, that''s why I feel that it''s strange, talking about the restaurant''s business, no one can avoid Third Young Master, who knows what kind of scriptures Li siblings is reading, one moment sshe is going to casually attack, one moment he is going to casually attack, the next moment she is going to earn more money to eat.


    Seeing that Gu Mingyuan was still deep in thought, he felt that it was not a good idea to stay longer, so he cupped his hands and took his leave.


    Gu Mingyuan got up and sent his out, but he still could not understand the Li Family''s little girl''s plan this time. Wasn''t this the same as asking a beggar for money? Wasn''t it obvious that there was no hope?


    Zhao Cai and Jin Bao looked at each other suspiciously, and didn''t dare to ask what their master meant by this.


    As for Li Yannian''s shop, it was being decorated smoothly, and with her uncle''s help, she and Black Bean did not come to the town to look after the wall work, and instead stayed at home to focus on preparing for the opening.


    "Brother, look. If we were to calculate the amount of one hundred kilograms of rice that would be steamed in our shop, we wouldn''t be able to produce it by ourselves three people." When the time came, he would need people to wash the rice, burn the fire, cook the rice, collect the money, wash the dishes and clean up the shop. "Should we ask Auntie if she wants to come to our store and help? If she wants, we can take lunch, and how much money will we give her every month?"


    Black Bean shook his head: "I don''t think my aunt has the time. Uncle still has seven or eight acres of land to grow. Why don''t we ask then, and let my aunt help us introduce a reliable one? I think giving you a month''s wages is about right. After all, we only eat our family''s food, and the helpers outside only get this much money in a month.


    Li Yannian agreed: "Then this matter will be asked by brother. Dou Dou was too small. It was best to stay at home and watch over Xu Zi. "I only plan to do lunch. After we clean up the store, I will have the time to come home in the afternoon, but it will be a bit hard to make it in time, so there won''t be any other issues."


    Even though Black Bean was not confident, he still said: "You can decide, I''ll let you handle this matter."


    Li Yannian could not help but sigh. Other than the fact that she had the golden thumb that brought her the Taobao System this time, the thing that made her the most satisfied were the two most close relatives of the original owner, who completely and unconditionally trusted her. Even for people like her who sounded like such a ridiculous thought, Black Bean and Mao Dou had never said no to her before.


    After thinking about it, she shook Black Bean''s hand a little forcefully: "Brother, don''t worry, in the future, our family will be rich, rich like oil."


    Black Bean revealed a helpless but doting smile, and patted her head: "You forget, our family has already made a fortune. Everything else aside, just this month''s paper sales alone gave you a hundred gold, it''s enough for you to lose your family a few times. Whatever you want to do, this brother will help you. "


    Li Yannian thought that it was true. 100 gold coins, just selling it to the system was worth around 1 million yuan. Even if she spent it lying down, she would never be able to spend all of it. No wonder Black Bean was so calm when he saw his "extravagant" attitude.


    The restaurant was about to open, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the end of March. He still had two more purchases this month that he should use up no matter what. Li Yannian searched the system using "Wholesale Rice" as the key word, but she was almost lost in the high price. What small Machinery Rice of Autumn Tian, Five Ordinary Rice, Meng Zhalong Fragrant Rice of Thailand? They cost around five to six dollars per catty to eat, and Li Yannian did not feel that it was expensive to eat them, but if it was steamed and sold in the shop, the price would not be worth it.


    Fortunately, Li Yannian''s eyes lit up and saw the clear stream of rice on the first page. The Golden Anhui Immortal Farmer made 127 yuan and 50 kg, and even sent a mail, compared to other rice, the price was worth it.


    This is it! Looking at the balance in his account, Li Yannian bought 60 servings, which was 3000 kilograms of rice. Along with the familiar exploding sound in the air, a pile of rice wrapped in a woven bag suddenly emerged from the room.


    Li Yannian casually stored all the rice in the warehouse. Using silver as a benchmark, one gold coin was equivalent to two pieces of RMB, and eating three taels of silver was equivalent to two catties of rice. In the past when she was still in university, she only ate two or three servings of rice. Of course, compared to the appetite of the laborers, that small amount of rice was only enough to fill the gaps between their teeth. However, there were very few people who could eat two to three catties of rice at a time, right? From the cost, just by not exchanging it with the silver that was previously worth gold, Li Yannian would not lose out. Thus, she was very confident in her restaurant''s business.


    When he finished buying the rice, the money in his account was gone, leaving only the pitiful few digits behind the decimal point. However, she didn''t touch the money she spent this month. She opened the system without any hesitation and typed in the words "Ceramic Bowl Big" into the search bar. She chose one with a special price and bought six six-inch bowls and six pairs of chopsticks. Li Yannian ignored everything and threw 20 sets of dishes into the shopping cart, after which he fought for many seconds, he picked out a pure white design from the recommended products below, and threw in 9 inch thick ceramic soup pots at the same time. He wanted 30 of them, and it only cost him 617 yuan.


    If he were to buy all of these things in the town, he would probably need at least twenty silver coins to get them all in order.


    Just as Li Yannian was secretly rejoicing over her astute shopping, that familiar gentle female voice slowly sounded out again, "Congratulations to the buyer for reaching two stars."


    Ah, upgraded? Li Yannian slapped her head, only then did she remember that she had completed the last transaction, which was the 11th transaction. Before this, she had still been struggling to decide whether or not to buy things first, in order to raise her credit. Earlier, she was in a hurry, so she had completely forgotten about this troublesome matter.

 C49

    Chapter 49 The Road to Well-off (25)


    The system continued, "Congratulations, you have completed the beginner''s mission. You have successfully completed more than 10 transactions within a period of three natural months. The buyer''s credit has been upgraded."


    "In the next two-star buyer stage, you have two choices: limit the duration of the search, or limit the number of transactions. All restrictions will only be revoked when your credit accumulated to the level of three stars. What is your choice? "


    At this time, a choice panel immediately appeared in front of Li Yannian. She didn''t hesitate to choose the former ¡ª ¡ª Limit search time. The keywords were right when she was searching. Plus, she was very quick with her eyes, so one minute of order time wasn''t too hard for her. On the contrary, breaking the limit of only being able to buy things four times a month was the most important thing to her at the moment.


    The restrictions on these four transactions were simply too inhumane. With these restrictions, she was unable to put many ideas into practice. If she wanted to earn money, she wouldn''t be able to take care of her life.


    "You have chosen to restrict the duration of your search. Please wait for a moment. The system is currently updating. This transaction will begin next month. Please look forward to it."


    With a flash of light, the system interface disappeared. Li Yannian was slightly excited, but at the same time excited. Thinking about how she could buy and buy at will next month, she truly wished that she could open her eyes and it would be April tomorrow.


    "Sigh, she is also suffering. It wasn''t long before the couple''s days were over. The child was sent to the private school, and the book was read well. The family was filled with hope, but your Uncle Chun Feng was gone just like that. Tian didn''t have much to grow the orphans and widows that she had left behind. It was all because of the skills she possessed that she had embroidered and sold them in the manor. She could barely support her children, but she couldn''t afford to support them in her studies. A few days ago, didn''t I go to her house and ask her to drink your family''s moving wine? I saw her move a small stool under the sun, and the handkerchief had to be placed under her nose before she could clearly see the embroidery.


    Auntie Li said slowly, and from time to time she would size up Black Bean''s expression, "At that time, your Uncle Chun Feng was also involved in the matter with your parents, so the matter can''t be blamed on their family, but she was very sincere. She always thought that it was their family that harmed your family, so she didn''t dare come to look for trouble. In fact, I''ve already told her that this is a natural disaster. Who would have thought that the moment they went to the fields to collect wheat, the mountain would be washed away by the heavy rain and pour down. No one wants this. Your parents only went to help out in the fields because of Uncle Spring Peak. Who would have thought that such a big matter would happen? "Sigh, this is also fate. No one can calculate their fate ¡­"


    The Auntie Li sighed, but Black Bean opened his eyes wide: "Did my parents help Uncle Li''s family collect wheat seeds that were washed away by the water? Why hasn''t anyone told us this before? "


    Auntie Li suddenly realized that she had spoken the wrong words and the words she had spoken just now slipped through her mouth as well.


    "Then why did the Aunt Zhang tell someone that our Li Family is an unknown family, and whoever gets close to them will suffer?"


    Auntie Li spat, "Pfft, who is the ungrateful one who is blabbing his heart and liver around behind his back, there''s nothing wrong with that! Your Aunt Zhang and your mother were originally from the same village, and before your mother got married, she was even related to her mother''s family. "Don''t listen to their nonsense. If your family is really that intelligent, why don''t we see our misfortune?"


    After the scolding from the Auntie Li, she continued, "No wonder the two of you asked me to go and invite someone. You were even hesitating because you were afraid that he would despise you and refuse to come to my house. Aunt Zhang is afraid that you guys will blame her family, so she didn''t dare to come up. "If it wasn''t for today''s incident, who knows how long this knot would have lasted."


    Auntie Li''s voice still floated as her mother''s gentle and smiling face appeared in front of Black Bean, "Black Bean, after the new year, when Father and Mother have saved up enough money, I will send you to Teacher''s place to study."


    There was also his father, who laughed as he rubbed Mao Dou''s head. He teased him, "Mao Dou, do you want to go with your big brother?"


    In the blink of an eye, these things disappeared like morning dew.


    Such a good father and mother had met with calamity because of someone else''s land. Black Bean should have been furious. If not for Uncle Li calling them over to help out in the fields, his parents would still be alive and well by now ¡­


    But strangely, he discovered that not only was he extremely calm, he actually didn''t really blame Uncle Li at all from the bottom of his heart. Maybe it was because Uncle Li had also died in the middle of the water, or maybe it was just as Auntie Li had said, no one could have predicted this. Who told his parents, or Uncle Li, to come at just the right time?


    or perhaps, it was because he had heard that Aunt Zhang had been guilty of not daring to face the siblings for so long, that he finally relaxed.


    This accident had brought enough torment for them, there was no need to let it continue.


    Black Bean immediately decided: "Aunt, then please go back and pass a message from the Aunt Zhang''s family, letting her know that we siblings have never blamed anyone, even if we knew the truth of the matter, we wouldn''t blame her. If she wants to do the work in town, just give us a word of approval. If she wanted to, she could bring Ah Bao with her to the town to study. "A month and a half''s worth of money can be paid for three months'' wages first. If it''s convenient to go back and forth, Ah Bao can also come to the store to eat."


    Auntie Li''s eyes reddened and she nodded with a smile, "I knew you were all good kids. We didn''t hide this matter from you guys intentionally, it''s just that your Aunt Zhang''s heart is too heavy. "We ¡­ we are ¡­"


    Black Bean smiled in understanding. Even though he still had an unerasable scar in his heart due to his parents'' death, he had already learned to look forward. He was no longer as irritable and easily resentful as he was in the past. It was as if unknowingly, he was led, guided, led by his sister, learned how to be at ease and how to be forgiving.


    Just as she and Mao Dou had said, if a person were to live in hatred, they would only end up being devoured by it. And there were many beautiful things in this world that were worth looking at and thinking about. A person''s life is too short. In order to live long, one must not confine themselves to a small world, and the days of hatred will only grow day by day.


    Furthermore, it was only an accident.


    Black Bean withdrew his thoughts, and said to Auntie Li, who was secretly wiping away her tears: "Aunt, don''t blame yourself anymore. You guys also did this for your good intentions, I understand in my heart. Then I will not go to Aunt Zhang to talk, and even asked Aunt to persuade them. We have already put it down, and let Aunt Zhang put it down as soon as possible. A dead man cannot be resurrected. A dead man is at peace, but a living man has his days to live. Try to persuade her otherwise. Even if she doesn''t remember herself, she should still remember Ah''Bao. "


    Auntie Li replied as she sent her out the door. Looking at Black Bean''s figure which gradually walked further away, not only did he feel relaxed after landing on a heavy rock, he also felt happy for his good sister.


    "These children are really good children!"


    She sighed with emotion before happily closing the door. She then headed to Aunt Zhang''s house at the village entrance to tell her the good news.


    After Black Bean returned home, he told the truth he heard from the Auntie Li family to his two younger brothers and sisters. Li Yannian and Mao Dou did not know that there was such a secret involved, so they did not speak up for a long time.


    "I already told my aunt to call someone from Aunt Zhang. When I thought about it later, you guys didn''t know about what happened with father and mother, so I should tell you guys to take part in the decision on whether or not you should let Aunt Zhang come help us. "Er Niu, Dou Dou, what do you guys think?"


    Zhao Xu was curled up on a sofa at the side, his eyes closed while holding a stove in his hand. His ears were listening to the movements of the three siblings the entire time. After hearing the truth of the Li family''s elders'' deaths, he thought to himself, if I were to let that family go, it wouldn''t be so easy for me to let them work in my shop to earn money to support their families. Could it be that this family of Li had a good character that was able to cultivate during Ramadan?


    I will not kill Born, but Born because of me. Such a deep hatred that was comparable to the hatred of a man who killed his own family was actually wiped away so easily?


    Zhao Xu squinted, and suddenly thought of something. His slender fingers, which was holding onto the furnace, began to gradually tighten, and on his hand which was half-covered by his sleeve, a layer of veins started to bulge out.


    Li Yannian rubbed on Mao Dou''s head and asked softly: "Dou Dou, what do you think, do you hate Aunt Zhang?"


    Mao Dou shook his head. "Big Sister, I should hate her, shouldn''t I?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Stupid Dou Dou, what do you hate about it that you shouldn''t have? Since you feel that you don''t hate her, then you don''t. It takes strength to hate someone. I''ll tell you a secret, I don''t hate the Aunt Zhang either. If you really have to blame this matter, you can only blame the heavens for not being able to see it.


    When he said this, the eyes of Black Bean and the Mao Dou brothers reddened. Li Yannian immediately stopped and laughed, "Brother, Dou Dou, the matter is over. Father and mother are watching us from underground. Brother, you did the right thing, me and Dou Dou agreed to let Aunt Zhang come to our shop and do the work. My uncle has also helped our parents a lot. I think that if my parents didn''t remember my uncle''s kindness back then, they wouldn''t have helped them snatch the wheat. If she wants to come, then let her come. We have no objections. "


    Black Bean knew that they would agree, and nodded with a faint smile: "Mn, got it."


    Zhao Xu only harrumphed coldly in his heart. An idiot like Li siblings, if he lived in the Duke Palaces like him, would have been torn into pieces long ago, like a lamb in a wolf''s den. It was as if his poor aunt, with a bowl of sweet soup from the kitchen, were as happy as a child and naive enough to think that the Princess was sincere in her sisterhood.


    She drank the soup every day, and sometimes she fed him a small bowl.


    However, after drinking the sweet soup from the kitchen for half a year, his Aunt Zhen was no longer able to smile warmly at him that day. She was no longer able to help him straighten his collar, cough out blood, and die without a cure.


    That year, when he was still confused, a word suddenly popped out in his mind ¡ª the beauty has vanished, and this was probably the meaning of the word in the book.


    His father was no longer merciful in the past, so he let them take a look at him before leaving in a hurry.


    It was also during that year that Zhao Xu had to suffer from a few serious illnesses from time to time, and he almost lost his life a few times.


    It was only by chance that he heard the old man in the mansion gossip and realized that his poor aunt had not died from coughing up blood. She had been drinking sweet soup for over half a year, and her intestines had long since rotted into mush.


    Later, Zhao Xu recalled the few times when he was severely ill that year, and it was also a coincidence. All of them happened when his royal father was not in the manor, and once the large kitchen brought him something, he would inevitably suffer from a serious illness the next day.


    Unfortunately, when he grew up and understood to protect himself, her mother, the Yi Wangfei, would not be so easy to deal with. Zhao Xu had never been able to understand why Madam Tu would have such a deep hatred for him and her aunt.


    Logically speaking, his aunt was just a slightly favoured concubine, while he, was also just an unremarkable bastard son. Madam Tu had powerful parents that were prime ministers, ministers, and assistants, and also direct sons that had inherited the position of King Yi. No one in the Palace could threaten her and her children''s interests.


    So when she stayed silent for half a year and did not make any movements, Zhao Xu thought that Madam Tu had finally given up and figured out that there was no need to fight a bastard son to the death.


    When he thought about the dangerous situation at that time, Zhao Xu still felt chills even to this day, and goosebumps rose all over his body.


    If he wasn''t so clever as to spot the loophole and roll off the carriage... He would rather have been the same as his concubine, coughing up blood and dying cleanly.


    He was still feeling cold, but his forehead was touched by a warm little hand. Zhao Xu suddenly regained his senses, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the little girl from the Li Clan looking at him with concern.


    "Why is your forehead covered in cold sweat? You don''t have enough clothes on you? "


    Li Yannian touched the clothes on his body. The thick cotton-padded jacket was supposed to be warm enough.


    "It''s better to go in and lie down for a while. I''ve been sitting for a long time, my legs are going to get numb."


    Li Yannian helped him up as he spoke. During this time, Zhao Xu suddenly tilted his head and stared at her.


    Li Yannian thought that he had gone silly again and patted his back with a smile: "Little fool, what are you looking at now? You even saw the flowers? "Don''t stare at other girls like that when you go out in the future. If you get chased and beaten up by other girls, I won''t help you."


    Zhao Xu turned his head, and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile. Heh, little fool, I don''t know who is the fool.


    The bit of hatred in his heart was washed away by this little fool.


    Without a trace, without a trace.

 C50

    Chapter 50 The Road to Well-off (26)


    On March 31, a few weird laughter rang on the third floor of the Li family building. If it wasn''t for the fact that Black Bean and Mao Dou were both sleeping soundly, no one would have heard them. They would have been scared to death by Li Yannian''s ghost-like laughter.


    There was no other reason. As soon as the time passed, it would be April.


    After selling off the gold, she immediately made a few orders. However, she only bought a few small things, and half of the room was almost occupied by the various bags, while her system account still had over eight thousand dollars lying in it.


    The first thing he bought was fresh food. All sorts of fruits, beef and lamb, deep-sea prawns, chicken legs and chicken breasts were all taken care of by Li Yannian. God knows how she''s been these past few months.


    Then there were all kinds of snacks, such as cookies, chips, chocolate, dried beef jerky, milk tea, fruit tea, cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, honey, brown sugar, ginger tea, and, most importantly, the thin cake of the Huangjia Spring Lotus. In the past, she would buy one every two weeks or so, and she would never get tired of eating it. Although there were still a lot of old brands such as Jinhua cracker and Su Xiangmo, they were all inferior to the peak position of the Huang Family''s Chun Lian in her heart.


    In the end, it was just a piece of a department store. In front, he had bought some shampoo and shower gel, but after taking them out, he could tell that the packaging was not from there, so Li Yannian specially bought a set of 3 pieces of porcelain for the bathroom. He chose a simple and elegant design without any words, when the time came, he would pour some shampoo and shower gel inside the bathroom, and that would be it.


    There were also a few antique porcelain snack boxes and other daily necessities. They were all antique designs, made from porcelain or wood. When used, they didn''t seem particularly eye-catching. She didn''t even forget the most important toilet. She had reserved a small room when building the house, so every time she was done, she would flush the toilet. The dirt and dirt would gather in the septic tank at the back of the house, and she would no longer have to endure the pain of holding her nose in the middle of the night.


    As for the skincare products, their budget was limited, so it was not a good idea to pursue them now. She casually found a few and stored them in the storeroom for convenient use. The cheap snowflake paste on his face had long been unable to endure the cold weather these few months. With great difficulty, he finally had the conditions to improve, and Li Yannian had already restrained himself from buying all of them crazily.


    In addition, she also thought about how the quilt she had now was heavy and not very warm, but if she wanted to buy a few good quilts, the silk would be soft, but it wouldn''t work. In winter, she had to buy more quilts than just heavy quilts, and there would also have to be a bed on top, otherwise she would be able to run out of heat after a night''s sleep, so after buying the quilts, she also had to buy a quilting quilts. Counting the price, in order to get the duvet properly, he had to go up at least three thousand times, and there were still over ten thousand that were expensive.


    Li Yannian only had so little money left in her account. After buying the blanket, he didn''t have any money left to buy anything else, so she could only bear with it for now. Fortunately, the coldest period had passed and the weather had started to slowly warm up. However, hot underwear could still be bought. In any case, when the time came, she would wear it underneath her clothes and normally would not be able to see it. As long as she took it off, it wouldn''t matter even if she was seen.


    Looking at the scattered items, he casually bought them. In the blink of an eye, it was already daybreak. Li Yannian was only interested in buying, he did not close his eyes for the entire night, but strangely, he did not feel sleepy at all.


    Stretching lazily, he casually packed his bag. At this point, he could already hear Black Bean and the others talking downstairs. Li Yannian stood up and wiped his face, changed his clothes, and then went downstairs as well.


    "Bro, Dou Dou, aiyo, why have you all woken up already?"


    Only after Li Yannian greeted everyone, did she realize that it was extremely difficult for him to call out to Zhao Xu every single time. She was actually yawning as she sat at the side of the dining table, and couldn''t help but ask in surprise.


    Zhao Xu looked at her with a pair of panda eyes, resentfully, and yawned again. If it wasn''t for the fact that he had to pretend to be stupid, he really wanted to ask the young girl from the Li family why he didn''t sleep in the middle of the night and would occasionally make a sound, causing him to be unable to sleep at all.


    Black Bean laughed: "I was shocked too, I woke up early in the morning and found him sitting up against the bed. His face was pale white and his eyes were green.


    The main culprit, Li Yannian, did not have any consciousness as she giggled: "This idiot will never be able to sleep. Bro, did you heat up the stove?"


    Black Bean nodded his head: "The hot water should still be warm after cooking the porridge. If you wash your face, there''s still some in the pot."


    Li Yannian did not say that she had already washed herself in cold water upstairs. She took out a liter of imported milk from the warehouse and placed it in the pot before adding it to the fire.


    Compared to the domestic milk sold in the supermarket, it was at least half cheaper. Moreover, it didn''t need to be stored in the refrigerator and its shelf life was also over a year. It was also a common occurrence for people to get five to six yuan at special prices. Li Yannian used to buy them all at once, which was much more worthwhile than fresh milk.


    In the past, she didn''t have the qualifications, but now that the transaction amount was no longer limited, she added milk to her daily diet. The two boys from the Li Family were still growing, so they drank more milk and grew taller as well.


    The stove in the new house had two eyes. While the milk was hot, she added some heat to the stove by the side, counted out five eggs, scattered them in the pot, and started heating up the pot. Then, she took out two bags of smoked bacon and threw them in. The bacon itself was rich in fat, so there was no need to add any more oil to the wok. As the fire slowly fried, the fat in the bacon was slowly fried out.


    Seeing that the bacon had already been fried to a yellow color, Li Yannian scooped it out of the wok satisfied. Then, with the oil in the wok, she poured the egg juice over the wok.


    After a short while, the golden egg juice solidified into a light yellow scrambled egg. She quickly used the shovel to scatter it. Seeing that it was almost cooked, she quickly scooped it out of the pot.


    "It smells so good. Elder sister, what are you cooking?"


    Mao Dou, who had just finished washing his face, twitched his nose and curiously went over to look at Li Yannian''s hand holding the basin.


    Black Bean immediately pulled him away. Actually, the moment the fragrance of the fried meat came out, he had the urge to rush to the stove to check what was going on. Black Bean was not an idiot. He could tell that his sister did not really want them to know the origin of these things.


    "Salted meat and scrambled eggs. Have you washed your hands yet?" After washing our hands, we''ll hurry to the table and get ready for breakfast. "


    Mao Dou''s attention was immediately distracted by the word "eat." He cheered and immediately sat down obediently at the dining table.


    Li Yannian removed the fire from the stove, and first poured a bowl of milk for everyone. Worried that they wouldn''t be full, she opened ten bags of jujube cake and placed them on a plate, then threw all the packaging trash back into a corner of the warehouse. Then, she carried the plate out.


    "Alright, let''s eat while it''s hot. It''s milk in the bowl. If you can''t get used to drinking it light, you can add sugar. "


    Black Bean and Mao Dou consciously helped her set up the tableware. Li Yannian was so busy taking out the food from her plate that no one noticed the surprise that flashed across Zhao Xu''s eyes.


    Is this milk? The cow milk that only existed in the kitchen of the King Yi? When his concubine was favoured, his father would remember to give some to his concubine, who would always be reluctant to drink it. She would have to wait until he had left school to force him to drink it, saying that it was a great tonic, and that it would grow if he drank it.


    However, he had never liked that fishy smell. Back then, he was still young and didn''t know how to act. Thus, when he agreed to it, he immediately turned around and splashed it. Another time, when he happened to see her, she sighed and said nothing, but she never forced him to drink again.


    When Zhao Xu turned twelve, his aunt''s grave was already as tall as a man. Only then did he know how rare milk was, and even in Prince Yi''s Mansion, the only ones who could enjoy it were a few noble lords.


    But now, on the table, the thing seemed to be free of money, bowls of it steaming.


    Zhao Xu suddenly thought of his concubine''s helpless look again. His memories about her had obviously become more and more blurry, and sometimes, he couldn''t even remember his appearance, but that look was as clear as if it was imprinted on his heart.


    "Hey, Brother Xu, why are you crying?" Was he too hungry? You can already eat. Don''t cry. "


    Mao Dou''s tender and concerned voice was right beside his ear, but Zhao Xu could not stop the tears from welling up in his eyes.


    "I don''t know either. Hey, stop talking. Hurry up and get him a towel."


    Li Yannian responded and quickly took a towel from the rack in the washbasin and soaked it in the hot water from the pot. After she wrung it dry, she went back to the table.


    "Aiyo, you little fool. You''re crying like a kitten. You''re too big to be ashamed." Dou Dou is so much younger than you, but she doesn''t even cry. "


    She teased while using a hot towel to wipe Zhao Xu''s face. Black Bean awkwardly retracted the hand that he used to receive the towel, and thought that he should remind his sister that even if Zhao Xu was a fool, he was still a male! Men and women shouldn''t be so intimate with each other! If the villagers saw this, wouldn''t they just talk themselves into death?


    Zhao Xu was originally crying, but when he heard this, he was afraid that Li siblings would see through it, so he started to fake crying. After a series of choked up performance, he finally stopped giving Li Yannian face, and raised his head to reveal a happy smile towards Li Yannian.


    "He''s crying and laughing at the same time. There''s really no saving him."


    Li Yannian lovingly touched his head, then wiped her face ruthlessly once more before letting him go and pushing the bowl of milk in front of him: "Hurry up and drink, it''s fishy and cold."


    After saying that, he remembered that this fellow was fond of sweetness, so he ruthlessly added another spoonful of powdered sugar to it.


    Black Bean saw that her actions were extremely familiar, even his brother Mao Dou did not reveal any shocked expression, and knew that the two of them had been together for a long time. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Li Yannian''s calm face, and Zhao Xu''s ignorant face, he thought for a moment, then closed his mouth.


    Heated milk did not have that much of a fishy smell, and Li Yannian had placed a red date in each bowl that was split into half, so even though it was the first time she drank milk, the Li brothers were not used to it. Even Zhao Xu who hesitated for a moment before taking the bowl out, had to admit that the food in the bowl was fragrant and sweet, so milk was actually this delicious too.


    "Sis, is there anything else?" This is good, I want another bowl. "


    Li Yannian shook her head and laughed, "No matter how good something is, it''s always fatal. If you like it, Big Sis will make you another bowl of it tonight, and you can even drink it everyday in the future."


    "Wow, big sis, are you serious? That''s great! "Sis, you''re so nice to me!"


    "You greedy cat, hurry up and eat porridge and breakfast. In a while, go back to your room to do your homework."


    "Yes, Sis. I''m very obedient. I practice diligently every day." "Sis, the paper last time was a bit insufficient. How about I use a sand table?"


    Li Yannian picked up a bowl of bacon and eggs with two chopsticks and said, "No need, Big Sis will come over with you in a while. If you''re good at this, then Big Sis will make you something nice to eat at noon. "


    When it came to eating, all three pairs of eyes in the house lit up. Black Bean and Zhao Xu subconsciously turned back to look at Mao Dou, but Mao Dou did not notice, he patted his chest and promised Li Yannian: "Alright! Sis, just you wait! "


    Li Yannian looked at Black Bean and Zhao Xu''s bright and lively eyes, and had the urge to facepalm and let out a long sigh.


    Truly, they were not family. They would not enter the same house. That Manager Lu really knew how to throw people into his own home. He really wasn''t just casually throwing them away.

 C51

    Chapter 51 Nameless Restaurant (1)


    Li Yannian did not go back on her words. That afternoon, she cooked a sumptuous lunch for his brothers, including salted prawns, steamed fish with black bean oil, hibiscus crab, and garlic scallop. They were all seafood that Black Bean had never seen before, and since Li Yannian''s cooking was so good, everyone dropped their eyebrows and almost swallowed their tongues for lunch.


    However, what made Li Yannian surprised was that, as a noble Young Prince, Zhao Xu had actually revealed a rare expression of enjoyment when he had eaten her peeled chili prawns. Before he had even eaten a single prawn, he was already staring at the plate on the table with shining eyes and pouting his mouth to indicate that he wanted to eat more of that.


    Li Yannian thought, could it be that he was a fake duke? However, he still went along with what said, peeling another one and putting it into his bowl. The moment he placed it in, he picked it up with one hand and threw it into his mouth, after which he chewed it up for a while, he pouted to Li Yannian for prawns.


    Black Bean stopped him and said, "Don''t get used to him, let him eat. In the future when we''re not at home at noon, he will always learn to eat by himself. "


    Even though he said that, he was still soft-hearted in the end. The moment he saw the bright eyes of Zhao Xu''s puppy, Black Bean mysteriously picked up the spicy steamed fish with her chopsticks and placed it into his bowl.


    Li Yannian could not help but laugh: "Alright big brother, just take care of your own food. I''ll just feed him a few more mouthfuls. It''s rare for him to want anything to eat. It''s not good to be so harsh with such a living person in our house. If his family regretted coming to look for him, then who would be the one to worry about him if he became thin and hungry? "We, the good people still have to do it to the end."


    Zhao Xu coldly snorted in his heart. Regret? It was too late to be happy. In the past, when his aunt was still alive, the western courtyard of the Prince Yi''s Mansion was still considered his home. But now, just to say the least, to him, even the Li family was more like a home than the cold place in Prince Yi''s Mansion.


    Black Bean immediately surrendered, "Alright, alright, I can''t outtalk you. You should hurry up and eat two mouthfuls, the food will get cold in a while. "


    Li Yannian laughed: "I know that it''s for my own good. Oh right, brother, aside from the Aunt Zhang, did aunt mention anything about our three mu of land? "What exactly do you mean by grandma''s family?"


    Black Bean shook his head: "Aunt didn''t say. Being mentioned by you, shouldn''t we go to the fields and see if the head of dysentery has grown back? "


    Li Yannian thought that if this weed still grew, his family would not have much time to farm by then. It would be best if they could find some living crops to plant in the fields, she nodded and said: "I have nothing to do in the afternoon, how about we go and take a look after dinner?"


    As he spoke, Li Yannian skillfully cut apart the two giant crab claws with a pair of scissors. After removing the shell on the outside, all that was left were the crab meat, which was dipped in vinegar.


    One big and one small, they instantly revealed the exact same satisfied expression.


    "Sis, this crab is really delicious. Why aren''t the crabs that we caught in the fields this big?"


    Mao Dou asked curiously while licking his hands.


    Li Yannian laughed and said, "The varieties are different, so it''s naturally not as big as this crab. Dou Dou, isn''t this Green Paste Crab the biggest? Wait until you finish writing down the entire piece of paper. When Big Sis cooks an emperor crab of such size, I''ll give you a lobster of such size as well. "


    When Zhao Xu heard the two words "Monarch Crab", he almost shouted out loud to stop her. If anyone heard this, they would be the ones who would see the official in prison!


    However, the Li family''s girl had an indifferent expression, as if what she just said was nothing more than a common thing. He was curious, how did this family raise their child?


    Fortunately, Black Bean still had some consciousness, so he shushed Li Yannian: "Er Niu, that crab and shrimp, I can''t tell others. These are all taboo things, like this Zhao, now that he isn''t someone from the upper echelons, he doesn''t deserve to have them, they all have to change their surnames.


    Li Yannian immediately came to her senses. After all, she was not an aboriginal and she did not have a natural reverence for imperial power.


    "Bro, I got it. I''ll pay attention next time."


    "It''s fine if you say it at home. I''m only afraid that you''ll be out there and not shut your mouth like this ¡­"


    The meal had made Li Yannian become more vigilant. On the other hand, she was indeed lazy, having been here for several months. She didn''t even know her own country''s name or which dynasty she belonged to, after all, it was too silly to ask others, "Eh, what dynasty are we in now?" Even now, she knew that the surname Zhao was the country''s surname Yongning, and this year was the twenty-first year of Yongning.


    As for whether or not the Song Dynasty had the name Yongning, Li Yannian did not know. Occasionally, she would hear stories told by the elders who gathered around to bask in the sun. There were still some stories about the Three Kingdoms, but there were also stories about Imperial Concubine Yang in the Tang Dynasty.


    Li Yannian couldn''t help but think that since she would be facing more strangers in her future businesses, she should be more careful and understand more about the environment and era she lived in so as to not offend the rules that Black Bean had described.


    The whole family finished their lunch in satisfaction, Mao Dou volunteered to clean up the dishes, so Li Yannian went out the door with Black Bean to check out the situation in her fields.


    The grass on the ridge of the field had been left dry for a few days now. This trip was just the right time to burn some ashes ¡­ As Li Yannian was thinking, Black Bean who was walking in front suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing her to almost smash her nose in.


    "Brother, why did you suddenly stop?"


    She poked at Black Bean who was standing there in a daze. Black Bean turned around, but his face had a look of astonishment and bewilderment, as he was completely at a loss as to what to do.


    Li Yannian''s gaze passed him and landed on the bent back of the old man who was hoeing the grass, she felt that the figure was familiar, and just as she was thinking about who the person was, the old man turned his head when he heard the voice, and instantly, their gazes met, and their faces were stunned.


    In the end, Black Bean still spoke first: "Grandfather, why are you here?"


    Old Man Li''s expression was a little unnatural. He coldly snorted: "A good field, ruined to this state. You guys aren''t managing it properly, I was just passing by."


    As he spoke, he raised his head and looked at the sky. He seemed to be talking to himself, but his voice was loud enough for the two siblings to hear him, "It''s time to eat lunch. Time to go back!"


    Then he coughed a few times, carried the hoe around the siblings and walked straight away.


    Black Bean:...


    Li Yannian:...


    So what exactly did he come here for?


    The Old Man Li was gone. Only then did Black Bean speak faintly: "Looks like this is my first reaction to hearing that uncle ruined our land. They still favour Uncle''s family!"


    Li Yannian patted his shoulder, "Brother, let''s not care about how we treat uncle''s family. "Look, it''s already noon. This grandpa came to our fields to secretly help you weed out. Even if you''re interested, you should still be in our favor."


    As she said that, she pulled Black Bean and looked at the situation in the fields. That caput dysenteriae was indeed well-deserved of his reputation. In just a few days of hard work, the field had once again become green, with a "pleasant" growth, and half the soil had turned over. It was clear that this was the masterpiece of the Old Man Li.


    Black Bean painfully held his head in his hands as he squatted on the Tian Creek. He said in frustration, "I''m afraid that I won''t be able to save the land that Father and Mother left behind."


    Li Yannian did not reply him. Before long, a large bundle of strange things with round green leaves and long stems appeared out of nowhere in her hands.


    "What is this?" Black Bean asked curiously.


    Li Yannian untied the rope and explained, "This is a sweet potato, also called a sweet potato, and according to the color, it''s called sweet potato, sweet potato, or purple potato. I have everything here, as to how exactly to plant it, it''s also written on this piece of paper. "Brother, I think we won''t be able to grow anything else here, but it doesn''t matter. This sweet potato is the least important thing. As long as we plant it, it can grow whatever it wants. We''ll just wait to harvest it then."


    Black Bean had never heard of crops that were so easy to serve, so he could not help but be shocked: "Really? Was it really that easy to save energy and not need to be served in the field? Everything else has to do with how many times you want to catch up with the fat, and if you don''t have time to spend it on the ground, you might not be able to get anything back when the harvest is over. "


    Li Yannian laughed: "Actually, this is also my first time growing it. However, Brother, since the land is already like this, let''s just try growing it for a year and see what we can get. If we can''t, we''ll just use silver to pay for it and it won''t be a problem. "Even if it''s grandpa, we still have to go up and tell him not to hoe our seedlings like this."


    Black Bean thought, anyway, he had already listened to his words so many times, it was only one more time, if he was bad, then he was bad, if he was happy, then so be it. He immediately nodded in agreement. "Alright, then tell me how to grow it. I''ll hoe it."


    The sweet potatoes also needed to be fattened up, but with the current situation in the fields, even if they got fattened up, it would be a blessing for caput dysenteriae. Li Yannian thought that although these three acres of land were not strong, at least it could satisfy the necessary conditions for the sweet potato to grow ¡ª ¡ª The sun was sufficient. If the sweet potato seedlings continued to grow, the family would come to the fields when they had free time to pluck the grass and harvest as much as they could when it was close to winter. At that time, Mao Dong would hide at home and casually bury a sweet potato in the ashes.


    Even Zhao Xu only had four people in his family, how much could he eat? It was just for fun.


    The siblings did as they were told. They rolled up their sleeves and started digging a hole. They pointed at the seedlings and cooperated extremely well. But Li Yannian still failed. After sowing just one plot of land, her waist was aching so badly that she could not stand up straight.


    Seeing that, Black Bean laughed, and then pushed her home to rest: "It''s enough to have me here, you can go back, it won''t help much even if you stay here. "If you really care, then hurry back and see if Uncle Li is home. If he is, then I should ask Uncle Li to come and help."


    Li Yannian looked at the pile of sweet potato seedlings on the ridge of the field, then looked at his family''s original small land, which now looked like it would never grow another three acres of land.


    "Then I''ll go back now?"


    Black Bean replied with a smile, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.


    Li Yannian had already gotten up, when she suddenly turned her head back and said, "Brother, remember to give Uncle Li a few seedlings to grow. Let him give it a try at home."


    Black Bean impatiently waved his hand to chase her away: "I got it, I got it. Those who think about this and that all day really become little old granny."


    Li Yannian made a funny face at him before sshe hopped back. Occasionally, he would turn her head and find Black Bean still standing there, watching him with a smile.

 C52

    Chapter 52 Nameless Dining Hall (2)


    On the eighth day of April, the twenty-first year of Yongning, a day so ordinary that it could not have been more ordinary, yet on such a day so ordinary, a "little thing" so small that it could have been ignored, happened, and it was this very little thing that, on the shoal of time, left behind the first footprint of the giant as he walked.


    It was on this day that Li Yannian''s nameless restaurant opened.


    As early as three days ago, renovated storehouse street facing door board, hang "immediately open, welcome to" vermilion wood plate. The laborers who were working on the dock had received the news early and were waiting for the restaurant to open for the fun of the day. He did not want to wait for the restaurant to open, but wanted to see the owner''s true colors and see which restaurant raised such a fool.


    Borrowing from the conversation they had with Li Yannian with the Qi Laosan, all of the laborers at the dock knew that the cloth-shop storage room would soon become a restaurant for business. Just like the Qi Laosan, none of the workers on the dock were optimistic about the business, they were all waiting in the dark to see the boss of the restaurant make a fool of himself. As a result, as soon as the restaurant''s opening sign was posted, the news quickly spread across the dock.


    Gu Mingyuan was naturally no exception.


    He had already asked his big brother Gu Mingde about it. This month, the Xuan Paper Bookstore had asked for 11,600, and the Li family had even handed over their goods without batting an eye. Zhao Cai and Jin Bao had been paying attention to the movements of the Li Family these past few days. The two were either busy with the opening of the new shop, or holed themselves up in the Li Village, not moving at all. They had never seen them get goods from anywhere, nor had they seen any convoy from other families enter the Li Village.


    Where did they get the paper that was given to the Bookstore?


    Moreover, her restaurant was about to open up, and he hadn''t heard of the Li family asking for rice.


    There were too many mysteries in the body of the Li siblings.


    Or to be more accurate, there were too many mysteries on Li Hong Dou''s body ¡­ Gu Mingyuan couldn''t help but be curious. If they hadn''t been in the kitchen, how would they be able to cook white rice with empty hands?


    "What?" A single coin for one to eat one''s fill? " Gu Mingyuan lost his composure and suddenly sat up in shock, "Is she crazy? How could this price be made? Can''t I just die from loss? "


    Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, the two brothers, looked at each other. Finally, Zhao Cai stood out and said, "Third Young Master, the little ones are not sure. It''s like watching them bring out the steamer at noon, and the slogan is to eat till you''re full with only a single coin. "


    Jin Bao added, "It''s just for today or two. When the day after tomorrow comes, the price of the rice in the restaurant will return to the price of the Three Coins.


    "External tape?" A meal? " Gu Mingyuan chewed on these two unfamiliar words, and started thinking.


    Zhao Cai quickly explained: "You are not allowed to bring out food, you can only say that those who eat in the hall can only sit in the shop. Third Young Master, how can the Li Family bear such a way of selling? "Those who work hard are all bottomless rice buckets. They can eat two or three catties of rice just from eating."


    Jin Bao smacked his lips: "I can''t understand either, who would be so happy to give away money in a business deal like this?"


    Gu Mingyuan really could not understand the reason why the Li Family Restaurant was so cheap, so he grabbed a few points and asked: "How many people are in their restaurant right now? What kind of rice do you sell? Do you have any grains of sand mixed in with it, or something else? "


    Zhao Cai glanced at Jin Bao, and swallowed his saliva before carefully replying: "There are a lot of people here to watch the commotion, at the beginning, they were still unwilling to believe, but I was afraid that if I went in to eat, I would need more money, but I can''t handle the young lady from the Li Clan. "To be honest, Third Young Master, you asked the two of us to find out about the third young master. We wanted to ask you about the rice in the restaurant, so we didn''t mind spending some money in the Li family''s restaurant to try a night''s worth of rice ¡­"


    Gu Mingyuan did not pursue the matter of spending money at another restaurant as members of the Gu family. Instead, he asked calmly: "How much rice is there?"


    He was certain that the Li family''s food store was selling for a cheap price. It seemed like they were just taking a piece of the cake.


    Zhao Cai subconsciously swallowed his saliva, and carefully considered his reply: "100% of the white rice, not a single piece is aged, and not a single grain is mixed ¡­"


    This time, Gu Mingyuan was truly shocked. "How is this possible?"


    Jin Bao said: "Third Young Master, it''s true. The little ones'' words were true, not a single one of them was deceiving you. "That Li family''s restaurant sells real, genuine, white rice. In terms of appearance, this little one reckons that the quality of the rice here is on par with the best quality rice in our rice shop ¡­"


    Zhao Cai still thought that he did not believe him and suggested a rotten idea: "Third Young Master, if you do not believe me, why don''t I go back to their store tomorrow and secretly hide a lump of rice for you to see?"


    Gu Mingyuan glared at him: Can''t I go by myself? You still have to be a thief? "


    Zhao Cai felt a bit wronged, this lowly one was worried that the labourers would attack the Young Master, I was just being ungrateful and did not have the heart of a donkey.


    "Alright, you two go down first. I''ll take a look at the situation first. If you have any orders, I''ll summon you."


    Zhao Cai and Jin Bao responded as they turned around and left, leaving Gu Mingyuan alone in the study, pondering over the situation. In his heart, he secretly made up his mind that after the first three days of their business, he would take some time to visit the Li Family Restaurant. Maybe, Li siblings had set this plan first, then another.


    On the side of the pier, Li Yannian, Black Bean, Zhang Bao and the Aunt Zhang who had been bashful for a few days, finally agreed to come to the Li family store to help. With a total of four people, on the afternoon of the eighth day of April, they steamed more than two hundred kilograms of rice, and they were so exhausted that their waists almost broke.


    The reason was because there were too many people eating in the restaurant.


    In the beginning, it was only Qi Laosan and the rest who came to watch the show, but Li Yannian forced them to come in and eat. When the onlookers at the back saw them eating so happily that their chopsticks flew up to their bowls, they were extremely moved. "Isn''t it just a single coin, I can still afford to eat it?"


    The power of example is infinite. Soon, the eating army grew bigger and bigger. Soon, even the residents of three or four streets away heard the news and came to eat. A single coin for good rice was enough to fill one''s stomach. For commoners who only had a few coins on hand and couldn''t even afford a large piece of rice, this was a small luxury that could be easily reached. The combat strength of the people eating in the front was astonishing, they did not put down their cutlery, and the people squeezed in from behind, after two punches, there were still more rice to be eaten, but the cutlery that Li Yannian asked the system to buy was not enough.


    Although Li Yannian could definitely ask the system about the dishes and chopsticks she bought now, but looking at the crowd of people in the shop who already no longer had a place to stay, she decided on the spot and apologetically said to the other customers: "My uncles, sorry for the inexperience today, the dishes and chopsticks that the shop has just opened are no longer enough. As you can see, the first batch of dishes inside have not even come out yet, the bowl probably won''t be empty for a while either. The price of the store will still be the same at noon tomorrow. Why don''t the uncles come back tomorrow? I''m really sorry. "


    The others looked at each other, then one of them stood out and said with a slightly red face, "Don''t worry, we''ll just wait for the rice to be sufficient."


    Looking at their clothes that were patched up and washed white, Li Yannian suddenly understood something, "I''m afraid we will have to wait for a long time. Back Chef still has a fresh plate of rice, if my uncles don''t blame me, can you make do with me and go to Back Chef with me to get a rice spoon to eat? There is only one concubine in Back Chef who is a chef in our shop, he is only responsible for cooking. The uncles should all be close neighbors, right? "


    The middle-aged man who had just come out to speak blushed again, understanding that the young lady in front of him was considering things for them. Eating in Back Chef, not only would allow them to immediately fill up their stomachs, it would also avoid the obvious awkwardness in front of others.


    At once, he nodded his head and said, "Lady is right, we are all employees of the workshop. Miss is right, we are all employees of the workshop. "I''ll listen to you. We can eat enough with a tray of rice."


    Li Yannian smiled as she took the money from them. She called Black Bean and had him watch the place from the front as she led the group towards the direction of Back Chef.


    When the Aunt Zhang who was busy cooking saw her, she subconsciously wanted to stand up, but Li Yannian quickly held her down: "Aunt, busy yourself. Since there are no seats outside, I brought these few people over to you."


    As he smiled at them, he said, "Uncles, if you don''t greet me well, it will be hard for you to sit over here. For the sake of apologizing, I''ll send a plate of soy sauce to our host, it''s not worth much and will be treated as a small token of goodwill. Uncles, please don''t blame me."


    As he said this, he took out a plate of pickled vegetables with half a pack of Fuling pickled vegetables, two small packets of Xiao Shan jerky, and five or six pieces of red oil curd and put it in front of them.


    The middle-aged man in the lead said embarrassedly, "Then I''ll have to thank you, my lady."


    Li Yannian nodded at the few of them: "I''m busy outside, the boss has not invited many people, I will not greet them here, if there''s anything you need me for, I will be fine."


    "Eh ¡­" The man replied, he watched as Li Yannian pushed open the door and walked out, and turned to look at her comrade, sighing: "This lady is truly kind, not only did she leave us face, she even gifted us with some salted vegetables."


    Another person sighed and said, "A silver coin business is like a silver coin business. The owner of this shop can really bring people."


    The oldest of the five said, "Let''s not talk about that and hurry up and eat." After the meal, the shop was still waiting for work to begin. If we''re late, the boss will have to pay us back. "


    At the mention of their boss, everyone''s faces were slightly displeased. Perhaps they were truly afraid of their wages being deducted, so they did not say anything else. With their mouths agape, they began to eat with their spoons out of their mouths.

 C53

    Chapter 53 Nameless Restaurant (3)


    There was no doubt that Li Yannian''s move was extremely smooth. In just one afternoon, the nameless restaurant on the shallow water pier had made a name for itself in a nearby town.


    After the first day of business ended, Zhang Bao counted the daily income. He had actually taken a full 354 gold coins for each one of them. There were only a few people at the shallow water pier. That was to say, their restaurant had already opened on the first day and they had already attracted guests outside of the pier.


    Zhang Bao was speechless, "Good boy, from the looks of it, there will probably be more people coming tomorrow. "If this goes on, let''s not talk about how tired we are, the tables, stools, plates and chopsticks in the restaurant will also run out."


    Li Yannian laughed: "It''s fine, the wind has been blowing recently, the number of people in the day after tomorrow will be fewer. We''ll start preparing an hour earlier tomorrow to cushion the traffic. Furthermore, they already know what it means to be able to eat their fill with only a single coin. They originally came here for the sake of cheapness, so the requirements for the dining environment won''t be too high. "


    Aunt Zhang quietly tidied up the table and chairs at the side. She did not say anything, but when she saw that there were rice grains on the table and several bowls filled with rice that had yet to be finished, she felt her heart ache and frowned.


    Li Yannian just so happened to see, and laughed: Aunt Zhang, take a basin and pour all the leftover food out. Bring it back to feed the chickens later, mixed with rice bran will be the best.


    Aunt Zhang immediately put down the broom and turned her head to say: "How can I do that, after saving all these leftover food, there will be people who would feed the pigs to collect, and they would even be able to sell some money. Besides, I see that this shop owner''s business is going to be big in the future, and he''s inviting many people over. No one should take the leftovers, and as time goes on, gossip will start to spread. "


    Li Yannian did not expect the Aunt Zhang to think this far, after being shocked for a moment, she nodded her head and agreed: "Aunt, you are right, then I will listen to you.


    She then turned around and said to Black Bean: "Let''s open up for the first day and not tell our guests clearly. There will be an unlimited supply of rice at any time, but we shouldn''t waste it like this. Take as much as you want to eat. If there are more than one tael of silver left in the bowl when someone is full and goes out, you will be punished with another three coins. "


    Black Bean was still considering whether this plan was feasible or not, he was afraid that they would be crowded up the next day. This caused the young lad to not hear the new rules clearly, and he was afraid that there would be trouble in the middle of it, and he was unwilling to pay the fine, when he heard First Uncle Zhang Bao say: "Hong Dou, your words are correct, but do not be anxious. When we are opening for lunch tomorrow, let us inform the people that are eating here, and also look at the few Qi Laosan s that are leading the group, let them go back and help us, we need to make sure that most of the people here understand this new rule. "


    Li Yannian felt that sshe was indeed inconsiderate, and agreed wholeheartedly, "Uncle, you''ve eaten too much salt in the end, so you''ve thought about things much more carefully than I have. Then according to your intentions, tomorrow I will tell Qi Laosan that he will be exempted from paying for a meal and help our shop spread the news. This new rule will be implemented after the day after tomorrow when the original price has been restored. "


    Black Bean also felt that this action was appropriate, and did not make a sound. Li Yannian divided the copper coins she earned today into four piles and shared most of it with Da Bao and Aunt Zhang. She then explained to everyone: "Today, everyone is really busy, this is what the boss means, no matter how much money the shop has made, it will all be split equally between the shop assistants. Of course, this isn''t counted as monthly money, but rather, it''s also not counted as how much money everyone should get at the end of the month."


    Black Bean looked at her in surprise. Others might not know, but he knew who the owner of this shop was.


    Zhang Bao was still hesitating, but Aunt Zhang had already pushed the money back. "This is really unbearable, we should have done this in the first place. Since boss has already given us enough money for a month, we shouldn''t take these."


    Li Yannian expected that she would decline and explained with a smile: "If the work is done well and the pay is the same, then who would be willing to give their all in the future? Aunt Zhang, please accept it. This is my boss''s wish, everyone has done well in the last two days, so I am qualified to take it. "Just take this as an opening red packet, and accept it for luck."


    Aunt Zhang looked at the others, seeing that Black Bean and Zhang Bao were nodding at her, she smiled and accepted the money.


    Li Yannian continued: "Then we have finished today''s work, go back and rest. Tomorrow, it will be another tough battle."


    The few of them laughed, then quickly packed up the tables and stools, leaving Zhang Bao to stay at the back of the shop, while Li Yannian and the other two rushed back home.


    Along the way, Li Yannian and Black Bean would talk to each other, but she would only quietly listen to them from beginning to end, never taking the initiative to talk to them. Only when Li Yannian would occasionally ask her did she reply slowly with a sentence or two. Her quiet personality was not like the other middle-aged women in Li Village, who liked to gossip.


    It just so happened that Li Yannian was the type of person who was afraid of going out of sorts, especially towards Aunt Zhang, who had a grudge with their family. She was even more afraid of not talking to anyone along the way and seemed to be especially cold to her.


    In the beginning, Li Yannian did not find the right path, and asked Aunt Zhang about her family''s situation, but after she replied, she did not have anymore, so she had to rack her brains to think of the next topic. Later on, when she thought about how most mothers were willing to talk about their children, she decided to put it to good use and asked Aunt Zhang Ah Bao how she was doing regarding her studies.


    When he mentioned his son, Aunt Zhang''s face that had always been as gloomy as mist finally had a smile, and he spoke a little more. However, this was more than a sentence or two more than the previous awkward silence.


    Fortunately, when Li Yannian was worrying about what to say next, she saw two familiar figures standing at the entrance of Li Village Village from afar. It was Mao Dou and Zhao Xu who came out to welcome them, and asked: "Why did they come here?"


    Black Bean shook his head. "I probably missed us, I told Mao Dou everything right before we left."


    The Aunt Zhang took her leave in a timely manner. Li Yannian had promised to wait at the entrance of the village as usual tomorrow, and leave half an hour earlier than today. Only then did she and Black Bean head over to Mao Dou''s side.


    "Bro, Sis, you''re finally back."


    Seeing the two of them, Mao Dou immediately threw himself at Black Bean and hugged him, acting like a spoiled child.


    Li Yannian shamed his face: "Such a grown man, and so delicate. How did you agree to come this morning? It''s only the first day, and we can''t leave your brother for good? "


    Mao Dou made a face at her. "Sis, I missed you at home too. You''re so bad!"


    Li Yannian laughed and patted his head: "I will just wait at home next time, I don''t have to stand here until my legs ache. "You should remember how to make Xu Zi look at you. You didn''t forget to bring him along when you went out."


    Mao Dou let go of his brother''s hand and turned to wrap Li Yannian up. He raised his head and laughed, "I''ve always remembered elder sister''s words. Brother Xu Zi was very obedient today. He ate all the food by himself. Sis, is the town fun? Did you start your shop today to make money? Are you tired? If not, I''ll go with you guys, right? "


    Before Li Yannian could shake her head, Black Bean said sternly with a cold face: "That won''t do, your job is to practice writing at home. I''ll just worry about things that earn money with your sister, you are just a kid, don''t worry about it."


    Mao Dou looked at his brother in dissatisfaction and then gestured at himself and his sister. "Big brother, Big sister is only three years older than me. After the new year, I am already seven years old, and I am no longer a three year old child. You guys have worked so hard, I want to help too! "


    Li Yannian was speechless, when the whole family was walking back home, she thought for a bit, then slowly opened her mouth and said: "Your heart aches for us, big sis and big brother both understand. But think about it, is it really necessary for us to have you to help carry the plates to the restaurant? "


    Mao Dou shook his head. He knew that the First Uncle and the First Uncle were also working in the shop and there were enough people in the shop.


    "That''s it. For you to be able to pity your big brother and big sister''s hard work in earning money, big sister is actually very happy. But everyone has their own uses, and right now, what big brother and big sister needs you to do the most is to practice your writing. After you can read all the words on the letter in the second half of the year, you will be sent to the town to study, and at that time, you will be able to eat lunch in the shop everyday.


    Mao Dou thoughtfully stopped in his tracks, looked at Black Bean, then looked at Li Yannian. Finally, his gaze landed on Zhao Xu who was behind Li Yannian and asked, "Sis, I''m going to the town to study. What about Brother Xu Zi?"


    Li Yannian had never thought of this before, she should just leave it at home. They brought him to the town together, running back and forth for fear that the noble young master who lived like a prince might not be able to handle it. Furthermore, they were afraid that some accident might happen to him ¡­


    Black Bean also thought of this point, and hesitated: "Why don''t we buy an ox cart? Er Niu, I wanted to tell you before that we don''t have a lot of rice that can be transported back and forth. "Buy a car, it would be convenient for Xuanzi to go back and forth from town, and it would also be convenient for our store to provide cover."


    Li Yannian nodded her head: "Then brother, you can decide for yourself. How much silver do you want?


    She estimated that she could last until the end of April after buying 3000 pounds of rice last month. It would be enough to spend the balance to buy rice. Thus, she calculated the remaining eight thousand yuan that she had left after the shopping spree. She planned to leave only three thousand yuan for emergencies while keep everything else as silver pieces.


    Her luck was good as well. The silver pieces she had bought this time were cheaper than the ones she had bought before, only 3.65 grams of unmarked 999 silver for 100 grams. Li Yannian bought 1,300 grams of Pure Silver, but still only spent 4,745 yuan. If these 1,300 grams of silver were converted into 2 digits, it would be around 35 taels of silver.


    Although it was much less than selling Xuan paper ¡ª ¡ª 4745 Yuan could buy Xuan paper for at least 290 pieces of blade paper, and 100 pieces of paper could be sold for 1 tael of silver, which was at least 290 taels of silver. According to Li Yannian''s request, that would be 48 taels of gold! However, just as mentioned previously, although the Xuan paper was profitable, Li Yannian was first worried about the Gu family. Secondly, he was afraid that there would be too much Xuan paper coming out to attack the other paper-making workshops. After all, the Gu Family only had one business, and as long as she did this, Li Yannian did not plan to work with the Gu Family anymore. This way, the impact on the other paper-making workshops would not be that great.


    Black Bean didn''t know how much his sister actually had, but when it came to buying a car, he was actually a little worried. The one that Uncle Li bought was a sick cow that was about to die, but he still needed fifteen coins to go home and drink a few pots of herbs to cure it. If we were to buy it, we would need to be able to use it. It would definitely be impossible for us to buy it because we don''t have the time and energy to take care of it ¡­ However, a robust bull can''t be bought with just thirty to fifty ways to go. "


    There wasn''t much silver in the countryside, so when Black Bean talked about buying cows, he automatically used copper coins as the unit. Li Yannian really didn''t know how expensive an ox would be, it actually required three to five hundred silver coins to buy it, and she couldn''t help but be speechless: "Brother, how about this, tell the Uncle Li and let him help us look around. If there''s a suitable price to offer for us, this cow is really a bit expensive, in the end, it''s still useful, we can''t help but have to buy it. When we get home, I''ll give you the silver first. When you give it to the Uncle Li, it would be better to give it to someone else.


    Black Bean thought that there was still a car behind that needed to be paid for, so he simply said: "Then let me take a silver note and let Uncle Li look after it, I''ll buy the car too."


    Li Yannian nodded her head, which was considered to be agreement, but her heart was aching in pain. She had spent another 100 taels of silver just like that, she really earned it quickly, and spent it really quickly.


    What son of a b * tch Xu, he didn''t know if he could pull it off. He had been tormenting himself for such a long time, yet no one had seen him come looking for him. He was still waiting for him to send more money!

 C54

    Chapter 54 Nameless Dining Hall (4)


    There were salted prawns for dinner and stewed radish with beef. The majority of the prawns had entered Zhao Xu''s stomach, the beef was completely filled up by Black Bean and the Mao Dou Brothers, and the radishes that were filled to the brim with beef soup were mostly finished up by Li Yannian.


    She could see that the Li brothers were dogs after all. Even if they ate seafood, they would only feel fresh after eating it once. When they had meat, they would still rather eat meat, finding it too troublesome to eat prawns and peel their shells.


    As for Zhao Xu, he was a cat. As long as there was seafood on the table, he would be straight with eyes wide open.


    This was really a family of gluttons! Every time she drilled into the kitchen, the eyes of a few children of all sizes would sweep over her. Their expressions were as if they were treating her as a moving human gourmet, waiting for her to come up with something delicious to eat.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that he had a golden hand in the Treasure Shop, he really wouldn''t have been able to support a family like this.


    While Li Yannian was washing the dishes, she was thinking about something, when she suddenly heard Mao Dou calling him.


    "Bro, I forgot to tell you guys that Eldest Uncle came to our house today. I lied to him that the second door was locked and I couldn''t open it, so he left in a huff. "


    Li Yannian was immediately on guard, what was Li Qingshan doing in their home? What kind of evil scheme was this?


    Black Bean asked: "Did he say anything?"


    Mao Dou: "Uncle didn''t say anything. He just kicked the door when he arrived. Xu Zige and I were shocked when we were in the room. I went up to the second floor and told Big Uncle that you guys had things to do, and he went out. The second door of our house couldn''t be opened, and Big Uncle wanted to knock on it.


    Li Yannian thought that the Li Family major chamber and the Three Houses were all rotten things, what was the point of coming here? In short, this was a weasel paying respects to a chicken for a new year, he had no good intentions. Initially, he felt that it was inconvenient for Mao Dou and the others to follow him back to the town. Now that he thought about it, leaving the two of them, one weak and one foolish, at home really made him a bit worried.


    Mao Dou proudly replied, "Of course, I''m smart. "Brother, don''t worry. Even if Big Uncle and the others come again next time, I won''t make a sound. I''ll pretend that there''s no one at home."


    Li Yannian shook off the water stains on her hands, grabbed a towel and wiped it as she walked into the living room.


    He then turned to Black Bean and said: "Brother, since it is still not late, why don''t we go to Aunt''s place? "Looks like I''ll have to pick up the matter of buying a car earlier. Also, I''ll have to ask about this afternoon''s matter as well."


    Black Bean nodded: "Then let''s go. If I don''t clarify this matter, I won''t feel at ease either."


    Borrowing the weak starlight, the two of them went to Auntie Li''s house next door and knocked on the door. Only then did Uncle Li and Auntie Li take a rest for dinner, and the dishes on the table had not even been served yet, they were just a bowl of red oil curd s that Li Yannian had given them before, and a small bowl of boiled vegetables with half of the remaining water. Without them living at home, the old couple''s food was clearly several times worse than before.


    Of course, Auntie Li also saw the surprise in Li Yannian''s eyes, but she was not embarrassed, and laughed: "Why are you here at this time? Did you hear Mao Dou talk about what happened in the afternoon? Sigh, that uncle of yours is truly unlucky. After getting scolded by the Old Man Li, he will really vent his anger on you little ones. "


    Without waiting for the two siblings to ask, Auntie Li carried two small stools over for them to sit on and told the two little ones about the joke that villagers told them this morning.


    "Didn''t you guys get ruined in the fields last time? Didn''t you guys plant quite a few caput dysenteriae s? Your uncle and I went to your grandfather''s house to talk about this matter. At that time, Old Man Li did not say anything, and your uncle and I thought that Old Man Li did not want to bother with your family''s matters.


    "Who would have thought that two days ago, Old Man Li would suddenly hoist a carrying pole onto your uncle''s house. Even the elders couldn''t stop him. Behind him, it was you who ran a few steps faster with your little feet, saving your uncle. They talked for a long time before realizing that the reason for their boss''s beating was because he had helped your mother plant caput dysenteriae in your fields that night. "


    "Even your uncle and your family have a share in this matter! "He''s really unlucky. There''s not a single good person in this family. Everyone is looking forward to see if you kids can continue to live like this."


    Li Yannian did not understand, and asked curiously: "Since third uncle has a share, why didn''t my grandfather hit third uncle, only eldest uncle?"


    Auntie Li curled her lips in disdain: "The one leading the pack is still your milk! Could it be that Old Man Li was able to hang his wife up and beat her up? No matter how he thought about it, he could only do what he wanted! Furthermore, your uncle is your big brother. As your big brother, he did not bring your little brother along to learn. As your father, of course, we should beat him up first. "


    Li Yannian subconsciously looked at Black Bean, who blinked innocently at her, causing her to laugh uncontrollably: "Big bro, luckily you''re not the same as big uncle, you didn''t lead me and Mao Dou to break."


    As he spoke, he turned to Auntie Li and asked, "But Aunt, how did my master know the truth in bringing Uncle and Third Uncle to ruin our land?"


    "Thank you, Third Aunt, for doing all this, asking people everywhere for caput dysenteriae s that were pulled out from the fields. It was too late for villagers to avoid this thing. There was even someone who specifically asked them for the seedling, saying that her mother-in-law told her to ask for it. Isn''t this weird? villagers would say whatever he wanted to say. After a while, it already spread to your master''s ears. "When you go home and ask again, you''ll know everything."


    He really wasn''t afraid of a god-like opponent, but a pig-like teammate! No wonder they had seen Old Man Li hoeing in their fields a few days ago. He had been there to "atone for his sins".


    Li Yannian felt that the Old Man Li could not be considered to be bad, but there were some people who acted in their own way, and there were even some who valued their sons and daughters seriously. It was a fatal flaw in the modern world to prioritize males over females. However, in the ancient times, especially in rural areas like the Li Village, it was extremely common.


    Of course, this did not mean that Li Yannian had a good impression of the Old Man Li. For a person who viewed his face and authority as more important than the happiness of his own flesh and blood, being able to respect Old Man Li as an ordinary elder was already his bottom line. However, he wanted her to be a well-behaved, sensible, and well-behaved junior, just like the body''s original owner''s father, Li Hongshan. She had to be as loyal and filial as the original owner, and sacrifice her own family to help everyone ¡­


    She asked herself if she was aware of the fact that she was using the money she had earned to feed a family of bloodsucking leeches. Sorry, but she really couldn''t do it.


    "Your uncle has probably recovered from his injuries in the past few days. He is quite angry, and is jumping up and down again." By the way, you new seedlings in the field, don''t let them kill you again. I think we need to find the Lizheng for this matter. Even if it''s a peasant, he would not be able to tolerate it. "


    Auntie Li said indignantly. Uncle Li, who had been sitting quietly at the side, glanced at her, then said to the siblings, "Don''t worry, your grandpa has already said that. If anyone dares to touch the things in your land again, he will go and invite the Earthen Lord to follow the rules of our village."


    Li Yannian did not know what the rules of the Li Village were, but looking at how shocked Auntie Li and Black Bean were, she guessed that the rules should be strict.


    Black Bean opened his mouth and said: "Then I won''t be worried anymore. Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle couldn''t hold back their anger anymore, so they didn''t dare to bring trouble to this land anymore. Uncle Li, thank you for your concern. Speaking of which, us siblings have always been under the care of Uncle and Aunt. Originally, I didn''t have the luxury of asking for your help, but after thinking about it a bit, other than Uncle and Aunt, I really can''t think of anyone else who would really treat us well. "


    Auntie Li had a face full of happiness when she heard this, but managed to suppress the smile in her eyes after being rolled in Uncle Li''s gaze. She said politely, "Child, you are too foreign to me. As long as it''s something we can help with, you can just ask for it. "


    Black Bean looked at Li Yannian, and when the latter understood, he immediately took out a note that was worth a hundred silver and handed it over to Auntie Li.


    "This is?" Even though Auntie Li didn''t know how to read, she could still recognize the size of the banknotes. When she saw the amount of money on the banknotes, she couldn''t help but be shocked, "So much money, where did you guys get it from?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Aunt, rest assured, this money is from our shop''s owner, they can help me buy an ox-cart. The two of us had to go to the shop every day, and after thinking about it for a while, we had to make things difficult for our uncle and aunt, to help our boss create a suitable car. You don''t have to use the best ones, you just need to use it. "


    Black Bean continued: "We are also not clear about the situation, and are afraid that others will see that we are still young, so we casually gave a price. In the end, he was still helping his boss. If he didn''t do his job well, he was afraid that his boss would blame him afterwards. Uncle, can you help us out this time? If you don''t have enough money, I''ll ask my boss later. "


    Uncle Li shook his head: "It''s not necessary, we still have more to look for. Don''t worry, I''ll go to town tomorrow to take a look. "


    Li Yannian laughed: "Then that''s for the best. "Uncle, if you buy it, you can just go up to the restaurant on the pier and look for us."


    The Auntie Li opened her mouth to say something, but seeing that the Uncle Li was floating towards him as a warning, she suppressed her words, "I have to go back to work tomorrow."


    Taking advantage of the fact that Uncle Li was up and sending the two out, Li Yannian secretly stuffed half a tael of silver into Auntie Li''s heart. The Auntie Li subconsciously wanted to push her back, but Li Yannian stopped her hand and shushed her, even winking mischievously at her.


    "Aunt, you still have to save up for your wife for Hu-ge."


    With just one sentence, he had successfully changed Auntie Li''s mind. She quickly glanced at her wife who was walking in front of her. She did not insist and silently kept the half silver taels into her sleeve.


    Seeing that she was willing to accept the silver, Li Yannian smiled and said the other thing that he wanted her to help with.


    "Oh right, aunty, I have something I need to ask of you. Help me see who has a little chick growing out of them. I can make thirty to fifty of them."


    "Why do you need so many chicks?"


    Li Yannian laughed: It''s fine to raise and play, Dou Dou has nothing to do at home, it''s fine to give him something to do. Furthermore, there might be leftover food in the shop, and it would be a pity to sell it to someone who collects slops. It would be better to keep it to feed the chickens. "


    Originally, he wanted to bring it back to the Aunt Zhang to feed the chickens. However, the other party didn''t appreciate his help, so Li Yannian thought that it would be better to let the other person take advantage of himself instead. In any case, he had the warehouse on hand, it was a skill that could be casually put away and given out.


    The Auntie Li still did not agree with Li Yannian''s actions, and patiently advised: "Chicken is not something that can be raised easily. As long as one of them gets sick, the rest will suffer. Didn''t you see that even though the Widow Hu has raised a lot, there are only about 10 or so of them in the village?


    Uncle Li and Black Bean stopped in their tracks. Hearing her say that, they looked at Li Yannian suspiciously.


    Li Yannian laughed: "Aunt, don''t worry, Dou Dou is very careful. Actually, I won''t hide it from my aunt. This matter was also instructed by our boss. He was worried about the chickens raised by someone else, so who knows how he fed them? "He just wants us to feed him. If he dies, we''ll let him take it. If he comes back alive, we''ll send him to his residence. We''ll also give him some to share with him. This can be considered as a good fortune."


    The Auntie Li curled her lips and said: "There are a lot of problems with this rich person as well. Alright, since it''s not your fault, Aunt will not stop you. I will go over to Widow Hu''s house and ask for some seeds. "Let''s not talk about other things. Aunty was a good hand at raising chickens. There were only a few bad people who raised chickens."


    "Aunt, it seems that Dou Dou will have to take you as her master in the future. Please give me some pointers."


    Auntie Li laughed as she covered her mouth in embarrassment. She humbly spoke a few sentences before sending Li Yannian out.

 C55

    Chapter 55 Nameless Dining Hall (5)


    The second day after the restaurant at the shoal was opened, it was similarly overcrowded.


    Li Yannian was completely convinced that they were all here to eat. What the hell were they thinking?


    Qi Laosan knew what she was thinking just by looking at her. He raised the bowl in his hand and said proudly, "I was afraid that your shop would be like yesterday, unable to supply the bowls. We brothers have all brought them from our own homes, and we even saved you the time to wash the dishes, isn''t that great? "


    Li Yannian thought, wasn''t it the same if she just remembered to bring a bowl and not chopsticks?


    Even though they had opened an hour earlier today, it was as if they had grown legs thanks to yesterday''s booming business. Not only did everyone in Clear Water Town know that this cheap restaurant was open for business, even people in Du Jia Village had specially come to watch the show. As a result, the Li family''s restaurant exploded once again.


    After working so hard, Li Yannian was so tired that she could not even stand up straight. Even her throat was hoarse, but she still saw a customer still wanting to sit in the shop. Zhang Bao gave her a wink. "It''s going to be over soon. We can''t let anyone else in, or we''ll have to go for dinner."


    Li Yannian also agreed, she was just about to hang up a sign for them to close up, and then she saw a few constables dressed like yamen constables heading towards their shop.


    The leader saw Li Yannian hanging up his signboard and asked suspiciously, "Is the shopkeeper ready to close the shop?"


    Before Li Yannian could even speak, Zhang Bao welcomed them with a smile: "Originally we were prepared to rest after entertaining this group of guests, you constables, it looks like you''ve only just started eating at this hour? It was too hard! "Please come in quickly, please come in. The best rice is still warm, but the store only sells rice and no dishes. If the constables don''t mind, do you have some of the sauces we eat?"


    The leader impatiently counted out a few copper coins and threw them into his hand. He waved his hand and said, "Don''t bother with those useless things. Just serve me a plate of food."


    Even so, Zhang Bao very politely sent a plate of rancid milk and pickled vegetables to their table. Due to the sudden arrival of a constable in the shop, the commoners were afraid of him. Even though he had never done anything shameful in his life, he was still cautious when facing a constable. The customers who were eating and chatting at the three to five tables suddenly quieted down. They hurriedly finished the bowl of rice in their hands, wiped their mouth and put it down, then ran away.


    If not, they might not have been able to return to the Li Village before New Year''s Eve. Seeing that First Uncle was watching them, Li Yannian and Black Bean started to clean up the tableware.


    Zhang Bao was at the counter, paying attention to the police officer''s movements. He was prepared to rush up at any moment. Amongst them who were in the business world, the most sinful were the Shangguan Family s, and even the yamen constables.


    As the saying goes, a Yama is better than a small ghost. Since ancient times, a constable was a lowly person. Once a constable possessed someone from the same profession, they could not become an examiner for three generations. Most of these yamen runners had to earn some gray income by relying on other means. For example, when there was an unknown female corpse on the premises, before the case could be formally investigated, a constable had brought a bailiff to throw the female corpse in front of the door in order to extort and extort money.


    This kind of thing happened everywhere in the government office. People without any connections or sense of shame wouldn''t be able to do such a wicked thing, so when ordinary people couldn''t live on, no one would want to go to the government office and find a job.


    Sometimes, a hooligan and a constable were the difference between not wearing a set of black clothes and boots.


    Thus, Zhang Bao was worried that Li Yannian, a little girl, would come forward and greet him. He was preparing himself as if he was facing a great enemy, afraid that he would offend her if he was not careful.


    The policemen were used to the strange looks from the others, so they didn''t take it to heart. The round-faced man with the family name Da Zhuang was already starving. Before he could fill the bowl with rice, he had already stuffed a big mouthful of rice into his mouth.


    Tall Mighty was still chewing rice and exhaling hot air while exclaiming, "Eh, Old Xing, did I lose my head from hunger or something? Why do I feel like this meal is so tasty?"


    The person called Old Xing had a squarish face, long and thin eyes, and an extremely astute appearance. He was also extremely hungry, but he still had the reserved attitude of a scholar. He leisurely filled his bowl with half a bowl of rice and blew on it to cool it before finally picking it up and putting it into his mouth.


    The other triangular-eyed Fang Dahai answered on behalf of Old Xing, "It''s not that you''re too hungry, the food in this shop is really delicious, and the price is also the cheapest. "Old Xing, we''ll come often in the future!"


    Ancestor actually came often in the future! Zhang Bao was still wailing in his heart. He didn''t know whether it was his imagination or not, but he kept having the feeling that the triangle-eyed old Xing would still come back often after he finished speaking.


    He hurriedly squeezed out a smile and said, "The best way for you all to eat is to confirm our store''s identity. Welcome to our store in the future ¡­"


    The youngest of the four laughed, "Alright, look at him. Our leather clothes scared away his business."


    Black Bean looked at Da Bao worriedly when he heard him. Li Yannian had never experienced such a scene before, so she did not know what to say. From the way these people spoke, especially the person called Old Xing, who seemed to be following the rules. Gradually, he no longer feared them as much as before.


    Zhang Bao immediately walked over with an apologetic smile and said, "Masters, you sure are joking. Normally, the store would not be able to look forward to a rich person like you. A few of the lords often came to the shop to look after the business, and none of them dared to have any ideas about our shop. If the lords are still satisfied with their meal, they will definitely come often. "


    Old Xing then said lightly, "Shopkeeper is too polite." It wasn''t easy for them to get back at each other. Did you make these dishes in your restaurant? Instead, it''s the food. "


    Zhang Bao immediately gave Black Bean a meaningful glance, telling him to bring more food to Back Chef, while smiling apologetically: "The countryside people casually cook rough food, it''s good that you guys don''t mind."


    Old Xing had seen a lot of things in the world. The spicy red oil was quite unusual and did not taste like a dogwood.


    When he was young, he had been to Sichuan with his family. The people there loved spicy food, and there was usually a spicy taste of dogwood in their dishes. There were also some people who had mentioned that dogwood was made into red oil for cooking. At that time, he was the father of the supervising army of the Dingxiang Army and had yet to be framed by his comrades. However, he still had to pay four to five silver taels a month. How could a man be careless? A six or seven year old child was unable to eat spicy food. Seeing that he was tear-filled from being spicy, he stuck out his tongue and fanned himself. Then, he even raised his head and laughed ¡­


    However, that day disappeared twenty years ago.


    Zhang Bao saw that the leader, Old Xing, was staring at the red oil curd and cried in his heart, This is bad! Could it be that there''s something wrong with the pickled vegetables?


    Constable Xing came back to his senses, and asked Zhang Bao: "Shopkeeper, how many red oil curd do you have? It''s good that I''m eating. How about selling some to me? "


    The few constables who were reaching out their chopsticks to taste the soy sauce immediately turned their gazes towards her. Seeing that Li Yannian looked to be only around ten years old, a smile appeared in their eyes, it was quite pleasing. The triangular-eyed Fang Dahai immediately cried out, "Oh, that mouth of yours. Old Xing, he said that he''ll send you the pickles as long as you come. We won''t be able to leave you in the future."


    Li Yannian laughed: "This grandpa''s words are heartbreaking, if we want to gift this crude food to you, you will like it, right? As long as the lords like it, anyone who comes to eat will be sent off. "


    Fang Dahai liked her cleverness in her words, and wanted to tease Li Yannian a little, but he was stopped by Old Xing.


    "Hurry up and eat. After you''re done, you have to return to the yamen to report back. It''s not easy for people to do small businesses. Stop fooling around."


    The young man who spoke earlier smiled faintly, "Old Xing is still the most stable. I did not misunderstand when I told you about this matter. "


    Li Yannian secretly sized up the youth''s dressing, she clearly also looked like a constable. However, the meaning behind his words was as if he was in cahoots with the other three. And judging from his age, he was clearly the youngest. In terms of seniority, the other three should be above him. But when Li Yannian saw them enter the shop with their words and deeds, this youth seemed to faintly occupy the upper hand.


    But after that, the few of them did not say anything, and even the red oil curd that Old Xing asked about did not finish.


    Zhang Da Bao looked at Li Yannian, not knowing if she should make a pot for him. Li Yannian shook his head and went to Back Chef. After a while, she brought out a small jar that was wrapped in oil paper and placed it on the most eye-catching part of the counter.


    In the meantime, all the other guests had also left. The four of them quietly finished a plate of rice, wiped their mouths, and got up to return to the yamen. Zhang Laobao caught up with him at the right time and handed the vat to Old Xing.


    Old Xing turned around and looked at him, then looked at Li Yannian. The corner of his mouth pulled, and he took out a piece of crushed silver from his waist and threw it into Li Yannian''s hands.


    "Keep it, the things in your store are worth this money."


    As he said this, he chased after the three people in front of him without looking back. With big steps, he soon left.


    "This ¡­" Zhang Bao had never seen a constable giving money to a constable like this, so he was momentarily stunned.


    Li Yannian, on the other hand, put the crushed silver away peacefully. She had a premonition that this Chief Constable Xing would come back often in the future. It might be a good thing for her to befriend someone who could speak with the yamen.


    "Don''t think about it, Uncle. "Hurry up and settle the score. If it''s too late, Big Brother and I will go home in the dark."


    Zhang Bao replied. He quickly hid behind the counter and started to calculate. Not long later, he reported his total income: "Excluding the 30 yuan we spent to buy firewood, today we charged 437 yuan. Good boy, so much money!"


    Black Bean and Aunt Zhang had already cleaned up Back Chef, and when they heard this number, they were a little shocked, and said at the same time: "That many?"


    Li Yannian looked outside and was curious why the Uncle Li had not bought an ox cart yet. She then said to the rest of the people, "That''s not strange, there''s still three days worth of incense in the new latrine. After all, we set a cheap price, and there are a lot of people here. "When the original price is restored tomorrow, there won''t be so many people left. When that happens, we can relax a little."


    Zhang Bao thought that his niece''s words made it seem as if she wanted the store to have a bad business.


    As usual, Li Yannian split today''s income evenly into four parts: "For the instructions from the boss, everyone doesn''t need to decline, there will be no such treatment tomorrow. If our performance at the end of the month is not good, then we might even have to deduct our wages. Therefore, everyone has to focus on doing their job well. Don''t lose the heart that the boss had for us. "


    Zhang Bao was actually very curious about Li Yannian''s so-called boss. He endured it and took the lead to promise: "Hong Dou, just let our boss be at ease. We will definitely take care of this shop."


    Aunt Zhang also nodded. "I will cook."


    hurried to follow up: "I''m fine too, don''t worry, boss."


    Just as he was speaking, a familiar laughter was heard from outside, "Aiyo, what are you doing?"

 C56

    Chapter 56 Nameless Dining Hall (6)


    Everyone turned their heads to see that Auntie Li was sitting on a brand-new oxcart, smiling brightly at them. The one leading the cart was the Uncle Li.


    "It took me a while to bargain with them. I was afraid that all of you would have already put away the shop. Fortunately, I told your uncle to come over and try his luck, so that you wouldn''t have to waste time on the way back."


    Auntie Li jumped off the car, explaining to Li Yannian while pulling her up to look at the new oxcart.


    Your uncle has seen that this calf is the best looking one in the whole bull market. Take it home and take care of it, and there will be a time when you can put in some effort to raise your strength in the future. "Your uncle talked to him for half a day about the price of this cart full of cattle, but in the end, he only asked for 68 taels of silver to break open the banknotes and spend some time talking to him before he got to this point."


    Although Li Yannian did not understand how a cow could be considered good or bad, but looking at the little cow who was obediently chewing her food with her big eyes and looking at him foolishly, Li Yannian liked it from the first glance.


    "Uncle, Aunt, thank you so much. You have done us a big favor." This cow looks really good, but it''s also a good car. "


    The Auntie Li laughed proudly: "That''s true, no one in the entire village understands these animals better than your Uncle Li. "Don''t be too reluctant to part with it. This little ox is still rearing its soul at home. With an old bull accompanying it, it will not be a stranger to us."


    Li Yannian laughed: "That''s good, then I will have to trouble you again Aunt."


    The Auntie Li waved her hand and laughed mischievously: "What''s wrong with such a small matter? You guys just pack it up already, let''s go, let''s hurry up and go home. It''s time for Mao Dou to get impatient at home. "


    As they talked about going home, they got up quickly. When they were on the road, Li Yannian didn''t want to sit on the carriage anymore. She felt bad and was made fun of by the Auntie Li: "Are you trying to buy a carriage driver or an ancestor? Hurry up and get on the carriage. This little guy is full of energy. If I buy it, I won''t be wasting things. Aunt won''t be able to watch any longer. "


    Hearing her words, Li Yannian could only climb onto the carriage. When Aunt Zhang was old, he was persuaded to get on the carriage. She, Uncle Li and Black Bean chose to walk instead.


    Li Yannian was too tired, and after sitting on the carriage for a while, she fell asleep. When she woke up, she saw Black Bean''s face, which had enlarged because he was holding her. She rubbed her eyes: "Brother, where are Aunt and the others?"


    Black Bean lowered his head and laughed gently: "Aunt and the others have all gone home, continue sleeping, I''ll call for you at dinner time."


    Li Yannian muttered: "Let me do it..."


    Before he could finish, he tilted his head and fell asleep again.


    Black Bean looked at her with a pained expression but did not say anything. He only subconsciously took a few light steps and sent his to the third floor, gently covering his with his blanket. Then he let out a long sigh and went downstairs.


    Mao Dou worriedly asked, "Brother, what''s wrong with Big Sis?"


    When he saw his big brother carrying his sister back, Mao Dou was shocked. If Black Bean had not shooed him, he would have rushed over to ask for details.


    "Your sister is fine, she''s just exhausted. There were too many people in the restaurant these two days, so he couldn''t come over. He wouldn''t be so busy tomorrow. "Be good, don''t make such a racket, let your sister sleep a little longer."


    Mao Dou let out a sigh of relief. Just a moment ago, he was really afraid that his sister would be like his parents. Without leaving a single word behind, he had quietly left.


    After calming down the fear in his heart, Mao Dou started to have the thought of gossiping. "Big Brother, aunty''s family bought us an ox-cart, right? "What does that cow look like? Is he as old as Aunt''s family?"


    Black Bean patiently replied, "Not old, not even two years old. He''s still a young bull. "Your sister really likes it. She didn''t want to take the car on the way back."


    Mao Dou chuckled. "Sis, you''re so silly. Don''t cows only buy to work? Leading oxen to walk by themselves instead of taking a car? Only fools would do something like that."


    Black Bean poked his round face, but suddenly remembered that he had not seen Zhao Xu since he entered the room. He asked: "Where''s your Brother Xu Zi, still sleeping in the house?"


    Mao Dou shook his head. "Brother Xu Zi is in the yard at the back. He refused to stay in the house for some reason in the afternoon. I was afraid that he would get into trouble, so I let him stay in the yard. "But don''t worry, I''ll go back to check on him every now and then. Brother Xu has been sitting in the yard and hasn''t moved at all. Brother Xu Zi is very obedient."


    Black Bean was still worried, he dragged Mao Dou along with him to the courtyard. Seeing that Zhao Xu was really sitting there motionlessly with a blanket wrapped around himself, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Speaking of which, it was time to find a place to plant some things in this small patch of garden. Empty was a waste.


    He reached out to Zhao Xu''s forehead and checked it to make sure there was no sign of a cold, then reached out to help him up, "Xu Zi, it''s getting late, don''t sit here and take the wind. Go back to your room and sit down. We''ll have dinner soon. "


    Zhao Xu''s eyes moved, he calmly confirmed that the pigeon message in his sleeve was really well-hidden, and then let Black Bean lead him into the living room.


    Once inside, he habitually turned his head to look for Li Yannian''s figure in the kitchen. Seeing that, Black Bean laughed: "Don''t look for me, Er Mei is tired today, she is sleeping upstairs. I''ll make dinner. Xuanzi, sit properly on the sofa. Dou Dou, come in and help Big Bro heat up the fire. "


    Mao Dou sensibly went into the kitchen to help prepare dinner. Under the guidance of his brother Black Bean, the little man didn''t even have the time to form the "Women are born to serve men", he had already dove head first into the kitchen, which was a "forbidden area" that only women in the countryside should enter.


    The two boys were busy working in the kitchen while the only girl that should be working was sleeping soundly on the third floor. This scene was completely impossible for Li Qingshan and Li Jun Shan''s house.


    For example, Lotus Flower, who had just turned thirteen after her birthday in March, was squatting in the kitchen, washing vegetables and cooking porridge despite the fact that her arm had nearly broken when she accidentally rolled down the hillside this morning to play firewood. Her mother, the Sister Wang Xiu, was also not idle either.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that she was blind, then she would have already fallen flat and wouldn''t have been able to cut the pigweed even if she broke her arm. She didn''t have to work so hard and had to go to the kitchen to help cut the pigweed and cook the pig food.


    Usually, all the work at home was done by Lotus, but now that the person was injured, Sister Wang Xiu had no choice but to work hard on top of his head. Who told his family''s two new pigs to be ancestors, he couldn''t afford to starve at all!


    These two little pigs had spent a lot of money for her. For these two pigs, Sister Wang Xiu had been scolded quite a bit by the Li family''s old pious woman, saying that this was a proper farming family, they shouldn''t have had the mind to raise these pigs. Since his family didn''t have any food to eat, what was he supposed to feed the pigs?


    couldn''t help but roll his eyes when he thought of how the old pious priest looked when he was scolded to the point of spittle flying everywhere. Since they were already separated, Madame Li, who couldn''t explain it, came to her house to show off her mother-in-law''s might. This couldn''t do it, but this couldn''t be done, so she treated it as not being separated. He wasn''t someone who was easy to talk to, like the Zhang Sanniang.


    In his entire life, the Sister Wang Xiu had always been good at doing things the opposite of what was right on the surface and doing things behind his back. The day Madame Li scolded her until her mouth was dry, she told her to return the two little piggies. Sister Wang Xiu immediately agreed without a word of objection. After Madame Li was satisfied and left, she immediately closed the door, spat out a mouthful of saliva, and cursed at them. What should she do then?


    She had heard about the matter of Li Zheng selling pigs from the Li Hongshan family. A skinny pig that was only a little over two hundred kilograms, and not even much fat had been pasted on it. It had to be known that Li Zheng''s daughter-in-law only spent a hundred and fifty gold coins to buy piglets! However, he had only been feeding the pig grass for a few months and had already earned so much from it. How could she not be jealous?


    It was just to let Lotus cut some pigweed while she was chopping firewood! If this little piglet were to be raised, it would only be a waste of money.


    However, it was one thing to think of raising pigs to earn money, and it was quite another to think of raising pigs to dirty work.


    The more Sister Wang Xiu thought about it, the angrier she got, and while cutting the pig grass, she said to Lotus: "It''s all because of you, useless loser. "I think it''s time to find someone to marry you off and go out, so we can save up some money for Da Niu''s daughter-in-law."


    Lotus stopped picking the leaves as her face turned pale. It wasn''t her arms that were hurting, but because she was scared.


    But she also knew that her family wasn''t like her second uncle''s family. Her daughter was born to be a loser and wasn''t worth much. Rather than begging his mother not to marry him, he might as well use another way of speaking to drag things on.


    "Mom, I''m still young, so I can still stay at home and work for two more years. If I leave, my home will lose a pair of hands, but no one will feel sorry for me, so I''ll work for my mom." Furthermore, with Big Brother''s talent, there is no one in this village who can match up to a daughter of another family. Even if Mother was interested, she would have to carefully pay a visit to help Big Brother get a good home. "


    When Lotus said this, she felt weak from the bottom of her heart. If her big brother could be considered a talent, then he could also be considered a person who had nothing better to do. Ever since she was young, she had never seen Da Niu do anything serious. If he could avoid being lazy, he would seize every opportunity to do so. If he didn''t live, he could even find a bunch of excuses for himself. She was a perfectly fine person, and she had hands and feet. She was already 17 years old, and her eyes were still staring at the kids who didn''t even get a bit of food from him. If she said it out loud, she would feel ashamed for her brother.


    He said that a daughter should not have a mother. In a lotus flower, a mother should have a daughter. Her words completely hit seven inches of Sister Wang Xiu, and when the latter heard it, his face immediately revealed a very proud and pleased expression, "We can''t be anxious about Da Niu''s marriage. I just want to see, there aren''t many good people in our village. Especially that daughter of the Widow Hu family, his indecent behaviour is just like her mother''s. He has a demonic aura, and I don''t dare to accept such a person as my daughter-in-law. "


    Even Widow Hu wouldn''t dare to have a son-in-law as'' able ''as my big brother ¡­ Lotus silently listened, lower her eyebrows to hide the mockery in her eyes, afraid that her mother would see the disdain and contempt in her eyes, then her soft words from before would be wasted.


    Sister Wang Xiu was still immersed in her beautiful dream, "If your big brother wants to look for her, he has to find a daughter from Wang Xiu''s family in the town. She is a pure and innocent person who has studied with a lot of books. I asked someone to ask about it last time, and he actually opened his mouth to ask for fifteen yuan in a colorful gift. She grew up with copper coins for her daughter, gold and silver bones? "You really want money!"


    That''s right, the best girl in the world doesn''t want a single gift, but instead needs to stay close to our family for at least thirty or fifty years. Our parents are very sensible, after this girl marries into our family, she will break off all relations with our family ¡­


    Sister Wang Xiu still continued to make up for her harsh selection criteria for daughter-in-law. Lotus face drooped, looking at her wrinkled face reflected on the water surface, her stomach filled with a long sigh.


    The older he grew, the more he felt that he was probably not her parents'' child. Otherwise, why would he not be as silly as her mother, nor as ruthless as her father, nor as lazy as her brother?


    It was second uncle''s family''s Red Bean that had good fortune. Her parents were like treasures when she was born. She also had a good brother like Black Bean, an obedient brother like Mao Dou ¡­


    The mother beside him was still talking about her foolish daydreams, while the worried Lotus endured the pain and used her hand to prick the tranquility of the water surface, shattering the reflection of her troubled face.


    It would be great if she could not get married. She would be willing to spend her life at home cutting pigweed, cooking firewood, and doing farm work that she would never be able to finish.


    Sigh ¡­ The girl let out another faint sigh from the bottom of her heart. No one could hear it, but it had the weight of someone crushing their spine. It was extremely heavy.

 C57

    Chapter 57 Nameless Dining Hall (7)


    Li Yannian''s prediction was still verified.


    On the third day of the restaurant''s opening, the flow of customers plummeted and by lunchtime half of the restaurant''s seats were not filled. Amongst the returning guests, the people from Qi Laosan were especially eye-catching.


    Maybe the Qi Laosan also felt that the business in the store today was too cold, so he greeted Black Bean awkwardly when he was paying: "A meal from the Three Coins is not expensive, why are there so many people missing."


    Black Bean laughed: "That''s normal, we have made preparations as well. We didn''t cook much today, and if there''s more people, we won''t be able to provide enough. The opening month was the first month, and the first two days were a great deal. Although the prices were going to return, there would still be some preferential treatment. For a table like yours, if three of you travel together, you can send a bowl of seaweed soup and a small plate of pickled vegetables. After this month, if you want soup and vegetables, you''ll have to pay another coin. "


    Qi Laosan was embarrassed to take advantage of their home, but in his opinion, his brothers could eat almost 10 jin of rice in one go, but as long as the Three Coins s were given to each of them, the owner of this restaurant would have died. Especially since the rice in the restaurant was fragrant and soft, and was not the slightest bit adulterated, it was much better than the rice that they had to buy in the rice shop.


    Furthermore, people like them relied on their strength to eat everyday. It was hard to say how good a meal of black flour steamed bun was compared to a meal! On the surface, it looked like they would need to spend more Three Coins s every day, but once it got warm, not only would they have a full stomach, they would also have strength. Who on the dock hadn''t eaten their fill and wished they could carry a few more bags of goods? After a whole day of eating, his stomach started to feel hungry after having just finished lunch. This was the fundamental difference between having goods in your stomach and having none at all.


    Therefore, even though they knew that the price of the rice in the small restaurant was going to rise to Three Coins s, the Qi Laosan brothers still endured the pain. Qi Laosan was actually struggling in his heart. While thinking that if the small restaurant continued to run like this, he also hoped that this store would continue to run for a long time and bring them more benefits.


    Black Bean didn''t know what Qi Laosan was thinking about this. Seeing that he was hesitating and didn''t go to get the seaweed soup and soy sauce, he smiled and explained, "These are all present now. However, I have to remind you all that you can''t eat leftovers from today. If you have too much leftover, you will be fined money. "


    Qi Laosan came back to reality from his thoughts, he scratched the back of his head and said, "I understand, I will tell them about the brothers on the dock. Everyone has been through a lot, and they all know that food cannot be wasted. "


    Black Bean assured him and watched him carry the things back to his table, then smiled and went to receive the next guest.


    With so few customers, Li Yannian heaved a sigh of relief. She never expected this store to earn so much money, but more importantly, she wanted to clear the way for the money in her pocket. She thought about it, what Black Bean was worried about was not unreasonable, the shop did not have any large stocks of rice, but there was always white rice that was steamed out and sold, as time passed, it would arouse people''s suspicions.


    She planned to buy the mid-priced rice from the rice shop in town after the restaurant was closed for the day. The rice people mixed with pebbles and bran couldn''t eat, so feeding the chickens wasn''t a big problem.


    Zhang Bao and Aunt Zhang were no better than Black Bean and Li Yannian. When they busied themselves two days ago, the two of them were more happy than tired, but today, a huge landslide suddenly happened in the business of the shop, so as a member of the shop, they naturally felt more nervous. However, when they saw Black Bean and Li Yannian standing there calmly and laughing, looking completely fine, their hearts were even more uncertain.


    What was the boss thinking?


    After sending off the last customer who came to eat, Zhang Bao quickly went through the bill. What surprised him was that even though there were fewer customers today, the store still had almost 200 yuan in one afternoon.


    Seeing his anxious look, Li Yannian laughed, "Uncle, don''t think too much. "Hurry up and pack up. I will first seal up the bill, then lock it up. At the end of the month, I will go to the fire shop to exchange the money."


    Zhang Bao sighed, "It seems like there is a lot of money in the account this day, but all I can sell is white rice. Zhang Bao sighed," It seems like there is a lot of money in the account this day, but all I can sell is white rice, and I can''t even decide how much it will cost to sell it.


    Li Yannian did not expect that this First Uncle of her would be so professional, holding the salary as a cashier and acting like a general manager, she could not help but smile.


    "Uncle, don''t worry." The business in the shop is well understood by the boss. We can do what we want. Think about it, how could there be a person willing to do business at a loss? "You don''t have to worry about purchasing. Everyone has their own store, so that''s not our responsibility."


    Zhang Bao felt much better after being comforted by her. They cleaned up the store and were about to pack up and lock the door when Constable Xing, who came yesterday, wandered over again.


    "Eh, Constable Xing, why haven''t you eaten yet? "Hurry up and come in," Zhang Bao called out enthusiastically. His sharp eyes saw that Constable Xing was planning to retreat.


    Li Yannian sagely stepped forward to welcome him. "There''s no one else in the shop today. There is still a tray of food on the stove that has not been touched. If you don''t mind our clumsy hands, I will make you some food to cook. "


    It was already past dinner time when he left the yamen. It was not that Xing Sufeng actually had nowhere to go, but the moment he entered the street, his legs seemed to have their own consciousness. Unknowingly, he walked over to the nameless restaurant on the shore. However, it was different from the crowded scene yesterday. They came earlier today, but the store was already empty. It seemed that they had cleaned up and were about to close the store.


    The moment Xing Sufeng''s eyes met with Zhang Bao, he was a little regretful. He could have gotten a bowl of noodles from a noodle stall in the alley beside the yamen and fill his stomach. In the end, he was unable to close the door and had to entertain Zhang Jie Yu.


    Xing Sufeng understood in his heart that this was not because he was liked by others, it was just that they were all afraid of this layer of skin on their bodies, afraid that they would offend this lowly one.


    Actually, they didn''t have to.


    In the end, he was still like his useless father, unable to use those rascally tactics to make money.


    Xing Sufeng wanted to leave, wanted to tell them, no need to trouble themselves, he was just passing by, and did not come here to eat lunch. However, his feet went against his will again and again. When he finally regained his senses, he was already sitting at the dining table, while the girl talking to him moved as nimbly as a butterfly. In a short while, she had already packed everything up for him.


    There was rice, soup, pickled vegetables, and a bowl of stewed red braised pork.


    Li Yannian saw that Constable Xing had raised his head and looked at him curiously, and explained with a smile: "There''s nothing good for you to eat, this meat is for us to eat, it''s fresh from the pot, and no one has touched it before. If you don''t mind, you can try it, it''s good enough for dinner."


    This bowl of Red Braised Meat that was stewed completely with the red oil curd juice was indeed something they had left over. However, Li Yannian had fought with them since the beginning, so he planned to bring them back for Mao Dou and co. to taste. Now that such a great Buddha had suddenly appeared in the shop, she naturally had to treat him well. She had to put down some face first before she could slowly make friends with him in the future.


    Xing Sufeng looked at her but did not say anything.


    He ate very slowly for this meal, and his appetite was not worse than yesterday either. He only increased his appetite by two more times, but he ate all of the side dishes that Li Yannian prepared for him, including the bowl of Red Braised Meat.


    "How much is it, shopkeeper?"


    Zhang Bao did not dare to ask him for money. Just as he was about to say that it would be a great honor for Xing Ye to come to their shop to eat, Li Yannian took the initiative and said: "Three Coins, thank you."


    Constable Xing turned around and looked at her again. Without a word, he took out three copper coins from his waist, placed them on the counter, and walked out.


    Seeing that the person had finally left, Zhang Bao released a long breath, then said to Li Yannian: "Good boy, only you dare to open your mouth, the officers in Du Jia Village have always eaten and taken everything, not to mention the money, it''s already good enough for them to not fall down."


    Li Yannian laughed: "What''s wrong, Uncle, this Constable Xing looks different from the people in the manor. You forget that yesterday was also the meal of the constables he paid for. Today, he didn''t bring anyone with him. Instead, he went around by himself. As I see it, this Constable Xing is a good person, so he doesn''t have any money in his pocket. Don''t be a fool and say that you won''t take the money, that person really doesn''t dare to come to your door. If we open our doors to do business, we might have to beg someone else some time. When it''s time to burn the incense, it won''t burn well. "


    Zhang Bao shot her a glance and said with an indulgent smile, "Kid, you know a lot. If your mother was half as clever as you, she wouldn''t ¡­"


    Halfway through his words, he started to feel uncomfortable. Li Yannian immediately stopped, "Uncle, it''s getting late, I will keep this table for you to clean. I will go back with Aunt Zhang and the others first, remember to lock the door."


    With her interruption, Zhang Bao was no longer in the mood to feel sad. "Leave this place to me. You guys hurry up and continue on your way. It won''t be good to continue on your journey once it gets dark."


    Li Yannian responded as she finished setting up the oxcart. She was waiting for them outside.


    Li Yannian and Aunt Zhang rode in the carriage as usual, and along the way, they moved back and forth. Li Yannian had also figured out Aunt Zhang''s temperament and knew that forcing people to chat with him would make things difficult for them, so he only nodded and smiled at Aunt Zhang, then leaned against the carriage''s walls and closed her eyes to rest.


    The Auntie Li was right, even though the calf Uncle Li had picked was still young and strong, she had not seen how the calf could not eat well either.


    At the beginning, Black Bean lifted the curtain to look at the situation, seeing that Li Yannian took the time to rest, her eyes revealed a look of pain, but she did not say anything, and the carriage became more stable.


    Honestly speaking, he did not understand why his sister was in such a hurry to open a restaurant, making him so tired. Obviously, by selling Xuan paper and pepper, they already had wealth that villagers would not be able to earn in his entire life. But since it was something that his sister wanted to do, he would definitely help her do it.


    Even if this was just the beginning.


    Black Bean looked at the sun which was slowly setting on the mountain not far away, and said to himself confidently.

 C58

    Chapter 58 Nameless Dining Hall (8)


    During the entire April, the business at the restaurant did not seem surprising, but it slowly accumulated a group of stable customers. Furthermore, more and more laborers on the dock were willing to give the Three Coins a taste of its full stomach. From two to three hundred coins a day, the price of the store gradually increased to four or five hundred coins a day. There were also some customers from further away who would come every few days to give a tooth sacrifice.


    Li Yannian also discussed with the people from the Rice Bank regarding the medium and low level rice that they would use to deceive people. Every three to five days, Li Yannian would head to their store for a few rounds of rice. The price of a single fight was only around twenty to thirty gold coins. After returning and bringing the goods back with Black Bean, Li Yannian placed the rice back into the warehouse and transferred the good rice out of the warehouse. Although it was a bit troublesome, at least it would make people less suspicious.


    Li Yannian asked Auntie Li to collect the eggs. Auntie Li also asked everywhere in the village, for a total of 67 eggs. The Auntie Li was happy to tell Li Yannian that she should prepare the person who raised the chicken as soon as possible. This was because by the ninth day of the next month, these young chicken s would also come out of their shells. By that time, the old hen would have another month or two and her bones would have grown stronger.


    The days passed by busily like this, and it was soon to the end of the month. Xu Zijun, who had sold the pepper at her place, did not have any news of his at all, and was pondering if he should save the three thousand that he had saved up to save for the next month when Xu Zijun appeared. He was leaning on a walking stick, with his mouth open, but he did not even manage to say a word when he fainted in front of her.


    Li Yannian saw that he was dressed in tattered robes, and it was already so dirty that her original color couldn''t be seen. Her face was mottled, and her toes were rotten, she didn''t even look like a scholar anymore.


    In reality, Xu Zijun had really become a beggar.


    As a result, when he returned home with the fifteen kilograms of pepper, Xu Zijun''s heart was always in the air. As long as he thought of this trip home, not only would he be able to get his wife''s forgiveness, and have his family rebuild their relationship, he would also be able to suppress the price of Liu Yungui''s goods.


    But what Xu Zijun did not expect was that Liu Yungui''s heart was darker than ink, he did not know where the rumors came from, but he had already known that Xu Zijun had ten or more kilograms of pepper up for sale, and falsely accused him of not being in the same group as him. He had the intention of stealing from him, and brought Xu Zijun to the yamen in one go.


    Xu Zijun was naturally unwilling to admit it, but he did not know where the goods came from, so he could not be tactful with Liu Yungui, and knew that he had to make a deal. A few reputable people in the village all received his promise, and once the lawsuit ended, other than the promised silver taels, half of the fifteen catties of pepper in Xu Zijun''s hands would be split with the old master and the servants.


    Under this kind of collusion, Xu Zijun was merely a rich village man with no power or reputation. Not only was he punished, he was even punished as a thief who had been imprisoned for almost a month, and all the silver on his body had been cleared by the guards. In the end, he really had no money, and the guards could be considered as having some conscience as they reported a message to his family on his behalf. After his wife''s family had spent enough money, Xu Zijun finally came out.


    He was unwilling to let his daughter go through hardships, so he was willing to give up on a abandoned house to let Xu Zijun continue living in. After a year or two, Xu Zijun would earn enough money to support himself and his family before reuniting with them.


    He was also someone who had the determination to bring his wife home, so he was willing to let go of his face. After thinking about it, other than bringing out his calligraphy and painting, he had nothing else to offer, so he asked his father-in-law for ten silver coins. He set up a calligraphy and painting stall outside the city temple, and also sold calligraphy and calligraphy, and also accepted books for people to copy.


    However, the good times didn''t last long.


    It was unknown where Liu Yungui heard about him setting up a calligraphy shop, but every day he would order money to hire some local thugs, and not beat him up, he would sit by the side of Xu Zijun''s stall, and when people came over, he would go and cause trouble, and in a few days, Xu Zijun''s calligraphy shop would no longer be able to set them up.


    Xu Zijun did not ask for help from his father-in-law due to his lack of face, instead, he did not give up and went to someone else''s shop to be a literacy shopkeeper. But Liu Yungui still kept on coming, not only did he disrupt his work, he was even forced by his boss to compensate him with 10 taels of silver.


    This time, Xu Zijun really had no other choice but to shut his doors tight and brazenly beg the three great families. When he asked his neighbors, he found out that his father-in-law had brought his family a few days ago. He packed up their belongings and headed to Yuhang Province by boat. It would take them eight to ten years before they would return.


    Only now did Xu Zijun realize that he had been tricked. The ten silver taels that his father-in-law had given him were not the capital to do business with. He had just given them away so that they could live far away and have a good dream.


    Xu Zijun was filled with resentment, hating himself for treating jackals as relatives and friends, and for angering a black-hearted bastard like Liu Yungui; he also hated himself for being hot-headed and having a soft spot for money. He also hated himself for thinking of taking back things that he did not know where he came from, as if they were treasures, causing him to be stuck in a trap with no words to say clearly.


    Under the fire that struck his heart, Xu Zijun coughed out a mouthful of blood, and fell in front of his father-in-law''s door. Although his neighbors pitied him, they did not dare to drag him back home. They were afraid that he might really have some mishap, and that their family might get into some sort of trouble.


    He had no money, so he had to turn his back on his relatives.


    The moment when Xu Zijun woke up from his bed in the abandoned house, he had a sense of death in his heart. The moment he tied his neck into the hemp rope and tied it into a knot, he suddenly remembered the expression on Li Yannian''s face when he turned around to look at himself on the ox-cart. He had fallen to such a state today, but that girl who was unwilling to have his name unknown was still able to live on in such a carefree and carefree manner, wantonly smiling ¡­


    Why!


    Xu Zijun immediately didn''t want to die. Even if I have to die, I have to find Li Yannian first. "He grabbed her by the neck and asked her," Where did you get that pepper?


    With no money in his possession, he grabbed a broken bowl and a walking stick. Relying on his memory, Xu Zijun begged all the way to Du Jia Village.


    He couldn''t afford to stay at the Eastcoming Inn. He had been asking around for a few days, but he hadn''t managed to find anything. It was also because of Xu Zijun''s bad luck that he didn''t know that ever since the Li siblings offended Du Huichun, he rarely visited the manor. He was dressed like a beggar now, and the only people who could ask others about him were the stable servants, the servants who swept the floor, and the two servants who could not enter the tavern to see the message Li Yannian left behind.


    Just as Xu Zijun was about to lose all hope and curled up in the corner to sleep, he heard someone talking about a small restaurant in the Clear Water Town that had become extremely famous recently. The white rice was actually enough for Three Coins s to let go of their stomachs and eat until they were full.


    Xu Zijun actually had such a Three Coins in his pocket, but when he looked at his hands that were dirty to the point that their original color couldn''t be seen, then looked at the pair of shoes that were worn out long ago, and the few exposed toes, such a person like him, he was afraid that he couldn''t even go in to eat?


    He was in the midst of mourning when he heard the man with the cooked noodles say to the customer with a smile, "I''m familiar with that shop." The few children who were in charge of the shop were the siblings who had fought with the Doctor Du in the Return of Spring Pavilion before. One was called Black Bean, the other was called Hong Dou, and their hearts were extremely good. They had originally wanted to drive the oxcart home, but now they met a half grown child who had escaped from the hands of a beggar. "Not only did he give her five taels of silver, but he also dragged her down and didn''t get back to her family. He stayed in the manor for the night before leaving the next day."


    It was as if he was looking at the bowl of Clear Broth Noodle Soup which was delicious, causing Xu Zijun to almost want to eat it. He wiped his mouth and laughed, "I say, Old Wu, it seems like you have seen it with your own eyes. You should know that the two of them haven''t been home for a few times."


    Hot soup was boiling in the pot. The grayish-black noodles that had just been prepared were already cooked. Old Wu skillfully scooped up a bowl and carefully scooped a pinch of salt into the bowl. She poured some soup into it and sprinkled some green onion and mixed it before passing it to a customer at the other table. Only then did she get the chance and said, "I actually saw it with my own eyes. Those two kids are not from anyone else either. My uncle was working on a cloth farm in the front street, and the moment I said that you two would definitely know each other, it turned out to be that smiling Dabao. My nephew is also doing odd jobs in the shop, I heard that the young lady had just offended Doctor Du and someone from the cloth shop spread the word of the Doctor Du, opening up the shop. She did not even give him any copper coins, and had him pack her bags and return home.


    "Is there such a thing? Didn''t you say that the cloth shop''s shopkeeper thinks highly of Zhang Bao and had him by his side all along to teach him some skills? "


    "No. If it wasn''t for my nephew who came back with such good intentions, then Zhang Bao would have definitely refused to work at home. I also don''t believe that Doctor Du is so narrow-minded that he would insist on going against a family. "


    Someone at the stall shushed them, "Since you know, why don''t you speak up? We all live our lives in this manor, our families are small and old, and we always have something to do with the Du Family. You guys are chomping on gossip right now. If it gets to other people''s ears, then you''re in trouble. Is the matter with Zhang Bao not clear enough? "


    Old Wu sighed, "Speaking of which, that Zhang Bao is also in Clear Water Town''s restaurant. Everyone said that the person behind Zhang Bao had lost his mind after renting a warehouse at the edge of the pier. I didn''t expect this store to be so popular. It sounds even better than my noodle store business. "


    The brother who had been eating noodles laughed: "It''s just the Three Coins''s meal, there are many people who go and send out salted vegetables. It''s not like your stall, where just a little salt is enough to be on the scale, the salted vegetables in the shop are too real, one chopstick is enough to eat a bowl of rice, how can business not be booming? If it wasn''t for the fact that this road is too hard to catch, they wouldn''t be allowed to go out to eat, or else I''d be willing to go every day. It''s no wonder that those poor bastards who carry big bags are willing to take care of that shop every day. If I don''t eat some salt, how will I have the strength to do so? "


    "Recently, one catty of crude salt has risen to fifty taels. Can I afford a bowl of noodles with one tael of money ¡­" Old Wu''s voice of grievance was still in Xu Zijun''s ears, but Xu Zijun did not hear it.


    Li siblings, Niu Che, Clear Water Town... Could it be her?


    Xu Zijun''s stomach had been empty for two days now, so he struggled to support himself on the wall to stand up. When he turned around to feel the bowls in his hands, he realized that during this short period of time, the people who were begging him for food had all been taken away.


    The things on Du Jia Village were expensive, and the steamed buns were worth two gold coins each. Xu Zijun was reluctant to buy the noodles because they were cheap, but the stall owner was not willing to sell them to him. After weighing the Three Coins in his pocket again, Xu Zijun made up his mind. He wanted to go to the Clear Water Town''s shallow water dock and try his luck.


    If it wasn''t for her, the Three Coins would have eaten its fill before dying.


    If it was her ¡­


    Xu Zijun had been walking for an entire afternoon, and seeing the little girl behind the counter collecting money, it would not be exaggerated to call her a lightning bolt. Unfortunately, he hadn''t even had the chance to say a single word. His body, which had been pushed to its limit, couldn''t hold back so much emotion when Xu Zijun felt his vision go black.

 C59

    Chapter 59 Nameless Dining Hall (9)


    A live person like Xu Zijun fell on the ground in front of the shop entrance. Not only was Li Yannian shocked, even the customers eating in the shop were shocked.


    "What''s wrong with this person? How did he fall down just like that? "


    "She probably fainted from hunger. This beggar must know how to find a place to faint. The little girl will definitely be soft-hearted after seeing this and will definitely be fed when she wakes up."


    "Tsk, you know how to calculate. Why don''t you go and set up a stall in the Heaven''s End and tell us your fortune?"


    Li Yannian squeezed her way through the crowd of people with much difficulty and patted Xu Zijun a few times. However, no one responded, they anxiously raised their heads, wanting to call Da Bao and Black Bean over to see what exactly happened.


    Qi Laosan could not watch any longer, all the people who were watching the commotion squeezed over, and touched Xu Zijun''s neck veins, feeling as if they were not dirty. When the obvious thumping sound came from under his fingers, he finally had a plan. This person was just like everyone else had said, he had fainted from hunger.


    "It''s nothing, Red Bean, do you have rice soup in the kitchen? He brought a bowl over and fed it. There was nothing wrong with being hungry. If I pinch a person, he will wake up. "


    The Qi Laosan said, while using his fingers to pinch Xu Zijun''s body, in a matter of two or three seconds, he finally woke up.


    It was just that Xu Zijun didn''t know how to be grateful, when he opened his eyes, it was as if he was grabbing towards her neck.


    "Hey, what''s the matter with you asking for food?" "Lady Ren wanted to save you out of kindness, but you actually dared to hit a little girl the moment you woke up? Did you feed your conscience to a dog?" Qi Laosan was so angry that his eyebrows were raised, he had never seen anyone lose their mind like this.


    Xu Zijun was only a weak scholar, and had suffered for so many days. If he were to go all out, how could he win against the Qi Laosan? However, he was not angry in his heart, and used the last bit of strength he had to curse at Li Yannian: "Is she kind? She caused my family to die, and she has fallen to this day! If she was kind, would there be any good people in the world? "


    Li Yannian was completely confused by her scolding, "When did I destroy your family? You have to be reasonable, don''t you? "


    A group of spectators also chimed in, "Your asking for food really makes no sense. She''s just a little girl, you can''t carry her hand on your shoulder, what kind of evil can she do?"


    "Exactly! We brothers eat in people''s shops every day, so busy that we don''t even have the time to turn around, how can we have the heart to harm you? You have to find the right person to beg for food! "


    Everyone started to talk back and forth again, treating Xu Zijun as a scammer who wanted to bully a little girl.


    The pitiful Xu Zijun, who was already extremely weak, lost consciousness again after being scolded by everyone.


    The Qi Laosan then said, "Don''t help those with evil intentions. Throw them into a corner and let them fend for themselves."


    Everyone said that it was true, Li Yannian was afraid that they would throw him out and she quickly stopped them: "I really know him, and there''s still some misunderstanding in the middle. I''ll hurt him later, and I won''t be able to explain it clearly. Brothers, for my sake, drag him to Back Chef. When he wakes up, I will slowly tell him. "


    Qi Laosan asked worriedly: "Are you really going to drag him into the store? Aren''t you afraid that someone will wake up and cause trouble? "


    Black Bean squeezed forward in time and said, "It''s fine, I''m here to watch. If it really gets out of hand, don''t you guys still have a chance?


    After everyone heard the siblings say this, they finally agreed to help and sent Xu Zijun to the Back Chef''s room.


    Li Yannian and Black Bean stayed behind, and Aunt Zhang went to help them, but they were not at ease with them, and the big bag that came with them was also pushed out by the two siblings, closing the door, allowing Black Bean to imitate Qi Laosan''s actions, and wake Xu Zijun up according to the crowd.


    "It''s you again!" Xu Zijun fainted twice consecutively, but this time, he clenched his teeth and glared at Li Yannian, but he really did not have the strength to fight.


    "Alright, I know you hate me now, but let''s talk about the situation later. Drink this bowl of rice soup first. If you want to curse and settle the score, you''ll need to grow strength in your stomach first."


    Li Yannian guessed that the reason for Xu Zijun''s current state was probably because of the pepper that he had sold to Yue Yang. Could it be that the quality of the pepper that he bought on the system was too low, that when Xu Zijun switched hands, he offended the buyer and was tricked by the rich and powerful buyer?


    While she was thinking about all sorts of possibilities, Xu Zijun was still able to listen to what others were saying. He took the bowl of rice soup and gulped it down in one gulp.


    The warm rice soup tasted fragrant and sweet. He licked the side of the bowl hungrily until he was sure that the last drop of rice soup had entered his stomach. Only then did he reluctantly put the bowl down.


    Black Bean frowned and urged: "Are you full? "Tell me about your situation. How did my little sister cause your family to fall and everyone to die?"


    Xu Zijun snorted coldly, and then told the two siblings about his misfortune after returning to his hometown.


    After hearing his words, Li Yannian, who was full of dog blood, only saw four big words written in front of him: There''s too much to say! This was clearly because of that sinister little fellow Liu Yungui who harmed him from beginning to end, but Xu Zijun, on the other hand, had to remember her and not find trouble with Liu Yungui!


    "Hehe, Xu Zijun, Xu Zijun,, you have really given you scholars face. Ask yourself, is it really my fault that your family business collapsed and your wife ran away? Why didn''t you say that you had schemed against your Liu Yungui and despised your father-in-law? Your wife has good eyes. She knew that you weren''t the best person for the rest of your life and thus was willing to listen to your father-in-law''s words and obediently follow him to Yuhang. A smart girl like your wife, and with such a family background, even if she were married off, there are still many people who want it. I''m so happy for her that I won''t have to face a loser for the rest of my life who only knows how to complain and never look at himself. "


    "You! "You ¡­" Xu Zijun was so angry that his eyes turned white, as if he could not accept that such a naive and romantic little girl could say such evil words, and even beat her heart out with every word, with such a cold attitude.


    "What about me? Do you still think it''s the pepper I sold you? Hehe, someone like you, even if you have the gold, sooner or later, you''ll have to give it to someone else for free. Then how did Liu Yungui manage to kill you? Money! Do you think you''re stupid? If someone could send money to the yamen, why wouldn''t you? Don''t you know how cheap the pepper you got from me is? Even if you gave them all the money, it would only be three hundred taels of silver. Later on, you had agreed with the yamen that you would give them half of the profit for free in the pepper business, so why not? Even if you give me seventy percent of it, you would still earn more than Liu Yungui, wouldn''t you? "


    Li Yannian''s words were forced, causing him to be at a loss for words, unable to answer.


    Li Yannian laughed coldly and continued, "If you want to talk about blame, you should blame me. It is my eyes that do not recognize the fish eyes, a moment of pity you, so singlehandedly you sell so ten pounds of pepper. Fortunately, I didn''t have a name and family background with you. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to survive in prison and reveal me. You''re the only one who''s going to hurt yourself, so when I said I was glad for your wife, what was wrong with that? "


    When Black Bean heard it, his heart jumped in fear, and he said anxiously: "Er Mei, what nonsense are you saying, what nonsense are you saying, pui, a child''s words are meaningless."


    Looking at his elder brother, Li Yannian''s expression immediately eased up, and laughed: "Brother, I was just assuming, this bookworm, did not have the guts to go all out against a person with surname Liu, bullying a little girl like me, I can''t take this lying down."


    At the side, Xu Zijun''s face was as though he had lost his parents. His eyes were wide open as if he wanted to tell him that something was wrong, that she just wanted to help him get rid of his sin. What she said was completely false ¡­ Admit it, it was clearly because you were weak and didn''t dare to face your own incompetence. After buying the dagger, you didn''t dare to seek revenge on Liu Yungui and seek for your own death, yet didn''t have the guts to do so. That was why you gave yourself an excuse to survive the moment you decided to hang yourself ¡­


    Xu Zijun stood up with a pale face, and wobbled his way out.


    Li Yannian''s figure flashed, and blocked the door.


    Xu Zijun was helpless, he laughed bitterly: "You''re right, I''m useless. "What else do you have to say for yourself? If you don''t get enough of it, I, Xu, will stand here and let you say whatever you want."


    Li Yannian shook her head: "In the end, we are still business acquaintances, and it doesn''t feel good for you to be reduced to a situation where you need food. You''ve suffered so much, you''ve tasted the cold and the warm, so I don''t have to scold you again. I only want to ask you a question, what plans do you have for the future? "


    Xu Zijun still laughed bitterly and sighed: "What else can I do? I should ask for food, gather enough money, buy some clean clothes, and then ask the shop in town if there is anyone who can write and calculate accounts. My father had helped me read for so many years that at least I hadn''t wasted my money. It''s a pity that I wasn''t able to bring honor to him. "


    Li Yannian proposed with a smile: "I have a way out of this, let''s see if you''re willing to suffer a little more."


    Xu Zijun''s eyes lit up, but Black Bean looked towards Li Yannian with suspicion. He wondered what his sister was planning this time, could it be that she wanted this Xu surnamed person to stay and work in the shop? This won''t do, not to mention that this Xu surnamed person still harbored some hatred towards her sister, leaving her was a disaster after all, even the shop did not need another accountant. It was sufficient to have First Uncle Zhang Bao watching over them, adding another person would only add to the chaos.


    Just as Black Bean was about to say something, he heard Li Yannian say to him. "I wonder if you''re willing to help me go out to sea? In the middle of May, the Gu family has a boat to Nanyang. I''ve asked around, if it''s 50 taels of silver, we can change it to an empty bed on the boat. Let me put it first, besides the strong winds and waves, there are also those fearless pirates. No matter which one you meet, it will be enough for you to die once. Have you decided, are you willing to stay in the Clear Water Town peacefully and be a beggar, or risk your life to fight for the future, to help me take the forward position? "


    Xu Zijun''s gaze could not help but become deeper, as though he was thinking about something, and stared at Li Yannian for a while.


    Black Bean resisted the urge to interrupt and looked at the two of them silently. When did his sister have the intention to go to sea? Why had he never heard her mention it before?


    Just as Xu Zijun was about to agree, Li Yannian suddenly took out ten taels of silver from her bosom and handed it over to him: "At the beginning, you did give me three hundred taels of silver, but I''m sorry, I did not plan to return it to you. Since you gave me the money, I gave you the goods too, but as for whether or not you earned it from me, that''s your own ability.


    "I lent you these 10 silver for the time being. Tidy yourself up later. If you decide not to go out to sea, you can use this money to do some small business. It''s better than asking for food." As for the money, I don''t want your interest. I''ll only lend it to you for a year. However, if you decide to go to sea in my place after some consideration, then these ten silver taels will be your reward. You can spend all your money before boarding the ship, or you can go to some overseas goods to try and get it all for yourself. "


    Xu Zijun could not help but ask curiously: "Don''t tell me that you don''t need me to bring the goods out to sell? What do you want me to do at sea? "


    Li Yannian laughed: "It''s too early to ask about this. You can ask me after you decide whether or not you want to do it."


    Not to mention Xu Zijun did not understand what Li Yannian was really doing, even Black Bean did not know what his sister was planning. But seeing that Li Yannian was not in the mood to explain her plan to anyone, Xu Zijun didn''t continue the line of questioning. Before he left, he suddenly took out the Three Coins and handed it over to Li Yannian.


    Li Yannian was stupefied: "This is?"


    It was rare to see this sharp-tongued little girl with a dazed look on her face. Xu Zijun could not help but smile: "If you don''t mind dirtying your bowls, I want to eat a full meal in the kitchen."

 C60

    Chapter 60 Nameless Dining Hall (10)


    Xu Zijun still left in the end, carrying a stomach full of rice and hesitation.


    Black Bean took the opportunity to ask: "Er Niu, what exactly did you mean by what you just said to Xu Zijun?"


    Li Yannian said in a bland voice, "Big brother, just like what you heard just now, I want to take this route at sea."


    Black Bean was surprised: "Why? If we''re not in a good restaurant right now, why are you tormenting yourself with so many things? We have enough money! "


    Li Yannian said solemnly: "Brother, you are wrong. Money was not something that could be used in a day. Furthermore, I sent Xu Zijun overseas not just to earn money. There are some things that I am unable to tell you right now, but big brother, believe me, I have my reasons for doing things, and it''s for the good of our family. Don''t worry, when the time comes, you will naturally understand. "


    Black Bean was confused hearing this, but seeing that Li Yannian''s expression was serious and did not seem like she was joking on a whim, Black Bean understood that since she was awakened from her previous serious illness, she seemed to have changed. Suddenly, a lot of secrets were revealed. He naturally blamed his sister''s well-kept secret plan of going out to sea on the "god" who had protected her. Perhaps the "god" had hinted at her otherwise.


    Black Bean could only sigh: "Forget it, since you''re not willing to say it, I won''t force you. "But, Er''jiu, you have to remember that we are a family, if you are willing to say it, I will definitely help you."


    This was not the first time he had heard this, but Li Yannian was still deeply moved. She said solemnly, "I know you are the best to me, brother. I will always remember this in my heart. We''ve also been delayed in the kitchen for a long time, there''s just Uncle and Aunt Zhang outside, I''m afraid there''s too much work to do. Let''s not talk about all this and go out to take a look. "


    With that, Li Yannian pushed Black Bean out. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Black Bean, but he didn''t have confidence in himself at sea. If she told him, it would just be adding to his worries.


    Thanks to the taboo that Emperor Crab Li Yannian committed last time, she paid extra attention to the information of the dynasties of the world and listened to the idle chatter of the people. She took the opportunity to look at the miscellaneous books on the streets and Bookstore s when she was shopping for rice, only after pondering for half a month did she finally understand the dynasties that she was living in.


    Or, to be more precise, the parallel historical period.


    The Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty in this era was probably a transcender emperor who pursued a peaceful policy of rejuvenating with the people. He had some legacy of "doing nothing but govern" the country in the old Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty of this world, there were no longer any scandals of father and son fighting for a woman, nor were there any ancient and legendary imperial concubines like Yang Gui Fei. An Lushan and Shi Siming had all been eliminated by the Tang Xuan Sect a long time ago.


    However, the irony was that the Tang Dynasty''s destiny was not disturbed. After Crown Prince Li Xiang ascended the throne, there were still other martial generals and vassals that jumped out to help him achieve his goal. The Tang Dynasty, which had been subverted by Zhou Li, had lasted only 70 years, and was even 30 years shorter than the original Tang Dynasty. During this period, the Central Plains fell into a decades-long free-for-all, which was eventually replaced by Zhao Song.


    But the founding emperor was no longer the same Zhao Kuangyin who had transformed into a yellow-robed Chen Qiao.


    In other words, even if the emperor of Zhao Song had changed, even if the Song and Chin Sects might not have been born, the "shame of Jing Kang" would still be around the corner waiting to be carried by the masses on this large ship called Fate.


    It had been more than a hundred years since the founding of the Song Dynasty, and now there were seven emperors. In Li Yannian''s impression, the Northern Song in all history had only lasted a hundred and sixty years. The information that everyone had gathered had undoubtedly tightened the tension in her heart. Li Yannian was very anxious, if the Song Dynasty of this era were to be like the Old Tang Dynasty, short of luck and predetermined "shame of Jing Kang", as a commoner, even if she had the system in her hands, what could she do?


    Under nesting, how can there be a perfect egg?


    Thus, when she heard the news that Qi Laosan and his brothers were about to leave for the Southern Ocean in the middle of May, she immediately paid attention.


    She didn''t know how Zhao Song would be destroyed in this era. She didn''t know whether or not Yuhang would become like the poem, "the warm wind will make people drunk," making Hangzhou a safe haven in times of war. All she knew was that before a great disaster descended, she had to save up some silver coins and lay out a few more routes for retreat. Only by being rich and paving the way for her future would she be able to have the money to bring her family along in this chaotic world and put her life on the line.


    And the plans in her heart, these words could be said to be an outrageous act of murder, how could Li Yannian tell Black Bean, even if he told her, he was afraid that she had gone mad.


    Therefore, for the true purpose of going out to sea, Li Yannian could only bury it deep within her heart. To outsiders, she could only coax Black Bean and Xu Zijun in order to lay the groundwork for their future business path.


    She had also thought about it. Since the Gu Clan''s merchant ship could accommodate other brokers, it was most suitable for her, who currently lacked capital, to borrow from. From what the Qi Laosan said, Nan Yang''s favorite things were the silk, tea leaves and porcelain that were sold in the Central Plains. However, this was the biggest business of the Gu Family, Li Yannian did not plan to fight for this market, otherwise, if he provoked the Gu Family, he would not have the opportunity to get another Wind Chasing Boat.


    If Xu Zijun agreed to help her this time, then he would buy some glass products and spices from the system. In the end, it would be better for Xu Zijun to scout ahead and be the vanguard. He would deal with the situation when he understood the market prospects in Nanyang.


    Of course, the precondition that Li Yannian''s plan would eventually come true still had to wait for Xu Zijun to speak and was willing to gamble his life on this future. Although Xu Zijun was a little angry, he kept his word. He had a bottom line, if he did not go, Li Yannian would not be able to find a suitable candidate in a while.


    Li Yannian sighed, withdrew her heavy thoughts, and followed Black Bean to the front hall. Unexpectedly, she saw an unexpected customer in the store.


    "Third master, why are you here?" Li Yannian looked at them with a puzzled expression. With one look, she could tell that they were not the kind of customers who would appear in a shop like his.


    It wasn''t that she was talking, but that the Gu family''s third young master was standing calmly in front of a tray with a spoon in his hand and was attentively examining the food in front of him. His appearance was simply too bizarre. Around him were the laborers on the shallow water docks. Their coarse clothes and short shirts formed a stark contrast with his noble clothing.


    The laborers weren''t in a good mood. When their boss suddenly appeared in the small restaurant, everyone immediately felt a bit more refined from eating. They didn''t even move their feet to their stools, and even their breathing became softer, as if they were afraid that if they were too heavy, they would shock the young master.


    Li Yannian looked at this group of laborers who had suddenly turned as shy as a girl and then looked at Gu Mingyuan who had turned around. She felt that the scene in front of him was not exaggerated even using the word "crane" to describe it.


    "Oh, I heard that the two of you have opened a restaurant near our pier. The business is quite good, so today we happened to move to the nearby area and came over to take a look. The two of you, brother and sister, are also foreign to us. I don''t know if you would dare to speak to us in such a grand matter. We''ve done so many business that we can be considered half partners in the business world, right? " Gu Mingyuan had a faint smile on his lips as he put down the spoon in his hand.


    With just a glance, he knew that the white rice sold by Li siblings did not come from his own family. The texture of the rice, its color, its smell, none of them matched.


    Furthermore, based on her recent stock of rice, as well as what he had observed from the shop earlier, the rice provided by her family''s rice shop was definitely not more than the amount needed for the business of their shop for a day and a half.


    However, if one were to use their toes to think, they would know that this crafty young girl from the Li family would definitely not tell them where all these rice came from.


    The smile on Gu Mingyuan''s lips deepened as his gaze landed on Li Yannian, as if he had thought of something.


    Da Bao immediately gave Li Yannian a meaningful look. Li Yannian did not understand, but smiled at him: "Uncle, I am the only one looking out for this place, go back to work."


    Zhang Bao had wanted his niece to hide in the kitchen and let him deal with the Gu family''s third young master. Although Li Yannian had previously made a name for himself in the shop, because he was young, and because he had poor business, no one would think too highly of him. However, if he was a rich young master, things would be different.


    When maidservants crawled out of beds, it was as if a poor girl begging for concubines for gossip.


    But Li Yannian completely ignored his painstaking effort.


    Zhang Bao could only sigh. However, he didn''t walk away obediently. Instead, he pretended to be settling accounts and continued to stand behind the counter. He pricked up his ears as he listened to what the two of them were saying.


    Li Yannian did not mind, and turned to Gu Mingyuan: "Third Young Master is too courteous, it is just a small business, and furthermore, this shop is not for us two siblings, the owner of the shop has someone else, and we are only helping out in the shop, so it is not worth mentioning, but I trouble you to remember to take care of it, and even went to visit the shop while busy. After wasting third young master''s effort, I am a little frightened. Third Young Master, you should avoid staying for too long. After all, there are a lot of people idling in the store. If you run into one, I would feel even worse. How much paper does Eldest Young Master need in the Bookstore in May? I hope Third Young Master can pass on a message for Eldest Young Master, for Eldest Young Master should send someone over early so that we can prepare well so that Manager Xu won''t be left empty-handed. "


    Gu Mingyuan could hear the impatience in her words and bitterness in his heart. No matter what, he was the third young master of the Royal Merchant''s Gu family, and he had always been kind to her, even helping her out, but he had never delved deeply into the secrets kept by the two siblings. Yet, she disliked him so much, afraid that he would be implicated with him.


    At this moment, Gu Mingyuan had forgotten how he had made the wish on the way back from Li Village, that he would inherit his family''s property and not be distracted by the chores.


    Just as Gu Mingyuan was about to say something, a gentle and light female voice floated over from far away: "Cousin brother, why have you delayed for so long? I was waiting for you to take me to fly a kite! "


    Li Yannian followed the sound and looked outside, only then did she see two palanquins placed in front of the shop, and the girl''s voice came from the pink sedan chair at the back.


    The ears of everyone in the shop twitched, and the eyes of a room full of laborers couldn''t help but fall on the sedan chair. It was as if they could already see the beautiful girl sitting in it through the curtains.


    Hearing the young lady call Gu Mingyuan her cousin, Li Yannian guessed that she was a young lady from the Du Family, and laughed: "Third Young Master, the young miss is still waiting for you, I will not keep you any longer. As a matter of etiquette, I should have invited you to a meal in the shop for my master, but as you can see, the shop is not a place that can serve a person like you. "My mouth seems to be filled with disappointment ¡­"


    Gu Mingyuan frowned slightly, he had actually forgotten that the Du Family''s tail was still around. He didn''t know what his aunt was thinking, but his mother had clearly said all that she wanted to say. There was no way the Gu and Du families would be able to get married. However, this cousin of his who gave him headaches would never give up. He would cling onto her whenever he had the chance, causing him to suffer unspeakably.

 C61

    Chapter 61 Nameless Dining Hall (11)


    Du Mumei was the direct daughter of the Du Family''s major chamber, and also the daughter of the Gu Mingyuan''s First Uncle. She had just turned thirteen this year, and was exactly at an extremely annoying age. She was so annoyed that Gu Mingyuan didn''t even want her to look at the little girl in pink dress from a distance. He didn''t even care if she was Du Mumei as he turned around and started to hide.


    In the past, the two houses were far away from each other. Other than the few months when his aunt brought her cousins to live in the capital, Gu Mingyuan''s ears could still hear some peace and quiet. This year, because she was going back to the old ancestor''s house to celebrate the new year with him, and because the Gu family was working at the Indian Book Bureau, they were dragged around on Du Jia Village. Since they did not have time to return to the capital, Du Mumei would frequently come to the Gu family home to play with Gu Mingyuan. After all, Gu Mingyuan was the most talented out of the Gu family''s younger generation.


    At that time, Gu Chengye had not revealed his intention to have his two legitimate sons marry into the Imperial Family yet. Even if Madam Gu did not like his, who was a little unruly, as his niece, and obstructed their relationship, it would be difficult to stop them from marrying each other. As for Gu Mingyuan, he was a person who couldn''t bear to lose face for girls, so when he was entangled with Du Mumei, he would just kindly accompany his and let his demand from him.


    Thus, even though she knew that her aunt did not like her, Du Mumei was still extremely fond of his cousin Gu Mingyuan. This might not be without Gu Mingyuan''s fault, it was his tacit approval of his gentleness that caused the other girl to think that their cousin was a mutual love.


    After that, the Gu family had already made it clear that they were going to get married with the Prince Yi''s Mansion, and Du Mumei had even thought that Gu Mingyuan still liked his, it was just that he couldn''t disobey his parents'' orders. She was young and ambitious, he was also mesmerized by the popular books of talented girls in the market, and at the bottom of her heart, he was still looking down on the direct daughter of the Prince Yi''s Mansion. Even if her cousin were to marry her in the future, he would only be like Little Uncle''s aunt, becoming a pair of resentful husband and wife.


    Du Mumei had not seen it before, and had not even heard of the appearance of the direct daughter of the Prince Yi''s Mansion. And, he also felt that his cousin Gu Mingyuan was pitiful. He would waste his entire life on such a boring princess who wasn''t worth accompanying for his entire life.


    She felt that she was the true companion of her cousin and made up her mind. In the future, if Gu Mingyuan marries the young prefecture lord of Prince Yi''s Mansion as his wife, then he would be a little wronged. As her cousin''s wife, at most, he would be the princess'' equal wife in the capital. Du Mumei''s thoughts were very far away. In the future, her cousin''s business would only grow bigger and bigger. It was also inevitable for him to run around at both ends. When the time came, she and the princess would have to face off against each other. As long as her cousin was with his, he would be free to take care of him. In the eyes of the merchants, this had already become a practice. As a man, it was impossible for him to not get involved with a woman outside for a few months. It was not a rare occurrence for him to have two grown women.


    Du Mumei made up his mind and impatiently told his mother. When the Mrs. Du heard that, he felt that she was not bad. He had pampered her a million times, and even if she wanted to marry him, he couldn''t wait to call for someone to pick her a daughter immediately.


    Mrs. Du was not as naive as her daughter. The royal family had declined, but it was not down to the point that a merchant would step on their head to humiliate them. Not to mention the fact that the Prince Yi''s Mansion was the first to disagree, even the Gu family was not that stupid. They were willing to take such a risk to offend the royal family that they had gone through quite a bit of trouble for. Mrs. Du was really afraid that his daughter would become stupid and shout out that she wouldn''t be able to be her wife and become her concubine.


    Seeing that his daughter still had a bland and childish look on her face, Mrs. Du couldn''t help but to hate the Gu family. He hated that his sister-in-law, Madam Gu, wasn''t willing to link the two families together due to kinship, and also hated that Young Master Gu Chengye wanted to climb up the mountain and make a living, but what he hated the most was still the Gu family''s brat.


    In order to prevent his daughter from doing something shameful, the Mrs. Du hardened his heart and said those words in front of Du Mumei. As long as he lived a day, he would not allow the Du Family''s daughter to lower herself to be a lowly concubine!


    With Du Mumei''s age and disposition, she was naturally not someone her parents could scare off a few harsh words. After causing a ruckus at home, the two major chamber s of the Du Family had no other choice but to lock her up in the pavilion to prevent her from leaving. She didn''t expect Du Mumei to be so stubborn that she would be able to restrict her cultivation. She simply gave herself more punishment, even forbidding her to eat. She didn''t eat any rice for three days straight.


    At first, Mrs. Du thought that her daughter would definitely not be able to hold on until the end, but she hardened her heart and let Du Mumei control the situation. But on the fourth day, the servants came to report that the second young miss was not willing to eat and had already passed out from hunger. How could the Mrs. Du still sit there?


    From then on, Mrs. Du also understood that his daughter''s heart was really tied to that kid from the Gu family. She probably could not stop her, and would not know how to create a ruckus in the future. But even if she knew, what could she do? He couldn''t just sit by and watch his daughter die, right?


    When Du Liyu returned home, he found out that his wife had released his daughter, so he could only say that his mother was a broken child. However, he didn''t seem to be able to harden his heart, so he decided to lock his daughter back into the embroidery building.


    At night, the couple was worried about the candles. The Mrs. Du sighed, "Maybe the child is still young and is confused for a while. When he grows up a little more, he will know that this is ridiculous. "Children of this age are full of rebellious bones. They might even say that they want to fight you instead ¡­"


    Du Liyu gritted her teeth. "Let''s hope so. If it really isn''t enough, then when Ming Yuan gets married, she still clamored to be a little kid. How about we find a temple for her and shave her hair so she can cultivate and pretend we never had this daughter ¡­"


    Mrs. Du and her husband looked at each other as these words were casually said. They didn''t think that Yue Yang would be able to be so ruthless when the time came.


    As for Du Mumei, who won against her parents, she wasn''t feeling too good right now either.


    Since she was young, she had gotten used to it. Her family was doting on her, so it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that they doted on her like a princess. This time, she showed her daughter''s intentions to her mother out of goodwill. She didn''t want her mother to not support her wholeheartedly, but she still mercilessly locked herself in the embroidery building and didn''t allow her to step out of the house! Du Mumei had never suffered so much. He felt more and more that this friendship between him and his cousin was so heavy that it almost transcended life and death. How could he possibly let go of such a small punishment?


    So she held on to her neck and learned from the book that the beauty refused to eat or protest, forcing her parents to give in.


    The first day was not too bad. At most, he could only grumble a little in his stomach, but he could still endure it. By the next day, Du Mumei was so hungry and dizzy that her hands and feet were weak. Even her mother didn''t have the strength to open her eyes when she went upstairs to see her.


    Mrs. Du thought that she was still playing with him, so she scolded her daughter again. Du Mumei had originally planned to secretly eat a few mouthfuls of food when the dinner was served again, but was completely enraged by Mrs. Du''s provocation. She had been lying on the bed without moving for two days, not eating or even drinking any water.


    She still felt wronged. She just wanted to marry her cousin. If her parents still doted on her, she should go tell her aunt that the marriage between the two families had been set long ago. If her parents refused to help her with such a small matter, then there was no point in living like this. If she starved to death, then so be it. No one would pity her anyway.


    On the fourth day after being grounded, the hungry Du Mumei finally fainted. She also successfully alarmed the Mrs. Du, bringing freedom for herself. While Du Mumei was lying on her bed and eating the porridge, a sense of pride welled up from the bottom of her heart. Look, her parents still loved her so much. They couldn''t bear to see her die just like that. When the time came for him to get married to his cousin, as long as he caused a ruckus, his aunt wouldn''t be able to force him to his death, and he had to compromise.


    However, what Du Mumei did not expect was that in the end, her body was completely wrecked. Throughout the entire February, she had to get sick once or twice from time to time. It dragged on until March, but it was no longer the same. As a result, he had missed out on many opportunities to play with his cousin in the Gu family.


    Gu Mingyuan knew nothing about this. When he had nothing to do, he was secretly glad that Du Mumei had found something new, or something more worth spending time on. In short, as long as they didn''t bother him, he would definitely not go and provoke her.


    No wonder he hadn''t heard anything. After such an incident, the Du Family''s major chamber could only keep it a secret. To the outside world, they only said that it was time for Du Mumei to practice her red daughter''s skills and invite the embroidery masters of Jiangnan to carefully teach her, so she did not have the time to follow the lord as a guest. The second and third branch families knew about the internal affairs, but in the end it was not a good thing. After all, it had tarnished her reputation as a girl, so even the Gu family, who had the closest relationship with her, did not know that Du Mumei had already created a huge commotion just to marry Gu Mingyuan.


    Plus, April was the season for kite playing. In the past, his cousin often stayed in the capital, so he did not have the chance to get his cousin to accompany him to fly a kite. This was the most difficult period for him to achieve, and since his cousin still lived in his old house, Du Mumei would naturally not let this opportunity slip by. Thus, he meticulously dressed up early in the morning and brought seven or eight maidservants to the Gu Clan to find someone.


    How could Du Mumei be willing? It was difficult for her to make a trip out, so she naturally wanted to keep an eye on her cousin. Being able to get along for a while was one thing. Having been sick at home for the past two months, she had been bored and had read quite a number of books. She knew that the pressure from women was too great and that men might not like it, but they had learned some roundabout methods. Even though Gu Mingyuan had used every excuse he could think of to say something dry, he could only say in a sweet voice, "Cousin brother, I know you''re busy. You can relax, I am really bored at home, I finally found you to relax, you are not free. "Don''t chase me away, I''m just following you around for a bit today. It''s also good to be able to see my cousin a bit more."


    Gu Mingyuan''s entire body was covered with goosebumps from his own cousin''s obnoxious tone, what else could he do? He could not muster up his courage and force his to return home, right?


    Thus, he could only bitterly carry such an extremely sensitive little tail to the restaurant owner to discuss some matters. Then, with a suspicious look in his eyes, he asked about the price of the food and the business in the shop.


    Gu Mingyuan wanted to use this opportunity to send Du Mumei home. Coincidentally, just now, the rice shop owner mentioned the matter of him purchasing goods from their restaurant at the shallow water pier. In fact, Zhao Cai and Luo Hua City Mistress had already informed him about it earlier, since there were still some roads at the underwater base, and they were both places that the barbarians would work hard to eat. Therefore, he confidently told Du Mumei that he had to go up to the newly opened shop on the pier and advise her to go home early in case she got hungry or was hit by a servant.


    Who knew that Du Mumei was so stubborn today that she couldn''t even persuade him to leave. Therefore, Gu Mingyuan brought this group of people to Li Yannian''s store again, and as a result, the scene at the beginning appeared.


    "Cousin, how are you?" The female voice in the sedan became impatient. Then, the curtain of the sedan moved slightly. A pair of fair and tender hands were placed on it hesitantly. However, they were quickly retracted.

 C62

    Chapter 62 Nameless Dining Hall (12)


    Li Yannian looked at the real thing, and saw that the hand was extremely pretty, with slender fingers and tender skin, she could not help but praise in her heart, Gu Mingyuan was truly lucky, she only had two hands that were already so outstanding, who knew what she was supposed to look like.


    Gu Mingyuan also didn''t know what kind of intentions he had, but when he saw that Li Yannian''s eyes only revealed an obviously surprised expression without a single trace of unhappiness, he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart. For a moment, he did not understand why he was in such a mood. He only knew that if he continued to stand in this shop, he would only be asking for trouble. It would be better if he returned earlier.


    Gu Mingyuan instructed towards the outside, probably because he was afraid that Du Mumei would get off the palanquin. At that time, forget about his uncles and aunties not letting him off, even if it was his own mother, she would inevitably scold him a little, blaming him for not taking good care of his cousin.


    "Miss Li, since we are still busy today, I will take my leave. As for the Bookstore, I will remember to ask. When we get back, I will get someone to send you a message. But are you really going to do this business only in June? I, listening to my big brother, would like to continue working with you guys for a long time. "


    Li Yannian looked at the youth who had already said that he would like to leave, but stopped in his tracks and spoke softly. He had a serious expression on his face as he said, "We naturally want to continue doing this. Furthermore, your Gu Family''s Bookstore has a good reputation and good credit, so all he has to return is cash and he will not be in arrears. Such a good customer, even with a lantern, was hard to find. But after June, there''s no more paper on the paper supply side. I just helped to tie the strings, there''s really nothing I can do. "If we lack this kind of business, then I will lose a lot of money. That''s why I have to find a good client for myself earlier. Otherwise, with a big customer like you, why would we siblings have to work so hard in this small restaurant?"


    Gu Mingyuan scoffed coldly in his heart. He was still lying to himself, and he nodded at Li Yannian in low spirits, "Since that''s the case, then I can only return to reply to my big brother. Miss Li, farewell. "


    Li Yannian maintained her polite and proper smile on her face: "Take care, Third Young Master."


    Humph. This time, Gu Mingyuan really groaned. Du Mu Mei who was in the sedan ahead of them heard it and weirdly exclaimed, "Cousin brother, who made you angry?"


    Gu Mingyuan did not reply her, he only gestured to the carriage driver: "Return to the residence."


    Du Mumei wanted to say that she did not want to go home, but after following him for a whole day, she planned to let Gu Mingyuan accompany her to fly a kite. At that moment, a rumbling sound came from her stomach. She finally remembered the pain she had felt when she went on a hunger strike, so she didn''t object.


    Seeing that everyone had left, Zhang Bao walked up to his niece and asked, "Are you alright?"


    Li Yannian was a little curious, she laughed: "Uncle, what can I do for you? Quickly get someone more food, the pail is almost empty, everyone is just looking at the little boss inside the shop, they don''t have the nerve to eat freely."


    Her words were spoken so loudly that everyone in Qi Laosan heard them and could not help but burst out laughing.


    "Little girls still think we don''t have enough to eat. Brothers, don''t let other people beat us up! Eat!" Let''s see if we can satisfy her needs! "


    The crowd burst into laughter again. Li Yannian''s heart was not at ease, once Gu Mingyuan left, she did not think anymore about it. But Zhang Bao was different. From his point of view, just now, he had clearly seen a scene where a young lady who had feelings for a concubine just so happened to be a pretty lady killing her way out.


    He thoughtfully stared at Li Yannian''s back for a while longer, but in the end, he still resisted the huge temptation of the Gu family''s wealth. Even if the Gu Clan was interested, they would still have to welcome them with the position of principal wife! His niece was still young, but he had to watch her closely. He couldn''t let his child be confused by her arrival.


    However, he was a tough guy after all. There were some things that he might not be able to see through in time. Zhang Bao thought about it for a while. He still had to invite his wife.


    After sending off the last guest in the day, Zhang Bao waved away Black Bean and the rest and discussed with Li Yannian: "Our shop has been in operation for almost a month, and our business looks like it''s getting steadier and steadier, and the better. Your big brother is still helping out in the shop, after all he''s our family''s pillar, so he''s responsible for our family''s livelihood. But you, Red Bean, are different. "


    Li Yannian thought that it was interesting, but she had a nagging feeling that the First Uncle was a little strange today. She could only suppress her curiosity and asked what he meant, "Uncle, how am I different?"


    Zhang Bao said anxiously, "You are a girl after all. At your mother''s age, no matter how poor her family was, your grandparents never made her spend a day carefully putting money on her family''s embroidery workshop. Your grandmother always said that girls were the treasures of the family, and it was enough for rough men to do it, otherwise it would be ugly if they made it rough. "


    Li Yannian was speechless, all she knew was that the Zhang Clan only doted on their daughter, and did not expect it to hurt so much.


    "In the past, your family suffered a lot of grievances in the village because you suffered from the loss of a lack of seniors, but now it''s different. You have the help of an outsider, you have money in your hands, the business inside the store has become stable, you don''t need to constantly watch over it. Moreover, uncle says it''s not nice, you are a girl, and in a few years time it will be your turn to talk about marriage. Since you wander around the shop every day, other than the Aunt Zhang, all the rest of us are rough men, but right now you are still young, and will only be able to talk about marriage.


    Li Yannian said in his heart that she did not plan to marry anyone, and Qi Laosan''s group of barbarians were also quite interesting, straightforward and heroic. Sometimes, when they teased him, it was only out of playfulness and not out of worry for Zhang Bao. However, she also understood in her heart that Zhang Dayao''s words were actually very reasonable. Furthermore, it was all for her own good. That''s why she would speak so much to her.


    However, the shop''s business, was something that only the four of them could not handle. If Li Yannian left, how could Black Bean and the rest manage to do that?


    As Li Yannian explained her intention, Zhang Bao''s face immediately revealed a relieved expression. She was afraid that if she were to go overboard with her words, the little miss would be disgusted and upset her niece, causing her to be unable to forgive him.


    "That''s all right. It''s about time I told your grandma that I''ve been cheated by her for so long. To be honest, I''m pretty guilty, and I don''t even dare go home. "When the shop is closed tomorrow, I''ll make a trip home and apologize. Then, I''ll tell your grandma about what happened in the shop, and I think that your grandma will either follow me to the shop or your aunt will be on my way home."


    In Zhang Bao''s heart, he naturally hoped that his wife would follow him to live in the shop. Because they were working in the town, the two of them rarely got together, and in this month, it was two days that they had rested on the dock. The restaurant had rested for two days, which was even busier than the one they had stayed in Du Jia Village for in the past.


    But perhaps Zhang''s mother, who loved her granddaughter dearly, would come to the town to check on the situation as soon as she heard the truth and would become addicted to staying there. Last time, when she went home, Mrs. Zhang had been complaining that living at home was too boring. Her sons went to farm work, and her daughter-in-law also rushed to do it. Other than carrying her grandson, she didn''t even have a job to pass the time.


    Li Yannian smiled and said, "This is a good idea. I was thinking that business in our shop was too tight, preventing my uncle and aunt from reuniting. I don''t think it''s good for Grandmother to come to the store and help out. Grandmother is used to idling around at home, and our shop will save so that I won''t have to work too hard and tire Grandmother out. That would be my fault. Uncle, when you get home tomorrow, tell Auntie about this matter and see if Aunt is willing to come to the store and help. As for the wages, just do as I have given you, and we brothers will settle the score. Please don''t mention to me that our relatives don''t have to pay the wages. "You''re saying that I won''t be disheartened. I won''t be able to see Aunt, let people work for nothing, I''ll pay for it for free, don''t you think so?"


    At this time, Black Bean had already cleaned up the tables and chairs, and just happened to hear the two people''s voices. He came over and asked: "Aunt is also coming to the shop to do some work? Er Niu, it''s time to hire another person. In front of us, the townspeople also came to ask if we could get any food at the restaurant. At the price of one deep bowl of rice per cent, we would order three big bowls every day, which was more economical than the food we ate in the restaurant. I think this business is worth it, but there''s not enough manpower in the shop, so I didn''t mention it to you before. "


    Oh wow, her elder brother had even started preparing the take-out food business. Li Yannian nodded towards Black Bean in admiration: "This is a good idea. If we really do it in the long run, it might be more profitable than in our store. "


    Black Bean''s eyes lit up: You really think that?


    Li Yannian thought, if this was the Song Dynasty in history, then Tokyo City would be filled with such mobile take-out stalls. Sanwen a bowl of ice powder, Wuwen a bowl of mixed soup cake, as long as you want to eat, next to the window to call out, and there are idle people who jumped out, took the money to buy for you. It was not because the Tokyo people were lazy, but because the stove had been crushed by the cow. Firstly, the Song people were rich, and the economy of the dynasty was probably the most prosperous period in the history of China. It was not strange for ordinary people to eat a snack, and secondly, the people living in the city needed money to buy firewood and water. Sometimes, it would be better to buy food on the streets if he just opened fire and spent the money.


    Only a remote place like Li Village would be able to see such a prosperous scene. However, with the Du and Gu Family partnering up to create the shallow water pier, it would only take a few years for the Clear Water Town area to become lively.


    She nodded at Black Bean, "Yes. Brother, I think you can carefully ponder over this business. Right now, there are only three or five families who have ordered dinner. When more people know about this, more people will come and ask about it. Although Clear Water Town was not a big place, it was not small either. It would take at least five incense sticks to send a family back and forth. Even if we get more people in the shop, we won''t be able to handle it. "


    Zhang Bao was distracted by his sister and brother. He rubbed his chin and pondered, "Red Bean is right. For a few coins, I want to hire two or three more people. This business is not worth it." I actually felt that I could get a steamer drawer, prepare some food, and then take the oxcart to the town. I would first make sure that the food was still warm in my hands, and secondly, that there were many pairs of eyes watching me along the way. Perhaps I would be able to resist the temptation to buy food today, but tomorrow I would be unable to hold it in. "This way, we won''t only seek the business of a few households. We can sell more rice. When the business is better in the future, this oxcart will sell even better food than the shop."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Actually, there is one other way, it would save more effort."


    The two uncles immediately looked at Li Yannian. "Quickly tell me, what other methods do you have?"


    Li Yannian resisted her urge to keep them in suspense and laughed: "When I become famous in the future, I will let others carry the burden and sell them. Even though the money I get is a little less, I will save myself a lot of effort, wouldn''t I?"


    Zhang Bao could not help but nod. "This method is good, but you still have to go through with it first."


    Black Bean also nodded his head: "Since you all think that this business can be done, then on the way back, Er Mei, I will first go to those families and inform them that I have made a deal with them. The day after tomorrow, we will open a shop and send them food."


    Li Yannian nodded her head in agreement, "It just so happens that I need to buy some materials from the cloth farm. As the weather is getting warmer, we should add on some clothes. Since we are going back, I will get Auntie Li to help us do two more sets. "


    Zhang Bao took the chance to explain to Black Bean what he had just told him. The emphasis was on him: "In the past, it was on the last resort, but now it''s different, we, Old Zhang, can''t bear to see our daughter suffer the most, you, as her big brother, have to serve snacks as well. Hong Dou is already 10 years old, who is the young lady of the family not watching over the family when she''s 12 or 13 years old?


    If Zhang Bao didn''t say anything, Black Bean really wouldn''t have thought about this. He immediately decided, "Uncle said that it doesn''t matter if Aunt and the others come to the store the day after tomorrow, the two girls can''t come back."


    Without waiting for Li Yannian to speak, she instructed her in a serious tone: "Previously, I felt that it wasn''t appropriate to leave Mao Dou and Xu Zi at home while the two of us stayed in the shop. Now that it''s like this, Uncle and I will work and earn money from the shop.


    Li Yannian actually wanted to remind him that she wouldn''t be able to buy the rice that the shop used. However, since Zhang Bao was still there, Li Yannian couldn''t say it out loud. She waited until they were on the way back home and made it clear to Black Bean.


    Black Bean laughed: "What''s there to be worried about? "Uncle only said that he won''t let you go to work in the shop, so I''ll bring you along to stock up later. You''ve hidden so much, once the chickens come out from the nest of your aunts, you''ll have to wait on the young chicken at home.


    Li Yannian thought that she was right. For a moment, she had thought too much, but instead was confused.

 C63

    Chapter 63 Nameless Dining Hall (13)


    The two siblings parted ways on the Mausoleum of Books. Black Bean went to inform the several residences of the Jade Water Lane while Li Yannian went to the cloth shop. This time, the shopkeeper, who she wasn''t acquainted with, gave a low price. Li Yannian bought four sets of silk and cloth and almost five taels of silver in an instant. If this was converted into silver, it would only be worth seven or eight hundred yuan, but if it was converted into gold, it would be more than eight thousand yuan!


    Li Yannian was truly reluctant to use silver. If only she could buy clothes from the system. The light bulb in her head suddenly lit up. That''s right, why didn''t she think of it? Taobao clearly had imitated ancient clothing on it, but the quality was uneven so it wasn''t easy to choose.


    He wondered if the system would release the time limit on the buyer''s credit after it reached 3-star. Although he could buy an unlimited number of transactions every month, a one minute limited time search was still very hard to bear.


    In theory, Li Yannian could search for the same key word countless of times. If she didn''t find the perfect item within this minute, when she opened the system to search again, the screening page would be different, even if it was sorted according to sales, credits, and prices, it would still be the same. In this minute, what Li Yannian found were completely different items.


    However, he didn''t know how the system would change when the buyer''s credit rose to 3-star. Li Yannian remembered that she had bought a lot this month. The buyer''s credit card seemed to have accumulated to thirty-five or thirty-seven points. It was just that she didn''t know how much credit a Samsung buyer would need. If it was 40 points, she just needed to buy a few more items this month.


    She had been waiting for Xu Zijun to come in for the pepper when she saw that she still had over three thousand dollars left in her system account. It just so happened that they could buy some bed products. An old cotton sheet was only worth forty to fifty yuan, while the usual brand of summer blanket was only sixty to seventy yuan. It wouldn''t take much for the family of four to change into it.


    Li Yannian kept thinking about what else she needed to buy at home, and didn''t even hear Black Bean call her from the back. In the end, a grandma beside her reminded her, and Li Yannian turned to see Black Bean chasing after her.


    She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment: "Bro, you already said it, right? I''ve got my stuff, let''s go home. Aunt Zhang''s Xiao Bao is going to school today, right? I think that in the future, she would have to stay in the shop and not return with us to the village. Fortunately, when we were taking care of the shop, I allowed Little Uncle to sleep a few more rooms away. "


    Black Bean shot a glance at her, and did not let her change the subject, "What are you thinking about? You''re so engrossed in your thoughts, I called out to you a few times, yet you didn''t react at all."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Didn''t First Uncle say it? Let me stay at home and raise the chickens, I will think about how to make the yard here, raising it when it''s free, afraid that I might ruin the place and not be able to grow the vegetables, close the cages and raise them, then later we will have to ask someone to buy a chicken coop. Over fifty chickens, no matter how many cages it takes, it''s impossible to make a bed for them. "


    Li Yannian did not tell the truth, but with regards to raising chickens, it was indeed because of a moment of excitement, and only after careful consideration did she realize that it was a huge pit. Putting everything aside, just the arena alone was enough to give her a headache. Chicken is a rectum animal, walking and pulling, daily timely cleaning of chicken shit is a very cumbersome task. Then there was the steamed rice, bran, and cut vegetables to mix the chicken food. It took a lot of effort and strength.


    Thinking about it this way, Li Yannian was really courting death, digging a huge pit with herself.


    Black Bean laughed: "He really is a child. For such a small matter, he is already in a difficult position. One side is covered with dirt, while the other side is surrounded by fences. When the time comes, the young chicken will be placed inside with wood chaff and sand, and there will be a place to walk around, and the soil will be swept out and pile up in the pit at the back of our house. Every other day or two, new wood chaff and sand will be poured in, and as long as you and Dou Dou clean well, the house will not stink of chicken poop. "


    Li Yannian couldn''t help but clap her hands happily: "Brother, you''re really smart, you thought too well. But bro, aren''t we going to drive the chickens out and raise them? I see that the villagers keeps the chickens outside and is walking around. "


    However, Black Bean shook his head. "That''s because the people here are too few, and we''re all from the same village, so we all know who raised that chicken. Our family is different, you and Mao Dou are two big kids, in our family only I can barely be considered a laborer, villagers wouldn''t take us seriously. With so many chickens out there, without meat for the first couple of months, people wouldn''t even think about our chickens. But at the end, everyone had their reasons for stealing. You kept so many of them, and they were all from the same village. So what if they ate one or two of you? "Er Niu, don''t forget, there are still two families in our family who are worried. They were forced to pay, so we didn''t cause any trouble. Who knows, they might be waiting at the back holding back their bad intentions."


    "This chicken is not worth much, but you have worked so hard to raise it. If someone were to steal it and eat it, would you be willing?" I just wanted to save some trouble, so that would save me some trouble. Speaking of which, it''s definitely to spare effort to feed the chicken, but I don''t want you to suffer. "So second girl, listen to brother. You and Dou Dou, be more diligent. You sweep both sides of the ground more every day and clean up the chicken coop. If it stinks later, you''re not allowed to raise it."


    Li Yannian never thought that Black Bean''s thoughts were so meticulous that she even predicted that Li Qingshan and Li Junshan would have some sort of plan. She nodded and replied, "Okay, then let''s take advantage of tomorrow''s free time and go to the mountain to chop bamboo and build a fence. But Bro, where are we going to get the wood chaff? "


    Black Bean smiled and patted her head: "Have you forgotten about Master Tong? We made a whole set of furniture at his place.


    Li Yannian really forgot that as she stuck her tongue out in embarrassment.


    "When I went to notify those families, I went to Master Tong and told her about it. I said I would give money to buy it, but Master Tong refused to accept it no matter what. She said it was just a little bit of wood shavings, not like shavings and other people who would take it to ignite a fire. When I need it, he''ll go and collect it himself. At that time, he''ll help us save it. "


    Li Yannian looked at the big brother in front of him who was brimming with confidence. In these short few months, he had truly changed a lot. Many things, were not things that he had to drag along these two brothers and rush forward all at once. It was Black Bean, the big bro, who silently walked in front of him and assumed the responsibility of deciding the outcome.


    Black Bean felt that Li Yannian was looking at him differently, and turned his head and laughed: "What''s wrong, could it be that flowers are blooming on my face today?"


    Li Yannian shyly shook her head: "Brother, I feel that you really are the best brother in the world."


    Black Bean smiled and did not say anything, but he let out a soft sigh in the bottom of his heart. If not for you, the best sister in the world, how could we be where we are today?


    The two siblings chatted and laughed as they returned home. When Mao Dou heard the door open, he ran out to pick them up.


    "Big brother, big sis, you two came back." "Why is it so late today? I thought you guys were delayed by something on your way here and wanted to come pick you guys up," Mao Dou took the thing in Li Yannian''s hands sensibly, pouting as he complained.


    Li Yannian poked his baby''s fat cheek, "The shop is busy today, let''s not talk about this. The words you practiced today, show us and let us see if you were lazy today when you were at home."


    Mao Dou puffed out his chest. "Sis, you always say that back then. When have I ever been lazy? "Just you wait, I''ll show you what I''ve practiced today."


    As he spoke, he ran back to his room on the second floor. After a short while, he came back down with seven or eight pieces of paper under his arm.


    Li Yannian carefully examined his younger brother''s homework, and gave him a white rabbit candy as a reward. She did not forget to remind him, "Brush your teeth if you want to eat the candy, otherwise if you give the insect the teeth, you won''t be able to cry."


    Mao Dou used the tip of his tongue to lick the sweet milk candy before impatiently pushing her away. "Sis, you''re getting more and more long-winded. If it''s the same, then say it every day."


    Li Yannian curled her lips, "Do you think I would be willing? Who said that their teeth would hurt after eating the candy last time? "I forgot to tell you the same thing. You forgot about brushing your teeth. I''m about to become your mother at such a young age, and it was you who forced me to do that."


    It was obviously because he was worried about her ¡­ Mao Dou was about to retort, but Li Yannian frowned and asked: "Eh, where''s Xu Zi? How come you didn''t see him with you? "


    Mao Dou didn''t mind. He casually said, "Brother Xu always likes to stay in the yard. I''ve covered him with a blanket and can''t freeze him. "But Sis, Brother Xu Zi''s appetite hasn''t been good recently, so he hasn''t eaten much for lunch and lunch."


    When Zhao Xu, who was sitting in the courtyard, heard Mao Dou''s words, as no one saw it, he rolled his eyes. Child, that is because the food you cook is really too unpleasant.


    During the first few days of the restaurant''s opening, Li Family still remembered to leave the two of them some easy to cook food. For example, that strange shell that could be eaten after a single incense of time in the steamer, the garlic scallop that Li Yannian bought fresh from the cat, the fish soup that could already be eaten after she put the soup and cut fish meat in the pot for cooking, and the frozen vegetable buns that were cooked after the time it took for just one incense stick to burn, also came from the Tmall''s frozen fresh mushroom package.


    But he didn''t know how Mao Dou guaranteed the Li Family''s girl that Zhao Xu''s happy days would only last for a short five days. After that, he cooked and cooked his own dishes for lunch. To be honest, if it weren''t for the fact that Mao Dou Man was not as tall as the stove, and had painstakingly stepped on a rock to cook, Zhao Xu really wouldn''t want to eat all of it.


    Li Yannian obviously thought of the crux of the problem, and laughed as she pinched Mao Dou''s face, "It must be because the dishes you stir-fried are too horrible to eat. "I already said, I''ll leave something for you guys to eat at noon. As long as you heat it up, it''ll be edible. You must cook it yourself. Look, I''ve starved you, Brother Xu."


    Mao Dou pouted in dissatisfaction. "Bullsh * t, the food I made is not bad at all. It''s obviously Brother Xu Zi who has such a big mouth, yet he''s still greedy. How shameful."


    Li Yannian looked at him in surprise and teased, "You even said that other people talk too much. Didn''t you all go back to clean up the leftovers from eating at noon? "


    Speaking of which, Li Yannian felt that Black Bean had become more conscious of himself. In the past, no one at home had wanted to eat chicken butts, ducks'' necks, or leftovers from the previous meal, all of which were taken care of by her father.


    Perhaps the man at the top of the family tree was very quiet and didn''t know how to speak beautiful words, but he would always be the one who paid the most silently for his family.


    Mao Dou''s final layer of covering cloth was ripped off, tenderly wanting to cover Li Yannian''s mouth to not let her say anymore. Li Yannian laughed and dodged, then used her finger to rub her face and laughed at his younger brother: "Shame on you, if you can''t describe it, then you have to make a move."


    Mao Dou decisively decided to turn around and look for help. He grabbed Black Bean''s sleeves and complained, "Big bro, you manage big sis, big sis bullied me again."


    "Aiya, and you''re the one complaining first. When have I bullied you before?"


    "Just now. Bro, tell me, how are you going to be an older sister? You don''t even know how to show mercy to your younger brother."


    "You still have the nerve to say that? Come over here, big sis will love you," Li Yannian said, pretending to fist as he walked towards Mao Dou, but Mao Dou was so frightened that he hid behind Black Bean.


    "Bro, look at Sis, she''s bullying me again."


    Black Bean''s head hurt from the two quarrels, he grabbed one of them and said, "Alright, alright, alright, stop messing around, hurry up and make a fire to make dinner. Dou Dou, you go and look at your Brother Xu in the courtyard. "Hurry up and get them in. We''ll have dinner soon."


    Black Bean and Li Yannian looked at each other and smiled.

 C64

    Chapter 64 Nameless Dining Hall (14)


    The Li family dinner was late today, and by the time Black Bean and Mao Dou finished boiling water to wash the dishes, the sky was already completely dark. While the two of them were busy working in the kitchen, Li Yannian took the chance to deliver the ingredients she bought today to the Auntie Li next door. Although the farmer family had already begun to get busy over the past few months, Auntie Li frankly indicated that she could make these clothes by touching the oil lamp at night, letting Li Yannian feel at ease to wait.


    In the evening, Li Yannian stayed alone in the room on the third floor. She bought four sets of old cotton sheets, which happened to be hot from Taobao''s May Breakfast Festival, and bought four sets of special goods. The price of the four sets of sheets was exactly around two hundred yuan, and the price of the four sets of sheets had been reduced by another twenty yuan. After completing the transaction, she paid special attention to her buyer''s credit. It was already forty points.


    What followed next was Xia Liuli. In order to make up for the preferential treatment, Li Yannian also did not separate the orders. Just as she was about to receive the package, a familiar female voice of the system once again rang beside her ears:


    "Congratulations, you have accumulated 41 points of credit and have successfully upgraded to a 3-star buyer."


    When he finally levelled up, Li Yannian let out a long breath, as he waited for the rights and limitations of a three star buyer.


    "Every month, Samsung buyers will be able to enjoy the recommendations of the people who purchase the goods. They will also enjoy the recommendations of the people who buy the goods at special prices in real time." Favorites feature is unblocked open, you can always put your heart water good things in your favorites. In addition, after your level has risen to 3 stars, the area of your warehouse has increased to 300 square meters. Tip: Samsung buyers'' transaction numbers and transaction limits are equivalent to that of two star buyers. Your shopping search time limit is still one minute. "


    Sigh, there was still a time limit. Other than a good item recommendation and a special offer, there was still a warehouse that was more practical. Nothing else had changed.


    Li Yannian was deeply disappointed. After receiving the first bucket of ice water, her heart was completely cold.


    What will you do when your hands are a little uncomfortable? Of course it was shopping! It just so happened that the warehouse was getting bigger, so it gave her a perfect excuse to buy it!


    Li Yannian was still a little confused. Eh, I''m not really prepared to search for the key word yet.


    "Recommended good item from a fish in the deep sea: Solar energy rechargeable LED light. Landscape wall light, solar light."


    Solar, this is good, even if the original belt of the lights run out of electricity, the sun can still be used. Li Yannian curiously clicked on the light and discovered that this LED wasn''t really suitable for use indoors. First of all, this kind of courtyard lamp solar panel is on the light tube, that is, to charge, must put the entire lamp in the sun to dry. Secondly, the shape of the lamp is not very good to stand on, the original design is more suitable to be installed on the wall.


    However, after some careful thought, she realized that the new house had always had a terrace. The sunlight was sufficient, as long as she took the lamp to the top floor to dry it every day. Actually, he only needed to lower the side of the solar panel. Furthermore, there was a man at home who was capable, so he could give the problem to Black Bean, as he would eventually have a way to install all the lamps.


    Coincidentally, this store recommended by a deep sea fish also had a promotional activity of buying two to one rooms. Li Yannian calculated the size of the rooms and bought two small white lights. The living area of the living room was very big, so she chose the medium light. After all, it was a common area for a family to live in.


    The balance dropped to about four hundred yuan. Seeing that there were suddenly extra lanterns in the house, Li Yannian excitedly played with them. After studying the product description for a while, Li Yannian set up the lighting mode, and saw that the middle courtyard lamp had lit up, Li Yannian''s heart was filled with this thought. It had been three or four months since she came to this world. She was used to the dim light of the oil lamp. When the yard lamp suddenly lit up, she was almost blinded by the light.


    She tested the effect of the small lamp. Actually, as far as the lighting was concerned, the area lit up by the small lamp was about 35 square meters. Not only was it sufficient for the room, but it was also sufficient for the living room. Li Yannian didn''t need to spend that much money to buy a medium size one.


    However, the bigger the better. With 75 square meters of lighting area, even the kitchen would probably light up.


    She excitedly carried the light down the stairs but before she could see Black Bean and the others, she happily shouted out, "Brother, Dou Dou, quickly come and see my new treasure."


    Black Bean and Mao Dou who were wiping their bowls immediately turned around and squinted their eyes.


    "What is this? Why is it so bright?"


    "Sis, did you save your eyes too much?"


    Li Yannian was amused by the two brothers'' words. "Don''t make wild guesses. Bro, hurry up and come over. If she could get the light, he would be able to get it off at any time. This thing needs to be exposed to the sun during the day and will only have light at night. If used properly, it can be used for at least five years. "


    Black Bean took this strange thing from her hands. He was extremely curious, but looking at his sister''s expression, it did not seem like he was prepared to explain the origin and light principle of this thing to him. He could only resist the urge to take a look and think about how to fulfill her previous request.


    "I think we should nail a bracket on this wall. Once it''s nailed, we should put this lamp on it. We should take it off and bask in the sun in the morning. Then, we won''t have any time to waste at all, don''t you think?"


    "Good idea, then let''s make do and put this on the table today. Bro, I still have three smaller ones upstairs, put each of them in our room. From now on, we don''t have to face the oil lamp while reading and writing." Tomorrow we''ll make this first, and then we''ll put up the fence. "


    Originally, she thought that Li Yannian had planned to make one of them stay in the hall, but she never expected that she would see everyone in their rooms. Warmth rose from the bottom of her heart, Black Bean smiled: "Mn, I''ll listen to you."


    Mao Dou curiously touched the LED light here and there, no matter how you looked at it. He couldn''t help but feel happy when he thought that he could practice in the bright room in the future.


    However, Black Bean thought of a new question at the right time: "This item is still rare after all, if someone comes in the night, we have to be careful, in the hall there is a box, if someone comes, we have to put away the lamp. Everyone must also form a habit of locking the door on the balcony so that no one will accidentally go in and see them. "


    Li Yannian stuck out her tongue, "Fortunately I have big brother, so I thought far ahead."


    She turned her head and just happened to meet Zhao Xu''s gaze. She strangely saw the shocked expression in his eyes.


    "Xu, what''s wrong?" A wild guess emerged from the bottom of Li Yannian''s heart that made her instantly feel cold. Could it be that Zhao Xu had been pretending to be stupid because he was avoiding a disaster? He had never tried to cover up the system in front of him ¡­


    Zhao Xu had obviously realized that he had almost exposed his identity, and now, he was pretending to be unsurprised and reveal his usual idiotic words, wasn''t it a little too obvious? He then deliberately winked at Li Yannian twice, and then blinked twice in surprise at the LED. Then, he looked at Li Yannian again.


    Zhao Xu knew in his heart that this skin of his was extremely well-liked by Li Yannian. He knew that when he winked at her, she would stroke his head gently, like a naughty child, and conjure up a candy, or something delicious.


    The other party was clearly a child five years younger than him, but every time, it would give him the feeling of being doted on by an elder. If not for him knowing that Li Yannian had grown up in the Li Village since childhood, Zhao Xu would have suspected that she had turned into a little kid and came to the mortal world to gain experience.


    Thinking of the fresh food that she had casually brought out, as well as the strange things that could not be bought in the nearby towns that suddenly popped up, was not surprised even if he said that she was a fox demon.


    Li Yannian saw that Zhao Xu''s face revealed the usual ignorant expression, and the strings on his mouth loosened. Maybe he was just thinking too much, even if it was an idiot, at night, when the room suddenly lit up as if it was day, he would still feel surprised.


    The whole family looked at the new thing for a long time, and then finally split up and went to sleep very late. On the second day, all of them yawned sleepily, making Li Yannian feel really happy. These natives had really gotten used to a healthy life where the sun was going down and the sun was setting. After giving them a little of the most basic stuff of modern civilization, they immediately had the tendency to turn themselves into a party that was staying up all night. Sure enough, people began to converge on this matter whether it was a thousand years ago or a thousand years later.


    Breakfast was made with plain white porridge and fried dough sticks with rotten milk. The fried dough sticks were not wrong, but Li Yannian did not make them herself. If the price of the Tiantang supermarket''s order was a full eighty-eight yuan, there would be no need for express delivery. After a successful transaction, there would be benefits of the customer reshuffling the order, which could lead to a coupon or a real item with a penny''s worth of benefit.


    Li Yannian had frequently bought them in the past, and she had flipped through quite a few good things with a penny, but the system had always had a one minute time limit on shopping. Who would have thought that in the next few shopping sessions, the welfare goods would be delivered directly with her order. It was no wonder that she hadn''t noticed that the system had sent her an extra gift. Buying things before was like robbing. It was almost the same as seeing something bought. After a while, she still had an impression of what she had thrown into the shopping cart.


    As the buyer''s level levelled up yesterday, the storage room that the system had given him had expanded. Li Yannian had only found this when she had carefully sorted and sorted the items in the warehouse one by one. There were more than 20 bags of frozen Calm Oils in the warehouse. Judging by the number, she didn''t buy them herself. After thinking for a while, she concluded that they were probably the welfare products that had been given to him previously.


    In the morning, when he poured a big barrel of cooking oil into the pot, Black Bean''s heart ached from watching it, but now he ate one mouthful at a time, not wanting to eat too much.


    "Sis, what''s this called again? "It smells so good!"


    An Xin''s youtiao was very short and small. She could even finish one bean with two bites.


    Li Yannian thought, could it be that there was no such thing as fried dough sticks? She carefully recalled her own limited knowledge of history. Yes, it was said that the youtiao was called the fried pine tree in the beginning, and it even had a mysterious relationship with Qin Kui.


    "This is called youtiao, it''s dough that gets powdered, you can just fry it. "Go on fire, eat less. When the time comes, we will find cold tea all over the mountain and set the fire."


    Speaking of this, she then pulled out that the two brothers had eaten too fiercely the last time, causing them to bleed profusely from their noses the last time. This caused Li Yannian to have to go to the Auntie Li''s house in the middle of the winter to ask for some cooling tea.


    Black Bean and Mao Dou''s actions and actions immediately became much more controlled when Li Yannian suddenly mentioned about their dark history. On the other hand, Zhao Xu, who was sitting beside her, was gently pinching a piece of fried dough stick and nibbling on it from beginning to end. If he did not know that someone had hurt his brain the last time, with a single glance, he would have landed like a phoenix and blended in with a group of sparrows.


    "You guys can''t even compare to him. Look at him, he doesn''t make people worry at all."


    Mao Dou harrumphed. "Sister, you''re still talking about us. You''re just a girl, how can you be compared to Brother Xu Zi''s elegance?"

 C65

    Chapter 65 Nameless Dining Hall (15)


    Black Bean could not help but laugh out loud, and rubbed Mao Dou''s head, "Your sister, the only thing left in her braids is for you to catch. Dou Dou, hurry up and eat.


    When he heard that his big brother was bringing him up the mountain, Mao Dou''s eyes immediately lit up. He was brimming with energy as he asked, "Brother, is Uncle Li coming as well?"


    Li Yannian immediately became alert: "You''re still thinking of following Uncle Li into the mountains to hunt? How old are you now?! You''re not allowed to go!"


    Black Bean looked at Li Yannian with disapproval, and then said to his brother who had obviously flattened his mouth: "Today, I''m not going hunting, I''m going to chop bamboo. After we cut down the bamboo, we''ll tie up the fence today. In the future, you and your sister will have to take good care of these young chicken at home. "


    Then he turned to Li Yannian and said: "Er Niu, Dou Dou is a boy after all, she''s been locked up at home like this all day. She''s not allowed to go, she''s not allowed to do this, and she only knows how to practice writing every day. It''s more or less the same as the young lady who studies embroidery. "


    Li Yannian was dumbstruck, she did not know that Black Bean had always thought like this. But why can''t I support you all your life? We are family. I like being with you all ¡­


    Black Bean seemed to be able to guess what she was thinking, and sighed, saying in a heavy tone: "Er Niu, I know that you''re willing, but do you think that you have the ability to protect us and not worry about us for the rest of our lives? It''s our own family, and it''s our responsibility. "


    Li Yannian''s eyes were still filled with confusion. In her blueprint for her future, she still had her brother and brother, but Black Bean seemed to have excluded her from her future.


    Zhao Xu was focused on eating breakfast, his mind glued to Li Yannian''s body. The little girl from the Li family was too naive and foolish, but as a brother, even though she knew that her little sister had treasures, she didn''t have any evil intentions towards her, and she was too naive and foolish.


    This family was truly alike. He sneered in his heart. If it was him, then there wouldn''t be a day he let her go. He wanted her to be under his protection for the rest of her life. If they were unable to be used by him, it would be a bargain to keep them. It would be better to get rid of them.


    Zhao Xu''s eyes were full of calculations, but because he had always kept his head down, the three siblings did not see his current expression.


    Seeing that Li Yannian was still depressed, Black Bean laughed and rubbed her head: "What are you worrying about, I''m still a few years away from getting married. Maybe in the future, when Dou Dou and I can''t continue on our own, we''ll have to look for you to support us."


    These words seemed to make the heavens green. Li Yannian immediately revealed a smile: "That''s for the best, that''s for the best."


    Black Bean was exasperated. What do you mean they would do best if they could not continue?


    Li Yannian, who was distracted by the crisis of the branch family behind him, waited for the two brothers to leave for a long time. Only then did she remember that she was actually thinking about how Mao Dou should not go into the mountains to take the risk.


    The next time Mao Dou said she wanted to go hunting with Uncle Li in the mountains, she would definitely oppose it. If he wanted to enter the mountain, he would have to wait for Mao Dou ¡­ Eh, I can''t do it anymore!


    Li Yannian muttered as she cleaned up the dishes. She remembered that Black Bean had previously said he needed to grow vegetables in the courtyard. She did not know about farming, so she casually bought some vegetables from the system that could be grown in all four seasons.


    There were also tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in the same link, but he didn''t know if tomatoes appeared in this era or not. Li Yannian remembered that the time the tomatoes entered China was very late, so he hesitated a bit before deciding not to put them in the cart to buy them. However, even if she didn''t buy these two items, the number of photos she took was already more than enough. When Li Yannian opened the package, the seller actually gave him a few packs of spring onion, coriander seeds and two bags of fertilizer.


    Since she was empty in the morning, she found a few bowls and left a bowl of water for each of them. She then poured some of the seeds into the bowl to soak. Using his previous experience of growing cat and grass, under the same temperature, a wheat seed that had been dipped in would germinate in about two or three to four days, and a wheat seed that had not been directly seeded would take four or five days, or even more than a week, to be watered and rise from the ground.


    As one of the 1.3 billion people who were growing flowers, Li Yannian believed that the Inherent Skills she had planted should not be too weak. As for the soil, although she was inexperienced, she had never eaten pork before. Could it be that she had never seen a pig run before? Previously, she had clearly seen how the Uncle Li and that old man of the Li Family were digging the ground. After soaking the seed, she went to the Auntie Li''s house next door to borrow a hoe.


    Auntie Li was curious about what she wanted to do with the hoe, and upon learning that she wanted to plant vegetables on the ground, she slapped her thigh and picked up the hoe: "I was wondering what it was that I wanted to do. Fine, aunty will walk with you for a while, you little girl, you''re not even as tall as the hoe when you stand up. "When I get back, I''ll smash my own hoe or hoe into pieces. What kind of vegetables are you planning to grow?"


    Li Yannian casually answered: "I plan to grow some vegetables that are easy to serve. Aunt, I see that this little plot of land next to your house can also be used to light up the vegetable seedlings, right? "It''s easy to go back and add some dirt." "¡­" "


    The Auntie Li did not expect to plant dishes in front of her own house. How could the farmers bear to leave empty land for them to grow things? She still didn''t have the money to buy the seed. The rice could still be bred and nurtured by itself, so there was no need to spend money on it.


    However, the vegetables were different, it was very difficult to leave any. One reason was that they had to choose the ones that were not sick to stay through the season, and secondly, the seeds were too small to be preserved. villagers did not even have a place to grow the food he ate, and his entire family''s labour force would always be on the crops. Ask someone else to buy the seed, a small pinch is a few pieces of money, the price is also expensive.


    It was not famous in the village for having a fine life, nor for having these fresh leafy vegetables to eat. It was already good to have some dried vegetables at the table during the prehistoric season.


    Li Yannian didn''t know what was going on inside, as she had never done proper farm work and had truly suffered before. Some of the words that came out, when heard by the people around her, clearly revealed a "why not eat the meat" feeling of ignorance and naivety. Fortunately, the Auntie Li knew about her personality, and thought that it was only because the couple that loved Li Yannian and Zhang Sanniang so much that they doted on Li Yannian to such an extent.


    The Auntie Li laughed, but did not reveal her true intentions, and only said: "When your uncle comes back, I will ask him for his opinion."


    As the two chatted, they arrived at the courtyard in the blink of an eye. Auntie Li looked at the small piece of land in front of him and could not help but laugh. "Just a small piece of land like this, and you''ll be done with a turn of your body. Just you wait, let Aunty show you a thing."


    As he spoke, he spat into the palm of his hand, picked up his hoe and started to move his hand. Li Yannian saw that her movements were extremely nimble, and in less than a minute or two, the muddy ground in the courtyard had already been dug up.


    Auntie Li did not even sweat a little. She looked at the results of her hard work, then looked at Li Yannian.


    Li Yannian obediently carried the bowl over. Auntie Li took a glance at it and nodded: "It seems reasonable. Draw the path first and look at the spacing. Just don''t make it too close. "


    With the confirmation from the normal farmers, Li Yannian felt a little proud. Seems like she had gone against her plan to soak the seeds in the water. Seeing that the Auntie Li was about to leave, Li Yannian immediately threw over the bag of seeds she had prepared beforehand.


    "Aunt, these are the extra seeds. Look at my yard, where can I plant so many seeds? Take these and plant them. I think planting them against the wall is good enough." It doesn''t matter if Uncle agrees or not, you should just soak the seed in it first. Li Yannian really thought that the Uncle Li did not want him to cook at the side of the house, so she came up with a rotten idea.


    Auntie Li grumbled, "Child, you''ve spent so much money again, haven''t you? You don''t know how big the courtyard is, so you can buy as many seeds as you want to plant.


    He happily accepted the seed. "Then I''ll take these and plant them first. I told your uncle that I would leave a few dishes for him to grow, and he insisted on eating them all. He said that he wouldn''t grow any more this year."


    Li Yannian said in surprise, "Why is that so? "If you don''t grow vegetables, what would you eat this year?"


    Auntie Li sighed: "You kids don''t know about the land, but last year''s land was not enough food, so there was at least 20% less than in the past year. This family only has limited food, and if they lost 20%, they would have to recover it from other places, so the vegetables naturally wouldn''t grow anymore."


    Li Yannian''s mind raced: "Aunt, is it only your family, or is it the same for everyone in the village?"


    The Auntie Li was a little confused and mumbled, "It seems that everyone''s land is short of food. Everyone even said that this was the contribution that was made to the Earthen Lord last year. This year''s soil isn''t fat, so it''s reduced by so much food."


    Li Yannian wasn''t an expert in farming, but after hearing what Auntie Li said, she had a faint thought in her heart. Fruit trees were said to be growing at a young age, the villagers''s land must have also encountered a situation like this, either because of the climate or because there was no land to cultivate at all.


    "Aunt, is your family''s land filled with food for the past few years?" Li Yannian asked indifferently.


    "How can that be? Who can throw a piece of farmland into a dead end? They were all planted with beans after three to five years, otherwise, no matter how diligent they were, they wouldn''t be able to produce much in the field. "


    Was that the reason for the climate? Li Yannian thought, but suddenly remembered the sweet potato seedlings she had planted for his family.


    "Aunt, did you plant the seedlings I let you plant previously?"


    Auntie Li''s face reddened, and she felt a little embarrassed: "I really have no land to grow in, your uncle just planted the seed in a plot of land on the mountain. When Black Bean came over to grow the seed, he said that it did not require much effort, so your uncle just planted it in the mountain. However, every time he entered the mountain, he would bring Fatty along. I''m not thinking about asking, and I don''t know how it''s going. "


    Li Yannian laughed: "Planting in the mountains is also a good thing, after five or six months, you must remember to dig, if not you will benefit from the wild boars in the mountains."


    Auntie Li had never seen sweet potato that could grow to such a crazy degree, she thought that since it was only around fifty years of age and was in the wasteland of the mountains, it sounded like a peanut, with fruits growing on the ground. Even if it was really like what the Black Bean siblings said, if it could bear fruit, it would probably not even amount to a few catties of fruit, right?


    The sweet potato seedlings Li Yannian gave the Auntie Li was the highest yield she had bought this time. If the seller did not exaggerate, the average yield would exceed ten thousand kilograms per mu. Fifty seedlings would at least produce a output of one to two hundred Jin. Furthermore, when the seedlings grow stronger, they could even continue to grow out. These were all told to Uncle Li by Li Yannian at the time, so it shouldn''t be too much of a problem for an old crop like Uncle Li to take care of it.


    "The work is done, the things are already taken for free. I have to go back now. I haven''t even started cutting the clothes of you siblings, and I still have to go with your uncle in the afternoon. Hurry up and use your scissors when you have time." "Oh, Red Bean, I''m not going to chat with you anymore. I''m going home. If you have anything to say, just come and find me."


    Li Yannian acknowledged him, and sent him out the door. Just as she turned her head, he almost bumped into Zhao Xu.


    "Xu, why are you walking so quietly? Why are you downstairs again? Are you thirsty or hungry?" Li Yannian was shocked by his actions, but when she saw that he was frowning and not saying anything, she knew that she was just an old hen.


    Zhao Xu opened his mouth and gasped for air, after which he pouted in pain, feeling wronged to the point that his mouth had been flattened by Yun Che''s words. )))))


    Li Yannian thought. Could it be that there was another youth at her home who had lost his teeth due to eating too much candy? Quickly, she pulled him to the sofa and squeezed his face, forcing him to open his mouth so she could examine him.


    However, his teeth was snow-white, and he couldn''t even see a single spot. Li Yannian was a little anxious, "Xuanzi, where does it hurt? Is it the upper tooth or the lower tooth? "


    Initially, he thought this little fool wouldn''t understand his question, but he didn''t expect Zhao Xu to directly pinch his lower lip and pull it down, revealing a small ulcer the size of a small fingertip.


    "Puff ¡­"


    He suddenly felt that the immortal aura that Zhao Xu had displayed when he was not foolish had disappeared. What was going on?

 C66

    Chapter 66 Nameless Dining Hall (16)


    Even if Zhao Xu was a fool, he knew that Li Yannian was laughing at him. Furthermore, he was not really a fool, after he groaned twice, he puffed his cheeks and turned his back, unwilling to ignore Li Yannian.


    "Alright, alright. I was wrong, alright!?" You turned around and let your sister see it again. You said that you only know how to eat meat and eat seafood all day long, but you didn''t want to eat vegetables. Quick, open your mouth, let me see if this ulcer is serious. "


    Li Yannian said whatever she wanted to say, and managed to coax back to reality. She looked at Zhao Xu''s mouth for a while, and it didn''t seem to be serious. However, she was not a doctor. In her previous life, she had been in good health and had never suffered from an oral ulcer, but this colleague had often mentioned that. There were many causes of illness, but most of them were caused by vitamin B deficiency.


    If the system could purchase some medicine, then she would definitely buy some medicine for Zhao Xu. However, the problem was that the system forbade trading prescription drugs. At the moment, the only way was to try her colleague''s trick.


    "Xu, sit here and don''t move. I''ll go upstairs to find something for you to treat."


    After settling the good guys down, Li Yannian went upstairs and opened the system interface. She had never bought a canned fruit before and didn''t have any stock in the warehouse, so she could only buy it on the spot. Now that there were more fruits out of season, it wasn''t as easy as it used to be for him to eat a fruit. Coupled with the fact that people were paying more and more attention to healthy eating, the canned food was equivalent to a large amount of preservatives in many people''s eyes. In fact, most of the canned food is the high temperature vacuum sterilization packaging, as long as it is the regular large manufacturers to produce the canned food, generally do not add preservatives. According to what Li Yannian knew, Yang Mei was the only one that was allowed to add preservatives in canned fruits. Nothing else was allowed.


    As for the food additives in the cans, it was as if they were not in any other packaged food, and Coca-Cola was half full of pigments and corn syrup.


    Unfortunately, the thing that Li Yannian was preparing to buy for Zhao Xu today was a can of Yang Mei with antiseptic inside.


    Strangely, although Yangmei had eaten a fruit that had been set on fire by the thieves, her former colleague would always take a canned Yangmei whenever he had an aphrodisiac. He didn''t even need to eat the Yangmei inside, he only needed to drink the soup to get the ulcer. He hoped that the ulcer that Zhao Xu had this time was of the same ancestor as hers.


    When it came to canned fruit, Li Yannian suddenly became greedy as well. In the past, the thing she bought the most was canned yellow peach. The yellow peach was truly a wondrous fruit. When eaten directly, it tasted sour and sweet. With a single gulp, one''s teeth would be poured out, as if one had eaten a bowl of plum blossoms. But when she made the cans, Li Yannian ate two big cans as if there was nothing wrong with it, and adding it onto the other beverages, it was perfect for him.


    In the yogurt, cut some yellow peach kernels and mix them together. It was very fragrant and refreshing. It was delicious to break a little yellow peach inside of Michaelis. Not to mention the warm yellow peach egg tart, which had just been cooked out of the oven, it would not be a problem for Li Yannian to get rid of a box at once.


    With that thought in mind, she began to crave more dishes, such as Orl¨¦ans Grilled Wings, Chicken Leg Castle, and crispy French fries ¡­ When he thought about how he was going to end up like this, Li Yannian quickly retracted his train of thoughts and used "Fruit Time: Yang Mei" as the key word to search the system.


    So it turns out that Yang Mei''s canned food did not appear during the fruits, but Li Yannian was not very familiar with the other brands, and seeing that the system recommended them to sell off their goods, she quickly placed an order on a box of six canisters. She then grabbed a few boxes of canned peach and stored them in the warehouse.


    Zhao Xu waited downstairs for the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Then, he saw that Li Yannian had already rolled up her sleeves and walked over to the kitchen without saying a word.


    She was still wary of him. A haze quickly flashed across Zhao Xu''s lifeless face.


    "Xu, come and drink some Yang Mei Soup and try. If there''s no effect, then you can only eat more vegetables."


    While they were talking, Li Yannian had already walked to Zhao Xu''s side with the bowl in his hands. Without waiting for him to clearly see the contents of the bowl, Li Yannian had already brought the bowl close to his mouth, afraid that she would choke on it. Zhao Xu immediately opened his mouth to drink.


    It was sweet and quite tasty. Zhao Xu''s eyes brightened. He knew that he wouldn''t need to hold the bowl for him anymore.


    Zhao Xu thought, he was not saying, but after he said it, the bowl might not even be his, the little one also liked to eat the sweet.


    After a busy morning, in the blink of an eye, it was time to prepare lunch. Li Yannian pulled a chair over for Zhao Xu to sit comfortably behind the stove. She did not dare say anything else, as long as it was related to food, Zhao Xu would understand her words well.


    "There''s no meat at our table at noon. Your mouth is already so full, so calm down. At noon, we don''t have any meat at all."


    When Li Yannian said this, the expression on Zhao Xu''s face immediately collapsed, as if she found it extremely interesting. While she was talking about all the dishes, she was still unable to resist Zhao Xu''s gaze attack and fried up a few pieces of Sweet Pepper Chicken.


    When all the dishes had been served, the voices of Black Bean and the Mao Dou Brothers came over from outside the door.


    "They''re back," Li Yannian said as she jumped up happily. Black Bean and the others had already pushed open the door and entered the room.


    "It smells so good. Sis, what are you cooking this time?" As soon as Mao Dou entered the room, he sniffed the air with an intoxicated expression.


    "Hurry and put down the bamboo, wash your hands and eat," Li Yannian smiled and urged them to eat.


    "Oh, there''s chicken at noon. Eh, Sis, what''s this?" Mao Dou had been extremely hungry since he was on the mountain. The two brothers didn''t expect that chopping bamboo would delay them for so long. They didn''t even bring any dry food, so the fragrance of the food was especially alluring.


    "That''s a sweet pepper. It''s not spicy. The fried chicken is very delicious. You''ll know after you taste it."


    Hearing her words, Zhao Xu curiously reached out with his chopsticks to pick up a piece of the meat, but when he really wanted to take a bite, he hesitated.


    Li Yannian encouraged him. "This is really delicious, and it''s even good for your aphrodisiac. Taste it."


    Unexpectedly, Zhao Xu''s usually dull face revealed a rare look of indifference, which made even half of his chopsticks go forward, as he also started to hesitate.


    "It''s really delicious. I''m not lying."


    Zhao Xu looked at Li Yannian in disbelief. In the end, he still chose to close his eyes and put the small piece of sweet pepper into his mouth, carefully tasting it.


    "How is it? Delicious, right?" Li Yannian asked him in anticipation.


    What answered her was that Zhao Xu spat out the sweet pepper in his mouth with a "Wow" sound.


    Mao Dou, who was hesitating on what to say, also started spitting.


    Li Yannian:...


    Was this really necessary? The sweet peppers were so tasty, but this one or two of them actually didn''t know how to appreciate them. She suddenly felt a sense of loneliness in her life, as if there was a sad song about them.


    Everyone''s attention in the room suddenly focused on Black Bean who had yet to taste the sweet pepper.


    "Bro, hurry up and try it! It''s obviously delicious!" Dou Dou and Xu Zi are probably too fond of meat and are prejudiced against all kinds of vegetables. I believe you''re not that kind of person. "


    Black Bean: Uhh, actually, I don''t really want to eat this weird thing, it just doesn''t look good ¡­


    Mao Dou wasn''t convinced and also pulled at his comrade. "It''s clearly very hard to eat. It''s enough for me to eat just a little bit. After tasting it, I''ll immediately vomit. Aiyo, let''s not talk anymore. I need to eat another piece of chicken to quell the pressure."


    Li Yannian was furious, she stared at Black Bean, wanting to form a strong alliance with him. Suddenly, two knocks on the door sounded out, and everyone thought that they misheard, it was just dinner time, who would choose this time to come?


    But then there was another sound from the door.


    The knocking on the door was also done. It wasn''t a matter of life and death situations. They just knocked on the door a few times, which was usually neither light nor heavy. The first two knocks were to inform the people inside that there was a guest coming in, and the next two knocks came slowly, just in case the first two knocks were not heard, to let people know, yes, there really were guests, so quickly come and open the door.


    Just as Li Yannian was about to open the door, Black Bean stopped her: "I''ll go."


    If not for his upright look, Li Yannian would have suspected that he had escaped using this as an excuse to avoid the challenge of eating the sweet pepper.


    "Third Young Master, why have you come?"


    Black Bean''s surprised voice came from the outside, Li Yannian was suspicious, Third Young Master? Could it be that Gu Mingyuan had come? It''s not easy to chase people out of the city at this point ¡­


    She immediately hid the fried chicken pieces in the wok, not because she felt sorry for the meat, but because she was afraid that if he saw the sweet pepper, it would be troublesome.


    Li Yannian was wholeheartedly thinking about how she should deal with Gu Mingyuan, but she didn''t notice that Mao Dou and Zhao Xu seemed to have let out a breath of relief. They didn''t need to eat such horrible vegetables under the pressure of her sister or the Li Family girl.


    Gu Mingyuan''s gentle and slightly smiling voice sounded out: "Nothing much, just that I have something to do nearby, and thinking of how your house is just at the side, I don''t want you guys from Bookstore to come over again, so I might as well come over and tell you guys the amount of paper we need next month."


    Before he finished his sentence, he had already entered the kitchen.


    Gu Mingyuan looked at Li Yannian, then looked at the dishes on the table in front of her, and laughed: "What a coincidence, you guys are here right now to eat."


    Although he said so, there was no trace of awkwardness in his eyes. He just smiled.


    Gu Mingyuan was still smiling: "I haven''t eaten yet, when I left this morning, I did not even drink a sip of water. I was just thinking about coming to your house for a few steps, it won''t take me long. In May, Bookstore wanted thirty thousand pieces of paper.


    Forget about thirty thousand, even if it was three hundred thousand, Li Yannian would still be able to buy it.


    "Why is it suddenly so much more than this month?" I''ll have to ask that old master later. If he''s not in a hurry, he can also get us to split the paper twice. "


    Gu Mingyuan nodded: "I''ll let my big brother know when I get back, so there shouldn''t be a rush."


    After saying that, he did not have any intention to leave. Black Bean sneaked a glance at Li Yannian, he had already come to the house and was ordering food, but he did not say anything to keep them here, which showed that they had no rules.


    Therefore, he started to think carefully, "Third Young Master, you haven''t eaten since the morning. If you don''t mind, you can just eat whatever you want at home. I''m afraid that you''ve been waiting too long."


    Gu Mingyuan did not say anything, and did not say anything bad either, but he looked straight at Li Yannian.


    Li Yannian had no choice but to call out: "My brother is right, it will take more than an hour for the village to return to town. Third Young Master should eat more, if the food is not good, drinking some water is also good."


    Other than that, there were also the other two servants that usually followed him. Li Yannian asked curiously: "Did you come alone? The servants haven''t eaten yet, right? I''m afraid there''s not enough food at home. Should I cook some noodles? "


    Gu Mingyuan laughed and shook his head: "They have a place to eat, and others to stay. I was just passing by to talk about ordering with you guys, since it''s convenient here, I won''t be polite."


    As he spoke, he picked a guest seat and sat down. He smiled and nodded at Mao Dou, then looked at Zhao Xu thoughtfully.

 C67

    Chapter 67 - Nameless Dining Hall (17)


    Li Yannian fed Gu Mingyuan some food and picked up his chopsticks: "I''m from a poor family, there''s nothing to treat me with. Third Young Master, please forgive me."


    Gu Mingyuan looked at the three dishes on the table. Although they were ordinary vegetables, what was different from a real poor person''s dishes was that they were glossy green, green and green. Even if he didn''t see any meat at all, he still had the urge to use his chopsticks.


    "If you siblings continue to be so polite, as a guest, I will blush. Speaking of which, I was rude. I shouldn''t have come to your house at this time."


    Li Yannian thought, so you actually knew about it yourself. However, she did not reveal any dissatisfaction on her face as she quietly listened to Black Bean''s greetings with him.


    Black Bean took a peek at the atmosphere of the table, and hesitated: "Third Young Master, there is actually something we have been meaning to ask you this whole time ¡­"


    Gu Mingyuan gave a clear glance at Zhao Xu, and the smile that had been hanging on the corner of his mouth finally disappeared. "A straightforward person should not speak of secrets, and I will tell you the truth about what you want to ask. Regarding this matter, I also do not know what plans the higher ups have."


    Black Bean was shocked, he turned and looked at Li Yannian, then looked at the confused Zhao Xu, and subconsciously lowered his voice: "Could it be, that he wants to stay in our family for the rest of his life? How does this look like the appearance of a father? "


    Gu Mingyuan secretly cursed in his heart. Forget about being a father, he had never seen anyone acting like this as a prince. Who was Manager Lu? He originally thought that it was someone under the command of Yi Wangfei Madam Tu, but after some more detailed inquiries, he realized that even the most trusted person in the King Yi Palace would only listen to one of his orders. Even if Yi Wangfei was powerful, her hands could not grow any longer. In other words, it was not Yi Wangfei''s idea to throw a dignified Young Prince into the countryside to recuperate. It was King Yi''s idea.


    But what was he after?


    Something that even Gu Mingyuan himself could not understand, naturally, he could not explain it to Li siblings.


    Therefore, at the dinner table, he could only vaguely reply, "Who knows? Maybe after his father misses his son, he''ll call someone to bring him back."


    After saying these words, Black Bean was fine, but Li Yannian understood what she meant. In other words, the reason she had thrown Zhao Xu into their home was entirely because of Prince Yi''s own intentions.


    Li Yannian looked at Zhao Xu with some pity. There was actually such a father in this world, it was really an eye-opener.


    Zhao Xu himself, on the other hand, was fine with it. He had long since gotten used to Madam Tu''s unhappiness, so Royal Father didn''t care about him at all. Compared to the days he had spent in the Prince Yi''s Mansion, his days in the Li Family were much more comfortable. Other than eating, in terms of living and using the Li family''s items, he might not be even close to being able to compare to the items produced in the Wang family''s residence. However, in their home, even if he played the fool, no one would look down on him and instead be constantly concerned about whether he was cold, hungry, or tired.


    To Zhao Xu, the Li Family looked even more like a home. From the bottom of his heart, he truly hoped that Prince Yi''s Mansion would forget about him. Not only did he have a free and easy life, it was also convenient for him to avoid communication with his master.


    Zhao Xu''s master was from the northwest. It was said that he had received kindness from his grandfather before, and had always sought to repay it. However, in the battle outside the pass, aside from a young girl who had gone to school at the beginning of her life, the rest of the family was wiped out. At that time, the war in the Northwest was chaotic and the population was numerous. That person also experienced a few ups and downs before finally finding out that his benefactor''s legacy was sent to Prince Yi''s Mansion as a concubine.


    But when he came to visit, Auntie Xue had already been dead for three months, spitting blood. Her corpse had long since been buried in the ground, and her scent had long since died.


    From then on, that person would frequently help Zhao Xu in the dark. It was a pity that Zhao Xu still did not know the background of this master of his, and what his name was. Every time that person came, they would only hear about how he lived in the mansion. After instructing him on how to use half a move, he would disappear without a trace. However, Master Zhao Xu still left him a letter from the homologous bank, saying that in an emergency, he could take this letter to the bank and find a person called Master Xiao San.


    Zhao Xu had originally planned to be the champion safely in Prince Yi''s Mansion, so he decided to pursue his master''s lead. But he never expected that Madam Tu would hate him to such an extent, even he who had invited himself out of the mansion would actually plan to sell him to such a disreputable place! With old grudges added together, Zhao Xu didn''t care about other things in his life anymore. There would definitely be a day when this old demon woman, Madam Tu, would receive his due retribution.


    And before he could do that, he needed a lot of help.


    Zhao Xu lowered his head and focused on eating, pretending that he did not notice the gaze that Gu Mingyuan intentionally or unintentionally gave him.


    With an extra stranger in the family, Zhao Xu was very unhappy. It was as if the territory of a ferocious beast had suddenly become filled with the annoying smell of urine of another male beast. However, he thought that this displeasure was mostly due to his contempt. The dignified third young master of the Gu family, yet he had deliberately come here for a little girl who still hadn''t grown up. It was truly ridiculous and laughable.


    Li Yannian felt that this meal would be extremely long, luckily she had Black Bean to accompany him at all times so he didn''t need to trouble herself to call his over.


    But no matter how long it took, Gu Mingyuan still did not have a second stomach. After eating two big bowls of rice and chatting with Black Bean for a while, Gu Mingyuan got up and bid farewell tactfully.


    When Black Bean sent them to their living quarters, Gu Mingyuan did not lie at all. A few servants and coachmen were eating at the Li Zheng, when they saw that the main house had returned, they immediately went to welcome them.


    "Young Master, are you ready to go back?" one of them asked loudly, wiping his mouth.


    Black Bean did not wait for Gu Mingyuan''s reply, and cupped his hands towards him: "Then I won''t stop Third Young Master, I''ll go back first."


    Gu Mingyuan nodded without interest. Seeing that they had walked far away, he turned to look at Zhao Cai and the others. "Have you eaten your fill?"


    Zhao Cai was bold, and fought to be the first to speak: "Young master, I''m not full yet, the noodles I just served were served, and when they were served, they were beaten up for half a day ¡­"


    Jin Bao used his strength to poke his waist, and interrupted: "Young Master, we brothers are not lacking in words, we will listen to Young Master''s orders."


    Gu Mingyuan looked at the two of them in amusement and waved his hand impatiently. "I''ve spent a lot of time and effort to make noodles, don''t leave any for me. It is not easy for the peasants to get some food. "


    Only with the permission of the main house did the people below dare to pick up the bowls again. Jin Bao''s elbow just now was firm, but Zhao Cai still felt a faint pain from his waist, and he could not help but roll his eyes at Jin Bao: "Are you stupid? If you don''t eat now, how will you be able to eat when we go back?"


    Jin Bao lowered his voice, "I think you''re the fool. Don''t you see that your young master is in a bad mood?


    Zhao Cai was puzzled. Why was it that when Jin Bao looked back at him, he could see from his young master''s face that he was not happy today. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that his young master was the same as usual.


    Jin Bao could not help but be somewhat proud: "Learn a little, your martial arts are still far off."


    Fortunately, Jin Bao still remembered that the young master was not in a good mood today and did not make any more noise. Boss, you are indeed generous. If you drag things out any longer, you will be shaming yourself.


    The group quickly finished their lunch, got on their cars, and slowly drove out of Li Village. Gu Mingyuan did not use this as an excuse to make a trip to the Li Village. The taxes in the nearby towns were all collected by the officials together with the Gu and Du Families. Last year, when the food production was greatly reduced, the Li Village in charge of the Gu family did not hand over enough rice. In the end, they had to hand over quite a bit of cloth in order to pay for it.


    Gu Mingyuan came today to help his father prepare the formation, and ask him about the situation of sowing seeds this year. According to Li Zheng''s reply, the situation was pleasurable and worrisome.


    After the matter of paying taxes last year, every household in Li Village had given their free time to grow grain this year. They even gave up on vegetable fields. If the winds and rain were calm, the imperial government''s taxes would not be a problem, and the villagers could use the money to sell the surplus rice in exchange for some grains to fill their stomachs.


    But if this year is the same as last year... Gu Mingyuan didn''t dare to think further. If there was no way out, the imperial government would definitely collect all the taxes it wanted. However, it wasn''t as simple as starving these villagers to death.


    Gu Mingyuan thoughtfully looked out of the window. The carriage had passed a field of rice and the green seedlings were being blown by the breeze. The leaves were rustling in the wind, making them look extremely pleasing to the eyes.


    I hope this year will be a good one.


    Gu Mingyuan no longer had any intentions to go to the shop, so he let the carriage driver head straight home. Just as he arrived at the door of his house, the carriage keeper ran up to report hurriedly with a pale face: "Third Young Master, you''re back. The young miss has been here for a long time already and is currently in the courtyard throwing a tantrum. Go and have a look at her; she is so soft, and so good-natured, that she has gone back to the yard in a rage. I was thinking about whether or not I should send someone to the Du Family to invite my uncle over. "


    Gu Mingyuan turned pale with fright, "What? What the hell is she doing in our house? How is my mother? Did you invite the doctor over to take a look? "


    The gatekeeper had a bitter expression on his face. "I don''t know the specifics, but when Miss Biao started making a ruckus, Madame had a few senior servants seal the courtyard door, but after a while, Madame came out first, her face was pale with anger. She only allowed the yard guards to not let the random people near, and also did not allow Miss Biao to come out to make trouble.


    "It''s better for you to quickly go in and take a look." It''s better for you to quickly go in and take a look. Third Young Master, say something, do you want this lowly one to go to the Du Family and get someone to bring Young Miss Biao back? "


    Gu Mingyuan''s heart skipped a beat, since his mother had made people guard the entrance of the courtyard to not let anyone in, and also to not let anyone out, it was possible that this cousin of his who was worried about nothing had caused some kind of trouble. If he were to call the Du Family now, things would only get worse.


    So he shook his head, Gu Mingyuan stared at the man and ordered: "No need. Tell someone to send word to Big Brother and Father that there''s something at home and they need to hurry back. "


    In fact, the gatekeeper saw that he already had a backbone, so he nodded and replied, "Rest assured, Young Master. I will have the servants report to him now."


    He turned around and instructed the attendants below.


    Gu Mingyuan was worried, he turned and instructed Zhao Cai: "Zhao Cai, keep the guard door. Jin Bao, follow me in.


    Zhao Cai was still unhappy, but he glared at him instead. Heh, this brat, did he really think that the young master would have such a soft temper and not be able to teach him a lesson? Wasn''t it easy for Master to seriously find the fault of the servants?


    Gu Mingyuan was currently preoccupied with Du Mumei, he did not care about the lawsuit between the servants, and quickly walked into the courtyard. From afar, he saw that there were many senior servants closely guarding the doors of the parlour, he hesitated, the reason for his cousin''s disturbance was most likely because of him. If he went this time, wouldn''t he be left alone, and wouldn''t he be unable to say for sure even if he had a mouth?


    Thus, he turned around and headed to the main yard where his mother''s Du''s lived.

 C68

    Chapter 68 Nameless Dining Hall (18)


    Du''s was having a headache because of the juniors in his brother''s family. He called for the wet nurse to massage his temples and release him. When he heard the servant say that the third young master had returned, his face revealed a hint of happiness as he hurriedly ordered his servants to invite him in.


    Gu Mingyuan entered the door and sized up his mother''s complexion. Seeing Du''s''s pale white face, he knew that the guard hadn''t exaggerated his words and was a little dissatisfied with Du Mumei.


    He respectfully saluted the Du''s: "Mother, are you alright?"


    The Du''s shook his head in relief and went over to help the person up, "I''m perfectly fine. Why did you come back so early today? Have you finished what your father told you to do? "


    He actually just didn''t mention the incident with Du Mumei. Gu Mingyuan was a little confused, thinking that his mother had deliberately kept it a secret because she was afraid of First Uncle. He could only nod: "It''s not hard to just take a look at the errands in the fields, you can come back after you''ve finished reading. "Mom."


    After saying that, he was still unresigned. Gu Mingyuan immediately pierced through the window and asked: Mother, did something happen at home? Instead of listening and waiting on you, why are those few women guarding the parlour? "


    Du''s did not want to hide it from him, but the fact that Du Mumei was a traitor. It could even be described as shameless. She had the face to do it, but the Du''s had the face to say it out loud, so he didn''t reveal it in front of his son.


    However, when his son pressed him, Du''s could only sigh and say tiredly: "The reason that your cousin came here today is to ask me about the marriage between you and Prince Yi''s Mansion. She said that she is willing to be wronged and that she is an equal wife ¡­"


    Before Du''s even finished talking about the second option, Gu Mingyuan already looked like he was stepping on dog shit: "What does this have to do with her? What''s more, she''s just a girl, where did she get the guts and face to come over and talk about marriage? "


    Du''s also felt that Du Mumei''s actions of coming to visit today was too rude. She had often heard of her parents'' disgraces and felt ashamed when she mentioned them in front of her husband. She did not expect that her elder brother''s daughter would be able to change her understanding of her parents'' family.


    Du''s coughed lightly, embarrassed. "Who knows, the moment she opened her mouth, even I was frightened by her and couldn''t stop her. In the end, Mu Mei kept talking endlessly about how you treated her like this, and the two of you were a match made in heaven."


    Gu Mingyuan suddenly felt that there was nothing he could say. When did he treat her with green eyes? When he saw her, he didn''t even have time to run.


    "She''s talking nonsense! "There''s no such thing as this. Mother, you don''t know me, your son. I''ve never provoked my cousin ¡­"


    Gu Mingyuan was so wronged that he died, anxious to defend himself, he almost couldn''t speak clearly. Du''s tenderly caressed his head and said softly, "Mother knows that you are a good child. Everything your cousin says, Mother naturally doesn''t believe a single word of it. She had really read for nothing after so many years. She had been carrying a book all day, and her mind was poisoned by those words that had not been taught well by others. I already told your First Aunt that his daughter, Mu Mei, has read too many nonsense regarding these useless talented people. Sooner or later, there will be trouble, and your First Aunt wouldn''t believe it.


    "A book? Haha, is that also called a book? It was just a few poor Elementary Scholars who were starving in order to deceive ignorant boys and girls. Which proper girl would privately set the back garden in the middle of the night with a scholar who didn''t even have the ability to do anything? The young miss of the Thousand Gold Miss worked tirelessly to wait upon the scholar''s family. Once she won the top scholar and married the princess, the young miss of the Thousand Gold Miss would be sensible. She would either die or just leave and give up the position to the princess ¡­ They wanted to! A toad wants to eat a swan. If a girl like that was born in our family, mother would be the first to break her dog legs. This kind of girl from a wealthy family, even father and mother have never mistreated her.


    Gu Mingyuan had never read these books before, but hearing his mother say this, it seemed like she had read a few books before, and for a moment, he did not know how to answer her question.


    Du''s angrily said a few words before realizing that he had gone too far. He hurriedly pulled her back: "Your cousin was just fooled by these books. After the marriage proposal, she probably didn''t realize that she was wrong and was touched by herself until she couldn''t take it anymore. Mother, I was really about to faint from anger just now. I was afraid that if I were to leave any later, I wouldn''t be able to resist teaching your daughter a lesson on behalf of your First Uncle.


    Gu Mingyuan could not help but ask: "Mother, what else did Cousin sister say to anger you to such an extent?"


    This time, Du''s was not as straightforward as before. After hesitating for a moment, he asked Gu Mingyuan instead, "Ming Yuan, tell me honestly, do you have someone you like in your heart?"


    Gu Mingyuan could not help but laugh: "Mother, you always listen to people''s nonsense. I have been so busy these days that I can''t even turn around, I''m either going to the shop or I''m at home.


    Du''s was still worried, she wanted to warn him as well, "Your father already agreed to it with Prince Yi''s Mansion, even I can''t decide on the marriage between you and Mingshang. When the princess comes next month, she will choose which one she likes.


    Gu Mingyuan scoffed in his heart, the dignified Royal Merchant Gu family, was actually a family with a lot of reputation in the Da Song, but their legitimate son was reduced to the point where it was like others buying food for them. But sadly, there was nothing unusual about such an arrangement in the depths of his heart. He even hoped very much that the person chosen would be him and not his second brother Gu Mingshang.


    This was probably the point he could not deny.


    "Mother, I know. I have never had such thoughts towards anyone''s girl. "What? Cousin is using this as an example?"


    Du''s sighed: "Is that so? When I first heard this, I was also startled. Mu Mei told me that she had taken a fancy to a little country girl and didn''t even bother to fly a kite with her. She eagerly chased me to the restaurant that was opened by a little girl. I didn''t believe it at first, but she asked very clearly where that girl lived and how old she was this year. You''re still telling me that we should prepare for the future? There''s already more than one equal wife, and one more, no matter if it''s a princess or her, she won''t be able to tolerate it. "Tell me what this child is like, he is willing to be your equal wife. If it wasn''t for the fact that I asked you to catch up to me today, I wouldn''t even want to tell you about it. It''s so filthy."


    The last few words, just based on the fact that Du''s was a relative of Aunt Du Mumei, could already be considered to be very serious. But Gu Mingyuan felt that his own mother had already said these words to the point of being extremely restrained and polite.


    "Mother, what should we do next? However, she was just left like that in the courtyard. Even though there is a wife watching over her, it is inevitable that people in the Palace will gossip about her, "When Gu Mingyuan thought of Du Mumei, he felt a headache coming on. He glanced at the wet nurse standing next to his own mother, and suddenly felt that he also needed Jin Bao to rub his head for him.


    "I was angered by your cousin to the point of fainting. I''ve let her go for a long time, I think it''s about time to calm down. You sit here and don''t move. I''ll go meet her again. Otherwise, my mouth will be full of nonsense ¡­" Du''s rubbed between his eyebrows. He didn''t know what to do in his heart, could it be that they could kill him?


    "Mother, do you want us to call the Du Family over?"


    The Du''s sneered: "If you are called over, then we are only short on time to pay respects. Why do you think that two months ago, when you were a good cousin, she couldn''t come over, so she kept pestering you? Your uncle and aunt really hid it from us. Mumei had caused trouble at home, and your uncle and aunt couldn''t do anything about her. If they invited him over, they might have to depend on him. These people really don''t make me feel at ease! "


    Du''s had never hated his parents as much as he did today. It was one thing if he did not help, but he still added fuel to the fire.


    Du''s laughed: "You think that your cousin is a servant of our family? You can even say that you want to tie her up just like that, then when your First Aunt comes to get her, your cousin will be smarter and pour some dirty water on our family. Your wife is really going to be married off."


    Gu Mingyuan didn''t know what to do, thinking that dealing with these girls was more tiring than talking about business.


    "Dad and Big Bro probably received the message already. They should be home soon. Mother, why don''t you wait for Father to come back first? "


    Du''s shook his head: "I know your father. What good idea could he have, he can''t even figure out what his concubines are thinking."


    These words were related to the elder''s private matters and the Du''s did not continue to elaborate. Even if Gu Mingyuan was curious, he could not pursue this matter.


    "Forget it, it''s better if I go. Men cannot interfere in a woman''s battlefield. Ming Yuan, you''re tired too. Milk mama, you just need to get someone to send you some soup that will soften your spleen and stomach so that you can serve your young master. "


    This meaning was to have the wet nurse look at Gu Mingyuan, so that he wouldn''t run around and run into Du Mumei in case she ran into him. It was too late for Gu Mingyuan to hide from Du Mumei, and he didn''t have the thought of sending himself to her doorstep to deliver himself to her. Thus, he obediently stayed in the Du''s''s room. The kitchen was quick. In less than half a breath''s time, someone had brought over a bowl of ginger soup with goat''s milk.


    The goat''s milk stank, but after being boiled with old ginger, the taste was no longer as bad as it had been before. Under the fine quality, Gu Mingyuan felt that there were some red dates in the goat''s milk ginger soup, and upon hearing it carefully, he could smell a faint fragrance of red dates, but the smell was extremely faint, he guessed that the kitchen had some red dates cooked with goat''s milk, and after cooking, he fished out the red dates.


    Since he had nothing better to do, after eating a bowl of sweet soup, the Li family''s food had also been washed clean. With a smile, he asked the wet nurse for more food.


    Du''s watched as she grew up, and out of all the children that the young miss had given birth to, the one she doted on the most was Gu Mingyuan. Hearing him say that he was hungry, she quickly got everyone up and asked Gu Mingyuan, "Young master, there''s a lamb in the kitchen that was killed on the spot.


    Gu Mingyuan laughed, "As you wish."


    After warming the furnace and preparing all the dips, Gu Mingyuan finished eating and the voices of his father and mother came in from outside the house.


    Gu Mingyuan took the soft handkerchief and leisurely wiped his hands. He was puzzled, his father had only met him at the door, and it was Du Mumei who came with his mother to meet him.


    Just as he was thinking about it, Gu Chengye and Du''s had already entered the house. Upon entering, Du''s smelt a scent of mutton and looked at his wet nurse in amusement, "Momo, you have spoiled him a lot. This smell in the house, it will take some effort to smoke it off later."


    Gu Mingyuan paid his parents good night, while secretly sizing up Gu Chengye''s expression, he couldn''t really ask Du''s Du Mumei whether or not this big problem of hers had been solved. While he was hesitating, Gu Chengye glanced over, and seeing that he was still in his room, he frowned unhappily and said: "Good night, hurry back to your own room. Didn''t you see your mother''s face pale after being so tired?"


    Hearing his father''s tone, Gu Mingyuan was not sure what he meant for a moment, but looking at the looks his mother gave him, she should have already resolved the matter.


    When he came out of his parents'' room, he went to the parlour to take a look. As expected, he saw that the few wives guarding the entrance had all left, and a large portion of his heart was relieved. It seemed like everything was really alright now, just that he did not know what methods his mother used to get the great Buddha, Du Mumei, out.


    However, there was one thing that he was very clear of. In the next few days, unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not want to go out again.

 C69

    Chapter 69 Nameless Dining Hall (19)


    Both Mao Dou and Zhao Xu were very happy. One of them was young and could still not leave''s side, and the other one was secretly relieved. Finally, they no longer had to endure Mao Dou''s cooking skills.


    On the first day, Mrs Zhang was still worried, so she followed Zhang Bao to take a look around town. Seeing that Zhang Bao was doing a good job in the store, as well as the good business, she itchily helped out the store for a few days. But in the end, he was still an old man, and not someone who was used to working hard like the Aunt Zhang. After holding on for four or five days, he was sent back to Zhang Village by Zhang Bao while shouting about his backache.


    From then on, First Aunt Xia Taohua became an official employee of the small restaurant, and the two of them split the money separately. The child was left alone in the house under the care of his grandparents, and at the end of the month, Li Yannian had specifically instructed Black Bean to pay a small amount of money, which was even more than what she had with the Zhang family.


    Li Yannian did not need to help in the shop as her days were actually not that light either. She had to cook three meals a day, clean the house, and take care of the vegetables in the yard. She had to purify the eggs in time to kill the butterflies that flew in. In addition, Black Bean and him would go to the market in the town three to five days time to cook some new rice and change it into new rice while they were at it.


    After the Auntie Li and the Uncle Li next door finished taking care of their own fields, they would remember to help Li Yannian take care of their home''s three mu of sweet potato field when they were free. It was currently warm in May, and the crops were growing crazily. Originally, Uncle Li wanted to catch fertilizer for their land, but luckily Li Yannian still remembered the precautions in the manual he bought for the family crops, so he stopped them in time.


    Fattening during the sweet potato growing season would only encourage the leaves and vines of the sweet potato, and would instead affect the growth of the root.


    Uncle Li lamented: This thing''s temper is pretty weird! "Fortunately, I heard from you that you planned to catch up with the sweet potatoes growing in the mountains tomorrow."


    Li Yannian laughed: "This is the first time we are not familiar with the crops overseas, so it is only natural. "Uncle Li, Aunt, I forgot to tell you guys that the stem and leaves of this thing are able to tear off the outer membrane, and can even be eaten as food if it is stir-fried."


    Li Yannian plucked a piece of sweet potato leaf from the Tian Tou site and showed it to the two of them. If she didn''t like it, she could chop it up and mix it with bran to feed the chicken. "However, it''s best not to pick too much now. After the next six or seven months, it would be best to pick the tender ones to eat."


    Uncle Li and Auntie Li nodded as they listened. They felt that this fruit, regardless if it grew longer or not, if the leaves could eat it, it was still a treasure. If this year''s cultivation in the mountains was not bad, then he could also plant one or two acres of land next year. At that time, all the food and vegetables he had at home would be taken care of together.


    On the afternoon of the third day, Black Bean went home to wrap the dumplings with his brother and sister after taking a vacation. Li Yannian had originally wanted to call the Auntie Li family next door, but after hearing that Hu Zi and his brother had specially rushed here to celebrate the holidays, she felt too embarrassed to disturb their family reunion.


    Everything was ten. The cooked dumplings could be kept for a very long time either hanging on the beams or hanging in a bamboo basket. As long as a few were cut while eating, the dumplings could be put back into the pot to be heated up once more.


    Auntie Li had originally thought that the dumplings Li Yannian had given her were the same as the one she had given her, except that they had been stained with the salt of the white rice dumplings ¡ª that kind of five cuts was also a very good holiday, and in the end, her family had cooked a big piece of pork that was half fat and half thin.


    Hu Zi ate three big dumplings in one go. If not for the fact that Auntie Li was afraid that he might not digest the food, Hu Zi felt that he could eat three more.


    "These children are really considerate. This little thing must have cost another lot of money, "Auntie Li couldn''t help but sigh.


    Hu Zi was stupefied, he laughed: "Black Bean is going to the shop every day, I''m afraid that there is no time to chop firewood in his house. Mother, Big brother and I are going to the shop tomorrow morning, it would be better to cut two extra bundles of firewood before dawn, Brother, do you think so?"


    Baozi nodded his head honestly, "Hmm, let''s go up the mountain first thing tomorrow morning. Two bundles is not enough, two bundles per person."


    Uncle Li looked at his two sturdy sons, and the corner of his eyes slowly filled with proud wrinkles. "Then Father will go with you."


    Auntie Li laughed: "Alright, alright, alright, you guys are all going. Tomorrow morning, I''ll cook this dumpling back to you and take you guys out on the road to eat. Eh, his dad, why don''t you let these two brothers bring two slices of rice dumplings and give it to the shopkeeper. Tiger and leopard are working in their store and have received a lot of care from the shopkeeper, so there''s nothing good for us to give them.


    Uncle Li looked at the dumpling with a pained look, but still nodded his head in the end: "I cut it a little too little, and then ordered another half a basket for the eggs at home. I will cut the meat in half, since it''s a gift, it''s too ugly."


    The couple had agreed on this.


    Early morning of the second day, Black Bean brought along the ox-cart workers. As soon as he opened the door, he saw the six big bundles of firewood opposite the door. He looked at the closed door of Uncle Li''s house next door and felt his heart warm up, as if a flame had been ignited.


    "Er Niu, help big bro lead the oxcart. I''ll go to the kitchen with the firewood first."


    Black Bean called out to Li Yannian who was busy working in the kitchen, and the latter wiped his hands and came out. When he saw the scene in front of the door, he asked curiously: Who delivered this, I was just about to tell you that there was not enough firewood in our house, I came back home in the afternoon and went back to the mountain to gather some firewood.


    Black Bean indicated towards Uncle Li''s house next door: "Who else could it be? Yesterday, I gave you a dumpling and today, I will chop firewood and bring it back. With Uncle Li and Aunt Li around, I can relax a little at home. "You should thank her properly later."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Mn, got it."


    Yesterday, when she wrapped the dumplings, she had a way to earn money and wanted to discuss it with the Auntie Li. In front of him, she was so busy that she had fainted. Li Yannian had actually forgotten how she obtained the first pot of gold in the system.


    There were a lot of forage leaf on Li Village. They were naturally raised, and as long as one had hands, even a child could pick quite a lot of them in a day. Furthermore, the bamboo that produced forage leaf s was not like the wood-like plants, it was easy to damage. As long as the bamboo wasn''t damaged, they could produce new plants in the coming year.


    Auntie Li already had a way to return back to the village and help her collect the eggs. As long as she was able to help, Li Yannian would still hand over the job of collecting forage leaf to her family. Firstly, she didn''t have to come out and fight with the villagers, and Li Yannian was afraid that those aunts and aunts would try to bully him, so he didn''t take her as a girl. Secondly, she could also create some extra income for the Auntie Li and the villagers, so that they could supplement their families.


    It was not because Li Yannian had so many saints, but because she did not forget the people in the village even when she was rich. People all said that a man in a village who could not fill his stomach or warm his clothes could not avoid trouble if his family lived comfortably for a long time. Moreover, to Li Yannian, it was just a simple move. She planned to start the egg collection business again along with the forage leaf.


    If someone took it, they would naturally have thoughts on raising it.


    Li Yannian took advantage of the time before lunch to tell Auntie Li: "There are so many forage leaf there, if our two families want them, we can''t get much. We can just let the villagers earn this money, as long as we are in charge of it, my brother will be in charge of the luck, so we don''t have to worry about it at all. Aunt, if you are worried that we won''t be able to handle this in the day, ask villagers to send it over after dinner, and you can count it yourself. "I don''t think anyone would dare to fool us like this even if we were to be blown into the limelight."


    "You only charged them two coins for a hundred pieces. I''ll give you two hundred pieces of hardware on my side. The extra money is just for the examination fee. Aunt, what do you think about this idea?"


    Auntie Li calculated in her heart. If she had to count them all herself when she received them, then there would naturally be no way to count them all. However, according to Li Yannian''s method, there was no need. If she found out about it later and stopped the business, she would regret it until she died!


    "Done!" This business was doing really well. "Don''t worry, I''ll talk to the other wives in the village tonight and keep it safe for you."


    Li Yannian laughed: "I am relieved that you have something to do. Also, don''t forget about the matter of collecting eggs. If you have free time, you should keep some chickens at home.


    Auntie Li smiled bitterly in her heart. If the family could still afford to keep a few, who wouldn''t want to raise a few more? But Li Yannian''s last few words still managed to move the Auntie Li''s thoughts. She thought that when the potato vines on the mountain gave him some food to feed the chickens, she would grind her teeth, and after the two hens at home finished hugging their nests, she would also carry some chickens to raise. At most, she would be able to catch a few more of them when she was working in the fields. She could also catch some frogs to feed the chickens, but it would take more effort.


    After Auntie Li sent Li Yannian away, she couldn''t help but admire the little girl from the Li Family. She was only ten years old, and her thoughts of making money came one after another. It was no wonder that the better life they had in their home, the more envious and blushing she was. A family''s labor force could not even compare to a few children.


    It seemed that living this life was hard and saving up. It was best to think of other ways to deal with this situation!


    When Auntie Li thought about the heavy copper coin that she was about to put into her pocket, she could not help but smile again. The good news was yet to come.

 C70

    Chapter 70 Nameless Dining Hall (20)


    The news of the taking in the forage leaf on their behalf caused a huge sensation in the Li Village like a bomb in deep water.


    On this day, when Li Yannian was washing her clothes at the stream, he heard a few wives talking about this.


    One of the young wives suspected whether this was true or not, "This package of rice dumplings is everywhere on the mountain. If it''s really worth it, why don''t they take it themselves? "Don''t expect us to work so hard to pick them and send them over, and then say that we don''t want them anymore."


    Then, an old man from the village who had mocked that person jumped out and laughed, "Don''t speak nonsense if you don''t know that you''ve just gotten married. Have you not heard of the reputation of the Mountain-head Li Family? Those were words spoken by someone made from iron. Weren''t they supposed to collect eggs on behalf of the rich in the town last time? He had counted the correct number on the spot and paid the money on the spot. However, it was different from the other families who loved to pay on credit, ten gold coins would have to be delayed for ten days to half a month before they would be willing to give it to them. If you don''t believe it, just don''t go to the Li family and give them the forage leaf. "I have nothing better to do at home, since all the work in the fields is done by the men and the children at home are also free, so it''s good for me to have some extra free money. I can also buy a catty of salt later."


    The auntie who followed him up complained, "Speaking of this salt, it''s getting more and more expensive. "In the beginning, we only needed 20 letters for a catty. But now, the price has already risen to 45 letters for a catty. How can we still afford to eat this much?"


    Li Yannian''s heart skipped a beat, then immediately gave up on the idea of using salt to exchange for forage leaf. She had seen the salt here before, and it had a lot of impurities, its color was also not as white as the salt produced by modern industry. She had hastily traded the low-priced salt from the system in exchange for forage leaf, if someone were to report it, it would be a heinous crime to sell salt from the imperial court.


    He might as well just use the copper coins to buy it from the villagers. When he thought about how the system only bought two pieces of salt per kilogram and the fact that he was selling them here at a high price of 45 grams, Li Yannian felt a pain in his heart.


    When he came back to his senses, a few of his wife who was washing clothes had already excitedly arranged to go to some mountain to pick forage leaf.


    Based on the situation, the forage leaf business seemed pretty promising. She didn''t have many clothes to wash, and since she had soaked them in laundry detergent at home, they would be clean after a few rinses, so she left before everyone else did. Along the way back, they saw very few people around. Suddenly, a figure jumped out from the side of the road, almost scaring Li Yannian out of her mind.


    "Sister Lotus, why are you here? Are you waiting for me? "


    Her impression of the little girl was pretty good. Thinking back to when her cousin took the risk of being discovered by her aunt and sent them a small bag of mixed grain noodle soup when their family was poor and almost starved to death.


    Lotus looked around carefully, seeing that there was no one around, she spoke to Li Yannian in a hushed tone, "Red Bean, Big Sis wants to ask you to do something for me, I don''t know if you can help me with this."


    Li Yannian asked curiously: "Sis, tell me, if I can help you, I will definitely help you."


    Lotus hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Have you heard about your next-door aunt taking in forage leaf?"


    Li Yannian nodded: "En, I know. I even told Mao Dou that we would go to the mountain to pick some forage leaf to sell in the afternoon. "


    Lotus blushed and said, "My mother also told me to go and pick them. I want to save my own money, so that you can help me save it. The money I get from selling them will also be saved by you. I''ll ask you when I''m useful to you."


    Li Yannian thought that this Lotus was such a pitiful person. It was already difficult for him to earn a private money, so she immediately nodded her head: "It''s a small matter, Sis, how about we go up the mountain together in the afternoon to pick it?"


    Lotus didn''t expect that her cousin would agree to her request so easily. If it wasn''t for the fact that her mother had revealed some intentions of changing the marriage of her brother, she wouldn''t have hidden the secret from her parents.


    As for the purpose of saving the money, the poor little girl actually didn''t feel confident at all. She just blindly felt that there was still some money in her pocket, so she felt at ease.


    He immediately said gratefully, "Red Bean, thank you." But when I go back and feed the pigs, I''m going up the mountain to pick the leaves. I''ll pick it on the eastern hill behind the village. If you come with Mao Dou this afternoon, you can come and find me there. "From now on, we have to go up the mountain together to pick leaves. I will keep one or two hundred pieces for you to keep, do you think?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Then what''s not good about it. "Then Sis, let''s make a deal, I''ll look for you in the afternoon."


    The worry on Lotus'' face lessened, and she watched Li Yannian leave. Only then did she sigh, and carried her bamboo basket as she continued to head home.


    "Sis, you''re back? The servant of the Bookstore came, and was still sitting in the living room waiting for you, "upon returning home, Mao Dou immediately welcomed him, and took the wooden basin from Li Yannian, then pouted at the room and said worriedly," Other than the worker of the Bookstore, there was also a young lady from the Du Family, who said that she had something important to discuss with you, Sis, she seemed to be very fierce, and did not come to our house to cause any trouble right?


    Miss Du? Li Yannian''s heart turned, could it be Du Mumei, Gu Mingyuan''s cousin? But what was she doing at home?


    "It''s fine. Go and read your book. Watch out for Xu Zi, don''t let others scare him. "


    Li Yannian comforted her good brother and upon entering the house, she saw an angry Du Mumei. Her delicate face was white, her eyebrows were curved and her lips were red.


    Perhaps it was due to the obvious surprise in her eyes that when she greeted Du Mumei, the hostility in the latter''s eyes lessened. She opened her mouth to ask, "You are Li Hong Dou?"


    Li Yannian laughed: I am. This must be the Miss Du, right? The last time I had heard a voice in the distance at the shop, it had been very fitting to see a real person. Miss Du please take a seat, wait for me and the shop assistant to complete the business, if you have anything you want to say, let''s talk slowly. "


    Du Mumei had secretly followed the Gu Family carriage to find Li Yannian''s home, and was not willing to speak about Gu Mingyuan''s situation with Li Yannian in front of the shop assistant. Furthermore, when the shop assistant politely spoke to his like this to a little girl, he didn''t seem like a wild girl who did not know etiquette at all. At that moment, he sat up without saying a word.


    Li Yannian thought that this girl was quite interesting, it would take some time for him to settle the bill with the servant, so she didn''t want to just dry them off. She then greeted the servant: "Guests, please wait a moment, if you have guests at the door, please allow me to serve Miss Du a bowl of tea first."


    The Gu family Bookstore employees were feeling guilty. They had not noticed the Du Family car following them all the way here. They had all heard of the Du Family''s name before, and none of them were easy to deal with. If they were happy, they could give them a few taels, but if they were unhappy, they would beat the crap out of them. Amongst the few masters of the Du Family, other than the third young master who opened the clinic in major chamber, there was nothing good to serve. If this Miss Du caused any trouble in the Lee family and offended them, their shop would not have any place to ask for so many papers from next month.


    Hearing Li Yannian''s words, who would be unwilling to stop him? They all nodded and politely laughed: "Miss Li can do it, we aren''t in a rush either. It''s good that you can take it slowly."


    Li Yannian entered the kitchen and poured everyone a cup of warm water. What she gave Du Mumei was a cup of flowery tea, she only placed a little dried flower in it to draw a fragrance.


    "My brothers must be thirsty by now. Drink a cup of water to moisturize your throat. There are no good tea leaves in the house, so please don''t mind it."


    On one side, Du Mumei was served another cup of tea. The cups used were different from those used by the others. In addition, there were also red date cakes cut into small pieces.


    "Miss Du will first drink a little, I''ll be back shortly after finishing my work."


    Li Yannian smiled apologetically. After the Bookstore doorman finished drinking the water, she led her men to the cubicle to carry the Xuan paper.


    "This month, your shopkeeper suddenly asked for 30,000 pieces of paper. The shopkeeper couldn''t prepare all that well, so he could only hand over 18,000 pieces of goods first. Later, brothers can tell the storekeeper that he wants to bring the rest."


    A few of the servants had expected that they would not be able to get anything good on this trip, so they smiled and nodded: "Don''t worry Miss Li, we will definitely report this to the shopkeeper later. "Then, this month, 18,000 pieces of paper, it''s exactly 3 taels of gold. After we check it out, we''ll settle the bill with you."


    The remaining twelve thousand pieces of paper were already piled up in Li Yannian''s warehouse, it was just that she did not want to take them out at once, so she deliberately made an excuse. Seeing that it was almost time to stop the cooperation between the two parties, the eldest young master of the Gu family became greedy. Li Yannian shook his head and laughed. If it wasn''t because he was worried that other paper shops would have their lives cut off, he really wouldn''t be willing to throw away such a lucrative business.


    The count of papers was extremely quick. After the Gu family servant finished counting the papers, he immediately called out three taels of gold to Li Yannian. "Miss Li, take a look, it''s definitely three taels of gold."


    Li Yannian accepted it with satisfaction. "Of course, I am at ease with what you guys have exchanged. Since there are still guests at home, I won''t send you guys off. Brothers, be careful on your way. "


    The Gu Clan Bookstore s glanced at Du Mumei, who was still sitting upright in the Li Family''s living room, and sighed in their hearts. They should not offend the partners of the Gu Clan.


    "Miss Li, you should be careful as well."


    The meaning in his words was that Du Mumei was now a ferocious beast in the flood.


    Li Yannian could not help but find it funny, she sent the few of them out the door before slowly coming back.


    Her eyes fell on Du Mumei''s untouched tea and pastries, and she understood. This young miss, Jin, probably didn''t like their family''s crude food, but her original intention wasn''t to make people drink and eat. Her rude guest was because she wasn''t well-mannered, and as the host she was slow, it was because her manners were lacking, making her seem like she was being ill-mannered.


    "Miss Du, you came here alone?"


    Du Mumei glanced at her and sneered, "My men are waiting outside. Your house is too small, even a horse carriage won''t be able to enter."


    Li Yannian was unconcerned: "Oh, since someone is following us, then when you return later, I do not need to worry. There''s only one oxcart at home, and I''m afraid you won''t get used to it. "


    A thorn was thrown out, but the person was not pierced. Du Mumei held her breath and almost died from anger. After a long while, she gritted her teeth and said, "Why didn''t you ask me why I''ve come to find you?"

 C72

    Chapter 72 Nameless Dining Hall (22)


    Carrying an entire afternoon''s worth of work, Li Yannian and the other two happily went back home. As soon as she entered, he saw that the ox-cart was already in the shed. The calf, who usually grazed outside at this time, was still at home. The calf was anxiously pacing back and forth when it saw a few young masters.


    "Strange, why didn''t I bring Er Wa out? Mao Dou, go inside the house and take a look, where did Brother go," Li Yannian was puzzled as he extended his hand to signal Mao Dou to put down the basket and leave it for her to tidy up.


    "Alright!" With his short legs, Mao Dou disappeared in an instant. After a while, he came out from behind the guest room on the first floor, "Sis, I''m home. I brought a few people with me."


    Li Yannian became even more confused. She and Black Bean always had a tacit understanding to bring outsiders home, and there were a lot of unusual things in the house.


    "Who is it?" She placed the baskets on the side, and pulled Zhao Xu''s sleeves as she entered the hall, "What kind of guest is at home?"


    Black Bean walked out of the guest room with a face covered in sweat and explained: "On the road, I met someone who fell off a carriage, and fell into the fields. That horse did not look too good, and there was no one on the road. There was a man and a woman. From the looks of it, the man should be driving the carriage. The woman was about thirteen or fourteen years old. She should be the daughter of a rich family in the town. I thought to myself that if I sent people to the town like this, I would have to send them home if they wanted to gossip and ruin the reputation of the girls. Er Niu, what do you think we should do now? Should we invite Auntie Li and the others over to talk? "


    When Li Yannian heard about this girl, the daughter of a rich family who was still 13 or 14 years old, she suddenly had a bad premonition.


    "We should go invite Auntie Li and the others. We should be careful not to have them swindle us, even if there are multiple witnesses. Where were they hurt? Was there any blood? Is there anyone in our village who can see the trauma? At this time, even if he went to the town, it would be too late to invite him. Brother, take it easy next time when you save someone. If I''m not wrong, it''s someone from the Du Family again. "


    Black Bean was speechless. Seeing that a horse carriage had fallen down the slope, he immediately thought of saving his, so how could he think of anything else? Could it be that he would have to wake his up and ask about it next time?


    Mao Dou volunteered, "Sis, I''ll go! I''ll go!"


    There''s no need for me to look for the person, so Black Bean answered the question that Li Yannian asked before, "The two in there, are bleeding profusely from their heads, so it doesn''t seem to be that serious. I can''t say for sure, but their faces are covered with blood, I don''t know where they broke. If there''s anyone who can see a doctor, Widow Hu will grab a few more sheets of medicine, do you want to invite her over to take a look? "


    At first, Li Yannian nodded, but then looked at him with suspicion. He had explained the driver''s wound clearly, why did Du Mumei look more serious now? It was only then that Li Yannian recalled that Black Bean was probably obstructing the male and female''s defenses and did not dare to look for Du Mumei''s injury. Thinking about it this way, it was good enough for him to invite Widow Hu over.


    "I''ll go in and see her. When Mao Dou comes back, let him go to Widow Hu''s house. There must be someone inside to watch, if I don''t move, it won''t be appropriate for you to go to Widow Hu. "


    Black Bean nodded his head, but was a little worried: "Then what about tonight? The coachman can squeeze with us if he wants to. If there''s a sore head at night, there would be someone to take care of her. What should we do with this girl? "


    Li Yannian sighed: "What else can I do? Let''s see her at a disadvantage for one night. I really do owe her. In the morning, she came to my house and mocked me sinisterly. I thought I had scolded her back, but I didn''t think she would be so unlucky as to fall into a field just by riding on a car. "


    Li Yannian pushed the door of the guest room and entered. The one who laid on the light bed inside was not that unlucky Du Mumei.


    Hearing Li Yannian''s words, Black Bean made a plan in his mind, then the two of them should have been lying on the ground for a long time. The area where they fell was right in the middle of the road from Li Village to Clear Water Town. It would be better if something happened there as soon as they left the Li Village.


    Wait, what did the two girls say just now? Did this girl come to the house to cause trouble? Black Bean''s brows tightened, and asked: "What did this Miss Du come to find you to say? "If she ¡­"


    "What if she did?" Li Yannian shrugged her shoulders unconcernedly, "I carried her back with a face full of blood, how could we throw her out? We''ll talk about it when someone wakes up. She had the nerve to say those few words to me, and I didn''t even have the nerve to listen to her. At such a young age, she''s already starting to think about getting married. "


    Black Bean thought, marrying someone at the age of thirteen, could there be something wrong? However, it was clear that the little sister was still somewhat unyielding. She was probably blaming herself for meddling in other people''s business and bringing the Du Family''s little girl home. She obediently did not retort to prevent the little sister from pointing her gun at her again.


    "Bro, take Xuanzi to wash his face and wipe his hands first. In the afternoon, take him to the top of the mountain. He even helped us pick leaves when he was up in the future." At night, you should take him and Mao Dou to take a bath. After a while, the room reeks of sweat, so I''m going to curse. "


    Black Bean could tell that he was extremely angry today, so he hurriedly used the excuse of washing Zhao Xu''s face and wiping his hands to dodge the attack.


    Mao Dou had already called people over. Auntie Li entered the house and asked, "What about the lady, where are her injuries?"


    Li Yannian forced a smile: "She''s in the guest room, her face was covered in blood, and I didn''t even get a chance to wipe her face, I don''t know where her wounds are."


    Uncle Li nodded towards Black Bean: "Where''s the other one?"


    "It''s in my room. Uncle Li, come with me."


    was afraid that he would just stand there and not know how to dodge. In a while, the person in the room left and knocked into a wall, which was bad for him, he immediately brought his men up to the second floor and gave him a handful of pine nuts to slowly peel off himself.


    "Xuanzi, you stay in the room obediently. I''ll call you for dinner after you''re done."


    Zhao Xu focused on peeling off the pine nuts. He did not react to Li Yannian''s words, it was unknown if he heard it or not.


    Li Yannian sighed, patted his head and closed the door.


    When they reached the guest room, Auntie Li had already helped Du Mumei wipe her face clean. Beside her was a basin of blood, which looked extremely scary.


    "How is it?"


    Auntie Li found it funny. "The back of your head was knocked into a bag, and your face didn''t break at all. You must have been frightened after losing so much blood, right?


    Li Yannian was speechless. The reason why Du Mumei was such a weirdo, even her face was covered in blood was such a weirdo!


    "Do you still want to call Widow Hu over to take a look?" Li Yannian asked worriedly.


    Auntie Li laughed: "Your brother had already called Mao Dou over just now, so it''s good for one more person to come over to take a look. I think that this girl should be waking up soon.


    What the Auntie Li said was right, Du Mu Mei had already woken up when Black Bean carried her out of the carriage. At that time, it was dark and there was no one on the road, she thought Black Bean was a strong man, but she had endured it and did not dare make a sound. When she found out that Black Bean had sent her to the Li family, she did not know what she was thinking, nor did she dare open her eyes. She had heard the voice of Li siblings very clearly. There were several times when she wanted to open her eyes and scold Li Yannian, but she didn''t have the courage to go back to town by herself.


    The sky had already darkened, and the road was so far away. Even if they reached, the Clear Water Town''s gates were still tightly shut, and they wouldn''t be able to enter until morning.


    Going to another house to seek shelter? Even though Du Mumei was a little silly, she wasn''t that stupid as to stay in the house of someone she didn''t know. If anything happened to her, there wouldn''t be any medicine for regret in this world.


    At least Li siblings still looked like a good person, they could only endure it for the time being. When they returned to their own home, they would see how she would make Father and Mother take care of this annoying little girl!


    She was calculating in her mind, her eyeballs and eyelashes could not help but move as well. Previously, Li Yannian had not been able to see her movements clearly through the blood on his face, but now that he had washed his face clean, he understood that Du Mumei had been pretending to be unconscious.


    At first, she had thought about how she would react to this, but when she thought about it, she realized how old she was and how old Du Mumei was. Even if she fought with a young girl, she would still have nothing to do. Forget it, he should just raise her and send her away quickly.


    Black Bean came over to pass the message, "Just now, Uncle Li saw that there is nothing wrong with the driver. There is medicine on his head and he will probably wake up tonight. When the Widow Hu comes, ask someone if they can take this girl back to the Widow Hu to take care of her. I think that since they are not going to deal with her, it would be better to avoid provoking her ¡­ "


    Before Black Bean could finish his sentence, Du Mumei, who was pretending to be unconscious, jumped up from the wooden board as she shouted unintelligibly, "I won''t go ¡­."


    Everyone in the room had their eyes on her. Du Mumei blushed as she lay back down, but when she thought back to how she despised the Li family for not giving her a good bed.


    "This wooden board is too peremptory, sleeping is painful for my bones, aiyo, I woke up because of this pain." "Where am I?"


    Li Yannian retracted her original thought, hehe, her acting was pretty good, and she even learned how to sue first.


    "My family has no spare beds, I can''t possibly let you sleep in the same room as my brothers, right? In my opinion, it''s good that you can follow Widow Hu back, and he will treat you, so he can take care of you tonight. "


    "No, you clearly said you wanted me to stay in your room, but I''m not going to the Widow Hu''s. If something happened to me, would you be able to take responsibility?"


    The Auntie Li laughed and said unhappily: "Whose family is this little girl from? She sure has a big mouth. If you want me to say it, then hurry up and send a letter to someone''s house, and have them bring back their own girl as well, they owe her that! "


    Li Yannian immediately put on the face of a customer who was a god, and said cordially: "Then it''s different. Miss Du, as you know, you have been lying in that mud all afternoon, and if my brother had not come back from saving you, the wild dog might be sniffing your feet right now. As for the payment of silver, how about this: you and your coachman will pay as much as you think your life is worth. If it''s too little, we won''t mind. If it''s too much, I''ll be happy for you. "


    Du Mumei was so angry that she almost fainted. How could this little girl from the Li Family be so infuriating!


    Seeing that his sister was not taken advantage of by Du Mumei, Black Bean was relieved. "I''ll leave it to you, Uncle Li and I will take a look at the land.


    Li Yannian turned her head towards Du Mumei and said smilingly, "Miss Du, don''t forget about your family''s horse."


    "Humph!"

 C73

    Chapter 73 - Nameless Dining Hall (23)


    In the end, not only did Du Mumei dig out all the silver ingots from her purse, she even gave Li Yannian all the jewelry that she was wearing.


    She probably thought that Li Yannian would say something polite, that it would be fine if she was willing to take some silver, or at least give the jewelry back to her. Who would have thought that Li Yannian, who was grinning from ear to ear as she gathered all the things into her own bag, would not feel embarrassed at all and even intentionally give Du Mumei a tall hat to wear.


    "That''s right, true gold and silver, only then will you be worthy of your Miss Du''s name. As for your family''s coachman and that horse, even if we were to conveniently save them, we would not even bother to be careful with you. "


    Du Mumei fainted again with a clang, causing Auntie Li to jump in fright. "Eh, this girl, how can she be so young and have such an imposing manner, and not listen to even a word or two?"


    Li Yannian was not worried at all, even the carriage had flipped from the road to the fields, and the carriage driver had knocked his head. Du Mu Mei was just biting her tongue, how could she be angered by his few words? From her point of view, she should have passed out from hunger. After all, he had been lying in the mud for most of the day. Not only had he not eaten the water, he had not eaten the grains of rice, and his face was covered in blood.


    It just so happened that Mao Dou returned with Widow Hu. When it came to medical skills, Widow Hu did not know anything else. He was very good at some minor ailments, such as looking at herbs that could calm one''s mind. Entering the house, the Widow Hu first pretended to probe his pulse, and started to dictate a few common herbs in the village. As though wishing to hear that Li Yannian was willing to give her some copper coins, she grabbed the ingredients and prepared to send it over.


    These two bowls of medicine earned him the price of two chickens. To Widow Hu, the Li family''s young miss looked more like her family''s rich god.


    It was getting late to send the Widow Hu away. Li Yannian invited Auntie Li to stay for dinner. Auntie Li first evaded the offer, but after Li Yannian tried to persuade him, she reluctantly agreed. The two of them waited for Black Bean and Uncle Li to return, and made a simple dinner. The three dishes and the soup were all things Li Yannian had left outside, so no matter how much she tried, she wouldn''t be able to make them.


    Fortunately, there were still pastries, cakes and other snacks at home. If they were hungry, they could still eat a few pieces of them.


    Li Yannian hurriedly went to open the door, followed by Auntie Li who had a face full of blame. Before the two could even speak, she had already complained, "Why did you go out for so long? The children are waiting for you to have dinner, they''re all starving! "


    These words were said to the Uncle Li.


    Black Bean laughed awkwardly: "Aunt, you can''t blame this on Uncle. I saw that the horse was pitiful, with a broken leg, I lied on the ground and couldn''t get up. Uncle said the horse couldn''t be saved, so I wanted to give it a try. Uncle helped straighten the bones and slowly brought the horse back. "


    Only then did the two saw that the Uncle Li behind them was indeed leading a horse, and had even helped to make a temporary support with a piece of cloth and a branch.


    The Uncle Li didn''t have as much confidence as Black Bean and he didn''t dare guarantee anything. "If I just happened to break the bone when I fall, I would be like a human being when I take care of myself for one or two months, I would be able to recover very quickly. However, this horse has been stuck under the carriage for a long time, and has been struggling for a long time. Even if I raise it well, I won''t be able to be a horse driving a carriage. "


    He could not afford to keep the horse in a hurry, but his mouth would not be idle. A horse would require a lot of good nourishment, and no matter how rich the Du Family was, they would not pay much attention to a pony that could not be in a hurry.


    No one present cared too much about whether the Du Family''s horses could be pulled around in the future. Auntie Li kept urging the Uncle Li to quickly tie the horses up and wait for them to start eating.


    The two families had not eaten together for a long time, so the atmosphere at the table was very lively. As they chatted and laughed, Du Mumei was woken up. She woke up in a daze. Her waist was sore and her back was aching. The room was still so dark that she couldn''t see anything. Her brain took a long time before she realized that she had fallen to the Lee family. Her mouth was dry and her stomach was making noises. It was rather lively outside and when Du Mu Mei thought about the silver and jewelry she gave Li Yannian, she felt like she suffered a huge loss. With this money, he would be able to live comfortably in the Eastroad Inn for more than half a year.


    "Someone, someone come!" She shouted for a long time, but no one heard her. She could only struggle out of her bed and fumble around for a long time. She should still be wearing her clothes. When she was able to go out to meet people, she slowly came out of the guest room.


    As soon as Du Mumei arrived outside, she smelled the alluring aroma of food. She muttered to herself that there was nothing delicious in the countryside, so she stretched her neck and looked at the table. To her disappointment, the remaining plates on the table were empty.


    Pui, even if I was so full, I wouldn''t be able to eat at the same table as these lowly people.


    From where Auntie Li was sitting, she could still see the guest room. Seeing Du Mumei walk towards them timidly, he hurriedly pushed Li Yannian away: "Hong Dou, that girl has woken up. She is definitely hungry now, are there still any food left in the pot?"


    Li Yannian nodded her head, and directly said to Du Mumei: "Miss Du, I will leave a portion of the food for you, it is still warm on the stove, I think Widow Hu will send the medicine soon too. If you eat empty stomach medicine, it will hurt your stomach, do you want to eat now?"


    Du Mumei was afraid of starvation, and the little backbone she had earlier had been completely obliterated by the rumbling in her stomach. She did not make a sound and followed Li Yannian into the kitchen by default.


    Li Yannian left some vegetables for her and fried a lotus egg for her. Fried to half yellow poached egg on the taste of the very fresh, that taste, the meal can''t be better.


    At this moment, Du Mumei no longer cared about the simple and crude food. She carried a small bowl in her hands and found an empty place to sit down to eat.


    "You ¡­" Seeing the lard disappear into the bowl as soon as it got heated up, not even being able to get it out, Du Mumei felt even more wronged.


    At home, she ate very little meat oil, even the soup had to be taken away by the kitchen maid. People said that to look after a girl was to look after a mother, and her mother was extremely thin at her age, so once she had them, she couldn''t go back. When she made new clothes to measure her waist area, the ruler would slowly relax as she looked at it. Ever since Du Mumei learned the meaning of ''seeing a girl wants to see a mother'', she refused to let go of her belly and continued to eat sweet foods and dirty oil.


    "What do you mean, ''you, you, you''? It''s so fragrant to mix it up like this. If you don''t want to eat it, you''ll have to eat it. It''s already pretty good that the poor people are willing to give you oil. How about you try pouring the rice?" Li Yannian snatched the chopsticks from her hands and quickly stirred them. The top-grade lard mixed rice that could be said to be a delicious memory from her childhood was born.


    Du Mumei was afraid that Li Yannian would force her out again, so since the sky was already completely dark, she could only endure the grievances and accept the bowl of food with a look of a young wife.


    The first mouthful still endured the disgusting appearance before his eyes lit up, accompanied by a little bit of disbelief and doubt. Then, the second mouthful, the third mouthful ¡­ Du Mumei did not even bother to move the dishes, she only ate and finished the whole bowl.


    "Delicious? You haven''t eaten, have you? " Li Yannian laughed.


    The dishes scattered on the table. Auntie Li helped Li Yannian clean the table, and just happened to be passing by while carrying a bowl. Seeing Du Mumei''s expression, he couldn''t help but laugh.


    Du Mumei was embarrassed to say that she hadn''t had enough to eat. She wanted to wipe her mouth with a handkerchief, but found that her clothes were full of dirty ideas. Even the handkerchief in her arms was not spared. She had been hungry before, and the room was dark, so she hadn''t seen it at all. He noticed now that it was as if fleas had grown on his body, and his entire body was itching.


    "Is there hot water and change of clothes? I want to take a bath. It''s too dirty. I gave you so much money, you can always take a bath, right? "


    Well, the one who gave the money was the boss. Li Yannian laughed: There is hot water, but there is no new bathtub, so you have to make do and use mine. "I''m afraid you won''t be able to wear my clothes, we''re just too different in size ¡­"


    Auntie Li suddenly interrupted: "I actually made myself a new set of clothes for the materials you gave me earlier. It''s completely new and I haven''t put them on yet, why don''t we dress her up first. I''ll wash the dirty clothes tonight, squeeze them dry, and put them on the roof for the night. The wind will probably dry them in the morning, and then I''ll change my clothes and give them back to me. "My wife isn''t that particular, it''s just that little miss shouldn''t be bothered by this old woman''s old clothes."


    As matters stood, what else did Du Mumei have to despise? With Li Yannian''s glare, she reacted quickly and thanked Auntie Li while holding back her anger.


    Not long after everyone had their dinner, they busied themselves with the baths again. The whole family needed to shower, so Li Yannian boiled five pots of hot water in order to treat the whole family.


    Du Mumei had also eaten and showered, so she finally stopped eating. The medicine sent by the Widow Hu really had some effect. They went up the third floor into the room, laid on the bed and fell asleep like a piglet. Even worse, she even knew how to snore.


    Li Yannian was so noisy that she did not sleep the whole night. At night, she heard Black Bean getting up from bed and leading the coachman to the courtyard to settle a huge matter in her life. Her own family''s bathroom, which had the "Flushing Water" toilet, was locked up, preventing strangers from entering.


    It was not until dawn when the roosters began to crow again did Li Yannian finally wake up from her daze.


    "Eh, what kind of book is this? Why are there only so few? What''s the rest? "


    Hearing that, Li Yannian was shocked, and all the sleepiness in her body immediately disappeared. She opened her eyes and looked over. Du Mumei was holding the half-copied copy in her hand.


    Du Mumei''s face was currently flushed red, just like a young lady who just saw her lover. She lovingly grabbed Li Yannian''s collar and asked, "What''s after, hurry up and write the rest, it''s too touching. Princess New Moon really isn''t easy, wuu ¡­ Wu Luohai is too infatuated! "


    What Du Mumei had said was precisely the copy of¡¶ New Moon Griddle¡· that Li Yannian had bought from the system. He had made necessary changes to the character and the time and background, and copied out the¡¶ Moon Lovers in Love¡·. She had read in this era in the Gu family''s Bookstore. Although their frames are different and their words are not as melodious as those of the future generations, the tone and tenor of their words are pretty much the same. Li Yannian was not sure if she could sell the out. If this idea could work, then the system would have a lot of romance novels that could be used.

 C74

    Chapter 74 Nameless Dining Hall (24)


    "You can understand it, but don''t you think that the words are a bit too plain?" Li Yannian asked curiously.


    Du Mumei''s eyes flashed with the light of excitement and he nodded vigorously. "Mmm mmm, I feel that it is easier to read than any other book. Did you really write it?"


    Li Yannian almost blurted out "yes", but she was still not that thick-skinned. She shook her head and replied: "Of course I didn''t write it, it''s just that my friend''s hands and feet aren''t good, I wrote it for him."


    Du Mumei looked at her contemptuously. "With your writing, you have really wasted your efforts on this book. "How about this, leave the manuscript with me and I''ll rewrite it for you."


    Li Yannian saw that she usually acted like she was completely in love with someone, and couldn''t really believe that she would be so reliable with her homework, "Can you do it?"


    "Hmph, I''ll be better than you."


    As she said this, she jumped down from the bed and jumped to the study table. Du Mumei used the old ink stone to hold her hand and formed a row of extremely delicate and pretty little talismans.


    "I can''t tell, but you really have some skills," Li Yannian said as he placed his hands behind his back and looked. Don''t mention it, the words Du Mumei wrote were much better than his own Glyph Devils.


    "Sis, are you awake? Come down for breakfast."


    Before the two of them could finish their conversation, Mao Dou had already started calling for the morning.


    "Let''s go down to eat first. We''ll talk about the matter of copying books later," Li Yannian replied as she went downstairs and pulled down Du Mumei''s handwritten copy that she was unwilling to let go of. With half pulling and half dragging it, she finally managed to get her down.


    At the dining table, Du Mumei was still unwilling to give up. She fully displayed the natural talent of a merchant''s daughter, hitting Li Yannian left and right as she tried to probe him.


    "Red Bean, where does this friend of yours live? Her story is so beautiful, I was so focused on it, and it hurt half of my heart. Tell me, can you take me to see someone after breakfast?"


    Li Yannian laughed coldly in her heart. If you want to see Aunty Qiong Yao, then you have to learn how to travel, register to be a Taiwanese tourist group, and take a plane. In the end, you have to see if she''s willing to meet an enthusiastic reader.


    "This friend of mine is shy and does not want to meet strangers. I promised him before, so I''m sorry, I can''t tell you."


    As for the book of interest, Du Mumei did not know what it meant to give up, so she continued to use it. "I think your friend''s book is very well written, and the girls around me must also like it. Why don''t you discuss it with your friend and see if she is willing to sell the manuscript to our family? I''ll tell my parents when I get back, and get half of the people in the bookstore to print out the books. "Our family is different from the Gu family, we are famous for our wide hands, like your friend''s book, I can guarantee your safety for you, or at least pay you 10 gold taels."


    "Ten taels!" Although Black Bean and the others did not know what the two were talking about, but when they heard that it was only an idle book, Miss Du actually dared to say that it was worth ten gold coins, which was more than the amount of money that the Gu family had for every month.


    Du Mumei looked at the crowd with a little complacency. After drinking a mouthful of hot porridge, her eyes suddenly stopped when she was looking around Zhao Xu. Her eyes clearly flashed with the words "This Young Noble is so handsome".


    Li Yannian was speechless towards this Hua Chi, the 10 taels of gold was very attractive for her, just that she had been too busy recently and did not have much time and time on her mind, she would not be able to produce the entire book soon.


    With her hesitation, Du Mumei''s heart skipped a beat, "10 gold coins is really a lot. My big brother''s amount of money has never exceeded this amount. I really like Princess New Moon, why don''t you tell your friend and let her think it over? Even if she doesn''t do business with us, let her finish the story quickly. If you can''t copy it in time, I''ll cover my eyes and listen, then I''ll write the entire story for you in silence later on. "


    Li Yannian looked at the infatuated girl in front of him speechlessly. With this kind of ability, what was there to worry about?


    "We''ll talk about it when I meet someone."


    "Then when are you going to see her?" Du Mumei was not easy to deal with and immediately asked.


    Black Bean and the others knew that there was no such thing as "her". Most likely, the words they had just exchanged were from the books that Li Yannian had gotten from the gods.


    He didn''t know how to help, so he could only wait quietly for Li Yannian to reply.


    "Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow, maybe this month I won''t be able to go. Who knows, there are so many things at home, I''m not free every day. He also wanted her to have time. Young miss, everyone needs to work hard in order to eat their fill.


    Du Mumei cut him off in disbelief, "10 taels of gold would save me a lot of effort. "I don''t believe it, just wait and see. I''ll ask my parents later, they''ll definitely buy your script."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Sure, then I''ll wait for you to buy more and give me a better price. Ten taels of gold is all my friend''s, I can run errands for both of us, at least it''ll bring me some benefits, right?"


    However, Du Mumei was not in a hurry to bid. She said reservedly, "If we can get the script, there will naturally be benefits for a middle-class man like you. You should first talk about this with your friend, of course, it would be better if we could invite some people to the Bookstore to discuss it in detail."


    Li Yannian did not plan to continue talking to her like she was talking to a ghost wall. She smiled but did not say anything, her head lowered as she focused on eating her porridge.


    After breakfast, the injured one was heavier than Du Mumei, but the driver, who did not have much feeling of existence, insisted that he was much better now. After a night of rest and recuperation, he was determined to return to the Clear Water Town with Black Bean.


    Black Bean advised the driver. It wasn''t that the shop was temporarily short of a person, but it was fine for him to drive the ox-cart to the Du Jia Village to take his place. But the coachman wouldn''t agree.


    Li Yannian looked at his pale face, then at Du Mumei''s arrogant and indifferent face, and sighed in her heart. No matter who it was, watching people''s faces eat and drink, their days would always have their own difficult points.


    This time, when the carriage was overturned, the coachman would inevitably be punished. At this moment, he was still covering his head to go back and notify the Du Family that someone was coming to pick him up. Black Bean helped others out of the kindness of his heart, showing that he was willing to help. Li Yannian immediately pulled on his sleeves, signalling him to stop persuading him.


    "Brother, I think it''s like this. After you send this uncle back to the Manor, quickly return to the town once he''s delivered. The shop is quiet for a while, but if we drag it out, First Uncle and the rest might not be able to get busy. "


    Black Bean thought that there was a way, he nodded his head and said to the driver: "I see, Uncle Du, since you are injured on the head, you should at least be careful, I will drive you there, and go there early, so as to prevent the family from being late, and will have to stay in the town for the night."


    Before the coachman could reply, Du Mumei opened her mouth and leisurely said, "You take the carriage. If he walked on two legs, how long would he have to walk for? My mother didn''t see me all night, so the commotion in the manor couldn''t be small. "Whether or not your family''s work can be maintained will depend on whether this letter is delivered fast or not."


    The driver''s face instantly turned even paler, he only had enough time to shout "Miss" at Du Mumei, and the latter impatiently waved her away, "Enough, stop acting. If I go back too late, even if I want to protect you, I can''t avoid my mother.


    No one needed to speak anymore. Black Bean quickly pulled the carriage driver and ran, looking as if he was the one who would lose his job.


    After watching the ox-cart go into the distance, Li Yannian turned around and closed the door. She suddenly saw Du Mumei with a slightly cold and mocking gaze, and was actually shocked in her heart. In just two short days, this young miss had changed too many expressions in front of him. Li Yannian really could not understand her.


    Du Mumei did not say anything. Li Yannian still had matters to attend to so he did not have the time to entertain her. She nodded at her, then pointed to the sofa in the living room: "If Miss Du is tired, sit down and rest."


    As he spoke, he began to walk towards the kitchen. Du Mumei immediately followed along. Seeing Li Yannian carrying the water back to the backyard, she also followed along.


    Li Yannian thought it was funny, the young miss must have been bored and panicked, why did she have to follow him even when she went to the backyard to water? She didn''t take it to heart, and carefully sprinkled the vegetable patch with the ladle. When she turned around, she saw that Zhao Xu had ran into the inside of the courtyard at some point, and Du Mumei was standing beside him, chattering away.


    The sun wasn''t poisonous in May, so Zhao Xu treated it as adding calcium when he came out to bask in the sunlight. Li Yannian did not care about them, turned and walked out of the courtyard, and started to tidy up the rooms.


    When she finished wiping the table and chairs, she turned around and saw Zhao Xu and Du Mumei chasing after her, both of them looking like ghosts. Furthermore, for the first time ever, Zhao Xu''s face revealed an expression of slight annoyance.


    Li Yannian felt some sympathy for Zhao Xu who was being pestered by Du Mumei, so she smiled and waved at him.


    Zhao Xu walked over obediently. His eyes were misty, and when he focused on the people around him, even a fake child like Li Yannian couldn''t help but feel her heart thump twice.


    "Why aren''t you practicing with Mao Dou today?" "Mao Dou, you can''t look anymore without me. Let''s go upstairs. I''ll call you for lunch later." "


    Li Yannian knew that he could understand the word "upstairs". Seeing that Du Mumei was about to follow Zhao Xu up to the second floor, she immediately stopped her.


    "Miss Du, what do you want to eat in the afternoon? If it''s something that can be bought, then I''ll get someone else to buy it earlier as well. "


    Du Mumei scoffed, "In your crappy place, where can you go to get the Winged Abdomen if I want it? I know you don''t want me to follow him upstairs. But I just wanted to ask you, who is this person? It''s not like people like you have relatives. "


    Li Yannian thought, I was just afraid that you would skin me alive, so it would be hard to say it out loud, so I just smiled and said, "Left or right, it''s also not related to you. As for the population, I don''t need to report them to you one by one. As for the Pteryx, as long as you pay, it''s not like you won''t be able to find it. At night, your family will come to pick you up, right? If you really want to eat it, then I''ll lend you some silver and arrange it for you. It''s not impossible. "


    Du Mumei once again felt a stifling sensation in her heart from Li Yannian. She was originally only casually ridiculing him, but this time, it was true as she sneered: "Such big words. In that case, you just have to go and arrange it, and I''ll make some money with you in the future. For lunch, I did not think about anything else. Ginseng and chicken soup for nourishment, green onions and sea cucumbers for a plate of rice, abalone for any of three or five, at least Abalone s, no matter how young I was, I had never eaten them since I was young. My mother said that the Abalone are picky and picky, but I don''t want to make things difficult for you, so I had to make myself feel wronged. As for dessert, I don''t like it when I have a cup of sugar in my bird''s nest and there''s less sugar in it. Do you hear me? "


    Li Yannian purposely revealed a difficult expression: "Then I''ll go ask someone else ¡­"


    Du Mumei chuckled and said, "Alright, go ahead and ask. I can make lunch, and I won''t bully you, but five taels of gold is enough. "If it doesn''t work, I don''t want anything else from you. Kneel down and call me grandaunt three times."


    Li Yannian thought that with five taels of gold, even if she kneeled now, she would still kneel. But since the gambling house has been opened, haha, then I am really sorry. This young miss of the Du Family is probably going to fall over in anger again.


    "Just shout!" However, if you lose, don''t go back on your words. "


    Du Mumei cried out, "I can still go back on your word. I''m afraid you''ll go back on my word! Fine, we can write it down in black and white, right? "


    Li Yannian was waiting for her words, waiting for the pen and ink to write the terms for Du Mumei, then pressed down the finger marks on each of them, causing the little demon in her heart to instantly reveal a proud smile.

 C75

    Chapter 75 Nameless Dining Hall (25)


    You have to do the whole thing.


    Li Yannian pretended to go out to look for people to buy them, and carried a small vegetable basket out. Du Mumei was sitting alone in the living room and had nothing to do. After browsing around for a while, she was disappointed to find that the Li family was only a tiny bit big. Apart from a locked room, she walked around for a bit before finishing. At this moment, she regretted betting with someone. Now, she was the only one left in the room. It was so boring.


    Li Yannian didn''t actually go anywhere else, she went to her own plot of land to hide since she wanted to go out and hide for a while. There were still dazzling caput dysenteriae s in the fields, but the sweet potato seedlings on the ground did not seem to be affected at all.


    Their house was in a remote area with no one else nearby. Normal people wouldn''t be able to find their way here. Li Yannian looked around to see that there was no one around, so she summoned the system out of worry and bought a few things according to Du Mumei''s instructions.


    Ginseng was planted artificially in Changbai Mountain, a special price of twenty to thirty grams would only require twenty-five pieces of wallet mail; chicken was bought from farm chickens, less than seventy pieces of chicken had been slaughtered clean; bird''s nest bought instant food, green onions cooked sea cucumber was easily solved, all these were already available in vacuum packaging, it only needed to be reheated once.


    But Li Yannian did not expect Du Mumei to quietly dig a hole for him in the abalone patch. She did not forget that the weight here was about 800 grams, which meant that if she wanted to sell it to the Abalone that Du Mumei mentioned, then she would have to buy 300 grams of abalone, which was close to the concept of two abalones. Just when she was about to take a step back and search the system''s merchandise using the Abalone as the keyword, then pick a tall amongst the short ones and buy as much of the bigger ones as possible, the system suddenly sent out a good object recommendation ¡ª Fresh Sea Catch Exquisite Abalone.


    She pointed it in and realized why she hadn''t been able to find either of them before.


    According to the website of the merchant, most consumers can eat six heads of abalone, that is to say, six heads of abalone per catty. Even better, at most, they could only buy Abalone s, because the larger the abalones, the more valuable they were. There was an old saying in the industry, it was difficult to buy two abalones with a thousand gold coins. Although there was a difference in the quality of the abalone with the same weight, but on the whole, the double-headed abalone was still a priceless treasure that could be passed down as a family heirloom.


    It was all Li Yannian''s fault that her horizons were too shallow and she did not see through the hole Du Mumei had dug for him from the start. This was really great now, even the things that the system did not buy, it seemed that her three calls for grandma were confirmed.


    Just as she was about to close the system''s recommendation page, a few key words suddenly popped up in her mind ¡ª This store has a ocean-going fleet to catch them, fresh sea Abalone s/double-headed abalones, one for each item, please clearly observe the price before filming again!


    There was actually such a thing!


    The Abalone only cost three hundred to six hundred yuan, and the Two-Headed Abalone''s price was not as high as she had imagined, so the average price was only about three thousand yuan each. Li Yannian held her breath, thinking to herself that if she could buy six, it would not even reach twenty thousand dollars. And if she could win the bet, the five taels of gold that Du Mumei had paid him would also be worth less than fifty thousand.


    As a result, the value of the account dropped by quite a bit.


    The items were quickly delivered. Li Yannian opened up the package. The abalones were huge, even wider than her hands, and the shop had not only carefully used ice bags to keep them fresh, they had even generously given her almost a dozen fresh little abalones.


    Humph! When he thought about Du Mumei''s expression after a while, Li Yannian felt extremely satisfied in his heart. After she packed everything up, she slowly walked back to her house.


    Du Mumei was already bored to death, when she heard the door opening, she immediately ran out to look. Seeing Li Yannian looking so at ease, she couldn''t help but feel a little apprehensive.


    "What? You''ve already arranged everything so quickly?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Miss Du''s orders, even if it''s difficult, we must think of a way to gather them all. You can take a seat in the room while I prepare lunch. "


    Du Mumei''s face was filled with shock. Abalone s, things that couldn''t even be found outside, even if they were found at home, were things that were extremely rare to come by. Could she really buy them?


    But looking at Li Yannian''s expression, it did not seem like she was lying. Du Mumei was skeptical. Just as she wanted to follow Li Yannian into the kitchen, she was stopped.


    "Miss Du is the guest, just wait outside. It''s enough with my brother''s help in the kitchen."


    As he said that, Li Yannian called out to the people on the second floor. Mao Dou was really excited as he ran down the stairs happily to the kitchen.


    Du Mumei looked up the stairs, but did not see Zhao Xu following Mao Dou down. No matter how infatuated she was, it was not good for her to chase after Mao Dou to someone''s room on the second floor. She could only look away in disappointment.


    The voices of the Li siblings could be heard from time to time. It was unknown what Li Yannian and Mao Dou were talking about, but the brat, Li Jun, would occasionally exclaim out loud in surprise, making Du Mumei, who was sitting outside, extremely curious.


    "Sis, why are our meals so good today?" Mao Dou asked in a low voice.


    Li Yannian glanced outside and covered her mouth as she laughed: "Someone paid us to have a good meal for free. If there''s anything that''s cheap, we will not take advantage of this bastard, so of course we have to take care of her."


    Mao Dou instantly understood. He chuckled and said, "Sis, this person is hateful. He deserves to be cut."


    The two siblings smiled at each other in tacit understanding. They washed the things in the baskets that needed to be cut and cut. First, they stewed the ginseng chicken soup that needed to be boiled for a long time in one pot. As for the other two, it was simple. He only needed to place the contents of the vacuum packaging on a separate plate, and when the abalone was done cooking, he could then heat them up once more in the steamer.


    When the dishes here were all done, the ginseng chicken soup on the other side of the wok was ready to drink even though it was still simmering. Li Yannian changed the pot and continued to simmer the soup. Mao Dou quickly helped her serve the dishes.


    Miss Du, this is the ginseng chicken soup that you wanted. It''s still hot after coming out of the wok. Li Yannian introduced to the others with a smile.


    Du Mumei really wanted to pick on him, but when she saw that the bowl of soup contained chicken soup with a rich flavor, she gently turned the spoon around and saw that the fresh ginseng was cut into thin slices.


    She put down the spoon and snorted.


    Li Yannian continued to serve up the dishes, "This is the sea cucumber with scallions that you requested. Miss Du, see if it''s still to your liking."


    Du Mumei changed her chopsticks and flipped it twice. It was a sea cucumber, and it seemed to be of decent quality as well.


    She held back the surprise in her heart and rolled her eyes. She didn''t say it out loud, but neither did she say it out loud.


    Li Yannian endured her laughter and asked Mao Dou to bring over the oily Steamed Bun Abalone Fish: "Miss Du, the Abalone that you wanted, I decided on my own since I didn''t hear what kind of cooking method you wanted. Look, isn''t the size right? "


    Du Mumei had truly failed at this point in time. She turned her head and looked at Li Yannian in disbelief, "How is this possible?!"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Our bet does not have a rule, I must reveal the source of the dishes to you. This is a Abalone, it can''t be wrong, right? "


    Du Mumei''s face turned ugly as he sneered, "There''s even a sugar bird''s nest?"


    He thought that even if the sea cucumber and abalone had fresh hair that didn''t need to be redone, there wouldn''t be any ready bird nest, right? Furthermore, there were also impurities that needed to be removed. A bird''s nest needed to be stewed, and the time it took for a bird''s nest to be stewed was short. The bird''s nest was tasty, and turned into water as time went by; she didn''t believe that a little country bumpkin like the Li family would be able to serve a good bird''s nest.


    Li Yannian asked calmly, "Didn''t Miss Du say that she would wait until after dinner before using the bird''s nest snacks? "Do you want it now?"


    Du Mumei thought that she was guilty of not being able to supply enough food, so she found it hard to conceal her pride. She smiled and said, "I want to eat it now, what''s wrong, you didn''t buy it? or can''t? "


    Li Yannian purposely sighed: "Since that''s the case, then I''ll go to the kitchen and bring it over."


    Du Mumei snickered in her heart. This little brat, how dare she play with me? Looking at her expression, I can tell that this bird''s nest isn''t complete. Just kneel down and call me grandaunt.


    However, her complacent expression instantly shattered the moment she saw Li Yannian bringing up that snow white bird''s nest.


    "How is this possible?" This was the second time she had muttered such a surprise.


    "Didn''t Miss Du want to have a taste of the bird''s nest now? Why don''t you eat it? It''s not delicious if it gets cold. "


    Li Yannian purposely stabbed a knife into her heart, but Du Mumei regained her senses. That''s right, she had never tasted any of these dishes before, who knows what kind of person used them to make fake meat dishes that were fake?


    Du Mumei suddenly raised her head to look at Li Yannian. Holding the spoon in her hand, she took a sip of the sugar bird''s nest, and a sweet taste of egg white instantly burst out from her mouth. Ever since she was young, she had eaten large amounts of food, so she was able to immediately distinguish that this sugar bird''s nest in front of her was genuine and was not something that was made up of anything else.


    Disbelieving, she picked up the chopsticks and picked up the sea cucumber to eat. It was smooth and juicy, giving off an impeccable taste. He tried cooking the abalones again. Other than washing them a little inappropriately, there was still a bit of sand in the abalones meat that had yet to be cleaned. However, the taste of the abalones in his mouth was indeed abalones.


    The expression in Du Mumei''s eyes when she looked at Li Yannian became complicated.


    "Where the hell did you get all this stuff? Let alone the Li Village, even if we were to go there, we would not be able to buy all these things within a short two hours. "


    Li Yannian ignored her, and only gently laughed: "Miss Du, are you admitting that I''ve won the bet?"


    Du Mumei once again had her breath stuck in her throat. She wanted to refuse to admit it, but she didn''t have the face to take back what she had just said. She could only nod with a dark face: "You win."


    Li Yannian laughed and extended his hand to ask for money from her: "Five taels of gold, thank you!"


    Du Mumei was so angry that her temper almost went out of her head. "Who was the one that took all my money?"


    Li Yannian slapped her head, she almost forgot that she did not have any money on her, but to plunder two words, although it was the truth, Li Yannian did not recognize it either.


    "Miss Du, don''t forget, the money you gave me was for saving you, your coachman, and that horse''s medical fees. "Then today''s five grains of gold ¡­"


    "I''ll give it to my family the moment they arrive!" Du Mumei said, flustered and exasperated.


    Li Yannian immediately brought a smile to her face. "Since that''s the case, then I won''t be polite. Miss Du will eat, eat, and not eat anymore. The food will become cold in a while. "


    Just when Du Mumei wanted to say that she was not going to eat, she suddenly thought of something. Why did she not eat the dishes that she spent money on? Instead, why did she give the Li family this little girl a free ride? As if he had two stomachs, he picked up the rice bowl and started to scoop up the rice angrily.


    "Dou Dou, go and call your Big Brother Xu over. We''re about to start eating as well."


    The moment Li Yannian''s words fell, Du Mumei looked over in alarm, "These are all things that I spent money on, there''s no part of you guys here."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Don''t worry, we won''t snatch yours, we have our own food to eat."


    While pulling the small table, he turned around and brought out a plate of fried chicken leg mushrooms, fried prawns and a plate of fried tofu from the kitchen.


    Zhao Xu and Mao Dou quickly went downstairs and washed their hands. They quietly sat down and waited for the meal to start. Although Du Mumei was still sitting on the side, the three people were chatting and laughing as if they didn''t see her. Li Yannian had been busy peeling the prawns for Mao Dou and Zhao Xu, and he couldn''t even be bothered to take care of Du Mumei.


    Du Mumei was sitting on the unwelcome piece of land.


    She took a look at the desolation on her side, and then looked at the warmth on their side. Even the delicacies of the sea and the mountains had all lost their flavor.


    It tasted like chewing wax.


    Du Mumei put down her chopsticks, suddenly feeling a little regretful. It would have been great if she didn''t have a fit of anger towards her just now.

 C76

    Article 76. Nameless Dining Hall (26)


    In the afternoon, Li Yannian and Lotus had already arranged to go pick forage leaf s from the mountains, and Mao Dou and Zhao Xu were also going to follow along. Seeing that Du Mumei was the only one left at home, she immediately forgot that she was still quarreling with Li Yannian a moment ago, and wanted to follow them up the mountain no matter what.


    Li Yannian warned her beforehand: "The mountain is hot and bitter, you probably haven''t walked across the mountain road before, right? Don''t say you can''t walk when you''re halfway there, but no one can carry you. If you really can''t walk anymore, you can either sit on the mountain path and wait by yourself, or walk back the way you came from, and no one will be with you. You have to think clearly, you have to be able to do it, if you agree, then follow us up the mountain. "


    I''m a few years older than you, she thought. Why can''t I do what you can? Besides, she had been frightened of being left alone all morning, and this time she was told to stay alone and do nothing. He said angrily, "I have my own feet, so I don''t need you to carry me. You can relax now, right?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Don''t go back on your words when the time comes."


    Du Mumei was so angry that she didn''t want to care about her. She was also curious in her heart about the method of plucking the forage leaf they were going to pick. She knew about forage leaf s and they were used to wrap dumplings, but this was the first time she heard that there were people picking these leaves to sell. Du Mumei wondered how much these leaves could sell for, and how much these poor people had to spend on picking them.


    No matter what she thought in her heart, they were still on their way. There were several times during the journey, Li Yannian had estimated that Du Mumei''s expression looked as if she was about to die. But perhaps it was because the provocation from before was quite useful, but this miss of a Qian Jin actually didn''t complain at all and followed them up the mountain.


    By the time he got there, the lotus had already plucked the leaves from the two baskets. They were tightly packed. No matter how he looked at them, there were at least three to five hundred of them.


    Li Yannian could not help but be shocked: "Sister Lotus, are you here early today?"


    Lotus nodded, wanting to say that her mother saw picking leaves more important than raising pigs, so when she sent her up the mountain early in the morning, she saw a new face behind her, one she had never seen before. Judging from her bearing, she didn''t seem like a person from their village. She wanted to ask him a question, but when she smiled at him, he turned his head away in contempt. Lotus suddenly felt inferior and didn''t know how to put her hands or feet back.


    Li Yannian didn''t notice this at all, and happily pulled on Lotus''s hand. "Sister Lotus, shouldn''t we still have time to go back and eat lunch? I brought you a few rice balls, so you should quickly rest and eat something. "


    Lotus timidly shrank back, feeling that the girl behind her cousin had a cold and uncomfortable look in her eyes.


    "Then I''ll sit and rest for a while. Brother Xu, you should sit as well."


    Lotus cleared out a clean area, but she was not as afraid of strangers as she was yesterday, so she called out to Zhao Xu.


    A sneer came out of Du Mumei''s nose, "Brother Xu, you''re calling me rather affectionately."


    Lotus''s face instantly turned completely red. In a flash, it turned as white as paper, causing others to look at it. They were extremely worried that she would faint in the next second.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Brother Xu Zi is a distant relative of ours. My cousin wants to know, what''s wrong with it? Do you still need to care about it?"


    Li Yannian could not bear to see Du Mumei, this persimmon who liked to bully an honest man, jump up and say something to her. It was not easy for Lotus to become less reserved like yesterday. After hearing her words, how could her heart feel at ease?


    Du Mumei was so angry that she jumped up and down, "What did I say? Li Hong Dou, is this how you treat your guests?"


    Li Yannian laughed coldly: "Then you still need to act like the customer, if you continue to talk rubbish, we won''t bring you down the mountain in a while, why don''t you walk around the mountain slowly?"


    "You dare?!" Du Mu Mei''s face paled as she pointed at Li Yannian and scolded.


    "You''ll know once you try. In any case, your family''s servants will come to the village later, so it''s impossible for them to lose it. "


    Du Mumei actually believed that she could do this. She lost her temper for a while, walked to the other side and sat under a tree far away from them, kicked the rocks with a dispirited look, and even secretly observed the movements of Li Yannian and the others from time to time. However, after looking for a while and seeing that everyone was ignoring him, she started to feel uncomfortable again. She came over to watch them pick the leaves shamelessly.


    "So the leaves that wrapped around the dumplings were grown on bamboo ¡­"


    "Eh, how much can you sell this leaf for?"


    "Are you planning to pick leaves on the mountain this afternoon?" "That''s boring. Brother Xu, let''s go over there and play, shall we?"


    Du Mumei followed closely behind her, chattering non-stop. Li Yannian had previously paid attention to her, but seeing her never-ending posture, she simply shut her mouth and automatically blocked her ears. Zhao Xu was even more lazy to bother with her. In any case, he was pretending to be a fool right now.


    Du Mumei sang for a long time, her saliva had dried up and she was finally bored. She took a glance at the lotus and spoke to the lotus with a condescending tone.


    "How much can you sell this leaf for?"


    Lotus was a little flattered and replied in a small voice, "100 taels of silver is not a lot. After a day''s work, there will also be quite a few pieces of harvest. It is much more valuable than working at home for nothing. Everyone in the village had been collecting leaves these past few days. This area was quite remote and the mountain roads were quite difficult to traverse, so very few people came here. But in a few days, when all the harvests on the mountain were done, the villagers would come over here. "Since there are fewer people here, I might as well pick more if I have the time."


    Du Mumei sized her up with a cold gaze. She only asked one question, but Li Hongtao''s cousin sister replied her question so many times. She wasn''t as bored as he thought. The clothes she wore were just too tattered and looked really shabby. She didn''t understand why a girl like Li Hehua wasn''t dressed at all. Her hair was messy and it was simply too messy. If it wasn''t for the fact that no one was talking to her, she wouldn''t even have bothered to look at her.


    Her cousin was much better. She was clean and white, dressed neatly, and her eyes were curved when she smiled. Even if she hated her cousin, she couldn''t deny it. It was no wonder her cousin was willing to look at her twice.


    Thinking about this, Du Mumei almost forgot her purpose for coming to Li Village. However, from the observations of the past two days, Li Hong Dou probably didn''t have any intentions towards her cousin. He himself was truly foolish, to be coaxed by his aunt in a few words. It seemed like there was no way Li Hong Dou was going to be an even wife for Cousin Li. Aunt must have used some ingenious method to lure the tiger from the mountain to the east!


    Hmph, when she returns home and sees that she isn''t going to report this to her mother, if her aunt didn''t lie to me, how would I have come to Li Village. How would it be such a coincidence that my carriage would overturn on the way home?


    The expression on her face was still gloomy, and she quickly retreated back into her protective shell. She thought to herself that this friend of Red Bean''s was also very weird, rather difficult to get along with, just that she did not know which family she came from. Although her clothes looked normal, just from the way she spoke, one could tell that she was not a girl from an ordinary family. If she liked him, she could help him find a job in town.


    If she had free money, she could take it back home. Mom probably wouldn''t want to marry her so early.


    On the other side, Du Mumei regained her senses. When she thought about the inevitable quarrel between her own mother and aunt, she became a little agitated. Even her face warmed up a little because of the lotus flowers.


    "You are Li Hong Dou''s cousin, whose family are you from in the village? Why is there such a huge difference between your house and Red Bean''s? "


    Du Mumei''s words were actually quite rude, but Lotus was already used to it. She did not bother with the needle hidden in her words and mumbled, "Our Li Family only has three rooms, while Red Bean belongs to the second room. I am from major chamber. My daughter''s family is not worth much, so only my second uncle and second aunt dotes on her. "


    Du Mumei was immediately displeased when she heard that, "What do you mean ''your daughter''s family is not worth much''? Your mother is not your daughter''s family, and your granny is not your daughter''s family? "It''s quite interesting that our own clan is squandering our own."


    Li Yannian listened from the side and thought that Du Mumei had finally said something human so he couldn''t help but interrupt, "Since it''s almost like this for every household in the village, it won''t be possible to change your mind in just a few words. You really want to impose your thoughts on someone else. You first have to learn to let others see the benefits of following you. "


    Du Mumei was a little confused, "I don''t believe that they would dare to not treat Lotus well with the reputation of our Du Family. I will go down the mountain to have a chat with them."


    Li Yannian shook his head and laughed: "If you don''t believe me, then just go ahead and do it. My ugly words are the front, my Eldest Aunt is not an easy target, it''s fine if I were to provoke her, and it would also implicate my cousin to follow you and eat steak. Think about it, even if the higher-ups favor the weaker ones and tell them not to bully them, do they listen to their commands? Wasn''t it because they endured it then and took advantage of the fact that the people on top of you could no longer look at them, that the birds had secretly taken care of them? There are so many people serving you, one or two less. Who remembers? "


    "It''s the same for my cousin. You swaggered over to her house this time to show off your wealth to her, and then went to the manor at night. My Eldest Aunt cannot see the benefits of true gold and silver, so how will the family of a girl be defiled, or be defiled? "


    Du Mumei did not expect Li Yannian to say such words. She was stunned in place for a while, and then asked in a low voice after a long while, "Then, what do you think we should do?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "Didn''t you want to prove that your daughter''s family is valuable too? Isn''t that easy? Isn''t your Du Family just doing business? What kind of shop only caters to female customers and needs female employees the most? "Open more shops for the female shop assistant. The female teacher will double the monthly income from other stores to twice the monthly income. The family that raise the daughter will earn more from the daughter than the son. Naturally, the daughter won''t feel like she''s worthless."


    Du Mumei listened in amusement. "You mean, I opened my own store and asked only the female mister to be there? But what shop am I going to open? "My elder brothers are in charge of overseeing the several businesses in the family, I''ve never been worried about these ¡­"


    Li Yannian could not help but laugh at her: "Look at you, previously you said that your daughter''s family was also worth a lot, but the real money in your family, are you not your brothers and your father? "What kind of money are you worth? It''s all because your family members have free money, so they''re willing to spoil you."


    Du Mumei instantly became a little angry, "You make it sound like you''re not relying on your family."


    Li Yannian shrugged her shoulders, showing her the forage leaf in her hand: "It''s not bad that I rely on my family, but I also earn money. Even if I leave my brother, I can still support myself, which is better than you. "Since you were young, do you have a single silver coin for your food?"


    Du Mumei was momentarily at a loss for words. She was no longer so sure of what she had previously said.


    Lotus didn''t understand what the two of them were saying, but she felt that her little cousin was quite amazing. Even the girls from the town couldn''t compare to her.


    Li Yannian felt that Du Mumei was a very childish girl, so she casually spoke a few words with her without going into depth. Then, she turned around and engaged herself in a battle with Lotus to pick forage leaf s.


    She turned her head to look at her demure cousin. Her gentle face still had baby fat on it, but her complexion wasn''t too good. It was probably because she couldn''t eat her fill or wear warm clothes. Li Yannian sighed in her heart, the women of this era were simply too difficult. She started to worry about Lotus Flower''s future marriage. If she could think of a way to help her and look after a good family, that would be great!

 C77

    Chapter 77 Nameless Dining Hall (27)


    It was unknown if it was because of what Li Yannian had said on the mountain that shocked Du Mumei so much. But after that, she unexpectedly calmed down and no longer continued to chatter like before.


    Lotus did not know whether this new friend of hers was truly willing to help him or not, but she did not dare to ask. She glanced at Du Mumei, and buried her thoughts back in her stomach.


    The afternoon passed quickly. When Li Yannian and the others returned home, the Du Family were already waiting for them outside. Ten people, three carriages, and a grand display of power.


    When the old granny in the lead saw Du Mumei dressed like a village girl from afar, she was both shocked and excited. She immediately turned her head and whispered to the person sitting inside the horse carriage for a while, just as Li Yannian was trying to guess the identity of the person inside. The woman bent over and lifted the curtain, and a beautiful lady gracefully got off the carriage with the support of a servant.


    "Aunt, how could it be you? Where''s my mother?"


    Du Mumei, who was following behind him, saw who they were and cried out in alarm.


    Li Yannian found it strange, the one that had come was not Mrs. Du, but Madam Gu. She purposely slowed her pace, leaving Zhao Xu and Mao Dou behind, leaving room for the two to talk.


    "Your mother still doesn''t know that something has happened to you. Yesterday morning, you went to the temple to visit Buddha. You won''t be able to come back until tomorrow. Have you forgotten?"


    Madam Gu could not help but retort at the bottom of her heart, didn''t you secretly come out and cause such a commotion while your mother was not home? Otherwise, how could such a big person not return home in the span of a single night? The entire Du Clan would have already fallen into an uproar, and he would be looking for someone unhappily.


    Du Mumei had really forgotten about it. She glanced sideways and saw that there were a total of three carriages in the Gu Clan convoy. She couldn''t help but ask curiously, "Aunt, who else came?"


    Madam Gu suddenly glanced at Li Yannian. That gaze seemed to be measuring and probing, causing Li Yannian to shudder for no reason. Just as her guard was raised, Madam Gu quickly turned his gaze away.


    "Who else could it be? Your cousin." When I heard that something had happened to you, I shouted that I would follow me to see you. When we get back, do you want to stay in the same car as Wan-Er or do you need to lie down peacefully? I don''t know how badly you''re hurt. "


    It was unknown what Du Mumei was thinking as she frowned and said, "Cousin specifically came to see me. I should have been able to talk for a while. But I hit my head. I thought it would be okay, but after walking down the mountain road and getting a cold breeze, I felt a headache again. After a while, I''ll go alone. I''ll lie down on the road for a while, but when I get home, I''ll talk to my cousin. "


    Madam Gu did not expect her to refuse at all. Her face revealed an expression of surprise, but it was quickly covered up. She nodded and said in a soft voice, "That''s good. I will tell Wan-Er not to mess with you. It''s just that your father isn''t in the manor, and your mother has gone to pay respects to Buddha. If you rashly return to your own home, you will only be alerting the Old Ancestor for nothing. On the other hand, with such a huge matter happening to you and you bumped your head, it isn''t appropriate for you to not have an elder to look at you. In a moment, obediently follow your aunt home. When we get home, I''ll ask your cousin to call a doctor over, so that you can be at ease. "


    Du Mumei nodded his head obediently, but unlike before, he was elated to hear that he was going to his cousin''s house.


    Madam Gu was a little surprised.


    Her first words, though intended, were selfish. She already knew that Du Mumei had an eccentric personality, but that day, because she was afraid that Du Mumei would make a ruckus in her family''s mansion, she intentionally made vague excuses to make Ming Yuan think that she had another girl she liked. Even if she wanted to take an equal wife, she had to respect Ming Yuan''s thoughts. In the end, Du Mumei had secretly left home and even snuck into the Li Village, almost causing a disaster. It would be best if he could hide this from his brother and sister-in-law. If their brother and sister found out about this, then who knows how many setbacks Ming Yuan''s marriage would bring about?


    Madam Gu slapped him in the face and quickly placed a sweet jujube in his hands. When he found out about the news, he even brought along Wan''er, who usually went to Du Mumei to curry favor with her, to pick her up. He didn''t expect that Du Mumei was not enjoying herself as much as she had imagined; on the contrary, her attitude towards him and Wan''Er had suddenly become distant, and she didn''t react much when she heard that Mingyuan was going to call a doctor for her.


    Could it be that she''d thought it through and wasn''t thinking about Ming Yuan anymore? If that was the case, it would be worth it even if his brother and sister-in-law found out afterwards that he was the one to blame.


    In the blink of an eye, Madam Gu''s thoughts had drifted far and wide. When she suddenly heard Du Mumei ask for five taels of gold, she was so stunned that she forgot about her reaction.


    "What?" You mean to ask your aunt for five taels of gold? What do you want this for? What about the money you were carrying? " The Madam Gu asked, puzzled.


    Du Mu Mei''s face reddened, she turned and looked at Li Yannian, and said indifferently: "I asked Miss Li to do some work, and did you find the money I brought back? Aunt, don''t ask too much, I''m useful anyway, when we return home, I''ll get someone to return it to you."


    Madam Gu suspiciously looked back and said with a smile: "It''s only five taels of gold. No need to say that it''s not going to be returned, just take it as your aunt giving you some flowers. Take it and use it."


    Saying that, Madam Gu nodded towards his wife at the side. The old woman took out her purse and ordered five or two golden melon seeds, which she handed over to Du Mumei.


    Du Mumei turned around and gave the number that he had told Li Yannian, "Look, I''ll tell you the exact number that I told you. You should keep it carefully in mind. You made your friend think quickly, and I''m waiting to hear the second half of it. "Yes, I''ll come back and play with you when I have time next time."


    Li Yannian lowered her eyebrows and took the bet, she thought, there was still a next time? One time was enough to torment people. It was better not to come. However, she was probably just casually saying that she didn''t have the time to travel to the countryside all day.


    After Du Mumei had settled his gambling debts, he was helped into the carriage without a word. Li Yannian looked like she had nothing to do, and just as she was about to say goodbye to Madam Gu, he suddenly heard Du Mumei lift up the curtain and call out to her, "Take the clothes that I left in your house as my reward for her when you send them over to her."


    Madam Gu was just about to say that this was not appropriate, but seeing that Du Mumei had let go of the curtain and hid inside the carriage dejectedly, he endured the last few words, and his eyes drifted towards Li Yannian.


    He was about ten years old and looked quite fair, but he hadn''t drawn a stick yet. He looked completely childish. It was unknown what exactly Ming Yuan had taken a fancy to this girl.


    The way the Madam Gu stared at him without saying a word was pretty intimidating. At least, Li Yannian''s heart was thumping once again from her gaze. Could it be that even the Madam Gu felt that she was a natural born fox to be able to seduce her son at such a young age? It really was a person sitting at home with a pot coming from the sky.


    "Mother, are you done yet? Why are you still here for so long? " An impatient urging voice came from the carriage at the side. Li Yannian reckoned that the little girl who was talking should be Gu Mingyuan''s sister, the Wan Er that Madam Gu had mentioned earlier.


    He clearly knew that something had happened to Du Mumei, but he hadn''t asked a single question from the start. He simply wasn''t as concerned about the safety of his cousin as Madam Gu had said he was, and more like he was listening to her to express his affection.


    However, Du Mumei did not have anything good to do with this Cousin Wan''er either. She probably only had the intention to get drunk previously, if she wanted to marry Gu Mingyuan, she had to curry favor with her future sister-in-law.


    Plastic sisters.


    Li Yannian quickly confirmed the relationship between the two.


    Madam Gu rubbed her forehead, her face showing obvious fatigue, she comforted her daughter and waved at Li Yannian.


    Mao Dou somewhat fearfully held onto Li Yannian''s hand and did not let her go. It was probably because this action pleased Madam Gu, and her eyes revealed slight traces of a smile.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not here to make things difficult for your sister," Madam Gu said to Mao Dou with a smile, then turned to Li Yannian and said, "From what the driver said, it was your brother who rescued her with you. Mei Er''s parents are not home for the past few days, so I, as their aunt, would like to thank them for you. This is a little gift from us, I hope that Miss Li will not be so reserved and courteous, and accept it generously, so that we can be at ease. "


    Mao Dou was puzzled. Wasn''t his big brother the one who saved Miss Du''s home? How did this pretty lady say she was saved by his big brother together with his sister? He blinked her eyes, just as she was about to remind the Madam Gu that he remembered wrongly, Brother Xu Zi suddenly smiled and hit him, causing him to forget what she had wanted to say just now.


    On the other hand, Li Yannian immediately understood the meaning of the last few words of the Madam Gu. With these words, even if she did not accept the gift, she was obviously harboring ulterior motives.


    She felt that it was funny. These rich people had probably been on guard against humans for a long time. She didn''t even dare to believe their eyes.


    Li Yannian smiled and bowed to Madam Gu: "Since Madam Gu was the one who gave this to you on behalf of the Du Family''s elders, then junior will accept it without any hesitation. Thank you, Madam Gu."


    Madam Gu revealed a satisfied smile on her face, and looked at Li Yannian once more. This time, she praised her a little more. If this girl''s background wasn''t that bad, if it weren''t for the fact that one of the two was destined to be a princess, it wouldn''t be impossible to get her to be his concubine, due to the fact that Ming Yuan himself somewhat liked her.


    Unfortunately ¡­


    Madam Gu retracted her thoughts, and nodded at Li Yannian: "You''re quite a sensible girl, I don''t know which family has the fortune to be able to live a peaceful life with a child like you."


    Li Yannian raised her head in surprise, as she came back to reality and laughed: "Madam, I''m still young, and said that the marriage ceremony was too early, please don''t laugh at me."


    The topic of conversation had already been revealed.


    Madam Gu nodded her head in satisfaction and extended her hand to the old woman, who immediately helped her into the carriage.


    "It''s getting late, let''s go back."


    As he said that, his gaze no longer fell onto Li Yannian''s body.


    "Yes sir!" The woman bowed her head in response. She climbed onto the carriage as if she was familiar with the place and made a signal to the driver. The group then left in the same manner as before, heading back to the city in a grand formation.


    He suddenly remembered the question he had wanted to ask before. He looked up at Li Yannian and asked curiously, "Sis, why did that beautiful madam say that she was saved by you together with my brother? Wasn''t it our brother who brought her back by herself?"


    Li Yannian laughed: "About that, you are still young, you won''t understand no matter how you speak. "Anyway, remember this. They gave us something to change our words. As long as someone asks, we will be the ones to save them. Do you remember?"


    Mao Dou nodded innocently and sensibly stopped asking.


    "Well, we finally sent him away. There''s one more person living at home, and they don''t even use the bathroom or the electric light. "Hurry up and go home. I''ll cook some good food for you tonight."


    At the mention of food, Mao Dou immediately became enthusiastic. "Do you have prawns tonight? Elder sister, it''s a waste for that elder sister to eat at noon.


    Li Yannian laughed: "Let''s not eat her leftovers, I will make another dish for you."


    Mao Dou muttered. Li Yannian did not hear her clearly either, probably thinking that she was too wasteful. Li Yannian did not waste anything. She was prepared to keep what Du Mumei had eaten for good. In the future, wouldn''t it be perfect if she kept it as a tribute to that old pious scoundrel of the Li Clan, or to the major chamber and Third Wife, these ungrateful elders?


    The two of them were talking and laughing as they pushed open the door and entered the room. Li Yannian remembered the gifts that the Gu family had sent them, which were still piled at the door, and was about to go take them when she saw Zhao Xu still standing outside, staring blankly at the direction that the Gu family members had left.

 C78

    Chapter 78 Nameless Dining Hall (28)


    "Xu, what are you looking at? Hurry up and go home. "Why don''t you help big sister carry these things. You should carry these materials in ¡­" Li Yannian heartlessly patted him, and then pointed to the pile of cloth and sweets by the side of the door.


    Zhao Xu didn''t know how to react to her worry, but for some reason, his heart suddenly hurt.


    In the sect, soft knives were the most effective way to force a person to seek death with just a few words. What did the Madam Gu say just now?


    "Such an intelligent young lady. I wonder which family has the fortune to be able to live a happy life with a child like you."


    Hehe, listening it was praises, but listening it carefully, it was a warning to Li Yannian, not to wishfully marry into the high school. Wealthy families couldn''t marry into concubines, and the Gu family''s days weren''t the "small days" of poor families. If it was a young lady who was a little thin-skinned, she would feel extremely inferior even if she didn''t die of shame after hearing Madam Gu''s words.


    Li Yannian clearly understood it, but how did she answer? She was still smiling, as if she didn''t care about anything at all. Whether she was insulting or scolding, she knew all about it. However, as if nothing had happened, the soft knife that pierced the heart went in the left ear and out the right ear. It was neither sad nor angry, nor humble nor arrogant.


    In Zhao Xu''s opinion, Li Yannian had lived up to the point of perfection at such a young age, and she always had a very different feeling of maturity. To have this kind of mentality while stuck in the mud, she was much more pure than that Gu family kid. If the two of them really wanted to say who wasn''t worthy, then that would be because that kid from the Gu family wasn''t good enough for the Li family for a young girl. She had a few pieces of smelly money in her hands, and the stench of copper had yet to be washed away. She really thought of herself as someone of high class. At the end of the day, she was just a lowly servant who would run errands for the royal family.


    He took another look in the Gu family''s direction, and only after hearing the sound of Li Yannian urging him to take something in, did Zhao Xu regain his senses.


    Within the house, Mao Dou was pestering Li Yannian to open the box to look at the presents that the Gu family had sent, "Sis, quickly open it and see what''s inside."


    Zhao Xu did not like the Gu family, and even the few boxes in front of him were a little unsightly. Since he was a fool now, he pretended to trip over the boxes in front of the brother and sister and kicked them to the ground.


    "Aiyo, Xuanzi, why are you so careless? Quick, check if your fall hurts or not."


    Li Yannian''s attention was immediately diverted away, she supported the person and sat down, and was about to pull up Zhao Xu''s trousers.


    Mao Dou looked at the ground, then turned his head to report to Li Yannian. "Sis, so it''s just some eggs and rice, with Brother Xu''s nudge, the eggs are pretty much broken and the rice is dirty."


    Li Yannian laughed. The Gu family had given him such a heavy gift, they had probably thought that the villagers did not know much about it. She did not think much of it, and after inspecting Zhao Xu''s legs, she turned and said to Mao Dou: "If a few eggs are broken, then it''s fine. You go and get a dustpan, and bring some soil to wrap the egg yolk." She did not think much of it, and checked on Zhao Xu''s legs and legs, and then turned and said to Mao Dou: "If a few eggs are broken, then it''s fine.


    Mao Dou replied and left. If it was before, he would have died from heartache when he saw the egg being smashed like this.


    Li Yannian saw that Zhao Xu''s face was slightly ugly, and thought that Zhao Xu was scared, he patted his head and comforted him: "It''s fine, it''s just a few eggs, don''t be afraid, ah. I''ll go and put the materials away. Just sit still. "


    Zhao Xu was stumbling while holding onto the two pieces of fabric tightly. Even though he still had a frightened look on his face, he did not relax his grip at all.


    Li Yannian dug out the fabric that Mao Dou was carrying and when she saw that Mao Dou had also come out of the room, she instructed him so that Mao Dou could look after Zhao Xu. Only then did Li Yannian feel at ease to carry the fabric up the stairs.


    After she put everything into the system warehouse and went downstairs, there were a few more people in the living room. One of them was Black Bean who had just returned home. He was looking at his first aunt and third aunt, who had followed him into the room with a dark expression. The latter was currently greedily staring at the scattered white rice on the ground.


    Li Yannian''s gaze met Black Bean''s, only to see him silently shaking her head at him, her expression extremely helpless, and even a little guilty. Li Yannian could understand, as a man, it would not be good for him to drag things out with the female elders in the house. They must have gotten used to Black Bean''s thin-skinned weakness, which was why they took the opportunity to break in.


    "Aiyo, my niece came downstairs. I heard that you saved the girls from the big families in town, and today she came to give you a gift of thanks?"


    Third Aunt Xu Cui Er''s eyes rolled around, seeing that all the children in the room were staring at her with widened eyes, she decided to pick on Li Yannian, this little girl who looked at her in a soft manner, to start a conversation.


    So they were here to thank him. Li Yannian immediately understood the purpose of their visit. It was probably because the Gu Family had a huge crowd in the afternoon that alarmed Li Jun Shan and Li Qingshan.


    She smiled and replied, "That''s right, aunt, aunt. You really know the news very well. The carriage just left not long ago, yet you already know about it so quickly."


    Li Yannian''s words did not carry much meaning, but for some reason, Xu Cui Er''s face clearly changed. She coughed awkwardly, and then recovered to normal in the blink of an eye, with a fake smile, she said: "Didn''t I say that I didn''t know that you had rescued people back home? Today, after seeing a large family''s carriage enter the village, they finally realized what had happened. Your Eldest Aunt and I, after thinking about it for a while, are afraid that you kids might not know how valuable your favors are, so when we see you next time, we don''t understand. Only then did she come over and give all of you a slap on the face. What did they send? Red Bean, quickly take it out and let Aunt take a look for you. "


    Hehe. Li Yannian laughed coldly in his heart, what did she mean by looking at the value of their favors? Actually, it was because she heard that a noble had gifted them something, causing his heart to become greedy, hence she wanted a share.


    Black Bean frowned, he had obviously understood the reason for the two elders'' visit, and looked at Li Yannian impatiently.


    Seeing that he almost went mad from anger, Li Yannian immediately opened his mouth and said: "Aunt, you''re really kind, even if you guys came at the wrong time, it''s all because of Mao Dou''s stupidity, and he even knocked over the eggs and thin rice that the Gu Family sent. Hey, isn''t he still on the ground?


    Sister Wang Xiu had long felt that the things that were flipped over on the ground was the favor of the Li Family. Hearing Li Yannian admitting it herself, she felt pained and angry, extended her hand and grabbed the broom in Mao Dou''s hands, preparing to hit him.


    "I already said that you kids are unreliable, let your mother come over and help you guys pack your things. In the end, you guys came too late, Mao Dou, you dead child, did your hands and feet get broken? I can''t even hold onto a thing, and it''s all spilled onto the ground. It''s such a waste, ah, in my opinion, it wouldn''t make sense if I, as the Eldest Aunt, didn''t beat you up on your parents'' behalf! "


    Mao Dou was scared stiff. His eyes immediately turned red, and he looked like he was about to cry. When it landed in Li Yannian''s eyes, it instantly stirred up 30% of his heart and 70% of his anger.


    Before she could jump over, she heard Black Bean yell loudly, "Stop, this is my house, it''s not the time for others to hit my little brother!"


    Before he finished speaking, he had already snatched the broom in Sister Wang Xiu''s hand. When he raised his leg, the broom that was still fine a moment ago was instantly broken into two pieces.


    Earlier, Black Bean had always been quiet, causing Sister Wang Xiu and Xu Cui Er to have the illusion that this family was still as easy to deal with as before. As a result, ever since they entered the room, they had not treated Black Bean as a major threat. This time, he suddenly made a move and broke a broom with his bare hand. His fiendish look almost scared the two of them.


    At this time, Li Yannian also went up to pull Mao Dou over, and conveniently shoved him next to Zhao Xu while coldly laughing: "Eldest Aunt, when my parents died, I didn''t see you take care of the three of us. We are already so used to having no one else in our family taking responsibility for us, so we don''t have to work hard for you to teach my brother a lesson. We will take care of our own matters. It''s just a few eggs. Since the Gu family gave them to us, we might as well smash them if we were to accidentally smash them, since they are here to repay the gratitude. If they were to serve a few eggs, then it would be difficult for them to punish my younger brother in front of his elders.


    Li Yannian''s words could already be considered to be extremely restraining in her anger, it was extremely tactful and polite. If not for her concern for Black Bean''s and Mao Dou''s reputation, she would have liked to poke Sister Wang Xiu''s nose and scold her. What the hell was she? Not only did she fail at the painting, she even wanted to hit the beans!


    Sister Wang Xiu was still angry, but Xu Cui Er by his side anxiously pulled on her sleeves and gave a look to the people around her, causing Sister Wang Xiu to purge her lips and not say a word.


    Xu Cui Er tried to smooth things over, and laughed awkwardly: Why are you talking to your Eldest Aunt, Red Bean! And Black Bean, as the older brother, with such a violent temper, didn''t you teach your younger brother and sister evil? Your Eldest Aunt is also kind, if you think about it carefully, what she said was wrong? "If it weren''t for the fact that we were worried that you guys would see the Gu family members together again, we wouldn''t have bothered to look at you guys. What a benevolent person!"


    She laughed dryly as she finished speaking, but and Black Bean did not pay attention to her. He then looked at Mao Dou, only to see that the latter''s eyes were on hers, and she had shrunk behind the other child.


    Xu Cui''e was used to having people with thick skin, so no one paid attention to her. She rolled her eyes a few times, then came up with an idea.


    "Black Bean, you are serious. Why do you have to vent your anger when talking? If a good broom was broken like this, would the rice on the ground still be swept away? "Sister-in-law, come here, hurry up and give me a hand. I''ll help a few kids clean up the rice on the ground first."


    Sister Wang Xiu understood what she meant and turned her face around. As she squatted down to help her pack the rice, he actually did not use the Li Family''s dustpan filled with rice. Instead, she lifted up his skirt and used it as a container. Xu Cui''e also felt that something was wrong, and laughed as she picked up the rice that was mixed with mud and poured it into Sister Wang Xiu''s skirt.


    The instant Sister Wang Xiu lifted up her skirt, Black Bean turned his head away. Just as Li Yannian was about to say something, she saw Xu Cui Er spitting two mouthful of saliva into her palm before grabbing the rice on the ground.


    Li Yannian:...


    The two of them had successfully refreshed Li Yannian''s understanding of the word "shameless". To be able to display her shamelessness to such an extent, she was truly convinced. This little bit of rice, give it to them to eat, I hope they will not have diarrhea later.


    Zhao Xu''s face did not reveal any expression, he just watched the Li Family''s farce indifferently. His gaze fell upon Li Yannian, who had been standing straight up ever since the two shreds entered the door, and had a battle attitude at all times. In his heart, he felt admiration and respect for her unexplainable feelings.


    Women should never be synonymous with weakness and protection.


    If his aunt had the resolution and courage of the Li family''s young girl, then perhaps they would be greatly different today ¡­

 C79

    Chapter 79 Nameless Dining Hall (29)


    Sister Wang Xiu and Xu Cui Er made the final excuse of blowing the dust and washing the rice for the siblings, and carried the rice as they wished. When the two of them left the Li family estate, they couldn''t conceal the complacency in their eyes and brows.


    After sending away the two pestilence gods, Black Bean felt extremely guilty towards his younger brother and sister. If he did not see them clearly when he entered the door, he would not have allowed those two people to enter the door.


    "It''s all my fault. I was so busy driving that I didn''t even notice the person standing at the door."


    Li Yannian comforted him and said: "I can''t blame you for this. In the afternoon, the Gu family and the other two families found out about the huge battle array. Now that I think about it, Xuanzi is a bit of a scuffle. Without these things, I''m afraid they wouldn''t have left so easily. "


    Mao Dou still had a lingering fear. With a pale face, he didn''t dare to speak. Zhao Xu reached out to stroke his head, and couldn''t help but to say: "I''m not afraid."


    Fortunately, Li Yannian had mistaken him to be learning from what she had just said to comfort him. She didn''t care too much about it, she only smiled as she glanced at him, then pulled Mao Dou over to hug him.


    "Dou Dou, be good. They only scared you. With big brother and big sister here, no one will be able to bully you. You are a man, you must be brave. Big Sis is about to cook dinner, do you want to help big sis light a fire? "


    Speaking of what he was good at, Mao Dou''s expression finally returned to normal. He whispered, "Sis, I will be brave. Let me help you light the fire."


    Li Yannian smiled with gratitude and pulled his hand, and also turned to Black Bean and said: "Brother, you come too, help me out."


    After entering the house, this was the first time Black Bean had a smile on his face. He nodded. "Yes, we''ll do it together."


    Zhao Xu looked at the three siblings, then looked at Li Yannian who was holding her hand, with a heavy expression.


    Dinner was the leftover ginseng chicken soup in the pot in the afternoon. Because the pot was cooked to the brim, the fragrance would fill the room as soon as the pot was opened, attracting not only the eyes but also the stomach.


    Li Yannian first gave everyone a bowl of chicken soup to fill their stomachs, after the hot soup entered their stomachs, the shadow Wang Xu and Xu Qing gave to the people just now also gradually disappeared, their spirits much better.


    With Mao Dou and Black Bean helping him, the family quickly ate a hot dinner. After the meal, while everyone was eating and resting, Li Yannian asked about the things that happened in the shop during the past few days.


    Black Bean said proudly: "We invited the errand boy to specialize in cart selling rice. Other than the few households that ordered rice at Jade Water Lane, there are also many households in the vicinity, and the business is very good. A large barrel of white rice, can all be sold out in less than an hour. "The errand boy also told me today that his brother, who lives next door to his house, has nothing better to do at home and wants to rent a wooden bucket to sell food."


    Li Yannian laughed: "Really? "That''s great. Bro, did you forget that you were the one who came up with this idea? When it''s time to consider it as a contribution, why did you let it go to me?"


    Black Bean smiled embarrassedly: "If it wasn''t for you, we would have already missed this deal. Right now, the shop is very busy every day. First Aunt asked me if I could get my aunt to come and help. First Uncle said that Third Uncle and Little Uncle haven''t had any work to do recently, so they have nothing to do at home. Besides being busy farming, they would like to rent a wooden bucket to sell their meals. "


    Li Yannian thought for a while, then nodded her head: "Brother, you and First Uncle can handle this, but since we are family, the rules must be set well, the prices must be calculated evenly, and the things inside the shop cannot be taken as you wish, if not something bad will happen sooner or later."


    Black Bean nodded his head: "Your First Uncle has already mentioned this to me once, he said, how many big shops are destroyed by the roots, he has seen it too many. Today, you came to cut a piece of cloth three feet long and said that you would settle the accounts later. Tomorrow, when she came to ask for a piece of cloth, he said that he would settle the accounts later. As the debt was too high, the shop did not return any money. Sigh, for such a bloody lesson, First Uncle had long given up. For the business of the shop, only money is available and no one has any money to borrow, no one is allowed to break the rules, if not, there will be no business again. "


    Li Yannian laughed happily: "First Uncle is right, brother, you must learn more from him in the future. However, the business in the shop is so good, are the rice stored enough? "


    Black Bean thought for a moment, then said: "It will probably last another day. If you have nothing better to do tomorrow, then follow me to town to stock up. This time, we will save more rice, and the number of rice used in the restaurant will increase even more in the next few days."


    Li Yannian answered and then asked Mao Dou how his homework was doing. Over the past two days, Mao Dou had been following Li Yannian up the mountain to pick forage leaf. His writing skills were not as diligent as before, but one could still see the progress that he had made during this period.


    Black Bean then continued: "Aunt Zhang''s son Da Bao has already entered the school, and from what Aunt Zhang has said, that private school teacher has the surname of Liang. He is a very generous person and a very talented person. How could Big Treasure be his companion? There''s no need to worry about eating. Aunt Zhang can send it over at noon. "


    Li Yannian knew in her heart that Black Bean''s words were extremely logical. At her age, Mao Dou needed the company of her peers. She would spend her days cooped up at home. Although she had her own teaching to read, he would learn more from her teachers. However, when she thought about how there would be one less person to accompany him at home, Li Yannian felt a little reluctant.


    The person in question didn''t say a word. He looked at his brother and then back at his sister, his eyes filled with hope as well as fear of the unknown.


    What Black Bean said was right. If Mao Dou continued to hide behind them every day, he would not have any male role models standing in front of him. A good boy was about to be made into a girl by himself.


    Brother, then you should ask Aunt Zhang about this matter tomorrow. Send Mao Dou to the private school to find out what things you need to prepare.


    Black Bean did not expect her to make her decision so quickly, and happily replied: "En, I will ask about it tomorrow. Ah, Dou, you''ll have your book soon, are you happy? "


    Mao Dou nodded shyly as he blinked his big eyes. He looked at Li Yannian with some reluctance, "Sis, if I go to the town to study, then who will help you light a fire?"


    Li Yannian smiled and patted his head, "Silly child, did you forget that you still have Brother Xu Zi at home? Besides, you won''t be coming home since you''ve gone to the private school. When the holidays are over, you can come home and accompany your sister. "


    Mao Dou gave a sensible grunt. In fact, he was still scared. He was afraid that the teacher would be strict and beat someone up. He was also afraid that his classmate''s child would bully him if they didn''t get along well. But his older brother and sister were doing it for his own good, and he was much luckier than his older brother since he had a lot of books to read. He remembered that his brother had always wanted to go to school, but unfortunately, his family was poor and couldn''t support them ¡­


    With everything settled, Li Yannian sent everyone back to their own rooms to rest. That night, there were people with complicated emotions. Some were anxious, some were unable to sleep soundly. There were also people who were able to sleep peacefully, as if they had fallen into a deep slumber. In short, everyone gathered downstairs early the next morning and didn''t mention anything about Mao Dou going to school. Li Yannian quickly finished her breakfast, then sat on the oxcart and headed towards the town.


    Seeing that his brother and sister had all left, Mao Dou went back upstairs to catch up on his sleep. When he was about to go upstairs, he was still worried, so he looked at Zhao Xu and saw that he had gone back to the courtyard again. He instructed, "Brother Xu, if you''ve finished staying in the courtyard, come upstairs to rest."


    Zhao Xu did not turn back, and Mao Dou was already used to it.


    Zhao Xu walked straight into the courtyard and sat in the morning light for the time it takes to make a cup of tea.


    After a while, the sound of wings flapping could be heard above the courtyard. Zhao Xu raised his head and saw his master''s carrier pigeon flying over.


    He stretched out his arms, and the white pigeons flapped their wings and landed firmly in his hands. Their orange paws were tied with a thin roll of sheepskin. Zhao Xu''s eyes flashed with joy, he immediately opened the letter and read it carefully.


    In the middle of June, Madam Tu and his daughter came to the river to seek shelter from the heat.


    In the middle of June, which was also the next month ¡­ Zhao Xu squinted his eyes, a trace of scheming flashed past his eyes. Madam Tu had actually condescendingly brought his daughter here to meet the Gu family. Hehe, a dignified direct daughter of the Yi Wangfei, to actually end up like this, marrying into a merchant. Interesting, too interesting.


    It was no wonder that the Madam Gu would speak to and act like this to the young girl from the Li family yesterday. The Gu family must have known earlier that the Prince Yi''s Mansion was planning to use the summer heat as an opportunity to personally observe the family that was getting married. It was just that strangely enough, why did Madam Tu personally bring his daughter all the way to Du Jia Village? Obviously, she could have found a chance to have the Gu family''s young man appear in Nanling City, and the other reason would have been because of Madam Tu. Giving away a daughter like this, it was a bit of a disgrace to the royal family.


    Zhao Xu could not understand the reason behind Madam Tu''s actions, but he quickly stopped thinking about it. Compared to the reason why Madam Tu came to the Du Jia Village, he was more concerned about the other important part of his Master''s letter. Madam Tu had only brought twenty to thirty guards, and they were far away from the territory of the Prince Yi''s Mansion and Madam Tu''s family.


    However, how was he supposed to sneak into the Gu family? Gu Mingyuan had seen him before, Madam Gu, Du Mumei and the others had also seen his looks. They had hastily sold their statuses to the Du and Gu Families, making it impossible for them to do so ¡­


    Zhao Xu was immersed in his revenge plan. As long as he thought about it, he could let Madam Tu have a taste of what kind of pain would come from cutting grass without removing its roots, and let her repent for the evil that he had done.


    Hatred was the best whetstone for her. This time, he would make Madam Tu remember exactly how Auntie Xue''s son had grown up to be ¡ª this would also be the last face she would see when she was still alive.