On the eighth day of the lunar new year, all the village women came to work. This year, every household had enjoyed a prosperous new year, and their faces were beaming with joy. They had earned a good amount of money working at the Qi family before the new year, which had significantly improved their status at home. Therefore, on the day of work, everyone was enthusiastic and full of energy.
They were all doing familiar tasks, and with Yu shi overseeing them, no major issues were expected.
After noon, the Lin brothers arrived. Besides bringing a lot of fish, they also brought a large basket of plump oysters. Qi Zhenzhen's mouth watered, and she wished she could cook and eat them immediately.
The Lin brothers had come to pick up the kimchi. The batch that Li Shan's family had taken earlier was transferred to the Lin brothers. Lin Ruixue had discussed this with her a few days prior. After several interactions, Qi Zhenzhen felt that the Lin brothers were decent people and, wanting to help Lin Ruixue, agreed to the arrangement. The Lin brothers knew that this opportunity came because of Lin Ruixue, so they would surely be more attentive to her.
Qi Zhenzhen gave them brief instructions: their kimchi could only be sold in villages outside Cuiping Town, going door-to-door. The Lin brothers patted their chests and gave their assurances. After glancing at Lin Ruixue and Aunt Lin, they left with their goods. Although going door-to-door was not easy, it was much more comfortable than going out to sea fishing. Therefore, the Lin brothers cherished this opportunity.
The next day, the Lin brothers arrived at the Qi family early, their faces filled with excitement. They hadn't expected the kimchi to sell so well. After deducting costs, they had made a profit of one tael and two qian of silver. According to the Qi family's young lady, this business could last for two more months, which meant thirty-six taels a month, or seventy-two taels in two months. In previous years, the three of them had gone out to sea year-round, risking great danger, and hadn't earned thirty taels of silver. In just two months, they had earned what they used to make in two years. How could anyone remain calm?
The Lin brothers were so excited in Lin Ruixue's room that they were speechless, repeatedly asking if it was true and if they were dreaming.
Lin Ruixue smiled and said, "Elder brother, second brother, this is indeed true. You must remember one thing: the Lin family's livelihood was given by the Qi family. When people have money, they must know how to be grateful and not become arrogant."
The Lin brothers nodded heavily. "Sister, please rest assured, there are no ungrateful people in the Lin family. Not to mention how much the Qi family has helped us, even if they hadn't, just for how well the Qi family treats you, our Lin family considers them benefactors."
Lin Ruixue was quite confident in her brothers' character, but it was still necessary to say what needed to be said to avoid future trouble.
"Elder brother, I don't need to remind sister-in-law about anything. Sister-in-law's maternal family is gone, so there's no need to worry about anyone instigating her to get involved. But second sister-in-law's maternal family... normally, asking for some seafood to eat is fine, as it's not valuable. But kimchi is different. If we made it ourselves, we could give as much as we wanted, but this was bought with money, so we can't let them have their way. A little is fine, but if they get any ideas and instigate second sister-in-law to make unreasonable demands, you must watch out," Lin Ruixue cautioned.
Lin Ruichun nodded. "Don't worry, elder brother knows what he's doing. Your second sister-in-law is good in every way, but her maternal family has always treated your second sister-in-law as a cash cow and never thought about her well-being. You see, if our parents were the calculating type, they might have blamed second sister-in-law for this. It's acceptable for married daughters to occasionally subsidize their maternal families, but year-round, your second sister-in-law is muddled about this. The people they support are becoming increasingly lazy."
Lin Ruixue nodded. It was precisely because of this that she had specifically pointed this out.
The kimchi business could not be kept secret, and second sister-in-law's maternal family would surely be envious.
Lin Ruixia stood by, feeling a bit awkward. Although he knew his elder brother and younger sister meant no harm, this matter truly made him feel guilty. But his wife had no choice; her father's family was indeed having a difficult time. However, the kimchi business was run by the Qi family, and he would not let his father-in-law's family have their way.
The capital, Protector Duke's Estate, Lanzhi Courtyard.
Qin shi looked at the small snacks placed on the low table in front of her with a smile. "Anian, are you trying to coax your mother like a little girl?"
On the sixth day, he had sent persimmon cakes; on the seventh, five-spice sunflower seeds; on the eighth, five-spice crispy rice; and today, he brought five-spice peanuts and dried fruits.
"Do you like to eat them, Mother?" Gu Sinian asked.
Qin shi nodded. "I love to eat them. This is Anian's thoughtful gesture, how could Mother not love it? Besides, these things look ordinary, but they taste very special when eaten, different from those on the market. They have a unique and not greasy flavor. When did such a snack shop open in the capital?"
"Zhang Xiaoniu brought them back," Gu Sinian replied.
Qin shi said "oh." "That child, does anyone in his family have such good craftsmanship? Mother thinks a shop like this should do good business."
Qi Zhenzhen's image surfaced in Gu Sinian's mind. This girl was truly full of surprises.
"Gu Siyia's marriage is set for the twenty-second of February. Your father's intention is that you are siblings..." Qin shi said as she dabbed her lips with a handkerchief.
"Will Grandmother return early?" Gu Sinian asked.
She was originally scheduled to return in mid-March. Gu Siyia was getting married, and no matter how much Grandmother disliked him, he was still a descendant of the Duke's Estate, so she would surely maintain appearances.
Qin shi nodded. "She will definitely come back."
Jiangnan was over eight hundred li away from the capital. Traveling slowly would take half a month. Gu Sinian could travel by fast horse day and night, arriving in five or six days. However, he would have to travel slowly on the return journey, as the travel was arduous, and time would need to be allowed for the elder to recover. Considering this, Gu Sinian should set off for Jiangnan after the fifteenth.
"I will make arrangements when I get back. I will set off for Jiangnan after the fifteenth to pick up Grandmother," Gu Sinian said calmly.
Qin shi nodded secretly. She had been worried that Anian would be unwilling. Picking someone up herself was one thing, but picking someone up for Gu Siyia's marriage was another. Qin shi was worried that Gu Sinian, disliking Gu Siyia, would deliberately refuse, which would give others leverage. Now it seemed that Anian was not like that, and she was relieved.
"By the way, Anian, when Mother went to the palace on the first day, your aunt asked me to find a suitable marriage for you as soon as possible. Also, she told you to act more discreetly in the future. She knows that you and Qian Yuanbao have nothing going on, but others don't think so. The best way to dispel these rumors is for you to get married and have a loving relationship with your wife." Qin shi added, "She is also anxious. If the position of heir apparent truly falls to Gu Siyia, her support will be gone."
Gu Sinian's lips tightened. After a long pause, he said, "Mother, please tell Aunt to rest assured. The Protector Duke's Estate will not fall into the hands of others. As I said before, I do not need to rely on women to consolidate my position."