stingy landlady

Chapter 137 Autumn Harvest (2)

After arranging one side, Guizhi spoke fluently about the remaining personnel arrangements:

"Dad! Pan Qiang and his wife Qiu Ju will be living in the room where the two brothers are now! Pan Qiang will go to town to cook every day, and Qiu Ju will stay home and do the chores that Aunt Zhou used to do!"

The only people who ate were the servants in the house.

Our own family members won't be coming over for meals! My eldest sister is all grown up now, it doesn't look good for her to be squeezed together with these teenagers!

Let Chunlan cook for us! My mother's health is such that she can help if she wants, or she can just stay home and take care of herself if she doesn't!

Dazhu pondered for a moment, then said:

"Alright! Starting tomorrow, we'll all eat at home! Your mother won't have to worry about things anymore! She's always nagging me about how men and women have no manners! It's good that Guizhi is so organized!"

Let's make do here for a few more days! After the busy farming season, we'll build a house over at the other end of the West Depression, and Pan Sen will lead the farmhands there to eat!

"Come on! Guizhi! Let's go eat!"

"Dad, hurry up! My grandpa and Uncle Zhou have been looking this way several times! They're all waiting for you!"

"Dad! The midwife said Aunt Zhou gave birth to a big, healthy boy! Tell Grandpa Zhou and Uncle Zhou! My mom and the others are in that room, Uncle Zhou will probably be too embarrassed to go over! I just brought Aunt Zhou some chicken soup, so tell them not to worry! Everything's fine! They'll see after dinner!"

That evening, Dazhu told Li about his decision to eat separately, and Li breathed a sigh of relief. She said:

"Honey! You've finally solved a huge problem! I really can't stand having so many people crammed together! I even have to have someone watch me when I go to the bathroom! I'm afraid some clueless guy might just rush over!"

Besides, Guixiang is getting older and taller, and I'm worried that some farmhand might take a fancy to her. They could sweet-talk her away, then they could each eat their own food and never interact with each other again, which would put my mind at ease!

Guixiang really needs to find a good family! Honey! Have you thought about what kind of man to find for Guixiang?

Dazhu is so busy every day, he doesn't have time to think about this.

"I haven't thought about it! And don't try to play matchmaker! Let's wait until Fifth Brother passes the imperial examination and becomes a scholar! By then, things will be more prestigious! Our Guixiang might even be able to elevate her status and have some scholars come to propose marriage!"

Li also felt that Dazhu's words made sense, and said:

"Hmm! What have I ever dared to make decisions on my own? Especially Guixiang's life-long happiness! As her father, you care about your child, and as her mother, I can only be happy!"

There's no shortage of manpower now, and no matter how busy we are, we won't let our daughters work in the fields anymore! They can stay home and read books, do needlework, and learn embroidery in their spare time! That way, they'll have something to talk about with their husbands when they go to their in-laws' house!

"Take good care of their skin; isn't it said that pampered daughters are blessed?"

Zhou Mingzhi was finally able to talk to his wife alone!

"My wife! It's the busy farming season now, and I won't be able to be by your side to give birth! They say childbirth is like passing through the gates of hell for a woman, did your delivery go smoothly?"

Madam Zhou lay on the kang and said:

“A grown man like you is no match for a woman giving birth! Madam is kind-hearted and hired a midwife! She's been helping out with everything! The master and young ladies don't want Madam to do anything! But today, she's making an exception for us, mother and child!”

My lord! We're so lucky to have run into your family! In the official families we used to live in, which master would even give us a second glance! But today, Madam personally brought me chicken soup into my room, and the Third Miss specially went to buy fine cotton cloth to make a swaddle blanket for your youngest son!

You lead the farmhands to do their work well! You don't need to worry about me while I'm at home!

Zhou Mingzhi thought for a moment and said:

"Xing'er isn't home, so let's call this boy Yun'er! He's lucky! He's met a good master! Hopefully, he'll have good luck in the future and find a good job that suits him!"

"It would be even better if you could bring a son to the lady!"

In the morning, the old man discussed with Dazhu:

"Let Lao Si and Da Bao go and harvest rice for you for a few days. You always have the farmhands help us! This time they're free, so let them do the work!"

Dazhu nodded: "Dad! I'm fine with it! But has Mom agreed?"

"What does your mother know! She's all talk and no action! There's no such thing as taking from others without giving back! Relationships are based on give and take!"

Don't worry about her! I've already sent Lao Si and Da Bao straight to work in Xiwadi!

"Dad! They went to work without having breakfast?"

"It's alright! Didn't your farmhands go to work early too? When you deliver the food later, bring enough for two more people!"

Don't underestimate Da Bao just because he's young! A half-grown boy can eat his father out of house and home! Just don't complain about how much he eats!

"Dad! It's a good thing that you're here to work for me! Eat as much as you want! I'll make sure you're full!"

"Dad! Erzhu's leg has been healed for a long time! Why won't you let him do any work? He's getting lazier and lazier! He's a grown man; he needs to take on some responsibilities!"

"Sigh! Don't mention him! He's so angry! He said he'd come to your house after his leg healed, but Old Zhou kept the door tightly shut! He wouldn't let him in! He said only your wife was home, and he wouldn't let anyone in!"

He absolutely refuses to come and do any work for you! We'll have to teach him a lesson one of these days, Erzhu!

Dazhu and the old man explained:

"Father! It's not that I'm disregarding brotherly affection! It's just that Li Shi and Gui Ling have been hurt by my second brother and sister-in-law, and the children are probably not home. If those two go and cause trouble, no one can handle them! It's better to just keep them out!"

"Dad! I'll be the bad guy!"

"Nonsense! Your father isn't senile yet! He's been considering dividing the family property all along!"

"Alas! Dazhu! You're troubled by not having a son; your father is troubled by having too many sons. Dazhu! Life is full of disappointments!"

Dazhu was both amused and exasperated!

"Father is making fun of his son again! Father, don't worry! As long as I'm doing well, Fifth Brother's food and clothing are none of your concern! As for Fifth Brother's tuition, Father! Forgive me for being unfilial! Fifth Brother is your son, not mine!?"

The old man laughed and scolded, "You brat! How dare you talk back to your father!"

This broke the tense and restrained atmosphere between the two! Dazhu and the old man both secretly breathed a sigh of relief! After all, it would be so foolish to punish oneself for someone else's mistake!

Hard work pays off! It's another harvest season! And because the rice paddies were previously uncultivated, taxes will only be paid in three years! Dazhu was truly happy to see the granaries overflowing with grain!

Wang Yiyun has gone to take the imperial examination, his last attempt at becoming a scholar! The results will be revealed when he returns! Of course, the most nervous person is probably himself. Guizhi has assigned Ping'an to be Wang Yiyun's errand boy!

Wang Yiyun joked:

"Guizhi! I have a servant boy by my side now. Do I look like a rich young master? Wish me luck!"

With that, he straightened his back, head held high, and strode away!