Chapter 106: If You Have Money, You

When winter comes, bring your parents here to stay; I'll stock up on more charcoal so that this winter each house can be warmed, and it will drive out the dampness in the new house.

I don't know whether they'll come.

Xin'er is getting married; aren't they coming?

They said they'd come; when the fifteenth arrives, I'll take my daughter back to her maternal home, but we won't stay overnight—leave early, return early.

Your elder sister‑in‑law is a fool; you're better off than them now, not to mention they're currying favor, and they still treat you badly.

She has a hold on me; she knows my parents live with her, and when they grow old they'll need her care, so she treats me this way.

A woman can also be filial to her parents and provide for them in old age. If that's not feasible, we can bring the elders here in summer and winter; your brother can support them for six months, I can support them for six months. They're not so old they can't move, so there's no need for her to attend them. Now we lay out the plan; we won't indulge her. We have money, we're not afraid of her. If she dares to abuse the elders, she'll be left without food and have to go.

Hehe, if you have money you can be bold.

Hang out with me and you can be bold too; you have money now, a hundred times stronger than her. When you stand up boldly, I'll back you.

Haha, after you said that, I feel much better.

Being able to eat Moon Cakes made by Qiao Niang herself moved the Qiu Ya people to the point of tears; they didn't expect that after just a few transactions they'd get something from Qiao Niang.

Qiao Mai herself had never noticed, and she never compared the Qian Family's pastries with her own.

But thinking that she might want to eat them later, and they're sold in Fucheng, she stopped worrying; after all she has many affairs on hand and can't keep up, so let the Qian Family have them.

Yuan Jiaqi, seeing her holding Ling'er, immediately took over, "Come, let dad hold you."

Lu Clan's Shopkeeper glanced at Yuan Jiaqi, "Still the same as always, even after taking things it's not good."

Although the town mayor wasn't particularly interested, he was still quite pleased; he found that even with the same ingredients and the same recipe, his own pastry chef's work still couldn't compare to Qiao Niang's—there was still that slight difference when you tasted it.

Later, six Kitchen Maids started bustling, and Qiao Mai truly was willing to spend money; exotic delicacies, as long as she could obtain them, she handed them over to the kitchen.

So she called the whole family over and shared the cake.

Even Ling'er was no exception; sweet potato porridge, coarse rice, cornmeal buns, etc., all had to be eaten to fullness.

The whole family sat together, chatting and laughing; the Kitchen Maids served dishes, and in no time the round table was filled.

After learning that the Qian Family had acted ahead, Miss Wang was so angry she wanted to go find Qian Dianzhang and pick a fight.

Qiao Mai, seeing Yuan Jiaqi holding the child and it being inconvenient, peeled it and put it in a bowl, feeding Ling'er while asking the Shopkeeper.

The owner of the Carpenter's Puzi personally made it; he hasn't asked for money, just needs Qiao Mai's consent to sell the table publicly.

No, not a single word mentioned. I don't want to meddle. As for my elder sister‑in‑law, if she finds out this house is claimed as mine to the outside and that you all are staying here, she'll insist on bringing her whole family over.

Continuously developing new recipes, they've kept everyone's mouths wanting more.

We live for ourselves; let others say what they will. If you let words settle in your heart, they can kill you; if you don't, they're just a bunch of Gossiping Women.

She originally intended to smash the cake, but Mr. Wang splashed a bucket of cold water on her.

Ruxin ate so much she no longer wants to get married; if she does, she'll never again taste such delicious food.

She never said a word of complaint, doing whatever needed; actually becoming a real couple, she could accept that. Sometimes when she sees him, she thought about it, but the idea of being a real couple wasn't very strong.

The little ones ate very seriously and attentively; the adults ate while peeling shrimp and crabs for the children.

How about going back today?

She would never let the children be shortchanged in food; when they grow up and go to others' homes, missing this or that would make them a laughingstock.

What's the problem? Staying at the daughter's house is because the daughter wants to be filial to the elders; it's not that your brother is unfilial.

Qiao Mai generously agreed; so on the night of the Moon God Festival, a beautiful and practical rotating large round table appeared in the courtyard of the Qiao Family's front hall.

Is your brother afraid of his wife?

But she doesn't indulge them; every five mornings, the Kitchen Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl prepares a coarse grain meal.

That's not it; it's just that I don't match her in skill. She's only relying on having a few brothers in her maternal family. To be honest, I've never been afraid; dealing with her maternal family's people is just a matter of a word from me.

Whoever is picky will be punished.

I would like to, but the elders don't want it. I said today that they're afraid to live with me, making my brother unable to hold his head up.

The two Kitchen Maids in the kitchen are head chefs; they have learned many recipes from Qiao Mai, and with the house's abundant ingredients and numerous seasonings, their motivation has greatly increased.

Qiao Mai, ten days ago, ordered a large round table from the Carpenter's Puzi, the kind that can rotate and be disassembled.

Tonight I'll have the servant girl deliver Moon Cakes to you; if you also want cake, tell me when to leave, and I'll make it for you in the morning.

Qiao Mai thought for a moment, "You haven't told them about the house, have you?"

After Wang Jiaru received the exquisite cake, she was as happy as a child; a cake that big she couldn't eat herself, and she couldn't just keep it stored.

When the Moon God Festival arrived, the Qiao Family had breakfast early; Lu Clan's Shopkeeper then took his daughter and a cartload of gifts back to her maternal home. They didn't return at noon, so the Qiao Family's noon meal was very simple.

Qiao Mai gave him a nod, "Come, everyone raise a glass. This is our second Moon God Festival together; happy holidays to all."

Listen to me: when spring and autumn harvest the grain, bring the elders over. If she thinks the elders are a burden, let them live in the house; there are still two empty courtyards, so hire two servant girls to attend to them, letting them reside in that courtyard.

After all, the two only live together; there's not much affection, just cooperation.

When there's free time, go stay at her house for a while longer; the more you spend time, the more she'll have.

Happy holidays.

This man is a good man, always doing what he can; even when it comes to holding a child, he competes with her.

The villagers love to gossip.

At worst, they'll make a scene.

The Moon Cakes Qiao Mai made weren't sold in the shop; she had a box sent to the town mayor and a box sent to the Qiu Ya people.

That's the logic, but my parents care.

No need, Moon Cakes are enough; you, you're quite tired every day, so during the festival just rest well.

Lu Clan's family lives here; they eat meals with a different flavor every day, never repeating the same, and they return promptly at each mealtime.

When you're young, why rest? When you get old, I also need to stay active; staying still too long makes the bones stiff.

Thinking of her relationship with Qiao Niang, she giggled, realizing that getting recipes for food wasn't hard at all.

Everyone stood up, tapped their bowls, then sat down to eat.

Qiao Mai, while speaking, placed the peeled crab roe into Yuan Jiaqi's bowl.

Mid-Autumn Festival, Qiao Ji Snack Puzi's business was very brisk; every household wanted to use the best things to worship the moon, and the closer the Moon God Festival, the faster the items sold.

Qiao Mai took Ling'er and sent Yuehong and the others to eat over there; the meals that the servants have during the festival are also excellent.

Lu Shopkeeper, watching the interaction between Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi, felt they were a perfect match; how wonderful it would be if they became a real married couple.

Thinking of the Feng Family, her cheerful smile dimmed a little.

Feng Yinshi, that youngster, had delivered the festival gifts to the shop yesterday; when he left, Lu Shopkeeper gave him his own box of Moon Cakes to take back as a festival gift.

Although it was only a single box of Moon Cakes, it held dozens of pieces; in Fucheng a Moon Cake costs a hundred wen each, so that box was worth several taels of silver, not inferior to the festival gifts the Feng Family had sent.

(End of Chapter)