Chapter 251: A Superb Fine Tea

Qiao Mai lowered her eyelids and gently tapped her fingernails.

"She truly deserves to suffer; otherwise, as a little princess she wouldn't know how high the sky is, how thick the earth is, nor how treacherous human hearts are. She is a princess today; after falling out of favor she might become nothing. With your family's background, you can't protect her at all. Only by letting her endure hardship will she learn to cherish everything before her."

Madam Pang fell silent; Jiaru is a high marriage, and their family truly cannot protect her, sigh~.

From then on, both sides consciously stopped mentioning Jiaru.

The weather gradually warmed, and the three brothers of Feng Yunchuan now study day after day, preparing for the scientific examination at the end of March.

Jin Mama has lived in Jixiang Yuan for over a year and is quite satisfied with it. She has no other wishes in life; she treats Ling'er as her own child, hoping she will achieve success, not be a caged bird but a soaring eagle.

After the third day of the third month, Qiao Mai went privately to the Bare Land and watered each pine tree with water from the Linghe River.

During this period she searched online how to harvest pine oil and pine resin, also looked at tools for extracting oil and for pressing pine nuts, studied them, made improvements, and has already produced dozens of sets, waiting for the pines to mature so she can build a workshop.

The pines planted in the first year have already grown to the thickness of a person's calf; even the tree‑guard staff are puzzled.

These trees are growing way too fast; could it be that the County Magistrate's nutrient solution is that effective?

Being in her thirties is not old; the Main Family trusts her, never meddles, gives whatever she lacks, and this makes her very happy.

Furthermore, since Lu Sanniang sold her shop, people from ten miles around have to travel far to take orders, and Ruyi's willow leaves and their Double‑sided Embroidery also need a place to sell.

Qiao Mai thought for a moment, "Let someone bring the goods here."

"That can't mean letting Qian Diedie have no queen, can it?"

"Mother doesn't want to run the Embroidery Village anymore; how about giving it to you?"

As soon as Qiao Mai left, the old master hurriedly poured a cup for the old lady, "Madam, would you like to try this tea? Even the emperor can't get such fine tea, and this servant girl has it."

"You…"

On the second day of the second month of April, the children returned from Fucheng, still led by the old master.

The main purpose is for Ling'er to practice her skills; I believe that under Jin Mama's guidance, the Embroidery Village will keep improving.

As soon as they got home, Qiao Mai had them wash up and rest; she hurriedly brewed a pot of Ling tea for the old master, and she was still the hardest worker.

Now nobody spoke; a barrel of that nutrient solution is so expensive, to water the wheat, that's not a common treasure.

"It is a superb fine tea."

It's because they have practiced martial arts since childhood to strengthen their bodies; otherwise, these few days would have driven them crazy.

"Mm, this tea is really delicious, servant girl. You don't easily bring out such good stuff; this time it must be a reward for my hard work for the old man, right?"

"What about your tea then?"

"That barrel of nutrient solution could buy two mu of good farmland; how much do you want for this one mu? The land is poor, no matter how much nutrition you give it, it's insufficient. These pines were selected by my wife according to the soil, not planted haphazardly."

"My gift makes her uneasy, so I won't give it, just keep it; doesn't that mean I'm taking advantage?"

"As long as you know, the classic should not be taken lightly; good things shouldn't be drunk often, for if you drink them constantly, they're no longer good."

So Lu Sanniang hung the shop at Yahang, and after Qiao Mai heard about it, she thought and had Jin Mama go to Yahang to take the shop down, without bargaining—give whatever amount they ask for.

"This is Mother's years of hard work; selling it off is truly unwilling."

"Lu Sanniang, this child, is…"

The old lady just now smelled the especially good tea aroma while she was petting a cat; now she lifted it, took a sip, and the fatigue on her body vanished instantly.

The old master sat cross‑legged at the kang table and took a sip of the tea she poured herself.

Now, it's just waiting for the trees to grow.

"Master, Town Mayor Qian sent someone to deliver good news, and also brought many gifts."

Qiao Mai pursed her lips and smiled, "That's good, you've worked hard, sir."

"One month, two taels."

The old lady was puzzled, "Why didn't you send a return gift?"

"What if it's used on the crops?" Yuan Jiaqi chuckled lightly, a breezy remark that dispelled their thought.

"Grandmother, sit quickly; spring has arrived, the sun is bright, moods are good. Those three brothers will take an exam in a few days; if the family isn't prepared, another child scholar or xiucai might appear."

"Of course, Jiaqi is so outstanding; Fengyun and Chuan are no different. Ruyi's husband left long ago to take the imperial examination in the capital; hopefully he passes this time. If he does, you'll have to hire more people."

"Is Lu Sanniang pregnant?"

"You still can do that?"

"When she saved me back then, it was also out of self‑interest; since she likes this method, I'll go along with her wishes."

Later it was eventually registered under Ling'er's name, not for any other reason; she thought that now Ling'er, having turned eight this year, should also start training.

"Mother, I say, this pregnancy of yours gave me a younger brother or sister who is smaller than my son; in the future, how small will my son's generation be?"

Jin Mama was also quite happy; this way, besides teaching Ling'er, she also has something to do.

"Anyway, I'll never leave her family in the future; she said she would support me in old age, and I take it seriously."

"Yes."

Ruyi attends to duties every few days; when she looks at Lu Sanniang, she often pouts.

"The shop is merely a money‑making tool; compared to the body, which do you think is more important?"

After a month and a half it was discovered; this month Town Mayor Qian has been by Lu Sanniang's side constantly, elevating her to the heavens.

"Will the students be willing?"

The old master drank several cups, only then feeling much more comfortable.

Lu Sanniang's face flushed red from her daughter's words; she glared at Ruyi.

At this moment Lu Sanniang was sitting in the house, beautifully eating fruit, all of which Town Mayor Qian had gotten from the Qiao Ji Snack Puzi.

The two of them trimmed flower stems while chatting; the old woman came to report at that time, and the joy on her face told Qiao Mai it must be good news.

"Makes sense, makes sense, hahaha."

The old lady recently had nothing to do, so she brought the servant girl and the old woman over; seeing the flowers on her table, she happily walked forward.

Having nothing to do, she bought a few vases, cut many flowers from the space, and, just for fun, practiced flower arranging to soothe her mood.

"When you come back, I'll give you Two Taels of Silver."

"Indeed, Qian Diedie has waited for you all those years; putting aside everything else, just for this point, if you marry him, you'll be marrying right."

"Besides, they can water the Bare Land they cultivated however they like; they wouldn't just give it to them for free, right? The common folk think too simply."

"Among the knowledge Jin Mama taught her, there is also managing a shop; let's give it to her for practice."

"That's about right."

"Just in time that the Fengyun brothers finish this examination, they can take over his position, giving them a chance to train as well."

"If you don't want to, you can leave; what's the fuss about something that's free?"

"On the fifth day of the fourth month, the old world had a rain, truly living up to the saying 'rain drizzles during the Qingming season.'"

"The pine trees planted the second year have all thickened in trunk, and believing that with Qiao Mai's secret Effort, next year we can build a Zuofang, first hiring workers for training."

"No, wait until Yide's examination returns, we still don't know what to do. If you don't want to work, just go elsewhere; anyway, the way you are now, Qian Diedie isn't reassured either."

"Don't worry, these three kids did well in the exam; each should be able to secure the scholar rank, Chuan'er has no problem, usually he's a bit quiet; if he does poorly again, I won't punish him."

"That's too few, right?"

"Yes, when she was younger, she didn't dare tell anyone; she only said it after the pregnancy stabilized."

"On the tenth day of the fourth month, the good news finally arrived."

"All three of Qiao Mai's sons passed, though the rankings weren't ideal, it still counts as passing."

"Feng'er placed eighth, Yun'er ninth, and Chuan'er took second place in the juvenile exam."

"Officials love coming to Jixiang Yuan; once they hear the Qiao Family has another success, many scramble for the post. There's no choice—going to the Qiao Family to earn the celebratory money can feed a household for a year."

"(End of chapter)"