Chapter 80: The Rich Get It

Father is right; we must study hard, practice martial arts well, and when we grow up protect mother and sister.

Hmm, wipe away your tears; we are men, a man's tears aren't shed lightly, understand?

Got it!

Finally she could have some peace; without them around she felt freer. She placed Ling'er on the kang, sat at the kang table, took out paper and brush, and began drafting the plans for the new house.

Ling'er, almost a year old, could already walk, though she spoke a bit late and still doesn't call out for mother.

But she was well-behaved; when mother worked, she played with a ball on the kang, stacked blocks, fiddled with a box—putting things in, taking them out, repeatedly—never getting bored.

Qiao Mai occasionally turned her head to look at her; the mother and daughter always exchanged a smile when their eyes met.

A hundred mu of land: the front five mu would hold ten shops, the rear would be the residence. She planned a large reception hall at the front, side rooms on both sides, and to plant cold‑hardy flowers and grasses in the vacant surrounding plots.

At the entrance, she didn't want a screen wall; she would place some large stones as a feature, surround a shallow pool below—no need for depth, since there are children at home and future guests, so no fear of anyone falling in and dying.

"Raise the price, and the rich will take it."

"Why?"

"Hmm, I've looked; the far end of my land borders a river, so watering just needs a ditch—very convenient."

"Then I'll leave it here for you first. I'll deliver the plans in two days; once the house construction is confirmed, I'll pay the remaining deposit. How does that sound?"

The Yahang people left; Qiao Mai was about to turn when Chen Shi, leaning against the doorway, asked.

"Exactly. In the future, your Xianggong, your family's third son and a maiden—through the imperial exam, through marriage ties—those connections make a huge difference."

Lu, the Shopkeeper, cleared his throat, "Did you just buy a hundred mu of land?"

"I wasn't thinking that far; regardless of any ties, sincere interaction is enough. If there's an ulterior motive, better not to associate."

A perceptive person could guess the gist, and for a shrewd matchmaker, even more so.

But by intuition, such a residence should be fine.

"Your embroidery work is always in excess demand; as soon as it appears, people snatch it up."

"Do you still have any embroidery work left here?"

"Then you won't make big money. Remember, good things aren't afraid of money burning your hands; they'd rather run away than be cheap."

Her embroidery workshop, besides Qiao Mai, already had four Embroidery Ladies, and Qiao Mai occasionally supplied her with a few new patterns.

"My heavens, your father! You really have skill; from now on sister will have to rely on you for protection."

"What? I bought a plot near the Zhennan Paifang and I'm drawing it now."

Qiao Mai glanced at her over the drawing, "Stop that act. What skill do I have? I can only obtain some fresh food; it's just a trade relationship with people."

"Hmm."

"The front shops occupy five mu, the rear residence thirty mu, leaving sixty‑five mu of cultivable land."

"How large a house should we build?"

She carried Ling'er to the door she opened, which belonged to the young man she was trading with.

If there are guests, a guest courtyard is needed; Yuan Jiaqi doesn't need to worry—just live in one courtyard with his son.

"No need, I'm not setting up a stall."

If you include the row of front shops, the whole residence forms a Hundred-Character Layout, which has a good meaning, though she didn't understand the feng shui talk.

On the sixteenth day of the first month, Lu, the Shopkeeper, after opening his shop, came over; Qiao Mai gave him a screen, four Palace Fans, and a set of newly styled, unembellished clothes.

"Right, didn't he tell Chen Hao yesterday?"

So Lu didn't know and didn't come over.

Lu Sanniang saw her painting, the child playing well on the kang, and left after a brief sit.

"He and the child went to the School in Fucheng to study; from now on he'll return only once a month."

After finalizing the design, she began drawing; soon after, people from Yahang arrived.

"Very well, I shall take my leave; please, Qiao Niang, come to Yahang promptly to finalize the plans."

This time Lu Sanniang gave a silver note worth three thousand taels, and Qiao Mai accepted it without hesitation.

"You, your heart is truly kind; after this the house will have only you, so I'll send Xiuyu over to help watch the child, okay?"

"I've already given everything to you; if you want embroidery work, you'll still have to wait a few months."

"Is that suitable?"

"If he doesn't teach, where did he go?"

"Yes, I heard he's also a Jinshi graduate."

"Suitable; better to set a price and run from them."

"Not at all; you set up a stall and earn even more than I do."

Qiao Mai waved her brush before her, "Can't you see I'm drawing?"

"Here, this is the silver for the embroidery work you did before and after the New Year."

"My Xianggong also studied with me, so he can't teach Hao Er anymore; don't delay him, quickly find him a School. My Xianggong says he must study well, becoming a scholar is no problem."

"Isn't that so? You and I earn the same amount of silver."

The front occupies ten mu; the household has four children, each needing their own courtyard. They're still small and not needed now, but will be when they grow.

That made Lu Sanniang overjoyed; she immediately sent someone to the County Town with a message to tell her good sisters.

The day Yuan Jiaqi and his party left happened to be the day her shop was receiving those people.

"It's true we make money, but embroidery work really doesn't earn much."

"My goodness, you actually bought land?"

"Madam Qiao, here's your land deed; when you need to build, bring the plans to me, and then we'll re‑divide the land. Once settled, I'll have to take the deed back to the Yamen again."

Several matchmakers even sneaked into the shop to peek; indeed Lu Sanniang's shop has Double‑sided Embroidery, and two maidens and two maids who usually do the embroidery there—if not them, who else could be stitching?

She, as the head of the household, intends to live in one courtyard; thus she'll build six structures—two side by side, three auxiliary courtyards front and back, and one main courtyard—so the whole residence forms a Zhongzi Shape, with the front hall and main courtyard occupying the two ends, anchoring the corners.

But, that night, when she delivered silver to Qiao Mai, she learned that the girl's husband and son had both gone to Fucheng.

Shopkeeper Lu hadn't told anyone that his daughter could do Double-sided Embroidery, but the fact that Xiu Zhuang produced Double-sided Embroidery goods was spreading like wildfire.

The matchmakers ran to the Lu household one after another, all eager, and the families they mentioned to Ruxin were each better than the last.

"What? They actually went to the School in Fucheng?"

"Hehe, I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Qiao Niang, does that mean your husband will no longer teach?"

"Is the gentleman the grandfather of Miss Wang?"

Chen Shi turned back toward the courtyard, a little disappointed, and Qiao Mai, after speaking, also turned back into the house; she would never keep someone like that in mind.

"Understood."

"Tsk tsk tsk, it hasn't even been long and they're already a wealthy household in Town."

"We small families, whether we talk about using or not using, we must certainly build good relations, after all they can be of help later."

"You want to take on a big job?"

Business after the New Year was much better than last year, and the matchmakers even trampled the threshold of her house to death.

That way, with mountains and water, it fits the principles of feng shui.

"Next time, next time I will definitely demand it fiercely."

"No, no, no, you don't get it. Once a teacher starts teaching, a teacher‑student bond forms; a relationship is built by frequent visits. If someone takes a liking to your food, it shows they see you in a good light. You must definitely make good use of that relationship."

"Now that's right."

Lu Sanniang's ears were calloused from all the hearing, and whenever she had a moment she followed the matchmaker to go see, but each candidate she saw left her unsatisfied, and the reason wasn't something else.

A son‑in‑law is sometimes also a matter of eye‑fate; she didn't pick based on looks, but always felt the connection with her family was a little off.

After the New Year, she intended to take Ruxin along to go see, but Ruxin, being thin‑skinned, wouldn't go, merely saying that she should make the decision.

That really troubled Lu Sanniang, but fortunately, at that time, her good sister came that day to see the Double-sided Embroidery, and suggested a match for Lu Sanniang, saying she would bring the candidate to the shop front another day for her to go see.

(End of chapter)