The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 191 A Concubine is Better than a Mistress (9)_1

Chapter 191: Chapter 191 A Concubine is Better than a Mistress (9)_1

Wang Ting had not seen Pei Qin for a long time, and when he heard she was coming, he hurried out to meet her. Noticing her attire of a moon-white cotton-linen jacket embroidered with square victory patterns, he paused in surprise and slowed his steps.

Pei Qin, carrying a bag of Sanzi, gestured with it, "Try it, see if it’s edible!"

Before the servants could inspect it, Wang Ting broke off a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, "This is made from noodles, but it tastes different from noodles! I knew it as soon as I tasted it!"

"Indeed! How clever!" Pei Qin praised with a laugh.

Wang Ting pouted, noticing the cart laden with many items, and asked with bright eyes, "What goods are you bringing to sell? I’ll help you sell them! Did you receive the silver and grain that the steward sent last time?"

"Of course, I received them. I came precisely to express my thanks!" Pei Qin also respectfully presented thirty abacuses to Old Master Wang.

She was known for being quick with accounts. Old Master Wang knew this, but he hadn’t expected her to come up with the Clearing Device for Abacus. He called her to demonstrate and, being satisfied, he took the initiative to buy all the extra ones.

The first time Wang Ting eagerly helped pull the cart for Pei Qin, the servant touted that in Runing Prefecture most of the grain shops belonged to the Wang family and mentioned other businesses too. With every Shopkeeper using an abacus, the Clearing Device would certainly be needed.

After the two left the Wang family residence, the abacuses they had brought were exchanged for forty taels of silver.

In the midst of the transactions, and even after deducting expenses, they had made a profit of over eight taels.

Back home, Si Ya had no more objections.

The festive atmosphere of the New Year grew stronger day by day, and after Lesser New Year’s Day, the town held a market every day.

Pei Qin also bought some New Year goods, mainly meat and dried goods, onions, and spinach.

During the mourning period, they did not need to decorate the door with couplets and there wasn’t much else to do.

Pei Qin spent each day teaching the three of them to read, and then practiced her own handwriting on the side as her brush writing was poor compared to others.

On the twenty-ninth of the Lunar New Year, Grandma Fang, Lady Yu, and Lady Ruan came over, bringing a piece of meat, prepared dumplings, and fried chicken pieces, fish pieces, and wheat fritters. They told her to just boil or steam them before eating.

Pei Qin also gave them lamb and Sanzi she had purchased, saying she wouldn’t be going anywhere for the New Year.

Grandma Fang disagreed and insisted that they visit relatives on the second day of the New Year.

Seeing her wiping away tears, Pei Qin could only agree.

After checking their own New Year preparations, the trio then headed to the streets, saying they were joining the market crowd.

On New Year’s Eve, Grandma Sun came over with dumplings, but Pei Qin declined, saying her own supply was too much and they couldn’t finish it all; she asked Grandma Sun not to bring any more.

Seeing that their grandmother’s house had also sent some, Grandma Sun gave up.

After finishing dinner as usual, they went to burn paper at Lady Fang’s grave, a ritual performed from New Year’s Eve to the first day of the New Year.

Following the grave visit on the first day of the New Year and coming down the hill while it was still not fully light, there were still many people walking about, paying New Year visits.

Si Ya looked with resentful eyes at the villagers leaving Old Pei’s House, laughing and speaking joyfully while carrying peanuts, melon seeds, and candy. They were all greedy for wealth and superficial vanity! To think that such people could attract so many followers, they couldn’t possibly be of good nature!

"Our entire courtyard has been torn down, and the doors restored to their former state," San Ya remarked, pursing her lips.

"Not scared of being haunted in the middle of the night!" Si Ya cursed bitterly.

Some people noticed them and asked where they had moved to in town.

With a cold voice, Si Ya replied, "We bought a courtyard, and we’ll renovate it after the New Year!"

The villagers sighed, wondering how they suddenly had so much money. It must be the Chang’s house and the Wang family giving them money. With their own savings, it must be more than just twenty or thirty taels of silver! Otherwise, they couldn’t afford a residence in town.

"Let’s go! It’s time for us to pay a New Year visit to Pei Lizheng!" said Pei Qin, heading toward the village, the Lizheng family’s home.

Si Ya frowned. Pei Lizheng wouldn’t even be impartial, always siding with Old Pei’s House’s people—why bother paying a New Year visit to him?

San Ya tugged at her, as Wendong closely followed Pei Qin’s steps.

As they arrived in the village, many stopped to watch.

At Pei Lizheng’s house, other people were already there to pay New Year visits. Seeing her and her siblings arrive, Pei Lizheng’s face darkened at once. After the ordeal they had given him, even the New Year would not be peaceful for him!

With a smile, Pei Qin offered her New Year greetings, and once inside, she whispered to Pei Lizheng, "After the New Year, not only will we sell Helaomian, but we are also preparing to sell rice noodles. Rice noodle making is rather complex; we plan to find some people and start a small workshop to process and send rice noodles to the towns, as well as supply other noodle shops and the noodle houses in the county town. I wonder if Pei Lizheng is interested?"

Li Zheng’s eyes widened, and his brow furrowed. Starting a small workshop was tempting, the benefits were evident, but if he really agreed, he’d be embarking on the same path as her! If they left the village in the future, any chance of mending his relationship with Old Pei’s House would also be lost!