The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 268 Are You Even Letting Others Live? (5)_1

Chapter 268: Chapter 268 Are You Even Letting Others Live? (5)_1

"Master! I’ll come over to buy it tomorrow!" The servant Shuang Xi, seeing that his master’s face didn’t look well, said while carrying the items.

"Then find a place where they butcher pigs and buy it fresh, right as they take the pig’s trotters off!" Shen Songming responded, instructing as he strode back.

Pei Qin just casually teased him; she didn’t really want to eat pig’s trotters.

For dinner, with no outsiders present, several people sat together at one table to eat.

Watching Shen Songming and Pei Qin talk as if they were old acquaintances, Chang Yonglin chewed on his beef and couldn’t help but think of Feng Bo, who had gone to work at the grocery store in the county town.

After dinner, Shen Songming took some blueprints and left with the servants, "I’m going back to the inn to sort things out, I’ll come over again tomorrow!"

Once he was gone, Pei Qian quickly cleaned up the dishes and scrubbed the pots.

Seeing Pei Qin checking arithmetic problems for Pei Wendong and Chang Yonglin, Pei Qian grew anxious, unable to wait as she looked on.

As soon as Pei Qin finished explaining the problems and turned around, Pei Qian pulled her into the room, "Elder Sister! How much money did our ice shop make for us!?"

"Thirteen hundred!" Pei Qin glanced at her as if she had something big to discuss and tossed the silver note to her.

Pei Qian took a sharp breath, and together with Pei Yuan, they began to count.

Shen Songming hadn’t brought any large denominations; they were all in denominations of one hundred or fifty taels. After counting the silver notes, both were excited and thrilled. More than a thousand taels of silver! With so much silver, they could also buy a shop!

After being happy for quite a while, they handed the silver notes back to Pei Qin. They felt confident handling the smaller amounts of money at home, but with suddenly over a thousand taels of silver, it was best to leave it with their elder sister!

However, Pei Qian warned repeatedly, they mustn’t just get whimsical upon seeing they had money and spend it all on some venture! She insisted that Pei Qin lock it in a wooden box in the chest; if they needed to spend any, they should get it from her and not touch the money lightly.

Pei Qin casually agreed a few times, telling them to go practice their calligraphy.

Having walked inside, Pei Qian suddenly realized, "If we received this much silver, then Young Master Shen must have earned even more!"

"Without the influence of Young Master Shen’s family, the shop couldn’t have opened, so it’s only fair that he takes a larger share. As long as he doesn’t cheat our elder sister, it should be fine! But from what I see of how Young Master Shen talks and behaves with our sister, he probably won’t cheat her!" Pei Yuan tried to dissuade her from blaming Pei Qin.

Pei Qian stamped her foot, "We still should have been able to ask for a larger share! Elder Sister is just too casual, as if she doesn’t realize the importance of silver coin!"

Of course, silver coin is important; without money, you are helpless, and Pei Qin was well aware of that.

The next day, Shen Songming spread out a slew of blueprints and draft papers on the table and spent the entire day at Pei Qin’s.

In the afternoon, Zou Xing led Zou Fu over, bringing plenty of vegetables and showing Pei Qin the newly made hand-cranked thresher.

Seeing Shen Songming there too, Zou Xing hesitated, looking toward Pei Qin.

Pei Qin had already gone to see the hand-cranked thresher, calling Pei Yuan over to bring some corn cobs for testing.

Shen Songming, watching, blurted out, "Such an ancient..." but quickly held back and remained silent, just observing.

"We’ve tested it many times already, and it can quickly thresh the corn cobs!" Zou Xing glanced at him, then spoke to Pei Qin.

Pei Qin nodded, threshing two corn cobs but found it somewhat strenuous. The corn cobs at home had been picked and hung on the wall to dry, and although they were dry enough, it still wasn’t as easy and time-saving as the other method.

However, given the current iron smelting technology was largely controlled by The Imperial Court, it was already commendable that the Zou family had managed to produce such an item.

Noticing her frown and apparent dissatisfaction, Zou Xing added, "It’s really fast and easy to thresh well-dried corn cobs!"