The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 385: Reward Given to the Wrong Person (5)_1

Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Reward Given to the Wrong Person (5)_1

Chunks of red sweet potatoes were dug out and piled on the ground. The abundant harvests formed mounds. Some even made slicers to slice the sweet potatoes right in the field and dry them in the sun there. The sunlight was better in the fields than at home, and once dried, the slices could be ground into flour to stave off hunger.

The yield of red sweet potatoes for each household was not low, and the autumn crop was even more abundant than the summer one, signifying a successful harvest. Especially for the Wang family and Chang’s house, each owning two hundred acres of mediocre quality land, but since sweet potatoes aren’t choosy about soil, they reaped a massive harvest.

Wu Dongsi was anxious! The higher-ups were awaiting the performance report!

Pei Qin organized the data and delivered it to the County Government Office.

After reviewing it, Wu Dongsi immediately revised the petition once more, requesting rewards for Pei Qin, as well as writing a letter to Elder Shen, seeking his own career advancement. He sent it off as quickly as possible.

Meng Dinglun did not dare to interfere and immediately expressed his support by forwarding the petition to the higher levels.

The Shen family initiated the planting of sweet potatoes, and there were not many who dared to obstruct the petition, for Shen Bi was well aware of this as well.

Shen Songming obtained a copy of the data from Pei Qin and took it directly to Shen Bi, hoping to secure a greater reward for Pei Qin. With such a reward, marrying her would be much easier!

The Shen family, knowing that the cultivator of the sweet potatoes was an unmarried girl, and seeing Shen Songming’s wholehearted efforts on her behalf, could easily guess his intentions. Old Lady Shen, who had eight or nine grandsons, hadn’t held much affection for this unremarkable one until his illness improved, leading to his newfound agreeableness and filial piety. Furthermore, the unfortunate demise of his two fiancées had left him with the reputation of a wife-killer. No longer pursuing official examination, he instead delved into business, which endeared him even more to her.

As Shen Songming was working hard to secure a greater reward for Pei Qin, Old Lady Shen summoned her eldest son and explained the situation to him. If Shen Songming truly fancied the girl, granting a reward and bringing her into the household were both acceptable. However, it should not interfere with his essential marital affairs. After all, for a motherless eldest daughter from a rural background to enter the doors of the Shen family was already a testament to ancestral virtue!

Madam Shen, the first wife, had already received a letter from her sister-in-law. Among the Shen brothers, only Shen Bi and Shen Gu were full siblings. Thus, the relationship between the sisters-in-law, with one overseeing family affairs at home and the other attending to her husband abroad with a significant age difference, was better than that of most.

After hearing from his mother and Madam Shen expressing her sister-in-law’s concerns, Shen Bi considered delaying things as Shen Songming’s recent reliability was in question. It was fortuitous timing that he also had to deal with an extensive corruption case, and the Ministry of Justice was exceptionally busy towards the year’s end.

The entire Yuanyang County awaited the imperial rewards.

Because of Shen Songming’s efforts and the Shen family’s influence, the confidence was high. Even though the rewards were for Sister Peiqin and her brother, the entire Taiping Town and Yuanyang County would soon gain fame!

The Zhao family was very anxious that once the imperial favor was granted, Old Pei’s House may no longer acknowledge the arranged marriage. They approached Pei Zongli again to discuss the wedding date, insisting that Zhao Junchao’s future performance would not disappoint and that the Pei family would not be shortchanged by marrying Pei Qin to them.

However, Pei Zongli was not at home.

Unnoticed by many, Pei Zongli was not at home, not even in Yuanyang County. Qian Wanxiu only mentioned that he had gone to purchase goods since the silk fabric store was expected to do well before the new year, and the stock was running low.

As the days passed and the pickling of cabbage was finished, Pei Qian breathed a sigh of relief and started to focus on the anticipated rewards, "Brother Songming said there would be a significant reward! I just wonder what it will be! Will we be given gold?"

"What’s the use of gold?" Pei Qin glanced at her.

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