Chapter 102

Chapter 102

The wait was excruciating, especially for Jia Ning and his brother, as well as the Marquis Yongyi's wife, all of whom genuinely cared about Songhua. Old Lady Jia shifted her position several times to glance at the two brothers, but only received hostile glares in return.

As the sky grew darker, the room was illuminated by bright lamps. The Marquis Yongyi dispatched a servant to inquire about the situation. Upon learning that Meng Die had also sent someone, he felt much relieved.

Footsteps echoed, accompanied by the faint sound of a girl weeping. A spark ignited in Jia Ning's eyes; it was his sister's voice, her sobs.

Nanny Xia and Nanny Fan entered, holding back the curtains as they led Songhua in. Songhua knelt down with a thud, "Granny."

Lady Hou heaved a long sigh of relief. "It's good that she's back, it's good that she's back." She then turned to Lady Xia and finally her gaze fell on Nurse Fan. "You've worked hard."

Nurse Fan bowed respectfully. "I'm glad I didn't fail your trust."

Lady Xia added, "Madam, Miss Jia's body will also be returning. I have decided to place her remains with Jia Gang's in the house they rented."

Lady Hou nodded repeatedly, glancing at Jia Ning, Jia An, and Songhua, who were all holding back their tears. "Go buy two fine coffins and find a good place to bury them."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lady Hou appeared exhausted as she looked at Meng Die and the others. "It's getting late. You should all go back to rest."

The children and grandchildren bid their farewells, with Meng Die and the other three following slowly. Jin Shi whispered, "I just noticed that Third Aunt's complexion was terrifyingly pale."

Wen Shi suddenly recalled something. "Do you remember, Hongming? Didn't you say that his gambling addiction might have originated from Count Yongping's residence?"

Both Jin Shi and Yao Shi were curious—Who was Hongming?

Meng Die explained, "Hongming is Third Aunt's wet nurse's son. He originally managed the five hundred mu of land that came with her dowry. A few years ago, there was a severe drought, so Third Aunt compassionately waived the tenants' rent and even lent them seeds and grain. This fellow, to pay off his gambling debts, pocketed all the money and continued demanding rent from the tenants, almost pushing them to the brink of death."

The Jin and Yao clans were both astonished. They exchanged glances, detecting unwavering determination in each other's eyes. Despite Meng Die and Wen Shi's repeated warnings about the dangers of gambling, they had never actually seen or experienced it themselves and thus found it difficult to comprehend the true nature of gamblers. Now, after witnessing the state of the Jia household, they both vowed inwardly to thoroughly reprimand their own dowries and discuss the matter with their families. They needed to reorganize their servants; this situation was too alarming.

Meng Die enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep. The next day, as she returned from the Jing Cui Pavilion, she listened to Hulu recounting over lunch, "Madame was merciful. Last night, she sent Jia Ning and the other two to pay respects to their parents. She also asked Song Hua to come back and serve, and appointed Jia An as a messenger in the inner courtyard."

Meihong asked, "And what about Jia Ning?"

Hulu glanced at her. "Jia Ning is sixteen now. He used to assist his father in his duties, but since his father's position has been taken over by someone else, it's not easy to find a suitable role for him." After all, he had served Madame for some time, and it wouldn't be proper to simply assign him menial tasks. It would also be a waste of talent. Jia Ning could read and write; he was initially groomed to become a head steward.

Meng Die finished her meal and set down her chopsticks. "Eldest Sister-in-law will find a fitting place for him. What about Nurse Jia?"

Hulu spoke softly, "I heard that originally, the Old Lady planned to send her to live on the manor for her retirement. But she requested to go herself."

Meng Die lowered her gaze. "She requested to go herself?"

Hulu replied, "Yes. I truly can't understand. It would have been so peaceful for her to spend her old age on the manor. How can she survive on her own outside?"

Lu Wei chimed in, "In my opinion, it's better that she requested to leave. If she stayed on the manor, Jia Yi might not let her be and could cause more trouble. It might even completely disappoint the Old Lady. Then, what would happen to Jia Ning and the others? By leaving, the Old Lady will keep her in mind. Since she's not in the Marquis household, the Old Lady would surely worry about Jia Ning and the others."

Meng Die nodded. "Lu Wei makes a valid point. By requesting to leave, she has cut off all her retreats. Grandmother will undoubtedly feel for her. The tragic deaths of Jia Gang and his wife already broke Grandmother's heart. With these two sorrows combined, as long as Jia Ning and the others don't make major mistakes, the Old Lady will surely look out for them."

Lu Wei: "If she had thought more about the welfare of the first wife and Manager Jia earlier, she wouldn't have ended up in this situation."

Meng Die: "Her thoughts wouldn't have mattered. Do you know why I didn't even bother to ask before expelling the Jia Gang family? It's not just because I was angry. Jia Gang indulged his younger brother Jia Yi, secretly paying off many of his gambling debts. Without his spoiling, only Jia Nai would have been able to spoil Jia Yi to such an extent. It's a pity for Madam Jia, alas."

The others exchanged glances, then sighed, unsure how to assess Jia Gang's actions.

"Ah!" Liu'er's surprised voice echoed from outside. Immediately after, the curtain fluttered as Liu'er entered the room with a joyous expression. "Second Lady, the tulips have sprouted!"

Last year, Li Ai had instructed Fan Hong to bring back tulip bulbs. As the capital was too cold for planting at the time, the bulbs remained buried in sand for preservation. With the weather warming up and reaching the time Li Ai mentioned in her letter, Lu Wei eagerly instructed Liu'er and the others to plant the tulips.

Lu Wei tugged on Meng Die's arm and said, "When we first dug it out of the sand, I thought its roots looked rather withered. I was afraid it might not sprout after all. Second Aunt, you should go and take a look."

Meng Die had no choice but to follow her out of the room.

The tulips were planted by Liu'er and company along the walkway. Meng Die crouched down and indeed saw a fresh green sprout pushing through the brown earth, filled with vitality.

Lu Wei's brows danced with delight. "Second Master mentioned in his letter that these flowers thrive in moisture but are sensitive to flooding. You must be careful when watering them."

Liu'er's face lit up with joy. "Don't worry, Sister Lu Wei. The care for tulips is somewhat similar to that of watermelons, so I'll manage just fine."

Lu Wei nodded repeatedly. "I suppose it won't be long before we see a colorful array of flowers."

Meng Die heard the emphasized 'colorful' and could only roll her eyes. It seemed this joke wasn't going to fade away anytime soon.

"Fourth Madam."

Meng Die stood up and looked towards the entrance. Sure enough, she saw Wu Shi strolling in with her servants and maid, and Meng Die hurried over to greet her. "Auntie Fourth."

Perhaps it was because Wu Shi had tried to undermine Meng Die shortly after she married in but ended up getting outwitted by her instead. Wu Shi usually avoided interacting with Meng Die one-on-one, so this was the first time she had come alone.

Entering the inner parlor, the two took their seats. Meng Die went straight to the point, "Aunt, has something important brought you here at this time?"

Lady Wu took the tea from Meng Die's hands: "It's nothing urgent, but there is indeed something. However, it's not about me, but your Uncle. He has recently befriended a new acquaintance, Magistrate Wang. Magistrate Wang mentioned that his son inadvertently offended you sometime ago. He has been wanting to apologize, but since there was no previous connection between our families, he felt it inappropriate to visit unannounced. Now that he has been transferred here and has become acquainted with your Fourth Uncle, he immediately asked your uncle to convey his apologies."

Meng Die feigns innocence: "Serene Highness the Thousand households? Offended me?"

Wu was straightforward and candid: "Didn't someone intervene recklessly when you and your sisters-in-law went out for a spring outing the other day? You scolded them then."

Meng Die chuckled. "Indeed, that's how it happened. Those two who spoke up were incredibly annoying. Not only did they butted in without permission, they also criticized us. In a fit of anger, I scolded them. At that time, there were five of us in the pavilion – two who spoke and three who remained silent. But I clearly remember that neither of the two who spoke had the surname Wang."

Madam Wu flung her handkerchief aside. "Oh, one of the three who didn't speak must be from Magistrate Wang's household."

Meng Die replied, "Not speaking doesn't mean they collided with me. In my opinion, Magistrate Wang should console his son. He was silent then, perhaps he was also frightened by his classmate's harsh words."

Madam Wu raised an eyebrow. "Frightened?"

Meng Die suppressed her smile. "Perhaps so. Aunt Four, please ask Uncle Four to convey to Magistrate Wang that everything is fine on my end and not to dwell on it."

Madam Wu nodded. "Alright."

When Madam Wu left, Meng Die couldn't help but giggle, followed by Lu Wei's laughter. Hulu and the others were puzzled by the scene.

In the evening, when Li Jie returned home from work, Madam Wu recounted the day's events to him. After finishing her tale, she rested her chin in her hand, pondering aloud, "I've been thinking about it since I came back, and something just doesn't sit right with me. How could that big boy from the Wang Qiuhu family be frightened like that?"

Li Jie chuckled and drew Madam Wu into his embrace. "She was actually paving the way for the son of Wang Qiuhu, giving him an excuse. It's also a form of saving face."

Madam Wu looked at Li Jie in surprise. "Ah?"

Li Jie replied, "When Butterfly Girl scolds someone, it's not just for the sake of it. By grouping those two individuals as sycophants, she is hitting them where it hurts most – their scholarly reputation. Now that Butterfly Girl says the son of Wang Qiuhu was frightened by the harsh words of his classmates, isn't she essentially severing any connection between the son and those who spoke ill?"

With a glitter in her eyes, Wu Shi was filled with admiration. "My husband truly knows so much. Now I understand completely."

Meeting his wife's gaze, Li Jie felt even more content. "Huang Qianhu is practically my superior now. Since he owes me this favor, he won't easily forget me."

Wu Shi's eyes sparkled. The couple enjoyed a harmonious relationship.

Sure enough, a few days later, news spread from Huang Qianhu's side that his son had been utterly stunned, leading to his immediate withdrawal from the Mountain and Sea Academy, severing all ties. The official from the Ministry of Personnel, Shi Langzhong, swiftly followed suit by removing his own son from the academy, clearly indicating his stance. Surprisingly, the Yin family did not make any significant moves.

Meng Die paid little attention to these developments. She was more concerned about what Nurse Fan had said.

Nanny Fan: "Ever since I returned from the Hundred Melodies Pavilion, in just two days, a steady stream of courtesans seeking redemption have come knocking. In these few days alone, twenty-three have arrived."

Lu Wei was astonished. "Didn't you say nobody would come? Why have they all suddenly flocked here? What's the catch?"

Nanny Fan whispered, "These that have come can share a secret or two."

"Ah?" Lu Wei's eyes widened.

Meng Die naturally understood what 'secret' referred to. After a moment's contemplation, she grasped why they had all rushed over at once.

Lu Wei: "Nanny Fan, what on earth is going on?"

Nanny Fan was also perplexed: "I'm not too clear either. Why would they tell us all this? I didn't ask for any information!"

Meng Die sighed: "Think about where they used to be – brothels and pleasure houses. What kind of people would go there? Could there be any good among them? For most of their lives, even after buying their freedom, the only company they've had has been from evil people and malicious intentions. How could they possibly believe that someone would help them selflessly?"

Lu Wei understood: "They originally didn't trust Second Aunt's unconditional aid. Now that Nanny Fan has shared confidential matters at the Hundred Melodies Pavilion, they must think they have value to Second Aunt. In their minds, this explains why she would protect them. So they're offering tokens of allegiance to seek refuge."

Meng Die nodded in agreement.

Nanny Fan sighed, her nose tingling with emotion. "Now I truly understand how difficult their lives have been." It was unbelievable that she had doubted the existence of kindness in this world. Their past must have been filled with immense suffering and encounters with beasts for them to have such insight.

Meng Die's eyes also welled up. "Since they've come to me, I will certainly treat them well. Nanny Fan, please take extra care of them at the manor. Having come from such an unsavory place, they might have contracted illnesses. They might be too embarrassed to mention it or lack the means to seek treatment, so you should find an experienced and reputable old physician to examine them, even if it costs a fortune."

"Aye," Nanny Fan replied willingly this time.

"Has Sister Xue Qing returned?" Liu'er's voice echoed from outside.

Xue Qing soon entered from outdoors.

Meng Die had arranged to meet Xue Qing today to discuss the year's silk-reeling and carpet-weaving plans. Upon seeing Xue Qing, she immediately said, "Last year, we released the silkworms too late, resulting in only one harvest. This year, let's start early. I estimate we can gather five or six batches of cocoons. Calculate this: if I buy you an additional three or five hundred workers, plus the ones we have now, by this time next year, will we be able to turn all the silk into carpets?"

Xue Qing burst into laughter. "Three or five hundred people? That's not nearly enough. Even three to five thousand might struggle to weave all the silk into carpets."

(⊙o⊙)...

For the first time, Meng Die was utterly stunned. "Three to five thousand people? How much silk is that? Can our mulberry forest accommodate so many silkworms?"

Xue Qing's smile widened. "Second Auntie hasn't been looking at the shop's account books lately, has she?"

Meng Die put up a stubborn front. "I did look at the ledger for the cream cakes."

Xue Qing understood. "But you didn't check the soap income or the expenses."

Meng Die felt a twinge of guilt; she had indeed neglected to do so.

Xue Qing continued, "Ever since he saw the first silk rug I wove, Headman Wang was convinced it would fetch a high price. Didn't Second Grandma mention her plans for the mountain land during the New Year? He promptly went to Manager Rong to draw out a considerable amount of silver. With ample manpower before the spring plowing, he hired many to clear the mountain land. Once the soil thawed slightly, he planted mulberry trees and built houses beside them. The mulberry forest that can be utilized in the manor now is at least twenty times larger than last year's."

Meng Die gaped in astonishment. "T-Twenty times bigger?"

Xue Qing nodded firmly, "Not less, but more. If we start rearing silkworms now, by autumn, we'll have enough silk to weave tens of thousands of silk rugs."

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Meng Die suddenly realized that her people were incredibly capable.

As they spoke, Xue Qing chuckled again, "A few days ago, Sister Lu Wei sold a silk rug to that young sea merchant for twelve taels of silver. When Wang Zhuo heard about it, he rushed back up the mountain. It's clear he wants to expand the mulberry forest even further. Even Wang Lady couldn't help teasing him, saying if he had to choose between his life and gold, Wang Zhuo would undoubtedly be the one who'd jump down a well with a gold ingot, prioritizing wealth over his life."

"Ha ha…" The other maids in the room burst into laughter.

Meng Die couldn't help but smile too, "This Wang Zhuo. I was planning to proceed steadily, but now he's boosted production all at once. I won't be able to avoid expanding operations."

Laughter erupted once more.

Meng Die: "Alright, I understand. When you return, tell Manager Rong first that we need to find a reliable dye workshop. Once our silk is reeled, we'll send it over to them, and they should dye it according to our specifications."

Xue Qing: "Second Aunt, I believe there's no need to search for a dye workshop. Our manor can currently dye the colors needed for the silk carpets."

Meng Die was astonished again: "You have developed this ability."

Xue Qing chuckled: "Oh, how could we have such skills? It was actually a stroke of luck. After Big Mountain settled down here, he wrote a letter to his hometown. One, to assure them of his safety, and two, to inquire about news from home."

"His family promptly replied, assuring him that everything was well and informing him that the dye workshop owner had been thrown into prison by the county magistrate. Now, he's serving his sentence, and they can return home at any time to resume their peaceful life."

Lu Wei: "Back then, they were oppressed with nowhere to turn for help. Has there been a change in the county magistrate?"

Xue Qing: "No change in the magistrate. The dye workshop owner was an expert at currying favor with superiors while oppressing subordinates. During those two years of drought, he even distributed porridge, pretending to be kind. He colluded with a local official, which allowed him to run rampant in the village. Moreover, when the incident occurred with Da Shan's family, it coincided with the drought. The magistrate was preoccupied with relief efforts, disaster management, and comforting the affected people. Naturally, he overlooked such matters."

"But the county magistrate is genuinely good. When he arranged for bailiffs to escort the famine-stricken people to seek livelihood elsewhere, he instructed them to gather information about the people's conditions along the way. The bailiffs were well aware of Da Shan's family's situation. However, the magistrate was too busy. Last winter, two heavy snowfalls ended the drought, but unfortunately, the magistrate fell ill, and the people said it was from exhaustion."

Meng Die: "These past two years have been challenging for officials in the disaster-stricken areas. Many have been worn out by their duties."

Xue Qing nodded repeatedly. "It took a long time for the county magistrate to recover. Once he did, based on what the bailiffs had learned, he started settling scores one by one. Of course, the dye workshop owner didn't escape this fate."

Hulu commented, "Serves him right."

Xue Qing added, "Everyone in the village said the same. When he was imprisoned, the dye workshop went bankrupt. Master Da Shan's original mentor wasn't some master dyer with a secret recipe. With the workshop closed and the town being small, he had nowhere to go and was worried. That's when Master Da Shan's letter arrived, and he inquired about his mentor's recent situation. When his family replied, they mentioned it."

"Knowing that we still needed a dyer here, Da Shan got in touch with Headman Wang upon receiving the letter. Upon hearing about this opportunity, Headman Wang immediately arranged for his master to be invited over. He allocated an independent courtyard for his family within the estate, offering double the salary compared to the town. If his family wished to farm on the estate, they could; if they preferred to seek other work, that was also allowed."

Meihong's face was alight with excitement. "Does that mean we got a bargain?"

Xue Qing's eyes curved into a warm smile. "I believe it counts as a bargain."

Meng Die shared her joy. "I also think it's a steal. With a reliable mentor guiding us, we can purchase silk threads and dye them ourselves. That would be like running a small dye workshop. We'll need to ask Headman Wang to find a manager for us."

Xue Qing replied, "We don't even need a manager. Mei'er can handle it. She's grown so capable now. Since she joined me at the estate, I focus solely on researching silk carpet weaving techniques, while she takes care of all the miscellaneous tasks, organizing everything efficiently. Not only has Mei'er improved, but Li'er has too. With Xing Huang's affairs taking shape, she's been assisting me, mainly overseeing the silk reeling process."

Meng Die marveled, "Oh my, they've truly blossomed. Let Li'er take charge of the silk reeling from now on, deciding how many people to employ and who to assign for what tasks. Mei'er can be in charge of setting up the dye workshop, including hiring the right number and type of workers, and assigning their duties. Just one thing, neither of them should neglect the carpet weaving. As for when to start weaving, I reckon we could recruit a large workforce once the second batch of silkworms begin spinning their cocoons."

Xue Qing expressed some doubt. "Second Aunt, do you think we can hire that many people all at once?"

Meng Die shook her head. "Buying people is out of the question. I'll have to think of another solution. There's one more thing I need your help with. The process of weaving silk carpets involves several steps. It would be best to break them down into smaller tasks. Once we hire people, let each person specialize in just one step. That way, they'll become proficient and our speed will surely surpass that of a single person weaving an entire carpet."

Xue Qing pondered for a moment, then her face lit up with a broad smile. "That's a brilliant idea. I have someone under my wing who's exceptional at weaving silk carpets, but struggles with the finishing touches. With this method, they won't have to worry about their weaknesses. They can focus on what they're good at."

Meng Die nodded, appreciating the concept of a production line, a groundbreaking invention in accelerating productivity in her world. With Wang Zhuang's cooperation, she was ready to undertake a major project.

Xue Qing recalled another matter. "I almost forgot. After Sister Lu Wei met Qiu Ji, Master Hai invited Manager Rong for dinner that very same evening. Master Hai is the one who sells our sea fish. He asked why Second Lady didn't approach him if she had goods to sell, considering they've done business before, and he's from the Yi Dynasty, likely to be more loyal than outsiders."

Lu Wei interjected, "Is he trying to demonstrate his loyalty?"

Xue Qing: "Indeed, it was to demonstrate loyalty. Manager Rong said there weren't many goods, so there wasn't much profit to be made. Second Madam had some special requests, so he gave the business to a small maritime trader. Sea Lord said, who cares about profit or not? With our large ships, how could we lack a bit of cargo? As for special requests, he's been in business for years and knows many people. If Second Madam has any instructions, he'd see to them promptly."

Xue Qing chuckled as she continued, "After the little maritime trader finished talking with Sister Lu Wei, he didn't even want to stay an extra moment. He set sail that very night with all sorts of goods. I was quite puzzled then, thinking he was too eager."

Ying'er laughed, "He must have been afraid someone else would snatch the deal from him. Clearly, he knew there were countless people willing to work for our Second Madam."

Xue Qing's eyes curved into a smile, "That's precisely the case."

Meng Die also couldn't help but chuckle, "I remember the Hai family is in the spice trade, isn't that right?"

Xue Qing: "Second Lady didn't misremember. His family is indeed involved in this business. Manager Rong mentioned that in recent years, due to the nobles' disinterest in perfumes, the prices of spices haven't risen much. Though his seafaring ventures are profitable, they can't compare to the silk, porcelain, and tea trades. Especially with silk, those involved have truly been filling their coffers in the past two years."

"Who wouldn't want a piece of such a lucrative pie, especially when one's own business isn't as profitable? The risks are the same. Master Hai has been trying to find ways in these past two years, but the silk, porcelain, and tea industries are already monopolized by influential clans and wealthy gentry. It won't be easy for him to get a share."

Lu Wei smiled. "I wasn't too secretive when discussing business with Qiu Ji. Our manor is under the watchful eyes of many. Master Hai must have sent someone to spy, so he likely knows we deal in silk textiles. With this information, he'll surely be eager to get involved."

Meng Die stood up to stretch. "We don't mind him pushing his way in, as long as the job gets done properly. Xue Qing, go back and tell Manager Rong to inform him that he can't participate in this matter. He should come to you, Mei'er, and Head Wang. Assess his attitude and inquire about his family's reputation in the past. If it seems viable, there's no harm in collaborating. He does have a point—Qiu Ji is an outsider after all, unlike him, a native."

Xue Qing hesitated. "Me? Mei'er?"

Meng Die: "Dyeing the silk threads and weaving the carpets are under your and Mei'er's responsibility, particularly your part. He must seek you out. If he doesn't talk to you directly, does that mean he has no wife or daughter?"

Xue Qing came to her senses: "That's true. Tamu and Li Teer often bring their wives along."

Meng Die nodded in agreement.