Chapter 654: Chapter 654: Couldn’t Find Him
"No worries then, I’ll be off to gather more herbs." Xiao Ji hurried back to the workshop gate after seeing that Gu Jinxiu was fine and told Gu Jinli about the incident.
Gu Jinli, after hearing the report, felt relieved and continued harvesting the herbs.
"Sister Xiao Yu, this is the Mingya Grass I grew. Take a look, how did it turn out this season?" The speaker was Tian Xiaohua, who was only ten years old but very capable. She had found some wasteland and grown a lot of Mingya Grass on it.
However, she wasn’t going to grow Mingya Grass anymore after this season.
Too many people were growing Mingya Grass. Sister Xiao Yu taught her to grow a small kind of aloe, which resembles Agave and is used as an ingredient for itch-relief hand cream. It can only be harvested once a year, but it sells for thirty cents per pound, which is over four times the price of Mingya Grass. Plus, this small aloe is easy to grow; it can be planted on wasteland and in mountains, doesn’t need fertilizing, just protection from pests.
Gu Jinli looked at Tian Xiaohua’s Mingya Grass and smiled, "Our Xiao Hua’s Mingya Grass is still as good as ever."
Tian Xiaohua, feeling flattered by the praise, had Tian Erqiang help her move the Mingya Grass down and, after weighing it, receive the silver.
"Twelve hundred pounds, eight taels and four hundred copper coins, Xiao Hua take it well." Gu Jinli personally handed the silver to Tian Xiaohua.
Tian Xiaohua accepted it with joy and carefully put it into her small pouch: "Sister Xiao Yu, I’m free today, I’ll stay with my brother and help you out."
"Great, we’re short on hands right now." Gu Jinli said, assigning the task of inspecting the Mingya Grass to Tian Xiaohua.
Tian Xiaohua was serious about her work and had grown Mingya Grass herself for three years; she knew how to inspect it thoroughly and handled the task with ease.
"Er Qiang, go and help Danian and the others with the weighing."
"Okay." Tian Erqiang replied, rolling up his sleeves to lend a hand.
He was built like Uncle Tian and shared his honest temperament, making him a trustworthy person.
Tian Erqiang wasn’t good at reading, so instead of attending a private school like Gu Qingtian and Gu Qingxi, he only spent some time learning characters with Qi Kangping before helping out in the workshop.
The villagers grew a lot of Mingya Grass, and after cutting, it needed to be dried or baked, which takes several days. Therefore, today, in addition to collecting the Mingya Grass from the Du Family, we also need to collect from other families in the village.
Village Chief He arrived early, keeping an eye on the villagers selling their Mingya Grass and occasionally exclaimed: "All of you better be honest or I’ll chop you to pieces!"
Adding another line, "There are no Lord Company Commander or squad leader here today."
"Chief, have a rest, you’ve been shouting all morning."
You’re not tired, but we are tired listening.
Village Chief He snorted coldly: "You’re like monkeys, if I don’t keep you in check, you’ll stir up trouble!"
It was thought that He Laoqiao’s family was honest, but unexpectedly they also harbored ambitions to climb the social ladder, which truly infuriated him. If it happens again, Little Xiao Yu will definitely lose her temper.
Everyone was also reminded of the issue with He Laoqiao’s granddaughter and didn’t dare to speak, keeping their mouths shut.
However, it is said that the words of Qin Family’s third son scolding Fang Haitang have already spread to Daxing Town.
Oh dear, it’s said to be quite lively nowadays, Fang Haitang’s uncles and aunts are currently stirring a family dispute, complaining that living with such a shameless niece is tarnishing their own daughters’ reputations.
But Fang Haitang’s grandparents are holding them back, not allowing the family to split. However, they scolded Fang Haitang severely and are currently arranging a marriage for her and wish to marry her off quickly to avoid her lustful reputation affecting the family’s other granddaughters.
Du Qian only arrived in the village at the end of the morning due to the incident involving a madman; the people he brought with him were questioned for a long time before they were allowed into the village to sell their Mingya Grass, and it was almost noon by then.
"Sister Xiao Yu, we’ve brought the Mingya Grass, come and see how it’s grown?" After getting married, Du Fu became very straightforward.
Gu Jinli glanced at her and had Mai Dong and San Qi go to inspect the Mingya Grass.
The Du Family’s Mingya Grass was plentiful, hauling over twenty carts of it. However, the Du Family cherishes their blessings, having grown Mingya Grass for three years, every season’s harvest being of excellent quality, free from any weeds and dirt.
After half an hour, San Qi and Mai Dong said, "Young Master, we’ve checked it, the Mingya Grass is fine, definitely first-rate."
The top grade is seven cents per jin.
The Du Family People were very pleased to hear this.
Du Fu was even more delighted, pulling the man beside her over and said, "Sister Xiao Yu, this is Brother-in-law Du, named Daming. This time he came with us to deliver the Mingya Grass. Now my husband’s family is also planting Mingya Grass, and next year it will be your Brother-in-law Du who comes to deliver the grass."
Chen Daming is the son of the New Village Chief of Chen Village. After waiting for Luo Wu for two years and seeing that she really could not marry the constable Squad Leader, Du Fu married Chen Daming.
Because of wanting to grow Mingya Grass to get rich, the Chen Family treated her, their daughter-in-law, very well.
Chen Daming was somewhat simple and honest. He smiled at Gu Jinli but didn’t dare to look too much.
It was said that this girl was quite fierce, and staring at her one more glance could result in her chopping you with a knife, so although she was good-looking, no one dared to look more.
Du Fu just brought Chen Daming over to recognize Gu Jinli and establish a connection with the Gu Family. After the introduction, she sent Chen Daming to help carry the Mingya Grass.
Village Chief He looked at the Du Family People with displeasure, and upon seeing Chen Daming, felt even more disgruntled. Did these Chen Village folks also want to learn to grow and sell Mingya Grass?
"Young Master, it’s all weighed. The total is ten thousand and three hundred jin!" Mai Dong reported from the side, quickly calculating the silver: "Seventy-two taels and a hundred cents."
After hearing this, Gu Jinli counted out the silver and gave it to Du Qian: "Uncle Du, take care."
The Du family sold the Mingya Grass together, and after taking the silver, they would go back and divide it finely.
Du Qian happily accepted the silver and said to Gu Jinli: "Little Xiao Yu, thank you. These past few years, with the Mingya Grass, our families can finally live better."
And they lived with much more dignity.
Now in the village, who wouldn’t stop to greet the Du Family People?
With silver, you can stand tall and firm.
Gu Jinli smiled and said, "It’s Uncle Du and your family’s own efforts."
She needed Mingya Grass to make mosquito coils, and instead of buying from the pharmacy, it was better to purchase from the fellow villagers. This way, not only can everyone become wealthy, she can also save a significant amount of capital.
She then asked about Du Ya: "Is Sister Du Ya still at home embroidering her dowry?"
Three years had passed, and Du Ya had grown up. She was now engaged to be married next year. She would marry into a family in Lianghe Village, one of those who worked with Liang Zhuzi on the tofu trade.
Du Qian replied, "She’s exactly at home embroidering her dowry. When she gets married, she can often visit your home. That girl admires you the most."
Du Ya, like Tian Xiaohua, thought Gu Jinli was very capable, insisting that the marriage talks be near Da Feng Village.
Listening to this, Gu Jinli laughed and after exchanging a few words with Du Qian and the others, they left.
Chen Village is far from here, leaving at noon, they would only arrive at dusk.
Chen Daming floated home feeling elated. Truly, selling Mingya Grass made money. Just selling for one season, they had made more than seventy taels of silver. More than seventy taels, for a household with a smaller estate, could build two green brick tile-roofed houses.
He looked at Du Fu by his side, this wife was indeed a good catch, not only beautiful but also smart and capable, bringing such a fortune to the family. She was truly a woman blessed with good fortune.
"Wife, during the Dongzhi festival, I will talk to dad and take you out to town for a stroll," said Chen Daming. Such a wonderful wife deserved to be treated well.
Du Fu wanted to go in her heart but said, "Dongzhi is a busy time, I should stay at home and help out. You take our mother out for a stroll. She has worked hard all year and deserves a trip to town."
Du Fu now felt exceedingly fortunate, had she made any plots against Luo Wu back then, the Gu Family might not have bought their Mingya Grass now.
Only in these two years, she came to know Gu Jinli’s tactics were extremely ruthless; as long as you harmed a few families, don’t expect to earn silver from her hands.
Not long after the Du family left, He Dayuan came to look for Village Chief He, saying, "Chief, that madman hasn’t been found."