CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 386: CARE (4)

Xiqiu didn’t quite understand, so she asked Zou Bochang, "What do you think?" Zou Bochang replied, "I think the wheat’s growth looks good, the fruit trees haven’t been much affected, but the sweet potatoes aren’t showing much progress... As for the castor beans, they’re doing quite well."

So it seems that only the wheat she planted in her land is growing the worst.

"What do you think about it?" Xiqiu asked lightly, since he was so familiar with the details, he must have some ideas in mind.

Unexpectedly, Zou Bochang hesitated and said, "I did have some thoughts at the time, but now I think there are some difficulties. Madam Rong, please give me some more time to mull it over."

Mull it over? Xiqiu listened with a faint smile and didn’t respond immediately.

Zou Bochang’s eyes flickered, he glanced cautiously at Xiqiu, and continued, "I see that since the land on both sides are owned by big households, sandwiching this hundred acres of madam’s land, I’m afraid that it won’t be easy no matter what is planted." He spoke, and as if fearing Xiqiu wouldn’t understand, explained, "Madam may not know, this paddy field in winter, no matter what’s planted, when it’s harvested next year it will still be rice as the main crop. But after I inquired, I found that the manor hasn’t planted rice for several years because rice fields need water, which requires using waterwheels to bring water up, but the manor is surrounded by other fields. When renewing water, it has to pass through the neighboring fields. If the neighbor also grows rice, that’s fine, but if not, then if the rice dies of drought, there’s nothing but to sigh."

So it’s this complicated. Xiqiu really didn’t understand matters within the manor. It seems she needs to find some books to look into.

Xiqiu slightly nodded and didn’t ask Zou Bochang for any more of his ideas.

Zou Bochang was stunned, he thought madam would be somewhat alarmed. Before coming, he had planned this out; although the land is small and bordered by big households that can’t be offended, he did have another method.

If only madam asked again, he would express his thoughts, so that madam could let him manage this piece of land!

This place is close to the Capital and at the port of Tongzhou, and in his spare time he could do some business in Tongzhou for extra income, which is much better than staying in Baoding or going to Shandong.

Xiqiu saw that Zou Bochang didn’t speak again, so she turned to look at Zhu Sancheng.

Zhu Sancheng lowered his head and replied in a heavy voice, "I went to see the house in Yangpi Lane, madam. The house is sixty percent new, and the surrounding residents are mostly merchants, with many families renting. If rented out, a year’s rent would be sixty taels."

Xiqiu calculated, sixty taels in the Marquis Mansion could be gone just for two festivals. She needed to spend ninety-six taels annually for renting these accompanying houses. She carefully calculated the accounts and looked at Zhu Sancheng, asking, "And how is the business of the shop on West Street?"

"The business is not good. This year, due to heavy snow, several parts of the Canal froze, so tea from the south had to go by land, which delayed the journey. The business of the tea shop was also affected. Moreover, surrounding West Street are regular residents, yet the shop sells only fine tea, so it’s understandable that the business isn’t thriving," he replied.

It seems both of them have put quite a bit of thought into this.

The shop on West Street is rented out, and the previous tenant had already paid half a year’s rent, due to expire in February next year. The annual rent is one hundred eighty taels.

"I understand now, you’ve worked hard." She suddenly asked, "Before you came, were you all in the manor?"

Zou Bochang felt his eyes light up listening, and he replied, "I was originally helping with the shop in Baoding, and I can do accounting!" Xiqiu listened and nodded, the manner seems like someone from the store.

She then looked at Zhu Sancheng, who replied, "I was in the Baoding manor, doing some errands for the steward."

So he came from the same place as Zou Bochang.

He was doing errands, although it wasn’t obvious. Zhu Sancheng seemed quite honest, didn’t talk much, yet was doing errands for the steward.

Despite the fact that errand jobs are somewhat thankless, if one wants to do it well and garner the employer’s recognition, it’s not an easy task; it indeed requires some skills in speaking.

It seems, those accompanying rooms of hers aren’t simple people.

"You may go out first. When Jin Dairui returns from Shandong, you can all come to me together. It’s not a solution to just keep idling here, having a task to do will be better."

The two looked at each other, then bowed and exited.

After they left, Xiqiu asked Chunliu, "When they came last time, everyone from their families followed. I didn’t ask in detail. Later, go inquire who are in each room."

She took Chunliu to Fourth Master Xiao’s study, searching for a long time but didn’t find any books similar to "Heavenly Craft", nor any books related to agriculture. She sighed, turned to Chunliu and said, "Tomorrow, go back again to ask the Eldest Young Master if he has such books!"

With that, she left the study, sat down with a sullen face on the kang, thinking deeply. The manor in Tongzhou, with only a hundred acres, already has so much to deal with. What about the one in Shandong, would it also have similar issues? And that house, it’s still vacant and needs someone to look after it. But if it’s rented out and others find out it’s the Governor’s wife’s house, it could lead to criticism.

It’s better to let these households move into her house; it would save on rental fees, would also have people to manage the house, thus reducing expenses, reaping two benefits.

Moreover, these people brought along their families when they followed her to the Marquis Mansion. Their wives and children also need things to do. Now she is staying in the back courtyard, she can’t interfere with the matters at the front courtyard. How should these people be dealt with?!

She thought secretly, inevitably feeling a headache.

When Xiao Fourth Master returned in the evening, Xiqiu greeted him and helped him take off his outer coat, poured him a cup of water, and asked, "Fourth Master, did you go to Fifth Young Master’s side to see? Have they moved over?"

Xiao Fourth Master nodded and replied, "Mm. The stuff has been moved. The house was cleaned last night by the second sister-in-law." Xiqiu nodded, thinking how the Fifth Madam initially intended to use the Grand Dowager’s affection for Sheng to ask her to let them stay, yet she stole a chicken only to lose rice instead, with Sheng being left with the Grand Dowager.

Presumably, even after moving over, the two wouldn’t have a peaceful life.

Xiqiu didn’t speak, Xiao Fourth Master turned to look at her, seeing her looking unwell, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Xiqiu smiled and shook her head, "just some trivial matters in the mansion!" She didn’t intend to continue speaking, so Xiao Fourth Master turned his head and went to the study to call Ziyang to come and ask, "What did madam do today?"

Ziyang didn’t know Xiao Fourth Master’s intention, so he lowered his head and replied, "In the morning, accompanied the Grand Dowager to the rear garden, then after returning, met with the accompanying rooms, and then stayed a while in your study. The servant saw her seeming to look for some books... but came out empty-handed."

Xiao Fourth Master listened and furrowed his brows slightly, waved his hand to let Ziyang retreat, then turned around and called Tianyi over, "Go inquire about the situation of the manors accompanying the madam as dowry, and report back to me."