Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 441: Fishing

“That’s right, let’s go!” Lian Ze laughed, “How can we not catch anything in such a big lake?” The brothers and sister ran away happily.

Ah Jian stood up and smiled, “I’ll go watch over them.”

Su Jing He glanced at Lian Fang Zhou, smiling: “Cousin Fang Zhou is really capable, she can even cook!”

“This young master doesn’t understand poor people like us!” Fang Qing said, giving her husband an angry look.
“If Fang Zhou couldn’t cook, what would her siblings eat before Third Aunt came to live with them?” Lian Fang Zhou and Third Aunt laughed.

“Yes,” Third Aunt sighed, eating a piece of roasted chicken thighs that were charred on the outside and tender on the inside, “Fang Zhou really did not have an easy time.
It was not enough that she had to take care of her three younger siblings but she also had to keep an eye on her eldest uncle and aunt!”

Su Jing He smiled at Fang Qing: “You two are indeed cousins!”

His wife laughed out loud.

Third Aunt didn’t understand what Su Jing He meant but Lian Fang Zhou understood.
Fang Qing had told her a lot about her family.
She smiled and said: “Yes, how did we live in the past, cousin-in-law? Maybe you can imagine it, it’s human nature to want to survive! Hehe, but why talk about it now? Those days will never happen again.”

“That’s what I think too, those things are in the past!” Fang Qing agreed.
She and Lian Fang Zhou looked at each other and smiled.

Laughing, Lian Fang Zhou continued: “Since Third Aunt has come to our house, I have stopped cooking.
I don’t know if my skills have become rusty.”

Su Jing He nodded: “That’s what I think, cousin, you should take this opportunity to practice, don’t be stingy today!”

She smiled at him: “It depends on whether they can catch any fish!”

“Don’t worry, they will.” Su Jing He got up, “And if they can’t, it will be fine.
I will go over there too and take a look!” After speaking he quickly walked away.

Fang Qing smiled at Lian Fang Zhou and said: “In order to keep the guests from overfishing, you have no idea how many freshwater fish, prawns, and snails we’ve released into the lake! Not only did we put in large quantities, we also bought a wide range of animals.
Basically, we added every aquatic species that can be found in this area.
We even put in three hundred turtles!” She paused meaningfully.
“So you definitely won’t be able to escape tonight!”

Her cousin laughed.
Standing up, she thought about it and smiled: “Well, as long as you don’t dislike it.
Why don’t we go to the kitchen at the mansion? It’s very big and convenient, which saves us the trouble of preparing it here.”

Fang Qing naturally agreed.

There were not many people at the guest rooms on normal days, so naturally their kitchen was not as well stocked.  “Let’s go have a cup of tea?” She asked Lian Fang Zhou.

Lian Fang Zhou nodded, knowing she had something she wanted to say in private.

Fang Qing instructed the maids: “Take good care of Third Aunt, don’t neglect her!”

On the other side, Lian Fang Zhou smiled at Third Aunt and said: “Eat slowly and rest when you are tired, go for a walk if you want but be sure to take someone with you.
I’m going to have tea with my cousin.”

Third Aunt smiled: “You guys are busy with business, I can entertain myself!”

It happened that she wanted to talk to the steward’s sister-in-law to find out how she had marinated the barbequed meat.
She had made the same dish twice at home but it was not as delicious…

Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Qian walked some distance and sat down at a small tea table.
A maid stepped forward to pour the tea and place a few delicate pastries down before lightly stepping back.

The two drank half a cup of tea and chatted for an hour before Fang Qing suddenly smiled and said: “Last month’s profit have been divided, your share is more than 8,000 taels.
You should take it with you when you go back.
There is also the ledger, you can take a look when you stop by.”

Originally, they had agreed that Lian Fang Zhou would look at the ledger ever six months to stay informed but Fang Qing felt that this was a good opportunity, since she was already here.

Lian Fang Zhou looked bitter: “Good cousin, are you trying to hurt me? I’m here to relax, I don’t want to see such troublesome things! Let’s just follow what I said before.
As for my profits, I will take them away this time.
I want to open an account in a big, reputable bank in Shuangliu county.
I will ask my cousin to send someone to deposit it for me in the future.
I don’t need to oversee things personally, it’s trustworthy.”

Fang Qing couldn’t help but laugh: “Listen to you! Many people say that the eldest Miss Lian can speak well and it’s true! Your words are really good, it sounds like you are very generous but in fact you are a hands-off shopkeeper, pushing all the troubles to me!”

Fang Qing pretended to be annoyed and complained about being wronged but in her heart, she really admired her cousin.

After all, many things in this world required money and this was not a small amount.
There were few people who could be so relaxed and calm.

Lian Fang Zhou grinned at her when she heard these words: “Capable people get the most work.
Good cousin loves me! You have a lot of capable people, it’s just a matter of directing them.
I will always remember your affection and be grateful to you.”

Fang Qing sneered playfully: “It’s really pitiful, I can’t refuse you! If you find the money is short, don’t come to me! Even if you find me, I won’t admit it!”

“Definitely not!” Lian Fang Zhou laughed, “It will definitely not be short.
My cousin is the richest woman, how can you not know how much money I have?”

“Who said I won’t know?” Fang Qing teased, “Maybe I just like it! You are now so wealthy, you won’t miss a few taels!” The two laughed together.

It was true that not only did Lian Fang Zhou make a huge sum of money but the Su family had also made a lot of money.

“Oh, by the way.” Lian Fang Zhou asked, “Has cousin decided how much cotton seeds you want? I want to set aside some for cousin.
Otherwise, I’m afraid they will be all sold in a few days.”

Fang Qing glanced at her and nodded: “This year, the cotton fields of your family grew very well.
I’m afraid that everyone will want to ask for your seeds.
If the rich and powerful families ask, it will be difficult to refuse and you will have to give them face.
These people cannot be offended and I worry you will be embarrassed if it comes to that.
I discussed this with my father-in-law and we are not greedy, we only need enough for a thousand acres.
The Cui family would also like a thousand acres and there are a few families we are on good terms with who have asked about this.
Then there are your own fields, I am a little worried there will not be enough.”

In fact, the cotton business of the Su family had two or three families involved.
It was not that the Su family could not afford the capital, but they couldn’t take all the benefits for themselves.
It was important to share with others.

Moreover, the cloth sellers who sold the quality cotton quilts that they made were also good acquaintances.
The decision on where they would sell the quilts and how high the price would be, actually didn’t have much to do with the Su family.