Chapter 245: Chapter 227, Pleasing Oneself_1
In the eighteenth year of the Yongxing era, the Yan Family had a very joyful New Year celebration.
Old Madam Yan was happy because the family was doing better and better, and her descendants were becoming more and more promising, even her daughter who had married far away in Beijing was now able to keep in regular correspondence.
Yan Zhigao was pleased that the grain seeds were successfully sown; once summer came and the harvest was high, as long as it alleviated the bandit problem in Fenxi, his promotion after finishing his term as Prefectural Governor would be all but certain.
Madam Li was glad because her eldest son was steadier and more responsible by the day, and in just a couple more years, he’d be able to discuss marriage and take a wife. Her second son was also becoming more diligent, and her daughter was a master at managing finances.
Not only was she good at making money for herself, but her own family and her maternal family also basked in her success.
The Li Family’s winery had been built and took advantage of the New Year’s holidays to sell a considerable quantity, earning back the initial investment in one go.
The Li Family naturally did not forget the Yan Family after earning money, sending over ten thousand taels of silver along with their New Year’s gifts.
The Yan Family’s foundations were also accumulating bit by bit.
The second household was happy too; they rejoiced because the greater the prosperity of the main household, the better off they would be too. The only downside was that Yan Wenjie was unable to join his three other brothers in attending Wangyue Academy.
The third household had always been the easiest to satisfy since they wanted very little. Yan Zhiqiang and the Wu Family watched as their eldest son Wentao grew more outstanding, the second son started school, and the youngest boy grew bigger by the day; their fields and manors were also increasing, leaving them nothing else to desire.
The younger generation was also very happy. During New Year, there were many banquets and they received invitations almost every day, hopping from one household to another, making new friends, and receiving gifts. How could they not be happy?
Daohua was naturally also happy, for nothing else but the fact that the ledger recording the earnings of the manors and shops was growing.
Wang Manman watched her own daughter sitting on the step, skillfully maneuvering the abacus with one hand and quickly flipping through the ledger with the other, her eyes crinkled into a smile, finding it both funny and delightful.
She used to not understand why the eldest legitimate daughter of the Yan Family, if in need of silver, hadn’t simply asked the madam—it would have been much easier than busying herself to earn it every day. It just seemed too tiring.
But ever since the last time, after the madam and Zhou Madam went out together to a temple to offer incense and on the way back, her lady took a fancy to some newly marketed hair ornaments, Wang Manman realized that her young lady was indeed very farsighted.
One set of the newly marketed hair ornaments cost several hundred taels of silver. At that time, Miss Zhou really liked one set, but unfortunately, she didn’t have any silver of her own and had to ask Zhou Madam for it.
Zhou Madam refused on the grounds that Miss Zhou already had too many pieces of jewelry at home.
Standing by, Wang Manman saw the disappointment and regret in Miss Zhou’s eyes, very clearly.
Her young lady, on the other hand, didn’t bother to ask the madam because she had her own silver. She simply bought the hair ornaments she liked and even bought a set each for the old madam and the madam.
Although the young lady often mentioned having her own money made her more confident, everyone listened but soon forgot about it. It was only after this incident that Wang Manman profoundly experienced it.
Even Miss Zhou, after leaving the jewelry shop, clung to her lady, saying she would open her own shop to earn silver too.
“Brother Xiaoliu hasn’t brought enough medicinal seeds; tell him to look around more in the big pharmacies. He doesn’t need to focus only on those precious herbs; it’s the common and ordinary ones that are in greatest demand.”
Once Daohua had finished accounting for the profits of the shops and manors, she pondered the planting of medicinal herbs that was to start right after the New Year.
Wang Manman: “Don’t worry, miss. I’ll go find Brother Xiaoliu in a bit and make sure he understands. By the way, miss, are we still going to the provincial governor’s mansion for the Lantern Festival?”
Daohua shook her head, “No need to go this year. Both my uncles are quite busy with their businesses, so let’s not disturb them.”
Wang Manman laughed, “The business of the uncle masters is indeed getting bigger and bigger. Sister Ping Tong told me they have started selling their wine outside the province.”
Daohua smiled, “It’s good that business is booming.” After all, she had taken control of three manors from the Li Family, and if they hadn’t earned money, she would have felt a bit embarrassed.
Wang Manman: “Uncle, you’re so impressive. How did you manage to sell the wine outside the province?”
Daohua didn’t respond.
In fact, the craft of wine making is not difficult, and it’s not that no other businesses sell wine. The reason the Li Family’s wine sells so well is because of the grapes.
The grapes now cultivated in the Li Family’s fields are all from the seeds nurtured in her space. Such grapes, whether in taste or the nutritional substances they contain, are much better than others.
Ordinary people might not feel a huge difference, but true connoisseurs and gourmets can definitely taste the uniqueness.
That’s the real reason why the Li Family’s wine sells so well.
Of course, to promote a good product, the exceptional abilities of the two uncles are indispensable too.
Additionally, the success of the Li Family in selling their wine smoothly without facing jealousy or suppression from other merchants is also thanks to their dear father.
In ancient times, to make money and to keep the earned silver, many conditions are needed: the right time, location, and people are all essential.
At this moment, Guyu and Lixia came in with a bamboo winnowing basket and placed it on the table.
Seeing this, Daohua immediately stood up and walked over.
Inside the winnowing basket were large, full sunflower seeds.
Wang Manman: “Miss, what are you going to do with these sunflower seeds?”
Daohua smiled: “You’ll find out later.”
…
During the New Year period, Daohua rarely went out. Apart from visiting the Zhou Family and two or three other families close to Madam Li, she didn’t visit anyone else and stayed home to cultivate medicinal plant seeds or practice musical scores.
Not long after the Lantern Festival, Yan Wenxiu’s three brothers returned to the Academy for their classes. As the weather began to warm up, Daohua would occasionally go out with Zhou Jingwan to ride horses.
She could now ride a horse at a gallop, but she was not yet skilled in jumping over obstacles.
“Daohua, by the beginning of March, the peach blossoms on Qiwu Mountain will be in full bloom. Miss Wang has sent an invitation for us to enjoy the peach blossoms together. Will you go?”
Zhou Jingwan could only trot on her horse and, trailing behind Daohua, she asked loudly.
Daohua slowed down her horse and turned around: “No, I won’t. My herb garden has started sowing, and I need to check on it often.”
Zhou Jingwan rode up: “You already have a tea garden, flower garden, vineyard, orchard, and grain farm; why did you start a herb garden now?”
Daohua: “Ah, what can I do when our family is poor? I must work hard to make money.”
Zhou Jingwan curled her lip: “You? Poor? You didn’t even blink before spending over a thousand silver to buy three sets of jewelry. My mother says you spend money even more extravagantly than she does.”
Daohua just shrugged with a smile.
What was she earning money for if not to please herself?
If she liked something and had the means to afford it, why wouldn’t she buy it?