Chapter 94: Chapter 81, Private Property_i
After the feast, the Yan Family’s life in Xingzhou gradually got onto the right track.
Yan Wenxiu’s boys were arranged by Yan Zhigao to attend the State School; Daohua and her sisters, unable to find a teacher yet, were only able to review their previous books at home for the time being.
One day, after Daohua had practiced writing characters for a good half-hour, she was about to take out her embroidery frame to practice needlework when she saw Ping Xiao enter the courtyard with a smile.
Eldest miss, the madam is looking for you!”
Daohua quickly set down the embroidery frame and asked with a puzzled look, “Why is mother looking for me at this time?”
Ping Xiao said with a smile, “It’s good news. I heard that Young Master Yan Zhiqiang has taken a liking to some properties, and now he’s discussing it with the Old Madam and madam.”
Upon hearing this, Daohua immediately became interested and hurried towards Songhe Courtyard.
Songhe Courtyard.
Yan Zhiqiang handed two land deeds to the Yan Family’s Old Madam, then said, “Following the instructions of my eldest sister-in-law, I have purchased a large estate and a small one, both of which are quite close to each other.” “The large estate covers five hundred acres, of which three hundred are paddy fields and two hundred are dry fields, with twenty-one tenant farmer households.”
The small estate covers two hundred acres, with a hundred acres each of paddy and dry fields, plus a deserted mountain, and there are ten tenant farmer households.”
After carefully examining the land deeds, the Yan Family’s Old Madam passed them to the Madam Li next to her, “Eldest daughter-in-law, keep these deeds safe.”
Seeing that the Old Madam gave them without any reluctance, Madam Li accepted the deeds with a smile and looked towards Yan Zhiqiang, “Did you manage to plant crops on both estates this spring?”
Yan Zhiqiang nodded, “They’re all planted. I carefully observed, and the tenant farmers at both estates are not the cheating type; they care about the fields and cultivate them attentively.”
Madam Li: “That’s good to hear; I was worried that the newly acquired estates could miss the spring planting. From now on, we’ll have to trouble my third brother-in-law to keep a closer watch over the two estates.”
At that moment, Daohua’s voice could be heard coming in.
“Grandmother, mother, have the estates been purchased?”
The people in the room couldn’t help but smile at the sound of her voice.
The Yan Family’s Old Madam looked at Daohua, who had stepped into the room briskly, with an amused look, “Look how anxious you are, girl. Didn’t I say if I promised to buy it for you, I would? Could it be that you missed out?”
With a giggling voice, Daohua said, “Isn’t granddaugter just trying to grow delicious things for grandmother?”
The Yan Family’s Old Madam looked toward Madam Li and Yan Zhiqiang with a smile, “Listen to this child, she clearly wants the estates for herself, yet she insists it’s for me; I’ve become her shield.”
Seeing Madam Li holding the two land deeds, Daohua immediately approached her.
Madam Li, finding her eagerness quite amusing, said, “I’ve never seen anyone as obsessed with wealth as you.” She then handed over the land deeds to Daohua.
Daohua carefully took the deeds and then sat down next to the Old Madam, scrutinizing them several times. She then handed back the deed for the large estate to Madam Li while holding onto the one for the small estate.
Seeing this, Madam Li couldn’t help but laugh, “You little girl, are you afraid your mother will take it away from you? Come on, give the deed to mother, and I will keep it safe for you as part of your dowry in the future.”
Daohua, holding the deed, shook her head repeatedly, “No, I want to hold onto it myself.” When you keep your possessions with you, that’s when you feel secure.
Madam Li: “You are still young. What if you lose the deed? Rest assured, your mother is not coveting it.”
Daohua continued to shake her head, “I will not lose it.”
Madam Li wanted to say more, but then the Old Madam spoke up, “Let Daohua hold onto it herself. I don’t know whom this child takes after; she has always known how to guard her belongings since she was young.”
Daohua, as a matter of course, said, “One must surely take care of one’s own possessions.” After speaking, she turned her eager gaze to Madam Li, “Mother, I would like to visit the manor. Isn’t there a barren hill? I’ll go and see if something can be planted there, so it doesn’t lay idle and go to waste.”
Madam Li looked at Old Madam Yan, seeking her opinion.
Old Madam Yan thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “The weather is just right now; I’d like to go out for a walk myself.”
Daohua immediately said, “Why wait for another day when today is just as good? Let’s go tomorrow!”
Old Madam Yan gave Daohua a look and laughed, “You’re so impatient, I knew you couldn’t sit still. Very well, tomorrow it is.”
Madam Li said, “Mother, tomorrow your daughter-in-law has an appointment with the matchmaker to discuss hiring servants.”
Old Madam Yan didn’t seem to care much, “You attend to your business, and Daohua and I will go to the manor. It’s not that far away.” Seeing Madam Li looking somewhat worried, she pointed at Yan Zhiqiang and said, “With Zhiqiang here, what is there for you to worry about?”
Seeing this, Madam Li said no more.
That day, everyone in the Yan Family knew that they had acquired a new manor, and also knew that Daohua alone had been given a small manor.
The second branch.
Yan Yile curled her lips and said, “Grandmother is so biased. She claims that the silver used to buy the manor was all sister’s own, but sister is only one or two years older than us. How could she possibly have saved up so much silver?
It must be Grandmother using her own private funds to help her buy it.”
Yan Zhiyuan and the Sun Family also found it hard to believe that a 9-year-old Daohua could have saved up thousands of silver taels, but this was not something they could openly question.
After all, Daohua was raised by Old Madam Yan’s side all along, and even if the silver was provided by Old Madam, they had no grounds for objection.
Yan Wenjie also looked displeased and muttered, “Other old ladies think of ways to save money for their grandchildren. Why is ours only intent on providing for her granddaughter who will eventually marry out?”
Hearing the complaint in Yan Wenjie’s tone, Yan Zhiyuan immediately frowned, “Shut up! Is Old Madam someone you, a junior, can criticize? Have you been reading books into your belly all these years?”
Madam Sun, seeing Yan Zhiyuan angry, quickly patted Yan Wenjie’s shoulder, “You, with your unruly mouth, dare to say anything. Old Madam is the ancestor of our family. Whatever she wants to do, let alone you, even your father has no right to say no. If I ever hear you talk nonsense again, I’ll give you a good beating.”
Yan Wenjie, acutely aware of his parents’ anger, quickly apologized, “Father, Mother, it was my fault. I was just resentful upon hearing that our elder sister, a young lady, has her own private property while I, a grandson, have nothing. ’ This led me to speak out of turn. Please don’t be angry.”
Yan Zhiyuan glared at his son, still visibly displeased, “Old Madam is your grandmother; all you should have in your heart is respect and reverence for her.” With that said, he walked out of the room with his hands behind his back.
Madam Sun looked at her three daughters who were scared by their father’s outburst and sighed, “Old Madam had a hard time raising your father and his brothers. You can’t disrespect her any more in the future.”
The three Yan Wenjie siblings silently nodded in agreement.
The third branch was calm and quiet.
They knew exactly how much silver Daohua had earned; it was certainly more than was needed to buy the manor, and nobody could object to her using it to buy one.
Shuangxin Courtyard.
Yan Yishuang said enviously, “Our elder sister is truly fortunate. Not only does she have a wealthy maternal family providing her with jade bracelets and brocade at times, but even our family’s Grandmother is supplementing her wealth. To have her own manor at just 9 years old!”
Upon hearing this, Aunt Lin felt extremely bitter.
Her daughter was not inferior to anyone else, yet she was treated so differently at home compared to the eldest maid. Both being the master’s daughters, why did the eldest maid get everything she wanted while her own daughter had nothing?
Watching her daughter’s subdued expression, Aunt Lin felt indignant and immediately called for a maid, intending to send her to the front yard to find Yan Zhigao. But then she thought about how busy Zhigao had been recently and worried that he might not be in the mood to listen to these concerns; after some consideration, she let the maid leave helplessly.
Never mind. She would wait a while longer, until her husband established his position at the Prefectural Governor’s Office, and then she would plan slowly for her children..