The happy little days of the Ye family

Mr. Ye, who had been silent all this time, said: "My father's savings are increasing, and it is not safe to keep them at home. Your mother and I have discussed it and want to buy some more property for the family."

"The public now has a total of 186 taels of silver. In addition, the eight big fat pigs at home will be ready for slaughter in half a month. If they are made into bacon and sold, they can earn more than 8 taels of silver."

"The family has 186 taels, leaving 30 taels of silver untouched, and the remaining 156 taels can be used to purchase a family property."

Mr. Ye talked about buying a family property, and Father Ye actually had this plan.

The braised pork stall and Ye Donglin's grocery stall earn several hundred cash every day. It is really not safe to keep too much money at home. It is better to buy a family business.

Ye's mother has a gentle temperament and is more stable than Ye's father. Ye's mother has always felt that the family's land is too little, but she has not found anyone to sell the land.

Seeing that Father Ye and Mother Ye had no objection, Mr. Ye continued: "In fact, it would be best to buy some good paddy fields,"

"My family only has 3 acres of paddy fields and 2 acres of dry land. When Donglin and Xilin get married in the future, the food at home won't be enough."

Although there are 15 acres of sloping land in Xiaohou Mountain, the sloping land can only be used to grow corn or sweet potatoes. People in the family still like to eat rice, so Mr. Ye wants paddy fields.

Mr. Ye only has one son, Father Ye, and all the family property will be left to him in the future. However, Father Ye has two sons. If the brothers separate in the future, this little land will not be enough to divide the family.

Mr. Ye and Mrs. Ye are thinking long-term, and while they have money now, they want to arrange the future of their two grandchildren.

"Actually, since last year, I have asked the village chief to pay attention to whether there is anyone selling paddy fields in the village, but unfortunately no one has been selling. I discussed it with your mother, and now there are three options."

"The first option is to use the more than 100 taels to buy a better shop in the town for rent. The income will be guaranteed during droughts and floods. At least you can get a rent every month, and it will save trouble."

"The second option is to buy dozens of acres of wasteland like Shanzi to open up wasteland, preferably near a water source so that paddy fields can be developed."

"The price of wasteland is cheap, but it costs a lot of money to open up wasteland. Moreover, the yield of newly opened fields is low, and it will take several years to cultivate them."

"The third option is to combine the first two. Buy a small shop for less than 100 taels to collect rent, and use the remaining money to buy a smaller piece of wasteland, and we will slowly open up the wasteland ourselves."

Old Mrs. Ye: "This is what the old man and I thought about. If you two have other better ideas, you can share them and discuss them together."

Mr. Ye and Mrs. Ye are not arbitrary people. They discuss everything at home together.

Ye Mu thought of the Tang family's house near the academy.

"Brother Shan and his family can get a rent of eight taels of silver a year because their house is next to the academy. This is enough to cover the family's expenses for a year."

"There is also an academy in the town. In fact, you can buy a smaller house for rent near the academy."

Mr. Ye thought it would be a good idea to buy a house near the academy. If, with the blessing of his ancestors, a gifted scholar would appear in the family in the future, this house would be useful.

Even if they can't use it at home, they can rent it out to collect rent, but I don't know if their family can afford the house in the academy.

Father Ye also said: "Most of the adult men in the county have gone to do corvee labor in the past two months, and the shops in the town are deserted."

"I guess there are some shops that can't survive. I can take the opportunity at the end of the year to see if there are any suitable shops."

Mr. Ye thinks that not only in the town, but also in the county, there will be many shops that will change hands at the end of the year. However, the shops in the county are not something that his family can afford, while the shops in the town are quite good.

Mr. Ye: "Feng Harvest, you have to pass through the town every day when you go to the county."

"When I come back every day, I stop by the town and ask if there are any suitable shops or houses near the academy. Anything within 150 taels of silver is fine."

"I'm also looking around the village to see if there is any flat wasteland suitable for land reclamation, preferably one that can be used to develop paddy fields."

Old Mrs. Ye: "Let's investigate first and then make a decision. Don't make a decision in a hurry."

Father Ye whispered a few words into Mother Ye's ear, and Mother Ye nodded.

Father Ye: "Dad, Xiuxiu and I have saved a lot of money over the years. We have set aside money for the marriage of several children. I can use 80 taels of silver to buy a family business together."

Mr. Ye nodded with satisfaction, "This will give you 236 taels to buy a family property."

"Then we can choose the third option, buy a shop in the town or a house near the academy to collect rent, and buy a larger piece of wasteland to slowly open up the wasteland."

Mr. Ye wanted to find a valley like the Tang family's valley, with a river or stream nearby.

It is best to open about 50 acres of paddy fields. In the future, each of the two grandsons will get 20 acres, and the remaining 10 acres will be given to the granddaughter as a dowry.

Ye Qingqing is only 13 years old, and there are still 18 years before he gets married at 5. These 5 years are enough time to cultivate these fields.

Most of the family property belongs to Ye Donglin and Ye Xilin. Ye Qingqing is at a disadvantage in this regard. Mr. Ye plans to give Ye Qingqing more dowry money as compensation when she gets married.

Several people were talking about land reclamation. Mr. Ye suddenly remembered that the Tang family's valley had not yet begun land reclamation.

Mr. Ye was a little anxious, "I'm going to talk to Shanzi and Jingxiaozi tonight. The valley is going to open up wasteland immediately, otherwise it will be too late for spring plowing next year."

Father Ye: "Dad, now all the young and middle-aged people in the village have gone to work as corvees, and we can't hire anyone to open up wasteland."

Mr. Ye: "There are no young and middle-aged people anymore. Aren't there still women and half-grown boys? It's okay if the wages are lower."

During dinner in the evening, Mr. Ye talked to Tangshan and Xiao Jing about the land reclamation in the valley.

"We need to open up wasteland quickly in the valley. Although we won't plant until next year, we need to clear this land quickly, otherwise we won't be able to catch up with next year's spring plowing."

Tangshan said with a grimace: "Uncle Ye, all the strong labor force in the village have gone to work as corvees, and we can't hire anyone to open up wasteland. It's up to us, father and son, to open up wasteland until the Year of the Monkey and the Horse."

Tangshan was originally preparing to open up wasteland after the autumn harvest. However, it encountered corvee labor. The young and middle-aged people in the village were not around, so no one could be hired to open up wasteland.

Tang Xiaojing, on the other hand, was purely busy picking the herbs that shopkeeper Wang mentioned, and didn't even think of opening up wasteland.

Mr. Ye was a little anxious, "Your valley has more than 50 acres. If you open up wasteland after the year, it will definitely be too late."

"Although the adult men in the village have gone to do corvee labor, aren't there still women and half-grown boys in the village? Don't underestimate them, they can all do it."

"Especially those half-year-old boys who are full of energy and strength. If you offer a lower wage, there will definitely be a lot of people rushing over to help open up wasteland."

Tangshan thought to himself, this is also a solution. The autumn harvest has ended, and the women and boys in the village are idle.

Tangshan humbly asked Mr. Ye for advice, "Uncle Ye, how much do you think we should pay for this salary? Do we need to provide meals at noon?"

Mr. Ye thought for a moment and then said: "Women and these half-grown boys are weak and not as capable as adult men. They can be paid 15 cents a day."

After thinking for a while, he reminded: "In addition, we can provide a lunch. Make the lunch more substantial. Only when you are full can you have the strength to work."