The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

There are many families living in Changshui Lane. Except for the eldest sister-in-law of the Chen family whose family is not well off because her husband died early, the rest of the families are relatively well-off.

Since Xia Mianwan was planning to open a shop, he took out several pieces of acceptable fabric from the general's mansion's warehouse and went to the clothing shop to have a few very beautiful spring shirts made for him.

Xia Mianwan wants to do women's business. If she doesn't dress well, how can she be convincing?

When she went to get her clothes, Xia Mianwan specially put on the glass bracelets she had made in the past two days and the headdress that was part of her dowry.

These jewelry of Xia Mianwan are very beautiful. Although they are not very outstanding in the eyes of dignitaries, they are already the best in the eyes of ordinary wealthy people.

As expected, the young lady who went to look at the clothes was very curious about Xia Mianwan's jewelry. She couldn't help but step forward to ask what the bracelet was and why it was so beautiful.

Xia Mianwan explained it to everyone one by one. It is a Western thing called a glass bracelet.

There were also girls who thought Xia Mianwan’s hair accessories were pretty. Xia Mianwan just smiled and didn’t say much.

……

The people in Changshui Lane saw that there were often people coming in and out of Xia Mianwan's shop these past two days, so they asked curiously, "There have been people coming in and out of your shop these past two days. Are you going to open the shop or rent it out?"

Xia Mianwan lifted her skirt and smiled, "It is indeed time to open a shop."

"What kind of shop do you want to open?" asked Mrs. Xu, who lived across the street from Xia Mianwan's house.

"It specializes in selling women's items, such as jewelry, hair accessories, rouge and powder, etc."

Xia Mianwan has moved to Changshui Lane for more than a month. Although she doesn't interact with people very often, she has good relationships with them. Lady Zhang, who lives at the entrance of the lane, doesn't get along with Xia Mianwan.

Zhang's family was relatively well-off, and when she married, she had twelve loads of dowry, which was very impressive. Because of her husband's favor and her family's support, her family lived a good life, and she could buy jewelry and hair accessories from time to time, which often aroused the envy of the women in the alley.

However, after Xia Mianwan moved in, the object of envy became Xia Mianwan.

Although Xia Mianwan had no husband and had two children, her family looked very well-off. She could buy anything for 800 taels of silver, and her clothes were very exquisite, not to mention that she wore the most beautiful bracelets on her hands.

In the past two days, she has been wearing a ruby ​​and gold hairpin, which really made Madam Zhang furious.

So, when Mrs. Zhang heard that Xia Mianwan was going to open a shop, she said sarcastically, "Please don't let it go bankrupt, or we will be laughed at."

Xia Mianwan was not angry, she smiled and said, "Don't worry about it, Madam Zhang. From now on, I will not sell anything in my house to you. As for others, since they are our neighbors in Changshui Lane, I will give them a 10% discount."

"You!" Madam Zhang didn't expect Xia Mian to say that in the evening, and she was very angry.

The other women were very happy. One percent was not a small amount. Who could resist money?

Xia Mianwan was talking to everyone when she saw Chen Susu coming back in a hurry. She looked like she had something to say to Xia Mianwan.

Xia Mianwan greeted the other women and walked in. "Susu, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Chen Susu wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Sister Xia, when I went to sell them, someone was very surprised to see these potato chips and kept asking me who made them. I said I would come back and ask you first, and the student said he was from the north."

Xia Mianwan knew it was Zhou Chengze, so he asked Chen Susu, "Where is that student?"

"I'm waiting for news in a private house near Bailu Academy." Chen Susu said.

"Then you can help me make another trip and bring him home."

"Okay!" Chen Susu responded and ran out again.

Since it was a meeting between old friends, it would not be nice without a table of delicious food. However, it was a bit late to prepare now, so Xia Mianwan went to the small restaurant next door and ordered a table of food to be delivered to her home.

In just a quarter of an hour, Chen Susu came over with Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu.

Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu shouted in surprise: "Sister Xia, it's really you!"

Xia Mianwan brought them into the main room and said with a smile, "It's me. Long time no see!"

Xia Mianwan asked Mrs. Chen to take Chen Ge'er and Yu Jie'er to Chen's house for dinner, and she sat down to eat with Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu.

The three of them chatted for a while, and Xia Mianwan knew the situation of Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu.

Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu have now rented a house in a farm in the suburbs. Zhou Chengze has not yet started school, but when he does, he plans to go out early every day.

The houses near Bailu Academy were too expensive. Most of the money they had was spent on the journey, not to mention that there were so many children at home who needed to be fed and watered.

Xiaowu and a few older kids planned to go to the dock after a while to see if there was any work they could do and just get through the present.

Xia Mianwan felt that Zhou Chengze and Xiaowu were very capable. It was amazing that two half-grown children could bring so many children from the north to Yanzhou.

"Brother Zhou, did your mother come with you?" Xia Mianwan asked.

"My mother is here too. She didn't plan to come here originally, but she was short of money. So she made up her mind and sold the house when the house prices in Heqiao Town were high. That's how we were able to come to Yanzhou smoothly."