Femme Beauty

After she left, the wife of the third room left the eldest daughter-in-law in the house: "What do you think of this daughter of the Wang family?"

"He is a smart person, but he looks different from our side." Xue thought for a while and said, "I can see that the circle of wives in Beijing is probably not the same as our side. It's not the same. She gets out of the car and walks, no matter how you look at the end of talking and doing things, she is not the kind who doesn't stay out of the house."

"That's true in Beijing." Mrs. Sanfang nodded, "Before they came, I asked people to inquire about it in many ways. I just heard that Miss Wang's family was very powerful before she got married. I originally thought that I would Wen Yue said that it would be impossible to make the same as in the past. Look at it recently, wait for this imperial examination to pass and choose a young junior, at most it will be enough to accompany some dowry. But this time, if Ju’er can pass the exam, I’m afraid they will need their family Help is."

"I know my wife doesn't want my husband to continue to do business, but I'm afraid I've offended you with what happened last night. It would be good if the brothers of the Jia family didn't say anything. I'm afraid that they will go back. I think this woman's words are true. I can hear something. At the moment, I am afraid that their family is also relying on the Wang family." Xue thought of the troubles caused by her mother-in-law's niece last night, so she took off her veil.But she can't offend her mother-in-law in this kind of thing, after all, she still depends on her mother-in-law for survival.

Wang Xifeng was sitting in the carriage, but she didn't have to accompany Jia Lian.It's just that she doesn't have much time in Jinling right now, and she doesn't have time to waste chatting with girls.After all, compared with those headed wives in the capital, the wives in the south are very different after all.

They have the same generous dowry as in the north, but the actual managers of the property in their dowry are not themselves, but their husbands.Many wives in the south manage some internal affairs at home.As for the things outside, I don't have much contact with them.Family affairs are not rumored to the outside world, and it is probably the case that the internal and external affairs are ignored.But the ladies in the north are different, they are more independent.Because most of the husbands want to make a living among the rich and powerful, and they have to rely on them for most things in the family.In addition, there are many military ranches in the north, so women have greater control over the family.

Wang Xifeng doesn't like those things in the south. In fact, she has already seen the prototypes of the three obediences and four virtues and the foot wraps from above.It's just that only Yangzhou skinny horses have their feet bound, but it's not guaranteed that this custom will not spread to the backyard wives and daughters of the scholar-bureaucrat class in a few decades.

"Grandma, where are you going next?" The second master said yesterday that he would go out to meet Enke's mentor.Only a few women were at home at noon, and she thought it was not bad to have food at the third room.It's just that my grandma refused, and I'm afraid that the kitchen will not be able to make good products quickly when I go back in time for the sun.

"Find a nice restaurant and ask for a private room. Today... we'll go to the restaurant." Wang Xifeng was lying on the thick mattress, and the driver outside was her own dowry.His surname is Zhao, and he is an honest man.

Qiu Ju opened the curtain and said to the driver outside: "Zhao Bashi, grandma said that I'm going to the restaurant today, do you think the food in Jinling City is good?"

"Speaking of which, grandma may have never eaten old Jinling's local dishes, but I have a good recommendation. I came here with my wife in the early years, but my sister hadn't come out at that time." Zhao Bashi said Back then, Wang Xifeng's mother's dowry was considered an inheritance after following her.

"Then you just go, Grandma, I will also give you a table in the hall today." There were many people following Wang Xifeng today, and there were three cars for women and maids.

The place recommended by Zhao Bashi is near the Confucius Temple.Everywhere, there are many scholars in Juzi, and after a long time, it has evolved into a commercial street dominated by schools.Among them, the most famous No. [-] Scholar Banquet is also from an old shop on this street.

Wang Xifeng got out of the car wearing a gauze hat, and entered the shop holding Qiu Ju's hand.Zhao Bashi smiled and told the shopkeeper that he asked for a private room at Tianzi on the second floor and led Wang Xifeng up.Another table was opened in the downstairs compartment, specially for the girls and women who followed.It was meal time at this time, and there were quite a lot of people in the hall, all of them were scholars and merchants who were studying nearby.They watched the big girl's grandma's ostentation, and started whispering after Wang Xifeng went upstairs.After all, looking at each of the girls and women, they are all raised like the wives and girls of the small family. The ones hidden under the gauze hat must not be mortals.

Sitting in the private room, looking at the street scene outside the railing.Wang Xifeng asked Qiu Ju to take off her shoes and lay on her side on the step.The shop here is not bad, but when the boy was serving the food, Wang Xifeng sharp-eyed saw the young man tearing up the bar not far away.His round face and arrogant behavior made people very unhappy.But Wang Xifeng recognized that it was her aunt's good son, Xue Pan, the uncle of the Xue family.She calculated that before Uncle Xue passed away, this man would already be so arrogant.She gave the woman beside her a look: "Go, bring me that useless one. If you ask, just say I called him."

"Hey!" The mother-in-law knew who the other party was talking about, but she didn't understand what her grandma was doing.He was just a young man, he looked only twelve or thirteen years old.At this moment, people were making a lot of noise below, and people appeared on many surrounding fences to watch the excitement.

She went down in a hurry, at this moment Xue Pan was arguing with each other with his hips akimbo.The mother-in-law had the demeanor of a housekeeper in the capital, and she coughed with a cold face, which made both parties stop.She walked up to Xue Pan's ear: "Our grandma is the young mistress of the Rongguo Mansion in the capital city, and the niece of Wang Ziteng's successor. Our grandma invites the young master to go upstairs to explain."

What she said was polite, but Xue Pan sounded fresh.He knew that his family had so many relatives, and he also knew that what his mother was most proud of was having a brother who had a good face in front of the emperor.That was also his uncle. He wiped his nose with his fingers and said to the young man opposite, "Master, I have something to do here now, so I won't talk to you anymore. Let me tell you, my uncle is a celebrity. Be careful!" Pointing to the angry young man with gestures, he led the servant and followed the mother-in-law towards the restaurant.

"My cousin is up there?" Xue Pan was very happy to hear that he could see his cousin's relatives.Cheerful and loud, he asked the woman who accompanied and led the way.

"Grandma is up there!" The mother-in-law looked at Xue Pan who was stupid and honest but with a foolish look, and felt very awkward.No matter how you look at it, it doesn't look like the kind of Xue's family who are used to being shrewd.

Walking into the private room, the mother-in-law went in first to inquire.Wang Xifeng was wearing shoes at this time, and was sitting at the dining table holding chopsticks.She glanced at it and said, "Why don't you invite my cousin in?"

The servant girl moved out of the way and blocked the servants outside to let Xue Pan in.A boy under twelve or thirteen who has just reached the total role, with a sense of stupidity in his honesty.When he saw the girl in red who looked like a fairy concubine, he was immediately dumbfounded on the spot.

"What are you looking at?" Wang Xifeng gave him a sidelong glance: "Just now my cousin was outside, so imposing. It seems that my uncle can catch up with the emperor's law?"

At this time, Xue Pan was only relying on his mother's favor at home, and he was a little more unruly because his father was strict.Hearing that sharp accusation, he immediately lost his breath, and had to apologize: "Sister, what did you say, I just got angry and said a few more words." He secretly looked up at Wang Xifeng, and suddenly breathed out again.This elder sister whom I just met is probably a bit stronger than my father.Listening to the speech, my heart trembled.

"You have two more sentences today, and two more sentences tomorrow. This Jinling is far away from the capital, but it is the place with the most cases. At some point, that case was awarded Jinshi, and his uncle's book was enlisted in the court. You kid had a moment of fun, but you have thought about other things." Wang Xifeng looked at him, and immediately became very angry.If it hadn't been for this fool doing stupid things back then, the uncle would not have been transferred away from the emperor's side and ended up dying of illness.She was thinking about going to visit her aunt in the next two days. This aunt is always a no-brainer.No matter what, I have to write a letter to my uncle and explain it clearly.

After thinking clearly, she put down her chopsticks and raised her chin: "Have you eaten at noon?"

"Not yet!" Xue Pan lowered his head and carefully sat opposite Wang Xifeng.The girl put on the chopsticks, and when he looked at the table full of good food and wine, he suddenly felt greedy.

"Let's use it together! I was going to your house today, but I entrusted you with the banquet at your brother-in-law's old man's house two days ago. Since I saw you, please help me send a message to my aunt, saying that I will come to visit tomorrow !"

Xue Pan, who picked up the chopsticks and was about to use them, looked at Wang Xifeng and was suddenly surprised: "Sister, is this coming to my house tomorrow?"

"Since I'm in Jinling, I'm going to go to old relatives. Besides, your family is my serious relative. My aunt is related to me by blood. Why don't you go?" Wang Xifeng gave him a look. He was full of anger at the first glance. If it wasn't for this idiot who foolishly gave Jia Zhen the nanmu coffin, where did the things behind come from.Let the granddaughter use the coffin of the grandfather, which is not in accordance with the etiquette.He was generous, but it was his conscientious uncle who got the worst result.

"That's good, brother-in-law is going to come tomorrow?" Xue Pan's thoughts turned quickly, and the rainy rain just now gave some sweet dates, and it will turn sunny.What he was thinking about right now was the cousin-in-law of the Jia family.A brother-in-law who is worthy of such a fairy concubine is probably not an ordinary person.He must be handsome. He had heard from his mother that he was here to take the imperial examination.He can't read well, and he can't remember those troubles.Therefore, he especially respected those who could study and take the imperial examination.

After lunch, Wang Xifeng told Xue Pan to be careful not to cause trouble for his uncle and got into the carriage.She was going to visit Zhuangzi, which was the closest to the city, and took a rest on the way.

Zhuangzi is a high-quality rice field. She followed Zhuangtou and the village head to take a closer look.At present, life in Zhuangzi is good, and there is no phenomenon of oppression.This is also due to the fact that the stewards of the Wang family come here every year, but looking at the small fields in front of him, Wang Xifeng has a bad expression.She thought of intensive large-scale cultivation, which is the best field at this time.There is no need to waste land on ridges.Neat planning and doing together is serious.But if you tell the tenants to do this, I'm afraid it will cause some bad things.

She pointed to the narrow and narrow field ridges on one side: "Why didn't the other side join together with the one next to it?"

"Back to the master, there are extra cultivations over there, mainly for growing vegetables. Some people used to have more children, so they changed it into a field." Zhuangtou looked at the cultivation. drumming.In fact, these more reclaimed land can be regarded as other people's land.But these years, thinking of the old and young in the village, he did not accept this rent.

Wang Xifeng stood on the road, looking at the fields that were ready for spring plowing, and sat down to make plans.The village chief seemed to be an honest and honest man, and he was also an old man who followed the Wang family.As she walked slowly, she asked, "Tell me, how many people are needed for this square field? How much strength?"

"Liufangtian requires the strength of an ox. Basically, when plowing a square field in spring, at least three people, preferably five people." They didn't say mu, and the rice fields at this time are one mu of land.If some farmers do not have the capital to manage Dafang, they will divide one Dafang into ten shares, which will become sub-fields.However, most of the farmers, especially the old farmers, have been operating for several generations.There are very few people who can't manage a place.

Wang Xifeng did some calculations, she now has a hundred square meters of land plus some small pieces.When he first arrived, the village chief said that the young and old in the village are not strong enough.When it comes to spring plowing, summer harvest and autumn harvest, it is necessary to hire people from outside.It is a good thing to give wages and meals.

"In the past few years, there were a lot of epidemic diseases. In the past two years, some of these people have been neglected. Some people have lost their households. Seeing that this field may not be able to be plowed in the future. After careful calculation, the old and young are now working hard. All counted, there are less than a hundred people. If grandma doesn't come, I'm afraid it will take two days for my son to come to Beijing. If this doesn't recruit new farmers, I'm afraid many places will panic. Such a good world , It would be a pity if it was deserted." The old village head looked at the rice field in front of him, feeling very emotional.

"How much labor do you have now?" Wang Xifeng was a little surprised when he heard this.At that time, it was because of the people who said that the land was barren, that they changed the capital with others.Later, the younger ones were divided and served as gifts.I just didn't expect that there was such a thing.

"There are less than 40 people even including the wives. This is a land of 150 mu."

"En!" Wang Xifeng nodded, and took a closer look at his own land.The whole plain, the road in the middle is well built.Even when the carriage goes up, it doesn't shake very much.She stepped on it, but she was afraid that it would be muddy and slippery when it rained.At present, the live money she can use is close to 10 taels in total including the bottom of the box.

Tired from walking, she returned to the village chief's yard and looked at their house.The houses of the surrounding farmers are all well built.Most are wooden structures, not enough for fire.Even if the clay is used, the mason's money may not be enough.Now, as a banker, no matter how much profit you can give, the tax is also very harsh.In addition, merchants are profit-seeking, even if they sell grain, they may not have a very good price.Although this country has treated farmers more than merchants since ancient times, the treatment has not been very good.

The village chief's daughter-in-law brought over two bowls of rough tea. She smiled shyly, "Master's grandma, this is our own tea. It's all young buds..."

Seeing her shy smile, Wang Xifeng pursed her lips, lowered her head, picked up the tea bowl, blew on the tea leaves on it, and took a sip. The tea fragrance was overflowing, although it was a bit thick, but it was not good tea.She nodded, and the village head sitting opposite her was very worried.After all, no matter how you look at it, this little girl is the master of her own family. Anyway, if she manages it badly or pursues it, it will be a disaster.

After moistening his throat, Wang Xifeng looked at the old village chief: "It's not enough to look at the sky right now, I just ask some details. You just talk about it, and I will go back and make a total calculation. After all, I am not the only one here. Go to visit relatives. In a few days, I will walk around here, and I will add it up with you later. First of all, is the food storage of each family this year enough? Tax money, but is there any difficulty?"

"That's not true. Speaking of which, the epidemic was a disaster. It seems to be a blessing now. After all, our Zhuangzi is better than others. At least during the epidemic, the housekeeper grandma gave the money for the medicine and the doctor, so the loss was small. It’s a little more. The left and right are a hundred acres, I don’t know if grandma saw it when she came. They are all deserted.”

"The land here is plowed twice a year?" Wang Xifeng nodded: "Whose fields are on both sides? Does it matter if you follow Beijing?" Both sides are plains, and it would be a good thing if large-scale planting operations can be carried out. .I'm afraid that if the other party is from Beijing, he will open his mouth like a lion.

"In the past two years, the weather was cold and early, so there was only two plowing. In the early years when the weather was cold and short, there was also three plowing." The village chief thought for a while and said: "I don't know whose land it is, but I just heard that the girl After getting married, it became a dowry. It’s just that I don’t know who the girl married into, and it’s been a while. The old man’s family has all gone, and he said that he might be abolished within two years.”

Wang Xifeng felt a little nervous when he heard the words.Right now this piece of land is the dowry given to her by my aunt before she got married, and I also talked about the relationship between my mother's dowry land.Because it is the mother's dowry that is in charge, it is not very clear that the aunt is not good at interfering.She pondered, there might be something wrong with this matter.After all, the land in Jinling is either owned by the four major families or some wealthy gentry.After all, there are very few wealthy gentry, and the mother's land of more than 300 mu is also accumulated by the grandfather's family for more than a hundred years.Thinking about the relationship between Lin Zhixiao's family and Ping'er in the end, she became more and more sure that there was something tricky about it that she didn't know about.

She nodded: "Compared to Suzhou and Hangzhou, are there more people growing mulberry and raising silkworms here?"

"Not much. After all, it's colder here in winter, not as warm as over there. Silkworms have a hard time here in winter."

"Then..." Wang Xifeng looked at the chicken not far away: "The land of these houses is also in my field or is it extra?"

When the old village chief heard her question, his heart skipped a beat.This labor is not much, the farmland is big, is this afraid of driving people away?He said anxiously: "This is the extra land that was given when the farmers were recruited. If it is counted, it is also true. It's just that, the master's family's land may have to be added."

"Well...you do this first, and I will give 30 taels of silver to each household. I have seen this piece of land and the one behind. Let's repair the land and the canal again. Open two or three On the one hand, the pond can store water and on the other hand, it can also raise some fish fry. Choose another one with the back of the mountain, I think the one next to the mountain is good. Rebuild the house." Wang Xifeng pointed to the one on the back, the mountain is also hers of.It’s just that it’s not included in the cultivated land, and the trees on the top of the hill here grow from it.It would be good if it was easy to protect, she could see that if the wasteland outside was hers, it would be easier to do it.If not, I'm afraid I have to make another plan.

"Building a house?" The old village head was very puzzled, he didn't understand what the girl wanted to write for a while.

"Yes!" Wang Xifeng nodded. She dipped her finger in tea and drew on the stone table while saying, "Look, this mountain is to the north, and we are located in the east of the city. Any further from the fields is the official road of the East Gate. Now we live in It looks like it is closer to the city, but it separates the fields a lot. There are few people at the moment, and this place is spacious to live in. But the population will inevitably increase in the future. What if there are more people? Besides, the draft It is necessary to dig a well. Right now I see that they are all relying on the water from the mountain to eat, and I am afraid it is not good. If we move to the mountain, this land will not need any good water. Good water is for people to eat Isn’t it? I found Mr. Yamano and made fun of it. I made a promise here to build a big house with blue bricks. I just ask the old elders to look at the houses on each side of the house. Use blue bricks to pave the floor and hurt people. Use ceramic pipes to bury it deeper, so that there is water to eat in winter. Build a water flow tower on the mountain, do you think it will be possible?"

Listening to Wang Xifeng's words, the old village chief frowned: "How much will this cost!"

"It doesn't take much, it's a thousand taels of silver anyway. We built a house of two hundred square meters and paved the road. We found a pottery maker in Suzhou and Hangzhou and got half a jar of pottery as the bottom. I’m afraid that there will be no food harvest in the canal in the future? As long as there is no locust plague, I think it will be successful.” Wang Xifeng said earnestly, and the old village chief listened: “15 taels per household is enough, and this year’s spring plowing will not be able to catch up with it anyway. Yes. The land in the south is not in the way, so we can plant some more."

"Forget it, anyway, we have to do things well. Besides, the man who is looking to level the house, whether it's labor or helpers, is paid in advance. After all, the man who builds the house and the drainage , there must always be a supervisor. Just let those foremen do it, maybe they will be lazy and miss work. You have to know, I came here with my husband-in-law to participate in the scientific examination and visit famous teachers by the way. After this month, I will I’m going to Yangzhou, I’m afraid I’m going to live there for a long time. That’s it. Tomorrow, if you have time, ask the master to measure the total land, and then send someone to deliver a letter to me.”

Wang Xifeng didn't give him a chance to refuse, and greeted Qiu Ju: "Tomorrow, I will ask Yang Huai to contact the village chief. It's not too early, so I have to go back before Chengmen Pass."

Qiu Ju nodded and helped Wang Xifeng up, and the old village chief followed behind and nodded repeatedly. He thought it was a good thing for the girl in front of him to think.But the master asked for so much money, how to calculate the share in the future?I'm afraid, there are some preparations!