Chapter 26
Back home, it suddenly became lively again.
Da Zhuang tied the calf in the yard, and gently brushed its fur with a bristle brush. Wang San'er held the piglet and took it to the back mountain to eat grass. The chickens were enclosed by a fence, chirping incessantly. Wang Xiao Si not only sprinkled them some greens, but also dug for earthworms everywhere.
Recently, He Xiaoya has been taking care of the hatchery and has gained quite some experience. She was no longer as nervous as when she first started. She set up a table at the hatchery door, cut up silk and cotton cloth, and sewed wadded jackets, cotton trousers, blankets and quilt covers for everyone.
Li Yao was not idle either.
Since they were going to make cotton quilts, they would definitely need to make cotton batting first, and to make cotton batting, they would need to tease raw cotton.
This was a technical task, and she only roughly knew the method, never having tried it with her own hands before, so she couldn't be impatient and had to carefully prepare.
"Brother Er," Du Xiao Hui, a neighbor's daughter who now dared to come into the yard, said, "These are some wild fruits I picked in the mountain. Try a couple."
Li Yao took a look. They were a few kiwifruits, looking quite delicious. But with so many people in the yard, why did this girl only give them to Brother Er?
"Du Xiao Hui, come over here."
"Ah?" Du Xiao Hui's heart skipped a beat as she walked over apprehensively, clutching her clothes tightly, "Auntie, do you need something?"
"Do you know tea seeds?"
"I do."
"Then go and help me pick some tea seeds," Li Yao said. "Pick one pound and I'll pay you 2 wen for labor."
Du Xiao Hui was completely dumbfounded.
Tea seeds could be found everywhere in the mountain, falling on the ground with no one to pick them up.
Just one tea seed tree could produce dozens of pounds!
Aunt Li was actually willing to pay her 2 wen per pound, this was simply letting her pick up money!
"I'll go right now!"
"Don't rush," Li Yao said, "Don't go alone, it's best to ask your mother to go with you."
"Okay!"
Du Xiao Hui hurried home, halfway through she turned back, placed the few wild kiwifruits next to Brother Er, before calling her mother to go pick tea seeds together. "Brother Er," looking at the few kiwifruits, Wang Xiao Si's saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, "Do you think these fruits are sour?"
"Don't know." Brother Er handed the kiwifruits to Li Yao again, "Mother, you eat."
"I won't eat, you can share them."
Li Yao didn't know if the kiwifruits were sour, but the damned taste of love really was.
...
"Grandma!"
Wang Xiao Si charged into the old Wang house like a gust of wind.
"Why the panic? Did something happen?"
"My mother asked me to borrow your scale and two needles."
"Needles?" Grandma Wang was taken aback. "What does your mother need needles for?
"Big sister-in-law is making wadded jackets and cotton trousers for us, and sewing quilts too."
Only then did Grandma Wang notice that Wang Xiao Si was wearing brand new clothes with brand new cloth shoes.
"You wasteful girl, can you all wear such things? Do you really think you are the rich? Heaven above, how much silver must this have cost?"
"Grandma," He Xiaoya said, "My mother said no matter how much money, comfort is most important."
"Can comfort fill your stomach? There are holes in the roof of your home, leaking from all directions. Thankfully it hasn't rained, otherwise I'd like to see how you all live!"
Though she complained, Grandma Wang busied her hands, using a thin rope to take measurements for He Xiaoya, then helped cut the fabric. Despite her age, she was very skilled with needles and thread, moving as swift as flowing water.
When the sky darkened, Du Xiao Hui came staggering into the yard with a large basket on her back.
Seeing her struggle, she must not have picked a small amount.
"My mother said there's about 70 pounds here."
Li Yao had Da Zhuang weigh it, 75 pounds.
"Aunt Li, my mother said to just calculate 70 pounds."
"However much it is, is however much it is."
Li Yao had Da Zhuang count out 150 wen and give it to Du Xiao Hui.
The moment she received the money, Du Xiao Hui's face flushed red.
She and her mother had earned 150 wen in just an afternoon! "You can keep gathering tomorrow, I'll buy however much you pick," Li Yao said. "Hurry back and give it to your mother, don't lose it."
"Okay!"
After Du Xiao Hui left, Grandma Wang asked, "Since you want tea seeds, why not just gather them yourself in the mountain? Why pay someone else to pick them? Even if you're busy, making Er, San and the kids go would work too. Must you give the bargain to outsiders?"
Li Yao said, "Anyone can gather, I pay 2 wen per pound to all."
"Then I'll have them all go tomorrow."
"Beeswax and herbs too, the more the better."
"Herbs might be hard to say, but beeswax will be difficult," Grandma Wang thought for a moment. "If you really need a lot, I'll have someone pass word to Er and San to bring some back from Yizhou Prefecture."
"Even 180 pounds is not too much."
"Alright, I'm heading back for today then."
"Stay for dinner..."
"No need, I didn't come to beg for food." Hearing she was asked to stay for dinner, Grandma Wang immediately put down her needlework. "Xiaoya, leave this for now, I'll come back tomorrow."
Seeing the old woman run off quicker than a rabbit, her voice still audible after her figure disappeared, Li Yao found it quite amusing.
Every time she asked her to stay for dinner it was like this. Those unaware would think the food at her home was terrible.
...
Overnight, everyone in the village learned that Li Yao was purchasing tea seeds, herbs, and beeswax.
Early next morning, some had already arrived at her door. After confirming she would pay the same no matter who picked, they headed into the mountains in groups.
"Xiao Si hurry, or everything will be picked clean by them!"
Wang San'er held his piglet anxiously urging by the yard.
Mother said they would also be paid 2 wen per pound of tea seeds picked, and they could save the money themselves.
What other kids could save their own money?
The two brothers were so excited they barely slept, rising before dawn.
Wang Xiao Si stuffed an egg into his mouth in one go, drank two mouthfuls of millet porridge, then rushed out with a basket on his back.
Last night they had agreed to gather 100 pounds of tea seeds today!
It was a pity Brother Er had to study and couldn't join them in picking tea seeds.
But his task was to study.
When he became an official in the future, mother and brothers wouldn't have to work so hard.
After everyone had left, Li Yao took out the prepared catapult and bamboo mat, eager to start teasing the raw cotton.