Chapter 148: Fuling Heads South

  Shen Zhen was indeed a far-sighted and wise person, and soon understood Shen Muqing's concerns.

  He felt a little heartache.

  Daughter first for madam, now also for him...

  The next day, Shen Zhen called Chen Yinniang, Shen Muqing and Da She to the study, and arranged family affairs in front of the three.

  "Our family's annual expenses are now between 1,200 and 1,500 taels. Muqing's dowry and the house that came with it were given to her by my late wife, as well as the sixteen shops in Jiangnan which were divided among the older generation. These will not be touched. Our family is left with only this old mansion at Shihua Bridge, which has been passed down through generations, and I will leave it to Dashu."

  As he spoke, Shen Zhen's gaze fell on Chen Yiniang's body.

  "I didn't let you manage the household before, first because you don't have your wife's magnanimity, and second because I didn't want to let the household be controlled by a woman. Now I still think so. But Mu Qing begged me on your behalf, asking me to hand over the household management to you and let you take charge of Da She..."

  Madam Chen couldn't help but stare at Shen Muqing with her mouth agape in shock.

  As Shen Zhen was speaking, Shen Muqing smiled kindly at her.

  "Afterwards, you will be in charge of the household affairs. But the main house will be handed over to Mu Qing. From then on, you will also live with Mu Qing in Tingyu Xuan."

  "Old Master!" Chen's wife was tearful and very excited.

  Shen Muqing was dumbfounded.

  Hand over the big shed to yourself...

  Shen Zhen ignored the two of them and continued, "Including the sixteen shops that were divided up for Da She, you'll be in charge of those too. Mu Qing lives at home, and every year she pays 400 taels of silver to the public coffers, but her monthly allowance, seasonal clothing, and bonuses are all taken care of by herself, and she's also in charge of appointing her own staff, you can't interfere."

  Aunt Chen nodded as she listened.

  "After a hundred years, if you want to stay in the Shen family, Da She will also treat you as an elder. If you go west, you will be buried in the ancestral tomb of Taicang. If you don't want to stay in the Shen family, from now on, we will consider each other as relatives. I believe that both Mu Qing and Da She have this kind of magnanimity! If you agree, I will invite Mr. Min and Lord Yuan to come and sign a written agreement this afternoon."

  Aunt Chen covered her face and burst into tears.

  This time, it's real tears streaming down my face.

  Dai Sha listened as if he understood but didn't, his face filled with fear as he stared at Chen Niang.

  Shen Mu Qing thought that from now on, this little one would be his responsibility, and his heart softened as he walked forward to hug Da Sha, advising Chen Niang: "Niang, don't cry, you'll scare Da Sha."

  Aunt Chen lifted her head, and on her tear-stained face, a smile blossomed. She said to Da Sha: "Don't be afraid, Aunt is happy. From now on, you must listen to your sister's words."

  Dai She looked at Shen Muqing with a hint of fear in his eyes.

  Shen Mu Qing dynasty wore him smiled.

  "Everyone sit down!" Shen Zhen ordered Chen Niang and Shen Muqing with a calm expression.

  Several people sat back down.

  Shen Zhen said: "I and Mu Qing sent the coffin of Madam back home. During this time, the household affairs were managed by Wang Mama."

  Then he looked at Chen Niang and said, "You'd better stay home, reflect on your mistakes, and copy 'Nu Jie' a million times. Once you've calmed down and become gentle, I'll let you take charge of the household again."

  He looked at Da She again: "As for Da She, send him to Mr. Min's place - Mr. Min's younger brother is studying in the Imperial Academy in Kyoto, and I have asked him to teach Da She."

  "Take Da She to Mr. Min's place?" Looking at Da She who was as small as a bean sprout, Shen Muqing was very surprised.

  Madam Chen also gazed at Shen Zhen with tears in her eyes.

  "A doting mother will spoil her child!" Shen Zhen disagreed.

  At this point, neither of them knew what else to say.

  This subtle and quiet display of concern immediately won over Chen's mother.

  Shen Zhen was receiving Mr. Min and Mr. Yuan when Chen Yiniang came over to thank her specially.

  "I don't know if this is right or wrong either!"

  "Miss, don't worry, I won't do such a foolish thing again."

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and nodded.

  Madam Chen hesitated for a moment, then said: "I won't remarry either... Master Shen will live to be a hundred years old, I'll guard the main house, and in the future, I can also be buried in the Shen family's ancestral tomb, enjoying the sacrifices and incense of our descendants... I'm content with that!"

  When she said this, her eyes were filled with tears - it was truly moving.

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  Like Shen Zhen, Li and herself, who don't care about ancestral tombs and incense, are after all a minority... It's still Shen Zhen who is formidable, with one sentence allowing her to enter the Shen family ancestral tomb, Chen Niang already felt at ease.

  But when she knew that Shen Zhen decided to be buried with Li's family in the ancestral tomb of Li's family at Xiangshan... what kind of expression would she have?

  Maybe I'm just overthinking it.

  Chen Yinniang married Shen Zhen, originally just to rely on someone. Now that all the things she hoped for have come true, there is nothing left for her to regret either...

  ******

  After seeing off Mr. Min and Lord Yuan, Shen Zhen handed the written wills to Chen Niangniang and Shen Muqing to look at, and finally put them in a small box with a black lacquer inlaid with flowers and birds patterns.

  Madam Chen was satisfied and began copying "Admonitions for Women" without leaving her house from the next day.

  Shen Muqing was busy packing up the belongings of Da She, and on March 14th, Shen Jian sent Da She, who had been gazing pitifully at Shen Muqing, to the home of Mr. Min in Tianjing Hutong.

  After Shen Zhen left, Shen Muqing went to the tea house in Baizhi Fang and told Zhou Bing about his whereabouts, also asking him to take good care of the shop.

  Zhou Bing nodded repeatedly, excitedly telling her: "Everyone praises our store for being elegant, and the guests who come are getting richer and richer! This year will definitely make a profit."

  Shen Muqing was somewhat surprised.

  At first, she decorated the whole shop, thinking that those bosses who followed their masters into high-end places were all broad-minded and elegant, making people feel more comfortable... but didn't expect to inadvertently raise the level of customers.

  "A business that makes a profit of one cent must continue to be done. No one can get by without money!" Shen Muqing said thoughtfully, "This time when I return to my hometown with Master, we will specially go to each famous tea shop to take a look. Let's see what varieties everyone is selling and what characteristics they have..."

  Zhou Bing listened with great joy.

  Shen Muqing can put all his mind on business like this, how can he worry that this shop won't make it!

  ******

  On March 16th, Mr. Ouyang invited Taoist priests and Buddhist monks to perform rituals and dug up the remains of Ms. Li.

  On March 17th, carrying Li's coffin, Shen Muqing followed Shen Zhen south by water.

  On May 5th, they arrived at Xiangshan.

  Xiangshan is a county town with three sides facing the sea. The Li family lives in a small town called Nanwan in Xiangshan, which has been a family of farmers and scholars for generations. In the generation of Li's grandfather, there were seven brothers, and by Shen Muqing's generation, there were over 100 cousins and siblings, not to mention relatives by marriage, making it a truly large family.

  Shen Zhen brought Li's coffin back to their hometown, and the people of the Li family were all shocked. However, Shen Muqing's adoptive uncle, who was a bit dull but very enthusiastic, still warmly welcomed Shen Muqing and her father. On the issue of whether to let Li enter the Li family ancestral tomb, he was not eloquent and couldn't argue strongly, but said something very practical: "If it doesn't work out, I'll buy a plot of land next door and take care of it for you!"

  Shen Zhen knew that his behavior was a bit shocking and unconventional, so he could understand the Li family's decision. He bought a piece of land next to the Li family's ancestral tomb and chose June 16th to break ground for Li Shi's grave. Moreover, he also hired someone to build a tomb for himself next to Li Shi's.

  Shen Muqing's uncle was running back and forth beside him. He asked the toothpick people to write the household registration book, asked the Feng Shui master to look at the grave, asked the Taoist priest and the monk to do the ritual, asked the craftsmen to flatten the land, plant trees and flowers... Shen Jian handed it all over to him - Shen Jian lived in Nanwan Town for ten years and also served as an official in Zhejiang. When he heard that he was back, many of his young friends, classmates, and officials from other parts of Zhejiang came to visit him. Every day, he was welcoming guests and seeing them off, writing poetry and painting, carefree like a god.

  Shen Muqing's cousin Li Yuanyu, entrusted by her silly uncle, accompanied her every day. The two of them either did some needlework or went to the town for a stroll - anyway, half of the people here were surnamed Li, and the other half were relatives of the Li family.

  One time, she also went swimming at the seaside with Li Yuanyu and her brother Li Yuqing.

  In Nangang Town, no one knew that Shen Muqing had been married before, and they all treated her as a young girl. Her two personal maids, Yingfen and Mingxia, said nothing, and in front of others, they called Shen Muqing "Miss".

  Summer has passed, Shen Muqing brought a skirt that was all short, but her skin was still not dark, which made Li Yuanyu pinch her face and shout "not fair".

  Shen Zhen took Shen Muqing to Hangzhou to make clothes, and Li Yuanyu also followed.

  They rented a riverside house in Hangzhou and after spending the Spring Festival there, they went to Jiangsu.

  In Nantong, they learned to make kites. In Yixing, Shen Muqing personally pinched over ten purple clay teapots for them. Shen Zhen specially took them to Changzhou and bought over a hundred combs. They toured Taihu Lake, Thin West Lake, and Golden Rooster Lake. They brought back a pot of spring water from Zhongli Spring in Zhenjiang, Huishan Spring in Wuxi, and Tiger Hill's silly spring. Finally, they encountered the first snow of winter in Nanjing.

  Shen Zhen took them to live in the home of an old friend - Shi Zhi, a former Wenyuan Pavilion Academician and Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

  The Shi family has been planting tea gardens for generations, and Shen Muqing is very interested in it.

  At that time, Shi Zi Mo had his sixth-ranked granddaughter, Shi Jing Xiu, entertain her and Li Yu - the tea garden of the Shi family, which was managed by 27-year-old Shi Jing Xiu who had not yet married.

  Shen Muqing's eyes were opened, and she followed Shi Jingyu to wear men's clothing and rush to the tea market in Jiangsu. In the spring, she also followed her to live in a tea garden, starting from picking tea, learning to re-recognize tea leaves.

  When they left Nanjing, Lin Rui Chun had arrived at Shi's Tea Garden from Kyoto. He would spend a year learning from Shi Jingyu how to cultivate tea, pick tea, fry tea and manage the tea garden, then find a suitable place in Jiangnan to grow tea, let Yiwu Tea Estate sell its own tea, which can reduce intermediate links and lower costs, while ensuring the quality of tea, cultivating its core competitiveness.

  Shi Jingyu was very interested in her plan, and the two agreed that after Shen Muqing returned to Kyoto, she would go visit Shen Muqing, and the two could discuss whether they could do business together.

  In the autumn of Anqing's 21st year, Shen Zhen and Shen Muqing returned to the long-absent Shi Huaqiao Songshu Hutong.

  It's been ages since we last met.

  Especially Da She, who was already eight years old, if it wasn't for Jin Xiu holding his hand, Shen Muqing wouldn't have recognized him at all.

  (Sisters, let's meet at midnight... (*^__^*) Hehe...)

  []

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