I was a stepmother in ancient times, and I led my whole family to wealth.

Chapter 70 Wavy Lines

Lin Min felt a little embarrassed by their stares: "I saw this line in Yao Ge'er's book."

I asked him out of curiosity. Yao-ge said that it was a key point taught by the teacher, and that it would be used in most exams.

So, when I saw that line, I remembered it.

Xiao Jin said sesame paste is made with sesame seeds, but didn't we also roast peanuts when we were kids?

Feng Xiaofang frowned: "But you have to peel the peanuts before frying them, and it's not easy to fry them evenly. Is that okay?"

Lin Min: "That's why I'm going to find Xiao Jin. She definitely knows how to fry peanuts."

She realized that Dongfang Jin had such abilities, and she was determined to befriend her and treat her sincerely.

Her mother was right; in relationships, you have to treat others with kindness and sincerity.

Lin Yu looked at his father: "Dad, is that what you mean?"

He was now eager to know the answer, because if that was the case, they had given too little silver.

This is more than just a favor; it's an act of life-saving grace.

This sesame paste has completely relieved their family of any worries; the buyers have already been found, so all they have to do is wait to finish making it.

This...this money is practically free, Gu Chenglin...

Lin Li nodded and sighed, "Didn't you hear what she said? Even the magistrate knows about this sesame paste."

You tell me, since the magistrate knew about it, why did she return it to us?

First, the county magistrate has already sent the recipe to the capital. As long as people in the capital are making sesame paste, no one will notice us.

Secondly, the county magistrate hasn't noticed this peanut yet. We can work on it slowly later. If anyone asks, we can say that we figured it out ourselves and that it has nothing to do with Xiao Jin.

"If the county magistrate finds out about this later, he won't blame her. He might even come to our house to buy this peanut butter recipe."

Lin Jiang exclaimed excitedly, "Dad, you mean these peanuts can be ground into peanut butter?"

Lin Yu: Why is his younger brother so slow?

Lin Li was looking at the group of people and said to the eldest brother, "It's hard to say. You and Xiaomin can go and ask them tomorrow. I don't think this matter is so simple."

After saying that, he glanced at his wife and said to his eldest son, "Doesn't Xiaomin still have a shop in town? After you've finished asking around, take some time to go to town and tidy it up."

"If the Jiang family still wants that shop, sell it to them. You can take the money and buy another one in Ling'an County."

When Lin Yu heard his father mention the shop, he glanced at his wife.

Seeing his wife shake her head at him, he readily agreed: "Okay."

Actually, his wife didn't want the shop; the deed was still in his father-in-law's hands.

His father suddenly remembered that shop, probably because he didn't want to have a conflict with the Ma family. It seemed he had to tell his parents-in-law about this.

Lin Jiang stood up: "I'll go get the car and go with Xiao Fang. We'll arrive at Fengjiawan before dark."

Madam Lin nodded: "I'll give you the money. If anyone asks you on the way, just say that Xiaofang misses her daughter and sent a message for her to go back and see her."

Lin Jiang: "Yes."

……

The idlers over by the big locust tree watched with curiosity as Gu Chenglin and his wife, along with a man, went to the village head's house and then left with half a cart of goods.

They all asked who the man was, what he did, and why he was with them.

And then there were those busybodies who, as soon as Gu Chenglin entered the village head's courtyard, ran to the Gu family to report him.

Before the man even entered the Gu family's gate, he heard an argument in the courtyard.

After eavesdropping for a while, he spat disdainfully toward the Gu family's door.

Startled, she ran back and told those people that the Gu family was arguing about who should work in the fields.

A middle-aged woman said dismissively, "Hmph! Every year during the busy farming season, this family fights. What's there to say?"

Is it because they're not hearing anything new and are dissatisfied?

Another woman, holding a bundle of hemp rope, twirled it with a rag while sarcastically remarking, "Who says otherwise? Back in the day, Gu Chenglin did all the work. After Gu Chenglin left, Gu Qingshan did it all now."

During the busy farming season, that family is like a call to arms; everyone's got something to do. Do you ever see them get sick normally?

A younger woman, while rubbing the corn in her basket, chimed in: "Who says otherwise? Look at those people, all so fat and lazy."

And that student who had just completed his studies came back a few days ago asking for money again. He didn't even stay overnight; he left right after lunch.

You said our village is only a short walk from the county seat, yet we're renting a house there.

The woman's face was full of disdain after she finished speaking.

"Little Suo's family, you don't know this, do you? If you live in the county, then you're a county resident. But if you go back to the village every day, then you're a village resident, right?"

The woman pulling the hemp rope sighed, "Alas, Tian Xiaocao is gone. If she were here, we wouldn't be making such a fuss."

Look at the eldest daughter of the Li family, isn't she able to work now?

Hehe, we women, you know, it's always good to have a son for support."

The first woman to speak had a jealous look on her face: "So what if she's the eldest daughter? She still couldn't give birth to a son. This woman is inferior to others because she didn't have a son."

"Look at Madam Ye, how confident she is, coming and going like that. Even Old Madam Gu couldn't do anything about her, could she?"

"You all say that Tian Xiaocao and Xiao Ye both gave birth to sons, what do you say..."

"Dazhu's family, you can't just say things like that. If you want to blame someone, blame Tian Xiaocao for not being able to stand up for herself."

Another problem is that she has a lazy, good-for-nothing father who's a burden to her. You wouldn't believe it, but her father is notoriously lazy in our village.

He's too lazy to even go beyond his circle; to put it bluntly, even a pig is cleaner than him.

"Let's not talk about that. I'll tell you something. I went to my aunt's house a few days ago and saw Gu Yaozong go to Xiaowan Village."

“Sun Shu’s wife, you know what? Now that you mention it, I remember last time I went to my mother’s house in Xiaowan Village to pick up cabbages, I saw Gu Yaozong go to Widow Zhao’s house.”

The woman twisting hemp rope paused: "Is that the Zhao family that got hacked to death by bandits?"

Sun Shu's wife: "That's right, I heard that Zhao Yong left quite a few things for his wife before he died."

Another woman said disdainfully, "How could a bandit leave behind anything clean?"

Another woman said gloatingly, "Tsk tsk, it seems Li doesn't know yet."

This is big news.

"Stop talking, look, he's coming out with his bundle on his back." After she finished speaking, everyone looked towards the alley to the north, and saw Gu Yaozong, dressed smartly, walking out with a bundle on his back.

The woman husking corn said, "Hehe, this is probably just another excuse to go to Changhe Town."

"Who knows? Okay, that's enough for now, time to get out of the field, we'll talk later."

"I'm leaving too; I'm going to plant wheat in the fields today."

"My family is the same."

One person left, and everyone else followed suit, ending the "gathering."

……

Gu Chenglin drove the oxcart home. At the door, Jun Qirui finally asked what had been on his mind: "Brother Chenglin, why didn't you and Jin'er do that business?"

Dongfang Jin jumped off the oxcart: "Tired? This is so much easier. I've got eighty taels of silver."

"Can't you do it yourself? You have to can it and sell it, that's too much trouble."

Jun Qirui frowned: "But wouldn't that generate a continuous stream of money?"

Isn't this better than a one-time buyout? But is this selling property? What's the difference between this and giving it away for free?

Gu Chenglin looked at him and smiled: "Don't worry, Xiao Jin also has dividends from Ping An Restaurant. As long as Ping An Restaurant exists, there will be dividends."

Doesn't he still have two years' worth of profit from the sesame paste? Eighty taels of silver is the limit for his family.

We could come up with more, but it might empty the village head's savings.