Chapter 40: First Mention of Selling the Formula

Xu Nian rode the donkey cart back home. She had just stepped into the house and hadn’t even had a sip of ginger tea when Madam Wang immediately started questioning her.

“Did you see Changsheng? How is his health? That child, why is he staying in the temple instead of coming home?”

Xu Nian took two sips of ginger tea to warm herself before replying.

“Grandmother, Second Uncle and I didn’t even get to see Changsheng. He wasn’t feeling well, so he didn’t meet us.”

“Oh dear, could something bad have happened to him?”

Madam Zheng tugged on her sister-in-law’s sleeve—saying such things was just asking for trouble.

As expected, Madam Wang’s loud voice rang out.

“You, wife of my second son! Can’t you speak properly? Go make dinner and stop standing here in my way!”

Feeling wronged, Madam Zheng went to the kitchen, and Madam Wang’s younger daughter-in-law followed to help.

At that moment, Xu’s father also voiced his concern. “Tomorrow, let your Second and Third Uncle go check on him again. He doesn’t have any family around, and if something happens, there won’t be anyone to report it.”

Xu Nian wanted to say that Changsheng was a prince, and plenty of people cared about his well-being. However, she didn’t argue—it was their way of showing concern, after all.

The next morning, just after breakfast, Madam Wang hurriedly sent Xu Fugui and his brother out the door.

Xu Wei’an leaned lazily against the courtyard gate, munching on a pastry with a mischievous grin as he watched his older brothers leave. He hadn’t forgotten how they had laughed at his misfortune two days ago.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have long to relish his small revenge before Xu Nian’s voice called out.

“Uncle, what are you doing? Stop slacking off! Hurry up and finish building the carriage cabin. Every time I go out, I feel like I’m freezing into an ice block!”

Xu Wei’an shoved the remaining pastry into his mouth, mumbling through the crumbs, “Coming, coming!”

Xu Nian spent the entire morning supervising him as he worked on the carriage cabin. Xu Wei’an found it unbearable—having someone stare at him while he worked was making him uneasy. It was as if heaven had heard his silent prayers, because soon enough, his savior arrived.

When Madam Tian arrived, she saw her daughter holding a wooden plank and gesturing animatedly at her uncle.

“Nian’er, what are you doing?”

Xu Nian turned around, and upon seeing her mother, she happily ran over.

“Mother, what brings you back?”

“What? You’re not happy that I’m here?”

Xu Nian grinned cheekily. “Of course not! A day without seeing you feels like three years.”

“Sister-in-law is back!”

Xu Wei’an was overjoyed—finally, he was free from his niece’s watchful gaze!

“It’s too cold to be working outside. Why don’t you come inside and warm up?”

Hearing the commotion, the rest of the Xu family came out to greet her.

“Father, Mother, how are you? Second Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law.”

“We’re all well, all well,” they responded warmly.

Once everyone was seated, Xu Nian brought a bowl of ginger tea for Madam Tian before asking, “Mother, did you come back for something important?”

Madam Tian explained how the magistrate’s wife had invited her to Ling Shan Temple for prayer and had expressed interest in purchasing the lip balm formula.

The Xu women were all taken aback—they hadn’t expected the lip balm Xu Nian had gifted them to be so valuable. All eyes turned to her, since she was the one who had come up with the formula.

Xu Nian pondered for a moment before addressing them.

“My idea is to sell the formula. Our family isn’t in the business trade, so the formula wouldn’t hold much value in our hands. But selling it could provide us with enough silver to buy farmland and grow grain.”

Madam Wang, though feeling that selling the formula might be a pity, was accustomed to letting the men handle family matters. She turned to Xu’s father, signaling for him to make the decision.

Xu’s father wasn’t knowledgeable about business, but he knew one thing—no matter the circumstances, having food was the most important. So he nodded and said, “Let’s go with what the eldest girl suggests.”

Madam Tian was surprised. The problem that had troubled her for two days was resolved in just one sentence from her daughter. And was it just her imagination, or was the entire family listening to Nian’er a little too much these days?

Just then, Xu Nian teasingly asked, “Mother, what good things did you bring back this time?”

Madam Tian snapped back to reality and looked at the bundle in her daughter’s hands, smiling. “I had originally planned to return yesterday, but I was delayed by official matters at the county office. Luckily, I didn’t come back then—otherwise, this bracelet wouldn’t have been finished in time.”

She took out several wooden boxes from the bundle.

“Mother, this is a bracelet I bought for you. These two are for my sisters-in-law, and this small one is for Ling’er.”

Madam Wang took the bracelet and examined it—it was engraved with symbols of fortune, prosperity, and longevity, with three jade stones of different colors embedded on the front.

“Eldest daughter-in-law, why did you buy this? It must have cost a lot of silver.”

Madam Tian chuckled. “Mother, it didn’t cost much. The jade used in these came from the pieces Nian’er sent to the county office.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang beamed and happily put the bracelet on her wrist.

Madam Zheng and Madam Wang’s younger daughter-in-law also treasured their bracelets, carefully fastening them onto their wrists.

“Eldest Sister-in-law really spoils me, hehe.”

“Thank you, Sister-in-law!”

“I should be the one thanking you both. I haven’t been home to take care of our parents, so you two have had to manage everything at home.”

At this, Madam Zheng and the younger Madam Wang had no complaints. They never minded hard work—they only feared that their efforts would go unnoticed.

Just then, little Xu Ling shyly stepped forward.

“Thank you, Eldest Aunt.”

Madam Tian pulled Xu Ling into her arms and ruffled her hair.

“Next time, Auntie will buy you a beautiful dress.”

…

That night, Madam Wang sat in her room, happily admiring the bracelet on her wrist.

“I suppose my hardships have finally paid off. A lifetime of working the fields, and now, in my old age, I get to enjoy the blessings brought by my eldest granddaughter.”

Xu’s father, puzzled, said, “It was clearly our eldest daughter-in-law’s filial gesture—why do you keep giving all the credit to Nian’er?”

Madam Wang blew out the candle and climbed into bed before responding, “I’ve been mother-in-law to our eldest daughter-in-law for over ten years—I know what kind of person she is. She may be literate, but when it comes to handling people, she’s not even as shrewd as our third daughter-in-law.

But our eldest daughter-in-law is fortunate—thanks to our eldest granddaughter, she doesn’t have to worry about a thing.”

Xu’s father nodded in satisfaction. “Our eldest granddaughter is sharp. With her looking out for the family, we won’t have to worry about our sons falling out with each other.”

His concern wasn’t unfounded—after all, many families could endure hardships together but fell apart once wealth entered the picture. If he started listing examples, he could talk all night.

Madam Wang sighed. “We’re already halfway into our graves. There’s no point worrying too much. While we’re still alive, we should let our eldest granddaughter take charge of household affairs. That way, when we’re gone, she’ll have the authority to keep her four uncles in check.”

Xu’s father chuckled. “So that’s why you listen to her so much—you’ve been planning this all along!”

Madam Wang smirked proudly. “Of course. Our eldest granddaughter is destined for great things.”

Unfortunately, the night was too dark for Xu’s father to see the triumphant expression on his wife’s face.

…

The next morning, Xu Nian carefully placed the written formula into her pouch. Since she was traveling in the county office’s carriage, she didn’t need to wrap herself up like a ball this time.

This time, the trip to the Rong residence included not only Madam Tian and Xu Nian but also Madam Wang.

Xu Nian felt that selling the formula was a significant family matter, involving a large sum of money, so it was best to have Madam Wang present.

In Sheng Dynasty traditions, as long as parents were alive, families did not separate households, nor did they divide property. The reason Xu Nian had such freedom in using money was entirely thanks to her father and grandmother’s open-mindedness.