Chapter 91

Madam Zhang had been married to Wang Er for over twenty years and knew his temper inside out. Seeing his face darken more than storm clouds, she knew he was genuinely angry.

“That’s not what I meant at all. Where did you get that idea?” Madam Zhang approached meekly, reaching out to massage his waist. “If I regretted it, would I still be planning so hard?”

Wang Er let out a heavy sigh.

“It’s not anyone’s fault. Besides, didn’t my brother say there was still a chance? The Tang family is powerful, and they can’t get a small job? Don’t worry,” Madam Zhang said, noticing his face softening. She doubled down on her efforts and added, “I blame Yuan’er. If she had given us the recipe earlier, wouldn’t it be settled? Master Tang would have been pleased and might have gotten you a job by now, but she kept it to herself.”

Wang Er remained silent for a while before saying, “Don’t blame Yuan’er. If Mother hears, she won’t like it. Besides, I spent a lot of money. Is it worth less than a recipe? Your brother just looks down on me.”

Madam Zhang pouted, “I don’t know what Mother is thinking. Since our eldest brother and sister-in-law left, she’s favored the main house. She even gave them two pieces of preserved meat the other day.”

Thinking about it made Madam Zhang angry. Although they were supposedly separate households, they still lived and ate with their parents, and every penny had to be approved by the old lady, making it feel like they hadn’t really split households.

“Why don’t we separate from our parents and live on our own?” Madam Zhang suddenly suggested.

“Have you lost your mind?” Wang Er’s anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. “When the elder brother and sister-in-law left, leaving Yuan’er and her siblings behind, everyone criticized us. Have you forgotten? Now you want to separate from our parents too? Do you want us to be the target of even more gossip?”

Although the idea of splitting the household initially came from Madam Liang, Wang Er and Madam Zhang faced a lot of criticism for supposedly not being able to tolerate a few girls. Going out in public was shameful until it blew over. Now Madam Zhang was bringing up the idea again, showing how out of touch she was.

Not to mention, with the elder brother and sister-in-law gone, the old parents relied on Wang Er for their retirement and funeral. If they proposed living separately, they would be drowned in accusations of unfilial behavior.

Madam Zhang pouted, “I was just talking.”

“Don’t even talk about it. Bury that thought deep inside,” Wang Er said coldly, cutting her off. “Especially since I don’t have a job yet. Our family relies on the shop for income. Even if we separated, the carpentry shop belongs to the old parents.”

Feeling hot-faced from his scolding, Madam Zhang muttered something unintelligible. Seeing Wang Er’s face darken again, she quickly said, “Alright, alright, I was just talking. I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’m not stupid. Don’t be angry. Let’s figure out how to get you a job.”

“What can we do? I heard the new county magistrate has no ties to the Tang family,” Wang Er sighed. He thought the job was secure but didn’t expect interference from others. It was truly unlucky.

The couple fell silent, ending their argument.

Chapter 92

In just a few days, word spread throughout Changle Town that a new county magistrate named Li Xian had been appointed. Everyone was eager to see what changes the new official would bring.

Wang Yuan’er, who had already known about the new appointment, was just an ordinary girl from a humble family and had no connections with the officials. Therefore, it didn’t matter much to her who held the official position. However, her Second Uncle had been eagerly trying to secure some position.

Early that morning, Wang Yuan’er carried a bundle of firewood down from the mountain, passing through the lush green fields where seedlings had been planted. In the morning mist, the fields looked even more vibrant.

As she walked home, she saw some men in official uniforms accompanied by two or three men in blue robes walking through the fields, pointing and talking.

Upon closer inspection, she didn’t recognize the man leading the group, but with the officials accompanying him, she figured he must be someone important.

Wang Yuan’er stood to the side, keeping her head down.

As they approached, she heard snippets of their conversation. Glancing up, she saw the middle-aged man at the front, who had a square face, broad eyebrows, and an air of integrity.

Could this be the newly appointed Magistrate Li Xian? she wondered.

Seeing them heading towards the pier, Wang Yuan’er continued her way home, catching a few words about the river office carried by the wind.

Were they planning to build a river office?

The new magistrate’s first major action was to establish a river office?

In her previous life, by the time Li Xian arrived, Wang Yuan’er was already married. She later learned about the magistrate’s accomplishments. The river office was built, canal transport was established, and a maritime customs office was added, making Changle Town a bustling hub.

These developments began after the new emperor ascended the throne. When the civil service exams started, scholars from all over flocked to Changle Town, making it a lively place.

By her calculations, it was already March, and if nothing unexpected happened, the emperor’s death was not far off. Shouldn’t preparations be made?

When the emperor died, the entire nation would go into mourning. Plain clothes and hemp garments would be in demand. Additionally, many families rented out rooms to scholars preparing for the exams in the capital. Could she make some money from this opportunity?

Li Shugen had built their kitchen, and it was spacious and well-organized. Having their own kitchen made things much more convenient. After placing the firewood in the kitchen, Wang Yuan’er wiped her face and looked around. Wang Chun’er had kept the kitchen clean and tidy.

In the east room, Wang Chun’er was humming a lullaby while rocking the baby to sleep. She was skillfully mending one of Wang Qing’er’s garments.

“Has Qing’er run off to play again? She should mend her own clothes. Don’t spoil her,” Wang Yuan’er said, frowning.

Wang Chun’er smiled gently and continued sewing, “I have nothing else to do at home.” She hesitated and added, “Eldest sister, you can earn money, and so can Qing’er, by digging bamboo shoots and collecting mountain goods. But I can’t do anything and can only manage the household chores.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t belittle yourself. You’ve managed everything inside and outside the house and taken care of Baolai. Your contributions are the greatest,” Wang Yuan’er chided, tapping her forehead. “As for money, we’ll earn it together.”

Wang Chun’er nodded and then asked her to buy some embroidery thread so she could do embroidery work and sell it at the general store or tailor shop.

Wang Yuan’er readily agreed, feeling more determined than ever to earn enough money to secure a promising future for her family.