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The second household finally received confirmation of the separation, and the family of five was filled with excitement. Initially, Shen Zigui felt a bit lost, but seeing the smiles on his wife and daughters’ faces, he became happy as well. They began discussing how to live their lives from now on, planning where to build their house next year. Not only did Li Shi propose ideas, but their three daughters also shared their thoughts. Hearing the chatter, Shen Zigui felt a pang of guilt, realizing how much they had suffered over the years.
Li Shi saw Shen Zigui’s expression and understood what he was thinking. After so many years of marriage, how could she not know? She reached out and held his hand.
“Husband, let’s live a good life from now on. Even if it’s harder than before, It’s alright.”
Feeling Li Shi’s hand, which was not much finer than his own and now reddened from the cold due to household chores, Shen Zigui felt even more guilty.
“Alright, let’s live a good life.”
Chunyue smiled and said, “Mother, our days ahead will definitely be better. How could they be worse than now? Fourth Aunt said we should learn embroidery and flower-making together. Last time, the gloves made money, and this time, these flowers will surely be just as profitable. Maybe we can even build a big house without borrowing money. I have confidence in Fourth Aunt. She’s clever and smart.”
Chuncao nodded and said, “Fourth Aunt’s cooking is delicious.”
Chunyue teased her, “Why are you just like Fourth Uncle, always talking about food?”
Chunyun, still young, clapped her hands and said, “Uncle, eat, eat.”
Chuncao rolled her eyes and said, “Who’s like him! I’m just telling the truth. Fourth Aunt’s cooking is really delicious. Fourth Aunt said she can even make those sour hawthorns taste good.”
Shen Zigui added, “Speaking of sour hawthorns, Fourth Sister-in-law bought some from the Dazhu’s family next door. I heard a few days ago that Fourth Brother bought all the hawthorns on the hillside and in the fields. Maybe Fourth Sister-in-law can really make something delicious with them. She’s quite resourceful.”
Li Shi nodded, looking at her three daughters. She knew Su Zhi also liked her three daughters. Involving herself in activities like making gloves and embroidery was a way of contributing to her own family. Thinking about the future, she felt empowered.
At that moment, Wang Shi called from outside and then entered.
“Younger Sister, I just went to the main hall. Mother said you’ll have separate meals from now on. But tonight, we’ll have a good dinner. Let’s slaughter a chicken,” Wang Shi said as Li Shi gestured for her to sit down. Wang Shi wanted to have a few words with Li Shi. With the recent division of the family, she didn’t let Shen Zigui and the children run into this room, fearing it might upset those in the main house. She also noticed it was time to start cooking. That’s why she came over.
Li Shi replied, “Why slaughter a chicken now? Let the hens lay eggs. We can slaughter a rooster during the New Year. We’re just having separate meals, not moving out immediately.”
Wang Shi insisted, “Mother instructed to slaughter it, and Father didn’t object. Let’s just follow through. It’s not like the food will only go to your family. Why refuse?”
Upon hearing this, Li Shi didn’t say anything.
Wang Shi continued, sharing their plans for the spring. She mentioned that if they didn’t have enough money, she had some savings tucked away. Over the years, she had quietly saved some money, a fact Li Shi was aware of. Not to mention the earnings from selling gloves, which they split evenly. Speaking of her secret savings, Wang Shi envied the fact that Li Shi and her family had already separated from the family. Even though their share was small and they would now have less interaction with Shen Ziju in the future, having control over her own money was something she couldn’t pass up. Now, she only hoped to continue earning some secret savings with them in the future without the rest of the Shen family finding out.
Shen Zigui and Li Shi both expressed their gratitude. Li Shi also conveyed Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi’s message.
Wang Shi was delighted to hear this. She admired Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi’s cleverness in coming up with ways to earn money and appreciated that they hadn’t forgotten about her and Li Shi. It seemed they would have to spend more time together in the future.
The two sisters-in-law praised Su Zhi as they went to prepare the meal together. That day, the Shen family’s dining table was set with a sumptuous feast. Unfortunately, Shen Youfu had a stern expression, which made others hesitant to speak or laugh loudly. They all ate quietly, keeping their heads down. The Third grandson and his younger brother were punished and forbidden from eating, so they could only smell the delicious aroma from the doorway, muttering curses under their breath.
The next afternoon, both Li Shi and Wang Shi went to Shugen’s wife’s house.
Several people were seated on the large kang in Shugen’s wife’s home. Su Zhi had arrived early, along with Shugen’s wife, Li’s wife, and Wang Huazhi, as well as Li Shi and Wang Shi. The six women formed a circle, all familiar with each other and not prone to causing trouble. Smiles adorned their faces.
“Xiaosuo, play nicely with Huzi and Tietou, no mischief, alright?”
Shugen’s wife told her son that Shen Shugen had gone to find Li Qing, so now only the women were left in the room.
This time, Su Zhi brought a small basket with her, containing essential female handicraft items such as needles, thread, and scissors. Inside were five or six pre-made knots, along with some colored threads. Additionally, she had Shen Zi’an bring over several large bundles of cloth using a carrying pole.
“Ladies, you’ve all been very kind to me these days, and I have no way to repay you. So, I’ll teach you some small crafts I know that can earn you some silver. Consider it my way of giving back.”
Su Zhi modestly expressed that her intention was to earn money together with everyone, believing that when she earned money, she should uplift those close to her. Otherwise, earning money alone would not only be meaningless but could also provoke envy. She wasn’t the type to give up opportunities for wealth just because others might envy her. However, she hoped that those around her could maintain close relationships. Especially in the rural setting of ancient times, it was essential for a woman to have good relationships and form friendships similar to confidantes. This way, even if others gossiped behind her back, there would be someone to provide inside information or help rectify injustices.
Su Zhi had been called a “jinx” before, and both her maternal and paternal families had their share of difficult characters. Looking ahead, as she aimed for increasing prosperity, she knew she would attract even more attention. Therefore, it was crucial for her to cultivate good relationships.
Skills like making knots and headpieces were just ways for Su Zhi to earn pocket money. She didn’t plan to rely on these crafts to make a lot of money. With the spiritual spring in hand, she had no worries about earning silver. Instead, she used these crafts to improve her social connections. This was much more valuable than earning a small amount of silver on her own.
The women, in a polite manner, expressed their gratitude to Su Zhi, emphasizing that mutual support among fellow villagers and sisters-in-law was only natural. They also thanked Su Zhi for being willing to teach them these crafts.
Seeing that it was about time, Su Zhi took out the knots from the basket and placed them on the kang table.
There were a total of five knots, each with a unique shape and vibrant colors, giving them a festive appearance.
The women were all delighted when they saw them. Each of them picked one up and examined it carefully, trying to discern how it was made. Despite their meticulous inspection, they couldn’t figure it out. The hairnets were intricately designed, and even if they were taken apart, it was uncertain whether they could be put back together correctly.
“You’ve really outdone yourself with these, sister!” Li Qing praised first, followed by the others. They were all intrigued by the knots, realizing that if they learned how to make them, they could fetch a higher price than ordinary ones.
As Su Zhi handed out the colored threads, she explained, “I sell these knots to the embroidery shop in town for ten wen each, excluding the cost of the threads. That’s just for the labor.”
The five women were astonished. Ten wen for one knots was a high price, especially considering it didn’t include the cost of the threads. For those skilled enough, making ten hairnets in a day would earn them a hundred wen! A laborer working hard for a day might only earn seventy to eighty wen, and that was without considering meals. If they learned to make these knots, they could easily earn more than men while comfortably sitting at home.
As the idea dawned on all five of them simultaneously, they felt immense joy. However, after the initial excitement, they also felt a bit embarrassed. Su Zhi had generously taught them how to earn money in this way, and they felt a pang of guilt for profiting from her expertise.
Seeing their faces, Su Zhi can already see through their thoughts, Su Zhi thought highly of these women. They were not greedy, and she was more than willing to befriend such people.
“Feel free to learn and earn, sisters. I have other tricks up my sleeve. If you want to make money by making knots, I’ll teach you different styles. Once everyone learns what you’ve made, and the prices drop, you can always come to me for new patterns.”
Relieved, the women thanked Su Zhi and eagerly began learning from her.
With their basic knowledge of knot making and their nimble fingers, learning wasn’t difficult at all. After mastering the craft, each of them even created a new design. Their faces were beaming with smiles as they learned.
Su Zhi looked at each of them and nodded. “Sisters, you can go home and make these knots yourselves. You can also teach your close relatives, but avoid teaching others. If you teach too many people, the price of these design will naturally drop. As the saying goes, scarcity drives value.”
All five women nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of keeping their craft exclusive to maintain its value.
Su Zhi continued, “Now, let me teach you how to make headbands/headpieces. They are also easy to make and learn. After a few tries, others will catch on, and the price will drop. Since there’s limited demand, it’s not a stable source of income. However, it’s profitable initially. I’ll teach you all, and we can sell them together. Next time, if you want to make and sell on your own, feel free to do so.”