CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER 188: FINDING HELPERS (2)

"Oh, good morning, sister-in-law." The Second Princess yawned.

"I want to go with you to check out the shop. You kids don’t know anything, be careful not to fall into other people’s traps." Xue Family said.

"Oh, everyone has helped me look at it: Mr. Mu, my third sister, my eldest sister, my second brother, and my third brother have all seen it. They all said there’s no problem." The Second Princess yawned again.

"None of you have rented a shop before, unaware of the nuances. Back in the capital, when our family rented or leased shops, it was mostly handled by me, have you forgotten?" Xue Family chuckled lightly.

The Second Princess rubbed her sleepy eyes, "Sister-in-law, are you going to help me rent a shop? Cheaper than this one?"

Xue Family laughed coldly in her heart, dreaming of getting a shop cheaper than this? Where could you find one?

"You’ve already rented this shop, how can I rent another one? If this shop isn’t rented, it will cost money."

The Second Princess was startled, "Ah? I, I, I was just asking casually, I won’t rent another shop."

"After renting the shop, there’s so much to arrange and improve. You’ve never done such things before. Let me go and take a look." Xue Family said.

"Oh, thank you so much, sister-in-law." The Second Princess said with a smile.

"We’re family, no need for such politeness." Xue Family smiled.

Today, it was only about renting the shop, not going to the market. The Great Princess, Li Yuzhu, and Li Xing’an were not going.

The Second Young Master wanted to go to see the shop because he was the one who rented it.

Just as the Second Princess was making cakes, the Second Young Master entered the kitchen.

He was surprised to see Xue Family there as well, only nodded, called out "sister-in-law," and went to get water to wash up.

The Second Princess said to him, "Second brother, sister-in-law said she wants to go to the market to see our shop."

The Second Young Master spat out the saltwater and said without concern, "If sister-in-law wants to go, let her go."

"I’ll make breakfast for you all." Xue Family said, bustling away cheerfully.

The Second Young Master frowned in puzzlement, was Xue Family being diligent?

Even the carefree Second Princess felt bewildered.

Xue Family cooked porridge, and the three of them had breakfast with the few leftover cakes from the Second Princess from the previous day. The Second Young Master placed the Second Princess’s stove on a cart, and everyone lifted their torches and set off.

When they reached the market, the sky was just getting light.

Today wasn’t a market day, so there were only a few pedestrians on the street.

They didn’t handle other matters and went straight to the shop they were subletting.

The shop’s door was wide open, and the shoes previously piled inside were all gone, leaving only four chairs, a table, and a shelf.

The shopkeeper was resting by the table, and upon seeing them, he immediately came forward to greet them, "You came just in time, I don’t have to watch over the shop anymore."

He smiled and handed the key to the Second Young Master, "Use the key if you need it, otherwise, just change it."

The Second Young Master glanced around the shop and the cart they had brought. "There aren’t any valuables, no need to change it."

The shopkeeper bowed to the Second Young Master, "Well, you all keep busy. I have to report back to our master."

He patted his sleeves, looking relaxed, and turned to leave.

The Second Young Master and the Second Princess busied themselves moving items from the cart into the shop.

Xue Family moved one item and then said, "I almost forgot, there’s something important I need to purchase. I’ll be right back."

The Second Young Master said nothing while the Second Princess glanced back at her, "Go ahead, sister-in-law."

Xue Family left the shop, but instead of buying anything, she caught up with the Pei Family shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper, I have something to ask you!"

The shopkeeper turned around, "Oh, what is it?"

"Where’s your owner? I’d like to meet your owner." Xue Family smiled slightly.

The shopkeeper said, "Oh dear, our owner is not in good health, rarely leaves home, and does not see guests. Do you have something you need?"

Rarely leaves home? So, she wouldn’t be able to meet him.

Xue Family felt very disappointed, "In that case, I’ll ask you instead."

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, "Madam, just say what you have to say, I have matters to attend to."

"I wanted to ask if Mr. Pei knows anyone from the Yu Wen Family in the capital." Xue Family pursed her lips and asked softly.

"He doesn’t know them. He has always lived here, and the furthest he has been is just the county town. He doesn’t know anyone from the capital." The shopkeeper shook his head.

At the same time, he looked at Xue Family curiously.

Xue Family was extremely disappointed, walking all the way to the village market and still couldn’t get answers?

She flicked her sleeves and headed back.

The shopkeeper rubbed his forehead, watched the departing Xue Family, and muttered to himself, "I speak with a Capital accent, so why ask others?"

He shook his head and left.

.

Xue Family returned to the shop, seeing the Second Young Master moving tables and chairs, and the Second Princess wiping tables with a cloth, she didn’t go in.

Only when the siblings finished cleaning the shop did she entered.

"By the way, I need to buy some fine cloth, it might take a while. You guys carry on, I’ll head back later." Xue Family waved to the Second Young Master and Second Princess, then left.

Second Princess, "..." She blinked, "Why is Sister-in-law acting so mysterious?"

"Don’t worry about her, let’s continue with our work." The Second Young Master snorted, already knew Xue Family wasn’t there to help.

"She said she’d help watch the shop but left without doing so?" Second Princess frowned.

The Second Young Master laughed coldly, "In this family, her words are never to be trusted, just listen and ignore."

Second Princess sighed but soon brightened up, "Ah, I still have Second Brother to help, right, Second Brother?"

"Ha ha, know now how good Second Brother is?"

"Of course."

.

Li Yuzhu didn’t go to the market, yet she still cared about the Second Princess’s shop matters.

While having breakfast with others, she said, "After Second Sister’s business picks up, she won’t be able to handle it alone, someone has to help."

Li Xing’an shook his head, "I don’t know how to do business, can’t help there."

"I’m not going, I have many things to do." The Great Princess protested.

The Princess Consort said, "Your eldest brother has to manage the fields. I need to watch over Guoguo and Jingjing and can’t leave. Your father would never sell cakes on the street; he’d rather starve than do business."

After speaking, the Princess Consort shot Prince Luling a fierce look, how stubborn he is!

"I can do anything else but street vending, I won’t go." Prince Luling waved his hands.

Everyone looked at each other, finally, the Princely Heir said, "Let Zhen Niang go, she managed many shops when she was in the Capital."

"Alright, she doesn’t do anything at home anyway, and can’t achieve much outside. Watching the shop is best." The Princess Consort agreed.

Prince Luling didn’t express an opinion on such trivial matters, leisurely sat aside, eating his breakfast.

Li Jing quietly drank goat milk, holding a little corn bun, while Guoguo sat in the Princess Consort’s arms, observing everyone around.

After breakfast, everyone went about their respective tasks.

The Great Princess stayed indoors, sorting out the newly bought fabric from yesterday, planning to make herself new clothes.

Li Xing’an was called to the fields by the Princely Heir, the ox sent by Miss Chai had already plowed more than seven mu of land, after plowing, impurities must be removed before spreading plant ash fertilizer.

Li Xing’an became interested in farming, eagerly followed the Princely Heir to the fields.

Li Yuzhu went to check on her seedlings.

Pumpkin seedlings were the first to be transplanted, these vines grew most abundantly, already covering the bamboo fences.

Although the large fields weren’t fully prepared, Li Yuzhu managed to clear a small plot for transplanting those early vegetable seedlings.

Once these vegetables grow, the family’s dining table will never lack greens.

Some cabbage seedlings grew densely packed together, Li Yuzhu pulled out some poorly growing ones and weeds, letting stronger plants thrive.

After weeding, Li Yuzhu fetched a gourd water scoop to irrigate.

Beside the field, the Princely Heir had dug a pit about a square zhang and half a man deep, for storing rainwater to easily water the crops.

The gourd scoop tied to a bamboo pole more than a meter long, allowed easy scooping without bending over.

With the long bamboo pole, one could effortlessly water a large area.

As Li Yuzhu was watering, someone called out to her from the road not far away, "Miss Li?"

She set down the gourd scoop and turned to see Aunt Liu Da Niu approaching.

Seated on the ox cart, along with her stepson, driving the cart was a medium-built man with a dark face.

Li Family’s bamboo house and fields were near a path, this path connects Qingshui River Village to the left, and leads to Taohua River Village on the right.

Li Yuzhu nodded to her, "Is it Aunt Daniu? Visiting relatives?"

The surgical procedure was just a day ago, and now she’s running around, that woman indeed tough.

Aunt Liu added, "I’m here specifically looking for you."