CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 65: DIVIDING MONEY

Old Mrs. Chen was entranced as Tian HuiZhen opened another box.

A pile of Copper Coins was densely packed inside.

Old Mrs. Chen instinctively touched her waist, wondering what it would feel like to have so much Silver Coin bound there? If she were to stride down the street just like that.

Whether she’d incite envy to death, Old Mrs. Chen didn’t know, but she was convinced that if she did, she’d instantly become an incredibly "precious" person.

Tian HuiZhen said, "My father specifically advised us to exchange more Copper Coins, which would be more convenient for your use."

Apart from Copper Coins, there were also fragmented Silver pieces, each weighing one tael.

Looking at these large boxes, the Chen Family Village people inside and outside the house were, for a moment, very quiet, with eyes showing a hint of bewilderment after elation.

Having suffered so long, suddenly seeing sweetness was simply unbelievable.

After much disappointment, hope silently reached their sides, blurring many people’s vision.

It was still the young children who first broke the silence, giggling and playing beside them.

Xie Liangchen smiled at Tian HuiZhen, "Let’s go inside and talk."

The Tian Family shopkeeper and Chen Yongsheng stayed behind to count the Silver Coin and organize the accounts.

Xie Liangchen asked Tian HuiZhen, "Was the journey smooth this time?"

Tian HuiZhen nodded, "A few of the workers got sick, but after resting a few days, they recovered. My father also acquired horses and carriages along the way. This time, when we depart from Zhenzhou again, we’ll be able to carry more medicinal herbs."

The Tian Family Trading Team had regained its momentum, and the medicinal herbs from Chen Family Village had found a market, which was a huge benefit for both the Tian Family and Chen Family Village.

Tian HuiZhen noticed the hunting bow hanging in the room and couldn’t help but look at Xie Liangchen, "Liangchen, is this bow yours?"

Xie Liangchen nodded, "Just started to learn."

Tian HuiZhen felt even closer to Xie Liangchen, "Father also taught me. If there’s time, let’s go archery together."

Xie Liangchen had long noticed Tian HuiZhen’s straightforward nature.

Tian HuiZhen said, "We can also go horse riding."

While Tian HuiZhen and Xie Liangchen were talking, outside, Chen Yongsheng and Chen Yongyi began organizing the accounts, with Chen Zigeng standing aside, his hands constantly fiddling with calculation rods.

The Tian Family shopkeeper occasionally glanced up at Chen Zigeng, amazed to find the child wasn’t playing but seriously calculating.

Feeling ashamed, the Tian Family shopkeeper marveled at the simplicity of Chen Family Village, where even a child was so skilled. Indeed, it was the old master’s discerning eye.

Although they had already known the sale of medicinal herbs would bring considerable Silver Coin, seeing those large boxes and counting the piles of Copper Coin, Chen Yongsheng still couldn’t contain his excitement.

Miss Chen had said that before winter, they should repair the village houses, and now it seems achievable.

This winter may still be cold, but no longer something to fear.

Chen Yongsheng felt warm inside.

Old Mrs. Chen sat in the corner, watching the boxes. Whether it was the frequent sight of Silver Coin recently, her heart gradually found peace. Apart from feeling a bit flustered at first surprise, she could now face it calmly.

"Grandmother," Chen Zigeng approached, unable to hold his words, "Stop staring. Even Second Uncle is embarrassed to take Silver Coin out of the box."

Grandmother’s eyes were like sharp blades; anyone taking Silver Coin from the box would first be pierced with two holes.

"I’m not," Old Mrs. Chen said, "I’m just casually looking." Hmm, just watching made her feel content.

Chen Zigeng asked again, "Grandmother, aren’t your eyes tired?" Staring without blinking, don’t they feel sore?

Old Mrs. Chen said, "Not tired." Today she wanted to have her fill.

With the Silver Coin tallied and accounts clear, the next step was to load the accumulated medicinal herbs onto the Tian Family’s mule carts.

This time, when the Tian Family Trading Team embarked again, there was no more concealment, everyone knowing the mule carts carried medicinal herbs. The steward escorting the goods felt vastly different from before, with more joy and caution, and less anxiety and unease.

Tian HuiZhen bid farewell to Xie Liangchen, "If you need anything, come to my house to find me."

Xie Liangchen nodded, "When there’s nothing else, come to Chen Family Village, and we’ll chat together."

After the Tian Family left, Chen Yongsheng instructed each household to send one person to discuss how to distribute the Silver Coin.

Though sending just one person per household, the room was filled.

Looking at the Silver Coin in the boxes and then at the fabric sent by the Tian Family, each face was filled with joy.

Chen Yongsheng said, "The medicinal herb business all depends on Liangchen, so the distribution of Silver Coin should also have a corresponding explanation."

Everyone agreed, "It should, it should be that way. Without Liangchen, forget the Silver Coin, we wouldn’t even have enough to eat now."

That’s the truth.

Chen Yongsheng continued, "Although I’ve not been village chief for long, most of Chen Family Village are from the same clan, and after thinking it over, I should bring this up. Miss Chen believes the village is indeed in need of Silver Coin, but when is Silver Coin ever enough? After eating well and repairing the houses, the children need schooling, and the road is long! So why not set rules early, and everyone can have peace of mind."

Everyone responded; someone said, "The village chief is right."

Chen Yongsheng then said, "Then give thirty percent of the earned Silver Coin to Miss Chen."

"Would thirty percent be too little?"

"Yeah, last year even if we picked herbs to sell, they couldn’t fetch much money."

"And what about the grain distributed to us? That counts too."

People talked simultaneously, all at once.

Chen Yongsheng felt relieved, "Alright, let’s proceed this way. I’ll first set aside thirty percent for Miss Chen, then thirty percent for the village, and distribute the rest according to the amounts of herbs picked and gathered."

Having settled this matter, Chen Yongsheng and Chen Yongyi had people bring in tables and chairs to start calculating the allocation of Silver Coin to each household.

The household receiving the most got more than ten taels of Silver, the least having six or seven taels.

Never before had they seen so much Silver Coin. Holding it in their hands, the people of Chen Family Village, after less than two months of hard work front and back, could claim so much.

There was a lively buzz as they collected the money.

Meanwhile, Xie Liangchen and Chen Yuyu distributed the fabric to everyone.

The fabric given by the Tian Family, everyone refused to take, insisting it should be left to Xie Liangchen.

"What would I do with these?" Xie Liangchen said, "Winter’s coming, can’t have children in ragged clothes, take the fabric back, make clothes to keep warm."

North’s winters are not easy to endure. Xie Liangchen was already considering buying more fur for her grandmother, younger brother, and herself to make clothes.

As she contemplated, Old Mrs. Chen approached Xie Liangchen, "Miss Chen, do you know how much Silver we can get?"

When Chen Yongsheng mentioned giving her thirty percent, Xie Liangchen had a vague idea, but she hadn’t thought it through carefully.

Old Mrs. Chen pursed her lips, "Over a hundred taels of Silver."

After speaking, Old Mrs. Chen watched Xie Liangchen, waiting to see the joyful expression on her granddaughter. Instead, Xie Liangchen fell quiet, her large eyes flickering, lost in thought.

After a long pause, Old Mrs. Chen only heard Xie Liangchen say, "Don’t know how much Silver it takes to make a few pots and stoves? Need to buy things for preparing medicine... on this count, perhaps it’s not enough."

Old Mrs. Chen’s heart felt as if it might stop; this time it wasn’t chickens or ducks, pens or paper, but... pots, stoves, and what things?

What troubled Old Mrs. Chen the most was that over a hundred taels of Silver still weren’t enough.

Even the God of Wealth wouldn’t afford her granddaughter.