Renovating the kitchen is a big project!
When Chun Nuan mentioned it to the family, they all supported the idea, of course, but only verbally. When it came to providing money or effort, there was none, all relying on Chun Nuan and Chun Ning.
"Chun Ning, what are your thoughts?"
Chun Nuan intended to nurture him, as the Xiao family needed a leader, not just someone who only follows orders.
"Sister, I've been thinking about this these past couple of days. We need to make a living, process herbs, and often use the kitchen..."
Plans succeed when kept secret; tall trees catch the wind, especially now as the Xiao family is in the spotlight. Being cautious ensures safety.
The large Xiao Family clan would not want to see them living well.
The kitchen needs to be built for convenience in work.
"We can't build a house, but we can cut some bamboo to cover it," Chun Ning suggested. "I asked Xiao Gang; the bamboo beside the small river on the hillside belongs to Old Master Zhang's family. They usually don't mind if we cut a couple of bamboo for use, but using too much won't work. Why don't we approach them to buy some?"
"Good idea, let's see how much it costs,"
Chun Nuan also thought this way.
What Chun Nuan didn't expect was Old Master Zhang's response: the bamboo is not worth much; the Xiao family can cut it freely.
"There are still good people in the world," little Chun An remarked, making the whole family burst into laughter.
"Old Master Zhang has more than thirty acres of land, and Luo Xiao Gang's family rents land from Old Master's family, only charging fifty percent rent, which is ten percent less than the large Xiao Family clan's," Chun Ning said. "The large Xiao Family clan's rent is sixty-forty; they take sixty."
"So greedy, who would rent their land?" Mrs. Zhu couldn't help but mutter. "On our Zhu Family Manor, tenants pay forty-six, and we only take forty."
"In Changzhou, there are three big families; the Xiao Family holds one," Chun Ning shared the information he gathered with the family. "In the whole An Nan Town, more than half of the fields and mountains are owned by the large Xiao Family clan."
So not everyone can rent land from the Zhang family. Who wouldn't want to pay less rent?
But it also depends on luck.
Families who have successfully rented from the Zhang family are unlikely to give up their leases, while those unable to can only rent from the Xiao family to survive.
"These past two years have been dry in Changzhou, and many families have had poor harvests. After paying rent, they struggle with food supply, so many people forage for wild vegetables when crops are scarce."
"If only we could rent land from the Zhang family, even one acre would do,"
Mrs. Xu felt a pang of longing, thinking of the two estates in her dowry, with over sixty acres of land in the suburb of the capital; Xiao Mansion itself had an estate with over eighty acres.
The Xiao family has always been kind and fair, whether to tenant farmers or sharecroppers, and they only collect forty percent rent.
Mrs. Xu, Mrs. Huang, and Mrs. Zhu bowed their heads, wiping tears.
They too were daughters from minor official families with generous dowries, always managed thriftily, only to be confiscated and benefitting others in the end.
"Sister, tomorrow, let's first cut bamboo to enclose the kitchen," Chun Ning saw Old Master Zhang coughing heavily the last time he saw him, "Sister, afterward, let's go together to ask if Old Master Zhang might spare us an acre to rent."
"Okay."
Chun Nuan hesitated; why would asking Old Master Zhang require her to go?
If Chun Ning wants her to go, there must be a reason.
Picking and selling spring flowers and flower cakes, Chun Ning and Luo Xiao Gang could handle it themselves, sparing Chun Nuan the need to go to the docks.
She would only take Chunyan and Chun Shu to cut bamboo.
"Be careful not to cut yourself."
Mountains might collapse, and people might leave; thinking of asking someone to help, Chun Nuan realized the Xiao family consisted of women and children. Hiring a man would invite gossip, needing to provide meals and pay wages... Better to do what they could themselves, learn as they go for the rest.
"Sister, what's this?"
Chunyan spotted something pointy and quickly shouted.
"It's a bamboo shoot."
Chun Nuan thought to herself that if they stir-fried it with meat, it would be a delicacy indeed.
"What is a bamboo shoot?"
"A bamboo shoot is what bamboo is called when it first sprouts. Bamboo shoots..." She swallowed back this explanation that they were edible because these two sisters, along with Luo Sanya, had become quite the experienced foragers these days, sparing nothing that could be eaten.
Old Master Zhang agreed to let them cut bamboo but didn't mention bamboo shoots. Besides, cutting bamboo shoots at this time of year would result in fewer bamboos; one must not be too greedy.
"I know, I know," Chun Shu quickly said. "Sanya said bamboo shoots can be eaten, but if you eat bamboo shoots, you'll drool."
"Yes, and eating them makes you anxious, so we shouldn't cut them."
Chun Nuan lied against her conscience; the anxiety from eating bamboo shoots was due to the lack of meat. If she could afford a couple of pounds of pork to stir-fry, not eating them would be worrisome.
The three sisters were cutting bamboo when Chun An came running.
"Sister, let me help."
"Xiao'an, stay back," hoping he wouldn't mess things up.
"Sister, I can do it,"
"Alright, you can, eh," Chun Nuan didn't discourage him, handing over a bamboo stripped of branches, "Drag it back home."
"Sister..." Chunyan and Chun Shu were wide-eyed, a single bamboo was heavy, they couldn't drag it, how could six-year-old Chun An manage it?
"It's fine." Kids, after all, would understand their limits once they try.
Chun An hugged the bamboo, using all his might, barely moving it a little.
"Sister, it's so heavy!"
"Sister isn't heavy, not even seventy pounds," Chun Nuan teased, "By the time you're your sister's age, you'll be over a hundred pounds."
"Not even seventy pounds, indeed not heavy..." Suddenly a male voice from the bamboo grove startled the four siblings.
"Mr. Zhao?" Seeing the person, Chun Nuan sighed in relief.
Is this something for him to comment on?
Why meddle in siblings' playful banter?
"Miss Xiao, I brought some Bianxia that needs your processing,"
"Alright, I'll be right there."
When Chun Nuan saw the large sack of Bianxia Qingsheng was carrying, she glanced at Zhao Minghua: You call this small amount a few Bianxia?
"What kind of herbs does Mr. Zhao need?"
"Hundred Herbs Hall requires Qingbanxia, Jiangbanxia, and Fabianxia now."
In fact, there was no need for so much; his grandfather and brother wanted to test her herb processing skills, hence the numerous demands.
"How should we divide the quantities?"
"Evenly, equal parts for all three."
"Alright, got it."
Chun Nuan held back, but eventually asked.
"May I ask Mr. Zhao, what is the labor cost for processing these Bianxia?"
In business, money talks, and discussing it straightforwardly ensures long-term dealings.
"One tael of silver."
This price, Zhao Minghua added himself; his grandfather and brother only cared if the herbs were good, not about the processing fees.
"Alright, no problem," Chun Nuan was excited; she had secured this one tael of silver. "Please have this little brother deliver the herbs to my house. I'll schedule their processing. You can come to collect them in half a month."
"Miss Xiao, just call me Qingsheng," Qingsheng understood that his master talking business with Miss Xiao was a special arrangement by the master, so he had no psychological pressure. "Miss Xiao, why are you cutting bamboo?"
"We're planning to use the bamboo to fix the kitchen."
"You're cutting bamboo to repair the kitchen?" Xiao Minghua couldn't bear to watch; he subconsciously glanced at Xiao Chunnuan's hands, surely they blistered from chopping, right?
"I'll help you." Then he directly took the chopping knife from Xiao Chunnuan's hands and started cutting bamboo.
"This..."
There truly is a difference between men and women; she needed seven or eight chops to cut down a bamboo, and this man managed with just three.
"What are you looking at?" Zhao Minghua said to Qingsheng. "Carry the Bianxia to the Xiao family and come back to cut bamboo. Don't go home until it's all done."
Huh?
Qingsheng looked at the stretch of bamboo forest, feeling the sky had fallen! The master only said to deliver herbs, not to do hard labor, right?
Could he ask for help? After all, his father was a master bamboo craftsman, excellent at cutting bamboo!