Reborn in Dunhuang, I am farming and doing business in the desert

Chapter 42 People with bad intentions
Or if I change the delivery address to my elder brother, will he be able to receive it too?
In this way, even if my eldest brother cannot return home, I can still send the medicine to him.

Thinking of this, Shen Zhao's mood suddenly brightened.

"A Zhao, why are you laughing alone?" Shen Heng poked his head out of the window and looked into the room with blinking eyes.

Shen Zhao shook the small bronze mirror in his hand: "Look in the mirror."

"Tsk!" Shen Heng retracted his head and shouted, "Come out to eat! Wait until your cousins come, then you can go back to the room and take good care of it."

Shen Zhao ignored him and bought ten packets of yeast powder from the small bronze mirror, preparing to knead the dough for steamed buns the next morning.

We have sweet potato vermicelli and radishes at home, as well as plenty of white flour. We can use these two ingredients to steam some buns, which will definitely taste better than yellow rice cakes.

Then came another night of grinding soy milk and making tofu. My mother and I had already gone to bed, but my cousin and A Zhu were still busy.

When Shen Zhao woke up, it was already dawn.

Shen De dragged a cart to transport the goods. Plates of snow-white tofu were placed on the cart, carrying the hopes of three families.

Today, Shen Heng, Azhi and his son, and his cousin went to sell goods. One person pulled the cart while the other three took turns pushing it from behind, slowly heading towards Xiangu County.

After Shen Zhao finished washing, he used a large rhubarb basin to mix a large basin of white flour and added baking powder.

Then I washed a few large radishes and soaked a handful of vermicelli to prepare the filling for the buns.

Before the buns were put into the steamer, Uncle Qin arrived with a wooden box on his shoulders.

Zhang Shanyue led him to the wood in the yard and showed him the furniture drawings his daughter had given him: "A Zhao said to make it according to these patterns. We don't need it to look good, just strong and durable."

Uncle Qin took the blueprint and nodded: "Okay."

Shen Zhao brought another large bag of tools: "Uncle Qin, I bought these tools from merchants in the Central Plains. I'll lend them to you first."

Uncle Qin nodded, looked down at the tools, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

This was the first time he had seen such a complete set of tools. If he could have a set, he wouldn’t have to worry about his future.

"A Zhao, how much are these tools?" he couldn't help but ask.

Shen Zhao said without hesitation: "One thousand five hundred coins."

"Only 1,500 coins?" Uncle Qin was shocked. After hesitating for a long time, he asked again, "A Zhao, can you help me bring a set of tools? I, I can add some money for the labor."

Shen Zhao smiled and said, "Why would I ask for money to bring it to you? If you want to buy it, I'll give you this set at the original price."

Uncle Qin suddenly became excited and said stumblingly, "I, I'll go back and get the money for you."

As he said this, he was about to go home to get the money.

"No hurry, you work first and go back in the evening." Asking people to do carpentry work also requires providing meals. Shen Zhao gave instructions and went back to continue making steamed buns and dumplings.

So, Uncle Qin sat in the yard and started sawing wood, very methodically and seriously.

Soon, the buns came out of the pot. Zhang Shanyue brought five hot buns to Uncle Qin, while Shen Zhao sent a large bowl to his aunt.

My aunt was not at home. Only my five-year-old niece and my cousin, Mrs. Wu, were at home.

However, at this moment, Wu was sitting in the yard and talking with Cao Liang's wife, and Shen Zhao faintly heard Mrs. Cao making up stories about her family.

"You are too honest, that's why you are bullied by your own family." Mrs. Cao said stealthily with her back to the outside, "Child, your second uncle's family obviously has a good business but they don't let you do it. Why do they ask your husband to sell tofu? Oh, you drag a cart out early in the morning. You are treating your husband like an old cow."

Mrs. Wu lowered her head and said nothing, sewing the small clothes quickly.

Mrs. Cao continued, "Only you can bear this anger. If it were me, I would make their whole family restless."

"Auntie Cao, who are you trying to mess with? Why are you so excited?" Shen Zhao walked in slowly and handed the ceramic bowl to his niece: "Come, take one and try it."

The little girl stretched out her dirty little hands, grabbed a plump white bun, and took a bite.

Mrs. Cao was stunned, turned around and saw Shen Zhao, a trace of embarrassment appeared on her face.

Wu was also a little flustered, but seeing that her cousin didn't say anything else, she felt relieved and asked, "Ah Zhao, have you eaten?"

"I'm eating now." Shen Zhao handed her a bun and said, "Sister-in-law, try the buns I made. They're delicious."

Wu took it and looked at Mrs. Cao again, not knowing whether she should give it to her.

"Eat quickly. It won't taste good if it gets cold." Shen Zhao urged, not intending to give the bun in his hand to Mrs. Cao.

Mrs. Cao's throat slid open, but she didn't leave tactfully. Instead, she smiled and said, "A Zhao, you're not a child anymore, are you? If you don't allow me to kiss you now, it will be too late."

Shen Zhao smiled: "My family is not short of money, why should I arrange a marriage so early?"

Mrs. Cao was choked and said unhappily, "What does your marriage proposal have to do with whether you are short of money?"

"If you are not short of money, you won't sell your daughter." Shen Zhao said with a smile: "Besides, our Shen family is not as flexible as your Cao family. We can first hire her to this family and then sell her to another family."

"You!" Mrs. Cao was furious and stood up. "Who did you say was sold to another family? Oh, you are too poor to afford a betrothal gift and you blame others. You are so harsh at such a young age. No wonder the Qin family doesn't want you!"

Shen Zhao stuffed the pottery bowl into his sister-in-law's hand and slowly stood up: "I am not what the Qin family wants, Aunt Cao, go see your daughter when you have nothing to do, don't always run to the Shen family, now there is nothing good to say between our Shen family and your Cao family."

"Great, great! You are so amazing at such a young age! You are as eloquent as a storyteller! I am really enlightened!"

Mrs. Cao walked out in a rage, cursing as she walked: "Bah! You are such a wicked person! You will never get married! Humph! You will be an old lady for the rest of your life!"

Shen Zhao ignored her and turned to look at Wu: "Sister-in-law, there is no way our family and the Cao family can reconcile. You don't have to listen to her gossip. If you really feel that my family has treated your cousin unfairly, you can just tell him directly and tell him not to come to our house anymore."

Wu stammered, "I didn't mean that. It's Aunt Cao who always says those things."

Shen Zhao interrupted his sister-in-law's defense: "Sister-in-law, a harmonious family is the foundation of everything. If she continues to gossip about the Shen family, just ask her to go back. You don't have to be polite to people with bad intentions."

Mrs. Wu responded and said no more.

Shen Zhao glanced at Wu and sighed in his heart.

This eldest cousin's wife has a gentle personality. She never tells her family about anything that happens, but instead seeks comfort outside. Little does she know that people outside want to laugh at her. Who really wants to comfort her?
When I got home, I saw my father coming back with a camel with two large bags on its back.

Uncle Qin was about to come over to help unload the goods, but was stopped by Shen Ang: "Haha! Go ahead, these aren't heavy, I can do it by myself."

After saying this, he carried a bag into the house and winked at his wife and daughter.

Zhang Shanyue and Shen Zhao had just gone to move another bag when the village head walked in with Qin Yi and a few others. "Huh? Are these the goods we bought from the Hu merchants? Can you show me what they are?"

(End of this chapter)