The Virtuous Concubine

Liu Yuan asked Chen Ma to keep it a secret for her, and just said that they went out to eat candied haws and wontons. She also asked Chen Ma to negotiate a supply agreement with the boss. The boss provided her with some better silk threads and fabrics, and she made the finished products and sold them at a price, exclusively to this shop. Of course, she also supported customization.

The boss was very happy. After all, the silk thread and material were very good to her, and she could sell them at a higher price if she made them more delicately. She could also make money by teaching her embroiderers these skills.

After agreeing to pay the goods every two weeks and wrapping the slightly more expensive fabrics in inconspicuous cotton cloth and hiding the silk threads, Nanny Chen took the ignorant Liu Yuan by the hand and walked out of the embroidery workshop.

The owner of the embroidery workshop had no idea that the real person in charge was Liu Yuan. He just felt that it was pitiful for Chen Ma to be an orphan and a widow, but fortunately she had a skill to make a living.

Liu Yuan was relieved after she had realized how to monetize her talent. It wasn't that she didn't want to sell it to the system, but she found out that the system requirements were too high after she made a handkerchief that she was satisfied with. Her current product was not enough to activate the system mall.

It would be nice to improve real life! For example, now, she went to the bookstore to buy a few books. Of course, she went in to buy books as a gift for her brother, and then she bought a bunch of miscellaneous books.

She also asked the boss how to buy pens, ink, paper and inkstone cheaply, and found that she could earn some money by copying books, and she could also practice calligraphy and read books for free. However, Liu Yuan's calligraphy was definitely not good enough to impress the boss, so she just made a note of it and decided to practice calligraphy well.

She bought some snacks and toys to show off, and then she said to Nanny Chen, "Mammy, here are the five hundred coins for you."

Nanny Chen was very surprised, but still refused: "Miss, what are you doing?!"

Liu Yuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work today. Just consider this as hush money and storage fee! Can I put some of these books and fabrics in your room? When you need them, just quietly bring them to me."

Nanny Chen was puzzled: "Why not just put it in the young lady's room? It's not something shameful."

Liu Yuan shook her head: "You know what my situation is like at home. What will my mother do if my money-making business is discovered? I am learning calligraphy and painting in private. If Mayanzhu sees it, she will definitely make a fuss. Before I can get through to my father and mother, it is better to keep things out of the way."

Nanny Chen thought it made sense. Sai and Li would definitely make Miss Malu embroider day and night, and Mayanzhu would be unreasonable and make it impossible for Miss to learn.

Some people are just like this. They can't stand others doing better than they are if they don't make progress themselves!

In fact, Nanny Chen didn't know at that time that Liu Yuan's behavior was called "hiding one's strength and biding one's time" in ancient times, but might be called "a school bitch" in modern times.

The two of them quickly reached an agreement. The daily allowance was still used as usual, and the bulk of the extra fabrics and threads, books and papers given by the embroidery room were kept in Nanny Chen's room. Nanny Chen would bring some over when she came on duty every day, and they would just use them up as they learned.

The two of them sorted out in the corner of the teahouse the things that would be hidden later and the things that would be taken out to honor the elders at home, and then the old and the young went home hand in hand.

When he got home, Malu deliberately soiled his clothes at the door, and shouted that how could he meet the elders in the family with untidy clothes, and he had to go back to change clothes first.

Xiao Tao, who came out to greet the two people, had to help carry the things back first, and then help Liu Yuan change her clothes. When Xiao Tao was done, Nanny Chen had already packed up, holding two boxes and following Liu Yuan to the side room where Sai and Li lived.

It was a coincidence that it was a day off, so E-chan, Weiwu, Sai, Lishi, and Bai Qi were all there. When the old woman rolled up the curtain, Liu Yuan saw that the family was having a great time, discussing Bai Qi's studies.

Sai and Li frowned when they saw Malu coming: "Where did you go today, girl? I went to the front to call you, but Xiaotao said you went out."

The restrictions on the entry of Manchu and Baoyi women were not strict. Many of them went out to burn incense and go outings, and even more went out to work and buy things. When they had to make a living, it was difficult to pay attention to the strict separation of men and women.

Liu Yuan quickly explained: "Today the weather is good. After practicing embroidery, I felt that I had seen too few embroidery works, so I took Nanny Chen to the embroidery workshop to have a look. They are so beautiful! I also bought some things with my New Year's money."

Then she asked Nanny Chen to open the box and began to distribute it: "This is a box of cakes from Fuguilou for the family to try. They have been waiting in line for a long time! I also bought pens, ink, paper and inkstones for my brother and sister."

E-chan and Weiwu were very satisfied and felt that Malu was thoughtful. However, Sai and Li Shi frowned and said, "You are wasting all this money! Are you short of food or drink at home? I think the money is too much!"

E-chan couldn't reprimand his daughter-in-law, so he had to interrupt: "Why didn't you buy anything for grandfather, but only for your brother and sister?"

After hearing Sai and Li's words, Liu Yuan, who had been bowing her head and pretending to be wronged, quickly took out a pair of knee pads, a pair of wrist guards, and a headband: "This knee pad was made by Malu for my grandfather, this wrist guard is made for my father, and this headband is of course made for my mother."

Sai Heli was a little embarrassed to hear this, but this did not prevent her from thinking that Malu was really an annoying child who embarrassed her in front of her father-in-law and husband.

It's obvious that she is!

Bai Qi and Wei Wu, father and son, of course, were hiding on the side, and they took the gift without saying anything. Nanny Chen looked at this scene and felt that her young lady's kindness was wasted, and it was better to feed the dog!

Fortunately, Ecan was a sensible person. He patted Liu Yuan's head and praised her: "Malu is a very good child. Thank you, Malu. Grandfather likes you very much. But we can't let a child like you spend money. Adults should take care of the family affairs."

As she said this, she glanced at Sai and Li, and this glance made Sai and Li blush - was this to mean that she didn't manage the household well and was not good to the children?

E Can went on to say, "From now on, Grandfather will give you an extra 1 tael of silver per month as pocket money. You can decide what you like to eat, play, and use."

This is really a big deal! Bai Qi's monthly salary is only 300 coins. Sai and Li Shi hurriedly smiled and said, "How can she afford so much money when she is just a child? Besides, it's not good to ask the father-in-law to pay for it. People outside will scold the daughter-in-law, and it's impossible to treat three children equally."

Sai and Li just wanted to take the opportunity to put the money into their own pockets. She was in charge of the family, but her father-in-law's private money and family assets were the bulk of the money, as well as her mother-in-law's dowry, which she could not touch.

The implicit meaning of her words was to ask E-Chan to mention this to Bai Qi and Mayan Zhu as well. E-Chan knew what she meant, but he didn't agree with her: "Yes, you are right, I was negligent, so forget it."

This made Sai and Li's heart attack. They didn't expect to lose more than they gained! Seeing her frustrated look, Liu Yuan wanted to laugh, but didn't she also lose a huge sum of twelve taels of silver?

But he didn't feel sad for a second, and Ecan said again: "Then if Malu's children need anything in the future, just come to me. I will also take care of their education and tuition."

Weiwu couldn't stand it anymore: "What kind of talk is that! Isn't your son also supporting the family?!" Weiwu felt very ashamed.

Saihe Li glared at Weiwu, saying, "Why are you pretending to be so high and mighty? You don't know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt are until you run a household." But she didn't dare to go against Weiwu's wishes, knowing that she couldn't take advantage of him.

Fortunately, Ecan did not continue to argue with them. He just waved his hand and asked them to leave. He then asked, "Where is Mayanzhu? Everyone in the family is here today, except for her?"

Sai and Li hurriedly smiled and said, "Mayanzhu went out to burn incense with Miss Lin, and the two of them were clamoring to find a teacher to learn musical instruments together."