Shipin Dalizheng

"Uncle Dahai, you should go too!"

Rong Tang had heard the villagers gossip that Dahai's mother had died young, and his father had married a stepmother. As the saying goes, if there's a stepmother, there's a stepfather, especially since the stepmother had a son. Dahai's father didn't show much affection for his eldest son, so Rong Dahai had been wandering the mountains since he was a child, fending for himself.

Dahai's father died early, and his stepmother ignored him, allowing him to earn some money hunting and marry a wife. Although his stepmother didn't help him, when she became a stepmother, she tortured Dahai's wife in various ways, forcing her to wash clothes in the river in the middle of winter. During the confinement period, she became ill and often felt dizzy and weak.

Later, Rong Dahai became angry and had a big fight with his stepmother. They separated and lived separately. Even so, his stepmother still asked him for pension money every now and then to support her biological son.

Rong Dahai's stepmother and half-brother were not bad people in the outside world, but they directed all their bad intentions at Rong Dahai, believing that Rong Dahai was the one who deserved them.

After all, it was all because of poverty. Since they couldn't take advantage of outsiders, they bullied Rong Dahai's family. The mother and son were considered a "family" and had the title of "filial piety", so they had reason to take advantage of them.

When Rong Dashan heard that someone was needed, the first family he thought of was his own. The other families were in similar situations. This was also the result of Rong Dashan's empathy and sympathy.

Rong Dahai replied, "Yes, I have discussed it with Xiaochuan's mother, and we might plan to settle there in the future. After all, it is all within the territory of the Bo Mansion."

This is because he is fed up with his stepmother taking advantage of him and plans to live far away and never have any contact with her again.

Rong Tang didn't say anything. Every family has problems of one kind or another. The partiality of the elderly has caused disharmony in the family, and it is not just the Third Master's family. He is neither stupid nor deaf, and he is not qualified to be the head of the family.

Rong Qiaoqiao rolled up a small bundle and ran over, "Prince Tang, please take me with you. I miss my mother and my second sister."

Her father would come over sometimes, but her mother and second sister had never mentioned wanting to come back since they went there.

Rong Shi, of course, had no objection. He carried her to the car, saw that everything was almost ready, and gave the order, "Move on!"

He looks heroic and high-spirited, like a general who is about to win a battle.

Fifty or sixty people headed straight for Fuxinzhuang. Halfway through, Lao Wen drove a horse-drawn carriage and joined them from a side road, following them slowly.

Old Wen pointed at the team ahead and said, "Young Master, even though Prince Rong may have the airs of a dandy, that's just a facade. What dandy would go to such lengths to find a way out for these poor people? Xuanque, you can't judge a person by hearsay alone. You have to look beyond the surface to see the true nature. When you're looking for a husband in the future, you need to look for a heroic young man like him."

Xuan Que was furious. "Who would marry a wretch like him? He even sang obscene songs in prison! Besides, I didn't hear anything from anyone else. I saw it with my own eyes. He's a lecher."

Old Wen curled his lips and said, "People may not be attracted to a vicious woman like you."

At the front of the convoy, Rong Wanli looked back frequently, feeling a little worried for his master. He was being stared at every day, which made him feel very uncomfortable. He couldn't beat them or drive them away, which made him feel very frustrated.

The group arrived at Fuxinzhuang. Fortunately, Zheng Changzhi had severe mysophobia and could not stand the broken, ugly and dilapidated places in Fuxinzhuang, so he stopped under a big willow tree outside the bridge.

Wei Wu and Rong Xian were already waiting in the manor, looking very happy.

Wei Wu said, "I wanted to tell you yesterday, my sorghum in the field was planted a few days ago and is almost at its sweetest. I just broke off two stalks this morning. You can try them."

Youzi gave Rongtang a piece of folded sorghum stalk, and Rongtang slowly bit it open to taste it.

"Almost done. I'll check it again today and clean all the tools. We'll officially start work tomorrow. I wonder if the fan I asked Young Master Tang to make is finished yet."

Preparations began busily in the manor. Rong Dashan brought several families from the village to live in the houses that had been prepared for them. Some of them were already there, and some were added with the help of the veterans. They were next to a big building that was going to be used as a winery.

Rong Dashan reported to Rong Tang, "We've made quite a bit of sweet rice wine. Mrs. Xue came to get it twice. She said if anyone wants to bring someone to buy it, they can go to Rongjia Village."

Rong Qiaoqiao immediately begged for praise, "Prince, adding dried fruits and flowers to the sweet wine was the idea of ​​Sister Chuncao and I. Now our sweet wine has several colors and tastes."

Rong An smiled and said, "Qiaoqiao is really smart. She also said that the ones with added ingredients should be sold at a higher price. Now some of our sweet wines are selling for over a hundred coins per small jar. Some ladies from big families love them very much."

Rong Tang was surprised. He looked through the account books that Rong Dashan remembered, and then compared them with Rong An's. Sure enough, most of the varieties were priced above 100 Wen. Although not many were sold, the sales volume was slowly increasing.

"That's right, Qiaoqiao has some rewards. You can see what she likes and ask Chuncao to buy it for her."

The promotion of the sweet wine was still insufficient, and Xue Dongjia's contacts with wealthy wives were limited. His next priority was to figure out how to infiltrate the wives' diplomatic network.

Then he was invited into the room where the sweet wine was kept. There were already many jars and cans on the shelves, all of which were custom-made and marked with Rong Jinji.

Rong Dashan said, "Both Rongjia Village and this area make sweet wine. The ones made there alone fill up all the shops in town, and the ones made here have nowhere to put them. My Lord, it's not that I look down on the disabled old men in the village, but if we want to sell this sweet wine to the ladies of wealthy families, we still need a respectable shop. Our Fuxin Village seems a bit shabby right now, and the purchasing managers of those wealthy families don't even want to set foot here."

Rong Tang also knew the importance of shops. There were many shops under the name of the Bo Mansion. What surprised him was that except for the more than 20 shops that were rented out, the shops that were directly managed by Jin Shizhao or Yang Lianhua did not come to him and give their loyalty to him immediately after Jin Shizhao's downfall.

"I've made note of this. I'll take care of it once the sugar mill is up and running."

He wants to take back all the ones in the county, and not a single one in the capital can be left behind.

Outside, Rong Qiaoqiao took off her small bag and took out two pieces of cloth from it and gave them to Zhou. "Mother, this is what Prince Tang gave me last time. You and my second sister should each make a summer shirt."

She then pulled out a small purse filled with oil-paper-wrapped candies. She gave one to Zhou and one to Erya. Seeing the other children, young and old, eagerly watching, she ran over and gave each a piece. She knew that in two days, Fuxin Village would also be making candies, and her friends would have a chance to enjoy some.

Rong Xiaochuan's house was next to Erya's. Xiaochuan took the candy, but couldn't bear to eat it himself, so he went into the house and stuffed it into his mother's mouth.

Not long after, his mother Gao got up, walked out of the house, asked where Rong Tang was, and went over to thank him.

"Prince Tang, I've been feeling weak and dizzy for years. I've seen many doctors but they can't explain why. I've taken a whole roomful of medicine but nothing has worked. But this piece of candy makes me feel like my blood has been replaced. Does it have some special, expensive herbs added to it?"

It was just a casual question, and I didn't mean to inquire about the secret recipe.

Rong Shidao said, "What Aunt Dahai said is interesting. Sugar with medicine added to it is medicinal candy..."

Wait, candy?!

"Qiaoqiao, go call Grandpa Zhang over."

Zhang Pojun's small clinic happened to be not far from their house. Rong Qiaoqiao ran there in a few steps and pulled his sleeve towards her.

"Ouch, slow down. I'm going to fall."