Farming and reading family

As for her properties, she kept them separately and included them in her dowry.

Mrs. Lei saw her second sister-in-law writing something again: "Is this your account book?"

"This is your second brother's separate account book." Gao E smiled. "Your second brother said that he needs to hold a sacrifice before the school starts construction. I have to go to He County to buy some things tomorrow."

Lei sat down and stopped looking at the account book: "Second brother, you are really something. We are not a wealthy family, and you still engage in these nonsense."

"It's only right to break ground and offer sacrifices, especially for a school. If a few of them become successful in the future, we'll be proud of them."

Lei Shi heard her second sister-in-law say this and thought it was right: "The little money we saved from selling wild boars before is not enough to do anything now."

Gao E still kept the silver. She originally planned to set up a stall to sell acorn jelly in the summer after the flood. Although the income was not much, it was a good livelihood for her eldest sister-in-law and her third brother's wife.

As a result, all the starch made from the acorns picked up in the village was eaten up in one winter.

Besides, she doesn't lack that little money now, so building a house is more important.

"A little bit of accumulation adds up to a lot. Once the village is stable, we can plan what to do." Gao E said in a low voice.

Lei hesitated to speak.

"What's wrong?" Gao E looked at Lei's hesitant look.

"When will my second sister-in-law pay back the money she borrowed from her parents' home?" Lei was quite worried about this.

Gao E smiled and said, "Don't worry about that. Your second brother got some money when he visited the teacher, and the Gao family has already paid him back."

"Really?" Lei was happy.

She had been thinking about how to tell her second sister-in-law that the money should be repaid by the villagers together, after all, the food bought was for the villagers to eat.

"Why would I lie to you?" Gao E tilted her head and looked at Lei. "Are you idle and have nothing to do now? You think about these things every day."

Lei nodded. "When I was on the birthing trip, I was still working in the morning. Now that the pregnancy is not advanced, I am not allowed to do this or that. It's very boring."

"Then you have to help me check on the vegetables I planted every day and make sure nothing goes wrong." Gao E reminded.

"Okay." Lei was willing to do it.

After breakfast in the morning, Gao E asked Lu Hao to harness the carriage and go to He County. She originally wanted to bring a female relative with her, but then she thought better of it. She had to go to the government office this time, and she would have to explain if she brought a female relative with her.

Lu Hao drove the carriage and laughed happily: "Big sister, are you going to He County to inquire about something this time?"

"How did you guess that?" Gao E did not hide it.

"Oh!" Lu Hao thought, how could this be hidden from him? "Sister, when you go out, take whoever is good at what. I'm good at getting information, Luo Dagang will be in charge of protection, and Zheng Xiaoshun, that shrewd guy, can handle things alone."

Gao E thought Lv Hao was quite analytical: "If you have this ability, why do you stay in Baotou Village?"

"I think it's more profitable to follow my elder sister." Lu Hao said directly.

In the past, he was doing well in He County, and he only made a few dozen copper coins by helping Luo Dagang sell illegal salt.

It's different when he follows Sister Gao. The work is easy and life is good. As long as Sister Gao asks him to do something, she will be very generous.

Where can he find such a financial sponsor?

Gao E thought this was a good idea.

When the two men arrived in He County, Gao E gave Lu Hao the shopping list and some silver to let him go shopping.

"After you finish shopping, go to the back door of the yamen and wait." Gao E ordered.

"Okay." Lu Hao knew that the remaining silver would be his.

Gao E went to the yamen by herself, and this time the doorman Xiao Si took her in directly.

He Tangchun originally wanted to find Gao E, but he didn't expect Gao E to come to him first.

"What's the matter with Madam Chen coming here this time?" He Tangchun knew that Gao E wouldn't come if there was nothing wrong.

"I want to ask you about a lady named Duan. She bought a lot of land in Bashang Village and Bawei Village." Gao E was not polite.

He Tangchun was surprised: "Are you talking about Duan Yuping?"

"You know her?" Gao E was surprised.

He Tangchun smiled and said, "She is the daughter of Duan Shiying, the owner of Yuyanglou in Qinzhou City."

"Are you familiar with her?"

He Tangchun shook his head: "She bought a lot of land in He County, so I naturally have to check it out."

"So, those who hoard land in He County are not just the gentry and landlords of He County?" Gao E had not thought of this before.

"She is the only one who is not from He County." He Tangchun said Gao E was overthinking it.

"Then why would a woman like her buy land in He County?"

"Do you know Chen Xiangyue, the richest man in He County?"

Gao E nodded, wondering if this matter was related to the richest man in He County.

"Although I don't know what her relationship with Chen Xiangyue is, the fact that she lives in Chen's house and purchased land in He County may be related to this." He Tangchun didn't investigate too much.

Gao E frowned. It seemed that Duan Yuping really had some tricks up her sleeve.

He Tangchun frowned at Gao E and asked, "Do you have a grudge against her?"

"It's not really a holiday." Gao E didn't mention Duan Yuping's matter. "There's something else I'd like to ask for Lord He's help with."

He Tangchun heard Gao address him like that and felt it was not a good thing: "Go ahead."

"Our village is going to build a school, and we would like to invite a few old gentlemen to come and worship the sages and participate in the groundbreaking ceremony. Could you please, Lord He, do us the honor of coming and invite a few old teachers along?" Gao E was not polite either.

If Chen Ke were asked to do this, I don’t know how twisted he would be and who he would hire.

But He Tangchun could do it with just one word.

"When?" He Tangchun was surprised that Batou Village was going to build a school. It seemed that the situation in Batou Village was better than he thought.

"Three days later." Gao E knew that He Tangchun agreed.

He Tangchun nodded: "I will definitely go when the time comes."

"Thank you."

He Tangchun hesitated for a moment: "Did your village have a school before?"

"No."

"So, after the flood, your village is better off than before. I wonder what methods you used?" He Tangchun asked in a roundabout way.

"What can we do about this kind of thing? All we have to do is unite as a village and get things done." Gao E spread her hands.

He Tangchun felt that this matter was not simple. If it were really that simple, there would be no poor places.

"You have seen the current situation in He County. All the able-bodied laborers who can leave have chosen to leave. I don't know how long the land in He County that has been flooded will be abandoned." He Tangchun said tentatively.

Gao E wanted to laugh: "Master He, is there nothing you can do?"

"I want to hear your opinion." How could He Tangchun admit that he had no idea?

"The strong laborers in He County left simply because He County's disaster relief policy has nothing to do with them. Lord He just needs to find people who are related to the disaster relief policy." Gao E said simply.

He Tangchun frowned, wondering how to find it.

Gao E smiled and said, considering He Tangchun's honesty, "Some of the land in He County is now a hot potato for those who hold it. Maybe someone outside will see it as a great opportunity and come to fight for it with money, food, and strong labor."