Farming and reading family

Chapter 526 It's a bit strange

He had already fallen out with Chen Ke and made his intentions clear, so he didn't beat around the bush with Gao E.

"I'm so sorry." Gao E spread her hands. "These mulberry saplings are not enough for my family."

Gong Zhinian looked at the villagers planting mulberry trees. It was difficult to find temporary workers nowadays. How could Gao find so many? "Madam Chen, don't you want to hear the price?"

"It's not a question of price." Gao E refused bluntly.

"Mrs. Chen didn't even hear the price I offered, so how do you know it's not a matter of price?" Gong Zhinian was not giving up.

"I said it's not a matter of price. I just mean that no matter what price Mr. Gong offers, I won't sell it." Gao E said with certainty.

Gong Zhinian felt that Gao E didn't listen to his quote: "This kind of seedlings planted in one year only cost two or three cents per plant in Rongyang, and I'll give you eighteen cents per plant." He said gritting his teeth.

Gao E laughed when she heard this: "I thought Master Gong would offer a price that would scare me."

Gong Zhinian saw Gao E's smile and thought she was mocking him: "Eighteen cents is not low."

"But if we transport the mulberry saplings in from outside, regardless of whether they are dead or alive, the cost of transporting each one will be more than this, right?" Gao E said slowly.

Gong Zhinian was surprised. He didn't expect Gao to know this. "Those are three-year-old seedlings. If we plant them this year, they will be ready for use next year."

"Who said my mulberry seedlings can't be used next year?" Gao E looked at Gong Zhinian.

The mulberry tree is not meant to bear fruit, it's just a matter of how many mulberry leaves it has.

Gong Zhinian was speechless, he thought Gao E didn't understand these things.

"If you have nothing else to say, Master Gong, I won't keep you here. I'm very busy here." Gao E drove him away.

Gong Zhinian gave a dry laugh and left.

It's true that birds of a feather flock together. Neither of this couple is easy to talk to.

Gong Zhinian became angrier and angrier as he sat in the carriage returning to the city, and even angrier as he looked at the leveled land outside.

But she was just a country woman, so why did she always make him run into obstacles?

Suddenly he had an idea. Now there were many people in He County who wanted mulberry seedlings. Gao had so many mulberry seedlings but didn't sell them. They would definitely become a hot commodity.

So that afternoon, the news spread in He County that the Gao family in Baotou Village had a lot of mulberry seedlings.

Lu Hao didn't pay much attention to the news at first, but after hearing it more often, he realized that something was wrong.

It is a very common thing that Sister Gao has mulberry seedlings. Why do so many people know about it?

Thinking of this, he immediately rode his horse to Baotou Village before the city gate was closed.

During dinner, Chen Ke came back and told him that Gong Zhinian had come to see him, and that he offered fifteen cents for a mulberry sapling.

"This guy doesn't tell the truth at all." Gao E was angry. "He came to me and said he would give me eighteen cents. He just wanted to cheat me."

Chen Ke was stunned when he heard Gao E say this: "This person cannot be befriended."

Gao E had no intention of interacting with Gong Zhinian. "By the way, how is the discussion going between my husband and Mr. Du?"

Chen Ke knew they were talking about inviting people to the gathering. "It's basically been planned. We have to invite some people in person, which will take a long time. The problem now is that after we leave, we have to invite the teacher to teach the children in the village as well."

Gao E nodded: "It's up to you, my husband, to decide this matter. After all, you are more familiar with the affairs of Hexian County than Mr. Du and his men, so I won't bother Mr. Du and his men."

Having said that, Chen Ke was still a little embarrassed, otherwise it would have been finalized long ago.

"Nowadays, the children in the school are just learning to read and write, so there is no need to hire a very powerful teacher. But the teacher should be a little friendly. We have a lot of children here, and a teacher with a bad temper will not work." Gao E reminded.

Hearing Gao E say this, Chen Ke quickly wondered if there was anyone like this among those he knew.

But after thinking about it, I realized that either I am too old, or I am about the same age as him and still working hard to pass the imperial examination.

"There's really no suitable one." Chen Ke was embarrassed.

Gao E thought that the scholars nowadays were aloof and it was normal that there was no suitable one. It was also not possible to expect perfect people to be available just because they wanted something. "Then I will go to He County to recruit and see if there is anyone who comes."

Chen Ke hesitated to speak, fearing that doing so would offend those scholars and make them feel humiliated.

"What's wrong?" Gao E saw that Chen Ke seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Chen Ke expressed his thoughts: "This matter requires caution."

Gao E understood that only Chen Ke was still holding on to his scholarly airs. Some people wanted to marry into the Chen family. "I understand. I will be cautious."

"It's just that I have to trouble you with the school matters, and I feel really sorry for it." Chen Ke said guiltily.

"The elegant gathering is a big event, and my husband is just too busy to handle it. It's a good thing that I can share his worries." Gao E said with a smile.

Men are all easy-going and will be happy if they hear something nice.

The same was true for Chen Ke. The more Gao E thought about him, the more guilty he felt. Now he was thinking about passing the imperial examination and returning home.

The two chatted for a while and then Chen Ke took the food to the school.

As soon as he left, Lu Hao arrived.

"What's the urgent matter?" Gao E looked at Lu Hao's expression and guessed that he was not planning to return to the city tonight.

"It's not a big deal, just a little strange." Lu Hao sat down. "Now everyone in the county is saying that Sister Gao has a lot of mulberry seedlings."

Lu Hao knew about the mulberry seedlings, but he didn't farm and didn't know what mulberry seedlings meant now, so he just found it very strange.

Gao E instantly thought of Gong Zhinian.

The local gentry were not very keen on planting mulberry trees, but those outsiders came to He County just to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms, and a year late would be a huge loss for them.

Since she refused to sell the mulberry saplings to Gong Zhinian, Gong Zhinian wanted to make her life difficult.

"Were there many people leaving the city when you did?" Gao E asked solemnly.

"Not much." Lu Hao didn't know what this meant. "I was leaving the city just as the gates were closing."

Gao E nodded: "You can stay at Luo Dagang's house tonight."

"Then I have to eat first." Lu Hao came to eat again.

After Lu Hao finished dinner and left, the children at home had packed up and gone to study. Gao E asked Han Yue to invite her father over, and as a result, the old man of the Chen family also came.

"Is there something wrong, Dad?" Gao E looked at Chen Fansheng in surprise.

"It's okay, I just came to see Zhengyan and the others." Chen Fansheng made an excuse.

Chen Fansheng didn't like the idea of ​​changing the second child's name at first, but later he accepted it.

"Zhengyan." Gao E called out, "Come out, Grandpa is here to see you."

Chen Zhengyan came out with his three younger brothers, followed by Xichen. The children surrounded Chen Fansheng.

Chen Fansheng had already said that he was here to see his grandson, so he didn't know what to say, so he had to accompany his grandson and ask about their studies.

Gao E took her eldest brother into the main room, from where they could still see the old man and the children.

"Dad insisted on coming with me, and I had no choice." Chen Qing said apologetically.

"It's okay, it's good for Dad to come over." Gao E said with a smile.

Chen Qing was very pleased to hear that his second brother's wife was so understanding: "But what's the matter?"

"Yes." Gao E nodded. "Everyone in the village who can come tomorrow should come. I'm worried that someone will come to buy mulberry seedlings."