【Quick Wear】My Years as a Mother-in-law

After the eldest son's wedding, the New Year is approaching. After the simple mourning period of the past two years, Yun Xi plans to celebrate in earnest this year.

There is another reason. Next year she plans to open another Zhuyan Pavilion. The three farms outside the city have been raising pigs for two years. The scale of each farm has expanded to forty pigs. Each pig is fat and strong. The fat pigs and piglets have all been eunuched, so the pork tastes good.

Next year will be busy, and the time before the New Year is the last free time.

First, they ordered two sheep from the butcher stall, and then ordered dozens of kilograms of fresh seafood from the dock. They bought a lot of chickens, ducks, fish and geese, and asked the hunter to send a deer. Seeing so many good ingredients, the chefs in the big kitchen showed their skills and prepared several tables of New Year's Eve dinner.

Qi Yu came back during the Chinese New Year. The whole family reunited and had a lively New Year's Eve dinner. The children played in the main hall, and Yun Xi called the eldest son away, and the second son went to the side hall to warm himself by the fire.

After a year, it was time to do a year-end summary. Yun Xi first set an example for her sons and told them her plans, "I will give your fourth sister's dowry according to Yao'er's dowry standard. This is what should be divided. The public funds will be used, and the private money I give will be earned by myself.

I prepared dowries for several concubine daughters at a rate a little more than a quarter of that for legitimate daughters, including five thousand taels of silver, a pair of jade bracelets, a shop, a farm, and the dowry from the man's side. The prince will pay for this, and I will give an additional five hundred taels to each person. I will pay for this myself, not because I'm stupid, but to win over a few girls.

Mother, I've taken the trouble to raise them and treat them well, primarily because I want them to be helpful to you after they get married. For example, the sixth child is marrying the young master of the Guan family. The Guan family is in the grain business, so we can borrow their influence. The seventh child is marrying the Li family of Caiyi Pavilion. Can we do business with them? The eighth child is even more impressive, marrying into the prefectural government. The ninth child's future husband is the eldest son of the Chen family, who will be taking the imperial examination next year. These are all connections within the Qi family, and the one who benefits is the Qi family.

Therefore, you should not think that they are not on the same page with you just because they are born out of wedlock. After they get married, we will be their parents' families, a natural community of interests.

As for the private property of your father, grandmother, and I, which has been waiting for me for a hundred years, I will divide it into four parts, one for each of you brothers and sisters..."

Yun Xi lowered her voice and patiently explained to her sons what she had done.

Qi Xian remembered all of this in his mind. "Mother, if we can cooperate with Caiyi Pavilion, our silk business will definitely be able to take a step forward. Caiyi Pavilion's main customers are wealthy families, and they have a huge demand for silk."

Qi Yu also said, "Mother, I understand. My sisters haven't even married yet, but I've already benefited. When I heard that I'm going to take the imperial examination next year, the Yang family and the Cheng family both sent me past exam questions and some explanations, and even said they would send me the examiner's preferred writing style."

Yun Xi was relieved. "This is the benefit of being related by marriage. It's not that I look down on your father. Your father's idea is also for the good of the Qi family. But it's too petty. Sending your concubine sister to be a concubine, aren't you afraid that they will resent it?"

Qi Xian agreed, "Being a concubine is inappropriate, it's too humiliating."

Qi Yu nodded and said, "I want to take the imperial examination. If my sisters at home become concubines, it will be bad for my reputation."

Yun Xi reached out to peel a chestnut and eat it. Thinking of the white folds that Butler Qi brought back last year, she said, "I asked the merchant team to bring back white folds. I've already planted a season of seeds, and I'll continue planting them later."

Baidie is cotton, which was planted in large quantities during the Song and Ming dynasties.

Qi Yu was curious, "Isn't Bai Die an ornamental plant? Why did mother plant it?"

"Who said that? The southernmost regions have already started using white cotton to keep warm, but it just hasn't spread to the Central Plains yet. I heard that this thing can also be called cotton, and the white silk cotton produced can be made into quilts, cotton clothes, or woven into cotton cloth. Boss, this is an opportunity. If our family can control cotton, then the Qi family will definitely prosper." Yun Xi's eyes lit up, and she changed the subject and talked about another matter. "Boss, come and talk to me in detail about this matter after the New Year. What I want to talk about is another matter, and that is the separation of Lao Wu and his wife."

"Why is that? Did the fifth brother disobey you?" Qi Xian frowned.

"That's not the case, but your father left him connections and resources, and it would be annoying to keep them at home." Yun Xi spoke completely from her son's perspective. "Besides, how could the fifth brother and his wife not have resentment towards your fourth sister? Regardless of the truth, some people only care about whether their own interests have been harmed. Your fourth sister is getting married soon, and if something happens to her, it will not be beautiful."

Qi Xian thought about it and thought, "How much of the family property does mother intend to give to the five wives?"

"When I took over the family's public account, there were 120,000 taels of silver. We've earned a lot in the past two years, but we've also spent a lot. Currently, there are 175,000 taels in the account. After deducting the dowries of the girls, there are still 113,000 taels. How do you think we should divide the money? Should the four of you brothers divide it equally? Or should your eldest brother take the lion's share?" Yun Xi raised her index finger and shook it. "Let me make it clear first, no matter how many concubines your father has outside, I will not recognize them, so there will be no more children in the family."

Qi Yu agreed, "Mother, there are so many people who look alike in the world. Even a token of trust could be a forgery. If anyone comes and claims to be a descendant of the Qi family, then our Qi family won't have a chance to live."

Qi Xian: "That's right, mother. If the family property is divided equally among the male offspring, I don't really want to. After father passed away, it's been you and I who have been running the business for so many years..."

Qi Yu said without hesitation: "A few years ago, I was ignorant and did not contribute at all to the family. Instead, I brought a lot of trouble to the family. So I don't agree with the equal division."

Yun Xi understood. "In that case, I'm going to give Qi Jing and his wife a house and 10,000 taels of silver, and divide them up. As for the third brother, I'll divide the family property among you before I die. The tenth brother is still young, so when he grows up and gets married, you can divide it according to the standard for the fifth brother."

Qi Xian: "Listen to mother."

Qi Yu: "I have no objection."

After the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the festive atmosphere became weaker and weaker. On the 17th day, Yun Xi called Qi Jing and his wife. Qi Jing looked very much like the original owner's husband, except that his eyes were like his concubine's. They were very attractive, otherwise why would the girl from the Cao family marry him at all costs?

Xiaodong was good at making tea. Yun Xi took a sip of the tea and asked with concern, "Old Five, how have you been lately?"

Qi Jing and his wife first paid their respects to his stepmother before replying, "Mother, I am doing well lately."

"That's good. Your father loved you so much when he was alive. If you don't live well, he will probably not be at peace in the afterlife." Yun Xi's lips curled up. "You have been taught by your father. You should understand the principle that the family's success and failure are shared by all, right?"