The Story of a Destitute Noblewoman Farming

"No, we are still inexperienced. If we act rashly, it will not only be ineffective but may also attract the attention of the Regent. What we need now is to strengthen ourselves first." Lu Linlang stopped Yunxi immediately after hearing her words.

"Okay, then we will all listen to our sister." Several people nodded.

Lu Linlang was originally worried that they would not be able to withstand such a blow, but she didn't expect that they would become even more motivated. Lu Zhan and Yun Can doubled their daily martial arts training time, and Yun Xi, with Erhua, also began to pay more attention to collecting some poisonous herbs.

Yun Yi still took the children to study as before, but Lu Linlang found that he would read until late at night after finishing his work every day. After a few times, Lu Linlang directly dissuaded him, saying that no matter how hard he worked, he still had to take care of his health.

A few days before the Chinese New Year, the county magistrate's wife suddenly sent an invitation to Lu Linlang to visit her home.

She also understood that this was the county magistrate's intention, so she naturally did not refuse and took Dahua and Erhua to visit the mansion.

The county magistrate's wife is about forty years old this year. The county magistrate was transferred here two years ago. However, Lu Linlang has already inquired about his identity. His family is a family of farming and studying, and he has no other background, so he has never had the opportunity to be promoted.

The county magistrate's wife was a round-faced lady with a smile on her face. She looked at Lu Linlang as if she was looking at a junior of her own family. When she heard about Dahua and Erhua's identities, she did not show any contempt, but smiled and asked the maid to bring the snacks.

"Speaking of which, it was you who sent this egg cake, and you even gave me the recipe. I had someone try it, and it tasted really good. Miss Lu, you're so smart that you can even come up with a dessert like this. These greedy monkeys in my family love it very much. Dahua, Erhua, come and eat it. There are other desserts here, and there is sugar soup over there."

When the county magistrate's wife got the recipe for egg cake, she was ecstatic. After all, this was a food that had recently become popular in Chongshui. The egg cake was fluffy and full of sugar and oil. Not only did the children love it, but even the mother-in-law at home liked it very much.

"Madam, it's our blessing that you like it. The main ingredient of this thing is eggs. If it were given to an ordinary family, they would not be willing to give it away. I'm giving it to you because I don't have anything else to give you, so this is the only thing I can give you."

This egg cake is already sold in the shop. Nowadays, when Chongshui people visit relatives and friends, the most favorite thing is egg cake. Children and the elderly like it. The price is not as expensive as other snacks, but it is not cheap either. It is also face-saving to give it as a gift.

"Miss Lu is so modest. Everything you sent us is good stuff. Take the materials, for example. We couldn't bear to buy them. And the tea leaves and pens and inks. My master really loves them. He even kept the tea leaves, saying he wants to savor them slowly. As for the recipe, we only use it at home. You are using it for business, so how can you give it away so easily?"

As they were talking, the two daughters of the county magistrate came in. Both of them were wearing clothes made of the material sent by Lu Linlang. When she brought them, the two girls took a fancy to the bright colors and acted coquettishly with the county magistrate's wife, wanting to put them on quickly.

"Miss Lu, look at this dress I made with that material. You have great taste. It's even better than what my mother chose. We sisters can't wait to wear it."

The two daughters of the county magistrate were named Zhao Feiyan and Zhao Feixuan. Both were a few years younger than Lu Linlang. Because of the gifts Lu Linlang sent and her conversation, both of them felt that she was an intimate older sister.

"It's really beautiful. Clothes complement people. If you are beautiful, the clothes you wear will also be beautiful."

"Look, you two are not as sensible as Miss Lu. You are so old, but you still act like a spoiled child and want to do laundry. Miss Lu can already run her own business." The more the county magistrate's wife looked at Lu Linlang, the more satisfied she was. If her two sons were not married, she really wanted her son to marry her.

"Madam, your words are really disparaging to the two girls. There's a saying that children from poor families grow up early. Our family is also because of our parents. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would also be like my sisters, nestled in my mother's arms. The two girls have good temperaments, and that's all because of the support of you and the county magistrate."

Lu Linlang described herself as miserable at the right time to highlight the affluent life of the two young ladies so that they would not be angry.

"Hey, girl, what you said hits the nail on the head. They are so naive now because I suffered so much back then, and I don't want my children to suffer anymore.

Back then, my mother passed away early and I had a stepmother. This stepmother was not sincere at all. At most, she treated me coldly. She had to live by other people's wishes since she was a child.

Fortunately, you have made it through now. Miss Lu, you are so capable, and you will definitely be more successful in the future. Your blessings are all in the future."

It was obvious that the county magistrate's wife often mentioned this matter. Her two daughters had memorized it, so they did not show any sadness. Lu Linlang was quite emotional. By telling her tragic childhood experiences, the two seemed to have become closer.

When the county magistrate came back, he saw his wife and Lu Linlang talking like real mother and daughter. He couldn't help but hold his forehead with his hand, thinking that he must have forgotten what he asked her to inquire about. At this moment, he was only concerned about getting Lu Linlang to stay for dinner.

After dinner, the county magistrate sent his daughter away and talked to Lu Linlang, wanting to see what her purpose was.

"Sir, I have something I would like to ask for your help. After the New Year, it will be spring plowing time. However, I am short of manpower to open up the hills I bought. So I would like to ask you to speak to the government office and see if you can allow me to post a notice recruiting workers so that everyone can help with the work."

This matter did not originally need to be reported by the county magistrate. She could have notified everyone in the city. However, Lu Linlang wanted to establish a good relationship with the county magistrate, so she naturally could not miss this opportunity.

"So that's what's going on. Isn't this a good thing? Don't worry, Miss Lu. I'll have someone draft a notice this afternoon to let everyone know. This is something that will boost the livelihoods of the people of Chongshui. Miss Lu should have told you about it earlier. It's not a difficult thing to do."

When the county magistrate heard her first words, he was worried that she would say something that he could not help with or that was difficult to handle. However, he found out that it was a good thing and understood Miss Lu's intention. This was to select people through the government, so wouldn't that make the people more grateful to the government? Moreover, with the government as a guarantor, those people would not dare to cheat and he agreed immediately.

"Thank you, sir. It is a blessing for us Chongshui to have a good official like you." Lu Linlang complimented.

"I don't deserve any thanks, Miss Lu. Your decision to return to Chongshui is indeed foresighted. Next year may be a turbulent time. Buying more land will also benefit you. There is a three-year tax exemption for land reclamation. The imperial court used to have laws to follow for this. However, land reclamation does cost a lot of money, so you should do it according to your ability."

"Thank you for your advice, sir. I will definitely make a good estimate." The county magistrate's words can be said to be a very important reminder. People in officialdom are very sensitive to changes in the court, not to mention that as a county magistrate, he is not stupid.

After the county magistrate left, the county magistrate's wife kept Lu Linlang and talked for a while before sending them away. Before leaving, she did not forget to invite her to come and visit during the New Year.