Stepmother in charge: Making a fortune through farming and raising her children to fight back

After arriving at Liuye Town, everyone else got off the cart to go to the morning market. The oxcart driver helped Yun Zhenzhen carry the jars downstairs and said, "I used to be prejudiced against you, but now I see that you've truly changed for the better, and your life is prospering."

Yun Zhenzhen thanked the uncle and prepared to open the jar to make some braised meat for him.

The uncle quickly declined: "I'm not talking to you just to eat your flesh. It's hard for you to support your family alone. Save it and exchange it for some money."

As he said this, he continued to drive the ox cart outside to call out to the customers.

Before Yun Zhenzhen could say thank you, a large group of people gathered in front of the stall.

Some of them were customers who had eaten there yesterday, some were recommended here, and some came here just because they smelled the food.

Dayang, who was waiting at the corner of the street today, ran over as soon as he saw Yun Zhenzhen.

"My dear, you are really punctual. You come so early." After saying that, he quickly took out money from his pocket and said, "Give me two pounds of meat."

Then he handed the copper coin to Qin Li who was standing beside him, and couldn't help saying, "This is your brother, he's really hardworking and comes to help."

"This is my eldest son." Yun Zhenzhen weighed out two pounds of meat for him, wrapped it up, tied a knot, and handed it to him: "Here you go."

"Thank you." Dayang had a dazed look on his face and wanted to ask something, but was squeezed out by the diners who came behind him.

Da Yang didn't ask any more questions, so he took the meat in his hand and returned to the mansion.

"Master, I bought the meat I mentioned yesterday. Come and see it." Dayang ran in excitedly.

"You keep making so much noise all day long, how disgraceful." The old man started to scold him.

Da Yang's smile faded the next second: "Then you should try it."

The old man still had an angry look on his face, but he didn't refuse. However, the next second, he exclaimed in surprise.

"It smells so good, spicy and refreshing, with a hint of sweetness." After saying that, he immediately picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, chewing it carefully.

In less than half a minute, the two of them had eaten up two pounds of meat. The old man wiped his mouth and paused for a moment before saying, "Go buy some more tomorrow, and I'll send some to my old friend."

"Okay." Dayang answered readily.

......

Yun Zhenzhen’s braised meat was very popular, and with the addition of yesterday’s regular customers, it was sold out before noon.

"I didn't expect this meat to be so popular." Qin Li muttered on the side.

"Of course not. There are still many things I want to eat but haven't bought yet." Qin Wen looked proud, still gnawing on a piece of pork bone in his mouth.

"Oh yes, oh yes." Qin Nan also responded.

Qin Li also looked at his younger brother and sister-in-law with a smile on his face.

"It's delicious, brother. Would you like to have a piece?" Qin Wen held up a piece of pork bone and handed it to Qin Li.

"I don't want it." Qin Li frowned and said, "Mom wants to sell it for money, why did she let us eat it all?"

Yun Zhenzhen found it a little funny: "Eat it to your heart's content. They're just bones and can't be sold. Let's keep them for ourselves to satisfy our craving."

"Great, great." The two kids couldn't stop nodding, and Qin Li shook his head helplessly when he saw it.

Yun Zhenzhen feels that being able to eat is a blessing. As long as it is not wasted, it is good as long as it is eaten.

The family of four quickly packed up the stall. Yun Zhenzhen handed two cents to each of the brothers and sisters to buy what they liked, and spent another five cents to buy several kinds of cakes.

After buying things, Yun Zhenzhen took the little ones to the place where pens, ink, paper and inkstones were sold.

In ancient times, only rich people could afford to study. The annual cost of supporting a scholar was at least ten taels of silver. In this era, the annual expenses of a farmer's family were only about two taels of silver.

In addition to the annual tuition, they also had to pay for pens, ink, paper and inkstone. Any inkstone cost one or two taels of silver, and the cheapest brush cost dozens of coins.

Yun Zhenzhen took a few people on a tour of Renyi Hall and couldn't help but sigh.

She used to think that the eight taels of silver she had saved was a lot, but now she realizes that it is not enough at all, especially after her children started school, it is even more stretched.

Qin Li also kept taking a deep breath.

A black thing costs one or two taels of silver, how dare he do that?

One ounce of silver is enough to buy food for a year...

This is too expensive. Qin Li couldn't help but blame himself. If he had known this earlier, he would not have mentioned the matter of learning to read. Now he has made his mother embarrassed. It's all his fault.

Yun Zhenzhen didn't think too much about it. If she couldn't afford it, she would not buy it for now and buy it when she had money. Young people still need to study.

Then he walked to the bookshelf beside him, which was filled with books.

Since they have to learn to read, the whole family has to learn it. They should take the first step and buy an enlightenment book. She doesn't want the whole family to be illiterate in the future.

All of these books are handwritten, but the prices are different. For example, the cheapest one of the Hundred Family Surnames is forty wen, while the most expensive one is one hundred wen.

She took down both books, opened them and compared them. The cheaper one was crooked and recognizable, but it lacked the charm that a brush should have.

The expensive one, however, is vigorous and powerful, with every stroke being of high quality, and it's obvious that painstaking effort has been put into it.

Yun Zhenzhen picked up the expensive one and went straight to the counter: "Boss, I want this one."

The owner of Renyi Hall looked Yun Zhenzhen up and down before saying, "This lady has excellent taste. This was copied by the most outstanding students of Xingyang Academy. The strokes are very vigorous and neat, very suitable for children's enlightenment."

Xingyang Academy?

Yun Zhenzhen vaguely remembered that her original nephew seemed to be studying in that academy.

What a coincidence.

Yun Zhenzhen didn't ask any more questions. She paid quickly and walked out of the store with the book.

Qin Li looked at the books she placed in her backpack, his smiling face sometimes happy and sometimes frowned.

He was happy that his younger brothers and sisters could go to school, but he also knew that education was very expensive and he was afraid that his stepmother would be unhappy.

Yun Zhenzhen looked at the troubled expression on his face and said with a smile, "I only bought books this time, not pens and ink. I'll just write and draw on the ground when I get home. Don't be disgusted. I'll definitely arrange everything for you when I make some money later."

Qin Li heard this and then he let out a breath that was barely perceptible. His expression was no longer tangled and he nodded heavily: "Yes!"

On the way home, Yun Zhenzhen still took the ox cart driven by the uncle. Yun Zhenzhen took out a portion of braised meat that she had specially reserved and stuffed it into the uncle's arms.

The uncle tried to refuse several times, but in the end he couldn't resist Yun Zhenzhen and accepted it with embarrassment.

Everyone knows that this stuff costs ten cents per pound and is very precious.

In the end, when getting off the car, the uncle refused to take Yun Zhenzhen's fare.

"Aunt Yun, you've been asking me for such a big bowl of meat. If I take your money again, where will I put my face?"

Hearing this, Yun Zhenzhen had no choice but to take back the three copper coins in her hand. Before leaving, she stuffed a small bag of cakes into the uncle's hand and asked him to take it back for his grandson.

His grandson Yun Zhenzhen knew that he was helping with work in the fields when he was less than ten years old. He was a very hardworking child.

As soon as I reached the door of my house, I saw a man standing at the door, waiting anxiously.