Becoming a stepmother of three children gives me space

At Xiao Yunxi's house, everyone had a satisfying meal. Doctor Lu was very considerate. He took a walk with his round belly to help digest the food, leaving them some space.

Seeing that the old man was so sensible, Xiao Yunxi secretly decided that it would not be impossible to let the old man stay for two more days.

Uncle Tang has already found the manpower, and they will go to the earthen kiln to pull bricks tomorrow. As for the government, the yamen runners will come tomorrow to measure the land. After the land deed is obtained, we can officially start construction.

She had to take care of her business, and the workers building the house needed food and water, as well as the progress and quality of the project. Xiao Yunxi planned to ask those present for help and pay them.

Grandma Tang waved her hands quickly:

"Why do you need money? There's nothing to do at home. You're just sitting around doing nothing. Just relax."

Xiao Yunxi smiled and said:

"Grandma... I'm hiring not only you, but also Master Qi and the others. I need your help with business, so I'll definitely pay you."

The village chief was very surprised and asked curiously:

"What kind of business requires so many people to help?"

Xiao Yunxi smiled brightly and uttered two words:

“Make tofu!”

The three greatest hardships in life are ironwork, rowing boats, and grinding tofu.

There is no food like tofu in Daxia. Scarcity makes things valuable. If we can make it, we can definitely sell it at a high price, and there is no need to worry about sales issues.

Xiao Yunxi mastered the core technology of making tofu, and left other things to Aunt Li and others.

Firstly, she can make money comfortably, and secondly, it is also to test their character.

Human nature is very complex. Some people can stand together through thick and thin, but they find it difficult to resist the temptation of wealth.

Xiao Yunxi had received their help when she was in trouble, but there was no guarantee that they would remain simple and kind when faced with huge benefits.

Repaying the original owner and the child is a kind of cause and effect, but it does not mean that someone will take advantage of this kindness and be greedy.

When returning home, Xiao Yunxi gave each family 5 kilograms of meat, but no one wanted any.

They just helped to kill the pigs, wash and scrub, and planted some radishes and cabbages. The meat and vegetables Xiao Yunxi prepared were not only delicious but also generous in portion, so everyone ate a lot.

It would be a bit unreasonable to take the meat back, but Xiao Yunxi insisted on giving it to him, otherwise she would not leave:

"I'll have to trouble you elders with many things later. If you don't take it, it means you're treating me as an outsider, and I won't be able to ask you for help in the future."

The tug-of-war was not a good look, the village chief waved his hand:

"Just take what Yunxi gives us. Come over tomorrow and help repair the courtyard wall. There are a lot of valuables in the house, so please be careful. Let's go back."

The village chief didn't expect that his worries would come true that night.

Xiao Yunxi locked the gate. The sky gradually darkened, and tiny lights twinkled in the village.

She boiled a pot of hot water and prepared to give the three little ones a bath. Dabao and Niuniu were more tidy and would not want to be dirty every day if they had the conditions.

They cooperated very well and washed up. However, the naughty child Xiaobao was very resistant to taking a bath. He muttered

"Mom, can I not wash it? I just washed it yesterday."

"Yesterday is yesterday, and today is today. You have to maintain hygiene, otherwise insects will bite you, your skin will itch, and you will want to scratch, and then your skin will rot..."

Hearing this, Xiaobao was so frightened that he cried and nodded quickly.

"Ugh...I want to take a shower. I don't want any bug bites."

Dabao standing by shook his head helplessly, thinking that his younger brother was really hopeless and stupid.

After taking a bath,

Xiao Yunxi is going to give the children lessons to teach them how to read.

Education was difficult to popularize in ancient times for many reasons. Books were too expensive and people could not afford them. Also, reading required a lot of talent.

Learning to read and write depends entirely on rote memorization. Without a teacher, self-study is impossible, so the first lesson Xiao Yunxi taught them was to learn Chinese pinyin.

She took out a pen and paper, which she had picked up when she signed the contract with Zheng Tianming, as well as an enlightenment textbook.

Adding pinyin to the words in the book and teaching based on the text and pinyin is more practical and effective. I really have to thank Zheng Tianming, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to buy the book.

"Official, g...... read brother,"

"Cutting meat is also g."

The kerosene lamp flickered with a faint light, and the three children followed Xiao Yunxi's reading seriously, and their voices could be heard from far away.

Northwest City, Zheng Family Mansion,

Zheng Tianming rushed home and gave him the braised meat and the recipe. His father Zheng Yaozu's face was beaming:

"Great, great! This braised pork is even better than the one from the Beijing's Luweizhai. As long as Linglong Pavilion launches this new dish, it will definitely completely overwhelm Xiangmanlou!"

"Father, let's start preparing tomorrow, starting in the capital city!"

Zheng Tianming could hardly conceal his excitement. He believed that as long as Linglong Pavilion launched the braised meat, it would be popular with diners, and he would win the test.

He glanced at his eldest brother Zheng Tianxiang with a hint of pride. Zheng Tianxiang's mouth curled up slightly with a hint of contempt. Zheng Tianming didn't understand what was going on. Zheng Yaozu slowly spoke:

"Tianming, the promotion is no problem, but I have something to tell you. The family has officially confirmed that your eldest brother Zheng Tianxiang will be the heir to the clan leader. The management of Linglong Pavilion Silver Shop, as well as the restaurants in the prefectural city and the four surrounding counties, will be handed over to him. You will be in charge of the Luochuan County restaurant."

boom! !

Zheng Tianming felt as if his head was exploding, and anger surged in his heart.

"You deliberately sent me to Dongshan Town just to help my eldest brother become the heir. So, the family test you mentioned at the beginning was all a lie, right?"

He is so stupid!

Knowing clearly that his father favored his concubines and his eldest brother who was born out of wedlock, he foolishly believed his lies. He said that the selection of the patriarch's successor had not been postponed at all. It was all lies!

Zheng Yaozu's face, which was rosy just now, suddenly turned pale.

"How dare you! Is that how you talk to your father? You've learned all the etiquette I taught you! It seems I was right to choose your eldest brother!"

Zheng Tianming laughed in anger:

"etiquette?"

"You broke your promise to Grandfather, which is unfilial. You forced your uncle away, which is unbrotherly. You betrayed Mother, which is unfaithful. You tricked me into going to Dongshan, which is unfaithful. You were disrespectful to Grandfather, which is impolite. You were rich but unkind, which is unrighteous. You coveted Mother's dowry and took it for yourself, which is dishonest. You had a child before marriage and hid it from Mother, which is shameful!"

"You haven't achieved any of the following: propriety, righteousness, integrity, filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, and trustworthiness. What qualifications do you have to criticize me?"

Zheng Yaozu's expression twisted, and he slapped Zheng Tianming in the face:

"Rebellious son! You bastard, get out of here!"

The burning pain on his face was telling Zheng Tianming not to hold out hope for this bastard father anymore. His confession and crying were all crocodile tears.

Instead of pinning your hopes on him having a change of heart, you might as well use your own means to rob him. He shouldn't be soft-hearted.

“Zheng Yaozu!!”

"You've deceived me time and time again. From now on, we are done with each other!"

"Give me all of Mother's dowry, the shop, and the share of Linglong Pavilion. Don't force me to break up. You should know that your uncle has tolerated you for a long time!"

Zheng Yaozu sneered:

"If it were two days ago, I would have been really scared. Tianxiang's uncle has already become the prefect, and your uncle is far away in the capital. How could he manage this northwest border? Hahaha!"

Zheng Tianming also sneered:

"The Northwest Territory is a frontier. You can try and see if your uncle has the ability to make the journey!"

The two men stared at each other, neither willing to give in. They both knew that if they fell out, both sides would be doomed, and no one could bear it.

Zheng Yaozu compromised:

"I'll give you the restaurant business in three counties, but you have to change the name. I'll also give you the ancestral land in Luochuan County, your mother's dowry, and the 13 shops, including the one in the prefecture. This is my bottom line."

"Sure! I'll go back to Luochuan and get the contract done within three days."

Zheng Tianming took back the braised pork recipe and strode away, feeling surprisingly relieved. It was ridiculous for him to expect his father to change!