C51 (1/2)
When Mu Fengchai was only eight or nine years old, she was already thrown into Cai Yi Pavilion to learn to be a manager. After all these years of training, she had already treated people like her own son.
”Cousin, it's better to stay by your side!”
He immediately came to Mu Rousang's side and hugged her arm, acting like a spoiled child!
”If you shake me again, my arm will fall apart. Good timing, we are stacking gold and silver ingots, tomorrow we are going to worship our ancestors, do you want to come with us?” Mu Rousang pointed to the gold and silver parchment scattered on the Eight Immortals Table, and asked Mu Fengchai with a mischievous smile.
She turned her head and smiled, ”No need, my mother has already prepared a lot for my big sister, and has also invited others to wear clothes and jewelry for her. She said that a few days ago, my big sister asked her to give me a dream, and said that she is living in the underground, but her hands are a little tight, and she doesn't have enough incense. My mother has prepared a lot more, and said that when big sister was alive, she did not expect a good day.
”Don't worry. Every year, when Big Brother and I make sacrifices, we burn quite a bit of paper money for Big Sister. When she was still alive, she wanted to live a good life, and once we go to the underworld, we can't make her suffer.” Mu Rousang didn't like Mu Feng Er, but she didn't hate her either. Furthermore, when a person dies a big death, she burned quite a bit of paper money every year.
The two of them talked about family matters, and Mu Fengchai laughed: ”Cousin sister, if it wasn't for cousin brother sending people to pick me up, I'm afraid it would take some time before I return home.”
Mu Rousang asked in shock: ”Cai Yi Pavilion's business is so good?” According to common sense, now was the time to relax. The spring shirts of rich families were already prepared, and it was still a bit early to leave the summer dresses.
Mu Fengchai pursed her lips and laughed: ”Come to think of it, I still have to thank Your Majesty, if not for him being such an elder, our Cai Yi Pavilion would not be so popular. You should know that right now, our shop's doors are almost broken, and we spend all our time buying wedding clothes, and also our shop's red brocade, I'm afraid that we won't even need to use it at the end of the year.
One of the selections made people anxious, several happy and a few sad.
Hearing that, Mu Rousang thought about it, the shops in the city were still in such a state, then the one in Xiangyang and the one in Shu City, became even more popular: ”Seems like I have to arrange for people to go to Xiangyang to purchase a batch of Yun Jin, and for the candidates, I have to carefully think about it.”
”Oh right, Brother Chun Mu and the shopkeeper of the cotton shop have both said that the business of those two stores has plummeted. In other words, they are also good. Our embroidery manor is flourishing now, but the other two stores aren't that good.”
”Business is bound to be affected. Now that the selection is making people uneasy, the people are not in the mood to produce. Who would spend their time on dressing up? Since they're short on money, they might as well eat their rations.” Mu Rousang shook her head helplessly.
Mu Fengchai slapped her own leg and said: ”That's exactly the reason, today, in the county, the ladies and lass who like to shop all day, as well as the young masters and servants, have all disappeared. The streets have long since lost the liveliness of the past, and there are only the scattered crutches carrying Old A'ang and the old granny who are trading here and there.”
Mu Rousang shook her head, hoping that the matter regarding the selection would be over quickly. On the second day, Mu Jinzhi and her two siblings, Zuo Ren Xian and Yang Zixuan, went to pay their respects to the ancestors of the Mu Family.
Mu Jinzhi and Mu Rousang knelt in front of their parents' grave. After three incense sticks of time, he then said: ”Father and mother, your child will not pay the price you entrusted to me, and will raise your little sister. Now that we have already arranged a marriage for her, you can rest assured that our future brother-in-law will be the son of the Marquis of Jing Yi, I will take care of your little sister, do not let anyone bully her.”
After saying that, she brought Mu Rousang and respectfully kowtowed three times, then turned around and said to Yang Zixuan: ”Big Brother Yang, you come over to see my parents as well.
Yang Zixuan kowtowed on the incense before turning to Mu Rousang who was wearing a soft shawl and saying with a smile, ”Two elders can be at ease. I, Yang Zixuan, have only married Mu Rousang for one in this life, so of course I will treat her sincerely. Whoever bullies her will slap my face.
”Yang Zixuan!” Mu Rousang suddenly felt that she was very lucky to have passed through.
Seeing Mu Rousang looking at him emotionally, Yang Zixuan was wild with joy, but on the surface, she said with concern: ”Jin'zhi, it's time you tell your parents. I'm afraid the two of you will not be able to be like today and worship your ancestors.”
Mu Jinzhi said: ”Yes, today I have to specifically inform Father and Mother about two things. Now that my little sister's marriage has been decided, I will be entering Office of the Crown Prince next year to study, and my uncle's family will probably have to move back to the capital as well. There is no reason for them to leave my little sister behind, next year, I and my little sister will not be able to personally sweep the grave for my father and mother.”
The spring breeze blew, paper money flew everywhere, the surrounding magnolia trees rustled. Listening carefully, it seemed to be saying: Go, go!
After offering sacrifices to their ancestors, the matter of the selection became more and more serious. In the end, it was said that officials rushed into the house to arrest people, scaring the girls so much that the young masters did not dare to leave their homes lightly.
One day, Aunt Liu came in and picked a curtain. She walked to Mu Rousang, who was embroidering a big red wedding dress, and said: ”Miss, Manager Zhang is talking back and forth, three out of the family workers are missing.”
As the officials took the order to enter each county, the atmosphere around the village became more and more lively. Soon, most of the land was abandoned, and the matter of farming was postponed for a long time.