Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Her younger son told her once that Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan had planted many things at their home. She suddenly remembered different things, including bergamots, shiitake mushrooms, tremella, watermelon, Gastrodia elata, jellies, tomatoes, and various fruits…
Qiao Xuan didn't seem to have lied to them.
"Okay! Then I will be waiting for your fruits. Do remember to give me some!"
Qiao Xuan chuckled and nodded. "Of course!"
In the afternoon, Qiao Xuan asked First Madame to take her for a visit to the farming market, where she bought quite a lot of things.
She picked up several, different kinds of green vegetables and cabbage seeds. There was also a variety of long beans with white skin and black beans inside, and a kind of beans that only had beans in the pods to eat. These beans had purple flower spots and tasted glutinous. Her purchase list also included lotus beans, as well as chayote, gourd melon, a light yellow pepper shaped like a lantern called habanero-type pepper, and many more. There was a lot to harvest, and Qiao Xuan was really happy about it.
First Madame asked her with interest. "If you are so good at planting things, your Brother Hong knows a lot of people across the country, so he can gather seeds for you periodically. If you can make these plants grow successfully, I will be able to taste different things too!"
Qiao Xuan smiled. "Honestly, Aunt, that is exactly what I have been thinking. I have asked my Third Brother to look for them for me." First Madame laughed. "That is fantastic!"
The two of them looked at each other in a good mood.
The following day, they were supposed to buy the laborers.
Shao Yunduan and Yuezheng Xiao came along for this errand.
First Madame was one of the most promising leading madames in the province, and was well-respected.
But she had been almost forgotten after she withdrew from the society to take care of the Old Master.
Now that she was back, the moment she returned to the mansion, she was able to take control of the whole mansion. Only a few days had passed, and everyone in the upper-class of the society knew about this development instantly.
Agencies were engaged in dealing with noble ladies, so they got the news very fast.
No one would dare to play any tricks if someone went to buy the laborers with First Madame.
They did not try to lie to Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan, and introduced the most suitable ones to them.
Otherwise, people who just gained some wealth but had no idea about the market like Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan, the agents would definitely try to fool them. They would quote high prices and sell them terrible laborers. Even if Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan were clever, they could be tricked in this aspect since it was new to them.
But now that would not happen.
Qiao Xuan planned to buy a few dozen people to reside at the Zhang Village to sort out the tea and the garden of the creeping figs. The agent happened to have three families of farmers who had arrived from another town. She introduced them to Qiao Xuan passionately.
"They are down-to-earth people who are good at farming, and diligent too.
They are from three different places and can be supervised easily."
Qiao Xuan believed that with First Madame around, the agent would not play tricks on them. Since the agent said so, she decided to inquire more about them.
She smiled. "Why so?"
The agent laughed and started to explain to Qiao Xuan..