The Old Zhou family’s disputes and drama were unknown to Mother and daughter Wufu, as Wufu was immersed day and night in her study, engrossed in her own design and carving work. The servants also knew she was busy with important matters, so they didn’t disturb her unless necessary, to avoid hindering her progress.
Madam Zhou, on the other hand, usually managed the household and did some needlework. Nowadays, she discussed matters with the maids by her side.
Since returning from Ah Jiu’s place, Wufu had yet to figure out what to do to maintain the family’s finances, but it was Madam Zhou who first came up with an idea.
To Madam Zhou, the hierarchy of scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant wasn’t much of an issue. She grew up in a farming family and knew the importance of education, but for common folk, land was even more important.
Having land meant having food, and with food, people had confidence, because that could fill their stomachs.
Therefore, Madam Zhou thought about buying some land to rent out or hiring short-term laborers to manage it. In this way, the family’s food needs would be met, saving a considerable expense.
Since Madam Zhou had her own ideas, Wufu had no reason not to support them. After calculating her available silver, Wufu thought about buying land and decided to buy a small estate instead.
That way, they’d not only have land but also an extra place to visit during leisure.
However, her silver was limited—after buying a residence and hiring servants, she had at most one thousand five hundred taels of silver left. So, if she were to buy, it could only be a small estate.
Buying the property was left up to Liu Jin, who found an agent, Tian Kuai, and soon received news.
It was also the right timing for the Zhou family, as there had been a drought last summer, leading to poor harvests, which caused the prices of land to drop. Many households in urgent need of cash put their estates up for sale.
After several comparisons, Liu Jin felt that an estate called Ping Family Hollow was the best and most cost-effective. Located in the outskirts of Huayang County, it was only about a two Shichen Chinese Time carriage ride from the county town, quite close to the town center.
The estate had five hundred acres of land, a small residence with three courtyards, and more. It also had a hill with many fruit trees planted and a pond with fish, replenished by the flow from mountain streams—truly an estate with water, hills, and fields.
According to Liu Jin, the estate produced good crops like rice, and with its fish pond and orchard, they could enjoy fresh produce during the harvest season.
Furthermore, since the Wu Residence had few masters and a simple population, any surplus from a bountiful harvest, beyond what they could consume, could be sold for extra income.
Liu Jin was very fond of the estate and had even checked privately that its yields were good. Its original owner was selling only because he had offended someone and needed the silver for liquidity.
For this reason, the estate’s asking price was rather high, at seven hundred taels, but the purchase would include the current crops and the estate workers.
Madam Zhou was very pleased with the benefits of the estate. How much grain could five hundred acres yield? Even just collecting forty percent of the rent would be enough for her and her daughter to live on.
Even her parents’ family had only a few dozen acres.
Yet, she hesitated at the price since she managed the household finances, but it was Wufu who supplied the money, and Madam Zhou was unsure whether Wufu could afford to buy the estate.
Fortunately, as soon as Wufu heard about the estate’s situation, she immediately provided the funds to Liu Jin to purchase it.
Today, Tian Kuai came to deliver the land deed, and Madam Zhou, holding the deed bearing Wufu’s name, couldn’t stop smiling. She felt relieved, with a tear of joy sparkling in her eye.
"Madam, this is a happy occasion. Why are you crying?" Qiu Xiang said with a smile as she offered a cup of tea.