Chapter 39.2

"Mom, Aunt," Song Dingxiang and Song Zijin announced in unison, their voices carrying a hint of youthful exuberance.

Balanced precariously on their slender shoulders were short wooden poles, from each end of which dangled brimming buckets that swayed gently with their steps. They approached the lotus pond, their figures framed against the backdrop of the burgeoning summer greenery.

As the weather turned hot, the peach blossoms had withered, leaving behind fuzzy little fruits on the trees. The lotus seeds in the pond had sprouted, growing many tender green leaves covering most of the pond. Some even had long stems poking out, revealing tender lotus pods.

During the summer, besides some basic farming activities, most of the men in the village went out to find work, but the men in the Song Xingyi household did not leave. This was because the women were busy knitting, and the men had to take care of the work in the fields.

Normally, weeding and pest control were tasks for the women, but now they had become the responsibility of the men.

There were many people coming and going on the official road, so Fang shi and Zhang shi simply brewed green bean soup and tea at home. The green bean soup, cooled in the well, was carried to the cool pavilion near the lotus pond, and they could sell dozens of copper coins worth in a day.

Zhāng shi and Fāng shi hurried out to meet their daughters and take the shoulder poles off their shoulders.

Fāng shi said, "Quick, Dingxiang, take a look at my gloves, how do they look?"

Sòng Dingxiang, still catching her breath, wiped off the sweat and entered the cool pavilion. Holding Fāng's gloves, she couldn't help but laugh, "Mother, you missed a stitch here, and the fingers are uneven."

Fāng shi sighed, "I've been counting for half a day. Forget it, I'll unravel and start over."

"Mom, who are those people over there?" Sòng Zǐjīn, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

"Who might those people be, stationed on the platform amidst the lotus pond?" Her delicate finger extended, indicating the small gathering of scholars adorned in their scholar robes.

She was also at the age where marriage talks had begun, but she hadn't found anyone suitable yet. Fortunately, she was still young and had a couple more years to make a choice.

Zhāng shi glanced over and said, "A few scholars came from somewhere. They said the scenery here is beautiful and they want to take a look around. They also mentioned planning some poetry and painting event here in a few days. I don't really understand, so I told them to go to the town's academy and speak to your little uncle about it."

These scholars, dressed in long robes, wearing scholar's headgear, exuded a scholarly and refined aura that was completely different from the villagers. Sòng Zǐjīn rarely went out, and the only scholars she had seen were her little uncle and the former Xú Qiáng.

However, her little uncle was exceedingly handsome, raising her aesthetic standards to an unreachable level, so she only gave these scholars a few glances before losing interest.

Song Dingxiang was even less interested, although people in this era all envied scholars, but for her, this group of chatterbox scholars seemed like a group of so-called high school and college students, who had not yet been beaten by society, some not knowing their place, really ignorant.

But those few scholars suddenly became interested when two beautiful young ladies arrived.

"As gentle rain kisses the unfurling lotus leaves, and a soft breeze dances through the weeping willow's silken strands, a serene tranquility washes over the heart. In the garden of life, exquisite beauty invigorates the spirit, while the common man finds solace in its peaceful embrace."

"Zhen Xiong, such a good poem!"

With a confident swagger, Zhen Wuqu squared his shoulders, his eyes gleaming with pride as he took in the sight of the two women within the pavilion.

Song Dingxiang's mouth twitched, saying, "Mom, there's a pile of wool at home that needs processing, me and Sanni'er will go back first."

Both Fang shi and Zhang shi didn't understand what those scholars were reading, but after all, they were all men, it wasn't appropriate for their daughter to stay here, so they said, "Go back quickly, after we sell these things, we'll leave too, no need to come back."

Song Dingxiang nodded, and with Song Zijin, they picked up the empty buckets and left.

Zhen Wuqu turned to his companion and said, "I didn't expect this little village to have such beautiful women and scenery. Just now, those two old ladies asked us to go to the town's academy and find... find Song Zhixuan, right? Since that's the case, let's hurry over and get this matter settled."

Of course, it would be even better if he could inquire about the marital status of those two beauties at the same time.

Song Dingxiang wrote a letter to Zhou Yinuo, but ended up waiting for half a year.

Unannounced, a stranger arrived in the village, a businessman of polished demeanor. His inquiry was direct, a demand for Song Xingyi.

Intriguingly, he carried with him a bounty of exotic goods from the northern reaches, a tantalizing display that hinted at prosperous ventures. The villagers, their curiosity piqued, immediately assumed this visitor was a seasoned associate of Song Xingyi's, their collective anticipation palpable as they eagerly ushered the stranger towards the heart of the village.

After receiving the businessman, Song Dingxiang learned that Zhou Yinuo had really bought a lot of wool from them and had it sent over, marking the prices and hoping to exchange ten pounds of wool for a pair of gloves, without dyeing, just white.

The leather sewn on the gloves had also been sent, all made from sheepskin, and he had sent all of them at the price of one piece of leather for ten pairs of gloves for Song Dingxiang to use.

After calculating, Song Dingxiang felt there was great profit in it and agreed without hesitation.

Now their family is very busy, Fifth Grandaunt and Sixth Grandaunt have come to help cook the sheep wool, tan the leather, and spin the yarn, while the Song family elders, the first, second, and third, are not making much noise.

The eldest and the second feel that it's just their younger brothers making some money by tinkering with things, as they, being the elder brothers, don't lack money in the house. Plus, they are getting older and don't want to bother with it.

The third of the Song family wanted to help, but was politely declined by Li shi, who said they didn't need so many people.

Most of the wool is actually stored in the shop in town, looked after by Song Huzi and Song Tudan. They only finish a batch and bring back another one while going to town to deliver goods, so it's not noticeable.

Song Huzi has now become the shopkeeper of the Song family, finally breaking free from the hardships of studying and being punished by the teacher, his spirit energized. Perhaps he really has a head for business, a sweet mouth, good at hawking, and can do the accounting.

He was not content with simply running the shop. His entrepreneurial spirit ignited as he devised ingenious promotional strategies.

Seeking inspiration from Song Dingxiang, he embarked on a culinary journey, mastering the art of preparing several delectable dishes. Utilizing the family's prized autumn oil, tangy chili sauce, crunchy pickled vegetables, and silken tofu, he crafted culinary masterpieces that tantalized the taste buds.

Word of his culinary prowess spread like wildfire, drawing a steady stream of eager customers who relished the opportunity to savor his creations. Each day, the shop buzzed with activity as satisfied patrons departed with smiles that mirrored the joy he found in his culinary attempts.

He had long planned that when he married his wife, he would use the money he earned and not ask his parents for any hard-earned money. And his parents and grandparents were already tired, so if he could be as capable and money-making as Aunt Song Dingxiang, it would be even better!

The women in Song Dingxiang's family worked hard every day to weave gloves, and they outsourced the sewing of the lining and leather to the women in Fifth and Sixth Grandaunt's families. In less than a month, they had woven a box of gloves, working at a very fast pace.

When the weather cooled down, these gloves would be sent to the North, to be worn by the soldiers.

But what Song Dingxiang didn't expect was that when the gloves were ready to be sent out, Zhou Yinuo had already disguised himself and gone to another tribe.

——— Author's Note:

Zhou Yinuo: I want to go home, sob, I miss my wife.

Song Dingxiang: Hmm... making money with this, doing that also makes money, making money, making money, and by the way, thinking about Brother Zhou in the North.