Chapter 71.1

Translated by Aviana

Yang Tiegen came to an understanding rather quickly and made a decision—that is, to give it a try. Even if there weren’t for the second sao’s help, he still desired to work diligently and earn silver this year.

嫂 (sǎo): older brother’s wife / sister-in-law

Farming could also certainly provide enough food and warm clothes. However, besides this bit, there weren’t any bigger prospects. From just these 2 mu land, he has to pay taxes, store an adequate amount of grains for a year, and give annual elderly support to Yang laoyezi. To make up for the expenses, he would have to do some odd jobs. He might as well directly go and get odd jobs now itself. Although the work might be exhausting and arduous, his earnings would also be high.

Once Yang Tiegen expressed his decision to Lin Qingwan, he began thinking about whom he should give the land. Often, people had reservations in leasing their land to strangers, dreading the tenants might delay paying the rent, making it troublesome for them.

After understanding their intentions, Yang-shi resolved this issue of theirs.

For quite a long time, Yang-shi’s land had been cultivated by tenant farmers. This time, with Xia Dacheng returning to a village in dire straits, they planned to take their land back. Yang-shi had conveyed their intentions to the tenant farmers before the end of the new year. Although they were pretty helpless, in the end, everyone was from the same village, and then having difficulties in their family was also understandable.

It’s just that their family’s condition was quite destitute. There were many people in the family, but they had only four mu of barren land, and the yield was nowhere enough to feed everyone at home. Thus, they had been leasing Yang-shi’s fields to make up for the rest all these years. But now that Yang-shi was taking her land back, they instantly sank into a predicament and were in strained circumstances.

Yang-shi was also quite guilty because of this. But no matter how remorseful she felt, her family’s situation needed to be taken into consideration first. Fortunately, these two brothers, Yang Tiezhu and Yang Tiegen, were planning to lease their fields. Their portion of land could be given to the tenant farmers.

Yang-shi had been dealing with them for several years, and the two families knew each other well. Their family was honest and would pay the rent timely and never had a record of putting them on overdue.

This was just right, the tenant farmers’ families didn’t have to worry about their livelihood, and Lin Qingwan and others found a suitable tenant farmer as well.

After Lin Qingwan, Yang Tiezhu, and the third branch’s couple signed the lease documents with the other party, they handed over their land for farming. Now, the next step was to think about their next plan of action for their livelihood.

Actually, Lin Qingwan was unquestionably sure when she had given advice to the third branch’s couple earlier. After a few days of a market slump soon after the new year, the business of several restaurants in the town gradually improved, and the sales volume of Laweixian also steadily recovered.

The reason why she had named Laweixian as so was naturally because it was made in the cold weather of the twelfth lunar month. Lin Qingwan had thought hard and considered it over from all angles in this period. In her past life, the stores that sold pot-stewed dishes sold sausages all year round too. In other words, sausages weren’t just made and sold during the wintry twelfth lunar month but at other times too.

腊味鲜 (làwèixiān): là in here also means twelfth lunar month, hence the name.

It’s just that the sausages made at other times lacked the texture and mellow taste it has when made during the twelfth month. However, as long as she put time and energy into modifying its flavor, she could make up for that limitation.

Indeed, keeping it fresh was also another aspect she had to consider. In summer, this sort of food wouldn’t be able to last long. That was to say, they wouldn’t be able to make in large quantities and sell slowly like how they were doing currently. As soon as they made it, they had to sell it quickly. At that time, the work would surely be hard and tiresome, but could it be as tedious and exhausting as it would be when working in fields, where the farmers had shed sweat in the farm toilingly to forage every grain of rice? Both were tiring, but the one which could make more money would be the best option.

After giving it a good thought, Lin Qingwan put her heart at ease. Apart from raising her fetus, she began fiddling with some flavors and spent her time taste-testing them.

Lin Qingwan thought they could promote laweixian in other places as well. For instance, all the neighboring towns, Huaihe county, or perhaps even farther places. But all these would have to wait till the future. Currently, she was pregnant, and her stomach was also growing. These matters could only be left to Yang Tiegen and Yang Tiezhu after his arm had healed. Lin Qingwan still held some scruples and apprehensions regarding the Yang Tiegen. Although he had become a lot more flexible and nimble than before, he was still clumsy in communicating. In this aspect her man was pretty good and could perform the tasks such as business promotions much more easily….

Such thoughts swirled in Lin Qingwan’s mind as she gently caressed her stomach.

******

Feeling that his arm had more or less healed, Yang Tiezhu went to town to have his bandage removed.

After unwrapping the bandage, just as Lin Qingwan expected, Yang Tiezhu grimaced in pain when he moved his arm. It seemed he required quite a bit of rehabilitation to restore his arm to its former condition.

Based on her paltry medical knowledge, Lin Qingwan advised Yang Tiezhu to take it easy during rehabilitation without vigorously rushing. And exercise slowly, such that muscles and bones in his arm could slowly react.

Yang Tiezhu followed her words obediently. Though he wasn’t aware why his wife said such words, he listened to her and slowly exercised his shoulders and arms every day.

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