Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Can You Afford It?

Before leaving, Yi Meng stopped Qi Quanjin and whispered, “Brother Jin, there aren’t too many nor too few restaurants in Concord City, but there’s one specific restaurant you should avoid.”

Yi Meng disclosed to Qi Quanjin the restaurant where she had sold her vegetables last time.

Although their previous cooperation had a swift settlement, they had arranged for someone to follow her.

Because of this, Yi Meng didn’t want to sell her family’s vegetables there.

Qi Quanjin noted it down: “Wife, don’t worry! We won’t go to their place.”

Yi Meng responded with a hum, then asked, “So if they ask how you thought of selling vegetables, how should you respond?”

“Didn’t we discuss this yesterday? If anyone asks, just say someone in our family has bought them before, so we thought we’d try it ourselves, and unexpectedly, it worked out.”

Qi Quanjin smiled sheepishly.

Yi Meng felt assured and allowed him to leave.

Qi Ercai and Qi Quanjin carried two baskets of vegetables towards the main street, and when they met villagers along the way, they exchanged greetings but said nothing more.

When their figures disappeared at the alley’s end, Ji Hu asked Zhou Tao beside him, “Brother Taozi, the things Brother Quanjin and the others are carrying look pretty heavy. Are they going to sell something?”

Others wouldn’t know, but Zhou Tao certainly did.

The baskets were filled with fresh vegetables.

However, he wouldn’t tell Ji Hu.

The business of making money with vegetables was currently only being done by their four families together.

As for the others, they didn’t plan on involving them for now.

The relationships weren’t that close, so naturally, such a lucrative business couldn’t be widely shared.

“What else could they sell, probably just homemade buns, mantous, pancakes, and the like.”

Zhou Tao said casually, “You know what conditions we four families were living under in the village. Now, we’ve rented three courtyards, and there are so many people waiting to eat. We have to find ways to make more money.”

Ji Hu was at a loss.

He wasn’t stupid; it was because he had some wit that he initially went to the city as an apprentice. Though he hadn’t written anything down, it proved he was a smart person.

Hearing Zhou Tao’s tone, Ji Hu realized he’d asked something he shouldn’t have.

With a sheepish expression, Ji Hu smiled apologetically, “Brother Taozi, I was just saying casually. Without your help, we would’ve probably been drinking Meng Po Soup by now.”

“Alright, it’s all in the past.”

Zhou Tao waved his hand, “Remember what I just said to you. Think about how to tell the others, and let me know your decision tomorrow.”

“Yes, I’ll think carefully.”

Ji Hu quickly agreed.

Zhou Tao had a task for Ji Hu today.

Now that the few of them had mostly recovered their physical health, aside from Mrs. Lai Sr., everyone else was robust and strong. It didn’t make sense for them to continue relying on the support of the four families.

Specifically, to rely on the Qi Family for support.

So, the elders from the Zhou, Sun, and Wang families gathered to discuss and decided to have Ji Hu and the others join in cutting firewood with everyone else.

They didn’t expect that they could earn money from cutting firewood, but at the very least, they could become self-sufficient, cutting and burning their own wood instead of expecting the Qi Family to give it to them for free.

This matter wasn’t just for Ji Hu and his friends, but also included the junior scholar and their companions.

The Qi Family, being magnanimous, had prepared thick clothing for the people in the junior scholar’s courtyard.

Although not made from good material or new cotton, it was certainly thicker than the clothes they originally had.

Spending a whole day outside wasn’t feasible, but half a day was manageable.

The idea was to get them to move around as much as possible; otherwise, if they relied on the Qi Family for too long, they’d start thinking it was expected, which would be counterproductive.

The Qi Family wasn’t aware of the arrangements made by those three families.

Nowadays, the Qi Family kept busy daily.

Especially since confirming that they could grow vegetables indoors, without the need for Qi Zheng and Mrs. Qi to instruct, the Qi Family boys began voluntarily expanding the large pit in the backyard.

When cutting wood, they’d intentionally select a few thicker trees, sawing them into sections outside and then bringing them home to start processing.

Since it was for growing vegetables, they didn’t care about aesthetics. As long as it was sturdy, they’d add soil and plant seeds.

The children studied with two tutors, while the women focused on tending the vegetables, cooking, and doing needlework.

After the spring, they’d be busy reclaiming land.

The routine Yi Meng established after marrying into the Qi Family meant that when the women had nothing else to do, they’d spin cotton into fine thread and knit gloves to protect their hands while working.

The men were busy cutting firewood every day.

Fishing had already ceased.

Once they realized the fish they’d catch became fewer and fewer, until almost nothing was caught, the Qi Brothers decided to stop fishing altogether and focus on cutting firewood.

Aside from the homes, their courtyards, granary, and the room for storing frozen fish, every available space, even the upper floors of their two-story courtyard, held many wooden boxes. Charcoal fires were lit to raise the room temperatures to promote crop growth.

The consequence of this approach was a need for a large supply of firewood.

The wood sent to Ji Hu’s courtyard was just a small portion of what the Qi Family harvested.

When Qi Quanjin and Qi Ercai returned, their baskets weren’t empty.

Qi Ercai’s basket contained fifty pounds of brown rice, not new, but neither moldy nor spoiled.

This fifty pounds of brown rice was delivered to Ji Hu’s courtyard as their food supply.

As Qi Ercai entered the courtyard, he saw Ji Hu coming out to greet him.

“Brother Ercai!”

Ji Hu greeted him with a smile, “Come inside, warm up!”

“No need.”

Ji Hu still wanted to return home quickly, so he put down his basket, took out a bag of rice, and handed it to Ji Hu: “Here’s fifty pounds of brown rice for you all to eat.”

“Brother Ercai, don’t rush off. I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Ji Hu actually preferred to talk to Qi Quanjin.

However, since Qi Quanjin wasn’t there, talking to Qi Ercai would suffice.

Qi Ercai was puzzled but nodded and followed him inside.

The temperature indoors wasn’t as warm as at home, but after being outside for quite a while, Qi Ercai felt significantly warmer upon entering.

“What’s the matter? Go ahead and say it.”

Qi Quanjin didn’t sit on the kang, just stood by the stove and looked at Ji Hu.

Once Ji Hu had set the grain aside, he told Qi Ercai about Zhou Tao approaching him, then added, “I just asked the others in the courtyard, and everyone plans to go out of the city to cut firewood tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, that’s great!”

Qi Ercai wasn’t surprised or delighted but instead thought of another issue, “But there’s a city entry fee; can you cover it?”

For city residents, if they have household registration documents, the entry fee can be reduced slightly.

Nevertheless, even a reduced fee is still money, and Qi Ercai honestly doubted these people could come up with that money.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep