Chapter 128

It was autumn and the weather began to turn cold quickly. Villagers started to store food for their livestock in the winter.

Cattle usually ate straw, so the villagers just needed to carry home bales of straw directly from the fields and put them away.

As for the pigweed as well as the fodder for chickens and ducks, they were different. In winter, they were basically difficult to get from outside. Besides, it was really too cold for people to go out to get the feed.

Now, many families had already bought piglets. These piglets would become big pigs in next June or July, so that they could sell for a lot of money.

This benefit was higher than the income of planting crops. Thus these days, some married Ge’ers were seen everywhere carrying baskets on their backs looking for pigweed.

Xu Ran’s family didn’t have to worry about all these. After all, pigs could be butchered in the cold December. And after that, they could wait until the next spring to buy more piglets. The radish leaves stored at home would be used to feed Big Black and the Ewe during the cold winter days. Xu Ran figured that almost all the chickens and ducks would be prepared for Liu Tong to eat in his confinement, so they didn’t have to worry about the feeding of the fowl, either.

What Xu Ran’s family mainly needed to do at the moment was to corner firewood. Last winter’s firewood was all cut by Liu Tong, but this year, he was not able to do this job. The branches that the construction team had chopped before were almost used up. And because of last year’s lesson, Xu Ran knew that they had to store enough firewood this year and that every room needed a brazier to keep them warm. Anyway, the ash from the braziers would be good fertilizer when planting potatoes and strawberries.

This year, the main force to chop firewood was Xu Ran and Gao Quan. There, Xu Ran looked at the mountain behind the house, which he had planned to buy since the beginning of this year. He had wanted to plant fruit trees, but as he had no enough money, he had to give up the plan.

There was no special ownership for these forests. Anyone who wanted to get firewood could go up the mountain. No one would stop them. There was only one condition – they were not allowed to cut down all the firewood in one place.

The mountain Xu Ran decided to go today was the one he had wanted to buy. After he had spare money next year, he would buy the mountain and plant fruit trees.

Xu Ran also brought Tangtang and Guoguo with them, as Gao Quan suggested. The two children were learning basic Kungfu skills from Gao Quan. And most importantly, this was good for their health and practice. So Gao Quan planned to let them two run around the mountain with them.

Of course, their four dogs had to work, too. Two of them had to watch over the house every day while the others followed and protected Tangtang and Guoguo.

The two Ge’ers stayed at home and were busy with housework. They were also making new clothes for the winter. Of course, Shao Yu was mainly responsible for the work. The clothes he was making were for himself, Gao Quan and Mr. Hu. As for the new clothes for Xu Ran’s family, they were made by Liu Tong last year. These clothes still looked new. Thus they didn’t need to have new clothes this year.

Mr. Hu was now very good at playing chess, and he had got a few apprentices. Anyway, whoever had time would come to play chess with him.

Not only the elderly people but also many other young men liked to come to watch or play chess with him, as long as they weren’t busy.

However, Mr. Hu seldom played chess at home. He was afraid of disturbing Liu Tong, so he would go out to find a place to play. He looked more and more energetic now.

Seeing how curious and enthusiastic the villagers were about chess, Xu Ran suddenly had an idea to make money from the game.

Especially it was almost the spring festival. Xu Ran knew those who went around to visit their relatives would definitely have to find some fun for themselves during the time.

Thus, he planned to wait until he had got enough firewood to go home and write down the rules for how to play chess games. After that, he would pay to print the booklets and sell them during the festival.

Xu Ran also figured that there were really a lot of things their family could sell during the festival. They could purchase chestnuts this year and sell them. In addition, potatoes and dried bamboo shoots could also help make money, and they could also make some sausages and bacon to sell in the market.

Thinking of these, Xu Ran realized that the two pigs in his family were not enough. He had to buy another one.

Xu Ran was thinking about his business plan while chopping firewood. He was so tired that he stopped to wipe his sweat. Who said it was more difficult to keep business than to start a business? It was also hard to start a business, OK?

Anyone who wanted to find a way to make money, he had to first find a way to sell the things out. As for how to sell and how much money to sell them, all these needed time and effort.

The more Xu Ran thought about them, the more he felt they made sense. Anyway, he had already tacitly admitted that to start a business was more difficult than to keep a business.

……

At the end of October, they had got quite a lot of firewood and Xu Ran was busy again with other businesses. Xu An had made several sets of chess. Xu Ran thus sent Zhuo Yun a set of it and taught him how to play. He then encouraged Zhuo Yun to find someone else to play with him. He could play with Qin Shuwen or others. What Xu Ran hoped was that Zhuo Yun could help promote the business so that he could get its buyer.

Xu Ran wrote down the instruction for how to play the chess at Zhuo Yun’s house. He waved the paper in his hand where the ink was still not dry and asked Zhuo Yun, “Zhuo Yun, can this paper be printed? It doesn’t have a lot of words. How much do I need to pay for a copy? ”

Zhuo Yun took the piece of paper in his hand and looked at it, “It can be printed of course. I tell you that you don’t need to make it so delicately. As long as people can read and understand it, it is okay. You just go and find the person who makes the chess for you. Ask him to get a wooden board, carve the words on it, and then use ink to print it on the paper.”

Xu Ran thought it was okay, but he was not sure if Xu An could carve characters or not. There were quite a few words and Xu An probably couldn’t even recognize them himself.

He asked Zhuo Yun, “Do you know someone who can carve characters? I am afraid that Xu An can’t carve characters, so I’ll have to find someone else. The time in the course of contacts would be waste, so why not you directly find one for me?”

Zhuo Yun thought about whether any of the people he knew could engrave characters. At last, he shook his head, “I don’t know anyone of that kind, but you can ask my elder brother for help. He is a man of wide knowledge and experience. He should know someone. You can ask him.”

Xu Ran thought it was true. Qin Shuwu was older than both of them and had a wide range of experience. Even if he didn’t know any of that kind of people, he probably knew who had good workmanship. Anyway, he had brought two sets of chess pieces today, and he might as well send one to Qin Shuwu.

When Xu Ran was about to leave, Zhuo Yun asked him if he had any new things to leave for him. He said that he was going out for business in the new year.

Xu Ran was a little surprised and asked him, “You and Shuwen have a good relationship now, and your child was just born. Why are you still going out for business?”

Zhuo Yun glanced at Xu Ran, “Do you suppose that so many people in my family don’t need to eat or drink? I have only one shop and how can it support the whole family? Besides, I’ve just got a precious baby in my family. I must try to earn some property for him, right?”

Well, Xu Ran rubbed his nose. Zhuo Yun had always acted very generously, so he had never thought of this.

Xu Ran then asked, “Which road are you planning to take this time? What are you selling? ”

Zhuo Yun replied, “I’m going to the north. The people there like our food the most. I’m going to sell something new. I’m going out twice next year.”

“Does Shuwen know it?” Xu Ran asked.

Zhuo Yun sighed and shook his head, “I haven’t told him yet. I’m afraid if he knows it, we can’t be at ease during the spring festival.”

When he finished speaking, he noticed Xu Ran blinking at him. Zhuo Yun didn’t react for a moment and asked, “Ran, are you having a cramp in your eyes?”

However, he noticed Xu Ran blinking even more intensely, and he even squeezed his eyebrows together.

Seeing that he said nothing, Zhuo Yun felt that it was a little strange. He guessed boldly and pointed behind him. Xu Ran nodded seemingly telling him ‘you are toast’.

Although he had the guess, Zhuo Yun still wished for luck, “Ran, you can lie to me. Shuwen is now feeding our baby.”

Xu Ran threw his hands open, “I really didn’t lie to you. If you don’t believe me, you can look back. Shuwen is holding the baby in his arms.”

Zhuo Yun suddenly felt weak in his legs. He dared not turn back!

Qin Shuwen walked to Zhuo Yun with the baby in his arms and stared at him fiercely, “What did you mean by that sentence that if you told me we couldn’t be at ease to celebrate the spring festival this year?  Are you planning to take a concubine?“

Zhuo Yun hurriedly waved his hand and shook his head, “No, no, Shuwen. Don’t misunderstand me. I won’t take a concubine.”

Qin Shuwen let out a sigh of relief when he heard that he was not taking a concubine, but his tone was still not very good, “Then what were you talking about? Tell me!”

Zhuo Yun lowered his head, not daring to say anything. He felt that it was even more serious than his taking a concubine.

Qin Shuwen saw that he couldn’t get anything from Zhuo Yun, so he shifted the target to Xu Ran.

Xu Ran also had his thoughts, so he said truthfully, “Shuwen, I can testify that Zhuo Yun didn’t say he wanted to take a concubine. We were talking about something else.”

Xu Ran paused and Qin Shuwen pressed anxiously, “Xu Ran, what’s the matter? If you don’t tell me anything, I’ll be really angry!”

“Well, Zhuo Yun said that he was going out for business after the the spring festival. He was afraid that you would be worried after you knew it, so he didn’t tell you,” Xu Ran confessed and then he looked at Zhuo Yun apologetically.

Zhuo Yun lowered his head and saw nothing.

In the past, when Qin Shuwen didn’t love Zhuo Yun, he never cared about when Zhuo Yun went out for business or when he came back. Moreover, he had never seen Zhuo Yun injured before, so he naturally wouldn’t be concerned about him.

However, it was different now. He and Zhuo Yun were now in deep love. In addition, Zhuo Yun had told him many dangerous things along the way on business. So upon hearing that Zhuo Yun was going out for business, his heart gave a sudden leap.

He handed his baby to Xu Ran and walked up to Zhuo Yun. He raised his head, “Zhuo Yun, tell me, did you really think so?”

Zhuo Yun nodded. “Shuwen, I want to support the whole family, but the income from our store is definitely not enough. Thus I have to go out to do some business.”

Qin Shuwen froze up for a second. He had never cared about how much money his family would spend every day, where their money came from and even how many servants their Zhuo Mansion had.

She couldn’t help but feel a little sad.

Seeing Qin Shuwen’s sudden depressed expression, Zhuo Yun knew what he was thinking. He held him in his arms and comforted him, “Shuwen, I didn’t mean to blame you. I just want you to live a life like this without worrying about anything.”

“But I should care about these things. I didn’t care about it before because I didn’t want to at that time. Now, things are different. Yun, I know you have to support this family, but can we not go out for business? Don’t we still have shops? I remember that when I got married here back then, my father had sent me two shops. Shall we do our own business here? Don’t go out to do business. You used to tell me it’s so dangerous outside.

Zhuo Yun hugged him even tighter. Xu Ran couldn’t stand the scene anymore, so he held the baby in his arms and sat aside.

Zhuo Yun said, “Shuwen, I will only go out for business twice a year within the period of two months from now on. This way, I’ll be able to stay at home with you and our baby for the rest of the year. If we run shops only, we can’t make much money. Worse still, I have to go to the shop every day. Thus, I’d rather go out for business.”

Qin Shuwen patted him on the head, “But it’s safe to run your own stores. Once you leave home for business outside, you have to be away for a few months. We won’t even know what your situation is outside. Can I not be worried?”

He didn’t talk about this with Qin Shuwen in the past. At that time, he knew that Qin Shuwen wouldn’t be worried about him, so he never told or sent a letter back to the family about his situation outside. In addition, it was troublesome to send a letter on the way when doing business. Hearing Qin Shuwen’s words, he really understood now that two months’ total loss of contact was a terrible thing.

And he started to hesitate about his decision.