Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 160 - 159: Failed Attempt to Buy Land

Chapter 160: Chapter 159: Failed Attempt to Buy Land
Qin Yao exchanged a look with Da Lang and Second Lang, and the two understood immediately. One went to fetch a basin of water, while the other took water heated in a kettle from the charcoal stove and poured it into the basin, ensuring it was comfortably warm.
Second Lang pinched his nose and brought in two pairs of unwashed socks, tossing them into the basin.
Qin Yao handed him a bar of soap, reminding him, "Get it wet, rub it on the socks, then scrub."
Second Lang followed her instructions and soon bubbles appeared, prompting Sanlang’s surprised exclamation of "Huh?"
The most remarkable thing was that after rinsing the dirtied areas with water, they became clean, and various stains seemed to easily blend into the water, carried away by the bubbles.
"It’s a success," Qin Yao raised her eyebrows, taking out the remaining eleven unused soap bars and placing them in the cabinet.
Once spring arrived and flowers were picked, perhaps she could concoct soaps with fragrances, allowing for fragrant baths.
Initially, Qin Yao considered making some soap to sell, but after two days of excitement, reality hit hard.
Lard and seashells, the two main ingredients, were hard to source in large quantities. Making it for home use was fine, but selling it? She had no idea where to gather so much lard.
Qin Yao set aside six bars of soap and wrapped them with two sheets of oiled paper. One package with two bars was intended for the old house, and the other with four bars was for Ding Xiang, whom she intended to personally deliver to when she had free time.
Rumor had it that Mr. Ding had gone to the capital and hadn’t returned, but didn’t pass the exams.
Considering the long travel time and interrupted study, he decided not to return and planned to stay in the capital to try again next year.
Qin Yao originally intended to discuss her children attending the Ding Clan School with Mr. Ding, but with him not returning, she’d have to explore other options.
Ding Xiang seemed like a suitable person to ask, and Qin Yao considered seeking her help.
Once the packages of soap were wrapped, Qin Yao turned around to find Da Lang Brothers and Sisters squatting around the basin, washing Second Lang’s stinky socks instead of eating their roasted chestnuts.
The ability to create bubbles from washing seemed to make them particularly happy.
Second Lang, the clever one, shirked the task, choosing instead to sit by the stove roasting chestnuts.
This time, he learned his lesson by biting a hole into the chestnuts with his teeth before roasting them, so they wouldn’t explode.
Qin Yao shook her head helplessly and left the main room for the kitchen to start cooking.
She didn’t often have the opportunity to cook, but whenever she had free time, she’d still head to the kitchen with gusto.
The children at home were considerate, never complaining about her cooking, and everything she made always got eaten clean.
Today, with delicious dishes from a restaurant available, Qin Yao simply cooked a pot of rice and stewed a pot of pumpkin soup.
The pumpkin was grown by herself, initially harvesting seventeen or eighteen, piling them in the kitchen corner. They kept well and, even now, there were still three or four remaining.
After dinner, Old Liu sent Liu Fei over to remind Qin Yao it was time to plant wheat, cautioning her not to delay.
Knowing her farming skills were poor, Old Liu informed her only after finishing planting their own fields, assuring that with their help, planting would be completed in two days.
Thanks to a bountiful year, and with all the sons working at the water mill, the fields near the old house were only half-planted, with the rest left fallow to rejuvenate the land. Therefore, they had time to help Qin Yao.
Qin Yao appreciated the elder’s goodwill.
But as soon as Liu Fei left and realizing she had to go to the fields tomorrow, her mood soured.
During the night, she dreamt of having a thousand acres of fertile land and hundreds of servants, only needing to lie back and enjoy life.
Regrettably, as daylight broke, reality returned swiftly.
Qin Yao sighed at the overcast sky. Passing the children’s room, she noticed a light was on inside, and heard the reading voice of "King of Quan" Second Lang. She entered, pleased, patting his shoulder in encouragement:
"Liu Erlang, study hard and earn a title. In the future, whether Mother can become a landlady depends on you."
Saying so, she shouldered her hoe and grudgingly went to the fields.
Second Lang was so startled he nearly burst into tears. Mother entered like a ghost, without making any footsteps.
He had been engrossed in reading, only to suddenly feel a cold hand on his shoulder, lucky he didn’t scream out!
...
The hectic days marched into November.
Bai Shan took away the last batch of miniature watermills and settled the remaining payment.
The water mill factory received 120 taels, and after deducting costs and labor expenses, Qin Yao and Liu the carpenter each received twenty-two taels and eight maces of silver.
Though anticipated, holding twenty-some taels of silver, Liu the carpenter was so overwhelmed he almost cried from excitement.
He had never held so much silver at once in his life; over twenty taels, enough to renovate the house and alleviate worries about corvée next year.
Feeling bold, he thought perhaps he could even afford to send his youngest son and grandson to the academy.
Maybe the children had the luck, and perhaps someday their family might produce a scholar.
No matter how thrilled Liu the carpenter was, Qin Yao calmly pocketed her share and prepared to pay the clan one tael for stone material and headed to the Clan Leader’s house.
Who wouldn’t be pleased to receive money?
Even if the money wasn’t for himself, the elder Clan Leader beamed with joy, contemplating the possibility of repairing the road out of the village.
Qin Yao took the opportunity to inquire about land, asking the Clan Leader to keep an eye out for her, expressing her intent to purchase fertile land.
The Clan Leader knew her family’s situation; initially, they were allocated quite a bit of good land because Liu Ji was a troublemaker. If shortchanged, he’d disrupt the whole family’s peace.
Yet, within just two years, he completely squandered it.
Sometimes selling to offset corvée, sometimes selling for food.
Out of fear of paying grain tax, he outright sold all the land, infuriating those who watched.
The Clan Leader finished lamenting the past, tentatively asking Qin Yao, "Are you thinking of buying back the original land?"
Qin Yao nodded; she indeed favored the ten mu of fertile land she currently rented. Unfortunately, she’d hinted at Liu Dafu, who showed no interest in selling.
She understood, truthfully, she’d be reluctant to sell if she were in his position; the family was healthy, not short of money, and owning the ten mu allowed Liu Dafu’s scattered fertile land to join into one large piece. For irrigation convenience, he’d dug channels for water, a considerable investment.
But as for land in the village, Qin Yao didn’t fancy any other.
If she weren’t acquainted with Liu Dafu or if he were a villainous landlord exploiting tenants, she’d have had ways to make him agree.
Unfortunately, he was genuinely kind to her, often extending favors to the tenants.
Reluctant to relinquish the land and unwilling to offend through manipulation, Qin Yao turned to the Clan Leader.
The Clan Leader’s brow, just relaxed from receiving stone money, furrowed deeply again, "This won’t be easy."
Knowing the difficulty herself, Qin Yao added, "If he’s willing, I’m prepared to offer a high price. Please, Clan Leader, act as a mediator; I’m requesting because I’m inconvenienced. If anything happens, the two families won’t end up in discord."
The Clan Leader thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded. As Qin Yao was about to leave, he mumbled, "You really know how to give me a hard time, girl."
Though grumbling, he acted promptly, calling Liu Dafu over for dinner that evening to gauge his interest.
Despite pondering, Liu Dafu didn’t relent.
Being pragmatic, in his mind, if you desire my good things, you must exchange for equivalent goods, right?
A high price really didn’t count for much, especially not when it wasn’t even double.
Qin Yao couldn’t afford double the price, so the negotiation failed.
But the urge to slash Liu Ji, the root of all troubles, into a thousand pieces reached its peak at this moment!