Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 107 - 106: You’ve Got Something Going On

In the latter part of June, five small sets were sold. After deducting material and labor costs, the profit was seven taels and two maces.

Half for each person, Qin Yao received three taels and six maces.

There were still three small sets on hand, and July’s profit was already stable.

Liu the carpenter bought this batch of wood all from Liu Family Village, at prices slightly higher than selling to lumber merchants, which was essentially raising the cost price and giving more profit to the villagers.

Such a 50% pure profit margin as in late June is unlikely to be reached in July.

Qin Yao set a profit baseline, keeping it above 30%, so that neither she nor Liu the carpenter would be so exhausted, and they could pay a few more people wages.

Upon learning this, Liu Ji grumbled for several days, calling Qin Yao foolish and hypocritical, blah blah blah.

Qin Yao caught him and gave him a private lesson, explaining to him what human malice means.

"Do you know the majority principle?" Qin Yao cornered him against the wooden stake in the backyard and asked disdainfully.

Liu Ji only knew to raise his hand to cover his face, thinking he was going to get beaten again, and kept muttering, "Wrong, wrong, wife, I won’t dare again next time."

These words were something Qin Yao could hear twice a day, knowing that someone was merely paying lip service, never seriously solving the problem.

She slapped his hand down and forcefully explained, "If a person wants to accomplish something in a place, or implement a new policy, then this policy must benefit the majority to gain their support, thereby ensuring the smooth implementation of the policy."

"In our case, the majority can refer to most people, or a particular person wielding power."

"We’re all common folk, it’s just our family making money, with others just watching? Do you think that’s possible?"

Liu Ji was taken aback, how would he know?

Qin Yao had him imagine the Liu Facai family opening a water mill factory, making a lot of money, buying houses and land, and you, Liu Ji, want to follow suit and earn a few taels of broken silver, so you ask him for a job, but he refuses. "What’s your attitude?"

Liu Ji fell silent, not daring to voice the little thought that flashed through his mind.

Qin Yao sneered, patting his shoulder, "People like you, not half, but a fifth of the village has attitudes like that."

So to avoid this one-fifth risk, she and Liu the carpenter must stabilize the rest of the people’s hearts to balance it out.

Now with their water mill’s business booming, it also attracts much jealousy. If they hadn’t already set fees as low as possible, who knows what might happen.

Liu Ji frowned, feeling like she was cursing at him.

Yet, he suspiciously asked, "Then why is the Liu Dafu family unaffected?"

"He surpasses most people by too far. One can only see someone slightly stronger than oneself, seeing them as a doable target. But if someone is too strong, one becomes clearly aware that surpassing them is impossible, fearing harm from them and thus flattering them instead."

Having said this, Qin Yao gave Liu Ji a meaningful look, "But as long as you pass your exams, none of what I just said would be a problem."

"Tomorrow, you need to report to the academy. Prepare well."

Leaving these words, Qin Yao turned back into the house. She needed to tidy up the borrowed books so she could return them to the Ding Family when passing through Jinshi Town tomorrow.

By this time, Mr. Ding should already be on his way to the Capital for the September exams. It’s uncertain if he will succeed in passing.

After packing up the borrowed books, Qin Yao made a visit to the Liu Family’s old house, asking her sisters-in-law to help look after Da Lang’s four children because she might not be able to return from the county the next day.

Secondly, she instructed the Liu Bai brothers to continue grinding the millstones according to previous specifications and sizes.

Without her help, the speed and difficulty would certainly decrease, so they braced themselves mentally, as this would be the norm in the future.

The three Liu Bai brothers nodded, indicating no problem. They could endure the hardship the best, and what’s more, earning well made many in the village envious of them.

Previously, wages were calculated daily. Now, Qin Yao changed the system by outsourcing the millstone grinding. She paid the three Liu Bai brothers four hundred coins per millstone, leaving the rest to them to manage.

This job wasn’t stable, needed only when there’s an order, serving as a pretty decent part-time income.

Leaving the Liu Family’s old house, Qin Yao visited families in the village owning oxen, to see if anyone was heading to town or the county tomorrow, hoping to catch a ride.

The Liu Dafu family just happened to be going to town, agreeing to take Qin Yao and her husband along. They instructed them to wait at the village entrance early the next morning to depart together.

After making the arrangements, Qin Yao returned home.

Da Lang Brothers and Sisters immediately gathered around, with Second Lang asking concernedly, "Mother, when will you come back?"

Qin Yao replied, "If all goes well, I’ll return tomorrow. If not, then I’ll be back in a couple of days."

"But don’t worry, I’ve already spoken with the old house. If anything happens, go there. If you’re scared at night, ask Uncle and Jinbao to come sleep with you. I’ll be back quickly after finishing my tasks."

The four children nodded obediently, but knowing neither parent would be home still made them uneasy.

Clearly, they used to manage on their own with no adults at home, but now thinking about the dark nights with no adults around made them a bit scared.

Da Lang felt annoyed by his fear, not knowing when he lost some of his independence.

It was indeed the stepmother corroding him! The young boy angrily buried himself under the thin quilt, thinking so.

Unlike the four children, Liu Ji was quite looking forward to the arrival of tomorrow.

From then on, doing laundry, cooking, working the fields, and farming would have nothing to do with him!

Too excited, Liu Ji woke up at dawn, changing into a newly made hemp robe.

The hemp color was white, but not a dead white; it leaned towards a warm ivory, suitable for summer wear due to its coolness and affordability.

Others wearing hemp clothes looked uniformly plain, nothing special, as everyone appeared the same, in that impoverished white look.

Since he was heading to the academy, Liu Ji specially tidied up his hair, tying his black, ink-like hair up and securing it with a bamboo hairpin, covered with a scarf of the same color.

Not going out often, his skin wasn’t pale but neither was it the farmer’s tan, highlighting his excellent bone structure.

A pair of bright, moist almond eyes sparkled, his nose was straight and pointed, lips not too thin nor thick, full and rich. Clad in white, he exuded an ethereal, carefree aura.

For fear of staining his new clothes, he carefully tied a green apron upfront, rolled up his sleeves to reveal strong arms, kneading dough at the stove, occasionally wiping his brow with his arm, his bright eyes captivating.

When Qin Yao opened the door and looked up, she doubted if she was still dreaming.

She retreated inside, closed the door, reopened it, and widened her eyes.

What the heck, Liu Laosan, you really are something!