The first update, requesting pink points.

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The Pickled Vegetable Workshop has been handled by Lady Zhang for the past two years, and she’s quite familiar with it without needing help from others. She employs a group of familiar maidens and young wives, divided into two shifts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lian Manman suggested that Lady Zhang choose two reliable wives to act as stewards, with wages paid based on how much sauerkraut each person makes. This way, even if Lady Zhang isn’t overseeing the workshop, nothing is affected.

As for the accounts of the Pickled Vegetable Workshop, they are managed by Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi. Starting this year, the income from the workshop no longer goes into the general account but is entirely allocated to Lady Zhang, Lian Zhizhi, and Lian Manman’s trio.

This was the result of a family discussion a few days ago before deciding to start the Pickled Vegetable Workshop.

After breakfast, Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi, accompanied by Xiao Xi, were doing some embroidery in the room when Lian Manman became restless.

"Sis, I’m going to have a look at the Pickled Vegetable Workshop." Lian Manman discussed it with Lian Zhizhi.

The Pickled Vegetable Workshop opened only a few days ago this year, and Lian Manman thought about visiting every day.

"Go ahead," Lian Zhizhi naturally did not object, "I’m not going."

"Sis, could you finish embroidering this half-done flower for me?" Lian Manman handed over the embroidered bib she was working on to Lian Zhizhi.

Nowadays, Lian Manman’s regular sewing is no problem, and she’s able to embroider simple patterns; she’s also learned to cut bibs. The goose-yellow silk bib she’s holding was cut and sewn by her, and she embroidered it according to a pattern over several days, now it’s almost finished.

Lian Zhizhi took the bib and looked at it. This bib is beautifully tailored and fits well, the sewing is neat and even, though the pattern is rather simple. However, the color matching of the embroidery threads is excellent, giving a sense of elegance and grace, which suits Lian Manman’s current embroidery skills.

"It’s embroidered well, Mother would praise you if she saw it," Lian Zhizhi smiled, "You go ahead, I’ll finish embroidering this half of the flower for you when you return."

Lian Manman got off the kang bed and headed towards the Pickled Vegetable Workshop with maid Xiao Xi.

Now the Pickled Vegetable Workshop has been moved out of the courtyard and into the backyard of Lian’s Shop. This is to separate the family residence from the workshop. Moreover, the workshop here is closer to the main road, which facilitates transportation and makes it convenient for the maidens and wives to come and work.

Entering the backyard of the shop, there’s a row of workshop houses with a total of four rooms. The left three and a half rooms are workspaces, where the workers process fermented vegetables. The right side features two large stoves separated by a firewall, creating half a room, with a kang bed built over there. Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi often come here to check accounts; it’s considered a small office space.

There’s a door connecting the workspace and office, and each has a door leading directly outside,

Lian Manman first entered the workspace. In the morning shift, Chunzhu’s Wife was the steward, and upon seeing Lian Manman coming, she quickly put down the knife to greet her.

"Auntie, you keep busy, I’m just here to take a look," Lian Manman said.

The other working wives also greeted Lian Manman one after another.

Lian Manman smiled in response, noticing the workshop was clean and orderly, she felt relieved. Just as she was about to speak, she heard a voice coming from the office.

Lian Manman was slightly taken aback.

"Your second aunt is in that room," Chunzhu’s Wife whispered to Lian Manman.

The voice was Lady He’s, Lian Manman recognized it.

"Been here for a while, she told your mother she wants to work here," Chunzhu’s Wife continued whispering to Lian Manman, "Your mother didn’t agree. Couldn’t agree. I’m not badmouthing her, but she can’t handle this job. Everyone in our village knows each other. For this work, you need to be clean and neat, otherwise, how could big restaurants and hotels want our sauerkraut? Besides, the vegetable strands need to be cut fine, and her knife skills... It’s worse than before when your mother asked her to try." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Chunzhu’s Wife, being close to Lady Zhang and living next to the Lian Family Old Mansion, knew all about Lian Family’s affairs, so she didn’t mince words when mentioning Lady He.

"I’m just curious, how could she leave home today?" Lian Manman said.

People from the upper room settled at the old mansion, and this time Old Master Lian seemed to have made up his mind, strictly disciplining the whole family, not permitting anyone to leave home without his and Lady Zhou’s permission. Especially someone like Lady He, who loves visiting and chatting without discretion, was strictly forbidden from leaving.

"Your grandfather went out with your eldest uncle and second uncle this morning," Chunzhu’s Wife replied.