Second watch of the night, ask for pink.

********......*******

"What’s the matter?" Lady Zhang asked.

"Mother, when you go to the workshop later, those ladies and aunties will definitely talk to you about our family selling grape wine," Lian Manman said. "Mother, remember to tell them that the He Family’s wine is not the same as ours."

The Shen Family was a certain kind of household; if everyone knew that they had bought up their grape wine, then the value of their wine would certainly increase significantly.

He Laoliu was Lian Shouyi’s brother-in-law and had an inextricable relationship with the Lian Family. Even if they refused to help He Laoliu broker the selling of the grape wine, it was still possible that He Laoliu might sell the wine behind their back using their name, and people might believe him.

The fact that they sold grape wine today would definitely attract attention. Most of the wives in the workshop were from Thirty Mile Camp, and a few were from other villages. What Lady Zhang said would be conveyed by them, spreading from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred, to prevent He Laoliu from using their reputation to deceive and strut around.

"This method is good," Lady Zhang nodded. "I’ll go right away."

Lady Zhang finished her meal and then went to the workshop.

Lian Manman sat on the kang bed, still calculating in her mind, to make sure she had not overlooked anything that would allow Lian Shouyi and He Laoliu to take advantage of them. The town’s Shopkeeper Wu, Shopkeeper Wang, and Wu Yugui had already been warned. These people had wide connections; one was the owner of a restaurant, another a pharmacy, and another was a broker. If someone came to buy wine, they only needed to ask a little to find out the truth and not be deceived.

There should be no omissions, Lian Manman nodded to herself.

"What’s their wine like, I wonder?" Wu Lang seemed a bit curious.

"Who knows, it’s definitely not as good as ours," Lian Manman said.

He Laoliu’s method of brewing wine was stolen from them; later, after the wine was brewed and it came time to filter it, because the process was also quite loud, Lian Shouyi, Lady He, and a few children came to watch. In no more than two days, He Laoliu’s wine was also filtered. Lian Manman didn’t know what exactly He Laoliu’s wine was like, since she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. But there was one thing Lian Manman was very clear about: even if He Laoliu could mimic the steps of their wine brewing process, the step of adding white sugar was something Lian Manman had done secretly, and the members of the second household didn’t know about it, so He Laoliu would be even less likely to know.

Even if He Laoliu’s wine turned out alright, it couldn’t be stored for long. This was also why Lian Manman was adamant about distancing their own grape wine from that made by the He Family.

In a short while, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang both came back.

"Father, how did it go with grandfather?" Lian Manman asked Lian Shouxin.

"I’ve told your grandfather everything, and he agreed. He said that if your second uncle went to ask him, he would definitely refuse," Lian Shouxin said, then turned to Lady Zhang, "Father said we don’t need to worry about this matter; he’s there to shield us."

"Hmm, our father is a good man," Lady Zhang nodded and said with a smile.

"I don’t know why, but it seems that father isn’t very happy," Lian Shouxin added quietly.

Everyone failed to catch Lian Shouxin’s words clearly; they had more important, more joyful things to think about.

"We’ve just made over a hundred silver taels," the family all sat on the kang, and as Lady Zhang talked about earning silver, she still seemed somewhat in disbelief. "I’m still afraid this is all a dream." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Lian Manman looked around, seeing that the expressions on the faces of Lian Shouxin, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi were much like Lady Zhang’s. Lian Manman chuckled to herself, then stood up and brought out several packages of silver from the cabinet.

"This is real, let’s all feel it," Lian Manman handed the silver to Lady Zhang first.

The family each took turns holding the silver tightly in their arms, feeling it over and over. Watching from the side, Lian Manman thought that if someone saw them now, they might think they were all possessed.

After everyone had their turn, Lian Manman locked the silver up again.

"What do we plan to do with this money?" Lady Zhang asked.

"Just now in town, I asked Third Brother Wu to keep an eye out for good land for us," Lian Shouxin replied.

Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all nodded.

"Don’t spend it all on land," Lian Manman said, "Next year, we should send my brother and Xiao Qi to study in town; we need to set aside money for that."

"Right, I was just thinking that," Lady Zhang said.

"That’s what I was thinking too," Lian Shouxin agreed.

Wu Lang and Xiao Qi exchanged glances, and this time Wu Lang didn’t refuse. With the money from selling grape wine, in addition to what they had earned from selling pickles, the total could add up to two hundred taels. Their family’s situation was different from before; Wu Lang cherished the opportunity to study.