stingy landlady

Chapter 115 Bookkeeping

Xu Hong took out the remaining silver he had and placed it on the kang (a heated brick bed), then said to Guizhi:

"Miss! I'd like to pay the bill!"

Guizhi nodded:

"can!"

Xu Hong said:

“Miss, we received an advance of five hundred taels from the Prince’s Mansion, and two hundred taels were used to buy land. We have three hundred taels left. We spent one hundred taels to buy ten cows, and then on rice seeds…”

Guizhi reached out to stop Xu Hong and shouted, "Stop!"

"Is Uncle Xu Hong planning to read everything to me one by one? Don't you have any account books?"

Xu Hong rubbed his hands together. "Miss! I've got it all in my mind! I'm afraid I'll forget it if too much time passes, so I'd better pay the bill now!"

Guizhi said helplessly to Lin Qian:

"Uncle Lin Qian, please help me! He said it's the same, so you should use the same notes and record everything for me to see in the future! I'll ask you if there's anything I don't understand!"

So Xu Hong told Lin Qian to keep accounts. They bought ten cows, 1,200 catties of rice seeds, ordered ten plows and ten harrows, twenty-five sets of farm tools (hoes, picks, sickles), built five thatched huts, three pigsties, two cattle pens, and also bought one hundred and fifty ducklings and food expenses for thirty people for more than twenty days.

In total, it cost 219 taels of silver, with 81 taels left on the kang (heated brick bed).

"Uncle Xu Hong, this is already quite good! Just keep track of the accounts next time! Uncle Xu Hong, take the remaining silver back and at the end of the month, tally up the wages of your brothers, and calculate them according to the long-term workers."

This small amount of money is still useful! We'll pay the wages in the middle of next month! From now on, we'll pay the previous month's wages in the middle of each month.

Guizhi then turned to Lin Qian and said:

"Uncle Lin Qian, let's draft a plan! Otherwise, we'll just be doing things haphazardly! Without a plan, we're likely to lose things and make mistakes."

"Uncle Lin Qian, I'll tell you what to write down. If there's anything missing, we'll add it in."

First, you need to buy 100 piglets, even half-grown ones are fine, they're easier to raise! Make sure you check them carefully; they should have shiny coats and be eager to eat. Don't take any that are sickly or weak!

Let's buy fifty chicks and thirty goslings! We have wheat bran. After we buy the pigs, I'll go to Xiangmanlou Restaurant and see if we can get some swill from the restaurants in town!

First, buy 500 catties of corn to feed the pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese. They can't grow without cornmeal. That's how they grow fast. You can't just eat noodles; you also need to eat some corn and the like.

We have so many skilled craftsmen, let's build our own mill to process grain.

Let's buy another 500 jin of soybeans! Let's think about how to press our own oil! The leftover soybean meal can be used to feed pigs and cattle, it's great!

When we have money in the future, we still need to buy land! Since the grain comes from our own land, we won't have to waste money and buy grain at high prices!

Uncle Lin Qian, that's all I can think of for now! Write down the remaining tasks as well, so we can get things done!

After thinking for a moment, Guizhi asked again, "Uncle Lin Qian! How's the wheelchair research going?"

"Master! Even with blueprints and craftsmen, some spare parts still cost money!" Lin Qian said, glancing at the silver in Xu Hong's hand.

Xu Hong familiarly put the silver back into his pocket and said:

"Manager Lin Qian! We'll make you a wheelchair and bring out your pension! Miss even lent us grain, you can't be stingy!"

Lin Qian laughed heartily and said:

"What's the rush! I haven't finished yet! Boss! I've already spent money to buy two sets of the accessories needed for the wheelchair. I just hope to keep one wheelchair for myself. The other one will naturally be used as a sample for later ordering and sales!"

"Alright! Uncle Lin Qian! If the wheelchair is sold and there's a profit, I'll pay you back all the money you spent on these parts! In addition to paying the craftsmen's wages, there will also be a New Year's bonus!"

"The boss is truly righteous!"

Dazhu had already left while listening to the group discussing Huanghua Village!

He instructed Guixiang and Guihong to temporarily store the fabrics and other gifts in the room opposite Li's house, and to lock it. After thinking for a moment, he handed the key to Guihong.

"Guihong, you keep the key to this house for now! Your mother isn't feeling well, so don't bother her with these trivial matters!"

"Father! Shouldn't my eldest sister take care of this?"

Gui Xiang was also puzzled.

"If I tell you to manage it, then manage it. If you don't, then let Guizhi do it. Guixiang! You're too soft-hearted. I'm afraid others will use this to make things difficult for you!"

Furthermore, Gui Hong has been selling boxed lunches and fast food at Caomujian for so long, and she's always been in charge of collecting money and managing the accounts, and she's managed it very well!

Gui Hong put the key away! She said to Gui Xiang:

"Big sister! Dad is doing this for your own good! I'll accept the key for now, but if you need anything, we can still discuss it!"

"Guihong, Guixiang, have you been practicing your calligraphy lately? I think it's good that Guizhi has Uncle Xu Hong keeping the accounts! I'm afraid he won't be able to remember everything when there are more things to do!"

Gui Xiang said shyly:

"Dad! I love embroidery! I'll embroider whenever I have a little free time!"

Gui Hong readily replied, "Dad! My third sister has been urging my eldest sister and me to practice calligraphy for a long time! I keep accounts every day when I come home, and I practice calligraphy at the same time!"

"Good, good, good! Guixiang, your embroidery is also good. But our family's life is getting better and better! Your father will still try his best to give you as much dowry as possible! But you must learn to manage the household, at least to manage your own dowry!"

Gui Xiang remained silent, blushing, while Gui Hong, oblivious to her surroundings, said:

"Dad! Let's work hard these next few years and make lots of money! When I get married, I won't mind any dowry you give me, and I'll manage it all well!"

Dazhu was pleased to hear this:

"That's my good daughter! She must be capable of protecting her family's assets!"

Then he whispered to the two of them:

"Don't end up like your mother; she's hopeless!"

Just then, the sound of a carriage came from outside the gate. The three of them looked at each other in surprise, wondering who it was! They all went out of the main room to see.

The door opened, and Wang Yiyun and Pan Qiang carried their luggage inside.

"Big brother! I've moved my things over! I'm moving into the new house tonight!"

Dazhu smiled, pleased that his fifth brother treated him like family.

"Do you have a lot of stuff? You didn't even say a word before going to move things! The blankets and stuff are all prepared, so you don't need to move anything!"

Wang Yiyun said excitedly:

"Hehe! Big brother! Xile led me to see the place first, and then we went home to move our things! I mainly have a lot of books, so I had Pan Qiang hitch up the carriage and move all the books over!"

Brother, I really love this bookshelf you made! I'm going to put all my books on it; it'll be so easy to find them now! Thank you so much, brother!

Dazhu came over to help carry the books: "No need to thank me! We're all family!"

Orange and osmanthus fragrances also came to help.

Gui Hong asked:

"Fifth Uncle! I wonder if we can read these books of yours?"

Wang Yiyun nodded in agreement:

"Of course! I'll get it organized later. My older brother has a bookshelf in my bedroom, and I'm going to put some books for scientific research there."

There's also a bookshelf in the living room, filled with books you can all understand. They include relatively simple texts like the Three Character Classic, the Thousand Character Classic, the Standards for Being a Good Student and Child, and the Analects!

I just hope that you will cherish and respect the books you read!