Traveling to ancient times with a sign-in system

Chapter 222, Chapter 219: Envy and Jealousy!

219. Envy and jealousy!

Gu Tang also knew about this. Back when she was still in the Gu family, Madam Feng would talk about this every winter.

Feng was afraid of death, probably because she was frightened by what happened back then. Whenever it snowed in winter, the stove in her room would burn day and night.

Every year, one or two stoves have to be burned down after winter.

There's also the roof. If it doesn't snow, it's fine, but if it snows, during the day, while Mrs. Feng is catching up on sleep inside, her husband, Old Master Gu, has to call her father to clean the roof every hour.

At night, Feng, who had slept well during the day, would not sleep for the first half of the night. She would stare at the snow outside and, just like during the day, would call her father out every hour to sweep the snow off the roof.

If there is heavy snow this winter, it is indeed necessary to buy enough food and heating supplies in advance, in case the heavy snow turns into a snow disaster and there are not enough supplies at home.

"I remember the winter market lasted for three days, right?" In the original owner's memory, the winter market was also a good opportunity for her to sell medicine.

Many clinics and pharmacies will take advantage of this last big gathering to stock up on medicine, in case of a snow disaster. They hope that the medicine can be used to save lives and also to make more money.

“That’s right, it’s three days. We don’t need to stay at an inn this year. We’ll wait three days before going back and have a good time to stroll around. This big market only happens once a year, and it’s not as lively as the New Year.”

Three days...

Gu Tang estimated that there should be enough time. When Ah Gou returned later, she instructed him to buy a courtyard to set up a charity hall.

If there is a heavy snowfall, the first to freeze to death will be the beggars on the roadside.

Since we're planning to set up a charity to save lives, let's do a good deed by saving a bunch of people before the heavy snow arrives.

"I'll do as you say. We'll take our time to stroll around for the next three days and buy some charcoal to take back with us."

Gu Tang smiled and stood up, adding, "Charcoal burns longer than firewood, and it doesn't produce the smoke of firewood. It doesn't irritate the eyes, and it doesn't cause coughing or asthma. You and Ping An will be reading and writing during the winter, so you'll have to be careful."

Third Uncle nodded: "Your father and I are at peace, so we'll just buy the cheapest charcoal. When I came, I gave your father the money. Ask your father for the money and buy some good charcoal for yourself. You're a girl, and girls need to be well taken care of."

Gu Tang was happy to hear this; who wouldn't want to be the one who gets favored?

"Please sit and have your tea, I'm going to go ask my father for some money!"

“Go on, go on. Your father was nagging on the way here that he wanted to buy some wine. Leave some for him.”

Are you going to buy more alcohol?

Gu Tang raised an eyebrow. Buying wine was fine, but the wine had to be handed over to her for safekeeping!

When we got to the outside yard, we found that half of the chicken coop had already been dismantled.

Gu Tang went to the kitchen and brought over a basin of hot water for her father to wash his hands.

"Why wash your hands? Dad hasn't finished dismantling this work yet." Gu Lianshan looked puzzled.

"Please wash your hands first. After you've washed them clean, give me the silver that the master gave you. He just said that young ladies need to be well cared for, and that I should use this silver to buy some good charcoal."

Upon hearing his daughter mention money, Gu Lianshan washed his hands without saying a word. Just as he was taking out the money, he spoke to Gu Tang in a gentle and polite manner.

“Leave some for your father. He will buy some wine to take back with him during the market day. Our family is rich this year, so we should have a proper celebration.”

Gu Tang took the money bag from her father, held it in her hand and weighed it a few times, estimating that it contained about ten taels of silver.

She asked, "Want to buy some wine?" "Yes, yes, yes! Dad won't buy much, just a few jin will do." Gu Lianshan nodded vigorously, his eyes fixed on the money bag in Gu Tang's hand.

"I'll buy it for you. Keep the wine here with me when you get back." Gu Tang didn't believe him. He said he'd only buy a few jin, but once they got to the tavern, he couldn't resist a few kind words and ended up buying at least ten jin!

"You can buy them, but you can't keep them all. Leave some for your father..."

"Put it over there? If we put that jar of wine there today, half of it will be gone by tomorrow morning!"

After being father and daughter for so long, who doesn't know who the other is?

Gu Tang glared at him and rejected her father's request.

Gu Lianshan fell silent when his thoughts were exposed.

After carefully putting away Uncle San's silver, Gu Tang took out another money bag and handed it over: "This is for the Ma brothers. You can take it to them now, and let Ping An do the work of dismantling the chicken coop."

It would have been better if the Ma brothers hadn't been mentioned. As soon as the Ma brothers were brought up, a look of worry appeared in Gu Lianshan's eyes. He whispered to Gu Tang, "The three Ma brothers don't know the situation in the city yet. We can give them money, but we can't let them go back to the city."

The incense sticks that flowed backwards had only been shown once, yet they were already being sold for tens of thousands of taels of silver. Although the price was inflated, it did not stop outsiders from being envious and jealous.

The three Ma brothers were all beggars. How could they not be tempted by the ten thousand taels of silver offered by the Cheng family?

Gu Lianshan dared not gamble on that.

"I've thought about this for a while now." Gu Tang's expression remained unchanged; she had already made up her mind.

"Take the silver to them, then take them to the next town. The people there shouldn't know about the incense that flows backward. Hire an oxcart and take them back to their hometown."

"Will this... work?" Gu Lianshan frowned, still somewhat uneasy.

“Father, the three brothers Ma Da are all people who value their lives. People who value their lives are smart and know what they can and cannot do.”

Besides, these beggars have probably all heard what kind of people the Cheng family are. No matter how good the Cheng family's words are, they can't be trusted. If they dare to show their faces, they'll be slaughtered.

Gu Lianshan understood all of this, but one should always be prepared for the unexpected.

What if?

What if the three Ma brothers decide to cause trouble back in the city?

Gu Tang spread his hands: "Even if they're really out of their minds and tell this, it's useless. Who would believe it? Saying that the incense was made by a farm girl, saying that this play was conceived by a farm girl."

Let's put ourselves in their shoes. If someone told you that a beggar on the street had become the top scholar in the imperial examination, would you believe it?

"Nonsense!" Gu Lianshan raised his voice. "If a beggar on the street had that kind of skill, would he still be a beggar? Copying letters for others or taking on copying jobs at bookstores would be a thousand times better than being a beggar!"

"That makes sense. For those wealthy and powerful families, the Ma brothers saying that I made the incense and that I wrote the play is like telling them that a beggar on the street has become the top scholar in the imperial examination."

Those gentlemen and ladies would never believe this. They would rather believe that the incense was truly stolen from the Queen Mother of the West by a mortal than believe that it came from the hands of a commoner, especially since this 'commoner' was a peasant girl.

Gu Lianshan seemed to understand what his daughter meant.

Gu Tang stuffed the money bag into his hand: "Don't overthink it, let's get the Ma brothers out of here first."

She then instructed Ah Gou to use the silver to hire someone to monitor the Ma brothers. If they were discovered to have betrayed her in Beian City, she would make sure they didn't speak up while still alive.

(End of this chapter)