Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 222: Lian Hai’s idea

Lian Hai said: “Second Uncle and Second Aunt are gone now and they have become orphans all of a sudden.
Fang Zhou had her betrothal broken.
How many people could bear these successive blows? A person who experienced this, how could there be no changes? This is something that you can figure out after thinking about it, but you still treat her as the same person from before! How could you not suffer?”

Madam Qiao heard his words and felt that this made sense.
She sighed: “If I had known, I would have asked you first! It’s a pity I’m only talking with you about this now.
Son, you are a person who has read books and you have more ideas than we do.
It’s all up to you!”

“Mother!” Lian Hai said, “You and my dad should not talk about revenge and retaliation anymore, don’t think about it! You can’t write words in one stroke; we should be together.
Look, when their family brought home some wild sheep, didn’t they send us a piece? If there was no relationship between our families, would they have sent this? The past is over, give up!”

“You, what is your name! How can this be? Are you trying to anger your mother?” Madam Qiao eyes were wide as she screamed, jumping up.

Lian Hai’s face sank and his tone was impatient and cold as he said: “Mother, Fang Zhou has now climbed up with the Su and Cui family.
It’s bad for us to fall out with them! The Su family is the richest family in Shuangliu County! Look at Fang Zhou’s big reach, Master Su must trust her a lot to give her control of so much money! And the Cui son is very close to them.
If I am not wrong, this should be the Young Master Cui who belongs to the Su family in-laws.
They are a famous family in the southwest! Maybe in the future, I may have to ask for some help in the imperial examinations.
Why should we ruin a relationship with them? Don’t we need to rely on Fang Zhou in the future?”

Madam Qiao was stunned.
Her face was not so ugly but after a while she grit her teeth and said: “Bah, I am not reconciled! The tone of my heart is not good!”

“If you don’t have means, you still have to go!” Lian Li had listened to his son and finally understood.
He snorted and said to Madam Qiao: “When things are difficult, think about your son’s future.
This would not be a little matter! If you see them later, don’t give me trouble anymore.
You say hello to them, give them a smile!”

Lian Hai knew his mother’s temper and knew how she would react if Lian Fang Zhou and the siblings took the initiative to say help and smile at her.
It would be better if she did not take the initiative to smile at them.

He sighed softly: “Even if it is for my future, how can I bear to let my mother be wronged? If mother sees them in the future, she should just avoid being ignored, there is no need to rush to please them!”

This was simply too good!

Compared with her husband’s words, her son’s words really touched Madam Qiao’s heart.

“It is my son who knows how to love me, oh!” Madam Qiao was very pleased and did not continue to press Lian Hai to get revenge for her.
She nodded and smiled happily: “Sure, I won’t be too eager to see them in the future!”

When her son became an official, they would need to kneel in front of her and beg her!

Thinking of this, Madam Qiao felt even more happy.

Lian Fang Zhou planned to go to Shuangliu County personally to give her cousin their New Year’s gift.
Now that everything was ready, it was good to go the next day.

She already had everything planned.
First were some good, rare, dried mushroom, about seven or eight catties.
There were also two catties of dried radish, two jars of wild honey, about four kilograms, and the prepared wild sheep carcass.
There were also two live golden pheasants she had bought from Uncle Sun a few days ago.

Third Aunt suggested also buying some snacks, silk, and other things while she was in the city.
Lian Fang Zhou didn’t think this was necessary.
Such things were not rare in the Su family.
They might be rewarded to other people, but they would make others look down on her.
It was better to send some local things from the countryside, which was more generous.

After they returned from distributing the lamb to the other households, Lian Fang Zhou could smell the strong smell of stewed meat coming from the kitchen.
She couldn’t help but take two long inhales.
Game meat was different from other meat, just smelling it made people salivate.

She had just entered the room and was about to ask Lian Ze and the others to help prepare the gifts for tomorrow, when Aunt Zhang shouted from outside: “Is Fang Zhou home?”

Lian Fang Zhou hurried outside with a smile.

Aunt Zhang had come to say thank you, which Lian Fang Zhou happily responded to.
Aunt Zhang narrowed her eyes and asked in a low voice: “Fang Zhou, did you also send something to your uncle and aunt’s house?”

Lian Fang Zhou nodded, saying: “I already sent it! I also gave them a leg of wild sheep meat.
Is that enough?”

“Just give it away, it’s enough, it’s enough!” Aunt Zhang said with a smile.
“Your family is much larger now and you said you want to send one to the Su family.
You have already given so much to the other families, its fine to give them a leg.”

The two laughed and Aunt Zhang added: “You’re such a smart kid! I came over to talk for nothing! Anyways, those are your elders and your cousin will treat you well after he comes back.
If you didn’t give them anything, it would definitely make others gossip.
This kind of thing is too much and it wouldn’t be good for you and your siblings!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and nodded, her smile full of gratitude: “Auntie, I should say that you and Uncle Li are my elders! No one else would say this to me!”

Since the Lian siblings did not have any parents, their behavior was even more noticeable.
If there was the slightest mistake, the first thing others would say was ‘no father or mother to control them!’ which would have a great impact on their reputation.

 And because they were in such a disadvantaged position, it was even easier for others to slander them.

This kind of influence wasn’t much during normal days but during critical moments, the other people would become picky and disgusted.

For example, how would Lian Ze and Lian Che bring home a daughter-in-law in the future? How would Lian Fang Qing face her in-laws? What would happen when Lian Che would go to school and participate in the imperial examination? All of these things, which one was not based on a person’s character and reputation?

Lian Fang Zhou had already come to this realization and had been sure to make Lian Ze and the others understand this point.

The reason for the severance of their families, the written document was to prevent the couple from interfering with their family affairs, not to permanently avoid each other.

Aunt Zhang chuckled: “It’s not practical for me to remind you, you already understand it in your heart! You siblings are all sensible people.”

“I’m afraid there will be times of confusion!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled and spoke with half-reliance, acting childishly.
“Auntie, you will have to remind me if you think of something in the future!”

“That’s natural! Even if you think I am long-winded, I will speak up!”

“No way!”

The two talked for a while before Aunt Zhang smiled: “Oh, I am also here to ask you one more thing.
I need you help but I don’t know…”