Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Fortunately, she had acquired many valuable possessions over the years, leaving her with no need to resort to pawning for money.

Reluctant to part with her exquisite jewelry, she carefully selected a handful of porcelain bottles and jade ornaments, entrusting Zhao Zhai with the task of pawning them for much-needed funds.

As she clutched these precious items, her frustration got the better of her, leading to another scolding directed at Zhao Shu.

Accompanied by these valuable assets, Zhao Zhai headed to the local pawnshop.

Regrettably, he shared the same unfortunate trait as Ms. Qin – a lack of knowledge regarding the true worth of his possessions.

Unbeknownst to them, a single pair of porcelain vases alone could fetch a minimum of 50,000 liang, with the other pair worth 40,000 liang.

The pawnshop’s manager and staff possessed keen discernment; not only could they assess the value of items, but they could also gauge the character of their clients.

Their instincts immediately identified this Young Master as an inexperienced and perhaps naive individual, merely from his body language.

These were all lucrative opportunities knocking at their door, and they had no intention of letting them slip by.

Consequently, Zhao Zhai’s possessions, which could have been valued at 180,000 liang or more, were appraised at a mere 80,000 liang.

Once the necessary 100,000 liang had been collected, Zhao Zhai had no choice but to proceed to the mulberry garden to offer his apology, accompanied by Butler Zhao.

To his chagrin, Uncle Qing received him, intensifying Zhao Zhai’s sense of humiliation as if Uncle Qing were a servant who had betrayed his master.

However, Uncle Qing found this reaction comical, reminding Zhao Zhai that he belonged to the Zheng Family, not the Zhao Family.

Following a formal apology and payment of compensation, Zhao Zhai hastily departed, while Zhao Shu observed the unfolding drama with great interest.

The Zhao Family’s lively affairs had cost them dearly, slicing away half of their holdings.

If the silk trade did not perform well that year, their wealth would dwindle rapidly, potentially jeopardizing their standing as the wealthiest family in Yangzhou, and even leading to a financial collapse akin to a landslide.

Two days later, Zhao Shu approached Uncle Qing with a solemn request: none of the silk produced in Ms. Zheng’s mulberry garden would be sold to the Zhao Family.

Ms. Zheng’s suspicions about the Zhao Family’s malevolence were not unfounded; why engage in business with those who sought to harm the mulberry garden?

Zhao Mu, though seething with anger and resentment, refrained from publicly censuring Ms. Zheng’s abbey. His own reputation was at stake, after all.

Instead, he chose to reprimand Zhao Zhai privately and began seeking alternative families to cultivate mulberries and rear silkworms.

Zhao Mu disapproved of his wife and son’s actions, having thrived in Yangzhou for many years thanks to the Zheng Family’s support, which had ultimately made him the wealthiest man in the city. Consequently, he had attracted envy from many quarters.

Now, his fortunes were dwindling, and he found himself a target for others’ ambitions.

As a result, his plan to sign contracts and purchase silk faced considerable obstacles. Prices were artificially inflated, and sellers insisted on receiving the full amount upfront, refusing to negotiate.

Silk always found its buyers, and Zhao Mu, infuriated and frustrated, had no choice but to begrudgingly pay the full price.

He resolved to prepare for the coming year when the mulberry fields would yield their harvest. However, this approach strained their cash flow, leaving the family with empty accounts and forcing them to sell some of their cherished possessions.

With their cash flow disrupted, the Zhao Family faced an ominous predicament.

It was as though the mountains had crumbled and the earth had split beneath their feet.