Chapter 297: Chapter 297 The Person with the Most Grain Reserves in Ten Miles and Eight Villages^1

Translator: 549690339

“It seems you have already assembled the people. In that case, I have some tasks for you to deal with,” Wei Ruo said.

“The young master’s orders will be carried out.” Although Zhao Hai was reluctant, he had to agree. They were servants of the master, listening to the master’s command was their utmost duty.

“You seem rather unwilling?” Wei Ruo asked.

“I dare not.”

He dared not oppose, but he indeed was reluctant.

Wei Ruo chuckled lightly, “There will be six carts of wheat delivered here from Younan Farmstead shortly, you will lead your team to help unload it.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hai was dumbstruck. He raised his head, staring wide-eyed at Wei Ruo.

His already simple face looked even more like a piece of wood at this moment.

“Young Master, you said… wheat… wheat?”

Wei Ruo’s words had shocked Zhao Hai into stammering.

“Yes, six carts of wheat. The people in the farmstead know how to make wheat-based foods, don’t they?” Wei Ruo asked.

Not many people in the south knew how to prepare dishes with wheat, let alone everyone.

Zhao Hai remained dumbfounded by the previous shocking news and couldn’t respond to Wei Ruo’s next question. His face stayed blank, without uttering a word for quite a while.

Xiumei spoke impatiently, “What are you thinking about? Young master is asking you a question. Does anyone at the farmstead know how to prepare wheat-based food? You must know how to cook once you receive the wheat!”

“Are we really getting wheat?” Zhao Hai still couldn’t quite believe it.

“It’s not for free. I will be reclaiming an equal amount of rice during the autumn harvest,” Wei Ruo said.

Although they were tenant farmers in her own farmstead, Wei Ruo was not willing to freely give such large amounts of wheat.

It’s hard to be a good person sometimes. If she were to give it without condition, some might get greedy.

Zhao Hai was still in a daze as a servant ran over to notify him: The manager from the Younan Farmstead was here, leading a team of carts at Caih Farm.

“Manager Zhao, gather your men to unload the wheat,” Wei Ruo said. Weiruo’s voice brought Zhao Hai back to reality. He nodded absently and then hurried towards the main gate of the farmstead, calling his men as he ran.

Upon seeing the six large carts of wheat parked at the entrance of the farmstead, Zhao Hai and the other people from Caili Farm were too excited to speak.

The manager from Younan Farm walked over and said to Zhao Hai with a smile, “Manager Zhao, the wheat delivery is here, please arrange for your men

to unload it.”

“Yes, yes, unload the wheat, unload the wheat!” Zhao Hai exclaimed, still overwhelmed with excitement.

Wei Ruo walked slowly to the front gate, the manager from Younan Farm greeted her upon noticing her, “Young master.”

Wei Ruo nodded and then said to Zhao Hai, “Manager Zhao, this is Manager Yu. From now on, he will oversee all financial matters of the farmstead. However, your position as a manager won’t change and your monthly salary will remain the same. Later, I will assign other important tasks to you.”

Although Zhao Hai was honest and hardworking, he wasn’t suitable for dealing with financial affairs.

For convenience, Wei Ruo planned to let Manager Yu oversee the finances of both farmsteads, while Zhao Hai would have other places where he could make better use of his abilities.

Zhao Hai nodded, “I will follow Young Master’s arrangement.”

“NOW, inform the tenant farmers in the farm that I am going to distribute wheat. Let them line up to receive it. After receiving it, they need to sign and stamp their fingerprints to confirm. They just need to give an extra twenty catties of rent during the autumn harvest,” Wei Ruo instructed Zhao Hai.

“Okay, I will notify them now.” This time, Zhao Hai’s reaction was prompt. He carried out Wei Ruo’s instructions immediately upon receiving them.

After Zhao Hai left, Manager Yu sighed, “The tenant farmers in Caili Farm are really lucky to have you as a master. They don’t have to sell their homes or children like what some people are doing outside.”

“just consider it as me doing business, I’m giving them some grains in advance, but later, I will ask for them back,” Wei Ruo said.

“Master, you are too modest,” Manager Yu responded with a smile.

Then, Manager Yu sighed, “Nowadays, probably only you in this area are abundant in food storage. Others are struggling. Even some landlords who can afford to take care of themselves, it’s absolutely impossible for them to distribute grains to their tenant farmers.”

Wei Ruo was well aware that there were not many families in Taizhou prefecture as well-stocked with grains as hers. Even the government’s granaries probably did not have as many reserves as Wei Ruo.

Weiruo was not considering selling her grains now. What’s more, even Xingshan County’s grain shop was closed recently.

“Don’t talk about this outside. We just need to focus on running our business behind closed doors,” Wei Ruo advised Manager Yu.

“Don’t worry, master. I was merely sighing. I won’t mention this even to the people under my management, let alone outsiders.” “Let’s go inside the farm and get today’s tasks finished first,” Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo and Manager Yu entered the Caili Farm together, and began to distribute the wheat to the incoming tenant farmers.

###

At the same time, in the Military Prefecture, Cangyun Garden.

Madam Yun was worriedly looking at the account book.

The earnings from the farmstead last year were not particularly good, the shop also suffered losses. She had hoped that this year would be better, but so far, things on the farmstead were not looking optimistic, let alone the shop which had even lost more money.

She had just received a letter from the Capital City saying that her eldest brother had gotten into trouble for drunken assault. The government office had to sell some lands, and swap them for a lot of silver to settle the issue.

This way, there wouldn’t be any subsidy from the Capital City this year, they might even be unable to get by themselves.

Although her husband’s salary had increased after they moved to the Government City, the family had also hired two more servants, thereby increasing the daily expenditures.

Her eldest son studying in the academy was another expense.

Madam Yun rubbed her temples. No matter how she calculated, she couldn’t make up the gap in this year’s grain supply.

To purchase the grains with the current market prices, the financial situation of the house was extremely dire.

She had no idea how to proceed.

The new field they had purchased at the beginning of this year hadn’t even been a few months old and due to losses in the shop and changes in weather, they had arrived at an impasse on how to keep things running.

After checking for half a day with no results, Madam Yun pushed the account book aside. Her gaze fell on a sachet of tea on the corner of the table when she was looking for a change in thoughts.

Madam Yun gazed at the sachet of tea, lost in thought.

This was a gift from Madam Xu when she visited her a few days ago. It was the recently popular black tea in the city.

If the marriage between Ruoruo and the Xu family could be arranged, the Wei family’s current predicament should be resolved with the Xu family’s aid, shouldn’t it?

###

Wei Yichen had been waiting in the house for a while until Wei Qingwan finally returned.

Once the servant who was waiting at the door reported back, Wei Yichen quickly rushed to the entrance of Wangmei Garden and had Cuihe call Wei Qingwan to the courtyard.

“What urgent matter made my eldest brother look for me in such a hurry?” Wei Qingwan asked softly..