Chen couldn't believe that she could earn 60 coins from the scraps of cloth her youngest son had picked up without spending any money. It took less time to sew this kind of purse than the ones she usually made.
As soon as the fourth aunt and the eldest aunt went out, they asked Chen about the origin of the purse. Chen had the habit of showing off, so she sold her youngest son on the spot and praised him, saying that the youngest son saw some nice scraps of cloth in the cloth shop and picked up a basket of them to take home. Because his father bought the cloth there, the shop gave them to him without asking for money.
When Xiao Si's aunt heard this, her eyes widened and she urged us to go to the cloth shop to pick up scraps of cloth. The eldest aunt took the lead and walked towards the cloth shop.
Several sisters-in-law hurried to the cloth shop and asked the shop assistant when they got there.
"Oh, you want some scraps of cloth too, but you are too late. Someone just bought all the nearby scraps of cloth for two cents." The shop assistant answered indifferently.
Are you late
Someone got there first
Fourth Aunt and Eldest Aunt looked dejected and grief-stricken, as if all the money they had earned was gone.
Chen didn't care. Last time, Zhu Ping'an brought home half a basket of scraps of cloth, enough to sew dozens of purses. It didn't matter if the scraps of cloth didn't have any impact this time. She could just come back to pick them up next time.
However, Chen overlooked the business acumen of the shop assistant. When the shop assistant saw someone spending two cents to buy scraps of cloth, and someone else came to ask about it soon, he thought that these scraps of cloth were useful, so he thought that he would raise the price next time when he collected more scraps of cloth.
Dejected, Xiao Si's aunt and the eldest aunt went to find Zhu's father and Xiao Si's uncle to see how much the wild boar was sold for. Halfway through the journey, they saw the fat little Zhu Ping'an, who was smiling foolishly while carrying a large basket of rags. Xiao Si's aunt and the eldest aunt were stunned. It turned out that it was Zhu'er who bought the rags.
Chen's eyes suddenly lit up. "Good job, little boy! My son is smart. He spent only two cents to buy such a big basket of rags. How many purses can be made from it? Each purse is 20 cents..." Chen suddenly felt that what Zhu Ping'an and Zhu Pingchuan were carrying was not a basket of rags, but a basket of copper coins.
"Zhi'er, why do you have so many scraps of cloth? Give half to your aunt when you go back." Little Fourth Aunt didn't feel embarrassed at all and asked for half right away.
The eldest aunt was not willing to be left behind and immediately asked for half as well.
Zhu Ping'an was speechless. You are so nice. You give half to each of you. Then my mother will be left with nothing.
"No, I'll go back and sell it to my mother to earn money to marry a wife." Zhu Ping'an relied on the fact that he was a child, shaking his little head like a rattle, and even used the excuse of saving money to marry a wife.
Fourth Aunt and eldest aunt also remembered the incident of the New Year's money last time, and Chen couldn't do anything about it.
"You're going to sell even your mother?" Little Fourth Aunt asked loudly in surprise.
Zhu Pingan nodded.
"Then you can sell it to us too. You spent two cents at the cloth shop, so let me give you four cents, you can give it all to me." Auntie rolled her eyes and immediately tempted her, "You can make two cents by reselling it, it's too good a bargain."
"Zhi'er, your aunt will give you five cents, you give it to me." Your aunt was not to be outdone.
Chen was a little anxious, fearing that Zhu Ping'an would agree in a fit of anger.
You guys are really good at calculating. Zhu Pingan ignored him and turned around to ask Chen, "Mom, how much did you sell the purse you made with scraps of cloth for?"
"Twenty cents. Normally it only costs ten cents." Chen was very excited.
"Oh, two scraps of cloth can make a purse, so I'll sell them to you for 5 cents, since I know you so well. Mom, you too. It's not that I want to make money, I have to buy paper and ink for school besides marrying a wife." Zhu Ping'an counted on his fingers for a long time, raised his head, and spoke seriously to Fourth Aunt and Eldest Aunt.
Two pieces of rags for 5 cents! Little Fourth Aunt and Big Auntie opened their mouths wide. That big basket of rags must have thousands of pieces of rags. You bought them for two cents and sold them for hundreds of times the price! How greedy!
This brat is so lucky, if only he had discovered the use of the scraps of cloth earlier. The fourth aunt and the eldest aunt couldn't help thinking that they didn't think Zhu Ping'an was smart, they just thought Zhu Ping'an was lucky.
Chen was happy at first, but when she heard Zhu Ping'an say that he would also accept money, her face immediately fell.
"I asked you to give money to your mother, I asked you..." Chen went up and grabbed Zhu Ping'an, pressed him on the legs and threatened him, pretending to spank him.
"Okay, okay, I won't take your money. I won't take your money." Zhu Ping'an surrendered quickly. He had never intended to take Chen's money in the first place. He just said this for Fourth Aunt and Eldest Aunt to hear.
Chen could use threats and spankings to get Zhu Pingan to comply, but the fourth aunt and the eldest aunt could not use this method. But they were asked to spend 5 coins to buy two pieces of rags, especially knowing that Zhu Pingan's large basket of rags only cost 2 coins in total, which made them feel even more reluctant.
Although Chen really wanted to use the whole basket for herself, she knew she couldn't be too greedy, otherwise the relationship between her and her sisters-in-law would be ruined. Besides, it would take her forever to finish sewing such a big basket. Moreover, a gentleman should earn money in a proper way, so how could he focus on his family
"Your eldest aunt and your third and fourth aunts can't accept money either." Chen did not let go of Zhu Ping'an and continued to press on his legs, bluffing.
The aunt and the others immediately looked at Chen with gratitude.
"No, I still have to save money to get married."
Zhu Ping'an was held down on Chen's legs, but he refused to let go. He thought that he was just a child, and at this age, he should protect things.
"I'll let you save up. I'll let you save up."
Chen was amused and angry that Zhu Ping'an was saving money to marry a wife as soon as he was a little kid, and slapped his little butt twice.
"It hurts." Zhu Ping'an screamed.
"Do you want more money?" Chen stopped and asked.
"No, no more." Zhu Pingan shouted loudly. He just figured it out. For such a big basket, his aunt and the fourth aunt would not be willing to spend 5 cents to buy two pieces and take them all. Moreover, with so many scraps of cloth, it would take a while for his mother and aunt to finish making them. It was not a good reputation to charge money for one's family members in this era. It was not the modern era where brothers would settle accounts clearly.
It would be better to have a good reputation and let them use it. Anyway, they can't use it all, so why should I focus on my own family? There are so many women in the village who are good at sewing. Why don't I give them the extra scraps of cloth to process, and then collect 10 cents a purse. They don't need to provide raw materials, just work hard and they can earn the same money as before, and they don't need to go to town, they will definitely be willing to do it.
Seeing Zhu Ping'an come back to the right path, Chen smiled with satisfaction. The eldest aunt and the others also smiled and were very grateful to Chen.
The whole family was very happy.
(I successfully passed the defense yesterday, and the second update is here today. If there is enough time, I will update another chapter in the evening, or maybe a little later.)