Xuemei felt it was unreal, but she was also happy that her father had become so powerful. "Mom, I'm not stupid. Don't worry. I know what I can and cannot say."
She calculated in her mind that with five hundred copper coins a month, she could save at least three hundred copper coins a month. As for how long her mother had asked for, it all depended on whether her father could pass the imperial examination and become a scholar. She had great confidence in her father. He could handle such a difficult and light job. His image in her mind became even more majestic.
In the hall, Jiang Sheng knew what he was going to do. He opened his eyes wide, as if he met his father-in-law for the first time. In his heart, he was even more delighted. The more powerful his father-in-law was, the more help he could get from him. On the contrary, their Jiang family had no clan or scholars, so they would not be of any help to his future.
If his father-in-law really has a successful career, with his father-in-law pulling him forward, even if he fails to pass the imperial examination in the future, he can still find a job. If he is just a scholar all his life, as long as his father-in-law is there, his family will not live too badly. The best thing his parents did was to marry him to Xuemei. Not only is it what they wanted, but the Yue family has great potential!
Zhou Shuren knew what Jiang Sheng was thinking when he saw his excited look. It was not good to show your joy on your face. It would make people see through your mind at a glance. You would not know how to sell yourself if you were sold out by others. "When you go to the county government, talk less and do more. Be active. Don't complain to others when you are embarrassed. Go back and practice your expressions in front of water. No matter what happens in the county government, control your face and mouth, and don't let people see through your mind."
Jiang Sheng understood what his father-in-law had told him, and he kept it in mind, "Thank you, father-in-law, for your advice."
Zhou Shuren hummed, took the book and prepared to test Jiang Sheng to see if he had been slacking off recently.
At noon, Zhulan asked Li to prepare a table full of delicious dishes for her grandchildren. She bought a pork elbow, four pig's trotters, and a hen. She cooked the pork elbow and the pig's trotters in sauce and ate half of them at noon. Zhulan packed the remaining half for the children to take back. She also brought ten kilograms of rice, five kilograms of millet, and five kilograms of noodles.
Xuemei and Jiang Sheng felt embarrassed because they only brought pastries back to her parents' home, but they took back even more.
Zhulan pinched the flesh that her grandson had finally grown and said, "Take it back. Your father and I will feed it to the child."
What else could Xuemei say? Her parents loved her.
Zhou Laoer sent Xuemei and her family back home and came back after dark.
After dinner, Zhou Laoda said, "Dad, someone has seen our calf these days and asked us how much we would sell it for."
Zhou Shuren asked, "What price did he offer?"
Zhou Laodao said: "Offer four taels of silver."
Zhou Shuren didn't want to keep the calf, but now that someone has seen it, he can save himself the trouble by selling it. He didn't find any bulls when he bought cattle, so he only bought females. Four taels of silver is not low, and the other party gave a fair price. "Okay, tell him to sell it to him tomorrow, and then take him to handle the calf sale procedures."
Boss Zhou wanted to ask if his father would go with him, but he swallowed his words silently after looking into his father's eyes. His father was testing his ability to do things. "Okay, Dad."
Zhou Shuren nodded and went back to the house.
When Zhulan saw Zhou Shuren coming back, she asked, "What does the boss want to see you about?"
Zhou Shuren put on his slippers and went to bed, "Someone wants to buy our calf."
Zhulan just remembered that the eldest brother had indeed brought people to see the calf these two days. In ancient times, newborn calves had to be registered with the government office, which was particularly strict. It was absolutely not allowed to privately raise or slaughter calves, and it was a serious crime. Even cows that died of old age or accidentally had to be reported to the county government office, and someone would be there to watch the slaughter. The people in the county government office would take away the cowhide, horns, and tendons, because cowhide could be used to make tents, and horns could be used to make bows and crossbows. These were war resources needed by the court, and would not be left to individual families. Only the remaining meat and bones were allowed to be bought and sold.
Zhulan's family made a good profit from the cow. Not only did they get four taels of silver for free, but the cow also gave birth on a good day and did not delay spring ploughing.