Free Web NovelChapter 671: Chapter 671: More Cotton for the Weaving Workshop
"Since you’ve decided to establish an independent household, act quickly. Otherwise, you’ll still be under their control."
Tong Huaqiong saw she had persuaded Li Mingxiu and added more fuel.
Li Mingxiu said, "It’s easy for me to say, but I’m worried my grandmother won’t come with me. She always says that since we’re family, if she leaves with me, people will condemn her sons for being unfilial."
Li Mingxiu’s grandmother indeed favored her the most but couldn’t ignore the reputation of her other sons.
Tong Huaqiong said, "In your current situation, your grandmother is even more frightened living with you. Establish your household first, and whether she will live with you can be considered later. Even if she stays with the Li Family, can’t you be filial to her? Can’t you provide her with money or buy her clothes? With her in the Li Family, your uncles and brothers won’t dare mistreat her under the banner of filial piety."
Li Mingxiu wanted her grandmother to live a carefree life, which she could afford with her current wages.
Even though her grandmother would not be mistreated in the Li Family, she’d still lead an ordinary village life, enduring the burdens of age, work, and chores.
Just as the employer said, if she continued to consider whether her grandmother would stay with her, both might end up unhappy.
Instead of that, it was better to establish an independent household.
At worst, she could occasionally bring her grandmother to live with her for a while. She could ensure her grandmother’s comfort but wouldn’t give her money, not wanting it to fall into the hands of those bastards in the Li Family.
Li Mingxiu said, "I’ll listen to the employer."
Tong Huaqiong said, "Once you establish your household, you and your uncles will be like strangers. Have you seen strangers running someone else’s household? In the future, whether it’s marriage or earnings, it’s your own business. If they dare interfere with your marriage, suing them won’t categorize it as domestic business."
This was somewhat akin to her life in the future.
Domestic violence by a husband is considered a family matter; without the label of family, violence is a legal issue.
Once Li Mingxiu set up her independent household, the Li Family would have difficulty meddling in her marriage.
She wouldn’t have to struggle desperately against them, as she could report it to the government to seek justice.
Li Mingxiu didn’t understand the law, but when she heard Tong Huaqiong mention becoming strangers with her uncles, her eyes burned with determination, making her even more eager to establish an independent household.
"In the coming days, I’ll have Taohua and Su Qing accompany you to the county government to establish your independent household," Tong Huaqiong said, fearing Li Mingxiu might delay further.
Li Mingxiu nodded vigorously.
She knew her employer had influence with County Magistrate Liu, and with government support, the Li Family wouldn’t dare trouble her.
The thought of the better days ahead once she set up the household left Li Mingxiu excited.
"Boss, as long as the weaving workshop exists, I’ll keep working there. I must card more cotton for the weaving workshop in the future." Li Mingxiu expressed her loyalty to Tong Huaqiong, then added, "My uncles try to scheme against me; I won’t let them have an easy time."
Her parents’ land was with her eldest uncle’s family, and she wanted to reclaim it.
As for her second uncle’s family?
Tong Huaqiong said, "I heard from Aunt Qin that your uncle is arranging a marriage for your cousin with fifty taels of silver. Would you like to get that silver?"
Li Mingxiu nodded, eager, very eager.
She wasn’t short of money now, but it delighted her to bother them.
Her uncle and aunt were the worst, all the bad ideas stemmed from them.
Her cousin was ugly with a bad temper, struggling to find a wife. Finally, they were arranging a match, and the potential bride demanded fifty taels as a bride price.
In typical village marriages, twenty taels sufficed for bride price and banquets, signifying her cousin’s unpopularity.
The fifty taels likely stripped her uncle and aunt of their savings, possibly included borrowed money, regarded as more precious than life itself.
"Boss, how can I get their silver?" Li Mingxiu was eager.
Tong Huaqiong said, "Didn’t you say your aunt was envious of your wages and wanted to work in our embroidery workshop? I’ll have Su Qing accompany you back to the Li Family, and you’ll secretly tell your aunt that our embroidery workshop is hiring, suggesting she bribe Su Qing with fifty taels."
"Then, you trick your uncle and aunt into believing that you’ll cover part of your cousin’s bride price, and their daughter’s marriage would need a higher bride price—then won’t your cousin’s fifty taels be forthcoming?"
Su Qing was Tong Huaqiong’s reliable aide who always handled enlistments whenever the weaving workshop hired, so everyone across several villages desiring work at the workshop knew of Su Qing.
Many people secretly inquired Su Qing for information, some even attempting to bribe her.
Li Mingxiu chuckled, very pleased; her employer had the best plans, leaving her aunt without a choice.
Imagining her aunt parting with the silver with high hopes, only to end up empty-handed, she wanted to celebrate by drinking midway through.
If her uncle and aunt lost their silver, they could not hold her accountable, as by then, she would have fled with her independent household. Why should she fear them?
She found herself eager to return home.
By then, Su Qing had arrived by Tong Huaqiong’s side, saying, "I can perform this play so your aunt volunteers the silver."
Everyone knew Tong Huaqiong’s weaving workshop offered high monthly wages and good treatment. Entering the workshop, passing the probation period, meant stable work, eventually becoming skilled workers, potentially earning fifteen or sixteen taels yearly for excellent work.
A fifty-tael upfront investment with potential yearly fifteen-tael returns.
Moreover, joining the weaving workshop meant joining Tong Huaqiong’s circle for protection and respect.
Fifty taels for a position was irresistible to foolish people.
Li Mingxiu said, "Sure, then we split the silver evenly."
Tong Huaqiong laughed, saying, "A seventy-thirty split works."
Evenly splitting was too much.
Su Qing shouldn’t work for free.
A seventy-thirty split was just right.
"You tell your aunt she could earn at our weaving workshop, easing her worries about finding a daughter-in-law. Maybe she’d think of ways to get your cousin there; their marriage troubles stemmed from his lack of earning ability—once he earns, should marriage trouble him?" Mrs. Hong joined in the fun.
Regardless of whose words Li Mingxiu’s uncle and aunt believed, with such long greedy hands coveting to ruin her life, she didn’t mind adding fuel to the fire.
What’s the most painful thing for a person?
To have hope crushed.
Seizing the moment, Li Mingxiu and Su Qing went to the Li Family that day.
The two aimed not only to scheme her uncle and aunt’s money but also to gather information for Tong Huaqiong and Mrs. Hong about who whispered the idea of targeting Manager He to the Li Family.
Li Mingxiu’s return stirred little commotion.
Su Qing’s arrival caused waves in the Li Family.
Li Mingxiu’s aunt gossiped with her sisters-in-law: "Seems like Ming Xiu is highly valued by Widow Tong if Su Qing accompanies her."
Li Mingxiu’s elder aunt said, "Could it be that Manager Tong knows we’re considering Ming Xiu to be a concubine for Manager He and sent Su Qing to intimidate us?"
Aunt Li shook her head, thinking not.
When she spoke to her cousin Aunt Qin about testing Widow Tong’s reaction, Aunt Qin scolded her and refused to bring it up.
If even her cousin couldn’t mention it, Widow Tong certainly wasn’t aware of their concubine plan involving Li Mingxiu.
"Why fear? We can directly ask Su Qing why she’s here," someone said as Li Mingxiu and Su Qing walked in.
