Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1319: Trivial Matters

As for the businesses, Gu Jin’an said, "You can just split the tofu and seasoning trade with the family, but the soy sauce business the family mustn’t take. Count it as your dowry, take it with you to the Qin family as your backing. You two will have far too many places that need Silver in the future."

General Guo is the General of the Prefecture garrison, even he has to rack his brains to get Silver to feed the troops, let alone San Lang.

Once you reach the Northwest, the environment will be even harsher, and the soldiers are more wild by nature. If you have no benefits to hand out, why would anyone listen to your orders?

Gu Jinli shook her head. "Big Brother, the soy sauce business is a partnership with the Zheng Family and the Shangguan family. You’re on good terms with the legitimate Heir of both houses, and you’ve always been the one helping with transport; you’re the one they liaise with. If you don’t take a share, how is this business supposed to go on?"

She waved her hand and said, "Stop nagging, we’ll do it this way. There’s still a lot to do; we can’t waste too much time over these trifles."

Gu Jin’an was speechless. "These aren’t trifles, this is a business that can be passed down in the family!"

He lowered his head to look over the account book for the soy sauce profits, then crossed out Brother Cheng and Gu Jinxiu’s shares. "Elder Sister has a dowry, and Brother Cheng is a boy; he’ll earn money himself in the future. Since I’ve put in the effort, just give me one share, and the rest is all yours."

For the tofu and seasoning business, their family holds fifty percent. Now it’s divided into five shares: the four siblings each get ten percent, and Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui share ten percent.

As for the fields, Manors, and houses the family had bought, Gu Jinli didn’t take any. She had made plenty of Silver from Convenient Medicine and soybean oil, and over the past few years she had bought quite a few Manors along both sides of the Great Chu expressway, enough land for her needs.

As for staff, she would bring along Protector Feng Jin, Danian and a group of guards, as well as Nanny Tao, Doctor Dai, San Qi, Mai Dong, Ye Jingzi, Ye Dakou, Mu Tong and the others.

As for Qingrong, Qingping and that batch of more than a dozen girls versed in medicine—their names running through Red, Green, White, Blue and so on—Gu Jinli split them into two groups. She had Qingrong and Qingping stay behind with the younger girls of the White generation, to both help make medicine and be kept in reserve for Gu Jinxiu’s future marriage and childbirth.

The remaining half would be led by Qing Pu and Qing Hui, taking the rest of the girls to follow Gu Jinli to the Northwest.

Next were Xiao Ji and Erqing, and a few later-arrived attendants at the pharmaceutical workshop. The rest were the people Qin San Lang was secretly raising, but their names would not appear on any list.

After reading the roster, Gu Jin’an said, "We still don’t have enough people. It’s all my fault as your big brother!"

He felt very guilty. If he were more capable and had trained more able hands, Xiao Yu could take more people with her to the Northwest.

Gu Jinli laughed when she heard this. "Big Brother, there are already thirty-six people here. That’s quite a lot."

"Still not enough," Gu Jin’an said. "Don’t worry, Big Brother will think of a way to train another batch and send them over to help you."

Gu Jinli shook her head. "Big Brother, you can buy people, but don’t bring them home lightly. Just keep them on the Manors and train them. It’s hard enough to raise truly loyal servants as it is, and now things are chaotic; we absolutely can’t bring untrained servants into the house just because we’re short-handed."

After hearing this, Gu Jin’an nodded his agreement. "Don’t worry, Big Brother knows what’s at stake. I won’t bring anyone back who isn’t properly trained."

Gu Jinli turned to Mrs. Cui and said, "Mother, after I leave, you must keep Aunt Miao by your side. Even if you’re not used to it, don’t let her leave your side when you go in and out. Aunt Miao and Aunt Hong are both people Nanny Tao trained; they were old servants of Aunt Wu. They know a great deal and are capable. With her helping you manage things, you won’t be easily bullied."

Aunt Miao was part of the second batch sent over, about the same age as Aunt Hong. When Aunt Wu’s household was confiscated back then, she suffered as well, and from that ordeal ended up pregnant with a son whose father was unknown.

The son took Aunt Miao’s surname and is called Miao Cong, a clever and honest young man who seems to be interested in Ah Shi.

This time she wasn’t taking Ah Shi with her, because she wanted to leave Ah Shi for Gu Jinxiu.

Though Sister Li is formidable, Tong Xiaoxue is still too young to shoulder big responsibilities. Ah Shi, however, was personally trained by Nanny Tao. Originally she was meant to be for Gu Jinli’s own use, but with Erqing at her side, that was already enough.

In fact, what Gu Jinxiu lacked most at her side was an experienced nanny, but the household truly had no one left to spare. Fortunately, Ms. Chu is formidable. With her around, plus Ah Shi, Sister Li and Qingping to protect her, nothing major should happen to Elder Sister.

Gu Jinli let out a sigh. Her brother was right; their family was still too short on manpower. They had to raise more loyal people.

"Elder Sister, before I marry I’ll hand Ah Shi over to you. In future, you can leave all the miscellaneous affairs to her. For all other matters, consult with Aunt Luo more. She’s seen a lot and has much experience; with her ideas, you won’t go wrong." As she spoke to Gu Jinxiu, Gu Jinli gave these instructions solemnly.

Gu Jinxiu wanted to cry but held back and asked, "What about the pharmaceutical workshop? What do we do with that? Ah Shi is in charge of the mosquito coil business."

Gu Jinli said, "Mosquito coils are simple. With Doctor Wu, Aunt Hong, Uncle Han Liu, Qiu Lang and the others there, nothing will go wrong. Just use Ah Shi with an easy mind."

She added, "Elder Sister, remember this: if a business is lost, it can be started again, but I must guarantee your safety. Only when all of you are safe can I be at ease going to the Northwest."

After hearing this, Gu Jinxiu could only nod her consent. "Alright, I’ll listen to Xiao Yu."

She hurriedly added, "Don’t worry, Elder Sister will definitely protect herself and not make you worry."

Mrs. Cui was already wiping away tears as she cried, "Xiao Yu, it’s all because your father and mother are useless, making you worry about the family’s affairs when you’re about to be married."

Gu Jinli smiled. "Mother, you are my family. Of course I have to see you all properly settled before I leave. Please don’t cry. Whenever you shed tears, my heart panics, and I can’t leave at ease."

Mrs. Cui hurriedly held back her tears and started promising Gu Jinli that she would improve herself. Gu Dashan said much the same.

Gu Jinli almost wanted to laugh... Why did it feel like she was the mother here, and Mrs. Cui and Gu Dashan were the children?

Still, if her going to the Northwest could spur them to improve, she was happy to see it.

"Enough, don’t all pull such long faces. Be more cheerful, I’m about to get married, after all. It’s a happy occasion!" Gu Jinli rose, clapped her hands, put away the account books and rosters for the division of property, then said to Nanny Tao, "Nanny, let’s go to the pharmaceutical workshop. I have a batch of medicine I need them to rush out."

Nanny Tao stopped her. "Whatever medicine you want made, just give the list to this old servant. I’ll go tell them. You’re about to be married; it’s not proper for you to be going out."

Gu Jinli had no choice but to hand over the written list to Nanny Tao, asking her to go to the workshop and relay it to Doctor Wu, to make a large batch of medicine according to the list!

Seeing that the list was all medicines for treating wind-cold and wounds from blades and weapons, Doctor Wu dared not delay. He immediately gathered everyone in the pharmaceutical workshop and began working day and night to rush out these urgently needed medicines.

Gu Jin’an, meanwhile, took Brother Cheng, Qi Kangming and the others and wrote out the wedding invitations overnight. The next day he sent servants to deliver them to all the households they were on good terms with.

Only then did outsiders learn that Gu Jinli was to be married ahead of schedule!

He Sanlai and his wife Mo Chunyue couldn’t sit still. Holding their child, they came to visit Gu Jinli.

When Gu Jinli saw them, she smiled. "I was just about to look for you, and here you are."

After she had He Sanlai and his wife sit down, she directly handed them two indentures and said, "These are the indentures you signed back then. We agreed you would serve as slaves for ten years, and after ten years you’d redeem yourselves and return to the good register as farmers. It hasn’t quite been ten years yet, but you two have done well these past years. Since I’m going to the Northwest, I’ll give you the indentures ahead of time."

Gu Jinli had originally meant to be kind for once. Back when she had He Sanlai and his wife sign the indentures, she’d acted very much like Zhou Bapi in order to guard against He Sanlai. Who knew God wouldn’t have it that way—upon hearing her words, He Sanlai turned pale with fright, pulled Mo Chunyue, who was holding the child, to her knees and cried, "Young Master, I beg you, please don’t cast us off!"