I'm already a concubine, who wants to fight with you?

Chapter 123 Mutton Soup Pot
In the morning, Xie Fei looked at the falling snow and felt worried.

It was too cold. Even with two pots of charcoal burning in the room, it couldn't keep it warm.

It has only been a short time, but Yuan San has used up half of the charcoal. I wonder if he can last until the weather gets warmer.

Just as Yuan San had expected, charcoal was too expensive and ordinary people simply could not afford it.

But it was not worth it to freeze to death, so Xie Fei simply burned three pots of charcoal and stayed in the house to keep warm. He could not go anywhere.

Fu Yu moved a little rabbit in, and when he got tired of reading medical books, he would play with the rabbit, so life was not that difficult.

During the New Year, the snow keeps falling, but it can't stop people's determination to have a good year.

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. After the snow stopped, everyone began to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

The main dish is Xie Fei's mutton, including roasted mutton, shabu-shabu mutton, and some chicken, duck and fish to celebrate the New Year in a prosperous manner.

First, use sheep bones to make soup, then cut two crucian carps, wrap them with gauze, and throw them into the pot to make the soup richer and more mellow.

Some people think that mutton is fragrant, while others think it is smelly and makes them feel nauseous.

Xie Fei used a lot of spices, ginger slices, white wine, etc. to marinate the mutton again and again to remove the fishy smell.

Shui Huaiyu carried her son Xiaomiao on her back and worked around the stove.

Not only is she an outstanding embroidery expert, she is also an excellent cook. Although she is not as skilled as Xie Fei in cooking, her movements are quick and smooth, and she is also very hardworking, making her a real good helper.

Xie Fei heard her say that she wanted to set up a small stall after the New Year to sell some embroidery.

"I wanted to do some small business before, but I didn't have the capital then. Now that I have some spare money, I always want to do something." Shui Huaiyu felt that she only knew a little embroidery and couldn't help with anything else.

Xie Fei asked, "Is it just you, or are all the ladies in the village here together?"

Shui Huaiyu said: "Everyone contributes money and effort, at least we can earn some money."

Xie Fei thought about it and said, "A small stall is not as good as a big shop. You have good skills, so you are not afraid of not being able to make a name for yourself. How about this, I will also contribute some money, and we can be partners, how do you say?"

Shui Huaiyu was surprised, "You want to join us?"

Xie Fei sighed, "I only have so little salary every month, and I'm always worried about running out of money."

Shui Huaiyu asked, "Didn't you get even a little bit of land or shop in the Pei family?"

Xie Fei smiled bitterly and said, "I have only been in the mansion for a short time. I have no children and no favor. How can I have land and shops?"

In many wealthy families, concubines are not completely penniless.

Some of them gave birth to children for their masters or were highly favored, and they would be rewarded.

It's not just about money. If you can get a profitable shop or a few acres of good farmland, it will at least be a continuous income and expenditure.

Take Pei Yuan's concubines for example, Wu Shanyue, who was once the most favored, and even Xiang Xiaoniang, all had been given shops.

Wu Shanyue had a rouge shop and two pawnshops. Xiang Xiaoniang also had an inconspicuous little courtyard where her family could stay.

But when they were no longer favored, Xiao Shirong took the assets back with an excuse, and they could not resist. They could only watch the assets that once belonged to them return to the hands of the master family.

This is the reason why Xie Fei had a thousand taels of silver but did not dare to open a shop under his own name.

She was always a concubine and a "property" of the Pei family. The "property" under her name was ultimately just the Pei family's property.

If the Pei family wants to take it back, she will not be in the right even if she makes a fuss in front of the Tian family.

Shui Huaiyu and others are good citizens.

They can open a shop, and any profit or loss has nothing to do with the Pei family.

Xie Fei secretly invested in the company, and with the income he had, he could hide it secretly and not rely on the Pei family.

She proposed to join the group, and Shui Huaiyu had no reason to disagree.

"It's just that we really don't have experience," Shui Huaiyu said carefully, "In case of losses..." Xie Fei said generously, "Even if I lose hundreds of taels of silver, I can afford it."

In modern terms, investing involves risks. Who can expect to make a huge profit?
After she said so, Shui Huaiyu said no more and called other women over.

When everyone heard that Xie Fei was also going to join the business, they were extremely happy and said that Xie Xiaoniang was a lucky star and that the shop would definitely be profitable.

Xie Fei didn't know whether to laugh or cry, wondering how could he be considered a lucky star?
How can someone like her, who can't even take care of herself, protect others?
The women were immersed in joy and talked about the matters of opening a shop.

This matter cannot be delayed and needs to be put on the agenda as soon as the New Year is over. It will take a lot of running around to get it done.

The lamb bones were boiled into a fragrant soup, which was thick, white and mellow, attracting all the children, who gathered around the big pot and swallowed their saliva.

Xie Fei took a few bowls, filled them with mutton soup, sprinkled salt and chopped green onions on them, and asked the children to drink the soup.

Every time she handed out a bowl, she would squat down and gently ask, "What's your name?"

"My name is Tiedan." Although the snotty kid was covered in mud, his eyes were very clear, like juicy grapes.

Xie Fei rubbed his head and pointed to the side, "Put the soup bowl there first, wash your hands before drinking."

The child ran away happily with the tray.

Another girl came forward, and Xie Fei recognized her as the girl who had given her snails before. She was about ten years old, a little shy, had a good face, and was an honest child.

Before Xie Fei asked, her face turned red, and she didn't know where to look. She twisted her sleeves with her fingers and didn't dare to look at Xie Fei.

"My name is Hua'er."

Xie Fei asked with a smile, "Hua'er, where are you from?"

The girl was shy, and after being asked by Xie Fei, she didn't even want the soup and ran away as if she was escaping for her life.

Xie Fei was dumbfounded.

Is she so scary?

Zou Xiaoniang was nearby, cutting meat and smiling, "That's my daughter, she's very shy. She doesn't hate you, she's just embarrassed."

Xie Fei laughed, brought the soup bowls to the eight-immortals table, and told the children to take them and drink from them themselves.

Returning to the open-air stove, Shui Huaiyu asked, "Does my wife like children very much?"

Before Xie Fei opened his mouth, an old lady teased, "One day, the master will remember my kindness and become close to me. When that happens, I won't envy other people's children anymore."

Xie Fei's expression froze slightly.

Give birth to a child for Pei Yuan?

What a horror story!
She shuddered, shook the terrible imagination out of her mind, and then said: "I may not be that lucky, so I won't count on it in this life."

It's quite tragic. She was an orphan in her previous life, without a father, a mother, or even brothers or sisters.

After traveling through time, although I have parents, my mother died early, and my father is worse than dead.

Could it be that she is the legendary unlucky star?

In the distance, men were building a wall.

The wall was already shaky, and it became even more likely to collapse once eroded by wind and snow.

Chen Dafa and Daniu carried soil to fill the gaps. When Yuan San saw this, he also joined in the work.

However, Yuan San's gaze stayed on Xie Fei for too long, and he noticed her love for the children and her subsequent loneliness.

Chen Dafa smoothed a wall and turned around to see Yuan San in a trance.

Following the line of sight, it was still on Xie Fei.

(End of this chapter)