The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!

Chapter 546: Launching the Cotton Textile Enterprise

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside.

Gu Daqiao, tense, wanted to hide the loom.

"Daqiao, I heard Aunt Tong is back." A voice came from outside.

Gu Daqiao relaxed.

Tong Huaqiong recognized the voice; it was Gu Daqiao’s wife, Song Qiaoniang.

"Ah, Aunt Tong."

Song Qiaoniang saw Tong Huaqiong in the shed and greeted her warmly.

She was carrying a basket covered with a snow-white cloth, clearly bringing food for Gu Daqiao.

Tong Huaqiong, without time for pleasantries, said to Song Qiaoniang, "Do you know how to use this loom?"

Song Qiaoniang nodded.

Gu Daqiao laughed and said, "My legs aren’t convenient; every time Qiaoniang weaves, I’m next to her, watching and making changes where needed."

Song Qiaoniang understood Tong Huaqiong’s meaning, put down the basket, took the cotton thread that had been prepared, pulled over a stool, and sat steadily in front of the loom to start weaving.

Right hand tossing the shuttle, left hand crossing it, feet stepping the treadle.

Tong Huaqiong cheered silently in her heart; Song Qiaoniang truly lived up to her name, indeed a skillful woman.

"Look, this weave is so fine and dense."

Song Qiaoniang removed the woven cotton cloth and handed it to Tong Huaqiong.

Tong Huaqiong held it in her hands, slightly trembling.

It worked, it really worked.

She could start the cotton textile industry now.

"Aunt Tong, I’ve almost figured out the cotton ginning machine in the past few days." Gu Daqiao said to Tong Huaqiong.

The diagram of the cotton textile machine given by the County Magistrate in Huating not only had a loom but also a ginning machine.

Besides spinning the cotton, an essential process is ginning.

The efficiency of cotton ginning directly impacts subsequent weaving.

Tong Huaqiong smiled and said, "Very good, very good. Here’s some silver for your reward."

Tong Huaqiong picked up the basket on the ground and handed it to Gu Daqiao and Song Qiaoniang.

"What reward? Auntie, you providing food for our Daqiao is already a great favor to our family; how could we take your money?" Song Qiaoniang said.

Cooperating with his wife, Gu Daqiao repeatedly waved his hand.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Figuring out the loom wasn’t easy; in the entire Qinghe Bay, only Daqiao can do it. You must accept this silver."

Gu Daqiao and Song Qiaoniang had no choice but to accept the silver. Song Qiaoniang uncovered the grasses in the basket and almost fell to the ground.

A half-basket of silver.

"Oh my, Auntie, what are you doing, giving so much silver?" Song Qiaoniang said.

Gu Daqiao glanced into the basket; under the sunlight, the silver was so dazzling.

It looked like forty to fifty taels.

My goodness, when did his skills ever become worth so much money?

"Inside are fifty taels of silver." Tong Huaqiong said.

"This cannot be, cannot be." Gu Daqiao pushed the basket back to Tong Huaqiong.

Fifty taels could buy more than a dozen acres of good land.

He, Gu Daqiao, returned home from private school for ten years and never saved fifty taels of silver.

Tong Huaqiong pressed down on Gu Daqiao’s hand and said earnestly, "Knowledge is priceless. Daqiao, your craftsmanship is worth that much silver."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, Gu Daqiao was just born in the wrong era; if he lived in her era, he would surely be a senior engineer.

Gu Daqiao’s eyes reddened.

Since his leg got crippled, no one had valued him and the knowledge in his mind like this before.

Song Qiaoniang, seeing Gu Daqiao’s eyes were red, also started to cry.

Tong Huaqiong said, "You and Qiaoniang are both great; both of you have skills. You see I’m planting so much cotton and guessed what I’m going to do. I plan to do the cotton textile business. When the weaving workshop starts in autumn, I hope you both work there. Daqiao will continue to improve spinning and weaving machines, and Qiaoniang will help teach everyone to spin and weave. Are you willing?"

"Willing, willing."

Before Tong Huaqiong could speak further, Song Qiaoniang wiped her eyes and quickly expressed her willingness.

She originally thought that the fifty taels of silver from Tong Huaqiong was the whole deal and didn’t expect Tong Huaqiong wanted them to continue working.

Only a fool would refuse.

Gu Daqiao nodded with tears.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Don’t spread this around yet. I’ll announce it once the cotton harvest comes in."

The couple swore to keep it a secret.

After leaving the cotton field, Tong Huaqiong was observing the village, deciding where to build the weaving workshop.

Seeing with her own eyes that Song Qiaoniang started the loom, the improved loom was even more efficient than Tong Huaqiong had imagined.

Coupled with this year’s cold winter, cotton products could come in handy.

I’m afraid my thirty acres of cotton won’t be enough; I need to stockpile more cotton, or it will be too late in the fall.

When Tong Huaqiong got home, she sent Nie Xiaofeng to Pingchuan to inform Gu Baishuang to purchase 200,000 catties of cotton.

...

Gu Honglian, reminded by Tong Huaqiong that Gu Ruinian wanted to replace her with Gu Xiaoxue to marry Xu Dabao, became anxious and dared not go anywhere daily, keeping a close watch on Gu Ruinian and Mrs. Jia at home.

Every day, Mr. and Mrs. Gu asked Gu Ruinian what could be done to prevent Xiaoxue from marrying Xu Dabao. Meanwhile, the Xu Family kept reminding them of the approaching date to repay the debt, almost driving Gu Ruinian mad.

Even more annoying, Gu Honglian, who usually loved wandering around, didn’t go out anymore, pretending to embroider at home.

Her embroidery skills that could turn mandarin ducks into sparrows were nothing to brag about.

With only three days left for debt repayment and without a better solution, Mr. and Mrs. Gu thought the only option was to send Gu Xiaoxue to indemnify the debt.

Gu Youtian always disagreed; he insisted on having Gu Ruinian marry Xu Xinghua, and he had already communicated with Xu Yong. As long as Gu Ruinian was willing to marry Xu Xinghua, he was confident to persuade Xu Jin to resolve the feud between the Xu and Gu families.

Gu Ruinian didn’t want to marry Xu Xinghua, and Mrs. Jia, who usually took Gu Ruinian’s side, though unwilling, had to agree to let Gu Xiaoxue go to the Xu Family to settle the debt.

Mr. and Mrs. Gu went to the clan trying to find a solution with the Clan Leader, Gu Youtian went to the town, and Mrs. Wei and Gu Fengnian left with the Yao Family for somewhere unknown.

At home, only Gu Honglian, Gu Ruinian, Mrs. Jia, and Gu Xiaoxue were left.

Gu Honglian sat on the only intact chair at home, never relaxing her eyes or ears for a moment.

She saw Gu Ruinian exchanging glances with Mrs. Jia; suddenly, intelligence kicked in. If she guarded them like a thief, they wouldn’t dare show their plot before her.

She must pretend to let her guard down.

"Nothing to eat, starving, I’ll go to Sister-in-law’s to see if I can get a meal."

Gu Honglian put down her needle and thread and stood up to leave home.

After wandering outside for a while, Gu Honglian quietly returned home.

The house was silent; Gu Honglian stealthily approached the window where Gu Ruinian was recovering.

Under that window was a pile of firewood; Gu Honglian hid herself under it.

Low voices came from inside the house.

As Gu Honglian listened, her expression turned worse, several times wanting to burst in and beat that mother and son. But remembering she couldn’t match them, she crouched back down.

Suddenly, she saw Man Er passing by the door.

Gu Honglian bent down, whispered a few words into Man Er’s ear, and Man Er’s big eyes turned and ran toward the Clan Leader’s house.