The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 581 An Unexpected Order

Prefect Yao inspected the weaving workshop.

The rhythmic sounds of cotton carding and looming weave together a beautiful symphony of the development of cotton textiles.

I personally touched the finished fabric and learned about the weaving workshop's production capacity.

Tong Huaqiong originally thought that Lord Yao's inquiry about production capacity was just a routine question from a local official in order to promote cotton planting.

After all, in her later years, she learned from studying history that officials in every dynasty had the responsibility to promote advanced agricultural production techniques, such as waterwheels, seed drills, and high-quality seeds. Even the promotion of cotton cloth was due to Huang Daopo's improvement of cotton textile technology.

In this fictional dynasty, she improved the weaving of cotton cloth, so it would be natural for the local officials to promote cotton cultivation in Ningcheng.

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself that she had supported Prefect Yao's achievements with her actions, so she wondered if she should exchange it for some benefits.

For example, the marketing of cotton fabric. After all, besides enabling everyone to wear cheap and warm cotton fabric, her biggest motivation for setting up the weaving workshop was to make money.

After all, the market for linen and silk products has already been divided up, so she can't break into it. She can only find another way by exploiting information asymmetry.

While Tong Huaqiong was pondering how to ask Prefect Yao for a favor, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Prefect Yao offered her a big business deal, the one she most wanted to secure.

That's the business of border military supplies.

It goes without saying that the border region is bitterly cold, especially in winter when the wind and snow rage and the cold wind is like a knife that can penetrate clothes.

Su Chengmin had spent some time on the border. Tong Huaqiong learned from Su Chengmin that the soldiers stationed on the frontier had to patrol and train in the face of wind, snow and cold, and also had to fight small-scale wars with the northern desert from time to time.

It's impossible for so many soldiers to all have cloaks and woolen clothes to wear, nor could they wear silk. Most soldiers' clothes were mainly made of hemp.

Linen is not very effective at keeping warm in winter; no matter how many layers you wear, you still won't feel warm.

There are cotton-padded clothes in winter, but because the production technology of cotton cloth is backward, it is only slightly better than linen cloth.

If warm and lightweight cotton clothing were provided to the soldiers, wouldn't that improve their ability to fight in winter?

After all, the people in the northern deserts had already figured out that many of the soldiers in the Great Sheng region were not used to the harsh weather on the border and would always launch attacks in winter.

Since Prefect Yao entrusted this business to Tong Huaqiong, Tong Huaqiong accepted it with great gratitude.

The current production capacity of the weaving workshop is insufficient to cover all the winter clothing for the border soldiers, even if all the cotton produced in the fields and stored up is used, it will still be insufficient.

Prefect Yao only told her to provide as much as he could, and to eat some first.

Hearing this, Tong Huaqiong felt relieved and also realized that the cake was only so big, and giving it to her would inevitably affect the interests of others, such as the interests of the hemp cloth merchants and the fur merchants. She would take a portion first and then make her move on later.

As for why Prefect Yao was able to give part of the border supplies business to Tong Huaqiong, Tong Huaqiong thought that the Yao family was a prominent family in Shengjing, and their connections were definitely greater than hers, a mere village lady who had been forgotten after being granted a title by the old emperor.

However, what's troublesome for Tong Huaqiong is that the batch of cotton-padded clothes she was given is expected to be delivered in two months.

Prefect Yao said he would send someone to deliver the deposit to Tong Huaqiong.

This textile workshop secured angel investment right after opening?

Tong Huaqiong was both surprised and delighted, but her mind was buzzing. She was worried that rushing to finish the job would cause the loom to fly out sparks. But she wasn't afraid of rushing the job; she could just get all the young women, wives, and old ladies from the surrounding villages to help.

The key is to buy cotton. Fortunately, she had the foresight to have Gu Baishuang stockpile cotton in advance, but it's not enough.

Tong Huaqiong looked at Old Master Lu, thinking she should ask him about it.

Imperial merchants have many connections.

Aunt Tang and Lian Hengruo visited the weaving workshop with everyone. Tong Huaqiong had already noticed that Aunt Tang's gaze towards Prefect Yao was exactly the look a mother-in-law would give her son-in-law.

Given Aunt Tang's ambition, she would definitely seize any opportunity to marry a prefect's son-in-law. And with Prefect Yao and Lian Hengruo exchanging glances from time to time, Tong Huaqiong was certain there was something going on between them.

When fate brings you together, nothing can stop it.

So when no one was around, Aunt Tang confided in Tong Huaqiong that when Prefect Yao went to Jufulai to give money to Lian Hengruo last time, she discovered that Prefect Yao had feelings for her daughter, and Lian Hengruo also had a good impression of Prefect Yao.

Aunt Tang didn't know what Prefect Yao really meant, so she wanted to ask Tong Huaqiong to inquire on her behalf.

"My Ruo'er is certainly qualified to marry a prince and become his princess, but I think she's useless; the other party also needs to be interested in her. I've heard that noble families are very picky about their daughters-in-law, so I thought I'd ask you to ask Prefect Yao what he thinks. If he thinks my Ruo'er isn't qualified or that she should be a concubine, then we should give up on this idea, and I'll go find someone better for her." Aunt Tang seized every opportunity to get Tong Huaqiong to put in a good word for her with Prefect Yao.

Aunt Tang couldn't wait to finalize the marriage.

Tong Huaqiong genuinely felt that if the two of them got together, it would be a very good marriage for Lian Hengruo.

As daughters born out of wedlock, coupled with Aunt Tang's ambition, the two of them didn't have a very good reputation in Pingchuan County.

If Lian Heng couldn't marry into a better family in Pingchuan
Her marriage was always manipulated by her own father to balance his relationship with his son.

If Lian Heng is going to get married sooner or later, it would be better for her to marry Prefect Yao than to marry someone else to help the Lian family form a marriage alliance.

Prefect Yao looks mature but is a good person. He has a powerful family background. If Lian Heng gets this marriage, he can get rid of the Lian family.

"Is your Ruo'er willing?" Tong Huaqiong asked, still worried.

Aunt Tang beamed, "I'm willing."

“Okay, I’ll ask for you,” Tong Huaqiong said.

Tong Huaqiong admired Aunt Tang's straightforwardness; if there was a good son-in-law, she would try her best to catch him; if not, she would continue searching.

There is absolutely no internal conflict.

After lunch, Prefect Yao took his leave and returned to the prefectural city.

Tong Huaqiong seized the opportunity to directly express her opinion on Lian Hengruo to Prefect Yao, asking whether he was willing to agree to the marriage. Prefect Yao, who had already mounted his horse, immediately dismounted and told Tong Huaqiong that he agreed to the marriage. If Miss Lian agreed, he would go to the Lian family to propose marriage in ten days.

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "If you already agree, why did you let the woman bring it up first?"

This was a misunderstanding of Prefect Yao. He had originally planned to formally propose marriage to Tong Huaqiong after arriving in the prefectural city, but Aunt Tang beat him to it.

Having made up her mind, Tong Huaqiong waited until Prefect Yao was gone before telling Aunt Tang that he would be going to the Lian family to propose marriage in ten days.

Aunt Tang was so happy that tears streamed down her face.

Her efforts were worthwhile; she finally managed to place her illegitimate daughter in the position of the daughter-in-law of the prefect's wife, a member of a prominent family.

Lian Hengruo remained calm.

Tong Huaqiong's heart skipped a beat, and she said to Lian Hengruo, "We need to transport a batch of cotton-padded clothes to the border in two months, but I don't have enough cotton right now, and I'm also short of money to stockpile cotton."

Lian Hengruo said, "If you don't mind, let my aunt join in."

Aunt Tang said, "Apart from Ruo'er's dowry, which remains untouched, I have 20,000 taels of silver in my hands."

Tong Huaqiong knew that Lian Hengruo would help her share the risks.

On her way back, Aunt Tang sighed, "Manager Tong is a businessman after all."

Lian Hengruo smiled slightly and said, "Auntie, don't you understand Manager Tong's intention?"