I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 366 Spring in the Brocade Tent

"Ah Hua's mother! That's just how the third son is, don't take it to heart!" Tian San Niang comforted him. "The third son told me he needs the money to do business, not to go out drinking, so we have to support him!"

Tian San's wife lowered her head and remained silent, always using the same excuse.

“This time it’s for real,” Tian San’s father said as he walked out of the room. “My third brother has met a reliable brother. He’s going to take him on a trade route and we can earn dozens of taels of silver per trip! But we have to pay for our own food and drink along the way.”

“His mother and I have already given our savings for our funeral to our third son. As the old saying goes, ‘A poor family should be rich on the road.’ We don’t know how long we’ll be gone, so we should take as much money as we can.”

"Third son's wife, go and ask the manager for an advance of three months' wages, and give it to the third son to take away."

Tian San's wife looked up and saw her mother-in-law and father-in-law looking very serious, and her heart began to waver.

What if this time it's for real?

But, "the boss took all the wages, what are we going to use?"

“There’s grain in the granary, the vegetables in the yard are growing well, and we also raise chickens and ducks at home, so why would we need to spend money?” Tian San Niang said nonchalantly. “If we really need money, I’ll swallow my pride and borrow some from my neighbors, and that will be enough.”

Tian San's wife clasped her hands together tightly, and after a long while, she finally said, "I'll go and tell the manager right away."

Tian San Niang kept praising, "Our Tian family is truly blessed to have married you!"

Tian San's wife felt her ears burning. She made an excuse to go to work and ran out of the house. When she arrived at the manor, she first washed her hands with soap as usual, then put on an apron and went to the pot to start frying tea.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the busyness, and soon it was lunchtime. After finishing her lunch, Tian San's wife quietly observed the steward's movements for a long time before finally finding an opportunity to speak.

"You want an advance on your wages again?" Cuilan frowned. "Didn't you just get an advance on half a month's wages a few days ago?"

Tian San's wife's cheeks flushed instantly. "I... my family has an urgent matter and needs money."

Cuilan knew perfectly well what was going on. "Is your husband using the guise of doing business to ask you for money again?"

"It's not a ruse! The head of the household has really found work this time!" Tian San's wife relayed Tian San's parents' words to the steward without missing a single one.

Seeing Tian San's wife's serious expression, Cuilan sighed inwardly. Steward Ge was right; no one could wake someone who was pretending to be asleep.

"There are rules in the village that allow a maximum advance of three months' wages. You've already received an advance of half a month's wages, so this time you can only receive an advance of a maximum of two and a half months' wages."

"Okay!" Tian San's wife hadn't expected it to go so smoothly, and immediately agreed. "Thank you, Steward!"

Cuilan took Tian San's wife to the accounting office. Cuilan skillfully stamped her fingerprint on the document, took the advance payment, and ran home.

Tian San Niang was sitting in the main room doing needlework when she saw Tian San's wife return. Her heart tightened. "Why are you back at this hour?"

Could it be that the manager disliked the excessive amount of wages Ah Hua's mother had received in advance and kicked her out of the manor?

"Mother, I've advanced the wages!" Tian San's wife carefully unbuttoned her clothes and took out seven taels and five mace of silver from her inner pocket, handing it to Tian San's mother.

Tian San Niang had only ever handled copper coins in her entire life; when had she ever seen so much silver? She held it in her hands with great delight, utterly fascinated by it.

Tian San was woken up from his sleep and walked out of the room with an impatient look on his face. "What's all the noise about! Don't you know I'm sleeping?"

"Third brother, come quick! Your wife has brought back the silver!" Tian San Niang presented the silver to Tian San like a treasure. "Look, seven taels and five mace of silver, enough for your food and drink on the road!"

Upon seeing the silver, Tian San immediately woke up, snatched it from his mother's hand, and weighed it in his palm. "This is quite a lot of silver, isn't it?"

Why does he feel it doesn't amount to seven and a half taels?
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Tian San's father scolded as he returned home from the fields. "A princess like you wouldn't be short of a few coins from our family, would she?"

It would be so embarrassing if word got out!
Tian San pouted, stuffed the silver into his pocket, and walked out. "Where are you going?" Tian San's father asked.

Without turning his head, Tian San said, "Go find my elder brother to discuss the trade route!"

Tian San Niang chased after her, saying, "You haven't brought your clothes yet!"

“What’s the point of bringing tattered clothes!” Tian San walked past his mother. “I’ll go to the clothing store in town and buy a few new outfits. They’ll look presentable then!”

Tian San Niang felt sorry for the clothes; the clothes in the clothing store were expensive!

Tian San Niang wanted to say more, but Tian San was impatient and strode out of the village.

Upon arriving in town, Tian San first bought five pork-filled buns at a bun shop, wolfed them down, and then went to a clothing shop to buy a decent outfit to change into. Only then did he go to the agreed-upon tea shop, order some melon seeds, and wait for the other person while munching on them.

Just as Tian San was getting impatient, his sworn brother finally appeared.

"Brother Meng!" Tian San waved!
Meng Liang looked in the direction of the voice, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Brother Tian San!" he said as he walked over. "You've changed your clothes, I almost didn't recognize you!"

"Ha!" Tian San's face was full of undisguised pride, but he said, "How can it compare to Brother Meng's silk clothes?"

The two exchanged compliments for a long time, until finally Tian San couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Brother Meng, about the trade routes you mentioned before..."

"Look at my memory!" Meng Liang grabbed Tian San's arm. "Come on, I'll take you to see the master!"

Tian San was delighted and followed Meng Liang, turning left and right until they reached the most bustling and lively store on Guanqian Street.

Tian San was illiterate, but just by looking at the magnificent gate, he knew that this was not a place for someone like him. Tian San stood at the door, hesitating, and was about to ask a question when a man with a bruised and swollen face was thrown out from inside the door.

Ignoring the dust covering his body, the man crawled towards the door on all fours, shouting, "Give me a chance, just one chance! I'm sure I can turn things around!"

The burly man guarding the door sneered and kicked the man to the ground. "Get lost! If you dare to cause trouble again, don't blame us for being impolite!"

The man, blinded by defeat, struggled to his feet and tried to storm through the door, shouting, "I'll turn things around! I'll definitely turn things around!"

The burly gatekeeper, carrying a wooden stick, was about to step forward when the man suddenly shouted, "I have a daughter! I'll wager my daughter!"

The burly gatekeeper paused and looked at Meng Liang.

Meng Liang nodded almost imperceptibly.

The burly gatekeeper stepped back and, with a broad smile, invited the man inside.

Tian San was dumbfounded.

"Brother Tian, ​​let's go inside!"

"Brother Meng, where is this place?"

"Jin Zhang Chun," Meng Liang said, pulling Tian San's arm, "the largest gambling den in Minzhou."

Gambling den? Tian San swallowed hard. Although he was a reckless scoundrel, he knew that gambling was no good. The village's deadbeat was beaten to death by the people at the gambling den because he couldn't pay his gambling debts.

Tian San didn't want to go in, but his feet wouldn't obey him, and he followed Meng Liang into the gambling den.

The gambling den was packed with people, and the sounds of dice, dominoes, crying, laughter, and shouting filled everyone's ears.