A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

Wang Jinzhu pondered the ice-making process for three days and tried it five times.

The saltpeter from the back mountain was of good quality, so Wang Yinbao carried two baskets back and built a half-person-high earthen pit in the corner of the yard.

Saltpeter absorbs heat when it comes into contact with water, and the heat is absorbed by the outer layer of wet sand, causing the temperature of the earthenware pot inside to drop rapidly—the principle is simple, but controlling the temperature depends entirely on feel.

The first two times, the water didn't freeze, it just got cold. The third time, a thin layer of ice crystals formed, breaking apart like frost. Wang Jinzhu adjusted the ratio of saltpeter to water and replaced the earthenware jar with one that had thinner walls. The fifth time, the entire jar of water froze into a solid block of ice.

Wang Yinbao squatted by the pool, watching the piece of ice being knocked out of the jar, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Little sister, this... in this sweltering heat, you've made ice?"

"You're making a fuss over nothing." Wang Jinzhu tapped a corner off with the back of her knife, tossed it into a bowl, and poured in the pre-cooked plum juice. A layer of condensation immediately formed on the bowl.

Second sister-in-law Ye Xiaoyu picked up the bowl, took a sip, and gasped because it was so cold.

"Good heavens, if we took this to town to sell..."

"A bowl of plum juice costs three coins, five coins with ice." Wang Jinzhu set the price. "Mung bean shaved ice costs eight coins, chilled jelly costs six coins. I'll be selling at the market on the morning of the market day."

Second Brother Wang Yinbao wasn't good at detailed calculations, but his wife was. Ye Xiaoyu counted on her fingers for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

The cold drink stall opened on the first day of the fifth lunar month, coinciding with the town's major market day on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

On the first day, Wang Yinbao rented an oxcart in Wangjia Village. On the cart were two large wooden barrels containing chilled plum juice and mung bean shaved ice. He followed the cart all the way to the town.

Ye Xiaoyu hung a cloth banner in front of her stall, on which the four characters "Zhu Ji Ice Drinks" were written crookedly, drawn by Wang Jinzhu with charcoal.

The May sun was scorching, and people going to the market would break out in a sweat after just a few steps.

"Iced? Really iced?" The first customer was a middle-aged woman who sold cloth. She took out five coins with some skepticism.

After taking one bite, her expression changed from suspicion to shock, and then from shock to enjoyment.

"Good heavens, it's so cold! How did this happen? Well water isn't this cold!"

No need for hawking anymore. The woman standing in front of the stall is a living advertisement.

In half an hour, both buckets were empty.

Ye Xiaoyu's hands were shaking as she counted the money—three hundred and twenty coins, all for one morning.

Wang Yinbao was carrying empty buckets, grinning foolishly. His wife nudged him with her elbow: "Go back and make another trip!"

The cold drink business was even more booming than Wang Jinzhu had anticipated. By mid-May, the stalls in the town alone were earning a stable daily income of around 500 coins.

The silver flowed steadily into the main room's money box, like a stream.

On May 18th, Wang Jinzhu was teaching Chen Tianwei how to keep accounts in the yard—using the simplest numbers and symbols. Chen Tianwei learned slowly but attentively, his little tongue pressed against his upper palate as he traced each stroke carefully.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the courtyard gate.

The roads in Chenjia Village are narrow, and even oxcarts are a rare sight, let alone horse-drawn carriages. Everyone in the alley craned their necks to look.

A blue-curtained carriage stopped in front of the main house, driven by a servant dressed in a short brown robe. The curtain was lifted, and a young man of eighteen or nineteen years old stepped out, wearing a round-necked straight robe, with a fine jade pendant hanging at his waist, and a folding fan in his hand.

"Excuse me, is this the residence of Lady Wang of 'Zhu Ji'?"

The young man spoke politely, but his overall demeanor was undeniable.

Aunt Chen, who was washing vegetables at the alley entrance, widened her eyes and tugged at the sleeve of the person next to her: "Hey, look, whose young master is this? Here to see Chen Tianfang?"

"They're probably here to buy game, aren't they? Look at that carriage, it's worth at least several dozen taels."

Wang Jinzhu put down the account book and walked to the door.

"I am Wang Jinzhu. And you are?"

The young man bowed and said, "My name is Liu Mingyuan. My father is the head of the Liu family in Yongning County. Manager Liu of Fuying Shop is a relative of a branch of my family. A few days ago, I returned from the prefectural city and saw Wang Niangzi's soap on the counter, so I came to pay him a visit."

The young master of the Liu family.

Wang Jinzhu invited the man into the courtyard and made him tea. Chen Tianfang came out from the backyard and sat down beside him without saying a word, but his eyes never left the young man fanning himself.

Liu Mingyuan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "Madam Wang, to be honest, I also have two shops in the prefectural city, mainly selling cosmetics and perfumes. Your honey soap and goat milk soap are of the highest quality in terms of appearance and scent. I'd like to ask—do you have any new products? I'd like to take them to the prefectural city to pave the way for business."

Wang Jinzhu held her teacup, not in a hurry to answer.

"Young Master Liu, the business in the prefectural city is not on the same scale as that in the county town. My current output is barely enough to support Manager Liu's family. If we expand into the prefectural city, I'm afraid we won't be able to handle it."

Liu Mingyuan smiled: "That's easy. We can take our time with production volume; I'm not in a hurry. What I'm in a hurry for is—the variety. The ladies and young women in the prefectural city have good taste, but there's never too much new and exciting stuff. If Madam Wang has any other novel items, we can make a small batch first, and we'll keep them interested."

Wang Jinzhu put down her teacup, glanced at him, and thought, "This young master of the main family even knows about scarcity marketing."

"We have new products. But we won't talk about them today," she said. "Since you're familiar with Tainan, why don't you give me a list of the popular and best-selling cosmetics that women there use and their approximate prices? I'll have a better idea of ​​what new products to come up with."

Liu Mingyuan was stunned for a moment. He had traveled for most of the day, fully expecting to make a decision on the spot, but instead, he was given a "task" by a woman from a village.

He closed his folding fan, stared at Wang Jinzhu for a couple of moments, and then suddenly smiled.

"Okay. I'll have someone prepare it when I get back, and send it over tomorrow."

He rose to take his leave, but turned back at the door, saying, "Madam Wang's business acumen surpasses even that of the old shopkeepers in the prefectural city. My apologies."

After the carriage left, the alley was in an uproar.

"Is that young master here to see Wang Jinzhu, not Chen Tianfang?"

"They came in a horse-drawn carriage, and look at that jade pendant on their body."

"That girl from the Wang family, after marrying into the Chen family, has actually made a good living for herself."

Chen Tianfang stood at the door, looking in the direction the carriage had disappeared, and suddenly felt that his wife was getting further and further away from him.

News travels fast.

That afternoon, Old Mrs. Chen appeared at the door of the main house, leaning on her cane, followed by Chen Xiufen.

"Jinzhu, I heard your business is getting bigger and bigger?" Old Mrs. Chen smiled. "Grandma was thinking, we're all family, and the second branch of the family is idle, why don't we ask Xiufen to come and help? Whether it's stirring soap or watching the stall, it'll be good to have more hands."

Wang Jinzhu was cutting soap and didn't even look up.

"We don't need more people."

Grandma Chen's smile froze for a moment: "You silly child, Grandma meant well—"

"Grandma," Wang Jinzhu put down the knife and wiped her hands, "I appreciate your kindness. But I dare not use the people from the second branch of the family."

Chen Xiufen's face darkened: "What do you mean by that?"

Just as Old Mrs. Chen was about to open her mouth to curse, a hand reached out from behind and pressed down on her shoulder.

Old Man Chen arrived without saying a word and dragged Old Woman Chen outside.

"What are you doing, old man!"

"go back."

Old Chen pulled her to the corner of the wall before letting go.

"What are you making a fuss about? The eldest son's family is hardworking, filial, and united. If you don't want them to ignore you in the future, then stay out of it. Don't the second son and his wife have mouths?"

"I sent the second wife to help!"

"Help?" Old Chen sneered. "Don't you know whether those people from the second branch of the family are reliable or not? A bunch of lazy, cunning people, you dare to use them?"

Old Mrs. Chen was panting with anger: "So she's making money with her own family, but not with us Chen family?"

Old Chen ignored her and turned to leave.

Old Mrs. Chen stood at the alley entrance, increasingly indignant.

Her grandson, Chen Shuyan, is a scholar! Now he earns money by reviewing essays and tutoring children in town. He hasn't made a fortune yet because he's aiming to pass the imperial examinations and become a high-ranking official! Then—

Then their whole family can just wait to come and curry favor with them!

She stomped her foot hard and walked away, leaning on her cane.

At dinner, the whole family sat around the table. Wang Jinzhu placed a piece of meat on Chen Tianrun's plate and casually asked, "Tianrun, do you want to go to school?"

There was a moment of silence at the table. Chen Tianrun, with food still in his mouth, suddenly opened his eyes wide and stared blankly at her.

"You are a bit older than the other children; there are probably many younger classmates in the school."

Wang Jinzhu explained the situation to him beforehand, "If you feel embarrassed, say so now. But once your family has paid for your tuition, you have to settle down and study hard. You can't give up halfway. Think it through yourself, are you willing?"

Chen Tianrun swallowed his food swiftly, his face flushed slightly, but his voice was unusually clear and firm: "Sister-in-law, I'm willing! I'm not afraid of losing face, I can learn well!"

Wang Jinzhu nodded: "Okay. I'll find out which private school is good tomorrow and send you there as soon as possible."

She glanced at the others at the table and continued, "Since we've spent the money, we can't waste it. Starting tomorrow, let's make a rule: every evening after school, Tianrun must teach everyone in the family the words and principles he learned that day."

"Grandpa is too old to learn from you!" Old Chen said immediately, remembering how his second grandson used to give him headaches from reading.

"No, sir, you are the head of the family and you have to set an example." Seeing the whole family staring at him, Old Man Chen scratched his head in annoyance and reluctantly agreed.

Chen Shi and Chen Yuxiang exchanged a glance, their eyes instantly reddening. Chen Yuxiang put down her bowl and kept wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Chen Shi's lips trembled as he looked at his son, then at Wang Jinzhu, and suddenly pulled Chen Yuxiang to stand up: "Eldest daughter-in-law, your mother and I don't know how to thank you enough."

They were so excited that if Wang Jinzhu weren't their daughter-in-law, they would have knelt down and kowtowed to her.

Although my son started his education late, what if he's lucky enough to have some academic talent in the future? Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination, being literate and becoming an accountant in town would be a very good career path!