As soon as March arrived, seven or eight carriages left the Shun'an Earl Mansion, heading out of the city.
At the foot of Hongshan, there are four or five villages. The locals rely on the mountains and water for their livelihoods. Though life isn't wealthy, nobody starves, and a clear stream runs through the area, making it a rather nice place.
The Old Madam's estate is located next to Hongshan Village. On regular days, the fields are rented out to villagers. While other landlords and tenant farmers usually have a fifty-fifty or even seventy-thirty split, after paying land rent and poll tax, tenant farmers can barely get by. But the Old Madam is kind; she only requires a fifty-fifty split. Additionally, the estate occasionally hires laborers and servants, who can earn a few hundred coins each month, making Hongshan Village the richest among the nearby villages.
