Chapter 46. Little chicks and bamboo shoots
Prices in Luohe Prefecture were more expensive than those in Liutun Town. An egg costs two wen, while a hatched chick cost eight wen. After two laps in the West Market, You Jin sisters found a chick seller. After some bargaining, they finally bought 14 chicks at a price of one hundred wen. On an average, a little over seven wens each.
The chicks were placed in the empty wooden barrel. The sisters detoured to the pork stall to buy three jins of suet and the butcher sold two pig trotters cheaply to them. One carried the bucket of chicks while the other held pork wrapped in lotus leaves. They merrily walked out of the South City Gate and returned to Wuliqiao.
Wuliqiao was only five miles away from Luohe Prefecture. That was why it was named Wuliqiao. Although the two sisters didn't walk fast, it took them around half an hour to reach home on the official road.
At home, the littles doll, who were full of anticipation, caught sight of Eldest Sister and Second Elder Sister in the distance. The older ones ran over with the younger ones in tow. Seeing You Jin's hand carrying a dozen chicks in the bucket, all of them cheered: "It's little chicks!"
You Jin smiled and stopped to rest for a while. Then a group of six-seven people walked home. They chatted as they went, "Eldest Sister, can I raise chicks?"
"I want to raise them too!" The sisters quarreled with joy.
"We all raise them together. Once we get home, let's go to the mountain behind to chop some bamboo back to make a chicken coop. Later, You Zhu, you take the lead. You, You Bao, You Ling, and You Luo are responsible for finding something for the chicks to eat every day." You Jin jollily assigned the work to the few younger sisters. Hearing this, the few all stood up and seriously expressed that they would definitely complete the task.
On the other hand, little You Chou was a little displeased: "Eldest Sister, and me!?"
Before You Jin could speak, You Zhu laughed: "Little Seventh, aren't you afraid of the little chicks pecking you?"
Little Seventh was pecked by Yue Family's big rooster before. So she still had some shadows of fear toward the big rooster. Sure enough, when she heard that she would be pecked, little Seventh lowered her head with slight embarrassment. She wanted to help, but she was afraid of being pecked.
You Jin smiled and stroked little Seventh's little head and amusedly responded, "Little Seventh can help Third Elder Sister do the work together. Just don't get too close to the little chicks."
Hearing what Eldest Sister said, little Seventh perked up and nodded.
In the main room, Mrs. Su listened to the daughters happily talk about how to raise chickens in the yard outside. Her heart was filled with joy. This kind of life! When compared with the former life at Yue's house, it was a difference of earth and hell! Thank God, they can escape from those days!
After Su Family moved in, all the items were purchased immediately. The iron products such as hoes, sickles, and hatchets were also newly purchased. When they bought them, nearly two silver liang was spent. A distressing amount. Seeing the bamboo, it became very convenient now. You Jin feels that the money was well worth it.
There was an entire bamboo forest on the mountain behind Su's house. You Jin brought You Yin and You Zhu to the bamboo mountain. Hands moved and knife fell. Soon three adult bamboos of 17 or 8 meters high were chopped down. You Jin had deliberately come with a bucket and a hoe on her back. After cutting the bamboo, she wandered around for a while and dug up four white and plump bamboo shoots. Only then, the three sisters head down the mountain and returned home with their bountiful harvest.
There was no bamboo in Cuifeng Village. So every one in Su Family, including Mrs. Su, didn't know that the bamboo shoots were edible. Watching You Jin's hand swiftly remove the dark green outer shell and reveal the white and tender inside, they couldn't help but find it a little novel. You Yin, who was busy building a chicken pen, asked, "Eldest Sister, what are you doing?"
"It's called bamboo shoots. Today, let's eat stewed bamboo shoots with pig trotter. It's delicious." You Jin answered her questions while working away.
Hearing that it was food, the few little girls who had never seen this thing gathered around: "What yummy thing is this?"
Mrs. Su was also a little worried: "Jin-er, can this be eaten? It can't be that there's a problem?"
You Jin shook her head and replies, "I saw someone selling it at the market today. So there's no problem."
Just when You Yin wanted to ask her why she didn't see it today, she was stopped by You Jin's gaze and obediently closed her mouth.
Now that spring had just started and edible green vegetables haven't yet grown, You Jin came up with another way to earn money when she saw the bamboos in the mountains and plains today. It was possible to dig some spring bamboo shoots and sell them in the city. As long as it can earn money, it can be done. For dinner that day, You Jin stewed a pot of pig trotter and spring bamboo shoots. Su Family's eyes lit up from the taste: "These bamboo shoots are so delicious! It's even better than meat!" The spring bamboo shoots absorbed the pork flavor. Mixed with the deliciousness of the bamboo shoots themselves, it was better than meat, no?
You Zhu's cheeks were bulging like a small hamster. Her eyes were shining: "Eldest Sister, can this be sold in the city?"
Listening to her daughter's remarks, Mrs. Su Shi, who started to come out to eat with the children today, could not help but feel a little knotted and a little satisfied. Knotted because she was incompetent. The several children want to make money all day long. Satisfied as they were very sensible and never need to distract her too much. Instead, they were all thinking of ways to make the family better.
You Jin let out a slight chuckle. Sure enough, You Zhu's temperament was most like her own and understood her mind the best. So she gave her an approving look: "Think about it. It's only spring now and we all saw the situation in the city a few days ago. In the city, cabbage and potatoes are the only things sold now. It's not easy to eat fresh and tender vegetables, let alone bamboo shoots. Even if we pick some locust flowers and wild vegetable, we can sell them in the city for money, right?"
As soon as You Jin said this, the eyes of the sisters all shone brightly:
"Really? Wild vegetables can also be exchanged for money?"
"Then let's go pick wild vegetables tomorrow, okay?"
"Although it won't bring much money, no matter how thin the mosquito's legs are, it's still meat, right?" You Jin drummed lightly on the wooden table with her fingers curled. "Even a wen is still money!"
The sisters nodded one after another; finding what Eldest Sister said very reasonable. The voiced in unison:
"I'll go pick wild vegetables tomorrow!"
"I'll go pick locust flowers!"
"I'll go too!"
Each and every one of them scrambled like they fear of being left behind at home by You Jin.
"Okay, okay. Let's finish the meal first. The food will be cold in a while, right?" Mrs. Su clipped some food for each child and smiled very softly: "Before you go to pick wild vegetables, you have to eat your stomach full, no?"
Hearing Mrs. Su's words, You Jin nodded in agreement. Then the children hurriedly held the thick porcelain bowls and ate their meals in big mouthfuls. Shortly later, a large pot of stewed spring bamboo shoots with pig trotter was all eaten up.
Early the next morning, before the eastern sun climbed into the sky, the door of the east wing opened quietly. A thin figure walked out with gentle steps and closed the door again. Although it was March, the mist-shrouded morning was still a little cold. You Jin breathed out, rubbed her hands, and went to the kitchen. She wanted to make breakfast before everyone got up. After all, the whole family except Mrs. Su had to go out to work today.
Some villagers who got up early in Wuliqiao had already carried their hoes and went down to the field to work. Looking at the smoke rising from the west of the river, they weren't as frightened as they used to be. Qin's house used to be a haunted house. Su Family consisted of old, weak women and children and nothing strange was reported. Now people in the village say Su Family have a good fate with Qin Family's girl. Qin Family's girl was willing to let them live in peace!
Of course, these words were said by the villagers in private. No one went to the door of Su's house to say it. Besides, Su Family had just moved here and weren't familiar with the villagers. The only ones who dropped by once were Mrs. Ge and the few. So Su Family didn't know what was going on outside. They, themselves, found it more comfortable here than the time at Yue's house.
You Jin cooked a large pot of coarse grain porridge today. Then cabbage were fried with oil residue. Afterward Mrs. Su's carp fish soup was put on the stove and simmered over a low heat. After being busying for a while, everyone in Su Family who smelled the aroma of the food also woke up before the dishes were served. and. The little ones obediently rinsed their mouth with water and washed their face with the assistance of You Yin, You Zhu, and You Bao. The well water in the early morning in spring was still slightly warm; which was very comfortable.
After everyone in Su Family had washed up, You Jin was finished with breakfast preparation. After the whole family gathered together to eat breakfast, they were divided into three groups; locust flowers picking, wild vegetables picking, and bamboo shoots digging. You Yin, You Ling, and You Luo searched for traces of wild vegetables on the ridge by the river. You Zhu and You Bao carried a basket to the foot of the mountain to pick locust flowers. You Jin carried a hoe and a basket to the bamboo forest. The remaining, You Chou and Mrs. Su, mind the house.
In fact, the villagers of Wuliqiao dug bamboo shoots and pick wild vegetables to eat too. However, since Qin Family's mishap, many people would come to the west of the river as little as possible. So whether it was wild vegetable or locust flower, they gathered a lot in one morning. You Jin, who went up the mountain to dig spring bamboo shoots, harvested more than a pile of spring bamboo shoots. She also harvested two large bamboo rats!
Carrying a basket full of spring bamboo shoots and two bamboo rats tightly bound by rattan hanging from one end of the hoe on her shoulder, You Jin went home humming a little tune. Before reaching home, she encountered You Zhu and You Bao with a basket full of locust flowers. As soon as the two saw You Jin, they happily waved to her: "Eldest Sister!"
You Jin also waved at the two of them and then quickened her pace to catch up with them. When she got closer, they noticed the two big bamboo rats tied to one end of her hoe and couldn't help but be startled: "Eldest sister, what is this?!"
"It's called bamboo rat. The meat is delicious!" Upbeat, You Jin explained: "I'll bring it along to the city tomorrow to sell too. It should sell for some money."
"Bamboo rat? Then it's a rat? Why would anyone want to eat a rat?" Timid You Bao grabbed the corner of You Zhu's clothes tightly, hid behind her, and asked cautiously.
Seeing that she was afraid, You Jin took the bamboo rat down and held it in her hand to avoid scaring her: "It's not a rat. But the name is a bit similar." Although You Zhu was a little curious, she was also a little scared. You Jin distanced herself six or seven steps away and the three sisters went home together.
After returning home, the two bamboo rats aroused the curiosity and stirred slight unease among the rest of Su Family. Still, You Jin placed the two bamboo rats along with the water celery, locust flower, and bamboo shoots that she was going to bring to the city tomorrow to sell in Su Family's storeroom. In the early morning of the next day, she brought You Zhu with her to the city as she pestered to follow. Each person carried a bamboo basket. You Jin also carried the two bamboo rats that weighed nearly 2 jins. The sisters went to sell things in the city.
Chapter 47. Big customer
You Jin sisters had brought a lot of things this time. Still, the weight was much lighter than the day before. The sisters went out early. When they arrived at Luohezhou market, they could easily find an empty stall. The fresh water celery was placed on top of the dry straw, while a basket of locust flowers was placed by its side. The two sisters worked swiftly. Not long later, the stall was set up and they began to sell.
Nowadays, most of the vegetables on the street were Chinese cabbage that were stocked up last year. Few sold wild vegetables. After a while, most of the locust flowers had already been sold. You Jin sisters didn't have a steel scale. The locust flowers were sold in lotus leaves as the packaging and tied with straw ropes. One bag was sold for five wen; which wasn't expensive. Due to this, it was sold quickly.
"Little girl, this is a bamboo rat?" A fair chubby man who was well dressed and followed by a young man merrily asked, "It's the first time I see bamboo rats being sold in Luohe Prefecture!"
"This master has good eyesight. My father caught these bamboo rat in the mountain yesterday. It is alive and kicking. Would you like one?" You Jin uttered lies without blinking more and more smoothly. "Bamboo rats aren't easy to catch. If you sincerely want it, how about two of them for four silver?"
The fair chubby man had yet to say anything when nearby You Zhu gasped. Eldest Sister dared to call such a high price for two bamboo rats!
"Little girl, you dare to call out at a young age. Not afraid of the wind getting big and flashes the tongue?" The fair chubby man was very interested in these two bamboo rats. You Jin's high price didn't frighten him. Instead, he directly pulled the paw of one of them. It made the bamboo rat 'cluck' fiercely at him and arouse a chuckle out of him.
You Jin's stall was set up for a while. Even a few spring bamboo shoots were sold. But no one asked about the bamboo rat. This fair chubby man was the first customer to ask. She must seize this opportunity and sell off these two things: "This master, 'Compendium of Materia Medica' has records that bamboo rat is sweet, nourishes the middle and replenishes qi, and detoxifies. This is not the same as the pork and beef you eat on normal occasion. It's good stuff!"
Seeing that she even mentioned 'Compendium of Materia Medica', the fair chubby man found it a little interesting: "I couldn't tell little girl know more than you're letting on! Just base on those words alone, I'll take these two bamboo rats. In addition, I take all the things in your stall. Pack them up for me."
This was big business! You Jin was so overjoyed that her teeth overshadowed her eyes: "Oh! Right away! I still have three bundles of water celery, six spring bamboo shoots, and half a basket of locust flowers. Plus two bamboo rats, I will charge you five silver coin. What do you think? ?"
The man was rich and powerful. He took out one silver liang from his purse and threw it into You Jin's hands. You Jin was put on the spot: "Master, we're a small business. Your money is too big. Do you have any loose silver?"
It wasn't that she didn't want it. She came out to sell. How could she take so much loose change with her?
The fair chubby man also found it a problem, "This is the loosest change I have. How about this, you bring two bamboo rats and some wild vegetables tomorrow to Yunweixuan in East sidehi. And treat this as advance payment from me?"
After saying that, he motioned to the guy behind him to carry all the things that You Jin had sold. He wasn't afraid of You Jin would embezzle his money.
You Jin pondered before responding, "Master, these bamboo rats aren't something we can get just because we want. So I will give you more wild vegetables, locust flower, bamboo shoots tomorrow. Once the bamboo rat are caught, I will send it to you. What do you think?" This was a long-term business. You Jin had to keep a close eye on this big customer!
The fair chubby man didn't care about the half a silver liang and casually waved his hand: "Sure. If you catch more bamboo rats, I'll pay it market price when you bring it here. If you have any other fresh food, send it over. I'll take it. "After that, he didn't say much. He flung his big sleeves to look elsewhere.
You Zhu watched Eldest Sister put the silver liang into her arms. She still couldn't believe it: "Eldest Sister, the two bamboo rats you caught yesterday are so valuable! One silver liang!"
You Jin roll and put away the straw on the ground. Afterward, she put on the back-basket and patted You Zhu's head: "What are you thinking about? We still need to give them something for half a silver liang! Hurry up and put on your back-basket. If not, what do we send to the customer tomorrow?"
After hearing what Eldest Sister's words, You Zhu came back to her senses. She hurriedly carried her backpack and followed behind You Jin. The two sisters left the city to hurry home.
While You Jin and You Zhu went to the city to make money, You Yin and others didn't stay idle at home. The two eldest first washed the large family's clothes. Then they took You Ling and You Luo to the riverside ridge to look for traces of wild vegetables. Because Eldest Sister's explanation of how that they can eat it even if they can't sell it. The few children knew every thing in the family needs money nowadays. They were all very sensible and saved every penny they could.
When You Jin sisters got home, You Yin and others had picked a large basket of water celery and half a basket of bracken back. Hearing that the vegetables picked yesterday were all sold out, the sisters were overjoyed. After lunch, they skipped the nap and went to work on their own in groups of two and three.
It went without saying You Jin intended to go to the mountain to find bamboo rats. Bamboo rats were the best at digging holes. So You Jin came up with the idea of smoking it out. These bamboo rats weren't the same as rabbits. It will come out naturally as soon as it was smoked. You Zhu had tasted the sweetness of the bamboo rat and hollered to go with You Jin. You Jin thought about it; it was a lot of work for one person. So she brought the only one who wasn't afraid, You Zhu, with her to help.
You Jin's back-basket was carrying a basket of dried straws today, while You Zhu's back-basket had a large sack. It will be used to smoke bamboo rats later.
The two sisters reached the mountain and circled around a few times before You Jin roughly determined which holes were connected. Once one of the holes were chosen, You Jin got You Zhu to hold the sack tightly around the hole: "I will smoke on the other end in a while. The bamboo rat will definitely come. You have to hold on to the sack!"
You Zhu was a little nervous. She pursed her lips and nodded: "En, I know. Eldest Sister, quickly go!"
You Jin picked up a lot of wet bamboo leaves, stuffed them with dry straw into the other two holes, and took out the fire sticks and lit them one by one. After a while, thick white smoke curled up. Before You Jin returned to the hole where You Zhu was guarding, You Zhu felt the sack in her hand stretch. Then the sound of squeaks kept coming from the sack. You Zhu was afraid that the bamboo rats would run away. Despite her fear, she tightly held the mouth of the bag: "Eldest Sister, caught it!"
You Jin ran over in a few steps. The sisters hurriedly closed the mouth of the bag and then tied the sack tightly with sturdy rattan. Only then, You Jin picked up the bag with an unknown number of bamboo rats. The sack felt heavy. Her eyes curved and said, "There are at least four or five bamboo rats!"
"This much!" You Zhu's mouth opened wide: "Then it can be exchanged for a lot of money!"
She looked like a little money-lover in the eyes of You Jin. Amused, You Jin nodded: "Yeah! It can be exchanged for a lot of silver!"
After catching the bamboo rats, You Jin asked You Zhu to guard the heavy sack while she wandered around the mountains to shave bamboo shoots. This time, You Jin honestly cut out two baskets of plump spring bamboo shoots. You Zhu was stunned: "Eldest Sister, you are planning to wipe out all the bamboo shoots on the mountain!"
"Now is a good time to eat bamboo shoots. Let's give it to Yunweixuan. The leftover can be taken to sold in the West Market, right?" You Jin gave her a surprised glance: "What? You Zhu, you dislike money so much now?" You Zhu shook her head again and again; how could she dislike having more money? As soon it can sell for money, she had the urge to get You Jin to dig more!
After the sisters brought the two large baskets of bamboo shoots and the bamboo rat home, it was still pretty early. They ran up the mountain again and dug up two more baskets of bamboo shoots before calling it a day.
Looking at the neatly arranged bamboo shoots under the kitchen porch, Mrs. Su laughed a little: "You guys are going to bring back all the bamboo shoots on the mountain!"
But she also knew that the two daughters were doing it for the family's good. Swiftly, she cleaned up five or six small and not-so-pretty bamboo shoots to prepare for tonight's dinner. It had been almost a month since Mrs. Su gave birth. Even two-year-old You Chou went out to pick wild vegetables. The sisters agreed to let Mrs. Su start doing some light housework after much persuasion.
Mrs. Su's health had been getting worse and worse in the past two years. On top of that, she had been pregnant and giving birth to children continuously. That's why, she was bedridden for at least ten months throughout the year. Still, her cooking skills were indeed beyond You Jin and her sisters. It was the same dish, but the food made by Mrs. Su tasted much better than the food made by the sisters. Today, five bamboo rats were caught. The smallest one weighed nearly two jins. You Jin slaughtered one and made a pot of stewed bamboo shoots and bamboo rats for Mrs. Su. All the sisters ate until their mouths were covered with oil. Quite unsatisfied.
"It turns out that bamboo rat meat is this delicious. It's even better than pork!" You Bao remarked with a grin as she clipped a piece of meat for You Luo, who was too focused on eating.
You Zhu nodded: "No wonder that person is willing to spend so much money to buy bamboo rats today. It's really delicious!" While saying that it was delicious, she clipped a piece of bamboo shoots to eat. There weren't many bamboo rat meat. Su Family's children were sensible; they didn't snatch. After all, it was already pretty good to be able to eat meaty dishes, wasn't it?
After dinner, You Jin gave the two little ones a bath. Then the older ones took turns taking a wash before going to rest. Recently, the children had been running around outside and got all sweaty. Plus, under the influence of You Jin, Su Family's children love to be cleaner than the children of ordinary village families. They really can't sleep without taking a bath.
In the daytime, everyone was working outside. Now they were lying on the kang comfortably after taking a bath. After a while, Su Family's yard was tranquil. The genial mountain breeze warmly blew by. The crickets in front and back chirped. Everything was peaceful and quiet. The few children fell into sweet dreams.
Chapter 48. Yunweixuan
A good night's sleep passed. Early the next morning, You Jin brought You Yin and You Zhu into the city. After all, they dug too many bamboo shoots yesterday. They couldn't carry so many things without bringing You Zhu. After entering the city gate of Luohe Prefecture, the three sisters inquired around as they made way to west side. After a while, they found Yunweixuan that the fair chubby man mentioned yesterday.
When they arrived at the entrance of Yunweixuan, both You Yin and You Zhu were a little surprised. The gates were all carved and hollowed out wooden doors. It looked like a very imposing restaurant. You Jin was also a little shocked. Yesterday, she thought that the man looked very rich and may be a big customer. Never thought the Yunweixuan he mentioned turned out to be a three-storey building with a very stylish decoration. Even the restaurant's staff standing at the door welcoming the guests was wearing fine cotton clothes!
However, You Jin quickly came back to her senses. She smiled warmly and spoke, "Brother, we are here to deliver goods."
"Go to the back door for the delivery. The back kitchen is there!" The young man couldn't help but feel disgusted when he saw the few people dressed in shabby clothes. He waved his hand and told the three of them to leave quickly: "Don't block the nobles' entrance."
You Jin wasn't angry. After all, it wasn't the first time she had encountered this kind of thing. She smiled and asked the direction of the back door. Only then, she took her younger sisters to the back door.
When they got to the back door and said that it was bamboo rat delivery. Soon a middle-aged man, who looked like a cook as he got an apron on, came out: "Is it these dollies who said there are bamboo rats?"
The little staff who was guarding the back door nodded: "Yesterday, Second Master instructed that there will be two little girls coming to send bamboo rats these two days. It must be them."
The Second Master the little staff mentioned was the fair chubby man You Jin and the others had met yesterday. He happened to be the person in charge of this restaurant. Also known as Second Master Huang.
"Since it was Second Master's instruction, accept the things and settle the money." The cook nodded. Seeing that the baskets that You Jin and the others were carrying were full of bamboo shoots, he added, "Buy two baskets of bamboo shoots as well. Now it's March, a good time to eat bamboo shoots."
The cook examined and picked them out. In the end, he took all the bamboo rats that You Jin brought over and the two baskets of bamboo shoots. Even the water celery and locust flowers were bought. The price was according to what they negotiated. On the way to the account room, he met Second Master Huang. As soon as Second Master Huang heard that yesterday's little girl sent bamboo rats over and had brought four today, he nodded with satisfaction: "Go and tell the little girl, if there's any game or fresh goods in the future, just deliver it over as long as it's fresh. We will buy it at the market price."
Yunweixuan paid attention to the word 'fresh' in cooking. Naturally, the fresher the better.
Second Master Huang had been in charged of Yunweixuan for more than ten years. Naturally, he was also an old foodie. It went without saying he had his own experience about what was the most delicious food in what season. He didn't care who buy it from. It just need to be good stuff.
At the back door, You Jin received one silver liang from the young staff. After listening to the message passed down, You Jin took the two girls away from the back alley of Yunweixuan with great gratitude. Then they carried the last half of the basket of bamboo shoots to the west market to sell. In all of Luohe Prefecture, only Wuliqiao have bamboo hills. But the villagers in Wuliqiao rarely dug bamboo shoots to sell. So there weren't many people selling bamboo shoots on the street. On top of that, You Jin's bamboo were good quality. The price was only a little more expensive than the seasonal vegetables. The city people were tired of eating those cabbage and potatoes. So most of them are willing to spend an extra two or three wen to buy bamboo shoots and taste the deliciousness of spring.
After selling the remaining bamboo shoots, You Jin and her two younger sisters went to the meat stall to buy two jins of ribs and pig trotters. The butcher who sold the meat already knew this little girl. Seeing that she was here, he jollily greeted: "Little girl, it's quite lively today! You sold everything and about to go back!"
Smilingly, You Jin took out the two bamboo shoots she had set aside from the basket and gave them to the butcher: "Uncle Liu, you have been taking care of us these past few days. These two bamboo shoots are specially brought over for you. Eat it stewed with pork! It's delicious."
The butcher surnamed Liu laughed when he heard this: "Why are you being so polite, girl?"
But he didn't refuse. Though he had already finished cutting, he cut off two more ribs: "Uncle don't have much to give. The ribs don't have much meat but they are edible."
Out of common courtesy, he gifted two ribs to You Jin.
You Jin didn't act reserved with him, jollily accepted it, and paid for the meat. The three sisters walked back to Wuliqiao. Since she came to Luohe Prefecture, You Jin would buy meat back every time she sold stuff in the city. She had never been one to mistreat her stomach. On top of that, there few toddlers in the family who were all malnourished soybean sprouts. She must nourish them more.
Had to say, You Jin's action was useful. Although the few girls had yet to start growing flesh, their little faces that have always been yellow and sallow were gradually turning rosy. Much better than when they were in Liutun Town.
The three sisters slowly trudged all the way home. When they reached outside Su's house, they saw a few village women coming down from the mountain with a basket full of bamboo shoots on their backs. They noticed You Jin sisters staring straight at them. Their eyes flickered and they walked faster.
You Zhu was blunt. Looking at the backs of the few women who had already walked to the east of the river, she angrily scolded: "Third Elder Sister, they went up the mountain to dig bamboo shoots!"
You Jin's thoughtful gaze fell into the distance. She didn't respond either. Somewhat indignant, You Zhu felt anxious: "Third Elder Sister! This is how we make money!"
Only then did You Jin take back her eyes and slightly shook her head: "The bamboo forest in the back is not our family's. If others want to dig it, what can I do? It's not like we can guard at the foot of the mountain and not let others go up?"
"This won't do, that won't work. So we just watch them dig up all the bamboo shoots while we won't have any money to make money!?" You Zhu was so pissed. Her family finally found a way to make money. After a few days, someone came to copy! What should their family do!
At the side, You Yin was also a little worried but she didn't say anything. She could only look at the elder sister with uneasy mind. She hoped Eldest Sister could come up with something. You Jin shook her head: "Forget it. Let's go home first. We'll think about it slowly."
You Ling, You Luo, and You Su, who was having a good time in the yard, saw the sisters coming back. Initially, they were going to merrily welcome them. It could be seen that Third Elder Sister was irked. Even Eldest Sister and Second Elder Sister's expression was a little strange. For a moment, they didn't know what to do. They stood on the same spot and looked at each other.
You Jin put down the basket before carrying a large bag of rib and pig trotters in lotus leaves into the kitchen. Then she pulled You Zhu to a small bench in the yard and began to persuade: "You Zhu, the bamboo forest on the mountain is not our family's. Since we can dig, others can dig too, right? Our family is short of money. Others aren't much better than our family, right?"
You Zhu had a quick temper and her mind easily get stuck into corners. So she can only slowly persuade slowly.
"But Eldest Sister, this is the only chance for our family to make money!" You Zhu looked at You Jin with red eyes: "If everyone comes to dig bamboo shoots and sell them, what should our family do?" That's right! Their family had no labor and no land. Selling bamboo shoots was the only source of income for their family. What to do if they don't even have this? You Yin, who didn't speak, was also worried.
You Jin sighed and responded, "When we first came to Wuliqiao, didn't we have no way to make money? People always come up with ways, right? Without this method, there will always be another. Besides, the spring bamboo shoots will only be sold for another month at most. It is now March. The fresh vegetables can be cut and sold one after another. Do you think the spring bamboo shoots can be sold forever?"
Hearing what You Jin's word, the sisters turned around and eagerly looked at You Jin: "Eldest Sister, what should we do? Is there any other way to make money?"
Seeing that the two's minds were no longer stuck in a dead-end, You Jin was slightly relieved. She stood up and spoke, "There will always be a way. The clothes haven't been washed today. Let's go wash the clothes and quickly come back. I estimate Mother will have lunch ready." Mrs. Su, who was in the kitchen, heard the conversation from the beginning to the end. She wasn't a decisive person, so she left it to her eldest daughter guide the two children.
The few sisters went to wash their clothes together. You Jin carried a hoe to the field to check the growth of the garlic seedlings. She found most of the garlic seedlings had already sprouted. While she was there, she pulled out a lot of new weeds and diverted water to irrigate the vegetables that had been quietly sprouting. It won't be long before they will be able to eat their own vegetables.
After You Jin came out of the field, she went over to the river to help her few sisters wash the clothes. The sisters had just entered the house when Mrs. Su finished preparing the meal. Today she made stewed ribs with spring bamboo shoots. The deliciousness of spring bamboo shoots was laced with the aroma of meat. One bite and it felt like all the unpleasantness had dissipated with the wind. Seeing the children merrily eating away without the previous awkwardness on their faces, the smile on Mrs. Su's face deepened: "As long as our family is in order, it's all good even if we are a little bit more tired, right?"
Thinking how she acted with Eldest Sister, You Zhu couldn't help blushing a little. She lowered her head without saying a word. You Jin put a piece of rib meat in her bowl: "Today was tiring, eat more."
Seeing that Eldest Sister wasn't mad with her, You Zhu nodded happily and chomped on the meat. The awkwardness was gone.
In fact, You Jin hadn't completely put all the hope of making money on the bamboo shoots from the beginning; just wanted to make short-term money. As the saying goes, relying on the mountains, the mountain get eaten, and relying on the water, the water get consumed. Their family was now surrounded by mountains and rivers. How could they possibly starve to death? But before You Jin came up with any new way to make money, a sudden flurry of spring rain appeared and lasted for several days.
The spring tide brought heavy rain late. A long-lasting spring rain made people upset. You Jin, who had been bored at home for a few days, decided to go out for a walk. An opportunity to catch a fish back and add to the meal was a good idea, no?
You Jin had actually caught a fish. What's more, it was the famous mandarin fish known for being praised by poets; 'In peach blossom-mirrored stream, mandarin fish have fully grown'!
Chapter 49. In peach blossom-mirrored stream, mandarin fish have fully grown
This was what happened. Originally river was overflowing due to the spring rain. You Jin walked along the river from a height. She never thought she reached the river base with low-lying areas. A schools of fish had flowed in due the river. Seeing the fish, You Jin first blocked the gap in the river bank to prevent the fish from swimming back into the river. Then she rolled up her trousers and waded into the 40cm deep pool to catch fish.
The river water was turbid. You Jin didn't see what kind of fish was in it at first. Catching the fish was the only thing on her mind. Once she caught the first fish out of the water, she immediately caught on! Mandarin fish! You Jin exclaimed and then hurriedly looked around. Fortunately, it was raining and no one was around.
You Jin didn't bring any other tools when she came out; only a wooden barrel and a homemade twine fishing rod. She swiftly threw the fish into the wooden bucket and made quick work of her hands and feet, she ignored the slippery ground and climbed out of the pool. Afterward, she hurried home with the wooden bucket.
Mrs. Su and the few daughters were at home sewing the clothes they had already worn away. When they heard the movement outside, they knew that it was You Jin coming back. You Zhu hurriedly ran out in the rain to open the courtyard door: "Eldest Sister, you're back!"
She reached out and took the wooden barrel in her hand,. Seeing the hand-sized fish, she couldn't help being a little disappointed: "Even the fish don't go out in the rain?"
However, You Jin didn't have the mind to respond to her. She rushed into the storeroom next to the kitchen where grain and miscellaneous things were piled up to find a sack. Then she entered the main room and asked Mrs. Su to cut the sack along the seam with scissors.
Mrs. Su Shi found it puzzling: "Why cut a good sack for?"
You Jin was slightly panted as she suppressed the excitement in her heart: "Mother, I found a group of mandarin fish in a pool by the river! The mandarin fish is worth much more than ordinary fish! The water in the pool is too much. By cutting a sack, I can use it as a fishing net to catch all the fish. It can at least sell them for few liang!"
Seeing that her daughter had a legitimate purpose, Mrs. Su didn't ask much. She cut the sack open in few moves. As soon as the other little girls heard that they were going to fish, they hurriedly bundled up and followed behind You Jin to help fish. Mrs. Su couldn't join them. So she stayed at home and boiled a large pot of water with You Bao. Then she made a thick cold-dispelling soup as she wait for her daughters' return.
Back to the three sisters, You Jin, You Yin, and You Zhu rushed to the place where You Jin found the mandarin fish with their back-basket on their backs. They didn't encounter any villagers from Wuliqiao along the way; avoided all the explanation. The three sisters came to the pool, took off their shoes, and went into the water one by one. You Jin and You Yin spread the cut sack and chased the direction of the mandarin fish in the water.
Although the pool wasn't shallow, the area was only so big. You Jin and sisters chased the mandarin fish in the direction that they were fleeing. After a few rounds, they caught all the mandarin fish in the pool.
At the edge of the puddle, You Zhu kept putting fish into the back basket. When You Jin and You Yin came out of the pool, the three's back basket were already full. You Jin grinned like a Cheshire cat as she shook the mud-filled sackcloth net in the water a few times. Only then, the three sisters hurried home with the basket on their backs.
In Su Family's yard under the eaves of the kitchen porch, the two wooden tubs that were usually used for washing clothes and bathing were now filled with fresh water from the well. In the water, swum the mandarin fish the three sisters caught. After taking a hot bath, the three sisters drank the steaming cold-dispelling soup from a thick porcelain bowl as they watched little Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh gathered around the two basins with their mouths wide open in great interest. You Jin amusedly spoke, "Little Fifth, how about we eat fish tonight?"
You Ling nodded again and again. She liked to eat fish, especially this kind of fish that she had never seen before. Eldest Sister said it was delicious. Seeing that she was about to drool, You Zhu stretched out a finger and poked her forehead: "Little Fifth is a little greedy cat; just like to eat fish! This fish can be exchanged for money. Can't give you to eat!"
Hearing that it can't be eaten, You Ling immediately pressed her small lips together. Her heart filled wth longing as she watched the fish swimming in the water. She really wanted to eat fish! But Third Elder Sister said the family is short of money now. Oh, better endure it!
At the side, You Jin took in little Fifth's disappointed but sensible reaction. She couldn't help but sighed. She smiled: "We have caught so much, so it's okay to eat two. The original purpose of earning money is to feed you, no?"
After saying that, she grabbed two mandarin fish weighing about half a jin and threw them into the basket on the side: "Let's eat steamed mandarin fish tonight."
March's mandarin fish was the most delicious. The steamed mandarin fish didn't need addition seasoning; just add some soy sauce for flavor. The steamed mandarin fish tasted so delicious that one can swallow their tongue! This meal left everyone in Su Family still wanting more. Even Mrs. Su, who had lived for decades, had eaten such delicious fish for the first time. Putting down the chopsticks in her hand, her mouth was still reminiscing the delicious taste just now: "Such delicious fish, how much would it sell for!"
You Jin had never sold mandarin fish before, but she knew that there were no fishermen who specialized in mandarin fish farming in ancient times. These were wild mandarin fish's meat quality was fresh. They can at least sell for twice the price of ordinary fish. But she wasn't sure. She could only guess: "Should be able to sell for a better price than crucian carp or something?"
The next day was misty. You Jin and You Yin put on straw rain coat and carried half a bucket of mandarin fish into the city. Because it was a cloudy and rainy day, fewer people entered the city. The sisters waited on the official road for a long time before the ox cart sending customers into the city arrived.
After entering the south gate of Luohe Prefecture, the sisters carried wooden barrels and headed towards Yunweixuan. With so many mandarin fish, only a big restaurant like Yunweixuan could buy their fish at a good price.
Today, Second Master Huang was in knots. Two days ago, Yunweixuan's competitor restaurant held a spring feast. They mainly served all kinds of spring seasonal delicacies and made a great fan-fare about it. Some city folk with money flocked to enjoy the liveliness. While the running water in this store was as annoying as this continuous rainy day.
Second Master Huang's fire was exploding. The cook at the back of the kitchen ran to the front to find Second Master Huang: "Second Master Huang, the little girl who sent the bamboo rat last time is here today. Sent half-bucket of mandarin fish!"
"Half a bucket of mandarin fish!" Anyone who had done some research on eating knew that now was the best time to eat mandarin fish. The fishermen in Luohe Prefecture occasionally sent mandarin fish, but the quantity was small. Half a bucket of mandarin fish wasn't little. So Second Master Huang was so pleasantly surprised. He hurriedly came to the backyard from the front; wanting to see how these mandarin fish were.
This time, You Jin sisters were invited into the corridor of the back kitchen to wait. After a while, the well-dressed fair chubby man whom she met before came to her in joy. You Jin had guessed that he was the 'Second Master' that everyone mentioned. She politely gave a slight bow: "Second Master Huang!"
Second Master Huang vaguely acknowledged her. His eyes fell on the mandarin fishes flopping around in the bucket in front of her. His eyes were full of satisfaction. After a while, he turned his eyes from the mandarin fish to You Jin: "Little lass, how do you plan to sell these mandarin fishes?"
You Jin didn't know the price of the mandarin fish, so she made a fake countermove: "How much Second Master thinks these mandarin fish is worth is how much money I'll take."
"What a sly lass!" Second Master Huang didn't get angry when he heard this. He jollily shook the folding fan in his hand: "We can be regarded as old acquaintances. How about this, I'll give you three silver coin for each. I'll take all of today's mandarin fish. How's that?" The price given by Second Master Huang wasn't too high. Still, it was suitable. After all, the size was disregarded.
You Jin frowned. She thought for a while before answering: "Deal. Second Master, there are more mandarin fish about these size in my home. If you want, I will sell them all to you. If not, I'll sell it elsewhere?"
As soon as Second Master heard her say that there were many more at home, his hand that was holding the folding fan trembled. His voice shook slightly and asked, "How many do you have?"
You Jin thought for a moment before slowly replying: "Today I brought seventeen. There are estimated to be more than fifty at home. All of which are about the same size. But we don't have an ox cart at home. I'm afraid we won't be able to transport it in one go."
"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Second Master Huang repeatedly uttered. The folding fan in his hand swung even more vigorously: "Little lass, I want all of your fish! Let's settle the seventeen's money first. How about I, Second Master, get the guys from our restaurant to drive you back in a mule cart and bring the fish back?"
Second Master Huang was overjoyed! Nearly seventy mandarin fish. Enough for him to have a mandarin fish feast. Once the mandarin fish feast happen out, the limelight would definitely return to Yunweixuan!
You Jin was also satisfied. With more than five silver liang was in her pocket, she sat on a mule cart and headed back to Wuliqiao. On the way, You Jin bought a cut of excellent pork belly that weighed about five jins. The sisters were over the moon.
The mule cart moved much faster than the ox cart. It took only a quarter of an hour from the city to the gate of Su's house on the west side of the Wuliqiao's river.
Hearing the sound of livestock outside and then the voice of her eldest sister, You Zhu, who was staying at home, hurried over to open the door: "Eldest Sister, you are back!"
Seeing that there were three unfamiliar men behind Eldest Sister, she couldn't help but retreat a few steps: "This is?"
You Jin smiled and led the two of them into the yard and walked under the kitchen eaves to check the mandarin fish. You Yin pulled You Zhu to the side and whispered, "This is the steward of Yunweixuan; he's here to take the fish. This time, we'll make a lot of money!" Hearing that the fishes had been sold, You Zhu was delighted and obediently stood by without disturbing them.
The ones who came to take the fishes were a cook, a small steward, and a young staff driving the cart from Yunweixuan. The three stood around the wooden basin for a long time. The chef slightly nodded in satisfaction: "Miss Su, we'll go according to the price that Second Master negotiated with you. Let's count how many fish there are!"
The two took turn counting. Not long later, they finished. The steward spoke, "There are fifty-seven in total. According to the price of three coins each, it's a total of seventeen liang and one coin."
Then he took out eighteen from his pocket and handed to You Jin: "Second Master had also instructed to round up for Miss Su."
You Jin didn't refuse and directly accepted the money. Their family's two wooden basins was complimentary to them. After watching them load the fish into the mule cart and turned around to head back to Luohe Prefecture City, You Jin grinned from ear to ear.
Chapter 50. The way to fortune
After sending off Yunweixuan's people, the entrance to Su's house was closed.
In the main room, You Jin placed the silver she got today on the kang table. A total of twenty-two silver liang. It stunned everyone's eyes.
"It turns out that mandarin fish is so valuable!" You Zhu was over the moon. Only a few days ago, she was heartbroken about family's lost of income. Never thought twenty silver liang was earned after five or six days! After the joy, she remembered the two mandarin fish they ate at home yesterday. She couldn't help but feel a little sad: "Eldest Sister, we really shouldn't have eaten those two fish last night. We could have get six more coins!"
Hearing what she said, the smile on You Jin's face gradually subsided. She sternly gazed at You Zhu and stated, "You Zhu, do you know why we work so hard to earn money? It's so that our family can be full and eat well. We do want to make money, but we can't place more importance to money than our family, understand?"
The atmosphere that was originally ecstatic suddenly became a little stagnant. Everyone looked at each other. No one dared to make a sound.
You Zhu's first reaction was to argue: "Eldest Sister, I'm not..."
But before she could finish her words, You Jin raised her hand to stop her: "You Zhu, among so many sisters in our family, your temperament is the most like me. And also the most stubborn among the sisters. I know that you want to make money for the good of our family. But we are making money for this family, right?" You Zhu pursed her lips. Eldest Sister was right.
"We've only made twenty silver liang now. For the sake of six coins, you think we've done something wrong. How about we earn two hundred liang, two thousand liang, and twenty thousand liang in the future? It is right to be thrifty. But there is a limit, understand?" You Jin rubbed the slightly dejected head: "What Eldest Sister said today isn't blaming you. I want you to become better. If you feel that Eldest Sister is wrong, tell Eldest Sister. Our family is only this big. If you have any unhappiness in your heart, you shouldn't hide it in your heart. Good communication is an important prerequisite for maintaining a good relationship."
She looked around at the few smaller children: "You guys too. If there is something you can't figure out or don't understand, speak out. Keeping everything in your heart will gradually distance the heart with the family. A broken family will become a mess, understand?"
The few children, including You Zhu, nodded after absorbing this lesson: "Understand."
After putting the silver back into the purse, she instructed You Yin to help Mrs. Su with the cooking. Then You Jin went back to the east wing to carefully put away the silver.
You Zhu wasn't a child who hold a grudge. On top of that, she knew You Jin lectured her for her own good. So she didn't resent You Jin. In her later life, she always remember You Jin's words about family being the most important. When someone bullies her sisters, she was the top candidate when it come to following You Jin to seek justice for the family.
Selling mandarin fish earned back twenty silver liang. It also gave You Jin a way to make a fortune. There were no fishermen who specialized in raising fish in the Dafeng Dynasty. What if they could raise a batch of mandarin fish by themselves? Luohe Prefecture had well-developed land and waterways. And Wuliqiao River had abundant water all year round. Raising fish was a good method.
Of course, this was only the preliminary stage of You Jin's idea. After all, the investment in fish farming required more than a hundred liang. Plus she had limited understanding of fish farming. Whether it was human or material resources, they hadn't reached the most basic requirements. Therefore, this method of making money had to be put on hold for the time being. Once money is enough, then preparations can happen.
Although she couldn't immediately dig a fish pond to raise fish, You Jin still thought of a way to make money: medicine for fish! She remembered that there was a herb called daphne genkwa. Once it was dried and ground into powder, the fishes would be stunned when it is sprinkled into water. After the medicine had worn off, it would not leave any toxins in the fish. Wasn't this the best choice for her??
After the continuous spring rain had passed, it was already late March. You Jin carried the basket on her back, stepped on the slippery and soft soil, and walked in the bamboo forest. Today, she came to the mountain to look for daphne genkwa. However, none was found. Instead, she found a lot of tea tree mushrooms that grew after the rain. Fresh tea tree mushroom cooked with some lard suet was quite delicious. You Jin dug it when she saw it. When she came down from the mountain, she couldn't find a single bloom of daphne genkwa. Her final harvest was half a basket of tea tree mushroom.
You Zhu and You Yin washed away the dirt on the roots of the tea tree mushroom as You Zhu asked, "Eldest Sister, can this be exchanged for silver?"
In You Zhu's opinion, as long as it was something that can be eaten at home, it can be exchanged for money. But now, her eyes will no longer only see money as she did before. She was willing to give all the food that should be given to her family. Which was considered a great improvement.
You Bao, who had just picked up a handful of tender green cabbage seedlings from the front of the yard, heard Third Elder Sister mentioning selling for money again and couldn't help but cover her mouth and snickered: "Third Elder Sister!"
"What are you laughing at?" You Zhu disgruntledly rolled her eyes at her twin sister: "If we can sell it for money, let's go together to the mountain to forage it later. How can you not want free money from the ground?"
Though You Zhu's phrasing was crude, it was reasonable.
You Jin nodded and agreed: "You Zhu is right. After lunch, we will go to the mountain together. Once we dig it back and sell it, we can eat the leftover ourselves."
Seeing Eldest Sister standing on her side, money-loving You Zhu straightened her small back. She proudly glanced at her twin sister who was complaining about her just now: "Hmph!"
You Bao wasn't mad. She just covered her mouth to snicker.
Seeing how cute the two younger sisters were, You Jin was very relieved. Compared with the days in Yue's house, the current days were simply too good. However, You Zhu's words reminded her of what she had been thinking about last night. Mrs. Su was timid and weak in personality. The only time she was strong in her life was to protect two newborn babies and then separate with Yue Chang Lu.
But this resistance didn't change Mrs. Su's natural temperament. Now that several younger sisters were getting older, the children brought up by Mrs. Su's nature must have similar temperament. She can protect a few children for a while, but not forever.
So the top priority was to nurture the several girls to be tougher. After all, it was better to bully others than being bullied, right? The second was to teach the sisters some self-defense skills. After all, there were mainly women in the family. They can't let outsiders bully them and can't demand an explanation. The third was to cultivate the sisters' correct concept of money.
These three points were both urgent and long-term. The first thing they can start was to learn some self-defense punch and kicks. One, the body get strengthen. Second, they gain self-defense skills. Yue Family's frolicking sisters didn't realize Eldest Sister's claws had reached out to them as they had fun in the yard!
In the afternoon, You Jin led the three older ones up the mountain with each carrying a back basket and useful tools like sickles and hoes in hand.
The spring rain was gentle. The bamboo forest nourished by the spring rain was even more verdant. The bamboo shoots have grown a lot taller overnight. In the bamboo forest, You Jin first took her three younger sisters around to distinguish which mushrooms were edible. Then they spread out to find them.
Most of the mushrooms growing in the bamboo forest were fresh tea tree mushrooms. Out of caution, You Jin repeatedly emphasized to the few girls: "The brighter the color, the more poisonous the mushrooms are. We'll only just pick the tea tree mushrooms. In addition, don't go too far. Go where we can see each other, okay?"
The mountains behind Wuliqiao were all 100 to 200 meter hills. Unlike Cuifeng Mountain, which is a continuous stretch of deep mountains and old forests, there were no traces of wild beasts. That was why You Jin was relatively at ease to let her few sisters follow her up the mountain to pick tea tree mushrooms.
Today was the first day since the spring rain stopped. Now there people in the village who dig bamboo shoots and sell to the city. Today, they were busy in the field. For a while, the four sisters had the whole bamboo forest to themselves to search for traces of tea tree mushrooms. With the nourishment of the spring rain, the sight of tea tree mushrooms swaying slightly with the spring breeze can be seen almost everywhere. The sisters picked a large basket full of tea tree mushrooms within an hour.
In You Jin's hands were a few plump and beautiful spring bamboo shoots. The four sisters welcomed the spring breeze that carried the fragrance of bamboo with a bountiful harvest.
You Jin was a person who did what she said. That night, she pulled all of them except the babies to the yard to start training after dinner.
Looking at the sisters who were lined up in a row with their hands behind their backs, You Jin slowly announced, "Starting today, let's learn some boxing and kicking moves together. First, our body can be strengthened. Second, we can protect ourselves."
When hearing that they were learning to fight, the sisters were all stunned. Eldest Sister knew this? In fact, Mrs. Su was also a little suspicious of why You Jin always knew strange things at the beginning, Later, she got used to it. Mrs. Su, who was standing in the corridor with just-awake little Tenth, was also stunned when she heard her daughter : "Jin-er, why do you know this?"
Yes, that's right! Why did Eldest Sister know this? The few little ones all looked at Eldest Sister as if she was god. Their eldest sister was too awesome! She can make money as well as know martial arts!
You Jin coughed slightly and made an excuse: "I saw a lot of performers at the market and I mimicked a little by pondering on it myself."
Seeing that everyone accept it without much hesitation, You Jin didn't say anything despite finding it a little strange. They dived straight into practice.
"First of all, we learn to squat." You Jin faced her few younger sisters and gave a standard squat demonstration: "The strength come from the ground. The feet are shoulder-width apart."
Seeing her press her lips into a serious expression, the few youngers sisters felt inexplicably awe. They all copied You Jin's movements. Even the youngest, You Chou did a proper mini squat.
Although they were doing it properly, it was a little too much as time lengthened. Especially for You Bao, who was relatively weak in health. She was a little shaken. You Jin knew that haste make no progress. So she got everyone to get up and rest for half an hour before continuing.
That night, Su sisters all collapsed on the hard kang with sore arms and legs. Not long later, they all fell into a deep sleep after a while. Even soft snore appeared. After covering the quilts for a few younger sisters, You Jin got up and checked the doors with the lanterns before going to rest.