Chapter 56
She soon discovered the reason for their excitement.
The children's table was a whirlwind of eating; once finished, they ran outside to play. The men's table had just started eating due to drinking wine, while the women's table had finished and were all helping to clear it.
Once the table was cleared, they all sat back down, their faces brimming with excitement.
"Sang Luo, about what you said just now, could you explain it to us in detail?"
It was Lu Lao Tai who spoke up first.
With the children playing outside, the courtyard was relatively quiet. The men at the other table also heard and turned to look. Seeing the women's table so animated, with his wife's eyes shining, Shi Erlang asked curiously, "What are you discussing?"
The bystanders were too engrossed in listening to Sang Luo to answer him; his wife, however, softly explained: "Have you tried the tofu on the table? The white and green ones? They're made from Sang Luo's family recipe. She's asking if we're interested in selling them."
Shi Erlang perked up instantly.
Sang Luo's house wasn't built by selling wild vegetables; they were well aware of this.
So it was tofu?
The men at their table all pricked up their ears.
Sang Luo, not wanting to keep them in suspense, briefly explained her and Qin Fangniang's previous venture of selling Immortal Tofu and wild vegetables in the county. "In the county, there are markets where you have to pay a market tax to enter. Alternatively, you can carry a load and sell in the alleys. Another option is the Sanli Village market and nearby villages. Tofu at two coins per piece might not be an everyday purchase, but occasionally people will buy."
"As for me, I used to make Immortal Tofu, and now I've added tofu. Honestly, after escaping famine and surviving the past few months, my health has deteriorated. Making these foods is too time-consuming, and I no longer want to trek twenty li to the county daily. I need some respite. You all helped me build this house, and I don't have much to repay you, so I thought of asking if you'd like to do the same as Aunt You Tian: take some tofu from me to sell as a livelihood."
"Of course we're willing! How could we not be?"
Before the women could respond, the men eagerly agreed.
Only a fool would refuse such a direct path to prosperity.
In the countryside, other than farming, there are few ways to earn money. There's occasional labor in the county, but it's not easy to come by. Without work, you even have to pay a fee to enter the city.
Once the Shi and Lu families expressed their interest, Sang Luo continued: "Since that's settled, let me explain the terms. Tofu and Immortal Tofu from me cost three coins for two pieces. You sell them for two coins each, making a one coin profit per two pieces sold, which is a 25% margin. It doesn't sound like much, but during my time selling, it was quite profitable. I previously sold only Immortal Tofu, and in the county, I could easily sell fifty or sixty pieces a day. However, individual results may vary due to personal skill and luck; I can't guarantee you'll have the same success."
Everyone nodded, understanding the logic. Lu Lao Tai smiled and said, "We understand."
Sang Luo also mentioned that Immortal Tofu could be sold for another month or so, and tofu all year round. "Making these is quite laborious, so I can only supply a limited amount to each of the three families. Of course, if you feel you can't sell that much, you can order less to minimize the risk of unsold perishables. Just let me know the quantity you need by early morning, and I'll prepare accordingly."
Shi Erlang, initially a bit skeptical, quickly agreed: "That makes sense. It's better to start cautiously, test the waters, and then gradually increase."
Gan Shi asked, "Are there any other requirements?"
Sang Luo nodded and said, "Yes, there are some rules. Aunt You Tian sells in the eastern market, so we shouldn't interfere with each other's businesses. If you get your supply from me, I'd suggest you avoid the eastern market in the county. You can discuss among yourselves who goes to the western market and who does street vending. I won't interfere, but it's best not to sell in the same area to avoid competition. For pricing, stick to the rates I set, no increase or decrease. Keeping a stable price ensures a sustainable business. Those are pretty much my only requests."
The families from the three households nodded in agreement. They knew each other well and certainly wouldn't want to jeopardize their relations over competing for business locations.
Lu Lao Han said, "We'll discuss this at home tonight, decide who will take up this business, and get things started after the busy farming period."
The men, too, seemed eager to go home and discuss the new venture. Their eating pace noticeably quickened.
Once everyone had finished eating, the group of women helped clear the tables and wash the dishes. Sang Luo checked the leftover dishes. With the large number of guests, most of the chicken, duck, and braised pork were gone, leaving not much behind.
She set aside a few pieces for the children to enjoy later and divided the rest among the three families: "It's too hot for the dishes to keep; just a few pieces for each family, enough to please the kids."
It wasn't so much about doing a favor, but more so because of her past experiences, Sang Luo usually didn't eat leftover food, especially if it was from a previous meal.
Even if she only had a single coin left, there were still two eggs at home, some soybeans, and plenty of vegetables given by other families, enough to fill a small basket.
So, she wasn't worried about running out of food and was happy to share the leftovers.
Thus, she generously distributed the food among the families.
…
The bustle in the small courtyard didn't die down until late evening. By then, every corner of the yard and kitchen had been tidied up by a group of people. Since Sang Luo had distributed the leftover food among the families, even the tables, benches, bowls, and dishes were carried away, leaving the courtyard clean without her needing to tidy up again with her two little ones.
Even the children outside helped fix the entire fence around the vegetable garden.
With everyone busy with their farm work and Sang Luo too occupied today, the yard bustling with people, she didn't gather leaves from the immortal tree. Only the two liters of soybeans she bought during the day were available. Deciding not to fuss about it tonight, she bathed early and rested. Before sleeping, she soaked the soybeans, planning to grind them early the next morning to make tofu - a perfect idea for a fresh, warm tofu pudding for breakfast.
The sisters-in-law in one area had fed the chickens and ducks in the backyard, enjoyed a comfortable bath, and were already lying in bed early, fast asleep.
On the other hand, the Chen family was alright, but the Lu and Shi families were in for a sleepless night.
The Shi family was excited, while the Lu family was distressed.
…
Wang Chunniang was wiping tears inside her house.
"Mother is too biased. It was you and our sons who helped the Sang family build their house. We got this business opportunity as a thank you from them. It should have been me going, right? But no, she insists on sending my sister-in-law."
Lu Dalang was troubled. He was initially happy, and when his mother discussed this outside, his wife didn't say anything. But once they returned home, she wouldn't stop crying.
"Whether you go or your sister-in-law goes, doesn't it amount to the same thing? It's all for the family's business, and the money will ultimately be handed over to mother, right?"
Wang Chunniang was annoyed, "How is it the same? That's an opportunity to handle money. Even selling wild vegetables on the way could earn some extra coins. Isn't that money too? What can I handle staying at home?"
The wife always wanted to save some private money, and Lu Dalang knew it but it was hard to save. He turned a blind eye, not bothering to say much.
But now, there was suddenly a job involving daily handling of money at home, and it was specifically assigned to his sister-in-law by his mother. Watching the chance to handle money slip away, his wife, who didn't dare to say much outside, started crying non-stop once back home, only bothering him.
Lu Dalang didn't support it, but he didn't know how to calm her.
After Wang Chunniang wiped her tears for a while and saw her husband remaining silent, she said, "You talk to mother, let me go. My younger sister-in-law doesn't talk much, not suitable for trading. I don't think she really wants to go either."
Lu Dalang shook his head, "I didn't see any reluctance from my sister-in-law; she's just worried about not doing well. Isn't Tian's wife also not talkative? But she does well, right? Our father asked around, and she can earn over thirty wen a day. My sister-in-law sits in the weaving room all day; I think mother's arrangement is good. It'll let her get out and may improve her mood gradually."
Saying this, Lu Dalang's face showed guilt, and his voice weakened, "We have wronged my sister-in-law too much. You're the eldest sister-in-law, don't compete with her for everything."
Wang Chunniang was left speechless, only able to wipe her tears in silent frustration.
After crying for a long time, the next morning, her eyes were swollen.
Old Lady Lu entered the kitchen and, under the dim light of the oil lamp, noticed it at first glance.
She didn't say anything until her daughter-in-law went out to fetch firewood. Then she asked, "Are you upset about my decision to have your sister-in-law sell tofu while you stay home weaving?"
Wang Chunniang remained silent.
Old Lady Lu: "If you're dissatisfied, speak up. Whether it's reasonable or not, let me hear it. If it's reasonable, I'll agree with you; if not, at least you'll have said your piece and won't have to keep it bottled up."
Something in those words struck a chord with Wang Chunniang, or maybe she genuinely felt aggrieved, so she finally spoke up.
"Since you want me to speak reasonably, here I go. Mother, this business opportunity originally came thanks to the Sang family thanking Dalang and a few others for their help. My husband and my children helped too. Doesn't that mean I should be the one to go? Besides, with her temperament, my sister-in-law isn't as suitable as I am. I can't make sense of it."
Old Lady Lu glanced at her: "It's not that you can't make sense of it, you just can't accept it. Your husband, your children helped, so you think you're entitled to reap the benefits. Is that what you complained about to Liuniang yesterday before the feast?"
Wang Chunniang didn't expect the old lady to know about this and her face changed slightly as she turned away.
Old Lady Lu scoffed softly, "Wang Chunniang, sometimes you have to have a conscience. Your husband? Your children? Where is Liuniang's husband? Where is Erlang?"
Wang Chunniang shuddered imperceptibly.
But Old Lady Lu wasn't ready to let her off: "Where is Erlang? When they conscripted soldiers, it should have been Dalang who went. But because you cried, made a scene, threatened to kill yourself and the children, it was Erlang who went in his brother's place. Did Liuniang willingly let her husband go? Didn't she have a child? Axu was even a year younger than Shitou!"
"Mother," Wang Chunniang's lips trembled, "my child's father almost lost his life working on the canal last winter, his health was ruined. Mother, I was afraid he'd die before even reaching the battlefield."
Speaking of her second son, Old Lady Lu's eyes grew moist. She blinked away the tears and looked outside the kitchen. In a low voice, she said, "Yes, you were worried about your husband, you had your reasons. So, Erlang went in his brother's place. Liuniang cried too, but she didn't make a scene."
"Now, Erlang is gone. Liuniang and Axu are left without a husband and father, a widow and an orphan."
"Wang Chunniang, how dare you? How dare you use your husband and son as an excuse? If Erlang hadn't replaced Dalang, would Liuniang have lost her husband? Would Axu have lost his father? Would he be five years old without a younger brother or sister? How dare you?!"
Startled by her mother-in-law's stern but compelling question, Wang Chunniang stepped back half a step in fright, steadying herself against the stove, tears falling from her eyes: "Mother, it wasn't intentional. I only vented a bit to Da Niuniang; I didn't know Er Dimei would overhear. In all these years, Er Dimei has been upset with me, barely speaking a word or showing kindness. I've never dared to say anything, Mother."
Old Lady Lu laughed out of frustration: "What, she didn't give you a friendly response? It's barely been a year since Er Lang's (her husband's) death, does she have to smile at you?"
"You didn't say anything, what more did you want to say? Crushing someone's spirit, that's just your style."
"Since you asked today, let me be clear. If you hadn't said those things yesterday, attacking your brother and sister-in-law, thinking about your nature, I might have really let you run the tofu business. But with those words you said, don't even think about it anymore."
"You say I'm biased, well, I am. You have a husband and four sons, you don't lack my affection. But your brother and sister-in-law, I need to support them to stand on their own, especially now that they only have Ah Xu. If you still don't understand or aren't convinced, then weave more fabric. Weaving calms the mind. Think it over slowly, if not in a day, then in a month; if not in a month, then in a year."
Not far from the kitchen, in a corner of the wall, Feng Liu Niang wasn't gathering firewood but standing there for quite a while, tears streaming down her face as she listened to her mother-in-law talk about her husband and defend her.
Pressing the base of her palm against her eyes to wipe away the tears, she took a moment to compose herself before quietly heading to the woodshed to fetch firewood.
Her mother-in-law was right; she still had Ah Xu. She couldn't indulge in grief endlessly. She had to stand up, for her child, she must rise.
Chapter 57
While the entire village was busy harvesting rice, Sang Luo was not idle. With no extra money and only two liters of soybeans, she decided not to go to the county, but instead, hawked her goods through the local villages.
Sang Luo accepted not only money but also traded for grains, beans, vegetables, or eggs. Thus, her business thrived, almost as well as it did in the county. These fresh foods, said to be nutritious, could be exchanged without spending cash. During the busy farming season, most families were willing to buy a piece.
She didn't collect much in the way of vegetables, as they perish quickly. Other items were not limited, but most trades involved soybeans, as grains and eggs were too precious for farmers to part with.
This suited Sang Luo's needs perfectly, as she required soybeans to supply tofu to the three families after the busy season. For the next few days, she decided not to venture to the county, using some of the earned soybeans to make tofu and then selling it from village to village.
By afternoon, she would go to Chen's house to borrow a small hoe and sickle, then head to the mountains, focusing solely on harvesting konjac and jujubes.
Having a courtyard made everything much easier for Sang Luo. She could lock the gate, process the jujubes in the kitchen, and then dry them in the backyard. The chickens and ducks had also been moved to an outdoor coop, and even the three ducklings had their own pen, modeled after Sang Luo's chicken coop, thanks to Shen An and Hu Zi.
The first time Sang Luo brought back konjac, it frightened Shen An and Shen Ning.
"Big Sister, why are you picking snakehead grass? It's poisonous, eating it can kill a person."
They were eager to persuade Sang Luo to throw it away.
Shen Ning also panicked: "Big Sister, throw it away, please. Did you touch it? Wash your hands clean, so you don't accidentally ingest any of its juice while eating later."
Sang Luo could understand their level of anxiety.
Konjac, if improperly prepared and consumed raw, can indeed be deadly, with its entire plant being highly toxic. Yet, with proper processing, it's not as frightening as it seems.
"You call this plant 'snakehead grass'?"
Both children nodded: "Yes, it's also known as 'demon yam.' Adults always warn us against touching it, and villagers will uproot it whenever spotted nearby, fearing we might accidentally eat it."
Sang Luo: ...
Now she realized why she hadn't seen any konjac in the nearby mountains; it had been deliberately cleared by locals.
Observing the siblings' nervous gaze at the konjac, Sang Luo explained, "The toxin can be removed through processing. Just make sure not to consume it before it's properly treated."
It wasn't as scary as it seemed, and the plant actually had health benefits. In her previous life, she would occasionally prepare it for herself, as konjac offered some minor benefits for her condition.
She washed the konjac in the downstream outlet of the mountain spring. Seeing the siblings still trying to persuade her, Sang Luo recalled a passage: "In its garden grows konjac and cornelian cherry, in the fields yams and gourds." The annotation said, "Konjac, a plant, its root is large, as big as a peck, and pure white in color. It becomes gelatinous when boiled with lye and can be eaten soaked in bitter wine; it is highly valued by people in Shu." This referred to the 'demon yam' they mentioned.
This was from a passage in Left's "Ode to the Capital of Shu" from the Jin Dynasty, which Sang Luo remembered from her previous life while making a video about konjac.
Of course, in her current world, there was no Jin Dynasty or Left. She vaguely mentioned the book without specifying its name or source, using the content to reassure the children that the konjac had legitimate references and was indeed edible.
Hearing Sang Luo's explanation, Shen An and Shen Ning's expressions visibly relaxed. Though they didn't understand every word, the general meaning was clear.
"It's really edible?" Shen Ning was still somewhat doubtful.
They had been repeatedly warned since childhood by the villagers that this plant was inedible, causing minor symptoms like tongue and throat irritation or, in severe cases, death.
Changing their perception about this plant is indeed a challenging task at the moment.
Sang Luo smiled, "Yes, it's edible. Just watch closely when I process it. For safety, let's use a separate cutting board for this, and it's best not to use a wooden bowl. Let's use a pottery bowl instead and make sure to wash it thoroughly afterward."
After all, they are in the business of making food, so it's crucial to be meticulous.
Crafting the cutting board wasn't a hassle. She just picked a suitable wooden stump from the leftover materials processed by Chen Youtian, cleaned it, and it was ready for use in the backyard.
Preparing konjac is a delicate task. Normally, rubber gloves are essential, but in this era, Sang Luo couldn't find any. She left a portion of the stem untouched, holding it with one hand while peeling with the other.
As a precaution, she even went to the stove, applied vinegar on her hands, and quickly roasted them over the fire before starting the peeling process.
After peeling, she chopped the konjac into tiny pieces on the stump, filling a whole basin, and then carried it to the kitchen.
Shen An and Shen Ning, always cautious, had locked the front gate early. When the trio moved to the kitchen, they saw Sang Luo efficiently preparing a solution with plant ash.
Plant ash, especially the type used in cooking, had been stored in a jar at home since they built the house, available whenever needed.
Seeing Sang Luo taking the plant ash, Shen An recalled the passage she recited earlier about boiling with lye to make it gelatinous.
He assumed it would be directly boiled, but that wasn't the case.
Sang Luo led the children to the stone mill to start grinding the konjac, mixing it with the plant ash solution.
The most challenging part was controlling the proportions, but Sang Luo, experienced from her previous life, handled it with ease: grinding, mixing, smoothing, and letting it settle.
While waiting for it to solidify, she took some plant ash and, accompanied by the two children, went to the backyard.
When cutting the konjac, she had saved the buds. Now, she coated these buds in plant ash and, carrying them in a basket and with a small hoe, went back to the mountain to replant them.
Planted.
Yes, by leaving some buds on the konjac and replanting, it can grow again.
To ensure a continuous food supply, the cycle of harvesting and replanting is essential.
Fearing that the villagers might clear them before they grew, Sang Luo ventured deeper into the woods, gathering a lot of sour dates before heading back. By the time she returned home and rested briefly, the konjac tofu had set.
She cut it into large pieces in cold water, then boiled them in a pot for one and a half hours.
Shen An and Shen Ning witnessed the entire process with a mix of astonishment, joy, and a bit of daze.
Shen Ning thought: The plant that villagers always said was poisonous can also be turned into a food like tofu.
Indeed, observing her sister-in-law's methodical process, Shen Ning was convinced that this plant was indeed edible.
Shen An thought: How beneficial reading books can be! The divine tofu, regular tofu, and even the konjac they previously feared, all come from the knowledge in books.
But Sang Luo was not done yet.
The process was not complete at this stage.
Sang Luo's favorite snack in her previous life was konjac jelly.
However, later, when her health deteriorated, indulging in this spicy, oily delicacy became impossible. She could only make it for videos, eventually giving the final product to neighbors in the mountains due to its long travel.
She had to settle for a more bland diet, stir-frying it as a vegetable dish.
Now in this lifetime, she could finally enjoy it again, though lacking chili peppers…
But there are alternatives like cornelian cherry, mustard, Sichuan pepper, and black pepper. For instance, cornelian cherry can even mimic the effect of chili oil.
Of course, Sang Luo didn't know how to use ancient substitutes for chili peppers. She had only read about these in leisure books in her previous life. Since her current body's original owner didn't know these things, naturally, she didn't either.
She planned to visit Granny Chen later to learn about substitutes like cornelian cherry and Sichuan pepper, and to acquire some from her.
What she needed to do now was further process the konjac tofu, cutting it to resemble the texture of tripe.
Previously, handling cooked ingredients, Sang Luo easily managed with a pair of chopsticks to create the desired texture by gently tugging at the konjac tofu. "Hmm, if only I had ice blocks to chill it before steaming for twenty minutes, the crunchiness would be perfect."
Of course, even without the ice, it was still quite good.
The vegetarian tripe was taking shape in her hands, and after a bit more cooking and seasoning with chili oil, it would become a dish so delicious you couldn't stop eating.
There was no chili oil in sight yet, but Shen An and Shen Ning, having witnessed the entire process, were thoroughly impressed.
Who would have thought such an ugly snakehead grass could be transformed like this?
Sang Luo looked at the stunned siblings and laughed, "You haven't seen anything yet. I'll get some spices from your Elder Chen later, and tonight, I'll let you taste the dressed version. That will be truly amazing."
Shen An and Shen Ning, unexpectedly, found themselves swallowing saliva.
The siblings, who had accompanied Sang Luo at the stall, knew all too well her magical ability to make one drool over food by merely describing it.
And now, they were experiencing it firsthand.
…
Obtaining the spices went smoothly. Elder Chen's family grew cornelian cherry, and they had Sichuan pepper too. However, she had never heard of black pepper or mustard.
Upon learning that Sang Luo was experimenting with a new dish, Elder Chen generously provided everything, including garlic and green onions.
Back home, Sang Luo busily prepared the konjac dish in the kitchen. After tossing it in the cool dressing, she and the two children tasted it, smacking their lips in satisfaction.
Shen An and Shen Ning, who initially feared the toxic snakehead grass and wanted to dispose of it immediately: "Delicious, truly delicious!"
Of course, having borrowed ingredients from Elder Chen, Sang Luo was obliged to share some of the finished dish with her. Sang Luo cooked, Shen Ning tended the fire, and naturally, the errand of delivering the dish fell to Shen An.
Poor Shen An, holding a bowl of the vegetarian tripe, had a hard time restraining his temptation.
He envied his sister and sister-in-law back at home, cooking. He wondered if they were enjoying the freshly made cold mixed vegetarian tripe.
Were they?
"Was there any left?"
"Yes, there was!"
Shen An was eagerly longing, his heart set on returning home. Do you understand the feeling of homesickness?
He was so craving that tears were almost spurting out from the corners of his mouth.
Upon arriving at Granny Chen's courtyard, he burst in calling out for her. As soon as the food was handed over, he poured the deliciously fragrant vegetarian tripe into her bowl and dashed off.
Granny Chen: "..."
"Is it that necessary?"
She glanced at the food in the bowl, "Well, it does look rather tempting."
After tasting a small piece, Elder Chen's eyes lit up in delight!
Indeed, it's truly remarkable!
Let's have another piece.
Elder Chen ate five pieces in succession, finally managing to restrain herself, her habit of sharing tasty treats with her family curbing her indulgence.
It was only then that she inwardly marveled, thinking, "Sang Shi has concocted yet another novel delicacy."
I wonder if they'll sell this to others as well.
If they do start selling it, it's bound to be incredibly tempting, surely a profitable item!
Tomorrow marks the end of the busy farming season. It's time to decide who from the Shi and Lu families will set up the stalls and where. The arrangements should be in order by tomorrow, so I'll go and inquire then.
Author's Note:
①This excerpt is taken from "Wen Xuan" compiled by Xiao Tong, with the phrase "其圃则有蒟蒻茱萸，瓜畴芋区" originally from "Shu Capital Rhapsody" by the Jin Dynasty poet Zuo Si.
Chapter 58: Can Your Elder Brother Read?
Konjac tofu quickly became the new favorite at dinner. The idea of not overeating was tossed aside by the two children, who accidentally ate themselves into a state of fullness.
Shen Ning: "Big sister, are we going to sell this konjac tofu?"
Sang Luo nodded: "Yes, we'll sell it. But we won't just sell konjac tofu; we'll sell vegetarian tripe."
Why sell vegetables when snacks are more profitable? Why sell raw when cooked food can bring in more money?
Simply selling konjac tofu won't fetch much. Hence, Sang Luo decided to refine the final product, selling the ready-to-eat vegetarian tripe. This approach not only elevates the price but also changes its image and name, making it an enigma for anyone trying to guess its ingredients.
Shen An's eyes lit up: "Selling this directly is great. Can we earn more this way?"
"Of course," Sang Luo replied, glancing at the small jars used for storing sauces and vinegar in her house. "We should buy some small jars to sell it by the jar. We'll sell tofu and fairy tofu to a few families who help us, but we'll keep the vegetarian tripe and crystal cake for ourselves to sell. Let's go to the county and find a store to discuss a collaboration."
High-priced items naturally fit best in places that sell high-priced goods.
The eyes of the two siblings sparkled, thinking of locks, long pants, and the like, all of which now seemed within reach.
Indeed, the next morning, Qin Fangniang, Gan Shi, and Feng Liuniang came together with the money for their orders.
Since Sang Luo and the others agreed on taking supplies from her, Elder Chen and his wife had made it clear: from now on, they would pay for the goods and not sell on behalf of Sang Luo as before.
This was a significant change: buying goods meant the risk of unsold items fell on them, unlike before when unsold goods would still belong to Sang Luo.
Previously, it was Sang Luo looking after them. Now that she was dealing with the other two families on a cash-and-carry basis, the Chens felt it only right to voluntarily adopt the same system.
Seeing Qin Fangniang also coming with money for an order, Sang Luo smiled but said nothing.
Qin Fangniang sells cooked goods in the east market. Before, Sang Luo sold in the west market. Now, she also sells by carrying goods through streets and alleys. Although this might lose some customers to a certain extent, considering they haven't been to the county during the busy farming period, Sang Luo isn't worried about business being affected, as people haven't been able to buy fairy tofu or tofu for many days.
Qin Fangniang hasn't sold tofu before but has observed Sang Luo doing it. She roughly knows how to do it. Previously, she only sold fairy tofu, but now she's added tofu, which creates some competition between the two products. After weighing it up, she decided to order forty pieces of each type.
The total cost of one hundred and twenty coins had been counted at home, with one hundred coins on one string and twenty on another. She handed both strings to Sang Luo.
Sang Luo accepted the money with a smile and then turned to ask Gan Shi and Feng Liuniang, not about their orders, but where they were setting up their stalls.
Gan Shi replied with a smile, "Our families have agreed to take turns selling in the west market and carrying goods in the streets. We'll switch every five days, so we can rest after a few days of carrying the load."
This was as Sang Luo expected. She replied with a smile, "That's good. No one will be too tired."
This arrangement would prevent any disputes or hard feelings from arising.
"How much are you two ordering?"
Gan Shi said with a laugh, "Since it's our first time selling, we're unsure, so we decided to order ten less than Fangniang."
That meant thirty pieces each of fairy tofu and tofu, sixty in total for each family, costing ninety coins per person.
Both Gan Shi and Feng Liuniang took out a string of coins. "Here's ninety coins," they said, passing them to Sang Luo.
After accepting the money, Sang Luo said, "With the increased quantity of products, I'm short of containers at the moment. You might need to leave a water bucket here, so I can pack the goods at night. That way, you can pick them up first thing in the morning."
Both of them nodded in agreement.
Sang Luo then said to Qin Fangniang, "I might need to trouble Uncle You Tian to help make another set of tofu carriers after he finishes today's work, otherwise, it will be difficult to meet the demand tomorrow."
Currently, because each family on the other side had chosen a wooden barrel to carry the divine tofu, one pair of tofu carriers could be used by two people. Now, with three stalls, naturally, there weren't enough carriers.
Qin Fangniang smiled, "Alright, today we're just wrapping up some final tasks. I'll replace him soon so he can attend to your matters more promptly."
Grateful, Sang Luo thanked her. Qin Fangniang waved it off, noticing that Gan Shi and Feng Liuniang seemed ready to leave. She quickly said to Sang Luo, "My mother asked me to inquire whether you're planning to sell that thing you made yesterday in the county?"
Hearing this, Sang Luo understood the old lady's intention behind sending Qin Fangniang with this inquiry and smiled, "Yes, I'll sell it, but it's labor-intensive and costly to make, so it'll be priced higher. I plan to check with the big stores in the county town to see if they'll stock it."
Qin Fangniang felt a bit disappointed; it was really delicious, and she was sure it would sell well. But as Sang Luo said, if it was to be priced higher, it would indeed need to be sold in stores.
"Okay, then I'll let my mother know," replied Qin Fangniang.
Before the three women left, Sang Luo cheerfully suggested, "Next time you come to pick up the goods, part-payment in grains or soybeans is also fine, as per the market price. We need these items at home too. Once I receive the money, I'll have to go to the market or the county town to buy them."
Upon hearing this, the eyes of the three women lit up.
"How much would you need?" Mrs. Gan asked.
Sang Luo nodded: "I need to stockpile some grain. Let's do it proportionally; half in cash and half in grain is fine. We can also accept fabric, but we don't need too much of that. Enough to make a few clothes and a couple of quilts should suffice. I'll let you know when we have enough, and you can pay in cash after that."
Unlike modern times, where price control is pretty good and materials are abundant and easy to shop for, you can buy rice anytime at home.
This is the ancient times. Whether it's memories of the original body or Sang Luo's own perception, this is a place full of countless unknown risks—natural disasters, wars, banditry. You never know which one might strike, whether on your head or near you.
In times like those, having money doesn't guarantee access to grain. If you can find it, the price would surely skyrocket. Hence, stockpiling grain is a necessity, a basic understanding for most people in this era.
Hearing Sang Luo's plan to stockpile, Mrs. Gan nodded: "Okay, we all have these supplies at home."
Gan Shi paused as if she wanted to say something else, but finally said, "We'll head back for now and bring the buckets to you soon."
Once they had left the Shen family's small courtyard and were a distance away, Gan Shi addressed Qin Fang Niang and Feng Liu Niang: "Sister Qin, Sister Liu, I have something to discuss with you."
Qin Fang Niang glanced at her and guessed, "Are you talking about the price of grain?"
Gan Shi was taken aback, then laughed: "Sister Qin, you thought of that too, huh? I didn't settle this with you earlier, so it felt awkward to bring it up alone."
Qin Fang Niang joined in the laughter: "I also felt it wasn't right to mention it without consulting you first."
Feng Liu Niang, who was primarily involved in weaving and not much in household affairs, seemed puzzled: "What about the price of grain?"
Gan Shi smiled at her: "Don't you know? Every year after the autumn harvest, grain merchants come to the countryside to buy surplus grain. After paying the land tax and autumn tax, what's left after keeping enough for the year's consumption is sold to them for some cash."
"I am aware of that," nodded Feng Liu Niang.
However, she still looked confused, not understanding the implicit message in Gan Shi and Qin Fang Niang's conversation.
Qin Fang Niang explained with a smile: "Clearly, you've only been focused on weaving before. The price offered by the grain merchants is usually lower than the market rate. Sister Gan and I agree that we obviously can't calculate the price for Sang Luo at the market rate. It's actually cheaper than selling to the merchants."
Finally understanding, Feng Liu Niang said, "Ah, I see. Although I don't manage household affairs, I'm sure my mother will agree with you both."
Mrs. Gan proposed, "I reckon the grain merchants will be visiting in a couple of days. Before then, let's use soybeans or fabric to offset the cost. Once we determine this year's grain purchase price, we can use grain for payment. How does that sound?"
Qin Fangniang and Feng Liuniang both nodded in agreement: "Let's do it that way."
Qin Fangniang further advised them: "When you deliver the barrels, bring a ceramic pot if you have a spare one at home. With a lot of items to make, having enough containers is crucial. Currently, my family has left two wooden barrels and a ceramic pot at Sang Luo's house for use."
Having sold fairy tofu for a long time, Qin Fangniang could guess from the shape of the side dishes Sang Luo provided that the items were set in ceramic pots.
She wasn't sure how long setting took, but she had noticed Sang Luo often lacking sleep. With too few containers, the process would take longer, wasting more time and effort. Hence, she suggested they bring an additional ceramic pot.
Gan Shi and Feng Liuniang readily agreed without hesitation.
When Feng Liuniang relayed this at home, Old Lady Lu agreed, "That's a good idea. We'll know the prices once the grain merchants arrive. Use cloth for now; our family has plenty of woven cloth. Pick some of the better quality for Sang Luo."
Feng Liuniang nodded, then found a wooden barrel and a ceramic pot to deliver to the mountain.
…
At the Shen household.
Shen An and Shen Ning were counting money.
Sang Luo had left the money for the siblings to count.
To Sang Luo's surprise, the siblings managed to count accurately up to a hundred despite some hesitations, but they were clueless beyond that number.
Numbers above one hundred were a mystery to them, and they had no idea how to count them.
Sang Luo was curious: "Have you learned counting before?"
Both siblings nodded in affirmation.
Shen An explained: "Our elder brother used to teach us. He started when we were four years old, slowly teaching us by using broken sticks for counting."
Shen Ning added: "He also made us count wild fruits we picked, and then taught us how to divide them among ourselves."
Quite a methodical approach.
"Did your elder brother attend school?"
The siblings simultaneously shook their heads: "No, he didn't."
"Then did he learn to recognize words from someone?"
Shen Ning replied with a shake of her head: "No."
However, Shen An interjected: "But he knew how to write his name, right? And he learned arithmetic from the village head."
A flood of distant memories seemed to be unlocked as Shen An spoke: "Our brother used to catch fish in the creek and trap wild chickens and rabbits in the mountains. He would exchange them for money at the market or in town. But since he didn't know how to count, he could be easily cheated, so he specifically learned from the village head."
Sang Luo raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by their meticulousness.
She couldn't help but feel a bit amused.
Observing the children, she suddenly asked, "Would you two like to learn how to read and write?"
Chapter 59: Building a Path and Arranging Flowers.
Shen An stood up excitedly, "Big Sister, will you teach me and Ning how to read?"
Sang Luo smiled, "Yes, I'll teach you. Your big brother didn't tell you everything. Not knowing how to count can lead to being cheated, and not knowing how to read can do the same. I'll start with some simple lessons for you both."
As for attending village schools, according to the original host's memories, the previous emperor abolished state, county, and village schools more than ten years ago. Although the current emperor values education and reopened some schools, the implementation hasn't been thorough.
At least in the original host's hometown, there was only a county school and no village school. To study, local youths had to seek out a learned scholar willing to accept students, which was no easy task in those times.
Since arriving here, Sang Luo was unaware of any village schools. As for county schools, although she often visited the county, she mainly frequented the eastern and western markets and had never paid attention to whether there was a county school. It seems she needs to inquire about this next time.
Shen An was thrilled to hear his sister-in-law offer to teach them to read, yet he was clueless about where to start.
Sang Luo smiled and suggested, "You and Ning should gather some fine sand, the finer the better. I'll ask Uncle You Tian to make a wooden box for the sand, and you can start learning to write using sticks in the sand."
They couldn't afford paper and pen.
Paper was really expensive, prohibitively so. To date, she had to use cleaned and softened suitable leaves as a substitute for toilet paper…
…
When Feng Liuniang and others brought the wooden barrels and ceramic pots, Chen You Tian also arrived.
Sang Luo greeted him, feeling somewhat embarrassed, "I can manage making rough items myself, but tofu is for sale. If the frame isn't well-made, it affects the appearance of the final product, adding trouble for you, Uncle."
Chen You Tian was not bothered at all, "It's no trouble, it won't take long to finish."
With the tools and materials already at Sang Luo's disposal, Chen Youtian quickly got to work.
When Shen An and Shen Ning returned carrying a basket of fine sand and saw Chen Youtian, they both enthusiastically greeted "Uncle Youtian" and hurried over to him.
"Uncle Youtian, could you make something for Ning and me too?"
Their faces were full of hope.
Chen Youtian, a man of good nature, smiled and asked, "What do you want to make?"
Shen An and Shen Ning described the use of the sand tray, gesturing to show its approximate size and depth, their thoughts well-aligned.
"It doesn't need to be very deep for writing; it's a simple task that won't require much wood," Chen Youtian agreed readily after hearing their request.
Shen An, full of gratitude, remembered his own promise when his sister-in-law hurt her hand building the chicken coop. He decided not to leave, choosing instead to stand by and watch Chen Youtian work.
Chen Youtian was curious: "Do you want to learn carpentry?"
It was a joking remark at first, but Shen An nodded earnestly: "Yes, Uncle Youtian, could you teach me?"
Chen Youtian: "?"
"You really want to learn?"
Shen An nodded firmly: "I really do. I'm the only man in our family, so I should be taking on these tasks in the future."
This declaration brought a smile to Chen You Tian's face, but then he sighed, remembering the hardship behind these words. "Your brother also learned from me. His work was even more meticulous than mine."
The old man and the two young ones all seemed a bit downhearted.
Chen You Tian patted Shen An on the back: "Go ahead and learn, I'll teach you."
He genuinely began explaining the principles and techniques of carpentry to Shen An while working, with Shen Ning also listening in closely.
Sang Luo, seeing their serious discussion, didn't interrupt and went down to Chen Laotai's place to get some straw, borrowing a shovel on the way.
The elderly lady didn't question why Sang Luo needed the straw. At this time of year, straw was plentiful. She readily bundled a large bunch for her.
Sang Luo didn't actually need that much, but considering the need for frequent replacements in the chicken and duck nests, she thought it might be useful to keep some extra. She thanked the elderly lady and returned home, carrying the shovel and the large bundle of straw.
She didn't even enter her house but started working outside in the courtyard. She shoveled up a pile of yellow clay, leftover from the house construction, and began mixing it with water right there.
By the time Shen An and Shen Ning heard the noise and came out, Sang Luo was already throwing straw into the mix, preparing to take off her shoes and step in to knead the clay with her feet.
Shen An and Shen Ning were familiar with this task!
When the house was being built, they had watched for several days and even tried stepping on the mud themselves.
The siblings hurried over: "Big Sister, are you mixing clay? Let me do it!"
They ran over barefoot, rolled up their trouser legs, and hopped into the mixture, asking, "Big Sister, what are we using this clay for?"
Sang Luo smiled, "Remember the pebbles you collected? We're going to lay them today."
Although Qi Yang County has seen little rain recently, it doesn't mean it won't rain later. It's best to lay the pebble path as soon as possible.
With the help of the two children mixing the clay, she didn't need to do it herself.
She turned to tidy up the yard, which wasn't much work – just scraping the path a bit lower to prepare it for the clay and pebbles, ensuring it was level with the adjacent ground.
She also moved the stones over in a basket for later use.
Chen You Tian, noticing their work, asked about it. When he learned they were laying a pebble path, he didn't quite understand why they needed to pave the already compacted yard, but he didn't question it further, acknowledging that Sang Luo had her reasons and capabilities, especially since she was literate.
He continued with his own work.
Everything was prepared, now it was just a matter of transporting the mud into the yard.
The children's legs were covered in mud, but they were having a blast. Seeing Sang Luo carrying in the mud, they stopped and cleaned their feet at a water puddle, then ran inside without putting their shoes back on.
Sang Luo poured the clay directly onto the prepared path base, set the basket aside, and began selecting pebbles with the children.
"First, pick out the distinctly darker pebbles. We'll use them later to form a flower pattern."
The children were extremely excited, while Chen You Tian was bemused.
"Laying a path and also arranging flowers?"
Shen Ning was most excited: "Big Sister, how do we arrange the flowers?"
Sang Luo joined in the fun: "Come, I'll teach you."
She began by using the black pebbles to outline a floral pattern: "Like this. You can sketch the outline of whatever flower shape you want, and later fill it in with stones of the same color."
The trio, a big and two small, were huddled together filling in the floral patterns with stones, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
When Chen You Tian had finished making the tofu carrying poles and frames that Sang Luo needed, the small courtyard of the Shen family was adorned with a winding stone path from the gate to the main house, complete with flower designs.
Chen You Tian couldn't help but share this with his family: "Sang Luo is truly remarkable, literate and wise. She asked me to make a sand tray for the two children to learn reading. Little An and Ah Ning are very fortunate. And in their yard, they even laid a stone path with flower designs."
Chen Lao Han, Chen Po Zi, Qin Fang Nian, Chen Er Shan, and the little girl were all puzzled.
"How can you arrange flowers on a path?"
Not forgetting her main task, before leaving, Sang Luo asked Chen You Tian if he wanted to carry tofu to sell in the nearby villages.
The original idea was to sell at the market for Chen Lao Tai, but as the large market is only held every five days, Sang Luo found that selling tofu in the villages was also viable, allowing for trade in beans and other items.
Sang Luo's intention was that it wouldn't matter if beans were traded in return; the beans could be exchanged for tofu at her place, or she would buy them if there were excess.
The soybeans exchanged for tofu in several villages, even if she bought them all, would not amount to much; making tofu would consume most of them.
Mrs. Chen was delighted at this suggestion, clapping her thighs: "Of course, that's great! I'll go during the busy farming season, and you can go during the slack season. Now our family has two sources of income."
The old lady was so happy she was practically spinning in circles at home, wondering how best to thank Sang Luo.
She felt that the greatest stroke of luck in her life was probably the night she helped Sang Luo with two liters of rice and two pieces of maltose.
…
When Qin Fangniang went to pick up the goods the next day, she saw the arrangement in the faint morning light.
So that's how it's done.
When the women from the three families, along with Chen You Tian, arrived, it was understood that they would all use Chen You Tian's cart for the trip to the county. Chen You Tian was also there to pick up his order, having discussed his requirements with Sang Luo the day before. Today, he brought hemp fabric tailored by his mother as payment for the goods.
Mrs. Gan and others only then realized that the Chen family had two stalls, with Chen You Tian handling the business in the surrounding villages and towns. They felt envious but also knew they couldn't compare. They had vaguely heard that Sang almost starved to death initially and was saved by Old Lady Chen who brought sugar and grain to the mountain at midnight.
That kind of bond was incomparable.
Mrs. Gan and Feng Liuniang mentioned to Sang Luo before leaving that they would finalize their tofu order after returning from the county and determining their sales volume for the day.
Sang Luo had no objections. As long as she had enough time to pick leaves from the immortal tree, and with sufficient soybeans at present, she was content to wait for Qin Fangniang and Chen You Tian to place their orders in the afternoon as well.
…
Early in the morning, the little girl also arrived at the courtyard, looking for Shen Ning.
She marveled at the pebble path inside the courtyard for a while, "So this is how you lay flowers."
Shen Ning was also proud of the stone path they had all worked together to lay: "It's pretty, right? My sister-in-law taught us how to do it. This way, on rainy days, our shoes won't get dirty walking on this path to the house. We plan to lay another one from the yard to the puddle outside too."
The little girl was full of admiration, "It's beautiful, and you're laying another one? Do you have enough of those pretty stones? I can help you find some."
But Shen Ning shook her head, "The stones outside don't need to be as small and pretty. My sister-in-law said we could use slightly larger ones; the shape doesn't matter much, as long as one side is flat. When pieced together, they'll also look very nice."
There's beauty in both delicacy and simplicity.
Well, Shen Ning didn't quite understand that concept, but as long as it looked good, that was fine.
"Is your sister-in-law teaching you to read? What are you learning?"
"Our names. My and my elder brother's names. The character for 'Shen' is too hard, but I've already learned how to write 'Ning'."
Excitedly, Shen Ning led the little girl into the courtyard, pulling out her small sand tray and drawing a wobbly 'Ning' character with a stick.
Although the little girl didn't understand the use of learning to write, seeing her friend so happy made her envious, "I don't even know how to write my name."
Shen Ning pondered, "Once I learn to write my name, I'll ask my sister-in-law to teach me yours, and then I can teach you."
"Yes, yes," the little girl said cheerfully, "I'll help you collect stones when the time comes."
After all, large stones were plentiful everywhere.
While chatting, Shen Ning remembered something and asked curiously, "Have you seen Shen Jin and the others recently?"
They hadn't visited her home in several days, which was uncharacteristic of Shen Jin.
At the mention of this, the little girl nodded, "I have. Except for Shen Tie who stays at home to look after Tianya, Shen Jin and Shen Yin have been sent to work in the fields."
She leaned closer to Shen Ning and whispered, "The day they ate at your house, Shen Jin was beaten when he got home. It sounded like just a slap or two. The next day, he was sent off to the fields."
Shen Ning wasn't aware of why her uncle and aunt had punished them this time. Since her living conditions had improved, she no longer needed to endure her uncle and aunt's moods and had largely put them out of her mind amidst her own busyness.
As for Shen Jin working in the fields, well, that wasn't unusual; she and her elder brother had been assigned various tasks since they were seven.
Shen Ning didn't dwell on it much.
The two chatted together as Shen Ning watered the vegetables and moved her cherished sand tray back. She then led the little girl to pick wild vegetables to feed the chickens.
The little girl asked curiously, "Haven't seen your elder brother?"
As she closed the courtyard gate, Shen Ning replied, "He's busy with work."
As for what kept them busy, not a word was mentioned.
They were occupied with drying sour date cakes, behind closed doors in the backyard.
In the backyard, both Shen An and Sang Luo were busy drying items. The ground was lined with stones, and two large circular winnowing baskets were spread out. Hearing the courtyard door close, Shen An said, "Sister-in-law, we need to buy a few more winnowing baskets, don't we? These aren't quite enough; we can't make a lot at one time."
He assessed the size of their backyard and suggested, "We need about four more, so we can spread them out and dry four batches at once."
Sang Luo chuckled, "Not just four, we can build several racks and layer them. We could fit more than a dozen."
"What kind of racks?"
Sang Luo gestured broadly, "Let's think about it in a bit."
Four weren't enough; she also needed to store dried konjac.
Konjac wasn't just for immediate use upon digging; it could be chopped, dried, and stored for a long time. When needed for konjac tofu, the dried konjac could be ground into a powder in a stone mortar, ready for use.
After setting out the sour date cakes to dry, they brought out a ceramic pot. After closing the backyard door and cleaning the pot, the uncle and niece started pondering how to construct the drying racks, with a heap of wood laid out in the yard, two woodworking novices brainstorming together.
Chapter 60: Are All the Village Chiefs Going?
Woodworking isn't difficult for those who know it.
But the first part of that saying is — it's difficult for those who don't.
This task was different from the simple and rough work of constructing a chicken coop, where they just pounded the structure into the ground and used hemp ropes to secure the joints.
The uncle and niece looked at each other, a bit perplexed at first.
Sang Luo began, "First, it needs three vertical posts."
Shen An suggested, "How about four posts? Our table has four legs, and four posts seem more stable."
Sang Luo shook her head, "You're mistaken there; a triangle is the most stable shape."
Young Shen An acquiesced: If sister-in-law says so, then she must be right. Everything sister-in-law insists on is right!
He immediately nodded in agreement, "Okay, three posts!"
"Each layer should be connected and secured with horizontal wood." Sang Luo, who had seen plenty of modern assemble-it-yourself furniture, was quite certain about this, "Making mortise and tenon joints isn't hard; we just need a model first. I need to calculate the dimensions."
As they spoke, she said, "An, bring out your sand tray so we can draw it up."
Shen An hurriedly went to fetch the sand tray, soon returning with it. He smoothed out the sand, and the two of them crouched beside it, sketching and measuring, even taking serious measurements of the circular winnowing baskets inside.
After drawing for a while, Sang Luo looked at the pile of uneven wood and suddenly shook her head, "I think using bamboo poles would be easier and more convenient.
Bamboo is hollow, right? Using thick bamboo poles for the three main posts, we just need to saw notches where the joints should be, and insert the horizontal poles. Isn't that simpler than using wood?
Once the design and dimensions were settled, and upon Shen Ning's return, Sang Luo and Shen An set off with a curved knife to cut bamboo. After much effort, they dragged back two bamboo poles and proceeded to work on them outside the courtyard.
After calculating the dimensions and referencing the drawings on the sand tray, constructing a simple four-tiered triangular drying rack turned out to be not too difficult. The main challenge was the time it took. Sawing the vertical posts and horizontal bars was repetitive work, and unlike last time, they didn't have to split them. After almost two hours of effort, they successfully completed the first rack, thankfully without getting splinters this time. However, it seemed a bit unstable. If one pulled on a vertical post, could it easily collapse?
Sang Luo, Shen An, Shen Ning: ...
All three looked bewildered.
"We need a force from the outside to hold the three posts together, right?"
"It should... be?"
"See, this is where directly driving the posts into the ground while building the chicken coop came in handy; we definitely wouldn't have this issue now."
They stared, no, pondered over the triangular rack, trying to figure out how to securely fix it from the outside.
Use bamboo nails?
Sang Luo was afraid that driving a bamboo nail might split the entire post.
When Chen You Tian returned with his empty tofu carrier, he saw the Shen family outside their courtyard, all three intently staring at a bamboo rack.
"What are you all doing there?"
At the sound of his voice, all three of them turned around simultaneously.
An expert has arrived!
"Uncle You Tian, come have a look at this, how do we fix it?"
"Uncle You Tian, please help us figure this out."
Their voices echoed in unison.
Chen You Tian approached, set down his load, and studied the bamboo rack: "This won't work with two layers like this; it's not stable. What are you making this for?"
Sang Luo almost gave him a thumbs-up: "You're really an expert, spotting the problem right away. We're making a drying rack. We plan to place those large circular winnowing baskets I bought inside, to save space and dry more items."
Chen You Tian thought to himself that she was the real expert.
But how much stuff did they have to dry that they needed to build a drying rack for winnowing baskets?
Considering the variety of items they were selling daily, Chen You Tian didn't ask further. He figured it must be for some food preparation, and such a setup in the backyard was to keep prying eyes away.
"It's actually quite simple." He walked closer, took a bamboo stick to measure the size of the rack's horizontal bars, then selected one of Sang Luo's unused but trimmed bamboo poles. He started sawing, making a notch in the thick bamboo, then measured and sawed another section. After shaping both ends, he called out to Shen An, "An, go light a fire."
Shen An hurried into the kitchen for a fire starter, while Shen Ning helped build the fire pit. Soon enough, they had a fire going.
Chen Youtian heated the cut bamboo over fire, bending it as he heated it.
It was only then that Sang Luo understood; bamboo can be bent after heating.
She had forgotten that bamboo can be bent by heating it over fire.
After processing the two bent sections, Chen Youtian removed the horizontal bar Sang Luo had originally used and asked her and a few others to help steady several vertical poles. He fit one pole securely into a bent section, adjusting the curvature precisely, then did the same with the second bend, inserting the narrowed ends of the bamboo into holes in a third pole and securing them with bamboo plugs for reinforcement.
The problem that had puzzled them for a while was directly solved.
Sang Luo didn't ask Chen Youtian to work on the top layer; she could handle that herself.
Smiling, Chen Youtian set down his burden and confirmed the amount of tofu needed for the next morning, "I'll pay with soybeans, and I'll bring the goods to you later."
After thanking him, Sang Luo watched Chen Youtian leave.
…
The Zhou family.
Zhou Village Chief's wife told her husband, who just came back for lunch, "I bought tofu today. Guess from whom I purchased it?"
Zhou Village Chief glanced at her and said, "From the Chen family, or perhaps from the Shi and Lu families. It's just one of these three."
Zhou Village Chief's wife: ...
"You're spot-on. It was Chen You Tian. He was selling it from a carrying pole through the villages. When he reached Sanli Village, I ran into him. There weren't many left; I bought two pieces. He was open about it, saying it was Sang Luo looking after their family business."
She paused, then added, "You know, Chen You Tian's wife mentioned working with Sang in the county selling wild vegetables. Was it this business? So, doesn't that mean the Chen family now supports two stalls?"
Zhou, the village chief, hummed in agreement, "It's not surprising. Wasn't there a rumor before that Sang almost starved to death? When Shen An went down the mountain to borrow grain from his uncle, he couldn't even get the door opened. In the end, it was the Chen's who voluntarily lent grain and sugar, and brought it up the mountain, saving Sang's life. Repaying a life-saving debt, taking care of them is only right."
It shows that what goes around comes around.
Mrs. Zhou, envious, commented, "They must be earning quite a bit, with two stalls running daily. The Chen family is on the rise."
Zhou, looking out at the sky, murmured, "Rising is good. Only when you are doing well can you put down stable roots and withstand storms."
Mrs. Zhou gave him a playful scowl, "What are you always muttering about?"
Enthusiastically, she suggested, "Do you think we could also ask Sang to help sell tofu for us? We could have Sanlang take it to the county. The county is big; surely it wouldn't interfere with Sang and Chen You Tian's wife's business, right?"
After asking for a while, her husband didn't respond.
Seeing him lost in thought, she nudged him, "What are you daydreaming about? I'm talking to you."
Zhou came back to reality, "What did you say?"
Mrs. Zhou repeated her suggestion, and after some thought, Zhou shook his head, "It's not our turn yet. There's the Shi and Lu families ahead of us. The Chen family already manages two stalls. Wouldn't the Chens and the Shis, who helped with the house construction, be taken care of first?"
Mrs. Zhou was skeptical, "Really? With so many people, isn't Sang selling by herself now?"
Zhou chuckled, "It's easy to find out. Why don't you ask Qi Sao? See if the Shi and Lu families have approached Qi Ge for help, and that will clarify things."
To travel to the county, one inevitably has to go through the village chief. If the Shi and Lu families were setting up stalls in the county, they would undoubtedly have to make arrangements with the village chief.
Mrs. Zhou, upon hearing this, agreed but casually remarked, "I was just speaking offhand, no need to actually go ask Qi Sao about it."
Despite saying so, she went out that afternoon and returned with an air of confirmation, "You were spot on. The Shi and Lu families had indeed approached Qi Ge for assistance with their stalls right at the start of the busy farming season. One is Mrs. Gan's and the other is Mrs. Feng's."
Zhou, the village chief, smiled, "You asked Qi Ge about it?"
Mrs. Zhou shook her head, "No, I asked Qi Sao. Qi Ge has gone to the county, said he was summoned there, along with all the other village chiefs."
Zhou's expression changed subtly, his hand, which was resting loosely on the table, tensed, "All the village chiefs have gone?"
Mrs. Zhou, puzzled, replied, "Yes, isn't that normal? Whenever there's something to be done for the higher-ups, all the village chiefs are summoned, right?"
Zhou closed his eyes for a moment and rubbed his forehead, remaining silent for a while.
Mrs. Zhou, sensing something was off, inquired, "What's wrong? Qi Ge going to the county isn't unusual, is it?"
Zhou waved it off, "Nothing, perhaps I'm just overthinking."
After a moment, he cautioned, "If any grain merchants come by, we're not selling our grain this year."
Mrs. Zhou's casual demeanor vanished, and she asked with a serious tone, "What's going on?"
Zhou shook his head, "I'm not sure, it's uncertain. I'll wait for Qi Ge to return and ask him. Anyway, let's not sell our grain this year."
"Not even if they offer a high price? I heard in Sanli Village today that the grain merchants are offering 73 wen per dou for sun-dried grain."
This price was already higher than the current selling price in the grain store. Hearing the news, the general store in Sanli Village had already raised its prices.
Zhou's expression grew graver upon hearing about the increase in grain prices, shaking his head, "No, not selling. Even if they offer 173 wen per dou, we can't sell. We need to keep all our grain this year."
Mrs. Zhou nodded, somewhat dazedly agreeing with her husband. She didn't press further on the reason but made a mental note of his words, "Alright, I'll tell our eldest and the others too. We won't invite any grain merchants to our home."
They would wait for Qi Ge to return in the evening; her husband would surely confirm the news and then inform the family.