Chapter 76: Honey Paws
Sang Luo's estimation for the amount of cotton needed for making clothes was entirely based on her original self's memory.
Having grown up in a modern era where clothes were bought, not made, this was her first time realizing the actual bulk of a jin of cotton.
After exiting the cloth shop with her purchase, she placed the cotton on her cart and went to find Chen You Tian and the others at the grain shop.
She couldn't afford to buy grain today; with just over seventy wen left, she decided to keep it and continue saving for her next purchase of cotton.
Approaching the grain shop, she saw the previously crowded line of people dispersing in disappointment. There she found a disheartened Chen You Tian and Zhou Village Zheng's group.
"Uncle You Tian, what happened?"
Chen You Tian looked troubled and said, "The grain shop ran out of stock today before it was our turn to buy."
Looking towards the grain shop, Sang Luo indeed saw the shop assistant hanging a 'sold out for today' sign and closing the doors.
Not seeing Lu Da Lang, she inquired further, "Where is Uncle Lu?"
Chen Youtian explained, "He's queuing at another shop, but I'm not sure how it's going."
Just as he finished speaking, Lu Dalaong returned, having also failed to buy grain at the shop he queued at, which had already closed.
Zhou Cunzheng shook his head, "These next few days it'll be hard to buy any. The city gates were deliberately opened late this morning to give priority to the residents inside to queue at the grain shops."
The city residents buying grain now are partly those who heard rumors and are stockpiling, and partly those who still haven't gathered enough for their taxes. Naturally, they are given priority.
In fact, without the delay at the gates, those who hadn't gathered enough taxes would have been queuing outside the grain shops before dawn. We villagers, even if we travel overnight, can't compete if the city gates don't open early enough.
Unable to buy grain, there was no point in lingering in town. Everyone needed to return to their village to work, so they began heading towards the city gates to return home.
Lu Dalaong took over pushing Sang Luo's cart.
"Uncle Jiu, are we really not coming these next days? I saw today the grain price is ninety-eight wen per dou," asked Zhou Lizheng's son.
Zhou Cunzheng sighed, "Even if we come, we won't be able to buy any."
Until the tax collection is completed, the city gates will probably continue to open at a controlled time.
Zhou Cunzheng didn't understand why the county yamen, capable of managing such details, couldn't negotiate with grain merchants to stabilize prices or release slightly more grain, instead of this desperate scarcity.
But soon he realized he was expecting too much. If the county magistrate could easily influence the grain merchants, prices wouldn't fluctuate daily like this.
If county officials could indeed sit down and negotiate with grain merchants, Zhou Cunzheng felt the likelihood of collusion would be higher.
Stabilizing grain prices?
In his years, he had never been fortunate enough to witness such commendable governance.
Sang Luo took a small path and returned to the village quietly, while Zhou Cunzheng and his group were immediately surrounded by villagers concerned about the grain prices as soon as they entered the village.
Some villagers, unable to bear their anxiety, had decided to buy expensive grain to stock up. However, reluctant to spend the money required for travel and official documents, they had hoped Chen Youtian and others would bring back some grain for them.
After a morning of waiting in vain, they saw Chen Youtian and his group return empty-handed and immediately grew disgruntled.
Sang Luo paid no mind to the villagers' reactions.
Once home, she carefully stored the cotton she had purchased.
Shen An and Shen Ning gathered around, marveling at the new, white cotton they had never seen before – fluffy and soft, Shen Ning squeezed it curiously.
"Big sister, will this be used for a quilt?" asked Shen Ning.
Sang Luo nodded, "Yes, we'll make it once we've saved up three to four jin. For now, the three of us can huddle together under two quilts, and we can use the remaining fabric to add weight."
The days in September were still tolerable with new autumn clothes, and by October, wearing the old autumn clothes as an extra layer would be sufficient.
It's only cold at night in the mountains at this time of the year, so quilts are a priority over cotton jackets.
But making a quilt with just one jin of cotton wouldn't suffice – it wouldn't be much of a quilt.
Fortunately, the fabric obtained from trading with three families was enough for several sets of clothes. Layering these with two quilts should keep them warm enough to manage through September.
Hearing about saving up for three to four jin of cotton to make a quilt, the children's eyes lit up.
When their older brother was around, they had warm cotton clothes and quilts. But after he left, they lost these comforts. The best cotton was taken and exchanged by their aunt, leaving them with worn cotton and bulrush fluff in their jackets and quilts.
Though they appeared to be cotton, they offered little warmth, making the winters bitterly cold.
After storing the cotton, Sang Luo washed and hung the grain sacks to dry. These were valuable items only given by grain shops when purchasing in large quantities; smaller purchases required bringing one's own bags.
After finishing her chores, Sang Luo didn't pause for rest. She poured herself a bowl of water, drank it quickly, and prepared to gather sour jujubes and immortal tree leaves. It was all to earn money for buying cotton for quilts.
Recently, the supply of sour jujubes was steady; they frequently fell from the trees, which were always in the same place. However, finding immortal tree leaves had become more challenging, requiring longer walks. Thus, for trips into the mountains, Sang Luo often took Shen An, who had better stamina, leaving Shen Ning at home.
Today was no different. The two meandered through the mountains, venturing into less frequented areas on the other side of the village. They found plenty of sour jujubes, but immortal tree leaves were scarce.
Shen An expressed his worry, "Big sister, can we still make our immortal tofu today?"
In fact, Shen An's concern wasn't just about today. He realized that this year, they might no longer be able to sell immortal tofu.
Missing one item meant one less source of income, and their household was in dire need of money. The earnings from selling vegetarian tripe always came as credit notes, and they still owed money to Dong Fulu. Recently, they hadn't earned cash from tofu sales either, as it was exchanged for fabric to make clothes. With colder weather approaching, they needed cotton for jackets and quilts.
Shen An was unaware of the current price of cotton, but he remembered his older brother purchasing it before.
He recalled that it was only after his brother and Da Shan went hunting for several days and sold their game in the county that they could afford the cotton.
They had hunted big game.
Both his brother and Da Shan had gotten injured during that hunting trip.
The cotton that they had traded for such big game was certainly very expensive.
When the elder brother brought back that amount of cotton, their aunt's eyes turned red with envy. It was only after he shared half of it with Shen Jin and others that their uncle and aunt finally smiled.
For Shen An, cotton was as valuable as grain. Although they could grow grain in their fields, they couldn't produce cotton. No one in their area grew it. It seemed that a neighboring county across the river, which was warmer, cultivated cotton.
So, with expenses everywhere and one less source of income, how could he not worry?
Seeing the few usable immortal tree leaves she had collected after over an hour, Sang Luo realized that this year's supply of immortal tofu was at its end. Seeing Shen An's worried expression, she smiled, "Alright, don't worry, big sister has ways to make money."
Then, looking further into the depths of the forest, she suggested, "Let's go a bit further in and find some more immortal tree leaves. We can combine them with what we've gathered to make a few pieces. We won't sell them this year but keep them for ourselves and give some to the familiar families. It'll be a good way to end this busy season, allowing each family to enjoy a last taste."
Shen An nodded, following his sister-in-law towards another hill.
Searching deeper, Sang Luo actually found a few more immortal trees. As she was reaching for the leaves, Shen An's excited voice came from behind.
"Big sister, look what I've found!"
Sang Luo turned around and saw Shen An holding a short, dry tree branch.
Shen An, brimming with excitement, approached Sang Luo, holding his find high: "Big sister, honey claws! These are so delicious!"
At the mention of 'honey claws', Sang Luo blinked, then broke into a smile as Shen An approached: "Jujube thorns?"
Taking what Shen An handed over, it was indeed jujube thorns.
Shen An proudly said, "Big sister, do you recognize these? Here we call them 'honey claws'. My elder brother used to bring them for me and Ah Ning when he went into the mountains."
Sang Luo chuckled, "Yes, I know them. We call them jujube thorns."
Recalling that in her original family's hometown, they might have had a different name for it, she added, "We had a servant back home who loved to roam the mountains and brought these back once, saying they were called jujube thorns."
Shen An, not overthinking it, grinned widely, peeled off one and left only the edible part, cleaning it with his hand before offering it to Sang Luo: "Big sister, you eat."
After Sang Luo took it, he quickly prepared another for himself and tossed it into his mouth.
"I'm going to find more, to bring back for Ah Ning."
While Shen An was looking for the tree, Sang Luo laughed and advised, "Look on the lower branches and the ground. These trees are very tall and the ripe ones that fall are sweeter."
Although Shen An had eaten them before, he didn't know what the tree looked like. Taking his big sister's advice, he changed his approach and indeed found many jujube thorn branches on nearby trees and shrubs.
He was as delighted as could be, temporarily forgetting even the immortal tree leaves.
Watching Shen An's enthusiasm, Sang Luo laughed. As she searched for immortal tree leaves, she picked up any jujube thorns she found and either held them in her hand or put them into Shen An's basket if there were too many.
"Gather more, these can be sold for money."
Shen An, surprised: "! These can be sold for money?!"
It made sense, considering how sweet they were and how much he liked them.
Sang Luo, smiling: "Yes, we can sell them. Pick as many as you can; the money might help us gather the cotton for our quilts sooner."
This motivated Shen An even more. Despite the loss of one source of income from the immortal tofu, the addition of jujube thorns filled him with joy, his eyes curving into crescents and his mouth stretched in a wide grin, feeling as if even the heavens were favoring them.
He picked the jujube thorns quickly, his eyes darting around energetically, meticulously searching every nook and cranny around the tall jujube thorn tree.
This particular tree, mature and lush, shed its fruits over a large area, which kept Shen An happily busy.
By the time both their baskets were brimming, there were still many jujube thorns left unpicked.
Since they had already gathered a lot of sour dates and some leaves from the immortal tree, there wasn't much space left in their baskets.
"Let's head back home, empty our baskets, and return immediately," suggested Sang Luo, "We should be able to gather at least two more baskets full."
Hearing they'd return, Shen An's disappointment vanished: "Let's hurry then."
The journey back was filled with excitement; the closer they got to home, the happier he became. Approaching their house at the foot of the hill, he could see his sister Shen Ning by the chicken coop, busily engaged in something.
Excitedly holding the straps of his basket, Shen An ran towards their hillside home, waving a jujube thorn branch and calling from a distance: "Ah Ning, Ah Ning, look what I brought for you!"
Shen Ning was squatting beside the chicken coop, her back bent and head nearly touching the ground, peering inside. As she looked, she reached her hand in, and then she smiled, pulling it back with a freshly laid, still-warm egg in her palm.
She was even more excited than Shen An, standing up with a laugh. Before Sang Luo and Shen An reached halfway up the hill, she excitedly waved and shouted, "Big sister, second brother, our chicken laid an egg! Look, a warm egg!"
Holding the egg aloft for them to see, she wanted to shake it to show her excitement but feared breaking it. The smile on her face was brighter than the warm autumn sun.
Sang Luo, looking at the siblings, was so happy that her eyes crinkled with laughter.
Chapter 77: Jujube Thorn Candy
"The chicken laid an egg?!" Shen An's voice was filled with such joy that it cracked. He stopped shaking the jujube thorn branch he was holding and hurried up the hillside to Shen Ning: "Let me see!"
Shen Ning opened her hand with a smile. Shen An's eyes curved into crescents, touching the egg: "It's really warm. Which chicken laid it?"
Shen Ning shook her head: "I didn't see; all three chickens had just come out of the nest."
By now, Sang Luo had also reached them. Looking at the modest-sized egg in Shen Ning's hand, she smiled, "They're similar-sized chickens. Once one lays an egg, the others won't be far behind. This is a Yunying egg, very nourishing. We'll have egg drop porridge tomorrow morning."
Selling eggs for money was out of the question. They relied on purchases for their own vegetables, occasionally receiving some from acquaintances. Now that the chickens were laying eggs, it was naturally for their own nourishment.
The mention of egg drop porridge made the siblings' eyes light up. They remembered having it when their elder brother was still home. The beaten egg would be poured into boiling porridge, stirred gently, and the yellow egg blossoms would float up, deliciously fragrant.
Just be careful not to let it cool down too much, or it might taste fishy.
It had been a long time since they last had it.
The egg in Shen Ning's hand suddenly seemed precious, with plans already made for its consumption the next morning.
"I'll put it away!" she said, running inside.
Shen An bounced in after her, shoving the jujube thorn branch into Shen Ning's other empty hand: "Ning, look what I've got!"
Behind them, Sang Luo heard Shen Ning's surprised voice: "Honeyclaw, where did you find it?"
Shen An excitedly recounted how he found a small branch of honeyclaw, then a tall honeyclaw tree: "I'm going back with big sister soon, there's still a lot left, and big sister said we can exchange them for money."
Shen Ning looked eager.
But this time, Shen An didn't let his sister join: "It's a bit far, we have to climb several hills with the baskets, and they're heavy. You stay and watch the house. Here, eat this branch."
"Really, we can sell them for money?"
"Yes, big sister said so. They're so sweet, I think people would want to buy them."
The siblings, shoulder to shoulder, entered the kitchen talking. Shen Ning set the egg on the table and turned to help her brother set down his basket.
When Sang Luo came in, she even received the courtesy of a bowl of water poured by Shen Ning.
After sorting the contents of the two baskets, Sang Luo and Shen An took a short break, applied more snake repellent on their shoes and leggings, and headed out again with their baskets.
As Shen An mentioned, the journey was long and tough. Avoiding villagers meant taking a detour through the mountains. They only returned home with their bounty well after the usual lunchtime, both utterly exhausted.
Especially Sang Luo, who was extremely tired. Consider that she had traveled ten miles to the county to pay taxes before dawn, returned mid-morning, and had not rested before going into the mountains twice. She was so exhausted she wanted nothing more than to collapse.
Fortunately, Shen Ning was genuinely thoughtful. She learned daily chores like watering vegetables from Old Lady Chen, sometimes dragging her to provide hands-on guidance, and took special care of the chickens and ducks. With Sang Luo and Shen An out, this little girl managed the household chores, cooking over a wood fire, standing on a wooden stool to reach the stove.
Seeing her sister-in-law and brother so tired they barely managed to wash their hands before collapsing on the bed, Shen Ning busily ran around, pulling this and that.
"Eat first, you can rest after the meal."
Sang Luo indulged in a rare moment of laziness, groaning, "Just a bit longer, I'll get up soon."
Shen An was about to be pulled up by his sister, but seeing his sister-in-law not getting up, he lay back down.
Concerned, Shen Ning ran back to the kitchen, scooped up the food into bowls, one in each hand with chopsticks clutched in her palm, and brought them over.
"Eat up, eat right here on the bed edge, then you can sleep."
Sang Luo truly wanted to hug her; this girl was so considerate.
The embodiment of a 'little cotton jacket' was precisely a girl like Shen Ning.
In the end, Sang Luo and Shen An each sat at their respective bed edges, eating the meal Shen Ning brought, their only option as all the stools at home were used to support the food racks. With just one stool left, who should sit?
With tired legs, they all wanted to sit. Lacking options, they settled for the bed edge, grateful for even a bit of comfort.
Sang Luo thought if she continued living this way, as long as she didn't overexert herself, her health would be robust from all the physical activity.
After lunch, they didn't really rest immediately. How could they lie down right after eating? They sat up for a quarter of an hour, then stood for another, before finally letting Shen Ning lock the door and they all collapsed in bed for a nap.
Waking fully refreshed, Sang Luo got busy making Immortal Tofu and processing the sour jujube cakes, taking advantage of the sunlight for drying as much as possible.
In the end, the sour jujube cakes were finished and placed on the drying rack in the backyard after shaping them with molds, and the Immortal Tofu also set properly.
The quantity wasn't large, yielding just eight pieces after cutting. Sang Luo packed them in a ceramic bowl, took Shen Ning with her, and distributed them to the Chen, Shi, Lu families, and Zhou Village Chief's home, borrowing a pair of scissors from Old Lady Chen on the way.
The Chen, Shi, and Lu families were frequent visitors, so it was not unusual for Sang Luo to reciprocate their occasional gifts of vegetables with some food.
But delivering it to Zhou Village Chief's house caught his wife off guard, then she expressed immense gratitude. She then went inside and returned with a small package wrapped in oil paper, handing it to Shen Ning: "I brought some green bean cakes from the county market; here, take some for you, your big sister, and brother to try."
When Shen Ning heard it was a delicacy from the county, she hesitated to accept, constantly glancing at her elder sister-in-law as Zhou Village Chief's wife insisted.
Sang Luo, smiling at Zhou Village Chief's wife, said: "Auntie, you're being too kind."
Seeing her persistently offering the gift to Shen Ning, Sang Luo nodded to Shen Ning, who then cautiously accepted and thanked, "Thank you, Auntie Zhou."
Zhou Village Chief's wife, charmed by Shen Ning's sweet voice and seeing her new clothes, sincerely praised Sang Luo: "You've really raised Ah Ning and Ah An well."
Given their dire circumstances in the beginning, to have come this far, her husband was right; Mrs. Sang is truly capable.
And importantly, she has a kind heart.
Sang Luo was technically married to Shen Lie, but in reality, she had never even met him. She came to the Shen family without any formal wedding ceremony and unexpectedly became the sister-in-law of Shen An and Shen Ning, caring for them as if they were her own siblings.
With this thought, Zhou Village Chief's wife's eyes flickered.
Several of her sons were already married, but the third one was still single.
However, when her gaze fell on Shen Ning, the spontaneous idea was promptly dismissed.
Having such thoughts about Sang Luo made her even more appealing in Zhou Village Chief's wife's eyes – diligent, capable, steady, kind-hearted, and sociable; truly admirable in every aspect.
Unable to contain herself, she discreetly shared these thoughts with her husband that evening. Zhou Village Chief, already in bed, sat up abruptly, startled by her suggestion.
Pondering it, he found the idea not without merit.
Yet, he soon shook his head, cautioning, "Don't ever bring this up. She's caring for two children, Shen An and Shen Ning. How can we suggest such a thing? Besides, Mrs. Sang might not even be interested. Mentioning it would make future interactions awkward."
Regretfully, Zhou Village Chief's wife agreed, "I know, it was just a thought. She's such a fine young woman; anyone would be envious."
Fortunately for her, Zhou Village Chief was clear-headed. Had he been supportive, she might have struggled to contain her enthusiasm.
…
Unaware of this near proposition to become a daughter-in-law, Sang Luo remained blissfully ignorant.
Even if she had known, she would have found it utterly preposterous.
In her previous life, she lived to 28, single due to survival needs and health issues. This time around, the notion of marriage was far from her mind.
Being instantaneously recognized as a widow upon her arrival in this world, Sang Luo actually found it quite suitable, adapting with remarkable ease.
Had she found herself living with a grown man instead of two exceedingly sweet children like Shen An and Shen Ning, her first instinct would have been to flee, not to settle so comfortably.
Sang Luo, unaware of Lu Da Lang's whereabouts, had notified three households while delivering tofu that she wouldn't be making fairy tofu anymore. She took orders for the next day's tofu and tripe from Qin Fang Niang, and also a note for the payment of tripe sold to Dong Fu Lou. After returning home and putting everything away, she tasted a piece of mung bean cake handed by Shen Ning and got busy with her tasks.
Everything else was routine, but when Sang Luo started sorting the hooked jujubes on the table, Shen An and Shen Ning were curious.
Initially, they thought she was cutting the stems for better presentation, but once all the stems were trimmed, the siblings saw their sister-in-law washing the jujubes, instructing them to fetch the stone mortar that came with the stone mill they had purchased earlier.
This mortar was now frequently used by the two siblings since they no longer needed to go to the Chen family to pound their daily rice. The small stone mortar sufficed for their three-person household.
Despite their confusion about why the stone mortar was needed for processing honey claws, the siblings had learned over time just how capable their sister-in-law was. If she asked for the mortar, there must be a reason.
When the mortar was brought over, Sang Luo grabbed a couple of handfuls of the washed hooked jujubes and started to pound them.
It was then that Shen An realized his sister-in-law wasn't simply selling wild fruits but using these honey claws to make food, which lit up his eyes!
"Big sister-in-law, what can you make by crushing them?"
He was very curious.
Sang Luo smiled, "You can make sugar with them. Hooked jujube sugar is delicious – not only sweet but also fragrantly aromatic. Moreover, this fruit is actually a kind of traditional medicine, scientifically known as 'Zhi Ju,' beneficial for consumption, wine brewing, and sugar boiling. It's sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic, cools heat, nourishes the five organs, aids digestion, and its benefits are similar to honey," she recalled and explained slowly.
Sang Luo was recollecting and speaking simultaneously, hence the slowness of her explanation. Shen An and Shen Ning listened intently, not quite understanding terms like 'sweet in taste, neutral in nature,' but they did comprehend that it was comparable to honey.
Honey, a precious and expensive substance, much costlier than maltose.
"Is it as sweet as honey?" Shen Ning's mouth began to water.
Sang Luo glanced at the little girl and smiled, "Yes, and it has a unique fragrance that honey doesn't have. Tomorrow, I'll sell this sugar in the county and buy a small jar to bring back. We'll keep one jar for ourselves to enjoy. It can be eaten directly or dissolved in water to drink. As long as the spoon used to scoop the sugar stays dry, it can last for several months."
Hearing that they would keep a jar for themselves, Shen An and Shen Ning's first reaction was, "Is it expensive?"
Sang Luo thought for a moment, "I plan to sell it at a price similar to honey."
There weren't many crooked jujube trees, and so far, she had only found this one within the area she dared to explore. Since it's rare and she couldn't venture deep into the woods, it had to be priced higher.
Sugar was a luxury item in those days.
People usually had only malt sugar and honey, so Sang Luo had no intention of selling the crooked jujube sugar at a low price.
Hearing that it would be sold at the price of honey, the siblings immediately shook their heads, "Then let's not keep it at home. We don't need to eat sugar."
Sang Luo smiled, "I'll eat it."
She thought if she didn't allow herself to enjoy the fruits of her labor, what was the point of all her hard work?
Not just the crooked jujube sugar, Sang Luo also planned to keep a small jar of sour jujube cake as a snack for the house, as it was a durable treat.
When they heard Sang Luo's playful retort of "I'll eat it," the siblings immediately fell silent, their eyes curving into smiles.
The siblings thought to themselves: Big sister is so kind. She really cares about us!
Author's Note:
Regarding the conversation: ①From "Compendium of Materia Medica".
Chapter 78: An Unexpected Scene
Making crooked jujube sugar is not difficult; the process involves simple steps like removing stems, washing, crushing, adding water, extracting juice, and boiling. The tools needed are just a stone mortar, a cloth for filtration, a pot, and a jar that has been scalded with boiling water and dried for storing the syrup.
The challenge lies in the quantity they collected, nearly three baskets full. After removing the stems, they had almost a full bucket, making each step of the process time-consuming. Just the stemming and crushing took a lot of time.
When it came to boiling the sugar, there wasn't much skill involved; the key was to manage the heat and stir frequently, especially towards the end.
Shen Ning, having watched the process once, felt that she could handle these tasks next time.
The siblings were fascinated as they watched the initially greenish-yellow juice gradually turn red during boiling, finally becoming an enticingly dark brown syrup. It seemed almost magical.
When it was time to fill the jar, they were thrilled. Together, they carried over the dried jar, watching Sang Luo spoon the syrup from the pot into the jar, the sweet aroma making them drool.
By the time the jar was almost full, the sides of the pot had been scraped clean, filling the jar perfectly.
The expressions of the siblings, looking at the full jar of crooked jujube sugar, were those of complete fascination, as if they wished they could embrace and savor the jar like they would with honey.
Sang Luo, amused by their reaction, instructed the two: "Go get a bowl and two pairs of chopsticks."
Their eyes lit up instantly. Forgetting the jar by the stove, they hurriedly fetched a bowl and three pairs of chopsticks, excitedly handing the bowl to Sang Luo.
Sang Luo thoroughly scraped the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. After several scrapes, she lifted the spoon, revealing a half-spoonful of deep brown syrup.
The two children tiptoed, their necks stretched and eyes gleaming as they watched the syrup slowly poured into the bowl, as thrilled as little squirrels. Sang Luo filled the spoon almost full, then scraped it back into the pot for another round. The second spoonful wasn't as much, but it was enough to delight the children.
"Alright, let's twirl and eat it with the chopsticks."
A pair of chopsticks was passed to Sang Luo, "Big sister, you try too!"
Sang Luo, not being bashful, happily accepted the chopsticks, dipped them into the syrup, and then twirled, twirled, and twirled. By now, the syrup had almost cooled and was semi-solid, easily twirlable. With a few swirls, her chopsticks looked like a lollipop.
The children eagerly followed her example, twirling with excitement. The three of them, two young and one adult, lifted their chopsticks together and leaned back to enjoy the treat.
Sweet, aromatic, and smooth!
This bite was truly a satisfying reward for all their hard work!
Actually, this syrup could be molded into lollipops if they had molds and some bamboo sticks, which would probably sell for more. But it would require colder weather and modern soft molds for easy release, so Sang Luo didn't bother with it.
Shen An and Shen Ning were ecstatic, as if they had fallen into a honey pot, utterly content.
"Big sister, this is so delicious!"
"It's even better than honey."
Shen Ning felt this treat surpassed the honey they had eaten in childhood. Despite the memory of that taste, she found this crooked jujube syrup even sweeter and more delightful.
Sang Luo asked with a smile, "Shall we keep some for ourselves?"
The siblings shyly smiled and then nodded together.
Shen An declared, "I'll go with big sister every day to collect crooked jujubes. There must be more in the mountains, right? Let's look for more!"
Sang Luo shook her head, "We'll pick them if we come across any, but let's not deliberately venture deeper into the forest. It's wild and risky, with the possibility of encountering wild animals. We can't handle that."
Shen An thought to himself that if his elder brother were here, it would have been different. His brother and Da Shan were brave enough to go deep into the mountains.
However, he quickly brushed off the thought. Lately, due to the tax collection in the village, there were people who hadn't returned since the same year his brother left. Many families were cursing, and Shen An overheard some unsettling things.
He didn't dare to dwell on those thoughts, knowing that not thinking about them was the only way to maintain hope.
So, when his big sister said not to venture too deep, he obediently agreed.
After each of them tried a chopstick of the sugar, Shen Ning covered the remaining syrup in the bowl with a plate, saving it for later as a snack. She also suggested, "Can we add some sugar to our egg drop porridge tomorrow morning? I've never had sweet egg drop porridge."
Just thinking about it made her sure it would be delicious.
The cauldron still had some residual sugar, hard to scrape out. Once it cooled down, Shen Ning added some water and boiled it, using a wooden spoon to occasionally wash the sides of the cauldron where the sugar was. She made quite a bit of sweet syrup, which she carefully preserved in a soup bowl.
For the next few days, they could drink this sweet syrup directly, and she planned to share it with Xiao Ya if she came over to play.
After the crooked jujube syrup in the jar had completely cooled, Sang Luo finally sealed it with a lid.
For two consecutive days, Sang Luo and Shen An went to the mountains to pick sour jujubes and dig konjac. They also made daily trips to the crooked jujube tree.
Though they couldn't replicate the first day's bountiful harvest, they managed to shake down more ripe crooked jujubes by shaking the tall bamboo next to the tree, intertwining its top with the tree branches.
After two days of this routine, they made another half jar of crooked jujube syrup. With over two hundred pieces of sour jujube cakes dried, Sang Luo decided to visit the town the next day, along with Qin Fangniang and others.
In the evening, she took out the old broken pottery jar from under the bed. The once full jar now seemed almost empty.
The only money left was the seventy-odd copper coins from after buying the cotton, accompanied by a bunch of IOUs rolled up.
Sang Luo took out all the IOUs, called Shen An to bring his small sand tray, and started doing calculations in the sand with a twig.
Of course, she couldn't use Arabic numerals; she had to rely on the characters from her memories of the Great Qian Dynasty, which were not as convenient to write but there was no other way.
After calculating the sum of the receipts, Sang Luo realized that from the initial debt of 2,500 copper coins, she had already repaid 6,355 coins in less than half a month by selling mushrooms and vegetarian tripe.
"Still owe 845 coins."
Sang Luo pondered.
Tomorrow morning, the 20 jin of vegetarian tripe to be delivered to Dongfu Lou would bring in 340 coins, leaving a balance of 505 coins.
There were 368 pieces of sour jujube cake, equivalent to 368 coins.
That left a shortfall of 137 coins.
Thinking of the jar and a half of crooked jujube syrup, Sang Luo felt confident that she could settle her account with Dongfu Lou the next day. She let out a sigh of relief, neatly stacked the Dongfu Lou receipts, and placed them in her purse along with the seventy-odd coins.
After putting the empty pottery jar back under the bed, she said, "I'm going out for a bit to see who has a jiao. I need to borrow one."
For selling the syrup tomorrow, she couldn't use a scale to weigh it due to its semi-liquid state; it had to be measured by volume. Using her household wooden spoon wouldn't be convincing, so it would be better to use a jiao, a common container for selling vinegar, sauce, and wine during the Great Qian Dynasty.
However, for farming households that don't engage in brewing or vinegar making, the likelihood of having a jiao at home is quite low. If she can't find one, Sang Luo will have to buy one from a bamboo ware shop tomorrow.
After making a round and finding none, Chen Laotai reminded her, "Why don't you ask at Zhou Cunzheng's house? I remember your Zhou Aunt likes to buy medicinal herbs for brewing wine, they might have one."
Hearing that Zhou Cunzheng's family might have a jiao, Sang Luo hesitated.
She managed to make and sell some items, which was no secret among the Chen families. Due to their cooperative relationship, they respected each other's privacy and even helped cover up for her when needed.
This is why she only asked the three families if they had a wine ladle to borrow.
As for Zhou Cunzheng's family, although they knew somewhat about her situation, Sang Luo still didn't fully trust them.
Sugar in this era is a luxury. Malt sugar is common and not considered a special skill, as its production method is widely known and even passed down in ancient texts and poems, occasionally made by rural women.
The crooked jujube sugar she made, if documented in medical texts, might be known to some, but she did not find such a reference in her original memories.
Therefore, Sang Luo prefers not to draw attention in the village.
She shook her head, "Never mind, I'll buy one from the shop tomorrow morning."
Seeing her decision, Chen Laotai guessed she might be planning to sell something and nodded, "That works too, those containers aren't expensive."
Early the next morning, Sang Luo left for the county town with Qin Fangniang and others.
This time, Zhou Cunzheng and others didn't accompany them. Instead, they asked Feng Liuniang, who happened to be hawking goods in the streets, to keep an eye on the grain shop's situation and prices, to avoid wasting the trip and the entrance fee to the town.
Sang Luo herself went to the county town, but still had Qin Fangniang deliver the vegetarian tripe for her. She planned to sell her goods first, gather enough money, and then collect today's receipts from Qin Fangniang before going to Dongfu Restaurant to retrieve her debt notes.
Gan's wife and Feng Liuniang knew that Sang Luo had other goods to sell but were unclear about the specifics, so they didn't inquire or invite her to join them. Upon reaching the town, everyone dispersed to their own tasks.
Sang Luo's first stop was naturally the wood and bamboo ware shop. They had all kinds of wood and bamboo items, including bamboo wine measures, which were indeed inexpensive, costing only two coins.
Honestly, if it weren't for the need to measure sugar for selling, and the requirement for accuracy, making such a device wouldn't be difficult.
After purchasing the wine measure, Sang Luo decided to first go to Yongfeng Zhai to sell her jujube cakes, which would lighten her load.
When she arrived, Yongfeng Zhai had just opened for the day.
The shop girl cleaning the counters brightened up upon seeing Sang Luo and immediately called out, "Shopkeeper, Madam Sang is here!"
Shopkeeper Yan, seeing Sang Luo, welcomed her with a beaming smile, quickly coming around from behind the counter: "We've been eagerly waiting for you!"
As he spoke, his eyes darted towards the basket Sang Luo carried.
Seeing the wooden board inside the basket, dividing it into two layers and holding four jars, his eyes lit up: "We've been waiting for your crystal jujube cakes. The last batch sold out yesterday morning, and I was just worrying when you showed up. Perfect timing, let's get them jarred and displayed immediately."
Upon saying this, Yan Shopkeeper immediately signaled two shop girls to move the jars for repackaging.
The two girls, already near the counter, were familiar with this task as they had done it a few times before. Aware that the shop had opened and customers might arrive at any moment, and knowing the crystal jujube cakes had been particularly popular these days, they promptly went to fetch the jars, ready to quickly count, repackage, and stock the shelves as soon as Yan Shopkeeper gave the word.
Sang Luo couldn't stop them in time, and the two shop girls each grabbed a jar of the zhijujube sugar that was placed on top, covered loosely with a wooden board for easy access.
Sang Luo hurriedly called out, "Wait, that's not it. The two jars at the bottom are the ones."
However, being right next to the counter, the shop girl had already placed the jars down and partially opened the lids before Sang Luo could intervene.
Surprised, one of the shop girls exclaimed, "What's this?"
Sang Luo was at a loss for words.
She hadn't expected this situation to unfold.
Chapter 79: Hesitations and Renewed Cooperation
A moment ago, Yan Shopkeeper was still baffled, thinking there were only two jars. How could that be enough to sell!?
But the next instant, his attention shifted. Leaning over to see, he uttered the same curious sound as the shop girls, "Huh?"
As someone skilled in making desserts, Sang Luo had a particular sensitivity to food. Despite the contents of the jar appearing dark and unidentifiable, the key point was — she had never seen it before!
With an exceptionally keen sense of smell, Yan Shopkeeper, even from a distance, faintly detected a delicate sweet aroma.
Sang Luo really felt like massaging her temples.
She had miscalculated. One jar of zhijujube sugar was filled to the brim, preventing the lid from being securely fastened. As a result, she had placed it on top, while the jujube cakes were at the bottom.
She only intended for a simple relocation, never expecting her jujube cakes at Yongfeng Zhai to sell out, causing Yan Shopkeeper and the shop girls to react so excitedly upon seeing her 'product'.
Their actions were so swift that she didn't even have a chance to react.
"Miss Sang, is this also one of your edible products?" Yan Shopkeeper leaned in closer to inspect, the sweet aroma growing more intense.
Could Sang Luo really deny it?
Denying it now would be problematic since she planned to sell it in the streets and alleys of the county. It wasn't something she could hide, and if Yan Shopkeeper found out later, how would they continue their interactions? How would they continue their relationship?
She had no choice but to nod.
Yan Shopkeeper's eyes lit up and he asked with a smile, "May I scoop a bit to taste?"
What else could Sang Luo do? She nodded with a smile, "Of course."
The shop girl, quick-witted as ever, had already gone inside to fetch a small bowl and spoon, returning shortly to hand them to Yan Shopkeeper.
As someone in the food business, they were particularly meticulous about cleanliness – the spoon was dry and spotless, not a drop of water on it.
Yan Shopkeeper didn't scoop much, just a little bit, and while scooping, he inquired of Sang Luo, "Is this eaten as is, or is there a special way to consume it?"
"You can eat it directly or dilute it with water."
Yan Shopkeeper raised his eyebrows, held the bowl containing the dark brown paste, examined its color and texture closely, and upon taking a closer whiff of its enticing sweet aroma, he tasted a bit and immediately turned to Sang Luo, "Is this sugar?"
His tone, filled with surprise and excitement, made Sang Luo almost want to sigh.
She had never intended to sell this item to Yongfeng Zhai.
Sugar was exceedingly precious in these times. There was no such thing as white sugar, only malt sugar and honey, and then there was sugarcane juice.
Yes, sugarcane juice.
Daqian Dynasty had sugarcane, but no one knew how to make sugar from it; it was consumed as a relatively upscale fruit.
Now, she knew how to make sugar, and a kind that others had never seen before.
She had only seen one zhijujube tree and could make a bit of sugar from it, but not much. Selling a small amount on the streets to ordinary folks seemed fine to Sang Luo, as they wouldn't overthink it.
But for a well-established business like Yongfeng Zhai, they would definitely not overlook its value—the method of making sugar.
Sang Luo wanted to earn some money, but not at the cost of inviting trouble.
Although her interaction with them over the past period made her realize that the backers of Yongfeng Zhai were not the type to disregard the law and commit wrongdoings just for a recipe.
But why invite trouble if it can be avoided, right?
It was her own oversight.
As Yan Shopkeeper asked his question and observed Sang Luo's reaction, thinking back to her instinctive response when the shop girls unexpectedly brought the sugar to the counter, he understood something.
He put down the bowl, glanced at Sang Luo, and suddenly smiled, "Miss Sang, how about we have a talk in the back, shall we?"
At this point, Sang Luo naturally wouldn't refuse. Upon Yan Shopkeeper's subtle signal, two maids promptly secured the lids on the jars of syrup and carried them into a small hall in the back for guests.
Regarding the crystal jujube cakes, Sang Luo stated, "There are a total of 368 pieces. Please feel free to count and box them as you take the jars."
She left the tasks to the two maids.
The maids, well-mannered, went about their tasks—one left to package the crystal jujube cakes, while the other served tea to Sang Luo and Yan Shopkeeper before retreating.
Once alone, Yan Shopkeeper smiled at Sang Luo, "Miss Sang, are you concerned that we might want your sugar-making recipe?"
Sharp as ever.
Sang Luo sighed, "I won't hide it from you; I can't supply much of this product. It's too hard to make in large quantities, so I planned to sell it in the streets a few times and leave it at that."
She didn't deny Yan Shopkeeper's earlier assumption.
Yan Shopkeeper chuckled, "The recipe for making sugar is indeed tantalizing. Haven't you considered that selling in the streets might attract attention too?"
What else to do? Ignore the opportunity to earn money right before one's eyes?
Candid as always, Sang Luo replied with a smile, "Driven by necessity."
Their conversation, seemingly disconnected at first glance, actually conveyed the intended messages quite clearly.
Sang Luo was unwilling to sell the recipe, but she did need money.
Yan Shopkeeper smiled, "Miss Sang, perhaps you're not fully aware of the county's situation?"
Sang Luo raised an eyebrow, "Are you referring to your employer's situation?"
Yan Shopkeeper nodded, "Yes. Although Yongfeng Zhai is a well-established brand, our employer is merely a common wealthy family. In this county, they're far from having absolute power or reaching the extent you might be imagining."
Her words hinted at the very concerns that lingered in Sang Luo's mind.
Sang Luo's eyebrows twitched slightly. Yan Shopkeeper added, "Moreover, Miss Sang, although you haven't met our employer in person, you have, in fact, conducted business with us. Let me assure you, our employer is a reputable person, not one to resort to unscrupulous means for profit. So, if, as you say, you can produce this sugar in limited quantities, why not consider selling it exclusively to us?"
Sang Luo narrowed her eyes slightly, "How so?"
Yan Shopkeeper explained, "Because, Miss Sang, your earlier concerns are valid. The recipe for making sugar indeed could attract unwanted attention. Our employer might not covet it, but that doesn't mean others won't. I can vouch for our employer's integrity, but that's just my word, and it's hard for you to trust me entirely."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"The reason is that if Yongfeng Zhai were to sell this sugar openly, our employer couldn't protect the recipe either. Since neither of us can guard it, we might as well collaborate."
Sang Luo's eyes sparkled slightly, "Are you suggesting using it in pastries?"
Yan Shopkeeper burst into a smile, openly admiring, "Miss Sang, you are indeed astute!"
"By using it in pastries, outsiders won't discern how we made them, nor will they suspect it's due to a unique sugar source. For our shop, this means an array of unique desserts difficult for others to replicate. For you, Miss Sang, selling to us is safe and hassle-free. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement for both you and Yongfeng Zhai."
After finishing her proposal, she looked at Sang Luo with a smile, "Miss Sang, don't you think this is a safer option than selling it on the streets, with less risk of complications?"
Sang Luo pondered and realized the truth in those words.
Tapping her fingers unconsciously on the armrest of her chair, Sang Luo took a moment before responding, "I can't guarantee a continuous supply, and the amount I can produce is limited. Is that alright?"
Yan Shopkeeper shook her head, "Although it's a bit of a pity, it's not a problem. Not all our pastries are available throughout the year."
This limitation is often due to the seasonal nature of raw materials, which is understandable.
Sang Luo smiled in agreement, "Alright, then I'll deliver this black sugar directly to your shop in the future."
Yan Shopkeeper also smiled, "And the price?"
Sang Luo replied with a smile, "Honestly, before coming here, I bought a measuring horn for the liquor. Given the high material cost of this sugar, I initially set the price similar to honey, forty wen per horn. But for a bulk collaboration like this, I won't charge that much. How about thirty wen per horn?"
Yan Shopkeeper, well aware of the pricing differences between small and bulk purchases, found Sang Luo's price reasonable and nodded, "That's acceptable. How long can this black sugar be stored?"
Sang Luo explained the approximate shelf life and storage precautions. Yan Shopkeeper then called for someone to bring clean jars and a measuring horn from the shop.
She then said to Sang Luo with a smile, "Let's use the measuring horn from our shop, it's the same as yours. We use it regularly and keep it well-cleaned, so there's no need for you to wash it again."
Sang Luo had no objections to this arrangement.
From one and a half jars of Jujube Sugar, Sang Luo received 2,190 wen, and with the 368 wen from the sale of Crystal Candy, the total came to 2,558 wen.
Yan Shopkeeper directly paid her with two liang of silver and an additional 158 wen in copper coins.
This was the second time Sang Luo had received a silver ingot. It was much more convenient than copper coins, but unfortunately, she couldn't keep it for long as it would all be spent before even leaving the county town that day.
Before leaving, Yan Shopkeeper repeatedly asked Sang Luo to bring more Crystal Candy. Sang Luo suggested, "Making Crystal Candy is quite laborious. We can't produce it in large quantities. Recently, we've been making more due to a need for silver at home. The next one or two batches will maintain this supply level, but I can't promise the same amount afterward. It's too taxing. I'd recommend the shop to sell it in limited quantities each day, to extend the selling period for each batch."
The supply of sour jujubes is limited. Although Sang Luo could explore more places, even remote mountains near human settlements, sour jujubes aren't always available. She needed to stockpile some for herself to manage the supply over time, blurring the actual seasonal availability of sour jujube cakes. Therefore, once she no longer needed the money urgently, she planned to only deliver half of her production, around 200 out of 400 pieces, to Yan Shopkeeper, giving a heads-up in advance.
Yan Shopkeeper: "..."
Yan Shopkeeper was momentarily perplexed. From her standpoint as a buyer, it was unusual for a supplier to suggest buying less.
She had considered that the limitation might be due to raw materials. Seeing Sang Luo also selling tofu and making sugar, and considering the recent introduction of a unique dish at Dongfu Tower - vegetarian tripe - Yan Shopkeeper suspected that might be Sang Luo's supply.
If that were the case, Sang Luo indeed juggled many tasks.
With a small family, it would indeed be hard to manage everything.
Nodding, she said, "Alright, I understand your family is busy. Just try to make as much as you can for us."
She escorted Sang Luo, engaging in friendly conversation to strengthen their relationship.
Sang Luo responded with a smile to all of this.
When she left Yongfeng Zhai with her empty carrying basket, she couldn't help but laugh at the unused liquor spout she had bought.
Walking briskly towards the East Market, she collected the receipts from Qin Fangniang for the tofu delivered to Dongfu Tower that morning. As it was still early, she told Qin Fangniang she would head home after completing her errands and then proceeded towards Dongfu Tower.
Sang Luo had managed to pay off six liang of silver in less than half a month, earning the respect and admiration of Manager Xu and the accountant.
In fact, seeing Sang Luo in new clothes, and knowing that she had resettled here after being a refugee, Manager Xu could guess that she had also recently had to buy clothes and quilts.
Despite these expenses, she managed to repay the money so quickly.
They were genuinely impressed!
After confirming and destroying the promissory note, Sang Luo felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She thanked Manager Xu and inquired about the grain shop's current situation before taking her leave.
Yesterday was the final deadline for paying land taxes, and after the 15th, this morning, the grain shops limited purchases to only five liters per person.
Sighing, Sang Luo went to the fabric store and spent all two liang of silver on cotton, acquiring two large bags of it, an impressive sight. She asked for some cloth strips from the store clerk to secure them in her basket.
Carrying the basket, which looked more impressive than it was heavy, Sang Luo next visited the salt store.
The store owner, seeing her laden with goods, assumed she was a significant customer. However, Sang Luo, appearing hesitant and lowering her voice as if harboring a secret, asked the owner, "Do you sell brine salt here?"
But in a regular salt shop, why would there be brine salt for sale?
Indeed, in this era, the poor far outnumber the rich. Those who can't afford salt and have to resort to using brine are not uncommon.
The shopkeeper glanced at Sang Luo's thin clothes and then at her carrying basket. Although the basket didn't reveal much, his eyes traveled downward and noticed Sang Luo's shoes, patched several times over. After a quick look around, he nodded.
Chapter 80: Why Didn't You Call Us?
What is brine?
Also known as 'bitter brine' or 'alkali', it is the residual liquid left in salt ponds after salt production, which crystallizes upon cooling and evaporation.①
To put it more simply, it's a byproduct made from the waste materials of traditional salt-making methods.
In the Daqian Dynasty, or even in Sang Luo's original era, it wasn't rare for impoverished families to be unable to afford salt, especially during times of war, heavy taxation, and hardship when even basic food was scarce. During such times, the demand for brine among the lower class increased significantly.
Humans cannot survive without salt, so what do people eat as a substitute when they can't afford salt?
There are three alternatives: nitrate salt, potassium salt, and brine.
In their struggle to survive, people have come up with various methods to create these substitutes. The first, nitrate salt, is obtained in a rather unpleasant way – from the stones used in ancient dry toilets.
The second is potassium salt, which is somewhat better. It is made by soaking wood ash in water and then boiling it to produce potassium salt, which tastes similar to sodium salt.②
The most normal alternative is brine.
There are two sources of brine. One is to search the mountains for stones licked by animals, which are usually salt-containing, and boil them to produce brine. Sang Luo, naturally, has never seen this, as she dares not venture deep into the mountains. In her regular haunts, aside from small animals like rabbits, pheasants, snakes, and insects, she hasn't encountered larger animals or such stones.
The other source is to buy it. Salt shop owners usually have some brine, a byproduct of salt production with almost no cost, which they sell at a low price.
Compared to table salt, this brine is indeed very cheap. I bought two large pieces for just a few coins. Of course, consuming too much of it can be harmful to the body; moderation is key.
I, Sang Luo, am fortunately not so impoverished as to be unable to afford salt. There's a well-known saying among our people: "Use brine to curdle tofu – each has its counterpart."
This brine is obtained by diluting the salt brine. It is an excellent coagulant for tofu-making; just a tiny amount is needed for a large pot of tofu.
There are two types of tofu: soft (southern) tofu and firm (northern) tofu. The soft tofu I previously made using gypsum is what's known as southern tofu. The brine I purchased today will be used to make firm tofu, also known as northern tofu.
Previously, Shen An was very worried that our household's income would decrease without our special "Immortal Tofu."
Indeed, though the demand for regular tofu increased slightly without the special tofu, the overall quantity sold cannot compare to having two varieties available. These past few days, the three households have been buying noticeably fewer pieces of tofu than before.
When I was collecting Immortal Tree leaves with Shen An, I mentioned that I had a plan. This plan, of course, was not about the discovered jujubes, but about diversifying our tofu offerings.
Since we already have soft tofu, I decided to add firm tofu and soybean paste to our range.
The two large pieces of brine will last me for quite a long time.
After that, I went to various pharmacies in the county. There are three in total, and I visited each to buy several spices needed for making marinated soybean products. With that, my tasks in the county were complete, and I headed home.
…
Shen An and Shen Ning were particularly anxious today. Without Immortal Tree leaves to gather, they no longer needed to roam around selling wild vegetables. There are konjac and sour dates to be found in more distant mountains, but without my lead, they wouldn't venture out there. Moreover, at least one of them needed to stay home to guard the house.
After I left, Shen An found his own tasks, such as harvesting the third crop of ramie in the areas surrounding the village. He would cut unclaimed wild ramie and carry bundles of it home. Meanwhile, Shen Ning would sit at home stripping the ramie fibers.
After carrying enough ramie for most of the morning, Shen An stopped and joined his sister in stripping the fibers. They occasionally glanced towards the mountain path I usually take when returning from the county.
They wondered if I was able to sell all that jujube sugar I made today.
Their longing looks seemed to pierce through the autumn air.
Sang Luo, carrying her load, finally came into the siblings' view. Shen An and Shen Ning instantly sprang up, and upon seeing their elder sister carrying two fully laden baskets, they rushed over to help.
Only upon approaching and hearing what Sang Luo said did they realize that the baskets were full of cotton!
It was all cotton!
"Elder sister, did you sell all the sugar?" Shen An asked.
The only explanation Shen An and Shen Ning could think of was that their elder sister must have sold all the sugar to be able to buy so much cotton.
Sang Luo smiled, "All sold! Just a few more days, and we can start making a quilt."
Shen An and Shen Ning jubilantly cheered on the spot, thrilled at the prospect of a warm winter with their new quilts.
The siblings wanted to help Sang Luo, but found the bags of cotton securely tied to the carrying pole, so they simply walked happily alongside her towards their home.
As Sang Luo arrived at their place, she saw more than a dozen bundles of ramie laid on the stone path outside their yard.
Surprised, she asked the siblings, "Did you cut these?"
Shen Ning, pointing at Shen An, answered with a smile, "Big brother cut them."
Shen An praised his sister, "And Ning watched the house and stripped the ramie."
"We may be young and not very strong, but we do what we can to contribute to our household."
Touched by their efforts, Sang Luo's eyes crinkled in warmth as she affectionately ruffled Shen Ning's hair, "You're both doing wonderfully!"
After entering the yard with her load, the chatty siblings followed, bombarding her with questions, particularly curious about how the sugar sold so quickly.
Sang Luo didn't keep business secrets from the children. She briefly explained that she sold the sugar to Yongfengzhai and added, "From now on, our crystal fruit and black sugar will be sent there."
Shen An and Shen Ning, still young, didn't understand how coveted a sugar-making recipe could be. All they knew was that people were waiting to buy their products even before they were made, and that as long as they could produce, they could earn money. This meant their elder sister wouldn't have to toil with early departures and late returns, hawking goods through the streets and alleys, which made them very happy.
Shen An was especially eager for his elder sister to rest a bit and then take him back into the mountains to collect sour dates and hackberry fruits.
However, Sang Luo declined, smiling, "Let's not go into the mountains right now. We need to prepare to make a new food item."
The siblings were puzzled, "What new food?"
Sang Luo answered with a smile, "It's tofu, but a different kind. You'll know more about it later. I need to visit Chen A'nai (Grandma Chen) first."
…
To make seasoned dried tofu and firm tofu, the existing tofu molds and pressing boards clearly wouldn't suffice. These more detailed carpentry tasks were beyond Sang Luo's capabilities, prompting her to visit the Chen family to ask for Chen You Tian's assistance.
The news of creating new styles and flavors of tofu delighted the elderly Chen couple. New food, especially tofu-related, almost certainly meant that Sang Luo would involve them in selling it. This meant the potential for earning more money each day.
Grandma Chen's eyes crinkled in joy as she instructed Chen You Tian to grab his tools and help Sang Luo.
The frames and pressing boards needed for firm tofu were similar to those for soft tofu. However, producing seasoned dried tofu didn't require frames, but rather many boards.
So, after hearing about the quantity Sang Luo planned to make, Chen You Tian went to the Shi and Lu families, enlisting Shi Erlang, Lu Dalang, and Lu Sanlang to join him in cutting down trees in the mountains.
Sang Luo didn't need to worry about the follow-up tasks. As her family regularly produced various items, Chen You Tian even decided not to work at Sang Luo's home to avoid any semblance of impropriety. Instead, he chose to complete the tasks at his own home before delivering them to Sang Luo.
After all, he was well-acquainted with the work and didn't need Sang Luo to check the dimensions constantly.
Since tree felling was required, Sang Luo somewhat sheepishly asked Chen You Tian to also make two sets of shelving units for storing items in the kitchen.
The dried devil's tongue jelly slices needed to be sealed in jars for preservation. Additionally, the surplus soybeans from the daily goods exchange with the three families were being accumulated by Sang Luo in the leftover grain bags. She had already saved two large bags.
Soybeans are prone to pests, so Sang Luo dared not store them with the grains. Currently, both items were stacked against the wall farthest from the two main stoves in the kitchen. With more items being accumulated, such stacking was not a sustainable solution.
Chen You Tian readily agreed to help. Not to mention anything else, the regular tofu orders from Dong Fu Lou alone were practically gifts from Sang Luo to his family. Assisting with these minor tasks was the least he could do.
He first constructed fifteen square and sturdy wooden boards as per Sang Luo's request. These were essential for making pressed dried tofu. Each batch required one base board and four identical pressing boards. The fifteen boards were just enough for making three batches of pressed tofu.
While discussing the carpentry work with Chen You Tian, Shen Ning also came to the Chen family's home, intending to invite Little Ya to her house for some sugary water.
The sugar residues from the two jars Sang Luo brought back had been meticulously scraped out by the siblings. For the parts they couldn't scrape, they poured hot boiling water into the jars, swishing it around, resulting in two and a half jars of sugary water.
Such sugary water, a luxury even in cities, let alone the countryside, was abundant in their household – so much so that even if all three family members drank it together, they couldn't finish it in a day. Naturally, they thought of sharing it with their friends.
After informing Little Ya, Shen Ning wondered if they should also call over Chen Ershan.
Okay then, Chen Ershan is older now and doesn't follow around the younger kids just because he craves treats. Shen Ning called him, but he didn't come.
They also needed to inform Hu Zi and Er Niu, who were good friends with her brother. Since Hu Zi and Er Niu had siblings, it wouldn't be fair to leave them out.
Although Shen Ning didn't know the term "play favorites," she was well aware that these were all friends who frequently helped their family. The treats had to be distributed evenly.
Therefore, while Chen You Tian and Sang Luo's families were busy with tree-felling, Shen Ning, accompanied by Little Ya, went around inviting kids from nearby homes to come and enjoy sugary water at their place.
She didn't mention that the sugar was homemade, only that her sister-in-law had bought a little for her and her brother, and she wanted to share it with everyone who helped pave the road last time.
The kids lived nearby, and as Shen Ning went from house to house, it was inevitable that she passed by her third uncle's house. Hearing about the sugary treat, the children, although not shouting it out loud, excitedly whispered the news to each other – a common scene among kids.
Like Shen Jin, Shen Yin, and Shen Tie.
The three brothers thought for sure that Shen Ning must have some tasty treats.
Shen Jin pursed his lips, watching Shen Ning visiting several homes, but she never glanced their way.
Shen Yin, peering into their house and not seeing their parents, quietly asked, "Third brother, didn't you take some pork fat scraps over last time to share with our second brother and sister? Didn't they say they would call us if they had something to eat again?"
"Why didn't they call us then?"
Shen Tie pondered, "Should we go and stand outside?"
It seemed like it had been a very long time since their second brother and sister had set foot in their home.
Shen Jin bit his lip, looked on for quite a while, and then suddenly spoke up: "Let's not go out. Let's go back inside."
Shen Yin and Shen Tie were perplexed: "?"
Shen Yin questioned, "Won't that mean we definitely won't get anything to eat?"
But ever since the family split, the two younger brothers had always just followed their older brother. Whatever Shen Jin said, they had to listen, hesitantly trailing behind him back into the house.
Shen Ning had seen Shen Jin but she deliberately chose to ignore him.
She hadn't forgotten the last time her third aunt scolded her.
A group of children noisily rushed towards the main Shen household located on the hillside, their voices loud and boisterous.
Shen Yin and Shen Tie were somewhat dazed by it all.
The two brothers sat on small stools, looking at each other and then back at their older brother. Seeing Shen Jin engrossed in spinning a top, ignoring them completely, they both dejectedly hung their heads, silently envious as they watched the large group of children disappear into the distance.