Chapter 126 – Untitled
"Sending the betrothal gifts? Isn't that next month? Didn't we already plow the vegetable fields and plant the seeds? The crops should be ready by next month, so why do we need to ask Second Son for vegetables? It's not like you don't know about the living conditions of Second Son's family. As his parents, even if we can't help him, we shouldn't add to their misfortunes and cause more trouble for our children. What would others say about us?" Of course, Old Yu didn't believe her nonsense and immediately exposed her.
"Shouldn't a son be filial to his parents? What would others say! Do you think that others won't gossip about a son who eats and lives well while his parents barely have enough to eat?" Madam Zhang was an expert at pestering others endlessly.
Old Yu frowned and became even more displeased, "What do you mean by 'we barely have enough to eat'? Although we're not making as much money from selling fish as before, it's certainly enough to feed our entire family. Moreover, you still have a lot of..."
"It's for our third son's studies, so no one is allowed to touch it!" Madam Zhang valued her youngest son the most and no one was allowed to touch him. When she heard Old Yu mention her savings, she instantly startled and glanced at Xiaocao with a guilty conscience.
Old Yu felt even more furious within his heart, "Whenever money is mentioned, you always say that it's for Third Son's studies! Yet you run over to cause trouble for Second Son's family when they have already split from the family! Your heart is seriously too biased!!"
"I'm biased? You're saying that I'm being partial?! After I married you, I gave birth to and raised your children. I don't waste money on food or clothes. Who am I doing all this for? Was it for myself? I just want to foster a scholar from our family so that our whole family can live a better life. Who am I being biased to? Eldest Son is my biological son, have I ever been partial to him? Second Son is more capable than Eldest Son. I also remember all his contributions to the family!! In the future, when Third Son passes the examination to become an official, wouldn't he, as his older brother, also be benefited?" Madam Zhang wiped her tears as she spoke, as if she was the one who had been wronged and taken advantage of.
Old Yu's heart softened when he saw Madam Zhang's tears, but he still persisted, "That still isn't a valid reason to ask an older brother, who had separated from the family, to financially support his younger brother's studies! Stop crying here, or else you'll become a laughingstock. Quickly come home with me!!"
Seeing that she wouldn't be able to take advantage of them today, Madam Zhang dawdled over to the entrance. Madam Li didn't even dare to lift up her head as she dejectedly followed behind her mother-in-law. Her father-in-law was really angry today. He didn't even give face to her mother-in-law, let alone her.
"Ay!" Old Yu touched the head of Xiaocao, who was standing beside him and staring at him with wide eyes. After that, he looked at his son and daughter-in-law, who had only come out from the rear courtyard at this time. With a tired voice, he sighed, "The husband will have less trouble if his wife is virtuous! It was fortunate that I didn't listen to Madam Zhang's decision to have you marry her niece. I have a good daughter-in-law. You guys need to live a good life!"
After that, with his hands clasped behind his back and his body stooped down, he left with heavy footsteps.
"Grandfather! I'll gather some vegetables for you to take back!!" Yu Xiaocao was more or less satisfied with her grandfather's performance today. It seemed like he wasn't a complete fool yet.
Old Yu stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at her. He slowly shook his head and said, "No need. Keep them to sell for money! This old residence needs to be renovated thoroughly so that it won't be crushed by the snow during winter!"
Yu Xiaocao signaled her father with her eyes. Yu Hai understood her meaning and quickly said, "Father, it's nothing much. This son of yours can still provide you with some vegetables to eat! Cao'er's mother, you go and help Cao'er gather a portion of each vegetables."
He personally went forward to pull Old Yu back to sit on the stone chair in the courtyard, and then poured a cup of water for his father to drink. After drinking the water brought by his son, Old Yu felt much better both physically and mentally. His son still had him, his father, within his heart.
Before he had finished a cup of water, Xiaocao and her mother had already swiftly gathered the vegetables and packed them in a basket. It appeared to be around ten catties of vegetables in the basket. Right now, in the Yu Family, there were only the Old Yu couple, the eldest son's family, and the unmarried youngest sister. Thus, it was enough for them to eat for several days.
However, Madam Zhang wasn't satisfied and felt that Yu Hai's family had given them too little. While she scolded Dahai's entire family within her heart, she took out most of the greens from the basket that Old Yu brought back, and then sent them to her youngest son early in the morning on the next day.
Madam Li, who had a terrible complexion after a night of nightmares, inwardly criticized Madam Zhang for her biasness. She grumbled her complaint to Yu Dashan for several days.
As for Yu Xiaocao's family, who had earned over eight hundred sixty taels today, they were currently discussing what to do with sixty-something taels in front of them.
The head of the family, Yu Hai, was the first to speak. He cleared his throat and solemnly said, "As I have just said, our Cao'er's recipe was sold for eight hundred taels. We have already asked Third Young Master Zhou to help us buy a storefront with the money. I reckon that the shops at the newly constructed port wouldn't be too expensive! We should be able to buy four spaces! At that time, you siblings will each have a shop, fair to all!"
Yu Hang, who was half lying on the kang bed, hastily said, "Youngest Sister was the one who earned the money to purchase the store. As her older brother, how can I take advantage of her? I'll leave my space to Youngest Sister!"
Yu Xiaocao glared at him with widened eyes and said unhappily, "Older Brother, what you're saying isn't right! We're blood-related siblings, so why do we need to be so clear-cut about everything?"
"People say that even real siblings should settle accounts without ambiguity! For example, it wouldn't make sense for Father to buy land and a store for Eldest Uncle." Yu Hang insisted.
Yu Xiaocao snorted and said, "We have already separated from the family now. We won't give them any less of the filial respect that we are obliged to, but we aren't paying for a single penny more than necessary! Older Brother, when you get better, the business at the docks will be handed to you. In the future, when the new port is built, you would be able to expand the business at the docks and earn a lot of money. Would you disregard your younger siblings at that time?"
"Of course not! It's our family's business, so of course the profits should be handed into the family account!" Yu Hang immediately retorted.
"Isn't that the same logic? The money that I'm earning right now is also handed into the family account to be managed. Even if it's not given to you guys now, when we grow up and split from the family in the future, we still need to divide it evenly!" Yu Hang had never won when debating with Yu Xiaocao.
Yu Hang frowned and wanted to decline again, "But... Youngest Sister, you were the one who earned all the money ah..."
"Alright, let's stop talking about this! It's decided!!" Seeing that the siblings were each holding their own ground, Yu Hai spoke up to make the final decision, "Xiaosha, you don't have to feel like you're taking advantage of your younger sister. In the future, your younger sisters will also need their brothers' support!"
Little Shitou, who had returned at dusk last night for his break, put down the book in his hands and laughed, "Father, even if we don't have a store, Older Brother and I will still support our sisters! In the future, if that person mistreats Second Sister, I'll bring her home and take care of her for a lifetime!!"
"You're only going to take care of your second sister? Do you not care about your eldest sister at all?" Xiaolian teased her younger brother with a smile.
Little Shitou hadn't had a chance to correct himself before Xiaocao pinched both his cheeks, "You heartless little fellow. There's so many good things you can say, but instead you're cursing your second sister to be bullied in the future?"
Little Shitou's little face, which had just become more fleshy, was pulled out to two sides by his second sister, and then squashed together again in the middle. His small mouth was squeezed together until it looked like a pig's snout as he struggled to explain himself. He, who would become a high-scoring top scholar in the imperial examination in his teens, was currently being bullied by his second sister.
After Yu Xiaocao played enough with his face, she finally let him go mercifully. Little Shitou covered his face, which had turned red from being pinched, and muttered with a pout, "Second Sister, I'm wrong! Who dares to bully you? You're the one who is going to bully others!"
"Of course!!" Yu Xiaocao had a complacent expression, and then said, "It's decided then, everyone gets a store! It would be better if the shops are cheap and we can buy more. If we have more younger siblings in the future, we can also prepare some for them too!"
Liu Muyun, who was sitting on the edge of the kang bed with a slight smile, heard her words and looked up. When she saw her youngest daughter's teasing gaze, her pale face immediately flushed. She chided, "This child. How mischievous! You even dare to tease your own parents!"
Yu Xiaocao grinned and replied, "Mother, I'm not joking! Last time when Doctor Sun checked on Eldest Brother, didn't he also take your pulse? He said that your health is much better now. I heard that lingering illness from the postnatal confinement period needs to be healed during the confinement period. If you want to restore your body, you should give birth to a younger brother or sister as soon as possible! You don't need to do anything. Xiaolian and I will be responsible for taking care of the little baby!"
Yu Hai was eager to try when he heard that having another child could help his wife heal her body. He had never been someone who was good at hiding his emotions, so when Madam Liu saw his expression, her face became even more red. She quietly pinched Yu Hai's waist, but her husband caught her hand and held it firmly within his own hand.
Little Shitou looked at the sixty-something shiny taels on the table. There was a genuine look of joy on his face as he said, "Second Sister, you're truly capable!! Sure enough, you're someone who have been enlightened by the deities..."
Yu Hai hastily interjected and reprimanded him, "Don't go out and talk nonsense!! Your second sister was able to come up with so many recipes because she picked up a remnant of a recipe book and has some talent for cooking! If someone asks you in the future, just tell them that! Do you guys understand?"
Yu Hang and Yu Xiaolian nodded solemnly. Little Shitou mischievously replied, "Don't worry, I'm not stupid! I won't sell out my older sister!! I heard from my classmate that his hometown was rather ignorant and conservative. They had burned to death an older sister from the same clan because she could see strange things. They said that she was a monster and an ominous person, who would bring disaster to the village..."
Madam Liu was so frightened that she immediately threw down the clothing that she was making. She held Xiaocao tightly within her embrace and nervously said, "My daughter isn't a monster. Our Cao'er will only bring good luck to others! Isn't Cao'er the reason our family's living conditions improved? Little Shitou, you can't speak carelessly in the future! Understand?!"
"I know, I understand!" Little Shitou also realized that the severity of the situation and was so scared that he didn't know what to do.
Xiaocao was reluctant to leave her mother's gentle and warm embrace. With a happy smile on her face, she changed the topic, "What do you guys want to do with this sixty-something taels? Should we save it up, or spend it?"
Chapter 127 – Discussion
The head of the household, Yu Hai, looked down and thought for a moment before saying, "How about this? After spring plowing, let's knock down the old residence and build a new five-room house. We can also widen the yard a little bit... No, it's a newly built fence, so that would waste too much time and energy. It's better to renovate the old residence and build a three-room house next to it, and then enclose it with stones. This way, Xiaosha wouldn't have to worry about the house when he gets married in the future. We can make a door in the middle so that it's more convenient for us to come and go between the two buildings!"
Yu Xiaocao really didn't want to be too close to the two outrageously annoying people, Madam Zhang and Madam Li. She made a different suggestion, "Father, I think we might as well save more money and ask Third Young Master to help us find a residence in town, and then buy some fields around town. Let's just settle down in town! In the future, Little Shitou will be studying for a long time in town, so it would also be more convenient for him to come home!"
Madam Liu was somewhat interested upon hearing her words. Little Shitou had only turned six after the New Year, yet he already had to stay in town to study by himself. As his mother, it was inevitable that she would miss and be concerned about her son at all times.
Yu Hai lowered his head and pondered for a moment, and then slowly shook his head, "Our roots are in Dongshan Village after all. You guys are still young, so you don't quite understand the principle of 'being sentimentally attached to your homeland'. Besides, your grandfather is still living here. No son would enjoy a happy life in town, while leaving his elders to suffer in the countryside."
Little Shitou frowned and muttered, "But Younger Uncle lives in town. He eats good rice and flour every day, and he also often eats meat! Little Doudou's attires are no different than the noble young masters in town. They even have a maidservant attending to him. He can live in town, so why can't we?"
Little Shitou had been studying at Rongxuan Academy for less than a month, but his younger uncle, Yu Bo, had already went to the academy to visit him three times. Although Rongxuan Academy didn't prohibit visits by relatives and friends, if it happened too frequently, it may leave a bad impression on the teachers. Little Shitou has also tried to obscurely remind his younger uncle, but his younger uncle didn't seem to have heard it at all and completely disregarded his feelings.
On one occasion, he happened to meet the headmaster at the entrance of the academy. The headmaster stopped to talk to him cordially and was praising his second sister's culinary skills when his younger uncle came over. After he introduced him to the headmaster, as if he was 'burning the bridge after crossing it', his younger uncle didn't even look at him again and only cared about talking to the headmaster. The headmaster obviously didn't want to talk to Younger Uncle, but he just tactlessly continued to flatter him. It was so freaking embarrassing!
After the headmaster left, Younger Uncle invited him to his house for a meal that day for the first time. There wasn't any coarse grain in their kitchen at all, and was full of polished rice and wheat flour instead. There was a large piece of meat being cured inside a jar and chicken soup cooked in the pot. They were eating better food than the rich families in the neighboring villages!
Before they had split from the main family, their family didn't have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear, yet they still had to save up money to support Younger Uncle's noblemen-like lifestyle in town. Little Shitou felt very sad when he thought about that. Even the chicken soup and stir-fried meat that he ate at noon seemed tasteless!
"Our family put all hopes on your younger uncle. Your grandmother is anticipating your younger uncle to pass the examination to become an official, and then get her a title of a ranked noble madam. Thus, she naturally wouldn't treat your younger uncle too badly!" Yu Hai gave a somewhat weak explanation.
Xiaolian pursed her lips and muttered in a low voice, "Younger Uncle relies completely on the family's support, yet he can still live in town. So why can't we buy a house in town when we make our own money?"
"...Actually, our Dongshan Village is close to the mountains and sea, and the villagers are simple and warmhearted. Everyone will help each other out when needed. Isn't that better than living in town and being unfamiliar with the people and surroundings?" Yu Hai was still a little reluctant to leave the village that he was born and raised in.
Yu Xiaocao had already arrived in this world for over half a year. She knew that people in ancient times had an extraordinary attachment to their homeland, so she didn't continue to insist. She thought about it and said, "Then let's built the house first. After we sell the vegetables in the backyard, let's buy a house and farmland in town!"
"Almighty Second Sister! Second Sister is like a nouveau riche!" Being influenced by Yu Xiaocao, Little Shitou would throw out a couple of strange terms from time to time. This was something that everyone was already used to.
As usual, all the money was kept and managed by Xiaocao. Yu Hai pretended to be dispirited and heavily sighed, "Ay... It seems like I might lose my position as the head of the household very soon. Someone is trying to seize power!"
Xiaolian giggled and said, "We can all rest assured since the money is being kept by Younger Sister! She is just an accountant at most. Father and Mother still makes the decisions in our family!"
"Really? Why do I feel like Cao'er makes the final decision more often?" Yu Hai feigned an aggrieved expression, making the entire family laugh. Yu Hai laughed so much that his ribs started to hurt, but he still couldn't stop.
Little Shitou joined in the fun and exclaimed, "We'll listen to whoever is right! Second Sister is our family's cash cow right now, so in terms of making money, we can't go wrong as long as we listen to Second Sister!!"
Everyone burst out in laughter again and teased Little Shitou for being a little money-grubber...
Yu Xiaocao really liked the atmosphere at home. Her father didn't have the autocratic and dictatorial characteristics of a feudal parent at all. He would just be somewhat pedantic occasionally. Her mother was completely devoted to her children. Her gentle motherly love and tolerant feelings provided the children with enough freedom to mature. The genuine concern and friendly affections among the siblings let her gradually forget her previous life, and truly regard herself as a member of the family.
The following days were busy and fulfilling. Every night, they had to work overtime to make braised food and pickled fish to be sold the next day, which Xiaolian and Xiaocao took turns to sell at the docks. On the days that she didn't need to go to the docks, Xiaocao would plow the fields that had been harvested and plant new vegetables seeds.
The current temperature was more suitable for growing vegetables. With the addition of the little divine stone's strengthened powers, the mystic-stone water's ability to accelerate growth had enhanced. Hence, they could almost harvest a batch of vegetables every ten days. In other words, when other people's vegetables were still small seedlings, the Yu Family was already selling their second crop of vegetables.
Along with the new batch of crops, the vegetables with slightly longer growth periods, which were planted in the four mu of land in the backyard, were also ready to be sold at the market. String beans, cucumbers, eggplants, and hyacinth beans... The Yao Residence would almost come over daily to buy vegetables. Sure enough, the person responsible for purchasing the vegetables was Xiaosi, who was familiar with the Yu Family!
Last time, the Yao Family had gotten the limelight during Old Master Yao's birthday banquet. Most of the guests were rich landlords in and around town. Which household had the financial resources to grow vegetables in a greenhouse? In Tanggu Town, those who could eat green leafy vegetables could be counted with one hand.
At the Yao Family's birthday banquet, not only did they have a variety of vegetables, they also provided a sufficient quantity of the greens to ensure that the guest ate to their heart's content. Furthermore, the vegetables that had been watered by the mystic-stone water not only tasted better but also contained a light amount of spiritual energy, which made people want to eat more and more. After that, the Yao Family never stopped purchasing vegetables from them. Although there was spiritual energy in the vegetables, it might be apparent when eaten only once or twice. However, if people continued to eat them for a long period of time, they would gradually realize the benefits of eating these vegetables.
Old Master Yao was getting old now. He also went through a lot of hard work when he was young, and thus ended up with a lot of pain and illnesses. Ever since he began eating the vegetables bought from the Yu Family, not only did he become more energetic, his health was also getting better and better. In the past, there was a chilly sensation in his bones and joints during rainy and cloudy days. It had been raining continuously this spring, but his rheumatic pains didn't act up. Recently, many of his old pals said that he appeared much younger after seeing him!
As the temperature got warmer, there was an increase in vegetables being sold in the food market. The steward who was currently in charge of purchasing goods and necessities felt that it was unnecessary to travel so far to buy vegetables every day, so he instructed his subordinates to go buy the vegetables at the food market. But the members of Yao Family immediately noticed the difference of the vegetables after their first bite. They summoned the servant responsible for buying the vegetables and found out that it wasn't vegetables from the Yu Family.
The old master flew into a furious rage. Even though he didn't fire the purchasing steward for this incident, he assigned an assistant for him. The assistant turned out to be Xiaosi, who often traveled between Dongshan Village and town. The head of the Yao Family immediately ordered, "In the future, only buy vegetables from the Yu Family! It doesn't matter if it's more expensive because the Yao Family doesn't lack that kind of money. It's fine as long as the old master is happy!"
As a result, the Yao Family became Xiaocao's family's first regular client!
Their second regular client was none other than Zhenxiu Restaurant. In the absence of new crops, Zhenxiu Restaurant was still able to provide fresh greens. As a result, they had another increase in patrons. Right now, Zhenxiu Restaurant could be described as 'filled with guests every day, full house every day'! A lot of times, when people wanted to go eat at Zhenxiu Restaurant, they still needed to make an appointment or wait in line!
Of course, this wasn't all due to the Yu Family's vegetables, but also partly because Zhenxiu Restaurant introduced a new dish—roasted chicken!
Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chicken was absolutely delicious! Rongxuan Academy's Headmaster Yuan was a renowned gourmet. After tasting it, he commented, "The meat is tender and chewy, and comes right off the bone. With a brilliant color, the whole chicken is round and full. It has a perfectly savory and delicious taste. A unique taste with a lingering fragrance!" Not only did he finish an entire roasted chicken alone, he also packaged several back! His action caused his grandson, Yuan Yunxi, to feel extremely speechless.
Speaking of this roasted chicken, Head Chef Wang had wasted around twenty chickens as he tried to perfect the recipe. However, he was still unsuccessful after many attempts. With no other choice, Third Young Master Zhou personally took him to Dongshan Village to 'learn from the teacher'.
There were more than ten procedures when preparing a small roasted chicken. It needed to be slaughtered, scalded, massaged, washed, plucked, simmered, blanched, dried, fried, braised, and more. Each step needed to be carried out in strict accordance with the cooking instructions. The ingredients for the roasted chicken also needed to be meticulously prepared. In addition, it was also very important to have an accurate grasp of the duration and degree of heat when cooking the roasted chicken. Therefore, Yu Xiaocao had to personally demonstrate three times before Head Chef Wang finally mastered the skill.
As soon as the roasted chicken was introduced, it quickly created a new trend. 'If you haven't eaten Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chicken, then you're too behind on the trend!' Anyone, who had a bit of money and status, would be too embarrassed to go outside if they hadn't tried this delicacy from Zhenxiu Restaurant because they were afraid of being asked! The greetings from friends and neighbors become, "Have you tried Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chicken? It tasted..."
Oftentimes, except for the ones reserved for the private rooms, Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chickens would be immediately sold out right after they were taken out of the pot. It had actually reached the point when the demand exceeded the supply. The reservations for the roasted chickens had already reached next month! For a period of time, it created a situation in which it was difficult to even get a chicken!
As a result, Zhenxiu Restaurant's private room had also become very popular. This was because only the customers dining in the private rooms wouldn't have to line up to eat the authentic roasted chicken. With that said, was it even possible for Zhenxiu Restaurant's business not to be flourishing?
Chapter 128 – The Reason for Her Visit
The popularity of the roasted chicken also led to the increase of people raising chickens in the villages around Tanggu Town. An example would be Xiaocao's family's neighbor, the Zhou Family, who had raised one to two hundred chickens in their home. They didn't sell very well during the New Year, and thus caused Madam Fang to be so worried that she didn't even eat or sleep well.
No one would have expected that after Zhenxiu Restaurant came out with the hot-selling dish, roasted chicken, it would also cause the demand for chickens to increase day by day. The price of chickens was also nearly 1/3 higher than usual. As a result, Madam Fang didn't have to worry about not being able to sell her family's chickens at all. They had over a hundred chicks hatched at the beginning of spring, and they were still going around to buy more chicks. She had heard from Shanhu that their family was planning on raising four to five hundred chickens this year, which would all be supplied to Zhenxiu Restaurant!
As for the connection between the Zhou Family and Zhenxiu Restaurant, it was all thanks to the Yu Family! Like the Yao Family, Zhenxiu Restaurant also sent a carriage to transport the vegetables that they bought from the Yu Family every day. Zhenxiu Restaurant would purchase a large quantity of vegetables and the Yu Family was too busy, so Madam Fang would bring her two daughters over to help out.
Zhenxiu Restaurant's purchasing staff, Qian Xiaoduo, mentioned that the restaurant's roasted chicken was selling very well. The other staff, who was responsible for buying the chickens, had been running around all the surrounding villages so much that his legs had slimmed down.
Yu Xiaocao took this opportunity and mentioned the Zhou Family, "Auntie Zhou's family raises hundreds of chickens! Older Brother Xiaoduo, when you come to buy vegetables in the future, you can also get the chickens and bring them back with you!"
Did it really matter where they bought the chickens from? With the current hot demand for Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chicken, one or two hundreds of chickens could be sold in just a few days! Qian Xiaoduo was certainly willing to do this favor for Xiaocao and immediately agreed. The next day, he brought some people over to bring back most of the Zhou Family's chickens!
The Yu Family's other neighbor, Madam Mao, was green with envy. It was unknown how she found out that Xiaocao was the one who came up with the recipe for Zhenxiu Restaurant's roasted chicken, but one evening, she came to their house with two plump ducks and a basket of duck eggs.
"Oh! Brother Dahai, you know how to make this too?!" As soon as Madam Mao entered the courtyard, she saw Yu Hai weaving a bamboo basket under the faint light of a lantern.
Yu Hai skillfully braided the bamboo strips together in a crisscross pattern. He looked up upon hearing the sound and saw Madam Mao. He stopped what he was doing and greeted her with a smile, "Oh, it's Older Sister-in-law Qian. Quickly come inside and sit down. Muyun, Older Sister-in-law Qian is here..."
"Brother Dahai, is Xiaocao home?" Madam Mao looked into the main room and only saw Madam Liu, who came out after putting down the clothes she was sewing, and thus she asked.
Yu Hai nodded and said, "Yes! She's in the east room. Older Sister-in-law Qian, do you need Xiaocao for something? I'll go get her for you."
"No need, no need! I'll go find her in the east room... Our family raised these two ducks ourselves. Here, take them to eat." Madam Mao looked around, and then simply took the ducks and duck eggs into the Yu Family's kitchen.
Yu Hai raised his eyebrows in surprise, 'This Madam Mao has always been someone who would haggle over every penny, and no one should even think about getting a single penny out of her hands. But of course, she also rarely took advantage of others. Although she spoke rudely at times, she wasn't someone difficult to get along with. Why was she suddenly so generous today, to send gifts to my family?'
Madam Liu quickly went forward and declined, "Older Sister-in-law Qian, it's not easy for you to raise these ducks at home. We can't accept them!"
"Our family's ducks don't cost much money. You see, when your family moved in, our family was busy and didn't come over for the housewarming. We live close by and close neighbors are better than distant relatives. So, we'll be interacting and helping each other more in the future. Moreover, your family's Shitou and our family's Qian Wen goes to the same school. They're as close as brothers. So, what's wrong with giving a few ducks to the children to eat?" Sure enough, Madam Mao was an excellent speaker, who spoke without even pausing as if she was pouring beans.
Madam Liu picked up the ducks that Madam Mao put down, and then stuffed it back into her hands as she said, "Older Sister-in-law! Your family isn't well-off either. You should keep these ducks and duck eggs to sell!"
With the mention of selling ducks, Madam Mao's face was covered with a cloud of sorrows. She sighed heavily and said, "I'll speak honestly with Younger Sister-in-law. The heavy snowstorm at the beginning of winter has also negatively affected the sales of our ducks. Raising ducks for nearly a year, not only cost efforts, but it also requires a lot of food. If we can't sell them, we will be losing a lot of money and time. We still owe half a year of Wen'er's tuition... Also, these duck eggs, the townsfolk think that the eggs taste fishy and don't like to eat them. So I can only helplessly watch as they go bad."
Every family had their own problems. Madam Liu listened with deep sympathy, but she could only console Madam Mao with feeble words.
"Younger Sister-in-law, I heard that Zhenxiu Restaurant got the recipe for the roasted chicken from your family. The head chef of Zhenxiu Restaurant had personally come to your house to learn it. Furthermore, you guys were the ones who recommended Zhou Family's chickens to Zhenxiu Restaurant. Is that true?" Madam Mao stared fixedly at Madam Liu, full of anticipation.
Madam Liu glanced hesitantly at her husband. She didn't know what Madam Mao, who wouldn't do anything without benefits, meant by asking this question.
Yu Hai walked over slowly and lowered his voice to say, "I won't hide it from Older Sister-in-law! The recipe for the roasted chicken really did come from our family's Cao'er. But no matter how you found out this news, please don't spread it out to others."
With an expression that showed she understood, Madam Mao also spoke with a lowered voice, "Brother Dahai, rest assured. I, this Older Sister-in-law, isn't a blabbermouth! But there's something I don't quite understand. With such a good recipe, why didn't you guys set up your own roasted chicken business, but instead benefitted Zhenxiu Restaurant?"
Yu Hai thought about it and said, "We have been doing business with Zhenxiu Restaurant for some time now. Zhenxiu Restaurant's Third Young Master Zhou usually takes good of us. As for the roasted chicken business, we are short on manpower and also afraid of bringing trouble to our family. Thus, it's better to sell the recipe!"
The Yu Family were only ordinary people, who had no power or status. Based on the current popularity and excessive demand for the roasted chicken, had it been the Yu Family selling the dish, it would had definitely attracted devious people who would want to obtain their recipe. At that time, not only would they not be able to keep the recipe, their entire family might be ruined if they encountered someone ruthless.
Madam Mao had also straightened out her thoughts. She nodded thoughtfully, but a moment later, she couldn't resist asking, "Did you guys sell the recipe to Zhenxiu Restaurant for a good price? Don't be deceived by others!"
Of course, Yu Hai wouldn't be so foolish as to reveal his family's financial situation to others. He answered vaguely, "The young boss of Zhenxiu Restaurant is an honest person, so he offered us a reasonable price..."
Madam Mao also realized that it was inappropriate to ask him this question, so she hastily apologized, "Just look at this mouth of mine. Why am I being so nosy? Oh right, Xiaocao isn't asleep yet, is she? I need her help with something."
"Nope! Shitou came home for break, so the siblings are learning how to read from him!" His youngest daughter said that if their business got bigger in the future, they would need to replenish their stocks, do bookkeeping, and sign contracts. So, it was absolutely out of the question for them to not be able to read and write. Everyone in the family, including him and his wife, had to learn how to read and write.
As Madam Mao followed Yu Hai and his wife and headed to the east room, she said, "Your children really love learning. Our family's Qian Wu would throw a tantrum whenever we tell him to study. I understand now that he's not suitable for studying. In the future, he won't even be able to enter an ordinary school in town, let alone Rongxuan Academy!"
"Wuzi is still young, so he hasn't matured yet! It will be better later!!" Madam Liu pushed open the door of the east room as she comforted her. The children were currently using water to write on the table with their hands under the light of the oil lamp.
Madam Liu chided them upon seeing this, "Didn't we buy paper and brushes for you guys to practice writing with? Why aren't you using them?"
Xiaolian lifted her head and smiled at her, "Don't we have to use money to buy the paper and brushes? We want to wait until we're better at writing before practicing on paper! Mother, when you gave birth to Xiaocao, were you biased and gave all the good qualities to her? She was born to hurt our ego!"
"What's wrong? Cao'er, did you bully your older sister?" With a bright smile on her face, Madam Liu glared at Xiaocao and asked.
Yu Xiaocao pouted and had an aggrieved expression on her face, "I didn't! Mother, you're falsely accusing me!"
Yu Hang was able to sit up now. He was holding a book and working hard to read the characters on it. Seeing this scene, he smiled and said, "Mother, Xiaolian is blaming you for giving birth to such a smart younger sister, who simply remembers everything with one look. It makes us seem really stupid in comparison."
"Is it my fault that I'm smart?" Yu Xiaocao felt that she was being excluded. She blinked her big eyes and stared at her mother pitifully, requesting for comfort.
"Younger Sister-in-law, your children have such a good relationship! Unlike my three children. The eldest is slightly better since he has matured after going to school. But Wuzi and his younger sister fight every day. It seriously gives me a headache!" Madam Mao wanted to ask them for a favor, so she was very generous with her compliments. She was desperately giving out praises as if they were freebies.
"Hello, Auntie!"
"Why did Auntie come over?"
"Auntie, quickly come sit on the kang bed."
The kids all greeted her at the same time.
"You don't have to get up. Xiaosha, it seems like your injury has gotten a lot better. Auntie brought over two ducks and a basket of duck eggs. They're good for nourishing your body." Madam Mao was quite skilled in conducting herself.
With a warm smile on his face, Yu Hang replied in a well-behaved manner, "Thank you Auntie! I have troubled you."
Yu Hai turned to tell Xiaocao, "Cao'er, your Auntie Qian is looking for you..."
"Auntie, what's the matter?" Yu Xiaocao was somewhat puzzled. Did the sun rise from the west today? Madam Mao had actually sent their family a present. Moreover, it wasn't just some small gift. It was two ducks and a basket of duck eggs. She had really gone all out. So it turned out that 'no one ever visits a temple without a reason' ah!
Madam Mao looked at the other people in the room and seemed a little embarrassed to speak. Xiaocao considerately got off the kang bed and took her to the courtyard. She whispered, "Auntie, if there's something I can help you, you can tell me directly!"
Madam Mao told her about the poor sales of her ducks and how they didn't have enough money to pay for her eldest son's tuition after the New Year. After that, she stammered, "Look, can you come up with a good dish that uses duck as the main ingredient?! If not... using duck eggs would be fine too! It's best... it's best if it's a dish that Zhenxiu Restaurant will be interested in..."
In the darkness, Madam Mao's face was burning hot. She really didn't ask for favors very often, especially when the other party was a child who hadn't even reached the age of ten.
Immediately, a series of dishes, such as salted duck, osmanthus duck, pipa duck, duck seasoned with soy sauce, and roasted duck, emerged with Yu Xiaocao's mind. It was easy to handle duck eggs too. They could be used to make delicacies like century eggs, tofu with century eggs, and congee with lean pork and century eggs.
But she didn't immediately agree to her request. She only promised to try it out and made it clear that it may not necessarily succeed.
Chapter 129 – Not Poisonous
Madam Mao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you very much! Even the famous chef of Zhenxiu Restaurant praised you for your great talent in cooking. So you will definitely be able to make a delicious duck dish. You can experiment with these two ducks first. If it's not enough, Auntie can bring more over. Xiaocao, I'll leave this matter in your hands then!"
"Auntie, with our families' relationship, there's no need to be so courteous. But, let's make things clear first. If it's successful, the recipe belongs to me. As for the sales of your family's ducks, I can help recommend them to Qian Xiaoduo." Yu Xiaocao made things clear beforehand.
Madam Mao wasn't someone unreasonable, so she repeatedly nodded her head, "Yes, of course! It should be so! Auntie is already very grateful that you're willing to help me sell my family's ducks. Would I still be considered a human, if I were to covet the recipe that you came up with?"
After sending away Madam Mao, who was expressing her gratitude over and over again, Yu Xiaocao entered the house. When faced with a room full of 'interrogating' eyes, she honestly gave a brief explanation of the purpose of Madam Mao's visit.
After hearing that, Madam Liu sighed and said, "As fellow villagers, even if they didn't bring gifts over, we would also help them out if they had encountered difficulties. But, Cao'er, can you really come up with a dish that uses duck as the main ingredient?"
Yu Hai stopped her and said, "Muyun, don't give the child pressure! Our Cao'er isn't a short-sighted person. If she didn't have any ideas at all, she wouldn't have easily accepted those ducks and duck eggs!"
Xiaolian laughed and said, "Youngest Sister, have a good sleep tonight. Perhaps someone will teach you how to prepare the ducks and duck eggs in your dreams!"
The whole family laughed and chatted together, and from time to time, a burst of cheerful and sweet laughter could be heard.
In the end, the head of the family, Yu Hai, ordered, "Everyone, quickly go to bed! Spring plowing will begin tomorrow. Xiaocao, take Little Gray when you go to the wharf tomorrow morning. Your mother, Xiaolian, and I will go plow the three plots of sandy land!
"Father, are we still planting sweet potatoes in the fields?" Yu Xiaocao asked casually.
Yu Hai stroked her soft hair and replied in a gentle voice, "What else would we plant other than sweet potatoes? Other crops can't produce much on sandy soil!"
Yu Xiaocao abruptly asked, "Sandy soil is the best place to grow watermelons. Father, can we somehow get some watermelon seeds?"
"Watermelon? Never heard of it. How about... tomorrow I'll go to the grain store in town and ask?" Yu Hai trusted his daughter unconditionally. Even if it was something he had never heard of before, he would still do his best to help his daughter achieve what she wanted.
Yu Xiaocao didn't hold much hope. Watermelon wasn't a grain, so why would the grain store have the seeds?
The rest of the night quietly passed by. The next day, when the first light of the day shone on the seedlings in the garden, all the members of the Yu Family had already gotten up. Yu Xiaocao wanted to wait for Qian Xiaoduo, and then ask him to send a message to Third Young Master Zhou. So, it was still Xiaolian who went to the docks. Third Young Master Zhou was someone who had even been to the capital so he must be experienced and knowledgeable, and thus he should know what a watermelon was. It would be even better if he could help her buy some watermelon seeds.
Yu Hai thought that it wasn't a good idea for no one to be home since there would be people coming to buy vegetables later, so he left his youngest daughter at home. (Yu Hang: Am I not a person?)
Shortly afterwards, Madam Fang came over with her two daughters. She entered the gates and asked, "Are you guys still harvesting the crops in the backyard today?"
"Auntie Zhou, I feel so apologetic to see you coming over to help every day!" Yu Xiaocao expressed her gratitude in a very polite manner.
"Xiaocao, you're being too courteous! It's only right for neighbors to help each other out. If it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't have been able to sell our family's chickens. There are only a few hens and chicks at home now, so we don't have much work to do. Since we're so free, we might as well come over to see if there's anything we can help out with!" Madam Fang was a very close friend of Madam Liu. So Xiaocao didn't know what to say anymore when she spoke in the manner of 'no need to treat one family as two'.
Zhou Linglong smiled quietly, picked up the bamboo basket in the yard, and went to the rear courtyard. The younger sister, Zhou Shanhu, joked, "Xiaocao, if you feel bad about it, you just need to send us a bowl whenever you make delicious food in the future!"
The little lass still remembered the delicious taste of the 'tofu and chicken blood soup' that she ate last time. She felt that even her mother's best dish, stewed meat, wasn't as good as that dish, which was made of simple and crude ingredients. She was also a lurking little glutton.
Just as they were speaking, Madam Mao also came. Her bright and clear voice could be heard even before she had entered the courtyard, "I'm not late, am I? Are you guys about to begin gathering the vegetables?"
"Madam Mao? Why are you here?" Madam Fang asked curiously. Madam Mao had never taken the initiative to help others. Was the sun rising from the west?
Madam Mao rolled her eyes at her and said, "What? You're allowed to come help, but I'm not? We're all neighbors, so why can't I come over to help?"
Madam Fang knew her speaking style, so she continued to speak in a gentle manner, "I didn't mean it that way. You have a lot of things to take care of at home, so Muyun wouldn't mind even if you don't come over."
"Alright, alright! Hurry up and work!" Madam Mao readily picked up a bamboo basket and followed the Zhou sisters to the backyard.
Seeing the satisfying-looking vegetables, Madam Mao couldn't help but exclaim, "Xiaocao, your family really knows how to grow vegetables. Just look at those greens, how gratifying! Our family planted our fields around the same time as yours, and also used straw thatches to keep the crops warm, but it still doesn't look as good as your family's! Last time it was cold during late spring, we didn't manage to cover the fields with straw thatches, so a lot of the crops quickly froze to death. Many of the vegetables still haven't gotten better yet."
"I know, right?! Our family's vegetables also don't look as good as Muyun's family's! Muyun has always been good at tending the fields even before she got married!" Madam Fang agreed with her as she continued to pluck cucumbers from their vines. The fresh and juicy cucumbers exuded an attractive scent that made them seem refreshing with just a look.
Yu Xiaocao smiled faintly, squatted down, and then placed the eggplants she plucked into the basket. The air was good at the foot of the mountain, and the eggplants were clean and fresh. There was no need to wash them with water at all.
Zhou Shanhu picked a tomato that had ripened early, and wondered, "What is this? A persimmon? But don't persimmons grow on trees?"
Yu Xiaocao explained to her in a soft voice, "It looks like a persimmon, but it's not. It's called 'tomato' and was exported here from a foreign land. It's also called wolf peach. Try it. It's sweet and sour, and rather tasty!"
She originally thought that tomatoes had not been introduced into China at this time, and had just nonchalantly mentioned it to Third Young Master Zhou. But she hadn't expected that Third Young Master would actually get the seeds for her. As a result of planting them a little too late, only a few ripe tomatoes could be found from time to time.
"Wolf peach? So this is what a wolf peach looks like!" Zhou Shanhu's father and older brother were street vendors, so they were naturally more knowledgeable than the ordinary folks.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Linglong snatched the tomato from her younger sister's hands and said to Xiaocao, "My father said that wolf peach is poisonous, and rich families only admire it as an ornament. Why is your family growing this?"
Yu Xiaocao found another ripe tomato, wiped it with her sleeves, and then disregarded the Zhou's sisters' hindrance and took a big bite. The sweet juice immediately filled her mouth. Tomatoes watered by the mystic-stone water tasted even better than the ones she ate in her past life. They could be just be eaten as fruits.
"It's fine!" When faced with the Zhou sisters' terrified gazes, Xiaocao smiled and revealed her spotlessly white and neat teeth. She said, "Zhenxiu Restaurant's Third Young Master Zhou said that ripe tomatoes aren't poisonous. Moreover, Zhenxiu Restaurant also uses tomatoes in their dishes!"
She used Third Young Master Zhou to increase the credibility of her words. She didn't know whether the people of this time period had discovered the edibility of tomatoes or not. However, it would definitely be confirmed in the future.
"Is it really edible?" After hearing Xiaocao's words, Zhou Shanhu had already believed her for the most part. Seeing that Xiaocao was still fine after eating an entire wolf peach, the Zhou sisters finally believed that wolf peaches were edible.
After eating the sweet tomato, Yu Xiaocao was full of strength and continued to bend down to pick eggplants. When she lifted her head, she saw that the Zhou sisters' were still studying the tomato. So she said, "Tomatoes are really delicious. You guys will know after tasting it."
"No need. We're just wondering why there would be a rumor that such a beautiful tomato is poisonous. It's really strange! You guys still need to sell these tomatoes!" Zhou Shanhu had a slightly more lively personality, but she wasn't a greedy person.
Yu Xiaocao straightened her waist and walked around the tomato field. She found several tomatoes that had ripened early and stuffed one into each of their hands, and then gave one to Madam Fang and Madam Mao respectively. She said, "There's only a few, so we can't really sell them anyways! Come on, try it! Let me know what price we should sell them for."
After declining several times, they decided not to be so courteous anymore when they heard what she said. Zhou Shanhu eagerly stuffed the tomato into her mouth and took a big bite. The red juice flowed down the corner of her mouth, so she hastily licked it back and said, "So sweet! It's really tasty!! It's even better than a lot of the fruits that I have eaten! Xiaocao, I think you can just sell these tomatoes as fruits!"
Zhou Linglong acted in much more reserved manner. She copied how Xiaocao ate it earlier by taking a small bite first, and then she softly sucked it. The tomato juice inside was sweet and sour, and it tasted very good. She nodded her head in agreement with her younger sister's words. Madam Mao and Madam Fang were also full of praises.
"Xiaocao, it seems like someone is knocking on your family's gates!" Zhou Shanhu had finished eating her tomato and was now enviously staring at her older sister, as if she was 'Zhu Bajie [1] eating a ginseng fruit'. She had good ears, and heard a knocking sound coming from the front gates.
After experiencing Madam Zhang and her daughter-in-law's disturbance last time, the Yu Family would lock all the doors when there was no one in the front yard.
Yu Xiaocao quickly ran to the front yard, while still holding onto two tomatoes. As soon as she got out of the backyard, she saw her older brother holding onto the door and walking out carefully. He was obviously trying to walk outside.
"Older Brother! Stop causing trouble!! It takes a hundred days to fully recover from serious injuries. The doctor said you will need to rest for at least three months before you can get out of bed. Quickly lie down on the recliner. I'll open the door!!" Yu Xiaocao stuffed the tomatoes into her older brother's hands and helped him lie down on the recliner.
Yu Hang sighed helplessly, "I feel that my ribs are almost healed. I don't feel much pain as long as I don't make vigorous movements... ow!"
"It hurts, right? Pain means that the bones haven't recovered yet! Be obedient and rest!!" Yu Xiaocao lightly pushed his chest. She glared at him when she saw him reveal a painful expression.
Yu Hang looked at the back view of Xiaocao, who went to open the door, and muttered, "Little steward! Can't believe you would actually do that..."
[1] Zhu Bajie (猪八戒) – one of the main characters in Journey to the West, who has pig-like characteristics
Chapter 130 – Visitors
"Eldest Maternal Uncle, Second Maternal Uncle, Eldest Maternal Aunt! Third Uncle? Why are you guys here?" Yu Xiaocao unlocked the latch, opened the door, and saw several people standing in front of the door. She couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
Xiaocao's third uncle, Yu Jiang, looked inside the courtyard and smiled, "I heard from Second Brother that you're alone at home picking vegetables today. There must be a lot of work, right? Your eldest granduncle told me to come over to help you."
"I can manage. Auntie Zhou and two older sisters came over to help. There's also Auntie Qian!" Xiaocao quickly guided them into the yard.
Eldest Maternal Uncle Liu Pei's hair was dripping wet from either the morning dew, or the sweat from hastily running over. With a smile on his simple and honest face, he loudly asked, "Xiaocao, did your father go to the fields? Let's quickly go over to help them then!"
Seeing that they didn't need his help at home, Yu Jiang turned to Xiaocao's two maternal uncles and said, "Do the two older brothers know the way to the fields? I came over to help too. Since there's not much to help out with at home, I'll go help turn up the soil! Come, I'll take you guys over!"
Xiaocao finally understood the reason for her uncles' visit. She was moved by their intention and said, "Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, you guys have much more land to work on at home. Everyone is busy with spring plowing right now. If you guys came over here, would Grandfather and the rest of the family be able to handle all the work?"
Eldest Maternal Aunt caressed Xiaocao's fair, delicate face and wiped off the dirt on her chin. She smiled and said, "Your maternal grandfather is worried about your family's spring plowing work. He said that your father's leg isn't very nimble and Xiaosha is injured. So, since your family has less land, we should help plow and sow your family's fields first!"
Yu Jiang also smiled and said, "Our family also thought that way. Many hands make light work! With us here to help, it would take less than half a day to plow your family's three plots of land."
"Oh! Why is it so lively today?" Qian Xiaoduo drove the carriage and trotted over. From afar, he had seen a number of people standing in front of the Yu Family's old residence. He was afraid that something had happened, so he accelerated the speed of the horse carriage and rushed over quickly.
"Older Brother Xiaoduo, you came pretty early today. We haven't even finished gathering the vegetables. You can sit in the yard, take a sip of water, and rest for a bit." Yu Xiaocao had noticed that he usually came with the Yao Family's Xiaosi, so she looked behind him. Sure enough, the Yao Family's horse carriage was coming over."
Qian Xiaoduo laughed bitterly and said, "Miss Yu, our young boss treats you as his younger sister. So how can this lowly one let you call me 'older brother'? Please just call me Xiaoduo!"
"You are you and he is he! Our relationships don't interfere with one another!" Yu Xiaocao smiled sincerely.
Liu Pei looked at the sky, and then told him wife, "You don't have to go to the fields. Stay here to help gather the vegetables and with the cooking. Xiaocao, we'll go to the fields first."
"Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, you guys have rushed over from so far away. Have a drink of water and rest for a bit!" Her maternal grandmother's family lived in Xishan Village. When coming over, they needed to travel across a big mountain. Seeing that her uncles' trouser legs were wet from the morning dew, she knew that they had set out before dawn.
"No need! We'll go plow the fields first!" Second Maternal Uncle Liu Han had a more quiet temperament and didn't talk much.
Seeing that she couldn't get them to stay, Xiaocao got water bags from the kitchen and filled them with diluted mystic-stone water. Then, she had her uncles take the water bags with them. Not only would drinking the mystic-stone water quench their thirst, but it could also eliminate fatigue.
Under Yu Jiang's lead, her maternal uncles set out to the fields. Xiaosi's carriage has also arrived at the entrance and began unloading the bamboo baskets. The bamboo baskets used to pack the vegetables were all made by Yu Hai. They needed a large quantity of baskets every day, so when he was free at night, he would chop some bamboo and weave baskets.
"Miss Xiaocao! Starting today, we need double the amount of vegetables. Our old master's friend had a meal at our estate and said that our vegetables tasted better than the ones that they bought! The two families live close by, so they wanted me to help them buy some vegetables."
The vegetables that the Yao Estate bought were mostly for the master and stewards to eat. They didn't need a lot every day, so half a carriage was enough. Thus, he was still able to transport the vegetables even after doubling the amount needed.
Qian Xiaoduo drank all the water that Xiaocao gave him in one breath. After finishing, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and smiled, "Mountain spring water is surely different. There a sweet taste to it. My whole body is full of strength after drinking it. Xiaosi, drink quickly and start working!"
Every time Qian Xiaoduo came, he would drink a bowl of the Yu Family's water. Although it was just plain water, it was more refreshing than the best tea.
Xiaosi also swiftly finished drinking his bowl of water. He waved his arm and laughed, "Go! Let's go gather vegetables!" These two would help with some work every time they came, as if it was their own home.
With the addition of three labor forces, the vegetable picking speed was naturally much faster. A few moments later, the empty baskets were filled with fresh and juicy greens.
Xiaocao washed a few cucumbers and gave one to each person, "They're homegrown, so don't act so courteous. Try and see how it tastes!"
Madam Fang refused and shook her head repeatedly, "Your family's vegetables aren't sold at a cheap price. These cucumbers probably weigh a few catties, which can be sold for several hundred copper coins. Don't waste them. Quickly put them in the basket!"
The little glutton Zhou Shanhu had already opened her mouth wide, and just hadn't put the cucumber into her own mouth yet. She pouted her lips when she heard her mother's words, but she conscientiously put the cucumber into the bamboo basket.
Xiaocao quickly stuffed the cucumber back into her hands and said, "You guys have been helping for nearly two hours. What's the big deal with eating a cucumber? Do you think that our family are misers?"
"This child!" Eldest Aunt Madam Han glared at her, and then smiled at the people who had helped out, "Although the child's words sound rude, she is honest and sincere. So just eat! Just eat!"
Seeing that they were still hesitating to eat, Yu Xiaocao broke the cucumbers one by one and showed it to them. She smiled and said, "They're broken, so they can't be sold!"
"This kid!" Madam Fang didn't know whether she should laugh or cry. She picked up the broken cucumber and took a bite. The crisp and juicy mouthfeel, and the light and sweet taste, immediately conquered her taste buds.
"Wow! Xiaocao, even your family's cucumbers taste better than others!" Zhou Shanhu exclaimed as she ate.
Of course! Cucumbers watered with the mystic-stone water were not only big but also delicious. Xiaocao naturally couldn't directly tell them these things, so she just smiled and said, "You just think it's delicious because it's the first time you're eating cucumbers in half a year. Later, when your family's cucumbers are ripened and you eat too much of them, you won't think it's tasty anymore."
Qian Xiaoduo gnawed on the cucumber in big mouthfuls and grinned, "This cucumber is really good! Miss Xiaocao, what kind of fertilizers do your family use on the fields? The crops grow so well and fast. Yesterday, the cucumbers weren't even ready to be harvested, but we gathered two baskets today!"
"Eh... the weather has warmed up now, so it's natural that the vegetables grew slightly faster." Xiaocao made a random excuse. Fortunately, Qian Xiaoduo's family weren't farmers and he had just casually asked without the intention to dig deeper into the topic.
After the vegetables were weighed and the money was paid, Qian Xiaoduo and Xiaosi hurried back. Zhenxiu Restaurant was still waiting for the vegetables since they needed to use them to serve customers.
Madam Mao and Madam Fang had already left while they were weighing the vegetables. Her eldest maternal aunt, Madam Han, was stunned as she looked at the fifty taels in Yu Xiaocao's hands and spoke incessantly, "I didn't expect vegetables in this season to be so expensive! A catty of cucumbers cost thirty copper coins? Isn't that almost the same price as pork?"
Yu Xiaocao smiled at her, gave her a red tomato, and said, "At this time, crops like cucumbers and string beans haven't ripened yet! The rich people in town want to eat fresh greens and they don't lack the money to buy them! A plate of smashed cucumber salad at Zhenxiu Restaurant costs one tael! This price is considered rather trivial for them!"
A plate of smashed cucumber salad could be made with just one of Xiaocao's family's cucumbers, so Zhenxiu Restaurant's expense was no more than a few dozen copper coins. A plate of cucumber could earn them hundredfold in return. Tsk tsk, who else would be able to do this!
Madam Han noticed that it was still quite early and wanted to go help out in the fields. Xiaocao hastily stopped her and said, "Our family doesn't have much land, so my parents and uncles are enough for the job. Eldest Aunt should sit down for a rest and eat a tomato. Help me clean the ducks later."
"Tomato? I thought it was a persimmon! I was just wondering where you got this persimmon from during this time of the year." Madam Han curiously examined the red tomato in her hands.
"This is a tomato. We eat it less at this little place of ours. It is said that people in the capital and some of the bigger cities in the south eat it more often. Tomatoes can be prepared as a cold dish with just some sugar. It can also be stir-fried with eggs, stew soup..." Yu Xiaocao motioned her eldest maternal aunt to try it.
Madam Han noticed that not many tomatoes were harvested, only four or five. So she smiled and said, "I'm not eating it. Let's cook it later so everyone can eat it together!"
Xiaocao wanted to say something else, but Madam Han had already stood up and walked to the entrance of the kitchen. She picked up the ducks, which had their legs tied up, and was about to walk to the well.
"Wait a moment, Eldest Maternal Aunt! I'll go get a large basin to hold the duck blood!" Speaking of duck blood, Xiaocao couldn't help but think of delicious food such as 'duck blood stewed with tofu' and 'duck blood soup with vermicelli'.
Madam Han thought about it and smiled, "It turns out that not only chicken blood, but you can also make delicious food with duck blood ah! So duck giblets can also be eaten then!"
Xiaocao nodded her head and said, "Later, I'll braise the duck gizzard, duck liver, and duck intestines. We will have another dish for lunch! It's too bad we don't have vermicelli for the duck blood. Let's just make duck blood stewed with tofu then!"
Madam Han skillfully slit the duck's neck and dripped the blood into the basin. She asked, "Vermicelli? What's that? Is it tasty?"
"Eldest Aunt hasn't heard of vermicelli before?" Could it be that vermicelli didn't exist during this era? When did vermicelli appear in history? Xiaocao, who hadn't graduated from middle school, couldn't help but be somewhat confused.
Madam Han shook her head, threw the dead duck on the ground, and picked up the other duck. She asked, "I've never heard of vermicelli. Is it delicious when stewed with duck blood?"
"Vermicelli can be made with sweet potato flour or mung bean flour. It has a smooth, slippery texture and is very chewy!" Xiaocao's eyes lit up as a new money-making method brewed within her mind.
After boiling the water and scalding the ducks, there was also the great task of plucking the duck feathers. Xiaocao was responsible for cleaning the duck giblets, as well as braising the offals.
She prepared to make salted ducks with the two ducks. But, due to time constraints, the curing period for one of the ducks had to be slightly shortened. With her culinary skills, it shouldn't affect the taste too much.