Ruan Qin slapped his son in annoyance, "Do you think everyone has as much free time as you?"

Ruan Jialin felt wronged, so he was just joking. He wouldn't hit the child. It was his wife who was the bad guy at home.

The others were not as bored as Ruan Jialin. They knew that Miao Wan had been researching some new gadgets recently. Seeing her running to Qianjinlou every day, and even carrying her child on her back for most of the day, they had been looking forward to it for a long time.

At this moment, Taotao in her arms was as red as a little lantern. The snow outside was not heavy, and only snowflakes were sprinkled on her clothes.

Taotao's red dress, with the rabbit fur hat and collar, looks like a fairy walking out of the snow.

The women from each family couldn't help but come closer to Miao Wan, saying, "This dress is so beautiful! Oh, our Taotao looks like a fairy child in front of the Guanyin throne."

Taotao probably understood that everyone was praising her, and she kept whining for a long time just to ask for a little red rouge to be put on her forehead.

At this moment, he was very happy, grinning with his little mouth with only four teeth, and shouting: "Toutou (Taotao), beautiful!"

Geng chuckled. "This child is very clear about beauty."

Taotao understood the word "beautiful" and clapped his hands vigorously, "Beautiful! Head~"

The sweet little movement made the female soldiers laugh. They couldn't help but pinch and rub her, making her giggle and laugh in Miao Wan's arms.

It was only then that everyone realized that these clothes had other functions besides being beautiful.

Aunt Yun exclaimed, "Little Aqian's hands are so warm! I see she's not wearing anything underneath. This dress is so airtight."

"Your face is warmer than our hands. Oh, if you're not happy, then touch your feet. Eh? Are these cotton socks?"

Mrs. Zhang reached in through the part of the down jacket that was still fully covered. She was worried that Taotao's feet would be cold, but she was also wearing soft socks on her feet. They felt much thicker than the socks for their braised eggs, and were soft and loose.

Could it be filled with cotton? But it didn't feel like it. She carefully lifted a corner of Taotao's down jacket and asked, "Isn't this the same yarn used to make blankets? Can wool be used to make socks?"

Miao Wan chuckled, "Not only that, you can also make gloves, scarves, sweaters and trousers, and then wear a down jacket. No matter how strong the wind is or how cold the weather is, you won't be afraid of the cold!"

"Down jacket? Isn't it made of duck down?" Ruan Jialin asked from the side.

The snow was getting heavier. Miao Wan carried Taotao into the house first, laid her on the kang, took off her down jacket and handed it to her. "But this jacket is as light as a feather. It sounds so ugly to call it a duck down jacket."

"That's right, you've read so many books in vain." Second aunt, Mrs. Li, also rolled her eyes at her son.

Women only look at the practicality of things. They think that if they only need to wear a sweater and trousers outside the inner layer in winter, they can walk around the house, and put on a down jacket when going out. They don’t have to wear heavy and old clothes, and it is easy to adjust to the cold and heat. It is so convenient.

As for the men in the family, they need to look at the long term.

Ruan Qin was the first to say, "Once these clothes are released, it will be much easier for merchants to enter and exit the border. If they can be made into blankets, even cattle and horses can be covered with wool saddles. They will no longer have to worry about freezing on the road. Wouldn't more and more people come here?"

Miao Wan smiled and nodded, "Yes, in the future, there will be more and more merchants in Xining Town. Our business will be good, and the lives of ordinary people will gradually get better."

Ruan Jialin saw the business, "That makes sense. This down jacket will probably be snapped up like crazy. Even if it's a bit expensive, there will definitely be people who buy it. At least the Gubei Army will definitely not let go of this good thing."

Miao Wan smiled even more brightly. It was not impossible for the Gubei Army to pay her, and she could even give her the prescription.

But it is not easy to make a good down jacket.

First, the duck down needs to be cleaned, dried and softened. The processed duck down is very light and fine, and it is easy to pierce the hair, so the requirements for the cloth are very high.

In later generations, every household had a down jacket, and there were always times when it was accidentally scratched, so Miao Wan knew that there were two layers inside the down jacket.

The first layer is the finest fleece layer like gauze, the outside is a slightly thicker fleece isolation layer, and finally a layer of thick and warm cloth is added on the outside. Only three layers of protection can prevent the fleece from seeping through.

Nowadays, the weaving technology is limited, and it is impossible to make that kind of fine and tough gauze. We can't use brocade as the lining.

So Miao Wan chose fine cotton thread and used a three-layer loom to weave fine cotton cloth that was slightly thicker than gauze as the innermost layer, and used double-strand fine cotton thread as the outer layer as the velvet layer.

The outermost layer is made of thick cotton cloth woven with three-strand cotton yarn, and in the future, fur versions of down jackets may also be made. Customized services will also be provided.

This has another advantage. Although the cloth woven from three-strand cotton thread is a bit thicker, the cotton cloth is also soft and tough. It is not as easily torn as ordinary cotton cloth. Obviously, the life of the clothes will be greatly extended.

If General Dingbei wants the recipe for a down jacket, she can give it to him, but she won't give him the loom.

When the time comes, if she uses cloth or down jackets to pay tribute to Chen Sixu, he will definitely be willing to do so. This is her motivation to make the down jackets as soon as possible.

Not only did the winters in Western Tibet and Northern Mongolia become difficult, but the Gubei Army stationed in the northwest also had a hard time during the winter, with many soldiers freezing to death every year.

Qiao Shengwen couldn't help but smile. "If every household could raise ducks, and the people of Northern Mongolia also raised more sheep and ducks, life at the border would be much more reassuring!"

And Dayue, who had an alliance with Northern Mongolia, could finally sleep peacefully beside this bed.

Ruan Qi, the head of the Ruan family, was a cook. He was more practical. "But with so many ducks, what will we do with them when we can't get the down? Will it be delicious when we make stewed food with it?"

Duck meat is firmer than chicken, but more sour than pork and tends to become tough, so few people can make this dish well.

The Ruan family only has one recipe for old duck soup, but this soup is a bit cold and cannot be drunk all the time.

This brings us to the most crucial point. The dimples at the corners of Miao Wan's lips are getting deeper and deeper. "But here..."

She pointed to her head and said, "There's a recipe left by our Ruan family ancestors that can turn duck into a delicacy that's as good as barbecue or Boxiagong."

Roast duck, roast duck rack, braised duck gizzards, spicy duck intestines...and Miao Wan's favorite - braised duck tongue!

A duck is no worse than a pig, right? It's full of treasures!

She had already thought about it. Her second uncle could take care of the clothing business. As the head of the Ruan family, why should she let her eldest uncle sit idle?

The Ruan family agreed, but Miao Shiren’s money box didn’t agree!

After the Chinese New Year, Ju Fu Restaurant was converted into an inn, and it’s time to open a third shop!

It’s not just duck that has new dishes now. Ju Fu Restaurant is serving dishes a la carte. It’s time for fast food to enter the world of people in the northwest!

The eyes of the brothers Ruan Qi and Ruan Qin lit up. They were a little worried at first because the eldest wife's family was too messy and Miao Wan didn't want the eldest wife to get involved in her business in the northwest.

This was a bit depressing for Ruan Qi, who had spent most of his life in the kitchen.

But the most profitable recipe for the Ruan family now was given by Miao Wan, and it is already sold at the Ju Fu Restaurant, so it is not convenient for them to open another shop to steal the business.

Originally, Ruan Qi wanted to wait until the weather got warmer after the New Year, find a shop of his own, and cook some Jiangnan dishes so that the merchants could occasionally change their taste.

Unexpectedly, Miao Wan had really thought about it a long time ago when she said she would make the arrangements.

Ruan Qin's smile deepened. As expected, her niece was not polite. She said that everything would be arranged clearly, and she would not compromise at all.

Once again, I felt so comfortable being plotted against. Alas, why isn’t Awan a member of the Ruan family?

Even if she is a daughter-in-law?

He regretted it so much. He should have let one of the boys in his family marry her back then. Why didn't he think of it at that time!

Miao Wan, unaware of her second uncle's regret, added, "Down jackets are definitely not cheap, so I plan to make cotton-padded jackets in the style of down jackets. Actually, if you wear a wool sweater and woolen trousers underneath, the cotton-padded jacket will also be enough."

We have to make sure that ordinary people can afford it.

In fact, for people who are used to wearing down jackets, a single layer inside is enough. Who would wear such thick clothes under a down jacket? You will sweat in the cold weather and get caught by the slightest breeze, right?

Miao Wan handed the sales strategy that she and her father-in-law had discussed to Ruan Qin and Ruan Jialin.

"It's November already, let's make some last-minute money before the New Year. It's up to you whether Ada and Am can enjoy the fireworks during next year's Lantern Festival!"

Zhang Sanzhuang immediately said, "And me, there's me too. I have a lot of merchants there, so I can help with that... advertising!"

Taotao may have seen that no one paid attention to her, so she bit her hand for a while and became a little impatient, and then a bunch of strange sounds came out of it.

"Hey, our Taotao is farting again. Did he catch a cold?" Everyone couldn't help laughing, and after seeing it clearly, they laughed even harder. "Hey, our little Aqian is really amazing...hahaha!"

After looking carefully, I found that Taotao was clearly pouting and imitating farting with his mouth.

Mrs. Zhang laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes. "Taotao, are you trying to say that your third uncle is talking nonsense?"

Zhang Sanzhuang: “…”

Miao Wan froze, and faced her mother-in-law's suspicious gaze with a flattering smile.

She swore she had learned it once or twice while playing with her children, but without much success.

Who would have thought that this naughty kid is more capable than her mother and actually learned it!

Afraid that Geng would scold her, Miao Wan suddenly had a good idea. "I think we adults don't have the final say. When it comes to selling down jackets, cotton-padded jackets, sweaters, and trousers, the children at home should go out for a walk!"

"Go out for a walk? What if you get lost?" Aunt Yun was a little worried.

Miao Wan quickly explained, "Either we let them walk on the street, or... let the little ones take turns playing at Qianjinlou and Jufu Restaurant."

"Huh?" Everyone fell silent. No need to ask, the kids were definitely happy.

The more Miao Wan thought about it, the more she felt it was suitable. Children were not afraid of embarrassment, so they could take off the clothes however they wanted to, so that others would not miss out on the benefits of the clothes.

This time, we can have a situational comedy-style fashion show for the new products, and the show will be held in the two shops.

Miao Wan smiled and clapped her hands, "The baby is bringing the goods, if you want to touch it, you have to pay, hehe...it will definitely be very lively then."

Ruan Qin and his son looked at the bright smile on Miao Wan's face, and felt a little sad in their hearts. This guy didn't even let the baby go?

Xining Town is always more beautiful after the snow than usual. Anyway, the snow was not heavy. It started in the afternoon and stopped before midnight.

When I woke up the next day, the trees were covered with silver flowers and the ground was covered with snow. Because the wind was light and the snow had not melted yet, it felt not as cold as usual.

Most of the traveling merchants had enough money to buy boots and were not afraid of getting their feet wet. Many of them were freezing and shivering, but they still had to come out to have a bite to eat, rubbing their hands.

As soon as I walked onto the street, I saw that the small blackboard in front of Qianjin Building had been replaced with a new one, with a confusing sentence written on it:

[We will be closed for three days. New products will be available in three days. Stay tuned for a bright new year in winter.]

The man entered the Jufu Restaurant and immediately asked, "Have any of you seen the sign in front of Qianjinlou? They're closed again, and they're saying they're going to have a winter's fire in three days. Are they going to sell charcoal?"

Someone chimed in, "Who says it's not? Could they even sell torches? That doesn't seem to fit in with Qianjinlou at all. Luckily I stayed for the New Year, hoping to get more new merchandise so I could make more money next year. But it feels increasingly unreliable."

Many people were talking about it. Zhang Sanzhuang leaned against the counter and hummed softly. They didn't want him to tell the truth, right?

He wanted to see those little brats... those brats—

Zhang Sanzhuang stood up straight without realizing it, staring at the door in amazement.

Someone turned around and saw the cotton curtain at the door being lifted. He didn't see anyone there, so he looked down and saw a group of tightly wrapped babies coming in. He couldn't help laughing.

"Wow! Where did this little lantern come from? The clothes are so festive."

"Hey, look at the one at the back. Is that a gold ingot on that hat? He looks like the little golden boy in the Guanyin Temple. His cotton blanket is pretty nice too."

"Why aren't you here, sir? That furry one at the back is pretty nice too. Ask where they got the new style. We can buy some and bring them in. We'll definitely make money."

After waiting for a long time, no adults came in. The oldest child was Tiedan, who was placed with high hopes.

He looked around for a while, saw Zhang Sanzhuang, and ran over, "Ada! Let's eat the Boxia offering!"

Zhang Sanzhuang looked down and saw, wow, one, two, three... the Ruan family and the Zhang family together, including Qiao Ya who came in uninvited, have a total of ten kids, enough to sit in two kang rooms.

He stammered, "Who sent you here?"

Qiaoya took off her hat and scarf. She still remembered her lines, "It's so hot! Grandpa Geng brought us here. He went to Qianjinlou to bring food to Ammu and the others!"

Some people are wondering, the hat and scarf don’t look that thick, so why is it hot?

Because they were busy weaving cloth and spinning yarn, Qianjinlou had not entertained any guests these days and did not even have time to cook.

So he had no choice but to ask Ruan Qi to bring his apprentices to make more at home and have Uncle Geng deliver the meals.

Zhang Sanzhuang walked out of the counter and said, "Then...why don't you guys go to the kang room?"

He wasn't sure how Miao Wan was going to get the children to spread the word, but if so many children made a noise, it would probably disturb the guests' meals, so it would be better to go to the kang room.

Tiedan remembered his aunt's instructions, shook his head, and quickly unbuttoned and took off his clothes. "Just eat like this. It's hot. Uncle San will give you some clothes!"

As he took off his clothes, Qiaoya took off her clothes, and the half-grown children followed suit, taking off their scarves and gloves, revealing the thin and beautiful little robes underneath.

Everyone threw their things to Zhang Sanzhuang.

Zhang Sanzhuang had no choice but to pick it up and throw it on the counter.

As the clothes were taken off and thrown away, everyone saw the trick. Several men stood up suddenly, scaring the people next to them.

"What are you doing? Not even..."

Before the person complaining could finish, these people ran towards the child.

When Tiedan and his friends saw the monster, they were shocked and thought, "Oh my god, the monster is scary!" They quickly grabbed their friends and ran away, screaming as they ran. Some of the children were brave enough and ran after him happily.

As they ran, more and more people came to see what was happening, and many of them couldn't help but want to catch a doll and take a look.

Finally, Tiedan was held in the arms of the long-legged man from Dengzhou.

"Let me go! Help! Someone's trying to steal my child!" Tiedan stretched out his arms and shouted at Zhang Sanzhuang, "Ada, aren't you going to save your son?"

Zhang Sanzhuang: “…” I don’t think it’s necessary, it’s okay to throw it away.

Several men who were already holding the little ones nearby couldn't help but laugh.

Among so many little ones, the one in Shopkeeper Zhang's family is the most dramatic, just like his Ada.

The Dengzhou man pinched Tiedan's arms and legs and said, "My goodness, these kids are wearing really thin clothes!"

"The thing is, they're still warm, and I see their outer clothes aren't too thick." Another person peered into the counter and asked, "Boss, could you show us the children's clothes?"

Before Zhang Sanzhuang could say anything, Tiedan suddenly shouted, "No! Unless..."

This seemed like a signal. When she was at home, Miao Wan specially used ginger cola for training.

The children, like a conditioned reflex, cried out in unison, "More money! Otherwise, we won't let you watch!"

Everyone: “…”

The author has something to say:

Oh wow, our apartment building is closed. I waited for the food delivery for a while, but it’s too late.

This chapter randomly drops red envelopes~

See you around 18:00 tomorrow~