Just as Su Qingluan said, as the fruit gradually softened due to being heated, the casserole, which originally seemed a bit crowded, became visibly empty.

"You can add raw fruits gradually in appropriate amounts. Just be careful not to fill it too full at once." Su Qingluan reminded as she watched the empty space in the pot slowly get bigger.

Since wild fruits contain a lot of juice, this juice can ensure that the bottom of the casserole will not get burnt if it is not heated over too high a heat.

However, as the jam becomes thicker and stickier as the water evaporates, it is better to stir it more frequently to prevent the bottom from getting sticky and excess water from remaining due to uneven heating.

Cooking these jams was a very time-consuming and patience-testing task. By the time the "spice" team had sifted the spices three times, and Liu Yunniang and Zhaodi had already washed the dishes, Su Qingluan saw that the people cooking the jams were gradually approaching the end of the process.

At this time, the jam has turned a dark red color almost black under the dim candlelight, and it can stick to the spatula in a thick layer without dripping.

Su Qingluan nodded: "The jam is almost done. The next step is to wait for it to cool down slowly. Now you can turn off the fire in the stove - oh, don't forget to cover it with a lid to prevent dust from falling in."

Although she had been reminded, Su Qingluan still waited until everyone went to the second floor, but she once again confirmed that the porcelain jars containing spices were covered and placed in a place where they were not easily touched; all the stoves were completely extinguished, and even the pots on them were covered with lids.

When Su Qingluan went upstairs, the sound of the night watchman's gong sounded outside, reminding people that "the weather is dry, be careful with fire."

I recalled that in my previous life, I vaguely mentioned that the third watch was equivalent to 11 o'clock in the evening. So even if it was a little while since the third watch, it wouldn't be too long.

Su Qingluan couldn't help but sigh: If it were in the previous life, at this time, the evening life would not have just begun, but at least there would still be some time before falling asleep.

But it’s incredible that it’s already “midnight”.

Upstairs, although everyone had to make do with sleeping in a large dormitory, men and women were not allowed to touch each other. Even though everyone was just country people and didn't have the formalities of the rich and powerful, they still had to hang a curtain between the men's and women's bunks - even if it was just a temporary sheet.

The bedding conditions here are average, but one advantage of having so many people crowded together is that they can act as human heaters for each other.

Soon, snoring sounds were heard all around.

Su Qingluan in the darkness: I can’t sleep…

Although the Su family is not a wealthy family, since she traveled through time, even when the family was in the most difficult situation, Su Qingluan always occupied a room by herself.

Although Liu Yunniang had been sleeping in the same room with her since the past two days, she slept very well, without snoring or talking in her sleep.

But now…

Snoring, teeth grinding, and incomprehensible dream talk were heard constantly, coupled with the occasional burst of the aura of the five grains' reincarnation, which assaulted both the auditory and olfactory senses...

Su Qingluan felt that in a sense, this place could form a small choir.

Alas... I have to sigh, even the school dormitory before I traveled through time or the public ward where I stayed when I was sick were not so exaggerated.

However, Su Qingluan's sleep quality was quite good in her current state. Her young and healthy body had prevented her from suffering from neurasthenia or insomnia. Because of this, despite the constant noises in the room, Su Qingluan managed to fall asleep.

However, she never expected that soon after she fell asleep, she was awakened from her dream by the crisp sound of a gong and the rhythmic beating of a clapper.

After calming down, Su Qingluan felt her heart as if it was about to jump out of her throat, and then she realized: it was the night watchman on patrol.

However, even Huaxi Village has night watchmen on patrol, and Su Guangfu has to take turns on duty almost every month except when it rains or snows.

But in her impression, although she could faintly hear the sound of the night watchman patrolling after dark, was it really that disturbing to others?

However, Su Qingluan soon understood the reason: although Huaxi Village also had night patrols, the night watchmen only patrolled the field paths between villages, and each household was separated by a yard and a wall.

What's more, Su Qingluan's house has a living room in the front and the bedrooms are in the back. Even if the night watchman passes by the path in front of the yard, Su Qingluan's sleep is not greatly affected because the distance is relatively far.

But the shop where Su Qingluan works is different.

As mentioned before, this shop is located on the best commercial street in the entire town, which means that all the shops on this trip are facing the street.

Although being on the street has the obvious advantage of a large flow of customers as a shop, it is not suitable as a residential location. The most obvious point is that whether there are patrolling officers and soldiers or night watchmen passing by on the street, they can hear it more clearly.

Especially the sound of the gong, which went straight into the eardrums and made people feel as if their brains were shaking.

"But the night watch gong and clapper will only sound for a moment, and it will be over in a moment..." Su Qingluan muttered to comfort herself.

Anyway, we'll gather at noon tomorrow, so I can sleep in. There's no sign outside this shop, so no one will come in. Anyway...

Su Qingluan thought about this and fell asleep again in a daze.

Before her consciousness fell into complete darkness, Su Qingluan vaguely wondered if she had forgotten something, but she was too sleepy to have any idea and fell asleep again.

Then soon, Su Qingluan realized what she had forgotten.

As we all know, there were no wall clocks or table clocks to tell time in ancient times, and when the city gates were opened, someone had to complete the task of telling time.

Although the market was to be opened with the beating of the drum on the city wall, the person who announced the beating of the drum was the night watchman. The night watchman would beat the gong repeatedly from the street, and when the people at the city gate heard it, they would start beating the drum - and they would not just beat it three or five times, but beat it in batches for a long time.

The sound of the drum could be heard from far away. Although Su Qingluan could not hear it in Huaxi Village, every time she came to the town with her parents to set up a stall, Su Qingluan felt that she could hear the drum sound when she was about some distance away from the city gate. However, even after they packed up their stall items and started doing business, the drum sound did not stop.

When Su Qingluan first heard the drum beats, she was curious about how many beats there were, but later gave up.

However, when Su Qingluan heard it up close while half asleep, she felt for the first time that the opening drum was really loud! And it was the kind of noise that never stopped!