30 Good Omen

"Stop! Who allowed you to hawk on the street?"

That evening, Cuihua and Zhuang Xue sneaked into the county school like thieves, but Ye Yunzhao, on the contrary, walked in openly.

However, as soon as she entered, Madam Cuihua quickly raised her hand and pulled her into the courtyard, immediately closing the door. She asked worriedly, "County Magistrate Ye, why are you so careless? It would be bad if others saw us."

Ye Yunzhao smiled awkwardly: "I'll be more careful next time."

She turned and walked into the yard. The row of larger study rooms outside the county school would remain unchanged and would be used as a school for the teacher in the future. So, she led the two of them to the small courtyard on the east side of the county school.

This courtyard was small, originally a place where the county school teachers would relax and drink tea, but there were no teachers in Lingnan County anymore. It just so happened that there was a small kitchen in the courtyard, so Ye Yunzhao planned to convert it into a training academy, specifically to teach adult women skills.

During the day today, Ye Yunzhao had already found two yamen runners to move the things to a new place, and the courtyard was also cleaned up, giving it a sense of tranquility in the midst of noise.

"I will teach you how to make pastries here from now on." Ye Yunzhao said.

The two nodded like chicks pecking at rice, looking very obedient. Madam Cuihua blushed and said:

"County Magistrate Ye, Xue Niang and I have agreed that I will set up a stall in Yuezhou City to sell crystal cakes, and she will be the saleswoman, hawking them everywhere."

Even a woman as bold and outspoken as Madam Cuihua blushed after saying such words.

Who among the three present didn't know the hardship of carrying a shoulder pole and hawking? Now that she said this, she was afraid that Ye Yunzhao would think that she was taking advantage of Zhuang Xue.

"Is this the result of your discussion?"

Madam Cuihua quickly replied, "That's right."

Ye Yunzhao nodded slightly and said with a smile, "I originally intended to divide it this way. Setting up a stall in the market in Yuezhou City will definitely require paying some copper coins as collateral. Your current situation is not suitable, Xueniang. You must not let this matter cause any rift between you and Cuihua."

Hearing this, Madam Cuihua's eyes flashed. She didn't expect that Ye Yunzhao was not angry at all. She was even more happy in her heart. No matter how she looked at her, she felt that she was the best county magistrate in the world!

Zhuang Xue raised her eyes and looked at Ye Yunzhao: "County Magistrate Ye, I know that it was I who took the initiative to propose to Madam Cuihua that I become a courier."

She smiled with relief as she spoke, tears in her eyes. "In the past, I often went to the mountains to pick wild fruits. Mountain roads were nothing to me. Now that I can earn money with my own hands, I am naturally very happy. How could I have any grudge against Madam Cuihua? I can't thank you enough."

Ye Yunzhao gently stroked her back a few times and said softly, "Xue Niang, your future will be good."

Madam Cuihua, who was standing by, saw Zhuang Xue's eyes filled with tears and said nonchalantly, "Xue Niang, have you forgotten? We are going to buy a shop in the city in the future. Then you will be the owner of the shop, hahahaha."

"Master Zhuang? Master Zhuang?"

Madam Cuihua reached out her hand to Zhuang Xue's waist and started to tease her deliberately until she saw Zhuang Xue burst into laughter. Then she stopped.

"Okay, Mr. Wang, Mr. Zhuang, when you open a shop in the future, don't forget the people of Lingnan County!" Ye Yunzhao teased.

Madam Cuihua acted like a shopkeeper, fiddling with an abacus in the air, and said in a pretentious manner, "What County Magistrate Ye said is absolutely right."

After saying this, the three of them burst into laughter. In the distance, the sky was filled with red clouds. A gentle breeze blew, blowing down the dead leaves of the tall trees in the yard. The real autumn had finally arrived.

Because the pulp of ground radish is special, it only needs to be washed gently twice. The three people poured out the turbid water in the wooden barrel and spread a thick layer of "white flour paste" at the bottom of the barrel in a bamboo basket covered with lotus leaves. They can only start making crystal cakes after it is dried into powder tomorrow.

As they were about to leave the county school, Madam Cuihua asked, "County Magistrate Ye, what did you mean by 'mortgage'?"

This is purely Ye Yunzhao's speculation. There are stall fees in modern society, but weren't there in ancient times?

Ye Yunzhao didn't believe it. Since ancient times, the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce had been implemented. If merchants could make money so easily, how could they be suppressed? Was it simply based on the general public's contempt for merchants? Moreover, ordinary people already had countless taxes, and facing wealthy merchants, they would surely have to pay even more.

"I'm not too sure about that." Ye Yunzhao thought for a moment, "Don't worry, I'm going to Yuezhou City in a couple of days. I'll ask around for you then."

"County Magistrate Ye, are you going to Yuezhou City?" Madam Cuihua said with a smile, "Why don't I go with you? I just need to buy some winter clothes."

Madam Cuihua understood clearly that Ye Yunzhao, as the county magistrate, could ride a donkey to Yuezhou City! She was traveling with County Magistrate Ye, so could she bear to see her walking on the mountain road?

Besides, she had originally planned to go to Yuezhou City next month to buy two sets of winter clothes, and now it was just a few days ahead of schedule, just a few days ahead of schedule...

Ye Yunzhao looked at her in surprise: "Buying winter clothes so early?"

Although the weather has been cool these days, there are still three months to winter. Isn’t it a bit too fast?

Madam Cuihua carried her backpack and followed Ye Yunzhao and Zhuang Xue to the county government office, saying, "Well, Magistrate Ye, we need to buy winter clothes early. If we wait until winter comes, you'll know how much those unscrupulous shopkeepers will charge for them!"

Zhuang Xue, who was beside Ye Yunzhao, listened with great interest. When she was still a girl, her parents bought her winter clothes. Later, when she got married, she couldn't even afford food, let alone winter clothes.

In addition, Madam Cuihua was bold and outspoken, without the shyness of a younger girl, so she told the story vividly and lifelike.

So, Zhuang Xue foolishly asked Madam Cuihua, "Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy it in the summer?"

"Hey~ That's wrong. Do you know why?"

Zhuang Xue shook her head.

Ye Yunzhao said: "Things are valuable because they are rare."

Cuihua was amazed and gave a thumbs up: "Exactly! What do you need for winter clothes? Of course it's cotton. The shopkeeper said there is no cotton in the summer. If you want to buy a winter coat in the summer, you have to pay three times the price.

So, autumn is the perfect time to buy clothes. Poor families think summer clothes can keep them warm and are unwilling to spend money on them. Cotton has been delivered to Yuezhou City in large quantities, so this is the best time to buy winter clothes."

Madam Cuihua spoke very clearly and was a natural born shopkeeper.

Ye Yunzhao thought about the silkworm droppings. If Fangniang had persuaded the owner of Qiluofang, she couldn't just let him sell it to her cheaply and then hire an ox cart to bring it back...

It would be better to bring two donkeys, tie a few large bamboo baskets, and pull the silkworm feces back by yourself. Even if the negotiation fails, what will happen if the bamboo baskets come back empty? Anyway, Ye Yunzhao has nothing to lose. The worst that can happen is to find another way to solve the wheat seedling problem in Xixiang.

After thinking about this clearly, Ye Yunzhao was very grateful to Madam Cuihua for suggesting that they go to Yuezhou City together at this time.

Recently, County Magistrate Han has been busy supervising the refugees to reclaim wasteland and teaching those outsiders how to use the three-legged plow. Sun Ning spends every day studying the dragon bone waterwheel by the Hongyu River. Not to mention Liu Mazi, who is responsible for the daily inspection of Lingnan County, which is already a big deal.

The person who went to Yuezhou City with me was none other than Madam Cuihua.

"Okay, then we'll meet at the east gate of the city the day after tomorrow morning."

*

On the day they had agreed on, the weather was slightly chilly. Ye Yunzhao led the donkey with two large bamboo baskets tied to it towards the east gate of the city.

Before she reached the city gate, she saw from afar that Madam Cuihua was already waiting there, carrying a large bamboo basket on her back, probably for her winter clothes.

Ye Yunzhao, sleepy-eyed, handed the reins in his hand to Madam Cuihua and said, "Sorry for the wait. We'll be able to ride our donkeys on the road once we leave Dongxiang."

Madam Cuihua had never ridden a donkey before, and she looked at the donkey with its big blinking eyes in front of her with curiosity. She took the reins, and couldn't control the upward curve of her lips, and said "OK" three times in a row.

"Eh?" Madam Cuihua pointed at the large bamboo basket beside the donkey. She had seen County Magistrate Han riding a donkey, and sometimes he would tie the bamboo basket to the donkey and let it carry the goods, but...

Why is there a smaller bamboo basket inside the bamboo basket tied by County Magistrate Ye?

Ye Yunzhao yawned, too sleepy to explain, "You'll know when you get back."

The two of them rode their donkeys, one in front and one behind, in the early morning light. There was a gentle morning breeze in the mountains. When they arrived at Yuezhou City, Ye Yunzhao's sleepiness had long been blown away by the mountain breeze.

"Wait for me to buy two vegetarian buns." Ye Yunzhao got up early today and was still hungry.

Madam Cuihua looked conflicted. When Ye Yunzhao was about to leave, she tugged at her sleeve and said, "County Magistrate Ye, don't buy any more buns. I brought some food."

As he spoke, he lifted a corner of the upside-down lotus leaf in the backpack, revealing the white and tender crystal cake inside.

Ye Yunzhao asked, "Isn't this the crystal cake we made yesterday? Didn't you let Brother Dazhuang try it?"

After drying the radish powder yesterday, Ye Yunzhao taught them how to make crystal cake. The steps were really simple and didn't require anything extra. The crystal cake was sweet and chewy. Ye Yunzhao asked them to take it home to eat, but why did Madam Cuihua bring hers?

"Of course he tried it, and he liked it very much." Madam Cuihua smiled, "But I didn't let him eat too much. These... I thought I'd come to Yuezhou City today to see if I could sell them..."

Madam Cuihua's voice became increasingly quiet. Ye Yunzhao noticed her embarrassment and quickly said with a smile, "That's a great idea. We can try it out first. Put it away first, and we'll look around later to see if we can meet someone who's meant to be with us."

"County Magistrate Ye, don't go buy buns. They're so expensive here! How about we each...cut two pieces of crystal cake?"

Ye Yunzhao could tell that Madam Cuihua had made up her mind. There were more than a dozen crystal cakes in total, and the two of them ate four at once. They were about to ask for another one. Ye Yunzhao said without hesitation, "Today is your first day of business. Let's have some buns to liven things up."

After saying that, he went to the bun shop nearby and bought four big hot buns, and handed two of them to Madam Cuihua beside him.

There was green mustard greens inside, and perhaps some oil residue, which made it very salty and fragrant. The two of them were still not satisfied after eating it.

Ye Yunzhao suggested going to the embroidery workshop first, because there were mostly wealthy families living near the Qiluofang, and every house had high gray brick walls. If they could meet the manager of a wealthy family, they would have no trouble selling the crystal cakes.

The two of them led the donkey and walked towards Qiluofang, but this time they did not walk on the main road, which made it easier for them to sell their goods secretly.

It was breakfast time. As I turned a corner, I saw the side door of a house was open and a plump woman carrying a bamboo basket came out.

Ye Yunzhao quickly nudged Madam Cuihua with his elbow. In today's world, if someone can eat well and be plump, it must mean that his family has a lot of money.

Ye Yunzhao hurried forward and said, "Madam, would you like to try the crystal cake we make at home?"

The fat lady seemed to encounter this situation often. She frowned and waved her hands: "No, no."

Ye Yunzhao didn't give up either: "My dear, try the crystal cake for free."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of crystal cake from the backpack with a lotus leaf. On the green lotus leaf was a piece of white, tender and chewy crystal cake. It swayed with Ye Yunzhao's movements, looking like crystal clear crystal.

The fat lady stopped and asked suspiciously, "You really don't want money? Are you trying to scare me and then deny paying me after I taste it?"

"Of course not. If you don't like the food, just turn around and leave. I will never lie to you."

As he spoke, he cut off a small piece with the small bamboo knife that Cuihua brought with her, tied it up gently, and handed it to the fat lady.

"My lady, you don't know this, but it's actually amazing when you cut it into pieces and put it in a ceramic bowl with some sugar water! What do you think?"

The fat lady put the crystal cake into her mouth, her eyes lit up. It had a light sweetness even without any seasoning, and it was soft and glutinous but not sticky when she bit it. It was very special.

"How do you sell it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Ye Yunzhao knew that something was going to happen. Madam Cuihua, who was standing beside him, felt nervous. This, this, this... is this going to be sold?

"Two cents a piece. You're the first customer today. If you buy two, I'll give you half a piece. Four cents gives you three. Take it home, cut it up, add some sugar, and it becomes a cake in the restaurant that costs a dozen cents a piece."

Buy two pieces and get half a piece free, which is quite a good deal. I can have the ladies in the kitchen cut the two portions and send them to the master and his mistress, and I can eat the free half portion.

The fat lady thought for a moment, fished out her purse, and took out four coins: "Okay, two dollars."

Ye Yunzhao winked at Madam Cuihua, who hurried forward to take the four cents, her heart surging with emotion.

Really made money!

"The half piece you give as a gift should be bigger!" the fat lady reminded.

"Okay." Ye Yunzhao said as he cut off a large piece for her, and asked Madam Cuihua to wrap the other two pieces in lotus leaves and handed them to the fat lady.

The fat lady took a closer look and walked away contentedly with her bamboo basket.

Madam Cuihua's hands trembled as she stroked the four coins, and her voice trembled: "We made money, we really made money!"

"As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning, but we have made a good start." Ye Yunzhao said with a smile.

Madam Cuihua murmured, "What a good omen, what a good omen..."

The two were about to leave happily when a voice suddenly sounded behind them:

"Stop! Who gave you permission to hawk on the street?"

【Author’s words】

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