Chapter 45: Mooncakes are sold out! Mid-Autumn Festival is here, and the mooncakes are like chewing the moon...

Wei Jinyun and Wei Fuqiu were checking the list of mooncakes to be sent out tomorrow. They looked up to confirm, "Sir, are you ordering thirty mooncake baskets?"

He was about forty years old, with narrow eyes, a high nose, a short beard, and was wearing a black robe made of fine material.

"right."

He Wenyan's eyes swept over the moon cakes neatly stacked on bamboo plates in front of the counter. The four bamboo plates were pasted with flowery notes with the words "red bean paste and date paste", "egg yolk and taro paste", "five nuts" and "fresh meat" written on them respectively.

The straw weaving on the bamboo basket beside it swayed gently, and a small picture of a moon rabbit pounding medicine was printed on the small flower paper of the moon group, and autumn chrysanthemums were inserted in it.

He Wenyan was very pleased with the cleanliness of the display. He raised his finger and pointed at the bamboo basket. "You have to be careful when packing the moon cakes. Don't let the pastry get rubbed or the filling leak out. There can't be any mistakes or omissions."

When he looked up, he was surprised to see the words hanging on the wall.

Good handwriting!

"Don't worry, we've lined them with oil paper for safekeeping. Seventy-eight coins for a set of eight, two of each flavor. The ones we'll deliver tomorrow will be exactly the same as the ones in this bamboo basket."

Seeing that the guest was straightforward, Wei Jinyun quickly responded.

"Where are you sending it, uncle?"

Wei Fuqiu dipped her pen in ink and asked slowly, "If it's thirty copies, please report slowly so I can write them down one by one and have some idlers deliver them to you."

"So you wrote all the words on these snacks. You're so talented despite your young age."

He Wenyan saw a pile of reserved house addresses in front of Wei Fuqiu, with neat handwriting on them, exactly the same as the flowery paper pasted on the bamboo plaque.

"What about this calligraphy?"

He raised his hand and pointed.

"I don't know."

Wei Fuqiu answered honestly, "I didn't write it, but it's a family heirloom."

He was amused by this and stroked his beard. "Manager Wei, your two sisters are smart and sensible. Just now, when I was outside, one of them asked me to try two pieces. She said she wanted to taste them, but she held up half the plate and made me eat it all, and even said she would give me more for another plate. They look similar, but their personalities are very different."

He looked at Wei Fuling, who was smiling at the side, and said quickly, "No need to hire a slacker, we'll deliver it ourselves. Someone will come to pick it up tomorrow at 11:00 PM. It's not proper to let a slacker deliver it... Give me two pieces of fresh meat and four pieces of whole nuts in bulk."

"no problem."

He Wenyan stroked his beard with satisfaction, paid the money, drank two bowls of red date and ginger tea handed to him by Wei Fuling, and then got on the carriage happily.

Wei Jinyun stood in front of the counter and looked up at the carriage. He saw that the coachman was standing straight with a respectful attitude, and there was an attendant waiting to help him get on the carriage.

They ordered thirty copies, probably from a wealthy family as gifts to their relatives and friends.

She lowered her head and touched Wei Fuling's head, "Sister Ling, go take a rest. Your voice is about to get hurt."

"I'm not tired at all, Shopkeeper Wei. I have Luffa and Maodou to accompany me, and Yuanbao will always be out supervising me."

Wei Fuling shook her head. "Manager Wei, please help me cut two more plates. I'll go get another thirty orders for you. If you make the money, you can buy us some big crabs for the Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow!"

"Sister Ling, call me again."

"Shopkeeper Wei!"

Then Wei Fuling and Gu Xiang also followed suit and flattered him a few times.

Wei Jinyun closed his eyes while listening, enjoying the enchanting music of nature, and took a sip of tea with satisfaction.

Gu Xiang deftly cut two plates of moon cakes with different flavors for Wei Fuling. She took them and ran to the door of the shop again.

Meng Ge'er, who was helping him watch over the cart, kept calling him "Shopkeeper Wei" and asking if he could have two more of the fresh meat-filled mooncakes. Wei Fuling nodded in satisfaction, took a sip of the brown sugar ginger tea in front of her, and used a bamboo skewer to pick up two mooncakes and place them on the small plate in front of Meng Ge'er as a reward.

Chuntao and Xiaoman stood at the door of Zhaoji Delicatessen, their bodies shaking with laughter. "Meng'er, are you coming back to our shop?"

"Brother Meng will go back later."

Meng Ge'er put the moon cake into his mouth, chewed it carefully and tasted it. After swallowing it all, he imitated Wei Fuling's tone and shouted, "Moon cakes for sale, delicious moon cakes!"

The clear voices of children and the brightly colored silk paper-cuts at the entrance of Yunlaixiang Shop attracted people's attention, and more people came to order moon cakes.

Shortly after the nobleman left, another bearded guest arrived. He had a large black mole near his mouth, a wisp of beard reaching halfway down his chest, a tasseled hat that didn't fit his head, and he was dressed in rich, luxurious clothing. Like Tang Yin, he held a folding fan halfway across his face, a gesture reminiscent of a woman embracing a pipa, creating a striking impression.

When he entered the shop, he didn't look at the snacks first. Instead, he looked around at the decorations and stared at the words behind the counter for a long time. Then he looked at the neatly arranged snacks and the hanging wooden signs on the counter as if he was sweeping away all the goods.

"Hey, serve me all the snacks in your shop."

His voice was a little rough, and he pointed at the moon cakes, "And bring those four flavors of moon cakes as well."

Gu Xiang was wiping the table when he looked up and saw his attire. After hearing his words, he approached with a smile, "Sir, we have more than ten kinds of dim sum in our shop, including moon cakes. They are all generous in portion. Why don't you try our signature Golden Taro Mantang first to fill your stomach? You can order something else later when you feel hungry?"

"What?"

The man frowned and patted the purse at his waist, which bulged loudly. "Are you worried that I can't pay? Just do it when I tell you to. Why are you talking so much?"

The customer requested, so Gu Xiang didn't say anything more and went to the kitchen to order some snacks.

Soon, bamboo trays were brought to the table one after another. The first chestnut cakes were steaming hot, and the sweet aroma of chestnuts filled the shop. The man chose a small table by the window and sat down, picking up the chestnut cakes with his hands and putting them into his mouth.

After taking a bite of the chestnut cake, his tense expression relaxed a little. The chestnut cake was neither crumbly nor loose, and when he bit into it, he could feel the finely ground chestnut grains, rich in chestnut fragrance, and very dense.

He quickly swallowed it all in one gulp, and then he stroked his beard downwards with his hands. Once, twice, the tuft of beard was smoothed out, with a force that seemed to spurt out the wind. He mumbled in praise, "No wonder, no wonder..."

Gu Xiang got the hang of the job quickly. He learned how to pick up the snacks and how to arrange them immediately, and soon his desk was filled with snacks.

"ah!"

A-Du, who was passing by with a tea bowl in his hand, glanced at him and suddenly stopped, pointing at him and shouting, "Manager Xu? Why are you here? Yesterday I saw you with a bare face, but why do you have such a long beard today? And the side of your mouth..."

Ah Du leaned forward and squinted his eyes to get a closer look. "When did you get a big black mole? I remember you were bald, without even a beard!"

Xu Fugui's hand stopped in mid-air, still holding the egg yolk and taro pastry, and he was stunned for a long time.

He quickly bit into a snack, rubbed the mole at the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and then reached out to press the roots of his beard. He turned halfway around and laughed at the top of his lungs, "You must be shortsighted. My last name is Huang, Caotou Huang. Huang is the Huang of Huang Fugui, and Fugui is the Fugui of Huang Fugui... I'm not some Shopkeeper Xu. Maybe I just look like the one I told you about."

After hearing this, Ah Du came forward to take a closer look, then scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "Then you really look like the owner Xu from Xu's. Why don't you go to Xu's sometime? Maybe you can even convince their customers to recognize you!"

The more he spoke, the more curious he felt. Looking at the person in front of him, his eyes lit up, "Who knows... maybe you two are brothers who have been separated for many years!"

Xu Ji's signature jujube and sesame cakes were known throughout Pingjiang Prefecture. From the prefect to the common people, no one could resist praising them. Although they cost five cents a piece, Ah Du loved them dearly and bought some home every two weeks.

Although the dim sum at Xu's was sold by the waiters, the owner, Xu Fugui, would always show up at the door of the shop to entertain guests who came to Pingjiang Prefecture for sightseeing.

Of course, the most impressive thing is that Shopkeeper Xu and his wife, childhood sweethearts, have been quarreling for more than 20 years. Most of the shops on Shantang Street wake up with the voices of "Xu Fugui, it's so late and you haven't gotten up yet", and go to sleep with the voices of "Xu Fugui, you've made a mistake in the calculation again, go sleep in the lobby", and there is no need for a rooster to crow them.

As soon as these words left his mouth, Xu Fugui's face almost flushed. He waved his hands hurriedly, his laughter weaker than before. "Hahaha! How is that possible! I'm not from Pingjiang Prefecture. I just passed by here and came in because of the aroma. How can I be related to the shopkeeper?"

Afraid that Ah Du would ask more questions, he gulped down a few bites of the candied taro, then quickly looked around and saw Gu Xiang cleaning up the neighboring table. He waved to her hurriedly, "Hey! Hey! Please pack up all the leftover snacks on the table for me. I, I want to take them home for my family to try!"

Gu Xiang had just finished packing his snacks when Xu Fugui hurriedly stood up, fumbling to get out some silver and money and put it on the table. He reached out and pressed the Putou hat on his head, grabbed a handful of shrimp crackers, and said vaguely, "Here's the money. I'm leaving now!"

Gu Xiang counted the money on the table and found it was exactly the same. She thought to herself, the customer had already calculated the price of the snacks before she served them. What a clever brain he had.

Today's mooncakes are sold in bulk only, not in gift boxes, as this would easily lead to mistakes. They must be freshly baked and delivered to customers at their desired time, preventing them from becoming too soft due to moisture. The chrysanthemums on the side must also be kept fresh and not wilted.

By the beginning of the evening, the snacks in the shop were almost sold out, and the customers went back in groups of three or four. Only Zhang Renbai would sit until the sun went down before returning to his shop.

Wei Jinyun ignored him and just filled his tea cup. Then he cleared the table and called Gu Xiang to eat.

The braised pork in the casserole on the table was stewed until it was shiny, and the sauce was bubbling around the meat, and even the hot steam was filled with the aroma of the sauce. There was also a bowl of water chestnuts and shrimps, salted goose, and tofu and sauerkraut soup.

When Gu Xiang came to visit on the first day, he wanted to say a few polite words, but as soon as he picked up a piece of fat with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth, he couldn't stand it anymore.

The fat was stewed until it melted in her mouth, not at all greasy. The sauce and the meaty aroma spread throughout her mouth, and she couldn't help but scoop up a big mouthful of rice with the broth. The rice grains soaked up the sauce, and the sweet and salty flavor was so delicious that it was a delight to chew.

By the time she realized what was happening, Gu Xiang had already eaten three bowls straight, using up all the sauce. She looked up and saw the four of them, grandparents and grandchildren, all smiling at her.

Gu Xiang paused with his chopsticks, his face instantly heated up. He scratched the back of his head and asked in a low voice: "Um...did I eat too much?"

"No, no."

Wei Jinyun quickly waved his hand and smiled as he scooped another spoonful of rice into his own bowl. "Xiao Gu, you're eating so deliciously that I even ate half an extra bowl just by looking at you."

Wei Fuling beside her also nodded and put a piece of lean meat into Gu Xiang's bowl. "Sister Gu always eats the fattier ones and leaves the lean meat for us. But Sister Gu should also try the lean ones. They are also soft and delicious when stewed."

Gu Xiang looked at the lean meat in the bowl, and then remembered the aroma of the fat meat. He felt even more embarrassed. "I really like eating fat meat, especially with this sauce soup. It tastes especially delicious. Aunt Wang, you stewed the meat really well."

Stewed meat always tastes good when it's a mixture of fat and lean meat. Her granddaughters don't like fatty meat, so she always rinses the fat and feeds it to loofah and edamame. Now that some people like it, Wang Qiulan can avoid this trouble.

Only the loofah and edamame stared listlessly at the meat flying away.

"I'll save some for you to stew later, okay?"

Wei Fuqiu reached out and touched the dog's head.

Luffa Edamame's ears stood up again.

Hello master!

After dinner, Gu Xiang was full of energy and strength. He cleaned the tables and chairs in the entire front hall of Yunlaixiang and even mopped the floor twice. It was so clean that Wei Jinyun couldn't even step on it.

Wei Jinyun brewed some Sichuan loquat paste for a few people to moisten their throats, cut the remaining snacks of today into small pieces as snacks, and while counting the bills, he checked with Wei Fuqiu the number of moon balls for tomorrow.

The mooncake baskets will be delivered to your door after noon tomorrow, so there is no need to prepare them today. And with Gu Xiang as a helper, there is still enough time to make snacks.

Soon, three idle young men arrived at the shop door. They took Wei Jinyun's delivery order, checked it together, and then planned a route. "Tomorrow's delivery of the moon cakes will go to the Li Mansion in the west of the city and the cloth shop on East Street... We have to go around North Alley first and then South Street to avoid a detour."

These three people had delivered mung bean soup to Wei Jinyun in the summer. She had discussed the Mid-Autumn Festival delivery with them the day before yesterday and asked them to come to Yunlaixiang’s door to pick up the order after they finished delivering the goods today.

They are also the best people carefully selected by Wei Jinyun. They can travel hundreds of miles a day in Pingjiang Prefecture, which is considered to be the fastest delivery in Pingjiang Prefecture, and they have received a lot of praise.

A vagrant could earn as much as two hundred coins a day. If they diligently worked for thirty days a month, a monthly salary of six strings of cash was common, far exceeding the two or three strings of cash earned by ordinary waiters in busy taverns. Of course, if they encountered a distinguished guest, the host would also give them a tip. The diligent vagrant was a well-deserved high-paying profession in the Song Dynasty.

Wei Jinyun came out with the money bag and handed the silver to the three of them, carefully instructing them, "Only do the afternoon's work tomorrow. These two hundred coins are more than enough. So, be careful when delivering the moon cakes. Don't spill them, and don't break them. If anything goes wrong, you'll have to pay the price."

She quickly added, "I'll cover your tea expenses, and when all are delivered, each of you can take home six mooncakes... Come sign the contract with me."

The three men were delighted when they received the money. They could earn two hundred coins in half a day, including tea and snacks. Since they couldn't read the contract, they quickly signed their fingerprints and stuffed the money into their pockets.

Just as they were laughing, one of the young men suddenly smiled with his eyes narrowed, his tone a little frivolous, "Miss Wei, oh no, I should call you Shopkeeper Wei. Your business is really booming. A while ago, it was just a mud and brick shop, but now look at it, the shop is decorated so lavishly, and the business is so busy."

As he spoke, his eyes became dishonest after he glanced around the shop. He looked at Wei Jinyun with some disrespect.

At this moment, the sound of a mop scrubbing the floor suddenly came from the shop. Gu Xiang was mopping the floor for the third time when her seven-foot-tall figure quickly walked over and stood at the door, blocking most of Wei Jinyun's way.

She held the mop handle in her hand, staring intently at the frivolous idler, her brows knitted into a ball, "Where are you looking? Look at me!"

He secretly glanced at Gu Xiang's sturdy body and muttered to himself, "Why is this girl so big? She looks stronger than an ordinary man... She is covered in black and stares at him like Guan Gong."

The young man, who had originally been smiling, froze instantly when he saw Gu Xiang's posture. He looked away and shrank back. Most of his frivolousness disappeared, leaving only a wilted and awkward look.

"This place is clean enough."

Wei Jinyun was a little amused when she saw how hard she was trying, "You're going to turn this place into a mirror, Xiao Gu."

After the three idle guys left with the list, Gu Xiang leaned the mop against the wall, and with his hands still wet, he approached Wei Jinyun, cautiously and expectantly, "Boss Wei, did I do a good job today?"

Wei Jinyun reached out and patted her arm. "Very good, more diligent than I expected. You mop the floor cleanly and greet guests well."

She handed the remaining snacks to Gu Xiang and said, "This is for you. It's almost time to go home for the day."

Gu Xiang took the snack and grinned, "Then when should I come tomorrow?"

Wei Jinyun replied, "Just come at the first quarter of the day tomorrow."

Gu Xiang memorized the time and walked towards the shop door with snacks in his hand. However, he looked back after every two steps, muttering, "Then Shopkeeper Wei, I'm leaving first! I'll be there on time tomorrow!"

Even after he walked a long way away, he couldn't help but turn back and wave towards the shop.

This shopkeeper Wei is indeed as good as my father said.

I wonder when I can see her gracefully pulling out the weeping willows again.

Wei Jinyun closed the shop door, tapped the abacus in the rattan chair for a while, and fell asleep holding the abacus.

The two sisters tiptoed down to carry down the bedding from the second floor to cover Wei Jinyun. When they reached out to take her abacus, they saw that she was holding the abacus tightly and muttering "Don't touch my money".

The two of them covered their mouths and laughed. There was really nothing they could do, so they had to let her sleep with the abacus in her arms.

August 15th is the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Although the autumn breeze was refreshing, the kitchen at Yunlaixiang was so busy that smoke was rising.

"Mr. Li, this basket is for Mr. Li, the one with the red silk tied around it!"

"This is Shopkeeper Li's. Pink silk, remember it's pink silk. He specifically asked for all five kernels!"

"Oh, these two are from Madam Song, from the fish soup shop in the northwest corner of the city!"

“…”

Even though Wei Jinyun had made sufficient preparations, she still had to check the two copies of the order, ship the goods, put them in baskets, tie different ribbons to distinguish the flavors, and affix name tags... It was really busy, and even Xiaoman and Chuntao came to help her for an hour.

Fortunately, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people from all walks of life are closed and go home to spend time with their families, so there are not many dine-in restaurants in the shops.

*

"Mom, are the moon cakes Xiangxiang bought for you delicious?"

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the shadows of the trees are swaying in the moonlight.

Lu Lingxiang snuggled up to Sun, with a basket of moon balls beside her.

Sun took a bite of the fresh meat mooncake. The outer skin was crispy and the inside was juicy. It tasted very good, but she frowned slightly as she held the mooncake.

"I wonder how Changce is doing. Has he eaten yet? Has he eaten the moon cake yet?"

Sun sighed, "And Changchuan, I wonder if he's doing well in Bianjing. He's so busy with official duties, I'm afraid he hasn't finished his shift yet." "Oh."

"Oh my sweet!"

Sun suddenly came to her senses and quickly hugged her daughter in her arms. "Mother loves Xiangxiang the most. It's delicious, especially delicious! It's like something made by fairies from the Moon Palace... Look at how carefully this bamboo basket is packed. Even the silk ribbons that tie it are embroidered with flowers. If your grandmother saw this embroidery, she would definitely praise it."

"She looks just like a fairy, and she's just as nice as a fairy."

Lu Lingxiang followed suit and said, "Second brother also often goes to her place."

"Huh?"

When Sun heard this, she was about to ask for details, but she saw her husband also brought back a bamboo basket.

Father Lu muttered as he walked, "Why did the prefect give his subordinates a Mid-Autumn Festival gift with a flower basket? The person who delivered it said that the prefect picked it out himself... Yuniang, Xiangxiang, come here and help me carry it."

"Father, are you feeling weak in your hands?" Lu Lingxiang asked with a smile.

"Alas, how unfilial..."

Father Lu pretended to sigh, then looked around and asked, "Where's my dad?"

"Grandpa and grandma went to the lake to enjoy the moon."

The full moon hung high in the sky, as cold as frost, and its silver light covered the entire surface of the river.

"My lord, please use some moon balls."

Zhan Wenxing held up a plate of still-warm moon cakes and said, "I made these myself with my clumsy hands."

Lu Lan's eyes didn't leave the shimmering river surface. He was silent for a moment before speaking, "You can still do these?"

"My elder brother used to make it when I was little, and I would secretly learn a thing or two from him. My craftsmanship is crude, and it's nowhere near as sweet and delicious as the delicate pastries made by Miss Wei."

Lu Lan picked up a piece of moon cake and took a bite in silence.

He didn't savor it any more, but slowly crushed the remaining moon cake in his hands, letting the crushed crumbs fall into the deep river. He picked up a jar of wine at his feet, and with a flick of his wrist, the entire jar of wine poured into the river, stirring up a splash, and was quickly swallowed by the current.

"you say."

His voice was not loud, but rather calm, "Are the pirates also celebrating a festival right now?"

"I guess so."

Zhan Wenxing lowered his head and poured all the remaining moon balls into the river.

"The peaceful waterway of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal was built with the blood and flesh of our brothers."

Lu Lan looked towards the river, his hand gripping the hilt of his knife, his eyes fierce, "Tonight, let the Water Dragon Gang sacrifice them."

*

A large jade plate with a full moon.

"The moon tonight looks like the egg yolk moon cake my sister made."

Wei Fuling moved a stool and sat in the yard. She bit open the cooked water chestnuts with her teeth and peeled a plate of the meat inside.

"Today's dining revenue was 1,160 wen, after deducting the purchase price of rice noodles..."

Wei Fuqiu was clacking her abacus and flipping through the account book in front of her.

Loofah and edamame milled around the stone table, staring at the food above. Being too small to reach, they could only turn their appetite into strength, charging at each other across the yard. Yuanbao disdained to play with his younger brother, instead focusing on battling the giant crab baring its claws in the wooden basin.

Why are crabs so big today? Compared with the past, their size is almost as big as their entire heads.

As for One, Two, Three, they were still a little ugly, pecking at the chestnut shells.

Steam was rising from the kitchen stove. Even though the table was already full of dishes, Wang Qiulan still carried them out one plate at a time.

In the center of the stone table sat a large bowl filled with freshly cut glutinous rice and candied lotus roots, flanked by candied kumquats. The main course was a stewed duck warmed in a small oven, and crab stuffed with oranges. There were two other dishes: one of perfectly cut squares of braised pork and chicken in sauce, and the other of deep-fried, shiny, red river shrimp. The water shield and fish soup was delicious, and the red bean dumplings were sweet. And, of course, there was a large stack of moon cakes.

"Sister, stop being busy."

Wei Fuling pulled Wei Jinyun, who was drawing on a small table, over and went behind her to give her a back pat.

Wei Jinyun swallowed a mouthful of minced meat stewed egg, her eyes still fixed on her drawing paper.

"What's this?"

Wei Fuling finished peeling a whole crab and asked slowly.

"Flying chess!"

Wei Jinyun was caught off guard by her sister stuffing her mouth full of crab meat. "Next, the essential game for afternoon tea..."

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Author's words: Jinyun: I love the name Wei the shopkeeper! [Rainbow fart]

One moon, different mood.