Chapter 49 Cassava is poisonous
"Just pick the good and sweet oranges. I will start harvesting oranges starting tomorrow." Xiao Jiuyue thought that if the canned oranges were well made, they could be kept for a year without spoiling even without the various additives used in later generations.
She added, "But if I buy them all, the price can't be six coins per coin, but five coins per pound. You and the villagers can negotiate."
"No problem." Before Shi Lizheng could say anything, Aunt Shi spoke first, "Miss Xiao, if you really want all the oranges, then four cents a pound is no problem!"
Aunt Shi's eyes were all smiling. In previous years, no one knew how many kilograms of oranges had rotted away. Hongdu was rich in oranges, and every year they picked the best, sweetest and largest ones to sell, but only a few oranges were sold in a year.
Therefore, giving oranges as gifts in autumn has become a tradition for the villagers.
As soon as autumn comes, the fruit that the children in the village have the most is oranges. Now, someone wants to buy them all. Aunt Shi feels like copper coins are falling towards them!
"Auntie, I want oranges. I don't want rotten or broken ones." Xiao Jiuyue said.
Aunt Shi patted her chest and assured, "Don't worry, young lady. I will definitely pick the best oranges to sell to you. I would feel guilty if I sold you the inferior ones."
Aunt Shi was in high spirits, completely forgetting that she had just complained about the trouble of bringing Xiao Jiuyue here.
After Xiao Jiuyue had discussed the orange matter, she planned to walk around and take a look. Aunt Shi said enthusiastically, "Miss Xiao, how about I take you to the orange grove?"
"Is it far?" Xiao Jiuyue asked.
"It's not far, just climb over this mountain." Aunt Shi had just finished speaking when she looked at Xiao Jiuyue's beautiful dress and said, "I'm afraid the road will be difficult to walk on, young lady..."
"It's okay." Xiao Jiuyue walked forward with her skirt lifted up. Along the way, Aunt Shi was only thinking about oranges. Her smile was almost reaching her ears. She kept talking to Xiao Jiuyue, and she was showing respect to her!
This is the God of Wealth in their village!
"What is that?" Suddenly, Xiao Jiuyue saw something on the hillside. If she was not mistaken, it should be cassava?
"This is called cassava. It's poisonous and can't be eaten!" Aunt Shi took a casual look and said, "There's a lot of this in the mountains. You can't dig it all up. Don't be fooled by its resemblance to sweet potatoes. It's nothing like sweet potatoes. It can fill your stomach and tastes good."
"Manioc?" Xiao Jiuyue wasn't sure if cassava had another name. She paused and asked, "Auntie Shi, can you dig it out and take a look?"
Aunt Shi looked at Xiao Jiuyue's curious expression and repeatedly said, "This is really poisonous."
"Lianxin." Xiao Jiuyue looked at Lianxin beside her.
"Miss, I'll ask someone to find something to dig." Lianxin immediately went to find something.
When Aunt Shi saw it, she called out, "No need, I'll let my son do it."
"Boss, come here quickly with a hoe!" Aunt Shi shouted at the top of her voice.
Lianxin stood silently beside Xiao Jiuyue. Aunt Shi’s voice was too loud!
Not long after, Shi Youmin, the eldest son of the Shi family, came over carrying a hoe. When he heard Aunt Shi say that she wanted to dig cassava, he said, "Mom, you can't eat this. If you eat it, you will have diarrhea. If you are not in good health, you may even lose your life."
"Just dig it if I tell you to." Aunt Shi said unhappily. Then she looked at Xiao Jiuyue and said with a smile, "Look, Miss Xiao, I wasn't lying to you. You really can't eat it."
"I once read in a book that cassava is indeed poisonous if not handled properly, but if it is cooked thoroughly, it will not be toxic." Xiao Jiuyue's voice was crisp. Shi Youmin dug out the cassava with a few hoes!
Xiao Jiuyue didn't care about the dirt and took out the cassava directly. She broke it and looked at it carefully. After confirming that it was cassava, she was in a particularly good mood. God was really kind to her. With cassava and cassava flour, why would she worry about not being able to make delicious snacks?
Taro balls, pearls, thousand-layer cake, snow meringue...
Xiao Jiuyue didn't even have to use her brain to come up with seven or eight kinds of delicious food.
"Miss Xiao, is this thing really edible after it's cooked?" Aunt Shi's eyes were filled with doubt.
"Auntie Shi, there are a lot of these things in the village, right? I want them all." Xiao Jiuyue patted the mud off his hands.
Lianxin paused as she was reaching for the handkerchief. Her heart skipped a beat. She closed her lips tightly, afraid that others would see her shock. She handed the handkerchief forward to Xiao Jiuyue to wash her hands.
"What? You want them all?" Aunt Shi couldn't help but raise her voice. Just now, she said she wanted to buy 10,000 or 20,000 kilograms of oranges, but now she wants to buy even this poisonous cassava?
Aunt Shi was stunned.
Xiao Jiuyue no longer planned to go see the oranges. She still had to have a good talk with Shi Lizheng. Given the Xiao family's current status, it was best for them to keep a low profile. If they bought so many oranges and so many cassava, it would inevitably attract the attention of someone with ulterior motives.
"Shi Lizheng, there is something I want to discuss with you." Xiao Jiuyue said.
Shi Lizheng had just been talking about oranges with his son and grandson. He didn't know whether this Miss Xiao was just in a whim or really wanted so many oranges. Suddenly, when he heard what Xiao Jiuyue said, Shi Lizheng's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that she didn't want the oranges anymore?
Fortunately, he hasn't told the villagers yet, otherwise he would be blamed by the villagers.
"The Xiao family's current status makes it difficult for us to collect the oranges. Could Shi Lizheng come forward to help?" Xiao Jiuyue asked. Before Shi Lizheng could speak, she continued, "I'll provide the funds and build a workshop on the open space at the foot of the mountain. I'll ask Shi Lizheng to help manage it. Of course, I won't let him work for nothing."
Shi Lizheng thought about it and realized that he didn’t have to spend any money. He could just collect the oranges and build a workshop. This would be such a great thing for the villagers!
Firstly, it would make the villagers feel that he was more useful as a village head and could earn money for everyone.
Secondly, it can also enhance the prestige of the Shi family in the village. Thirdly, can you get silver?
This is a good thing no matter how you think about it. Shi Lizheng bowed and said, "Miss Xiao, if that's the case, I'm willing to do it for you for free!"
"Li Zheng Shi, there's no such thing as free work. If you don't take the money, I won't be able to ask you to do anything for me in the future." Xiao Jiuyue smiled, her eyes fixed on the Shi family. "I hope that the Xiao family's purchase of oranges won't be known to other people in the village."
Shi Lizheng paused, thinking about the Xiao family's women returning to Fu'an Village. He calmed down and replied with a serious face, "Miss Xiao, please rest assured. Apart from us Shi family, no one else will know about this!"
After returning home, Shi Lizheng called over his three sons and Aunt Shi, who had been present, and warned them again: "Keep your mouths shut. If anyone tells anyone..."
Shi Lizheng had been the head of the village for half his life and still had some authority. His three sons all patted their chests and promised that they would never tell anyone. Shi Lizheng looked at Aunt Shi.
"I, I won't tell you either." Aunt Shi said immediately.
Shi Lizheng glanced at her and said, "You are not allowed to tell your family, otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless. The Shi family does not need people who talk too much."
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