Chapter 16: East City Storm The stern-faced officer said nothing, but just...
It's the beginning of summer, and every morning after the cockcrow, Liu Yeshu sets out to set up shop, carrying her load. The scenery along the way begins to change. At first, the trees still sported the tender green of early spring, but now, their leaves have grown thick and lush, blocking out most of the sunlight.
The sun rose higher and higher, and the shadows on the ground gradually shortened. The afternoon sun was blazing, casting a scorching light on the pavement, even the gravel seemed warm. Those who feared the heat had already donned light summer clothes. The small stalls lining the street gradually became more numerous, selling herbal tea and fans. The night air was no longer as cool as before, but instead had a hint of sultry heat. The croaking of frogs and chirping insects in the village became clearer in the evening breeze.
A few days ago, after the rain, Liu Yeling took advantage of the cool weather and went up the mountain to chop some wood. She returned, smoothed the edges, and tied them together with hemp rope to form a row of tabletops. She also found four legs of the right length. When Liu Yeshu returned from her stall, she praised him profusely, saying, "Ling'er, you're truly talented! Tomorrow I'll have a small table to place eggs on!"
My younger brother worked hard all day. His face gradually turned red with pride as he heard the praise. He silently put his hand that was pierced by the splinter behind his back.
Liu Yeshu was busy at her stall every day. Many people bought kimchi, but not as many as she had expected for eggs. Now that she had some eggs in stock, she started experimenting with pickled eggs with sesame sauce.
After the eggs were cooked, they were placed in cold water, the shells removed, and the eggs placed in a ceramic pot with the prepared sesame sauce and marinated for three days. The sesame sauce was simple: 3 tablespoons of sesame paste, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and half a teaspoon of salt were mixed evenly. However, this seasoning was difficult to make, and I was afraid that no one else could make it except her.
"System, please exchange some more seasonings."
Points will be added to the system synchronously with daily income, so there is naturally no pressure when redeeming seasonings.
[Host, redemption has been successful! ]
Three days later, Liu Yeshu picked up an egg and cut it open. The egg white was slightly brown, tender and smooth, while the yolk was stained a light brown. When he took a bite, the yolk was soft and fluffy, with an oily aroma that melted in his mouth.
So the next day, sesame eggs were put on the stall. In order to show the crunchy egg yolk, she also cut one and placed it on the table to attract passers-by.
Liu Yeshu shouted, "Sesame sauce eggs, ten cents each. Secret recipe, the yolk is oily! Delicious whether you mix it with rice, porridge, or just as a side dish!"
Once sesame paste eggs were released, they quickly became a hot commodity on the stall. Whenever Liu Yeshu put a jar of freshly pickled sesame paste eggs on the stall, they were quickly sold out. Repeat customers came to buy them one after another, and many people even made reservations in advance, fearing that they would miss out if they arrived too late.
Since the eggs hatched by her own chickens were not enough, Liu Yeshu went to collect eggs from other families in the village. When Wang Hong saw this, she also followed Liu Yeshu's example and started raising chickens.
After finishing work in the fields, Brother Liu would come over every day to help, usually coming in the morning and chopping wood in the afternoon. By the time Brother Liu left, the sesame sauce eggs were already sold out.
"Miss Liu, I want five sesame eggs tomorrow for our family to eat. Don't forget." Brother-in-law Mo stood at the door, holding a bowl in his hand, eating and giving instructions.
Liu Yeshu readily agreed: "Don't worry. Just eggs? Do you want kimchi?"
"A pound of kimchi, please. Oh, and ten eggs, too. I'm going to the Gold Embroidery Shop tomorrow."
Liu Yeshu quickly calculated the bill: "Okay, then I'll give you the change, a total of 15 cents."
"My brother-in-law has more face." Brother-in-law Mo pouted.
Liu Yeshu smiled and said, "I'm rounding off the difference to save you money. Who should I say has more face?"
After hearing this, brother-in-law Mo felt relieved and went back to the house with the bowl to entertain the guests. Although this girl looks small, she is very good at business and he can't argue with her.
Liu Yeshu returned home and took Liu Yeling, who was grinding wood, to calculate the income from her stall this month. The total income was 750 coins. After deducting the cost, the profit was 330 coins. After saving three strings of copper coins, she planned to use the rest to take her parents and brother to the West Market to cut some cloth and make some new clothes.
*
Qi Yu ate alone in the general's mansion. He never ate with others, and every meal consisted of three dishes and a soup, and he never repeated the three meals a day.
Butler Zhao stood by, observing Qi Yu's expression, feeling a little anxious. He knew that the general had no requirements for clothing and other expenses, but he was extremely particular about the taste of his food.
After all, General Qi came from the capital, so it is normal that he is not used to the food in the border area of Ning'an County.
Steward Zhao had gone through several generations of chefs, each boasting a masterful culinary skill, but none fully suited Qi Yu's taste. Today's dishes looked delicious, especially the steamed bream. The fish was whole, its skin gleaming, and garnished with scallions and a hint of red pepper. The flesh was so tender it fell apart with a single bite, but Qi Yu only took a small bite before continuing.
After Qi Yu quickly picked up a few pieces of food with his chopsticks, he put them down, picked up the tea bowl and started drinking water.
Butler Zhao thought to himself that this was not good, and that the new chef would probably have to leave as well.
"General, please eat something more. We still have military training in the afternoon." Butler Zhao said worriedly.
Qi Yu heard this and stretched out his chopsticks, but he didn't know which dish to pick up. He scanned the table several times and suddenly noticed the two plates of sesame sauce eggs and kimchi as side dishes.
He picked up a piece of sesame egg. The egg was coated in rich sesame sauce, which was fragrant and melted in his mouth. The rich sesame aroma and the salty and fresh sauce intertwined in his mouth, and the taste was surprisingly good.
He picked up another piece of kimchi with chopsticks. The sweet, sour and spicy taste stimulated his taste buds, and the fresh and crisp leaves made him want to eat a few more bites.
He had originally had no interest, but now his appetite was greatly increased. He took a few more chopsticks of sesame eggs and kimchi. With these two side dishes, Qi Yu ate a large bowl of rice without realizing it.
Qi Yu asked, "Was this made by the chef?"
Butler Zhao said frankly, "General, the two dishes you just ate were not made by the chef."
Sure enough, I wonder why the chef suddenly got the hang of things today.
"It's a couple." Seeing Qi Yu's puzzled expression, Butler Zhao added, "Today, a couple came to our house, but was stopped by the servants outside the gate. I happened to hear the noise, so I went to see what was going on. It turned out to be the parents of the girl you saved that day. They've been here several times, and today they brought eggs and pickles bought from the East Market, saying they had to thank you in person."
Qi Yu thought about it and it seemed like that was the case. He hadn't revealed his identity at the time, so he wondered how much effort the couple had put into finding out. That day at the clinic, Qi Yu had seen the middle-aged man's ulterior motives. He'd seen so many people like him that he wasn't surprised. It was just a pity for the girl who had been bitten by the snake; his filial piety was probably misplaced.
Qi Yu said "Oh", obviously not very interested.
Butler Zhao hurriedly said, "I told them the general was away, but they insisted on putting down their things and told me to tell the general. The next time they come, I'll just say the general is staying in the barracks."
Qi Yu nodded, said no more, and then said lightly: "These two dishes today are not bad. You can buy these things on your own in the future."
Butler Zhao quickly agreed and said he would buy some more tomorrow.
It seems that we have to find a new chef.
Butler Zhao smiled bitterly and started thinking about where to find a new chef who met the general's standards.
*
At first light, the East Market was already bustling with activity. The sky was clear, the air was fresh, and the streets were bustling. Liu Yeshu had set up her stall early, as usual, and began hawking sesame eggs and kimchi. The weather was sunny, the streets were bustling with people, and business was booming. The two of them were busy.
Near noon, several officials in official uniforms appeared in front of her stall. They looked serious and held tokens in their hands. The people around them made way for them.
These officers were burly, holding tokens that symbolized their authority. Their expressions were stern, and they carried an undeniable sense of pressure. The stalls, which had been bustling with activity just a moment ago, suddenly fell silent, and the diners retreated quietly like frightened birds.
The crowd was buzzing with whispers, while curious people stood on tiptoe, craned their necks, and peeped out.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way!" The leading officer stepped forward, his tone fierce and imposing. "Are you Liu Yeshu? Someone has reported to the police, and we need you to come with us."
Liu Yeshu looked at the officer in front of him. He had a long and narrow face, slightly high cheekbones, and his brows revealed an innate harshness and indifference.
Liu Yeshu was stunned for a moment, his mind quickly calculating various possibilities.
Liu Di beside him was so frightened that his face turned pale: "Sister, we didn't do anything wrong, why did the government arrest you?"
Liu Yeshu also suppressed his inner turmoil, reached out and held Liu Di's hand, and said calmly: "Don't be afraid, there must be some misunderstanding between us."
She turned around, bowed slightly to the officer, and asked calmly, "My Lords, could you please tell me why I've been implicated by the government? If there's any misunderstanding, please let me know."
The long-faced officer didn't say much, but just said coldly: "You will know when you get to the yamen. Now come with us." His tone left no room for questioning.
Liu Yeshu looked at Liu Di's panicked expression, patted his shoulder gently, and whispered comfortingly: "Pack your things first and go home to tell your parents that your sister will be back soon, don't worry."
Tears welled up in Liu Di's eyes. He tightly grasped his sister's sleeve and said in a trembling voice, "Sister, I don't want you to go alone. I'm scared..."
Liu Yeshu's heart ached, but she still suppressed her inner uneasiness and said softly, "Don't be afraid, sister will be fine." Turning around, she saw that Mo's brother-in-law from the noodle shop was also there, so she said, "Boss Mo, please take care of my brother."
Boss Mo frowned and nodded solemnly: "Relax, maybe someone is jealous of your good business. Don't be afraid when you go to the government. A person with an upright character has nothing to fear."
She returned a grateful look, took a deep breath, and nodded slightly to the officers, signaling them to lead the way. Although she had many doubts in her heart, she remained calm. Seeing this, the officers did not embarrass her anymore. Several people escorted Liu Yeshu towards the government office.
Zhao Chunfang had been picking vegetables from the stalls in the East Market, basket in hand, haggling absentmindedly with the vendors. Then, noticing Liu Yeshu being led away by several officers not far away, she paused, her gaze fixed on her receding figure, a surge of satisfaction welling up in her heart.
"Let's see how long you can be so arrogant! When you get there..." Zhao Chunfang sneered secretly, and her hand holding the basket became lighter. At this moment, she was too lazy to bargain with the vendor.
The bustling crowds in the streets gradually thinned out, and the once bustling noise seemed to be left far behind. The surrounding scenery gradually became blurred in Liu Yeshu's eyes, and only the bluestone pavement under his feet remained clearly visible.
The people watching in the street were whispering to each other. Liu Di stood by the stall, watching his sister go away with tears in his eyes. Then he suddenly realized Liu Yeshu's instructions, and without even bothering to close the stall, he ran home.
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