The five siblings, each with their own unique posture, walked out of Jiuzhenfang, crossed the street, and arrived at the corner of the alley where Liao's shop was located.
Lychees are being sold ahead, and because of the attractive price, a long line of dozens of people has already formed.
"It's alright, not as hot as roasted chestnuts." Zheng Ruqian shook his folding fan. "There's always a line of over a hundred people at the entrance of Jiuzhenfang."
The others smiled and remained silent.
Only Jiang Sheng mercilessly exposed his lie, "Roasted chestnuts cost thirty coins a pound, while these cost ten taels a pound. How can you compare them?"
Zheng Ruqian touched his nose and pointed to the end of the line, "Well, we're already here, who's going to queue up?"
Everyone remained silent.
"How about I go, brother?" He rolled his eyes. "Brother usually studies at the Imperial Academy and not many people know him. Jiang Sheng and I often go in and out of Jiuzhenfang. It wouldn't be good if we were discovered."
The brother and sister, who had just been revealing each other's secrets, immediately nodded in unison.
Xu Mo's lips curled slightly, and he uttered a soft, monosyllabic "Hmm?"
The siblings, who had just nodded, started shaking their heads again. Zheng Ruqian, both timid and shrewd, said, "Big brother might not be suitable. How about Xiao Si? He's a doctor, and no one would want to offend a doctor."
Wen Zhiyun, who was pushed off the stage, was bewildered and at a loss. She looked at this person and then at that person, her pleading gaze falling on her fifth brother.
"Ahem." Chang Yan cleared his throat, but hadn't opened his mouth yet.
Zheng Ruqian made a decisive decision, "Then let's leave it to Xiao Wu. A great responsibility is bestowed upon someone by heaven, and only you can shoulder this heavy responsibility!"
They were clearly at odds with the Liao family, and if they rashly went to buy lychees, they would most likely be kicked out on the spot.
The five siblings were pulling and pushing each other at their limit.
They typically have family ties, but not many.
Chang Yan suppressed a laugh and pointed to the servant at the front of the line, "That person seems a bit familiar."
Zheng Ruqian, Jiang Sheng, and Wen Zhiyun all looked bewildered, while only Xu Mo nodded slightly, "It's Zhao Yuan's pageboy."
The next two were servants from the Qi family and servants from the Yao family, and even the guards who usually followed Minister Dou were in the group.
It seems that ten taels of silver is indeed a temptation.
Zheng Ruqian pulled out a thousand taels of silver from his pocket with grief and indignation, his words resolute and heroic: "Brother, I'm counting on you."
Aside from the Yao family, everyone else is connected to Xu Mo.
So, what happened next?
The servant boy from the Zhao family stammered, "Bring thirty catties of lychees."
The second brother in charge of selling goods for the Liao family widened his eyes instantly.
Even though lychees from Lingnan have become as cheap as ten taels, not every household can afford to eat dozens of catties at a time. Several hundred taels of silver is not a small amount, and eating them all in one day can cause internal heat.
But the servant boy from the Zhao family was unusually adamant: "Our master wants to entertain guests, so he needs thirty catties of lychees."
The waiter was skeptical, but since the Zhao family had a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, the Liao family dared not offend them, so they could only obediently load up thirty jin.
After that, they bought one or two jin at a time, but when they got to the Qi family's house, it was thirty jin.
"Our master is going to prepare a lychee feast." The servant said without changing his expression, "There is a distant relative who particularly loves to eat lychees."
But the Liao family's lychees were not inexhaustible.
The Zhao family took thirty jin, sold fifty jin in smaller quantities, and now only twenty jin remain.
"Twenty catties it is." The servant of the Qi family decisively paid two hundred taels of silver.
Those queuing behind complained, but had no choice but to disperse silently.
The waiter bowed and scraped, "We'll be shipping another 100 jin in ten days, so please come early, or it'll be gone."
In fact, with the Liao family's financial resources, transporting 100 catties a day was within their capabilities. However, in order to control high profits and to create a sense of nobility that "this thing can only be found in heaven and is rarely heard of in the human world," the Liao family firmly controlled the amount of lychees to 300 catties per month.
That's fine too.
Things are valued for their scarcity, and this will continue to be true.
Fifty catties of lychees were delivered to Jiuzhenfang by the Qi and Zhao families. Zheng Ruqian generously picked out ten catties and gave them to the two families to take away.
"That won't do," the two servants said, waving their hands repeatedly.
Zheng Ruqian smiled slickly, “I was able to buy lychees thanks to my two older brothers. These are a token of Jiuzhenfang’s appreciation. You must take them back with you, or I will have no face to explain to my eldest brother.”
Finally, he packed some pastries and a few pounds of Sichuan and Chongqing lychees, and happily saw the two servants off.
The remaining forty catties of lychees were sent to the Baishui noodle workshop, where several aunts and uncles peeled and pitted them, added osmanthus honey and cheese, and then put them in the ice cellar to freeze into lychee ice.
Ten days later.
The Yao and Dou families followed the same method and collected sixty catties of lychees.
With the addition of the fourth batch of sixty jin, the cellar was completely full of lychees and ice.
Time passed slowly, and August arrived.
The autumn heatwave is even more intense than the summer heat, with the scorching sun causing immense suffering for the people. Except for those who have no choice but to travel, most people stay at home to escape the heat.
Drinking a bowl of iced yogurt, sipping a couple of sips of cold fruit juice, or, if you're short on cash, gulping down some mung bean soup, is quite pleasant.
The second courtyard.
Jiang Sheng huddled in the shade, holding the pastry mountain made by the master chef. With a small wooden spoon personally polished by Fifth Brother, she scooped up the rich and creamy milky shaved ice and put it in her mouth. The moment she did, all the heat disappeared.
Unfortunately, the crispy mountain pastry was too soft and didn't last long; it was gone in just a few bites.
She dawdled into the kitchen, but before she could even open her mouth, she was met with a refusal from Aunt Zhang: "It's not good for girls to eat too much ice. You can't eat any more."
After saying that, he took away the empty bowl and the small wooden spoon.
Jiang Sheng looked melancholy, her big eyes darting from east to west, thinking of the lychee ice in the cellar.
As a part-owner of Jiuzhenfang, it's not unreasonable for me to try it first.
"Don't even think about getting lychee ice." Aunt Zhang could guess her little scheme even with her back turned. "One reason is that I'm worried about you getting an upset stomach, and another is that Ruqian is always ready to sell it."
Now, all that's left is to wait for the Liao family's last batch of lychees to arrive.
At the same time, we are looking for people who can help with large-scale purchases.
The Yao, Qi, Dou, and Zhao families have all already made their appearances. In order to avoid arousing suspicion from the Liao family, it would be best to find a new aristocratic family.
Where are trustworthy connections so easy to find?
Jiang Sheng was worried. After giving Aunt Zhang some instructions, she stepped out into the heat to visit Jiuzhenfang.
Just as she climbed into the carriage, the head chef approached her carrying a fish. "Are you a young lady? We'll have fish for lunch, braised fish."
"Okay, Master Chef." Jiang Sheng lifted the small curtain and replied crisply, "I'll be back to eat in a bit."
The heatwave was so intense that my hair was practically singed in the blink of an eye.
She quickly pulled her head back, leaving the master chef to bang on the door.
The carriage rumbled along, and it wouldn't be long before it reached its destination.
I thought that Jiuzhenfang would be drowsy and even quiet under the sun, but to my surprise, the entrance was bustling with people coming and going.
Jiang Sheng lifted the curtain and saw basins full of lychees being carried in one after another.
So, they've found someone to help them?
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