"You don't know this, but other places also make dried green beans, but they all lack the flavor." The shopkeeper shook his head. "It's because there are different varieties of green beans. The green beans from Anyang County make the best dried green beans."
Zheng Ruqian suddenly realized what was going on, finished his meal, wiped his mouth, and left.
Jiang Si asked him, "Young master, are you transporting two cartloads of dried green beans back to the government office?"
Zheng Ruqian nodded, then shook his head.
Zheng Ruqian needed to buy dried green beans. Although Anyang County was not too far from Anshui County (four days' journey), Zheng Ruqian no longer had enough trustworthy people. He felt it was inappropriate to entrust everything to Pang Dashan, so he decided to try growing them himself.
I'll buy some bean seeds and take them home so the village women can contribute their talents.
That day, the master and servant transported two cartloads of dried green beans back home.
Two catties of green beans only yield one tael of dried green beans, so dried green beans are really not cheap. The price of ordinary vegetables is already good at two coins, but dried green beans can sell for fifty coins per catty. Two carts of five hundred catties of dried green beans cost a full twenty-five taels of silver.
It was the first time Jiang Si had seen the Second Young Master do business, and his heart was pounding with anxiety, fearing that the dried green beans would not sell and he would lose twenty-five taels of silver.
at the same time.
Just as terrified as he was were the five siblings in Xieyang County.
"Fourth Brother, are you alright?" Jiang Sheng rushed forward, tugging at Wen Zhiyun's sleeve to check him over. "Second Brother, are you alright?"
Wen Zhiyun straightened his back and said solemnly, "With me here, it won't happen."
Xu Mo, Fang Heng, and Chang Yan, who were standing to the side, were all somewhat surprised. The usually humble and quiet Xiao Si actually had such a resolute moment, and they couldn't help but feel happy for him.
"That's good, that's good." Jiang Sheng patted her chest. "It seems I can't let my second brother go out by himself next time. I have to accompany him. I'm really worried about him. He always encounters danger without me."
Wen Zhiyun's eye twitched.
Jiang Yi, Jiang Er, and Jiang San, who were standing to the side, all knelt down on one knee, saying, "Your subordinates failed to protect us properly."
Servants are supposed to refer to themselves as "slave," but Fang Heng allows them to refer to themselves as "subordinates," essentially training them like soldiers.
“You do bear some responsibility.” Fang Heng’s face darkened as he recalled the training methods his father had taught him. “Each of you will receive ten strokes of the rod later.”
As a servant, one should prioritize the safety of one's master. It's fortunate that Zheng Ruqian was unharmed; if something had happened, it wouldn't have been as simple as ten strokes of the cane.
Jiang Yi, Jiang Er, and Jiang San bowed their heads, accepting the punishment wholeheartedly.
Xu Mo coughed, breaking the silence, "The second brother said that Anshui County is going to change its governor, and that the Wang family wants the position?"
"To be precise, it's the Sun family who want this position," Wen Zhiyun said softly.
The Sun family was Madam Wang's maternal family.
As Xu Mo frowned in thought, Jiang San's lips moved, and he couldn't help but speak up, "This subordinate has something to report."
"Report," Fang Heng uttered a single word.
Jiang San vividly recounted everything that had happened at the entrance of Youranju in the prefectural city.
The details that the silly second brother and the foolish fourth brother had missed were now all presented to everyone.
Chang Yan almost immediately confirmed, "There is discord within the Wang family."
That's why Lady Wang relied on her maternal family, not the Wang family.
He and Xu Mo exchanged a glance, and a long-lost tacit understanding resurfaced.
Perhaps no one in the Wang family cares for Fang Heng, but the Wang family is not united, which gives them an opportunity. Even if they can't overthrow the Wang family, they must not let the position of Anshui Prefect fall into the hands of the Sun family.
As for the truly crucial information about the Jiang family, all six siblings ignored it.
Chang Yan stood up and looked at Jiang San with admiration, "Third Brother, your subordinate is quite good, very quick-witted."
Fang Heng immediately nodded, "I'll award you half a day of free time."
That's how you train soldiers: there are rewards and punishments, and merits and demerits cannot offset each other, but they can be done together.
After the young masters and ladies went about their business, Jiang Yi and Jiang Er looked at Jiang San with envy.
They were all children from poor families who used to go hungry and longed for enough to eat and warm clothes. But after signing indentured servitude contracts, they finally got enough to eat and wear, but the training was too tiring, and they longed for a time of freedom.
This isn't greed; it's human instinct.
Although Fang Heng wasn't very meticulous, he was a smart man. This half-day of free time was indeed the best reward, and it also motivated Jiang Yi and Jiang Er. They were determined to be quick-witted and clever, and to look for opportunities to make a difference.
"Jiang San, what are you planning to do this afternoon?" Jiang Yi asked.
Jiang San was momentarily dazed. "It's almost Chinese New Year."
Yes, the Chinese New Year is coming soon.
Jiang Sheng stood at the entrance of the clothing store. Last year, they didn't have much money. They watched the brief fireworks display at the dilapidated temple and dreamed about how they would become rich in the future.
A year has passed in the blink of an eye. We wouldn't say we've made a fortune, but our family has certainly undergone tremendous changes.
At least, Jiang Sheng no longer has to go into clothing stores and only look at the cheapest gray coats, which are too big and baggy on her body, like a child wearing an adult's clothes.
This year, she can openly buy the most popular padded jackets and skirts for young girls, buy well-fitting clothes, and buy pink embroidered shoes, even though she doesn't have the plump, round pearls.
Nine-year-old Jiang Sheng already looked like a young lady, and her new jacket and skirt made her even more beautiful and charming.
In contrast, Chang Yan and Wen Zhiyun seem to have barely grown in the past two years, and are now being overtaken by Jiang Sheng, which makes them less willing to stand with Jiang Sheng.
"Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, we've come to buy New Year's goods." Jiang Sheng waved his hand, "After we finish buying, we'll wait for Second Brother to come back for the New Year."
Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yan stood still, unwilling to go over.
Changyan, being the most astute, glanced at her fourth brother and said, "Your sister is calling you."
Wen Zhiyun bit her lower lip, a hint of melancholy in her eyes, "Xiao Wu, you go."
Chang Yan looked up at the sky.
Wen Zhiyun lowered her head and looked at the ground.
Anyway, they just can't be called.
Jiang Sheng also lost her temper, turned her head away angrily, and muttered, "If you don't want to come, then don't come. This year I'll buy you the ugliest clothes and the ugliest shoes."
Despite saying that, she still picked out a nice outfit for each of her five older brothers.
The eldest brother wore a light blue cotton robe, which best suited his elegant and refined nature, much like that of a bamboo shoot.
The second brother wore a wide-sleeved brocade robe with a flamboyant dark pattern.
Third Brother practices martial arts every day and makes too many clothes, so he only buys basic, durable, narrow-sleeved outfits.
Fourth Brother looks like a little white rabbit, so a moon-white jacket would be the perfect match for him.
Fifth Brother is too handsome; he needs to be dressed in dark blue to tone it down, lest people mistake him for a girl.
Shoes were much simpler; black cotton boots were purchased in uniform according to different sizes.
After buying nice clothes and choosing food, mainly fried meatballs and fried vegetables, and buying two pounds of rock sugar to make a drink, this was already the best New Year in Jiang Sheng's eyes.
Now, we're just waiting for my second brother to return.
They waited and waited, but Zheng Ruqian and Jiang Si never appeared.
Just as Jiang Sheng was beginning to suspect that Zheng Ruqian had met with misfortune, Jiang Si returned in a donkey cart, bringing with him a piece of bad news.
Zheng Ruqian spent a huge sum of money to buy dried green beans, but he couldn't sell them.
The future Master Zheng has made a mistake!
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