Chapter 311 Everyone is shocked
Madam Meng said, "In previous years, everyone boiled mung beans in water and drank it, which also helped to relieve the summer heat."
"It's also possible that some people can't afford popsicles and just drink mung bean water."
You should know that when harvesting wheat, almost the entire family goes out.
If the whole family eats popsicles, no one would be willing to spend that money.
Speaking of mung beans, Shen Yueyao's expression changed.
"Mom, do we have mung beans at home?"
Madam Meng nodded and said, "Yes, there are mung beans. I planted some before and stored them after harvesting them."
"Every household in our village grows some mung beans to prevent heatstroke in the summer. When the weather is hot, we boil mung bean water to drink."
In the past, the villagers of Liuhe Village lived in difficult conditions. Everyone was afraid of getting sick from heatstroke because it cost money to see a doctor and get medicine, not to mention that if you got heatstroke you couldn't even do farm work. So every household would prepare some mung beans and boil water to drink to prevent heatstroke.
Of course, every family will grow some mung beans and store some.
Shen Yueyao asked, “Mom, do we have a lot of mung beans?”
Madam Meng shook her head and said, "Not much, just a small bag."
"Yao Niang, do you need mung beans?"
Madam Meng had been with Shen Yueyao for a long time, and as soon as she heard Shen Yueyao speak, she probably understood what she meant.
Is Yao Niang planning to make something with mung beans?
In their impression, mung beans are only used to boil water for drinking.
People rarely use it for anything else.
However, some people grind mung beans into powder and add it to flour to make pasta.
However, you cannot use mung bean flour directly to make pasta.
Shen Yueyao nodded and said, "Well, I was thinking that we could use mung beans to make mung bean powder, mung bean paste, mung bean cakes, and mung bean popsicles. Eating mung bean powder and mung bean popsicles in the summer is quite good."
"Mung beans have the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, relieving summer heat and promoting diuresis."
Old Madam Meng didn't know any of this, she only knew that people would use it to boil mung bean water to prevent heatstroke.
Shen Yueyao thought about this in her mind and continued to cook in the pot.
After a while, the workshop was closed and Fan Jiang and Geng came back from the workshop.
When they saw the dishes the host was going to prepare, they were shocked.
Especially when they smelled the rich aroma from the pot, their mouths were watering.
They had stayed in the Marquis' Mansion before. As stewards of the Mansion, their family was highly valued by the master, received a lot of monthly salary, and of course had better food.
Sometimes the host would reward them with some good food.
But even so, it doesn't smell as good as what I smelled today.
I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect.
Shen Yueyao was frying big plate chicken in one pot and making braised pork trotters in another pot.
So the fragrance is very strong.
Even Su Daya and Su Erya couldn't help drooling when they smelled it.
After Fan Jiang and Geng greeted Shen Yueyao and the others, they quickly washed their hands and helped.
Both of them are efficient workers. They don’t talk much, but they are good at their work.
Since there are many people in the family, Mrs. Meng doesn't need to make fire.
There are several courtyards in the house. Shen Yueyao asked Madam Meng to help watch the pot here, and she took Su Daya to another courtyard to cook other dishes.
This is quick.
Otherwise, if you use two pots, it will be a bit slow to cook.
Cooking is quicker when everyone works together.
Soon, a large table full of food was ready.
Su Erya first went to the street gate to call Dabao, Erbao and Fan Xiaodao back for dinner.
Shen Yueyao suggested eating in the yard.
Anyway, it's hot in the summer, and it's cool in the evening. If you eat in the yard, you can also feel the breeze.
Not to mention Shen Yueyao's home, even other families in the village like to put the table in the yard to eat in the summer.
When a large table of food was set out, Aunt Qiu and the others were shocked when they saw it.
It really has a good color, aroma and taste.
Even when I was in the Marquis' Mansion before, I had never seen many of these dishes.
For example, they have never seen Dongpo pork and Dapanji cooked this way.
There were also some dishes that they couldn’t even name.
But it all looks delicious.
The Third Madam (the Master) is so powerful.
Nanny Qiu and the others were so shocked that they couldn't recover for a long time.
Looking at the food in front of them, if they hadn't helped out, they would have thought it was an illusion.
Fan Cuicui helped to place the chopsticks.
Madam Meng greeted everyone and said, "There are no outsiders here, please sit down and have dinner."
"Madam Qiu, you guys come too."
Aunt Qiu hesitated and said, "Madam, this is against the rules."
Madam Meng waved her hand and said, "This is a village, not a marquis's mansion or the capital. Let's not talk about those rules. Now, let's just think about how to live a good life."
Nanny Qiu looked at Old Madam Meng's expression and sighed a little. She still remembered that when the Su family was exiled, Old Madam Meng had a deep sorrow between her brows, and her eyebrows were furrowed.
But now looking at Madam Meng, she looks very good, with her brows relaxed.
It can be seen that life in the village is very good.
Nanny Qiu was very discerning and she understood that this was all thanks to the Third Madam.
Even in the afternoon, when Old Madam Meng pulled her aside to talk, she kept praising the Third Madam.
Only then did she realize that Madam Meng had previously suffered from eye disease and poor health, and it was thanks to the Third Madam that she recovered.
The Third Lady is truly capable, incomparable to any of the daughters of noble families in the capital who have been carefully nurtured.
Shen Yueyao said: "Mom is right, we have prepared such a large table of food, everyone should sit down and eat, eat more, otherwise it will be a waste if you can't finish it."
Su Daya also quickly pulled Fan Cuicui to sit down and eat.
"You're welcome, eat more, there's so much!"
Everyone started eating then. After Mrs. Meng started eating, everyone else started eating.
Aunt Qiu and her family were too embarrassed to pick up any food, so Old Madam Meng spoke up, "Aunt Qiu, please help everyone enjoy the meal. If you're still restrained and don't move your chopsticks, I'll be very anxious."
After Madam Meng said this, Nanny Qiu and the others started eating.
Dabao, Erbao and Fan Xiaodao sat together.
The eldest and second child can now pick up food and eat by themselves without the need for adult care.
Fan Xiaodao is timid after all. When he came to a strange place, he didn't dare to move around.
Still, Shen Yueyao picked up some of each and put them on his plate, saying, "Xiaodao, eat more."
Fan Xiaodao said politely, "Thank you, Third Madam."
I remember my grandma called her the Third Madam.
Shen Yueyao originally wanted to correct Fan Xiaodao's address and thought that she could just call her aunt.
But then he thought, their Su family will have to return to the capital in the future, and perhaps they will have to take back the marquis's mansion. At that time, they really have to abide by the rules. If the rules are broken, the noble families in the capital will definitely laugh at them.
Shen Yueyao just didn't want to give people a chance to talk about her.
Nanny Qiu's family is different from the villagers. They are indeed stewards from the Marquis' Mansion.
Shen Yueyao touched Fan Xiaodao's hair and said, "Eat quickly. Eat more to grow taller."
On the plate in front of Fan Cuicui was scrambled eggs with leeks.
She had never seen leeks before, and this time she helped pick the leeks.
She picked up a piece and ate it. After eating it, she was stunned.
She really didn't expect the dish to be so delicious.
Fan Cuicui was stunned.
It was Su Erya who tasted the Dongpo pork first.
"Wow, Aunt San, this Dongpo pork is delicious. It tastes better than the braised pork. The flavor is a little different."
Su Erya couldn't help showing an intoxicated look while eating Dongpo pork.
Su Daya was eating fried chicken. "Aunt, fried chicken is so delicious. I didn't expect chicken could be cooked in so many different flavors."
Fan Jiang took a look and picked up some cold cucumber salad first.
Although he also wanted to eat the sumptuous meals, he felt that the host should eat them first.
But he was shocked by just the cold cucumber salad.
They also grow some cucumbers in their yard to cook in the summer.
They also ate cucumbers yesterday, but they definitely didn’t taste like this, and definitely not as good as this.
If he hadn't been sure that it was a cucumber, he would have suspected that it was not a vegetable.
It tastes so good.
There was also garlic enoki mushrooms, which Geng tasted and was also shocked.
Every dish was so delicious.
Madam Meng looked at Geng in a daze and said, "Geng, eat quickly, eat while it's hot. Even though it's summer, some dishes are best eaten hot."
Geng said, "Madam, I am simply astonished. These dishes are so delicious, and I have never seen many of them before."
Madam Meng said proudly, "This is leek, and this is enoki mushroom. Yao Niang found them by chance outside and brought them back to plant. If Yao Niang didn't know these, I wouldn't have known that they could be eaten as vegetables."
"These enoki mushrooms are often seen as ornamental flowers, but they can actually be used in cooking. They're a great addition to hot pot and grilled fish..."
"We have a lot of them planted in our backyard. They grow very fast and have a high yield. You can grow a lot in a small pot."
"And leeks, they grow back every time you cut them. We used leeks to make eggplant pancakes before. You see, scrambled eggs with other vegetables taste just average, but scrambled eggs with leeks are delicious. Leek pancakes are also delicious. Leeks are a good thing."
Old Madam Meng originally thought that if Nanny Qiu and the others had land, she would give them some seeds to grow chives.
But thinking that Aunt Qiu and the others had no land and probably couldn't buy land for the time being, I didn't say these things for the time being.
Geng sighed, "Madam San is amazing! We've never eaten anything like this before, including cucumber salad. I never thought cucumbers could be so delicious."
Shen Yueyao explained with a smile: "Let's cook. The key is seasoning. This cucumber salad is very simple to make, but how to season it is also very important."
Madam Meng said, "Although Yao Niang said it was for seasoning, Yao Niang's cooking is better than mine. Every time I cook according to Yao Niang's instructions, I can't make the taste she makes."
Su Daya and Su Erya also nodded.
Even when I was learning cooking from Aunt San, I had already learned some of the dishes and remembered the steps very clearly.
But the taste of the food I made always seemed a little worse than that of Aunt San’s.
Of course, the food cooked according to Aunt San’s method is also delicious.
Anyway, they are now people with cooking skills.
In the village and town, there is a skill called cooking, which is an extremely powerful skill.
With this skill, Su Daya and Su Erya felt more confident.
They haven't thought about returning to the capital yet. Now they just think about studying hard, improving their abilities and living a good life every day. As for other things, they don't think about it.
Anyway, they listen to Aunt San.
Nanny Qiu was even more shocked and horrified.
"Madam, these dishes were not available in the Marquis' Mansion before. We can eat chicken, but the taste is different."
Madam Meng nodded and said, "That's right."
"In the past, our kitchen at the Marquis' Mansion also hired a very good chef to cook. I thought the food at that time was delicious. After I tasted the food made by Yao Niang, I realized that it was not called gourmet food. Only what Yao Niang cooks is called gourmet food."
Shen Yueyao even laughed, "Mom, you are praising me."
"No, it's true."
Shen Yueyao thought to herself that when she arrived in the capital, she must try the food there.
If the food in Beijing tastes average, I can start a food business in Beijing.
"Eat more and try to finish it all. The second meal won't taste good."
"Eat slowly, you'll find it eventually."
Dabao and Erbao both said obediently, "Mom, it's delicious."
"Mom, I can't eat anymore."
The eldest and second baby have small stomachs, so naturally the food they eat is different from that of adults. They just need to taste a little bit and they will be full.
"I'm full. It's okay. Sit down and digest it slowly. I'll get you some milk tea. Have a cup of milk tea later."
The milk tea she makes with tea leaves and goat milk is just right for nourishing children.
Everyone can have a bowl.
Shen Yueyao was about to go over and get busy, so Nanny Qiu and the others hurried over to help.
In this way, each person filled another bowl of milk tea.
Fan Cuicui's eyes were a little red. She had never eaten such delicious food.
Even Fan Xiaodao ate it bit by bit as if it were precious, his eyes sparkling.
It can be seen that he is very happy.
Shen Yueyao saw that everyone was eating well and a smile appeared on her face.
Shen Yueyao believes that delicious food can best heal people's souls.
After the meal, Aunt Qiu and Madam Geng were busy cleaning up and washing the dishes, not letting Madam Meng and Shen Yueyao and the others do anything.
"Old Madam, Third Madam, please let us clean up, otherwise I will feel really uneasy."
Only then did Mrs. Meng nod.
On weekdays, Mrs. Meng would go to the street to enjoy the cool air.
Because at this time you can hear the lively voices of people talking outside the street gate from the yard.
We talked and played for a while in the yard, then went back to sleep.
Old Madam Meng arranged for Nanny Qiu and her family to live in the guest room courtyard in the front yard first, so that they could have enough space to live there.
Of course, this is only a temporary arrangement. In two days, Aunt Qiu and her family will move into the dormitory.
The dormitory has special suites, which are two-bedroom houses that can accommodate a family.
When it was time to go to bed at night, Geng and Fan Jiang lay in bed, not feeling sleepy.
Geng touched her stomach and said, "It's been a long time since I felt so full after eating. And the food was so delicious."
Every dish is unforgettable.
Fan Jiang said, "So you can suffer with me?"
Geng shook her head and said, "No, although we suffered hardships and didn't have enough food to eat before, now we have found our master, and that's all good. He is very kind and treats us well. It is our honor to work with such a master."
"Everyone in the workshop says the master is good."
"They are all very grateful to their master. It is the master who has helped them live a good life. He said that the wages and bonuses of ordinary employees are at least one or two taels of silver every month. This is an amount that the villagers dare not even think about."
"But now they earn one tael of silver a month, so they can earn at least twelve taels of silver a year."
"The key is the free time. I work five days and rest two days..."
Geng said with a smile on her face, and she admired Shen Yueyao in her heart.
Fan Jiang said seriously, "It's really good, so we must work hard and do what the master has told us to do. Don't rely on your old status as the elder of the Su Mansion and do things without rules and manners."
Geng said, "I understand this. Do I need you to teach me?"
Fan Jiang said, "I'll tell Cuicui about this later."
Geng was very relieved about her daughter and said, "When we came here, mother also gave us instructions several times. Cuicui is a diligent and sensible child. Don't worry."
…
For the next two days, Aunt Qiu and her family lived in the dormitory. After they worked in the workshop for two days, the workshop was closed for the wheat harvest holiday.
Everyone started preparing to harvest the wheat.
The villagers also became busy.
However, since everyone has been given a holiday to harvest wheat, if I want to make popsicles, I can’t find anyone to make them.
Shen Yueyao brought her family and Aunt Qiu's family to start making popsicles.
Shen Yueyao also wanted to make some better popsicles.
So I asked Mrs. Meng to take out some mung beans and make something that tasted like mung beans.
Fan Jiang said, "Master, do you need our help harvesting the wheat?"
Shen Yueyao shook her head and said, "No need. I've already told Lin Hong that I've hired a few temporary workers to help harvest the wheat. I just need to pay them every day."
There are some people in the town who don't have much land at home and are all looking for work outside, so it's a good opportunity for Lin Hong to hire a few people to come and work.
Dabao, Erbao and Xiaodao were watching curiously from the side. The faces of the three little guys were all red, but they didn't seem to feel the heat.
They watched Shen Yueyao making popsicles with eager eyes, and even wanted to eat them.
Normally, Shen Yueyao is very strict and won’t let Dabao and Erbao eat too much.
Xiaodao had never eaten popsicles, but after eating the meal cooked by Shen Yueyao that night, he knew that everything cooked by the Third Madam was delicious.
Dabao and Erbao also said that the food their mother cooks is delicious.
Dabao and Erbao also gave Xiaodao malt sugar to eat, saying that it was also made by their mother.
It is indeed delicious. Xiaodao can only eat a piece of candy during the Chinese New Year.
Every time he couldn't bear to eat it.
I didn’t expect that I could eat candy every day here.
Shen Yueyao found it funny to see the eager looks in Dabao and Erbao's eyes.
"Don't worry, it will be ready soon. Mom will let you eat it. This time we will make it with mung bean flavor."
When Dabao and Erbao heard that they could say it, their eyes lit up and they smiled happily, revealing their dimples.
Even Aunt Qiu sighed inwardly when she saw this.
The daughter-in-law the old lady found is simply amazing.
Now she can feel that the Su family is filled with warmth and comfort.
Even she thought it looked particularly good.
"We just happen to have some mung beans, Mom. Let's make mung bean flour for lunch."
“It’s refreshing and you won’t feel hot.”
Madam Meng nodded readily and said, "Okay, tell me what you need to do to make mung bean powder, and I will help you."
Shen Yueyao nodded and said, "Let's make popsicles first and then make lunch later."
"It's not even noon yet, and the sun is already so hot."
Shen Yueyao looked up at the sun in the sky, and thought of the villagers busy working in the fields, feeling quite emotional.
Anyone who has actually farmed and tended crops is reluctant to waste any food.
Shen Yueyao didn't understand how precious food was before. It was only after she came here and saw the farmers' spring planting and autumn harvest process that she realized how hard it was.
So she thought about it and decided to lower the price of the popsicles.
The cost of popsicles is not high, it’s just that the price of sugar is a bit higher.
Shen Yueyao said, "If we go to the fields to sell popsicles, people busy with the autumn harvest will buy them. We can sell them at two cents each, or three cents for two. It will be cheaper, so people will be willing to buy some."
"The main thing is that harvesting wheat is hot and hard, and we don't have to make enough money to make popsicles during these few days."
Anyway, the money I make from making popsicles is not as much as that from making lipstick and facial cream.
Just consider it as helping everyone.
The main reason is that the workshop business is good now. She has made a lot of money and can be more generous.
But the cost of popsicles can definitely be recovered.
Madam Meng naturally understood what Shen Yueyao meant. She knew that Yao Niang had a kind heart and was doing this to help the farmers who were harvesting wheat.
Su Daya and Su Erya naturally understood as well.
They felt that Third Aunt was very kind-hearted.
Aunt San said that when doing business, you must stick to your original intention.
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