Chapter 455 Tourism Industry in Dahe Village
Before we knew it, it was the last day of May. Starting tomorrow, the village will be receiving tourists.
Every day, wealthy families send people to make reservations. Zhao Tiezhu's reservations are already booked a month in advance, and the deposits he has received alone exceed two hundred taels of silver.
The village head took this matter very seriously and convened a meeting with everyone under the big locust tree that very evening.
The crescent moon hung on the treetops, the light was not very good, so two torches were lit and stuck in the ground, and hundreds of people gathered around to attend the meeting.
"I'm sure many of you already understand what's going on since I called you all here. That's right, starting tomorrow, our Dahe Village will be hosting guests from the city every day. These guests are all wealthy people. Once they enter our village, they will spend money. The money earned will belong to our village's collective property and will be distributed to everyone at the end of the year along with the market revenue. So, no one should underestimate this matter."
"Many people in the village have been assigned tasks, so you all must do your jobs well, even if it's a small one, and do it to the best of your ability. Most people haven't been assigned any tasks, so just focus on your own work. If any outsiders ask for directions or anything, you must be respectful. Everyone represents Dahe Village, so don't let people think that the people of Dahe Village are cold and difficult to get along with!"
"Of course, if any impolite people insult the villagers, bully the elderly, women and children, or trample on farmland, then don't be polite. Call the patrol team and retaliate!"
The village head took a breath and continued, "I previously instructed you to make bamboo and wooden handkerchiefs and such. Has anyone started making them?"
Several men from the village immediately raised their hands: "I carved a few lotus leaves and lotus flowers, but I don't know if those rich people will like them."
"I've woven lotus flowers and leaves out of dry grass, and I've also woven quite a few dragonflies. Ten coins each, is that okay?"
"I asked Aunt Dashan, and she specially embroidered some lotus flowers and ducks, and we'll try putting them up at the market tomorrow."
"I carved a few wooden hairpins, hoping that some young ladies will like these little trinkets."
"..."
Cheng Wanwan took a look out of curiosity and found that the little trinkets everyone made were quite exquisite, especially the bamboo-woven dragonflies, which were incredibly lifelike. If they were sold in modern times, as pure handicrafts, they would cost at least several hundred yuan.
And that wooden hairpin, although made of wood, was shaved very thin, with a lotus bud about to bloom on it, which was very beautiful.
These little gadgets filled her with anticipation for tomorrow.
The first day of June was a bright and sunny day.
Early in the morning, the villagers were busy in an orderly manner, some going to the fields, some going to work, and others waiting at the village entrance to receive tourists.
As the sun slowly rose, several horse-drawn carriages slowly drove into Dahe Village.
Today, a group of sixteen scholars arrived. They disembarked at the village entrance, and Zhao Da immediately led the carriage away, while Zhao Tiezhu led more than ten people toward the lotus pond.
The lotus pond area has been rearranged. There was only one stone table in the pavilion, so a specially made long table was placed under the shade of the trees next to it, which can seat nearly twenty people. Tea and snacks were already prepared on the table, with the aroma of tea and the sweetness of fruit filling the air.
Nestled amidst lush greenery, this spot offers a glimpse of the lotus pond just steps away. The lotus leaves are even greener, and more lotus flowers are in bloom. There are fully open lotus flowers, newly sprouted buds, and many more half-open buds, each with its own unique beauty. Some ducks frolic in the water, adding a lively and dynamic touch to this tranquil scene.
Upon seeing the beautiful scenery, the scholars couldn't help but compose poems and couplets, and some even began to paint.
The morning passed quickly, and the canteen had already prepared a sumptuous lunch. This group had ordered a lotus banquet, which meant that all the dishes were related to lotus flowers. These dishes were all described by Cheng Wanwan and made by Wen Shi after many trials. They tasted very good, and the scholars ate with great relish, finishing every dish completely, and even felt that they could not get enough.
The afternoon was reserved for another activity: hunting in the mountains.
Hunter Zhao designated a spot and released some pheasants and rabbits into it, intending to ensure the scholars had a good time.
These pheasants and rabbits were all raised by Zhao the hunter himself, and they had long since become lazy, squatting in the same spot without moving.
The frail scholar picked up his bow and arrow and shot.
"I shot it!"
"Haha, I caught a rabbit!"
"I've caught this pheasant, it's mine!"
"..."
It can be said that these scholars had never felt so free and unrestrained.
After coming down from the mountain, the villagers would help process the game they had caught, and the scholars would then go to the market.
The small market didn't have everything, but it did have many trinkets they'd never seen before, such as bamboo carvings, straw weaving, and wood carvings.
"This grass-woven dragonfly is nice; I'll take it back for my sister."
"This wooden hairpin looks just as good as a jade hairpin. How much is it? I'll take it."
"Brother Zhou, what are you doing buying a hairpin, a grown man? Did you secretly meet with some young lady?"
"Nonsense, I'm giving this to my mother! And this handkerchief is nice too, give me two, one for my mother and one for my sister."
The villagers were truly surprised that someone would actually be willing to buy these things, and they became even more enthusiastic in promoting them.
"Come, come, lotus flower drink! Five coins a bowl, limited quantity, first come, first served!"
A childish voice rang out.
As everyone looked over, they saw two little girls, not even ten years old, hawking their wares on the street. In front of them was a table with several bowls on it, each containing a pink drink. Around the bowls were large lotus leaves and a lotus flower, placed in pairs, making the drink look quite tempting and delicious.
The scholars walked over one by one, saying, "One bowl, please."
The people setting up the stall were none other than Donghua and Qiuhua.
Two months ago, when Cao Yingying married into the family, she prepared a gift for the two girls. The two girls planned to keep the money to start a business.
After much deliberation, the two decided to study the cookbook that their aunt had brought back from Huzhou, which included recipes for drinks.
In order to learn, the two girls followed Erwang to read and read every day. They finally managed to understand the recipe, but they found that many of the ingredients were not available in the village. Buying them would cost a lot of money, and the two girls were reluctant to spend the money, so the matter was put on hold day by day.
But now, with such a great opportunity to make money right in front of them, the two of them put their heads together and came up with their own "Lotus Drink".
A scholar took the lead and bought a bowl. He took a small sip and nodded repeatedly: "It's very sweet, and the taste is good."
As soon as he said that, the people following behind him all took out their money.
Donghua had already inquired and found out that a total of sixteen people were coming today, so she prepared about seventeen or eighteen bowls, which were all sold out, earning her a total of eighty coins.
The two girls exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with excitement. This was a business with no capital investment; eighty coins a day would amount to more than two taels of silver a month!
The two packed their things and went home. As soon as they stepped inside, they heard Old Mrs. Zhao roaring, "Damn it! Some shameless bastard stole the candy I locked in the cupboard..."
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