Chapter 100: The 100th Inn - Setting Up a Stall
The walnut shortbread is crispy and melts in your mouth with just a slight bite, allowing the aroma of walnuts and the sweet fragrance of oil to permeate your senses. With a gentle bite, you can feel a slightly grainy texture.
Sweet but not cloying, fragrant but not oily, this walnut shortbread surprised Fu Wang. He quickly finished a piece and said to Yun Yin, "This pastry will be very popular."
"Silver thread candy and water chestnut cake are not actually very filling, while egg yolk pastry is filling but not suitable for storage. Walnut pastry, on the other hand, can last quite a while if stored properly."
Yunyin nodded and said, "That's right. As long as walnut shortbread doesn't get damp, it can last for ten days without any problem. It's perfect for filling your stomach when you're hungry, especially if it's not mealtime yet." However, those wealthy ladies don't really like pastries that crumble easily when you eat them. If I were to make them for them, they would have to be bite-sized, which would be too much work.
She wrapped it in dried lotus leaves, then wrapped it in oil paper, tied it with string, and put it in the basket. She said to Fu Wang, "Wrap up the rest for me just like I did. I'll go get the other snacks and we'll pack them all together later. We'll go to the county town early tomorrow."
Fu Wang took the lotus leaf from her hand and asked Fang Tang and the other children to help pack it up.
Yunyin went back to the kitchen to pack up the silver thread candy, water chestnut cake, egg yolk pastry, and sesame candy she had made, and then went back to the lobby to pack them up with them.
The next morning, Yunyin packed the snacks in a basket and put them on the car. She also went to the storeroom to find a piece of linen to take with her, along with the lanterns she had prepared the day before. Fu Wang had already loaded the table that he had made and disassembled the day before onto the car. He called Fang Shanghe, and the three of them headed to the county town together.
Fang He was brought along this time because she had learned the basics from Yun Yin for a long time and knew the taste of the pastries that Yun Yin was going to sell. She could also help with hawking and other odd jobs.
The rest of the people still had to stay at the inn to help. With Feng Hai there, Yun Yin wasn't worried about guests. His cooking skills were much better than when he first arrived. Except for particularly complicated and troublesome dishes, he could cook most of the other home-style dishes.
Although it's the Lantern Festival on the 15th, many people still go out. There are quite a few merchants who have already started preparing to set off, as they will be spending the Lantern Festival on the road.
Yunyin and the others drove their horse-drawn carriage to the county town early in the morning. There were already quite a few people on the road, all heading to the county to participate in the Lantern Festival.
Last time Magistrate Cui held a Nuo opera, many people went to watch, but many villagers didn't trust the new magistrate and didn't go to join in the fun. Later, those who returned to the village talked about how exciting it was and regretted it. This time, when they heard that the magistrate was going to hold a lantern festival, many people went to the county town together.
Yunyin heard this news from Chen Silang of Xiaotao Village. He was the son of the village chief. He had suffered heavy losses during his last labor service and it took him a long time to recover. Even though he knew that the county magistrate had been changed, he didn't really trust the new magistrate. It was only after a few rascals from the same village, who were fearless and went to the county town to join in the fun, that he found out about it.
Knowing that county magistrates don't have to pay to set up stalls, he and several other villagers went to the county town together to sell some of the cabbages and radishes he had brought. They happened to run into Yunyin, who was also on her way to the county town.
Yunyin waved to him and walked towards the county town ahead of him. Looking at the increasing number of people on the road, she smiled happily and said, "In the future, more and more people will come to the county town, and more and more people will pass by my place. Some of them will eventually eat at my shop. The county magistrate has really done a good thing."
Fu Wang held the whip but didn't strike, letting the horse slowly run forward. "Then you'll be even busier."
Yunyin waved her hand and said, "There's also Feng Hai. This year I plan to teach Fang He more, as well as Fang Tang and the others. With their help, how busy can I be?"
Fang He nodded while sitting in the car. Noticing that Yun Yin couldn't see, she quickly called out, "Master, I will study hard and will definitely be able to help you."
Yunyin turned around and saw that her little face was very serious and solemn. She couldn't help but chuckle and patted her head, saying, "Well, then I'll wait for you to share my burdens."
As they got closer to the city gate, the number of people queuing to enter the city grew. Many people carrying goods lined up to enter the city. Yunyin and her group also lined up on another road specifically for horse-drawn carriages and entered the city with the crowd.
Fu Wang drove the carriage toward the area designated by Magistrate Cui. There was a row of wooden sheds that had been set up. He looked at the numbers on them and walked toward the sixth stall.
The clerk in charge of the nearby market stalls saw a carriage approaching and asked, "Let me see the wooden plaque."
Fu Wang handed the wooden plaque given to him by Magistrate Cui to the clerk. The clerk stared at Fu Wang for a moment, then looked at the plaque again to confirm that it was correct before letting them in. Fu Wang drove the carriage to stall number six and asked Yun Yin and Fang He to wait there for a while. He moved the tables and chairs down and gave the clerk a few coins to help take care of one or two people. He then drove the carriage back and parked it in the designated area for carriages.
When Yunyin saw Fang He about to move the disassembled tables and chairs, she quickly stopped her, saying, "Ahe, rest for a bit. When Fu Wang comes back, let him assemble them. We don't know how to do it, and it would be troublesome if we put them together incorrectly."
Fang He responded and stopped thinking about moving the table. She stood next to Yun Yin and began to examine the wooden shed.
Yunyin was also looking at the wooden shed. The shed was well-built, with a coarse linen cloth hanging on it to keep out dust and provide some shade from the sun in the summer. She asked the constable curiously, "Sir, what are you planning to do with these stalls in the future?"
The letter from Magistrate Cui to her did not mention this matter; it only invited her to set up a stall. She did not know whether others were charged fees, but she was not charged any fees.
The clerk glanced at Yunyin, then looked away. He knew that the man from before was a friend of County Magistrate Zhou, so he naturally didn't dare to underestimate Yunyin. When Yunyin asked, he explained to her in detail, "The magistrate decided to waive the stall fees on West Street, right? He said that most of the vendors there sell agricultural products, and if we charge stall fees again, the farmers will be even less willing to bring their vegetables to the city to sell."
"If there are fewer vegetables in the city, it will be more expensive for everyone to buy vegetables. If farmers can bring their surplus vegetables to the city to sell, the farmers will make money, and everyone will be able to buy vegetables at a cheaper price."
Yunyin did know about this. She had heard about it when she came to the city with Fu Wang to watch the Nuo opera. She stood quietly to the side and listened to the constable continue: "But some people sell valuable things, and some food is not convenient to set up a stall in. Not everyone can afford to rent a shop. So the magistrate built two rows of sheds here, which will be rented to others in the future. The price is much cheaper than the rent of a shop."
He pointed to the end of the street and said, "After you leave this street, turn right and you'll reach East Street. There are many shops there, and many people pass through here."
Yunyin looked back at the house behind her. The constable noticed her too and scratched his head, saying, "Of course, a portion of the rent from these stalls will also be shared with the residents, so everyone can benefit."
She wanted to ask the man if he knew how to rent the stalls when she saw that Fu Wang had returned. She greeted Fu Wang and asked him to help assemble the tables while she continued to inquire about the situation from the constable.
The constable knew about this and told Yunyin, "A stall on this street costs ten coins a day. You can reserve a stall long-term or rent one every day, but if you come late, there may not be any good spots left."
Fu Wang also overheard their conversation. After assembling the table, he asked Yun Yin, "Do you want to rent a stall here?"
Yunyin thanked the constable, squatted down beside Fu Wang, and smiled at him. "I did have this plan. As you know, many of the pastries I make don't sell well on the official road, but there are many rich people in the county town. If I sell them there, I can sell more and save more money."
She wanted to keep Yinshuang, and she also wanted to return the ten taels of gold to Lu Xuan. She also planned to build staff housing and dig a pond this year, all of which would cost money. She also needed to continue farming, and hiring people to farm would cost a lot of money. She planned to plant a lot of chili peppers and cotton this year, so how could she not prepare more money?
Besides... She looked up at Fu Wang and saw that he was still assembling the chair. She pursed her lips and thought, she had agreed to the marriage with Fu Wang, so she should prepare some dowry. She already had a house and land, so she didn't have to worry about them. She still needed to prepare some money to save for her dowry.
Fu Wang assembled the chairs and let the two sit down. Then he went to assemble another chair and said to Yun Yin, "It's all up to you." He thought for a moment and said, "I bought a shop in the county. If you need it, I can let you use it."
Yunyin looked at Fu Wang in surprise: "You bought the shop so quickly?"
Fu Wang nodded: "How can we not be enthusiastic about preparing the betrothal gifts? It's just that land isn't so easy to buy. But don't worry, we'll be able to buy some after a while. I've already asked someone to inquire for me. Last year was a severe disaster, and many people are planning to sell their land. I'll see what I can do and buy some."
Yunyin also knew that Long'an County suffered a severe disaster last year, and many people had to sell their land to survive. Some families in Dazhu Village had no land to sell, so they had to sell their daughters. She sighed and said, "I hope Magistrate Cui can help the nearby villages earn more money. I wonder when he plans to arrange for people to grow fruit."
"It takes several years for fruit to bear fruit. I wonder if the county magistrate will still be in Long'an County by then."
Fu Wang: "I heard Zhou Chang mention it once, saying that the county magistrate has already made contacts and plans to buy more fruit seedlings so that they can be planted in the spring."
Yunyin spread the linen on the table and took out the pastries and put them away. Hearing him say this, she leaned closer and whispered, "Do you think the magistrate would agree if I asked him to sell me some fruit tree saplings?"
Fu Wang looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention to them, whispered, "Do you also want to plant some fruit trees?"
Yunyin nodded and said, "Once the magistrate opens up a road, people who grow fruit trees in the surrounding area won't have to worry about selling their fruit. Then my fruit will be more expensive. As you know, I need fruit for many of my snacks and desserts, as well as dried fruit. When guests come, I also need to serve them fruit platters. If I grow my own fruit trees, then I won't lack fruit."
"Later, guests who come to dine will not only be able to listen to folk songs, but also stroll through the orchard and pick some fruit to take home." Just like the agritainment businesses of later generations, she looked at Fu Wang, "What do you think of this?"
Fu Wang stroked his chin and said, "Buying fruit tree saplings from the county magistrate is not a problem, but do you have anyone in your area who knows how to grow fruit trees?"
Yunyin sighed and said, "Oh, why doesn't Zheng Guilan know how to grow fruit trees?" She rolled her eyes and said, "Otherwise, I'll ask Zheng Dong to see if anyone in his village is willing to come and work at my shop and help me grow some fruit trees."
Fu Wang nodded and said, "We can ask."
Just then, someone passed by and was attracted by the sweet aroma from Yunyin's stall. He glanced to the side and was amazed by the pastries on the stall. Before he could react and look up to ask, he was stunned by Yunyin's appearance. Feeling Fu Wang's cold gaze, he lowered his head shyly and stepped forward, saying, "Wife, how much are these pastries?"
Yunyin didn't expect anyone to come to buy snacks so early. She looked at the lanterns that hadn't been displayed yet, thought for a moment, and then quoted a price.
"It's not expensive, give me one of each." He took out money from his pocket and handed it to Yunyin. Fu Wang, who was standing next to her, took the money directly without waiting for Yunyin to take it.
Yunyin then went to pack some pastries for him.
A serving of pastries cost twenty coins. There were ten coins for things like silver thread candy and sesame candy, six coins for egg yolk pastry and walnut pastry, but the most was water chestnut cake, which had twelve coins in total. She packed all the pastries into a big bag.
"Take care, sir, and come again next time."
The guest nodded, picked up a large bag of things, and walked absentmindedly towards East Street. Fang He, who was standing nearby, noticed that some of the pastries on the table were empty, so she quickly took some out of the basket to replenish them.
Fu Wang gave a soft "humph," pulled Yun Yin down to sit, and said to her, "Didn't you want to sell pastries? I'll set up the shop, and you can have someone sell them there."
Yunyin shook her head and said, "No need, just rent a stall here. You should rent out your shop." She paused and then said, "I will arrange for someone to come and set up a stall. Fangtang also needs to learn how to make pastries, so I can teach her that too."
Fang He said from the side, "Master, don't I want to learn how to make pastries?"
Yunyin: "Of course you have to learn, but you should practice your knife skills and control of heat first. Once you're proficient in those, I'll teach you how to season. As for sugar cubes, I plan to have her learn how to cook white dishes. These hot dishes don't need to be too refined."
Seeing Fang He breathe a sigh of relief, she said to her, "You are my apprentice, and I will teach you all these things. You must study hard."
Fang He nodded her little head earnestly and said, "Master, I will."
Knowing that Yunyin wouldn't be setting up a stall in the city in the future, Fu Wang planned to rent out the shop he had bought. He had originally intended that if she wanted to come to the city, she would have a place to use.
Yunyin had no idea what Fu Wang was thinking. As more and more people gathered, people started coming to the nearby stalls. She looked around curiously and found that the stalls around her weren't selling food. Some stalls were selling porcelain, and others were selling trinkets.
Although the Lantern Festival is held at night, the street is already bustling with activity. Yunyin saw that some people had already started hanging lanterns, so she and Fu Wang hung up their lanterns together.
The lanterns that Fu Wang bought were very beautiful. In addition to the common lanterns, there were also some lanterns that she had seen before, such as rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, and moon lanterns.
The lanterns weren't lit yet, but hanging them on the wooden shed was quite charming. Next to the shed was a bamboo pole specifically for hanging lanterns. Yunyin hung up all the lanterns and said to Fu Wang, "The magistrate is quite thoughtful."
Fu Wang nodded and said, "Indeed, it would be even better if we could prepare some more tables and chairs."
Yunyin glanced at the tables and chairs in the shed and laughed, "Well, you were quite prescient. I hadn't even thought of bringing tables and chairs; I only brought a piece of burlap."
Fu Wang pointed to the stalls across the street and said, "Actually, you don't need a table. Look over there, they're selling toys, so they don't need a table. They can just lay a layer of burlap on the ground and put the things on it."
"I only brought this table and chair because I thought you were going to sell food."
Yunyin praised, "But your carpentry is also very good; you can't tell at all that the table and chairs are pieced together."
Fu Wang smiled slightly when he heard Yun Yin's praise, "It's nothing."
He was about to say something more when another customer came in to buy something, so he stopped talking and joined in the work.
Perhaps her pastries were truly attractive, because after the two people bought them, more and more people came to this place. Yunyin saw another person off and said to Fu Wang, "Luckily I prepared a lot, otherwise these pastries would have been sold out before evening."
Seeing that she was sweating despite the cold winter, Fu Wang took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped her sweat. "You should rest for a bit. When the next person comes, leave it to me and Fang He."
Seeing that Fang He was also a little tired, he changed his tone and said, "Never mind, you should all rest and have some water first."
Fu Wang took the bamboo tubes out of the basket and handed them to the two of them. He looked at the sky outside and asked Yunyin, "What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll go buy it for you."
Yunyin glanced at the sky and, seeing that it was getting late, thought for a moment and said, "I'm fine with anything, it doesn't matter what you buy, just buy whatever you think is best."
Fu Wang glanced at the constables patrolling the intersection, took a pastry from his basket, and said to Yun Yin, "Alright, I'll go buy some food. You two sit down for a bit."
Seeing him hand the bag of pastries to the constable who had been there before, Yunyin couldn't help but slap her forehead. "Why didn't I think of that? Sigh, I still lack experience." She should have built a good relationship with the constables patrolling the streets. Luckily, Fu Wang remembered.
Yunyin and Fanghe were resting in the shed. The winter sun shone on them, making Yunyin reluctant to get up. Just as she was lost in thought, a familiar voice rang in her ears: "Yunniangzi, what are you doing here?"
Yunyin looked up and saw Lin Yun, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. She was followed by several maids and attendants as they walked towards her.
She quickly stood up and greeted her, "Madam Lin, it's been a long time. I've come here today to set up a stall and sell snacks for the Lantern Festival."
Lin Yun waved for the people behind her to stand by the roadside, walked into Yunyin's shed, and looked at the pastries on the table. She smiled and said, "Isn't this perfect? The water chestnut cakes you gave us when you visited us for the New Year last time were very popular in our family. I was even saying that I would go to your place to buy some after the fifteenth of the lunar month."
Hearing that she liked it, Yunyin smiled and her eyes crinkled. "I also made some new pastries today. See if you like them."
After hearing Yunyin's introduction, Lin Yun waved her hand and said, "Let's have three portions of each kind. There are many of us, so we can finish all of these."
Yunyin packed her food and asked, "Is Lin Hui at home or has he already gone to school?"
Lin Yun: "You don't know?" Seeing that Yun Yin really didn't know, she smiled and said, "She went to the capital with Song Shi and the others, saying that she was going to try the imperial examination. I know that he felt that Song Shi and Xie Yan had both left, and he was alone here. He even said he was going to take the imperial examination. I don't think he is the kind of person who wants to take the imperial examination."
Yunyin listened to her with a smile. She had only learned from Song Shi's letter that the imperial examinations in Da Zhao this year would be held in March. Going to the capital early would allow them to rest and prepare for the exams in the best possible condition. She hadn't expected Lin Hui to go with her; he had previously made an appointment with Wang Yu to listen to Yinshuang play music.
Seeing that there were more and more people on the street, Yunyin moved the chair next to her over and handed it to Lin Yun, saying, "Mrs. Lin, would you like to come and sit for a while?"
Lin Yun glanced at the chair and nodded, saying, "Okay, I happen to have something to tell you."
Yunyin asked her curiously, "What did you want to talk to me about, my wife?"
“You sold me some cotton before, and I made some cotton-padded clothes in my shop. The new magistrate saw them and questioned the shop assistants. That’s how I found out,” she sighed. “It’s also my fault for letting the magistrate know that the cotton was supplied by you.”
Yunyin waved her hand and said, "This has nothing to do with you. Besides, many people in Linjiang Village have made cotton-padded clothes. The county magistrate will always go to the countryside to inspect and he will find out eventually."
Seeing that Yunyin wasn't angry, Lin Yun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I was thinking of coming to see you, but I've been busy before and after the New Year. Today is the Lantern Festival, so I was thinking of buying some things you like. I'll come to see you in a couple of days to talk about this."
Yunyin: "Madam Lin, there's no need to be so polite. I actually have something I'd like to ask of you."
Lin Yun asked curiously, "What is it? If it's not difficult, I'll definitely help you with it."
"Last time you mentioned that you wanted to improve the tools so that it would be more convenient to collect cotton seeds. I wonder if you could sell me one after you make it, my lady."
When Lin Yun heard about this, she laughed and said, "What's the big deal? It's not difficult at all. My craftsmen have already made some progress. Magistrate Cui also provided us with a lot of help when he heard that I wanted to improve the tools."
Mentioning Magistrate Cui, Yunyin said shyly, "I told you before that I would sell you the cotton I planted this year, but I think the magistrate probably wants it too."
Lin Yun thought for a moment and said, "It's okay, Linjiang Village has planted quite a lot, so we'll be able to buy enough cotton eventually."
Seeing that Lin Yun wasn't angry, Yunyin said apologetically, "I'm really sorry."
Lin Yun waved her hand and said, "It's nothing. At worst, I'll send someone to the Western Regions to buy cotton seeds, and then I'll have the tenant farmers plant some too."
Just as the two were talking, Fu Wang returned carrying a large food box. Seeing someone in the shed, he merely raised an eyebrow, put the food box down, and asked Yun Yin, "A-Yin, who is this?"
Yunyin introduced the two to each other. When Lin Yun saw that he was carrying a food box, she stood up and said, "Madam Yun, you haven't eaten yet, have you? You two eat first, I'll be going now."
Yunyin waved her hand and said, "Alright, Madam Lin, we'll discuss what you're talking about later."
After Lin Yun left, Fu Wang asked, "What do you want to discuss with her?"
Yunyin smiled and said, "It's nothing, it's about cotton." She paused and asked Fu Wang, "Didn't the magistrate ask you to buy cotton seeds from the Western Regions? When do you plan to go?"
Fu Wang shook his head, "I'll have Cheng Yong and Wang Shitou buy it. Wang Shitou knows where I bought it and he knows that person. I can just have him bring it back."
He paused in setting out the food, as if realizing something, "Does Madam Lin also want me to help bring the seeds?"
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