Chapter 31, The 31st Inn, Green Plum
Yunyin didn't want Song Shi to bother Luo Man. She had finally managed to forget her unhappy things, and seeing Song Shi would probably remind her of them again.
Luo Man has already rejected Song Shi, and Song Shi also knows that it won't be easy for them to be together. Yun Yin doesn't know how to persuade her either way; she just feels caught in a dilemma.
Yunyin, who had never been in a relationship, didn't know that sometimes you can't just give up, and you can't just stop liking something just by saying you like it.
However, Song Shi still felt apologetic because he had caused trouble for Luo Man. He looked at Yun Yin and said, "Can I have a few words with Lady Luo? I'll leave after I'm done."
Yunyin hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's not convenient for Sister Aman to see you right now. Why don't you wait until she sobers up before you talk to her?"
Song Shi wanted to say a few more words, but Luo Man on the other end opened her eyes, her gaze clear and lucid, showing no trace of drunkenness. Not wanting to put Yun Yin in a difficult position, she said to Song Shi, "Let's go talk over there."
Song Shi quickly caught up with her, and the two went aside to talk.
Yunyin sighed as she watched the two of them, feeling fortunate that she didn't have anyone she liked and didn't have to get caught up in these entanglements.
She sipped her peach blossom wine, picked a bright red cherry, and ate it one by one, dipping it in the sugar on the plate.
Seeing the delicate pink peach blossom wine, Yunyin thought of the peach tree. She wondered if it had borne fruit yet, and decided to take some time to check on it.
A gentle breeze blew by, and sunlight filtered through the trees onto her face. She felt drowsy, and thinking that there was still a long time before she could make dinner, she decided to indulge herself and lay down on the grass, slowly falling asleep. Before falling asleep, she was still thinking about Luo Man and Song Shi, and she didn't know what she dreamed about. When she woke up, it took her a long time to react.
Song Shi was long gone, and only Luo Man was drinking alone. She lifted the straw hat off her head, rubbed her head, and said, "Sister Aman, you have a really good capacity for alcohol."
She only drank three cups of the peach blossom wine; Luo Man drank the rest. She was slightly tipsy, while Luo Man remained energetic.
Luo Man smiled helplessly: "This is just rice wine, it's not intoxicating. It's just that you have a low alcohol tolerance, sister."
Yunyin got up, drank a glass of water to moisten her throat, and smiled shyly, "What did Song Shi say to you?"
Luo Man shrugged: "He apologized to me, saying he had discussed it with his family and that if he passed the imperial examination, his family would no longer interfere with his marriage."
"He just believed it like that?" Yunyin thought it was impossible no matter how she thought about it, and she was afraid that he would interfere even more after he passed the imperial examination.
Luo Man shook her head and said, "No matter what, it's a good thing that he studies hard. Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination, he can still learn something."
Yunyin: "I can only wish him good luck. I heard that it's very difficult to pass the imperial examination; it's not an exaggeration to say that only one in ten thousand can pass it."
"If he can't pass the imperial examination, he can still take the Mingjing examination. As long as he passes the Mingjing examination, he can succeed his father as the county's registrar. That would be good too," Luo Man said with a smile. "Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. I heard that you're going to rebuild your restaurant. Do you know any craftsmen?"
When it comes to this, Yunyin really doesn't know where to start. Right now, she has enough money to build three rooms, and she's thinking of building them first. The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and eating out is becoming unbearable. Many of her regular customers are unwilling to leave the county in the sweltering heat.
Building a restaurant was imperative, and when Luo Man mentioned it, she took the opportunity to ask, "Sister Aman, are you familiar with Long'an County? Do you know anyone there?"
“I do know a materials craftsman,” Luo Man explained carefully. “He’s my client. If you want to build a house, he’s the best person to talk to.”
“He’s not an ordinary craftsman. He can not only draw blueprints, but also help you contact various material suppliers. Moreover, if you hire a material craftsman to build your house, you won’t need to find a stonemason or carpenter. He can take care of everything.”
Yunyin's eyes lit up as she listened. This was just like a modern-day construction foreman, and he didn't even need to find a designer; he could do it all himself. She quickly asked, "Does this gentleman have some time now?"
Luo Man: "He should have time. I'll go back and ask him for you. If he's available, I'll have someone pass on the message to you."
With someone to build the house settled, there was still no news about someone who could raise livestock. The government did have people who specialized in raising livestock, but she couldn't use them, so Yunyin had to ask Luoman for help again.
"What do you need to raise? If it's sheep, I have people who can help you with that."
Yunyin: "I bought a cow, and it's pregnant now. I need someone knowledgeable to help with the delivery. Later, I might raise some aquatic products, so I'm thinking of hiring someone specifically to help."
Luo Man frowned. "It's not easy to find someone like that. I've never seen anyone who specializes in raising fish. Only wealthy families have people who know how. Most people just fish directly in Pingjiang."
"Here's what we'll do. Wait for me to go back and ask around. If there's no one there, you can find someone to watch over the cow for you. If there's a problem, you can go to the doctor in the county town. They all know a thing or two."
Yunyin thanked Luo Man repeatedly. After seeing her off, she tidied up and prepared dinner. As for the house construction, she would wait for news from Luo Man.
The next morning, Yunyin greeted Zhang Lin and went into the mountains with her basket on her back. The mountain air was cool in the early morning, and the breeze cooled her body. She quickened her pace and walked further in.
After passing through the spring and walking for a while, we finally saw a lake in the mountains. The lake was not very big or deep, and there was some moss floating on the surface. Yunyin could see many fish swimming in it.
There are more fish here than where she lives. After all, the stream connects to Pingjiang, and when the Pingjiang River rises, the water in the stream also rises, and the fish move with it.
Normally it's fine, but in the summer there's a lot of rain and the stream water often rises, making it difficult to catch fish. Fortunately, she discovered this lake in the mountains, and now Yunyin catches all the fish she uses for cooking from this lake.
The environment here is pleasant, and there's a waterfall not far away, so there's no shortage of water. If she could find someone who knows how to raise fish, she'd like to raise fish here. Of course, she's just thinking about it; she doesn't have the money or the energy right now.
However, she could drive wooden stakes into the ground, hang fishing nets, and raise some bass here. September is the closest season for eating bass, so she could prepare some in advance and make a profit later.
As for the other fish, which are cheaper, it's more cost-effective for her to buy them from people in the village.
After inspecting the lake, Yunyin continued walking towards the nearby mountains and forests, where a peach tree grew.
By now, the tree was laden with fruit, many of which were already red. The wild peaches were much smaller than those grown at home, and they were covered in dense fuzz. Luckily, she wasn't allergic to the fuzz, otherwise, touching it would have made her skin itch all over.
Yunyin picked the reddest-looking one, washed it with water, and took a small bite. The flesh was crisp, with a sour taste and a hint of bitterness; it wasn't very tasty.
The peach flavor is very strong, but it tastes slightly astringent and not very sweet. It's just average to eat directly.
Yunyin silently finished the whole peach. It would be such a waste to give up all these peaches. Fruits in Dazhao are not something you can just buy anytime. If you want to eat fruit, you have to go to the county town. The last time she was able to buy cherries, it was because a farmer passed by on the official road and she managed to buy them.
Looking at the peaches hanging all over the branches, Yunyin wiped her mouth and decided to pick them all. It would be better to give them to passersby than to let them rot on the ground.
These peaches grow really fast, but the tree is short and not very big, yet the peaches they bear can bend the branches. Yunyin forgives the taste issues; the abundance of peaches is its greatest advantage.
She filled her basket to the brim, but there were still many more on the tree. She simply couldn't fit them all in, so she had to come back another time.
After picking the peaches, Yunyin walked to the side. She had seen some green fruits in the woods earlier, but she didn't know what they were, so she went over to take a look.
Before she even got close, she could smell a rich fruity aroma. She moved aside the branches blocking her view and looked at the plump green plums growing on the tall trees in front of her. Her mouth involuntarily watered.
She picked a plum, wiped it on her sleeve a few times, and took a bite. The sourness hit her right in the head; the plum was so sour it felt like her soul was being sucked out. Her mouth was watering. She stuck out her tongue and ate the sour plum little by little.
Although the green plums are sour, they make a wonderful wine. This one tree has enough green plums to make many bottles.
Find a thick stick and knock the plums off the tree. The plums will be protected by the thick leaves when they fall to the ground and won't get hurt. Put all the fallen plums into a bamboo basket, and carry the plums and peaches back to the restaurant at the foot of the mountain.
At this moment, Zhang Lin was busy cooking noodles in the kitchen. A customer eating noodles nearby saw the green plums and peaches she was carrying and said, "Where did you pick these? There are so many."
Yunyin smiled and said, "I picked them right here in the mountains. Would you like to try some?"
The diner picked up a green plum, tasted it, and hissed, "It's so sour! Are you going to make dried plums?"
"The green plums are too sour. I'd rather eat apricots. The apricots I grow at home will be ripe in another half month."
Yunyin paused in washing the peaches. "Did you grow these apricots yourself?"
"Yes, they're homegrown." The diner finished one and took another, his face scrunched up from the sourness, but he still didn't give up and kept eating.
He slowed his movements, taking small bites. Seeing that Yunyin was interested, he said, "Do you need any in your shop? If so, I can sell you some later. They're much tastier than these plums."
Yunyin remained silent for a long time at this person who kept eating despite saying it wasn't tasty, and continued washing the fuzz off the peaches. "How much are the apricots?"
"It's not expensive, it's not expensive," the diner said with a simple smile. "If you buy a lot, I can give you a discount."
When Yunyin heard him say that it was three coins per pound, the price was indeed not expensive, and she could buy some. If she couldn't finish them, she could make candied fruit. She nodded and said, "Okay, when they're ripe, can you send some over for me? How will you send them over?"
"I live right across the river, and I can deliver it over by bamboo raft." The man, beaming with joy at having made a sale, said, "Don't worry, my wife, the apricots from my home are absolutely sweet, much better than these plums you've been messing with."
Yunyin didn't know what to say. She smiled awkwardly and remained silent, then poured water again and washed the peaches once more.
These peaches are like that, with very thick fuzz, making them extremely difficult to wash. She changed the water several times before she was almost done washing them. Seeing that the person hadn't left after finishing their meal, Yunyin brought over a plate of peaches and said, "These are wild peaches, not very sweet, but I'll give them to you to try."
The man picked up a peach and tried it, then spat twice. "This isn't just not sweet, it's actually a bit bitter. Where did you pick these peaches, my lady? They're awful! There's a family in our village whose peaches are incredibly sweet, but like my apricots, they're hard to sell. They're mostly eaten by the villagers themselves. If you want some peaches, my lady, that's easy. I'll bring you some."
After serving peaches to all the diners, Yunyin sat down at his table and asked, "What other fruits do you have in your village?"
Author's Note: Oh dear, I almost forgot to update! Luckily I remembered! [crying emoji] [crying emoji] [crying emoji]
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