Chapter 91 Peng Xiucai Taro
As dusk settled, the slightly somber tolling of bells echoed in the cold wind.
After a few calls, Lin Xuezheng slowly left the lecture hall, carrying his books.
The twenty-odd students in the lecture hall quickly packed up their desks and prepared to leave.
Those who wanted to read at night also left with their books.
Those who didn't have that intention left the lecture hall empty-handed.
Jiang Ji picked up a collection of contemporary essays he had bought a few days ago, intending to read it carefully after dinner.
During the last provincial examination, more than 600 people from over 20 provinces of the Great Xia passed. The articles in this anthology of contemporary essays are selected from the more than 600 articles written by the previous examinees.
Therefore, as soon as it was launched, it was snapped up by a large number of students, and it was out of stock several times.
Moreover, each book costs three taels of silver. If it weren't for the workshop, Jiang Ji really wouldn't have been willing to buy such books.
Peng Ximing was also a student in the top class, and he and Jiang Ji were true classmates.
However, he left the lecture hall empty-handed.
He worked late into the night last night and plans to rest early today.
As soon as he stepped out of the lecture hall, a cold wind blew by, and he instinctively tightened his old cotton robe, put his hands in his sleeves, and hurried to his rented place.
His rented place wasn't far from the county school; it only took him a quarter of an hour to walk there.
This is a large courtyard with several families living in it.
He rented a small side room, which contained a kang (a heated brick bed), a desk, and piles of grain, stove, pots and pans, firewood, and other miscellaneous items that he had brought from home.
These items made the already small room feel even more cramped.
Reaching the door, he took out his key from his pocket, opened the door, and went inside. It was completely dark inside, and the room temperature seemed no different from the freezing cold outside the yard.
He didn't rush to light the oil lamp.
He picked up the wooden bucket and went to fetch water.
He fetched the water back, moved the small stove to the doorway, and started a fire to cook.
Dinner was extremely simple: corn porridge, cornbread, and some pickled vegetables brought from home.
He casually stuffed two small sweet potatoes into the stove.
Although the sweet potatoes were small, they were warm and sweet after being roasted, which was his greatest comfort today.
After eating, he quickly washed up and went to bed.
He certainly couldn't afford to heat the kang (a traditional heated brick bed).
But he was full of energy, and he warmed his bed while recalling what Lin Xuezheng had said that afternoon.
By the time I finished reminiscing, the bed was already warm and cozy.
He felt sleepy, but he didn't fall asleep as usual.
Sigh, it's so hard to find work these days!
In winter, there are no merchants or travelers from other places in Beiyang County, so he has no large bags to carry.
Copying books is also unreliable.
These past few days he's been copying a traditional Chinese novel, which tells the story of a scholar who, after failing the imperial examinations, bravely stands up for the poor and fights against a local tyrant on his way home. As a result, he catches the eye of a nobleman and eventually wins the heart of the beautiful woman.
He felt the story was somewhat clichéd.
That's not realistic either.
Sure enough, when I went to the bookstore to pay this morning, the shopkeeper said that the storybook wasn't selling well and that we didn't need to copy it anymore.
So he had no work to do.
It's almost the twelfth lunar month.
There will be a provincial examination this year. He is not a government-subsidized student, so this examination depends entirely on his own willingness.
He hasn't been studying properly these past few years, and he has to pay registration fees to take exams, so he doesn't plan to take the annual exams.
A few days after the annual examination, around the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month, the county school will be closed for the holidays.
The holiday lasts until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. After a few days of classes after school resumes, there will be another three-day holiday on the Lantern Festival.
How can I make money during such a long holiday?
He rolled over in bed, and suddenly, the scene at the county school gate at noon earlier that day flashed through his mind.
He and Jiang Ji enrolled on the same day and were assigned to the same class, and Jiang Ji was an eighteen-year-old student receiving government stipends.
Back then, he passed the provincial examination at the age of twenty-one and felt that he was quite talented and had the potential to be a scholar.
But Jiang Ji was actually an eighteen-year-old student receiving government stipends.
That's incredible.
So, subconsciously, he started paying more attention to Jiang Ji.
He noticed that Jiang Ji's husband often came over.
Once, when he went to the kitchen to get a drink of water, he overheard the cooks discussing that the famous preserved egg dish in Beiyang County was actually made by Jiang Jifu.
Another popular dish sold in many shops is the tofu puff sandwich, which was also created by Jiang Jifu Lang.
This startled him so much that he almost choked on the hot water.
He's really hiding his true abilities!
Jiang Ji really married a good husband!
Where is his husband?
In his village, children his age are already able to work in the fields and serve as young laborers.
Tonight, however, he lies alone in this small house, all by himself.
When will he be able to enjoy a warm bed with his husband and children...?
Unless he passes the imperial examination, his marriage prospects will only become more and more difficult.
The girls and boys his age had long since gotten married.
There are plenty of young men, around seventeen or eighteen years old, who would choose to marry him?
Although he had achieved academic success, his family was poor.
well.
When he first passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, he was full of vigor and had a bright future ahead of him.
But when his father went up the mountain to chop firewood, he accidentally missed a step and broke his leg. The family spent a lot of money and food to treat his father's illness.
They also sold land.
He had neither the will nor the ability to attend the county school.
So he stayed in the village and opened a small private school, earning money, farming, and taking care of his father.
He had already given up on studying.
But his father, with tears in his eyes, grabbed his hand and repeatedly apologized, urging him to study harder.
So four years later, he packed his bags and, carrying his father's hopes, entered the county school.
But after these past few years, the daily grind has worn down his spirit.
Furthermore, Jiang Ji can freely purchase supplementary books such as "Selected Essays of Current Events".
And her thoughtful husband delivers meals to her every day.
He had to spend a lot of energy on odd jobs alone, let alone buying expensive books.
Just like now, Jiang Ji is undoubtedly engrossed in a book under the bright candlelight, while he is wallowing in self-pity, unable to sleep.
With such a huge gap, how could he possibly compete?
It's a complete waste of time and money.
...
When will he be able to marry a rich man?
He really doesn't want to try anymore...
He sighed inwardly, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
Jiang Jishi is eighteen years old, and he is also outstanding in appearance and has a bright future.
She deserves a rich husband.
What could a down-on-his-luck scholar possibly have to attract the attention of a rich young man?
...
Forget it, he can just dream about such good things.
While Peng Ximing was worrying about where to find his next odd job, Ye Li prepared to take Ye Adie and Jiang Ya to Banxianju.
He didn't want to take Jiang Ya out alone, so he used the excuse of wanting his family to broaden their horizons and asked them to take Ye Adie, Jiang Liu and others to Banxianju for dinner in turns.
These people all work making tofu, so they can't all take leave at the same time.
Father Ye was naturally very happy. He was living a semi-retired life. He had originally planned to wait until his family was more financially secure in two years before going out for a meal together.
Now that Ye Li wanted to take him to see the sights ahead of time, he only hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
Jiang Ya was also very happy because he could personally thank Brother Cai.
Expressing gratitude requires more than just words; it demands concrete actions.
But he doesn't know how to embroider or cook, so he can't exactly perform a pig-feeding act for Brother Cai.
So he pestered Ye Li to teach him how to make desserts.
Ye Li was very supportive of the little guy's idea.
However, he was too young to make anything too complicated, so Ye Li taught him how to make sesame crisps.
Making sesame crisps is very simple: just add egg whites, sugar, sesame seeds, and soybean oil to low-gluten flour, then pour it onto a griddle and bake it.
Jiang Ya learned it in no time and made a whole basketful in one go.
After finishing, he found a clean cloth bag, filled it to the brim, and then stuffed the bag into his large purse.
He carried a large purse, boarded the oxcart, and happily followed Ye Li to Banxianju.
When the three of them arrived at Banxianju, Yu Cai had not yet come from the Wu family, so Ye Li found a table on the first floor and prepared to eat first.
Halfway through the meal, the number of diners in the restaurant increased.
When Yu Cai arrived, the first floor was almost full.
Yu Cai heard from the waiter at the door that Ye Li had arrived. After entering, he looked around and saw Ye Li sitting in the corner, so he went straight to Ye Li.
He could see from afar that the plates on the table were almost empty, so as soon as he got to the table, he explained apologetically, "Some taro came in from Zheng's Grain Shop today, and I went to pick some out."
"If I had known you were coming, I would have gone there this afternoon."
"It's alright, it's alright. Your business is important, I have plenty of time. Brother Cai, please sit down."
“This is my father, and this is Ya’er.”
Ye Li stood up, smiled, and took two steps forward to help Yu Cai sit down.
However, he was somewhat surprised.
Taro grows in Beiyang County?
There was no such thing in the original owner's memories.
Ye A-die was a little reserved and was about to get up to greet him when Yu Cai smiled and said, "Uncle Ye, please sit down. I am the junior, and it is I who should greet you."
"Uncle Ye, you can just call me Cai-ge'er. Come to this semi-residence as if you are visiting a relative or friend, there is no need to be reserved."
His amiable and polite manner brought a smile to Father Ye's face.
Father Ye called out to Cai Ge'er and invited him to sit down and eat together.
Jiang Ya stood aside until they finished exchanging pleasantries, then called out in a clear voice, "Brother Cai," and held up her large purse: "Brother Cai, these are some snacks I made, please try them."
"Ya-ge'er actually made this himself? That's amazing!"
Yu Cai exclaimed in surprise, took the large purse with one hand, and pinched his round face with the other.
Jiang Ya was a little embarrassed and put her little hands behind her back: "It's not that impressive. I'm almost six years old. This dessert is very easy to make."
Yu Cai was amused by his adorable appearance and reached out to pull him down to sit: "Good boy, Ya Ya, you've already done a great job."
"That's right, Brother Ya, you're being modest today."
Ye Li said with a smile.
Jiang Ya was even more embarrassed now.
This is because I'm not familiar with Brother Cai.
Once he gets used to it and receives praise, he'll become complacent.
Seeing that he was just smiling with his lips pursed and not saying anything, Ye Li smiled and patted the seat next to her: "Alright, alright, come sit down and continue eating."
"It's alright, let him sit with me."
As Yu Cai spoke, he asked someone to add a bowl and chopsticks for him, and to bring over a few more dishes.
He specifically instructed Granny Wang: "Pick a taro, cut it up, and bring it over for hot pot."
Ye Li, curious, pretended not to understand and asked, "Brother Cai, what is taro?"
"It's a dish from the south, and it looks a bit like a sweet potato when cooked. But it's more troublesome to prepare, and it's far away, so the transportation costs are high, which is why we don't eat it much here."
"Only Zheng's Grain Shop would transport some from the south every year. Those who like this kind of food would go there to buy some."
Yu Cai explained.
"I see..."
Ye Li looked like she understood.
He had never been to Zheng's Grain Shop, and he didn't even know where it was located.
However, if we had taro, we could launch a new product for our homemade drinks.
Regular taro can also be used to make taro paste.
Seeing that Ye Li was interested, Yu Cai smiled and said, "When you leave this afternoon, take a few back with you. I'll have someone teach you how to peel them, otherwise your hands will get itchy."
"No need, just tell me the location of Zheng's Grain Shop, and I'll take Father and Ya'er there to buy it."
Ye Li shook her head.
"No need for such trouble. I plan to serve this dish in the shop, so I bought a lot. It's fine for you to take a few back with you."
Yu Cai persisted.
He was sincere in wanting to give it to her, so Ye Li agreed.
As they were talking, the waiter brought over the ingredients Yu Cai had ordered.
As for the taro, it took a full quarter of an hour for the waiter to bring it over, by which time Yu Cai was almost full.
The taro has been steamed; you can just throw it into a hot pot and cook it briefly before eating.
Ye Li picked up a piece and tasted it. It was indeed ordinary taro. It wasn't as glutinous as Lipu taro, and it didn't have much aroma. It only tasted like hot pot broth.
But it's okay, you can still make taro paste.
He was delighted; he had made a great haul today!
After Yu Cai finished eating, she led Ye Li and the other two to the backyard.
The taro he bought was temporarily piled up in the yard, totaling five sacks.
The taro were all small, about the size of a fist. He had his assistant pick out a basket for Ye Li, and then invited Ye Li and the other two to his house for tea.
It's still early, so Ye Li can sit for a while longer.
However, in front of Ye Adie and Jiang Ya, he did not bring up the topic from last time, but only talked about semi-leisure matters.
Business at Banxianju is steadily growing.
His father and maternal grandfather had chosen good people for him, so he didn't need to worry too much and could live a stable life while semi-idle.
What he thinks about every day is adding some new dishes so that diners won't get tired of them.
Moreover, the restaurant gets quite busy during mealtimes and there aren't enough staff, so he plans to hire a few more.
He had high standards for his employees; every single one of them had to be literate.
But for someone who has studied to become a shop assistant, it's really hard for a scholar to lower himself to such a position.
Upon hearing this, Ye Li's heart stirred, and he said, "Brother Cai, you can recruit people from private schools and county schools. As long as you offer high wages, there will definitely be people willing to come and work as temporary workers."
“Jiang Ji was like that before; he was willing to carry even large bags, let alone work as a shop assistant here.”
"It's a good job here, sheltered from the wind and rain."
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