Chapter 95 The monthly exam is over, and the taro paste is selling like hotcakes.
Jiang Ji's words can be considered a clear indication.
Ye Li's pupils dilated upon hearing this, and she subconsciously looked at Jiang Mai, who was waiting for praise.
The little guy didn't show any disappointment on his face when he saw his older brother talking to his brother-in-law.
Because he knew that his older brother really liked his brother-in-law.
Moreover, what his older brother said also makes sense.
Boss Yue brought so much meat today, we have to eat it quickly.
Jiang Ya, who was standing to the side, had already turned his attention to the meat. He asked with a happy expression, "Brother Li, there's so much meat at home, how are we going to eat it?"
"How about we eat some mutton first?"
We rarely buy lamb at home.
Ye Li: "..."
He looked at Jiang Ji.
Jiang Ji remained serious and said, "Do whatever you think is best, anything is fine."
"...Okay, Ya-ge'er, how would you like the mutton?"
He smiled and looked at Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya tilted her head, her round face full of anticipation: "How about hot pot? Like Banxianju, the lamb slices at Banxianju are delicious!"
"……good."
Ye Li nodded.
He was tired of this hot pot, but Jiang Ya wasn't.
"Shall we go cut the meat?"
Jiang Ya jumped off the round stool, looking very excited.
Jiang Ji doesn't need to check his homework; he's just sitting here to make up the numbers.
"Go ahead, Xiaomai and I will go help later."
Jiang Ji spoke again.
Ye Li then got up and led Jiang Ya out of the small living room.
The half-pig and the whole sheep that Boss Yue brought were piled up on the small dining table.
In the cold winter, we're not worried about meat spoiling, but we still prefer to eat fresh meat whenever possible.
So Ye Li picked up the cleaver from the cutting board and divided the meat into pieces, preparing to have Ye Liang take some back with him.
Send some more to Jiang Dahe's family.
After dividing the meat, a new idea came to his mind:
He plans to make a mutton soup hot pot.
Although Jiang Ya kept saying she wanted to eat mutton, a child under six years old shouldn't eat too much mutton.
Drinking some mutton soup would be fine.
So he chopped the lamb spine, also known as lamb scorpion, into pieces, washed them, blanched them, and then put them into a pot in the stove to simmer over low heat.
He asked Jiang Ya to start the fire and gave the little guy a few cloves of garlic, asking Jiang Ya to peel some garlic while he was at it.
Garlic paste is indispensable when eating hot pot.
Since the only fresh vegetables available at home were cabbage and radishes, he also soaked some wood ear mushrooms, dried mushrooms, and glass noodles.
Of course, meat is an essential part of hot pot.
We need some lamb and some pork.
After checking Jiang Mai's homework, Jiang Ji led the little guy to the kitchen to help him.
He asked Jiang Ji to knead the dough and roll out the noodles.
After all that commotion, it got dark.
Eating hot pot alone isn't enough, so Ye Li also cooked some sweet potato soup, intending to use it as a substitute for drinks.
As night completely fell.
Father Ye and Liu Yi have returned.
Everyone has arrived, and the lamb spine stew is ready.
Ye Li and Jiang Ji worked together to move the large iron pot back to the kitchen, placed it on the small stove, and the family sat around the stove to eat.
First, take the lamb bones out and gnaw on the meat, then put all kinds of ingredients into the pot.
Lamb spine is stewed in clear broth. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can add chili oil to the dipping sauce.
In this world, there are no messy feeds; the sheep are fed grass, so the meat is not only not fishy or gamey, but more importantly, it is tender, not tough or dry, and very delicious.
Jiang Ya was overjoyed, holding a large piece of bone in her little hands, swaying her head with delight.
After finishing his meal, he reached for another piece and said to Ye Li, "Brother Li, buy more mutton next time, it's delicious!"
He loves to eat!
But Ye Li looked at him and said with a smile, "Children shouldn't eat too much mutton. After you finish this piece, you can eat the other pieces."
Upon hearing this, the little guy was extremely annoyed.
Why are you talking so much? If you think it's delicious, just quietly enjoy it. Look, you can't finish it once you start talking.
He looked at Ye Li pitifully: "Brother Li, can you pretend I didn't say anything?"
Ye Li was amused by him and shook her head, saying, "Of course not."
Jiang Ya: "..."
He raised his hand and gently patted his greasy little mouth a few times.
You have a sharp tongue!
From then on, he ate silently and didn't say a word!
His appearance made Jiang Ji, Liu Yi, and Ye Adie laugh.
Liu Yi picked up a few slices of pork tenderloin for him: "Brother Ya, eat this, it's delicious too."
"Thank you, Brother Yi."
Jiang Ya accepted the pitiful gift and immediately thanked her.
The meat is delicious, of course!
But he doesn't eat mutton often.
So he preferred to eat mutton.
Sigh, I really want to grow up.
Jiang Mai, standing to the side, silently gnawed on a lamb spine bone without saying a word.
He was older, so Ye Li allowed him to have an extra piece.
This pleased him greatly.
Li Ge is so nice!
Moreover, being the second oldest brother has its advantages—he can eat more meat!
Halfway through the meal, Jiang Ji got up to boil water.
This time he only cooked two pots, because Ye Li had already taken a bath yesterday.
After the meal, Ye Li urged the two little ones to wash up.
Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya were too excited today and are indeed sleepy.
The two obediently washed their feet and brushed their teeth, and soon went to bed.
With Liu Yi and Ye Adie cleaning the kitchen, Ye Li followed Jiang Ji to the bathroom.
The bathroom was filled with steam, and the temperature was several degrees higher than outside.
Jiang Ji was already very energetic, and he had just eaten a lot of mutton, so he didn't feel cold at all.
He quickly washed his hair, then looked at Ye Li while taking off his clothes: "Are you really not going to wash it?"
Ye Li shook her head: "I won't wash it. You wash it yourself."
"By the way, how did Xiaomai do on his monthly exam? I was too embarrassed to ask him in front of him just now."
"Are you embarrassed to ask? Why? He recited it very fluently, and he answered all the questions I explained to him before."
"He's very proud."
Jiang Ji was a little puzzled. He said this as he hung the clothes on the clothes rack next to him.
"...It's all because you suddenly said something about eating early and going to bed early."
"Xiaomai is almost eight years old. She not only remembers things, but also has a vague understanding of these things."
Ye Li was somewhat speechless.
But after hearing his words, Jiang Ji immediately wanted to protest his innocence: "Isn't it because you kept staring at me? I saw that you were a little impatient, so I took your hint."
"?"
Ye Li's eyes widened instantly: "When did I mean to stare at you the whole time?"
“You were staring at him. Your eyes seemed to be fixed on the wheat, but your gaze was actually on me the whole time.”
Jiang Ji spoke with certainty.
Ye Li: "...Weren't you checking Xiaomai's homework? How did you know I was looking at you?"
"Besides, my gaze wasn't always on you!"
"And another thing! I was just admiring her beauty at the time; I didn't even think about sleeping with her."
Master Qingtang, he's the one who's going to cry foul.
"...So you're still not happy?"
Jiang Ji asked.
“I was worried that Xiaomai would be unhappy. He was really looking forward to your praise, but instead you started talking to me.”
Ye Li explained.
Now Jiang Ji was no longer able to argue his case.
His dark eyes gazed at Ye Li through the misty haze.
Ye Li remained silent and met his gaze.
A moment later, the two said in unison, "I was wrong."
As soon as those three words were uttered, the two of them burst into laughter.
This is a misunderstanding.
Ultimately, it's because they miss each other so much.
Even though we see each other almost every day.
Ye Li took two steps to stand in front of Jiang Ji. Before he could even stand still, Jiang Ji pulled him into his arms.
He then reached out and wrapped his arm around Jiang Ji's waist: "Did you praise Xiaomai?"
"You've been praised."
Jiang Ji nodded.
"Okay, I'll give him the reward first thing tomorrow morning."
When he set the rule of monthly exams last month, he also promised a reward.
If Jiang Mai passes the monthly exam, he will give the little guy 150 coins.
After finishing their business, Jiang Ji pulled him into his arms and asked, "Are you really not going to shower with me?"
Ye Li: "..."
Wash, wash, wash together, wash together.
Eating too much mutton can cause a strong reaction, and Jiang Ji is already quite vigorous; he's going to suffer tonight.
Fortunately, I don't have to get up early tomorrow.
whee.
So he took off his heavy cotton-padded clothes and went into the bathtub with Jiang Ji.
As soon as they entered, Jiang Ji pressed him down onto his lap and kissed him, using the most powerless kissing method, his tongue teasing his upper palate.
The hot water was a bit too hot, but Jiang Ji's heart was burning even hotter. The combined heat made his hands and feet feel weak.
He was soon out of breath.
But Jiang Ji seemed unable to get enough of kissing him, refusing to let go of his lips, and his large hands were also kneading and pinching his body with considerable force.
He was certain that the place where Jiang Ji had pinched him must have left a red mark.
The kisses were intense and lingering, one after another. When one kiss ended, Ye Li quickly turned her head to the side to avoid the next one.
He asked breathlessly, "Why are you being so enthusiastic today?"
"Settle the accounts."
After Jiang Ji finished answering, his large hand not only didn't stop, but moved to that spot.
Ye Li couldn't help but hiss; the overwhelming pleasure made him groan a few times before he finally had the strength to ask, "What accounts?"
"Last time at Banxianju, you acted like a proper person."
Jiang Ji breathed into his ear as he spoke: "Forgot?"
The breath made Ye Li tremble a few times. He blinked and remembered.
Jiang Ji told him to wait, saying he would settle the score on the kang (heated brick bed).
He couldn't help but ask, "...So how do you want to calculate it?"
"Won't we have to do a few more difficult moves?" Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow.
Ye Li: "..."
He swallowed hard and reminded him, "I'm making Sichuan peppercorn chicken again tomorrow afternoon."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get up before noon."
After Jiang Ji finished speaking, he sealed his lips with another kiss.
This was nothing. Ye Li had been entangled with him for a month—seeing him every day, but unable to touch or kiss him, which made his longing and instincts grow deeper and deeper.
Soon, the courtyard quieted down, and Liu Yi and Ye's father went back to their rooms to sleep.
The two then moved back to the bedroom.
The lights flickered, dim and ambiguous.
Jiang Ji placed Ye Li on the kang (a heated brick bed).
As soon as Ye Li got close to the kang (a heated brick bed), she pulled the quilt over to cover her naked body.
He lay in bed, only his face showing as he looked at Jiang Ji.
Jiang Ji had just wrapped him in a towel used for wiping his body and carried him to the kang (a heated brick bed). Now that the towel was wet, Jiang Ji hung it on the clothes rack.
When Jiang Ji turned around, he saw Ye Li lying in bed looking at him obediently. This sight instantly softened his heart.
He had been talking about how he was going to do this and that, and had imagined dozens of actions in his mind, but just this one image made all his thoughts vanish.
He followed his instincts, quickly took off his clothes, got into bed, embraced her, and then kissed her gently.
Gentle and emerald merge into one.
Now it was Ye Li's turn to be unhappy.
He was prepared for a storm, but instead a light drizzle came.
He grumbled a few times in dissatisfaction, and even poked Jiang Ji's shoulder with his finger: "Is this all the accounts you did on the kang?"
These words were clearly provocative, which made Jiang Ji laugh a few times.
So Jiang Ji turned him over and made him lie face down on the kang (a heated brick bed).
Jiang Ji then pressed down on him.
Now not only did Ye Li get the torrential rain he was hoping for, but he also got hail – Jiang Ji not only rushed him hard, but also spanked him.
He felt ashamed when the first slap landed, but soon he tasted something else.
I have to say, being a little rough sometimes really makes a difference; in the end, he was thrilled.
However, the aftereffects were quite significant; his buttocks were still somewhat sore when he woke up the next day.
But this is a minor matter.
It does not affect his daily activities.
When he woke up, Jiang Liu and Jiang Yu had already prepared the taro paste and sent it to Banxianju.
After he finished his meal, which was neither too early nor too late, Jiang Dahe, who was in charge of delivering tofu puffs today, also returned.
Jiang Dahe also brought Yu Cai's message:
Taro paste is in short supply, and some customers who don't mind spending money will order three or even four times the amount of taro paste when they order a cup of taro milk tea.
Some people even just want taro paste and enjoy it as a snack.
In this way, diners who arrive late will not get any drinks.
Therefore, the daily amount of taro paste should be increased to 100 catties.
Additionally, if Ye Li has the extra capacity, she can make more taro paste.
Yu Cai wanted to order some taro-based desserts at Banxianju, as the taro cakes from last time were quite good.
The main problem is that Yu Cai bought way too many taro at once.
20,000 jin!
If one consumes 100 jin a day, it would take 200 days to consume that amount.
However, the taro could not be preserved for more than two hundred days, and he also ordered another 40,000 catties from Zheng's grain shop.
Therefore, Yu Cai wanted to make some taro paste desserts and sell them at Banxianju.
But this can't be rushed. He told Ye Li to take care of the arrangements and find people slowly.
After Jiang Dahe finished repeating these words, he immediately recommended Liang Erxiang.
Even in winter, very few people in this village can sleep through the night.
Liang Erxiang also got up before dawn.
Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well come here and make taro paste.
That makes sense, and Ye Li agreed.
With Liang Erxiang's help, making 100 jin of taro paste in a single day was a breeze.
But if we want to raise it even higher, we'll need to find more people.
Therefore, when Liu Yi and Ye Adie returned at noon, he asked them if they would like to make taro paste in the morning.
The two were very happy to agree.
The work isn't strenuous, and they still get paid. Ye Li, on the other hand, can earn even more money by making taro paste.
Win-win!
After finalizing the matter, Ye Li and Jiang Ji took several baskets of copper coins to the workshop in an oxcart that afternoon.
It's the end of the month, time to get paid.
The villagers are really looking forward to it.
Such joyous occasions naturally fill people with happiness.
Ye Li and Jiang Ji also found it quite enjoyable.
The next morning arrived quickly, and with the addition of Liang Erxiang, Ye Adie, and Liu Yi, the weight of the taro paste increased from seventy jin to one hundred and eighty jin.
Ye Li and Jiang Ji drove the oxcart and personally delivered the 180 catties of taro paste to Banxianju.
The two arrived early, but Yu Cai hadn't come yet.
Ye Li handed the taro paste to Manager Xing, who immediately arranged for people to make taro cakes.
This taro cake can be made without leavening the dough, but the texture will be slightly firmer.
However, if the dough is rolled out thinner and more taro filling is added, the resulting pancake will have a thin crust and a generous filling, and its taste will not be much inferior to that of leavened taro pancakes.
As they were talking, Peng Ximing came into the backyard from the front of the shop, carrying a wooden basin in his hand, presumably to wipe the tables.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Ji greeted him, "Brother Peng, you've arrived early today."
Upon hearing this, Peng Ximing immediately grinned and said, "I begged Manager Yu yesterday that I can work in the shop during any holidays from now on, so I have to come earlier."
Manager Yu is very easy to talk to.
After hearing his request, I agreed without any hesitation.
So he stayed after finishing his work yesterday noon and didn't return to his rented place until evening.
I arrived just as dawn broke today and even managed to snag breakfast:
Steaming hot millet porridge with sweet potato chunks.
Pickled vegetables mixed with sesame oil.
Corn tortillas.
It smells amazing!
After hearing his explanation, Jiang Ji subconsciously looked at Ye Li.
The couple exchanged a glance, and then Jiang Ji said with a smile, "Then congratulations, Brother Peng. There are only a few days left before the New Year's holiday. It's better to stay at Banxianju and earn more money than to go home."
"That's right!"
Peng Ximing nodded emphatically.
He said, raising the basin of water in his hand, "I'm busy right now, so I'll stop chatting. Don't forget I still owe you two a meal."
Jiang Ji nodded and watched him hurriedly leave through the back door with the basin of water.
At that time, there was no dedicated sewer system, so the sewage could only be dumped outside the door.
Jiang Ji and Ye Li did not stay long; they still had to visit Master Han.
Jiang Ji had already made an appointment with Master Han, and since the private school was on holiday, the couple drove their oxcart directly to Master Han's residence.
The Han residence is quite large, with three courtyards, each of which occupies a larger area than an ordinary house.
Master Han was from the prefectural city. He was full of vigor when he passed the provincial examination, but he failed the metropolitan examination twice and gave up his studies.
He had no intention of seeking a minor official position; as a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, he could live a carefree life even without holding office.
Just then, Master Chen, the owner of Chenji Academy, invited him to come and teach, so he moved to Beiyang County.
In fact, Beiyang County is no worse than the prefectural city. Whenever there are any new things in the south or north that pass through Beiyang County, the people of Beiyang County will definitely be the first to see, taste and play with them.
When the couple arrived at the Han residence, Master Han warmly welcomed them.
Ye Li brought over two Sichuan peppercorn chickens that he had braised the night before, as well as taro cakes that he had just made before leaving the house.
Of course, local specialties like preserved eggs and tofu puffs are also included.
Preserved eggs and tofu puffs are now commonplace and nothing special.
However, Sichuan peppercorn chicken and taro paste were very much to Han Fuzi's liking.
The Sichuan peppercorn chicken goes without saying; its numbing and fragrant aroma can be smelled even through the oil paper.
As for taro paste, Master Han has actually tried it—just yesterday, his husband packed him a bowl of taro paste drink from Banxianju, and it tasted quite good.
Unexpectedly, this snack was also made by Ye Li.
Incredible!
The student's filial piety was so pleasing to the eye, and Master Han also put a lot of effort into examining and guiding Jiang Jishi.
He asked Jiang Ji what he had learned in the past month, and after asking, he first tested him and then gave him guidance.
This process lasted for a full hour.
After the meal, it was noon. Master Han invited the couple to stay for lunch, and after lunch they drank some tea before he saw them off.
After the couple's oxcart had driven far away, Master Han returned to his courtyard with his hands behind his back.
Taro cakes taste really good.
It's decided, I'm going to Banxianju tonight!
Jiang Ji drove the oxcart, and before it even left the alley where the Han residence was located, he said to Ye Li, "Are you relieved now?"
Just now, Master Han praised him several times.
He wasn't distracted by seeing Ye Li every day.
Ye Li understood what he meant and looked at him upon hearing this.
Seeing a hint of smugness on his handsome face, she raised an eyebrow and said, "It's alright. You're in love, not heartbroken. It's normal that your studies haven't declined."
Jiang Ji: "...Can't you even say something nice to me?"
Ye Li laughed and said in a low voice, "My butt still hurts."
Jiang Ji: "..."
Okay.
That's a compliment.
However, his eyes became meaningful: "Xiaomai got a reward for passing the monthly exam, so I should get one too."
He didn't want anything else, just to repeat the steps from the previous night.
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