Chapter 4 Perilla Drink "I wish I hadn't come to set up a stall..."
On their first day setting up a stall, their perilla drink didn't sell out until the afternoon, earning them nearly two hundred coins, which was a good start.
After packing up their stall, the two were hungry, so they spent money to buy two flatbreads.
Strolling across the bridge, smelling the aroma of hot food, I couldn't resist buying some roasted mutton. Then, seeing the small and exquisite crystal soaps, I bought them too... Before I knew it, I had almost no money left.
Lu Xuan wanted to stop her, but she was only a teenager and couldn't resist the temptation of the food.
It wasn't until she was on her way back that she began to regret it, her mouth stuffed with a large piece of flatbread and her hand clutching the other half of a greasy flatbread: "I should never have set up a stall..."
Lu Qiong, however, was oblivious to this. She skewered a piece of steaming hot roasted mutton with a bamboo stick, closed her eyes, and chewed on the crispy on the outside and tender on the inside meat, marveling, "The mutton in Bianjing is truly extraordinary. Even after being roasted for a long time, it doesn't get dry. It's also seasoned with spices, making your tongue taste like it's been marinated!"
The aroma of the roasted mutton was so strong that Lu Xuan couldn't resist taking a bite. The meaty aroma was mixed with a peppery fragrance, and as she ate, she forgot all about her earlier regret.
The coachman who was driving them along the way was also craving the food the whole way. Especially when a gust of wind blew, the smell became even more enticing. He just wanted to get back quickly so he could fill his stomach with something delicious.
Half an hour later, Lu Qiong was finally able to land. She had ridden the rocking horse twice today, and her bottom was so stiff that she had to get off and walk around to recover.
Her yard was surrounded by a wooden fence, with a well on the right and a plot of land on the left for growing vegetables, mostly cabbage, chives, eggplants, and sweet potatoes...
The family had no farmland, and their daily staple food had to be exchanged at the village market, or they would go to the mountains to pick wild fruits and herbs to exchange for money.
Before she arrived, the original owner's family owned several acres of land. After the busy farming season, the original owner's father would take on some carpentry work, while the mother raised silkworms and wove cloth. They were not wealthy, but they did not have to worry about food and clothing.
When Lu Xuan was eight years old, her parents passed away one after another, and she had no other relatives to keep in touch with. At that time, the original owner of the body was only twelve years old, but she shouldered the heavy burden of the family. She not only had to take care of her younger sister, but also had to do farm work.
They were already struggling to make ends meet, sometimes starving and sometimes full. Six months later, a major flood struck, and the original owner and her companions couldn't harvest in time. Their fields were submerged, and they cried in the fields, clutching their grain.
Eventually, the family's income dried up, so they had no choice but to sell the land to someone else.
Overworked for too long, the original owner of this body secretly went up the mountain to collect herbs in order to earn money. He got soaked in the rain and developed a fever at night. He suffered from alternating chills and fever and could not bear it. When he woke up again, he had become the current Lu Qiong.
I still remember what Lu Xuan looked like when I first met her. She was thin and frail, with dry hair, a sallow face, crooked clothes, and ill-fitting shoes.
Later I realized she wasn't much better.
But all that is in the past now, and they are now able to make a living in Bianjing!
*
With experience, Lu Qiong no longer needed to be as flustered as yesterday. Everything was prepared in an orderly manner, and the clear perilla drink was soon ready!
Bianjing also awoke from its silence, and early risers, breakfast vendors, boatmen at the docks, and pleasure boats under the bridge all sprang into action.
After queuing up and entering the city gate, Lu Qiong and Lu Xuan excitedly carried their perilla drinks to Longjin Bridge. This time they arrived even earlier than yesterday, as the tofu seller hadn't come yet.
The advantage of going early is that it's quiet, but vendors have to avoid that. Seeing how deserted it was, Lu Qiong was also discouraged.
Perhaps because people in Bianjing love to stay up late, there weren't many people getting up early; only the shouts from the docks could still be heard.
Lu Xuan was bored, and everything in front of her began to blur. Her head tilted forward involuntarily, and her head slumped down. She was startled and finally woke up completely.
It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that the number of diners increased, and finally there was something to do.
"Wei Pan, hurry up, we still need to get back..."
The woman who came was followed by a young woman, about the same age as Lu Xuan, but she looked even thinner and smaller, with only her eyes still bright.
Lu Xuan was also drawn in, and when they met eyes, the man smiled at her.
The woman was still talking to Lu Qiong when she picked up the bamboo tube with her finger, looking rather disgusted: "This bamboo tube looks a bit dirty..."
Lu Qiong's heart sank, but she still smiled and said, "They are made from bamboo sections cut from the mountains, and they are washed with water after use."
There was indeed a clean wooden basin next to it, and the water inside was clear, without a trace of dirt.
Perhaps having no other choice, the woman bought two servings of the drink, but insisted on tasting them before paying.
Thinking it wouldn't be a loss, Lu Qiong served her two portions and handed them to her. However, the woman gave the remaining portion to the young lady next to her.
The young woman's forehead was sweating, and strands of hair were sticking to her cheeks. She first tentatively took a small sip, smacked her lips, and found it a little sweet and a little sour before drinking the rest of the drink.
After finishing his drink, he smiled at Lu Qiong, which was heartwarming to see.
The woman wasn't particular about the taste; she didn't have time to savor it properly before gulping it down. Judging from her reaction, it must have suited her palate.
Perhaps savoring the taste, she rolled her eyes a couple of times before saying, "The taste is alright, but the portion is too small, but it's acceptable."
Fortunately, they weren't too difficult to deal with, and I settled the bill before leaving.
*
A large group of people entered the city from outside. The carriages and horses were decorated with a large banner that read "Sanhe Escort Agency". It was an escort agency that transported money and escorted people of high status.
The reward for escorting goods depends on the value of the goods; the more money you escort, the higher the reward.
An ordinary bodyguard could earn five or six taels of silver a month, and sometimes even receive extra bonuses, which often aroused the envy of others.
Seeing a stall selling boiled water at the bridgehead, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) ordered his servants to buy some, while the rest of the men stood guard beside the镖车 (escort vehicle).
Lu Qiong was seeing bodyguards for the first time and couldn't help but take another look, but she was frightened by the fierce appearance of the head bodyguard and quickly looked away.
Unexpectedly, their servant came to talk to her and asked for several bowls of boiled water. The servant couldn't carry them all by himself, so Lu Qiong carried two bamboo tubes and followed along.
She mustered her courage and handed a bowl to the man who was playing with the dart: "Please enjoy your meal, sir."
Despite his fierce appearance, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was actually a polite person. After thanking him, he drank the entire cup in one gulp, wiping away a few drops of water from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
He was originally a constable in the Six Doors, with exceptional skills. After leaving the government, he became a bodyguard and traveled the world. Now, however, he wants to retire and find a peaceful place to spend the rest of his days.
Sitting next to him was a new bodyguard, who had a scar on his eyebrow for some reason: "This boiled water is really good, sweet and sour, unlike Ah Lang's cooking, which is bland."
The镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) traveled day and night, often having to build stoves on the ground in desolate places and cook their own meals. Since they were all roughnecks, it was already quite an achievement if they could cook the food. Now that they were entering the city, they naturally had to treat themselves.
After returning the bamboo tube, Duanba said, "It's a pity there's only boiled water. It would be even better if we could have some pickled fish. Even pickled eggplant would smell so good that it could be smelled for miles around."
Zha pu is a popular dish nowadays. The ingredients are washed with wine, dried, and then put into a flat jar with seasonings. The brine is then extracted and sprinkled off, allowing it to be preserved for a long time, which is equivalent to pickled food.
Washing with wine is an extremely extravagant thing. Lu Qiong's skills are not enough to make pickled fish, but she was very happy that her perilla drink could be compared with pickled fish.
Lu Qiong smiled and said, "It's just a small business now, but once we make money, we'll definitely add a few new products. Young man, you can come and try them then."
"It's hard to say what will happen in the future. The area outside the city is not very peaceful right now, and I don't know when I will be able to come to Bianjing again."
Bianjing was not only protected by city walls but also heavily guarded, so it was naturally peaceful. In other places, poor harvests coupled with heavy taxes led many to become bandits, and the local people were living in dire straits.
Hearing this, Lu Qiong's heart sank, filled with a sense of melancholy. Regardless of rise or fall, it was always the common people who suffered. She didn't ask for much; having a place in Bianjing would be enough. Turning back to see Lu Xuan guarding the stall, propping her chin up and trying to open her eyes, her heart sank as well.
Not wanting to disturb their rest, Lu Qiong chatted with Duanba for a few minutes before leaving, and incidentally served the other bodyguards another meal.
Afterwards, the servants bought some flatbread from another stall, and they quickly continued their journey, renting a boat to leave Bianjing by waterway.
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