Chapter 21. The three of them, dressed as red bean paste buns, set off in a grand procession to earn money. ...
Shen Miao led two "little helpers" out to buy a lot of things. Today, coarse noodles were still ten coins a dou, but fine noodles were thirty coins a dou.
Shen Miao had previously calculated that one dou was about nine Song jin, which is about eleven jin in modern terms. It would be much more economical to buy coarse flour and sift it himself, although it would take some effort.
Red beans and mung beans were both priced at eight coins per bushel, and the price was very low.
Sugar was cheaper than salt, costing thirty coins per dou, while salt cost about sixty coins per dou.
The Song Dynasty that Shen Miao lived in was vastly different from the Northern Song Dynasty she knew. The technique of adding tiles to sugar syrup to create layers and obtain white sugar had already been widely adopted, greatly increasing sugar production and making it affordable for ordinary people.
It wasn't just about sugar. Yesterday, while setting up her stall at the morning market, she overheard vendors and customers discussing national affairs. Only then did she realize that her current Song Dynasty stood in a tripartite balance with the Liao and Jin dynasties to the north, while the Western Xia had not yet emerged. Because the Song Dynasty was strong and stable, the Tangut tribe was still one of the five prefectures under the Song Dynasty. Li Yuanhao and his descendants, as military governors, did not declare themselves emperors and establish the Western Xia.
Although the Jin Dynasty had risen to power, it had an irreconcilable feud with the Liao Dynasty due to the unbearable burden of tribute. As in history, it also tried to befriend the Song Dynasty and asked the Song Dynasty to join forces against the Liao. However, the current emperor was a rare and clever man. He knew the principle of mutual dependence and thus kept maneuvering between the Liao and Jin.
When the Liao and Jin dynasties were locked in a power struggle, the Song dynasty had to be the fisherman, not the other clam. Therefore, when the Liao gained the upper hand, the Song would often cooperate with the Jin to attack the Liao; when the Jin gained the upper hand, it would cooperate with the Liao in trade and secretly support them with provisions and weapons…
Now the Liao Dynasty has become a barrier preventing the Jin Dynasty from advancing south. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Song Dynasty not only expanded its military but also learned to dig "fire wells" and established "fierce fire oil workshops," north and south workshops, and a bow and crossbow institute in the military equipment bureau, specifically for developing firearms and manufacturing various powerful weapons. This made it impossible for the Liao and Jin Dynasties to gain any advantage in their two breaches of treaty and raids on the border.
Shen Miao listened to the men talking animatedly and roughly understood what they were saying—the Song Dynasty had discovered open-pit oil and applied it to weaponry, creating siege bombs that used oil as a fuel.
She was so engrossed in listening that she almost burned the pancake.
Now things are much better; neither the Liao, Jin, nor Song can subdue the other. This is the way for emperors to maintain balance. Unfortunately, the Song dynasty in that era did not understand this principle, and ultimately, it sought to gain the upper hand, leading to the downfall of a foolish emperor...
Therefore, although the Song Dynasty had powerful enemies outside, it was temporarily free from war and had encountered consecutive bumper years. The Grand Canal was running smoothly, and the price of grain in Bianjing gradually stabilized and became low, which made Shen Miao able to purchase grain with ease.
Yesterday, Shen Miao wandered between several grain shops and finally chose "Yongfeng Grain Shop". The coarse flour at this shop was sifted the cleanest and there were not too many stones weighing it down. Shen Miao bought three dou of coarse flour, three dou of red beans, two jin of sugar, and two dou of soybean oil there. Moreover, the shopkeeper was good at business. He not only rounded down the price for her, but also said that he would have the shop assistant deliver it to her door later.
After buying red beans and flour, she went to Wang's Cheese Shop not far away to ask about the price of milk. After learning that it would cost 250 coins to buy a pound, Shen Miao smiled slightly and immediately turned to leave.
I also mentally crossed out the idea of "making milk-flavored red bean buns," because the price of milk is just too high.
Milk in the Song Dynasty must have been incredibly expensive!
However, there are very few pastures in the territory of the Song Dynasty that can be used to raise cattle, sheep and horses. Nowadays, cattle are mostly used for farming and are very precious. They are rarely used specifically for milk production. Thinking about it this way, it seems understandable.
Xiangjie first solemnly put the receipt given to her by the Yongfeng Grain Shop manager into her small purse, then immediately looked up expectantly and asked, "What delicious food is Sister going to make again?"
Shen Miao knew immediately that she was craving it again, and said with a smile, "When we get home, I'll make the first batch for Xiang Jie to try."
Xiangjie was delighted and stopped asking questions. No matter what her older sister made, it would definitely taste delicious!
Shen Miao has made up her mind that she will not sell sausages along with her stall tomorrow. Marinating sausages is too expensive because it requires too much salt and spices, and the cost will not be low.
She quickly decided to make the very simple and delicious red bean paste buns that would be popular in later generations. This way, the hand-pulled pancakes would be savory, and if she also sold a sweet version, she could cater to both sweet and savory tastes. Of course, someone with a big appetite like her, who loves to eat everything, would probably buy both.
The cost of red bean paste buns is much lower than that of meat sausages.
Based on my experience making steamed buns in my previous life, one pound of red beans, after being soaked and ground in water, can yield two pounds. Two ounces of filling is about right for one steamed bun. Therefore, one pound of flour, one pound of red beans, one egg, and two ounces of sugar can make about seven or eight steamed buns.
Excluding her labor costs, and only adding the expenses for yeast, oil, firewood, and charcoal, the production cost of a single loaf of bread is estimated to be around 2 coins.
Although most of the "Bianjing people" who could live in the inner city lived relatively well, especially since Jinliang Bridge was not far from the Great Xiangguo Temple and the Imperial Street, and there were countless high-ranking officials and nobles living in the surrounding area, vegetarian fillings were still difficult to sell at high prices. Shen Miao thought for a while: this row of buns was quite large, and if it was cut open, it could yield four buns. In the end, she decided to sell the row of buns for eight coins, and if people wanted to cut them open and buy them individually, it would cost three coins each.
Let's try making fifty tomorrow. She bought so many materials; it should be enough to keep us busy for several days.
And this thing is very simple to make.
In later generations, if there were air fryers, it would be possible to make red bean buns without kneading the dough at all, and even a kitchen novice could make very soft and stretchy buns. However, in the Song Dynasty, the earthen kiln was still not dry, so they had to make do with using a baking oven.
The baking process for flatbreads is not always consistent with the heat, which requires skill.
After settling things for tomorrow's stall, Shen Miao took Ji Ge'er to buy a set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as a large bamboo basket, ten of the largest bamboo steamers, and a carrying pole. On the way back, they passed a bookstore and wanted to buy him some books, but the prices were too expensive. Buying all the Four Books and Five Classics would cost several strings of cash.
Ji Ge'er said, "Sister, instead of buying books, I'm acquainted with Manager Zhou of Lanxin Bookstore near the South Gate. You can bring your own pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and for two coins you can make your own copy at the bookstore. It only takes three to five days to copy a copy of the Analects, which is better than buying a ready-made one. When I was studying under Master Liu, everyone copied their own copies."
Good idea! Shen Miao decided to let Ji Ge'er copy it himself tomorrow. Although it would be hard work, copying books was a good thing that would kill three birds with one stone: practicing calligraphy, reading, and getting a copy.
After she finished her work, she sent Xiangjie to build a coop for the chicks with broken tiles to keep them out of the wind and rain. Then she soaked the red beans and started frying chicken cutlets, pork cutlets, and cutting cucumber strips. She prepared all the ingredients she would need for making scallion pancakes the next day, and then went to bed early.
The next day, she got up before dawn again, first refrying all the pork chops, and then started making red bean buns. Buns taste best when freshly baked, so she only prepared the red bean filling and sifted the flour last night, and got up early this morning to bake the bread.
Sifted flour, eggs, yeast, sugar and water are mixed and kneaded until the dough can be stretched into a thin film. After the dough has risen, it is divided into portions, red bean paste is spread on it, the bottom half is cut into strips, and then rolled up from top to bottom and put into the preheated oven. While Shen Miao was busy running around, Ji Ge'er came out rubbing his eyes and silently squatted down to help her tend the fire.
"Did I wake you up?" Shen Miao casually grabbed a sliced chicken cutlet from the table and stuffed it into Ji Ge'er's mouth.
"No, it was the aroma that woke me up." Shen Ji chewed while fanning the stove with a palm-leaf fan.
Shen Miao smiled. The bread did indeed fill the whole house with a wonderful aroma after being baked. She had always loved the smell of bakeries; it made her feel warm and at ease.
Just as Aunt Li's rooster, which crows at dawn, jumped onto the wall and crowed again, Chen Miao was ready. She rubbed her arms and back, looked up, and saw that the dark sky outside the window had turned bluish-gray, and the eastern horizon was already white; it was time to set up her stall.
Xiangjie had been woken up by the fragrance long ago. She dressed herself and then came to Chenmiao to comb her hair, holding her hair tie. Ever since Chenmiao had styled her hair in various ways, such as braids, pigtails, butterfly buns, and princess braids, she had started to dislike the messy hair that Jige had given her.
Shen Miao had her sit on a small stool and quickly braided her hair into a double bun with flower buds, tying it tightly with red string. Xiang Jie touched the two round buns behind her ears, ran out and looked in the mirror by the large water vat outside the kitchen. When she saw it, she immediately smiled with her eyes crinkled.
"My older sister's hairstyle looks better!"
After finishing combing Xiangjie's hair, Shenmiao also brought Jige over to comb his hair. She hadn't had time to style him in the past few days, and he had been combing his hair into two topknots every day, which looked rather funny with his serious and earnest expression.
The hairstyles of children at this age are quite funny. Some children have their hair shaved completely, leaving only three patches of hair on the top of their head, the left and right sides of the back of their head, which are then braided into three small braids or tufts, called "pigeon horns".
Ji-ge'er didn't shave his head. He had been sick and had his hair down for a day or two, but he recovered. He only knew how to comb his hair into two topknots.
Shen Miao decided to give him a half-bun hairstyle.
Children his age have only grown their hair long for a few years; it's only an inch or two below his shoulders. Shen Miao used his hands to comb his hair, leaving many loose, newly grown hairs on his forehead and sideburns that couldn't be tied up. These frizzy hairs could only hang down like that.
Those who could be tied up were gathered into a high bun on top of their heads and secured with a blue cloth strip of the same color as their clothes. Shen Miao deliberately left longer ribbons hanging down the back of their heads. After combing their hair, she lifted them up and looked them over from left to right. Ji Ge'er was so embarrassed that he looked like a boiled shrimp. Only then did Shen Miao nod with satisfaction.
The Shen family members all have good facial features and fair skin. Ji Ge'er looks much younger with this hairstyle.
Her features are delicate and beautiful.
Shen Miao didn't borrow a car from the Gu family today. The large basket and long carrying pole she bought yesterday came in handy. Moreover, with a courtyard wall and gate, there was no need to leave anyone to guard the gate. She put the ingredients into the basket and carried them on her back. She tied the table and stove together and carried them on the carrying pole. Holding the carrying pole with one hand, Xiang Jie'er carried a stool for her, and Ji Ge'er carried a basket of charcoal.
The three of them set off in a large group to earn money.
Shen Miao tidied up the stall, stuffed a small basket into Ji Ge'er's hand, and put two red bean buns cut into pieces inside. She told him to share some with the shopkeeper and the staff when he went to the bookstore, and then sent him off to the bookstore to copy books. Xiang Jie'er stayed by her side, and Shen Miao planned to have her help collect money so that she could concentrate on making pancakes.
As soon as she arrived today, customers who hadn't gotten any pancakes yesterday came to wait for her.
The burly, wealthy man came in again and ordered three more pancakes, plus double the sauce, so Shen Miao got busy preparing them. Xiang Jie sat obediently on a small stool by the table, munching on a giant red bean bun that Shen Miao had specially made for her, which was bigger than her head.
These red bean buns are brushed with a layer of sugar syrup before being baked in the oven, so they are golden brown with a slightly flaky crust. When you take a bite, they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are fluffy and soft inside, and you can pull them apart with your hands. The red bean paste is soft, but because it is handmade and crushed, it also has a grainy texture, which adds more layers of texture.
Today, Xiangjie is still wearing the pale yellow dress that Shenmiao made for her. Her two little pigtails behind her ears are round and tied into a bow with red string. The string hangs down by her ears, making her chubby face look even rounder and whiter.
She ate with seriousness and focus, holding the large pork loin bun in both hands, taking one bite after another, with red bean paste on the corners of her mouth, like a little hamster that had suddenly fallen into a rice bin.
Xiangjie, a chubby little girl who eats so well, is the dream granddaughter of all grandparents. The fact that she is eating so deliciously has attracted many elderly people to stop and watch, as well as children of similar age to Xiangjie, who tug at their parents' clothes, suck their fingers, and stare intently.
"This child is eating so well, and she's so healthy." An elderly woman with a cane smiled as she watched Xiang'er devour her food. "Good child, you can really eat! Being able to eat is a blessing! You'll surely be rich and prosperous in the future!"
Shen Miao smiled, having just finished making two "family portrait" hand-pulled pancakes. She told the big man to enjoy them and handed them to him. She then handed the bamboo tube on the corner of the table to Xiang Jie'er, saying, "Have some tea, don't choke."
This is the jujube soup that the plump lady just brought to Xiangjie.
Xiangjie obediently held the bamboo tube and drank the soup. After taking a sip of tea soup, she continued to gnaw on the huge bread.
"It smells quite nice, Madam Chen, what is this?" The old woman couldn't help but sniff the lingering aroma of freshly baked bread in the air. "This bread smells so sweet and delicious."
"These are red bean paste pastry baked buns I made." Shen Miao thought of a name that suited the times and lifted the red bean rolls covered with fine cotton gauze on the table. "Usually, buns are steamed, but I thought baking them might taste good, so I tried making some. My younger sister ate the uncut ones, but this one can actually be cut into four pieces, enough for a family of three to have breakfast with some tea. It only costs eight coins, or you can buy them individually for three coins each. Look, they're made with finely sifted flour, and I added eggs and sugar. There's also plenty of red bean paste inside. I baked them fresh this morning, and they taste really good. Even if you can't finish them today, you can still eat them tomorrow. In this weather, they can last for two or three days!"
I also cut off a piece with a knife, diced it neatly, and let people taste it.
These free treats are always snatched up and eaten up in no time. Luckily, the first old lady to squeeze forward and ask also managed to grab a piece and put it in her mouth. It was so sweet and soft, and the aroma spread on her tongue. She wanted more, but the whole plate was already gone.
Not only that, but customers who had already tried Shen Miao's hand-pulled pancakes decisively bought some: "I want two, this is sixteen coins!"
"Give us four packs, this tastes just right."
The red bean buns sold quite a bit quickly, and Shen Miao hurriedly called Xiang Jie'er to collect the money. Xiang Jie'er reluctantly placed her large buns carefully in the basket under Shen Miao's table, stood on a stool, and obediently collected the money one by one and put it into the earthenware jar.
Just then, Wei Yao, the owner of a pastry shop across the street, was passing by with his donkey cart. He was delivering pre-ordered wedding cakes to a regular customer when he was drawn to the fragrant aroma of wheat, which he had never smelled before and which wafted for miles.
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