With that, Jiang Hua stood up and said goodbye to Shen Qingchuan.
"Huahua, how is it?"
As soon as Jiang Hua came down, Aunt Liu and Jiang Jingyi came up to greet her and asked.
"It's alright, we've already reached an agreement," Jiang Hua replied.
"So, you'll be working as a cook at Mingyue Tower from now on?"
"No, we talked about other things."
"Huahua, my Tianming is working across the street. Wait here for me a moment, I'll go check on him," Aunt Liu said tentatively.
“Okay, we’ll wait for you here.” Jiang Hua nodded.
Jiang Hua and Jiang Jing waited at Mingyue Tower for a quarter of an hour before seeing Aunt Liu and Liu Tianming walk out of Guangfu Tower, and then they got up and went out.
"Oh, Miss Jiang, our master said he'll send you back by carriage," Sun Nian said, quickly stepping out.
"No need, please thank your employer for his kindness, I have something to do later," Jiang Hua declined.
"In that case, Miss Jiang, please take your leave." Sun Nian said respectfully.
"Brother Tianming."
"Hey girl, what brings you here?" Liu Tianming quickly pulled Jiang Hua aside.
"Tianming, what's wrong?" Aunt Liu asked, puzzled by the strong reaction.
"Mother, you don't know, our shopkeeper has already set his sights on Jiang Hua's braising sauce recipe," Liu Tianming whispered.
"Oh, I see!" Aunt Liu said with some concern, "Huahua, let's go quickly, so as not to implicate you."
As he spoke, he pulled Jiang Hua away. However, it was too late. Ye Guicheng had already spotted Jiang Hua from the second floor the moment she stepped into Mingyue Tower.
It wasn't until she came out of Mingyue Tower that Jiang Hua noticed Ye Guicheng's burning gaze at her from Guangfu Tower, but she pretended not to know.
"Auntie, you don't need to worry. Guangfulou has been eyeing my braising liquid recipe for a long time. It won't make a difference if we wait another day." Jiang Hua reassured Aunt Liu, seeing her anxious expression.
It was past noon, and Jiang Hua and Aunt Liu headed towards the market to see what they needed to buy.
After walking around, I suddenly became interested in a stall selling pickled green beans. The stall was run by a little girl who looked about two or three years older than Jiang Jingyi.
"How much are these pickled cowpeas?" Jiang Hua asked, squatting down.
"Huahua, if you want some pickled green beans, I have some at home. I can bring you some later," Aunt Liu said quickly.
"It's alright, Auntie. I'm just asking around. I need it to make some new dishes later," Jiang Hua said.
Upon hearing Jiang Hua's words, the little girl's previously dejected expression brightened, and she said to Jiang Hua, "Sister, two coins a pound."
"Oh my, two coins a pound? How can it be so expensive!" Aunt Liu exclaimed.
"Auntie, sister, it's not expensive. These pickled green beans are very crisp and refreshing. If you don't believe me, you can try them." As she spoke, the little girl picked out a pickled green bean about the length of her finger with her chopsticks and handed it to Jiang Hua.
Jiang Hua took it, tried it, and found it to be just as the little girl had said—crisp, refreshing, and delicious.
"Did you pickle all of these yourself?" Jiang Hua asked again.
"Yes, sister, I pickled them all myself," the little girl said truthfully.
"Can you pickle other things too?" Jiang Hua asked again.
"What are you pickling?" the little girl asked, puzzled.
"Can you make bamboo shoots?"
“I can give it a try. There are many bamboo forests on the mountain in our village. When I’ve pickled them, I can give them to my sister to try,” the little girl said eagerly.
"Sister, do you want to buy it?"
“Yes, I’ll buy it when your pickled beans taste just as good as the ones you’re making now.” Jiang Hua nodded and added, “Give me two pounds of pickled beans.”
"Okay, thank you, sister."
After buying the pickled cowpeas, I went to the chicken stall and bought three sets of pig offal, as well as all the chicken feet on the stall.
"Hey girl, do you have enough chicken feet this time? I had a friend in the county town who slaughters chickens send them over," the stall owner asked smugly.
"That's enough." Jiang Hua looked at the basket piled high with chicken feet, which weighed no less than a hundred pounds. How many chickens must have been killed to fill that basket!
"Could you take me to the intersection on the east side of town? I'll take an oxcart back later," Jiang Hua asked.
"Sure, Miss Jiang, would you like me to save some chicken feet for you tomorrow?" the stall owner asked warmly.
"Keep it." Jiang Hua took out some silver and handed it to the stall owner.
She then walked to the oxcart at the intersection of East Street. The oxcart traveled between the village and the town every day, charging two coins per person per trip. Because of this basket of chicken feet, Jiang Hua booked the entire oxcart trip.
Aunt Liu felt a pang of heartache seeing how extravagant the money was, but when she saw the basket of chicken feet on the oxcart, she gave up the idea of trying to persuade her.
The old man driving the oxcart was from the next village, and many people called him Uncle Fu. He was from the village where Aunt Liu's family lived. After getting on the oxcart, Aunt Liu chatted with the old man for a few more minutes.
“Uncle Fu, can you take us to the market tomorrow morning by hiring your oxcart?” Jiang Hua asked.
“Yes, Miss Jiang,” Uncle Fu nodded in reply.
More than an hour later, Uncle Fu's oxcart stopped at the gate of Jiang Hua's courtyard. After paying the money, Jiang Hua carried the basket of chicken feet back into the courtyard.
Aunt Liu, Uncle Fu, and Jiang Jingyi were all stunned by her actions.
"Auntie, if you have time, I'll pay you for your work, why don't you come and help?" Jiang Hua suggested to Aunt Liu after Uncle Fu left.
"Why pay me? I don't have anything else to do anyway, I'm just lending a hand," Aunt Liu said, waving her hand.
“There’s no reason for someone to work for nothing. Besides, Brother Tianming is almost at the age where he should be getting married,” Jiang Huayou said.
"Alright then, if there's anything you need me to do, just let me know," Aunt Liu said, rolling up her sleeves.
Jiang Hua nodded, and Jiang Jingyi also took out the scissors he usually used to trim chicken nails from inside the house, and then went in with small steps to bring out a small stool.
The group started processing the chicken feet, but before they were even halfway done, they heard Xu's cursing voice. Jiang Hua paused, her hand holding the scissors still, and looked towards the courtyard gate.
Sure enough, Xu burst in, followed by Li Dahua and Qin Lianlian, along with a few onlookers.
"Jiang Hua, you shameless brat!" Xu Shi pointed at Jiang Hua and cursed as soon as she stepped into the courtyard.
"Xu, what's wrong with you?" Aunt Liu asked, feeling somewhat confused.
"What now?" Jiang Hua stood up, looking at Xu Shi with a cold gaze.
"You are not allowed to bully my stepmother!" Jiang Jingyi also stood up and stood in front of Jiang Hua, glaring angrily at Xu Shi.
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