Chapter 28 Sugarcane, Temuji, Vivian
The tunnel is undergoing final construction and is impassable by car; to get to town, we have to take the original, long detour.
This time, Lai was driving the cart, carrying Neil, Old Gug, and two other villagers who were hitchhiking from the same village to the town.
Old Guge went to the market to sell some fruit, and Lai helped him carry the goods to the market before going about his own business.
It was the same market and location as last time; the egg stall was still there. However, the person selling eggs was a young woman wearing a headscarf.
Ray bought a hundred bird eggs there. This time, the woman didn't give him a discount, but she gave him ten extra eggs.
The market was still very lively, with many stalls selling potatoes, pumpkins, and lettuce, and you could also see some mountain products and leathers here and there.
The chili pepper vendor was still there, surrounded by a group of orcs. His chili peppers were very flavorful, and the chili oil he made was both spicy and fragrant; no wonder the orcs frequented his business.
Ray took Neil to the spice shop.
A quick glance around revealed various flower petals and a small amount of dried meat in the shop. Asking the owner, I learned that they were glands from some kind of animal or magical beast, used to make incense.
Among the strange items, Lai finally spotted the familiar spices: star anise, fennel seeds, and cinnamon. He was already quite satisfied to have found them.
Spices are quite expensive, so he only bought a little.
Not far from the shop, Lai found someone selling sugarcane at a well-located stall.
The stall owner peeled the sugarcane and tried his best to sell it, but not many people bought it. Only a group of children curiously gathered around the stall.
The stall owner was somewhat worried.
He stumbled upon this strangely colored plant during a hunting trip. He tentatively tasted it, peeled off the tough outer skin, and found it to be surprisingly sweet inside.
He figured such good stuff would surely find buyers at the market, so early in the morning he dragged a large bundle of sugarcane to town. He planned to sell his game at the restaurant and then set up a stall there to sell these things.
Surprisingly, no one bought it!
Some people also asked about the price.
The stall owner thought that since a pound of sugar was selling for 50 copper coins, the sweetness of this plant-based sugar was definitely comparable to that of granulated sugar, and selling it for 5 copper coins a piece was a fair price.
However, the people who came to inquire about the price walked away without even turning their heads when they heard the price, which made him very frustrated.
"How much is this, boss?"
Hearing someone ask the price, the stall owner perked up again. For him now, all that mattered was selling the item.
"Five copper coins, no, two copper coins each!"
Lai picked one up and looked at it; it looked a lot like purple sugarcane, but it was shorter than modern sugarcane.
The stall owner diligently cut off a piece for Lai to try, afraid that if he left, the food wouldn't sell and all his efforts would be in vain.
The sugarcane was very juicy; with each bite, sweet juice flowed into his mouth. Lai was certain this was sugarcane.
How many do you have here?
"Fifty-two, sir. If you buy them all, just give me one silver coin."
These broken wooden poles cost a silver coin? Neil thought the stall owner was trying to rip his brother off.
His brother broke his forehead, not lost his mind!
“These sweet stalks can be found everywhere in the mountains if you look carefully; it’s just that people in town haven’t seen them much. Your price is too high! Brother, let’s go, I’ll take you to find some when we get home.”
Neil, in a fit of temper, grabbed Lai and left, leaving the sugarcane vendor frantic.
This could be a hidden big customer; we can't let him get away!
"Young master, come back, come back quickly! I'll lower the price even further, you'll definitely be satisfied!"
"Brother, do you want to buy it?"
Neil asked in a low voice.
"Um."
Lei nodded slightly.
Sugarcane can be used to make sugar, and he wanted to buy some to try.
"Let's go back then. Don't say anything, just watch me."
Ray and Neil returned to the stall, and the stall owner breathed a slight sigh of relief.
What's the price?
Neil asked.
"Eighty copper coins, is that alright with you?"
Neil frowned.
The stall owner hardened his heart again.
"Take all seventy copper coins, no less!"
He had only sold three sticks after spending the whole morning there, and he even peeled two for customers to try. He really didn't want to wait any longer and just wanted to go home as soon as possible.
Neil looked at Ray, who nodded in agreement.
"Tie them all up, we'll take them. Uncle, you have to help us carry them to the dock, we're too weak to carry them."
Neil felt sorry for his brother and didn't want him to move back alone.
"Definitely, definitely."
Ray estimated that the pile of sugarcane weighed at least a hundred pounds. When paying, he gave the stall owner an extra 10 copper coins as a tip.
The stall owner immediately understood what Lai meant. He had only agreed when Neil made the request earlier, but this time he was doing it willingly. This weight was nothing to someone who spent most of his time hunting in the mountains.
On the way back, Lai removed the small side panel at the back of the truck bed before he could load the sugarcane.
Old Guge's fruit sold well today; there wasn't a single piece left. He bought himself a large bottle of wine.
After returning home, Lai took a shower and then began to think of a way to deal with the sugarcane.
The sugarcane leaves were still on, and he chopped them off to feed the mule—little Delraston. After calling it "Mule" for several days, Neil finally got used to the strange name.
"Neil, take a few to Luna and Danny later. I have some errands to run with Timur."
"Okay, got it."
After giving Neil his instructions, Ray went to Timuch's stone house.
It was too hot. After finishing the casting work on the other side of the tunnel, Temuji had earned a lot of gold coins and hadn't fired a torch for a long time.
He is now working on crafting more sophisticated tools. He still has a long way to go to become a skilled foundry craftsman. The quiet atmosphere of the countryside provides him with an excellent environment for research.
When the first snowflake falls this winter, he will take the fruits of his labor for the year to Eaton City to attend the Foundry's Gathering.
"Temuki, are you home?"
It's Ray.
Temuji put down his tools and went to the door to greet Lai.
"Please come in."
Temuji still refused to look him in the eye, but this time he brought Rai into his studio.
The stone house looked dilapidated from the outside, with weeds even growing on the walls, but the inside was very tidy.
Various parts, materials, bones, and minerals were neatly arranged on three rows of large wooden shelves, and another shelf held various weapons and semi-finished products. The contents of this room were obviously very valuable, and they were just displayed there openly.
It was unlikely that anyone in the village would dare to steal Temuqi's things; his two axes were not to be trifled with.
"Is there something you need?"
Lei handed two sugarcanes with their leaves removed to Timur.
"Peel off the outer skin with a knife and chew it."
"Thanks."
Temuji thanked Laiyi, shy and uneasy.
"Actually, I came here this time to ask you to do something for me."
"What kind of thing is it?"
When the topic of work came up, Temuqi became confident again.
"These are the blueprints."
The paper contained a drawing of an old Beijing hot pot and a structural diagram of a barbecue grill.
"What's this?"
Temuqi pointed to the pot.
"Hot pot. Put charcoal inside, and put water and seasonings around the rim of the pot to cook meat slices. This way you can eat the meat directly at the table, cooking and eating as you go, without having to stand by the fireplace."
Lei's explanation made Temuji's eyes light up, and he looked at Lei with excitement.
“Oh, Ray, you’re a genius! You should go to the city to learn alchemy instead of farming in the village! You’ll definitely become an excellent blacksmith.”
Temuqi's eager gaze made him a little overwhelmed. Had he revealed too much? No, no, he just wanted to have a convenient hot pot meal in the winter.
"Temuki, you're exaggerating. I'm just quite knowledgeable about food. And I enjoy farming and growing vegetables; it makes me very relaxed."
"You are being far too modest."
Temuji completely ignored Laiyi's words.
"I have one more thing, but I need your help."
"What is that?"
"Is there a tool that can squeeze out its juice?"
Lai lifted the sugarcane.
"No, but I can try."
"Thank you. I will pay you enough silver coins."
"You're welcome, Lei. These little things I make for you always give me some new ideas."
After finishing their conversation, Lei went home.
The brine from pickling the quail eggs is still there. Simply wash the quail eggs and put them directly into the brine, along with some cooled boiled water and salt. There's no rush to eat the salted quail eggs; they can be pickled anytime.
After thinking it over, Lai decided to pickle the hundred-plus eggs before sending them to Hagrid's house. The autumn harvest had just finished, and everyone had plenty of grain; they couldn't even finish their vegetables, so there was no need to send them so early.
Neil didn't come back empty-handed; Linda gave him some snacks.
After Lai finished pickling the salted eggs, he neatly arranged the sugarcane and sat in the living room whittling wooden skewers.
Once Temugi has the barbecue grill ready, they can start grilling meat. They'll go hunting in the woods and invite Haig's family over for some kebabs—a simple way to thank Haig for his care during this time.
"Brother, what are you doing?"
"Let's cut some skewers, so we can grill meat skewers later."
"I'll peel it for you!"
"No need, you might cut yourself. Neil, pick a watermelon, wash it, and throw it into the well. We'll save it for dinner."
"Um!"
Watermelons are less dense than water, so they float. In the days before refrigerators were common, this was the way to cool watermelons in the countryside. When you wanted to eat them, you simply scooped them out of the watermelon with a bucket.
However, it should be noted that watermelons should not be left to freeze in the well for too long, otherwise they may sink to the bottom.
——
A few days ago, at the Eton City Lord's Mansion.
"Your Excellency, with the harvest festival approaching, I would like to take leave early and go home."
The chief mage paused, then looked up at his subordinate with the beautiful, fiery-colored hair.
“Vivian, you know that the young city lord cannot do without your protection.”
Ugh, that wretched brat!
Vivian complained inwardly.
“Your Excellency, I haven’t taken a vacation in three years. My parents are getting old and I’m very worried about them. I’m also concerned about their health. Bolton is an excellent knight, and he will take good care of the young lord.”
After much deliberation, the chief mage finally granted her request. Vivian breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’ll give you twenty days off, but after the harvest festival you will need to escort Baron Edmundson back with this year’s grain from the north.”
"Yes, Your Excellency. May the Lord God bless you with good health."
"Step back, Vivian."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
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Author's Note: The protagonist's cheat ability is about to arrive, please check it out~ Please add to your favorites and leave comments! I've planted so many foreshadowing elements, my brain cells are about to explode.
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