15 Chapter 15
◎The little genius who made a fortune◎
Although the teacher assigned homework, Jiang Jingyun decided to put it aside for the time being and deal with it after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As for homework, if you don’t put it off until the last day, it’s soulless!
——From Jiang Jingyun who stays up late to finish homework at the end of every holiday
When it comes to Mid-Autumn Festival, the most indispensable thing is mooncakes.
The custom of eating mooncakes already existed in the Dali Dynasty, but the mooncakes here tended to be big, round, sugar-filled, crispy mooncakes. However, Jiang Jingyun did not want to make this kind of mooncake, but a modern Cantonese-style lotus seed paste and egg yolk mooncake.
As for why not making five-nut mooncakes? Of course he doesn’t like it, and the ingredients are too expensive so he can’t bear to spend it!
Jiang Jingyun is a frugal person, and Jiang Jingyun is also a stingy person.
Put syrup, water and peanut oil in turn and mix evenly, then add flour and knead into a dough. Leave it to rise at room temperature for about an hour. Divide the proofed dough into small balls and press them into crusts. Place lotus paste and salted egg yolk on the crusts, roll them into balls after tightening the thumbs-and-thumbs-up, sprinkle them with a little flour, and press them with the mold you usually use to press rice cakes. The mooncake embryo will take shape. Then put the embryo into the simple oven that Jiang Dabot specially built for Jiang Jingyun. After it is shaped for about a cup of tea, take it out and brush it with egg liquid, and then bake it for about an incense stick of time. [1]
Looking at the golden mooncakes, my aunt-in-law was amazed: "Is this the lotus seed paste and egg yolk mooncake you mentioned? It's so beautiful!"
"Wow, this cake looks delicious." The little sister leaned on the table, stood on tiptoe to look at the mooncake in the middle, and drooled, "Brother, can I have one to try first?"
Jiang Jingyun smiled and tapped his sister's nose, then handed her a mooncake that had already cooled down. "Of course, here you go~"
"Thank you, brother~" The younger sister took the mooncake, looked at her big brother who had nothing in his hands, then looked at the mooncake in her own hand, thought for a while, broke the mooncake into two pieces, and handed the larger one to Jiang Jingyun, "Here, I'll give you half!"
Jiang Jingyun was stunned for a moment, then he took the mooncake and his heart was melting before he even tasted it: Is his sister a little angel? She is so well-behaved~! Woo woo woo…
The mooncakes taste good, with a thin and soft skin, sweet and delicious. Although there is no modern technology and hard work, the temperature control of this simple oven is not very good for the first time, but overall it is still very successful. Jiang Jingyun waved to the family members who were busy in the yard, "Come and try it, it tastes good."
"Hmm~ It's delicious, even better than the shortbread mom made in previous years!" This was the statement of the honest and upright eldest brother Jiang, and Jiang Jingyun's two younger brothers also nodded in agreement.
The uncle glanced at his silly son, ignored him, and lowered his head to eat his mooncake.
It was the aunt who smiled and slapped Brother Jiang, but she didn't deny it, "It's really delicious."
"If we take this mooncake to the town and sell it, it will definitely be very popular!" Brother Jiang is quick-witted. After tasting it twice, he thought about selling it.
Jiang Jingyun laughed. It seemed that Second Brother Jiang had been well trained during this period of time. His mind was full of business. "It's too late today, but we have enough materials. We can make a little more later. We can take it to the town to try it out tomorrow morning."
"Okay, we'll come and help. Just tell us if you need anything!" Upon hearing that there was money to be made, Brother Jiang immediately rolled up his sleeves and responded, and the others also expressed their willingness to help.
With everyone's help, Jiang Jingyun quickly baked several batches of mooncakes. Since he had successfully tamed the oven, the mooncakes baked later were all uniform in color, mellow in taste, and absolutely perfect!
Emmmm...I just feel like something is missing?
Jiang Jingyun scratched his chin, unable to remember anything for a moment...
Forget it. If I can’t remember something, it’s not important. Never mind.
Five portions of mooncakes were reserved for uncle, younger uncle, Xiao Muyan, master and his own family. The remaining mooncakes were all wrapped in oil paper one by one. When putting them into the bamboo basket, Jiang Jingyun suddenly remembered: mooncake box!
I always felt like something was missing, and it turned out to be a necessary accessory for mooncakes – the box!
But it’s too late to find a carpenter to do it now.
Forget it, let’s talk about it later. I’ll give it a try tomorrow. Whether it sells well or not is another matter.
It was almost evening when they finally finished cleaning up.
Because Jiang Jingyun is busy with business and studies on weekdays, he goes out early and comes back late every day, and has no time to take care of his younger siblings at home. Most of the time, his uncle's family helps take care of them. So now he simply moves the food rations for his family of four to his uncle's house every month. He usually eats with them and only cooks at home when he has free time.
After having dinner at his uncle's wife's house, Jiang Jingyun sent his younger brother and sister back home, then walked slowly over there carrying the mooncakes from his uncle's house. This time he went at the right time. When he arrived, his uncle's family had already eaten dinner and were sitting in the yard to enjoy the cool air. Otherwise, Jiang Jingyun might have been looked down upon a few more times.
However, the atmosphere in my uncle's house seemed a bit depressing, and I didn't know what had happened.
Jiang Jingyun didn't ask any more questions. He handed the mooncake to his uncle and said a few polite words, then he got up and said goodbye.
Just like last time, his uncle stood up and said he would see him off. He looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something to Jiang Jingyun but was too embarrassed to bring it up.
Jiang Jingyun didn't want to guess what he was thinking, so he asked directly, "Uncle, do you have anything you want to tell me?"
"There are some things..." The uncle looked ashamed and said in confusion: "It's just...it's just..."
The aunt who was hiding behind and eavesdropping saw him hesitating for a long time and couldn't get to the point. She hurriedly stepped forward and pushed Jiang Lao San aside, "You haven't said anything for a long time. Get out of the way and let me talk!"
Madam Mo turned around and showed Jiang Jingyun a smile he had never seen before, and said flatteringly, "My nephew, it's about your snail noodle business. Can you bring our second son with you?"
…
To be honest, Jiang Jingyun was not happy about it.
Call him an ungrateful person or call him an ungrateful person, I really don't want to add some unnecessary quibbling and quarreling to my already busy life.
He remembered his uncle's timely help and could repay him in other ways, but he didn't want to do it in this way.
Jiang Jingyun stood there in silence. Jiang Laosan seemed to see his hesitation and said awkwardly, "We did force you to do this. If you don't want to, then forget it..."
When Mrs. Mo next to him heard this, she immediately became anxious and wanted to curse, but was restrained by a look from Jiang Lao San and dared not say anything.
Jiang Jingyun pretended not to notice the exchange of glances between them, and did not respond directly to Jiang Laosan. He was just a little confused: "Hasn't Fourth Cousin been working as an apprentice in town? Why did you suddenly want to do business?"
Speaking of the matter of Jiang's fourth brother Jiang Jing'an, Jiang's third brother's face looked a little ugly.
Jiang Jing'an is only a few months older than Jiang Jingyun. He started working as an apprentice to the carpenter in the town at the age of twelve. He worked diligently serving tea and water for three years, but he didn't learn any real skills. A few days ago, the carpenter's nephew suddenly came and took his place without saying a word, and kicked him out.
I did odd jobs for others for three years for nothing. Not only did I not learn any skills, but I also didn't make any money. What a poor guy.
…
Isn’t this a living ancient version of a management trainee? It talks about the importance of a labor contract when encountering a black-hearted boss!
However, Jiang Jingyun still found it a little unbelievable. He turned around and asked his fourth cousin who was sitting in the corner of the yard with his head down, "You didn't learn anything in three years? Didn't you watch and learn from them?"
Jiang Jingan replied sullenly, "I know the basics. On weekdays, the master would let me handle the unimportant furniture, but he would hide in his room and handle the important things himself, so that I wouldn't see."
…
Otherwise you deserve to be cheated, why don't you run away? He stayed there foolishly for three years and was finally kicked out.
But it's not easy to deal with it just because he knows nothing at all. Maybe he has a job that is suitable for Jiang Jingan to do. "Fourth cousin, can you make this kind of box?"
Jiang Jingyun dipped his finger in water and drew a square wooden box with grids on the table. Jiang Jingan took a closer look. Isn't this the simplest single-layer food box? He nodded and said, "I can do it."
"Okay, then make ten for me first, and carve some patterns on the cover, and make it more delicate." Jiang Jingyun ordered, "As for the price... I'll give you twenty coins for each, is that okay with you?"
Jiang Jing'an looked up at Jiang Jingyun in surprise and said quickly, "Sure, sure! I'll go up the mountain to chop trees tomorrow and send it to you as soon as possible!"
"Oh, right, make another 200 bamboo cups." Jiang Jingyun suddenly added an order for bamboo cups, thinking of something: "This style is relatively simple, and it's only one penny each, is that okay?"
Jiang Jing'an naturally agreed without hesitation. Not to mention himself, even his elder brother Jiang Jinghong would know how to do this. There was nothing he couldn't do with free money.
"Okay, then I'll go back today?" Jiang Jingyun turned to look at his uncle, and seeing the couple's happy faces, he knew that they were also very satisfied with this solution.
Jiang Mo, in particular, smiled with wrinkles all over her face, and pulled his hand and said in a warm voice: "Oh, thank you so much for today, nephew. Come to my house often in the future, and I will make you something delicious!"
Jiang Jingyun got goose bumps at the hypocritical look: Tsk, auntie's face-changing speed is so fast, it's a pity that she didn't learn Sichuan opera face-changing.
Asking Fourth Brother Jiang to make lunch boxes was, firstly, a temporary solution for those who refused to join the group, and secondly, he just happened to need these two things.
Today, Jiang Erge's words reminded him that snail noodles and braised food have been sold in the town for a long time. No matter how delicious something is, people will get tired of it eventually. Moreover, when the weather gets colder, snails will not be easy to eat. It is time to add some new products to attract customers.
Although mooncakes are a snack derived from festivals, Jiang Jingyun feels that in this era of salt and sugar shortage, their mooncakes can also be eaten as ordinary snacks on weekdays and are very tempting and delicious.
Besides, this isn’t the only kind of snack he can make.
Once he figures out a few snack styles, he'll pack the exquisite desserts into small boxes and take the high-end route, specifically providing them to wealthy families. This will definitely make money!
Jiang Jingyun walked back happily shaking his head: Oh, my little head really contains a little genius for making a fortune!
It was already dark when he came out of his uncle's house. Fortunately, the moon was full, so he could see clearly under the moonlight. When he passed by Xiao Muyan's house, he saw only a closed door. It was pitch black and silent. He couldn't help but mutter, "What's wrong with this guy? He won't come back for the Mid-Autumn Festival..."
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