28 Qiluofang
◎Don't worry, County Magistrate Ye. The boss has been out shopping these days.◎
When the other aunts saw Zhuang Xue praising the "strange" tofu, they made up their minds and picked up the gray tofu and put it into their mouths.
Everyone's eyes lit up, it really tasted strange!
Ye Yunzhao smiled and put the remaining fat pork belly from wild ginger into the pot. After stir-frying the lard, she directed everyone to pour four full buckets of cut pig blood into the pot.
"Pour it all in?" Aunt Xiangyun asked hesitantly.
"All down." Ye Yunzhao said firmly.
The pig blood clots tumbled into the iron pot. Ye Yunzhao flipped the fat pork belly and wild ginger from the bottom of the pot upwards and said to Aunt Xiangyun:
"Auntie, go and look outside. If you see them leaving work from a distance, tell me immediately."
Aunt Xiangyun received the order and ended up having some free time.
Fortunately, the iron pot in the headman's house was big enough. When the bright red pig blood clots in the pot turned reddish-brown, Ye Yunzhao drew two buckets of well water and poured it in.
The fire in the stove was very strong, and soon a large pot of pig blood soup began to boil. Ye Yunzhao asked Zhuang Xue to pour the washed bracken into the pot.
She added a lot of coarse salt and was about to let the aunts taste it first when Aunt Xiangyun's voice rang out from outside the kitchen:
"County Magistrate Ye, they've finished work, and I saw Lai Wang and his men coming towards us."
Ye Yunzhao quickly said, "Make noodles."
The cut thin noodles cooked quickly, and when Wang Laiwang and his group pushed the door open, a large pot of pig blood noodles had just been prepared.
Aunt Xiangyun must have told the workers in advance that each of them took two large ceramic bowls, one for pig blood and fern noodles, and the other for fried pork with gray tofu.
Ye Yunzhao only brought a ceramic bowl of pig blood noodles. She didn't want others to take it home to eat, so she squatted in the yard of Aunt Xiangyun's house and quickly finished the bowl of noodles.
The fishy smell of the pig blood was suppressed by the wild ginger, and the lard from the stir-fried fatty pork belly made the soup noodles taste more fragrant, with a faint fragrance of bracken. It was neither greasy nor bland, and it made her feel warm after eating it.
Originally, she had nothing to do in the afternoon, but Ye Yunzhao was worried about the wheat seedlings in the fields. This morning, she checked along the foot of the mountain, and in the afternoon, she walked around all the fields in Xixiang.
The germination rate of most wheat seedlings was not very satisfactory. Ye Yunzhao was a person who could not sit still, so he went around to Dongxiang to take a look. It should be that Dongxiang had mostly fertile fields, so the germination rate was naturally much higher.
Nowadays, every household ferments manure, but the effect of spreading manure during the seedling emergence period is not very great. In fact, sheep manure is the best and can greatly solve the problem of soil compaction in Lingnan County.
But Ye Yunzhao has been here for almost a month and hasn't seen a single sheep...
There is no need to mention sheep dung...
Ye Yunzhao sighed and looked around. The sky was clear and the trees were lush. She had to say that the scenery of Lingnan County was unique. However, she sighed deeply again and howled to the sky:
"Oh my God, why don't I have space, spiritual spring, golden finger...ah!"
*
The next morning, Ye Yunzhao was still sleeping soundly under a thin quilt when he was awakened by Aunt Wang's voice.
She opened the door for Aunt Wang with sleepy eyes and spoke incoherently: "Aunt Wang, is there something going on in the fields?"
Seeing her like this, Aunt Wang was shocked to realize how hard County Magistrate Ye worked for Lingnan County, and she felt a little embarrassed:
"Ah, was County Magistrate Ye busy too late last night?"
Ye Yunzhao waved her hand. She had gone to bed early last night. Perhaps because she had been too busy these days, she had slept until now. If Aunt Wang hadn't come, she might have slept for another half hour.
"Auntie Wang, why are you here..."
Aunt Wang slapped her forehead and said, "Oh! I almost forgot! A few days ago, when County Magistrate Han came to count the grain reserves of each household, my daughter-in-law happened to come back and said she wanted to make me some winter clothes."
Aunt Wang looked happy as she spoke. Her daughter Fang Niang was a very capable woman. With her skills, she worked as an embroiderer in an embroidery workshop in Yuezhou City!
Nowadays, many people dare not even think about buying cloth to make new clothes. Some people would even wear a set of clothes for ten years, patching them again and again when they are torn. The embroiderers in the embroidery workshop can get half a piece of coarse cloth every three months, and they can make a new set of clothes by saving up enough. Aunt Wang is naturally proud of it.
"Han County Magistrate said you might also want to make some clothes, so I thought I'd ask. If Ye County Magistrate wants to make some, then we can go to Yuezhou City together."
Ye Yunzhao didn't know why County Magistrate Han mentioned him to Aunt Wang, and was about to decline, but suddenly he remembered that the government office gave him three pieces of linen and one piece of cotton cloth when he received his salary last time. Then he understood what County Magistrate Han meant.
"I'll go! Please wait here for a moment, Aunt Wang."
After a simple wash, Ye Yunzhao carried a bamboo basket filled with a piece of linen and went to Yuezhou City with Aunt Wang.
Ye Yunzhao was still thinking about the things in the wheat fields in Xixiang, and it was hard for him to laugh. Aunt Wang came to Yuezhou City to make clothes, and she laughed all the way. The two of them, one sad and the other happy, were very funny.
Although Ye Yunzhao had been to Yuezhou City three times, each time he had important business to attend to, so naturally he had never seen the embroidery workshop. Aunt Wang was not much better than her, having only been there once.
The two entered Yuezhou City and, guided by Aunt Wang, walked for half an hour before they found the embroidery workshop near the city gate.
When he got closer, Ye Yunzhao realized that the embroidery workshop also had a name. The plaque read "Qiluofang". There was a light and transparent colored gauze hanging in front of the shop, which was elegant and unique.
Aunt Wang walked in front, Ye Yunzhao followed closely behind. As soon as they entered the shop, a pretty young woman came to greet them. "Sir, do you want to have clothes made? Or do you want embroidery? Take a look, these are all the work of our embroiderers."
The shopkeeper pointed to the fabrics and round fans beside him. Ye Yunzhao looked over curiously. The needlework was so fine that the birds, beasts, insects and fish were all lifelike. Even she, who didn't know much about the craft, thought they were of top quality.
The shopkeeper saw her eyes light up and said with a smile: "These are nothing. We have more exquisite round fans in our shop."
As she spoke, she took out a larger round fan from under the counter. The front was embroidered with the back of a woman leaning against the door gazing at the moon. The colors were beautiful and it was very pretty.
Ye Yunzhao nodded, wondering why the shopkeeper said that this round fan was the most exquisite.
Until the shopkeeper turned the other side, it was still the woman leaning against the door gazing at the moon, but the embroidery was of her face, and there was even a hazy moonlight on her face, showing the woman's graceful figure.
"Oh my! There is a back view and a front view at the same time!" Aunt Wang exclaimed in amazement.
The shopkeeper showed a smug look on his face, smiled, and said proudly: "Of course, this is a unique craft in Yuezhou City."
Ye Yunzhao was also amazed at the side, it was really beautiful! No wonder Aunt Wang praised Fang Niang in her words all the way.
The two men recovered from their surprise, and Aunt Wang spoke first. Seeing the shopkeeper's comprehensive introduction, she felt a little embarrassed:
"Shopkeeper, we...are here to look for Fang Niang. She..."
Before she could finish, the shopkeeper smiled, showing no displeasure at all. "So you're looking for Fang Niang! This double-sided embroidery piece was created by Fang Niang. Wait a minute, I'll go call her from the back."
Ye Yunzhao held the teacup and waited for half an incense stick. He saw the pearl curtain of the embroidery workshop being opened, and a pretty and charming woman came out.
Aunt Wang, who was standing by, immediately put down her teacup and came forward to greet her: "Fang Niang, are you enjoying the food and accommodation at the embroidery workshop?"
Qiluofang provides accommodation for embroiderers who cannot go home. In addition to half a piece of coarse cloth for three months, they also receive monthly salary, which is a very good offer.
As Aunt Wang spoke, she took things out of the bamboo basket: dried mushrooms tightly wrapped in lotus leaves, and a large ceramic jar of freshly picked wild fruits.
Fang Niang felt embarrassed and lowered her voice: "Mom, is there enough food at home? I can't eat so much by myself."
"Enough to eat, enough to eat."
Aunt Wang gently took her hand and introduced Ye Yunzhao to her: "This is the County Magistrate Ye that I mentioned to you before. She happened to be getting some clothes made, so we came together."
Fang Niang bowed delicately and said, "I have long heard of County Magistrate Ye's great name. Thank you for the divine chariot you built. Now that I see it, I can see that you are truly kind and compassionate."
Although Fang Niang was not in Lingnan County during the autumn sowing some time ago, Aunt Wang and Wang Laiwang sometimes came to the city to see her and had already mentioned the new county magistrate.
At that time, she knew that Wang Laiwang had actually had a conflict with the new county magistrate. She scolded him a lot, saying that it was too tactless for a new official to make so many mistakes upon taking office. Fortunately, County Magistrate Ye did not care, so she escaped the disaster.
Ye Yunzhao hurried forward to help her: "Fang Niang, we are all family. You are so polite. I feel embarrassed to ask you to help make clothes."
"It is Fang Niang's blessing to be able to make clothes for you, my Lord." Fang Niang raised her head and smiled softly, and called Ye Yunzhao and Aunt Wang to the backyard of the embroidery workshop. "Before making clothes, we need to measure your body and tailor them. Come with me."
The two followed Fang Niang into a smaller room. They saw her holding a long wooden handle with something engraved on it. She simply gestured a few times in front of and behind the two of them, and then Fang Niang picked up a pen and wrote something.
As he wrote, he asked, "Is County Magistrate Ye wearing official uniform or casual clothes?"
Ye Yunzhao thought for a moment and said, "I want to make some ordinary clothes and wear them to study the wheat seedlings in the fields."
As she spoke, she took out a piece of linen from the bamboo basket and placed it on the table.
Fang Niang raised her hand and picked up a corner, looking at it against the light: "This is silk hemp."
Silk linen is softer than ordinary flax, jute and coarse linen. It is breathable and not abrasive. It is considered the best linen material. It would be a bit wasteful to use it to make work clothes.
"Why not make a shirt, skirt and trousers outfit, or a jacket, skirt and trousers outfit? It can be used as daily wear and it will be convenient for County Magistrate Ye to do things. I'll take you to see it." Fang Niang said as she walked out of the door. The two followed her and walked towards the house in the southeast corner of the yard.
There were several embroiderers of the same age as Fangniang in the yard. Each of them was carrying a huge bamboo basket (poluo) covered with thick mulberry leaves and was walking quickly towards another house in the yard.
Seeing Ye Yunzhao lost in thought, Fang Niang said with great tact, "They are all carrying mulberry leaves."
Ye Yunzhao was a little curious: "Do you raise silkworms?"
"You have to raise silkworms naturally. The satin made from silk is very valuable."
In his previous life, Ye Yunzhao had seen silkworm farming. It was mostly done in late spring when there were plenty of mulberry leaves. The silkworms naturally grew fat and their cocoons were big and white.
Ye Yunzhao blurted out: "But isn't it autumn now? How can we still raise silkworms?"
Fang Niang smiled and explained, "Autumn silkworms are not as good as spring silkworms, but the spring cocoons have long been made into cloth and clothes and sold out. Autumn silkworms can eat mulberry leaves, as well as mulberry leaves and jujube leaves. Naturally, the quality is not as good as spring silk, but it is still good."
Seeing Ye Yunzhao staring blankly at the silkworm room, Fangniang's eyes turned and she asked, "Does County Magistrate Ye want silk satin for daily wear? Although Fangniang can't give you one, she can let you buy spring silk at the price of autumn silk."
Ye Yunzhao's thoughts were exactly the opposite of what she had guessed. "No, no, no, I don't want silk clothes. I just suddenly thought... you raise so many silkworms, do you have any silkworm manure?"
Fang Niang nodded, confused. "Of course there are, quite a few. Although silkworm manure carries the fragrance of mulberry leaves, after all... County Magistrate Ye wants silkworm manure?"
Ye Yunzhao nodded quickly, and in a moment of desperation, he grabbed Fangniang's sleeve and said, "Fangniang, do you know how much silkworm manure is sold for?"
The silkworm manure that Fang Niang saw as useless was actually excellent fertilizer in Ye Yunzhao's eyes. Silkworm manure, also known as silkworm sand, was a valuable fertilizer. The more silkworms ate, the more manure they produced. This manure could improve the soil and boost plant resistance. If the price was right...
The more Ye Yunzhao thought about it, the happier he became. He said to Fangniang, "Please ask the owner of the embroidery workshop for me."
Fang Niang nodded and said, "Don't worry, County Magistrate Ye. The boss has been out shopping these days. When she comes back, I will ask her everything. I hope you can wait for a few days."
Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Yes, good food is never too late!"
Ye Yunzhao smiled and praised: "Exactly, exactly."
After that, the three of them walked to the tailoring department. Fang Niang raised her hand to open the door curtain and let the two of them in first. She followed closely behind and pointed at the clothes on the table on the east side and said:
"The one on the left is a skirt and pants set, and the one on the right is a skirt and pants set. Which one do you like?"
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