Chapter 50: Hot Sales of Salted Fish
"Boss, is anyone buying this? It smells so strong, especially when it's fried. The smell made my wife throw up."
Wearing a green gown and a felt hat made of rabbit fur, the elegant man glanced at the farmhand dressed like a bear without saying a word, but his eyes said it all.
The farmhand was very tactful and shut his mouth. What the boss wanted to sell and whether it could be sold was the shopkeeper's headache. If it had anything to do with him, he would want to slap himself in the face.
Today is market day, and people from nearby villages will come to their grocery store to buy some daily necessities. The best-selling items are rice and pork. I wonder if this stinky salted fish can be sold.
"Fugui'er, take three salted fish to the kitchen and fry them. When the customers come, give them some to try."
The farmhand Fuguier's eyes lit up, it was indeed true.
The smell of salted fish is so strong that I used to dislike it, but after trying it, I fell in love with the taste. I have to try it first before I buy it. The shopkeeper is really smart.
"Wow, what's that smell in here? Is there a dead mouse?"
A burly woman came in carrying a basket on her back and covering her nose, with a look of disgust in her eyes that she did not hide at all.
The shopkeeper was mentally prepared. He took a deep breath and went forward to meet him.
"Aunt Zhou, it's you! What are you looking for? We've just got a new item in our grocery store: salted fish. It's new today. Buy one pound, get one free. It's five cents a pound."
The shopkeeper took the opportunity to take out the salted fish piled at the front and let her take a closer look.
"This is fish from the sea. It's been dried and the scales, internal organs, gills, and everything else have been cleaned. You can take it home and fry it, steam it, or stew it. It's all delicious!"
"Delicious? Shopkeeper, you're lying. This salted fish is so cheap, it must be rotten, and you're trying to make money from us."
Aunt Zhou is the most aggressive woman in the area and the most difficult to get along with. If they don't explain clearly today, they won't be able to sell the salted fish in their store.
"Fuguier, Fuguier, are you done frying it? Give some to Aunt Zhou to try.
Aunt Zhou, these are fish from the sea. You know the sea, right? Our neighboring provincial capital is right next to the sea. The boundless blue ocean is filled with countless fish.
These salted fish are made from the most common fish, so they are much cheaper. Think about it, here fresh fish costs eight cents per pound, and that’s before the scales and internal organs are removed, so it’s almost twice as expensive.”
The shopkeeper had grasped their desire to get a bargain very well, and by comparing the two, he knew which one to choose.
"Here I come, here I come."
Fuguier brought out a plate of salted fish, and the smell of freshly salted fish was stronger.
"Aunt Zhou, come and try it. This salted fish is really delicious. Even though it doesn't smell good, it tastes great."
Aunt Zhou swiftly jumped aside when Fuguier approached her. Her movements were so fast and her body was so flexible that Fuguier was a little hurt.
"What the hell is this? It looks like a foot that hasn't been washed for eight hundred years. How dare you ask me to eat something like this? Do you think I'm stupid?"
Aunt Zhou was excited and her voice was twice as loud, instantly attracting pedestrians on the street and surrounding neighbors.
In fact, they had smelled this smell a long time ago, but they were too embarrassed to say it. Now they had a good chance to watch the fun.
The elegant shopkeeper still maintained a faint smile, not looking angry at all, and reached out to take a piece of salted fish.
Because it is fried in rapeseed oil, it is golden and crispy, with a luster on the surface, and you can see the unique fibers of the fish.
"It's really delicious, don't you want to try it?"
Aunt Zhou saw the shopkeeper eating so happily, with oil on the corners of his mouth and an expression of enjoyment. Could it be that the food was really delicious?
She couldn't control her hands, so she reached out to grab a piece and quickly stuffed it into her mouth, holding her breath in an attempt to block out the stench.
The next second her eyes lit up.
The slightly charred fish skin is a thin layer that is extremely elastic. The fish meat is firm and tastes particularly meaty, with a strong salty and fragrant flavor. If you taste it carefully, you will find that the fish bones are crispy and can be swallowed directly after just a few chews.
Although it smells fishy, it has a burnt aroma when you put it in your mouth, which is strange.
"Mmm, it's delicious. Have another piece."
Aunt Zhou wanted to take something from the plate that Fuguier was holding, but Fuguier had already received the hint from the shopkeeper and walked away.
"Aunt Zhou, this is a food tasting. There are so many other customers outside. You won't eat theirs too, will you?"
Fuguier carried the plate and walked towards the people watching the fun at the door, ready to take advantage of the popularity to promote the salted fish.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you just heard Aunt Zhou say it was delicious. Why don't you try it and see how it tastes? The salted fish in our grocery store is only five cents a pound. It's sun-dried salted fish. If you're struggling, you can use it as salt."
The people watching the fun at the door saw that Aunt Zhou wanted to have another piece, and they all stretched out their claws. They were all poor people, and they would eat anything as long as it was not poisonous.
“Wow, it smells so good!”
"It's delicious, and only five cents. I want to buy some more to go with my wine."
"It smells bad but tastes good. Weird."
"fragrant."
"Weigh ten pounds for me. This is a great snack. Chinese New Year is coming soon, and this is a better deal than candy!"
"Everyone, listen to me. Today is the first day that salted fish is on the shelves. Buy one pound and get one pound free. This is the price only today. Salted fish can be kept in a dry place for six months, so you can buy it with confidence."
When the shopkeeper saw that it was almost done, he came out to take charge of the situation.
"Give me twenty, not forty kilograms. Buy more, and I won't have to buy salt for half a year, hahahaha!"
"Give me thirty pounds."
"Give me fifty pounds, just enough to entertain the farmhands. It's also a meat dish, and it's cheap."
Everyone rushed to grab the salted fish, and all the salted fish piled outside were sold out. Fortunately, the warehouse had prepared a lot of salted fish, so there was no worry about having nothing to sell.
The frenzied buying here also attracted more people, and the grocery store’s stock was sold out after the publicity.
The unique "fragrance" of salted fish can be smelled in every household, and many people have fallen in love with salted fish.
This scene was played out in every town in Dagan. Anyway, the salted fish was already selling like hotcakes, and the fugitives from Lingnan also made their first pot of gold.
Lin Yue led the remaining children in Baixiang Village to catch as many abalone and lobsters as possible, making dried seafood, and then exchanged the money for silver to buy medicinal herbs to dispel the cold and food ingredients to nourish the body.
When they came back at night, everyone had a large bucket of medicine to take a bath, so everyone's body did not become thinner or damaged, but became stronger and healthier.
Lin Yue is also preparing to go to Weng Toubai's hometown - an unknown beach to find out.
If she wants to become stronger, she needs to have more trump cards. Now her wood-type ability is useless except for the ability to grow vines. Cultivation and upgrading are also a very distant thing. She can't wait that long now.
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