Chapter 62: What a lively scene
Lin Shu glanced at the people queuing up to enter the Caoshi market, and as expected, she saw the old man carrying two baskets of things at the back of the line.
The old man glanced at the grass market in front of him from time to time, with a somewhat anxious look on his face.
The two soldiers moved quickly, one checking the goods and the other collecting the money. After just a quick glance, they told the people a number.
Most people just paid money to enter and didn't dare to say anything.
A thin old man pushing a cart seemed to think the stall fee was too high and tried to bargain, but the stall owner immediately frowned and said, "Your cart takes up a lot of space, so six cents is reasonable. If you have any objections, leave now. There are plenty of people who want to buy this stall!"
The thin old man waved his hands quickly and said, "Sir, sir, that's not what I meant. Although this cart looks like it takes up a lot of space, I can stand it up so it doesn't take up much space. I'm only selling two jars of pickled cabbage, and I don't make much money in a day. Can you please reduce the stall fee by a few coppers?"
"Go away, if you don't want to pay, go to the city gate and find a seat. Don't stay here and delay the people behind you!" said the soldier impatiently.
The thin old man quickly smiled apologetically and then took out a ball of old cloth from his arms.
When the wrapped cloth was opened, there were about twenty or thirty copper coins lying inside. He counted out six with a bitter look and handed them to the soldier. After he was allowed to pass, he pushed the cart in again.
Lin Shu glanced at the cart and saw two large jars tied with hemp ropes on it. Although the jars were sealed, she could still smell a distinct smell of sauerkraut.
"Since you can't afford the money, why not go to the city gate and sell it? Fortunately, this officer only scolded me a few times. If I met someone with a violent temper, he would not only smash my things, but might even beat me up. Then, wouldn't this old man - well!"
Before Lin Shu finished speaking, Zhou Ye suddenly took out a clean handkerchief from his arms, covered her face with it, and covered her mouth with his hand.
After successfully interrupting her, he moved the handkerchief to Lin Shu's cheek and wiped it gently, "There's dirt on your face."
Lin Shu: ...
"This is the handkerchief you used to wipe my sweat last time. I've washed it, so you can keep it."
Lin Shu blinked, said "oh", folded the handkerchief and put it into her sleeve pocket, and didn't mention the matter of the soldier anymore.
She understands that the people should not fight against the officials.
But she didn't expect Zhou Ye to be so cautious. They were far away from each other, and her normal voice would not be heard by the other party, unless the people passing by heard her and told her words to the two soldiers.
However, it was not wrong to be cautious. Although she felt that the people here were simple and honest, even the best places would not be without evil people.
Zhou Ye couldn't help but tighten the hand that held out the handkerchief, and a hint of red appeared at the base of his ears.
But his expression remained calm, not letting Lin Shu notice anything unusual. He even remembered to answer her earlier question, "On market day, the townspeople will come to the market first to do their shopping. Streetside restaurants and eateries also come to the market to buy large quantities of food. The latter are especially generous. If you're lucky enough to have your goods spotted, you don't have to work hard all day and worry about not being able to sell them. So, many people, even if they're short on money, prefer to set up stalls in the market."
Lin Shu nodded and asked, "When does the gate to the town open and close?"
Zhou Ye replied, "The gate opens in the morning and closes in the evening. It's hard to tell the exact time. One time, the guard in charge of the gate overslept, and the gate was crowded with people going to the market in town. Some people even got into arguments because of pushing and shoving. But most of the time, the gate is open before the morning."
Lin Shu thought to herself that if she wanted to arrive early to grab a good stall, she would have to get up before dawn. For some places that were far away, such as Tianshui Village, she would probably have to travel in the dark.
She came here today by oxcart, but by the time she reached the town, the sun had already risen. It was indeed too late for the people setting up stalls, but it was early for those who came simply to buy things at the market.
Looking up, there were not many spaces left in the grass market. Most of the vendors had already occupied their stalls and displayed their goods. Some who arrived late were also hurriedly organizing their things.
There were quite a few stalls selling vegetables and fruits here, and the stalls at the city gates had a wider variety and quantity. Others sold dried vegetables, chickens, ducks, fish, and other livestock and poultry. There were also various snacks, such as preserved fruits, malt sugar, and nuts...
Food was on one side, household items on the other: vendors selling palm-leaf fans, various bamboo utensils, straw sandals, cloth shoes, insoles, sachets, silk handkerchiefs, and more. There were also homemade clothes, pots and pans, large jars and vats—all sorts of household items.
Lin Shu was dazzled by what she saw. This grass market was certainly incomparable to the streets of the capital, but when she thought about the fact that it was just a small town in the southwest, it was rare for a market to be of this scale.
"Why don't I see any snack stalls?" Lin Shu asked.
Zhou Ye: "If you want to set up a small food stall with a stove, this place is definitely not suitable. Thatched huts are easily flooded, and any food that requires a stove cannot be brought into the grass market. These small food stalls can only be set up on both sides of the street market in Jingxi Town and sell their goods on the street. The stalls there charge more, ten coins or even more."
Lin Shu asked curiously, "If it's placed in front of other shops, won't that affect their business?"
Zhou Ye explained, "That's why street vendors are only allowed to operate on market days. Merchants set up stalls along the street, and after paying, they can hawk their wares on both sides of the market. As for the shops behind the stalls, they just need to stagger their product categories with the shops behind them. If there's a wonton shop behind you, and you also sell wontons, even charging a couple of cents less per bowl, that's definitely not acceptable."
Lin Shu burst out laughing when she heard it.
Not only will it not work, you'll probably get beaten up.
"Ah Shu, I'm going to the Jiumanlou in the market to sell these mushrooms. If you don't want to go, just wait here for me for a while."
The guards at the market would not leave after collecting the stall fees, but would remain to maintain order. With the guards around, no one dared to cause trouble.
"Jiumanlou? But it's the big restaurant in this town? I haven't seen what the big restaurant in this town looks like. I want to go with you!" If it can be called a restaurant instead of a tavern, then it can't be stingy.
Zhou Ye hesitated and said to Lin Shu, "Jiu Man Lou is the largest restaurant in Jingxi Town, but it certainly can't compare to those in the capital."
"I'm not competing. Why would I compare these things? I'm just curious."
When Zhou Ye heard this, he felt inexplicably good.
The street market in Jingxi Town is very close to Caoshi, almost just around the corner.
Various food stalls have been set up along the street, with rice snacks predominantly including various glutinous rice cakes, dumplings, and rice porridge, with numerous varieties of porridge alone. There are also stalls selling noodles, mainly steamed cakes, hu bing, and wontons. Soup cakes and noodle soups are also available, but the variety is far less than in northern towns.
Behind the stalls, shops are lined up: rouge shops, clothing shops, porcelain shops, pastry shops, tea houses, restaurants, wine shops... almost every kind of shop you can think of can be found there.
Lin Shu was slightly surprised. This small town was not much worse than some county towns.
The market was now crowded with people. Besides the villagers from the surrounding villages, the town's residents were also gathering. Those with more money had already found a small food stall to sit down at.
People in the countryside only eat two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, but it's different in this town. Those who can make a living in the town don't have to worry about a few copper coins, so they eat three meals a day. This time is just right for breakfast.
There were hawking sounds, the clamor of various pots and pans, and people walking and looking along the way. It was quite a lively scene.
A vendor saw Lin Shu passing by and immediately started to shout, "Girl, would you like a bowl of wontons? Eating a bowl of hot wontons before going to the market will make your stomach feel so comfortable!"
"Steamed buns for sale! Steamed buns for sale! One will fill you up! Only two cents!"
"Pork bone noodles, pork bone noodles, the soup made with pork bones is very fragrant..."
Lin Shu smelled the fragrance and looked all the way, thinking to herself, isn’t this just a snack street?
But it wasn't just snack stalls; they also sold other items. Some vendors would rather spend a few more coins to get a street-side spot than in the Cao Market, such as those selling fermented rice wine, pickles, and sauces. By hawking their wares while customers were eating, these items were easily sold out.
Lin Shu took note of it secretly.
Before long, without Zhou Ye's need for her to say anything, Lin Shu had already spotted the restaurant before she even got close. The sign was so large that it was impossible to ignore it even if she wanted to.
The other signs were three-foot-wide curtains draped on poles, hanging in front of shop doors. But Jiu Man Lou, taking advantage of its three-story height, had a sign twice as large, hanging from the highest roof. In the center of the sign was a large "Jiu" character, and next to it was the Jiu Man Lou brand name.
Whether you look at it from far away or close up, as long as you walk in this direction, you will definitely see the wine sign.
Lin Shu looked towards the restaurant. The nearby shops had stalls on both sides, except for the entrance. This restaurant had none. The entrance was spotless. Besides the sign for the restaurant, there was also a black plaque with gold plaque on the front.
In a bustling place, this kind of restaurant can be seen everywhere and is nothing special, but in a small town, it is definitely unique.
Perhaps because she had been looking at the restaurant for too long, Zhou Ye's eyes fell on her face, and after a few looks, he asked, "A Shu, do you want to go in?"
Lin Shu raised her eyebrows slightly. "This is the largest restaurant in town. Its specifications are considered to be one of the best in the county. I don't know which wealthy family in town built it. If I say I don't want to take a look at such a large restaurant, do you believe me?"
Zhou Ye was a little surprised, "You've never been there before?"
Lin Shu said, "Rich families have many rules. How can a young lady go to a restaurant whenever she wants? However, I'm just curious about the taste of the food in this largest restaurant."
"Let's go. I know a meal here costs at least several hundred coins. I can't afford it. Let's go in and take a look when we earn some money."
Zhou Ye looked at her back as she walked ahead, and said nothing more, but an indescribable feeling arose in his heart.
"We should go to the back door, which means we have to go around to the other end. Aye, hurry up." Lin Shu turned her head and urged.
Zhou Ye followed in silence.
The two passed by the restaurant and turned into another alley that was much quieter.
The alley is connected to the back doors of many shops, including the magnificent Jiumanlou mentioned earlier. Even the back door of Jiumanlou is bigger than that of the other shops.
At this time, waiters from the restaurant were coming in and out of the back door.
Zhou Ye stepped forward and called out to one of them, "Young man, please tell me if Manager Luo is here?"
"You are... Oh, I recognize you!" The waiter slapped his head and quickly recognized Zhou Ye. "Last time, Manager Luo asked you to sell half a wild boar! Your wild boar is very delicious. Ask our restaurant chef to cook it, and many masters like it."
Zhou Ye is really easy to recognize. In the whole Jingxi Town, he is one of the few tall and strong men with an energetic appearance. You will never forget him once you meet him.
"It's market time today, and the restaurant is packed. Manager Luo is very busy and probably can't take care of you. Why are you here so late? I remember you came very early the last few times."
Lin Shu, who was standing behind him: ...
It turned out that she was too lazy to sleep and delayed Zhou Ye's work.
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