Chen Xian looked somewhat agitated.
"Sister-in-law, do you still have these things? How much do you have at home? I'll still buy them at three copper coins per pound."
The old woman's wrinkles smoothed out, and she smiled, "Young man, you bought so many chilies from my family. These things grow all over the mountains in our village, nobody wants them. How many do you want? I'll bring them to you next time I go to the market."
Chen Xian waved his hand and said, "That won't do. Even if it's harvesting, it still requires time and effort."
Chen Xian asked for the address.
His facial expression was unpredictable.
He immediately made a decision: "Can you wait here for me for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea?"
The old woman was somewhat puzzled, but then nodded.
The manager of Taoranju looked at Chen Xian's patched clothes and asked curiously, "Is this gentleman also in the food business?"
Chen Xian nodded.
The shopkeeper shook his head and chuckled, "Brother, to be honest, even at Taoranju, we wouldn't get more than a few dozen kilograms of these red berries. You might end up with a bad deal if you buy these."
The onlookers, always eager for drama, whispered amongst themselves.
"The shopkeeper said that if the food doesn't taste good, it can't be eaten. This old man is really stubborn."
The old man selling sesame cakes also grabbed Chen Xian's clothes, saying anxiously, "Brother, you're really too confused! Your cold noodles business was doing so well, and you used all the money you made today to buy this?"
The old man said he didn't understand.
Chen Xian chuckled and said, "I have my own plans. Thank you for your concern, brother."
I saw Old Man Li at the foot of the city wall.
He leaned against the city wall, his body tilted to one side.
They lazily basked in the sun.
"Uncle Li, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you. I need to charter a car to Chating Village."
Li Laoshi said with some difficulty, "Dad Dazhu, I have to wait a while. Where are the people from Qingxia Village? Gou Dan's mother and Aunt Guihua haven't come yet."
Chen Xian calmly said, "How about twenty coins to transport the goods from here to Chating Village and back to our village?"
Li initially refused, but Chen Xian offered a generous amount.
Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Wait for me a little while. I'll talk to Tie Niu from the next village and have him bring the people from our village with him."
Li Laoshi led the cow to eat and married into the Chen family.
Then Chen Xian tied the woman's cart to the oxcart with a rope.
The group headed straight for Chating Village.
On the car.
Erzhu asked in confusion, "Dad, what exactly are those grass leaves? Why are you so happy?"
Chen Xian said in a low voice, "Grass leaves are called fragrant leaves, and star-shaped things with horns are called star anise. When cooking meat dishes or making soup, add a little bit, and the flavor will immediately come up."
Erzhu seemed to suddenly realize something and quickly looked around. His expression was very tense.
"Dad, stop talking. Let's talk about it when we get home."
But it concerns the Chen family's future business.
I could tell from making liangpi (cold skin noodles) during this period.
My dad is really something.
It seems these twigs are of little use to others.
It was held in my father's hand.
It's a good thing that can be turned into copper coins.
It took the group about an hour to finally arrive at Chating Village.
The old woman's house was at the eastern end of the village, running through the entire village.
A farmhouse courtyard.
There is a tall osmanthus tree in the courtyard, and wisps of smoke rise from the kitchen.
In a corner near the kitchen, there was a patch of farmland with a few wild onions growing there.
There were several chickens in the yard, clucking.
At that moment, a sound came from the kitchen.
There were the roars of monkeys, the tearing sounds of lions, the sounds of various fish playing in the water, and the singing of orioles and larks.
An old man emerged from the kitchen, his hair covered in bits of grass. He was limping and walked with a shaky gait. He looked puzzled when he saw Cheng Xian and the others enter.
The old woman quickly explained, "This is my husband. He injured his foot when he was young and can't do any heavy work at home. When he's idle, he likes to mutter to himself..."
Suddenly, it dawned on me.
If it were in later generations...
This should be considered a legitimate means of making a living.
With just a few casual efforts, you can easily gain millions of followers; as a voice actor, you can live a comfortable life.
But in this backward ancient era, as a farmer...
Instead of taking good care of the crops at home, they always tinker with strange and unusual things.
It certainly won't be accepted by everyone.
Erzhu asked in confusion, "Why don't you and your wife go to town to find some work?"
The old man's smile was somewhat awkward.
"This is not a family heirloom. I just learned it from someone in town when I was young, and then I practiced it on my own. If you want to learn this skill, you have to find a famous master and get his permission before you can go out and find work."
"Otherwise, it must have been stolen."
Chen Xing's smile became even more peculiar.
Ah, every profession has its own intricacies, passed down through generations.
Why would ordinary farmers be allowed to have a job that is easy, well-paid, and has high social status?
The old man smiled regretfully.
“When I first became an apprentice, the sect fee was one tael of silver. I was just an ordinary farmer, how could I afford that? Then there were the support fees for the master and the gifts for festivals... So I eventually gave up.”
The old man recounted the past.
"However, they still give some opportunities to self-taught disciples. Anyone under the age of forty, with regular facial features and good health, and who is a resident of Daxing Town, can apply."
The old lady looked puzzled.
“My father’s words reminded me of something else. They also require that only those who have graduated from Daxing Town County School within the past five years are eligible to apply.”
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