Chapter 116 Jinjiang First Release Chapter 116 This damn place he...
Last year, floods wreaked havoc, and many areas suffered a total crop failure. This year is, after all, a good year.
The day after Fang Shu left, Yu Qinglong got busy. He planned to pick a batch of chili peppers in a few days. This year, he'd planted five varieties, and the fruit had grown abundantly—a bumper harvest. However, these peppers couldn't stay fresh for long, so he decided to pick them at different times and according to their ripeness, making them into various dishes and ingredients for future storage.
The peppers are not yet red, so you can pick some non-spicy varieties to make a batch of simple chili crisps.
Yu Qinglong asked Yu Qingye to make several large wooden barrels. They were about two feet high and one foot wide, and he made six of them. They could be used to pick vegetables and collect potato pulp from the mill. His second brother was a furniture maker, and while barrels weren't furniture, they were still carpentry work, so his second brother could make them, knowing the principles.
He also needs a winnowing basket for drying crops.
Fang Wu said, "You should ask your Uncle Wang about this. He's very good at weaving these. Or you might wonder how they managed to survive last year when so much of their crops fell. It's because your Uncle Wang made these things to sell when he had nothing else to do. You might not have noticed because you were busy."
Yu Qinglong said, "Then I'll go to Uncle Wang's house to see him. I won't take the child with me."
Fang Wu said, "You can go. The sun is shining brightly, so I'll take my two precious grandchildren out for some fresh air and show them Grandpa milking the goats."
Now, influenced by Yu Qinglong's parenting style, Fang Wu subconsciously wanted to take her children to see and hear more. As long as they didn't scare them, these were still good things.
The children are already a hundred days old, so it’s totally fine for them to dress warmly and play outside for a while when the weather is nice.
Yu Qinglong smiled and said, "Okay, I'll be back as soon as possible. Brother Yuan, are you going?"
Yuan Sihan saw that the weather was very good, so he said, "Okay, I'll go for a walk with you."
Yu Qinglong helped him up, and the two of them went out together with their two dogs.
When Uncle Wang heard that Yu Qinglong wanted a winnowing basket, he asked, "Brother Long, what kind do you want? A round one or an open one? What's it for?"
Yu Qinglong said, "I need some to dry the vegetables. A round one, Uncle Wang, I want..." Yu Qinglong clasped his arms together, forming a circle about three feet in diameter. "I want something this big. Five will do. Can you make one?"
"Yes, of course," said Uncle Wang. "But I can only make one this big a day. Are you in a hurry?"
"No rush, one a day will do." Yu Qinglong noticed the well-made round winnowing basket hanging in Uncle Wang's yard, with neatly sealed edges and corners, looking very sleek. He pointed and said, "That's it, just make it bigger. Tell me the exact price you sell it for, and I'll pay you first."
"Hey, what money do you need? I haven't paid back the money I borrowed from you and Fang Shu last autumn. I'm an old man and don't have any other skills, but I can weave a winnowing basket and a basket. If you need them, I'll make you as many as you want."
"That's not the case. Knitting takes time, effort, and materials, so how can you let me work for nothing? Borrowing money is borrowing money, and buying from you is buying from you. When you have saved up money and have more money, you can pay me back if you want."
"You kid. Okay, let's do this. It's as big as you said. I'll make one and sell it for thirty coins. You just give me twenty coins."
"That's a huge difference. Give me two cents off each. Twenty-eight cents for ten. Here's fifty cents, keep them. I'll bring you the rest when I come back."
Copper coins were not light, so he usually didn't carry many of them when he walked around the village, just one or two taels of silver.
Uncle Wang said, "You two are good at taking care of an old man like me. Fine, I won't be polite to you. I'll make it up for you as soon as possible."
It's just before the autumn harvest, so if we hurry, we can make ten or eight without any problem. The materials for weaving are all taken from the mountains and forests, and it doesn't cost anything. To put it bluntly, this thing only takes some time and effort, and it's pure profit.
In the past, he might not be able to sell even one even after walking all the way to the town. Now he can sell it in the village, which is great.
Yu Qinglong called Mantou home, and Mantou and Juanbing ran home. They ran for a while, waited for him and Yuan Sihan, and when they saw them catch up, they ran back home. Yu Qinglong no longer had to worry about getting lost when walking around the village. The dogs wouldn't look for the people who weren't moving around anyway. But if they were told to fetch water, the dogs knew they were heading to the well. If they were told to go to the potato field, they knew it was outside the village.
They also knew the Yu family, Li Zheng's family, and Wu Sheng's family. They remembered all the places they visited frequently.
When Yu Qinglong saw that they were leading the way, he fed them some snack bars with minced meat added, which the furry kids loved.
"Seeing how smart they are, I want to raise two when I get back," Yuan Sihan said. "I think they understand human nature."
"Then raise it. It can guard the house and have a few companions, which is great, right, Doubao?" Yu Qinglong touched the puppy's head. "You're the only one who likes looking at Yangyang and Xiaoshitou's diapers."
Sometimes a gust of wind might blow the washed diapers away. Other dogs don’t care much about this, but Doubao will immediately look for people and squat at his owner’s feet, howling like crying.
Yu Qinglong gave it a snack bar, and it stopped barking. He then washed the diapers that had fallen on the floor and hung them on the clothesline: "This day is for you guys."
Doubao woofed.
Yuan Sihan said, "I'll raise one when I get back. I used to be a little afraid of dogs, but now that I see you raising one, I don't feel scared at all."
Yu Qinglong told Yuan Sihan, "Raise them after they're weaned. It's just like raising a child. Treat them well, and they'll know. But if they make a mistake, you have to punish them promptly. Gradually, they'll become sensible."
These dogs now know not to eat anything outside, especially food given by strangers. They also know to pee in designated areas and help their owners with chores and babysitting.
When they were watching over children, they would lie down beside them and sleep. If the children cried, they would wake up immediately and find the nearest owner. They would usually go to Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu first, then Fang Wushi and Fang Dingman.
Housework is relatively simple. For example, Doubao used to look after diapers, while Jiaozi and Juanbing were particularly keen on carrying all the farm tools to the woodshed. Huajuan loved to look after the vegetable garden. If any birds or hedgehogs came to steal the vegetables, they would definitely be barked away. There are so many helpers in the house. As for Mantou and Huajuan, they are basically all-rounders.
On August 10th, the weather was clear and crisp. Yu Qinglong retrieved the last of his winnowing baskets and decided to pick some peppers.
He finished his meal early and cleaned up. Then he picked up his two sons and kissed them one by one before going into the vegetable garden behind the house.
Qin Yushuang was most willing to do this kind of work. He even put on his overalls and carried a bucket: "Are you picking just this kind?"
He pointed to a long, thin pepper that wasn't too spicy.
Yu Qinglong said, "Yes, pick all the chilies from this row. Wash them thoroughly in the morning and drain them out. In the afternoon, I'll coat them in glutinous rice flour, steam them, and then dry them. When they're completely dry, fry them in oil and sprinkle them with barbecue ingredients for a snack, or dip them in garlic and soy sauce for a dish. Let's try it first. If it's delicious, I'll have Fu Yue Lou sell it too. This way, the chilies will spread faster."
Qin Yushuang asked: "Why does it need to spread faster?"
Yu Qinglong said: "The more people who try it, the more people will like it. Farmers will have more choices to grow. And they can sell it for money."
Qin Yushuang thought about it and swallowed her saliva while picking the fruits.
Yuan Sihan couldn't handle heavy labor these days, but she was perfectly capable of helping sift glutinous rice flour and arranging washed chilies in a winnowing basket to dry. Dasao, Qiu Ge'er, Li Zheng, and Hu Bo also came to help. While helping, Yu Qinglong also taught them. They also grew some chilies, though not a lot, but learning a few more dishes was better than nothing.
Several people were busy working together, and two little kids were helping to look after four even smaller kids.
After a morning of sorting, washing, and drying the peppers, Yu Qinglong added some water to a thick glutinous rice paste, filled the dried and cut peppers with the paste, and placed them on a steamer to steam.
Before filling the glutinous rice paste, he removed the seeds from half of the chili peppers and stored them. The chili peppers without the seeds are basically completely unspicy, while the ones with the seeds still have a bit of spiciness, and the seeds are more fragrant when fried, giving them a different taste.
All the steamed chili crisps were placed in a winnowing basket in a ventilated place, and the day passed like this.
The next day, you have to pick these crispy peppers because they are steamed with glutinous rice flour and they can easily stick to the winnowing basket.
The weather was fine and the wind was light, so in about three days the food dried completely. Yu Qinglong took some and fried it in oil, then dipped it in garlic and soy sauce. It crackled with a crunch, and was both crispy and fragrant.
Yu Qinglong packed two bags for Qin Yushuang: "Take one bag home and eat it yourself, and send the other bag to Fuyue Restaurant for me. You know how to fry it, so tell them for me. Tell Boss Guo that it can be given as a gift at first. If customers like it, they can buy a large portion. As for the price, if it's not less than fifteen cents per portion, you'll make a profit. But maybe not many people like it, so if you can't sell it, just let them eat it themselves."
Qin Yushuang said, "Okay, I'll tell him."
This time he was going back to give away winter clothing. Nowadays, his clothing store starts selling next season's clothes half a season in advance. Otherwise, if you come to buy at the end of the season, you might not be able to find the styles you like.
Yu Qinglong also gave Qin Yushuang some dried tomatoes: "This is not much, it's troublesome to make, you can have it as a snack."
He picked them, washed them, cut them into strips, and then baked them in the oven. It sounds simple, but getting the right temperature is a real hassle, so they can't be sold for the time being.
Qin Yushuang put it away and said, "I will definitely be back before you harvest the potatoes."
Yu Qinglong agreed, and soon after sending the man away, he began to harvest other vegetables. He dried what needed to be dried, pickled what needed to be pickled, and strung what needed to be strung.
It's a bit funny to say, when I first came here I thought there was no way I could make money from cooking, nor did I think I could sell clothing patterns or even write novels. I also thought about traveling the world as a doctor. In the end, practicing medicine didn't work out, so I did everything else I hadn't thought of.
I didn't plan on having children, but ended up having two.
At night, Yu Qinglong was in his study, with a baby stroller beside him. Yangyang and Xiao Shitou were sleeping inside. The two little brothers were now chubby, their cheeks full of flesh, and in the light they looked like two round, hairy peaches.
If Fang Shu were here, he would definitely not be able to resist touching it.
Yu Qinglong placed his pen on the pen holder, propping his chin up to look at the two little ones. In the past, he and Fang Shu would share the children's care at this time of year. When the children fell asleep, the couple would draw or read in the study. Whenever the children cried, they would work together to change diapers and feed them. It was a bit strange to suddenly be without a teammate.
Yu Qinglong went to check on the milk on the stove when a very soft voice came from outside: "Brother Long, are you asleep?"
When Yu Qinglong heard it was Yuan Sihan, he quickly went to open the door and said, "I'm not asleep yet. Brother Yuan, is there anything you can do for me?"
Yuan Sihan hugged a pillow: "Can I sleep in your room? Shuang Ge'er is gone, and I'm a little scared to live in the wing room by myself."
In the past, either his husband or Qin Yushuang had accompanied him. Now that neither of them was around, even though there were servants outside, he still couldn't sleep.
Yu Qinglong motioned him in and poured him a glass of warm water. "It's definitely okay to sleep here. But Yangyang and Xiao Shitou might cry at night, and I'm worried you won't be able to sleep well."
Yuan Sihan said, "It's okay. I can learn from you how to take care of them at night."
Yu Qinglong kept him. Yuan Sihan saw Yu Qinglong drawing a picture. There were clothes and some things he couldn't understand, all casually placed on the table. He looked at them and asked casually, "What are these?"
A small circle inside a big circle, it looks like a wheel, but it's not.
"A table," Yu Qinglong said. "A revolving table."
"Spinning table?"
"Yes, when there are many people sitting at the big table, some dishes are too far away and hard to reach. With this revolving table, we can rotate the side table above it so that everyone can have the dishes they want."
He plans to find someone to make it before the New Year so that he can use it during the New Year.
I suddenly thought of drawing this because I often have guests at home. It would be more convenient to have a large table.
Yuan Sihan asked, "Can I take a closer look?"
Yu Qinglong nodded: "Brother Yuan, please feel free to do as you please."
Yuan Sihan was curious. He often felt that Yu Qinglong had many wonderful ideas. It was a blessing to be friends with such a wonderful person. He seemed to always be able to see another life through Yu Qinglong.
He also longed for a life.
Unexpectedly, as he flipped through the pages, he suddenly revealed two paintings that were completely different from the others. Yuan Sihan was stunned for a moment, then asked with some embarrassment, "Brother Long, is this for the city guards?"
Yu Qinglong saw that they were two cartoons he had drawn and said with a smile, "Yes. He's been gone for some time now, and I think he misses home. I originally thought that by drawing them for him to see, he would know what was going on back home. But as I was drawing, I remembered that he had already entered the Imperial Examination Hall, so it was impossible for him to see it."
He drew chibi characters, all with chubby faces, but you could tell who was who just by looking at their hairstyle and clothing.
He drew his grandparents taking the two little ones to milk a goat, and he also drew them making chili crisps together. He also drew the two little ones crying at night, and he also drew the children missing their father.
Yu Qinglong also painted himself, but it was the last painting he did. He drew him and Fang Shu sitting across from each other, drawing and reading together. He also drew them sleeping in each other's arms.
Yuan Sihan said with some envy, "No wonder everyone likes you. You really are an interesting and kind person. If I were guarding the city, I wouldn't want to take the exam."
What fame, what success, how can it be more interesting than living with a husband like this?
Yu Qinglong said with a smile, "If you like, I can teach you. If you write a letter to Brother Hong in the same way, I guarantee it will make his eyes light up."
Yuan Sihan said: "I, I'm afraid I can't draw well."
Yu Qinglong said, "This kind of painting is interesting only if it's done casually; it doesn't have to be very good. Besides, there are only two of you watching, so what's there to be afraid of?"
Yuan Sihan thought about it and said, "Okay, then, teach me. After I finish the painting, I'll have someone send it to Brother Huan in the provincial capital tomorrow. That way, when the guards come out of the Imperial Examination Hall, they can see your letter right away."
Yu Qinglong thought it was feasible, and the two brothers sat at the table, each painting a picture and writing a letter to their husband.
The next day after the painting was completed, someone was sent to the provincial capital.
By the time the letter reached Hong Huan, Fang Shu had already spent nine full days in the Imperial Examination Hall. His beard had grown, he felt tired, his food was not good, and his sleep was restless. Whenever he closed his eyes, he thought of his Longger, his Yangyang, and his little stone.
But it was precisely because of this that he was able to focus more and study harder during the exam. Because of this damn place, he never wanted to come back again!
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Author's words: Fang Shu: The seventeenth day since I separated from Long Er, I miss him, miss him, miss him... [Poor]
Qinglong: Picking peppers, drying vegetables, taking care of the kids, drawing, too busy, too busy to handle it all [helpless]
Fang Shu: I am not as good as the dog at home. The dog can still be with my Long Ge'er. I want to go home [bursts into tears]
Qinglong: It's time to dig potatoes [scatter flowers]
Fang Shu: Aunts, please help me become a juren [melted][empty bowl][empty bowl][empty bowl]
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