"Okay! I've got about twenty jars of it at home. I can send them to you tomorrow."
"Let's take these jars too."
"good."
Seeing that the deal was done, Kui Wazi was happy for his aunt, saying, "You won't have to worry about getting through the winter this year." He then asked Xu Jiang, "Does my lady want anything else?"
Xu Jiang looked at them one by one and asked for a few pounds of winter bamboo shoots, lilies, dried mushrooms and day lilies.
"I heard from Auntie that Brother sells seafood? Can you take me to see it?"
"Of course, come, let's go inside." Kui Wazi led her into the alley, only to see that there were no stalls inside, but a row of water tanks placed neatly.
The water tank was very large, and it looked like it could hold two adults. Xu Jiang counted them and found that there were eight of them in total, each covered with a bamboo hat.
"What are they?"
"Carp, crucian carp, silver carp, sea bass, turtle, crab, eel, and a basin of sand clams."
"Sa clams?" Sa clams are usually the size of a fingernail, difficult to clean, have little meat, and are cheap. They will become smelly after being left for more than two days, so you rarely see them for sale.
"Would you like to see it, ma'am?"
"have a look."
Kuiwazi brought out a wooden basin from the foot of the water tank. In it was half a basin of sand clams filled with clean water. The water looked clear, so it must have spit out sand several times.
"This thing is troublesome and won't sell for much. I went looking for it because someone ordered it, but then they said they didn't want it anymore. It was a waste of time."
"How many days has it been open?"
"Two days, but don't worry, my lady. I change the water every half a day, and I've washed out the dead ones. I've also spit out the sand from the past two days, so the inside is clean and perfect to eat right now. I was thinking if no one wants it I'll keep it for myself, but if you're interested, I'll sell it to you at a discount and get my money back."
"Then give them all to me." Shabei can be used in soup or stir-fried, and they are always fresh and sweet.
"Okay, this pot is thirty cents for you."
Xu Jiang looked at the fish again. They were all plump and delicious, but Aunt Cao had given her pickled fish today, so she didn't need to buy any more. She could have a few autumn crabs, though; they would surely taste delicious with the potato wine Uncle Cao had given her.
"Look at the crab again."
"Okay, let's take a look at the crabs!" Kuiwazi walked to the big vat at the innermost part and opened the bamboo hat. A rustling sound immediately penetrated people's ears.
Xu Jiang took a closer look and saw that the jar was densely packed with fish. Looking more closely, he saw that they were all quite big.
"The crabs at this time are thinner than those around the Mid-Autumn Festival, but they are still fresh and sweet, and they are cheap. Many people eat them. Madam, how about getting a few too?"
"How much is one?"
"Female crabs are twenty, male crabs are fifteen."
"Four males and four females, fresh and alive with green shells and round bellies."
Kui Wazi praised: "My lady, you are an expert. Just wait and see, I will catch crabs for you, I guarantee you will be satisfied." Kui Wazi took a handful of hay, caught eight crabs steadily and accurately, and then used a bundle of hay neatly. In just half a cup of tea, he tied up the crabs and strung them into a string.
"What do you think, my lady?"
Xu Jiang took it and looked at it. Sure enough, all of them were plump and thick-skinned, and even the same size.
She smiled with satisfaction.
"Bill, please!"
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