Chapter 128 Discovering Beet
Chen Qingqing has been to Qingshui Town several times, but has never been to the pier. Today is a rare opportunity, and she must go and see this waterway hub for transportation between the north and the south.
Although Lin had been to the town before, she either washed clothes for others or did odd jobs.
I have never strolled the streets so leisurely as today. I feel everything is new.
As she walked and looked around, she couldn't help but ask Chen Qingqing, "Qing girl, where are we going?"
"Mom, let's go to the dock and see if my dad is not working. Let's go home together."
Lin nodded.
The two soon arrived at the dock.
Chen Qingqing looked around. The dock was bustling with people coming and going, and the roadside was filled with a wide variety of small commodities.
There were many merchant ships anchored on the river not far away.
Some are busy unloading, some are busy trading...
Chen Qingqing was looking for Chen Zhanshan in the crowd.
Suddenly my eyes lit up and I saw that familiar figure.
"Mom, my dad is there." Chen Qingqing took Lin's hand and walked quickly towards Chen Zhanshan.
Chen Zhanshan was carrying a bag of goods and preparing to move it onto the boat, with beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his forehead.
"Dad!" Chen Qingqing shouted.
Chen Zhanshan put down the goods on his shoulders when he heard the sound, turned his head and was startled at first, then a simple smile appeared on his face.
"Why are you here?" he asked while wiping his sweat.
"Dad, we came to see you. Once we finish our work, we'll go home together."
"It will be ready soon. You and your mother wait for me for a while."
"good."
Chen Qingqing agreed and took Lin to find a shady place.
******
Suddenly, she found a group of people standing not far away, and a man's voice came over.
"...Please be kind, everyone. I've been stranded here for three days. I don't have much money with me, and I haven't eaten anything since yesterday. I'm asking for your help. I don't ask for a whole shipload of goods, but if you can just buy a pound, as long as I have enough money to eat, I'll be satisfied.
The people around shook their heads. "It's not that we don't want to help you, it's that we've never seen anything like this before. What if you get sick from eating it?"
"That's right, this thing is called a radish, but it's not a radish, but it looks almost like a radish. We don't know how to eat it, so how can we help you?"
"Of course not. We've never even seen it before. Besides, it's too expensive, three cents a pound. We can't afford it."
The middle-aged man said quickly, "This is delicious. It tastes very sweet when cooked. Not only can it be eaten, but it can also be used as a dye. It's very popular here. If you don't believe me, you can try it."
Everyone frowned as they listened.
"Come on, if it's edible, how can it be used as a dye? If it dyes someone, they'll become a demon."
"We're not criticizing you, but you're being too reckless as a businessman. You should have inquired about the market for exotic vegetables like these beforehand. Otherwise, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
"Yeah, even if you keep these things for another month, I guess no one would dare to take them. I say, you'd better ship them back as soon as possible!"
When Chen Qingqing heard these discussions, she became even more curious. What on earth was this person selling that no one knew?
I was thinking of squeezing into the crowd.
The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, then continued, "It's not that I don't want to go back, but I don't have the money for a boat ride. Even if I give up this boatload of beets, I still can't go home!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingqing was stunned. Beet?
Beet, also known as red beet, sweet root, purple carrot, etc., is the main raw material for sugar production.
Don’t people of this era know its use?
To confirm his doubts, he hurriedly asked the middle-aged man, "Are you selling beets?"
"Yeah, because it tastes a bit sweet, we call it beet over there." He said, pulling out a purple-red beet from the bamboo basket beside him. It looked a bit like a radish. "This is easy to store and tastes sweet. It's lighter, sweeter, and crisper than the radishes we have here."
Chen Qingqing took it and looked at it carefully. She could now confirm that this was the main raw material for modern sugar production.
It is a pity that people in this period did not know its use.
Thinking of this, her mind suddenly lit up.
As the saying goes, it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.
Although I am now able to earn money to support my family, it is better to find a way for my parents to make a living.
Only when you spend the money you have worked hard for can you feel at ease.
Besides, it is not easy for Dad to do hard labor for others. It is better to buy all these beets and make brown sugar at home.
When the time comes, selling it in town will also bring in a considerable income.
Having made up her mind, she smiled and asked, "Uncle, how much are your beets?"
The middle-aged man said, "Three cents a pound."
"Three cents a pound..." Chen Qingqing muttered, his mind working rapidly.
One pound of beets can produce 200 grams of brown sugar, and five pounds can produce one pound of brown sugar, which costs 15 coins.
The price of brown sugar in the market is 100 coins per pound, with a net profit of 85 coins.
One hundred kilograms of sugar beets can be boiled in one day, which is twenty kilograms of brown sugar, which can be sold for two taels of silver.
After deducting labor and other costs, the income was nearly one or two taels of silver...
This is a very profitable business.
If I expand my business in the future, I might make a fortune.
Just as she was thinking, she heard a familiar voice, "Qing girl, Dad is done with his work, let's go home!"
Chen Qingqing came back to her senses and saw Chen Zhanshan had squeezed into the crowd at some point. She hurriedly said with a smile, "Dad, don't worry, I still have something to do."
At this time, Lin also rushed up from behind. Seeing that Chen Zhanshan had finished his work, she hurriedly pulled Chen Qingqing's arm and said, "Qing girl, let's go!"
"Mom, wait a moment. I want to buy these beets."
......
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