35. The Inside Story of the Floating Wine Cups on a Winding Stream
◎Making a fortune selling vegetables in winter◎
That day, the three grass demons got up very early and took it upon themselves to help Yan Yunzhao clean the house. They wiped this and that, making the tables, chairs, and floors shine brightly.
But if you look closer, you'll find that the group of people are whispering to each other.
"Hey, do you guys think... Boss might have a crush on Young Master Lou?" Jingming winked and asked mysteriously.
"Like? What does liking mean?" Qingxi was innocent and naive. She frowned and thought for a long time but still couldn't figure it out.
As Wei Shuyu dragged her feet, she couldn't help but chuckle.
"Shuyu, don't keep it to yourself, tell us what you're thinking!"
Shuyu seemed a little shy: "The other day I was reading a storybook that said if two people like each other, they will try their best to send each other food. Think about it, has the eldest brother ever made any special food for Young Master Lou?"
"Yes! The other day, the eldest brother even fell asleep on the stove while trying to figure out what food to send to Young Master Lou to nourish his body."
"Does Young Master Lou often bring all sorts of snacks and trinkets for the boss from outside?"
"Yes!" Jingming and Qingxi replied in unison.
After shouting, the two asked doubtfully, "Does sending food mean they like it?"
Shuyu, propping up the mop, thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. But the book also says that if a man gives a woman his jade pendant or other personal items, it is a token of love. Think about it, doesn't our eldest brother also have Young Master Lou's jade pendant?"
“But… that wasn’t something the boss secretly hid,” Qingxi said hesitantly.
No sooner had she finished speaking than Qingxi was glared at twice.
At that moment, Yan Yunzhao, who was in the kitchen pondering what food to prepare for Lou Su that day, sneezed twice.
...
In the past few days, the few people in the small shop have been either visiting Lou Su in Biyuefang or tending to the fields. With the infusion of spiritual energy, they have already harvested a batch of vegetables.
The tree branch served as a support, and with Yan Yunzhao's skillful handling, covering it with small talisman-patterned mulch, it resembled a simple vegetable greenhouse. With this large tree as its support, the greenhouse had a complete water cycle, providing sufficient humidity for plant growth even without daily watering.
The newly planted vegetables are lush and green, with upright leaves and glistening with dew. The cherry tomatoes are round and bright red, each one delicate and translucent, hanging from the branches like a string of little lanterns, which is quite adorable.
After harvesting all the ripe vegetables, Yan Yunzhao stored them in the warehouse and used magic to freeze them.
Just then, Jingming pulled up his vegetable cart. Seeing that Yan Yunzhao didn't seem to be in a hurry to sell, he asked curiously, "Although the magic is effective, the vegetables will still become less fresh day by day. Right now, Lixi Town is short of fresh vegetables. Why aren't you selling, Boss?"
"Rumors are rife in town right now, and bringing out fresh winter vegetables will only attract attention. Jingming, you and Qingxi go to Guiyue Tower to find Miss Luo and tell her that her brother has been found. Also, go and hire a driver who can haul goods."
After Yan Yunzhao finished giving his instructions, Jingming nodded as if he understood, and pulled Qingxi to run and call Miss Luo.
A few days ago, she had already traced the owner's aura through the purse, but she did not intend to hide it from Miss Luo. This aura-gazing technique only has an immediate effect; it usually takes three to five days for the traced aura to become clearer and more distinct.
Just now, when the sun was high and the spiritual energy was at its peak, she was finally certain that Miss Luo's younger brother was still alive.
If she is alive, he will tell Miss Luo. But if she has no signs of life... Yan Yunzhao felt compassion. He originally planned to say that he was powerless to help and apologize to smooth things over. Sometimes, telling the truth can hurt people.
Fortunately, her magical abilities had improved, and after pondering for a few days, she finally figured it out and confirmed that Miss Luo's younger brother was still alive. And coincidentally, the location was right in Cui Family Village.
Cui Family Village is what Yan Yunzhao and Sancao Yao call their "hometown." They were originally worried about how to sell their vegetables without arousing suspicion, but once they got to Cui Family Village, things became much easier.
Since it's his hometown, finding Miss Luo's brother shouldn't be difficult, right? Selling some fresh vegetables that weren't sold out back home is perfectly normal, isn't it? He could sell the vegetables under the guise of accompanying Miss Luo, and no one would suspect anything.
Just as the plan was being devised, Jingming and Qingxi returned with Miss Luo. Miss Luo hurriedly stepped forward and grasped Yan Yunzhao's hand, tears of gratitude streaming down her face.
"Does the young lady truly know his whereabouts? How is he now? He..."
Miss Luo seemed to have a thousand questions to ask, but her words were choked by tears, which soaked her clothes like beads from a broken string.
"Don't worry, Miss Luo, your brother is well. I called you here today to go find him with you." Miss Luo was emotional and kept crying. Yan Yunzhao quickly comforted her and then instructed Jingming to pack his things and set off.
Miss Luo, unlike her usual domineering self, was now filled with only anxiety and unease about finding her younger brother. Yan Yunzhao also decided not to delay any longer and called the coachman to go to the cellar to load vegetables.
Before long, the group set off in a grand procession. Cuijiazhuang is next to Lixi Town, not far, but not close either. With goods in hand and horses at the moment, it would probably take them a whole morning to travel there.
The road wound through mountains and streams, the scenery was extremely beautiful, but Miss Luo had no time to appreciate it, she only hoped that the driver would hurry up.
Upon arriving at a quiet place, the coachman led the horses to the stream to drink water and rest, while Yan Yunzhao and the others also found a stone stool to rest.
They only brought some thin pancakes with them on this trip. Yan Yunzhao had a sweet tooth, so she made vegetarian pancakes with sugar filling. Originally, Jingming and the others had become picky eaters because of her feeding them, and like her, they didn't like pancakes. But perhaps because they were in the mountains and fields with their own charm, they enjoyed the vegetarian pancakes very much.
The pastry wasn't dry or hard; the outer crust was crispy, while the inside was soft and chewy. The sweet filling was pleasantly sweet but not cloying, making it very satisfying. The group shared one, and in no time, half of it was gone. Even the old coachman thought the pastry was delicious. He hadn't tried Yan Yunzhao's cooking before, but now he asked about the shop and said he'd come back to try it sometime. Yan Yunzhao was naturally delighted to have gained such an unexpected customer.
Seeing Miss Luo sitting alone by the stream in a daze, Yan Yunzhao gathered a few pastries and went over to hand them to her.
“I just received the news a few days ago that my brother will be alright. Miss Luo, have some pancakes to fill your stomach first, so you'll have the energy to look for him when you get to Cui Family Village.”
With tears welling up in her eyes, Miss Luo nodded to Yan Yunzhao and accepted the vegetarian cake without further hesitation.
Upon arriving at Cui Family Village, Yan Yunzhao led the driver to the alley where she had sensed the scent of the purse using her aura-gazing technique. The green bricks and red tiles were exactly as she had seen it before; this was the place.
Miss Luo seemed a little nervous. After getting off the carriage, she followed closely behind, while only Jingming and the others looked around curiously.
If Yan Yunzhao's observation is correct, this place, similar to the Dragon King Temple, is also an abandoned shelter that takes in many homeless children.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, Miss Luo stepped inside first, followed closely by Yan Yunzhao and Jing Ming.
The courtyard is clearly visible at a glance. There are several children running and playing in the small courtyard, all of them around six or seven years old.
Miss Luo glanced at it briefly, and couldn't help feeling disappointed. If her younger brother were alive, he would be over ten years old and tall enough to reach her shoulder. How could he be so small?
Thinking of Yan Yunzhao's confident expression, she took a deep breath and turned her gaze back to the children.
She remembered that her brother had a tiny cinnabar mole on his right wrist bone, and she couldn't be wrong about that.
The children were both scared and curious when they saw several strangers in the yard. No matter how Miss Luo called out to them, they refused to go over. They looked timid and even took a few steps back.
Fortunately, there were still some sugar-filled pancakes left from Yan Yunzhao's making. The children here had been hungry for a long time, so they were given to Miss Luo to entertain the children and also to help them investigate.
When the children saw them taking out the cakes to distribute, they rushed forward without thinking of anything else, wanting to get a cake to eat. While they were distributing the cakes, Miss Luo observed their wrists one by one. Finally, among all the slender wrists, she saw that familiar cinnabar mole.
Overjoyed, Miss Luo burst into tears and pulled the boy into her arms. The boy was covered in dirt, but his bright black eyes sparkled as he looked at the person in front of him with a puzzled expression.
"Xiao Qi, why have you gotten so thin?"
Miss Luo's vision was blurry; she held his hand, trying hard to see him clearly. The boy paused upon hearing the familiar name, but didn't know what to say.
"Xiao Qi...how did you know my name is Xiao Qi?"
The boy tilted his head, looking somewhat confused, and spoke slowly. Miss Luo could no longer hold back her tears, her throat choked with sobs, and she hugged him and burst into tears.
Xiao Qi was only three or four years old when she went missing. How could such a tiny child remember all that?
Miss Luo was saddened, but Xiao Qi hesitated and hugged her, saying, "Sister... Sister."
Miss Luo looked up in surprise. The boy was innocent and earnest, his face much more handsome than before. He was still the same well-behaved and sensible Xiao Qi.
Yan Yunzhao smiled knowingly, returned the tiger-shaped purse to them, and then led Jingming out of the courtyard, leaving the siblings some space to catch up.
The driver was waiting outside the door, and the vegetables were still being pulled behind. Yan Yunzhao planned to go out first to find out where the market in Cuijiazhuang was and return to his old profession of street vending.
"Boss, what if Miss Luo asks about this?" Shu Yu asked worriedly.
Yan Yunzhao promised to sell all the vegetables she grew to Biyuefang and Guiyuelou the previous month, but since she did so, she knew what she was doing.
"Don't worry, the contract clearly states the grains, vegetables and fruits for spring, summer and autumn. I'm selling winter vegetables, so even if they ask, they have no grounds to believe it."
Cuijiazhuang is a long and narrow place, and the weather is frostier than usual. The supply of fresh fruits and vegetables had already been cut off, and the horse-drawn carts carrying fresh vegetables had attracted a lot of attention as they walked through the streets and alleys.
"Could you please wait a moment, sir?"
A clear voice came from outside the carriage. Yan Yunzhao lifted the curtain and saw a young man dressed as a scholar.
He bowed and said, "I apologize for my rudeness, young lady. Are you going to sell these vegetables at the market? Why don't you sell them to me?"
Yan Yunzhao agreed: "Of course. However, I have a lot of different kinds of vegetables, some of which are rare. Selling them out of season will raise the price."
The scholar nodded, seemingly unsurprised, and even pulled a small abacus from his robes as he spoke.
Seeing his sincerity, Yan Yunzhao also got off the carriage and discussed it with him: "Two cabbages cost ten coins each, and berries cost sixty coins per pound..."
The two took notes and calculated the price, their abacus clicking away for the time it took to burn two incense sticks, before finally finishing the tallying and handing over the goods.
The fruits and vegetables were fresh, and after the scholar inspected the goods, he sent the driver to his home. The business was done quickly, and the people in the small shop felt more at ease.
If it were anyone else, they would definitely nitpick and point out what's wrong with the dishes. They could even find a long list of reasons to criticize something that's not good enough. But this young master didn't haggle over the price at all. He was truly generous.
Ma Pili's several carts of vegetables sold for roughly eighty-six strings of cash. Holding the bank's receipts, Yan Yunzhao was still somewhat dazed.
She used to work hard but only earned a little money. The more she earned, the more she spent. Now, these eighty-odd strings of cash are real money in her hands, enough for her to run several small shops in town.
Sure enough, the best way to make money is to try something new. The four of them went to the money exchange and exchanged some coins. They then went to a restaurant for a delicious meal, but this time Lou Su was not there.
Braised green jade shrimp, eight-treasure tofu, charcoal-grilled mandarin fish in vinegar, braised pork knuckle... a dazzling array of dishes were served, and everyone ate to their heart's content, but Yan Yunzhao still felt that her cooking skills were not as good as hers.
Longmen Braised Jade Shrimp uses fresh jade shrimp, which have a bright red color, crispy shells, firm and elastic meat, and a thick sauce that whets the appetite. The flavor is different from what is usually made in Lixi Town, and has a distinctive regional character.
This Eight Treasures Tofu is a well-known old dish. The tofu is golden on the outside, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making it irresistible.
However, the best dish is still the braised pork knuckle. The skin is soft and tender, melting in your mouth, and the meat is so tender it falls off the bone. It's fatty but not greasy, and lean but not dry. The aroma of the braising sauce has completely permeated the meat, resulting in a rich and juicy flavor.
After a hearty meal, they felt much warmer and the four of them followed the path back to the courtyard they had come from, intending to check on how Miss Luo was doing.
Seeing Yan Yunzhao and his companions arrive by moonlight, Miss Luo quickly rose to greet them, saying gratefully, "If it weren't for Miss Yan, I would never have found Xiao Qi. Now that my family is reunited, my worries are gone. I hope you will accept my bow."
As Miss Luo was about to kneel down, Yan Yunzhao quickly helped her up, saying, "Miss Luo, you're too kind. It's good that I can help you."
"If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my best to help you."
Originally, Yan Yunzhao had not intended to inquire about information from Miss Luo, but since she had brought it up, he did not refuse: "There is indeed something I am curious about right now, but it is not a secret."
"At the winding stream banquet, a cook from Guiyue Tower suddenly withdrew. Could there be a reason for this?"
Upon hearing this, Miss Luo paused for a moment.
[Author's Note]
Three Grass Fairy CP Fan Leader
Qingxi: What are you talking about? [question mark]
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