Chapter 282 Many hands make light work
"Sister Jiang, look who's here!"
Just after seeing Steward Zhou off, Xiao Yi's cheerful voice came from outside.
Jiang Ling walked out of the storeroom and looked up to see Xiao Yi pulling a young monk in a worn-out robe as he ran in. It was Bi Qing from Bailong Temple.
Jiang Ling was somewhat surprised, but smiled and went out to greet them.
"Master Biqing? What brings you down the mountain today?"
Bi Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and smiled.
“Benefactor Jiang, this humble monk has come on the orders of the abbot. The peach trees on the back mountain of the temple have yielded a lot of fruit this year, more than we can eat. The abbot said that making peach preserves might be a good idea, and sent this humble monk to ask Benefactor Jiang whether the workshop… is still buying fruit?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling's eyes lit up.
She knew about the peaches on the back mountain of Bailong Temple; they were juicy, sweet, and of excellent quality.
This solved the urgent problem of finding raw materials.
"Of course I'll accept it!" Jiang Ling said with a smile.
“The price will be the market price. Master Biqing, go back and tell the abbot that if the temple has any extra fruit in the future, it can be sent over.”
Bi Qing happily agreed, then scratched his bald head and added:
“Um… Benefactor Jiang, if it’s convenient, could you use canned food to pay for part of the money? The children in the temple… are really craving it.”
Not only were the children in the temple tempted, but he was tempted too.
Two weeks ago, when Jiang Ling went to Bailong Temple to worship Buddha, she brought back a batch of newly produced canned fruit.
He was lucky enough to try a piece, and the taste was so sweet it warmed his heart.
He still remembers it to this day.
"No problem, we'll do it your way." Jiang Ling readily agreed.
"Thank you, Benefactor Jiang!" Bi Qing bowed happily, and without even taking a break, ran back.
They're busy going back to prepare for picking peaches.
After finishing these tasks, Jiang Ling went to take a walk around the workshop.
She had just come out when she heard someone calling her name.
"Miss Jiang, Miss Jiang!"
Jiang Ling turned around and saw that it was the village chief of Xianshui Village, who was walking quickly with a woman whose face was full of worries.
"Village Chief Li, what's wrong?" Jiang Ling stepped forward.
Village Chief Li pointed to the woman beside him: "This is Widow Zhao from our village. Her son was picking wild fruit in the mountains a few days ago when he slipped and fell down a slope, breaking his leg. The doctor said he needs some good medicine to set the bone, but her situation... sigh. The peach trees behind her house are bearing exceptionally good fruit this year. She was hoping to earn some money for medicine with the fruit, but the peaches ripen quickly and don't keep well. She can't pick them all by herself, and they're about to rot on the trees... Do you think the workshop can think of a solution?"
The widow Zhao's eyes were red and swollen. She nervously twisted the hem of her clothes, not daring to look up at Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling recognized Widow Zhao; she had sold peaches at the workshop several times. Her peaches were all of good quality, large and sweet.
After her husband died, she raised her three children alone and never thought of remarrying.
My family only has a few acres of barren land and a few peach trees, yet we are always coveted by others.
Jiang Ling glanced at the sky, then at the long queue still forming at the workshop entrance, and after a moment's thought, said:
"Sister-in-law Zhao, don't worry. We'll take the peaches. Xiao Ran!"
She called Xiao Ran over and whispered a few instructions to her.
Xiao Ran nodded and immediately ran to call two young men who had just finished their work in the workshop, and then hitched up the donkey cart.
“Sister-in-law Zhao, lead the way and let them come back with you. They can help you pick all the peaches off the tree, and I'll pay them for it.”
Jiang Ling said gently to the widow Zhao, "As long as the peaches you pick aren't spoiled, the workshop will buy them at the market price."
Upon hearing this, Widow Zhao could hardly believe her ears. She stood there stunned for a moment before suddenly kneeling down, only to be quickly helped up by Jiang Ling.
"Thank you... thank you, Miss Jiang! You are truly a living Bodhisattva..." she choked up, tears streaming down her face.
Watching the donkey cart disappear into the distance after Widow Zhao, Village Chief Li bowed repeatedly.
"Miss Jiang, you have truly saved her family! On behalf of the villagers of Xianshui Village, thank you!"
"Village Chief Li, you're too kind. It's only right that we help each other out." Jiang Ling helped him up.
As evening approached, the workshop, which had been bustling all day, gradually quieted down.
The peaches from Widow Zhao's house were also brought back. Although some were bruised, most of them were in good condition.
Xiao Qiu carefully categorized the products: the good ones were made into canned goods, while the less desirable ones were either for her own consumption or sold to the villagers at a low price.
After helping with the tidying up, Xiao Yi was so tired that she fell asleep on the bench at the entrance of the warehouse, still holding half a plum she hadn't finished eating in her hand.
Jiang Ling gently covered him with a thin outer garment to keep him from catching a cold.
After dinner, Xiao Qiu found Jiang Ling, who was checking the accounts in the shade of the backyard of the grocery store, and looked very serious.
“Miss Jiang, there’s a problem. This batch of peaches is too ripe, and there are too many of them. They probably won’t last more than two days, but there’s another batch of peaches in the warehouse waiting to be dealt with…”
With the current manpower, there's simply no way to manage both batches of peaches.
Jiang Ling put down the ledger, looked up at the setting sun, and decisively said, "Go and tell Grandpa Zhao to gather some villagers who are free in the evening, whether they are men or teenagers, to come and help. The wages will be calculated at 1.5 times the usual rate, and a midnight snack will be provided."
If the task cannot be completed, you have to work overtime, but she is a conscientious capitalist and will pay overtime.
"I'm going right now!" Xiao Qiu's eyes lit up, and she turned and ran.
The news spread quickly.
As night falls, the workshop becomes even more bustling than during the day.
Lanterns and torches illuminated the courtyard brightly.
Hearing that the wages were generous and there was even a late-night snack, many men who had finished a day's work in the fields, as well as teenagers who wanted to earn some pocket money, came.
Grandpa Zhao personally oversaw the operation, and although the scene was chaotic, it remained orderly.
The men were responsible for unloading baskets of peaches from the cart and carrying them to the well; the boys lined up and used wooden brushes to wash the peaches, splashing water and laughing all the while; the women were focused on peeling and pitting the peaches under the lamp, their movements so fast that you could almost see their shadows.
Xiao Ran moved among them, coordinating manpower and stepping in wherever needed.
Jiang Ling wasn't idle either. She, along with Xiao Qiu and two other women, set up a large pot in the corner of the yard and used the flour, dried meat, and fresh vegetables they had prepared beforehand to cook several large pots of thick and fragrant noodle soup. They also chopped several large plates of pickled vegetables.
At midnight, the last batch of peaches was finally processed, turned into sealed canned goods, and sent to the warehouse. Everyone was exhausted and slumped over, but the aroma of the steaming food invigorated them.
"Everyone, you've all worked hard! Come and have a bowl of hot soup to fill your stomachs!" Jiang Ling called out.
The group gathered around, holding large, rough porcelain bowls, slurping up hot soup, and munching on multigrain pancakes, their faces beaming with satisfaction.
"Hey, I didn't expect working at night to be so enjoyable, it's cool and refreshing!"
"That's right, she earns a lot! Miss Jiang is so generous!"
"This noodle soup smells so good! It's even better than my wife's!"
Many hands make light work.
Soon, all the peaches picked this afternoon, as well as those in the warehouse, were sold out.
Looking at the ever-growing pile of canned goods boxes in the warehouse, Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief.
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