113 Wine
◎She also wants to be someone like Shopkeeper Song in the future!◎
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, the winter chill faded imperceptibly, replaced by a lazy warmth. The midday sun shone brightly, bringing with it a hint of early spring.
Cui Xiuxiu stood at the entrance of the alley, looked up and squinted at the warm sun, stretched out her hand and felt the warm touch from her fingertips, "This harsh winter is finally over." She sighed softly.
She and her companion, Yang Ying, were refugees who had fled to the capital, penniless and practically starving on the streets. It was Shopkeeper Song who not only took them in but also gave them jobs at Juxing Tower, providing them with a place to stay and a decent livelihood.
The two of them have always kept this kindness in their hearts.
Juxinglou had given the staff a holiday five days before the Lunar New Year, allowing them to return home and prepare for the holidays. Cui Xiuxiu had arranged to meet Yang Ying today to go shopping for some simple New Year's goods.
When passing by Juxing Tower, I saw that the small door in the backyard, which should have been closed, was ajar today.
"Huh? Is there anyone in the kitchen?" Yang Ying was a little surprised.
"Let's go in and take a look." Cui Xiuxiu pushed the door open and went in.
As soon as they entered the door, an extremely rich and sweet fragrance hit them in the face, instantly filling their nostrils. It was a wonderful smell they had never smelled before.
Following the fragrance, I saw Song Jinyi and Zhang Yao working diligently under the bare crabapple tree in the backyard, with their sleeves rolled up, revealing their fair wrists.
Beside her stood several large, clean wooden basins, filled with grapes so dark purple they looked like jewels. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on her body.
"Boss!" Cui Xiuxiu called out.
Song Jinyi looked up when she heard the voice and saw who was coming. She was a little surprised: "It's you two, why didn't you go back to the outer city and come here?"
Just a few days ago, the imperial court officially issued a notice announcing the abolition of the liquor monopoly order. Song Jinyi had already brewed two batches and his reputation had spread. He was just waiting for the fifth day of the first lunar month next year to start selling the wine and make money from the information gap.
The two of them came forward curiously, "Boss, is this grape wine? But it seems different from ordinary wine?"
Song Jinyi smiled and said, "Grapes themselves have unique natural sugar and acidity. There is no need to add yeast. Naturally, it smells different from other fruit wines."
She picked up a bunch of grapes and gently twisted them with her fingertips. Purple-red juice flowed down, emitting an intoxicating sweet fragrance.
"Grapes are so rare in winter!" Cui Xiuxiu looked at the round fruits like pearls and swallowed unconsciously.
"Yes, they're not even available in Shengjing. They're only available in Xuanhua during the winter. I asked Sun Guo from the Prince's Mansion to get me two baskets of grapes. I also have to carefully pick out the rotten and broken ones, and then put them in a well-ventilated place to dry out the moisture on the skin."
Cui Xiuxiu and Yang Ying watched intently.
Song Jinyi carefully plucked the dried grapes from the stems one by one and placed them in a large, clean ceramic basin. Her movements were gentle and deft, and the grapes made a slight "swooshing" sound as they fell into the basin.
She exerted force with her ten fingers, kneading and squeezing the plump fruits. As her fingers moved, the deep purple flesh was easily crushed, and abundant juice flowed out, mixing with the broken peel and flesh.
The dark red juice quickly soaked her fingers, gleaming like gemstones in the sunlight. Although the kneading technique was rough, the tiny grape seeds were preserved intact.
"Don't crush the seeds, otherwise the wine will taste bitter." Song Jinyi instructed Zhang Yao while working with her hands. "This step is called 'breaking the skin'. It allows the juice to fully contact the skin and flesh. The natural yeast on the skin is the key to turning grape juice into wine."
Next, Song Jinyi fetched a can of high-quality rock sugar. She carefully spread it layer by layer on the cracked grape pulp. "Ten pounds of grapes to three pounds of sugar—that's the perfect ratio. Sugar aids fermentation and gives the wine a richer, more mellow, sweeter finish."
After doing this, she took out a large earthenware jar that had been cleaned and dried to remove any moisture. The jar was open, emitting the rich aroma of earth.
She carefully poured the grape juice mixed with sugar into the jar, filling it only about 70% full.
Cui Xiuxiu was a little confused. Why not fill them all up?
"Don't fill it up. Fermentation will produce a lot of gas, so you need to leave some space." As she spoke, she took a piece of cut, thick, clean oil paper and carefully covered the mouth of the jar.
Finally, use a tightly twisted hemp rope to wrap around the mouth of the jar and tie it tightly.
Song Jinyi clapped her hands, took out an embroidered handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Cui Xiuxiu and Yang Ying watched the whole process with bated breath. In their eyes, Shopkeeper Song seemed to be omnipotent - he could open a restaurant, cook delicious food, understand business management, and even was proficient in brewing wine!
It's like there's nothing she doesn't know.
Cui Xiuxiu stared at her, her heart filled with excitement.
She recalled that when she was in the countryside, the women around her, including herself, only thought about how to find a good marriage and marry into a wealthy and reliable family, as if the honor, disgrace, sorrow and joy of their lives all depended on the three words "marry well".
It seems that one's destiny has been framed in the trajectory of "dependence on others" since birth.
Until the drought in the summer, it was as if the giant hand of fate pushed her off her original track and she drifted all the way to this prosperous yet unfamiliar Shengjing.
She met Song Jinyi and saw another way for women to survive.
It turns out that women don’t have to rely on their fathers, brothers, or husbands, and don’t have to be trapped in the inner chambers of the harem. They can live an upright life with their own abilities, live such a wonderful life, and be respected by others!
It turns out that by relying on yourself, you can also hold up a vast sky!
Let Cui Xiuxiu see that no man she has ever seen can compare to Manager Song.
This thought was like a seed, quickly taking root and sprouting in Cui Xiuxiu's heart. She looked at Song Jinyi with eyes full of unprecedented admiration and yearning.
She also wants to be someone like Shopkeeper Song in the future!
"Boss, is there anything else you need to do? We're here to help!" Yang Ying's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. She immediately reacted and continued, "Yes, boss, we're here. Take a look, is there anything else you need us to do?"
"Okay, there are still two baskets of grapes over there that haven't been picked yet. Please help me pick them out. Remember, only keep the ripe ones."
"Hey!" They both responded, immediately rolling up their sleeves and squatting over the grape baskets, carefully picking through the grapes. The sun shone warmly on the small backyard, and the rich, intoxicating sweet aroma of grapes filled the air.
Song Jinyi occasionally talked about some interesting things in Yunzhou. Zhang Yao, Cui Xiuxiu and Yang Ying listened attentively while they were busy, and exclaimed or laughed from time to time.
******
As New Year's Eve approaches, the streets and alleys are several times more crowded than usual, with people jostling each other and the noise deafening, as if everyone in the city has flocked to the streets to buy New Year's goods.
All the shops put in their best efforts, opened their storefronts wide, and displayed all the best goods in the closet.
The silk shops are hung with brightly colored silks, the pastry shops are piled high with candied fruits and crispy candies, and the entrances of the north and south warehouses are filled with delicacies from all over the world, dried fruits and spices.
The busiest business is undoubtedly the cooked food business. In front of the cooked food shop, the chicken, duck, goose and pig's trotters that are usually hung have now increased several times in number. They are densely hung on iron hooks, shiny and greasy, emitting an enticing aroma of braised food and oil, attracting the attention of passers-by.
The waiters were shouting until their voices were hoarse: "Freshly cooked braised pork elbow! Fragrant and tender!" "Fat and tender meat! Fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth!"
The sounds came one after another, mixed with the clamor of bargaining, the laughter of children chasing each other, and the humming of street performers playing musical instruments and singing.
Cui Xiuxiu stopped in front of a stall selling incense, candles and paper horses, and carefully selected two thick red candles to light and stay up all night on New Year's Eve.
After paying, she was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of Yang Ying standing blankly in front of a street stall not far away, as if nailed down.
"Sister Ying?" Cui Xiuxiu walked over curiously.
It was a simple jewelry stall set up by the roadside. On a faded blue cloth lay a dazzling array of hairpins, earrings, and bracelets.
The materials are naturally not of the highest quality. Most of them are polished peach wood hairpins, plain silver hairpins, dyed bone hairpins, velvet flowers strung with cheap beads, and cords wrapped with colorful silk threads.
But in the eyes of women like Yang Ying and Qu Xiuxiu, who come from poor backgrounds and have to budget their meals carefully, these are already "luxury goods" that can embellish their lives.
Yang Ying's gaze was fixed on a peach wood hairpin. It was simple in design, with a small plum blossom carved into the tip, polished to a smooth finish, exuding a simple elegance.
She stretched out her hand and carefully stroked the hairpin with her fingertips, her eyes revealing an unconcealable fondness, and then reluctantly put it back on the stall.
Cui Xiuxiu saw it and understood it.
Li Wen had an older brother who worked as an apprentice in a flower shop, supposedly for "work in exchange for pay," but in reality, he was doing hard labor for nothing, barely scraping a living. He also had a frail, sickly mother in her seventies living in a refugee camp outside the city, often suffering from headaches and fevers.
Shopkeeper Song was kind and gave these female workers some subsidies every month. Yang Ying was reluctant to spend a penny herself, so she saved it all and asked someone to give it to her brother and mother.
As for herself? I'm afraid she would have to think twice before even buying the cheapest hairband.
Cui Xiuxiu looked at Yang Ying, then at the hairpins on the stall. She was in a slightly better situation than Li Wen, as she had only one older sister. Her sister worked in a rice shop and, because of her cheerful nature, quick hands, and likable manner, she had been given a small salary as an exception the following month.
The two sisters depend on each other for survival. Although life is tight, they can still squeeze out a little extra money.
Cui Xiuxiu also leaned over and carefully examined the dazzling yet cheap jewelry for a long time. She picked up an orchid hairpin and then the one that Li Wen had just chosen.
She gritted her teeth and asked, "How much are these two hairpins together?"
"One stick is fifteen cents, two sticks are thirty cents."
Cui Xiuxiu used both soft and hard tactics, and managed to lower the price with her mouth until it reached twenty cents.
After paying the money, Cui Xiuxiu picked up the peach wood hairpin carved with plum blossoms, turned around and put it into Yang Ying's hand.
"Xiu Xiu! This... this is impossible!" Yang Ying pushed it away as if she'd been burned, her face flushing. She knew Cui Xiu Xiu wasn't well off either.
"Who said I gave it to you for free?" Cui Xiuxiu said, "You have to keep a record of it. When you make a lot of money in the future, you have to pay me back with interest! And you have to treat me to a good meal!"
She shook the orchid hairpin in her hand and pointed at the plum blossom hairpin in Yang Ying's hand, "Here, don't be shy to accept it. If someone only wants to buy this orchid hairpin, they will definitely not sell it to me for ten cents."
Yang Ying's eyes were slightly hot. She tightly grasped the warm wooden hairpin, her heart warm and bitter. Finally, she nodded heavily and smiled gratefully: "Okay! I will definitely return it! I will also treat you to the best food!"
Just as they were talking and laughing, a figure suddenly approached from the crowd next to them, bringing with it a smell of sweat and the slickness of the street, and almost knocked Cui Xiuxiu off balance.
"Ouch!" She steadied herself, looked carefully, and immediately frowned - the person coming was Chen Tian!
Chen Tian is the younger brother of Chen Ming, a delivery driver at Juxinglou. The two brothers look like they were born from the same mother. The elder brother Chen Ming is diligent, honest, and hardworking.
This younger brother, Chen Tian, was notoriously lazy and idle, always thinking about cheating and playing tricks. If it weren't for Chen Ming's face, Song Jinyi would have kicked him out long ago.
That's why Cui Xiuxiu and others have never been very friendly to him.
At this moment, Chen Tian's small eyes were darting around the hairpins in the two of their hands, a smile plastered on his face. "Hey! Are you two buying hairpins? They're really beautiful! You have good taste! How much do these cost?"
Cui Xiuxiu said unhappily, "It's just a worthless wooden hairpin. How much can it be worth? Why are you asking this?"
Chen Tian rubbed his hands and chuckled, "I think this hairpin is beautiful, so I want to buy one for Madam Li too."
"Are you talking about Madam Li He?" Cui Xiuxiu sneered unceremoniously as if she had heard a huge joke, and looked Chen Tian up and down, "You usually spend all your money in the winery.
"Is the sun rising from the west today? Are you willing to spend money to buy things for others?" She said this, looking at Chen Tian with suspicion, "Are you harboring any inappropriate thoughts?"
Cui Xiuxiu has always been a quick-witted person, and she was too lazy to play along with a jerk like Chen Tian. She said mercilessly, "I advise you to give up this idea as soon as possible! A toad should not even think about eating swan meat!
"Who is Madam Li? She's the one that Shopkeeper Song treats like his own sister! She's beautiful, and even if she can't marry into a wealthy family, she'll still have enough food and clothing. As for you?"
She snorted coldly, and her contemptuous eyes scraped across Chen Tian like a knife, "If you leave Juxing Tower, whether you can support yourself is still a question."
Cui Xiuxiu had heard a long time ago that work-for-pay was only temporary.
After this winter, each shopkeeper would retain suitable helpers as full-time employees and receive wages. The rest of the unsuitable ones would be relocated with the refugees from outside the city to the west to reclaim wasteland in Hexi County.
There is no need to say much about Chen Tian. When the time comes, Manager Song will definitely drive him away. How can a person who can't even survive himself dare to covet others? Where does his confidence come from?
Chen Tian's words made her face turn from red to blue, and then from blue to black. It was okay for her to be humiliated by a noble person when she was just delivering food, but how dare Cui Xiuxiu, who was a refugee like him, humiliate him?
He swung his arm to throw a punch—
Seeing that he was furious, Cui Xiuxiu quickly pulled Yang Ying away, saying, "Don't argue with a madman."
The streets were packed with people, and in an instant, the two of them evaporated like water dropped into the desert.
Chen Tian stamped his feet in anger. "Bah!" He spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on the ground. "What the hell! Just a bitch who came here to escape the war! She's going to get married and be fucked by someone in the future! Do you really think you're that important?!"
Why was he unworthy of Li He? He, Chen Tian, was seventeen or eighteen years old, in the prime of his life, strong and healthy! He felt that he was not bad looking, much better than those poor scholars who only studied hard!
Shopkeeper Song treated her like his own sister? So what? No matter how powerful Shopkeeper Song was, wasn't he still a woman? He had to get married too.
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