Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Thoughts.
"Mom, I also want to go to the county to sell tofu and make money."
As Jin entered the yard carrying a hoe and a vegetable basket, Ji Zhi, who was lighting a fire in the kitchen, came out and said to her.
Jin was putting down her hoe in the woodshed, and without even turning her head, she said:
"Can you make tofu?"
"I haven't figured it out yet, but if you give me some money, I'll ask my cousin for some tofu to sell and get a share like the Chen family does."
Every day at dawn, Zhuang Huiniang would come from next door to pick up a basket of tofu and go to Shengchangli to sell it. Even through the courtyard wall, they could already see her going there.
Although I don't know exactly how much profit I can get from it, but Zhuang Hui Niang sells it every day, and it is obvious that Chen Gou'er and his sister are dressed more decently than before, which means that there is a sure profit.
Come to think of it, she should have asked Ji Xu for steamed buns and coins to sell, and now she should have a share in selling tofu.
Upon hearing this, Jin's face darkened.
"No, I, the daughter of Jin Cuiru, will never bow down to Tian Guinu's daughter. I, your mother, have always been fighting for supremacy with Tian Guinu. Don't embarrass me. In the future, you will be laughed at by Tian Guinu in the underworld."
"Mother..."
No matter how much Ji Zhi begged, Jin refused to give in. Annoyed, she said:
"Okay, stop making such trouble. You spent all that flour on me a few days ago, but didn't make much money. Just live a peaceful life!
When you grow up, you can find a good family like your sister did."
Ji Yuan's marriage was about 70% certain. He was going to a wealthy family in the county who ran a restaurant and gambling business. After all, his ancestors were from the city and he didn't know any etiquette. He even skipped the formalities of asking for the name and paying the betrothal gift. He chose an auspicious day after the beginning of spring, brought the betrothal gifts and came to the county to marry.
Jin was the only one who was dissatisfied with this, and Ji Yuan also felt uncomfortable because of this. He stayed in his room and was too lazy to embroider his wedding clothes.
Ji Fu was more open-minded and tried to persuade the mother and daughter, saying:
"It's not about food or clothes, as long as I can live a good life after marrying him, it's fine. He's a wealthy family in the county."
Jin then put the knot aside, thinking that as long as she was well-off, she would be content. She also went to comfort Ji Yuan.
"Mom, listen to me! Just let my second sister sell tofu!"
Ji Huhai came out from somewhere after playing in the mud, and joined in with a clumsy voice. He only knew that the second house next door sold tofu, and he could often smell the aroma of meat and fried egg pancakes. He also wanted to eat meat and chicken and duck pancakes. The family had saved eggs before the New Year, but Jin wanted to sell them instead of frying them for him. He always drooled with greed.
Hearing this, Jin was furious. "Go away! You little devil, your hair hasn't even fully grown yet! Even if her daughter begged us to help her sell tofu, we wouldn't sell it to her!"
At this moment, a slanting wind was blowing under the green locust tree at the west city gate.
"Brother Ji, how much did you lose?"
The renter asked the person who came.
The man, wearing an old quilted robe, waved his hand and said, "Don't mention it. It's bad luck."
After saying that, he sat down against the wall. Ji Xu passed by pushing a hollow wheelbarrow and it looked like Ji Fu.
The hired man said, "It was your turn just now, but unfortunately you were in the gambling house, so Ah San took over."
Ji Fu raised his head and was about to argue, but when he saw that it was Ji Xu passing by, he turned his face away and stopped talking.
"Miss Xu, are you sold out of tofu? Business is so good, and you still have a long way to go. We should hire an ox cart to carry you back. It won't cost much."
I saw an ox cart parked outside the city gate.
Luo Shuangniang, who was sitting on the shaft of the cart, saw Ji Xu coming out and came to lend a hand, asking:
"Have other hirers approached you for business?"
Ji Xu said yes, "I managed it."
Coincidentally, Luo Shuangniang went to the market to buy tofu today, and Ji Xu told her that he wanted to hire her ox cart to take her back to Benguli in the future.
My legs were so sore from walking the long distance back and forth every day, so I just spent thirty coins to hire an ox cart to go back, which would be easier.
In fact, if you only hire one trip, it would be more appropriate to hire someone to pick her up in the morning. It would be more tiring to push a fully loaded wheelbarrow at that time.
But now there is a curfew, and the city gates open and close morning and night. Luo Shuangniang lives in Xinghua Lane in the county. If Ji Xu waits until the city gates open in the morning and then drives out of the city to pick her up in Benguli, he will miss the opening time of the market, delaying the delivery of tofu to the restaurant and the opening of the tofu shop, and also wasting the rent.
So, in the morning, Ji Xu pushed the cart himself, intending to hire a cart to take it back after selling everything.
Because there were few women among the hired servants, she first came into contact with Luo Shuangniang. Knowing that she was kind-hearted, she wanted to find her to send her off.
But after all, the renters had been taking care of their own cars, and it would be bad to just go to one house and ignore other people's business. So the two of them discussed it and agreed on a time to wait outside the city gate, not going through the green locust tree.
"Girl, this is also for my business. Tomorrow I will tell them that I took your job first and you are my private customer.
They can no longer tease you with words, and I can pick you up at the city gate, saving you the trouble of walking such a long way out of the city."
As Luo Shuangniang spoke, she helped move the wheelbarrow, wooden barrels and other things onto the ox cart.
Her little daughter Douzi was also sitting in the car. She looked familiar with Ji Xu and smiled at her.
Ji Xu also smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll tell them the truth tomorrow when we pass by. After all, it's more convenient for us girls."
After packing up the car, Luo Shuangniang noticed that someone was missing and asked:
"Where's your sister? Why isn't she here?"
Ji Xu also knelt down on the straw mat in the carriage and replied:
"Now that I've rented a shop, I don't have to hide around. I'm busy enough on my own. I asked her to stay at home a few days ago so she wouldn't have to travel so far with me."
"Hello, go, go,"
Luo Shuangniang started the ox-chasing process and chatted,
"Yes, she's still young after all. If my husband hadn't gone off to serve as a guard and there wasn't anyone to look after Douzi at home, I wouldn't have been able to carry her in the car like this, exposed to the wind and sun."
"Douzi is very well behaved." Ji Xu said.
Luo Shuangniang said unhappily, "You are so naughty!"
Douzi had dried snot hanging from her philtrum, her cheeks flushed, and her clothes, like unshelled water chestnuts, were layered and bulky but warm. She understood Ji Xu was praising her and called out in a baby voice, "Sister." "Look, isn't that Xu's daughter? She's hired an ox cart."
When the carriage was about to reach Benguli, it was dusk. People in the courtyards heard the sound of the ox cart and came out to watch the fun.
"It's quite comfortable! How much did it cost to rent this trip?"
A woman holding a bowl and eating her afternoon snack asked bluntly.
Luo Shuangniang said warmly, "One cent per li, thirty cents per li. If you need to hire a job, come to the green locust tree at the west city gate and find me, Luo Shuangniang."
The woman who heard this nearly dropped her bowl and exclaimed in surprise, "My dear aunt, I don't have such a golden ass. I can't afford to sit up like this."
"Miss Xu is really generous. Thirty cents for rent, plus a little more, is enough to buy a hu of grain."
For a moment, I thought, if I had known this would happen, I should have made friends with her when she just returned home and was penniless. Wouldn't I be able to shamelessly let someone take me to sell tofu now?
Thinking of this, even the rice at the bottom of the bowl tasted sour.
"It's okay, it's homemade. Let Douzi take it and eat it on the way."
In front of the second house, Luo Shuangniang couldn't resist and asked Ji Xu to stuff something into Douzi's hand.
It was a square food the size of a coin, with a withered yellow color and a sweet smell.
"Bean, hurry up and thank your sister. What is this food? It smells weird."
Ji Xu said, "My two younger sisters love lard dumplings. I think Douzi will like them too."
When Luo Shuangniang heard this, she thought that it would cost a lot of money to make both oil and dough. The dough in the city would cost seven coins.
He thanked her again, put one of the beans in a cloth bag, and let her eat the other one before driving back.
"Lard dough, delicious, mother, eat it."
Douzi lowered his head and rummaged for a long time, took out the one in the cloth bag, and held it up to Luo Shuangniang.
"Sit down quickly, don't fall."
Luo Shuangniang was busy holding it in her mouth. When she saw her sitting back on the mat, she began to chew the lard dough in her mouth carefully.
When you eat Gengju, it is a little sticky to your teeth, and your mouth is full of sweetness, with a hint of onion fragrance, and it tastes great.
This lard dough was made by Ji Xu after he returned home yesterday. He happened to buy a bunch of winter mulberry in the city, squeezed the mulberry juice, made two large ceramic jars of brown sugar, and stored them in sealed containers. It is convenient to use it to soak in hot water during menstruation or to make sweets.
To make the lard dough, mix brown sugar water with sifted millet crumbs.
Then scoop out a large spoonful of lard, fry a handful of green onions, remove the crispy green onions, and fry the dough made of millet crumbs.
Let it cool, knead it until smooth, roll it out with a rolling pin to a uniform thickness, then cut it into squares of uniform size, and store them in a ceramic jar.
This thing smells so good and attracts mice, so you have to put it in a basket and hang it on a rope on a beam.
"Sister, Xiaozhu wants to eat another one too."
Ever since Ji Xu took down the jar of lard dough, Ji Zhu followed her greedily. When she saw Ji Xu share some beans with her, she was very happy.
Since there was no one else around, she started begging for it.
Ji Xu doesn't like sweet lard dough, so he made it as a snack for his younger sisters. They are allowed to eat one piece a day. After all, it is a sweet food with a lot of oil, so eating too much is not good.
Ji Zhu loves sweet things the most. If she doesn't control herself, she can finish this whole jar in one day.
"Sister, don't give it to her. This little greedy cat has already eaten one during the day." Ji Feng took a stern attitude after hearing this.
"Sister..."
Ji Zhu hugged Ji Xu's thighs and looked up eagerly, "I bit it open and gave Sui'er half."
Ji Xu couldn't bear it any longer, his heart melted, "In that case, Xiaozhu and Fengmei will each have another."
Ji Zhuxi held her hands and kicked her feet back and forth.
Seeing this, Ji Feng painted her face to shame Ji Zhu and said, "Give it to the greedy little cat."
Ji Zhu ate the dough, which was soft, glutinous and sweet. She felt a chill all over her body. She did not feel embarrassed at all and was busy saying:
"Second sister also got Wang Li's share, so she'll have another one too."
Speaking of this, Ji Feng didn't want to share the lard dough with Wang Li at first. This thing was so good. But then she thought about how her sister had taken her to do business in the past and she was not stingy with the food she gave away, so the business became even better.
Besides, she could still eat two more another day, so she gritted her teeth, suppressed the pain, bit off a small half of the pill, gave half to him, and ate the other half herself. He was so greedy that his saliva kept watering, and he didn't dislike it at all. He ate it with great relish. Later, Wang Li even helped her fetch water from the well and filled the water jar.
Ji Xu had already stuffed one into Ji Feng's mouth and said with a smile, "This is a greedy cat."
"Sister, you are getting worse and worse." Ji Feng said angrily with her cheeks puffed up and her mouth full of sweetness.
Ji Xu hung up the basket and ran out, "Sister Feng has always been excellent."
I saw that the big water jar in the kitchen was full of water, and even the remaining old wooden barrel was full of water.
This was Ji Feng going back and forth to the well to fetch water during the day. To fill a jar of water, he had to go to the well at least eight or nine times with a bucket.
"I have nothing to do."
Ji Feng came after him and saw Ji Xu looking at the water jar, so he said,
"Later, Wang Li saw it and helped me carry it four or five times."
Ji Xu knew that this was considerate of her, so that when she returned home in the afternoon, she would not have to fetch water, and she would have water to make tofu at night.
"It will be soon. We will be able to dig a well at home. It's right in front of the kitchen." Ji Xu pointed.
Ji Feng was looking forward to it. When he heard this, he clasped his hands together and said happily:
"Since we have a well at home, we don't have to go to a well so far away to fetch water."
Ji Xu thought the same thing and said, "I will go to the kiln tomorrow to ask and have the pottery well enclosed and built."
After deducting the rent, market rent, transaction tax, and the cost of the beans, the tofu shop can make a net profit of about 6,500 coins a month.
The tofu shop has been open for half a month now. The rent owed to Manager Xu last month, including the 2,000 coins rent for February, was all paid in full at the beginning of the month. The city officials will come to collect the market rent and transaction tax at the end of the month, so there is no rush.
I have 1,500 cash left, so it's time to dig a well, which will make life at home more comfortable.
"Don't send me off. Go back quickly."
The sky was getting brighter as the three sisters Xu, Feng and Zhu pushed the fully loaded wheelbarrow over Fengzipo.
Ji Xu urged his sisters who were helping to push the cart to go home, fearing that it would be unsafe for them to come back after sending the baby too far away.
"Help my sister push the wheel for a while longer, and watch her get out of this village. Xiaozhu and I will go back. This village is full of acquaintances, and we often play here. It's okay." Ji Feng said.
After leaving Benguli, we arrived at Woshe Valley. At the entrance of the valley, we saw a man standing who looked like Ji Yuan from a distance.
As he got closer, he found that it was Ji Zhi, wearing Ji Yuan's old jacket. He was holding a basket and looking in the direction he had come. When he saw the person coming, he shouted:
"Cousin."
As if he had something to say, he glanced at Ji Feng and said hesitantly to Ji Xu:
"Cousin, are you going to the tofu shop in the county? I heard that chickens in the county can be sold for two cents each. I have some chickens saved at home. Can we sell them at your tofu shop?"
Jin Shi forbad her from buying tofu from the second wife to sell. Whenever she mentioned the matter, she would be scolded. The family had to sell all the preserved fruits, eat all the preserved fruits, and there was nothing left.
White flour is expensive and hard to make, and Ji Zhi was worried because he had no way to make money.
Seeing that her family had saved up some eggs and were going to take them to the local market to sell, she took on the job and secretly waited for Ji Xu here.
If she sold it in the county, she could earn twice as much, so she could keep half of it for herself.
No matter what the relationship between the older generation is, they are cousins and relatives after all. I think if they humble themselves, they will definitely help.
"No, this won't work. The tofu shop has been registered with the county government and can only sell beans. If it sells other things, it will be caught by the market officials and fined a lot of money. It might even be that the shop will be closed down." Ji Xu said.
This was the detail I knew when I registered at the county court that day. I had finally opened a small shop, and I couldn't risk being fined and closed by selling chicken eggs.
"That's right, no! Absolutely not!"
Ji Feng was horrified when she heard this. She had not been present at the registration that day and had no idea there were such regulations. She found Ji Zhi even more annoying.
In her early years, because of her grandparents' partiality, she also disliked the eldest wife. Now that she was taking advantage of the situation to ask for help, she wanted to scold her.
Ji Zhi said, "I heard from others that many shops in the county market secretly sell other things. If you are careful, you won't be caught."
This was a woman from Benguli who was working and chatting in the fields. She overheard what they said, and she was eager to ask Ji Xu to take her melons and vegetables to her tofu shop to sell them. The price would be better than in the local market, but she was not related to Ji Xu, and her relationship with him was not as close as that with the Chen family, so she didn't dare to ask.
They were not related, but he and Ji Xu were related. Ji Zhi took this to heart.
Ji Feng was furious at the time and said:
"Be careful, be careful! I'll tell you a good idea. Walk thirty miles to the county and peddle your wares. Be careful! If you don't get caught by the market officials, you can still get a good price. But you're just trying to take advantage of me!"
We used to have delicious food, but we never got to eat it. What if we get caught? What if we get fined? What if the shop closes?
You're just saying be careful, but it's my sister who's taking the risk. Today you're stuffing chickens in to sell, tomorrow he's stuffing melons and vegetables in to sell, and you're putting my sister on a pedestal. You have the nerve to say this."
Ji Zhi felt embarrassed and annoyed after hearing this series of words. His jaw trembled and he couldn't say anything to refute. He buried his head and ran home.
In the west room, Ji Yuan didn't want to get up and be cold, so she was curled up in the quilt and sleeping with her eyes closed. She heard the sound of someone pushing the door, which woke her up, and was about to complain.
But Ji Zhizhong came in with a heavy step, sat on the bed, holding a basket of eggs, all of which were present. So he asked:
"Didn't you say you were going to sell chickens? Why are you back?"
Ji Zhi gritted his teeth and said, "I will never call her cousin again. She doesn't even consider me her cousin. She won't even help me with this little favor."
He had no way to vent his anger, and just these two sentences made Ji Yuan confused.
Ji Zhi thought that since he failed to extort money and had no money to embezzle, he told the story of what had happened. However, he omitted the idea of embezzling money and only said that he wanted to earn more money for his family.
"That Feng girl, I am several years older than her, but she scolds me instead. She is just like my aunt, disrespectful to me." Ji Zhi complained.
When Ji Yuan heard this, he lost his sleepiness and laughed, holding his stomach and rolling on the ground.
"What are you laughing at! I feel uncomfortable. As your elder sister, instead of being understanding, you laugh at me!" Ji Zhi became more and more angry.
"I laugh at you for being stupid. My mother and I are so smart, how could there be someone as stupid as you? My mother and aunt don't see eye to eye. They have been fighting for most of their lives, from offspring to food, clothing, housing and transportation.
You are my mother's daughter, but you are turning to her family. They are my aunt's daughters, and they share the same aura as my aunt. No wonder they pushed you back."
Ji Yuan gathered the quilt and sat up.
Ji Zhi sat for a while and muttered:
"That girl helped me before. When I was hawking in Shengchangli, I wasn't familiar with the route and was afraid of being chased away by the vendors, so I followed her and she didn't chase me away."
Ji Yuan, who had just learned about this, said, "That's a small matter. You and Yu Xunu won't cause any trouble. But selling chickens illegally is a big deal. Who are you to them?"
At best, she's a relative, at worst, the daughter of your sworn enemy. Why would I risk my life for you? Do you think your mother didn't let you ask the second wife for tofu just because she couldn't bring herself to do it?
That's because my mother has her own standards. Knowing the relationship between our families, this thing will not succeed. If that hot-tempered Fengnu brings it back and the neighbors know about it, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing?
I simply didn't say anything at all, because who knew there would be someone like you who couldn't understand it."
At the end of his words, he poked her forehead with his finger, causing her to shake.
"Just wait. When I marry into the county, there will be a big restaurant there. They can sell whatever they want to us. Sooner or later, they will surpass her." Ji Yuan said.
After talking for a while, Ji Zhi's resentment subsided and he asked:
"You don't blame me anymore? Didn't you say before that you didn't want to get married?"
Because the Zhao family, a wealthy city dweller, wanted to marry Ji Yuan without going through the formalities of asking for his wife's name and paying the betrothal gift, Ji Yuan felt uncomfortable for a while.
Talking about this, Ji Yuan hugged her knees, showing the demeanor of a woman, and said:
"I heard from my grandfather that the Zhao family lives a wealthy life, riding in ox carts and eating mutton. If I marry into the family, I'll be wearing gold and silver and have maids to serve me.
"Not only the Xu girl, but even the Feng family can't live like this. Besides, Zhao Lang has good character and good looks, so it doesn't matter if he doesn't have these little etiquettes."
Ji Zhi curled his lips when he heard this and said, "You talk so convincingly, everything's perfect. You even skipped the steps of asking for the bride's name and the couple's family seeing each other. You haven't seen her before, so you can't be sure. She looks good on the outside but poor on the inside. That Zhao Lang has a crooked mouth and slanted eyes!"
Ji Yuan was so angry when he heard her making fun of him that he wanted to twist her arm and said:
"Grandfather has always loved me, how could he possibly deceive me? Besides, we saw Zhao's restaurant when we went to the county market that year. It was doing very good business."
Ji Zhi dodged and said with a smile: "You are looking forward to it very much. I have a way. Why don't I ask the old man to take me to the county to sell chickens one day? The old man is the carriage driver of the rich man Qiao and he is very familiar with the county.
I'm wandering around hawking my wares, and I'll drop by the market to see if your Mr. Zhao is handsome! That way, you won't marry the wrong man!
Ji Yuan blushed, jumped out of bed, and was about to hit her.
The two were chasing each other, when coincidentally the gate of the courtyard opened and Ji Fu came in leading an ox cart. His eyes were gray and blue, as if he had not slept all night.
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