The heavy snow that had lasted for several days finally stopped.
The tension was immediately relieved, and everyone from the county magistrate to the common people was overjoyed.
Diligent villagers went out to shovel snow and clear their doorways, which made them feel much brighter.
He Zifeng approached the security escort agency; he had become quite familiar with them back when he was selling savory pancakes. Later, when He Zifeng became the deputy head constable and then their boss, he became even more frequent in his interactions with them.
As soon as He Zifeng arrived, he was led into the inner room.
Upon hearing that he had arrived, those who were acquainted with him greeted him warmly.
He Zifeng said a few words and was then invited into the house by their boss.
He Zifeng asked, "Are you still selling those beef and mutton you mentioned last time?" These days, you can't get your hands on that without connections.
The head of the escort agency said, "Of course, he's my buddy." He then briefly explained to He Zifeng that he had traveled all over the country and had many brothers looking out for him along the way.
This year's harvest is already bad, and the prices of grain and forage have skyrocketed. Many herders are struggling to make ends meet and have no choice but to slaughter cattle and sheep. The beef and mutton from the grasslands are tender, but there's just too much of it. Most people can't carry that much. A single trip involves at least two thousand jin (1,000 kg), which is roughly the meat of a hundred head of cattle and sheep.
People from inland areas generally prefer pork because it's tender and cooks quickly with a simple stir-fry. Beef and mutton, on the other hand, have a strong, gamey smell and a coarse texture; only skilled cooks would dare to handle such a pungent meat.
It's typical that wealthy people disdain to eat it, while those without money can't afford it.
He Zifeng did the math. One catty costs twenty coins, so two thousand catties would be forty taels of silver.
He said, "Get me a truckload first." The outdoor temperature here is very cold; if you leave it outside, it will freeze like a brick, and even a dog can't chew it.
He Zifeng hired them to escort the goods. The round-trip fee was twenty taels of silver. He Zifeng paid them, since they were the only ones with a source of goods.
After finishing, I went to the county magistrate and got a permit to open the city gates. The escort agency was able to leave smoothly, and they said they could deliver the goods in fifteen days at most.
During this time, He Zifeng went to make some more cookware.
Anyway, all the craftsmen are currently at the craftsmen's office, and if someone wants to find someone to do private work, the craftsmen's office will take a 10% cut of the silver.
However, it did give the artisans there more opportunities.
Although people in the county town don't go out much, they can still stroll around the county. Especially when the snow stops, although half of the shops are closed, with only a few remaining.
With the Lunar New Year fast approaching, people want to buy some new things to refresh their homes.
As the streets became more crowded, several stalls selling candied hawthorns soon appeared. Business was booming. In no time, most of the candied hawthorns were sold out!
The county magistrate, dressed in plain clothes, mingled with the crowd, enjoying the long-lost liveliness of the streets.
Officer Zhu followed behind, also leisurely and carefree.
Before long, someone in the crowd recognized the county magistrate. The street became even more lively.
"Your Honorable and Upright Official!"
"Thanks to being able to work at the tofu shop, this year hasn't been as difficult as in previous years."
Many other voices came from the surrounding area one after another, and this feeling of familiarity yet strangeness moved the county magistrate quite a bit.
Many people even asked the county magistrate when his greenhouse food stall would open.
The county magistrate, quite pleased with himself, said, "It will be soon."
Everyone was so enthusiastic that the county magistrate, slightly stunned, went back home. He wanted to open it as soon as possible.
When He Zifeng returned from the escort agency, he heard that the county magistrate was waiting for him.
He Zifeng immediately went to see the county magistrate.
When the county magistrate inquired about the construction schedule, He Zifeng replied, "It can open in three days." However, he couldn't open the second floor at the same time; they were still waiting for the cookware and meat.
Open the first floor.
Upon hearing this, the county magistrate had already ordered people to select the vegetables grown on the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) in advance, so that they could be placed there later.
He will be there in person that day.
Once the county magistrate arrives, arrangements need to be made in the surrounding area, including notifying the merchants to prepare accordingly.
The news was also communicated in advance.
Now that no one from the county has gone out, they all want to go and have a look when they hear that the business has opened. They've all heard from the yamen runners they know that several firewalls have been rebuilt, and the house is so warm that you can't even wear a cotton-padded coat inside; it's like springtime.
Some people even heard that there were vegetables from the county that day. Everyone was wondering where fresh vegetables came from in winter.
The wealthy families had all heard that the playboys who spent their days wandering around the city were going to show off their skills this time.
Almost everyone else was completely unaware of what they were up to, and their curiosity was piqued. They'd been cooped up for so long without going out, and this was a perfect opportunity to go out and see for themselves.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Outside, the place was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. A plaque personally inscribed by the county magistrate hung there, reading "Baijialou" (Hundred Families Building).
Officer Zhu had arranged for dragon and lion dance troupes in advance, as well as a lively performance of lions snatching an embroidered ball. The local people who came surrounded the area in layers.
The surrounding officials maintained order.
They were also taken aback when they arrived, not expecting so many people.
After the lion dance performance, the county magistrate had someone give him a reward. He then set off firecrackers at an auspicious time.
The whole street became lively.
When the county magistrate arrived, the shop owner also came to show his support, and naturally, the merchants' association president and others also sent gifts.
Constable Zhu followed behind everyone with a cheerful expression, and soon the county magistrate led his men inside.
From the initial planning to the final completion, He Zifeng handled everything alone; no one else had ever been there. Although he knew that several shops had been combined, he was still not very optimistic. He thought the interior would be stuffy, but to his surprise, he found neat rows of stalls. Every household's cook was already at work early in the morning.
The food was almost ready, emitting a variety of tempting aromas.
The largest stall on the first floor was the county magistrate's vegetable stand. It was filled with all sorts of fresh vegetables. They looked like they'd just been picked, radiating a tender, juicy feel. These things were extremely rare in winter; even just looking at them was a treat, let alone eating them.
Besides vegetables, the stalls in the county also had another hard currency: cotton-padded jackets, trousers, and shoes made to order by the county government. A set cost 350 cash, and many people who worked for the county had already received them.
But there are still people who want it. Anyway, what we've made is enough for the county's needs, and we have some left over. So we'll sell it; it will benefit the people and also increase the county's revenue.
This cotton-padded coat isn't expensive, but fresh vegetables are. The cheapest stuff is thirty coins a pound. Persimmons and fresh chili peppers are sixty coins a pound.
Growing vegetables in winter is not easy; it takes a lot of effort to keep them alive, so the path of low profit and high volume is not feasible.
It's a bit strange for poor people that vegetables are more expensive than meat, but the wealthy merchants walking alongside the county magistrate thought it was cheap. They had eaten vegetables that were much more expensive in winter.
Other stalls were also quite interesting. For example, there was Mr. Zhang's crispy fish. The fish could be prepared two ways: deep-fried or mixed with water. After being prepared, the fish was cut into pieces the size of fish jerky with golden scissors.
They're served on a gilded plate for tasting. A palm-sized fish here sells for five taels of silver. Everyone who's tried it says it's delicious, and I resisted reaching for a second piece from the tasting menu—it's a texture I've never tasted before.
Many people bought them two at a time. The waiter collecting the money was none other than Young Master Zhang's personal servant. He said, "This fish is troublesome to prepare and will take some time. Why don't you leave your address? I'll deliver it to you gentlemen when it's done." He was a man with a naturally smiling face.
Everyone let him be.
There were also milk cakes, steamed dishes, fresh stewed soups, roast suckling pig, and the like. These were all hearty dishes served at the table. Each stall had its own specialty.
The county magistrate had also heard about the businesses these wealthy young men had started out of boredom. Now, as he ate, he laughed and said, "They really know how to make a fuss."
"Young people have many ideas."
"good."
The people present were all big merchants with many shops, so they naturally looked down on a stall. But now they regretted not setting up a stall and getting a share of the pie back then.
Most of the food here is expensive. Only two or three places offer affordable snacks, but even those cost around twenty coins per serving.
There was a heated wall inside, so the room was very warm.
I was wearing a cotton robe before I came in, but I took it off and had a servant carry it for me. There were stalls on both sides and tables and chairs in the middle where you could sit anywhere. There were also stalls selling wine, and next to them were stalls selling cold side dishes. Drinking some wine and eating some side dishes here was much more comfortable than being at home.
They walked around, brainstorming business ideas, the most important being ordering vegetables from the market. Fifty catties a day would provide variety for the meals, preventing them from getting tired of the same few dishes every day. There were over twenty kinds of fresh vegetables there; they could mix and match. Ten different kinds of vegetables a day, fifty catties a day.
The same applies to others.
The county magistrate was quite pleased, and sure enough, money came in as soon as the shop opened.
These men were deeply impressed and immediately decided to reopen their family business. There were so many people on this street. It would be a waste not to open it; in the eyes of a businessman, people are money!
After they left, people were allowed in one by one. There were quite a few wealthy people in the county. When they heard that their good-for-nothing son wanted to open a shop, they all wanted to come and support him. But when they went in, they were amused. Before they could even offer their support, they were already extremely busy.
My son is no good at anything else, but he's quite good at eating, drinking, and having fun.
Even poor families are willing to spend money to buy fresh vegetables like chives and celery to make dumplings.
Some people are also interested in cotton-padded coats, and they come out shopping with money in tow.
"I'll buy two cotton-padded coats."
The servant next to him said, "Each person can only buy one set."
"What, you're not going to take the money when it's offered?"
The servant said, "We only release twenty sets a day. If you want to buy more, come back tomorrow. Otherwise, they'll all be sold out, and the next person won't be able to buy any."
Twenty sets sold out instantly.
Every stall was booming. This made others envious. Especially the family who had rented the shop for three taels of silver and then sold it for six taels; seeing how successful the business was, they suddenly felt that getting those three taels for free wasn't so appealing anymore.
Author's Note: My darlings, I have something to do today and can only update once. I'll make up for it tomorrow.
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