Jiang Shan learned a lesson from both Aunt Hong and Manager Qi.
You have to walk your own path and steer your own future.
Aunt Hong was a ray of sunshine she encountered in her cold predicament, giving her warmth and light, but unable to redeem her.
Manager Qi is a profit-driven merchant. He is deeply ingrained with the ideas of the ancient patriarchal society, looks down on her, and is willing to abandon her at any time when it comes to profit.
She could only ever rely on herself.
She looked up at the boundless distance, squinting her eyes as she fixed her gaze on an unfamiliar area.
Gu Xian Town is too small, with extremely limited resources and opportunities; she needs to take another step forward.
Jiangshan has spent a lot of money these days. Since ancient times, medical treatment and health care have always been the most expensive things, without exception in any dynasty.
She urgently needs money to buy a mule cart and then a shop in town. Ideally, the shop should be one where she can both run a business and have a backyard for her family to live in.
Now, she doesn't need to put too much effort into making seafood with gravy; the Qiao family father and son can do it very well. She only needs to prepare the seasonings, distribute them in the correct proportions, and then check the finished product one last time before loading it onto the truck and shipping it out.
With her spare time, she began to research some snacks.
Seafood is a wonderful thing, but seafood in broth is just one type of seafood and it's not suitable for everyone. It needs to be improved, for example, like the barbecue and skewers that are popular in modern times.
Every day, the people of Huaigu Village can see mule carts carrying loads of seafood in broth from the Jiao family's courtyard, paying with whole silver ingots. Everyone's eyes are red with envy.
Especially after their seafood hotpot recipes failed to sell, the level of resentment reached its peak.
Barbecue and skewers from Jiangshan can no longer be delivered directly to restaurants for sale; the restaurant owner will kick them out.
There is a college in the town. Almost all the students in Guxian Town with status, background and conditions study there. The location is very good. It is very lively outside, but the courtyard is also large, quiet in the midst of the hustle and bustle.
On a sunny afternoon, a rich aroma suddenly wafted through the alley, causing countless students to crane their necks and swallow hard.
The older ones can still control themselves, but the younger ones can't sit still. They keep shifting their little bottoms, completely unaware of what they've learned.
In a fit of anger, the teacher ended the class early and went out to investigate.
Not far from the school, a young girl with a child was using stones to prop up two thin stone slabs in the alley. A layer of charcoal was laid underneath, and several strings of unknown ingredients were placed on top, sizzling and smoking.
The aroma wafted over with the smoke, so enticing it made one's mouth water.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the food grilling on the stone slab consisted of various kinds of sea fish, shrimp, and other seafood such as snails and shellfish.
A chubby little boy rushed over like a cannonball, pointing at a string of large shrimp and shouting, "What's this? What are these? Can we eat them? How much do they cost?"
Jiao Sanlang immediately stood up and said in a soft voice, "These are grilled prawns, grilled squid, grilled eel, and these are conch. These two are delicious and the more you chew them, the more fragrant they become. They are all one coin per skewer. There are still many in the bowl. You can grill more after you finish eating them."
"I want this, and this, and these two too, I want a whole skewer of them! No, I want two skewers!" the chubby boy said impatiently, stretching out both hands.
Saburo took out several sheets of oil paper that he had prepared beforehand, folded them into two square boxes in a few quick movements, arranged the skewers neatly, and handed them to the chubby boy: "Ten coins in total, thank you!"
The chubby boy took the skewers, and with a wave of his hand, a servant immediately handed him some copper coins.
Several other children in the group, not to be outdone, clamored to have the same skewers as the chubby boy.
Barbecue tastes best when it's freshly grilled; the two stone slabs on the rack are too small to hold much. Seeing that more and more children were arriving, Jiangshan Chaosanlang gave a wink and gestured with his lips.
Sanlang stepped forward, clasped her little fists, and gave a proper bow, saying, "Big brothers, these skewers need to be cooked thoroughly before you can eat them, otherwise you'll get a stomachache. If you get a stomachache, you won't be able to go to school, and I guess your elders at home won't dare to let you eat more of them in the future! Could you please line up first, and let me cook them for you to try, okay? Don't worry, there are plenty more skewers to go, look!"
Jiang Shan watched with a smile as Sanlang, like a little adult, pointed out the skewers of seafood in the basin to them and led a few noisy children to line up. He nodded and cheered inwardly.
This child is so adorable! He's so studious and smart, he learns everything instantly, and he's incredibly sensible and considerate. He'll definitely grow up to be a warm and caring young man.
Children love to compare themselves to others. Saburo, who is about the same age, is like a mirror in front of them, allowing them to clearly see the differences between themselves and Saburo.
Sanlang weaved through the crowd, chatting with one person and comforting another. In no time, he had become the most popular kid in the alley.
The Master stood by and watched, his initial anger turning to calm, then to appreciation, and finally he stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly.
It's rare to see this group of unruly little tyrants so well-behaved, actually managed to be tamed by a child; it's truly endearing.
Fresh seafood absorbs flavors easily when grilled and cooks quickly. Before long, all the children had their favorite skewers.
At Jiang Shan's instruction, Sanlang took a skewer of grilled eel and a skewer of prawns and walked up to the master. He bowed and said in a crisp voice, "Sir, my sister and I have been bothering you here. Please forgive us. This is a small token of my appreciation. Please do us the honor of having a taste."
The teacher looked down at the little child, his clear eyes filled with seriousness, neither humble nor timid.
The master took the skewers, smelled them, and without regard for his image, took a bite of the fragrant, charred eel.
Seeing that the mission was accomplished, Saburo clasped his hands in a salute and turned to leave.
The teacher stopped him, and while eating some skewers, asked, "Little boy, where do you live? Can you read?"
Sanlang scratched his head, turned to look at his sister, and said, "I am from Huaigu Village and have never been to school. Only my sister taught me to recognize a few characters."
The master didn't say anything, just focused on eating his skewers.
Saburo, however, was not in a hurry to leave and stood quietly to the side, waiting for the teacher to continue.
After finishing his skewers, the teacher took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and hands, pointed to the landscape, and said, "My surname is Wu. Go back and ask your sister if she would be willing to send you to my Qingfeng Academy."
Sanlang bowed again without haste, then turned back to Jiangshan's side.
Jiang Shan listened to every word the Master said.
She never dreamed that her scheme would give Sanlang such a huge advantage!
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