Chapter 258 Chapter 258
On the second day, Su Ruojin began to make snacks, from cakes to pasta, and from jams to fried foods. She was busy for three whole days and made nearly ten snacks that were easy to store and convenient to eat.
Ningning’s favorites are red date steamed cake and wild fruit jam. One is soft and the other is sweet and sour. She can’t stop eating them.
Fan Yanjia's favorite is the mini instant noodles - crisp noodles, which are very crunchy. He can eat three bags in one go without stopping. "Ajin, give me the recipe."
Su Ruojin rolled her eyes and said, "You made some of this yourself. You know the whole process. What other recipes do you need?"
"Hehe." Fan Yanjia laughed, "Even if I participated in the whole process, I still can't remember the exact proportions of the ingredients. Just write it down for me, Sister Ajin." The tone of her voice sounded like a younger brother acting coquettishly to his older sister.
Zhao Lan glanced over.
Fan Yanjia smiled ingratiatingly, "We grew up together with Ajin. If you marry her as your wife, it's not okay for me to acknowledge her as your sister." This way, he would also have a share of the delicious food in the future.
Zhao Lan didn't say anything else, Ning Ning refused, "How shameless are you? Can you just give someone a recipe? Besides, even if you took someone's recipe, you should at least show some appreciation. You're not ashamed to take it with nothing in your hands?"
"My sister Jin didn't say anything, what are you doing here chattering?"
Within two sentences, the two started arguing again.
"You are shameless. Sister Jin is embarrassed to say anything to you. As a bystander, I can't stand it. Can't I help the injustice?"
Su Ruojin: ...A small snack has been elevated to a chivalrous act? Oh, sister, it's not necessary...
Seeing that the two were about to fight, Su Ruojin quickly pulled the young lady away, "Miss Ning, don't be impatient. I'll give you the recipe for red date steamed cake and ask you to go back and make it for your grandmother. This is most suitable for the elderly with bad teeth. I guarantee that you will be happy after eating it."
The Dayin Dynasty also had similar steamed cakes, but Su Ruojin used a down-to-earth method, steaming them in a drawer with reed leaves. It combined fragrance and sweetness, was sweet but not greasy, and very delicious.
Ningning: …She wasn’t asking for the recipe in disguise, she just simply couldn’t stand the way Fan was taking things for free.
Su Ruojin smiled and said, "Take a breath, take a breath, quickly pick out the food you like, or else the young prince will pick out all of them."
Ningning: ...Who dares to challenge the young prince?
Ning Qillang likes fried Sanzi. No matter whether they are eaten dry or cooked in meat soup, they are so delicious that he can't stop eating them.
Su Ruojin reminded, "Seventh Master, eating this can easily cause internal heat. Drink chrysanthemum or honeysuckle tea every time you eat it, otherwise you will get acne on your face. Don't run away from the marriage. My young lady will stay away from you when she sees you."
Ning Qillang, who was enjoying his meal, suddenly felt that the Sanzi was not tasty anymore. Although he was also handsome and heroic, he could not stand the beautiful young Prince Zhao standing next to him. Fortunately, he had someone he loved, otherwise he would have to pick up the ones Zhao Lan missed in Beijing.
"Oh...oh..." As he said that, he asked his servant to make him honeysuckle tea to reduce the heat in his body.
Su Ruojin: ...Brother, it’s not necessary.
Zhao Lan likes strong flavors as always, so Su Ruojin made some spicy strips for him as a snack so he can chew them when he has nothing to do.
Spicy strips are a popular snack that can be made at home using tofu skin, chili powder, peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, sugar, cooking wine, soy sauce, etc.
Production process: Cut the tofu skin into strips and blanch it in boiling water to remove the fishy smell. Put oil in the pot, sauté star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, then discard. Add chili powder, soy sauce, sugar, dried red chili peppers and salt to season.
Finally, add a bowl of water, put in the tofu skin and cook until the soup is thick and dry.
It takes a lot of effort from making the tofu skin to finally making the spicy strips. It took me two or three days to make two pounds. But if you don't weigh this thing, two pounds looks like a lot.
Su Ruojin packed it up and said, "Brother Jin likes it. I'll make it again next time you come over."
Zhao Lan was so busy that he didn't want to let the girl cook it, so he asked her for the recipe. Next time, if he liked it, he could ask the chef in the restaurant to cook it.
Ning Qilang:......
It seemed like he was the only one who didn't ask for the recipe.
"Um... Ah... Sister Jin, can you give me the wine..."
"no."
Zhao Lan and Fan Yanjia both disagreed.
"Why?" Ningning was dissatisfied.
Wine is different from other snacks. Although snacks can also enter the commercial circulation link, they are just ordinary food. But wine is different. Sake is an important source of tax revenue for the court and is monopolized by the state. Other fruit wines have also been monopolized by aristocratic families, and have either become a symbol of a certain aristocracy or the main business of a certain aristocratic family.
After saying this, Ningning realized it belatedly and looked at his brother awkwardly.
Ning Qilang smiled and said, "There is an ancient poem that goes, 'Fine grape wine in a luminous cup, the pipa music urges me to drink. Don't laugh at me for sleeping drunk on the battlefield, how many men have ever returned from the battles in history? Wine has always been a tribute from the Western Regions. This time when I had it at Sister Jin's place, I suddenly felt that it was a good match for our Ning family, so... of course, my Ning family won't take it for nothing."
After saying that, he looked at Su Ruojin expectantly.
Zhao Lan and Fan Yanjia also looked at Su Ruojin. They grew up with her and knew that she was a little money-grubber. But they also understood her and knew when she would be money-grubbery and when she would not.
Sure enough, Su Ruojin smiled and said, "I can give Mr. Ning Qi the wine recipe for free, but I have a request."
The first sentence shocked Ning Qilang. The young lady actually gave it to her for free. But the next sentence... He raised his eyebrows, with an inquiring smile on his face, waiting for her to speak.
Su Ruojin said, "When the Ning family chooses a village or hilltop to grow grapes, they give enough benefits to the grape growers so that they can support their families and don't have to worry about their livelihoods."
That's it? Which tenant farmer in their farm doesn't have food? If they don't have food, won't they starve to death? How can they grow crops if they starve to death? Ning Ba Niang thought to herself, what kind of condition is this? It's the same as saying nothing.
What kind of condition is this? It's the same whether it's said or not. Could it be that the young lady's father is the county magistrate, so she also has the thinking of a county magistrate? The young lady is imitating the adults, which is funny to think about.
He smiled and nodded, "Okay. I promise."
At first glance, she didn't understand what she meant, but Su Ruojin didn't mind. It didn't matter whether she understood or not. It was a favor anyway, so she smiled and said, "Okay, I'll write it to you later."
After finally sending the young masters and ladies away, Su Ruojin began to grow pepper seedlings.
At the end of February, the pepper seedlings are two or three inches long and can be transplanted.
On the day of transplanting, people from the surrounding villages came to watch the fun. Since last winter, more than a hundred acres of land have been planted with various vegetables. The most common one people saw was cabbage. According to the people who came to help, these seemingly worthless cabbages could be transported to the capital and sold for several taels of silver on a cart. The villagers were so greedy that they all wanted to grow vegetables.
Especially the village chief from Xigouzi who had been helping out. He came over and asked, "Young lady, what are you planting? Why haven't we seen it before?"
Su Ruojin smiled proudly, "You really haven't seen it before."
"What is it?" The head of the village was extremely anxious.
He wouldn't understand even if she told him, so Su Ruojin asked Hua Ping to take out a spicy strip from his pocket and handed it to the head of the village, "Try it."
The head of the village had seen Hua Ping taking a dogwood out of her pouch from time to time to eat, and he had been envious for a long time. He took it and put it in his mouth. The spiciness immediately made him cough: "Cough cough... cough cough... cough" He finally stopped with a flushed face, looking very uncomfortable, "Young lady, does dogwood look like this?"
He hasn't seen it, don't lie to him!
Su Ruojin laughed and shook her head, "Uncle, it's not called dogwood, it's called chili pepper."
Although the old village head was coughing badly, he could see that Hua Ping was like drinking boiled water. He couldn't help it and took another small bite carefully. This time he ate it with care so as not to choke his throat. The more he chewed, the more fragrant it became. Hey, it was really delicious. I guess I can finish two big black steamed buns when I go home today.
After enjoying the meal, he asked again, "Young lady, can you...can you give me a few?"
"Sure." Su Ruojin was very generous. "Everyone who comes to help will be given three peppers in addition to wages. I tell you, uncle, if all three peppers grow well, the seeds they produce can grow an acre of land. Then you can sell them to me and I will buy them all."
The village head's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he asked excitedly, "Then...how much is one pound?"
"This..." Su Ruojin stood up. This thing was fresh, so the price couldn't be low. "Fresh ones are at least five cents, and dried ones are at least fifteen cents."
The old man was thinking that this thing was more profitable than growing crops, his heartbeat quickened, and he stared at the young lady: "How much fresh food can you harvest from that acre of land?"
Su Ruojin thought for a moment and said, "At least five hundred kilograms, right?" If it were in modern times, an acre of land would produce at least one thousand kilograms, and generally four or five thousand kilograms. But this was in ancient times, so she didn't dare to say so much. She decided to be conservative and estimated that eight hundred to one thousand kilograms should be no problem.
Five cents... five hundred catties... that's more than two taels of silver. My God, it's really more valuable than growing crops. His hands were shaking with excitement. "My dear, can the seeds of three peppers really grow an acre of land next year?"
Su Ruojin nodded, "If you can't plant one acre, come and buy seeds from me, as long as you want to plant."
"I miss you so much." The old man was so happy that he ran away and told the villagers the good news. The villagers jumped for joy when they heard it. Since last winter, they have had jobs one after another and their money has gradually increased. Their lives have become better. They didn't expect that they could make more money by growing peppers next year. For a while, they regarded Su Ruojin as the little god of wealth.
It took three days to plant more than a hundred acres of pepper fields. After sufficient water was poured and the roots were stable, Su Ruojin remembered that her uncle's wedding would be in about ten days. So she kept a nanny who was knowledgeable about farming and brought by Zhao Lan, and asked her to lead the people of Shangouzi Village to manage the more than a hundred acres of pepper fields.
March is the time when spring comes and flowers bloom, and it is also the time when leeks are on the market. Su Ruojin's several acres of leeks are taken off and started to be transported to the capital. As for leeks, as long as they are properly fertilized, they can be sold one after another.
She brought a few bundles back to her home in the county town and made leek dumplings, leek boxes, and leek cakes for her family. They were the first batch of fresh leek, so tender and juicy that you could lick your fingers while eating them.
Su Silang rubbed his belly while eating, "Sister, why is your cooking so much better than ours?"
Su Ruojin didn't know either. She smiled and said, "Maybe Sister's hands can turn food into gold."
"Haha..." Su Sanlang was amused and laughed so hard.
Mr. Pei's mouth was also full of oil after eating three large chive dumplings. "Delicious."
Su Yanli also nodded, "Ajin, have you planted all the vegetable fields in the west?"
"They've all been planted. As long as we take good care of them, there will be a good harvest." She has to check on them every now and then, and she can't be careless.
Cheng Yingzhen asked, "Ajin, your uncle is getting married to the princess. Besides the usual etiquette, what else should we give as a gift?"
This is really a headache. Su Ruojin subconsciously looked at Shangguan Yu, then looked around and realized that he was not there.
"Hey, Sanlang, didn't I ask you to go and call Master Shangguan? Why didn't you come?"
Su Sanlang did call him, but he was so distracted by playing when he came back that he forgot to tell him. He scratched his head and said, "Master Shangguan said that he is preparing books for the school and is a bit busy, so he won't come."
Su Ruojin and her father looked at each other, and both father and daughter knew what was going on. They were afraid that the scene would hurt their feelings!
She stood up and said, "Dad, I'm going to go see Master Shangguan."
Su Yanli nodded and said, "Go ahead. If he needs anything else, tell him to come to the county government office and I will allocate the funds."
When he said this, Su Ruojin noticed that Mr. Pei looked at him with a difficult look on his face.
Su Ruojin asked directly, "Dad, the county government's finances..."
"We haven't recovered from last year's famine yet, and now it's the spring gap, so..." We can only wait for the summer harvest.
We can only take it one step at a time. Su Ruojin wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, she didn't say it and went to find Shangguan Yu.
The private school was the residence of the confiscated petty officials. It was a quiet courtyard, just right for a private school. When Su Ruojin arrived, Shangguan Yu was copying books.
"That's all you're busy with?"
Shangguan Yu had become much thinner and looked weak, as if he had even lost the strength to smile.
Su Ruojin couldn't bear to look at it, "Master Shangguan, he is my uncle..."
When Su Yanzu was mentioned, Shangguan Yu quickly waved his hands, "Second Madam, it has nothing to do with Shaobai."
"But he let you down." Su Ruojin felt sad for him.
Shangguan Yu waved his hand again, "Ajin..." He seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Su Ruojin looked at Mao Ya and others around her and motioned them to go outside. Mao Ya looked at the surroundings and left the study with Ye Huaizhen.
Shangguan Yu asked Su Ruojin to sit down and sighed.
Su Ruojin poured him a cup of hot water, and he quickly said, "Thank you."
She listened quietly.
After drinking the hot tea, Shangguan Yu's blue lips felt better. He said, "In fact, when I escaped from my hometown, I told myself that I would not actively seek death. Whether I died of starvation, freezing, or illness, I would just let nature take its course. Whenever I got sick, I always felt that I would not live beyond tomorrow. But because of Shaobai, I escaped from the hands of the Black and White Impermanence time and time again. Now, even more because of Shaobai, my old illness has been cured. So... Second Madam, you don't have to feel sad for me. His current fate is what I have always prayed for. God heard it, so I am grateful to God and wish Shaobai all the best for the rest of his life."
Su Ruojin: ...Others have let it go long ago, so is she worrying in vain?
"So you are now..." How to describe haggardness?
Shangguan Yu shook his head and laughed, "I'm worried about money."
Su Ruojin's eyes widened, "What?"
"The Charity Bureau needs money, and the private school also needs money, but the market is not good now, and there is no market for my paintings or Shu brocade."
In a word, he didn't make any money.
The Dayin Dynasty has been in turmoil in the past two years, coupled with natural disasters, it is indeed difficult to make money. She has not made much money in the past two years.
"Everything will be fine after this year." The new emperor is not as mediocre as he seemed before. He is an emperor with ideas. He will definitely change the status quo and make the world stable and prosperous again.
Shangguan Yu nodded, "I believe it."
Shangguan Yu had no knot in his heart. For some reason, Su Ruojin seemed to have helped her uncle to untie the knot in his heart, and her mood instantly improved.
"You copied all the books for school by hand!" She was really impressed.
"What should we do then?" The worse the year, the more expensive the books become. An ordinary book on learning to read and write costs almost half a tael of silver. If you get dozens of books, you will lose dozens of taels of silver.
Su Ruojin: ...
"Don't copy it. I'm going to the capital in a few days. I'll find a printing shop and buy a batch of textbooks wholesale."
"This..." Shangguan Yu was obviously embarrassed.
Su Ruojin said, "Mr. Shangguan, my father has said that education is not a matter for one person. This is a matter for Weizhou County. Isn't it reasonable for the county government to pay for it?"
Shangguan Yu sighed, "It's not easy for you, sir, to deal with the mess you left behind when you took office."
"Master Shangguan, it's worth it for you to say this."
After solving the problem of books, Su Ruojin suggested that Shangguan Yu take her to see the school.
The two of them went to the school together. The desks and chairs for the three classes had been prepared. In Weizhou County, where materials were scarce, Shangguan Yu spent a lot of effort to get so many sets of desks and chairs.
"There are three classes: elementary, intermediate, and advanced." Shangguan Yu said, "During the first month of the year, I have contacted several scholars. Two or three of them are willing to come and take classes after the spring planting is over."
"Have you found the handyman and the janitor?"
Shangguan Yu nodded, "There are many people who want to work. It's easy to find. It mainly depends on their character. I picked a few honest and capable people."
Shangguan Yu was born into wealth, so these things were not difficult for him.
Su Ruojin looked at him again, and took out a Jiaozi from her purse. "Buy some delicious food. How can you realize your ambitions without a healthy body?"
Shangguan Yu didn't want to accept it at first, but after hearing what she said, he had no choice but to accept it.
The servant Qiu Shan collected fifty taels of Jiaozi for him and said, "Thank you, Second Madam."
"Brother Qiushan, you still have to find a maid or a woman who can cook. You two can't do anything even if you have money."
That's true.
Qiu Shan felt wronged, "Don't bother the Second Master, Second Lady, then please help me find one."
"Okay." Su Ruojin agreed straightforwardly. Just as she was about to ask Maoya to bring the hot chive box to Shangguan Yu and his servant, Yu Shuilian came running over from somewhere. She seemed to have heard their conversation and knelt down in front of Su Ruojin. "Second Madam, I am willing to light the fire and cook for Master Shangguan. Please give me a chance."
Su Ruojin remembered that this girl was the one whose brother was bullied in the alley. She had been malicious towards her every time, but this time was strange. She actually knelt down in front of her and begged for help.
She never looked down on others, but she insisted on kneeling. Su Ruojin looked at Shangguan Yu.
Shangguan Yu turned aside.
Qiu Shan was angry, "Miss Yu, our Master has always taken care of you and your brother, but you are so shameless that you want to put your heart on our Master. Do you have the nerve to beg here?"
"I..." Yu Shuilian bit her lip, her eyes full of tears, she wanted to say something but hesitated. What a beautiful little white lotus.
Su Ruojin hated people like this the most. Shangguan Yu probably saw it, so he would rather sacrifice his own health than let her cook for him.
Shangguan Yu sighed, "Madam Yu, there are differences between men and women. It's not appropriate for you to cook here. It's fine for you to cook at the Charity Bureau." After saying that, he turned and left.
Su Ruojin glanced at her. Shangguan Yu was a good-tempered person. The fact that he was not even kind to her meant that she had definitely touched his bottom line.
Sure enough, after walking for a distance, Qiu Shan said angrily, "If you like it, then you like it. You shouldn't climb into our young master's bed. Who do you think our young master is?"
Su Ruojin: ...Is it so explosive?
"She is... too brave."
"Who said it wasn't?" How compassionate the young master was before, how hateful he is now.
Su Ruojin blinked. Shangguan Yu is almost thirty years old now. Although he is thin, he has a dignified manner, handsome face, upright posture, elegant temperament, and a romantic temperament. He looks like a noble man, which is not something ordinary people can dream of.
Su Ruojin sighed. After what her uncle had said, she didn't know what would happen to Master Shangguan in the future. Would he succumb to the secular world like her uncle did, and find a woman to marry and have children?
After returning home, Su Ruojin asked Mother Dong to stew an old hen for Shangguan Yu, "Mom, find someone with a talent for cooking to teach you, and then be the cook for Master Shangguan."
Mother Dong agreed. She asked anxiously, "Second Mother, since you brought me back, aren't you going to open a breakfast shop?"
Su Ruojin asked her to wait a little longer.
"Until what time?"
"Wait until the summer harvest is over before the grain is put on the market."
The common people didn't even have food to eat, and as a family member of the county magistrate, Su Ruojin decided not to run a breakfast shop for the time being.
"Oh." Mother Dong had no choice but to shift her focus. "Then I will find more talented people to train people for the future breakfast shop."
“That’s a great idea!”
With something to do again, Mother Dong instantly became lively and began to work energetically again.
The princess got married, and the prince consort was his own younger brother. Su Yanli got leave and returned to the capital with his family.
As soon as I entered the city gate, someone came up to me and said, "Sir, the master wants you to stay in the mansion."
It turned out to be Su Dekai’s chief steward. They are back again.
Su Yanli had even forgotten his father. Su Yanzu was his biological son, and his marriage to the princess was such a big deal, how could he not come?
He shook his head and said, "I will go back to my own home first. After I am settled, I will go to pay my respects to my father tomorrow."
Seeing that he couldn't persuade the master, the steward had to go back.
Su Yanli and his wife looked at each other, and their previous uneasiness turned into a relaxed smile.
As time goes by, they keep growing up and finally break away from the shackles of their original families and live the life they want.
"Husband..."
"Ah Zhen."
The two hugged each other.
Su Sanlang and Su Silang were used to it, and they continued playing as if nothing had happened.
Su Ruojin was all smiles. Zhao Lan was greatly influenced by Su Yanli. He changed from a world-weary boy to a gentle and elegant man whenever he saw her. It seemed that if he married him, they would be as loving as his parents in the future!
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