Chapter 81 Chapter 81 The fish with brewer's lees was stewed for half an hour...
Zhao Mingsheng looked at the wilting seedlings in front of him and fell into distress.
After seeing Huang Furen and his family off that day, Zhao Mingsheng immediately began to try to plant a new batch of medicinal herbs outside the ridges. This time she did not use spiritual spring water.
Although she didn't use the spiritual spring, she took better care of it, loosening the soil, applying fertilizer, and watering.
But what Zhao Mingsheng didn't expect was that within three days, these newly planted seedlings began to show signs of wilting, and their branches and leaves turned from green to withered yellow.
This is totally different from what she had expected!
Zhao Mingsheng was inexplicably anxious because there were only twelve days left since her agreement with Huang Furen, and she really hoped that this deal would be successful.
In sharp contrast to the wilting appearance of these seedlings was the great thistle they discovered that day. After so many days, the great thistle not only did not wither, but grew better and better. New branches had sprouted from the places where they had been pinched off, and each of its emerald green leaves was stretched out, emitting the unique scent of the great thistle.
Why are there such huge differences in the growth of plants that have not been watered with spiritual spring water?
Zhao Mingsheng stared at the thistle for a long time, but couldn't find out what was special about it.
Suddenly, she saw specks of green scattered across the other side of the ridge not far away. As she got closer, she saw they were also medicinal herbs, though they were only small seedlings. It seemed the seeds had been blown here by the wind, or perhaps brought here by some small animal...
Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration came to Zhao Mingsheng's mind.
All the new herbs she planted were dug from the mountains, and these self-grown herbs were propagated from herbs in the herb field. So would it be easier to take cuttings directly from the herb field and then propagate them again?
Zhao Mingsheng thought so and tried it.
After three days of hard work, looking at the thriving seedlings, a smile finally appeared on Zhao Mingsheng's young face.
Sure enough, her idea was correct. The medicinal herbs in the medicine field had been infected by the spiritual spring, and some changes had already occurred within them. When the cuttings and leaves were placed in an unfamiliar environment, the spiritual spring accumulated in the plants began to take effect.
If we want to solve the problem of yield, the most important planting problem has been solved, and the next issue is the scale of planting.
According to Huang Furen's speculation, the Zhao family's current output can only provide half of the required quantity in the first year, so the scale needs to be expanded to at least two to three times to meet the market demand.
If the market can be opened up, there will be a greater demand in the future. By that time, Zhao Mingsheng may be able to persuade the whole village to grow medicinal herbs together, but for now she has to deal with this small part first.
The better fields around Qingshan Village have already been distributed to each household, so if you want better fields, you can only negotiate with other families.
Zhao Mingsheng went to see Aunt Zou.
Her family also has a piece of land of the same size as the Zhao family's. The men and sons in her family all work in the town. Originally, Aunt Zou grew some vegetables and other things in the land, but since she started the fermented bean curd business, she was too busy to handle the farm work, and finally she simply stopped farming. Therefore, the current situation of her family's land is similar to that of the Zhao family before, and it is also half-abandoned.
When I went there, Aunt Zou was grinding beans. The aroma of the beans permeated the air, and milky white soy juice flowed down the millstone bit by bit.
As soon as she heard that Zhao Mingsheng wanted to rent their family's land, she agreed without saying a word.
Zhao Mingsheng didn't expect things to go so smoothly. She smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Auntie!"
"Feel free to use it. The land is just sitting there anyway." Aunt Zou stopped what she was doing, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said with a smile, "You've done me such a big favor, and I haven't thanked you yet!"
She now makes a net profit of two taels of silver a month just by selling fermented bean curd. Business may be a little worse in winter, but she can still make an estimated twenty taels of silver a year, a sum she would have never dared to imagine before.
"No, no, no, Auntie, I won't use your land for free. I'll rent it to you. I'll pay you two taels of silver per mu per year. I'm going to rent it for five years, and I'll pay you back in one lump sum."
Two cents per mu? Aunt Zou's eyes widened in shock.
Normally, five taels of silver could buy one mu of private land, but the land allocated to each household in Qingshan Village was not considered private, so it could not be bought or sold. Even if it was rented, one mu cost two qian of silver. Her family had a total of one hundred mu of land, so that would be twenty taels per year, and one hundred taels in five years?
Aunt Zou would be so happy to earn twenty taels of silver a year, but now she suddenly has an extra hundred taels of silver. How should she spend it?
"One hundred taels?" Aunt Zou's throat was dry and a little hoarse.
Zhao Mingsheng picked up the kettle beside him, poured a cup of white cool water and handed it to her.
"Yes, if you agree, we can sign a document tonight and give you the money."
Aunt Zou was stunned holding the white cup. When her parents-in-law died, she owed a large sum of money for their medical treatment, which she has not yet paid off. Although she earned some money from making fermented bean curd, at the current rate, it would take three or four years for her to pay off everything.
As an old woman, she can wait, but her eldest son cannot. He is already 25 years old and still hasn't found a wife. His family is burdened with a huge debt. Which daughter would be willing to marry him?
The people of Qingshan Village are simple and honest, but there are still some people who talk behind their backs. A man of this age who still can't get married is bound to be criticized behind his back.
Aunt Zou was silent for a long time, and finally nodded: "Okay, I'll tell them when my husband comes back."
With this money, their family can not only pay off their debts, but also find a good wife for their son.
"Okay!" Zhao Mingsheng responded with a smile. She knew that this matter was most likely to be successful.
"Can you handle this much land by yourself?" Aunt Zou asked. "Are you still growing medicinal herbs?"
The fact that the Zhao family grows medicinal herbs in their fields is no longer a secret in Qingshan Village. Aunt Zou doesn’t know about this either, but she knows that more medicinal herbs can save more people, which is a great thing!
"Yes, I'm still growing medicinal herbs. I have so much land that I can't handle it all by myself. I'm also planning to hire some helpers. Aunt Zou can keep an eye on it for me when she's free."
Seeing that Aunt Zou agreed, Zhao Mingsheng said goodbye with peace of mind.
In the afternoon, Aunt Wang suddenly came to the door.
She was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush. She said right away, "I heard you want to hire someone to farm for you. Do you think I can do it?"
Aunt Wang works efficiently and effectively, never dragging her feet. Zhao Mingsheng is relieved to have her help with the planting of medicinal herbs, but...
"What about the field at my aunt's house? Is it no longer being cultivated?"
Aunt Wang's brows furrowed as she spoke in a muffled voice. Zhao Mingsheng then learned that some time ago, someone had approached Aunt Wang's husband with a piece of fine wood, asking him to help build a piece of furniture. Unexpectedly, the wood wasn't durable and cracked before even a bit of polishing. It wasn't her husband's fault, but the family insisted, accusing him of deliberately damaging the wood.
Aunt Wang's husband was no match for the opponent, and in the end not only lost a large sum of money, but also lost most of his savings over the years. His carpentry business also became unreputable in the town, and now no one dared to ask him to make furniture, so he had to come back to farm.
The Wang family's fields were not big, and one person was enough to take care of them, so Aunt Wang became idle. However, the family's situation was not as good as before, so she wondered if she could find other work. When she heard that the Zhao family had rented the Zou family's fields again and was looking for someone to help with farming, she came.
After hearing about Aunt Wang's family's experience, Zhao Mingsheng felt a little sad and thought some of the things were a little strange. However, without any evidence, she didn't say anything more. She just pulled Aunt Wang aside and said:
"Of course! Everyone in Qingshan Village knows how efficient you are at work. I'm sure you'll be at my side!" Aunt Wang had often sent fruits and vegetables to the Zhao family before, and Zhao Mingsheng remembered her kindness, so he naturally wouldn't treat her unfairly. "I'll let Aunt Zou farm that piece of land for five taels of silver a month. Is that okay with you?"
Aunt Wang felt very comfortable hearing these words, and this month's salary made her heart beat faster.
"Is this too much?" she asked cautiously.
Zhao Mingsheng patted the back of her hand soothingly. "It's not much. It's just that growing this kind of medicinal material is a little different from growing fruits and vegetables. I'll have to trouble you to work harder when the time comes."
"I'm not afraid of hard work!" Aunt Wang said hurriedly.
"Okay, if everything goes well tonight, we can start working tomorrow. Is it okay on your side, Aunt Wang?" Zhao Mingsheng asked.
"No problem!" Aunt Wang agreed readily.
After seeing Aunt Wang off, it was almost time for dinner.
Zhao Mingsheng hadn't cooked for a long time since Mrs. Meng's health improved. Today, she happened to have nothing to do, so she cooked dinner.
After entering the kitchen, Zhao Mingsheng saw the two jars of green wine by the wall and had an idea.
After the spicy fish with Sichuan peppercorns, Aunt Wang sent fish to the Zhao family several more times. Because there were too many fish and they couldn't finish them all at once, Zhao Mingsheng pickled some of them with salt and dried them in the sun.
Dried fish is very simple to make and convenient to eat. Just cut some green onions, add a spoonful of fermented black beans, pour some cooking wine, and steam it in a pot over high heat for a while. It will be a great dish to go with wine.
But Zhao Mingsheng didn't intend to make it so simple. Although steamed dried fish was delicious, eating too much would only make his mouth dry in such hot weather.
For such hot weather, wine lees fish would be more suitable.
After cleaning the dried fish, apply clear wine on the fish, add a little shredded green onion and ginger, and marinate for a while.
After a while, heat oil in a pan, put the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry until the fish skin is crispy and the fish meat is golden brown, then remove and set aside.
He heated oil in another wok and added chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic to the pan, stir-frying them. As the garlic aroma filled the air, Zhao Mingsheng scooped two pieces of fermented bean curd from the clay pot Aunt Zou had given him and dropped them into the pot. Suddenly, the fresh aroma was mingled with a hint of fermented bean curd's unique flavor, and the oil turned a bright red.
While the oil temperature is just right, pour the fried fish pieces into the pot, and pour some green wine along the edge of the pot. The faint aroma of sweet wine will instantly waft out.
Finally, add the tofu that Aunt Zou just sent and stew them together for half an hour. When the aroma of wine is the strongest, it can be served.
The best time to eat this fermented lees fish is not when it is just out of the pot, but after it cools down. All the aroma and flavor of the wine will penetrate into the fish's lungs from the initial external release. At this time, the fermented lees fish is the most delicious.
While waiting for the fish to cool down, Zhao Mingsheng prepared two cold dishes, one of which was cucumber with hyssop and the other was cold mixed shredded vegetables.
By the time the meal was served, Zhao Qingyue had just returned home from school.
Zhao Mingsheng also placed the jar of unused green wine on the table.
After a long stew, the dried fish's texture has transformed from its initial firmness to a smooth texture, mellowed by the aroma of the wine, though not intoxicating. The tofu, stewed for half an hour, blends the aroma of beans and wine, leaving every bite brimming with freshness and fragrance.
The remaining two cold dishes were also very refreshing, and went perfectly with the green wine. Even Zhao Mingsheng and Meng had a rare sip or two.
The father and son ate with wine and food, feeling very satisfied.
After dinner, when it was getting dark, Aunt Zou and her family knocked on the door of the Zhao family.
After getting the receipt, Zhao Mingsheng finally felt relieved.
There was not much time left, so the next morning after getting the receipt, Zhao Mingsheng took Aunt Wang to Aunt Zou's fields.
The two of them first spent the morning weeding the field. This field hadn't been abandoned for long, so cleaning it was much easier than the Zhao family's original field.
Time was running out, and Zhao Mingsheng didn't want to waste a single day. After watering his own fields, his daily task was to teach Aunt Wang how to grow medicinal herbs, a skill that involved quite a bit of learning.
Without the spiritual spring watering, these herbs need to be cared for more meticulously, including the exact time to water them, the amount of water to be watered, and when to fertilize them.
Zhao Mingsheng passed on all the experience he had accumulated over the past few days to Aunt Wang.
Aunt Wang was a quick learner, mastering the essentials within a few days. The newly planted medicinal plants grew stronger day by day under her care.
On the appointed day, Huang Furen arrived as promised.
Although he had agreed to give Zhao Mingsheng another half month, he didn't have much hope. To double the size of the plantation in such a short time was a very difficult task, or in his opinion, impossible.
But everything before him overturned his cognition.
Although the growth of the medicinal herbs in front of him was not as good as the batch he had seen before, it at least reached the quantity he wanted.
"Uncle Huang, to be honest, the herbs in this field, when they mature, will not be as good as those in the previous field..."
Before she could finish, Huang Furen waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter if the quality is a little lower."
In fact, Zhao Mingsheng didn't need to say it, he had already discovered that the quality of this batch of medicinal materials was not as good as the previous ones. After so many years of doing business, he still had some vision.
But he could also see that although the quality of this batch of medicinal materials was not as good as before, it was still much better than the medicinal materials on the market.
Although he didn't know how Zhao Mingsheng did it, he always only looked at the results, and this result made him very satisfied.
Huang Furen narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Miss Zhao is really amazing, Huang admires her."
Zhao Mingsheng smiled modestly in response, "Uncle Huang, you're so kind. Can we discuss the price of the herbs?"
"There aren't many medicinal herbs this good on the market, so I'm not sure about the price of this batch." Huang Furen paused, then said, "How about this? I'll take a batch to the market to test the price. Once this batch of herbs is sold, we'll split the profit 70% to 30%. Is that okay?"
"Of course, but I think the price can be adjusted a little bit," said Zhao Mingsheng.
Huang Furen frowned slightly. Panax notoginseng was already the lowest price he could offer. If it was any lower, he would have no room to make any profit. From a businessman's point of view, there would be no point in doing this business.
"I'll take six and you take four. Is that okay with you?"
Huang Furen was still thinking hard about how to refuse if Zhao Mingsheng wanted to lower the price again, when he heard that the girl did not want to lower the price, but to raise it again.
"I know the risks you're taking are huge. If you encounter bad weather, such as wind or rain, during the transportation of medicinal herbs, there's a high chance that some of the herbs will be lost due to the damp weather. The market for medicinal herbs may also experience price fluctuations. These are all unpredictable and could result in losses for you."
"Comparatively speaking, my losses will be much smaller, so how about we split it 40% and 60%?"
Huang Furen was moved by her earnest words, and he stopped being humble. If he pushed away the profits he had gained, he would not be a qualified businessman.
"good!"
The two of them signed a document on the spot.
Zhao Mingsheng took Aunt Wang and dug out some mature medicinal herbs from the ground and handed them to the guys brought by Huang Furen.
After the medicinal materials were handed over, Zhao Mingsheng and Aunt Wang, who had been busy for half a month, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Girl Zhao, it's hot now, and these herbs are not suitable for storage. I may have to take Yuexin back to the capital tomorrow. If you go to the capital in the future, you are welcome to visit my humble abode."
"Of course, I will definitely go to play with Sister Huang if I have the chance!" Zhao Mingsheng agreed happily.
She had a premonition that she would have the opportunity to return to the capital in the future, to the place where she had grown up for fourteen years, to see her grandmother, old friends, and meet new friends.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
