Zhenniang: The Three of Us (Part 7)
Ye Xiqing's painting was simple and clear, and Zhao Zhenniang immediately understood her meaning, jumping up and saying, "How can this be!"
People in the old society were relatively honest and valued contracts. Once someone recognized a godmother, she was considered their true mother. How could one possibly exploit their godmother for personal gain?
Ye Xiqing then took action again and painted a picture.
It's okay, I still want my own mother's money.
...
The money they raised was no small sum. When Granny Wang and Zhao Zhenniang counted it, they were extremely happy, even though it was just a passing source of income.
Aunt Wang was a master at counting money, and she quickly stacked the money into bundles: "So much money, we should spend it quickly, I don't even dare to close my eyes if it's left at home."
Zhao Zhenniang has a guilty conscience and is struggling with it fiercely.
Upon hearing what her godmother said, she was startled and immediately pushed the money in front of her: "Godmother, I'm young and incompetent. From now on, you can take care of all the money in this house!"
Wang Gan Niang paused in her act of tapping her cigarette: Huh?
While she was still in a daze, Zhao Zhenniang had already dug out the large earthenware jar in the house, poured out all the money inside, put it together with this pile of money, and pushed it in front of her godmother with a sincere look on her face.
"Godmother, I'm entrusting all the money to you to manage. From now on, you'll be in charge of this household!"
Aunt Wang stared at the pile of money, completely dumbfounded: "Girl, are you crazy? I'm your godmother, not your biological mother..."
Zhao Zhenniang's hands and feet cramped with nervousness, but she still shouted, "Godmother is also mother. I lost my mother when I was young, so you are my own mother!"
Even though Granny Wang was a clever and quick-witted woman, she was getting old, and her only fear was having no heir. Zhao Zhenniang's words stunned her on the spot.
At first, she pushed at it a few times in disbelief, but couldn't get it to move. Only when Zhao Zhenniang was determined to offer all her belongings to her did Granny Wang realize that her daughter was truly sincere.
Who wouldn't be moved by such a filial daughter whom she had taken in for free? Granny Wang burst into tears on the spot, holding Zhao Zhenniang's hand tightly, and began to tell about the grievances she had suffered in her life and the joy of meeting her as her daughter.
That night, the two chatted and looked at the money, talking until late into the night. When they woke up the next day, their relationship was as good as that of a mother and daughter.
With such a good relationship, they naturally talked about everything, and eventually the conversation turned to the villagers' cooperative oil-grinding project.
"Since we're going to expand, I think we shouldn't be stingy anymore. We should buy more equipment so that we can produce more oil and sell more."
“But it’s so expensive to get things. My family has one millstone and one pot, which is enough. If my sixth and seventh aunts get two more millstones and two more pots, then most of the money will be gone.”
"With the tools, my neighbors and fellow villagers were willing to help me for free, but buying sesame seeds also cost a lot of money."
"With so many millstones built, we'll need at least a thousand catties of sesame seeds. Even at sixty silver dollars a month, that's not enough. What should we do? Should I buy a smaller amount of sesame seeds first?"
Granny Wang knew about ghosts and spirits, but she didn't know about oil mills: "How much oil can you get from a thousand catties of sesame seeds?"
"One hundred catties of sesame seeds can yield about thirty to forty catties of oil. To be on the smaller scale, one thousand catties of sesame seeds can yield three hundred catties of oil."
"It sells for three cents a pound when sold individually, but it can sell for forty-eight cents a pound when sold in a shop."
"I don't have the money to open a shop right now, so I just want to sell those 300 catties of oil to recoup my costs."
"My aunt is right. Opening a shop can sell a lot, but the villagers are waiting for rice to cook. I need to let them see a return on their investment first, so let's sell it individually first."
The fact that she could make a living as a clerk showed that Granny Wang was quick-witted.
Three hundred catties of oil might sell for ninety yuan, but it's unlikely to actually sell for that much. The oil buyer will definitely deduct some of the tax.
However, when Zhao Zhenniang calculated the output, she didn't calculate it precisely, and the revenue was roughly the same.
Two millstones cost 16 yuan, two good pots cost 12 yuan, plus the cost of sesame seeds, totaling 88 yuan. Roasting so many sesame seeds, the cost of firewood must also be high, so let's make it 100 yuan.
Selling 300 jin of oil will almost break even. Wow, what a great business!
If it were a bottomless pit of a business, Granny Wang would have kept quiet, but this business seems to have a promising future.
With a determined effort, she took a gold bracelet out of her sleeve. Gold doesn't oxidize, but it gets dirty after a while. Granny Wang polished the bracelet as much as she could, as it contained all her possessions from many years of life.
As for the gold tooth in her mouth, it was her last resort to save her life, and of course, she couldn't take it out even if she died.
After rubbing the bracelet for a long time, he finally put it down, made a tough decision, and handed it to Zhao Zhenniang: "Your godmother has nothing to give you, take this bracelet and exchange it for money. Don't pawn it, just sell it! Sell it for a lot of money!"
Zhao Zhenniang was instructed by Ye Xiqing to do this, all for the sake of this large gold bracelet, but after actually getting it, Zhao Zhenniang couldn't bear it with her conscience.
"Godmother, this is your retirement money, I..."
She was about to take it without hesitation, but Aunt Wang was still suspicious. However, her natural performance was too perfect, which made Aunt Wang even more determined: "It's okay, godmother will have you to take care of her in her old age, what's there to be afraid of!"
Zhao Zhenniang declined repeatedly, but could not refuse.
Holding the heavy bracelet, she felt a wave of self-loathing, realizing she had become someone who only wanted to swindle money from the elderly…
...
Incense burner, although it's a low-class profession, really makes money. Aunt Wang sold one of her bracelets for fifty-two yuan and eight jiao.
Zhao Zhenniang dared not take a single penny, and handed over all the money to her godmother to manage.
Although Granny Wang lost all her bracelets, she kept all her money, which made her feel quite good.
But in fact, sometimes transferring financial power is not for people to enjoy themselves, but to make them more selfless. Even someone as shrewd as Granny Wang couldn't escape this trick.
When they actually started operating the business, they spent money like water, and in the end, they had nothing left but a big gold bracelet for nothing.
Fortunately, the money wasn't wasted; we actually accomplished something.
Zhao Zhenniang kept her aunt's words in mind and mobilized everyone in the village who could be mobilized, making sure no one was idle and lending them anything.
Giving money to the villagers might not make them appreciate Zhao Zhenniang's kindness; they might even be envious and hope she goes bankrupt.
But when she borrowed money from the villagers, they were afraid she wouldn't be able to repay it, and they didn't dare wish her bad luck.
However, Zhao Zhenniang was gentle by nature, and even with an evil god giving her advice, she couldn't be truly ruthless. Once power was handed to her, she carefully considered everyone's needs.
She gradually understood the main meaning of her aunt's words. She summoned everyone in the village who could be summoned and announced to them that she would use the three years of mourning to repay her neighbors to the best of her ability.
These three millstones are temporary. Once we make money, we will definitely install one for every household in the village.
However, going it alone means encountering many problems. When the people of our village unite their strength, we can earn more.
From now on, the millstones she installs for everyone will be considered public property of the village, and everyone will have a share. If they make money, the profits will be distributed according to the amount of labor contributed, with clear accounting.
No matter where the mill is located, it doesn't belong to any particular family; it's all public property, and no one is allowed to embezzle it!
As soon as she spoke, the villagers cheered. It's not poverty that's the problem, but inequality. Even those who have no means of support can afford to eat. Now that Zhao Zhenniang is helping everyone run the mill, everyone can get a share of the profits, so naturally, more people are happy to do so.
The more people you mobilize, the easier the work becomes, and everything becomes systematic and cost-effective.
If you buy a thousand catties of sesame seeds at once, the seller will give you a discount. Villagers are also eager to haul the sesame seeds, and they will receive a share of the profits based on their labor.
Labor costs are a major expense, but those at the bottom don't take their labor costs seriously at all. They consider anything they can get by putting in effort as free, and everyone wants to calculate their wages.
While they were building the millstone over there, they couldn't just sit idle here either. Zhao Zhenniang used the millstone that was readily available in her home to teach the villagers how to grind sesame oil.
The idea was initially that women should be responsible for grinding sesame oil, but since it's such a sought-after skill, men naturally wouldn't miss out and wanted to learn it too.
Zhao Zhenniang felt a lump in her throat, and the words her father had been nagging about passing down the craft only to sons echoed in her ears again.
When her father said those words, she didn't think much of it and obediently hid away.
But when it comes to asking women to learn, men do it so naturally.
Zhao Zhenniang felt like she had a piece of cotton stuck in her throat, and she didn't know why she felt this choking sensation.
After hesitating for a moment, she spoke kindly to the man who came, "The purpose of building the public mill is to give everyone another source of income. The aunts and grandmothers can't travel far, so they can grind oil at home."
"Our uncles and elders are strong and healthy, why don't they go out and do something big?"
She explained it quite clearly, but men are always shrewd; they get whatever they want and then they just keep pestering him.
Fortunately, women living at the bottom of society are not to be trifled with. They chased those scoundrels away in one go. You guys are just too much trouble!
Of course, it's better to keep the money in your own hands. The women in the village also want to save some money. How can they let those scoundrels steal their livelihood?
Looking at the mothers-in-law and aunts surrounding her, Zhao Zhenniang suddenly remembered what her third aunt had said. It turns out that it was indeed the presence of a noblewoman who brought her good fortune!
...
Being together as a group makes people happier. Zhao Zhenniang taught everyone how to grind sesame oil, one small pot at a time.
Sifting, washing, and grinding sesame seeds are not difficult tasks. Just be patient, grind slowly, and let the oil slowly come out. However, roasting sesame seeds is a real skill.
If you don't fry it enough, it won't be fragrant; if you fry it too vigorously, it will become sesame paste.
Sesame seeds need to be roasted in batches, so Zhao Zhenniang taught her how to roast them batch by batch.
The women in the village were used to working with firewood, so they learned quickly. Some of them even cooked better than Zhao Zhenniang, which greatly surprised Zhao Zhenniang, who praised them repeatedly.
The woman who was praised was very pleased and began to take on all the responsibilities, even teaching those who were slow learners.
But the ability to control the heat is also a matter of talent. Some people are born to cook well, while others just can't learn no matter what they try. In the end, everyone collectively suggested that the clumsy ones should stop cooking on the stove.
Sesame seeds are precious; we can't produce them indiscriminately!
Those with good heat can dry on the side of the pot, while those with poor heat can be turned on the millstone. The roasted sesame seeds are ground into paste, and then put back into the pot to add water and extract the oil.
Zhao Zhenniang remained calm and composed throughout the preceding procedures, but she became frightened at the final step of extracting the oil.
When her father was alive, he always told her that extracting oil was the most technically demanding process, and only a master craftsman could do it. He forbade her from touching the oil gourd.
Zhao Zhenniang watched the round oil gourd sink down, and the sesame oil smoothly flowed into the gourd through the two holes. She had always been envious and wanted to try it herself, but her father locked the oil gourd in the cabinet after taking out the oil.
Now she can finally break the lock and get the copper gourd inside, but she is a little scared. Her father didn't have time to teach her before he was gone, and she doesn't know how to get the oil herself!
But everyone around her was watching, and she couldn't show any weakness, so she gritted her teeth and submerged the oil gourd in the oil.
Water and oil do not mix; cooked oil will float on the water.
The bottom of the oil gourd is a full sphere that can hold oil inside. The oil inlet is on top, and the oil from the top layer flows into the oil gourd through the inlet.
When taking the first ladle, the oil was still thick and easy to scoop out, but Zhao Zhenniang was too nervous. As soon as the oil pot was full, she quickly lifted it out as if being chased by a dog, and poured the scooped-out oil into a fine gauze.
It was such a simple action, yet she seemed to have used all her strength, and even felt a little lingering fear after she finished.
He glanced at the copper gourd, then at the oil in the pot, and fell into deep thought.
It seems...it seems...not difficult?
The shackles that had bound her for her entire life were so easy to break, making her soul feel a little light.
As if he had survived a disaster, he handed the copper gourd to the others: "You should all try it. Extracting oil is a very skilled job. You have to extract all the oil without mixing in any water. The amount of oil extracted depends entirely on the skill of the oil extractor."
When she said that, the people around her immediately got excited. Such a simple job, yet it required the most skill?
Everyone took a spoonful, and when the last layer was clearly visible, no one dared to touch it.
The auntie, who was skilled at threading needles and always got it right, volunteered: "I'll do it!"
Her hands were exceptionally steady as she sank the oil jug and slowly moved it around, collecting the last drop of oil just in time. The crowd immediately cheered!
Zhao Zhenniang was also stunned. She went to weigh the oil and found that it was four ounces more than her father's!
Zhao Zhenniang fell silent. It turned out that extracting oil was indeed a skilled job, but her father wasn't a skilled worker...
...
In the process of teaching, Zhao Zhenniang unexpectedly discovered several skilled individuals. She then assigned different tasks to everyone, letting them specialize in whatever they were good at. In the end, they extracted 350 catties of oil from a thousand catties of sesame seeds.
In fact, the total weight was 358 jin. Zhao Zhenniang suggested that since it was all harvested by the villagers together, the remaining 8 jin should be distributed among the villagers, rounded down to the nearest whole number.
The villagers naturally agreed, not to mention that sesame oil is an extremely expensive commodity, something that ordinary families couldn't afford even once a year.
In this era, sesame oil itself is also a form of hard currency, which can be used directly as money.
Zhao Zhenniang owed the villagers a lot of money, so she felt at ease giving them some sesame oil in return.
Each person received a few ounces of sesame oil, which they were reluctant to buy, and that's how it ended up in every household's kitchen.
Once the sesame oil is produced, it's time to sell it. Three hundred catties is no small amount, and you'll need to find some ways to sell it.
When Zhao Zhenniang was at home, she focused on grinding sesame oil, while her father did the selling. She wasn't really good at it, but that didn't matter; she could just ask her third aunt for help.
Granny Wang created her own summoning ritual. It's unclear whether it works, but whenever she summons, Aunt Ye does come.
After descending into her immortal form, Ye Sangu looked at Wang Gupo and said, "My cultivation lies in predicting cause and effect, foreseeing good and bad fortune, knowing misfortune and blessing, and warding off disasters. The way of making money is not my forte."
“I have a younger sister named Hu Erjie. She is shrewd, knowledgeable about finances, and good at managing the family business.”
"My second sister loves beautiful clothes and beauty treatments. Knowing that I was here, she came to visit me a few days ago."
"She's been treated as a servant, so she can't be idle."
"How about I teach you a way to call her here?"
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