Chapter 18
The eldest cousin's wife was a little nervous. She had never met the village chief alone before. Gu Xinxin coughed lightly and waved her hand. "We're not looking for Auntie, we're looking for you, Uncle Wang. Is this the case? Can I make an agreement with the people in our village?"
The village chief put down the bamboo stick and asked, "You? Where's your father?"
Making an agreement with the people in the village, isn't it the man of the family's job to do it?
Gu Xinxin said, "My father doesn't know about my affairs."
"As a girl, what kind of agreement can you make with the villagers?" The village chief waved his hand and said, "If you want to play, go find the girls in the village. I'm not kidding you."
"I'm not kidding. I want to buy sugarcane. If anyone in the village is willing to grow sugarcane, I'll come and buy it." Gu Xinxin said, "At the big market outside, a piece of sugarcane costs fifteen copper coins, but it's so sweet and comes from over there. Add in the shipping cost, so it's definitely more expensive. I'll buy it for ten copper coins. If anyone is willing to grow it, I'll find a way to buy the sugarcane seeds."
Sugarcane isn't usually grown from seeds, but rather from the inner stems. These are the small buds that grow from the nodes of the sugarcane. They're usually harvested from the top or tail ends, as they don't contain much sugar and are less flavorful. It's better to leave them as sprouts and continue growing them.
Moreover, sugarcane usually takes two years to bloom and bear fruit and produce seeds.
But the taste of two-year-old sugarcane is very bad, so sugarcane growers cut it down and sell it after one year, and then leave the top or tail end for side bud reproduction and planting the following year.
But since there is no good sugarcane in their area—not very sweet, meaning not very high in sugar content—she grows sugarcane to extract brown sugar, and if the sugar content is insufficient, she won't achieve her goal.
Therefore, we need to find good sugarcane from the south. Even if we replace the side buds once a year, it is better than using local sugarcane.
In fact, the best thing should be beets, but beets were introduced from foreign countries and were not cultivated in China until the 19th century, which is quite different from the present era. Moreover, Gu Xinxin didn't know whether there were any fleets sailing overseas in this era, and whether there was any way to bring her beet seeds.
So her only choice was sugarcane.
The village chief looked Gu Xinxin up and down in confusion: "You come here to buy? Do you have money?"
This question was a bit heartbreaking. Gu Xinxin forced a smile and said, "Not yet, but soon."
The village chief waved his hand and said, "You should make some money first. Otherwise, if everyone rushes to plant sugarcane and no one wants it, won't it just rot in the fields?"
Everyone knows that sugarcane is expensive. It’s not that no one has thought about growing sugarcane and selling it in town, but the taste is not good and it’s not sweet. Even if you pay seven or eight copper coins for it, no one may buy it. If it can’t be sold, won’t it just rot in the fields?
No one here knows how to make sugar. What is more popular here is making malt sugar.
Making sugar from sugarcane is a southern method.
But malt sugar consumes too much wheat, so it is better to use green wheat. Unless a family has too much grain, they would not be willing to use green wheat to make malt sugar.
Gu Xinxin asked again, "Can I sign the contract in advance? Then I will definitely buy the sugarcane and won't let everyone's sugarcane rot in the fields."
The village chief waved his hand. What's the point of the contract? She's just an unmarried little girl. Even if she really can't come up with the money, can she become Gu Daniu's wife or sell herself to pay off the debt?
We are all from the same village. Could you have the heart to force her to death?
The village chief replied perfunctorily: "First, get the sugarcane seeds."
Sugarcane seeds are not easy to find.
If she had the ability to get good seeds from the south, she might be able to make money in the future.
Gu Xinxin was sent out by the village chief, feeling rather depressed: "The village chief really has no ability to judge people."
Can't you see that she has a smart face and looks like someone who will become rich in the future?
The eldest cousin's wife laughed and said awkwardly, "It's mainly because you're too young. When you first came to our house, didn't my mother also not trust you?"
The two of them walked slowly all the way to the door of Second Aunt's house. Second Aunt waved at Gu's house: "Xinxin, come here. I've already told your father. Come and make a promise to your father that this will not happen again in the future. This matter is over."
Gu Xinxin paused and followed the second aunt back.
Gu Daniu and Da Ma Jin Dao were sitting in the yard, their wounds had been bandaged. He was a hunter, so he always had things like wound medicine at home.
Gu Daniu raised his chin and said, "Kneel down and admit your mistake."
Gu Xinxin felt a little heart-attacked. She looked at Second Aunt and asked, "Is this what you said we had already agreed on?"
But Second Auntie obviously didn't think there was anything wrong and persuaded Gu Xinxin: "Kowtow to your father and this matter will be over. He is your father, not an outsider. Just kowtow and that's all."
Gu Xinxin pursed her lips. This was the biggest problem - Gu Daniu was the original body's father, and now he was her father.
Kowtow to parents, in this era, is a common thing. You kowtow once during festivals, once when there is a happy event, once when there is a funeral, once even when there is nothing going on, and even more often when there is something going on.
Her current situation is a serious matter, a family war.
Gu Xinxin lowered her head, and Second Aunt urged her from the side: "Be obedient and don't argue with your father. Your father also said that after this incident, he will never hit you again. After all, you have grown up and become a big girl. If he hits you, it will only ruin your reputation."
Kowtow to her, and in exchange, Gu Daniu will never hit her casually again?
Even if she did take action, with what Second Aunt said today, could she ask Second Aunt to make the decision?
This business... is quite profitable, right?
"What about the business..." Gu Xinxin asked hurriedly, needing to settle this matter as well. It was obvious that Second Aunt had also asked about the reason for the fight, and immediately said, "Your father promised to give you ten copper coins for one tael of silver, but Xiangrong will study in the future, so he will only give you the tuition. The rest of the pens, ink, paper, and inkstone are all yours."
Anyway, I can't leave any money for Gu Xinxin, so any money I have has to be spent on Gu Xiangrong.
Gu Xiangrong was a little nervous: "Don't worry, sister, I will go copy books and earn money to buy pens, ink, paper and inkstone."
His sister is a miser, all she does is earn money and never spend it. The money she earned in the county town is now completely gone. She can't even afford to buy herself a hairband or malt candy.
The amount of money needed for reading, such as pens, ink, paper and inkstone, is not a small amount.
Gu Xinxin bent her legs and knelt on the ground to kowtow to Gu Daniu, silently saying in her heart - Bodhisattva, oh Bodhisattva, I kowtow to you, please show up and take this man away quickly, it would be best if you take him away immediately.
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