Chapter 10 Chapter 10 I Found a Treasure
After the beans were ground, they were used to make tofu with brine. Zhu Dan immediately called all the members of the guard of honor over.
Originally, if she hadn't made the previous discovery, she was going to use spiritual power to monitor and try to find the most suitable ratio, but since the Heavenly Dao can give early warning, Zhu Dan doesn't have to go through so much trouble.
While pouring brine into the boiling soy milk, she observed the little dragon of luck hovering above the alchemy cauldron.
Stop immediately when spiritual power appears and write down the approximate amount used.
"You guys can try it too. The key to making tofu is to make it crispy, but don't be afraid, just give it a try."
If there is too little brine, it will be made into tofu pudding; if there is too much brine, it will be made into firm tofu.
However, what Zhu Dan is planning to launch is tender tofu.
It’s large in quantity and affordable, a truly common food. Wouldn’t it become popular among the people?
While making tofu, Zhu Dan asked Meng Qi to rent a stall at the market. When he came back, he saw that the first batch of tofu was already ready. Without hesitation, he said, "Let's go sell tofu."
Tofu was a new variety, so after arriving at the market, Zhu Dan set up a stove on the spot and made a fish stew with tofu.
Gurgling, the aroma spread from the open clay pot.
Zhu Dan smiled confidently, now waiting for the first person to come and try it out.
Five minutes passed.
Half an hour passed.
…
Zhu Dan's confident face collapsed, and she questioned her life: "This fish stew with tofu is so delicious, and I even advertised free samples, so why aren't there any customers?"
Fusu and his companions looked at each other in confusion.
In order to attract customers, Zhu Dan served Fusu a bowl and asked him to demonstrate on the spot how delicious the fish soup was. He also asked Xiang Lichun to play the role of a customer, ask the price loudly, and then act like he was conquered by the deliciousness of the fish soup.
Fusu's face turned red with anger. He felt that he had done the most embarrassing thing in his life, but Zhu Dan thought his expression was not exaggerated enough?
The others also looked unhappy. They had humbled themselves so much, but they didn't attract a single customer?
"What went wrong?" Zhu Dan pondered over it, observing the stalls in the market that had more customers. The goods were cheap, but the stall owners looked weathered and their clothes were covered with patches.
Zhu Dan looked down at himself again.
She had done some research in advance. She only used a tree branch to fix her hair, did not bring any of the jewelry given by the Shaofu, and chose old clothes with many patches. These were the servant's clothes that the housekeeper had found with great difficulty!
Zhu Dan stared at a customer who was walking past the stall. He was obviously drooling with greed, but when he met Zhu Dan's eyes, he ran away in panic!
Zhu Dan: “…”
She said to Monkie in frustration, "Do we look like we're going to eat people?"
Fusu, who had never worn such shabby clothes, didn't want to talk. He was just glad that he was Monkey now.
The housekeeper whispered, "Perhaps it's because the young masters are of extraordinary character and appearance, and the people coming and going here are all ordinary people, so they don't dare. How about changing to another city?"
He knows the world better than them. Who would believe that such good white jade tofu would be sold for only one dollar?
If he didn't know the truth, he would think that the nobles were playing tricks on them.
Who would have thought that this was made of beans?
"No!" Zhu Dan flatly rejected it. If she wanted to make tofu a food that only nobles could eat, why would she come to Lantian County?
Should we lower the price? They say profit motivates people...
But Zhu Dan quickly shook his head.
When deciding the price of one big coin for a piece of tofu, she first did some calculations. The common people in Lantian County could earn about ten big coins a day. One baked bun cost five big coins, a bowl of wheat rice cost three big coins, and bean rice cost only one big coin.
This is also why the people I saw during my previous investigation mostly ate bean rice.
Their salaries are here, and accommodation also costs money. They originally came out to do odd jobs to earn money for their families, but in the end, they end up losing money from their savings?
But no matter how cheap...
It is said that there are three hard things in life: rowing a boat, forging iron, and making tofu. Making tofu is really not easy.
Beans account for one-third of the cost, and the remaining two-thirds is labor.
This price is just right. Tofu sellers can make some money and it is also convenient for promotion. If it is too high, it will go against Zhu Dan’s original intention.
Zhu Dan was getting anxious as the business was still not opening. He had clearly gained twenty strands of spiritual energy when he made the tofu in the morning, and the honor guard had also gained a few strands of spiritual energy when they ordered the tofu. This was the first time in the world that this had been so abundant, proving that this was the right path!
But what’s next?
Is it really true that the only thing left to sell is tofu to the nobility? Zhu Dan was unwilling to accept this, and her intuition told her that this might lead to the same fate as the papermaking industry.
The housekeeper hesitated to speak, and Zhu Dan looked over suddenly: "Do you know what's going on?"
The butler gritted his teeth and finally spoke.
Zhu Dan pointed at herself in disbelief. "I'm playing tricks on them?" She almost laughed out loud. "The tofu is so good, if I really wanted to cheat someone, why didn't I go after the nobles who were the suckers?"
The greatest noble, Prince Fusu: "..."
Butler: “…” He didn’t dare to speak.
Zhu Dan slowly calmed down and suddenly realized that the housekeeper might be right.
Having seen so many poor people in Lantian County, she didn't think she could disguise herself as one of them perfectly, but she thought they would regard her as a poor nobleman.
Isn't this also not possible?
Sighing, selling the goods in person was actually a mistake? She just wanted to see the hot scene of tofu sales! Zhu Dan returned to the stall: "Let's go back."
"Oh, think more positively." Xiang Lichun patted her shoulder, "This business is not easy to do."
Zhu Dan didn't say anything.
Fusu glanced at Zhu Dan. He originally thought that Zhu Dan was exaggerating when she said she wanted to win the hearts of the people. However, Zhu Dan made such delicious white jade tofu but was only willing to ask for a large sum of money. She was indeed kind-hearted, and very different from those alchemists who used sweet words to deceive his father.
"You..." Fusu wanted to comfort Zhu Dan.
Suddenly, Zhu Dan picked up the clay pot filled with fish, meat and tofu, and walked towards a place with a few clay bowls in his other hand.
Fusu hurried to catch up, but saw Zhu Dan walked straight up to a few beggars squatting in the corner and served each of them a bowl of fish and tofu soup: "Do you dare to eat it?"
The little beggar was terrified and wanted to run away, but was attracted by the aroma of the fish soup.
Although the fish soup had been left out for so long and had already gone cold, it was still a huge temptation to the beggar who was competing with wild dogs for food.
only……
The beggar didn't move for a long time. Zhu Dan looked disappointed: "Isn't this possible?" She picked up the clay pot, and suddenly a little boy of seven or eight years old rushed out like lightning and grabbed a clay bowl.
He stammered, "Sir, I, I dare to eat it." After he finished speaking, his whole face was almost buried in the bowl.
With someone taking the lead, the other children couldn't help it either.
Zhu Dan breathed a sigh of relief.
Sure enough, children wouldn’t think too much, but it’s more likely that they are too hungry... Zhu Dan wanted to sigh again. When people are about to starve to death, they dare to do anything.
After the jar of fish soup was distributed, she took back the ceramic bowl and suddenly said, "Sir, I can help you sell the goods!"
Zhu Dan looked in surprise and saw that it was the first child who took the pottery bowl.
She raised an eyebrow.
This kid has something.
Zhu Dan asked the housekeeper to take the child to wash his hair and take a bath. Other things would be fine, but the food business cannot be made dirty.
After being washed clean and wearing patched clothes that were 60% new, the little beggar standing in front of Zhu Dan was still thin, almost skin and bones. His eyes looked particularly big, and the child's eyes were dark and bright, which was a bit scary.
When Zhu Dan asked, she found out that he was already twelve or thirteen years old.
He was raised by an old beggar. After the old beggar died, he started hanging out with other young beggars, begging for food on the streets.
After all, this was at the foot of Xianyang, and it was not the first time he had eaten food given by nobles.
But there is no doubt that none of them are as fragrant as this time.
"What's your name?" Zhu Dan asked him.
The child was stunned. What is his name? He didn't know either.
Although the old beggar fed him, he only shared some of the food he begged with him and rarely spoke to him, let alone gave him a name.
"...My name is Tiger."
"Ah?" Zhu Dan didn't understand.
"The tiger in the tiger!" Yes, he has to become a tiger so that he won't starve.
Zhu Dan's mouth twitched. "You're just a little kid, are you supposed to be a tiger?" His ambitions were lofty, but now—"Tiger Head, the stall is now yours. Work hard to sell the goods. The more you sell, the more commission I'll give you. The commission is that for every twenty pieces of tofu you sell, I'll give you a large sum. By the way, can you count to twenty?"
Hu Tou's eyes were firm: "My lord, I can do it."
He had long wanted to find a job, but unfortunately no one could teach him to read, but he could count to one hundred.
When Zhu Dan said to let go, he really did, but he left two armored guards not far away.
Although the market was managed and it was unlikely that people would steal tofu or smash stalls, Hu Tou was too thin and small after all. Even after washing and changing his clothes, he didn't look aristocratic at all and looked easy to bully.
"We are all incapable of this, how can we leave it to him?" Gongsun Liu said with hostility.
Hu Tou looked a little older than him, and he felt a sense of crisis that his senior sister was going to be snatched away by him.
"Let's give it a try." Zhu Dan glanced at the others and saw that they were not optimistic either, so he said to the housekeeper, "Go find someone who is eloquent. If he can't do it, we can change stalls and people."
The housekeeper had noticed since yesterday how persistent Zhu Dan was. Even Master Monkie couldn't persuade him to make a decision, so he agreed immediately.
After the housekeeper left, Zhu Dan looked around and chose a suitable place to observe.
It was far away, but she had some spiritual power to cheat, and she could hear Tiger Head soliciting customers.
The fish and tofu soup was gone, but he took out some tofu that had been broken during transportation as a sample.
After Zhu Dan came here, he could understand what the people in Xianyang Palace said, but Hutou had some local accent of Nantian County. It was okay if he spoke slowly, but when he introduced the way to eat tofu to the guests in a familiar way, Zhu Dan took a long time to understand. Wasn't it similar to what they said just now?
"Tofu tofu, fragrant tofu as white as jade, this big piece only costs one penny!"
"Please buy a piece of tofu, and add a dish to the family."
"This tofu is so soft and smooth that even people without teeth can eat it."
"He has a good memory. He actually remembered everything!" Zhu Dan exclaimed. The expression on Hu Tou's face reminded her of the clerk in the grain shop.
This child has a strong ability to imitate.
But can the same set of words really sell? Just when Zhu Dan was wondering if he was desperate, several customers paid.
And this is just the beginning. More and more customers are attracted, stop and pay.
Zhu Dan finally saw the hot scene of tofu selling. The good news was that it was their stall, the bad news was that someone else was helping to sell it.
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Xiang Lichun said, "This Hu Tou is really quite capable."
Gongsun Liu was jealous and puzzled: "I didn't see him do anything, why do those people listen to him?"
Zhu Dan saw the clue and shook his head: "These nobles and the common people are like two different worlds!" So it is not surprising that the people of the Six Kingdoms are the people of the Six Kingdoms and the Qin people are the Qin people.
As for Hu Tou, he knew many of the people and had a high level of trust from the beginning. He was also good at talking, so many people paid money without realizing it. He was simply a natural salesman.
Zhu Dan thought to himself: I have found a treasure.
"What are you standing there for? Go back and move some tofu." She greeted everyone and was too lazy to look at the spiritual energy that Monkie had inexplicably contributed, even though she clearly didn't argue with him this time.
But is he like this because he was hit by Tiger Head?
Zhu Dan doesn't care about an adult's psychological problems, just let him adjust himself.
Although the tofu sold well, it was a bit of a pity that no spiritual energy was brought in. However, the other courtyard was constantly making tofu, so spiritual energy was accumulating, which was very good.
How hot is the tofu business today? All the beans I soaked last night are gone.
The person the housekeeper called on short notice was also busy. He replaced Hu Tou and asked him to come for dinner.
Hu Tou was stunned when he saw lunch, but he was obviously bewitched by the suggestion. He was not even moved by the fact that it was corn rice. He quickly finished it in a few mouthfuls and went on again.
By two or three o'clock, all the tofu was sold out. Zhu Dan walked over to the stall, counted out two hundred and sixty-five big coins, and handed them to Hu Tou: "This is your commission."
After hesitating for a moment, he said, "If you trust me, you can deposit some of it with me. I still need to sell tofu tomorrow. Or you can buy a house in Lantian County?"
Zhu Dan really didn't know if Qin Chao had any real estate transactions. If so, where could she find a reliable agent, so she looked at Meng Qi.
Without waiting for Fusu to speak, Hutou said firmly: "My lord, I believe you."
He counted out ten large coins and pushed the rest toward Zhu Dan, "Save them all." He then looked at Zhu Dan expectantly, "Can I still be your clerk tomorrow?"
Zhu Dan's heart moved: "Of course, do you have a place to stay? We are staying at General Meng's house, why don't you come too?"
Hu Tou hesitated.
Zhu Dan added, "I'll take you to see how tofu is made so you can teach others how to make it in the future."
Hu Tou widened his eyes in shock and blurted out:
"Why, why teach others?"
Could it be that he lost a lot of money in the tofu business? Hu Tou suddenly panicked.
Yes, tofu is so beautiful and delicious, even the food given to him by the nobles did not contain tofu, which shows how precious it is. But why is it sold for so little money?
Although I don’t know what’s wrong with the boss, it’s definitely impossible for him to be crazy all the time.
Hu Tou lowered his head, knowing that such a good job would not last long.
"It's not a loss." Zhu Dan smiled and touched his head. Hmm, thank goodness his hair was clean. "You helped us make a lot of money today. This tofu is made from soybeans, so the cost is very cheap. It's just the labor that's troublesome."
"Then why should I teach others?" Hu Tou thought that it must be because Zhu Dan was too easy to talk to that he was so bold.
Zhu Dan put his hands on his hips and said proudly, "Because I want everyone in Lantian County, no matter if they are nobles or common people, rich or poor, to be able to eat tofu! How can I do it alone? So it would be best if everyone can do it."
Zhu Dan glanced at Hu Tou disdainfully: "Young man, your mission is not easy."
Teaching is very tiring.
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