With the carriage, the two found things much easier and returned to the thatched hut in no time. After untying the carriage, Lan Yamei tied the ponies to the old persimmon tree to graze. The late autumn outside the city was serene, with lush aquatic plants along the pond. This slow-paced, simple life was comforting and reassuring. Lan Yamei, accustomed to the dazzling lights of modern life, was moved by this unfamiliar morning scene. The lives of the ancients were truly beautiful.
Looking at the pile of tofu, Aunt Guan was bewildered. "Is all this for barbecue? How do you grill this soft tofu? Will it even work?"
Lan Yamei had already planned it out. The tofu here was soft, so she had to cut it into small pieces and deep-fry it first, then skewer it after the outer skin was colored!
Boil peanuts and edamame in seasoned water, let them soak, and sell them as snacks.
The pork is also prepared as streaky pork, but this time it's grilled until just sizzling with oil, then seasoned, flipped over, and served immediately to retain its tender and juicy texture. Oh, and the streaky pork must be served with raw garlic, rolled up and eaten – I guarantee I'll sell as much as I can!
Then skewer some fresh corn, deep-fry it for half a minute, then grill it and sprinkle with seasoning, aiming for a crispy outside and tender inside. This was all planned by Lan Ya Mei last night before going to bed. She wanted to try out a few new varieties first, to understand the taste habits of ancient people, before unleashing her ultimate move.
Lan Ya Mei's explanation was clear and detailed, but Aunt Guan was completely confused. She had never seen anything like it before and didn't know where to start. She could only stand aside and learn first.
Cut the tofu into cubes two inches long and three inches wide, steam for ten minutes, then deep-fry until 70% cooked. Remove and let cool, then skewer two cubes on a skewer and set aside for the evening.
Boil water, add three spoonfuls of the secret seasoning powder and a handful of salt. Boil peanuts for five minutes, then add edamame and boil for another five minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for ten minutes. Remove from the pot and let it cool before using.
Aunt Guan couldn't resist picking one up after smelling the aroma. She took a bite and exclaimed that it was incredibly delicious, and that a plate of it could easily sell for ten coins.
Next is the pork belly. The two of them cut the pork belly into thin slices and set the marinade aside to let it marinate.
She went to the field and picked more than thirty ears of corn, filling a whole basket. Aunt Guan felt sorry for them and kept saying, "They haven't matured yet, what a waste!"
Lan Ya Mei just smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll definitely make money."
The two cut the corn cobs into sections, then skewered them with the thinnest bamboo skewers beforehand, and then cut them off row by row with a knife, quickly filling a basket.
"Can this really be sold for money?" Aunt Guan still didn't believe it; she had never seen anyone barbecue corn before.
"This is a family recipe passed down through generations. I wouldn't have brought it out if my business wasn't on the verge of collapse! Don't worry!" Lan Yamei said casually, these were just some of her favorite foods.
After all the corn was skewered and the pork belly had absorbed the flavor, the two quickly skewered the pork belly and then washed their hands and rested for a while.
Lan Yamei deliberately instructed Aunt Guan to water the horse, and then went inside to change into new clothes and shoes before smugly coming out to show off.
Aunt Guan stared in amazement, thinking, "Clothes really do make the man." She chuckled and said, "I didn't expect you to look so good dressed up! Come, come, let me comb your hair again."
In Aunt Guan's eyes, a woman with a ponytail looks like a man and is not pretty.
"Don't rush! You get a share too!" Lan Yamei pointed out the dark red silk dress and a pair of pink and white embroidered shoes hidden behind her back.
These clothes look expensive. Aunt Guan covered her mouth excitedly and hugged Lan Yamei tightly, saying, "Thank you! Thank you!" She hadn't bought any new clothes for many years since she fell on hard times.
A few hot tears dripped onto my shoulder. Knowing that Aunt Guan was crying, I said casually, "Stop being sentimental! I bought you clothes so that you would work hard. Do you think I love you? Go try them on, stop dawdling."
Aunt Guan knew that this little girl didn't treat her like an outsider, so she wiped away her tears with a smile and went inside to change her clothes.
After changing their clothes, the two stood under the eaves, looking at each other's attire, and couldn't help but burst into laughter!
"You don't look like a small vendor at all dressed up now. You must have spent a lot of money on this, right?" Aunt Guan couldn't stop smiling, and she found it all very amusing.
Lan Yamei then told Guan Da Niang about selling the jade pendant. After listening, Guan Da Niang fell into deep thought and said after a long time, "There must be something wrong with this! The jade pendant is made of good material, but it's not worth 500 taels of silver. 200 taels would be a miracle."
"Could it be that the pawnshop owner doesn't know the value of the goods and has misjudged them?" Lan Yamei guessed. After all, no one would do business that is obviously going to lose money.
"Impossible!" Aunt Guan immediately denied. "It must be related to the inscription on it! Do you remember? It says 'Murong' on it."
"Who cares? It's not like we stole or robbed it. That kid didn't pay for his meal and just gave it to us as payment. Even if the owner comes back later, we're not afraid. We'll reason with them. If all else fails, we'll just pay to redeem it and return it to him. That's all."
Lacking money at the moment, Aunt Guan had no choice but to proceed with the plan, but she couldn't bear to wear her new clothes to work. She took them off again when she returned to her room, leaving only her new shoes. Helpless, Lan Yamei could only change into her old clothes, just like Aunt Guan.
Busy times always pass quickly. It was already dark. The two of them didn't have time for dinner. They loaded their things into the car and headed to the ghost market.
This time, with a horse-drawn carriage, the journey was much faster than usual. Grandpa Ouyang arrived first as usual, having already set up tables and chairs; the fire on the stove burned brightly, clearly visible in the darkness.
Only when the carriage drew closer did Ouyang recognize Aunt Guan and Lan Yatou, and greeted them with a smile, "You two are up early today! You bought a carriage?"
"Uncle Ouyang, cook us two bowls of wontons." Lan Yamei said as she jumped off the car and started setting up her stall.
Aunt Guan wasn't in a hurry to start working. Instead, she loudly boasted to those around her, "How about that? We have a horse-drawn carriage now, isn't that great!"
"Not bad! Not bad!" Several stall owners around her chatted with Aunt Guan as they tidied up their stalls.
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