Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 40: Amazing Profits!

"How so?" Zhang Jinhe asked with a smile.

The roasted chestnuts that Xiao Ran made were similar to those he had eaten before. People in later generations liked to eat them, and people in this era should like them too.

"Isn't Jinniang's family a merchant in Chang'an? How about we make some roasted chestnuts and send them over to sell? After deducting the cost, we can split the profits 50/50."

Zhang Jinhe was delighted. "This is a good idea. I think it's feasible. This way, we can also increase the income of the villagers."

"Yes, that's what it means."

"Alright, let's give it a try. The young master will be in charge of roasting chestnuts, and I'll have someone deliver them to Chang'an."

"We definitely need to buy some chestnuts. Jinniang, what price do you think is appropriate?"

"A bushel of millet costs three coins, and chestnuts cost about five or six coins. My suggestion is to start with five coins and see how things go in Chang'an. If they sell well, we can raise the price. What do you think, young master?"

"That's perfectly fine. Roasted chestnuts taste best when they're hot, so we need to take measures to keep them warm."

"Okay, shouldn't we start with some initial investment?"

Xiao Ran nodded, "Let's each contribute 100 coins!"

"Alright, I'll go buy some chestnuts first. Young master, make them tomorrow morning and send them to Chang'an City as soon as possible."

"Okay!" Xiao Ran liked Zhang Jinhe's personality; he was straightforward and didn't mince words.

Zhang Jinhe wanted the villagers to make money, but he wouldn't let himself lose money.

Zhang Jinhe also had a specific method for buying chestnuts; she would first go to families whose circumstances were relatively difficult.

She knew very well which families in the village were well-off, and she also knew which families needed assistance.

Upon hearing that they were going to sell roasted chestnuts, Zhang Erya and Zhang Dalang stopped eating them.

“We’ll eat these ourselves, they’ll get cold tomorrow.” Xiao Ran grabbed a handful and gave them to Third Sister.

"Okay!" Third Sister really likes roasted chestnuts.

The persimmons are peeled, and this needs to be prepared as well.

Both persimmon cakes and persimmons are dried in the sun, but the process is more particular.

The biggest difference is that persimmon cakes need to be repeatedly kneaded during the drying process to promote the decomposition of pectin and the exudation of sugar, forming "persimmon frost".

Temperature and humidity need to be controlled, and the drying process should be carried out in stages.

It will take at least half a month.

Zhang Erya no longer needs to go out to work; she can stay at home and dry persimmon cakes.

While the clothes were drying, Xiao Ran told Zhang Erya what needed to be done.

There aren't many of these; I'll have to go buy some from my neighbors tomorrow.

"Young master, why are you pinching it like that?" Zhang Erya didn't quite understand.

"Because after you squeeze it, it will develop a white frost-like coating, making it taste even better!"

Zhang Erya never expected there to be such a saying.

In the evening, I, Zhang Jinhe, returned with chestnuts, about three bushels in total.

Compared to scales, measures seem to be more common, and people are used to measuring with measures in many situations.

There were still some roasted chestnuts left, so Zhang Jinhe took them back to show Zhang Mingde.

The main problem is that I'm getting old and it's inconvenient for me to eat these things.

"It seems you've learned quite a bit from traveling all over the country." Zhang Mingde sniffed the roasted chestnuts.

“Grandpa, if I can sell them, I can help the villagers. I’ll raise the price a little. It seems like the young man thinks so too. I even saw him drying persimmons.”

Zhang Mingde put down the roasted chestnuts. "Isn't it normal to dry persimmons? Many families make dried persimmons!"

“The young master’s is different. He peeled it, so it’s definitely not a dried persimmon,” Zhang Jinhe said with certainty.

“good good”

“Grandpa, write a letter to Father and ask him to help sell the roasted chestnuts.” Zhang Jinhe was afraid that Father wouldn’t help if he wrote the letter.

Zhang Mingde spoke up, and Zhang Huaicai had no choice but to sell roasted chestnuts, whether he wanted to or not.

"Alright, alright, bring me paper and pen." Zhang Mingde was bound to agree to Zhang Jinhe's request, since Xiao Ran was also involved, so he had to give him some face.

The next morning, everyone arrived very early.

Zhang Dalang and Zhang Erya got up early to prepare chestnuts and other things. Xiao Ran, as usual, ate bread, drank milk, and strolled over with his dog.

This time I brought four breakfasts, including one for Zhang Jinhe.

The bagged pure milk, though not sweet, is very fragrant.

“This pastry is so special,” Zhang Jinhe said, taking a bite.

“The young master said this is bread.” Third Sister took a bite with satisfaction.

“I’ve had milk before, and it didn’t taste good; it was very fishy. This one smells very good,” Zhang Jinhe said, staring at the bag in his hand.

Zhang Erya had never drunk milk before, but she thought the milk Xiao Ran gave her tasted very good.

The roasted chestnuts were loaded onto an oxcart and sent to Chang'an City as soon as possible.

Just as the morning bell at Chengtian Gate rang for the third time, the barbican gate of the West Market slowly rose with a creak.

The copper studs on the armor of the Imperial Guards guarding the city gate still held the dew from the previous night. Ox-carts carrying goods and porters carrying loads were already waiting outside the gate, the red tassels on their whips swaying gently with the trot of the animals.

Zhang Huaicai, working at Zhang's Grain Shop, also began his busy day.

"My lord!" Qin exclaimed, holding the letter. "A letter has arrived from home!"

Upon hearing the letter, Zhang Huaicai hurried over and looked at the words. They weren't the garbled scribbles that gave him a headache; they were his father's handwriting.

Zhang Huaicai felt that reading Zhang Jinhe's handwriting was a form of torture.

"There's something on the oxcart, covered with a quilt!" Madam Qin pointed outside the shop.

Zhang Huaicai glanced at it; he would only know after reading the letter.

Zhang Mingde told Zhang Huaicai about the curved plow, and Zhang Huaicai in Chang'an City also knew about it.

Because an imperial edict was issued to announce it to the world.

"Young Master Xiao Ran's sugar-roasted chestnuts," Zhang Huaicai muttered to himself.

Zhang Huaicai put away the letter, walked to the oxcart, and lifted the quilt. The heat and the smell of roasted chestnuts wafted towards him.

"It smells quite good!" Madam Qin also leaned closer to take a look.

Zhang Huaicai picked one up, tasted it, and said, "Not bad, not bad."

He grabbed some and gave it to Qin.

"Move it to the shop!" Zhang Huaicai shouted.

They found a wooden board and wrote "sugar-roasted chestnuts" on it. The word was novel and quite appealing.

Zhang Huaicai was a businessman. In the letter, Zhang Jinhe asked Zhang Mingde to write down the costs, so he naturally knew how much to sell it for.

We definitely can't afford to lose money!
As more people entered the West Market, some started asking about prices.

"Madam, find a box, pack some things, and send them to the master."

While Qin was still eating, she said, "I know, this is quite delicious. Leave some for Dalang."

Qin's only concern was her son.

"Okay, okay, go ahead!"

Ji State Duke's Mansion

Qin Qiong and his family were having breakfast in the hall.

Qin Tai carried the box into the hall. "My lord, Madam Zhang's people have brought some roasted chestnuts."

"Hmm?" Qin Qiong had never heard of it before. "Roasted chestnuts?"

"Let me see if Uncle Qin can give it to me!" Qin Huaidao stood up and took the box.

Qin Huaidao handed it to Qin Qiong.

Qin Qiong opened the box and smelled a unique aroma. "Chestnuts can be eaten like this?"

After saying that, Qin Qiong peeled one open and ate it. "Not bad, Madam, let the eldest son try some."

Qin Huaidao picked up a roasted chestnut. "This name is quite unique." "Zhang Ji. They were the ones who delivered rice before, weren't they?" Qin Qiong hadn't forgotten.

"Yes, it is them, Alang."

Qin Qiong muttered to himself, “Let’s send some cloth!” (from Kaolao Village)

Qin Qiong had never heard of roasted chestnuts before; the name Xiao Ran came to mind.

Qin Qiong naturally knew about the curved plow and felt that it also came from Xiao Ran.

As the morning sun shines over the eaves of the city towers in the West Market, dozens of bolts of Wu silk have already been laid out under the eaves of the silk shops, while the camel bells of the Persian shops mingle with the sound of foreign merchants' abacuses, shattering on the bluestone slabs.

A scholar in a round-necked robe was haggling with the pharmacy owner over half an ounce of goji berries, while the smoke from the fried dough stall, carrying the aroma of sesame, drifted towards the center of the street.

A horse-drawn carriage inlaid with silver was rolling over the dew-covered ruts, and the bronze nails with rings and animal heads on the carriage walls shimmered with a warm light in the morning sun.

Recognizing the carriage's unusual nature, pedestrians on the road consciously gave way.

A slender, snow-white hand gently lifted the curtain on the side of the carriage, revealing a large crowd gathered in front of Zhang's Grain Shop.

The wooden sign next to it reads 'Roasted Chestnuts'.

"Hmm?" Princess Yuzhang, Li Weiyang, had never heard of this before and immediately became interested.

I figured it must be pretty good since so many people are buying it.

"Xiangcao, stop!" Princess Yuzhang shouted.

Xiangcao lifted the curtain. "My lady, what are your orders?"

"Go buy some of the roasted chestnuts over there and bring them with you."

Vanilla looked around and saw that many people were buying roasted chestnuts; they seemed to be very popular.

"It's my wife!" Xiangcao jumped off the carriage.

Zhang Huaicai also noticed Xiangcao getting off the carriage and called out, "Freshly roasted chestnuts, fragrant and sweet roasted chestnuts!"

"Shopkeeper, what's the price?" Vanilla asked.

“Madam, one serving costs only five coins.” Zhang Huaicai held up five fingers.

"Two servings, please!" Xiangcao counted out ten coins and handed them over.

"Alright!" Although Vanilla arrived later, her attire and appearance were clearly extraordinary, so she should definitely be treated first.

Zhang Huaicai has been in Chang'an for two years, and judging from the carriage, the people inside are wealthy and powerful.

This era has neither plastic bags nor paper bags.

You can only wrap it with lotus leaves or banana leaves.

Xiangcao returned to the carriage with roasted chestnuts and handed them to Princess Yuzhang, saying, "My lady."

Princess Yuzhang took it, sniffed it gently, and said, "It smells quite nice. This name is very unique."

The unique name reminded Princess Yuzhang of the 'calcium milk biscuits' eaten at the Lizheng Hall, which were also quite special.

Princess Yuzhang was quite surprised after eating one.

It's still hot and tastes pretty good.

The West Market is crowded, and these kinds of unusual items easily attract attention. If someone finds something good, it sells out quickly.

Zhang Huaicai was very excited and put away the wooden board that read "Roasted Chestnuts" because they were all sold out.

I thought this new food would taste good and sell well, but I didn't expect it to sell this well.

Qin also returned from the Duke of Ji's mansion. "My lord, the master gave us some silk cloth."

"Okay, I understand!" Zhang Huaicai didn't even look up, and continued writing furiously with his brush.

"What about the roasted chestnuts?" Madam Qin asked, glancing at them.

"They sold very well, they're all sold out. Go find someone to keep you company while we deliver the message back to the village. The roasted chestnuts are very popular, have Jinniang and the others send some more."

"Shopkeeper, do you still have any roasted chestnuts?" a woman asked as she entered the grain shop.

"My lady, I'm sorry, we don't have any now," Zhang Huaicai said with a smile.

He didn't know when it would arrive, nor did he tell the woman when it would be delivered.

Zhang Huaicai needed to settle the accounts and send the money over.

A dou (a unit of dry measure) of chestnuts weighs approximately 6.6 jin (a unit of weight), while a jin in the Tang Dynasty was 16 liang (another unit of weight).

Xiao Ran roasted three dou (a unit of dry measure) of chestnuts and brought them over. After the moisture evaporated, each dou yielded six jin (a unit of weight).

What Zhang Huaicai received was approximately 18 jin, or 288 liang. One portion was 2 liang, which is 144 portions.

One serving costs 5 coins, and a total of 720 coins were sold!
These roasted chestnuts belonged to Xiao Ran and Zhang Jinhe, so Zhang Huaicai also paid for the ones he sent to the Duke of Ji's mansion himself.

Zhang Huaicai is a businessman, very particular, and doesn't take advantage of such situations.

This profit left Zhang Huaicai speechless; it was terrifying!

"Hiss!" Zhang Huaicai gasped, suddenly realizing that selling grain was no longer a good idea.

Zhang Huaicai knew that raw chestnuts used to cost about 5 copper coins per dou.

Now a bushel sells for 240 coins!
After deducting costs, I feel like I made a pure profit of 200 coins.

"This person is truly amazing!" Zhang Huaicai had to admit that Xiao Ran was incredible.

Qin found a servant to run errands, and Zhang Huaicai put the letter and money away and sent them back to Kaolao Village.

Just as I stepped out the door, I saw Qin Tai appear at the shop entrance.

Zhang Huaicai jogged over, "Oh, butler, what brings you here?"

"Do you also have those roasted chestnuts? My eldest son really likes them, let me take a look."

"We don't have any right now. I'll send them to you as soon as we have some. I don't know if we have any left today, but we should have some tomorrow." Zhang Huaicai hadn't expected that the heir of the Duke of Ji's mansion would like roasted chestnuts so much that even the steward had come in person.

Princess Yuzhang also thought the roasted chestnuts were good, so she took them directly to the Lizheng Hall.

Hongxiu approached Empress Zhangsun and said, "Your Highness, Princess Yuzhang requests an audience!"

Empress Zhangsun put down her book. "Hmm, let Sixth Sister in!"

Princess Yuzhang's birth mother died in childbirth, and she was raised by Empress Zhangsun.

Although she was not a direct descendant of the princesses, Empress Zhangsun treated her as her own daughter.

"Mother, elder sister," Princess Yuzhang said as she carried He Ye into the front hall.

"Sixth Sister!" Li Lizhi called out.

"Sixth Sister, come sit next to your mother," Empress Zhangsun said with a smile.

“Alright!” Princess Yuzhang sat down and placed the roasted chestnuts on the table. “I saw these when I came back from the West Market, thought they were nice, and bought some. Mother and elder sister, you should try them. They’re delicious.”

Li Lizhi picked one up and said, "This is a chestnut, isn't it?"

"Order sugar-roasted chestnuts!" Princess Yuzhang said.

“That’s a nice name.” Li Lizhi peeled one and gave it to Empress Zhangsun first.

"It's indeed quite different from what we've eaten before. Sizi Fanyin, come and eat some chestnuts," Empress Zhangsun called out.

The two little princesses came running back excitedly.

"Sister Xi Niu~" the little princess called out.

"Sizi Sanskrit!"

"It's really delicious, much better than boiled ones," Li Lizhi said. "Sizi Fanyin, eat this roasted chestnut!"

The little princess looked at it and picked one up.

The little girl definitely couldn't peel it open, so Princess Yuzhang smiled and took it, saying, "Sizi, your sixth sister will peel it for you."

"Hmmmm~"

"Sixth Sister, how much does it cost?" Empress Zhangsun asked, looking at the roasted chestnuts.

"One serving costs five copper coins, which is about two ounces."

“This isn’t cheap. You can buy a lot of raw chestnuts for five coins.” Li Lizhi knew the market price.

"Hehe~ This is good, Qi Ya~" the little princess said indistinctly.

(End of this chapter)