Traveling through ancient times, I led my family to prosperity

After Sheng Xuan left, Zhang Shanfeng sounded the alarm for the eldest and his wife, "You must work hard when you go there. You must treat the tofu shop as your own business and live up to the trust of the Xiaolan family. If I find out that you have done something dishonest, you will never have to come back to the Zhang family again."

The couple agreed and nodded, "Dad, just be at ease. We will never do such a thing."

"Second brother, don't be upset. I think Xiaolan is quite ambitious. Her house is small now and she can't make room for it. Once the new house is built and there's room for her to make room, you'll be the next one."

"Dad, look at what you said. I have already figured out what kind of person Xiaolan is. Our family is free now, so let's help her build the house first." Liu said with a smile.

"Well, as long as you have an idea in your mind," said Zhang Qingshan.

On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, Xiaolan's tofu workshop reopened amid the sound of firecrackers. Although it was still the first lunar month, the workers in the workshop had already started work. Zhang Qingfeng and Fu packed their bags the night before and came.

Xiao Lan was still the one making tofu today, but Zhang Qingnian was watching from the side. The operation was simple, but no one could have imagined that cold water stone could be used to make tofu.

The next day, Zhang Qingfeng took over Xiaolan's job. Xiaolan gave Zhang Qingfeng an account book and taught him how to use it to keep accounts. He had been exposed to it when he was selling horses before, so he got the hang of it quickly. Zhang and Shengxuan also handed over the task of soaking beans and managing workers to Fu. It is worth mentioning that Xiaolan had been exposed to more numbers in the tofu shop business these days, and gradually recognized some words.

The accounts have to be handed over to Xiaolan for review after work every day. Now they have just started and are not very familiar with it yet. Once the process is smooth, the account books will not need to be submitted so frequently.

Xiaolan's tofu, tofu pudding, bean curd skin, bean curd sticks and dried tofu are still only supplied to Tianxianglou. After the New Year, the prices were revised to two hundred wen per catty, one hundred wen per catty, two hundred and thirty wen per catty, three hundred wen per catty and three hundred and fifty wen per catty respectively.

During the first month of the lunar year, when there are few customers, we supply 60 kilograms of tofu and tofu pudding every day, and 30 kilograms of tofu skin, bean curd sticks and dried tofu every day. We will increase the supply when the customer flow increases after the first month of the lunar year. The profit of tofu and bean products is huge, but Xiaolan thinks that it won't be long before tofu and bean products become very cheap. But when we can make money, we must make it.

On the eve of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhang, Xiaoting and Xiaolan were busy making bean flour lanterns. The so-called bean flour lanterns are actually dough figurines of various shapes made from bean flour. There is a small bowl on the top of the dough figurine with a wick made of a straw stick wrapped with cotton wool inserted in it. Soybean oil is poured into it. The lanterns are lit on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and placed in different locations inside the house and outside the yard to pray for good weather and a good harvest in the new year.

In order to make the bean flour delicate and beautiful without cracking or breaking, the ingredients are very particular. It needs to be made from the flour ground from the newly harvested beans of the previous year. Water is added to the bean flour and kneaded into dough repeatedly to make it flexible and strong. The bean flour itself is oily. Zhang and Xiaolan are both dexterous people, and they can make noodle lanterns of various shapes.

In a blink of an eye, it was the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This was the first important festival after the Spring Festival. The tofu workshop took half a day off on this day, and Zhang Qingfeng and Fu drove a horse-drawn carriage back to Xishan Village to celebrate the festival.

There are no lanterns to see in Shengjia Village, but you can see lanterns in the town or county. People don't eat Yuanxiao at night, but dumplings. The ladies who usually stay at home are allowed to go out and play on this day. They will go out together to enjoy the lanterns, guess lantern riddles, and watch fireworks. Fireworks represent auspiciousness and happiness, and can drive away evil and eliminate disasters. Zhang said that many unmarried men and women would take the opportunity of enjoying the lanterns to find their sweethearts, and the Lantern Festival created many marriages.

But it was too early for Xiaoting and Xiaolan. They were not yet at the age of engagement. Besides, Zhang did not want her daughters to get married early. She wanted to keep them at home for a few more years. Xiaolan's tofu shop had just opened not long ago, and it was a busy time, so her family did not go out to enjoy the lanterns.

Women in farm families do not follow the rule of staying at home, because they not only have to wash clothes, cook, feed chickens and raise pigs, but also work in the fields. If they stay at home every day, the men will not be able to handle the work in the fields, which is not realistic.

In the evening, Xiaolan's family had a simple celebration. Zhang and Xiaoting made cabbage and tofu meatballs, fried bean curd with black fungus, braised rabbit meat, and braised spare ribs. The family made dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork. After the dumplings were cooked, Shengxuan and Xiaowen went to set off firecrackers. Listening to the crackling sound of firecrackers everywhere in the village, there was a festive atmosphere.

After dinner, the rice lanterns are lit and need to burn overnight, then put away the next day. On the second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head, the rice lanterns are used to stew cabbage.

After finishing her work, Zhang took out the cakes sent by Manager Xu and shared them with her family. "We didn't go to the town to see the lanterns this year. We will go next year when things are back on track," Zhang said to her three children.

"Mom, we know that we can't leave our family at home right now, and you guys are worried about us going to town so late at night." Xiao Ting continued, "The town will definitely be crowded today, so it's better to stay at home and feel comfortable."

Xiaolan and Xiaowen both nodded in agreement.

Zhang and Sheng Xuan were very pleased to see that their daughter and son were so sensible.

The people from the neighboring Sheng family did not go to the town to enjoy the lanterns either, mainly because Grandpa Sheng did not agree to let the family go out. If they walked to the town, it would be too dark to walk at night, and if they hired a car, they would have to spend money. Money was needed everywhere in the house, and now it was only spending money, not making money. Grandpa Sheng was thinking about preparing the money for seeds after the spring, because after the New Year, the family started to tighten their belts.

Sheng Kai told the old man that he could go to the third brother's house to borrow a ox cart to go to town, so that he could save the money of hiring a car. But the old man scolded him a few words, saying that he should not always think about taking advantage of his family, so he stopped talking.

In the middle of the night, Xiao Lan was awakened by the light of fire outside the window. She was startled and woke up Xiao Ting beside her and shouted "Fire!"

Sheng Xuan, Zhang and Xiao Wen were all awakened by her voice. The family put on their clothes and ran out. The fire was very close to her home, only a few houses away.

"It's Zhongzhu's firewood pile that's on fire. They may not know about it yet. I'll go and knock on the door. Mother, you go back and fetch water to put out the fire. Let the children stay at home and don't forget to get close to the fire." Sheng Xuan said.