Traveling through the mountains and farming

In the blink of an eye, a day passed.

Today, Lin Wan will go to the city with her second aunt Wang Yu Niang and three distant relatives from the Li family's side branch, including Li Chongwen's two distant cousins ​​Li Chonghai and Li Chongshan, and a distant cousin Luo Fang.

Until now, she has not sorted out the relationship between these ancestral relatives of the Li family, but she did not get entangled in it. Instead, she called them cousins ​​and cousins-in-law, prefixing them with their names.

Yesterday evening, Li Changyi came to tell Lin Wan that she needed to prepare six buckets of ice jelly, saying that since it was their first time setting up a stall, they should focus on learning. They planned to split into groups of two, and this time they would only go to the East and West Markets to set up stalls, and would consider residential areas and academies later.

After hearing this, Lin Wan felt that they acted in a very organized manner, and were practical and rigorous in their work. Working in pairs could help each other and thus get started faster.

Quanshui Village is about eight kilometers away from the county seat, and it takes more than half an hour to walk there.

In order to set off as early as possible, Lin Wan and the other two got up in the early morning to make ice jelly. In addition to the six buckets of ice jelly agreed upon in advance, they also made an extra small bucket of ice jelly for her.

Before daybreak, Second Aunt Wang Yu Niang and three others lit torches and pushed two carts to Lin Wan's house.

After exchanging greetings, everyone quickly loaded the ice jelly onto the carts. The two carts were filled to the brim. In addition to the ice jelly, there were also the empty wooden barrels, bamboo tubes, small display tables and other items that Lin Wan had mentioned would be needed for setting up the stall.

Lin Wan's bucket was also placed on the cart. She also put three Gastrodia elata in the backpack and carried it on her back. In addition, the bamboo tube and wooden bowl filled with sugar water were also placed in the backpack.

The two siblings did not go along this time. Originally, Lin Wan planned to take them both with her, but Li Chongle sensibly refused. He said that he had to pick lychees and gooseberries at home, and after he was done with this busy period, he would let her take them into the city to play.

After Li Chongle and his sister waved goodbye reluctantly, everyone started to make their way in the dark.

The others probably thought that Lin Wan was the youngest, so they all took care of her. Not only did they not let her help push the cart, they also advised her to take off the backpack on her back and put it on the cart.

She felt that her backpack was not heavy, so she smiled and declined the offer.

Looking at the four people who were walking silently and quickly ahead, she quickened her pace, came to Wang Yu Niang and asked:

"Aunt Yutang, have you all been to the county town before?"

Wang Yu Niang helped push the cart, turned her head slightly and answered Lin Wan succinctly, "I went there last year, but not this year."

At this time, the loud voice of my cousin Luo Fang came from the front:

"We've all been there before. My two cousins ​​went to the city to do odd jobs during the slack season, and I went with them to sell linen."

Lin Wan's question seemed to open Luo Fang's mouth.

"Wanniang, have you been there?"

"No, it's my first time there."

"It's okay. We've all been there. Just follow us when you enter the city. But you have to teach us how to sell ice jelly." Luo Fang turned around and said with a smile.

"No problem. Do you sell the linen you weave at home in the county town?" Lin Wan's family did not weave cloth, so she did not know how the villagers here sold the cloth after weaving it.

"No, there are cloth merchants coming to buy it, but the price they offer is relatively low. I went into the city before because I wanted to make more money, but the cost of entering the city is too high. It is not cost-effective to go out just to sell cloth, unless I sell some of it along with other goods. I took some with me today." Luo Fang said, turning his head and shrugged his right shoulder, indicating the linen in the basket on his back.

The second aunt also said, "I also brought some linen to sell."

Lin Wan continued to ask: "I see that the linen that everyone sells is in its original color. Will it be more expensive if it is dyed?"

She remembered seeing the linen they wove themselves at Aunt Li's house. It was the off-white original color cloth. Every household in the village would weave some and sell to supplement the family income, so linen was common, in large quantities and at a low price.

"We've always sold it like this. We've never sold dyed cloth, so it might be more expensive," Luo Fang responded.

Because Lin Wan and Luo Fang were talking about weaving, the two cousins ​​didn't say much. Second aunt Wang Yu Niang next to them gradually joined the conversation. The group continued to talk as they walked in the quiet night.

When the first ray of sunlight in the early morning broke through the sky, they finally arrived at the south gate of the city at daybreak.

At this time, the city gate had just opened and there was already a long line in front.

Seeing this, they hurriedly lined up behind, and then more people came one after another carrying loads on their shoulders or pushing carts.

"Let's prepare the official documents and give them to the officials for inspection when it's our turn. Also, prepare two cents." Li Chonghai, who was at the front of the line, turned around and reminded Lin Wan and the others.

Lin Wan had already taken out the public inspection (made of a bamboo board three inches wide and four inches long) and two copper coins, and was now observing the inspection process for entering the city ahead.

There were two officials guarding the gate on this side of the city entrance. The official on the right was responsible for inspection. After confirmation, the official on the left was responsible for collecting money and then letting people pass.

The team moved forward very quickly and soon it was Lin Wan's turn.

She showed her ID card, explained her purpose of entering the city, paid two cents, and passed through smoothly. After entering the city gate, she saw other people waiting for her not far ahead.

After that they had to act separately because the East City and the West City were in two opposite directions.

Moreover, on the way here, they had already discussed that the lively and outgoing Luo Fang and the calm Li Chonghai would go to the East Market, while the taciturn second aunt Wang Yu Niang and the agile and alert Li Chongshan would go to the West Market.

At this moment, everyone was filled with the excitement of making money immediately, without any of the nervousness they had when they first set out.

This was all thanks to Luo Fang who kept asking Lin Wan questions on the way. She asked all the details that needed to be paid attention to when setting up a stall, such as where to get the water in the wooden barrel. From this, they also extended the discussion to the fact that it cost money to get water from the county market, so they filled water in the nearest village before entering the city.

When they heard Lin Wan say that she was not going to the market first but wanted to walk around the city, everyone told her to be careful and then ran towards the target market.

Lin Wan stood there quietly, carrying a backpack and a small wooden bucket in her hand. She was not in a hurry to find a place to sell ice jelly, but wanted to ask someone where the largest teahouse in the county was.

However, seeing that passers-by were in a hurry, all rushing towards the East and West Markets, she gave up the idea of ​​asking for directions here.

So she started walking along the main street ahead.

As she walked, she was surprised to find herself in the county's high-end commercial center.

The street in front of her was very similar to the ancient tourist streets she had seen in modern times. It had all kinds of business, including inns, rouge shops, wine shops, restaurants, pawn shops, antique shops, incense and candle shops, ready-made cloth shops, jewelry shops, and teahouses.

Wait, her gaze suddenly stopped, and she saw the teahouse!

Lin Wan looked up, and the first thing that caught her eye was the quaint door. On the door was an exquisite plaque with the four characters "Qinxin Teahouse" written in ancient characters.

As soon as she stepped into the door, a handsome waiter immediately bent down and greeted her with a bright smile on his face:

"Welcome, sir, please come in."

As soon as she followed the waiter into the teahouse, she began to look around.

The interior decoration of the teahouse is simple yet simple and elegant. The figures and flowers carved on the fence are vivid, as if they will jump out at the next moment.

The teahouse is divided into two floors. The first floor is mainly the guest lobby, with four rows of tea tables and a performance stage in the middle, while the left and right rows upstairs are separated into several small boxes by screens.

Whether it is the appearance of the building or the interior decoration, it is not difficult to see that this should be the best teahouse in the county.

Under the guidance of the waiter, she came to a tea table at the back left and sat down.

"Sir, what would you like to order?" the waiter asked enthusiastically.

"Mung bean soup and a portion of the cheapest pastry."

After observation, Lin Wan found that in addition to tea, the main consumption in the teahouse here also includes candied fruits, fried dough twists, fried sesame balls and other fried noodles, various pastries, as well as various kinds of dumplings such as bean dumplings, sesame dumplings, and glutinous rice dumplings. The drinks are mainly mung bean soup and red bean soup, and there are relatively few varieties.

When the waiter heard that Lin Wan asked for the cheapest pastries, he did not look down on or neglect her, but still asked her enthusiastically if she had any other needs.

Seeing the waiter's good professional qualities, she was secretly happy and felt that she had come to the right place this time.

When the waiter went to deliver the pastries, she asked him for two empty bowls, and then filled them with the ice jelly she had brought.