It's hard for my elder sister. I rely on the mountains to farm and pay off my debts.

After Monkey and the others left, Song Zhi immediately asked how many apricots Grandma had sent over today.

Mrs. Wu's hands were busy as she said to her granddaughter, "Including what we got yesterday, there are now a total of 300 kilograms at home."

Song Zhi calculated the number in her mind. Excluding the fifty kilograms of apricots for making fruit leather, the remaining more than two hundred kilograms of apricots could be used to make nearly seventy cans of apricot jam.

Fortunately, she had the foresight to think of distributing apricot jam to the villagers for sale. In the future, more and more apricots will be delivered, and more apricot jam will be made.

Thinking of this, Song Zhi suggested to her grandmother, "Grandma, I think we should still set up the stall at the city gate."

"With one more sales outlet, we can sell our apricot jam faster."

"Your uncle's hand hasn't fully healed yet, so he can only help out next door. Your aunt has to cook, and I have to help with the apricots at home. Your eldest brother is helping pave the road in the village, and you have to study medicine with Doctor Zheng. How can you find time to set up a stall?"

Song Zhi tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, "Why not ask Ah Cheng's grandfather to go?"

"The money they earn from the stalls is theirs, and just like the villagers, they get an extra five cents for every jar they sell."

Wu suddenly had an epiphany. "This is a good idea. My in-laws have three grandchildren, and they're still healthy. They can do this job!"

She happily called her daughter-in-law to the kitchen.

Yang was stir-frying apricot jam in the kitchen. When she heard her mother-in-law calling her, she quickly put the spatula in her husband's hand and asked him to help stir-fry it first.

Then he left the kitchen and asked, "Mom, you called me?"

"Azhi said that there are many merchants coming and going at the entrance to the city, and they often have to queue up to enter. Azhi suggested that your father and his family could set up a stall there to sell apricot juice or apricot jam."

"The money they earn from selling apricot juice is theirs. They just need to pay us the cost."

Yang was also very tempted when he heard this, but suddenly he thought of something and said hesitantly, "I wonder if my father and others have finished making tea for the county government?"

I forgot about this crop. There are many Forsythia leaves and few people making tea, so I guess it won't be finished so quickly.

But then she thought of the large number of people at her in-laws' house, and said to her daughter-in-law with relief, "If it really doesn't work out, then let your mother or your sister-in-law take Yinzhu to set up a stall."

"When our family sold jelly, it was only Azhi and Xiaoan who were busy."

Song Zhi also spoke at the right time: "So, Auntie, please take some time to go back tomorrow and ask them if they are willing to set up a stall. If they are willing, I will accompany them for half an hour the next morning and help them open the stall."

With Song Zhi's words, Yang happily agreed.

Thinking of the exposed city gate, Song Zhi suggested, "Auntie, it would be best if you could ask them to borrow a cart to pull a few wooden tables and stools."

"Also, it would be best to weave a sunshade canopy out of reeds and prop it up with bamboo poles when you get there. This way, you can provide shade while selling water, and customers will be more willing to sit down and rest. That way, your business will be halfway to success!"

"By the way, this apricot water is meant to quench thirst and cool down the summer heat. If it's too expensive, it won't sell well."

"Or buy some dried tangerine peel, or buy some mint and boil it in water, then scoop out a spoonful of apricot jam. This way you can sell the water cheaper and make money."

"Of course, if there are those who don't mind spending money, they can just sell apricot jam water."

Yang listened and grabbed Song Zhi's hand, "Good girl, it's hard for you to be so thoughtful. Auntie thanks you on behalf of Grandpa!"

Song Zhi smiled and said, "You're welcome, you're welcome. If Grandpa and his family sell more, our apricot jam will sell out faster. This is a mutually beneficial thing."

Yang nodded happily. "By the way, where can I buy those two things you mentioned, Azhi? Are they expensive?"

"Both of these are common medicinal herbs and are not expensive. Tangerine peel, like apricot jam, is an appetite-stimulating ingredient, while mint is known for its heat-relief properties. Paired with the sweet and sour fruit jam, it creates a unique flavor."

Speaking of mint, Song Zhi remembered that she had seen several clumps of it while washing clothes by the stream a few days ago, so she suggested, "There's mint by the stream, I'll go pick some."

After saying that, he left in a hurry, and the little ones in the family also ran away with him, howling.

A quarter of an hour later, Song Zhi brought back a bunch of mint leaves with a few children. She called her aunt over and introduced them to her, saying, "Look, this is mint."

Yang took a closer look, slapped her thigh, and said excitedly, "Isn't this Night-Breath Incense? I know it has a refreshing aroma when used to soak in water. Can it also be used to soak apricot jam?"

Song Zhi didn't know that mint had such a name. She nodded and said, "We'll know if it works if we give it a try." After that, she took action.

After a while, Song Zhi prepared several bowls of mint apricot jam water.

Several people picked up the bowl and tasted it. It was sweet with a special cool feeling of mint and the sweet taste of apricot. Drinking a bowl in this kind of weather is indeed refreshing and heat-relieving.

Yang was very surprised. She didn't expect that the combination of the two would taste so good. Now Yang felt more confident about setting up a stall.

After resolving my aunt's confusion, the family got busy again, preparing goods for tomorrow.

The whole family worked together and finally finished making all the apricot jams by burning the midnight oil.

Song Zhi then said to her grandmother, "Grandma, ask Granny Liu to bring us apricots tomorrow morning. I'm afraid she'll be too busy at home in the afternoon."

"I've already told her this today. Okay, go get some rest. You have to go to the county town tomorrow morning."

She had a dreamless night. The next morning, before Song Zhi got up, she heard the villagers talking in the yard.

From their chatter, Song Zhi realized that they came home to get apricot jam.

Song Zhi stretched, and her outstretched arms and legs touched a soft little arm. Song Zhi tilted her head and saw her little brother curled up in a ball and sleeping soundly.

Looking at the little guy's cheeks which were obviously getting fatter, Song Zhi felt relieved and carefully withdrew her hand, then tiptoed out of bed and tidied herself up.

Seeing her granddaughter, Mrs. Wu waved and said to her, "Azhi, there are only ten jars of apricot jam left today. The rest have been shared by everyone and sold in the city!"

"Then what can I bring back that big clay pot to put it in?"

Wu nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, everything is ready for you!"

"At that time, Xiao An and I took this apricot jam to the city to sell it."

The weight of so much apricot jam plus the pottery jar was too heavy to carry. Mrs. Wu was still worried that the two sisters could not carry it. "Well, I'll let Huanhuan go with you."

Song Zhiyuan thought that there were porters at the foot of the city wall who could help transport goods. Once she reached the entrance to the city, she would only need to pay a small amount of money to ask the porters to help deliver the goods to the destination.

But when I saw my younger sister's face was obviously filled with excitement when she heard this.

Song Zhi swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. It would be good to take the child to see the world more.

So, after some thought, Song Zhi nodded in agreement.

So Wu sent the three siblings to the village entrance, and only returned home after putting them on the ox cart.