After traveling through time, she still led the villagers to make money as a county magistrate

Lianhua just thought that Li Jing was concerned about her and was afraid that her clothes would be dirty. After all, Lord Li was usually very strict and she had never heard that he cared about others.

Lotus shyly walked to the side and pointed to a place, "Just put it there, sir."

"Oh, our ruthless Lord Li actually cares about others. It's really rare!" Gu Niannian didn't know whether she was being sarcastic or joking when she said that.

The scene was quiet for a while—

Mother Li took out the roasted pork belly and said, "Le'an, where is your chili powder? Take some out."

While Gu Niannian was getting the chili powder, Li's mother continued to chop garlic slices, asking, "Do you remember how to marinate the meat before grilling it?"

Lotus and lotus leaves, "remember"

Mother Li put the garlic slices on a plate and said, "Jing'er, you have paper and pen with you, so write something to me. I'm afraid these two girls will forget it by then."

Li Jing obediently took out paper and pen from his pocket, and rolled up the charcoal pencil with rice paper, so he was not afraid of getting his clothes dirty.

Li's mother tried writing a few times. Although it was not as smooth as a modern pencil, it was still good and much more convenient than a brush. "Whoever came up with this is really smart."

"Jing'er, when you have nothing to do, help me make a few."

Gu Niannian, who was holding the chili powder, was proud when she heard Li's mother praising her. "It's not bad, right? I still have a few here. If you think it's useful, Aunt Li can take it back."

Li's mother was not polite either, "Okay, then I won't be polite."

After Li's mother wrote down the steps, the meat was almost cooked.

After taking the meat out of the oven, Li's mother instructed Lianhua to cut the meat along the grain.

Mother Li said, "These are made by two little girls. I just gave them some instructions. How do you like it?"

Gu Niannian picked up the piece of meat with her hands and put it into her mouth with chili powder and garlic slices, "Hmm~ It's delicious. It's true that the flavor of meat is half less when eaten without garlic. It tastes even better with garlic slices."

As he spoke, he handed Li Jing a piece of meat with garlic, "Try it!"

Li Jing took the meat and garlic handed to him by Gu Niannian, closed his eyes, stuffed the meat and garlic into his mouth, and swallowed them with a gulp without chewing.

Before Gu Niannian could retract her outstretched hand, she saw him eating so quickly and asked, "Why are you swallowing so fast? Can you taste it?"

Hearing this, Li Jing could only utter two words with difficulty, "It's... delicious!"

"If it tastes good, why don't you chew it a few more times instead of swallowing it whole?" Gu Niannian rolled his eyes at Li Jing. Li Jing didn't say anything, just smiled and scratched his head.

Li's mother saw this and said, "Le'an, don't blame him. He has never eaten garlic since he was a child. He doesn't eat cooked garlic, and he certainly doesn't eat raw garlic. It's a rare thing for him to eat the garlic you give him."

Gu Niannian, "Brother Li, this is your fault. If you don't like something to eat, just say it out loud! If you say it out loud, others will know whether you like it or not."

"But don't let yourself down, others may think you like to eat it."

Mother Li agreed, "Le An is right. Only when you speak out can the other person understand. Don't be such a sullen person all day, bottle everything up and suffer the grievances alone."

……

After seeing off Li Jing and his mother, Gu Niannian brought the remaining meat to Bai's yard and said, "Mom, look, I brought you something delicious."

Gu Niannian put the plate on the table and pointed, "Try it and see how it tastes."

Bai had tasted chili powder before, but she had never tasted this roasted pork belly. "I heard those two girls, Lotus and Lotus Leaf, say it was unparalleled in the world, so today she wanted to see if they were exaggerating.

Bai picked up a piece of meat with more lean meat and dipped it in a little chili powder. Her ability to eat spicy food is getting stronger and stronger now. The first time she ate so much chili powder, she choked and cried, but now she put it in her mouth without changing her expression.

Savoring it slowly, the amazement in my eyes could not be hidden, "It's so fragrant, fatty but not greasy, even I who don't like fatty meat can enjoy it."

Seeing her mother enjoying her meal, Gu Niannian asked, "Mom, is the store negotiation going well?"

Bai put down her chopsticks and replied, "If I rent it, it's ten taels of silver a year, with a minimum lease of three years. If I buy it outright, it's one hundred and twenty taels."

Gu Niannian, "Do you think we should buy it outright or lease it?"

Mrs. Bai picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the grease from the corners of her mouth. "I think it's best to buy it out. I've observed the traffic on the street these past few days, and it's quite a lot. The location is also on the corner. Even if my own business doesn't work out, I won't lose money if I sell it."

"I've tried this pork belly myself, and it's incredibly delicious. We're the only one of its kind in Qingshan County, so we don't have to worry about not being able to sell it."

"It's the nature of businessmen to pursue profit. If the landlord sees that our business is good and raises the price, or even refuses to rent to us and keeps the property for himself, even though he won't be able to imitate the taste immediately, future customers will still mistake it for our pork belly. It won't be difficult for him to find another shop, but it will be difficult to restore our reputation once it's damaged by him.

Gu Niannian took a sip of the tea in front of her and said, "Mom thinks long-term, so I'll do as you say."

"As for money..." Gu Niannian held up her chin.

All the money I brought with me over the past few months is gone, and it's certain that this business requires capital.

"Pawn my jewelry and clothes! That should be enough."

Bai said with some distress, "Those hairpins and jewelry are your favorites..."

Gu Niannian stood up and turned around, "Look, do I still need these now?"

It is indeed not necessary. Bai feels more and more sorry for her daughter. The daughters of other families never go out of the house and live a pampered and charming life at home.

Her family is in a good situation. Fortunately, her heart disease has healed, but now she has to wear either official uniform or gray clothes every day, and has to farm and do business to make money. By the time her brother comes back, she will be an old maid again. I wonder if she can still marry her ideal husband.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Bai became even more determined to help her daughter share more of the burden, at least to help her make money in the store.

"But in five years you will still have to change back to being a girl, and then..." Bai didn't finish her words.

Gu Niannian put her hands around Bai's neck and said, "In five years, these hairpins and jewelry will be old and outdated. My daughter won't like them anymore. When the time comes, I'll make some money and buy her new ones."

"OK"

"Okay," Bai's voice choked.

Gu Niannian heard her mother sobbing and changed the subject, "Please come up with a name for this shop! We don't want to end up with no sign and customers coming in not knowing what we sell."

Gu Niannian's change of topic was very effective. Bai immediately said the name of a shop, "Gu's BBQ?" Gu Niannian shook her head, "It's not appropriate to use my last name.

"Why?" Bai asked doubtfully.

"I am the official of Qingshan County. First, the laws of the Great Saint Dynasty stipulate that officials cannot engage in business. Second, this shop will be managed by my mother from now on. You should see Bai Ji BBQ."

Gu Niannian thought for a moment and said, "Barbecue isn't appropriate. I'd rather see Baiji Crispy Pork Belly."

"It's settled, Mom. It's late at night, go to bed!" Gu Niannian was afraid that Bai would refuse, so she quickly decided.

“Oh, by the way, I also need to carve a seal, and order a batch of oil paper bags and bamboo sticks.

"It's not difficult, I'll do it tomorrow." Bai readily agreed.

"When the volume increases, we can open branches and go to other counties," Gu Niannian envisions the future.