Notes on Leisurely Living in the Farm

Chapter 59

When she came to the county government the next day as scheduled, Yiyou was not alone.She and Mama Liu were on the left and on the right, and they were pushing an old cart. Occasionally, a corner of the dustpan was blown away by the wind, revealing the neatly stacked wedding cakes.This is the first batch of [-] cakes that were made overnight yesterday, and as soon as the time comes, she wants to hand over the first batch of wedding cakes to the county magistrate's wife for inspection.

It's not that wedding cakes are urgently needed, but a folk convention.Because the samples that were carefully crafted at the beginning often have discrepancies with the products that will be mass-produced in the future, most people will check them in batches.To her, friendship belongs to friendship, and this move is no exception.

After getting acquainted with her, Mrs. Zhang no longer put on the airs of a lady: "I knew you were a proper person, and you made these in just one day."

Yiyou smiled shyly: "Madam is sympathetic, sending them in batches like this will save me the big trouble at the end."

After a short pause, Mrs. Zhang realized that there were no middle-aged men in this family. If more than 200 wedding cakes were delivered together, it would really be enough for several women.

Although she had no intention of doing so, she accepted the gratitude at this moment.

"Seeing how busy you are, after the fifty pairs of boxes are ready, they will be delivered to your door directly."

Yiyou was just being polite casually, never thinking that it would save a major event.It would take some time just to carry these wooden boxes, but now that Zhang's arranged, she can spare more time to make steamed buns.

"Madam, don't worry, the wedding cakes in the box must be the freshest and the best tasting."

After she finished speaking, Sister Qiao at the side started talking: "Where is the purple taro cake you mentioned yesterday?"

"Leave it outside for now, I'll bring it up for you right now."

Back at her cart, the dustpan had been emptied of wedding cakes, so she took out the purple taro cake that she had placed alone, and ordered Mama Liu to go back first.

"Sister Qiao, look, this is purple taro cake."

After speaking, she opened the box, revealing the purple oval dumplings inside.Sister Qiao picked up one and opened it to see that layers of light purple skin were wrapped with a ball of white sweet potato filling, just looking at it made people's index fingers twitch.

"Mother, you didn't eat much this morning, how about using some now?"

Mrs. Zhang responded kindly, took a bite, and nodded in satisfaction: "This girl Yiyou really has a pair of skillful hands, and her skills are no worse than those of the chefs in Beijing."

"Thank you Madam, I only know how to cook some dim sum. It's my turn to have all kinds of serious dishes, but I don't know anything about them."

Mrs. Zhang didn't take it seriously: "What the girl wants is this ingenuity. Although this cake is sweet, it's not greasy. It's really strange."

"I sprinkled some strong salt water on the outer skin when steaming, and the saltiness in the mouth is neutralized. The sweet taste is not too strong, and it is just right when it is used for a long time."

"So, no wonder, she really has a seven-aperture exquisite heart."

Yiyou just listened cheerfully. After reflecting on her arrogance in her previous life, she had a new understanding of how to behave.Regardless of whether you are a gentleman or a woman, you have to be humble.

If she takes a step back, the person who speaks will praise her further.With such comings and goings, the atmosphere between the two will be more harmonious.Such a cycle, Fonda Harmony.

This move may be useless for a person like the old lady, but it has been tried and tested repeatedly for a lady in charge like Shangzhang.However, as time goes by, the relationship between the two is getting better and better.

There are only nine purple taro cakes in a cage, and two bites of one are quickly used up.At this time, the topic in the room has turned to the Shen family.

"Yesterday, you were so filial to Mrs. Shen?"

"Thanks to Madam's kindness, she is the doctor of the county government to treat the people."

"When you receive money from others, you have to give it to others to eliminate disasters, otherwise I will have trouble with my conscience. On the contrary, it is you who have such filial piety without complaint or regret, it is really commendable."

No matter how thick-skinned Yiyou is, it's quite embarrassing to be praised like this.

"I just hope that she can get better soon, and don't clamor to come to the courtyard to recuperate."

As for the 200 taels that the old lady extorted that day, she had already passed the Ming Road at Mrs. Xiancheng's place while taking advantage of the wedding cake.And in her heart, that's what Li Shi deserved for nearly 20 years of being a cow and a horse, and she naturally has no shame in holding it.

Sister Qiao used the basin brought by Jade to wash her hands: "Yiyou, you have to stand up even when I say you should be hard."

Yiyou smiled wryly: "You still don't understand? I'm just for that little reputation. Although this thing is not worth eating or drinking, it really can't do without it."

Mrs. Zhang quite agrees: "That's true, I often go back to Yunlin Village to have a look."

"I listen to Madam."

She readily agreed, she also had the same plan.She is not the Shen Erya who was bullied in the past. When she comes to the door, the new patriarch Shen Fujiang will definitely greet her.Not only fulfilled Xiaoyi, but also made a sense of existence in front of the old lady.

Kill two birds with one stone, why not do it.

"If Mrs. Shen has another misfortune, please allow the doctor to go."

Sister Qiao boldly replied on behalf of her mother: "No problem, the Lang Zhong will go for a trip, and he will be very happy when he comes back. Next time you call him, I promise to be smooth."

The three showed meaningful smiles at the same time, and Yiyou looked outside the door.If the old lady could calm down, she would not be stingy with those three melons and two dates.From the experience of two lifetimes, this is unlikely, so she can only swing her iron fist to protect the weak and the young Li Shi and Chang Sheng.

At this moment in Yunlin Village, the old lady who was drowsy after drinking the medicine shuddered and slowly opened her eyes.The autumn wind blew in through the dilapidated window, and her grimy white hair remained motionless.Smelling the musty smell on the thin quilt, she frowned.

When the doctor came yesterday, the clansman praised Er Ya, every word was like a steel needle stuck in her heart.

She was the one who paid for the consultation at the end, so why did the good reputation go to that girl!
Smash the bitter taste in her mouth, but the bitter taste in her heart can't be removed no matter what.Glorious for half her life, is she going to die in this airy earthen house?

And her poor Fuhai, they were all those people who actually planted the cause of Liu's death on him.A group of beasts, she will not let any of them go!

"Mom, it's time to drink the medicine."

Shen Fuxiang pushed open the creaking wooden door and came in. No one cleaned up after Mrs. Li left, and a thick layer of black dust accumulated on the door.

Walking in with a porcelain bowl with a broken corner, he suddenly saw the angry eyes of the old lady.On the bark-like face, the two yellow pupils, like the surrounding flames of anger, exude a dangerous smell.Even though he didn't understand its clear meaning, his body still shook violently.

The medicinal juice splashed out, and he hurriedly put down the bowl: "Mom, I'm going to pull the weeds."

Looking at the back of her son running away, the old lady spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm: "Useless things!"

Yiyou came out of the county government office, and before she even reached the courtyard, she received several waves of friendly looks.

After she left, whispers came from behind: "I think she can speak so well, she should be considered a formidable one. When she came to ask yesterday, she paid a deposit and went to hire the best doctor."

"It's just a little girl, how many bad intentions can there be. Li Shi, an orphan and widow, is not strong, and he has not been torn into pieces."

Yiyou thought about what the sliced ​​self would look like, but on the other side, she felt like a mirror in her heart.Most people in this world are not stingy with icing on the cake.There are really few people like Mu Ran and Pei Zihuan who give help in a timely manner.

However, she has other ideas about this. Rather than being given a helping hand after falling down, she would rather be icing on the cake after being brilliant all the time.

There was a sound of praise behind her as she entered the door, and she quickly plunged into the business of scones.Time does not wait, it is always right to finish it early, if it is a day late, it will cause big trouble.

After another four days, the wedding cakes were finally completed.The last batch was packed into wooden boxes and sent to the county government.

"You do the math, roughly how much it will cost."

When Zhang asked this question, she bowed deeply without thinking.

"Ma'am, your kindness to us is as great as a mountain. The fillings for such a small wedding cake are all made by you. My mother and I only need to spend a little effort, so we should just add makeup to Qiaojie's."

Zhang Shi didn't persuade her anymore, but just patted her hand lightly.

Walking out of the county government office, a sense of fatigue hits my face.In order to make wedding cakes for the past five days, she has been tense.From opening his eyes to closing them, now he even comes to deliver food without eating.

After relaxing for a while, the accumulated fatigue of several days surged, and she really wanted to have a good sleep.

"Miss."

"Well, Bitao, let's go back to sleep."

She started to squint as she walked all the way, and she stretched herself to the courtyard, snoring a little on the kang without taking off her shoes.Mrs. Li walked in, covered her daughter with a thin quilt, and smoothed the messy hair on her forehead with hands covered in pimples.

She wasn't surprised to see her shriveled purse.It was her order that she didn't take any money. For such a great kindness from the county magistrate's wife, even a little thing should be done.

After closing the door, she walked to the kitchen. Once the wedding cake was over, the steamed stuffed bun stall should be back on track.A few days ago, there were [-] steamed buns per episode, and the supply of steamed stuffed buns was in short supply, and the Cheng family had brought back many customers.Everything in the county is expensive, she has to stabilize the business and give the children a stable life, and she can't let the daughter bear everything alone.

Rub two slices of mint on the temples, and the drowsy spirit will wake up immediately.Passing the mint leaves to Bitao and Mama Liu, she pulled the three of them to work together.

"Because it's still early, she and the three of us can finish our work earlier, and we can have a good rest."

After Yiyou fell asleep, it was the next morning.Opening her eyes in a daze, she suddenly woke up when she saw the running script invitation card on the table by the door.

"Mother, I have to see the opening of Mr. Chang's food store today."

"And other things?"

Repeated in a daze, Li Shi also suddenly remembered.The girl said that when she came back that day, but she was disturbed by Shen Fuxiang and immediately forgot all about it.

"Erya, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry."

Mrs. Li turned around, and Yi Youmo raised her head: "Haha, mother, I'm not in a hurry at all, really. The grain store will open when there is an auspicious time, and it's still early."

"That is, we are not in a hurry."

After calming down, Mrs. Li continued to pack the buns: "You said we didn't make new clothes, and didn't prepare any congratulatory gifts, so it's not good to go there so suddenly."

Yiyou rolled up her sleeves and walked into the kitchen: "I'll prepare the congratulatory gift, you take a rest first."

She has a pair of skillful hands inherited from Shen Fuxiang, and can easily make all kinds of lifelike flower rolls.After a long time of pinching Hanamaki, the skill is advanced, and you can make all kinds of large Hanamaki.

After pondering for a while, she started, boiled a pot of sugar, and then started to make a few large sheets of shortbread pancakes. After frying, she made gestures and cut them with a knife.While it was drying, she pinched out tiles, cornices, carved doors and windows and other things for decoration.In less than an hour, a lifelike miniature grain store was in sight.

She was busy here, and Chang Sheng kept pulling Mu Yu around her.Seeing this, Yiyou simply handed the cut part to them.They all tasted the same, and the two little guys had a great time eating them.

"I don't think Boss Chang seems to be short of money. Our family doesn't have a lot of money. We can't afford to give away antique jades, so we just give it as a gift."

"It's not the family of princes and generals. Who would give away the gold, silver and jade. It's just some melon seeds and peanut sticky candy, just for fun and auspiciousness."

"So that's how it is. This is also sugar for me, and it can satisfy my hunger."

Yiyou nodded, very satisfied with her impromptu wit.Walking a step, she found out the ribbon left over from making the wedding cake gift box yesterday, wrapped the dried model with a whole piece of oiled paper, and tied the ribbon with a knot.

Touch the base of the model, she put a lot of sugar, so now it is surprisingly strong.When you go to send a gift, you only need to hold the bottom to sit back and relax.

"What's the name of this thing?"

"Sugar bakery? It doesn't sound very nice. I'd better leave this problem to Master Chang."

Mrs. Li responded kindly, and his subordinates kept filling the buns into pineapple.Seeing this, she was completely relieved, washed her hands and took out a decent dress. The mother and daughter were about to leave separately when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Who will it be at this time?"

Yiyou scratched her neck and shouted: "Changsheng, go and open the door."

Chang Sheng held the pancake in his mouth, pulled the latch with his hands full of oil, and his neck went from looking up at his waist to straightening up.

"It's a beautiful sister!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, the cake fell to the ground.Picking it up aggrieved, he ran back to the room and cried, "My cake."

"Hey, put that piece aside and eat this one."

After giving his younger brother a small piece of new cake, Yiyou turned around and walked out: "Jade, why are you here?"

"Miss Yiyou, something happened, something happened to you!"

Yiyou and Fei Cui are fairly familiar, this girl is really pretty.But at this moment, her messy hair was sticking to her face with beads of sweat, and her brows were also wrinkled.

"how?"

"Mother Wu ordered me to take you to the county government. It's urgent, so let's go."

Seeing that she refused to say what was going on, Yiyou's heart was also suspended.

"Mom, I'll go to the county government office, you go to give gifts, and leave the market to Mama Liu and Bitao in advance. Mama Liu sells, and Bitao takes care of collecting the money. Be careful, we'll come back to stew ribs tonight."

"Just do as you say, Miss Fei Cui, I see that you are a kind-hearted girl. My girl is still young, so please take care of me if something happens."

Fei Cui and Yi You got along pretty well, and at the moment they agreed indiscriminately: "If I can help, I won't just stand by and watch."

"Mother, you don't have to worry. Changsheng, Mu Yu, you two stay at home and draw two large characters, and wait for me to come back and check."

After ordering everything, she went out with Fei Cui.Along the way, she asked about the situation as much as possible, and when she arrived at the mansion, she had a preliminary guess.

"Miss Yiyou, you are here. Madam is furious now, and the young lady's eyes are red from crying."

"What happened to the wedding cake?"

Mother Wu sighed: "You will know when you go in."

When she came, she was still worried, but she calmed down when things came to an end.The fact has already happened, and it will not change.It's useless to be anxious, it's better to calm down, maybe you can come up with some strange tricks.

The most important thing is that in the past half a month, she has put in all her thoughts on the wedding cake, and she has watched and watched every link, and she has never been lazy.If there is a problem, it must not be her fault.

Standing firmly in front of the door, she went straight in.

"Ma'am, sister Qiao, what happened?"

After bowing slightly, she raised her head. It was unexpected but reasonable. Compared with the urgency outside, Mrs. Zhang and Sister Qiao were sitting on top of each other. Although their expressions were not good, they were not as urgent as the servants.

"There, see for yourself."

Looking in the direction of her finger, Yiyou opened the paper bag.The original half-moon-shaped wedding cake is now like cracked land.It was delivered as a whole piece of skin, but now it is in pieces.

Pick up a small piece of dough with your index finger, knead it gently, and the skin will quickly turn into powder.

With this appearance, I'm afraid I can't give it away.

With a wry smile on the corners of her lips, the Shen family's loss of power, coupled with the fact that Mrs. Xian Cheng's life was so smooth, made her lose her vigilance.From Erya, who was bullied by others in Yunlin Village, to Yiyou, who now owns a courtyard house and a steamed stuffed bun shop, although her journey has been difficult and dangerous, it didn't take long.

Climbing so fast, the envious person in the open and in the dark, can An not take the opportunity to make a move?
"Ma'am, I am willing to take full responsibility for something wrong with the wedding cake. If there are any problems with the boxes, I will go home and rush to make them."

Encountering a problem is not trying to excuse or quibble, such a frank admission of mistakes and compensation, on the contrary extinguished the last trace of Zhang's anger.

Rubbing her temples, she said wearily: "It's just the one you sent for the first time, and the rest is okay. Only the wedding cakes will be used tomorrow, and now I can't take this risk. Just now I ordered the kitchen in the mansion, hurry up Make the usual wedding cakes, and I hope there's still time."

Seeing what Zhang said, Yiyou knew that her life was saved.It's just the result of her hard work, and the trust of Mrs. Zhang and sister Qiao. Now that all of them have been destroyed, she is really not reconciled.

"Yiyou knows she's wrong, but she still wants to find out why. The wedding cake is so cracked, but it's because less oil was put in the baking?"

Qiaojie nodded with red eyes, but Yiyou was convinced of her doubts.

She and Mrs. Li attach great importance to this wedding cake. If it is too oily, it will be greasy, and if it is too little, it will not be able to keep.After trying many ways, she finally found the perfect solution, which is to control the heat first and then reduce it, so that each cake has to be baked in two pans one after another.

She asked herself that she had never used less oil because of that little money, so what went wrong now?

"Ma'am, I wonder if I can go to the kitchen to have a look?"

"Hey, let's go."

Mrs. Zhang gestured to Mama Wu, but Sister Qiao followed. Mrs. Zhang felt helpless, and felt her headache worsened.

"I also think that Yi Youding will not cut corners because of that little money, but mother said that the broken wedding cake will disperse the blessings, which is extremely unlucky."

Yiyou's heart was naturally moved, Qiaojie's identity was very different from hers, even if she got angry and ordered her to be killed at this moment, no one would question her.

"I baked all the wedding cakes without reducing the ingredients."

Qiaojie nodded her head silently: "I believe."

Yiyou's eyes were red for the first time since moving into the county.Sniffing, she kneaded her dough-like wrist silently, baking a thousand cakes a day, her wrist is still very heavy.But it's useless to say everything now, let's take a look first.

The county yamen's back kitchen is very big, and Yiyou was keenly aware of a few unkind looks as she walked along.

But because of Qiaojie's presence, everyone was very restrained.But the sudden slowing down of kneading movements, as well as the curvature of the corners of her lips, couldn't escape her eyes.

"Put all the wedding cakes here."

Yiyou walked in and looked around the dark warehouse.It is indeed extremely appropriate to place the food here.

"Trouble mom, I'll take a look at whatever I want."

Squatting on the ground to check the fifty cracked wedding cakes, all of them were unusable without exception.Then she opened it the next day, although it cracked occasionally, but it was not obvious, but now it seems that it can be used.

"How could this be?"

Leaning against the wall, she leaned her head back, and when a distant echo came, she jumped up.

"Sister Qiao, what's the opposite room?"

Sister Qiao said that she was not familiar with it either, and the two went out, passing through the curtain, and Yiyou saw a newly installed stove.

Seeing this, Sister Qiao was a little embarrassed: "It's a newly added stove in the kitchen after I cooked this year. After watching us, let's go out."

The speaker had no intention, but Yiyou had a thought.Taking advantage of the opportunity, she was dragged away by the shy sister Qiao, and she went to the storeroom of Shengxi Cake again, and she saw a one-meter-square window on the north side.Touching the wedding cake box, she nodded: "I probably understand, the wedding cakes are still usable, let's go to the main room."

Sister Qiao rubbed her head. Although she had known her not long ago, she had instinctive trust in Yiyou.Such a beautiful wedding cake can still be used now, and her luck is still alive, it couldn't be better.

Walking back quickly, Yiyou reported her thoughts to Mrs. Zhang one by one.

"Ma'am, the broken wedding cake is not due to lack of oil or other reasons, everything is man-made."

Zhang raised her head from the account book, her gaze was like a torch: "Oh?"

"The hearth is separated from the wall of the storeroom, and the chimney of the hearth goes away from the dark room wall. These days, the fire is lit every day, and the wedding cakes near the wall are baked several times a day, so they dry quickly.

And there is a thin layer of dust on the wedding cake box, and the sky in Yunzhou is dry and windy in autumn, and the north wind is blowing these days and nights.I am afraid that the mother in charge of the kitchen forgot to close the window and let the wedding cakes be blown by the wind.When these two come together, the wedding cake will shatter. "

Although she said it carelessly, how could Mrs. Zhang not understand.The back kitchen is used to making money on these major events, and this time it must be artificial.

"Mother Wu, order someone to move the wedding cakes to the warehouse in the main courtyard."

Seeing that it was time to deal with the housework, Yiyou said goodbye with great insight: "Ma'am, I made [-] extra boxes at the beginning, but now I'm still short of [-] boxes, so I'll go back and rush to make it."

But Mrs. Zhang refused: "No need, you go back and have a good rest, girls don't get tired and have thick limbs."

After a while of embarrassment, Yiyou once again received overwhelming care from Qiaojie.When she walked out of the county office, she was in an unprecedentedly good mood.After this incident, the relationship between her and the county magistrate's wife was finally stable.

Now, it's time to go to the grain shop to see Mrs. Li.

(End of this chapter)