The five siblings walked out of the Jiuzhen Store in various postures, crossed the street, and reached the alley corner of Liao's shop... They were selling lychees in front of them, and a line of dozens of people had already formed because of the good price.
"It's okay, it's not as hot as candied chestnuts," Zheng Ruqian shook his fan, "There are queues of over a hundred people at the door of the Jiuzhen Store."
The rest of them laughed without saying anything.
Only Jiang Sheng ruthlessly poked through him, "Candied chestnuts are thirty cents a pound, this is ten taels a pound, can you compare it?"
Zheng Ruqian stroked his nose and pointed to the end of the line, "That one, we all came here anyway, who's going to line up?"
Everyone was silent.
"Why don't big brother go?" His eyes rolled, "Big brother usually studies at the Imperial College, not many people recognize him, Jiang Sheng and I often go in and out of the Jiuzhen Store, it’s not good to be found out."
The siblings who had just leaked each other's secrets immediately nodded their heads uniformly.
Xu Mo's mouth corner slightly upturned, and he lightly uttered a single syllable, "Hmm?"
The siblings who had just nodded their heads began to shake their heads again. Zheng Ruqian was both timid and cunning, "Big brother may not be quite suitable, why not let little four do it, he is a doctor, no one would dare offend a doctor."
Wen Zhiyun, who was pushed out of the scene, was confused and at a loss. He looked at one and then the other, his eyes pleading for help falling on his little fifth brother.
"Cough cough." Chang Yan cleared his throat and had not yet spoken.
Zheng Ruqian made a decisive decision, "Then let's leave it to little five, a great task has been imposed on...only you can take on this responsibility!"
It was clearly because they were against the Liao family, if they rashly went to buy lychees, they would most likely be blasted out on the spot.
The five siblings were at the extreme tug of war, pushing back and forth.
A typical case of having some affection, but not much.
Chang Yan endured his laugh and pointed to the little servant at the front of the queue, "That person seems a little familiar."
Zheng Ruqian, Jiang Sheng and Wen Zhiyun were all confused, only Xu Mo nodded slightly, "It's Zhao Yuan's book boy."
Behind were the little servants of the Qi family, and the little servants of the Yao family, even the guards who often followed behind Minister Dou were in the queue.
It seemed that ten taels of silver was indeed a temptation.
Zheng Ruqian took out a thousand-tael silver ticket from his arms decisively and heroically, "Big brother, I’m counting on you!"
Except for the Yao family, the others were all Xu Mo’s connections.
So next...
Zhao's little servant stammered, "Three thirty catties of lychees."
The little second brother of the Liao family who was in charge of selling goods instantly widened his eyes.
Even though lychees from Lingnan were already cheap at ten taels, not every household could eat dozens of catties at a time. Several hundred taels of silver were no small sum. Most importantly, eating it all in one day would also cause overheating.
But Zhao’s little servant was unusually determined, “Our master wants to entertain guests, so we need thirty catties of lychees."
The little second brother of Liao was suspicious, but Zhao’s family had a secretary, and Liao’s family did not dare offend them. He could only honestly pack up thirty catties.
Those behind bought one or two catties at a time. When it came to Qi’s family, it was thirty catties again.
"Our family’s master wants to make a lychee feast." This little servant was unfazed, "There is a distant relative who especially likes to eat lychees."
But Liao’s lychees were not endless.
Zhao’s family took away thirty catties, randomly sold fifty catties, and now there were only twenty catties left.
"Twenty catties will do." Qi’s little servant decisively paid two hundred taels of silver.
Those who lined up behind complained, but they had no choice but to silently disperse.
The little second brother bowed and nodded, “Another hundred catties will arrive in ten days. Please come early everyone, it will be sold out once they are gone."
In fact, within Liao’s financial ability, they could deliver one hundred catties every day, but in order to control high profit margins and create an aura of nobility with "this thing is only available in heaven, rare to hear of in the human world", Liao’s family firmly controlled the lychees to three hundred catties per month.
This was also good.
Goods are rare and thus precious, now and in the future too.
Fifty catties of lychees were sent from Qi’s family and Zhao’s family to the Jiuzhen Store. Zheng Ruqian generously picked out ten catties and gave them away to the two families to take away.
“This won’t do.” Both little servants declined again and again with a wave of their hands.
Zheng Ruqian smiled slickly, “We were able to buy lychees all because of the two brothers helping out. These are tokens of appreciation from the Jiuzhen Store. You must take them back, otherwise I won’t have the face to explain to my big brother.”
Finally, he packed up some pastries and a few catties of Sichuan lychees and happily sent off the two little servants.
The remaining forty catties of lychees were sent to the White Water Noodles Workshop for several aunts to peel, remove the pits, add osmanthus honey and cheese cubes, and freeze into lychee ice in the ice cellar.
Ten days later...
The Yao and Dou families did the same, taking back sixty catties of lychees.
Plus the sixty catties delivered in the fourth batch, the cellar was full to the brim with lychees and ice.
Time passed at a leisurely pace until the eighth lunar month.
The power of the autumn tiger was more fierce than the summer, with the blazing sun making people feel unbearable. Apart from those who had to rush around, most people hid at home to avoid the heat.
Drinking a bowl of iced milk, sipping two mouthfuls of cold fruit juice, or pouring some green bean soup if there’s no money, it was still comfortable.
In the second yard...
Jiang Sheng shrank in the shade, holding the puff pastry made by the master chef himself, using the small wooden spoon carved by her fifth brother, scooping up the soft and rich creamy ice cream, the moment it entered her mouth, all the heat waves stayed away.
It was just a pity that the puff pastry was too soft to withstand eating, after three to five bites she could see the bottom of the bowl.
She dragged her feet to the kitchen, before she could open her mouth, she got a refusal from Aunt Zhang, "It's not good for girls to eat too much ice, you can't eat any more."
After speaking, she took away the empty bowl and small wooden spoon.
Jiang Sheng's face was full of melancholy. Her big eyes circled around, recalling the lychee ice in the cellar.
As half the boss of the Jiuzhen Store, the first taste wouldn’t be an overstep, right?
"Don't set your mind on the lychee ice," Aunt Zhang could guess her little abacus even with her back turned, "Aside from worrying that eating it will upset your stomach, Ruqian is also constantly preparing to hawk it."
Now, just waiting for Liao’s last batch of lychees to arrive.
At the same time, look for someone who can help purchase large quantities.
The Yao, Qi, Dou and Zhao families had already come forward. In order not to arouse Liao’s suspicion, it would be best to find a new prominent family.
Trustworthy connections were not so easy to find.
Jiang Sheng was worried in her heart. After entrusting Aunt Zhang, she stepped out into the heat wave and headed to the Jiuzhen Store to take a look.
She had just climbed into the carriage when the master chef walked towards her holding a fish, "Young miss, we’re having fish for lunch, red braised fish."
“Great, Master Chef!” Jiang Sheng lifted the curtain and responded crisply, “I’ll be back soon for lunch.”
The heat wave was so fierce that in the blink of an eye, her hair would have been scorched.
She hurriedly shrank her head back in and left the master chef to bang on the door.
The carriage rumbled and roared forwards, soon reaching its destination.
She'd thought that the Jiuzhen Store would be dozing off lazily, even deserted in this sun, but unexpectedly the entrance was very lively with people coming and going.
Jiang Sheng lifted the curtain to see basin after basin of lychees being carried in.
Had they found someone to help?
