“Yunzhu, this, this…” Chen pointed at the silver and stammered.
"We just deposit it with us first." Jiang Yunzhu said with a smile, implying that the silver was not theirs yet.
Chen was still very happy. She touched this piece of silver and weighed that piece of silver. The silver was cold, but her heart was hot.
As it was approaching noon, there were fewer and fewer people in the market.
"Aunt Chen, Yunzhu." Xu Qingshan drove a donkey cart over from the foot of the mountain.
"It's Qingshan, why are you here?" Chen was surprised.
Xu Qingshan quickly told Jiang Yunzhu about his experience of pulling trousers. After hearing what Jiang Yunzhu said that day, he immediately went around to ask around and found a few places that were not too far or too close and were just right for pulling trousers.
Yesterday was his first time pulling a cart, and he had no experience, so he pulled two trips each morning and evening, and earned 26 coins. Today he has experience, so he pulled three trips this morning, earning 20 coins, and he will probably earn about the same in the evening.
By this calculation, he could earn about one or two taels of silver a month, which was twice as much as he earned in the mine!
"My father loves it so much that he doesn't let me run it during the day. When I save up some money in the future, I'll buy a donkey or a horse. We can earn more by taking turns with the two animals." Xu Qingshan excitedly told Chen and Jiang Yunzhu about what had happened during the past two days, then patted his donkey and said.
The donkey in his family has made great contributions. It was thanks to it that they were able to reach here safely during the escape from famine. Now they still rely on it to make money. Now its status in the family is higher than his.
Chen felt envious when she heard this, but she was not jealous. She was just happy for him.
"I have to thank Yunzhu for this." Xu Qingshan said this and looked at Jiang Yunzhu embarrassedly. It was only thanks to her affirmation and guidance that he made up his mind to do this business.
Thinking of this, he lowered his voice and said to Chen, "Aunt, I have picked two more routes today, but I can't handle it alone, so why don't you talk to Uncle Jiang and ask him to do this as well.
It's still too tiring to go to the mine, and you can't earn as much as here.
I didn't lie to you, really!" He said hastily, fearing that Chen wouldn't believe him.
Of course Chen believed him. He had said so much, and she was not stupid. How could she not see that he really wanted to help them? Of course, Jiang Yunzhu had given him some advice, but aren't there many ungrateful people in this world
Others are better.
"I'll go back and discuss it with your uncle Jiang." Chen said. She was trying to shirk responsibility, but it was also true. Jiang Cheng was at the mine during the day, and helped them with business in the morning and evening. He only slept three or four hours a day. She felt so sorry for him, and was really afraid that he couldn't hold on.
If he could really work with Xu Qingshan, it would be much easier and he could earn more.
However, you need animals to pull the cart. A donkey at its best would cost seven or eight taels of silver. A mule would cost even more. You can forget about horses. You also need to buy a cart. A cart would cost four or five taels of silver, which adds up to twelve taels of silver.
Their family has made some money these days, but it is still far from enough to buy a donkey or a cart!
"If you're short of money, I still have some." Xu Qingshan paused, "No, I can borrow some from my cousin."
Chen shook her head quickly. How much should I borrow? If it was just a few ounces, she would lend it. Now it's too much. Besides, if he borrowed money from his uncle, he could just buy a livestock and earn more every day. Why should he help them
This favor was too great, and she didn't dare or have the face to accept it.
"Good boy, I know what you mean. I will tell your uncle Jiang about this," she said.
"Yeah." Xu Qingshan nodded.
The more Chen looked at Xu Qingshan, the more satisfied she became. She thought to herself that if Jiang Yunzhu could really marry him, and the couple worked hard together, how could their life be bad
"Have you eaten?" she asked Xu Qingshan while lifting the lid of the soup bucket.
When Xu Qingshan saw that she was going to get him something to eat, he quickly shook his head, trying to say that he was not hungry, but his stomach growled uncooperatively.
He blushed in embarrassment.
Chen smiled, served him a big bowl of spicy soup, and put seven or eight oil-fried steamed buns on the table, asking him to eat quickly.
Xu Qingshan had no choice but to sit down and eat.
After the meal, he wanted to give Chen money, but Chen refused to take it.
The two argued for a long time, and finally agreed that Chen would treat him to a meal this time, and he would pay next time he came.
During this time, Jiang Yunzhu sold three more bowls of spicy soup. The last customer had six oil-fried buns left. Originally, five oil-fried buns were given for free when a bowl of soup was purchased, so she gave all six to him. The customer was so happy that he said he would come again tomorrow.
Today's business is over.
Jiang Yunzhu and Chen packed their things, and Xu Qingshan helped. They used to push their things back with a small cart every day, but today Xu Qingshan just put the things and the cart on the donkey cart, which saved a lot of trouble.
Chen really wanted to buy a donkey cart. She had the same idea as Jiang Cheng, that is, to build a house when she made money. Only when she had her own house would she feel at ease. But now she felt that the donkey cart was more urgent.
Xu Qingshan drove the donkey cart back and asked Chen on the way, "Aunt, are you going to town later? My father asked me to go to town today to buy some soybean meal for the donkey. If you go, you can take my cart."
In the past, after Chen and others set up their stalls, they would eat and take a nap before getting up to go to the town to buy things.
Today... "Yunzhu, let's eat and go to town first!" Chen said. First, they can take a ride. Otherwise, they have to walk five or six miles to town every time, buy things, and then carry them back five or six miles. It's really tiring.
Second, she naturally has her own thoughts.
Jiang Yunzhu wanted to go back to sleep, but she really had to go to town first today. She had promised Deputy General Zhao and his two companions that she would bring them lunch at noon, so she had to go to town early to buy things.
"Okay, then I'll trouble you, Brother Xu." Jiang Yunzhu said.
Calling Xu "Brother Xu" made Xu Qingshan blush again.
Chen was an experienced person and could not understand Xu Qingshan's thoughts. She immediately had an idea in her mind.
Soon, the donkey cart arrived at the door of the Jiang family.
Xu Qingshan helped unload the things and said that he was free in the morning and that Chen and the others could just call him after they finished their meal.
"Why are you still eating, Yunzhu? Since you are going to sell lunch and dinner, shouldn't you check the prices of various vegetables in town? You also need to buy food for lunch, so there is no time to waste.
How about this, you and Qingshan go to town and buy something to eat when you’re hungry.
I will stay to cook for Jiang Lin and the others and clean the kitchen. Let's do both. If we can satisfy the three guests, we can do better business in the future, right?" Chen said with reason.
Jiang Yunzhu thought about it and realized that she would be very busy this morning.
They were talking at the door. In the side room, Yang Sheng had already seen Jiang Yunzhu coming back.
Then he saw a young man standing next to her. He was busy running around and would look at Jiang Yunzhu from time to time. He sighed and said, "Sure enough, that stupid husband has appeared."
The reason he said this was because of what he said when he first met Jiang Yunzhu: "A clever wife often sleeps with a clumsy husband." At that time, he said that Jiang Yunzhu was smart, but came from a humble family, and would probably only be able to marry an ordinary farmer in the future, which was a pity.
Now it seems that it is indeed the case.
Seeing that such a good girl was going to stay in the mountains for the rest of her life, dealing with the daily necessities of life, it was like a pearl covered in dust. Yang Sheng naturally sighed.
Shen Fengming looked outside because of his words, and saw Jiang Yunzhu standing there in the morning light, stroking her black hair with her hand. The warm golden sun shone on her, making her look like pearls and jade, so beautiful and dazzling that everything around her seemed to be a foil.