“The hope of the entire village.“
Cheng Yun briefly explained his intentions, without honestly mentioning his collaboration with Liu Wen. He only hinted that he found such an opportunity and hoped that the people in the village could make money together.
The village chief was surprised that Cheng-Ge’er brought such a good opportunity and even his gaze towards Cheng Yun changed immediately.
Cheng Yun pointed to the clay jar in the village chief’s wife’s hand and said, “This is the Sauerkraut jar that Yueqiong Tower needs. They will produce them in this manner and sell them in their shop. Perhaps they will even sell them in the capital in the future. Yueqiong Tower requires a large quantity, and our family cannot provide that many vegetables. So, we thought of asking you, the village chief, and the people in the village to see who has extra radishes, mustard greens, and chili peppers. I will buy as much as you have.”
The village chief’s wife listened attentively. Originally, she had some disdain for the jar, but upon hearing that it was a product of Yueqiong Tower, it instantly became precious, as if she was holding a jar of gold nuggets.
Unable to resist, she lifted the cloth cover again, but this time she was clever and didn’t smell it directly. She kept a little distance, and the pungent smell of vinegar wasn’t as strong. It faintly emitted a sour and sweet fragrance, making one’s appetite stir just from smelling it.
This was a precious product from Yueqiong Tower. Since its opening, they had only been invited there once, during the shop’s early days. Those dishes, tsk tsk, each one was meticulously prepared. Each dish would sell for over a hundred yuan silver coins, and a meal could easily cost several taels for a few extra people. If it weren’t for that one time when Boss Liu treated them to a meal, she would never have had the chance to taste it.
But now, Cheng-Ge’er had managed to establish a relationship with Yueqiong Tower. Not only that, he said he had also brought a big business deal to the village. The way the village chief’s wife looked at Cheng Yun was completely different now.
The village chief asked for some more details, and Cheng Yun answered each question one by one. “The initial demand might not be that high, but I’ve also looked into it, and there aren’t many people in the village who grow these crops individually. If we can collect the surplus quantity from everyone, it should be enough for the first batch of supplies.”
Cheng Yun continued, “Whether or not this Sauerkraut jar idea can take off will depend on the future. If it sells well, Yueqiong Tower will definitely increase their demand. They might even add some other crops in the future, such as garlic, cabbage, and so on. Radishes and mustard greens will always be needed.”
The two of them talked for a while, with Cheng Yun answering some of the village chief’s questions and, in turn, asking the village chief about the pricing.
The crops Cheng Yun needed weren’t valuable items, especially radishes and mustard greens. These two items are commonly grown in small courtyards by ordinary families for their own consumption. Only the surplus is taken to the town to be sold.
Radishes are large in size and heavy, and it takes twice as much effort to transport them to the town compared to other vegetables. The money earned from selling them is not significantly more than other vegetables, so people generally don’t bother selling radishes in town.
Cheng Yun planned to collect and process the vegetables at home. After the pickling process, someone from Yueqiong Tower would come to pick up the goods. This way, everyone just needed to bring the vegetables to Cheng Yun’s house, saving them the trouble of transportation and ensuring the sales volume.
Upon hearing this, the village chief thought it was a tremendous opportunity. As the village chief, he certainly wanted to see the people in the village live better lives. It was almost time for the autumn harvest, and when the time came, Cheng-Ge’er would mention the required quantities of crops, and everyone could plan accordingly. They could grow some crops to sell and make a profit before the New Year. This was a rare opportunity for the entire village.
Cheng Yun continued, “I will handle this matter personally. People might initially be skeptical, not trusting me, but they will certainly trust the village chief.” He then took out a letter, which he had prepared in advance. “Look, this is a contract written by Boss Liu from Yueqiong Tower. It clearly states that they will only collaborate with me. I wouldn’t dare deceive you, Village Chief.”
The village chief took the letter and glanced at it. It was exactly as Cheng-Ge’er had described.
The letter did not mention the specific details of Cheng Yun’s collaboration with Yueqiong Tower; it only stated the vegetables Cheng Yun needed to provide. The village chief would never suspect that Cheng Yun would write a letter to deceive him, nor did he think that someone like Cheng Yun, who had rarely left the village, would be literate. Therefore, he wholeheartedly believed in the content of the letter.
Cheng Yun also asked the village chief about pricing, and they agreed on a price slightly lower than what would be sold in town but still profitable for everyone. The village chief took full responsibility for this matter and after Cheng Yun thanked him, he left.
Once he was gone, the village chief’s wife couldn’t wait any longer and used a pair of chopsticks to pick out a few pieces of Sauerkruat.
Knowing that it was a product of Yueqiong Tower, even if it was just a few white radishes, they appeared different in her eyes.
The crystal-clear white radish looked completely different from the boiled white radish of the past. It seemed as if it hadn’t been cooked yet, but the sour and sweet aroma of vinegar made people curious.
With a hint of skepticism, the village chief’s wife picked up one and took a small bite.
Contrary to her expectations, the spiciness of raw radish didn’t appear. The raw white radish tasted refreshing and delicious, with a pleasant balance of sourness and sweetness. The tangy flavor stimulated her taste buds, refreshing her mood in the summer heat and increasing her appetite. She immediately wanted to eat something to accompany it.
“How is it?” the village chief curiously asked, watching from the side. He had also tasted raw radish before and didn’t quite like the flavor, so even though he knew this was a product from Yueqiong Tower, he was hesitant to try it.
The village chief’s wife was brought back to attention by his question. She glanced at the jar of Sauerkruat, realizing that there was a decent amount but not too much, and instinctively wanted to protect her share.
She suppressed her intoxicated expression and pretended, “It’s not that great, just so-so. I thought it would be something more novel.” As she said that, she put the remaining piece she hadn’t finished eating into her mouth and continued, “Oh well, you shouldn’t eat too much of this stuff. I’ll put it away for now. Later, I’ll see how we can cook something together.”
The village chief observed her performance and thought that it didn’t seem like it tasted bad. Moreover, it was a product of Yueqiong Tower, and according to Cheng-Ge’er, they would even sell it in the capital city. If it didn’t taste good, would Yueqiong Tower dare to produce such a large quantity?
Doubts arose in his mind, partly because it was a product of Yueqiong Tower and partly because of his wife’s reaction. Just as the village chief’s wife was about to get up, he noticed that she tightly held onto the jar, causing a moment of realization.
He quickly called out to her, “Hey, let me have a taste, and you can put it away later.”
The village chief’s wife’s expression changed drastically upon hearing his words. With a nervous yet feigned disgusted look on her face, she said, “What’s there to eat? I’m saving it for cooking. These things might not be worth much, but at least they can be used as an ingredient. If we don’t cook, you won’t realize their value.”
Seeing her reaction, the village chief understood everything. He promptly stood up, blocking her path and determined to make her hand over that jar of Sauerkraut so that he could have a taste.
The village chief’s wife couldn’t refuse any longer and reluctantly handed over the jar.
She watched with a pang in her heart as the village chief quickly devoured a piece, tears welling up inside. When he finished one and wanted to pick up another, she swiftly snatched the jar back. “Alright, alright, we’ve both tasted it. Why are you so greedy?”
The village chief became displeased. “Hey, why are you turning the tables on me? Who was the one saying it wasn’t that good just now? I find it quite delicious—crispy, refreshing, without the spiciness and fishy smell of raw radish. It truly lives up to Yueqiong Tower’s reputation.”
He smacked his lips and felt a bit unsatisfied. “Why don’t you let me taste a couple more pieces and prepare some noodles? I’m starting to feel hungry.”
The village chief’s wife gave him a disdainful look, swiftly storing away the jar, and grumbled, “No, if you want to eat, buy your own. I’ll savor this slowly.”
“But it was Cheng-Ge’er who kindly gave it to me. Hey, where did you take my things…”
The two of them bickered back and forth, each with their own retorts, all for the sake of that small jar of Sauerkraut. Meanwhile, Dr. Liu, who lived next door, enjoyed a jar all to himself, greedily eating one piece after another. If the village chief and his wife were to witness his extravagant behavior, they would surely be filled with envy.
Cheng Yun was unaware of the significant impact caused by the two small jars of Sauerkraut he brought. After returning home, he didn’t concern himself with the matter and focused on whatever he needed to do.
To make room for the deliveries from others, he cleared the front yard and had Yang Hongjin move the wooden items he had made to the backyard, freeing up a large area in the front yard.
Yang Hongjin’s hand had completely healed, so these days he started preparing to make Sauerkraut jars at home without having to go to town. He also continued his previous woodworking projects.
Cheng Yun asked Wang Liang about his intentions, whether he wanted to continue learning with Yang Hongjin or join Cheng Yun in doing business. Wang Liang’s answer greatly surprised him.
In less than ten days, Wang Liang had earned around one to two taels of money from Cheng Yun. The money came quickly, but it also went quickly. Although Cheng Yun didn’t make them bear the material costs for making sour plum soup and Sauerkraut jars, Wang Liang noticed it and knew that there must have been a significant amount of money involved.
Indeed, doing business was not an easy way to make money. However, for someone like Wang Liang, whose family conditions were not particularly impoverished and who had a down-to-earth nature since childhood, seeing and touching the money was the safest approach.
After learning that Cheng Yun intended to involve his mother in the production of Sauerkraut jars, Wang Liang carefully thought about it for an entire evening. He also discussed it extensively with his parents. In the end, he felt it was better to stick with Yang Hongjin and continue doing woodworking.
His reason was simple: “A man should have a specific skill. The money we are earning now is all thanks to Cheng-Ge’er. To be honest, it makes me feel uneasy.”
He glanced at Cheng Bao’er, feeling a bit embarrassed but speaking with determination, “In the future, when I start my own family, I can’t rely on someone else’s help to support my household. If I have a specific skill, even if I don’t need it immediately, I can earn some money with this skill when I’m in dire straits. It will help me support my wife and children.”
After scratching his head, he felt like he might not fully appreciate the situation. Cheng-Ge’er was considering his well-being, but he was only thinking about himself. So, he quickly added, “Of course, if Cheng-Ge ‘er needs help due to a shortage of manpower, I will definitely assist you here first. I’m not in a hurry to learn woodworking. As long as the master is willing to teach me, I can learn at any time.”
After hearing his words, Cheng Yun rubbed his chin, thinking that this kid was pretty good. He had a thoughtful mindset.
He glanced at Bao’er, who was not standing far away, his ears turning red and not looking in their direction. It seemed that he would soon be able to drink the wedding wine.
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