NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9 Irrigation
"Seller lady, what's the 'set meal' you're selling today?" The maid in a pink skirt came to Mao Xi's stall again.
This woman was the maid who bought bamboo fungus from Mao Xi a few days ago.
"The roasted sweet potato set with soy milk costs 5 cents each. There are also snacks of potato chips and French fries, which cost 5 cents each. It's so delicious!"
Parked next to the little maid was a carriage and a BMW with carved railings, exuding a faint fragrance of cinnamon.
She leaned toward the car curtain and whispered a few words, then came to the stall again.
"Seller's wife, two portions of potato chips and one set meal."
After taking the 15 coins from the little maid, and seeing that the people in the car had other things to do, Ma Xi handed the soy milk to her: "You can take this bamboo cup with the soy milk away, you don't have to give it back to me."
The carriage drove slowly, and a man in white sat in the carriage, holding a bamboo cup in his hand to taste.
Yesterday, I heard from diners at Qingxianglou that Guanyunqiao sells a novel food: roasted sweet potatoes.
I tried it today and it tasted really good.
"Yan'er, is this the same stall where you bought bamboo fungus last time?"
"Yes, sir, I just started selling breakfast recently."
Nalan Jue took out the roasted sweet potato and took a bite. It was soft, glutinous and sweet. There was such a delicious potato in the world.
What delicacies from mountains and seas, wines and delicacies has he not tasted? I never thought that it would be inferior to a cup of soy milk and roasted sweet potatoes in this market.
He took out the potato chips and tasted them again. The taste... was indescribable!
"Yan'er, when we get back to the house later, let the cook take these...roasted sweet potatoes and potato chips to study how to make them."
Yan'er followed him outside the sedan and replied: "Back to the young master, these sweet potatoes and potato raw materials are not sold in the market, so everyone can eat them freshly."
Soy milk is easy to make, but the cup it comes in is very interesting.
Nalan Jue raised the bamboo cup with two words "獍记" engraved on it.
"Sir, Songjian Academy has arrived." Yan'er opened the sedan curtain and helped Nalan Jue get out of the sedan.
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Mao Xi closed the stall early and went home, while Mrs. Chen took everyone to work in the fields.
Xiaodouzi led the cattle to the field. This land had been deserted for a long time.
The spring rice harvest was not good, Chen was sick and bedridden from overwork a while ago, and the fields were overgrown with weeds.
Under Chen's guidance, Xiaodouzi put the [Rai Si] behind the cattle, grabbed the wooden handle, waved the small whip to drive the buffalo, and began to plow the field.
The buffalo is very strong and can turn the ground quickly.
The paddy field assigned to Mao Xi's family is in a low place with a low water bank. There is no bamboo water tanker to draw water. The land is dry and water must be diverted to grow rice.
Mrs. Chen brought a bamboo bucket. At both ends of the bucket, two people each pulled a rope to pump water from the lower bank into the field.
Unfortunately, the efficiency was too low. After working all morning, not even half an acre of land was irrigated with water.
Brother Chun Sheng, who was passing by, saw that Mao Xi was diverting water, and said enthusiastically: "Ah Mao, the water has been diverted to my field. I have a puller at home, I will get it for you."
After a while, Brother Chunsheng came to the field carrying the cart.
He placed the puller in the lower water and placed the other end in Mao Xi's paddy field.
Mu Zhiyuan took the handle of the cart and started shaking it with both hands. The river water followed the roller and irrigated the paddy field.
In the afternoon, Ms. Chen prepared ingredients for the night market stall at home, while Mao Xi and Mu Zhiyuan took turns filling the plowed fields with water.
After working all afternoon, I only irrigated one acre of land.
According to this efficiency, if one person irrigates two acres of land in one day, it will take 5 days to fill ten acres of land.
In the evening, Mu Zhiyuan accompanied Mao Xi to set up a stall at the night market selling baked potato chips and French fries.
Mao Xi used bamboo skewers to skewer the potato slices in advance, and each skewer only sold for 2 cents.
Bamboo skewers are available for take away and sell better than potato chips.
"Ah Ma, I'm going to the farm implement store to have a look." Mu Zhiyuan was worried that the water in the fields was being irrigated too slowly, so he had no intention of accompanying Ma Xi in setting up a stall.
Crossing Hengjie, Mu Zhiyuan found a farm tools store and spent 2 taels to ask the store owner to go to Mao Xi's paddy field to build a bobbin truck to divert water.
"Shop owner, can I help you if I can go to Liujiacun to set up shop tomorrow?"
"Speaking!"
"Liu Yongren's family in Liujiacun is very kind to me. If I ask about the cost, they just say it's a good friend who helps me."
Seeing that Mu Zhiyuan paid well, the boss agreed.
Then, he went to Osmanthus Liquor Store and left a message for Lu Da, asking him to come to Liujia Village to find him tomorrow.
Seeing Mu Zhiyuan return, Mao Xi suddenly rushed forward and grabbed him.
"Brother Muyuan, come and see, all the potato chips on bamboo sticks are sold out!"
When Mu Zhiyuan looked, there were only baked fries left on the plate.
The bamboo sticks at home can still be used for a while.
As the stall was about to close, an old customer came.
Mao Xi skillfully sprinkled some seasoning on it and gave him all the remaining fries.
The customer was working hard at the foot shop next door and was shopping with his daughter.
"Miss Ah Miao, why are there no roasted sweet potatoes for sale tonight? I want to give my daughter a try!"
"Brother, we sell roasted sweet potatoes in the morning. I haven't seen you come here in the past two days."
"The walking work has been troublesome recently. It was supposed to end at five o'clock, but we were forced to deliver the goods to a remote mountain. By the time we got back to town, it was already dawn."
"Then I will also sell some roasted sweet potatoes in the evening."
In the afternoon of the second day, the farm tools store sent two guys to Liujia Village.
"But Liu Yongren's family? We are here to make bobbins for your paddy fields."
Mu Zhiyuan had informed Chen in advance, and Chen got up to greet him and took the workers to the fields.
Mao Xi was watering the vegetables in the field, while Mu Zhiyuan was helping. Halfway through the dragon frame, Lu Da also came.
"Muyuan, this is where you have been recently? Is that the girl selling roasted sweet potatoes?" After speaking, he pointed to Mao Xi not far away.
Mu Zhiyuan pulled Lu Da over and warned me carefully: "Be careful what you say. Don't accidentally say the wrong thing later."
After some pleasantries, Mu Zhiyuan introduced Lu Da to Shu Xi.
"Ah Shu, this is my brother. I asked him to help make bamboo sticks today. He asked his friends to help build today's barrel cart." After speaking, he gave Lu Da a wink.
Luda was tall and tall, and said with a hearty smile: "It's no big deal, Brother Mu's business is my business."
The autumn heat is scorching, and Wu Niu is panting for the moon!
When the drum truck is running and the paddy fields are filled, there is no need to worry about the water in the paddy fields being dried up.
Then I will plant the second-season rice seedlings next month, and then I can concentrate on taking care of the vegetable plot.
Seeing that the potatoes and sweet potatoes in the field had sprouted and were growing well, Mao Xi pulled Mu Zhiyuan over excitedly: "Brother Mu, look, it's sprouted, it's sprouted!"
Mrs. Chen was passing water to everyone to quench their thirst. A neighbor, Mrs. Shen, was passing by the field of Shu Xi's house and approached to inquire.
"Daughter-in-law of the Yongren family, is your family going to install a water tanker?"
"Thanks to Ah Shu's friend for helping me, he came to my house to sit for a while. I haven't even returned Chunsheng to your home yet."
Mu Zhiyuan took Luda to the back mountain to cut bamboo, and told him the news he had learned at the market yesterday.
"A lot of the porters in town have been going to the back mountain recently to move goods. It should be used by the good man you mentioned to worship his ancestors."
Luda chopped bamboo with skillful skills.
Mu Zhiyuan continued: "In the next few days, go find out where the goods are hidden after they moved them, and let me know."
"Okay, Brother Mu! By the way, why do you need so much bamboo?" After that, he split the bamboo into multiple sections and tied them up.
"For making cups and bamboo sticks! There is so much nonsense, go down the mountain!"
The two passed by their neighbor Chunsheng's house and saw him carrying a cart home.
Chunsheng was very puzzled when he saw the two of them carrying a bundle of bamboo each on their backs: "You went to the back mountain to cut so many bamboos, are you going to weave baskets?"
Chunsheng people are diligent. In addition to taking care of their old mother and the vegetable field at home, they usually take some bamboo to weave farm tools and sell them in the market.
Mu Zhiyuan shook his head: "Let's help Mao Xi make something for him to use at the stall."
Chun Sheng was a little excited when he heard that he was helping Ma Xi. "I'll come and help you later too. I'm the best at weaving bamboo baskets."
Lu Da smiled at Mu Zhiyuan and said, "Brother Mu, I know how to weave baskets out of bamboo!"