Chapter 124 (1/2)
Chapter 124
Chapter 124 - Once Again!
Had Xiaolian not waited to the ox cart from the neighbouring village, then she would have long gotten back after all of the braised food sold out!
With the addition of Xiaolian, their harvesting speed increased perceptibly . Before long, all of the baskets that Steward Yao brought with him had been stacked full with lush green vegetables that looked incredibly appetizing .
While the family was harvesting vegetables, Steward Yao had gone to Yu Residence’s back courtyard as well as the nearby pond . He saw that there were also vegetable fields in the back that spanned around three to four mu [1] . There were cuc.u.mber and string bean vines climbing on vegetable frames . Eggplants and hot chili peppers were all growing vigorously in neatly laid out rows . There were also lettuce and carrots . However, he couldn’t see how large the carrots were as they were underground, but the carrot leaves were lush and vibrant green . On the fence surrounding the four sides of the garden, there were hyacinth bean vines and malabar spinach twisted around the wooden poles, which added a bluish-green color to the perimeter . Furthermore, there were still some other vegetables that he could not identify, but everywhere he looked was full of vegetables . . .
He was convinced that before long all of these vegetables would be ready to harvest . At that time, other people’s vegetables would only be tiny sprouts . Steward Yao was very well aware what it meant for Yu Family since they were able to sell vegetables more than a month out of the regular season!
He looked at their simple and crude looking residence as well as the unadorned rooms . As of now, the Yu Family looked dest.i.tute and poor . However, with their ability to grow vegetables, they were absolutely about to become rich very soon, right? Steward Yao now really didn’t have the guts to scorn the Yu Family .
At last, all of the baskets of vegetables were weighed and moved onto the Yao Family’s horse cart . In total, they had bought six hundred and eighty catties of vegetables . Steward Yao knew that Old Master Yao was very picky . If he found out about the Yu Family’s vegetables, then in the future they would definitely have many more dealings to come! Thus, he generously agreed to pay for all of the vegetables using the price for romaine lettuce——twenty-five copper coins per catty .
When Old Yu saw that the vegetables, which usually sold for around three to five copper coins a catty, being sold for five to eight times the normal price, his eyes opened wide in shock . He almost couldn’t believe his ears, “Dahai, are you not afraid that the rich folk will blame you guys for setting the price of vegetables at the price of pork?”
“Grandfather! We’re doing business fair and square . One is willing to buy and the other is willing to sell, why would anyone blame the other?” Yu Xiaocao held up a basin of water to let her grandfather wash his hands and then continued, “The Yao Family is a well-known rich family in town . They’ve eaten meat all winter and have long been tired of it! If you don’t believe me, go ask Steward Yao whether the patriarch of the Yao Family wants to eat meat or does he want to eat our family’s vegetables, okay?”
“But . . . these are merely green vegetables ah! If we’re selling it at such an expensive price, isn’t that overcharging other people?” Old Yu felt a bit uneasy about all of this .
Steward Yao counted the money as he interjected, “Old sir, this is obviously an example of: ‘the rarer a thing is, the greater its value’! Right now, at this season, if you want to eat green vegetables, even if you have money you might not be able to get any! Your family’s vegetables are the only ones on the market in town right now . Even at a more expensive price you guys wouldn’t have to worry about it not selling!”
As they talked, he took out two large ingots of s.h.i.+ny silver and placed them into Yu Hai’s hands . He then said, “Big Brother, this is twenty taels, make sure you keep them safe!”
Yu Hai waved his hand, “There’s no need to give us this much . Six hundred and eighty catties of vegetables only comes out to seventeen taels total . You’re taking such good care of us, how could we possibly take more of your money…”
“Just keep the extra money for now . Think of the additional three taels as a security deposit . Make sure you leave some of the vegetables in the back courtyard for me, your brother . Don’t sell it all to Zhenxiu Restaurant . ” Steward Yao also knew the value of planning ahead for greater rewards . ‘If you guys take my security deposit, in the future it will obviously be very easy to buy vegetables from you!’
Yu Hai still hesitated a bit but Yu Xiaoao had already taken the money away . She grinned, “Since Steward Yao said so, in the future, if you need any vegetables, just give us a holler and we’ll deliver them to the Yao Residence!”
Steward Yao nodded his head repeatedly, “That’s what I wanted to hear! I know you guys are short staffed, so in the future I will have people bring a cart over to your place to buy vegetables! Xiaosi, remember the route . In the future, you will be in charge of buying vegetables . Make sure you do well and not let me, your adoptive father, lose any face!”
Steward Yao had directed the last part to the little a.s.sistant who was driving the cart . That little a.s.sistant was also a clever and nimble fellow, so he nodded his head as if he was pounding garlic paste with it . A joyful smile tinged with admiration crossed his face . Going from an a.s.sistant who took care of the horses to a person in charge of purchasing was a big change . It not only was a large promotion but also his future treatment and pay would be vastly different .
That was because the purchasing position was one that had a lot of profit involved in it . In the future, he really needed to show his filial respect to his adoptive father . Without his adoptive father promoting him, how else could he, Xiaosi, possibly get such a position with the mult.i.tudes of other servants at the residence?
“Thank you, G.o.dfather! Thank you, G.o.dfather!” Xiaosi continuously thanked Steward Yao as if this was the only way he could truly express the depths of his grat.i.tude .
“Do your job well! In the future, when you have more contact with the Yu Family, make sure to treat them with more courtesy . Especially that little girl . She has a lot of ideas and you absolutely cannot slight her!” On the way back home, Steward Yao gave him some words of advice to help Xiaosi develop properly .
Later on, Xiaosi repeatedly went back and forth between Dongshan Village and Tanggu Town . He always kept his adoptive father’s advice close to heart and warmly called Yu Hai and his wife ‘uncle and auntie’ . In addition, he also helped them to do some work around the house . He had an almost brotherly relations.h.i.+p with Yu Hang, who was about the same age as him . Furthermore, he took care of Xiaolian and Little s.h.i.+tou as if they were his own younger siblings . Every time he came to buy vegetables and produce, he would always bring some pastries and cakes for them . As for Xiaocao, who looked almost exactly the same as Xiaolian, he had unconsciously developed deep feelings of respect for her .