Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Selling Sweet Potato Leaves 1 (1/2)

Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Selling Sweet Potato Leaves 1

Translator: 549690339                      —

In the following days, the Military Prefecture returned to its usual tranquility, Wei Ruo’s relationship with her family had become even colder than when she had just arrived.

This was particularly true with Yun, who used to be warm towards Wei Ruo. However, Wei Ruo’s response was never enthusiastic and now that Yun was cold towards her, Wei Ruo became even more indifferent.

Wei Yichen was somewhat worried about this but Wei Ruo didn’t care.

She didn’t care about the attitudes of the others in her family towards her because she had several important matters at hand.

Firstly, the sweet potatoes on Xiaoyang Mountain had already grown lush leaves.

Sweet potato leaves are also a fine type of food, which can be picked for consumption as a green vegetable and provide additional benefits before the sweet potatoes ripen.

What’s more, the benefit of sweet potato leaves is that the more that can be sold, the more that can be harvested and what can’t be sold can be left in the ground to provide nutrients for the sweet potatoes.

For the first harvest of sweet potato leaves, the wet nurse was a little uncertain, so Wei Ruo sent Xiumei there because she had mobility issues After Xiumei and the wet nurse met, they directed the laborers to harvest a portion of the sweet potatoes. The harvested sweet potato leaves were strung together in bundles with rice straw and then loaded onto a readily-transportable oxcart after being placed in baskets.

For the first harvest, aware that people might not be familiar with sweet potato leaves, Xiumei and the wet nurse picked only two baskets’ worth according to Wei Ruo’s instruction.

Then, they transported the oxcart to the market for sale, priced at two coins per bunch.

This price was set by Wei Ruo. It’s not expensive, aiming for a high volume of sales with a small profit.

Wei Ruo generally would not price agricultural products too high, aiming for quantity rather than high profits but on luxury items that only the rich and powerful could afford, Wei Ruo set the price as high as possible.

Selling sweet potato leaves was also for the purpose of better promoting sweet potatoes as a crop, to prepare for the market for an even larger amount of sweet potatoes.

On their way to the market, the wet nurse even went home and stir-fried a large plate of them to bring to the market.

At the market, they made funneled shapes with small dumpling leaves to hold the cooked sweet potato leaves, each only containing enough for one bite.

Then they had the laborers who were helping with the transportation cry out: “Two coins per bunch, free samples.”

Due to the scarcity of arable land in Xingshan County, vegetables were generally more expensive than in other regions. Plus, poor weather in recent years had lowered crop yields and combined with Japanese Pirates causing disruptions led to fewer merchant convoys, thus fewer vegetables being transported from other places. This resulted in the price of vegetables in Xingshan County being several times higher than other places.

Fresh green vegetables sold for two coins a bunch were indeed quite appealing, attracting many onlookers.

Although they hadn’t seen this before, there were ready-to-eat samples available.

The wet nurse very enthusiastically handed the dumpling leaves filled with stir-fried sweet potato leaves to the onlookers.

Once they learned that this was a vegetable that could be eaten, tasted refreshing and delicious, and was also affordable, some began buying it to give it a try.

In no time at all, all of the sweet potato leaves in the two baskets were sold out. After leaving the market, Xiumei followed the wet nurse back to their current residence.

There is a shop in the front, and a small house in the back, not a big place, but the wet nurse and her family were very satisfied the place.

Especially considering its location, which was rather good. It was close to the Military Prefecture and the shop at the front was in a busy area. Once they open for business, it should attract lots of customers.

After having lunch with the three members of the Xu Family in the small house, Xiumei returned to the Military Prefecture.

When she came back, she brought Wei Ruo sweet potato leaves and some other vegetable mushrooms. All of these were prepared by the wet nurse’s family for Wei Ruo, as they were worried she might not be used to the food at the Military Prefecture.