"Chapter 24"

In just a short time, several households near the entrance of Sanli Village had women hurrying home and then quickly reappearing with bowls, each followed by a few kids. The tasting session was bustling.

Of course, not everyone was willing to spend money on food; some came only to let their children have a free taste, with no intention of buying.

Among these were some who genuinely didn't buy, and others who, after tasting and unable to resist their children's longing looks, decided to share a piece with a neighbor, each family chipping in to buy one together.

"For just one wen each, the two families can split it, enough for an extra dish at home."

At this first stop, Sang Luo sold six pieces of fairy tofu, earning twelve wen. Shen An clutched the coins tightly in his pocket, fearing they might be stolen or lost.

Further inside the village, households who had witnessed the earlier scene eagerly approached Sang Luo as she arrived, eliminating the need for much promotion.

"What are you selling, young lady?"

Sang Luo repeated her introduction and free tasting routine, which was smoothly effective. Everyone enjoys a free treat, especially when they were preparing breakfast and had condiments readily available.

After selling a few more pieces, a woman who tasted but didn't buy immediately hesitated before speaking up as Sang Luo was about to move on: "Can I trade something for it?"

Used to bartering, Sang Luo responded: "Certainly, but it depends on what you have to exchange."

The woman inquired: "What would you be willing to exchange for?"

Without hesitation, Sang Luo replied: "Grain would be fine."

Vegetables don't last long, and they weren't immediately needed. Fabric would require giving change, so cash was preferable, especially since Sang Luo wasn't in urgent need of fabric anymore.

Hearing grain was acceptable, the woman hesitated then asked: "If I exchange soybeans, how would that work?"

Indeed, soybeans were considered grain at this time.

Bean meals were a staple in Sang Luo's original time, and here too, soybeans, among others, were a main food source. Not everyone could afford white rice, so beans often made up a large part of the diet, especially for poorer families.

Unsure of the current price of soybeans, Sang Luo vaguely suggested: "Just equate it to the bean's price, equivalent to two wen."

The woman pursed her lips and finally nodded, "Alright, just wait a moment. I'll go measure out the soybeans."

After the woman brought out the soybeans, Sang Luo noticed it was half a sheng. So, are soybeans priced at four wen per sheng now?

Thinking about the grain, which costs seven wen per sheng, the price seemed about right. Without a bag to carry the beans, she took out the hemp cloth she had brought and wrapped the beans before placing them back in her basket.

Seeing someone trading soybeans opened up the idea for others who were initially reluctant to buy. Persuaded by their children, two more pieces were traded away.

By now, of the sixteen pieces of fairy tofu Sang Luo had brought, only two remained.

She had sold fourteen pieces, earning twenty-two wen, plus one and a half sheng of soybeans. The funds for buying meat and sauce seemed to have been successfully gathered.

Approaching the butcher's, Sang Luo contemplated walking further to sell the last two pieces, then visiting the meat and grocery stores. Completing this would mark the success of her day's endeavor.

Before she could move on, someone near the butcher's shop called out to her.

"Tofu lady!"

"Tofu lady??"

Sang Luo paused, realizing she was being addressed, and turned to see a plump woman emerging from the house behind the butcher's.

A familiar face.

It was the woman who had snatched the third portion of the extra tofu yesterday.

"Tofu lady, over here, this way!"

The plump woman was visibly delighted to see Sang Luo, gesturing eagerly and her eyes darting to the pottery basin in Sang Luo's hands. Spotting the remaining two pieces of tofu, her cheeks dimpled with a joyful smile.

"'Didn’t you say you'd sell next market day? Why did you come today?'"

"Unembarrassed, Sang Luo replied with a smile: 'I wanted to buy some lard and meat at the market, so I made a bit extra to bring along.'"

"'Buying meat?' The plump woman laughed upon hearing this, gesturing with her chin towards the back where the meat stall was: 'That's my parents' meat shop. Go on, just tell my dad what you want and he'll cut it for you.'"

"'So your sister-in-law's family owns a meat shop? What good fortune for you.'"

"Who eats the best these days? Apart from the wealthy, in the countryside, it’s often the butcher’s family."

"The plump woman clearly agreed with Sang Luo’s statement, smiling and in very good spirits."

"Looking at the clay pot in Sang Luo’s hands, she said, 'You've come at the perfect time. I've been thinking about this very dish. Sell these two pieces to me, so I can let my parents and siblings try them too.'"

"She had bought some yesterday to take back to her husband's family, and today she was back at her parents' home to help with the butchering. Running into Sang Luo selling miraculous tofu was a perfect opportunity to treat her family and avoid her sisters-in-law thinking she only takes from her parents' home."

"Sang Luo was more than happy to oblige, her eyes smiling: 'Of course! You’re a returning customer. These are the last two pieces I have, and I'll throw in a few smaller pieces as a bonus for you.'"

"'A bonus, that's wonderful!' The plump woman loved bonuses, especially the kind that was unique to her and unavailable to others. It made spending money feel even more satisfying."

"Asking Sang Luo to wait a moment, she happily went inside to fetch a bowl for the tofu. Coming back, she mentioned to her father that Sang Luo was a familiar lady and asked him to pick out a good piece of meat for her. Then, after saying goodbye to Sang Luo, she went inside with the two bowls of miraculous tofu she had just bought to sell the idea to her mother and sisters-in-law."

The butcher, being a doting father, allowed his married daughter to occasionally return to her parents' home to fetch some meat for her in-laws. Upon hearing his daughter mention a familiar young lady, he was especially accommodating.

"What kind of meat would the young lady like to buy?"

Sang Luo inquired about the meat prices.

The butcher smiled and said, "It depends on the type. Fatty meat is more expensive, while lean meat is cheaper."

Sang Luo glanced over the meat counter, which, like in modern times, had the meat sorted by type. She pointed to a piece with seventy percent fat and thirty percent lean, asking, "How about this one?"

The butcher took one look and replied, "For rendering lard? That would be 18 wen per jin."

Shen An squeezed the handful of coins in his hand, thinking it was quite expensive. The coins hadn't even warmed up in his pocket before they were about to be spent again.

The little fellow felt the pinch but said nothing, trusting that his elder sister-in-law would make the right decisions for the household.

Sang Luo pondered for a moment before requesting, "Could you please cut half a jin for me?"

The butcher responded with a smile, expertly weighing the meat in his hand before cutting it. The piece he cut was exactly half a jin, not a bit more or less.

Such skill with his hands was truly a remarkable talent.

After weighing the meat, the butcher picked up a piece of pork liver, slicing off a small portion of about two liang, and bundled it with the meat using straw rope. Handing it to Sang Luo, he said, "Since you're acquainted with my daughter, I'll give you this piece of pork liver as a gift."

The butcher had been listening and observing attentively. He saw how the young lady generously gave several pieces of the so-called 'Fairy Tofu' to his daughter. Offering a piece of pork liver was a small gesture in return, a way to reciprocate the kindness and maintain face for his family.

Sang Luo was pleasantly surprised and expressed her gratitude. Her eyes then fell on the nearly meatless pork bones piled in a corner of the counter. Remembering the radish she had at home, she inquired about the price.

"Are you interested in the rib bones? They don’t have much meat, but they’re great for soups, very aromatic. One wen per piece. Would you like one?"

At one wen, these nutritious bones were economically efficient. However, considering the pork and liver she already had, Sang Luo decided, “I’ll pass this time. What I have today is enough.”

The butcher nodded, “Alright, just come by whenever you need it.”

As Sang Luo prepared to place the meat into her basket, she suddenly realized she didn't have a kitchen knife at home, only a bamboo knife, adequate for tofu but not for meat. This realization made her pause.

She promptly handed the meat and liver back to the butcher, “Uncle, could you please help me cut these?”

With a puzzled look, the butcher listened as Sang Luo sheepishly explained, “We’ve just recently set up our own household and haven’t managed to acquire all the essentials yet. We don’t have a kitchen knife at home.”

Understanding her predicament, the butcher asked how she wanted it cut and then skillfully did as requested.

Now that tying it with straw rope wasn't an option, Sang Luo washed one of the earthenware bowls she had brought and placed the cut meat and liver in it.

Seeing the array of delicacies purchased, Shen An and Shen Ning were so thrilled they wanted to offer carrying the basket for their sister-in-law, but felt too shy to say so in front of the butcher and held back.

Shen An took the morning's earnings out of his pocket and handed them to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo accepted the coins, counted out nine wen for the butcher, and tucked the remaining seventeen wen into her sleeve. After thanking the butcher again and noting that the portly sister-in-law wasn’t present, she requested the butcher to pass along her thanks when he saw her. With these courtesies exchanged, Sang Luo then took her leave.

Shen Ning, remembering her sister-in-law’s comment from yesterday about needing sauce for the eggplant dish, quickly asked Sang Luo, “Big sister, are we going to buy sauce now?”

Sang Luo nodded, “Not just sauce, let’s also get some vinegar.”

Vinegar is a wonderful ingredient. It's great for removing fishy smells, adding flavor to cold dishes, and even when making bone soup, a few drops of vinegar can help dissolve the nutrients from the bones more effectively.

Talking, she led the two children towards the grocery store across the street.

The grocery store owner remembered Sang Luo and her companions and greeted them with a smile, “Young lady, what are you buying today?”

Sauce and vinegar are staples in the store, conveniently placed in the most accessible and visible spot. Sang Luo spotted them immediately, “I need some sauce and vinegar. How much are they?”

The shopkeeper, hearing she wanted sauce and vinegar, replied, “Did you bring your own containers? If you have your own containers, the sauce is one wen for two big spoons, and vinegar is one wen for two 'jiao' (a unit of measurement).”

The 'jiao' here is also a unit of measurement, similar to the long-handled liquor ladles used for dispensing alcohol in modern rural areas.

Naturally, Sang Luo didn't have her own containers, so she ended up buying the smallest earthenware pots of sauce and vinegar available in the store, spending a total of twelve wen.

With the remaining five wen, Sang Luo bought a palm-sized pot, necessary to store the rendered pork fat.

It wasn't that she didn't want a larger pot; it was simply that her budget only stretched to a small one. However, they wouldn’t have much pork fat to store for the time being, so it was sufficient.

Sang Luo had planned to buy needles today, as the piece of fabric she had obtained needed hemming to prevent fraying with use.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have enough money left, so that would have to wait for another time.

This time, Shen An and Shen Ning happily carried the basket containing the pork, while Sang Luo, having the heavier pots and jars, switched them into her own basket.

Leaving Sanli Village, the two children were so joyful that they seemed to float as they walked.

Sang Luo, however, was calculating in her mind about the scarcity of food at home. With their three meals a day, even just cooking porridge, the two and a half liters of rice they had wouldn't last many days.

She needed to earn money to buy more food.

But would she be able to sell another sixteen blocks of fairy tofu in Sanli Village tomorrow?

Sang Luo understood that it wouldn't be possible, at least not as smoothly as today. To sell everything would require a lot more effort.

Today's success was because everyone was curious to try something new. If she were to come again tomorrow, it might not be as easy to sell. Sanli Village might be wealthier than nearby villages, but only to a certain extent. Coming every three to five days might work, but daily visits were unrealistic.

Sang Luo couldn't help but turn her gaze towards the dirt road leading to the county town. Uncle Tian had mentioned yesterday that the county town was just three miles from Sanli Village. The spending power of rural farmers was limited, but people in the county wouldn't find a snack costing two wen expensive.