The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 110 Preparations Begin (2)_1

Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Preparations Begin (2)_1

Taking the pen, Pei Qin explained to Zou Xing the noodle machine she wanted to make; it wasn’t easy to forge, especially the noodle-draining sieve.

Zou Xing listened intently; they usually made simple farming and cutting tools, and it was only recently that they figured out how to make samples of hand-pulled carts and wheelbarrows upon Pei Qin’s request. Now this device seemed simple in description, but was not easy to forge, and he couldn’t guarantee success.

Pei Qin was aware that ironworking technology at the time was controlled by The Imperial Court, and the local blacksmiths could only make simple items. She had another plan, "If iron can’t be used, then you will have to make me a wooden one!"

"A wooden one can definitely be made," Zou Xing nodded. However, he didn’t want to disappoint Pei Qin, who had sought his help, and decided to take the matter home to discuss with his father and elder brother, "What is this thing for? Should we keep it a secret from people?"

"Oh! It’s for pressing noodles. I plan to set up a noodle stall. Whether we keep it secret or not doesn’t matter; as soon as it’s used, some people will figure it out by watching. My treasure lies within the noodles!" Pei Qin said nonchalantly.

"You... setting up a noodle stall..." Zou Xing always felt that with her neat appearance and intelligence, not to mention her literacy, even if her family was hard up, someone educated like her shouldn’t be running a street stall for a living.

"Is that not okay?" Pei Qin had enjoyed running a stall in her previous life; it was just one of her hobbies.

"No... no! I just think..." Zou Xing, looking into her clear, bright phoenix eyes, found himself unable to finish his sentence awkwardly.

Grandma Wang then asked Pei Wendong, "Where are your parents?"

"My father..." Pei Wendong became absent-minded, "...died."

Upon hearing this, Grandma Wang understood everything and immediately promised to do her best to make the item Pei Qin needed, "Now, for setting up noodles, you’ll certainly need tables and benches, which I have at home. They’re a bit worn but serviceable, and I’ll lend them to you. Also, things like the stove, I have that at home too. Xiao Pei, our family is right in Taiping Town, if you need any help, be sure to tell us. Don’t be shy with us! You’ve helped our family so much, and we haven’t been able to do anything for you yet!"

Pei Qin laughed, "Great! Then I won’t be shy with Grandma Wang! I’ll borrow the tables and benches! And I was just thinking about making a stove!"

Grandma Wang liked her straightforward nature, saying it like it is, uninhibited and honest at heart.

The phrase "honest at heart" might make those from her previous life who knew Pei Qin roll their eyes collectively.

Pei Qin asked Zou Xing to make a big, simple stove and two bucket-shaped pots, "I’ll pay a deposit of two taels of silver first; the rest will come later!"

Zou Xing refused, insisting she keep the money for supplies.

"I came to you precisely because I wanted to take advantage of your services!" Pei Qin chuckled and left the silver with him.

Zou Xing stuffed a few barely warm buns into Pei Wendong’s hands.

Seeing Pei Wendong hesitant, Pei Qin told him to take them.

Wang Tiezhu asked her to examine the iron hand-pulled carts and wheelbarrows; Pei Qin pointed out a few areas for improvement, took the hand-pulled cart sample to try, and called over Pei Wendong, "Let’s go! Let’s scope out a spot, see where’s good to set up!"

Pei Wendong, holding the buns, followed her around Taiping Town once again.

In the end, Pei Qin took a liking to two spots and after some inquiry, tentatively chose an empty space at the end of the street, a few dozen steps away from the bustling market area—it was passable, and for now, not for a permanent shop, she couldn’t be choosy.

After arranging things in the town, Pei Qin went up the mountain. The few taels of silver wouldn’t be enough for setting up her stall.

After several days of foraging, she collected two sacks of winter bamboo shoots, twenty-three bamboo rats, and eight wild rabbits.

Luckily there were two hand-pulled carts, plus a wheelbarrow, otherwise the women in her family wouldn’t have been able to manage.

After bringing the goods to Moon Restaurant, the Shopkeeper was delighted to see so many winter bamboo shoots and bought the bamboo rats and wild rabbits without hesitation.

Pei Qin told him, "The Snow Vegetables have been harvested, and there won’t be any more this year, you’ll have to wait for next season."

The Shopkeeper was quite disappointed, "How could that be?"

"The season for eating them has passed," Pei Qin shrugged and recommended that the two sacks of winter bamboo shoots shouldn’t be sold but rather boiled and dried for later rehydration; they would taste great stewed in soup for the new year.

The Shopkeeper had been inquiring about this foraged plant but never found it. Now hearing it wouldn’t be available anymore, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed and eagerly inquired when it would be available again. Upon hearing from Pei Qin that it would be there in spring, he rounded up the payment from four and a half taels to five taels of silver, making her promise to bring this foraged plant to them next year as well.

Pei Qin happily agreed, and she also treated Lady Fang, San Ya, and Si Ya to a meal, saying there would be some more before the end of the year, but not much.

Ge Wu saw them out, his eyes filled with admiration for Pei Qin. Such a young girl able to do accounts without an abacus, faster than the Shopkeeper himself. If he could learn that, maybe he could be an accountant... but then again, he was illiterate, better stick to being a chef’s assistant!

As Pei Qin turned to leave, she discovered that one of her wooden hand-pulled carts was missing.

Upon hearing about the loss in the kitchen, Ge Wu immediately jumped to action, rushing to help her find it.

Upon learning of the situation, the Shopkeeper also commanded that they must find it for her.

A waiter rushed over to say he saw the third young master of the Wang family take a hand-pulled cart identical to Pei Qin’s and was now upstairs in a private room corridor playing with it.

When Pei Qin arrived, who else was there pulling her cart but Wang Ting, who had once tried to forcibly buy her hand-pulled cart.

It was Wang Ting who, upon seeing the iron hand-pulled cart in her hand, lit up and commanded, "Turns out you have one like this, bring it over quickly!"

Zhang Yan was sitting leisurely in the open door of the private room, eating, and glanced at Pei Qin standing by the door with an angry look. This time, he didn’t intervene to stop Wang Ting. He wanted to see just how capable this little country girl was!

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