Huo Xi and Yang Fu entered the inner city from the Jinchuan Gate in the north and walked towards the Bell and Drum Tower.
Bypassing the military camp area, we went to Houying Street Alley and knocked on the back door of a seventh-grade city gate official.
"Why did it get delivered today?" The butler stood in the half-open door with a surprised look in his eyes.
"Hello, grandpa, steward. Because there are many people asking us to deliver goods today, I happened to pass by your house and wanted to ask you. The price of these crabs will become more expensive as time goes by. Let me know." Huo Xi looked at the other party with a smile on his face.
"this?"
The housekeeper looked at the dozen or so baskets carried by the two black boys and was a little undecided.
"Today is only the third day of the Lunar New Year. You send me off so early. How can I keep you at home and die?"
Huo Xi felt happy when she saw him loosen up.
"No, we just caught these crabs last night. You keep them at home and eat them during the Double Ninth Festival and they are still alive. You put them in a bucket and pour a shallow layer of water into them to prevent them from flooding.
Just feed them with small fish and shrimps, and they won’t lose any meat.”
Seeing the housekeeper looking through the crab basket, he added: "Today's crab price is different from yesterday. In the next two days, it may double or triple. Spending so much money to eat a crab, you have a large family, don't you?"
A good deal.”
"Really, can you live this long?"
"Really, I won't lie to you. If you are worried, I will send it to someone else. It will be the same if I send it to you the next day, but the price will not be today's price."
Seeing his hesitation, he added a few words: "I see that your master works hard guarding the city every day. For the sake of the people in the capital, I am afraid that he rarely has a home during this time? You don't have to rush to buy with everyone when the end is over.
, not to mention the high price, you may not be able to buy it.”
The manager thought about it, right? Last year, he went to the fish market to look for crabs on the seventh and eighth day of the Lunar New Year. Not only was the quantity small, but the price was soaring to the sky.
It hurts to eat a crab's heart, liver and meat. What kind of crab should I eat? How many kilograms of meat should I cut? Can't I use a few more chopsticks?
But I just got promoted this year, and I have to give out a lot. Not to mention being a senior official, I just socialize with my colleagues. If other people have crabs at home, how can there be less on my table?
"Okay, then I want a basket first. If I die, I have to find you."
Huo Xi was overjoyed in her heart and kept a calm expression on her face: "Don't worry, just do as I say and keep it alive and kicking. And we will be here these days. If your family still needs it, come find us again."
"That's okay."
Huo Xi handed over a basket: "There are ten pairs in this basket, one male and one female. They are all about four taels of large crabs carefully selected. The meat is full of fat. One bite makes you want to eat two."
The butler swallowed his saliva: "Okay, I'll come back to you if it tastes delicious. What's the price?"
Huo Xi then said: "Today the crab seller received thirty-five cents per crab, so I'll leave you a penny. I just hope that your family will eat well and that you will buy crabs and fish from me in the future."
The steward looked through the ten pairs of crabs one by one and weighed them one by one in his hand.
Then the money was paid.
While several people were trading at the door, a neighbor from across the door stuck his head out to watch.
When the transaction was completed, he called Huo Xi and Yang Fu over and looked at the basket: "How did you sell this pound of crabs?"
Huo Xi and Yang Fu were happy. Low-level military attachés lived in this area. Maybe they could sell the crabs to collect some money without having to go door-to-door to ask others to harvest them early.
"These are all about four taels, just like Mr. Zhao's family, thirty-four cents a piece."
"Can this really make a living?"
"You can live. You are all officials, we are the people, how dare we deceive you."
Also, since ancient times, people have been afraid of officials, and they dare not deceive these small people.
The man in charge was picking and choosing, and when he saw that his opponent wanted ten pairs, he thought about it and asked for fifteen pairs.
"Give some of the small fish and shrimps to my house as well."
"Okay. I'll give you some more. Just feed it. If we come here again tomorrow, I'll give you some more."
The steward looked at the black boy, who was only as high as his waist, and praised him: "You're on the road, kid. Here, here are one tael and one penny. If you have more, I'll reward you."
"Thank you, steward!" Huo Xi and Yang Fu bowed to the steward.
Sure enough, people follow the herd. I heard that the crab dealer charged thirty-five cents a piece for collecting crabs, and it might be doubled in two days. I also saw two adults in the alley who were in the sixth or seventh grade and bought them at home, so they also bought them.
.
More than a dozen baskets of crabs were sold out without being sent to the home of the person who placed the order.
There are still some that are not available, so I am rushing to place an order.
Yang Fu's feet were so happy that he walked out of Houying Street Alley and urged: "Xi'er, quickly see how much it was sold for?"
Huo Xi looked around, but didn't take it out to count. He just made an estimate: "About three taels. Now take it out and count it. Aren't you afraid of being missed by thieves?"
"Ah? Oh." Yang Fu hurriedly suppressed his joy, looked around, stretched out his hand to hold Huo Xi tightly to protect her.
After walking a few steps, he whispered: "Xi'er, did you lie to them just now? We have never met a crab dealer. Moreover, we only collected twenty coins from two to four taels yesterday."
They are officials and they are citizens. If they knew... Yang Fu held Huo Xi's hand tightly.
Huo Xi glanced at him sideways: "I didn't talk about the crab seller I met. Can they still check it? And the later ones are more expensive. I don't think I lied to them."
No matter how low your official rank is, how can you sacrifice your dignity to compete with small fishermen for a few copper coins? What a big deal. Besides, I'll deliver it to your door, no fee?
Yang Fu looked at her and scratched his head: "Then, let's go back and pick up the rest to sell."
Huo Xi shook his head.
The two to four taels of crabs harvested yesterday were all sold today, including those caught by her father. Now there are only seven or eight crabs that are four taels upwards and two taels below.
If she can't sell the ones below two taels, she has another use for them. She plans to keep the ones above four taels for two more days.
Yesterday, everyone only tried to send some crabs, but not many crabs were collected. But she estimated that she should be able to collect a lot today. If this is the case, the money on hand may not be enough.
Huo Xi touched the jade pendant on her chest. Passing by a pawn shop, she slowed down and hesitated.
Yang Fu glanced at her strangely, and when he saw her pinching the skirt of her chest, he understood instantly.
He pulled her forward a few steps and taught her a lesson: "You can't do it! It's your personal belongings, how can you do it! And aren't you afraid that your bad relatives will find you?"
"But we don't have enough money."
"That can't be sold! Darling, let's go home first and ask your parents and your mother first. Maybe they can do something about it. They are adults and they will definitely have more ideas than us kids."
Huo Xi doesn't want to sell this jade pendant, she can't show her face yet.
Wu is now the Marquis of Xincheng Marquis, and in the future her children and grandchildren will all inherit the title of Xincheng Marquis. How could she give up such a huge benefit! She will definitely eradicate it.
She can't involve Nian'er.
Being stared at by Yang Fu, Huo Xi had no choice but to follow him toward the outer city.