My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 46p1

Chapter 46 p1: Brother-in-law

A glistening silver ingot. He remembered that when they were farming at home, they could earn at most six taels of silver a year with hard work. When he had a stall with his elder brother in Shuibo Town, they usually earned three taels of silver a month. In Jinhe County, it was about a dozen taels a month.

Now, Song Changxu had just resold some silk, without any physical labor, and had earned eighty taels in one day.

Xu Zhizhou held the silver ingot and wouldn’t let go.

“Husband, we’ve earned so much this time. We don’t have to worry about our expenses this year at all,” Xu Zhizhou said with a beaming smile.

Song Changxu’s ambition was greater. “It’s enough for a year, but it’s far from enough if we want to buy a house and open a shop.”

Xu Zhizhou stammered, “You’ve thought so far ahead.”

Since they had to establish themselves in ancient times, money and power were both indispensable. Xu Zhizhou had said that renting a house was not good, and he thought so too, so he needed to earn more money to buy a house.

The Bobo Chicken business required working from morning till night. If they had their own shop, they could hire some workers, find a reliable person to tell the recipe to, and then Xu Zhizhou wouldn’t have to work so hard.

By that calculation, it would cost hundreds of taels of silver.

Song Changxu: “We’ll all have a good life in the future.”

Hearing Song Changxu’s words, Xu Zhizhou smiled and nodded heavily.

It was not easy for the two of them to come from a small village to the county town. In the future, they might even go to the capital. Thinking of this, Xu Zhizhou was full of motivation again.

He and Song Changxu were both still young. Their parents were healthy, and they had their elder brothers to help. The county town was the most suitable place for them to strive.

Tonight, Song Changxu made a simple hot pot, with vegetables, meat slices, and fish balls, as well as some fried dough twists.

He bought some peaches and cut them into a platter.

He made a steamed fish.

Xu Zhizhou picked a handful of scallions, washed them, and chopped them to sprinkle on the steamed fish. The soup was thick and milky white.

“It smells so good.”

Xu Zhizhou took a ladle, served himself a bowl, and then served one to Song Changxu.

“You’re the great hero, husband. I’ll serve you some soup.”

Song Changxu’s eyes were filled with a smile. “Alright.”

This time, the young couple were both very happy to have earned money. Xu Zhizhou ate the meat slices and fish balls. Song Changxu had also made some meatballs.

After Xu Zhizhou had a taste, he was amazed. “We can also make Bobo Chicken with meatballs. Our menu is fixed. It’s time to come up with some new dishes.”

Song Changxu thought for a moment and served Xu Zhizhou a few more meatballs, as well as some fried dough twists. “After you’ve eaten, I’ll teach you how to make them.”

Xu Zhizhou was a fast learner when it came to cooking. As for writing, he was a bit slower. He nodded.

The hot pot was delicious. After eating some, it was a bit spicy. A bowl of fish soup and a few bites of fish would cool it down.

Although it was a steamed fish, the taste was light, but it was still flavorful and very fresh.

Xu Zhizhou muttered, “Husband, if you weren’t a scholar, you would have a future as a chef.”

Song Changxu drank a mouthful of fish soup with satisfaction. “If I were a chef, you wouldn’t be able to be the husband of an official. Besides, cooking in my spare time is a pleasure. If I had to cook all the time, I wouldn’t be able to take it.”

Xu Zhizhou thought for a moment and agreed. He said with longing, “Then it’s better to be an official. After you become an official, we can have a chef cook for us.”

After eating, Song Changxu told Xu Zhizhou how to make the meatballs.

Xu Zhizhou understood. At the same time, he asked with confusion, “I heard from my elder brother that you also discovered the recipe for Bobo Chicken. You never cook at home, husband. How do you have so many ideas?”

Song Changxu said casually, “I read it in a book.”

Xu Zhizhou easily believed him.

He took the four silver ingots and hid them.

“If there’s anything like this in the future, husband, I can also contribute. When you make a profit, you can just give me half,” Xu Zhizhou said, squinting his eyes and shaking Song Changxu’s sleeve.

Song Changxu’s head was about to be shaken off. He was so soft-hearted that he was floating.

“We’ll see if there’s another opportunity like this. If there is, we’ll earn money together.”

Song Changxu had sold all the silk in his house for twenty-five copper coins. When the neighbors saw it, it was as if they had sold it at a loss.

The Ding family next door, who sold braised meat, talked about Song Changxu selling silk.

“He’s a scholar, after all. He doesn’t understand business at all. If I had so much silk, I would definitely have waited and watched before selling. It might have risen again. What if it rose to thirty copper coins? He would have lost a lot of silver.” Ding Dalang said with disapproval.

His wife, Fei-shi, sighed. “It’s not easy for the two of them. It’s so hard to support a scholar. It’s understandable that Xiucai Song wanted to get the money early. Anyway, they’ve earned a lot. Aiyo, I saw several silver ingots being given out.”

“I work from morning till night and I don’t earn that much. I’d say they’re lucky. They hoarded so much silk and happened to run into such an opportunity, and sold it all at once.”

Ding Dalang snorted heavily. “A woman’s kindness. Selling early is a loss. What a pity. Why didn’t I buy some silk a while ago? Otherwise, I would have made a fortune too.”

Fei-shi’s eyes turned red at the thought of so much money, but she knew that who would buy silk for no reason? It was better for her to go to bed early, get up early tomorrow to make braised meat and earn more money, and then send her son to the academy to study and write, so that he could have a good future.

Xiucai Song had often come to buy braised meat recently. Fei-shi had heard that Xu Zhizhou liked to eat it, so he would often come to buy it.

The more she interacted with Xiucai Song, the more she felt that a xiucai should be like that. He had an outstanding temperament and looked cultured. She hoped that her son would grow up to be like that.

Fei-shi went to bed first. Ding Dalang was still talking. When he was tired, he went to sleep.

It wasn’t just the Ding family. In Mijiang Lane, the neighbors all knew about any new happenings.

After Song Changxu had sold the silk for twenty-five copper coins, the price had continued to rise, all the way to thirty.

The merchants who held the silk were ecstatic. “Good, good, good. I think it can still rise again.”

Some merchants took the opportunity to sell. At this time, some other people entered the market, and the silk they sold was quickly bought up.

The merchants who had sold and made a profit did not speak anymore. It was as if they had retired.

“There’s still more to be earned,” someone said with conviction.

When Song Changxu was studying at the county school, he heard the aristocratic sons in the classroom talking about silk. They said that their elders had also hoarded some.

Luo Shuang had bought a new jade pendant and hung it on his waist. He was treasuring it now and would play with it from time to time.

Cheng Maoxue asked, “Brother Luo, has Uncle Luo hoarded any silk?”

Luo Shuang smiled. “My father hasn’t paid any attention to this matter. He’s busy with the chamber of commerce and has no time to spare.”

Cheng Maoxue thought for a moment. Master Luo probably didn’t care about this small profit.

Seeing Cheng Maoxue’s expression, Luo Shuang reminded him, “Some of the other elders in the family have hoarded some silk. If you want to hoard some, Brother Cheng, I advise you not to do it now. If you had entered the market when the price was rising, it would have been fine. But now, you’re very likely to lose money.”

Song Changxu thought to himself, Entering the market now is being a high-level bagholder.

Cheng Maoxue waved his hand. “I’m just asking. I’m not getting involved in this.”

When Teacher Zhou arrived, they quieted down and listened to the lecture. Song Changxu was called up to answer a question. He sat down after he had answered.

With silver in the family, he was much less anxious. Song Changxu studied in peace.

.

This morning, Jiang Zhuo had gone to find Xu Zhizhou to make Bobo Chicken together. They first went to the market to pick vegetables. The vegetable vendors at the market were already familiar with them and would call out to them when they saw them.

“Our vegetables are the freshest. Look, they’re still dewy.”

“Look at our white radishes. The potatoes are also big and round, and there are also lotus roots, just dug up from our own pond.”

“Look at our eggplants and green vegetables…”

Xu Zhizhou and Jiang Zhuo were already used to it. They picked and chose the best. After buying them, Xu Zhizhou also went to get more chicken, fish, and pork.

In the past, it was enough to just buy chicken. Why had he bought fish and pork today?

Back in the courtyard, a large pot was boiling with hot water. Jiang Zhuo started to wash the vegetables, while Xu Zhizhou went to make the seasoning, as well as the fish and meatballs.

The seasoning could not be sloppy. After it was prepared, Xu Zhizhou helped to wash the vegetables. The vegetable and meat skewers were both selling well, but more people would still buy more vegetable skewers and fewer meat ones, so their stall had a lot of vegetable skewers.

“Let’s put the vegetables in the pot first.”

Jiang Zhuo nodded.

When the vegetables were ready, Xu Zhizhou put in the fish and meatballs.

Xu Zhizhou said, “We should have some new products. Fish and meatballs are it. Two meatballs a skewer, for seven copper coins, and fish for eight.”

Fish was cheaper than pork, but it took a lot of time to debone. He had only thought of the deliciousness and had forgotten the difficulty of making fish balls. In the future, he would only make them every two days, and they would be limited. Otherwise, it would be too troublesome.

After putting the things on the pushcart, they set off.

The prices for the fish and meatballs were written on a sign by Xu Zhizhou himself. Although it was not as good-looking as Song Changxu’s, he was quite satisfied with it.

Looking at the sign he had written standing on the side, Xu Zhizhou’s mood lifted a little.

“Fish and meatballs. It looks like there are new styles. I want ten vegetable skewers, two meat skewers, and also a skewer of fish and meatballs,” someone called out.

Xu Zhizhou and Jiang Zhuo got busy.

Most of the people who ordered fish and meatballs were regular customers. The fish balls were made in small quantities and were soon sold out.

“Boss Xu, the fish and meatballs are both very delicious. Will there be any tomorrow?”

Xu Zhizhou said with a smile, “No. It’s too troublesome to debone the fish. We’ll make them every two days. If you like them, you can come and have them then.”

The regular customer was disappointed but still agreed.

The meatballs and fish balls were a great success. Xu Zhizhou breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing someone call him again, he came back to his senses and went to mix the Bobo Chicken.

In the past, they had five tables. Now they had increased to eight. If they added any more, it would take up a lot of space.

This place was where everyone did business together. Xu Zhizhou couldn’t take up too much space.

He thought of what Song Changxu had said. When they had saved up more money, they could get a shop and be their own bosses.

Xu Zhizhou smiled.

After class, Cheng Maoxue gave his essay to Song Changxu to look at. “Teacher Zhou said your essay is well-written. I wanted to ask for your guidance, Brother Song.”

Song Changxu: “I can’t say it’s guidance. Please don’t mind if I don’t say it well, Brother Cheng.”

He pointed out a few shortcomings and a few good points in the essay. Cheng Maoxue’s expression was one of pleasant surprise. “I never thought of what you said, Brother Song. Thank you for that.”

Song Changxu said a few more words to Cheng Maoxue and went back.

Just as he reached Mijiang Lane, he saw a group of people gathered around, talking about something. Someone with sharp eyes saw him, and they all started to talk at once.

Song Changxu finally understood. They were talking about how the price of silk had risen to thirty-five copper coins and then had fallen within two days, all the way down to twenty, and it was still falling. It looked like it was going to fall back to its original price.

“I heard that a traveling merchant from another place brought some new silk over. When they arrive, there will be no shortage of silk. Who will still buy it?”

“That’s right. Now, many bosses are selling silk, but no one dares to buy it. Who would dare to take it on? You’d lose money as soon as you did.”

Someone said, “It’s a good thing you sold early, Xiucai Song. Otherwise, the silk would have been stuck in your hands.”

Song Changxu was surprised, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. “I never thought it would be like this. After I sold the silk, I saw that it was still rising. I couldn’t sleep every night, and I kept feeling that I had lost out. I feel much better after hearing this news.”

Seeing that his expression did not seem fake, the subtle discomfort in everyone’s hearts also disappeared.

“Seeing it rise so high, everyone regretted it. Now it’s good, it’s fallen. I wonder how much those people will lose.”

…