Chapter 13: Money-Making Scheme

When Wang Yuan’er returned home, it was almost time to prepare lunch. She had three buns stuffed in her bosom, making a noticeable bulge.

“Oh, Yuan’er, what are you hiding there?” Madam Zhang came out from the west room and pointed at her bosom. The girl didn’t even feel embarrassed about where she hid things.

Wang Yuan’er replied, “Mother couldn’t eat breakfast this morning, so I bought two buns for her to try.” Afraid that Madam Zhang might say something, she quickly added, “I’ll go back to my room now!”

Madam Zhang watched her run into the east room, clicking her tongue and saying, “Look at her, making a fuss over two measly buns, acting like someone is going to steal them. Really, she can’t be presentable.”

“Buns? Mother, where are the buns? I’m hungry!” Fuquan from the second household came out of his room, yawning. His eyes lit up at the mention of buns.

Madam Zhang smacked his head and said, “Eat, eat, eat. All you know is eating. You slept till noon. Your Grandma will scold you.”

Fuquan shrank his neck and slipped away, saying, “I’m going out to play.”

Madam Zhang, fuming, cursed a couple of times before going back inside.

In the east room, Wang Yuan’er took the buns out of her bosom and handed them to Madam Liang. “You hardly ate breakfast. Try to eat these.”

“I’m not very hungry. Save them for Lan’er and the others.” Madam Liang coughed twice and put the buns aside. She had caught a chill last night and had vomited everything she ate this morning. Now, she looked pale and sickly.

Wang Yuan’er frowned but didn’t push her. Instead, she poured a cup of hot water and handed it to her, then started talking about Gou Dan.

Madam Liang sighed and said, “That poor child, losing his mother and having a useless father. He’s really pitiful. If you see him in the future, help him if you can. Good deeds always pay off.”

Wang Yuan’er nodded softly. Seeing her mother’s spirits were low, she shared some amusing gossip she had heard outside. Madam Liang’s mood lightened a bit.

After chatting for a while, Grandma Wang called for lunch preparations from outside. Madam Liang was about to get up when Wang Yuan’er stopped her, saying, “You’re not feeling well. I’ll do it.”

Madam Liang thought about it. Her waist and abdomen indeed felt heavy, so she nodded.

Wang Yuan’er went into the kitchen, washed the pot, and rinsed the rice. She prepared the rice and sweet potatoes, covered the pot, and then decided to fetch two eggs from the clay jar above the stove. She buried the eggs in the rice to be boiled along with the rice. After setting everything up, she took a bamboo basket and went to the vegetable garden behind the house.

The Wang family’s vegetable garden was well-maintained, with rows of green onions, cilantro, and cabbage growing lushly. As she picked vegetables, Wang Yuan’er thought about ways to earn money.

A burst of clucking caught her attention.

“Edest sister, our chickens have laid eggs again!” Her youngest sister came running with two eggs in hand, smiling. “Eldest sister, make some scrambled eggs with green onions for me.”

“Sure, and I’ll make the best tea eggs in the world for you, too,” Wang Yuan’er said lovingly. As soon as she mentioned tea eggs, her eyes lit up.

In her previous life at the Landlord Li’s house, a cook named Xiu Niang from the south made delicious marinated tea eggs. Xiu Niang, who was close to Wang Yuan’er, had taught her the secret recipe. Now, Xiu Niang hadn’t come yet.

Why didn’t she think of this earlier? Making marinated tea eggs to sell could be a great way to earn money!

Chapter 14: Starting Right Away

The current emperor isn’t exceptionally talented, with average governance and a focus on peace, without significant contributions. However, under his rule, the people of Beichao State generally live in peace and prosperity. While not as prosperous as the capital, Changle Town is much better off than a remote small town.

Looking at the entire Changle Town, various small businesses thrive. Wang Yuan’er currently can’t open a shop, but there’s a term “street vendor”—selling small snacks on the roadside. Why couldn’t she sell them?

In these peaceful times, the prices in Beichao State are stable. An egg costs only two wen, and three wen can buy two. If she wants to sell tea eggs, the sauces and marinades can be reused multiple times. The ingredients aren’t expensive either; some can be found in the mountains, like cinnamon. Selling tea eggs for three or four wen each, she could still make a profit of two wen per egg.

Eggs aren’t rare in wealthy households, but they’re not eaten lightly in farming families—they’re saved to sell. Just like the Wang family, even with a shop, they don’t have eggs to eat every day.

So, buying eggs to make this snack wouldn’t be difficult.

With a plan in mind, Wang Yuan’er eagerly recalled the recipe Xiu Niang had taught her in her previous life and wrote it down.

Unlike other girls, because Madam Liang was the daughter of a scholar, she could read and write and had taught her daughters as well. Wang Yuan’er could read and write.

Madam Liang found it strange that her eldest daughter was writing things down and asked about it. Wang Yuan’er mysteriously said it was a money-making plan, and Madam Liang took it as a joke and didn’t ask further.

“Eldest sister, what are you doing?” Her third sister, Qing’er, asked curiously.

The third sister, Wang Qing’er, was sharp-tongued, energetic, and a hard worker. She was also a foodie, always willing to try new things.

Wang Yuan’er, knowing her sister’s love for food and her cooking skills, shared her idea. Qing’er’s eyes lit up, and she immediately rolled up her sleeves to help.

Without delay, the sisters started preparing the ingredients, buying what they needed and foraging in the mountains. Their activity even drew the attention of Grandma Wang and Madam Zhang.

Wang Yuan’er soon ran out of her personal funds after getting all the ingredients. She hadn’t bought the eggs yet!

She thought about it. Their hens laid eggs, and her Grandma had nearly twenty saved. Could she borrow them and pay her back later?

After dinner, with the main room’s fire still burning, Wang Yuan’er went to the main room.

Inside, Grandma Wang was mending shoes by the light, and the old man was sitting cross-legged on the kang, smoking. They were chatting when they saw her coming and were surprised.

Wang Yuan’er greeted her grandparents and got straight to the point.

Hearing she wanted to borrow eggs to make food to sell, Grandma Wang looked up at her eldest granddaughter. She stood tall and straight, still the same person but seemingly different. Selling snacks? Could this really be the same timid granddaughter who used to be like a quail?