Seed dealers in ancient times

Zheng Jiang stopped holding the money in his pocket, while thinking about how to explain to Zou Yun where the money came from, while walking back, he arrived at Qingwu Lane in a short time.

This time, the rain suddenly became heavier again, and the water column on the edge of the umbrella eaves straightened down, and it seemed to be drifting, so he had to walk quickly into the alley.

He stepped forward, and saw a thin figure standing in front of his house from a distance. The moon white long dress was a bit too big, but a thumb-wide belt simply outlined the slender waist. perhaps.This person was holding the door rail with one hand, and was knocking on the door with the other hand. His body trembled slightly amidst the slight coughing sound. Even a few meters away, one could see his sick and weak appearance at a glance.

Zheng Jiang stopped for a while and didn't know who this person was, so he walked up quickly. The person at the door seemed to have heard footsteps, stopped his hands and turned his head. Suddenly, Zheng Jiang stopped to see that the person who turned his head was a young man.

The young man's white face like pearls and jade was covered with a veil, which covered his mouth and nose, only a pair of red phoenix eyes, and the sickness and desolation in the eyes.The young man glanced at him, the guard in his eyes flashed, and he said softly: "Brother Zheng is back?"

Zheng Jiang listened to the voice a little familiarly, as if he had heard it before. After thinking about it carefully, he suddenly realized that it should be Brother Xian who lives next door.It was also the reason why he didn't think of it for a while, firstly because he hadn't seen this neighbor before, and secondly, in Yuanshen's memory, he didn't like this little brother very much.

When the Zheng family moved to the city, Chu Xian and his mother lived in Qingwu Lane.Chu's mother is a singer who makes a living by performing arts. She often goes to and from restaurants and teahouses, and relies on rewards to support the sick Chu Xian.

Actresses and entertainers are low-class professions, and they were originally low-class earners, but in the turbulent era, the common people only care about making ends meet, and they are very accepting of these people. Most of the boys and girls with flat heads and prudent faces go out Busker.

But Yuanshen didn't think so, because he went to school in his early years, and he didn't learn much about good things, and he learned the nobleness and sourness of scholars. Not innocent.

Even though brother Xian helped Zou Yun when he was a child all these years, the original body didn't know how to be grateful, but instead responded in his heart. If Zou Yun was not around, the two met under the eaves of the street corner, and the original body would not say hello .

After a long time, although Chu Xian didn't know why Zheng Jiangting didn't want to see him, he still knew that he didn't like him. It was a bit awkward for the two sides to meet each other like this, but he always boasted that he had a thick skin, so he still greeted him with a smile Say hello.

Zheng Jiang stopped to look at his younger brother's eyes, which were already alluring, and smiled unexpectedly. The tails of his eyes were slightly curved upwards, like an iris flower. He lost his mind for a moment, and a blush appeared on his old face, and his ears were unreasonable. Got a fever.

It was okay to look at a man smiling, but he knew that there are three genders in this world, and a young man like Brother Xian is also going to marry and have children. As embarrassed as the pretty girl, she lost her composure.

Seeing that the person's face turned red, Chu Xian didn't know why, so she tilted her head and said with concern: "Brother Zheng's complexion doesn't look good, but he's not feeling well?"

Zheng Jiangting gave a dry cough, staggered his gaze, and said in a blunt tone: "I'm fine, what's the matter with you?"

Chu Xianyuan thought that Zheng Jiang stopped knocking his head and waited for him to change his attitude, but he didn't expect that his words were still so cold, so he also accepted his concern, picked up the basket put aside and handed it over: "Ms. Zou asked me to buy it for her. fish."

In fact, the fish was given by him, and if Zheng Jiangting knew it, he would definitely not accept it. Instead of evading it back and forth, it would be better to tell a lie.

Chu Xian is not very good at cooking, so it's okay to cook small dishes on weekdays, but it's difficult when it comes to boiled meat dishes, because the taste is often unsatisfactory and the ingredients are ruined.Since his mother passed away, he bought meat and vegetables and usually sent them to Zheng's house. Aunt Zou was good at cooking, so he took a portion of the dishes after they were ready, and Aunt Zou and Zheng Jiang stopped eating the rest.

Zheng Jiang stopped to glance at the basket, and there was indeed a silver carp in it, weighing about four to five catties. I am afraid that only fish is the cheapest in this New Year's festival, but he knows it in his heart, no matter how cheap it is, the current family carp The condition was not that he could buy such a big fish at will, so he sneaked another glance at the boy, and then took the basket without revealing it: "Please run for a while."

Seeing that he had accepted the fish, Chu Xian nodded, and picked up the oil-paper umbrella leaning against the corner: "Then I'll go back first."

Zheng Jiang stopped at the same place, listening to the sound of the door opening next door accompanied by a slight cough. When the cough became farther and farther away, he breathed a sigh of relief, and the heat on the tips of his ears slowly returned to calm.

He was about to open the gate of the courtyard, and a long and short "sell tofu~" came all the way from the entrance of the alley. Occasionally, a neighbor heard the sound of opening the door to buy tofu. Looking at the fish in the basket, he simply called out the tofu vendor come over.

The peddler lifted the white cloth from the burden, and stacks of tofu were neatly arranged, and it looked good when he saw it: "How much is it?"

"Six Wen for one piece, and two for ten Wen, which is enough for an old family to have a snack!" The peddler supported the bamboo hat and tried to sell it.

Zheng Jiang stopped to put down the basket, and took out ten coins from his body: "Two yuan here."

Seeing that the peddler sold two yuan at once, and did not bring his mother-in-law to negotiate the price, the peddler smiled honestly, and quickly wanted to pack the tofu. Zheng Jiangting hurriedly said, "Wait, I'll go back to the house and get a bowl to fill it."

"Okay, okay!"

There was tofu in the bowl, and Zheng Jiangting held it with emotion. The price of tofu is not low, but it is also true. Two pieces are packed into a big bowl, and the most important thing is that it is purely handmade.

The hawkers continued to peddle along the street. Today's business is really good, and the heart is happy, and the burden is light.He often comes to this street to sell tofu, and I really remember that this is the first time this family has come out to buy tofu.

Zheng Jiang stopped back to the house and was fine, so he simply killed the fish and put salt in early to marinate the fish to make it fishy.

There were not many things in the kitchen, so I searched and found some kimchi. Needless to say, as for the seasoning, there was only some oil, salt and the most basic seasoning, and there was nothing else, but Zheng Jiangting was surprised. I found some vegetables in a round dustpan, miscellaneous, half a radish, chopped green onions, yellowed coriander, disassembled cabbage leaves, etc...

Zheng Jiangting remembers that Zou Yun worked as a servant in a rich family named Zhang in the city, and he would always pick up some things that the master's family didn't use and bring them back. Presumably these dishes were also brought from Zhang's family, and he didn't dislike it. , I just feel that it is really not easy for Zou Yun to pull Da Yuan's body these years.

He picked out coriander and shallots from them. He laughed and imagined that not everyone is able to bring back some side dishes like this. They have to be from people living in the city, like those who sell them at the owner’s house or in the The owner's house is a long-term worker, so he can't have these benefits, so he will simply make a meal tonight to reward Zou Yun.

Later, when Zou Yun came back, Zheng Jiang stopped cooking and put sauerkraut into the pot, and stewed sauerkraut, tofu and fish with sauerkraut soup.

……

It's getting late for Zou Yun to leave work, and the days are getting shorter every day after autumn. Today, she heard from the housekeeper that the master's family might have to dismiss some of the servants. Even if they don't dismiss them, their monthly wages will be reduced Going on, it will be the end of the new year in less than two months. If it is just a little less wages, it will be fine, but I really don't know what to do if I lose my job.

Although there are many rules and regulations in doing things in the master's house, you have to look at your face everywhere, and what you do is to serve others, but the errands are safe anyway, and the salary is much better than that of a washerwoman before.Now that I heard such news, I couldn't help but feel worried. Nowadays, Jiang Ting is injured and has credit everywhere, and he has to pay off the debt and use the money, but he must not lose his job.

But fortunately, she is diligent in handling things and has quick hands and feet, so the wife of the host family really welcomes her.

Just as he was thinking, a burst of sauerkraut and fish scent was sent to his nose with the wind. The sour smell of fish meat smelled even more fragrant than the food at the host's house.

Zou Yun looked up from the door of each house with her neck up, thinking which family could enjoy this delicious food tonight, and glanced across the courtyard of shopkeeper Wang several times, but to her surprise, the fragrance was not It didn't come from the Wang family. This shopkeeper Wang is the most greedy. Their family's favorite food in the alley can be smelled all the time in the whole alley. It's strange today, it's not made by their family fish.

"Ms. Zou, do you eat fish at home today?"

The sound of encountering her face interrupted her thoughts. She raised her head, and it was Shopkeeper Wang's wife who was walking over. The round woman was smiling, and her words were full of envy.

Zou Yun didn't understand the meaning of Wang Liushi's words, so he just nodded towards her and greeted her in a signal way. It wasn't until she walked in front of her house that the strong smell of fish wafting from the yard made her understand Wang Liu's intentions. Liu's words.

She hastily pushed open the courtyard door, and the people in the kitchen heard the sound of the door opening, and poked their heads sideways from the room: "Mother is back, wash your hands and eat dinner."

Zou Yun stumbled into the stove, looking at the big iron pot bought in the early years, which was stewed with pickled cabbage, white tofu and fish, and his tall son, who always had a straight face, was around the stove, tasting it with a spatula. Fish soup, for a moment, she felt like she was dreaming.

"This this……"

"I went out today and borrowed some money from my brother who was a good seller. Mom, let's count up the debts we owed after dinner later, and pay them back."

Zheng Jiangting explained in one sentence why the food was so delicious tonight, and also explained where the money he was about to give came from.

Zou Yun opened her mouth, there were too many doubts and too many surprises, so she didn't say a word, but her eyes turned red first, she turned her back and said in a subdued tone: "Hey, mother comes into the room Change clothes."

Zheng Jiang stopped in front of the stove and looked at Zou Yun's back as he entered the room, his thin shoulders were clearly trembling.He didn't speak, silently took the stewed fish out of the pot, and went into the main room to set the meal.

When Zou Yun came out again, there were already steaming hot meals on Xiaofang's table.

She wiped her eyes, walked over with a smile, and was about to help add food, but saw three sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table: "Any guests?"

Zheng Jiang stopped to put down the spoon, thinking of meeting Brother Xian today, he was a little embarrassed about the embarrassment of a man who blushed and had hot ears, but the embarrassment was embarrassment, he still knew the etiquette of human relations.

"Brother Xian said that you asked him to bring this fish back. I saw that he is not in good health, and it is not easy to run errands for our family... I don't know if he has had dinner at this time..."

Zou Yun naturally understood everything at once, she was very surprised at how her son's attitude towards Brother Xian changed so quickly, but at this moment, she felt more joy in her heart, so she hurriedly said: "Yes, yes , Brother Xian always takes care of our family. He eats late in the day, and I guess he hasn't eaten yet, so mother will call him and see if he is willing to come and join us."