The fierce peasant woman is busy farming

Since it was the first time to set up the stall, everyone who could come from home came.

Even Xuan Mo asked for leave from school and came along to give his elder sister courage. Chun Niang also wanted to come, and Zhou Yue agreed.

Pregnant women are prohibited from doing anything except working. They have to go back and forth between home and the fields all day long, feeling very uncomfortable.

It would be better to let her come out and disperse while there are so many people coming.

Pushing the cart and carrying things, we walked along a relatively long official road, so although we set out early, it was not considered early when we arrived.

I walked to the town market facing the rising sun and found that the stalls were already full.

Chunniang was left to look after the things while the others split up to look for a place.

It was my first time here and I didn’t have a fixed place. This time I met the person who collected the fees and we agreed on a fixed stall, so I will be more relaxed next time.

Qing Mo found the place quickly. She was sweet-talking, brave and thick-skinned, so it was no surprise that she could find the place.

Push the cart to the place and unload it.

Some things can be placed in the car, but the space in the car is limited, so some things can only be placed on the ground.

Seeing more and more people coming, everyone worked together to light a fire using the charcoal that they used to burn at home.

This place is not good, it's quite remote and at the end of the market.

Most people would stop and turn back before they get here.

But there is no way, there is no experience, I should have sent someone to occupy the place earlier.

There were many people coming and the work was done quickly. Zhou Yue didn't do any of this. She just walked around.

She found that there were very few freshly prepared foods at the market, and that selling fried and cooked fish was unique.

Zhou Yue felt a little relieved.

Soon the fire was burning brightly, and the firewood they brought was added in. When the fire was high and the oil was boiling, they started to fry the fish.

Small fish were put in, and the fragrance spread.

Several people who were setting up stalls nearby came over to watch, and some children who were running around and playing also came over to watch.

Qing Mo fried twenty or thirty fish, then poured them back in and fry them again. My mother said that this would save oil and make the fish more crispy.

Although she didn't understand why frying it twice saved oil, she did it anyway.

Soon someone came to ask for the price.

The whole family has specially discussed the pricing issue. Qingmo originally wanted to sell the goods by weight, but unfortunately there is no scale at home.

I can only sell them by the piece for now.

Fried fish and crispy fish are priced at one cent for a large fish and two cents for three small ones.

Before going out, I picked some poplar leaves from the tree at home to wrap the crispy fish.

On the way here, Yuan Mo cut some elm branches from the roadside and removed the leaves. He could use these branches to skewer fried fish for guests to take away.

The reason why we chose elm branches is that they are not bitter and are very flexible.

Some of the people who came to ask about it, although they were craving for the aroma, thought it was too expensive.

Some people heard that it was crucian carp and were afraid that it would get stuck in their throats, so they didn't dare to buy it.

As for the dozens of small white strips, Zhou Yue didn't take them out for the time being. They would sell well and he kept them for big customers.

Qing Mo saw that the stalls on both sides were open, but there were many people asking about his stall, but no one was buying.

She was a little anxious, wondering if the price was too high.

Zhou Yue comforted her: "Don't worry, it's only a few hours now, it's the best time to go to the temple. There is no oil and salt shop that is not open. Be patient and wait and see."

All things are difficult at the beginning, just waiting for the first customer to come.

Look, the big customer is here, isn’t he?

An old man dressed in ordinary, even shabby and scruffy clothes, walked slowly to the stall.

After looking at it for a while, he tried his best to restrain himself, but Zhou Yue could still tell from his shining eyes and almost drooling saliva that he liked this fish very much.

Qing Mo and Zhou Yue looked at each other and saw excitement in each other's eyes, and she noticed it too.

The old man's clothes may seem ordinary, but in fact they are of good quality, just a little out-of-date and don't fit his thin body well.

I guess it was because the clothes he wore were given to him by others, and he was sloppy and his clothes hadn't been washed for a long time. The first impression he gave was that he was ordinary, very ordinary, and a poor man.

But if you look closely, you can see that his clothes are of good quality, and the tailoring and workmanship are also very particular.

His hands were white and slender, and it was obvious that they were not the hands of people who worked hard all year round.

If he doesn't farm or work, then he is most likely a scholar.

Looking closely at the tips of his middle and index fingers, you can see thin calluses and traces of ink.

This further confirmed that he was not an ordinary person and was most likely at least a scholar.

Qing Mo coughed lightly and greeted, "Grandpa, would you like to buy fried fish or crispy fish?"

As he spoke, he opened the lid of the ceramic pot of crispy fish.

The aroma of fried fish is overbearing and aggressive, while the fragrance of crispy fish is low-key, mellow, and lingering, penetrating into the spleen and stomach and arousing the appetite.

The old man's eyes became brighter, and he stared at the clay pot, ready to speak.

At this time, a middle-aged woman at the stall next to him pulled Zhou Yue over and whispered in his ear, "Don't mess with this plague god. He is a bad guy, a weirdo, and crazy."

"Oh? You recognize him? Where is he from?"

"I don't know. He just arrived not long ago. He was said to be visiting a friend, but his old friend's family was gone. He stayed in his old friend's house and refused to leave, saying that he wanted to observe mourning for him.

Don't you think this is ridiculous? How can he, an outsider, be filial to others?

I think they might be here to occupy other people's property.

I heard that the old friend's distant nephew drove him out of the deserted old house.

But he refused to leave, so there was nothing we could do, as barefoot people are not afraid of those wearing shoes."

"So nephew, just let it go like this?" Zhou Yueqi asked.

"How could that be possible? How could the locals be afraid of a foreigner like him?

The nephew reported him to the police. He was charged with the serious crime of trespassing."

"Well, what do the authorities say?"

"When the government came, he claimed that he knew the county magistrate, so the people in the town had no choice but to send him to the county.

The county magistrate met him in person, but it is unknown what they said.

The next day he was sent back and told his nephew not to drive him away and to let him stay where he wanted.

In my opinion, he might have used money.

The gate of this county government building faces south..."

Zhou Yue listened to her and seemed to be thinking about something.

At this time, the old man had already taken the fried fish and crispy fish handed to him by Qing Mo, and then slowly took out a few copper coins from his arms.

Xuan Mo, who was helping to collect the money, felt a little embarrassed. This was not enough.

Afraid that the old man was hard of hearing and didn't hear clearly, Yuan Mo patiently reminded him of the price.

The old man waved his hand, pointed at Xuan Mo who was writing beside him and said, "If the money is not enough, I can use my writing skills to make up for it. How about that?"

Oh, interesting old man.

Zhou Yue nodded to Xuan Mo. The old man was not deaf or blind. He turned around and saw Zhou Yue.

“I was wondering why there were only a few kids out doing business, but it turns out that adults are here.

Niece, do you think this is okay?"

"Okay, knowledge is priceless. If you can help this child improve his handwriting, I'll give you the fish for free."

"Okay, it's a deal.

Wait a minute, I'll eat first. I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm a little hungry."

Several children frowned quietly, wondering how could this person be like this.