coobybook Chapter 181: Brewing (2)
Chapter 181: Brewing (2)
When Grandma Chen asked Liu Jingxue what she planned to exchange for food, she thought about it and realized that the most scarce thing in the village should be cloth, and she was not short of cloth.
However, Liu Jingxue did not plan to exchange it for floral cloth this time, so she used the cloth she had stockpiled in Modern.
"Grandma Chen, if I exchange it with cloth, will everyone like it?"
When Grandma Chen heard this, she slapped her thigh excitedly and said, "Why would we be unhappy about this? Everyone will be vying to exchange with you.
Liu Zhiqing, can you tell me what kind of cloth you have and what is the price for it?
"cotton.
As for the price, I have never bought cloth here, so I don’t know the price.” Liu Jingxue replied.
Grandma Chen said, "Cotton cloth is sold at the supply and marketing cooperative for 2 cents a foot if you have a ticket. If you don't have a ticket, you can't buy it at all."
Lowering her voice, she whispered, "If it's on the black market, without a ticket, it would cost more than 4 cents, almost 5 cents a foot."
Liu Jingxue thought for a moment and said, "The villagers probably don't have cloth coupons.
We are all from the same production team, and it is impossible for me to exchange them with you at the black market price.
Grandma Chen, do you think that if we don't need tickets, we can exchange sorghum with the villagers for 3 cents a foot? Will they agree?"
"No, your price is too cheap. You will suffer a great loss." Grandma Chen shook her head.
"Grandma Chen, it's okay, I don't rely on selling cloth to make money.
Besides, I saved food coupons by exchanging food from villagers."
Grandma Chen shook her head and said, "That's not how you calculate it. Food is different from cloth. Cloth is much more valuable.
Your price is really too low.”
"Then you don't need a ticket, 3 cents a foot," said Grandpa Chen.
Liu Jingxue had no objection when she heard this, "Then let's do as Grandpa Chen said."
Grandma Chen would not object to her old man's words, but she had also thought about it in her mind.
Even if the price is raised to 3 cents per foot, it is still very cheap.
She thought, no, such a good thing cannot be given to outsiders, it must fall into the hands of our own family.
It’s a pity that such a good thing can’t happen to our family.
The old man in the family brewed a lot of wine every year, and all the extra grain in the house was used to brew wine, so there was no way to give it to Liu Zhiqing.
Then he thought again, he might still have a chance.
Helping in brewing wine requires labor fees. It would be great if Liu Jingxue could use cloth to pay for the labor fees.
But think about it, Liu Zhiqing saved their own grandson, but their family didn't show any appreciation. Now that she has come to rescue them, their family is still asking her for service fees. What kind of person is that?
Forget it, if we don’t have it, then we don’t have it. As long as the benefit falls into the hands of our own family, it’s enough.
I have to think carefully about which of my relatives can spare some sorghum.
“As for the matter of exchanging food, I’ll ask Grandma Chen to help me arrange it.
Let's first talk about how much labor fee I should pay Grandpa Chen for making wine." Liu Jingxue asked.
Grandpa Chen quickly said, "Liu Zhiqing, forget about the labor fee.
I also make wine at home, so I can just bring your wine out. You don’t have to pay any labor fees.”
Liu Jingxue shook her head, "Grandpa Chen, that won't work.
With more than 200 kilograms of grain to make wine, you must have a lot more work to do. I can't let you work in vain.
I think that if the villagers ask you to help make wine, they must pay for the labor, and I can't be an exception."
"Liu Zhiqing, there is no need to pay for your labor.
You are my family's benefactor. You asked my family to help you with some work, and we asked you for labor fees. If the news gets out, what kind of people will my family be in?" Grandma Chen was helping her old man.
"Grandma Chen, these are two different things.
Besides, the team has already given me a reward for killing the wild boar.
I was given so much extra meat and two big pig skins.
There is really no need for you to express anything extra.”
Grandpa and Grandma Chen were determined not to take her labor fee, and no matter what Liu Jingxue said, it was of no use.
Finally, she could only threaten, "Grandpa Chen, Grandma Chen, if you are determined not to accept my labor fee, then I will be embarrassed to ask Grandpa Chen to make wine.
You two also know that other people's wine production rate is not as high as Grandpa Chen's, so how could you bear to let me lose so much wine in vain?
Just consider it a favor and let me get more wine."
Seeing her say this, the two men had no choice but to agree to charge her for her services.
Liu Jingxue breathed a sigh of relief, finally convincing these two stubborn old men.
From Grandma Chen's previous reaction, Liu Jingxue knew that she really wanted the cloth, so she said,
"Grandma Chen, can I use the cloth to pay for my labor?"
Grandma Chen was delighted and said quickly, "Of course."
Finally, it was agreed that Grandpa Chen would be paid 15 feet of cloth to brew 250 kilograms of sorghum wine, and that three wine jars would be customized to hold the wine.
When the wine is ready, it will be sent home and Liu Jingxue will give her cloth as payment.
After the labor fee was agreed upon, Grandma Chen also figured out in her mind which family she should take Liu Jingxue to exchange for food.
She didn't plan to take Liu Jingxue to each house, she just wanted to call her over.
Two or three families could exchange 250 kilograms of sorghum.
She called to the children playing in the next room, "Big Baby, Second Baby, Erzhu, come here and help grandma run an errand."
Da Wa, Er Wa and Er Zhu all ran over when they heard the noise.
"Grandma, what do you want us to do?"
Grandma Chen first looked at Erzhu and said, "Erzhu, go back and call your mother over.
Tell her that Liu Zhiqing wants to exchange cotton cloth for sorghum and ask the Second Princess to help make wine.
No tickets are required for cloth, 3 cents per foot.
Tell her to calculate how much sorghum the family can spare and come over quickly."
When Erzhu heard that Sister Xiaoxue wanted to exchange cloth for food from his family, he thought that he could have new clothes to wear.
"Okay, Second Madam, I'll go call my mother now." After saying that, he started running.
Grandma Chen looked at the eldest and second sons and said, "You two go and call your eldest and third grandmas.
Tell them what Gangnai said to Erzhu."
"Okay, grandma, we'll go right away."
Several children called Grandma Chen, Grandma Chen San, and Aunt Qiuju over.
In the end, Liu Jingxue used 25 feet of cotton cloth from each family to exchange for 100 kilograms of sorghum from Grandma Chen and Grandma Chen San.
I used 12.5 feet of cotton cloth to exchange for 50 kilograms of sorghum from Aunt Qiu Ju's house.
After the discussion, the three of them went home immediately, weighed the grain, delivered it to Grandpa Chen's house, and then planned to go back with Liu Jingxue to get the cloth.
When sending them out, Grandpa Chen Er said, "Liu Zhiqing, don't worry, I will definitely try to increase the yield of wine.
When the wine is ready, I will ask my son to send it home for you."
"Then I'll have to trouble Grandpa Chen Er."
After bringing Grandma Chen, Grandma Chen San, and Aunt Qiuju home, Liu Jingxue pretended to take out cotton cloth from the cupboard, cut the cloth they deserved, and gave it to them.
When the three of them were leaving, they expressed their gratitude again and again, and asked that if something like this happened again next time, they should be contacted first.
Liu Jingxue naturally agreed.
Aunt Qiu Ju said, "That's great. With this cloth, plus the money we saved before, we can finally make new clothes for the whole family next year when we have to wear single clothes."
Her family has split up and now there are only four people in the family. These fabrics are enough for the whole family.
Chen Da Nai also said, "This time we are really grateful to Liu Zhiqing for giving us so much cloth at once, enough to make new clothes for several people.
My eldest grandson and second grandson are now old enough to see each other.
When the weather gets warmer next year, we will each make new clothes so that we can look good together."
"Sister-in-law, they don't need that much fabric.
You still have a lot left, enough cloth for the bride's wedding gift." Chen Sannai said.
Grandma Chen said, "How can we give them all? The other daughters-in-law will definitely have objections.
The rest has to be saved first, as there are still a bunch of grandchildren to come."
"That's true." Chen Sannai said, "This time, thanks to Second Sister-in-law, we have seized this opportunity.
Otherwise, this good thing will not happen to us."