Zhan Zhumen

Chapter 13 Selling Crabs
Huo Xi and Yang Fu entered the inner city from the Jinchuan Gate in the north and walked towards the Bell and Drum Tower.

Bypassing the barracks area, he arrived at Houying Street Hutong and knocked on the back door of a seventh-rank city gate officer.

"Well, why did you deliver it today?" The butler stood in the half-open door with surprised eyes.

"Grandpa in charge. Because some people asked us to deliver the goods today, they just passed by your house and asked you casually. The further you go, the more expensive the crab is, so I'll meet you." Huo Xi looked at the other party with a smile on her face.

"This?"

The butler looked at the dozen or so baskets in the hands of the two black boys, and was a little uncertain.

"It's only the third day of junior high school today, you send it off so early, you will die if you keep it at home?"

Seeing him loosen, Huo Xi was overjoyed.

"No, we just caught these crabs last night. You kept them at home, and they were still alive after eating them during the Double Ninth Festival. You put them in a bucket and poured a shallow layer of water into them so that they wouldn't be flooded. They will do just fine, if they are fed with small fish and shrimp, they won't lose any flesh."

Seeing the butler looking through the crab basket, he said again: "The price of crabs today is different from yesterday. In two days, it may double or triple. You spend so much money on a crab. You have a lot of family members. Good deal."

"Really, can you live so long?"

"Really, I don't lie to you. If you are worried, I will send it to another house. It will be the same when I send it to you later, but the price will not be today's price."

Seeing him hesitate, he added a few more sentences: "I see that your master works hard every day to defend the city. For the sake of the people of our capital, I am afraid that he rarely stays at home during this time? You can't afford to buy it with everyone at the end of the day." , not to mention the high price, you may not be able to buy it.”

The person in charge thought about it, isn’t it? Last year, I went to the fish market street to look for crabs on the seventh and eighth day of the lunar new year. Not to mention the small quantity, the price has skyrocketed.

It hurts to eat a crab heart and liver.Ask him to say, what kind of crab to eat!Cut a few catties of meat, can't the big guy pick up a few more chopsticks?

But this year, the master has only been promoted, so he has to send a lot out.Not to mention Shangguan, just socializing among colleagues. If there are crabs in other people's homes, how can there be less on your own table?
"Okay, then I want a basket first. If I die, I have to find you."

Huo Xi was overjoyed, and said calmly: "Don't worry, just raise them as I said, and keep them alive and kicking. And we will be here these days, if your family still needs it, come and find us."

"That's fine."

Huo Xi handed over a basket: "There are ten pairs in this basket, one male and one female. They are all carefully selected large crabs of about four taels. The meat is full of fat and fat. One bite is like two."

The butler swallowed his saliva: "Okay, I'll find you again if it's delicious. What's the price?"

Huo Xi then said: "Today, the crab sellers are paying 35 cents for each crab. Let me give you a short one. I just hope that your family eats well, and you will buy crabs and fish from my family in the future."

The butler looked through the ten pairs of crabs one by one, and weighed them one by one in his hand.

That's what paid for it.

When several people were trading at the door, a neighbor across the door poked his head out to watch.

After the deal was concluded, he beckoned Huo Xi and Yang Fu over, and took a look at the basket: "How do you sell this pound of crab?"

Huo Xi and Yang Fu were very happy, the people living in this area were all low-ranking military officers, maybe they didn't have to go door-to-door to beg others to collect crabs early, and they could sell them to get some money back.

"These are all about four taels, the same as Mr. Zhao's family, 34 coins each."

"Is this really sustainable?"

"You can live. You are all officials, we are the people, how dare you deceive you."

Also, since ancient times, the people have been afraid of officials, and even these small people dare not deceive them.

The man in charge picked and picked, and saw that the other party wanted ten pairs. After thinking about it, he asked for fifteen pairs.

"The little fish and shrimp, give some to my house too."

"Alright. I'll give you some more. You can feed them. If we come here again tomorrow, I'll send some more to your family."

The steward looked at the black boy who was only as tall as his waist, and praised him: "You are on the way. Here, here is one tael, and you will be rewarded if you have more."

"Thank you, Mr. Steward!" Huo Xi and Yang Fu bowed to the steward.

Sure enough, people follow the crowd. I heard that crab dealers charge 35 yuan for a crab, and it may be doubled in two days. I also saw that two adults of the sixth and seventh ranks in the alley bought them at home, and they all followed suit.

More than a dozen baskets of crabs were sold out without being sent to the home of the person who placed the order.

There are still unavailable ones, rushing to place an order.

Yang Fu's feet fluttered with joy, and when he left Houying Street Hutong, he urged: "Xi'er, let's see how much it sold for?"

Huo Xi looked around, didn't take it out to count, but estimated: "It's about three or two. Now take it out and count, aren't you afraid of being missed by thieves?"

"Ah? Oh." Yang Fu quickly suppressed his joy, looked around, and stretched out his hand to hold Huo Xi tightly to protect her.

After walking a few steps, he whispered: "Xi'er, did you lie to them just now? We never met a crab dealer. And for two to four taels, we only received twenty yuan yesterday."

They are officials, and they are civilians. If they find out... Yang Fu held Huo Xi's hand tightly.

Huo Xi glanced at him sideways: "I didn't mention the crab seller I met myself. They can still look it up? And there are only more expensive ones in the future. I don't count them as lying to them."

No matter how small the official rank is, for a few copper coins, would you give up your face to compete with small fishermen?what a big deal.Besides, I've delivered it to your door, don't you need money?
Yang Fu looked at her and scratched his head: "Then, let's go back and sell the rest."

Huo Xi shook his head.

The two to four taels of crabs collected yesterday were all sold today, and her father even caught them.Now there are only seven or eight of them on the boat, those that go up to four liang, and those that are under two liang.

Those under two taels cannot be sold, and she has other uses.For four or two, she plans to raise them for another two days.

Yesterday everyone only tried to send some crabs, but not many crabs were collected.But she estimated that she should be able to collect a lot today.Only in this way, the money in hand may not be enough.

Huo Xi touched the jade pendant on his chest, passed by a pawnshop, and slowed down, hesitating.

Yang Fu gave her a strange look, and when he saw her pinching the skirt of her chest, he understood instantly.

He pulled her forward and ran a few steps, and taught her: "You can't be it! It's your personal thing, how can you be it! And you are not afraid that your bad relatives will find you?"

"But we don't have enough money."

"That can't be sold! Be good, let's go home first and ask your parents first, maybe they have a solution. They are adults, and they must have more solutions than us children."

Huo Xi didn't want to sell this jade pendant either, she couldn't show her face yet.

Mrs. Wu is now the wife of the Marquis of Xincheng, and her descendants will inherit the title of Marquis of Xincheng in the future.How could she give up such a huge benefit!It will definitely cut the weeds and eradicate the roots.

She can't get Nian'er involved.

Being stared at by Yang Fu, Huo Xi had no choice but to follow him towards the outer city.

(End of this chapter)