The Little Dumb Wife of the Mountain People

Chapter 104 The Weather Is Too Hot, Wen Bao Makes Ice
Because Wen Bao's food business was special, it was sold out before noon.

After all the items were sold out, Wen Bao was going to go shopping in the market and go home.

During the plum blossom period, I took a group to look around and had already returned home. The sun was so bright that day. If this market was not open for the first time to attract people, there would definitely not be so many people until now.

Because the market is close to Songjia Village, after Wen Bao's sour plum soup was sold out, some villagers from Songjia Village went home and made tea to cool and relieve the heat.

Wen Bao went around the market, but didn't find anything interesting, so he asked Song Dalang to put away all the things and go home.

The rest of the Wen family were still at the market, and they had to wait for a while before returning home, so Wen Bao was going home to prepare the meals.

When Wen Bao and Song Dalang returned home, Mei Hua was boiling water to bathe Tuan Tuan. It was hot, and now Tuan Tuan had to bathe several times a day.

Seeing his parents coming back, Tuantuan waved his fleshy arms and was about to lean on Wen Bao. Wen Bao disliked the smell of cold skin and sweat on his body and refused to hug Tuantuan.

"Tuantuan, my mother will make stewed eggs for you to eat, you obediently let my aunt take a bath, and my mother will come to hug you in a while, okay?"

Tuantuan didn't understand that much, but she knew that her mother wouldn't hug her, and she could understand the word 'boiled egg'.

Laughing happily, she no longer stretched out her arm to Wen Bao, but immediately looked at Mei Hua.

"Pig, pig."

At this time, the water for Tuantuan's bath was ready, Meihua heard Tuantuan calling her, immediately came over and hugged Tuantuan, and went to bathe her, watching Tuantuan being taken away, Wen Bao went into the kitchen.

"Ma'am, it's hot. I cooked a big pot of mung bean porridge and put it in the well. I also steamed a lot of pancakes. They are all stir-fried vegetables. You can eat them by rolling them up."

Not long after Wen Bao and the others left, everyone in Xue began to prepare lunch, all of which were appetizers eaten in summer, Wen Bao didn't say anything, just took out a dozen eggs and stewed three big bowls of stewed eggs.

"I'm going to take a shower. I guess they will be back in a while. Check if there are enough pancakes and porridge. If not, hurry up and make something else. There are too many people today."

It is common for Wen Bao to worry about not having enough food. Today, there are so many people in the family, big and small, and the appetite is not even one star.

Everyone in Xue also understood this truth. After Wen Bao spoke, she began to look at it seriously.

There was still some pea powder ground at home, and Wen Bao still had a lot of condiments from the market. Everyone hurriedly made two large bowls of jelly noodles, and then stopped.

After Wen Bao took a bath, he saw Tuantuan sitting on his little chair, there was obviously stewed eggs in the bowl in front of him, but he didn't eat it.

Seeing Wen Bao appear, Tuantuan immediately raised the fleshy arm holding the wooden spoon.

"Sheep, sheep, eggs!"

"Tuantuan is waiting for mother to eat? So good."

Wen Bao stepped forward and kissed Tuantuan on the forehead, and after receiving a smiling face from Tuantuan, a group of members of the Wen family also came back.

Fortunately, Wen Bao asked, and Master Xue made two more pots of jelly, otherwise it would definitely not be enough, because Wen Chengzhi brought back all the students who came to the market to sell things from the academy today.

Tuantuan looked at so many people, stared blankly at the people with his mouth open, because he just took a bath, Meihua only wore a belly pocket and shorts for Tuantuan, now seeing so many outsiders, Meihua immediately stepped forward and hugged him. Group into the house.

"This……"

Plum Blossom carried Tuantuan into Wen Bao and Song Dalang's room in a gust of wind, which embarrassed several students in the academy.

"It's okay, it's okay, don't mind, although she is not yet one year old, she is my niece after all."

Wen Chengquan said that they all had stayed in the same academy, and they were about the same age. He brought the topic to Tuantuan's age and identity, and the students understood.

Wen Bao looked at them and smiled slightly, "Because the family has gone to the market today, so there is only some simple food, everyone, don't be disgusted."

"Don't dare."

They all studied at the Wen Family Academy, so they naturally knew how much the Wen family valued their daughter, and Wen Bao was polite, but they didn't dare to put on airs.

Wen Bao looked at them and nodded, and then asked Mr. Xue and his wife to share the food in her outhouse. Today there is a cousin at home, so they have to share the table.

Master Xue originally fried six dishes, but when he saw the guests at home, he immediately fried two more dishes with vegetables from the family garden.

Xue's eight-course stir-fry, there is no big meat dish, but it is also a combination of meat and vegetables.

Stir-fried bean sprouts, stir-fried shrimp with leeks (soaked dry goods), fried shredded pork with pickled peppers, scrambled eggs with cucumber, fried eggplant, fried green vegetables, scrambled eggs with wild pepper, and fried shredded pork with sour cowpea.

The three bowls of eggs stewed by Wen Bao are not much for a few children, but the other dishes also make the students of the college speechless, let alone the cake made of fine white flour.

People in the main room were eating and chatting, and Wen Bao and the others were also chatting in the room.

"It's been really hot this year."

Wu shi drank two bowls of mung bean porridge, and she was full after eating only half a piece of cake. She has a bad appetite when she is old. Although the food was appetizing, Wu shi still couldn't eat it because of the heat.

Wen Bao knew that his mother probably suffered from heatstroke due to staying outside today.

"If you can't eat it, don't eat it, and do it when you're hungry."

Wen Bao looked at the people who were sweating after eating a meal, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind, and he thought of making ice with saltpeter.

She doesn't know the specific method, but she does know that the raw materials are saltpeter and water. It's a big deal, just try a few more times.

Wen Bao hurriedly told Wen Chengyong about this, and asked him to buy saltpeter for him when he returned to the town, but there were outsiders, no matter how stupid she was about this matter, she knew that if she did it well, she could earn a fortune.

Wen Chen saw her sister-in-law looking at her all the time. She had a hot temper, so she asked directly.

Wen Bao was taken aback by Wen Chen's question, and then she suddenly laughed.

"Look at how stupid I am. The second sister-in-law is right in front of me, but she keeps thinking about the second brother." After Wen Bao said this to himself, he immediately looked up at Wen Chen, "Second sister-in-law, can you go back this time?" Buy me some saltpeter?"

Wu and the others didn't know why Wen Bao suddenly mentioned saltpeter at this time, but seeing her eagerness, they guessed that she might be in a hurry.

"Okay, we'll go back to town and help my sister buy this after your second brother has finished eating later."

Among Wen Bao's sister-in-laws, Wen Chen has been in contact with Wen Bao the longest, and she also dotes on Wen Bao. Now that Wen Bao asks for saltpeter, she is naturally in a hurry to do it.

Wen Bao was moved in his heart, but he began to think about how to divide the benefits when the ice was produced.

This year's drought and hot weather, if the ice is made earlier, it will be money.

Four elder brothers plus her, that is five shares, and parents, that is six shares.

"Actually, I want saltpeter because I read a book about how to make ice with saltpeter. If it works, then the money earned from making ice will be divided into ten shares.

Our five families each have one share, one for parents, four for the rest, and two for each of my uncle's family and Uncle Liu. "

"No!"

As soon as Wen Bao finished speaking, Wen Liushi opened his mouth.

Dividing the Wu family with two shares means that the Wu family must come forward to sell ice, but how can they give her father two shares.

Wen Bao guessed what his fourth sister-in-law was thinking when he saw her expression.

"Fourth sister-in-law, whether it's the Wu family's business or us, we all need to be taken care of by Uncle Liu. What's more, once this ice is sold in large quantities, it will definitely attract people's attention, but once we let others know that we are a cooperative business with the county government, They will definitely not dare to think about it."

When Wen Liu heard that these two copies were for the county government, she was relieved.

There is a drought this year, and the county government really needs silver taels for turnover. This year's grain will definitely not be collected much, so it can only rely on silver to make up for taxes.

Her father was busy opening the market, bringing those businessmen from other places, leaving aside the face of the county magistrate, because he wanted the people of Nanning County to have an easier life.

"That's fine. When it's winter, we'll buy some rice and distribute it to the people. That's our contribution."

Wen Liushi's words were naturally agreed by everyone.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Wen Chen could not wait to go back to the town to find a place to buy saltpeter.

Everyone in the Wen family was anxious, but after Mrs. Wen and Chen returned to the town, they couldn't find any place to buy saltpeter. They had no choice but to go to the county to find Uncle and Master Liu.

With the help of these two people, he immediately found a lot of saltpeter. With the saltpeter, Wen Bao started to make ice.

Find a large wooden basin and a clay basin smaller than the wooden basin, put water in both the wooden basin and the clay basin, then add saltpeter to the wooden basin, and place the clay basin in the wooden basin.

The water in the clay pot condensed into ice at a speed visible to the naked eye, and everyone watching opened their mouths wide.

Of course, Wen Bao couldn't make ice by himself, so everyone in the family who could learn came. Even Master Liu found a reason to come to Wen's house.

After Wen Bao took out the clay basin and scalded it with hot water, the ice in the clay basin could be poured out.

Wen Bao crushed the ice and put it in the bowl, added chopped fruit and fresh mint leaves, and the ice bowl was ready.

"Try them all."

After Wen Bao finished speaking, he took the lead to pick up a bowl of ice bowl with a lot of fruit on it. Seeing Wen Bao's movements, others also brought bowls.

Some eat fast and want to break the ice by themselves, but are stopped by Wen Bao.

"It's too cold to eat and it hurts the stomach. One bowl a day is enough. If it's still hot, make more ice bowls and put them in the room."

As soon as Wen Bao finished speaking, those who wanted to eat the second bowl stopped.

Wen Bao demonstrated it once, and everyone had already learned it, and started to operate it by themselves.

Wen Bao had already asked Xue Da and Song Dalang to clean up their small cellar. While they were doing it, Song Dalang brought Xue Da to deliver the prepared ice cubes to the cellar.

When they satisfied their curiosity and didn't want to do it anymore, most of the ice cubes had already been stored in the small cellar of Wen Bao's house.

"With so many ice cubes, the meat can be stored. When it's hot, put a basin of ice in the house, it will definitely cool down."

Wen Bao missed the days when there was an air conditioner, but she still did not forget to tell Mrs. Xue and Mr. Wen Liu, who are pregnant, that they should not be greedy for cold, but put less ice.

If it is too hot, use water boiled with mint leaves to wipe your body.

They also knew that Wen Bao was kind, so they immediately agreed.

They all learned how to make ice, so each family started to make ice vigorously. Wu Wanjin immediately took Wu Houye back to the county to arrange for his family's servants to make ice. Master Liu naturally had his own loyal servants.

Wen Chengzhi had already returned to the academy, and his younger brothers and sisters unanimously decided to make more ice today and send it to the academy first.

There are not only the next generation of the Wen family in the academy, but also those students, they are not too hot, they can't give them too much, and they can still do it with an ice bowl per person per day.

With ice in the house, Wen Bao found that the prickly heat on Tuan Tuan's body was much less, but because he was afraid that Tuan Tuan would freeze, Wen Bao and the others did not dare to put more ice in the house.

The cost of making ice with saltpeter is not high, but the difficulty lies in transportation.

After Wen Bao asked them to wrap the ice cubes in worn-out quilts, the Wen family and the Wu family, supported by the county government, began to sell ice cubes.

(End of this chapter)