Exiled to Lingnan, the Crown Prince's wife raises children, cultivates the land, and leads the

"Many of you have probably bought my taro balls. Think about it, aren't all of my taro balls the same size?"

Taking advantage of everyone's shock, Cheng Qiqi continued, "From the very beginning of making taro balls, to ensure that the price of every bowl is honest, we have standards for how we make them—the size and length are all the same!"

"Yes, when we make taro balls, it's like rolling out pills. Every single taro ball we make weighs the same."

Ms. Tian nodded repeatedly, excitedly saying, "These taro balls that were spat out are obviously bigger than the ones we make; they're definitely not ours."

Just moments ago, it had been drooping, like a wilted eggplant, but after being reminded by Cheng Qiqi, it instantly perked up excitedly again. She said, "They did such a good job, how could it possibly be poisonous?"

"That's right. If you don't believe me, you can come to our shop now and see for yourself."

Zhuang Sanmei sells taro balls every day. The cooked taro balls are all round and plump, and they are all the same size. They come in two colors, yellow and white. Just looking at them, let alone eating them, makes them look especially beautiful when they are served in a bowl!

"impossible!"

Upon hearing this, the woman reached out to knock over the basin.

Cheng Qiqi turned around; this was the evidence!

The woman's hand struck Cheng Qiqi hard on the back.

*Slap*

The sound of a hand slamming heavily onto a body rang out.

Huh?

There was no pain as expected. Cheng Qiqi turned around and saw Jin Yanzhi rushing over to shield her from the blow!

"Don't even think about destroying this evidence! You're trying to ruin our shop, and you even tried to hit my sister-in-law!"

Jin Yanzhi's eyes were bruised and swollen, and his eyes, filled with a murderous glare, made the woman stagger and back away in fright.

"Sir, I'm sure these aren't my family's taro balls. They're much bigger than mine."

Cheng Qiqi looked at Inspector Li and said, "She must have known that cassava was used to make taro balls, but she didn't know that cassava was poisonous. She made them herself, and as a result, she harmed her own son."

Cheng Qiqi's guess was not unfounded!

Cassava is no ordinary thing; it costs ten coins a bowl. If someone knew that cassava was used, who knows, some people might think they're clever and use it to make taro balls.

"Cassava is poisonous, why are you still selling it?"

Seeing that she couldn't refute the argument, the woman immediately changed her tune, saying, "If you can make taro balls from cassava, why didn't you tell us we couldn't? Why didn't you say cassava is poisonous?"

"Everyone in Mita Prefecture knows cassava is poisonous. When you go to dig for cassava, does nobody tell you it's poisonous?"

Cheng Qiqi calmly retorted, "When I was selling taro balls, I told everyone that my family's taro balls are made with a secret recipe and undergo special processing."

"If you insist on learning this and get poisoned, don't blame me, okay?"

Cheng Qiqi was worried that others would know that cassava was poisonous and still insist on making it, so she simply said that what they were saying was that cassava was their unique secret recipe.

As for cassava?

Unless she says anything, who would know it's made of cassava?

Mita Prefecture is so far away from the county seat. When the news finally came out, Cheng Qiqi thought that she could tell everyone that it was made from cassava.

By then, her taro balls will have already established a strong reputation, and people who want to eat them will definitely come to buy them!

As for others doing it themselves?

Cheng Qiqi knew very well that she couldn't possibly do business with everyone.

"So, you admit that you used cassava to make it yourself?"

Cheng Qiqi stepped forward, staring at the woman, and said, "Because you beat the child and then bought a serving of my taro balls, that's why Sister Zhuang recognizes you."

"I……"

The woman wanted to deny it.

Cheng Qiqi said, "You can deny it, but once you go to the backyard of my shop and see how to make taro balls, everyone will surely understand that the poisonous taro balls you gave your son were definitely not from my shop!"

"Sir, if it turns out she falsely accused our shop, can we ask her for compensation?" Cheng Qiqi glanced at Inspector Li.

"right."

Inspector Li, his face stern, stared at the woman with sharp eyes: "If this is a false accusation, you'll not only be punished with a beating, but you'll also have to pay compensation!"

"I...I didn't."

The woman retreated in fear, shaking her head and saying, "I... I didn't know that cassava balls could cause poisoning! You clearly used cassava to make them."

"Even if we made it ourselves, you're the ones who harmed my son! You heartless shopkeepers, go to Santian County, buy five catties of cassava for one coin, and then resell it for ten coins a bowl!"

"Heartless!"

A man rushed out, helped the woman up, and said through gritted teeth, "You heartless bastards, you'll get your comeuppance!"

"You are the ones who ruined your son."

Cheng Qiqi retorted without hesitation, looking at Jin Yanzhi who stood in front of her. This spoiled brat, he can protect people now?

The thought flashed through Cheng Qiqi's mind for only a moment. She looked up at the man and said, "You said you could buy five catties of cassava for one coin. Do you know that we need to peel the cassava after we buy it?"

"The skin of cassava is poisonous, so we have to peel it completely clean. Five pounds of cassava, after peeling off a thick layer of skin, how much is left? You can imagine for yourselves."

Cheng Qiqi stepped forward, looking into the eyes of the people. She knew very well that if this matter wasn't resolved today, their shop would never be able to open. She said, "After peeling, you need to cut it into pieces and soak it in water for a full two days and two nights, then crush it..."

"After three filtrations, the tapioca flour is finally settled, and then it is dried in the sun until it becomes edible tapioca flour."

"It takes at least four or even five pounds of cassava to produce one pound of cassava flour."

"After the tapioca flour is dried, we need to add some ingredients and continue kneading it into taro balls. Each taro ball is made by our hands, one by one."

"After cooking the taro balls, we need to prepare the syrup. If we add too little sugar, it won't be sweet enough; if we add too much, the cost of a bowl of taro ball syrup will increase."

"Now, do people still think our taro ball sweet soup, which costs ten coins a bowl, is expensive?"

After Cheng Qiqi finished speaking in one breath, only two words kept repeating in everyone's mind: "Is it expensive?"

In an instant, the people in the clinic fell silent. Cheng Qiqi had just described peeling, cutting into pieces, soaking in water, and then crushing the ingredients. With so many steps, it was indeed not easy to make.

Add sugar water...

The sweet soup they serve at their shop is so delicious, not to mention the taro balls, that customers have to be careful with the amount of sugar they drink after they buy it home!

"Not expensive!"

Sister Fu'an said loudly, "I don't have the patience. Five catties of cassava for one copper coin seems cheap, but turning it into cassava flour, then making taro balls, and then preparing the sugar syrup, I think if I make a bowl of these and sell it for ten copper coins, wouldn't I be losing money?"