The next day, just after breakfast, fourth uncle Wang, fourth aunt Wang, Uncle Duoqiu, and uncle Shuyin came. Shao Yunan had not yet gotten up, so they felt very apologetic when they realized that they had come too early. Wang Shijing, who was already up, took them to Wang Qing and Wang Nizi’s room, only saying that since it became colder, Shao Yunan liked to stay in bed a little longer. All of them were experienced people, so it was not like they couldn’t understand the real reason why Shao Yunan was bedridden.

Not letting them have time to be embarrassed, Wang Shijing directly asked them if they had discussed it. When the two families went back last night they had time for discussion. Fourth uncle and aunt decided to make the skewers, while uncle Duoqiu and uncle Shuyin would make ‘Bai Ji Bun,’ otherwise called a meat sandwich. Wang Shijing gave the recipe that Shao Yunan had already written to both families respectively. This was also to avoid both sides knowing each other’s recipe and having suspicion about the details later. The two families’ stalls would be set up together and Wang Shijing gave them a detailed account of the stall style Shao Yunan had designed for them.

Both families’ stalls wouldn’t be too big and the meat sandwiches could be made the day before and just warmed up on the stove before serving it. This was why the meat sandwich stall should come with a small cylindrical stove. In Shao Yunan’s opinion, they should start selling every day in the afternoon so they could prepare the food at home in the morning, then go to the country town directly after eating lunch. But if they also wanted to sell in the morning, they would need to get up very early. When it’s cold, the meat should also be stewed the day before, but when it’s hot, it has to be stewed on the same day or it would go bad fast. But the stall opening time should be decided by fourth aunt and the uncles themselves.

The soup for the skewers should also be boiled for a while and those who bought it could eat it at the stall or bring their own food boxes. In cold weather, the soup base did not need to be changed every day and the more it was cooked, the more fragrant it would become. When it was packed, a little soup should  also be included for the buyer to bring back with them. In other words, there was still some prep work to be done, before the stall could open. Buying ingredients, making a movable stove, and preparing a lot of bamboo sticks, as well as other materials.

It was cold and there weren’t many fresh vegetables available, so Wang Shijing provided fourth aunt’s family with a lot of fungus and dried mushrooms. After fourth aunt’s family made some money, it was okay to pay him the cost, so Wang Shijing also lent the two families 10 taels of silver each, since the meat was expensive and both foods required it. 

Wang Shijing also suggested that they partner up to buy a pig, making both families not know how to thank Wang Shijing. They said they would pay for the recipe when they earned money. Wang Shijing only asked for ten taels of silver as he wrote the contract, but both families insisted on giving 20% of the profits to Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan. However, Wang Shijing refused, saying that it was only a small business and could not be compared to chrysanthemum tea and jam. After getting the recipe, the deed, and borrowing 10 taels of silver, the two families were even more grateful and fourth aunt Wang even frequently cried.

In the afternoon, Shao Yunan went to fourth aunt’s house after a good rest and taught her how to cook the soup base for the skewers, how many ingredients could be used for a skewer, and how to set the price. The base spices must be ground into powder and put on the skewers. Shao Yunan also wrote a list of ingredients that can be used to make the soup, so that fourth aunt Wang would have some understanding of it.

After teaching fourth aunt Wang, Shao Yunan went to Wang Zhuanghua’s house to instruct uncle Duoqiu and uncle Shuyin on how to cook the meat. The bread was easy to make, so uncle Shuyin could do it after seeing Wang Shijing demonstrate it once. But the key ingredient of this dish was the meat, so uncle Duoqiu and uncle Shuyin both watched as the ingredients were ground into powder and put directly into the broth.

The two families went to Wang Shijing’s house and then Shao Yunan went to both families’ houses, after which both houses gave off an alluring smell. The clever people immediately guessed what was going on, but the villagers did not dare to ask Shao Yunan. After some word of mouth, fourth aunt Wang directly said that Shao Yunan had taught both families how to make unique snacks and that they were going to set up a stall in the country town. But snacks could not be compared with something like jam or chrysanthemum tea, so everyone didn’t ask for more.

After getting some news from fourth aunt Wang, someone else ran to Wang Zhuanghua’s house, but uncle Duoqiu and uncle Shuyin were both men, so they only smiled while Wang Zhuanghua’s wife was very powerful and just with a few words drove the prying people out. This could also be called being a good person will be rewarded. But when you aren’t a good person, when the time comes you can only show shameful expressions.

This incident spread rapidly in the Wang clan, immediately making the clan members scold Wang Dafu’s family. If they were not so shameless before, Shao Yunan would have already given their Wang clan a good way to make money. Some people also went to the patriarch, Wang Wenhe, hoping that Wang Wenhe could step in and go to Shao Yunan. After seeing that the Zhao and Sun clans were earning money, fourth uncle’s family and Wang Duoqiu’s family clearly wanted to do it alone, while the rest of the Wang clan was on the sidelines.

After that day’s incident, Wang Wenhe’s health has not been very good. Since his heart was worried, how could he have a healthy body? Wang Wenhe only felt that he was a failure as the patriarch. They were so protective of old lady Wang’s family, because he was hopeful that Wang Zhisong would achieve success and carry the clan. But that family’s actions was getting more and more disheartening to him, even the young Wang Zaizheng dared to try to kill someone, so how could he not be sad?

Wang Wenhe wanted to push his son Wang Shiping to the position of patriarch, but Wang Shiping was too young. Now his family’s status in the clan was also delicate, as the three other clan elders have criticized him quite a bit, while the clan people had various opinions on him.

Wang Shuping blocked these people out. It was not like Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan did not help the clan, just look at fourth uncle and uncle Duoqiu’s family. When Wang Shijing was not at home, these two families took care of Wang Qing and Wang Nizi in private and when Wang Shijing came back, they still helped him. But now that Wang Shijing was repaying them, everyone was jealous. You reap what you sow. Let’s not mention that the patriarch did not do the right things. How many people of the Wang clan did a good job? Just when they saw other people making money, they were jealous and they came to ask for a handout. But when they saw others eat meat, they still couldn’t even drink the soup.

His father was sick, but he finally let go of his expectations for Wang Zhisong, making Wang Shuping’s attitude immediately become a lot tougher. Wang Zhisong’s status as a child student might be saved, but Wang Shiping still did not mention that family. What he wanted to do now was to protect his own small family.

When Wang Zaizheng was punished according to the clan rules after returning home, he was almost beaten to death by his uncle and aunt. After Wang Shijing’s anger, the county magistrate’s interrogation, the punishment of the clan, and the beating, Wang Zaizheng looked just like Wang Nizi in the past. Old lady Wang was now bedridden after receiving thirty boards and although she did not kneel overnight, she still lay in the ancestral hall overnight while injured, which made her sick. The twenty taels of silver that Wang Shijing brought to her was all spent to treat her injuries and get medical attention. Even though she was dying, she was still in bed, cursing Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan, Wang Zaizheng who caused the trouble, and patriarch Wang Wenhe who didn’t care about them.

After that day, Wang Zhisong’s whole life has become quite gloomy. His father could not be trusted, his mother was dying, his sister didn’t have a young lady’s life, but a young lady’s temper, as she couldn’t cook or wash clothes well. Wang Zaizheng was so young, but already caused so much trouble, while his second brother and sister-in-law were in jail and he was not sure if they were still alive. For the first time, Wang Zhisong was so disgusted with his family. No one was helping him, but they still held him back. Just like this,Wang Zhisong counted all the faults on his family, except himself.

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Edited by: Jaisland

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