CHAPTER 139: CHAPTER 139: A STRANGE GUEST

He had just stored the sorghum in the warehouse. Even if he wanted to sell it, he would have to wait until the constables collected the grain tax first.

From this, it’s quite clear that this person definitely doesn’t farm!

All farmers know that grain cannot be moved before the grain tax is collected. Even if you want to buy seeds, that’s after the tax!

Jiang Hu pondered in his heart, who exactly is this person, could it be he wants to eat their village’s sorghum?

That can’t be right. This person clearly doesn’t know Fu’an Village, doesn’t know that their village is blessed and things taste better here than outside.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been clinging to Shopkeeper Liu just now.

Then what is he doing buying so much sorghum?

The middle-aged man was also stunned: "Grain tax?"

Then he slapped his forehead: "Oh right, the grain tax, hasn’t been collected yet!"

"Brother Jiang Hu, from which village are you?"

Jiang Hu: "Fu’an Village, quite some distance from here."

"Fu’an Village, Fu’an Village." The middle-aged man muttered twice, then smiled and patted the back of Jiang Hu’s hand: "I’ve got it, I’ll come to find you then."

After saying that, he didn’t give Jiang Hu a chance to continue speaking, grabbed the bun brought by Xiao Ding that he hadn’t finished, turned around and left, muttering along the way.

"Fu’an Village, Fu’an Village, Jiang Hu..."

Once the man had left, Jiang Hu looked at Shopkeeper Liu and Master Zhang in confusion: "Who is this person? Do you know him?"

It felt strange.

Shopkeeper Liu shook his head: "Very unfamiliar face, first time seeing him."

Having run a restaurant for years, Shopkeeper Liu had cultivated sharp eyes; not quite photographic memory, but close enough.

As long as a customer had visited the shop once or twice, they’d leave an impression.

Master Zhang had just brewed a pot of sugar water, saw them still pondering about the stranger, and quickly said.

"Alright, alright, doesn’t matter who he is, you can’t buy things without paying. Come, let’s try this sugar water, so fragrant!"

With that, he eagerly took a sip, his eyes lit up.

Indeed, it was very fragrant, with an indescribable fresh scent.

Only Jiang Hu knew it was the scent of sorghum stalks, which he later used to feed the Big Water Buffalo; and indeed, it enjoyed eating them quite a lot.

Jiang Hu had already tasted it yesterday and was used to eating good things at home, so he was much calmer than Master Zhang and Shopkeeper Liu.

However, just as he was about to hold the cup, he realized he was still holding the wooden bucket in his embrace.

Immediately a little embarrassed, he hurriedly set it aside.

The few of them drank a pot of sugar water, and even though it wasn’t enough, they held back the urge to steep another pot.

As a chef, Master Zhang had the most sensitive taste for food.

He put down the bowl, smacking his lips a few times, eyes shining.

"Quenches thirst. I’ve been a bit inflamed, uncomfortable throat these days, drank a bowl of this sugar water and feel a lot better!"

Quite surprised.

Shopkeeper Liu also nodded: "This sugar water indeed tastes nice."

As for the price, Shopkeeper Liu pondered for a moment.

"Brother Jiang Hu, this stuff is good. We’ve worked together for many years, no need to haggle. How about 20 silver taels for the whole vat!"

Jiang Hu was instantly shocked: "T-twenty taels?"

Even Master Zhang was surprised, looked twice at the vat of syrup, and suddenly felt a bit of regret.

Had he known, he would’ve brewed another pot earlier. So expensive, definitely can’t eat it casually in the future.

Shopkeeper Liu nodded: "That’s right, but brother Jiang Hu, no need to be polite with me. Since I’m giving you this price, I can make it back."

Jiang Hu swallowed his saliva. Although he had saved a bit over these years, it was all accumulated bit by bit.

At most, he might get four or five taels in a month, and that was from selling eels—not every month.

But to earn twenty taels at once, even if split with the Liu family, he would still get ten taels!

It was almost unbelievable.

Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Liu had already moved on from the syrup to looking at the old turtle.

"And about this old turtle..."

"Shopkeeper Liu, this one I can’t sell."

Before Shopkeeper Liu could finish, Jiang Hu interrupted him.

At this, it wasn’t just Shopkeeper Liu and Master Zhang, even Jiang Hu himself was stunned.

Then he quickly waved his hands: "That’s not what I meant, I mean I won’t sell all of it."

This made the two even more confused.

"Brother Jiang Hu, you only have this one, how do you mean you’re not selling all of it?"

Jiang Hu hesitated, finally thinking of how to say it.

"Here’s the thing, the turtle was caught by a few kids at home. It’s the first time they’ve caught one."

"I figured, might as well let the kids taste it, but with such a large turtle, we won’t finish it, and it shouldn’t be too nourishing either."

"So I thought, to sell it to you, but you butcher it, and keep about half a pound for me, deduct the cost directly, then I’ll take it home and make soup, so everyone gets to taste it."

He didn’t dare let the kids eat too much, but tasting a bit should be okay. He’d never tasted old turtle himself in his over twenty years.

Master Zhang looked at Shopkeeper Liu, even though he thought it was no problem, he couldn’t decide, it depended on the shopkeeper.

Shopkeeper Liu thought a bit, and said: "That’s no problem, but such a big turtle can’t be eaten in one sitting."

"How about this, this old turtle, fifteen silver taels, including the half pound for you. But no rush in butchering, I’ll place it at the restaurant door, reserve a spot, and butcher for soup in three days. When you deliver dishes in the morning, you can take your half pound."

With the impact of the twenty taels from the syrup, the fifteen taels for the turtle didn’t faze Jiang Hu much.

But as Shopkeeper Liu said earlier, if he gave that price, there must be profit.

As for when to get his half pound, he wasn’t in a rush; the family wasn’t urgently needing that bite.

Price agreed, the shopkeeper went to his room in the back courtyard, fetching for Jiang Hu three ten-tael silver ingots and five taels of broken silver.

With a busy crowd outside, so much money was too eye-catching, and too dangerous.

As Jiang Hu left, his legs felt light, the feeling of having a fortune on him was truly exhilarating.

Thankfully, once out of the restaurant, the wind blew and brought some calm.

Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself not to look unsophisticated, it’s just money, he’ll earn more later!

Thinking this way, his expression indeed became more natural.

Only then did he carry the bucket, to the back alley to drive his ox cart.

Having earned money, Jiang Hu wanted to buy something to take home, but after walking around, found nothing special to buy for eating; at home, they weren’t short of food now.

Instead, he bought two rolls of rough cloth, one gray-black, and one with a touch of blue, also some cotton cloth for making undergarments.

Also bought three plain handkerchiefs for Erni, and some colored cotton thread for her to embroider.

Preparing to return, he saw someone carrying some ducklings and goslings, and minding his doorstep being a river, he bought several of each.