Yesterday, a jar of tofu pudding was sent to their Great-grandfather’s house. He had only eaten one bowl of the tofu pudding. The rest of it was shared among the rest of the family, and it was smooth and fragrant.
Although the tofu pudding was made from soybeans, the tofu pudding was white and tender like a jade. It was not food for the lower class. Even if it were placed in a large restaurant or on a wealthy family’s dining table, it would not be shabby. How could the skill of making tofu be easily passed on to outsiders?
If one used this as a business, they could make a fortune. The most important thing was that there was no tofu in the current world. As long as it was something that others did not have, this was a good business. It was a skill that could be passed down through the family.
Aunt Guo quickly said, “Don’t talk nonsense. How can this be passed down through the family? Even if we’re blood relatives, we’re still separated from each other. This skill is passed down from generation to generation, benefiting future generations. How can we tell others about it? In the future, even if others ask, we can’t tell them! You have to remember my words.”
Yan Qixun had told Yan Lingsu yesterday that she planned to give the tofu business to her Granduncle. However, she didn’t call it a debt of gratitude. After all, a debt of gratitude was the hardest to repay. She only taught him the process of making tofu and didn’t plan to participate.
After all, making tofu wasn’t a complicated process. It will be hard to earn money. No one in her family would do it. If her Granduncle’s family was willing to do the tofu business, they could just give her family a share of the money when they made money in the future. For Yan Qixun’s family, it could be considered an additional income.
Moreover, the tofu business might be able to expand. The main reason was that with Yan Qixun’s knowledge, it would not be difficult to make money in the future. Therefore, she did not care about the skill of making tofu. Moreover, if her clansmen were all living a good life, her family’s good fortune would not be that obvious. Keeping their fortune under the radar would be challenging if she could access her pocket dimension. Otherwise, no matter how much money she had, it would be the source of disaster.
Yan Lingsu smiled and said, “I know you are mentioning this for our good, but Xiao Xun was the one who discovered how to make tofu. She said that if she made tofu for personal consumption, it would only take minimal effort. However, it would be extremely tiring to make it in bulk and treat it as a business. Soybeans are cheap commodities. Even if they were made into wonders, they still wouldn’t be sold at a high price, and it’s hard-earned money.
“As you know, my father and brothers are scholars, and I have to study medicine. Besides, my sisters are still young, and they do not have the strength to do heavy work. Moreover, they usually have to study and learn about needlework.
“How can they find the time to care for the business? However, it would be a pity not to make something as good as tofu. Xiao Xun said it was okay for Eldest Uncle to work as an accountant in the town, but Third and Fourth uncle do not have consistent earnings. Rather than working for outsiders, it was better to do some business in the family. You have nothing to worry about. This thing could sell itself.
“It’s a long-term business, and the family would have a stable income. In the future, the brothers would still have to study. Just by relying on those tens of acres of land and the uncles working part-time, how could they afford to care for the family? If they could start a business in town or the county, they could open a tofu shop.
“Third and Fourth Uncle would be responsible for making tofu and delivering goods, while the Eldest Uncle would be responsible for taking care of the shop, and they would all have things to do. Wouldn’t it be better than working for outsiders?
“Moreover, the leftover bean dregs from making tofu were the best food for livestock. Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt, and Fourth Aunt could also raise two more pigs. Now that my father is an Imperial Scholar, our family will open a shop and start a small business. We won’t be afraid of being bullied anymore.”
The Guo family could not agree to this as these were just words coming from a child like her. Even though she was very much persuaded but she still said, “You go and have a look at your great-grandfather. I will discuss this with your mother about this tofu matter later.”
Yan Lingsu and her second brother helped send the tofu and the dried bean curd into the kitchen. They then took a bowl of seafood tofu and carried it to their great-grandfather’s room. Their great-grandfather’s legs have been hurting for the past two days, so it was inconvenient for him to get off the ground. He leaned on the brick bed, and Little Ten was chatting and joking with his great-grandfather.
Yan Lingsu first put the bowl on the brick bed table and then bowed to their great-grandfather together with her second brother. Little Ten jumped off the brick bed and turned to his cousin, and then glanced at the large bowl of seafood tofu soup. He was very envious. Even if he wanted to eat it again, he couldn’t because it was his great-grandfather’s food, and he knew that he could not take it.
Yan Lingsu smiled and patted the little guy’s head. “I’ve brought a jar of it and sent it to the kitchen. Your great-grandfather can’t eat that much. Go to the kitchen and ask Aunt Guo to fill a bowl for you to have a taste.”
The little guy cheered and ran off to the kitchen. Yan Lingsu went up to her great-grandfather and checked her great-grandfather’s pulse. She rolled up his pants and carefully looked at his legs. After completing her diagnosis, she rolled down the pants and covered him with the quilt.
Her hands were dirty, she then told Gong Yuhao, “I have examined his legs. Second Brother, please bring the table over and help Great-grandfather drink this tofu soup first. Be careful not to spill the soup.”
After Great-grandfather took the spoon and sipped the soup, only then did Yan Lingsu start to say, “Great-grandfather, your legs are old and cold, so you can only slowly nurse them. Later, I’ll write a prescription for Lingzhou to run to the town pharmacy to get a few sets of herbs and eat them for a few days.
“After I go into the mountains to pick some medicinal herbs and come back, there’s no need to go to the pharmacy to buy them in the future. In the afternoon, I’ll give you an acupuncture treatment first. The pain will stop after the acupuncture treatment, but don’t get out of bed either. The acupuncture will be done once every three days. Together with the medicinal mixture that will be used to soak your feet, you will be out of bed five days later.
“After a month, you will no longer have cold legs this winter. I will give you another month of acupuncture and medicinal water to soak your feet when spring comes. Then this pain will not happen again for at least three to five years.”
Their great-grandfather was afraid of spending money, so he quickly waved his hand. “You don’t need to give me any medicine. It doesn’t hurt very much. How is it be an illness? It’s just that I am old and am too lazy to move. Besides, you are my dear granddaughter and a lady, after all. How can I ask you to give me acupuncture?”
Yan Lingsu snarled, “You also said that I’m your granddaughter! Who can comment at me if I cared for my great-grandfather? It’s not a severe illness, just a cold in the bones and some symptoms, and it’s not a big deal, but you have to be in so much pain!
“You do not need to worry. It won’t cost much. I’ll just ask Lingzhou to grab some medicine that is enough for five days, which is about a hundred coins. If I save some money on other aspects, I’ll save up. Later, I’ll pick the medicine myself and give you the medicine. In the future, I won’t need to spend a single cent. If you don’t listen to me, I’ll be outraged.”
When her great-grandfather heard that it was only a hundred coins, he heaved a sigh of relief. When one becomes old, they would be afraid of causing trouble for their children and grandchildren. His great-grandchildren were all grown up, and they would need money to spend in the future. If he couldn’t help his children and grandchildren, how could he bear to burden them again?
Yan Lingsu pretended to be angry, but her great-grandfather did not want her to worry, so he chirped, “Alright then, I’ll listen to you. I must live well until you find a good husband. Only then could I close my eyes and rest in peace.”
Yan Lingsu thought to herself, ‘If so, you will live a long life because you will have to wait.’
Great-grandfather drank the soup, at the same time, he asked Gong Yuhao, “I heard from Xiao Xun that your went into the mountains? You can not enter the deep mountains. Many hunters would not dare to enter the deep mountains.
“When Grandfather Zuo was young, he was a good hunter. He was famous far and wide, but he could not avoid encountering a few great dangers and almost lost his life a few times. You are still young, so do not venture into the deep mountains.
“Entering the mountains is like gambling with your life, and I’m not that desperate. Although it’s a little difficult now, it’ll be fine when your father returns. I’ve already told First and Second Granduncle to send some food. After all, your mother and the others still have enough food.”
Gong Yuhao did not dare to let the old man worry, so he said, “Don’t worry, I’m following Uncle Lu, and I’ll just wander around the outskirts of the mountains..”