Setting up a Stall
Having been here for so long, one of the things Jian Qingqing was most unaccustomed to was the inconvenience of transportation. Every time she walked to the county town, it would take more than an hour. If it were not for Uncle Ox, she would have to wait for Jian Dalang to tend to the land before she could start her big plan to earn money. By then, her two short legs would be swollen after walking for two days. After she finished building the house, she would have to buy a cow. Even if she bought it now, there was no place for it to live.
Speaking of walking, she had to admire Jian Rong. He actually did not take Uncle Ox’s cart! He just used a cart to carry a load of over a hundred catties to the county town!
The next morning, Jian Qingqing brought her braised meat, honeysuckle, and Dendrobium to Uncle Ox’s cart.
She had the idea to buy a cow, so she chatted with Uncle Ox. “Uncle, how did you buy this ox?”
“You want to buy an ox?���
“Yes, I have to sell things every day, so I’m sorry to trouble you every day. You used to not go so early in the past, but because of me, you have to wake up so early. I’m afraid I’m delaying your work in the fields.”
Uncle Ox’s job was not only to drive the ox cart. The main function of the ox was to plow the land. When he was free, he would come out to drive the ox cart. During this period of time, farm work was very tight.
Uncle Ox would send her to and from the morning, and only in the afternoon could he do farm work, and this made her very embarrassed. She could only give him some stewed meat as a token of gratitude.
“Hey, it’s no trouble. I don’t have much work at home, but it’s also good to be able to buy an ox.” Speaking of this, Uncle Ox admired Jian Qingqing very much. It had only been a month, and she was going to build a house to buy an ox. He was correct, this young woman had a bright future!
“I bought this ox after looking at it for two whole months. I spent more than seven taels of silver! To buy an ox, don’t buy it after one or two visits. If you did, you can easily buy a sick ox or a sub-par cow. Moreover, there aren’t any good cows in the market at the moment. Those good ones will be bought immediately when they come to the market. It’s very popular.”
Speaking of buying an ox, Uncle Ox had his own way of doing things.
“You have to pay more attention to the situation in the market. When you come to a new cow, you have to go and see it immediately. If you see a strong one, you have to pay immediately. Otherwise, it will be bought by others very quickly. At that time, there were quite a few people who looked at this end, but they all felt that it was too expensive and couldn’t buy it immediately. I also felt that it was a little expensive, but it’s rare to see a good one. I gritted my teeth and bought it. Look, it’s already five years old. It’s still doing well now, and it’s still strong.”
“Huh? Is it that troublesome?” She did not have so much time to pay attention to the ox market every day.
“What’s the trouble? If you want to buy a good bull, you have to put in more effort. How about this, my dear? If you don’t have time, I’ll help you look. If I see one, I’ll inform you immediately!”
“Is that okay? Will it trouble you, Sir?”
“What’s the trouble?” He shook his head. “I have acquaintances in the ox market. If they come with a new bull, I’ll ask him to call me. If I feel good about it, I’ll call you. It’s no trouble at all!”
“Thank you!”
Arriving at the county town, Jian Qingqing went straight to the place where the meat was sold. There were several pork stalls and a mutton stall there. The rest were selling chickens, ducks, and fish.
Usually, those who came here to buy meat were from rich families, so there were probably more people who could afford her stewed meat.
She picked a side and stayed away from those who sold chicken, ducks, and meat. She could not stand the smell.
Jian Qingqing also brought a small wooden stool. She placed the wooden bucket containing the stewed meat there. When the lid was opened, the rich fragrance immediately filled the entire market, covering the smell of meat, chicken, duck, and feces.
The butchers all looked over.