Chapter 29: Delicious Crab Shell Yellow Pastries
The day after Gu Yan arrived at the Pingjiang Villa, early in the morning, the Prefect of Pingjiang Prefecture and a group of officials were waiting at the main gate beyond the bridge, awaiting Gu Yan’s summons.
Gu Yan summoned the officials of Pingjiang Prefecture, meticulously inquired about governance and public sentiment, hosted them for lunch, and in the afternoon, accompanied by those in charge of various departments, Gu Yan began a thorough inspection of Pingjiang Prefecture’s governance, starting with the Pingjiang Prefecture Great Prison.
From Pingjiang City to the various counties under Pingjiang Prefecture, and then a formal visit to Linhai Town, ten-odd days passed after the tour. Upon returning to the Pingjiang Villa, he heard Wang Gui report that Scholar Li’s family had settled in Pingjiang City. After breakfast, Gu Yan, dressed as an ordinary wealthy young master, led Shi Gun, Wang Gui, and others, strolling leisurely towards the Prefectural School.
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The courtyard rented by the Li siblings was in Cai Lian Lane. Emerging from Cai Lian Lane led to a rather quiet small street, adjacent to the academy, called Academy Street.
Li Yin Zhu tightly held Li A Nan’s hand, standing at the entrance of Cai Lian Lane. She scanned from left to right, then from right to left, and let out an extremely satisfied sigh.
“A Nan, look! It’s so lively and beautiful here! This street is so clean, all paved with large bluestone slabs! So many shops! A Nan, look at that shop sign, it’s so long! It looks like silk!”
“This street isn’t that lively. Last time I came with Eldest Sister, the street outside the side gate of the Prefectural School was truly bustling. It was three or four times as wide as this street, with two-story buildings on both sides, and many three and four-story ones, all filled with shops, restaurants, and bookstores. I remember it was in that direction.” Li A Nan pulled her Third Sister forward.
Li Yin Zhu was pulled by Li A Nan, twisting her head to look left and right as they walked, “This street isn’t lively enough? How much livelier does it need to be? A Nan, look, all these shops on both sides, what do they sell?”
“That one is a paper mounting shop, that one is a book copying shop, and that one repairs old books. These are businesses we can’t do.” Li A Nan dragged Li Yin Zhu forward by the arm.
“Paper mounting? Like making shoes? Do city people have special shops for making shoes? Hmm? You just said these are businesses we can’t do? A Nan, what are you planning?” Li Yin Zhu was too dazzled by the sights and only realized what Li A Nan said after passing another inkstone shop.
“Of course, we have to do business after moving to the city. We can’t earn much just by weaving cloth. It’s this street!” Li A Nan burst out of Academy Street, looking at the wide and bustling main street before her, and let out a cheer.
Li Yin Zhu stared dumbfounded at the bustling scene before her.
When they had traveled here, Li A Nan had stayed hidden in the carriage to avoid attention. She had stayed with Little Nan, cooped up in the carriage. Upon arriving at the inn, they continued to stay in their room. After renting the house, they entered the house from the cart and then remained inside the house.
This was the first time Li Yin Zhu had seen the prosperity of Pingjiang City in the nearly half a month since she arrived.
“A Nan! I’m a little scared, I feel dizzy.” Li Yin Zhu was tense all over, tightly gripping Li A Nan’s arm.
“Third Sister, loosen your grip! You’re bruising my arm!” Li A Nan forcefully patted Li Yin Zhu’s hand. “Let’s stand here for a while until you’re not dizzy anymore, then we’ll go shopping.”
“Let’s go shopping, even if I’m dizzy!” Li Yin Zhu released her hand and immediately grabbed Li A Nan’s other arm, but not as tightly.
This street was wider than the threshing ground in their Xiao Li Village. Such a wide street was paved with large bluestone slabs! Good heavens, how much copper coins must that have cost!
That carriage is so beautiful! Much more beautiful than those in the New Year paintings! That person is wearing silk from head to toe! That one too, and that one, that one…
Good heavens, there are so many people wearing silk on this street!
Li Yin Zhu tightly gripped Li A Nan’s arm, her eyes not enough to take in all the people and carriages.
Li A Nan dragged Li Yin Zhu along, observing the shops lining the street as they walked, occasionally stopping to look closely, contemplating which businesses they could undertake.
Their capital was small, and they couldn’t afford to take risks. Therefore, they needed to find businesses with low capital, small profits, and limited losses.
The businesses on this street were all too grand.
She was wrong. To find businesses with low capital, small profits, and limited losses, she shouldn’t have come to such a lively place; she should have gone to small alleys and side streets!
Li A Nan raised her hand and patted her forehead.
She hadn’t yet broken free from the prosperity of Lujiazui. When she thought of business, she habitually headed straight for the most prosperous and lively places.
Alas, the most prosperous and lively places would surely be filled with large businesses requiring substantial capital, high profits, and difficult entry!
Li A Nan’s annoyance was interrupted by the aroma of Crab Shell Yellow pastries.
About ten steps ahead, a small shop front, only about three feet wide, with a shiny, clean counter extending half a foot outwards, displayed freshly baked Crab Shell Yellow pastries.
A neat and cheerful-looking shop assistant, holding bamboo tongs, loudly announced the price per pastry, swiftly picked up each Crab Shell Yellow pastry, placed it in a mulberry paper bag, and finally said, “Here you go,” handing it out with both hands.
A line of about ten people stood in front of the pastry shop.
“What is that? It smells so good, incredibly good!” Li Yin Zhu was also attracted by the aroma, sniffed deeply, and swallowed hard.
“Crab Shell Yellow, it’s delicious!” Li A Nan’s mouth was watering.
“Have you eaten it? Did Eldest Sister buy it for you last time? It must have been quite expensive, how many copper coins was it?” Li Yin Zhu carefully licked her lips.
“I haven’t eaten it, I read about it in a book, it’s very delicious.” Li A Nan looked up at the shop sign hanging from the eaves.
Crab Shell Yellow cost ten copper coins each.
“Third Sister, how many copper coins do you have?” Li A Nan asked.
“What kind of question is that? How many copper coins? Our family’s copper coins, Eldest Sister counts them, Second Sister counts them again, and then hides them. I haven’t even touched them, let alone know how many there are! Do you have any copper coins? Did Eldest Sister give them to you?” Li Yin Zhu glanced sideways at Li A Nan.
“If you haven’t touched them, I’ve touched them even less.” Li A Nan’s shoulders slumped, and she sighed.
One Crab Shell Yellow pastry cost ten copper coins. Even if Eldest Sister were here, she surely wouldn’t be willing to buy it.
“Let’s stand a bit further ahead and watch how they make them. Once we’ve learned, we can make them ourselves when we go back.” Li Yin Zhu pinched Li A Nan’s slender arm and lifted it slightly, signaling her not to be discouraged.
The two squeezed to the other side of the counter. Li Yin Zhu placed her hands on Li A Nan’s shoulders and, from behind Li A Nan, stretched her neck to look inside the counter.
Inside the counter, against the wall, was a long desk. Two or three shop assistants stood by the long desk, pounding and kneading the soft, pliable dough, quickly forming Crab Shell Yellow dough balls, sprinkling them with sesame seeds, and placing them on trays to be baked inside.
Gu Yan stood by the shop next to the Crab Shell Yellow stall, slowly fanning himself with his folding fan, squinting at the drooling Li A Nan, his brows furrowed.
Lu Xiu loved tea, especially the spring tea of the year, and wasn’t fond of such delicacies. She would only taste a little of anything. He had never seen Lu Xiu crave something so much.
Li Yin Zhu and Li A Nan were pressed together, craning their necks to watch the shop assistants make Crab Shell Yellow pastries. Gu Yan watched Li A Nan for about a quarter of an hour, let out a faint hum, and walked forward.
Staring at the group buy every day, miss one glance, and it’s over, didn’t get the group buy!
So tired, please pat and comfort me.
