Chapter 8: Making Money is a Serious Matter

Dawn had already begun to break. He watched as some villagers hoisted their hoes and headed toward the fields to begin their labor.

The morning breeze still carried a hint of chill, so he pulled his coat tighter around himself. Stepping out of the courtyard and walking to the edge of the fields, he saw the villagers watering rice seedlings that had already taken root.

There were wheat fields as well. The Great Chu Empire enjoyed a temperate climate with fertile soil and abundant rainfall, conditions perfectly suited for both rice and wheat. As a result, many villagers planted both crops side by side.

Watching the peasants toil so diligently, any fleeting notion Lin Feng had of taking up farming himself instantly vanished. Tilling the land was both a technical skill and a test of physical endurance; without experience and grit, it was simply impossible. Furthermore, one could not just farm whenever one pleased. Unless the times were chaotic and lawless, one could not simply clear wasteland at will.

First, you had to establish residency in the small mountain village. Second, you had to petition the village head for a plot of arable land. Regardless of the harvest, you were then required to pay a grain tax annually—whether in grain or copper coins, payment was mandatory. It was all far too much trouble.

He could, however, grow vegetables. Naturally, that would be limited to the small rented courtyard. Beyond growing seasonal produce for self-sufficiency, he could also prepare some specialty snacks—after all, he was quite skilled in the culinary arts.

When Lin Feng passed by the small river on his way to town yesterday, he had noticed a large stretch of vacant land on the riverbank. It would be a perfect spot to set up a stall and earn some money by selling simple, home-style meals. He had specifically noted the high foot traffic in that area.

Right now, everything else was secondary; earning money was the most important thing. Without money, how could he return to the capital of Chu? How could he travel and enjoy the scenery? How could he marry a carriage-load of beauties? Therefore, he had to make money!

When Lin Feng returned to the farmhouse, Xiao Die and Liu Xi had just woken up. Both looked at him in astonishment; in the past, Lin Feng would never rise before the sun was high in the sky. Why had he suddenly changed his nature, rising even earlier than them?

"Let’s wash up and grab a bite to eat quickly, then we’re heading to town to buy supplies."

Xiao Die immediately brought him a toothbrush and tooth powder. It turned out that the Great Chu Empire already had toothbrushes, though they were somewhat crude. They were made of bamboo and horsehair, yet they were quite close to modern toothbrushes. The tooth powder, however, lacked a fresh scent, carrying a distinct aroma of ginger and rock salt. Still, it was much better than brushing with one's fingers.

After the three of them finished washing and eating, they set off immediately. The sun had risen in the east, and the red glow of dawn filtered through the clouds, casting a warm hue over the small mountain village.

They arrived at the riverbank. The small river, shimmering with gold, flowed slowly. A breeze brushed against the weeping willows on the bank, the grass and trees swaying gracefully.

Lin Feng walked to the water's edge and looked in. The water was clear enough to see the bottom, and the fish and shrimp were plump.

"Big Brother, what are you looking at?" Liu Xi asked curiously.

"Setting up a food stall here by the riverbank would be quite nice," Lin Feng replied.

"Big Brother," Xiao Die said, "my cooking skills are very mediocre, and Liu Xi only knows how to eat. I’m afraid no one will patronize a food stall if we run it."

"You two just need to assist me; I’ll handle the cooking."

"Big Brother knows how to cook?" It wasn't just Xiao Die; Liu Xi also looked at Lin Feng with suspicion.

"Did I ever say I couldn't cook?"

Both shook their heads.

"I spent my days eating, drinking, and having fun, and I learned it just by doing it."

The two were speechless. If cooking were that simple, there would be no need for apprentices to study; one could just spend their days eating and drinking.

"This riverbank is adjacent to a stone bridge. The bridge is the essential path for people from nearby villages to reach Luping Town, and it’s also on the main official road from Mingfeng County to Luping Town. It has a certain geographical advantage. So, setting up a stall here is a good choice. The key is that it’s very close to our Kaoshan Village, so we won't have to travel far. We can give it a try..."

Lin Feng spoke with great excitement. He felt as though he had rediscovered the thrill of running a night-market food stall from his past life.

Liu Xi didn't mind; he would do whatever Lin Feng said. Xiao Die, however, was somewhat hesitant. After all, she was the one managing the money, and the money they had earned yesterday hadn't even warmed up in her pocket before her Big Brother showed signs of wanting to spend it all today. Still, she reasoned that it wasn't a bad thing. Since Big Brother wanted to try, let him try—it was certainly better than him going out to drink, gamble, or visit brothels.

When the three arrived in town, they first shopped for various seasonings. As expected, some were missing, and they had to travel to two more small towns to the south before they had everything they needed. The three towns were not close to one another, and they spent nearly the entire day traveling.

They didn't buy the equipment for the food stall; first, because they were exhausted, and second, because Lin Feng wanted to make future shopping trips easier, so he bought extra seasonings. Some of the spices were quite expensive, and in the end, they spent nearly three strings of copper coins. The remaining money wasn't enough to purchase everything needed for the stall. He would have to wait until they earned some money first.

It was already dark by the time the three returned to the village. Upon reaching the courtyard, they saw Madam Tian standing there anxiously with her daughter, Tian Xi'er.

Because the two courtyards were connected by an inner gate, they didn't need to use the outer entrance.

"Madam Tian, you're here?"

When Madam Tian saw the three of them, the worry on her face vanished. "You're finally back! I finished shelling these peanuts by noon, and since I didn't see you coming back, I was worried sick!"

"We went out to buy some things," Lin Feng said with a smile. "Madam Tian, let's go inside to talk."

Once inside, Madam Tian had Tian Wei'er open the cloth bag. "Little Brother, as you requested, I have selected thirty catties of shelled peanuts. Please see if you are satisfied."

Lin Feng reached to the very bottom of the bag and pulled out a handful. He examined them one by one; they were uniform and plump. There appeared to be no deception, so he nodded. "Very good."

Madam Tian smiled. "The weight is exactly thirty catties. Young Master, please weigh them." She produced a steelyard and handed it to Lin Feng.

Lin Feng passed the scale to Liu Xi. "You weigh them."

Liu Xi skillfully hung the grain bag on the scale and adjusted the weight, saying, "Thirty catties and four taels."

Madam Tian laughed, "That’s exactly right, including the weight of the bag."

Lin Feng waved his hand. "Xiao Die, pay her."

"Mm..." Xiao Die counted out the coins. "Madam, after deducting the one-hundred-wen deposit, here is eight hundred wen." She handed the coins to Madam Tian without missing a single cash. Madam Tian was beaming. "Young Master, do you need more peanuts? Although I don't have any more, I can go to other villages and help you buy some."

Lin Feng thought this was a good idea. He knew that the price merchants paid for peanuts was likely cheaper than what Madam Tian had quoted him. By doing this, she was simply looking to earn a price difference.

It was time to give her some benefits. Firstly, she was his landlady and neighbor; maintaining a good relationship was important. If she earned some money, she wouldn't be as nitpicky about rent or other daily matters, and she might even help out if they were short of anything. Secondly, if he needed to buy peanuts from various households in the future—and not just peanuts—having a local help him would be much easier. As a local, the Tian family likely commanded some respect in Kaoshan Village and the surrounding areas, making things much smoother than if he were to handle it himself as an outsider. This would save him from wasting effort and time. Lin Feng naturally understood the importance of minimizing time costs.