Chapter 117: Grinding Soybeans

In the patrol camp.

"General, we've found out where little An is," Liu Yun said to Ji Cheng Kang.

Ji Cheng Kang was delighted. "Where is he?"

Liu Yun said awkwardly, "He sneaked into the new County Yamen in the middle of the night."

Ji Cheng Kang frowned and thought aloud, "Why would he do that?"

Liu Yun permitted a wry smile and said, "I don't think he means any harm, he just wanted to have a look because he has been curious about this new county magistrate." Since ancient times, civil officials and military officers didn't get along well. Ji Cheng Kang was framed by some scheming civil officials in the capital city and he had to left the capital city as a self-protection mechanism. Ji Yun An was brought up by Ji Cheng Kang in the military camp since he was a child, therefore, he turned his nose up at those civil officials who knew nothing but useless official formalities.

Liu Yun found that a few people in the military camp talked about the new county magistrate. Several soldiers said that they thought the new county magistrate wouldn't be a good official considering he spent a fortune on the title, and chances were he would leave no stone unturned to extort money from the people. Ji Yun An was filled with righteous indignation after he heard that, he immediately said that he would sound the new county magistrate out and give him a warning.

Ji Yun An had expressed to Liu Yun that he wanted to investigate this new county order. However, Liu Yun did not take it seriously, he thought Ji Yun An just said that on an impulse.

Ji Cheng Kang frowned and said, "He's getting more and more reckless now. How's he now anyways?"

Liu Yun frowned and said, "He was caught by a Bio in the county magistrate's family, and now the Bio is ordering him around as a punishment."

"Nonsense," said Ji Cheng Kang with a darkened expression.

Liu Yun smiled bitterly and said, "I'm sure little An didn't mean to provoke that Bio child."

"Is he all right though?" Ji Cheng Kang asked.

Liu Yun nodded and said, "Yes, no one has beaten him up or anything."

Ji Cheng Kang nodded as if deep in thought and said, "If he is fine, just leave there as a punishment, he needs to learn. This kid runs rampant now, it's good. It's good that there's someone who is teaching him a lesson."

Liu Yun nodded and said, "I heard that Bio child shows no mercy in ordering little An around."

"He deserves that. Is there any updates from the new county magistrate?" Ji Cheng Kang asked.

"He invited a few carpenters and blacksmiths to his house just the other day. I don't know what exactly he is up to. Maybe he wants to build some furniture, tables and chairs. After the previous county magistrate was kicked out, most furniture in the house was stolen," Liu Yun said.

Ji Cheng Kang smiled bitterly and said, "That makes sense. Honestly, that guy should have asked around more before he came to Sha County! He found himself a challenging job!"

......

Chen Xiao Mai nibbled at the buns and looked at Ji Yun An, "Hey, do you know you have been at this place for five days now. It seems that no one is looking for you. I think your family is secretly happy that you have run away."

Ji Yun An said unhappily: "That's not the case."

Chen Xiao Mai pursed his lips and said, "That just is the case, you must have been unruly when you were home, so your parents don't want to see you anymore. If you were as good as me, your family would look for you like crazy, they would turn the entire county upside down for you."

Ji Yun An looked at Chen Xiao Mai and rolled his eyes, 'Someone is full of himself! So sassy and sharp-tongued! I would avoid that room if I knew that was his room, I'm so wronged that his brother and brother-in-law all thought I tried to make a move on him! That was not the reason why I groped into his room, I just... I just underestimated his strength!'

"If your family doesn't want you anymore, it's good that you are caught by me, at least you have a place to stay," Chen Xiao Mai said happily.

Ji Yun An frowned and thought to himself, 'This Bio is such a rascal, his voice just drips with sarcasm! To think he actually wants me to work here for free every day, he just takes pleasure in slaving me.'

Ji Yun An suddenly had an impulse to confess everything. 'Hey, you, do you know who I am! I'm Ji Yun An, my uncle is General Ji in the patrolling camp, you better let go of me now! I'm not afraid of you!'

On second thought, Ji Yun An felt that it was too embarrassing to drag his uncle into this, so he just kept quiet.

Ji Yun An was a little confused. He had been away from the camp for a few days, yet he didn't hear a word from his uncle. Ji Yun An gritted his teeth, feeling a little disappointed.

Chen Xiao Mai sat on a rocking chair and played with a tiger doll.

Ji Yun An rubbed his sore arm and he looked so miserable.

Grinding was pure physical work, Ji Yun An made a grimace of pain, his hands hurt, his back hurt, his feet hurt, he just felt sore all over.

Chen Xiao Mai threw the tiger doll into the air and reached out a hand to catch it.

When Lu Lin sold the commercial house, he sold the stock as well. Chen Xiao Mai just packed this tiger doll that he adored.

Ji Yun An looked at the doll in Chen Xiao Mai's hand and said, "Your doll is awesome."

Chen Xiao Mai grabbed the doll with both hands protectively, he gritted his teeth and glanced at Ji Yun An, "Mine."

Ji Yun An curled his lips and said, "Chill! It's not like I said it's mine."

Chen Xiao Mai then said proudly, "Have you met my Big Brother, he has killed a tiger once."

'Is his Big Brother the county magistrate?' thought Ji Yun An, 'Oh wait, no, that's his brother-in-law! But I do hear people say the county magistrate is henpecked.'

"My Big Brother is very powerful. People in the village are all afraid of Big Brother. I want to be like Big Brother one day," Chen Xiao Mai said proudly.

Ji Yun An shook his head, 'Are you sure? You want people to be afraid of you? I don't think being intimidating isn't a charming characteristic for a Bio.'

......

Yuan Bao staggered over with a small wooden bucket full of soybean milk in hand. The bucket was exquisitely made, it looked more like an ornament rather than a practical tool. Yuan Bao had splashed some soybean milk, but he didn't care, he just enjoyed carrying the bucket around.

"Little Uncle, we have fresh soy milk in the kitchen now, you can take a break and I can supervise this guy."

Chen Xiao Mai stood up with a satisfying smile and said, "Okay, okay, I guess I can take a break now."

Yuan Bao sat on the chair, he looked at Ji Yun An and said in a childish voice, "You look like a good boy, but why did you sneak into our house? Trying to steal? Hmm, you can never judge a man by his looks."

Yuan Bao smacked his lips and said that in a soft voice. Yuan Bao was just a child, he had no idea what he was talking about, he just repeated what he had heard from the adults at home.

Ji Yun An was judged by a small child, so he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He was not here to steal. He was just curious about the new new county magistrate and cane here to see what kind of person he is.

"And such a young age too," Yuan Bao shook his head.

Ji Yun An pouted, 'Look at yourself before you say I'm young!'

Chen Xiao Mai now walked out from the kitchen with a big wooden bucket full of soybean milk in his hand.

Chen Xiao Mai scooped a bowl of soy milk for Ji Yun An and said, "Here, have some."

Ji Yun An glanced at Chen Xiao Mai and saw Chen Xiao Mai take out a spoonful of sugar from the sachet he carried around with him and put it into the soy milk.

In the past few days, Ji Yun An drank the soy milk for a few times, he enjoyed the taste.

Ji Yun An had never tried it with sugar though, he thought sweet soy milk would definitely taste better, but Chen Xiao Mai, that savage Bio was very stingy. He held a grudge that Mai had never offered him any soy milk with sugar.

However, he managed to convince himself that he was technically a 'prisoner', Mai wasn't in the wrong by not offering him sweet soy milk.

Yuan Bao stuffed his face in his bucket, leaving a milk mustache on his face.

Chen Xiao Mai took out his handkerchief and wiped Yuan Bao's mouth, "There you go, good boy!"

Ji Yun An looked at the way Chen Xiao Mai doted on Yuan Bao and secretly thought, 'This fierce Bio boy has a good temper towards this little child, yet he is so fierce towards me.'

......

Ji Yun An looked at the busy carpenters in the yard and frowned, he wondered what they were working on. Ji Yun An saw Tian Zheng among the carpenters. Tian Zheng was once a soldier who worked closely with his uncle, he left the camp after he got blind in one eye.

Ji Yun An couldn't figure out whether Tian Zheng had recognized him or not. Ji Yun An felt that his Uncle Tian must have recognized him, but there was still no one who came to rescue him.

Ji Yun An glanced at Chen Xiao Mai and said, "Is there a bun or something I can eat?"

Chen Xiao Mai pointed to the bucket where the soy milk was placed, and Ji Yun An's face darkened. Although the soy milk tasted good, it wasn't very filling!

Ji Yun An looked at Chen Xiao Mai helplessly and said, "I have no strength if you give me nothing other than some milk."

Chen Xiao Mai glared at Ji Yun An, and Ji Yun An said, "And we both know I cannot grind the mill if I don't have strength."

Chen Xiao Mai puffed up his cheeks, he looked at Ji Yun An discontentedly for a while and went to the kitchen.

Soon he came back with a rice ball and threw it to Ji Yun An.

Ji Yun An looked at the rice ball in his hand and took a bite. He was surprised to find that there was dried meat, sour radish strips and some sauce wrapped in.

Ji Yun An had been in the county yamen for a few days now and he had seen a lot of novelty food. He thought to himself, 'This new county magistrate really knows how to enjoy life, he is constantly trying new recipes in such a remote and backward place.

Ji Yun An took a break while he was enjoying the rice ball.

Chen Xiao Mai took over, he ground the mill vigorously, and Ji Yun An frowned when he saw his supervisor Chen Xiao Mai's great power.

Ji Yun An had been grinding the stone mill for days, so he naturally knew how heavy it is.

Ji Yun An originally thought that he had great strength among his peers, he felt so dwarfed when he was outdone by a Bio boy.

Chen Xiao Mai didn't show any sign of tiredness until he pushed the millstones around dozens of times in one go.

Yuan Bao clapped his hands and said, "Little Uncle, you are the best, you are the best."

Chen Xiao Mai scratched his head and smiled shyly.

Ji Yun An looked at Chen Xiao Mai with a strange feeling in his heart.

Ji Yun An used to believe that the county magistrate's entire family was a bunch of good-for-nothings now that the county magistrate had provided them a wealthy life, but now he changed his mind.

......

At noon, Qin Lang arranged a lunch for the carpenters and blacksmiths. They had tofu with soy sauce.

Lu Lin planned to open a tofu shop in the near future, he offered tofu to the workers in the hope of asking for their feedbacks as well.

Everyone loved the tofu. A few days later, some workers even asked whether they could buy some tofu.

Qin Yi agreed. He said he could give them a good deal, a piece of tofu for one cent.

There was a carpenter named Sun Zhengyi bought 25 pieces of tofu in one go, which had surprised Qin Yi. He reminded the carpenter that tofu was not easy to store and that he had to eat them as soon as possible. The carpenter didn't seem to think that as a problem, he kept nodding and saying that he would eat them soon.

"Zhengyi, you're back! How's work today?"

Sun Zhengyi nodded. "Yes! I'm back. I brought some tofu."

"Tofu? Is it the thing made by the new county magistrate? Is it really as delicious as you said?"

Sun Zhengyi nodded and said, "Of course."

Sun Zhengyi had been talking about how great the new county magistrate was, how he treated everyone with respect, how everyone enjoyed the food he prepared. The villagers didn't believe his words, they all thought he was bought over.

Sun Zhengyi didn't take his pay this day, he exchanged his pay for tofu. He asked his wife to cook the tofu in the way Lu Lin had taught Yun Niang and treated his friends and neighbors, everyone was full of praise after they had a taste.

......

Lu Lin suggested opening a tofu shop near the county yamen to Chen Xiao Cai, selling tofu and soy milk.

That suggestion fit in exactly with Chen Xiao Cai's wishes, he was tired of sitting around and doing nothing, he was so pumped when Lu Lin told him he could consider opening a tofu shop.

The profit from selling tofu was very low, but Chen Xiao Cai enjoyed being busy.

"A piece of tofu is sold for one cent. It's just so different from what we used to do!" Shen Chi said.

In the past, Shen Chi and Chen Xiao Cai took charge of their shop and made big money from selling dolls and school bags, he was not used to the idea of doing a small business dealing with one or two cents.

Chen Xiao Cai scratched his hair and smiled, "I know what you mean, Chi, I feel the same way. But Brother Lin said our main purpose is not to make money."

Shen Chi looked at Chen Xiao Cai in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Chen Xiao Cai said helplessly, "Brother Lin said it is to improve people's livelihood."

Shen Chi was a little surprised, "To improve people's livelihood?"

Chen Xiao Cai nodded and said, "Brother Lin said that he is now an official and it's his mission to benefit the people."

Shen Chi said in confusion, "We're benefiting the people by opening a tofu shop?"

Chen Xiao Cai shook his head and said, "I don't understand it exactly, he said he wants to emancipate the productive forces."

Chen Xiao Cai's store not only accepted cash, but also accepted bartering. You could trade potatoes or wheat for a piece of tofu. Although the profit was low, they had a continuous stream of customers every day.