Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 286. Uninvited Guest
Chapter 286: Chapter 286. Uninvited Guest
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
When Su Qing heard Qiu Yongkang asking about her, she exited the room. The smile on Qiu Yongkang’s face disappeared when he saw Su Qing. He spoke in a business-like tone.
“The coal we dug previously has been distributed to the villagers. 1 came over to ask if we should dig some more coal.”
Before Ji Shuisheng left, he had told Qiu Yongkang that he needed to discuss everything with Su Qing. Hence, Qiu Yongkang came to find her when he heard that Su Qing had returned.
“Well, even if you didn’t come, I would have gone to look for you. This time, we must dig more coal and gather the strong laborers in the village for a meeting. We’ll get paid according to our work and work to earn wages. We can ask for money or sheep once a month.”
On the way back, Su Qing had already thought about it. It would take three days to go back and forth to dig coal. She could not waste time going back and forth like this. She had to transport coal back every day. This required continuous mining and transportation to ensure a constant supply.
However, this would require a lot of manpower. However, what they did not lack the most was manpower. It was not yet the beginning of spring, and everyone was idle. They would be willing to earn some money to support their families.
Otherwise, the sheep that Shuisheng gave them would be gone in a few days. No one could always feed them for nothing and let them earn their living. This was the principle that teaching people to fish was better than giving them fish.
“Alright.”
Qiu Yongkang looked at Su Qing with admiration and immediately went to gather the strong men in the village for a meeting.
Old Master Qiu was very excited when he heard Su Qing’s suggestion. He was just worried that they would be unable to find a way to earn money after they split up. Su Qing provided everyone with an opportunity to make money. She was the savior sent by the heavens to save Peach Blossom Cove.
During the meeting, no one objected. Everyone enthusiastically signed up, and their enthusiasm was unprecedentedly high.
Su Qing arranged for them to work in three shifts. The first shift was led by Li Daniu, the second shift was led by Zhong Yong, and Jiang Laoqi led the last shift. The third shift was to mine and transport the coal by themselves so they all could go home.
After arranging the mining and transportation, Su Qing started to build a winery. She had thought it through very clearly. The wine was the most valuable in Tartan. She could use the existing grain to make wine and sell it to Tartan at a high price for sheep.
One hundred catties of rice, corn, or brown rice could usually produce about 50 catties of 55 percent white wine. Two catties of white wine could be exchanged for one sheep, and 50 catties could be traded for 25 sheep. This would solve everyone’s food problem.
A stone of rice was equal to ten buckets, and one bucket was equal to ten liters. One liter of rice was about 1.25 pounds, a bucket of rice was about 12.5 catties, and a stone of rice was 62.5 kilograms, which meant that a stone of rice could produce at least 50 catties of white wine.
In this way, one stone of rice could be exchanged for twenty-five to twenty-six fat sheep.
The fat sheep in Tartan had a high meat yield. One sheep could produce about 30 catties of mutton, equivalent to exchanging a stone of grain for 750 catties of mutton.
This was not counting the remaining lees that could be fed to pigs, sheep, and chickens. The profit margin was too big.
Eating meat was better than eating gruel. Otherwise, why were the people of Tartan so tall and strong?
Su Qing was prepared to bring the girls to make wine together so everyone could earn another sum.
There were many empty houses in Mo City, but the winery needed much space. She chose the courtyard when she had just arrived in Mo City.
Initially, injured people were living here. The house was empty now that most injured people had recovered and returned to the camp.
The steps of making wine were: first, selecting materials; second, evaporating; third, making koji; fourth, fermenting; fifth, blending; sixth, aging and finally, making wine.
Su Qing changed the house into five workshops. The first workshop was used to store food and select materials. The second workshop was used for retorting. This required a big pot and steamer, which she had to do herself.
The third workshop made a starter and ferment, while the fourth was used to blend and age.
Workshop 5 was the finished product workshop and the wine warehouse.
As long as the girls could work with Su Qing, they would be happy no matter how hard they worked. When everyone heard that Su Qing wanted to make wine, they were all very interested and hoped to work in the winery.
Ever since Su Qing came, these girls had been subtly influenced. They felt that women were not inferior to men. If men could earn money, they could also do the same. If men could fight, they could also go to the battlefield. When the men in their families went to the coal mines to earn money, they did not want to fall behind. In short, they did not want to fall behind.
The winery needed a large number of wine barrels, which required wood. Su Qing wanted to take the girls to cut down trees. No mature trees were near Mo City, so they had to go south. The area near Luo City was densely covered with forests.
Hearing that Su Qing would cut down trees and transport wood, Cheng Yu brought a dozen soldiers to help.
Now that there was no war, he had nothing to do. He could not eat for nothing. He had to contribute to the construction of Mo City.
With their help, Su Qing didn’t have to bring the girls around. The men went to cut down the trees while she and the girls built the wine pot at home. They worked from morning to night every day and were especially motivated.
Making wine required a lot of equipment, so she could only use wood now. Although this kind of old-fashioned wine-making equipment was clumsy, it still had advantages.
The retorting workshop still had to dig a wine cellar for fermentation. Su Qing brought the girls to dig the wine cellar, and Cheng Yu sent someone to help.
The house was not big enough and needed to be rebuilt. Cheng Yu personally came over to help build the house. Everyone worked together, and their enthusiasm was unprecedentedly high.
Every day after work, Su Qing would catch a fat sheep and roast it to reward everyone. Cheng Yu was worried for her. There were only twenty-one sheep in total. Wouldn’t they be finished if they continued to eat like this?
Three days later, the first batch of coal arrived. Zhong Yong and his team were the ones who were responsible for mining and transporting the coal. They worked day and night to bring the coal back safely. Although Zhong Yong was simple-minded, he knew how to obey orders and follow Su Qing’s instructions strictly.
Su Qing brought Zhong Yong and the others to the two countries’ border to wait for the Third Prince’s people to trade. These few days, she had asked Xiao Qi to make a hundred plasters and handed them over to them this time.
Su Qing rushed to the border with the coal cart. It didn’t take long for the Third Prince’s men to arrive. They had pulled ten carts of leather and thirty fat sheep.
Su Qing didn’t expect Yeluchun would come along this time.
“Is the problem solved?”
Su Qing asked Yeluchun in a language they could understand.
“Yes, it’s solved.”
Yeluchun’s face was beaming with joy, and his eyes shone with ambition.
“That’s good. Here are 100 plasters for you to take back and sell. I’ll bring some more next time. This box of pills is for your mother. I don’t have time to give her acupuncture.”
Su Qing handed the ointment and a brocade box to Yeluchun, who thanked her gratefully.
“In a long-term business, there are debts and debts. We have to keep accounts and check the accounts at the end of each month.”
In the future, her business will grow bigger and bigger. Su Qing didn’t want to be confused. After all, he had credit every time. After a long time, he would forget it, and it would easily cause conflicts.
“Miss Su is still thoughtful. This is very good.”
Yeluchun agreed with this and praised Su Qing’s thoughtfulness. He sincerely admired this intelligent woman.
Su Qing brought the sheepskin and fat sheep back to Mo City. She did not expect an uninvited guest to come to Mo City..