The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 12: Testing the Waters with Steamed Bun Sales

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Testing the Waters with Steamed Bun Sales

Tong Huaqiong led Gu Dashu and others out of the Zheng Family gate, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

She had mercilessly toyed with Zheng Junren and his wife, and Tong Huaqiong felt no psychological burden.

Forcing a young woman to marry a son who has stepped into the gates of hell is not something a person should do.

Moreover, in Tong Dajiao’s past life memories, when Man Er, who had become an Imperial Concubine, came back for revenge, she clearly recounted her tragic life in the Zheng Family to Tong Dajiao, and it was indeed a history of blood and tears.

Man Er was in the Zheng Family for less than two months when Eldest Young Master Zheng died, and Zheng Junren and his wife blamed Man Er for their son’s death. They tortured Man Er viciously, beating her three times a day, not giving her enough to eat, and making her sleep on the ground by Mrs. Zheng’s bedside at night to be at her beck and call. Poor young Man Er lived like a slave in the Zheng Family.

When Man Er was ten, the Zheng Family’s useless youngest son cornered her in the garden, and Mrs. Zheng falsely accused her of seducing her brother-in-law. Zheng Junren opened the ancestral hall, intending to drown Man Er in the pond.

In a fit of rage, Man Er set fire to the Zheng Family and fled to Shengjing.

Tong Huaqiong had no sympathy for Eldest Young Master Zheng, who was vomitting blood from her tirade.

This guy wasn’t a good person either.

He was not only physically ill but also mentally twisted. Before his death, he used a branding iron to burn Man Er’s thighs and stomach.

In his hands, Man Er barely survived.

As for Matchmaker Wang, Tong Huaqiong didn’t think she was unjustly implicated either.

She was in the matchmaker business, and in this blind marriage age, she turned black into white, bad into good, ugly into handsome, deceiving countless good girls.

"Mom, with your reckless outburst, will the Zheng Family let us off?" Gu Dashu asked hesitantly.

"If we don’t stir things up, will your sister or Man Er enter the pit of fire? Even if I wanted to, they wouldn’t have me. What do you think we should do?" Tong Huaqiong snorted through her nose and said to Gu Dashu, "If we don’t make a fuss, this arrangement can’t be canceled. Barefooted people aren’t afraid of those in shoes; Zheng Junren has family, business, and reputation to worry about, while we are poor with nothing to lose. If the Zheng Family really seeks trouble with us, who knows who will be afraid?"

Tong Huaqiong truly believed this!

Pushing the limits was no big deal.

"Are we really going to repay the Zheng Family’s fifty taels of silver?" Liu Yueer asked.

If they must, then let the uncle repay it; after all, he’s the one who created this mess.

"Of course, we must repay it. I’ll have Gu Jingzhe go to Wanliu Academy in the prefecture city to see if he can get it back." Tong Huaqiong said.

If it really can’t be retrieved, she has other ways to cope.

"Mom, now that we’ve offended Matchmaker Wang, what if she ruins my reputation in the future?" Gu Taohua thought of Fan Xiucai from the neighboring village and felt worried.

"Come off it! Without all this, do you think your reputation can be any better?"

Tong Huaqiong gave Gu Taohua a look.

The stout daughter had too much confidence in her reputation.

Look and see—she’s reached the viewing age, but matchmakers never come knocking.

Gu Taohua pouted.

"You were especially cooperative today, Mom feels gratified."

Tong Huaqiong timely praised the few bad bamboo shoots.

Gu Dashu thought, if they didn’t cooperate, should they truly accept that pretty boy Eldest Young Master Zheng as a stepfather? He’d never be able to face his father in the afterlife.

"Mom, are we heading home now? And why did you make me carry this big basket of steamed buns? Even if it’s road food, there’s no need to carry so many, right?" Gu Dashu asked as he adjusted the basket on his back.

Speaking of the big steamed buns, Tong Huaqiong chuckled.

These buns were her way of prospecting, but for what path? Of course, the business path.

The buns weren’t steamed with refined flour, as the Gu Family had no surplus fine flour.

They were steamed using a mix of refined flour and sorghum flour.

During this era, the farm’s refined flour and sorghum flour were ground very coarsely, making steamed buns not very pleasant to eat.

Yesterday, she asked Gu Dashu to re-grind the refined flour and sorghum flour; sparks flew from the stone mill as it produced finely ground flour finally satisfying Tong Huaqiong.

Chen Sufen used the fermentation method she taught, adding sugar for the yeast, and layered refined flour with sorghum flour during steaming. Tong Huaqiong tried one for breakfast and found it soft and sweet, almost unstoppable.

These big steamed buns were intended to be sold to porters.

"These buns I plan to sell." Tong Huaqiong said.

"What?"

Gu Dashu, Gu Taohua, and Liu Yueer were all stunned.

Sell buns?

The widow Tong had spent her life roaming Qinghe Bay, unable to manage crops properly, yet she planned to start a bun-selling business?

Neither the Tong Family nor the Gu Family had any ancestral talent in commerce.

"No way? Don’t underestimate your mother. Before marriage, I was a whiz at handling matters inside and out; it was only after reaching your Gu Family that I began to coast."

Tong Huaqiong straightened the pearl flower in her hair, pulled out a clean cloth to wipe her face, and ordered a few bad bamboo shoots to smooth out their clothes.

When selling food, the key is cleanliness and neatness.

Otherwise, crumpled clothes would ruin one’s appetite.

"Mom, where do we go to sell buns?" Gu Taohua now obediently listens to Tong Huaqiong. Since Mom wants to sell buns, then let’s sell them.

"To the dock." Tong Huaqiong said.

The docks have many porters and laborers carrying sandbags. These people wouldn’t splurge at a restaurant; big steamed buns are just suitable.

Coincidentally, stepson Gu Dahuan is at the dock carrying sandbags. We’ll bring him home so he doesn’t do hard labor anymore.

And so, the group set off grandly towards the dock.

Fortunately, the dock wasn’t far, and Tong Huaqiong quickly reached it, borrowing Tong Dajiao’s large feet.

Just in time for lunch.

Tong Huaqiong looked around and saw several hawkers shouting, selling cold tea, noodle soup, and pancakes... all simple and convenient quick bites.

"Let’s shout too." Tong Huaqiong said.

Gu Dashu and Gu Taohua felt a bit embarrassed.

"Are you seriously thinking you’re young lords and ladies?" Tong Huaqiong sneered.

No wonder the Gu Family lived so poorly; the root cause was laziness.

If Tong Dajiao and the bad bamboo shoots could channel their tantrums into fortune building, Gu Jingzhe wouldn’t have to exploit sisters and nieces for tuition.

"Selling buns, big buns, hunger-banishing big buns." Tong Huaqiong began to call out.

Gu Yaozu had childlike glee, thinking it entertaining, and joined in: "Selling buns, fragrant big buns, refined flour and mixed grains big buns, non-scratchy-tasting big buns."

Tong Huaqiong laughed.

This grandchild finally satisfied her once, precisely conveying the Gu Family bun’s traits.

"How much for one?"

A curious traveler, interested in the non-scratchy-tasting mixed grain bun, stepped off the boat to ask.

"Five coins." Tong Huaqiong said.

"Not cheap." The traveler said.

"You can try my family’s buns to see if they’re tasty."

Tong Huaqiong broke off a piece with her clean hand and handed it to the traveler.

Buns can be tasted?

The traveler was intrigued, took a piece and savored it.

Not a word of a lie, these mixed grain buns were soft and sweet, surprisingly non-scratchy, just like all-refined flour buns.

"Two, please." The traveler expressed satisfaction.

"It’s the grand opening, so I’ll discount one coin for you, two for eight coins." Tong Huaqiong used a cloth to hand the buns to the traveler.

"Goodness, Mom, you’re amazing. You really sold them." Gu Dashu muttered, watching the traveling away traveler.

Once business started, it couldn’t be stopped. Many porters and dock workers heard that Tong Huaqiong’s mixed grain buns were as soft and sweet as refined flour ones, so they bought them to try.

Watching from the side, Gu Dashu and Liu Yueer saw success, rolled up their sleeves, and joined in helping.

Gu Taohua held two big buns up as living signs, her hefty figure certainly eye-catching, attracting more customers.

Soon, the basket of big buns was sold out.

Tong Huaqiong snapped her money pouch, smiling widely.

Selling this basket of buns wasn’t for profit but to build confidence in her and the bad bamboo shoots’ stride toward a better living.

The bun debut’s success started well.

Tong Huaqiong didn’t know about others, but she was feeling very confident.

The popularity exceeded her expectations.

She hasn’t even started with meat sandwiches or tea eggs yet.