Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 77 Kneeling Down to Beg for the First Slot (5)

Uncle Ma brushed Feng Xuxu’s hand away, "I’m here to buy chili peppers this time," he said earnestly.

Feng Xuxu’s eyes widened. Several hundred pounds of chili peppers, gone in just three short days? "Then Uncle Ma, how much are you planning to buy this time?" she asked.

"Of course, the more the better," Uncle Ma replied, his eyes gleaming as he stared at Feng Xuxu.

Feng Xuxu felt a string of sweat trickle down her forehead at his words. "Uncle Ma, let me have the butler check on that for you."

She called over the butler. "Butler, please check how much of the freshly picked chili peppers we have from yesterday, and while you’re at it, see how much we have of the dried ones."

The butler returned after a moment, "Miss, we have over five thousand pounds of freshly picked chili peppers from yesterday, and thirteen thousand pounds of dried chili peppers."

"Uncle Ma, are you really planning to buy all these chili peppers?" Feng Xuxu asked uncertainly. Less than twenty thousand pounds—not that much for Zuiyun Pavilion, but how many homes did they have to consume such a vast amount at once?

Uncle Ma nodded at her words. "Lass, when I leave, I’ll take a cartload of chili peppers, and the rest I will arrange to be picked up as soon as possible." He then stood up, ready to start loading the peppers for departure.

The butler arranged for the house servants to weigh, crate, and load the peppers onto the wagon. They totaled three hundred thirty-one pounds, and he charged one hundred and fifty taels of silver. The remaining weight compensated for the extra two taels of silver given last time.

After sending Uncle Ma on his way, the butler, standing beside Feng Xuxu, reminded her, "Miss, today’s long beans have matured quite a bit. The tender and crisp ones have already been picked by the servants."

Only then did Feng Xuxu remember that she hadn’t yet pickled the sour beans. "Have the jars I mentioned been delivered?"

"Yes, Miss, they have all been delivered and washed; they’re dry and ready for use at any time," said the butler, flipping through his memory as he answered the young lady.

"Good, after rinsing with clean water, send them to the kitchen. Remember to tell the cook to use a new cutting board and knife, and to ensure not a hint of oil or grease contaminates them. Then cut them to the size of a thumb and let them dry before you call for me."

"Right away, I will arrange it now," the butler said, accepting the task before turning to head out.

Feng Xuxu returned to the Lotus Garden and buried herself in a pile of drawings until she realized it was already noon.

"Baihe, has the Young Master returned yet?" she asked, turning to see Baihe nearby, watering an orchid.

Baihe set down the watering can, returned to her senses, and curtsied, "Miss, a message from the front hall just came through; the Young Master is still out in the fields and hasn’t come back. Lunch will be served later."

Feng Xuxu nodded, rubbed her sore neck, and got up to stretch in the courtyard, letting the view of the lotus pond soothe her spirit.

Feng Xi entered the Lotus Garden, holding something that weighed more than ten pounds in his arms. Xia Lan, the servant on duty at the second gate, saw the object in the Young Master’s hands and prepared to take it, but Feng Xi declined.

"Look at this, little sister," Feng Xi said, presenting what he held in his arms to Feng Xuxu like a treasure.

Feng Xuxu looked at her brother holding a large watermelon, his face lit with excitement as he showed her, and she couldn’t help but chuckle. "Big brother, the watermelon is so heavy; why are you holding onto it?" Baihe, hearing this, took the watermelon from the Young Master’s hands and handed it to Men Jin to take to the kitchen.

Feng Xi’s face turned red as he laughed. "I was just curious, this melon has grown so big."

"Come on, big brother, let’s go eat. After our meal, we can enjoy this watermelon," Feng Xuxu said, pulling Feng Xi to sit under the Wisteria in the courtyard. She ordered the meal to be served and instructed them to chill the watermelon in the well.

After a satisfying meal and a half-hour rest, Feng Xuxu asked for the watermelon from the well. Feng Xi, looking at the melon on the table, took a knife and sliced it open, hearing the crisp ’ka’ sound as it split. The red flesh sprinkled with black seeds emitted a faint, sweet fragrance. Feng Xi passed a slice to his sister and then bit into one himself, savoring the cold, sweet taste that instantly soothed the heat of the body.