Ch 64: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

“Well, well! I did hear that Liu Yue’e was going around the village today exchanging for soybeans, even paying cash. I was wondering why she suddenly got so generous—turns out she’s got a way to make money now!” As Shen Qing’s cart disappeared into the distance, a group of villagers gathered to chat.

“We all come from the same village, same clan—if anyone had a tofu recipe, wouldn’t we have heard of it before? How did they suddenly get their hands on such a lucrative trade?”

——

At the Miao household, in just one day, Miao Yu’s old room had been cleared out, a new door had been added, and two new stoves had been built. In the courtyard, sacks of soybeans were piled up—these were what Liu Yue’e had exchanged for today, all funded by Shen Qing.

Still, Liu Yue’e wasn’t satisfied. “Tomorrow, I’ll go to my mother’s village and trade for more. The second sister-in-law should go too!”

“If the villagers want to trade soybeans or grain for tofu in the future, we’ll accept that too,” Shen Qing said. “As long as the price is fair, we’ll take it. I’ll handle the grain—buying it at the same rate as the grain merchants in town.”

“Deal!” Liu Yue’e agreed happily. This arrangement benefited them even more. Since Qing Ge’er didn’t own farmland, it made sense for him to collect grain. And in the countryside, having grain stored away brought peace of mind—no one wanted to wait until they ran out to start scrambling for food.

With all the equipment ready, Shen Qing began teaching the Miao family how to make tofu. It wasn’t just hard work—it required precision. He had learned from Mother Tang through repeated practice, and every step had to be done carefully, even soaking the soybeans.

The best soybeans were soaked until they turned pale and swelled slightly. If soaked too long, they would develop a white film, resulting in tofu that was too watery and hard to form—sometimes leading to nothing but bean sprouts.

And soaking times weren’t fixed; they depended on the weather and temperature. In winter, the beans needed to soak longer, while in summer, less time was required. Experienced tofu makers developed an instinct for it, while beginners had to keep checking.

Shen Qing didn’t expect everyone in the family to learn everything at once, so he assigned tasks:

• The men, except for little Miao Shan, took turns grinding the soybeans.
• The two young sisters, Qiao Niang and Xue Niang, were in charge of soaking the beans, as they were more meticulous and patient.
• The key task—curdling the tofu—was taught to both Liu Yue’e and Li Yanzi, though Shen Qing found that Liu Yue’e had a better knack for it. Some things just required natural talent.
• Since Li Yanzi wasn’t as skilled at curdling, she was put in charge of making tofu skin and bean curd sheets. Slowly simmering soy milk over low heat would form a thin yellowish layer on top. Skimming this off produced delicate tofu skin, and drying it into long, thin strips resulted in tofu skin. Different regions had different methods for making tofu skin, but this particular technique wasn’t common in Anping County.
• The only one left unassigned was Miao Shan, who was sent to keep Old Lady Miao company. Normally, his two sisters-in-law took turns looking after the elderly woman, but now that the household was busier, he had to step up.

Shen Qing suggested, “We should dry and store the tofu skin instead of selling it right away. Tofu is easy to sell in winter, manageable in spring and fall, but in summer, it spoils too quickly. Even soaking the beans in summer risks fermentation. Instead of making large batches then, we can stockpile tofu skin now and sell it during the hotter months. That way, we’ll have income all year round.”

The number of buyers was limited—if they sold tofu skin immediately, some customers might buy it instead of tofu. But if tofu was the only option, they would have no choice but to buy it, ultimately increasing their earnings.

Miao Xing and Miao Wang, who had awakened their entrepreneurial instincts after selling the wild boar, immediately caught on. “Then we should make as much tofu as possible now. If we can’t sell it all, we’ll leave it outside overnight—this weather will freeze it into frozen tofu! Frozen tofu lasts much longer, and we can sell it at the big market before the New Year. It’ll definitely sell well!”

——

The next morning, as the sky barely began to lighten, the hardworking villagers of Shiqu were already up. Even in the off-season, they weren’t in the habit of sleeping in. Wisps of smoke rose from chimneys as housewives prepared breakfast for their families.

Suddenly, a loud burst of firecrackers echoed from Miao Xing’s house.

“What’s going on? Setting off firecrackers so early?” Startled by the noise, Madam Miao nearly dropped her ladle.

Her neighbor thought for a moment. “Yesterday, Qing Ge’er brought back that massive stone mill, saying Miao Xing’s family was opening a tofu workshop. Maybe today’s their grand opening?”

“They only brought it back yesterday, and they’re already open for business today? That was fast!”

Despite her words, Madam Miao had already removed her apron, grabbed a large bowl, stuffed some coins into it, and called to her daughter. “Watch the stove—I’m heading over to Miao Xing’s house! If the tofu’s good, I’ll buy some for lunch!”

Although Shen Qing didn’t do anything himself, just having him there made the Miao family feel reassured, as if they had taken a stabilizing pill.

On the first night, the soybeans were already soaking. Miao Qiao and Miao Xue took turns checking them every half-hour. When they determined the beans were ready, they woke up their father.

Before the rooster even crowed, Miao Xing and Miao Wang were already pushing the millstone. Since they had decided to make a larger batch—including both tofu and dried bean curd sticks—the stone mill didn’t stop spinning the entire day.

As bucket after bucket of soybean milk was carried into the kitchen, Liu Yue’e also got up. She first pressed a batch of firm tofu, then made a vat of tofu pudding—both relatively simple tasks. Firm tofu was also more durable than silken tofu, so she planned to wait until she had more practice before attempting the latter.

At this time, Miao Shi also woke up. Since everyone in the Miao household was busy making tofu, she took care of breakfast. She even prepared a pot of savory sauce for the tofu pudding—in Anping County, people preferred it salty.

She heated oil in a pan, sautéed chopped scallions, julienned ginger, and star anise until fragrant. Then, she added some pre-soaked wood ear mushrooms and dried daylilies. Finally, she poured in fermented autumn oil, ground pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar, adding water and letting it simmer over low heat until the kitchen was filled with a rich, savory aroma. Once the broth thickened, she stirred in a cornstarch slurry to achieve a perfect consistency.

Outside, Miao Wang sniffed the air and felt even more energized.

Miao Shi emerged from the kitchen. “Let’s keep breakfast simple today—tofu pudding with flatbread. Qing Ge’er said we should offer some tofu pudding to the villagers later. If they like it, they’ll buy more.” That was why she had taken the extra effort to prepare the sauce. If it were just for their own family, they could’ve easily made a simpler soy sauce-marinated bean dish.

The family enjoyed a hearty breakfast. As dawn broke, Miao Ren went to the entrance and set off a string of firecrackers. Before long, villagers started arriving. Li Yanzi hurried to greet them. “Auntie, come try our freshly made tofu pudding—it’s made from new soybeans, and the taste is excellent!” She scooped a small bowl, ladled in some of Miao Shi’s savory sauce, and handed it over.

There was no questioning Miao Shi’s cooking skills. The tofu pudding was savory, fragrant, smooth, and slightly sweet, just as good as what was sold in town. Originally, Madam Miao had planned to buy only a piece of firm tofu, but now she was tempted to bring home some tofu pudding for breakfast. Her son worked as an accountant in the county—her family could afford it! “How much is the tofu pudding?”

“One coin, or half a pound of soybeans for a large bowl,” Li Yanzi explained, showing a sea bowl that could hold about half a pound. Since one pound of soybeans could produce seven to eight pounds of tofu pudding, the pricing was highly profitable. Li Yanzi felt a bit guilty, worried that Madam Miao might find it expensive. “We also add the savory sauce. My sister-in-law made it today, so it’s a special treat. You know, she’s the only one in our family with this level of skill.”

“Alright, give me two bowls!” Madam Miao had no idea how much tofu pudding could be made from a pound of soybeans. She only knew that in town, the same dish—just with some extra cilantro, scallions, and pickled vegetables—cost two to three coins per bowl. And those bowls weren’t even as big as these! At just one coin per bowl, this was an absolute bargain.

She also bought a piece of firm tofu for lunch. Li Yanzi packed up the tofu pudding and asked Miao Shan to help carry it home. On the way, Madam Miao unintentionally became an advertisement.

“The flavor is great—just as good as what’s sold in town. It’s only missing some pickled vegetables and cilantro, but I can add those myself at home.”

“Chunlei is staying at her mother’s house now, but she made the sauce for this. It’s delicious!”

“You should bring your own bowls—better yet, a basket. I didn’t know that at first, so I had to trouble the kid to carry it for me. It’s getting cold on the way home, so I’ll have to steam it again. If you bring a basket, at least it’ll keep some warmth.”

“You can also trade soybeans for it. I didn’t feel like making another trip, so I paid in cash. One coin per bowl—what a deal! Or you can trade half a pound of soybeans for one.”

With Madam Miaoi’s enthusiastic promotion, it didn’t take long before villagers started showing up at the Miao household, carrying baskets and bowls. Some bought firm tofu for lunch, others asked when silken tofu would be available, and a few were particular enough to try the tofu pudding plain before adding any sauce, just to savor the original flavor. Business quickly boomed.

Li Yanzi was overjoyed. She had expected tofu to sell well but hadn’t anticipated such an overwhelming response on the first day. She was so busy she barely had a moment to rest. It wasn’t until Liu Yue’e finished curdling the tofu and took over at the stall that Li Yanzi finally caught a break—only to immediately dive into making dried bean curd sticks.

That day, tofu pudding appeared on many breakfast tables across Shiqu Village. Two whole boards of firm tofu were sold out, and a large vat of tofu pudding was completely emptied. Many villagers who arrived late were disappointed and urged them to make more the next day.

“It’s winter, and there’s barely any fresh produce—every morning, it’s just porridge and pickled vegetables. It’s such a relief to finally have something different to eat.”

By midday, as people returned home to cook, the rush died down. Lunch was once again prepared by Miao Shi, using ingredients readily available—one dish of scallion-braised tofu, another of cabbage stewed with tofu, and a pot of freshly steamed buns.

“We’ve been so busy today that we didn’t even have time to cook!” Liu Yue’e and Li Yanzi felt a bit embarrassed. Having their sister-in-law cook when she was supposed to be a guest didn’t sit right with them.

“We’re all family—no need to be so formal,” Miao Shi said. “I’m just worried that once things get even busier, you won’t even have time to eat a proper meal.”

“Maybe I should start cooking instead,” Old Lady Miao said, feeling guilty about resting while her children and grandchildren worked hard. Though her legs were weak, she could still stand by the stove for short periods.

“No need, Mother. Let Qiao Niang and Xue Niang take over cooking,” Liu Yue’e quickly suggested. “They’re old enough to start helping in the kitchen. You can stay in the house and guide them—if they’re unsure about anything, they can ask you.”

Shen Qing, meanwhile, thought back to the wheeled chairs he had seen at the Red City Base Hospital. If his grandmother had one, she could move around the house freely and even supervise the cooking from the kitchen.

The decision was made. As they ate, they also tallied up the earnings.

“Three pounds of soybeans made tofu pudding, and we sold it all—earning sixteen coins and twelve pounds of soybeans.” Considering the total amount of soybeans they had soaked, this alone had covered the cost, meaning everything else was pure profit.

“Tofu sold for ten coins and six pounds of soybeans. We still have three boards left.”

Altogether, they had earned about thirty coins in one day! That was nearly a full string of cash per month! And with the upcoming New Year’s market, could they even make a full tael of silver?

Shen Qing glanced at the remaining boards of tofu. “Keep one in the kitchen—someone from another village might come by in the afternoon. The rest can be left outside to freeze. We won’t have time to make sauce every day, but we can marinate some soybeans in fermented autumn oil. That way, customers can get a spoonful of seasoning with their tofu pudding instead of having to make their own. Some people are too lazy to prepare their own sauce and might not buy if it’s too much trouble.”

Liu Yue’e quickly agreed. A little soy sauce-marinated beans weren’t worth much, and they had already made a fortune on tofu pudding today.

With the business settled, Shen Qing and Miao Shi returned to Lantang Village. They first returned the mule cart to Madam Guixiang, then delivered tofu to some familiar households as a form of promotion.

“My uncles and I have partnered on a tofu workshop. I invested some of my wild boar money into it, so we’re in business together. If you need tofu for meals or as New Year gifts, please support my uncles’ business.”

The villagers were surprised—when had the Miao family learned how to make tofu? But they didn’t question it too much. Shiqu Village was wealthy and close to town—having more business opportunities was normal.

“That’s great! Ever since the tofu seller from Xiahe Village moved to town, it’s been hard to buy tofu. Now we don’t have to go all the way to the county just for a piece of tofu!”

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