The Lucky Heiress

Chapter 20: Dried Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Chipsi

Translator: 549690339

Madam Yun smilingly said, “Thank you for your praise, Madam Xie. This child has suffered a lot over the years. I do not seek excellence for her. My hope is that she is able to live a stable and peaceful life in the future.”

After exchanging formalities, they noticed that everyone had assembled. The Magistrate’s wife announced they would start the journey.

The order of the procession was considered carefully. At the very forefront was Madam Xie and Miss Xie, followed by Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and Wei Qingwan. Next were Madam Qian and Miss Qian, trailing behind were the County Magistrate, the Principal Secretary, and other local, influential women of Xingshan County.

Among the women, if reverence was based on the rank of their husbands, Madam Yun’s would have been the highest. The magistrate held the seventh rank, Wei Mingting the sixth; as for Madam Xie’s husband, he was only a scholar yet to receive a specific assignment.

However, everyone knew about the present circumstances of Wei Mingting, and the Xie Family happened to be enjoying a phase of prosperity. Thus, in an unusual twist, Madam Xie led the processional.

Today’s journey was for the purpose of prayer, valuing a sincere heart. Thus, at the proposal of the Magistrate’s wife, everyone climbed the mountain by foot, walking all 999 steps from the foot of the hill to the front of the temple.

Wei Ruo followed behind Madam Yun at an unhurried pace. Whatever speed the others moved at, she matched. If they stopped to rest, she too would pause.

She endeavored not to stand out or to provoke controversy.

Leading the way was Xie Ying, striding ahead, creating a considerable distance of twenty or thirty steps between her and the others. Madam Xie was not able to recall her.

The pace of the rest was not fast, they would walk awhile and stop to rest.

Stop and go, after more than half an hour they finally arrived in front of the Huafa Temple.

The chief monk, accompanied by his disciples, was already waiting to receive them at the entrance.

After exchanging pleasantries with the chief monk, they entered the temple.

Since the Magistrate’s wife had already made arrangements with the temple master, Huafa Temple did not receive any other pilgrims today, only accepting this group of women relatives, so the interior was quite empty, undisturbed by others.

Upon entering the main hall, they began to light incense and kneel in worship. Wei Ruo slipped between the crowd, lighting a set of incense sticks.

Kneeling on mats, half the day passed while they listened to the scriptures. At noon, everyone planned to stay at the temple to partake in a vegetarian lunch.

While waiting for the food, they sat in the dining hall, sipping tea provided by the temple.

Having climbed the nine hundred and ninety-nine steps and exerting a great deal of physical strength, added to the fact that it was now noon, they all felt their bellies rumble with hunger.

However, Huafa Temple was strict about meal timings. They would only serve food at noon. As everyone naturally didn’t want to break the rules, they waited restlessly in the dining hall.

At this time, Wei Ruo brought out the dried sweet potatoes she had prepared and shared with everyone to taste.

Observing the object Wei Ruo produced, a group of women relatives exhibited curious and puzzled expressions because they had not seen the likes of this before.

Conversely, upon sighting what Wei Ruo pulled out, Madam Yun grew anxious. She assumed that Wei Ruo had brought common pastries, and since everyone was indeed hungry at this moment, her gesture of distributing the pastries would have been harmless.

Discovering that Wei Ruo produced something unfamiliar, she grew worried.

At this moment, it was too late for Madam Yun to hinder Wei Ruo as the items had already reached the hands of every Madam and Miss present.

Wei Qingwan glanced at Wei Ruo then at the food she had produced, sharing the same confusion as others. However, she refrained from speaking, sitting quietly beside Madam Yun, observing others’ reactions.

“What is this, Miss Wei?” Madam Qian asked first.

“This is dried sweet potato, made from a plant called sweet potato,” Wei Ruo patiently explained.

“Sweet potato? What type of crop is it?”

It’s a new crop, accidentally brought by a merchant ship from Nanyang. It has already been planted extensively in Huzhou Prefecture, with many farmers starting to cultivate it.”

“Really? Is that so?” Madam Qian looked at the reddish-brown, shiny dried sweet potato in her hand while expressing astonished confusion.

The other women were equally curious.

Wei Ruo then took a piece of dried sweet potato and ate it in front of everyone.

With Wei Ruo taking the lead, Madam Qian hesitantly had a taste.

The dried sweet potato was transparent and jelly-like, soft and sweet, though simply prepared, it retained the unique flavor of sweet potatoes.

Everyone else began to try the new “pastry” Wei Ruo brought, upon observing this.

The taste is great,” Madam Qian complimented.

The other women started singing praises following suit.

I have another kind of snack made from sweet potatoes, please try them as well.”

Wei Ruo took out another brocade bag from her food box and undid the drawstring, allowing everyone to see clearly what was inside.

It was sweet potato chips. The sweet potatoes were peeled, steamed, mashed into a puree, mixed with cooked sesame seeds, spread out into a thin layer on a mould, and then left under the sun for several days. After drying, they were cut into small pieces to form sweet potato chips, similar to potato chips in shape and texture.

The former was soft and sweet, while the latter was exceptionally crispy, broke easily upon a light bite, but with a stronger flavor.

“Is this also made using the sweet potato you mentioned?” Madam Xie asked curiously.

Yes, it is made of sweet potato, but the processing method is different,” Wei

Ruo explained.

After the introduction, Wei Ruo distributed the sweet potato chips for everyone to taste.

Having experienced the dried sweet potato, everyone no longer hesitated and began to taste immediately upon receiving them.

“This also tastes pretty good,” Madam Qian commented.

“I like this more, it’s crispy and fragrant,” The usually silent Xie Ying suddenly piped up, expressing her preference for the sweet potato chips.

Madam Xie laughed, “My Yingying rarely says she likes certain foods. Miss

Wei’s sweet potato chips seem to be exactly to my Yingying’s taste.”

With the words of Madam Qian and Madam Xie, other women of high birth also began to compliment Wei Ruo’s sweet potato products in succession.

Their approval was exactly the result Wei Ruo desired.

Her sweet potatoes had already been planted, waiting to mature and for local sales to begin.

To sell a type of food that hadn’t been seen before in a place, it was essential to establish a foothold in the market and set a marketing strategy first.

Today, Wei Ruo brought the dried sweet potato and sweet potato chips to share with everyone, for this very purpose.

As long as these ladies representing the local upper class of Xingshan County accepted the food, she would not worry about her sweet potato sales in the future.

Madam Yun’s anxious heart fell with the praise of everyone.

Wei Qing Wan had a strange feeling she couldn’t describe, she just felt a lump in her chest, which made her feel a bit suffocated.

While chatting and laughing, the monks of the temple served up the vegetarian meals. After having lunch together, the wives were going to the hall with the chief monk to recite prayers for blessings.

Due to the tedious process of reciting the sutras, only the Madams were arranged to participate. The young girls had their time to wander and rest in the temple.

After maintaining formality for half the day, they could finally relax and move around freely. Some of the familiar people formed groups to find places to play.

Wei Ruo planned to find a corner by herself, but Wei Qing Wan followed her, “Sister, where would you like to go?”