Chapter 206: Processing the Malt
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“Eldest Brother…” Chu Qingzhi called Chu Xuhua over. “I’ll arrange an assistant for you. Do you want one?”
Chu Xuhua had just returned from a business meeting. He walked into the central room and looked at the people in the room. Finally, his gaze stopped on Li Zhangjie. “Fifth Sister, are you talking about him?”
Li Zhangjie was very observant and quickly said, “Eldest Brother, 1 can do anything. I can help you. Bring me along. 1 won’t disappoint you.”
He had to seize the opportunity. Only when he proved himself useful could he truly repay Sister Qinzhi’s kindness.
Previously, when Chu Xuhua went out to discuss business, it was Chu Xujin who followed him. Now that Chu Xujin had taken a post in the government office, he happened to lack an assistant. “Fifth Sister, thank you.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled and said, “Brother, don’t stand on ceremony with me. You’re welcome.”
Then, Chu Qingzhi introduced the two of them to each other.
Chu Xuhua waved at Li Zhangjie. “Zhangjie, come with me.”
“Yes, Eldest Brother.” Li Zhangjie happily walked towards Chu Xuhua. “Eldest Brother, are we going to work?”
Chu Xuhua liked Li Zhangjie’s cheerful personality. “I’ll bring you to take a look at our family’s business first, then we’ll talk about work.”
Li Zhangjie said happily, “Yes, yes, yes. 1’11 definitely do my best.”
Chu Qingzhi gathered the germinated malts in the storeroom into a few large baskets and walked out.
Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang each carried two and followed behind her.
Yuan Hongjun asked curiously, “Master, what are we going to do with the malts?”
Chu Qingzhi said as she walked, “We are going to grind them.”
Yuan Hongjun caught up to Chu Qingzhi and asked, “Using a millstone?”
“Yes.”
The millstone was in the corner of the courtyard at home. They arrived very quickly.
Yuan Hongjun put down the basket and took the initiative to push the millstone. “Master, put the malts on it. I’ll push it.”
“Alright.” Chu Qingzhi placed the malts on the millstone. “Hongjun, just grind it three times. There’s no need to grind it so hard.”
“Alright.” Yuan Hongjun pushed the millstone slowly.
Some children from the village ran over to watch.
“Sister Qingzhi, what are you doing?”
“Grinding the malts.”
“Why are you grinding the malts?”
Chu Qingyan interrupted her friend. “Why do you have so many questions?”
Her friend looked at Chu Qingyan. Ever since Chu Qingyan had a name, she was as proud as a peacock. “Can’t I even ask questions?”
Chu Qingyan said domineeringly, “No, can’t you see that my Fifth Sister is busy?”
Just as Chu Qingzhi had expected, after grinding it three times, the granulation of the malt was just right.
Bao Linjiang stood at the side and started to bicker again. “Hongjun, if you can’t do it, step aside and let me do it.”
Yuan Hongjun glared at Bao Linjiang. “Little abalone, watch your language. ‘You can’t’ is a taboo to men.”
“Men?” Bao Linjiang chuckled. “Are you a man?”
Yuan Hongjun pushed the millstone forward step by step. His steps were very steady and he looked like he had a solid foundation. “At my age, I can already get married and have children. Why can’t I be considered a man?”
Bao Linjiang crossed his arms and revealed his proud side. He snorted. “You’re still wet behind the ears!”
Yuan Hongjun frowned. “Little abalone, are you itching for a beating? Do you believe that I’ll beat you up later?”
Bao Linjiang said provocatively, “It just so happens that 1 want to spar with you. Come on.”
Yuan Hongjun suddenly looked at Bao Linjiang suspiciously. “To be honest, I don’t believe you at all when you say that you know martial arts. Did you lie to your uncle just so he would let you come out?”
Bao Linjiang was furious. “You can choose not to believe in my martial arts, but you can’t doubt my character.”
Yuan Hongjun snorted. “Tsk…”
It took two hours for the malt to be ground. Yuan Hongjun did it for two hours straight. Chu Qingzhi asked him to rest and left the rest to her and Bao Linjiang.
The young master of the capital had never done such labor intensive work before. He was so tired that he was drenched in a sweat.
The next step was to add hot water to the malt and saccharify it for an hour.
Chu Qingzhi had prepared four large vats. They had already been washed and could be used right away.
The large vats were placed in a sauna room. There was a fire under the room, and it was as hot as a stove. It could maintain a temperature of more than 6o degrees Celsius. Chu Qingzhi had specially made it to saccharify malt.
Now, four vats were already placed in this room.
Chu Qingzhi divided the malt into four even portions and placed them in the vats. She added hot water to soak the malt. Then, she stirred it evenly.
After doing this, Chu Qingzhi walked out of the room and placed an hourglass at the door.
This hourglass was exactly an hour long. She had specially bought it.
Bao Linjiang’s eyes were filled with excitement. “Master, are we going to wait like this?”
Chu Qingzhi nodded. “We’ll process it further in an hour. By the way, is there anything you don’t understand about this step?”
The two of them said at the same time, “No.”
If they understood it, she wouldn’t have to explain it again. Chu Qingzhi glanced at her two little disciples in approval. Their comprehension was not bad.
Chu Qingyue walked over excitedly. “Fifth Sister, Fifth Sister, I have good news to share with you.”
Chu Qingzhi turned around. “Second Sister, you’re in such a good mood. Were you selected?”
“Not only was I selected, but I also became the disciple of Luo Yinhuan’s master.” Chu Qingyue took out the purple jade pendant. “This was given to me by my master. Fifth Sister, I didn’t expect to be so lucky.”
Chu Qingzhi looked at the jade pendant. It was purple. From the color, she knew that it was a good thing. “Second Sister, congratulations.”
Chu Qingyue hugged Chu Qingzhi excitedly. “Fifth Sister, I’m so happy. I’m so happy.”
Chu Qingzhi patted Chu Qingyue’s back. “If you are the disciple of Luo Yinhuan’s master, won’t you also be Luo Yinhuan’s junior sister?”
Chu Qingyue was so excited that her face turned red. “That’s right. Master has a total of six disciples. They’re all successful now. I’m her seventh disciple. Master said that I will be the last one.”
Yuan Hongjun asked in confusion, “Second Sister, didn’t you plan to become Luo Yinhuan’s disciple? How did you end up becoming the disciple of her master?”
At the mention of this, Chu Qingzhi’s mood instantly plummeted. “It’s a long story…”
She recounted what happened at Cloud Embroidery Workshop today..
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om