In the afternoon, in the south city of Hanshan, a bustling east city, Duan Yuying dressed in an ordinary woman was busy by the stove.

She tied a cloth towel on her head, dressed in a cloth dress, and rolled up her sleeves, so busy that her forehead was filled with sweat.

Her face was flushed and her cheeks were charmingly rosy, making her already outstanding appearance look even more charming.

Li Ping'an and Li Anning, who are dressed up in a similar manner, helped "Aunt Duan" and cook malt sugar together.

Maltose is a common sugar. Duan Yuying has been eating it since she was a child, but she didn't know how this maltose was made. It was not until not long ago that she learned how to make it.

The same is true for Li Ping'an and Li Anning. Since Aye built a store and took them to sell candy sticks, they realized for the first time that it was so hard and so fun to make malt sugar.

The production process of maltose is not complicated. The first thing is to germinate: select large and plump wheat, wash it, put it in a wooden barrel or water tank, and soak it in water for a day and night.

When the time comes, pick up the wheat, put it in a basket, and water it three times a day to ensure that the wheat grains are moist. It lasts for three to four days and the wheat will sprout to about two inches.

Then chop it up, the better it will be.

The second is steaming: wash the rice or glutinous rice, soak it in water for two to three hours, and then take it out and drain it after absorbing water and expanding.

Place it in a steamer and steam it in water until the rice is not hard, take it out and spread it on a bamboo mat, and let it cool until it is warm.

The third is fermentation: Mix the cooled rice in the chopped malt, ferment it for about three hours, then put it into a cloth bag, and tie it tightly.

Fourth, juice squeeze: Put the bag into the pressing tool to squeeze (squeeze) and you can squeeze out some juice.

Fifth, boil sugar: Put the squeezed juice in a container (such as an iron pot) and then boil it over high heat. The purpose is to boil the excess water and stir continuously to avoid boiling.

So, the sticky, yellow maltose was cooked like this.

Now, Duan Yuying and two little helpers are boiling candy. They must stir constantly, pay attention to the heat, and ensure that the fire is constantly in the stove. The three of them are so busy.

Duan Yuying, who had experienced the experience of boiling candy, saw that the heat had come, quickly shouted "Okay", then lifted the iron pot and put it aside.

Next to him, Li Anyun and Li Qi, who had been watching for a long time, saw the fragrant candy boiled and leaned forward.

But the candy was steaming again, which would inevitably burn the mouth, so I was so anxious that I wanted to eat it but didn't dare to reach out.

The two maids following behind looked at them nervously, fearing that the two greedy people would reach out to touch the hot candy, so that their hands were burned.

Li Ping'an skillfully brought two chopsticks, stirred a small piece of candy each, and handed it to his sister and brother.

The two little guys narrowed their eyes into a line with joy, turned to the side, and licked while blowing candy sticks.

Li Anning helped Duan Yuying, scooped the boiled candy into the jar, and then mentioned it to the front.

In front of it was the store. At this time, Li Fang, wearing a patched suit, was sitting on Hu's bed in the corner, facing away from the corner but not next to each other, put his hands on his knees, raised his head, opened his mouth, and slept soundly.

Li Li, who was busy making "sugar paintings", was also wearing a cloth clothes and looked like a civilian. There was a honeycomb coal stove next to the operating table to heat maltose.

Seeing that his daughter brought the boiled candy, Li Li took it, put it in, and wiped his daughter's forehead with a sweat towel. He smiled and said, "An Ning is so capable."

Li Anning, who received Aye's praise, was very happy, but when she remembered her younger brother who was napping, she frowned and said in a low voice: "Aye, my younger brother is lazy!"

"He is not lazy. Because there are no guests, Aye asked him to take a nap... Go, go and go to the back, and say to your Aunt Duan, there is enough sugar, so everyone can rest."

"Um!"

Li Anning turned to the back. Seeing that his son was still sleeping, Li Li smiled and continued to draw sugar paintings.

However, his skills are average, and the "hot processability" of maltose is not as good as sugar for sugar paintings in later generations, so the sugar paintings made are more like lollipops.

When Li Li glanced at his son who was actually sleeping in a sitting position, he couldn't help but admire him: It's indeed my son, it's different from others!

Li Fang, who is nearly eight years old, now pretends to be a friend (a waiter), and "runs" a small shop with Aye, selling sugar (maltose), or to be precise, selling candy bars.

Just like a common family store, Li Fang, who is in charge of parents and children running errands, is busy from morning to night, and is very tired. In addition, he has the habit of taking a nap, so when the business is a little deserted in the afternoon, he is prone to sleeping.

When you are particularly sleepy, you can fall asleep while sitting.

Li Fang has been working very hard these days and has been busy this morning, so Li Li decided to give his son some rest.

While we were busy, a father and son came over the street. The little guy was obviously attracted by candy sticks and pulled the adults to come here.

Although the sugar sticks made were covered in gauze lids to prevent flies and insects, they still couldn't escape the little guy's sharp eyes.

Seeing that the guests were about to come to the door, Li Li shouted: "Dalang! Get up and work!"

Li Fang, who was dozing, shook suddenly and woke up immediately. During this period, he had become accustomed to such a "working method", so he quickly came to his senses, rubbed his eyes, and stepped forward quickly:

"This store has large, medium and small candy sticks. Which one do you want?"

The adult among the people asked his son: "Dalang, where do you want..."

The voice stopped abruptly. Yan Zhitui, who was holding his son's little hand, stared at Li Li, who was selling candy sticks in front of him, and his prince Li Fang, his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

No, no!

Mr. Pengcheng and his son are selling candy sticks here! Why do Mr. Pengcheng and his son sell candy sticks here?

Why did I take my son to walk this street!!!

Yan Zhitui shouted in grief and anger. When Li Li saw that it was his assistant to the state party, he was helpless, but he could only continue acting: "What kind of candy is the guest? A small trumpet, a medium trumpet two..."

"I want that!"

Yan Zhitui's son "Xiaoyan", pointed to the largest candy stick and looked at Aye with an excited look: "I want this!"

Originally, Yan Zhitui didn't plan to give his son so much sugar to avoid losing appetite when he was eating, but now he was in a mess. When he saw his boss selling candy in front of him, he felt his head buzzing.

The court's face was lost today...

He shouted in his heart, took out the three cents in a daze and handed them to the Prince Pengcheng, and took the large candy stick in a daze and handed it to his son.

I was about to turn around and leave in a daze, but I heard Prince Pengcheng say: "If you have a seat in the small shop, it is better to take a rest and leave. There are also cold drinks in the small shop, such as cold shrimps, which are delicious..."

After hearing what the "waiter" said, "Xiao Yan" was moved: "Aye, let's sit there!"

Yan Zhi was confused and had no choice but to refuse, so he could only take his son into the store, sit down, and ask for a bowl of cold shrimp.

Seeing that Prince Pengcheng skillfully scooped a bowl of cold shrimps and brought them over, Yan Zhitui didn't know what to say.

Of course, Yan Zhitui had met Li Fang, but Li Fang was young after all, so he didn't remember many people, and didn't know that the person in front of him recognized him.

So I didn't realize that my identities and Aye had been discovered.

Seeing that I successfully "selled" a portion of cold shrimp, I cheered in my heart.

During this period, Aye took him, his sister, younger brother and sister to open a shop together. Li Fang was really addicted, but he was so tired.

Another customer came to buy candy sticks. Li Li and his son were busy. Yan Zhitui sat like a rotten wood, and his back felt cold, but "Xiao Yan" was very excited, eating candy sticks and drinking cold shrimps.

I don’t know how long it took, but Li Li was idle. Yan Zhitui was struggling for a while, but he still made up his mind.

Let his son sit down, he got up and turned to Li Li, whispering: "Why is this the envoy? Once someone is caught, this is... "

"Don't worry, I have my own sense of responsibility." Li Li smiled, not caring about it.

"But even if the envoy does not think about himself, he must think about... the prince..."

Yan Zhitui didn't know how to persuade him, but he couldn't help but not persuade him. He could only persuade him on the grounds of the prince, hoping that Li Li would think about the prince and not do such a ridiculous thing.

"I know your worries, just..." Li Li looked at Yan Zhitui and said seriously: "If it doesn't happen, he will not know the sufferings of the people, nor will he know that the lives of the people are not easy."

Yan Zhitui was stunned when he heard this. Soon, something seemed to be touched in his heart, and he felt mixed emotions for a moment.

Yes, the lives of the people are not easy, but how many people are there in the court, civil and military affairs, who care about the people?

He wanted to say something, but didn't know how to say it, so he could only answer: "Since the envoy has made some arrangements, my subordinates... I know."

Yan Zhitui slowly walked back to his seat, but saw his son and the "buddy" talking.

"The food cannot be wasted. It is not easy to plant it, and every grain is hard to do." Li Fang said this. Seeing that the little guest had some cold shrimp left, he felt something was wrong.

"Do you feel uncomfortable in your stomach? If your stomach is uncomfortable, don't force it. If your stomach is fine, I think it's better not to waste it."

Yan Zhitui watched quietly. He taught his son to cherish food as much as possible.

But when my son hesitated for a moment, he picked up the bowl and finished drinking the remaining slight cold shrimp.

"It's done right." Yan Zhitui sat down and praised his son a little. Seeing Prince Pengcheng clean up the dishes, he suddenly felt aroused in his heart and asked, "How long do you plan to open a store?"

"Soon, we're almost moving away."

Li Fang replied that he had been in contact with many people during this period and spoke like a little adult. He knew that the store would not be open for too long, so he told the truth.

Yan Zhitui asked again: "So, where did you hear this 'every grain is hard-working'?"

"What I teach is a poem." Li Xin replied, full of pride.

"Poetry?" Yan Zhitui was intrigued. Seeing that Li Li was busy making candy sticks, he asked, "Do you still remember how to read this poem?"

Li Fang nodded and recited: "It's noon to hoe the wheat, and sweat drips into the soil. Who knows that every grain of food on the plate is hard to do."

After listening to it, Yan Zhitui was stunned and was touched again in some parts of his heart.

He murmured the poem and asked subconsciously: "Good poem, the name of the poem?"

Li Fang replied: "Pity the farmer."

"Pity the farmer...Pity the farmer..." Yan Zhitui repeatedly muttered these two words, looked at the Prince Pengcheng, who was wearing patched clothes, and then looked at the Prince Pengcheng, who was busy making candy sticks.

There are rumors that Li Li is not a vulgar martial artist, and his literary talent is actually very amazing, because there are several verses that come from his mouth.

But Li Li himself has always denied this.
To be continued...