The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 5: Beetroot

 

 

Qiu Huanian first lit the stove and took a small bowl of cornstarch to fry into cooked powder. While it cooled, he went to process the red beetroots in the storeroom.

 

These beetroots were different from the modern varieties introduced from Europe that have been selectively bred for sugar extraction. They had a lower sugar content and couldn’t be used as an economic crop for sugar production. The villagers grew them only because they yielded a large quantity and had a sweet taste, occasionally providing a sweet treat.

 

Qiu Huanian wasn’t planning to extract sucrose from them but intended to use them as a substitute for the sugar required in the sorghum candy recipe.

 

The modern version of sorghum candy is quite simple, involving just three steps. First, dissolve sweet potato starch in three times the amount of water, pour it into a pot, and stir continuously over low heat until it thickens. Second, add a large amount of white sugar and some lemon juice, continuing to stir until well mixed. Third, line a mold with cooked cornstarch to prevent sticking, pour the mixture from the second step into it, let it cool for two to three hours, and then take it out to get the chewy and soft sorghum candy.

 

In this world, Qiu Huanian replaced the sweet potato starch with the original version of sorghum starch and used the juice from red beetroots as a substitute for sugar and lemon juice. The taste might not be as good as the modern version, but for the people near Dujia Village who rarely ate sugar, it would still be a killer.

 

Qiu Huanian washed, peeled, and cut six large beetroots into small pieces, then pounded them in a stone mortar to extract the sucrose-rich juice. He diluted the juice with water, mixed it with three times the amount of sorghum starch, and didn’t bother to filter out the residual beet particles, leaving some to enrich the texture.

 

Then he removed half of the firewood from the stove to prevent the temperature from getting too high, poured the well-mixed starch suspension into the pot, and stirred continuously to prevent it from sticking to the pot.

 

This was a laborious task. The iron pot was large, and the starch mixture became increasingly sticky. Qiu Huanian had to use all his strength to push a foot-long wooden spatula back and forth in the pot, and soon his arms were so sore that he could hardly lift them.

 

He made a mental note to include body nourishment in his future plans. Both Jiujiu and Chunsheng were thinner and weaker than their peers, and everyone needed to build up their health, as it was the foundation of everything.

 

After stirring continuously for about ten minutes, the starch mixture in the pot finally solidified to a certain extent and wasn’t as sticky anymore. Qiu Huanian judged that it was ready, scraped out the starch mixture, and lined the newly made square molds with cooked cornstarch.

 

The main ingredient of sorghum candy was sorghum starch, with cornstarch used only incidentally. However, when grinding the grains, Qiu Huanian took equal amounts of corn and sorghum, which was a deliberate diversion.

 

This way, even if someone tried to decipher the recipe for sorghum candy, they wouldn’t think that corn wasn’t part of the candy but was only used to prevent sticking.

 

Additionally, the method of first extracting starch and then making sugar wasn’t something that could be easily figured out, so Qiu Huanian had enough time to earn his first pot of gold with his exclusive sorghum candy.

 

Qiu Huanian filled three one-liter molds with sorghum candy and placed them on a shelf in a cool place to cool. Jiujiu and Chunsheng also woke up.

 

Qiu Huanian believed that children needed plenty of sleep, so he deliberately didn’t wake them. However, when Jiujiu and Chunsheng saw that Qiu Huanian had already done a lot of work, their faces were instantly filled with regret and embarrassment.

 

Qiu Huanian pinched the cheeks of the two little ones, told them a few stories, and diverted their attention.

 

For breakfast, they ate the gluten steamed the day before, sliced and served with pickles, which had a unique flavor. Jiujiu and Chunsheng both loved the soft and fluffy texture of the gluten.

 

After breakfast, Qiu Huanian picked up a basket and asked the children with a smile, “Jiujiu and Chunsheng, would you like to accompany your brother to pick leaves in the back mountain?”

 

Hearing that they could be of use, the children happily agreed, carrying small baskets and going with Qiu Huanian to the back mountain.

 

In early spring, many trees in the back mountain were just sprouting and hadn’t turned green yet. Qiu Huanian looked around and finally chose the willow trees with tender green leaves. Together with the children, he picked over a hundred of the largest and most intact leaves, washed them clean in the mountain spring water, and neatly arranged them in the basket.

 

Since they were already there, they also picked a basket of wild vegetables like large-leaf celery and bitter dragon buds. After a busy morning, Qiu Huanian was a bit tired and couldn’t walk anymore. Jiujiu and Chunsheng insisted that he sit on a rock to rest while they picked wild vegetables nearby.

 

Breathing the fresh and moist air in the forest and listening to the crisp and pleasant bird songs, Qiu Huanian let out a long sigh, feeling that such a busy and fulfilling life wasn’t bad at all.

 

Back home, the sorghum candy had cooled down. Qiu Huanian took them out of the molds and cut them into strips about the size of a finger, first giving one to each child.

 

“Brother Hua, this is—um!” Chunsheng paused for half a second, his eyes suddenly brightening, “It’s so delicious! Even better than peanut candy!”

 

Jiujiu held the candy strip in both hands, nibbling on it and nodding repeatedly.

 

Qiu Huanian also ate one and was pleasantly surprised. The taste of this otherworldly version of sorghum candy was much better than he had expected!

 

The sorghum starch was soft and chewy, and the sweetness directly derived from the beets carried a natural fragrance. Occasionally biting into the fine beet particles greatly enriched the texture, and upon careful tasting, one could also detect the aroma of cooked cornstarch.

 

Due to the natural red pigment in the red beetroots, the sorghum candy had a jade-like red color, with semi-transparent edges, making it very visually appealing.

 

Qiu Huanian felt that even in modern times, people would be willing to pay for this “ancient method” sorghum candy.

 

Three pounds of sorghum starch made about two hundred pieces of sorghum candy. Qiu Huanian took out a handful and put them into the sugar basket in the house, wrapped the rest in white cloth, placed them in another small basket, and packed them into the backpack along with the basket of willow leaves.

 

Carrying the backpack, he locked the courtyard door and took Jiujiu and Chunsheng to Hu Qiuyan’s house not far away.

 

Hu Qiuyan was in the yard teaching her youngest son, Yun Kang, how to weave baskets with tender willow branches. When she saw Qiu Huanian, she clapped her hands and stood up.

 

“What a rare guest! What brings you here today, Hua Ge’er?”

 

“Aunt Qiuyan, I need to go to town and would like to ask you to look after the two children.”

 

Although Jiujiu and Chunsheng both said they could stay at home alone, going to town would take at least five or six hours, and Qiu Huanian wasn’t quite comfortable leaving the young children alone.

 

“Sure, you can go with peace of mind. It’s just a matter of adding half a handful of rice to the pot at noon,” Hu Qiuyan said with a casual smile.

 

Their family had a fish pond at the village entrance, which had been quite profitable in recent years, making their life comfortable. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have considered sending their youngest son, Yun Kang, to school.

 

Qiu Huanian had Jiujiu bring half of the wild vegetables they picked in the morning, while he took a handful of sorghum candy from his backpack.

 

“Aunt Qiuyan, try this.”

 

“What is this made of? It looks quite nice,” Hu Qiuyan examined the dozen or so candy strips handed to her.

 

“The candy I mentioned to you the other day, I’ve already made it.”

 

“Good heavens, this is candy?” Hu Qiuyan put one in her mouth and chewed a few times, “Oh my, it really is!”

 

Hu Qiuyan had never tasted such candy before. It felt more fragrant, sweet, and chewy than the malt candy sold in town, leaving a lasting impression. She somewhat regretted eating the first piece too quickly.

 

“Hua Ge’er, you’ve given too much. Just leave a couple for the kids to taste,” Hu Qiuyan said, trying to return the candy strips to Qiu Huanian.

 

A small stick of malt candy the size of a broad bean sold for three coins. Hua Ge’er’s candy was three to four times larger and tasted better, so it should sell for at least seven or eight coins per stick. This handful was probably worth nearly a hundred coins, which Hu Qiuyan couldn’t possibly accept.

 

“Auntie, please keep it and let everyone in the family try it,” Qiu Huanian smiled and pushed it back, “This candy is called sorghum candy, and it’s not expensive to make. I plan to sell it for one coin per stick.”

 

Such good candy, selling for just one coin?!

 

Hu Qiuyan pondered for a moment. If it only cost one coin, she could buy one every two days—no, every day! She could cut it into pea-sized pieces, and the whole family could enjoy a bit of candy every day!

 

“Hua Ge’er, I’m truly impressed. How did you come up with this? You said you’d make candy from sorghum, and you actually did it!” Hu Qiuyan understood the significance and didn’t ask for the recipe.

 

“I just tinkered around and tried it, and it worked out,” Qiu Huanian replied modestly.

 

Hu Qiuyan clicked her tongue in admiration. The villagers had been whispering behind their backs that Du Baoyan’s eldest son had ruined his future, and the family would never amount to anything. Who could have guessed that while the eldest son failed, his young husband would turn out to be so capable!

 

“I’ll take the candy then. When I visit my family, I’ll bring a few sticks and brag about how amazing our Hua Ge’er is,” Hu Qiuyan said, no longer refusing. “Next time you’re busy in town, just bring the kids over. But don’t bring anything next time.”

 

Even if one stick of candy sold for one coin, a dozen coins would cover the children’s meals for a long time.

 

After leaving Hu Qiuyan’s house, Qiu Huanian headed out of the village. It took two hours to walk from Dujia Village to Qingfu Town, and the sun was already high in the sky. If he didn’t hurry, he wouldn’t make it in time.

 

The basket of candy and the basket of willow leaves were light and didn’t add much extra burden to Qiu Huanian. Following the memories of the original owner, Qiu Huanian quickened his pace and arrived in Qingfu Town by noon.

 

Qingfu Town had a permanent population of nearly 3,000 and was one of the largest towns in the county. The town center had two main roads forming a cross, dividing the town into East, South, West, and North Streets. The streets were lined with various shops, and many vendors set up stalls along the roadside.

 

Meng Yuanling’s tofu shop was at the far end of West Street. The front was a shop selling freshly made tofu, while the inner courtyard housed a massive stone mill. A mule with one eye covered by a black cloth pulled the mill in circles, and soybean milk continuously flowed from the side of the mill.

 

Meng Yuanling was helping sell tofu in the shop, occasionally glancing outside. When she saw Qiu Huanian, she immediately dropped the wooden knife she was using to cut tofu and rushed out.

 

“Hua Ge’er, you’re finally here! Show me the candy!”

 

“You really trust me,” Qiu Huanian chuckled. “Aren’t you afraid I didn’t make it?”

 

Meng Yuanling wasn’t foolish. She grabbed Qiu Huanian’s arm and said, “If you hadn’t made it, you wouldn’t have come today. Stop teasing me and show me!”

 

“Yesterday, I told my family I made a friend in Dujia Village who could make candy from sorghum, and they all laughed at me!”

 

Meng Yuanling pulled Qiu Huanian into the tidy and well-organized tofu shop. Qingfu Town had only one tofu shop, which had been operating for decades with a good reputation. Besides the townsfolk, people from nearby villages also bought tofu here.

 

At noon, five or six people were waiting in the shop to buy tofu. They were regular customers who had watched Meng Yuanling grow up. Hearing his words, they all turned to look.

 

Seeing Meng Yuanling pulling in a young, handsome boy, they all laughed.

 

“Ling Ge, no wonder they laughed at you. Only kids would believe you can make candy from sorghum.”

 

Meng Yuanling puffed out his cheeks in defiance. “I’m not a kid! If it’s real, how about each of you buys a piece of candy?”

 

Those who had spare money to buy tofu didn’t mind spending a few coins. They were just teasing Meng Yuanling without malice. Considering that malt candy cost three coins a stick, candy made from sorghum couldn’t be much more expensive, so they all agreed.

 

“Alright, alright. If your friend shows us the candy, we’ll buy it.”

 

Author’s Note:

 

Too many people have commented on the pricing issue, so I decided to explain it in detail (headache)—

 

The protagonist set the price low for four reasons: 1. Lower costs; 2. The local consumption level is too low, and he has no transportation to go far, so no one would buy if it were expensive; 3. He needs to make quick money; 4. He knows the clan leader and the Du clan can provide some protection.

 

Below is a detailed explanation QAQ—

 

**About prices and costs:** All prices are based on historical documents from ancient times, primarily the Ming and Qing dynasties, with some references to the Song dynasty when Ming and Qing data were unavailable (due to various factors, the prices of many things in ancient times differed significantly from modern times).

 

The profit margin of sorghum candy was calculated using a formula and a calculator. I assure you it’s relatively rigorous.

 

(The price of sorghum, the price of beetroots, the working speed and hourly rate of the mule, the exact amount of raw materials needed to make one stick of candy, and the loss rate are all clearly stated in the text. You can calculate the cost yourself and see if the pricing is reasonable.)

 

**About comparing prices with white sugar:** The sorghum candy made by the protagonist only uses unimproved beetroots, which have a slight sweetness. Its appeal lies in its texture and fragrance, but it can’t compare to real white sugar in terms of price.

 

**About short-term market impact and retaliation:** The protagonist currently has no transportation and relies solely on walking. The candy can’t be sold far, only near his home and in town to earn quick money. It won’t impact the market or attract retaliation from major competitors.

 

As previously described, Dujia Village is a single-surname village with strong clan influence. The clan leader has been taking care of the protagonist due to the male lead’s absence. Therefore, any minor issues arising from selling sorghum candy in the local area can be resolved under the clan’s protection.

 

**About expanding the market later:** When the male lead returns, he has status and strong connections. With his military officer friends, chatting with scholars, and being invited by the county magistrate for conversations, everything will soon no longer be a problem. Over~