Liu Qiang arrived belatedly with Su Xiaorong.
He had advised them earlier, when they had gathered, that Ye Ming hadn't fully recovered his lucidity and that supporting himself was a struggle.
But they refused to listen and insisted on asking Ye Ming for a way out.
"Brother Ming, you've been a fool for over a decade. What kind of business can you do? Come back with me!"
"Yes, husband, come back with me!"
Not only Su Xiaorong and Liu Qiang, but even the others who had come to Ye Ming for a life didn't believe he could do business.
Was he really that foolish?
Perhaps the only business he'd ever done was selling pray.
"Brother Ming, stop trying to fool us. What kind of business can you do?"
"We just want a living. We know there's only so much pray in the mountains."
"All I ask is that you bring two people up the mountain every day."
"Really, everyone. I got the recipe for a kiln when I went to the city."
"It can be used to make tiles or bowls."
Making money from a kiln isn't as profitable as making wine or other food products.
But Ye Ming lacked the tools and food, so it wasn't practical.
Plus, in winter, even if one purchased koji through the system, fermentation would still take too long.
Kiln heating, aside from the initial cost of building the kiln, only required a small labor cost. And according to the system's recipes, a batch could be produced in just two days, a much faster process.
Furthermore, with the kiln, Ye Ming could later manufacture distilling vessels, and even glass and cement.
"Everyone, didn't I just tell you that food and wages are provided?"
"Don't worry about starving, I guarantee you'll have enough to eat. Just follow me and do the work."
The crowd clearly still didn't believe Ye Ming's words. They still believed in the practicalities of hunting in the mountains, despite the vague notion of kiln heating.
Seeing no one speaking, Aunt Huang spoke up.
"Ming, I believe you. I'll do it with you. As long as there's food to eat, I'll do anything!"
"Aunt Huang, don't worry, I'll keep everyone fed, regardless of whether I succeed or not."
Seeing that Ye Ming's words didn't sound like a lie, everyone agreed, despite their skepticism.
After all, as long as they had enough to eat, they would do anything.
"Okay, we trust Brother Ming. But if the kiln doesn't produce anything, let's ask Brother Ming to take us hunting."
"Hahaha, you don't have to tell me that, I'll take us hunting too."
"I'll find a good place tomorrow, and anyone who's still strong can come and help me. The men will carry soil to build the kiln, and the women will chop wood and start the fire."
After saying that, he looked at Liu Qiang again.
"Brother Qiang, I'll trouble you to go to the city to buy some food tomorrow."
Hearing that Ye Ming was going to buy food, everyone felt relieved and determined to work hard for him.
Try to make this kiln work.
"Okay, it's getting late, everyone, go back and find me at my house tomorrow. I'm staying at Hunter Wu's house now."
After the people dispersed, Su Xiaorong and Liu Qiang came to Ye Ming.
"Husband, how can you fire a kiln? Won't you lose money?"
"That's right, brother Ming. Kilns are not easy to fire. I've fired kilns a few times for Mr. Qian of Qianjiazhuang."
"It's already very difficult to fire a green brick, even if two out of ten are usable. And what about the ceramics you just mentioned? There are very few people in Qingshui County who can make pottery. There's almost no porcelain."
Upon hearing Liu Qiang's words, Ye Ming's eyes lit up instantly.
If no one else could make it, wouldn't we have a monopoly on the market?
Then the good porcelain would be sold to the wealthy, and the defective goods would be sold locally at a low price.
"Don't worry, I'm sure. I made this money easily. It won't be wasted."
Seeing Ye Ming's refusal to listen, Liu Qiang thought his stupidity had resurfaced.
"Sister-in-law, go back and talk him down."
Watching Liu Qiang leave, Ye Ming pulled Su Xiaorong into his arms and prepared to leave.
"Husband?"
"Okay, just trust me. This recipe was given by an immortal. I guarantee it'll be perfect. Just wait until spring and I'll build you a tiled house!"
Yes, I almost forgot. My husband had been enlightened by an immortal. So his desire to start a kiln wasn't just a whim.
Su Xiaorong finally felt relieved at this thought. She'd only just had a few days of good living, and she was worried Ye Ming would spend all his money and go back to his old, hungry existence.
"Yes, I trust my husband!"
After Ye Ming returned home, she checked what the specials were.
[Today's special offer: Simmons bedding set for 1 Life Point.]
"Hey, I just couldn't sleep well last night, so I'm going to Simmons now."
"Luckily, it's not expensive. Buy it!"
[Ding, purchase more than four system items to unlock new features.]
[You can now exchange silver for Life Points at a one-to-one exchange rate.]
"No, I don't even have enough silver to spend. You're asking me to exchange for Life Points?"
And exchanging them right now is just too cost-effective.
However, this also intensified Ye Ming's desire to earn silver. Once he had enough living points, he could spend silver to buy a hot weapon.
"But I can buy some seasonings first. The food I've been eating these days has been bland or bitter. It's time to improve my life."
Salt in the system mall is quite cheap, one credit point can buy a bag.
If Dayun hadn't strictly prohibited the sale of private salt, Ye Ming could have made a fortune just by profiting from the system's price difference.
"Salt and MSG, that's enough for now. Oh, and these three living points worth of kelp. Just enough to stew a chicken."
Thinking of that, Ye Ming prepared to go to the kitchen.
As soon as he entered the kitchen, Su Xiaorong had already started the fire. There was also washed rice nearby.
"Husband, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to show you how I cook. I'll cook dinner today."
"How can you do that, husband? Since ancient times, it's never been customary for a wife to let her husband cook?"
Ye Ming nonchalantly placed the seasonings on the stone stove.
"We don't have those rules in our family. Tonight, I'll let you show you my cooking skills." Su Xiaorong had already cut up the chicken, which saved Ye Ming a lot of trouble.
Seeing Ye Ming's insistence on cooking, Su Xiaorong had no choice but to let him do it.
She just hoped he wouldn't ruin the chicken by making it too bad.
"Husband, what's that white thing on your hand?"
"It's salt, what's wrong?"
"Is it really salt? It looks as white as snow. I've never seen salt this white."
Back in Su Xiaorong's old home, the best they used was coarse, red salt.
Even coarse salt wasn't affordable for ordinary people.
They were lucky to buy a handful a year; the rest of the time they used vinegar. Or maybe they just boiled it in water and ate it straight away.
"Now you have seen it, and you can eat such good salt every day in the future."
"Husband, isn't such good salt too expensive? We are not a wealthy family, even vinegar cloth can be used."
"It's not expensive, it's given by the immortal, you can eat as much as you want without worry."