Chapter Fifty-One: The Demonstration Apparatus

Many villagers still could not read, so Gou Ye stood patiently by the fence, explaining everything in detail. Though everyone was quite interested, they hesitated, their faces filled with uncertainty.

At that moment, Village Chief Li stepped forward and declared loudly, "I really don't know what you're all hesitating for. Where has that usual bold spirit gone? The business Gou Ye is proposing is a great deal for everyone. I think it's doable. I may not understand business matters, but at the very least, I trust that Gou Ye wouldn't lead us astray."

As soon as the chief finished speaking, a brave soul emerged from the crowd. "I'm signing up! I'll take this one—the lamb skewers!" With the first person breaking the ice, those still wavering quickly followed suit, and the scene turned lively in an instant. Yun Niang sat at the table, tallying names while keeping order. Seeing this, the Guo brothers raised their voices, and their imposing presence restored calm among the villagers.

After two full hours of bustling activity, the registration finally ended. Gou Ye looked over the list of names, nodding to himself; it was just as he had estimated, about twenty or thirty people, most of them young. He understood: even though the investment was small, the villagers had never seen how such a business would operate. Even a few copper coins required careful consideration for many households. Once those who tried it began to make money, the rest would surely follow.

During these three days, aside from pondering how to manage the upcoming business, Gou Ye devoted himself to writing. "The Legend of the Immortal Eagle Heroes" was now selling in neighboring counties. Once Boss Hu brought back the printing presses, the current stockpile would hardly suffice. And Gou Ye had another plan in mind.

Yun Niang saw Gou Ye's hard work and felt both pained and proud. Though she couldn't persuade him to rest, she made sure to cook nourishing meals to keep him healthy. During these days, to help Da Li and the Guo brothers bond and work together in the future, Gou Ye hosted a banquet at home. At first, the three men were wary of each other, but after a few drinks, their true natures emerged. Being from humble backgrounds, their conversation flowed easily, and it felt as if they had known each other for years. With Gou Ye's encouragement, the three even became sworn brothers, embracing one another and letting go of any barriers.

Time passed swiftly, and on the third day, just at noon, the sun blazed fiercely overhead. Villagers watched as Gou Ye, accompanied by Da Li and the Guo brothers, drove a procession of ox carts grandly into the village. The carts were loaded with the equipment Gou Ye had ordered. Many villagers hurried out of their homes to see the spectacle. Yun Niang, observing their return from upstairs, quickly stepped outside. Not seeing the horse-drawn carriage, she rushed to Gou Ye's side and asked, "Brother Gou Ye, where is Master Hua?"

"Yun Niang, I went to see Gu Shen as soon as I reached the county, but he said Master Hua hasn't been home these days—he must be out treating patients. It'll probably be a few more days before he returns. Such unfortunate timing. But Gu Shen promised that as soon as Master Hua comes back, he'll bring him straight to the village."

Yun Niang frowned, visibly disappointed. Though there were other doctors, Gou Ye didn't trust them. For now, all they could do was wait, which meant her mother would have to suffer a while longer.

Meanwhile, villagers gathered around the ox carts, whispering among themselves and cautiously touching the equipment, but no one could guess what it was for.

Gou Ye wasn't in a hurry. He continued chatting with Yun Niang, and when enough people had arrived, he slowly stepped out into the courtyard. Da Li and the Guo brothers had already placed all the equipment on the ground. Gou Ye looked at the curious, slightly apprehensive faces and laughed heartily. "Don't be afraid, everyone. There's nothing dangerous about this. I'll show you how it works right now."

He went straight to the grill. To his surprise, he had underestimated the old craftsman's skill. Despite the poorly drawn schematics and Gou Ye's instructions, the craftsman had managed to create the equipment, adding his own ingenious touches. Though not perfect, Gou Ye was very satisfied. He and the master had already agreed on further modifications, and Gou Ye had ordered a large batch accordingly.

Gou Ye poured charcoal into the grill and lit a fire. Then he took out several skewers of meat. With some fanning, the charcoal burned hotter and hotter. When the coals glowed red, Gou Ye placed the meat skewers on the grill, turning them over and over, sprinkling them with salt, cumin powder (brought to the Central Plains from Xinjiang via the Silk Road in the Southern Song era), and chili powder. Within moments, the aroma of roasting meat wafted through the air, making some mouths water.

When the skewers were nearly done, Gou Ye grabbed one and took a hearty bite, savoring the taste with obvious enjoyment. For someone who had traveled through time, tasting food from his own era was a rare luxury.

Holding up the skewer, Gou Ye addressed the crowd, "Who wants to try?"

The Guo brothers were the first to rush over. Since there weren't many skewers, Gou Ye gave one to each of them. After tasting it, Guo Bingyin exclaimed, "Young master, this is delicious!"

The spectators all lined up to sample the skewers, each taking a bite and showering Gou Ye with praise. Holding a skewer in his hand, Gou Ye felt overjoyed; all those snacks he'd eaten before had not been in vain—he'd learned a lot, and now those skills were finally useful.

"You've all tasted these meat skewers. Did you know that each skewer uses less than a tael of lamb? If we sell these for one copper coin apiece, and say you manage to sell thirty in a day, that's thirty coins. In a month, if you don't take any days off, you could easily earn nine taels of silver."

At this, the villagers were stunned, unable to imagine that such humble lamb skewers could bring in so much silver. Many of them earned less than two taels a month, and some even struggled to make one. Nine taels—such a figure was simply irresistible.