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Wei Lan and Tang Xue sat side by side. Wei Lan proposed a collaboration, and after a brief discussion, they decided to attempt making Eight Treasures Cake.
In the kitchen, the faint scent of wood intertwined with the fresh aroma of ingredients. The spacious and well-lit kitchen was adorned with exquisite blue-and-white porcelain tiles on the walls and smooth bluestone slabs on the floor, giving it an elegant and refined appearance.
At the center of the kitchen stood a large redwood workbench, neatly arranged with various delicate cake molds in round, square, and lifelike animal shapes.
To one side of the workbench was a large stone mill for grinding fine rice flour, while nearby, a steaming basket emitted waves of enticing fragrance. In the corner, various ingredients were neatly stored in exquisite ceramic jars.
Wei Lan glanced around and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Second Miss, your kitchen is truly exquisite! Compared to this, my simple medical hall’s kitchen is worlds apart!”
Tang Xue smiled with a hint of pride in her eyes. “This is the ‘secret base’ of our Old Tang Restaurant, specifically for making pastries. Every item here is carefully selected to create the most delicious treats.”
Wei Lan’s gaze fell on the recipe on the workbench, and she spoke cheerfully, “My pharmacy is opening a new branch. If we can sell this Eight Treasures Cake, I’m sure it will attract many customers.”
Tang Xue covered her mouth and chuckled, “Great idea. You’ll handle sales in the pharmacy, and I’ll provide freshly made Eight Treasures Cake daily.”
She picked up the recipe and carefully examined the listed ingredients, frowning slightly. “Poria, fox nut, coix seed… These ingredients are easy to find, but the instructions are too simplistic.”
Wei Lan smiled lightly and said, “I think we should give it a try. It shouldn’t be too difficult to make.”
Tang Xue gently set down the recipe and replied seriously, “Wei, you might not realize it, but making pastries seems simple yet involves great skill. The fineness of the ground medicinal ingredients, control of the heat, and precise ratio of ingredients—all these details are crucial. A slight mistake can ruin the texture.”
Wei Lan was momentarily stunned and felt a little apologetic. “I hadn’t considered that. I only saw that the recipe was simple and didn’t think about the complexity of the process. Don’t worry, I’ll fully support you in making the best Eight Treasures Cake.”
Tang Xue nodded with a reassuring tone. “We can start with small batches at the restaurant. Once we refine the best recipe and process, we can officially launch it on the market.” She paused briefly before adding, “This way, we can ensure quality while avoiding unnecessary waste.”
Wei Lan couldn’t help but ask, “How long will it take to get it on the shelves?”
Tang Xue smiled. “Don’t rush. Good things take time. I’ll do some tests first, and if all goes well, it should take about three to five days.”
Wei Lan sighed but perked up. “Alright, I’ll be waiting for your good news!”
After Wei Lan left, Tang Xue sat alone at the workbench, her fingers lightly tracing the Eight Treasures Cake recipe.
This recipe was excerpted from the book Orthodox Manual of External Medicine. The handwriting was neat, but the content was extremely brief—just a few common ingredients followed by simple instructions.
In the kitchen, assistants were busy tidying the workbench, preparing for the day’s work.
Tang Xue stood up, walked to the workbench, and picked up the recipe. Clearing her throat, she announced, “Today, we will attempt a new pastry called Eight Treasures Cake. I have a plan in mind, and I will guide you through the process.”
She picked up a small notebook filled with densely written notes on pastry-making techniques—her accumulated experience and personal “secret manual.”
“First, prepare the codonopsis root, Chinese yam, poria, fox nut, and lotus seeds. Choose them carefully and remove any impurities,” Tang Xue instructed decisively. “Wash the glutinous rice and polished rice thoroughly and grind them into fine powder. Use only the best icing sugar.”
The assistants responded promptly, and the kitchen buzzed with activity.
Tang Xue moved to the workbench and personally demonstrated how to grind the codonopsis root, Chinese yam, poria, fox nut, and lotus seeds into fine powder. She picked up a stone mortar, placed a few pieces of codonopsis root inside, and gently ground them with a pestle. Gradually, the root turned into fine powder.
“Grinding requires patience—the finer the powder, the smoother the cake’s texture,” Tang Xue instructed while demonstrating.
The assistants gathered around, watching closely and nodding in understanding.
Before long, all the ingredients were ready. Tang Xue placed them into a large porcelain bowl, added the right amount of icing sugar and honey, and began mixing.
“Icing sugar and honey don’t just add sweetness—they also make the cake more moist,” she explained as she stirred.
However, she soon encountered a problem. The mixture became too sticky, making it difficult to stir.
Frowning slightly, Tang Xue paused, thought for a moment, and then said, “This is too thick. We need to adjust the proportions.”
The assistants exchanged uncertain glances.
Tang Xue picked up a small bowl, scooped some polished rice flour from a ceramic jar, and gently sprinkled it into the mixture. As she continued stirring, the stickiness gradually decreased, making it easier to mix.
“It seems we need to adjust the amount of polished rice flour,” Tang Xue analyzed while stirring.
After several trials, she finally found the perfect ratio. Once the mixture was evenly blended, she shaped it into small portions and carefully placed them in the steaming basket.
The kitchen fire was already burning strong. Tang Xue turned to the assistants and instructed, “Lower the heat. Eight Treasures Cake needs to be steamed slowly.”
The assistants carefully adjusted the heat, and the kitchen filled with a faint, enticing aroma.
Tang Xue stood by the workbench, her gaze fixed on the steaming basket, anticipation in her eyes.
After a while, steam began to rise, and the fragrance of the Eight Treasures Cake spread throughout the kitchen.
Tang Xue slowly lifted the lid of the steaming basket. Inside, the Eight Treasures Cakes appeared soft and glistening, exuding an irresistible aroma. She picked up one, took a small bite, and smiled in satisfaction. “It’s a success!”
The assistants eagerly gathered around and took a bite. One of them praised enthusiastically, “Second Miss, this Eight Treasures Cake is truly delicious—soft, fragrant, and melts in the mouth!”
Tang Xue smiled. “This is just the beginning. Next, we need to make sure the Eight Treasures Cake reaches households everywhere.”
Meanwhile, seven young apprentices returned from a two-week herbal gathering trip with Master Deng, exhausted but exhilarated. Their faces were tanned by the mountain sun, but their eyes sparkled with excitement.
Honghua led them to a newly built courtyard with neatly arranged rooms. A brand-new sign at the entrance read “Medical Courtyard.”
The children curiously looked around. Huangqi widened his eyes and pointed at the sign. “Sister Honghua, what does ‘Medical Courtyard’ mean?”
Honghua smiled and patiently explained, “Xiao Lan named it. It means this is our home as medical practitioners.”
The children beamed with delight, and Fuling even jumped up and clapped. “That’s wonderful!”
Honghua added, “It’s close to the medical hall, so we can help out whenever needed. For now, rest and get familiar with your new home.”
The children eagerly ran inside, chattering excitedly.
While they had been away, the Wei Min Medical Hall had undergone major changes…