Chapter 26: The Terrifying Power of Jealousy

For three consecutive days, Su Yi’an’s business thrived. Even on the slowest day, she earned ninety copper coins.

While customers enjoyed her braised pork noodle soup, it couldn’t compare to the novelty of her sausage. Those who had tasted it on the first day kept asking when the sausage noodle soup would be available again.

“Honestly, your noodle soup is the most fragrant in town,” a diner said, cradling his bowl as he sat on a nearby stone, alternating between bites of noodles and steamed bread.

“Too bad I missed the meat noodles on the first day. I heard those pork slices were incredibly savory, sizzling with oil.”

Sensing a slight exaggeration, Su Yi’an corrected him while ladling soup. “Come now, it wasn’t quite that dramatic.”

“We’re all waiting for it. If you ever sell the sausage separately, you’d better save some for us.”

“Just come by when it’s ready,” Su Yi’an replied.

With so many customers asking about the sausage, Su Yi’an bought extra pork every day, determined to make more.

Madam He hadn’t rested at home either, spending her days cleaning pig intestines and preparing sausage casings. The sausage-making process itself wasn’t complicated; the casings were the time-consuming part.

Now, a dozen strings of sausages hung under the eaves, waiting to dry for a couple more days before they could be sold.

Many people who couldn’t find the sausages locally went to the town market to ask. They checked meat stalls and eateries, but no one had them. Finally, one man ended up at the Bright Moon Inn.

“The young master heard these sausages were excellent and insisted on trying them. I’ve searched all over Huai’an Town for the past two days, but I can’t find them anywhere. What a fuss!” The visitor was none other than the steward of the town’s silk shop.

Manager Ren poured him tea and asked, “Did the stall stop selling sausages?”

“Exactly! They said they hadn’t made enough yet and we’d have to wait a few more days. Can you believe it? Just a bit of meat, and they’re making people wait like this? It’s clearly a deliberate tease!” The steward had already asked Su Yi’an and, after hearing he’d have to wait, couldn’t shake the feeling that these small-time vendors were doing it on purpose.

Manager Ren agreed they were being coy. He suspected Su Yi’an and her family knew the inquirer was the steward of a prominent town merchant and were trying to exploit the situation for extra profit.

“I’ve tasted that sausage before,” Manager Ren said. “It’s not too difficult to make. If you’re not in a rush, give us a few days at Bright Moon Pavilion. We’ll deliver it to you once it’s ready.” Eager to secure the deal, he volunteered to take on the task.

“If that’s the case, I’ll await good news,” the steward replied. Having known Manager Ren for years, they sealed the agreement.

In the kitchen of Bright Moon Inn, a young apprentice scratched his head, puzzled by the manager’s recent instructions.

Make the sausage within three days. If you succeed, they’ll pay us ten taels of silver.

“Master,” the apprentice asked Chef Li, “what do you think Manager Ren meant by that? And why was Steward Qiu so unwilling to wait a few more days, even though both parties were already waiting?”

Chef Li knew exactly who “the other party” referred to.

“What else could it be?” he said, removing a braised pork hock from the pot and sprinkling dried osmanthus flowers over it. “Even Steward Qiu wouldn’t deign to eat from a street stall, let alone the young master of the silk merchant.”

Moreover, Steward Qiu couldn’t bear the loss of face. Accustomed to others seeking his favor, he rarely had to ask for anything himself. Yet he had been rebuffed by a humble sausage noodle soup vendor, not only failing to obtain the sausage but also being told to wait several more days. No wonder he was furious.

“Take this up quickly,” Chef Li said, shooing the kitchen hand out of the room. He sat down heavily, his mind racing.

He’d been puzzling over this sausage casing for nearly a month, yet he still couldn’t crack the recipe. Now, the manager had given him only three more days. If he couldn’t deliver by then, both he and the manager would lose face.

This wasn’t just about him; it concerned the entire Bright Moon Restaurant.

After decades as a chef, Chef Li was contemplating his first dishonest act.

This has to work, one way or another.

After work, Chef Li summoned the young kitchen hand to his home and handed him a bundle.

“Master, what’s this?” The apprentice dropped to his knees, wailing, “Master, please don’t kick me out!”

“Nonsense, what are you thinking?” Chef Li kicked him lightly, then calmly explained, “You’re my apprentice. As long as I have food, you’ll have some too. But we must work together now. If we fail, both of us might…”

Chef Li deliberately made the situation sound dire.

The apprentice, thoroughly frightened, scrambled to his feet and pledged, “Master, I’ll do whatever you say! I won’t ask any questions!”

That was exactly what Chef Li wanted to hear. He helped the boy up, pressed an ounce of silver into his hand, and said gravely, “Tomorrow, go to Eternal Sun Village. Find out where those two families live and how they make their sausages. But remember, you can’t let anyone see you.”

At this point, Chef Li would have preferred the boy simply steal some ready-made sausages.

“Master, don’t worry! I swear I’ll bring you the sausage casing recipe this time!” the apprentice vowed, raising his hand in oath.

As the weather grew colder, the number of soup noodle and wonton stalls in town increased.

Some vendors even set up directly across from Su Yi’an’s stall, selling the same hand-pulled soup noodles.

Not only did they all use bone broth, but the meat sauce in their savory noodles tasted almost identical.

Moreover, the opposing stall had tables and stools, providing customers with a place to sit and eat. As a result, many patrons flocked to that side.

Su Yi’an’s business was suddenly divided, and she couldn’t even sell half the noodles she had brought that day.

“Sister Su, look at them,” He Ningwen said, warming herself by the stove while keeping a close eye on the opposite stall.

Seeing former customers enjoying noodles there left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Su Yi’an set down her work and stopped adding water to the pot.

This was the nature of business. When a venture thrived, others would inevitably grow envious. Besides, soup noodles were one of the simplest dishes—a business anyone with hands could start.

As for the meat sauce, it was just stir-fried pork cubes simmered in aged soy sauce, a recipe easily understood with a single taste. It was only a matter of time before someone copied it.

Meanwhile, their competitors across the street, who lived in town, had no trouble moving their tables and chairs. Unlike Su Yi’an and He Ningwen, who struggled even to bring a simple iron pot and stove, their rivals were using the same items to steal customers right across the street—a truly disgusting tactic.

“If business is this bad tomorrow, we won’t set up here anymore,” Su Yi’an said after careful consideration, noticing their rivals’ deliberate shouts aimed at their stall.

“If we don’t come here, where else would we go?” He Ningwen asked. She couldn’t think of a better spot in town. If there were, why hadn’t Sister Su chosen it from the start?

Su Yi’an glanced at He Yunhuai, unsure if he would agree to move. In this era, male presence was required at market stalls. If he refused, she would have to find another way.

“There’s no rush. Let’s see how tomorrow goes,” Su Yi’an said, averting her gaze.

With no more customers approaching, Su Yi’an packed up early. Rather than waste time, she decided to head home.

They left their belongings at the old woman’s house again, paying the usual two copper coins. As soon as they carried everything into the courtyard, the old woman slammed the gate shut.

“Auntie, what’s wrong?” Su Yi’an asked, her senses on high alert.

“I saw everything today,” the old woman said, her voice laced with concern. “Take my advice and shut down this business early. The Ma Family stole your customers today, and tomorrow they might send thugs to smash your stall.”

Su Yi’an frowned. “How dare they?”

“What’s stopping them?” the old woman countered, sizing up the three of them. “Those two brothers are young and strong. How could you possibly compete?” She shook her head.

He Yunhuai wanted to argue, but the truth stung. His frail body would crumble under a single punch from those men.

Su Yi’an thanked the old woman for her kindness, promising to consider her words. But her mind was already made up.

On the way back to the village, Su Yi’an detoured to the town market and bought a roasted goose.

Though their meals had included meat these past few days, it hadn’t been such a substantial cut. Considering their recent earnings, she figured treating everyone to a roasted goose wouldn’t break the bank.

Having left early and hurried home, the goose in her basket was still warm when she arrived.

“What’s the occasion today?” Madam He asked casually as she accepted the roast goose.

He Ningwen sighed, hefting her coin purse. “Our last good day,” she said glumly.

The purse was noticeably less full than usual, and even He Xingchen could tell they hadn’t earned much that day.

“That’s how business goes—sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” Madam He said, offering words of comfort, though her own heart ached.

They had just started making some money, giving them a glimmer of hope, only to have it snatched away so suddenly. Who could bear such a blow?

“It’s not like we made nothing at all—just less than usual,” Su Yi’an pointed out. “Besides, we still have the sausages.”

As long as their sausage recipe remained a secret, they could continue to profit from this unique product.

“Then let’s buy more pig intestines tomorrow. We’re almost out of the last batch,” Madam He said, setting the meal on the table and carving the roast goose into bite-sized pieces.

She had baked golden-brown flatbreads that day. Spreading them with savory meat sauce and tucking in slices of roast goose made for an irresistible combination.

The warm, fragrant meal soothed everyone’s spirits.

The next morning, Su Yi’an woke up earlier than usual.

When they arrived in town, they found that the family had already set up their tables and stools at their usual spot.

Su Yi’an knew exactly what they were up to. She couldn’t be bothered to argue with them about fairness, since anyone could set up a stall there without even a fee—first come, first served.

“Sister Su, what are we going to do?” He Ningwen was on the verge of tears, realizing the family was even more shameless than she’d imagined.

Stealing customers was one thing, but now they were stealing their spot too.

“We’ll set up somewhere else today,” Su Yi’an said calmly.

If you can’t beat them, avoid them. They were on the family’s turf, and risking trouble for a few dozen copper coins wasn’t worth it.

She patted He Yunhuai’s back and asked in a conciliatory tone, “How about we set up near the Academy?”

The Academy was full of students, and a few coins wouldn’t matter to some of them. Besides, Su Yi’an had a new idea: while her snacks might be too expensive for laborers carrying cloth sacks, they’d be mere pocket change for the young masters of wealthy families.

If she wanted to make money from these snacks, she needed to target the right customers.

He Yunhuai hadn’t expected her to ask his opinion first. Without thinking, he readily agreed.

Only after answering did he realize she was worried about him losing face by setting up a stall at the academy. After all, being seen by his classmates would surely invite ridicule.

A warmth spread through He Yunhuai’s heart. She had considered everything so thoroughly, except for one crucial detail, he had never attended school in Huai’an Town. He had always studied at the academy in the Prefectural City.