Font Size:
At a time before the usual dining hours, with the inn devoid of customers, the shopkeeper, Zhang, instructed his staff to move the chestnuts to the back. He then welcomed Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an to sit down. Although he was eager for Su Zhi to share more recipes, he couldn’t take them directly to the kitchen just yet.
Su Zhi, mindful of the day’s tasks and not wanting to waste time, was about to suggest heading to the kitchen when she was interrupted.
“Shopkeeper Zhang, reserve a table for me here.”
A middle-aged man entered, appearing distinguished with a beard, dressed in a fine blue cotton robe, hinting at a certain status. Su Zhi recognized him – he was the same person she had seen the last time Li Shi went to sell persimmons. He had requested Li Shi to bring any new delicacies in the future. From what Li Shi mentioned, he was a housekeeper named Zhan, serving a wealthy family surname Qian. Whether he was a head steward or an assistant steward, Su Zhi wasn’t certain.
Upon seeing the arrival of the distinguished man, Shopkeeper Zhang politely gestured for Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi to wait and then approached Housekeeper Zhan with a welcoming smile.
“Housekeeper Zhan, your household’s chefs are skilled. What brings you here to reserve a table? Are you expecting important guests? In that case, we must prepare a grand feast,” Shopkeeper Zhang greeted warmly.
Housekeeper Zhan replied, “Absolutely. Everyone knows about the new dishes here. My master wishes to treat some guests. Prepare both of your new dishes and also include some appetizers. Our guests this time include my mistress and young Miss. The young Miss hasn’t had a good appetite lately, and my master is quite concerned. She is his only niece. Therefore, he wants to take them out for a change of scenery. Please ensure this table is well-prepared.”
He continued, “My mistress and young Miss are from official backgrounds. They’ve had the best cuisines. This time, I plan to sing praises about your inn to them. So, make sure your chefs showcase their skills.”
Shopkeeper Zhang responded promptly, “Absolutely! Our inn’s cuisine surpasses even those in the county town. If Miss isn’t feeling well and doesn’t have appetite, I’ll have the chefs prepare some appetizers.”
“Great! We’ve known each other for years, and my master and your master have a strong bond. If we can improve Miss’s appetite, it will bring benefits to both households,” Shopkeeper Zhang added, acknowledging their long-standing relationship.
Housekeeper Zhan, beaming, remarked, “Our families have been close for years. If Miss enjoys the meal, it will surely be advantageous for both masters.”
Glancing at Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi standing nearby, Housekeeper Zhan found their faces familiar. He had observed the inn’s staff carrying items from the cart outside, presumably belonging to the couple.
“Shopkeeper Zhang, I noticed your staff bringing in items earlier. Are there any new delicacies today?” Housekeeper Zhang inquired.
Shopkeeper Zhang was cautious not to disclose Su Zhi’s involvement in the new dishes, as he wanted to keep her culinary skills a secret to avoid others learning from her.
Not wanting to reveal that the items were chestnuts, Shopkeeper Zhang was hesitant. If he mentioned it, and Su Zhi later taught recipes using chestnuts, Housekeeper Zhan would inevitably connect the dots. Just as he was about to divert the conversation, Housekeeper Zhan engaged Su Zhi in conversation once again.
“Dear sir, young lady, you both seem familiar. Have we met somewhere before?” Housekeeper Zhan inquired.
Shen Zi’an bowed respectfully and replied, “Housekeeper Zhan, indeed we have met. My elder brother, Li Shi, once went to your residence to sell persimmons.”
Upon recalling, Housekeeper Zhan nodded, “Ah, yes, you were with him. Those persimmons were exceptional, crisp and well-liked. My mistress and young Miss, having resided in the capital, have never tasted such persimmons. Li Shi mentioned they were out of stock at home, or else I would have sought more from him.”
Su Zhi realized the popularity of those sweet and crispy persimmons. She pondered whether to share some recipe with Li Shi to help him earn money or teach it to the villagers. With more wealth, she aimed to avoid being the target of envy due to their prosperity.
“Miss, may I inquire about the contents of this basket? I detect a delightful sweetness in the air,” Housekeeper Zhan suddenly asked Su Zhi. Seeing everyone’s attention on him, he chuckled, “My nose has always been keen. Even with the basket covered, I can still discern the scent. I assumed you all heard about it. Considering my young Miss’s poor appetite, I sensed a pleasant aroma and thought she might enjoy it. So, I took the liberty to ask.”
Su Zhi placed the basket on the table, lifting the lid to reveal the remaining hawthorn cakes inside. She explained, “These are the sweet and sour cakes I made myself. I brought them to sell at the market today, and now only a few pieces are left. They are indeed appetizing and have a delightful flavor. Your young Miss, struggling with her appetite, might appreciate them.”
Upon seeing the vibrant and clean hawthorn cakes, Housekeeper Zhang was certain that his young Miss would enjoy them. Wanting to please her, he thought it would bring joy to his master as well. Thus, he decided to purchase the remaining hawthorn cakes.
“Miss, since these hawthorn cakes are for sale, could you sell them to me? How much are you asking for them?” he inquired.
Su Zhi thought it was a great opportunity to sell the remaining hawthorn cakes to the inn.
“I was selling these hawthorn cakes for one coin each at the market earlier. Since this one hasn’t been cut yet, I won’t ask for much. You can have it for thirty coins,” she proposed.
Su Zhi didn’t feel it was fair to charge an exorbitant price for the hawthorn cakes, even though she had doubled the price for the inn.
Housekeeper Zhan promptly paid for the cakes and requested a small food box from the shopkeeper. He carefully placed the hawthorn cakes in a small bowl inside the box before joyfully leaving. He didn’t inquire about the contents of the other basket, easing the shopkeeper’s concerns.
“Miss, your pastry skills are truly remarkable. These cakes are not only visually appealing but delicious as well,” the shopkeeper praised. He couldn’t help but wonder about the unfamiliar hawthorn cakes and suspected they were another creation of Su Zhi’s. Since this was an inn and not a bakery, he considered informing his master about potentially acquiring Su Zhi’s recipe in the future.
Impressed with Su Zhi’s culinary talents, the shopkeeper felt more enthusiastic about her. Su Zhi then suggested, “Shopkeeper Zhang, please lets go to the kitchen and I will begin teaching the staff the new dishes. We have other matters to attend to.”
Shopkeeper Zhang immediately smiled and expressed his gratitude, walking alongside Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an towards the back. En route, he expressed his desire for Su Zhi to sell all her future recipes exclusively to their establishment and not to other inns.
Su Zhi, with a cheerful expression, responded, “Sell the recipes only to your inn? That could work, but the price will have to be different.”
Shopkeeper Zhang promptly agreed, “Of course. If you agree to this request, the price for each recipe will increase to forty taels of silver in the future. That’s a significant increase. Forty taels of silver is quite substantial.”
Indeed, forty taels of silver could buy a fine house or acquire several acres of good land.
After considering the proposal, Su Zhi contemplated her future financial needs. While she might not frequently sell recipes if she didn’t require money, she enjoyed cooking. Who knew what culinary creations she might come up with in the future? Besides, there was always the possibility of opening her own inn. Selling off all her recipes was a decision she wasn’t quite ready to make.
“Let’s settle on twenty taels of silver for each recipe. I assure you that I won’t share the recipes sold to you with any other inns in this town. If there are new dishes in the future, your inn will be the first I approach. As for anything else, I can’t make any promises,” Su Zhi firmly stated.
Upon hearing Su Zhi’s decision, Shopkeeper Zhang wanted to persuade further, but with a gesture from Su Zhi, he understood her resolve. Despite her humble appearance as a farmers wife who seemed amiable, her decisiveness was striking. It was as if she stood firm like a mountain, exuding a calm and resolute aura. This commanding presence surprised him, reminiscent of the authority he felt from his master, albeit not as potent.
As soon as Su Zhi arrived, the two chefs greeted her warmly. They held great admiration for her exceptional culinary skills, hoping to learn more from her.
Su Zhi nodded and efficiently directed the chefs to start preparing the dishes. She supervised and occasionally lent a hand, displaying a natural ease even in the bustling and smoky kitchen.
Shen Zi’an stayed by Su Zhi’s side, not interfering with her actions. He trusted Su Zhi to handle everything adeptly, content to be there as a supportive presence. Watching his wife direct others in the kitchen filled him with a warm sense of contentment, envisioning her cooking in their own kitchen.
Su Zhi taught a dish of braised chestnut chicken this time, deciding not to sell any more recipes afterward. Despite Shopkeeper Zhang’s persistent requests for another dish, Su Zhi eventually relented and taught a method for preparing pig’s head meat. These two recipes earned them forty taels of silver.
The chestnuts were also sold for a little over a tael of silver, with an agreement to deliver more chestnuts next time.
Accompanied by Shopkeeper Zhang, the couple left the inn. They hurried back to the market and found that the three sisters-in-law had nearly sold all the flower ornaments, leaving only three cloth flowers and five silk flowers.
“Let’s take these back for now. We can sell them together next time. Let’s head to the embroidery workshop,” Shen Zi’an suggested as they prepared to move on.
Su Zhi mentioned that while passing by fabric and clothing stores earlier, she had purchased a significant amount of fabric scraps. They could sell these in the future, depending on the availability of fabric scraps.
The sisters-in-law quickly packed up their belongings and boarded the cart. As soon as they settled in, more customers arrived to purchase flower ornaments. The remaining few were sold, with six more silk flowers sold, leaving only two silk flower decorations.
The sisters-in-law were overjoyed, whispering to Su Zhi that the basket was now filled with copper coins, feeling quite content.
Su Zhi smiled, thinking about the potential earnings from over a thousand flower decorations. Even though the individual profits might seem small, considering the minimal cost of twenty wen for two days’ work, the return was truly profitable.