Chapter 20: You’re Amazing, You Actually Earned Thirty Copper Coins…

Su Yi’an stopped and turned to the approaching figure.

The young servant wore a smile, but it felt strangely artificial, as if it were a mask he wore for everyone.

“Are you here to buy sausages?” Su Yi’an asked.

The servant neither confirmed nor denied but instead pointed to the Bright Moon Pavilion across the street and said, “My master wishes to invite you to visit.”

Though Huai’an Town was subordinate to Qingyang Prefecture City, it was home to many wealthy residents.

The Bright Moon Pavilion itself spoke volumes. Its opulent exterior hinted at the extravagance within, and one could only imagine the exorbitant prices of its dishes.

Driven by the desire to sell her sausages, Su Yi’an decided to follow.

“Do you think we can sell them here?” Su Yi’an whispered.

He Yunhuai secretly doubted it but, unwilling to discourage her, hedged, “If the pavilion takes a liking to them…”

The pair entered the Bright Moon Pavilion with their bamboo baskets, enduring the curious gazes of the hall’s patrons as they ascended to the second floor.

The servant knocked on the last room and opened the door only after hearing a response from within.

“Please come in, you two.”

Su Yi’an entered with her basket on her back. The spacious room contained only a portly man seated at a table, sipping tea.

Noticing their arrival, the man finally looked up and smiled. “Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the servant closed the door behind them, leaving only the three of them in the room.

Observing his attire, Su Yi’an began to suspect this man was the tavern’s shopkeeper.

“Did you have us summoned here to purchase our goods?” she asked, her suspicions growing. If he simply wanted sausages, he could have bought them directly. Why summon them to the tavern?

Could he be after the recipe?

The man set down his teacup and introduced himself. “As you’ve likely surmised, I am Manager Ren of this tavern. I noticed you hawking your wares at the market earlier. I must confess, I’ve never heard of these ‘sausages’ before. Curious about them, I invited you here.”

His tone was polite enough. Could he truly be interested in doing business with them?

For a moment, Su Yi’an regretted lowering the price to ten coins. This man and his restaurant clearly catered to wealthy patrons.

“May I take a look?” Manager Ren asked with a smile, his tone courteous and showing no hint of condescension. His demeanor was even more welcoming than that of the clerk they had encountered at the bookstore earlier.

Su Yi’an retrieved a section of sausage from her basket and placed it on the celadon-glazed porcelain plate on the table. “This is it,” she said, gesturing to it.

The dried sausage looked unappetizing and felt hard to the touch. If not for its cleanliness and lack of odor, Manager Ren might have doubted its edibility.

“Do you simply slice it and eat it as is?” the shopkeeper asked, poking it with bamboo chopsticks before looking up.

“Normally, you boil it in plain water. Once cooked, you can slice and eat it,” Su Yi’an explained.

Manager Ren nodded. “Any other methods?”

“Steaming is another option. It intensifies the flavor,” Su Yi’an replied. She had always used plenty of seasonings, so boiling suited her taste better.

The shopkeeper studied the sausage again, then finally said, “Then I’ll try it. Bring me two sections, prepared using each method.”

Su Yi’an, sensing a sale, quickly pulled two sections from her basket.

These sausages weren’t large; each section was shorter than her palm. On the plate, they looked even smaller.

The shopkeeper didn’t seem to mind. He had a servant take the plate away, reiterating the preparation instructions.

Su Yi’an felt a flicker of excitement. If the shopkeeper liked the sausage, she could establish a business relationship with the restaurant. That would allow her to produce sausages in bulk without worrying about selling them.

“May I ask where you two obtained this sausage?” Manager Ren rose to personally pour tea for them.

Su Yi’an thought the deal might be promising.

But before she could answer, He Yunhuai spoke first. “It’s a family heirloom recipe.”

“Ah, I see. That explains why I’ve never encountered it before,” Manager Ren said, dropping the subject.

The three exchanged polite conversation over tea until the servant returned with the sausage. Only then did Manager Ren steer the discussion back.

The kitchen staff had already sliced the two sausages and arranged them on separate plates. The steamed one was garnished with green vegetable leaves, while the boiled sausage rested on a bed of white radish strips.

The steamed sausage was noticeably darker in color.

Manager Ren picked up bamboo chopsticks and took a small bite.

Perhaps accustomed to delicacies, his expression remained impassive.

Only after swallowing did he remark, “It’s made of pork.”

He sampled each sausage once before setting down his chopsticks, his interest clearly waning.

“I didn’t expect this outer casing,” he said casually. “Is it safe to eat?”

“The casing is edible. Why would it be harmful?” Su Yi’an replied, surprised by his focus on that detail.

Manager Ren’s lukewarm assessment made Su Yi’an’s heart sink. She feared the deal was slipping away.

His smile remained, but now it seemed less genuine to her.

“While this is novel, it’s ultimately just pork,” he said.

Su Yi’an understood: their sausage wasn’t worthy of his establishment.

“Shopkeeper Ren, you’ve tasted countless rare delicacies. This humble pork sausage must indeed seem ordinary to you,” she said politely.

She couldn’t tell whether the sausage truly didn’t meet his standards or if he was deliberately undervaluing it.

Before she could figure it out, Manager Ren sighed a few more times and finally had a servant bring the copper coins to Su Yi’an.

“Here are thirty wen, exactly the price for these two sections of sausage.”

One item, one transaction.

As Su Yi’an descended the stairs with her basket, her mood was noticeably less buoyant. She glanced at the diners’ tables in the hall.

Though she couldn’t taste the dishes, their presentation was exquisite. Even the two plates of sausage she had sold came with vegetable garnishes.

“Let’s not sell the rest for now,” He Yunhuai said, turning to look back. He caught a glimpse of someone hurrying around the corner of the second-floor staircase.

“You’re right. Better to take them home and eat them than sell them at a loss,” Su Yi’an muttered.

“Thirty wen is still a good start,” He Yunhuai reassured her.

Perhaps due to his greater experience, He Yunhuai had a better read on people. He had disliked Manager Ren from the beginning, and the failed deal came as no surprise.

Su Yi’an shook her head, not replying.

What could thirty wen buy? A pound of pork cost thirty-five wen these days.

Perhaps her initial expectations had been too high. The inability to sell all the sausage left her disheartened.

This business venture was proving far more challenging than she had imagined.

“Call Chef Li,” Manager Ren ordered, his gaze fixed on the two plates of sausage left on the table.

The young servant couldn’t fathom his intentions but dutifully summoned the chef.

“Shopkeeper, what can I do for you?” Head Chef Li asked, having just finished his kitchen duties. When he heard Manager Ren had called, he assumed he had failed in preparing the unusual dishes.

Manager Ren tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “Try these,” he said casually.

Relieved, the chef took a bite.

“Well?” Manager Ren asked.

“The meat is firm and flavorful. A bit too salty to eat on its own, but it would pair well with other dishes,” Head Chef Li replied, his eyes lighting up.

A faint smile curled Manager Ren’s lips. “Can you tell what it’s made of?”

“That’s easy—pork. But…”

“But what?”

“But I can’t identify the casing. It’s so thin yet so durable—it didn’t break whether boiled or steamed.”

“Do you know what sausage casing is?” Manager Ren asked.

Head Chef Li shook his head. He knew what intestines were, but he’d never heard the term ‘sausage casing’ before. Still, it had to be something from the intestines.

“Take this plate and study it. If you can replicate it within five days, I’ll reward you with five taels of silver.” Manager Ren rose, cradling his lotus-patterned blue-and-white teacup, and stood by the window, gazing into the distance.

The two who had sat here moments ago with their bamboo baskets and patched clothes were now disappearing down the street.

“Shopkeeper, why go to such lengths to figure out how it’s made? Why didn’t you just ask them directly?” the young apprentice asked.

“Tell me, what do the poor desire most?” Manager Ren drained his tea and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

“Silver, of course.” The apprentice’s eyes widened in realization . “Shopkeeper, you’re truly brilliant!”