Chapter 33: You Must Buy This Recipe!

Su Yi’an approached from a distance and saw He Ningwen and Yun Niang chatting animatedly. He Ningwen gestured wildly, her face lit with excitement, while He Yunhuai stood silently beside her like a wooden post, speaking only when addressed.

“You’re back? Do you need anything else?” Yun Niang asked with a smile, spotting Su Yi’an first.

Su Yi’an shook her head. Everything she needed was already in her back basket. The heavy load made her shoulders ache, she just wanted to find a bullock cart heading back to the village.

“Let’s wait for Zhuang Shan at the town gate. We can return together,” Yun Niang suggested. “Have you been up the mountain looking for me lately?”

Of course she had. Despite being busy with her trading, Su Yi’an had occasionally gone up to bring Yun Niang some sausages, grateful for her repeated kindness. But every time, the courtyard had been deserted—not even a dog’s bark.

“Since you’re asking, you must not have been on the mountain recently,” Su Yi’an replied.

Yun Niang’s heart warmed—Su Yi’an really had come looking for her. She didn’t hide the truth. “Zhuang Shan and I went deep into the mountains a while ago.”

Game could be found deep in the mountains, so it wasn’t surprising that Zhuang Shan, a hunter, would go. But Yun Niang had gone with him, and it was bitterly cold in the depths.

Seeing Su Yi’an about to ask more, Yun Niang explained, “An old hunter built a brick-walled courtyard deep in the forest. I’ve been staying there.”

The high wall brought peace of mind—bears and wolves in those woods were no joke.

As they walked and talked, they soon reached the edge of town. Zhuang Shan stood waiting with a mule harnessed to a flatbed cart.

A mule wasn’t cheap—at least six taels of silver.

With it, trips to town would be much easier. Su Yi’an watched with envy. When would her little business afford one?

He Yunhuai noticed the starlight in her eyes and understood her thoughts. His hand, hanging at his side, slowly curled into a fist.

I need to earn more money. A lot more.

On the way back, Yun Niang told them she and Zhuang Shan planned to open a shop in town—not a restaurant, but a butcher shop.

The town’s two main butchers, Butcher Wang and Butcher Li, had shops on opposite ends of town and didn’t compete.

“You’ve really decided?” Su Yi’an asked. “Have you found a place?” Choosing the right location was key—too much envy, and someone might sabotage you.

Yun Niang nodded. “We’ve looked everywhere. Butcher Wang helped us pick one. Now we can use the mule cart to haul goods into town.”

Even after the cart stopped in front of the He family’s courtyard, the two women kept chatting. They agreed to talk more on the way to town the next day.

Before they entered the courtyard, the rich aroma of meat drifted from the kitchen.

No doubt Mother He had made a meat dish. Otherwise, the smell wouldn’t carry so far.

“Mom, what delicious dish are you making today? It smells amazing!” He Ningwen called as she entered the kitchen, her basket still on her back. She found Mother He slicing tofu.

“Tell Sister Su not to come in yet—she should rest. Dinner will be ready soon,” Mother He said as she lifted the pot lid and added the fresh tofu to the simmering broth.

The aroma was mouthwatering. He Ningwen took a deep breath and sighed, “Mom, this smells incredible!”

Mother He smiled in satisfaction.

The napa cabbage and tofu had come from the villagers.

Two large tofu blocks cost five copper coins, and a hefty head of napa cabbage another five.

At the tofu stall, villagers avoided Mother He, quickly parting when she approached. But the vendor—a pragmatic auntie who cared only about money—sold to anyone who could pay.

Three coins for one block, or five for two. Mother He paid five and left with her bowl.

Su Yi’an didn’t rest. She set down her basket and headed straight for the kitchen.

She echoed He Ningwen’s compliment.

“Mother, today’s dishes smell wonderful. The meat especially.”

Mother He beamed. Her cooking hadn’t always been so good. The fragrance was thanks to the meat.

“Then you must eat plenty,” she said warmly.

At dinner, everyone had rice porridge, cabbage and tofu, and tender stewed pork. They dug in with gusto.

The pork was especially delicious. Mother He had cut it into thick chunks and fried it first—crispy outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender inside. It fell apart easily under bamboo chopsticks.

The tofu, simmered in savory broth, was full of flavor.

As Su Yi’an ate, she thought about her business. A pound of pork could be cut into twenty pieces. At thirty-five wen per pound, plus salt, firewood, and other costs, each piece would sell for at least three wen.

Vegetarian noodles cost six wen. Add meat, and it would be nine. Still a good deal, considering the quality.

“Aunt, have some,” He Xingchen said, noticing Su Yi’an hadn’t touched her chopsticks for a while. He placed a piece of meat in her bowl.

Mother He teased him, “Your grandmother made this. Why not serve her first?”

“Grandma, you eat too! Everyone eat!” He Xingchen got up and placed a piece in each person’s bowl. Only after they all laughed did he sit back down.

As for their bedridden father, he could only strain his ears to hear the laughter, then take a bitter bite of dry flatbread.

After the meal, everyone went back to their tasks.

He Yunhuai handed some coins to his eldest brother, He Songyuan. “This is from copying books.”

“Why give it to me? You keep it,” He Songyuan said. “I’m just sitting at home. You’re running around and staying up late copying—how can your body take it?”

He knew what others didn’t. They shared a kang bed. Every night, He Yunhuai would cough, stifling it so as not to wake him.

Even before recovering fully, He Yunhuai had been going out daily. Without him, the noodle stall couldn’t survive.

Seeing Yunhuai still holding the coins, Songyuan added, “If you don’t want them, give them to Mother.”

Su Yi’an managed the household finances. Mother He refused her money, relying on income from selling firewood recently.

“Alright,” He Yunhuai said, pocketing the coins. Then he handed Songyuan a bundle. “The bookstore owner sent these. Two books this time.”

Each book earned sixty copper coins. He Songyuan opened the bundle eagerly—imperial exam prep materials.

A long-held question surfaced. He looked at his younger brother and asked quietly, “Are you… planning to take the exams next year?”

“I don’t know,” He Yunhuai replied quickly, barely glancing at the books.

With the family still struggling, he had no time for lofty dreams.

Outside, night had fallen, and the younger household members gathered in the kitchen.

Su Yi’an had announced she would prepare something new to sell at market tomorrow. With the Lunar New Year approaching, every extra coin mattered.

Of the four pounds of pork brought home, two were ground and stuffed into sausage casings. But this time, they wouldn’t hang them to dry.

He Ningwen watched as Su Yi’an used an embroidery needle to prick tiny holes in the sausages.

“See anything?” Su Yi’an asked, finishing the last segment.

He Ningwen grinned. “Su-jie, you pricked each one twenty times! Why?”

“I didn’t even realize,” Su Yi’an replied. “It’s just to release air. Once they’re dry, we’ll boil them.”

“Boil them?” He Ningwen echoed, still unsure, but stayed to observe.

Meanwhile, Mother He cut a pound of premium pork belly into twenty small cubes.The meat was fried again, then simmered in water.

When He Yunhuai came in, the stew was ready. Mother He added smaller tofu chunks.

After cooling, the contents were stored in a large earthenware jar for Su Yi’an to take to market.

She had told Mother He her plan to rent a shop in town.

A street stall limited their food options and profits. Hauling the stove daily was exhausting.

Mother He agreed a shop would be ideal—but renting was costly.They needed to save more. If they earned enough before the new year, they’d rent afterward.

He Yunhuai handed the coins to Mother He.

Knowing how they were earned, she waved them away. “Your earnings. Give them to Yi’an.”

And so the sixty coins ended up back in Su Yi’an’s hands.

With everyone watching, she reluctantly accepted.

That night, she tucked the sixty coins and the day’s silver bits into the rat hole in her room.

In Huai’an Town, Young Master Qiu of the silk merchant family rushed home.

Butler Qiu, seeing him drenched in sweat, pulled out a handkerchief. “Young Master, why did you run in this cold? You’re soaked!”

“Butler Qiu,” the young master said, handing him something, “I found what you’ve been searching for.”

“What?” The butler blinked, then froze as he saw the section of sausage.

The young master headed off to change. “It’s still warm. Have the kitchen slice it and bring it to the table. Then boil some noodles. I’ll eat with my parents later.”

Butler Qiu nodded repeatedly. As he turned to go, a bitter feeling rose in his chest.

If someone else had found it, fine. But the young master had found it himself.

He delivered the sausage to the kitchen, then rushed to Bright Moon Inn.

He needed to find out what Manager Ren had been doing—three days had passed, and nothing had been delivered.

At the inn, Manager Ren stared at the plate of cracked sausages.

They had casings and meat—why wasn’t it working?

“Manager Ren, B-Butler Qiu is here,” the waiter stammered. Butler Qiu pushed the door open.

Manager Ren quickly switched to a warm smile.

“This is the sausage Brother Ren spoke of?” Butler Qiu said coldly, pointing at the plate.

Manager Ren was about to change the subject, but Butler Qiu cut him off.

“My young master brought the sausages home himself. Seems our deal is off.” He wasn’t lying. Once his young master took an interest in something, he would demand it daily until he lost interest.

Manager Ren’s dream of profiting from the deal vanished. His carelessness had cost him.

“He found them?” Manager Ren instantly remembered his polite refusal days ago.

“Of course. Would I be here otherwise?” Butler Qiu snapped.

Manager Ren had no choice. He called for Chef Li.

“Go buy the recipe immediately,” he ordered. “Name your price.”