Chapter 45

Xu Qinyu’s recipes for her uncle included various barbecue recipes, with marinades and grilling sauces for about ten types of meats and vegetables. She also included recipes for drinks like sour plum soup, barley tea, osmanthus honey drink, sour milk drink, rice milk drink, milk tea made from cow and goat milk, and some sweet syrups. Additionally, there was a recipe for sweet rice wine.

The marinades for chicken, duck, fish, pork, beef, and lamb were all different, making it quite complex.

In her letter, Xu Qinyu explained to her uncle that these drinks and sweet syrups could be made into ice bowls or cold drinks in the summer, which would sell well. In the winter, they could be served hot. Barbecue could be paired with alcoholic beverages, making it a great combination.

In the summer, they could also add cold noodles and cold dishes, transforming the tea stall into a barbecue stall. The recipes for these cold noodles and dishes were also included in the letter.

Xue Liang murmured, “Barbecue, what is that?”

He looked at the recipes, which described how to make barbecue using an iron rack with charcoal underneath and a metal grid on top. The meat and vegetables would be skewered and grilled on the grid, then brushed with sauce.

Xu Qinyu had modified the method of adding seasoning at the end. Instead of sprinkling spices directly on the skewers, which would be wasteful, she suggested brushing the grilled items with a prepared sauce. This method saved on costs and made the food even more flavorful.
It was similar to fried skewers, where the skewers were brushed with sauce after frying.

Xue Liang wondered where Yuniang had come up with these recipes. She claimed to have thought of them herself. Could these recipes really be delicious?

The barbecue sauce contained two or three types of spices and various other seasonings. And using charcoal to grill meat and vegetables?

He knew that Jixiang Restaurant sold grilled meat, which was likely what Yuniang referred to as barbecue. However, their method involved grilling thinly sliced marinated meat on an iron plate over charcoal. The meat would sizzle and curl up, and a single slice cost at least twenty wen at Jixiang Restaurant.

Everyone knew how to grill meat, but the challenge was in the marinade. Without proper marination, the meat would be fishy and tough, not very tasty.

Xue Liang had never tasted the twenty-wen grilled meat at Jixiang Restaurant, but he had heard about it and knew it was very delicious and tender.

Madam Xue couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, how are Yuniang’s recipes? Can they work?”

“I don’t know,” Xue Liang shook his head. He truly didn’t know. He remembered that Yuniang had learned her cooking skills from him, and while her food was decent, calling it delicious might be an exaggeration.
But if it didn’t work, why would Yuniang write so many recipes with such confidence? The recipes seemed well thought out.

Madam Shi couldn’t help but say, “Can it really work? Jixiang Restaurant’s grilled meat recipes are very complex, and they only have a few types of meat. Yuniang’s recipes include different marinades for various parts of the meat and vegetables, almost twenty types. Can she really surpass the chefs at Jixiang Restaurant? I’ve heard their head chef developed their grilled meat recipes over many years to achieve such delicious and tender results. Look at Yuniang’s recipes; they seem too simple. Did she even test them?”

She wasn’t doubting her niece’s sincerity but was skeptical of her cooking skills.

Madam Xue looked at Madam Shi with some helplessness, “Yuniang must have put a lot of thought into this. Brother, do you think we should try it?”
Ultimately, whether to transform the tea stall into a barbecue stall depended on Xue Liang’s decision.

Xue Liang was still hesitant.

Madam Shi, being impatient, said, “Let’s try it. We’re not immediately changing the tea stall into a barbecue stall. We’ll test Yuniang’s milk tea and barbecue recipes at home first. We have a small metal grid and some charcoal at home. You can chop some bamboo skewers, and I’ll buy some pork belly. Testing it won’t cost much, at most a tael of silver. We’ll buy fewer spices and seasonings to avoid waste.”

Xue Liang asked, “When should we try it?”

“Right now,” Madam Shi said, being a person of action. “The tea stall is under control with our eldest and his wife. Let’s go home and test the recipes. Sister-in-law, don’t go back to the Marquis of Dechang’s residence so early. Stay and taste the food with us.”

“Alright,” Madam Xue agreed. She also wanted to know if her daughter’s recipes would work.

Madam Shi went to the kitchen and informed her eldest son, Xue Huai, and daughter-in-law, Madam Zhang, before heading out to buy the ingredients with Xue Liang.

Xue Liang went to chop bamboo skewers while Madam Shi bought milk.
There were some dairy products available in the capital, so milk and goat milk were relatively affordable. After buying the milk, she also bought pork belly and the necessary spices and seasonings for the barbecue. When they returned to Shangpo Alley, Xue Liang had already finished chopping the bamboo skewers and found the small metal grid, cleaned it, and prepared the charcoal.

Xue Qing was helping out. She had heard her father say that her cousin had sent many recipes, and she was quite excited.

Madam Shi started washing and cutting the pork belly into skewers. She didn’t dare to make the sauce, leaving that to Xue Liang.

Xu Qinyu’s recipes called for large meat skewers, which were more satisfying to eat. So, a pound of pork belly made about twelve large skewers.

Xue Liang was a bit worried about getting the sauce right. Finally, Xue Qing offered, “Father, let me try!” She usually handled breakfast and dinner, and her cooking skills were slightly better than her father’s.

Xue Liang agreed.

Xue Qing took the spices and seasonings to the kitchen and began making the sauce according to her cousin’s recipe.

As the sauce simmered, the kitchen filled with a wonderful aroma.

Madam Shi murmured, “It smells really good.”

Xue Liang had already lit the charcoal and was ready to grill the meat skewers.

When Xue Qing finished the sauce, she poured it into a dish and brought it to the table outside, “Father, you can start grilling the meat skewers. I’ll make the milk tea my cousin mentioned.”

Xue Liang nodded. He had already marinated the meat skewers using Yuniang’s recipe. He placed the skewers on the small metal grid and began grilling them. Although he was only half a cook, his hands trembled slightly as he grilled the skewers.

Xue Qing stayed in the kitchen, following her cousin’s instructions. She first caramelized some sugar, then added black tea and water, bringing it to a boil. She then added milk and continued to simmer. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of milk tea. After simmering, she strained out the tea leaves, leaving a pot of amber-colored milk tea.

Madam Shi, drawn by the aroma, entered the kitchen and saw the milk tea. She couldn’t help but ask, “Can this really be drunk?”

Xue Qing replied, “We’ll know once we taste it!” She poured four bowls of milk tea and brought two bowls out to her aunt and father.

When she returned to the kitchen, she saw her mother holding a bowl, looking surprised and wide-eyed at the amber-colored milk tea.

Xue Qing asked, “Mother, does it taste bad?”

Madam Shi took another sip and said, “No, it’s delicious. I’ve never had such a tasty drink. It’s sweet, with a hint of tea fragrance and no milky smell. I really like it.”

Xue Qing quickly tasted it herself and was also amazed. It was sweet, smooth, and rich.

“It’s really good,” she said.

They didn’t know that if Xu Qinyu were there, the milk tea would taste even better, with a richer texture and a hint of caramel flavor.

Outside, Xue Liang was still grilling the meat skewers and hadn’t had a chance to drink the milk tea. Madam Xue took a sip and had the same surprised expression as Madam Shi and her daughter.

It turned out Yuniang hadn’t deceived them. She really knew how to cook, and the milk tea was delicious.

Madam Xue was even more curious about the barbecue recipes.

After the three women tasted the milk tea, they knew the business could work.

Xue Liang finally finished grilling the meat skewers. Two skewers were slightly overcooked, so he trimmed off the burnt parts and brushed them with the sauce.

Even before brushing the sauce, the aroma filled the courtyard, making the neighbors curious, “What is the Xue family cooking? It smells so good, like meat.”

It was different from the usual grilled meat aroma. Looking at the twelve grilled meat skewers, everyone was momentarily speechless.

Madam Shi was the first to say, “Let me try it first.”

She had already finished her bowl of milk tea and wanted to save the rest for her sons and daughter-in-law. Seeing that no one wanted the meat skewers, she decided to try them first. She took a skewer, bit into the meat, and pulled it off the skewer. The meat was hot but incredibly fragrant and delicious.

“It’s hot, but so tasty,” she said.

Seeing this, the others also took skewers and started eating.

The fat from the meat had rendered out, leaving the surface slightly crispy. With each bite, the exterior was charred and fragrant, while the inside remained tender, infused with the rich flavors of the meat, fat, and sauce. Every bite was bursting with flavor.

Xue Liang exclaimed, “Delicious,” as he ate, his mouth covered in oil and sauce.

If Xu Qinyu were to taste it, she would probably say that her uncle had overcooked the meat skewers a bit. However, with a few more days of practice, the taste would only get better. She also suggested that her uncle practice grilling at home for a few more days before selling.

Not caring about her image, Madam Xue squatted in the courtyard, eating the meat skewers. They were so delicious. She had never tasted the grilled meat from Jixiang Restaurant, but she felt that the grilled meat made from her daughter’s recipe was definitely more fragrant.

Yuniang not only provided the recipes but also suggested prices for each type of meat skewer. For these large meat skewers, with four big pieces of meat on each, Yuniang suggested selling them for six wen per skewer.

Pork belly was cheaper in the capital than at the border because of the higher supply, with many pig farmers and specialized farms. Pork belly cost thirty wen per jin, and sometimes, when there was an oversupply, it could be as cheap as twenty wen per jin. One jin of pork belly could make about twelve large meat skewers. At six wen per skewer, one jin of pork belly could sell for around seventy wen.

After deducting the costs of charcoal, spices, and seasonings, and considering that the skewers could be made from bamboo or wood and reused a few times, the profit from one jin of pork belly could be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight wen.

Everyone ate one skewer each, still craving more as they looked at the remaining skewers.

Xue Liang said, “Let’s all eat these skewers. We’ll buy more meat tonight and continue grilling for the eldest and Jian Ge’er to try. Yuniang said the first attempts might not be perfect, so we should practice more. Let’s buy more meat and make more grilled meat to satisfy everyone’s cravings.”

However, to make a business out of grilling meat, they couldn’t use such a small metal grid. They needed to have an iron rack made, as Yuniang suggested. Xue Liang estimated that such an iron rack would cost seven or eight taels of silver. They also needed to buy meat, seasonings, spices, and charcoal. The few taels of silver they had earned in the past few months wouldn’t be enough.

Additionally, Xue Liang didn’t plan to implement all of Yuniang’s suggestions at once. He intended to start by selling large pork skewers and milk tea, possibly adding sweet rice wine. He would continue selling his tea.

Trying to do too much at once wouldn’t work. If the pork skewers sold well, he would then add large lamb skewers, which had different marinade and sauce recipes. He would take it slow. His tea stall was small and couldn’t accommodate all of Yuniang’s suggestions. Her ideas were enough to open a two or three-story shop.

He understood the value of these recipes and planned to memorize them with his sister before burning the written copies to prevent them from being stolen.

Madam Xue knew her brother didn’t have enough money, so she offered, “I have a few taels of silver from my embroidery work over the past two months. You can use it.”

Madam Shi added, “I’ve sold my gold jewelry to gather some money. These recipes from Yuniang are very valuable. Once we start making money, we’ll share the profits with you. You shouldn’t do embroidery anymore. Yuniang gave us these recipes because she doesn’t want you to hurt your eyes.”

Madam Xue shook her head, “That’s not necessary. You’ve been working hard, and I haven’t been able to help much. You don’t need to share the profits with me. Just take care of Yuniang, and she’ll continue to be grateful and share her recipes with you.”

Madam Shi insisted, “These recipes are the most valuable.” She knew the worth of these recipes. Even the 100 taels they gave to Yuniang wouldn’t be enough to buy them. These were unique dishes never seen in the capital, and they were sure to make money.

After some back-and-forth, they decided to give Madam Xue a monthly share of one tael of silver. They all hoped that selling grilled meat and milk tea would double their previous earnings, making four to six taels of silver a month.

After half a month of practice, Xue Liang’s grilled meat was quite good. It had a perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender interior, infused with meat, fat, and sauce flavors.

Finally, the day came to start selling grilled meat. Early in the morning, the family loaded everything onto a donkey cart and headed to the tea stall. They busily prepared in the small backyard, washing, chopping, and marinating the meat.

For the first day, they prepared ten jin of pork belly, making about a hundred skewers.

Madam Shi began to worry, “What if we can’t sell all of it? Our family can’t eat ten jin of meat.”

Xue Qing, dressed in simple gray clothes, helped in the kitchen and reassured her mother, “Don’t worry, Mother. We should be able to sell some of it.” She didn’t expect to sell everything.

Their grilled meat skewers were delicious, comparable to the twenty-wen grilled meat at Jixiang Restaurant, but with much larger portions. She had heard that Jixiang’s grilled meat was so thin that it disappeared before you could savor it, while their skewers were satisfying.

At six wen per skewer, it was a bit pricey, but compared to Jixiang’s grilled meat, it was a bargain. Of course, their small stall couldn’t compare to Jixiang Restaurant.

After breakfast, they opened the tea stall, and Xue Liang set up the grill at the entrance and started grilling the meat.

The charcoal fire was lit, and the meat on the grill sizzled, releasing a delicious aroma. The nearby vendors, who knew Xue Liang, joked, “Old Xue, what strange thing are you making now? But it sure smells good.”

Xue Liang’s tea stall didn’t have a storefront, just a few small vendors with stalls nearby. The smoke from the grill didn’t bother anyone.

Xue Liang explained, “I’ve come up with some new food. I’m going to try selling these grilled meat skewers.”

The vendors asked about the price and found out it was six wen per skewer, which they thought was a bit expensive, so they didn’t buy any.

After a while, a regular customer came by, drawn by the aroma. He asked about the price, and Xue Liang told him it was six wen per skewer. The customer thought it was a bit pricey but remembered that grilled meat at Jixiang Restaurant cost twenty wen per slice. This grilled meat seemed similar but had four large pieces and smelled amazing, so he decided to try two skewers.

With each skewer purchase, a cup of tea was included. Milk tea was eight wen per bowl, so it wasn’t included.

Xue Liang also told the customer about the new drink, milk tea, which cost eight wen per bowl. Most men don’t like sweet drinks, so the customer wasn’t interested in milk tea.

When the grilled meat skewers were served, the customer took a bite and exclaimed, “Delicious! Really delicious!” His mouth was covered in oil.

Two skewers were quite satisfying, though not enough to fill him up.

To the Xue family’s surprise, they sold out of meat on the first day.

In the evening, a customer who had tried the skewers and had some extra money ordered ten skewers, eating to his heart’s content. However, they didn’t sell much milk tea, with only two customers who liked sweet drinks and found it very tasty.

The next day, Xue Liang prepared twenty jin of meat, and they sold out again.

A month later, they calculated their earnings and couldn’t believe their eyes. Looking at the box of silver and copper coins, they found that after deducting costs, they had earned about thirty taels of silver that month.

Initially, they didn’t sell much each day, but as more people tried the skewers, word spread. Wealthy families even sent their servants to buy dozens of skewers at a time. Knowing they had a new drink, they also bought a lot to try. Eventually, they were selling sixty to seventy jin of meat skewers daily, from noon until the night market closed, sometimes running out of skewers.

Milk tea also became popular, mostly among female customers. Some women would come to the tea stall to eat grilled meat and drink milk tea, sitting inside the shop, while the men sat outside under the canopy.

Sometimes, when the tables were full, people didn’t mind waiting nearby for the grilled meat skewers to be ready. They would wrap them in oil paper and eat them on the go.

Madam Shi murmured, “Did we really earn more than thirty taels of silver?” She felt like she was dreaming.

Previously, selling tea and snacks only brought in two or three taels a month. They had hoped to double that, but now they had earned over thirty taels.

Madam Shi’s eyes reddened, and she felt like crying. She also felt guilty for arguing with her husband for nearly a month when he gave Yuniang that hundred taels of silver. But Yuniang had given them a business that made so much money.

Xue Liang’s voice trembled, “And this was just the second half of the month when business really picked up. Next month, we could earn even more, maybe even double.” He had never imagined earning so much in a month.

Xue Liang planned to add lamb skewers, grilled chives, and grilled lotus root slices, along with some drinks.

With such earnings, Xue Liang and Madam Shi decided that giving Madam Xue just one tael a month wasn’t enough. They planned to give her twenty percent of their monthly earnings.

Without Yuniang’s recipes, they wouldn’t have made so much money. They needed to take good care of Madam Xue and ensure she didn’t do embroidery work anymore.

Madam Xue hadn’t visited her brother’s tea stall in a month. When Madam Shi came to see her and brought seven taels of silver, she was astonished. Hearing that they had earned over thirty taels that month left her speechless.

Madam Shi added, “Next month, we’ll earn even more, maybe even double!”

Sixty or seventy taels a month was unimaginable for them before.

Madam Xue stammered, “Just from those skewers and milk tea? And there are still so many recipes we haven’t used. Yuniang really didn’t deceive us. She knows how to cook and plans to open a restaurant.”

Madam Shi laughed, “Exactly. Yuniang didn’t deceive you. Her cooking must be even better, and her restaurant will surely earn more than us. You don’t need to worry about her not having money. So, you must listen to Yuniang and stop doing embroidery. Otherwise, when you meet her one day, if you’re blind, imagine how sad Yuniang would be.”

Madam Xue wiped her eyes and smiled, “Yes, I won’t do embroidery anymore.” She also looked forward to the day she could reunite with her daughter.

Madam Xue accepted the silver and planned to save it, sending money to her daughter every six months with Ma Liu’s help.

…

Meanwhile, in the border town, Xu Qinyu had already estimated that her uncle’s tea stall could easily earn dozens of taels a month by selling grilled meat. However, due to limited manpower and space, they could only earn a few dozen taels a month unless they expanded and turned it into a dedicated barbecue restaurant, which would be even more profitable.

Barbecue was indeed a lucrative business. In her time, early barbecue businesses made a fortune. It was only later, when many people followed the trend and barbecue restaurants became ubiquitous, that the market became saturated.

Xu Qinyu knew her uncle couldn’t implement all her recipes at once. They should start by selling one or two types of grilled meat and one or two types of drinks. You can’t become successful overnight.

Initially, all these recipes were designed for a large barbecue restaurant. Once her uncle earned enough to open a bigger place, he could use all of them. Her uncle had a good relationship with her mother, and although her aunt had a quick temper, she was a kind person who would never mistreat her mother. Xu Qinyu estimated that they would share about 20% of their monthly earnings with Madam Xue.

The more they earned, the more Madam Xue received, making life easier for the second branch of the family in the marquis’s residence and giving Xu Qinyu peace of mind. Otherwise, she always felt guilty for taking over the original owner’s body and felt she owed the original owner and her family. Even though this time travel wasn’t something she wanted.

A few days after Ma Liu left, Xu Qinyu calculated her savings and decided to start looking for a shop.