Chapter 64

After Xu’s Food Mansion reopened, it became even busier. Despite the high prices for breakfast, the people of Yuanbao Town wanted to buy some to take home for their families to try.

In the first few days, breakfast was almost sold out by noon. Eventually, Cheng Ge’er had to tell the customers that it was impossible to continue serving breakfast because his master in the kitchen was already exhausted and couldn’t keep up. Only then did the customers leave.

Fortunately, there were a few helpers. Xu Qinyu would wash up and rest for an hour before preparing dinner.

Dinner also saw more customers than usual, extending service by an hour. By the time Xu Qinyu returned home in the evening, she was so tired that she could barely lift her arms. Feeling sorry for her daughter-in-law, Madam Wen had her wash up and lie on the bed.

Xu Qinyu smiled and asked, “Mother, what are you doing?”

Madam Wen, recalling something, smiled gently, “The late emperor was also busy. After reviewing memorials every day, he would feel uncomfortable. I used to massage his shoulders, neck, and back, which made him feel much better.”

Xu Qinyu quickly said, “Mother, you shouldn’t do this. I’ll be fine after a nap.” She felt embarrassed to let Madam Wen massage her.

However, Madam Wen insisted, making Xu Qinyu lie down.

Xu Qinyu obediently lay down, and Madam Wen sat by the bed, massaging her shoulders, neck, back, and waist. Madam Wen’s strength wasn’t great, but it was very relaxing and comfortable.

Madam Wen didn’t speak, probably thinking about the late emperor and her eldest son.

Xu Qinyu fell asleep without realizing it. Once she was asleep, Madam Wen left and instructed Pei Jianing, “Ning Jie’er, when you go to your room to rest, walk quietly so you don’t wake your sister-in-law.”

Ning Jie’er smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Mother. I know.”

She also felt sorry for Fourth Sister-in-law. Every time she went to bed, she found her sister-in-law already asleep, so she moved quietly to avoid waking her.

The next day, Xu Qinyu felt much better than the previous days. Despite being busy, she had slept well and didn’t feel as sore.

In the following days, Xu’s Food Mansion remained busy with many customers, including old customers from Donglai Restaurant who came for breakfast and dinner. These customers had heard about Xu’s Food Mansion’s good food but didn’t like going to West Street. They felt that although Xu’s Food Mansion’s food was good, the place was too small, and they had to queue. It was more comfortable at Donglai Restaurant, which was spacious, not crowded, and had private rooms. However, due to Xu’s Food Mansion’s efforts to help the disaster victims, everyone wanted to visit it, even if it meant queuing.

Once they tried Xu’s Food Mansion’s food, they were hooked. They went back and told their friends, “Everyone who has eaten at Xu’s Food Mansion says the food is delicious. I thought Donglai Restaurant’s food was good, but Xu’s Food Mansion’s breakfast and dinner are truly unforgettable. The only downside is the long queues.”

As Xu’s Food Mansion’s customers increased, Donglai Restaurant’s customer flow decreased significantly. However, the owner didn’t complain.

In addition to Donglai Restaurant’s reduced customer flow, Wen Yuling’s restaurant on East Street also finally opened. Her restaurant, Xiangrui Restaurant, had very few customers, unlike the bustling scene she had imagined. She felt disheartened and believed that Xu Qinyu’s success was due to her good deeds in helping the disaster victims, which brought fame to Xu’s Food Mansion and attracted customers.

Her father advised her, “Ling Jie’er, don’t be anxious. Xu’s Food Mansion’s business is booming now, but it won’t last forever. Once the novelty wears off, people won’t queue for breakfast and dinner every day. Our restaurant’s business will improve. Doing business requires patience.”

Wen Yuling could only suppress her anxiety and wait.

In recent days, besides being busy with Xu’s Food Mansion, Xu Qinyu also had Gong Ge’er lead Xu Feng and the others to the mountains to pick more wild grapes for wine-making. Washing, picking, and drying the grapes, as well as cleaning the wine jars, were tasks she didn’t need to worry about. Even the subsequent wine-making process didn’t require her hands-on involvement. She only needed to measure the right amounts of grapes and rock sugar, and Cheng Ge’er and the others would help with filling and sealing the jars.

In just a few days, they made about seventy more jars of wine and would continue to make more in the future.

The fermentation jars were ordinary large wine jars, costing only a few coins each. However, once the wine was fermented, it needed to be transferred to better small wine bottles.

Xu Qinyu specially ordered these small porcelain wine bottles. The white porcelain bottles had “Xu’s Grape Wine” engraved on them. These engraved white porcelain bottles were not cheap, costing fifty coins each. However, since she ordered a large quantity, she initially ordered a thousand bottles for fifty taels of silver, and the seller gave her a discount of two taels.

The first batch of wine had a fragrant aroma. When Xu Qinyu noticed the scent was about right, she had Cheng Ge’er and the others pour the fermented wine into the exquisite white porcelain bottles for a second fermentation. In the hot weather, the second fermentation took about half a month. After that, the wine was ready to drink, and there was no need to change containers. The white porcelain bottles were just right.

Each white porcelain bottle could hold about one jin (500 grams) of wine. This fruit wine was meant to be a refined product, not sold too cheaply, but also not at an exorbitant price. At least the wealthy merchants and officials in Raozhou City could afford it.

A large jar of wine could fill about seven small bottles, with each bottle priced at one tael of silver. The thin necks of the small bottles were tied with fine silk ribbons, which Xu Qinyu bought as leftover materials from the Xia family. Pei Jianing helped cut the ribbons and was paid for her work, though she was reluctant to accept the money, saying she had no other tasks besides making bags and that the household chores were already taken care of. Helping her sister-in-law was only right.

Xu Qinyu didn’t insist. Pei Jianing’s handmade bags were very delicate, with no two bags exactly alike. Even bags of the same type had slightly different patterns.

Xu Qinyu often saw many young ladies at the market carrying or slinging Pei Jianing’s bags.

Pei Jianing’s bags were not the modern type but matched well with the traditional attire of the young ladies, such as skirts and long shirts. They were small and exquisite, could be carried by hand or slung over the shoulder, and were more like accessories to match their clothes, hairstyles, and jewelry.

After all, for women, bags were indeed more like decorative items.

Pei Jianing makes about four or five bags each month. The bags she makes now are pre-ordered by the daughters of wealthy families, with each bag priced between two and five taels of silver. The fabrics used are no longer scraps but whole pieces of silk and satin.

Although there are imitations of these bags in the market, they are not as exquisite as Pei Jianing’s, and the patterns are exact copies of hers, sold at lower prices. However, this does not affect her business. The daughters of wealthy merchants naturally want the best and will not settle for cheaper imitations.

In this way, Xu Qinyu’s first batch of wine was divided into 140 bottles, all stored in the utility room, waiting for the second fermentation.

Everyone at Xu’s Food Mansion was busy. Seven or eight days passed, and the disaster victims outside Yuanbao Town were still there. They wanted to stay in Yuanbao Town, but upon learning that the household registration fee was five taels of silver per person, they couldn’t afford it and had to go to villages that didn’t require a registration fee. However, they couldn’t leave yet. The county magistrate told them that their resettlement was being discussed with higher authorities. But this was just a lie to deceive the ordinary disaster victims, which didn’t fool Madam Wen.

Madam Wen, being the empress, saw the problem. She knew that three villages under Raozhou City had disaster victims who contracted diarrhea. These villages were sealed off, and people were sent to protect and treat them. However, the disaster victims outside the town were not allowed to leave, clearly because it was too risky. Why? Because the higher authorities hadn’t given any orders. The diarrhea disease was so severe that even the Prefect of Raozhou City couldn’t make a decision and had to send a secret letter to the capital. Given the nature of the new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu, they might decide to eliminate the problem entirely, even considering massacring the people of Yuanbao Town due to their contact with the disaster victims.

Madam Wen knew that Empress Dowager Fu initially wanted to kill her entire family. But the court officials protested so fiercely that Empress Dowager Fu didn’t dare to act and exiled them instead.

Worried that the two in the palace might order the massacre of the town and villages, Madam Wen had been distracted while doing the accounts. When she returned home in the evening and offered to massage Xu Qinyu’s muscles, Xu Qinyu couldn’t help but ask about her concerns, having noticed her mother-in-law’s unease.

Madam Wen thought for a moment and didn’t hide her worries from Xu Qinyu.

After hearing this, Xu Qinyu’s heart sank. It seemed her previous suspicions were correct. The new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu were indeed not good people and might actually order the massacre of the town and villages.

Madam Wen added, “Yuniang, don’t worry too much. The court officials won’t let them act recklessly. Besides, the diarrhea disease can now be prevented and cured, so it shouldn’t come to a massacre.”

As Madam Wen spoke, her gaze couldn’t help but fall on Yuniang.

Yuniang was lying on the bed, her head slightly turned, revealing half of her fair cheek. Her brow was furrowed, still worried about what had been said.

Previously, regarding the prevention of the diarrhea disease in Yuanbao Town, Madam Wen didn’t believe it was County Magistrate Yang who came up with the preventive measures. That day, Yuniang had personally gone to the yamen, and then these preventive measures appeared. It was likely that Yuniang had thought of them. These methods were not recorded in any books, rare manuscripts, miscellaneous notes, or travelogues. Otherwise, even if there was a slight chance, they would have been discovered and tried by people long ago to prevent plagues.

Fortunately, Yuniang understood that their family couldn’t take credit for this. Otherwise, if those two in the palace found out, they would see Yuniang and the Pei family as a threat and wouldn’t spare them.

But Madam Wen was thinking about something else at the moment. Yuniang knew so much…

Madam Wen couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Well, no matter what, Yuniang was still Yuniang, someone who wholeheartedly cared for the family and treated them well.

Madam Wen reached out and tucked the hair sticking to Yuniang’s cheek behind her ear, then began massaging her shoulders and arms.

Because Madam Wen had mentioned the two in the palace, Xu Qinyu had been on edge for several days.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to worry for long. A few days later, soldiers from Raozhou City posted a notice stating that the emperor’s grace was boundless. They had found preventive and curative measures for the diarrhea disease and had already sent people to various places to provide relief, implement preventive measures, and treat the diarrhea patients.

Once the notice was posted, the disaster victims outside the town packed up and left Yuanbao Town, heading to villages where they didn’t need to pay a registration fee.

The town finally returned to its usual tranquility.

It was already midsummer, and many crops were being harvested. Xu Qinyu bought a lot of young peanuts to make five-spice salted dried peanuts. These salted dried peanuts are made with their shells on, and the best flavor comes from using fresh peanuts. Once made, they can be stored for a long time, even until after the New Year.

The process is simple. Fresh peanuts are washed to remove the dirt, then boiled in prepared brine until cooked and left for two hours to fully absorb the flavor. They are then spread out in the sun to dry.

Boiled fresh peanuts can also be eaten directly. These are the brined salted peanuts with shells, very flavorful, with a mouthful of five-spice juice. The peanuts are salty, fragrant, and powdery, making them perfect as a snack with alcohol. In the hot weather, customers often take some small drinks with their dinner, so these brined peanuts were added to the menu. A plate sells for twenty wen and is almost a must-order for every table.

Every day, half of the boiled peanuts are sold fresh, and the remaining half are spread out on clean stone slabs in the courtyard to dry. However, drying them in the sun is not enough to make them crispy. They need to be dried a second time in a kiln with a low fire, making them crispy and fragrant. The children prefer these salted dried peanuts, while the brined salted peanuts are more suitable as a snack with alcohol.

Xu Qinyu’s first batch of wine also completed its second fermentation and was ready to drink. She tasted it herself and found it to have a rich fruity aroma, a light wine flavor, and sweetness. It could be drunk as a beverage, with a sweet and sour taste. The first fermentation was done well, and after the second fermentation, the wine could be stored for one or two years without any problem. However, the wine flavor would become stronger over time, and the fruity aroma would not be as intense as initially.

Xu Qinyu sent some of the first batch of wine to the Xia, Xu, and Yang families, and the rest was sold at Xu’s Food Mansion. Priced at one tael of silver per bottle, a few wealthy customers bought it, but it didn’t sell much.

Even a few good dishes at the restaurant cost about one tael of silver, so a small bottle of fruit wine priced at one tael of silver was naturally not bought by many. It was mostly wealthy merchants and officials who bought some to take home.

The second batch of wine had already been bottled for the second fermentation. The third and fourth batches of wine were still fermenting in large jars.

Throughout the summer, Xu Qinyu was busy making wine and salted dried peanuts. However, she didn’t have to worry much, as Cheng Ge’er and the others handled the wine and salted dried peanuts.

As autumn approached, Xu Ji’s business was slightly less busy than during the summer with the disaster victims, but there were still many customers, and it was busy every day.

Fortunately, there were two days off each month, allowing Xu Qinyu to catch her breath.

Taking advantage of a day off at the end of summer, she planned to go to Raozhou City. Her batches of wine had finished fermenting and were ready to drink, so she needed to find a market for them. While there were buyers in the town, sales were slow, and she needed to expand her market in Raozhou City.

On the day Xu’s Food Mansion was closed, Xu Qinyu got up early and hired a carriage to go to the city. Madam Wen insisted that Cheng Ge’er accompany her, as she wouldn’t feel at ease with Yuniang going alone.

Cheng Ge’er could drive the carriage, so hiring a coachman was unnecessary. Xu Feng also insisted on going along.

Xu Feng had injured one of his eyes when he was younger. When he was a little beggar, that damaged eye looked particularly frightening. After Xu Qinyu took him in, she made an eye patch for him to cover it. The restaurant’s customers had gotten used to it and didn’t find it scary.

The children had been well-nourished for the past two months, gaining weight and growing taller.

Xu Feng was even taller than Gong Ge’er. Xu Qinyu suspected he was older than ten, possibly around Cheng Ge’er’s age. But having been a little beggar, he didn’t know his exact birthdate. He often went hungry as a child, which stunted his growth. Now that he was well-nourished, it was normal for him to grow quickly.

Xu Feng wanted to go along, and Xu Qinyu didn’t refuse, letting him join. The other children looked on eagerly, so Xu Qinyu instructed them to take care of the restaurant, and they nodded.

The family had already bought a donkey cart, but it was used for daily shopping, hauling goods, and picking fruits and mushrooms in the mountains. The donkey cart was too slow to go to Raozhou City, so they needed a horse-drawn carriage.

Early in the morning, Cheng Ge’er drove the carriage, taking Xu Qinyu and Xu Feng to Raozhou City.

By the end of summer in the southwest, the weather had cooled down. The road wasn’t hot, and being in the countryside, there weren’t many formalities. Xu Qinyu opened the carriage curtain to look at the scenery outside.

The road was filled with scenes of busy farming. This year, the southwest had favorable weather, and the crops were growing well.

However, even with good crop growth, after paying taxes, there was just enough to eat, with a little surplus to sell for one or two taels of silver.

If there were any natural disasters, such as too much rain or drought for a few days, the crop yield would be affected. After paying taxes, it would be difficult to have enough to eat. Firstly, the taxes were a bit heavy, and secondly, the crop yield was average. The yield would be even lower if the weather and harvest were bad.

Since the new emperor ascended the throne, land taxes have increased, and merchant taxes have also gone up slightly, but they are still within a bearable range.

After watching the scenes of people harvesting crops along the way, the three of them arrived in Raozhou City after an hour and a half.

When they traveled from Raozhou City to Yuanbao Town before, it was cold, and they had to be cautious on the road, so they didn’t travel fast. Now, with good weather, they reached Raozhou City in an hour and a half.

After paying the entrance fee, they entered the city. Raozhou City hadn’t changed much, but it was busier than before. Last year, they arrived in early winter, and there weren’t as many people.

Xu Qinyu directed Cheng Ge’er to drive the carriage to the inn where they had stayed before.

The inn was called Bafang Inn, and the innkeeper’s surname was Zhou. His son worked as a cook at the inn. Because Xu Qinyu had borrowed the inn’s kitchen, the innkeeper’s son had learned some cooking skills from her.

Xu Qinyu remembered the innkeeper’s son, Zhou Daqing, who was a simple and honest person.

After getting off the carriage, Xu Qinyu carried a few bottles of wine into the inn.

The waiter was the same as before, a young boy about fifteen or sixteen. He looked at Xu Qinyu and was momentarily stunned. He found her familiar but was unable to recall who she was. He thought she might have stayed at the inn before.

Xu Qinyu smiled and said, “Tieniu, do you remember me?”

She also remembered the waiter’s name, Tieniu.

Tieniu’s eyes widened, “You, you’re Young Lady Xu, who stayed at the inn last winter!”

Back then, Young Lady Xu was thin and small, with frostbite on her face. What made him remember her was her cooking skills.

Young Lady Xu had borrowed the kitchen, and not only did the innkeeper and Zhou Daqing benefit from it, but he also got to taste her cooking. Oh, it was so delicious that even after almost a year, he still remembered the taste. Not only did he miss it, but the innkeeper and Zhou Daqing occasionally reminisced about when they could taste Young Lady Xu’s cooking again.

Even Commander Liang from the military camp missed Young Lady Xu’s cooking. When he learned that she had suddenly left, he was dumbfounded and kept regretting not asking for her address or future plans, like whether she would open a restaurant. When Commander Liang discovered that Young Lady Xu had left the inn, he was utterly dejected.

Tieniu also remembered that although Young Lady Xu was thin and had frostbite on her face, her features were bright and beautiful. Now, she had indeed become more beautiful, gained some weight, and no longer looked gaunt. She wore a plain dress. Her face was fair and tender, and her eyes seemed to smile. When she looked at people, her whole demeanor was cheerful and radiant. He almost didn’t dare look directly at her.

Xu Qinyu smiled and said, “Tieniu, is Innkeeper Zhou here? I have something to discuss with him.”

Tieniu quickly replied, “Yes, yes, Young Lady Xu, please wait a moment. I’ll go to the backyard to find Innkeeper Zhou.”

Innkeeper Zhou was indeed in the kitchen, talking to his son.

After Young Lady Xu left, although Zhou Daqing had learned some cooking skills from her, including how to make fish slice congee, fish head tofu stew, braised fish offal, wontons, and pickled fish, he didn’t use these dishes to attract business to the inn after she left. In his heart, he regarded Young Lady Xu as his master, and without her permission, he couldn’t use her skills to make money. So, the inn’s business remained average, with most guests going to restaurants outside for meals.

However, in private, Zhou Daqing often made these dishes for his family, and the taste improved over time. He knew that his cooking still couldn’t compare to Young Lady Xu’s, but he had become proficient in these dishes, and they tasted quite good. With these skills, he could easily work as a chef in a restaurant.

Additionally, Commander Liang frequently visited him to satisfy his craving for these dishes. He only charged for the ingredients and seasonings.

Innkeeper Zhou was discussing renovating the stables in the backyard with his son, and he was planning to start the work the next day. They needed to complete the repairs before the weather turned cold to prevent the guests’ horses from freezing.

As they were talking, Tieniu rushed in excitedly, shouting, “Innkeeper, Young Lady Xu is here!”

“What?” Innkeeper Zhou was momentarily confused. “Which Young Lady Xu?” He hadn’t dared to think it could be the same Young Lady Xu.

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized and quickly stood up, wide-eyed, asking, “Could it be the Young Lady Xu from last year?”

Tieniu nodded vigorously, “Yes, it’s that Young Lady Xu.”

Innkeeper Zhou hurried to the front hall, and Zhou Daqing couldn’t sit still either, following his father to the front hall.

When the three of them arrived at the front hall, they saw Young Lady Xu sitting on a long bench under a window.

Young Lady Xu no longer looked like she did in early winter last year. Her face was fair and delicate, and she looked very pretty.

In addition to Young Lady Xu, there were several white porcelain wine bottles with silk ribbons on the table in front of her, looking very exquisite.