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“Sure thing,” Jiang Mixia readily agreed.
When the various vegetables from the farm were delivered, they had so much that they couldn’t consume it all. Following the principle of avoiding waste, Jiang Mixia and Liu Shi, among others, busied themselves by pickling most of the vegetables that could be preserved.
However, after pickling all these vegetables, they encountered a new problem.
Pickling the vegetables allowed them to store fresh produce for an extended period, but it didn’t significantly decrease the overall quantity. Despite their efforts, they still had a surplus of pickled vegetables that couldn’t be consumed quickly.
Even after going through a whole winter and now approaching the end of March, the household still had several large jars of pickled vegetables. At this rate, they feared they might still have leftovers by the time summer pickling season arrived.
Before Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun left for the capital, Liu Shi was still pondering how best to handle the surplus of pickled vegetables at home.
Now, surprisingly, Zheng Yuanhe showed a keen interest in these pickled vegetables, so it might be a good opportunity to send him more.
After discussing pickled vegetables for a while, they shifted the conversation to business matters.
Zheng Yuan mentioned, “Our family has primarily been involved in the trade of medicinal herbs and grains. Although business has been good in recent peaceful times, one never knows what the future holds. My parents are concerned that if anything were to happen, our business might suffer. Therefore, seeking additional avenues could provide a safety net, allowing other ventures to support us should one encounter difficulties.”
He continued, “The general store in the county town, Zheng’s Shop, has been doing well with their bamboo weaving business. They showed their appreciation to our family last year, which has made my parents more inclined to explore other business opportunities. However, despite much thought, they haven’t come up with a promising venture.”
“I thought, Madam Jiang, that you are resourceful and have many ideas. I was wondering if you might have any good suggestions or advice for us?”
Taken aback by Zheng Yuan’s query, Jiang Mixia hesitated, “I only have a bit of cleverness, not truly suitable for providing business advice. It’s quite challenging for me to come up with ideas when asked directly like this, Manager Zheng.”
Jiang Mixia’s family business was thriving, with a solid foundation, but compared to the financial status of the Zheng family, it still fell short. She didn’t want to appear presumptuous or invite ridicule by offering unsolicited advice.
“You’re too modest, Madam Jiang,” Zheng Yuan interjected. “Your unique insights often lead to creative ideas that others might not consider. Let’s just chat today, and you can share your thoughts freely. Whether we pursue this business in the future will require further careful consideration.”
Encouraged by Zheng Yuan’s words, Jiang Mixia felt a bit more confident.
As Zheng Yuan mentioned, the Zheng family had a long history in business and likely had their own insights and experiences. They wouldn’t blindly follow her suggestions just because she, a mere farmer’s wife, provided them.
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Mixia suggested, “Have you ever considered venturing into the restaurant business?”
“We’ve thought about it in the past, but with the abundance of restaurants in the capital, establishing a reputation would be quite challenging,” Zheng Yuan replied.
“If you focus on local cuisine, you’d be competing with well-established eateries. Expanding into the cuisine of Yangzhou might be an option, but finding a suitable head chef and standing out in the market would be key challenges. Many people admire the prosperity and culinary diversity of Yangzhou,” Jiang Mixia responded.
“But in reality, I have been to Yangzhou myself, and while their dishes look exquisite and are considered tasty, after trying them a couple of times, I found them somewhat unfamiliar.”
After all, different regions have different tastes, just like how asking someone from Guangdong to eat spicy food might make them uncomfortable, or serving someone from the north with bland, oil-free dishes might seem tasteless.
Zheng Yuanhe’s concerns were justified.
Jiang Mixia nodded, “Perhaps you could try promoting the restaurant with a focus on medicinal cuisine and health tonics?”
“Your family has been in the medicinal herb business for a long time, and it’s well-known throughout the capital. If you brand the restaurant with a medicinal cuisine theme, using genuine ingredients, it would instill trust among customers,” she suggested.
“Moreover, just mentioning ‘medicinal cuisine’ will attract those interested in medicinal herbs, making your offerings stand out. Utilizing the expertise of skilled doctors from your medicinal herb business to create nourishing and harmonious dishes without conflicting ingredients could become your signature dishes,” Jiang Mixia proposed.
Upon hearing Jiang Mixia’s suggestion, Zheng Yuanhe’s eyes lit up. “Opening a restaurant specializing in medicinal cuisine—excellent!”
People often appreciate novelty, and medicinal cuisine is indeed intriguing, fresh, and if genuine and delicious, it’s bound to attract customers.
“This is a great idea,” Zheng Yuanhe affirmed, nodding decisively. “I will discuss this with my parents tonight.”
“Thank you so much for your guidance and ideas, Madam Jiang.”
Standing up, Zheng Yuanhe bowed in gratitude towards Jiang Mixia.
“I simply offered a whimsical idea; I don’t understand much about big business affairs. The success of this venture will depend on your careful planning,” Jiang Mixia modestly replied, choosing not to highlight her contribution.
Zheng Yuanhe expressed his gratitude repeatedly and as Jiang Mixia left Zheng’s shop, he prepared a large package containing various common medicinal items for her.
There were remedies for colds, injuries, insect repellents…
Most importantly, there was a bottle of Zheng’s treasured elixir—the Ginseng Life-Prolonging Pill.
The Ginseng Life-Prolonging Pill was crafted using various precious medicinal herbs, including century-old ginseng. In cases of sudden emergencies, this pill could be a life-saving remedy, known for its high value and exceptional medicinal properties.
While Jiang Mixia might not necessarily need these items, the reality was that illness and aging were common occurrences for everyone. At times, such potent remedies were hard to come by, making Zheng Yuanhe’s generous gesture all the more significant.
Without much protest, Jiang Mixia expressed her gratitude and left Zheng’s medicinal herb shop, heading back to the inn.
Upon her return to the inn, Song Jingyun was already inside their room.
“Wife, you’re back.” Song Jingyun hurried to help with the items and then poured a cup of tea for Jiang Mixia. “I just arrived a moment ago, and you’re already back.”
“Are you hungry, wife? Would you like to go out for a meal later? If you find the inn’s food unsatisfactory, we can dine out. Today, I’ll treat you to dinner,” Song Jingyun suggested.
Jiang Mixia almost choked on her water upon hearing this.
After composing herself, she looked at Song Jingyun with a hint of suspicion. “You want to treat me to dinner?”
“Yes,” Song Jingyun replied, taking out his purse and showing her the coins inside. “Look, there’s plenty here. It’s enough to treat you to a nice meal.”
Jiang Mixia, astonished to see that Song Jingyun had twice as much money as he did when he left earlier, asked, “Where did you get so much money from?”