Jiang Sheng was puzzled. Wasn't Master Chef quite influential at Fengjing's Leisure Home? Why was he making such a big fuss over buying some dried broad beans?
Yet she'd forgotten that Master Chef hadn't actually asked Auntie Zhang about her method for stewing chicken at all.
For a chef who'd been cooking for decades, just tasting a dish twice would tell him the exact cooking method.
But reproducing it perfectly would be somewhat difficult.
And the earlier fiasco with the pastries made it hard for Master Chef to swallow his pride and ask Auntie Zhang for the specific details of how to stew chicken with broad beans. He could only grit his teeth and make up his mind to try it himself back at Leisure Home.
The next day.
Seeing the large basin filled to the brim with soaked broad beans, the Head Shopkeeper's face darkened.
"What are you doing bringing this foul-smelling stuff here? You're not really going to buy it, are you?" He yelled hoarsely, "Master Kong, get a hold of yourself. Who eats dried broad beans?"
Master Chef ignored him and continued stir-frying chicken vigorously, boiling water, preparing ingredients.
Until the dish seemed just about right, he lifted the lid, and an exotic aroma wafted out. The thick soup coated the broad beans and vermicelli, tumbling under the lashing of the flames.
The Head Shopkeeper's grumbling vanished abruptly, replaced by the sound of swallowing saliva.
Right after, clever Little Waiter Two squeezed in and said urgently, "Head Shopkeeper, guests outside smelled the fragrance from the kitchen and asked if we'd added a new dish to the menu. They want to order the same thing too."
Master Chef finally looked up and eyed the Head Shopkeeper provocatively.
The Head Shopkeeper: "..."
No words could compare to the actual delicious taste, much less the customers' feedback.
Back when Zheng Ruqian was selling cured meat at Anshui Prefecture's Leisure Home, Shopkeeper Hao had also been impatient, thinking it was just troublemaking, and had almost sent Little Waiter to chase them away.
Later, attracted by the exotic cured meat aroma and having tasted the steamed cured flavor, he began a steady business partnership.
Now in Fengjing, Zheng Ruqian siblings were following suit, wanting to conquer Fengjing's Leisure Home the same way.
Yet they'd met frustration against the arrogance of Fengjing's people.
Even taking in the cured meat, even having a partnership, didn't prevent the Fengjing people from looking down on them and the goods they'd brought.
The jujubes, hawthorn, chestnuts, dried broad beans were all the same.
When Jiang Sheng had brought the dried broad beans, she'd already considered that they'd sell if possible, if not then just broaden little Xiaosong's horizons, plus she'd happened to overhear the comic dialogue, making it a steady profit situation.
But who could've thought her casual courtesy would actually attract Master Chef, and even sell out all the dried broad beans.
This time it wasn't delivery to their door, but Leisure Home taking initiative to purchase.
At the entrance to the small courtyard.
The Head Shopkeeper and Master Chef appeared together, one glowing with health, the other smiling falsely.
"Little girl, you still have a lot more of these dried broad beans?" The Head Shopkeeper asked stiffly, face contorted, "Our Leisure Home wants them, wants them all."
Before Jiang Sheng, still tilting her head, could reply, Wang Xiaosong next to her started yelling, "Want whatever want, you guys didn't think much of them before. Stuff from our small Anshui Prefecture town, don't dirty your big restaurant."
For the first time, little brother Xiaosong's mouth was so sharp, his voice so pleasant to hear.
Jiang Sheng gave him a thumbs up over her shoulder.
Wang Xiaosong grew even more proud, straightening his chest, completely oblivious to the Head Shopkeeper's darkening expression.
"I..." He was about to erupt in anger.
Beside him, Master Chef gave a little cough, "Many esteemed guests have already placed orders for this dish. They said if it's not available they'll tear down Leisure Home. You're the shopkeeper, you figure it out."
The Head Shopkeeper cursed inwardly.
That bastard Master Kong. He could've just come to buy it himself, but nonono, he had to send him instead. And what Master Kong said was true too, many esteemed guests had ordered the broad bean chicken stew.
For business, for Leisure Home's sake, the Head Shopkeeper could only lower his head obsequiously, "My mistake before, all my mistake. Dried broad beans are a good thing. From now on, as much as you have, Leisure Home will buy."
"Oh really?" Jiang Sheng drew out her words. "Not sure what price the shopkeeper will pay for dried broad beans though?"
To tell the truth, dried broad beans aren't cheap at all.
At the start, the aunties at the workshop weren't skilled at it, barely getting 1-2 taels dried from 2 jin of fresh beans, dried to the point of being overly shriveled.
Later as they became more proficient, and the quantities increased, steady 1 jin could be dried to just over 1 tael.
Fresh beans cost 2-3 wen per jin, but 1 jin of dried beans cost at least 20-30 wen, not yet counting labor and space costs.
Back when Zheng Ruqian bought them in Anyang County, it was 50 wen per jin, later sold to Anshui Prefecture's Leisure Home for 100 wen per jin.
Now in Fengjing, it should increase a bit right?
Jiang Sheng tilted her head, large round eyes fixed unblinkingly on the fat shopkeeper, as if wanting to see how much he was willing to pay.
It frightened the fat shopkeeper speechless.
Too high, and Leisure Home loses money.
Too low, and little miss might get unhappy.
"Two... two hundred wen per jin?" The Head Shopkeeper ventured cautiously. This was already about the same as Fengjing's high end pastries.
Glutinous rice flour was so expensive, yet dried broad beans so cheap.
Jiang Sheng's little head spun around in thought, then she came back to herself, "Okay, you can have it all."
She agreed so readily that the Head Shopkeeper's eyes bulged wide, wondering if he'd priced it too high.
But the words were out, so he could only grit his teeth and accept it.
Soon, Leisure Home's carriage left with 400 jin of dried broad beans.
Jiang Sheng, counting the eighty taels of silver that had arrived, smiled gleefully.
Behind her, Wang Xiaosong yelled, "Now Fengjing's Leisure Home won't look down on us anymore right!"
Before Jiang Sheng could reply, having just put away the silver, Chang Yan lightly added, "That's not necessarily so."
The arrogance of Fengjing's people was ingrained in their bones. Looking down on outsiders was innate.
Wanting them to approve.
Difficult.
Perhaps only big brother, with his refined temperament, could astonish the Fengjing people.
Or hardworking and diligent second brother, who could make the Fengjing people take notice.
Chang Yan was confident. These two brothers of his would soon shine dazzlingly in Fengjing. They weren't Fengjing people, yet surpassed Fengjing people.
Brimming with confidence, hardworking and diligent, dedicated and meticulous, intelligent and earnest.
All the way from a small place to the big city, what grew richer continuously wasn't just their thoughts, but the wings on both sides too.
Second brother had his own business, his own shop, a shrewd mind.
Big brother had his studies, his friends, and would surely enter officialdom sooner or later.
They really were amazing.
No less than any Fengjing native son.
Chang Yan turned his head, gazing in the direction of the imperial palace, a glint of disdain in his eyes, and also brimming satisfaction.
Luckily, luckily.
