Xiao Youzhi picked up the things on the table and glanced at them. Inside the paper package was a cloth bag that smelled of various spices. The paper contained instructions on how to use the spice packet.

In ancient times, wealthy people and nobles found pork to be unpleasant and smelly. In addition, pigs usually lived in relatively dirty and messy environments, so they disliked pork very much and even considered it a food for the lower classes. On the contrary, they favored venison, which grew in the wild.

Although Meng Zhao herself does not eat venison, since she has come here, she still has to respect the current customs. When she heard that Aunt Fengxian's husband had hunted a deer, Meng Zhao asked him to save a deer leg for her. After many trials, she finally determined the ingredients for the seasoning packet.

Venison is expensive, and her customers at her braised meat shop can't afford it, but a large restaurant like Chunfenglou certainly can.

Originally, she wanted to wait until they finished discussing the starch workshop before talking about the seasoning packets, but Xiao You gave her a hard time right away, so she naturally had to prove her importance.

Xiao Youzhi stretched out his slender fingers, opened the spice packet, and took a look. The various spices inside were basically ground into small pieces, and some were even ground into powder, making them impossible to identify. Even if he found a master who was an expert in spices to identify them, he might be able to guess the composition, but he might not be able to figure out the proportion of each spice.

Setting down the spice packet, Xiao Youzhi asked, "How much does Madam Meng plan to sell this spice packet for?"

Seeing that the topic had smoothly shifted from starch to seasoning packets, Meng Zhao smiled slightly, "I've heard that the venison at Chunfenglou can sell for half a tael of silver per catty. This seasoning packet is something I carefully developed. One packet can braise ten catties of cooked venison. So, it shouldn't be too much for me to charge half a tael of silver, right?"

Upon hearing Meng Zhao's offer, Xiao Youzhi chuckled softly, "Whether it's excessive or not cannot be decided solely by Madam Meng's word. Ultimately, I will have to taste it myself to know if it's worth it."

After saying that, he handed the ingredient packet and recipe to Chen Xiaowu behind him, saying, "Go to the kitchen and find someone to try it."

The recipe clearly specifies when and how much water to add, when to add the venison, what to pay attention to after adding the spice packet, and the precise amounts of other common seasonings such as salt and sugar.

Even a mediocre cook can make braised venison that tastes exactly the same as this recipe, as long as they follow the steps strictly.

While waiting for the braised meat, the atmosphere in the private room was slightly subdued. To break the awkward silence, Meng Zhao picked up the box of starch with a lot of moisture and asked curiously:

"Since this starch is the chef's unique skill, how did Young Master Xiao obtain it?"

Xiao Youzhi sneered, "That cook made money and his personality changed drastically. He would beat and scold the concubine he bought at every turn. The concubine harbored resentment, so I gave her some silver, and she helped me bring her out. By now, she has probably taken the silver and eloped with her lover."

After listening to Xiao Youzhi's story, Meng Zhao couldn't help but click his tongue twice. "Such a wicked temperament, he commits violence as soon as he makes some money. Young Master Xiao didn't go to talk to him but went to see me. You really have a discerning eye. Under your leadership, the Xiao family will surely reach new heights in the future."

Xiao Youzhi glanced at Meng Zhao out of the corner of his eye, inwardly grumbling to himself, "Even when praising someone, she doesn't forget to mention me." Remembering his own situation in the Xiao family, he didn't want to say more and changed the subject, steer the conversation towards Meng Zhao's workshop.

"How is Madam Meng's workshop producing these days?"

Although the drying room has greatly increased the production speed, it still cannot solve the problem of raw material transportation costs. There are not enough potatoes, so the amount of starch she can produce is limited.

"As long as Young Master Xiao needs it, supplying 10,000 catties every month is no problem at all."

Xiao Youzhi said coldly, "That's far from enough."

Meng Zhao smiled obsequiously, "That's why I've come to find Young Master Xiao. If Young Master Xiao is willing to help me build a new workshop, I will definitely give priority to supplying the Xiao family with the starch produced."

After saying that, he pointed to the door and said, "I'm very sincere. Look, I even brought you a gift when I came." He was naturally referring to the simmering spice packet.

Xiao Youzhi chuckled helplessly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "So, you need to buy this gift myself?"

Meng Zhao gave an awkward smile and wisely shut her mouth. Seeing that she didn't speak, Xiao Youzhi continued to ask:

Where do you want to build your new workshop?

"I want to establish a new workshop in Hongnong County of Dongyang Commandery and Huazhou County of Runan Commandery."

Shenjia Village had purchased a large quantity of potatoes, and the raw material for starch wasn't hard to guess. Therefore, Xiao Youzhi could deduce why the workshop was located in Hongnong County. However, Huazhou County in Runan Prefecture was quite far away, and he hadn't heard of it being a major potato-producing area. So, he directly voiced his doubts.

"Why was it established in Huazhou County?"

Meng Zhao chuckled and brushed it off, "These workshops naturally need to be scattered. If they were all concentrated in Dongyang County, it would be extremely difficult to supply goods if any emergencies occurred, such as road blockages or a shortage of transportation. Huazhou County is located in the center of Runan County, making it more convenient to transport goods to the surrounding areas."

The reason Meng Zhao chose that place was because it was a major producer of cassava. When she was reading through various county records, she saw that there had been many cases of poisoning from eating raw cassava.

Even after repeated attempts to eradicate the cassava, it is impossible to completely eliminate it, indicating its extremely rapid growth rate. Therefore, the only recourse is to advise the public to avoid it and refrain from consuming it.

These facts are enough to show that the climate and soil there are suitable for cassava growth. Cassava is known as the king of starches, and not making cassava starch would be a waste of resources.

The two then chatted about other things. Meng Zhao noticed that when they weren't talking about business, Xiao Youzhi was quite friendly, lacking the sharpness and pressure he usually displayed in the business world.

"I've heard that the Yipinxiang wine from Chunfenglou in the capital is the best wine in the world. Its brewing process is unique, and its taste is mellow and lingering. It's not easy to buy outside. I wonder if Young Master Xiao could help me out?" Meng Zhao bowed slightly, his tone filled with anticipation.

Xiao Youzhi raised an eyebrow slightly and looked Meng Zhao up and down. "I didn't realize that Madam Meng also enjoys a drink."

"No, it's because my parents like to drink, and I asked for it for them."

Before Xiao Youzhi could agree, footsteps sounded outside, and Chen Xiaowu came in carrying braised meat.