The Traveler Hexagram (Lower-lower-lower hexagram)

Chapter 56 The Traveler Hexagram (Lower- ...

Seeing that everyone was there, Rong Yan said, "Everyone, I will be participating in the Taoist examination in a few days, and I will have to trouble you all with the work in the temple. If you have any questions about the vegetarian dishes, you can ask Brother Ji Kong to take care of them. As for the kitchen, it is up to Third Aunt and Chef Gan. Third Uncle is in charge of the manual labor in the temple. As for the steward, he is the one who has to work the hardest. Sir, thank you for your hard work."

"No, no, young mistress, please focus on your Daoist studies. Only if you succeed can we truly bring prosperity."

"Yes, keep it up, we've got your back."

Before noon even arrived, Chef Gan was already getting restless.

He put down the spatula, walked around the waist-high bar, and headed towards Rong Yan, who was sitting in front of the gate reading a book.

At this moment, Rong Yan was holding a small box, which was delivered by Hua Li on behalf of Xie Chengzhi.

Rong Yan opened it and smelled the fragrance of plum blossoms. Inside lay a thick stack of paper notes.

He didn't leave her a single word.

She picked up the top yellowed sheet of paper, opened it, and took a look.

Rong Yan's expression showed slight astonishment. This was...

She scrolled down again and found that they were the actual questions from past imperial examinations!

She looked at the thick stack of papers, arranged in order, and was surprised that he could be so meticulous without saying a word.

She felt a slight tremor in her heart, but it was broken by Chef Gan's words.

“Young Madam, why are there so few orders from the diners today? I prepared the maximum amount of food. Although it can be frozen in the well, the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and it’s not convenient to transport it back and forth from the Marquis’s residence to the temple.”

Chef Gan's words reminded Rong Yan.

Private well digging is forbidden, and when Hebai Temple was redesigned, the matter of an ice cellar was not considered at all. While it's possible to borrow from the Marquis's residence, what if she wanted to introduce chilled desserts in the future?

Melons are in season now, and in a few months it will be time to enjoy them. Melon seeds are something people eat while listening to music in their spare time. If chilled melon seeds could be introduced then, it would be a great addition to the temple's menu.

You should know that ordinary people can't afford to eat chilled food.

Fenglelou does exist, but looking across the entire Qingfeng Street, how many teahouses and restaurants can match it?

The Lingyun Temple on the opposite mountain can also do that.

“Chef Gan, you are absolutely right. I was overthinking things. As for the sharp decline in customers you mentioned, it’s not a problem with your cooking skills. It’s just the ups and downs of the business world, which is normal.”

Before Chef Gan could even voice his concerns, Rong Yan already knew and even offered him comfort beforehand.

"Chef Gan, your culinary skills are top-notch even in the Marquis's mansion. Not to mention commoners, even the Marquis and the Duke have praised your cooking skills countless times. Moreover, every dish you have made was decided upon by us together, and I have tasted every single one. Trust me, your skills are absolutely superb. The decrease in customers is definitely not your fault, and you don't need to worry. Just do your job well."

After being thoroughly comforted, Chef Gan returned to the stove feeling refreshed.

Rong Yan went over to take a look and found that there were indeed fewer people than on the first few days after the opening. Several tables were empty, especially those near the stove.

She suddenly discovered a major problem, one that had not been discovered or considered before.

She made a big mistake by focusing solely on the open kitchen concept!

That was the environment they lived in in their previous life, where they used natural gas. She had only considered the issue of smoke extraction and completely forgot the essence of the problem.

In this era without air conditioning, an open kitchen meant heat dissipation, and the hotter it got, the hotter the stove would become, so no one would sit at the tables and chairs near that side.

She felt guilty for overlooking this detail.

He quickly called over Li Fuquan, "Sir, I've discovered something, and it's quite serious. I've come up with a plan; do you think it'll work?"

"Please speak."

So Rong Yan told him everything she had discovered, and he stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"Oh dear, I miscalculated." Li Fuquan said as he quickly stood around the stove, which was indeed the hottest place in the entire dining hall.

If the sweltering heat arrives, the food will be extremely unpleasant to eat.

"I wonder what method you are thinking of, Madam? I also have an idea."

"Please speak, Mr. Li."

"Why not leave these spaces empty and open the windows for almost complete ventilation?"

When Rong Yan had the Taoist temple renovated, he removed all the partitions between the windows, creating a long row of windows, divided into two large panels. If all the windows on the same wall were raised at the same time, not only would ventilation be greatly increased, but the light source would also be no different from that of the street.

In Feng Shui, if a wall inside a house has more than three windows, it is believed that the person will easily lose money.

So she made a slight modification, changing it to a square window that slides up and down.

“That’s a good idea. But what if we think about it differently? What if we offer these tables as special-priced spots? Or, what if we give these tables a free dish or something?”

"I think a special price would be better, since everyone has different tastes. But the price can't be too low, or we'll lose money."

"Then let the manager decide. We'll just earn a little less. In winter, these spots will be in high demand, but there won't be any extra charge then."

"Yes, the young mistress is indeed kind-hearted."

Rong Yan felt somewhat satisfied looking at the devout expressions of the worshippers offering incense.

Today, Guanli is offering cold noodles. Song Dynasty noodles were made with alkali, giving them a beautiful golden color. Moreover, the hand-pulled noodles of the Song Dynasty were just as chewy as those of the previous era.

Rong Yan watched the diners come and go in a hurry, and bowls of cold noodles with scallion oil were served. From a distance, she could see that the large bowls of cold noodles were neatly arranged, each strand distinct, and the aroma of scallion oil filled the entire first-floor hall.

The pointed ends of the cold noodles are garnished with fried scallions, and the dark green scallions clinging to the top make them even more appetizing.

After mixing soy sauce and sesame oil, and adding the aroma of chopped green onions, Rong Yan watched the pilgrims' glistening mouths and the constant slurping sounds, which whetted Rong Yan's appetite, so he ordered a serving too.

The aroma of alkaline water was very strong. With one bite, the scallion oil mixed with the soy sauce flavor, and the chewy texture of the noodles all satisfied her.

She finished the plate very quickly.

Yu Ling, who was standing to the side, was taken aback. Rong Yan had never had a big appetite in the mansion and ate slowly and carefully. It would take him quite a while to finish a plate of noodles like this, but he finished it in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Yu Ling suddenly felt hungry. Smelling the aroma of noodle soup in the air, she felt hungry and unconsciously swallowed.

The afternoon sun was so bright that it made people drowsy, and the number of people in the Taoist temple gradually decreased, allowing everyone to finally rest.

Rong Yan didn't wait for Ji Kong and Ji Xin to return, but instead waited for Madam Zhang to arrive.

The day before yesterday, Xie Chengzhi's words woke her up.

She immediately replied, expressing her willingness to give a try regarding Lord Zhang's ancestral home, and asked Madam Zhang to come to the temple again in three days so that she could receive an answer.