The restaurant hall was full of tall and strong men, at least much taller than the little kids in their arms, but they were all intimidated by these babies.
After a while, the Dengzhou merchant lowered his head, pinched Tiedan's face, and asked him, "So, how do you increase the price?"
Tiedan counted on his fingers. He was only four years old and could not quite remember Miao Wan's instructions.
But Qiaoya was careful and remembered that she was the only one hiding behind Uncle San. She poked her head out and said, "Look, eight cents for the top half of the clothes, eight cents for the bottom half, and eight cents for what's left!"
Tiedan nodded quickly, his chubby little face trembling, "Yes! Be extremely rich, make a fortune!"
The Dengzhou merchant choked and looked at Zhang Sanzhuang in confusion, "Manager Zhang, are they serious?"
Zhang Sanzhuang said dryly, "Ah... take it seriously... Boss taught me this, I don't know what's going on."
Another Jiangnan merchant looked at Zhang Sanzhuang and sighed, "Boss, you can rest assured. There will be successors!"
Zhang Sanzhuang: “…” He’s only in his early twenties, and he talks like he’s leaving!
The Jiangnan merchant smiled and asked Tiedan, "I'll give you eight more coins. Can you tell me what a fire in winter is?"
Tiedan didn't notice Ada's dangerous gaze. He found the person holding him quite comfortable and swung his feet proudly. "Want to know? Pay first!"
Otherwise, he would be like his mother. Every time he finished his work, he was not paid. He would act like an old lady outside and throw a tantrum, and then he would be beaten. Who could he go to for justice?
Everybody couldn't help it any longer. Inside the Jufu Restaurant, even though no one was drinking happy water at the moment, a loud laugh broke out.
After the little ones had dozens of copper coins in their hands and stuffed them into their pockets with great difficulty, they all held their clothes obediently to show the guests.
After collecting the copper coins, Tiedan also hid behind Ada, "The boss said, he said..."
Qiaoya added, "You'll know the day after tomorrow!"
"Yes! The day after tomorrow, let's make a fire!" Tiedan nodded seriously.
Everyone: "..." They were even more confused after hearing this, and had no way to get to the bottom of it.
They even wondered, why were these kids making fire? Aren't their families afraid that the kids would wet their beds in the middle of the night?
The children are unaware of their doubts, and if they knew they would definitely speak out, even if they didn't light the fire, as if they were now peeing less.
Fortunately, they all behaved well after getting the money, except Qiaoya and Tiedan, who were both three or four years old. The others could not speak as fluently as Tiedan, but they also knew that they had to work if they got the money. This was a habit that Miao Wan had cultivated in them.
It doesn't matter if they can't explain it clearly, just hold the clothes over. They are used to being rubbed by their elders every day, so they push their chubby little bodies forward to let people see the sweaters and trousers they are wearing.
Maodan was even more unrestrained and uninhibited. He simply took off his boots and stretched out his little feet to show the guests.
Qiaoya is older and a girl, so she is always told by the elders to look after her younger brothers. Seeing her younger brothers being rubbed and flattened by the guests and their heartless laughter, she felt very worried.
She suppressed her timidity and walked out from behind Zhang Sanzhuang, tightly grasping the hem of her uncle's clothes, and muttered something in a low voice.
Zhang Sanzhuang didn't hear clearly, "What did you say?"
Qiaoya got nervous, and her delicate voice became a little shrill. "I said, you can sell everything else, but not the brothers!"
Zhang Sanzhuang: “…”
Everyone burst into laughter again, some even cried, wiping their eyes and asking, "Even if I pay more?"
Qiaoya hesitated for a moment, "You're not going to sell it...right?"
Amidst everyone's laughter, Qiaoya looked up at Zhang Sanzhuang, feeling that she had to ask an adult about this matter.
She had heard people say that some children were bought at high prices to live a good life. Who knows, maybe the Ruan family’s children would be happy about it?
Zhang Sanzhuang wiped his face and said, "Qiaoya, don't you want to eat Boxia Gong? I'll ask someone to make it for you."
I can’t say any more. If I continue, the next day there will be a rumor that Ju Fu Restaurant has a new dish called Stir-fried Milk Baby.
He asked the servants to take the children to the kang room and sit down, served the little ancestors food, and asked the servants to keep an eye on them before going to the front.
The guests in the front were already distracted from their eating, and the wine was almost going down their nostrils.
It’s not that the food doesn’t taste good, but the things these little guys are wearing and taking off are so heart-warming.
There are always people who don't like delicious food, some who don't drink, and some who are picky eaters. No matter how successful a restaurant is, it cannot please all diners.
But individuals know the difference between cold and heat. When it is hot, they know to fan themselves, and when it is cold, they know to put on more clothes. Especially in a bitterly cold place like the northwest, the difficulty of leaving the country has been described in countless poems and verses throughout history.
But when the merchants touched the little ones' clothes, they were shocked. They were too light, weighing less than one pound in total.
Not to mention that the little ones were only wearing a thin layer of soft sweater and trousers besides their inner clothes, and a pair of socks with cotton inside and wool outside on their feet. They had just come in from outside, and their hands and feet were all warm.
Who doesn't have a child at home? Since merchants often travel to the northwest, most of them keep concubines and children in Xining Town. Some even take their wives and concubines with them when they go out. They are well aware of the weight of their children's winter clothes.
The reason why I don’t like to let children go out when it’s cold is because they have to wear many layers of clothes inside and outside, and the cotton-padded clothes are thick and heavy. Many children can’t walk steadily and they get tired when walking.
The adults were the same. The thick cotton-padded jackets they threw aside weighed at least seven or eight kilograms. Add to that the fur hats, leather boots, and clothes underneath, and most of the warmth was gained by the weight.
Otherwise, people would not like to go to the Ju Fu restaurant where they can take off all their clothes to enter the bathhouse and eat without wearing a cotton jacket.
So as soon as Zhang Sanzhuang entered the door, he was surrounded.
An old acquaintance spoke directly, saving Zhang Sanzhuang from unnecessary chatter. "Is this the fire at Qianjinlou? How did it burn? Can you give us a rough idea of how much goods there are?"
"Yes, what is this thing made of? Is it expensive? Tell me first, so we can save some money and ask your boss to make more money for the New Year!"
"We can wait. Don't say those empty words. Give us the truth. Whether it's membership or gold dew, we have them all."
No wonder the guests are so frank.
Even Zhang Sanzhuang knew that for ordinary people, the most important thing was food, followed by clothes. But for people with a little money, the most important thing was definitely clothes, and then food.
But he had a bitter smile on his face. "Excuse me, my dear guests, I'm just the owner of Jufu Restaurant. The owner of Qianjinlou was recently hired from Jiangnan. The owner won't tell me everything. Let alone the guests, I still don't understand what a fire in winter means."
He asked Ruan Jialin several times, both openly and covertly, hard and soft, but Ruan Jialin had a complicated expression and refused to say anything. When asked urgently, he even said that he didn't know either.
This is damned, if you don’t know this as a shopkeeper, then what are you doing as a shopkeeper?
Ruan Jialin stiffened his neck and said, "My father is in charge of the clothes. He is Awan's second uncle. If you have the guts, go talk to my father about this."
Zhang Sanzhuang thought, that's asking for trouble. If I dared to do that, would I still argue with you?
Facing the guests' unconvincing looks of disbelief, he shuddered and quickly said, "But our boss said this thing is really not that expensive. The boss is kind-hearted. At least it's cheaper than other goods, so that the people can have enough food and clothing."
Hmm? Someone heard something else. "Eat your fill? What? Your boss is selling food at Qianjinlou too?"
Zhang Sanzhuang rubbed his head and hissed, "Oh, now that you put it that way, I think so too. It's not possible, right?"
Qianjinlou is not only trying to steal Awan's attention from him, but is also trying to steal his business?!
The guest rolled his eyes and went back to continue eating. You are your own boss, who should I ask if you ask me?
But everyone also realized that Zhang Sanzhuang knew nothing. Instead of asking him, they might as well eat and drink their fill quickly, go back to prepare some money, and wait for Qianjinlou to open so that they can grab more food.
Having said that, for the next three days, traveling merchants and even ordinary people who frequented the streets and the surrounding areas of Wa City could not help but sit by the wall while the sun was shining and discuss what the fire was.
Three days passed quickly.
Coincidentally, God really gave face to his own daughter. On the opening day of Qianjinlou, snowflakes began to fall from the sky again. The snowflakes were not big, but very beautiful.
For people in the northwest, snowfall in a year with little snow is a good sign.
But the weather wasn't too cold, and the scene of the flowers blooming in the snow was so beautiful that Miao Wan exclaimed, "Nature's show is so beautiful. Even God wants to see the flames burning in front of Qianjin Tower."
Ruan Jialin glanced at the eighteen children painted in festive colors behind her, and the corners of his lips twitched.
Qiao Rui, Changshou and the three children of the Qiao family and the eldest grandson of the Ruan family, plus the three older children of the Zhang family, Ludan, Goudan and Qiaoya, each of them holding a small child on each side, filled the entire courtyard.
The whole face was painted red, with a fire in the middle of the eyebrows and the lips were painted with cherry rouge that looked a bit playful.
Miao Wan was holding Taotao in front, and Cui Ya was holding a braised egg beside her. It could be said that except for the two weak and young children from the Ruan family, all the children from the three families came out in full force, ready to light the fire.
Although it was snowing, there were quite a few people outside watching the fun. Even Bayin was in the teahouse, squeezing at a table with a few familiar merchants to drink tea, waiting from afar for Qianjinlou to open.
Bei Meng also lacks warm clothes, especially when he heard that there are sweaters and trousers. He always feels that they are closely related to the wool he sells, so he cares even more.
Fortunately, we didn't have to wait too long. At about the same time as usual, two people in Qianjin Building who usually worked as security guards came out to remove the door panels.
The snow was not falling heavily, and a few drops of snow were not a big deal. Many people came out of the nearby shops and gathered in front of Qianjin Building, waiting to see the small blackboard.
But today there was no small blackboard. Only a dozen little kids dressed in red and blue came running out from the door, along with a few actors holding musical instruments.
Oh, it’s not that Miao Wan doesn’t want to wear red and green, it’s mainly because green is too expensive these days.
That is the color only used by brides at their wedding. The dye is extremely rare. It's not that we can't afford it, but there is really no need to use it.
Wearing green doesn’t look that good, so why not wear navy blue which is more resistant to dirt?
Everyone was confused by the children's chaotic movements. What were they planning to do?
It's not the first day of opening and it's snowing. Do we still have to put on a big show first?
It's really a big show.
The actors, dressed in tight clothes and wearing fingerless gloves, soon started playing music, and the children lined up in a square in the middle began to dance.
"Hey! I'm like a fire in the winter! [Note]" With one hand on his waist and the other pointing at himself, the scarlet flame patterns on the children's foreheads were made to look vivid against their tender faces.
"Ha! The blazing flames warmed everyone's hearts!" With a few swish sounds, the children opened their down jackets, revealing the sweaters underneath... There was a red heart knitted on the heart of the sweaters.
Everyone: “…”
The children had not finished singing yet, but they put on their down jackets, gathered together, changed formation, and continued jumping around.
"Hey! Every time I put on my down jacket, it feels like the fire warms me!"
Then he continued to jump around, knitting five short-fingered gloves that showed off and placed them on his eyes like cat paws. This was——
"Ha! My big eyes are bright and sparkling! I can see that you really like me! [Note]"
Everyone: "..." Okay, it's quite attractive.
Many people couldn't help but laugh and cheer.
The children quickly formed the final line, lined up in two rows, put their hands behind their backs and kicked and stepped back to make way.
Then the last line of the lyrics goes, "I am like a fire in the winter, waiting to warm your heart. What are you waiting for?" [Note]
Then the little kid followed the example of the spanker, holding out one hand, tilting his head to look at everyone, and singing with a drawn-out melody: "What are you waiting for?"
Now no one was confused anymore, and everyone had a smile on their face.
It’s not that I don’t want to know what Qianjinlou’s new goods are, but these singing and dancing children are really likable. They are good-looking, dressed festively, and even act as little doormen to invite everyone in.
Everyone shouted to come again, and only when they saw the children being taken away did they go inside in a lively manner.
Bayin thought to himself, the Qiao family is really troublesome. They even have a child in the middle of winter.
However, seeing the children jumping around with rosy little faces, not looking cold at all, he became more interested in this down jacket, and his heart was really excited.
Miao Wan held Taotao and stood in the corner of the window inside the door, giving the children a thumbs up.
Seeing the atmosphere ignited by the children even on a snowy day, and hearing the guests coming in after the noise, she knew that her efforts these days of snacks, fried chicken, and cola were not in vain.
For everyone, children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Qianjinlou has the confidence to let children toss around in the snow, so who would doubt whether down jackets are warm?
But Miao Wan wasn't careless. As soon as the guests entered, she quickly told them to go to the backyard. "Hurry, hurry, wrap yourself up tightly. Don't show anything except your eyes. Go in and drink a bowl of ginger milk. Stay on the kang and don't come out until dinner time."
Cui Ya is a girl, and the oldest child besides the Ruan family. She beckoned her younger brothers and sisters to go inside, "Listen to your aunt, or there will be no fried chicken legs to eat!"
Not only Miao Wan, but also Geng and Zhang Madam did not dare to be careless. However, after the child came home, the two of them had a new understanding of the warmth of down jackets.
"Oh, except for the tip of my nose and face which are a little cold, the rest of my body is warm." Madam Zhang thought to herself, no wonder Miao Wan dared to do that, are down jackets really that good?
Because Qianjinlou was not very fast at making clothes, and the styles were not as ordinary as the clothes made at home, Miao Wan gave her a brown down jacket, but Madam Zhang was too delicate to wear it.
Now she also wanted to go back and put it on.
Geng allowed her daughter-in-law to do as she pleased because she knew that the clothes were warm. She was embarrassed to wear a down jacket that was like a cloak, but she wore a sweater and trousers.
The outer layer is a cotton-padded jacket made by myself using the cloth produced by Qianjinlou, which is also very warm.
"No one is allowed to go out. If you want to go to the toilet, there is a night-scented bucket." Geng also prepared some snacks for the children and gave them instructions, then turned to look at Madam Zhang and her daughter-in-law.
"I see they are all sweating. Let them cool down a bit and then we can go home and have dinner. I don't think they can take care of what's going on outside."
Originally, Miao Wan planned to catch a few ducks at Qianjinlou and then go to Jufu Restaurant for dinner, but seeing that it was as busy outside as the day Qianjinlou opened, she probably didn't have time.
Miao Wan leaned over to take a look, and sure enough.
"Two taels of silver for a short down jacket and down pants is fine, but why is it limited to ten per person? I don't even have enough for my family."
"A cotton-padded jacket for only five cents? Only one? Even if you charge a little more, why not sell more?"
"What? No sweaters or pants, only yarn? We don't know how to knit!"
Ruan Qin and Ruan Jialin, father and son, were almost exhausted from explaining. "This down jacket must be made with a specific fabric. We can't weave too much fabric right now, so we can only place orders and make them slowly. If we make too much, we really can't make enough."
"The cotton-padded jackets are for the common people to have warm clothes to wear. There's not enough cloth to make down jackets, so we certainly can't take the cotton-padded jackets away from our distinguished guests."
"Sweaters and trousers are easy to knit. Just buy some needles and follow the instructions we give you. You can knit them quickly. You can also knit hats, gloves, and stockings."
…
Many people asked questions, and even more were deep in thought.
Several merchants were not in a hurry to place orders, especially those from Jiangnan, who were discussing something in low voices.
Miao Wan was also sharp-eyed and noticed Bayin standing in front of the display stand looking at the fabrics and ready-made clothes thoughtfully. She knew that they understood what she was selling this time.
The ready-made clothes in Qianjinlou can be customized, but they are relatively expensive, and there are no discounts or promotions, so she said that the new thing in Qianjinlou is a fire.
This fire will burn into the hearts of the merchants in Jiangnan. They will be willing to buy the methods of making wool and down, and they will definitely make a lot of money in the Jiangnan area.
If the fire burned into Bayin's heart, he would raise more sheep and ducks to exchange for down jackets or wool making methods from Qianjinlou.
As for other merchants, hats, gloves, dolls and even sweaters and trousers, as long as they can find people to knit them, there will be countless business opportunities.
Miao Wan originally thought that she could earn more by expanding the scale, hiring more female workers, opening a factory in the northwest, and monopolizing the technology.
But according to what my father-in-law and husband said, after the gold was delivered to Chen Sixu several times, they have already got some clues about Chen Sixu, and he may return to Beijing soon.
With the people currently left in the factory dealing with old foxes who travel back and forth, it is too easy for them to be tricked and learn from them.
In this case, they might as well seize the initiative. The most important thing is to master the technology of looms so that they don’t have to worry about being surpassed by others.
In the past, whether it was Jufu Restaurant or Qianjinlou, they both sold things to others, but now, she doesn’t want to just buy things for others.
She also wanted to do the same as Wuliangha, to get some profit, either by exchanging goods for goods or using gold and silver.
She didn't know much about economics, but she knew that economic circulation could bring greater business opportunities to the Northwest. If these merchants could settle down and do business in the Northwest, the economy of Xining Town would be more prosperous in the future, and the people would have more sources of income.
The most important thing is that on the surface she is exchanging goods for goods, and as long as the Qiao family does not fall into poverty in the future, no one would dare to refuse given the profit given the emotional intelligence of the merchants.
Now, apart from making money from those orders that have not been responded to, the new goods can be presented to the Gubei Army. There will not be much money coming in on the surface, but her value as Miao Shiren is different!
In this way, in the eyes of those who are interested, Qianjinlou has completely become a tool to please General Dingbei, and that old thief Chen will never be able to take her gold again!
As expected, the turnover of Qianjinlou did not increase significantly that day. Although it was slightly higher than usual, it was only more than 6,000 taels, and a large part of it was the deposit.
Ruan Qin handed the registration book to Miao Wan, "Some people have ordered down jackets, but they also want to buy our spinning wheels and looms. Others want to buy duck down and take it home to make it themselves."
Most wealthy families like exquisite things. Many of them even wear brocade and satin clothes. Their cotton-padded jackets are made of silk on the outside. They may not be interested in the cotton fabric of their down jackets.
Therefore, those who specialize in doing business with wealthy people want to buy duck down and make goods that cater to the nobles' aesthetic tastes. Not to mention two taels of silver, people would rush to buy even twenty taels.
But they didn't have enough duck down themselves, so Ruan Qin added, "I've also told them that the spinning wheel can be sold, but we won't sell the loom, yarn, or down. But we can use the recipe as a stake and open a shop with them. In the future, we can trade goods for goods if we make a profit."
As long as the Qiao family has the loom that can weave lint-free cloth, Qianjinlou will never have to worry about making money.
Miao Wan instructed Ruan Jialin, "Cousin, when you have time, go to the Yu family and sign a contract with them. Tell them that we only let them make some parts for the loom, and we assembled it all ourselves. If any parts are leaked, you must pay ten thousand taels of silver as compensation."
Ruan Jialin immediately understood, "Are you afraid that someone will come to the Yu family and threaten or bribe you?"
After all, outsiders can easily find out who makes the things in Qianjinlou.
Miao Wan chuckled, "Yes, that's why we have a contract. If money still attracts people, then we'd better make some money. Let them study it. Even if they are missing some limbs, Taotao might be able to help with the cooking. We will split the money we earn with the Yu family 70% and 30%."
Given the Yu family's character, she wasn't worried about them spreading the blueprints, but she was more afraid that they would stubbornly refuse to tell anyone and something like what happened in her second aunt's family would happen again.
She vaguely heard her second cousin's wife mention it.
She gave the drawings of the loom, along with the methods for making down jackets, as well as the methods for making sugar, distilling essential oils, and making compost to her father-in-law, and they had already been sent to Concubine Jin in the capital through a secret channel.
Other businesses are easy to deal with, as long as they make money. These are matters related to people's livelihood, and the Qiao family cannot protect them with their current power, so they have to hide the money they make.
If they are discovered, they will definitely be taken away by someone. This will benefit future generations and help them gain fame and honor in the court. As for how to "take it away", that remains to be discussed, provided that they are still alive to discuss it with others.
When good things happen, they should of course benefit our family.
Maybe Concubine Jin can take this opportunity to get promoted to a higher position. Then when the Qiao family returns to Beijing, she will have someone to rely on.
Back to the present, Ruan Qin continued, "The second master of the Wuliangha family is not in a hurry to place an order or receive the goods. He just asked me to tell him that Ruichen has returned and asked me to go to him. He has something important to discuss with you."
Qiao Shengwen nodded, gave Miao Wan a gentle look, and said with a smile, "Don't worry about him for now. He will handle it when he comes back. The next orders will be enough for us to last until the end of the year, right?"
Recently, Miao Wan has been causing chaos at home, which is literally a matter of laughter and tears.
The little ones started jumping around, Taotao also joined in the fun, the chickens of both families clucked, and the Zhang family's dog barked, making it so noisy that Qiao Shengwen and Ruan Jiasheng couldn't continue reading.
It's almost the twelfth lunar month, and the two scholars only pray that they can have a peaceful month.
Miao Wan gave her father-in-law a flattering smile and said, "We won't be doing anything new before the end of the year. We just need to have Uncle Lin and the others build a kiln at our house."
Ruan Jialin was curious, "What's the purpose of setting up a kiln?"
Miao Wan blinked, "Let's prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. There are more people this year than last year. Let's make something convenient and delicious."
When Qiao Ruichen came back, the house was quiet, except for a strange kiln next to the kitchen.
He came back on horseback, wearing a down jacket, down pants, a down hat and a mask on his face, so he was not frozen cold like usual.
Thinking that this was made for him by his daughter-in-law stitch by stitch (staring at others), Qiao Ruichen couldn't wait to see his daughter-in-law, and went back to their room without thinking.
Then he found himself locked outside with a cold lock.
Only then did he realize how quiet the house was. Uncle Geng tied up his horse and came over to tell him, "The teacher and Ruan Jiasheng's son are studying next door. Awan took the children and adults from both families to Jufu Restaurant. The Ruan family's eldest master also went there and said he wanted to eat duck."
Qiao Ruichen sighed, "Then why didn't you tell me at the door?" He wouldn't even enter the house even if he told you, so why tie up the horse?
Qiao Shengwen, who came over after hearing the noise, understood what he hadn't said yet and scolded him with a smile, "You little bastard, you've married a wife and forgotten your father, haven't you? I asked Uncle Geng to keep you here. I have something to tell you."
If Qiao Shengwen hadn't calculated that Qiao Ruichen might come back today, he might have gone to Jufu Restaurant.
It was my daughter-in-law who praised the roast duck so highly. I tried to get it at home for several days, but failed, so I went to Ju Fu Restaurant.
The two of them entered the house, and it was rare for the house to be so quiet.
"How's things going in the county town?"
Qiao Ruichen whispered, "It seems like Chen Sixu is deliberately leaving me out. Even though I send him gifts every month, he always sends people to keep a close eye on me when I'm in his house. I've never seen that Northern Mongolian slave again. I think he might be trying to test me."
I'm not afraid of his probing. I'll just give him down jackets later, which will make Chen Sixu very happy.
But Qiao Ruichen couldn't understand, "If he killed the head and wife of the Wuliangha family, why would he keep such a slave?"
Qiao Shengwen pondered, "If someone killed your entire family and only left behind an old servant who knew your family inside and out, what do you think is possible?"
Qiao Ruichen raised his eyebrows, "Dad, do you mean he wants to take action against Beimeng?"
"As long as Wuliangha clan agrees, it's fine. Didn't you say that the Northern Meng princess has returned? If necessary, having the Northern Meng people kill her is also a solution. Otherwise, even if we can find evidence against Chen Sixu, it will be difficult to kill him with the Queen Mother around."
This is what Qiao Shengwen has always been worried about. If he fails to kill the snake, he will suffer from it.
If the Queen Mother was no longer around, the Saint would have killed Chen Sixu without even thinking about it.
But he didn't expect the progress to be so fast, and the Queen Mother was still alive and well, so he couldn't take the usual path.
"Then send Awan back. I'll go find Bayin. He sent someone to send me a letter urging me to come back last time. I've already left him out in the cold. It's about time."
Qiao Shengwen glared at him, "You have to send Awan back before you go. She brought her whole family with her. Do you still need to send her back?"
"Since you've built a kiln at home but don't cook duck at home, I guess there must be some difficulties?" Qiao Ruichen explained very calmly, "If it doesn't work, she might be happier when she sees me."
Qiao Shengwen: "..."Are you too confident in yourself?
He looked at Qiao Ruichen with complicated eyes, "Son, do you know why roast duck doesn't work at home?"
Qiao Ruichen listened to his father quietly.
Qiao Shengwen thought about the scene he had seen from the study, his eyes becoming more complicated. He simply said, "Because of that dish, you have to hug a duck and kiss it hard. If you can't kiss it well, you can't roast it. Your uncle couldn't kiss it well either, so Miao Wan took him to the restaurant and wanted Sun Laohuo to help see what was going on."
Qiao Ruichen froze. What did it mean to hug a duck and kiss it hard?
Without saying a word, he immediately turned around and left. It was impossible to stop him. At worst... at worst he would kiss his wife on her behalf.
In fact, Miao Wan was currently cheering up Master Sun Laohuo and his three disciples.
Besides, she had already kissed...ah, she had blown the duck, otherwise how would Qiao Shengwen know.
However, as everyone couldn't bear to watch, Miao Wan tried hard to blow the flute for a long time but failed.
Ruan Qi originally had some concerns about his image, but since his niece was already there, for the sake of a good meal, he was willing to blow the duck under the laughing gaze of his younger generations.
But this time the chef was no help, and he just couldn't blow up the duck no matter what he did.
There was no way. Miao Wan had not intended to trouble Sun Laohuo, so this time she had to go to Jufu Restaurant to find him.
When Sun Laohuo learned that the chefs from Jiangnan had failed to succeed, not only he but also his three apprentices became interested, and the four of them had a duck blowing competition.
After blowing for a long time, they realized that it was useless.
First the butt started leaking, then after the butt was sewn up, the mouth also leaked.
Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo had some kind of mutual admiration among chefs. They simply cut open a duck and carefully examined its structure.
Only then did I realize that the chest also needed to be sewn up, at least there would be less air leakage, and it should not be inflated too full, otherwise the air would leak out faster.
Sun Laohuo was quite confused, "Why do you want to blow up the duck?"
Miao Wan was a little dumbfounded by the question, "Ah...that's exactly what the recipe says."
How would she know why the duck had to be blown up? Anyway, people in later generations would blow up the roast duck before eating it.
Ruan Qi had some guesses. "Duck meat is firm and will become tough if roasted too much. Duck skin is also very fatty. If the duck is hollowed out and roasted over fire, it must be to separate the skin and the meat, making the skin crispier and the meat more tender?"
"Yes, yes, roasted duck skin is especially delicious!" Miao Wan nodded vigorously, and then, under the inquiring gazes of the two chefs, she hugged Taotao tightly, "Ah... I guessed, I guessed."
Regardless of whether she guessed it or not, she always had to find a way to make the duck inflate. Sun Laohuo's apprenticeship was not so formal, and his methods were more unconventional, and he was more flexible than Ruan Qi.
"Then let's make a few, sew them up and blow them up, and fill the others with steamed food to make them tasty. Let's try a few more."
With the help of two apprentices, they worked hard for most of the day and finally stuffed the eight ducks before Qiao Ruichen arrived.
Miao Wan breathed a sigh of relief, carrying Taotao and a group of adults and children who were watching the fun, and went to the kang room, "Finally it's done, all right, let's eat, is the offering ready? I'm starving."
Geng slapped her and said, "Don't say that word casually. It's unlucky to say it under the root of the year. Bitterly spit it out."
Miao Wan stuck out her tongue and made a few "pooh" sounds. The children followed her example and were about to go out laughing.
Sun Laohuo was a little dumbfounded. "Oh, no? The duck is ready and you're going to eat the Boxia offering? Where's the duck?"
Ruan Qi smiled bitterly and shook his head, "I don't even know how delicious this is, this is just the first step.
It also needs to be air-dried, and during the drying process it needs to be brushed with sugar water several times. It can be fired after at least eight hours, and baked for an hour and a half before it can be taken out of the kiln. Only then is it considered complete.
Sun Laohuo became even more interested. "Don't look at Awan as someone who likes to tinker with things, but she's never made such a complicated meal before. The more she tinkers with things, the more amazing they are. How about I come over tomorrow afternoon and help you make them?"
He also wanted to know how delicious this thing was.
Ruan Qi was also afraid that something might go wrong, so he nodded and agreed, "Then I'll trouble you, brother. I agree. This thing doesn't taste good, and Awan can't pinch the duck's neck and kiss it for a long time."
He was willing to accompany Miao Wan to do this because he thought it must be delicious.
When Sun Laohuo heard Ruan Qi's description, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Several people in the kitchen laughed when they thought of the scene.
Only the people standing outside the kitchen felt extremely sad.
Seeing that there was no one in the kitchen, Qiao Ruichen went to the kang room at the back as he knew the place well. There were no guests in the kang room at the moment, only Miao Wan and her group were busy.
As soon as he entered the backyard, he heard Miao Wan vividly describing to everyone how delicious the roast duck was.
"The roasted duck skin is shiny and crispy at first, but when you savor it carefully, you will find that it is fragrant and oily, and the oil has a sweet taste.
It might be a bit greasy if eaten alone, but add some shredded green onions and winter squash, dip it in a little bit of sweetened black bean sauce, and wrap it in a thin pancake with duck skin... The taste is fresh, fragrant and sweet, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which will leave you with an unforgettable aftertaste!
Miao Wan swallowed her saliva and quickly took a few chopsticks of mutton hotpot to satisfy her craving.
The children were so greedy that they couldn't even enjoy their Bo Xia Gong, and they kept asking her questions with their necks stretched.
"Auntie, auntie, what about duck meat? Isn't duck meat delicious?"
"Auntie, did you dream about this? Are you still crying now?"
Miao Wan: “…”
She looked at her mother-in-law who was staring at her with a mixture of laughter and tears, and Madam Zhang who was covering her mouth with her hands while laughing, and thought to herself, aren't you greedy?
Okay, then keep listening.
She pinched Tiedan, who asked if she was still crying, and continued:
"The duck meat is quite chewy, and the meat is soaked in the fat skin. It has the aroma of being roasted, and the fresh fragrance of being soaked in sugar water and oil. When it first enters the mouth, it feels quite crispy, but the meat is tender inside. If you dip it in black bean sauce, you can swallow your tongue.
Oh yes, don’t forget the duck skeleton. After the roast duck is taken apart, a complete duck skeleton will be left. You can put some tofu on it and stew a pot of delicious old duck soup.
If you don’t like the taste of duck soup, you can fry it directly in a pan, sprinkle with pepper and fine salt, and then dip it in a little bit of dogwood oil. It tastes amazing.
Yes, yes, yes, the duck tongues and gizzards are the most important things you can’t miss, whether they’re grilled or braised, with plenty of dogwood oil and Sichuan peppercorn oil… slurp!
Now even the guys listening at the door couldn't help but swallow their saliva.
A customer passing by, fascinated by the experience, asked, "You sound so excited, where can I buy it?"
Miao Wan paused, then turned her head with a smile and said, "Oh, I heard someone say that it seems like someone will sell it after the New Year. It's only after hearing about it that I've been thinking about this taste."
"Is it sold in your Jufu Restaurant?" The customer was obviously a gourmet. He was even more greedy than the children and couldn't help asking the waiter.
The man glanced at Miao Wan secretly and said uncertainly in a low voice: "Probably..."
"That's definitely not the case. I heard that they are going to build a new house and open a shop in Tile City. They don't plan to sell on the street."
Zhang Sanzhuang saw Qiao Ruichen and happened to come to the backyard with him, ready to ask Miao Wan whether Qianjinlou was planning to sell food.
Miao Wan has not been making any trouble during this period.
He came home from work at the restaurant and the guy fell asleep.
When he left in the morning, this guy was still sleeping soundly with his daughter, so he had no place to ask anything.
Miao Wan's crisp voice made him feel cold at heart, so he didn't need to ask any more questions.
The good news is that Qianjinlou does not sell food.
The bad news is that Miao Wan plans to open another shop, and this time she is really going to compete with Ju Fu Restaurant.
He felt sour in his heart. Even if Jufu Restaurant became an inn, Awan
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