The butler was startled at first, but gradually calmed down after listening to the waiter's introduction.
The purpose of gift giving is to give something valuable and unique. The more novel the item, the more it can enhance the host's reputation.
The butler was obviously tempted, but the price exceeded the budget given to him by the mistress, so he didn't dare to make a decision on his own.
After thinking for a long time, he finally came up with a compromise.
Looking around, he pulled his waiter aside and quietly discussed with him, "I want to order this new variety of mooncakes, but I have to go back and report it to the owner.
How about you reserve five spots for me first, and I'll go back and tell the host family. If they agree, I'll come back early tomorrow to pay the deposit."
Isn't this just a pie in the sky for him? The guy was a little reluctant.
The housekeeper also saw what the waiter was thinking and continued to persuade him, "The main thing is that we didn't know about this before! Just save me a spot for one night. If I don't come to pay tomorrow, you can sell it to someone else. There's still time and it won't delay anything!"
The guy thought that this was the truth. A mooncake cost only one or two taels of silver, so how could the people working below have the final say?
Then he relaxed and said, "Then you must come and pay the deposit before noon tomorrow. If the time is up and you don't come, I will sell it to someone else."
The butler nodded repeatedly, "I'll go back and ask for details now. I'll bring the money back before noon tomorrow."
The waiter respectfully escorted the guest out.
Unexpectedly, before he even waited until noon the next day, the housekeeper arrived at the right time as soon as the shop opened.
"Have the tasting samples of your new mooncakes arrived yet?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming." The housekeeper arrived at the right time and happened to meet Chen Feng who came to deliver samples.
Because there were limited samples and not many things, Chen Feng didn't even drive a carriage. He just rode here on horseback carrying the things in a basket.
After handing a beautifully packaged mooncake gift box from the basket to the shopkeeper, she reminded him, "The fillings of these mooncakes are rare. Each store only has one box of samples for tasting. There will be no more. The lady asked the shopkeeper to take care of the arrangements.
The lady also said that this mooncake is different from other mooncakes. It is slightly bitter when you first taste it, which is the characteristic of this mooncake. She also asked the guests to taste it carefully.
After Chen Feng left, the shopkeeper carefully opened the exquisite mooncake gift box and looked at the five mooncakes inside. They were no bigger than the palm of his hand, shiny black in color, and exuded a faint fragrance that he couldn't describe, like the fragrance of milk, with a hint of pleasant burnt smell. He was puzzled for a moment.
How can we give such a small mooncake to so many guests to try?
The housekeeper got up early today just for the mooncakes.
He heard everything Chen Feng said just now. There were only so many samples for tasting. Fortunately, he came early. If he had come at noon, he would probably only be able to look at the packaging boxes.
Seeing more and more people coming into the shop, he hurriedly urged the shopkeeper to cut the mooncakes for them to taste, fearing that if more people came later, they would not be able to eat them.
He couldn't bear to buy mooncakes for himself, which cost only one ounce of silver. But being able to get a little bit at this time was good, as he could enjoy it before the nobles!
Someone urged him to do it, and the shopkeeper could no longer care about anything else. He immediately asked the waiter to get a knife to cut the mooncakes into as small pieces as possible to fill the gaps between his teeth.
After the mooncakes are cut, the shopkeeper will not let anyone taste them casually. Only those who have ordered mooncakes or have already ordered other mooncake gift boxes from their shop can get a small piece.
The guests didn't mind. After all, they saw that there was only a small amount of food. If it was distributed haphazardly and everyone came to eat for free, then those who really needed to taste the flavor wouldn't be able to eat it.
The shopkeeper personally picked up the mooncakes with toothpicks and handed them to the customers.
Everyone took the small piece in their hand and looked at it, then took an even smaller piece of mooncake, carefully put it into their mouth and savored it carefully.
As the shopkeeper said, it tastes slightly bitter at first, but then becomes sweet, with just the right amount of sweetness and not greasy. The texture is silky and soft, with a hint of milk and an indescribable but extremely fragrant burnt aroma.
With such a rich flavor in just one bite, it's no wonder they're so expensive. This mooncake is probably the only one of its kind in Beijing.
Yesterday's shopkeeper quickly finished tasting the food, and while everyone was still enjoying it, he immediately crouched down and went to find the guy he had contacted yesterday and quietly paid the deposit.
The people behind reacted and almost broke the counter.
As soon as the news about the new mooncakes came out in several stores yesterday, Gu Jinyan and her partners got the news and knew that the finished products would be available today.
After having breakfast at home, everyone rushed to Donglin Street.
Then when they reached the door, they all crashed into each other.
They looked at each other guiltily, and without saying anything, they walked into the yard together.
At that time, Tian An was still in the kitchen watching everyone making mooncakes. When he learned that several people were coming, he knew what they were planning.
After asking the number of people, she asked the maid to prepare a chocolate mooncake for each person, neither too many nor too few, and then carried it to the hall.
As soon as they entered the hall, several people looked at the mooncakes in the maid's hands with their eyes shining.
Before she could even call upon them, everyone stood up and took care of themselves.
After getting the mooncake, I couldn’t help but look at it, smell it, and praise it before slowly putting it into my mouth to savor it carefully.
Tian An looked at their eyes that brightened up instantly and knew how much they liked this mooncake.
Sure enough, girls have no resistance to chocolate.
They knew that there were not many ingredients needed to make this mooncake. After eating the mooncakes in their hands, even though they were still not satisfied, they did not ask Tian An to make more for them.
Instead, start with the Hotan Anding Gift Box.
"Sister An An, can we only order a maximum of five boxes per person for this mooncake like everyone else?" Kristy Wu and Wei Lingran, one on each side, pouted and pulled Tian An's sleeves, acting coquettishly.
Tian An couldn't do anything about the two of them, "Ten boxes per person, no more."
"Sister An An is so nice."
The two were extremely happy, especially Kristy Wu. Now that Qin Yalan was a member of his family, didn't that mean her family could order twenty boxes?
Tian An looked at this group of innocent girls and felt deeply moved. She never expected that she, who was like a lonely star in her previous life, could make such good friends in this life.
The group spent the entire afternoon in the workshop. Before leaving, Tian An generously gave each of them a box of chocolate lava mooncakes to take home.
It doesn’t matter if she earns less money, but she can’t let her children suffer.
After a busy day, Tian An returned home and looked at the increasingly round moon in the sky. He missed Zhao Yiming a little and didn't know how he was doing.
Zhao Yiming in the Imperial Examination Hall had already put away his test papers, had dinner, and was sitting in his small cell, looking up at the bright moon in the sky.
After thinking about it, he took out the box of chocolates made by Tian An from the exam basket, picked out one, and savored the flavor in small bites.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
