"This shop was acquired by my aunt through a lifetime of humble and subservient work, and it is also an obsession of mine."
If one day I really can't hold on any longer, so be it! It's all thanks to God's mercy that I met Madam Qin. I've finally gotten my revenge this year! However, if I cause Madam Qin any trouble, I'll feel really bad! It's better if this shop doesn't open! After saying this, he let out a long sigh!
"Is Chen's shop really that powerful? Can it control everything in He County?" Qin San Niang was puzzled. It's just a small pastry shop. No matter how powerful it is, it's still just a pastry shop! It can't even compare to a jewelry store!
"If this Manager Chen really has such extraordinary abilities, why does he only run a small pastry shop in He County? Could it be that he has other intentions, or perhaps his true purpose is not what it seems?"
What Qin San Niang didn't say was that if she had such great abilities, she would definitely open a pawnshop, a jewelry store, a hotel, or at the very least, a tavern! How much money could this pastry shop possibly make?
Startled by her question, Manager Si was taken aback; clearly, he hadn't considered this issue before. "Madam Qin, you're quite right. Let me think about it more carefully!"
"Oh, Madam Qin, did you come with some new recipes this time? Speaking of which, when I went to my family home this time, I won the favor of my elder sister. I didn't expect to find such a good recipe. She said she wants to promote these three pastries in shops throughout Jiangzhou! My stepmother has also agreed to let me bring my aunt out to live with me in her old age."
"This is all thanks to you, Madam Qin! You must come to my residence another day; my aunt's hand-pulled noodles are absolutely delicious! Speaking of which, she's from the same hometown as you, from Jingyuan Prefecture in the North." At this point, Manager Si's eyes shone with genuine joy.
"Congratulations, Manager Si! When the old lady arrives, we'll definitely have to come and bother you!" Qin San Niang was also happy for him. It wasn't easy being a concubine's son or daughter in a wealthy family! Being released from the mansion by the mistress at his age is a good end for him!
"Thanks to Madam Qin, by the way, what do you think of that matter we talked about last time?" Manager Si asked with a smile.
In his view, this was an excellent deal, and his family also agreed to the plan, which was the greatest sincerity he could offer!
Unlike Lan Yao's clothing shop, the pastries, though not expensive individually, are a chain store thanks to the Si family's extensive network of shops across various locations. The Si family's ancestors started their fortune with this small pastry shop, earning their first pot of gold before venturing into other industries.
Qin San Niang naturally understood the profits involved and knew that Manager Si was genuinely looking out for her. Unlike the Lan family, as far as she knew, the Si family started out in business. Although they were now wealthy in Jiangzhou, they were, in essence, just merchants!
The Lan family head is an official; if he makes a mistake and chooses the wrong side, it's no laughing matter! Therefore, cooperating with the Si family is much safer than cooperating with the Lan family. Besides, there's Si Liren as an intermediary, saving a lot of trouble!
"These past few days, I've come up with a new recipe. I'll make it for the shopkeeper to try later." Qin San Niang knew exactly what she was doing. Since they were already planning to cooperate, there was no need to hide anything.
Upon hearing this, Sili Ren's eyes lit up, and he stroked his beard with a smile, "Madam Qin is indeed a capable person. She can come up with a new recipe in just a few days. She truly deserves to be my benefactor! Then I'll trouble you to go to the kitchen and do your work."
"Manager Si, you're too kind!" After saying that, Qin San Niang went to the kitchen with the young waiter. After entering the kitchen, the waiter closed the door, and she busied herself inside.
Although it was described as busy work, it wasn't actually difficult. The hawthorn filling was already prepared. Now all that was left was to make the puff pastry and bake it. Last time, she had suggested to Manager Si that they build a simple oven. This oven was made by a craftsman that Xiao Wu had found. Qin San Niang had tested it and thought it worked very well. Although the temperature couldn't reach the height of an electric oven, it was perfectly capable of baking pastries.
After filling the hawthorn shortbread, Qin San Niang decorated it with red dots made from red balsam flower juice.
Sili Ren glanced at the freshly baked pastries and couldn't help but look at them. These pastries were even more beautiful than the flower pastries he had eaten at his elder sister's house before, and the aroma was even more tempting. Those pastries came from the imperial kitchen and were sent over by his elder sister's sister-in-law.
Could this Lady Qin be from the palace?! No, she seems carefree, unlike the many rules and regulations of palace women. Could it be that a close relative of hers is a palace maid? That's also possible.
Oh well, let's not think about it for now! I haven't even tasted this pastry yet!
Qin San Niang took out a hawthorn shortbread, broke it in half, and presented it to him.
The Master of Ceremonies disregarded etiquette and hurriedly picked up half of the pastry and put it in his mouth. Mmm, delicious!
"The pastry crust is crispy and delicious, with a delightful aroma of sesame seeds! Is the filling hawthorn? Why is it so soft, sweet and sour?" This is really strange!
He had experimented with hawthorn berries before, because they were cheap, and when made into candied hawthorn skewers with sugar, they tasted pretty good! The sourness could be solved by adding more sugar! However, making them into fillings was not so easy. After being boiled, the fillings made from hawthorn berries were all soft and mushy, unlike the sandy and soft fillings in these shortbreads!
"Manager Si, this is the secret recipe for our hawthorn shortbread! The filling includes kidney bean paste, which helps the hawthorn filling hold its shape and increases the yield—in other words, it makes more filling. Otherwise, one shortbread would require a handful of hawthorns, which would be quite expensive. Kidney beans are relatively cheap, and farmers have plenty. Even grain stores sell them as coarse grains, which saves us money." Qin San Niang slowly explained to him. Doing business naturally requires attention to detail; otherwise, if you nitpick every little thing, you'll just be waiting to lose money.
Listening to Qin San Niang's detailed explanation, Si Li Ren went from initial surprise to later admiration. "Madam Qin, I admire you. You are truly a born businesswoman! Doing business is nothing more than buying low and selling high, increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. That's how we small businesses should operate!"
"Manager Si is too kind. I only know that since we want to make money but don't want to do anything that harms our customers' interests, we can only work on the ingredients. Adding mung bean paste can not only make the hawthorn filling taste better but also increase its nutrition. From any perspective, it's a good thing."
“That should be the case. Then let’s make a contract. My hawthorn cakes, oh no, I mean hawthorn shortbread, will be a partnership with you through equity investment. I can give you 20% of the profits. Don’t think it’s too little, Madam Qin. Once we expand to a full scale, the profits will be considerable.”
Sili Ren said with satisfaction, "This hawthorn shortbread is called 'Hawthorn Shortbread,' which is probably a name that Madam Qin came up with herself to confuse people! That's a great idea!"
Sure enough, each wave is stronger than the last. I'm getting old; my brain isn't working as well as it used to!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com