Chapter Sixty-Nine Variety
Zhang Liuji, along with two craftsmen, Zhao and Sun, carefully nailed the last few pieces of fine gauze to the inside of the window frame.
"It's done!" Master Sun patted the dust off his hands and looked at the two large windows facing the river with satisfaction.
The windows are opened from the outside, and the Rehe wind flows in without any obstruction. When closing the shop, the hinges are closed and the wooden boards are put on, which doesn't cause any trouble.
The fine-mesh gauze effectively kept out the buzzing, disturbing mosquitoes from the riverbank.
Master Zhao nodded: "That's great! We can leave the windows open in the summer without worrying about mosquitoes, and Sister Xiulan won't have to swat mosquitoes while making soup!"
Zhang Liu watched from the side, a smile he couldn't hide on his face.
She walked over and tried opening the fan. It fit her height perfectly. Sister Zijuan didn't have to worry, but Sister Xiulan would probably need to stand on a stone. "Brother Liuji, both of you, thank you so much for your hard work. This is so well done!" she said sincerely.
Inside the shop, a sturdy new stove has been built against the inner wall.
The stove, built of heat-resistant red bricks and covered with yellow mud, has been smoothed out.
Two large iron pots were already firmly placed on top.
Next to the stove, a simple partition, about half a person's height, was nailed together with thick wooden planks and had a small countertop, clearly separating the area for cooking soup from the area where the guests stayed.
Outside the partition, several refurbished long wooden tables and matching long benches were neatly arranged.
The tabletop was wiped clean and was reflecting the sunlight streaming in from the large window.
The furnishings are simple, but they make you feel at ease.
On the second floor, the wooden frames erected along the walls have already come in handy.
Several earthenware jars of different sizes sat steadily in the reserved space.
One container was filled with newly bought brown rice, another with soybeans, and the third with dried spices.
The shelves were also neatly arranged with dried goods and spice jars.
Zhang Liuji used the remaining wood to carefully smooth the edges of the frame, made several hooks from the scraps of wood to attach them, and tied several bundles of dried mugwort and mint leaves with hemp rope, hanging them in a conspicuous place. The bitter herbal scent wafted through the air, protecting the wood.
Xiong Zijuan was carefully folding the washed bean curd cloth layer by layer and placing it on the bottom shelf for easy access.
In the small attic on the third floor, the simple wooden bed was covered with a thick straw mat and a clean coarse cloth sheet.
Against the wall was a low wooden shelf with an iron basin and a rough earthenware water jug on it.
In the corner, there was a small wooden bucket with a lid, which served as a chamber pot.
Beside the bed, Zhang Xiaoyi had specially hung a newly bought curtain, with its four corners firmly nailed to the wall with wooden wedges.
The mosquitoes by the river are biting fiercely right now, so we can't miss them.
A screen was also nailed to the small window; if you open it a crack, the evening breeze can slip in.
That noon, Zhang Yili and Xiong Zijuan were putting away the last of their odds and ends in the shop when their neighbor, Aunt Feng, walked in with a small basket on her shoulder and a smile on her face.
"Oh my, this place is so neatly tidied up!" Aunt Feng looked at the newly renovated shop and praised it with a tsk-tsk: "Look at this window, how bright it is! And these tables and benches, how sturdy they are! Now it's all good, our Yi-jie doesn't have to set up her stall in the wind and sun anymore!"
Zhang Liuyi greeted her with a smile: "Aunt Feng is here? Please have a seat!"
"No, no, I've come to the city to get medicine for Shuanzi's father."
Aunt Feng waved her hand and handed the small basket in her hand forward.
"Here you go. These are eggs from my chickens. I've saved up a whole basketful, more than we can eat. I heard your shop is opening soon, so I brought them over as a lucky charm. I wish you a prosperous and thriving business!"
In the basket, there were a dozen or so round, yellow eggs that looked very fresh.
Zhang Liuxin felt a warmth in her heart and quickly took the basket: "Oh, Aunt Feng, I can't accept this! You're too kind!"
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Consider it repayment for the oxcart you lent me last time. Now that you've opened a shop, it'll be much more convenient for us to come to town and get a hot meal. I need to take the medicine back to cook for his father, so you two keep busy!"
After saying that, he left without lingering.
Zhang Liuyi held the eggs in his hand and followed Aunt Feng a few steps.
The shop is almost ready, but the stalls at the dock still need to be set up.
These are the last few days. Notices about expanding the wharf have been posted, and the day of clearing out the site is just around the corner.
Zhang Yili and Xiong Zijuan set up their stall as usual.
On the dock, the laborers and boatmen were not without a place to live as she had feared.
Lord Cai, the clerk, had already issued a notice: those willing to stay and help expand the wharf would still be paid, the only difference being that they would be carrying stones instead of heavy sacks. To them, there was little difference.
Life goes on as usual; hard labor earns you coins.
The stall was still crowded with people.
That day, Liu Laoshuan, who often worked at the dock, was holding a bowl of hot soup. He slurped it down and asked, "Zhang Niangzi, I heard you're moving to a different place to open your shop?"
While serving porridge to another customer, Zhang Liuyi replied with a smile, "Yes, Uncle Liu, it's not far from here. Just walk another eighty or ninety steps, to the place next to the riverbank. They'll be opening in a few days!"
"Oh, that's great!"
Old Liu's eyes lit up: "Will we be able to drink this soup again in the future?"
"Of course!" Zhang Yi's voice was clear and crisp. "There are tables and chairs in the shop, so you don't have to worry about wind or rain! The soup is still the same soup, and the price is still the same! I guarantee you'll have a very satisfying meal!"
Her voice was loud enough that all the boatmen and laborers around her could hear it.
"Really? They sell it for this price in the shop too?" someone asked.
"Of course!" Li Xiulan chimed in with a smile, "We're just changing locations, but the soup is still the same soup, and the porridge is still the same porridge! Don't worry, everyone!"
"well!"
Old Liu nodded repeatedly: "When it opens, I'll be the first to come and support it!"
"Let's go too!" Several people nearby chimed in.
Listening to these words, Zhang felt even more confident.
Regular customers recognize the taste; as long as the taste and price remain the same, they will keep coming back.
After closing up shop and returning home in the evening, Zhang Yiyan didn't rest immediately.
She sat on a small stool, drawing and writing by the dim light of an oil lamp near the earthen mound in the yard.
Xiong Zixiang leaned over to look: "What's going on here?"
Zhang Liuyi frowned and said, "I'm doing the accounting now. I have the shop, but when will I break even? The copper coins I earn from the original soup and porridge are barely enough to make ends meet."
Xiong Zixiang understood this principle and nodded: "We must find a way to recoup our losses and increase our income."
"I'm thinking about it." Zhang Yili tapped the soil with a twig.
"We need to add some variety to our dishes. They can't be too expensive, because the brothers at the docks earn their living through hard labor and can't afford anything expensive. But they also can't be too cheap, or we won't make any money."
She pondered, "At our old stall, the most expensive dish was tripe and lung soup, which cost one coin more than the vegetarian noodles, and everyone accepted it and it sold well. But if we don't change the price in the shop, I'm afraid it won't be enough."
"Then... what else can I make?" Xiong Zixiang asked. "Some stir-fry?"
"Stir-fry?" Zhang thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"We have the stove and pots, but stir-frying is expensive and requires a lot of fuel. We also have to cook and sell on the spot. I'm afraid one person can't handle it all."
"If the price is set too low, it won't be profitable; if it's set too high, the workers won't be willing to pay."
She thought for a moment and said, "I was wondering if I could make some... something that would seem a little more expensive, so I could sell it for a few more coins, but it's not something they can't afford?"
"For example?" Xiong Zixiang asked, intrigued.
“For example…” Zhang asked thoughtfully.
"How about some mixed braised dishes? Our meat jelly sells pretty well at the Xishi Koukou store. How about some pig ears and pig tails, and put them together? This stuff can be made with fresh braising liquid, and it keeps well."
“These things are definitely more expensive than offal, so we can sell them for a higher price. A plate of them is good with both drinks and rice.”
“There are many men at the dock, and sometimes a few of them want to have a drink or have a treat. Cut a small dish and sell it for ten or eight coins, and they can have a taste occasionally.”
Xiong Zixiang thought that this made perfect sense.
"This is good, no trouble at all. The price is reasonable, and we can make a profit."
“Hmm!” Zhang nodded. “Also, we have those two stoves, right? We use them to cook soup and porridge, but we don’t use them. Could we put a steamer on top to cook something else? Like, steam some coarse grain buns? Or make some cornbread? With our soup, it can fill you up. It’s a couple of coins more expensive than plain porridge, but it’s much more filling than just drinking porridge. People who are willing to spend a couple of coins more will have more options.”
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