44. On a spring night, I peek into someone's heart.
Sleeping separately is not an option.
The next morning, Yan Yunzhao cut some radish strips to absorb water and dry them. Thinking that pickling some radish and sauerkraut to eat with porridge in winter would be delicious, he lit an oil lamp in the kitchen, laid out oil paper, and arranged the dried radish.
The flame in the oil lamp danced and leaped with the movements of his hands, its orange light reflecting inside, much like a fluttering firefly.
Thinking back carefully, she realized that she hadn't eaten pickled radishes, such a common country dish, for a long time. The people of Daqi didn't have the custom of eating porridge with pickled vegetables, so she had put aside the pickling process for several months.
A few days ago, I heard that Aunt Cui had brought a jar of pickled vegetables from her hometown. They were sour, crisp and refreshing. I asked her for the recipe and then thought of making them when I had some free time.
It wasn't until the sky began to lighten that the dried radish was almost ready. Yan Yunzhao put down the lantern and stretched.
A few days before the opening of Zhuochun Pavilion, she arranged for Miss Luo to find some clever maids and old women she knew to work in the pavilion. The wages were higher than elsewhere, so they were naturally very happy to do so. Just as dawn was breaking, a group of kitchen helpers had already gathered at the entrance of the store.
"Good morning, Master Yan!"
The dozen or so women smiled radiantly, as vibrant as the rising sun behind them, which dispelled the gloom in Yan Yunzhao's heart.
She preferred to stay outside in the sun to prolong the time, so she smiled and nodded, chatting casually with the maids and grandmothers to foster rapport between the boss and employees: "Grandma Fang's daughter-in-law gave birth to a big, healthy baby girl? Congratulations!"
"Miss Li is getting married next month? Remember to invite me to the wedding banquet, and I will definitely bring a generous gift."
"Is Grandma Wei's cold from a few days ago cured? That's good, otherwise she would have been very uncomfortable in the winter."
...
After exchanging pleasantries, the sun outside Zhuochun Tower seemed to rise higher, and guests arrived in droves. It was the busiest time for the shop, and Yan Yunzhao naturally went into the kitchen to help out.
"Master Yan, come and take a look. Why are these bean cakes so dry after just a little baking?"
Yan Yunzhao leaned over to take a look and saw that the bottom of the bean cake was burnt to a golden brown. The fire in the stove was too high and had been burning for too long, causing the bean flour to dry out too much, which naturally made it taste bad.
"Add a little water to the bottom of the steamer, take the bean flour out of the mold, steam it for half an incense stick, and then add osmanthus honey. I did it according to the owner's instructions, so why is it different from yours?"
Yan Yunzhao's self-created honey bean cake is now the top pastry at Zhuochunlou. The fresh beans are ground into powder and then mixed with eggs and milk, resulting in a delicate and soft texture. However, the cooking time needs to be strictly controlled, otherwise the cake will lose its freshness.
She used to bake it herself using pyrotechnics, so she never made a mistake in controlling the heat. She never thought that her mothers-in-law wouldn't be able to replicate it. Now it seems that she still needs to make the bean flour cakes herself.
"Grandma, you go ahead and do your work. I'll take care of this bean cake."
Yan Yunzhao smiled at her mother-in-law, but her mother-in-law hesitated: "Master, there are so many people ordering bean flour cakes today, can you manage it all by yourself?"
"It's alright."
Now that I have abundant magical power, steaming ten in one go is no problem at all.
Seeing that she was confident, her mother-in-law went to help elsewhere.
The setting sun shone into the spacious and bright kitchen of Zhuochunlou, and the warm steam rising slowly from the stove towards the window created a cozy and inviting scene.
Ordinary people could not see any trace of magic. Yan Yunzhao arranged the half-cooked cakes on a table, turned her back to everyone, and baked them over a fire. With just a touch of her delicate hand, the aroma of bean cakes filled the kitchen.
The white porcelain pot contains osmanthus honey that has been brewing for more than two months. As soon as you open the lid, you can smell its sweet fragrance. The aroma of osmanthus wafts over, as if autumn has not yet passed.
The bean flour cake, drizzled with osmanthus honey, is still warm. Serving it on the table while it's steaming hot, a bite of this warm cake will warm your heart even in the coldest winter.
In the entire town of Lixi, only Zhuochunlou had a steady supply of fresh vegetables during the winter, so the restaurant was always packed with diners, and the servants were busy serving dishes and pouring tea. Yan Yunzhao was supervising the chefs as they prepared the dishes according to her recipes when she was called away by the head housekeeper.
The head housekeeper was an old acquaintance of Miss Luo, and had also been the head housekeeper of Guiyue Tower before. She was efficient and capable in her work, and now she was even more radiant than before, showing no signs of having a granddaughter.
After instructing the servant to bring out the newly arrived fine tea to brew, the head steward turned to Yan Yunzhao and said, "Master, several guild leaders say they have important matters to discuss with you, and they are already waiting in the hall."
Yan Yunzhao nodded slightly to her, said "Thank you for your hard work," and then lifted the curtain to go to the reception hall in the front hall.
The armchairs on either side of the octagonal table at the east end of the hall were empty, while four people sat on wooden chairs around it, currently holding octagonal teacups and blowing on the foam to drink tea. Yan Yunzhao only recognized two of them as the owners of the Qian and Liao restaurants where he had dined a few days ago.
When the four saw Yan Yun enter, they put down their teacups, stood up, and greeted him.
Yan Yunzhao smiled and said, "No need to be so polite, everyone please have a seat."
She glanced around at the teacups in the hands of the four people. The tea leaves inside were slender and light in color, which should be the Shangjing Chunhua tea that she had recently instructed the head housekeeper to purchase. This tea was precious and was prepared for entertaining guests.
"Why didn't you inform us of your arrival today? I would have had people prepare accordingly, so as not to neglect our distinguished guests."
She was appointed as the head of the group without much effort, and the owners must have felt somewhat resentful. So they adopted the host's generosity and elegance, and the more exquisite the hospitality, the better.
Liao Dongjia quickly replied, "Master Yan, you're too kind. Even a rough man like me can taste the preciousness of this tea, how could I possibly be negligent?"
Mr. Qian, the owner, was round and honest-looking, and clearly not one to cause trouble, so he chimed in with a few words. Only the two owners on the opposite side sipped their tea in silence, each harboring their own secrets.
These two must be the most difficult people to get along with in the guild. There are only four guild owners here today. Apart from Lou Chengjing, who is always carefree, these four must also be influential people in the guild, which is why they chose to come and have their say on such a short time since Zhuochun Pavilion opened.
Yan Yunzhao understood immediately and didn't waste any more time chatting with them. He said directly, "I've heard that when Master Bai was the head of the guild, he collected a full 30% of the business tax, while the laws of the Great Qi Kingdom stipulate that business tax for restaurants should only account for less than 10% of their revenue. Considering that many important matters in the guild require a membership fee from each of you, Miss Luo and I have discussed it and decided to collect only 10%. What do you all think?"
As expected, all four owners showed delight upon hearing this. The two owners who had been sitting silently opposite Qian Liao also stood up and bowed, saying, "We have misunderstood Owner Yan before, and we feel ashamed."
The tall, thin man in the blue silk robe said, "I am Zhang Yi from Yuanfang Inn. If Master Yan needs wine made, he can come directly to my inn to get it, and the recipe will be given to you as before."
Seeing Zhang Dongjia speak frankly, the bearded, big-eyed Hu merchant beside him also said straightforwardly, "Since you are so devoted, I, Jin, will no longer test the sincerity of Yan Dongjia. Bai Dongjia is greedy and disregards righteousness. Relying on the backing of high-ranking officials, he not only arbitrarily increases taxes but also suppresses our food business, making it difficult for us to survive for long. I hope Yan Dongjia is not like Bai Dongjia. We will definitely present the recipes that our guild needs."
“That’s natural. I don’t know much about how to cook some of the traditional dishes in Lixi Town, so I’ll need to learn from you all in the future,” Yan Yunzhao said with a smile.
"Mr. Yan, you're too kind."
Taking advantage of the fact that most people were present, Yan Yunzhao discussed the guild's development with several owners. He had thought that being the guild leader was just a symbolic role, but the more he listened to the owners' complaints, the more headaches he got.
“Lixi Town has fertile soil, but the climate is damp and rainy, so many sun-loving vegetables simply cannot be grown here. If we import them from other places, not only are they expensive, but they also wilt by the time they arrive. Many diners have complained about the vegetables not being fresh, but we are powerless to do anything about it. We would appreciate it if Mr. Yan could think of a solution.”
"I've heard that Master Yan has a unique farming method. The potatoes he grows are unmatched in the surrounding area. He can even grow fresh vegetables in the dead of winter, and the yield is extremely high. The vegetables he makes also have a wonderful aroma. I wonder if he could share some of his methods?"
"It's been cold lately, and customers are less inclined to go out, so there are far fewer than usual. I've heard that Mr. Yan has created a unique takeout service; I wonder if he would be willing to recruit a few of us to join him?"
"Tell me slowly, tell me slowly."
Perhaps because Yan Yunzhao's entrepreneurial legend was widely known in Lixi Town, several business owners seized the opportunity to bombard him with questions.
Yan Yunzhao carefully analyzed the problems of each guild leader and concluded that the root of the problem lay in the use of talismans, magical farming techniques, and the modern cooking essential – chicken bouillon. The guild leaders generously offered their secret recipes, and Yan Yunzhao had no reason to keep them hidden any longer; after all, the purpose of a guild was to unite forces and progress together.
After explaining the secrets of farming and the chicken essence recipe to the various owners, Yan Yunzhao secretly promoted his own: "I heard that there is a farmer in Cui Family Village who can grow vegetables in the dead of winter. I am just imitating him a little bit. You owners can buy from him."
"Excellent, excellent."
Upon hearing this, the owners were overjoyed. After thanking them politely, they left Zhuochun Tower without stopping.
Yan Yunzhao had planned this beforehand, so he specifically instructed Jingming on the relevant matters, asking her to pretend to be a farmer from the mountain and frequently appear in Cuijiazhuang to sell vegetables so that the villagers would recognize her. This way, even if the guild leader went to Cuijiazhuang to inquire, there would be no flaws.
However, when the people of Cuijiazhuang learned that the mysterious farming tycoon was just a young girl who looked no more than eighteen years old, they had more to talk about after dinner.
As the owner of Zhuochun Tower, Yan Yunzhao didn't actually have much to do. However, when she recalled the tall and straight body of the man from last night, she felt a little embarrassed, afraid that her innermost thoughts would be overheard again.
She does have a great figure.
As she moved the pine bonsai in the corner for the twentieth time, the azalea leaves were almost torn from being rubbed back and forth, Lou Su, seemingly unaware of her predicament, took the initiative to come to her door and said gently, "It's already 9 PM, Miss Yun Zhao, do you not need your magic tonight?"
With his magic power almost depleted, Yan Yunzhao thought about the bean flour cake for tomorrow and gritted his teeth to go back to his room with Lou Su.
Inside the large room, the two sat on the floor, feeling a familiar coolness and tingling sensation in their ears, but Yan Yunzhao dared not let his mind wander.
But... was the transfer of magic power really that fast yesterday? Perhaps I was just too nervous?
After Lou Su moved his hand away, Yan Yunzhao touched his neck suspiciously.
Seeing the faint smile on his face, Yan Yunzhao knew that he knew what she was thinking again. She made up her mind and came up with a good way to make him unable to read her mind: "I have thought about it for several days and I feel that it is not appropriate for us to live together without proper status. How about starting tomorrow, you can sleep in another room?"
Lou Suyi said firmly, "No."
"I will not sleep in the same bed with you before I marry you. But sleeping separately is not an option."
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