After making an appointment with Ying Shuchang, Xu Qinyu and her fourth brother went back to the Bafang Inn first. It was already noon. She had made an appointment with Ying Shuchang for dinner. Seeing that Ying Shuchang was not in a good mental state and was very thin, she thought she had not eaten properly for a long time. So she planned to borrow the stove of the inn in the evening and make some fish porridge for Ying Shuchang. She had not eaten properly for a long time and her stomach must be not in good condition. Fish porridge is warm, replenishes qi and nourishes the stomach. It is perfect for her to eat some fish porridge.

I know that Xu Qinyu will use the stove in the back kitchen to cook porridge at night.

Chef Zhou immediately prepared the stove and ingredients.

Fish porridge is now also the signature dish of Bafang Inn, but usually more people order it in the morning.

Moreover, Chef Zhou is very clear about the fish fillet porridge he makes. Even though he has been making it for almost three years, he still cannot make it taste like the fish fillet porridge made by his master. He has learned the method, ingredients and heat step by step from his master, and his master has also taught him personally, but even with the same steps, he still cannot make it taste the same.

But Chef Zhou knew in his heart that the same was true for his master's other disciples. In fact, he, like those disciples, learned to cook from his master, and the food he cooked was already very delicious. The diners often praised him, but that was because the diners had never tasted the food cooked by his master.

It was almost time for dinner, and Xu Qinyu came to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

We had some fish for dinner.

A large black carp, the fish meat is sliced ​​into fish slices as thin as cicada wings, and used to make raw fish slice porridge. The fish head is braised and eaten, which is more flavorful. Because the fish slice porridge itself is light and delicious, the taste of the fish head can be slightly stronger.

In addition to the raw rolled fish congee and braised fish head, Xu Qinyu also stir-fried black fungus, yam slices and bean sprouts.

Ying Shuchang is too thin and doesn't eat nutritious food.

The yams and bean sprouts here are particularly good. The yams have never been sprayed with pesticides, so the yield is low, so they don’t look very good, but the taste is pretty good.

In later generations, many ingredients had various additives, or were given potions to make them grow quickly.

She is very strict in selecting ingredients, and the bean sprouts are also specially chosen. The merchant she orders bean sprouts from grows them slowly by themselves, without any chemicals, so they grow slower, which makes them more expensive, but she can eat them with confidence, and they taste especially sweet.

You don’t have to worry about the ingredients here. Whether it’s yam or bean sprouts, just stir-fry them with a little salt and no other seasonings. It will taste delicious.

Bean sprouts are relatively cheap, but yam is a bit expensive.

The reason why the food of ordinary people here is unpalatable is that most of the dishes are boiled in water.

For example, cheap bean sprouts are a common dish on people's tables, but they are all boiled in water. After they are cooked until soft, you can add a little salt and two drops of oil and eat them. It would be strange if they tasted good.

When stir-frying vegetarian dishes, you should pay more attention to the heat.

Foods like yam and bean sprouts must be served right after they are harvested, as they taste best at this time.

Xu Qinyu quickly prepared all the Mu food for dinner.

Many of the diners in front couldn't help but sniff and said, "Strange, do you think the food at Bafang Inn smells even better today?"

"I smelled it too, and I thought it was just my imagination, it's really fragrant and delicious."

Someone else asked Shopkeeper Zhou, "Shopkeeper Zhou, is the chef preparing something delicious in the back?"

Shopkeeper Zhou smiled and said, "Where is it? It's the raw fish fillet porridge and grilled fish head you usually eat, and two small stir-fried dishes."

"Why does it smell so good?"

Shopkeeper Zhou smiled and said, "That's because this is food made by my son's master. My son's master's cooking skills are really amazing, even unparalleled. The same food tastes even better when she makes it, bringing out all the flavors of the ingredients. You will understand once you have tasted it."

The diners immediately asked, "Really? Can we buy some food?"

Shopkeeper Zhou laughed again, "I'm afraid not. This is just some evening snack she made herself. But she has already planned to open a restaurant in Raozhou City. Once the restaurant opens, everyone will be able to try it out."

The diners began to look forward to it.

While these diners were talking, Ying Shuchang came to the Banfang Inn with Nanny Zhang and Mrs. Zhao.

She could still go out on weekdays, but the old lady insisted that she bring Mrs. Zhao with her, otherwise she would not let her go out, saying, "You are a pretty girl, and grandma is really worried about you. You have so much wealth, and Mrs. Zhao is strong, and most men can't beat her. Grandma will feel more at ease if you take her with you. If you don't want to take her with you, grandma won't let you go out."

In fact, she didn't answer the old lady's question, but just glanced at her and walked out.

Mrs. Zhao followed by herself.

Ying Shuchang walked into the inn and smelled the delicious food. She was stunned for a moment and couldn't help swallowing.

Xu Qinyu also saw her and waved to Ying Shuchang, "Madam Ying, this way."

Ying Shuchang also nodded slightly towards Xu Qinyu.

After Xu Qinyu led Madam Ying to the room upstairs, she had something to discuss with Madam Ying, so it was naturally not appropriate for them to sit in the living room downstairs.

Mrs. Zhao originally wanted to follow into the room, but Ying Shuchang gave her a cold look and she didn't go in. She stayed outside the door with Aunt Zhang and stood guard.

After entering the room, Xu Qinyu led Ying Shuchang to sit down at the round table. "Madam Ying, please try it. It's just some ordinary evening food, but I made it myself. You are too weak to take in food. You need to slowly recuperate."

Pei Weixuan was not in the room. Xu Qinyu left some food for him in the back kitchen, and he ate there. After all, they were talking in the room, and it was not appropriate for him, a man, to stay there.

Ying Shuchang heard what Xu Qinyu said and smiled bitterly, "What's the point of recuperating? It's better to just leave it like this."

Xu Qinyu frowned when she heard this and said, "What are you talking about, Madam Ying? No matter what time it is, you can't give up on yourself. Only by living can you have hope. In fact, many people in this world have a much harder life than Madam Ying."

It's not just Madam Ying. There are millions of people in this world who may be suffering very much at times and may even think it would be better to die. But as long as they are alive, there is hope.

Ying Shuchang was stunned. There were indeed many people in this world who lived a much harder life than her.

At least she still has the recipe left to her by her parents. As long as she is willing to give up the family business that her parents have worked hard for over the years and leave with the recipe, she can completely break away from the Ying family. But she just can't bear to do so. This is the result of her parents' hard work for more than ten years, and it would be a bargain for those heartless people.

What's more, the deeds to all the houses, land and shops were in an exquisite lockbox, but the lockbox was not with her, but with the old lady.

On the first day when the Ying family came to visit, the old lady took people into her house and searched it out. She said, "You are a girl, it is not safe to keep these properties with you. Look at how many people have been thinking about you and want to come to your house to marry you. They are attracted by these properties your father left for you, so your grandmother will keep them for you, and give you more money as a dowry when you get married in the future."

She was also asked to hand over the key to the old lady for safekeeping.

Because this exquisite lockbox is made of iron and copper, it can only be opened with a key. If you force it open, you can only melt it with fire, but in this way, all the house deeds inside will be burned.

The old lady was certainly reluctant to burn the deeds to the mansion, shop and land.

So she kept pestering her for the key, but she had hidden the key, and no one except her, not even Nanny Zhang, knew about it.

Ying Shuchang smiled bitterly and said, "To be honest with you, Madam Xu, even if I wanted to sell the land to you, it would probably not be easy."

She told Xu Qinyu about the situation at home, and then said, "At the beginning, I did think about selling all the family business and then leaving with the recipe, but I was a step too late. Now, if it is possible, I would like to sell all the family business left by my parents and donate all the money instead of leaving it to them." It was because she was also very hesitant and did not want to sell the property left by her parents casually, but in the end it ended up like this.

Xu Qinyu actually guessed a little bit, otherwise, given Ying Shuchang's personality, she would have sold all the family property long ago.

She thought for a moment and whispered, "Actually, I have an idea. Madam Ying, would you like to hear it?"

Ying Shuchang nodded.

…

No one knew what the two talked about inside, but when Ying Shuchang came out, her eyes were red, obviously she had been crying, but the deathly look on her face had disappeared, and her brows and eyes became much softer.

When Nanny Zhang saw this, she did not comfort Ying Shuchang. She could tell that Shuchang must have come to terms with it. She must have talked about something with the young lady inside, which gave Shuchang an idea of ​​how to deal with that family.

It would be fine as long as my wife can think positively. These days she has been really worried that my wife can't hold on and will die with the whole family.

Only Mrs. Zhao snorted coldly, "Look at your eyes, they are as red as rabbit eyes. The old lady always said that you can't trust what outsiders say. Is the young lady in there looking for you for the formula? They all said that if you give the formula to the old lady, you don't have to worry about anything in the future, you don't have to go out and show your face, it's much better to be a lady from a rich family, so you don't have to worry about it."

Ying Shuchang ignored Mrs. Zhao and said gently, "Madam, let's go back first."

After returning to the Ying family mansion, Mrs. Ying came over quickly and asked worriedly, "Madam, why are you back so late? Everyone is waiting for you to have dinner. I made your favorite meat soup today. Madam, go and try it."

Now that the deed cannot be obtained and the recipe is still in the hands of her granddaughter, the old lady hates Ying Shuchang to death but dares not to turn against her. She can only coax her, for she is worried that she will sell the recipe to someone else in a fit of anger and throw away the key to the exquisite lock box.

Ying Shuchang said, "I've eaten and I feel a little sleepy, so I'm going to sleep first."

After discussing with Madam Xu in the evening, she also tasted Madam Xu's cooking skills. The fish fillet porridge was fresh, sweet and fragrant, and the fish head was also very tasty without any fishy smell. The two stir-fried dishes surprised her even more. She didn't understand how ordinary cassava and bean sprouts could be so delicious. The bean sprouts were crisp and refreshing with a little sweetness, and the cassava also maintained a crisp and tender texture, which was especially smooth. She unknowingly developed an appetite, and had the most satisfying and delicious meal in the past two years.

When Ying Shuchang returned to the house, the old lady immediately called Mrs. Zhao to ask, "Do you know where the lady went today? Why did she come back so late?"

Mother Zhao told the old lady what happened to Ying Shuchang today, and said: "That young lady lives in the Bafang Inn. She is very beautiful. She must be thinking about our young lady's recipe. But I don't know what they said in there. But when the young lady came out, her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. I don't know what happened..."

When the old lady heard this, her brows furrowed.

…

As for Xu Qinyu, she and her fourth brother went to the government office again early the next morning and bought nearly a hundred acres of vacant land next to Ying Shuchang's dozens of acres of land outside Raozhou City. She believed that Ying Shuchang could get back the deed that Ying's parents had given her, so she took care of other matters first.

When she came, she brought with her tens of thousands of taels of silver and her own household registration documents.

He first spent 100 taels of silver to transfer his household registration from Yuanbao Town to Raozhou City, and then he could buy the vacant land outside the city, including the hilltop with underground hot springs and the lake, and contracted them for 30 years.

The official who thought Xu Qinyu was deceiving him two days ago finally realized that what she said was actually true.

She actually wanted to open a restaurant outside the city.

It's really rare.

Xu Qinyu and Pei Weixuan quickly signed the documents and took them back to the Bafang Inn.

Xu Qinyu discussed with her fourth brother and planned to stay in Raozhou City for a few more days to see if Madam Ying could get all the deeds out.

…

And the Ying family mansion.

The next morning, Ying Shuchang got up and did not plan to have breakfast. She was going to go out to eat and buy some herbs and spices to go to the workshop. Unexpectedly, she was stopped by the old lady. The old lady smiled and said, "Madam, why don't you have breakfast before going out? Why do you have to work so hard? Why don't you give the prescription to your grandmother? I will let your uncle or uncle take care of the things in the workshop, and you can just be the daughter of the Ying family, tending to flowers and plants all day, doing needlework, how nice it is?"

Ying Shuchang sneered, but didn't say anything. She just wanted to get out and do her job quickly.

The old lady became anxious and started to pull people aside, saying that outsiders were all liars who only wanted to deceive her prescription.

But before he could touch the corner of Ying Shuchang's clothes, she dodged it skillfully and turned around and left the yard.

Seeing the man leave the yard, the old lady stamped her feet in anger and cursed, "What an ungrateful little bastard! We are devoted to her, but she treats us like wolves and tigers. She is not afraid of being fooled by outsiders. If she does, she will be left with nothing."

The old lady really didn't understand where the girl had hidden the key to the exquisite lockbox. How could this girl not understand at all that the Ying family was her family, and outsiders were only concerned about the family business left by the second son.

She is a girl, why should she work so hard? Wouldn't it be better to find a good husband for her in the future, give her more money, and let her marry comfortably?

As for the other family property left by the second son, it certainly cannot be taken away by this girl. If a girl gets married, she will be an outsider. Moreover, the second son is her son, and the family property left behind must be hers. Why give it all to a little girl?

When the second brother had an accident, she was also very surprised. Before the body was sent back, she hurriedly looked for Ying Shuchang. She implied that she and the eldest and third brothers had moved into the house to take care of her after the funeral, and asked her to give her all the deeds for safekeeping and the formula as well.

Ying Shuchang was angry, and the old lady knew that she was a little impatient, but it was for her own good. She was a 17-year-old orphan, both her parents had passed away, and she had such a big family business...

The old lady thought she was doing this for the good of the damn girl, but she didn't appreciate it at all. After these two years, she hated her granddaughter in her heart.

The old lady cursed at the door with hanging flowers, and then asked Mrs. Zhao to follow quickly, for she was afraid that Sun Nuzhen would be fooled into selling all the recipes, which were the hen that laid golden eggs.

After everyone left, the old lady went to her granddaughter's room and searched inside and outside again, trying to find the key to the exquisite lock box, but she still couldn't find it. She even touched all the clothes in her granddaughter's closet and even under the bed, but there was nothing. Could it be that her granddaughter had brought the key with her?

But the maid who served the granddaughter said that she did not have the key on her after washing.

The old lady was filled with worry and resentment.

In fact, she was somewhat happy when the second son died. She thought she would never be able to enjoy the blessing of the second son in this life and had given up. Unexpectedly, she received the news that the second son and his wife had met with an accident. She also thought that the second son's property would fall into her hands.

Who would have thought that now, two years have passed, and we still have nothing to show for it.

The old lady came out of Ying Shuchang's room and saw the shrine placed outside. She frowned and hurried out.

This girl really doesn't listen to advice. She doesn't want to put her parents' tablets in the Ying family ancestral hall, and insists on putting them outside her room. It looks a bit creepy, and she thinks it's unlucky. She tries not to come here on weekdays to avoid being contaminated by bad luck and living a few years shorter.

After leaving the house, Ying Shuchang went to the pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs, and then went to the spice shop to buy some more medicinal herbs.

After shopping, she went to the workshop and made some incense herself.

She didn't go anywhere today. She just mixed incense in the workshop. After the incense was mixed, she returned to the Ying family's house in the evening.

After returning home and having dinner, Ying Shuchang handed the incense to Madam Zhang, "Madam, help me light these incense in every corner of the courtyard of the house. It can prevent snakes, insects, rats and ants. There are always many snakes, insects, rats and ants in the house recently."

Aunt Zhang said, "Then just choose the courtyard here, Madam. Why choose other courtyards?"

Ying Shuchang said, "Let's light them all, so as to avoid them gossiping again."

Nanny Zhang then placed the incense in the corners of each courtyard, lit them all, covered the incense covers, and looked at the faint smoke rising from inside, feeling a little emotional.

Her daughter is very skillful, just like her wife. The incense made by her wife is also pleasant to smell and easy to use.

This was originally a happy family, but such a misfortune happened, leaving the girl alone in the world, which is very pitiful.

Nanny Zhang was bought by Madam Ying II. After she became pregnant, her family needed someone to take care of it, so she went to a pawnshop and bought a maid.

Nanny Zhang had no relatives in this world, so she stayed in the Ying family, taking care of the second wife Ying's food and clothing, waiting for Ying Shuchang to be born. She took care of the little baby day and night, served the wife during the confinement period, and raised her wife with her own hands. In Nanny Zhang's heart, her wife was almost like her granddaughter.

By the time Aunt Zhang had lit incense in every corner, the old lady and the people in the first and third rooms no longer suspected anything, because they often brought back some incense from the incense shop to use on weekdays. Before, there was incense for fumigating snakes, insects, rats and ants in many corners of the mansion.

It's just that the smell of the incense this time is a little different, it's a little lighter and mixed with a bit of medicinal aroma.

When everyone in the Ying family fell asleep, I felt particularly sleepy today and it seemed easy to fall asleep. Soon, everyone in the mansion fell into a dream.

When Nanny Zhang helped Ying Shuchang to light the incense, she made the excuse that she was a little tired and went back to her room to rest early.

Ying Shuchang did not go to sleep after returning to the house. She just lay on the bed with a medicinal herb in her mouth, which she bought in the medicine shop in the morning. She put the other herbs in the incense. The formula of this incense was given to her by Miss Xu, who said it was prepared by her husband for calming the nerves. The effect is so good that she will not be woken up even if someone shouts in her ear.

But the solution to the medicinal properties was simple. She just needed to take another herb. She couldn't fall asleep. She had to wait until everyone was asleep before getting her things.

When it was late at night and the house was silent, she called the maid's name, but no one answered her.

There is usually a maid on night watch, and she seems to be sleeping soundly.

Ying Shuchang then stood up with the medicinal herb still in her mouth. When she came out, she saw the little maid outside sleeping soundly on the table. She went over and pushed her, but the little maid, who was usually very alert, was not awake at this moment.

Ying Shuchang also felt relieved. She went to the outer room first, where there was a shrine with the tablets of her parents inside.

She walked over to the shrine, took the incense, lit it, and bowed in front of her parents' tablets. What she was about to do next would make her feel sorry for all their hard work over the years.

Her father treated her very well. Even when he went to Ying's house during the holidays, the gifts he brought were only to honor the old lady, and did not blindly respond to her family's requests. Therefore, the old lady often scolded her father at that time, saying that even though he was rich, he was very rich. Jia, however, is a white-eyed wolf, why is he unwilling to help his eldest brother and third brother at all.

If Dad knew that she was being treated like a prisoner by the Ying family, he would definitely agree with her approach.

But this is the only way for now, otherwise she is afraid that she will not be able to decide her own marriage in the future. As long as the recipe is not given out, she can find a son-in-law to make a comeback, pass on her father's bloodline and incense, and accumulate family property by herself, but what she has to do now is to leave the Ying family.

After offering incense, Ying Shuchang went to the shrine, took out his father's tablet, and turned it over. There was a wooden slot at the back, and the key to the exquisite lock box was stuck in it.

Ying Shuchang took off the key and couldn't help but sneered.

As long as the old lady wanted to, or even if she still had a little affection for Dad, she would wipe Dad's tablet and find the key. But the old lady never touched Dad's tablet.

The old lady simply felt that her parents' tablets were unlucky. She thought that they died young and that she had been infected with the bad luck, which would shorten her life as well.

Ying Shuchang felt upset, but she took a deep breath, took the key, and went to the old lady's yard.

The old lady's yard was next to hers.

When she came over, everyone inside was fast asleep, and the old lady was snoring loudly. She went over to the old lady and touched her body, and found a key. It was the key to a large box in the old lady's room, and the exquisite lockbox was inside.

She felt for the key, but the old lady was still asleep. Ying Shuchang went to the box and opened it with the key. After rummaging around casually, she found the exquisite locked box that the old lady had hidden under some clothes.