50 Crispy Potatoes
◎ Do you think I dare?◎
Tuantuan ran over, picked up the cage, and poked it with the small branch in his hand.
Immediately, the three little mice ran around in a panic.
Hu Zi said aggrievedly, "Sister Jiang, Tuantuan said you were afraid, so I covered it with a black cloth."
Among these small animals, Jiang Qinglan is not afraid of cockroaches and bedbugs, but is most afraid of snakes, followed by mice.
When she saw the gray skin and the wriggling body, her face turned pale and her heart began to beat fast.
After hearing what Hu Zi said, she felt a little embarrassed.
"Why did you bring this dirty thing back?" Wang Huiniang frowned and motioned him to move the cage away.
Hu Zi chuckled and said, "Sister Jiang will definitely want to see it."
"You brat!" Wang Huiniang felt distressed when she saw Jiang Qinglan's pale face. Thinking that Hu Zi was still joking, she raised the abacus and pretended to hit him.
Hu Zi covered his head and yelled, "Don't hit me! These mice are all alive and well because they ate potatoes!"
Naturally, Jiang Qinglan didn't forget about the potatoes.
While letting Hu Zi try it, he also hired people to dig up a lot more from the countryside, which are now piled up in the yard.
She had consulted many doctors, but none of them had done experiments on humans, and the doctors couldn't explain the cause.
Hu Zi said, "I've eaten mice, rabbits, cats, dogs, and pigs. In the past month, a few mice have died, but the others are fine."
Jiang Qinglan had instructed Hu Zi about this matter. Feed the sprouted potatoes to two of the mice, and feed the rest with mature, unsprouted potatoes.
Now it seems that this ancient potato has passed the test on animals. Next, it's time to try it on humans.
She quickly went to the kitchen, washed, cut, and fried a plate of potato chips.
The potatoes were sliced extremely thin and fried in hot oil until each slice was crispy. They were also coated in salt and pepper cornel powder, with red dots on the yellow, which was very appetizing.
In addition, there is a mixture of the fragrance of oil, starch and the spicy aroma of dogwood, diffused in the air.
Jiang Qinglan had an idea in mind, so he picked up a piece and was about to eat it, but Wang Huiniang grabbed his wrist.
She had seen villagers die from potato poisoning, and said worriedly, "Forget it. We can afford food, so why take the risk?"
Jiang Qinglan didn't think so. If this ancient potato was proven to be non-toxic, countless people would be able to fill their stomachs.
Seeing her determination, Wang Huiniang gritted her teeth and said, "If you must try, I'll do it. I have a good foundation. You guys prepare the detoxification soup. The worst that can happen is I'll have diarrhea a few times."
Hu Zi was not afraid at first, but when he heard it, he was frightened. He called out "Mom" tremblingly and his eyes immediately filled with tears.
Jiang Qinglan was also very touched and said with a smile, "Sister Hui, I understand your good intentions." In a flash, he picked up a piece of potato and stuffed it into his mouth.
This action made the few people feel uneasy. Tuantuan burst into tears.
Jiang Qinglan ate a few more slices and said nonchalantly, "It's delicious! If I'm fine in three days, you can eat it again."
During these three days, Wang Huiniang and Tuantuan were so worried that they couldn't eat or sleep.
Whenever Jiang Qinglan showed any sign of trouble, both of them would scream, the older one would make a fuss and ask to find a doctor, while the younger one would cry loudly.
After three days of fear, Wang Huiniang found peace of mind. She bravely tried it again. Seven or eight days later, everyone at the Xinghua Restaurant had tasted the potatoes, and finally they were relieved.
One day, Jiang Qinglan was staring at a plate of fried potato chips.
She wondered if she should tell Yang Song about the potato, let him know about it to the government, and then promote it among the people.
Just as I was daydreaming, Xue Qi, whom I hadn't seen for a long time, came to my door.
Because of what happened with Xie Linchuan, Jiang Qinglan felt a little guilty towards him and apologized repeatedly.
Xue Qi didn't take it seriously. He bowed and said, "I came here to discuss business with Madam Jiang."
Jiang Qinglan was shocked: What business could he, a person in the medicinal materials business, discuss with me, a person who runs a restaurant?
Xue Qi said, "To be honest, the Liao Kingdom has been aggressively pursuing war in recent years, and business in the north has become increasingly difficult."
Speaking of the Liao Kingdom, Jiang Qinglan has always been worried.
As far as she knew, after the two defeats in the Battle of Gaoliang River and the Yongxi Northern Expedition during the early Northern Song Dynasty's war against the Liao, the Song Dynasty went on the defensive. It wasn't until the Treaty of Tanyuan during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song that the two countries signed a treaty, maintaining peace for a century.
I don’t know whether the era she lives in will be like the Northern Song Dynasty in history.
Xue Qi continued, "Therefore, I want to open a restaurant in Lin'an and would like to ask for your opinion."
Jiang Qinglan came back to his senses and was surprised: "You are my competitor, and you are asking me?"
Xue Qi smiled slightly: "I've noticed it a long time ago. Your restaurant is different from others. We will make a lot of money by cooperating with you." He also pointed to the fried potato chips on the table.
Jiang Qinglan laughed and said, "That's strange. If I can make a lot of money, why would I cooperate with Langjun? It's better to make money alone."
Xue Qi said: "My lady must have her own reasons."
Jiang Qinglan finally looked at him seriously. Although his eyes were gentle, they seemed to have the ability to see through people's thoughts.
"Although I am not very talented, I have been doing business in Lin'an City for quite a few years."
"Firstly, the Xue family has connections in both the government and business circles. It would be very troublesome for my wife to manage these relationships from scratch, but the Xue family already has them."
"Secondly, I see that my lady doesn't want to get too entangled in mundane things. Just come up with the ideas, and leave the rest to me."
Jiang Qinglan was stunned.
Oh, this really hit the nail on the head! Who doesn't want to make money? She's just afraid of the trouble and too lazy to do it.
"I thought it was strange at first. Later, someone told me that my wife was from a famous family."
"As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind. I suppose that's why you're intentionally controlling the scale of your business, right?"
Jiang Qinglan's heart skipped a beat. He actually knew her identity?
Xue Qi seemed to have the ability to read minds and said with a smile:
"My lady, please don't blame me. Since I'm here, I must have made every possible preparation. How could I not know your identity? I'm not in a hurry. My lady, please think it over carefully. Once you have an idea, just send a message to Xue's residence in Shishi Lane."
After he said that, he asked Jiang Qinglan for the fried potato chips, bowed, and left.
Jiang Qinglan immediately went to ask Wang Huiniang.
It turns out Xue Qi was a strange man too. Born into a family of officials and having once passed the imperial examination, he abandoned his official position to pursue a career in business. This later led to a falling out with his family, and he has been doing business in the Liao Kingdom ever since. He only recently returned to Lin'an.
Since his identity is innocent, Jiang Qinglan has nothing to hesitate about.
The two of them got to work quickly and began by conducting some market research.
There are now three types of restaurants in Lin'an City.
Restaurants like Fengle Tower, Chunhe Tower and Tiexue Tower are all top-notch luxury restaurants and are known as "main stores".
The next best kind were the "foot shops," each with its own unique characteristics. For example, Sanyuanlou, often a gathering place for imperial examination candidates, was famous for its "Three Yuan Success" ceremony, while Xichunlou offered beautiful singing and dancing performances.
Next is the "pai hu", which are small street restaurants. Xinghua Restaurant belongs to this level.
They decided to start with "auction households" because of its small investment and quick payback.
Winter is coming soon, and hot milk tea sells well and has high profits.
In addition, Jiang Qinglan also has a magic weapon - potatoes.
Fried potatoes, wolf-tooth potatoes, rice-crust potatoes...there are so many things you can make.
Paired with a cup of hot milk tea, it is cheap, delicious, and filling, making it a perfect meal for lunch!
Jiang Qinglan immediately drew up a schematic diagram for the renovation, clearly marking how the front desk should be installed and where to place extra oil baskets in the kitchen.
She called Zhang Yueniang over again and asked her to memorize the recipe for the drink.
…
The new business is in full swing, and the Xinghua Restaurant is also busy. Jiang Qinglan and Wang Huiniang are modifying the menu.
Winter is coming soon and the weather is getting colder.
Winter is suitable for nourishing the body. Eat high-calorie foods such as beef and mutton, and cook them mostly in stews. This way, you can resist the cold and are easy to digest.
After much deliberation, they decided to focus on the pot.
There are so many pots: Northeastern cuisine has pork and sauerkraut stewed with vermicelli, and goose stewed in an iron pot; Sichuan cuisine has beef hot pot and mandarin duck skewers hot pot.
The charcoal copper pot has mutton hot pot, and the vegetarian dishes include cabbage and tofu pot and mushroom and vermicelli pot.
These are all delicious and can be rotated every few days depending on the situation. However, the store is currently short of small pots, so we have to go to the blacksmith shop to customize them before changing the menu.
Zhang Yueniang was in charge of the drinks, and she chose longan and red date drink, brown sugar ginger tea, and sugarcane lemon juice.
This is what winter is like, eating delicious hot pot, drinking sweet drinks, and staying warm!
…
As night fell, the cold became more intense.
In the Duanben Palace in the imperial city, Crown Prince Zhao Zuo was wrapped in a fox fur cloak.
Outside the window, the west wind blew up the fallen leaves. He shivered and leaned closer to the brazier.
After being rebuked by Emperor Chengping for his peace talks with the Liao Kingdom, the crown prince was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace for self-reflection.
Until the day before yesterday, when Emperor Chengping fell ill with typhoid fever, the prince served at his bedside and used his own flesh and blood as an inducement to move the emperor, and the father and son finally reconciled.
But since then, the prince has been like a frightened bird, and has been in low spirits.
Lu Fei, shrouded in cold air, walked into the hall, lifted up his robe, and kowtowed.
The prince frowned and said, "Mr. Lu, please excuse me."
Xie Linchuan walked in leisurely from the side door.
In such weather, he was not afraid of the cold. He wore a plain brocade patterned robe for early autumn and bowed to Lu Fei: "Lord Lu, how are you?"
Lu Fei was a little surprised and also bowed to him.
Xie Linchuan was blunt and went straight to the point: "Your Highness, do you know that the Liao envoys were having peace talks, and both the host and the guests were happy? Your Majesty is angry for no reason. Why?"
Lu Fei had a bad feeling. Xie Linchuan was already approaching him, his eyes blazing. "It's because of this person."
The crown prince was ordered to negotiate with the Liao envoys.
This time, the prince spoke in a firm tone and rejected the Liao Kingdom's request for annual money. The two sides agreed to be brother countries and set up a trading post on the border to exchange what they had.
In fact, the prince had consulted Emperor Chengping beforehand about every clause of the contract, and the latter agreed.
After the peace talks were successful, the ministers praised them. Lu Fei, who was recommended by the Third Prince, also submitted a memorial, calling this a "blessing for the country."
At that time, the prince thought that this person was upright.
Xie Linchuan brought up the past again: "Lord Lu was recommended by the Third Prince, yet he extols Your Highness in his memorial. Doesn't Your Highness find it strange?"
The prince suddenly woke up.
All the officials knew the Crown Prince, but not His Majesty. How could he dare claim to be the "blessing of the state" while the Emperor was still alive? Thinking of the Emperor's suspicious nature, he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Your Highness!" Lu Fei bowed down.
"Absolutely not! Although I was recommended by the Third Prince, I only wish to be a loyal official and have absolutely no intention of being partisan."
"The Song-Liao peace talks have spared the people on the border from war, and the two sides have opened up trade markets. This is beneficial to the economy, isn't it a blessing for the country? Your Highness will win over the distant people and will surely make a decision!"
Outside, the west wind howled, and candlelight flickered inside. All three of them were silent. Only the hissing of the silver charcoal burning in the brazier could be heard.
The prince stared at Lu Fei for a long moment, his mind turning countless corners: "It's better if you don't have this intention."
But after a long time, he sighed again: "Even if there is, it doesn't matter."
"In the Tanzhou Pearl corruption case, your brother Lu Yun died, taking the blame for Meng Liangdi's brother. Your eldest sister-in-law came to the Crown Princess in tears and begged, so I couldn't help but repay the Lu family."
He closed his eyes helplessly and said, "I hope you will remember this favor in the future." Then he waved his hand.
Xie Linchuan moved the corners of his lips and was about to say something else, but seeing the prince's exhausted look, he could only snort inwardly and swallow all his words.
…
Xie Linchuan and Lu Fei walked out of Duanben Palace side by side, and the cold moonlight immediately covered their shoulders.
Lu Fei said calmly, "I've always been curious. Both Crown Prince Xie and the Third Prince are experts in Cuju, so they should be more compatible. Why is it that the Crown Prince is more familiar with the Crown Prince?"
Xie Linchuan missed his attack and although he was a little angry, he quickly regained his composure.
He swung the black whip in his hand and smiled evilly:
"Master Lu, please don't worry about my affairs. Master Lu has ulterior motives. You'd better be careful when walking on the road, lest you fall or get beaten again, otherwise you will become a laughing stock."
Lu Feilue curled the corners of his lips, not caring about his sarcasm, but talking about another topic towards the gloomy sky:
"Marriage granted by the Emperor, the daughter of the Duke...Did Prince Xie get what he wanted?"
Xie Linchuan was already furious. Upon hearing this, his heart skipped a beat. He sneered, "I didn't get what I wanted. But it's better than Lord Lu kicking me when I'm down."
"I have brought this upon myself and deserve it." Lu Fei lowered his eyes and shook his head, "But I understand her better than you, Prince."
The past he and she had: going out for an outing and picking willows, listening to cicadas under the shade of locust trees... could never be compared to anything else.
He knew what she wanted.
He wanted to atone for his sins. He wanted to make amends. He wanted to use these things to win her back.
After Lu Fei finished speaking, he smiled slightly, which was rare for him, and walked out of the right door, disappearing into the cold night.
Xie Linchuan was so angry that veins popped out on his temples, and he stared at her for a long while with gritted teeth.
Only when the tall figure disappeared without a trace did he jump on his horse and gallop wildly through the quiet streets.
…
The next morning, Xue Qi arrived at the Xinghua Restaurant to discuss business with Jiang Qinglan. Potatoes had been tested by several people and proven to be non-toxic, making them perfect for the snack bar's main product.
Fried potato chips, wolf tooth potatoes, rice crust potatoes, and even French fries and potato chips can be turned into delicious and filling foods after simple processing. They are very suitable as "snacks" for lunch.
At this time, Xue Qi was tasting the rice crust potatoes made by Jiang Qinglan.
On the plate, there was a small hill of potato cubes, each one was golden and crispy, and covered with a shiny amber luster.
Because they are fried, the edges of the small cubes are covered with a crispy shell that is slightly raised and as thin as a cicada's wing. This is the "rice crust".
When you put it in your mouth, it will not only be filled with crispy fragrance, but also make a sizzling sound when you chew it.
But the thicker center part is the light yellow potato flesh, which looks very sandy and delicate.
White coarse salt, red cornel powder, and brown Sichuan pepper powder were dotted and mottled on the pale yellow potato cubes, embellished with emerald green chopped green onions and chopped cilantro.
Fresh out of the wok, still steaming hot, the aroma of fat, mixed with the burnt aroma of starch, hits you in the face.
Xue Qi tasted it and smiled happily.
In fact, the method of making rice crust potatoes is similar to that of wolf tooth potatoes, both of which are fried first and then mixed.
However, the Guoba potatoes have a golden and crispy skin and a soft and glutinous interior, which gives them an extra texture compared to the wolf tooth potatoes. The taste is mainly salty and fresh, not that spicy.
Xue Qi smiled and said, "I have a strong appetite, so I prefer wolf-tooth potatoes. If..."
He paused, then changed his words, "Those gentlemen in the government offices, who have light tastes, will definitely prefer these pot-crusted potatoes."
"What a coincidence!" Jiang Qinglan smiled, "Me too!"
After pondering for a moment, she continued, "How about pricing the wolf-tooth potatoes and the rice-crust potatoes at two different levels? The former would be cheaper and sold to ordinary people, while the latter would encourage government officials to buy them?"
Crispy rice potatoes, some fried chicken, and a drink, isn't that what civil servants need for lunch?
Xue Qi clapped his hands: "Okay!"
Jiang Qinglan raised his brows, revealing a hint of pride.
In this world, there are always some people who can talk to each other.
This is not a love between men and women, but a consistency of goals and actions created by the same values.
When it comes to racking their brains to make money, she and Xue Qi can be said to have the same "stink".
After tasting the potatoes, the two began to write down several potato cooking recipes so that they could quickly teach Xue Ji’s employees.
They were talking and mumbling, chatting and laughing in a harmonious atmosphere. Little did they know that this behavior was seen by Xie Linchuan at the door of the Xinghua Restaurant.
Pinglin and Moshan were standing nearby, and they felt a chill running from their heads to their feet, and their legs began to tremble.
Seen from the side, the prince's face was expressionless, except for his extremely tight jawline, which made him look like he was gritting his teeth and wanted to eat someone alive!
That’s right, even they think that Madam Jiang is too ungrateful.
The princess doesn't want the title of the principal wife, the immense power, the splendor and wealth, but wants to open a small restaurant like this and chat and laugh with some small businessman.
The prince had endured it for so many days, and even chased her all the way to the countryside. Now, it was clear that he couldn't bear it anymore and was going to expose the truth!
At this moment, Jiang Qinglan remembered something and leaned towards Xue Qi, pointing at the paper and saying, "Here, add another sentence: prepare pepper, salt and dogwood powder, and dip it in water and eat it."
They are so immersed in making money that they don't even realize it.
But from Xie Linchuan's perspective, the two of them were actually touching each other. In an instant, he felt himself being swept by an unknown fire, so angry that his vision went black.
…
Xue Qi was writing the word "food" when he suddenly felt a clamp-like hand grabbing his right shoulder. Then his body felt light and he was thrown out.
Fortunately, he had traveled a lot and had some basic skills, so he didn't fall too badly.
As soon as he looked up, he was greeted by a handsome yet extremely gloomy face. He instantly remembered that this was the man outside Songlin Village who had forbidden him and Madam Jiang from traveling together.
Prince Xie of Dongping Palace.
At this moment, Jiang Qinglan also came back to his senses and screamed at Xie Linchuan: "What are you doing? Are you crazy?!"
Xie Linchuan, however, whipped out a dagger and ignored her, saying to Xue Qi, "Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?"
Xue Qi was an experienced businessman. He understood immediately and bowed to Xie Linchuan: "Master Xie must have misunderstood. Madam Jiang and I were discussing serious matters."
Xie Linchuan sneered, picked up the paper, and lightly scratched it with the dagger.
With a swish, the paper split in two. He said with a half-smile, "Okay, now that we're done, you can go now."
Without waiting for anyone to speak, Pinglin and Moshan came in, and like escorting a prisoner, they grabbed the person and left.
Jiang Qinglan watched Xue Qi being dragged out, his chest heaving with anger.
She still had some rationality left in her, and she tried her best to suppress her anger and reason with him: "What are you doing?"
The potato recipe was cut in half.
With a "pa" sound, Xie Linchuan slapped them on the table, raised his eyebrows, and said bluntly: "You saw it all!"
On the way back to Lin'an, he had already gotten angry with Xue Qi once, and this was the second time...
Jiang Qinglan bit his lower lip tightly, but didn't act too rudely: "You can walk on this road, but others can't? You can come to this restaurant, but others can't?"
"Yes!" Xie Linchuan approached her, making his figure the only thing in her eyes. He said arrogantly, "Jiang Qinglan, you have to remember, only I can do this, no one else can!"
In fact, he was also trying his best to suppress his anger. Otherwise, how could she stand here peacefully at this moment?
After giving the warning, he turned sideways and went out the door like the wind.
Jiang Qinglan was so angry that his head was dizzy and anxious. He shouted loudly: "Remember, you are not welcome here."
Xie Linchuan suddenly turned around, and his dark and deep eyes burned with raging fire, as if to burn everything.
But Jiang Qinglan also started to get stubborn, throwing away all the differences in status and position. She stared at him with a pair of moist eyes like black grapes, not giving in at all.
Outside the Xinghua Restaurant, a charcoal seller walked by, carrying his load. His cries of "charcoal, charcoal" echoed with the clapping of his gongs.
A couple passed by with their three children, making a lot of noise and chatter.
The older brother said he wanted to go ice skating on West Lake. The younger sister said she wanted to go to Biyunling to build a snowman. The youngest child slipped and fell to the ground, bursting into tears.
In the room, the two looked at each other for just a moment.
Xie Linchuan was originally furious, but somehow, when he saw her wet eyes, he was a little stunned.
Suppressing the confusion in his heart, he took a deep breath, turned his eyes away, and pulled out a dagger from his sleeve.
The "ding" sound is the echo of fingers tapping on the sharp blade.
Xie Linchuan sneered: "You don't welcome me? Then I will go and kill the person you welcome right now!"
Jiang Qinglan's heart skipped a beat and he shouted, "How dare you!"
Xie Linchuan sneered: "Do you think I dare?" After that, he left like a whirlwind.
Jiang Qinglan ran out and saw that the three riders on fast horses were breaking through the cold wind like sharp blades and were really heading towards the diagonal street!
At that moment, she was extremely anxious and tears welled up in her eyes. Xie Linchuan, that bastard!
If Xue Qi died because of this, she...what should she do?
Wang Huiniang hurried out and, seeing her distressed expression, comforted her:
"Don't worry, Master Xue is a very alert person, and the Xue family is certainly not an unknown family. Master Xie is just trying to scare him, it won't be a big deal."
Jiang Qinglan was flustered for a moment, but she calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes. She said, "Hit the carriage. I want to go to the Princess's Mansion."
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