Chapter 19 What the Ding Family Requests
The Ding family is one of the most prominent families in Qingzhou City, with businesses spanning several prefectures and counties. They mainly deal in grain, cloth, tea, and also own a shipyard that has been in business for a century.
Half of the new ships launched in Qingzhou City each year are built by the Ding family shipyard, which shows the scale of the shipyard.
Ordinary people would have no way of even getting a glimpse of a family like this, yet today the head of the Ding family personally invited Sheng An to his residence for a meeting.
The Ding family mansion was some distance from the market. Sheng An rode in an exquisitely decorated carriage, and it took about half an hour for the carriage to stop at the side gate of the Ding family mansion.
Upon disembarking from the carriage, Sheng An saw a long alley, with the Ding family mansion occupying the entire street.
Upon seeing Steward Yang, the gatekeeper immediately stepped forward respectfully to greet him: "You're finally back! The master has already sent someone to inquire three times!"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Sheng An, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Is this the person the master wanted to see so early in the morning?
Aside from being prettier than the average girl, there's nothing particularly special about her.
However, someone who can be personally received by the master must be extraordinary. This girl might just hit the jackpot!
"Alright, I'll take the men in now."
Manager Yang gave the doorman a few perfunctory words, then bowed slightly and gestured to Sheng An, "Mr. Sheng, please."
Sheng An nodded: "Please lead the way."
"Yes." Manager Yang smiled politely and walked ahead.
The Ding family mansion occupies a vast area, with carved beams and painted rafters, and soaring pavilions; within the courtyard, there are artificial mountains and waterfalls, waterside pavilions and lakes, and babbling brooks, all exquisite and magnificent...
Even Sheng An, who had seen much of the world, couldn't help but be amazed.
The Ding family is incredibly wealthy!
Sheng An was barely able to suppress his resentment towards the rich, but his face remained calm and unchanged.
Manager Yang glanced back casually and saw her calm and composed demeanor, and couldn't help but admire her inwardly.
This young lady, Ms. Sheng, is so composed at such a young age; given time, she may very well achieve great things.
Thinking of the bowl of wontons that his silly son brought back yesterday, which had gone cold but was still delicious and appetizing, Manager Yang's mouth watered, and he regretted not queuing up to buy a bowl to try earlier.
But it's alright, the silly son is filling in for Madam Sheng and helping sell wontons at the stall, so he'll probably save a portion for his old father.
Manager Yang became increasingly tempted, and gave Sheng An a warm yet obsequious smile.
Sheng An: "..."
What's wrong with this person?
After walking for a short while, Manager Yang stopped in front of a building: "Boss Sheng, please wait here for a moment while I go in and inform him."
Sheng An nodded slightly and saw Steward Yang walk in quickly, and faintly heard an elderly voice coming from inside.
Soon, Manager Yang came out with a smile and gestured to Sheng An again: "Boss Sheng, please follow me."
In the lavish hall, Mr. Ding, over fifty years old and with gray hair, sat in the main seat.
At this moment, he looked very calm, but there were several deep vertical lines between his eyebrows, and his slightly clenched hands on the tea table betrayed his inner anxiety.
As soon as Sheng An stepped into the hall, he saw a living Maitreya Buddha.
The person in the main seat had a plump and rounded figure, with a belly as big as a drum, as if it would break through the thin clothes at any moment to reveal layers of white, greasy flesh.
Old Master Ding has the appearance of Maitreya Buddha, but his face does not have the smile that symbolizes wealth and good fortune. His gaze toward Sheng An is somewhat scrutinizing.
Amidst the scrutiny, a hint of anticipation lingered.
Master Ding asked in a deep voice, "Is the young lady Boss Sheng?"
"I'm just a beggar on the street. I can't be called 'boss' in front of Master Ding. You can just call me by my name."
Sheng An responded with composure and grace, showing no sign of the awkwardness one might expect from a high-ranking official.
Upon seeing this, Master Ding couldn't help but look at Sheng An with higher regard and instructed Steward Yang, who was standing to the side, "Go down first and serve Madam Sheng a pot of good tea."
"Yes, sir." Steward Yang accepted the order, bowed, and withdrew.
In the large living room, only Sheng An, Master Ding, and Master Ding's trusted servant remained.
Master Ding stroked his beard and asked in a deep voice:
"Madam Sheng's wonton-making skills are superb. I wonder if she has any other specialties besides wontons?"
Unsure of Master Ding's purpose, Sheng An cautiously replied, "I know a few common dishes. I wonder what Master Ding wants me to do."
Mr. Ding nodded, and without beating around the bush, directly stated the purpose of inviting her to his home:
“My grandson suffers from nausea and has no appetite all day long. Yesterday, a servant in the manor bought a bowl of wontons from Madam Sheng, which unexpectedly gave my grandson his appetite.”
Thinking of his grandson in the backyard, who was so thin he was just skin and bones and needed two people to support him even to stand, and who had to lie in bed every day, Old Master Ding couldn't help but tear up.
Upon seeing Master Ding's appearance, Sheng An guessed that the young master's anorexia must be so severe as to be life-threatening. Otherwise, given the Ding family's wealth and connections, they would have already found a highly skilled doctor to cure him.
After thinking for a moment, Sheng An became even more cautious: "Did Young Master Ding vomit after eating wontons yesterday?"
Otherwise, Master Ding would just let her continue making wontons without asking if she knew any other specialties.
Master Ding was surprised that Sheng An guessed it so quickly, and nodded repeatedly in excitement:
"Yes, yes, my grandson ate almost half a bowl in one go, but he threw it all up the next moment. The kitchen made him some new wontons, but he only smelled them and started throwing up again."
She even vomited until she fainted, and couldn't eat or drink anything other than water all day.
He had consulted doctors before, but since his grandson developed anorexia two years ago, he had searched for famous doctors all over the country and even used his connections to invite a retired imperial physician.
However, after drinking no less than ten vats of medicinal soup, the grandson's illness not only failed to improve but worsened, eventually damaging his internal organs.
During this period, he also spent a lot of money to hire famous chefs from all over the country, hoping that a master chef could whet his grandson's appetite, but all of them failed. Among them were imperial chefs from the palace and their descendants.
After listening to Master Ding's words, Sheng An made up his mind.
Seeing that Sheng An remained silent, Master Ding grew anxious: "Madam Sheng, if you can get my grandson to eat, I will reward you handsomely. Even if this fails, I am still willing to offer you a sum of silver!"
Sheng An's eyes lit up.
Yesterday she was still daydreaming, fantasizing about a rich man falling from the sky and giving her the capital to open a small restaurant.
Isn't this the opportunity?
Meeting Master Ding's expectant gaze, Sheng An decisively said, "I would like to see Young Master Ding first."
Upon hearing this, Master Ding hesitated.
It wasn't that he suspected the person in front of him had ulterior motives; it was that ever since his grandson became seriously ill and unable to get up, he had refused to see anyone, let alone strangers.
After much deliberation, Master Ding nodded in agreement: "I will personally take you there."
At this point, he stood up and solemnly bowed to Sheng An, saying, "Madam Sheng, please give it your all. If my grandson is willing to eat, you will be a great benefactor to the entire Ding family!"
My grandson's health has deteriorated. The doctor said that if he refuses to eat, he doesn't have many days left.
Right now, the only thing that can whet the grandson's appetite is the wontons made by Madam Sheng, so we must make Madam Sheng try them no matter what.
Even if the hope of his grandson Kangfu is slim, he will never give up!
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