Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Tofu Shop.
After Shopkeeper Xu had spoken to her, she rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and took out a piece of tofu from the basket.
After rinsing, mince it with bare hands, chop a piece of meat with fat and lean parts, add onion and ginger water, and mix it together with the minced tofu.
The cooks watched and said:
“This tofu is so soft.”
"That's all." said the old cook.
But then, when Ji Xu was cutting the tofu, he began to doubt the hardness of the tofu.
I saw her using the knife in her right hand and holding the tofu with her left hand. She cut the tofu as fast as lightning, and the wooden chopping board made a sound like a wooden fish, which was very regular.
The old chef couldn't help but look serious. The man's knife-holding gestures were steady, including his left leg bent, right leg stretched, and his back straight. This could not be done without hard practice.
She paused, gently rinsing the tofu with clean water. The originally square tofu now lay slanting on the wooden table, slices thin as a cicada's wing. She began to cut again, "thump, thump, thump..."
The people who watched were full of doubts.
“Is this tofu soft or hard?”
"Look how easily she cuts it, it's like a hard object."
A boy poked a piece of tofu next to him.
“It’s soft!”
Everyone knows that it is a hundred times more difficult to cut soft things into thin strips than hard things.
But Ji Xu used powder to thicken the chicken bone soup in the pot, and used a spatula to shake the tofu into the soup. He saw that the tofu strands were thinner than thread and could be threaded through a needle!
Garnished with shredded cabbage, it is served out, and it looks like tiny silver fish are swaying, which is very pleasing to the eye.
"How come the tofu is cut so finely? This iron knife seems really heavy to me."
The boy who was still an apprentice was amazed.
The old cook, who had a stern face, slapped him hard on the head.
"Look at him, he's even smaller than you, but his knife skills are ten or a hundred times better than yours!"
"Master, can you have such good knife skills?" asked the apprentice.
The old cook said nothing, but his attitude towards Ji Xu was no longer as contemptuous as before. He asked:
"Madam, what is this soup called?"
Ji Xu said, "Wensi Tofu Soup, everyone, please try it."
Shopkeeper Xu, the old cook, a group of young men and others took bowls to scoop some to taste.
Sun Linlang also squeezed in and scooped up a big spoonful. He was washing dishes in a corner over there, but everyone heard it and hurried over.
When he looked up and saw that it was Ji Xu, he couldn't help but frown. He didn't even taste the Wensi tofu soup and just said to Shopkeeper Xu:
"Manager Xu, you can't do business with this person. She and I used to sell things together, and she cut corners. Everyone in Shengchang knows that she has bad behavior."
When Ji Xu heard this, he was speechless.
The old cook said, "Don't pay any attention to it, Sun Linlang, you old bastard. Are you talking about others or yourself?"
Everyone knew Sun Linlang's character and burst into laughter.
Sun Linlang was so embarrassed that he took the bowl and walked away.
"This Wensi tofu soup is smooth, tender, and delicious."
"Well, this soup is good. It's much fresher than any other soup in our restaurant!"
Everyone who was eating nodded in ecstasy. Although the old cook did not refute, he looked uncomfortable.
Ji Xu said, "It's all because of the good chicken soup from your restaurant. Only with this soup base can we make Wensi Tofu Soup."
The old cook smiled and asked:
"What are you going to do with this minced tofu and minced meat?"
"Fry another tofu meatball."
She wiped the water out of the pot, scooped some ointment into it, and told the people outside to cook it on a low fire.
The snow-white lard paste gradually melted, and Ji Xu mixed the minced tofu and meat with seasonings, poked a meatball out of his palm, scooped it out with an iron spoon, and dipped it into the hot oil.
The oil sizzled and gradually became filled with meatballs. When the meatballs were fried until golden brown, the whole kitchen was filled with a fragrant aroma.
Even the diners outside were stretching their necks to smell it and asked the waiter:
"What new dishes are you making in your restaurant today? It smells so good, give me a plate."
Ji Feng was waiting for her sister in the hall, and chatting with the waiter who had originally entertained them.
I was just asking how much the daily wages were when I heard a customer asking. I was so happy that I said:
“It tastes like tofu balls!”
My sister also made it at home and she could smell it.
The customer then said, "Give me a plate of tofu balls."
"I'll have one too!"
The shop boy hurried to the back kitchen and saw that everyone inside was so greedy for the freshly fried tofu balls that their throats were rolling. The fragrance was so good that they were out of their minds.
When Shopkeeper Xu heard this, he was overjoyed and asked Ji Xu:
"Girl, how much tofu do you have left?
We've got them all! Today's new dishes, Wensi Tofu Soup and Tofu Meatballs, are free for you to try! "
So, all of Ji Xuyu's dozen or so pieces of tofu were made into these two dishes and served to diners outside.
"Tofu? My family once bought tofu made by a woman. I thought it would taste good, but I didn't expect it to taste this good!"
One of the diners ate and said repeatedly.
"Or maybe they just run a restaurant, and our cooking skills can't compare to theirs!"
"Brother, try these tofu balls. They're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Absolutely divine! Absolutely divine!"
"They say the best delicacies on earth are fresh lamb, tender yellow ribs, spring geese, autumn chicks, winter mallow and warm leeks. In my opinion, this tofu is not inferior to these, it has a unique flavor!"
In the private room, after eating, they also praised it endlessly, drank and wrote poems, and even hit the cup with chopsticks and sang a new song "Tofu Song".
"As white as jade, square and upright; fried like gold, full of fragrance. How can I forget it after eating it all day long?"
In the kitchen, Ji Xu took advantage of this opportunity to teach the chefs how to make these two dishes.
The boys sighed, "This is too difficult for our knife skills!"
The old chef is an experienced chef after all. Although it was his first time dealing with soft food like tofu, he was a hundred times better than the other guys in cutting it into shreds. With a little practice, he would have no problem making Wensi tofu soup in the future.
While everyone was busy, Sun Linlang came to the table with washed plates and bowls in his hands. He quickly pinched two meatballs into his mouth.
The meatballs were freshly fried and were so hot that he grimaced. But they were not fragrant enough, so he ate them with a roar.
Seeing that no one was paying attention, he grabbed a few and hid them in his sleeves, then went on to wash the dishes.
On the side, Manager Xu was chatting with Ji Xu about tofu, and they decided to order fifty blocks of tofu every day in the future.
You know, the Ji Xu sisters could only earn about fifty yuan by hiding and selling for half a day.
Nowadays, I spend fifty yuan at this restaurant, which is a stable amount every day.
Upon hearing this, Ji Xu couldn't help but look delighted and asked:
"I wonder when it would be appropriate to send it?"
Shopkeeper Xu said, "Send it to us at noon every day, when the market opens."
Ji Xu said: "Shopkeeper, you know that I am a retailer. These fifty pieces of tofu are too many to bring into the market.
I'm afraid the gatekeeper will seize it as soon as I enter, so I'm afraid you'll have to send someone to the west city gate to get it."
Fuxiang Restaurant is run by a city official. If their people deliver food, they will be allowed to pass after questioning by the city gate officials.
Although the city officials now only drive away retail merchants and do not care about the customers who buy things from retail merchants, this is still inconvenient for restaurants.
Ji Xu said, "Don't worry, shopkeeper. Within five days, I'll have enough money to rent a small shop in the city and start a business. I'll then personally deliver the money to the shop. You won't have to come here to pick it up privately."
Shopkeeper Xu thought for a moment and said:
"Our boss has a shop for rent in the city. I'll take you to have a look.
If you are satisfied, you can rent it and pay the rent next month, it’s not a big deal.”
Shopkeeper Xu also had some concerns. The tofu soup dish had already been promoted in the restaurant, and tomorrow he would have to add more dishes to increase sales.
If Ji Xu was caught outside, the food was confiscated, or there was a problem with the supply, it would be a big loss for him. It would be safer to help her settle the rent of a shop as soon as possible.
Ji Feng was chatting with the shop boy, talking about wages and working hours. Ji Xu told her not to run around and to wait for her here, and then he left with Manager Xu.
Walking through the busy streets, Shopkeeper Xu casually said:
"Since you have such good cooking skills, do you plan to open a restaurant in the future? I'm an old hand in this business, so I might be able to give you some advice."
"I can only make two tofu dishes. How can I open a restaurant? I don't have the skills or the money."
Shopkeeper Xu laughed and said, "Opening a large restaurant requires more than just craftsmanship and money. Our Fuxiang Restaurant was built by connecting several shops together to reach this scale. Not to mention the money spent, even ordinary people in the city wouldn't be able to afford it."
Ji Xu smiled and replied, "Zhang Toufu, Li Toufu, you've been thinking of a thousand things all night, and tomorrow you'll still be selling tofu.
"For common people like us, there's no way we can afford to struggle. We're blessed by the gods to be able to make a living selling tofu, so why would we want anything else?"
Shopkeeper Xu nodded with satisfaction and led the way, twirling his beard.
The place we arrived at was the smallest shop in the city, about nine feet wide and ten feet deep, with no storefront at the back. We only had two steps to the end of it.
If a tall person stands at the door, he can touch the walls on both sides with his arms. He can probably set up a table to sell some snacks. But it is impossible to set up a table to entertain customers for dine-in.
There are also many snacks next door, such as Hu Bing, Osmanthus Cake, and Jiao Ya Tang...
Renting a small shop like this, although in a remote location, is suitable for gathering people.
"how?"
Shopkeeper Xu asked. He had some larger shops to rent, but he had deliberately chosen the smallest one.
Ji Xu nodded and said, "I was thinking of renting a room like this one. It would be perfect. What's the price?"
"Since you are satisfied, and our two families will have business in the future, I will also offer you a price of two thousand coins per month.
As for the rent, it is paid monthly. When half of this month is over, it will be combined and paid next month."
This price was consistent with what Ji Xu had inquired about before, and the rental price was indeed not inflated.
Ji Xu cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, boss. Then we will sign the lease for the first half of the year."
If one wants to run a business in a market permanently, he or she must bring city registration documents if he or she is a city resident; if one is a civilian like Ji Xu, he or she must bring a shop lease and register with the county government.
You have to pay "city tax" every month to get the right to operate the business. If the shop has rooms in the back row, you can live in it.
This market tax was required to be paid by merchants registered in the city and by merchants who operated in the market. A small market like Jixu's paid about a thousand coins in market tax each month.
In addition, they also had to pay a "transaction tax" calculated at two-tenths of the transaction amount. At the end or beginning of each month, a market official would collect the tax from each household.
If it is a large-scale transaction, you have to find a market official to issue a sales contract, with one copy for each party. The contract is then split into two halves, the left one being kept by the buyer. If the transaction is to be shipped to other places, the right one is used at various checkpoints for verification and release by the government, and an additional "checkpoint tax" is paid.
However, Ji Xu's sale of fifty pieces of tofu could not be considered a large-scale transaction, and there was no need to sign a sales contract. For example, at the end of last year, foreign grain merchants were buying up grain in large quantities, and they had to obtain contracts from the government to transport it to other places.
After the negotiation was completed, Ji Xu and Manager Xu signed a lease and went to the county court together.
Manager Xu had some connections there, so he registered it that same day.
Ji Xu then owned a tofu shop and no longer had to hide from place to place.
"Sister, let me see, let me see."
On the way, Ji Feng was so happy that she kept saying that she wanted to see the rental book and the iron key to the shop.
Holding the wooden tablet, he explored it curiously.
"Sister, which three words mean 'tofu shop'?"
Ji Xu pointed to it and asked her to look at it. "Tofu shop."
Ji Feng listed them one by one, "Bean curd, bean curd, and rice! Great, this is a legitimate business.
From now on, I will walk in and out of the city with open arms! Those gatekeepers won’t be able to stop me.”
Ji Xu rubbed her head with a smile and said:
"When the time comes, sew a piece of linen into a signboard, sew the word 'tofu' on it, and hang it on the door of the shop. It will be your signboard."
Ji Feng also said, "Let's move another wooden table from our house so we can prepare tofu pudding for people on it!"
"Yes, Sister Feng is right. We don't have to set out at night anymore."
When hawking goods on the road, one must take advantage of the fact that the market has not yet opened and the market clerks are not on duty, and seize the opportunity to sell for a few hours.
Now that there are shops, there is no need to set out at night. It is enough to catch up with the opening of the market at noon. I think it is also possible to set off again when the sky is bright.
With the tofu shop, the family is one step closer to their goal of saving money to dig a well.
"Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, the grass is green and boundless, the evening wind blows the willows and the sound of the flute fades, the setting sun shines beyond the mountains...
Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, the grass is green and boundless, the evening wind blows the willows, the sound of the flute is faint, and the setting sun is beyond the mountains..."
On the way home, Ji Fengxi sang loudly.
"Sister, you sang this song to me before bed the other night. It's so beautiful."
This is a modern poem that Ji Xu sang to put his sister to sleep.
"Sister Feng sings beautifully. Can you sing it again?" Ji Xu said.
"Outside the Changting... We've arrived at Shengchangli!"
After passing the village pavilion, Ji Feng pointed to a fork in the road ahead.
They planned to go to the market in Shengchangli, buy some hens, raise them behind the house, and eat the eggs. On the seventh day of the first lunar month, they would make a seven-vegetable soup with chopped egg cakes in it.
The three sisters all loved fried egg pancakes, so they had the idea of raising hens.
Fang had asked in the county and city, and the price was very high. Ji Feng immediately pulled Ji Xu away and said:
"The chickens and ducks from the village are all slaughtered when they get to the county."
The two men arrived at Shengchangli. It was dusk when a man returning from the fields with a hoe on his back met them head-on and said with a smile:
"Ms. Xu? I haven't seen you for a long time. I heard from your tofu seller Aunt Zhuang that you're making a living by selling tofu in the county town."
Upon hearing this, Ji Feng's face lit up and she said happily, "Yes, come home. My sister opened a tofu shop in the city. When you go to the county town in the future, you can come to my sister to buy tofu!"
"Okay, okay, you sisters are so promising! You both have shops in the county!"
"Miss Xu, I really miss the steamed buns you made. When the price of flour drops, come and sell your noodles to us."
"Sure." Ji Xu said politely.
"Opening a tofu shop in the county?"
On the way, I met Cai Gaohuan. She no longer makes a living by selling ointments. She had just come back from watering the vegetable garden, carrying a pair of urine buckets. The smell from the urine buckets was pungent, and she was hurrying home.
As soon as he saw Ji Xu, he didn't care about going home and started chatting with Ji Xu about his recent situation. After hearing what Ji Xu said, he was shocked.
Ask the shopkeepers about rent, taxes, and customer service, and whether they have met Sun Linlang...
"That fellow is always like this wherever he goes."
After spitting at Sun Linlang, he said enviously:
"After all, you are young and smart, and you even dare to go to the county. It was two years ago or so that I went to the county to buy an iron cauldron. There were so many people there, it was much more lively than our market!
Your sister hasn't had dinner yet, right? Come to my house and eat."
"No, I still have to go to the market to buy hens. If I'm any later, the market will be closed."
By this time, the city should be deserted, but Ji Xu couldn't go there early at the moment.
Cai Gaohuan slapped her thigh and said, "I have hens at home. After the beginning of autumn last year, several hens at home started brooding. My aunt Jun simply hatched a nest of chicks to raise.
They are usually fed with barnyard grass and chaff, and now they are plump and can lay eggs. If you want me to sell you two pairs, I guarantee they will be better than those sold by the chicken vendors in the market."
After that, he led Ji Xu's sister home. Her aunt was feeding hens. When she heard her daughter-in-law say that someone she knew was coming to buy some, she went to the chicken coop behind the house to catch some chickens. Cai Gaohuan rolled up her sleeves and said,
"Mother, please catch two fat ones and I'll go make dinner. You and your sister, don't be in a hurry to leave. Leave some for us to eat."
Ji Xu hurriedly pulled him aside and said, "Let's eat next time. It will be dark when we go back.
I have a little sister at home, and she's waiting for us with an empty stomach. We appreciate Aunt Cai's kindness."
When Cai Gaohuan heard this, Fang stopped trying to keep her and went into the house to cut some hemp rope to tie the chicken's feet.
Finally, he spent two hundred coins to buy two pairs of fat hens from Cai Gaohuan's house. This price was thanks to Cai Gaohuan's kindness, as there was no such good price in the county.
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