Chapter 53: Let’s talk business and make cookies look like raccoon slaves
Chang Siyan rubbed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
They thought that they had talked too much about the mountain monsters and that they were coming to take revenge on them.
Hey, Lord Lu.
She filled her teacup with tea with peace of mind and took it to the backyard to think about the cookie story.
The story of the cat servant repaying a favor is a good one, so I need to polish it up and publish it.
"I'm not busy today, so I have some free time."
Lu Lan stepped over the threshold, the big sea bass in her hand was shaking its tail back and forth so lively.
He thought for a moment, then slowly said, "While patrolling the river, a perch hit the boat. I figured none of them would like to eat such a delicate fish. I happened to be passing by Yunlaixiang, so I brought it to you."
The sea bass in his hand was several times larger than the ones usually sold at the market. Wei Jinyun exclaimed in surprise, walked over to him, and stretched out his hand to measure the fish's body. "This big?"
I heard a few faint laughs behind me, many of them were regular customers of Yunlaixiang.
Nothing strange, nothing strange.
Chao Jiu clutched the towel in his hand, moved closer to Gu Xiang, and whispered, "Boss, a perch this big can only be caught in the deep waters of the Yangtze River. Could it really just happen to hit a boat?"
"Oh, this is our Yunlaixiang tradition."
Gu Xiang hurriedly tugged at Chaojiu's sleeve, took a deep breath, and controlled his snorting. "Don't worry about it. Lord Lu said it was a collision, so it was a collision... From now on, whenever Lord Lu comes to Yunlaixiang, we'll just nod and agree to whatever he says."
Even if Lord Lu said that a kite in the sky crashed into the boat and sent it to Manager Wei, Manager Wei would believe it.
When Yuanbao saw the big perch, he jumped up from the rattan chair and ran to Lu Lan's side. He stretched out his claws left and right, scratching and circling under the perch.
Unfortunately, it looked very small in front of Lu Lan. The big bass was too far away from it. The long-term pampering made it grow into a little fat cat, and it had never tried to jump so high.
Gu Xiang skillfully took the big bass and carried it to the backyard to rescue it first. Lu Lan squatted down and rubbed Yuanbao's head.
"Be good, this is not for you to eat."
He took out a large loach from his arms and whispered, "This is yours. It's new from the shop in Changmen. It's stuffed with fish roe and dried shrimp. Try it."
Looking at the giant loach, which was twice as long as its face, Yuanbao's green eyes narrowed into vertical pupils. It held the giant loach in its mouth and stared at Lu Lan, meeting his gaze.
The two pairs of green eyes looked at each other for a while.
Yuanbao rubbed his head against Lu Lan's palm with satisfaction, then went back to his nest with the big loach in his mouth.
He is indeed its younger brother, always going out to hunt for it to eat.
Good little brother.
Naturally, he did not neglect the loofah and edamame. Today's snacks were also bigger than usual. The duck meat was wrapped in pig skin and dried over charcoal fire, enough to sharpen his teeth for an entire afternoon.
The loofah and edamame were biting on snacks, classifying him as the fourth one.
It was the busiest time of the afternoon. The long tables and small tables in the shop were all filled with people. Even the empty space at the door was temporarily used to set up a small table, which was surrounded by three regular customers.
Before Wei Jinyun could speak, Lu Lan had already come to the counter and moved his hand to Qiu Furong, who had not been defeated for many days, "There is an old seat."
His voice became even softer. "Here, is it okay?"
Lu Lan had always been standing tall and straight, but at this moment he deliberately relaxed his posture and looked down at her.
Wei Jinyun turned away and sorted out the things on the counter.
"Of course you can... Lord Lu, every time you come here, there are always a lot of people. You have sat on this bench several times, why do you always ask me..."
Gu Xiang had tidied up the counter early in the morning. She took out a few bamboo weavings, threw them back, and tidied them up for a long time.
There is always an empty seat when he comes back, so he always sits here.
Wan Wu, who was behind him, was memorizing the types of snacks in the shop. He chuckled softly behind the screen, then quickly covered his mouth and whispered in Gu Xiang's ear, "Boss, is Lord Lu afraid that Manager Wei will chase him away?"
"No, we didn't hear anything."
Gu Xiang pretended to cover his ears.
Lu Lan raised his hand to lift the hem of his suit, and sat steadily at the outer end of the bench. He even moved to the side to leave more space for Wei Jinyun.
"You keep busy, I won't get in your way."
Wei Jinyun didn't sit down either. Instead, he said "Oh" and ran to the backyard to pack the Red Lotus Rejuvenating Soup.
The shop was bustling with activity, with many idlers coming and going at the door. Wei Fuling was no longer in the little room, but Meng Ge'er was. He sat there diligently practicing calligraphy, occasionally looking up to see if any rogues were around so he could report them to Ling Jie'er at Su Yuxuan.
Zhang Ren was there every day. Before him sat a bowl of red lotus soup, his inkstone and rice paper taking up only a small portion of the table, leaving a large space at the edge where one more person could sit. There were many people sharing tables in the shop, but no one approached him.
Zhang Renbai looked at Lu Lan for a long time, and Lu Lan suddenly raised her eyes and fixed her gaze on him.
Lu Lan frowned. How could this person become so thin since the summer?
Chaojiu and Wanwu learned the packing job quickly, which gave Wei Jinyun some time to sit down and do the accounting.
"Master Lu, please try our new product, maple leaf cookies."
Lu Lan was so big, but she sat in a corner, leaving most of the bench for her. She sat down and pushed the plate in front of her toward Lu Lan.
Lu Lan took a cookie without hesitation and took a bite. "It's delicious and looks unique. It's a perfect gift for autumn."
"I just wanted to enjoy the autumn scenery."
Wei Jinyun turned his abacus without looking up, "How is Lord Lu doing now after being injured by the pirates?"
"It's almost healed, it's just some superficial injuries, nothing serious."
"That's good."
Lu Lan pressed the corners of her lips.
Chang Siyan came out of the backyard quickly, holding a piece of paper covered with handwriting. "Shopkeeper Wei, I've finally figured out the story of the raccoon slave. I'm going to tell it to you now. I guarantee it will sell well."
"The story of a raccoon slave repaying a favor?"
Lu Lan bit a cookie and spoke aside.
"Yes, sir."
Chang Siyan said respectfully, "It's written that the raccoon slave keeps getting close to the dim sum lady, always wanting to give her some good things... That's what the raccoon slave is like."
“Good story.”
Lu Lan replied, "Where did you get the inspiration from?"
"Well."
Chang Siyan continued to sip her tea. "Your Excellency, our shopkeeper Wei always says... art comes from life."
She poked Wei Jinyun's head with the pen in her hand and said, "Hey, boss, don't bury your face in the abacus. Let me tell you something."
A small abacus buried a big Wei Jinyun.
"The autumn scenery is not as pleasing as the raccoon."
Chang Siyan leaned forward, his tone cheerful, "Think about it, who among the people of the Great Song Dynasty doesn't love raccoon dogs? Whether it's a rich lady's scoop or an ordinary family's mouse catcher, everyone has one. I thought, why not make cookies in the shape of raccoon dogs?"
Wei Jinyun's expression finally came out of his mind, "It seems like a good idea."
"It's best to make them in different poses. Put a bag of them curled up, with their paws raised, and with little balls of fluff in their mouths. When the neighbors open them and eat them, they'll be like they're having fun. I'm sure they'll be happy. If I saw a lively cat, I wouldn't be able to bear to eat it. I'd collect them and put them on display."
Collect them?
Wei Jinyun listened for a while, then suddenly stood up, cupped Chang Siyan's face with both hands, and kneaded it hard, "Xiao Chang, you are really a smart guy."
She became more and more excited as she spoke, rubbing Chang Siyan's cheeks with equal force, until they turned slightly red. "You are really Yun Laixiang's lucky star. How come your brain is so smart? Today, I'll give you the back of the big sea bass as a reward."
Chang Siyan felt uncomfortable being praised. He reached out to push Wei Jinyun's hand away, and his neck turned red. "Shopkeeper Wei, stop rubbing... There are people in the shop."
Wei Jinyun came back to his senses, "What's the big deal? Can't you be louder when praising Yun Laixiang's lucky star?"
He then let go of her hand and patted her shoulder again, "Quickly draw all the poses you want for the raccoon slave. We can work out the details later."
Chang Siyan stood there in a daze.
She had been listening to the little beggar for more than ten years, and this was the first time someone said she was a lucky star.
Could she be a lucky star...
The shop was filled with the aroma of desserts in the afternoon, and the wind chimes at the door swayed. The osmanthus flowers were almost withered, but the fragrance still lingered in the wind.
There is a string of new wind chimes hanging next to the counter screen. It is made of many dried pine cones strung together. When it swings, it makes a crisp sound, different from that of wind chimes.
Although some people were playing the game of find the old chess and shouted excitedly from time to time, when Wei Jinyun looked up, he saw Lu Lan sleeping with his hand leaning on it.
The corners of the eyes are slightly droopy, indicating light sleep and relaxation.
She couldn't help but raise her hand and brush the few strands of hair that were hanging on his face behind his ears.
She lowered her eyes and continued to keep accounts, but Lu Lan's eyelashes trembled.
The wind chimes were rustling.
Wei Jinyun leaned on the pen and looked at the wind chimes.
Is this really a random purchase?
In the blink of an eye, it was already 5 p.m., the sun was setting, and Lu Lan had already left. Wei Jinyun put the account books on the counter in order, said a few words to Gu Xiang, and then went to Su Yuxuan to take over the class. She had deliberately left a moment early.
"elder sister!"
As soon as she arrived at the door of Su Yuxuan, she saw two people from inside the door, saw her at a glance, ran over at full speed, and threw themselves into her arms.
She had originally thought that Sister Qi was not of this nature. But now, with both heads buried, it was hard to tell them apart.
Wei Jinyun bought some candies for them both, but instead of going back to Yun Laixiang, she took them to Chenji Cloth Shop.
As soon as I reached the door, I heard the clerk's warm greeting from inside, "This young lady is here to choose cloth, please come in!"
A waitress in a blue silk skirt came up to her quickly, holding a tea bowl in her hand. "Young lady, take a look at our twill and jacquard brocades. We've also added several new styles for autumn. Take your time to look."
The shop was bright and spacious. Facing the viewer was a display case filled with elegantly colored plain silk and satin embroidered with small peonies. A screen separated the ready-made clothing area. The garments were divided by category: ruqun (skirts) hung on the east side, and beizi (jackets) and ao (coats) on the west. There were also various zhizui (straight-collared garments) and robes. Many customers gathered around the shop assistants, selecting their items.
Behind the counter, Shen Wan was comparing the colors of a piece of brocade. When she saw Wei Jinyun come in, she immediately put down the brocade and went forward to greet him, "Shopkeeper Wei, how come you have time to come to my place?"
"Your shop is doing really good business. Whether it's the styles of the ready-made clothes or the embroidery on the cloth, they are all very exquisite. You also have round fans and sachets of all kinds."
Wei Jinyun was just taken on a tour by the clerk. This Chenji Cloth Shop was as big as two of her shops.
Chen Wan led Wei Jinyun to a seat at the guest table and asked the waiter to refill her cup of tea. She then jokingly replied, "Well, I didn't know you yet. You didn't come to my shop just to boast about our good business. You must be looking for new clothes for your two sisters and grandmother, or maybe a piece of good fabric. I'll give you a discount."
"Ah, Shopkeeper Shen guessed wrong."
Wei Jinyun took a sip from the tea bowl and said, "I'm here to do business with you."
"Business?"
Shen Wan was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud, "You sell snacks, and I sell clothes and fabrics. What kind of business can we have? Are you going to send snacks to the guys in my shop? We have already signed a contract with Xuji for these snacks, and it's not easy to break the contract."
"Shopkeeper Xu actually snatched it away first? Sigh..."
Wei Jinyun pretended for a while before turning serious. "I'm not here to deliver snacks. Shopkeeper Chen, how much do you usually charge for the sachets you sell in your shop?"
"Usually they sell for thirty cents each."
Shen Wan was amused by her and answered casually.
“What about the cost?”
"You little girl, you still want to know my costs? Shopkeeper Wei is so arrogant."
Chen Wan picked up the tea bowl and chuckled, "Well, let me tell you the truth, the gross profit is quite good, half and half. But sachets are not our main business. Most customers come to buy clothes and fabrics while they are buying one. If you really want to buy sachets specifically, you can go to the spice shop on the corner. There, if you buy enough spices for a hundred coins, they will give you a ready-made one."
As she said that, she put down the tea bowl and said, "You haven't said anything serious yet. What is the relationship between snacks and sachets? You can't put snacks in sachets..."
"Of course not."
Wei Jinyun quickly replied, "Shopkeeper Chen also knows that my Yunlaixiang is doing very well lately. The Red Lotus Rejuvenating Soup is selling like hotcakes, and we're going to release a new cookie product soon. What I'm thinking of is that our two companies collaborate on a joint project."
Shen Wan raised her eyebrows slightly, "Joint name, what's the new term?"
Wei Jinyun moved forward and said, "Joint venture means that our two families will do this together. Chen's Cloth Shop is well-known in Pingjiang Prefecture, but as you know, cloth is what we have the most in Pingjiang Prefecture. If we want to stand out, we need something new. My Yunlaixiang is about to release cookies in the shape of a raccoon, so we can bundle your sachets with my cookies and sell them together."
She was afraid that Chen Wan didn't understand, so she explained, "Specifically, one pack of cookies will be paired with a sachet. The sachet will have nothing else embroidered on it except six raccoon dogs in different poses, all in adorable shapes that match the shape of the cookies. It will be made into a box, and when customers buy cookies and open it, they'll randomly draw a raccoon dog sachet."
"People who love snacks can get a beautifully embroidered sachet as a bonus, and those who want to buy sachets might even buy a few boxes of cookies just to complete the six varieties of raccoon. Your sachets can leverage the momentum of my snacks to increase sales, and my cookies can be more attractive thanks to your exquisite embroidery. Isn't that a win-win situation?"
Shen Wan frowned slightly, a little worried, "Shopkeeper Wei's idea is fresh, but I have to ask a real question. How can you guarantee that customers will keep buying cookies? Who can afford so many sachets? Can you change the sachets every day? If the cookies don't sell well, my efforts on these sachets will be in vain."
Wei Jinyun had anticipated her question and laughed instead. "Don't worry, Shopkeeper Shen. This will all depend on the momentum created by my shop's lucky star, Chang Simian, and the regular customers of Yunlaixiang... Of course, this won't happen immediately. We'll have to wait and see if the momentum builds before we can try it out again. Right now, I'm just going to discuss my ideas and the costs with you."
"Shopkeeper Wei has quite a few ideas in his head. I'd like to hear how we calculate the embroidery work and cost of this sachet."
Wei Jinyun saw that Shen Wan's tone had softened, and leaned forward even more. "If Shopkeeper Shen thinks this idea is feasible, let's do it this way. You provide the fabric and the embroiderer to make the six kinds of Li Nu sachets. I'll provide the cookies and pastries, and then have the workers build up the momentum of Li Nu. I'll also prepare the packaging."
"As for the profit sharing, I'm thinking of a 40/60 split, with me taking 60% and you taking 40%. Don't think I'm taking advantage. The sachets are labor-intensive, but the cookies are the main attraction of this collaboration, so I have to bear greater costs and risks. Keeping old customers coming back for more will also depend on Yunlaixiang, so this is a fair split."
"You're really rude."
Chen Wan laughed, "Your idea is quite interesting... Then send me the pattern for the raccoon slave tomorrow, and I'll have the embroiderers make a few samples for you. You can also ask your grandmother for advice while you're at it."
She originally thought that this girl would be polite and give some points, but unexpectedly she was so straightforward and directly laid out the share of the profits.
This Red Lotus Rejuvenating Soup became a best-seller for some reason, and even her family would buy a bowl to take home after work.
Their own sachets didn't sell well to begin with. If they could leverage the momentum of Yunlaixiang to expand sales, even if they only took 40%, it would still be better than the scattered sales in the past, and they could also help to make the cloth shop's embroidery famous.
If the sachets really can't be sold, it won't be a big loss. Doing business is inherently risky.
When Wei Jinyun saw Shen Wan agreed to share the profits, her eyes curved into crescents, "Shopkeeper Shen, I have something even more impolite to tell you."
"What other ideas does Shopkeeper Wei have?"
"Does the discount you offered me for choosing fabrics still stand?"
Wei Jinyun smiled and pointed at Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling who were drinking tea beside her. "I want to take advantage of this opportunity to pick out two pieces of fine cloth for them and grandma today."
"You're so meticulous! You just finished discussing a big joint venture with me, and now you're thinking about this little discount. You really don't want to lose anything."
Although Shen Wan said this, she immediately stood up and walked towards the cloth rack, "Yes, of course not, come with me, both soft satin and plain silk are suitable for making clothes, they are soft and breathable, keep the discount."
Wei Jinyun picked out two pieces of cloth and left a bag of maple leaf cookies. Before leaving, she turned back and called out, "Shopkeeper Chen, I'll bring you the pattern tomorrow!"
Shen Wan responded with a smile and watched them walk away. Just as she was about to turn around to tidy up the cloth, she saw a figure appear from behind the screen.
"This Miss Wei is even more energetic than you were when you first started your cloth business in Qiantang. She's smart and bold, not afraid of losing money. She's got her own ideas."
Shen Wan opened the oil paper package and took out a cookie to taste. "That's right, no wonder your husband Chang Ce always thinks about me. Try this cookie, it's Yun Lai Xiang's new product."
Mrs. Wu picked up a cookie and took a nibble. "Changce is a child who is dumb at words but honest at heart. He can't speak, and can only silently deliver things. Now when he sees something nice, his first thought is to give it to Miss Wei, without caring whether she needs it or not. He's a complete fool."
She thought for a moment, a hint of worry crossing her brows. "Luckily, Miss Wei is cheerful and doesn't mind his sullen temper. But I don't know when this child secretly harbored these thoughts. Even his mother and I didn't tell him a word, and he only got the news from Xiangxiang."
"I think I have to talk to Yu Niang about this right away. No matter how long Chang Ce has been hiding his feelings, he has to speak out. He's been giving gifts and getting so close to her lately. If things go on like this for a long time, the neighbors will inevitably make some sarcastic remarks, and then Miss Wei will be wronged."
When Wei Jinyun returned to Yunlaixiang, it was already dark. Autumn days tend to get dark early, and the snacks in the shop were almost sold out. The shop assistants were busy clearing away the tables and chairs.
When Meng Ge'er saw Wei Fuling, he hurriedly went to greet her and reported to her who had entered the shop today and whether there were any vicious men.
Wei Jinyun handed the cloth in her hand to Gu Xiang, "It's the first day of school for Sister Qu and Sister Ling, and there are new friends. Why don't you have some grilled fish?"
Good luck in everything, it is advisable to eat fish.
Wei Jinyun tied the climbing arm deftly, cut the big sea bass into two halves, attached the fish bones to the fish head, scored a few diagonal lines on the fish meat, and soaked it in cooking wine and ginger slices.
She added new firewood to the stove and poured in some oil. The oil heated quickly, and she carefully placed the sea bass in the pan, skin side down. She gently jiggled the fish with a spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Once the skin was golden and crispy, she flipped it over and seared the flesh side until both sides were glistening and charred. Then she moved the fish to the side of the pan, freeing up space at the bottom.
The dish was filled with crushed green Sichuan peppercorns and crushed garlic and ginger. She poured the spices into the remaining oil in the wok and quickly stir-fried them. The spicy and numbing aroma of the green Sichuan peppercorns instantly spread.
The soup base is the pork rib soup stewed by Wang Qiulan. Let the soup cover half of the fish body, sprinkle with a handful of scallions, cover and simmer.
While the fish was cooking, she cut the tender tofu into small pieces, smoothed out the softened noodles, and prepared soup noodles.
The soup in the pot has become thick, and the numbing flavor of green peppercorns has seeped into the fish. The moment the lid is opened, the fresh fragrance mixed with the numbing taste rushes straight to the tip of your nose.
Wei Jinyun brought the iron pot to the clay stove where the charcoal fire was still burning brightly. She put the noodles and soup noodles aside and ate them while they were cooking.
Wei Jinyun took a few bites of the fish when she saw Chang Siyan holding the tea bowl and taking two gulps, his tongue still breathing softly as he picked up some meat from the back of the fish and gave it to her. "While I'm away, Chang Fuxing of Yunlaixiang should have figured out the story of the raccoon slave, right?"
Chang Siyan's tongue was numb and a little numb. "Shopkeeper Wei knew about this! It was just the raccoon slave repaying a favor. We'll change it later... When the spring comes and the raccoon slave recovers from his injuries, he'll transform into a young man in red clothes at night, kowtow to the dim sum lady and say he wants to repay her. This repayment... wait and see how I tell the story, I won't tell you."
"Chang Siyan, you're such a jerk! How long have you been at Yunlaixiang, and you're already hiding little secrets from the shopkeeper?"
Wei Jinyun's tone was full of joking as he picked up a few green peppercorns and put them in her bowl.
"I dare not."
Chang Siyan took the green peppercorns back and said, "This isn't about hiding a secret, it's about keeping a sense of mystery. Manager Wei, you said you'd reward me with fish back meat, not green peppercorns."
As the two chatted, Wei Fuqiu suddenly looked up from her mouth while biting a piece of fish. "Where did you buy this sea bass from? The uncle who delivered the food this morning didn't bring any fish."
"Where else could it come from? Of course it was sent by the repaying youth. Then we can have fish to eat... We must remember what Shopkeeper Wei said: art comes from life."
Chang Siyan was hit on the head with a chopstick by Wei Jinyun. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Gu Xiang's appearance and couldn't help laughing out loud.
Gu Xiang had not yet put down the hand holding the fish. His eyes were red with two unfallen tears hanging from the corners of his eyes, but he was still chewing with his mouth and shoveling rice into the bowl with his other hand.
"Sister Xiang, you're already crying, why don't you stop talking?"
Chang Siyan joked.
Gu Xiang sniffed, took another big mouthful of rice, and said vaguely, "It's so numb, so satisfying, I can't stop."
She picked up another piece of soup-covered noodle with chopsticks and put it into her mouth, but she finished it quickly. In a blink of an eye, she added a second bowl of rice. She ate up all the soup at the bottom of the bowl mixed with the rice.
She was used to the sweet and soy-flavored steamed sea bass from Pingjiang Prefecture, and when she suddenly tried this, she became more and more addicted.
"Eat slowly. No one's going to snatch it from you. I'll make you some more noodles."
Wang Qiulan picked up two pieces of freshly cooked soup noodles and gave them to Gu Xiang with her chopsticks.
Chaojiu and Wanwu grabbed their chopsticks, eating fish with a certain restraint. It was their first day as waiters at Yunlaixiang, and they weren't quite relaxed yet.
Chaojiu picked up a small piece of fish, carefully avoiding the fish bones, and chewed it slowly. Seeing Wei Jinyun looking at her, she quickly gave a shy smile. Wanwu focused more on eating bean sprouts. The crispy and tender bean sprouts were wrapped in soup, but she only ate them in small bites and ate a bowl of rice with the bean sprouts.
After the grilled fish, soup noodles and rice were all finished, they cleaned up the dishes and the waiters said goodbye, and Yunlaixiang gradually quieted down.
After washing up, Wei Jinyun returned to her room. As soon as she lifted the quilt, she felt something soft rubbing against her feet. She smiled and sat down, reaching out to hold Yuanbao in her arms and gently scratching its chin.
"Master Yuanbao."
Wei Jinyun pressed her face against Yuanbao's furry back and spoke softly, "Tomorrow I'm going to Chenji to see the proofs of the sachets. From now on, I'll have to rely on your blessing as the prototype to make our Li Nu cookies and sachets a hot seller. Bring me good luck soon."
Yuanbao rubbed against her arms, gently hooked his tail around her wrist, then raised his head and meowed at her a few times.
Her dream was filled with shiny silver coins and green-eyed ingots surrounding her.
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Author's Note: Meow Meow Cookies will be released soon.
Jinyun: Master Yuanbao, give me good luck. [Rainbow fart]
Lord Lu: I'll give you everything, all the good things. [Poor]
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