Chapter 122: The King of Snacks (Two chapters combined into one and 5000 extra words)
Zhao Lan sat at the head of the desk, listening to Su Yanli testing Su Dalang and Fan Yanjia on their homework while flipping through a book.
Outside the door, in the storage room next to the kitchen, Cheng Yingzhen and her daughter were packing return gifts, including sausages stuffed before the New Year, bacon and chicken cooked by Feng, ham bought at a specialty grocery store, soaked hawthorn wine, brewed wine, and mushrooms that Father Feng had just brought over in the first month of the year, a total of four large baskets.
"Young Prince Zhao and Young Master Fan each have two baskets."
Cheng Yingzhen asked Shu Tong and Mao Ya to present the gifts, and handed them to the two servants, "Shuang Guanshi and Qing Guanshi, there is nothing at home, please don't despise it."
"I don't mind... I don't mind..."
Both masters are foodies. Shuangrui and Qingfeng came here just to try out the delicious food. They were most happy to bring the Su family's delicacies, especially the sausages, which they could just steam in a pot and eat. It was convenient and delicious, and everyone loved it.
Shuangrui even asked, "Mrs. Su, can you make some of these sausages and sell them?"
Cheng Yingzhen didn't understand this and looked at her daughter.
Su Ruojin looked at Shuangrui thoughtfully, "The young prince has a restaurant or a shop?"
Shuangrui smiled and nodded.
She understood and smiled, "I'll give you the recipe."
"Second Lady, don't you do it yourself?"
The meat grinder involves iron and craftsmanship. Shuangrui can understand why Er Niang gave the blueprint to her master, but Su Er Niang is best at cooking, so why doesn't she make it herself? He was a little puzzled.
Of course they want to do business, but neither the Su family nor Su Ruojin herself has the ability to take on every business.
Su Ruojin shook her head: "This kind of business can only make money if it reaches a certain scale."
scale?
Shuang Rui seemed to understand and grinned: "Then I will thank the Second Lady on behalf of the young prince."
"You are too polite, Mr. Shuang."
After thinking for a while, Su Ruojin said, "How about this, I'll give you the recipe for the ham sausage, and when you have enough, I'll go to the young prince to get the goods."
"Sausage made of ham?"
Su Ruojin: ...
How do you explain this? It was indeed related to ham in ancient times, but in fact the recipe she gave is for modern sausages, and has nothing to do with ham.
Chinese sausage is made by mincing animal meat into a paste, stuffing it into casings and air-drying it. It can be stored for a long time and eaten after being heated. It has a delicious, mellow and rich flavor with a long aftertaste that becomes more fragrant the more you chew it.
There are many types of sausages, mainly divided into Sichuan sausages and Cantonese sausages. Sichuan sausages are spicy and Cantonese sausages are sweet. During the Chinese New Year, every household will stuff some sausages and dry them. The busy scene suddenly has the flavor of the New Year.
Ham sausage only refers to a sausage product that is made of meat as the main ingredient, mashed into a paste and mixed with starch, and can be eaten directly. Later, it even developed into a product with only starch but no meat, and was called starch sausage. However, even so, it is still a favorite of people, which shows how lethal ham sausage is.
If the young prince can scale them up, he can bring down the cost. If he makes them himself, the cost is quite high and he can't sell them at a high price, so he can't do business. But if there is a large quantity, the cost will be different. Whether it is selling sausages or grilled sausages, business will definitely be booming. Who wouldn't love such delicious food?
It has been a long time since Su Ji’s barbecue stall has had any new items. If you add the inexpensive and delicious grilled ham sausage, it will be the king of snacks!
Su Ruojin thought the idea was wonderful, so she would just wait for the young prince's workshop to process the sausages and hams. Then, her barbecue stall would become popular again.
On the fifth day of February, Su Yanli took leave and took his whole family to send Su Dalang to Dongshan Academy to study. His plan for his son was to spend three years here, and after three years, participate in the selection of the Imperial College, and enter the Imperial College if selected.
"If you don't get selected after three years, don't worry. Go study abroad for a year or two, and then take the exam again when you come back. As for the results of the exam, Dad won't set any limits for you. If you don't pass, you can make plans. If you pass, just follow the path you took. The key is not to rush. As your sister said, do things that are appropriate for your age, so that you won't feel any regrets or remorse when you look back on the past when you are old."
Standing at the entrance of the academy, Su Dalang nodded to his father, "Son understands."
"Don't be impatient, enjoy the learning process, learn with your heart, and believe that you will achieve something."
"Thank you for your teachings, Dad. I will keep them in mind."
Su Yanli nodded, "Parents, brothers and sisters will send you here. Every step after entering the academy will be your new life. Work hard, Su Anzhi."
"Yes, Dad." Su Dalang bowed 90 degrees to the family, "Thank you for sending me here."
Su Ruojin clenched her fist and said, "Come on, big brother. I will come to see you often."
Su Sanlang also stepped forward and said, "Brother, every holiday, I will wait for you to come back and tell me about the interesting things in the academy."
Although her son didn't travel a thousand miles, Cheng Yingzhen was still worried, tears welled up in her eyes unconsciously, "Put on more clothes when it's cold, take off clothes when it's hot, don't be silly and just study. If you want to eat something, just send a message, and Ah Jin and I will make it for you."
"Yes, mother." Su Dalang was also moved. From then on, he would face a new journey of life alone.
It's only a few dozen miles away, but it feels like a parting of life and death.
Su Ruojin couldn't help laughing, "Mom, every ten days, my eldest brother will come home."
Cheng Yingzhen was able to hold back her tears, but when her daughter smiled, she burst into tears. She shyly moved to her husband's side, not forgetting to reach out and slap him: "Stinky girl."
Su Ruojin dodged and laughed.
Su Yanli reached out and hugged his sad wife. As the eldest son in the family, parents, like the eldest son, had to experience the first time in their lives: the first time being a parent, the first time trying to educate their children, the first time seeing their children off...
Every first time will be engraved in my heart.
Everyone looked at Su Dalang, who was carrying a schoolbag, and followed the crowd into Dongshan Academy with steady steps.
Su Yanli asked his wife and children to wait for a while, and he followed his son into the Dongshan Academy. There was a teacher in the Dongshan Academy who knew him. He said that he wanted his son to be independent, but that was an open thing. As long as he was able to take care of them in a place where his son couldn't see, he still had to go in and meet the headmaster, the teacher and others. Although he had already treated them to a meal during the New Year with the help of Lord Fan, he had to say hello since he was there.
Su Yanli went in to do business.
Su Ruojin was wandering around the entrance of the academy. Although the academy was supposed to be quiet, wherever there were people, there would be vendors gathering. The only difference was the types of vendors.
Two miles down the mountain from the entrance of Dongshan Academy, there is a street called Wenshan Street. It is about two miles long and wide, and is mainly filled with shops selling pens, inkstones, paper, and inkstones, as well as bookstores, picture mounting shops, seal engraving shops, etc. Of course, no matter where you are, you cannot do without food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and Wenshan Street is no exception.
Su Ruojin paid special attention to various food-related shops and hawkers, and found that there was everything from breakfast shops, restaurants for lunch, to small restaurants where one could sit down and have a drink in the evening.
She looked towards the academy on the mountain again. She heard that Dongshan Academy had thousands of students. If she set up a small stall here to sell grilled sausages, what would it feel like? Of course, she would make a lot of money.
Su Ruojin thought to herself, if she were still alone like in her previous life, she would have set up a small stall by now and sold grilled sausages. Living alone would be quite comfortable!
More than half an hour later, Su Yanli came down from the mountain.
Cheng Yingzhen asked quickly, "How is An? Do you miss home?"
Su Yanli smiled helplessly, "Ah Zhen..." Your son has only been out of your sight for an hour.
Cheng Yingzhen felt embarrassed when her husband looked at her, and said coquettishly, "I'm just not used to it."
After eleven years of marriage and a bunch of children, the couple was still as affectionate as newlyweds. Su Ruojin pouted and thought to herself, I wonder if my future husband can be half as good as my father.
well!
"Sister, why are you sighing?" Su Sanlang tilted his head and asked, "Are you missing brother too?"
"I..." She realized that she was only eight years old, and she was thinking about her husband. She quickly shook her head and said, "No, I saw that there were no empty shops on this street. It's impossible to open a breakfast shop here."
The couple who were being affectionate looked over and asked, "Why do you open a shop here?"
"Do you have any help?"
Su Ruojin responded to her mother first: "Opening a shop here will not only allow me to take care of my elder brother, but also make money. Isn't it great?"
My daughter was right. Even though Cheng Yingzhen didn’t know much about business, it became more lively.
Su Yanli waited for his daughter's reply in confusion.
"There's no one to hire!" Su Ruojin said with a smile, "Whether it's Mama Dong or Ershi, their skills are not a problem. We can find a capable helper for the rest. A breakfast shop can be run by two people. This way, we can control costs, and there will be no conflicts between employees, which makes management easier. It's simply too good to be true."
Mrs. Ding couldn't help but interject while holding Silang, "The key is to have a shop, right?"
Su Ruojin: ...
Yes, that's right.
My elder brother has been studying here for three years. Don't be in a hurry. Come to see him often in the future. Maybe you will run into him.
She turned around and said, "Uncle Shutong, when you come to pick up Big Brother next time, go to the street and walk around. If anyone wants to rent or sell a shop, tell me. It's best if the place is not too big."
Shu Tong said, "Okay."
After sending her elder brother off, she brought the business tips here. Su Yanli still admired his daughter very much. This child was born with a mind for business. Could it be that she inherited it from the Su family in Pingjiang Prefecture?
Thinking of the Su family, Su Yanli felt annoyed. The Su family might be coming to the capital soon. He had not told his wife and children about this yet. He wondered what the situation would be like for the Su family when they arrived.
Su Ruojin didn't know that her father's family had come to the capital. She was having fun in the alley with Yang Siniang, Xue Liuniang and others at home, but was interrupted by Santai.
"The young master said that although he has a recipe, he needs the right tools to make a large amount of it, so he would like to trouble Madam Su to help organize it."
Su Ruojin:...It turns out that the sausage is not so easy to get!
"We already have a meat grinder, can you just make the mini one bigger?"
"Then is there any tool to stuff the meat into the sheep intestines?"
Of course!
Su Ruojin pursed her lips and didn't move.
This guy Zhao Lan is really good. Is he so good at exploiting people?
Su Ruojin wanted to reply, "I don't know how to do it either, I don't have it." But when she thought of her "grilled sausage project", she held back.
Santai politely asked Su Yanli and Cheng Yingzhen to lend him people, "Young Master said that as long as the workshop is on the right track, he will not bother Madam Su anymore."
When Su Yanli first arrived in the capital, he thought that the rich and powerful did not need to manage household affairs. As long as they had power, fiefdoms or court salaries, they could live a life of luxury and wealth. Later, after staying in the capital for a long time, he realized that no matter how noble a noble was, even the emperor had private household affairs, otherwise they would not be able to meet their daily expenses.
Zhao Lan sold his daughter's meat grinder and now he has set his eyes on sausages. He is no longer surprised by this, but he is not yet at the point where he feels complacent about being needed or even used by a noble person.
He frowned slightly, "Ajin is only eight years old after all. She is too young to do anything but cooking at home. But in a workshop that big, I'm afraid she won't be able to handle it."
Santai said respectfully, "Dr. Su, I promise that Madam Su will only talk, and she doesn't need to do anything else or worry about anything else."
Su Yanli still didn't want his daughter to be ordered around by students, "Ajin, write down the production process to the young prince."
"Okay. Dad."
Santai: “…” He had no choice but to go back home.
Zhao Lan listened and just said softly, "I understand."
Santai retreated quietly.
Su Yanli himself did not like to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy, and he would not let his daughter do so. Every time Prince Zhao or Young Master Fan came, he never told his daughter anything, but his daughter consciously avoided coming to the study.
Su Yanli was actually very relieved about this. She was indeed his daughter, who knew when to act and when to retreat, and he never had to worry about her.
Su Ruojin asked her father, "What will you do if the young prince gets angry?"
Su Yanli thought for a moment, "If he is really angry, at most Dad will take you back to the countryside of Pingjiang Prefecture to live a pastoral life."
Su Ruojin never thought that her father would think of such a way out.
He smiled and said, "Okay, we will advance and retreat together with Dad."
On the afternoon of the second day, Zhao Lan, who was imagined by Su Yanli and his daughter to be a villain, went to the Su family in person with the procedures.
Cheng Yingzhen didn't know what the father and daughter whispered about last night, and she smiled and welcomed them into the main hall.
Zhao Lan said politely, "I don't understand something about the ham sausage, so I would like to borrow the doctor's study."
Cheng Yingzhen looked at her daughter.
Su Ruojin nodded: "Little Prince, please..."
Shu Tong quickly made tea and followed him into the study, then stood behind the Second Lady, looking as if he was on guard against a lecher.
Zhao Lan: ...That’s not necessary.
Shu Tong: ...You have a criminal record.
Zhao Lan: …
Some time ago, someone lifted our Second Lady up high without her consent, and now all the little kids in the alley know about it.
Zhao Lan: …
Shuangrui lowered his head, and if you looked closely, you could see that he was having a hard time holding back his laughter.
Whether in the palace or in a wealthy family, no matter where their young master went, he was the only one who was wary of young ladies throwing themselves at him, and he had never encountered a young lady who treated him as a pervert.
Su Ruojin didn't see all these details. On the one hand, she didn't understand why a young man of the prince level was so interested in menial affairs. On the other hand, she really wanted to make the sausage.
So, she cooperated and took out the manual enema that she had spent most of the day drawing. "Of course, if the workshop is large and we make a lot of sausages, we can change the manual one into a large crank type, so that we can emptie continuously."
Zhao Lan nodded and said, "Ajin, please draw the crank style as well."
"Okay, but you have to wait two days."
Zhao Lan added, "The people in the workshop tried making two batches, and the results were not very good." He motioned for Shuangrui to take out the defective products.
Su Ruojin knew what the problem was at first glance. "First, it was filled too full. Second, the air inside was not removed with a toothpick. Third, during the cooking process, you cannot use high heat, but should cook it slowly over low heat. And you cannot wait until the water boils before taking it out, otherwise it will definitely explode."
Shuangrui wrote down every one of them.
"Thank you, Jin. I'll have someone try it again tomorrow. If there's still something I don't understand, I..."
Su Ruojin admired his spirit and said quickly, "Young Prince, don't come here in person. Just go about your business. I'll ask Uncle Shutong to send me to your workshop. You can just find a master to work with me. I'll teach them step by step."
If she continued to run back and forth like this every other day, it would cause gossip in the alley. Su Ruojin didn't mind. She was afraid of affecting her family, so she simply went to his workshop and got it done in one go.
"Then wait until I get the sausage enema and meat grinder ready, and then I'll send someone to pick you up."
"Okay."
The connection was concluded and Zhao Lan said goodbye.
Cheng Yingzhen sighed, "If a prince works so hard, what do you think ordinary people should do?"
Su Ruojin: ...
What I am sighing about is correct. Could it be that this guy cannot inherit the title, so now he is working hard to make money and marry a wife?
In February, the weather gradually warms up, everything begins to sprout, and hibernating affairs begin to return to normal.
Hua Ping and Mr. Shen sat under the lamp, reading the news coming in from all directions. "I heard that the Ula grass has been active recently, trying to atone for the winter war intelligence that was not obtained last year."
“I’m not afraid of the enemy moving, I’m afraid of the enemy not moving.”
Mr. Shen came up with a plan. "The news said that the Wula Caotou people are bold and generous, and are very good at winning people's hearts. Recently, we have set our sights on this type of people."
Hua Ping said, "In three days, I will send you a list of all such people in the capital."
Mr. Shen nodded. "Don't worry about the funding. Just go for it. If we don't have enough manpower, we can hire anyone as long as they are reliable."
Hua Ping nodded and asked, "I heard that the young prince has been setting up a workshop to make money recently?"
Mr. Shen smiled and said, "The rewards from His Majesty have all been exchanged for restaurants and shops. As long as the restaurants and shops don't go bankrupt, we won't have to worry about lack of funds."
Hua Ping sighed, "I used to be worried about the young master, but I didn't expect that the disciple would surpass the master."
Yes, I used to worry that the Investigation Bureau would be in name only, but I didn’t expect it to grow with even more vigorous vitality.
After discussing the matter, Hua Ping walked back to Su's shop under the moonlight.
Just as he was about to jump down from the tree, he heard someone talking at the side door, so he sneaked down.
A man in his twenties with a medium build said shyly, "Mrs. Gui...Mrs. Gui...thank you so much for helping my mother up. If it weren't for you, I...would have lost my mother and become an orphan from now on."
Xiang Gui replied indifferently, "It's just a small favor, my dear, you don't have to take it seriously, and you don't have to knock on Su Ji's door so late at night."
"I...I saw that Madam Gui was always busy, so..."
"It's getting late, let's go." After saying that, Xianggui closed the door, turned around and strode back to her place.
Outside the door, the young man looked at the door and said, "What a good man." After sighing, he left reluctantly.
Hua Ping glanced inside and outside, his face calm, and walked into his room as smooth as the wind passing by without leaving a trace.
(End of this chapter)
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