Chapter 33 The client's manipulation is mostly for...
After returning to the Marquis of Anyuan's residence from the academy, He Zheng locked himself in his room. From sunset to starlight and moonlight, the steward of the mansion came to urge him to have his meal four times, but he did not come out.
Marquis Anyuan He Xiao was used to his youngest son's carefree nature. He and his wife, Madam Tao, had dinner first, and then went back to the backyard to rest.
He Ting had social engagements outside and returned just before curfew. Upon entering the house, he heard that Erlang had locked himself in his room and was "on a hunger strike," which surprised him.
"Doesn't A-Zheng usually like to practice swordsmanship after school? He can eat three bowls of rice after a good workout." He Ting took the damp handkerchief handed to him by Madam Chen, wiped his hands, and gestured with his chin towards He Zheng's courtyard. "Is something on your mind today?"
Chen said with a smile, "I heard from Jinghong that Erlang searched through all the cabinets and boxes in the house, and even went to the storeroom. I don't know what he was looking for."
"Going to the storeroom again?" He Ting frowned, tossed the handkerchief to a servant, and put his arm around Chen's thin shoulder, saying, "I'll go see what he's up to."
In the western courtyard, He Zheng's door was wide open. Jing Hong stood inside, carrying a mountain of clothes, his back bent under the weight. As for He Zheng himself, only the sound of him picking out clothes could be heard from outside the door; he could not be seen.
Upon seeing He Ting and Madam Chen, Jing Hong felt as if he had seen a savior and hurriedly shouted, "The young master is back!"
"I am a novice and have poor taste. I only regret that I cannot help Erlang. Since Erlang cannot choose clothes for tomorrow, why not let the young master pick some out!"
Upon hearing this, He Zheng looked up from the box, but before he could leave, his brother and sister-in-law had already come in.
Even though he had witnessed the bloodshed on the battlefield, He Ting was still shocked by the mess in his brother's room and frowned.
The room was now a complete mess; clothes were scattered everywhere—on the bed, on the boxes, and on the chairs.
"What did this house do to you? Why are you tearing it apart like this?"
"Never mind that," He Zheng said, stepping in front of the two of them. "I'm hungry, let's serve the food first."
Upon hearing this, Madam Chen turned and instructed her maid to go to the kitchen to deliver the message. He Ting pushed his younger brother aside and picked up a piece of clothing piled on the couch.
Are you going out tomorrow?
"Yes, go to the Yu family."
"Which Yu family?"
“Yu Zhui, the Imperial Censor, was one of Yang Gong’s most outstanding students in his early years.”
He Ting raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, I remember now, the last time you got into a fight, it was for Yu Sanlang."
He Zheng clicked his tongue. "Can't you remember anything good? The person who cleared my name a few days ago was none other than the second son of the Yu family."
Madam Chen joked, "Erlang usually goes out to meet friends quite often, so why did you go to such lengths to pick out an outfit this time?"
He Zheng said, "Visiting someone's home is certainly different from going out to meet friends. Although Imperial Censor Yu has passed away, his wife, Madam Wu, is still alive. If I were to visit him dressed in shabby clothes, wouldn't that be impolite?"
After saying that, he was about to go out to the front yard for his meal when He Ting stepped in front of him, blocking his way, and asked in a flat tone as if asking casually, "Why did the Yu family invite you over?"
“Why ask so many questions when it’s just making friends?” He Zheng said, dissatisfied.
He Ting frowned: "Mother just said two days ago that there are distinguished guests in the manor tomorrow, and you're still going out?"
He Zheng shrugged: "Even if there are distinguished guests, they're not here to see me, so what does it have to do with me?"
How is it none of your business? People are just here to set you up on blind dates.
He Ting and Madam Chen exchanged a glance, neither of them revealing their true feelings. If He Zheng knew, he would probably risk violating the law to move out of the mansion tonight.
"Stop." Seeing He Zheng walk past him and leave, He Ting said in a deep voice, "I heard that you've been sending someone to the Eastern Palace? Trying to imitate the ancient practice of keeping a mistress in a golden house?"
He Zheng was somewhat irritated: "Where did this rumor come from? I've never even met Zhou Fuling, how did it become a story of keeping a mistress in a golden house?"
He Ting's eyes narrowed, and he slowly placed his right hand on the back of his younger brother's neck, his tone unfriendly: "You really stuffed someone in there?"
He Zheng stepped aside and said coldly, "I only recommended her to Your Highness. As for whether to keep her or not, that is Your Highness's own decision."
"You've never even met her, yet you dare to recommend her to the Crown Prince?" He Ting raised his leg to kick him, but he dodged it. He was already somewhat dissatisfied, and now he was even angrier. "He Zheng, it's a waste of your talent to take the exam at Chang'an Academy. Zhang Jinghua's seat should be yours!"
After saying that, he changed his mind: "No, you should be appointed Minister of Personnel and become his superior!"
He Zheng silently slipped away and ran out, saying as he ran, "I think what my brother said is very right. Then I will trouble my brother to recommend me to the emperor. If the recommendation is successful, I will do my best to select a worthy person for Daliang."
Jinghong glanced at his second son's departing figure, then at the prince's dark, ashen face, and after a moment's hesitation, he decided to chase after him.
He Ting was helpless against him, and gave a cold laugh to the air before barely recovering.
Madam Chen held her husband's hand tightly and said gently, "What Erlang said is not wrong. He only recommended that Miss Zhou. Whether or not to use her, and how to use her, is still up to His Highness the Crown Prince."
He Ting said helplessly, "The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded. How can we just randomly place a female physician whose background we don't know? If something really happens, the Marquis of Anyuan's mansion can't bear the responsibility."
Knowing that her husband's concerns were not unfounded, Ms. Chen said nothing more.
He Ting picked up the clothes that had fallen to the ground, threw them back into the mahogany box, and turned to instruct his wife, "Have someone keep an eye on him tomorrow and don't let him go out."
Chen hesitated and said, "But Erlang made a promise with his classmate, he can't just break it without a reason, can he?"
“He’s already eighteen. If he doesn’t get married soon, all the eligible girls in Chang’an will probably be married.”
Hearing her husband say this, Chen suddenly chuckled softly.
He Ting looked at her, puzzled. "What are you laughing at?"
Chen pointed to the clothes scattered all over the room and asked, "Do you really think that Erlang made this scene just to avoid being impolite?"
"Then why?"
A meaningful smile appeared on Chen's lips. "To adorn oneself for those who appreciate one's own beauty."
He Ting remained silent for a while, then called over his trusted confidant and said in a low voice, "Find someone to inquire about the age of Zhou Lingzhi, the new Crown Prince, her family background, her looks and talent, her character... Also, find out if she is engaged."
“It’s clearly called Poria cocos.” Madam Chen found it somewhat amusing. “Are you being so dramatic? Judging from Erlang’s expression, I’m afraid he hasn’t even figured it out himself.”
"As for those who become generals and ministers, they should have a broad vision and foresight."
Before they stormed into the capital, the He family wasn't exactly a prominent clan, and they didn't have any prejudice against families based on social status when it came to marriage proposals. On the contrary, the established families in Chang'an were already grateful if they didn't look down on the He family.
Besides, He Zheng's reputation is really bad. Tao Shi is so worried about her youngest son's marriage that her hair has turned white. If He Zheng really has a woman he likes, it will save the family trouble.
He Ting looked around at the messy room and whispered in his wife's ear, "You have good taste. Pick out some clothes for him in a bit."
…
On the morning of her day off, Luo Yan drove Yu Mingshu to the busiest street in the West Market. This place was a melting pot of people, and foreigners passed by from time to time.
The foreigners dressed very differently from the Liang people, and their appearance was also quite outstanding. Most of them had high brow bones, straight noses, heterochromatic eyes, and naturally curly hair. They spoke broken Mandarin and bargained with the merchants.
“Miss, this is the most famous Fengyang Restaurant in the West Market.” Luo Yan pointed to a three-story restaurant outside the carriage, drawing her mistress’s attention back to her.
Yu Mingshu then took a closer look at the luxurious buildings along the street and asked with some skepticism, "Are you sure you can get ice here?"
Luo Yan lifted the curtain and leaned into the carriage. “Of course! Fengyang Tower is most famous for its ice-cold mountain. A scholar wrote an ‘Ode to Suhe Mountain’ praising it as having ‘the taste of honey from the Golden Chamber and the charm of a beautiful woman.’ In the summer, many noble families brave the scorching heat to come from the east of the city to the west market just for this sweet and refreshing treat.”
That makes things easier.
It wasn't mealtime yet, and there was only a servant wiping tables in Fengyang Restaurant. Yu Mingshu got straight to the point and asked him to invite the manager out.
The servant glanced at her, then craned his neck to examine the simple carriage in front of the door. Unsure of who this person was, he hesitated for a moment, put down the broom, and went to the backyard.
The shopkeeper came out quickly; she was a woman surnamed Cui, around thirty years old. Her clothes and hair ornaments were simple and unadorned, but the jade bracelet on her wrist was so green it was almost dazzling.
Yu Mingshu didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to the point, saying that he wanted to buy ice.
Manager Cui fiddled with the bracelet on his wrist, secretly sizing up the young girl in front of him. He forced a smile and said with some difficulty, "Selling is possible, but Fengyang Tower has never sold ingredients before. If you want to get ice from me, you should at least explain your purpose, right?"
Yu Mingshu honestly replied, "I want to use it to make a beverage."
After a moment's thought, Manager Cui agreed: "Okay, but you can't take the ice away."
Yu Mingshu frowned: "I came to buy ice, but you won't let me take it with me?"
Manager Cui smiled and said, "Do whatever you want right here. I need to watch with my own eyes. Otherwise, if the young lady leaves this room, it might give Fengyang Tower a bad reputation."
This is probably only one aspect.
Yu Mingshu pondered for a while, "I can do it here, but I don't like being watched. You can wait for me outside, and I'll invite you to try a cup of the drinks I've prepared."
Manager Cui was a smart man, and he immediately realized what Yu Mingshu was wary of. His smile deepened, and he asked jokingly, "What kind of family secret recipe is it that you're so afraid I'll steal it?"
Yu Mingshu also laughed and said, "It's not a secret recipe. If the shopkeeper likes it after the drink is made, I'm willing to sell the recipe."
Manager Cui was silent for a moment, his smile faded, but his eyes showed more appreciation. He sighed and said, "If someone else had tried to bargain with me, I definitely wouldn't have agreed."
The subtext of this statement is: Since it's you, I'll reluctantly agree.
The servant led Yu Mingshu into the kitchen, fetched ice from the ice cellar for her, and then returned to the main hall to stand guard beside his manager.
Yu Mingshu was going to make the fruit tea that was common in milk tea shops in later generations. She didn't know if He Zheng liked it sweet or slightly sour, so she planned to make a bucket of hand-whipped lemon tea first, and then a bucket of mixed fruit tea.
Fortunately, the era in which Daliang lived already had a wide variety of fruits to choose from, and summer happened to be the season when all kinds of fruits could be found.
At this time, lemons had moved from the kitchens of nobles to the restaurants of the common people, and oranges and pomelos were also common fruits in Chang'an.
And then there are grapes. If I had been born a hundred years earlier, during the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty, grapes were still a tribute fruit exclusively for the imperial family. But after generation of emperors launched westward expeditions and conquered the native home of grapes in the Western Regions, they obtained the seeds, and grapes entered the market, albeit at a slightly higher price.
Separated by a curtain, Manager Cui sat with his back to the kitchen, only hearing the thumping sounds of hammering.
Is she making a drink? Someone who didn't know better would think she was pounding meatballs.
Manager Cui couldn't help but peek back twice. Through the gap between the two curtains, he could only see a petite figure busy at the table, wielding a rolling pin with great skill.
This girl's aura is quite different from her appearance and figure.
Seeing this, the servant lowered his voice and said, "Manager, I'll go keep an eye on her."
Manager Cui raised his hand to stop him, his brows relaxed, and he said gently, "Your manager is not that kind of cunning person. I just think that this girl has a kind of tenacity in her eyes, which is similar to mine when I was young."
The servant said, "Manager, you've weathered many storms and fought your way out of dire straits on your own. How can a pampered young lady in the capital compare to you?"
About fifteen minutes later, Yu Mingshu came out carrying two buckets of drinks. The buckets were steaming, and the tea and ice mixed with crushed fruit pieces presented a refreshing and bright color. Just looking at them made one feel that the summer heat had subsided by three points.
"Is this the drink you made?" Manager Cui leaned forward with great interest.
Luo Yan used a wooden spoon to scoop out two bowls, handing one to the shopkeeper, while Yu Mingshu picked up the other bowl and tasted it first.
Setting down the empty bowl, Yu Mingshu gestured to Manager Cui with his hand, smiling as he said, "Manager, you can give it a try."
Manager Cui rolled up her sleeves, took a sip with some skepticism, and the moment the fruit tea entered her mouth, her eyes lit up, a hint of surprise flashing across them.
Both are sweet and icy cold, but fruit tea is different from iced crispy mountain dessert. This flavor is more refreshing and thirst-quenching, and not greasy at all.
She turned and handed the remaining half bowl to the servant beside her, saying, "You should try some too."
The servant secretly observed her expression, took the bowl and took a small sip. He couldn't resist and drank the rest of the fruit tea in one gulp.
After finishing the drink, he exclaimed, "Shopkeeper, this drink is excellent! It's even better than our homemade fruit wine!"
Seeing that the response was good, Yu Mingshu immediately served them another bowl of hand-whipped lemon tea. "The previous one was a mix of various fresh fruits, but this one only uses lemons. The flavor is a bit simpler, but it's easy to make into a classic flavor."
This time, Manager Cui didn't wait for her to "test the poison" first; he directly picked up the bowl and brought it to his lips.
After finishing his drink, he sipped it, savoring the aftertaste.
This lemon tea is more refreshing than the fruit tea we just had. The slight sourness and fragrance of the lemon don't mask the original aroma of the tea. In addition to the sweetness of the syrup, you can also taste the lingering sweetness of the tea.
From the moment he tasted the previous bowl of fruit tea, Manager Cui had already made up his mind to get the secret recipe from the young girl in front of him.
She put down the bowl, placed her palm down on the table, and tapped the surface with her fingers as if hesitant. "I really like these two drinks, but everyone has their own taste. Lemon is sour, so it's hard to guarantee that some people won't like them."
Yu Mingshu, however, didn't fall for it. The client's manipulation tactics were mostly aimed at lowering the price.
"The shopkeeper can make two or three levels of sweetness. If you don't like sour tastes, just add an extra spoonful of syrup. I will specify the method for making the tea soup, the preparation of the syrup, and the amount of syrup in the recipe."
When Manager Cui encountered resistance in negotiating the price, he realized that the seemingly young girl was not a pushover. Staring at her calm eyes, he lowered his critical expression after a while, leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked at her.
"Two recipes, what price are you hoping to sell them for?"
Yu Mingshu had a limited understanding of prices in Daliang. He only knew the prices of meat and vegetables in the market, but he didn't know how much recipes and formulas should cost.
She looked at Manager Cui without changing her expression, then suddenly revealed a bright smile, "I want to discuss a unique deal with Manager Cui."
Manager Cui raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
“I’m worried that a one-time buyout would be too expensive, making the shopkeeper feel that the recipe isn’t worth it. So, I’d like to sign a contract with the shopkeeper: I’ll provide the recipe, and the shopkeeper will be responsible for production and sales. The profits will be split according to the agreed-upon ratio. What do you think?”
Manager Cui asked with a smile, "Aren't you afraid that I'll swallow your recipe and not give you any of the profits?"
Yu Mingshu chuckled and said, "I have more than just these two recipes. If the shopkeeper wants to kick me out, I can just add other secret recipes to these two drinks and sell them to other shops. As long as I can sell them, I won't lose money."
Now, Manager Cui had a deeper understanding of the girl in front of him. His eyes changed slightly, and after a moment of silent contemplation, when he spoke again, his tone was no longer playful but more serious.
"I still don't understand. If the young lady is unwilling to buy out the entire business at once and wants to profit in the long run, why doesn't she just open her own beverage shop?"
“To run a business, you need your own ice cellar for convenience, but that investment is too big for me. Besides, I have to study during the week and don’t have time to run the business myself. It’s much more efficient to rely on someone as powerful as Manager Cui.”
Upon hearing that she also studied on a regular basis, Manager Cui's eyes showed more appreciation. "Studying helps one understand principles, which is indeed the right path."
Yu Mingshu didn't reply, but just chuckled.
Manager Cui then asked, "How should I address you, young lady?"
"Yu Mingshu".
"I'll draft the contract, you write the recipe." Manager Cui was always a straightforward person who didn't like to get bogged down in details, so he readily agreed, "Miss Yu, it's a pleasure to cooperate."
Yu Mingshu hesitated and said, "I have guests at home. Fresh fruit tea is all about freshness, so we can't delay. Shopkeeper, why don't you draft a contract first? I'll bring the recipe over later."
The deal was agreed upon and wouldn't harm her, so Manager Cui wasn't worried that she would run away halfway through.
"It's fine if you come later, or I'll come to you later; it's all minor."
Manager Cui got up to see her off. His professional habit of soliciting and promoting customers kicked in, and he casually asked, "Miss Yu is hosting a banquet at her residence. Would you like to try the feast at Fengyang Tower?"
Yu Mingshu and Luo Yan exchanged a glance. They had originally planned to buy groceries on their way back, but they knew they would need to wash, prepare, and heat the vegetables after they got back... so buying ready-made groceries was indeed convenient.
Despite his interest, the prices at Fengyang Tower made it difficult for Yu Mingshu to readily agree.
She turned around without changing her expression and said with some regret, "My family is poor and we can't afford a meal at Fengyanglou."
Manager Cui chuckled, "Just tell me how many people are eating and who the guests are. This time, consider it my treat!"
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