Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Xu Yuanheng's solo speech...
Steward Xu said, "Second Young Master, this is the cook I hired to cook for our mansion. The dish that Second Young Master liked a few days ago was made by her."
From Xu Yuanheng's perspective, Lin Qiuran lowered her head slightly. She had a pretty face and a slender figure, but her hair was styled like a woman's bun. He nodded and said, "Go."
Xu Yuanheng got in the car and Manager Xu quickly followed.
The carriage slowly pulled out of the mansion. There were only the two of them inside, but it was quite spacious. Xu Yuanheng seemed to be accusing Manager Xu of being nosy. "I'll only be back for a few days. Just let the mansion take care of your food and other necessities. No need to bother."
Xu Yuanheng didn't come back often, and there was no small kitchen in the yard, so meals were prepared in the main kitchen and sent over.
Manager Xu lowered his head and said, "The Second Young Master doesn't come back often. Yu'an is my hometown, so I have to make sure he has a good meal and a comfortable place to stay. This is all part of my job. Besides, it's not hard to do. Madam Lin's cooking skills are indeed good, but she's a little pitiful."
Without hearing Xu Yuanheng's words to stop him, Manager Xu continued, "She had just gotten married, just over two months, and her husband died."
Given the Xu family's family background and status, it was very easy to find out about someone in Yu'an.
Xu Yuanheng raised his eyebrows slightly, "Hmm?"
Manager Xu said, "Not only that, she also left behind a posthumous child. She now lives with her parents-in-law and moved to the county town. She makes a living by her craft, which is quite good, thankfully."
Xu Yuanheng frowned. They had just been married for a short time, but they had a posthumous child, which meant that she was pregnant now.
He nodded and said nothing more, and Manager Xu breathed a sigh of relief. Merchant families didn't care about legitimate children, but rather who could carry on the family business.
The eldest son's talents were mediocre, and he was always out on business, but he wasn't as capable as the second son. Now, the second son controlled most of the family's assets. The Xu family was large and powerful, with businesses now even reaching the capital. He was just a small steward, so at a time like this, he needed to show his master his loyalty.
Fortunately, the second young master didn’t say anything else.
Meanwhile, Lin Qiuran went straight to the kitchen. She planned to make seafood porridge today. She had made this before at the post station. After the porridge was cooked, she would slide the fish fillets marinated with scallions and ginger into it. The porridge was sweet and fresh, and the fish fillets were tender and smooth.
The Xu family had plenty of ingredients, so making this was even easier. Lin Qiuran looked in the kitchen and saw that there was a mix of freshwater and seafood. The freshwater fish included live fish, shrimp, and crabs, while the seafood was a few frozen sea fish. She also saw a few sea crabs, kept in ice, still alive. They must have been delivered that afternoon.
I have to say, the Xu family eats really well. Others probably haven't even seen this kind of food. As expected, as long as you have money, you can eat anything.
Lin Qiuran prepared the ingredients first. He split open the shrimp and deveined them; a pot of porridge required more than a dozen shrimp. He also peeled the crabs, removing the inedible parts like the heart and gills. He then simply prepared the crab bodies so they could be easily eaten in one bite.
Salted duck eggs are also useful. After being cooked, the egg yolks can be used to stir-fry the porridge base to add color. She also specially got some shrimp skins and shrimp heads, which will be very useful later.
The other seafood were dead and not fresh enough, so Lin Qiuran didn't use them. Instead, she asked the chef in the kitchen to help clean out two eels. She removed the small bones and cut them into pieces for later use.
To make the porridge base fresh, Lin Qiuran first sautéed the shrimp heads to release the oil. Then, using the shrimp oil, he fried the salted egg yolks until they were finely sandy, turning the entire casserole base golden brown. He then poured half a pot of hot water and waited for it to boil before adding the rice. Once the porridge was about 80% done, he added the crab, shrimp, and eel, following the order in which the ingredients were cooked.
It had to be said that this porridge was incredibly fresh, the whole kitchen wafting with the delicious aroma of seafood. The crab shells had been cooked until they were a brilliant red, and Lin Qiuran had added two crabs, their meat a pure white. The porridge was a vibrant orange-yellow, with shrimp and eels rising and falling in it. Lin Qiuran had only added a pinch of salt for seasoning; the seafood and salted egg yolks were both salty, and a stronger flavor would have overshadowed the porridge.
Because Second Young Master Xu was out, the porridge had to be freshly made, otherwise it would become clumpy if left out for too long. So Lin Qiuran simmered the porridge over low heat first, prepared the ingredients, and waited for Second Young Master Xu to return before turning up the heat and adding the shrimp and crabs when it was about 80% cooked.
During this time, Lin Qiuran made pumpkin pancakes. Each one was a small, golden brown cake, filled with a custard filling and slightly sweet. Porridge is salty, and if paired with a salty staple, it would be greasy. The pumpkin pancakes were just the right match.
Lin Qiuran believed that no one would refuse salty and sweet food, even if they had to share it.
The second young master Xu had already returned. When the meal was ready, a maid came over and brought these dishes together with those prepared by other chefs.
The chefs in the big kitchen understood that Lin Qiuran came here to cook for the second young master. To be honest, they also admired Lin Qiuran's cooking skills. Anyway, it didn't affect their work. They got paid monthly and thought the same as Chen San, that with more people cooking, they could share more of the burden.
As for whether Lin Qiuran would steal their jobs, that was even less of a worry. Xu Yuanheng spent less than two months in Yu'an throughout the year, and even fewer days eating at the mansion, so the steward wouldn't hire anyone else.
Besides, why would you want to be a good citizen instead of being a servant in this mansion?
After finishing the work today, Manager Xu still asked Lin Qiuran to wait for a while. Xu Yuanheng was always generous, and he might even give her some money as a reward.
Lin Qiuran waited for more than a quarter of an hour, and was given another one or two taels today.
Lin Qiuran put away the reward money and wages. It was really not in vain that he came to the Xu family. Without anything else, Manager Xu sent Lin Qiuran out.
For Manager Xu, Lin Qiuran is a lucky star. When he went out this afternoon, Xu Yuanheng seemed to want him to manage Yu An's shops.
This was more than just a job, there was also money to be made in the process. If he did well, he might even be able to go to the capital with them in the future. For him, this was the best possible future.
There is no disadvantage for Lin Qiuran either. Cooking for the Xu family is different from setting up a stall to sell to ordinary people. Even if he tells others about it in the future, it will be much easier to prepare a banquet for them, and he can also raise the price by cooking for others.
I've cooked for the Xu family, so it's an honor to tell others about it.
What a great thing.
At this moment, what Lin Qiuran was thinking was, if Manager Xu asked her to come back tomorrow, would she still come?
She always felt that it was not good to cook in the Xu Mansion all the time. She was just a commoner, and the Xu family was rich. Sometimes money also represented power.
Today, Mr. Xu asked her, and although she didn't say much, she was still a little scared. It's not that she was narcissistic, after all, she has a good appearance, and it's not good to always go to such places.
Besides, she didn't know the Xu family well, so she should quit while she was ahead. She couldn't stay in the same place forever, and the Xu family had a cook, so it wouldn't be good for her to stay here.
Steward Xu, intent on winning over Lin Qiuran, decided to send her to the stables. Halfway there, he asked, "I wonder if Madam Lin is free tomorrow?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people came from the corner. Lin Qiuran guessed that they were members of the Xu family again, so he followed Manager Xu and moved aside.
Steward Xu bowed and said, "Greetings, Master."
Lin Qiuran took a glance and lowered his head.
The leading man, dressed in brocade and waving a folding fan, looked to be in his thirties. He passed Manager Xu and landed on Lin Qiuran behind him, examining her with a hint of amusement. "Who is this?"
Manager Xu smiled and said, "One of the cooks in the main kitchen is sick, so they're looking for someone to take his place. The meal is ready now, and I'll take her out."
Xu Yuancheng smiled and said, "Such a beautiful sign, I think the cooking skills must be very good. But what dish did this lady make? Have I eaten it before?"
Lin Qiuran was stunned. How could this person speak so frivolously and presumptuously?
Manager Xu was also stunned. He asked Lin Qiuran to come here all for Xu Yuanheng, but Xu Yuancheng was also the master. It would not be appropriate for him to say it directly.
However, Xu Yuancheng had been looking at Lin Qiuran and had not thought of this. His face was full of interest in Lin Qiuran.
Manager Xu quickly said, "Don't worry, Master. Madam Lin has left some extra food out after she finished cooking. You'll be able to enjoy it soon."
Xu Yuancheng closed the fan and patted it in his hands. He said, "The food that was left out should have cooled down by now. When it comes to food, no matter how delicious it is, it won't be as delicious as freshly made food if it's been left out for a long time. Since I'm here to replace the chef, I should do my job well. What special dishes does Madam Lin have? Let me try them too."
Lin Qiuran frowned. Not only did she not want to keep this man because he was so frivolous, but they had also agreed to only cook for one meal.
Steward Xu stepped forward to block the way and said in embarrassment, "Master, it's getting late today, and Madam Lin is not a servant in the mansion. It's time for her to go home. She will come over tomorrow, so why not wait until tomorrow?"
Lin Qiuran nodded from behind, but Xu Yuancheng said, "It's better to do it today than to wait for a day. It doesn't take much effort to cook a dish."
Manager Xu took a deep breath. He was a servant, and he couldn't really offend the master of the mansion for Lin Qiuran. Just as he was about to agree, he heard a voice behind him, "Big brother is back."
Xu Yuancheng looked into the distance and glanced at Xu Yuanheng, "Second brother, are you going out?"
Xu Yuanheng strode past Lin Qiuran. He nodded slightly, then glanced at Manager Xu. "I asked you to send them back, why are you still here?"
Manager Xu wiped the sweat off his forehead and immediately said, "I saw the eldest master and said a few words. My dear, I will leave first."
He turned around and said to Lin Qiuran, "Madam Lin, let's go, it's getting late."
The two walked away, and the sound of horse hooves disappeared. Xu Yuancheng still looked back. Xu Yuanheng said, "Brother."
Xu Yuancheng turned around and took a deep breath, "Second brother."
Xu Yuanheng asked, "Brother, why are you back so late?"
Xu Yuancheng glanced at the stable again, gnashing his teeth. He said, "It's for entertainment. My second brother is so busy now that he's back, so I can't be idle. By the way, that cook is..."
Xu Yuancheng thought Lin Qiuran was really beautiful. Although she was not as well dressed as the woman in his room, she was standing there in a cloth dress with her head lowered, her eyes and eyebrows revealing a pitiful look. She really had a unique charm.
He doesn't care whether they get married or not. Being in the Xu family is better than being in his own family.
Xu Yuanheng said, "I haven't had much of an appetite these past few days, so I found a cook outside. But it didn't cost any money from the public treasury, so don't worry, big brother."
Although Xu Yuanheng didn't say it explicitly, his meaning was very clear. He was the one who hired the cook, and she would only cook for him.
Xu Yuancheng's face wasn't looking good, but it wasn't noticeable in the darkness. He forced a smile and said, "Manager Xu, why didn't you tell me earlier? I'm being presumptuous today. Please don't blame me, second brother. It's getting late, so I'll be leaving first."
Xu Yuanheng nodded, got in the carriage and went out.
Manager Xu acted on his own and he still had to clean up the mess.
On the other side, Lin Qiuran had already boarded the carriage and was heading home. In the situation just now, if she had spoken, the man would have become even more excited.
She had originally thought of not coming tomorrow, but this happened. Just now, Manager Xu urged her to get in the car and go home quickly, and she didn't have time to say anything else. She had to come tomorrow.
Besides, Mr. Xu II did help out, so it wouldn't be a problem for him to cook again. It's not like she wouldn't take the money.
But she was worried that once the Second Young Master Xu left Yu'an, the Eldest Young Master of the Xu family would come looking for her again. Even with her hair in a bun today, if they still asked about it, if they knew her husband was gone, it might cause even more trouble.
Lin Qiuran touched her belly. She had this concern when she decided to stay. Her original body was good-looking, and it would definitely be better to have her family around.
The two brothers don't seem to get along, but although Mr. Xu II helped, he is not necessarily a gentleman.
Lin Qiuran thought about it all the way. When she got home, Sun asked her if everything went well. Lin Qiuran said, "It went well. I made two dishes and was given an extra ounce of silver as a reward. I'll go back tomorrow. It won't rain all the time, so I still have to sell vegetables."
Lin Qiuran concealed what happened at the Xu family. Sun smiled and said, "That's great. You said you made so much money at the Xu family. You are really rich and generous."
Sun also felt that she had to sell it. She earned a lot of money cooking for the Xu family, but it wouldn't last long. The stall made little money, but compared to others and the Xiao family's previous business, it was still a lot. She still had to do her job honestly.
Lin Qiuran nodded. If her employers were satisfied with her cooking, they would give her more. The Yu Family Manor gave her one cent more, as did the Wang Family. But at the moment, it seemed that the Second Young Master Xu was the most generous.
Lin Qiuran said to Sun, "Mom, come to my blacksmith shop tomorrow morning. We have money now, and I want to make some good knives. Oh, and if I come home late tomorrow night, go and greet me."
She had wanted to make a few knives, but she had no money to spare and hadn't had the time recently. Having saved some money from selling vegetables and cooking, she decided to make some so she could work elsewhere more conveniently and save on labor.
Also, some people don't separate raw and cooked food, which Lin Qiuran really can't get used to. I'll go over there tomorrow and see if I find something suitable. If not, I'll just buy it.
Sun was a little worried, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"
Lin Qiuran smiled and shook his head. "Mom, I'm fine. It's just that wealthy families have a lot of rules. If I finish early tomorrow, it won't be good to have someone send me back."
Sun looked worried. "There are so many rules. Otherwise, we won't go tomorrow."
Lin Qiuran really didn't want to go, but if she didn't go, she might get into trouble at the Xu family. If something like this happened again, she would still like to find some shelter.
In comparison, the character of the Second Young Master Xu is definitely better than that of the First Young Master Xu. If he doesn't care about her just because she is a cook, then if there is a conflict of interest, she can help the Second Young Master Xu do some business.
Lin Qiuran knew that seasonings and spices would be very important in the future. If he did it well now, and no one else was selling them on the street, his business might grow.
Lin Qiuran: "This is the last day. I won't go the day after tomorrow. Mom, I'm hungry. Let's eat first."
After dinner, Lin Qiuran took a hot bath. It had been a bit cold these days, so a bath would warm up his hands and feet. Moreover, the new bathtub was bigger and more comfortable.
The next day was still cloudy and rainy, but the rain was not that heavy. There was a faint golden light in the sky, and the sun was just above the clouds. Lin Qiuran estimated that it would be sunny tomorrow.
She told Sun that if the weather looked clear in the afternoon, she should buy vegetables for tomorrow and make stuffed peppers with meat the next day.
Buy 40 kilograms of meat, 40 kilograms of tofu, and 60 kilograms of chili peppers.
When the rain was light in the morning, Lin Qiuran went to the blacksmith shop and bought two handy knives.
She had a scissor knife and a peeling knife. The former could cut, chop, and peel, while the latter was more compact and convenient. She also had a bone-chopping knife made, a small, modern peeling knife with a small handle and blade, which was very convenient to use.
The total cost of buying the knife and the deposit was one tael and five cents.
After buying it, Lin Qiuran put it in a cloth bag given by the blacksmith. It was a small bag that held a knife and could be rolled up and tied tightly. It was made of leather and the opening could be tightened. Lin Qiuran liked it very much.
She had wanted to buy them, and today she finally bought them. She felt very happy and decided to come back in three days to get the remaining two knives.
When the Xu family's carriage came to pick her up in the afternoon, Lin Qiuran went over carrying two cans of new seasonings and a knife.
When she got to Xu's house, she had to cook first, which was what she should do.
Lin Qiuran now knew that the Second Master Xu preferred sweet and fresh food, so she wanted to make Cantonese dim sum today. She had hosted several banquets before, and her clients were from the south, so they specialized in these dishes. They wanted small and delicate dishes, so she knew how to make them.
Arriving early, Lin Qiuran started by making some chengfen (rice flour). For a delicious meal, you need to grind rice into rice flour, or wash flour in water, leaving the remaining clear water, let it settle, and then dry it in the sun. Noodle chefs sometimes prepare their own dishes, saving money by doing everything themselves.
But it was too late to dry it today, so she saved time and used sweet potato flour instead. The taste was a little worse, but if you haven't tried it before, you won't be able to tell.
Mix the dough with boiling water, adding a small piece of lard when kneading so that it will be shiny when steamed. After kneading, cut into small pieces and do not roll them out. Just press and turn the shrimp dumpling skin with a knife and it is ready.
After pressing, Lin Qiuran picked it up to have a look. The knife was good and the pressed material was also good.
The filling is a mixture of pork belly and shrimp, with two or three large shrimps in each shrimp dumpling. The seasoning is not heavy, but still has a fresh flavor.
The dumplings are shell-shaped and look ordinary when they are wrapped, but they are completely different when they are opened. The orange-red shrimp meat can be seen through the clear and translucent skin. The dumplings are plump and round, lying neatly. There are two baskets in total, and each basket only has three dumplings.
This was probably not enough, so Lin Qiuran also made a few custard buns. The porridge was spinach and beef porridge, which you can also see at Xu's Beef.
He also made a few side dishes: steamed chicken feet with fermented black beans and steamed spare ribs. Three chickens had to be killed for six chicken feet, and the rest of the meat was unused. Lin Qiuran thought the spare ribs were too little when she put two pieces in each steamer, but after all, these people liked them.
Come to think of it, Lord Zhao is quite down-to-earth.
Lin Qiuran can now clearly understand the taste of the Second Young Master Xu, and he probably likes these very much.
The food was served as soon as it was ready. Steward Xu entered the kitchen and said to Lin Qiuran, "Madam Lin, please wait a moment..."
Lin Qiuran said, "It just so happens that I also have something to say to the steward."
Manager Xu was slightly stunned. Lin Qiuran glanced outside. The afterglow of the setting sun was dazzling, a sign of the sky clearing after the rain. She said, "It's been cloudy these past few days, and there's been no business at home, so I came to your house to cook. I know the wages are good, but my parents can't stay idle, so they will definitely do business tomorrow when the weather clears up.
But if I sell vegetables in the morning and come back in the afternoon, I'm pregnant and my body won't be able to handle it. So I decided to focus on the business over there first, otherwise I won't be able to come over. When the Second Young Master leaves, all the customers will be gone. Manager Xu, I won't come over tomorrow."
Manager Xu was extremely anxious. This morning he and Xu Yuanheng went to look at several shops, and he was already in charge of two of them.
But what Lin Qiuran said made sense. You can't let people go without money for food. But after listening carefully, it seems that the money is not enough. Should we add some silver?
Manager Xu wanted to see what Xu Yuanheng meant. He said, "Okay, Madam Lin, please wait a moment. I'll go talk to the Second Young Master about this and then I'll take you back."
"Wait a moment," Lin Qiuran said, pulling out a bottle of thirteen spices and a can of fresh mushrooms from her bag. She said, "These are freshly made spices. I want to express my gratitude to the Second Young Master for his help last night. I don't have much, so please ask Manager Xu to pass them on for me."
After saying that, Lin Qiuran observed Manager Xu's expression calmly.
This thing was recognized by Manager Xu. He said in surprise, "Okay, it's all a small matter. But speaking of which, Madam Lin, your family secret recipe is really useful. My wife used it to cook some dishes, and her cooking skills have really improved."
Lin Qiuran breathed a sigh of relief, "As long as it works."
Manager Xu patted his head and said, "Oh, I won't tell you now. Wait a moment, I'll go to the Second Young Master."
Lin Qiuran nodded. Fortunately, Manager Xu used it. Otherwise, even if she gave it to him, since Second Young Master Xu didn't cook, it would probably be useless if she gave it to him.
Lin Qiuran thought carefully about it. Ordinary people wouldn't buy this thing. After she made it, she only sold two cans to Chen San. Later, she didn't sell any cans. There was no chance. It can be seen that this thing has no future in Yu'an. If it can be sold, maybe it can make some money.
Second Master Xu was a businessman, and businessmen valued profit. She was a little worried that Second Master Xu would force her to swallow the recipe, but she had sold it to Chen San before and had also cooked for the prefect, so she wouldn't be left without recourse in the future.
Manager Xu took the things to Xu Yuanheng's yard.
When he went over, Xu Yuanheng had almost finished his meal. If you didn't look closely, the dishes made by the other chefs looked untouched, and they probably only took a bite. Only Lin Qiuran's dishes were touched the most.
Xu Yuanheng would never leave his plate empty when eating, as it was a courtesy.
But there was only one shrimp dumpling left, as well as one custard bun, and the porridge was almost finished. Manager Xu remembered that Xu Yuanheng didn't like things that were awkward to eat or had bones in them.
I usually wouldn't even look at things like chicken feet, but today I ate them all and spit out a plate full of bones.
Whether the food is delicious or not depends on the person who eats it. Madam Lin's cooking skills are really good. She cooked a lot of dishes these two days, and Manager Xu would eat some of the leftovers. No matter whether it was porridge, vegetables, or snacks, they were all very delicious after eating.
As soon as Manager Xu stood still, Xu Yuanheng said "reward".
The servant beside him handed Steward Xu a purse, and Steward Xu thanked him, "I'm here to thank you, Second Young Master, for Madam Lin's reward! Second Young Master, there's something. Madam Lin is grateful for your words of help yesterday, and she sent me a thank-you gift. I've tasted this, and it's a cooking spice. Even if your cooking skills are mediocre, adding a little will make the dishes taste amazing. It's very useful. If Second Young Master goes to the capital, you can bring it to the chef."
Xu Yuanheng tapped the table with the back of his hand and said, "Put it here."
Manager Xu didn't leave. "Yes, there's one more thing! Madam Lin said she has business to attend to at home. If she opens the stall tomorrow, I'm afraid we won't be able to handle it, so she won't be here tomorrow."
Xu Yuanheng raised his eyes and glanced at Manager Xu, "No more?"
Manager Xu bent his back even more, "Second Young Master, there's nothing else to do this time."
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The author has something to say: [Cat head] Ask for irrigation~
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