Chapter 062 Bakery Opening
When the children saw the two men appearing before them, they were stunned at first, then seemed to remember something, looked at each other to confirm their expressions, and then knelt down in unison.
"Your humble servants pay homage to His Majesty. Long live the emperor." The voices of a group of children were mixed. It didn't sound like they were paying homage to the emperor, but more like they were playing house.
Zong Zhengxiao raised his hand to call them to stand up. Rong Yin asked curiously, "Hey, were you among the tenants who were worshiping this morning? Why did I feel like I didn't see you?"
The children must have seen him and Zong Zheng Xiao this morning, otherwise how would they know that Zong Zheng Xiao was the emperor.
A brave little girl among them answered, "Yes, but we girls were asked to stand at the back and were blocked by the adults, so you didn't see it."
"So that's how it is."
Seeing that the little girl spoke clearly and was not afraid of people, Rong Yin started chatting with her.
"Are you going to the mountains to pick wild vegetables?"
The little girl nodded and showed the bamboo basket to Rong Yin: "Yes, these are all the most delicious wild vegetables of this season."
Rong Yin didn't know the names of these wild vegetables, but they looked juicy and tender, so they should taste good.
Zong Zhengxiao saw Rong Yin staring at the basket, so he asked the girl, "Are there still some of these wild vegetables you picked on the mountain?"
The little girl nodded but said nothing. Although Zong Zhengxiao looked very kind, the girls were still more afraid of him than Rong Yin.
Zong Zhengxiao asked Rong Yin: "Do you want to eat wild vegetables today?"
"Ah?" Rong Yin was stunned for a moment, then responded and said, "Are you going to take me to pick wild vegetables?"
Zong Zhengxiao answered him directly with action. He took out a few pieces of silver from his wallet and handed them to the little girl: "I want the wild vegetables in your basket. Divide the silver among you."
Rong Yin: ...So you want to buy it directly.
Who would have thought that after hearing what Zong Zhengxiao said, the little girl shook her head. They handed the bamboo basket to Rong Yin and said, "If you like to eat wild vegetables, these are all for you."
Rong Yin quickly waved her hands: "No, no, how can we take your things for free?"
"It's not for free." The little girl smiled and narrowed her eyes, saying, "My parents said that with the new fertilizer this year, the crops are growing well and the harvest is good, so we will get more food and we won't have to go hungry anymore. The steward also gave us some meat a few days ago, and it was very delicious. The steward said that the fertilizer and meat were given by the emperor, and we should be grateful for his grace. So these are just some wild vegetables, so you don't have to be polite, Your Majesty and the nobles."
After hearing the little girl's words, Zong Zheng Xiao's originally calm eyes became more turbulent.
He asked Rong Yin for advice on how to make the country strong and rich. Wasn't this what he wanted? Everyone could have enough food and warm clothes, and smile happily every day.
He took the basket from the little girl, stroked her head, and praised her in the tone of an elder to a younger person: "You are a smart child. You will become a great person in the future."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The little girl smiled even more brilliantly.
Seeing this, several other shy children quietly moved over, handed over their baskets, and then looked at Zong Zheng Xiao eagerly.
So in the end, Zong Zhengxiao touched the heads of the children one by one and harvested several baskets of wild vegetables.
The children insisted not to take the money, and ran away happily with their hands covering their heads. When they got back, they showed off everywhere. The emperor touched their heads and said that they would all have great prospects when they grew up. Let's see if those boys dared to bully them in the future.
At first, the family did not believe what they said, thinking that they were in collision to deceive people. But later, the steward personally sent silver to them, saying that the wild vegetables picked by the girls were deeply loved by His Majesty and the nobles, and the silver was a reward for them.
After receiving the money in person, the family members finally believed that the girls in their family were really favored by the emperor.
Maybe it was really the emperor's blessing, or maybe the girls were naturally capable, or maybe the two helped each other, but a few years later, no matter which path they chose, the girls who had met Zong Zhengxiao and Rong Yin that day had a smooth life and lived a stable and happy life.
But these are all stories for the future. At this time, Rong Yin and Zong Zhengxiao watched the little girls leave happily and had no intention of continuing to wander around. They carried the basket back to the farm together and asked the chef to add wild vegetables to the lunch menu.
Interestingly, Rong Yin also found a very interesting vegetable that he happened to know among the wild vegetables - Houttuynia cordata.
This thing was hidden under other wild vegetables before, and he didn't see it at first.
This vegetable is like coriander. Those who love it regard it as a delicacy, while those who hate it would like to stay eight hundred meters away from it.
What's even more coincidental is that Rong Yin likes to eat Houttuynia cordata, while Zong Zhengxiao hates it to death.
So during lunch, Rong Yin deliberately forced Zong Zhengxiao to eat cold houttuynia cordata. Seeing his brows wrinkled so much after taking a bite that they could kill a mosquito, Rong Yin laughed until tears came out.
Zong Zheng Xiao swallowed the houttuynia with all his might, looking serious and solemn as if he was discussing some national affairs: "I hate this taste."
Rong Yin said in a sly voice, "What can I do? I love eating this. I'm going to eat it every day. I'll see if you can still kiss me then."
Zong Zhengxiao was very calm: "I'll go to the kitchen in the middle of the night and throw away all your Houttuynia cordata."
Rong Yin bared his teeth: "You are so mean."
Zong Zheng Xiao looked at him: "Same here."
Because there were many tenants, five acres of wheat were harvested and threshed in the morning. However, they still needed to be dried in the sun for a few days, crushed and husked, and finally weighed to see how much pure yield per acre was.
There will be no results today, but when Zong Zhengxiao sees those full ears of wheat, he knows that the fertilizer is quite effective.
The steward also said honestly: "Your Majesty, I have been on the farm for more than ten years, and this is the first time I have seen crops growing so well. Just look at the amount of wheat after threshing. I dare to guarantee that the yield per acre has at least doubled."
Upon hearing this, Zong Zheng Xiao looked up at the fields in the distance, as if he saw the prosperous future of Dasheng.
He said: "As soon as the results come out, report to me immediately. The other crops that have been fertilized with the new fertilizer must also be taken good care of."
"Yes, I will definitely live up to your trust."
The next day after returning to the palace, Rong Yin did not check on the decoration, but instead went straight into the kitchen.
He did not ask anyone to come in to help, and no one knew what he was doing in the kitchen alone. The palace servants only knew that he had ordered people to bring in a lot of fresh milk, tea, and sugar.
Before long, a sweet aroma wafted from the kitchen, with a hint of tea aroma.
The palace servants swallowed their saliva, it seemed that they had something new to eat.
When Zong Zhengxiao returned to Yinjiao Garden, Rong Yin had already prepared a table of milk tea for him.
Zong Zhengxiao looked at the strange drink on the table and asked curiously, "What is this?"
Rong Yin held a notebook in his left hand and a pen in his right hand, and said, "This is the milk tea I made. The main raw materials are milk, sugar, and tea leaves. The ratio of the three ingredients is different, and the taste is also different. Can you help me try which flavor is most suitable for the public, and I will make a statistics."
Zong Zhengxiao understood that, apart from him, everyone else in Yin Jiao Garden must also be included in Rong Yin's statistics, so he did not refuse and sat down to help him taste it carefully.
Based on everyone's suggestions, Rong Yin finally made a summary and found that 70% sweetness is indeed the sweetness that most people can accept.
Zong Zhengxiao asked him, "Is this the milk tea you want to sell in your store?"
Rong Yin said, "I have opened an afternoon tea business on the second floor of the bakery. I plan to sell milk tea there for trial sale. If the customers respond well, I will open another store to sell it. Then I will develop more flavors of milk tea and try fruit tea. We also have ice, and iced drinks are hot sellers in the summer."
"Just get the ice from Ji's ice shop." Zong Zhengxiao said, "It's our shop anyway."
Rong Yin nodded: "This way the price can be lower and the consumer group can be expanded."
So, that evening, after waiting in vain for the bakery to open, the royal family, including the Zhou family, received a new drink from Zong Zhengxiao - sweet iced milk tea.
They can still only taste the fresh portion, and they are still invited to come and support us when the time comes.
Once again, the people who were captivated by milk tea were angry: You want our support! Why don't you open a store soon! You're just keeping us hanging!
Because of everyone's complaints, Zong Zhengxiao's ears got burned again that night, and when he went to court the next day, he was stared at with resentful eyes by the ministers.
This situation left the aristocratic families confused. When did the little emperor fall out with these guys?
Finally, amidst the anticipation of many people... well, the anticipation of those who had tried the bread biscuits and milk tea, Rong Yin's bakery opened.
The words on the shop sign were written by the Emperor himself at the cost of a kiss. When he heard that the name of Rong Yin's shop was "Yun Duo Bakery", Zong Zheng Xiao's mouth twitched and he sighed: "Our Ah Yin has always been unique in naming."
"Woof woof!" Xiao Ai agreed.
On the morning of the opening day, not only did the Zhou family come early to show their support, but some passers-by also gathered around in advance, wanting to see what kind of delicious food this store was selling.
It was simple. They saw the store when it was being renovated. Later, the store was closed and no one knew what was being cooked in the back kitchen. The aroma wafted throughout the street, making people drool.
Especially for children who like sweet smells, they can tell that this store must sell cakes as soon as they smell it, and they have never smelled this kind of fragrance before, which means it is new cakes.
The children were so excited that they couldn't sleep, so when they heard the news of the opening, they hurriedly dragged their parents over.
To their surprise, as soon as they arrived, they saw many horse-drawn carriages parked not far from the shop. It seemed that they were also visiting the shop. From time to time, a maid would lift the curtain and look anxiously towards the shop door.
Anyone who can afford to ride in a horse-drawn carriage in the capital city is at least an official. So many officials gather here. What is the origin of this store?
Someone in the crowd said, "The last time it was this lively was when the Ji Family Ice Shop opened, and at that time only the maids and servants or managers from various mansions came."
But this time it was different, as the people sitting in the carriage were all the masters of various mansions.
Could it be that the snacks sold in this store are even more exotic than ice?
Those who have figured out the key points begin to be eager to try. No matter what is sold inside, even if it is just air, they have to go in and smell it.
This time it is really anticipated by everyone.
Seeing that the atmosphere was almost right, Rong Yin, who was sitting by the second-floor window, signaled to the staff that it was time to open the shop.
Seeing the door open, the crowd suddenly became noisy and subconsciously squeezed forward.
The person in charge of the overall situation today is a shopkeeper with considerable experience, who was hired by Rong Yin at a huge expense. It is not convenient for him and Zong Zhengxiao to deal with all this, so it is best to hand it over to the people below, who are only responsible for collecting the money.
As soon as the shopkeeper walked out, the crowd became noisy.
"Boss, what exactly do you sell in your store? It smells so good, it made me drool for days."
Everyone laughed when they heard this.
The shopkeeper made a calming gesture and reached out to pull down the red ribbon on top of the door. With a bang, the golden words "Cloud Bakery" appeared in everyone's sight.
Those who can read are explaining to others what these words are.
At the same time, two waiters came out from the shopkeeper's side, holding bread and biscuits in their hands. They tilted the tray slightly and displayed the snacks inside to everyone.
The shopkeeper said, "These are the snacks we currently sell: cloud bread and milk biscuits. The bread is soft and fluffy, like clouds in the sky, and the biscuits are crispy and fragrant, leaving a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth."
After saying this, seeing that the crowd was already very hungry, the shopkeeper stopped talking and said directly: "On the first day of our store opening, all snacks are 20% off. If you spend more than 10 taels, you will get a limited edition iced milk tea for free. First come, first served!"
In fact, the crowd did not understand what the shopkeeper was talking about: bread, biscuits, and milk tea, but when they heard about discounts and free gifts, they subconsciously cheered, and after the shopkeeper made way, they all rushed into the store to make their purchases.
No matter how big the store is, it can't accommodate so many people, so the shopkeeper asked the waiters to organize the customers to line up and let them in one by one.
The biscuits were packed in boxes made of oil paper, ten cents a box, with twenty pieces in total.
Bread is more expensive, a palm-sized piece is 30 cents, and one with jam is 5 cents more expensive. When butter comes out, the price will increase further.
There is a discount today for the opening, and people want to try something new, so everyone who comes in will buy at least a box of cookies.
Some people were impatient and started eating as soon as they paid and went out, especially the children.
The customers who were still waiting in line were about to ask how they tasted, but the children started asking first.
"Wow, so soft and fragrant, this cookie is delicious too! Dad, can we go buy some more?"
"Mom, bread with jam is sweeter. Let's take some back to Dad and little sister."
“It’s really as soft as a cloud, and it’s different from any pastry I’ve ever had.”
At this time, children will not lie, especially since some of the children who are talking are acquaintances of the public, neighbors, and everyone knows each other, so they cannot be agents.
So they were right to line up. They should buy more when they go in later. Didn’t they see those who came out regretting not buying more? Do they have to line up again?
After a while, the first person who spent ten taels and got the milk tea appeared.
The clerk even shouted exaggeratedly to the outside that anyone who spent so-and-so in the store today would receive a free cup of iced milk tea.
In modern times, if there is too much ice in a drink, the customer will be furious. But it is different in this era. Although Ji’s sells low-priced ice, it still costs money.
This cup of milk tea has both new drinks and a lot of ice, which can be said to be a dazzling luxury drink.
The person who walked out of the store with milk tea was like an emperor accepting the homage of all officials, with his chin almost raised to the sky.
If anyone knows him, please ask him to drink some milk tea and tell us if it tastes good?
This person was trying to show off. When he lowered his head to drink a sip of milk tea, he was thinking that no matter how it tasted, he had to praise it lavishly. Otherwise, if he admitted that it didn't taste good, he would definitely be laughed at and called a sucker.
As a result, after he took the first sip, he never raised his head from the cup, and in a blink of an eye, he had drunk most of the full bamboo tube of milk tea.
The person who asked him to comment: "..."
Come on, no need to ask, it must be delicious.
However, you have to spend at least 10 taels to get a cup of milk tea, so most customers would not be willing to buy it. At most, they would watch others drink it to satisfy their cravings.
The customers who were busy queuing did not notice that the carriages around the bakery had all stopped in one place at some point, and the people sitting inside had disappeared, leaving only the coachmen who were watching the carriages and chatting together.
On the second floor, the women from each mansion did not sit separately because they knew each other, but all gathered in one place.
The store has good soundproofing. Although it is noisy downstairs, after closing the door, it hardly disturbs their conversation.
Moreover, the decoration style of the second floor is gentle and elegant. The paintings on the wall, the flowers in the vase, and even the tablecloths on the tables are all light-colored, which directly enhances the cool and refreshing atmosphere.
Lu'e brought a few palace maids to serve snacks and milk tea to the ladies. Everyone received the same amount without favoritism.
Because the second floor is mainly for entertaining female guests, male waiters are definitely not allowed. Rong Yin asked Lu'e to take a second job to help him manage the afternoon tea affairs on the second floor.
The ladies all knew Lu'e's identity. Although she was just a palace maid, she was a capable assistant to the nobleman. Being served by her was considered a blessing from the nobleman and the emperor.
Seeing that Rong Yin actually valued them, the first batch of customers, the ladies felt proud and relieved, and decided to spend a lot of money in the store before leaving.
The wives of officials like to get together to drink tea and chat, just like men like to call each other brothers, drink and brag. This is women's socializing.
Rongyin’s afternoon tea model just caters to their preferences.
Having already tasted the bread, biscuits and milk tea that the emperor sent to various mansions, everyone naturally knew how delicious these delicacies tasted. Therefore, they did not bother to talk or build relationships, but started to taste the snacks first.
They didn't know that Rong Yin and Zong Zhengxiao were in the room next to them. They came out today in secret, just wanting to see how business was going and not having to deal with those personal relationships.
Besides, it is not convenient for the two men to meet the female relatives.
When Rong Yin heard Lu'e come back to report that they were very satisfied with the snacks and milk tea, and had already reserved several dozen taels in advance, he smiled happily.
Rong Yin said, "If they like it, they will definitely help us promote it when they return."
Most of the high-ranking officials in the capital love to show off and compare themselves, either by comparing their expensiveness or their novelty. If they knew that a new snack or drink had appeared recently, the noble ladies would definitely rush to try it.
In addition, the snacks and milk tea at Cloud Bakery taste really good, so they will bring their families to buy them, and after a while, they will make money.
“Once the cream is made, the market in the aristocratic families should also be opened. Then we will raise the price very high and cheat them out of their money.” Rong Yinchang was thinking about the bright future.
Hearing that Rong Yin wanted to help him cheat the noble family, Zong Zhengxiao also laughed: "Our A Yin is really powerful, and we won without bloodshed."
Rong Yin pretended to be humble: "It's just average."
The bakery business was so popular that the customers who bought from the bakery thought the food was delicious and spread the word. Plus, there was no shortage of wealthy people in Beijing, so dozens of cups of milk tea, which were a gift of ten taels of silver, were given away, which was enough to show how much they bought.
So within two hours, all the snacks and milk tea they prepared were sold out.
When the waiter went to tell the people queuing at the door that the snacks were sold out and they should stop queuing, many people were dissatisfied.
However, seeing that many dignitaries came to this store to consume, everyone knew that there must be a backer behind it, so they only complained a few words and did not dare to really do anything.
"Tell your boss to prepare more tomorrow, in case you come too late and it runs out again."
"Hey, hey, hey, thank you for your love and support."
After the women came downstairs, they realized that others couldn't buy snacks even if they had money, but theirs had been prepared long ago. They felt even more proud and walked with the wind.
It was inconvenient for the grandfathers and children at home to go to the store in person, so they had been waiting for the women to come back home. As soon as they entered the door, the snacks and milk tea in the hands of the maids and servants behind them were snatched away.
They ate up all the food, which weighed several dozen taels.
Female relatives: "..."
Looks like I have to go to Cloud Bakery again tomorrow.
In the evening, Zong Zhengxiao and Rong Yin listened to the shopkeeper counting the accounts. After deducting the cost of raw materials and labor, they made a net profit of three hundred taels today.
Rong Yin was quite satisfied with this number and believed that it would not take long to earn back the money spent on the renovation.
After returning to the palace, Rong Yin called Lu'e and said that once the bakery was stable, she would hand it over to her and the shopkeeper to help manage it. The shopkeeper would be mainly responsible for the first floor, and Lu'e would be responsible for the second floor.
The work on the second floor is less demanding, so once the milk tea shop is open, I'll let her take charge of it.
After getting Lu'e's consent, Rong Yin said, "It's a bit tiring, but you can earn more money. There's not much to do in the Silver Shark Garden in a day. If you see any palace maids who are willing, they can work with you. Just allocate the positions reasonably."
The monthly salary of palace servants is limited, and not everyone can stay in the palace to retire. If they want to leave the palace and go home when they get older, it is not a bad thing to carry more money with them.
Lu'e nodded: "Okay, thank you for trusting me and entrusting me with such an important matter."
Rong Yin smiled and said, "Because you have this ability, I am willing to entrust you with this important task."
After Lu'e left, Rong Yin walked back to the bedroom and lay paralyzed in Zong Zheng Xiao's arms like a salted fish.
"I didn't do anything today, why do I feel so tired?"
Zong Zhengxiao said: "You are tired."
"That seems to be the truth." Rong Yin looked up at Zong Zhengxiao and said with a smile, "Your Majesty has comforted me. Let me give you a kiss."
Zong Zheng Xiao leaned down obediently upon hearing that. Rong Yin hooked her arms around his neck, raised her head and pretended to kiss him, but pulled back the moment she was about to touch his lips.
Zong Zhengxiao frowned, lowered his head and took the initiative to kiss Rong Yin, but Rong Yin retreated again.
Zong Zhengxiao gritted his teeth and said, "Rong Yin..."
Having successfully amused the Emperor, Rong Yin was about to laugh, but was caught off guard by Zong Zhengxiao's hand and grabbed Destiny's neck.
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