Chapter 12 Braised pork ribs, crucian carp and tofu soup...
Lu Zhao had just arrived in Lin'an and was thinking of visiting the newly rented house when he learned that it was going to be renovated. Just as he was about to leave, he smelled the aroma of food.
The attendant Qingjiu sniffed the air and said, "Yes, sir, it smells delicious." He rubbed his stomach; he was hungry.
Let's go.
Lu Zhao's stomach growled twice. When he left Bianjing, his grandmother secretly slipped him some silver notes. After renting a house, he didn't have much left, so he could only find something to eat now.
Qingjiu followed her master, turning back every few steps as they walked out. "Master, what shall we eat?"
"There are steamed buns for sale next to the inn."
"Steamed buns again? Sir, can we please stop eating steamed buns? We've been eating steamed buns the whole way here, I'm starting to look like one!"
"Want to eat out?"
Qingjiu nodded repeatedly, "We've finally arrived in Lin'an, shall we celebrate?"
"Sure, I heard that Fumanlou in Lin'an is the most famous. Why don't you treat me to a meal?" Lu Zhao saw Qingjiu's face fall instantly, then raised his lips and snorted, "If you don't have money, eat steamed buns. If you talk any more, you won't even get any steamed buns."
His family disapproved of his coming to Lin'an, but he insisted on coming. His father declared that he was not allowed to take a single penny from the family. If it weren't for his grandmother's help, he wouldn't even have been able to find a place to stay.
Qingjiu looked dejected, and thinking of the aroma from the alley earlier, he swallowed hard again.
Once he moves in, he'll definitely find out whose family is such a great cook; it would be great if he could share a meal with them.
The Qiao family on the other side had already finished eating.
Madam Lin called her fourth daughter into the room and carefully inquired about her daughter's visit to the Wang family. "Widow Wang didn't say anything else, she just asked you to make clothes?"
“Yes, Mother,” Lin Xiahe asked, “Do you think it’s inappropriate for our daughter to earn money from the neighbors?”
“That’s not what I meant. Even though we’re neighbors, helping out is one thing, but when it comes to payment, we still have to pay.” Looking at her daughter’s still-childish face, Lin sighed earnestly, “You helped her this time, but you can refuse next time. The Wang family has five sons. It’s not that I’m materialistic, it’s just that the Wang family is struggling, and I don’t want you to have to raise such a large family after you get married.”
Now that her daughter is grown up, she needs to teach her some manners. Lin held her daughter's hand tenderly, "Your marriage is not in a hurry. Let's wait a bit. Once I've earned more money, I'll definitely find you a better match than the Yuan family."
Lin Xiahe hadn't expected the widow Wang to have this intention; no wonder she was suddenly so warm towards her. "Mother, I'll do whatever you say."
"Okay, go wash up." Mrs. Lin patted her daughter's arm, and the mother and daughter went out together.
In the kitchen, Qiao Mianmian had just finished braising a pot of pork offal and was braising the second pot.
After Lin came in, she sat in front of the stove and pondered for a long time until her youngest daughter brought over some cool tea, at which point she came back to her senses.
"Mom, what are you daydreaming about?" Qiao Mianmian asked.
Looking at her graceful youngest daughter, Lin felt a pang of sadness. She knew she would have to find her a husband next year. Indeed, the family needed to earn more money.
She didn't have much money, but she planned to rent a stall in the market next month after earning a little more.
"I'm wondering what good fortune I accumulated in my past life to have such well-behaved children like you," Lin said with a smile, pulling her daughter to sit down. "How are the braised dishes at Chunxi Restaurant selling?"
The family's main income now comes from their partnership with Chunxilou. Every time she thinks about it, Lin feels anxious and worried that Chunxilou's business is not doing well.
“They sell well,” Qiao Mianmian said. “Manager Sun said that we don’t have enough to sell every day because of our braised food. They have more customers than before.”
The mother and daughter talked in the kitchen, and then went to rest after the braised food was cooked.
When Qiao Mianmian returned to the room, she saw that her fourth sister had already lain down, so she quietly got into bed.
The next day, Qiao Mianmian went to set up her stall as usual. Today, her father was selling meat. As soon as the father and daughter arrived at the stall, a round-faced man came over.
Seeing the man's lewd expression, Qiao Mancang cautiously stood next to his daughter. "Brother, what do you want to buy?"
"Give me a serving of pork offal." The man took the offal, ate a few bites, and nodded thoughtfully. "That's right, Chunxi Restaurant gets its braised dishes from you. Brother, I'm the manager of Fumanlou Restaurant, my surname is Wang. Can I talk to you about something?"
Upon hearing that it was the manager of Fumanlou Restaurant, Qiao Mancang looked at his daughter in surprise and then asked Manager Wang what was the matter.
"This isn't the place to talk. How about I invite you for a cup of tea? I have some good news to tell you." When Manager Wang smiled, his eyes shrank even further, becoming just slits.
Qiao Mancang said with difficulty, "We're about to reach our peak customer time. Just tell me what's wrong. I really can't leave."
Upon hearing that it was the manager of Fumanlou, Qiao Mianmian guessed the purpose of Manager Wang's visit and said with a smile, "Manager Wang, if you want to discuss the braised food business, I'm really sorry, but we have a contract with Chunxilou and can only supply them."
Upon hearing this, Manager Wang took a closer look at Qiao Mianmian. The young girl was fair-skinned and spoke very eloquently, showing no trace of the petty arrogance of someone from a humble family.
“Young lady, you should know that our Fumanlou is more famous than Chunxilou. If you cooperate with us, I guarantee you can earn more. As for the contract, you can just pay Chunxilou the compensation, and I'll make sure you earn it back.” Manager Wang was very confident; before he came, he hadn't expected the Qiao family to refuse. Merchants make money by prioritizing profit; no one would pass up an opportunity to earn more.
But Qiao Mianmian insisted, "Our family runs a small business, and being able to cooperate with Chunxilou is already a pleasant surprise. We really feel bad about breaking the contract. If we are attacked by Chunxilou today because of Fumanlou, we will leave Fumanlou for better benefits in the future. Don't you think so?"
"this……"
"Thank you for your kind offer, Manager Wang. We are also very happy that you have chosen our braised dishes. Our contract with Chunxi Restaurant is not a lifetime agreement. If there is an opportunity in the future, we can still cooperate again. We would be very happy then." Qiao Mianmian used to have to deal with all kinds of customers when she worked.
Fu Man Lou's enduring success in Lin'an must be due to some powerful backer or ability. Don't be too definitive; we're all in business, so leave yourself an out. Who knows, we might be able to cooperate in the future?
Even if you don't cooperate, don't offend anyone.
Manager Wang had seen many people while serving customers, but this was the first time he had seen a young girl speak so eloquently. So he took a closer look at her and said, "Young lady, if you cooperate with Fumanlou, I won't say much, you can earn at least ten more taels of silver every month."
“I believe what you said, but doing business is like being a person, and you must be honest. I believe that Fu Man Lou has been able to do business for so long because it has always adhered to this principle.”
Qiao Mianmian sighed regretfully, "Manager Wang, I really want to make more money, but Lin'an City is not big, and we also need to consider our reputation, otherwise it will be difficult to do business in the future, don't you think?"
No one would complain about having too much money, but Qiao Mianmian knows that for a business to last, it must have a bottom line.
"I……"
Manager Wang had been investigating the reason for Chunxilou's improved business ever since he noticed it. Now that he knew, he couldn't think of a way to refute Qiao Mianmian. It was indeed true. "You little girl, you're too clever. Alright, I won't force you. But you can come to us whenever you change your mind. Let me say one last thing: it's good to have a powerful backer. Chunxilou is no match for Fumanlou. You should reconsider."
Unable to persuade the Qiao family, Manager Wang had no choice but to leave with his men.
"Manager, this family is really brainless. Chunxi Restaurant's business is only 60% of ours, yet they ignore the bigger opportunities and insist on going against us. Should we..."
Manager Wang gave him a sharp rap on the head. "You're the one who's brainless! Customers only go to Chunxi Restaurant for braised food because they're looking for something new. Everyone gets tired of the same dish eventually. Let's wait and see, this little stall of the Qiao family's won't amount to anything!"
As the manager of the largest restaurant in Lin'an, Manager Wang did not take a small stall in the market seriously. In his opinion, Qiao Mianmian was indeed eloquent, but not a qualified businesswoman and could not possibly make the business bigger.
After Manager Wang left, Qiao Mancang stared blankly at his youngest daughter. When did his youngest daughter become so eloquent?
"Father, don't be confused. We have a contract with Chunxi Restaurant." Qiao Mianmian was afraid that her father was being greedy.
"Do you think I'm that kind of person?" Qiao Mancang snorted in dissatisfaction. "Our family does need money, but I also know that in business, you have to keep your word. I'm just amazed, Mianmian, when did you become so eloquent?"
"I……"
Qiao Mianmian then realized that she and the original owner were different. The original owner was a pampered girl who was spoiled at home, and she was far from being so meticulous and insightful.
Seeing the doubt on Qiao Mancang's face, Qiao Mianmian laughed and explained, "I learned this from Manager Sun because I've met him a lot. You know, Manager Sun is very capable; he's the most eloquent person."
"Yes, he's a formidable person." Qiao Mancang blinked, noticing the change in his daughter but unable to pinpoint exactly when. Oh well, why think so much? This is his little daughter.
Fearing her father might overthink things, Qiao Mianmian quickly beckoned customers, "Fresh braised pork offal and braised pig's head meat, come and have a look!"
As soon as she called out, people came running after smelling the aroma and immediately got to work.
As noon approached, Qiao Mianmian got a little hungry and bought two sesame seed cakes. They were crispy and fragrant with wheat. "It's a pity they don't have meat filling. This place doesn't use enough ingredients; there's no oily aroma at all."
“If you add meat, nobody can afford it,” Qiao Mancang said from the side. “A flatbread without meat only costs three coins. With meat and oil, it costs at least fifteen to twenty coins. Most people in the market are ordinary folks like us. How many of them can afford to eat like that?” “That’s true.” Qiao Mianmian finished her flatbread and looked at the braised pork offal in the earthenware pot. There were only three or four bowls left. She thought about spending some more time with her father when she saw Xu Mingxuan and his classmates.
"Miss Qiao!" Wang Chuang was the first to rush over. "Do you have any more pork offal?"
Qiao Mianmian said yes, "We still have pig's head meat left, it's the last bowl, do you want some?"
“Yes! I’ve been craving your food for a long time, but I’ve been too busy with schoolwork lately to get around to it.” Wang Chuang said with a snort, “I was thinking of having you deliver some more to the academy, but our cafeteria won’t allow it, afraid it will affect their profits. You can sell them all to me, and then you can close up shop.”
"Then I'll fill it up for you." Qiao Mianmian liked customers like Wang Chuang. While packing, she learned that they would be taking the prefectural examination next month, and many people would be coming to Lin'an. "Are all the candidates from nearby prefectures and counties coming to Lin'an to take the prefectural examination?"
Wang Chuang said, "Anyone from within Lin'an's jurisdiction had to come to Lin'an to participate in the prefectural examination. There were at least several hundred people, and it took several years."
Qiao Mianmian thought it was a good opportunity. With more people, there would be more people buying food, and she could make some other food to sell.
After seeing Wang Chuang and the others off, Qiao Mianmian began to pack up her stall.
Qiao Mancang hadn't finished selling the meat yet. "Mianmian, you go back first. Let your older brother choose these things."
He knew his daughter wasn't very strong and didn't want her to do heavy work.
"Dad, why don't you pack up and close up shop too? There's not much meat left. I'll use it to make braised pork and sell it; it'll sell even better." Qiao Mianmian was actually craving ribs, and there were two left that she hadn't sold.
Seeing his daughter staring at the ribs, Qiao Mancang guessed what she was thinking. "Alright, alright, I'll pack up too, let's go home together."
The father and daughter smiled at each other and went home together.
Every morning, Qiao Jiawang goes to a few acquaintances to collect pig offal and pig heads. Then he, Lin Xiahe, and Lin Shi go to the river to wash the pig offal, while Zhang Shi and Qiao Youfu process the pig heads at home.
The family worked together in a well-organized manner, with everyone having something to do.
When they returned home, Qiao Jiawang and Lin Xiahe also came back. Qiao Mianmian asked, "Where's Mom?" Qiao Jiawang said that she was talking to Aunt Wang.
At this moment, Widow Wang pulled Lin to the Wang family home. Widow Wang enthusiastically gave Lin two pieces of candy and insisted on stuffing them into Lin's mouth.
Knowing what Widow Wang was thinking, Lin didn't dare to eat the candy. "Sister, I have a lot of things to do at home, I have to go back first."
"What's the rush? Your children are all sensible; you don't even need to cook anymore. Just sit here and relax." Widow Wang, having taken a liking to Lin Xiahe, softened her attitude towards Lin. "I'm asking you, have you found a matchmaker to introduce Xiahe to someone?"
"No, Xia He said..."
"No, that's perfect. Look, our two families know each other very well. I watched Xia He grow up, and I wish I had such a wonderful daughter. My family is a bit large, but everyone in my family is upright and would never do anything like Yuan Qiang."
Widow Wang used to worry that the Qiao family wouldn't look down on her family, but now that Yuan Qiang's affair happened, she felt that the Qiao family had nothing to complain about. Although the people in the alley wouldn't gossip, the matchmakers all knew about it. "You probably don't know, but Yuan Qiang and that woman got married."
"So fast?" Mrs. Lin really didn't know.
"Who says otherwise? She's probably pregnant and has no choice but to get married. Anyway, there aren't any elders in the Yuan family, so Yuan Qiang just set up two tables and got it done. If you ask me, that woman is quite capable. Her husband died, she was kicked out by both her husband's and her own families, but she still managed to marry Yuan Qiang. She won't have to take care of her in-laws anymore, and her husband is so capable. Her life is really good. Oh, I'm getting off topic. Let's get back to our two families' affairs."
"Oh dear, it's too late." Lin was afraid that if Widow Wang said it directly, it would hurt their relationship, so she said tactfully, "I know you care about Xia He, but our family doesn't plan to let her get married so early. We'll help her find a good match after Jiawang gets married."
After saying that, she ran away, not giving Widow Wang a chance to stop her.
"Hey, why are you running so fast?" Widow Wang chased after her to the door, but Lin Shi was already out of sight. She was a beat late in understanding what Lin Shi meant, and her face instantly turned red with anger. She muttered under her breath, "What kind of person is she? She looks down on my son so much. I'd like to see what kind of son-in-law she can find."
Just then, the Zeng family man who lived next door to the Wang family came out to get some water. He poked his head over and asked, "Hey girl, who's looking for a son-in-law?"
"None of your business!" Widow Wang slammed the door shut in annoyance.
Lin ran home, panting heavily. She sat down, leaning on the edge of the table, and gulped down a bowl of tea. "Mother, I was so scared! Widow Wang dragged me to her house, but luckily I ran fast."
"Stop talking." Zhang and her daughter-in-law gestured with their lips, indicating that the children were in the backyard.
In the kitchen in the backyard, Qiao Mianmian had just finished stewing the braised pork ribs. The ribs were coated with caramel, and oil droplets dripped down the bones. The fat had long since melted away and could be easily removed from the bone with a gentle touch of chopsticks.
"Fifth Sister, your cooking is absolutely amazing!" Qiao Jiaxing exclaimed, almost drooling. "Can I have just one piece? Just one piece!"
Qiao Mianmian refused, "If Mom sees this later, she'll scold you. I'll just cook some crucian carp and tofu soup, then we can eat."
The fish was caught by my grandfather. Crucian carp has many bones, making it perfect for soup. First, fry it in oil until golden brown on both sides, then add hot water and bring it to a boil. The fish soup turns an enticing milky white. Finally, add tofu and simmer for five minutes.
Seeing her second brother constantly swallowing, Qiao Mianmian smiled and pushed him out, "Big brother, you should take your second brother away quickly, otherwise he'll just keep staring at the pot."
"Fifth sister, let me smell it first!" Qiao Jiaxing clung to the door frame, reluctant to leave, but his eldest brother simply picked him up.
Qiao Mianmian found it amusing. Just then, the fish soup was ready, so she sprinkled some chopped green onions on top and served it.
"Mianmian, let me take it." Lin Xiahe took the soup bowl out, while Qiao Mianmian took the braised pork ribs.
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