Chapter 45: Customer Sacrifice Operation

Jiang Yanyi was amused by the parrot. She took the cage, thanked Feng Shuo again, and asked, "What would the prince like to eat?"

Feng Shuo saw that she seemed to like the parrot very much, and the corners of his lips curled up without a trace. He glanced at the menu on the wall and

said, "Let's have a mutton hotpot." Jiang Yanyi poured him some tea and hurried to the kitchen to get the hotpot.

The soup was prepared early in the morning, and it was just a matter of pouring it into the pot and rinsing it with boiling water. There was red-hot silver charcoal at the bottom of the pot, so that even if it was served on the table, the soup in the pot would always boil.

While she was doing all this, Chef Li asked what kind of pot it was. Jiang Yanyi answered that it was a mutton pot, and Chef Li quickly sliced ​​a pound of mutton for her, not too thin or too thick, just the right thickness for hot pot.

When the pot was brought to the table, the mutton and various side dishes were also placed on it.

The various sauces that Jiang Yanyi had made earlier came in handy at this time, but it was a pity that the fermented bean curd had not yet fermented.

Opening a mid-to-high-end hot pot restaurant, the service is naturally in place, and it is naturally impossible to let the guests make their own sauces.

Jiang Yanyi asked: "Does the prince prefer a heavy or light taste for sauces?"

The sauces for mutton hot pots focus on "spicy, spicy, salty, fermented, and fresh". In ancient times when eating spicy food was not very popular, "spicy" was generally made with minced garlic, and "spicy" was made with dogwood.

Feng Shuo had eaten hotpot before, but at that time he had no sense of taste and could not tell whether the food he put into his mouth was delicious or not.

He said, "Whatever you like."

Jiang Yanyi pondered his words, and it seemed that he was not picky.

She took a delicate pear-shaped small bowl and went to the counter where the seasoning jars were displayed to put the sauce. She put the liquid sauce first, then the solid sauce, and stirred it clockwise without sticking to the bowl, so that the sauce would not spread or leak.

After preparing the sauce, Jiang Yanyi brought it back to Feng Shuo's table: "Enjoy your meal."

The water in the copper pot was bubbling. The soup was clear. A mist of white mist rose above the pot. The wolfberries and red dates floating on the soup looked like falling flowers. There were also a few hibiscus flowers in the white-necked porcelain vase next to it.

The tables were separated by half-person-high bamboo screens. Various flower and bird totems were woven on the screens with bamboo strips. Although it was a bit rough when you looked closely, it was quite "elegant" to open such a restaurant in this remote place.

Feng Shuo picked up the wooden chopstick, and then he found that it was also carved with bamboo patterns and a seal-scripted "ginger" character.

He looked at the bowls and plates on the table, and saw that most of them were uniquely shaped. The small bowl for the sauce dish was pear-shaped, and the plate for the dishes was leaf-shaped. There was also a seal-scripted "ginger" character on the outer wall of the bowl or plate or on the handle of the spoon, which was obviously painted when the porcelain was fired.

Feng Shuo originally just wanted to eat something casually, but now he really thinks this unremarkable little shop is quite interesting.

He picked up a piece of mutton with an extended wooden chopstick and put it in the pot. After blanching, he put it in the sauce dish to dip in the sauce. The moment he put it in his mouth, he was stunned for a long time.

The soup at the bottom of the pot was probably made from an old hen, but it didn't have any chicken flavor, only freshness. The mutton had a slight smell, but after being coated with the sauce and eaten, the five flavors spread on the tip of the tongue, leaving an endless aftertaste.

He suddenly understood why the rich and powerful liked to eat this antique soup.

Jiang Yanyi brought up two more plates at this time, both of which were green, one with coriander and the other with chrysanthemum.

She smiled and said, "This is the side dish given by the store for the opening today."

Eating mutton hotpot with some coriander or chrysanthemum is a combination that all experts know, but some diners don't like coriander, while some diners like it, so Jiang Yanyi simply brought up both plates.

Feng Shuo looked at the two plates of green dishes, his brows were about to wrinkle, but he didn't say anything, just nodded hesitantly.

Jiang Yanyi always couldn't understand the mind of this big man. After entertaining him, she went to serve dishes to other tables.

Although she asked the vendors selling candied haws to help her promote herself for several days, she was still not optimistic about the number of customers coming to the store for dinner today.

It was almost time for dinner, and there were only five tables of customers in her store.

There were quite a few children who came to ask for candied haws, but since they were lured here by a string of candied haws, their families were not rich, and naturally they didn't have the spare money to go to a restaurant for hot pot.

Jiang Yanyi placed the three bunches of candied haws on the counter. Seeing that the children kept gathering around, she gave each of them a bunch of candied haws, thinking that the money was spent on marketing.

The children then left with a smile on their faces.

Zhao Touer, who was sitting behind the counter and helping her with the accounts, shook his head when he saw this: "You are a businessman, but you lose money before you make any."

Jiang Yanyi smiled embarrassedly: "Let's make a name for ourselves first."

Although there were many people watching the excitement before, just as Jiang Yanyi had worried before, mutton hotpot is not cheap. Those who have money to eat mutton have their own trusted old shops, or their own chefs have good cooking skills. They will not spend money so easily in her shop.

Just by looking at the layout of the shop, Tou'er Zhao knew how much money she had spent.

Fearing that Jiang Yanyi would be sad, he said, "It's not easy to open a restaurant. There are always ups and downs. Next time we have a day off, Lao Li and I will invite some old friends from the military camp to come over."

Their old friends in the army, at least they are in charge of a hundred people, so they must have enough money for a hot pot.

Jiang Yanyi knew that Tou'er Zhao was afraid that she would not be able to make money in this business, so she was grateful in her heart: "Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Zhao, but I can't trouble you and Master all the time. Since I decided to open a shop here, I must have thought of these things."

She went to the backyard and asked two firemen to help her move the grill to the door of the shop and light the silver charcoal.

Zhao Tou'er was puzzled: "What are you doing?"

He had never seen such a stove in his life, but it looked like it was used to roast things.

Jiang Yanyi was using a palm leaf fan to blow air to make the silver charcoal burn more vigorously. She fanned and said, "It's used to roast meat."

The ancients called roast meat roasting.

Zhao Tou'er shook his head secretly, thinking that this girl didn't know how to do it. It would definitely not work if she opened a restaurant and bought everything and cooked everything. In the end, she wouldn't do anything well and would lose her reputation.

But today was the day Jiang Yanyi's shop opened, and Jiang Yanyi was energetic, so he couldn't say anything unlucky.

The charcoal fire was already lit, and Jiang Yanyi walked quickly into the kitchen and found the bamboo sticks she had sharpened a few days ago from the cupboard.

When Chef Li heard that she wanted to grill the meat, he felt the same way as Tou'er Zhao that it was not feasible, but he couldn't persuade Jiang Yanyi, and couldn't bear to see her busying around alone, so he had to help her cut small pieces of mutton.

Qiu Kui was guarding the front of the store so that diners could ask for more tea or more dishes.

Jiang Yanyi skillfully skewered a few mutton skewers, took the homemade chili powder and cumin powder and went outside to start grilling the meat.

Although chili peppers had not yet been put on the table in this era, cumin was already a spice known to the public, but it was called "ku ming" here.

Cumin and grilled meat are a perfect match, and sprinkle a little chili powder on it, and the fragrance can almost float all over the street.

The double impact of grilling skewers on the street, both visually and taste-wise, attracted many pedestrians to stop.

When the meat was seven-tenths cooked, Jiang Yanyi sprinkled cumin and chili peppers on it, and the fragrance went straight to people's noses, hooking the gluttonous worms in their stomachs.

Soon someone came up to Jiang Yanyi and asked, "How do you sell this roasted meat?"

Jiang Yanyi said, "The shop is open today, but this roasted meat is not for sale. Come in and eat hotpot, and you will get five skewers of roasted meat for free."

No matter what era, the word "free" can always break down the psychological defenses of customers the fastest.

The man saw that Jiang Yanyi's roasted meat was large in quantity and she gave five skewers in a row. He immediately thought that even if the taste of her hotpot was not satisfactory, it was worth it. He walked into the shop and said, "Give me an antique soup, and bring the roasted meat up quickly."

"Okay, please come in."

Jiang Yanyi was very happy and smiled brightly as she started roasting.

When the diners inside heard her say that the roasted meat was free, they were already attracted by the smell and quickly shouted, "Boss, the roasted meat for our table hasn't been served yet!"

Jiang Yanyi replied, "It's being roasted! It will be served to you in a while!"

Thanks to the many firemen who came today, there was no shortage of manpower. Jiang Yanyi quickly asked a few firemen to help skewer more meat in the backyard.

Feng Shuo, who was sitting at another table, also smelled the aroma of roasted meat, but due to his status, he could not shout out like the diners at that table, so he just glanced outside.

A fireman was carrying the meat that Jiang Yanyi had just grilled into the store. He accidentally caught Feng Shuo's eye. His hand holding the tray trembled, and he turned around and brought it to Feng Shuo's table: "General, please...please have some."

The diners at the table who had just called out saw that the grilled meat was taken to another table and were about to shout, but when they saw that it was Feng Shuo sitting at that table, they decisively shut up.

He didn't have the courage to snatch the meat from the mouth of the King of Liaoning.

Zhao Tou'er was sitting behind the counter. He saw that Jiang Yanyi really used this method to attract customers, but when he heard that silly lady say that the grilled meat was for free, he felt a huge loss in his heart. However, one more customer could help him get more back on his money, so he still went to greet him warmly.

After asking the diners what kind of hotpot they wanted, the temporary waiter went to the kitchen to tell Chef Li, while Qiu Kui went up with a teapot to add tea.

The diners saw that the tables were separated, as if it was a simple private room, and the bowls and plates were exquisitely designed. They originally came for the roasted meat, but because of these small items, they liked the restaurant a little more.

Because of Jiang Yanyi's street roasting, plus the plug-ins such as cumin powder and chili powder, more and more people came to inquire, and the restaurant was full before noon.

As the restaurant became bustling, the customers outside could see the restaurant was doing a booming business. They subconsciously thought that the restaurant must be good. They smelled the tempting smell of roasted meat, and when they heard that the skewers were served with the hot pot, they were happy to queue up.

The nobles passing by saw this grand occasion and inevitably wanted to try it. They were unwilling to wait any longer, so they left their maids and servants waiting here and packed up the hot pot to eat at home.

Jiang Yanyi didn't use much chili powder, and sprinkled very little on the skewers. After all, the ancients might not be used to eating too spicy food.

But there were several tables of diners who ate the free barbecue skewers and ordered another serving even if they spent money.

Jiang Yanyi instantly felt that there must be a market for the ancients' love of spicy food. Now she only regretted that she didn't have enough chili peppers.

Thanks to the arrival of more than a dozen firemen in the fire camp today, the store was busy no matter what, serving dishes, cleaning tables, without any delay.

Jiang Yanyi was grilling skewers outside, and there were also firemen in the backyard to help her skewer the meat. Later, not only was there not enough mutton, but also not enough bamboo sticks. Bamboo sticks

were easy to deal with. She had enough staff in her store, so she asked two firemen to cut some bamboo and come back to help her peel them. Fresh mutton had to be bought from the butcher shop.

Mrs. Chen, who runs a garment shop, thought that Jiang Yanyi's business would be difficult in the future, but she didn't expect it to be so hot now.

Although she was jealous, she didn't feel bad because her family ran a garment shop. Seeing that Jiang Yanyi couldn't leave, she said, "Sister, if you trust me, I'll ask my husband to go to the butcher and buy some more mutton for you."

"Thank you so much, Sister Chen!" Jiang Yanyi didn't expect the business in the shop to be so hot. She called two firemen to go buy meat with Mrs. Chen's husband, so that they could carry more meat back.

In the past, the firemen rarely came to the main street of the Duhufu even when they went to the city. They were not familiar with the shops here. With Chen Dalang leading the way, Jiang Yanyi felt relieved.

She was so busy that she didn't even notice when Feng Shuo left the store.

Until a cup of warm scented tea was handed to her. The hand that handed her the tea was slender, with rough fingertips, but the joints were still very beautiful, and the hem of the sleeves was embroidered with dark cirrus patterns.

Jiang Yanyi raised her head and met Feng Shuo's deep phoenix eyes.

He said, "Have some tea."

Jiang Yanyi was stunned and didn't take it for a while. Handing tea... It's not like Feng Shuo's style.

Fortunately, it was dinner time, and there were not many people on the street. The store was busy and no one paid attention to this outside.

In order to attract customers, she grilled meat and shouted for a long time, and her throat was dry and smoking.

Jiang Yanyi wiped her hands on her apron and took the teacup from Feng Shuo: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

She drank the tea in one gulp and felt alive again.

Feng Shuo frowned and said in a low voice: "Are you a shopkeeper or a waiter?"

Jiang Yanyi knew that she was talking about buying barbecue skewers on the street. Compared with the Lai Fu Restaurant on the street ahead, her position as a shopkeeper was indeed not very prestigious.

However, her own shop was small, and Chef Li and the others just had time to come over to help today. These things could not be left to others.

She held the empty teacup and smiled awkwardly: "We just opened the shop today, so we were a little busy."

Feng Shuo looked at the tiny beads of sweat on the tip of her nose and the bit of carbon black from burning charcoal, and stretched out his hand for some unknown reason. Jiang Yanyi froze in place and forgot to dodge for a moment.

"Pah——"

The meat on the grill had not been turned over for a long time, and the bamboo skewers were burned after being burnt.

Jiang Yanyi was startled back to her senses by the voice, and her face was immediately filled with pain when she turned around: "My barbecue!"

Feng Shuo's hand was also retracted when it was only an inch away from her cheek.

Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was a little subtle and awkward.

"Master, the pot to be taken back to the Grand Concubine is ready."

At this moment, Xing Yao came out of the store, and a guard behind him was holding a steaming copper pot.

Jiang Yanyi seemed to have forgotten what happened just now. She still had the smile on her face when she was soliciting customers. She said to them, "The roasted meat is ready. I'll send it to your house later."

Feng Shuo stared at the smile on her face for two seconds before nodding, "Thank you."

His tone was always cold, but it made people feel that he seemed to be unhappy all of a sudden.

Jiang Yanyi pretended not to know, lowered her head and continued to turn the roasted meat. When Feng Shuo walked away, she raised her hand and patted her slightly hot cheeks.

It must be because she stood in front of the barbecue grill for too long and was very hot.

Chen Dalang quickly came back with two firemen carrying mutton. When he saw Jiang Yanyi, he said, "There is no mutton left in Ma the butcher's shop. These two sheep were killed on the spot."

"Thank you for making this trip for me. You and Sister Chen must do me a favor and come over for a quick meal in the evening," said Jiang Yanyi.

Chen Dalang was not good at words and waved his hands repeatedly: "We are all neighbors, so we should help out."

It was noon, He Xingniang, who opened a jewelry shop across the street, suddenly poured a basin of water for washing vegetables on the street, and said in a strange way: "Shopkeeper Jiang , Your shop needs to be cleaned up, a mouse jumped into my shop yesterday!"

Jiang Yanyi has never seen a mouse in her home since she moved here, and He Xingniang's thoughts were clearly written on her face when she shouted on the street.

Jiang Yan couldn't figure out why opening a hot pot restaurant was an eyesore to her. There were so many customers in the store, and she didn't want to argue with He Xingniang, so she just said:

"What a coincidence! I haven't seen a single mouse in my shop. The meat we use today was just bought this morning. As for flour, rice and other grains, every household has them. Sister He, please don't blame me for opening the shop today. It's hurtful."

He Xingniang was retorted by her lightly remark. She looked unhappy and snorted, "This is the first time I heard that a restaurant doesn't want mice."

Madam Chen heard them talking and helped out, "My shop is right next to Sister Jiang's restaurant. If there were really mice, wouldn't they run into my shop first? Instead, they would run to your place, Xingniang, to gnaw on gold nuggets? Could the mouse have become a spirit?"

He Xingniang couldn't win against the two of them alone. She pouted, picked up the basin of water and turned back to her shop.

Mrs. Chen then said to Jiang Yanyi: "Don't pay attention to her, her husband has dividends from Lai Fu Restaurant. Lai Fu Restaurant has good business, so they get more dividends. Seeing that your restaurant is so prosperous today, I guess she is eyeing it!"