Tan Sheng was in a dilemma. "Why is there none left? Shopkeeper, please be kind and make an exception for me. Don't make things difficult for me."
If he doesn't buy everything, his wife will probably give him a beating.
Qin Xiaozhou spoke kindly, "I didn't make things difficult for anyone. This is the only amount of taro cake I can make each day, and it was agreed that there would only be thirty servings per day. First come, first served. This is a rule I set, and it cannot be broken."
Getting up early to peel the taro and steaming it takes time with the machine, and whipping the cream is not an easy task either. Now, a new pot of milk tea is being brewed, and Zhao Fang is still making towel rolls. Each item takes a lot of time, so the number of cakes is limited: thirty taro cakes and thirty plain cakes, while the rest, such as towel rolls, caramel pudding, and lotus pastries, are unlimited.
After all, although lotus flower pastries and begonia pastries are time-consuming, the ingredients are simple, and the dough can be kneaded and rested last night. Pudding is even easier to make, so there is no limit to the quantity.
Just as Tan Sheng was about to speak again, two servants arrived at the door, forcing him to step aside.
The woman appeared to be under twenty, yet her eyes and brows exuded a spirited air. Her hair was styled high and adorned with a gold chain strung with pearls and jade beads, making it exceptionally beautiful and dazzling. Her maidservant called out, "Who is the manager of this house?"
Because many women frequented this place, Qin Xiaozhou set up shop outside. "I am the shopkeeper. May I ask what you need, young lady?"
"My lady wants three cakes and two taro ball milk teas," the waitress said proudly.
"There are only two cakes left," Qin Xiaozhou said with a smile. "Please have a seat."
The maid was annoyed, "Why are there only two portions left? We want three."
Tan Sheng's eyes suddenly lit up. He recognized the mistress and maid. The mistress was Miss Zhu from the East Wharf, and the maid was called Green Waist. They were said to be very distinguished, and even the county magistrate had to show them respect. If the shopkeeper made an exception for Miss Zhu, then he couldn't help but make an exception for him.
Qin Xiaozhou's smile remained unchanged. "Thirty servings a day is the rule in our shop. Please forgive us, young lady."
Those sitting in the lobby all looked over and whispered among themselves, "This is Zhu Xian, the eldest daughter of the Zhu family who manages the East Wharf in the county. Does the shopkeeper really dare not sell to this Miss Zhu? Surely not."
"Although this Miss Zhu is a woman, she can support the entire Zhu family's boat business at the dock in Fenggu County. She is ruthless and her word is law. I heard that if her subordinates dare to disobey, they will be whipped at best and thrown into the river to feed the fish at worst. Look at the whip in her hand, it is used to train people."
"Anyone in the entire county who dares to mess with Miss Zhu is in for a world of trouble and might not be able to stay in Fenggu County."
Qin Xiaozhou's heart was pounding, but she remained calm on the surface. The maid was about to speak again when Zhu Xian stopped her, "Are you sure there aren't three portions?"
Qin Xiaozhou nodded with a smile, "Please forgive me, there are only two servings left today."
Zhu Xian held the whip in her hand, staring at Qin Xiaozhou. Lu Yu was serving milk tea to the guests when she saw this scene and was so frightened that she almost fell over. She put down the tray and went to the kitchen.
When Lu Yunfeng arrived, Zhu Xian was already laughing loudly, "Alright, I haven't seen such a strong-willed woman like you in a long time. Two portions it is. I'll come back to buy more next time I come back from the prefectural city."
Qin Xiaozhou maintained her composed demeanor, asking, "Miss Zhu, are you going to the prefectural city? When will you depart?"
"It's midnight tonight," Zhu Xian said with a mocking expression.
Some ships have very specific departure times. If they are transporting important items, they will ask someone to calculate the exact time before they set off.
Qin Xiaozhou smiled amicably and said, "Midnight is tomorrow. There will be thirty cakes available for you to order tomorrow."
"Hahaha." Zhu Xian laughed heartily. "You really are a clever woman. Green Waist, then bring your men tonight to collect the remaining desserts."
Green Waist smiled and agreed.
To not break his own family's rules even when facing the eldest daughter of the Zhu family, remaining neither humble nor arrogant, and showing no emotion about honor or disgrace, while still being able to deliver dessert at midnight, requires immense courage.
After returning home, Tan Sheng honestly recounted what had happened at the shop. Madam Tan and her daughter-in-law sat at the table and, after listening, couldn't help but praise, "This shopkeeper is quite charismatic and a man of his word. He's someone who can accomplish great things. I wonder how old he is and whether he's married. I think our third daughter would be a good match for him."
The third young lady of the mansion has reached marriageable age, and these past few days, Old Madam Tan has been looking for young men in the four main halls for her granddaughter.
Tan Sheng's expression was strange. "Reporting to the old lady, the shopkeeper is a woman, with a robust build, who looks to be under twenty years old. Her husband's surname is Lu."
"It's actually a woman?" The women of the Tan family were all stunned. Madam Tan was even more incredulous. "Didn't they say he slapped the troublemaker so hard that he lost a tooth, and he even kicked...kicked people? How come it's a woman?"
These past two days, the most bustling thing in the county town has been the novelty of pastries called cakes, as well as the exquisite lotus flower pastries and other such items. The shop finally opened this morning, and many people went to watch. What happened at the shop entrance was just the usual idle gossip in a boring mansion. After hearing what happened, I thought it was a burly man, but I didn't expect the shopkeeper to be a woman!
This was quite novel. People in the county town naturally criticized Qin Xiaozhou for showing her face in public and being unchaste, calling her a shrew. Others thought it was great, since there were very few places in the world exclusively for women to enjoy. Now, there was a dessert shop with a second floor that belonged only to women, a place they could only dream of.
As a result, many women, both timid and eager to try, rushed over upon hearing the news.
In just one day, Lu Ji gained fame in the county town and attracted many customers.
As the shop was closing at dusk, Lu Yu and Zhao Fang rubbed their hands and massaged their backs. They had been working hard all day, barely having time to eat. Now that they were finally able to relax, they felt weak all over and didn't want to move at all.
Seeing this, Qin Xiaozhou considered hiring a few people, but he was worried about encountering bad people, so he decided to check with the brokerage firm first. "Everyone is tired today, so let's not start a fire and go to a restaurant for a meal instead?"
"No, please." Zhao Fang felt bad about spending the money. "I've only eaten a little bit every now and then today, so I'm not really hungry. I still have the vegetables I brought from home yesterday, and I bought a piece of meat last night. I'll go cook now."
Living in the county town with three or five people requires a lot of money for buying groceries and cooking. There are plenty of cabbages, bok choy, and cabbages at home, so Zhao Fang brought a basket with her when she came, enough for several meals. Moreover, she has already dug up all the places in the yard where vegetables can be grown and sown them with seeds, so she can have as many vegetables as she wants in the future.
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