The fragrance of herbs is renowned.
The Xu residence is located on the busiest street in the eastern part of Jinzhou Prefecture.
The main gate is tall and magnificent, painted vermilion, with a pair of stone lions guarding it majestically on the left and right sides. Surrounding it are high walls of blue bricks and gray tiles, and the houses with gable roofs scattered throughout the courtyard can be vaguely seen, all of which show the wealth of the courtyard's owner.
Wang Pan'er and Wang Xiaoyao, dressed in new clothes, strolled to the front of the vermilion gate.
When going to celebrate the birthday of Manager Xu's mother, one must dress appropriately to show respect to the host family.
Wang Pan'er found the layers of clothing worn by ancient people troublesome and her cooking skills clumsy, so she usually dressed plainly. Now, however, she has become plump and radiant, and when she dresses up, she exudes a captivating charm that is hard to look away from.
The two fur cloaks, one white and one red, were made of rare and fine materials, a rarity in Jinzhou Prefecture. The gatekeeper, with his sharp ears and eyes, saw the two women approaching the gate and went to greet them from afar.
An exquisite gift box was handed out, and the doorman faintly caught a whiff of medicinal fragrance. Unlike the rouge scent on the other young ladies, this medicinal fragrance was like grass and trees carrying morning dew, refreshing and delightful.
The doorman was momentarily distracted, but quickly regained his composure and said to the two of them, "Ladies, please come in with me."
They arrived early and were female guests. As soon as they entered, Madam Xu, the manager's wife, You Yingxue, with her pregnant belly, was helped forward by her maid.
She looked very frail, showing no signs of a pregnant woman's fullness, and her spirits were low. However, her eyes were gentle as she looked at the two women: "Are you the two sisters who run the medicinal cuisine restaurant?"
The two women quickly greeted her, saying, "Greetings, Madam. We are sisters. Madam is heavily pregnant, please do not overexert yourself. We will make ourselves at home."
Madam You touched her belly. "This pregnancy is unstable, and I've been unable to sleep or eat for days on end. Fortunately, my sister's pastries have kept me from vomiting, and I'm feeling much better now. I wanted to befriend my sister, so I sent my husband to deliver an invitation. But her words have made us feel distant."
The money exchange manager held a prominent position among the merchants and had extensive connections, but his wife was a quiet person who rarely met outsiders. Now, she took the initiative to befriend the visitor, whose extravagant attire attracted frequent glances from others.
Wang Pan'er guessed that Madam You's politeness towards her and Xiao Yao, the owners of their small medicinal cuisine restaurant, was not only because the pastries were genuine, but also because of Mu Chuan's goodwill.
Regardless of the reason, it was all out of goodwill. Wang Pan'er replied, "We sisters are unfamiliar with the place in Jinzhou Prefecture. It is our good fortune to have gained the favor of the madam. Since the madam wants to address us as sisters, she has accepted my good intentions and asked me to send some pastries to the mansion every day."
"That's wonderful!" Madam You covered her face and smiled, the hair ornament on her head swaying gently, her movements graceful and charming.
Wang Xiaoyao stared blankly, which was clearly seen by Madam You. "Does Sister Xiaoyao like this headdress? I have many. After the birthday banquet, you can come to my storeroom and choose whatever you like."
“Okay, okay!” Wang Xiaoyao nodded readily. “But Sister Pan’er lives a simple life and doesn’t like to dress up much. The clothes and jewelry I buy when I go shopping are always said to be tacky and unfashionable. Why don’t you help me choose some?”
Madam You had given birth to two boys in her first two pregnancies and dreamed of having a close-knit little girl. Now, not knowing whether the baby in her womb was a boy or a girl, Wang Xiaoyao's intimate request perfectly fulfilled Madam You's desire to dress up a girl. She immediately agreed: "Second sister is usually busy running her shop, but when you have time, you can ask someone to invite me shopping together. I may not say anything else, but my skill in appraising clothes and jewelry is definitely top-notch!"
"Yes, my sister is beautiful and her clothes suit her perfectly. If I were to bump into her on the street, I would definitely take a good look at her."
Wang Xiaoyao charmed Madam You with just a few words, and the two, who were a generation apart, seemed to be getting along well, showing a strong affinity for each other.
After the three finished their pleasantries, the lady immediately changed the subject.
"When I last visited Madam, she was still bedridden, but today I saw her and she was able to move around freely. Just now you all kept talking about cakes, which made me very curious. There are so many pastry shops, what is so special about this one that Madam insists on having it?"
"Yes, my sister-in-law is also suffering from severe morning sickness, and my brother is so worried that he's grown a lot of gray hair. I'd like to buy some and try it too!"
"Please don't rush, everyone." Madam You had her maid serve tea to the female guests, and then, supporting her pregnant belly, returned to her seat. "I've added pastries from Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant to the dishes for the birthday banquet. Ladies, please try them. I've also invited the two owners; if you like them, feel free to buy them from them."
Madam You whetted everyone's appetites. A table full of delicacies, except for the first dish, the Three Immortals Hawthorn Cake, which was very appetizing with its sweet and sour flavor, the female guests and children did not taste anything and eagerly awaited the last dish, the Jasmine Longjing Yam Cake, which was good for digestion.
Compared to the square and translucent hawthorn cake, the jasmine Longjing yam cake is made into an exquisite little flower shape, with even the veins of the flower stamens clearly visible. It was a mold specially carved by an old carpenter that Wang Pan'er asked to make.
The owners of several large restaurants present were full of praise for the dish, and after the meal they approached Wang Pan'er, wanting to order this kind of medicinal dessert for their restaurants.
“If we need to supply pastries to several restaurants, the existing space at the medicinal cuisine restaurant probably won’t be enough.” On the way back, Wang Xiaoyao held a hand warmer, completely oblivious to the winter chill. Her little mind kept turning, “Perhaps we should find another small shop to steam pastries.”
Her hair was adorned with jewelry chosen by Madam You. Madam You had excellent taste and did not prepare any flamboyant or elaborate styles for Wang Xiaoyao. Instead, she opted for hair ties made of sleek metal or woven with numerous gemstones. Paired with Wang Xiaoyao's heroic features and crimson outer garment, she resembled a free-spirited young lady from a wealthy family who loved to fight for justice.
Wang Xiaoyao finally found his own style, shedding his awkward and rustic look. Wang Pan'er found it very pleasing to the eye and replied with a smile, "Yes, we can hire a few more errand runners to deliver goods to the restaurants and the diners of those aristocratic families and merchants!"
Wang Xiaoyao's eyes lit up again and again: "Then let's do it this way!"
She was a decisive and action-oriented person. Once she made up her mind, she didn't even want to go home. She parted ways with Wang Pan'er on the spot and went to choose a location for the new pastry shop.
Wang Pan'er walked alone on the street.
To get from the East Market to the small courtyard where Wang Pan'er now lives, you need to cross the main street of the West Market. As Wang Pan'er walks across the street, people keep greeting her.
"Is the young lady on holiday today?"
"Boss Wang is wearing new clothes! This coat looks really expensive!"
"Miss, you're off today. Is the shop closed? I was lazy and didn't bring any food. I was thinking of having a meal at a medicinal cuisine restaurant."
The Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant is now a household name in Jinzhou Prefecture, and its two owners are well-known to the public.
The concept of medicinal cuisine was unprecedented in this dynasty, and Wang Pan'er was its pioneer, challenging public perception. She knew it would be accepted by the public, but the extent to which it was embraced far exceeded her expectations.
This is traffic, this is business opportunity!
Wang Pan'er, who was lazy and a homebody, smelled the scent of money.
Modern society is fast-paced, highly competitive, and stressful, making it difficult for ordinary people to secure good opportunities even with hard work. After inheriting the medicinal cuisine restaurant, she became complacent because she knew that hard work often went to waste; it was better to rely on existing customers and word-of-mouth, maintaining the status quo and avoiding unforeseen risks.
But with the opportunity laid bare before us, hesitating would be letting ourselves down.
Having little marketing experience, she racked her brains to recall the various tactics used by merchants in her past life.
The fastest way for emerging brands to gain widespread recognition is through celebrity endorsements, influencer marketing, or collaborations with major IPs. These methods were impractical in ancient times; brands could only resort to superficial tactics, such as releasing merchandise or generating buzz.
An already popular IP can generate revenue by selling merchandise. However, Shanhe Herbal Cuisine Restaurant is in its early stages, and selling merchandise at this point is clearly premature and doesn't create a good impression. Introducing a membership system with accumulated points for redemption is a viable strategy. Handkerchiefs, teacups, and sachets printed with the logo and restaurant name would be nice little items. The first batch of products could be given to major clients, not only to build relationships but also to gauge customer feedback on the merchandise.
As for public opinion, personal hygiene awareness was weak in ancient times, and health preservation was extremely costly, requiring expensive medicinal materials and frequent visits from doctors, which was completely irrelevant to ordinary people struggling to make a living. Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant could simply publish some basic recipes and hold regular seminars for Tao Shuo to give lectures, popularizing some basic medical knowledge and the interactions between ingredients.
Due to the development of the IP and the opening of the pastry shop, they also need to recruit another group of people.
Wang Xiaoyao handled all these trivial matters. The little girl had a sharp eye and picked out excellent helpers.
After returning from the recruitment drive, Wang Xiaoyao was sullen.
Wang Pan'er thought she had met with a setback: "Why the long face? Didn't you find anyone you liked?"
Wang Xiaoyao shook her head: "It's not that there weren't enough candidates, it's that there were too many. Our Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant prioritizes women, children, and the disabled in its recruitment. This time, when the women knew we were recruiting, they flocked to us. Although I chose the best ones, but..."
"But there are still many very capable women left who were not chosen by us and had to go home to continue to support their husbands and raise their children, with the men farming and the women weaving."
Wang Xiaoyao said indignantly, "Yes, Sister Pan'er, I think this is unfair. Why can men make a living even if they live a muddled life, while women can do the same work with ease, yet they are looked down upon because of their status and position?"
Wang Pan'er sighed: "The shop is only so big. We took the lead in hiring female workers. When other shops see that the girls are capable, they will gradually start to break down their prejudices. Once we get started, and everyone works together, things will continue to develop in a positive direction."
“No.” Wang Xiaoyao said firmly, word by word, “Rather than waiting for others to give us handouts, we’d rather forge our own path. I’m determined to lead them out of this predicament.”
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