Chapter 576: Peasant Woman 4
As for Tan You, although the body’s original owner was frail, she had been accustomed to farm work for years and could endure great hardship. Tan You herself possessed a tenacious spirit, and so she pushed on, walking all the way to town.
The Beauty System even felt sorry for Tan You. "Host, this is just too hard."
Tan You gasped for breath. "What else can I do? I have absolutely nothing right now. The original owner’s family used to have a few chickens, but they were all used up for the funeral."
Beauty System: "Host, what are you planning to do? Are you going to sell recipes?"
"That’s right. Tell me, how many restaurants are there in town? What are their reputations?" Tan You pounded her lower back. After giving birth to several children consecutively, the original owner’s body was weak, and her back would start to ache if she walked for too long.
The Beauty System immediately displayed a light screen before Tan You. "On the east side of town is Xiangrui Restaurant. It opened five years ago. The chef is supposedly from Jiangnan, and business has been extremely good in recent years."
"On the west side is the former town staple, Xiangyun Restaurant, a time-honored establishment. However, its business has been on the decline in recent years because its menu is outdated."
Tan You understood. "Alright, I’ll go to Xiangyun Restaurant then. Speaking of which... Xiangyun, Xiangrui... Xiangrui Restaurant must have chosen that name deliberately, right?"
The Beauty System wagged its tail. "I don’t know about that, but I do know my host likes to help those in need."
Tan You replied, "It’s always easier to help someone in need than to improve upon perfection. Their business is already thriving; do they really need me to add to their luster? Me? I just want to make some money right now."
Even though she had walked for more than an hour, Xiangyun Restaurant hadn’t yet opened for the day when Tan You arrived. At the back door, a procurement manager was settling accounts with a supplier. The entire process was swift and efficient, with no indication of delayed payments.
Standing next to the manager was a man of about thirty. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the purchased produce with a look of utter helplessness.
"Boss, doesn’t Xiangrui specialize in fish? We bought some today, too. Why don’t we have Master Fan try making something?"
The owner, Chen, sighed. "Master Fan’s soy-braised fish and red-braised fish are not bad, but what about other fish dishes?"
Tan You understood. ’This ancient era is nothing like modern times, where a quick search brings up recipes galore. Even with so much repetition, you can still find gems if you really dig for them.’
’But here in the past, any good recipe is a family secret, passed down from one generation to the next and guarded with their lives.’
Hearing this, Tan You grew even more confident in her plan.
Seeing the owner and the procurement manager about to enter through the back door, Tan You stepped forward. "Gentlemen, please wait. I couldn’t help but overhear you worrying about the restaurant’s business. I may have a small solution."
Chen Yuanlai and the manager turned in unison to see a peasant woman standing about three paces away. Judging by her attire, she was nothing more than a common farmer’s wife.
Yet, there was something about her bearing that suggested she was no ordinary person.
The manager grew impatient. "You’re just a woman. What could you possibly know?"
Tan You spoke softly, "I came to speak with your boss. What does my being a woman have to do with anything? Your mother is a woman, too. Do you listen when she speaks? In any case, it costs you nothing to hear me out. It’s not like the restaurant is open for business yet."
Chen Yuanlai’s interest was piqued. "Ma’am... may I ask for your name? And your age?"
"My husband’s family name is Wang. You can just call me Mrs. Wang," Tan You said, being very polite to her potential benefactor. "I’m twenty-nine."
Chen Yuanlai’s lips twitched. ’She doesn’t look twenty-nine at all,’ he thought. ’Anyone would believe she was thirty-nine.’ Outwardly, however, Chen Yuanlai remained affable. "And what might your suggestion be?"
Tan You was quite satisfied with Chen Yuanlai’s attitude, so she stopped beating around the bush. "I hear your esteemed restaurant is looking for new fish recipes. One of my ancestors was a chef who once lived in Jiangnan and had some expertise in preparing fish."
This was, of course, a complete fabrication. In both the Chen family and the Wang family, besides the eldest Chen son who had traveled far from home and worked on a boat before his marriage, everyone else had spent their entire lives on this little patch of land.
But Tan You needed a plausible origin for her recipes. After all, as the old saying goes, every endeavor needs a legitimate reason.
Chen Yuanlai didn’t say whether he believed her or not. He simply looked at Tan You and said, "Sister-in-law Chen, this is a restaurant, not a teahouse for idle entertainment."
"I know, and I’m certainly not here for your amusement," Tan You said candidly. "Whether I succeed or fail, the proof will be in the results."
Chen Yuanlai smiled. "Fine. Old Jiang, go fetch Master Fan."
A quarter of an hour later, in the back kitchen of Xiangyun Restaurant, Master Fan stood to one side with his arms crossed, watching Tan You cook at his usual stove. Chen Yuanlai asked no questions, waiting, as Tan You had suggested, to see the proof in her actions.
In less than an hour, six dishes, all centered around fish, were laid out before them.
Tan You removed her apron and softly introduced the dishes. "Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, Salt and Pepper Fish Fillets, Fish with Pickled Greens, Sichuan-style Boiled Fish, Fish Ball Soup, and Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chilis."
Without needing any prompting from Tan You, Chen Yuanlai and Master Fan had already picked up their chopsticks and begun to taste the dishes. The restaurant’s two waiters also drew near, their eyes fixed on the food with longing.
After sampling a bite of each dish, Chen Yuanlai glanced at the waiters. "Go ahead, you two try them as well."
Tan You rubbed her stomach. She was hungry, too. ’But I’m here to do business,’ she reminded herself. ’No matter how hungry I am, I have to hold back.’
Chen Yuanlai looked to Master Fan. Although he personally found the dishes excellent, he still needed to hear his chef’s opinion. After all, for a restaurant to succeed, the views of the kitchen staff—and especially the head chef—were of utmost importance.
Master Fan nodded. "Sister-in-law Chen’s dishes are all exceptionally delicious. They should satisfy a wide range of palates, and Xiangrui Restaurant has nothing like them."
Tan You arched an eyebrow slightly. ’I’d have to be a fool to cook dishes that Xiangrui Restaurant already offers. The whole point is to have what they don’t.’
With Master Fan’s approval, Chen Yuanlai got straight to the point. "Sister-in-law Chen, are you willing to sell the recipes for these dishes?"
Tan You smiled. "Of course. Provided the price is right."
When she emerged from the restaurant again, the bamboo basket on Tan You’s back was heavier by one hundred taels of Silver, plus a few loose pieces. ’See?’ she thought. ’This is why you have to study and learn. It all paid off today, didn’t it?’
After grabbing a bowl of mini wontons from a street stall in town, Tan You finally started her shopping for the day.
’Selling recipes is a one-time transaction. If I sell too many, they won’t be special anymore. But I can sell other things later... like soap, for instance? If I manage that well, I could even lead the whole village to prosperity.’
’It’s not that I’m some kind of saint,’ she mused, ’it’s just the way things are. The Chen family has no man to hold up the household right now, so my only option is to get on good terms with the village—or more specifically, with the clan.’
’That means I have to bind the clan to my chariot. Only then will they not dare to bully me.’
Old Chen and Old Mrs. Chen might be gone, but nearly everyone in the village was named Chen. One should never underestimate the power of the collective—a lesson Tan You had learned well.