Chapter 14

Today is Goddess Day, so here's a red packet to brighten things up~

Chapter 14

The period of national mourning had passed, and Mengshan County regained its brilliance.

Young men and ladies alike cast aside their mourning whites and donned colorful clothes, planning to head beyond the city walls to climb high and gaze into the distance, pluck dogwood, and admire chrysanthemums.

With the Double Ninth Festival upon them, people were meant to drink wine from high places and pray for blessings.

Of course, such amusements were mostly for romantic scholars and gentlemen. Ordinary poor folk had no time to appreciate autumn's lofty elegance.

Hu Yulin considered himself an ordinary man. No matter how splendid the autumn scenery was, it had nothing to do with him.

With Gourmet Pavilion reopening, he was so busy his feet barely touched the ground.

Duan Changjin was an honest and kind man. As the shopkeeper, he was beloved by the servants and diners alike. Yet his temperament was not suited to business.

Moreover, Gourmet Pavilion had stood for decades without ever being renovated. Its worn and damaged areas easily left people displeased.

Hu Yulin understood the diners' thoughts, so he had the place refurbished until it looked completely new, brighter and more spacious than before.

Not only that, Rong Xi had drawn upon clever ideas from later generations to create many exquisite wooden tags. Each was engraved with a dish and its price, then placed in hidden boxes beside the dining tables.

Since the number of dishes would keep growing, engraving many dish names onto a single wooden tag would make changes difficult, so each dish had its own tag.

The restaurant reopened on the Double Ninth Festival with everything at half price. Old customers came to Gourmet Pavilion out of regard for their past patronage.

One diner dressed in silk saw the elegant displays, the utensils that looked as good as new, and the dishes engraved on wooden tags for customers to choose from freely. Finding it novel and interesting, he called over a servant.

"I've never heard of these dishes before. Did Shopkeeper Duan hire a new chef?"

The servant answered with a smile, "You're absolutely right, honored guest. Our establishment does have a new chef, and no one else has tasted these dishes." As he spoke, he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "They don't even have them in Shengjing."

"Is that true?" the diner asked in surprise. "Not even in Shengjing?"

The servant pointed to the wooden tags in the hidden box. "Why not try two dishes first, honored guest?"

After considering it for a few breaths, the diner asked, "What are bean sprouts? And what does stir-fried mean?"

"Soybeans sprout in water. They are crisp and refreshing. They are tossed in an iron wok over a fierce flame, making them especially fragrant and sweet. They are cheap and good, a vegetarian dish. You might pair them with a dish of stir-fried shredded meat as well. I guarantee it will be crisp and delicious, with a lingering aroma."

Persuaded by the servant's words, the diner nodded in agreement.

The servant recorded the corresponding numbers for the dishes and left with a smile.

Before long, the dishes were set on the table, their rich fragrance spreading in all directions. The other diners in the hall were all drawn in and craned their necks to look.

The diner picked up his chopsticks and tasted the bean sprouts first. They were crisp without being astringent, tender without being tough, and both color and flavor were perfect. They were truly refreshing beyond compare!

He then sampled the shredded meat. The sinew and membrane had been removed, leaving lean meat that was satisfyingly chewy. After being stir-fried in oil, it was remarkably crisp, fresh, and fragrant. He had no idea what technique the chef had used to make it so delicious!

In merely two bites, the food had captured all of the diner's attention. No longer caring about his manners, he lowered his head and ate with abandon, sweeping the plates clean with salted flatbread and tea.

The other diners had long since become unable to wait. Fortunately, Gourmet Pavilion's kitchen had strong fires and large iron woks. With the servants assisting, Madam Jiang worked with incredible speed, dish after dish leaving the wok and being carried to the tables by the servants.

Along the way, the servants secretly swallowed their saliva.

Before long, the hall was filled with rich fragrance that drifted straight into the shops and streets of the market district. Passersby caught the scent, their appetites immediately awakened. Following the aroma, they poured into Gourmet Pavilion.

However, ingredients and manpower were limited. Gourmet Pavilion closed for the day after being open for only two hours.

The diners who had tasted the delicacies naturally left fully satisfied, rubbing their bellies as they departed, already resolved to return the next day.

Those who had not gotten to try the new dishes sighed in regret, blaming themselves only for arriving a step too late. They went home to eat merely to fill their stomachs, yet found their meals bland and tasteless.

Gourmet Pavilion's business immediately became booming.

The other restaurants wanted to imitate its dishes, yet no matter what they did, they could not figure out what stir-frying actually was.

The reason was simply that they lacked iron woks.

While Gourmet Pavilion was lively and clamorous, Rong Residence remained cool and tranquil.

In the courtyard, Rong Xi was using yellow earth to absorb impurities. Beside him, young Liu danced about excitedly as he described Gourmet Pavilion's flourishing business.

Through studying and martial training, Liu Zishi's entire bearing had become utterly different from before.

Ever since Rong Xi's soul had arrived in Great Wei, the meals at home had become refined and delicious. The boy had even shot up a little taller. Now, dressed in a narrow-sleeved black robe with a headcloth tied by a ribbon, he looked every bit the valiant young man.

"Sir, what are you doing?"

Rong Xi answered with a smile, "There are impurities in cane sugar, which is why it is reddish-brown. I am removing those impurities. Its color may become as white as snow, clear and lovely."

Having seen much more by now, Liu Zishi had increasingly come to feel that Rong Xi was unfathomable. Hearing this, he asked curiously, "Sir, can this method truly turn reddish-brown into white?"

"Just watch." Rong Xi rose with a smile. "You will see in a few days."

At that moment, Liu He slowly entered from outside the residence. Coming before Rong Xi, he said, "Sir, I have asked around. There are indeed people in town wishing to sell their fields, but not all of their land is good. The other party insists that whoever buys the fields must buy both the good and bad land together."

"Fine." Rong Xi nodded.

He had wanted to stockpile a few mu of farmland, so he had told Liu He to inquire about it. He had not expected someone to truly be in urgent need of money.

Hearing this, Liu He could not help reminding him, "Sir, are you really going to buy poor land?"

Rong Xi nodded. "Poor land is merely land with infertile soil. That does not matter."

Barren land could become fertile soil with a little cultivation.

"Sir, I will go at once." After speaking, Liu He turned to leave the residence.

Rong Xi stopped him. "It is already late. Going tomorrow will not be too late."

The next day, at the hour of the Snake, one master and two servants went together to the home of the people selling the fields.

The house was simple and shabby, with many small children.

Several youths and children were catching ants outside the door. When they saw strangers arrive, they became reserved and shy, edging toward the doorway without daring to say much.

Liu Zishi was fairly familiar with them. Seeing this, he stepped forward and asked, "Third Brother, are your father and mother home?"

The youth called Third Brother suddenly widened his eyes. "You're Fool Liu?" He carefully examined Liu Zishi's clothes and appearance, his eyes full of disbelief.

Liu Zishi had once been somewhat dim-witted, so he had earned the nickname "Fool." The youths who knew him had grown accustomed to calling him that, and it slipped out before they could stop themselves.