Setting up the stall

Before dawn, Rong Zheng was already busy preparing to set up his stall, going in and out as he packed things up.

Yesterday, their family of three had braised more than twenty ducks. Rong Zheng and Ye Yun had rolled up their sleeves to slaughter the ducks, pluck them, remove their innards, and wash them one by one before soaking them until they turned pale.

Before transmigrating, he had only cooked occasionally at home. Killing a few ducks was no big deal, but having to process dozens all at once really made him want to cough up blood.

Knowing Rong Zheng was going to run a stall to earn money, Ye Yun stopped going to Doctor Ye's to help out and study medicine, staying home to lend a hand instead.

Afraid slaughtering ducks alongside him would be too tiring for his husband, Rong Zheng wanted him to handle just a few.

Ye Yun was a little angry. "Am I someone who can't endure hardship? I'm your husband. I'm supposed to share the good times and the hard times with you."

Rong Zheng's heart ached and softened. I have to treat my husband twice as well.

He had thought that if he worked quickly and handled a few extra ducks, Ye Yun would not have to tire himself out. Who knew that once Ye Yun had asked how to do it, his hands would prove far nimbler than Rong Zheng's? In the end, he shooed Rong Zheng off to tend the braising broth.

Rong Zheng: o(╯□╰)o~ He had forgotten that his husband used to manage more than ten mu of land all by himself. He was far more capable than Rong Zheng.

Ye Chen stopped going out to play, too. Knowing the family was busy preparing for the stall, he considerately stayed home to help tend the fire, pass things over, and lend a hand.

Today was their first official day of business. Rong Zheng and Ye Yun were loading basin after basin of duck parts onto the little pushcart, putting the lids on last.

They had commissioned the village carpenter to make this stall cart a while ago. Its base was built from several sturdy logs, with four wooden wheels fitted underneath.

The cart had two tiers. The upper tier was a flat wooden board for holding the basins of braised duck parts, sorted by type: duck necks, tongues, heads, wings, gizzards, and so on;

The second tier was divided into two sections. One side had two drawers, one large and one small. The small drawer held money, while the large one held rags, a water flask, and other miscellaneous items; the other side was an open compartment for oilpaper, wooden picks, and other packing supplies, as well as bowls and plates.

A thick canvas canopy covered the top to provide shade and keep rain from seeping through.

A small bronze bell hung from one corner at the front of the cart. A gentle shake sent its clear, pleasant chime ringing through the air to attract passing pedestrians.

Including the wood, it had cost five hundred wen in total.

Once everything was ready, Rong Zheng pushed the little cart out, its wheels creaking against the ground.

The walk to town took nearly two hours, so they needed to move a little faster.

Ye Yun walked to town with Rong Zheng. He had sold wild vegetables at a stall before and knew more about how it worked than Rong Zheng did.

When they reached the town's main street, Ye Yun first went to the administrative office to collect a wooden plaque. Setting up on the main street required a management fee of twenty wen, while the smaller streets did not charge anything, and they could simply find a spot there.

Rong Zheng pushed the cart to the spot marked on the wooden plaque. By the time they had arranged everything, the main street was gradually growing lively.

This was the busiest street in town, bustling with people. Stalls selling breakfast and noodles had long since opened, sending up white steam. The street was noisy and full of everyday life.

Rong Zheng shook the little bronze bell at the front of the cart and called out, "Superb Braised Duck! Superb Braised Duck! Don't pass us by and miss out! Try before you buy!"

The name he had come up with for the braised duck was "Superb Braised Duck." He had also written it on a sheet of paper and pasted it to the front of the cart.

As soon as people on the street heard they could sample meat, a crowd quickly gathered. Ye Yun stood in front of the stall holding a plate filled with small pieces of duck, each with a little wooden pick stuck in it.

Rong Zheng said, "Everyone, come try our secret-recipe braised duck! Crisp skin, tender meat, thoroughly infused with braising sauce, sweet, spicy, and delicious. Once you've had some, you'll want more!"

Nobody stood on ceremony. They picked up the picks and began tasting.

"You can tell from that deep color that the flavor has soaked right through."

"Mmm, first it's sweet, then spicy, with a numbing tingle. What a distinctive flavor."

"The skin is crisp, and the meat inside is tender and silky. Delicious."

"This is really good. How much is it?"

People began asking the prices one after another. Rong Zheng explained, "Duck necks are ten wen each, tongues and heads are eight wen each, wings have more meat and cost fifteen wen each, legs are twenty-five wen, and feet..."

Hearing that a single piece cost over ten wen, some people thought it was far too expensive, and most began to hesitate.

"Dear customers, the braising broth contains very expensive ingredients. We even put pork bones in it, so the cost isn't low. You can buy a few to try first. I guarantee the more you eat, the more hooked you'll get."

Just then, someone dressed as a manservant squeezed to the front.

His young master had sent him out to find distinctive, delicious food on the street. He tried a small piece of duck. "This sweet-and-spicy flavor certainly is unusual. This, this, and this-give me five of each."

He pointed at several basins.

Rong Zheng promptly took out some oilpaper to wrap his order. "That comes to two hundred and fifteen wen. Since it's our first day in business, I'll knock off the extra and charge you two hundred and ten."

The manservant readily paid, and Ye Yun put the money away in the cart's drawer.

Once there was a first customer, others followed, though because it was expensive, they planned to buy just a few pieces to try and give the children at home a taste of something new.

"Give me three duck necks."

"I'd like two wings and two feet."

"I want duck tongues."

Rong Zheng packed the orders while Ye Yun collected the money. The whole morning passed in a bustle, and they sold well over half their stock.

At noon, they took turns going to eat a bowl of noodles, then continued tending the stall.

As for the manservant who had been the first to buy braised duck that morning, once he returned, he said to his plump young master, "Young master, this is from a new stall on the main street. They sell braised duck. Have a taste."

The young master opened the oilpaper and began eating. "Mmm, sweet and spicy, with a numbing tingle afterward." With meat still between his teeth, his words came out muffled,

"I wonder how they braised it to get so much flavor into it. It smells so good. I've never had such delicious braised duck."

He ate quickly. Before long, he reached out and found the oilpaper empty. He complained, "Why did you buy so little?"

The manservant beside him stared wide-eyed at the little mountain of duck bones, not knowing what to say.

The young master also realized that he had eaten quite a lot without noticing, but it really was too delicious. The more he ate, the more hooked he became:

"Hurry and buy some more. I'm meeting my classmates at the teahouse later, so I'll bring some along for them to try." He added, "You picked some good food. You deserve a reward."

"Right away! Thank you, young master." Holding his reward money, the manservant beamed.

However, when the manservant went looking for it again, he found that the "Superb Braised Duck" was nearly sold out. He could only buy what remained.

They sold out at the fourth quarter of the wei hour, two in the afternoon, earlier than expected.

Rong Zheng tidied up the cart, and the two of them headed home.

Ye Chen opened the door for them. "Brother, Brother Rong, I've heated water for you. Wash up first. I thought you'd be hungry when you came back this afternoon, so there's rice in the pot. I've been keeping it warm."

Rong Zheng patted Xiao Chen's head. "Xiao Chen, you're so thoughtful." He had Ye Yun bathe first while he cleaned the little cart himself.

After being praised, Xiao Chen smiled brightly. He wanted to do his part for the family, too.

"All right. Once I've finished bathing, I'll cook the dishes first."

"All right."