Early the next morning, Su Wenzu and Zheng Chunmiao got up bright and early to prepare the goods for the two pushcarts. Starting today, they would also be selling douhua and tofu. The tofu was meant to be taken home and cooked into dishes, while the douhua could be topped with sauce and eaten directly.
Su Tian and Li Hongyue quickly tidied up as well. The four of them set out together, while Wu Fen stayed home to cook.
Upon arriving at the county town, Su Tian and Li Hongyue stopped at their usual stall. Su Wenzu and Zheng Chunmiao pushed their cart farther ahead, splitting up to sell in two directions—one east, one west.
“Hongyue, Tian girl, morning!” Granny Zhao, who sold wontons next door, greeted Su Tian with a cheerful smile.
Su Tian ladled out a bowl of douhua and handed it to her. “Good morning, Granny Zhao. This is something new I’ve been experimenting with lately. It’s called douhua. Have a bowl and try it.”
Granny Zhao accepted the bowl, thanked her, and said curiously, “Oh my, this douhua is so white—why does it look so much like steamed egg custard? I’ve never seen anything like it.” As she spoke, she scooped up a spoonful and put it into her mouth.
“Oh my! It just slid straight down into my stomach!” Granny Zhao laughed happily. “This is good stuff. My teeth aren’t what they used to be, and this douhua doesn’t require any chewing at all.”
There were already regular customers buying soy milk at Su Tian’s stall. Hearing Granny Zhao’s praise, their curiosity was piqued, and they all asked to try the douhua.
“Five wen per bowl of douhua. How many would you like?” Su Tian opened the jar containing the douhua and lifted the cloth covering the tofu. With a bright smile, she added, “This one here is tofu. Compared to douhua, it has more texture. Take it home, cut it into pieces and cook it with cabbage and eggs, or braise it on its own—it’s fragrant either way! Three wen per piece.”
There were already plenty of returning customers at the soy milk stall. With the addition of these new foods today, word spread quickly.
The douhua topped with sauce looked far more appetizing than plain soy milk. As a result, today’s business reached an all-time high. Su Tian and Li Hongyue were so busy they felt as if they needed three heads and six arms.
After a little more than one shichen, their prepared stock was nearly sold out. Su Tian apologized to the customers who hadn’t managed to buy any and asked them to return the next day.
While she was packing up the cart, she saw Su Wenzu and Zheng Chunmiao pushing their cart toward her from a distance.
“Eldest Brother, did everything go smoothly today?” Although Su Tian had confidence in Su Wenzu, she couldn’t help feeling a little worried.
Su Wenzu’s face was flushed, but his eyes shone brightly. “Sis, there weren’t many stalls on the east side—mostly households. Mother and I pushed the cart door to door and asked around. We really sold quite a lot. And each household bought a pretty large amount.”
Only then did Su Tian relax. “That’s good. Let’s head home.”
After returning home, Su Tian counted the copper coins they had earned. In just one day, they had made nearly one tael of silver. At this rate, after covering the family’s expenses, in another month or two they would be able to rent a place in the county town and open a restaurant! Su Tian felt a small burst of excitement in her heart.
Near noon that day, Su Wanqing returned home with a troubled expression. Recently, aside from grinding soy milk, he had also been going around the nearby areas to purchase soybeans.
Su Tian felt uneasy. “Father, did something happen?”
Su Wanqing let out a deep sigh. “Our family’s movements have been rather noticeable lately. I reckon others have figured it out. When I went today, it was strangely coincidental. It was either they wouldn’t sell at all, or they opened their mouths wide and asked sixty wen per sack.”
“What are we going to do?” Li Hongyue grabbed Su Wanqing. “Did you try going farther away to buy?”
Su Wanqing shook his head. “I did. But the amount I could collect wasn’t much, not even enough for a single day’s supply.”
“We’ve been buying soybeans and selling soy milk. Anyone paying close attention could connect the two,” Su Dashu said, his tone tinged with irritation. Their lives had only just begun to improve, and now they had been tripped up.
Su Tian frowned slightly. “Grandfather, don’t worry yet. The soybeans Father bought earlier can still last four or five days. Let’s prepare tomorrow’s supply first. I’ll think of a solution.”
The stall’s reputation had been built on soy milk and douhua. Su Tian was unwilling to give it up just like that. But what could she do? She returned to her room and thought for a long time without coming up with a plan.
“Forget it. I’ll deal with it tomorrow. When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally go straight. If we run out of soybeans and still can’t get more, we’ll just have to grit our teeth and change the menu,” she silently encouraged herself.
The next day, as usual, they went to the stall. After finishing their last sale, a young attendant walked over from across the street.
“Miss Su, I am from Lingyun Tower on East Street. Our shopkeeper has long heard of Miss Su’s exceptional abilities. Today he would like to invite you over for tea and a chat.” The attendant cupped his hands politely, smiling.
Su Tian was bewildered. “Lingyun Tower? Young sir, you must have mistaken me. I don’t know your shopkeeper.”
The attendant asked, “Is your stall the one that sells tofu?”
Su Tian nodded.
“Then that’s correct. Please grant us this honor.” He made a gesture inviting her to follow.
Li Hongyue grabbed Su Tian’s hand and shook her head, worry written across her face.
After a brief moment of thought, Su Tian made up her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Su Wenzu and Zheng Chunmiao approaching with their cart. She squeezed Li Hongyue’s hand reassuringly and gave her a look.
“Mother, Eldest Brother and Aunt are here. You and Aunt head home first. I’ll go with Eldest Brother. When we’re done, I can buy a few things to bring back.”
Turning to the attendant, she said, “Please lead the way.”
Su Wenzu had already heard the conversation. He handed the cart over to Zheng Chunmiao and stood behind Su Tian.
The attendant visibly relaxed and began leading them.
The three arrived at East Street. At a glance, Su Tian saw the prominent signboard of Lingyun Tower. Upon entering, she noticed tofu dishes on the tables in the main hall. Her suspicions grew stronger.
The attendant led the two of them straight to a private room on the third floor. When the door opened, a well-fed middle-aged man was already seated at the table, waiting.
Seeing them, the man immediately stood up to greet them. “You must be Miss Su. I’ve heard much about you. Please, sit, sit—no need to be restrained.”
Su Tian was not overly polite. If her guess was correct, the shopkeeper’s intentions concerned her tofu recipe.
Sure enough, after signaling for tea and pastries to be served, the man spoke. “Miss Su, I am the shopkeeper of Lingyun Tower. My surname is Zhang. You may call me Shopkeeper Zhang.”
“Shopkeeper Zhang.” Su Tian nodded. “May I ask why you invited me here?”
Shopkeeper Zhang waved his hand. “To be honest, Miss Su, I am quite interested in your method of making tofu.” He lifted his teacup and took a sip.
Su Tian exchanged a glance with Su Wenzu, seeing understanding in his eyes. She replied politely, “It was merely a method I stumbled upon at home. It cannot compare to the skills of your master chefs.”
Shopkeeper Zhang laughed. “Miss Su, let’s speak plainly. I’ll offer fifty taels to buy your tofu recipe. What do you say?”
“Fifty taels?”
“That’s right. Fifty taels for the recipe.” He took another sip of tea. “Miss Su is intelligent. You must have noticed that our restaurant has already added your tofu to the menu. Whether in texture, flavor, or dish combinations, it has elevated our offerings.”
Su Tian nodded.
Shopkeeper Zhang stroked his beard. “So, Miss Su, will you do this deal or not?”
“Fifty taels, Shopkeeper Zhang or I would be at a loss.” Su Tian smiled sweetly.
He frowned. “At a loss? My chefs bought your tofu to taste. It carries the fragrance of beans. If I’m not mistaken, it’s made from soybeans, correct?”
Su Tian did not deny it. “That’s correct. But does Shopkeeper Zhang know that tofu is processed from soy milk and douhua? So if you buy the tofu recipe, you’re actually buying all three recipes in my hands: soy milk, tofu, and douhua. Wouldn’t I be losing out?”
“Oh?” Shopkeeper Zhang leaned forward unconsciously. “So the three are connected in this way.”
After pondering for a moment, he said, “In that case, why don’t you name your price, Miss Su, and we’ll discuss further.”
“Shopkeeper Zhang is a straightforward man.” Su Tian took a sip of tea to moisten her throat. “Eighty taels for the three recipes. What do you think?”
Shopkeeper Zhang had prepared himself for an outrageous demand, but when he suddenly heard eighty taels for three recipes, he thought inwardly, As expected of a young girl. Someone with more experience would have asked for several hundred taels for such an exclusive secret. Just as he was about to agree, Su Tian continued.
“But I have one more condition. Eighty taels will only buy a five-year exclusivity.” Su Tian was satisfied to see the shock on his face. “Within five years, I will not sell these three foods anywhere in the entire Qinglu Prefecture, nor will I teach the recipes to anyone else. What do you think?”
Shopkeeper Zhang fell silent. Su Tian was in no hurry. She sipped her tea leisurely and even gestured for Su Wenzu to eat some pastries.
“Shopkeeper Zhang, since your chefs were able to taste that these foods are made from soybeans, others will be able to as well. Sooner or later, someone will figure out how to make them. It’s only a matter of time.” She finished her cup of tea. “Buying the rights permanently has no real meaning. What matters now is seizing the initiative—establishing your position in the market before others discover the method.”
“Besides, do you really think that if I continue selling, I won’t eventually earn eighty taels myself? It’s just a matter of time.”
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Zhang’s brows relaxed. “That makes sense. Miss Su, your words have awakened me from a dream. Very well, it’s settled.” He instructed the attendant to bring paper and brush.
“One more thing,” Su Tian added. “I hope the prices of soy milk and douhua won’t be raised in the short term. Business relies on trust. My soy milk sells for one wen, surely you won’t double the price here? Of course, the pricing of tofu dishes is up to you.”
“No problem. I was primarily interested in the tofu anyway. The other two will follow your suggestion.”
They finalized the contents of the contract, signed and stamped it in turn. There were two copies, one for each party.
“Miss Su, please wait here for a moment. I’ll have the attendant file the contract with the authorities. He’ll return shortly.” With the matter settled, Shopkeeper Zhang was beaming and even more courteous.
After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the attendant returned with the officially registered contract and handed it to Su Tian.
She accepted and put it away carefully. “This evening, soak the soybeans in water overnight. I’ll come at this time tomorrow to teach the remaining steps.”
Shopkeeper Zhang nodded repeatedly. “I’ll give the instructions right away.”
“Oh, right.” Su Tian suddenly remembered something. “Please allow my family two more days to sell the remaining soybeans we still have.”
Shopkeeper Zhang waved it off. “A small matter. Do as you see fit.”
After finishing her instructions, Su Tian pulled Su Wenzu out of the restaurant.
From the moment Shopkeeper Zhang mentioned fifty taels, Su Wenzu had been in a daze, as if his soul had wandered off.
Once outside, he grabbed Su Tian tightly, his eyes slightly red. “Sis… th-this fifty—no, eighty taels… they’re ours? We really have eighty taels now??”
Even through her sleeve, Su Tian could feel his trembling hands, and her heart tightened. “Yes, Eldest Brother. The eighty taels are ours.”
“Good… that’s wonderful…” His voice choked. “Let’s hurry home. Let Grandfather and Grandmother be happy too.”
“Alright.”