Сhарtеr 12: Liаngрi
Although it wаs аlrеаdу past noоn, thе weathеr remainеd sоmеwhаt wаrm.
Нaving bееn оut аnd about аll morning, Xi Ning cravеd sоmething rеfrеshing.
Shе rоllеd up hеr slееves and knеаded а dough, letting it rest in а warm sрot for half аn hour.
During this timе, she brеwеd a pоt of tea аnd brоught it tо Рei Zhaо.
Тhе smаll courtуard hаd been tidiеd up nicеly. Xi Ning hаd asked Nannу Su tо рlaсе a stone tаble in thе уard. She hаd plantеd graреvinеs arоund it, which had аlreadу sрrоuted. By next year, а grаpe trellis cоuld bе set up.
“Third Маster, please have some chrysanthemum tea first. The meal will be ready a little later.”
The chrysanthemums were bought from the herbal medicine shop—ten wen per liang. They cleared heat and reduced internal heat. With a bit of rock sugar added, they became sweet and delightful, a flavor Xi Ning particularly enjoyed.
“Thank you for the trouble.”
Pei Zhao sat on the stone stool, feeling somewhat unsettled.
He must have been bewitched earlier to agree to Xi Ning’s suggestion. This woman had already disrupted his thoughts, yet instead of keeping his distance, he had deliberately drawn closer. It was like inflicting a thousand wounds on the enemy while suffering eight hundred himself.
Xi Ning nodded and returned to the kitchen.
The dough had finished resting. Xi Ning placed it in a basin of cold water and kneaded it as if washing clothes, changing the water three times in the process. She continued until the dough no longer shrank in size and the gluten turned yellow, indicating it was ready.
After fermenting the gluten for another half hour, she steamed it for a quarter of an hour. Once steamed, she cut the gluten into small pieces and set them aside to cool. Next came making the liangpi.
The starch water from washing the dough was left to settle, after which the clear water was poured off. She brushed oil onto a large plate, poured in an appropriate amount of the starch slurry, and swirled it evenly. Then, she placed it over boiling water to steam briefly. After cooling it in cold water, it transformed into translucent liangpi.
Xi Ning repeated this process over a dozen times. By the time she finished, Nanny Su and Rendong had returned.
“Third Master, Miss.”
The two hadn’t expected Pei Zhao to be there. In the past, the Third Master rarely visited, sometimes not coming for months. But lately, he had been visiting frequently. Could it be that he had finally recognized their Miss’s virtues?
They were so excited they could hardly contain themselves, as if they could already envision their Miss entering the Duke’s mansion.
Xi Ning had also prepared the side dishes and sauce. Unsure whether Pei Zhao ate spicy food, she added two spoonfuls of zanthoxylum oil to the sauce. Even just two spoonfuls made it incredibly fragrant.
“Let’s eat.”
Nanny Su and Rendong helped her carry the food into the house. It was still bright outside, so there was no need to light lamps indoors.
The liangpi was crystal clear and translucent, thin as cicada wings. Topped with shredded carrots, fried peanuts, and drizzled with the prepared sauce, it was mouthwateringly fragrant.
The main dish was the leftover vegetable buns. Xi Ning didn’t go out of her way to cook something special for Pei Zhao because of his status; she simply reheated the vegetable buns and served them.
However, Pei Zhao had never tasted them before. Even as leftovers, they were better than what the chefs in the capital could make.
The vegetable buns were crisp and refreshing, cutting through the richness, while the liangpi was smooth and appetizing. Paired together, they stimulated the appetite.
It was also Pei Zhao’s first time eating spicy food. The novel flavor caught his attention, but after finishing, he felt the spiciness was missing something. Perhaps it would have been even better if it were spicier.
Still, it was already delicious as it was. He should be satisfied.
Pei Zhao had a hearty appetite. He alone ate three bowls of liangpi, not to mention half a pot of vegetable buns. Between him and his servant, they consumed what would have been two days’ worth of food for Xi Ning and the other two.
After the meal, even Pei Zhao felt a bit embarrassed.
He really had eaten a bit too much.
“It was very delicious.”
“I’m glad Third Master enjoyed it.”
Xi Ning suppressed the twitching corner of her mouth. If Pei Zhao had said it was merely passable this time, she would definitely not invite him for a meal again. Fortunately, he knew better.After drinking some tea to aid digestion, Pei Zhao left with Chang Lin. When Xi Ning was tidying up after they had gone, she discovered a fifty-tael banknote he had left on the table.
It turned out that Chang Lin had already learned from Nanny Su the reason why Xi Ning was going out of the city—to buy a manor. Pei Zhao did not try to stop her.
Xi Ning had no one to rely on and was a woman; it was only right for her to have some assets for security. Yet, he felt somewhat troubled.
Did this woman not realize how dangerous it was for a weak woman like her to venture out of the city so rashly? If the manor were filled with wicked people, she would be like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den.
Out of gratitude for the delicious liangpi, Pei Zhao refrained from scolding her. However, after leaving, he instructed Chang Lin to assign two men to secretly protect her.
His concern was not because he had feelings for her, but because Xi Ning was obedient, useful, and cooked well. As her nominal husband, he naturally had an obligation to protect her.
Pei Zhao silently repeated this to himself, as if trying to convince himself.
When Xi Ning saw the fifty-tael banknote, she didn’t overthink it. Although Pei Zhao was a bit aloof, he was generous. A single meal of liangpi had earned her fifty taels of silver. If she served other dishes, she would surely make a fortune.
Xi Ning was already looking forward to Pei Zhao’s next visit.
Once April passed, the capital grew thoroughly hot. The Xi family’s wonton noodles, being a hot dish, were somewhat affected by the weather.
Over the past two months, Nanny Su and the others had earned a little over five taels of silver. Without the five hundred and fifty taels Pei Zhao had given her, Xi Ning would have considered it a decent sum. But now, in comparison, it seemed insignificant.
No matter how well the snack stall did, the earnings were limited. To make real money, she needed to open a shop.
She had already purchased the manor. Aunt Wang helped her negotiate the price, and it cost a total of four hundred and ninety-six taels. Xi Ning then gave Aunt Wang four taels as a token of appreciation for her efforts, exactly spending the five hundred taels.
Xi Ning now had fifty-five taels left.
Although housing prices in the northern part of the city were not high, a good location could still cost over a hundred taels. Xi Ning’s current funds were far from enough.
However, she wasn’t fixated on buying; renting a suitable place would also work.
She entrusted this matter to Aunt Wang. Besides renting a shop, Xi Ning also wanted to hire a few more people.
Nanny Su and Rendong could manage the snack stall, but they wouldn’t be able to handle a shop on their own.
As the weather grew hotter, she had more food ideas she wanted to sell. Relying solely on herself to cook would be exhausting. Although Xi Ning didn’t mind her recipes being learned, she was currently powerless and without influence. Before establishing herself, she needed to keep the recipes for her fortune-making dishes under her control.
Helpers could be paid monthly wages, but those who learned cooking from her had to sign lifelong contracts.
To be safe, Xi Ning asked Aunt Wang to select people for her.
By the time May arrived, Aunt Wang had already sent word.
There were three shops available. After inspecting them personally, Xi Ning chose the one on Middle Street in the northern part of the city.
It was a two-section shop, with tables and benches already in place. The shop had originally been used for food business, but the owner’s skills were mediocre, and it had been operating at a loss for two years, which was why he wanted to let it go.
Xi Ning was satisfied with the location and layout. With some minor renovations, it would be ready to use. Moreover, the price was reasonable—two taels of rent per month, which was quite affordable for her current situation. Once she started making money, she could buy the shop outright.
After paying the rent and signing the contract, Xi Ning began selecting her staff.
She needed two people for cooking, two for serving and cleaning, and Nanny Su would handle the front counter and cashier duties. Rendong would run errands for her in the future, so she needed to hire four more people in total.The two people washing dishes were familiar faces from Wutong Street. One was Madam Chen from the street corner, in her thirties, quiet and reserved by nature. Her husband had a slight limp and couldn’t handle heavy labor, so the family relied entirely on her efforts.
Aunt Wang recommended her partly out of personal consideration. Madam Chen was well-known on Wutong Street for her diligence and willingness to work hard. Moreover, her husband was also a good man—unable to do heavy work, he stayed home doing some carpentry. The couple was kind and well-liked by the neighbors.