Unfortunately the seasonings were too limited—no Sichuan peppercorns, no pickled chilies, nothing of the sort. Guan Xiyue felt a little regretful. But it didn’t matter. Even with fewer ingredients, she could still make something far tastier than theirs.
She skillfully began filleting the fish. Her knife work was excellent—clearly the hands of an expert. Every slice was evenly thick. She then separated an egg, keeping only the whites, added starch, and used it to marinate the fish.
She washed the pickled mustard greens, shredded them, and stir-fried them in the pot until fragrant, then added warm water and seasoning. After removing the pickled greens, she added the fish to the pot, occasionally shaking it gently. Once the soup turned milky white, she returned the pickled greens to the pot.
When the fish with pickled mustard greens was served, Tang Yan hadn’t expected much. After all, this was just a young girl picked up by the roadside. Perhaps she wanted to repay a favor, or maybe she was short on money. Giving her a little silver would count as a good deed.
But after he took the first bite, he couldn’t stop.
Sour, refreshing, tender—and completely free of any fishy taste! He, who usually didn’t like fish, now found it a true delicacy.
He even called over the shopkeeper and the head chef to try it. Just like him, they were completely conquered by this unfamiliar yet delicious flavor.
The fish was ordinary, the pickled greens were ordinary—so why did it taste so different from any fish with pickled greens they had ever had before?
Seeing their expressions, Guan Xiyue knew it was a success. Good—she could make money again.
Tang Yan wasn’t interested in the small restaurant’s profits, but the shopkeeper certainly was. If business improved, they would earn more wages and better support their families.
The shopkeeper’s praise poured out endlessly. Guan Xiyue found it a little amusing—he was far too simple-minded. In a negotiation setting, this was a major mistake. Normally, even if one desperately wanted a deal, one would still point out flaws to lower the price.
But she didn’t know that, to the shopkeeper, she was a young lady brought by their refined young master, and therefore someone to be treated with utmost respect—no tricks involved.
Satisfied with their approval, Guan Xiyue smiled and asked, “Shopkeeper, how much do you think this recipe is worth?”
The shopkeeper switched to a formal tone. “Thirty taels of silver. Miss, what do you think?”
In truth, Guan Xiyue was already very satisfied and was about to agree when Tang Yan spoke up. “The young lady has it hard enough—let’s make it forty taels.”
This wasn’t the time to refuse money. Guan Xiyue gladly accepted his kindness. “I said it’s buy one get one free, so I’ll also add another simple dish—something easy but delicious.”
Once again, she entered the kitchen, and everyone waited in anticipation. She had already noticed salted duck eggs and eggplant in the kitchen, so she decided to make salted egg yolk eggplant.
She peeled and cut the eggplant into chunks, deep-fried them until crisp on the outside and tender inside, then set them aside. In another pan, she stir-fried mashed salted egg yolks until they formed a rich paste, then added the eggplant back in, tossing until evenly coated before seasoning and serving.
Without question, this unfamiliar salted egg yolk eggplant once again won everyone over.
Tang Yan praised generously, “Miss Guan is truly ingenious—to be able to blend two completely unrelated ingredients like this.”
A contract was signed and sealed with fingerprints, just like last time at Dongkang Tower when she sold the braised pork recipe. Both parties agreed that these two dishes could no longer be sold in Qucheng County.
At Tang Yan’s insistence, Guan Xiyue accepted fifty taels of silver. Five small silver ingots made her eyes light up with joy. She carefully taught the recipes to the head chef on the spot.
Tang Yan found her increasingly pleasing to the eye. The way people got along didn’t depend solely on appearance—he had seen many beautiful women before, but very few who made him feel this comfortable.
He himself didn’t fully realize it, but in the past, the women he met would either blush at the sight of him and speak barely above a whisper, or, if they were noble ladies, behave properly and reservedly in order to leave a good impression due to his status and talent.
But Guan Xiyue treated him like an old friend—relaxed and natural. He liked this ease.
Tang Yan personally escorted her to the restaurant entrance, only to see a man rushing over in a rage, shouting at Guan Xiyue, “Why are you still here? And who is this? Oh, is this the man who bought you?”
Before Tang Yan could frown and scold him, Guan Xiyue casually said, “Oh, Young Master Zhou. Thanks to me, your rotten body that was supposedly lying in bed helplessly can now actually move around. Instead of thanking me properly, you come barking in front of me?”
Zhou Zhengye had no dignity left. He had thought that after selling off Guan Xiyue, she would be crying somewhere in misery.
Instead, she was standing there clean and composed, accompanied by a refined young man.
The scandal had already turned the Zhou family into the biggest gossip in town, and he himself into a laughingstock.
Seeing her so well, an uncontrollable rage surged in him. “What’s your relationship with him? You pretty boy, do you even know who she is? She’s my concubine—one I discarded and sold! Picking up anything is fine, but you picked up my used woman!”
With a loud smack, Guan Xiyue slapped him hard across the face, leaving five clear finger marks.
Zhou Zhengye was furious and ordered his servants to attack her, but they were easily knocked down by Tang Yan.
Guan Xiyue snorted coldly. “Do you still think this is your Zhou household? Let me tell you, if you dare cause trouble again, I’ll beat you every time I see you. You worthless coward—go hide under your mother’s skirt where you belong and stop embarrassing yourself.”
Zhou Zhengye trembled with rage but dared not act again. Truthfully, he couldn’t even beat Guan Xiyue, let alone the man beside her who clearly knew martial arts.
Pointing at her, he stammered, “You… you…” but couldn’t finish a sentence.
Guan Xiyue raised her hand again as if to strike, and terrified, Zhou Zhengye fled with his servants.
Having vented her anger, she felt much better. Settling scores on the spot was truly one of life’s great pleasures.
Tang Yan was still in shock. What had he just heard? Miss Guan was a concubine the Zhou family had discarded and sold?
But Guan Xiyue didn’t care. She smiled and said, “Sorry to startle you, Young Master Tang. Yes, I was once a concubine of the Zhou family that they sold off. However, there’s a secret—I orchestrated it so they would sell me. Otherwise, I’d still be trapped in the Zhou household right now.”