Chapter 90: Can't Keep the Recipe

I stir‑fried a duck blood, made a sour‑soup beef with sliced beef, also made a sour‑soup fish, retrieved a large portion of braised bone broth from my space and warmed it, then steamed a pot of rice.

Although the varieties are few, each dish is generous enough to satisfy so many people.

Early in the morning, the kitchen aromas attracted the sleeping people.

One by one they got up, headed to the kitchen, and upon seeing Qiao Mai cooking, they grinned.

After the Wang family father and son finished the breakfast, they asked Yuan Jiaqi to take the children to the courtyard to play, and negotiations began inside.

"Including yesterday's and today's recipes, I'll pay twenty thousand taels to buy them outright."

Qiao Mai shook her head, "Fifty thousand taels, not even a single wen less."

"You're really being a lion with that opening, aren't you?"

Qiao Mai smiled, "Don't be hasty; please listen to me first. If what I say is wrong, you can call me black‑hearted later."

"Hmm, the shop will be handed over soon, right?"

She has food in her space, so there's no need to buy fruits, vegetables, or seasonings; the only expense is the monthly silver for twelve people.

This means she has to add twelve people; if it weren't for the fifty thousand taels, she truly wouldn't dare consider hiring.

The shopkeeper's monthly wage is one tael, enough to barely survive; the assistants get two hundred wen, all of which she has inquired about and are on the higher end of prices.

Qiao Mai handed the recipe to Wang Zongsheng, who examined it repeatedly, very carefully.

The last time that tooth merchant received her, "Qiao Niang, have you arrived?"

Adding the pocket money for the children, about twenty taels a month is sufficient.

"Speak directly."

On the ninth day of the fourth month, one shopkeeper and two assistants were in place.

"You may go ahead; I, Qiu, will certainly secure the gate for you."

She inhaled deeply; it seems that after the shop opens, she'll need to stock more goods, as this whole family must be sustained, leading to considerable monthly consumption.

Not hiring people isn't feasible; Lu the shopkeeper and his group will also come to stay, and with more people, the number of servants cannot be fewer.

The matter was settled, leaving Wang Zongsheng very satisfied; after a short rest, he didn't stay for lunch, and left with Wang Jiaru and Wang Zihan.

Finally seeing them off, Qiao Mai resolved that once she moves to the new house, she'll hire two kitchen maids; she can't keep cooking like this—it would wear her out.

If you want to buy, just buy; in any case, working at her house is better than elsewhere—let's see who's fortunate.

Also, the shop will be finished soon; once the renovation is done, it can open for business.

The household items weren't scarce; when they arrived the cart was empty, and when they left only the father and son remained behind, the cart was packed full.

"Hmm, it's necessary."

The two nodded, "Is the recipe ready?"

"Bring paper and pen; we'll draft the contract!"

After figuring it out, once the Qingming Festival passed, she went to the tooth shop.

Qiao Mai, holding the child, looked over at the new house; most of the building was up, the progress seemed steady, and by June it should be ready for renovation and furniture.

He handed her the fifty‑thousand‑tael silver note, "Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl, do we still need to draft a contract?"

"Is there any left?"

The Wang father and son inhaled sharply, "It really is quite a lot."

Both parties were straightforward, and in no time the documents were completed; Wang Zongsheng looked at Qiao Mai and sighed.

"Yes, you may commence renovation and use it at any time."

Having received the fifty thousand taels, Qiao Mai was in a good mood; let it be fully stocked.

"Everything is ready."

The upcoming meals will be relatively light, yet still tasty.

"There are many recipes, all highly beneficial. Sweet potatoes can not only be made into these dishes but also boiled into a broth that enhances the back kitchen, making the dishes more flavorful; especially when added to soups, they thicken and smooth the broth. You should know these items can be stored long‑term, produced in bulk, and sold nationwide, even abroad."

"It must be written; brothers keep accounts clear. I've taken your family's silver, and from now on I'll only use these recipes at home. No one can pry any words from my mouth. Of course, you must also keep it secret and not expose me."

One day's sales cover the profit, so there's no need to worry about lacking money later.

The Wang father and son inhaled sharply again, "Then why don't you set up a workshop?"

"Record it on the account and settle together,"

With these recipes, the Wang family won't need to come to her for recipes again within three to five years.

She also hopes the Wang family will popularize these recipes, so that later she can buy fragrant oil, sesame paste, and hot‑pot ingredients in Tianshui Town.

Wang Zongsheng took a silver note from his pocket; fortunately he brought extra, otherwise today would have been embarrassing.

The main point is that the few maids in her house are Embroidery Ladies, who can help temporarily, but not for long periods.

For her, whatever she does is out of hobby; if it becomes a profession, that hobby and interest will be worn out.

"I didn't expect Qiao Niang's true self to stay hidden!"

"I want to hire twelve people: one shopkeeper, two assistants, two Wang Jiaru's Servant Girls, two kitchen maids, five Cushi Popo; people must be honest and reliable, character first, appearance second. Is that possible?"

"First, the recipes you're buying appear to be recipes, but several of them aren't. For example, the minor ingredient used in hot‑pot—do you know what it's made of?"

After several good meals, the old Mr. Wang no longer raised any demands.

"What if my people don't know how?"

"It's made from sesame, which can be turned into sesame paste or fried into fragrant oil. Pure sesame paste isn't tasty; it needs to be processed with another ingredient. The minor ingredient also contains two other items, which are also recipes: Doufuruzhi and chive flower sauce. Just this minor ingredient accounts for three recipes, all highly beneficial. Do you think I'll sell them for twenty thousand silver?"

"Yes, yes."

"Ten days is a bit tight, but it should be manageable."

By this calculation, it won't cost much; the main advantage is the powerful space, which saves her a lot of money on supplies.

"Indeed, the tooth shop is in this line of business."

"Qiu tooth merchant, I trust you; help me select: the shopkeeper around thirty, assistants steady around twenty, kitchen maids around thirty, and Cushi Popo not over forty."

She calculated in her mind: the shop needs one Shopkeeper, two assistants, the household needs two Kitchen Maids, two Wang Jiaru's Servant Girls to watch the children, and then five Cushi Popo?

The monthly silver here isn't high; a decent, trained Death Contract Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl earns only two hundred wen a month, a Kitchen Maid is about the same price, and a Cushi Popo only one hundred wen.

"Even if you come to me, the hand‑to‑hand instruction, it shouldn't lead to this situation; what I wrote above is very detailed."

"Being a farmer by birth, I would be meddling with these, making you two look embarrassed."

"Then you say it."

"Take what we ate this morning—cold jelly, wide noodles, vermicelli—as an example. It's made from sweet potatoes; you need to turn sweet potatoes into flour, then into vermicelli, rice noodles, wide noodles, and rice sheets. Tell me, how many recipes are in there?"

"Hmm, renovate the shop to the left of my Dameng, here's the blueprint; can it be completed in ten days?"

"It's simple. I have no connections, can't protect the recipes, they're only for family use; I only make them for people who know the roots. When ordinary people come to my house, I only make ordinary food."

The young lady is still small; she cannot be away from my hands to do other things, cannot fully tend the shop, and watching the shop makes it easy to neglect the young lady.

I have to say Qiu Yaren has been in this line for a long time; her eye for people is truly good, and she looks very satisfied with these three people.

He immediately bought these three, leading them to the shop; although the front is being renovated, the back, a house used as a warehouse, needs no renovation—only furniture is required.

The Shopkeeper's surname is Niu; the assistants have no names, so she gave them Dongcheng and Xi Jiu.

She gave the Shopkeeper one hundred taels of silver, telling him to have the two assistants first purchase furniture, then some daily necessities; the remaining silver should be used to buy an Account Book, an abacus, and pens, ink, paper, inkstones, etc.

(End of Chapter)