Chapter 291

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Whatever the deafening gongs and drums inside the Taixue, whatever the surging undercurrents at Nanlu Academy, the thousand schemes and hundred calculations — Song Miao, pushing a cart with a giant flatbread, had not yet learned any of it.

She returned to Suanzao Alley, busy for a spell, and just then Cheng Erniang, Zhang Siniang, and the others came back from delivering meals and buying supplies along the way, bringing back several kinds of materials and a few sets of clothing.

It was neither early nor noon; the food shop had a slight lull. Cheng Erniang called everyone over to discuss, then sought out Song Miao.

The matter was the clothing for the food shop staff.

Since the tables and chairs out front were all dining tables, she asked Song Miao to the back room, laid down a layer of cloth, and spread out the garments one by one on the table.

"These past days everyone's been looking. We went together to many embroidery workshops and clothing stores. Because ours is a long-term business, the Young Lady also said once the clothing is finalized, don't change it lightly. Best to be different from other food shops, but not too different. We searched and searched, finally picked these few. Though not entirely satisfactory, time is tight, so we rushed to bring them for the Young Lady to choose."

In the current hundred trades, each has its customary dress, so people can recognize them at a glance.

For instance, tea and drink sellers, men and women alike, mostly wear upper garment and lower garment, waist tied with apron or sweat towel, head wrapped in cloth with a baozi, feet in hemp shoes or straw sandals.

Then there are cart pullers, laborers, grooms, mostly in short jackets and long trousers, cloth bound at the waist, rush shoes with leg wrappings.

Song Ji is a food shop. After discussion, everyone felt they should still align with other food shops. Men and women alike: upper garment, lower garment. Besides binding waist and legs, there is one separate rule Song Miao set early on — those serving dishes and working the back kitchen must cover mouth and nose with a cloth towel.

Covering mouth and nose makes breathing less convenient than not covering, but it looks like it blocks flying saliva and sneezes, making diners easily curious. Once they ask and learn the purpose, eight out of ten immediately feel favor — ah, this food shop is actually this clean!

Song Miao listened to Cheng Erniang's introduction, then examined each of the garments everyone had selected. Seeing the styles were standard but the fabrics all somewhat coarse, she asked, "Which set did most people choose?"

Cheng Erniang pointed to two of them. "More chose these two. Only these two have light-colored fabric, very easy to get dirty, and expensive..."

Song Miao looked, then compared the price tags attached at the side. Sure enough, both were quite a bit more expensive.

She pondered briefly, not rushing to decide. "We don't necessarily have to pick from these. I see even the best fabric here feels a bit rough. As for dirt, darker colors are naturally better, less showing of dirt, but not necessarily black or brown. I originally thought our food shop clothes would be sent regularly to the washing workshop for cleaning, so no need to worry excessively."

As they spoke, someone in the back courtyard happened to be heaving heavy objects with hey-ho hey-ho chants.

Broad daylight, wooden windows open. Both turned at once to look out following the sound.

In the courtyard, vegetable washers washing, meat-jerky turners turning, green bean skin rubbers rubbing. In the back kitchen, those prepping ingredients, carrying firewood, preparing to add fire for the steamed buns to send to the Taixue.

Coming and going, a scene of bustle.

The ones shouting were Zhang Siniang and a newly hired short-term hire young lady.

The two carried a large basin of already-washed vegetables, preparing to take them into the back kitchen to cut.

The basin bottom inevitably held some water. Though both wore aprons and had sleeves bound and legs wrapped, still carelessly, some got splashed on trousers, some wet their clothes.

And Zhang Siniang, focused on the task, didn't mind other things. Backing through the door, her elbow hit the doorframe, caught by something, tearing a small slit in her sleeve with a hiss.

Cheng Erniang watched Zhang Siniang's sleeve from afar, then looked at the price tag in hand, lowered her head, thought seriously a moment, then said, "The Young Lady has always treated me as one of her own, so I won't be an outsider: although we earn a fair amount, the Young Lady still owes many debts. Right now the shop must open, everything needs purchasing — tables, chairs, pots, bowls, every blade of grass and scrap of paper costs money."

"Not many days, just preparing the shop's various things, already spent several dozen strings of cash. When I do the accounts, my heart panics a little."

"Other things can't be saved. The clothes we workers wear, as long as they're clean and tidy, whether the fabric is a bit better or worse can't be seen much. Doing the work, accidentally wiping or tearing — really not worth it. Better to use second-grade first, wait until later we save more money, then swap for good ones?"

"Also, the outside washing workshop washing a set of clothes isn't expensive, but with so many of us here, day after day, a month is also a not-small expense... Actually I thought, each person washing at home is the same!"

Song Miao heard this, heart warmed. She gently took Cheng Erniang's arm, said softly, "I know Er Niangzi speaks this way because you consider me, consider the food shop."

She explained the reasons for buying good clothes and having them washed.

Still that same saying: a person's energy is limited.

Song Ji's staff workload is already very large. Most must rise early. Even with more hands later, it's all real physical labor.

Return home, sky is dark. Late at night, if no one at home to help, by that single oil lamp, even wanting to wash clothes you can't see clearly.

And things worn on the body like clothes and shoes, naturally should use comfortable, good-looking fabric, proper tailoring. Then not only does the wearer have a good mood, but diners seeing it also feel pleased, mood relaxed.

Song Miao explained in detail, then said: "Clothes made, as long as they're in the food shop, mostly worn daily. We can choose better fabric, styles most to our liking. Otherwise a busy day, already hard, still stuffed in coarse cloth — right now not completely unable to afford, choosing expensive, this little bit doesn't matter!"

Also said: "Er Niangzi is right. To make money, must open sources, naturally also must cut costs. But we do the diner business — wine fragrant still fears deep alley. One side the food must be good, the other side must know how to hawk."

"Isn't there a common saying, called 'people rely on clothing, horses rely on saddles'?"

Song Miao pointed at the few sets of clothes on the table: "Our food shop can't afford expensive furnishings for now, but many dishes are priced not low. If customers come, see everything plain, they'll naturally feel your food might not be worth that much — so the tables, chairs, plates, bowls, cups we ordered aren't cheap."

Cheng Erniang hurriedly said: "Young Lady rest assured, this reasoning I understand. Just seeing money spent so much, my heart really panics!"

She hesitated a moment, then said: "Saying this is a bit inauspicious — I fear the Young Lady miscalculates, ends up suffering hardship, not earning much money!"

Song Miao heard, calculated in her heart, gave Cheng Erniang a number. "Er Niangzi rest assured, take people to buy. As long as it doesn't exceed this amount, it's all fine!"

Also said: "I am the proprietor. If no profit, I should think of a way myself. After all, if profit, I take the most — can't just know to eat meat myself, when beaten, drag others out to pad the blame?"

But seeing Cheng Erniang so anxious for her, she knew besides this person's ever-cautious careful nature, mostly because these days matters increase, many things the other never experienced before, making her more prone to tension.

Additionally, she herself often acts too alone. Has numbers in heart, but leaks the explanation of beginning and end, easily making the manager's heart unsettled.

Song Miao did not say more words of either comfort or encouragement.

She went next door to fetch paper, brush, account books. Facing Cheng Erniang, she copied out last month's pure profit, divided it into several portions, circled one portion, said: "Come August, there will be another this much. It's what I originally planned to keep for the shop opening."

"What the shop has now, what it lacks, we already listed before. Er Niangzi, when free, tally once. The rest, rush to finish purchasing and arranging this period, then pick another auspicious time."

"Silver and cash only this much. How to divide, how to use, you can discuss with everyone together, draft a proposal for me."

A few sentences spoken, here another share of matters was assigned. Holding the paper Song Miao wrote, Cheng Erniang instead had no more idle heart to worry about the rest, but kept calculating how much already used, how much left, how to make the remaining money blossom.

Wait until the food shop was busy seven or eight parts. Today she seized cracks to insert needles, taking advantage of a bit of leisure, in batches led people out again to clothing stores and embroidery workshops to select clothes.

This time everyone selected a few more sets. Appearances much better, prices much uglier.

Everyone already brought the sample clothes back to the food shop, still discussing nonstop.

Cheng Erniang today is not as before.

She entered the Capital not long ago, followed Song Miao to work. Subtle influence, conduct style also somewhat affected. She dislikes hiding things, so early on she laid everything out with everyone.

The proprietor is generous, wants everyone to wear more comfortably, daily more relaxed. So she took out a sum of money for making clothes, washing clothes.

Now no need to mind washing trouble, no need to over-worry price. Just properly choose a good-looking, generous, comfortable style and fabric.

Being able to choose their own clothes and styles, getting several sets of four-season clothing for free, everyone was naturally delighted.

Especially those short-term hired women, discovering they could also go pick, and would have a share of clothes to wear in the future, were even more excited.

Although it was said that if they didn't stay a full year the clothes couldn't be taken away, and if they wanted to take them they'd need to pay the clothing cost calculated by the month — but the few newcomers had all early on shown serious performance, decided to stay, so naturally didn't have this worry.

Song Ji's benefits and drawbacks were both very obvious; the benefits were that the pay was high, the atmosphere in the food shop was extremely good, the proprietor and manager were harmonious, when work was done well there was both praise and reward, and they wouldn't suffer a bit of grievance.

The drawback was simply that the management was too strict.

Just washing vegetables four times could persuade many people to leave.

Precisely because of this, once one accepted these troublesome matters, everything else was benefits; having gotten used to working here, going elsewhere would instead be very uncomfortable.

Cheng Erniang led a group picking and choosing, while Song Miao took advantage of this bit of spare time, in the room picked up brush and ink, and wrote down those dish names the Taixue students had ordered yesterday, along with some dishes she had originally thought of.

During these days when the food shop was about to open but not yet open, the things she had to do were very many.

Most of the rest could be entrusted to others to follow up, only the selection of dishes and the finalization of cooking methods had to be done by Song Miao herself.

According to the current plan, the front hall needed to have two small elegant rooms partitioned off, the remaining space would have large and small tables arranged, totaling about twenty tables.

Meal time is a gust of wind, meaning if guests really came, it was very likely several tables would order and urge dishes simultaneously.

And currently at Song Ji, besides Song Miao's cook, there were properly only two: one Zhang Siniang, one Dabing; the former was stronger at Red Kitchen, the latter better at White Kitchen, but both still couldn't completely cook dishes independently on their own.

Song Miao's response method was: some things that could be done in advance, like simmered, braised, roasted, drinks, could all be prepared ahead; but if certain dishes were wanted, they needed to be ordered in advance, otherwise it couldn't be guaranteed they'd be available.

But most importantly, how to adjust the cooking sequence and techniques of certain dishes, to preserve flavor as much as possible while reducing difficulty and increasing flavor, to ensure that even if she wasn't there, Zhang Siniang and Dabing the two could still handle it with ease.

Some dishes are simple; if steamed or boiled, as long as she gave the seasoning proportions and personally mixed the Xiao sauce, after guiding a few times, once familiar with the situation, they could try doing it.

Looking at the list just recalled, Song Miao read it over, and before long picked out several suitable ones to try new methods on.

Just as she was calculating in her heart, she saw a person hurriedly walk to under the eaves, and ask: "Young Lady, are you free?"

Song Miao looked up, it was a short-term hired woman.

She had only written the dishes halfway; if interrupted, when she came back she might not be able to pick up the original train of thought, so she asked: "What is it? Is it urgent?"

The other party hurriedly said: "Hard to say — it's Cheng Erniangzi who sent me to find Young Lady, saying that old woman mentioned yesterday actually came again today, right now she's sitting outside, she asked if Young Lady was in, and brought many things, looking quite polite!"

Song Miao followed up asking: "What's this A'po called, what's her origin? Do you know?"

That short-term hired woman said: "Vaguely heard the surname Shen; as for origin, I was in a hurry to report the news, didn't hear..."

Hearing that "Shen" character, Song Miao's heart stirred, she hurriedly put down the brush, stood up, went out to the front hall.

Sure enough there was a person sitting by the table, and on the other side sat Cheng Erniang — the latter holding several cloth samples in her hand, looking at them incessantly.

Seeing Song Miao come out, Cheng Erniang hurriedly stood up, saying: "Young Lady, there's a Shen A'po here, saying she heard we're making clothes for everyone in the food shop, wants to take this business, specially came to deliver samples!"

As she spoke, she welcomed her over, passed the few cloth samples in her hand to before Song Miao, and secretly pointed at the price list on top, making a gesture.

Song Miao followed her indication and took a look.

Very good material, at a price so low it was practically giving it away.