Chapter 109: Chen Wuji is making a fortune every day

A pot salesman who can't cook will never be a good cook.

Chen Wuji used not to be a cook, and of course he still isn't, but his cooking skills are actually not bad.

After working for several years and eating outside food that gave him a bunch of ailments, he started cooking for himself.

Eating the same two or three dishes every meal got boring, so whenever he had free time he would research new variations.

But he never imagined that the little skill he learned to look after his own five viscera would actually become the breakthrough point for his business talks.

The wonders of worldly affairs are sometimes really hard to explain.

Chen Wuji's final dish of boiled fish slices came out of the pot.

A splash of hot oil, and the hot, spicy, fresh aroma instantly wafted out.

"Little brother, I'll buy this pot, ten of them!" a voice suddenly sounded from nearby.

Chen Wuji turned his head and saw the tavern shopkeeper standing beside him.

He was so focused on cooking that he didn't notice when this person had arrived.

"But I have a condition: you must teach this skill to the cooks in my shop!" Shopkeeper Li said immediately.

Chen Wuji shook his head decisively: "Shopkeeper Li, this is a family-secret skill; if I weren't selling pots I could open my own tavern without problem, I can't just pass it on lightly!"

That old geezer's idea is pretty nice—buying ten pots and still wanting him to give away the recipes.

Too ridiculous.

"I'll still buy it with money!" Shopkeeper Li said.

"Ten taels of silver per dish; I'll forget the earlier vegetable dishes, just want those later meat dishes."

"Thirty taels!" Chen Wuji thought it over and changed his mind.

If it can be sold, then it really should be sold.

According to his original intention, he definitely wouldn't want to sell it so easily.

But when he looked around, he suddenly noticed a problem.

The crowd gathered around to watch were all cooks, damn it.

These people are all insiders; who knows, they may have already seen seven out of eight.

Even if he doesn't sell now, they could figure it out after a few tries; then they'd use his dishes to make money, and he'd surely not get a single copper coin.

These dishes are fairly simple; the seasonings are clear, the steps aren't too complicated, the only thing is the heat control—basically there's nothing complex.

"Twenty taels," Shopkeeper Li said. "I'll say something unpleasant: today's affair, my subordinates' work isn't above board, there's a suspicion of stealing the craft; twenty taels I'm willing to pay, and I should, but thirty taels is too expensive."

"If I sell this family-secret skill, it will be completely gone," Chen Wuji said.

Shopkeeper Li smiled. "You could open your own tavern and still use it; why speak so absolutely? How about this: I'll take all six dishes for one hundred taels of silver."

"All right, all right." Chen Wuji shook his head in great regret. "I was in a hurry and forgot to clear the area; this matter is also my carelessness—I'll just take the loss."

These six dishes for a hundred taels.

Chen Wuji instantly felt no regret at all—no loss, not even a bit.

"And also…" Shopkeeper Li suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, "there are customers in the shop who also want to try that stir-fried yellow beef; could you stir-fry two more portions?"

"Huh?" Chen Wuji was dazed.

"No, I sell pots—how did I end up actually working as a cook?"

Shopkeeper Li put on a face, laughed awkwardly, and pleaded, "Brother, help me out; the people speaking are a few old regulars with some standing—how about I add another tael of silver?"

Faced with such a money‑adding layperson, Chen Wuji also felt helpless.

"It's just that Shopkeeper Li is my first customer today; otherwise I couldn't do it either way. Fine, I'll stir‑fry!" Chen Wuji sighed helplessly, rolled up his sleeves, and kept going.

This money he earned is utterly bewildering.

It's coming rather quickly.

If he'd known making money this fast was possible, he'd have gone hunting with a ball of yarn and almost starved to death on the mountain.

Little did he know, Chen Bushi, who had turned into a helper cook beside him, watched Chen Wuji's whole operation and was already numb. He didn't know where Chen Wuji had learned these skills, but he truly envied him.

Looking at Chen Wuji's money‑making speed, then thinking of how he used to trek over mountains, kill and loot to earn silver, his heart felt as unpleasant as eating a dish of cow‑hide soup stewed with pig brains dipped in vinegar—a mixed bag of feelings.

Chen Wuji went full blast and stir‑fried another three plates of yellow beef.

Just as he broke a sweat, Shopkeeper Li put on a face and came again: "Brother, why not help a bit more? Another customer ordered boiled fish slices, garlic eggplant, plus five more stir‑fried yellow beef dishes."

Chen Wuji: ……

"Seeing Chen Wuji's incredulous gaze, Shopkeeper Li also felt embarrassed and quickly said, "Brother, how about this: at this mealtime you help me out, get me through this rush, and I'll add a total of five taels of silver—what do you think? Those outside customers, I truly can't afford to offend; even if I lose money I must serve them well!"

"From now on, when you come to the shop to eat, I won't charge a penny, and I'll also give you a jar of wine."

Chen Wuji could see that Shopkeeper Li truly dared not offend the outside customers.

Five taels of silver should be enough to hire a cook for a year.

Chen Wuji reluctantly agreed: "I really see that Shopkeeper Li conducts himself openly; otherwise I truly couldn't do this job, and you saw I'm still covered in wounds."

"Yes yes yes, indeed, indeed." Shopkeeper Li nodded repeatedly.

Chen Wuji helplessly took up the task again, and demanded that the cooks nearby watch closely.

He got the work done, which also counts as teaching.

"Wuwei, what did you say we came here to do again?" Chen Bushi suddenly asked in a low voice.

The fire‑tender Chen Wuwei lifted his head, thought, and said, "Selling pots!"

"Have the pots sold?" Chen Bushi asked.

"They've sold—ten pots."

"Then have you learned it?"

Chen Wuwei shook his head: "I've only learned garlic eggplant; the rest I still haven't learned."

"You idiot, who told you to learn this?" Chen Bushi shook his head and scolded, "Your brother Wuji's skill set you can't learn; stop day‑dreaming—what you should learn is some people's shamelessness."

Chen Wuji looks completely bewildered.

He really doesn't feel shameless anywhere; he just feels that Wuji ge is really giving it his all.

He also earns a lot.

Chen Wuji said in between: "Don't listen to San Shu's improper nonsense; today I'm just giving a bad example—don't learn from me. You just need to learn one or two dishes when cooking, and you can occasionally improve your own meals."

Chen Wuwei nodded heavily, "Got it, Wuji ge."

He feels this is very reasonable.

While Chen Wuji was stir-frying, the young man who had boasted about buying a hundred pots walked in, belching and picking his teeth, saying, "Brother, your cooking skills are great—this meal really hit the spot. I'll take the pots, a hundred of them, no need to discuss price, just one tael."

"Really?" Chen Wuji was startled.

"Of course I really want them; when have I ever joked with you?" the man said arrogantly, "I'm Qian Fugui, and Hengtong Business Business Business Business Business is my family's. I plan to sell these pots to those northern barbarians and earn a few barbarian wives back."

Chen Wuji secretly thought, "No wonder."

This kid's arrogance really makes sense.

If he remembers correctly, Hengtong Business Business Business Business Business seems to be the biggest firm in Yunan.

"Delivery in five days, how about that?" Chen Wuji asked.

The pots have been sold, but the goods are insufficient.

"Okay." Qian Fugui considered a bit and agreed.

"How much deposit do you intend to ask?" he then asked.

"Just a token amount will do—give ten taels of silver." Chen Wuji said.

"Brother, you're also a straightforward person—let's settle it like this. Later come up front, we'll have a couple drinks together, and also let that Mr. Li serve as witness and sign the contract."

"Easy to say, easy to say."