Chapter 16

Du Ruo looked up and saw a restaurant called "Zui Meng Ju," three stories high, with an ancient style and very grand.

Just as they entered, a waiter came to greet them, smiling very obsequiously, "Young Master, you're here?"

Shang Tianyou sat down in the main hall with a flourish and asked, "Where is Uncle Qiu? I have something to find him for."

Manager Qiu heard the news and came down quickly. He was a man in his forties with a wealthy look, smiling at Shang Tianyou like a Maitreya Buddha.

"Oh, my young master, why are you here? Is the food at the academy not good, and you're craving something? Wait, I'll have someone prepare something delicious right away!"

Shang Tianyou was the only son in his family and the sole heir to all the Shang family's businesses. Manager Qiu was a shrewd person and naturally wanted to curry favor with him in advance.

"No need, Uncle Qiu. I'm not here for good food today, but to bring you something good."

Shang Tianyou pulled Jiang Zhan over, "Let me introduce you. This is my good friend, Young Master Jiang. His sister-in-law, Lady Du, has a recipe for an excellent dish. You give a price."

Fearing Manager Qiu wouldn't understand his meaning, he also gave him several winks.

Manager Qiu understood.

Looking at the two's attire, it was clear that their family was not wealthy, so he thought they were using his young master's influence to seek some benefits.

Poor families had trouble even with food and clothing, so what kind of good dishes could they make? It was just that his young master was kind-hearted and wanted to help these two.

Manager Qiu thought this way, but didn't show it on his face, only smiling, "In that case, please ask Lady Du to move to the back kitchen. I will offer a price after I taste it."

Du Ruo didn't decline and followed the waiter to the back kitchen.

After thinking it over, she decided to make a fish and lamb stew.

First, the ingredients were easy to get; mandarin fish, carp, or crucian carp would all work, and lamb was also common. Second, it didn't take much effort to make. For a service industry like a restaurant, the most important things were good taste, affordable price, and fast service.

To avoid suspicion, the restaurant's head chefs had all been called out, leaving only a worker responsible for the fire.

Du Ruo first wandered around the kitchen and found some prepared lamb leg meat, marinated it with salt and starch, then scooped a lively crucian carp from the bucket and gutted it.

Soon, the fire was lit. She fried the fish until both sides were golden, added clear water, and after the water boiled, added the marinated lamb, using high heat to reduce the sauce.

A quarter of an hour later, the fish and lamb stew, with its perfect color, aroma, and taste, was ready.

Smelling the enticing aroma, the worker couldn't help but swallow his saliva, "Lady Du, what is this dish? It's so fragrant!"

Du Ruo served half a bowl of soup for him as a thank you, then plated the dish and took it to the main hall.

In the main hall, Shang Tianyou was chatting with Jiang Zhan. She didn't know how he had so much to say, muttering away without feeling tired. Jiang Zhan was as concise as ever, answering only what was asked.

Manager Qiu was very observant, just sitting by and accompanying them with a smile, not interrupting.

Seeing Du Ruo come out, everyone stood up together.

Du Ruo opened the lid, and a rich aroma permeated the entire hall.

Looking again, the golden fish, the tender meat, the thick sauce, plus the garnished green onions—both the color and the taste had almost reached perfection, making anyone who saw it want to dig in.

Manager Qiu was shocked.

This, this was really made by the woman in front of him who was dressed simply and had pustules all over her face?

He couldn't wait to serve a bowl, drank a few sips of the soup first, then tasted the fish and lamb on the tip of his tongue. The freshness of the fish and the tenderness of the meat were perfectly fused together, becoming a soul-stirring, supreme delicacy.

When he came back to his senses and wanted to serve a second bowl, he found that the whole large plate had been taken away by his young master, not even leaving a scrap for him.

"Delicious, too delicious!" Shang Tianyou waved his hand boldly, "Someone, bring me eight or ten bowls of rice! This young master is going to break his fast today and won't stop until he's full!"

Manager Qiu had to put down his bowl with reluctance.

Du Ruo watched from the side, smiled, and got straight to the point, "Manager, are you satisfied with this dish?"

Satisfied, of course he was satisfied.

He couldn't be more satisfied!

But as a businessman, one should save where one can, so of course he had to try to lower the price first.

Manager Qiu said, "Not bad, but the cost is too high, with both fish and lamb. I'm afraid not many customers can afford it."

Du Ruo didn't argue with him and asked directly, "Then how much silver do you think it's worth?"

Manager Qiu thought for a moment, stretched out his finger, and said, "I..."

"Ten taels!" Shang Tianyou shouted.

Manager Qiu stumbled and almost fell.

Young master, your tone is too big; that's all your own family's silver!

Manager Qiu calmed down and said, "Five taels of silver to buy this recipe, what does Lady Du think?"

Du Ruo smiled without speaking.

Seeing her attitude, it was clear she was dissatisfied. Manager Qiu gritted his teeth and added two more taels.

"Seven taels, no more!"

Before Du Ruo could open her mouth, Shang Tianyou grabbed Jiang Zhan and walked out, saying as they walked, "Such a delicious dish, seven taels of silver, he really has the nerve to say it! Let's go, I'll take you to the Qunfang Pavilion across the street to try; I guarantee they'll offer a higher price than here!"

Manager Qiu: "..."

This ancestor, he's specifically tearing down his own family's stage!

If the other side really got this recipe, Zui Xian Ju would be in trouble!

Manager Qiu hurriedly stopped them and said helplessly, "My little ancestor, ten taels, okay? It can't be any higher."

Shang Tianyou hummed, "You should have said so earlier, that's more like it."

And so it was settled.

Du Ruo took out the recipe she had already written, exchanged the money for the goods, and went into the kitchen to give on-site guidance. After confirming that the restaurant's head chef knew how to make it, she took the silver and said goodbye.

After sending Shang Tianyou back to the academy, the two prepared to go to the medical clinic first. Du Ruo's illness could not be delayed any longer and had to be treated immediately.

Then they would buy some grain and daily necessities to take home...

Just as they were discussing, someone suddenly rushed toward them. Although Du Ruo was fat, her body was very weak, and she almost became a rolling gourd.

After finally stabilizing her figure, she looked up.

"Sister-in-law Yulan?"

Yao Yulan was about to say sorry, but when she saw it was Du Ruo and Jiang Zhan, her eyes immediately turned red, and tears fell down.

Du Ruo was startled.

What happened? Yao Yulan was not the type to cry like this; could something major have happened?

Before she could ask, Yao Yulan hugged her tightly and burst into tears.

"Something happened in the county. Someone wanted to kill those high officials, and as a result... as a result, many innocent people died... Wuwu, they were all people doing corvée labor there. We don't even know if our Jiang Tong is alive or dead..."

Jiang Zhan's face changed drastically.

Jiang Tong went to do corvée labor with his eldest brother, which meant his eldest brother was also there.

His eldest brother was the pillar of the family. If something happened to him, the family would collapse.

He simply dared not think further.

Du Ruo was also very panicked. Although she had never met Jiang Li and there was no talk of husband-and-wife affection, he was her husband after all, and the person closest to the three little ones.

She hoped he could be alive.

"I heard about this from a neighbor of my maiden family. His brother works in the government office and specifically brought me the news." Yao Yulan wiped her tears and continued, "The old man hasn't been feeling well lately, and I was afraid that if I told him, he wouldn't be able to handle it, so I didn't tell the family. But I really couldn't rest easy, so I planned to go to the county myself to find out."

Jiang Zhan's hands were shaking violently. He looked at Du Ruo.

"Sister-in-law..."

Du Ruo knew what he wanted to say and nodded, "Okay, let's go and see too."

No matter what, she had to see the person if they were alive, or the body if they were dead.