Chapter 61: Chapter 61: He Has a Powerful Backing, He is Proud
Translator: 549690339
Fan Jia gave a thoughtful sound then sized up Shopkeeper He with an amused smile, “Your Extreme Taste Residence has been introducing a lot of new delicacies recently, a new one every day.”
The smile on Shopkeeper He’s face broadened, “I’m grateful for your attention, young master.”
Fan Jia clicked his tongue thoughtfully, “Is there an Extreme Taste Residence in the Capital City?”
“We have already sent the cold jelly noodles. However, whether we can continue to supply it depends on the storage of sweet potatoes. Currently, only White Deer Town’s Extreme Taste Residence offers the tofu and this Jade Flower dish,” Shopkeeper He responded.
“That’s a bit of a pity then.” Fan Jia tapped his fingers on the table.
His grandpa was more than eighty years old and had lost nearly all his teeth.
The Jade Flower dish would certainly suit his palate.
“Do you sell this recipe?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, Master Fan, we can’t sell the recipe,” Shopkeeper He hastily replied, a knot forming in his heart.
Fan Jia tapped the table again thoughtfully. The owner of the Extreme Taste Residence was the Left Chancellor of the current imperial court. Although his father was a close minister to the emperor, he wasn’t comparable to the Left Chancellor.
With evident disappointment, he added, “Bring two more bowls.”
Shopkeeper He readily agreed, “Master Fan, if there’s nothing else, 1 will take my leave now.”
Fan Jia casually nodded.
Shopkeeper He bowed respectfully to him and then carefully retreated from the private room.
He wiped non-existent perspiration from his forehead, his face a mixture of emotions.
Originally, he had just wanted to promote the tofu pudding. However, as the appeal of the tofu pudding exceeded his expectation, he almost couldn’t keep it to himself. If not for his strong backing, he could have lost it.
He clicked his tongue, feeling a bitter yet proud sense of victory.
With these mixed emotions, he knocked on the door of the next private room.
He needed to establish the reputation of tofu pudding. Such delightful food deserved to be sought after by the masses.
So he went about, from one private room to another promoting it. By the time he made it to the tenth room, both containers of tofu pudding had been sold out.
He paid Qiao Xiaomai 520 wen. After deducting the cost of the three bowls he ate and two bowls he sent out as tasting samples, he made a profit of 1,800 wen.
This was equivalent to over three hundred servings of stir-fried cold jelly noodles.
This was good business indeed.
Considering today’s demand, tomorrow’s supply of tofu pudding would certainly not meet the demand.
“Sigh… How can I convince Qiao Xiaomai to produce more?” he wondered.
Initially, he had planned to distribute the tofu to the nearby Extreme Taste Residence branches. However, even the supply for Bailu Town alone was insufficient.
Even though he had provided a large grindstone and loaned a donkey, Qiao Xiaomai only produced this little, not even enough to fill a small gap between teeth!
A minimum of a hundred catties per day would be much better!
And how to supply to the Capital City? As a loyal subordinate, he should send the best goods to the Capital City.
Qiao Xiaomai was unaware of Shopkeeper He’s predicament, nor did she know that he had sold her tofu pudding, priced at ten wen per bowl, for forty wen per bowl. She picked enough willow branches on the mountain and then descended with Qiao Dami.
On their way down, they stopped by a small river.
The village’s river was just over two meters wide, and its clear water allowed you to see finger-long small fish swimming freely. The little fish that Qiao Dami caught last time were deep-fried by her and it tasted quite good.
Villagers who wanted to catch small fish would either jump directly into the river as the shallow water wasn’t enough to drown a person, or stand on the rocks in the shallow water with a basin to scoop.
Qiao Xiaomai wasn’t planning to go into the water. She stood on a rock, holding her broken clay pot, ready to catch some fish.
Anyway, this was just for Qiao Dami to whip up something delicious, so catching a few would be more than enough..