Chapter 41 -

Chapter 41: Chapter

By late afternoon, the old kitchen was filled with the warm, spicy aroma of boiled ginger, dried longan, and dark brown sugar.

After hours of peeling, slicing, crushing, and carefully monitoring the boiling pots, Yimei and the girls had finally managed to yield three large ceramic jugs of winter ginger tea.

Yimei poured a small measure into a porcelain cup, held it up to the light to check its deep amber clarity, and took a slow sip. The heat bloomed down her throat, rich and warming, but her brows knit together slightly.

"It is good," Yimei said, setting the cup down on the table. "Edible, and pleasing enough for regular patrons. But it still needs mending before it is fit for Lady Ruyan’s engagement banquet. The spice of the aged ginger hits a second too late, and the sweetness needs balancing. We will try more variation recipes tomorrow before we settle on the final blend."

Qinqin wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and smiled. "Even if it isn’t your final masterpiece yet, Miss, it smells wonderful."

"And it shouldn’t go to waste," Yimei said calmly. She turned to Qinqin. "Go down and inform the head clerk to call the front staff. Tell him to add these three jugs to today’s menu as a seasonal special."

Qinqin blinked, surprised. "Sell them here today?"

"Yes," Yimei said, her voice firm. "I told Young Master Xiao I do not take anything for free. He offered to rebuild my tea house without taking from my share, but I will not owe him a favor. The revenue from my winter tea sold at Wenlong Tea House will serve as my payment for the reconstruction costs."

Lin Fang nodded in silent approval, while Qinqin quickly wiped her hands and headed downstairs to pass along the instruction.

Upstairs in his study, Xiao Jun sat by the window, idly turning a white jade cup between his fingers.

The door opened quietly, and Ah Hei stepped inside, bowing his head.

"Young Master."

"Did Young Madame Bai finish in the kitchen?" Xiao Jun asked without turning around.

"She has concluded her work for today," Ah Hei reported. "She brewed three jugs of winter ginger tea. However, instead of taking them, she instructed the head clerk to add them to our menu immediately and sell them to our patrons."

Xiao Jun raised an eyebrow, a faint, amused smile touching his lips. "Add it to our menu? Did she say why?"

"She stated that she does not accept charity," Ah Hei replied dutifully. "She intends for the profits from her winter tea sales at Wenlong Tea House to pay for the cost of rebuilding her shop."

Xiao Jun let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "She truly refuses to owe anyone a single copper." He set his empty cup down on the desk with a light clink. "Ah Hei, go downstairs and bring me a teapot of that winter tea before the customers finish it off."

Downstairs in the main hall, the head clerk announced the addition of Young Madame Bai’s winter ginger tea to the menu. At first, a few curious scholars and wealthy merchants ordered a cup simply out of intrigue for a new seasonal blend.

The moment the warm, fragrant liquid touched their lips, the quiet chatter in the main hall shifted.

The rich, deep spice of the aged ginger warmed the chest instantly, followed by a smooth, delicate sweetness that softened the lingering heat. It was nothing like the sharp, unrefined ginger brews commonly sold across the capital.

"What kind of blend is this?" one merchant exclaimed, staring at his empty clay cup in disbelief. "It warms the stomach without burning the throat!"

"The flavor is remarkably balanced," a scholar nearby agreed, gesturing frantically to a passing waiter. "Bring another pot to our table! Quickly, before it runs out!"

Within half an hour, word spread from table to table. Patrons who had originally ordered standard green tea began demanding the new winter brew. The three ceramic jugs Yimei had prepared were emptied far faster than the head clerk had anticipated, leaving latecomers complaining that they had missed out on a fresh pot.

Upstairs in the private room, Ah Hei returned carrying a freshly poured porcelain teapot and a single cup. He placed it carefully on the table before Xiao Jun.

"The main hall is in an uproar, Young Master," Ah Hei reported, his tone unusually animated. "The three jugs were sold out almost immediately. The patrons are calling it a unique blend and are demanding more."

Xiao Jun poured the amber tea into his cup, the rising steam carrying a rich, spiced aroma. He took a sip, letting the spice and sweetness settle on his palate.

A slow, entertained smile spread across his face.

"Unique indeed," Xiao Jun murmured, setting the cup down. He glanced toward the direction of the third-floor kitchen. "She claims this batch still needs mending... yet she has already won over my entire tea house in a single afternoon."

...

The head clerk hurried up the wooden stairs to the third-floor kitchen, his forehead slick with sweat and his expression flushed with excitement. He knocked hurriedly on the heavy wooden door before stepping inside.

"Young Madame!" he called out, catching his breath. "The patrons are practically begging for more! The three jugs vanished in minutes, and half the main hall is asking for another pot. Could you please prepare another batch for this evening?"

Yimei looked up from her desk, entirely unfazed. Her face remained completely calm, without a single trace of excitement or hurry.

"No," Yimei said, her voice cool and steady. "I will not be making any more today."

The head clerk blinked, frozen in place. "Pardon? But Young Madame, the demand is extraordinary! They are willing to pay double!"

"Tell them that today’s batch is completely sold out," Yimei replied smoothly, turning back to her ledger. "Inform them that a fresh batch will be available tomorrow morning on a strictly first-come, first-served basis."

She turned her back to him, signaling that the discussion was over.

The head clerk stood there in total shock, staring at her unbothered back. Realizing she would not budge, he let out a defeated sigh, gave a quick bow, and turned around to leave.

Qinqin and Lin Fang exchanged wide-eyed looks of disbelief. The moment the heavy door clicked shut, Qinqin rushed over to the table where Yimei was seated, jotting down notes with her charcoal pencil.

"Miss!" Qinqin gasped, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Why did you refuse? The customers are eager to spend their money right now! Wouldn’t making another batch bring in even more profit to pay Young Master Xiao?"

Lin Fang nodded quickly in agreement, looking just as bewildered.

Yimei did not stop her pencil. She blew gently on the drying ink before looking up at them both with a calm, knowing gaze.

"If a product is always available, people take it for granted," Yimei explained patiently. "To make something truly desirable, you must make it rare. When something is scarce, its value rises instantly."

She capped her charcoal pencil and laid it flat on the desk.

"By limiting the supply, we make the winter tea exclusive," she continued, her eyes sharp with business cunning. "They will wake up early tomorrow and line up just to get a single cup. They will talk about how hard it was to buy, and the reputation of our tea will spread twice as fast across the capital. People never crave anything more than what they cannot easily have."

Qinqin’s mouth drifted open as the realization hit her, while Lin Fang stared at Yimei in silent awe.

"Now," Yimei said, standing up and dusting off her sleeves. "Let us finish cleaning the kitchen. Tomorrow, the crowd will be twice as large."