Chapter 72: Recipe and Secret Recipe

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Recipe and Secret Recipe

As the saying goes, a lack of money can stump even a hero. And it was the need for silver that forced Hu Liang to switch from being cautious to taking the initiative.

The hot and spicy soup had a rich, fragrant, and spicy flavor. With so many ingredients, he was sure it would be a hit in town.

Back when he was buying fresh vegetables, he’d eaten breakfast at the town’s small stalls several times. Nothing he’d had could compare to this.

If other people could run a successful business, they surely could too.

Hu Liang looked at Ji Huan and Widow Xie with anticipation. Widow Xie was undecided, so she looked to Ji Huan as well.

Ji Huan paused in thought before asking, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hu Liang nodded resolutely. "Just like last time. You can just be in charge, and I’ll handle everything else."

Ji Huan shook her head.

Hu Liang’s expression fell, unable to hide his disappointment. "You don’t think it’s a good idea?"

"Liangzi, don’t get me wrong," Ji Huan said quickly. "Your idea is completely viable. Selling hot and spicy soup in town would be a first, which means you’d have very few competitors. That’s a natural advantage and a great starting point. As long as you perfect the flavor and build a good reputation, making a profit will be no problem at all."

"Then why did you..." Hu Liang trusted Ji Huan implicitly. If she wasn’t willing to do it with him, he felt his confidence waver.

"It’s mainly because my house is being built right now, so I can’t be away. Besides, once I teach you the recipe, you, Dacheng, and Aunt Xie will be more than enough to handle everything. There’s no need for too many people."

That was only part of the reason. There was another that Ji Huan kept to herself.

Her maternal grandparents had been in the food service industry when they were young. They worked from dawn to dusk, an incredibly grueling life. They were always in a state where they had enough to survive but never got rich, and it left them with a host of chronic health problems. Eventually, they closed their business and did something else.

Ji Huan didn’t mind hard work. A while back, when she was making dehydrated vegetables, she had worked day and night to meet the deadline. She slept only four hours a day, and her legs had swollen from standing by the stove.

But that was only temporary. Once that busy period was over, things went back to normal.

But selling breakfast meant that kind of grueling schedule would become the norm. Unless she was desperate for money or had no other choice, she didn’t want to live that way.

’She had already worked herself to death once. This time, she just wanted to live a life of ease.’

Hearing her explanation, Hu Liang breathed a sigh of relief, though he still looked a little regretful. "But your cooking is so good. This would be perfect for you."

Ji Huan, who was taking a sip of water, choked.

"...Liangzi, enjoying food and being good at cooking it are one thing, but that doesn’t mean you have to turn your hobby into a career. Otherwise, you might not enjoy the hobby anymore."

Hu Liang didn’t know where she came up with all this quirky logic, but since she couldn’t get away, he couldn’t force her. "How about this, then?" he said. "You provide the recipe, we’ll provide the labor, and we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty, just like before!"

Before Ji Huan could even say anything, Widow Xie grabbed her son by the head and gave him a hard smack. "Don’t you know how valuable a recipe is? And you’re still talking about fifty-fifty! I swear, your greed is starting to look like the Cao Family’s!"

Hu Liang’s face flushed beet red. "I misspoke! Seventy-thirty! Seventy-thirty... Or even ninety-ten would be fine!"

’He wasn’t trying to take advantage of her; he just knew Wan’s personality. She might accept a fifty-fifty split, but if he offered her a larger share, she’d be even more likely to refuse.’

But with his mother fuming, and knowing he was in the wrong, he didn’t dare try to explain.

Ji Huan pulled Widow Xie down to sit. "Aunt Xie, what are you thinking? It’s just a simple recipe, not some secret family heirloom. Anyone who cooks regularly could probably figure out how to make this hot and spicy soup with a little experimentation. It’s not that valuable."

"Really?" Widow Xie asked, still skeptical.

Ji Huan nodded with utmost sincerity. "In any case, I absolutely can’t accept a share of the profits. Just think of it as me teaching Liangzi how to make a new soup. At most, you can just let me eat at your stall for free from now on."

’The Hu Family had many mouths to feed. If she gave them the hot and spicy soup business, the steady income would make their lives much easier. At the very least, Aunt Xie wouldn’t be under so much pressure anymore.’

Widow Xie and Hu Liang knew how stubborn she could be, so they didn’t press the issue.

However, the two of them discussed it later in private. Whether Ji Huan accepted the money was her business; whether they gave it was a matter of the Hu Family’s conscience. Widow Xie agreed with her son’s reasoning. If they offered too much, Ji Huan was certain to refuse, so they might as well stick with the fifty-fifty split.

With the matter settled, they decided to get started right away.

When running a food stall, there were three main things to focus on: the food had to be delicious and sanitary, the location needed to have heavy foot traffic, and the service had to be warm and attentive.

And to make delicious hot and spicy soup, the recipe for the soup’s spice blend was paramount.

Ji Huan gave Hu Liang a list, telling him it was the key to the hot and spicy soup.

"You can buy all of these ingredients at Yide Hall in town. I’ve marked the amount needed for each ingredient on the list, so you can just show it to Doctor Xin."

In this era, there were no dedicated spice shops. These aromatics, common in a later age, were still considered medicinal herbs and could only be found in apothecaries.

Hu Liang had tagged along with his older brother as a child and learned to read a little, so he could recognize a few characters.

"...Star anise, cassia... cloves, cardamom... Sichuan peppercorn, pepper... sand ginger, dried ginger... ’Rou’... something... ’Hui’... something..." He couldn’t make out the rest.

He reached out and counted them one by one. There were over twenty different kinds.

When he finished counting, his jaw dropped.

’And Wan had called it simple? In his opinion, this list alone was anything but. The hot and spicy soup needed all these ingredients? This wasn’t something just anyone could whip up.’

’This had to be an incredibly valuable secret recipe, yet Wan had insisted it was common and even taught it to him for free.’

Hu Liang was filled with gratitude, but he had to be practical. "Just buying all of this... how much silver will it cost?"

"Don’t worry. Most of these ingredients aren’t expensive right now. And once they’re ground into a fine powder, a single pound of it is enough to make three hundred bowls of hot and spicy soup."

"Three hundred bowls!" Hu Liang’s worries vanished instantly. He’d thought that was the amount needed for a single bowl.

Besides the spices, they had to procure many other things.

Tables, stools, bowls, and chopsticks were obviously necessary. Ji Huan suggested that Hu Liang first take a trip to the county town and see if any of the taverns or restaurants were getting rid of old ones. Buying used would be much cheaper, and he could simply hire a mule cart from the county town to bring everything back. It wouldn’t be a hassle.

Widow Xie gave Hu Liang ten taels of silver and was now staring worriedly at her money box.

"Wan, I was watching you last night, and you didn’t add any star anise or those other things... I was just thinking that we should save money wherever possible."

’She had made it as a simple family meal last night, so of course she hadn’t made it so complicated.’

"Aunt Xie, there’s nothing wrong with being frugal, but you have to be frugal in the right areas. Like I said before, the method for making the hot and spicy soup isn’t hard, so others can learn it easily. If we want to maintain our advantage, we have to perfect the flavor. That way, even if others can copy the appearance, they’ll never capture the essence."

Widow Xie began to understand. "So all those ingredients are the ’essence’ you were talking about."

"Mhm. And with this spice blend for the hot and spicy soup, not only does it make preparation simple and consistent, but you also won’t have to go through the trouble of buying pork to make bone broth."

’When cooking for family, you could throw in as much meat and bones as you wanted without worrying about the cost.’

’But if you were to sell it in town with all those extras, the cost would rise, and the price would have to rise with it.’

’The townsfolk might have more money than the villagers and wouldn’t mind paying for a new snack, but if the price was too far above average, it would be hard to turn them into regular customers.’

’You’d either lose your price advantage or end up losing money just to attract a crowd. It was a no-win situation. So it was better to leave out any unnecessary extras. As long as the flavor was right, that’s all that mattered.’

"Aunt Xie, let me teach you how to make the seitan first."