Ch 46: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Of course, Qin Xia hadn’t forgotten about Yu Shun. Not only did his name catch his attention, but both Yu Jiuque and Cao Ashuang also looked up upon hearing it.

Qin Xia took a sip of Eight Treasures tea.

“Has something gone wrong with his cooked meat shop?”

Although he had sold the recipe to Yu Shun at a “high price,” he was confident that Yu Shun could make a profit from it, so it shouldn’t have caused any trouble.

Wei Chao shook his head.

“It’s not related to his business outside the mansion. But it seems he’s been having a streak of bad luck recently. I heard that he botched an important task and hasn’t been leaving the mansion much these days.”

This important task was related to the 50th birthday celebration of Patriarch Song of the Song family.

The Song family were merchants, and the grander the event, the more it showcased the family’s wealth, so they certainly wouldn’t be stingy with money.

Since it was a banquet, the chef was of utmost importance.

“Master Song is concerned about appearances, so he decided to hire the best chef in town for the birthday feast. After some consideration, he thought of Chang Yue Lou. So, preparations were made early on to invite the retired old master of Chang Yue Lou, the very man who made Chang Yue Lou famous throughout Qinan County and even the greater Pingyuan Prefecture, to come out of retirement and take charge of the kitchen for the banquet.”

The name Chang Yue Lou was well-known in the county.

The Chang family ancestors were butchers, skilled in slaughtering pigs for generations. When the old master’s grandfather was alive, he apparently had his fill of killing livestock and eating pork, leading him to develop a superb recipe for braised meat. This recipe allowed him to transition from butcher to restaurateur, founding the predecessor of Chang Yue Lou.

This dish is now known by a simple and direct name—Chang Family Jar-Braised Meat—and it remains the signature dish of Chang Yue Lou, famous for its tenderness and aroma that could waft for miles.

The awkward part was that while Chang Yue Lou’s pork dishes were undoubtedly exceptional, the Song family was known for not eating red meat.

It was likely that half of Chang Yue Lou’s signature dishes wouldn’t even make it to the banquet table.

After hearing Qin Xia’s question, Wei Chao slapped his thigh, clearly about to reach the crux of the story.

“Actually, this rule of avoiding red meat was strictly followed only by the older generation in the family, like the Matriarch and Patriarch Song. The matriarch is still in good health, and Master Song, who calls her grandmother, follows the rule strictly when he’s at home. However, the younger generations have loosened up. Outside the mansion, no one bothers to follow the rule, and they eat whatever they want.”

In other words, Master Song likely sneaked off to Chang Yue Lou more than once to enjoy some jar-braised meat in private.

“So how did Yu Shun mess up? Did the old master Chang refuse to come out of retirement?”

If he remembered correctly, the old master was already in his sixties and had passed the restaurant down to his son, enjoying a quiet life at home with his grandchildren.

Inviting “the best chef in Qinan County” out of retirement would indeed take a lot of persuasion.

“It wasn’t supposed to be difficult. The Song family is influential in Qinan County and has connections with the county magistrate. They have the money to spend, and the old master Chang might have been willing to give the Song family some face. Besides, successfully hosting the banquet would also bring more prestige to Chang Yue Lou.”

But just when everything seemed to be falling into place, something happened.

The matriarch had been bedridden recently, and the second young master of the Song family, wanting to show filial piety, asked his trusted servant, Yu Shun, to buy a portion of pine nut goose oil rolls from Chang Yue Lou on his way out.

This dish wasn’t exclusive to Chang Yue Lou, but it had always been a favorite of the matriarch.

“However, after she ate it, the matriarch suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhea, and her condition worsened. When the kitchen staff were called to check, it was discovered that the rolls were made not with goose oil but with lard.”

Qin Xia: …

This situation left one speechless.

The matriarch of the Song family didn’t eat red meat and certainly didn’t consume lard.

For someone who has avoided a certain food for a long time, suddenly consuming it can easily cause digestive issues. Given that she was already ill, the situation naturally became more serious.

“Chang Yue Lou substituting lard for goose fat is nothing short of cutting corners.”

Goose fat is much more expensive than lard. After all, how much lard can be rendered from a pig compared to how much fat can be rendered from a goose? Even a three-year-old could figure that out.

Wei Chao continued his story with great enthusiasm.

“Exactly. And the food was delivered in a food box, so how could an ordinary person tell at a glance what kind of fat was used? The second household of the Song family really caused a huge mess this time. The entire household was thrown into chaos, and they didn’t forget to file a complaint against Chang Yue Lou with the local authorities. The magistrate ordered the street authorities to investigate, and it caused quite a stir.”

The Song family is practically the wealthiest in Qinan County, and their “backyard secrets” have long been the talk of the town, thoroughly discussed by the locals over meals.

At this point, Wei Chao threw in an extra “side story” about the Song family’s inner conflicts.

Qin Xia listened with one ear, while Yu Jiuque, despite appearing interested, was actually focused entirely on his food. It seemed that he, too, had little interest in the private affairs of others.

And rightly so—if Yu Jiuque hadn’t lost his memory, compared to the power struggles and concubine competitions within the imperial court, the battle between the Song family’s main and second households over a bit of family inheritance and the so-called position of the matriarch would seem like nothing more than children squabbling over a mudball.

But that said, the long story Wei Chao told was still quite entertaining, making for pleasant conversation during a picnic.

As he wrapped up, Wei Chao said, “In any case, it’s clear that Patriarch Song’s birthday banquet won’t be able to feature the old master from Chang Yue Lou. They had already bragged far and wide, claiming that the old master Chang’s final banquet would be at their estate, which had drawn in many business partners from out of town who planned to come for the meal. Now, with people already planning to attend, they’ll certainly have to do business while they’re at it, but how they’ll manage to save face is anyone’s guess.”

He threw an arm around Qin Xia’s shoulder and said with a sigh, “I heard that the Song family offered several hundred taels to have the old master from Chang Yue Lou cook for them. I have to say, Qin ge, your cooking skills aren’t far off. If you had the luck of being asked, I’d say you wouldn’t even need one or two hundred taels—seventy or eighty would do. That’s a whole year’s rent right there!”

The words made everyone present chuckle, and Cao Ashuang even playfully punched Wei Chao.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Just as Yu Jiuque thought Cao Ashuang was about to scold Wei Chao for indulging in fantasies with Qin Xia, she instead said with a straight face, “With Qin Xia’s skills, it wouldn’t be worth doing for less than a hundred taels!”

Qin Xia almost choked on his tea, nearly spraying it everywhere.

It was clear that others had a lot of confidence in him, but at least during that brief chat under the shade, Qin Xia never imagined that the Song family’s birthday banquet would have anything to do with him.

In the days that followed, the restaurant’s business continued as usual, and Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque’s savings grew steadily.

Only a few rumors about Chang Yue Lou and the Song family occasionally reached their ears through the conversations of their customers.

For example, the street authorities did take up the Song family’s complaint and went to investigate Chang Yue Lou.

Chang Yue Lou handed over a young kitchen assistant, claiming that it was this person who, while shirking his duties, had mistakenly used lard instead of goose fat in a daze when the head chef wasn’t around, leading to the disaster. The manager of Chang Yue Lou handed this person over to the authorities for punishment.

However, according to the laws of Dayong, handing over the perpetrator didn’t absolve the establishment from responsibility—the shop still had to be penalized.

Given that it was the influential Song family who was involved, and they were relentless, Chang Yue Lou ended up paying over a hundred taels in medical expenses for the matriarch.

And since the incident of using substandard ingredients was undeniable, Chang Yue Lou’s business visibly deteriorated after that.

During an evening meal, Xing Yiming, after eating his fill, wiped his mouth and mentioned the matter to Qin Xia, who was taking a break.

“It’s a pity about Chang Yue Lou’s decades-old reputation. Reputation is such that it takes favorable conditions and timing to build, but it can be ruined overnight.”

As a seasoned gourmet, Xing Yiming had often visited Chang Yue Lou and had a particular fondness for their famous jar-braised pork.

“In the past, I would go there all year round for social gatherings, but now, I don’t want to go anymore. First, because I have your place to come to, and second, because just thinking about what might be going on in their kitchen makes me uneasy.”

Such incidents tend to repeat once they happen. Who knows how chaotic the kitchen at Chang Yue Lou has been all this time? For someone knowledgeable, the difference between lard and goose fat is huge. If they can mix those up, who knows what other mishaps might be happening?

Xing Yiming sipped his tea, now even questioning whether the stir-fried intestines he had eaten at Chang Yue Lou before had been properly cleaned.

Seeing the pained expression on his face, Qin Xia asked, “Do you like eating intestines, Shopkeeper Xing?”

Xing Yiming immediately jumped at the chance.

“I noticed that your menu doesn’t include intestines, probably because they’re difficult to clean. But if I were to order a portion, could you make it for me?”

Intestines are indeed tricky to clean. In his previous life, he could at least buy relatively clean ones at the market, but the ones sold by butchers here were hardly fit to look at, let alone eat.

But since Xing Yiming wanted to eat them, Qin Xia wasn’t going to refuse. He even offered a bonus dish.

“Although I don’t know the secret recipe for Chang’s jar-braised pork, I do have another pork dish that I make quite well. Next time, I’ll prepare it for you to try.”

Xing Yiming beamed with joy.

“That sounds great! When the time comes, make a few more dishes for me, and reserve a private room. I’ll gather a group for a meal and help you build your reputation in the county.”

It was uncertain whether Chang Yue Lou could recover from this setback, but Qin Ji’s little restaurant was just starting out. Who knew? It might become the next Chang Yue Lou.

Xing Yiming prided himself on never missing a good investment, especially when it came to food.

He knew plenty of shopkeepers in Qinan County, and until now, Qin Xia had only been selling small snacks, which were hard to present formally to guests. But with a restaurant, there were no such concerns.

Feeling pleased with the arrangements, Xing Yiming left with a light step, carrying the Eight Treasures tea package that Qin Xia had gifted him.

Qin Xia glanced around the hall at the last three tables of diners, who all seemed to be finishing up their food and drinks, ready to leave soon.

With no more concerns, he headed over to the counter.

Yu Jiuque was resting his chin in his hand, dozing off.

It was already past the hour of Xu, and the night was deep and dark. The area around Helin Street was quiet in the evenings, with the lights of Qin Family Eatery being the brightest on the street.

The customers inside weren’t being noisy; their conversations were like the gentle ebb and flow of waves, lulling people into drowsiness.

Seeing that Yu Jiuque was about to lose his grip and potentially face-plant onto the abacus beads, Qin Xia quickly reached out to support him.

“Mm.”

The young man mumbled, waking up.

He looked around in a bit of a panic, but realizing he hadn’t slept for long, he sighed in relief and patted his face to wake up.

“If you’re tired, go lie down in the back for a while. I think we’ll be able to close up in about an hour.”

There were several rooms in the back, with one prepared as a resting place. Since Qiu Yao was still young, she shared a room with Qiu Chuan. The extra room had been tidied up for anyone who needed a break.

So far, only Yu Jiuque had used it. Qin Xia always made sure to coax him into taking a nap between lunch and dinner service.

Today was particularly busy, so Yu Jiuque didn’t get to take his usual afternoon nap. As expected, by now he was as sleepy as a chick pecking at grains.

“I’m not that tired; getting up and walking around will do the trick.”

He said this as he stood up to stretch, but his stomach embarrassingly let out a loud “grumble.”

At first, Yu Jiuque didn’t react, but when his stomach grumbled a second time, he looked down at it in confusion.

Qin Xia smiled and leaned in to ask softly, “Hungry?”

Yu Jiuque scratched his cheek.

Although he hadn’t napped today, he had eaten dinner a bit early. It had been over two hours since then, and while he hadn’t felt it while sitting, now that he was standing, his stomach did feel rather empty.

He had tried going to bed hungry before, but it always left him feeling miserable in the middle of the night. So, he had learned not to push through it.

He couldn’t deny it—he ate a lot and got hungry quickly. It was just something he had to deal with.

“Um… is there anything left in the kitchen? I’ll just have a small bite.”

But Qin Xia wasn’t about to let Yu Jiuque settle for anything less. He was a bit hungry himself after a busy evening, and he figured Qiu Chuan and the others probably were too.

He made a round through the kitchen and spotted several bundles of rice noodles they had bought not long ago.

Rice noodles are common in the southern regions, but you could hardly find any shops selling them in Qinan County, and few people knew how to make them from scratch. Qin Xia had stumbled upon them at the market by chance and had made arrangements with the farmer to bring more the next time they had some.

Because they had a limited supply, they hadn’t added rice noodles to the menu.

He had planned to cook them for their own meal when they had some free time, but that time hadn’t come yet.

Tonight, they were perfect for a late-night snack.

Preparing rice noodles requires careful technique. If you soak them for too short a time, they remain undercooked and tough to chew. If you soak them too long, they break apart and become difficult to pick up with chopsticks.

Qin Xia had his own method.

He boiled a pot of water until it was bubbling and then soaked the rice noodles in it for about the time it takes to burn half an incense stick. Then he took them out, drained them into a small basin, and covered them tightly with a lid to let them steam.

The ingredients for stir-frying the noodles were whatever was left in the kitchen. He grabbed a handful of bean sprouts, picked two fresh green onions, and added a bunch of tender chives…

He sliced some pork into thin strips and cracked a few eggs, all while remembering to turn the rice noodles over in the basin.

Once the noodles were seasoned, the rest of the process was straightforward.

He stir-fried a plate of eggs first, then tossed in the vegetables and meat until they were just cooked, before finally mixing everything with the noodles and stir-frying until evenly combined.

Just as Qin Xia was thinking that he might have made too many rice noodles, and that even with Yu Jiuque they might not be able to finish it all, Qiu Chuan poked his head into the kitchen from the front, looking a bit hesitant.

“Boss, the smell of what you’re cooking has drifted out to the front. Everyone sent me over to ask what delicious thing you’re making, and if they can buy some.”

There was indeed more stir-fried noodles than they could eat, but not enough to sell as an order. However, if they didn’t share, they’d probably attract a lot of attention when they sat down to eat later.

So Qin Xia decided to plate up three portions and had Qiu Chuan take them out front.

“Just tell them it’s a free treat, something new for them to try—no charge.”

A little while later, Qin Family Eatery staff gathered around to enjoy their meal.

Sister Zheng said she wasn’t very hungry and only wanted a small bowl, while Qiu Yao, with her small appetite, ate about the same.

The remaining three each had a plate, with Yu Jiuque’s being just a bit larger.

“Phew.”

Qiu Chuan picked up a chopstick full of stir-fried rice noodles and blew on it to cool it down.

As a growing boy, he was always hungry. He had been planning to grab a steamed bun from the kitchen after closing, but tonight, there was the added bonus of a late-night snack.

He had never eaten stir-fried rice noodles before and thought they looked finer than noodles but thicker than vermicelli.

It wasn’t until he took a bite…

So this is what stir-fried rice noodles taste like!

Qiu Chuan exchanged a glance with his little sister, both of their eyes widening slightly with surprise and satisfaction.

Rice noodles are different from regular noodles; they’re smoother and more chewy. Because they’re thin, they’re easy to eat, so Qiu Chuan shoveled large mouthfuls into his mouth.

One bite had crunchy bean sprouts, the next had savory chives, and the one after that had two pieces of flavorful pork.

Before he knew it, he had devoured half of his plate.

Meanwhile, the lucky customers who had been given a plate of stir-fried noodles couldn’t stop praising the dish.

“This is perfect for a post-drink meal—so comforting!”

“I agree, it’s even better than soup noodles. Boss Qin, will this be available again?”

Qin Xia didn’t give a definitive answer, saying, “Dried rice noodles are hard to come by, but if we manage to get more, we might be able to sell them for a while.”

Upon hearing that this might be a one-time treat, the customers started eating even faster.

As Qin Xia expected, after the dishes were cleared and the last few tables of customers had filled up on rice noodles, they all paid their bills. Yu Jiuque returned to the counter to calculate the earnings.

At Qin Family Eatery, cold dishes usually sell for ten to twenty coins, vegetarian dishes around thirty coins, and meat dishes range from fifty coins up to a hundred or even several hundred coins.

For a substantial dish like pickled fish, the price varies by the weight of the fish, and a single serving could cost several ounces of silver.

With the three tables’ worth of orders and the drinks included, they earned more than four taels, which jingled as they rolled into the cash box, marking the end of another day.

…

As March approached, springtime grew more vibrant.

The withered lotuses in front of the restaurant began to stir, willows drooped with fresh greenery, and wild ducks could be seen in flocks on the water, while boatmen rowed tourists past.

Qin Family Eatery had been open for a month, and the earnings were promising.

After deducting the cost of goods and the wages for the staff, they were on track to make back the full year’s rent in another half month.

With this kind of savings, it wouldn’t be long before they could buy a storefront in town, or as Qin Xia envisioned, purchase land to build a farmstead with fish ponds, rice paddies, and livestock.

But they also had their share of troubles.

For instance, it was becoming increasingly clear that they were short-staffed. Hiring more waitstaff was relatively easy, but finding a suitable chef was proving difficult.

It wasn’t that no one had applied, but after trying their dishes, Qin Xia hadn’t been satisfied with any of them.

It wasn’t just their cooking skills that didn’t impress him; many of them had attitudes that left much to be desired.

Female cooks were more common in the previous dynasty, and there were still quite a few working in wealthy households. However, in public restaurants, the head chefs were usually men, many of whom were overly self-assured. Some had the nerve to demand five taels of silver a month for cooking dishes that didn’t even meet Qin Xia’s basic standards.

Qin Xia didn’t waste time on such people and sent them away immediately.

After testing out seven or eight candidates, Qin Xia finally turned his attention to Sister Zheng.

Sister Zheng was the kitchen helper, but she did more than just wash and chop vegetables. She also handled tasks like monitoring the cooking times, blanching, and even preparing dough.

Qin Xia had initially planned to double her wages after the first three months, paying her according to a proper “assistant chef” rate. But now, considering her solid cooking foundation and how much she had learned by working alongside him, he was beginning to think she might be ready for a promotion.

That afternoon, Yu Jiuque was also present when they invited Sister Zheng into one of the empty private rooms to sit down.

Sister Zheng wiped her hands on her apron, unsure of what the bosses wanted to discuss with her.

It wasn’t until Qin Xia spoke, asking if she wanted to officially learn how to cook and eventually take charge of the kitchen, that she was completely taken aback.

“How… how could that be possible?”

She had always considered herself just a helper in the shop, never daring to dream of becoming a “head chef.”

The cooks in the kitchen sometimes held even more authority than the owners; such a role was beyond her imagination.

Qin Xia was very patient.

“Why wouldn’t it be possible? It only depends on whether you’re willing to learn, Sister.”

Sister Zheng pressed her thin lips together, smiling bitterly. “I’m already this age; I’m afraid I won’t be able to learn anything new.”

Qin Xia clearly didn’t agree.

“Sister, you’re underestimating yourself.”

He continued, “You already know how to cook, and your knife skills aren’t bad. Learning to cook here just means following my lead to learn the few dishes we currently sell in the shop. It’s really not that difficult.”

Sister Zheng was momentarily stunned. This… seemed to make sense?

She wasn’t some noble lady who had never touched household chores, nor was she like those idle men who wouldn’t even bother to pick up a fallen oil bottle at home.

She had been cooking for her family since she was as small as a bean sprout, standing on a stool to make breakfast for everyone. The dishes sold in the shop were just more refined and complex versions of the home-cooked meals she was used to.

“But in a food shop, it’s uncommon to have a woman in charge of the kitchen. I’m afraid it might not be good for the shop’s reputation if word gets out.”

She still wore her gentle expression, spoke softly, and always seemed hesitant to meet others’ eyes.

Yet this seemingly frail woman was the one who supported an entire family, with elderly parents and young children depending on her.

Seeing her hesitation, Yu Jiuque stepped in.

“Why don’t you give it a try first, Sister? Just consider it a favor to us. You’ve seen how hard it’s been to find a chef, and it’s really too much for my husband to handle alone.”

With the conversation brought to this point, Sister Zheng finally hesitated before nodding in agreement.

Qin Xia quickly began teaching her.

By comparison, the meals sold during lunch were simpler home-cooked dishes, easier to master.

Sister Zheng had been working around the stove for years, so all she needed to learn were some more specialized techniques.

Although she seemed lacking in confidence, she had a good understanding once she started learning.

Cooking is a skill that builds upon itself; once someone gets the basics, they can follow recipes and make almost any dish.

After a week, Sister Zheng had already taken on about a third of Qin Xia’s workload.

At the end of the month, Qin Xia decided to raise her salary for the next month to three taels of silver.

From that day on, it seemed—perhaps it was everyone’s imagination—that Sister Zheng stood a little straighter when she walked, spoke louder, and smiled more often.

With the chef situation successfully resolved, they were now short of a kitchen helper.

Qiu Yao was still young and had to take care of serving dishes and learning to read and do arithmetic, so she couldn’t be in two places at once.

“If worst comes to worst, you should go to the employment agency to hire someone. You can’t keep dragging this out.”

The shop was so busy that even Fang Rong had been called in to lend a hand.

She didn’t mind coming to help. Now that her son was capable, the family wasn’t short of income, and her son’s future was settled. She no longer had to get up early and stay up late to sell tofu.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried about Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque being so overwhelmed.

With Fang Rong urging them, Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque finally decided to follow her advice.

The night before going to the employment agency, Qin Xia, holding a piece of paper, approached Yu Jiuque, who was working on some needlework under the lamp.

The young man noticed something and looked up.

Sure enough, his husband was holding his contract of indenture.

That thin piece of paper was placed right before him.