Ch 67: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Yu Jiuque quickly understood the underlying logic.

Although their restaurant had only been open for two months, opening a second branch so soon seemed a bit rushed. However, the business was thriving, and they had a decent amount of cash on hand, so renting a new storefront and hiring staff wouldn’t be an issue.

“A new store that only focuses on set meals and deliveries?”

Qin Xia affirmed, “Exactly. I’ve already thought of the name. We just need to change one character. We’ll call it Qin Family Canteen. What do you think?”

“Qin Family Canteen…” Yu Jiuque repeated it slowly and nodded in approval. “It’s easy to remember, and it keeps the Qin Family brand. Just one character difference, and it clearly distinguishes the two locations. Much better than simply calling it a ‘branch.’”

The two of them discussed the details of the new store well into the night. By the time they finished, the lamp oil had burned out, and only then did they finally lay down to sleep.

The next morning, they got straight to work.

Since they were looking for a location near the county school, the brokerage worked efficiently, quickly finding a place just a street away from their current restaurant, on Que Lin Street.

“This shop was part of a lady’s dowry. It’s been rented through our brokerage for a long time. The last tenant was a bamboo and timber shop, but since business wasn’t going well and they couldn’t afford the rent, they moved elsewhere, leaving this place vacant.”

The broker opened the door, and because the shop had been empty for over a month, a cool draft greeted them as they entered. A thin layer of dust covered the floor, leaving footprints with each step.

“It’s a bit small,” Qin Xia remarked after looking around.

The broker replied, “It’s definitely smaller than your other store, but considering the type of business you plan to run here, you won’t need much space. A smaller place means lower rent, right?”

Qin Xia just smiled without responding.

These brokers were smooth talkers. Even the most rundown place could be spun as a hidden gem.

“Shall we check out the backyard, sir?”

“Sure.”

To get to the backyard, there was another door and a raised threshold. Qin Xia turned and gestured for Yu Jiuque to steady him.

“Careful not to soil your clothes.”

Yu Jiuque carefully lifted his robe and stepped over the threshold.

As he thought about the layout, Qin Xia felt that the place was too obstructive. He decided that if they ended up renting it, he would have that threshold removed.

“Here’s the kitchen, and over here are two back rooms,” the broker explained. “There’s also a well, a stable, and two pomegranate trees. You can enjoy the blossoms and later eat the fruit.”

They looked over and saw the two lush pomegranate trees in the courtyard, their green leaves gleaming, making the place even more appealing.

“They’ll be blooming soon,” Qin Xia remarked, touching a branch. The trees added to his interest, but in truth, there weren’t many available properties near the county school, so their options were limited.

After asking about the price, the rent was six taels of silver per month, which amounted to seventy-two taels per year.

“The price is firm. We need to make a bit of profit ourselves,” the broker explained.

Qin Xia didn’t rush to agree, saying they would think about it. While they did have enough money, expenses were still plentiful. Opening a second location came with many costs.

He also planned to have a batch of lidded meal boxes made by a carpenter for delivery, which would be another expense.

Seeing Qin Xia holding back, the broker followed him to the restaurant’s door, eager to make a deal.

“Master Qin, you’re a capable man, opening two shops in just two months. I’d be happy to keep helping you. Just give me a price, and I’ll ask the property owner.”

“Well, since you put it that way, let’s skip the small talk. Sixty taels a year. See if the landlord agrees, and I can pay for the whole year upfront,” Qin Xia said decisively.

The broker had no choice but to agree and promised to give it a try.

Qin Xia thanked him, saying, “If this place works out, I’ll come to your agency for some new staff. That should make up for any commission you missed out on.”

The broker beamed with delight. “Master Qin, you’re always so straightforward.”

When they returned to the restaurant, Qiu Chuan came to deliver news.

“Boss, just before you arrived, Butcher Guo delivered the beef.”

“He’s quick. How much did he bring?”

Hearing about the beef, Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque quickened their steps toward the backyard.

“He brought quite a bit, over twenty pounds of prime cuts, including the ribeye, brisket, shank, oxtail, and stomach you requested.”

Qiu Chuan grimaced as he recalled the look of the stomach, unsure how it could possibly be eaten.

In the backyard, Qin Xia saw the neatly separated cuts of beef already laid out on the cutting board.

In ancient times, getting beef wasn’t easy. Just a few years ago, Dayong had a ban on consuming beef to prevent the slaughter of plowing oxen. While that law had become mostly obsolete, and as long as oxen weren’t registered for farming, no one would intervene in their slaughter, the lingering effects of the law meant few dared openly sell beef.

Seeing the fresh cuts of beef before him, Qin Xia couldn’t help but reflect on how he’d been in this world for nearly six months, and this was the first time he had a chance to eat beef.

He had specifically requested a variety of cuts from Butcher Guo to try different cooking methods.

The ribeye could be sliced for hotpot, the brisket could be stewed in chunks, the oxtail for soup, and the stomach—after proper cleaning—could be stir-fried or used in a spicy stew like Mao Xue Wang.

While twenty pounds sounded like a lot, it was a mix of various parts.

It’s rare to come across beef, so the fact that Butcher Guo was able to get these cuts is quite impressive.

Qin Xia planned to make a “whole beef feast,” just for his close circle. Anything they couldn’t finish would be braised and sold later. With the current weather, hanging it in the well would keep it fresh for a couple of days.

He had everything well thought out, but as night fell, someone was drawn by the aroma and arrived unexpectedly.

“Whoa, beef! Lucky me!” Xing Yiming wasted no time making himself at home, as usual, heading straight for the kitchen in the backyard, nosing around to see what was cooking.

Outside, his daughter Xing Yuan had gone to play with Zhaocai and Xiaohu, while Yu Jiuque escorted Cui Rao to a private room for tea.

“I heard from my husband that you two are scouting for new property,” Cui Rao said to Yu Jiuque, pulling him down to sit next to her once she found out he wasn’t too busy.

“Old Xing only ever thinks about food. Every time we come over, I barely get a chance to talk to you,” she teased, as Yu Jiuque poured her tea.

Though Yu Jiuque had regained his memories, he still treated those he’d met in Qinan County just as he always had, as “Ah Jiu.” Anything about the Eastern Palace or the Imperial Stables could wait until he returned to the capital.

For now, he preferred to enjoy these carefree days, knowing they wouldn’t last forever, and he didn’t want to trouble himself with future concerns.

“We’re thinking of opening another restaurant that will focus on set meals and also deliver lunches to the nearby academies,” Yu Jiuque explained.

Qin Xia had even mentioned a new concept—”fast food.” When the new shop opened, the idea was to display all the dishes, letting customers choose, and then charge based on how many plates they selected and whether they chose meat or vegetables.

Yu Jiuque briefly explained the idea to Cui Rao, and as a businesswoman herself, she immediately recognized its potential.

“Boss Qin always has such clever ideas. I don’t know how he comes up with them! Last time, when Old Xing brought home that milk candy, I ate three pieces in one night, and he teased me about it for days,” she laughed.

Yu Jiuque smiled, realizing that the milk candy business Qin Xia had in mind was likely to succeed.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Xing Yiming had brought up the candy business with Qin Xia as well.

“When you have time, come by my place, and we can discuss the details,” Xing Yiming said.

Qin Xia agreed, saying he’d visit after handling matters with the new shop.

Once Xing Yiming and his daughter returned to the private room, Qin Xia began preparing the beef.

He would go ahead with the “whole beef feast,” setting aside a portion for the Xing family if needed. If there was still more left, Qiu Chuan could ask around in the main hall to see if any diners wanted to add a dish.

“Xing Ge’er, find that pack of yellow chili peppers I bought last time, and fish out a few pickled peppers too. I’ll need them for cooking,” Qin Xia instructed.

He then took out a piece of beef ribeye, slicing it thin to prepare sour soup with fatty beef (suantang feiniu). The term “fatty beef” was a general label for any well-marbled beef, often from the rib or belly.

The ribeye Qin Xia had selected had just the right amount of fat, ensuring it would be tender and flavorful.

Though the dish name was simple, the ingredients required were anything but.

For sour soup with fatty beef, the broth was key, with the “sour” flavor mainly coming from tomatoes and vinegar.

Qin Xia diced the tomatoes, minced the garlic and ginger, and chopped the yellow and pickled peppers.

Ideally, he would use yellow pepper paste, but the yellow peppers he had bought were in limited supply. Making them into a paste would make them appear even scarcer, so he had to make do. Fortunately, the authentic flavor of the pickled peppers could help compensate for any lack in taste.

The fatty beef was blanched briefly, skimming off the foam—too little time and it would be undercooked, too much and it would turn tough.

Controlling the heat perfectly was an art, and Qin Xia worked swiftly, quickly clearing the pot for the next step.

He also blanched bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and leafy greens as a base for the dish.

Next, oil was added to the pot, and ginger, garlic, and the two types of peppers were stir-fried, releasing a spicy aroma so intense that Qin Xia had to squint and sniff.

Since Xing Yuan was around, he added more diced tomatoes, cooking them down to a sauce to help balance the spiciness with their acidity.

Once the tomatoes were juicy, he poured in water and brought it to a boil, forming the base of the sour soup.

Tasting it, Qin Xia adjusted the seasoning with soy sauce and vinegar. The addition of soy sauce darkened the broth slightly, making it look even more appetizing.

The beef had already been blanched, so it only needed a brief dip into the broth before being served over the blanched vegetables.

Just before serving, a spoonful of oil would be drizzled over the top, adding the finishing touch.

The next dish, braised potatoes with beef brisket, had been simmering in a clay pot for a while.

Unlike the quick-cooking fatty beef, the brisket required time to become tender.

Qin Xia lifted the clay pot’s lid, using a cloth to protect his hand, and poked the beef brisket with chopsticks.

Aside from the usual seasonings, this dish included doubanjiang (broad bean paste) and fermented tofu sauce, which had deeply permeated the beef, giving it a rich flavor and color.

Seeing how easily the chopsticks sank into the beef, he signaled for Zheng Xinghua to add in the potato and radish chunks.

Meanwhile, the beef tripe, which was soaking in water, resembled the “beef omasum” Qin Xia had seen in his previous life.

He pulled out a handful and quickly stir-fried it. Since he didn’t have all the ingredients for mala beef tripe, he simply made a spicy stir-fry.

Truth be told, he wasn’t sure he wanted to share this dish with Xing Yiming, let alone sell it, as there wasn’t enough for even his family.

Then again, apart from Xing Yiming, few people would dare to eat beef tripe.

What a pity—if there were more, he could make a big pot of mala beef tripe, which would certainly win over customers and do justice to this underrated cut of beef.

“Xiaochuan, serve the dishes.”

After the feast was prepared, Qiu Chuan was sent to deliver the meal to the private dining room.

The customers in the main hall hadn’t ordered anything that required Qin Xia’s personal touch, so Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing managed the kitchen while Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque sat down to eat.

As soon as the three beef dishes were brought out, nearby diners were already craning their necks with chopsticks in hand.

“Boss Qin, what are you two eating? No matter the cost, give us a plate to try!”

The dishes on the table steamed enticingly, too tempting to ignore.

Qin Xia had anticipated this. “Everyone, I managed to get some good beef today, but there’s not much. Besides what we’re eating, there are only five portions of each dish: sour soup beef and braised beef brisket with potatoes. Each is two qian of silver. If you’d like to add a dish, just tell the servers. As for the stir-fried tripe, there’s too little—maybe next time.”

That “next time,” however, was uncertain.