Chapter 454: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 454: The Stall Opens (2)
After a discussion, Wu shi decided to set up a stall in the South Market.
Having chosen the location, Mo Yan took Wu shi to the yamen that same day. They paid three taels of silver for taxes and management fees and received a small wooden plaque without any issues.
Feeling the small wooden plaque, which was only half a palm in size, Wu shi couldn't help but feel distressed. They hadn’t earned a single penny yet, and three taels of silver were already spent. She became increasingly uneasy, especially since the money came from Mo Yan. "If the business doesn’t go well, wouldn’t this money be wasted?" she worried.
“It won’t happen, Aunt. The pancakes you make are already delicious. Business will be good, don’t worry!” Mo Yan comforted her cheerfully, not considering the possibility of poor business at all.
“Alright, that’s good.” Perhaps influenced by Mo Yan's confidence, or realizing that worrying was futile, Wu shi’s expression improved, and she decided to stop worrying about it.
Guided by the yamen officer, they found their spot in the South Market. The location wasn't too remote and was spacious enough, making them both very satisfied.
Noticing it was already afternoon, they saw nearby stalls selling buns and wontons still had customers. Wu shi, eager to start, urged Mo Yan to head back, wanting to open the stall the next day.
Seeing her urgency as if delaying the opening would make the money fly away, Mo Yan found it amusing but agreed. After buying the necessary oil, salt, and condiments, they drove back home.
Wu shi, anxious to earn money, planned to open the stall the next day. Once home, she prepared all the ingredients and utensils. Before dawn the next day, she and her daughter, Mo Dani, knocked on Mo Yan’s door.
Originally, Mo Yan didn’t intend to get involved in the stall business, but she decided to accompany them on the first day to see how things went.
Their horse, Hong Zao, was fast. In less than half an hour, they reached their destination. By then, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and only a few people were setting up their stalls. After unloading and arranging their things, and lighting the charcoal under the iron skillet, the sun had fully risen, and more people were starting to walk the streets.
Seeing other stalls already attracting customers, Mo Yan started adding ingredients to the spicy soup on the stove and told Wu shi, "Aunt, you should start cooking too. If we don’t, people won’t know what we’re selling."
Nervous but determined, Wu shi followed Mo Yan's advice. She brushed a layer of oil onto the skillet, poured a ladle of mung bean batter, and spread it thinly with a spatula. Once the batter began to solidify, she cracked an egg on top, spreading it evenly.
The golden egg mixture combined with the light green batter looked attractive, and the faint fragrance wafting in the air was very appetizing.
Once the egg had set, Wu shi flipped the pancake and was about to brush on sweet and spicy sauce when a rough voice interrupted, “What’s this? Looks like a soft pancake.”
Startled, Mo Wu looked up to see a burly middle-aged man with a small boy in tow. Both were staring intently at the pancake.
Realizing they might be her first customers, Wu shi suppressed her nervousness and warmly introduced, “This is a traditional family recipe called ‘Jianbing Guozi.’ It’s much tastier than regular soft pancakes because it has more ingredients.”
The man’s eyes lit up at this, seeing the array of ingredients on the side. “Make me one. If it’s good, I’ll take a few more.”
Delighted, Wu shi responded, “Just a moment, it’ll be ready soon.”
The man nodded and watched with his son. When Wu shi was about to sprinkle some scallions, he said, “No scallions. Add more spicy sauce.”
Wu shi complied, adding a small spoonful of spicy sauce.
Mo Yan then approached and asked, “Do you want any vegetables? We have cured meat, braised meat, sausages, chicken, and more. You can choose, but the price varies with the ingredients.”
The man was intrigued but before he could speak, his son chimed in, “Braised meat! Daddy likes braised meat.”
Laughing, the man agreed, “Let’s go with my son’s choice. Add more braised meat.”
Wu shi placed two pieces of half-cooked vegetables on the pancake, added half a fried dough stick, and then layered on three thin slices of braised meat. She rolled the pancake, cut it in half, wrapped it in oiled paper, and handed it to the man.
The freshly made Jianbing Guozi was still hot. The man couldn’t resist the enticing aroma, blowing on it a few times before taking a big bite.
His eyes lit up instantly. The pancake was crispy, the mung bean’s mild fragrance combined with the egg’s richness was delicious, and the savory sauce and braised meat made it even better. He eagerly took another bite, enjoying it more with each mouthful.
Seeing his father eating so happily, the little boy tried a bite too, but the spiciness made him cry out. Yet, the taste was so good that he couldn’t bear to spit it out, ultimately eating it all, making the man laugh heartily.
Satisfied with the Jianbing Guozi, the man ordered six more with different fillings, intending to take them home for his family to try.
Receiving forty copper coins, Mo Yan and her companions were thrilled, especially Wu shi and her daughter, who wanted to savor every copper coin. This was their first earnings from their new business venture!
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