The only hostess of the Marquis's Mansion in Yongzhou was the Crown Prince's wife, and the others were all in the capital, so when Nanny Lian came, she naturally reported to her. When she heard that it was Yang Haiyan who sent someone to deliver the new dishes, she was very curious.
Nanny Lian was brought before the Crown Prince's wife, and she bowed respectfully and politely: "Your servant greets the Crown Prince's wife. My wife asked me to bring you some newly cultivated vegetables in her manor. The seeds of these vegetables were bought from traveling merchants. According to the traveling merchants, people in that place eat these vegetables all year round and find that these vegetables are very good for health, especially for children. The benefits are particularly great. My wife has ordered people to cook these vegetables that were just harvested yesterday, and also rewarded them to the people in the courtyard. Everyone likes them very much." The implication is that although this is a new variety of vegetable, everyone has eaten it before, so its safety can be guaranteed.
The wife of the prince said, "Your wife is really thoughtful. I received a few rolls of cloth from the capital the other day. They are all new patterns in the capital. I was preparing to send two rolls to your wife, thinking that she is also from the capital and will definitely like them. Since you are here, please bring them to me on your way."
Aunt Lian: “Yes.”
The wife looked at the broccoli in her basket again: "What kind of vegetable is this? It's green and looks a bit like a flower."
Nanny Lian said, "This vegetable is called broccoli, a name given by the peddlers. Madam said that this thing is green and juicy, so it is also appropriate to call it green cauliflower. By the way, although this broccoli can be stored for a long time, the green center of the flower will turn yellow after three days, and the taste will be bad. Madam said that if you like it, just send someone to our house to let us know, and this vegetable will be fine for two months."
The wife of the prince smiled and said, "Mrs. Qin is always cautious in her actions. She is really thoughtful. Green cauliflower, you know what, it is really suitable. Green flower-like vegetables, broccoli... People outside have ulterior motives when naming dishes."
Aunt Lian smiled along.
After a while, Nanny Lian came out holding two pieces of cloth. She went to Manager Ping's shop, where the Qin family's carriage was waiting. She put the cloth on the carriage and went to General Ao's mansion.
The wife of the prince looked at the broccoli and said to the nanny beside her: "Nanny, this Madam Qin is really thoughtful."
The nurse said, "After all, she comes from a wealthy family, so she does things differently. But Mrs. Qin is really interesting. We have many peddlers here, and I don't usually see any wives buying seeds from peddlers to cultivate new varieties of vegetables."
The Crown Prince's wife said, "Even if we bought it and cultivated it, we might not know about it."
Nanny: “That’s right.”
The Crown Prince's wife: "Cook this... broccoli at noon, according to the instructions written on Mrs. Qin's paper."
Nanny: "Yes, I'll go say hello to the kitchen."
General Ao's Mansion
Speaking of which, Ao Jiang had not seen Yang Haiyan since she met her at the Marquis' Mansion on the third day of the first lunar month. After all, feelings develop when people get along with each other, and because they had not met, she gradually forgot about Yang Haiyan, but she did not expect that she would send her food today.
Ao Jiang received the dishes, greeted Yang Haiyan with Nanny Lian, and asked Nanny Tian to see Nanny Lian off. Nanny Tian and Nanny Lian had met once before. That day, Yang Haiyan brought Nanny Lian to the general's mansion for a banquet, and it was Nanny Tian who received Yang Haiyan at the door, so the two had met before.
Coming out of the yard, Nanny Lian paused and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.
Seeing her stop, Aunt Tian asked, "What's wrong?"
Aunt Lian smiled and said, "I just saw an acquaintance. He seemed to be someone I had worked with in the dental shop." At this point, she explained, "Before I was bought by the madam, I had worked in the dental shop in this county town for a period of time."
Since pawnbrokers exist and servants also exist, there is nothing shameful about being born in a pawnbroker.
Nanny Tian said, "You are talking about this Mrs. Zhou. My wife found her from the pawnbroker many years ago. It is said that she came from the palace and has good manners, so my wife hired her to teach the boys and girls in the mansion etiquette." General Ao was born in a poor family, and Ao Jiang was also from the countryside, so naturally they didn't know any etiquette. But now General Ao has become a fifth-rank guerrilla general, and the children in his family are of good family background, so naturally they have to keep up with the rules and etiquette. So when Ao Jiang went to the pawnbroker to look for someone, she found this Mrs. Zhou.
Nanny Lian didn't ask any more questions: "So that's how it is."
After leaving General Ao's residence, Nanny Lian went to look for Kun Zhang. Kun Zhang gave the restaurant 10 broccolis, and Shopkeeper Ping bought two more. There were still 18 broccolis, which she sold to another restaurant. The reason for the sale was clear: this was the first batch of broccolis this year, and both the Marquis's residence and the General's residence were eating them. Even if they were following the trend, if the Marquis's residence was eating them, how could the restaurant not eat them
When Nanny Lian and Kun Zhang returned to the snack shop, the broccoli had been sold out. Funny enough, most of it was bought by people living in the family quarters.
People in the family quarters now highly recommend the things in Yang Haiyan's shop.
A head of broccoli costs three copper coins and can be used to make two meals. It is only half a cent more expensive than ordinary vegetables, but it is still cheap compared to cabbage and radish which cost two cents per pound in winter. And it is a fresh variety. Who wouldn't want to try it? It also makes you look good when you tell others about it.
People living in the family quarters always compare.
Seeing Nanny Lian and Kun Zhang coming, Yang Haiyan asked, "What's going on?"
Nanny Lian brought two pieces of cloth: "This is sent by the prince's wife. She said it is a new pattern in the capital." She told everything about the Marquis's Mansion and the General's Mansion. "By the way, Madam, I met an acquaintance in the General's Mansion."
Yang Haiyan was curious: "Is he from your previous master's family?"
Madam Lian said hurriedly, "No, it was someone you met when you bought the old slave from the pawnshop. She was the old woman from the palace. Do you remember her?"
How could Yang Haiyan forget that woman? She just didn't understand: "Is that woman in General Ao's mansion?"
Nanny Lian said, "Yes, Nanny Tian said that it was the general's wife who came from the pawnbroker to teach the girls and boys the rules a few years ago."
Yang Haiyan felt that this was probably God's will. In the novel, the woman entered the Han family, but it was indirectly related to General Ao's Mansion. After all, General Ao in the novel was also the prince's man. Now, the prince entered General Ao's Mansion. Although it seemed that he had nothing to do with Han Zhen and Yang Dahua, who knew what would happen next
Yang Haiyan had heard about it, but she didn't dwell on it. It was good to have a clear idea in her mind. Then, she asked Kun Zhang about the broccoli. After hearing what she said, Yang Haiyan felt that Kun Zhang was quite smart to borrow the reputation of the Marquis's Mansion and the General's Mansion. However, "Try not to borrow the power of the Marquis's Mansion and the General's Mansion in the future." Otherwise, if it gets to the other party's ears, they will feel like they owe them a favor.
Kun Zhang: "Yes."
Today, I sold 80 broccoli heads, earning 240 yuan. 800 broccoli heads, each with two or three broccoli heads, that's more than 2,000, so I can earn 6 taels of silver, not bad.
In the afternoon, when Yang Haiyan was resting at home, Kun Zhang came with a strange man who looked like a servant.
Kun Zhang said, "Madam, this is from the restaurant in the county. He is the nephew of the owner of the Harvest Restaurant. He is here to order broccoli."
The servant said, "I am here to meet you, Madam. Today, the broccoli at your house was well received by the guests, so I am here to discuss the broccoli business with you."
Yang Haiyan said, "I see. Little shopkeeper, please take a seat. Madam, bring the tea."
The servant hurriedly said, "I dare not, I dare not." However, the title of young shopkeeper still gave him face.
Yang Haiyan smiled and said, "Young shopkeeper, you're welcome. By the way, I have other varieties in my manor, all of which were cultivated from seeds from traveling merchants. I think we can have a good harvest next month. I wonder if your restaurant is interested in other varieties."
The waiter said, "Of course there are. Madam, if you have any new dishes, just send them over." If the restaurant does not have fresh food, business will decline. The broccoli fried with pork slices launched at noon today is considered a new dish. The main reason is that people have never eaten broccoli before and find it strange. The price is also affordable. The restaurant does not have many dishes. They can stir-fry five plates of broccoli for one dish, so the profit is high.
Moreover, there are many rich people in the county town. For them, what they eat is fresh. It doesn't matter what kind of food it is or whether it is vegetable or not.
Yang Haiyan said, "Okay, next month, when fresh vegetables arrive, I'll ask Zhang to deliver them."
The servant said, "Thank you, Madam. Starting tomorrow, please provide us with two heads of broccoli every day."
Yang Haiyan said, "Okay. I'll bring them to you as soon as I pick them every morning." Anyway, Kun Zhang had to send snacks to Shopkeeper Ping every day, so sending broccoli was just a good idea. "Young Shopkeeper, does your restaurant accept chicken and duck eggs? I also raise a lot of chickens and ducks on my farm."
The waiter said: "There is a farmer who specializes in buying eggs in the restaurant. I have to ask my uncle about this."
Yang Haiyan: "Then I'll trouble you, little shopkeeper."
The servant said, "You're welcome. Madam Qin, my uncle also hopes that our restaurant will be the only one in the county town that sells broccoli."
Yang Haiyan pondered for a while: "If only your restaurant sells broccoli, then what should I do if the unsold broccoli in my farm goes bad?" In fact, it would be fine for the broccoli to grow in the field for a few more days, but since the restaurant wants to monopolize the market, the price will be high.
The servant asked, "What does Madam Qin have in mind?" The servant and his uncle, the shopkeeper, had met many people, so he was not as timid as other servants.
Yang Haiyan smiled and said, "I also want to do business with your restaurant for a long time. Since broccoli is not provided to other restaurants, I will charge you four yuan for each broccoli in the future."
When the servant came, he had received instructions from his uncle, so the price was within his expectations, just a little more than usual. So the deal was settled.