Just as Jiang Miao expected, they couldn't come up with the recipe for Thirteen Spices with just this little bit of powder.
After Wu Youde brought the powder back to Yingkelai, the cook got close to the powder and sniffed it, his eyes lit up: "This should be it, it smells fresh and fragrant, if added to certain dishes, it should make the dishes taste better." After saying that, he made a small dish, and the dish tasted obviously better with the powder added.
Shopkeeper Sun tasted a few bites and smiled: "Xiao Wu, you have done a great job. When you come up with the recipe, I will promote you to be a small manager." Then he turned to the cook and said, "Lao Li, how about it, can you come up with this recipe?"
The cook looked embarrassed: "This powder should be made by grinding several spices. I only smell the scent of cinnamon, star anise and cumin. The strong flavor will cover the weaker flavor. It may not be easy to come up with the whole recipe."
Shopkeeper Sun frowned: "Even you can't make it?" This chef has always been picky. He can make ordinary dishes after eating them once or twice. He can imitate 70% to 80% of the dishes with his unique skills after eating them a few times. Although this method cannot be seen in public, it has attracted a lot of business for them. Gradually, they no longer feel ashamed of it, but proud of it.
But recently, a new restaurant opened on the next street. The dishes there are novel and delicious, attracting many customers. I don't know if they had inquired in advance, but they clearly stated that they do not welcome guests to come in for dinner. Even if they go in, they will not be served, and they can't bring out food even if they ask for help. Shopkeeper Sun can only watch their business getting more and more prosperous with resentment. This is why Shopkeeper Sun cares so much about Fang Zi.
Wu Youde listened nervously at the side. If he couldn't come up with the recipe, wouldn't all his sneaky work be in vain
"Xiao Wu, this still depends on you. If you can get the seasonings from Jiang Miao's kitchen, you can probably find out the whole recipe. If you can get it, not only will you be able to become the manager, I will also give you an extra sum of money as a reward. How about it?" Shopkeeper Sun began to bewitch people again.
Different people need to be treated in different ways. For someone like Daniu who is honest and has no connections at home, he can probably be made to surrender with coercion and inducement. But for someone like Jiang Miao who is stubborn and always claims to sue the authorities, he naturally cannot be treated with ordinary means.
When asking about Jiang Miao, Shopkeeper Sun heard a few things, and it was these things that made him realize that the peddler was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
Xiao Wu was in a state of confusion. He naturally didn't want to be a waiter forever. If he could be promoted to a manager, he would be in charge of more than a dozen people, and he would have more face when he was looking for a marriage proposal. However, he was already very scared after doing that sneaky thing today. If he was discovered when he was asking for the prescription, it would be difficult to deal with.
Seeing that Xiao Wu was still hesitating, Shopkeeper Sun relaxed his face and said calmly, "I am forcing you. If you don't want to, I won't force you. Go out."
The cold tone made Xiao Wu make a decision immediately. He knew that if he didn't agree today, he would probably end up like Daniu. It was not easy to get such a good job. If he lost it, what would happen to his parents and brothers in the countryside
"Shopkeeper, I'll do it. But Brother Jiang is a shrewd man. I'm afraid I won't be able to get anything out of him."
Shopkeeper Sun's expression softened, and he said generously, "Just do it. If you really can't get the answer, I won't blame you. How about this, you can take a rest these few days, and just try to find out the news."
Wu Youde thanked him profusely, and immediately turned around and spat after leaving the room. It was a relief, but he had to do it. How could he get the prescription from Jiang Miao
Wu Youde thought of the person who lived next door to him. The old woman seemed to have a good relationship with Jiang Miao. After returning to the yard, he saw Aunt Liu sitting outside picking vegetables, so he approached her to try to get close to her. Aunt Liu was good at judging people. She could tell whether someone was sincere or not. Not only did she not reveal a word, she also ridiculed him mercilessly.
Wu Youde was annoyed, but there were many people in the yard at that time, so he couldn't lose his temper. He had to go back to his room and start thinking of other solutions.
The next day, he peeped out through the crack of the door early in the morning, hoping that Jiang Miao would come out so that he could go out and ask questions in time. But Jiang Miao did not wait for him, but for Daniu. Although Daniu often came, he had never met Wu Youde. The job of welcoming guests was not easy. You had to go out before dawn and come back after dark. If it were not for three meals a day, everyone would probably complain.
Daniu naturally didn't know someone was secretly watching him. He came to get the stuffing, and after taking the stuffing, he hurried back home to make buns. Wu Youde saw him carrying a bucket of stuff away, and knew that this should be the stuffing prepared by Jiang Miao. He prepared so much every day, wouldn't his powder run out
Thinking of this, Wu Youde's eyes lit up, and he suddenly came up with an idea. Jiang Miao would definitely buy new spices when he ran out of powder. As long as he kept an eye on Jiang Miao and saw what he bought, wouldn't he have the recipe
He couldn't help but feel proud of his cleverness, so for the next two days, he hid behind the door every day to watch what was going on in Jiang Miao's house. Finally, this morning, he saw Jiang Miao carrying a basket and going out.
He quickly locked the door and secretly followed Jiang Miao, watching him walk and stop along the way, either greeting street vendors or chatting with old customers. Wu Youde was a little impatient, but there was nothing he could do. Fortunately, Jiang Miao went to a grain and oil shop not long after.
Wu Youde didn't dare to follow him in. He just watched Jiang Miao leaning against the counter and talking to the shopkeeper inside. After a while, the clerk inside brought a few paper bags and put them in his basket. Jiang Miao paid the money and said a few words, then walked out the door and headed towards another shop. This time he went to a southern goods shop. Jiang Miao stood at the counter and chatted with the shopkeeper for a few words as before, and the clerk brought the things over.
After that, Jiang Miao did not walk around anymore. He went straight back to the yard with his full basket. Wu Youde leaned against his door and heard the sound of something being pounded. He found another excuse to come to the door, and indeed, he smelled that strange fragrance in the main room.
Wu Youde left with great pride, and just as he left, Aunt Liu came in. As soon as she came in, she told Jiang Miao about Wu Youde's strange behavior of eavesdropping on his door, and told Jiang Miao to be careful, because Wu Youde might want to come in and steal something.
Jiang Miao smiled and thanked Aunt Liu for coming to tip him off. He was actually prepared for Wu Youde's behavior, but at first, he thought it would be the shopkeeper who came to greet guests and inquire about the news.
Wu Youde returned to greet guests, and when Manager Sun saw him, he asked, "Have you finished your business? Where's the prescription?"
Wu Youde said, "I don't know the recipe yet, but I have thought of a way." He told Shopkeeper Sun what he saw and said, "... As long as I ask him what he bought, I believe Brother Li will be able to come up with a recipe."
"Haha, well done!" Shopkeeper Sun patted Wu Youde on the shoulder with a smile on his face, "In that case, go over and ask, and buy those things back by the way."
Wu Youde agreed, but his eyes wandered, as if he had something to hide. Shopkeeper Sun thought for a moment, then suddenly realized what was going on, and took out a small silver ingot from his sleeve and handed it to him. Wu Youde happily took it, and immediately said goodbye and ran out.
He went to the grain and oil shop first. Manager Wang had already gone out. He asked the clerk who helped Jiang Miao weigh things in the morning. The clerk said, "Brother Jiang bought a pound of rice cakes, a pound of rice biscuits, two pounds of glutinous rice, and three pounds of millet from us this morning."
These things sounded very ordinary. Wu Youde hesitated for a moment, but still paid for them. What if these were the ingredients in the recipe
He came to the southern goods shop again and was about to ask the clerk when the shopkeeper Wu came to greet him in person.
"This young man looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? This is a southern goods shop. I have many things from the south here. They are cheap and of good quality. We never shortchange you on weight." Shopkeeper Wu was very enthusiastic.
When he mentioned Jiang Miao, Shopkeeper Wu's eyes changed slightly, then returned to normal in an instant.
"Yes, Brother Jiang's buns are delicious, so they must be made with the things I have. Just today, he came to my store and bought a lot of things!"
This was what Wu Youde had been waiting for. He immediately asked, "I wonder what Brother Jiang bought?"
Shopkeeper Wu smiled and said, "How can we casually reveal what the customer bought?"
"Well, I'm just too lazy to think about what to buy. Don't worry, I'll buy whatever he wants, so you don't have to do business at a loss." Wu Youde thought that Shopkeeper Wu was asking for a benefit. Sure enough, Shopkeeper Wu smiled when he heard what he said.
"It's convenient for others, and it's convenient for yourself. Since the young man said so, I'll tell you. He bought eight ounces of cinnamon, one pound of star anise, and one pound and three ounces of fennel..."
The first three items smelled exactly the same as what the cook had smelled, so Wu Youde believed it immediately. He also accepted the following items, such as "1.2 jin of dried mushrooms, 2.1 jin of dried scallops, 1.5 jin of wolfberries, and 1 jin of dried tangerine peel."
These things filled up a basket, so heavy that they were a little heavy. He counted them carefully and found that Jiang Miao bought thirteen things in total. So this is the Thirteen Spices! If I had known earlier, I would not have gone to the grain and oil shop, and I could have embezzled the money.
"How much?"
"Thank you, five taels of silver." Shopkeeper Wu used the abacus in his hand to calculate a sky-high price.
"What did you say?!" Wu Youde was shocked. He had never been to a southern goods store before, so he naturally didn't know the price of these things. Manager Sun only gave him two taels of silver in total. Where did he get five taels to pay the bill? "Why are these things so expensive?"
"You mean to say that I cheated you? My goods were shipped from the south with great difficulty. It took me a long time to travel by land and water. They are all rare items. Isn't it reasonable to sell them at a higher price?" Shopkeeper Wu changed his friendly expression and looked at Wu Youde with a gloomy face. The shop assistants also gathered here. They were all tall and strong. Wu Youde, who was standing in the middle, was trembling.
"I... I didn't say that, it's just that it's really too expensive and I don't have enough money to pay for it. How about this, let me go home and get the money first, and I'll leave these things here and I won't take them away, okay?" Wu Youde thought of a way to get away and begged bitterly.
Shopkeeper Wu was not buying it. He snorted coldly, "I've already packed and weighed the stuff for you. If you run away, who can I sell it to? How about this? I'll ask someone to go with you and help you send the stuff back before you get paid."
"These things were bought by our shopkeeper. If you really want to give them away, just send them to Yingkelai!" Wu Youde was afraid that they would rob him if they didn't have enough money, so he immediately moved out of Yingkelai.
"You're the guy who greets guests? That's fine, I'll ask two more people to take it to you. If you still can't pay by then, you'll be in trouble!"
Unfinished threats are often more frightening. Wu Youde walked tremblingly among the big men, his face pale with fear.
"Who are you?" Hearing that someone was looking for him outside, Manager Sun came out and found four men surrounding Wu Youde and walking towards him.
"We are from Wu's Southern Goods Shop. A clerk from your shop bought something from us and said he had no money to pay, so he wanted to come back to get the money. So we sent him back. Please, shopkeeper, be kind and pay the money so that we can go back and report back."
Shopkeeper Sun frowned, but thinking that the prescription was still in Wu Youde's hands, he had to pay the money to resolve the matter.
"How much?"
"Five taels of silver."
Shopkeeper Sun was also surprised: "These things in the basket cost five taels?" There were only a dozen paper packages in them, why would they cost so much money
Five taels of silver was not a lot for him, but how could a businessman be willing to do business at a loss
"If the shopkeeper can't figure it out, he might as well open the basket, unwrap the paper and take a look at what's inside. You are the owner of the restaurant and you are knowledgeable. You should be able to see the value of these things." said the leading waiter.
Shopkeeper Sun opened the basket, unwrapped a few paper packages, and was immediately furious. There were all kinds of expensive things, such as scallops and sea cucumbers, and they were all top-quality products with plump meat!
With a gloomy face, he took out money to send these people away, and when he entered, he slapped Wu Youde in the face.
"I asked you to get a prescription, what did you get back?"
Wu Youde felt very aggrieved: "But, Jiang Miao bought these things today and ground them into powder. Maybe it's because the ingredients are precious that the powder tastes so good."
Shopkeeper Sun's chest heaved rapidly. He tried to hold it in, but couldn't help but slapped him again.
"He is a small stall on the roadside, and he buys raw materials for five taels of silver to grind into flour. How does he make money? Tell me! You bastard, it must be you who leaked the news, and we have all been fooled by him!" Manager Sun was so angry that his teeth were itching.
Was he fooled? Wu Youde was confused. He recalled what he had done, but he still didn't understand where he had been exposed and how he had been fooled.
(End of this chapter)