I Own a Garden with One Hundred Herbs - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Chuanqiu Danggui Eel Soup

In order to sell her eels and mushrooms for a good price, Bai Caoshi kept him in suspense and mentioned the big shots of Yanjing.

The shop assistant was very cautious and immediately called the shopkeeper over.

The shopkeeper took a closer look at Bai Caoshi. She was young and looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old. Her clothes were also linen and she looked poor. Her skin was slightly dark, but her facial features were not bad. She had black and curved eyebrows, and her eyes were like a lake. The shopkeeper could not describe it. It was a hazy beauty.

“May I ask, Miss, what can I do for you?” The shopkeeper cupped his fists at the sky.

In comparison, Bai Caoshi was quite satisfied with the boss’s attitude. She coughed and pretended to be serious. “Boss, think about the noble of Yanjing. What kind of delicacies had he not tried? Since he demanded a dish, he naturally wants a clever and unique dish with authentic flavor.”

The “authentic flavor” enlightened the shopkeeper. He immediately ordered the shop assistant, “Tell the chefs to stop cooking Yanjing cuisine and change to our Changgou Town’s specialty dishes.”

The shop assistant ran to the kitchen to give the order.

Only then did the shopkeeper turn to Bai Caoshi and smile. “Miss, you’re really a timely help. In that case, I won’t listen to your suggestion and give nothing in return. Changgou belongs to the Jinglu County of Bagong. The dishes are fragrant, spicy, and fresh. Coupled with the unique salt from the well, they form their own sect. Whatever you want to eat in the shop today, it’s free.”

This was considered generous.

Bai Xiaoshu sniffed the fragrance of the kitchen and his stomach growled.

But they had an ulterior motive.

Bai Caoshi did not move. She continued to tap the table with her slender fingers. “Boss, there’s a special feature, but the ingenuity is gone. What you can think of, can’t the old partner opposite you think of it? When the time comes, we’ll offer it to the noble. Everyone is the same. No one can stand out.”

The shopkeeper was stunned. Wasn’t the Hongjin tavern opposite him? In terms of popularity and quality, they were not even as good as Hongjin.

He was completely suppressed.

“Miss, do you have any good ideas about this?”

The shopkeeper cupped his fists again. This time, he lowered his body a little.

Bai Caoshi snapped her fingers, causing Bai Xiaoshu to shiver. She placed the wooden bucket on the table and patted the edge of the bucket. “I’ll provide the ingredients and recipes to help you, Boss.”

The shopkeeper looked at the fat and slippery eel in the bucket and frowned. “It’s just an eel. Why would you think highly of it?”

The corners of Bai Caoshi’s lips curled up. At this moment, the eyes of the thin and small woman became even more dazzling. “The wild eel has the effect of replenishing blood and Qi, dispelling wind and moisture. It can be said to be a treasure that nourishes vitality. In addition, it’s accompanied by Chuanqiu, Danggui, and Guizhi. It’s the best medicinal cuisine that can replenish the blood, circulate Qi, and warm the meridians. The nobleman came from Yanjing, which is not as humid as Changgou. Chuanqiu, Danggui, and Eel Soup are the best supplements. So, Boss, look, this is a clever idea.”

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment. “We’ve never used medicinal herbs usually. This Chuanqiu, Danggui…”

“Oh, it’s alright. The medical center should have all these medicinal herbs.”

Hearing her words, the shopkeeper felt he had gained experience from cooking for ten years.

“Miss, leave behind the ingredients and recipes. I’m willing to reward you with a huge sum of money.” The shopkeeper bowed. “Chun Sheng, give you twenty taels of silver.”

Twenty taels of silver were already many times more than at the market. Bai Caoshi smiled warmly. “There’s no hurry. There’s more.”

As she spoke, she poured out the things in the basket on her back. “Boss, I have a good chat with you, so I’ll form a good relationship with you. Buy one get two free. These wild rabbits and fresh mushrooms are all wild animals I hunted on the mountain. I’ll give them to the shop.”

Bai Xiaoshu tugged at Bai Caoshi’s sleeve behind her. That was all money. How could he be so generous and give it away just like that?

The shopkeeper was embarrassed. The young lady was smart and had a clear mind. He had the intention to befriend her and waved at the shop assistant. “I appreciate your kindness. Chun Sheng, I’ll give you another ten taels. I only hope that if you have ingredients and recipes in the future, you will prioritize your friends. Let’s work together for a long time, okay?”

The shopkeeper’s name was Feng Zhenye. As expected, his name was not given in vain.

Bai Caoshi didn’t agree immediately, but said very seriously, “We’ll talk about it after the boss makes a contribution in front of the noble. Otherwise, I’m afraid you won’t dare to use my recipe again.”

After that, she dictated the recipe and Feng Zhenye got someone to record it.

The shop assistant had already brought over the silver taels. Bai Caoshi nimbly stuffed them into the basket on her back and waved at the shopkeeper. “Thank you, Boss Feng.”

She pulled Bai Xiaoshu and walked out quickly, abandoning the wooden bucket.

Feng Zhenye took two steps forward. “Where can I find you in the future?”

“I’m at the market every day.”

Bai Xiaoshu, who followed his sister out of the restaurant, looked puzzled. “Sister, we’re not in the market. How can the boss find us?”

Bai Caoshi flicked his head. “Silly boy, if the nobleman is dissatisfied, who will take the blame? It’s more important for us to run away after we get the silver.”