Chapter 198 - 198: A Taste, No Matter How Expensive

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“My baby is fairer and cuter!”

The mother and daughter played around for a while, and then Ling’er was taken by the maids.

Qiao Mai sent someone to call the kitchen staff. They ran quickly, afraid that the mistress would change her mind.

“Mistress.”

“Take the seafood in the yard and put them in the kitchen’s warehouse. Leave this big fish and dried goods here. Also, call Shopkeeper Niu.” “Mistress, won’t you teach us how to cook these seafood?”

“Let me take a break. First, arrange these, and I’ll come to find you.”

“Yes, Mistress!”

The kitchen staff left happily, and Shopkeeper Niu came running. He was taken aback when he saw the seafood in the yard.

Is the shop getting new products again? But not many people in the north know about these things.

“Boss?”

“This is the price list for these dried goods. You will sell these in the shop from now on. You can decide how much to sell.”

“But, Boss, people in the north don’t know these products.”

“I’ll give some recipes to the kitchen staff later, including how to use these dried goods. Let them prepare it. Then, you can take it to your shop and let customers try it.”

“What if the customers want the recipes?” “Give them. How will they buy our seafood if they don’t know how to cook it?” “I understand now. I was being foolish.”

“Selling southern goods in the north is what makes them rare. Otherwise, how did our shop become so famous? You need to explain to the customers that if they haven’t tried these products, they should start with a small portion, as some people may be allergic to seafood.”

“Understood.”

Qiao Mai stopped saying more and watched as Shopkeeper Niu and his staff took the goods. She needed to open up this new sales channel.

In the future, she would visit Mengjia Village to get more goods every once in a while to diversify the shop’s inventory. She can’t just sell fruits and vegetables all the time.

She needs to sell a little of everything, especially when she has time, Qiao Mai could research a few methods for preparing seafood to make popular snacks.

Next, she packed instant noodles in a basket and the seasonings in a jar and headed to the Liu family’s shop.

There were quite a few people in the shop now, all customers, some sitting inside and others outside.

Liu Hai came out to greet Qiao Mai when he saw her.

“Cousin, what would you like to eat?”

“I’m not here to eat.”

“Then do you have something you need me for?”

“Do you have a charcoal stove?”

“Yes.”

“Bring one out for me, and clean a small pot and put half a pot of clean water in it. ”

“Okay!”

Liu Hai was obedient and did as he was told.

He prepared everything. When he was about to leave, Qiao Mai spoke up.

“Don’t leave. Watch me cook the noodles.”

“Huh?”

Qiao Mai cracked two eggs into the pot of water. She then added the instant noodles. When the noodles expanded, she scooped them into a bowl and stirred in the seasoning.

“Eat this.”

“Huh?”

“I told you to eat it.”

Liu Hai had no choice but to sit across from her and started eating. He couldn’t stop after the first bite and quickly finished a bowl.

“How much can I sell this bowl for?”

Liu Hai hesitated. “Cold skin noodles sell for fifteen coins a bowl. This one definitely can’t be any cheaper.”

“Two eggs and noodles for fifty coins. Is that okay?”

“So expensive?”

Liu Hai’s exclamation immediately attracted the customers’ attention.

“What’s so expensive? Tell us. As long as it’s delicious, we’ll try it no matter how costly.”

He scratched his head and smiled awkwardly at Qiao Mai.

“Cook some for them just like I did earlier.”

“Oh. ”

He quickly followed Qiao Mai’s instructions to cook a pot of noodles and then served several bowls to the customers present.

The customers tasted the noodles and praised them. They not only finished the noodles but also drank all the soup.

“Boss, how much do you sell these noodles for?” Liu Hai quickly answered, “It’s fifty coins for two eggs and a bowl of noodles.”

“It’s not that expensive. Can I have a bowl?”

Qiao Mai pushed the basket toward him. “Start with the noodles for now. I’ll talk to you about the price later.”

The customers eagerly waited for their bowls of noodles and refused to eat anything else. The noodles were chewy and smooth with an incredibly delicious taste. Even the soup was better than the meat broth.

Liu Hai cooked bowl after bowl, charging fifty coins from the customers.

Everyone felt that one bowl was not enough. Many wanted a second, but the basket had limited noodles.

Qiao Mai shouted to the customers, “If you want to eat more, come back tomorrow. I’m just letting you get a taste today.”

The customers sighed in disappointment and ordered other dishes.

Qiao Mai had Liu Hai sit across from her. “Twenty coins per portion with condiments for you, and you can sell it for fifty coins. That means a profit of thirty coins per bowl. How does that sound?”

“Huh?”

“Do you agree?”

“Definitely. It’s more profitable and less trouble than cold skin.”

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone deliver a hundred portions to you to test the market.”

“No need for a test. It’ll definitely sell well. Have someone send me five hundred portions.”

Qiao Mai’s lips twitched as she agreed. Liu Hai appeared simple but was quite clever.

She wasn’t after this little money; she just wanted the Liu family to earn more and modern products to gain recognition in ancient times.

Of course, she provided the cheapest version, as the locals couldn’t afford the expensive ones.

For instance, the noodles she had for dinner and breakfast cost five taels a bowl, which she wouldn’t sell here.

However, thinking about Shopkeeper Tong, she felt she owed him a favor. Liu Hai had been well taken care of at his place.

Thinking about the deluxe instant noodles, she believed they were perfect for Jingtai Restaurant.

She walked aimlessly, and before she knew it, she had a basket in her hand. As soon as Shopkeeper Tong saw her with a basket, he came out to greet her.

“Oh, Madam Qiao, what a rare guest.”

“I have a business proposition for you. Are you interested?”

“I’m interested in anything you say.”

Qiao Mai lifted the cloth covering the basket, revealing a steaming bowl of deluxe instant noodles.

Without even looking at the noodles, the aroma alone was irresistible.

“Let me taste it, and we’ll discuss the price afterward!”

Unable to contain his excitement, Shopkeeper Tong immediately picked up the chopsticks and started eating the noodles, even burping a few times.

His face turned red. “Delicious, these noodles are truly delicious.”

“I’ll charge you two taels of silver for one piece of noodles, plus condiments and ingredients. You can sell it at any price you like. However, I suggest you sell it for five taels.’

“Oh my, you’re overestimating me. Five taels for a bowl of noodles? Will anyone buy it?”

“Don’t you think you need something attractive here?”

“Five taels for a bowl of noodles? Is that really enticing?”

“Then what’s your plan? These customers are probably curious about such expensive noodles. They’ll come from far and wide to try it, and your shop will become famous. Take your time to think it over; no need to rush.”

Shopkeeper Tong rested his chin on his hand and thought for a while. “What you said makes sense.”

“This is the ingredient list for ten bowls of noodles and a step-by-step guide on how to cook them. It’s not an official recipe, but good things don’t go unnoticed if you follow these instructions.”

“At five taels a bowl in your shop, once the word spreads, think about how many customers it will attract. These noodles and seasonings don’t spoil. As for the shrimp and ham, you can add or remove them depending on the cost.”

“Don’t forget to maintain the quality; if someone orders it, cook it for them. However, remember that the shrimp and ham must not be kept for more than ten days. After that, they must be discarded. You can’t sell them anymore. In the summer, you can focus solely on selling the noodles.”

Shopkeeper Tong had a bitter look on his face as he gazed at Qiao Mai. “Madam Qiao, will this work?”

“Look at how you devoured that bowl just now. It’ll definitely work.” He clenched his teeth. “Alright, I’ll go along with your plan.”

“Later, put up a sign at the entrance that says ‘A bowl of noodles for five taels of silver.’ What you have here is deluxe noodles, and my aunt’s place serves regular noodles, which they sell for fifty coins per bowl.”

Shopkeeper Tong’s mouth twitched slightly. She had entrusted the cheaper noodles to Liu Hai while keeping the more expensive ones for his establishment, thinking highly of him..