Chapter 154:
Luo Zhi’er put on the large apron, sleeve covers, mask, and chef’s hat that she had brought and made herself.
She also made a set for Chef Xie.
The other five were also very professional, in uniform clothing with Yumian Tower logo markings, which she had specially made at home yesterday.
In the morning at Yumian Tower, she had discussed today’s banquet recipes with Chef Xie.
This recipe was written by her at home, and she had informed Ye Beiyao in advance. It was part of those vegetable recipes, and Chef Xie and the others had tried making them first.
Jiang Mansion had plenty of ingredients like chicken, duck, fish, meat, and seasonings. They had also brought some tools, but the only issue was that there were many complicated dishes to make and some ingredients were missing.
After the two muttered for a while, Chef Xie made a shopping list according to the needs and sent Chang Qing and Jiang Mansion’s purchasing servant to buy ingredients!
He and Luo Zhi’er started cooking with the existing ingredients.
Before cooking, they took out the dough that had been proofed yesterday and brought over, and steamed longevity peaches.
These longevity peaches had chicken fillings, red bean paste fillings, date paste fillings, chestnut fillings, and walnut ones.
Then they dipped red dye on top to create beautiful patterns.
Then the first dish, Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl.
Chen Pi Braised Pork
Heavenly Fragrant Abalone
Dongpo Pork.
Dry Pot Bullfrog
Chopped Chili Fish Head
Silver Ear Soup, Pork Knuckle Soup, Lotus Root Meatball Soup
Most of the main dishes this time were provided by Luo Zhi’er, with Chef Xie just lending his name; the actual head chef in operation was her.
The back kitchen stoves were not suitable for making large pot dishes, and there were many people today, so Luo Zhi’er adapted to the circumstances.
She personally operated, arching her big butt with the servant in the open space of the side room near the kitchen in the backyard, digging trenches, putting in fire coals, setting up pots and stoves, and stewing various soups and dishes!
In the hall, there were brocade banquet tables and treasured fruit displays; the happiest today had to be Old Madam Jiang.
Old Madam Jiang sat at the main table, with fine eyebrows and phoenix eyes, a shrewd air between her brows, a straight nose bridge, and cheeks whose skin had loosened due to the passage of time, but still fairly fair and rosy.
Old Lady Jia sat beside her with a smiling face, while Madam Jia and Miss Jia sat at a side table.
There were also old ladies, madams, and young women from other manors; this old madam’s birthday banquet had turned into something like a matchmaking gathering.
Why had they all brought their daughters? Actually, in ancient times, official’s daughters often came out for such gatherings to show their faces.
Mainly because Young Master Jiang was twenty-one years old and not yet married, right at marriageable age.
The Jiang Family’s property in the Jiangnan area could be said to be the richest under heaven, so how many people were eager to try!
Old Madam Jiang was also pleased to see it happen; looking at more wouldn’t hurt. Although her young grandson held no official position, the family had plenty of silver; if he was interested, he could donate for an official post.
His direct relative aunt was the wife of a first-rank official in the Imperial City, and she knew the intentions of these people who came today.
But Jiang Shaoqing currently seemed not interested in this matter; he had been hurt in his disposition by those things in the manor.
Before coming to Taoyuan Town, Jiang Shaoqing had a huge argument with Master Jiang. Jiang Jingnian had given him work that went wrong, nearly causing the cloth workshop to suffer heavy losses, and the dealings with sales merchants were mishandled. Thanks to Xuan’er mediating multiple times, the losses were minimized.
Outside, it was said that Young Master Jiang was a playboy scion who kept a mistress in a golden house, doting on a delicate beauty and reveling in nightly pleasures.
Young Master Jiang did not care for the family Buyi Workshop business and was known for seeking flowers and willows, loving beauties.
Only she knew that it was her eldest son’s concubine’s son who had done it intentionally; it was all because she had been soft-hearted in her youth and left such a scourge.
He had step by step secretly deployed to invade Hong Futai’s cloth dyeing business, causing her direct grandson Shaoqing to gain a notorious reputation.
She knew her Shaoqing, having watched him grow up; though on the surface domineering, roguish, and arrogant!
He was the kindest and most filial; from childhood to now, he had suffered many setbacks from them and eaten many silent losses!
She had warned and beaten them both openly and secretly many times, but she didn’t understand business; the heavy responsibilities still had to rely on them.
As for whether her eldest grandson Jiang Xuan’s branch was involved, it was hard to say.
Jiang Xuan was Master Jiang Jingnian’s concubine’s son, deeply trusted by Master, and Concubine Liu had considerable weight with Master Jiang.
Jiang Xuan was always respectful and deferential to Shaoqing and fulfilled the duties of an elder brother.
On the contrary, Madam Jiang’s temperament was too stubborn; her maternal family was a minor seventh-rank official family, and as an official’s daughter, she was strong-willed and inflexible, not favored by Master Jiang.
Moreover, the legitimate son Shaoqing had shown a little bully nature since childhood.
Old Madam Jiang and Madam Jiang protected their cub, causing him to lose much face outside.
Feeling that he was not as promising and obedient as Jiang Xuan, just an idle playboy, he thus suffered Master Jiang’s disgust, with a sense of hating iron for not becoming steel.
Mainly he just didn’t like Madam Jiang, favoring Concubine Liu instead, after all, she was his youthful confidante who had accompanied him since young.
Concubine Liu was the concubine’s daughter of a friend Old Master Jiang met while doing business; in her youth, her face was like a peach blossom, her figure graceful, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Her countenance gentle, she was always respectful to the madam and had known Jiang Jingnian since childhood.
These people had wolfish ambitions; they monopolized the large and small affairs of Jiangnan Hong Futai cloth dyeing, guarding against Shaoqing’s involvement everywhere and infiltrating.
This time, under the pretext of tempering him and honing his will, they convinced Jiang Jingnian to exile him to such a remote place.
Called exile and honing his will, but actually giving up on him; they thought he was at the end of his rope, would collapse and that was it—unexpectedly, her grandson was no pushover!
He struck and accomplished a great deed for Buyi Workshop! This remote, mountainous place was beyond their sphere of supervision.
Although she felt the identities of this group of young women were not quite up to par, there were still good ones; picking one who could help, perhaps her grandson would take a fancy to her!
Her gaze turned among the group of young women, as everyone vied to outshine each other to leave a good impression with the old madam.
“Where is Shaoqing?”
The other young women also looked eager and restless, their eyes darting around.
Old Madam Jiang turned to ask the steward granny beside her; this was her daughter Jiang Zihan’s person, an old palace servant who had once been a third-rank steward granny.
This time, upon hearing from the old madam about Shaoqing’s situation, she specially let her bring her back to use in that Jiang Mansion where the master didn’t act like a master.
The banquet was about to start; why hadn’t the young master come yet?
“Old Madam, the young master is receiving guests.”
“Oh?”
“Do you know who?”
“It’s the heir of the Capital City Marquis’s Mansion. And Wang Shaoqing from the Taoyuan Town magistrate’s family, and Jia Luan from Jia Manor.”
Granny Yu whispered lowly, and Old Madam Jiang’s eyes lit up. Shaoqing this boy was not bad; away from that den of wolves, coming to Taoyuan Town and still befriending the heir of Marquis’s Mansion, such a young talent.
It was just that this young heir seemed to have poor reputation too, also a playboy scion; she had heard such rumors on her recent trip to the Capital City.
Her brows furrowed tightly.
“Why is the young heir in Taoyuan Town?”
“His mother seems to be from here; that Yumian Tower is his mother’s property, so it’s normal for him to be here!”
The young heir’s background was pitiable; his mother had passed early, and even his maternal family had no other relatives left, only a cousin from his uncle’s family still around!
If Master found out, wouldn’t he again say he was not doing proper things, associating with bad friends and not learning well?
“Old Madam, some rumors can’t be believed; better to see the real person later!”
“Right!”
The old madam’s brows relaxed.
Ye Beiyao, Jiang Shaoqing, Wang Jiji, Jia Luan, and a few little followers stayed in the meeting hall for a while, then he suggested going to the elegant room at Wangchun Tower to appreciate the scenery!
In the elegant room, after chatting a few sentences, they stood by the window and were suddenly drawn by a saliva-inducing aroma!
Their gazes looked out the window and discovered many steaming pots and stoves in the back kitchen side yard.
There was a very fat woman in strange clothing, arching her big butt with her back to them, deftly preparing dishes.
With a loud voice, she called for someone,
“Pang’er, cut some garlic for me, and scallions!”
“Who is that?”
Those aromas were the flavors wafting from the steam in those pots.
Ye Beiyao said that this taste should be his family cook preparing dishes.
“Yumian Tower truly lives up to its name.”
Jiang Shaoqing quickly echoed.
He swallowed saliva; it smelled so good. Wang Jiji insisted on going down to see what was going on!
The others also followed him down Wangchun Tower.
Walking to the backyard, they saw the real person; only to see the fat woman’s hat towering high on her head, flipping the wok as if practicing martial arts. Wang Jiji was very curious about her. “Shaoqing, who is this fatty? She’s too fat; I’ve never seen one like this!”
Wang Shaoqing looked baffled: why cooking outside? Wasn’t there a kitchen? What were all these rows of pots and stoves?
Although it was his own home manor, it was his first time seeing this. Ye Beiyao said faintly: “She is the little chef of my Yumian Tower!”
“What?”
Pfft, couldn’t help laughing out loud. Jia Luan said: “Beiyao, your chef is not little at all!”
Ye Beiyao was a bit displeased, his face darkening.
