Chapter 65: A Reluctant Request

As a restaurateur familiar with various ingredients, Manager Xu occasionally explored markets. About a week ago, he discovered immortal tofu in the eastern market and brought some back for experimentation.

Planning to introduce a new dish, he returned the next day to find the tofu vendor absent. Despite his inquiries in the western market and being informed the vendor had been selling for a while, there had been no recent sightings.

Assuming the vendor’s absence was due to farming season, Manager Xu patiently waited, hoping for their return, only to discover not just immortal tofu but another new white tofu variety as well.

Manager Xu had previously purchased ten pieces of immortal tofu, preparing them as a cold dish appetizer to test their reception, and also brought a few pieces of tofu back for Head Chef Yu to experiment with.

Today, he initially planned to buy more, but coincidentally encountered Sang Luo selling her vegetarian tripe.

Sang Luo smiled, "This is part of my family's business. I used to sell these in the western market, but now several aunts from my village are selling them in the county. Have you purchased from them, Manager Xu?"

Manager Xu shared the backstory, "I was planning to go and check it out today, but fortunately, I found it here with you, Miss Sang."

Sang Luo raised an eyebrow, guessing Manager Xu might have intended to negotiate a deal with Qin Fangniang, but didn’t mention it, smiling instead, "That's a pleasant coincidence."

She then inquired with Head Chef Yu, "I wonder how Chef Yu has cooked this dish?"

Chef Yu shared his thoughts on several cooking methods he had devised. Sang Luo laughed upon hearing them, "As expected of a restaurant head chef – so resourceful with just the ingredients at hand."

After praising Chef Yu, she turned to Manager Xu, "With a chef like Chef Yu, I really have no place showing off. However, my family’s tofu recipe includes several methods well-suited for restaurant preparation. It’s serendipitous to conduct business with your Dongfu Restaurant, Manager Xu. I’d like to gift you a few recipes as my gratitude for your future patronage."

Manager Xu was overjoyed upon hearing this, and Chef Yu’s eyes also sparkled with excitement.

What matters most in running a restaurant is constant innovation, especially when the culinary skills are already top-notch!

Sang Luo, without hesitation, shared several tofu recipes she knew, such as "Pocket Tofu," "Sauce Tofu," "Steamed Tofu," "Two-tone Tofu," and "Stuffed Tofu." Manager Xu and Head Chef Yu's eyes shone brighter with each recipe.

Initially only mildly interested, Head Chef Yu now leaned in eagerly, pushing Manager Xu aside and asking Sang Luo for clarifications on any unclear points.

The more he asked, the more intrigued he became. For the complex-shaped "Pocket Tofu," he even had Sang Luo join him in the kitchen with the tofu she brought, guiding him as he tried making it.

The "Pocket Tofu," with its golden pouch made from white tofu filled with seasoned stuffing and tied at the top with green onions, then garnished with sauce, was a visual delight. Manager Xu was thoroughly impressed, exclaiming, "This could definitely become a signature dish of our restaurant!"

Excited, he asked Sang Luo, "Miss Sang, you still make these tofu dishes, right?"

"Certainly, I supply several tofu stalls in the county," Sang Luo replied. Then pausing, she added with a smile, "If Manager Xu wishes to order tofu, it might be more convenient to order directly from the stall you previously purchased from in the eastern market. They can deliver the goods to you before setting up their stall, which would be more convenient than buying from me. I’ll also have the vegetarian tripe delivered through them. As for long-term orders and pricing, tofu doesn’t yield high profits, and it's mostly hard-earned money. You can negotiate the details directly with them."

Manager Xu raised an eyebrow, understanding that Sang Luo was honoring the business relationship he had established with the tofu stall in the eastern market, instead of intercepting the deal herself.

He respected her integrity.

As for the price of two coins per piece of tofu, he found it reasonable and didn't bother to haggle, saying with a smile, "That works, I'll make another trip to the eastern market then."

Sang Luo smiled and suggested to Head Chef Yu, "Chef Yu, you might also want to explore various fish and tofu combinations. Fish head stewed with tofu, for example, gives a rich and creamy soup, very savory. And red-braised with different types of fish would also be excellent."

Head Chef Yu felt as if a new culinary world had opened up to him: "Tofu really goes with everything. Starting tomorrow with the new supply of tofu, I need to come up with a new dish every day."

Sang Luo smiled with her eyes curved, thinking it would be ideal if Dongfu Restaurant could host a tofu banquet. With daily tofu orders from Dongfu, even though initially from Aunt Tian, ultimately they were sourced from her. And with Dongfu innovating various dishes, it would likely spark a trend, benefiting other tofu stalls in the county.

As they left the kitchen, Manager Xu was noticeably more enthusiastic, busily arranging for fresh tea and snacks in the private room.

Sang Luo declined politely, “Manager Xu, there's no need. I have urgent matters to attend to and must leave now.”

She didn't plan to take today's earnings back to the village but intended to buy grain in the county and transport it back using Qin Fangniang's cart, a plan she had already discussed with Qin Fangniang earlier.

Focused solely on the tax payment, she couldn't afford to be distracted by anything else.

With the current increase in grain prices, it was better to purchase early for peace of mind. She had initially planned to trade tofu for grain with three families in the village and accumulate slowly. But now, with the tax demand, which families would have surplus grain to sell? Neither the Chen, Shi, nor Lu families would likely have excess grain to exchange for tofu.

So, she had to buy in the county. Besides, grain merchants wouldn't raise prices without reason. The external situation must be dire, though Sang Luo didn't know to what extent. Her priority was to stockpile grain, preparing for a further increase in prices.

She wasn't sure if the merchants raised prices because they knew about the government's tax collection in advance. If not, this sudden tax collection could disrupt their grain purchasing plans, potentially driving prices even higher.

Thinking this, she asked Manager Xu about the reason behind the rising grain prices.

Manager Xu sighed upon her inquiry, "You might not know, but recent floods have affected several provinces."

He lowered his voice, "It's said that without government relief, the conditions in those provinces are dire, with tragedies of parents swapping children for food. Last month, I vaguely heard that the most severely affected areas even saw outbreaks of disease. Have you noticed, there seem to be no more refugees coming this way recently?"

Reflecting on it, Sang Luo realized this was true. Although the original owner of her body rarely left the village, Sang Luo herself frequently visited the county and indeed hadn't seen any more refugees lately.

Shopkeeper Xu shook his head: "It’s over now."

Hearing this, Sang Luo felt a chill all over.

"Had the original body escaped a bit later, what kind of scene would she have found herself in upon her transmigration?"

"Would she have been among those who starved to death or were consumed? And then there's the plague – truly, that would have been hell."

"Unaware that Sang Luo was originally a refugee who fled from the south, Xu, the shopkeeper, upon hearing her inquire about grain prices, asked, 'Are you looking to buy grain?'"

"Sang Luo nodded in affirmation."

"Xu, the shopkeeper, then advised, 'You should act quickly. Ever since the announcement of advanced taxation was made yesterday, the grain prices in the county have already risen to eighty-two wen per dou this very morning.'"

Sang Luo's expression changed slightly: "The price rose again?"

Shopkeeper Xu nodded: "Indeed, many people are still unaware. The grain store's owner seems eager to collect grain without making it public. We only know because we frequently deal with them, but it can't be kept secret. People are buying grain, and residents in the county need to pay taxes too. Those who are prompt might start buying today, and once the word of the price hike spreads, there'll likely be long queues at the grain store."

Hearing this, Sang Luo felt a tingling in her scalp and didn't dare delay any longer. She quickly bid farewell to Shopkeeper Xu and headed to the grain store.

Seeing her urgency, Shopkeeper Xu called out: "Madam Sang, don't worry. How much grain do you need to buy? If it's for paying taxes, don't join the queue. I have some connections with the grain store. I can send someone to arrange a direct delivery to your home."

Sang Luo hesitated, then decided to be forthright: "I do need it for tax payment, four bushels and four pecks in total. I won't hide it from you, I'm a recent settler from the north, just built my house here. I barely have a thousand coins for buying grain, earning and buying as I go. With such a sudden spike in grain prices, I fear it might rise even further. I have a request, Shopkeeper Xu."

Before she could finish, Shopkeeper Xu interrupted: "I understand. Tell me how much money you need, I'll lend you some so you can buy the necessary grain first. You can offset it later with the money from the sale of vegetarian tripe."

Sang Luo let out a sigh of relief and, adopting the manner of a man, bowed her hands in thanks: “I am grateful for Manager Xu's willingness to help. My family has no grain stored, and if Manager Xu trusts me…”

She quickly calculated in her mind: “I have one thousand coins on me today. May I ask Manager Xu to lend me four thousand coins? I plan to buy six shi of grain and transport it back.”

As she spoke, she took out her identification and handed it to Manager Xu: “This is my identification. Please take a look; it details my family situation and the location of my house and land.”

Manager Xu pushed it back: “Miss Sang, there's no need for this. I, Old Xu, am somewhat skilled in judging character and I trust you. I estimate that you need to pay four shi four dou in taxes and can roughly guess the number of people in your household. Buying six shi of grain won’t be enough. With the grain prices likely to rise for a while, it's hard to say how much. You don’t need to feel uneasy about borrowing money from me. I suggest, let me lend you six taels of silver so you can buy nine shi of grain. After paying the tax, you'll have four shi six dou left, which should last until next spring and summer when the famine is likely to be over and the new harvest arrives. The grain prices won’t stay like they are now.”

Sang Luo quickly calculated in her mind: Nine shi of grain would cost seven thousand three hundred eighty wen.

If she borrowed six taels of silver from Manager Xu, which equates to seven thousand two hundred wen, she would have over eight hundred wen left after buying the grain, plus the four hundred wen at home, making it over twelve hundred wen in total, enough to repay a tael of silver. With the income from tofu, vegetarian tripe, and crystal cake in the future, she wouldn’t have to owe the debt for too long.

Having calculated this, Sang Luo was reassured. She bowed: “Then I thank Manager Xu very much.”

Manager Xu smiled: “No need to thank me. Consider it my thanks for the recipes you gifted. Please have a seat, and I’ll have a clerk go buy the grain.”

Seeing Sang Luo about to thank him again, he stopped her: “Miss Sang, no need for more thanks.”

He raised his voice to order tea and snacks again and instructed a clerk to go to the grain store to buy grain on Sang Luo's behalf.

After arranging everything, Manager Xu, worried that Sang Luo wouldn't rest comfortably in his presence, smiled and said to her: “I have some matters to attend to in the tavern. Miss Sang, please rest here. The grain will be delivered directly to the back door shortly. You need not worry about transportation; I'll arrange for a carriage to help you take it home.”

Sang Luo thanked him again, and Manager Xu, after a few words reassuring her to relax, left the private room.

Shortly after, the clerk who had helped draft the contract came in, holding two silver ingots, one large and one small, and placed them on the table beside Sang Luo, smiling: “Miss Sang, here are the six taels of silver Manager Xu asked me to deliver. Please keep them safe.”

It was Sang Luo’s first time seeing silver in this world, but sadly, she had to spend it immediately. Yet, knowing she would have some grain left over, she felt much more at ease.

She rose to her feet and gave a respectful bow: "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

The accountant smiled: "No trouble at all, Miss Sang. Please relax, I'll return to my duties now."

Saying this, he bowed and then left the room.

Sang Luo gazed at the two silver ingots, feeling a mix of emotions.

Initially, she needed money urgently and worried about the tofu sales due to the unexpected tax levy by the government. Hoping to expand her tofu's market, coupled with the fact that Manager Xu was quite straightforward and she had earned a good amount from her crystal cake sale earlier, she ended up receiving a fine money bag from Manager Xu.

For several reasons, she gifted a few tofu recipes, not expecting that it would quickly earn Manager Xu's favor and prompt a swift repayment.

Life’s encounters truly are unpredictable. When she left home this morning, she was concerned about securing enough grain for the tax within twelve days. Yet, in just a couple of hours, not only had she nearly gathered the grain for the tax, but she also had enough for her and the two children to last till next year's harvest.

Manager Xu's estimation was under the assumption that her household had at least one able-bodied worker who could eat well.

In reality, there was no such laborer in her family. With just her and the two kids, nine shi of grain, after paying taxes, would indeed be enough to last them until next autumn.

Although she owed six taels of silver, a daunting sum for anyone in the village, Sang Luo felt it was manageable. Compared to the uncertain future grain prices, borrowing the money from Manager Xu to buy the grain seemed like a much better option.

Working hard for a while, she could manage several businesses simultaneously, and she believed the debt could be repaid soon.

Thinking about the dire situation in several northern provinces mentioned by Manager Xu, Sang Luo's shoulders sagged. The Daqian dynasty was only a few decades old, yet so troubled. At this rate, she feared she wouldn’t live a peaceful life until natural death.