Chapter 95

Chapter 95

In recent years, the border has been unstable. Take last year when Zhao Beichuan was conscripted for labor duty, for example. He was supposed to go and repair a tomb, but they were forcibly redirected to transport provisions. On the way, they encountered the barbarians and almost lost their lives.

If it weren't for Zhao Beichuan's unexpected move of pulling the opposing general off his horse, everyone would have died there.

Now, while major battles at the border are rare, minor skirmishes are frequent. What is most lacking in war? Besides provisions, it's medicine.

Lu Yao possesses the method to purify alcohol. If he can deliver this to the Northern Pacification King, the king will immediately recognize its value!

By leveraging this, they will no longer have to worry about being at the mercy of others.

However, this matter still depends on the right timing, location, and people. Whether it succeeds or not is up to fate.

The method to produce alcohol is simple: distillation can extract high-concentration alcohol. To make 75% medical-grade alcohol, one needs to create a simple hydrometer to measure the density.

During the pandemic in his previous life, Lu Yao made one at home. The method is straightforward; all you need is a straw and a screw. Although straws don't exist in ancient times, thin bamboo tubes serve the same purpose. By calculating the density, one can obtain alcohol with a concentration of 70-78%.

Saying what he would do, Lu Yao used two jars of wine to distill a large half-jar of alcohol.

He sealed part of the alcohol in water bladders and had Zhao Beichuan deliver it to Captain Ge, while storing the rest for emergencies.

When Zhao Beichuan arrived at the military camp, it happened that Captain Ge and his men were heading to the border for rotation.

Rows of soldiers, clad in armor, were marching in formation toward the northern gate.

"Captain Ge!"

Hearing the call, Captain Ge turned his head and, seeing Zhao Beichuan, rode over, "Da Chuan, why are you here?"

"My husband made some medicine and asked me to bring it to you. It's made from strong liquor and works wonders on wounds if applied."

Captain Ge took it, "Thank you."

"I hope you return safely from this mission."

Captain Ge nodded and turned his horse, shouting, "Move faster, those behind! Don't delay the schedule!"

Zhao Beichuan stepped aside, watching the long line of soldiers march out of the city.

Suddenly, he remembered that the restaurant was open today. If he returned late, he might delay the customers' meals, so he hurried back.

Although the restaurant had been closed for a while, Lu Yao hadn't been idle. During Zhao Beichuan's recovery, he found a blacksmith and had six copper pots made, following a design he had in mind.

Despite the pots being heavier than expected (each weighing twenty pounds), they were finally ready for use in the hot pot.

Today was the first day of serving hot pot. Early in the morning, Lu Yao called the peddler and gave him a string of coins to help advertise on the street.

The peddler, accustomed to such tasks, had developed this into a side business after his first job advertising the opening of the Lu family restaurant. Many others had since approached him for similar work.

"Mr. Lu, what am I supposed to shout today?"

"Lu Family Restaurant, new dish today, copper pot hot pot, delicious and affordable!"

"Just these few words?"

Lu Yao nodded, "Just these few words. If business is good, there will be extra rewards."

The peddler smiled, remembering the two hundred coins Mr. Lu had given him as a bonus last time. He didn't know how much he would receive this time, but he immediately picked up his goods and started shouting, "Lu Family Restaurant, new dish today, copper pot hot pot, delicious and affordable—"

A passerby stopped him, "Hey, little brother, what is this copper pot hot pot?"

The peddler laughed, "I don't know either, sir. Why don't you go and see for yourself? I'm just here to shout the advertisement."

The man thought for a moment and walked toward the Lu Family Restaurant.

Because the Lu Family Restaurant had already built a good reputation, business was particularly brisk today. Familiar customers came in, eager to try the new dish.

Lu Yao quickly arranged tables, and by noon, they were nearly full.

There were three types of broth for the hot pot: chicken soup, sour cabbage soup, and fish soup.

Chicken soup, as the name suggests, is made by simmering old chickens, skimming off the fat, and resulting in a clear, golden, and richly flavored broth. Sour cabbage soup is made by slicing the cabbage finely and adding it to the broth, creating a refreshing and satisfying flavor. Fish soup is also pre-prepared using small carp that couldn't be sold, which Lu Yao caught, fried, and simmered into a milky white broth.

Chicken soup base costs thirty coins, sour cabbage soup base twenty coins, and fish soup base thirty coins.

The ingredients for the hot pot include baby bok choy (the heart of Chinese cabbage), wood ear mushrooms, bean sprouts, tofu, bean curd sheets, pig's blood, tripe, and thinly sliced tender mutton and pork.

Vegetable platters cost twenty coins each, offal platters thirty coins each, pork forty coins per plate, and mutton sixty coins per plate, with about half a pound of meat per plate.

Sesame sauce, garlic paste, and leek flower sauce are all free, and customers can eat as much as they want once they order a broth.

When Cao Wuye arrived, the room was already full, and he saw many familiar faces.

Someone stood up and waved, "Wuye, come sit at my table!"

"Wuye, we're short one person at our table, come over quickly!"

Old Qu, who was close to Wuye, pulled him to the reserved table, "I knew you'd come today, so I didn't even go to your place to invite you."

Cao Wuye laughed, "I'll bow to the other tables and thank everyone. Let's eat together next time!"

Soon, Lu Shiliu and the others carried the pots filled with broth to the tables.

Xiaonian directed them, "This table is for the fish broth." Lu Jia placed the fish broth pot on the table.

"This table is for the chicken broth." Lu Yi set the chicken broth pot down.

After setting everything up, only two tables had not ordered the hot pot, stretching their necks to see what it was.

Now it was time to order the dishes. Since there were not many varieties and the prices were simple,

Cao Wuye held the menu and smiled, saying, "Little Boss, give me some recommendations. How should we order for five people?"

Xiaonian replied, "For five of you, I suggest two plates of mutton, two plates of pork, one vegetable dish, and a platter of offal."

Beside him, Qu Tian asked, "A platter of offal? Will it be good?"

"Give it a try; Little Boss's recommendation won't go wrong."

Xiaonian quickly noted down their orders. The people at the nearby tables followed suit, ordering fewer dishes if they were fewer in number, and more if they were more.

While waiting for the dishes, Xiaochun came in with red-hot charcoal, skillfully adding it to the pot bases. The broth in the pots gradually bubbled up, releasing an inviting aroma.

The two tables that hadn't ordered pots became anxious and hurriedly called out to the boss to ask if they could still add pots.

Lu Yao apologized, "I'm really sorry, we only have six pots. If you want to try them, please come next time, and I'll give you the broth for free."

Hearing this, the guests calmed down. The boss was easy to talk to, and they would definitely come back next time to try.

Soon, the vegetable and meat dishes started arriving. The trays were large, and the meat looked fresh, clearly just cut. However, no one had eaten like this before, and they all stared blankly at the bubbling pots, unsure how to start.

Lu Yao walked over to Wuye's table with a pot of wine, "Thank you, Wuye, for coming today. This wine is a small token of my appreciation. Please don't refuse it."

Cao Wuye smiled and accepted it, "Hey, Boss Lu, don't leave yet. How do we eat this?"

Lu Yao rolled up his sleeves, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and placed a slice of mutton into the pot. After a moment, the mutton changed color. He then dipped it in the sesame sauce and placed it in Cao Wuye's bowl.

"Please try it."

Cao Wuye quickly put it in his mouth, and the tender mutton, cooked in chicken broth, was both fresh and succulent!

The taste was simply unforgettable!

The people around swallowed their saliva, "How is it?"

Cao Wuye gave a thumbs-up, "Good!"

Everyone immediately picked up their chopsticks and imitated Lu Yao, putting the meat and vegetables into the pot to cook, then dipping them in the sauces before eating. It was truly delicious.

At first, everyone only ate the meat. Qu Tian tried a piece of tripe, cooked it briefly, and took a bite, "Wow!"

Those nearby quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

"This is delicious! You must try it!"

At first, no one believed him, but when they saw him cooking it several times and eating it in large bites, they decided to give it a try. They were immediately captivated by the tripe and beef tripe.

Qu Tian sighed while eating, "Boss Lu is truly remarkable. How did he come up with this way of eating?"

"Indeed, I've lived half my life and never eaten meat like this before. The flavor is truly unique!"

Four plates of meat and one plate of offal were not enough for them, and they soon finished them. Qu Tian quickly called Xiaonian to add four more plates of meat and two plates of pork offal.

Xiaonian noted it down and ran to the kitchen to prepare more meat.

In the kitchen, several people were slicing meat. Zhao Beichuan and Xiaochun had excellent knife skills and were the fastest and most precise. Lu Shiliu and Lu Ding also did well, while the others were slightly less skilled. Lu Yi, being clumsy, even cut his finger and had to help serve the dishes instead.

As one plate after another of mutton and pork was brought to the table, everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

Besides Cao Wuye's table, three other tables also ordered wine. Good wine paired with good meat was indeed a delightful experience!

The meal lasted for over an hour. When Qu Tian got up to pay, his steps were unsteady due to the strong alcohol. Just two cups left him feeling dizzy.

Lu Yao rounded off the bill and only charged him 500 coins, without charging for the drinks.

Qu Tian took out his silver and handed it over, burping as he said, "Boss, book another table for me... tomorrow, I'll come again."

Lu Yao gave him the change, "Sure, I'll note it down."

Behind him, Cao Wuye held him back, "Don't write his name, just put it on mine. I'll treat everyone tomorrow. And don't save any wine for me; I can't always drink your wine for free."

Lu Yao smiled and nodded, "Alright, take your time, Wuye."

After the guests left, Lu Shiliu and the others hurried to clear the tables, as there were still diners waiting.

They kept busy until it was almost dark, and all the diners had left. Almost everyone who had eaten made a reservation for the next day or the day after, and no one said it wasn't delicious!

Lu Yao didn't have time to count the money; he quickly poured himself a glass of water, having been too busy to drink hot water all day.

In the kitchen, Zhao Beichuan cooked a large pot of soup noodles and shared the leftover chicken from the stewed chicken soup with everyone.

Although the chicken had little flavor, it was still a rare delicacy for these slaves.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone cleaned up the shop and extinguished the stove fire.

Lu Yao took out five strings of cash and walked over, "You all worked hard today. This money is a reward for you."

The group looked up in surprise. They were getting money?

"Lu Shiliu, distribute it among them."

"Alright..." Lu Shiliu took the heavy string of coins and gave each person one string.

Holding the copper coins in their hands, they couldn't describe the feeling.

Since they were young, the overseer had told them, "You are slaves, with no freedom or property. Your only job is to follow your master's orders and help your master. If you fail, you will either be beaten to death or sold."

Back then, Lu Shiliu didn't believe in evil, always thinking he was no worse than the servants in the outer courtyard. They could receive monthly pay, so why couldn't he? They could enter and leave the mansion freely, so why couldn't he?

Unfortunately, there was no "why." Because of one instance of backtalk, he was beaten with ten lashes by the outer courtyard's steward, and from then on, he detested him.

Later, he was sent to Lu Yao, where he met a different master. Lu Shiliu couldn't quite pinpoint what made this master different.

It wasn't until now, when he held this string of coins in his hand, that he understood. The master treated them as human beings, not as beasts, tools, or dispensable objects.

Tears uncontrollably wet his eyes. He wiped them away, only to find that Lu Jia beside him was in the same state. They exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. No doubt about it, following such a master would definitely be the right choice!

"Alright, go back and get some rest early. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"Yes." The group left but didn't walk away immediately. They squatted by the door, waiting for Lu Yao and company to close the windows and doors and send the master and his family home before heading back to West Market.

Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan were unaware of the change in these people's attitudes, only feeling that they were quite considerate.

Back at home, Lu Yao started lighting the lamp and counting the money.

Xiaonian and Xiaochun were responsible for counting, while Lu Yao strung the coins together. Copper coins were strung in strings, and silver pieces were picked out and weighed on a small scale.

Today's total profit was six taels of silver and 8170 copper coins. After deducting the cost of meat and vegetables (over three strings) and the expenses for broth and charcoal (300 copper coins), the net profit was almost eleven taels!

After feeding the mule and the puppy, Zhao Beichuan walked in. "How was business today?"

"Net profit of eleven taels!"

"So much?" Zhao Beichuan hurried over to take a look and indeed saw nearly eleven taels. "It seems everyone really likes this hotpot style!"

Lu Yao asked, "What day is it today?"

"The sixth. Why?"

"I'm thinking we should go back to our hometown for the New Year next month."

Hearing this, Xiaonian jumped up excitedly. "Really? Sister, are we really going back to Qiushui Town?"

"Do you want to go back?"

"Yes, I really do!"

"Then let's set a date. Xiaochun, come with us to meet the people from our hometown."

Xiaochun also became happy. He had never traveled far before; the farthest he had ever been was from home to the broker's shop.

Zhao Beichuan said, "Alright, since we've decided to go back, I'll look around for an old carriage to buy. It's too cold to travel such a long distance without one."

"Alright."

It was getting late, so Zhao Beichuan urged them to go back to their rooms and rest. Xiaochun always slept in the west room, and Lu Yao had prepared new bedding for him. Xiaonian and Xiaodou still slept in the middle room, though Xiaodou only came back to stay a few days each month.

Zhao Beichuan brought a basin of hot water for Lu Yao to soak his feet. Once winter arrived, Lu Yao's hands and feet would turn icy cold, and every night he would put his feet into Zhao Beichuan's undergarments, making him shiver.

Lu Yao took off his shoes, soaked his feet, and sighed contentedly. "We now have over 1300 taels of silver." A third of this amount came from selling wine recently.

"Not bad."

"If it weren't for those few delays, we could have earned even more."

Zhao Beichuan comforted him, "As the saying goes, contentment brings happiness. We are already much better off than before."

"That's true, but the current shop is just too small."

The restaurant had only eight tables, each seating a maximum of eight people. During meal times, it was packed, and serving dishes was difficult.

Especially now with the addition of the hotpots, which were heavy and large, containing both soup and water. If they spilled on the customers, it would be a problem.

"Why don't we move to a larger shop? Isn't Yazhaiju closed down? If no one rents it, we can take it over. The tables and chairs inside can be used, saving us a lot of money."

Mentioning this, Lu Yao felt a headache. "I also had my eye on Yazhaiju, but now isn't the time. Jiang Ying fears we will expand our business. She asked me if I wanted to rent that shop last time, and I didn't dare say yes, fearing her anger."

Zhao Beichuan deflated upon hearing this. "Commoners shouldn't fight with officials. If it doesn't work out, we'll just make do for now."

*

Two days later, it was Xiaodou's day off. Today, neither Zhao Beichuan nor Lu Yao came, only sending Lu Shiliu to pick him up.

Xiaodou was already familiar with him. "Sixteen Brother, why didn't my elder brother and sister-in-law come?"

Lu Shiliu helped him carry his schoolbag and held his hand. "The restaurant has introduced a new hotpot dish, and business is very busy. They really can't spare the time."

Hearing this, Xiaodou immediately became happy. Good business meant more money, and more money meant a happier sister-in-law.

He hadn't told him about the assassination attempt, fearing it would affect Xiaodou's studies.

They hurried back to the shop, where only Xiaonian was sitting in the front, keeping the accounts.

"Sister!"

"Xiaodou is back." Xiaonian put down her pen, walked over, and hugged her brother, then took out a handful of peanut candies from her pocket and handed them to him. "I bought these specially for you today. Eat them quickly."

Xiaodou happily peeled one open and first put it in his sister's mouth, then ate the second one himself.

"Where is Second Brother?"

"He's busy in the back."

Xiaodou ran to the back and peeled another peanut candy, offering it to Xiaochun.

"Keep it for yourself."

"Second Brother, try it. It's very sweet."

Xiaochun's hands were covered in meat, so Xiaodou directly popped the candy into his mouth.

"Is it sweet?"

Xiaochun's eyes curved into a smile, feeling incredibly warm inside, "Really sweet!"

Xiaodou, delighted, went around to give one to his elder brother and sister-in-law each, and the few peanut candies were quickly distributed.

Seeing everyone chopping vegetables, Xiaodou wanted to help too. Lu Yao, fearing he might hurt himself, hurriedly sent him out to play at the front.

Just past the hour of Snake, customers began to trickle into the restaurant, all afraid of arriving late and not getting a table. After all, this hot pot was different from others, and everyone found it novel, often spending at least an hour eating.

Lu Yao glanced at the broth in the two pots, which was almost ready, and instructed the servants to bring them over.

But what they feared came to pass. As Lu Yi was carrying the pot, a customer behind him suddenly stood up and accidentally bumped into him.

The copper pot tipped over instantly, spilling the broth all over the nearby customer!

Lu Yi was startled, his face pale as he knelt down to apologize, "Please forgive me, sir, please forgive me."

Xiaonian quickly called Lu Yao over. Lu Yao first pulled Lu Yi up, "Go help in the back." Then he asked the customer, "Are you burned?"

The customers shook their heads but looked quite unhappy. With their clothes drenched in broth, how could they continue eating?

Lu Yao said, "I sincerely apologize. This meal is on the house. If you don't want to eat today, we can note it down for you to come tomorrow."

Hearing this, the group got up to change their clothes, planning to return the next day for the copper pot.

The people nearby also felt embarrassed, after all, it wasn't intentional that someone bumped into the server.

"Mr. Lu, with all the money you make, why don't you get a bigger shop? The food is delicious, but it's really crowded here."

Lu Yao felt even more uncomfortable and could only smile apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'll look for a suitable place next year."

Lu Yi thought he had made a huge mistake and knelt behind, tears streaming down his face.

When Lu Yao saw him, his anger subsided, and he handed him a cloth, "Wipe your face and get up. Next time, when you carry the pot, announce it first to alert the guests."

Lu Yi stood up, "I'm sorry, Master, I didn't mean to."

"I know. And don't kneel to others so easily. You are my person, and I will stand up for you if anything happens."

Lu Yi responded, finally feeling relieved.

He suddenly understood why Lu Shiliu had shed tears when distributing the money yesterday. He now felt a warm sensation in his chest and wanted to cry too.