Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Now, if anyone were to ask, Lin Taohong could talk for half a day. She spoke so quickly and fluently that it left the listener both anxious and angry.

Zhang Xiaojie spat on the ground, "We must find his accomplice; this person is too despicable. Cousin, you did the right thing. Such people should not be let off easily."

Worried that someone might come looking for trouble again, he saw that the courtyard walls had been built higher, and the traps had been relaid, even deeper than before. Only then did Zhang Xiaojie feel reassured.

"Brother and Niu Li probably don't know yet. If they do, they'll likely get angry too. Fortunately, we can come here often to buy goods, and visit from time to time, which makes a difference."

In a flash, Zhang Xiaojie had an uneasy thought: there should still be a man in the house. Whether or not this man could earn money or be useful, at least he could deter those who might have designs on the family.

But the girls in the family were all too young, and none of them had the heart to marry. It was Mrs. Zhang, neither too old nor too young, who could be a second wife or a concubine.

He quickly suppressed this thought, scolding the thief to feel better.

Lin Chunyan mentioned the business of selling goods to Zhang Xiaojie. They would start with Gourd Town nearby, which, though lacking a wharf, was said to be quite bustling.

"Here's the hawthorn jam we made yesterday. We'll use this as our calling card. Whether it's a wine shop or a teahouse, we'll offer our products for trial, with prices fluctuating accordingly. Uncle, you can decide."

Lin Chunyan placed several jars of hawthorn jam into Zhang Xiaojie's basket and opened one for him to taste.

Zhang Xiaojie, who had always loved sweet and sour flavors, felt his travel fatigue dissipate instantly, nodding and praising its taste.

With such a calling card, they wouldn't fear being turned away by any wine shop or teahouse, though he felt a bit reluctant to part with such good things.

Being a smooth talker with many ideas, Zhang Xiaojie knew what to do without Lin Chunyan's guidance. He decided to go with her to the wharf, board a small boat, and head to Gourd Town.

Mrs. Zhang tiptoed to wave goodbye to Zhang Xiaojie, still worried, "I wonder if he can manage it. I hope no one deceives him. Otherwise, your second aunt will eat me alive."

Lin Chunyan covered her mouth and laughed, "Mother, are you afraid of that? If she tears you apart, just tear her back."

"I won't joke with you. I need to go home. Your second aunt and the others might already be waiting. Did they wash all the hawthorns that arrived yesterday?"

Lin Chunyan nodded, "Yes, wash them all. After washing, dry them in the yard. When we return in the afternoon, I'll make more."

She added, "Also, have the two aunts pick two baskets of chrysanthemums from the gate of our courtyard."

The Double Ninth Festival was approaching, and it was a popular holiday. People would climb high and admire chrysanthemums, and Lin Chunyan wanted to take advantage of this to make chrysanthemum pastries and chrysanthemum wine.

As soon as Mrs. Zhang left, the manager of Clear Breeze Building, Mr. Huang, came over for the same reason.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Chunyan had made some chestnut cakes that sold well in their teahouse. Wang Xiaolong and Hu Xiaolong had bought them all, and later, others had come looking for more.

Mr. Huang had his chef try to replicate them, but the taste was never quite right, and he couldn't figure out why.

Lin Chunyan first invited Mr. Huang to sit down and served him a bowl of fruit jelly tofu, seasoned with a new sauce she had just prepared. Mr. Huang didn't hesitate, sitting down to examine the ingredients in the sauce—raisins, dried hawthorns, dried fruits, and a few osmanthus flowers floating on top. He took a bite, and his eyes closed in pleasure.

"How long has it been since I last came, and you've added so many new delicacies," Mr. Huang couldn't help but admire Lin Chunyan, thinking that these items would be perfect for the teahouse. He was eager to buy them, putting aside the matter of the chrysanthemum pastries for now.

There were many teahouses and wine shops in town, but few managers were as approachable as Mr. Huang. Lin Chunyan listened to him and said, "I can supply you with goods, and I can prepare the sauce, but I cannot give you the recipe."

Mr. Huang had anticipated this and, though disappointed, did not insist. They discussed the price.

Though the cost was only a few coins here, in their teahouse, it could be marked up several times over.

After all, the teahouse's decor and the performances they hired required additional expenses, which were not comparable to their small stall.

Mr. Huang particularly enjoyed the dried hawthorns and asked for extra, "This could be delicious with other dishes too."

Lin Chunyan nodded and then inquired about the details of the chrysanthemum pastries, asking what style and filling he preferred. The current chrysanthemum pastries were mostly filled with red bean paste, nothing special.

Mr. Huang had great confidence in Lin Chunyan's skills, with only one condition: the pastries should not be sold to others.

"If we have a monopoly, the price can naturally be higher."

Mr. Huang wasn't afraid of the high price but feared losing business to others. He nodded in agreement.

Lin Taohong had been listening intently. Once Mr. Huang left, she looked at Lin Chunyan with delight, "Sister, aren't we about to have a big business deal?"

"But yes, we'll be busy for a while. Go back and wash the chrysanthemums, and prepare the fillings."

Their conversation was overheard by many. Old Mr. Chen, who was eating noodles at a table, called out to them, "Miss, when the chrysanthemum pastries are ready, please save some for me. What will the price be?"

Old Mr. Chen visited their stall frequently and was an old acquaintance of Old Mr. Qin. However, unlike Old Mr. Qin, he didn't have much wealth and always hesitated, choosing the cheapest options.

His generosity this time surprised Lin Chunyan, who smiled and agreed, "Of course, I'll save more for you, but the price might be slightly higher."

After all, the ingredients used were refined, and a higher price was understandable. "Even if it's more expensive, it won't be as expensive as those pastry shops! For other festivals, we can save where possible, but the Double Ninth Festival is different. My wife and I plan to climb Copper Mountain nearby, and bringing some chrysanthemum pastries would be delightful."

Old Mr. Chen's practicality made others envious, and another table of guests also ordered some chrysanthemum pastries.

Altogether, nearly five or six people wanted to buy them, which was different from what Lin Chunyan had expected. She thought most people wouldn't spend money on pastries, and she hadn't even displayed the hawthorn strips and hawthorn jam. This suggested that they might sell well too.

At their stall, eating noodles was a familiar lady. She was a regular customer who always ordered the fried sauce noodles and nothing else. Over time, Lin Chunyan started chatting with her.

The lady seemed uncomfortable. She came every day to eat the fried sauce noodles and tried making them at home, but each time, Wang Xiaolong said it wasn't the same. At first, it was tolerable, but after several attempts, Li Niangzi felt deeply discouraged and determined to master the dish.

Many people in the household were waiting to see her fail. Despite eating the noodles so many times, Li Niangzi still couldn't replicate the taste, damaging her reputation.

This time, she ordered the fried sauce noodles again. Seeing so many people order chrysanthemum pastries, she remembered how Wang Xiaolong had pleased the old matriarch with pastries he bought. She decided to buy dozens of chrysanthemum pastries to distribute among the courtyards.

"I wonder if there will be packaging."

Li Niangzi wasn't worried about the taste but knew that people often judged by appearance. She needed boxes to make the pastries seem more valuable.

Lin Chunyan understood that Li Niangzi must be from a noble family, as no one else would consume so many chrysanthemum pastries. She gave her a closer look and thought about asking Uncle Lin to make wooden boxes for packaging.

Li Niangzi felt somewhat embarrassed under the gaze. She straightened her back and gently wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief.

Everything about this fried sauce noodles was good, except that it inevitably left some residue on the corners of one's mouth. Every time she returned home, she would have to change her handkerchief.

After wiping her lips, the two women exchanged a few words. Lin Chunyan’s eyes lit up slightly, “Could it be that Niangzi is also from the kitchen?”

Li Niangzi nodded, “To be honest, I am the cook in the Wang Xiaolang’s household.”

She oversaw the kitchen but usually did not interfere with the purchasing of supplies. However, if she chose to intervene, her word still carried weight.

Upon returning, she informed the purchaser, Zhao Pozi, who was unhappy because in previous years, these pastries were always bought from Shufangzhai, where she had a good relationship and received substantial kickbacks. Naturally, her expression turned sour upon hearing this.

Li Niangzi walked away after speaking, only to bump into a young maid who was out for a stroll, colliding with Li Niangzi.

In the past, Li Niangzi would have certainly punished the young maid, but now she handled the situation lightly, merely giving a few mild words.

People said that Li Niangzi had become somewhat absent-minded lately. In the past, she would meticulously manage every aspect of the kitchen, and anyone who dared to cause trouble on her turf would surely be fined a month’s pay.

The other maids and old women in the kitchen peered out curiously. Seeing that Li Niangzi did not scold the young maids and instead went back to the kitchen, they strained their ears and soon heard the sound of slicing cucumber strips.

One of the old women exclaimed, and the others were not far behind, each showing signs of discomfort on their faces.

There was no need to ask; Li Niangzi must have started making the fried sauce noodles again.

Even the best things should not be eaten every day. At first, they thought Li Niangzi was trying to please Wang Xiaolang, and they could benefit from it as well.

After a few days, the maids and old women found the taste unappealing and wanted to ask Li Niangzi to change the menu, but she flatly refused.

Li Niangzi simply stopped cooking for them and let them eat with the servants from other households.

The maids and old women in the kitchen were unwilling. The food served elsewhere was nowhere near as good as what Li Niangzi prepared. That’s why so many people wanted to work here.

Halfway through, the smell of the sauce in the kitchen grew stronger, but it still didn’t match what she had tasted at Lin Chunyan’s. Frowning, she suddenly put down her spoon and turned to leave.

Lin Chunyan saw Li Niangzi return, while Lin Taohong pouted and whispered, “I wonder what she’s here for. When we spoke earlier, she seemed indifferent.”

Lin Chunyan glared at Lin Taohong, “Have you forgotten what I told you before? Anyone who comes to our stall to eat is a guest. How can you speak ill of guests behind their backs?”

Lin Taohong smiled ingratiatingly, “I won’t say anything to others, just to you in private.”

As they spoke, Li Niangzi approached, hesitating for a long time before speaking, “Little Miss Lin, may I ask you something?”

Her tone made Lin Taohong prick up her ears immediately. Song Niangzi had come over to ask in the same manner.

However, since they owed money to Song Niangzi’s family, she couldn’t say much and just stared at Li Niangzi.

Li Niangzi felt uncomfortable under the gaze but kept her back straight and her head held high, looking every bit the superior.

Moreover, she was dressed in fine silk and brocade, clearly different from the country folk.

Lin Chunyan paid no attention to these details. A gentle smile played on her lips as she wiped her hands and led Li Niangzi aside.

Li Niangzi breathed a sigh of relief, “I’ve eaten the fried sauce noodles many times. To be honest, I tried making them at home, but the taste is never quite right.”

Lin Taohong, who had been listening intently, jumped up in a fury. She didn’t care who Li Niangzi was; even if it were the Son of Heaven, she wouldn’t allow such blatant inquiries about the recipe.

Song Niangzi had already done this before, and now Li Niangzi was no better.

“Heaven forbid! If anyone eats our noodles and then asks us how to make them, we’ll just tell everyone else how to do it.”

She spoke rapidly, like a cannon firing, drawing the attention of many around them.

Shen Niangzi, who sold noodles opposite, naturally heard this. Since the last time she had insulted someone, the two stalls had become rivals, especially since they both sold noodles.

She watched the drama unfold with amusement, which made Song Niangzi uncomfortable, prompting her to speak up in defense of Lin Chunyan.

Meanwhile, Meizi had rolled up her sleeves and rushed over like a gust of wind, standing beside Lin Taohong, ready to speak up.

Li Niangzi was taken aback by this turn of events. She couldn’t afford to cause trouble, so she sidestepped slightly.

Lin Chunyan quickly pulled Lin Taohong and Meizi aside, “Do you think I can’t handle it?”

She definitely couldn’t let herself be wronged, but Lin Taohong didn’t want to see Lin Chunyan bullied.

“You’re too kind, big sister. If Mother knew, she’d spit in her face.”

She thought that next time Li Niangzi came to buy fried sauce noodles, she wouldn’t let Lin Chunyan serve her, to prevent her from learning the recipe.

After calming Lin Taohong down, Lin Chunyan turned to Li Niangzi and explained, “She has some lingering issues and isn’t intentionally targeting you.”

Seeing Lin Chunyan’s generosity, Li Niangzi, who had expected something different, developed a bit of goodwill and revealed her identity.

“I was too abrupt. I really want to know how the fried sauce noodles are made to be so fragrant. I won’t take your knowledge for granted. If you’re willing, I can exchange other recipes with you.”

Li Niangzi expected Lin Chunyan to show shock and admiration.

But there was none. Apart from initial confusion, Lin Chunyan remained calm, treating her like any regular customer who came to eat noodles daily.

Feeling somewhat defeated, Li Niangzi, whose pride lay in her skills, slumped slightly. Her straight back bent a little.

She decided to be more direct, “My master is renowned in the Imperial City for her culinary skills. Many people seek her out just for a meal. If you find my other recipes unsuitable, I can speak to her and have her take you as a disciple.”

It was a great honor to be a disciple of Li Dainiang, who hadn’t taken on new disciples for many years. With her name, one could walk confidently not just in White Cloud Town but even in the capital city.

Lin Chunyan, however, only smiled and shook her head, “The taste of the noodles made by Li Niangzi is different from mine, perhaps due to the sauce. Why don’t you try a few more times?”

Li Niangzi left in frustration, and Lin Taohong, seeing that Lin Chunyan hadn’t revealed the recipe, felt relieved.

Apart from the burglary at their house, another significant event in the village was that Zhao Xinghua had been sold by her mother to work as a maid in town.

Many people in the village knew that little Miss Zhao Xinghua did not want to be a maid, especially since she had some connection with Lihua's brother. When they first heard she was going to work as a maid, they found it quite strange.

"Don't say you find it strange. I thought her mother had tied her up and taken her away, but later I found out that Xinghua went with someone of her own accord."

This only made people more curious, and a group gathered under a big tree to whisper about it. Liu Niangzi loved to pry into such matters; there was no excitement in the village she didn't want to join, just like the old Mrs. Zhang.

She spoke with great enthusiasm, "What do you think? It turns out Lihua's brother is engaged to someone else. Xinghua knew she couldn't marry him, and her mother kept telling her how good it was to be a maid. Coincidentally, Chen Niangzi came one day, and Xinghua's mother led her home. No one knows what was said, but Xinghua followed Chen Niangzi away."

Chen Niangzi was a matchmaker in the area, and if anyone wanted to buy or sell a maid, they would definitely go to her.

Chen Niangzi was also a person of conscience, refusing to engage in forced buying or selling. She only took girls who agreed to go, fearing the consequences and potential trouble for her family.

When Lin Chunyan heard about this, she sighed inwardly, "She used to say she would pick wild kiwis from the mountain and exchange them for copper coins here. Who knew she would leave so suddenly?"

She left so hastily that she didn't even have time to say goodbye.

"Do you know which household she went to? I hope it's not the same magistrate's house where Lihua is."

Lin Taohong still remembered the last time Qian Yiniang beat Lihua, making her feel that Qian Yiniang was a truly despicable person, looking like a demoness ready to devour someone.

If that were the case, it would certainly create a stir.

Zhao Niangzi was also worried about this and hurriedly went to ask Xinghua's mother which household Xinghua had been sold to.

Xinghua's mother was counting silver at home, something she had never seen so much of before. She was so happy that she bit each piece with her teeth. When Lihua's mother came, she wasn't as warm as usual, merely giving her a cold look.

If it weren't for Zhao Niangzi always failing to help, Xinghua could have gone to enjoy a better life long ago, instead of waiting until now.

How could Zhao Niangzi not see through this? She had to force herself to ask again and again.

Xinghua's mother pursed her lips and answered reluctantly, "I don't know. Since I sold her to Chen Niangzi, everything is up to Chen Niangzi. It has nothing to do with us anymore."

Zhao Niangzi couldn't stand this sister-in-law, spitting on the ground, "You sold your own daughter, yet you cut off all ties so cleanly."

Xinghua's mother snorted, "As if any of us is better than the other. Didn't you sell your own daughter Lihua? What kind of saint are you pretending to be here?"

"That's different. My Lihua will eventually be redeemed. If things don't work out, we'll treat her as a proper relative. It's better than her suffering alone in that lonely place."

Xinghua's mother laughed sarcastically, "You're just talking big. Who would want such a poor relative? If she has the luck, she can enjoy her own happiness. These few strings of money are enough to sever our mother-daughter relationship. I won't expect her to take care of me in the future."

The two women didn't get along, and Zhao Niangzi couldn't find out where Zhao Xinghua had gone. She rushed to town to ask Lihua.

At the side gate, she waited for a long time but saw no sign of Lihua. After bribing the gatekeeper with a few copper coins, she learned that Lihua had been beaten by Qian Yiniang and was now bedridden.

Zhao Niangzi was at a loss, "Why would she be beaten? How can someone just hit a servant without reason?"

Seeing her concern for her daughter, the gatekeeper explained, "What's the problem with beating a servant? Once sold, a servant's life and death depend on the master's mood. It's just a beating; she'll be able to walk in a couple of days. It's best to leave quickly and not cause more trouble. If the people inside find out, I'll be in trouble too."

Zhao Niangzi waited a bit longer but decided to leave when it got dark, knowing she wouldn't see Lihua that night. She returned home dejectedly.

Lin Chunyan closed her stall and went home, seeing Mrs. Zhang standing on tiptoe at the door, watching their direction. When they returned, she quickly approached and grabbed Wang Yingniang's hand.

"Finally, I've been waiting for you all day."

Wang Yingniang and Lin Chunyan were both puzzled by Mrs. Zhang's behavior.

Seeing several pieces of cloth in the yard, they realized these people had indeed brought cloth to be dyed.

Lin Chunyan asked Mrs. Zhang, "Mother, are you really doing business now?"

Mrs. Zhang proudly replied, "Of course. I've already collected over ten copper coins. Wait and see, I can keep this business going. Yingniang, come and dye the cloth, and I'll split the coins with you."

Lin Ercun and Sun Niangzi also took out a few copper coins to dye their cloth, asking Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang, "Can we dye it in other colors? If it works, we'll bring more for the family to dye."

Lin Chunyan looked at Wang Yingniang, "You should ask Yingniang."

Wang Yingniang's face flushed with excitement, "Auntie, please wait a moment. I'll try to dye the cloth a dark red."

"We'll all wait. Dark red is good; it can be worn for happy occasions."

After a few jokes, Lin Chunyan noticed the chrysanthemums had dried, so she picked them up to use.

As the weather grew colder, Lin Chunyan stopped drinking mint leaves and instead picked these chrysanthemums. She refreshed the chrysanthemum pillows she had made before, and Wang Yingniang also made a few.

Her skills were the best among the four, and whenever something needed to be done, they would ask her for help.

Just then, Lin Cuixiang came over, blushing and pulling Lin Chunyan aside to whisper, "Big Sister, do you think I can set up a stall? I can manage my shrimp business when I have free time."

Lin Chunyan looked at Wang Yingniang, who had been setting up the stall the past two days. Lin Chunyan knew she was reluctant to go out, afraid of running into Wang Chuizi.

"You wait while I ask."

Wang Yingniang had no objections, "It's better to stay at home. I prefer being in the kitchen."

Lin Cuixiang's face was rosy, her eyes brighter than before.

Lin Chunyan watched them hand over the duties and started making chrysanthemum pastries.

Meanwhile, Uncle Zhang Xiao had finally arrived in Gourd Town after a long boat ride. He squatted by the dock and vomited for a while, unused to traveling by boat. They lived deep in the mountains, and even riding in a carriage made them dizzy; they usually walked everywhere.

The boatman laughed heartily at his discomfort, suggesting he would get used to it after a few more trips.

Uncle Zhang Xiao had never been to Gourd Town before and asked the boatman about local taverns and popular eateries during the journey. With this information, he headed towards the recommended places with a pile of goods.

It was dinnertime, and the tavern was bustling with people coming and going, similar to the lively atmosphere in White Cloud Town.

Uncle Zhang Xiao chose a very grand tavern, tidied his clothes, and entered. The waiter thought he was there to eat and tried to lead him to a table, but Uncle Zhang Xiao waved him off.

"I didn't come here to eat; I brought quite a few things for you to take a look at."

He had just laid out the food he brought when he was interrupted by the waiter.

"If you're not here to eat, what are you doing in our inn? Off with you, we're very busy here."

Uncle Zhang quickly handed over the items, "This is homemade food from our family, it's really delicious!"

The waiter remained unmoved, his eyes showing a hint of disdain, "If everyone brought their homemade delicacies to our inn, what would be the point of having chefs? We might as well hire you all to cook here."

After saying that, he ignored Uncle Zhang and went to attend to other guests. Many people around were staring at Uncle Zhang, making him feel uncomfortable, so he awkwardly left the inn.

Beside the inn, there were some idle men waiting to be called to deliver food to various households, watching the scene with amusement.

Uncle Zhang visited two more inns, but was similarly driven away. Feeling disheartened, he wandered aimlessly through Gourd Town.

The stalls along the streets of the town offered a variety of goods. As Uncle Zhang walked, he felt his stomach rumbling with hunger.

He didn't want to spend copper coins on the food at the stalls, as the business deal was still uncertain. Even though Lin Chunyan had given him some travel expenses, he still needed to be frugal.

Uncle Zhang squatted by the roadside and ate the food he had brought. He particularly enjoyed the spicy bean skin, which he could eat a lot of with steamed buns.

As he savored his meal, someone at a nearby stall selling plain steamed buns watched with interest.

Not knowing what the yellow item was, hearing Uncle Zhang munching made this person's mouth water.

Unable to resist, the person finally spoke up, "Brother, where did you buy this food? How does it taste?"

Uncle Zhang never expected that eating a few bites by the roadside would attract such attention. He wiped his mouth, took a sip of water, and then said, "This is called bean skin, made by Lin Chunyan from White Cloud Town. It's very fragrant, and everyone in our town loves it."

The person had never tasted bean skin before, but came from a wealthy family and was even more curious about the food from White Cloud Town. Embarrassedly, he pulled out a few copper coins and asked, "I wonder if you'd be willing to part with a few pieces for me to try."

Uncle Zhang was more than happy to oblige. He had brought plenty of different foods to offer the inns for free.

Having been turned away several times, Uncle Zhang felt disheartened. Rather than giving the food away for free, he decided to sell it piece by piece, earning a few copper coins.

Seeing how much he had brought, the person no longer hesitated, took a piece of bean skin, and put it in his mouth. The initial sensation was numbing and spicy, which he usually didn't enjoy, so he bit into a plain steamed bun.

However, the more he chewed, the more fragrant the bean skin became, complementing the plain steamed bun perfectly. He no longer found it too spicy and finished the piece. His eyes lingered on the remaining bean skin, and he took out two more copper coins, saying he wanted to buy some to take home.

The commotion caught the attention of the vendor selling plain steamed buns. After the person left, the vendor called Uncle Zhang over and gave him two copper coins. However, she didn't want the bean skin; instead, she pointed to the dried tofu and said, "I've tried this before, during a theater performance. It's really good. Give me some five-spice flavor."

Uncle Zhang gave the vendor the five-spice dried tofu and sat down at her stall to rest, deciding not to visit the inns for now.

He laid out the dried tofu, bean skin, snails, and crabs. These weren't particularly special until he took out the hawthorn preserves, which prompted the vendor to ask, "You've brought quite a variety. Why did you bring sweets and drinks as well?"

Uncle Zhang shook his head and pointed to the hawthorn slices, "These are made from hawthorns. If you consider them sweets, that's fine. In our town, we use dried hawthorns in jelly tofu as a sweet sauce. Do you know jelly tofu? It's one of our town's specialties, and many people love it."

Uncle Zhang's eloquent description attracted a crowd, who listened in amazement at the variety of delicious foods in White Cloud Town. Some who had visited the town before were skeptical.

"I only visited relatives there recently. There weren't nearly as many delicious foods as you say. Are you trying to deceive us?"

Uncle Zhang didn't get angry but asked, "It must have been months since your last visit. These foods are newly made and sold both in the town and at the docks. If you don't believe me, go see for yourself."

The man indeed hadn't visited for a long time. Hearing this, he didn't argue further and pointed to the hawthorn preserves, asking, "Can I try this?"

Uncle Zhang was reluctant, "These are hawthorn preserves made from fresh hawthorns. They can last a long time without spoiling and taste very good."

Seeing the bright red hawthorns and clear, transparent syrup, the man's appetite was piqued.

Not wanting to make Uncle Zhang uncomfortable, he asked the price and immediately took out five copper coins, placing them on the table, "I won't eat for free. Since this is so expensive, I'll buy the whole jar."

Uncle Zhang greeted him with a smile and personally served him a bowl. The man sat down slowly under the envious gazes of the crowd.

Some people couldn't understand why a jar of hawthorn preserves was so expensive.

"Five copper coins could buy a pound of pork. Cooking it at home would be better than eating any canned food."

Under the scrutiny of the crowd, the man who bought the preserves didn't hesitate. He took a spoon and sipped the syrup, which was tangy and sweet, very refreshing. He exclaimed, "Too bad it's not summer. A bowl of this sweet drink would cool you down a lot."

After that, he tasted the hawthorn. The hawthorns were soft and less tart, very satisfying and delicious.

He ate several pieces before stopping, making the children nearby drool with envy.

If it were anything else, he might have shared with the children, but the jar cost five copper coins, and even being generous, he couldn't afford to. He packed the rest and took it home.

The commotion naturally sparked much discussion among the crowd, who talked about the new foods and asked where they could buy them.

Lin Chunyan's chrysanthemum pastries were made with an oil dough mixed with lard and flour. After dividing the dough into small portions, she rolled them into tongue-shaped sheets and filled them with various fillings.

There were red bean paste, which Lin Chunyan had finally bought, hawthorn paste, sesame and peanut, and fruit jam fillings.

The fruit jams were taken from the cellar, previously prepared. When making them, Lin Taohong and Mrs. Zhang didn't understand why so much sugar was used, thinking it was only for seasoning sauces and not much else.

Now, seeing the jams used as fillings, they no longer questioned it, silently admiring Lin Chunyan's foresight.

After filling the dough, she rolled it into a round shape and used a knife to fold and cut it into chrysanthemum patterns. This completed the chrysanthemum pastries.

Just this skill alone amazed the onlookers. Moreover, Lin Chunyan adjusted the chrysanthemum patterns slightly based on the different fillings.

Wang Yingniang learned quickly and soon helped with the process. Lin Chunyan then fired up the bread oven and baked the proofed chrysanthemum pastries.

Feeling that one bread oven wasn't enough, she decided to build another one in the future.

Soon, the air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked pastries. Lin Chunyan tasted one, finding the outer layer crispy and flaky, while the fillings were rich and flavorful, especially the red bean and hawthorn paste, which were incredibly delicious and hard to stop eating.

Lin Taohong had been eagerly waiting on the side. Seeing Lin Chunyan eating, she also took one, choosing the fruit jam flavor, which was tangy and sweet, very delightful.

She closed her eyes contentedly, feeling that even a deity wouldn't trade places with her.

She also let the others at home try some, but Lady Sun and Aunt Lin declined, “We can’t eat these things anymore. We already had lunch here, and I don’t know what to say about it.”

After a few polite refusals, it was only when Lin Chunyan pretended to be angry that they finally accepted.

Lady Sun, unwilling to eat, wrapped the chrysanthemum pastry in a handkerchief, planning to take it home for her mother-in-law and children to taste.

Her heart was filled with gratitude; there was nothing better than working here. Not only did they provide lunch, but they even allowed her to bring her child along, and sometimes she was given extra food to take home.

Her mother-in-law had scolded her several times, telling her not to eat and take so much, but she could never refuse.

Lin Taohong ate three large pieces before stopping and pointed to the chrysanthemums drying in the yard, asking, “What are those for? I thought you were going to use chrysanthemums to make them.”

“Those are for brewing chrysanthemum wine.”

Satisfied after eating, Lin Chunyan found a sealed jar. These jars had been dried in advance to ensure they were free of water and oil before use.

She put the washed chrysanthemums into a pot, added well water, and simmered them over low heat to allow the fragrance of the chrysanthemums to fully blend with the water. Then she used a sieve to filter out the liquid.

The filtered water was very clear, free of residue and impurities. She poured this water into a container, added yeast for brewing, and sealed it tightly.

The chrysanthemum wine made this way has a unique floral aroma and a refreshing taste, but it requires a long fermentation period, so it won't be ready to drink anytime soon.

This wine can also be made with glutinous rice, which can be drunk the next day. Hearing this, Lin Taohong pestered Lin Chunyan to make some more.

“You’ll have to soak the glutinous rice overnight first. When you come back tomorrow, we’ll make it, and I promise you, little glutton, you’ll get to drink it.”