Chapter 20

Chapter 20

After arriving in the Song Dynasty, Ye Zhan realized that citizens here enjoyed relatively high human rights.

For example, court officials preferred commuting in mule or ox carts rather than sedan chairs, believing it was wrong to treat humans like beasts of burden.

Unlike the TV shows she'd seen, where families often kept slaves, this wasn’t the case here.

Firstly, the law explicitly prohibited human trafficking, although there were black market transactions in the private sector.

Wealthy households typically hired servants on short-term contracts, with laws limiting employment to no more than ten years to avoid lifelong servitude.

Servants called themselves "family members" or "assistants," never "old slaves," showing they held a respectable position.

When the Ye family was landlords in the countryside, their relationship with the tenant farmers was purely economic, without any personal dependence.

Growing up in a modern society that valued equality, Ye Zhan couldn’t accept the idea of owning slaves.

Therefore, she planned to partner with her sister in business first, and once their situation improved, they could hire some help.

When Ye Zhan suggested joining her to sell snacks, Jade Sister gave a half-hearted smile. "What's interesting about that place?"

She tied a blue floral cloth towel around her waist, arranged pickled beans and other dishes on special plates, and loaded them onto a tray.

Next, they went to various familiar foot-inns to get pickled green plums, fragrant candied fruits, salted fermented beans soup, and stir-fried lung slices as side dishes for alcohol.

"Do we need to pay upfront?" Ye Zhan asked curiously.

The foot-inn owner smiled. "Jade Sister is a major customer here. You can take the dishes to sell first and settle the payment after you've made money."

Ye Zhan had a sudden realization. The *quzao niangzi* were essentially distributors for the foot-inns. With their help promoting the inns' dishes in various taverns, sales would increase.

Once she had a permanent shop, she planned to build connections with *quzao niangzi* to help promote her business.

After placing various side dishes for alcohol into a food box, they headed to nearby taverns.

The nightlife in Bianjing had just begun: taverns lined the banks of the Bian River, bustling with tourists and brightly lit.

Ye Yu led Ye Zhan into a tavern where many *quzao niangzi* were already present.

It turned out that some taverns in Bianjing had licenses to sell alcohol, but they either didn’t serve food or offered mediocre dishes that didn’t draw customers. Thus, the *quzao niangzi* came into existence.

They poured and warmed wine for guests while selling a variety of delicate side dishes from their food boxes.

The tavern owners were happy to have them: the more side dishes, the more alcohol guests would order. Alcohol was far more profitable than food.

Most *quzao niangzi* were married women, so Jade Sister’s youthful hairstyle made her stand out.

Ye Zhan found it novel and looked around.

*Quzao niangzi* earned money both from pouring wine and by selling side dishes.

This line of work required more than just having side dishes; one also needed to be observant and seize opportunities.

When guests were deeply engaged in conversation, it was best not to disturb them but quietly pour and warm wine on the side.

The best time to offer side dishes was right after they sat down or when they started to slow down after a few drinks. Then, you could ask, "Sir, would you like some side dishes for your alcohol?"

Then she promoted each dish one by one: "This is the stuffed duck from Fan Tower, the best roasted meat from Duan Family’s marinated dishes, and steamed buns from Master Sun’s."

These were all famous dishes in Bianjing, similar to today's Quanjude roast duck, Fangshan shrimp, and Jingzhaoyin yam rolls.

The customer was indeed in high spirits, pointing to the dishes and saying, "This, this, and this—put them on the table."

He then paid with silver pieces.

Standing by, Ye Zhan estimated that the price was significantly higher than buying from the original shop, presumably equivalent to today's "delivery fee" and "errand charge."

Having understood the dynamics, Ye Zhan also started to attract customers: "Sir, we have marinated duck gizzards with wine lees and edamame, garlic-and-mustard-spiced whelks, and fragrant braised lotus root."

"Oh? I’ve never heard of these preparations. Are they new signature dishes from some restaurant?"

"These are dishes made by my little sister," Jade Sister said proudly.

The man snorted with laughter, "This wine is the finest Jade Spring, and it deserves excellent dishes to match this fine brew. Not just any miscellaneous dishes can complement it."

Jade Sister's brows furrowed, and she was about to get angry when a more refined-looking scholar nearby spoke up, "Sister Ye, bring your dishes over here and let me see."

It turned out to be a familiar customer. Ye Zhu nodded, and Ye Zhan brought over the garlic-and-mustard-spiced whelks and a plate of braised lotus root.

As Jade Sister deftly poured the yellow wine into a basin, scooped half a ladle, and warmed it in a small pot before pouring it into the wine pot, she wondered in her heart: What if the customer isn't satisfied?

She had absolute confidence in her sister's cooking, but no matter how delicious they were, these vegetarian dishes and small whelks were still too humble to be served alongside the grand fish and meat dishes on the customer's table.

Unfortunately, the meat dishes she had braised earlier in the day were all sold out. There wasn't enough time in the evening to braise more meat dishes, so she could only prepare some vegetarian dishes and small sides, leaving her at a disadvantage.

Jade Sister felt a little uneasy.

She discreetly observed the scholar, who was examining the dishes.

The whelks were cleaned meticulously, without a trace of moss on the shells, showing that the cook had scrubbed them carefully, ensuring they were clean and hygienic. The scholar nodded in satisfaction.

The scholar picked up the cup, which had a small opening cut into its side, and took a sip. The rich broth immediately burst in his mouth, delivering a multitude of flavors.

First came the strong garlic flavor, followed by the stir-fried mustard, which was less pungent and more refreshing, with a hint of purple perilla.

The plump, juicy whelk meat burst with salty and spicy flavors as he slurped it down.

The chewy meat was very flavorful, with a fresh and delicious garlic taste. The flavors were rich and well-balanced.

Though he usually found sucking whelks unrefined, today he found them increasingly delicious, unable to resist picking up one after another.

The large, chewy whelk meat, paired with garlic and mustard, soaked in a rich, glossy sauce, was fragrant yet not overpowering, leaving a lasting impression.

The scholar ate several in one go before praising, "These dishes are exquisitely made."

He then picked up a piece of braised lotus root and praised, "Crisp and bursting with juice."

The scholar not only enjoyed the dishes but also recommended them to other regulars, who, after tasting them, also ordered dishes from Ye Zhan.

The customer who had earlier refused, wearing a black scarf, grew increasingly restless. The sound of slurping whelks filled the air, and the faint aroma of wine lees mingled with the wine’s fragrance.

He swallowed and spoke up, "Uh, miss, I’d like some dishes too."

Jade Sister rolled her eyes, not intending to respond, but Ye Zhan waved her off and brought over the food box.

The customer ordered all the dishes in one breath: "Fermented duck offal with edamame and soybeans, garlic and wasabi spicy snails, and fragrant braised lotus roots—bring them all!"

He had been craving them earlier and was determined to order every side dish for his wine.

The duck offal, soaked in wine lees, was refreshing and tinged with an amber hue. Biting into the duck gizzard, it was tender yet thick, with the aroma of wine lees fully infused within. On a summer evening, with a gentle breeze and a sip of wine, it was heaven on earth.

The garlic and wasabi spicy snails exploded with flavor in your mouth, and the fragrant braised lotus roots were crispy.

All the side dishes were amazing! The customer with the black headscarf wanted to order a second portion but was told the first two dishes were already sold out. He looked at the cup in his hand with regret: he shouldn’t have refused earlier and should have bought them all!

Oh well, tomorrow then!

The two sisters, one warming and pouring wine for the customers, the other selling side dishes, shuttled through the nearby taverns. In no time, most of the dishes in the food box were sold.

Jade Sister was happy seeing the food box was more than half empty. "Sister, today's business is good. How about we keep a plate of garlic and wasabi spicy snails to eat at home?"

They had a sumptuous dinner, but as she poured wine for the customers and smelled the aroma of snails, she suddenly felt a little hungry...

"Alright," Ye Zhan agreed with a smile, "Save half for Mom and tell her it’s her snack for wine, and the rest for everyone." That way, Mom wouldn’t nag.

Jade Sister was about to speak when she heard a drunken voice from across the room: "Little miss, my heart's desire, come here and pour wine for your brother."

Ye Zhan looked over and saw an old man with gray hair, looking older than Ye Dafu, smiling lewdly with oily eyes.

She felt a sense of dislike and tugged at her sister's sleeve.

By then, Jade Sister was already seething with anger. She gave the old man a cold, disgusted look, not bothering to respond and even gave him a fierce glare.

The old man wasn’t giving up. "Jade Sister, why aren’t you acknowledging me?"

It was common for daughters of ordinary families to have their names known by neighbors, but it was rare to be called in such a clingy manner that sent shivers down your spine.

Before Ye Zhan could react, Jade Sister threw the wine cup at him. "You old creep, you should have your tongue cut out! You’re old enough to be my grandfather—aren’t you ashamed?!"

The wine cup rolled on the wooden floor and spilled its contents all over the old man.

Other customers joined in: "Totally shameless!"

"Exactly, it’s tough for a young girl to earn a living here."

The customers scolded the old man one after another.

The old man, after receiving the scolding, fell silent and quietly drank his wine.

Ye Zhan touched her sister's back, feeling the soft, tender skin of her sister. Who would have thought that such a fragrant and gentle sister could be so fierce just moments ago?

No wonder her sister had a temper; working in a tavern, one was bound to encounter customers who tried to take advantage of them while drunk. If she weren’t fierce, how could she handle it?

Jade Sister didn’t notice her sister's unusual behavior and pulled her away from the tavern. "Let’s go."

As they went downstairs, she explained the situation to her sister. "I gave him a stern look and yelled to scare him. Don’t be afraid."

Her sister remained silent, and Jade Sister thought she was scared, continually comforting her. "Don’t worry, I wasn’t really mad, just trying to scare him."

"In taverns, if you’re too nice, people think you’re interested. If you look at them a bit longer, they think you’re sending secret signals. Even a small smile makes them think you’re flirting or proposing marriage," Jade Sister grumbled.

She pulled her sister's hand, but it wouldn’t move.

Huh?

Jade Sister turned around.

"Don’t be afraid," she comforted Ye Zhan by patting her head. "You only occasionally encounter such people in taverns. It’s still much better than being a matchmaker like Mom."

But she saw Ye Zhan’s eyes were red, and she clung to her arm, sobbing, "Sister!"

And then burst into tears.