Chapter 105: Smoked Fish

Chapter 105: Smoked Fish

Wang Yinzhi, strapped for cash, rented a house in the southwest of Xiangping Prefecture, in a large neighborhood where ordinary people lived. The houses were typical small courtyards, clustered together, giving off a strong everyday vibe.

There had been a heavy snowfall just two days ago, and the snow on the roads had already been cleared, with only some snow piles remaining at the corners of the streets.

The narrow streets were lined with vendors selling snacks and daily necessities, and people dressed in thick cotton clothes bustled about, haggling. The air was filled with the smell of fried sugar cakes, mini wontons, and veggie buns.

The carriage stopped at Wang Yinzhi's doorstep, and Bai Quan, the driver, stepped up to knock on the door. Qiu Huanian and the others also got off the carriage.

It was Qiu Huanian's first time visiting Wang Yinzhi's place. He looked up and observed that the courtyard walls were not high, and the wooden gate was a bit worn, decorated with two well-painted artworks, signed by Wang Yinzhi himself.

As soon as Bai Quan knocked, a loud, crisp voice called out from inside the courtyard, belonging to a woman in her twenties.

With a clatter, the gate swung open from inside.

Qiu Huanian spotted a woman in a rough apron, her hair pinned up with a thorn hairpin. She lifted her hands, still dusted with flour and wet, and a child with a topknot stood at her feet.

The woman was taken aback, "Who are you?"

Before Qiu Huanian could reply, she quickly turned and shouted, "Dazhi, come out quickly, we have important guests!"

At her call, Wang Yinzhi rushed to the gate in a few quick steps.

"Yun Se? And Township Lord? What brings you here in this freezing weather?"

"Congrats on your new place."

Wang Yinzhi quickly ushered them in, "This is my wife, Deng Die, and my son, Wang Sui'an."

A lively woman in her fifties emerged from the kitchen.

"This is my mom."

Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian greeted everyone. Wang Yinzhi's mom and Deng Die, learning that Du Yunse was the new top scholar and Qiu Huanian the renowned Township Lord behind Qiu's Six Staples, felt a bit uneasy.

Wang Yinzhi's rented place was tiny, with a main room, two side rooms, a small outhouse, and a little courtyard. That was it, so Bai Quan had to leave the carriage outside.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse brought their respective servants. The four newcomers, plus the original four members of Wang Yinzhi's family, made the small courtyard feel a bit crowded.

They were shown to the main room, where Deng Die fetched a prized tea set and leaves to serve the guests.

Qiu Huanian told Xing Mi and Bai Quan to bring in the gifts they'd prepared. The cloth, cotton, rice, flour, oil, and meat were on the carriage, and the charcoal was in a separate cart already at the door.

"Yun Se told me Mr. Wang had moved his family to Xiangping, so I got some winter essentials as gifts. See if they suit your needs."

Wang Yinzhi quickly stood, "This is too generous, no need for such courtesy."

Deng Die's eyes sparkled at the soft, colorful cotton, but she stayed silent and didn't take it.

Qiu Huanian smiled, "You are new here, and it's our duty to be good hosts. These items are not expensive, so please accept them, Mr. Wang. With these, your family, especially the elderly and children, will be much more comfortable this winter."

"This..."

Wang Yinzhi hesitated. If Du and Qiu had brought silk, satin, gold, or jewels, he would have refused immediately.

But they had brought items essential for winter, thoughtfully chosen at a moderate price, leaving Wang Yinzhi unsure of what to do.

Accepting them would feel like imposing on his friends; refusing would seem ungrateful, and he couldn't let his elderly mother, wife, and child suffer.

At this moment, Du Yunse spoke up, "We were classmates and passed the imperial examination together. Next spring, we’ll head to the capital for the metropolitan exam. Our bond is special, and we’ll have many years ahead together. Why worry about this little help now?"

Wang Yinzhi, clever as he was, quickly agreed.

"Thanks for your kindness, brothers. Yunse’s right; we’ve got years ahead, so this little help doesn’t matter. Die'er, grab those things."

When Wang Yinzhi nodded, Deng Die wiped her hands on her apron and hurried to take the cloth, while Wang’s mother carried the rice, flour, oil, and meat to the kitchen.

Bai Quan and Xing Mi offered to help, but the women moved everything quickly themselves.

They went out to tell the coachman to stack the charcoal in the corner.

Deng Die stashed the cloth and cotton in the side room and rushed back, beaming. "This’ll make two winter outfits for the whole family!"

She boldly glanced at Du Yunse and looked at Qiu Huanian more, sincerely exclaiming, "No wonder everyone in Xiangping says the new top scholar and Lady Qishu are like gods. You’re smart, handsome, and so generous. How did heaven make people like you!"

Qiu Huanian blushed at the honest praise.

"Die'er!" Wang Yinzhi whispered.

Deng Die didn’t hear him at all. She clapped her hands and said, "Today’s special guests are here. Stay a while, and let me show you what I can do."

Qiu Huanian asked curiously, "Sister Die, do you run the stall every day?"

Deng Die nodded and sat down. Seeing Qiu Huanian's friendly attitude and genuine interest, she relaxed and spoke more freely.

"I originally didn’t want to come to Xiangping Prefecture. The city’s expensive, but Da Zhi insisted we move here."

"After arriving, it was just as I expected. This tiny place costs a fortune in rent—one and a half taels a month. Everything costs money—even using the toilet. Who can bear it?"

"Da Zhi’s heading to the capital for the exam next year. I figured I’d sell snacks on the street to make some cash."

Wang Yinzhi was already a provincial graduate. Though he hadn’t hired servants, he could, which gave him some flexibility. His wife selling snacks wouldn’t raise any eyebrows about being a merchant.

Wang Yinzhi said helplessly, "After the exam results came out, I saved up some money. I was eyeing a bigger house and wanted to get the family some nice clothes, but..."

But Deng Die, who came to the prefecture city, scolded him, and the money was all taken away.

Deng Die naturally had her reasons, "You don’t manage the household, so you don’t know the cost of daily necessities. You haven’t become an official and received a salary yet. As long as we have enough clothes and food now, it’s fine. It’s better to save the money for your studies and exams."

"Don’t you think so, Township Lord?"

Qiu Huanian, holding back a smile, said, "Sister Die is right. Money should be managed tightly. Spend within your means, spend where necessary, and save where possible."

As he spoke, he glanced at Du Yunse, silently asking if he had any opinions.

Du Yunse, who had no control over the family finances, slightly nodded, indicating that his husband was right.

Seeing that both agreed with her, Deng Die proudly raised her chin at Wang Yinzhi, who could only smile and nod helplessly.

"Sister Die, what do you sell outside?"

"Just some sugar cakes, fried dough twists, and vegetable boxes that I make with my mother-in-law, selling them along with others on the street. Besides that, I also sell the smoked fish that my mother taught me, a family recipe. Unfortunately, the materials for smoked fish are expensive, and the price is high, so I don’t sell much."

Seeing Qiu Huanian's interest, Deng Die asked her son Wang Sui'an to fetch the smoked fish from the shelf in the right side room used as a kitchen.

The smoked fish was served, cut vertically along the fish's body into half-inch thick pieces, presenting a beautiful dark brown color, exuding a rich aroma of spices and soy sauce on the plate.

Deng Die said that her mother's family had fled from Songjiang Prefecture to Liaozhou, and the smoked fish was a southern craft, a recipe passed down through generations. Because the materials were too expensive, she had never made it before. Only after coming to the prefecture city did she decide to make it to sell, but the high cost of raw materials kept the price high, and not many people nearby were willing to buy it.

Qiu Huanian picked up a large piece of braised fish. Although this dish was made from a large carp with many bones, the bones had been removed once during the preparation of the raw fish, and after being cut into pieces and fried, the remaining small bones had all become crispy, which didn’t hinder the eating experience at all.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, full of flavor, Qiu Huanian unknowingly finished an entire piece.

The taste and appearance were very similar to the braised fish he had tasted during his trip to Shanghai in his previous life. Unfortunately, he hadn’t thought of learning the recipe back then.

Seeing that Qiu Huanian enjoyed it, Deng Die invited Du Yunse, Bai Quan, and Xing Mi to try some as well.

The cost of braised fish was too high, and even Wang Yinzhi’s family hadn’t eaten much of it. The seven-year-old Wang Sui’an subconsciously swallowed, clearly craving it.

Qiu Huanian handed a piece to Wang Sui’an, who didn’t take it immediately but looked at his mother first. Only after Deng Die nodded did he happily take it and start eating.

Qiu Huanian had an idea: the Qiu’s Six Staples should add a new item to its snack offerings.

“Aunt Die, would you be willing to sell the recipe for the braised fish?”

Deng Die was surprised. How did it come to selling the recipe?

“Lord Qiu, if you like it, I can teach you how to make it. No need to talk about money.”

Qiu Huanian smiled and shook his head, “I plan to add it to the snack counter at the Qiu’s Six Staples. I can’t let you take a loss by not paying you.”

Deng Die had been to the Qiu’s Six Staples to buy things, only going because Wang Yinzhi insisted. She browsed and only bought a bit of Sorghum Candy and a roasted duck, not even sparing the money for popcorn.

“How can my braised fish be sold there...”

“Aunt Die’s braised fish tastes great, is easy to preserve, and is a fresh flavor in Xiangping Prefecture. It’s clearly very suitable.”

“Can it really be sold?”

“Really,” Qiu Huanian proactively offered a price, “How about twenty taels of silver, Aunt Die?”

Deng Die looked at Wang Yinzhi, who said, “This is your recipe, Die’er. You decide.”

Deng Die sighed in relief, “Alright, I’ll explain the recipe clearly to Lord Qiu later.”

Qiu Huanian smiled, “No rush, I’ll send someone over to learn it properly.”

Deng Die covered her pounding chest, feeling like today was her lucky day. The twenty taels from selling the recipe, she would send five taels back to her mother, and save the rest for her husband’s trip to the capital for the exams next year.

...

The next day, Qiu Huanian sent old lady Jin and Mumian to Wang Yinzhi’s house to learn the braised fish recipe in detail. After returning, they first made a batch at home.

To make braised fish, one must choose a large fish, carefully scrape off the scales, clean the black membrane, remove the bones from concentrated areas, and then cut the fish vertically into half-inch thick pieces, splitting them from the middle and setting them aside to dry.

Next is the crucial step of preparing the marinade. First, fry scallions and ginger in a pot, then add clean water and rock sugar, along with a large amount of soy sauce, a little vinegar, dried chili peppers, star anise, bay leaves, and other spices. Boil until the mixture thickens, then strain the marinade and let it cool in a cold place.

Finally, fry the fish. The dried fish pieces are fried in oil until crispy, fried several times to ensure crispiness, turning the pieces a golden, appetizing color. They are then immediately soaked in the cold marinade, allowing the fish to fully absorb the aroma of the marinade through the contrast of hot and cold.

After soaking for three to five minutes, the braised fish is ready. The fish pieces are savory and fragrant, with a crispy skin and juicy, tender flesh.

From the frying step onwards, Meng Yuanling had been waiting eagerly outside the kitchen, and the rest of the family was also drawn in.

Qiu Huanian had old lady Jin and Mumian make a large pot of braised fish, enough for everyone. The servants took their portions to eat.

Braised fish is delicious when eaten hot, but it also has a unique flavor when cooled. Meng Yuanling ate several pieces in a row, leaving some aside reluctantly to try the taste after it cooled.

He discussed the business of the Qiu’s Six Staples with Qiu Huanian.

"In winter, popcorn sales have improved a bit, but menthol oil is no longer selling, and flower essence can't be made anymore. With smoked fish, we can make up for some losses, but it's still limited."

The pricing for smoked fish is the same as popcorn, one hundred wen per package, which is not cheap at all. However, as the capital of Liaozhou, Xiangping Prefecture enjoys a relatively high standard of living. With the reputation of Qiu's Six Staples, new products sell easily.

"During the best one or two months of summer business, the monthly net profit neared three hundred taels. Now it's only a little over one hundred taels, mainly supported by oyster sauce. Brother Hua, you’ve got to come up with a solution fast."

In fact, a monthly net profit of one hundred taels is already quite high, but Meng Yuanling once earned three hundred taels a month, so he’s naturally not satisfied now. He always wants to revive the summer prosperity.

Qiu Huanian raised Meng Yuanling's salary to ten taels of silver per month. Meng Yuanling now completely treats the business of Qiu's Six Staples as his own career. Driven by Qiu Huanian, he’s turning into a real workaholic.

Sometimes when Yun Cheng returns from his break, he can’t bring himself to put down the account book.

Then he struggles as Yun Cheng hauls him back to the room for some discipline.

"Think of a solution..." Qiu Huanian begins to ponder.

The family’s savings now amount to about one thousand eight hundred taels, a large part of which comes from selling cotton, plus the monthly profits from Qiu's Six Staples, which is already very considerable.

But Qiu Huanian thinks that next year, after Du Yunse's examination, he might stay in the capital to serve as an official. Then they would need to buy a house in the capital, live there, and engage in social interactions and gift-giving... Their family’s financial foundation is still too shaky, and it might not be enough if something happens.

The business of Qiu's Six Staples has reached its current scale because it has always been able to launch flagship products that others can't easily learn.

Now that flower essence and menthol oil are no longer selling, what can we do in winter to bridge the gap?

Xing Mi came by to clear away the smoked fish. Qiu Huanian was thinking when he suddenly caught a whiff of a faint fragrance.

"What’s that amazing smell? The flowers in the house have long since withered."

Uncle Mumian smacked his forehead, "This morning, Brother Li from the village sent it over, saying that the early winter plum blossoms have bloomed, inviting the Township Lord to enjoy them. I was busy learning how to make smoked fish and forgot about it in the flower hall."

Qiu Huanian got up and went to the flower hall, where he saw a branch of red plum blossoms, half a person's height, inserted in a plain, long-necked porcelain vase, blooming like a blazing fire, with a faint fragrance.

"The plum blossoms in the village have bloomed?" Qiu Huanian looked at the red plum blossoms in front of him, as if he had already seen the vast plum forest in full bloom.

He put business thoughts aside for the moment and excitedly ran to the study to find Du Yunse.

"Yun Se, let’s head to the village tomorrow to enjoy the plum blossoms!"

Author's note:

Let me talk about the issue of the price of the smoked fish recipe—

The red fermented tofu recipe cost a lot because Huang Daniang and Du Yunse did marketing at the Hundred Flavors Trial. All the important people in the prefecture knew about it, and a bunch of literati wrote poems about it. They were selling the recipe along with its popularity and sales potential. Moreover, many people, including the Zhu family, were willing to buy it at a high price, partly because they valued Du Yunse's status as the top scholar in the academy, and they could negotiate a profit-sharing agreement, and also because they had befriended Zhu Jingwei in advance.

Deng Die's recipe doesn't have these prerequisites. She even made smoked fish herself but couldn't sell it. It relies on the reputation of Qiu's Six Staples to sell. The recipe isn't only known to her. If Hua Nian hadn't wanted to help her, considering only whether it was cost-effective, he could have bought a smoked fish recipe from someone else at a price one or two times lower than twenty taels of silver.

Is it because Qiu Qiu’s raking in so much cash now that you think twenty taels is peanuts? Think about how hard it was to save money at the beginning..."