Chapter Forty-Nine: Beef Banquet

Chapter Forty-Nine: The Beef Feast

The man readily agreed, "You can take a look; I'll show you right away."

Lin Qiuran handed Xiao Dashi some silver and instructed him, "Pa, if the meat is good, buy it. And get some beef tripe too; try to bargain for a better price."

A whole ox weighs several hundred catties, some even over a thousand, but not all of it is usable meat—there's blood to drain, hide, tripe, and bones. If the price difference isn't too significant, buy it all. The bones are useful for making broth. Even if the beef doesn't sell well at the eatery, they can always eat it themselves. Lin Qiuran also didn’t want them to butcher it carelessly; some cuts, like the beef shanks, could be ruined, and she was counting on those for profit.

Xiao Dashi nodded and left with the man. They needed to verify if the ox had indeed died of old age. If it looked good, they could finalize the deal today.

It was almost closing time, and two tables of customers were still lingering. They had been eating for nearly an hour and had even ordered an extra dish. Hearing about the beef, they asked curiously, "Are you buying beef? Will you be serving it tomorrow?"

Lin Qiuran replied, "If we buy it, we’ll prepare it tomorrow—braised beef, marinated beef shank, and Mao Xue Wang (a spicy blood and tripe stew). If you have time, feel free to come by tomorrow to try it."

The customers nodded, noting they hadn’t eaten much beef before, and promised to inquire about it in the morning.

With no other customers left, Lin Qiuran and her family sat down for dinner. She set aside some food for Xiao Dashi to eat upon his return.

Shopkeeper Shi and Lu Fan, famished after a long day, went to serve themselves rice and leftover steamed buns. Lin Xia and Lin Dong stood by, looking a little lost. Lin Qiuran said, "Sit down, we all eat together."

It was their first day, so they were timid, eating only one steamed bun each, daring to take just one piece of meat, and even sparingly eating the shredded potatoes.

Even so, they found it a rare treat, as the food was far superior to what they had at home.

Sun Shi felt a pang of pity for them and wanted to offer more food, but Lin Qiuran subtly stopped her.

After a day of hard work, with so much food available, no one had forbidden them from eating. Yet, they couldn't always wait to be invited. Besides, Shopkeeper Shi and the others were observing, knowing these were purchased servants, and too much leniency would be inappropriate.

They would have to adjust gradually.

Even so, after their meal, the two girls looked at Lin Qiuran with gratitude. Lin Xia even whispered to Lin Dong, "I don’t really miss home anymore."

Lin Dong remained silent. She had long stopped missing home. Only resentment lingered—she had worked so hard, not even daring to eat much, yet her parents had sold her. No, they were no longer her parents.

After dinner, Shopkeeper Shi and Lu Fan departed. Auntie Liu came to clear the dishes, and the two girls, quick to understand, helped her. After a short while, Xiao Dashi returned with the man.

There was a large quantity of meat, so the man delivered the beef. Xiao Dashi confirmed it had indeed died of old age and negotiated the price. He calculated that buying the meat with bones or without didn’t make much difference, so he didn’t ask for it to be separated.

After some haggling, he secured a discount of one coin per catty. The meat weighed over four hundred catties. The tripe, originally twelve coins per catty, was bargained down to eight coins per catty due to its strong odor and the effort required to clean it—three hundred twenty catties in total.

He paid seven taels and five mace of silver, and the man even threw in the ox's head. The hide was likely for other uses; Xiao Dashi didn’t see it.

Honestly, he didn’t know how to cook this meat, nor had he ever eaten it, but since Lin Qiuran wanted it, he bought it.

Lin Qiuran thought the meat looked good, with excellent shanks. It was getting late, so the meat would be portioned tomorrow. The tripe had a strong smell and needed thorough cleaning before use. As it was a farm ox, the meat was generally lean.

She instructed Xiao Dashi and Sun Shi to hang the meat upside down in the kitchen, then locked the door before leaving. The low temperature would allow it to age overnight, making it less tough to eat.

Tomorrow morning, they would separate the shanks and slice some beef for braising. The shanks would undoubtedly fetch a higher price, while other cuts could be sold more cheaply.

The bones accounted for about half the weight, meaning the meat alone cost around twenty coins per catty. The seller was quite shrewd; if Xiao Dashi had only wanted the meat, he probably would have said, "You can butcher it yourself, and I’ll throw in the bones for free."

The remaining meat could be used for stir-fried beef with yellow chilies, and the tripe for Mao Xue Wang. For the blood, they could inquire at the pork stall; pig blood would suffice. The ingredients for Mao Xue Wang were relatively easy to gather.

Lin Qiuran always had bean sprouts growing; she avoided doing it at home to prevent hassle. Frankly, she was craving all these dishes.

The leftover scraps could be mixed with lard and scallions to make large, juicy dumplings—the kind that oozed oil with each bite. Lin Qiuran was looking forward to those too.

They spent over seven taels on the beef, and she wasn’t sure if they’d break even. It was too dark to see clearly; she’d take a closer look tomorrow.

Given the cold weather, the beef should keep for a while.

Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi didn’t know how to prepare it, nor did they worry about potential losses. Honestly, if Lin Qiuran wanted to eat it, the money was well spent.

What’s the point of earning money if not to spend it? Enjoying good food is hardly a extravagance.

Back home, Lin Xia and Lin Dong took their cues from Lin Qiuran.

Lin Qiuran said, "The house is small, so you’ll sleep in this room with me."

After washing up, they obediently lay down on the newly built platform bed.

Before bed, Lin Qiuran outlined their tasks for the next day. "Tomorrow we’re cooking beef. Both of you will come to the eatery, but we won’t need that many people usually. From now on, Lin Dong will learn to cook from me. Lin Xia, you’re younger, so in the mornings you’ll stay home to look after the house and do chores. At noon, come to the eatery yourself for lunch—these days, learn the route."

In the afternoons, they would help at the eatery, and in the evenings, return with everyone. Since lunch was late, Lin Xia didn’t need to arrive too early. At the eatery, she would initially assist Sun Shi.

She could handle odd jobs to lighten Sun Shi’s workload.

Teaching two is harder than teaching one. Tossing a wok requires strength, and Lin Xia was too young for that. She could learn to serve dishes and wait tables, so if Lu Fan or Shopkeeper Shi ever left unexpectedly, she could step in until replacements were found.

The two girls nodded, and Lin Qiuran went to sleep.

Lin Xia and Lin Dong found it somewhat unbelievable. Lin Dong was surprised that Lin Qiuran intended to teach her cooking—a valuable skill usually reserved for family. Lin Xia was amazed that Lin Qiuran even considered whether she had eaten. Back home… back then, when they went out, no one ever cared what she ate.

The Xiao family wasn’t wealthy, and their home wasn’t large, but Aunt Sun and Uncle Xiao were very kind, as was Miss Lin.

The quilts were old but warm.

The next day, the two girls woke early, which startled Xiao Dashi, who was still adjusting to having two extra people in the house.

They took over the chores, moving quietly, unlike Xiao Dashi, who made noise even when sweeping. This allowed Lin Qiuran to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

She dreamed of eating beef hotpot with a child. The child was happy, though in the dream she couldn’t taste anything. Waking up, her craving lingered.

Lin Qiuran touched her belly. Was the child in the dream this one?

As she pondered this, she felt a morning kick. She smiled. After being pregnant for so long, she had grown quite attached.

Today was the last day of October; tomorrow would be November. Lin Qiuran had been in this world for almost four months, and the baby was nearly seven months along. In a little over two months, she would give birth.

Lin Qiuran looked forward to having the baby soon, though she also felt a little afraid.

Fortunately, she had visited a doctor and found a midwife who confirmed the baby was in the correct position, her health was good, and her belly wasn’t too large—making for an easier delivery. It should be perfectly safe.

The due date was around the Lunar New Year, in the first month. The weather would be freezing, making postpartum recovery harder, but still better than in summer.

If it coincided with the New Year holiday, they could open later. Also, Lin Qiuran wondered if two months would be enough to train Lin Dong.

Not that she would learn everything about cooking, but she could master a few dishes, like stir-fried potato shreds. Once she learned that, Lin Qiuran wouldn’t need to do it herself.

After getting ready, they went to the shop. Xiao Dashi had already left earlier to buy pig blood. By the time Lin Qiuran arrived, Xiao Dashi had already returned with it.

But Lin Qiuran didn’t inspect it, simply instructing that it be left in the yard. She went to the kitchen to prepare the lunch dishes. Beef was more expensive, about twenty coins per catty, so suddenly adding it to the menu might not attract customers.

So Lin Qiuran had Shopkeeper Shi put up a sign at the door announcing that the eatery would have beef for sale in the evening. At noon, when customers came, they would also spread the word.

They couldn’t sell all that beef in one night; it would take a few days. Customers could come another time.

The sign had an immediate effect; by mid-morning, people were already inquiring, and returning customers from yesterday also showed up. "Did you buy the beef yesterday?"

Shopkeeper Shi replied, "Yes, yes, but it needs to be cleaned and prepared; it won't be ready until dinner time."

The customer was quite pleased. "Alright, I'll definitely come by tonight."

Although it was announced that the beef would be sold in the evening, Shopkeeper Shi was still curious about how Lin Qiuran planned to prepare it. Beef from an aged animal is tough and difficult to cook; even when it was available for sale, he usually wouldn’t buy it.

Beef is hard to come by because plow oxen aren't allowed to be butchered. A meat vendor might only have about ten catties to sell, and it goes quickly.

But tough beef is just tough—hopefully, Lin Qiuran has a way to handle it.

In the kitchen, after stewing the dishes for the midday meal, Lin Qiuran began portioning the beef. She set aside whole beef shanks for braising, making them easier to slice later.

This was where having a good knife came in handy—if she only had a kitchen knife, it would have been difficult to manage.

The ox head was thrown in for free. She planned to braise it along with the shanks in the afternoon. The ox horns were set aside to be made into combs by a carpenter later, making the most of every part.

Since the beef was old, only the sinewy and scrappy parts were cut off for stewing. Though these bits might seem messy, they could still be sold and were especially delicious when mixed with rice.

Lin Qiuran had Sun Shi, Lin Dong, and Lin Xia clean the beef tripe, which contained half-digested grass and had a strong odor. They needed to wash it thoroughly with wood ash.

With a butcher's precision, Lin Qiuran had the beef divided before the lunch service. The beef shanks were already braising, and since the pot wasn’t needed for anything else, they could simmer for over an hour. They would be ready to soak by the afternoon, without interfering with the evening meal preparation.

The soy-braised beef and honeycomb tripe were in the pot, while Lin Qiuran used beef and pork bones, along with a chicken, to make a rich broth. She hadn’t yet decided how to use the broth, but she knew it would come in handy.

At noon, Lin Qiuran specially stir-fried a plate of stir-fried yellow beef to taste, letting Shopkeeper Shi and the others try it. Since only scallions and garlic were readily available, but no cilantro, Lin Qiuran felt the flavor was somewhat lacking.

As for chili peppers, they only had dried ones on hand, so she used more pickled chilies, which Zhao Shi had bought in bulk.

The pickled chilies lent a sour note, making the dish taste more like twice-peppered beef rather than stir-fried yellow beef. Without the flavor of Hangzhou chilies, Lin Qiuran wasn’t entirely satisfied.

Shopkeeper Shi had wondered how the tough beef could be made tasty, but after tasting it, he was thoroughly convinced and had nothing to say.

Even the garlic cloves were infused with savory meat flavor. The beef was tender and well-seasoned, with a tangy heat from the pickled chilies—spicy enough to make one sweat. Shopkeeper Shi, unbothered by the spiciness, mixed a bite with dried chilies, pickled chilies, garlic, and rice, finding it incredibly satisfying.

Lin Qiuran asked, "How is it?"

Shopkeeper Shi wasn’t afraid of spice, but his throat was scratchy. He noted that with only dried chilies available, fresh ones in summer or autumn would have been even better.

Lu Fan was so spicy he turned away coughing, then drank a large cup of water. "Good—wait, delicious."

Sun Shi also found it a bit spicy, but that was part of the appeal. The beef was tender, not tough at all. Having never eaten beef before, Sun Shi now thought it tasted better than pork or lamb.

Shopkeeper Shi took a moment to recover, then said hoarsely, "Lin Qiuran, you have great skill. The beef I’ve had before was always tough, and it really doesn’t taste like pork."

Lin Qiuran had velveted the beef with cornstarch beforehand, sliced it against the grain for tenderness, and cut it into small, thin pieces, which kept it tender.

Since the three weren’t cooks, they simply found it delicious and couldn’t suggest any improvements.

Lin Xia and Lin Dong, who rarely ate spicy food, had their noses turning red from the heat.

Shopkeeper Shi finished every last bite, not leaving even the side dishes. He used a bun to soak up every last bit of the sauce.

As a cook, Lin Qiuran was pleased. She didn’t nap at noon, instead monitoring the braising beef shanks and teaching Lin Dong how to chop vegetables.

Although Zhao Guangcai said Lin Dong and Lin Xia often cooked at home, Lin Qiuran believed it was better to build from the ground up.

Lin Dong listened attentively and chopped carefully. Lin Qiuran’s most frequent advice was, "Whether it’s chopping or cooking, once I teach you, you must follow my instructions. No matter how you used to do it or how it tasted, don’t add your own ideas. Just do as I say. These methods have been tested; adding anything else will ruin the dish."

Lin Dong nodded and glanced at Lin Qiuran. "Lin Qiuran, you should rest for a while. I’ll take my time chopping."

Lin Qiuran, being with child, had been busy for a long time.

Lin Qiuran smiled. "Alright, take a break if you get tired."

She went to her room and rested for half an hour before starting the afternoon dishes. Because of the beef, she prepared fewer other dishes.

Lin Qiuran also specially wrote a menu: braised beef platter for thirty wen per plate, including ox cheek and soy-braised beef.

Braised beef shanks for fifty wen per plate, stir-fried yellow beef for the same price, Red-Braised Tough Beef with potatoes for sixty wen per plate, and Mao Xue Wang (spicy blood stew) for seventy wen per plate, including beef tripe, omasum, pork blood, and bean sprouts. It tasted similar to Shui Zhu Rou Pian (Poached Sliced Pork) but was spicier and more aromatic due to the beef fat.

Even lean beef has some fat, which Lin Qiuran saved for hot pot another day.

Compared to summer without a refrigerator, she preferred winter.

She added beef steamed dumplings as a staple, six wen each.

Wan Niang bought a plate of braised beef shanks. Meals were provided at the eatery, but meat dishes depended on leftovers. If there were none, they usually ate tofu or potatoes.

It was already good that Lin Qiuran could make one portion at noon. Even if there were leftovers, beef was too expensive to give to the staff.

Wan Niang wanted to take some back for Zhao Shi to try and would have liked to buy more, but she had to budget. The braised shanks were especially appealing, sliced to resemble flower patterns.

Lin Qiuran also saved some for herself to eat for breakfast the next day, thinking beef was better than rice or buns.

In the afternoon, after finishing other tasks, she made filling with lard, scallions, and finely minced lean beef. She used unraised dough, added plenty of scallions, and wrapped crescent-shaped dumplings as big as her palm. Steamed, the dumpling skins turned translucent, thin and generously filled.

Lin Qiuran didn’t yet know how the evening business would go. Shopkeeper Shi said people had inquired, but that didn’t guarantee they’d come to eat that day.

As night fell—days were shorter now, and it darkened early—the white breath from their mouths was clearly visible in the cold. Before dinnertime, five burly regulars arrived at Xiao Family Eatery.

Lu Fan and Shopkeeper Shi were still setting up charcoal heaters. Hearing the commotion, Shopkeeper Shi had Lu Fan continue while he went to greet them.

The customers asked, "What beef dishes do you have? Can we see the menu?"

Shopkeeper Shi brought the menu over. After reading it, they ordered: "One plate of soy-braised beef, one plate of braised beef shanks, stir-fried yellow beef, Red-Braised Tough Beef, Mao Xue Wang, and a stir-fried shredded potatoes. Oh, how big are the steamed dumplings?"

Shopkeeper Shi, a man with large hands, gestured about half the size of his palm. "This big, filled with beef and scallions. We don’t usually sell steamed dumplings—only for a few days. Who knows when we’ll have them again."

The five decided they’d need at least two each. "Then add ten steamed dumplings and a pot of warmed wine."

Shopkeeper Shi smiled. "Sure thing, please wait a moment."

Though Shopkeeper Shi was an employee, Lin Qiuran treated him well, providing ample and delicious meals daily. Seeing customers order so much, he was genuinely happy for her.

The bill for this table alone came to four hundred wen.

This table seemed to set a good precedent—business was booming that evening. Several tables ordered like the first, while others mostly chose a plate of red-braised pork with a beef dish and shredded potatoes.

Some treated themselves to steamed dumplings; others hesitated.

Those who hesitated watched others enjoy the large dumplings, bursting with filling and dripping with savory juices, smelling delicious. Though expensive—six wen each compared to two-wen pork buns—they eventually caved and ordered one. And it was truly delicious, not just the dumplings but the other dishes too.

Some ordered a table full of beef dishes, truly knowing how to savor their meal—they scooped a spoonful of tendons and stir-fried yellow beef to mix with rice, took a sip of liquor with a piece of sauce-braised beef, and heartily ate the Mao Xue Wang (a spicy blood and tripe dish) and tender bean sprouts drenched in spicy red oil. The tripe was crisp and tender, and with a big bite of the large dumpling, it was truly enjoying the best food and drink.

The aroma filled the entire eatery, but unfortunately, some were strapped for cash and could only plan to return the next day.

Someone asked, "How many days will the beef be available?"

Shopkeeper Shi replied, "It’ll be available for three or four days. We happened to come across an old cow that died of old age. We don’t usually have this, so if you want to try it, you’d better come early. Who knows when we’ll have it again?"

Shopkeeper Shi was grinning from ear to ear—and why wouldn’t he be? The prices of these dishes were almost on par with red-braised lamb. The cheaper ones were fifty wen per plate, while the more expensive ones cost seventy wen.

Normally, a plate of red-braised pork cost forty wen, so this was quite a bit pricier. The day’s daily take was sure to be higher than the previous day’s. When Shopkeeper Shi went to fetch liquor, he glanced at the wine barrel and noticed the liquor was depleting faster than usual.

A good business day naturally brought happiness.

Xiao Family Eatery closed late that day, and the kitchen was particularly smoky. The stir-fried beef dish was the spiciest, forcing Lin Qiuran to cover her nose and mouth with a cloth.

She was exhausted, but business had been excellent. Every dish prepared in the kitchen was sold out. Even around 6 PM, which was past closing time, there were still customers, but the eatery had to close. Shopkeeper Shi told them, "Come earlier tomorrow."

There had been busy days before, and Lin Qiuran was usually well-prepared with ingredients, but this was the first time business had been this good.

There was still meat left, but she didn’t want to push everyone too hard. Besides, no one wanted to put in extra hours. Wan Niang’s husband, Zhao Shi, was already waiting.

Wan Niang was also happy that day. As an employee of the shop, Lin Qiuran gave her a nice discount on the beef shank. She cheerfully said to Zhao Shi, "This is a new dish from the shop. I bought it—you have to try it when we get home."

Zhao Shi picked up their daughter and bundled the baby up tighter. "Mm, it smells delicious. I’m getting the benefit here. Let’s go home."

Shopkeeper Shi and the others stayed for dinner. Since it had been a tiring day, Lin Qiuran even sliced some sauce-braised beef for them. There was still some raw beef left, which she planned to braise the next day.

The meal was simple—stir-fried eggs and cabbage—but it tasted good. There were a few steamed dumplings left, which Lin Qiuran shared out, one per person.

Shopkeeper Shi thought, "These dumplings cost six wen each. Even today’s wages were higher. He'd be happy to work at this eatery forever." But neither he nor Lu Fan could bring themselves to eat the dumplings. They had children and elderly at home, and bringing such treats back would surely make them happy.

Lin Qiuran took a piece of beef shank home to eat the next morning. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to share it with Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi, but their attitude toward expensive food remained the same as before. At most, they would take one bite, and no matter what Lin Qiuran said afterward, they wouldn’t touch it again. Nowadays, they only ate pork since it was more affordable at home.

Xiao Family Eatery sold beef for four days, from the last day of October until noon on the fourth day of the eleventh month. The remaining beef Lin Qiuran planned to keep for herself.

Since the beef could now be kept frozen, Lin Qiuran found a cool spot and used a water vat to create a makeshift icebox. Although the daytime temperature was high, she added plenty of ice to prevent it from melting.

About ten pounds of beef was enough for her to enjoy slowly.

Thanks to these dishes, Xiao Family Eatery’s business flourished. Many new customers came, and the daily earnings increased significantly—nearly doubling compared to before. The highest daily revenue reached over five taels of silver, equivalent to over seven thousand wen in copper coins.

Shopkeeper Shi calculated the previous month’s accounts. The shop had opened on the sixteenth, and in half a month, the profit was nearly thirty taels. However, this was partly because they had purchased beef at the end of the month, which cost over seven taels. Still, the revenue from selling beef over two days was substantial, and they had already recouped the cost.

At the beginning of the month, wages were paid for the full month.

Everyone was more motivated. Business was good at the start of the month, and the income remained high. Not all of it came from selling beef. Lin Qiuran estimated that the beef had cost seven taels and five mace (a weight unit), and after recouping the cost, they had made a profit of about twenty-two taels.

Indeed, spend more to make more. Some customers even asked when beef would be available again, but Lin Qiuran didn’t know—it had been sheer luck this time.

On the fifth day of the month, Steward Xu delivered the share of profits from Wufangzhai, totaling one hundred eighty-five taels. This was the income from selling bean cakes at several Wufangzhai branches over the month. Business had been strong initially but tapered off later. Still, daily sales remained steady, and the earnings were quite substantial.

Steward Xu said with a smile, "Business might slow down next month, but it should pick up again around the twelfth lunar month."

During the New Year, everyone buys pastries for their homes.

For the Xu family, this was pocket change. The most important thing was that, by undercutting FiveSpice House’s business, they had gained several additional shops. The two most famous pastry shops in the south were now dominated by Wufangzhai, ensuring its dominance wherever they expanded.

Lin Qiuran knew that Wufangzhai’s best-selling product wasn’t even the bean cakes, so she was very satisfied with this income. Combined with last month’s earnings and her family’s savings, Lin Qiuran now had over two hundred taels of silver.

In total, she had two hundred twenty-six taels. There could have been more, but she had sunk a lot of money into renovating the second floor.

Lin Qiuran glanced outside and decided to save the money to buy land. She asked Sun Shi, who mentioned that snow usually fell around mid-month in previous years. Cold weather made it a good time to buy land, and if crops were planted, the value would increase slightly.

Lin Qiuran nodded. Since spring was still far away, there was no rush to buy land. Life went on steadily, and the shop’s daily earnings gradually dropped back down.

On the eighteenth day of the eleventh month, it snowed in Yu’an. The snow started in the morning, and business was slow at noon. Most households stayed indoors, and evening business was expected to be even slower.

The roads were slippery from the snow, and Lin Qiuran, worried about slipping, decided not to go home that day.

Sun Shi offered to stay with Lin Qiuran, and Lin Dong and Lin Xia also said they wouldn’t go back. The two of them could manage for one night together. Having spent more time with Lin Qiuran, they felt closer to her.

The snow grew heavier, and those in Xiao Village who hadn’t gone out to work also stayed indoors.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Auntie Juhua, who had been lying warm and cozy inside, had to get up and answer it.

"Who is it? Stop knocking, I’m coming!"

She opened the door to see a handsome face. The person was very tall, and she had to tilt her head back to look at him.

"Auntie, do you know where my parents and Qiu Ran have gone?"

Xiao Xun had already hopped the fence to check—the house was empty.