Chapter 37

The woman gritted her teeth. “I’ll take both the sweet and the savory!” Four wens bought two servings so she could try them both.

A middle-aged man who sold winnowing baskets came to buy every day. He loved the savory “Fairy Tofu” drizzled with seasoned sauce. “The savory one is delicious!”

The little boy tugging on the woman’s sleeve stuck out his tongue at him. “I like the sweet one!”

People in line behind them started asking around, “Which one’s better, sweet or savory?”

The eldest grandson of the Xue family clutched a handful of wens. “They’re all good! But there’s something even better that you haven’t tried yet! Have you ever eaten that sweet, crispy, fragrant puffed rice?”

A middle-aged man who’d been buying snacks at the teahouse for days was curious. “What’s that? Did I come too late and miss it?”

The Xue family boy squinted as he recalled the flavor. “Auntie Xiao said she doesn’t have time to make it now and told me to wait a few days!” His words stirred everyone’s cravings.

“Oh! It’s called ‘rice flowers’—they can even be made into puffed rice candy!”

“Rice can turn into flowers?” The clerks from the Han family’s shop stretched their necks at the door, exchanging glances. “Can we make it?”

They could barely keep up! That Xiao woman changed her menu every few days, and they had no idea how she came up with so many ideas!

The clerk’s eyes lit up. They hurried to the teahouse front and shouted, “Sweet soup on sale! One cent a bowl!”

Someone in line overheard and ran to the Han shop. “Is it true? Sweet soup for just one cent?”

A Han shop clerk shouted toward the distance, “It’s true! Come quick, or it’ll be gone!”

Gu Yaofang leaned in and whispered to Xiao Wanling, “One wen? That’s tempting—it’d be a waste not to take advantage of it.”

Xiao Wanling said, “Go buy some!” Bring the whole village with you!”

Gu Yaofang bought some glutinous rice, lotus root, and lotus root starch, then rushed home to rally people. Soon, a swarm of villagers came running, lining up in front of the Han shop.

Someone glanced at the hundreds of people in the line and shook their head. “By the time I get to the front, they’ll be out.”

And clearly, the teahouse food was tastier!

Sweat beaded on the Han shop clerk’s forehead. These people weren’t just after the one-wen tea—they also wanted one-wen buns. At this rate, they’d lose money every day. If this continued, Boss Han would make them pay for it. But now they were stuck.

Aunt Wu came over with a ceramic jar. “Three bowls of sweet soup. Are you selling or not?”

Cheng Qiao’er and Han Hui covered their mouths, trying not to laugh. “Didn’t Han’s tea used to cost five wens?”

All morning’s work, and they were losing money. After they finished selling, the crowd flooded back to the teahouse. The Han clerks were fuming!

Just when they heard Xiao Wanling was out of glutinous rice lotus root, she started selling maltose syrup. The Han clerks gathered to discuss. “Should we try selling candy?”

“Will we make it in time? Who knows what she’ll be selling tomorrow?” They’d never seen anyone do business like this—it was maddening!

The next day, the Han shop made sweet soup and buns. But who would’ve thought—Xiao Wanling started selling vegetable rolls and roasted barley tea. The rolls were filled with cheap wild greens, but they couldn’t replicate the taste right away.

Someone bought a few to try—there was a special flavor. Then they saw golden barley in a bamboo tube and hurried to get some.

The Han clerks found barley at the market. “Thirty wens per jin?” They bought two jin and started experimenting.

More and more vendors came to set up stalls. The morning market alone could bring in a full day’s income.

After Fairy Tofu sold out, Xiao Wanling began selling White Jade Tofu—still available in both sweet and savory flavors. It got too busy, so Cheng Qiao’er, Aunt Wu, Madam Shi, and others came to help. She paid them with tea and pastries.

Every day, the farm supervisor delivered all kinds of grains to Xiao Wanling. The teahouse bustled from morning till night. She didn’t even go home at midday, staying to make tea and snacks.

***

News spread that Qishan Village’s business was booming. When Han Shuyi checked the accounts, she found that the shops in Qishan hadn’t brought in a single wen for days. Enraged, she slammed the table and brought her trusted maid to investigate.

There was a long line in front of the teahouse. The Han shop clerks huddled together, looking miserable. When they saw Han Shuyi approach, their faces went pale.

She glared at them. “What are you standing around for? Lower the prices!”

The maid, Xiao Chai, ran outside and shouted, “Sweet soup on sale!” Then turned back to ask, “How much, miss?”

The Han clerks had a bad feeling. Then they heard the maid call out, “One cent.”

The Xue family grandson climbed onto a stool and shouted toward the village, “One cent!”

Xiao Chai wondered who this boy was—helping them advertise? In just a few breaths, a group of villagers came running from the direction of the village, holding clay jars and large bowls like they were robbing a bank.

Han Shuyi sat in the general store sipping tea, watching the long line. “Such a simple thing, and they still can’t do it right.”

The Han clerks slumped their shoulders, already picturing their boss erupting in fury.

Even after the Han tea sold out, the market didn’t disperse, and the crowd in front of the teahouse remained just as large.

Han Shuyi stood up and walked outside. She saw people who had just bought tea now lining up at the teahouse. She called over a clerk. “Explain this to me!”

The clerk swallowed nervously. “Madam Xiao’s tea and pastries don’t sell out!”

“That’s impossible! How much can one woman make?”

The clerk forced a smile. “It’s not just her. When she’s too busy, other women help her. And people from both villages help her form lines.”

Why would two whole villages help Madam Xiao? What did she have?

The clerk finally poured it all out like a grievance. “During the famine, she led everyone to dig up wild herbs and find food. People are grateful. They hate our Han shop for raising grain prices!”

He figured he’d be punished anyway, but at least he wouldn’t have to cough up money.

Han Shuyi’s face darkened. “You useless bunch! And now you’re blaming the Han family?”

Xiao Chai threw all the clerks’ belongings outside. “Get lost!”

Two clerks grabbed their things and vanished in a flash.

Looking at the crowd in front of the teahouse, Han Shuyi felt irritated. She beckoned Xiao Chai and whispered, “You know what to do, right?”

Xiao Chai went out to investigate. She returned with a tableful of roasted barley tea, vegetable rolls, maltose, and more. “Miss, I found out people are stocking up because the men from both villages are returning soon. Everyone’s working daily now!”

Han Shuyi was skeptical. She’d clearly seen men and women coming out of the village earlier. “Any families with grudges against Madam Xiao?”

Xiao Chai nodded. “Quite a few! Xue Cui says Madam Xiao stole her man. Madam Xue despises her. And Chen Gui lost his business to her.”

Han Shuyi smiled. “Go handle it.”

*****

Xiao Wanling noticed a young woman with twin buns visiting the teahouse multiple times, asking others about her.

But she was too busy cooking to care. She handed a ball of maltose on two bamboo sticks to the Xue family grandson. “Keep an eye on the Han people for me.”

The boy licked the maltose. “Auntie, you made new candy? Feels like New Year!” He hopped away happily, keeping a close watch on the Han folks as promised.

Xiao Chai entered the village and saw people in every courtyard spinning thread, weaving cloth, peeling bamboo shoots, slicing radishes, and drying vegetables—women chatting and laughing.

“My man wrote me a letter, but I can’t read it!”

“Have the village head’s son or a supervisor help! What’s there to be shy about?” Aunt Wu hung radish greens on a branch, then spotted someone sneaking by. “Be careful! Strangers keep sneaking into the village.”

Xiao Chai rolled her eyes secretly and smiled as she approached a courtyard. “Excuse me, where does Xue Cui live?”

Aunt Wu nodded toward the right. “The Xue family’s over there.”

Xiao Chai turned and left. Behind her, someone muttered, “She didn’t even say thank you!”

Aunt Wu’s daughter-in-law whispered, “Mother, Xue Cui doesn’t live there anymore—her man took her back to his family’s home.”

Aunt Wu frowned. “What good could come from the Han people looking for Xue Cui?”

She slapped her thigh. “I’ve got to tell Madam Xiao!”

As she walked, she called back, telling her daughter-in-law to keep the vegetable rolls warm. She’d heard not only were the men coming back, but many others were joining the Prince of Jin—maybe someone would become a son-in-law.

Xiao Wanling thanked Aunt Wu for the tip. Just then, the farm supervisor arrived with fresh ginger.
“I don’t know how to store this stuff—it’s full of moisture and will rot fast. Can you help me deal with it?”

Thinking Ruyi Pavilion needed new products, she decided to sell ginger tea. The farm supervisor usually delivered ingredients to her, and they settled accounts after Ruyi Pavilion sold the food. Seeing her keep the ginger, he knew she’d accepted it and left happily.

Passing by the main kitchen, he saw Xue Cui struggling to carry half a sack of beans. Normally she slacked off—her sudden diligence was suspicious.

He stared at her back for a few seconds. “Stop right there!”

Xue Cui jumped and turned back with a forced smile. “These are for Madam Xiao!”

The supervisor waved. “We’re cooking those beans tonight.”

Xue Cui’s face turned pale. She froze on the spot, sweat beading on her forehead, her hands trembling.

Something wasn’t right. “Return those beans,” he said.

Scared to death, Xue Cui slowly crept into the kitchen, dumped the beans, and ran. The cook looked confused. “Why’d she bring them back? These are for Madam Xiao’s tofu pudding!”

“I don’t know!” Xue Cui shouted, fleeing as fast as she could. No way she’d dare eat dinner tonight.

The supervisor felt something was wrong. “Could the beans be tainted?”

Just then, Chen Gui appeared. He barged into the kitchen, snatched the sack of beans, and threw them on the ground outside.

A cook shouted after him. “Chen Gui! Why are you stealing food?”

He clapped his hands hard. “They’re poisoned!!”

He pointed at Xue Cui’s fleeing back. “That fool! They gave her arsenic, and she actually asked if it would kill someone. So I couldn’t stay quiet!”

The supervisor’s hair stood on end. “Seize her!”

Chen Gui and a few women chased her down and tackled her to the ground. When people heard the word “arsenic,” their rage flared. They pinned Xue Cui and dragged her back.

Her hair was a mess. She shrieked, “It’s not my fault! The Han woman said it’d only cause diarrhea, not kill! Just drive Madam Xiao out!”

The supervisor’s chest heaved with fury. “You idiot! Why didn’t you say something sooner? You nearly killed everyone!”

And Chen Gui—would he have stayed quiet if Madam Xiao had taken the beans?

The commotion drew a crowd to the main kitchen. Cheng Qiao’er turned away the moment she saw Xue Cui, pretending not to see her.

People surrounded the kitchen in three tight rings. Xue Cui was forced onto a bench. They didn’t have a proper paddle for beatings, so the supervisor handed two flat carrying poles to the tea supervisor. They took turns hitting her. Each strike was met with a scream. By the end, her backside bled through her clothes.

The supervisor tossed the poles down and addressed the crowd, “This is what happens to those who try to poison others! Take her to the magistrate—along with that Han woman!”

TL’s Food Notes:

roasted barley tea:

vegetable rolls:

Rice Flowers Ginger Tea: