The manager of the eatery sighed, "If you hadn't mentioned it, Old Brother, I would have really had that idea. I wouldn't have even known how I offended them."
"I only found out today. No need for further words, we just need to do this well."
There was no reason for those below to disobey the orders from above.
The manager of the eatery returned and began making preparations. Every two years, the manager of the Qian Ji restaurant would rotate. He wanted to move, to the capital. He wondered if handling this matter well would add some fuel to his relocation.
Three days later, Xiao He's complexion was still a bit pale, but the fever had completely subsided. He could eat and drink, and looked quite spirited.
Qi Zhenzhen had also been busy these three days. Besides helping at the noodle shop, she also took time to hitch a horse to a carriage.
"Uncle Er Niu, Fu Man Lou's business hasn't been great these past two days. Everyone has gone to Qian Ji restaurant," Da Jiang said, dressed in a clean and neat dark grey short outfit. Where was there any trace of the fallen state of a young beggar?
The clothes were ready-made clothes Qi Zhenzhen had taken him to buy, and they fit perfectly.
Zhang Er Niu was puzzled, "Is Qian Ji snatching Fu Man Lou's customers?"
Qian Ji restaurant? Isn't this the Qian family's restaurant? These two restaurants were the top two in the county town and had been getting along peacefully for many years. Why was there a sudden outbreak of snatching customers? However, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Qi Zhenzhen understood this principle very well. She had originally planned to return to Xinghua Village today, but after hearing this, Qi Zhenzhen decided to stay for two more days.
"Qian Ji has been holding prize draws for three consecutive days. The prizes are amazing. If you win, you can eat for free on the second floor for a month. The food on the second floor is all for the rich, all sorts of delicacies, not something ordinary people can afford," Da Jiang said, rubbing his hands excitedly. "Anyone who eats on the first floor can enter the draw."
This is interesting. She was still worried about how to bring down Fu Man Lou. Now, with Qian Ji taking the lead, this matter would be much easier.
Qi Zhenzhen observed discreetly for a day, and the next day she went to Qian Ji.
The manager of Qian Ji looked at Qi Zhenzhen with surprise, almost disbelieving that this delicate and pretty young girl was the Qi family's daughter who managed the kimchi. She was too young! In ordinary families, girls of this age with outstanding needlework were already quite remarkable. Good heavens, this girl was directly doing business, and not a small business at that. She was even better than most men.
"Miss Qi, please, sit," the manager invited Qi Zhenzhen. "Speaking of which, we are considered family. You opened a noodle shop in the county town, why didn't you let us know? We could have offered some support if you needed anything. If you are so secretive, when my employer finds out, he will surely reprimand us for neglecting Miss Qi."
Qi Zhenzhen smiled, "Manager, you are exaggerating. It's just a small noodle shop. Besides, the original intention of opening the noodle shop was just to give my two younger brothers a place to stay in the county town. Otherwise, when the academy closes for the month, they wouldn't have anywhere to go. It's also thanks to the people of the county town who like our noodles that the noodle shop has gained a foothold."
The manager of Qian Ji chimed in, "Is it Songhe Academy? This academy in our county town is quite remarkable. Many scholars come here by reputation. Miss Qi's two younger brothers can study at the academy, so they must be very knowledgeable. Their future is boundless!"
"The two boys are quite diligent in their studies," Qi Zhenzhen said modestly. "I've come today to deliver some recipes. I know that Qian Ji has always served distinguished guests before, and ordinary home-style dishes are not outstanding. For so many years, the people in the county town have been accustomed to Fu Man Lou. If there are no dishes that can retain customers, once the novelty of the prize draw wears off, these customers will gradually return to Fu Man Lou."
When the manager of Qian Ji heard Qi Zhenzhen's words, the last trace of disdain in his heart vanished without a trace. He had also noticed this problem and was thinking of a solution, but it wasn't that easy to come up with a solution.
Qi Zhenzhen pushed the written recipes in front of the manager—
Spicy dried tofu, spicy dried radish, Mapo tofu.
Additionally, there was a convenient take-out food item, Jianbing Guozi with crispy fried dough.
Dried tofu was always available in restaurants, but it was basically used as a side dish. Radishes were also usually not served as a main dish.
As for Jianbing Guozi and crispy fried dough, the manager considered himself well-traveled in this industry, but he had never heard of these names.
"Manager, can you take me to the kitchen?" Qi Zhenzhen was not one to dawdle.
The manager immediately led her to the kitchen and called the chefs at the stove to come forward and observe.
They were all experienced chefs with their own unique skills. In the beginning, they still harbored a condescending attitude. But as soon as Qi Zhenzhen made her move, they immediately put away their disdain.
When an expert makes a move, you know their skill.
Putting aside other things, just this knife work, the chefs present admitted they couldn't compare.
The dried tofu was cut into squares, the size and thickness were as if measured by a ruler. The radish strips were also uniform in thickness and the same length. With just this skill, some people could not achieve it in a lifetime.
Spicy dried tofu and spicy radish strips were not dishes that could be made immediately. After using various seasonings, Qi Zhenzhen asked for wide-mouthed jars, put the ingredients in them, and said, "Marinate for five days, and you can take them out and plate them directly. It's cold now, so they can be preserved for a longer time. If it's hot, it's best to put them in an ice cellar while marinating, and they should be sold as soon as possible after marinating."
"These two dishes are simple to make, and the ingredients are the most common, so the cost is low."
Low cost meant that the price could be set low.
With good taste and a low price, they would definitely attract people once launched.
Next was Mapo tofu. A block of tofu in Qi Zhenzhen's hands became inch-sized tofu cubes. Scallions, ginger, and garlic were stir-fried in oil, followed by soybean paste and chili powder stir-fried with minced meat. Finally, the tofu was added and simmered over low heat to let the sauce coat the tofu. This dish was then completed. This was something Qi Zhenzhen had figured out herself.
The preparation was extremely simple. After it was served, the manager and several chefs tasted it one after another. The tofu was tender, the sauce was spicy, and the minced meat was chewy. It was very appetizing. Served with a bowl of white rice, it was simple and filling. It tasted much better than the tofu they usually made!
After everyone had eaten, Qi Zhenzhen started making Jianbing Guozi. The main thing was to make the batter. When heated, the two layers of batter should puff up to allow the egg to be spread inside. As for the crispy fried dough, it was simple, just fry dumpling wrappers in hot oil until cooked. The side dishes would be seasonal vegetables, with a few slices of crispy fried dough, a smear of soybean paste, and for those who liked spicy food, a sprinkle of chili powder. The Jianbing was folded at the four corners, and it was done. Taking a bite, the crispiness and fragrance filled the mouth. If you were in a hurry, you could take one and eat it while walking, without delaying anything.