“What has passed is past.” Hua Zhi had no wish to dwell on it, and returned instead to the matter at hand. “The cost of the canning can be calculated clearly enough. Last year, the ceramic jars were two taels of silver each. This year I placed an order with the kiln in advance, specifying the dimensions and design — the price remains the same, but they are considerably more attractive. That expense is easy enough for Elder Uncle to verify. Then there are the ingredient costs. The ingredients themselves are not expensive, but I must source them from out of town, and I also arranged for an ice cellar in advance. Rock sugar has a fixed market price, and then there is labor and so forth on top of all that. At the very minimum, even the cheapest mandarin orange preserve would need to be priced at five taels of silver for me to see any profit at all.”
Bai Mingxia objected without a moment’s hesitation. “Five taels is too dear. This sort of thing might fetch ten taels here in the capital, but that price would not hold outside the city. I also have to absorb the cost of transport, spoilage and loss along the way, not to mention rent and labor for the shop fronts. Once it all adds up, the margin would probably be no better than what I was getting from the restaurant before.”
“The selling price cannot come down. In fact, many goods from the capital actually command higher prices once they reach other regions, not lower. We were never in the business of selling in high volume at low margins to begin with. This canning venture is aimed squarely at the elderly, the women, and the children of wealthy households. Lower the price and those families might not even find it appealing. And consider this — Yun Lai Restaurant had only one location, and even then a considerable portion of sales later moved to shopfronts. The volume was never very large to begin with. If Elder Uncle truly has the ability to spread this business across the entire country, think about the scale of that — do I even need to calculate the total profit for you?”
“…”
“…”
After a back-and-forth exchange of proposals and counteroffers, they settled on a price. Mandarin orange preserves at four taels and seven qian; white peaches, though higher in raw cost than mandarin oranges, would not require long-distance transport and were priced at four taels and six qian.
“I plan to introduce several new varieties as well. One is lychee — a shipment arrived just a few days ago. Another is hawthorn, and one more is pear. Once you’ve sampled them, we can settle on the pricing.”
“Those can be preserved too?”
“Any fruit can be, in principle. The problem is that some don’t taste well after the process, and others don’t keep. Grape, for instance, is one that doesn’t hold up well. Oh, and one thing — when selling the hawthorn preserves, the buyer must be clearly informed: pregnant women cannot eat them. It’s the same principle as eating hawthorn fresh — it can cause miscarriage.”
That point was indeed important. Bai Mingxia made a note of it in his mind. “How much of last year’s stock is left?”
“Enough to keep a few shop fronts supplied, I’d estimate. Given the price, the daily turnover won’t be particularly high. Best to take it slowly — don’t spread things too thin in the beginning. And one more thing.” Hua Zhi looked at Bai Mingxia with particular gravity. “I deal with you personally, not with the Bai Family. I hope Elder Uncle will put his family affairs in order, and not let trouble come of it later.”
“As long as I leave the capital, my elder brother will have no reason to keep hounding me. Don’t worry. I’ll settle what needs to be settled and come back to draw up a proper contract with you. Two months should be enough.”
Hua Zhi calculated the timing. “Good timing, actually. That’s just when the fruits will be ripening. There’s a chance I’ll need Elder Uncle’s help then as well.”
The two talked in detail for some time longer, finishing two full cups of tea before the conversation wound down. Bai Mingxia glanced out the window and saw that the sky was already nearly dark, then slapped his forehead. “I’ve lost track of the time entirely. I can hardly see you home — hurry along, the rest can wait.”
Hua Zhi glanced outside as well, then rose and gave a slight bow.
There was a general understanding among the people of the capital that the food hall was simply a place for enjoying fine food. With so many devoted patrons, a certain elegance had come to define the establishment, and no one would ever dream of causing a scene there — making a spectacle of oneself while drunk was absolutely out of the question. The food hall served only fruit wine, and even that depended on which dishes were being ordered. If a mushroom banquet was the occasion, no wine whatsoever would be served — and if asked, the answer would still be no.
The patrons who came seemed almost to relish this constraint. Those who left were invariably full and content, and because there were none of those disorderly incidents, the doors were always closed before dark.
Fu Dong was already waiting outside, having tidied everything up. Bao Xia was beside her, whispering something quietly. When they saw the young miss come out, they hurried to meet her.
“All finished?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s head home.”
Bai Mingxia followed close behind. Hua Zhi stepped to one side to let him go first. The two made their way downstairs one after the other, and as they came around a corner, Bai Mingxia immediately spotted the man waiting on the ground floor.
He remembered this man. During the trip to Yinshan Pass, he had quietly asked Yue Zhi about him, and from Yue Zhi’s tone it had been clear he was someone known to the family — though Bai Mingxia still couldn’t place exactly who. Judging from his manner toward Hua Zhi, the relationship was clearly no ordinary one.
Hua Zhi had also seen him. Her eyes warmed with a trace of a smile. She came down the stairs and asked, “Have you been waiting long? Have Shao Yao and Liu Zi come out as well? I had Lan Qiao prepare dinner before I left.”
“I just arrived. They’ve already gone over.” Gu Yanxi glanced briefly at Bai Mingxia. “Done with your discussion?”
“Yes.” Hua Zhi made no move to introduce the two men to each other — two people with no connection to one another had no need to be acquainted. “Elder Uncle, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Go on home, it’s getting late.”
Gu Yanxi first ensured Ah Zhi was safely into the carriage, then mounted his horse. Hua Zhi beckoned Fu Dong up into the carriage as well.
Inside the gently swaying carriage, Hua Zhi pulled the kneeling Fu Dong into a proper sitting position. “Do you have anyone useful among your staff yet?”
Fu Dong shook her head. “Each of them handles different tasks. The day any one of them can manage on her own, they’ll all essentially be ready to stand on their own feet. For now though — they’re still far from there.”
Hua Zhi was not surprised. Fu Dong was one of a kind, shaped over years of dedicated guidance, to have become someone capable of holding things together independently. The others simply did not have Fu Dong’s natural aptitude. There was no way they could have mastered the craft in such a short time.
“Does Miss need to use them?”
“I need you.” Hua Zhi watched as Fu Dong’s eyes brightened instantly, and her own expression softened. Though she had always tried to treat all her senior handmaids equally, in her heart, among them all, the one she was most fond of was Fu Dong — gentle, obedient, and sweet-natured.
“What does Miss need this servant to do?”
“On this trip south, I’ve already secured a supply route for the ingredients. When I return from the north — around the eighth month — the seafood business will need to be set in motion. The food side of things will need you at the helm. But the food hall itself can’t do without you either…”
“Miss, this servant can manage it.” Meeting the young miss’s eyes, Fu Dong stated firmly, “This servant can handle both.”
Hua Zhi was momentarily caught off guard, then broke into a smile. She pinched Fu Dong’s cheek gently. “You’ve grown.”
The Fu Dong of the past had moved only when nudged, and even then it had taken some effort to get her going. Now she was the one taking initiative to ease the young miss’s burden.
Fu Dong blinked, took the young miss’s hand in both of hers, and lowered her head. She still wanted to return to the young miss’s side. She still didn’t want to manage things. But if this was what the young miss needed her to do, she was willing.
“The preparation for those dishes is not complicated. As long as the ingredients are fresh, even a simple boiling makes for good eating. Take some time these next few weeks to work on your dipping sauces — that is the key. You also need to start preparing the pickled and fermented vegetables soon. What we have at home won’t last long. Don’t worry about the heat — there’s no shortage of ice at home.”
“Yes.”
“After I’ve gone, bring Lan Qiao along with you. I think she shows real promise — she might be able to take some of the load off you in the future.”
Fu Dong gave a nod. “Yes. Lan Qiao has a good mind and puts thought and effort into her work. Although…”
“What is it?”
“She’s engaged. She’ll be married by year’s end.”
However many good ideas one might have, once married, all of it would come to nothing — a husband and children would become the only things worth thinking about. Hua Zhi sighed inwardly, letting go of any hopes she had harbored for Lan Qiao, and was grateful she had never said anything to her about them. Everyone pursued different paths, and she had no wish to influence anyone else’s life choices.
“Then let her work as my cook.”
Fu Dong bowed her head, aggrieved and quietly sorrowful. “This servant had wanted to be Miss’s cook…”
“That day will come. Once the Hua Family is reunited and we no longer have to manage all of this — you’ll come back and cook for me then.”