Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Recipe

"Second, cleanliness. This refers not only to keeping the establishment clean but also to maintaining personal hygiene. The shop’s environment is like a person’s appearance—what matters is not dazzling beauty or extravagant decoration, but that it feels comfortable to the eye. A bright, clean setting naturally puts people at ease. Of course, a tavern can’t always remain spotless and fresh, but it is possible to maintain a relative standard of cleanliness.

As for personal hygiene, everyone must present themselves immaculately before starting work—from head to toe, including fingernails. Liu Qin gave Datong special instructions: personal cleanliness would be checked daily at first, and anyone who did not meet the standard would have to rectify it immediately, otherwise they wouldn’t be allowed to work. She was determined that everyone should develop good hygiene habits. Regarding attire, Liu Qin decided to have several sets of matching uniforms made for all the staff. This would not only look neat but also create a sense of unity, helping to elevate the tavern’s overall image.

Third, diligence. As the term suggests, it means being quick with words, hands, and feet. When guests arrive, staff must greet them, inquire after their needs, and recommend items from the menu according to their preferences—this is diligence of speech. Diligence of hands and feet is self-explanatory: attending to tasks promptly, cleaning up frequently, and never ignoring what is in plain sight. If you see something that needs doing, do it at once.

After Liu Qin finished her lengthy explanation, the group finally understood. So this was the reason behind it all! The more they thought about it, the more sense it made. Indeed, when you walk into a shop that is spotless, staffed by well-groomed workers who greet you with a smile and polite questions, how could you not feel welcome? How could you not be inclined to spend your money?

Nods of agreement spread through the group. Their admiration for Liu Qin’s insight rose another notch. The logic was clear, but to summarize it so concisely and profoundly—such clarity was not something just anyone could achieve. How did their young mistress have such a clever mind?

Fang Nuo gave Liu Qin a thumbs-up, his face full of awe, expressing his admiration wordlessly.

Datong was dumbfounded. Was this really a young girl? Was she truly only six years old?

Xing, Sheng, An, and Kang remained unruffled—of course, their young mistress was just this capable.

Their reactions filled Liu Qin with pride. She swung her legs, her head held high like a proud little peacock, basking in their admiration for a long moment before scampering over to Jiang Li to claim her credit. Her bright black eyes gazed up at the handsome boy, eager for a compliment or two. Jiang Li was defeated by her hopeful expression and tapped her on the forehead with a suppressed smile. “You, you…”

Liu Qin pouted. Was it really so hard to say something nice? Would it be just as difficult to hear sweet words when she was older? That wouldn’t do. He might not be able to sweet-talk other girls, but he ought to coax her a little at least. Otherwise, where would the romance be? So Liu Qin hung onto Jiang Li, calling, “Brother Ah Li, Brother Ah Li.”

Seeing Liu Qin’s persistent stance, Jiang Li was helpless and could only coax her, “Little sister, you’re truly clever and capable.”

At last, Liu Qin was satisfied. She glanced around; except for Xiao Wu, whose expression remained unchanged, everyone else was covering their mouths and snickering. Liu Qin pulled a face, utterly unashamed, and ran back to the couch with a careless bounce.

With the staff settled, Liu Qin began to consider the menu. She sent Changxing and the others to visit various taverns to investigate what was typically served alongside wine. The feedback was much the same everywhere: braised beef and light stir-fried dishes. They even bought samples of braised beef for Liu Qin and Jiang Li to taste. Liu Qin took a couple of bites of each and found them all much alike—just cooked beef, rather bland and nothing special compared to the array of marinated delicacies she’d enjoyed in her past life.

Liu Qin’s eyes lit up. There was an opportunity here. She hadn’t been much of a cook in her previous life, but she loved marinated dishes and had perfected the art of preparing them.

She spent two days in Plum Courtyard, writing and drawing, and finally completed several recipes: one for the marinade itself, one listing different types of marinated dishes, including methods for cleaning pork offal, and a third detailing other small dishes. Liu Qin tried to recall the simple snacks that paired well with drinks in her past life—salted peanuts, boiled edamame, cold cucumber salad, and so on. These could all be prepared ahead of time and served to guests on demand. As for hot dishes made to order, Liu Qin admitted she was no expert and left those to Aunt Zheng’s discretion.

Once she had everything ready, Liu Qin summoned Datong alone to Ink Fragrance Courtyard, accompanied only by Jiang Li. Solemnly, she handed Datong the recipes, instructing him that these were the tavern’s unique formulas, not to be shared with anyone except his mother. They were to be kept safe at all times, as they would become the signature treasures of the establishment.

When preparing to take over the tavern, Liu Qin had already given the staff a lesson on confidentiality, emphasizing its importance and strictly forbidding them from revealing any information about the owners to outsiders. Datong, seeing how secretive she was, understood immediately. He was exceptionally tight-lipped; even though his mother was now the tavern’s cook, he hadn’t told her that the Liu family’s young mistress and her cousin were the real owners.

That evening, Datong read the recipes aloud to his mother and gave her two taels of silver to buy the necessary ingredients. They would try out the recipes at home first, refining the flavors before the tavern’s grand opening.

Madam Zheng didn’t know exactly what benefactor her son had met, but she understood that this was a great opportunity for their family. She worked with great enthusiasm, heading to the market the next day to buy a variety of spices and meats. The family spent the whole night washing, cooking, and preparing until past midnight. As the first batch of Liu Qin’s improved marinated delicacies was ready, a rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the kitchen. It was so enticing that the Zheng children, who refused to sleep, circled the stove hungrily. The youngest boy, only four years old, chased after Madam Zheng, calling, “Mama, Mama!”

“Shoo, you can’t eat this. It’s bought with the benefactor’s silver for your brother’s work. We can’t touch it,” Madam Zheng scolded.

Datong happened to be home that night and, seeing his mother’s efforts, laughed. “Mama, it’s fine to let my siblings have a taste. The young master said to set aside a little of everything for her to try. She gave us so much silver mainly so the children could enjoy some meat.”

Hearing this, Madam Zheng was filled with gratitude for the benefactor’s kindness. She gave each child a small piece and handed Datong a slightly larger slice.

“It’s delicious!”

“So fragrant, Mama, I want more!”

Datong had a piece of beef. One bite, and the flavor was incomparable to anything he’d bought from other taverns. No wonder the young mistress called their recipe the tavern’s signature treasure. At that moment, Datong brimmed with confidence, already imagining the bustling crowds that would flock to their establishment once it opened.

The next morning, Datong brought the marinated dishes his mother had prepared to Ink Fragrance Courtyard. By the time Liu Qin arrived, everyone had been eyeing the basket for ages—the aroma was simply irresistible. Datong insisted that no one touch the food until the young mistress arrived.

At last, with Liu Qin’s permission, everyone grabbed a piece to taste. Liu Qin gnawed on a pork hock, speaking with her mouth full, “Yes, this is the taste. I haven’t had it in so long—it’s wonderful.”

After sampling a piece of beef and a chicken wing, Liu Qin noticed some problems: the beef was overcooked—though tasty, the slices didn’t hold their shape—while the chicken wings were too tough and difficult to bite into.

She explained these issues to Datong and instructed him to observe his mother closely, recording every step she took and the exact timing. They should try several batches and follow the method that produced the best results. In the future, his mother could follow the recorded steps to make the dishes in bulk, saving effort and ensuring consistent quality.