Zhang Xiaobao didn't tell Wang Ju what he was going to do. Even the inner courtyard of the Wang family didn't know what Zhang Xiaobao was going to do, let alone Wang Ju.
Only a small part of the inner courtyard of the Zhang family knew, but they kept their mouths shut.
Similarly, before they arrived in Hangzhou, the inner courtyard of the Zhang family didn't know what Wang Juan was going to do. They were originally a family, but now, they had formed their own system.
The next morning, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan packed up a little, boarded a big boat at the dock, and headed north.
Half a day later, a shop about 300 meters to the east of the same street as the Wang family in Hangzhou was bought. It was on the other side of the road, and the Wang family was diagonally across the street.
The shop originally sold braised food, including chicken and pig. There was no braised beef. The business wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either. Braised food was very simple. It was salt. Braised food was usually boiled in salt water.
Later, Zhang Xiaobao specially made a few simple seasonings to make braised food. Most of the braised food shops bought the ingredients themselves and used them according to the recipe.
Seasonings were also very expensive. Ordinary people wouldn't buy them all the time. After all, meat could be eaten in any way. There was no need to use seasonings to make braised food. That was why braised food shops were able to stock up. If seasonings were 50% cheaper, half of the braised food shops in Tang would have closed down.
The main dish of the braised food shop was braised chicken and pig. Once a person ordered it, it would be cut into slices. It wasn't too salty, and it was just right for people with light appetites. People with light appetites would dip it in soy sauce, and people with sour appetites would dip it in aged vinegar. As for white vinegar and vinegar blended with ice vinegar, ordinary people couldn't afford it.
The shop also sold rice wine and white wine. With the increase in grain production, there were no restrictions on making wine or raising pigs. Pigs didn't have to eat a lot of grain.
There were people who often came to ask for a small plate of braised food and could drink two bowls of rice wine. When they came the next day, they found that the owner of the shop had changed. The original three people had become a couple, who looked to be in their thirties.
The male host smiled whenever he saw someone. The female host maintained herself well and didn't look like someone who did heavy work all day. If it weren't for the ten or so pockmarks on her face, she would definitely be a beauty. Unfortunately, she was guarding the counter with an abacus, pencil, and paper on it. She should be the female bookkeeper.
When the people who came in saw that the shopkeeper had changed, they were first surprised and then felt uncomfortable. There was an extra sense of closeness and belonging to the people they knew. Now that the shopkeeper had changed, they didn't feel as comfortable as before.
The person hesitated for a moment, but still decided to try a meal. He walked in and was about to look for his usual seat when he suddenly found that the layout of the store had changed. There were originally six tables, but now there were four tables. There were even two tables with long stools placed horizontally on both sides.
In front of the four stools were two or four tables, which were much narrower and much longer than the tables. The tables were originally five feet wide, but now they were two feet wide. Connected together, they were very long, even as long as the stools. There were even lines drawn on the tables.
It gave people the feeling that the person who was eating was sitting on the stools with a grid in front of him. It seemed that it wasn't very comfortable to eat in that position.
The person who came in didn't plan to sit. Instead, he went to the big table and sat there. He turned his head and looked at the man in the store. This man was also a troublemaker. Without waiting for the customer to speak, he immediately walked over and asked with a smile, "What do you want?"
"What do you have? Do you have the previous ones? "The person asked back.
When the man who worked as a waiter in the store heard this, he showed a look of understanding and smiled even more brightly, "You are a regular customer, right? Yes, we have the previous ones. When we took over the store, that big brother said that we can't take away the previous ones. Some people like this kind of food. How can I just take it away casually?"
As soon as the words came out, the person was satisfied. His status was unknowingly raised. Listen, regular customer. The new owner also knew that he was a regular customer.
"A plate of pig head meat, a bowl of rice wine, and a plate of salt beans." The person said happily.
"Not yet, wait a moment." The man was still smiling like he shouldn't. He nodded and turned back. The female owner standing behind the counter had already served the tea. The tea was brewed, which was popular in Tang now. Usually, no one drank the brewed tea. Not to mention that it was time-consuming, the taste was also not as good as the brewed tea.
Of course, if one really wanted to set up a tea ceremony, it would also take a lot of time. However, if this was not a place that specialized in drinking tea, no one would set up a tea ceremony for you.
The tea was very strong, but the tea leaves were not good tea leaves. When poured from the pot into the cup, there was still foam. However, the customer didn't care. If the tea was really good, he might feel that the taste was not strong enough. What he drank was bitter and astringent, like the taste of the tea leaves foam.
Just as he blew on the tea and drank a mouthful, the male waiter and owner came back with a tray. This was very professional. Who in ordinary small stores would use a tray to serve food?
"Well, there is a tray. I also enjoy the feeling of eating in a restaurant. In the past, I usually ate in the Wind Riding Pavilion near the lake. Only then could I enjoy this treatment. You also have it here, haha."
The customer saw the tray and said with satisfaction.
"Aiyo, you are Brother Chao, right?" The man who put the dishes on the table was stunned and asked.
"How did you know?" The person who was called Brother Chao was surprised.
"How could I not know? The original big brother told me more than three times that there was a person called Cao Chao who always came to eat. Every time he came, he would talk about the Wind Riding Pavilion. Moreover, he recited a poem there. Although it was only one line, the mood was extraordinary. What was it called again? Oh, it was called 'The Rising and Falling Tides', Brother Chao. Hehe."
The waiter chuckled and appeared to be even more intimate.
When Cao Chao heard this, he shook his head helplessly and said, "You didn't forget to mock me before you left for such a trivial matter. Alright, Brother Chao it is. Eh? Is there something wrong with your dishes? I only asked for a plate of pig head meat, a plate of salt beans, and a bowl of yellow wine. You served two more dishes. Is this plate of dried tofu? And this plate of quinoa? "
"Yes, yes, it's dried tofu and quinoa. Well, many people call it kimchi now. The two of us saw that there was still meat in the brine, so we put the dried tofu in and cooked it for a while. Then we took it out and cut it for you to try.
Brother Chao, you are an old customer. It is normal to add two more dishes. I didn't know Brother Chao was coming. Wait a moment, I will go back. "
The waiter nodded and explained. Then he turned around and went back to the back. When Cao Chao was happy, he came back again with two more plates in his hands. He put them on the table one by one and said, "This is chicken wing tip, just right for the wine. This is pig skin salad. Although it is just skin, it is more fragrant than meat. Others who come in can't even order this dish."
"Aiyo, how can I accept this?" Cao Chao showed an embarrassed expression.
"Brother Chao, there is no need to be so polite with me. Although this is the first time we met, we still have a long way to go. You are an old customer, and you are used to the taste of the old dishes. You are already giving me face by coming in. Try it, and if you think it is still good, come often in the future. I will earn back the money."
The waiter said with sincerity in his eyes.
"Okay, I appreciate your kindness today. You are an honest person, what is your surname?" Cao Chao felt very comfortable in his heart. The waiter's words warmed his heart, and he was also an honest person.
"My surname is Zhang, and my name is Shi. In the past, the people in the village called me Shi. The one standing at the counter is the one in the house. Originally, there were two children at home, but they were not around. It was more convenient to send their mother to school. If they really came over, it would not be easy to take care of them. Try it, the restaurant has just been taken over.
The waiter smiled and said a lot of things about himself. Even before Cao Chao asked, he also said it.
Cao Chao found that the waiter was really honest. He just needed to report his household registration. Hearing the waiter, he picked up a piece of pig head meat, dipped it in the soy sauce on the plate next to him, and put it in his mouth to chew. After chewing twice, his eyes widened and he stopped eating.
Then he quickly ate two more mouthfuls. At the same time, his chopsticks kept working. In the blink of an eye, five pieces of pig head meat were in his stomach. He suddenly turned his head and said in surprise, "Shi, you opened a small restaurant with this kind of skill? It's a waste of talent, a waste of talent. To be honest, this plate of pig head meat is not expensive for 20 copper coins. "
"How can that be? It's still the same price as before, 11 copper coins. Brother Chao, don't flatter me. Don't I know my own ability? It's good that you can eat. "
The waiter, Zhang Shi, rubbed his hands embarrassedly and said.
"It's more than eating. That's good, I didn't lie to you. Alas, it's a pity. If you really go to a restaurant, I won't be able to eat. With your skill, I will come here often in the future. I will also tell others to come and eat. "Cao Chao said as he went to taste other dishes. Every time he tasted something, he was surprised.
"Brother Chao, you eat." The waiter said, turned around and went to the counter. He stood there without saying anything.
In the end, Cao Chao drank five bowls of rice wine and paid the bill. He stood at the door and praised for a while before leaving.
After he left, the waiter sighed. Seeing that it was still early, he guessed that no one would come in for a while. He went to the counter, pulled a stool and sat down. He said to the hostess, "Wife, how was it? Your husband's skill is good, right? Did you hear that? People say that the pig head meat is usually worth 11 copper coins, but your husband's dish is worth 20 copper coins. "
The hostess pursed her lips into a smile and said, "He might be able to endure it. My husband is still the best. He made a plate of pig's head meat and sold it for 20 copper coins. In the future, when Li Longji eats it, we will ask him for that amount.
"This … is a little difficult. 20 copper coins is considered a high price. Li Longji is a poor ghost. Not to mention 20 copper coins, he can't even afford 2 copper coins. Just bear with it and treat it as helping the poor. Did you see my makeup?"
The waiter raised his head and looked at the hostess.
The hostess rolled her eyes and said, "You don't believe in my skill? Go and prepare all the dishes. It'll be noon soon, and it'll be time for people to serve. Don't be too busy. Every copper coin counts. Remember to mark the dishes that don't look good so that I can reduce the cost. People just praised you and said that you're an honest person. You can't lie and ruin your reputation. "
"Yes, yes, I will do it right away. Quick, it will be ready in a while. I can't help it. I am like this. I have good skills and I am an honest person. I will never lie. I am born to be bullied, and I will be bullied for the rest of my life."
The waiter walked to the back of the kitchen while talking. The hostess asked, "Who are you talking about?"
"Customer. Am I not a waiter? I am a waiter, but I have to create opportunities for others. Do you think it is easy for me?" The waiter said and disappeared behind the door.
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