Therefore, Xu Xiu wasn't afraid of people stealing her techniques.
Even if they saw what seasonings she added, they still couldn't replicate her unique flavor.
Besides, she had brought the wild onions herself, and the garlic was also an excellent seasoning.
After preparing everything, Xu Xiu placed the dried bamboo shoots she had brought into a wooden basin nearby to soak.
Only then did she wash the wok and start the fire.
As if suddenly remembering something, Xu Xiu began looking around the kitchen again.
However, no matter how hard she looked, she still couldn't find any soy sauce.
It seemed Zhang Zixuan was indeed right; there really was no soy sauce or oyster sauce here.
It has to be said, a large restaurant was indeed a large restaurant; the seasonings here were quite complete.
Basically, everything that should be there was; they even had ginger.
She had thought that people here didn't know how to use ginger in cooking.
She hadn't expected that the kitchen of Yuexiang Restaurant would know about it.
Here, ginger was very expensive, mainly because it was generally used as a medicinal herb; no one used it for cooking.
Another point was that people here didn't know how to cultivate ginger.
Thinking this, Xu Xiu smacked a large piece of ginger.
Seeing this, Qin the Junior Chef hurried in, asking angrily, "Madam, what are you doing smacking that ginger?"
"Isn't this ginger used for seasoning?"
"Seasoning? How dare you even think that! Do you know how much silver this ginger costs per catty? Besides, how could you just use it without even asking?"
"How much? Why can't it be used?" Xu Xiu asked curiously.
"One tael! One tael of silver per catty! So, do you think this ginger can be used for seasoning? Besides, having worked in kitchens for so many years, I've never heard of adding ginger to dishes. Where did you hear this strange remedy?"
"If this ginger isn't for seasoning, then why do you keep it in the kitchen?" Xu Xiu asked curiously again.
"This is for my elder brother. He has a weak constitution and usually soaks it in water to drink. I ask you, how could you just use it without asking?"
Xu Xiu: "..." What could she even say?
This thing was hanging here; who would know?
Anyone would think it belonged to Yuexiang Restaurant, right?
But Qin the Junior Chef's words reminded her: people here still didn't know about using ginger to remove gaminess.
It seemed this trip wasn't wasted after all.
Adhering to the principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble, Xu Xiu asked again, "Then how do you want to handle this? Tell me, how much silver do I need to compensate you?"
Hearing this, Qin the Junior Chef's previously dark expression immediately softened a little.
Seeing this, Xu Xiu knew he was another person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
He probably just disliked her showing off before the experts and didn't have any malicious intent.
Looking down at the ginger she had smacked open, Xu Xiu gently picked it up.
She placed it in front of Qin the Junior Chef and said, "See if it's still usable. If not, I'll go buy another piece from the medicine shop."
Qin, the Junior Chef, looked Xu Xiu up and down. Seeing she was skinny as a rake and her clothes were ragged all over, he couldn't help but feel pity.
He snatched the ginger from Xu Xiu's hand and muttered,
"Forget it, forget it, no need for you to compensate. Besides, the ginger is just cracked open; can't it still be soaked for drinking water? And doesn't my brother also smash it open when he soaks it?"
Xu Xiu: "....."
"What are you standing there dazed for? Aren't you supposed to be cooking? Hurry up! It'll be mealtime soon, and we don't have extra space for you to dawdle here."
Xu Xiu quickly turned around, but suddenly remembering something again, she turned back and asked once more, "Is there anything else here that belongs to you personally?"
"No, no, nothing else. You can use everything else."
Hearing this, Xu Xiu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Turning back around, she continued busying herself with her tasks.
When stir-frying pig intestines, the most important thing was the heat; it had to be very high. That way, the stir-fried intestines would be crispy.
The texture when eaten would be much better.
Then she cut the wild onions she had brought into small sections before adding oil to the wok.
Soon, a strange, unfamiliar aroma filled the entire kitchen.
Even the Qin brothers, who hadn't paid much attention before, gradually became surprised.
"What are you making? It smells quite fragrant." Qin, the Junior Chef, couldn't help but ask after holding back.
"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed," Xu Xiu said proudly.
This aroma wasn't just tempting to the two of them; even she herself was salivating at the smell.
"This looks like it might be a meat dish."
"Hmm, it is. Try some later when it's done and give me some suggestions!" Xu Xiu said very modestly.
After all, she had just smacked someone else's ginger; naturally, she couldn't be too cold-faced, right?
Having been in the wrong at first, Xu Xiu was quite willing to swallow her pride.
In the time it took to say this, a plate of pig intestines was ready.
Just then, Manager Wu also came upstairs.
"Is it ready? I could smell the fragrance downstairs already. It's indeed quite special!" Manager Wu exclaimed.
For some reason, he felt this woman before him could bring him a pleasant surprise.
"Ready, ready! Manager Wu, come try it quickly! I was just about to bring it up to you."
At that moment, seeing Manager Wu, Xu Xiu was as excited as if she had met the God of Wealth.
Manager Wu didn't stand at the ceremony with Xu Xiu either; the dish was simply too fragrant.
He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece, and put it in his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, the unique flavor captivated him.
After a few chews, it was both chewy and slightly crisp. Most importantly, the taste was truly special.
"This... this is too delicious! What is this made of? Is it meat?"
After asking this, Manager Wu felt embarrassed himself because the moment it entered his mouth, he knew it was meat.
He realized he had asked a rather silly question.
Seeing Manager Wu eating piece after piece, the Qin brothers, afraid it would be finished, also quickly started eating.
Seeing this, Xu Xiu felt even more confident.
"So, Manager Wu, is there anything about the flavor that needs improvement?" Xu Xiu asked Manager Wu, who was wolfing down the food.
"Improve what? It's already perfect."
Manager Wu hadn't spoken yet, but Qin, the Junior Chef beside him, had already spoken up.
"Indeed, no improvement is needed. But I'm very curious: What exactly is this food? And you mentioned low costs earlier? This is meat; how could it be low cost?"
"I'm afraid you might not believe me once I tell you, Manager Wu," Xu Xiu said mysteriously.
"Oh? Come, Madam, over here! Let's discuss this in detail!" Manager Wu said with a smile.
Based on the dish he had just tasted, he dared to guarantee that once it was served in his restaurant, it would definitely cause a sensation.
It was the same private room as before, but Manager Wu's mindset had undergone a sea change.
"Madam, you see this..."
"Manager Wu, just call me Xu Xiu!" Xu Xiu said with a smile.
Hearing him call her "Madam" left and right was actually a bit awkward.
"Since you've said so, I'll call you Xu Xiu directly," Manager Wu said with a smile.
"Getting back to the point, Manager Wu, what do you think of my dish?"
"Good, good, very good," Manager Wu replied without hesitation.
"Then, does Manager Wu want this recipe?"
"I do want it, but I need to confirm if it's truly a low-cost recipe as you said. Of course, it's not that I don't trust you, Madam, but as you know, I'm a business executive. If the recipe is too expensive, my restaurant won't make much profit. You also know Quanyong County isn't a particularly wealthy county. If it's too expensive, I might not even earn back the silver I pay you for the recipe."
Hearing Manager Wu's words, Xu Xiu smiled and said, "I'm afraid you might not believe me once I say it, Manager Wu."
"Oh? Tell me!"
"Pig offal."
"What? Pig offal?" Manager Wu's eyes widened in surprise.
But after asking, recalling the taste he had just experienced, he immediately understood.
Seeing this, Xu Xiu continued, "I imagine Manager Wu understands now."
"I knew it! The chewiness was familiar, but the flavor..."
"That's precisely why I'm selling this recipe to you, Manager Wu. From what I understand, a set of pig offal costs only two or three wen. Yet, with one set, Manager Wu, you can make four or five plates of this dish. Don't you think that's low cost?"
"Hahaha... Xu Xiu, I truly underestimated you. Now, tell me, how much silver do you want for this recipe?"
Getting down to business, Xu Xiu immediately straightened her posture and said:
"Manager Wu, you know pig offal is cheap. Actually, I could set up a small stall by the roadside and sell it myself. I just don't want to waste time. Otherwise, for such a delicious dish, I really wouldn't be inclined to sell it. Why doesn't Manager Wu first tell me how much you're willing to offer?"
"This... let me think! Let me think some more!"
"If Manager Wu is truly finding it difficult, I don't have to sell it," Xu Xiu said very seriously.
She wasn't just saying this casually. She had thought about it before: she could set up a small stall here selling snacks.
She could have Zhang Zixuan mind it; with her wheelchair now, it wasn't impossible.
She could go deeper into the mountains to hunt some game, persisting until she could afford to build the house in the second half of the year.
With this pig offal dish in hand, she was very confident.
"That won't do. Xu Xiu, since you've come all this way, I naturally can't let you leave disappointed, can I?"
Saying this, Manager Wu extended four fingers. "How about this price?"
Looking at the fingers, Xu Xiu was stunned for a moment, unable to react.
Four fingers... did that mean four tails? Or forty tels?
For a moment, she really couldn't decide.
If it was four tables, that seemed a bit cheap; she would genuinely have to consider whether to sell it or not.
But if it was forty tels, wouldn't that be a bit expensive?
After all, one wen here was equivalent to one yuan in her supermarket.
One hundred copper coins were one qian, and ten qian made one tael.
That meant forty tels was equivalent to four hundred thousand yuan in her supermarket.
That was a huge sum of money!
"What? You think it's too little? At most, I can add another ten tels. Any more is impossible." Seeing Xu Xiu hesitate, Manager Wu spoke again.
Hearing this, Xu Xiu's eyes instantly lit up. Her heart was pounding with excitement, but her face remained calm.
"Since Manager Wu is an acquaintance, fifty tels it is. I'm not an ungrateful person."
"Good, good, good! Then Madam Xu Xiu, please wait a moment. I'll have someone fetch the silver for you right away."
"Manager Wu, no rush, no rush. I still have the pork, right? Also, I soaked something in the wooden basin in your kitchen. Tonight, you can cut that thing into strips and stir-fry it with shredded meat; it will also be a delicious dish."
"Oh? Really?"
"Of course. If you don't believe me, Manager Wu, you can go take a look."
Hearing this, Manager Wu really went to look.
There was no other reason; the shock Xu Xiu had given him was simply too great.
Without needing to ask, the thing in the wooden basin was surely another good find.
Seeing Manager Wu leave, Xu Xiu naturally followed.
However, looking at the yellowish thing soaking in the basin, he truly couldn't tell what it was for the moment.
"Manager Wu, can you tell what this is?" Xu Xiu asked proudly.
She hadn't just peeled the bamboo shoots; she had also dried them. Looking at them like this, it was really hard to tell they were dried bamboo shoots.
"Hiss, this is... it doesn't look like meat, more like some kind of melon. What is it?" Manager Wu couldn't help but ask.
"What it is, of course, I can't say," Xu Xiu said. "But Manager Wu, try cooking it tonight and tasting it. If you like it, come find me at the end of Zhang Village later. I have a lot and can sell it to you, Manager Wu. I guarantee it's a fresh, novel food."
"Oh? You're really getting addicted to doing business?" Manager Wu said with a smile.
"It's all because of poverty. I hope Manager Wu won't laugh at me."
"How could I? A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it in the right way. You aren't stealing or robbing; why would I laugh at you?"
Hearing Manager Wu's words, Xu Xiu immediately knew he was a fair-minded business executive with sound principles.
Naturally, she was willing to deal with such a person.
Next came weighing the pork. The pork was also bought at the market price.
There were forty-three catties total. At fifteen wen per catty, that came to six hundred and forty-five wen.
Manager Wu directly gave her six hundred and fifty wen, saying the extra five wen could be considered payment for the thing in the wooden basin.
Xu Xiu didn't stand at the ceremony either and accepted it generously.
"Come, Madam, over here! Let's discuss this in detail!" Manager Wu said with a smile.
Additionally, Manager Wu gave her fifty tels.
On this trip down, Xu Xiu could be said to have returned fully loaded.
Of course, these fifty tels were far from enough for her.
She not only needed to send Liu-Tou and Qi-Tou to school but also to build a house. Just these two things alone would require another fifty tels at least.