Chapter 30

The shopkeeper looked surprised, exchanged a glance with the manager, and then asked in a serious tone, "Please forgive my boldness, but these dishes are all exquisite. With your skills, you could open your own restaurant. If you sell them, wouldn't that be a waste? May I ask what your intentions are?"

"These dishes are just simple home-cooked meals to me, not something particularly valuable. They're not worth keeping for myself," Xia Hongsheng smiled. "Besides, I'm a scholar! A genuine student of the Luozhou Academy, not a chef."

"I apologize for my rudeness. Please forgive my shortsightedness for assuming you were a chef," the shopkeeper said, maintaining his composure, neither humble nor arrogant, and bowed in apology. Respecting the identity of a scholar was normal for the shopkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, before we proceed, how much are you willing to pay for this table of dishes? From my observation, if you introduce these new dishes at Yixiangju, there will be no restaurant in Luoyang that can surpass you. Ha, this is a great opportunity for Yixiangju!" The middle-aged man who had praised Xia Hongsheng's poem earlier spoke up, advocating for Xia Hongsheng.

The shopkeeper frowned, pondered for a moment, and then made a decision, "If you are willing to share the secret recipes for these dishes, I will take the liberty of making this decision myself! Yixiangju will offer you five hundred guan!"

Five hundred guan was not a small amount, and it was a fair offer from the shopkeeper. Xia Hongsheng had many other ways to earn money, and this sum was not particularly attractive to him. If his sister-in-law's snack business grew, the earnings would far exceed five hundred guan.

The shopkeeper looked at Xia Hongsheng, who smiled faintly but remained silent.

"If you think it's too little, I can add more from my own savings. How about an additional one hundred guan?" The shopkeeper, thinking Xia Hongsheng was dissatisfied with the offer, added another hundred guan.

Xia Hongsheng smiled and said to the shopkeeper, "I can teach the recipes to Yixiangju's chefs, and even provide the seasonings. With my seasonings, your old dishes will taste much better. The secret of the seasonings is far more valuable than the recipes. Shopkeeper, you know the importance of seasonings. How many times five hundred guan would this bring you?"

"Then... please name your price, sir!" The shopkeeper sat up straight and said.

Xia Hongsheng smiled, "These things, though precious to you, are not worth keeping for myself. I will provide everything, including the seasonings, to Yixiangju for free. My goal today is not money, but a promise!"

Everyone was surprised. The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, then stood up, took a step back, and bowed respectfully, "Please speak, sir!"

Xia Hongsheng also stood up and said, "I grew up in poverty, and my father and brother died in the war. Fortunately, my sister-in-law took care of me and raised me. She has shown me great kindness. Now, she sells snacks on the street, and I must attend classes at the academy. She is a woman, and her business is growing, which will attract envy. Today, I offer all these recipes and seasonings to Yixiangju, but I ask for your protection for my sister-in-law. Yixiangju has a strong background, and if she operates in front of your restaurant, she will be safe. If anyone causes her trouble, I want Yixiangju to step in and protect her immediately. You don't need to worry; she is a small, honest businesswoman, and those who might cause trouble are just ruffians."

"The woman across the street is your sister-in-law?" The shopkeeper was shocked. "Then those snacks..."

"Of course, they are my teachings," Xia Hongsheng nodded.

The shopkeeper looked at Xia Hongsheng, then at the table of dishes, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply, "Young Master Xia, you are young but know gratitude and filial piety. I admire you. I will honor this promise. If anyone dares to trouble your sister-in-law, I will send people to break their legs!"

"Good! A gentleman's word is a binding promise. I will remember this promise, and it is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold!" Xia Hongsheng took a step back and bowed in return.

"I will remember this promise, and it is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold." The shopkeeper repeated, and they straightened up, walked around the table, and shook hands, sealing the deal.

In ancient times, people valued promises and agreements to an extent that is hard for modern people to imagine. Once a promise was made, it had to be kept until it was fulfilled. For example, to keep a promise to protect a friend's son, one might exchange clothes with the friend's son, allowing the friend's son to escape while his own son was captured and killed. This was not a joke but a real event, and people would praise such high moral standards rather than mock them. In an era where the moral system held absolute power, reputation, promises, and beliefs were more important than life itself. People could abandon their lives for reputation, promises, and their beliefs. If two people agreed to help each other become wealthy, they would not need a written contract; a handshake and a draw to decide the order would suffice. The one who became wealthy first would help the other, and breaking the promise would result in social ostracism, disgrace to the ancestors, and the end of one's future.

Therefore, Xia Hongsheng was not worried about the shopkeeper breaking the promise. With so many people witnessing the agreement today, the news would spread, and the shopkeeper would risk ruining Yixiangju's reputation if he broke the promise.

After completing the agreement with the shopkeeper and setting a time to teach the chefs, the shopkeeper left to attend to his business. Xia Hongsheng also prepared to leave Yixiangju to help his sister-in-law.

"Wait, Young Master Xia." Just as Xia Hongsheng was about to leave, a voice called out from behind him. He turned around and saw the middle-aged man who had spoken up for him earlier. Seeing him approach, Xia Hongsheng greeted him from a distance, "Sir, what is it? I haven't thanked you for your help earlier."

"Not at all, we enjoyed a delicious meal and witnessed a fine story. You are too kind, Young Master Xia," the middle-aged scholar waved his hand and then asked, "Young Master Xia, you mentioned studying under Master Yan at the Luozhou Academy. May I ask if the Master Yan you mentioned is Master Yan Shigu, the venerable Master Yan?"

"You are..." Xia Hongsheng did not answer, just looked at the middle-aged scholar in surprise.

The middle-aged scholar bowed to Xia Hongsheng and extended his arm, "Young Master Xia, may I have a word in private?"

Xia Hongsheng followed the middle-aged scholar a few steps to a less crowded area. The middle-aged scholar stopped and turned to Xia Hongsheng, "I have come from Chang'an to Luoyang, searching for Master Yan. After arriving in Luoyang, I inquired and learned that Master Yan might be in hiding in Luozhou, but it's not certain. I have no choice but to investigate. I heard you mention Master Yan. Is it Master Yan Shigu, the venerable Master Yan? I have important matters to discuss, and I hope you will show me your high moral standards and inform me. I will be forever grateful!"

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I truly don't know Master Yan's identity. I only respectfully call him Master Yan and do not know his name. I'm afraid I will disappoint you," Xia Hongsheng thought for a moment and gave an ambiguous answer. He didn't know what this man wanted, but he didn't seem malicious. He must have a genuine reason, but Xia Hongsheng didn't know if Master Yan wanted to meet him, so he had to answer this way.

The middle-aged scholar narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Then, could you tell me where the Luozhou Academy is? I will have to search for it myself."

Xia Hongsheng also smiled, "The Luozhou Academy is in Luozhou. You can go if you want, or not. It's none of my business. I need to help my sister-in-law close her stall, so I must take my leave!"

"Ha, indeed! Indeed! I will search for it myself, and it has nothing to do with you." The man bowed to Xia Hongsheng and then left. Xia Hongsheng smiled and turned to walk towards his sister-in-law's snack stall. There was still a wave of customers before closing, and he needed to help her close the stall and return home before the curfew.

Xia Hongsheng's sister-in-law, though busy and showing signs of fatigue, was still excited and genuinely happy. On the way home, she chattered non-stop about how much money they had earned, how many people praised the food for being delicious and affordable, and how soon they could save enough to build a new house. She talked about tearing down their old, leaky thatched house and rebuilding it, and then saving more to find a good match for Xia Hongsheng...

Although Xia Hongsheng was not particularly interested in the idea of an arranged marriage, he didn't contradict her, just smiled and listened quietly. In her excited chatter, Xia Hongsheng felt a sense of simple happiness, as if his family from the future had returned to his side.

Back home, his sister-in-law, who had been smelling oil all day, said she needed to eat something light to clear her palate and started cooking porridge. Xia Hongsheng followed her to the kitchen to help but was chased out by his sister-in-law.

"If you have nothing to do, you might as well use that barrel of brine. It's been soaking for several days. Really, good salt soil, and you pour it into water, all dissolved, what a waste!" Xia Hongsheng's sister-in-law said as she pushed him out of the kitchen.

All dissolved? Xia Hongsheng thought, that means the experiment can proceed. The salt soil ore has too many impurities, and it needs more time to fully dissolve in water.