Yummy Yummy Yummy

Shao Jie was a straightforward man who acted decisively. Within two days, he came to inform Shen Shaoguang that his grandfather wished to meet her.

Since Shen Shaoguang was a young lady, it would be improper for her to visit the Shao residence directly with Shao Jie. Thus, their meeting was arranged at Guixiang Garden in the East Market.

According to Shao Jie, the old master was advanced in years and no longer as nimble on his feet, yet he still visited the flower cake workshop daily. There, he would watch the chefs prepare the cakes, observe customers making purchases, and occasionally enjoy a piece or two with tea.

Eating sweets at such an age... Shen Shaoguang had imagined Old Master Shao as a portly old man with a thick waistline. Instead, she found him lean and wiry, around seventy or eighty years old, with a straight posture and a spirited demeanor.

Shen Shaoguang stepped forward and bowed respectfully, greeting him, "May Lord Shao be blessed with boundless fortune."

Old Master Shao smiled warmly. "Young Lady, there’s no need for such formalities." He then invited her to take a seat.

Shen Shaoguang sat in the guest seat, while Shao Jie took his place beside the old master. A maidservant soon brought tea.

At his age, Old Master Shao no longer strictly observed the proprieties between men and women. He studied Shen Xiao Niangzi carefully—her intelligent features and graceful bearing were unmistakably those of a noble young lady from a scholarly family.

Recently, the Double Seventh Festival cakes sent to Qin Pushe’s residence had earned praise from Grand Madam Qin, who remarked that they "nearly carried an air of elegance." Grand Madam Qin, a lifelong noblewoman and a renowned talented lady in her youth, was not one to offer compliments lightly. Her approval of the cakes as "elegant" spoke volumes. Moreover, many officials, scholars, and merchants from Chongren Ward who purchased the flower cakes often remarked, "Truly, this is the capital—even pastries are made with such refinement."

Old Master Shao had heard such praise frequently in the shop lately. Even if it hadn’t yet translated into substantial profits, the reputation alone was already a form of wealth—a man as shrewd as he understood the value of a good name. And indeed, the account books showed that since Ninth Master’s proposed innovations were implemented, profits had increased by thirty to forty percent compared to the same period last year.

It was a shame, however, that such brilliant ideas had come from another family’s young lady...

Suppressing his regret, Old Master Shao spoke courteously, "First, I must thank Young Lady Shen. Ninth Master tells me that the fresh designs of our flower cakes were all inspired by your guidance. Our customers have been full of praise."

Shen Shaoguang quickly demurred, "How could I dare claim to have 'guided' anything? They were merely small ideas from my humble shop. That Young Master Shao saw fit to trial them in your esteemed establishment is an honor for me."

"Young Lady, to conceive so many clever methods at such a tender age is truly remarkable," Old Master Shao praised again.

"Just trivial thoughts, I hope Lord Shao does not find them laughable."

After exchanging a few more polite remarks, the conversation gradually turned to the main topic.

"Ninth Master mentioned that Young Lady is interested in opening a branch in another ward. Why not choose the East or West Market?"

Shen Shaoguang reiterated the points she had previously discussed with Shao Jie, adding with a smile, "While opening a grand tavern in the East or West Market would be ideal, compared to following the same model, the risks are considerably greater."

Old Master Shao nodded. For someone so young, she possessed remarkable patience and restraint—a steady mind indeed.

"However, if all your establishments remain small taverns, though profitable, it will be difficult to build a grand reputation." After all, the Shao family’s current success was tied to the legacy of the "Flower Cake Magnate" title, which was why Old Master Shao placed such importance on prestige."While the East and West Markets have large crowds and can build a reputation quickly, opening shops in various neighborhoods—as long as they can establish themselves—can also earn genuine word-of-mouth. Lord Shao, imagine if there were branches every few neighborhoods across the north, south, east, west, and center of Chang'an, making Agate Meat and Jade Dumplings the kind of food people crave when their taste buds grow dull, something they can enjoy just a few steps away. Over time, these could even become the nostalgic flavors of a generation..."

Lord Shao chuckled. This young lady certainly had a way with words.

Shao Jie felt a surge of pride—after all, she was someone he had recognized early on...

Shen Shaoguang smiled faintly. Whether it was the countryside encircling the city or the city pushing into the countryside, each approach had its merits—it all depended on what suited best.

"Has Young Master Shao mentioned to you, Lord Shao, how I once set up a stall by Qujiang Lake during festivals?"

This was something Shao Jie hadn’t brought up. The Shao family’s Flower Cakes had also started from humble stalls, so Lord Shao regarded Shen Shaoguang with keen interest.

She recounted her experiences setting up stalls by the lake several times. "Many of the customers who bought food by the riverside later sought out our shop in Chongxian Ward specifically and became regulars. The East and West Markets have heavy foot traffic, so we could also occasionally send people with a 'mobile food cart' to sell specialty snacks there—not for profit, but to build familiarity and gather some buzz." What Shen Shaoguang proposed was essentially the concept of a pop-up shop from later eras.

Such an idea was undoubtedly ahead of its time, yet not entirely impractical or unfeasible. A gleam appeared in Lord Shao’s aged eyes. "Young Lady Shen, this plan of yours is excellent!"

Lord Shao, a seasoned merchant with a lifetime of experience, had wisdom to share, while Shen Shaoguang, benefiting from her transmigration, brought broad vision and the accumulated knowledge of a thousand years. The two exchanged questions and answers, finding both common ground and differences in their perspectives. Later, they discussed more detailed strategies for building a reputation, the balance between the "substance" and "image" of dishes and fame—some ideas Shao Jie had heard before, some he hadn’t, some he had pondered himself, and others he had never considered. Listening now, he gained even deeper insights.

After such an engaging conversation with Young Lady Shen, Lord Shao’s regret grew stronger—what a pity she wasn’t part of his own family!

With such rapport, cooperation was naturally not an issue. As for finer details like financial contributions, the old man left them to Shao Jie—he was no longer young and ought to gain more experience.

Lord Shao had his own thoughts, however. After Shen Shaoguang took her leave, he interrogated Shao Jie upon his return: "Ninth Master, tell me honestly—do you fancy this young lady?"

Shao Jie immediately made a face. "Grandfather, why are you acting like Grandma, trying to matchmake every pretty young lady you see?"

Lord Shao glared at him. "You’re not young anymore. It’s high time you settled down."

He then frowned slightly. "If this young lady is from a noble family, it wouldn’t be impossible to aspire..." It wasn’t uncommon for merchant sons in the capital to marry daughters of declining noble houses—merchant families sought the prestige of noblewomen, while the fallen aristocracy gained practical benefits.

Seeing his grandfather still entertaining such thoughts, Shao Jie hurriedly clarified, "Dear Grandfather, I truly have no such intentions!"

"If this young lady were a man, I’d have sworn brotherhood with her and Young Master Yang long ago. She’s undeniably clever and sharp, but as for your grandson—" Shao Jie paused, then grinned shamelessly, "I’d prefer a bride who’s sweeter, softer..." The rest of his words were cut off by the account book Lord Shao hurled at him.

"Shameless!" the old man scolded, though his tone was more amused than angry.The old man grumbled resentfully, "Without a literate descendant, I can't even get a learned granddaughter-in-law. Such bad luck!"

Shao Jie: "..." To be honest, Shen Xiao Niangzi was truly remarkable—well-versed in scholarship, skilled at making money, eloquent, resourceful, straightforward yet interesting, and even quite beautiful. But for some reason, Shao Jie felt no romantic notions toward her, instead regarding her more like those scholarly classmates from his school days...

Soon enough, Shao Jie realized it was fortunate he harbored no such notions—otherwise, he might have been heartbroken.

With Old Master Shao's approval, the plan to open a branch store was set in motion. Shao Jie had initially wanted to avoid involvement in management to steer clear of impropriety, but Shen Shaoguang wouldn’t let him off so easily—a free laborer was too good to pass up.

Shao Jie was straightforward too. Since the young lady didn’t mind, he threw himself into the venture. While he had previously only been "maintaining the family business," this now felt like "building something new," and he found himself rather excited.

They roughly divided the responsibilities: Shen Shaoguang would handle recipe development, quality control, staff training, branding, and marketing, while Shao Jie took charge of "external affairs"—hiring staff, scouting locations, purchasing properties, and liaising with suppliers...

Location scouting was the top priority. To this end, Shao Jie spent his free time riding around Chang'an, meeting with real estate agents and noting down promising options. He wanted to "compare before buying," and since this was a joint venture, he always consulted Shen Xiao Niangzi first.

One day, Shao Jie arrived with sketches of two or three potential shop locations to discuss with Shen Shaoguang.

Shen Shaoguang invited him to sit and served tea and snacks.

Having ridden in the heat, Shao Jie smiled at the sight of the chilled Honeydew cheese in the bowl. "Young Lady, you're truly a 'timely rain'!"

Without bothering with a spoon, he lifted the bowl and gulped down half of it, leaving only the honeyed beans at the bottom. He then scooped them up leisurely with a small spoon. "Sweet! Flavorful! And not as cloying as Red Bean Cake."

Shen Shaoguang smirked proudly. "Young Master Shao, try this 'Fisherman's Three Delicacies' next."

Shao Jie chuckled again.

The so-called "Fisherman's Three Delicacies" were water caltrop, lotus root, and lotus seeds—common fare for fishermen, hence the name. This wasn’t Shen Shaoguang’s own idea but something she’d read in The Mountain Dweller’s Simple Fare , merely borrowing the clever naming.

"If you couldn’t cook, you could still make a living just by naming dishes."

Shen Shaoguang waved her hand. "I read that in a book before—though I’ve also thought about something similar. If I weren’t a cook, I’d probably have become a nun or a Female Taoist Priest, relying on my gift of gab to tell fortunes or interpret omens. I’d probably get by."

Shao Jie burst into laughter.

It was only late July, so the water caltrop, lotus root, and lotus seeds were still tender and fresh, carrying the moist, dewy essence of the pond—utterly delicious.

Shen Shaoguang then urged Shao Jie to try the Gorgon fruit chestnut cake on another plate.

Shao Jie took a bite. "Delicious! How is this made?"

He asked without hesitation, and Shen Shaoguang answered just as frankly: "Gorgon fruit flour, toasted and mixed with glutinous rice flour and a little sugar for the outer layer. The filling is made from the first batch of chestnuts harvested this autumn—not too much sugar, or it’d be cloying."

Shao Jie nodded, then realized gorgon fruit was also an aquatic ingredient. Grinning, he said, "If we add this to the water caltrop and the rest, shouldn’t it be called 'Fisherman’s Four Delicacies'?"Shen Shaoguang calmly raised a finger and waved it. "No, no, there are chestnuts inside too. Chestnuts grow in the mountains, while fox nuts grow in water—hence the name 'Fisherman-Woodcutter Cake.'"

Shao Jie: "..." Once again, he felt the same frustration he had when facing those classmates who memorized texts as easily as eating melons and vegetables, whose essays always earned double circles from the teacher. He really wanted to bag their heads and beat them up, but glancing at Young Lady Shen's pretty face... ah, forget it.

Shen the top student raised an eyebrow at Shao the struggling student's gritted teeth.

When Lin Yan entered, he saw the two of them staring at each other.

Both Shen Shaoguang and Shao Jie stood up—Shen to greet the guest, Shao to bow in respect.

Lin Yan smiled faintly. "Meeting Young Master Shao again."

Shao Jie smiled and acknowledged.

Seizing the moment, Shen Shaoguang asked Lin Yan what he'd like to eat. Lin Yan glanced at the items on Shao and Shen's table and replied with a smile, "Anything is fine."

Having spent enough time with him, Shen understood his meaning perfectly and quickly served him the Fisherman and Woodcutter set as well.

Shao Jie hadn't finished his conversation with Shen Shaoguang and couldn't just leave. As he hesitated, Lord Lin unexpectedly invited him to sit together.

Shao Jie was talkative, and none of his friends were the silent type. Facing a high-ranking official like Lord Lin, who spoke little, he felt somewhat awkward and could only comment on the food: "Shen Ji's 'Fisherman's Three Delicacies' is very tender, Lord Lin. You should try it."

Lin Yan nodded, picking up a few lotus seeds to peel and eat.

"This fox nut and chestnut cake is also excellent—sweet but not cloying." Suddenly remembering the name Young Lady Shen had mentioned, he added, "Oh, this cake also has an elegant name: 'Fisherman-Woodcutter Cake.'"

Lin Yan glanced at Shen Shaoguang, who was bringing tea, and curled his lips. Even naming dishes with such mischief.

Shao Jie felt that Lord Lin's smile carried the warmth of early spring, melting ice and snow, and couldn't help but marvel again at how important a good dish name was.

"Young Master Shao, do you also live in this ward? I don’t see you often."

Rarely did Lord Lin initiate conversation, and since this wasn’t confidential, Shao Jie explained the situation.

Lin Yan nodded. "Which ward are you considering?"

Shao Jie was startled. The usually solemn and reserved Deputy Chief of the Capital had taken an interest in this? Was there some deeper meaning?

But then he heard Lin Yan say to Young Lady Shen, who was about to leave with a tray, "Don’t rush off. Weren’t you discussing the new shop location with Young Master Shao?"

Young Lady Shen promptly sat down at the side of the table.

Shao Jie: "..."

Shao Jie pulled out a hand-drawn map from his sleeve. It wasn’t detailed, just a rough sketch. "This one is in Yongchang Ward, at a corner of the main street. It’s about half again as large as the current shop, with an open layout and few beams—good structure. But the asking price is steep. This other one is in nearby Yongle Ward, slightly smaller. It used to be a sundry goods shop, a bit old. If we buy it, the doors, windows, and flooring will all need redoing..."

After he finished, Shen Shaoguang was still pondering when Lin Yan spoke up: "The one in Yongchang Ward isn’t suitable. His Majesty has chosen Yongchang for Princess Guangping’s new estate."

Princess Guangping was the emperor’s full sister, deeply favored. Her estate would surely be grand and luxurious, and Yongchang Ward wasn’t very large. It was entirely possible the estate would occupy half the ward—how many customers would remain after that?

This decree hadn’t been publicly announced yet. Only those like Lord Lin, who wore crimson robes and attended court discussions, would know of it.Shao Jie was about to thank him when he suddenly sensed something amiss. Looking up, he saw Lord Lin picking up the calico cat from the shop, stroking its face, patting its head, scratching its chin, and continuously smoothing its fur.

Glancing at Young Lady Shen who stood nearby with a serious expression still examining the drawings, then back at Lord Lin comfortably holding the cat, Shao Jie felt he'd understood something. Fortunately, fortunately...

Author's note: Finally realizing the truth, Shao Jie thought: "Thank goodness I prefer sweet, delicate girls."

Lord Lin, who casually eliminated a "love rival" while showing off affection: "Isn't my wife sweet and delicate enough? Oh well, it's good that you can't tell."