The Great Tang's King of Provisions

Chapter 21: The Craze Sparked by Roujiamo

This time, Li Xuanba once again made over five hundred Bai Ji buns, but he didn’t prepare the braised meat to go inside them. It wasn’t because Li Xuanba was reluctant to part with the meat, nor because making this Level 1 food yielded no experience points—it was because the Bai Ji buns could only be stored for a long time when kept on their own; if he added meat, they would likely spoil in less than a day. Once the Bai Ji buns were ready, Li Xuanba carried the two baskets of fragrant food to the millstone by the back door, set them down, opened the front door, and leaned against the millstone, waiting for the little beggar who was due to arrive shortly. “M-Manager, these are the ingredients Sister Mei asked me to buy,” Li Xuanba didn’t have to wait long before a filthy little beggar walked in through the back door. The boy looked timidly up at Li Xuanba, who stood over two meters tall, and handed him a small bunch of Chinese cabbage. “Come in, come in. Don’t be afraid. From now on, just call me Big Brother Li.” The little beggar was terrified of Li Xuanba, who looked like a fierce giant, but Li Xuanba wore a gentle expression. After calling the boy over, he set the small pile of Chinese cabbage aside, handed him five white steamed buns, and then gave him a few copper coins. He patted the boy on the head. “Here’s some food for you, and here are ten copper coins. Go buy whatever you need.” “Mm-hmm, thanks, Big Brother Li. Gouzi’s off then.” Seeing Li Xuanba speaking to him so kindly, the little beggar named Gouzi grinned, revealing a few gaps in his teeth, which made him look quite adorable. Li Xuanba crouched down, wiped the dirt off Gouzi’s face, and said gently, “Go on! Don’t wander off on the way. Wash up when you get home, and from now on, call me ‘Master.’ When you deliver vegetables for me, Brother Li will give you something to eat.” “Mm-hmm, Gouzi will remember,” Gouzi beamed with joy upon hearing he had a new job. After saying goodbye to Li Xuanba, he skipped away. After Gouzi left, a steady stream of young beggars arrived in the backyard. After handing the vegetables to Li Xuanba, they received five white steamed buns and ten copper coins from him, along with their new assignments, and happily scattered in all directions. With all the ingredients gathered, the chefs and kitchen staff, having received the news, returned to the Plum Blossom Restaurant. Under Li Xuanba’s guidance, they set to work preparing the newest dish—roujiamo. “Boss, are you sure anyone will eat food made this way? This pork is only suitable for us country bumpkins—those people wouldn’t dream of eating such ‘dirty’ pork,” Chef Huang said, furrowing his brow as he followed Li Xuanba’s instructions step by step to make the roujiamo. In this era, the only part of a whole pig that was likely to be accepted by others was the pig’s head; the rest simply didn’t appeal to the so-called “middle class.” “Don’t worry! The roujiamo I make is in a league of its own compared to the food you lot cook. Once it’s ready, you’ll see for yourselves,” Li Xuanba replied without even lifting his eyes, his tone brimming with arrogance. What a joke! In the Chang’an of later generations, the roujiamo was one of the top ten delicacies; anyone visiting Chang’an considered it a must-try. So why hadn’t anyone ever turned their nose up at this pork before? As Li Xuanba grumbled to himself, Chef Huang finished preparing the braised pork and the white jibao buns, placed them on the counter, and then looked expectantly at Li Xuanba, eager for the so-called roujiamo. “When serving a customer, first use this knife to make a slit in the center of the bun. Remember, don’t cut all the way through—leave a small section connected. Scoop a spoonful of this braised pork inside, add a bit of wild greens, and you’re all set.” Li Xuanba’s hands moved steadily as he explained the “preparation steps” and precautions. In just a few quick motions, he assembled a delicious roujiamo and handed it to Chef Huang. “Give it a try!” “Thank you, Master Li!” Chef Huang bowed slightly to Li Xuanba, took the roujiamo, and took a bite. His eyes immediately lit up. After chewing a few times, he swallowed the delicious morsel, gave Li Xuanba a thumbs-up, and said with admiration, ““You’re amazing, Master Li! With just two simple ingredients and a slight tweak to the method, you’ve created something this exquisite. Old Huang is truly impressed.” “Haha! Now you’ve tasted how good this roujiamo is, haven’t you? I’ve taught you the method—put your heart into making it! You guys, try some first so you’ll have something to say when introducing it to customers.” Li Xuanba gladly accepted Lao Huang’s praise, then waved to the staff, inviting them—who were drooling with envy—to try the roujiamo as well. However, this time, he certainly wasn’t going to make them one himself. “Yes, Boss.” “Thank you, Boss!” After a hearty meal, the Plum Blossom Restaurant reopened, with its new selling point being the roujiamo—a dish that had never been on the menu before. Of course, the roujiamo was merely the signature dish; Li Xuanba still had the chef prepare the other dishes as usual. He did, however, remove the sashimi from the menu to prevent customers from getting sick and causing trouble for his Plum Blossom Restaurant. The Plum Blossom Restaurant enjoyed a good reputation in Blue Sky County. As soon as the “Now Open” sign was hung out, customers immediately began arriving. A waiter slung his towel over his shoulder and approached with a smile, asking, “Manager Wang, what would you like to order?” “Two hu bing, a plate of shredded mutton, and a large bowl of egg drop soup,” the guest—who was dressed reasonably well—ordered offhand as soon as he sat down, choosing the dishes he used to eat regularly. The waiter wiped down the table with a towel and said with a broad smile, “Manager Wang, we’ve just introduced a new staple dish—roujiamo. It’s two fen each. Though it’s a bit pricey, it’s absolutely delicious. Our owner just invented it. Would you like to try one or two?” “Roujiamo? That sounds pretty new. I’ll take two to try. If they’re good, I’ll come back for more to take home.” Upon hearing the unfamiliar name “roujiamo,” Shopkeeper Wang raised an eyebrow and waved his hand generously. A roujiamo cost only two cash—a mere pittance for a shopkeeper like him who dealt in cloth. “Sure thing! Just a moment, Shopkeeper Wang—two roujiamo, a plate of shredded lamb with lamb skin, and a big bowl of egg drop soup!” Shopkeeper Wang placed his order with “generous” flair, and the clerk cupped his hand to his ear, shouting a loud call toward the kitchen. “Got it! Two meat-stuffed buns, a plate of shredded lamb with lamb skin, and a big bowl of egg drop soup!” As soon as the roujiamo arrived, the aroma of the braised pork wafted through the air. Seeing the snow-white baiji bread on the outside, the rich braised pork inside, and the green vegetables, Manager Wang’s appetite was instantly whetted. He opened his mouth wide, took a big bite of the roujiamo, and then, his eyes sparkling, said nothing but bowed his head and began to eat with gusto. After finishing that one roujiamo, Manager Wang picked up the egg drop soup from the table and downed half the bowl in one go. He then gave the waiter a thumbs-up and called out loudly, “Delicious! Bring us ten more of these roujiamo—we’ll take them to go.” “Sure thing! Ten roujiamo to go!” Perhaps seeing Manager Wang, that old glutton, order ten roujiamo in one go, the new customers glanced at the roujiamo on his table and, one by one, shouted their orders to the waiter. “Waiter! Four roujiamo, a plate of shredded lamb skin, a plate of grilled duck with salt and pepper, and a large bowl of egg drop soup.” “Waiter! Five roujiamo, a plate of braised pork with skin, a plate of braised leeks, and a large bowl of egg drop soup.” “Waiter! Ten roujiamo—wrap them up to go.” The first-floor dining hall of Meihua Restaurant was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people placing orders—and every single order included roujiamo and egg drop soup. The reason is simple: the aroma of the roujiamo can be smelled from a great distance, and the snow-white Baiji bread, the glossy red braised pork, and the green vegetables make for a truly appetizing sight. And as for the egg drop soup! Although Meihua Restaurant is called a “restaurant,” it doesn’t serve alcohol—after all, with food shortages plaguing the land, where would there be any liquor to sell? Apart from the imperial family, prominent clans, or large restaurants with powerful connections, almost no one drank alcohol. Seeing the restaurant reopen—and with business even more booming than before thanks to the roujiamo Li Xuanba had created—Mei Hanxue smiled with satisfaction. She fixed her beautiful eyes on Li Xuanba and said softly, “Young Master Li, you really know how to get things done. A single roujiamo has brought my Plum Blossom Restaurant back from the brink.” “Haha!” Li Xuanba raised an eyebrow smugly, smiling warmly at the beautiful Mei Hanxue. The corners of his mouth turned up in a mysterious grin. “It wasn’t just your Plum Blossom Restaurant that was brought back from the dead—it was our restaurant. Besides, this was just a small trick! Have the soybeans and iron discs I ordered been delivered yet?” “They’ve been delivered. They’re all in the back yard.” Hearing Mei Hanxue’s reply, Li Xuanba chuckled and turned to walk toward the back yard. “Great! I’m off to make soybean oil!” “Soybean oil?” Hearing this new term come out of Li Xuanba’s mouth, Mei Hanxue arched her delicate eyebrows. Along with the curious Du Xingxuan and the other young woman, she followed Li Xuanba to the backyard.