Chapter 357 - Backing (2/2)

Among the crowd, whispers arose——

“Who’s behind The Yu’s Braised Food Shop? They even managed to invite the prefectural magistrate to help them unveil the store’s plaque.”

“I heard that this shop used to sell satin and was originally owned by the prefectural magistrate, but then it suddenly closed up shop in spring. Half a year later, they started renovations and then this braised food store was born. Could it be that the satin business was making losses so the prefectural magistrate turned it into a braised food store?”

“I don’t think so. I heard the neighbor say that this residence with the shop attached was sold at the beginning of spring. The location of the shophouse is good, so even if the satin wasn’t bringing in money, he could still earn a lot every month if he closed the business and rented it out…”

“Perhaps an official of higher rank than the prefectural magistrate had set their eyes on this shophouse and bought it? Look at the man unveiling the plaque with the prefectural magistrate. His aura is so different, so he mustn’t be of a normal standing. Also, the prefectural magistrate is so courteous with him; could it be that he is the true owner of this store?”

“Regardless of the reason, this store now has the backing of the prefectural magistrate and this unknown noble. No wonder that little lass did not cower even though Cripple Wang's wife made a ruckus here yesterday and even said to have the prefectural magistrate be the judge of things…”

……

Even as the crowd speculated, everyone was certain that this store had the prefectural magistrate’s backing and was not something any ordinary person could get their hands on. In the prefectural city, those who were interested in the Yu Family’s braised recipes secretly snuffed the idea.

Following this, a few officials in the prefectural city who were not associated with the Yu Family also came to the scene to congratulate them. When noon came, it was impossible to simply pass off the celebration in the inner courtyard with the prefectural magistrate and all the other officials around. As for Royal Prince Yang, although he was of high status, the Yu Household did not take him as a stranger. Even when they were back in their old and simple residence in Dongshan Village, he had never failed to show up during mealtimes.

In the end, lunch was held in Zhenxiu Restaurant. Yu Xiaocao ordered a whole table full of appetizing dishes, which also included a few dishes that were sold at limited quantities every day. Secretly, the prefectural magistrate and the other officials that came to congratulate them were shocked. Although Zhenxiu Restaurant was a new restaurant that only opened up shop this spring, the degree of the business’s success was well-known throughout the entire city. They would have to book in advance and wait for a whole month before they could dine in a private room like this!

What kind of background did the Yu Family have in order for them to be able to obtain a private room at any time, moreover, be able to order the limited dishes? So many prestigious and wealthy families in the capital city did not have this privilege in the capital’s Zhenxiu Restaurant, not to mention the prefectural magistrate. Even if you were royalty, you would still have to wait in line to be able to dine in the famous Zhenxiu Restaurant!

The meal passed happily for both hosts and guests even though everyone had their uncertainties. The officials became especially enthusiastic and eager after they found out that the person sitting at the main seat was actually the Royal Prince Yang, who had been quite an influential person in court for the past two years. Later on, even the slightly nervous Yu Hai, who had been conversing with them, was put at the back of their minds.

The Yu’s Braised Food Shop made an excellent impact on the prefectural city on its first day of business and got itself a strong backing at the same time. Even when it's business boomed until it nearly caught up to Zhenxiu Restaurant later on, no one dared to make a commotion. Are you kidding? Who in the prefectural city did not know that the prefectural magistrate was backing The Yu’s Braised Food Shop? Besides, the shophouse was diagonally opposite of the prefectural yamen. Making a commotion? Did you think you’ve lived for too long?

All of the dishes were half-priced for the first three days of business! The people who had participated in the taste-test event yesterday had become the living advertisements of the braised food store: the braised food store’s meat was so fragrant, the braised food store’s vegetarian dishes tasted better than the meat, the braised food store also had roasted poultry like Zhenxiu Restaurant, the braised food store...

Additionally, Yu Xiaocao had set up a metal stove at the entrance and stewed braised pig’s head meat and internal organs…The fragrance of the meat wafted into the air of the entire street. Almost every passer-by stopped to find the source of the smell.

Their business boomed in these first three days. Yu Xiaocao and her oldest aunt were so busy that they had to recruit the help of Liu Junping and Liu Yaner. Liu Hu and Yu Hai were in charge of the delivery of the raw ingredients and had to travel back and forth between Dongshan Village and the prefectural city every day.

Even with the dishes at half-price, their turnover from the first day was more than three hundred taels. If they removed the operating costs, the net profit would be around more than a hundred taels. On the second and third day, their turnover kept increasing, until they had a profit of around five hundred to six hundred taels. It had reached the point where even slaughtering two pigs a day could not suffice the demand.

The dishes that sold the quickest were still the cheaper dishes such as the pig’s head meat and internal organs, along with the vegetarian dishes of braised dry tofu, kelp and tofu skin. They had to make several pots of those in a day to make up for the demand, and the pots they used were not the small ones used for ordinary cooking, but rather the big ones that could cater for the meal of one or two dozen people.

[1] His surname was Yan in an earlier chapter, but the author changed it to Ning.

[2] Qingming Festival (清明节) - Tomb Sweeping Day; Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites, pray to their ancestors, and make ritual offerings

[3] Da Hong Pao tea - type of highly-regarded oolong tea