MFBOWSBTMT Chapter 99

People bought milk tea in wave after wave. As sishi[mfn]巳时 : 9-11 AM[/mfn] approached, the innkeeper also came. The space in front of the stall was already full of people. Seeing that Qiao Suiman had no time to chat, he bought his drink and returned to the inn after purchasing.

 

They brought twenty large bowls of goat milk when they left home, enough to make eighty servings. Before it was even time to close, everything were already sold out.

 

Lu Dongqing kept repeating that there was no more for today, and those who wished to drink could return tomorrow, but still quite a number of people crowded in front of the stall.

 

Qiao Suiman cleaned up the stall while saying, “Everyone, there’s none left today. Please come back tomorrow, or go try other stalls. They’re also good too.”

 

“Why didn’t you prepare more? It’s not even the end of wu shi[mfn]午时 : 11AM – 1PM[/mfn] yet.”

 

“I came specifically for this, and now you say there’s none left!”

 

Qiao Suiman cupped his fist, apologetically saying, “I truly apologize. We will try to make more tomorrow.”

 

“Alright then, I’ll come back tomorrow. You must save some for me.”

 

“Tch, getting all high and mighty now. Forget it, I won’t drink it.”

 

Among the dispersing crowd, some were willing to come back tomorrow, while others were impatient. But Lu Dongqing was tall and strong, and there were yayi nearby, so they didn’t dare to speak ill openly.

 

Qiao Suiman lowered his head and thought for a moment. After he and Lu Dongqing finished putting everything back onto the cart, he said, “Let’s ask the innkeeper later where we can buy goat milk nearby.”

 

Lu Dongqing also said, “Mn. We still have over an hour before we close the stall. Another ten bowls at least would be good.”

 

Returning to the inn, Qiao Suiman immediately asked the innkeeper and learned that they needed to go to the outskirts of the prefectural city to find a goat farm, where the price was slightly higher than in the village.

 

Qiao Suiman thought about it and decided to take the donkey cart with Lu Dongqing to make a trip there after storing their things.

 

The goat farms here were far larger than those in Hedong Village. One could not see the end of them with a single glance. With so many goats, the milk supplied not only wealthy households but was also sold in small amounts.

 

Qiao Suiman inquired about the price. It’s twenty-seven wen per bowl, but less than what Master Tang had given them.

 

But there was no other way. Thinking that they couldn’t let customers wait in vain again tomorrow, they still spent four hundred and five wen to buy fifteen bowls.

 

The goat’s milk they brought back was once again placed in the cellar by the inn’s attendant. Only then did Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing finally have time to sit and rest in the inn.

 

“The business is really good. Among so many stalls, yours had the most people,” the innkeeper said with a smile.

 

Qiao Suiman pressed his shoulder. “The customers were too generous, buying several servings at once. We never expected it.”

 

“That’s how it is in the prefectural city. There are many wealthy people. If it suits their taste, the rewards they give are worth as much as an ordinary household’s yearly income.”

 

“So it truly is. Innkeeper, we must thank you again for your advice today.”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

After a tiring day, they did not go to other shops. They ordered two bowls of noodles at the inn, ate, and returned to their room to rest.

 

They needed to go earlier tomorrow to make more before opening the stall, lest they end up like today, with customers queuing in long lines and complaining. So after a simple wash, the two fell asleep without exchanging more than a few words.

 

The next day, just as they had expected, a long line formed as soon as the stall opened. Even more people came than yesterday. Many people had heard others talk about a milk tea from Shuiqing Town that was incredibly delicious and would be sold out if one came late, so they came early.

 

Fortunately, Qiao Suiman had already prepared two pots and filled them into bamboo tubes. With yesterday’s experience, Lu Dongqing would directly hand a tube to the customer after receiving payment. Those who wanted to drink there found seats for themselves, and he could free up time to wash the bamboo tubes used by previous customers.

 

With the fifteen extra bowls of goat milk, they didn’t even have time for lunch. They remained busy until closing. Every drop of milk tea was sold, not a single trace left. Only then did they finally sit down to rest at the stall.

 

Their stomachs had long since passed hunger into numbness. The two-day beverage display had concluded, and Qiao Suiman still found it unreal. From the competition until now, in just eight or nine days, he had not only won first place but also came to the prefectural city to sell milk tea.

 

After slumping in a chair for a while, they only left once the yayis began to clear the street. They then pulled their cart away and walked heavily back to the inn, utterly exhausted.

 

They ate bowls of noodles again. Qiao Suiman didn’t want to lift a finger. Once Lu Dongqing regained some strength, he helped wipe Qiao Suiman down, then quickly splashed water over his own face before the both of them slipped beneath the quilt to sleep.

 

It was only when the sky was bright that Qiao Suiman woke up.

 

Lu Dongqing was still asleep. Qiao Suiman didn’t wake him. He quietly went to the inn’s main hall to get breakfast and also asked for two buckets of hot water. Yesterday, they only did a quick wash. Now that their energy was back, they not only wanted to clean themselves properly but also to soak their hands.

 

When Qiao Suiman entered the room, Lu Dongqing had just woken up. He said in a low, hoarse voice, “You’re awake? Why didn’t you call me?”

 

“You were sleeping soundly. I just asked for hot water. We can wipe down later and soak our arms. I’ll massage your shoulders too,” Qiao Suiman said with a smile.

 

“Okay.”

 

The inn’s breakfast was simple: two bowls of porridge, a small plate of pickled radish, and a bowl of stir-fried shepherd’s purse. They finished it quickly.

 

After the bowls and chopsticks were taken away, Lu Dongqing poured all the silver and copper coins that they earned over the past two days onto the table and began counting.

 

In the prefectural city, broken silver was commonly used. Lu Dongqing remembered several people who paid one mace of silver for two servings of milk tea. When he tried to give them back ten wen as a change, they refused, finding copper coins troublesome.

 

“The prefectural city is truly bustling. I’ve never seen so many young ladies and madams in my life,” Qiao Suiman said, his eyes curving as he remembered the customers he saw these past two days.

 

“There really are many. They spend money like water, which lets small households like ours reap the benefits.” Lu chuckled as well.

 

“But it’s still too far from home. Once we return to Shuiqing Town, milk tea won’t sell for such high prices.”

 

Lu Dongqing gently tapped Qiao Suiman’s nose with his finger. “The shops and stalls here are also much more expensive than in Shuiqing Town. We might earn less back home, but we’ll be more at ease.”

 

Qiao Suiman curled his lips and nodded in agreement.

 

Counting the silver was faster. They used the small scale they brought from home to weigh them, and it actually amounted to eight taels and six mace. The copper coins could be strung into exactly two guan[mfn]贯 – A string of 1,000 copper coins[/mfn], meaning they had earned a total of ten taels and six mace over these two days! After deducting the cost of the ingredients, their pure profit was over nine taels!

 

Qiao Suiman’s eyes shone brightly. Not only had they earned money, but they had also associated the name of milk tea with Shuiqing Town and Qiao family in the prefectural city. It was truly worth it.

 

Worried it wasn’t safe to keep the silver at the inn, they simply put them on Lu Dongqing, while the copper coins were hidden inside their wooden chest, wrapped with clothes and locked up.

 

At noon, they went farther out for a meal, strolled near the docks, and even tasted sushan[mfn]酥山 sū shān – a popular frozen dessert in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), considered a prototype of ancient Chinese ice cream. It was made from “酥” (sū), a dairy product similar to cream or butter, which was heated until soft, drizzled over shaved ice to form a mountain-like shape (山, shān), and then frozen in an ice cellar.(Baidu)[/mfn].

 

The sushan was icy cold and its milky flavor mixed with fruit fragrance is a completely different experience from their drinks. Qiao Suiman’s eyes widened with delight as he ate.

 

Sushan was expensive, costing sixty wen for just one bowl. They could only afford to buy one bowl to share, but they were still very satisfied. They also bought baked naan[mfn]饢 náng – a type of leavened flatbread that originated in Persia. It is a staple food for many cultures, including in Iran, Central Asia, the Xinjiang region of China, and parts of South Asia (Wikipedia)[/mfn] from the Hu merchants[mfn]胡人 húrén (Hu people) – a historical Chinese term used primarily to refer to various non-Han Chinese peoples, particularly those to the north and west of ancient China’s Central Plains. (sometimes, it is being translated as ‘barbarians’)(Wikipedia)[/mfn]. The naan was also very big, and it tasted wonderful when eaten with roasted meat.

 

After a day of eating and having fun, plus some food Qiao Suiman bought to bring home, they spent nearly a tael of silver. But the joy made it worthwhile. That evening, Qiao Suiman even skipped along while holding hands with Lu Dongqing as they wandered the flower street.

 

Lu Dongqing looked at him with a gentle smile, pulled him behind a tree, and kissed him several times before strolling leisurely back to the inn.

 

Qiao Suiman’s face flushed red. Truly, Lu Dongqing was growing more and more improper. He even claimed he was making up for the kiss they had missed last year. They had already bitten each other’s lips so many times since marrying so he had already made up for it long ago. It was clearly just an excuse!

 

They stayed in the prefectural city for five days. On the morning of the twentieth, after bidding farewell to the innkeeper, they set off for home.

 

They didn’t return to the shop but went directly to Xiahe Village. The villagers knew they had spent several days in the prefectural city and were both envious and sighing. Why couldn’t such fortune fall on their own families!

 

The two families had a lively meal together. Qiao Suiman opened the rare food he brought back from the prefectural city for everyone. He also talked about what they did and ate these past few days, and about seeing many foreigners with golden hair and blue eyes, and Hu dancers and people wearing exotic clothing. Qin Yu listened so intently that he forgot to eat.

 

“We also went to Yuan’an Temple to ask for talismans,” Qiao Suiman said while distributing them to everyone. “And this, for the little one, Qin Yu-ge. We also asked the master about a name. The master said the character ‘An’ (安) is very good.”

 

“Really?” Qin Yu accepted the two peace talismans with a tender smile. “That’s wonderful. Your da-ge went to pray at the temple too, and he asked for the very same character. It’s the same as what we thought.”

 

Qiao Ruifeng looked at Qin Yu with a gentle expression on his face. In one more month, he and Qin Yu would become parents.

 

By the time the meal ended, it was already late at night. Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing lay down side by side. Outside the window, cicadas chirped and frogs croaked. Inside, time was peaceful and good. Nothing could be more comfortable than this.

 

During their two days at home, Qiao Suiman wasn’t idle either. First, he discussed with Master Tang to start delivering twenty bowls of goat milk to the shop daily from the twenty-fifth. Then, he got information from Tang Guo’er about several fruit farmers. Together with Lu Dongqing, he met them to negotiate fair prices. Thus, they ensured a year-round supply of fresh fruit, except during the peak season of their own peach and green plum trees.

 

They also prepared the tea leaves. After returning to town and running the shop for two days, the plaque from the Magistrate finally arrived on the twenty-fourth.

 

The arrival of the plaque caused a sensation on the street.

 

“Heavens, such an honor!”

 

“Indeed. Even wine houses don’t have a plaque inscribed by the county magistrate!”

 

“Move aside, move aside, I can’t see.”

 

“Stop pushing! Don’t shove me!”

 

The originally somewhat orderly shop was instantly packed full of onlookers. Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing had to shout repeatedly before they settled down.

 

Qiao Suiman took a deep breath and lifted the red cloth covering the plaque with both hands. Six large characters came into everyone’s view.

 

“Qiao’s Bamboo-tube Milk Tea.[mfn]In Chinese, it is 6 characters, 喬記竹筒奶茶 (qiáo jì zhútǒng nǎichá)[/mfn]”

 

“Bamboo-tube Milk Tea? Ha, that’s strange. I thought it would be ‘Qiao’s Fragrant Drinks’.”

 

“Shopkeeper Qiao won the competition with bamboo-tube milk tea, of course it’s written this way.”

 

Qiao Suiman and Lu Dongqing smiled at each other. This was their plaque, belonging to the two of them.

 

Qiao Suiman cleared his throat and shouted, “Customers, starting tomorrow, the bamboo-tube milk tea will be officially sold in our shop. The plaque will also be hung then. Please continue to support us!”

 

“Wonderful! Finally, the day has come!” Aunt Xu clapped happily.

 

“Support! We’ll definitely support this! Previously, people from the prefectural city came here to do business and said there’s a bamboo-tube milk tea in our Shuiqing Town that’s incredibly delicious. I’ve been craving it for a long time!”

 

“Shopkeeper, I heard it’s forty-five wen a tube?”

 

“Forty-five? That’s too expensive! Who told you that?” a man in the crowd exclaimed.

 

“Someone from the prefectural city told me. He said he didn’t even manage to buy one on the first day,” that person replied.

 

“Forty-five? That won’t do. My Li family doesn’t have the wealth of those big households.”

 

Others were also shocked by the price and complained that it was too expensive.

 

Seeing this, Qiao Suiman smiled and said, “As you said, that was in the prefectural city. Just staying a single night there costs nearly four mace of silver! The shop definitely won’t sell it for that much. Everyone can rest assured!”

 

“Four mace of silver for one night? What kind of golden nest are they staying in?!” Aunt Xu exclaimed in surprise.

 

“Enough of that. Just tell us straight, how much is it?” a fulang urged impatiently.

 

“Yes, how much?”

 

The others also chimed in.

 

Qiao Suiman raised his hand, clapped, and answered, “The same portion size as our other drinks, but since it contains both milk and tea with sugar, it will be a bit pricier. Twenty-five wen per serving!”

 

“Twenty-five? That’s twice as expensive as others!”

 

“Didn’t you hear the shopkeeper? It has both milk and tea, so naturally it’s more expensive. And you know how generous his servings are. It’s fine if you don’t drink it, less competition for me.”

 

“Who said I won’t drink it? I’m just saying! I didn’t say it was expensive!”

 

“What time tomorrow? I need to come early to avoid missing out.”

 

Qiao Suiman picked the important question to answer: “At the beginning of chen shi[mfn]辰时 : 7-9 AM[/mfn]! We’ll hang the plaque and sell the milk tea together!”

 

“Good!”

 

“Alright! I’ll definitely be the first tomorrow!”

 

“Get lost! I’ll be the first!”

 

Seeing the two about to quarrel again, Lu Dongqing helplessly stepped in to separate them, soothing both sides until the crowd finally dispersed.

 

“Xiao Man, Xiao Man.”

 

Qin Xiaoyao went into the shop only after seeing that there were fewer people there.

 

Qiao Suiman smiled and went to greet him. “Xiaoyao, perfect timing. After we returned, the opening of the shop kept us too busy. I haven’t yet sent over the dried beef from the prefectural city that I brought for you.”

 

 

–

 

Author [陳皮皮梅]: There’s a second update~ The next chapter will conclude the main story! There will be many extras~

 

 

 

 

 

 

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