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The banana leaves unfurled, revealing the dark green solid in the wooden barrel before Lu Ziyou's eyes.
"Xian Cao Mi?" He leaned in to take a whiff. The faint fragrance of the celestial herb he had sensed earlier was now more pronounced, instantly piquing his interest.
Yu Chunmiao instructed someone to fetch a few bowls and some honey.
Lu Ziyou held the Xian Cao Mi, took a bite, and his eyes lit up with delight as he nodded repeatedly. The moment it touched his tongue, the aroma was delightful and refreshing, perfect for the sweltering summer heat. With all the hot tea served in the shop, this was just the right treat—quite impressive indeed.
He set down the bowl and asked with great curiosity, "I've had Xian Cao Tea before; how is Xian Cao Mi made?"
Yu Chunmiao smiled but remained silent.
Lu Ziyou understood immediately—it was a secret recipe, not to be shared.
Yu Chunmiao continued her sales pitch, "I see you have Osmanthus Honey here; it tastes even better with that. You can also crush some roasted peanuts on top; once you take a bite, you'll have fragrant peanut bits in your mouth for an even better texture. You could add raisins or cook red beans and mung beans. And since it's June, adding watermelon would be nice too."
"It tastes even better chilled with ice water," Qi Chongtu chimed in.
She could only mention what was available in this era, avoiding any talk of things like taro balls or mangoes.
Lu Ziyou, being a businessman at heart, straightforwardly asked, "What’s the price?"
This caught Yu Chunmiao off guard; she sold it by the barrel but had no idea how many bowls were in one barrel. However, she couldn't show hesitation and pretended to think it over.
The cost of this barrel, after deducting labor, was mostly from the rice flour—less than ten wen—and then there was the rental for the ox cart at another ten wen. If she set the price too high, it wouldn’t be appropriate since he was a friend of Qi Chong; if too low, it would take too long to make money.
She glanced at several tables of customers and waved her hand confidently, saying, "No rush; I’ll give you this barrel for free. You can serve some to the customers below—just follow my instructions: use Osmanthus Honey and whatever else you have. Don’t serve too much at once; two items will do for now. We’ll see how the customers react before setting a price."
Lu Ziyou immediately responded, "That sounds excellent!"
He then called over an attendant to carry off the wooden barrel.
In the Elegant Room, only Qi Chong and Yu Chunmiao remained. She leaned closer to Qi Chong and whispered, "How much do you think we should sell a barrel for?"
Qi Chong replied earnestly, "You can set any price you want; there's no need to consider my feelings."
Regardless of how much they charged, as long as Lu Ziyou accepted it, they would profit from it. He was purely a businessman; if someone couldn’t pay, he wouldn’t mind giving it away for free but wouldn’t engage in losing deals.
Lu Ziyou arrived at the kitchen and instructed them to fill bowls with all the Xian Cao Mi from the barrel.
A barrel held thirty bowls, each filled with raisins and sweet red beans, finally drizzled with Osmanthus Honey. He himself tasted a bowl and found the flavor indeed richer than before.
In the Elegant Room of Yu Chunmiao, he observed as the attendants carried bowls of Xian Cao Mi to the guests. Lu Ziyou, fanning himself, sat at a tea table, appearing to quietly enjoy the performance while actually observing the guests' reactions.
One guest remarked, "The snacks served today are quite good. How much for a bowl? I'll have another."
An attendant stepped forward and replied, "Thank you for your kind words, esteemed guest. This is Xian Cao Mi. Today, it is complimentary for everyone to taste. In a couple of days, it will be available for sale at our establishment. We hope you will visit us then."
The guest responded, "Very well! When it goes on sale, send ten portions to my residence. I’m sure the ladies at home will love it."
The attendant noted this down, addressing him as Lord Wang.
As praises for the Xian Cao Mi continued to flow, Lu Ziyou closed his folding fan and returned to the Elegant Room. Once seated, he said to those around him, "I trust you all witnessed the scene downstairs. That basin of Xian Cao Mi can hold thirty bowls; let’s discuss a price!"
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