There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 324 A Worthy Person

At this moment, another customer said, "Miss Li, I would also like a portion of the autumn examination meal."

Li Shuchen: "Excuse me, everyone, we only have one hundred baskets left, and this young master has already booked them all. Other customers, please come back in a couple of days."

"Please, everyone, you are too kind."

The Qingzhou examinee stood proudly in the crowd, looking extremely arrogant.

Li Shuchen: "Young master, please come inside and have a seat. I'll go prepare the meal."

A student from Qingzhou said, "Okay, Miss Li, could you please bring me a plate of fried sweet potato fries? It'll help me pass the time."

"it is good"

Li Shuchen walked into the kitchen: "Early Summer, fry some sweet potato fries."

Early Summer: "Yes, Miss."

Li Shuchen called out into the yard again, "Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother, don't wash the sweet potatoes yet, come help me prepare the ingredients."

"Yes, Miss."

The eighth and ninth brothers were quick and efficient, and the three of them prepared the meal quickly, finishing it all before noon.

Li Shuchen returned to the guest hall and said to the Qingzhou examinees, "Young master, the autumn examination meals have all been prepared."

Upon hearing this, the Qingzhou examinee stood up, took out three silver notes, and handed them to Li Shuchen: "Miss Li, these are three hundred taels of silver notes."

Li Shuchen did not take the money but instead asked, "Young master, won't you check if the next meal is appropriate?"

The candidate from Qingzhou replied, "No need, I trust Miss Li's character."

Is it because you trust her character, or because you think she's naive and wouldn't lie?

Li Shuchen accepted the money with both hands, glanced outside and saw many carriages and men, presumably his men. He then said, "I'll take you to the backyard to fetch your meal, young master."

Qingzhou examinee: "Thank you, Miss Li."

One by one, the carriages carrying the autumn examination food drove away, and the number of examination baskets in the courtyard also decreased.

Soon after, the courtyard was vacated.

A student from Qingzhou said, "Goodbye, Miss Li."

"Goodbye"

Li Shuchen held the three hundred taels of silver notes with a smug grin; this was still the fastest way to make money.

"Old Eight, go to the old lady with the baskets and order another hundred exam baskets. We need them for the 6th. If she doesn't have a hundred, we'll take whatever we have."

Eighth Brother: "Yes, Miss."

Li Shuchen took out a hundred-tael silver note and handed it to Lao Jiu: "Go to the butcher shop and buy some cured meat."

Old Jiu took the money with both hands: "Yes, Miss."

Li Shuchen gave instructions to the two men, then went into the storeroom to count the rice. He found only two bags left; it seemed he would have to buy more rice tomorrow.

Selling sweet potatoes, a simple and mindless day.

The fifth day of the eighth lunar month was the same; after buying rice, I spent the day comfortably and easily.

August 6th, Mao hour

Li Shuchen had already gotten up and gone to the kitchen to knead dough, mixing a lot of wheat flour, corn flour, and buckwheat flour.

While waiting for the flour to rise, prepare the side dishes in the basket. This meal is different from the last one; the eggs have been replaced with dried sweet potatoes.

The dried sweet potatoes were dried very well, with a reddish-brown color, and were chewy and resilient.

There weren't enough baskets, only eighty.

The ingredients are ready, and the dough has risen.

Li Shuchen pinched off small pieces of dough, shaped them into rounds, and placed them in a steamer.

After everything was in the pot, the staff started working.

"Miss, you must have gotten up very early to do so much."

Cook Wang said while putting on her apron.

Li Shuchen: "I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time, so I got up at dawn."

Wang Shuang'er: "Why didn't Miss tell us to do it? It would be faster if we all worked together."

Early Summer: "I should have gotten up an hour earlier today."

Li Shuchen said seriously, "The rules are set. You have to start work when it's time to start. There's no reason for you to come early. Watch the steamed buns and tell me when they're done."

"Yes"*3

Li Shuchen, who had been busy since early morning, was a little groggy, so she washed her face with cold water to wake herself up.

Xiao Feng: "Miss, a young master is looking for you in the guest room."

"understood"

Li Shuchen wiped his face with a towel, took off his apron, and went to the guest room. He immediately saw the Qingzhou examinees smiling and drinking tea at the table.

"Why are you here again?"

"Miss Li, what are you saying? Are you not welcoming me to your establishment?"

Li Shuchen sat down at the table and poured himself a cup of tea: "Are those one hundred meals for the autumn examinations sold out?"

A student from Qingzhou said, "They're sold out long ago. Miss Li's autumn examination meals are plentiful, nutritionally balanced, and inexpensive, making them very popular with the students. I'd like to buy some again next time."

Li Shuchen: "This time the meals are a little different from before. The staple food has been changed from raw rice to wheat noodles, corn noodles, and buckwheat steamed buns. The eggs have been replaced with dried sweet potatoes. Everything else remains the same."

A student from Qingzhou asked, "So, the meals for this year's autumn examination are ready-to-eat, and there's no need to cook?"

Li Shuchen: "Yes"

Upon hearing this, the Qingzhou examinee beamed with joy: "That's wonderful, Miss Li! This time the food will definitely sell better than last time. May I ask how much you've prepared this time?"

Li Shuchen: Eighty

The Qingzhou examinee frowned upon hearing this: "Eighty? That's a bit low, but we can raise the price and make a good profit. How much silver do you plan to offer me, Miss Li?"

Li Shuchen: "Four taels of silver"

Qingzhou examinee: "Alright, I'll wait here while Miss Li prepares the meal."

Li Shuchen looked at the composed young man in front of him and asked, "Are you really a candidate, young master?"

Qingzhou examinee: "What, Miss Li, do you think I don't look like it?"

Li Shuchen: "While other candidates are busy preparing for the exam, studying late into the night and memorizing texts, they don't have a moment to spare. Even the supplies they need for the exam are bought by their families. You, on the other hand, don't study every day but instead start doing business with me."

The candidate from Qingzhou said, "Haha, to be honest, Miss Li, I originally didn't want to study for the imperial examinations, but my father forced me to."

He is quite old, and I dared not disobey him, so I had no choice but to comply. This time, the old man did not come with me to the capital, so I can do whatever I want. It's truly free and comfortable!"

Li Shuchen: "To pass the imperial examination without studying, young master, your talent is truly enviable."

The candidate from Qingzhou waved his hand and said, "It is the teacher's skill that is remarkable; I am but a mediocre person."

Yu'er: "Miss, the steamed buns are ready."

Li Shuchen: "Understood, young master. Please wait in the backyard."

Qingzhou examinee: "Good"

kitchen

Li Shuchen: "Each food box contains ten steamed buns: six white flour buns, two corn buns, and two buckwheat buns."

"Yes, Miss."

Grape, while filling the basket with steamed buns, said, "Miss's steamed buns are so big! Grape only needs to eat one a day. Ten big steamed buns, a pound of dried sweet potatoes, and all this cured meat, vegetables, and fruits are simply too much to finish."

Li Shuchen: "You need to be well-fed to have the energy to answer questions."

Grape: "Miss is right."

Many hands make light work, and great strength is guaranteed!

Li Shuchen: "Young Master, the test baskets are ready. Take them all away."

"it is good"

After the Qingzhou examinee took the basket away

Li Shuchen wasn't idle either, continuing to knead the dough: "Go sell grapes for sweet potatoes and dried sweet potatoes. Dried sweet potatoes sell for fifty coins a pound."

"Alright, Grape will go right now."

As soon as the new steamed buns were cooked, Li Shuchen laboriously carried them to the entrance of the inn to sell.

"Come on in, take a look! The freshly steamed buns smell amazing!"

The white flour steamed buns that cost three coins each became sweeter the more you chewed them;

The corn buns, costing two coins each, became more and more fragrant the more you chewed them;

A buckwheat bun that costs one cent is more filling the more you chew it;

You won't regret buying this! One big steamed bun is enough to fill you up! Come and see, come and buy!