CHAPTER 212: CHAPTER 212: GU YUMEI RECEIVES GIFTS

Everyone agreed, and Third Grandpa went home to discuss the matter with Third Grandma.

"Just right, there was quite a bit of meat left after the workshop’s opening, all hung in the old well to keep, we shall cook it all tonight, else the meat would spoil," began Third Grandma with Old Mrs. Yan, bustling about to prepare dinner.

Gu Jinli then called Mrs. Cui, Gu Jinxiu and those who hadn’t set up stalls including Ms. Chu, Luo Huiniang, Aunt Tian, Tian Xiaohua, and Gu Yumei over to his house to teach them how to mix the spice formula.

Gu Yumei had long been curious about how the spices were blended. Hearing Gu Jinli calling her to teach the preparation of spices made her incredibly happy. But she couldn’t hold back her tongue and said sarcastically, "None of our families are short of money now, why bother making spices ourselves? Can’t we just hire a few servants to do the work?"

Gu Jinli chuckled, staring at her and said, "Are you going to learn or not? If not, get lost, my door is not closed."

Gu Yumei choked up, almost bursting into tears; she had only spoken casually and didn’t say she wouldn’t learn.

Though irritated, Gu Yumei wanted to learn how to make the spice mixture and thickened her face to stay.

Gu Jinli brought out eight types of spices, telling them, "We need to produce 2,400 catties of goods by April 26th, too much for me to handle alone. I’ll teach everyone the recipes so we can work on this together."

She pointed to cardamom and fennel and said, "These two spices, Aunt Luo’s family will handle them. One catty of cardamom, plus two taels of cardamom, mix them evenly and then pack them in a small cloth bag."

She continued, "Aunt Luo, Hui Niang, you can now head to the workshop and have Mo Chunyue pick the cardamom and cardamom for you to take home, blend these two spices in the proportions I mentioned. Remember, don’t over or under do it, or the flavor will be off."

Luo Huiniang was amazed, "Is it that simple?"

Gu Jinli nodded, "Just that simple, go on with your mother. Remember to come to my house for dinner tonight."

"Alright," said Luo Huiniang, standing up with Ms. Chu. They left Gu Jinli’s house, went to the workshop first to have Mo Chunyue pick the cardamom and cardamom for them, then mixed the two spices according to what Gu Jinli had instructed.

Gu Jinli told Gu Yumei, "Your family is responsible for mixing cloves and cinnamon, two taels of cloves and a half tael of cinnamon, mix them together evenly, then divide the mixed spices into portions, pak them in cloth bags."

She pointed at the gate of the courtyard, "Got it? Then go to the workshop to get the spices and blend them at home."

She added, "Wait for your aunt to come back and tell her the proportions so she can blend it with you."

Gu Yumei was slow at working, relying only on her might take all day to blend not even a few catties.

Frowning, Gu Yumei shouted, "Gu Xiaoyu, aren’t there spice mixtures of five, six, eight varieties? Why only teach us two types? Why not teach the complete method? Your scheming is too deep, saying you’ll teach us how to make spices, yet you’re only teaching half, hiding the rest. Why so cunning? You should teach everything if you’re going to teach; if not, I won’t learn!"

Gu Jinli smiled, "This was agreed upon long ago by several families; tofu and spice recipes are held by my family. If you’re not convinced, bring it up with Third Grandpa at dinner tonight."

How much to teach and what to teach was her decision.

And the method she used was the safest. Each family mastering the blending proportion for two spices would ensure the spice formulas remained confidential.

Moreover...

"You don’t have to do the work if you don’t want to, but when the money is distributed on the 26th of April, your family’s ten percent profit will be confiscated."

"You, you’re threatening me!" Gu Yumei pointed at Gu Jinli, furious to the point of nearly fainting.

Gu Jinli swatted her hand away and said, "Who do you think you are? Worth me threatening you? Fancying yourself as some precious daughter, everyone is so busy, and you think you can just not work and still share the profit. What a dream!"

You’ve been spoiled too much. Have you forgotten the hardship of eating grass roots and tree barks when we fled the famine just a few days ago?

Gu Yumei had no choice but to cry and run to the workshop to fetch the spices.

From behind, Gu Jinli shouted, "Remember the proportions of the two spices. If you mess up the proportions and spoil the spices, don’t even think about sharing the profits, your family will have to pay compensation to the workshop!"

Hearing this made Gu Yumei even angrier. When she arrived at the workshop, she wanted to complain to her father, but lately he wasn’t as indulgent with her and her elder brother. She had to endure silently. She wanted to vent her anger on Mo Chunyue, but Mo Chunyue was not there; having picked up the spices, she had already gone to the Luo family with Ms. Chu and Luo Huiniang.

She could only pick the cinnamon and cloves herself and take them home.

Luckily, her home was close to the workshop, or else she would have been exhausted.

Before she even reached home, she saw a girl in a water-red brocade long jacket-skirt, holding a box, standing at her house’s door.

Gu Yumei immediately focused on the girl’s skirt, thinking how beautiful it was. It must be brocade, she thought, and only the rich could afford it. This must be a wealthy young lady.

But why would a wealthy young lady come to their house?

Her family knew no rich people.

Could it be someone sent by Mrs. Shang?

Wanting to please Mrs. Shang and hoping for her assistance in finding a good marriage, Gu Yumei thought the girl must be sent by Mrs. Shang and immediately became enthusiastic, "Sister, whom are you looking for?"

Gu Yumei set down her burden and tidied her hair and clothes, holding a cotton handkerchief as she asked softly, "This is my home, sister. What brings you here...?"

Is that how one should say it? She remembered her brother saying this is how big households in the city speak.

Hua’er, with a face thickly smeared with rouge covering the slap mark left by Zou Yuwan, looked with disdain at Gu Yumei’s affected attitude but kept in mind Zou Yuwan’s instructions, and said to Gu Yumei, "You must be the daughter of this household. My young mistress is staying at her maternal grandparent’s place for a few days and brought some gifts from the county for the village girls. This is for you, please don’t dismiss it and accept the gift."

Gu Yumei’s eyes sparkled as she heard this and sized up Hua’er once more, asking, "Who is your mistress, which noble does she belong to?"

This girl turned out to be a maid, and even the maid was so well-dressed; how wealthy must her mistress be?

Knowing the strained relations between Gu’s Workshop and the Zou and Lu families, Hua’er did not reveal her identity and simply said, "She’s not a noble, just an ordinary household in the county, whose old master holds a minor post in the county government."

Still, an official’s daughter!

Gu Yumei was ecstatic and quickly began banging on the courtyard gate, shouting inside, "Brother Fa, come and open the gate. Can’t you see we have a noble guest here?"

Brother Fa, this fool, only ever stays at home grinding spices. What’s he grinding for? They’ve hired workers, what’s the need for him, the Young Master, to work?