CHAPTER 588: CHAPTER 588: MAKE THEM CRAVE

She made a lot of soy sauce, and after cooking it, she filled thirty-five half-meter-tall little sauce jars, completely filling the entire kitchen and the eaves outside, leaving no space to even set foot.

"Cha Hua, go call for Nanny Tao and have her bring Qiu Lang and the others to transport the soy sauce to the storage room in the workshop," Gu Jinli said while sealing the mouth of a small sauce jar, addressing Zhu Chahua.

"Yes." Zhu Chahua complied, ran to the pharmaceutical workshop, and a quarter of an hour later, brought Nanny Tao and the others over.

Nanny Tao instructed Qiu Lang and the others: "Move all these sauce jars to the mysterious ’Xuan’ storage room in the fifth courtyard of the pharmaceutical workshop. Be careful not to break them."

"Yes," replied Qiu Lang and his companions, each carrying a small sauce jar and heading towards the pharmaceutical workshop.

Nanny Tao had long been curious about what this soy sauce was. After seeing a clay basin of soy sauce on the stove, she asked, "Young Master, is this the soy sauce? May this old servant have a taste?"

Gu Jinli nodded: "Go ahead, Nanny."

Nanny Tao took a wooden spoon, scooped half a spoonful, and took a sip. She exclaimed in surprise, "How does this taste almost the same as Hai Xian Sauce? It truly is a fine product."

But...

"Such a good thing can easily bring disaster."

Hai Xian Sauce, made by marinating meat, was a popular sauce among the aristocratic families and wealthy households of Great Chu. The recipe was held in the hands of powerful elites who had been profiting from Hai Xian Sauce for many years. With the emergence of this kind of soy sauce, comparable to Hai Xian Sauce, it was bound to impact the sales of Hai Xian Sauce. The elites would not sit idly by and watch their money bags shrink.

"Young Master, it’s best not to make this product," Nanny Tao said with a worried heart: "Good things cannot be protected without strong authority; you could lose your life over this."

Nanny Tao knew well the methods of powerful elites seizing wealth. It wasn’t just selling soy sauce that could be problematic, but even just making it for consumption—if someone found out, they would come to steal the recipe. Then, you would have no choice but to hand over the recipe, or else face a dead end.

Gu Jinli said, "Don’t worry, Nanny. Since I’ve opened the sauce jar, I’ve thought of countermeasures."

After hearing this, Nanny Tao frowned, then relaxed: "Young Master is wise, and since you’ve said so, you must have taken all precautions. I won’t worry anymore."

Gu Jinli nodded and continued, "Nanny, please stay and help out. Once I’ve made the Sanbeiji (Three Cup Chicken) and Sauce Chicken, you take some back to the workshop, and add a dish for tonight’s meal."

Nanny Tao was naturally eager, wanting to try the taste of dishes cooked with the soy sauce: "Alright."

Qi Kang Le arrived with two kitchen maids, their hands carrying chickens and ducks that had been prepared.

Gu Jinli worked efficiently, instructing the two kitchen maids to chop the ducks and then marinate the chickens with sauce prepared with soy sauce.

An hour later, she finally finished making the Sanbeiji and Sauce Chicken, and also made a steamed fish and boiled pork with garlic sauce, using soy sauce for the dipping sauce.

The soy sauce contained a bit of sugar to enhance the flavor, and dipping the tender white fish flesh in the sauce made for a deliciously fresh bite.

The boiled pork with garlic sauce was fragrant and rich—the strong garlic flavor combined with the freshness of the soy sauce made for an appetizing treat.

Nanny Tao tried all four dishes and praised, "Truly delicious, and each has its uniqueness. Such dishes could be sold in the restaurants of the Prefecture City and would be sought after by gourmets."

Gourmet is the elegant term for those who love to eat.

But precisely because it was too delicious, Nanny Tao once again reminded Gu Jinli before leaving, "Young Master, handle the soy sauce with caution, so as not to attract trouble."

Gu Jinli nodded: "Rest assured, elder."

That night, the family stuffed themselves with these four dishes, with Gu Jin’an particularly fond of the steamed fish: "The teacher would definitely like this dish."

Xiao Yu once taught Cousin Le how to make boiled fish which, though it contains bean sprouts that teacher likes to eat, isn’t suitable for teacher because the teacher prefers light flavors and can’t handle that dish.

Gu Jinli: "Then tomorrow, big brother will send a few fish and several jars of soy sauce to Uncle Shang."

When she had custom-made the small sauce jars, she also bought a number of five-pound jars, specifically for the purpose of bottling soy sauce to send to the Shang Family and Jiang Family.

Gu Jin’an nodded: "That works. I’ll take it to teacher tomorrow when I go to school, and take the Jiang Family’s share too, letting Uncle Old Luo help send it to the Jiang Family."

Brother Cheng, raising his little hand, said: "Big brother, Master Xia’s family also wants some."

Worried that Gu Jinli might not agree, he asked her: "Second Sister, is that alright? I can give you silver."

Gu Jinli laughed: "How much money do you have? My soy sauce is very expensive, twenty taels of silver per jar."

Brother Cheng was dumbfounded: "Second Sister is crazy, Hai Xian Sauce only costs one tael of silver per pot."

Gu Jinli retorted: "You’re the crazy one. I can sell my stuff for whatever price I like. Even for my own younger brother, I won’t make it cheap."

However, she agreed to send a jar to Master Xia’s family, to tantalize that couple.

Upon hearing Gu Jinli loosen up, Brother Cheng was extremely happy and kept complimenting her with many kind words.

The next day, since he needed to take the soy sauce, Gu Jin’an went to school driving a mule cart.

First, he dropped Brother Cheng off at the Xia Family, and after the Xia Family’s servant took Brother Cheng into the residence, he turned to go to the Shang Family.

Scholar Shang was surprised to see him bring eight jars of soy sauce: "This is the soy sauce Xiao Yu mentioned? It’s done? Haha, after more than half a year, this soy sauce is finally made. It really took a lot of effort."

He then hurriedly called for Ah Jiu: "Quick, take a jar to the kitchen and use it to cook dishes the same way you would with Hai Xian Sauce."

"Okay." Ah Jiu went and did as told, and in less than an hour, he had made several meat dishes.

After tasting them, Scholar Shang said: "Though the flavor is a bit less than that of Hai Xian Sauce, it’s indeed a good product."

He also asked Gu Jin’an: "What does your family plan to do with this soy sauce? Are you still going to cooperate with Elder Lei Wu and Ah Ji? Elder Lei Wu is not bad, but that Ah Ji, he’s somewhat inscrutable."

Gu Jin’an inquired: "What does teacher think?"

Scholar Shang cherished Gu Jin’an very much. Although he had not formally taken him as a disciple, he always had Gu Jin’an’s best interests in mind: "Elder Lei Wu and Ah Ji already have condiments and bean oil, which is enough. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket. Hai Xian Sauce is for the elites, and soy sauce is similar to it..."

After some thought, Scholar Shang suggested: "Why not cooperate with the Zheng Family and the Shangguan family. They are noble families and royal relatives. Having the protection of these two families, no one would dare to snatch your soy sauce and it can ensure the safety of your family members. Moreover, you can use this item to deepen your ties with them."

Good Brother An is ultimately a peasant boy, being friends with Zheng Ying and Shangguan Zhuo, two noble young masters from rich families, always feels a bit lacking. If you join hands with the two families to open a soy sauce workshop, you can hold your head higher in their presence.

Although cooperation with the Zheng Family and Shangguan family would dilute the Gu Family’s profits, the safety and security it would bring to the Gu Family would be a fair trade-off.

Scholar Shang gave his advice.

Gu Jin’an smiled: "Xiao Yu thought the same."

Before the soy sauce was even ready, Gu Jinli had shared her thoughts with him.

Scholar Shang was pleased: "Oh, that girl thinks the same way. Indeed, it fits her nature."

To stay under the radar, draw others to invest, stick closely with others, and quietly make a fortune.