Chapter Thirty: The Old Fox and the Young Trickster

Qin Wenyuan was a seasoned merchant, and naturally, he had his own principles when it came to dealing with people. The reason he refused to accept the money was, in all likelihood, tied to his connection with Fourth Uncle Wu Changlu. After all, currying favor with the military commander of Fangzhou was worth far more than a few hundred coins. The shrewdness of this old merchant lay in the fact that he didn’t bluntly refuse the payment—instead, he found an artful excuse to help Wu Ning in return.

“In truth, whether an inn charges one hundred or five hundred coins a night, they’re both expensive!” he said. “But when an innkeeper dares to ask five hundred a night, a discerning guest will pause to wonder: what makes it worth so much? Is there something truly exceptional about it?”

These words awakened Wu Ning: of course, isn’t this just the luxury consumption seen in later times? Are luxury goods truly worth their exorbitant prices? Of course not. In a sense, the high price itself is part of the appeal.

“Thank you for your wisdom, elder!” Wu Ning bowed deeply, sincerely grateful.

Qin Wenyuan merely smiled, “Such are the petty tricks of merchants in pursuit of profit, not worth mentioning.”

He dropped the subject of money and peaceably stayed to dine with Wu Changlu. After the meal, when Wu Changlu left on other business, and the courtyard had emptied, Qin Wenyuan sought out Wu Ning, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

“Young Master Wu, there’s something I can’t quite grasp, and I hope you’ll enlighten me,” he said.

Wu Ning, having benefitted from the old man’s advice, was naturally willing to return the favor. “What matter puzzles you, elder?”

Pointing at the leftover food on the stove, Qin Wenyuan asked, “Your cooking seems rather different, doesn’t it?”

“Oh?” Wu Ning smiled meaningfully. “In what way?”

“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Qin Wenyuan admitted, “but the taste is simply more delicious.”

Wu Ning immediately understood his intent. Of course it tasted different—meals made with rich broth, compared to the bland fare of these times, were worlds apart.

He found it amusing. “Elder, when did you become so interested in kitchen affairs?”

Qin Wenyuan burst out laughing. “Don’t misunderstand, young master!” He feared his question had aroused suspicion. “I imagine you must possess some secret culinary technique to make the food so delicious, but I have no wish to pry into your secrets!”

In these times, recipes and unique skills were closely guarded, often a person’s very livelihood.

“However…” Qin Wenyuan’s tone shifted. “If you do have a secret, I’d be willing to pay handsomely for your instruction.”

So, in the end, it was the recipe he was after. That was only natural—the Qin family were famed merchants in Fangzhou, their business spanning grain shops, cloth stores, restaurants, and general goods. Of these, their restaurant was the most prominent. If Wu Ning truly possessed a secret recipe, how could Qin Wenyuan not be interested?

Moreover, he was straightforward—he’d pay for it. All that remained was for Wu Ning to name his price.

But would Wu Ning sell?

Nonsense! If Old Wu Nine had known a pot of broth could fetch money, he’d have been hawking it in the city long ago. The old man had simply deduced that Wu Ning was short of funds, hence his offer.

As for what price to set…

“Ha!” Wu Ning spread his hands. “Is that all you wanted to know, elder? It’s hardly a secret—just a pot of broth.”

He lifted the lid off the pot. “My cooking is hardly refined—far inferior to the chefs at your restaurant. The secret lies in this pot of soup. Add a ladle of this to any dish and I guarantee flavor beyond compare.”

“Oh?” Qin Wenyuan’s eyes lit up with surprise and pleasure. He had thought there was some special trick to Wu Ning’s claypot rice and soups, but it turned out the broth was the key. By Wu Ning’s account, any dish could be improved simply by adding a little broth. A handful of signature dishes might be a minor attraction, but if every dish could be elevated, that was enough for his restaurant to outshine all competitors in Fangzhou.

He pressed eagerly, “Would you be willing to sell me this broth recipe, young master? Name your price!”

Yet again he wanted Wu Ning to set the price, but Wu Ning had no idea what such a recipe was worth. With a flourish, he said, “No need to talk of money—it’s only a pot of soup, after all. Please wait a moment, elder.”

He went inside, fetched Wu Qi’s paper and brush, and wrote down every ingredient used in the broth, even listing kelp, which he hadn’t managed to procure. He withheld nothing. When he finished, he pressed the recipe into Qin Wenyuan’s hands. “Take it!”

Qin Wenyuan looked at the paper, close to tears. The rascal was playing a trick on him! He wanted to return the recipe, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. With his seasoned business sense, he sensed this recipe might mean everything to the Qin family restaurant—a chance to surpass the Wang family’s Cui Xin Restaurant and dominate Fangzhou.

“Very well!” In the end, the old man gritted his teeth, bowed to Wu Ning, and said, “Thank you for your generosity. I shall find a way to repay you!”

With that, he hurried back to the city, recipe in hand.

After Qin Wenyuan left, Wu Qi sidled up to Wu Ning.

“You just gave it to him for free?”

That wasn’t like Wu Ning at all. Had he really been cowed into obedience by their father and great-grandfather?

“From the look on Qin Wenyuan’s face, that broth could fetch a good price. Why give it away?”

“Free?” Wu Ning shot Wu Qi a scornful glance. “Just wait—he’ll be back with money soon enough.”

Wu Qi was skeptical. “He’s got the recipe—why would he pay you now?”

“Precisely because he isn’t a fool—he’ll definitely bring the money.”

“Why?”

“Because your father is Fangzhou’s military commander!”

Simply put, Qin Wenyuan had been generous, friendly, and loyal throughout. But some small details revealed his true intentions to Wu Ning. For one thing, the inn payment and the luxury pricing idea were not for Wu Ning’s benefit. Had it been anyone else, Qin Wenyuan wouldn’t have bothered, especially since he owned inns and restaurants himself. He only offered advice because the military commander of Fangzhou was present—he wanted to ingratiate himself with Wu Changlu. The favor and the advice were for Wu Changlu.

Secondly, why did he wait until Wu Changlu had left before approaching Wu Ning? Why didn’t he mention it at the table, or even hint at it? It showed he was a man of deep calculation; he had overheard the elders’ conversation, which not only advised Wu Ning but also displayed their disdain for merchants. That’s why, in front of Wu Changlu, he avoided the topic. Besides, it wouldn’t be wise to spend a freshly earned favor on a recipe that might not exist.

By approaching Wu Ning afterwards, he took advantage of the boy’s youth and gratitude, making it easier to obtain the recipe.

What Qin Wenyuan didn’t expect was for Wu Ning to simply give it to him.

Anyone else might have been happy to get the recipe for free, saving themselves a fortune. But Wu Ning was the commander’s nephew, and that complicated matters. As the saying goes, “Whatever is given freely is the most expensive.” Wu Ning had no idea what price to ask, so he left it to Qin Wenyuan to decide. Given Fourth Uncle’s standing, the old fox was bound to offer a fair price.

“Damn!” Wu Qi cursed aloud after hearing Wu Ning’s reasoning. “An old fox and a cunning brat—do you two have to be so devious?” He jabbed a finger at Wu Ning in mock accusation. “Seems like all that lecturing from Father and Great-Grandfather went right over your head!”

“Nonsense!” Wu Ning spat. “That’s a different matter entirely.”