A woman who can make ice jelly, gray tofu, and gray bean noodles must be clever indeed. Shopkeeper Tang grew intrigued: “Miss Xu, why not come inside and explain in detail?”
"No need, it’s just a few words. This fish skin can be made into something delicious, surely adding a new specialty dish to the Lotus Restaurant. Not only tasty, but easier to prepare. I wonder if Shopkeeper Tang is interested?"
Is it made with this fish skin?
“Yes.”
"But this fish skin is fishy and has no meat; I truly cannot imagine it becoming any kind of specialty dish."
“I’m in partnership with Shopkeeper Tang—why would I ever trick him?”
Shopkeeper Tang had managed the restaurant for many years. Even if he hadn’t eaten pork, he had seen pigs run. He had witnessed countless refined cooking methods and tasted no shortage of delicacies—immersed in this craft for a long time. Yet no matter how he stretched his imagination, he could not picture how a plain piece of fish skin could be turned into anything delicious.
Shopkeeper Tang saw Xu Zhichun’s resolute expression; it didn’t look like a lie, and his curiosity grew stronger.
"Alright, if this recipe can add a specialty dish to our restaurant, I’ll take charge and buy it from Miss Xu. But once I’ve purchased it, Miss Xu may cook it at home for herself, yet she must not sell it outside or teach it to others."
Xu Zhichun nodded with a smile: "That is only natural. This dish is truly easy to prepare. When Shopkeeper Tang sells it, it would be best to change its name, otherwise people might easily guess the method."
Shopkeeper Tang nodded. Fish skin looks like this—everyone knows it, so it’s no surprise it can be easily recognized.
"If it works, I want fifty taels of silver."
“This—”
“Shopkeeper Tang, this is a proper recipe.”
She knew quite a few recipes for grand dishes, but those complicated things clearly weren’t meant for someone like her to know. Making small snacks was fine. If she started with too much fanfare, it would attract attention and invite trouble. That was also why, though the harbor warehouse held many good things, she dared not openly bring them out.
Once she had a solid foundation, she would open her own restaurant, and then it would naturally come in handy.
Fifty taels of silver for a recipe was indeed not expensive. Shopkeeper Tang laughed heartily: "As long as the dish is truly good, that will do."
Xu Zhichun smiled: "I’ll go make it right now. Please ask this young man to tell my carriage‑driving companion to leave first, just say I have something to keep me here for a while."
Shopkeeper Tang nodded: "Go quickly, and explain it properly to him."
“Yes, Shopkeeper.”
Xu Zhichun entered the kitchen and asked everyone to leave. Since it wasn’t mealtime yet, it wouldn’t interfere with the restaurant’s business.
She swiftly cleaned the fish skin, brought water to a boil over high heat, and blanched the cut pieces in the bubbling pot.
After about a minute, she scooped the steaming fish skin out and quickly rinsed it in cold well water. This removed the fishy odor and blood, while also giving the skin more elasticity and a crisp bite.
Then she blanched the fish skin again in boiling water for six or seven seconds, quickly lifted it out, cooled it in cold water, and cut it into strips the size of fingers.
Finally, she mixed the fish skin with the prepared scallion shreds, cilantro, crushed peanuts, minced garlic, sesame oil, vinegar, salt, and dried chili.
Originally, the recipe called for fresh soy sauce made specifically for cold dishes, but such a thing didn’t exist in this era. Xu Zhichun had no choice but to boil soy sauce with water in a pot, then pour it into the bowl to mix.
A dish of fresh, crisp, slightly spicy cold‑mixed fish skin was now successfully completed.
Xu Zhichun opened the kitchen door: "Shopkeeper Tang, please come in."
Shopkeeper Tang entered with Chef Fang. Seeing the fish skin still looking plain and ordinary, both felt a little disappointed.
But since it was already made, and things had come this far, they might as well take a bite.
Just one bite, just for form’s sake—absolutely not a second.
Hm?
Both of them were taken aback.
Chef Fang exclaimed: "Is this really made from fish skin? It’s crisp, tasty, chewy, with a touch of fresh spice—perfect as a dish to go with wine!"
Xu Zhichun raised her thumb with a cheerful smile: "Chef Fang, sharp eyes!"
Chef Fang looked at Shopkeeper Tang in delight: "Shopkeeper."
Shopkeeper Tang also smiled and nodded: "Not bad, truly not bad. Who would have thought fish skin could be made into such a delicacy? I’m willing to spend fifty taels of silver on this, and I feel it’s worth every coin."
Xu Zhichun smiled: "Then let’s sign a contract and make a certificate, so Shopkeeper Tang can rest assured."
"Agreed."
Shopkeeper Tang ordered someone to prepare the contract. Xu Zhichun taught Chef Fang the method for making fish skin, while Tang carefully recorded every detail with his pen.
From this day forward, the menu of their Lotus Inn would boast one more signature dish.
In Shopkeeper Tang’s heart arose a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
He glanced at the notes he had written, then at Xu Zhichun instructing Chef Fang, and sighed inwardly: Truly, each trade is like a mountain apart—and for the capable, nothing is difficult.
Look! Who would have thought? Fish skin once fit only to be tossed to the pigs, with just such a simple treatment, could turn into a delicious cold dish.
It could truly be called turning decay into magic!
Shopkeeper Tang couldn’t help but say: "Miss Xu, if you ever have another good idea, you must think of our Lotus Inn first."
Xu Zhichun nodded with a smile: "Of course."
The method for cold fish skin was simple; Chef Fang mastered it after trying just once.
Xu Zhichun carried a contract and fifty taels of silver notes, along with a box of pastries from Shopkeeper Tang—mung bean cake and jujube‑yam cake—and happily returned to the marketplace to sell konjac tofu and konjac strips with Zeng Xiaoyan and the others.
As for the cold jelly noodles, from today they would no longer be sold at the market. The batch brought today was taken entirely by the Lotus Inn. When people asked, they explained the reason and directed everyone to eat at the Lotus Inn or Jade Water Teahouse.
Plain ice jelly with only brown sugar water costs three coins a bowl—affordable for all townsfolk.
Closing up today was much like yesterday: several small restaurants came to buy konjac tofu and konjac knots, each taking three to five pounds, and together these few restaurants alone bought about twenty pounds.
Today they brought about the same amount as yesterday.
Zeng Xiaoyan and Aunt Zhu both sighed with regret: “It’s a pity we’re too busy—otherwise we could make more to sell.” “Exactly, it’s all money!”
Xu Zhichun laughed and said: "This amount is actually just about right. At most we could add another twenty pounds or so, but any more might be hard to sell. For now, let’s keep it this way. Later we can discuss whether to hire extra help."
“Hire someone?” Aunt Zhu’er was startled. “Maybe forget it—we can manage ourselves.”
Xu Zhichun laughed and said: "Hiring people would only be for odd jobs. Selling is ours, cooking is ours—if we hire, it’s just for digging konjac, peeling, and chopping."
Aunt Zhu’er let out a breath of relief: “Yes, yes, this is better, much better. I was startled just now—what if people found out, what would we do?”
Zeng Xiaoyan also laughed: “Sister Zhichun thinks things through—we’ll just follow her lead.”
“Mm, right!”
Xu Zhichun laughed and said: "Let’s not talk about it now—let’s go have lunch. Today we’ll eat noodles with meat sauce, two big spoonfuls of sauce for each, my treat."
The fifty taels from selling the recipe were, of course, hers. But she felt there was no need to hide it from them—she ought to mention it, and generously treat them to a meal.
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