Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 147 is set up as a branch.
Although it was a branch of Yanzhisi in Zhangye County, Tan Huaike paid special attention to this store in Andu, investing almost all the cash she had on hand and making thorough preparations beforehand. For her, this was a huge gamble, so she personally took charge of the store, arranging every detail meticulously.

Pei'er was timid, and seeing that she was going all out for this shop, she was very worried and asked her what would happen if she failed.

Unlike other places, where spending more money can always get things done, Anbu has always been a dangerous place. Accompanying the lady all the way here, she felt that every place was a den of dragons and tigers. If she was not careful, she would be devoured alive by those high-ranking officials and nobles. Not only would she lose all her wealth, but she would also owe money to the money shop in Zhangye. There would really be nowhere for her to go.

Tan Huai Ke replied that it was precisely because Andu was treacherous and dangerous that they had to take a gamble with all their might. Moreover, the Grand Minister of Works was currently vying with the Crown Prince over the details of selecting imperial merchants, and many merchants in the capital were openly and secretly plotting against each other. They had to take advantage of the situation to snatch some meat from their mouths.

She explained it in simple terms, and Pei'er understood immediately. It turned out that her mistress had long seen through her goal and was prepared to pay the price, which was why she dared to take such a desperate gamble.

On the opening day, firecrackers crackled outside. Looking up at the signboard of Yanzhisi, Tan Huaike thought: Finally, she is no longer a piece of meat to be slaughtered. This time, she will be a wolf fighting for fresh meat.

In line with the flagship store in Zhangye County, Andu's store also features a performance of the Kupsu Nile dance by dancers. The opening is still the revised version of "Muye", which is sometimes as passionate as galloping horses and sometimes as gentle as the moon reflected on the lake, immediately attracting the onlookers outside to come into the store.

As the restaurant filled up with diners, the dancers began to tossing out brocade pouches containing surprises such as free meals and unlimited drinks, creating an atmosphere of great celebration for the opening. Furthermore, Tan Huaike promised that for a whole month, every bottle of Xijing wine would be bought with one free, and all dishes at a single banquet would receive a 10-cash discount for every 100 coins spent.

Because it was originally famous for its Hu cuisine, Yanzhisi's signature dishes were all Hu food, and many of the menu items still had three options: "Authentic Original Flavor," "Try New Flavor," and "Special Flavor." However, in terms of ingredient preparation, Tan Huaike instructed the kitchen to prepare more ingredients for the "Try New Flavor" and "Special Flavor" options, because she had previously discovered when making Hu pancakes that the people of Andu rarely accepted authentic Hu food. After all, this was not a border region, and there weren't that many Hu people here.

This made Tan Huaike realize that if she continued to open branches further south, such as in the Jiangnan region, there would likely be even fewer people who would appreciate the authentic local flavors. She would then likely have to adjust the menu accordingly. Of course, that's all in the future. If she could expand her business to Jiangnan, she would probably already be a renowned imperial merchant in the Great Xuan Dynasty.
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Just as she was greeting the diners to take their seats and order, Tan Huaike suddenly noticed several familiar faces peeking in from outside the door, seemingly hesitant about whether to come in. She quickly went out to greet them, saying, "Madam Ge, Madam Wang, Uncle Zhang, Granny Li, come in quickly! Why didn't you let me know you were coming?"

These families were neighbors near the courtyard. Tan Huaike specially invited them to bring their families and children to the restaurant to eat, and to express his apologies for the inconvenience caused to them by customers queuing up to buy sesame cakes at their doorstep.

Madam Ge awkwardly wiped her hands on the hem of her dress: "I just saw you were busy, so I didn't want to bother you..."

Uncle Zhang, who was hunchbacked, also hesitated: "Madam Shentu, your storefront looks so impressive. Everyone who goes in looks rich and powerful. We...we're afraid there won't be any seats left."

"Not at all!" Tan Huai Ke immediately led them inside. "The restaurant is open to all, and we're eager for everyone to come and try our food and offer suggestions. I was the one treating everyone to dinner, so of course I reserved the table long ago. If you hadn't come, it would have been a real waste of such a delicious meal!"

"Then, then we won't stand on ceremony." Madam Wang called to the two children behind her, "Dahu and Xiaohu, quickly thank Madam Shentu."

The four children who came along were overjoyed at the lively scene. They were also excited to hear that a large feast was waiting for them. Their mouths watered as they followed their grandparents into the shop, laughing and joking.

Tan Huaike stayed with them until they were seated, personally offering them a cup of wine, and said, "My uncle and I haven't been in the capital long, and we've been very grateful for the care we've received from our neighbors. Before, when I opened my flatbread stall, the courtyard was always packed with people, causing everyone sleepless nights. I'm here to apologize to everyone." The neighbors waved their hands, "It's nothing, we didn't take it to heart." "That's because your flatbread is so delicious, Madam Shentu! My husband's lantern business has benefited from it too." "Yes, yes, we didn't bother you much..."

Tan Huaike raised his cup to the second cup of wine: "It is thanks to everyone's support that my Yanzhisi store was able to open. Please rest assured, I will no longer take orders for flatbreads there, but if any of you neighbors are craving some, I will still make some for you."

After a lively meal, Uncle Zhang couldn't help but ask, "Madam Shentu, I saw on the sign outside that it says 'Andu Branch.' Is your shop's main branch in Hexi?"

Tan Huaike nodded: "That's right, in Zhangye County, Hexi."

“Although the one in Hexi opened earlier, Andu is more prosperous and well-known,” Uncle Zhang suggested. “Why don’t you just make this store the flagship store?”

“Uncle Zhang, to be honest, I’ve thought about this too,” Tan Huaike explained. “If I were in any other business, I would have made this place in Andu my main branch. But I’m in the business of serving Hu food. Which customer doesn’t want to eat authentic Hu food? Even if the taste changes slightly, the source cannot be changed. So after much consideration, I decided to make this a branch.”

“Yes, yes, yes, when I was outside, I heard a lot of people say that this shop came from the Hexi border, and the owner is a beautiful woman from a foreign land, so it must be authentic and fresh… Oh dear, why are you pushing me!” Madam Wang spoke without restraint, and her husband, fearing that she would offend someone, hurriedly reminded her secretly.

Tan Huaike didn't mind: "Yes, there's nothing to hide. It's the taste from the West and the business owners from the West that make my business stand out."

What she didn't say was that there was actually another reason for using a semicolon at the end of Andu's "Yan Zhi Si"—

Each region has a set quota for imperial merchants, and she didn't want to compete with local merchants in Andu for these extremely limited spots. Since she had a choice, she naturally wanted to categorize her businesses in the four prefectures of Hexi, which would reduce the competitive pressure considerably.

After entertaining the neighbors in the courtyard, Tan Huaike went to greet other guests. Just then, several shouts came from the doorway, and several soldiers with swords and cold expressions barged in. The noisy restaurant instantly fell silent.

The leading officer shouted, "Who owns this place?"

The surrounding diners all turned to look. Madam Ge gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. Da Hu and Xiao Hu, who had been playing around at the table, turned pale with fright and hurriedly hid behind their parents.

Tan Huaike's eyes flickered slightly, then he stepped forward with a smile and bowed calmly: "Gentlemen, you have worked hard. It is the first day of my shop's opening. If there are any oversights, please forgive me."

The officer said, "There's nothing wrong with your restaurant itself, but we're here to check the identity of the owner."
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Next chapter: Is the identity you've been given real?