Bao Guiyou took a deep breath. When he looked up again, a respectful look had already replaced his previous expression.
"Shopkeeper Li, I'm all ears."
Li Ying smiled and said, "First, let's talk about the choice of ingredients. The ratio of fat to lean meat should be 4:6. For every catty of minced meat, eight taels to one catty of scallion - and - ginger water should be stirred in. High - grade soup is even better..."
Before she finished speaking, the waiter standing beside them couldn't help gasping.
"Eight taels? We usually mix at most two taels of water with one catty of meat. There's no business without deception, but Madam Li, you're going too far!"
Li Ying retorted, "You're wrong. This is the secret to making juicy and tender - meat water - stuffed buns. If you want to make pan - fried buns, soup dumplings, or crab - roe dumplings, you need even more soup!"
She suddenly stopped talking and looked at Bao Guiyou with a smile.
Bao Guiyou knew that Li Ying was waiting for his response.
He was never an ambitious man. All he wanted was to hold on to Yufengxiang.
Since Li Ying had shown her willingness to cooperate, if he joined hands with her, not only could they improve the meat buns, but they might also be able to introduce pan - fried buns and soup dumplings in the future. Business prosperity would be just around the corner!
If he continued to side with Tao Zhi, with just the seafood willow - leaf buns, Li's Restaurant could steal most of his customers.
The choice between turning over a new leaf and self - destruction was obvious.
Bao Guiyou didn't hesitate any longer. He bowed respectfully to Li Ying and said, "I was blind and didn't recognize your talent, Madam Li. Please forgive my past mistakes."
After they signed the agreement, Li Ying gave him more advice. For the ingredients, there was no need to use streaky pork. Instead, the lean meat and fat should be prepared separately. Otherwise, if the fat was over - stirred, it would melt into oil, and the soup for the stuffing wouldn't be absorbed.
There shouldn't be too much scallion. And before adding it to the stuffing, it should be pre - mixed with sesame oil to keep it crispy and prevent the unpleasant onion smell.
There were also tricks in making the half - leavened dough for the bun skin, adding water to the stuffing, pinching the folds, and controlling the heat when steaming.
Bao Guiyou listened attentively and was completely convinced.
Li Ying's throat was dry from talking. She took a sip of tea and then waved her hand casually. "You can figure it out on your own. When you've mastered making the seafood willow - leaf buns and water - stuffed pork buns, I'll teach you other things."
Bao Guiyou personally saw her off respectfully. Then he rushed back to his room like a man who had found a precious treasure and began to study.
Li Ying let out a sigh of relief.
Alliance meant that the four weaker restaurants united to resist the strong Li's Restaurant and prevent themselves from being annexed.
Alignment, on the other hand, meant regarding Li's Restaurant as a backer and then marching into other restaurants to achieve annexation and expansion.
By persuading Bao Guiyou of Yufengxiang, she had taken the first steady step in her alignment strategy.
It was still early. Li Ying found a teahouse and gulped down two mouthfuls of tea. She started to calculate in her mind.
According to Lu Xunguang's information, Qi Lebang, the shopkeeper of Drunk Fairy House, always obeyed Tao Zhi's words. He was a complete toady.
"Man will risk his life for money, just as a bird will for food." In this world, there was no wall that couldn't be toppled by coercion and inducement.
Today, she was going to see if Qi Lebang was really as loyal to Tao Zhi as he seemed.
Li Ying was in a hurry and didn't notice at all that in the corner of the teahouse, a pair of eyes were fixed on her like cockleburs. They watched as she rushed non - stop towards the Drunk Fairy House.
"You mean that little Madam Li visited Bao Guiyou? No one knows what method she used, but she managed to convince him so thoroughly that he bowed and scraped and personally saw her off?"
In Dingtailou, the shopkeeper Feng Yuan listened to the waiter's report and snorted disdainfully.
"Bao Guiyou is a spineless weakling. I knew he was unreliable, but I didn't expect him to be defeated by a woman so quickly. It's really disgraceful."
"That woman is going to the Drunk Fairy House? Well, she's quite brave. She knows the principle of divide and conquer... But Qi Lebang is no pushover. I'd like to see how far this mere woman can go?"
Feng Yuan ordered the waiter to lie in ambush outside the Drunk Fairy House. If there was any new information, he should report it as soon as possible. Then he closed his eyes indifferently.
Li Ying arrived at the Drunk Fairy House, tired from the journey. This time, she didn't try to be mysterious or cover her face with a veil. She simply grabbed a welcoming waiter.
"Please invite your shopkeeper and tell him that Li Ying is here to visit."
The waiter looked embarrassed. "Madam Li, our shopkeeper said that the Drunk Fairy House and Li's Restaurant are irreconcilable enemies. You're not welcome here. Please go back..."
Li Ying wasn't angry. She took out a piece of silver from her bosom.
"Just a little something for you to buy wine with. I only ask you to pass on a message. If Shopkeeper Qi wants the land of Li's Restaurant, I'm willing to give it up. Why go through so much trouble and hurt our harmony?"
The waiter took the silver and had to go back to report. Soon, he quietly led Li Ying to a small door. "Madam Li, our shopkeeper is waiting for you."
Li Ying understood immediately.
Lu Xunguang had obtained the menu of the Drunk Fairy House early on. There were many dishes on it that were very similar to those in Tianxiang Tower back then. She had thought it was strange at that time.
The Drunk Fairy House was just copying others. Could it really be willing to follow Tao Zhi obediently and be just a shadow?
Now, as she expected.
Although Qi Lebang seemed to rely on Tao Zhi in every way, he was actually ambitious. It was very likely that he had long harbored the intention of taking Tao Zhi's place.
Li Ying remained calm. She followed the waiter directly to the private room. Qi Lebang was already waiting there. When he saw her come in, he said coldly, "Madam Li, you said you're willing to give up your restaurant to me. Is that true?"
Women were short - sighted. Even if they were lucky enough to make some waves for a while, they couldn't hold on in the long run. This Li Ying knew when to quit and came to him to seek peace. At least she was sensible!
Li Ying smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Qi, why are you in such a hurry? My Li's Restaurant will open a branch in the capital in the future. If you cooperate with me, it's not impossible for you to be the shopkeeper of that branch."
"However, I'm not sure if you'll still have the chance to last until then."
Qi Lebang thought her words were really ridiculous.
Open a restaurant in the capital?
What kind of audacity did this woman have to come to him and talk nonsense?
"Since Madam Li has no sincerity, there's no need to say more. Someone, see the guest out!"
He lost his patience and turned to leave. But Li Ying spoke calmly and slowly.
"Shopkeeper Qi, don't be in such a hurry. Your lofty ambition is beyond my reach as a woman. But I wonder, what would Shopkeeper Tao do if he knew about your ambition?"
As soon as she said this, Qi Lebang's face changed drastically.
"Li Ying, don't slander me!"
Li Ying retorted, "The menu of the Drunk Fairy House imitates Tianxiang Tower in every way. Any discerning person can see that. Tianxiang Tower uses dried bamboo shoots and free - range chickens for its stew, while you use fresh bamboo shoots and young pigeons. Your intention to take Tao Zhi's place is obvious. Tao Zhi isn't a fool. How could he not see it?"
"But then, why does he pretend not to know and even support you in every way and give you whatever you want?"