Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Jiangnan Three-White Simmer

Ming Lingyi had just finished greeting the neighbors when she turned and saw Wu Zhao Yu.

Wu Zhao Yu was the young girl Ming Lingyi had bought from the brokerage a few days prior—the bonus that came with the pair of twins.

The day after she brought them back, she gave the three of them new names.

The broker hadn’t deceived Ming Lingyi; Wu Zhao Yu’s cooking skills were indeed excellent. For the past few days, Ming Lingyi had barely set foot in the kitchen, as Wu Zhao Yu single-handedly prepared all the meals for everyone in the rear courtyard.

Wu Zhao Yu was particularly skilled at cooking mutton, which was currently all the rage in Shangjing City.

The mutton soup she made had a creamy white broth and a rich, fragrant aroma.

As for dishes like her red-braised mutton, the color was vibrant, and the meat was tender, succulent, and without any gaminess. It was so juicy with every bite that you could tell she had once been a head chef at a major restaurant.

After two days of eating her cooking, Ming Lingyi felt more and more like she had struck gold.

Not only that, but Wu Zhao Yu was also excellent at roasting meat.

Two days ago, the farmer who supplied Ming’s Restaurant with pork had hunted a deer in the mountains. Knowing Ming Lingyi was a generous buyer, he brought it straight to her.

Sure enough, Ming Lingyi bought it without a moment’s hesitation.

That afternoon, Wu Zhao Yu roasted the venison, and that evening, she made fish congee. Everyone in the rear courtyard ate until their bellies were full and round.

The main dish being launched today was mutton pilaf.

The mutton for the pilaf came in three options: leg, ribs, or boneless. Customers could choose whichever they preferred.

Ming Lingyi also added a new dish. Bamboo shoots were plentiful at the market recently, and since Ming Lingyi loved eating seasonal produce, her menu changed along with the vegetables of the season.

On today’s menu was a new soup. As usual, Ming Lingyi gave it an elegant-sounding name:

"Jiangnan Three Whites Stew"

The dish itself was a classic from the Jiangnan region, and the "three whites" referred to its three main ingredients.

Spring bamboo shoots, tofu skin knots, and cured pork.

Since all the ingredients were simmered together in a clay pot to make a soup, the name was a perfect fit.

To ensure the dish was perfectly flavorful, Ming Lingyi had even custom-ordered a batch of small clay pots.

They weren’t very large, but each could hold a portion big enough for three to four people.

She had bought plenty of earthenware jars previously when she made baked milk, so she was already familiar with the people at the local kiln. These clay pots, while not overly refined in appearance, didn’t cost much silver.

Their appearance was secondary; what mattered was their sturdiness. They wouldn’t crack from repeated washing and the associated temperature changes.

The kitchen had also been expanded significantly. In addition to the two wood-fired stoves Ming Lingyi had used before, a new countertop stove for the clay pots and two more regular wood-fired stoves had been added. After all, Ming Lingyi was saving a spot in the kitchen for Yao Niang, in addition to Wu Zhao Yu.

Ming Lingyi had discussed the dimensions of the clay pot stove with Zhang Qi. She had big plans for it; besides being used for the clay pot stews, she was already thinking about serving hot pot in the winter.

The mere thought of serving a partitioned hot pot in winter—the broth bubbling away, its rich aroma filling the air—made Ming Lingyi’s mouth water.

As she daydreamed about winter hot pots, Ming Lingyi stood by the kitchen stove, blanching the fresh meat for the day’s dishes, adding scallions and ginger to the water to remove any unwanted odors.

The meat she was blanching was fresh pork ribs. She placed the blanched ribs and the cured pork into a clay pot together, added water, and then put in more scallions, ginger, and a small spoonful of yellow wine.

Once it came to a boil, Ming Lingyi skimmed the scum from the surface.

Xiao Chun watched from the side, utterly fascinated. Seeing all the small pots lined up reminded her of playing house as a child, and she eagerly volunteered to help.

Ming Lingyi was happy for the help. She let Xiao Chun tend to the pots on the stove while she prepared the bamboo shoots and celtuce. She waited until the broth in the pots had simmered down over a low flame from full to just over half, then added the spring bamboo shoots, tofu skin knots, and other ingredients.

The moment the spring bamboo shoots and celtuce hit the pot, a fresh, clean aroma filled the air.

The deep, savory fragrance of the cured pork blended with this fresh, vernal scent. It wasn’t jarring in the slightest; instead, the two merged in the bubbling broth, creating an utterly irresistible aroma. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The BUBBLE BUBBLE of the simmering broth was a cheerful invitation to the ear.

The cured pork was already salty, so after tasting the broth, Ming Lingyi confirmed that no extra salt was needed and let it continue to simmer.

After adding vegetables like the bamboo shoots and celtuce, another half-hour of simmering over a low flame would be enough for it to be served. By then, the flavor of the bamboo shoots would have completely infused the broth, and the celtuce would be tender enough to fall apart, turning slightly translucent. A single bite would offer not just the clean taste of the celtuce, but also the rich, savory flavor of the meat.

Xiao Chun took over the task of minding the fire, standing watch over the nine clay pots.

She felt like she was being marinated by the aroma.

With nine clay pots simmering before her, even with the lids on, the pervasive aroma was making her dizzy with delight.

And that wasn’t all. Nearby, Wu Zhao Yu had already started preparing the mutton.

The aroma of the searing mutton was so intense that Xiao Chun could feel her stomach about to RUMBLE.

Just then, Ming Lingyi, having changed into a new spring dress, arrived at the restaurant’s entrance. It was almost noon. Wu Zhao Yi and Wu Zha’er, the twin brothers she had recently purchased, were already at the door with firecrackers, waiting for their big boss to appear.

Although they hadn’t officially opened for business, the aromas wafting from the kitchen of Ming’s Restaurant had already drawn a crowd.

Leading the group was an old acquaintance of Ming Lingyi’s, Mr. Du, who ran the stationery shop across the street.

The moment Du Xuan saw Ming Lingyi step outside, he called out a greeting.

"Boss Ming, hurry up and open for business!" Du Xuan’s words were filled with genuine feeling. He had been a die-hard fan of Ming’s Restaurant, eating there almost every single day.

He had initially thought Ming Lingyi’s renovation and expansion of the two storefronts would take about ten days, which seemed manageable. But by the third day, Du Xuan was already getting antsy.

With Ming’s Restaurant closed, he had tried eating elsewhere, but it truly felt like he was eating without tasting a thing.

Nothing had any flavor; he felt that no matter what he ate, it couldn’t compare to the food at Ming’s Restaurant.

After five or six days of such bland meals, he was genuinely thrilled that Ming’s Restaurant was finally reopening today.

Ming Lingyi laughed. "Right away! As you all know, we’re reopening today after renovations and expansion. To thank everyone for your support, we’ll be holding a special promotion for the next three days!"

As she spoke, those who hadn’t previously noticed the wooden sign at the entrance now saw the details of the promotion written on it.

"Whoa! Boss Ming is so generous! You can get a free dish!"

"Does that mean I have to eat more today? No, I’m coming for all three days!"

"Wow, I was already planning to try the Southern Fragrant Pepper Bone today. If I can get another dish for free, does that mean I can order two and only pay for one? What a steal!"

The crowd immediately erupted with excitement. At that moment, Ming Lingyi lit the string of bright red firecrackers that had been prepared.

Ming’s Restaurant was officially open for business!