Chapter 34: Tomatoes

He stood up and walked over to Lin Feng. "Young man, your cooking is truly excellent. This is the best bowl of noodles I have ever tasted."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir."

Steward Wang took out a bit over a tael of silver. "This is for the noodles."

"It doesn't cost that much!" Lin Feng said. "Today is our first day at the stall, so every bowl is half price. Making money is secondary; I’m mostly looking to build a customer base. Since you’ve helped me gain some popularity, six hundred wen will be plenty."

Steward Wang smiled. "You could have kept that to yourself. I’m just a passerby."

"Once a price is set for the day, it must be the same for everyone, whether they are passing through or locals. You can't just change prices on a whim; that’s no way to do business."

Arbitrarily changing prices makes people feel that the profit margins are too high, that they aren't getting good value, and it causes them to question your integrity. It’s like a brand of high-end ice cream from his previous life that was once sold at a premium, dubbed the "Hermès of ice cream." But if it were to suddenly drop to a negligible price, no matter the reason, people would immediately assume that was all it was ever worth. They would feel cheated, having paid a "stupidity tax," and it would be impossible to sell it at a high price ever again. Therefore, unless there is a special promotion, prices shouldn't be slashed drastically, and they certainly shouldn't be changed without cause—unless you are truly clearing out your inventory.

Steward Wang looked at him in surprise. "I didn't expect to meet such an interesting young man here. Not only is your culinary skill great, but you also have your own principles in business. Very impressive."

"You are too kind, sir."

"Very well, six hundred wen it is." His attendant immediately produced the coins and handed them to Lin Feng.

Steward Wang smiled. "When I return to Jiangcheng, if I pass this way again, I will certainly have another bowl."

"By then, the prices may have returned to normal."

"These noodles are worth that price. If you were in Jiangcheng, people would gladly pay over a hundred wen for a bowl."

"So, you are from Jiangcheng, sir?"

"Yes. Every spring and autumn, I travel throughout Jiangzhou to procure goods and see what rare treasures can be found."

"Are you a merchant as well?"

"My master is the one in business; I am merely a working servant," Steward Wang chuckled. "Well, I must be off. I’ll come to eat your noodles again when I have the chance."

Lin Feng pulled out a small bag of spiced peanuts. "A snack for the road, sir."

"Are these peanuts?"

"These are my own homemade spiced peanuts. They taste quite good. Meeting is a matter of fate, so please accept this as a gift."

"Spiced peanuts? I’ve never heard of such a thing," Steward Wang laughed. "Courtesy demands reciprocity; I shall give you a gift as well." He turned to his attendant and said, "Go fetch that bundle of red fruit."

*Red fruit?* Could it be hawthorn? What kind of gift is that? Does Jiangcheng not have hawthorn?

The attendant brought over a parcel and handed it to Steward Wang, who said, "Some days ago in Ningdu, I met a few merchants from the Western Regions. They travel by sea to trade, and I exchanged goods with them for items not found in the Great Chu Dynasty. This red fruit is one of them. I found it very refreshing and sweet-and-sour. Take these for you and your young lady to enjoy."

*Young lady?* Lin Feng thought to himself, *Do we really look like a married couple?*

Tian Xi'er blushed, her face as red as a September apple, and she lowered her head in silence.

"What kind of fruit ripens in April?" Lin Feng asked, puzzled.

"I didn't quite understand the merchants from the Western Regions, but from their gestures, it seemed they came from a very hot place—far hotter than our Great Chu. Their fruits ripen much earlier."

Lin Feng nodded. "I see. Thank you, Brother Wang."

"Don't mention it. I must take my leave!"

"Safe travels, Brother Wang!"

Steward Wang mounted his horse, saluted Lin Feng, and led his carriage caravan onto the stone bridge.

"Sister Xi'er, open it and see what it is. Is it hawthorn?"

Tian Xi'er carefully opened the bundle and stared at the large, red fruit inside, exclaiming in surprise, "It’s not hawthorn. It looks like an apple."

Lin Feng took a look and exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "It's a tomato!"

"What is a tomato?" Tian Xi'er asked.

"It's a delicious vegetable, though it can also be eaten like a fruit." Lin Feng picked one up. "Try it."

Tian Xi'er took the tomato to the river to wash it and took a small bite. A tart flavor spread across her palate, followed by the refreshing, sweet juice. Her mood instantly lifted. "Brother Lin, this tomato is delicious!"

"It’s even better when cooked. You must be hungry—I'll make you a bowl of tomato and egg noodles."

"What about us?"

Liuxi and Xiaodie were walking down from the bridge, followed by Zhang Yuan and several other men from the Patrol Office.

"Brother Zhang, you’re here!"

"I brought a few men to show our support!" Zhang Yuan laughed.

"Welcome! I was just about to make tomato and egg noodles. You must all have a taste."

"What is a tomato?" Zhang Yuan asked curiously.

"It's a foreign vegetable. It's excellent; you'll see once you try it."

Lin Feng immediately set to work. Tian Xi'er helped him, learning as she went. Once the noodles were boiled, Lin Feng ladled the sauce over the bowls, and Xiaodie and Tian Xi'er served them to Zhang Yuan and his men. The three of them also sat down to eat.

After finishing his bowl, Zhang Yuan praised, "Tangy and savory—truly delicious!"

"Would you like another bowl?"

"No, I'm full. I had already eaten before coming here." He took out some money. "How much do I owe you, brother?"

"This is on me for you brothers; no need to pay."

"That won't do. It's your first day of business; we must pay. I'm covering for all of us!" He took out two hundred wen and placed it directly into the cash box.

Just as Lin Feng was about to mention the half-price deal, Zhang Yuan lowered his voice. "Brother Lin, I had no idea your cooking was this good. I was wondering..."

Seeing the look on his face, Lin Feng asked softly, "Is something the matter, Brother Zhang?"

Zhang Yuan sighed and pulled Lin Feng toward the riverbank, his voice low. "My older sister... I don't know what’s wrong with her lately. She won't eat or drink, she has no energy, and she stays in bed all day. My brother-in-law and I are very worried. The local doctor can't find the cause; he just says it's loss of appetite. But she refuses to eat anything we offer. Since your cooking is so good, I was hoping to trouble you to make a bowl of noodles for her."

"Of course. I'll make the tomato and egg noodles..." Lin Feng thought for a moment. "And bring a skewer of candied hawthorns. Both are excellent for stimulating the appetite."

"That sounds perfect."

"When should I go?"

"When do you plan to close the stall?"

"I'll close up right now and go with you."

Zhang Yuan hesitated. "My sister is likely resting now. I'll come to pick you up at the Hour of the Monkey (3:00 PM)."