Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

Seeing her sister staring at Mo Lang, Xia Zhiqing couldn't help but sigh, acting like a child having a tantrum. She smiled gently, took her sister's hand, and pulled Xia Zhining to sit down at the table, saying, "Zhining, Mo Lang is just joking with you. Why did you take it seriously?"

As she spoke, she picked up a piece of lamb, swished it in the pot a few times, dipped it in some sauce, and fed it to Xia Zhining.

After Xia Zhining ate it, she noticed Chen Mo's gaze and blushed. However, seeing that he didn't say anything, her initial embarrassment faded. She justified herself, saying, "I'm eating lamb, not that hot pot base..."

After one attempt, Xia Zhining started using her chopsticks herself, no longer needing anyone to feed her, and wasn't afraid of what Chen Mo might say.

"Don't just stand there, all of you sit down," Han Anniang said as she noticed everyone still standing and sat down to eat.

Just then, Chen Mo realized something was amiss. He scanned around and found Aunt Ning was missing, and asked, "Min'Er, why didn't you call Aunt Ning over?"

"Huh?" Song Min was taken aback for a moment. She assumed calling his other women would be enough since Aunt Ning wasn't one of them and wasn't very interactive, so she didn't call her.

Xia Zhining placed some vegetables into the ying-yang pot, slightly pursing her lips upon hearing this.

Noticing Xia Zhining's gaze, Chen Mo said, "Ning Wan is Xue'Er's aunt, so naturally, she's my aunt as well. New Year's Eve dinner is meant to be a reunion meal; how can it be called a reunion if someone is missing?"

Chen Mo turned to Liang Xue and said, "Xue'Er, go and call Aunt Ning over."

Liang Xue, unlike Xia Zhining, wasn't very intimate with Chen Mo and didn't think much about it, so she put down her chopsticks and went.

"Don't just eat, put the dishes in," Chen Mo said as he put deer meat, tiger meat, pork blood, and bear paws into the pot.

Chen Mo had previously plucked the fur from the bear paws, parboiled them, and pre-cooked them, so he wasn't afraid they wouldn't be fully cooked.

Han Anniang and Yi Shiyin sat on either side of Chen Mo. Xia Zhining originally wanted to sit next to Chen Mo's right hand but seeing this, she had to stop and sit next to Han Anniang, together with her sister.

Xia Zhiqing watched Chen Mo put so many dishes into the pot and curiously asked, "Mo Lang, isn't it enough to swish a few times? Why so much?"

"I didn't slice these meats thinly, so they need more cooking; otherwise, they won't be done," Chen Mo explained.

Han Anniang nodded in agreement.

"Brother Mo, should these cabbages and greens go in too?" Song Min pointed at the vegetables on the plate.

"If Min'Er wants to eat some, she can put them in."

Just as Chen Mo finished answering Song Min, Yi Shiyin burst out, "It's so spicy, where's the water? I need to drink."

The maid standing behind was just about to fetch tea, but Chen Mo interrupted, "Not hot tea, bring cold tea."

Anyone who has eaten spicy food knows that drinking hot water when it's unbearably spicy is intensely refreshing.

"Understood."

When the maid brought the cold tea over, Chen Mo said, "I forgot to tell you, this pot is called a ying-yang pot. This side is clear broth, and this side is spicy; if you can't handle the spice, you can eat from the clear broth."

Then, Chen Mo picked up a piece of tripe and swished it in the clear broth pot, using it as an example.

Seeing this, the women finally understood what the clear broth was for.

"Ying-yang pot, husband, the name sounds festive," Yi Shiyin chuckled.

As everyone was enjoying their meal, Liang Xue and Ning Wan arrived late.

Ning Wan dressed impeccably, wearing a perfectly fitted light yellow jacket and skirt, draped with a white fox fur coat that accentuated her figure.

Most importantly, Ning Wan's clothing clashed in color with Han Anniang's.

Ning Wan was originally a woman of similar personality to Han Anniang. With their outfits clashing, she somewhat overshadowed Han Anniang.

"Marquis, esteemed madams, I'm sorry for arriving late, please forgive me,"

Her voice, like the clear ringing of gold and jasper, carried a touch of gentleness as she bowed modestly to Chen Mo and the others.

Before Liang Xue came to fetch Ning Wan, she was resting in her room because it was cold, and being just a regular person, she was nestled under the covers, not particularly dressed up.

When Liang Xue came to call her, Ning Wan hurriedly dressed in a jacket and skirt so as not to keep Chen Mo waiting. Her figure was similarly voluptuous to Han Anniang's, and in bowing, a jade bowl of her own was inadvertently exposed.

Chen Mo didn't linger on the sight, casually replied with a smile, "No need to be so formal, Aunt Ning, we're all family. Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Marquis," Ning Wan and Liang Xue sat down opposite Chen Mo.

Ning Wan had never eaten hot pot and was puzzled by the obviously raw dishes on the table, unsure about how to start.

Fortunately, Ning Wan was only pretending to be clueless rather than truly inexperienced. Watching Chen Mo and the others, she started imitating them.

Seeing that the women were all eating eagerly and seemingly enjoying the flavors, Chen Mo asked, "Honestly, how do you all find the taste?"

"Good."

"Fragrant, numbing, and spicy."

"Perfect for wintertime."

All the women except Ning Wan offered their opinions, and Liang Xue chimed in to avoid seeming aloof.

"Since everyone seems to think it's good, how about we start selling this hot pot set?"

Nobody complains about having too much money; the Three States are currently developing and in need of funds. Naturally, Chen Mo started thinking of ways to earn more, his idea being to sell packaged hot pot bases.

Han Anniang had managed a grocery store for a while and thought it feasible.

As for Yi Shiyin, Xia Sisters, including Liang Xue, they didn't understand the concept.

At that moment, Ning Wan, who hadn't spoken yet, chimed in, "Marquis, I think if you're selling what you call hot pot bases, it might be better to open a restaurant, introducing hot pot as a dish. The profits would be greater."

Chen Mo and the others were taken aback, looking at Ning Wan with expressions that seemed to say, "Do you understand this?"

Ning Wan showed a hint of embarrassment and said, "Our Ning Family's ancestors started in commerce, with stores in both Hedong and West River. Overhearing and observing, I've come to understand some of it."

The reason Ning Wan spoke was that having been living in the backyard, she helped with nothing, feeling like an outsider, and was anxiously uneasy.

If she could be of use, her anxiety would lessen, and it would also increase her presence, preventing others from feeling like she's just sponging off them.

Chen Mo became intrigued, stating, "Aunt Ning, please elaborate."

Seeing that her suggestion caught Chen Mo's attention, Ning Wan took a deep breath and clenched her hands under the table, saying:

"Replying to you, Marquis, first of all, hot pot is entirely novel to the common folk. They don't know how to eat it, so selling hot pot bases wouldn't work because they wouldn't understand what to do with these items, so they wouldn't buy them. Even if you send someone to explain what these items are for and how to use them, for the common folk, a new thing is bothersome if they can't eat it right away.

But opening a restaurant is different; you can prepare everything for them, and after a simple demonstration, they'd figure it out and not find it bothersome. This way, you can charge for the hot pot base and profit from other dishes too.

In addition to the dishes, if people find it too spicy, they'll want to drink something, and we could offer a soup to relieve the spice and charge extra for it.

Aside, the heavy flavor of hot pot means the aroma spreads far; opening a restaurant would attract the common folk inside, making it easier to sell other dishes on the menu."

Ning Wan explained thoroughly.

Chen Mo's eyes sparkled; what Ning Wan described was essentially a chain hot pot restaurant.

Furthermore, the Great Song Dynasty lacked hot pot, so he could establish an exclusive business.

Listening to Ning Wan's confident elaboration, it was clear she understood practical implementation well.

Chen Mo lightly patted the table, stood up, and said, "Since Aunt Ning is knowledgeable in this, could you help me open this restaurant?

Rest assured, you just need to handle the execution; I'll provide the people, money, and location. We'll split the profits thirty-seventy; thirty percent yours, seventy percent mine."

Chen Mo extended a sincere invitation.

Ning Wan was slightly stunned, suddenly feeling a new burden being placed upon her. However, since she proposed opening a restaurant, it was precisely because she intended to help.

Ning Wan agreed.