The Fierce Farm Girl Has A Secret Space

Li Jing, this old man, is quite the foodie and knows his way around a meal. Having tasted delicacies from all over the country, he initially came to the hotpot restaurant just to save face for the local County Governor. However, after one bite, he got hooked. For the first time, he realized how delicious something as simple as cabbage and radish could be.

After his first tasting, he even had people gather lots of cabbages and radishes, but no matter how he cooked them, they didn't have the hotpot restaurant's unique flavor.

So, Li Jing had no choice but to thicken his skin and go to Fang Dehua, asking for an additional three-day tasting pass.

Yang Ruxin, of course, couldn't be happier and sent the pass to the old eunuch with great fanfare.

The old eunuch wasn't stingy either. He invited all his acquaintances over, and since none of them had ever seen him speak so highly of a single restaurant, their expectations were sky-high.

But one meal later, when they returned home, they found that no matter what they ate, nothing tasted right anymore. Somehow, nothing could match that flavor.

However, the three-day tasting period ended soon, and many days were left before the soft opening.

The soft opening was scheduled for October 1st, and it was no longer free—dishes were sold at half price.

The result? Almost all the people who had come for the tastings turned into regular customers.

Of course, some sharp-minded individuals also started trying to uncover the source of the ingredients while dining. The staff had a uniform response: the ingredients were grown using a secret method developed by the boss. Not only did they taste exceptional, but regular consumption was said to help with certain health conditions. And most importantly, these ingredients were nowhere else to be found.

And so, people began asking if these secret-ingredient vegetables were for sale or if they could form a long-term supply partnership.

Seizing the opportunity, Yang Ruxin introduced a line of premium produce gift boxes at the hotpot restaurant. Each beautifully woven bamboo basket contained two cabbages, two radishes, and four large pears, priced at one tael of silver. Customers who enjoyed the food could take vegetables home to cook for themselves.

The price was quite steep, but since the vegetables were grown using a secret method, the price was non-negotiable. Additionally, the quantities were strictly limited—only twenty boxes were available each day, no more.

No matter the era, there are always wealthy individuals who don't mind spending money. Within a few days, the twenty gift boxes were in extremely high demand.

Nevertheless, Yang Ruxin made sure that one box was sent daily to Li Jing and the Fang Family.

For the Fang Family, this was her way of honoring her relatives and elders. As for Li Jing, it was a strategic gift for the restaurant's growth, given the old eunuch's far greater influence than the County Governor.

Li Jing, of course, understood Yang Ruxin's intentions and happily accepted her gesture. After all, his palate had already been spoiled by these vegetables.

"Sis, you're the best. I totally admire you." Yu Qingge gave Yang Ruxin a thumbs-up. She knew that Ruxin had her own secret methods, but she also understood the gravity of the situation, so she kept quiet about it.

"Stop buttering me up," Yang Ruxin rolled her eyes at her. "I have no intention of accepting you."

"Just accept my inn instead," Yu Qingge chuckled. "You're definitely planning to open a shop in the Prefectural City, right? I'll contribute my fixed assets as a stake—just give me a ten-percent share."

Yang Ruxin gave her another eye-roll but didn't outright refuse this time.

Just as the hotpot restaurant's soft opening was wrapping up, the results for the provincial examination were finally announced.

The examination was held in the state capital, but there was no need to travel to the Prefectural City to check the results. The shortlist of successful candidates would be sent to the county's administrative office based on their academic records. From there, the County Governor's Office would send messengers to deliver the good news to the candidates directly.

Out of the four people from Lianhua Town who participated in this year's examination, only one person passed—and that person was Guan Qingshu. Meanwhile, Yang Rusong failed to make the cut.