Chapter 68: Advertising and Strategy (Requesting Monthly Votes)

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On the night of the Dragon Boat Festival, lanterns and fragrant breezes drifted over the Qinhuai River. Near the drill ground where the courtesan contest had just taken place, the great hall prepared for the Courtesan Banquet shone with brilliant lights and was filled to capacity.

This evening’s banquet was meant for some three to four hundred people and began under the direction of Prefect Liu. First came a brief performance of song and dance, after which the four great courtesan leaders each made their entrance in their own fashion, offering thanks before taking their seats. This was a well-established ritual: splendid and formal. The hall gathered all manner of notables and scholars; those seated closest to the front were, naturally, the most renowned officials and gentlemen. Behind them were merchants who had sponsored contestants in the courtesan contest—figures like Pu Yangyi and Su Tan’er held places of honor, while Gu Yanzhen found himself a little farther back, chatting idly with Shen Miao. Now and then, he would glance at the crowd ahead, or turn to gaze at the trees outside the hall.

Soon after the formal greetings, Yuan Jin’er, having just taken her seat, seemed to notice something and, smiling, spoke to the prefect beside her. Gu Yanzhen, too, broke into a smile and turned to Shen Miao. “Zishan, watch closely; the real show is about to begin.”

Yuan Jin’er was a friend of Nie Yunzhu’s, and Gu Yanzhen had already guessed much of what was about to unfold, feeling rather clever in his anticipation. Sure enough, Yuan Jin’er, smiling, pointed to a dish of preserved eggs, their shells removed. “How delightful, and so pretty! Prefect Liu, might I ask, what is this delicacy?”

Prefect Liu, likely unfamiliar with the dish himself, had made inquiries beforehand since he was hosting. He answered with a smile: “This is a pine-patterned preserved egg, also known as the Prosperity Egg or Jadeite Egg. Miss Yuan, if you look closely at the patterns within, they resemble pine branches—elegant and noble. Tonight’s banquet is attended by people of wealth and standing, and jade symbolizes peace and safety. This is indeed a fitting dish for our occasion.”

With official eloquence, and having introduced the motifs of pine, prosperity, and jade, Prefect Liu continued with graceful elaboration. He had no idea that Yuan Jin’er, one of the four great courtesan leaders, was in fact playing the shill, bringing him to say just what was needed. Everything went smoothly; Yuan Jin’er was pleased and turned to glance outside the hall.

Standing there, Nie Yunzhu waved with a smile, her heart pounding with excitement. She certainly hadn’t the means to hire the prefect himself as a shill, but over the past two months, under Ning Yi’s guidance, she had cultivated connections and set the stage for this very moment: to make the pine-patterned preserved egg famous through the words of the prefect at tonight’s grand banquet. Though she had been somewhat displeased with Ning Yi’s overt support of Qi Lan in the contest, Yuan Jin’er nonetheless gave her best effort now. With a charming smile, she picked up one of the preserved eggs. “Since the prefect speaks so highly of its auspicious meaning, I must try one. But how should one best eat it?”

Simple advertising at its finest—the longer she could keep everyone’s attention on the preserved eggs, the more effective it would be. Yuan Jin’er kept the conversation on topic. At that moment, an elderly gentleman nearby raised his hand. “Wait a moment.”

Both Yuan Jin’er and Prefect Liu were caught off guard. The old man said, “May I ask where the prefect procured these preserved eggs? I have some knowledge of their preparation, and I understand that lime is used. If the proportions are wrong, they may be toxic…”

This unexpected development made Yuan Jin’er curse inwardly, though she maintained her smile. The old man’s status was so high that she could only keep up appearances and see how things played out. In the back rows, Gu Yanzhen, who had been watching Yuan Jin’er’s performance, now chuckled wryly. “This is interesting—someone’s throwing a wrench in the works, and not an easy man to deal with.”

Outside in the trees, Nie Yunzhu was just as surprised. But when she recognized the old man, she looked into the hall toward Ning Yi. By now, some guests had already started eating the eggs, but upon hearing the warning, everyone set down their chopsticks—except for Ning Yi, who calmly dipped a slice in soy sauce and ate it as if nothing had happened. Beside him, his wife Su Tan’er snatched the egg away in exasperation. Nie Yunzhu, watching this, could not help but smile, though her feelings were tinged with bittersweetness.

In the hall, the old man smiled. “There’s no need to worry unduly. Limewater is often used in cooking, and many dishes employ it for flavor—if used properly, it can stimulate the appetite and even have health benefits. But those dishes have established methods and pose no risk. This preserved egg is a new invention this year; I have tried it before, and only those produced by Zhu Ji are the genuine article, suitable for a banquet. However, it has not been around for long, and I hear there are now imitations in the marketplace. My concern is that if the method is not properly followed, the eggs could be harmful rather than beneficial—then they would hardly deserve the names Pine, Prosperity, or Jadeite Egg, would they?”

He had not finished when Yuan Jin’er’s mouth fell slightly open, and Gu Yanzhen froze. Prefect Liu hurriedly sent someone to inquire, and when the answer returned, he laughed heartily: “These eggs were indeed purchased from Zhu Ji.”

The old man nodded with a smile. “Then all is well.” He picked up an egg and placed it in his bowl. Across from him, someone joked, “Sir Ming, your knowledge is impressive. Who would have thought you’d be so well-versed in culinary matters?” The old man called Sir Ming laughed. “This is no idle boast. In my youth, I was a true gourmand, traveling far and wide for fine food. When it comes to the pleasures of the table, I’ll accept being second to none—you’d be hard-pressed to find my equal!”

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He began to eat the preserved egg, and with that, everyone’s doubts vanished. Prefect Liu, not to be outdone, picked up an egg to set an example. After all, having boasted so much, it would be a grave embarrassment if anyone thought his banquet fare was not authentic. He went on to praise the preserved egg with even more enthusiasm.

In the hall, Kang Xian and Ning Yi exchanged a glance that seemed to say, “You owe me a favor.” Outside, Nie Yunzhu sighed, gazed at the river of stars in the sky, and smiled. Looking back into the hall, she saw Ning Yi eating as if nothing had happened. Farther back, Gu Yanzhen frowned. “I never thought he would already have spread such rumors…” Unaware of Ning Yi’s connection to Kang Xian, he assumed only that word had reached the influential elder.

Beside him, Shen Miao sighed, then smiled. “Yanzhen, I fear you’ll have to hand over those ten taels of silver to me ahead of time.”

In these times, news did not spread swiftly, mostly passing by word of mouth, but that also meant there was little noise to muddy the truth. The incident with the preserved egg at the Courtesan Banquet was but a small episode, yet in no time at all, word would race through Jiangning. Whenever people discussed the preserved egg, they would inevitably mention this story. With Kang Xian’s endorsement, for a time, only Zhu Ji’s preserved eggs would be worthy of the name—no other could claim the titles of Prosperity or Jadeite Egg. Anyone attempting to imitate would find their fortunes cut off overnight; even a price war would not touch Zhu Ji’s business.

At the close of the banquet, a woman remarked that someone in the city’s east had been poisoned two days before—not seriously, but apparently from eating a fake preserved egg. The story was half true, half false, impossible to verify. Soon after, the new manager hired by Nie Yunzhu arrived in a flurry, declaring that their mistress was worried imitations might harm people and was willing to present the authentic recipe to the authorities for public release. Prefect Liu waved his hand. “Why reward such unscrupulous workshops that steal inventions and endanger people? Close them down at once!”

In truth, only one workshop outside was imitating the preserved eggs. Ning Yi, knowing the recipe could not remain secret for long, had never bothered to keep it confidential. In fact, he had deliberately let the recipe slip out, so that others could produce preserved eggs before the festival, thereby playing their part in this staged drama. After all, if anyone later fell ill from eating preserved eggs and the blame fell on Zhu Ji, the consequences could be dire. Prefect Liu’s crackdown on a tiny workshop that made less than a tael a day was itself a bit of performance, winning him praise at the banquet. Had the imitation industry truly taken off, he would not have acted so decisively.

By now, all the groundwork was in place; all that remained was to take action the next day.

At the banquet, a minor episode played out at Ning Yi’s table, owing to Su Tan’er’s familiarity with the preserved egg.

“The first thing you ever gave me to eat, husband, was this—is it your creation?”

“I stumbled upon it by chance and passed it on.”

“Did you give it to a friend?” Su Tan’er smiled. “I know, you know.”

“Oh?” he queried.

“Li Pin, or perhaps Gu Yanzhen… In any case, that’s how it spread, isn’t it?”

Hearing Gu Yanzhen’s name, Ning Yi looked puzzled. Su Tan’er explained: “I once saw this on the street and remembered you’d brought it to me. I made inquiries, and the story of Gu Yanzhen using a preserved egg to court a courtesan is now the talk of the town—such a devoted fellow. Husband, you’ve played matchmaker, a good deed… Though I can’t help but feel a little uneasy that your creation is credited to someone else…”

The Su family would never approve of Ning Yi engaging in commerce, let alone running a food shop, so Su Tan’er assumed he had simply given the recipe to help someone else in need. Indeed, Ning Yi had always downplayed his role. He was left speechless at her understanding, while Gu Yanzhen, seated far behind, might well have spat blood if he’d overheard Su Tan’er recounting this “romantic tale.”

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The next day, after meticulous preparation and renovation, a small shop bearing the sign “Zhu Ji” opened for business at a modest crossroads in Jiangning. Nie Yunzhu had hired a well-reputed chef, and the specialty dishes were all based on preserved eggs—congee with lean pork and thousand-year egg, among others, all tested and perfected. Ning Yi contributed a few simple ideas, but in this era of close-knit communities, impersonal fast-food models would not work; it was best to offer warmth and a sense of home. The chef was a true professional, and the taste of the preserved egg dishes far surpassed anything Ning Yi or Nie Yunzhu had managed on their own.

The number of street carts selling preserved eggs increased to four, each named after a different flower—Plum, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo—and all decorated with what Gu Yanzhen thought were rather contrived paintings. These carts roamed the city daily; patrons who spent enough at a cart could collect a wooden token, and gathering all four with different designs entitled them to discounts at the main shop.

Meanwhile, the restaurants selling Zhu Ji preserved eggs now displayed a refined wooden plaque to certify authenticity, and, along with the rumors from the Courtesan Banquet, built a reputation by word of mouth.

Though there was a measure of planning, to Ning Yi, these arrangements were trivial. His mind was not on the merchants vying to compete with Zhu Ji, nor on the family members scheming for control against Su Tan’er, nor on the city’s many scholars; as for Gu Yanzhen—he did not yet know him.

Before dawn the next day, Ning Yi hurried to the Qinhuai River and found Nie Yunzhu, cheeks flushed, waiting outside the small building. It was opening day, and she had been waiting a long time. She asked him to raise his hand, bit her lip with determination, then raised her own slender, fair right hand and gave his palm a gentle high-five, afterwards flashing a candid smile.

She looked at Ning Yi, who smiled in return, thinking he might not understand her feelings, but so long as they were both smiling, that was enough. The high-five was a bit improper, but she truly wanted to do it just once; her heart was pounding. Two months before, her hand had been grasped by Gu Yanzhen, and she had slapped him and rushed away to wash. It had been a horrible feeling, the sensation lingering as if it could never be washed off.

She had wished that Liheng had been there instead, but when she saw him the next day, she couldn’t summon the courage. Now, finally, she had touched his palm. In her heart, it felt like a great accomplishment, as if the shop’s opening today had gained a new meaning.

Ning Yi, of course, paid no special mind to the gentle high-five. That morning, he saw one of the preserved egg carts passing by on the opposite road, and thought of all Nie Yunzhu’s efforts. But he had other matters to attend to.

He stopped by a shop selling shoes and socks, bought a pair, and then, with his breakfast in hand, made his way toward the academy.

That morning in Jiangning, a woman named Su Tan’er boarded her carriage to oversee the business empire she had built. On the other side of the city, Nie Yunzhu opened the first door of her little shop. Amidst the crowds, Ning Yi carried his small bundle, heading to pursue matters that truly piqued his interest…

In the sixth day of the fifth month in the eighth year of Jinghan under the Wu Dynasty, the city brimmed with energy and hope—everything was just beginning.

Ning Yi pushed open the courtyard gate, and the sound of the wind chimes drifted over…

To those with monthly tickets left, cast your votes—don’t hold back any longer! ^_^V!~!