Chapter 5 — Spicy Grilled Fish

After Zhou Run left that morning, Chu An’an began preparing the fish.

He split the remaining five fish in half and scored the flesh with diagonal cuts. He rubbed them with salt, pepper, light soy sauce, finely chopped chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, scallion segments, ginger slices, and oil.

This step was important for removing the fishy smell and allowing the seasoning to penetrate the fish.

Then he heated up the wok and began frying the fish.

He wasn’t familiar with controlling the heat of a rural stove, so he ruined the first fish. He set it aside to eat himself.

By the time he started on the second fish, he had gotten the hang of it.

Once both sides were fried golden brown, he removed the fish and placed them on a large plate.

He didn’t bother washing the wok.

He added more oil, then tossed in scallions, minced ginger, diced onions, and bell peppers.

Finally, he poured in some rice wine and slowly stir-fried everything over low heat.

Next came the spices.

This was an especially important step.

He added fennel seeds, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves—the spices he’d exchanged for a bowl of poached fish with Sister Xiu yesterday.

These spices were expensive and weren’t something ordinary households normally used.

But once added, they not only eliminated the fishy smell, they also made the dish intensely spicy, savory, and fragrant.

He added water and brought everything to a boil before tossing in some baby bok choy.

Once the vegetables were cooked, he removed them and arranged them across the bottom of a large plate.

This was the only large plate he’d managed to find after rummaging through the house that morning.

He then placed the fried fish into the intensely spicy broth and simmered them for five minutes.

That would allow the fish to absorb the flavor thoroughly.

Finally, he removed the fish and arranged them on the plate.

He sprinkled five-spice powder, sesame seeds, and dried chilies over the fish.

Then came the final step—

a generous pour of hot oil.

The moment the oil hit the fish, an explosive aroma filled the air.

The fragrance was even more powerful than yesterday’s poached fish.

Chu An’an repeated the process with the remaining three fish.

As a result, the entire house was filled with an intense, mouthwatering aroma for the whole morning.

It attracted quite a few villagers.

They weren’t particularly familiar with Chu An’an yet, so they didn’t dare disturb him.

Instead, they all stood outside the door.

Otherwise, they probably would have knocked already.

When Zhou Run returned, he saw more than a dozen people gathered outside.

He stood nearby and listened for a while before understanding what had happened.

At first, everyone had come to watch the joke and get a closer look at Qianhu Zhao’s new Fulang.

But after smelling the incredible aroma filling the courtyard, they genuinely wanted to buy some fish.

Even Zhou Run thought the smell was irresistible.

It was even richer and more fragrant than yesterday’s fish.

He quickly pushed open the door and went inside.

“There are so many people outside. They’re all waiting for your fish.”

In the kitchen, Chu An’an was already putting the finishing touches on the dish.

He arranged all the fish on a large plate, placing them neatly side by side.

“The more people, the better. We can sell them.”

Zhou Run looked down and realized today’s fish was completely different from yesterday’s.

Yesterday’s fish had been served in bowls with plenty of broth.

Today, it was an entire grilled fish.

He had grilled fish outdoors before.

The smell had been unbearable.

If he hadn’t been starving, he wouldn’t have wanted to eat it at all.

But the fish in front of him was completely different.

It was whole and plump, covered in a rich grilled-fish aroma.

His heart began racing with excitement.

It’s definitely going to sell like crazy!

He himself was tempted to spend money on one.

But An’an was generous.

If he asked to buy one, An’an might just give it to him for free.

Better not.

He was a servant, not the employer’s friend.

And right now, he was already getting meals included with his wages.

Why does it feel like I’m eating delicious food for free every day while still getting paid?

Thinking about that, he became even more energetic and carried the table outside.

The moment the door opened, the villagers became excited.

“It’s here! It’s finally out!”

They finally saw the source of that explosive aroma.

It really was fish.

And from the color and texture alone, it was obvious that the fish was crisp on the outside and tender inside.

It smelled incredible.

Just looking at it made their mouths water.

They desperately wanted a taste.

Sister Xiu was the first to step forward.

She slapped her copper coins onto the table with great enthusiasm.

“I’ll take all four!”

Chu An’an was stunned for a moment.

Then he quickly said,

“The price depends on the size of the fish. They’re fifteen to eighteen wen each. The four come to sixty-six wen in total. Since you’re my first customer on opening day, I’ll give you a discount. Sixty wen.”

The crowd exploded.

Zhou Run was stunned too.

I said it would sell well, but not like this!

Why are you charging so much?!

Will anyone actually buy it?

An older man in the crowd tried to advise him.

“Fish in the county town only cost a few wen each. Qianhu Zhao’s Fulang, don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re going to ruin your reputation before you’ve even started doing business.”

“The fish sold in the county are raw fish,” Chu An’an replied calmly.

“Yueran Inn’s braised fish costs twenty-two wen a serving, while their steamed sea bass costs twenty-five wen a serving.”

He had done his homework.

He was serious about making money and wasn’t going to start a business blindly.

Someone in the crowd scoffed,

“You think you can compare yourself to Yueran Inn?”

“I won’t hide it from everyone. My fish uses fennel seeds, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The spices alone cost more than the fish.”

He gestured toward the dish.

“And look at the color and aroma. I don’t think mine is inferior to Yueran Inn’s.”

Someone wanted to accuse Chu An’an of not knowing his place.

Yueran Inn was one of the major establishments in the county.

How dare he claim his food was just as good?

But in the end, nobody said it.

Zhao Junyi’s warning—

“If anyone bullies my Fulang, I won’t let their family off.”

—was simply too intimidating.

Another villager said,

“Even so, you’re selling this right outside your home. You don’t pay rent or wages, and you caught the fish yourself from the stream. What kind of costs could you possibly have?”

“How about ten wen each? I’ll buy one.”

“Same here. Ten wen each, otherwise we’re leaving.”

“Exactly, An-ge’er. You obviously don’t know how to do business. You should start with a low price to attract customers. Once people become regulars, you can raise the price. Who’s going to buy something this expensive now?”

“Exactly.”

Quite a few people agreed.

Chu An’an wasn’t angry at their doubts or objections.

If anything, it proved that they genuinely wanted to buy the fish.

They simply wanted to bargain.

He understood.

Everyone wanted to save money.

But he couldn’t keep catching fish from the stream forever.

Eventually, he’d have to buy fish himself, which would become another expense.

He understood why they were bargaining, but he had no intention of changing his price under pressure.

He didn’t feel particularly shaken either.

If he wanted to start a business and make money, customer skepticism was perfectly reasonable.

There was no point getting worked up over it or exhausting himself with anxiety because he was afraid he might not make money.

Zhou Run, meanwhile, was completely different.

At first, he had also thought Chu An’an’s price was too high.

But after hearing that Yueran Inn sold fish for more than twenty wen and that Chu An’an had used so many expensive spices, he immediately felt the price was justified.

Then he heard the villagers questioning him.

Zhou Run became extremely annoyed.

He only wished they’d tasted An’an’s food.

If they had, they would definitely think they were getting an incredible bargain.

At that moment, Sister Xiu finally spoke.

She asked somewhat sheepishly,

“An-ge’er, can I change it to two fish? And can you give me a discount?”

Chu An’an nodded.

“Sure. It’s opening day, so I’ll give everyone a little discount.”

A bystander immediately said,

“Sister Xiu, are you crazy? Two fish will cost more than thirty wen. I might as well buy a jin of pork!”

For farmers, pork was their favorite meat.

It was much cheaper than mutton or beef and tasted delicious no matter how it was prepared.

The rich fat of pork going down your stomach gave you an indescribably satisfying feeling.

Sister Xiu simply replied,

“But this is even better than pork.”

Everyone stared at her.

What?

Better than pork?

Sister Xiu nodded.

“Yes. My whole family ate it yesterday. It wasn’t prepared the same way as today’s fish, but today’s is even more fragrant.”

“Otherwise, why do you think I wanted four in the first place? Do you think I’m stupid?”

She then carefully described how her entire family had fought over every bite yesterday, with everyone barely getting a single chopstickful.

Even the two children had nearly come to blows over one piece of vegetable.

Their family was one of the wealthiest in the village.

They had no shortage of meat.

Yet they had still fought over a single bite of this dish.

It seemed Chu An’an’s cooking really was something special.

Because of Sister Xiu’s testimony, two other relatively well-off families bought the remaining two fish.

Once the fish were gone, those who hadn’t managed to buy one felt both relieved that they wouldn’t have to spend the money and intensely curious about what the fish actually tasted like.

Many of them followed the buyers home to see for themselves.

After the villagers left, Chu An’an and Zhou Run ate the slightly burnt fish for lunch.

Then they rested in the courtyard, waiting for the preorders to arrive.

“Preorder” was a concept Chu An’an had just introduced to the villagers.

If someone wanted fish, they had to order in advance.

For example, they could order today and pick it up tomorrow.

The courtyard was quiet now.

A gentle breeze stirred the air.

Zhou Run rested comfortably while repeatedly thinking about the idea of preorders.

The more he thought about it, the more brilliant it seemed.

They were running a tiny business.

What if they cooked a bunch of fish and nobody bought them?

That would be a waste.

On the other hand, what if everyone suddenly wanted fish one day, but they hadn’t prepared enough?

Then they wouldn’t be able to fulfill the orders or make money.

Preorders solved both problems.

They could ensure that every fish they cooked would already have a buyer, while also allowing them to sell as many as possible.

And since everyone lived in the same village, placing an order was convenient.

They also didn’t have to worry about someone ordering food and refusing to pay.

Unless that person wanted to completely ruin their reputation in the village.

It was an absolutely brilliant idea.

It had considered every angle.

At first, Zhou Run was confident.

But an entire afternoon passed without a single person coming to place an order.

He couldn’t help becoming anxious.

“An’an, do you think anyone else will come buy fish?”

“Could the price be too high?”

“I know your fish is delicious and worth every wen, but other people don’t know that.”

“Should we lower the price first so everyone can learn how good your cooking is? Once lots of people start buying, we can raise it again.”

“Keep it at this price. If you raise it later, won’t people curse you to death?”

“Everyone here lives in the same village. They’ll call you a heartless businessman.”

Zhou Run sheepishly nodded.

“Okay. That’s true.”

Chu An’an wasn’t worried about having no business.

He had carefully considered the choice to sell grilled fish.

The villagers valued thrift.

They didn’t often buy meat, but they were also constantly craving that satisfying taste of meat.

So he couldn’t sell elegant high-end dishes.

He couldn’t sell vegetarian food or pastries either.

Fish that could be caught for free from the stream was the perfect choice.

Sure enough, as the sun began setting, groups of children started coming over to place orders.

In one go, they ordered more than ten fish.

That was far more than Chu An’an had expected.

He had initially thought he’d only be able to sell a few.

Yueran Inn could sell a fish for more than twenty wen because it had a reputation, a certain prestige, and a good location.

Chu An’an had none of those things.

He had assumed he’d need to slowly build a reputation.

He hadn’t expected to have such a successful opening.

Wanting to understand why business was suddenly so good, he questioned the children.

From their childish, disorganized explanations, he gradually pieced together the reason.

It turned out that everyone had gone to the village chief’s house to freeload dinner.

This was what had happened.

The village chief hadn’t been home at lunchtime.

Even though his family had been craving the fish, they hadn’t dared eat two whole fish at once.

So when the village chief returned home that evening, there was still one entire fish left.

By then, however, the village chief’s house had gained many unexpected dinner guests.

They were all relatives from the same clan.

They were both relatives and guests, and the village chief was expected to be generous.

There was no way they could simply send everyone away.

They had to welcome them warmly.

But Sister Xiu took one look at the number of people—twenty or thirty people sharing one fish—and knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Preparing a huge feast would also be excessive.

It wasn’t a festival or special occasion, after all.

So she came up with an idea.

When reheating the fish, she added half a basket of leafy greens and Chinese cabbage.

Many of the guests didn’t even get to eat fish.

They only got the cabbage.

But even the cabbage tasted incredible.

At the dinner table, everyone praised Sister Xiu for being clever and praised An-ge’er for his amazing cooking.

So everyone who had eaten at the village chief’s house came over to preorder fish.

They were all locals with large extended families.

If one fish could be stretched into enough food for three or four dishes’ worth of servings, while still tasting incredibly good, then it really was worth the money.

Chu An’an understood.

He felt quite pleased.

He knew his initial idea had been correct.

The villagers cared about value for money.

To sell successfully, he needed to make meat dishes that were cheap, filling, and delicious.

And just like that—

More than ten fish had already been preordered.

Chu An’an began looking forward to making a killing in sales the next day.

Notes

• Five-spice powder (五香粉): A traditional Chinese spice blend, usually containing several aromatic spices such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and Sichuan pepper.
• Jin (斤): A traditional Chinese unit of weight. In this setting, 1 jin is roughly 500 grams.