“Well, since the young lady hasn’t ever tried food like this before, I suggest that the young lady try our special cupcakes. Today, when you buy one you can have the second one for half price, so the young lady could buy two and enjoy them with a cup of hot milk tea that our cafe brewed fresh just this morning.”
Su Tang directly recommended her current best products for afternoon tea. She really felt that the cheesecake along with the milk tea was exquisite, ah!
The little girl nodded. “I’ll have what you’ve recommended then.”
“Understood. Then, young miss, please have a seat for now. Your bill will be 42 copper coins in total.” Su Tang rapidly calculated the price and explained it to the girl, “The cupcakes cost fifteen copper coins each, but because of the promotion the second one is at half price and will only cost seven copper coins, and the milk tea costs twenty copper coins. If the young lady enjoys the food, you’re more than welcome to come again.”
When the little girl heard Su Tang talking about money, she asked quizzically: “I need to pay first?”
“Yes.” Su Tang had decided to run her cafe according to more modern rules. People would pay as they ordered and only after payment was received would the kitchen start cooking, which would save trouble all around.
After hearing this rule, the little girl blinked curiously, “Your cafe really is quite different. Qing Ju, give payment.”
Although the girl felt that this rule was a bit strange, she still asked her maid to pass the money over. Hearing the girl’s order, the little servant girl quickly took out a purse, counted out 42 copper coins, and handed them to Su Tang.
Su Tang received the money, put it away, and then went to the inner counter where she deftly poured out a pot of warm milk tea and put two cupcakes onto a plate. Then she put the cup and the plate on a tray along with a small spoon and delivered the tray to the girl, “Here’s your order!”
The little servant girl hadn’t wanted to say anything, but when she saw that 42 copper coins had really been exchanged for the few things on the tray, she couldn’t help but mutter, “It seems that this really is a shady business since those few things somehow cost 42 copper coins.”
Her voice was relatively low, but given her position she really shouldn’t have spoken at all. However, she couldn’t help herself. She really felt indignant that her young miss had been tricked into wasting money. Although she knew the young misses’ family wouldn’t miss these few copper coins, she felt it wasn’t good to let the young miss be cheated for nothing.
Of course, Su Tang heard what the little maid said, but she didn’t care about it. Her things were expensive, sure, but she was also the only one selling them, so she felt the price was fair. Besides, she only sold to willing buyers. If they weren’t willing, it wasn’t like anyone was forcing them to spend money ah.
Having finished serving the customer, Su Tang went behind the counter, took a cupcake, poured herself a cup of milk tea, and leisurely sat down in the rocking chair before taking a sip. Her eyes narrowed in happiness: This was really the power of sweet food.
However, just as she sat down, the orange cat suddenly came back in. Su Tang casually poured him a bowl of milk tea and paid attention to his silent words: ‘This girl’s name is Lu Wan’er. She is 11 years old and the only daughter of the Deputy County Magistrate from Qingyuan County. It seems that she recently came back to Qinghe Town in order to accompany the elders in her family for the Spring Festival.’
After spending just a few moments outside, the orange cat was able to quickly dig up the little girl’s background.
Su Tang was surprised to hear about this little girl’s identity. She really hadn’t expected that on her first day of business she would manage to hook a big customer like the young miss of a Deputy County Magistrate’s family. It should be known that within a Qihuang Kingdom County, the biggest official was the county magistrate, a dignified seventh-rank official. These magistrates were all officials sent down by the Ministry of Officials after being recognized in the imperial examination.
Thus, within a County, the top official was, of course, the seventh-ranked County Magistrate but, in addition to him, there would also an eighth-ranked Deputy County Magistrate, a ninth-ranked bookkeeper, and also a few yamen who all worked in the County Offical’s office.
So, naturally, a Deputy County Magistrate could be regarded as a very powerful official within a county, and since Lu Wan’er was Deputy Magistrate Lu’s only daughter she had been spoiled since childhood. Even Zhu Ran, who was a rich young master in Qinghe Town, had only accidentally bumped into Lu Wan’er once before when his father had taken him to the county seat, which was how he had been able to recognize her. However, Lu Wan’er didn’t know Zhu Ran at all.
As it happened, Deputy Magistrate Lu was actually a native from Qinghe Town, so this time Lu Wan’er had come to the small town to accompany her grandparents for the upcoming festival. However, in the end, there just weren’t many interesting things in a small place like Qinghe Town, so when she happened to see that Su Tang was opening a strange new type of shop, she decided to come in and have a look out of boredom.
tl begging corner:
tl note: So I’ve busted my brain trying to get these titles right, maybe they’re still wrong tho idk, here’s what I’m working with:
县令 – County Magistrate – seventh-rank
县丞 – Deputy County Magistrate – 8th-rank
主簿 – Bookkeeper – 9th rank. name of the ancient official, and it is the assistant official in charge of the documents under the chief officials at all levels
典吏 – Yamen. Lowest on the totem pole