Chapter 324: Want to do a long-term business (2)

The deep brown powder appeared to be a blend of multiple ingredients. Without specialized knowledge, it would be difficult to distinguish its exact components just by looking.

Setting the first bottle aside, Fan Chengxu opened the second one.

This one had a more distinct aroma, and when shaken, it was clearly a liquid.

He poured some into a small bowl and saw a dark brown liquid inside. Picking up his chopsticks, he dipped them into the liquid, preparing to taste it.

"Young Master!" Shopkeeper Shen said worriedly.

"This is soy sauce," Fan Chengxu stated as he placed the chopsticks into his mouth. The flavor was indeed soy sauce, but it was far richer and more flavorful than any he had tasted before.

Just as wines have varying qualities, so too does soy sauce. The difference between high-quality and inferior soy sauce was immense.

And without a doubt, the soy sauce in this small bottle was of the finest quality.

Finally, Fan Chengxu opened the third bottle. This one did not contain powder, nor was it a thin liquid.

He tilted the bottle, and after a moment, a small amount of thick, viscous liquid slowly trickled out.

The color was lighter than soy sauce, with a bright and glossy appearance.

“What is this?” Fan Chengxu asked Wei Ruo.

“Oyster sauce,” Wei Ruo replied.

“Oyster sauce?”

“Yes, it’s a sauce made by simmering oysters. It has a delicious umami taste and can be used in cooking many different dishes or as a dipping sauce,” Wei Ruo explained.

She didn’t hide the fact that this ingredient was made from oysters. After all, even if she revealed that oysters were the main ingredient, it didn’t mean the other party could produce the same oyster sauce.

Just like how everyone knew that soy sauce was made from soybeans, but making high-quality soy sauce depended on the craft and technique.

After hearing Wei Ruo’s explanation, Fan Chengxu examined the thick liquid once more.

Simply looking at it, there was no way to tell it had anything to do with oysters.

Fan Chengxu picked up his chopsticks again, dipped them into the sauce, and tasted it carefully.

His first impression was the freshness—a unique umami flavor characteristic of seafood, but without any of the fishy smell that seafood often carried.

The taste wasn’t as rich as soy sauce, but it was just as complex and enticing.

After examining all three bottles, Fan Chengxu had tasted the soy sauce and oyster sauce, though he had yet to try the five-spice powder*.

*Five-spice powder is a traditional Chinese spice blend typically made from a combination of five key spices:

1. Star anise – provides a sweet, licorice-like flavor.

2. Cloves – adds warmth and depth.

3. Chinese cinnamon (Cassia bark) – offers a sweet and woody taste.

4. Sichuan peppercorns – contribute a numbing, citrusy heat.

5. Fennel seeds – give a mild, anise-like aroma.

After a moment, he lifted his head, his sharp and calculating gaze once again locking onto Wei Ruo. “Are you trying to sell me the recipes for these seasonings?”

“No, I’m not selling the recipes. I’m selling the seasonings themselves. I want to supply Drunken Immortal Residence with seasonings on a long-term basis,” Wei Ruo replied confidently.

Her answer surprised Fan Chengxu. He asked with interest, “Then how much stock do you have right now?”

“None,” Wei Ruo answered.

“None? And yet you have the audacity to propose a long-term supply deal with me?” Fan Chengxu questioned.

“Once we finalize our agreement, I can immediately set up a workshop and begin production,” Wei Ruo replied.

“But right now, you have nothing. So you’re basically asking me to do business with someone who has no capital and no inventory?”

“My capital is my craftsmanship. I know how to make these seasonings. I know how to win over the palates of diners. That is my capital, and it is invaluable. If it weren’t worth anything, then surely, Master Fan wouldn’t have sent Shopkeeper Shen over today to try and buy my braised food recipe, would he?” Wei Ruo countered.