"... nor did he know if Uncle Zhao had any misunderstandings about Sister Wan, and there have been conflicts from time to time since Mr. Lin's passing. Previously, Sister Wan was a lady of the boudoir, her brother and sister-in-law loved her, and never let her get involved in external affairs, and she didn't even realize it in time."

  The old lady was momentarily stunned and didn't know what Mrs. Xie meant by these words.

  Mrs. Xie continued: "Perhaps this made Uncle Zhao feel that the Lin family was arrogant, and recently even joined forces with other bookstores to target the Lin family's bookstore."

  Mrs. Xie sighed and said, "Both families are old friends and relatives, why make it so difficult? If Uncle Zhao has any dissatisfaction, he can say it to Wan's sister. After Mr. Lin passed away, the two sisters only had that piece of land and this book business left. If they were forced to close the book business too, then in the future..."

  Mrs. Xie had not finished speaking, but Old Mrs. Shang had already understood her implied meaning.

  Zhao Sheng doesn't let any weak and inferior women with whom he has a marital relationship go, which shows his character. Moreover, Lin Yubin is still her granddaughter, Zhao Sheng doesn't care about the face of the Lin family, and also doesn't consider the Shang family?

  Mrs. Shang the Second brought over the tea leaves that Old Mrs. Shang wanted, and the two of them had already dropped the subject, chatting and laughing as they talked about the latest fashion in jewelry and clothes.

  Mrs. Xie hasn't paid attention to these things since her son's death, but she has an eye for them; as soon as the old lady mentions something, she can pick up where they left off, and it doesn't feel awkward at all.

  The old lady saw the second daughter-in-law coming over and asked, "Where are Lin Gu Gu and Yu Bin? Don't neglect our honored guests."

  What kind of honored guest is someone who comes once every one or two months?

  Mrs. Shang Er smiled and said, "In the garden, Danlan and her sisters were accompanying us. I thought that young girls like them would surely feel constrained by our presence, so we let them go play on their own."

  "Although so, but also have to go and take a look, in order to fulfill the host's courtesy. Don't delay Lin Auntie."

  "Yes, my daughter-in-law will go and take a look," said Mrs. Shang Er, seeing that she had no other instructions. She smiled at Mrs. Xie and said, "Madam rarely comes to Suzhou, you must have a good time. Why don't I host it and invite a few ladies to accompany you on an outing?"

  Mrs. Xie smiled faintly and said, "I appreciate the kindness of the second lady, but I've come to Suzhou to recuperate my body and don't feel like moving around."

  Mrs. Shang asked anxiously, "But is there something wrong with your body? Our family knows a doctor, perhaps we can ask for his help."

  The old lady couldn't help but cough and gave her a displeased stare.

  Mrs. Xie's smile faded further, "It's just a minor illness, any ordinary doctor can treat it with some adjustments, no need to invite a renowned physician."

  Mrs. Shang's face stiffened and she lowered her head to avoid her mother-in-law's gaze.

  After having afternoon tea, Lin Qingyuan and others bid farewell. Mrs. Shang Er was reluctant to part with her and asked Mrs. Xie to come visit often when she had time.

  The words are more sincere than inviting Lin Qingyuan's guest.

  Lin Qingwan raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked as soon as she got on the carriage, "How did I hear that she seems to have something to ask of Mother?"

  Mrs. Xie smiled faintly and said, "Those who try to curry favor without a reason are either deceitful or thieving; I don't know what they could possibly want from me."

  Mrs. Xie glanced at the street outside and raised an eyebrow, asking, "This isn't the way out of town, are you going for a stroll?"

  "I want to go take a look at the revolving restaurant."

  "Gluttony Building?" Mrs. Xie frowned, "Whose family has such a big tone, dare to take such a name?"

  "Nature is not a person without power or influence," as she spoke, the carriage slowly came to a stop by the side of the road. Lin Qingyuan lifted the curtain and looked at the building across from them, where people were coming and going in a lively atmosphere. She instructed the coachman, "Go, order all the signature dishes on their menu. We'll also try the culinary skills of this Piaoyuelou tonight."

  Mrs. Xie also looked out and was just thinking that the wine building opposite seemed familiar, when Lin Yubin exclaimed: "Isn't that our family's Yi Pin Lou? It has never been renamed before, how come it has a new name now?"

  "Having changed masters, it's natural to change names as well."

  Yipin Building has already formed a brand in Suzhou, so at that time Lin Qingwen was sold together with the name.

  After Qian Shang Jia bought it, he indeed did not change the name. Moreover, the head chefs of the wine house were all the original ones, so the customers did not lose out.

  Zhao's family was able to buy "Yi Pin Lou" from the other party, either by paying a huge price or by using their power to force the sale.

  Lin Yuhong was still in a daze, but Mrs. Xie had already guessed: "Is this the work of the Zhao family?"

  Lin Qing nodded her head.

  Lin Yuhbin was very unhappy and sat silently with a sullen face.

  When I got home and saw the table full of Lou's dishes, I was even more unhappy. Lin Qingwen picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of braised tofu from the middle dish to give to Mrs. Xie.

  Mrs. Xie tasted it and nodded: "Not bad, smooth and delicious, with a hint of bean flavor, what's this?"

  "Call tofu."

  Madam Xie was astonished, "I've heard people mention that the King of Huainan, Liu An, once stumbled upon a delicious dish. Unfortunately, there's little record of it in the classics. There were a few artisans in the Huainan area who knew how to make it, but with the wars these past years, who knows where they've ended up? If Zhao Sheng can find them, that would be quite an accomplishment."

  Lin Qingwan put down her chopsticks and smiled: "You're quite capable."

  Mrs. Xie saw that she had a smile in her eyes and eyebrows, so she couldn't help but ask, "You're so pleased with yourself, aren't you also aware of the method for making this tofu?"

  Lin Yuhbin immediately looked over.

  Lin Qingyan nodded calmly and said, "As it happens, I really can."

  Mrs. Xie didn't believe it and asked suspiciously: "Just because of your cooking skills?"

  "It's not natural." Lin Qingyuan stood up and went to the book pavilion, took out a volume of books from inside and handed it over to Bai Mei and Bai Feng. The two held it back to the flower hall.

  Lin Qingwan pointed at the book and said: "This is 'Huainanzi'."

  Mrs. Xie flipped through it and saw that the volume in Bai Mei's hand was nothing special, but when she saw the volume in Bai Feng's hand, she was somewhat astonished, "Is this the outer volume?"

  Lin Qingwan nodded her head, "That's right, our Lin family happens to have a complete volume in our collection. Occasionally when I see it, I am quite surprised."

  Huainanzi was written by Liu An and his retainers, divided into inner and outer chapters. By the time of its transmission to the Han dynasty, only the inner chapters survived.

  Twenty-one volumes, mainly based on Taoist thought, blending the theories of Confucianism, Legalism, Yin and Yang schools. As a history research student, Lin Qingwen naturally has also read it.

  The outer volume of thirty-three chapters is miscellaneous talk. Because both contemporary and later people did not value it, the time when it was lost can no longer be relied upon.

  When sorting out the book storage room, Lin Qingwen was delighted to see this complete volume of "Huainanzi" and copied two volumes as practice writing, which were placed separately.

  I hope future generations will no longer lose the outer volume.

  The outer scroll contains the method of making tofu.

  Of course, even if it's not recorded, she would still do it. After all, having lived in the countryside, everyone loves to make tofu during festivals.

  Grandfather, so as not to let her stare blankly at other children, also often followed the wind to do it. Although the tofu made in the end was a bit unspeakable, it also allowed her to learn from the aunties in the village how to make tender, smooth and fragrant tofu.

  Having this book has saved me a lot of trouble.

  Lin Qingwan copied out the page that recorded the method and origin of tofu-making, handed it to Bai Meidao: "Let the kitchen maid soak ten catties of beans, tomorrow we'll learn how to make tofu."

  "Are you going to have a drum-to-drum, cymbal-to-cymbal showdown with Zhao Jia'ao?" Madam Xie's eyebrows furrowed slightly; a hard collision was not a good method.

  Lin Qingwan smiled and said, "Of course not, I don't run a restaurant, how can I compete with them?" Lin Qingwan mischievously winked and said, "It's just that I happened to discover a delicious dish, so I thought of making it to try it out."

  Mrs. Xie and Lin Yuhong couldn't help but exchange a glance, they didn't believe she would be so simple, otherwise why was she so happy?

  The smile on his face never faded.

  But Lin Qingwan didn't tell them what she wanted to do either. The two saw that she didn't want to say, so they stopped asking and just waited to see what would happen.

  Lin Qingwan had someone soak beans that night and the next day, she had them grind the beans, specifically asking them to go to the stone mill in the village to do so.

  The rice in the field has just been harvested, and Lin Qingyuan gave the short-term workers a five-day holiday. Now there are only farmers, long-term workers and tenant farmers drying grains in the granary.

  Someone from another yard brought a bucket to grind something, and the clever one immediately ran over to help. Before long, they were all gathered around the stone mill in three layers inside and out.

  Fang Datong also came to join in the fun. Anyway, now that it's a holiday and no one has to work, as long as they keep an eye on the grain in the granary so the birds don't eat it and it doesn't get rained on, everything is fine.

  Some people actively helped the kitchen maid push the stone mill, while others made trouble on the side, constantly asking strange questions, such as "Does the master eat beef and mutton in a bowl every day?"

  For example, "When eating pancakes at home, does one eat one and throw one?"

  Fang Datong saw they were talking nonsense, waved his hand and shooed them away: "Go go go, is the master's business something you can ask about?"

  Everyone burst out laughing and dispersed for a while, but soon gathered around again to ask, "What's the point of grinding these beans? Is it porridge or something? It smells like bean farts. Does the master also eat beans?"

  The kitchen maid rolled her eyes and said: "You guys have a bean paste flavor, but we don't."

  "She proudly said: 'This is an ancient dish, it's something that the lady of the house found in an old book, and I heard that it was first made by a prince.'"

  Everyone was amazed and said, "The prince is still eating beans? I thought only we common people would eat that."

  The kitchen maid glanced at him and said, "We're still eating vegetables, can't the masters eat them too? Humph, the young lady said that this tofu is a good thing, and after I learn how to make it, I have to make it for the mansion every other day."

  "Alright, alright, stop messing around! Hurry up and grind the beans into paste, I'm still waiting to use it!" The cook urged everyone to hurry up with grinding.

  Now everyone else didn't dare to delay either, they all stared with wide eyes at how this tofu was going to be made.

  The soy milk has been ground, and the kitchen maid calls on Fang Dasong to help carry it to another courtyard. Everyone can't see the next step, and they all sigh with regret.

  But then again, it's an ancient recipe, how would the master let them know?

  Fang Datong also had the same idea, and after moving things to the kitchen, he was about to leave when Lin Qingyu called out to him: "Uncle Fang, we'll need a few wooden frames to press the tofu later. Can you help make them?"

  Then Fang Datong stood by the kitchen and watched Lin Qingyan teach the cook to make soy milk, add tofu, and then help press the tofu together.

  He didn't want to remember it, but that step kept echoing in his mind and couldn't be dispersed.