Little Miss Fortune: I Will Bring Prosperity to My Tang Family!-Chapter 91: The Banquet at the Yao Manor

Chapter 85

The Banquet at the Yao Manor

Today was the day the Tang family had to prepare for the banquet at the Yao manor. Xiaolin arrived at the restaurant early to oversee the workers and load the supplies onto the cart before heading into town with five other workers who would help set up for the banquet.

For the desserts, Xiaolin had prepared young coconut krong krang1 and colorful bua loy. Each color came from vegetables grown in their garden. It took several days of trial and error to decide on the final desserts. The test batches ended up in the stomach of the gluttonous Tianchen, who almost got diabetes in the process.

Besides Tianchen, the three siblings from the Huan family often hovered at the kitchen door, watching the chubby child make sweets. Sometimes they even helped knead and shape the dough, as they found the resulting desserts irresistibly delicious.

Before the event, Master Yao had sent a message requesting a change from grilled pans to hotpot-style cooking, fearing the guests’ fine clothes might get damaged. Xiaolin complied with the request and made the necessary adjustments.

By noon, the Tang family arrived at the Yao residence through the back gate. The workers unloaded the supplies from the cart and prepared for the banquet, which would start in the afternoon.

Tianrong had come along because this was the first outside catering job for the Tang business, and he wanted to ensure everything went smoothly, despite his capable daughter being there.

However, sometimes, Xiaolin still behaved like any other playful child, so he couldn’t trust her entirely. He left their other businesses in the hands of his father-in-law and Huan Tan to manage.

Upon arrival, the Yao servants led them to the back of the event area, where a temporary kitchen had been set up. The Tang family had brought everything they needed, so it was just a matter of lighting the charcoal for the hotpots. The meat and vegetable sets were all prepared and ready to be brought into the banquet.

"Aren’t you going to prepare your desserts?" Tianrong asked, seeing his chubby daughter comfortably munching on a chicken leg under a tree.

"The desserts will be served after the guests finish eating. I’ll make them then, Father. It’s just a matter of boiling the dough until it’s cooked," Xiaolin replied, her mouth gleaming with grease.

Her Uncle Hao had brought her a juicy roast chicken as the cart passed the larb restaurant. The Liu and Fang families were now aware of the budding relationship between the two young people, with a possible engagement or wedding in the future.

"You’re getting too chubby," Tianrong commented, noticing how his daughter’s cheeks and neck seemed to merge into one, and her wrists resembled segments of sugarcane.

"Father, who told you it’s polite to call a lady chubby?" Xiaolin protested, looking up at her father with a pout that made her double chin wobble, trying to make him see she had a neck!

"Alright, alright, I won’t say it," Tianrong said, shaking his head and quickly walking away before his daughter got angry.

"Hmph!" Xiaolin snorted, then continued gnawing on her chicken leg while keeping an eye on her father as he checked the preparations.

Before the afternoon, guests began arriving in droves. Xiaolin ran to hide behind a tree, watching the beautifully dressed nobles. They wore a rainbow of colors, adorned with so much jewelry that the reflected sunlight almost blinded her. Some wore gold adorned with jade and gemstones, while others wore pure gold. Few wore pearls, as they were highly expensive.

But above all, the sunlight reflecting off the golden ornaments dazzled the little girl hiding behind the tree, making her momentarily blind.

"This jewelry is just for beauty or for selling? Each person’s ornaments must weigh a lot. How do they carry them?" Xiaolin muttered as she observed the guests. Her eyes then caught sight of a familiar couple and their two young sons.

"That’s Uncle and Auntie! She’s very pregnant," Xiaolin said happily.

"Xiaolin, the servants are calling us to bring in the food. Don’t wander off, I have to oversee the food," Tianrong called out to his daughter, who was clinging to the tree like a chubby gecko.

"Yes, Fatherrr," Xiaolin replied, drawing out the words as she walked back to her spot under the tree where she had been eating her chicken leg. She watched her father direct the workers and servants as they started bringing the food into the banquet.

"This stove looks familiar. Did you order it from the Tang family, Master Yao?" Zhou Ming asked, sitting at the same table as the host. Earlier, Master Yao had given a speech on a small stage to open the event.

"Yes, Governor. My son has dined at their restaurant several times and enjoys their food. Since today is his birthday, I ordered his favorite food. I hope you will enjoy this meal as well," Master Yao replied respectfully. Although he was older than Zhou Ming, he held a lower position and thus showed deference.

"Of course, I enjoy their food very much. I have been eating at their seafood restaurant since it first opened. The flavors are unique and delicious," Zhou Ming said, taking the opportunity to promote his niece’s business.

"Is that so? I haven’t had the chance to visit because their restaurant doesn’t have private rooms. It’s inconvenient for me to dine with other customers since I often have private matters to discuss with friends over meals," 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"I understand. Next time, you can order food to be delivered to your home for more privacy,"

"I’ll have to try that next time, as you recommend, Governor,"

While the men chatted, the women were discussing Lian Hua’s pregnancy. Miss Yao had heard that Lian Hua was expecting twins and had brought a gift to visit her. She was quite surprised to see the size of Lian Hua’s belly, as she had never seen a woman pregnant with twins before.

"Isn’t it difficult for you to walk, Lady Lian? You should have informed us if it was inconvenient. There’s no need to stand on ceremony,"

"It’s no trouble at all, Miss Yao. Don’t worry. I wanted to go out for a change of scenery. My husband and son have been keeping me in the manor, and I was getting quite bored," Lian Hua replied with a light laugh.

After all the food was placed on the table, some guests turned to each other in confusion, as they had never attended a banquet where uncooked food was served.

Master Yao then stood up to explain that these were the favorite dishes of the birthday celebrant, his eldest son, and he wanted everyone to try them. He assured the guests that well-trained female servants were ready to cook the meat and serve it, so the guests would not have to handle the food themselves.

Although the guests remained silent, many were internally critical of the arrangement. However, once they tasted the food, they were pleasantly surprised by its flavor. They ate heartily until everything was gone. Shortly after, small bowls were served to each guest, containing colorful small dough balls and another dessert that looked like transparent, colorful shell-like shapes.

“What are these desserts? They are delicious, not too sweet, and very visually appealing,” Lian Hua asked Miss Yao, who was seated next to her.

“I don’t know either,” Miss Yao replied. “The master said they were special desserts prepared by the restaurant, and they taste really good.”

“Yes, I like them too,”

Lian Hua agreed as she tasted the dessert. Normally, her doctor prohibited her from eating sweets because she ate too many. However, today she planned to indulge a bit since her husband and son wouldn’t dare scold her in front of others. To her delight, the desserts were not overly sweet, so she could enjoy them without guilt.

After the meal, the affluent guests rose to stroll around the garden and chat. Xiaolin, seeing this, did not join them but instead began to pack up their things to return to the shop, occasionally reminding the workers to handle everything carefully since her father was inside receiving the remaining payment.

“Make sure the fire is out properly. We don’t want any complaints,” the round, plump mistress of the shop instructed, pointing to the large stove with glowing embers.

“Yes, Miss,” the workers quickly responded, bustling about. Fortunately, Xiaolin had already told them to eat beforehand, so they wouldn’t have to leave hungry.

“Are we finished packing up?” Tianrong, who emerged with a broad smile, asked his daughter.

“Almost done, Father. Why are you smiling so much?” Xiaolin blinked curiously at her father, who was beaming from ear to ear.

Tianrong, hearing this, lifted his daughter and gave her a big kiss on her chubby cheek before handing her a bulging money pouch. Xiaolin opened it to find two gold ingots inside. She looked up at her father, confused.

“Weren’t there only seventy taels of silver left?”

“Master Yao was very pleased with the meal, and the guests couldn’t stop praising it, especially your desserts. So, he gave us a substantial bonus.”

Xiaolin’s face broke into a wide grin. She turned and shouted to the five workers who had accompanied them, announcing that each would receive a bonus of one hundred brass coins, including those who had stayed at the shop. The workers cheered loudly and quickly finished packing.

The loaded cart left the Yao manor, heading toward the city’s south gate. Xiaolin didn’t forget to stop by a money exchange shop to get brass coins for all thirteen workers, as well as her uncle and grandfather, who also deserved a bonus.

After closing the shop, Xiaolin gathered all the workers to distribute their bonuses. There were ten young male employees working at the front and three cooks. She gave ten taels each to her uncle and grandfather. The remaining money, after expenses, went into her own pocket.

Everyone beamed with joy, especially the young employees who looked up to their plump little boss with admiration. They had lived hard lives and were grateful for the stable jobs that allowed them to make a living.

“Alright, let’s head home for today. Uncle Guo’s cart is already here to take us back. The rest can come with me,” she told the workers. Hui Song’s friend’s cart regularly transported the shop’s employees back to the village each day, just as Tianrong hired carts to take the seafood restaurant’s workers home every evening as well.

"Should we take on more outside jobs, Xiaolin?" Tianchen asked as they rode the cart back home, with the three cooks also hitching a ride.

"If there’ll be people who will hire us, we can go, but we have to be selective and not just accept every job," Xiaolin replied, tying the mouth of her money pouch for the tenth time that day and tucking it into her shirt. She leaned back against her uncle, who served as her makeshift chair.

"Alright, I’ll let you know if any more jobs come up. By the way, are you going to the shop tomorrow?"

"I want to stay home, Uncle. I haven’t played with Xiaoyu much lately."

"Alright then, you play with Xiaoyu, and I’ll go to work and make money."

"Uh huh"

Hui Song, driving the cart in front, overheard the conversation between the uncle and niece and shook his head in exasperation. Tianchen going to work? More like sneaking off to eat behind the shop. He was almost as plump as his niece now. Sigh.

Once they arrived home, Xiaolin quickly bathed and changed, then went to play with the cheerful baby. Little Xiao Hui, the plump, fluffy cat who acted as Tianyu’s guardian, was always near the baby’s crib, only leaving when hungry or needing to relieve itself. After returning inside, the cat would seek out Hui Ning to have its paws and body wiped clean before resuming its watch over the baby.

"Tianyu, have you been naughty today? Hmm? I haven’t had much time to play with you," Xiaolin teased, poking the baby’s chubby cheek as Tianyu smiled, showing off pink gums.

"Aeh! Ah!" Tianyu flailed his arms and legs in delight at his sister’s voice and round face.

Meowww

Fluffy Xiao Hui also came over, rubbing against Xiaolin’s body before climbing into her lap, settling in comfortably.

"Xiao Hui, you chubby cat," Xiaolin said, watching the cat lick its front paws.

"Ah! Aah!" Tianyu cried out, laughing heartily.

"Do you like it when I call the cat chubby, hmm?" Xiaolin asked her little brother, who laughed again in response.

"Xiao Hui is a chubby cat, right, Tianyu?" Xiaolin cooed, playfully tickling her brother’s round belly.

"What should we have for dinner, dear?" Hui Ning asked her daughter as she walked in, noticing her son laughing heartily.

"I want grilled mackerel, mom. Let’s make mackerel chili paste with fresh vegetables, and make extra for Uncle Tan,"

"Should we put fermented fish in the chili paste?"

"Yes, mom. Before you start cooking, boil it in hot water first. It’s been fermenting for a year, and I’m worried it might not be clean if we use it directly,"

"Alright,"

Hui Ning agreed, though slightly puzzled. Sometimes, she found the behavior of this uncle and niece duo quite odd. They both liked strange foods and often seemed to have an uncanny understanding, making her wonder if they had known each other in a previous life.

Lost in her thoughts for a moment, Hui Ning then returned to the kitchen to help her mother with dinner preparations. Meanwhile, Xiaolin continued playing with her little brother and the chubby cat. She hadn’t visited Xiao Zhong recently and wondered how he was doing. He had grown up and might want a mate, but where could she find one for him? It was a real headache.

"Maybe I should venture deep into the forest and find a female for him. If the gods or celestial beings are listening, please help send a female cow for Xiao Zhong. Sathu2!"

‘krong krang’ is Thai gnocchi in coconut milk

‘Sathu’ is another form of Buddhist wish making, equivalent to ‘Amen’.

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