Chapter 128: A Hu-Han Feast

Luo Gan and Yan Shan found the meal increasingly unpalatable. Even the Hu woman serving them could no longer stand it, and she approached them quietly.

"If you two find the food not to your liking, please do not force yourselves," the Hu woman said.

"No, no, the taste is... acceptable," Luo Gan replied. In his heart, he did not think it was acceptable at all. The problem was that they were in Dingxiang City, a place controlled by the Turks. If they showed even the slightest disrespect to the Hu people, they could lose their heads in a heartbeat with nowhere to appeal for justice. That was the real source of his frustration.

Yan Shan, oblivious to the danger, remarked bluntly, "The taste is indeed poor. You might need to change your cook."

The Hu woman sighed, "I will not hide it from you two. Although this is a shop run by Hu people, there are many Han people in Dingxiang City. Our flavors never seem to satisfy them, and we cannot retain customers."

Luo Gan observed her closely, unsure if she was being sincere. The woman looked dejected, and the shop was indeed completely empty.

"We are not exactly gourmets or food critics," Luo Gan said, "but we could offer some suggestions based on Han customs. Please do not take offense if our advice is not to your liking."

The Hu woman looked pleased and leaned in to hear their suggestions. Luo Gan looked around at the dining environment. The roof was leaking, and there was a faint, unsettling draft. It seemed the Hu people were accustomed to a rougher lifestyle; there was only a carpet on the floor and no proper tables, and the tableware was in a sorry state.

"The chopsticks are of uneven length, and when they break, you just expect people to eat with their hands. That certainly will not do," Luo Gan noted.

The Hu woman countered, "We Hu people use our hands. We only provided chopsticks to accommodate Han customs, but we made them ourselves."

Luo Gan shook his head. "That won't work. The Han people place great importance on chopstick culture; they carry symbolic significance."

The Hu woman was curious, and Yan Shan, feeling encouraged, decided to chime in. "As the saying goes, a pair of chopsticks must be identical—neither too long nor too short. What do you call it when one is long and one is short? A 'three long and two short' situation? Do you want your customers to run into misfortune?"

The Hu woman quickly denied this. "Of course not! I want everyone to eat in peace and go their separate ways."

"Going their separate ways is not the point," Luo Gan interrupted. "In business, you need repeat customers; you cannot rely on one-off visits."

This clearly went beyond the Hu woman’s understanding, and she stared at him blankly.

"It is a simple principle. Your shop is stationary, isn't it? Since you are in Dingxiang City, your most frequent visitors should be the locals. Building a reputation among them is what matters most."

The Hu woman had an epiphany and listened intently to Luo Gan’s explanation.

"So, you must cater to what the Hu people like, but also what the Han people prefer. Han people value a slightly more refined dining environment. We care about hygiene; you cannot simply ignore our habits just because you are used to the Hu way of life."

Yan Shan wiped the dust off the carpet and shook his head repeatedly. "Look at this dust. You must maintain cleanliness. Who wants to eat mutton seasoned with dust or insects? That is truly terrible."

The Hu woman looked ashamed. As she struggled to respond, Luo Gan stepped in to ease the tension.

"We fully understand your customs. We have a saying: 'seek common ground while reserving differences.' You may not understand the exact meaning, but it generally means we should maintain what we have in common while respecting our differences. But you must at least prioritize the basics."

Luo Gan stood up, and the Hu woman invited them to the kitchen. It would have been better if they hadn't gone; the sight inside was enough to make Luo Gan want to go blind. It was nothing short of a black-hearted workshop. The meat was not fresh, a pungent odor filled the air, and seasonings were used haphazardly. Raw and butchered mutton lay side-by-side near the fire pit.

"If this shop were back home, it would be shut down as a black-hearted workshop," Luo Gan remarked. "It wouldn't even meet the lowest hygiene standards."

"What workshop? What standards?" the Hu woman asked.

"It means you must pay attention to hygiene. Food is directly linked to health. With the way you are doing things, who would dare to eat here?"

The Hu woman was impatient. "We even eat wild boar from the grasslands, and when necessary, we swallow raw meat just like wolves. Why are you Han people so fragile?"

"This isn't fragility; it is the inevitable trend of civilizational development," Luo Gan explained. "Primitive humans in the ancient past did indeed eat raw meat just like you."

The Hu woman looked proud. "At least you have some insight."

"But they had short lifespans," Luo Gan continued. "That is why we Han people developed our current cooking methods to regulate our diet and habits."

Yan Shan added, "Ultimately, our habits will slowly converge. Everyone will become more refined."

"I think you two wouldn't survive a day on the grasslands or in the wilderness," the Hu woman scoffed. "You're too fussy."

"If this shop were in a yurt, your methods might be fine," Luo Gan replied. "But now that you are in Dingxiang City, we are offering this advice in good faith. You must adapt to local conditions and move with the times."

"I don't understand that Han rhetoric," the Hu woman said. "Just tell me what to do."

"Prioritize hygiene. Sort your meats and ensure they are fresh. Since we don't have good preservation methods, make cured goods—add soy sauce, salt, or wine. You can make delicious preserved meats."

"In Chang'an, we ate something called 'Hall-Passage Mutton'," Yan Shan suggested. "You could do that."

"Yes," Luo Gan added. "You bring a live sheep into the hall, let the customers choose, and then label the meat so they can identify their cut. Steam or boil it, and let them add their own pepper and sauces."

The Hu woman was very interested; this was something she could actually manage.

"Do not fear the trouble," Luo Gan advised. "Once it is grilled or boiled, minced garlic, bean paste, and other seasonings are essential. Since there are many Han people in Dingxiang, you can buy these ingredients from them."

Yan Shan looked at the room full of mutton and waved his hand in frustration. "You don't have to serve only mutton. Once winter passes and the animals emerge from hibernation, there will be plenty of deer, civet cats, and wild rabbits in the surroundings. Those are excellent ingredients, aren't they?"

"We are excellent hunters!" the Hu woman boasted. "When our team goes out, we often return with a full haul!"

"Exactly! Play to your strengths," Luo Gan said. "Incorporate wild game; that will be a huge draw. If you limit yourself to this, you will barely fill stomachs, let alone be considered a fine dining establishment."

"Boss," Yan Shan said, "this shop doesn't even have a name. Should we come up with one?"

"Hu-Chi?" the woman suggested.

"Hu-Han Restaurant!" Luo Gan declared. "Let's call it that."

Yan Shan and the Hu woman both cheered, though they were, of course, entirely unaware of any reference to "Hu Hansan."