Chapter 10: Old Gen’s Egg Pancake (Recommendations and Bookmarks Appreciated)

Chapter 10: Old Gen’s Egg Pancakes (Seeking Recommendations and Favorites)

"A distinctive pancake?" The old man looked at Li Qi with a puzzled expression.

"Exactly," Li Qi nodded. "You need to make a pancake that no one else can."

Li Qi had already mastered over fifty varieties of pancakes by the time he was twelve. He had intended to teach the old man some of the more complex and unique recipes, but he worried the old man might not remember them.

What kind of pancake would be delicious, simple to make, and affordable?

Li Qi furrowed his brow in thought, then suddenly brightened. "Got it—green onion and egg pancake."

"Green onion and egg pancake?" The old man asked in surprise.

Li Qi gave a confirming hum. This was his favorite breakfast from childhood, suitable for all ages, easy to prepare—and most importantly, this Northern Song era had not yet seen such a pancake.

He proceeded to explain the recipe and several key tips in detail to the old man.

The old man’s face first lit up with joy, then clouded over with worry. "Young man, you don’t know—my baked pancakes barely make any money as it is. If I add eggs to them here, I’m afraid—"

This old man really lacked flexibility. Li Qi smiled wryly. "It’s actually very simple. Just raise the price a bit. There’s no pricing authority here, so you set the prices. If your pancakes taste good, don’t worry about customers. But I must warn you—your pancakes are too thick. Even if they’re delicious, one fills people up, and they can’t eat more. You should make them thinner and a bit larger, so they look appealing. That way, they’re easier to eat and you could earn several times more."

Li Qi’s small hint suddenly made many things clear to the old man, who nodded and smiled. "Young man, I know what to do now. Thank you so much."

Li Qi sighed. "In business, you ultimately have to learn through experience. Even the way you call out to customers involves many skills."

"Calling out has skills too?" The old man asked curiously.

"Of course. Do you know what brand effect means?" Li Qi inquired.

The old man shook his head blankly. Not being from another time, he had no concept of brand effect.

Li Qi inwardly groaned at himself. He had only blurted out a few extra words, not intending to overwhelm this illiterate old man with talk of branding. Talking about brand effect to someone who couldn’t even read properly was truly courting disaster.

But the words were out and couldn’t be taken back. Li Qi forced himself to continue: "Grandpa, when you call out, do you just shout ‘pancakes’?"

The old man nodded. "That’s how everyone does it."

Li Qi rolled his eyes. "That’s exactly why you shouldn’t. Brand effect has a key point—it must be unique. Simply put, you need to give your pancake a unique name. Understand?"

The old man honestly shook his head again. Naming a pancake was something he had never heard of.

Li Qi thought, "Damn! This old man really isn’t cut out for business."

Feeling helpless, Li Qi gave up on further explanation. "If you sell the green onion egg pancakes I taught you, you can’t just call them ‘egg pancakes.’ You have to add your own element. For example—what’s your name, grandpa?"

After all this time, Li Qi realized he didn’t even know the old man’s name and felt awkward.

The old man, absorbed in the conversation, was startled by the question. "My surname is Zhang—Zhang Ergeng."

The name was rustic to the extreme, but it did suit the image of a humble pancake seller. Li Qi smiled faintly and clasped his fists. "Mr. Zhang, I’m Li Qi."

Zhang Ergeng hurriedly bowed. "Oh, it’s Master Li. I had no idea I was in the presence of such an esteemed guest."

"What master?" Li Qi quickly stopped him. "Just call me Brother Li."

Zhang Ergeng grinned warmly. "Alright, Brother Li."

Li Qi glanced at him and an idea struck. "How about ‘Old Gen’s Egg Pancakes’? That’s easy to remember and fits your image."

"Old Gen’s Egg Pancakes?" Zhang repeated, looking half-understanding.

"Exactly. Whenever you sell either baked pancakes or egg pancakes, you must shout out ‘Old Gen’ first. ‘Old Gen’ will be your brand. Don’t underestimate it—it might bring you unexpected success. Treat it as more important than even your own name," Li Qi emphasized.

Zhang nodded eagerly. "Got it! Let me try calling out now." He took a deep breath and shouted, "Old Gen’s Egg Pancakes! Old Gen’s Baked Pancakes!"

Though elderly, the old man’s voice was surprisingly strong and clear.

Li Qi smiled approvingly. "Good, very good."

Zhang broke into a broad smile, feeling deeply grateful. "Brother Li, your kindness is beyond repayment—" He bent down to take some pancakes from his basket to give to Li Qi, but when he looked up, Li Qi was nowhere to be seen. Looking around, he spotted Li Qi several yards away, hurrying forward with his head down. Zhang called out, "Hey, Brother Li, why are you leaving so soon?"

"Not staying? Waiting for your pancakes? I’m not falling for that again." Li Qi called back without turning. "Mr. Zhang, sorry, I suddenly remembered something urgent. Goodbye!"

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After parting with the old man, Li Qi found a teahouse to sit down, sipping tea while pondering why he insisted on keeping busy. Why not, like the old man, set up a small stall selling snacks, be his own boss? It wouldn’t take much capital, and there were no urban management officers yet, so no need to worry about frequent crackdowns.

Li Qi’s thoughts were idyllic, yet he didn’t realize the local constables were even more ruthless than urban management officers. The latter at least had set fines, but here, the constables could demand whatever they liked, and they patrolled twice as often.

"Alright, that’s the plan. I refuse to be outdone by an old man."

Li Qi felt more confident about street vending. He finished his tea, tossed a few copper coins on the table, and got up to leave.

Stretching after leaving the teahouse, Li Qi felt refreshed—truly, joy brings vitality.

He hurried along the riverbank toward the Drunken Immortal Inn. His main goal now was to find Wu Furong and borrow some money, since Wu Furong was the only person he knew here who might lend him funds.

Halfway there, he suddenly saw a crowd gathered ahead, noisy and bustling. Peering over, he saw dozens of scholars and literati surrounding a five-story pavilion.

What was happening here?

Curious, Li Qi pushed forward to the back of the crowd and looked up, startled. Hanging from the second floor’s eaves was a huge golden plaque bearing three dazzling characters—Jade Pavilion.

Huh? This was the Jade Pavilion that had driven the Drunken Immortal Inn out of business? Indeed, it was very close—no more than two or three miles away.

Li Qi studied the building carefully. The eaves curved upward, beams and rafters carved and painted in exquisite detail, magnificent and splendid. On this Bian River Avenue, it had the imposing grandeur of overlooking all others.

Damn! Could this be the Northern Song’s five-star hotel? No wonder the Drunken Immortal Inn lost to it. Just the façade alone made the two incomparable. If he were a guest, he’d come here too.

Li Qi sighed and followed the crowd’s gaze. Two red banners hung from the third floor, fluttering gently in the breeze. People pointed and murmured.

The left banner read: "A river of wind and moon leaves drunken delight."

The right banner read: "Pouring bamboo leaves condenses green sentiments."

(The End of this Chapter)