Content with a Little Wealth: A Jiangnan Chef’s Journey to Fortune Through Food

[Gourmet + two female leads + ensemble cast + no transmigration, rebirth, or golden finger + set in Jiangnan during the Yuan dynasty + cozy slice of life] Jiangnan under the Great Yuan seemed little different from the days of the Zhao Song dynasty. There were taxes, but they weren't too harsh. Life was tight, but manageable. In Gui Chao Alley, in Wushan Market of Qiantang County, lived the Wu family. They weren't wealthy, but they took their meals seriously and lived with dignity. There were little setbacks and minor worries, but a hot meal could warm the heart. Then their straightforward old patriarch got into trouble with soldiers for standing up for someone. To save him, the family spent their savings and sold their land. But life had to go on. The old patriarch and the eldest son took to the Grand Canal to work on boats, the aunt took in sewing and tailoring, and the second son became a tenant farmer. The two daughters-in-law, A Yuan, a Jiangnan woman, and A Luo, a woman from another people, started by cooking banquets in people's homes. The sisters-in-law forged an unusual path of their own. From private chefs who cooked in clients' homes to a “private dining house,” they eventually became famous throughout Jiangnan... Hui merchants brought spices from distant lands. Mongols loved mutton and dairy. Noodles came from the north... All of these collided with Jiangnan's refined cuisine, and in A Yuan and A Luo's hands, they became something extraordinary. This story isn't about heroes or epic battles. It tells only of hearth smoke rising from a little corner of the world, half a cookbook, the warmth between people, and the comfort of good food. Recipes referenced include Complete Essentials for the Home, Wu's Instructions for the Women's Quarters, and Mountain Home's Fine Offerings.