Fuman Building also rolled out several new dishes, which weren’t exactly new. Previously, the signature dish of Fuman Building was called Four Joys Fortune Bag, which sounded nice but was actually quite similar to dumplings. Since Lin Yuan subsequently introduced dishes like Crystal Shrimp Dumplings and Siu Mai, the status of the Four Joys Fortune Bag somewhat awkwardly diminished. It was no longer as enticing as a signature dish should be; yet removing it from that status seemed a great pity, especially considering that it was this dish that established the fame of Fuman Building.
Therefore, Lin Yuan decided to recreate the Four Joys Fortune Bag, developing it into a culinary series. This series was collectively named Four Joys Fortune Bag and became the number one signature dish of Fuman Building. Of course, to emphasize the preeminence of the main restaurant, this series was not available at other branches.
The series was actually quite simple, comprising just four dishes, named respectively: Sweet Dew from the Willow Branches, A Thousand Miles to Meet, Double Dance of Swallows, and Zhuang Yuanhong.
Ancients considered "welcoming rain after a long drought, encountering an old friend in a foreign land, spending a wedding night in the bridal chamber, and being listed at the top of the successful examinees in the imperial examinations" as the four greatest joys of life, and Lin Yuan’s names for these dishes were inspired by these joys.
Sweet Dew from the Willow Branches was originally a dessert made with grapefruit and mango, but these fruits were not available in this place. So Lin Yuan replaced the fruits with very common apples. To achieve a sour and sweet flavor, she also added a suitable amount of hawthorn juice to the dish. Although it wasn’t much, it added an indescribable light tartness that was very delightful.
A Thousand Miles to Meet was a name Lin Yuan came up with herself. The dish continued the legacy of the Four Joys Fortune Bag, only changing the dumpling skin to bean curd sheets. A thin layer of bean curd enveloped meticulously prepared filling and was tied in the middle with a chive leaf to form a bow shape. After steaming, the dish was simply doused with the prepared sauce.
In pursuit of innovation, Lin Yuan prepared two types of fillings, meat and vegetarian, on the same plate. The meat filling combined minced pork and leek, while the vegetarian consisted of tofu, glass noodles, and a little carrot. Both varieties were very delicious after steaming.
The name Double Dance of Swallows was adapted from a verse about the wedding night. Though "swallows" are mentioned, the dish was not meat-based but vegetarian. It was a mix of eggs and mashed potatoes, shaped into a pair of loving birds. Attractive in presentation and delicious in taste, even Lao Fan, who preferred meat dishes, found this one to be his favorite.
The last item, Zhuang Yuanhong, was not a food but a wine. Although wines from Meng Family Wine House and An Family Winehouse were very famous, Lin Yuan was fortunate that they did not produce a wine named Zhuang Yuanhong. Liu Limin was therefore tasked with brewing a strong liquor, which was subsequently named Zhuang Yuanhong.
Moreover, Lin Yuan instructed her to dig a cellar in the backyard of Liu’s Brewery and bury bottles of Zhuang Yuanhong there, marking the brewing date. The longer this strong liquor was buried, the better it tasted, so these wines would inevitably be quite valuable in the future.
Liu Limin was overjoyed, insisting on brewing two jars of Zhuang Yuanhong specifically for Xiao Yongyan, to be opened when he grew up and topped the imperial examination.
The four dishes conceived by Lin Yuan were certainly distinctive, including both meat and vegetarian options, as well as soup and wine. As soon as they hit the market, they were warmly received. The wine alone had already become highly coveted by many. Particularly after Lin Yuan purposefully promoted the implied good fortune of Zhuang Yuanhong, virtually every household in Zhuma Town with a son bought it from Liu’s Brewery to save for when their son would top the imperial examination.
As a result, not only did the business of Rice Flower Fragrance grow by leaps and bounds, but Liu’s Brewery also thrived like never before. When it comes to business, the most important thing is to have what others don’t, and what you have should outshine theirs. The success this time was largely due to offering what others hadn’t. Of course, being unique can’t last long unless it’s coupled with relentless pursuit of excellence in quality, which is why Lin Yuan always strove for perfection.
While Rice Flower Fragrance and Fuman Building launched new dishes, Lin Yuan couldn’t let the tofu shop fall behind. Building on the foundation of the existing dried tofu, she developed a range of finished products, adding various ingredients to create dried tofu with flavors like spicy, flavorful, and chicken broth. This new tofu could not only stand alone as a dish but also became one of the snacks that children loved, enjoying widespread popularity.