Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Lu Lin recounted the trouble they had with a petty official when entering the city, "I thought we wouldn't be able to enter today, but then a military officer came and brought us in with just a few words."

Beside him, Lu Miao added, "That was the Captain surnamed Ge."

Lu Yao glanced at his younger brother with a peculiar expression, "Did he say anything else?"

"He didn't say much, just brought Second Brother and the others in and left."

Lu's mother said, "That young man is quite kind-hearted."

Lu Yao didn't want to mention that the man had a crush on their fifth brother, but he knew he needed to address it to avoid any misunderstandings.

Before long, Zhao Beichuan finished preparing several dishes: a plate of braised fish, a plate of sweet and sour pork loin that the children loved, and two stir-fried dishes.

Xiaonian and Xiaochun brought over a pot of millet rice. Everyone was hungry and started eating heartily.

Zhao Beichuan washed his hands and took out a fine bottle of wine from behind the counter, filling the cups of Second Brother and Brother-in-law. He usually didn't drink, but today he couldn't resist having a little.

Lu Lin still remembered this wine and quickly gestured for him to pour less; last time, one bowl had made him pass out.

Wang Youtian had a decent tolerance, but he didn't dare drink too much either. There were many things to do after arriving in Prefecture City, and drinking too much would only cause trouble.

As they ate and chatted, Lu Lin recounted their journey, "The guards you hired scared us half to death. We thought we were being robbed."

Lu Yao couldn't help but laugh, "When I received your letter, I was worried you might take the wrong path, so I asked the Qu family to help escort you. But yes, Guard Zhang does look rather rough."

"But he's a good person. He helped us a lot along the way. At the inn, he was familiar with the owner, so we got cheaper accommodation and no one dared to steal from us."

Zhao Beichuan said, "In that case, I should thank them properly."

The two children, having eaten their fill, wanted to play. Xiaonian led them to the backyard.

The adults continued eating for about an hour, finishing all the food and feeling quite full, each one burping. Farmers were like that; they'd rather be stuffed than leave any good food to waste!

After the meal, everyone helped clean up. The two new apprentices had already washed the dishes and cleaned the pots and stove, and Lu Yao sent them to rest at the winery.

They locked the shop and returned to the house on Changshui Street.

"From now on, this place will be for your families to live in. The rent is paid for another year and a bit," Lu Yao opened the door, and Hu Chunrong and Lu Yun curiously followed inside.

The courtyard was spacious and looked much newer than their rented house in Qiushui Town.

Lu Yun asked, "This house is for us to live in? Where will you stay?"

"There are rooms behind the tavern. We'll move there once everything is set up."

They entered the house, and Lu Yao had left tables and benches for them. The tavern had plenty of these items.

Lu Lin and Wang Youtian brought in their luggage. Lu Lin's family stayed in the east room, Wang Youtian's family in the west room, and the middle hall was perfect for Grandma Lu and her two grandsons.

Both families were very satisfied. With the living arrangements settled, Lu Lin asked about work in Prefecture City, as they had come to help, not to sightsee.

Zhao Beichuan asked them to sit down and explained, "You've seen the shop. It's small, but it has many regular customers. If managed well, it can earn six or seven taels of silver daily."

"How much!" Lu Lin and Wang Youtian exclaimed, standing up simultaneously. They thought the small eatery could earn at most two or three strings of cash per day.

Six or seven taels a day meant over a hundred taels a month, and more than a thousand taels a year!

"I've discussed with Lu Yao, and we're thinking of entrusting the eatery to you both."

"This, this can't be! Such a profitable business should be kept by you. We can just help out."

Wang Youtian nodded in agreement. Though they were relatives, they couldn't accept such a generous offer without reason.

"Let me finish. We've leased a larger shop, which will open in a few days. Managing both places will be too busy. Instead of selling this shop to someone else, we'd rather have you run it."

Lu Lin slowly sat back down, listening intently.

"The eatery may be small, but it has many customers. Both your families together can manage it. For the next few days, Second Brother and Youtian can assist me in the kitchen. I'll teach you our signature and specialty dishes. After the new shop opens, Xiaochun will stay with you for a few months to help, as he has learned the basics."

Zhao Beichuan pulled Xiaochun over and patted his shoulder.

Lu Yao continued, "The success of the eatery will depend on you. If you can establish a solid foundation, run it well. If it doesn't work out, you can return home or come work at my tavern, though the wages won't be as high as running your own business."

Such a great opportunity was hard to turn down!

Hu Chunrong rolled up her sleeves, "We'll do it! What can't we do? Even the children can learn to cook, so we can't be worse than them!"

Lu Yun agreed, "I share the same thoughts as my sister-in-law."

Wang Youtian was full of enthusiasm, "Brother-in-law, I'll definitely learn well!"

Lu Yao nodded in satisfaction. Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him to fish. He couldn't support his relatives forever; only by standing on their own could they truly thrive.

Fortunately, his brothers were hardworking and ambitious.

Starting the next day, Lu Lin and Wang Youtian began learning how to cook in the kitchen. Initially, Hu Chunrong also wanted to try, but she found the twenty-pound wok too heavy to lift, and her hands ached after cooking just one dish. She eventually gave up and decided to learn bookkeeping with Lu Yao and Xiaonian instead.

She had experience managing accounts at an early morning stall, so it wasn't too difficult to learn. The only challenge was that she couldn't read.

Running an eatery was different from an early morning stall, which had only a few items that could be calculated mentally. The eatery had over twenty dishes, each with a different price, plus various types of alcohol. Mental calculations alone wouldn't suffice.

So, Hu Chunrong had to start learning to read. She was smart and focused on learning only the necessary characters. She practiced during the day and traced them in bed at night. Within a few days, she had memorized all the dish names.

Lu Yun learned procurement and miscellaneous tasks. Lu Yao took him to West Market, showing him which stalls had fresh meat and which ones shortchanged customers. He also taught him how to calculate the daily needs and buy the required ingredients. After three days, Lu Yun could handle the shopping on his own.

Seeing that the eatery was on track, Lu Yao shifted his focus entirely to the tavern.

The first floor of the tavern has been renovated, only the hanging paintings for the second floor remain unfinished.

Since the four seasons and plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum were chosen as the themes, each room naturally needs a corresponding painting. These paintings cannot be taken lightly; a discerning eye can tell the difference between good and bad at a glance.

Therefore, Lu Yao specially invited several renowned painters from Ping Prefecture, and just the fees for these eight paintings cost him over two hundred taels of silver.

The copper pots from the blacksmith's shop have been completed, adding ten more to the original six, which should be enough.

Today, the large fish tanks in the backyard were filled with fish. The uncle who delivered the fish couldn't stop smiling. Ever since he started supplying the Lu family restaurant, his fish business has become much easier. Now, his entire family no longer needs to do odd jobs for others; they just go to the river to catch fish every day. If they can't catch enough, they bring along relatives and friends, knowing that the Lu family will take whatever they catch.

In addition, Lu Yao contacted a merchant who deals in seafood to deliver dried scallops, dried abalone, dried sea cucumbers, and dried shrimp.

These are all premium items. Ping Prefecture is inland, thousands of miles away from the sea, so it's impossible to transport live seafood, but dried goods can still be delicious.

Lu Yao plans to make the most expensive dish in the tavern—Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

In his previous life, he had tasted it once, and the blend of various fresh ingredients left an unforgettable impression. This dish is specifically prepared for people of high status, selling for eight taels of silver per bowl, not to cheat the poor.

Lu Yao also bought something rather special—dried sea cucumbers.

He had been looking for this item since last year but couldn't find it until this spring when he met a seafood merchant and asked if he could get it.

The merchant had never seen anyone buy this before and curiously asked, "Boss, how do you plan to eat sea cucumbers? Once dried, they're just a thin layer of skin, not much to eat."

Lu Yao replied, "I've never tried them, I just want to taste them."

The merchant didn't ask further, "We have sea cucumbers. If you want them, I'll have someone dry some and bring them over."

To his surprise, the merchant really brought them in the fall. These dried goods cost him 130 taels of silver, and the final bag of sea cucumbers was given to him for free.

In his previous life, Lu Yao had seen a video online showing that dried sea cucumbers ground into powder act as a natural flavor enhancer. Sprinkling a spoonful in dishes can enhance their flavor.

At lunchtime, Lu Yao took out half a piece of dried sea cucumber, ground it into powder, and added it to the dish to try it out.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Beichuan immediately noticed the difference, "Today's dish... why does it taste so delicious? Did you add something?"

Lu Yao said, "Did you notice the difference in taste?"

Zhao Beichuan nodded, "I can't say exactly what's different, but it's better than usual."

"That's right!" Lu Yao showed him the dried sea cucumber, "It's this thing, ground into powder and added to the dish."

Zhao Beichuan smelled the sea cucumber, detecting only a salty and fishy odor, finding it hard to believe that it could have such a significant effect.

With this ingredient, Lu Yao was confident that their tavern's dishes would become popular throughout the entire city of Ping Prefecture!

*

Tomorrow was the opening day. In the evening, Lu Yao lit a candle and lay on the kang bed, reviewing the accounts.

From rent to renovation and purchasing items, every expense was recorded in this book, totaling 3,780 taels of silver.

"Spending so much money, I never imagined it before..."

Zhao Beichuan laughed, "Feeling heartache?"

"How can I not feel heartache? With this amount of silver, we could spend several lifetimes in the village."

"But you wouldn't choose to stay in the village, would you?"

"You know me well, my husband," Lu Yao pulled Zhao Beichuan's arm and rested his head on it, "Have all the invitations been sent out?"

"Sent out, one to the Cao family, one to the Qu family, one to the Prefect's residence, one to the military camp, and one to the Liang family. Oh, and I gave one to Huang Yazi too. Without his help, Xiaonian might never have found her beans back."

Lu Yao nodded, "That's right."

"Invitations have been sent to everyone of importance in the city, whether they come or not is another matter."

"Who cares? As long as we've shown our courtesy, coming or not is up to them." Now, Lu Yao felt more confident. By providing the military camp with a thousand catties of alcohol annually, he had a solid relationship that ensured the Northern Pacification King and the Liang family would protect him from any trouble.

Mentioning the military camp, Lu Yao thought of Captain Ge.

"I feel like Captain Ge has a thing for our Lu Miao."

"Do you? I haven't noticed." Zhao Beichuan spent most of his time in the kitchen and rarely saw what happened in the front.

Lu Yao said, "For the past few days, he's been coming to the restaurant every day, always chatting with Lu Miao. On the day Second Brother came, he even asked me where Lu Miao was. I told him Lu Miao might be waiting for Second Brother at the city gate with Mother. Coincidentally, he ran into Second Brother at the gate and helped resolve the situation."

Zhao Beichuan thought about it and agreed, "Could it be that Captain Ge really has a crush on Fifth Brother?"

"Ge Changbao is almost a generation older than Lu Miao! He probably already has a wife, we can't let Lu Miao marry him as a concubine."

Zhao Beichuan became serious, "Marriage is a big deal, I need to talk to him about it when I have the chance."

"Okay."

"It's late, let's sleep."

Perhaps due to anxiety, Lu Yao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The details of the tavern kept flashing through his mind.

"Did you buy the firecrackers?"

"Bought them, as you said, three hundred pounds."

Lu Yao turned over, suddenly remembering that the flowers in the front hall hadn't been watered.

Seeing him getting up to water the plants, Zhao Beichuan quickly held him back, "They won't die from missing one day of water. Don't think about it anymore, go to sleep."

"I'm nervous. I've put so much effort into this, everyone will be watching tomorrow. If it goes wrong, it will be embarrassing."

"It won't. You've planned everything meticulously. Get some rest and be ready to welcome guests tomorrow."

Zhao Beichuan hugged the person and kissed their forehead, patting their back as if soothing a child until they finally fell asleep.

*

The next day, just past the fourth watch, Zhao Beichuan woke up. He didn't wake Lu Yao but got dressed and washed his face first.

Just then, Zhao Fengchun also came out with a towel, "Big Brother, you're awake."

"Xiaochun? Why are you up so early too?"

"I couldn't sleep, thinking about wiping the tables in the hall again later."

Zhao Beichuan patted his nape; this kid was thoughtful. Though there was no blood relation, he had long considered him a brother.

After washing their faces, the two brothers carried the water basin and wiped down the tables and chairs in the hall, then mopped the marble floor clean. Since the flowers hadn't been watered yesterday, Zhao Beichuan took the watering can and gave each one a good pour.

Around the hour of Yin, Lu Lin and his wife, along with Lu Yun and his wife, arrived. They were here to help with the opening today, having closed their own restaurant for a day.

Everyone started preparing: some picked vegetables, others peeled garlic, and some cut meat.

Lu Lin, knowing his legs weren't good for running around, focused on cooking. He practiced every day and could now make most simple dishes.

However, since it was the opening day and they would be serving important guests, Zhao Beichuan decided to cook personally.

Wang Youtian caught a few chickens from the coop, killed them, and cleaned them. The chickens' cries were so piercing that they woke Lu Yao and Xiaonian, who quickly got dressed to help.

Old hens and pork bones were used to simmer a rich broth. Today, they needed to prepare eight servings of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and the broth had to be ready. It needed to simmer in an earthen pot for four hours before use.

Lu Yao arranged the broth in the pot, then walked over to Zhao Beichuan and nudged him with his elbow, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Zhao Beichuan smiled, "I wanted you to rest a bit more. You've been working too hard lately."

"Once the shop is running smoothly, things will get better. When Xiaonian grows up and can handle things independently, and Xiaochun and the other two apprentices finish their training, we can take it easy."

"Sounds good!"

By the end of the hour of Yin, the staff and two new apprentices had arrived. Everyone changed into their uniforms, wearing hats and working efficiently.

These uniforms were designed by Lu Yao and custom-made at a tailor's shop.

The shirts were similar to modern ones, made of blue cotton, with a front button closure and the characters "Lu Family" embroidered on the chest. The collars were turned up, making them look very sharp.

Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan also had a set, but theirs were made of black brocade, with the same front button closure and collar, paired with matching black trousers and short boots.

When they stood together, they looked incredibly handsome!

Lu Miao and Xiaonian also wanted these uniforms, so Lu Yao ordered a set for them in a more vibrant sky-blue color. They hadn't been made yet, but when they were, they would look great too.

The ingredients were almost ready. Ten fish were coated in egg and starch and fried until golden and crispy, ready to be stewed once the guests arrived.

Fifteen chickens were braised, and if more were needed, they could get them from the old shop. Thirty plates of sliced lamb and pork were kept fresh in the ice storage.

With everything prepared, it was almost time to open.

Zhao Beichuan took off his apron and led everyone to the front, where Wang Youtian brought over a ladder.

The sign had been hung two days ago but covered with red cloth. Today, the red cloth would be removed for the grand opening.

A crowd had already gathered outside, waiting to pick up the money that would be scattered when the firecrackers went off.

Cao Wuye and Qu Tian were the first to arrive. These food connoisseurs never missed such events, especially the opening of a new restaurant.

They didn't come empty-handed; their servants carried gift boxes behind them. Cao Wuye brought a painting by Cai Guangyuan.

Cai Guangyuan was a painter from the previous dynasty, not particularly famous for his skills, but his name, which meant "broad wealth," was very popular among merchants. Thus, he chose a horse painting to send.

Qu Tian brought a large copper-plated golden toad, weighing eighty pounds. The copper alone was worth a fortune.

"Mr. Lu, congratulations!"

Lu Yao bowed in gratitude, "Thank you, Lord Wuye and Mr. Qu for your presence!"

Qu Tian laughed, "Oh, don't be so formal! We are all regular customers here."

"I have something special prepared for you today, I promise you'll enjoy it!"

"With those words, I must try it!"

Soon after, Ge Changbao, Liang Zhong, and several military officers arrived. They were in their civilian clothes, looking sharp and clearly from the military.

Liang Zhong examined Zhao Beichuan and Lu Yao, "Your outfits are quite unique. Where did you get them?"

Lu Yao tugged at his sleeve, "I designed them myself, and the tailor's shop helped make them."

Ge Changbao added, "These clothes look great, really neat."

Lu Yao smiled, "If you like them, I can give you a set."

"No, no, we can't accept that," Ge Changbao stretched his neck to look around and saw Lu Miao standing behind, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Liang Zhong, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh at his little brother's infatuation.

Shortly after, Liang Yong arrived with several prominent merchants from Ping Prefecture. They were here more for Liang Yong's sake than for Lu Yao's, as the small Lu family wasn't yet influential enough.

Seeing the time was right, Lu Yao said, "Prepare the firecrackers and remove the red cloth."

Zhao Beichuan waved to his second brother, and Lu Lin brought a stick of incense, moving the onlookers to the side to avoid injury.

As the firecrackers exploded, Zhao Beichuan climbed the ladder and pulled off the red cloth from the sign.

The brown wooden sign read in gold letters: "Lu Family Restaurant—Now Open!"