Chapter 141

Chapter 141

"Rebellious son, stand still!"

Lin Zijian stopped in his tracks and turned around, his eyes cold and hard as he looked at his father, who had rushed out behind him.

Lin Father felt a pang of panic under his son's gaze. "What kind of look is that?! And who gave you permission to go to another region anyway?"

"I have already discussed it with Grandfather, and Mother has agreed."

"I don't agree!"

Lin Mother sneered inwardly, thinking, who do you think you are? Whether he agrees or not, her son wouldn't listen to him anyway.

Lin Father stepped forward and held his son's shoulders, saying, "Zijian, the official career is not a joke. If you don't take a position in the inner court, how will you return to Shang Jing for an appointment in the future? And do you think being a local official is easy? If you're not cautious, your future could be ruined!"

"No need for Father to worry. If you find it unsuitable, you can always groom the child born by Zhangshi to become a cabinet minister in the future."

"You! Qinglan, I know you resent me, but Zhangshi is just a concubine. If you really can't tolerate her, we can send her away. You can't sacrifice your son's future out of anger."

Lin Mother trembled with shock at his heartless words, as if she had never known this person.

She recalled how they met, got to know each other, married, and had their son, always supporting each other with mutual respect, but now it had come to this: a house that no longer felt like a home, a father who no longer behaved as a father. She wondered how she had ended up marrying such a monster in human form. Just moments ago, he had been embracing Zhangshi, ready to strike her, and now he nonchalantly mentioned sending her away, showing such heartlessness.

Lin Zijian also frowned. "I have made my decision, Father; further persuasion is unnecessary." He then helped Lin Mother into the bedroom.

*

What transpired at the Lin household was unknown to Lu Yao. Upon returning home, he called Ma Kuan and went to take a tour of their newly purchased shop.

The sign above the new shop had already been removed, and the sign at the entrance was also vacant. An attendant accompanying them retrieved a key, stepped forward, and unlocked the main door, revealing an antique-style eatery before their eyes.

This shop is more spacious than the Chang He Ju we went to last night, and most importantly, there is still a kitchen and a place to park carriages in the backyard.

The first thing Zhao Beichuan looked at was the kitchen. After checking it out, he said, “There are too few stovetops; there are only three. If we’re making braised dishes, it won’t be enough.”

Lu Yao patted his hand, “We’ll need to renovate everything before opening.”

The first floor has a similar setup to Chang He Ju, with seven or eight square tables placed in the hall, providing little privacy.

Ordinary people likely can’t afford the meals here, and those with some status wouldn’t want to sit in the main hall and be watched while eating. The table arrangement seems superfluous.

The second floor has four private rooms, much more spacious than those in Chang He Ju. The furniture appears quite new, and Lu Yao plans to keep it as is, but the rooms are too plain and will need some renovation.

The third floor also has four private rooms. Lu Yao intends to name all eight rooms after the four seasons and the four noble plants—simple and easy to remember.

After coming down from the upper floors, Lu Yao said, “Except for the first floor, everything else will remain as is for now. I’ll draw up a renovation plan for the first floor and have it redone according to the plan.”

Ma Kuan was momentarily taken aback but quickly nodded in agreement.

“Also, we’ll construct another kiln in the backyard, five feet by three feet. I plan to introduce a new signature dish in Shangjing—Shangjing roast duck.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Beichuan was curious about the preparation of the roast duck, as Lu Yao had never mentioned it before.

Once inside the carriage, Lu Yao explained the process of making the roast duck in detail, “Clean the duck, make a small cut in the belly, remove the internal organs, then coat it with honey water and hang it in the kiln to roast. This way, the duck will have a crispy skin, tender meat, a shiny red appearance, and will be rich without being greasy.”

“But if you only coat the duck with honey water, won’t it lack flavor?”

Lu Yao smiled, “The roasted duck isn’t complete yet. You need a skilled chef to slice it into 108 thin slices, then serve it with thin lotus leaf pancakes, sweet bean sauce, and scallion strips. One bite, and the flavor is unparalleled!”

Zhao Beichuan was listening with his mouth watering. "Teach me how to make it when we get back!"

"Sure."

In fact, Lu Yao had never cooked the roast duck himself, but he had eaten it several times during business travels and had even visited a well-known roast duck restaurant in Beijing. From these experiences, he had learned the roast duck production process.

In modern times, most restaurants used mechanical ovens to roast the duck, which resulted in a similar taste. However, compared to that famous restaurant, they always lacked the flavor of charcoal roasting with fruitwood.

Roast duck had been popular for centuries in his previous life, so Lu Yao believed it would be well-received here too.

*

There was no rush with the inn for now. Lu Yao planned to go and look at furniture first. The main residence was still not set up and was quite empty.

There were furniture stores in Shang Jing, selling everything from canopy beds to small stools, and they also accepted custom orders. The materials varied widely in price, ranging from several thousand silver taels to just a few.

Lu Yao wasn’t a luxurious person. The items in his home just needed to be comfortable; there was no need to pick the most expensive wood.

He ordered a mid-priced set of rosewood furniture, including a canopy bed, a dressing table, a display cabinet, a chest of drawers, and two clothing wardrobes.

The tables and chairs were also made of rosewood. However, instead of customizing traditional chairs, Lu Yao designed a long sofa according to his own needs. Once completed, he planned to have leather upholstery made for it, which should make it quite comfortable to sit on.

This set of furniture cost over 300 silver taels. Lu Yao added 30 taels for labor, and it should be ready before the New Year.

After leaving the furniture shop, the two went to a nearby clothing store and ordered new clothes for themselves, Xiaodou, Ma Kuan, Xiaonian, and Xiaochun.

Lu Yao originally wanted to order clothes for Zhang Qiulan too, but he didn’t know his measurements and was afraid of choosing a color that Zhang wouldn’t like. He decided to give him a bigger red envelope during the New Year instead.

The clothes would take about seven days to make, but they weren’t in a hurry. They had brought plenty of clothes with them, so they had enough for now.

Back home, Lu Yao took out the ledger and started recording the expenses. The costs in Shang Jing were too high. In just two days, they had spent six to seven hundred silver taels, which caused him pain.

He needed to get the inn open for business quickly. Every day it didn’t make money was a financial loss.

Lu Yao went to Xiaodou’s room to get paper and a pen, then used a wooden ruler to sketch and plan the layout of the first floor of the inn. He planned to design it in the style of Haidilao, using tall wooden partitions to divide the hall into several private spaces. Each table could seat four to six people, making it perfect for friends to gather and dine.

The seats would also be changed to long benches, with leather cushions and backrests, giving it a high-end and comfortable feel.

Additionally, all the lights inside the building would need to be replaced. Since nighttime was the peak business hour for inns in Shang Jing, he was determined to make his the most dazzling one in the city!

Lu Yao was busy sketching and planning until it got dark. When Zhao Beichuan entered, he found Lu Yao asleep at the desk.

Feeling concerned, he quickly took the brush from Lu Yao’s hand, carried him to bed, removed her shoes and outer clothing, and covered her with quilts. He then extinguished the candle and continued discussing the inn matters with Ma Kuan.

He knew he wasn’t as thoughtful as Lu Yao and had only a basic understanding of business. In the past, he hadn’t bothered to learn, thinking that as long as he cooked well, it would be enough.

But now, things were different. Lu Yao was pregnant and couldn’t run around. Zhao Beichuan knew he had to step up and take on the responsibilities of a husband.

*

On the third day of arriving in Shang Jing, Zhao Beichuan and Ma Kuan began renovating the inn, while Lu Yao visited two neighboring households with gifts.

The innermost house belonged to the Shi family, whose head held the position of a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites. From what he gathered through Xiaodou, this position was often a launching pad. As long as no major mistakes were made, those holding it could expect bright career prospects after three to five years. Therefore, Lu Yao prepared slightly more generous gifts.

After knocking for a while, the doorman finally opened the door and looked them up and down. "What do you want?"

"We are new neighbors who moved in recently and have come to visit Lord Shi."

"Wait here," the doorman said, and with a bang, he shut the door.

Lu Bing was quite angry. "What’s wrong with him?"

Lu Jia quickly kicked him. "Be careful what you say."

Lu Yao said, "Shang Jing is different from our Ping Prefecture; we need to be careful in our speech and actions. As the saying goes, 'A seventh-rank official stands at the prime minister’s gate,' so even the servants should not be offended lightly."

Lu Bing quickly lowered his head and said, "I was wrong."

However, the Shi family was haughty. After a long while, the servant returned and said, "Our lady is unwell today and cannot see guests. Please return another day."

Lu Yao smiled and said, "In that case, I will come again another time. Please accept this small token of our regard."

Lu Jia and Lu Bing handed over the boxes they were holding. The servant didn’t even pretend to be courteous and, after taking the boxes, closed the door.

After being rebuffed by the Shi family, Lu Yao didn’t mind too much. While this dynasty doesn’t strictly categorize people into scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, commerce was still seen as a lower occupation. It was normal for others to look down on them.

Lu Jia and Lu Yi went home to get a second gift. Lu Yao then knocked on the door of another neighbor.

This time, the Xu family opened the door quickly. The gatekeeper asked their purpose, and upon hearing Lu Yao's introduction, he ushered the three into a side hall. "Please wait a moment. I will inform our master."

Lu Yao guessed that the master likely told the gatekeeper to treat neighbors politely.

After a short while, a moderately tall man in his fifties with slightly graying hair walked in from the back courtyard.

Lu Yao stood up and bowed. "Are you Master Xu? I am Lu Yao, your neighbor from the adjacent house. I have come to visit today."

Xu Zhanguang hurriedly raised his hand in return. "Pleasure to meet you. A few days ago, I heard that the Li family's house was sold. I was planning to visit, but you came first."

Lu Yao said, "We should have visited earlier, but we just moved to Shang Jing and haven’t settled in yet. We were delayed for two days."

"No problem, please come inside."

Master Xu led them to the reception hall, and a servant served tea.

As Lu Yao looked at him, he felt increasingly familiar.

Master Xu, puzzled, touched his face and inquired, "Why are you looking at me like that, Lu Xiaolang? Is something wrong?"

"Excuse me, do you have any relatives in Ping Prefecture, Master Xu?"

Xu Zhanguang was taken aback. "Yes, my ancestral home is in Ping Prefecture, Qiushui Town."

Lu Yao couldn't help but smile. "What a coincidence! Our hometown is also Qiushui Town in Ping Prefecture. Isn’t your nephew named Xu Bin?"

Xu Zhanguang was incredulous. "Well, what do you know! It's amazing to meet a fellow townsman in Shang Jing. Do you know Bin?"

"Know him? I was the one who gave him the tofu recipe, which you later sent to us. You even sent us a box of porcelain in return."

"Oh my, who would have believed this story? Quick, bring the mistress here!"

The servant hurried to the back courtyard, and soon an amiable lady hurried in, eyeing Lu Yao curiously. "Are you from Qiushui Town, Lu Xiaolang?"

Lu Yao nodded. "Yes, I am an old acquaintance of Xu Bin." Their shared hometown instantly bridged the gap between the two families.

Xu Zhanguang asked, "How long has it been since you left Qiushui Town?"

Lu Yao counted on his fingers. "Almost eight years. Initially, we moved from our village to Qiushui Town. Back then, we ran a tofu business and supplied Xu Bin’s restaurant, which is how we met."

"What’s the story with the tofu recipe?"

"It’s a lengthy story." Lu Yao recounted how his tofu shop was envied and obstructed by others, and how Xu Bin helped him. While it was all true, he embellished the story a bit, making it sound like they had a particularly close relationship with Xu Bin.

Xu Zhanguang said, "Bin is indeed a warm-hearted person, and that tofu recipe has been very helpful."

The Xu family had originally made their fortune in the restaurant business. Later, due to a stroke of luck, their branch moved to Shang Jing. At first, it was difficult to run a restaurant in the city, but the tofu recipe that their nephew sent over helped them establish a firm footing.

Eventually, the ordinary restaurant became one of the well-known wine houses in Shang Jing, the Baiyu Lou. It was only after making money these past few years that they were able to buy this mansion on Zhangtai Street.

Xu Zhanguang said, "The mansions on Zhangtai Street aren't cheap. Judging by your financial resources, I suppose you must have had quite a fortune."

Lu Yao nodded. "My younger brother has taken the official route, so we moved to Ping Prefecture and opened a wine house there. We've accumulated some assets, and now we're accompanying him to Shang Jing to participate in the imperial examinations. We're also exploring other business opportunities while we're here."

Xu Zhanguang's expression changed again. "Your brother actually passed the imperial examinations!"

Lu Yao smiled modestly. "He's the younger brother of my husband. It was just good luck."

If he had been polite before, Xu Zhanguang was now genuinely interested in building a relationship with them. For merchants like him, it was difficult to establish connections in official circles. Even with large sums of money, it wasn't guaranteed. Now that the Lu family had such a capable person, how could he not be tempted?

"Are you planning to move to Shang Jing permanently?"

"We're not sure yet. There's too much business in Ping Prefecture to leave it unattended. We're just testing the waters here for now. If things work out, we'll have my brother and the others come over. If not, it's not a big deal."

Xu Zhanguang laughed heartily. "With your abilities, Little Master Lu, you'll definitely succeed! Feel free to ask me if you need any help in the future. It's rare to meet someone from our hometown in Shang Jing. Since we're destined to meet, we should help each other!"

"Thank you, Mr. Xu."

After leaving the Xu family, Lu Yao still found it unbelievable that they had met a relative of an old acquaintance in Shang Jing. When Zhao Beichuan returned at noon, Lu Yao told him about it, and he was equally surprised.

"Is he really Uncle Xu's nephew?"

"Absolutely. The moment I saw him, I thought he looked familiar. I asked, and it turns out he's from our hometown."

Zhao Beichuan said, "I'll pay him a visit next time I get the chance."

"Yes, how's the shop coming along?"

"We just gathered all the masons today and rebuilt the heated wall as you instructed. It'll keep customers warm when they come to eat in the winter. We haven't found the carpenters yet."

"No rush, take your time. This afternoon, I'll have Lu Jia deliver a note to Madam Lin, inviting her out for a meal and taking the opportunity to meet some people from the chamber of commerce."

Zhao Beichuan hesitated. "Take care of your health and don't overwork yourself."

"Don't worry, I know my limits." Being four months pregnant, it was the most comfortable stage of his pregnancy. His belly was just slightly rounded, and he didn't feel tired at all. His energy was abundant.

Zhao Beichuan still couldn't shake his concern, and when they napped in the afternoon, he placed his hand on Lu Yao's belly and gently rubbed it.

"Oh!" Lu Yao suddenly exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Beichuan sat up anxiously.

Lu Yao, with a strange expression, pointed to his belly. "I feel like... he just moved..."

"Really?" Zhao Beichuan placed his ear on Lu Yao's belly. "Baby, move again so Daddy can feel you."

Lu Yao felt a flutter in his belly again, like a small fish swimming. "He moved again, he moved again!"

"I can't feel it..."

"Maybe it's too early. Only I can feel it through my belly." Lu Yao placed his hand on his stomach, feeling a strange sensation. There was a tiny life inside him, connected to him by blood. It was a miraculous feeling.

Now, he also felt some anticipation. He wondered if it would be a boy or a girl, and whether the child would resemble him more or his husband.

There were also some concerns. Was the baby healthy? In ancient times, there was no such thing as prenatal checkups, so it was impossible to know if the child was healthy, which worried him greatly.

Zhao Beichuan seemed to sense his concerns and kissed Lu Yao's belly. "Don't worry, both of you will be healthy and safe."

In the afternoon, after a short nap, Lu Yao wrote a note to Madam Lin, asking when she would be free to have a meal together and take the opportunity to meet some people from the chamber of commerce.

Madam Lin happened to be available and immediately sent a note to her friends, finalizing a gathering at the Changshun Lou the day after tomorrow.