Chapter 4: Another Pig

This essentially means that during the first year of the Xianqing era, this prince went hunting in Mangshan, and upon returning to Luoyang, he passed by Ruchun Restaurant. After enjoying the exquisite dishes prepared by Qin Shaoyou's father there, he was quite pleased and thus inscribed a poem.

So will this plaque still be hung up

Qin Shaoyou attempted to get accustomed to the boiled tea favored by the Tang people. After taking a sip and enduring its astringent taste, he called Qin Shou over and said: "Don't rush to manage things just yet. Come here, I have a question for you. Is there anything special about our tavern?"

Then, there may only be one.

Qin Shaoyou, lost in thought, bid farewell to Liu the butcher absentmindedly and departed

Qin Shou then cried with a mournful face, "Cousin, I was praising you, how could you be so ungrateful? Oh, I just remembered." Suddenly, Qin Shou perked up and continued, "When Uncle Er was around, he often told me about an incident. It was during the reign of the late emperor when a prince happened to pass by this inn and tasted a dish of 'Ruyi Soup' made by Uncle Er himself. He praised it repeatedly and even personally wrote a couplet for Uncle Er, calling it 'Unmatched Culinary Skills.' Uncle Er was overjoyed and hurriedly had it framed into a plaque, which was hung outside our restaurant. At that time, cousin, you were still young and only focused on your studies, so you were unaware of this matter..."

Qin Shaoyou simply pretended not to hear, walking out with his hands behind his back

A futile joy left Qin Shaoyou feeling empty inside, yet he still harbored a question: since it was merely an inscription by a prince of a previous dynasty, why did the Zhou family seek to seize it? Was their aim not this piece of calligraphy?

This relieved Qin Shaoyou, but he always felt that something was amiss. He was particularly cautious when writing the IOU, fearing that he might leave behind some trap that could be used against him

However, later he accompanied the emperor and empress to Luoyang, where he suddenly passed away in the Qiyun Hall of the He Bi Palace

Could it be that ... ... intends to seize this restaurant from me

... ...

Qin Shaoyou now understood that something was indeed amiss. Through indirect inquiries, he learned that Miss Zhou's father had made promises to many here. Anyone who incurred debts at Chunjiu Restaurant would have promissory notes issued, which could be transferred to him in exchange for real money.

Qin Shaoyou was excited; although princes are precious, in this era where princes are as numerous as dogs, they still fall a little short. However, there is only one crown prince, so wouldn't such an inscription only increase in value?

He suppressed the anger in his heart and returned to the restaurant, where Qin Shou was meticulously wiping the tables and chairs. Judging by his appearance, he seemed quite earnest.

First, they half-sold and half-gifted their own daughter, and when that scheme failed, they devised another plan. If there were no conspiracy behind this, it would truly be a miracle.

Qin Shaoyou's face flushed with embarrassment as he said, "If you bring up the wages again, I will fall out with you."

Butcher Liu readily said: "No offense taken, it actually doesn't matter whether it is returned or not, after all, this debt will be passed on to Lord Zhou."

Butcher Liu had no choice but to greet him with a smile again: "Young Master Qin, is there anything else you need?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Qin Shaoyou hurriedly rushed towards the storeroom. Indeed, there lay such an object inside. This piece of calligraphy was meticulously affixed to a plaque, which was also crafted with great finesse. It inscribed the four characters 'Unmatched Culinary Skills,' and below it, there was an inscription in smaller characters: 'In the first year of Xianqing, during the hunting expedition at Mang Mountain, I had the fortune to visit Chunlou and taste this exquisite dish...'

Butcher Liu looked at this confident fellow with a strange expression, somewhat taken aback

The Holy Divine Emperor, referring to Wu Zetian, suddenly understood everything with the exquisite mind of Qin Shaoyou. Li Hong is the crown prince; if he were to survive, how could Wu Zetian become the Empress? Now, this Holy Divine Emperor has ascended the throne and established the Wu Zhou Dynasty, which is akin to having a treasured calligraphy by Emperor Yang of Sui in one's own home during the time of Li Shimin. To display it would be tantamount to courting death

Qin Shou scratched his head and ears, and after much difficulty, he finally forced a smile and said: "The most special one is a young master who is knowledgeable, handsome, treats his employees well, and pays their wages on time. Does that count?"

It is the current 'Holy Divine Emperor' of the heavens

Seeing Liu the butcher's straightforwardness, Qin Shaoyou was also quite unreserved, promptly selecting various types of cured meats. Liu the butcher instructed his assistant to directly pick them out and send them to the restaurant first

Qin Shou continued, with great difficulty in expressing himself: "After the Crown Prince's death, there have been many rumors in the streets that he was killed by the current Emperor."

The voice of Liu the butcher was neither loud nor soft, yet it reached the ears of Qin Shaoyou

The Zhou family hired someone to act as a matchmaker for Qin Shaoyou. Subsequently, Old Master Zhou also helped Qin Shaoyou settle his accounts. The neighbors, even the pigs, understood that Qin Shaoyou was certainly planning to marry Miss Zhou, most likely as a son-in-law, which naturally drew disdain from others

Qin Shou gazed deeply at Qin Shaoyou and said earnestly: "It was different before, now... cough cough... it's hard to explain"

This fellow is indeed quite rude

Then the butcher Liu readily took the IOU, but Qin Shaoyou still felt uneasy and couldn't help but ask: "Brother Liu, I have already borrowed quite a bit of silver from you; you won't hold it against me, will you"

Seeing his cousin on the verge of tears, Qin Shou could not help but say: "Is it possible that my cousin is reminiscing about His Highness the Crown Prince? Speaking of which, he is indeed quite pitiable"

Qin Shaoyou suddenly felt as if he had been pricked by a needle, and could not help but say: "I meant it in a good way, not a bad one"

Now it is indeed possible to lie down and eat for a lifetime without any issues

Qin Shaoyou felt invigorated, not expecting that his own restaurant had such a glorious history, and hurriedly asked: "What about the plaque?"

Butcher Liu watched Qin Shaoyou's retreating figure, the smile on his face vanished, his flabby flesh jiggled as he spat and said with disdain: "A good-for-nothing living off others, the Qin family has produced such a fool, what a disgrace..."

Qin Shaoyou's face turned dark, let alone that of the crown prince, who was rumored to have possibly died at the hands of the current empress. Qin Shaoyou felt his eyes welling up, and he had to tilt his face at a forty-five degree angle to prevent the tears from spilling over.

Although many ingredients were requested, Qin Shaoyou still felt very sad

Qin Shaoyou couldn't help but narrow his eyes, as if he had gained some insight. The one with the surname Zhou was not only marrying off his daughter but also placing all the accounts of the tavern under his name, which must mean he was eyeing the tavern. And his intention regarding the tavern might be related to the characters mentioned by this prince.

"Dead? What a pity." Qin Shaoyou was almost ready to pound his chest and stamp his feet, lamenting for the unfortunate Crown Prince. However, he was secretly overjoyed, thinking how wonderful it was that he had died. If he were still alive, he would be writing poems from time to time, which would diminish the value of this calligraphy. Just look at Van Gogh; if he had lived for a hundred years and painted a piece every day, how much would his works be worth? ... Ahem ...! ... The Crown Prince has died a worthy death and will surely be remembered through the ages! You see, Van Gogh, if he had lived for a hundred years, painting a piece every day, how much would his works be worth? ... Ahem ...! ... The Crown Prince has died a worthy death and will surely be remembered through the ages!

Qin Shaoyou was so excited that his heart felt like it was about to leap out, and he said with a slightly trembling voice: "Ah... this is only natural. This Prince of Dai clearly possesses great wisdom. From his words and demeanor, I can see his composure and his ability to handle weighty matters with ease. He must be a prince who holds precious jade in his hands. It is truly a blessing for us to have such a person as the crown prince."

Qin Shaoyou's eyes suddenly brightened as he saw the final strokes of 'Dai Wang Hong'. He couldn't help but exclaim: "Is it Dai Wang Li Hong? He truly has an eye for talent; indeed, he is of noble birth, the son of the emperor is different. At a glance, I can see the greatness in his writing, discerning the essence from the details, understanding that he is both a connoisseur and has a good heart. Haha... Such a person, though I have never met him, I greatly admire him, hahaha. He truly has an eye for talent; indeed, he is of noble birth, the son of the emperor is different. At a glance, I can see the greatness in his writing, discerning the essence from the details, understanding that he is both a connoisseur and has a good heart. Haha... Such a person, though I have never met him, I greatly admire him, hahaha. ... We are going to get rich, cousin, cousin, why are you standing there in a daze? Hurry up and hang it up! We will enjoy a life of luxury, and we have to thank His Highness Dai Wang for that."

Qin Shaoyou never thought that he was so charming that Old Master Zhou would insist on giving him a daughter, tirelessly dedicating himself to him, just waiting for him to change his mind and become his cheap son-in-law. Although he believed that he was indeed quite remarkable, it was not to such an earth-shattering extent. Even if he were Pan An, Old Master Zhou was still a big man, wasn't he

Qin Shoudao: "Doesn't my younger cousin know that Wang Hong later became the Crown Prince?"

"Especially..." Qin Shou wore a puzzled expression and after a long while said: "In the entire city of Luoyang, there are hundreds or even thousands of restaurants, yet our restaurant has the least business. Does that count as special?"

How dare you set your sights on me! Qin Shaoyou was angry

Hmph! What nonsense. Qin Shaoyou said with righteous indignation: "Our Qin family is a law-abiding and good citizen, how could we possibly reminisce about some chaotic pretender to the throne? We are here to conduct business, who has the time to think about those in power!"

As he spoke, Qin Shaoyou suddenly felt a hint of doubt. To some extent, a prince's inscription is indeed more precious than that of a tavern, no wonder the Zhou family covets it. However, since his father had originally hung this inscription up so well, why did he suddenly take it down? This does not seem reasonable

Well... it is possible, but why would he want to seize this restaurant? The Zhou family also operates a restaurant; it is true that competitors are rivals. However, now that the Chun Restaurant's business has plummeted, it should not pose any threat to the Zhou family. If the Zhou family wishes to expand their operations, in a city as large as Luoyang, there are certainly shops available for them to take over.

He paused slightly, then turned back again.

Qin Shoudao: "It is in the miscellaneous room in the backyard"

Oh, I see. Qin Shaoyou looked at him sincerely and said, "I just thought about it and suddenly realized that the ingredients in the restaurant are still insufficient"

He returned to the tavern with a heavy heart, still pondering the words of Liu the butcher

Crown Prince

Do not rely on others; doing business depends on oneself. How can one depend on others! The ancestors of the Qin family for eight generations have relied on being honest and diligent to manage their household and prosper in business, never thinking of climbing the social ladder or seeking connections. Do I look like someone who flaunts the reputation of others? I regard fame and fortune as mere clouds; hard work and diligence in achieving wealth is my true character

Cousin, why did father have the plaque taken down

Old Master Zhou

Ah ... what are you saying? The current emperor?

Qin Shaoyou paused for a moment and continued, "Then add one more pig and three chickens. By the way, do you have any geese here? Bring a few of those as well. Deliver them to the tavern for me tomorrow."