Chapter 7: Can We Eat?

She summoned a palace servant and instructed, "Go inquire about that Ruchun Restaurant, especially the origin of that plaque. Make sure to confirm it clearly"

Perhaps due to a previously tarnished reputation, even after several days of starting anew, there are still no customers arriving

Shangguan Wan'er smiled and said, "This name is good."

On the menu, Shangguan Wan'er looked suspiciously as she took the menu and saw a dazzling array of dishes listed, with names like 'Glorious Wealth and Noble Status' and 'Colorful Splendor'.

Why is it a bookworm

Shangguan Wan'er couldn't help but chuckle, seemingly intrigued by these unique dish names, and the characters above also appeared quite distinctive, with commendable calligraphy. This was Shangguan Wan'er's assessment of the characters.

Alas... with business being this good, it truly makes one anxious. I should go hire an assistant tomorrow.

"Do not speak any further." Shangguan Wan'er need not listen, as she already knows what this eunuch is about to say. She could not help but feel disgusted and scolded softly, "Truly ignorant, you should not say what you are saying."

This practice has wasted quite a bit of ingredients, but Qin Shaoyou does not mind. It is impossible for him to cook personally every day; a good knife should be used on the cutting edge, so Qin Shou still needs to be trained.

An hour later, a eunuch knelt in the edict chamber

Shangguan Wan'er had lost all interest in that Chunjiu Restaurant, but now seeing the eunuch hesitating, she could not help but ask, "If you have something to say, please do not hesitate."

There is a shopkeeper in the store, who is a bookworm

However, he reminded himself not to panic, not to get excited, and not to show any unusual reactions, lest he scare the customers away. He needed to remain calm, composed, and treat the situation lightly, as if the business of the Spring Wine House was so 'good' that it would hardly miss one customer.

Qin Shaoyou is very sad, beautiful woman, am I a chef? Is it appropriate to praise a chef as a good calligrapher?

She is fiddling with a bowl of tofu pudding, taking a few bites, and frowning: "Salty? Why isn't it sweet? These salty tofu vendors are truly more detestable than rebels, hmm..." She scrunches her nose and makes a decisive conclusion: "Salty rebels, damned!"

As the sun rose high in the sky, the drowsy Qin Shaoyou, with his keen ears, heard the sound of footsteps.

Esteemed guest, would you like to dine

Today the weather is pleasant and sunny, with the sun shining warmly. It is said that during the season of March, there is a temple fair at the Confucian Temple by the Yi River, which is quite lively. As a result, the business at the taverns has become rather sluggish, and Qin Shaoyou leans against the counter dozing off. Such a decadent life is truly detestable, but... I will take a nap first and then see.

What kind of person is Shangguan Wan'er? Qin Shaoyou's attentiveness seems somewhat excessive, and she secretly scoffs: "Perhaps this bookworm takes me for a beauty like Yan Ruyu. His clumsiness is somewhat amusing, but unfortunately, he is just a fool."

The eunuch said with a face full of grievance: "It was my sister who taught me to say this."

Now the sound of footsteps is that of the second guest at the Spring Wine House, no... Listening to these footsteps, there is not just one guest, but many, many guests

However, can we eat first before engaging in teasing?

Shangguan Wan'er sat down on the Hu stool, with several guards standing on either side.

Qin Shaoyou hurriedly brought a list and said: "Esteemed guest, what would you like to eat? Here, this is the menu."

Shangguan Wan'er could not help but feel frustrated. She sighed and said, "This time is truly difficult; His Majesty has inquired about the Chunjiu Restaurant, and that restaurant... is really annoying." She impatiently waved her hand at the eunuch in front of her and said, "Leave."

However, since she has arrived, she nodded slightly and said: "Hmm... let's eat"

Qin Shaoyou was excited. Although yesterday he had brought a merchant in and even declared an 20% discount for him, Deng Jian beside him had a face full of flesh, hiding a stick in his sleeve, with a sharp corner peeking out, which frightened the merchant greatly. The merchant entered the store trembling, ordered two small dishes, but before the dishes were served, he took the opportunity to slip away while Qin Shaoyou was showcasing his skills in the kitchen. This left Qin Shaoyou feeling quite frustrated for a while.

Qin Shou followed Qin Shaoyou every day to learn cooking. Since there were no guests, he practiced each dish repeatedly, and gradually, he began to show some skill, especially with the minced meat eggplant. Aside from still struggling with the cooking time and cutting the eggplant a bit too thick, it was passable.

She is a very beautiful woman, yet it is difficult to find in her eyes the charm that is typically associated with women of her age.

"Bookworm..." Shangguan Wan'er frowned again. She was a talented woman, the granddaughter of the Prime Minister Shangguan Yi. Due to her intelligence and literary skills, she was favored by the Empress and had been in charge of the palace's edicts for many years, earning the title of "Female Prime Minister," a testament to her extraordinary talent. However, this did not mean that she liked a bookworm. A talented scholar and a bookworm are different; the former is charming and suave, while the latter is simply annoying.

Moreover, the food there is quite unpalatable. I inquired among the neighbors and nearby diners, and they all said that starving to death is a minor issue compared to eating the food of the Qin family, which is truly a curse, worse than pig feed. Last month, someone took the risk to eat there and ended up...

Indeed, one must possess such confidence. Thus, he immediately pulled out an account book, which was so old that its pages had turned yellow, and he did not know which year or month it was from. However, as he flipped through the ledger, he simultaneously manipulated the abacus with a series of rapid clicks. Then, shaking his head with a sigh, he lamented: "Yesterday's revenue barely reached 4,000 coins, with over 70 diners consuming only this much. However, it is said that there is a temple fair coming up. That is good; taking advantage of these few days of slow business, I can have a good rest. Once the temple fair concludes and the guests fill the place, there will be plenty to do."

Qin Shaoyou gave a bitter smile and said, "I ordered the dishes first..."

Shangguan Wan'er seemed to have thought of something, furrowing her brows in deep contemplation, and said: "Please continue."

Nevertheless, she still eagerly finished the bowl of tofu pudding, and only then did she contentedly raise her gaze to the eunuch kneeling in the room, asking: "Have you inquired?"

It is said that he has been reading since childhood, spending every day hiding in his room reciting the Four Books and Five Classics, reading and writing. However, he lacks any talent for business. After his father's death, he continued to be unambitious, merely shaking his head and holding books for amusement each day, which led to a significant decline in the business of the Spring Wine House, leaving it desolate and empty. It is rumored that this wine house is poorly managed and can no longer sustain itself.

Qin Shaoyou could not help but be filled with tears of joy, may the ancestors bless us, the incense burned last night has shown its efficacy, and finally, a genuine guest has arrived.

He was excited, so he personally walked around the counter, chose the window closest to the window, took a feather duster and gently tapped it, respectfully inviting Shangguan Wan'er to take a seat

Standing behind the woman are four or five guards, each armed with a sword, possessing robust physiques reminiscent of tigers and bears. They appear to be nonchalant, yet seem to be on high alert, ready to spring into action at the slightest sign of disturbance.

The only guest, and a freeloader at that, Deng Jian was quite concerned about Qin Shaoyou's business. He prided himself on his lofty ideals and had offered many suggestions to Qin Shaoyou. For instance, he had dozens of friends who were eager to join him in taking advantage of the situation. Qin Shaoyou was so frightened that he felt his liver tremble; after a long while, he realized that despite having read many books, he could not find a single word to describe this shameless fellow. In the end, he shook his head and said, "I have never seen such a brazen person."

Standing across the counter is an extraordinarily beautiful woman, in the prime of her youth at eighteen. She wears a dress made of silk and satin. It is somewhat disappointing that, although there is no grand shop here, the woman's strapless top is not low-cut, but rather features a straight collar embroidered with silver threads.

Immediately, with a furrowed brow, she supported her chin with her small arms resembling jade lotus roots, her expression filled with distress

Shangguan Wan'er immediately thought of the 'news' that the eunuchs had inquired about, feeling a chill run down her spine, as if she were being forced onto the execution ground. She then smiled lightly and said, "May I ask for the esteemed name of the shopkeeper"

Shangguan Wan'er gracefully moved to the He Bi Palace

As he spoke, Qin Shaoyou's Adam's apple could not help but tremble, his heart felt as if it would leap out. Heaven have mercy, if this woman were to respond that she had taken a liking to him, Qin Shaoyou could hardly guarantee that he would not, in a fit of rage, strangle her.

He wore a look of furrowed brows and hesitation, with a gentle breeze and clear skies. Then, he inadvertently raised his gaze, slightly taken aback.

Qin Shaoyou smiled; for this smile, he had practiced in front of a bronze mirror for a long time. The customer is God, and a spring-like smile is essential

Qin Shaoyou is already growing impatient

As Shangguan Wan'er spoke, a few more shades of brightness appeared on her indifferent and charming face, and she said: "Since we have left the palace, have someone bring a bowl of tofu pudding. The imperial chef in the palace prepares rich and heavy dishes, which have truly become tiresome."

Well, I will go tomorrow, but first I need to fill my stomach.

Qin Shaoyou smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, I truly do not deserve it, Miss, it is time to order the dishes."

Qin Shaoyou has begun to suspect that the women of the Tang Dynasty are indeed excessively promiscuous. Could it be that this older young woman before him has genuinely taken a liking to him?

"You speak." Shangguan Wan'er became serious again, squinting her eyes as if she were dozing off, yet the half-covered gaze behind her eyelids sparkled with brilliance

Shangguan Wan'er could not contain her anger and said: "Such people, unable to inherit family fortunes above, and unable to secure a livelihood below, are truly laughable, mere foolish insects, not at all what one would call scholars. What else is there?"

How to put it, the eyes do not reflect innocence, nor clarity, but rather an unfathomable depth, behind which seems to hide many stories

Qin Shaoyou let out a sigh of relief; the mere two words "dinner" sounded like music to his ears. Qin Shaoyou quickly said: "Esteemed guest, please!"

Meanwhile, Shangguan Wan'er was seated behind the desk. Although Hu beds and Hu stools had become common, in the palace, one still knelt while sitting. Shangguan Wan'er was dressed in a light green dress; after all, she was still young. When serving His Majesty, her expression was as cold as an iceberg, but now, in this setting, she revealed a hint of innocence.

The plaque of the Na Ru Spring Restaurant was indeed personally inscribed by the Crown Prince in his youth, and it was subsequently framed. The inscription reads "Unparalleled Culinary Skills".

She is like a tapeworm in Your Majesty's belly. Since Your Majesty has inquired about the Ru Chun Restaurant, what you are truly asking about is Crown Prince Li Hong. This matter is not simple; regardless, she must pay a visit to the Ru Chun Restaurant.

Shangguan Wan'er sensed something unusual. Is this person the bookworm? He is still quite polite, but the way he looks at her seems overly intense. No, it is impolite!

She looked up and smiled gently, saying: "Your calligraphy is somewhat lacking, but the style is unique. With diligent practice, you may one day possess the demeanor of a master."

The eunuch hesitated, unable to speak for a long time

Shangguan Wan'er: "I see that your demeanor is quite elegant, your name carries profound meaning, and your calligraphy is commendable. Where are you from, what is your date of birth, how many members are there in your family? You must have received an education; what books have you studied..."

Inquired

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