WLAEF 61

Chapter 61


At this moment, Shen Feng Ming happened to come out from the back.

The misses instantly regained their spirits. Due to being reserved, they didn't look at him. Just occasionally glancing at him.

The girl in blue was surnamed Cao. She was at a perfect age and looked pretty. Her family was one of the richest in Wuling County and was the cousin relative of Recorder Cao in Lu Prefecture. So she always felt that she was superior.

Seeing Shen Feng Ming, her heart was like it contained jumping deer. She had seen many men, but none of them were as outstanding as him.

Seeing that the other misses were all blushing and none daring to talk to Shen Feng Ming, she suddenly stood up and spoke to Shen Feng Ming, "Gentleman."

Shen Feng Ming looked at her. His eyes were deep.

Seeing him like this, Miss Cao felt as if she was in a vast ocean and forgot to say the words were at the tip of her tongue. Her mind went blank.

"My family has a courtyard in the west of the county city. If Gentleman doesn't mind, you can live there!" After Miss Cao finished speaking, she blushed. She had thought this, but didn’t plan to say it so soon.

What she thought was, first ask Shen Feng Ming's surname and the purpose of coming to Wuling County. Maybe she can help. Then after the two get acquainted, she can make this suggestion.

After all, seeing this gentleman’s extraordinary aura, he must not be an ordinary person. Him living in a restaurant was simply wrong.

Who would have thought that as soon as she met his gaze, she would lose it and ask this sentence directly.

Miss Ye and the others next to her were stunned. Miss Cao was so bold? They didn't dare to blink their eyes. They were both amazed and curious about how Shen Feng Ming would respond.

If he agrees...the hearts of the misses were churning. They also have other courtyards and it can be used by Shen Feng Ming.

Shen Feng Ming's eyes became cold at once. A trace of scrutiny appeared in his eyes, as if he was looking at a dead object.

This was his usual look when adjudicating cases. With this look, even the old foxes in the court who have been in the officialdom for many years couldn't stand it sometimes. It was as if he had seen everything through and the next moment would be irreversible. How could Miss Cao , a young girl, withstand it?

She bit her lip as her face paled. Her body was on the verge of falling.

"I...you...no." She wanted to explain a bit. She didn't intend to offend him. She wanted to understand him and help him...

But she couldn't even utter a complete sentence. Her eyes immediately turned red.

Although the misses behind her weren't targeted by Shen Feng Ming, they all felt chills. Even their breathing slowed down unconsciously.

The air seemed to condense together.

At this time, a soft voice sounded, "Gentleman Shen, can you help me buy some sugar?"

It was Jiang Yun Zhu. She came in to pick up the order and found Shen Feng Ming confronting some misses. No, correction, the misses were all frightened by him. So she spoke out at once.

In the morning, she decided to ask Shen Feng Ming to help with some work to prevent him from talking about paying back. She did actually ask him to help a few times during the course of the day. Shen Feng Ming complied. So it wasn't too big of a burden for her to ask him to help buy sugar.

Originally, when she was making milk red bean cake, she ran out of sugar. So she was going to buy it!

Like a gust of spring breeze blowing through the vast expanse, the condensed air melted in an instant. Shen Feng Ming turned to Jiang Yun Zhu, "En."

Jiang Yun Zhu gave him a string of money.

Shen Feng Ming took the money and walked out.

The misses next to her let out a sigh of relief with complicated expressions on their faces.

Just when Jiang Yun Zhu was talking to Shen Feng Ming, the two of them stood there like that. The female had full eyebrows and soft eyes. While the male was handsome and cold to the point that people dare not look... Who knew, he just caught the string of money and went to buy sugar. It gave a feel that it was real as well as like a dream.

"You..." Miss Cao stared at Jiang Yun Zhu. Then she suddenly covered her face with a handkerchief and ran away crying.

Jiang Yun Zhu: ...No, she thought she was helping her!

What, did she get it wrong?

"Boss Jiang." Miss Ye knew Jiang Yun Zhu and greeted her.

Jiang Yun Zhu looked at her questioningly. Just now?

"We were the ones who were abrupt." Miss Ye responded. Ain’t that right! Miss Cao suddenly uttered those kinds of words. It was quite inappropriate. In the end, she left in shame. She can only blame herself.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled. As long as there was no problem, it was fine, "I made a snack. Misses, do you want to try it?"

"What snack?" The round-faced girl asked curiously.

"Ginger milk curd."

"From the sound of it, it's made with ginger and milk." The oval-faced girl licked her lips. "Quickly give us a taste."

Earlier, the milk red bean cake was delicious.

Jiang Yun Zhu immediately brought over some ginger milk curd. This thing was actually very easy to make. Through filtering, get fresh ginger juice and heat it slightly. Afterward, heat the milk to a certain temperature, add sugar, and quickly pour the milk into the ginger juice.

The collision of white milk and ginger juice was the origin of the ‘collide’ in the name.

When milk meets ginger juice, it will coagulate into a milky white solid.

Qishanju were particular about the utensils for holding the food. There was a white porcelain cup in the shape of a persimmon. When one opened the lid, one could see the white jelly inside. It was a pleasing sight to see.

A white porcelain spoon was used to scoop it. It was tender and fragrant.

Once in the mouth, the spiciness of ginger juice blended perfectly with the sweetness. It fully complemented its milky fragrance.

Especially after eating it in the stomach, the body felt warm, as if the cold air of this winter had been dispelled.

"Delicious." The round-faced girl praised.

"It's quite comforting to eat." The oval-faced girl remarked.

"Can the elderly eat this food?" Miss Ye asked.

"Of course." Jiang Yun Zhu said.

Miss Ye's eyes brightened slightly. Her grandmother was getting old and was very afraid of the cold every winter. She felt that if her grandmother ate a bowl of this every day, her health might be much better.

"Ginger juice can drive away the cold. Milk is a nourishing food. The combination of the two is very suitable for people with a cold body or have a cough." Jiang Yun Zhu informed. Tne history seemed to be ginger milk curd was born because an old woman having a cough and her daughter-in-law boiled ginger juice for her. Finding it too spicy to drink, milk was later added inadvertently. This was how this snack was born.

Afterwards, the old woman ate the ginger milk and her cough got better. It goes to show its efficacy.

As soon as she said this, the round-faced girl said, "Since it's good, Boss, give me another bowl then."

It was delicious and good for one’s health. Of course, she had to eat more.

"Boss, can you pack two portions for me to take away?" Miss Ye asked.

"Boss, I want two for takeaway." The oval-faced girl followed. Her father had been suffering from a cough. It would be wonderful if it helped with the cough like Jiang Yun Zhu had said.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled and agreed. It seemed that there was more market for this ginger milk curd than milk red bean cake. Also, Wuling County was rich. After everyone had money, what was more important than a healthy body?

Jiang Yun Zhu decided to add this ginger milk curd to the menu.

Jiang Yun Zhu was standing in the aisle talking to Miss Ye and the others. At the side, Qin Yao heard what they said clearly. Was ginger milk curd that delicious? Why was it not on the menu? Was it specially made for those misses?

Qin Yao wanted to ask, but also didn't want to.

At this moment, Jiang Yun Zhu turned to her and said, "Miss, do you want some ginger milk curd?"

Qin Yao was shocked, Jiang Yun Zhu didn't recognize her, right? Her face was reddish, but she pretended to be calm and steady, "Bring one."

Jiang Yun Zhu went to the back kitchen, brought her a portion of ginger milk, and then left.

Qin Yao took a bite. It tasted unique. At this time, the dishes she ordered were served. Spicy beef tenderloin. This beef tenderloin was too tender and smooth. A hundred times better than their family’s chef's.

Stir-fried cabbage. She was used to eating good things, so she immediately noticed the difference in this dish.

She never thought the owner of this restaurant would have such skills. Looking at the layout of this Qishanju, Qin Yao's thoughts fluctuated for a while.

After eating, she left a piece of silver and let without waiting for Li He to come over.

Li He naturally saw her leave. He had visually checked the silver left was more than enough to pay the bill. That’s why he didn't stop her. After she left, he took the piece of silver and gave it to Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu didn't mind. She didn't want to deliberately make friends with Qin Yao. Still, because of the fate in her dream, she always saw her a little differently.

In the evening, Qin Yao didn't come. Instead another person came.

The guy ordered a table of dishes when he entered the door, such as Dongpo pork, dry-roasted fish, pot-braised pork with preserved vegetables... the store's special braised hairtail in brown sauce and spicy octopus. Finally, he ordered a milk red bean cake.

Li He was serving him. At the beginning when he listed out the name of the dishes, he felt that a big customer came. The more he listened, the more happy he was. He said, "This guest, how many of you are there?"

"Just me alone. What's wrong?" the man raised his chin and responded.

"I'm afraid you alone can't finish so much by yourself." Li He asked doubtfully.

"Mind your own business. Can't I try everything? I can take away the rest and save it for tomorrow. What, you open a restaurant and are afraid of guests eating too much?" the man squinted and said angrily.

"Of course not. Are you sure you want to order so many dishes?" Li He confirmed again.

"Sure. Make it for me quickly. I'm hungry here!"

Li He took the list and walked back to show Jiang Yun Zhu.

One customer ordered so many dishes! More importantly… Li He pointed out, "Boss, I don't think he looks rich judging by his clothes."

Jiang Yun Zhu looked at the list and found it strange.

She went to the front to have a look and saw a person sitting in the corner of the left wall. The person was dressed in brown clothes, with eyebrows hanging and eyes sideways. From first glance, he wasn’t someone easy to get along with.

Could it be that he came to dine and dash? Jiang Yun Zhu returned the list to Li He and stated, "Let him pay first."

"En." Li He agreed and accepted the list. He went up to the person outside, "Customer, our restaurant only makes small profits. You order so many dishes, please pay first!"

The man became angry as soon as he heard this, "Is there such a rule?"

While being on guard against him, Li He said, "We are a small business. Besides, isn’t paying first and paying later the same?"

"How can it be the same? What if you don't cook well?"

"If you're afraid that our cooking won't taste good, you can order one dish first."

"One dish! What can I taste?"

Li He smiled and said nothing. There was an academy on this street. The constables from the Yamen often patrolled on this street. So he wasn’t afraid of this guest causing trouble.

With him like this, that person felt as if his fist had hit cotton. He didn't know how to continue.

Suddenly, he sat down and said, "Let's try a Dongpo pork first."

Li He went to the back kitchen to tell Jiang Yun Zhu.

"Give him a dish of Dongpo pork." Jiang Yun Zhu said. She wanted to see what he wanted to do.

Dongpo meat was served quickly. Jiang Yun Zhu stood behind the counter, watching him.

The man took a mouthful of Dongpo meat. An intoxicated look appeared on his face. Then he ate up the plate of Dongpo meat. Not even the soup was left.

Then he poured another large cup of hot water and patted his stomach. He stood up to walk out.

"Customer, forty-eight Wwen." Li He immediately stopped him.

The man said, "Deduct from my son or daughter's monthly pay."

That's right, this person is Xie Yong. He only found out in the afternoon that Xie Lian came to work in Qishanju. He had heard of Qishanju's name a long time ago, but he didn't have the money to eat. Now he found an opportunity.

"Who is your son or daughter?" Li He didn't know, so he asked.

"My son's name is Xie Chen. He’s a student. My daughter's name is Xie Lian." Xie Yong answered.

Li He turned to look at Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu understood. It turned out to be him! She walked over immediately, "I'm sorry, Xie Lian is on trial. There is no monthly pay. The money for Xie Chen will not be paid to him until the end of the month. So please pay the bill first."

Seeing that she was a female, Xie Yong immediately acted contemptuously and said angrily, "Then put it on the tab first."

"This store does not keep tabs."

"I think you’re purposely making it difficult for me. I have already told you to deduct from Xie Chen's pay. And you refuse to let me go. Is this how you do business? Everyone..." He was about to yell.

But Jiang Yun Zhu stated in a cold voice, "Is there a father like you? How about this? I’ll call Xie Chen and Xie Lian. If they agree to put the tab in their names, I'll let you go."

Xie Yong’s eyes spun twice, "Okay, call them here."

"Wait a bit. Xie Chen should be coming later." Jiang Yun Zhu said. She remembered that Xie Chen said in the morning that he would come to send Xie Lian home in the evening. After finishing speaking, she ignored Xie Yong and went to the back.

Xie Yong stood there. Scoffing, he sat down. It was only right and proper for son to pay his father’s debts!

As soon as Jiang Yun Zhu arrived at the back, Mrs. Huang came over and said to her, "Boss, go and see that girl."

Who? Jiang Yun Zhu soon found out that Xie Lian was hiding behind the water tank. Like a dying little animal, she held her head as her body shook constantly.

Jiang Yun Zhu did feel pity for her. She always suspected that Qin Yao would become like that in her dream because of Xie Chen.

Although Qin Yao didn't know her anymore, she remembered how kind she was to her. She didn't want to see her become like that again.

Such a romantic and lively girl. What kind of experience did she have to go through to become that sad and troubled.

It must be a deep pain.

"Don't be afraid. Your elder brother will be here later." Jiang Yun Zhu said softly to Xie Lian.

Hearing Xie Chen, Xie Lian's trembling became less severe.

At 7pm, Xie Chen came to pick up Xie Lian and saw Xie Yong as soon as he entered the door.

The father and son quarreled almost at once.

Xie Lian started to tremble again. Still, she raised her head and looked into the store, eagerly looking for Xie Chen's figure.

Finally, when she saw him, she felt much more at ease.

"Go. Go see your elder brother." Jiang Yun Zhu stretched out her hand. This matter must be resolved.

Xie Lian blinked and looked at her in panic.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled at her.

Xie Lian stared at her for a while and finally tentatively put her hand into the other party’s.

Jiang Yun Zhu held her hand and brought her to the store.

Xie Chen saw Jiang Yun Zhu and Xie Lian, who was behind her. He felt so ashamed , "Miss Jiang, I told him yesterday to let Xie Lian go out to work and he agreed. Unforeseen, he would run to the store and cause trouble for you."

He pulled Xie Lian over. The two bowed to Jiang Yun Zhu together.

Jiang Yun Zhu didn't mind. It was a small matter.

So, what to do now? Xie Yong wanted to put the tab under Xie Chen or Xie Lian’s name.

Jiang Yun Zhu turned to Xie Chen. He should know that if he agreed to this kind of thing for the first time, there would be a second time. Then she would have to consider whether to let the siblings stay.

Of course, Xie Chen understood that the man in front of him couldn't be expected to find his conscience. As long as he takes a step back, he will take a step closer and finally push him into the abyss.

"I don't agree." He gritted his teeth.

"What did you say?" Xie Yong made a gesture to hit him.

Xie Chen stared at him with frowning eyebrows. His hands clenched into fists.

Xie Yong didn't dare to make a move. He glared at him angrily and directed to Jiang Yun Zhu, "It's only right and proper for the son to pay the debt of the father!"

If it was an ordinary boss who was afraid of getting into trouble, he will definitely agree to it. Anyway, the money deducted was from Xie Chen.

In the past, there were creditors who came to Xie's house. In the end they all demanded money from Xie Chen. So Xie Chen’s hard-earned money was never left.

Xie Chen lowered his eyes. He knew that he and Xie Lian might be driven away and they wouldn't get a penny of wages.

"I don't care what your relationship is. If you eat my food, I will ask you for money." Jiang Yun Zhu stated. She was afraid of trouble, but also not afraid of problems.

Xie Yong's eyes widened, "You! I don't have any money. Even if you ask from me, you won't even get a penny."

Xie Chen looked at Jiang Yun Zhu in surprise.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled, "Then you want to eat without paying?"

She winked at Li He.

Li He went out immediately and called the constables patrolling the street.

When Xie Yong saw the constables, he panicked. Still, he persisted his way- father's debt should be paid by the son.

This time, without waiting for Xie Chen to say anything, Jiang Yun Zhu stated, " Xie Chen has no pay at all now, how can he pay?"

The constable asked a few simple questions and found out what was going on. Such a trivial matter! If he won't pay, he would be locked up in prison. When the family brings the money over is when he would be released. That's generally how they handle it.

After that, they paid no heed to Xie Yong and directly locked him away.

Xie Chen and Xie Lian were left. Xie Chen looked at Jiang Yun Zhu. His lips moved twice. In the end, he pursed his lips and bowed to her. If the tides change, he will never forget her kindness today!

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WLAEF 60

Chapter 60


At this moment, someone outside suddenly asked, "Miss Jiang, are you there?"

It was Xie Chen’s voice.

Why did he come at this time, "Here!" Jiang Yun Zhu put down the cake and went to the front.

Xie Chen was still in the old blue robe. Behind him, there was a petite girl who was carefully looking around with a pair of beautiful eyes.

Jiang Yun Zhu had a guess in her mind. She inquired about Baofulou and while she was at it, she inquired about Xie Chen.

At three-year-old, his mother gave birth to a younger sister and ran away with another. The father beat and scolded the siblings. The neighbors couldn't stand it anymore. They often secretly fed them. Only then, they grew up slowly.

No wonder Xie Chen had always had a frown every day and mentally preoccupied, despite his great appearance.

She understood why Xie Chen was hesitant to want his younger sister to work in the store. He wanted her sister to leave that house, but he was afraid that she would have to work hard! After all, his plan was to bring his younger sister to the capital in April.

"Yun Xue, go and get a plate of cakes from the back." Jiang Yun Zhu instructed Jiang Yun Xue.

Jiang Yun Xue agreed and brought a plate of milk red bean cake from behind.

Jiang Yun Zhu beckoned Xie Chen to sit with the girl behind him. Then the plate of cakes was placed in front of them, "You guys came here at a good time. I just made a cake. Try it."

Xie Chen's eyes fell on the plate of cakes, which were crystal clear and milky white, exuding bursts of sweet fragrance.

He hadn't eaten in the morning. Smelling the cake, he felt even more hungry. However, he looked away and said, "Thank you, Miss Jiang."

He didn't intend to eat the cake.

Jiang Yun Zhu picked up a piece of cake and handed it to Xie Lian, "Eat it. Your elder brother has helped me a lot!"

She was talking about Xie Chen helping her settle the accounts.

Xie Lian pursed her lips and looked at Xie Chen.

Xie Chen's heart felt sour. He couldn’t eat it, but his younger sister...

"Since Miss Jiang gave it to you, you can eat it." He said warmly.

Xie Lian's eyes lit up immediately. She took the cake and wanted to eat it. Suddenly she remembered something and handed it to Xie Chen.

"You eat." Xie Chen responded.

Xie Lian shook her head.

Xie Chen felt helpless.

"It's just a plate of cake." Jiang Yun Zhu pushed the plate of cake toward Xie Chen again.

Xie Chen's cheeks flushed slightly, "Thank you Miss Jiang."

"No need to be so polite."

Only then did Xie Chen take a piece of cake and put it in his mouth. It was soft and sweet with a milky aroma. He felt that he had never eaten such a delicious cake.

Seeing him eat, Xie Lian put the cake into her mouth. Immediately, her eyes curved. This cake was sweet; to the point that it seemed to sweeten people's hearts.

Jiang Yun Zhu wasn't in a hurry. She poured them two cups of hot water and let them eat cakes.

Xie Chen ate another two pieces. Even the tips of his ears turned red. So he stopped eating.

Xie Lian couldn't help but eat a few pieces before taking a sip of water and stopping.

Jiang Yun Zhu looked at Xie Chen.

"Miss Jiang, can I have a chat with you alone?" Xie Chen said.

"Okay." Jiang Yun Zhu got up.

The two went outside.

Xie Chen looked at Xie Lian in the room and said, "Miss Jiang, are you hiring a choreman? That's my younger sister. I want her to work in your store, not for money.

Her wages can be paid out of my account balance. Or, if she doesn't do well, you can tell me and I will help her. She can't speak... Don't worry, she is very sensible. "

Xie Chen spoke anxiously and quickly. He didn't want Xie Lian to come to Jiang Yun Zhu to make money. Like Jiang Yun Zhu guessed, he wanted Xie Lian to leave that house.

He went home yesterday and found that Xie Yong was scolding Xie Lian again. She was standing there tremblingly. He was very worried that she wouldn't last long enough for him to take her away.

Xie Chen's words were very sincere about hiring Xie Lian to work without pay or him helping Xie Lian? If it were a black-hearted boss, he would probably go crazy in delight.

Of course, if it was a boss with bad moral character, Xie Chen wouldn't bring Xie Lian here either. He felt that Jiang Yun Zhu was a nice person and a female. So he wanted to put Xie Lian in the store.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled, but she didn't agree or refuse, "Well, let her work with us on trial for three days and then we can talk."

"Thank you, Miss Jiang." Xie Chen gratefully replied.

The two returned to the store again. Xie Chen whispered to Xie Lian for a while. Xie Lian nodded and bent down to bow Jiang Yun Zhu. She will definitely work hard so that her elder brother can study with peace of mind.

Xie Chen also bowed to Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled.

"I'll pick you up tonight." Xie Chen told Xie Lian.

Xie Lian nodded. Only then, Xie Chen reluctantly left.

Only Xie Lian remained. Jiang Yun Zhu pushed the half plate of milk red bean cake to her. "Eat it. Only when you’re full will you have the strength to do things."

However, Xie Lian didn’t eat. She looked around, appearing to find work to do.

"Don't worry. We haven't started working yet." Jiang Yun Zhu told.

Xie Lian looked toward the kitchen. There, the pot seemed to have not been washed. She looked at Jiang Yun Zhu inquiringly.

Alright then. Jiang Yun Zhu hadn't had time to scrub it yet.

Xie Lian went to the kitchen to wash the pots and dishes. Although she was petite, she had been doing these things since she was a child. So she did them very well.

Alright then. Jiang Yun Zhu felt that she hired a good employee.

She went back to the kitchen, took the milk red bean cake, and continued to eat.

After eating, she was about to go back to the room to rest for a while when Mrs. Chen came. She was followed by a man. The man looked about in his twenties. He looked fairly upright. How his eyes were wandering a little.

Mrs. Chen's eye circles were a little red, as if she had cried.

She came in and saw Jiang Yun Zhu. She pulled her aside and said, "Yun Zhu, aren't our store hiring a server. What do you think of this guy?"

"Mother, where did you meet him?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked.

"At the gate of the county city. Wang Tian's mother passed away. He has no money to bury her, so he’s selling himself to bury his mother. I heard from him that he had worked as a server before, so I brought him back to try." Mrs. Chen explained. She stayed at the house in the village last night. She came to the county city this morning and happened to pass by the city gate and encountered this.

It turned out that this young man was called Wang Tian. He was selling himself to bury his mother. This era was very particular about funeral affairs. When a loved one dies, not to mention a grand burial, one needs to get a coffin and find a piece of land for a good burial.

Of the two, the former required money. The latter was easy to handle if the family had land. If not, it will require a lot of money.

So there was such a thing as selling one's body to bury one's mother.

But in Wuling County, it seemed a little strange. Jiang Yun Zhu remembered that when Jiang Cheng went to the mine, he could get one month's wages in advance. Judging by Wang Tian's delicate skin and tender flesh, it didn't look like he was used to doing chores since young.

"I'll go talk to him." Jiang Yun Zhu said.

"En." Mrs. Chen agreed. Everything in the store was in the hands of Jiang Yun Zhu. Even if she pitied Wang Tian, she couldn't do anything. She went to the back kitchen.

When Jiang Yun Zhu came to the store, Wang Tian was standing there quietly looking at the storefront.

"Sit." Jiang Yun Zhu stated.

"Thank you." Wang Tian waited for Jiang Yun Zhu to sit down before sitting down.

"I don't know what my mother told you, but our store is recruiting servers. I heard you have previous experience?"

"I do." Wang Tian said, "I'm skilled at it."

"Where did you work?"

"Yueda Restaurant."

Oh, that restaurant had a rat head in its dishes and then closed down.

"Did you put the rat's head in that dish?" Jiang Yun Zhu casually asked.

Wang Tian's expression was extremely colorful. He quickly caught on. Standing up, he furiously uttered, "How could you accuse me? I was sick those few days and wasn't in the store at all. If you don't believe me, go ask those guys."

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled. Normally, if someone from that store was asked this question, how would he react if he was innocent?

Definitely not defending himself immediately. Instead, they would find there was something wrong with her head to suddenly ask this kind of question.

Jiang Yun Zhu took in his guilty state and said calmly, "When man does, the heaven watches. I don't know if your mother has truly passed. If she isn’t, I wonder if she would praise you for your filial piety or not when she hears that you are going to sell yourself to bury her..."

Wang Tian's real name was Song Lin. He was the eldest son of old Second Song. He was indeed the one who put the rat head in the food of Yueda Restaurant four years ago. This time, they had inquired and found out Qishanju was recruiting servers. So they wanted to repeat the same act.

Who would have thought... Song Lin's Mother was of course alive and well. Imagining his mother hearing about this matter...

Song Lin's face turned pale, both in awkwardness and embarrassment. He didn't expect Jiang Yun Zhu to see through him right away.

Two streets away, Manager Song and old Second Song were waiting.

At this time Song Lin came over. The two immediately surrounded him and asked, "How is it? Success?"

"Success my fart!" Song Lin vented all his anger on the two of them, "Are you two my eldest uncle and my father? Curse my mother to death and make me do such immoral things. Now it's great. The other party saw through me!

You two hid behind, pretended to be good people, and let me lose face. From what I see, you don’t have any good intentions.

Eldest Uncle, are you hoping for me to be put in prison? If not, why don't you let your son go? Your son isn’t young either. All day long, he idly eats at home.

Father, why do you trust him? Every time he makes us do bad things while he picks up ready-made results. In my opinion, he ain’t a good thing.

One day, he’ll send us both to prison while he’s at it. Only then, he’ll be happy to monopolize the restaurant!"

Babbling away, Song Lin actually voiced out Manager Song's expectations.

Old Second Song's face changed. Looking at Manager Song, he felt that Song Lin's words made sense.

"Eldest Brother, I didn't expect you to be so vicious." Old Second Song furiously directed at Manager Song.

"I don't have that intention." Manager Song stated at once.

"Then give me half of the restaurant." Old Second Song said.

"There's only one restaurant, how to divide it?" Manager Song angrily retorted.

"Sell it and divide the money." Old Second Song responded.

Manager Song was driven mad by him. A hen that can lay golden eggs! He wanted to sell the hen for silver? More importantly, Song Lin was helping with the judgment on the side and felt it was a good idea.

The three of them got into a mess. In the end Manager Song gave them money and they left.

Manager Song stood there with his temples throbbing. This was called unsuccessful stealing of chickens and ending up losing the rice.

Naturally, Jiang Yun Zhu didn't know what happened to them. She only knew that Baofulou had attacked Qishanju. It seemed that she had to be more cautious in the future.

Just as she was thinking, another person came in from outside.

"Excuse me, are you recruiting here?" It was a young man with an old woman on his back. Behind him was a woman.

The three of them looked extremely disheveled. Their clothes were torn and their faces were green.

Still, the man's eyes were very bright, with a sense of tenacity.

"Who are you?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked.

"We’re seeking refuge from Changfeng Manor. Since last year, there had only been a light snowfall in Changfeng Manor and didn't even cover the land. Seeing that spring is about to begin and there is no sign of rain at all, we couldn't hold on and escaped." The man explained.

Then he continued, "Miss, we don't need much wages. As long as we have some food and a place to live, it’s enough."

Jiang Yun Zhu checked his hands. They were definitely hands that had worked for a long time.

"I’m recruiting a server and a choreman." Jiang Yun Zhu replied.

"I haven't been a server before, but I can learn. I beg Miss to give me a chance. I can read some words." The man said with burning eyes.

This server position didn't require much technical skill.

Jiang Yun Zhu had a good impression of him, "Come in first."

Then she said to Mrs. Chen, "Mother, is there anything else to eat in the kitchen? Bring some for them."

Hearing the man say that they sought refuge from Changfeng Manor, Mrs. Chen thought of many things at once. At Jiang Yun Zhu’s words, she immediately said, "Let me cook some noodles for them!"

"No, no need." The man hurriedly responded. Then he stood at the door, looking very restrained.

He saw how spotless the store was. The three of them were like beggars. Would they dare to enter the store?

"Come in. it's okay." Jiang Yun Zhu beckoned.

Only then did the man enter the store carefully. He put the old woman on the seat beside him and refused to sit down no matter what was said.

Jiang Yun Zhu asked about the three’s situation.

The man's name was Li He. The old woman next to him was his mother. While the woman behind him was his wife, Mrs. Huang. They were originally from Lincang County, Changfeng Manor. Their family had a few mu of barren land and they made a living by farming. They weren’t rich, but could fill their stomach.

But in the past two years, Changfeng Manor had suffered severe drought. The land had been desolate. They sold everything and it was still difficult to make ends meet.

With no other choice, they could only come out to flee the famine.

The reason why Li He can read was because he learned from the fortune-teller in the village when he was idle. He learned two words a day and gradually became able to recognize a lot of characters.

"There’s another drought in Changfeng Manor this year?" Mrs. Chen came out with three bowls of noodles and was in time to hear Li He's words. She exclaimed in surprise.

Back then, they escaped from Changfeng Manor in advance because they were afraid of such a situation. Now that they heard the news, Mrs. Chen was overjoyed and had an indescribable feeling.

Li He nodded, "Should be."

Mrs. Chen stood there in a daze.

Jiang Yun Zhu pushed the three bowls of noodles to the front of Li He group, "Eat it quickly!"

Li He and the others haven't eaten anything decent for two days. Seeing the steaming hot noodles now, they couldn't help swallowing their saliva. But...

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled, "Actually, our family sought refuge from the Changfeng Manor. It was last year’s matter."

"Really?" Li He couldn't believe it.

Since they sought refuge, life must be difficult. But judging by how Jiang Yun Zhu actually opened such a good restaurant in the county town, this?

"Really." Mrs. Chen replied. Back then when they came to Wuling County, they weren’t much better off than Li He group.

It was thanks to Jiang Yun Zhu.

With this extra layer of relationship, Li He’s family became less restrained and began to gobble up the noodle.

The large bowls of noodles were quickly finished. The faces of the three of them were a little rosier.

"Miss, I can learn. I can learn things quite quickly. How about you let me try for a few days. If it doesn't work, you can drive me away." Li He’s mind was still on this matter. He put down the bowl and sincerely said to Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu felt that he was good. At least he was self-motivated. For example, he can read and write. Ordinary farmers were already very tired after finishing their work every day. Who would want to learn two words from a fortune teller?.

Not only did he learn it, but also persevered.

"It's best that the server can be literate. Okay, you can stay and try for a few days. If you’re up for it, I'll keep you." Jiang Yun Zhu said.

After hearing this, Li He almost wept with joy. They had no money on them now and were close to collapsing on the street from starvation. Jiang Yun Zhu hiring him at this time was tantamount to giving him a way out.

"Thank you Miss! Thank you." Li He kept thanking her.

At this time, his wife, Mrs. Huang suddenly pulled him.

Only then did Li He remember and said to Jiang Yun Zhu, "Miss, you said that you’re recruiting choreman here. Are choreman restricted by gender?"

Usually when recruiting people, they like to recruit men. That’s why, he asked this question.

Jiang Yun Zhu already understood what he meant, "No restriction."

"Then my wife..."

"Trial period for three days. Then we can discuss whether to stay or not after three days."

"Thank you, Miss."

"Thank you, miss."

This time even old Madam Li stood up. The whole family thanked Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu waved her hand. A server, a choreman, and Xie Lian were recruited at once. It was mostly enough.

Jiang Yun Zhu went outside and tore up the recruitment notice. She decided to do this first and not recruit anyone.

Li He's words gave her a sense of crisis. Changfeng Manor will suffer a severe drought this year. Many refugees will flock to Lu Prefecture. She shouldn’t blindly expand now. What's more, it was unknown what trouble Baofulou would stir up.

Li He trio can eat in the store, but accommodation...

Actually, there was a house in the backyard of the restaurant, but Jiang Yun Zhu didn't want them to live here. She changed her mind slightly and came up with an idea. She planned to rent another house in the county town. One, to store all kinds of things for the restaurant, such as hairtail fish and octopus. Two, so that Li He's family can live there for now.

Third and most importantly, she wanted to buy a batch of grain for storage. With food in hand, she wouldn't panic.

Putting her words in action, Jiang Yun Zhu immediately went to the broker store and soon rented a property only one street away from Qishanju.

The yard wasn’t big. But there was actually a big cellar. Jiang Yun Zhu took a fancy to this and rented this house.

She got Jiang Cheng to put all the remaining fish at home into the cellar so that these fish can be stored for a longer period of time.

Then Jiang Yun Zhu bought three sets of clothes for the Li He trio. Li He and Mrs. Huang's couldn't come to work in the store wearing the tattered clothes they were wearing. So let's treat it as work clothes for the employees!

The three of them were overwhelmed with gratitude and said that they had met a good samaritan.

Li He and Mrs. Huang cleaned up and put on new clothes. Maybe it was people relying on clothes; horses relying on saddles or maybe they were refreshed by happy occasions. The two’s appearance immediately changed. Li He looked very energetic, while Mrs. Huang appeared neat and clean.

The two immediately went to Qishanju to work. They secretly vowed that they would work hard to repay Jiang Yun Zhu's kindness and find a good road for themselves.

As for Jiang Yun Zhu, she went to the rice and grain store. She had shopped in three rice and grain stores in a row and bought three batches of grain. One batch went to her home in Changshi Village. One batch was placed in the backyard of Qishanju. The last batch was placed in the newly rented house in the cellar.

She knew that all eggs cannot be put in one basket.

After finishing this matter, she felt a little more at ease.

Back at Qishanju. Seeing that it was lunch time, Jiang Yun Zhu called everyone in the store together and introduced them to each other.

There were three more people in the store. Xue Jing was overjoyed. This means that the restaurant will become bigger!

He felt that sooner or later, their Qishanju will surpass Baofulou and become the best restaurant in Wuling County.

No, why restrain to Wuling County? He felt that with Jiang Yun Zhu's skills, it would be no problem to go to Lu Prefecture.

Go to Lu Prefecture to open a big restaurant! This way, he can also follow her to Lu Prefecture. When his master sees him, his jaw will drop in shock!

It was unknown how far Xue Jing’s mind went, but he felt happy.

Li He and Mrs. Huang were full of joy. The people in Qishanju were very kind. They were lucky to stay here.

Xie Lian was a little nervous. She lowered her head and rubbed the corners of her clothes with her hands. She was afraid that she wouldn't do well and Jiang Yun Zhu wouldn't want her anymore.

"Okay, there are guests here. Everyone, let’s get to work!" Jiang Yun Zhu said.

Everyone dispersed. Li He went to the front. Mrs. Huang and Xie Lian went to the kitchen, Xue Jing was cooking. Everyone was very busy.

Jiang Yun Zhu made her milk red bean cake. At the same time, she made another snack, ginger milk curd. In such cold weather, wasn't it suitable to eat a bowl of this to keep out the cold?

At this time, a girl entered the store. After entering the store, she looked around and sat by the window.

Jiang Yun Zhu happened to come to the front to pick up something, saw her and smiled. Wasn't this Qin Yao?

It was indeed Qin Yao. In fact, she had wanted to come to Qishanju for a long time. But remembering the rejection from Jiang Yun Zhu last time, she resisted coming.

After so many days, she felt that Jiang Yun Zhu must have forgotten about her. So she came in to have a look.

"Miss, what do you want to eat?" Li He asked with a smile. Being a server wasn’t difficult. At least he was doing a decent job now.

Qin Yao ordered two dishes at random. Suddenly, the new dish ‘milk red bean cake’ on the wall caught her eyes. It sounded delicious. So she ordered one.

At this time, there were a few misses sitting at the table next to her. They had ordered milk red bean cake.

When the cake was served, it smelled milky, sweet but not greasy. As expected, it was delicious.

"This cake must have been made by the owner of the store. 'Rub the hands together to find the jade, and fry it in green oil to make a deep yellow'. Only a person like the owner of the store can make such a good cake. Like the ones on the street, they are all vulgar things. The things made are naturally vulgar." An oval-face miss praised.

"That's right. Look at this store and you’ll know we came to the right place today. Elder Sister Ye, thank you for bringing us to such a good place today." A round-face miss said to a miss sitting in the middle.

The girl smiled, "We usually don't have a place to eat and play. Now it’s wonderful."

"Exactly." The girls smiled and nodded.

At this time, someone spoke, "But that's it. This cake is an ordinary milk cake. I've eaten it countless times in Lu Prefecture." It was a girl in blue who spoke.

As soon as she said this, the misses stopped smiling. They knew that her family had relatives in Lu Prefecture. There was no need to talk about it every day, as if no one had ever been to Lu Prefecture.

The miss in blue wanted to say something more, but the few misses suddenly looked toward the back door of the store. She also raised her gaze up to see.

After the person left, the misses gathered together again, "Who is that gentleman now?"

The round-faced miss asked with a reddish face.

The others raised their ears. The gentleman was too handsome. Especially with his unique air. It made people dare not look at him and also couldn't help but be moved.

The miss sitting in the middle smiled, "I don't know either. I heard that it's a gentleman from the capital who is borrowing accommodation in the store."

The misses each had different thoughts. Who they saw was naturally Shen Feng Ming.

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WLAEF 59

Chapter 59

In a short time, Xie Chen had already finished the calculations and summarized all the accounts. He listed them so that people can understand them at a glance.

Jiang Yun Zhu accepted his accounts. Not bad. His accounts were a bit like modern reports.

What she didn't know was that Xie Chen wrote it like this because he was afraid that she wouldn't understand it.

At noon today, there were two people who deposited fifty liang silver and seven who deposited ten liang silver. This was one hundred and seventy liang silver. The money belonged to Jiang Yun Zhu, but didn't belong to her completely.

Still, Jiang Yun Zhu was already very satisfied. At least the store had working capital, so she didn't have to hold on whatever she wanted to do.

In addition, she made a net profit of two liang silver at noon.

This should be the result of delaying the opening of the restaurant. When the lion dance team started stirring up, everyone found it fresh and wanted to come in to try.

It was estimated that there wouldn’t be so many guests in the evening.

Just as Jiang Yun Zhu thought, there were a lot fewer guests in the evening.

The next day there were suddenly more guests. Some were invited by friends to try something new, while some brought their families to eat.

On the third day, there were a lot fewer customers.

On the fourth day, the customers stabilized. Xie Chen came to settle the account and she discovered today earned two liang silver and three coins.

Two liang a day. Nearly seventy liang a month. This income was already considerable.

But the premise was that this business remained well.

In the past two days, Jiang Yun Zhu had inquired about Baofulou. This restaurant had been open in Wuling County for more than 30 years. The owner's surname was Song. Five years ago, the old owner handed over the store to his two sons and went to retire.

The eldest son of the Song family was obviously more capable than the second son. He fired the old manager of the store and became the manager himself, taking care of all the big and small matters in the store.

In the past four years, three restaurants have been opened in the county city. Each of them closed down after operating for more than half a year at the longest.

In the first restaurant, a rat head was found in the food. It was so disgusting that everyone never went to that restaurant again.

The second one, the owner was from a foreign town. There were always constables coming to his store to inquire about various things. Getting disturbed, the customers couldn't enjoy their meal. The business was naturally not good. Later, he closed the door and left in a fit of anger.

The third was the Yunhelou where Xue Jing and the others work. This one was outrageous. The wife of the owner of the store ran away with someone else. There were rumors in the store every day, saying that the owner was actually an eunuch who couldn't satisfy his wife at all. It was said he often stared at the female customers in the store and his mind wandered.

The store owner was exhausted, so he closed the door.

After listening to it all, Jiang Yun Zhu felt that she understood what Xue Jing meant when Baofulou wasn’t clean. It was normal for a restaurant to close down, but in the past four years, all the restaurants that competed with Bao Fu Lou for business have closed down. This was a bit unreasonable.

She secretly became wary.

At this time, in Baofulou.

"Why is the dividend this month so much less?" Old Second Song patted the table and angrily remarked.

Manager Song was tallying the accounts. Hearing this, he raised his head and replied, "There is a newly opened Qishanju in the county. In the past few days, the running water in our store has decreased by 30%."

"It's only been open for a few days and it had such a big impact!" Old Second Song knew about Qishanju. He went to eat there.

The reputation of that store had spread. It was said that it was the favorite store of scholars in the county. Scholars ah! Everything else was inferior, only studying was superior. What they praise must be unordinary.

Sure enough, after he went there, he found that the environment there was great. The dishes were well prepared. Tsk, even the boss was beautiful.

When he thought how the food made by such a beautiful girl, he felt that the food was even more delicious.

"What do you know. Everything is expensive now. The store doesn't make money in the first place." Manager Song said. In fact, this month's income wasn’t that small. It was just that old Second Song didn't do anything. Why should he share the money?

Thinking of this, he felt annoyed. Why did his father give birth to old Second Song? If he was the only one, everything would be his now. How carefree would he be?

When thinking like this, he seemed to forget that he already had three sons. His concubine was pregnant again and he hoped that she would give birth a son.

"I don't understand? What I don't understand? You don't want to give me money. I'm putting it down now. Give me the money from last month, or I will go to Father. It is agreed at the beginning, each family gets half the restaurant. What do you mean by managing it yourself and not letting me intervene?

Do not make money? Then you let me be the Manager. I’ll guarantee to make money. "Old Second Song sat there, looking like a rascal.

Manager Song smiled. Want money, no problem. But he had to put in effort.

It was lunch time again. Xue Jing had already handed over the village affairs to Tan De Bao very quickly and came to the store to report. He had studied with Jiang Yun Zhu for so long can be regarded as her good helper.

When he came, Jiang Yun Zhu felt much more relaxed and could rest for a while to look at the people in the store.

She discovered that there were actually three tables of female customers in the store today, and they were all well-dressed girls in their teens.

The seats in Qishanju were a bit like modern booths. Each table was comfortable and had a certain degree of privacy. Female guests can feel at ease here.

Jiang Yun Zhu looked at the female guests thoughtfully.

"Our store is quite well-known now. Everyone says our store is elegant. Naturally these girls are willing to come." Mrs. Chen thought she was wondering why there were so many female customers in the store and cheerfully spoke.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled. It seemed that her store got a lot of development.

Another new customer group. Jiang Yun Zhu felt that it was necessary to develop this.

The first thing she thought of was octopus balls. In fact, the first thing she thought of when she saw those octopuses was this kind of snack. Unfortunately, she had been busy these days and had no time to make them.

Better not make this. It was still a bit troublesome. First, she needed to get a frying pan in the shape of meatballs. For the rest, she considered it carefully and felt it could be overcome. Octopus balls were called takoyaki. Its origin was quite early. At that time, there were no modern seasonings and they were still delicious.

Then, if she has time, order a frying pan.

With octopus balls, Jiang Yun Zhu immediately thought of another thing- milk tea! The main thing was milk. With milk, she can make a series of snacks and drinks to enrich her dishes.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but want to go to the market.

After eating and sleeping for a while, Jiang Yun Zhu got up to go out and prepare to go to the market. Living in the county was beneficial as shopping became much more convenient.

"Miss Jiang, going out?" At this moment, a voice spoke out.

When Jiang Yun Zhu turned her head, it was Shen Feng Ming.

"En." She replied.

I'll go with you." Shen Feng Ming stated.

"I'm going to the market." Jiang Yun Zhu explained.

"I happen to want to buy something."

It turned out to be like this.

Jiang Yun Zhu went out first. Shen Feng Ming followed her. As soon as the two appeared, they immediately attracted the attention of many people. The man was tall and straight, while the girl was beautiful and graceful. Walking together, the two immediately added a lot of color to this bleak winter.

Jiang Yun Zhu looked around while walking to find a blacksmith's store.

Shen Feng Ming's eyes fell on the young couple on the opposite side.

They were a very ordinary young couple. The man wasn’t handsome, but he had straight eyebrows, and the woman was delicate. They were holding hands, talking and laughing as they walked.

The young couple passed by quickly. Shen Feng Ming lowered his eyes and saw Jiang Yun Zhu's hand hanging on the right side. The winter clothes were wide and the sleeves were a little longer. Only a part of her hands were exposed, which were plump and fair.

His hand moved but suddenly clenched into a fist.

At this time, Jiang Yun Zhu saw a blacksmith's store on the street on the left and immediately walked over happily.

"Boss?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked. This blacksmith's store wasn’t big. There was only one person in it, a robust man.

The man was blacksmithing. Hearing this, he raised his head and said enthusiastically, "Whatever you want to buy, Miss? Just look around, it's all cheap."

"I want to order a kind of pot. Can you make it here?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked.

"What kind of pot? Let me hear, Miss."

Jiang Yun Zhu told the man what the pot looked like. The man frowned after listening, "It's a bit troublesome."

This pot wasn’t big, but had semicircular grooves the size of plums. These had to be polished out one by one by hand. If one wasn’t careful, it may be broken. Truly troublesome.

Jiang Yun Zhu knew that it wasn't easy to make, so she settled for the next best thing, "You can make a few less grooves for each pot, and then make two more pots."

The man smiled, "That's fine."

"Can it be quick?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked. She was afraid that if it was too late, those octopuses would be sold out.

Of course it can. Just add money.

It wasn't too much extra. Jiang Yun Zhu agreed without thinking about it.

The two discussed the price and delivery time. Jiang Yun Zhu turned and left.

Next was buying milk.

This was a matter of luck. It depended on whether there were any cows that had just given birth to calves in the place where the livestock was sold.

Jiang Yun Zhu was very lucky today. Shee happened to encounter someone who wanted to sell a calf. The big cow was right next to him.

But the seller was negotiating with a buyer, so she waited by the side.

In the end, the deal failed. The buyer felt the calf was too small. Of course, the main reason was that the price wasn’t agreeable.

"Miss, you?" The cow seller hesitantly asked Jiang Yun Zhu. He didn't think Jiang Yun Zhu wanted to buy a cow.

Jiang Yun Zhu expressed her thoughts, she wanted to buy milk.

"This..." The man was from the lower village. He had never heard that this milk can be sold.

"I'm the owner of a restaurant in the county city. I want to get some milk to research new dishes." Jiang Yun Zhu explained.

After she said this, the cow seller understood a little bit.

In the end, the two negotiated the price. The cow seller would send her the milk to Qishanju every day.

The cow wasn't sold, but the milk was sold. The man who sold the cow didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, the price Jiang Yun Zhu gave was good. Who had anything against money!

The next morning, Jiang Yun Zhu received half a bucket of milk.

"There is only this much. According to your demand, it’s all freshly squeezed in the morning." The cow seller explained.

Jiang Yun Zhu shook the small bucket. It was indeed fresh milk. She was so delighted that she gave the money immediately.

The man accepted the money and looked at it again and again. Once he was sure that the milk was sold for money, he left happily.

Got the milk, what to do? Milk tea? So early in the morning, it wasn’t suitable. What’s more, Jiang Yun Zhu felt that after the octopus balls were ready, they should be served with milk tea!

So now... She suddenly thought of something that was just right for breakfast.

She was going to carry the bucket to the kitchen. At this moment, one hand picked up the bucket. "I'll do it!"

It was Shen Feng Ming.

"Let me." Jiang Yun Zhu said. As she spoke, she reached out to snatch the bucket.

Shen Feng Ming looked at her with the bucket in his hand.

Jiang Yun Zhu inexplicably thought of that time when she was catching the rabbit, she caught his hand. So she stopped in mid-air.

"Miss Jiang, you’re always so polite with me." Shen Feng Ming said suddenly.

Jiang Yun Zhu was stunned. Polite? Maybe. When she thought of his identity, she couldn't help but want to distance herself.

"You take care of me. I don't know how to repay you."

"Yes, there is no need to repay."

"But I want to repay you."

Jiang Yun Zhu raised her head and looked at Shen Feng Ming. His eyes were as deep as the sea.

"Whatever you want, or what you want me to do, as long as I can do it, it's fine." Shen Feng Ming uttered word by word.

Then every word was like a sea wave rushing toward Jiang Yun Zhu. Jiang Yun Zhu's heart sped up. It’s fine? Whatever she wants?

She just stared at him like that, forgetting to look away.

The gazes of the two were intertwined. Shen Feng Ming suddenly took a step forward. His tall figure shrouded Jiang Yun Zhu.

Jiang Yun Zhu wanted to take a step back, but discovered a wall behind her.

She felt that her breathing became a little short. In order to relieve the situation, she turned her head away, revealing a fair and slender neck.

Shen Feng Ming's gaze was immediately attracted by that fairness. He had killed countless people, knowing how fragile that delicate place was. But he didn't know that that place can be so soft and beautiful.

"Elder Sister, are you in the store?" Jiang Yun Xue's voice.

The Jiang Family didn't all live in the county town. Jiang Cheng had to give rides. The city gate’s daily opening and closing affected his business. So he lived in the village. Old Mister Chen felt that the houses in the village were spacious and stayed in the village.

Mrs. Chen lived in the county city. As she was worried about Jiang Cheng, old Mister Chen, and some matters at home, she was sometimes in the county city and sometimes at home.

When Xue Jing came yesterday, the store wasn't so busy. She went back to the village. Only Jiang Yun Zhu, Jiang Lin, and Shen Feng Ming was left.

Jiang Yun Xue got up and wanted to ask Jiang Yun Zhu what breakfast she made in the morning, but couldn't find anyone. So she stood in the courtyard and shouted.

"Here!" Jiang Yun Zhu returned. She turned around and walked toward the backyard.

"Miss Jiang, what I said just now, I meant it." Behind her, Shen Feng Ming stated.

Jiang Yun Zhu's heart sped up again. He meant it! The weight of his words wasn’t insignificant.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Gold, real estate...

But slowly, she calmed down. In fact, she didn't do anything. She just took care of him for a few days. Although the other party said that, if she made excessive demands...

Forget it, she has opened a restaurant now. If she works harder, she will soon be able to live the life she wants.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun Zhu's heart calmed down. A smile appeared on her face again.

A man's greed is like a snake that wants to swallow an elephant. So close! So dangerous!

"Elder Sister, what will we have for breakfast? I'll help you." Jiang Yun Xue said.

"Have..." Jiang Yun Zhu remembered that her bucket was still with Shen Feng Ming.

At this moment, Shen Feng Ming came out carrying the bucket, "Miss Jiang," he said.

"Would you put it in the kitchen for me?" Jiang Yun Zhu felt that maybe if Shen Feng Ming could do some work, he wouldn't feel indebted to her.

"En." Shen Feng Ming agreed, and put the bucket in the kitchen.

"What is this?" Jiang Yun Xue curiously looked at the contents in the bucket. It was white and seemed to have some stench. A bit like...

"Milk." Jiang Yun Zhu smiled.

"Milk." Jiang Yun Xue opened her eyes wide. Wasn't this stuff eaten by calves?

"You'll know later." Jiang Yun Zhu said.

"Elder Sister, are you going to make delicious food?" Jiang Lin came to the kitchen at some point and asked Jiang Yun Zhu excitedly.

"Hurry up and wash your face. Then help me light the fire." Jiang Yun Zhu only uttered.

"Okay!" Jiang Lin dashed away. Then he came back quickly and lit the stove.

Jiang Yun Xue helped out too. After a while, Jiang Wu came. The kitchen immediately became lively.

Some milk was poured into the pot. While it was cooking, Jiang Yun Zhu rummaged in the cabinet. Sure enough, she found the red beans left over from yesterday's cooking. These red beans were cooked. So it was time-saving.

Pour a certain ratio of starch and glutinous rice flour into the water and stir evenly.

Another iron plate was prepared. Brush a layer of cooking oil inside.

At this time, the milk started to bubble. Slowly pour the starchy glutinous rice water into the milk, stir constantly, and add sugar.

The milk was getting thicker and thicker. At this time, add the red beans.

After stirring for a while, it was almost ready. Pour the milk into the iron pan and put it outside to cool.

The weather was still very cold now. After a while, the things in the iron pan condensed into milky white lumps.

Take this thing out of the iron plate, cut it into small pieces with a knife, put it on the plate, and a plate of milk red bean cake was ready.

The finished product was milky white in color, with red beans looming at the bottom.

"Try it." Jiang Yun Zhu said.

Jiang Lin and the others couldn't bear it anymore. Ever since sugar was added, this thing exuded a sweet smell and made the mouth water.

Still, they said, "Elder Sister, you eat too."

What Jiang Yun Zhu made, naturally Jiang Yun Zhu had to eat it first.

Jiang Yun Zhu clipped a piece. But seeing that Shen Feng Ming was still there, she asked, "Gentleman Shen, do you want to try it?"

"Okay." Shen Feng Ming replied.

Jiang Yun Zhu paused and handed him the cake in her hand.

Shen Feng Ming had already washed his hands. He accepted it with his hand and put it in his mouth.

"How is it?" Jiang Yun Zhu asked. She knew that some nobles in the Xia Dynasty actually used milk for food. So this milk red bean cake may not be unusual to Shen Feng Ming.

"It's a bit sweet, but delicious." Shen Feng Ming answered. Then he put the remaining half of the cake into his mouth. Light flowed in his eyes.

"It's delicious. Elder Sister, eat it quickly." Jiang Wu held up a piece of cake and said to Jiang Yun Zhu.

"You eat. There are more here." Jiang Yun Zhu clipped another piece of cake in her mouth. Because sugar was added and it was cooked, this cake had no stench at all. There was a faint milky fragrance left. Paired with the red bean’s sweet flavor, it was quite delicious.

And the taste of this cake was good; delicate and smooth.

She decided to add this dish to the menu at noon. It will definitely sell well.

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WLAEF 58

Chapter 58

Xie Chen stood in the crowd, staring blankly at the three characters on the plaque, ‘Qishanju’. These three big characters! The strength of the brush was not something he can match in his life.

Before, he was worried about his paintings being hung in a restaurant and people would laugh at them. Now looking at it, it must be an honor to hang his paintings with such words.

The restaurant was very lively. Xie Chen turned and left.

Behind the crowd, Qin Yao saw him depart and wanted to catch up with him. Another blush crept up her face again and she stood there stomping her feet.

"Ah Yao, stay away from that restaurant." Lin Yu Bai stood beside her out of nowhere and said with concern.

"Why?" Qin Yao asked.

Lin Yu Bai had been to the capital several times. Once, he was having a drink with his friends in a restaurant when someone suddenly exclaimed, "The Qilin Guard is here!"

The restaurant instantly went into chaos.

Curious, he stood in the restaurant and looked down the street. A group of black riders riding their horses from a distance came into sight.

To dare to ride a horse in the capital, these weren't ordinary people.

Back to that team of black riders. They were heroic and awe-inspiring in spirit. Especially the person at the front. He was like a cold knife, making people dare not look directly at him.

He heard the whispers of the people nearby and realized that that person was Shen Feng Ming, the Commander of the Qilin Guard.

A few days ago, the Lin Family had received news that the emperor promoted Shen Feng Ming to the Left Commissioner-in-chief. Now the capital was like a maelstrom. In this game of life and death, Shen Feng Ming definitely played a key role. Now everyone in the capital wanted to see him; to inquire about his physical condition, and understand his attitude. If possible, they would of course try their best to win him over to their side.

It seemed that his eldest uncle, Grand Tutor Lin had visited Shen's house several times, but had never seen him.

Lin Yu Bai didn't expect that he could find Shen Feng Ming in a small restaurant in Wuling County.

He could hardly believe his eyes. Wasn’t it said that he was injured? Why did he look so well!

Of course, court matters weren’t clear.

Lin Yu Bai thought about telling his eldest uncle or his father about this, so that the Lin Family might get a chance.

But in the end, he gave up.

Shen Feng Ming didn't seem to want his identity revealed. So if he exposes his identity, who knows if it will be self-defeating. Maybe during the extraordinary moment, their Lin Family might die sooner.

Of course he couldn't tell Qin Yao about this. So he embarrassedly dragged his words, "Ah Yao, what's so good about that poor scholar. Come back to Lu Prefecture with me."

Qin Yao said angrily out of embarrassment, "Who said he's good?"

Lin Yu Bai felt helpless.

Qin Yao chased in the direction where Xie Chen left.

Lin Yu Bai wanted to keep up.

Qin Yao turned her head and stated, "Don't follow me. You have so many sisters. Just go to them."

"Ah Yao..."

"Follow me again and see if I won’t be polite to you." Qin Yao gestured.

Lin Yu Bai could only stop there.

Qin Yao continued to walk forward. When she reached an alley, she saw Xie Chen enter a house.

She didn't know what was so good about Xie Chen. Since that day he stood in front of her and scared those two scoundrels away, she just wanted to see him more. Especially his frowning eyebrows. She wanted to smooth them out for him.

Xie Chen entered the yard, but heard a smacking sound.

He looked into the kitchen. His eyes turned red with anger.

"Did I say you can hit? Try and hide now. You put so much salt in the dish. Are you trying to overdose me with salt!" Xie Yong held a wooden stick in his hand and beat down on a basket.

The basket trembled continuously, and there was a whimpering sound from under the basket.

Xie Chen grabbed the stick in Xie Yong's hand and shouted, "What are you doing!"

Xie Yong saw that it was him and furiously uttered, "What? I’m hitting my daughter, you ant to control? If push to it, I will beat you too!"

It wasn’t like he wasn’t hit before. Before thirteen years old, Xie Yong beat and scolded both Xie Chen siblings. Later, Xie Chen made money by copying books by himself and became stronger. Every time Xie Yong tried to beat him, he couldn't win, so he stopped beating him.

"Try it!" Xie Chen gritted his teeth.

Xie Yong looked at him. He was half a head taller than he was now. Although he was thin, he was no longer the kid who was beaten and scolded before.

Xie Yong spat on the ground and berated, "What thing are you? All the books you read enter dog's stomach? You dare to hit me. From what I see you are an unfamiliar white-eyed wolf just like your lowly mother.

After so many years, if it weren't for me, how could the two of you grow up so big? Now the wings are hard, you won't let them touch, eh? "

Not long after Xie Lian was born, Xie Chen's mother ran away with another because she couldn't stand Xie Yong's temper.

From then on, Xie Yong beat and scolded Xie Chen siblings.

Xie Chen glared at him. His eyes were red. He wanted to yell and laugh at the same time. For so many years, besides giving them a bite to eat and not letting them starve to death, how was he a father? If given the choice, he didn't want to be his son at all.

"What we ate from you, I will pay you back in the future. You aren’t allowed to touch Xie Lian again or I will go all out with you!" Xie Chen told the truth. This was the last time he warned him.

"Pay back? What do you want to pay back with? I gave you your life." Xie Yong scolded.

Xie Chen's vision was red. He just glared at him.

Afraid of him, Xie Yong cursed again, stretched out his hand and stated, "Money? This lass puts so much salt in cooking. She wants to kill me. I'll go out to eat."

"No money." Xie Chen said.

"You paint and write every day. You’re telling me that you have no money? Have you read all those books for so many years for nothing!" Xie Yong responded.

"I said there’s none, then there’s none." Xie Chen stated coldly. Studying was a costly matter. For so many years, he had been painting and copying books and could barely maintain his studies. How could he have any spare money?

"You said to pay me back in the future. From what I see, you don’t plan to pay back. Why did I give birth to you two calamity stars." With that said, Xie Yong threw the stick and went out by himself.

Xie Chen bent down to get the basket, and said softly, "He's already gone. Don't be afraid. I'm here."

Suddenly, a petite figure jumped out from behind the basket and threw herself into his arms.

Xie Lian whimpered.

Xie Chen saw that her hands and arms were covered with red marks. He rubbed her head in distress, "I'll take you to the capital with me in April. I won't let him see you again."

The Xia Dynasty held the imperial examination in May every year. Xie Chen was going to set off from home in April. It should be on time.

"Sniff sniff." Xie Lian sobbed.

Xie Chen felt even more sad when he heard her like this. Xie Lian was originally able to speak. But when she was eight years old, she suddenly couldn’t speak for some reason. She can make a sound, but can't speak. He took her to see the doctor several times, but the doctor couldn't do anything. So it could only be like this.

He decided to wait until he entered the capital and then find a famous doctor to treat Xie Lian.

Xie Lian rubbed against his arms before running to the kitchen. She took out a dry biscuit from a broken bowl in the cabinet and handed it to Xie Chen.

"I'm not hungry. You eat." Xie Chen told a white lie.

Xie Lian sensibly shook her head and gave him the dry biscuit. Elder Brother was studying. He can't go hungry. When Elder Brother passes the imperial examination, he would be able to take her away.

The brother and sister ate the dry biscuit. Xie Lian wiped the crumbs from the corner of her mouth for Xie Chen. Through the tears, she smiled.

At this moment, at the entrance of the alley, Xie Yong noticed Qin Yao standing there. His eyes lit up immediately. Such a beautiful girl. Judging by her clothes, she must be the daughter of a rich family.

"This Miss, why are you here? Are you looking for someone? I'm not bragging. There is no one in Wuling County that I don't know and there is no road that I don't know." Xie Yong salivated and spoke to Qin Yao.

When Qin Yao saw him coming out of Xie Chen's house, she guessed that he was Xie Chen's father or relatives. She immediately blushed.

At 1pm, almost all the customers in the store were gone. Jiang Yun Zhu came out from the back kitchen, thanking those who came to support today.

First of all, she must thank Gu Yan Zhou and those scholars as they will attend class soon.

"Thank you." Jiang Yun Zhu turned to Gu Yan Zhou.

"You don't need to say these." Gu Yan Zhou was still ever-so-calm. It was as if he didn't mind Jiang Yun Zhu's polite refusal to the marriage proposal.

Jiang Yun Zhu smiled. This was good.

She gave Gu Yan Zhou and those scholars each a blue membership card with the names of these scholars written on the membership card. With this card, these scholars could enjoy a 5% discount when they come to her restaurant to eat.

Those scholars were overjoyed when they received the cards. They saw others deposit fifty liang silver to the store to get this card. They just came to help and got it.

In the future, when they come here to eat, they will not only save money, but also gain face!

Thinking it this way, they all felt that today wasn't in vain.

"You!" Gu Yan Zhou smiled helplessly at Jiang Yun Zhu. She was always so smart that even if he wanted to try to help her, he couldn't.

Forget it. The group of them left and went to the academy on the opposite side.

Afterward, it was Gu Yong De, Mrs. Liu and others. They too received a blue membership card.

Finally, there were Escort Head Li and the others. The membership card was held up.

Escort Head Li took it and laughed, "It will be much more convenient when I want to eat your food in the future."

Ever since their stay in Changshi Village for a few days before the new year, both he and Li Yan fell in love with the dishes made by Jiang Yun Zhu. Sadly, it was too far away. Now it was fine.

"Then come often." Jiang Yun Zhu cheerfully responded.

"Definitely." Escort Head Li agreed, and then took the men away.

The store became deserted. Only then did the Jiang Family have time to eat. After a quick lunch, Mrs. Chen swept the floor while Jiang Yun Zhu wiped the table. At some point, she sat at a table and fell asleep.

Afraid of disturbing her, Mrs. Chen lightened her movements and went to the backyard to prepare the ingredients for the evening.

Jiang Yun Zhu was the only one left in the restaurant. She laid there quietly. Her breathing was even.

Shen Feng Ming walked into the store, sat opposite her, and watched her.

Her side profile was very beautiful. The light and dark lines were intertwined. Her skin was like cream. Her lips were slightly parted. Following the breathing, it went up and down slightly. Moist and soft. The long eyelashes drooped. Although her eyes were tightly closed, he knew how sparkling and agile they could be when they were opened. Just like her person.

She was exhausted. He didn't want her to be so tired. Actually.

But he knew that she was like the blue luan in the painting at the side. Only when she soars freely in the sky could she sing happily.

One of Jiang Yun Zhu's hands rested on the table. The fingers were clasped together. The partial index finger was sticking out. The fingertip was round and shining with a pink and lustrous luster.

Shen Feng Ming suddenly stretched out his index finger, lightly touched her fingertip, and then slowly connected.

Jiang Yun Zhu slept for half an hour before waking up. She woke up and sat there, dazed for a while before she fully woke up.

Then she felt that it was time for her to recruit people!

Jiang Cheng happened to be going back to the village to get a batch of ingredients. So she asked him to give Xue Jing a message. He had recommended someone before. If it was convenient, please invite that person to come to Qishanju.

Xue Jing had been waiting for her to say this. Hearing this, he immediately got into Jiang Cheng's cart, went around the county, and brought his former partner over.

At this time, Jiang Yun Zhu had finished tidying up the Qishanju and was waiting to open for business for the night.

"Boss, this is the person I was talking about." Xue Jing said excitedly as soon as he entered the door. Qishanju opened today. He wanted to come and see it, but the business at the mine couldn't be dropped. It had him anxious to death.

It was fine now.

Jiang Yun Zhu looked behind him and saw a man in his thirties. The man was tall and chubby. But his face was gentle, especially his eyes. When smiling, it was quite joyous.

At this time, Tan De Bao was also looking at Jiang Yun Zhu. He was taken aback. He had already heard from Xue Jing about Jiang Yun Zhu. For example, she opened a restaurant in the county town within half a year. For example, she was a good cook. Her specialty dishes emerged endlessly. He was curious about her as well as holding some doubts.

Mainly, he couldn't imagine what such a girl was like.

But when he saw Qishanju and Jiang Yun Zhu, he suddenly felt that Xue Jing didn't seem to be exaggerating.

Look at this Qishanju. Even in the city of Lu Prefecture, there may not be such an elegant place. It showed how delicate Jiang Yun Zhu's mind was.

Then it seemed reasonable that she could cook delicious meals.

"Boss Jiang." Tan De Bao said respectfully.

Jiang Yun Zhu was satisfied with his first impression to give five points. At least he looked good.

Then there was the test of cooking skills.

Tan De Bao immediately put on his apron and entered the kitchen. He looked tall and fat, but his movements were extremely agile and flexible. He fried a fried liver in a short time.

This dish was particular about the heat. If the fire was too high, the liver tips will get old easily. If the fire was too low, the liver tips would lack the burnt aroma. This wasn't good.

Although Tan De Bao's skill wasn’t perfect, Jiang Yun Zhu felt that he could score eight points.

She looked at Tan De Bao, then at Xue Jing, and was suddenly a little curious about how the Yunhelou was closed in the first place. With these two cooks, as long as the business wasn't particularly bad, it should be able to continue.

Xue Jing seemed to grasp what she was thinking. He suppressed his excitement, and explained to her, "Boss, be careful of Baofulou. They, aren’t clean."

Jiang Yun Zhu raised her eyebrows. Baofulou was the most famous restaurant in Wuling County. His ‘wasn't clean’...

At the mention of Baofulou, Tan De Bao’s expression changed. He turned to Xue Jing and suddenly gritted his teeth, "Actually, before the mishap happened to the owner of Yunhelou, someone came to me and said that as long as I do a little favor, he will give ten liang silver. I didn’t agree."

"Why didn't you say this earlier!" Xue Jing said.

Tan De Bao was very ashamed. Who would randomly talk about this kind of thing? If something happened, others would doubt him even if it wasn’t him.

Xue Jing thought of this point and didn't blame him anymore. He didn't take the money. Now he was willing to say it. It wasn’t bad.

"Boss Jiang, you have to be careful." Tan De Bao said. He didn't want the restaurant to close down before it started working. Moreover, he felt that it wasn’t easy for a girl like Jiang Yun Zhu to set up such a restaurant.

Baofulou? Jiang Yun Zhu kept it in mind. She didn't mention this again and told Tan De Bao with a smile, "I want to discuss something with you."

Tan De Bao vaguely guessed what she wanted to say and nodded immediately.

The two went outside. Jiang Yun Zhu said, "I don't know what Xue Jing told you. Let me clarify it again and if you think it's okay, let's sign the contract.

I’m hiring you because I want you to take over Xue Jing's work and cook in the village. Monthly pay is just like Xue Jing. One silver liang per month. Contract for ten years.

Most of our family lives in the county town now. There are many vacant rooms, you could choose one to live in.

The monthly pay increases every half every year.

After working for three years and if you do well, I will transfer you to the county city. "Jiang Yun Zhu spoke for a long time. The most important thing was this, to provide employees with a ladder to climb up.

Sure enough, when Tan De Bao heard this sentence, he immediately became excited. He had planned to stay in the village for ten years. What did Jiang Yun Zhu say now? Three years later, she will transfer him to the county city?

Then why would he be afraid, "Boss, I will definitely do a good job!"

He immediately promised.

"Okay, first sign the contract. I’ll get Xue Jing to take you for a few days." Jiang Yun Zhu responded.

After a while, everything was done. Xue Jing immediately took Tan De Bao back to Changshi Village. He couldn't wait to teach him all matters for that side.

Jiang Yun Zhu watched the backs of the two of them and smiled. The employees were very motivated. Not bad!

Afterward, the store need to recruit two waiters and two choremen, so that Mrs. Chen and Jiang Yun Xue can rest.

Jiang Yun Zhu grabbed the red paper and prepared to write a recruitment notice to post it at the door of the store.

At this time, Xie Chen walked in. He was still in the old blue robe. He was frowning and appeared to be full of thoughts.

"Miss, do you want to settle the accounts today?" He asked.

Jiang Yun Zhu was about to take a look at how much money she had made at noon. But in this day and age there was no computer. The accounts kept at noon were messy and gave her a headache.

"Yes." She immediately answered and handed the account book to Xie Chen.

Xie Chen took the account book and sat there with a brush in one hand and an abacus in the other. The sun shone on him, casting a slender shadow.

Jiang Yun Zhu continued to write her recruitment notice.

Xie Chen accidentally looked up and saw what she wrote. Frowning and thinking for a long time, he suddenly uttered, "Miss, are you recruiting?"

"En." Jiang Yun Zhu raised her head. Why? Did he want to be the waiter or work as a choreman?

"Not me. I have to prepare for the exam. I don't have much time. It’s my younger sister. But she may not be able to do it for long. In April, I want to take her to the capital with me." Suddenly, he added, "Sorry, Miss, take it as I said nothing.”

Then he lowered his head and continued to settle accounts.

Jiang Yun Zhu wasn't sure whether he wanted his younger sister to work or not.

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