Chapter 742 - 744: A Major Loss
Chapter 742: Chapter 744: A Major Loss
Today, all the manors in Yongchang County were waiting to watch a good show.
Previously, seeing customers flock to Tianfu Restaurant every day had made them somewhat restless. After all, it was a place with an immense daily income. Being able to see it but not take a bite of the profits naturally made them itch with envy.
But now, it was a different story. The bustling scene hadn’t lasted many days before the restaurant across the street stole their business. If this continued, they would likely have to close down for good. It had only been a few days, but the lost silver must be enough to make Mrs. Gu feel the pinch.
"I actually think my husband finally did a good deed this time," Mrs. Liang He said, holding her teacup and smiling with exceptional delight. "Back then, I felt it was quite unfair for your uncle to rent out such a prime location. I never expected the tenants to be so capable. They’ve almost driven Mrs. Gu Jin’s restaurant into the ground. It’s truly gratifying."
"Aunt," He Xiaoyu lightly tugged at her sleeve. "I actually think Tianle Restaurant is handling this poorly. They’re offending people. What if scores are settled later? Can they withstand the wrath of the Lord Inspector General? Besides, this involves Uncle. Should we give him a reminder?"
"You silly girl," Mrs. Liang He said, placing her cup on the table and patting He Xiaoyu’s delicate hand. "Since they dare to clash like this, they definitely have the backing for it. Don’t look down on the aristocratic families here just because they lack connections in the royal court. In a place like this, they exist like local princes. If they want to trip someone up, even your uncle would have to yield somewhat. Gu Wenheng is a newcomer; he has even less confidence to fight back. Just watch, that restaurant will probably fold. Mrs. Gu Jin will have to swallow this silent loss whether she wants to or not."
"But the shop..."
"Your uncle only rented out the shop. Is he supposed to dictate how they run their business? You don’t need to worry about this. You should be worrying about your marriage. I’ve scoped out so many households for you lately—is there any suitable one?"
He Xiaoyu smiled shyly. "Aunt, before I came here, my parents said that you would make all the decisions."
Mrs. Liang He replied, "Of course, I want what’s best for you. It’s just that the families we’ve looked at these past few days are all from official families. I lean more toward having you marry into an aristocratic family. These officials might be a flash in the pan, but true century-old aristocratic families have their own deep-rooted foundation. If you can marry into one, you won’t have to worry for the rest of your life."
"Aunt..." He Xiaoyu trailed off. She wondered, "None of the families we’ve looked at lately belong to those aristocratic families. What does Aunt mean by this?"
"The shop your uncle rented out this time was leased to the Wu family," Mrs. Liang He explained. "The Wu family is one of the top influential voices locally. This clan has numerous descendants, and they have achievements across various fields. Take Tianle Restaurant this time. Although it is run by a branch lineage, I have met that Wu Kun. He is strikingly handsome, a master at making money, and has quite a few properties under his name. Although a man like him has no official rank, he can enjoy lifelong wealth and prosperity."
He Xiaoyu immediately understood Mrs. Liang He’s implication. This was somewhat different from what she had envisioned. Was her aunt trying to marry her off to a merchant? Being rather young, her inner thoughts showed on her face.
Mrs. Liang He grasped her hand and patted it gently. "Don’t underestimate this Wu Kun. Though he is but a merchant, he is backed by a massive tree. Ordinary people cannot touch him. What people pursue in this lifetime is nothing but enduring wealth. I just hope that you won’t have to bicker over money for the rest of your life. Look at my marriage to your uncle. It brings nothing but a good reputation. You’ve lived here long enough to see the real hardships behind closed doors. Official families like theirs only look good on the surface, but on the inside, they’re bogged down by a mountain of rules."
At this point, Mrs. Liang He added with a hint of disdain, "Actually, they are the ones who understand rules the least. They simply mimic the conduct of aristocratic families, but they’ve only learned the superficial aspects."
Thinking back to what she had seen and heard while visiting those aristocratic families, Mrs. Liang He continued to persuade her niece. "We wouldn’t dare dream of a direct lineage, but with your uncle’s connections, the branch lineages would at least give us some face. I was thinking of taking you to Tianle Restaurant for a meal tomorrow..."
He Xiaoyu understood her unspoken meaning. She felt some resistance in her heart but ultimately remained silent.
「Meanwhile.」
Business at Renle Restaurant had been booming for three consecutive days, yet the expression on Wu Kun’s face grew increasingly grave.
He didn’t even need to look at the account book to know there was a massive influx of revenue. But so what? The more revenue came in now, the more he would lose in the coming days.
Manager Huang said, "Boss, if this really isn’t working, let’s take down the red promotional poster outside first." The bustling noise from the lobby outside forced him to raise his voice.
Before the opening, if he had known there would be such a grand turnout, he definitely would have grinned from ear to ear. But this was completely different from what he had imagined. Every customer who came to dine here deposited a sum of money into their accounts. If this continued, their restaurant probably wouldn’t last long.
Wu Kun stared across the street. The red poster advertising discounts was still pasted over there. If he tore his down, he would invisibly be the first to admit defeat, losing both face and dignity completely. Suffering such a loss right at the start of their confrontation—how could he swallow this anger? Yet, he had to swallow it, whether he wanted to or not.
"Have someone tear the red poster down," Wu Kun said through gritted teeth.
Receiving the confirmation, Manager Huang breathed a massive sigh of relief. He walked out without breaking stride, determined to tear down the red poster immediately before his boss could change his mind.
Sitting in a private room on the second floor, Wu Kun stared across the street. He had thought the crowds would now swarm over to the opposite side, but to his surprise, the moment he tore down his red poster, the other side tore theirs down at the exact same time.
What was left to understand? He had fallen right into their trap. At the thought of struggling to hold on over the past few days and losing so much silver, he couldn’t help but clench his jaw and curse.
With the sudden disappearance of the discounts, the latecomers stood outside the storefront, stomping their feet in regret.
"Why did you tear down the red poster?" the people standing outside clamored. "We rushed all the way to East City just to support your business! You can’t tear down the poster! You have to at least let us benefit from it too!"
Manager Huang cursed inwardly, but a friendly smile plastered his face. "I’m truly sorry, everyone. The hour for the red poster discounts has passed. You are welcome to return when there’s another opportunity in the future. If any of you would like to dine, please step inside. Our drinks here are still worth a try."
"Without the discounts, who would go in? If the prices are about the same, we might as well go to Tianfu Restaurant. At least they have over a dozen rare dishes. I heard they serve delicacies from all over the country." Whether intentionally stirring up trouble or not, a few burly men stood at the door and began to shout loudly.
"Exactly! Going across the street is a fresh experience, and I hear the taste isn’t bad either. Either you keep the discounts going, or we’re leaving."
Manager Huang was speechless.
"I am truly sorry, everyone." Wu Kun was now standing at the shop entrance. "Please forgive our lack of hospitality. As you can see, we are fully seated here. If you see fit, you may head across the street."