Chapter 774 - 776: Gathering Together
Chapter 774: Chapter 776: Gathering Together
Cen Gaosong felt stifled. He ordered his driver to wander the streets of Yongchang County in the carriage. He wanted to find someone to vent to, to relieve the pent-up frustration in his chest. But this was a family scandal; he truly couldn’t bring himself to speak of it.
The carriage circled Yongchang County. The driver didn’t dare ask questions and could only drive slowly along the road. Lifting the curtain, Cen Gaosong watched the pedestrians passing by. Everyone wore a satisfied smile, showing that people were having a good year.
"Mr. Cen!" Suddenly hearing someone call out to him, Cen Gaosong had the carriage stop.
"I thought this carriage looked familiar! I saw you poke your head out just now, so I called out to stop you." Li Mingyun appeared before him, holding a child in each hand.
"Mr. Li. I didn’t expect to run into you here." Cen Gaosong wasn’t in high spirits, and his greeting was somewhat perfunctory.
"My two kids just happened to want to eat at Tianfu Restaurant. Since we ran into each other, let’s go together."
"That might interrupt your father-son meal," Cen Gaosong replied.
"Running into each other here means we’re destined to dine together today. Besides, it’s just me and the two kids. It’s livelier with more people." Since Cen Gaosong was a rank higher than him, Li Mingyun naturally wanted to build a good relationship.
"Then come on up. We’ll head over together."
"No need," Li Mingyun said, pointing not too far ahead. "Aren’t we almost there? I’ll walk over with the kids. It’ll be quick.
"Then it’s settled. I’ve already booked a private room. Just give my name when you get there."
Cen Gaosong hadn’t expected to run into so many acquaintances today. The moment he stepped into the restaurant, Wu Haicong and his family were also about to walk in. The three parties ended up joining together, all sitting in the same private room. The accompanying female family members and children were arranged in the next room.
"Mr. Wu, how do you have the leisure to come out and eat today?" Cen Gaosong asked after downing a gulp of wine.
Wu Haicong truly didn’t want to deal with the bickering among his wives and concubines at home, but how could he say that aloud?
"It’s a rare day off, and I’ve grown tired of the food at home. I came here to try something new.
"I heard Tianfu Restaurant has some new dishes recently, so I came to try them.
"What about you, Mr. Cen? How did you end up with Mr. Li?" Wu Haicong didn’t think the two had planned this. Otherwise, Li Mingyun wouldn’t have brought his kids while Cen Gaosong came alone.
"We just happened to bump into each other on the street. It’s a rare coincidence today, so let’s have a few more drinks." With that, Cen Gaosong refilled his cup and raised it to toast his colleagues.
Seeing him gulp down cup after cup without needing any urging, Li Mingyun and Wu Haicong exchanged a glance and joined him for a drink.
As Cen Gaosong poured more wine into his empty cup, Wu Haicong quickly intervened. "Mr. Cen, I just tried a few of these dishes, and they’re quite good. Why not line your stomach first?"
"Right," Li Mingyun chimed in. "The chefs at Tianfu Restaurant really know what they’re doing. My boys clamor to come here every day.
"It’s just that the prices are a bit steep, so I only dare bring them here to treat them every once in a while."
If they kept drinking with him like this, it wouldn’t be long before both of them ended up under the table. It was a rare day of rest, and they didn’t want to spend it blackout drunk.
"Mrs. Gu truly has the golden touch. Just look at the businesses under her management—every single one is booming.
"Mr. Gu is truly blessed to have such a capable wife. He won’t have to worry about food or drink for the rest of his life." Thinking of his own wife, Cen Gaosong downed another cup of wine.
"That’s the truth," Li Mingyun said. "See Tianle Restaurant across the street? Wu Kun opened that one. Business was booming at first, but look at it now—it’s practically empty.
"At first, we thought the out-of-town Tianfu Restaurant wouldn’t be able to compete with the local Tianle Restaurant. But look how little time it took for them to drive the competition across the street to the brink of closing."
Wu Haicong felt the need to speak up for his relative at this point. "You can’t say that. Running a business relies on skill and craftsmanship.
"Comparing the taste of the food at both places, which one do you prefer?"
Did that question even need answering? Otherwise, the three of them wouldn’t have all chosen to sit here.
"Sigh, we just don’t have that kind of luck." Li Mingyun drained his cup. Staring at the empty vessel, he suddenly realized he had gotten caught up in the drinking too.
"You’re the smart one, Mr. Wu. You became relatives with Mr. Gu early on. I heard your niece’s shops are running exceptionally well, and the Hou Family has made a fortune riding their coattails. You chose your in-laws well!" Cen Gaosong said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. Although he wasn’t lacking silver taels, who would ever complain about having too much silver?
With year-round expenses and the cost of socializing, their finances sometimes felt stretched thin. If he had one or two more ways to make money, he would feel much more secure, and his worries would lessen significantly.
He downed another mouthful of wine, sitting there gloomily. He wondered what Ms. Zhang was thinking and how she could believe he didn’t care for their legitimate daughter.
In truth, he had recently set his sights on Gu Wenheng’s nephew, Gu Le Ping. The boy hadn’t been here for long, yet he had already opened shops in every commandery. Unlike others who experienced both profits and losses, his businesses were consistently doing well—Cen Gaosong had already sent someone to look into it. All the dried mushrooms they collected were transported by the escort agency and sold through Mrs. Gu’s shops. They had long since raked in a fortune. This was only possible because they had a powerful backer. Otherwise, an ordinary person wouldn’t necessarily be able to sell the goods even if they managed to collect them.
Besides, what did it matter if he was just a merchant? In his eyes, gaining tangible benefits was the most important thing. Gu Le Ping might not have the chance to enter officialdom in this lifetime, but with his uncle Gu Wenheng around, there was no reason his future descendants couldn’t become scholars. When that time came, they could still elevate the family’s social standing.
What was the point of marrying his daughter off to one of those aristocratic families in Shangjing? So many offspring of official families achieved nothing in their lives, squandering their ancestral wealth until they eventually descended into commoners.
He had actually mentioned this to Zhang Guihong a few days ago. But the woman was so short-sighted that she hadn’t even brought it up with their daughter. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had to act the role of an old father and open his mouth to propose it himself today.
Watching Cen Gaosong pour cup after cup of wine down his throat, Wu Haicong had no choice but to reach out and stop him. "Mr. Cen, you can’t drink like this."
"It’s fine. It’s my treat today, so drink as much as you like," Cen Gaosong said, moving his cup aside and continuing to fill it.
"That’s not what I meant." Wu Haicong quickly pulled the wine jug away. "It’s rare for us to gather like this. Let’s not just drink. If you have any happy news or worries, speak up. Don’t keep it bottled up inside."
"Which family doesn’t have worries?" Li Mingyun quickly chimed in. "I couldn’t stand staying at home either, which is why I brought the two kids out for a stroll.
"It brings tears to my eyes just talking about it. Outside, we’re all highly respected lords, but once we return home, we still have to deal with trivial domestic matters."