Yu Feng did not expect Yu Wan to bring him to the Jadeite Pavilion.
“What are you doing here?” Yu Feng asked with a tense body. Their clothes were shabby, and they carried wooden barrels and carrying poles. In a restaurant that was filled with luxurious clothes, it was truly an eye-catching and amusing sight.
Yu Wan thought in her heart: This is the reaction of a hot-blooded eighteen or nineteen year old. Although I look young, I’m not a real young girl. Yu Wan looked at Yu Feng as if she was looking at a child and smiled reassuringly. “Of course it’s to eat.”
Yu Feng sucked in a cold breath. “This is not a place to eat!” At least… it wasn’t a place for them to eat.
“Let’s go eat noodles, braised meat noodles!”
In the past, he didn’t even have the heart to buy a steamed bun. For her to suggest eating braised meat noodles was already a luxury for Yu Wan.
Yu Wan did not seem to be listening to him. She found a table in the corner and sat down. She liked the quiet. This had never changed in both her past and present lives.
Yu Feng was furious. “Why did you…” Halfway through his words, the waiter lazily walked over and asked in an annoyed tone: “You two want to eat?”
Yu Wan poured the money in her purse onto the table. “Are these enough for us to eat?”
The waiter was stunned. Was such a poor farmer really here to spend money? He rolled his eyes and smiled. “Yes, yes! Of course! What would you like to eat?”
“What do you want to eat, Big Brother?” Yu Wan asked with a smile.
Yu Feng lowered his voice and said, “Don’t mess around!”
Yu Wan smiled. “If Big Brother doesn’t know what to eat, then let me order. I like braised pork.”
The waiter said with a smile, “Then you’ve come to the right place! Our restaurant has sautéed red braised pork with sour bamboo shoots passed down from our Chef Liu’s ancestors. It can’t be eaten outside! There’s also salt-baked chicken, which is also our Chef Liu’s specialty!”
“Okay.” Yu Wan nodded her head and asked the waiter about the signature dishes of the Jadeite Hall. “Serve them all.”
“Are you giving me my last meal?” Yu Feng asked coldly.
Yu Wan was stunned for a moment before she smiled lightly. “If it’s Big Brother’s last meal, I’ll definitely cook it myself.”
For some reason, Yu Feng thought of the pot of black braised pork and his body trembled again.
A table of dishes was served very quickly. Yu Feng really did not understand what this girl wanted to do, but she was the one who earned the money. He had only put in some effort. Even if she spent all of it, what could he say?
Indeed, it was wrong to rely on this girl.
Yu Feng was downhearted.
Yu Wan ate with great care. She carefully tasted each dish but did not indulge her appetite. After tasting all of them, she put down her chopsticks.
“Are you full?” Yu Feng felt that he shouldn’t have asked such a caring question. With a straight face, he asked, “Can we go home now?”
Yu Wan shook her head and smiled. “There’s still the White Jade Restaurant, Big Brother.”
“You…” Yu Feng was so angry that he stood up.” If you just want to drag me to eat, drink, and have fun, I’m not interested! ” With that, he walked away!
“Don’t you want to earn the twenty taels of silver?” Yu Wan spoke softly. Yu Feng stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her in shock. She smiled faintly. “If you want, eat these dishes.”
“You can get money just by eating?”
“Yes, you can get money by eating.”
Yu Feng had already done too many ridiculous things with her in the past few days. He did not lack this one. Moreover, at this point, he did not care if he went to the yamen hungry or if he went to the yamen full.
Yu Feng sat back down and ate all the dishes on the table with Yu Wan. Yu Wan did not eat much and most of the food went into his stomach.
After that, the two of them went to the White Jade Restaurant and ordered the same dishes.
After tasting them one by one, Yu Wan put down her chopsticks. “Big Brother, what do you think of the taste?”
Yu Feng pondered for a moment and said seriously, “It’s indeed not as good as the Jadeite Pavilion.”
Yu Wan pointed at the dishes on the table and said, “The skin of the Salt Baked Chicken isn’t crispy enough. The clear soup has some astringency.”
“That’s right.” Yu Feng nodded. He was slightly surprised that she had made such a professional and detailed comment, as if she had eaten these dishes countless times.
Yu Wan interrupted Yu Feng’s thoughts. “What do you think is the reason, Big Brother?”
Yu Feng said subconsciously, “What other reason could it be? The Jadeite Pavilion invited an imperial chef…”
Yu Wan said, “Does Big Brother think that an imperial chef can cook all the dishes for the Jadeite Pavilion’s guests? Do you believe that none of the dishes we ate just now came from the imperial chef?”
The imperial chef was just a gimmick. He had returned to his hometown in glory and was here to enjoy life, not to do hard labor. There’s no way they would let an elderly person cook hundreds of dishes every day, would they? If there were really esteemed guests, he would naturally show off a few of his skills. However, how could ordinary people like them have such good fortune?
“Besides, don’t you think that the dishes cooked at home have such astringency?”
If she hadn’t mentioned it, Yu Feng wouldn’t have thought so. However, after thinking about it carefully, it seemed to be true. However, he was used to eating it since he was young and didn’t hate this taste.
“Then what do you think is the reason?” Yu Feng asked, his tone much gentler this time.
Yu Wan held her chin with one hand and smiled lightly. “I originally thought that Miss Bai was an idiot, but I had wronged her. Everyone thought that the problem was with the chef, only she found the real weakness. I want to meet Miss Bai.”
…
“Who did you say wants to see me?” Miss Bai, who had just returned from the salt shop, handed her cloak to the servant girl behind her and said coldly.
The shopkeeper replied, “A guest who said that the Young Miss knows her. I don’t think so… Young Miss is of noble birth. How could she know a village girl? Could she be a swindler?”
Bai Tang smiled mockingly. “I’ll know if she’s a liar! If she is, I’ll kill her!”
A few minutes later, the shopkeeper led the Yu siblings to the accounting room on the second floor.
The Bai family owned a restaurant. Bai Tang saw at least a few dozen people every day. She would not have noticed those ordinary people even if she took a glance at them. However, she actually recognized this inconspicuous village girl at a glance.
“It’s you?” Bai Tang was shocked.
When the shopkeeper heard this, he was slightly relieved. She had indeed known her.
Yu Wan smiled. “Miss Bai has a good memory. My surname is Yu, and this is my elder brother.” Yu Feng nodded politely.
Bai Tang didn’t even look at him. She only said coldly to Yu Wan, “Don’t try to get close to me just because I said something to you. I’m not someone people like you can get close to!”
Yu Feng’s face turned cold.
Yu Wan did not get angry. Instead, she smiled politely and said, “What a coincidence. I don’t have the spare time to befriend you, Miss Bai. I’m relieved to hear that.”
“You…” Bai Tang choked.
Yu Wan continued, “I’m here to make a deal with Miss Bai.”
Bai Tang sized her up and mocked, “What do you have to make a deal with me? Food? Fish?” She saw the bamboo shoots and fish scales in the basket and wooden bucket.
Yu Wan said, “Salt of a higher quality of Jadeite Pavilion.”
Bai Tang’s expression changed.
Yu Feng gave Yu Wan a strange look. Where did they get the salt? No, why would he say that it was theirs? It was hers! He has no relations with her!
The shopkeeper slammed the table and shouted, “How dare you! Where did this private salt peddler come from?! Miss, privately selling salt is a serious crime! You would go to prison for it!”
Bai Tang frowned.
Yu Wan shook her head. It was fine since Miss Bai was young, but how could the shopkeeper be that foolish too? Putting aside whether they had the guts to violate the prohibition, which salt peddler in the world would lead such a miserable life like them?
Yu Wan looked at Bai Tang and said, “Don’t worry, Miss Bai. I’m not a salt peddler. I just have a way to turn your inferior salt into real high-grade salt.”
Everyone was stunned.
Bai Tang stared at her without blinking, as if she was trying to discern the truth in her words.
Yu Wan said, “Of course, I didn’t do it for nothing. I need to collect some remuneration from Miss Bai.”
Bai Tang narrowed her eyes. “How much do you want?” She was clearly tempted.
“Miss!” The shopkeeper stopped her.
Bai Tang raised her hand and stopped the shopkeeper.
“It doesn’t make sense to take too much in the first deal…” Yu Wan murmured.
Yu Feng’s heart was in his throat. He was afraid that she would not be able to repay the debt if she charged too low. Just as he was about to bite the bullet and say “fifteen taels”, he heard Yu Wan sigh softly. “Then fifty taels.”
