"If you enjoy this dish, please feel free to come again. The recipe for these preserved eggs is a family secret, which I cannot disclose here. Please understand." Yuan Doudou sensed something was amiss and had prepared her explanation beforehand. No matter who asked, she would give the same answer.

"Boss lady, I am a customer. Customers have the right to know what they are eating and how it is prepared." Li Fu adopted a customer-is-god attitude, putting on an air of superiority, thinking that this would get him what he wanted.

Yuan Doudou is now certain that this person is deliberately trying to cause trouble. He ordered so many dishes, plus drinks, that should cost at least 150 coins.

If this person doesn't get anything out of it, he'll definitely try to dine and dash.

“Sir, you are joking. I have heard of some of the laws of Ling Kingdom, but I have never heard of such a provision. However, Magistrate Zhao is an old friend of mine. If you want to argue with me about these matters, why don’t you come another day? I will ask Magistrate Zhao to be a witness and see what he has to say.”

As soon as Yuan Doudou finished speaking, Li Fu's face turned pale and then red. He finally understood why Doudou's Tavern had appeared so suddenly. You see, it takes a lot of effort to get a business license in Ping'an Town. Everyone in the Ministry of Revenue is a bloodsucker.

To obtain a certificate, one has to go through four or five layers of bureaucracy, with each layer taking a cut. It's impossible to get things done without at least fifty or sixty taels of silver.

Li Fu looked Yuan Doudou up and down; she had her hair in a high bun and was wearing a light green silk skirt.

She was dressed very plainly and had no makeup on, yet she possessed an extraordinary air about her. She also knew the county magistrate and might even have connections with the Ministry of Revenue.

Li Fu felt embarrassed because he had ordered so many dishes. He had originally planned to find an excuse to skip the bill, but since he had tasted them, he could try making them when he got home.

Isn't this like shooting yourself in the foot? Not only do you have to pay money, but you also haven't gotten any useful information.

"The proprietress is a very generous person, and her cooking skills are so good. I wonder when the county magistrate will return. I will definitely come to keep him company then." Li Fu thought that Yuan Doudou might just be putting on an act.

How could an ordinary woman like her possibly know the local officials?

"Lord Zhao is a very busy man and cannot come for a while."

Sure enough, she was just bluffing, Li Fu thought to himself with a smug grin.

Yuan Doudou continued, "However, Lord Lu from the Ministry of Revenue will be coming tonight. If you'd like, I can introduce you two."

It won't hurt to get to know them.

Li Fu's expression suddenly changed. Lord Lu? Could it be Lu Chaoyang, the Vice Minister of Revenue? Oh no, she doesn't just know a nobody in the Ministry of Revenue.

"You flatter me, madam. Lord Lu is a man of great stature. I am but a commoner and I am not worthy to accompany him." Li Fu was sweating profusely. "I have disappointed you, madam."

He naturally wanted to get to know Lu Chaoyang, but the landlady probably guessed his purpose for coming today and was certain he wouldn't speak well of him in front of Lord Lu.

"Boss lady, I'm afraid the person I'm waiting for won't be coming. I can't finish all this food by myself, so please pack it up for me." Li Fu said, preparing to leave.

Yuan Doudou smiled with satisfaction: "Since you've taken such good care of my business and ordered so many dishes, I'll give you a discount. It'll be 350 coins in total, but I'll charge you 300 coins."

"What? Three hundred coins? You—" He swallowed the rest of his sentence, "Why don't you just rob me?"

With such powerful connections, it's normal for her price to be higher.

Li Fu had a total of 280 coins on him, so he could only pay part of it first and would pay the rest later.

"It's alright, consider the twenty coins as making friends. Come back if you like it." Yuan Doudou suppressed a smile. Since she came to learn from him, the extra hundred coins would be considered tuition.

Li Fu gritted his teeth, pulled out his money bag, a bulging bag, and gave it all to Yuan Doudou.

"Okay, the proprietress is a straightforward person." Li Fu cursed her a thousand times in his heart: a swindler, a black shop, may it go out of business soon.

Li Fu was carrying a sack of food and drinks, all of which he hadn't finished eating or drinking. It was very heavy, so he had to carry it on his back as he walked out.

Yuan Doudou looked at his chubby body carrying a bulging bag on his back, which looked just like a tortoise carrying a heavy shell.

After he left, Yuan Doudou couldn't help but burst into laughter.

An Rong felt happy to see her smile; it had been a long time since she had seen Dou Dou laugh so happily.

"DouDou, isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to charge so much money?" An Rong looked at the money bag, feeling a mix of emotions.

Yuan Doudou said nonchalantly, "Don't be afraid, he won't dare to go around saying it."

A person with a guilty conscience will have to swallow their pride and bear the consequences once they leave this room.

"Why did you agree to let him pack up the food? Aren't you afraid he'll cook it the same way when he gets home?" An Rong knew that Li Fu had come prepared.

Rather than making him pay to take it, it's better not to charge him and let him leave empty-handed.

"There's no need to worry about that. Our dishes are on display. If someone wants to learn, you can't stop them. Even if they're skilled enough to make it, they can only get a small share of the profits. Besides, they might not be as good as me. Even if the customers don't appreciate it, they'll still come back to eat here."

"Unless...?" Yuan Doudou hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

“Unless what?” An Rong asked.

Yuan Doudou isn't entirely without worry, but being imitated is only a matter of time.

"Unless he starts a price war."

Price wars are the most common form of competition, but they are a type of tactic that hurts the enemy a thousand while also hurting yourself eight hundred.

"A price war? You mean he'll lower prices to attract customers?" An Rong immediately thought of this, having seen many shops use this tactic before.

"clever."

Yuan Doudou was mentally prepared, but she focused on controlling the quality of the dishes. The ingredients had to be good, so the price wouldn't be low, but the taste would be so good that you wouldn't forget it after eating it once.

She was confident that with the same dish but a different taste, even if the other party lowered the price, it would be to no avail.

"Alright, let's take it one step at a time." Worrying about the future before it even happens is just asking for trouble.

That evening, Lu Chaoyang really came.

"DouDou, your business is getting better and better." Lu Chaoyang likes DouDou's cooking and often goes to the restaurant for dinner before going home.

Yuan Doudou was keeping accounts and smiled at him in response.

"DouDou, you always give me discounts, it makes me feel embarrassed to come here." Every time they pay the bill, the two sides immediately become tense.

Yuan Doudou wanted to give him a lower rate, but Lu Chaoyang insisted on giving him more.

"Lord Lu, if you eat and drink well, my shop will thrive. Money isn't important." Which shop doesn't give money to the government? She can't officially give money, but she can still give some wine and snacks.

"You're being so polite with me. Your shop is my shop. As long as I'm in Ping'an Town, I'll protect it."

Yuan Doudou recalled that when she was setting up her stall, she encountered an unreasonable person, and it was Lu Chaoyang who stepped in and prevented the person from causing trouble.