Although the "Food is Heaven" sign was smashed, the pears not only suffered no loss, but also benefited from the misfortune, receiving a plaque bestowed by the emperor and becoming famous.
She decided to take this opportunity to tidy up the restaurant and reopen it.
After cleaning up, Gan Li glanced at the shop and said, "The rest doesn't need much work, they're all new. It's just that a lot of the tables and chairs are broken... Second Brother, you can go back to the lumber shop and have them make some tables and chairs."
Gan Mingyi agreed.
The business couldn't continue until the tables and chairs were set up, so Ganli decided to close for a few days. Everyone had been busy since the opening and was exhausted, so this was a good opportunity to take a break.
As for whether these few days will affect business... Ganli is not worried at all.
With that signboard bestowed by the Emperor, how could we be afraid of not having business?
She told her family about her decision, and Old Man Gan readily nodded: "Okay, then let's go home today!"
No one else objected. Old Mrs. Gan was very happy to hear that she was going home—she had never been away from home for so long before, and she really missed it.
After everyone packed their things, Gan Li went to the school to pick up Gan Tian ahead of time, and the family returned to the village together.
While they were all happy, the Zhao family was shrouded in gloom and chaos.
"How could this happen? Father... he's really been arrested?" Zhao Juan's face was pale, and she swayed, almost falling to the ground.
Chen Danian quickly helped her up, saying comforting words, "Juan'er, don't worry, your father is a lucky man, he'll be alright..."
"What kind of time is this to make such sarcastic remarks!"
Zhao Juan grabbed Chen Danian and angrily rebuked him, "Aren't you a scholar? Don't you have any ideas at all?"
Chen Danian's face turned green with anger at her words, and he felt extremely aggrieved.
Seeing his pathetic state, Zhao Juan sneered, then turned to the housekeeper and asked, "Why was my father arrested?"
"I heard that although the magistrate was involved in the disturbance at Shiweitian, the reason the master was arrested was because the imperial court was thoroughly investigating corruption and bribery. The master... he had given many gifts to curry favor with the county magistrate, and that's why..."
"What did you say?" Zhao Juan's face changed drastically: "Father was arrested for bribing an official of the imperial court?"
Butler Zhao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said cautiously:
"That's right. Now that the former magistrate has been dismissed and investigated, sir... he's probably..."
Zhao Juan felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted.
She originally thought that once she became Zhao Juan, she could enjoy wealth and luxury by relying on her father, Master Zhao, and act like a tyrant in the town.
But now that Master Zhao has fallen, what will she do in the future?
"No, I have to think of a way to get Dad out!" Zhao Juan forced herself to stay upright and paced back and forth in the room, anxiously thinking of a solution.
Seeing this, Steward Zhao cautiously reminded her, "Miss, the only solution now is probably to ask Manager Gan for help..."
"You mean, Gan Li?" Zhao Juan stopped, her gaze somewhat disdainful. "She's just a village girl, at most she runs a small restaurant, how could she possibly have this kind of ability?"
"Young Miss, Manager Gan is not what she used to be. I heard that she has a very close relationship with the new magistrate. Even that imperial plaque was personally delivered by the magistrate..."
He then recounted in detail what had happened at Shiweitian that day.
As he spoke, Butler Zhao observed Zhao Juan's expression.
He knew that Zhao Juan had always looked down on Gan Li, so he deliberately emphasized Gan Li's current status.
The Zhao family had already been bankrupted by their ice-making business and were heavily in debt. If Master Zhao doesn't return, who will clean up this mess?
He was a servant in the Zhao household, and his fate was intertwined with the family's. Even for his own sake, he had to persuade Zhao Juan to find a way to get Master Zhao out!
When Chen Danian heard that the sweet pear had actually won the emperor's favor, a look of surprise appeared on his face.
He never imagined that the peasant woman he had discarded would have such great abilities!
Seeing his expression, Zhao Juan, who was standing to the side, became even more jealous and said in a shrill voice, "What, are you regretting divorcing her now?"
Chen Danian: "..." He was truly regretting it!
But he couldn't say it yet; seeing Zhao Juan's resentful eyes, he quickly denied it:
"How could that be? I just heard what Butler Zhao said and thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask her for help."
Butler Zhao also chimed in, "Miss, at this point, we have no choice but to try anything!"
Think about it, if something really happens to the master, our Zhao family will be completely finished! Rather than sitting and waiting to die, we should lower ourselves and beg that Manager Gan for help; perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope..."
"Beg her? She doesn't deserve it!" Zhao Juan refused without even thinking.
The thought of Gan Li's smug, self-satisfied face made her grit her teeth in hatred. She had humiliated Gan Li in every way possible back then, and now having to beg Gan Li was worse than death for her!
"And even if we beg her, do you think that bitch will help us? Don't forget, Father smashed up her restaurant."
"This..." Steward Zhao said, "This old servant has an idea..."
"What idea?"
Butler Zhao looked at Chen Danian and said, "In my opinion, Gan Li is always going against us, probably because of what happened with the son-in-law before, so she's holding a grudge."
I think it would be better to have the son-in-law beg her to vent her anger, and then ask her to release our horses..."
Listening to Steward Zhao's words, Chen Danian felt humiliated for a moment, and then... even a little expectant.
He recalled the Ganli he had seen that day; her face was fair and delicate, a beautiful woman who was no longer the haggard old woman she once was.
Now she not only runs a restaurant, but has also made an appearance before the Emperor. If we could win her back...
As he was envisioning the future, Zhao Juan, seeing the smug look on his face, refused without a second thought.
"no!"
She thought bitterly, "This Chen Danian, aside from anything else, is quite handsome. Now that she's certain that Gan Li is definitely not Zhao Juan..."
But what if she also takes a fancy to Chen Danian's handsomeness and starts to compete with him for her man?
So absolutely not! We must not allow these two to have too much contact!
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