Jiang Shuyue turned and looked downstairs. "Let them in to talk."
"Miss, could it be the former owner who has come looking for us?" Qiu Ju had also heard the rumors that the owner behind Juxian Pavilion was no ordinary person.
Jiang Shuyue had already guessed the former owner's identity. She waved her hand and said, "Although this restaurant is registered under my name, in my heart, it still belongs to the Emperor. Don't worry, no one will dare to cause trouble."
"That's right, whoever comes looking for trouble, the Emperor will wipe out their entire family," Qiu Ju teased with a grin.
Jiang Shuyue couldn't help but laugh and said, "Wouldn't that make him a tyrant!"
As the two were chatting and laughing, the coachman led in a man dressed in a short blue cloth shirt.
"Really, really changed owners?" The man looked up and saw Jiang Shuyue standing on the second floor, leaning on the railing and looking down. He was at a loss and quickly bowed his head in greeting.
"Did you used to work here?" Jiang Shuyue asked as she walked downstairs.
The man was in his early twenties, dressed in coarse cloth, which showed that he was not even a servant who served dishes.
As Jiang Shuyue approached, the coachman said to the man, "This is my young lady, and also the new owner of Juxian Pavilion. Speak quickly if you have anything to say, my young lady is busy."
With just one glance, the man quickly lowered his head and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Miss."
This fairy-like lady was not someone a lowly commoner like him could ever meet.
"What brings you in?" Jiang Shuyue asked gently.
The man looked down at his toes and introduced himself: "My humble name is A-Chang. I used to work as a kitchen helper here."
Seeing that Jiang Shuyue did not ask any further questions, he asked, "Does Miss need to hire anyone else? I am willing to return to Juxian Pavilion."
"Are you in charge of chopping vegetables and doing odd jobs, or are you in charge of cooking?"
“Miss, I have been an apprentice at Juxian Pavilion since I was fifteen years old, and I can already cook on my own.”
Jiang Shuyue nodded slightly. The man was in his early twenties and had been an apprentice for several years; he was certainly capable of being in charge of cooking.
"Is your master the head chef here?" Jiang Shuyue's eyes lit up. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.
"My master is one of the head chefs. There are four head chefs and more than twenty apprentices in the kitchen. Many of the apprentices can cook on their own."
Jiang Shuyue was surprised to find that the restaurant's kitchen had a clear division of labor. It seemed that even people from ancient times understood modern management. It appeared that the manager hired by her former employer was truly a talented individual.
"This restaurant still needs some renovations. We would love to welcome you and your master back. It would be great if you could contact other chefs."
Achang had never been so respected by a noble person before, and he was deeply moved.
He then confidently declared, "If I can contact them, I will definitely find all my fellow disciples within three days."
Since Juxian Pavilion was shut down, many restaurants have approached the chefs, but the chefs have not been interested in the monthly allowances offered by ordinary restaurants.
When everyone gathered together, they discussed and looked forward to Juxian Pavilion reopening.
The master chef didn't look for another employer, and the apprentices waited for the restaurant to reopen.
With elderly parents and young children at home, Ah Chang was worried that if he waited any longer, his family would go hungry. Every day, he would go to Zhengdong Street to inquire. If he didn't hear anything in a few days, he would go to other restaurants to find work.
Jiang Shuyue asked about other things, such as the monthly allowance for the kitchen staff and the manager's monthly allowance.
Ah Chang didn't know much about the manager, only that he was the owner's confidant and that his whereabouts were unknown after the restaurant was shut down. He only talked about the kitchen.
Then Achang led Jiang Shuyue and Qiuju through the passageway to the kitchen.
The kitchen is separated from the inn by a garden. The garden is lush with trees, and the ornamental trees are trimmed into various shapes. The whole garden is arranged in a well-organized and unique way.
"Miss, the person who built this restaurant is really clever. The kitchen is located behind the garden, so the smell of cooking oil won't bother the guests."
As Qiuju walked, she looked around. The environment behind her was quiet and serene, and there was a corridor leading from the front to the kitchen.
Ah Chang followed behind and said, "Although the kitchen is a bit far, there are many waiters in the restaurant, so the food has never been delayed."
As Jiang Shuyue looked at the marble floor of the corridor, another idea quickly popped into her mind.
Upon arriving at the kitchen and opening the door, a pungent, sour smell hit me.
Seeing Jiang Shuyue and Qiuju cover their mouths and noses with their sleeves, Achang quickly called out, "Miss, don't go in. It's been so long; the leftover ingredients inside have gone bad."
Jiang Shuyue stopped and stepped back, and Qiuju quickly closed the kitchen door again.
Jiang Shuyue turned around, thought for a moment, and said, "Achang, go and inform the people in the kitchen that those who are willing to come back should come and clean up the kitchen as soon as possible. Your monthly allowance will remain the same, starting from tomorrow."
Achang was overjoyed: "I'll go right away."
After Achang left, Jiang Shuyue and Qiuju strolled around inside again.
Qiuju clicked her tongue in amazement. "I only knew that the food at Juxian Pavilion was delicious, but I didn't expect it to be so spacious and magnificent. Not to mention how valuable the location on Zhengdong Street is, this restaurant is not something ordinary people can afford."
Jiang Shuyue smiled faintly, "So it was seized."
"Miss, is the rumor true? The former owner of this restaurant was...?"
Jiang Shuyue nodded: "You guessed right. The previous owner probably didn't spend a single penny on this restaurant, but the decoration and furnishing of the restaurant and inn cost a lot of money."
The master and servant understood each other perfectly, without naming names.
"Miss, are we still using that signboard? I think it will cost a lot of money." Qiuju was used to being frugal and wanted to save money for her mistress.
"Use it? Of course we'll use it. Speaking of Juxian Pavilion, everyone in the capital, from officials to commoners, and merchants from all over, knows it. Why not use such a prestigious brand?"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
