In the blink of an eye, it was the opening day of Ningfeng Restaurant.
There was the sound of drums and gongs, it was so lively.
The ingredients in the kitchen are ready, and Ma Cheng can start cooking as soon as the guests come in.
However, after waiting for a long time, no menu was sent to the kitchen.
"Are there no customers yet?" Ma Cheng grabbed a waiter and asked.
The guy shook his head: "Not yet. Brother Ma, it's still early, don't rush."
How could he not be anxious?
Although the shopkeeper appeared confident, he was still worried. If he really had no business...
Ma Cheng waited for a long time and couldn't help but go to the front hall. Sure enough, he saw that the restaurant was empty.
He looked at the shopkeeper standing at the door, and outside the door was a group of onlookers, pointing and talking, but no one came in.
The shopkeeper said, "Everyone, today is the first day of our restaurant opening. Everyone is welcome to come and taste it."
"Your restaurant hired a thief chef, we won't eat it."
"Yeah, with such a bad chef, who knows if your restaurant is clean!"
When Ma Cheng heard those words, his face turned pale.
Not far from the restaurant, the brothers Ding Deren and Ding Deyou stood there, watching the excitement.
Both of their faces were full of gloating.
On the first day of opening, there was not a single customer. It seemed that Ningfeng Restaurant was doomed!
"Serves you right!" Ding Deren snorted.
"Brother, shall we go?" Ding Deyou asked.
"Let's watch the show again." Ding Deren said.
The two continued to stay.
…
Half an hour passed, and there was still no customer.
Tang Li, however, remained calm and even comforted Ma Cheng.
Ma Cheng's uneasy heart felt better after seeing Tang Li's confident expression.
Does the shopkeeper really have any solution?
Soon, a turning point came.
Ningfeng Restaurant welcomed its first guest——
This guest is Mr. Jiang!
The Jiang family was one of the richest families in Hedong County, and Master Jiang held a high position in the county. Furthermore, Master Jiang had a good reputation, and the people liked him very much.
When they saw him come in, the noises from the onlookers mocking Ningfeng Restaurant quieted down a bit.
Then, the county magistrate also came!
Seeing the county magistrate being welcomed into the restaurant by Tang Li, the onlookers looked at each other in surprise.
"The county magistrate and Mr. Jiang are here to show their support. This restaurant doesn't look like it was opened casually."
"Yeah, is the chef here really that thief chef? Or is there some hidden story behind this thief?"
"If the county magistrate can eat at this restaurant, then we can too."
"I wonder what specialties this restaurant has?"
Several onlookers were already eager to try and go in to take a look.
At this moment, Tangli walked to the door and said:
"Everyone, our restaurant is open for the first time today. To celebrate the first day of opening, the first fifty tables are free.
So, all those who were eager to try it out immediately rushed into the restaurant, and for a while, it was overcrowded!
The orders placed by the customers were constantly being delivered to the kitchen, and Ma Cheng quickly got busy.
The restaurant's kitchen and front hall are both bustling with activity!
"Lao Tang, you are so generous. The first fifty tables are free. That's very generous." Yan Xiaoduan exclaimed in amazement.
Tang Li wanted to beat him up just by looking at him. This boy was getting more and more arrogant. He actually took advantage of Dabao and Xu Jue being at school and sneaked into the restaurant, even taking a seat and having a free meal!
"It's no use having money. Just eat what you want. Even food can't stop your mouth."
Tang Li acted like "I am rich and I am the boss", and Yan Xiaoduan couldn't help but give her a thumbs up.
There were so many guests that Tangli came along to help.
Tangli kept running between the kitchen and the front hall.
Ma Cheng's eyes lit up when he saw Tang Li.
Although he was tired now, he was indescribably excited and extremely grateful to the shopkeeper.
He really met a noble person.
Ma Cheng had a thousand words to say.
"Shopkeeper..."
Tang Li knew what he wanted to say at a glance: "No need to say anything, just do your best."
Ma Cheng nodded fiercely.
With a shopkeeper like this, he will definitely work hard and be willing to work until his death!
Ma Cheng continued to work.
Outside, the two brothers Ding Deren and Ding Deyou, who were watching the joke, were completely dumbfounded.
Who would have thought that this restaurant could actually invite the county magistrate?
The two of them gnashed their teeth in hatred, feeling very unwilling!
…
After a few hours, the number of customers in the restaurant decreased.
When Tang Li came out of the kitchen, he saw County Magistrate Zhu was still there.
Tangli walked up to the county magistrate and said, "Magistrate Zhu, thank you for your support today."
In response to those rumors, Tangli's countermeasure was to invite several prominent people in Hedong County to support the cause. Mr. Jiang and County Magistrate Zhu were among the invited guests.
County Magistrate Zhu came in person and stayed for such a long time, which really gave her enough face.
"Madam Wei, the food in your restaurant is really good. I've had a feast today. How about I give you another word?" County Magistrate Zhu was very satisfied with the meal. The food in this restaurant was really delicious.
The county magistrate wrote an inscription?
That would be great!
The county magistrate's words hanging here are a deterrent, and no one dares to cause trouble easily!
Tang Li quickly asked someone to get paper and pen and gave them to County Magistrate Zhu.
County Magistrate Zhu was a man of culture and literature, fond of poetry and prose. He took the brush and thought for a while, then wrote two lines of poetry on the paper.
"Good handwriting." Tang Li exclaimed.
County Magistrate Zhu was in a good mood: "Why don't you hang it up?"
"Such beautiful calligraphy, I have to frame it before hanging it." Tang Li said, putting the calligraphy away carefully.
County Magistrate Zhu walked out happily.
As soon as I went out, I was stopped by someone.
"My Lord, County Magistrate, please help us! The chef of this restaurant stole our Ding family's recipes, and this restaurant is still brazenly selling our Ding family dishes! It's a pity that the recipes our ancestors painstakingly researched have become a tool for unjust people to make money."
"Sir, please punish the thief severely!"
"Sir, please give us justice!"
The two people who filed the complaint were Ding Deren and Ding Deyou.
The two were filled with righteous indignation and grievance, blaming Ma Cheng and Ningfeng Inn.
Soon, a group of passers-by came to watch.
Everyone was pointing and talking.
"Did the chef of this restaurant really steal the Ding family's dishes?"
"Since the Ding brothers have spoken out, it must be true!"
"If he stole it, why did the county magistrate come to eat? I only went in because I saw him go in to eat."
"Could the county magistrate have been deceived?"
"I've heard about Ma Cheng stealing the Ding family's recipes a long time ago. If he really stole them and then openly sold them, that's too shameless! The county magistrate must punish him severely!"
Passersby started talking again.
"I didn't steal the Ding family's recipe!" Ma Cheng had just finished his work and heard the noise. He hurried out and saw this scene and quickly explained.
"The Ding family's dishes are all written on the menu, and you still say that they were not stolen? The evidence is here!" Ding Deyou shook the menu in his hand. This menu was the one he took out from the restaurant with the help of someone else.
"Ding family cuisine was passed down to Ma Cheng by the old man of the Ding family, so how can it be considered stealing?" Tang Li said.
"You're talking nonsense! As the heirs of Ding's cuisine, we don't know about this, but you, an outsider, know it better than us?" Ding Deren scolded.
As long as the two brothers insist that the old man did not pass on the cooking skills to Ma Cheng, Ma Cheng is stealing!
With this recipe as evidence, Ma Cheng and Ningfeng Restaurant are doomed today!
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