Jian Yang smiled and said, "Our restaurant's signboard hasn't been made yet, but we call it Limin Restaurant, which means 'benefiting the country and the people,' meaning to provide convenience for everyone and let everyone eat and drink well."
While washing vegetables in the morning, Jian Yang was still chatting and laughing with the emperor.
"Your Majesty, how should we price it?"
The emperor thought about it carefully and said, "Do as you please, but try your best to make sure that the people can afford to eat it."
Jian Yang said, "Your Majesty, are you trying to use me to protect your people?"
The emperor nodded and said, "That's right, but what A-Yang said is not quite right."
"What's wrong?" Jian Yang asked curiously.
The emperor looked into her eyes and smiled, "You are the mother of the nation. The people are not only my subjects, but also your subjects."
Jian Yang blushed inexplicably.
It wasn't that I was flirted with, but rather that I felt ashamed.
Although she did not consider herself a member of the royal family, she had faked her death and was not stepping down.
Whether she admits it or not, her identity is always that of the Empress.
Despite being the empress, she showed absolutely no awareness of the emperor's love for his people.
Before she opened her clinic, she accepted all consultation fees except from the truly poor.
At this moment, Jian Yang couldn't help but reflect on whether she was too greedy for money, to the point that she forgot the social responsibility that this identity gave her.
After much painful reflection, Jian Yang decided that he would no longer make a single penny from ordinary people in the restaurant business.
But she felt a pang of guilt when asked to use her personal savings for charity.
Ultimately, she set this price, which came out to be just the same as the price of vegetables, so she didn't make a single penny.
Someone asked suspiciously, "But how do you make a profit if you sell it so cheaply?"
Jian Yang blinked and said, "Not everyone opens a shop with the goal of making money. We just want to have fun."
"Then are your ingredients not good?"
Jian Yang said, "All the vegetables and meat here are purchased from the market. If you are not at ease, you are welcome to come to the store to supervise."
Someone tried to question it, but was shoved aside by a big man.
The burly man said, "This food is so cheap and delicious, eat it if you like, otherwise get lost and don't bother your grandpa!"
He was a porter at the town's dock, carrying heavy loads. He usually just grabbed a quick bite of soup or broth at the dock to fill his stomach.
He was passing by this place today when he was attracted by the aroma from afar. When he heard that the price was so cheap, he was immediately tempted.
Upon seeing a customer, Jian Yang immediately greeted him warmly, "Sir, what dishes would you like?"
Seeing how beautiful the proprietress was, the burly man felt a little embarrassed and asked, "Is the rice and egg drop soup in your shop really free?"
Jian Yang nodded: "Not bad."
After thinking for a while, the burly man pointed to the stir-fried green peppers and tofu and said, "Can I just have one dish?"
"Of course, no problem."
Upon hearing this, the burly man happily took out four coins from his purse and handed them to the emperor, who was collecting the money at the counter.
Jian Yang took a large bowl and filled it with more than half a bowl of rice for him, then scooped a large spoonful of green peppers and dried tofu on top of the rice.
Just as the man reached for the bowl, Jian Yang scooped up a large spoonful of braised pork and placed it on top of the green peppers and tofu.
The man stared at her in astonishment.
Jian Yang smiled and said, "You are our restaurant's first customer, so the braised pork is complimentary."
She had actually noticed it from the start: this big man was short of money.
After all, a day's work carrying heavy loads at the docks only earns a maximum of sixty or seventy coins, and that's not enough to support a large family.
However, eating three steamed buns and drinking porridge on a normal day would cost more than ten coins, and for manual laborers, this amount of food was simply not enough to fill their stomachs.
For these poor people, her restaurant is now a lifesaver.
The big man was both surprised and delighted as he took the large bowl and thanked Jian Yang repeatedly.
Jian Yang invited him inside to sit down, and then pointed to two large wooden barrels with lids in the center of the shop, saying, "Inside are rice and egg drop soup, respectively. You can ask for more if you're still hungry."
The big man kept thanking him.
Jian Yang turned to the emperor with a beaming smile: "We're open for business!"
The emperor, beaming with a smile, jokingly said, "Congratulations."
Congratulations to you both!
With the first person taking the lead, and Jian Yang's dishes being so delicious, the restaurant quickly filled up with quite a few people.
Although the selection was limited, everyone raved about the food.
They also discovered that the shop's egg drop soup was exceptional, not only delicious but also containing large chunks of egg.
High-quality ingredients, without any compromise.
The big man finished eating first, even though he had an extra bowl of rice and two bowls of egg drop soup.
This was the best and most affordable meal he had eaten in a long time.
He had never been full at those stalls at the dock before, and he always spent several times more money than he did here.
He wiped his mouth, still savoring the moment, and thanked Jian Yang again as he got up to leave.
Jian Yang smiled and said, "I'd like to trouble you to go to the dock and help us promote this so that your fellow workers can come over. I can also send you a meat dish tomorrow."
The burly man readily agreed.
That day, Jian Yang really didn't want to wash the dishes, but she couldn't bear to see the emperor squatting on the ground washing them, so she hired a dishwasher.
The dishwasher was a widow who lived nearby. She was over forty years old, honest, hardworking, and quick.
Because of her status as a widow, she has had difficulty finding work in town and has been struggling to make ends meet.
Jian Yang had no reservations about her status and immediately hired her, providing her with food and drink and paying her forty coins a day.
The widow was extremely grateful and not only washed the dishes but also took on the task of cleaning the shop. Jian Yang immediately raised her salary to sixty coins.
Then Jian Yang looked at the emperor with a serious expression and said, "Your Majesty, Sister Mei's wages are considered an extra expense, so you should reimburse her."
The emperor smiled and nodded: "Alright, I'll reimburse you."
The next morning, Jian Yang went to the market to buy ingredients, while the emperor stayed in the shop, waiting for carpenter Xu to come.
Sure enough, not long after, Carpenter Xu came over carrying the large plaque.
Without even needing the emperor's instructions, he personally helped them hang the plaque before taking the money and leaving.
Chien Yang anticipated that there would be more diners today than yesterday, so she bought twice as many ingredients as yesterday.
The merchants naturally offered to deliver the goods to her door.
After leaving the market, Jian Yang turned a corner and went to the Yang residence.
Yang Shichang hadn't gotten out of bed yet when he heard that Jian Yang had arrived. He immediately jumped up, quickly washed up, dressed, and ran out the door.
"Why did Miss Jian come so early in the morning?" Yang Shichang smiled broadly.
Jian Yang smiled and said, "My restaurant is opening today. If Manager Yang has time, you can come and support me. I will cook some good dishes for you."
"I'm free, I'm free!" Yang Shichang's smile stretched from ear to ear. "I'll definitely be there by noon!"
Jian Yang had to go back to process the ingredients, so after exchanging a few pleasantries, she left the Yang residence.
Yang Shichang's servant couldn't stand it any longer and reminded him, "Young master, Miss Jian and her distant relative are obviously a couple. You shouldn't be so one-sided in your feelings."
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