Kyoto had two major markets, East and West. Under the Kyoto Ward System, the entire capital city was a place where commerce could be conducted. However, the scale and cost of commerce in the East and West markets were not the same. Because the West market was located in Chang'an County, while the East market was located in Wannian County, the West market was actually the commercial center of Kyoto.
This area is home to the wealthiest merchants from both China and abroad, and boasts a level of luxury that even the East Market cannot match. Therefore, when opening a restaurant in Kyoto, one must choose one of these two markets. If the budget allows, one can open a "large restaurant" or a medium-sized restaurant in the West Market. These restaurants are often several stories high and decorated with a dazzling array of ornaments.
If you're looking for a "small business," then open a "tavern" in the East Market, catering primarily to "ordinary people." Opening a shop in the East Market means lower costs and lower-middle-class customers, with a limited customer base.
However, after selecting a location, it does not mean that you can directly "buy" the site and open a restaurant or tavern. Kyoto has a strict "market management" system. To open a shop in the East and West Markets, you must first report to the "Shujingshu" (Shujing Office), which is the highest agency that manages the commercial market in the capital. The highest official is the "Shi Ling" (Market Lord).
Of course, not every Kyoto merchant could come into contact with the "city magistrate" when opening a shop. So before opening a shop, they had to find a "shop manager" or "market director" in the catering industry. They were "grassroots market order managers" who were equivalent to "chamber of commerce leaders". They were recommended by the merchants and approved by the government, and had a "semi-official" status.
After reporting their needs to them, the application process will be submitted to the "Shujingshu" (Imperial Office of the Capital). The Shujingshu will verify the applicant's identity. Once approved, the person opening the shop must sign the "Shop Opening Documents", pay the management fee and "Moqian" (cash) as required, and register their business identity before they can do business in Kyoto.
However, Meng Zhelan currently lacks the resources to open a restaurant in the East and West Markets. Their location, Changyang Street, is situated near the Kyoto Gate, making it relatively remote compared to the East and West Markets. However, a commercial street has developed around the Baichuan Academy, attracting many merchants and travelers for trade, making it quite lively. Nearby is a scenic spot—Wensendai—a famous mountain that has drawn numerous literati and scholars.
Today is the third day since "Congee, Noodles, Rice" opened. They've attracted many customers with discounts and free health tea. Tomorrow, after prices return to normal, they'll need to find ways to retain customers. Li Xi, who was lost in thought, suddenly heard a commotion.
"You haven't paid me protection money yet. It's customary for shop owners here to pay me five taels of silver a month before my brothers and I will protect you. Otherwise, if you offend some big shot, it'll be terrible!" A burly man strutted up to a table and chair near the door. A dozen or so henchmen followed him.
"Who are you? I've never heard of paying protection money here. We don't need your protection here," Li Xi said, standing in front of the burly man to prevent him from bumping into the diners.
"Gentlemen, please enjoy your meal. These clowns are nothing to worry about," Meng Zhelan said confidently.
"Hey, you little wench, you've got some nerve! What do you think this pretty boy can do to me? You'd better pay up quickly, or I'll beat him up and you'll be crying, hahaha!" The burly man laughed loudly, and the henchmen at the door joined in the laughter, completely disregarding Li Xi.
"Kid, I advise you to hide quickly. Your grandpa's fists don't have eyes. If I accidentally beat you so badly you have to go home to find your mother." Li Xi looked at this simple-minded, muscle-bound idiot with a speechless expression, and couldn't help but smile: "Are you done talking? If you're done, get out of here. This isn't a place for you to run wild."
"Oh, what a boastful tone," the burly man said, raising his hand. The henchmen outside the door tried to rush in and smash the tables and chairs. Li Xi's heart tightened at the sight, but she didn't panic. She quickly rushed forward and kicked the first few henchmen out the door. The henchmen still standing outside were knocked to the ground by the flying men and couldn't get up for a while.
The burly man was startled by the sight: "I didn't expect this pretty boy to have some skills. I'll teach you a lesson." He rushed out the door and charged at Li Xi, but Li Xi nimbly dodged to the side. The burly man didn't give up and swung his fist at Li Xi, but Li Xi was not afraid at all. She gathered all her strength and grabbed the fist that was swinging at her with both hands. The burly man was stunned for a moment, and Li Xi took the opportunity to pull him and throw him to the ground.
The burly man was thrown to the ground, dazed and confused, unable to get up for a moment. Seeing this, the henchmen retreated, not daring to make another move. Li Xi stepped forward, looking down at the strong man, and said coldly, "What right do you have to be arrogant here now?"
The burly man rolled on the ground, struggling to get up, but his body wouldn't obey him. He glared at Li Xi and said hatefully, "You pretty boy, how dare you lay a hand on me! I'll make you pay!"
Seeing this, Li Xi wasn't angry; instead, she found it somewhat amusing. She said calmly, "Oh? You want me to pay a price? Well, have you considered what price you yourself will have to pay?"
The burly man was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. He looked up at Li Xi's indifferent eyes and felt a chill run down his spine. He knew he had bitten off more than he could chew. But he was unwilling to admit defeat so easily, so he gritted his teeth and said, "You just wait! I'll make you regret this!"
Seeing this, Li Xi simply smiled faintly. She knew that although this brute was unreasonable and domineering, he was nothing more than a bully who preyed on the weak. She wasn't worried that he would do anything outrageous. So she turned and left, leaving the brute and his henchmen looking at each other in bewilderment.
The diners were thrilled, surprised that this seemingly frail young man possessed such profound martial arts skills, and that a group of strong men were no match for him.
"Good, well done! These scoundrels thought you newcomers were easy to bully, but now they've got a tough one up their sleeve." "That's right, these people only bully newcomers. If they come back again, go find Chairman Wang of the Chamber of Commerce. They only come here to act tough because they think you're new and don't know anything. They usually treat the people from the Chamber of Commerce like dogs."
The diners began to recount the misdeeds of these people to Meng Zhelan, who expressed her gratitude. Just as the crowd was making a fuss, a group of city guards in uniform patrolling the city arrived. "What's going on? Who's causing trouble here?" they asked.
"Your Honor, my family runs a shop here. Today, this group of thugs came to cause trouble and even demanded protection money, so I chased them away," Li Xi reported earnestly.
"Sir, this is not true at all. My brothers and I wanted to go in for a meal, but they beat us out because they thought we were dressed in rags. Look at the injuries on my body, it's outrageous!" The burly man pretended to wipe away tears with his sleeve.
“Sir, they are lying through their teeth.” “Yes, sir, my daughter and her family run this business here. We’ve only been open for a few days. How could we possibly turn our customers away?” Meng Zhelan stepped forward and bowed.
The captain, who was about forty years old and had a protruding belly, rubbed his chin with his fingers a few times. "Oh dear, these people are obviously injured. We can't just hit them, can we? How about this, you just pay them some medical expenses and send them away. Let's keep things peaceful, right, young lady?" The captain said with an embarrassed look.
“Sir, this isn’t our fault, it’s unreasonable,” Li Xi said, speechless. “Young man, it’s better to avoid trouble. They’re lying at the door, which is also getting in the way of your business. Look, they are indeed injured, it’s reasonable to give them some money,” the captain said impatiently.
"Wow, I've learned something new," the crowd exclaimed, searching for the source of the sound.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com