By the afternoon, Xu Genshan had learned about the Chu family's methods.
"Boss, someone from the Gao family just came and said that the meat they have today is not fresh, so they won't be delivering it to our restaurant."
“Boss, there’s a problem with the batch of bowls and plates we just ordered the day before yesterday. The craftsman said the kiln is broken and there’s no way to fire them.”
"Master, Master Wang just cancelled the reservation for that table this morning. What are we going to do with the ingredients we bought at such a high price?"
“Boss, the delivery truck broke down and the vegetables were scattered all over the ground. We picked through them and brought back these.”
………………
In a short while, a series of bad news reached the ears of Mr. and Mrs. Xu Genshan. The couple knew that Mr. Chu would vent his anger, but they did not expect him to go to such extremes.
"Looks like they're trying to cut off all our restaurant's business." Liu Fang looked at the notes on the paper.
Without meat and vegetables, the restaurant has no way to serve food.
I don't want the dishes I ordered anymore, even though I paid a deposit, because the ingredients are expensive.
It seems that ten deposits would be needed to make up the difference, putting the restaurant in a difficult position.
More importantly, we need the bowls and plates for tomorrow, as tomorrow is the day the county magistrate will host a banquet at the restaurant to entertain the governor.
Those bowls and plates were made according to the magistrate's requirements. If these bowls and chopsticks are not seen tomorrow, the magistrate will definitely hold him accountable.
Xu Genshan drew a big circle around the bowls and plates; the most urgent thing was to resolve this matter first.
"I'll go to that craftsman myself and see how his furnace broke down," Xu Genshan said to Liu Fang before leaving.
Liu Fang also recovered from her earlier panic. Over the years, she had seen all kinds of storms and waves, and she couldn't let this little thing throw her off balance.
She found a few men and assigned them tasks.
"Take stock of the kitchen's food inventory to see which dishes can be made and which cannot be made. Inform the guests that you must also apologize if a guest orders a dish that cannot be made."
"Then give them a free dish. Remember, you must be nice. If the customer doesn't want the free dish, give them a discount when they pay the bill."
"A few more people, go to Master Xu's place and ask him to send someone with you to the next town to buy the dishes for tomorrow's banquet."
"Remember, no matter the price, buy everything you can. Make sure you get the vegetables and come back quickly."
"And you, take two people to the village to find Old Master Xu and ask him to help us buy the meat that our restaurant needs."
……………………
Liu Fang talked a lot in one breath. After everyone in the room had left, she felt thirsty and realized that the tea had gone cold when she picked it up to drink.
It's not that the people serving aren't attentive, but everyone is so busy these days that it doesn't matter if it gets cold, as long as it quenches their thirst.
The people who deliver meat and vegetables to the Xu family are the biggest vegetable vendors in town; basically, all the major restaurants rely on them.
Liu Fang didn't know what methods Master Chu used to stop them, but she knew in her heart that it would be difficult to buy anything in the town.
Then she wouldn't waste her time. Xu Genzhu and his men often went to the next town, and there was a shop assistant in the warehouse who was from that town. It would be perfect to have him send someone to go with them.
As for meat, as long as the money is right, the villagers are willing to give Old Man Xu face. Master Chu's influence doesn't extend into the village.
When Xu Genshan arrived at the craftsman's house, he saw the craftsman playing with birds on a recliner, and the stove for firing bowls and plates was still steaming.
"Oh, what brings you to my humble abode, Manager Xu?" The craftsman was not surprised at all when he saw Xu Genshan enter.
“Your stove doesn’t look broken to me,” Xu Genshan said, getting straight to the point.
The craftsman chuckled, "Manager Xu is an amateur; how could he possibly tell whether this stove is good or bad?"
"Let me put it this way, other bowls and plates don't require high craftsmanship and can be fired with difficulty, but the ones you want are all delicate pieces, and they really can't be fired."
"Look, the deposit you gave me, and the compensation I'm giving you for breach of contract, are all ready. My skills are not good enough, so please ask Manager Xu to find someone more skilled."
As he spoke, the craftsman took out a bag of silver from the recliner, which seemed to have been prepared in advance.
Xu Genshan took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and said, "It seems that Master Chu gave you much more money than this?"
The craftsman didn't hide anything, "Manager Xu, you know that we craftsmen make a living with our skills. Since Master Chu gave me more money and I don't have to do anything, why not?"
Xu Genshan knew that only when faced with more money would these people disregard these contracts, and today's events taught him a lesson.
It seems the compensation was too small, which emboldened these people.
"I'm a layman, I don't know how your stove broke, but since you say it's broken, then it must be broken."
The craftsman thought Xu Genshan was admitting defeat when he heard this, but unexpectedly, Xu Genshan picked up a stick and walked towards the furnace in the blink of an eye.
"What are you doing?" the craftsman exclaimed in surprise, and quickly followed.
“I think your stove isn’t completely broken yet. Let it break even more completely.” With that, Xu Genshan swung a stick and smashed it against the stove.
The craftsman was shocked. The kiln for firing bowls and plates was his life. If the kiln really broke, he didn't know how much it would delay his work.
"Hey, Manager Xu, Manager Xu." The craftsman grabbed the stick in Xu Genshan's hand and blocked his way.
"Manager Xu, please listen to me. I've already compensated you for the money. You know why this happened. Even if you're angry, please don't take it out on me."
What he meant was, "You gods are fighting, don't drag him into it!"
Xu Genshan understands their profit-driven and unethical behavior, but understanding does not mean agreeing with it.
"What's the point of just compensating one family? If you're going to compensate, compensate several families. Anyway, Master Chu gave you so much money, what are you afraid of?"
The craftsman's expression changed. He was skilled, and many families had their bowls and plates made by him. If...
If they really all lose money, the little money Master Chu gave them could only cover a few losses, and in the end, he would have to add a lot of his own money.
"Manager Xu, please calm down and let's talk this out." The craftsman held the stick tightly, afraid that Xu Genshan would actually swing it down.
"Hand over the finished bowls and plates," Xu Genshan said.
The craftsman's eyes flickered, and he said with difficulty, "Manager Xu, didn't I tell you? The furnace is broken, so I couldn't make it for you."
“Since last night, I’ve had people watching this place. If you’re unwilling to hand it over, then I’ll have no choice but to smash your stove and then send people to search it.”
After learning the whole story last night, Xu Genshan and Liu Fang felt uneasy because they knew that Master Chu was an extremely stingy person.
When this batch of bowls and chopsticks was ordered, it was Master Chu who recommended it. Fearing that he might sabotage it, Xu Genshan sent someone over overnight to keep an eye on the place.
Sure enough, someone replied in the morning that a batch of cooked dishes were missing from the yard by daybreak.
Xu Genshan guessed that the craftsman must have hidden the bowl and plate away, since they were valuable items and he couldn't bear to destroy them.
"Manager Xu, what are you saying? I don't understand." The craftsman was still pretending to be stupid.
Upon hearing this, Xu Genshan shoved him aside and swung his stick to smash him. The craftsman was truly terrified.
"Manager Xu, I'll take it out, I'll take it out right now." He knew very well that if he didn't take it out, Xu Genshan would really smash the stove.
"You're really dishonest in business. Why make me go through all this trouble if you just brought it out earlier?" Xu Genshan sneered at him.
Knowing he was in the wrong, the craftsman avoided Xu Genshan's gaze.
Xu Genshan called over the people waiting outside and had the craftsman lead the way to find the fired bowls and plates in the cellar in his backyard.
After everyone carefully finished assembling the carriage, just as it was about to leave, the craftsman shamelessly went up and said...
"Manager Xu, these bowls and plates of yours are all of the highest quality, made with the finest materials, look..."
Xu Genshan understood what he meant; this was money for him to make bowls and plates for him.
This person...
Xu Genshan chuckled and pulled out the torn contract from the craftsman. "What does this have to do with me? Didn't Master Chu already pay you?"
Without this contract, it means that Xu Genshan doesn't have to give him the money, and he even gets a compensation for free.
"Master Chu didn't give much either." The craftsman wanted to say something more, but Xu Genshan waved his stick, and he dared not say anything more.
Even after Xu Genshan left, the craftsman's cries could still be heard. He had suffered a huge loss, giving away a batch of excellent bowls and plates for free and even losing money.
The silver that Master Chu gave him wasn't even half of what he had lost!
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