Chu Fan did not try to guess their true thoughts too much, he continued to act according to his plan.
Chu Fan ordered Eunuch Li to summon the members of Cao Mengde's family, as the Cao family was, to some extent, Liu Xueyu's family. Since he had already invited Mu Xi and his daughter's family to participate in this matter, it was natural that Liu Xueyu's family, with whom he had established a clear relationship, should also join in.
While waiting for the Cao family representatives to arrive, Changsun Dechong and the others present were contemplating how to maximize the benefits for their families from this plan. Of course, the maximum benefit they were considering was their own share, not their ability to exceed His Majesty's share.
After all, this plan was proposed by His Majesty, and the core technology is also in His Majesty's hands.
Soon after, Cao Ang, the representative of the Cao family and Cao Mengde’s eldest son, also arrived at the scene.
The Mu family's representative was present: Mu Xi's mother, Xi Xueyi, a legendary woman. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also a fourth-rank warrior. Since Mu Yunfeng had been at the border, it was only natural that Xi Xueyi, Mu Xi's mother, attend this important gathering.
The representative of the Changsun family was naturally Changsun Dechong, who currently served as the Minister of Energy. Changsun Dechong was very good at organizing people and coordinating various aspects, and these skills were very useful for the new restaurant project.
The Wen family was represented by Wen Zhengqing, a senior imperial censor who dedicated himself to the refined salt business. Since being given full authority to oversee the production of refined salt, the lives of the imperial censors in the Imperial Censorate have improved significantly.
The Censorate had become the most loyal spokesperson for His Majesty. Anyone who dared to disrespect His Majesty would be closely monitored. If they discovered any illegal or criminal activity, they would immediately file a memorial to the Imperial Administration Office, resolutely impeaching the individual.
The representative of the Tang family is of course Tang Hongwen, the Minister of Works. Because the construction of the restaurant requires a large number of craftsmen, the presence of the Ministry of Works is indispensable. As the Minister of Works, Tang Hongwen's participation is crucial to the construction of the restaurant.
Finally, there was Liu Wenshan, the Sixth Censor and a representative of the Liu family. Among the literati, the Liu family held great prestige. Once the restaurant was built, if Liu Wenshan announced the possibility of holding a poetry gathering there, scholars from all over would surely flock to the newly built restaurant. This would undoubtedly quickly establish the restaurant's reputation and attract more customers.
Because they needed to discuss something, Chu Fan gathered everyone around the warm stove. At first, everyone was very reserved because Chu Fan was the emperor and did not dare to come forward. After Mu Xi's mother Xi Xueyi sat down, Chang Sun Dechong and others slowly sat down.
Chu Fan spoke first, "First, we need to determine the site for the restaurant."
Chu Fan glanced at everyone present, then continued, "I have decided to build on the east side of Kaifeng City. Currently, Kaifeng City already has three Acropolises on three sides, but the east side is still blank.
Therefore, I think building on Chuitai Mountain, east of Kaifeng City, is a good choice. From Chuitai Mountain, guests can overlook the entire city, creating a sense of being high above and overlooking everything.
As soon as Chu Fan finished speaking, everyone fell into a brief moment of contemplation. After some careful consideration, everyone seemed moved by Chu Fan's proposal and nodded in agreement. They responded in unison, "Your Majesty is wise. Chuitai Mountain is indeed a good location."
At this moment, Eunuch Li, who was standing nearby, seemed a little hesitant, but he decided to interrupt and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."
Chu Fan frowned slightly after hearing what Eunuch Li said, and said in a fake angry tone: "Eunuch Li, there is no need to be so formal between you and me. Just say whatever you want to say. I won't blame you for it."
Eunuch Li understood Chu Fan's intentions. He hoped that he could express his opinions without fear and set an example for the other ministers. He hoped that the ministers would not always wait for His Majesty's instructions, because if His Majesty had to think and decide everything alone, His Majesty would be very tired.
Eunuch Li spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion. Since you plan to build a restaurant on Chuitai Mountain, why not consider building a grand villa? A mere restaurant would seem a bit stingy and fail to fully showcase the grandeur it deserves. A villa, on the other hand, would not only be large in scale, but its multi-area, multi-building design would bring many additional benefits."
Chu Fan was very surprised when he heard Eunuch Li's proposal. He had not expected Eunuch Li to have such a deep understanding of architecture. Chu Fan excitedly praised, "Little Li, you are really smart. I didn't expect you to be so quick-witted and consider these details."
Eunuch Li responded modestly, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. I really don't deserve such praise. I feel very humbled."
After Eunuch Li expressed his opinion first, Liu Wenshan also stood up and expressed his own thoughts.
Liu Wenshan said, "If we were to build a mountain villa, then when I hold poetry gatherings within the villa, I could do so in a separate courtyard, without having to occupy the restaurant's space. Furthermore, by dividing the area into different zones, separating merchants, dignitaries, and literati, we could effectively avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble."
For example, scholars often hold prejudices against merchants, and when they are together, they often ridicule them. When scholars meet the powerful, they may try various means to attract their attention in order to gain their favor, thus preventing them from enjoying themselves in the restaurant.
Mu Xi's mother, Xi Xueyi, also offered her own opinion: "If the villa is built, then a place could be set up inside for martial artists to meet friends through martial arts. As we all know, martial artists are usually well-off. If we can attract martial artists to spend money, then the soon-to-be-built restaurant will surely become even more popular."
However, simply offering new dishes may not be enough to attract warriors, as warriors are all very fond of drinking. If the villa can offer a fine wine, it will be extremely attractive to warriors and encourage them to come and consume it."
Chu Fan responded with a smile: "As for the question of good wine, there should be good wine coming out next year, so everyone can rest assured."
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