"Call Manager Li over."
"yes."
Lin Feng sat in the room arranging flowers. Now only the winter plum blossoms were in bloom, which looked nice and added fragrance to the room.
Manager Li lived not far away. When he heard the servant calling him, he thought something had happened and hurried over.
It's snowing in Yincheng now, and few people go out at night. Even Xunjiang Tower closes its doors at 7:45 PM.
As soon as he entered, Manager Li stood to the side and said, "Boss Lin."
"Manager Li is here. Please sit down. I have something to ask you."
Manager Li's heart pounded. He carefully recalled the business of Yingkelou Restaurant. Although it wasn't as good as Xunjianglou Restaurant, it wasn't losing money either. The accounts were all very clear, so there shouldn't be any problems.
"Manager Li, do you know Scholar Xiao?"
"I know him, but we're not close. When the news of his passing the imperial examination came, the whole of Yincheng was happy for him. I guess the reason was that Scholar Xiao was young and had a beautiful and capable wife."
"I heard that the wife of Scholar Xiao opened Xunjiang Tower."
Manager Li broke out in a cold sweat, truly here for Xunjiang Tower: "Boss Lin, Xunjiang Tower was opened by Scholar Xiao's wife and Young Master Lin. If I had known back then, I would have definitely tried to get it."
"Oh, why should we fight for it?"
Manager Li praised Jie Dan for his business acumen, from selling tofu at the market to opening a shop in Xiangxie. He said Jie Dan was a sure-fire money-maker, making a profit whether selling tofu or anything else.
The wealthy families who were dining at Yingkelou at the time were all saying that if she opened a restaurant, they would also want a share of the profits. Little did they expect that Young Master Lin would snatch it away.
Xunjianglou's business is getting better every day, and it can even make a profit when it's snowing heavily, making many people in Yincheng envious.
Lin Feng smiled and said, "I went to Xunjiang Tower today. The layout, the food, and the thoughtful touches inside were really excellent."
"There has never been a restaurant like this in Yincheng before. The Lin family has a lot of influence in the area. Even the prefect has dined here a few times, so the restaurant is very famous in the area."
"It's not just Yincheng that knows about it; many wealthy and powerful people in the capital also know about it. Even the Third Prince once visited incognito and praised Xunjiang Tower for its unique features."
Shopkeeper Li was startled: "The Third Prince is here too!" He hadn't known, no wonder he was summoned.
Seeing that he stood up nervously, Lin Feng waved for him to sit down: "Manager Li, don't panic. Business can only improve with competitors. I didn't believe it at first, but I only realized it after going there myself. We also need to make improvements in real time."
“Boss Lin is right. I secretly sent people to investigate. Their dishes are not only unique in their presentation, but also taste better. We studied them for two months, but we still couldn’t figure out how they cooked.”
"It's good that you're aware of this." Seeing his ambition, Lin Feng didn't press him further. "Do you know who Scholar Xiao's wife is?"
"I know. The Xie family is just a small family in Yincheng. They don't own any land, so they make a living by fishing. Three years ago, the head of the Xie family disappeared and never came back. Feng raised the two siblings. The eldest daughter, Xie Dan, married into the Xiao family and is now the Xiao Juren."
How long have you been married?
"It's less than a year, about ten months."
"So short." Lin Feng sighed inwardly, "Scholar Xiao is truly blessed to have married such a wife."
"Everyone in Yincheng is saying that the Xiao family knows how to choose a wife. The Xiao family was once in ruins, but now they've made money thanks to Xiao Juren's wife, which makes many people envious."
Lin Feng told him to go back first and manage Yingkelou well, and that he would go to check on the place in a couple of days.
Manager Li wiped the sweat from his brow as he left. Luckily, he was clever enough to answer Lin Feng's questions. However, he was also puzzled as to why the question had turned to Jie Dan.
However, he dared not stay any longer. Lin Feng's business methods were beyond the reach of ordinary people. If it weren't for the generous annual dividends from Yingkelou, he would have left long ago.
Inside the Lin residence, Young Master Lin was telling Master Lin that he had selected all the talented people this morning and even handed over their portraits.
Mr. Lin had lived in the capital in his early years and was very knowledgeable, but Lin Feng was only under thirty years old this year, and the two had no business dealings, so he did not know her.
"That's strange. When he comes to eat, he doesn't cause trouble or ask questions."
“Father, this painting only shows his appearance. I have talked to him face to face. He is very shrewd, speaks very carefully, and his eyes are full of calculation.”
“There are people like that. They’re only five or six years older than you, yet they have such a deep mind.”
"Yes, I was wondering about that too."
Master Lin put the portrait away and said, "Be careful of the people coming and going these days, and be careful when you're buying goods. At the Lin family's meeting this year, you'll be able to make a name for yourself just by relying on this restaurant."
"Yes, I understand."
Young Master Lin went out, and a servant came over and said that the Second Madam was throwing a tantrum again, and asked him to go and see her quickly.
"Seriously, he's lazy and gluttonous every day, and he throws tantrums. He's a real scoundrel."
The servant suppressed a laugh; Young Master Lin always said the same thing, but he still eagerly went over to persuade him.
"Young master, the second madam says she wants to go to the restaurant with you."
"Why go to a restaurant? Something big is going to happen in the next few days. Tell her to behave herself."
Young Master Lin shook his head as he walked forward. He had been blinded by lust and married this troublesome concubine. When she first entered the manor, she was called a concubine, and she made a scene for quite a while. Only after he gave her the title of Second Mistress would she settle down and live with him.
The next morning, Jie Dan prepared hand warmers for Madam Feng and Madam Xiao, and then prepared to go out with them.
Thinking of the people who came yesterday, Madam Xiao's heart kept pounding: "Today you and Xuan'er stay at home and don't go anywhere. Xuan'er will be going to the capital in a little over two months."
"Mother, my husband practices calligraphy in the morning and only studies in the afternoon."
"Just listen to your mother. You still need to help your mother think of dishes for Lord Li. Although it's already decided, we should strive for perfection."
Having spent a lot of time with Xiao, Madam Feng knew that Xiao had something on her mind, so she also tried to persuade her, "Daughter, just listen to your eldest sister. With Young Master Lin helping to keep an eye on the restaurant, nothing will happen."
Jie Dan had no choice but to stay at home. She planned to wake Xiao Xuan up as soon as they left. If no one woke him up when they went to the capital, he would sleep soundly and might miss the exam.
After walking for a while, Madam Feng asked in a low voice, "Eldest sister, has something happened?"
"It's nothing, but the customer who came yesterday always seemed a bit off. His daughter-in-law is too young, and I'm worried she won't be able to handle it."
"Understood."
They've all been through this before, so they understand it immediately.
The servant said from the side, "Boss, if you want to see the owner of Xunjiang Tower, you might as well write a letter. After all, she is a woman, and she married a scholar. She may cause some controversy."
"You're right, bring me pen and ink."
The servant happily set out the writing brush and ink. Lin Feng's handwriting was beautiful. He put it in an envelope, gave the servant the Xiao family's address, and asked him to deliver it.
“You’re right, then send it to Xunjiang Tower.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
