The kitchen of the small restaurant was burned black, but fortunately no one was injured. After this incident, Qi was completely frightened by the Yan family and immediately developed a high fever. Lin Dan had to call a doctor for her while going to the government office to file a complaint. She hardly slept the entire night.
But the arsonist had already fled, and Lin Dan was just an ordinary citizen with no power or influence, so the government naturally would not interfere.
After a night of tossing and turning, Lin Dan was exhausted. In order to appease Qi, he dared not live in Sanchakou Hutong anymore. He left the city gate before dawn and moved to a house in the suburbs. She was not afraid of the Yan family at all, but she could not ignore the feelings of her mother and her fellow servants.
So the next day, the people in South City were dumbfounded to find that their hometown restaurant was completely closed. When the Yan family came to make trouble yesterday, the business in the store was originally very good. Later, everyone took advantage of the chaos to run away with the bill and also stole a lot of food. They talked about Manager Lin's private affairs unscrupulously, and speculated about her character with the most vicious thoughts, but they were not afraid of her turning against them at all. Because they knew that Shopkeeper Lin had to earn money to support her family, which meant that she would not dare to offend her diners.
But now, the hometown restaurant is closed! Shopkeeper Lin didn't make any money anymore, so he just left in a carefree manner. So what do these people from the south city who have left their hometowns eat and drink? After being used to eating the most authentic hometown dishes, who would be willing to go back to the boring life of the past?
"Manager Lin, are you there? It's time to get up and open the shop!" Someone who didn't know what was going on knocked hard on the door, but got no response and suddenly became anxious. They do the hardest and most tiring work. It has become a habit for them to get up every morning to eat a bowl of noodles cooked by Shopkeeper Lin, and go home in the evening to wrap a small piece of braised food to moisten their mouths. This bowl of noodles and a piece of meat were their biggest hope of the day and their best comfort. But now the noodles were gone, and the braised meat was gone too. They suddenly felt lost and couldn't stop wondering what they would do if they could never eat Shopkeeper Lin's dishes again.
The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and he banged on the shop door even harder.
The people who were crowding at the alley entrance yesterday to watch the excitement and even scramble for food now looked anxious. From now on, they can only eat the most authentic hometown dishes in their dreams, not in reality. Even though it's just a bite of food, it can have a huge impact on a person's psychology and physiology.
"What's going on?" Tang Jiu pushed through the crowd and asked with a frown. Like everyone else, he had to come to the store to eat a bowl of noodles every morning, otherwise he would feel listless all day.
Qin Erniang stood at the corner, pinching her waist and sarcastically said, "Don't knock, there's no one inside. Yesterday afternoon, someone came to Manager Lin's place to make trouble and smashed the store. These people also took away her food in the chaos. At night, thieves came to set fire and burned down the kitchen. Manager Lin didn't dare to live here anymore, so she moved out overnight. I'm afraid she won't come back to open a store in the future. She found me last night and said she would sell the store to me for ten taels of silver. Go ahead! Make Manager Lin so frustrated that she leaves the capital, that would be great! I will never be able to eat the hometown dishes made by Manager Lin again, I'm going to starve to death! How Manager Lin treats you usually, you have all forgotten it, right? You don't even look around, in this South City, who is willing to give you soup for free? Who is willing to give you pickled vegetables for free? Who is willing to put braised meat in the vegetarian sauce just to let you taste the meat? It would be fine if you don't remember her kindness, but you turn around and rob her things, you are all fucking inhuman!"
"Someone came to smash the store and set it on fire?" Tang Jiu asked with a dark face, "Is Lin Dan injured? Do you know where she is now?"
"I don't know." Qin Erniang didn't dare to act rashly in front of Tang Jiu, but she was still upset, so she snorted coldly and left. Everyone whose eyes she passed by lowered their heads, blushed, and felt filled with regret.
Shopkeeper Lin's cooking skills are so good that she has already spoiled everyone's appetite. Now that she has closed the shop, everyone will never be able to eat such delicious hometown dishes again. The sadness and hardship of leaving their hometown have surged up in multiples. Shopkeeper Lin’s dishes are not only delicious, but also contain a hint of nostalgia, which is enough to comfort the hearts of wanderers. But they benefited from her, but forgot to help her at the critical moment, and instead harmed her. They are truly worse than animals.
"If I had known that Shopkeeper Lin would be so angry that she would close the shop, I would have helped her drive those people away yesterday no matter what I said!"
"What's the point of you saying this now? They've already left! If I was in the store yesterday, I would have beaten them out with a stick!"
"I have to unload two ships of cargo today. I must be very tired. I was thinking of having an extra bowl of noodles in the morning so that I would have more energy to work. But now, the hometown restaurant is closed. I can't eat hometown noodles anymore. I really can't cheer up at all! Does anyone know where Shopkeeper Lin is? Find her and ask her not to close the restaurant. Everyone depends on her cooking skills for a living!"
This is not an exaggeration at all. Just ask the hard-working people in Nancheng, who wouldn't come to Lin Dan's place to have a bowl of noodles before going to work after getting up early? The noodles she sells are delicious and cheap, the vegetarian sauce has a strong meaty flavor, and she also gives everyone a bowl of milky white bone soup for free. Having a hot and delicious breakfast here will make you full of energy for the whole day.
When she opened the shop, everyone thought it was nothing, wasn't it just a meal? You won’t die if you don’t eat. But now that she has closed the shop, everyone feels as if something important is missing and feels empty inside.
Tang Jiu left Sanchakou Hutong with a gloomy face, feeling more upset than anyone else. It was obvious that the people who came to smash and burn the store were undoubtedly members of the Yan family. Whenever he thought of their despicable methods, he felt an indescribable disgust in his heart. On the other hand, he felt very sad about Lin Dan's silent departure, and even a little angry.
He told her countless times that she could come to him if she encountered any trouble, but she still shouldered all the injustice she suffered, just like she did ten years ago. She seemed to need no one and lived alone and stubbornly in the world.
Tang Jiu suppressed the hidden pain and pity in his heart and strode towards the South City Yamen. The government doesn’t care, right? Well then, he will take care of it himself. Whoever smashes or burns the store must hand over his fucking hands!
After Tang Jiu left, Weiyuan Hou also came. After asking about the situation, a sinister smile appeared on his plumper face, "Someone burned down Manager Lin's store and forced her to close it? Very good, very good!" After saying this, he left with a flick of his sleeves. After a while, the Prince of Yunnan and Guizhou also came and sighed helplessly, "I said I would pack some Yunnan and Guizhou snacks for my sister today, but now I have to break my promise. Will Shopkeeper Lin be forced to never open the shop again? What should I do?"
Several luxurious carriages came and went quietly. After returning, they sent people to look for Manager Lin's whereabouts and investigate her past deeds. The investigation led to the Yan family.
Yan Shouye thought that Lin Dan was still the helpless little girl she was back then. He was very proud of himself because he could beat her to a pulp with just one move. So what if you help Qiaoyuan Restaurant to steal my business? So what if your cooking skills are not as good as they used to be? I will take away your signature dish, and then wipe out the entire clan, so that you can go to hell and accompany Lin Baotian!
Although the fire did not kill Lin Dan and ruined Yan Shouye's good mood for the day, he was not stingy in giving those gangsters some hard work money when he learned that the mother and daughter were so frightened that they left the capital overnight.
"After you go back, keep an eye on Sanchakou Hutong. If they come back again, continue to burn them. If they die, it's my fault. Don't worry about the government office. I have already asked someone to take care of it. They won't care." Yan Shouye handed over a silver ingot. Several gangsters from South City quickly took it, thanked him profusely and left.
"How is business in the store today?" He turned and asked Lin Laoer.
"Marquis Weiyuan brought dozens of his personal soldiers to the restaurant to drink, and they filled up all the seats on the first floor. The second floor is also about 70% to 80% full, so business is booming." Lin Lao Er said proudly.
"Marquis Weiyuan is here? Go and send the best wine in the store to him!" Yan Shouye thought for a moment and changed his words, "No, I will go to greet the distinguished guest myself, give me the wine." After he finished speaking, he picked up a jar of wine and walked to the front hall. He came to Marquis Weiyuan with great respect and fear, and flattered him, "My Lord, this is the pear blossom wine brewed by my daughter. It is most refreshing to drink in spring. Would you like to try it?"
He was very confident in Yan Langqing's craftsmanship and was sure that Marquis Weiyuan would be satisfied. He had sent wine to the Marquis's mansion before, but he couldn't even get in the door. After finally getting Marquis Weiyuan to come, how could he not curry favor with him? As long as they drink this jar of wine, their restaurant will have a great supporter.
"Is your daughter Yan Langqing?" Weiyuan Hou confirmed.
"That's right, Yan Langqing is my daughter, and now she works as a royal chef in the palace." Yan Shouye said proudly.
Weiyuan Hou pointed at his empty wine glass and said with a half-smile, "Then fill it up."
Yan Shouye quickly poured wine for the other party, and then waited eagerly for a response, but he didn't expect that Weiyuan Hou suddenly raised the wine bowl and smashed his head fiercely, shouting: "Fuck your mother, you dare to use fake wine diluted with water to fool me! Guys, smash this black shop for me!"
"Yes!" The personal soldiers who had been ready to take action immediately drew the swords at their waists and chopped all the tables, chairs, doors, windows and counters on the first floor into pieces. The guests on the second floor were very anxious, but they didn't dare to go down, so they could only stand by the fence and look down. After about quarter of an hour, the originally luxurious store was in ruins. Yan Shouye was lying on the ground groaning in blood, but no one dared to rescue him.
Marquis Weiyuan still felt unsatisfied, so he caught up with him and kicked him a few times, sneering: "I hate people who sell fake wine the most in my life. You're lucky that I didn't kill you today. Go back and burn incense and worship Buddha!" As soon as he left, the diners upstairs also left one after another, but there were still many people gathered outside the door, craning their necks to watch the fun.
Only then did Lin Laoer run out to support Yan Shouye. Seeing the mess on the ground and thinking of today's losses, his heart felt as if it was being cut by a knife.
However, this was not the end yet. Before the doctor could rush to the store to bandage Yan Shouye's wound, the steward of the Prince of Yunnan and Guizhou came again, holding a dead dog in his arms. He said that the dog had died after eating the mushroom soup that was delivered from Yan's Restaurant, and he must take them to see the officials. Think about it, this mushroom soup was originally bought for their young lady, but she fed it to the dog because she had no appetite. If the young lady really ate it, who would die now? Their young lady is going to enter the palace to become a queen. How can they not report such a big matter to the authorities?
The housekeeper didn't even bother to look at the dilapidated front hall, but ordered several strong servants to carry Yan Shouye away, and indeed, the drum of complaint was struck in front of the yamen. This morning there was fake wine and poisonous soup, and it caused such a big commotion that the reputation of Yan's Restaurant was completely ruined. Even if Yan Langqing is favored, can the emperor still reprimand Marquis Weiyuan and Prince Dianqian for her, a small imperial chef? Can you also clarify the rumors to the people of the entire capital? Impossible!
Lin Laoer squatted at the door of the store with his head in his hands, looking like he wanted to cry but had no tears.
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