Chapter 104 104 Didn’t Obey
Chapter 104
At the beginning of March, Doctor Tang and Mu Feng and his party returned to the mansion exhausted.
As soon as the two arrived at the mansion, Qi Jingyan ordered someone to invite Meng Yuning to the Qingke Hall.
Meng Yuning hurried over. As soon as she entered the room, she didn't even bother to greet Qi Jingyan. She asked anxiously, "How is my sister Zhao? Is she okay?"
Mu Feng smiled and bowed: "Don't worry, Miss Cai is fine."
As he spoke, he pulled out a brocade box from his bosom and handed it over respectfully, "This is a gift Miss Cai prepared especially for you. She asked me to hand it to you personally."
Meng Yuning took the carved wooden box and gently opened it. She saw a layer of soft satin inside the box, on which was neatly placed a set of red gold and ruby head ornaments, and a letter next to it.
She carefully placed the box on the table beside her, took out the letter, carefully unfolded it, and read it slowly.
Cai Yuezhao's letter began with a message of safety, his concern evident between the lines. Finally, he added a special reminder: "...A Ning, no matter what rumors there are outside, I hope you don't worry. I have my own ideas, so please take care of yourself."
Meng Yuning immediately understood that Sister Zhao was about to put on a show with the young marquis. She looked up at Divine Doctor Tang, who was stroking his beard and smiling, and asked softly, "Is the young marquis all right?"
Doctor Tang smiled and shook his head, cursing him as a bad boy. Then he told the story of how the young marquis pretended to fall and injured himself, and secretly took medicine to pretend to be seriously injured.
Seeing that things were just as Qi Jingyan expected, Meng Yuning couldn't help but smile at him and gave him a thumbs up. Qi Jingyan raised the corners of his lips slightly, smiling without saying anything.
Upon learning that the young marquis and Sister A Zhao were both safe and sound, Meng Yuning felt relieved and felt a lot more relaxed.
Several months passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, Meng Yuning heard about the latest situation in the capital from Qi Jingyan, saying that the young marquis was gradually recovering from his "serious injuries" and had returned to his post in the army.
But his temperament changed drastically. His former cheerful and kind nature was gone. Now he became sinister and violent. If he didn't like someone, he would beat them up if they disagreed with him.
What is even more surprising is that His Majesty is extremely tolerant of this and often condones his actions.
Everyone in the capital is feeling insecure now. Whenever they hear that the young marquis is going on a trip, they all try to avoid him, fearing that they will get into trouble.
Meng Yuning asked Qi Jingyan who the young marquis had beaten, but Qi Jingyan just smiled and said nothing.
Seeing his expression, Meng Yuning suddenly realized that those being beaten were probably the same people who had taken advantage of Qi Jingyan's misfortune in the past. She felt so happy that she couldn't help but laugh along.
As for Sister Zhao, she politely declined the marriage that His Majesty had personally arranged for her, and resolutely decided to go to a temple on the outskirts of the city to practice Buddhism and voluntarily fast and pray for the Empress Dowager for three years.
Meng Yuning recalled Sister Zhao's instructions in the previous letter, and she understood. She just treated it as a distant anecdote, acting nonchalant.
---
The days passed slowly. Yi'er would not come back immediately after school. Qi Jingyan often kept him in the Qingke Hall to listen when he was handling affairs.
Every time he came back at noon, after the little guy had lunch, he would obediently follow An Ning to take a nap.
After waking up, he went to the east room to write as usual. After writing, he had to memorize the text. His schedule for the day was even more tight than Meng Yuning's.
Whenever Meng Yuning is in the mansion, she will try her best to stay with Yi'er.
If she had to go out for something, Qi Jingyan would take Yi'er to Qingke Hall in the afternoon and personally supervise him to practice calligraphy and recite, without slacking off for a moment.
With the income from the gold mine, Qi Jingyan's finances gradually became more comfortable.
Not only did he repay Meng Yuning's previous advance for the palace guards to buy summer clothes, he also occasionally handed her some gold. Sometimes it was a heavy gold bar, sometimes a round gold cake, and he always handed it to her casually, as if it were just an ordinary object.
At first, Meng Yuning found it novel, and every time she received the call, her eyebrows curved and she couldn't stop smiling.
But he gave her so much so frequently that she gradually got used to it. Whenever she received some, she would take it straight to the west wing and put it in a wooden box with a copper lock.
Until one day, she found that the box was full and could not fit another gold cake. Then she called Mu Ying and others, took out a small scale, and weighed the gold inside one by one. After converting it according to the market price, it was worth more than 25,000 taels of silver.
Meng Yu stared at the pile of glittering gold, dumbfounded. He finally had a true understanding of the four words "little by little adds up to a lot".
With some extra money in hand, the Qi Jingyan brothers became increasingly busy, leaving her with more free time. She finally put the business she had been thinking about for a long time on the agenda.
Ever since he met the county magistrate's wife, Mrs. Bai, the two of them got along quite well and would get together every now and then.
Qi Jingyan said that she could meet guests in the mansion at will, but Meng Yuning was unwilling to bring outsiders into the mansion, so she often made appointments with Madam Bai to meet in the elegant rooms of teahouses or quiet taverns in the city.
But for safety reasons, she always took Mu Ying, Mu Li, and Meng Jin with her whenever she went out. Mu Jiang would also quietly accompany them with his guards, never missing a single one.
Mu Jiang's face scared away those who had evil intentions, so Meng Yuning did not refuse.
When Meng Yuning first interacted with Madam Bai, she felt they were compatible, but she also had a certain amount of tentativeness in her heart. As time went on, she increasingly realized that she was not only cheerful and open-minded, but also had a kind heart, someone worthy of a close friendship.
Although the two are more than ten years apart in age, they have similar personalities and both love to eat. Whenever they talk about food, they forget everything else and their relationship becomes increasingly close.
When Mrs. Bai learned that Meng Yuning was interested in business, she enthusiastically offered her advice. Not only did she make inquiries, she also personally helped her scout for a storefront. Ultimately, she secured a well-located, but underperforming, restaurant at a very reasonable price.
Mrs. Bai even personally came forward to negotiate with the landlord and signed a five-year contract, and the rent was also negotiated at a very favorable rate.
Meng Yuning was very grateful for this. Thinking that she might need help in the future business, she offered to give Mrs. Bai 10% of the shares in return.
Mrs. Bai smiled and declined, saying gently, "If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just ask. There's no need to be so formal."
Seeing her sincerity, Meng Yuning made a generous promise: "In that case, as long as this restaurant remains open, I won't charge you a cent if you bring your relatives and friends to dine here."
This time, Mrs. Bai did not refuse and agreed happily.
After Meng Yuning and Qi Jingyan were informed, they immediately got to work, decorating the shop and recruiting employees. In just two months, "Meng's Private Restaurant" opened with a grand opening amid the sound of firecrackers.
In order to distinguish it from several other noisy and heavy drinking restaurants in Canghai County, Meng Yuning deliberately built the restaurant to be elegant and unique.
The second floor is a private room with good sound insulation. The lobby on the first floor also uses wooden platforms, green plants and plain gauze curtains to cleverly separate several private seats, leaving a quiet little world for guests.
On the day the restaurant opened, Qi Jingyan came in a wheelchair and personally brought Yier to cut the ribbon.
County Magistrate Chen also came with Madam Bai. Some of the prominent figures in Canghai County had received the news in advance and came to offer congratulations. The house was suddenly filled with guests and it was extremely lively.
Everyone looked at the smiling, beautiful girl who opened such a restaurant and called herself the chef, and they were all suspicious.
Ever since King Shen came to Canghai County, this place has never been "peaceful".
First, Julongfang and Zuixianglou were completely smashed, and the leading villains inside were all beheaded. Then, the ruffians in the city were also inexplicably beaten with clubs in the middle of the night. Those who refused to change their ways and brought disaster to the village either fell off their horses for unknown reasons or fell into the sea. In short, they all suffered various "accidents" and never showed up again.
Even the bandits within a hundred miles outside the city disappeared.
Today's Canghai County can truly be described as a peaceful place. Doors are left unlocked at night, and people don't pick up things on the streets. The people live and work in peace and contentment.
Although no one had any solid evidence, everyone knew clearly in their hearts that these things were probably done by the vicious guards of Prince Shen's Mansion.
The honest and simple people were so grateful for this that some even silently worshiped in the direction of the Prince Shen's Palace every day. If it weren't for the strict prohibition of outsiders from approaching the Prince Shen's Palace, they would have been eager to send their own fruits and vegetables every day and pay their respects.
Although those local tyrants and villains whose financial resources were cut off cursed King Shen thousands of times in their hearts, no one dared to utter a word of complaint.
It was because of a rumor that came from nowhere that the guards of Prince Shen's palace would hide in the streets and alleys late at night, running around looking for anyone who spoke rudely. Once they found anyone, they would beat them on the spot.
In short, Qi Jingyan's reputation as a "ferocious god" has been established in Canghai County.
Now that Meng Yuning had opened a restaurant, blessed by the invisible protection of Prince Shen's mansion, her life was getting better and better. People who were grateful for the mansion's kindness came to support her. Seeing that Miss Meng was as beautiful as a fairy, they thought to themselves that even if the dishes she cooked were comparable to pig food, they would force themselves to swallow them, considering it a way of repaying a favor.
Those who secretly resented Qi Jingyan for cutting off his financial resources also rushed over upon hearing the news, wanting to see what was going on. They watched coldly, secretly sneering, believing that the Prince Shen's Mansion had sent such a delicate woman, who had never been involved in cooking, to open a shop just to find an excuse to make money.
Everyone couldn't help but curse in their hearts. He cut off their source of income, but he came out to make money openly. Bah! How shameless! What a piece of shit!
No matter what outsiders think, Mengji Private Restaurant finally opened with great fanfare and fanfare.
Because the seats in the restaurant were limited, Meng Yuning ordered that number plates be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and stopped at only thirty tables.
Among those who didn't get a number plate, some regretted not being able to attend the event, while others secretly rejoiced that they didn't have to spend money out of fear of the power of Prince Shen's Mansion. Everyone had their own thoughts and gradually dispersed.
The licensed diners took their seats one by one. Meng Yuning handed over the tasks of welcoming the guests, serving tea, introducing the dishes, etc. to the newly hired shopkeeper and waiter, and she took Meng Jin and the others to the kitchen.
Mu Shan and several firemen had been busy in the kitchen all morning. Meng Yuning brought Meng Jin and others in, rolled up their sleeves, tied on aprons, and started working together.
Soon, the shopkeeper came to the kitchen in person, holding a stack of menus.
Meng Yuning took them and looked over them one by one, then ordered that the prepared dishes be served first and the other dishes be put into the pot quickly.
Dry-steamed beef, pork belly and chicken, cumin lamb, glutinous rice and lotus root, sweet and sour spare ribs, braised pork, boiled fish... one dish after another with good looks and aroma was served out, steam rising and the fragrance filling the air.
The diners who originally had no expectations for the dishes were surprised when they saw the appearance. Some of them picked up the dishes with chopsticks to taste them, and were stunned as soon as they took a bite. Could this dish be so delicious?
Someone couldn't help but pull the waiter over to ask, "Is this really made by Miss Meng herself?"
The waiter laughed and replied, "Absolutely true! Even if someone else did it, it was all taught by our boss himself."
When the diners heard this, they didn't believe it and took a few more bites. Then they couldn't put their chopsticks down anymore. They no longer had time to care about who made the dish, because the taste was so wonderful that they couldn't stop eating.
After all thirty tables of guests had left, Meng Yuning immediately called the shopkeeper to settle the bill.
After deducting various costs, she actually made a net profit of over one hundred taels of silver that day. Overjoyed at the success, she immediately led all the staff to the Canghai Restaurant to celebrate, and the banquet cost over fifty taels of silver.
Yi'er was enjoying the meal, but Qi Jingyan was shaking his head and chuckling beside him.
Meng Yuning saw it, raised an eyebrow and asked him what he was laughing at. He said it was nothing. Meng Yuning guessed what he was laughing at and waved his hand generously: "The purpose of making money is to spend it happily!"
When Qi Jingyan heard her say this, his smile deepened.
Since its opening day, the reputation of Mengji Private Restaurant has spread rapidly throughout the city.
Early the next morning, a long line had formed outside the store. There were diners who came in person to wait, as well as maids and servants who were asked by the owner to come early to queue up.
Despite this, Meng Yuning still insisted on issuing only thirty wooden signs and only entertaining thirty tables every day. Once the dishes were sold out, she would close the business.
The dishes are delicious, in limited quantities, and only served at lunch. Mengji Private Restaurant is becoming more and more famous, with the seats always full at noon and never a dull moment.
Several restaurant owners who were originally wary of her gradually let go of their hostility when they saw her "lack of ambition" and even occasionally visited her in person to taste this hard-to-find private flavor.
Business was booming, and money was flowing in steadily. Meng Yuning's life was busy but extremely fulfilling.
---
Time flies, and another year has passed. Yi'er is already over five years old.
Qi Jingyan added riding and archery lessons for him, and also invited a teacher to teach him poetry and prose.
Yi'er's schedule became increasingly tight, and Meng Yuning would only see his hurriedly returning little figure at dinner time.
Seeing the little boy's body was slim but his cheeks were a little thin, Meng Yuning felt distressed. Whenever she had time, she would go to the kitchen to make soup and add vegetables to the boy, hoping that he would gain more weight.
Qi Jingyan is even busier than Yier. He stays in Qingke Hall almost all day, handling official business and practicing martial arts.
Although his leg injury has healed and he can walk normally, the old injury still causes excruciating pain when it rains.
Meng Yuning always kept his old injury in mind. Whenever the weather turned cloudy, she would prepare a warm hot water bottle in advance and personally sew several pairs of cotton velvet leg guards of different thicknesses. She would urge him to wear them when the weather changed.
Qi Jingyan was quite obedient, doing whatever she said. Even Yi'er blinked and whispered, "Brother listens to An Ning the most."
Although Qi Jingyan usually obeyed Meng Yuning's words, when she proposed to use the money earned from running the restaurant to buy a house, he gently advised her not to spend the money, saying that she might not need it in the future.
Meng Yuning said okay on the surface, but secretly did not obey.
She searched privately for a long time and finally found a small but elegant house in a prosperous area of the city, which was big enough for her to spend the rest of her life there.
Qi Jingyan later found out about this, but he didn't reveal it.
Seeing that Aning was trying every possible means to hide it from him, he pretended not to know and let her do whatever she wanted.
In his opinion, the more private property a woman has, the more confident she will be. He naturally understands this thought.
As long as An Ning is happy, it doesn't matter how the money is spent.
What's more, these were all earned by her own hands. Even if she threw them away casually, it was her intention and he would never interfere.
The years flow by quietly like running water, and in the blink of an eye, it is another autumn.
Qi Jingyan observed the full twenty-seven months of mourning and finally finished his mourning period.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
