They were caught off guard before they could even use any of their tactics.
Now that their reputation has spread, the chefs can only try to find a way to salvage the situation.
The group huddled together again, arguing and cursing as they discussed how to take down Tianxianglou and that Meifantian BBQ.
Song Liyun enjoyed her birthday banquet so much that she drank another cup and couldn't get up to leave in the morning.
Yunniang came to urge him several times: "Miss, Lord Lin and the others are waiting for you in the front yard."
Song Liyun got up helplessly. This was really terrible. Getting up early every day was even harder than when she was in her senior year of high school.
Yunniang placed the clothes she was going to wear on the kang (heated brick bed), and then sorted Song Liyun's clothes for the daytime, water bottle, notebook, handkerchief, mosquito repellent sachet and other odds and ends into a small handbag.
As she placed it, she exclaimed in admiration: "What a clever girl! How did she know that the sheepskin could be divided into several layers and sewn into a waist pouch like this?"
Keeping things separate means you don't have to worry about them getting mixed up like in a satchel, making your clothes wrinkled, or accidentally spilling your water bottle.
Song Liyun hurriedly dressed, washed her face with the water Yunniang brought her, then braided her hair and tied it into a bun, and put on the silk flowers that Song Zhenping had given her yesterday.
She needs to ride a horse, so her hair needs to be simple and sturdy; otherwise, no matter how fancy her hairstyle is, it will all fall apart when she's bouncing on horseback.
In the front yard, Lin Tao and a few others were tying cardboard boxes onto the horses. The boxes were filled with various vegetables and two cleaned mutton pieces.
When Song Liyun left the side courtyard, Lin Tao and the others greeted her in unison.
"Brother Lin, have you eaten yet? The mutton is ready for today, thank you all so much!" Song Liyun replied with a smile.
Yesterday, Zhou Xiang and his group went to Qili County to open a shop, while Lin Tao, who was on leave, prepared mutton at the garrison.
Lin Tao said, "We've already eaten at the garrison. This place is important, Miss. Zhou Xiang and the others said there were many guests yesterday, so they want us to go there early."
Zhou Xiang needs to prepare mutton for tomorrow, so he will be a little late arriving in the county town.
Song Liyun felt ashamed. This was something that Luo Baihu and the others had given her, and now Lin Tao had already gone into the yard to load vegetables, while she was still sleeping in!
After eating a few bites haphazardly, Song Liyun slung her pure sheepskin handbag over her shoulder and headed off to work.
The group consisted of five people. Except for Song Liyun, who carried a leather backpack, the others each carried a food box, so they didn't need to buy any in the county town.
Just as dawn broke, the group entered Qili County.
The smooth opening day filled everyone at Tianxianglou with confidence.
Ye Hua had already opened the shop with his men. When they saw Song Liyun bringing vegetables, they quickly washed the vegetables, chopped the meat, and mixed the seasonings. The others also started skewering the vegetables.
The three waiters and two old women gave Song Liyun strange looks, glancing at her every now and then before lowering their heads and remaining silent.
Song Liyun raised an eyebrow. After spending more than ten days with them, she felt that they were all hardworking. They were normal before they left yesterday, so why were they acting like this today? What happened?
Without asking what was going on, she quietly and carefully inspected the entire building.
Just as Song Liyun opened the liquor storeroom, Ye Hua, pale-faced, hurriedly followed and whispered a few words in her ear.
Song Liyun's expression instantly turned sour, and she immediately called Lin Tao over.
"What? You're saying the eight people who stayed in the shop drank all the drinks!"
Lin Tao was furious after hearing this. He summoned two people and went straight into the backyard where the employees were resting.
The eight people who had barbecued yesterday were getting up from the heated brick bed, their faces still reeking of alcohol.
Upon seeing team leader Lin Tao enter, they were immediately startled and quickly lined up.
Lin Tao angrily retorted, "Yesterday, Miss Song felt you were working hard grilling skewers, so she treated you to good food and drinks. And what did you do? One pot each wasn't enough; you even dared to open the storeroom door yourselves. What kind of behavior is this? Don't you understand that this violates military discipline?"
The eight men stood with their faces tense, heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound.
Not long after, cries of pain and the sound of being hit came from the backyard. It was Lin Tao punishing someone.
Ye Hua and the other workers put down their work and secretly watched.
From morning until now, Ye Hua and the others have been waiting to see how Song Liyun would handle this situation.
They had all witnessed their colleagues and employees stealing food and drinks, and the worst punishment they could get was a fine of their monthly salary.
If there are too many, they are sent to the government, but I have never seen anyone get beaten up directly.
Song Liyun had no experience in managing people, but she knew how to seize opportunities.
Song Liyun pursed her lips, her face grim, and gathered the other kitchen helpers over, letting them hear the commotion in the backyard.
The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Hearing the sounds of physical suffering coming from the backyard, and under Song Liyun's cold gaze, everyone's hearts pounded.
Who was in charge of the drinks yesterday?
Ye Hua stepped forward, her face pale.
Song Liyun looked at him and said, "Ye Hua, as the head of the kitchen, how can you allow people to come and go as they please in this important warehouse area?"
Ye Hua murmured, still wanting to defend himself: "Those eight soldiers said they were tired and asked me to bring them a few jugs of wine. They also said that this restaurant belongs to the garrison, and they..."
"They asked for it, and you gave it to them? The eight men who were beaten today are the result of your dereliction of duty. If those eight officers want to question you, then you'd better explain yourself!" Song Liyun reprimanded.
Ye Hua's face was already pale, but now it was even more bloodless. Those eight soldiers had been beaten, and they still wanted to complain to him!
He looked at Song Liyun, pleading with a bitter face, "Miss Song, please help me, I... I dare not manage the kitchen again."
Song Liyun intended to cultivate an assistant, and seeing Ye Hua's weakness, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
She stopped trying to scare them and said in a deep voice to the other men, "You handle this yourself, but I will make it clear that Captain Lin will not pursue the matter."
However, I want to warn everyone again that you all need to remember to mind your own business from now on.
If I make another mistake, losing my monthly salary is the least of my worries; I'll get a beating first.
Think about it, if you act softly for a moment, you will not only harm others but also yourself, and the consequences will be severe.
Song Liyun's few words made the people of Tianxiang Tower understand the new rule: mistakes would be dealt with by the military.
The fact that Suijinwei was their employer was something these workers only learned when they signed the contract, which clearly shows that the regulations have changed.
She had barely finished speaking when the eight men who had been beaten in the backyard came out.
One by one, they limped into the front hall with their buttocks sticking out, their faces flushed, and bowed their heads to Song Liyun to admit their mistakes: "Miss Song, we were greedy yesterday and deserve to be punished. Please, for the sake of Commander Luo, show leniency."
"Please, young lady, don't send us away. We will never do such a thing again."
Staying in a restaurant in the county town was much more comfortable than being in the garrison; I made a mistake because I was too comfortable.
If someone is sent back to the garrison for stealing food, it's not only shameful, but they'll also get another beating.
Compared to the centurion's military rod, the few blows Lin Dui just delivered were like tickling.
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