Chapter 18
Gu Ling had just ordered his men to take action when he saw that the carriage he had just sent away had not left, and at this moment, laughter could be heard from the carriage.
He didn't know why he felt that the people inside were definitely laughing at him. He was immediately furious. He ignored the servant's attempts to stop him and shouted angrily at the convoy, "Who are you? Do you want to ruin my good deeds? Get off the car if you dare!"
The guards of the Huo Mansion loyally surrounded the carriage, staring at him but saying nothing.
Luo Chaoyan and others listened to the general situation in the car, and learned the whole story. They couldn't help laughing out loud. She thought it was an old-fashioned drama of forcibly marrying a commoner girl. But I didn't expect that Gu Er was actually the victim. And he was cheated openly by someone.
She asked Shu Lan to look after Huo An and told Feng Li to find out some information before she got off the carriage with the help of the maid outside.
He looked at the shopkeeper Li kneeling on the ground with a miserable look on his face, and then looked at the girl standing aside with her head down and silent. She was dressed in dark blue coarse cloth and had an ordinary appearance. The most noticeable thing was that she was short and fat, and her appearance was indeed a little disappointing. However, it was a bit harsh for Gu Er to say that the girl was ugly in public.
Luo Chaoyan looked at Gu Er again, a man with a baby face, red lips and white teeth. If Su Yi was a peacock, then Gu Er was what modern people call a pretty boy.
"Who are you?"
Seeing that the woman was staring at him blankly, Gu Ling thought that the woman was fascinated by his handsome appearance, and he was a little proud, "Woman, don't do anything to attract my attention. I am not someone you can covet."
Luo Chaoyan couldn't help laughing again. If Huo Rui was a naughty kid, then Gu Er was just a middle school boy.
"Don't worry, I'm not blind. Not every ugly thing will catch my eye."
“Puff!”
Someone present laughed out loud.
Seeing her repeating what he had just said to the fat woman, Gu Ling's anger flared up again: "Woman, how dare you say that I am ugly?"
"What? You can say something about the girl, but I can't say something about you?" Luo Chaoyan said.
"Are you standing up for them?" Gu Ling pointed at Shopkeeper Li and his daughter.
Luo Chaoyan waved her hand, "No."
"So you have nothing to do, so you're just trying to amuse me?"
Luo Chaoyan shook her head and said seriously: "No, I was just passing by."
“Puchi!”
There was another burst of laughter from the crowd.
"Woman, don't think that I can't do anything to you just because I don't hit you. Believe it or not, I can have someone tear down this broken carriage of yours right now!" Gu Ling said angrily.
This Gu Er is really not easy to be amused, but Luo Chaoyan feels that it is easier to deal with such a person whose thoughts are written on his face than with someone as deep-minded as Huo Jin.
"Madam! Please save me!"
Shopkeeper Li saw that the carriage Luo Chaoyan was riding in looked very noble, and thought that she must be from a wealthy family. He kowtowed and begged for mercy, as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw. With tears in his eyes, he described in detail the transaction process between himself and the young master of the Gu family, and handed her the agreement signed by both parties.
After reading the agreement, Luo Chaoyan frowned and said, "Sir, it is indeed clearly written in the agreement between the two of you that it is five hundred taels."
Gu Ling stared at her and said, "It was obviously him who raised the price and deceived me."
"But this agreement does have your signatures, which means that this deal was signed by both of you on the premise of knowing and consenting."
The onlookers also felt that what Luo Chaoyan said made sense. Although Manager Li intended to deceive, both parties did sign the agreement in black and white.
"Woman, do you want me to swallow this loss? Let me tell you, it's impossible!" If he swallowed this loss, wouldn't it be telling everyone that he is stupid and has a lot of money? Then how is Gu Ling going to survive in Kyoto in the future? Doesn’t he have any dignity?
"Why, sir, do you still want to hurt someone in public, under the feet of the Emperor of Kyoto?"
"Don't scare me. I'm only trying to get rid of a harm to the people." Gu Ling said in a high-sounding manner.
Some of the onlookers advised Luo Chaoyan not to get involved in this mess. They said that Shopkeeper Li was not a good person anyway, so they should just let them fight evil with evil.
Fengli quietly walked through the crowd and whispered the news she had heard to Luo Chaoyan.
Luo Chaoyan cleared her throat and then sighed. She looked at Gu Ling like a peacemaker and said, "Alas! Who made me kind-hearted and unable to bear the suffering of the world?"
"How about this, sir? I am willing to pay three hundred and fifty taels to buy the deed in your hand. What do you think?"
"Woman, I spent 500 taels to buy this restaurant, and you asked me to sell it to you for 350 taels. Do you think I'm stupid?"
Luo Chaoyan spread her hands and said, "Okay, if that's the case, then you guys can continue, I won't bother you anymore."
“Wait!”
Gu Ling stopped Luo Chaoyan who was about to leave and said, "Woman, if you can say something that will make me feel comfortable, I can consider selling it to you for 450 taels." It doesn't matter if he loses some money. Anyway, he doesn't want this shabby restaurant anymore. This woman had said so many irritating things, now he wanted to see what nice things she could say.
"Okay, it's a deal." What kind of weird quirk does this middle school boy have? Why does he like being flattered? Luo Chaoyan thought for a while, then smiled and said, "Young Master, you are not only extremely handsome, but also one of a kind in heaven and on earth. What's more rare is that you are indomitable, not afraid of setbacks, and are a man of steel who dares to be the first in the world. Your personal experience is a good warning to the world. When you go out, you must always be vigilant and not be easily fooled."
"Woman, are you praising me?" Gu Ling was so angry that he jumped up and down when he heard that. He thought the first part was quite interesting, but the latter part sounded like a mockery of him.
"No, I am not satisfied with this."
Luo Chaoyan thought for a moment and said, "The ancients liked to use objects to describe a person's noble character, such as plum blossoms and lotus flowers. But I think daffodils better highlight the gentleman's character."
"Daffodils represent a person with an elegant and simple temperament, good communication skills, and straightforwardness. These good qualities are well reflected in you."
"Really? You didn't lie to me?" Gu Ling was half-believing and half-doubting. He looked at the servant beside him.
The servant murmured in his ear somewhat awkwardly: "Master, I have little education and don't quite understand, but it sounds like you are praising you."
Luo Chaoyan smiled and said, "Sir, this is definitely a compliment to you. Anyone who has read poetry and books knows this."
Gu Ling pursed his lips. Anyone who has read poetry and books knows that if he says he doesn't know, wouldn't that be publicly saying that he is a fool? He shook his sleeves, acting like a gentleman, and said, "Daffodils, so be it." He asked the servant to take out the contract, and then said arrogantly, "I keep my word. If you pay me the money, the contract will be yours."
"Wait a minute." Luo Chaoyan looked at Shopkeeper Li and said, "Shopkeeper Li, if I buy Mr. Gu's contract, can you re-sign the contract with me?"
Shopkeeper Li swallowed his dry throat, looked at Gu Ling's thugs, and nodded instantly, "Yes, I am willing."
"What about you, my girl?"
"I'll sell you my daughter too!"
Luo Chaoyan smiled and nodded, asked Fengli to take out the silver note and hand it to Gu Ling, and then asked someone to rewrite a contract with content that was completely different from the previous one. However, at the end of the contract, she added a sentence: Everything related to the restaurant belongs to her.
Gu Ling slowly folded the banknotes in his hand, smiling like a cat stealing fish, "Woman, has no one told you that kind people are often bullied? You really let me see what it means to be stupid and rich."
The people present also felt sorry for her.
"Isn't this lady stupid?"
"Yeah, it's obviously a losing deal."
Luo Chaoyan said with a smile, "Money can't buy my willingness!" She raised her eyebrows, "Although I am indeed a beautiful and kind person, I usually don't suffer any loss."
Amid the puzzled gazes of the crowd, she looked at Shopkeeper Li calmly and said, "Shopkeeper Li, bring it here!"
"Madam, what do you mean? Hasn't the deed been signed to you?" said Manager Li.
Luo Chaoyan said calmly, "Although your restaurant is not worth much, there are still some valuable recipes. I heard that you signed a contract to sell recipes with several nearby restaurants yesterday."
Manager Li was shocked. "This... Madam, I just sold the restaurant to you..." He wanted to argue, but he saw her holding the deed and pointing to the last sentence. The expression on his face froze instantly. He had been hunting geese for many years, but finally, he was pecked in the eye by a goose. Everything related to the hotel, naturally, includes his recipes.
"Manager Li, you don't have to give it to me, but you have to go to the government office with me." Luo Chaoyan looked at everyone present and said, "I wonder if the elders and villagers present here know what the signature dishes of this restaurant are?"
“I know! I know!”
Everyone present rushed to talk about the signature dishes they had eaten in the restaurant.
"Assorted fire!"
"Flower mushroom duck feet!"
"besides……"
Luo Chaoyan thanked everyone with a smile, then looked at the depressed Shopkeeper Li: "Shopkeeper Li, do you want to go to the government office with me, or hand over the recipe deed? Don't try to fool me. You sold five recipes, so you should get at least two hundred taels."
"Madam, please be kind and spare me. This is all I have left." Shopkeeper Li said pitifully.
Luo Chaoyan smiled and said, "It seems that you would rather go to the government office with me!"
"No, ma'am, I'll give it to you. Isn't it okay if I give it to you?" Shopkeeper Li tremblingly took out a stack of deeds from his arms.
Luo Chaoyan took the deeds and looked at the amount on them. She smiled brightly at Gu Lingyang and said, "Sir, these deeds are worth three hundred taels? It's higher than I expected."
“Puff!”
The onlookers couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Gu Ling glared at her viciously, his back teeth almost breaking. This woman was really scheming and was leading him into the ditch step by step.
He was so angry that he kicked Shopkeeper Li again. The instigator of all this was this villain. "If I see you in Kyoto again in the future, you will be dead."
"No, no! I'm leaving right now, right now!"
Shopkeeper Li was so frightened that he ran away everywhere.
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