Chapter Eleven: A Most Unusual Guest

The next day.

Yanggu County, Jiangnan Restaurant.

Su Yang stood outside the entrance, watching the bustling crowds on the street. The scene was lively, showing no sign of disaster or war, yet the soaring grain prices told Su Yang that everything before his eyes was but a fleeting illusion. It would not be long before the bubble burst. When that happened, the present prosperity would vanish, the streets empty, hundreds of households without food, starving corpses littering the land, wild dogs scavenging the remains.

Jiangnan Restaurant was a modest two-story establishment: private rooms upstairs by the windows, a main hall below. In Yanggu County, it was considered one of the finer places to dine. Next door was a bustling cloth shop—the best in all the county—which brought a steady stream of customers to the restaurant. Across the street stood another restaurant, Fortune Hall, recently opened by the eldest branch of the Wang family. They had even poached the head chef from Jiangnan Restaurant and handed the business to their younger son, Wang Haiwen, in hopes of finding a weakness in the second branch of the Wang family and seizing more property.

“Well, isn’t this the spineless scholar?” sneered Wang Haiwen, standing at the entrance of Fortune Hall. “Why aren’t you at home nursing the baby? What are you doing showing your face in public?” Behind him stood a ninth-rank Bloodburn martial artist—a considerable show of wealth. It was rumored that the eldest branch kept four such warriors in their household.

As for the second branch, they could afford only one. Should Jiangnan Restaurant and their other businesses close, they might have to consider whether they could still keep Zhang Hu employed.

Su Yang paid him no mind. Once he broke through to eighth-rank martial artist, it would be the end for this brat. In this world, strength decided everything. Business rivalry, intrigue, and scheming—Su Yang couldn’t be bothered; he’d simply wait until he advanced, then, on a dark and windy night, quietly eliminate them all.

On the surface, though, Su Yang had no intention of provoking these people. Concealing one’s true strength and biding one’s time was the essence of survival. In his previous life, even Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang knew to build high walls, amass grain, and delay declaring himself king. Here, it meant improving his cultivation, building connections, and only then wielding power with impunity.

To act now would only intensify enmity. At best, he’d fight the other ninth-rank martial artist to a draw and shock the eldest branch, his mother-in-law, and those who looked down on him. From then on, everyone would be wary of him; the eldest branch would adapt their plans based on his strength—better to reveal only three-tenths of his power and keep seven-tenths in reserve for a decisive reversal.

“That’s right, spineless, you don’t even dare talk back to me?” Wang Haiwen sneered. “I wonder what you’d do if someone had their way with your wife right in front of you? Not that anyone would touch Chunxiao with her looks… ha!”

He laughed wildly and turned away, but Su Yang’s gaze lingered cold and murderous on his retreating figure.

…

“Jiangnan Restaurant is offering a thirty percent discount today—what a deal!”

“Since the head chef left, if they don’t discount, who’d eat there?”

“Even with a discount, no one wants to eat without the head chef. Might as well buy a couple pounds of meat and cook at home—it’ll taste no different.”

“What’s this ‘red-braised pork’ anyway?”

“Who knows what new dish they’re trying to hype up?”

“Is that Su the scholar, the Wang family’s son-in-law? He’s quite handsome. How did he end up married to Wang Chunxiao?”

“A flower stuck in a pile of dung, truly…”

Passersby whispered among themselves, mostly about the chef being poached, some about Su Yang, the Wang family’s live-in son-in-law.

“Manager Qian, bring out the stove.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Inside, two waiters carried a clay stove to the restaurant’s entrance. Another followed with an iron pot, setting it on the stove and lighting a small wood fire. Opening the lid, a rich aroma of red-braised pork wafted out—glossy, enticing, mouthwatering.

“Wow… what a smell! What kind of meat is this?”

“Could this be the red-braised pork?”

“Scholar Su, what meat is this? How much? Give me a portion to try.”

As soon as the lid was lifted, people could no longer hold back. Even those just passing by were drawn in by the fragrance.

“Today, all dishes at Jiangnan Restaurant are thirty percent off. Spend two hundred copper coins, and you’ll receive a complimentary small bowl of red-braised pork. Not sold separately,” Su Yang announced.

His words had barely faded when someone, unable to resist their craving, went inside, ordered, and received a portion of red-braised pork. Golden, glistening, tender but not greasy, slightly sweet, melting in the mouth. The first young gentleman to try it was so impressed he ordered another portion to take home for his father.

The crowd asked how it tasted. “Superb!” was all he could say. Soon, everyone was pushing to try it. Business at Jiangnan Restaurant was unusually brisk; people came for the red-braised pork. The other dishes, though ordinary, were ignored.

Fortune Hall.

“Why is business so poor today?” Wang Haiwen frowned at the empty hall.

“Young Master, all our customers went to Jiangnan Restaurant. Scholar Su has a new dish called red-braised pork—delicious, they say. That’s why everyone’s flocking there.” The manager hastened to explain, bringing out a portion for Wang Haiwen to try. He took a bite, his brow furrowing in consternation; he brought the rest to his father, Wang Shangfu.

He ordered men to keep watch on Jiangnan Restaurant and see which chef was responsible. At any cost, they must poach him. This was no ordinary dish—this was pure silver.

Business boomed at Jiangnan Restaurant. By noon, all red-braised pork had been given away. The restaurant closed for the afternoon to restock, having made thirty taels of silver by midday—the most prosperous day since opening.

In Yanggu County, a typical meal cost about five hundred copper coins per table. Today, with everyone coming for the red-braised pork, orders were smaller—just two or three silver coins per table. The first floor had a dozen tables, the second floor ten private rooms—less than thirty in all. Thirty tables at three silver coins each, three turnovers by noon—that was nine taels of silver. If the red-braised pork continued in the afternoon, sixty or seventy taels in a day was possible. That meant two thousand taels a month—enough to make Jiangnan Restaurant the top in Yanggu County.

Word reached the Wang family.

Liu Wenxiang, Wang Chunxiao, and Wang Xiahe were all astounded. They’d expected business to pick up with the new dish, but never imagined it would soar like this.

“Mother, our restaurant is saved! I knew brother-in-law was capable!” said Wang Xiahe excitedly.

“If things go well, business might be even better than before. Our family’s prospects are looking up,” Liu Wenxiang sighed in relief, her worries melting away. Then she remembered her fleeting thought from yesterday: if someone could save the family, she’d marry her younger daughter Xia Yuhe to him. Would that mean Su Yang, the son-in-law, would take his sister-in-law as a second wife? Though it wasn’t unheard of for men to marry sisters, or even mother and daughter, Su Yang was just a live-in son-in-law—wouldn’t that make the Wang family a laughingstock? Luckily, she’d never spoken those words aloud.

Thinking of this, Liu Wenxiang relaxed even more. Still, if Xiahe married Su Yang, it wouldn’t be a bad match…

“Mother, business is booming. Should we open a branch, use red-braised pork to build our name? We could become the best restaurant in Yanggu County, maybe even the Su family’s top restaurant!” Even Wang Chunxiao, seated in her wheelchair, couldn’t suppress her excitement, eyes shining as she looked to the future.

“We’ll discuss it when your brother-in-law returns,” Liu Wenxiang replied. She now subconsciously regarded Su Yang as the man of the house, his opinion decisive. In the past, if her capable daughter made a proposal and she and Xiahe didn’t object, they would have acted at once.

Today, all three women waited in tacit agreement for Su Yang’s return.

Before long, Su Yang returned, dust still on his clothes. Summoned by a maid, he entered Liu Wenxiang’s chamber, which was as fragrant as the lady herself. Liu Wenxiang relayed Wang Chunxiao’s idea, seeking Su Yang’s opinion.

Su Yang looked at Chunxiao with a complex expression. “Dear Miss, do you want to bring ruin to your family?”

Wang Chunxiao’s face darkened at the rebuke, eyes flashing with anger. Wang Xiahe was bewildered. “Brother-in-law, how would that ruin the family?”

“Son-in-law, what do you mean?” Liu Wenxiang asked anxiously, her ample chest rising with concern.

“Mother-in-law, today we made thirty taels of silver thanks to the red-braised pork. Tomorrow, we’ll sell it officially for one tael per portion. Ordinary folk can’t afford it, but there are plenty of wealthy families. In future, no banquet will be complete without our red-braised pork. Since the ingredients are cheap, it’s all profit. Fifty taels a day is easily achievable—fifteen hundred a month, twenty thousand a year. And that’s just in Yanggu County. If we open branches nationwide, it would be a gold mine.”

“But, Mother-in-law, let me ask you: will the magistrate envy us? Will the governor? How will we protect our recipe?”

“A man’s wealth is his own ruin by attracting greed. Surely you understand this simple truth.”

Su Yang’s words were like a bucket of cold water. Liu Wenxiang sobered at once. “I let joy and greed cloud my mind and forgot such a basic principle.”

“Chunxiao, your judgment is not as steady as your brother-in-law’s. In the future, consult him on major family matters.”

Without Su Yang, Liu Wenxiang would have agreed to open a branch. The family’s silver would be spent, and the profits would draw countless wolves. Whether the secret recipe could be kept was uncertain—ruin was a real possibility. Thinking of her earlier greed, Liu Wenxiang felt a shiver of fear and looked at Su Yang with new respect.

“Sister, brother-in-law is right,” the clever young Wang Xiahe agreed.

Wang Chunxiao felt humiliated. It had been her idea to open a branch, and she’d always seen Su Yang as weak and indecisive—a man who couldn’t shoulder responsibility. Now he had the upper hand. It was the greatest insult.

“The red-braised pork’s reputation has spread. What do you plan next?” Wang Chunxiao demanded.

“I never intended to sell it long-term. Three days only. Raise the price—sell as much as we can. On the third night, we’ll auction the recipe.”

“This way, the Wang family won’t have to worry about income for a while.”

“Just three days? Isn’t that too little?” Wang Xiahe asked, regretful.

“Better to throw away a hot potato before someone else grabs it, or we’ll end up ruined. You wouldn’t want to end up in a prison crawling with bugs and rats, would you?” Su Yang looked at his sister-in-law, who quickly shook her head, her youthful face innocent and fresh.

“Your plan is wise. From now on, all decisions for Jiangnan Restaurant and the Wang family are yours,” Liu Wenxiang said solemnly.

After leaving her room, Su Yang returned to his courtyard with Taohua. As a ninth-rank martial artist, he was brimming with energy—so much that Taohua could hardly keep up.

“Master, why not spend a night with the young lady? I’m exhausted,” Taohua murmured, lying in his arms, big eyes full of pleading.

“The young lady?” Su Yang hesitated. “No, I’ll pass. That face does nothing for me, and her coldness is hard to endure. I’d rather visit a brothel.”

“Then… perhaps we could bring in another maid? Sister Hongmei and Sister Xueyuan are both beautiful…”

“I prefer things to happen naturally, not by force. Let’s leave it to fate. For now, though, you’ll have to bear with me, little Taohua.”

“Oh no… I really didn’t miss you that much, Master…”

…

The fame of Jiangnan Restaurant’s red-braised pork spread quickly through Yanggu County. Many prominent families heard the news, though few had tasted it. Some doubted it could be so delicious, but many resolved to visit the restaurant the next day to see for themselves.

At the Wang family’s main house, Wang Haiwen reported to his father and elder brother about Jiangnan Restaurant. No sign of a new chef or outsider had been seen leaving. Wang Shangfu instructed him to keep watch; if there was still no development the next day, send men into the kitchen to investigate. After all, there was no law against entering a restaurant kitchen.

With the pharmacy and cloth shop closed, their only target was Jiangnan Restaurant.

The next day.

Jiangnan Restaurant opened for business. It was packed. Red-braised pork at one tael per bowl sold out quickly. The fever only grew, though it would inevitably fade. That day, red-braised pork alone brought in two hundred taels of silver.

The sight of Jiangnan Restaurant raking in money made the county’s wealthy families green with envy.

Zhang Hu, the Wang family’s martial artist, finally set his sights on Su Yang, bristling with resentment.

You little wretch, your good days are numbered.

On the second day of official sales, Su Yang received a most unusual guest—a man five feet tall, selling baked cakes, who introduced himself as Wu Dalang!