Chapter 145: Chapter 145: The Designated Sucker
Ming Lingyi saw that everyone had caught on. They exchanged glances—some things were better left unsaid.
She stroked her chin, feigning a very composed demeanor. "Since it’s an Immortal Brew, it’s naturally no ordinary vintage. We’re only offering this one special pot, so it being a bit more expensive is to be expected, right?"
Everyone nodded. Not a single person objected.
This was especially true for Wu Zhao Yi. He had noticed it earlier in the main hall. If he hadn’t taken the initiative to ask the Xie family’s Second Master what he wanted to eat, the man would have simply sat there occupying a table without ordering a thing.
’The absolute nerve of that guy.’
"Regardless of how well we serve him, this Second Master of the Xie family won’t be gracing our restaurant with his presence again," Wu Zhao Yi said. "This is a one-time transaction to begin with."
Ming Lingyi smiled. Coincidentally, she felt the same way.
There were some things they had no proof of. Even if they did, they probably couldn’t do anything to Xie Ruijing anyway and would just have to swallow the loss.
Now that Xie Ruijing had been brazen enough to show up at their restaurant, and since they had already been forced to swallow one loss, shouldn’t they "entertain" this other person—the one who had caused all the trouble—with some special hospitality?
"I’ve heard that at the taverns in the East Market, a famous vintage can be worth a thousand gold pieces," Ming Lingyi said. "This Immortal Brew we bought from elsewhere doesn’t need to be worth a thousand. Let’s just make it a few hundred."
’If we’re going to fleece him, we might as well go big.’
’It would be hard for me to rest easy unless I make the Xie family bleed a little and feel the sting.’
Ming Lingyi wasn’t afraid of Xie Ruijing causing a scene. Ming’s Restaurant had always clearly listed its prices.
Besides, if Xie Ruijing wanted to save face, he would have no choice but to swallow this loss.
As for the future, she wasn’t too concerned about it.
She wasn’t the type to passively take a hit. When the time came, it was still anyone’s guess who would come out on top.
After writing the price at the bottom of the wooden plaque, Ming Lingyi gestured for Xiao Chun to hang it up.
"Bring out all the remaining dishes on the menu," Ming Lingyi ordered.
’It doesn’t matter if Xie Ruijing orders them and doesn’t eat. We can just give the food to the beggars at the corner gate. Nothing will go to waste.’
Xiao Chun’s movements as she went to hang the wooden plaque didn’t attract much attention.
After all, everyone’s attention was on the upcoming poetry competition. Who had the mind to check if the restaurant had added any new items to its menu?
Perhaps the only one who noticed was Du Xuan, who had also rushed over early in the morning.
Du Xuan was genuinely worried for Ming Lingyi.
’If Ming’s Restaurant suffers a setback and closes down because of today’s event, where will I go to eat in the future?’
’Ming’s Restaurant has completely spoiled my palate recently, you know?!’
Full of melancholy, Du Xuan sat down and couldn’t stop himself from ordering five of the restaurant’s signature dishes all for himself.
Firstly, he wanted to support Ming’s Restaurant with his patronage. Secondly, he was afraid he might never get to eat this food again. Today, even if it meant bursting his stomach, he was going to eat his fill and get his money’s worth!
As he saw Xiao Chun hanging up the wooden plaque, Du Xuan couldn’t help but call out to her.
"Miss Xiao Chun, what’s that Immortal Brew? Why is it so expensive? A single pot costs five hundred taels?!" Du Xuan’s melancholy was instantly swept away, his surprise piqued by what looked like a new item from Ming’s Restaurant.
’I want to try it, too!’
’But it’s just too expensive!’
Xiao Chun glanced around the main hall. It seemed that only Mr. Du, who was standing right there, had noticed the plaque she had just hung.
Xiao Chun gave the man a curious look. ’Mr. Du really is our restaurant’s most loyal customer! Even with everything going on, he still hasn’t forgotten to check out our new items.’
"It’s a wine that my young miss bought from an outside source." Xiao Chun couldn’t go into detail—’it’s an Immortal Brew specially prepared for a sucker,’ she thought—so she said tactfully, "The supply is intermittent. It’s very rare, so we only have one pot today, and it has already been claimed by a customer."
Hearing that the new item was already gone, Du Xuan felt a strange sense of emptiness. In the past, whenever Ming’s Restaurant launched a new dish, he was always among the first to try it. But today...
It was a little heartbreaking.
Meanwhile, at Xie Ruijing’s table, the dishes began to arrive.
The Wu Brothers were exceptionally attentive to this "honored guest" who was about to spend several hundred taels of silver at their restaurant.
"You must be the young master who’s heard of our restaurant’s fame, yes? This dish, our Crisp-fried Pork in Honey Sauce, is praised by countless patrons..."
"This Lamb Pilaf is one of our head chef’s signature rice dishes..."
"Our Jiangnan Three Whites Stew is also exceptionally flavorful. It pairs perfectly with the pilaf—absolutely delicious!"
"The Southern Fragrant Roasted Bone is another of our restaurant’s signature dishes. You must try it, sir..."
Before long, the table in front of Xie Ruijing was laden with dishes, their fragrant aroma filling the air.
Caught off guard by the relentless parade of dishes, Xie Ruijing frowned. "I didn’t order this much."
Wu Zhao Yi feigned a look of surprise. "But sir, you asked for our restaurant’s signature dishes. These *are* all our restaurant’s signature dishes!"
His eyes seemed to say, ’If you don’t have the silver, why were you ordering so recklessly?’
Xie Ruijing was so taken aback he couldn’t tell if it was by Wu Zhao Yi’s gaze or his words. For a moment, he was utterly speechless.
He *had* said to bring the signature dishes, but any waiter with a bit of sense would see he was alone and that one or two dishes would suffice. Who would have thought this waiter at Ming’s Restaurant was such a blockhead that he’d bring out an entire table’s worth of food!
’How could I possibly finish all this by myself?’
Xie Ruijing looked at Wu Zhao Yi suspiciously, wondering if the man was black-hearted and deliberately trying to swindle him out of his silver.
But Wu Zhao Yi looked utterly unremarkable. With his plain appearance, he was the sort who would instantly blend into a crowd on the street. Even now, his eyes held a dull, witless look, as if he genuinely couldn’t comprehend why Xie Ruijing was suddenly going back on his word.
Xie Ruijing: "..."
’Forget it,’ he thought. ’Why lower myself to arguing with a fool?’
"Forget it. You’re dismissed." For him, the dignified Second Master of the Xie family, to squabble with a common waiter—that would be a true loss of face.
Wu Zhao Yi scurried away, a panicked look on his face. But it wasn’t long before he returned, carrying a pot of wine.
"This is our restaurant’s newest item, the Immortal Brew. Please enjoy, sir."
Wu Zhao Yi had been worried. What if this master suddenly declared he’d had enough and wanted no more dishes? Then the special pot of Immortal Brew his boss had prepared for their "guest" couldn’t be served. What a waste that would be! And so, he had rushed to bring it over.
The corner of Xie Ruijing’s eye twitched. He really couldn’t figure out this waiter from Ming’s Restaurant.
’How can someone be so clueless?’
’Call him timid and afraid of trouble? Yet he’s incredibly eager when it comes to serving dishes that make me spend silver.’
’Call him cunning? But everything about him screams ’honest simpleton’.’
Having managed the Xie family’s affairs for many years, Xie Ruijing had seen all sorts of people. His judgment was usually unerring, and he was convinced that Wu Zhao Yi was just a simple, honest man without a cunning bone in his body.
And for that very reason, Xie Ruijing found it all the more baffling that Ming’s Restaurant would employ such an idiotic waiter.
’Then again,’ Xie Ruijing thought with a soft chuckle, ’the more foolish the people Ming’s Restaurant employs, the better it is for me. There’s only upside.’
’Before long, Ming’s Restaurant will be nothing but a memory in Shangjing City.’
