Chapter 258: Chapter 258: His Concession
Ming Lingyi froze, forgetting to lift the spoonful of autumn pear soup to her lips.
Li Yun continued, "Doesn’t your restaurant have three floors? It’s so large, it must have private rooms. You can put them there. That would be nice. If there are any you particularly like, you can take them home, so you can see them whenever you want."
Ming Lingyi bit her lip gently, then smiled as if she had just realized something.
"There isn’t that much space at home." The courtyard behind Ming’s Restaurant wasn’t very spacious.
"The palace is your home, too." Li Yun looked directly into her eyes. His tone was casual, yet deeply earnest. "If you want to come back, then come back. If you want to live outside, then live outside. The palace walls aren’t meant to hold you out. I’ll be happy whenever you return."
Li Yun understood now. Lately, he had stopped mentioning that Lingyi should return with him, and as a result, he’d been able to see her more often and was met with far more pleasant expressions. He thought back to the past few months. After discovering her true identity, almost every single one of their meetings had been dominated by his desire for her to come back with him. But each time he brought it up, he was met with nothing but Lingyi’s cold stare.
’At this point,’ Li Yun thought, ’I can no longer delude myself with comforting lies about waiting for her to come to her senses. If Lingyi is truly happy living out here, I’m willing to concede even more. I’ll let her live as she pleases. As long as she’s still in the Capital City, as long as I can still see her, I can accept it.’
The next day, when Li Yun’s carriage brought Ming Lingyi back to Vermilion Bird Street, it was followed by a second carriage filled to the brim with prized chrysanthemums from Ju Garden. Many were rare varieties, seldom seen on the market and impossible to procure even for a fortune, and they were all delivered to the restaurant.
Ming Lingyi hadn’t responded to Li Yun’s words the night before. It wasn’t that she was unmoved. It was just that her original plan was to get the restaurant in the Capital City running smoothly, then leave with her brother for the Jiangnan Water Village.
The main reason she hadn’t left yet was because so many people depended on her for their livelihood. She had to make sure they were all settled before she could depart; she felt a responsibility toward them all.
’This means that Li Yun’s concession last night... it doesn’t really change anything for me.’
’I can’t stay in Shangjing City forever, and I can’t always remain within his sight.’
Ming Lingyi remained silent. She didn’t want to deceive Li Yun, but she also knew that if she had spoken the truth in that moment, she had no idea what would become of their relationship.
Perhaps her silence stemmed from a desire to just take things one step at a time.
The Ming Family Restaurant opened today. The fresh lacquer on the three-story, vermilion building was dazzling. On the plaque, the three words "Ming Family Restaurant" seemed to shimmer with a golden light.
The plaque alone was enough to make many scholars stop in their tracks to admire and critique it.
The calligraphy was the work of Ming Chengyu.
As one of the most celebrated young gentlemen in the Capital City, the quality of his calligraphy went without saying.
Besides the plaque, another topic of discussion among the scholars was the list of dishes hanging on the wall of the main hall, just like the one at Ming’s Restaurant.
They discussed not only the elegance of the dish names but also the fine, small-script calligraphy—penned by Ming Lingyi herself—which was widely admired.
While the scholars relished these details, the larger crowd was captivated by the lively festivities outside the restaurant.
Eight large drums thundered in unison before the entrance, their sound shaking half the street and drawing a crowd so dense it blocked the way.
In an open area out front, the Shuangxi Troupe, hired by Manager Qian, was performing *Lucky Gate*. They were one of the most popular troupes in the Capital City, with each member a master of their craft, and the crowd roared its approval. Manager Qian stood before the gilded threshold, bowing and greeting people in all directions. His hearty laughter blended seamlessly with the deafening gongs and drums. The entire Vermilion Bird Street seemed to be enveloped in the restaurant’s opening day excitement, brimming with a joyous atmosphere.
Many neighbors from Huaided Fang had come to show their support. As Ming Lingyi’s carriage stopped a short distance from the entrance, and she began directing workers to carry the valuable chrysanthemums from the second carriage into the restaurant’s private rooms, several groups of people had already approached to greet her.
The most enthusiastic supporter, of course, was Du Xuan.
Du Xuan had figured that with Ming Lingyi’s penchant for grand gestures, her new restaurant’s opening would be a huge event. There were bound to be great discounts for the first three days, which meant a massive crowd of patrons. If he didn’t get there early, he might not even be able to snag a table in the main hall.
Besides, they were old friends. Since he was coming to support Ming Lingyi, he felt he had to get a private room to show the proper level of respect.
He also recalled how every single dish at Ming’s Restaurant suited his palate perfectly. If he went alone, he wouldn’t be able to order much and couldn’t eat to his heart’s content. So, Du Xuan had simply asked the Fang Zheng of Huaided Fang to see if any of the other neighbors wanted to go together. They could share a table and make it a big, lively affair.
When the Fang Zheng put the word out, it turned out that more than half the neighbors thought it was an excellent idea.
For instance, Zhang Qi and Mrs. Wei planned on bringing their son, Zhang Hu, meaning their whole family of three would be there to support Ming Lingyi. The crowd was going to be huge.
In the end, the neighbors from Huaided Fang split into several groups. They agreed that whoever got to the restaurant first would secure the private rooms. Then, the others could just trickle in, find a room, and join a table to eat together.
Du Xuan was the most eager of them all.
So now, upon seeing him, Ming Lingyi couldn’t help but smile and pat Du Xuan on the shoulder.
The Ming Family Restaurant hadn’t officially opened its doors yet. The Shuangxi Troupe’s performance was still underway, and besides them, Manager Qian had also hired a lion dance team. There would be a boisterous lion dance soon, and only after that would the restaurant formally welcome its guests.
Du Xuan was getting antsy.
As a born-and-bred native of the Capital City, he wasn’t, to be honest, particularly interested in the acrobatic troupes’ special acts. He just kept his eyes glued to the restaurant’s entrance, waiting for them to let people inside. He was determined to be in the first wave to rush in and claim a table.
After all, the Ming Family Restaurant didn’t take reservations; you had to get a table on the spot.
When he saw Ming Lingyi, Du Xuan’s face was a comical mix of delight and desperation. "Boss Ming, when can we go in?" He had arrived early, but as he watched the increasingly lively performances, the crowd at the entrance just kept growing. ’Out of everyone here,’ he fretted, ’I’m probably the only one who actually came to eat instead of just watch the show!’ He was terrified that he wouldn’t be able to push through the crowd and snag a table!
Ming Lingyi said, "There are only a few more outside acts. You’ll be able to go in soon."
In addition to the outdoor performances, Ming Lingyi had also sent Manager Qian to the local brothels to hire some women.
The brothels had many musicians who sold their art, not their bodies, and Ming Lingyi wanted to hire them to come play music in the restaurant.
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision.
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