bookrebus Chapter 91 Birthday
Chapter 91 Birthday
Pear Blossom Street perfectly fits Liu Shan's site selection criteria.
More importantly, for some reason, Li Wanqing, this reclusive little rich woman, actually has an unused shop on Pear Blossom Street, which is perfect for opening a self-service restaurant.
The rest was very simple. After discussing with Li Wanqing, Liu Shan quickly finalized the location and decoration plan for the self-service restaurant.
Li Wanqing has already invested in the shop, holding 30% of the shares, while Liu Shan holds the remaining 70%.
Liu Shan named his self-service restaurant "Good Luck." He didn't choose a fancy or literary name for the restaurant, but rather a simple, easy-to-understand, and auspicious name like "Good Luck."
The reason is simple: the target audience of buffet restaurants is ordinary people, who value affordability and good fortune.
A single "Good luck" is worth more than a thousand "Drunken Moon Pavilion" poems.
The design of "Good Luck" is just as Liu Shan originally envisioned: the first floor is a hot pot buffet; the second floor is a barbecue buffet; the third floor is a seafood buffet; and the fourth floor has private rooms and a beverage buffet. Each floor has a wide variety of dishes at reasonable prices.
Not only that, he also fulfilled his promise by hiring the families of the officials who had sacrificed their lives in the previous incident to work at the self-service restaurant, providing them with a stable income. This not only showed his goodwill but also added a human touch to the restaurant.
At the beginning of the business, Liu Shan personally oversaw the operation to ensure everything went smoothly.
As word of mouth spread, Haoyunlaixuan gradually became a cost-effective choice for the people, and its business flourished.
The cheapest option is the hot pot buffet on the first floor, which costs only 40 coins per person and allows you to enjoy a variety of meats and fresh vegetables. The broth is rich and fragrant.
The second-floor barbecue buffet is a bit pricey, but it only costs 80 yuan per person to enjoy charcoal-grilled meat with a crispy exterior and tender interior, and an irresistible aroma.
The seafood buffet on the third floor is more expensive, costing 120 coins per person, where you can enjoy fresh seafood, including all kinds of seafood and river fish.
The private rooms on the fourth floor offer a self-service beverage option. For two taels of silver per person, one can enjoy unlimited servings of diluted Dukang wine and "Sanxiang wine".
What? You want to drink the original Dukang wine and "Sanxiang wine"?
That would cost extra, but even so, the price is still more affordable than "Bei Mo Ting" restaurant. After all, "Hao Yun Lai" is a budget-friendly buffet restaurant!
And so, the reputation of "Good Luck" grew louder and louder, and guests flocked to the restaurant every day.
Another half month has passed, and it's almost early summer.
The matter of Liu Shan being ambushed at the blacksmith shop in Jinhua County has finally come to a conclusion.
Although Jinhua County was temporarily without a magistrate and the county officials knew nothing about the matter, Yin Nantian, in order to give an explanation to the sacrificed officials, dismissed all the county officials, and some corrupt officials were even sentenced to heavy prison terms.
Upon hearing the news, Liu Shan felt somewhat relieved, secretly thinking that it would be even better if he could take this opportunity to expose the mastermind behind the blacksmith shop.
However, Liu Shan clearly underestimated the power behind the blacksmith shop once again. They seemed to have been unaffected, and neither the dismissed officials nor the corrupt officials sentenced to heavy prison terms revealed a single clue.
This is very troublesome. This force has been hiding in the shadows, like a venomous snake waiting for its chance to strike again, and may launch another attack at any time.
Moreover, what kind of logic is there in guarding against thieves for a thousand days?
Liu Shan knew that he had to take the initiative to solve the problem completely.
The difficulty lies in the fact that Liu Shan simply cannot find a target to take the initiative against.
This gave him a huge headache, and even the surge in dividends couldn't completely alleviate his anxiety.
That afternoon, Yin Nantian suddenly called Liu Shan over.
Liu Shan bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Prefect."
Yin Nantian, rarely relaxed, was leaning back in his armchair, playing with a jade pendant in his hand, and said softly, "No need for formalities. There are no Prefect or Registrar Liu here today, only poets having a quiet chat."
Liu Shan was taken aback for a moment, then understood Yin Nantian's meaning and relaxed a bit, smiling as he said, "It is my honor that you are in such a refined mood, sir. May I ask what you would like to use as a theme for composing a beautiful poem together?"
Yin Nantian smiled slightly and said slowly, "I don't have the leisure to compose poetry, but I have a good matter I'd like to entrust to you."
Liu Shan's heart stirred, and he quickly replied, "Whatever your command, sir, I will do my utmost."
Yin Nantian gently put down the jade pendant and chuckled, "There's no rush. In a few days, it will be the Empress Dowager's birthday, and the court will send an imperial envoy to collect congratulatory gifts."
Liu Shan was stunned again, not expecting that Yin Nantian had also "fallen" and actually "learned" to exploit his subordinates.
However, when the time came to make a statement, he still had to, because Yin Nantian was his top, top, top boss!
Liu Shan clasped his hands and said, "I wonder what kind of congratulatory gift Your Excellency would like me to prepare? I will do my best to live up to Your Excellency's expectations. The Empress Dowager's birthday is a major event, and I will certainly take it seriously to ensure that the gift is both dignified and sincere."
Yin Nantian shook his head and said, "There's no need to be nervous or particularly dignified. As long as it shows the sincerity of the Cangzhou government, that's enough."
Liu Shan pondered, it doesn't need to be particularly distinguished, but it must be sincere...
He had a sudden inspiration; nothing was more suitable than banknotes.
It can express sincerity without being too extravagant, and it can also satisfy the imperial envoy.
He asked, "How many silver notes does Your Excellency require? I will prepare them immediately."
As he spoke, Liu Shan felt a pang of regret.
His money didn't come from thin air; it was hard-earned through his own efforts as a hands-off boss.
Now, Yin Nantian has exploited him with just one sentence...
This made him realize that without enough power, no matter how much wealth one has, it is nothing more than meat in the eyes of others, which can be ruthlessly taken away at any time.
Power is the true shield; only by possessing sufficient power can one protect their interests from infringement.
Liu Shan secretly resolved that he would proceed cautiously and gradually accumulate power.
However, Yin Nantian laughed and said, "Silver notes? No, no. Don't misunderstand me. I already said that this is just 'a friendly chat among poets,' don't you understand?"
Liu Shan was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized and laughed, "What you say is very true, sir. I understand. In that case, what kind of poem or prose would you like as a congratulatory gift?"
Yin Nantian's gaze was deep as he said softly, "No need for anything complicated, just sincerity will suffice."
After a moment's thought, Liu Shan decided to copy Li Qingzhao's "New Lotus Leaves - Dewdrops Just Beginning".
Moreover, he planned to select only a portion of the poem, because the last two lines were not suitable for celebrating the Empress Dowager's birthday.
He rose and paced back and forth, pretending to be deep in thought, muttering to himself. Suddenly, he stopped and began to write with a flourish:
"The first dewdrops fall, the long night passes, and we part ways forever. The pavilions and terraces by the water rise ten thousand feet high, like a mythical island."
Orchids and magnolias symbolize longevity, their beauty complementing each other, and the courtyard is filled with officials in their robes and ceremonial tablets. The flowers are delicate and pure, and the act of offering wine cups is particularly graceful.
The crane is slender, the pine evergreen; its spirit shines as brightly as the autumn moon. Its virtue and literary talent have long been renowned throughout the world.