Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 109

Chapter 109

 

In September, the army marched north to change posts.

 

This time of year was always the most unstable at the border. Two days before leaving, Ge Changbao went to the Lu family tavern again to see his young fiancé.

 

The last time they met, Lu Miao had been calm and composed. But ever since receiving that jade pendant, he had been so shy that he could barely speak whenever they saw each other.

 

Ge Changbao wasn’t much better, though he relied on being older and thicker-skinned. He took Lu Miao’s hand and said, “I’ll be gone for six months this time. Stay well at home, and when I return, I’ll marry you.”

 

“Oh.” Lu Miao shifted nervously, his ears burning red.

 

Ge Changbao added, “The jade pendant I gave you last time can be used to withdraw three thousand taels of silver from the bank. It’s all the savings I’ve accumulated over the years. If you ever need money, just use it.”

 

Lu Miao was startled. “That… that’s not right… I should give the pendant back to you!” He turned to retrieve it.

 

Ge Changbao quickly held him back. “I’m worried I might lose it during the march. Just help me keep it safe.”

 

Lu Miao hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.

 

“Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”

 

Lu Miao took out a cloth pouch tied with a red string from his waist. “This is a protection charm I got from the temple. I… I hope you return safely.”

 

“Alright!” Ge Changbao carefully placed the pouch into his inner pocket and patted it before reluctantly saying goodbye.

 

Lu Miao stood where he was, watching his figure disappear before turning to head back inside.

 

“Can’t bear to see him go?”

 

“Ah! Third Brother, you scared me to death!”

 

Lu Yao had never seen his younger brother show such an expression before and teased, “Your Ge Da-ren(Lord Ge) is quite generous, handing over his entire fortune to you even before the wedding.”

 

“Third Brother, stop teasing me!” Lu Miao blushed, covered his face, and ran inside.

 

Lu Yao chuckled, turned to enter the tavern, but was suddenly stopped.

 

“Excuse me, shopkeeper.”

 

Two teenage boys, about seventeen or eighteen years old, stood at the door, pulling a wooden cart.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“Do you buy wild game here? My brother and I are hunters from a nearby village. We caught a wild boar and a few rabbits.”

 

Lu Yao’s interest was piqued. He lifted the cloth covering the cart and saw that the boar weighed over a hundred catties, and the blood on its neck was still fresh. The four rabbits were all plump.

 

“We’ll buy them. How much are you asking?”

 

The brothers exchanged glances and said, “Forty wen per catty for the boar, and fifty wen each for the rabbits.” They had already tried selling to four or five other taverns, but no one wanted the game. It would be a waste not to sell such good meat.

 

“Forty wen is too expensive. I only pay twenty-three wen per catty for live pigs.”

 

“Wild boar meat tastes completely different from regular pork! It’s not gamey and has a richer flavor.”

 

Lu Yao chuckled. He’d eaten wild boar before—his husband had once hunted a much bigger one. “I’ll give you twenty-five wen per catty(500gm) at most. Take it or leave it.”

 

The two hesitated for a while before nodding.

 

Lu Yao called the staff to weigh the boar and rabbits. The boar was 160 catties, totaling four strings of coins, and the rabbits were 200 wen. He had Xiao Nian pay them in cash.

 

The two boys sat at the door counting their money.

 

They weren’t very good at math and kept miscounting. Lu Yao found it amusing, so he sat down to help them count and chatted with them.

 

“How did you catch the boar?”

 

“We dug a pit and lured it in, then stabbed it with spears.”

 

Smart and brave. After helping them finish counting, Lu Yao said, “Next time you catch any game, you can sell it here.”

 

The brothers happily bowed in thanks and left with their cart.

 

Lu Yao planned to marinate the rabbits with spices and roast them later—they should sell well.

 

He had the staff clean and process the boar. The hocks and trotters were kept for the family, and the rest was minced to make sausages, selling at 80 wen per plate.

 

By noon, as soon as the rabbits were roasted, a foodie followed the smell to the back courtyard.

 

“Shopkeeper, are the rabbits for sale?”

 

Lu Yao dusted his hands. “Yes, 200 wen each.”

 

“Hurry, bring one to our table! The smell is irresistible!”

 

The staff quickly served the rabbits, and before long, all four were sold out.

 

Business continued to run smoothly. Since opening day, the tavern had never lacked customers. Even on slow days, it earned at least 20 taels of silver, and on the best days, over 100 taels.

 

Regardless of how much he earned, Lu Yao was no longer fazed because the brewery had just finished its third batch of wine—another 5,000 catties.

 

He planned to keep 1,500 catties for the tavern, store 500 catties in the cellar, and sell the remaining 3,000 catties to Liang Yong.

 

On the 5th and 10th of each month, Lu Shiliu came to report on the brewery. Today was no exception.

 

“The wine is all sealed in jars, just as you instructed. We used 50-catty clay jars sealed with mulberry leaves and yellow clay. Ten jars were buried for aging, and the rest are stored in the warehouse, waiting for your instructions.”

 

“How’s the brewery doing recently?”

 

Lu Shiliu hesitated. “No major issues, but there is one small matter.”

 

Lu Yao set down the ledger. “What is it?”

 

“There was some conflict between our workers and the soldiers from the camp. I couldn’t resolve it…”

 

Lu Yao tapped the table lightly and said, “I’ll go over this afternoon.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Take last month’s wages and distribute them. Also, I’m giving you two extra taels of silver. Get yourself some decent clothes so people respect you when you handle errands for me.”

 

“Thank you, Master!”

 

After he left, Xiao Nian leaned in and said, “Sister-in-law, you were so intimidating just now.”

 

“Was I?” Lu Yao blinked innocently.

 

“Very! Like those high-ranking officials who make people too scared to breathe.”

 

Lu Yao laughed and patted her head. “I have to act tough, or these servants will walk all over me. Lu Shiliu is clever. If used well, he’s reliable; if not, he could cause trouble.”

 

“Then why keep him?”

 

“Because I don’t have better people right now. You need to grow up quickly and help me manage the shop.”

 

“Mm!”

 

In the afternoon, after the restaurant had cleared out, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan went to the distillery together.

 

Recently, Lu Yao had been busy with the restaurant business and had visited the distillery less frequently, causing morale to waver somewhat.

 

When they arrived, they happened to catch two groups arguing—one group consisted of the soldiers from the barracks, and the other group was made up of slaves purchased by the Lu family. Neither side was willing to back down, and they almost came to blows.

 

Zhao Beichuan frowned and said, “What are you all doing? Don’t want to work anymore?”

 

Seeing that the boss had arrived, everyone was so frightened that they immediately lowered their heads and dared not make another sound.

 

Lu Yao walked in, swept his gaze over both sides, and finally fixed his eyes on Lu Shiliu.

 

“Shiliu, tell me what happened.”

 

“Master, it wasn’t a big issue. In the afternoon, while working, Lu Ding and the brothers from the barracks had a bit of an argument. It escalated quickly, and I couldn’t stop them.”

 

“Lu Ding, come here.”

 

Lu Ding shrank back a little, then walked over and knelt down. “I was wrong.”

 

“Tell me, what was the argument about?”

 

Lu Ding’s eyes turned red with grievance. “They said my cooking was bad. I told them to cook for themselves, and they started cursing at me.”

 

The men from the barracks were not convinced either. “They cook two dishes for themselves and only let us eat meat once every three to five days. The rest of the time, we’re stuck eating vegetable porridge!”

 

Lu Yao frowned. “Is that true?”

 

Lu Ding bit his lip and nodded slightly. “There… there were one or two times.”

 

Lu Yao said, “From now on, you’re no longer responsible for the kitchen work. I’ll hire a cook tomorrow. I don’t want this kind of thing to happen again.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Those who were cursing just now, step forward.”

 

Lu Yi, Lu Ding, Gao Changtong, and Yang Tie from the other side all stepped forward.

 

“Each of you will have one month’s wages deducted. If this happens again, you’ll no longer be allowed to stay here.”

 

The group trembled in fear and quickly kowtowed to express their gratitude.

 

Lu Shiliu glanced at those on the ground. He had previously advised Lu Ding not to do this. They were all working together, and favoritism would surely lead to conflicts. But they refused to listen, even accusing him of siding with management after becoming a supervisor. Now the conflict had grown out of control.

 

Lu Yao raised his hand. “Get up and get back to work. Shiliu, come with me.”

 

“Yes.” Lu Shiliu followed Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan into an empty room next door.

 

“Do you know why I called you here?”

 

“I don’t.”

 

“I appointed you as a manager, not to stand by and watch the drama unfold. If you can’t handle the job, I’ll find someone else who can!”

 

Lu Shiliu’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed, admitting his fault. “I was wrong!”

 

“If you can’t handle such small matters next time, don’t blame me for not sparing your dignity.”

 

Lu Shiliu suddenly recalled the time when Lu Yao had poured boiling water on those men without batting an eye. A cold sweat broke out on his back. He must have lost his mind to think the two masters were easy to fool!

 

Lu Yao, after delivering a reprimand, softened his tone, reached out to pull him up, and said, “I know you’re afraid of offending people, but since I’ve promoted you to be a manager, you should understand that your status is no longer the same as theirs. Do you want to remain a slave for the rest of your life, or do you want to become my right-hand man? It all depends on how you act.”

 

Lu Shiliu’s heart surged with emotion, and his eyes reddened. “I will not disappoint you!”

 

Lu Yao nodded. “Alright, you’ll handle the matter of hiring a cook. Find someone suitable, and if anyone refuses to listen to you in the future, just report directly to me.”

 

“Yes!” Determination flashed in Lu Shiliu’s eyes. He didn’t want to be a slave forever—he wanted to climb higher!

 

After walking around the distillery, Lu Yao noticed Zhao Beichuan looking downcast as they left. He grabbed Zhao Beichuan’s arm and asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“You don’t seem very happy.”

 

Zhao Beichuan, a straightforward person who couldn’t hide his feelings, couldn’t help but say, “Why do you value that Lu Shiliu so much? I don’t think he’s anything special.”

 

“Are you jealous?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

“Hahahaha! Oh my, Beichuan, let me take a look at you.”

 

Zhao Beichuan’s face turned red as he looked away. After a moment, he couldn’t help but laugh too. “Maybe I am a little jealous. You rarely treat others so well.”

 

Lu Yao, still laughing, took his hand and said as they walked, “Look at those wealthy families. Don’t they all have a few capable managers? Lu Shiliu is sharp, but he lacks management experience. We’re short on talent right now, so I want to train him properly. He’ll be a good helper in the future.”

 

Zhao Beichuan said, “What if he disobeys after gaining so much power?”

 

“His indenture contract is still in our hands. We can deal with him however we want.”

 

“That’s true.” Zhao Beichuan scratched his head awkwardly.

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh. His husband was adorable when he got jealous.

 

Surprisingly, this delegation of authority yielded quick results. Within a few days, Lu Shiliu found a local family to deliver meals.

 

Meals were delivered three times a day to the entrance, costing one tael of silver per month. This not only solved the food problem but also prevented outsiders from entering the distillery and discovering the brewing techniques.

 

Using his abilities, Lu Shiliu gradually integrated the two groups at the distillery, and there were no more arguments about status.

 

By October, the weather grew colder with each passing day.

 

Several bouts of autumn rain swept away the last leaves on the trees, signaling the end of another year.

 

“Ah-choo!” Early in the morning, Lu Yao sneezed repeatedly.

 

Zhao Beichuan quickly fetched a padded jacket from the trunk and helped him put it on. “It’s been getting colder these past few days. Don’t catch a cold.”

 

“Mm.” Feeling warmer with the jacket on, Lu Yao tied his hair up and went outside to fetch water to wash his face.

 

They had seven tables reserved for the day, so the meat and vegetables needed to be prepared in advance. Zhao Beichuan rushed to the western market with the mule cart to buy groceries, while Lu Yao instructed the staff to light the firewalls to keep the dining hall warm for the customers.

 

When Lu Yao renovated the place, he built firewalls—structures resembling heated walls—with stove openings at the back and chimneys above.

 

This kind of firewall was unheard of before. Restaurants usually relied on braziers or stoves during winter, which not only filled the room with smoke but also posed a risk of burns to the customers.

 

Now, with the firewalls lit, there was no trace of smoke, and the room temperature increased by five or six degrees. It wasn’t as good as modern underfloor heating, but it was warm enough.

 

By noon, customers began arriving. Upon stepping inside, they rubbed their hands and marveled, “Why is it so warm in here today?”

 

Lu Yao pointed to the walls. “Touch them and see.”

 

One man stepped forward and touched the wall. “Wow! The walls are warm! How did you do this, shopkeeper?”

 

“This is called a firewall. The walls are hollow inside, with stove openings at the back. When the fire is lit, the walls heat up.”

 

“Wow, that must burn a lot of wood in winter!”

 

Lu Yao smiled. “As long as the customers are comfortable, spending a little extra silver is worth it.”

 

The customer gave him a thumbs-up. “No wonder your business is booming. You have an exceptional vision!”

 

Lu Yao was thrilled by the compliment but maintained a modest demeanor. “You flatter me.”

 

Thanks to the firewalls, the restaurant was packed every day. If people were spending money to eat, who wouldn’t prefer a warm place? Coupled with the good food, more and more customers flocked to Lu’s Restaurant.

 

With Lu’s Restaurant thriving, other establishments saw their business decline.

 

The first to suffer was Quanfu Restaurant. Jin Yu Restaurant had official backing, so it wasn’t afraid of losing customers. Tian Shui Pavilion catered to more than just dining, so it still attracted visitors.

 

Quanfu Restaurant, however, had always lagged behind in food quality but retained customers with its spacious and upscale environment. Now, with Lu’s Restaurant moving to a larger, more elegant location, it couldn’t even keep its old customers.

 

At the end of the month, the shopkeeper of Quanfu threw the account book to the floor in frustration.

 

Last year, they made over a thousand taels of silver per month, but this year’s revenue had dropped by nearly half, with only 540 taels in profit last month!

 

Outrageous—absolutely outrageous!

 

Feng Deyou finally understood Zheng Yuan’s despair from before. Pacing the room, he gnashed his teeth in anger.

 

Why didn’t Zheng Yuan finish off that Lu fellow back then? If he had, Feng wouldn’t be struggling like this now!

 

But it was too late. Even if he had the guts, he wouldn’t dare touch Lu Yao now. With the backing of  Prince Zhenbei, harming Lu Yao would be his own death sentence.

 

He needed another plan!

 

Feng Deyou suddenly stopped, an idea forming. If Tian Shui Pavilion could attract customers with dancers and singers, why couldn’t they do the same?

 

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. The next day, he sent his steward to the slave market to buy ten or so attractive women and young men. After a month of training, he introduced them to the restaurant.

 

On their debut day, several regular customers arrived. Midway through their meal, Feng Deyou clapped his hands, promising them a surprise.

 

Seven or eight beautiful women, dressed in sheer garments, danced in the hall.

 

But instead of enjoying the show, the customers frowned, watched briefly, and then left.

 

Feng Deyou hurried after them. “Master Wang, Master Zhao, was the food not to your liking today?”

 

One of them replied, “We came here to drink, not visit a brothel. If my husband hears about this, there’ll be trouble. Forget it, we’re not coming back.”