Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 140

Chapter 140

 

Changhe Ju was located in Xifang. There was no curfew in the captial, and restaurants stayed open until around the hour of Xu (7-9 p.m.).

 

When they arrived, it was just in time for the restaurant’s peak hours. Lanterns lit up the night, and the entire street was illuminated more brightly than during the day, making it seem even livelier.

 

Four or five carriages were parked outside the restaurant, and people dressed in luxurious brocade robes stepped down from the carriages or palanquins.

 

The coachmen parked the carriages, and the four of them got out one by one. A restaurant attendant came forward to help drive the carriage into the backyard. Lu Yao looked up at the three-story Changhe Ju restaurant. Its large signboard was carved with a lotus flower, reflecting the name of the establishment.

 

Ma Kuan whispered beside him, “The owner of Changhe Ju is from Jiangnan, and the food here mainly features southern cuisine. I wonder if it will suit sister-in-law’s taste.”

 

“It’s fine. I’ve been wanting to eat something light lately.”

 

As they stepped into the restaurant, an attendant immediately greeted them. “How many of you, dear guests? Do you have a reservation?”

 

Ma Kuan replied, “Four of us. No reservation. Are there any private rooms available upstairs?”

 

“Please wait a moment, dear guests. I’ll check for you.”

 

The attendant went to the front desk to inquire and returned shortly. “There’s one private room left on the third floor. Please follow me.”

 

Lu Yao glanced around the main hall. Though Changhe Ju looked grand from the outside, the interior wasn’t very spacious, not even as roomy as their own family’s restaurant. The main hall on the first floor had only six square tables, each accommodating six to eight people, and there weren’t even screens to divide the space.

 

Following the attendant upstairs, they found the staircase narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and it creaked underfoot.

 

On the third floor, the attendant opened the innermost room, lit a few lamps inside, and said, “Please have a seat, dear guests. I’ll bring tea right away.”

 

Zhao Beichuan pulled out a chair for Lu Yao, ensuring she sat down first. Zhao Beidou and Ma Kuan also took their seats.

 

Zhao Beidou looked around and remarked, “This doesn’t compare to our family’s restaurant. The private room is way too small.”

 

Lu Yao nodded. “Perhaps land prices are too high in the captial. It’s already remarkable to have a space this size. By the way, Ah Kuan, I heard you acquired a restaurant?”

 

“Yes, I was just about to tell you. The restaurant we bought is right across the street. You should be able to see it from here.” He got up, opened the window, and a cold breeze made everyone shiver.

 

Following his pointed direction, they saw a dark shop not far away, also three stories tall, though its interior was unclear.

 

After they finished looking, Ma Kuan closed the window and said, “That restaurant was originally called Changle Restaurant. It belonged to the family of a Deputy Minister of the Central Secretariat. This year, he offended the imperial family and was demoted to Lingzhou. To gather funds for bribes, he sold off his family assets.”

 

“The restaurant was initially priced very high. I heard they wanted 20,000 taels of silver at first. Later, it didn’t sell and they lowered the price. In the end, I bought it for 17,000 taels.” He paused before continuing, “By coincidence, the house we bought also belonged to that family. The courtyard and the restaurant together cost 30,000 taels.”

 

Lu Yao said, “You didn’t have enough money, did you?”

 

“Yes, but fortunately, I met Boss Feng, a liquor merchant from Suzhou. He ordered 30,000 jin of Lu Wine from us and paid 20,000 taels in advance. I decided on my own to buy both the restaurant and the courtyard. I hope big brother and sister-in-law don’t mind.”

 

“Of course not. I’m thrilled! When I got your letter, I was worried sick at home, regretting not giving you more silver at the time.”

 

Ma Kuan chuckled. “It was just a stroke of luck. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to buy the restaurant. Although its location isn’t as good as here, it’s much more spacious than Changhe Ju. You can visit tomorrow to see it yourself.”

 

“Sure!”

 

As they talked, the attendant brought hot tea and a menu, which was elegantly made—a piece of embroidered silk with a painting. The painting displayed 16 dishes for guests to choose from.

 

Lu Yao ordered their signature steamed perch, lotus blossom pastry, lotus leaf rolls, crab roe stew, steamed pork, and a specialty lotus leaf cake as the main dish.

 

The attendant asked if they wanted wine. Initially, Lu Yao declined, but she noticed Lu Wine listed on the menu. “Is this Lu Wine from Pingzhou?”

 

“Yes, it’s authentic Lu Wine from Pingzhou. Would you like a pot?”

 

“Bring us one.”

 

“Certainly. Please wait while your food is prepared.”

 

After the attendant left, Lu Yao said, “I thought our winery didn’t supply the captial.”

 

Ma Kuan nodded. “That’s right. Speaking of which, I remember that two years ago, when I came to the captial to negotiate cooperation with several restaurants, they all looked down on our Lu Wine and didn’t want to try it. Later, the the captial Merchants’ Association issued a notice, so we had no choice but to withdraw from the captial and expand to other provinces.”

 

Lu Yao was curious about the Merchants’ Association. “Does it have that much power?”

 

Ma Kuan replied seriously, “Extremely. Now that we’ve acquired a restaurant, it’s best to meet the president of the association and build a good relationship with them; otherwise, we’ll face endless troubles.”

 

“I understand,” Lu Yao said. He wasn’t afraid of trouble, just worried about not finding the right people despite having silver in hand.

 

About a quarter of an hour later, the attendant brought their dishes, explaining each one as he placed it on the table. The dishes looked presentable, but the taste remained to be seen.

 

The warmed Lu Wine was also served. When the attendant offered to pour, Lu Yao declined. “No need. We’ll pour it ourselves.”

 

“Of course. I’ll wait outside. Let me know if you need anything.” The attendant closed the door considerately.

 

Lu Yao picked up some fish belly with his chopsticks and placed it in Zhao Beichuan’s bowl. “Try it. How does it taste?”

 

“You eat first. I can serve myself.”

 

Lu Yao took a bite. The flavor wasn’t bad, but it was just mediocre.

 

The steamed fish had few seasonings, preserving its original taste. Compared to braised fish, it was much lighter in flavor and likely unappealing to those unaccustomed to it.

 

As expected, Zhao Beichuan didn’t enjoy it much. “There’s no taste. Not as good as my cooking.”

 

Lu Yao laughed. “That’s just how they make it. I heard that southern cuisine is lighter, unlike the heavier flavors we prefer in the north.”

 

Zhao Beidou wasn’t a fan either, though Ma Kuan seemed fine with it. He was always diplomatic and never said anything offensive.

 

The lotus leaf roll, with meat wrapped in lotus leaves and fried, combined the fragrance of the leaves with the meat’s natural flavor. This dish suited their tastes better.

 

The lotus blossom pastry, a sweet dessert, wasn’t to Lu Yao’s liking, so he only had one bite. The best dish was the crab roe stew, made with crab roe, crab meat, scallions, and ginger, steamed to perfection with a fresh and savory taste.

 

However, crab was considered too cooling, so Lu Yao, being pregnant, dared not eat much.

 

The steamed pork was similar to the Pingzhou recipe. Overall, the meal was mediocre and lacked standout features.

 

Lu Yao noticed that in this era, most dishes were prepared by steaming, boiling, stewing, or frying, with rare use of stir-frying, roasting, or pan-frying. This resulted in similar flavors and lacked the refreshing tastes of stir-fried dishes from their own kitchen.

 

After a few bites of the main dish, Lu Yao poured a little Lu Wine for each of the three. “Try it. Does it taste like our wine?”

 

Zhao Beichuan took a sip and frowned immediately. “It’s different. Not as good.”

 

Ma Kuan agreed. “This isn’t our wine. It’s likely an imitation.”

 

Lu Yao chuckled. “That’s even better. It’s time to let the people of the captial see what real Lu Wine tastes like.”

 

After their meal, Zhao Beichuan paid the bill, and it cost 27 taels of silver.

 

Sitting in the carriage afterward, he was still stunned. “How can such a small meal cost over 20 taels? Is the captial’s money different from Pingzhou’s?”

 

Lu Yao replied, “The price is reasonable. Perch is expensive, costing three to four taels per fish. The Lu Wine was listed at ten taels a pot. Adding the other dishes, it’s about right at 27 taels.”

 

“I wouldn’t pay seven taels for this meal, let alone 27!” Zhao Beichuan exclaimed.

 

Ma Kuan laughed. “I’ve heard that at Heyan Zhai, meals can cost up to 100 taels.”

 

“Everything is expensive in the captial. A simple meal at a street food stall cost us more than two taels the other day,” Zhao Beidou added.

 

Lu Yao remained silent, lightly pinching his fingers as he fell into thought. Opening a restaurant in the captial was highly profitable, but only if they could establish ties with the Merchants’ Association.

 

At the moment, they were new to the captial and didn’t know anyone, so they had to plan carefully.

 

–

 

Early the next morning, Lu Yao, Zhao Beichuan, and Zhao Beidou brought gifts to visit the Lin family.

 

Last time he came, Zhao Beidou didn’t meet Madam Lin. This time, because of Lu Yao’s arrival, not only did he meet Madam Lin but also saw the young woman Zhang, mentioned by Lin Zijian.

 

Normally, a concubine shouldn’t meet with outsiders, but for some reason, Master Lin had allowed this young woman to start managing the household affairs.

 

Even Lu Yao was startled by the disorder in the Lin family, and he looked at Madam Lin with a concerned expression.

 

Madam Lin, however, acted as though she hadn’t noticed and took Lu Yao’s hand warmly, saying, “I was ill a few days ago and didn’t come out to meet when Beidou visited. I didn’t expect you to come as well. This is such a pleasant surprise.”

 

Lu Yao said, “The imperial exams are coming up soon. We were worried about Beidou being alone in the capital, so we decided to come along.”

 

“Come in quickly,” Madam Lin said enthusiastically, pulling him into the main house, while Zhao Beidou and Zhao Beichuan followed Master Lin and Lin Zijian to the front hall for a chat.

 

Once inside, Lu Yao asked with some concern, “Madam, are you all right?”

 

Madam Lin’s eyes reddened slightly, but she forced a smile and said, “What could be wrong?”

 

Lu Yao dared not delve into her family matters, so he only exchanged a few casual remarks and inquired about the health of the old master.

 

“We came in a rush this time and didn’t have time to prepare anything special, but I brought you a string of Southern pearls. I hope you’ll like them.”

 

In this era, pearls were extremely valuable due to their natural origin. Without professional diving equipment, harvesting pearls was very challenging. A single smooth, round pearl fetched dozens of taels of silver, and the price increased significantly with size and uniformity.

 

The string of pearls Lu Yao gifted to Madam Lin consisted of 26 round pearls, each the size of a fingernail, worth nearly a thousand taels of silver. It was a worthy reciprocation for the hairpin gifted years ago.

 

“There’s no need to buy something so expensive,” Madam Lin said, feigning disapproval of the cost. However, her face lit up with genuine delight, as no woman could resist such treasures.

 

Lu Yao replied, “I’ve been far away these past few years, and my business has kept me busy. I should have come to visit you sooner. Back in Qiushui Town, without the old master’s help, Beidou wouldn’t have been able to embark on this path.”

 

“That was thanks to Beidou’s own efforts. You don’t need to be so formal,” Madam Lin said.

 

The two chatted idly for a while. Then a servant informed them that the old master was awake, so Lu Yao got up, intending to pay his respects.

 

By coincidence, Lin Zijian, Zhao Beichuan, and Zhao Beidou were also heading to the rear courtyard, so they all went together.

 

Lin Jingxian still remembered Lu Yao. After observing him for a moment, he remarked, “I still think about the sweets you made, young man. When you have time, make some for this old man again.”

 

Lu Yao smiled and said, “I’d be delighted to! We’re planning to open a confectionery shop here in the capital. When it’s ready, you must come and honor us with your presence.”

 

Lin Jingxian chuckled and nodded. “Good, good! I will definitely come!”

 

Hearing that he was opening a shop in the capital, Madam Lin couldn’t help but ask a few more questions. “Have you decided on a location? Where will it be?”

 

Lu Yao replied, “We’ve secured a shop, but it’s not yet renovated. I’ve also heard that doing business in the capital requires approval from the merchant guild, but I’m not very familiar with the process. I’ll be looking into it over the next few days.”

 

Madam Lin hesitated briefly before saying, “I happen to know something about the merchant guild. If it’s convenient, we can arrange a time, and I can introduce you to someone.” Madam Lin had a few friends from noble families involved in trade who were knowledgeable about the guild.

 

Lu Yao was delighted. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, Madam!”

 

Madam Lin waved her hand. “No need to be so formal. It’s not a big deal.”

 

At noon, Madam Lin invited them to stay for a meal, but Lu Yao declined, citing the unsettled state of his household. Given the Lin family’s peculiar situation, it was indeed awkward to linger too long.

 

After the Zhao family left, Madam Lin stood in the courtyard and saw some servants moving the gifts brought by Lu Yao and the others.

 

“Wait, where are you taking these things?”

 

“Madam, the young mistress Zhang instructed us to move these to the storeroom at the back so they can be used as return gifts by the master,” the servant replied.

 

Madam Lin sneered, “These were prepared for the old master, and she dares to claim them for herself?”

 

The servant hesitated, holding the box, not knowing whether to proceed or stop.

 

Madam Lin stepped forward to inspect the items. “Send the tea leaves and Lu wine to the old master’s courtyard, and bring the box with the pearl necklace to my room. As for the rest, do as you please.”

 

“But… but the pearl necklace has already been taken by the young mistress Zhang…”

 

It had been a long time since Madam Lin had visited the young mistress’s quarters, but today, something ignited her fury, and she marched there with her maidservant.

 

When she arrived, she found Zhang admiring the pearl necklace, pondering which outfit it would complement best.

 

Madam Lin’s maidservant stepped forward and snatched it away. “Shameless wretch! How dare you secretly take the Madam’s gift?”

 

If Lu Yao hadn’t mentioned the necklace earlier, Madam Lin might never have known such an expensive gift had been delivered.

 

Zhang’s expression turned grim. “You’re overreacting, sister. It’s just a pearl necklace. Is it worth making such a fuss?” She signaled her maid to fetch Master Lin immediately.

 

In the past, Madam Lin had been lenient to maintain appearances. But now, having lost faith in her husband, she slapped Zhang without hesitation.

 

“You—what are you doing?!”

 

Madam Lin didn’t respond and slapped her again, leaving Zhang’s cheeks swollen and red.

 

Hearing the commotion, Master Lin hurried over. “Shufang, what are you doing? Why are you humiliating Ah Yue again?”

 

Zhang ran to Master Lin, covering her face and crying pitifully. “I didn’t know the necklace was meant for her. I just thought it was pretty and wanted to try it on. Madam, you could have just asked instead of making such a scene…”

 

Madam Lin scoffed. “You didn’t know? Who do you think you are? Do you think anyone would give you a gift like this? Look at yourself and see if you’re worthy of this necklace.”

 

Zhang, originally a gift from someone to Master Lin as a concubine, was of low status. Her face turned pale at these words, and she burst into tears.

 

Master Lin was furious and raised his hand to hit Madam Lin.

 

Just then, Lin Zijian, having heard the commotion, rushed over. Seeing his father shielding that vile woman while bullying his mother, he was instantly enraged. “What are you doing?!”

 

“Zijian, why are you here?” Madam Lin didn’t want her son to be affected by such matters and tried to push him away.

 

“You two collude to bully my mother—do you think I’m dead?!”

 

Master Lin roared, “You ungrateful wretch! Watch your words. If your mother hadn’t come looking for trouble, who would have bothered her?”

 

Madam Lin sneered at the pair of scoundrels. “I know you don’t want to deal with me. Do you think I want to see you? Don’t worry. Once Zijian finishes his exams, we’ll cut ties and never see each other again!”

 

Master Lin was momentarily stunned. “What do you mean by that?”

 

Lin Zijian, his eyes red with fury, said, “I’ve decided that once the exams are over, I’ll take my mother to another region for my appointment. From then on, we won’t have any contact with you.”

 

Master Lin released his concubine and stared at his son in disbelief. “Zijian, there’s no need for this. What’s between your mother and me has nothing to do with you.”

 

Madam Lin sneered. “How could it not? Who doesn’t know how you favor your concubine and neglect your wife? If Zijian stays in the capital, how could he marry into a decent family? If you had even an ounce of consideration for him, you wouldn’t have done such disgraceful things.”

 

Lin Zijian glared at his father and that vile woman with hatred, then pulled his mother away.

 

“Master…” Zhang sensed something was wrong and called out softly.

 

“Get lost!” Master Lin didn’t even look at her and left in a huff.

 

-idk why people like this man get shocked hearing the consequences of their own actions