Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 93

Chapter 93

 

Early the next morning, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan drove a mule cart to the old estate, bringing along two dan of millet and eight dan of sorghum.

 

The millet was for the slaves to eat, while the sorghum was for brewing wine.

 

Yesterday, Lu Yao had noticed that the side house had a kitchen. The stove and clay pot were still usable, so the slaves could cook for themselves from now on.

 

When they arrived, the slaves were already up and cleaning the courtyard on their own initiative. Upon seeing their masters, they quickly ran over to carry the grain into the yard.

 

“Lu Shiliu.”

 

“Here, Master.” A square-faced, dark-skinned man bent over and stepped forward. He was about the same age as Zhao Beichuan but half a head shorter. Yesterday, he had volunteered to help clean up the corpse.

 

The fact that he dared to step forward before his master suggested that he was ambitious. If properly trained, he could become a capable assistant in the future.

 

Right now, Lu Yao lacked precisely such a person. Running the distillery on his own was too overwhelming, so he needed a manager to help.

 

“What did you do yesterday? Tell me.”

 

Lu Shiliu cleared his throat and answered clearly, “Reporting to Master, yesterday we cleared the weeds from the front and middle courtyards, piled the wood in the western woodshed for future firewood, and cleaned out the two wells in the yard.”

 

Lu Yao nodded. “Not bad.”

 

Receiving the praise, Lu Shiliu’s face showed a trace of a smile. Being young, he still didn’t know how to conceal his emotions.

 

Soon, the other slaves finished arranging the grain and came over to stand in a line.

 

Lu Yao asked, “Is there anyone among you who knows how to cook?”

 

Lu Bing nervously raised his hand. “This lowly one has helped in the kitchen before and knows how to cook simple meals.”

 

“Good. From now on, the cooking will be your responsibility. Three meals a day, you decide the arrangements.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“The meal times will be at mao, wu, and you hours. You can rest during the late you hour. For now, two people will sort the sorghum—make sure it’s thoroughly cleaned. The other three will continue cleaning the courtyard. As for how the work is divided, I’ll leave that to Lu Shiliu.”

 

Lu Shiliu’s eyes lit up as he quickly bowed in acknowledgment.

 

Lu Yao then took out two strings of coins from his pocket and handed them to him. “This money is for buying vegetables and other food. Every ten days, you can collect two strings from me. No matter how much is spent, you must inform me.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“Yesterday was rushed, so I didn’t explain much to you.”

 

The slaves shuddered when they heard this, immediately lowering their bodies further, knowing a lecture was coming.

 

“Madam Jiang gave you to me. From now on, you are part of the Lu family. Do your work well, and there will be rewards. As long as you are diligent, I will not mistreat you.”

 

Lu Yao swept his gaze over them and continued, “Of course, if anyone betrays their master or acts dishonestly, I won’t show mercy. Anyone caught will be beaten to death and buried!”

 

Lu Yao had no intention of actually killing anyone. The threat was meant to intimidate them; at most, he would sell any troublemakers.

 

However, the slaves didn’t know this. They had grown up believing that their masters held the power of life and death over them. Terrified, they all trembled and knelt down, hastily saying, “We dare not, Master!”

 

“All right, get up and get to work.”

 

After the lecture, Lu Yao called Lu Shiliu aside. “Do you know why I kept you here?”

 

Lu Shiliu knelt on the ground and kowtowed. “It is an honor that Master sees value in me.”

 

“Stand up. Who did you serve before?”

 

Lu Shiliu answered truthfully, “I previously worked in the prefect’s mansion but fell out of favor after offending the steward of the outer courtyard, so I was sent to you.”

 

Lu Yao patted his shoulder. “Do a good job and help me manage these people.”

 

Lu Shiliu’s face flushed with excitement as he eagerly nodded. “Yes, Master!”

 

When they left the estate, Zhao Beichuan couldn’t help but comment, “The aura you had just now was truly intimidating. Even I was startled.”

 

Lu Yao held out his hand to show him. “I was faking it—my palms are all sweaty.”

 

Zhao Beichuan grabbed his hand and said, “Even faking it takes skill. If it were me, I’d probably start laughing before I finished a sentence.”

 

Lu Yao chuckled. “Ah, what choice do we have? We’re just ordinary folk, suddenly turned into masters. It’s nerve-wracking, constantly worrying about not being able to control them and ending up bullied by our own slaves.”

 

“Don’t worry. If anyone disobeys, I’ll smack them so hard they’ll fall in line!”

 

Lu Yao laughed. “That might actually work. One good slap, and even the stubborn ones will listen.”

 

As they drove past the West Market, they took the opportunity to buy vegetables for the day.

 

The weather was getting cooler, and fresh vegetables were becoming scarce. Cucumbers were now end-of-season leftovers, dry and lacking moisture, reducing the variety of cold dishes.

 

Lu Yao noticed dried vegetables for sale and bought ten jin of sun-dried bitter greens. These could be soaked in water to make fresh-tasting cold dishes during winter.

 

He also bought 300 jin of cabbage and 100 jin of radishes, planning to make pickled vegetables and dried radishes. Later, he’d purchase two pigs to make cured meat and sausages, ensuring more variety during the winter.

 

When they returned to the shop, Xiao Nian and Xiao Chun had already tidied up the house.

 

The two children were becoming more obedient as they grew older. Xiao Chun, though newly adopted, proved to be a hardworking and diligent boy, his efforts nearly matching those of an adult.

 

Lu Yao often worried he might overwork himself and tried to dissuade him.

 

Xiao Chun would always reply cheerfully, “Sister-in-law, I’m not tired at all. Back home, the work was much harder. I’m happy to do whatever I can to stay with you.”

 

Zhao Beichuan was also fond of him and had recently started teaching him cooking skills in earnest.

 

Meanwhile, Xiao Nian continued learning accounting and bookkeeping from Lu Yao. Having suffered the setbacks of illiteracy, he was now painstakingly learning to read and write from scratch.

 

Lu Yao decided to include Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Fengchun in the lessons. After all, teaching one was the same as teaching three. The more they learned, the better it would be for everyone in the future.

 

Time flew, and by October, the weather had turned colder.

 

This morning, frost covered the grass on the ground, and every breath exhaled a white mist.

 

Lu Yao had ten sets of cotton-padded clothes made at a tailor shop and delivered them.

 

Five of the coarse cloth garments were for the slaves working at the brewery, while the remaining five finer cloth ones were for his own family.

 

The three children were growing so fast that their clothes from last year were now half a size too short. In the past, Lu Yao had time to personally make clothes for them, but now he was so busy that he barely had a moment to spare. Every day, after closing the restaurant, he had to rush to the brewery. By the time he returned home, it was dark, and after eating dinner, all he wanted to do was sleep.

 

The brewery was now fully organized. Lu Yao had a signboard made, engraved with the four large characters “Lu Family Brewery,” and hung it above the entrance.

 

The decorative rockery and screen in the courtyard had been flattened, creating an open space.

 

The side rooms were used to store wine vats, while the central hall was converted to hold three large stoves for cooking grain and brewing wine. Additionally, thirty large ceramic vats were purchased. Setting up the brewery alone cost Lu Yao nearly a hundred taels of silver.

 

The second batch of sorghum wine was nearly ready, requiring just five or six more days of fermentation. Due to the cold weather, Lu Yao had extended the brewing time slightly. This time, they brewed a total of thirty vats, which could yield over 2,000 catties of wine, just like the previous batch!

 

Out of this, 70% would be supplied to Golden Jade Pavilion, leaving 600 to 700 catties for Lu Yao’s use. At two taels of silver per catty, this batch alone could bring in over 1,000 taels of silver! After deducting costs, the profit would still exceed 900 taels, a staggering return.

 

For the past few days, Lu Yao visited the brewery daily to check on the fermentation process. Once this batch was complete, the slaves could help at the restaurant, lightening his workload significantly.

 

In the afternoon, after closing the restaurant, Zhao Beichuan accompanied Lu Yao to deliver the cotton-padded clothes to the brewery workers. The group clutched the garments in their hands, overwhelmed with gratitude. They couldn’t find the words to express their thanks, so they knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

 

Never before had they worn cotton-padded clothes. In previous winters, they could only layer two thin garments together, shivering in the cold and covered in sores. Now, they had met such a benevolent master, leaving them feeling both thankful and anxious.

 

After Lu Yao left, Lu Shi’s gaze hardened as he addressed the others, “Getting into the Lu family wasn’t easy. If anyone dares to betray the master, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”

 

Lu Jia didn’t take kindly to this. “What’s that supposed to mean? We’re all working for the master. Who are you to speak to us like that?”

 

“Exactly!” The others had already been dissatisfied with Lu Shi. They were all slaves; what made him think he was better than them? Always currying favor with the master, as if nobody could see through his schemes.

 

Though they all came from the state governor’s residence, they had rarely interacted with one another before and certainly didn’t feel the need to respect Lu Shi.

 

Lu Shi pretended not to hear their grumbles but shot a pointed glance at Lu Bing. The latter was in charge of food preparation and the purchase of daily supplies, often running errands outside.

 

“Some people, I’m afraid, are eyeing other opportunities while eating at our table,” Lu Shi said.

 

Lu Bing kept his head down, not daring to respond. A few days ago, while out buying vegetables, someone had approached him, offering fifty taels of silver in exchange for the recipe for Lu Family’s wine.

 

Though he had been too scared to accept the offer, the thought lingered, tempting him. Now, hearing Lu Shi’s veiled remark, his fear surged anew.

 

Lu Shi continued, “We all know how difficult life was before. I’m not saying this to pick a fight. If someone wants to court disaster, that’s their business. Just don’t drag the rest of us down.”

 

Lu Jia fell silent. As low-ranking slaves, they had endured harsh conditions—long hours of hard labor, frequent beatings, and insufficient food—while being exploited by their overseers.

 

Now, they no longer faced beatings, and they were warm and well-fed. Nobody wanted to lose this hard-won peace. If anyone jeopardized their situation, the group wouldn’t let it slide.

 

—

 

By the end of October, the wine was finally distilled. As agreed, 70% of the first completed batch was delivered to Golden Jade Pavilion.

 

This time, thanks to sufficient brewing time, the wine’s flavor was even richer than the previous batch. Upon its release, it quickly became Golden Jade Pavilion’s signature product.

 

Jiang Ying didn’t change the wine’s name, keeping it “Lu Wine,” as the brand had already gained a reputation across Pingzhou. This allowed her to attract even more customers.

 

At Golden Jade Pavilion, the wine wasn’t sold in loose measures but was packaged in five-catty ceramic jars, priced at ten taels of silver per jar.

 

Meanwhile, at the Lu Family Restaurant, the wine was sold in loose measures at two taels of silver per jug.

 

The division was clear: Golden Jade Pavilion targeted the high-end market, attracting wealthy and influential patrons, while the Lu Family Restaurant catered to everyday people, offering an affordable option.

 

Together, the two establishments captured nearly 70% of the market in the city.

 

This success, however, left Quan Fu Restaurant feeling uneasy.

 

Quan Fu’s manager, Feng Deyou, came from a family with a long history of winemaking. His grandfather had established Quan Fu Restaurant seventy years ago, and after three generations of hard work, they had firmly established themselves in Pingzhou.

 

Yet, to his dismay, the sudden rise of Lu Wine had siphoned away half of their customers. Even their loyal patrons claimed Quan Fu’s wine couldn’t compare to Lu Wine.

 

Initially, Feng Deyou dismissed Lu Wine as an insignificant competitor. After all, his family had been brewing for a century. How could an upstart rival their expertise?

 

But as the customer losses grew, he became increasingly alarmed. He discreetly purchased a jug of Lu Wine for tasting, and just one sip was enough to chill him to the bone.

 

No wonder the old patrons had switched to Lu Wine—its flavor was extraordinary!

 

However, no matter how good the wine was, if it wasn’t his own, it was a threat. He had witnessed Ya Zhai Ju’s decline and feared Quan Fu Restaurant might follow the same path.

 

“No, I won’t let that happen,” Feng Deyou resolved.

 

Just then, the manager of Ya Zhai Ju, Zheng Yuan, paid him an unexpected visit.

 

“Manager, Zheng from Ya Zhai Ju is here to see you.”

 

“What’s he here for? Let him in.”

 

“Yes.”

 

In just a moment, Zheng Yuan hurried in. At the sight of him, Feng Deyou was taken aback. Zheng’s face was swollen, his eyes bruised, and his lips pale. He looked like a shadow of his former self.

 

“Zheng, what happened to you?”

 

“Ah, what else could it be? Stress!” Ever since Zheng started revising his restaurant’s menu, business had plummeted. He had already let go of four staff members and two chefs, barely managing to keep the establishment running. If things continued this way, closure seemed inevitable.

 

“That Lu Family Restaurant is too much! First, they targeted me with their dishes, and now they’re using Lu Wine to push you out. If we don’t take action, both our businesses will be ruined!”

 

Feng Deyou calmly sipped his tea, showing no reaction.

 

Zheng Yuan grew agitated. “Brother Feng, how can you stay so calm at a time like this?”

 

“Take a seat. Panicking won’t solve anything. Now that they’re backed by Golden Jade Pavilion, we must carefully consider whether we can afford to provoke Madam Jiang.”

 

Zheng Yuan grew increasingly frustrated. He had hesitated to act earlier due to fears of the Liang family’s involvement, only to later discover that the Lu Family had no real connection to them.

 

Unfortunately, the chance to act had passed, and now he lacked the power to challenge them. Seeking Feng Deyou’s cooperation was his only option to bring down the Lu Family Restaurant.

 

“If you ask me, we should secretly tamper with their wine. Once people get sick, their reputation will crumble!”

 

Feng Deyou shook his head. “No, we can’t touch their wine. That would affect Golden Jade Pavilion’s interests, and Madam Jiang won’t let it slide. We need to target the Lu Family Restaurant’s owner directly.”

 

“Lu Yao?”

 

“Previously, I underestimated him, thinking how capable could a young man possibly be. He truly exceeded expectations.”

 

Zheng Yuan nodded in agreement. “Exactly, the dishes his family came up with, I’ve never even heard of them before.”

 

Feng Deyou’s eyes turned dark and malicious. “Lu Yao is the backbone of this Lu Family Restaurant. If we can find a way to make him disappear… the rest will collapse like scattered monkeys from a fallen tree. Nothing to fear then.”

 

Excitement gleamed in Zheng Yuan’s eyes. “The older, the wiser! I’m impressed, truly impressed!”

 

“Still, this must be done quietly. No matter what, they have ties to the Cao family and the military camp. If things get messy, we’ll all be in serious trouble.”

 

“Don’t worry!”

 

The two exchanged a glance, seeing the shared ambition and satisfaction reflected in each other’s eyes.

 

Finally, they decided that Zheng Yuan would carry out the plan, with Feng Deyou lending him a thousand taels of silver to make the necessary arrangements. The two men were now completely tied to the same scheme.

 

—

 

At this time, Lu Yao had no idea that a plot against him was about to unfold.

 

As usual, early in the morning, he made his way to the distillery. The thirty vats of liquor were almost fully distilled, with most of it already delivered to Jin Yu Tower, leaving only what was for their own use.

 

Today, the last three vats remained. Lu Yao decided to leave three workers at the distillery to finish the process, while he took two others with him to help out at the restaurant.

 

He called Lu Shiliu and Lu Yi to accompany him to the western market to buy groceries. Meat was, of course, essential—dozens of catties were purchased every day. Now that the weather was cooler, even if there were leftovers, it wouldn’t spoil.

 

During the shopping, it was obvious that one was carefully observing and learning, while the other kept his head down and simply carried the goods.

 

In his heart, Lu Yao placed more value on Lu Shiliu.

 

Once the shopping was done, the two were tasked with helping in the back kitchen: washing and sorting vegetables and preparing the cabbages bought a few days earlier for pickling.

 

Both worked efficiently, though a bit rough around the edges. Lu Yao reminded them to pay attention to hygiene—food items should not be casually placed on the ground, and any damaged or worm-eaten leaves had to be completely removed.

 

After a busy morning, over three hundred catties of cabbage were cleaned, placed into large ceramic vats, and salted. In two months, they would be ready to eat.

 

Winter offered few fresh vegetables, and these pickled cabbages would be a great addition to the table.

 

At noon, Lu Yao invited the two to eat a meal with them, but Lu Shiliu and Lu Yi refused to sit at the table, instead crouching in the backyard with their bowls of food.

 

Watching them, Xiao Chun felt a strange pang in his heart. If it weren’t for meeting Brother and Sister-in-law back then, he might have been in the same situation as them now…

 

By evening, when the shop closed, Lu Yao sent the two slaves back first.

 

Xiao Nian and Xiao Chun also headed home, while Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan stayed behind to clean the kitchen and lock up the doors and windows before leaving.

 

The short days and long nights of late autumn meant the sky was already dark before the hour of You (around 5-7 PM).

 

Walking hand in hand, Zhao Beichuan and Lu Yao strolled leisurely home.

 

“In a while, when it gets colder, I’ll have a few copper pots made by the blacksmith. We’ll sell hotpot.”

 

“What’s hotpot?”

 

Lu Yao gestured as he explained. “It’s a copper pot placed over a conical stove filled with burning charcoal. The pot is filled with hot water, and you dip thinly sliced pork, lamb, tripe, and other ingredients into the boiling water to cook them briefly before dipping them in sesame paste and garlic sauce. The taste is incredible!”

 

Zhao Beichuan’s mouth watered just hearing it. “Is this also something from where you’re from?”

 

“Yes, during the cold season, dipping into a hotpot of lamb is unbeatable for warmth!”

 

“Alright, tomorrow I’ll go to the blacksmith and ask if they can make the pots you described.”

 

As they turned the corner onto Changshui Street, Lu Yao sensed something unusual. Lowering his voice, he whispered, “I feel like someone’s following us.”

 

Zhao Beichuan turned his head and spotted three figures trailing about ten meters behind in the dim evening light.

 

“Yes, someone’s definitely following us.”

 

“I’ve been feeling my right eyelid twitching these past few days—so this is what it was about. Be careful, don’t get hurt.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Zhao Beichuan flexed his wrists. If someone came looking for trouble, it would be rude not to “greet” them properly.