Chapter 110

The mealtime had passed, but Chen Wuji's stir-frying was still not finished.

Just now, the waiter brought in another ten orders.

But Chen Wuji really couldn't take it anymore.

Having an injured person keep doing this is really draining.

"Someone, go call Shopkeeper Li." Chen Wuji said to those around him.

Shortly after, the shopkeeper of Four-Part Tea House came in with an embarrassed smile.

He immediately began applying the Soothing Great Method to Chen Wuji, saying, "Brother, I'm really sorry; I never expected so many people to come all at once—this is completely beyond my expectation. Please bear with it and work a bit harder."

"I can't do this; with my wound, flipping the pot and wielding the knife are no different. The mealtime is over—where did all these customers suddenly come from?" Chen Wuji asked.

Shopkeeper Li sighed, "To be frank, those who can afford to eat at our place are not short of silver. These people today first tried stir-frying, this novel way of eating, found it tasty and fun, so they sent people to invite their friends; now all the private rooms are full, and they all want stir-fried dishes to go with alcohol."

Private rooms are the elegant booths inside the tea house.

Chen Wuji gave Shopkeeper Li a listless glance, "Like this, let your cooks take over; I'll just watch from the side—they've been watching this long, they probably already know it pretty well."

"Shopkeeper Li, you're benevolent, but I'm doing fine too—if you keep making me stir-fry, I think you're trying to kill me!"

"No problem, no problem!" Shopkeeper Li quickly agreed, then shouted, "Someone, quickly show Mr. Chen to a seat, serve tea, and attend to him well."

After giving the order, he again put on an embarrassed smile and said to Chen Wuji, "Sir, you've worked hard; keep an eye on things a bit longer—I'll go attend to those esteemed guests out front."

"Hmm." Chen Wuji nodded.

This shopkeeper is also a smooth-talker who makes a living from all sides.

If Chen Wuji remembers correctly, in just this short while this guy has already switched his address three times, and now he even uses "Mr."

This title isn't something just anyone can enjoy; it's usually reserved for those of high virtue and prestige.

For example, the well-known Mr. Zhuge Liang.

Chen Bushi saw the situation and joked, "You really are taking it easy, huh."

"I'm not taking it easy at all—my wound's about to burst, and you think cooking is fun!" Chen Wuji said speechlessly, "By the way, Wuji, go to the blacksmith's and fetch the pot Shopkeeper Li asked for."

"Brother Wuji, Qun-ge and the others are still outside—what should we do?" Wuji asked.

Chen Wuji felt a moment of daze, patted his forehead, "Damn, I forgot to tell them. Let them leave the pot and hurry to eat—what time is it now? The three of us will eat here later; let these head cooks casually arrange something for us."

I was almost overwhelmed by work, forgetting I still have apprentices outside.

Got it, Brother Wuji.

Wuji responded with a sound and jogged out of the back kitchen.

Chen Wuji watched the cooks of Four-Part Tea House stir-fry a few dishes, tasted them himself, found no problem, and stopped watching.

The flavor is already about eighty percent there.

The remaining twenty percent isn't due to any mistaken step, but because of the person.

The same dish, with identical steps, can turn out different when made by different people.

This has a touch of the supernatural, unrelated to teaching.

The cooks have basically finished their apprenticeship, and Chen Wuji can finally rest.

He had Shopkeeper Li prepare a few simple dishes for them, then went to the front hall.

Chen Wuji had thought Qian Fugui would have left long ago, unable to wait, but to his surprise the man was still seated there, with a veiled maiden beside him, plucking a tune.

This old man was eating vinegar-soaked peanuts, swaying his head to the music, looking extremely leisurely.

"Brother, you really made me wait a good while." Qian Fugui rose and personally pulled out a stool for Chen Wuji.

"Sorry for the wait, sorry for the wait." Chen Wuji bowed and apologized.

"I also didn't expect that just stir-frying a few dishes for you would turn out like this, but since we agreed on the deal, we must see it through to the end."

"That's only right; I can wait a bit longer." Qian Fugui said, giving the singing woman a tip.

In taverns and tea houses, singing for a living is considered a side trade.

There are low-ranking ladies who, with their half-open doors unattended, pick up a pipa or erhu and come to such places to drum up business. Mostly they don't ask if the customer wants it, they just brush their hands on the person a couple times and then start singing.

They often force a sale, but of course there are also those who, after hearing a tune, refuse to pay a single coin and tell them to scram.

Qian Fugui personally poured wine for Chen Wuji and the two others, saying with a hint of emotion, "Four-Part Tea House is already an old establishment in Yunan; with your little push, its business might rise like a hundred-foot tower from flat ground. Look at today's commotion—those old gourmets in Yunan City have practically all come, drawn by the smell."

With those mouths spreading the word, Four-Part Tea House will surely become famous. It's enviable—makes me want to open a tavern myself. Brother, do you have any other recipes you could sell me three or five of?

"Qian Brother, are you joking or serious?" Chen Wuji asked.

"Indeed I'm serious—I have money; as long as there's skill, I could open a tavern right away." Qian Fugui said grandly, "Or why don't we partner up and really build one, pushing this Four-Part Tea House aside?"

"What I know now is limited; I fear I couldn't support a tavern." Chen Wuji shook his head.

Although he still knows many dishes, partnering with such a young master to open a shop makes him hesitate.

Qian Fugui smiled faintly, "Brother, you can think it over; I'm truly serious—when the time comes, you arrange the cooks, and I'll handle the rest."

Although my reputation in Yunan isn't great, those who have done business with me know I'm a reasonable person who doesn't resort to crooked ways.

Chen Wuji's little thought was easily seen through by him.

This made Chen Wuji more cautious toward him by a degree.

Superficially ostentatious, with a meticulous mind—such people are usually not kind-hearted.

For example, the taciturn scholar beside him who secretly engages in murder and robbery.

Who knows what this young master's interior is really like? One must be cautious.

Chen Wuji neither flatly refused nor hastily agreed; he performed a tai chi move, using the pretext of consideration to temporarily set the matter aside.

Several people ate a meal, drank a jug of wine, and the ten large pots ordered by Shopkeeper Li were also delivered.

Qian Fugui had Shopkeeper Li act as witness, signed with Chen Wuji a contract for purchasing fifty large and fifty small pots, thus formalizing their transaction in writing.

Afterward, Chen Wuji also settled the bill with the smiling, inscrutable Shopkeeper Li.

Today, having worked as a cook, he took home 115 taels of silver.

Chen Wuji's net worth instantly surged!

In the Dayu Dynasty, a net worth of a hundred taels is roughly equivalent to a hundred thousand in later times.

After leaving Li Si Fencha, Chen Wuji bid farewell to Qian Fugui, then led Chen Wuwei and the others to continue scouting the streets.

Although Yang Tiejiang's inventory has been cleared out by him this trip, his main task today is to teach Chen Wuwei and the others how to visit clients; whether there is stock or not doesn't matter.