Chapter 190: The tavern is in an uproar, young master Luoer punishes the wicked!

Originally the young ladies were still reserved and couldn't let loose, but when even Pei Lao Furen heard this, she hurriedly went to the pot to pick vegetables, so they could no longer remain prim and proper.

For convenience, each one hung their sash around neck and arm, pulling the wide sleeves up high to reveal their jade arms.

Anyway, there won't be any gentlemen in this room today.

Li Qingluo also boiled some hot rice wine for everyone.

All were ladies, eating and drinking lively, and soon everyone was sweating profusely from the heat.

Once heated, they all had plenty to say.

But because there was still an old lady in the room, everyone felt suffocated, especially Nanping, who anxiously scratched her ears and cheeks, almost blurting out several times.

Pei Lao Furen knew they were holding back because of her presence, so she made an excuse and left the table first.

Li Qingluo naturally saw Pei Lao Furen off herself: "Grandma, Luoer didn't know you all would come today; I thought only Nanping would join us for the meal... It's Luoer's fault for not arranging this beforehand; when we return home, Luoer will personally make you another pot."

Pei Lao Furen certainly didn't mind.

She also happily pulled Li Qingluo close, smiling: "Luoer, having friends makes Grandma happier than anything; you needn't worry about her any further."

"Come on, let's go downstairs together; Grandma and I have a few more words to say."

Li Qingluo accompanied Pei Lao Furen downstairs, and when passing a few side rooms, she heard voices from inside.

"This pot's flavor is really not bad."

"Our Jinling City indeed doesn't have this kind of specialty yet; from now on this delicacy hot pot tavern can be considered the first of its kind."

"Hey, waiter, go close the doors and windows; that gust of wind just now might freeze the old man to death!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, sorry sorry, the owner said we can't seal the doors and windows tightly, otherwise we might smoke you out; let me just cover you a little, okay?"

"To express our apologies, this hall's special pumpkin soup will be served to each of you later."

Pei Lao Furen nodded upon hearing that.

Going down to the first floor, although the doors and windows at both ends of the hall were open, with so many people the stoves under every pot were blazing, so it wasn't cold anywhere; everywhere was hot and bustling.

Pei Lao Furen was very pleased with this scene.

After seeing Pei Lao Furen off, Li Qingluo saw that a few members of the Li family had also arrived.

Even the people from the second and third branches came to join the fun.

However, Li Qingluo didn't go over to meet them; seeing the maids of the Jiang and Tan clans peeking in but unable to squeeze inside, she pretended not to notice.

To her surprise, she also saw some acquaintances.

Pei Sanlang?

He was seated in the main hall, spotted Li Qingluo from afar, and gave her a slight nod.

Li Qingluo went up to the second floor and nearly collided head-on with Leng Dian, who was coming toward her.

"Leng Dian, guard? Why are you here too?"

Leng Dian coldly crossed his arms and said: "Po Feng is seriously injured, Zhui Yu got beaten and can't get out of bed, Sha Lei has other matters, so naturally only I came."

Li Qingluo: "No, I mean why are you here today as well?"

Before her words finished, a sudden "Boom—" thundered from below.

Someone had overturned a pot, causing a chorus of shocked cries throughout the hall.

Li Qingluo's face changed, and she immediately turned and went downstairs again.

Leng Dian hesitated a moment, then still went up with his sword in hand.

"His Highness isn't able to come here, so today he not only sent me to buy a pot for him to take home, but likely also wants me to represent the Prince Su's Manor and back up the young lady."

When encountering such things, I cannot turn a blind eye.

Leng Dian hurried after her, directly drew his sword and walked behind Li Qingluo, also taking out a mask to put on.

He guessed that His Highness probably didn't want the world to know about his association with Miss Li.

So, if we can conceal it for a while, let's just do that.

After all, the Prince Su's Manor coming to buy a pot is one thing, but helping this tavern stand firm is another matter entirely.

"Ah—!!"

"Pain! It hurts—so much!! I'm dying of pain——"

The troublemakers downstairs didn't just knock over the pot, spilling hot soup and water everywhere; they also scalded the people at the neighboring table.

Now that person clutches his face, rolling on the ground and wailing, frightening everyone else in the hall.

"How could this be so dangerous……"

"Right, won't we be scalded to death?"

Immediately, everyone put down their chopsticks, afraid to eat.

"What are you doing? Hurting people and causing trouble—are you deliberately looking for a fight?"

"Someone, seize them all and send them to the Jinling Office!"

Mei Shuang let out an angry shout, led the people forward, and instantly surrounded the troublemakers' table.

From the outset of planning the tavern, Li Qingluo had already considered safety issues.

Besides having Deng Mama bring Mei Shuang out, she also had Deng Mama find ten sturdy men skilled in martial arts to serve as enforcers for the tavern.

That is, being hired, they work for pay and still retain personal freedom.

In Jinling City, there are plenty of people willing to take such work.

Now, whenever someone causes trouble, those ten burly men step forward at once and detain the person.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and release the old man!"

"Is it because your pot tastes terrible that you won't let me lose my temper?"

"I just lightly lifted that iron pot—who knew it would flip over?"

"At the root of it, your establishment itself has safety hazards—how can everyone feel safe eating here in the future?"

Soon after, someone really shouted: "Exactly, this is also too dangerous, right? I'm not eating, let's leave quickly!"

Run, run, run, this will burn you badly—how can you still be a person in this lifetime?

Some people squeezed their way out, while others stayed put to watch the excitement.

Seeing that the hall full of stoves and pots was about to erupt again, Li Qingluo had already walked to the counter, she picked up the bronze gong and struck it hard!

"Everyone!"

"I am the proprietor of this Delicacy Soup Hotpot Restaurant, my surname is Li."

"I'm very happy you all could come to support us and sample our restaurant's signature hotpot."

"If you're dissatisfied with the food and want to leave, I truly feel sorry and can only see you off."

"But everyone, is today's pot really that bad?"

"You can ask your companions at the same table; if everyone truly finds the pot inedible, I won't charge you a penny today—and I'll immediately close the shop for good, and this hotpot restaurant will never operate again."

"But although I'm young, I'm not a pushover; if anyone deliberately seeks trouble with me, I don't mind giving them a lesson."

"Someone, grab him and take him over there, let him try flipping another pot!"

"And this one on the ground, since he's burned himself, why not quickly throw him into the Qinhuai River to cool off?"

"Before his body temperature drops, he is not allowed to get up!"

Li Qingluo gave the order, and Meishuang immediately called people to carry it out.

The person who flipped the pot hadn't even reacted before being grabbed and dragged to a nearby table, where he watched the bubbling big iron pot; the burly man seized his hand and pressed it onto the pot.

Terrified, that person let out a miserable scream: "Ah!! No, no, no, I'm not, it's not like that——"

With a "sizzle," a meaty aroma instantly filled the whole hall, making the already fragrant restaurant even more complexly scented.

Someone in this shocking scene muttered quietly: "Is this human meat fragrance?"

The crowd: "……"

"Wasn't he just flipping the iron pot with his bare hands earlier? Why can't he do it now?"

"Exactly. What on earth is going on?"

And the person who had been rolling on the ground, burned, as soon as he was thrown into the Qinhuai River, immediately sputtered: "Save me—puff—so cold…… glug-glug……"

But several sticks kept poking him from above, not allowing him to swim toward the shore.

Everyone rushed to watch the excitement, not knowing what was going on.

At that moment, Meishuang felt a pair of leather gloves on the troublemaker's person.

"Proprietor, look!"

Meishuang quickly turned and presented it to Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo lifted it, gave a cold laugh: "Don't you all understand yet? This person harbors malicious intent; today he came prepared!"

He deliberately knocked over my restaurant's soup pot while wearing gloves, then teamed up with his accomplices at the neighboring table to pretend they were scalded, causing a commotion to frighten everyone.

Esteemed guests, this large iron pot was carefully forged by the blacksmith's shop; it is not something that can be easily moved. Moreover, if one rashly touches it with bare hands while dining, one will surely be seriously scalded.

Moreover, this is something anyone could think of, yet he so recklessly caused trouble—does he really take everyone in the world for fools?

Furthermore, even if the soup pot were accidentally overturned, the spacing between our tables' stoves would not easily implicate others, unless he deliberately threw himself forward.

These people surely cannot bear to see our restaurant thriving, so they deliberately came to pick a fight. I hope everyone can see through this and continue to dine with peace of mind.

Come, take them at once to the Jinling magistrate's office...

Before Li Qingluo's words had finished, those few suddenly changed expression, drew the swords and knives placed on their seats, and lunged at Li Qingluo——

Mei Shuang immediately stepped in to block Li Qingluo.

Having heard the commotion and rushed over, Que'er saw the situation, quickly grabbed a nearby broom and prepared to go forward to meet them.

However, before she could rush forward, Leng Dian behind Li Qingluo shot out first!

Then another figure came lunging out; Li Qingluo pulled Mei Shuang aside and took a close look—Yang Qinwu?

He actually came today as well!

With these two, it only took a few moves to knock those troublemakers flat on the ground.

"Commandant Yang? Why are you here too?"

"This is the commandant of the Imperial Guard; he actually came to this exquisite restaurant today."

"He just lent a hand—could he have some connection with this restaurant?"

Someone recognized Yang Qinwu, excitedly stepped forward to greet him.

Yang Qinwu didn't even glance at Li Qingluo, merely saying lightly: "I'm off duty today, just came to join the fun. This restaurant's food is good and quite novel, but anyone who dares to cause trouble right under my nose is asking for death."

Yang Qinwu's attitude was clear: everything was a coincidence, and he only intervened because he couldn't stand it.

Leng Dian suddenly let out a low shout: "Not good, they're going to kill themselves——"

He reached out to stop them, but it was already too late.

Li Qingluo reacted swiftly, running to the outer platform facing the Qinhuai River: "Quick, tie that person up and restrain them—don't let them seek death!"