In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Page 9

But now the realistic depictions on the menu are so beautiful and captivating that they are irresistible.

Soon, the curious gourmets had already placed their orders.

These dishes were prepared in advance, and there was a limit to the quantity; the limit was reached very quickly.

···

Slurp! Slurp...

"It smells so good! These noodles are not only chewy, but also incredibly fragrant. They're absolutely amazing!"

Suddenly, a gasp of surprise rang out, and many people looked on with curiosity as they watched a gourmand who had ordered noodles rave about them.

It's important to know that those gourmets have a certain reputation; most people present know them to some extent.

These delicacies, which are highly praised by gourmets, are definitely not bad.

"Ah, so hot!"

Suddenly, a gasp escaped from his lips as a gourmand began sucking on a palm-sized soup dumpling through a bamboo straw.

Soup dumplings are not a local specialty, but they have become popular in the Jiangnan region.

However, the soup dumplings at Hongfu were made using a method from later generations, with Zhang Xiaoshan using pork skin jelly to prepare the soup filling in advance. The dumpling skin was as thin as paper, and the crab roe sediment inside could even be seen from the outside, which amazed everyone.

Similarly, these soup dumplings are not cheap; they cost three qian of silver each, or one liang of silver for four.

If it weren't for the disaster, one tael of silver would be enough for a family of four to live on for a month.

"There's so much broth, and the skin is so thin it's almost translucent, like paper, that you can see the light through it."

Nearby guests glanced over and were also amazed.

The soup dumplings were as big as the bowls and plates in front of us, and they looked very appetizing. The thin, paper-thin wrappers filled with juicy filling were especially amazing.

It's important to know that at this point, the soup dumplings were truly filled with soup, or the skin couldn't possibly be made that thin.

The alluring manager, Feng'er, dressed in a striking red gown, stood in the middle of the stairs, her phoenix eyes scanning the surroundings. Although some customers complained about the high prices, no one said the food was bad.

This is the Red Mansion, where nobility is the norm.

Moreover, these are all specialties of the Hong Mansion. Even if the recipes for the three dishes were just mentioned, only the master chefs would be able to replicate them.

But just like martial arts masters, with the Red Mansion in the lead, no master would dare to mess with the Red Mansion.

"Manager Feng, I am Zhou Qing, and my father is Zhou Yun, the Minister of Rites."

At this moment, a handsome and dashing young man, who considered himself charming and debonair, stepped forward and immediately began to mention his illustrious family background, which startled even those who were listening intently.

The six ministers wielded real power, second only to the two chief ministers of the court.

The sons of the Minister's family would be top-tier second-generation officials in later generations, far more confident than those who claim "My dad is Li Gang".

"So it's Young Master Zhou. I, Feng'er, have been rude."

"Xiao Cui, lead Young Master Zhou to the private room on the third floor. Tonight's bill is 30% off."

Manager Feng'er first gave a graceful curtsy, then had a maid lead Zhou Qing and the others to the upper-level private room, seemingly oblivious to Zhou Qing's somewhat gloomy and handsome face.

Everyone was somewhat taken aback by what they saw.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell from Zhou Qing's opening remarks that he was after a beautiful woman and wanted to seduce her with his illustrious family background.

But to everyone's surprise, Manager Feng'er didn't care at all.

"interesting!"

Among the crowd, An Shigeng, who was dressed casually, was surprised to see Zhou Qing suffer a setback, even though he had expected it.

Manager Feng's domineering style surprised him.

"Investigate the background of this Manager Feng, and where the Zhang family found this heroine."

"Yes, Master!"

An Shigeng came today to meet Zhang Xiaoshan, so he ordered all the main dishes.

One tael of silver for a single pot of boiled cabbage!

Eight-treasure dumplings cost eight taels of silver per serving!

A Guanyin statue with a water-dripping design, worth ten taels of gold!

···

Looking at the sumptuous feast before them, the surrounding guests all turned their heads in curiosity.

After all, it's obvious that someone with such spending power wouldn't go to a private room and instead order food here, suggesting ulterior motives.

Many of the guests who recognized An Shigeng were there to watch the show.

The Zhang family and the An family were both prominent merchants in Lin'an Prefecture and were also known for their philanthropy. They not only competed fiercely in business but also shared many similar circumstances.

Both families were descended from a single lineage, and both were previously considered纨绔 (spoiled brats) from the civilized Lin'an Prefecture.

Therefore, the Zhang family opening a large restaurant and the An family causing trouble is just a traditional drama of a power struggle.

At this moment, An Shigeng had thirty or forty dishes in front of him. He only tasted one bite of each dish, stopping short of a formality, much like an emperor's banquet.

"As expected of the Zhang family's star attraction!!"

An Shigen suddenly stood up and, amidst everyone's anticipation, strolled towards Manager Feng, chuckling softly:

"The Zhang family's move is indeed extraordinary."

"Manager Feng, in three days, I'll be bringing my father here for a meal. We'll set up another table according to the same arrangement as before."

"Young Master An, you're too kind, too kind!"

When Manager Feng heard that An Shigeng had reserved a table here, her face flushed like a peach blossom, making her even more beautiful.

The others were also stunned by An Shigeng's generosity; a single meal cost nearly a hundred taels of gold—even the emperor of the Song Dynasty probably wouldn't dare to eat like that.

However, this also indirectly illustrates that no matter how expensive the food at the Hong Mansion is, it cannot stop the extravagance of those rich people.

···

"What good stuff is this? It smells so good!"

As night approached, Zhuge Zhengwo pushed the still-disabled girl Wuqing into the brightly lit Hong Mansion.

Looking at the magnificent Red Mansion Hall before me, the thousands of lights around me, reflecting the golden splendor, made it seem like daytime; I wondered how much it had cost.

It should be noted that candles are a relatively luxurious item, costing nearly 100 coins each.

The entire Red Mansion was ablaze with lights, consuming at least tens of thousands of lamps in a single night, which cost nearly a thousand taels of silver.

In particular, the light of this candle is even brighter than that of traditionally made candles, clearly indicating it is a superior product with a higher value and therefore a greater cost.

"With such a huge investment, can the Zhang family make a profit?"

Looking around ruthlessly, he realized that the decorations alone must have cost nearly ten thousand taels of gold, not to mention that this was only the first floor closest to the common people—the banquet hall.

"Merchants are driven by profit; if they weren't going to make money, why would they invest so much?"

Zhuge Zhengwo didn't believe the Zhang family would do a losing business.

Charity is charity, but if the Zhang family had lost money in business, how could they have amassed such a vast fortune?

Chapter Eleven: A Gathering of Gifts from An Shigen

Snapped!

With a bang of the gavel, the guests who were eating immediately turned their attention to the stage built on the second floor of the attic.

At this moment, a middle-aged storyteller had already set up his stance, and as the restaurant gradually quieted down, he slowly began to speak:

"All of you who have come to the Hong Mansion for a meal are people who are not short of money."

But do you, esteemed guests, know why the restaurant owned by the Zhang family is called "Red Mansion" and not "Zhang Mansion Grand Restaurant"?

With a rhetorical question from the storyteller, the customers who were originally paying suddenly showed curiosity.

Even the guests in the private rooms on the third floor of the attic were ordinary.

It's safe to say that very few people wouldn't be curious.

"The origin of the Red Mansion can be traced back to Young Master Zhang's study abroad."

One day, Young Master Zhang suddenly climbed an unnamed mountain. This mountain was thousands of feet high, and at its summit stood a stone that had fallen from the sky, inscribed with the story of "The Story of the Stone".

If you ask where the story of "The Story of the Stone" came from, it's all because this flying stone is no ordinary stone!

Snapped!

Once again, the storyteller struck the court with his gavel, and everyone realized that the storyteller was just rambling on and on.

If we were to give other reasons, most people would be interested.

But this opening line is clearly in the style of a fictionalized account.

For a time, most of the customers showed little interest.

However, the storyteller was not impatient at all. After all, he was paid to do his job, and he received a full ten taels of silver a month for each performance, one at noon and one in the evening.

As for the allure of the later Red Book, Zhang Xiaoshan only gave the other party one chapter, and at most only talked about the beginning.

···

"So it's Lord Divine Marquis! I, Zhang Yuan, have failed to greet you properly. I hope you will forgive me!"

The private rooms are on the fourth floor.

At this moment, Zhang Yuan adopted an extremely humble posture when facing Zhuge Zhengwo, who had come to offer his birthday wishes.

The status and way of doing things of a businessman determined that Zhang Yuan was unwilling to make enemies of officials.

peace brings money!

Zhuge Zhengwo was a rising star in the court. He had previously been the top expert in the palace, guarding the safety of the imperial city, and his presence was extremely low.

But his recent appearance as the Divine Marquis is a meteoric rise.

"Not at all, today is Young Master Zhang's birthday, how could I dare to trouble Master Zhang to greet him outside?"

Zhuge Zheng knew that the Zhang family was not a nouveau riche; they had deep roots and he greatly admired their usual way of doing things. Aside from providing relief and porridge, and building private schools, they treated their employees with a people-oriented approach, offering generous benefits and compensation.

At least without evidence, Zhuge Zheng does not want to antagonize the Zhang family.

On the contrary, he owed Zhang Xiaoshan a great favor for the dragon blood vine that Zhang Xiaoshan had sent last time.

"What a handsome young man!"

Zhuge Zhengwo glanced at Zhang Xiaoshan, who was following closely behind Zhang Yuan, and his eyes lit up.

Although he couldn't discern Zhang Xiaoshan's level of cultivation, Zhang Xiaoshan's refined and handsome appearance, along with his humble yet confident and fearless gaze, made Zhuge Zhengwo realize that he was not a sinister person.

They may be unfathomable, but none of them are simple people who can support the Zhang family's vast wealth.

Even with Zhang Yuan standing before him, who seemed kind and approachable, Zhuge Zhengwo couldn't believe that he was truly a 'great philanthropist'.

Ultimately, it's like the packaging of later generations.

Regardless of the quality of the contents, the exterior must be glamorous for people to buy it.

"What? Mr. Zhuge didn't give it to the heartless girl?"

Zhang Xiaoshan looked at the quiet and elegant girl to the side. Although she was dressed in coarse linen clothes, she was extremely 'clean', like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting, pure and refined.

The only drawback is that she is in a wheelchair, and her legs, which should have been graceful and elegant, cannot stand up.

"My leg has been in bad shape for too long, and even the imperial physicians are helpless. But I must thank Young Master Zhang for his kindness."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoshan frowned immediately.

You know, he had complete confidence in the Black Jade Rejuvenating Ointment made from Dragon Blood Vine, so how could it be useless?

He couldn't help but look at Wuqing, whose expression was cold and indifferent, and asked curiously:

"Heartless young lady, may I, Zhang, take a look at my leg injury?"

Wuqing's expression changed upon hearing this, and Zhuge Zhengwo was also slightly taken aback, nodding at Wuqing.

Zhang Xiaoshan gave Zhuge Zhengwo the feeling of being mysterious and unfathomable, perhaps possessing a way to cure Wuqing.

"it is good!"