Zhang Xiaoniu, being a hot-tempered fellow, firmly believed in action over words.
"Go on, try and throw me out," Zhang Xiaoniu sneered, glancing at the shop assistant as if he were beneath notice.
The assistant stopped bickering with Zhang Xiaoniu, rolled up his sleeves, and walked over. He planted his feet, clasped his arms, gathered his strength, and pushed. Zhang Xiaoniu didn't budge an inch.
The people in the general store gathered around, as such excitement was not an everyday occurrence.
"What, with that little bit of strength, you think you can throw me out? Doesn't your boss feed you enough? You talk a big game, but aren't you afraid of your tongue getting twisted by the wind?" Zhang Xiaoniu scoffed.
The assistant's face turned red. He took a deep breath, and the veins in his arms bulged. It was clear he was using all his might.
Yet, Zhang Xiaoniu remained unmoved.
The shop assistants also noticed something was amiss. Normally, this assistant could easily lift three hundred jin of goods. This young man before them, weighing just over a hundred jin, couldn't be moved. This indicated that he possessed martial skills, and brute force wouldn't work against him.
"Go, go, go, stop doing business? Why are you all gathered here?" A middle-aged man in his thirties strolled over. "What's going on?"
"Shopkeeper, this young brother said he wants to see you. We asked him who he was, what his name was, and why he was looking for you, but he wouldn't say anything. We thought he was here to cause trouble, so we called for someone to carry him out. Turns out, Dali couldn't move him." Someone explained.
The shopkeeper was also a bit curious. Dali, as his name suggested, was incredibly strong, capable of doing the work of two men. If anyone dared to cause trouble, his presence alone was enough to deter them. Today, however, it seemed ineffective.
"Young brother, my apologies for the rudeness," the shopkeeper's attitude was quite good. "May I ask what business you have with me?"
Zhang Xiaoniu was somewhat disappointed. He had hoped to spar with this person named Dali.
"It's nothing much. My master sent me to deliver a message for you. He wants you to meet him at the Yuelai Inn," Zhang Xiaoniu said loudly.
Laughter erupted. Their shopkeeper of the Nanbei General Store was also a person of some standing. When wealthy individuals from the county came to see the shopkeeper, they were always respectful and announced themselves properly. Yet, this young man was telling the shopkeeper to go to an inn to meet someone? Who did he think his master was? Was it their main boss?
The shopkeeper also felt like laughing, but seeing Zhang Xiaoniu's composed demeanor, he suppressed his smile.
He was currently enjoying success, but it was solely reliant on the Qian family. While the Qian family was capable, they were not at the pinnacle of power.
Zhang Xiaoniu took out a token and dangled it before the shopkeeper's eyes.
Sweat broke out on the shopkeeper's forehead. As the shopkeeper of the Nanbei General Store, he recognized the token. Seeing the token was akin to seeing the head of the Qian family.
He was very fortunate that his attitude had been consistently good and that he hadn't put on airs. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known how he died.
"Please, lead the way, young sir," the shopkeeper's attitude was deferential, bowing slightly.
All the assistants were stunned. When had they ever seen their shopkeeper act like this? Was this young fellow's master so formidable? And just now...
The assistants shrunk back and quickly returned to their counters, not daring to say another word. They had offended this person too severely and would suffer the consequences later.
The shopkeeper obediently followed Zhang Xiaoniu. He didn't dare to ask any questions. Upon arriving at the Yuelai Inn, Zhang Xiaoniu led him to the second floor and stopped at the door of a private room, knocking.
"Enter."
After a clear, cold voice sounded from inside, Zhang Xiaoniu pushed the door open.
"Young Master, I've brought him."
Indeed, it was a person of high status. The shopkeeper quickly bowed. "Your humble servant greets the Young Master. May I know the reason for your esteemed visit?"
Gu Sinian waved his hand. Zhang Xiaoniu understood, walked out of the room, closed the door, and stood guard outside.
Half an hour later, the shopkeeper emerged with a serious expression and even greeted Zhang Xiaoniu at the door.
Zhang Xiaoniu escorted him downstairs before returning to Gu Sinian's room.
"Let's go, check out, and head back," Gu Sinian said.
As for what the Young Master had discussed with the shopkeeper, Zhang Xiaoniu had no idea.
Upon returning to the general store from the inn, the shopkeeper immediately sent someone to summon the manager of the Qian family's restaurant in the county.
The general store was much larger in scale than the restaurant, so the shopkeeper of the general store held a slightly higher position than the manager of the restaurant.
Shortly after, the manager of the Qianji Restaurant arrived.
"Brother, why did you urgently send for me?" the restaurant manager asked, somewhat puzzled. They rarely met under normal circumstances.
"How does the business of Fumanlou compare to our Qianji?" the general store shopkeeper asked.
The restaurant manager pondered for a moment. "Fumanlou's clientele are mostly common folk, while most of Qianji's customers are wealthy. Although more people dine at their establishment, the cost per meal is much higher at ours. In terms of overall profit, Qianji has a slight edge. Furthermore, we have kimchi, which is a signature dish of Qianji."
"In the future, we must also attract Fumanlou's customers," the general store shopkeeper mused.
The restaurant manager was greatly surprised. "We have always minded our own business. Besides, Fumanlou has powerful backing. If we antagonize them, won't it cause trouble for the owner?"
"Who?"
"The Dong family from the capital," the restaurant manager replied. "That is, the Dong family, which is backed by the Protectorate Duke's mansion. My nephew works at Qianji in the capital and has told me a lot about matters there. The Dong family has an Aunt Dong, who was the Protectorate Duke's favorite. Although she is no longer present, the Protectorate Duke takes great care of the Dong family. While the Dong family's own descendants are not particularly outstanding, due to their connection with the Duke's mansion, no one in the capital dares to provoke them."
The general store shopkeeper was taken aback. This was interesting. The power behind Fumanlou was the Dong family, and the Dong family was backed by the Protectorate Duke's mansion. Yet, the person who approached him today was the Young Master of the Duke's mansion. Were father and son at odds? The general store shopkeeper was somewhat bewildered. He then considered that the Dong family had produced a concubine, while the Young Master was born to the legitimate wife. Historically, there was always discord between the legitimate wife and concubines. Could it be that the internal strife of the inner chambers had spilled out into the open?
"Brother, please give me some guidance," the restaurant manager asked again.
"What is the Dong family? We serve the Qian family, so we naturally follow the Qian family's orders," the general store shopkeeper said without hesitation. "Do you know what to do?"
"Yes, find two chefs who specialize in home-style cooking, research some new dishes, and price them moderately. We won't have to worry about attracting customers. A few days ago, a noodle shop opened and held a lucky draw, which was quite lively. We can do the same. People have a desire to get a good deal. What we need to do is make them feel like they are getting a bargain, and they will naturally stay as customers."