In the blink of an eye, the name of the old restaurant that had almost been buried in the sands of time was now known throughout the entire capital.
The song that had been sung on the day of the opening, 'Song of Heroes', spread through all the roads and alleyways of the city. The sounds of little children singing 'The great rivers all run to the east' were heard often by the people passing by on the streets.
The little courts in the back of Guilin Restaurant had been practically booked full by the famous, powerful officials of the capital. Furthermore, the price to reserve a court increased day by day. Even though the customers knew very well that Guilin Restaurant was doing it on purpose to earn their precious silver, there were still people who had money and were willing to spend it.
On the other hand, the main hall in the front of Guilin Restaurant was open to all regardless of status. The prices were also much more fair. Unfortunately, in order to have a meal there, customers had to reserve a seat at least one month in advance.
Seeing that the demand for a table at Guilin Restaurant far outstripped the supply, the majority of the capital was waiting with bated breath for Guilin Restaurant to expand their business or even open up more branches. However, there was no movement at all on the part of Guilin Restaurant, just like an old monk who had already settled into meditation. The number of available tables per day remained the same as well, and they refused to add even just one more to the main hall.
Before the sky would even turn dark, Guilin Restaurant would close its doors for the night. This frustrated many of the foodies waiting to have a taste of its novel dishes.
However, even so, Guilin Restaurant wasn't forgotten by the masses; rather, they became even more famous instead. The more scholarly customers who had managed to have a meal there would even lament: "If you travel to the capital and leave without having a taste of Guilin Restaurant's food, your trip was completely wasted!"
Those with money to burn would spend great amounts of silver to eat at Guilin Restaurant everyday, thinking that they would eventually be able to wean themselves off of this addiction. However, before they could even get tired of eating the dishes currently available, Guilin Restaurant would bring out brand new dishes every month, without any repeats.
The rich, the noble, and even the despotic would eat the dishes here with tears of joy; unable to escape this heavenly trap.
The daily flow of customers to Guilin Restaurant brought new life to the old west market, making the whole street much more livelier. In just two months, the normal residences around Guilin Restaurant had already opened up shopfronts and began to do business on the street. The old west market was now bustling with noise and excitement-a far cry from its comparatively silent streets not too long ago.
It had been a whole month since Guilin Restaurant had opened. Today was the day that Manager Qin would meet Chu Lian to check over the account books.
Xiyan was even more anxious than Chu Lian was. Early in the morning, while on duty to serve by Chu Lian's side, she was so nervous that she even accidentally spilled some honey water.
When Chu Lian saw this, she found it funny. "Xiyan, why are you so absentminded today?"
Xiyan thought that she might as well set down the teapot in her hands. She walked over to Chu Lian's side and took a light purple outer coat with a pattern of entwined branches from a young maidservant standing by, and then helped Chu Lian put it on. "Third Young Madam, aren't you the slightest bit worried? Manager Qin will be sending over the account books today."
Chu Lian let Xiyan help her with her belt before reaching out for a teacup and taking a sip of the warm water. She nodded and said, "I know. What's there to be worried about?"
After Xiyan finished dressing Chu Lian, she felt a sense of helplessness rising within her. "Third Young Madam, don't you want to know if Guilin Restaurant has made a profit or loss this first month? If the restaurant didn't manage to turn a profit, then you'll be two thousand taels in the red! That's all the money you have at hand! Won't your heart bleed?"
Right after she said that, Xiyan visibly became even more tense. This little brat, why was she acting as if the money used to renovate Guilin Restaurant had come from her own pockets?
Chu Lian still found this funny. "There's nothing to be worried about. There’s no question that we'll be able to earn it back."
Ah? Xiyan's mouth gaped wide open in disbelief.
"Third Young Madam, did you know this… even before you renovated the restaurant?"
"Of course I did; otherwise, why would I have gone ahead with my plans?"
Xiyan hurriedly shook her head and kept quiet. No one else would have that sort of confidence.
There was no one else who knew better than she what Third Young Madam had sacrificed to open Guilin Restaurant. In order to get the funds for the renovation and opening, Third Young Madam had taken all the gold accessories she had and gave them to Senior Servant Gui to melt.
Two thousand taels wasn't a small sum. Even the most experienced merchants wouldn't have the spirit to put all of their eggs- their entire fortune- in a single basket.
Xiyan was speechless with amazement. The only thought she had in mind was that her Third Young Madam was incredible.
Actually, Chu Lian wasn't as incredible as Xiyan thought she was. She simply didn't treat money as all that important. In her eyes, even if she lost the two thousand taels she had invested, it wouldn't matter too much. She would still be House Jing'an's Third Young Madam and be able to eat good food all day. Furthermore, she wasn't all that bad at business in the first place, at least not to the point that she would lose all her capital.
If Xiyan were to find out that the master she greatly admired had thoughts like that, she would definitely roll her eyes.
In the afternoon, Manager Qin came to the estate dressed in a new purplish blue robe.
Chu Lian met him in the parlour of Songtao Court.
Perhaps due to a whole month of good business, as well as Guilin Restaurant's good food, the young Manager Qin seemed to have become fatter. His originally slim body had turned into a potbelly, giving the maidservants the urge to sweat.
"Third Young Madam, this is Guilin Restaurant's account book for the past month." Manager Qin bowed respectfully towards Chu Lian before offering up the account book with two hands.
Chu Lian flipped through one or two pages of the book before setting it aside. "Manager Qin, give me a short summary of the accounts. I'll keep this account book and go through it in detail over the next few days."
Manager Qin couldn't wait for Chu Lian to ask him about the accounts.
He had learned how to manage shops by following his father around since he was young. Later on, as the years passed, he was able to manage businesses by himself. Perhaps due to the influence of his younger years, he was able to turn a normal store into a profitable business at the tender age of fifteen. He was already in his twenties now, but this Guilin Restaurant was one of the most successful businesses he had ever managed.
Thus, he couldn't wait to show off his achievements to Chu Lian.
When Xiyan heard the number that Manager Qin reported, she froze on the spot from shock.
Three thousand, five hundred and eighty taels!
That was after subtracting the running expenses for Guilin Restaurant!
That is to say, Guilin Restaurant had turned a profit of 3580 taels alone this month!
Heavens!
Taking away the 2000 taels of initial capital that Chu Lian had invested in Guilin Restaurant at the start, that was still 1800 tales of pure profit!
What kind of concept was that?!
Xiyan's mind immediately turned blank.
Chu Lian had already expected a profit from Guilin Restaurant, so she wasn't as shocked as Xiyan was. However, even so, that amount had completely exceeded her expectations for the first month. She had really underestimated the spending power of the people in the capital.
After asking Manager Qin for a few more details, it was only an hour later that Senior Servant Gui escorted Manager Qin out.
Chu Lian opened up the wooden box of money that Manager Qin had left behind and took out two bills to pass to Xiyan.
"Keep these for Songtao Court's daily expenses. Mother's birthday is coming, so we can use that chance to give out some rewards for all the people in our courtyard. You can decide what to do with the rest of the money by yourself."
Xiyan held the two hundred-tael bank notes in her hands and spoke with disbelief in her tone, "Third Young Madam, all this is from Guilin Restaurant's profit?"
Chu Lian glared at her speechlessly. "Of course! Do you want to count through all the notes in this box and see if it's really a thousand taels?"
Xiyan quickly shook her head. "No, no, this servant doesn't have to count it. This servant trusts that there's a thousand taels in there. Third Young Madam, you're amazing! This servant just can't really believe it. Back in the Ying Estate, it would have taken us quite a few years to save up a hundred taels!"
Chu Lian blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected this girl to think back to the past. "Alright, don't think about those things now. I'm not the Sixth Miss of House Ying anymore. I'm now House Jing'an's Third Young Madam and an Honoured Lady personally named by the Emperor."
Xiyan rubbed away the tears that had leaked out unconsciously from her eyes. "That's right! Young Madam's days are much better now. If only Third Young Master could be by Young Madam's side, then all would be well."
Xiyan's words made Chu Lian's face stiffen.
Her days had been too carefree; she had almost forgotten that she had a husband who had gone off to the northern border.
She wondered how that crazy, unfortunate husband of hers was doing. She hadn't gotten any letters from him for a month. Maybe the blank letters she had sent him had upset him and made him even more unhinged?
Chu Lian shook her head. What was she doing thinking about He Sanlang?
It was more important to pass her days in peace.
She remembered that the Great Doctor Miao was supposed to appear in the capital around this time.
Chu Lian blinked and the corners of her lips lifted up in excitement.
With her here, she wasn't going to let that Xiao Bojian get to Great Doctor Miao first.
Sometimes, you really can't speak of the devil. Not even an hour had passed since she had thought about how He Sanlang hadn't sent any letters back for a while, when Senior Servant Liu personally came over to Songtao Court with some maidservants in tow.
Chu Lian stood up to welcome her.
Senior Servant Liu was wearing an azure cloak lined with down. Her hair was pressed flat to her face thanks to the outside winds, and it looked like she had rushed all the way here.
"Momo, please come in and sit! Have a cup of hot tea." Chu Lian quickly ordered Fuyan to serve some tea.
It was already October and the weather was turning cold.
Winters in the capital were always bitterly cold and dry.
Senior Servant Liu was clearly in high spirits as she took out a thick letter from her sleeve without waiting for the tea. She passed the letter to Chu Lian and said, "Third Young Madam, Third Young Master personally wrote this for you! Look, it's such a thick letter, too!"
Chu Lian's lips parted in surprise as she took the parcel. "Hus.... Husband sent letters back?"
It was only then that Senior Servant Liu took a seat and sighed. "If it isn't so! There was another letter for the matriarch as well. These were just sent here by a soldier from the posthouse. He said that there was a huge snowstorm near the northern border and the highways between the cities were blocked. We were supposed to get this letter about half a month ago, but it was delayed thanks to the snowstorm. I heard the northern border is supposed to be many times colder than the capital! Third Young Master has never been to the northern border before, I wonder if he'll be able to get used to the weather there..."
As Senior Servant Liu spoke, her eyes started to redden and the tears gathered in her eyes fell.
Amongst the three young masters in House Jing'an, Senior Servant Liu cared the most for He Changdi. Back then, after Countess Jing'an had given birth to He Changdi, her health had taken a turn for the worse and He Sanlang had been practically raised by his grandmother. Senior Servant Liu had taken care of He Sanlang alongside his nursemaid.
Chu Lian had gotten lost in her thoughts after hearing Senior Servant Liu's words. The weather at the northern border had already turned cold, and it was already snowing in the nearby cities!
So early!
There was no longer any trace of the excitement and joy she had had earlier. Instead, her brows drew together in tension.
This was the first time Senior Servant Liu had seen such an expression on Third Young Madam. She thought that her words had caused Third Young Madam's to worry, so she quickly wiped away her tears and forced herself into using a happier tone. "Ah, it's this old servant's fault. Third Young Madam, please don't worry. Although Third Young Master looks a little skinny due to his height, he has been practising martial arts alongside the Count and his brothers ever since he was a child, and he's very skilled! The weather at the northern border must be nothing to him. Furthermore, all we've heard is some hearsay from others, so it might not be true. See, Third Young Master sent out his letters after all. Third Young Madam, why don't you open it up and see what Third Young Master has written?"