Chapter Sixty-Two: Spring Pavilion Changes Hands, The Tide Rises in Tiansha River

Everyone who knew Wang Fugui noticed that he had become much more amiable these past few days. His face was constantly adorned with a smile, and his words were far more sincere than before. He even made a point of visiting the families of the two missing employees, bringing silver and gifts to comfort them, and promised to keep people searching for their whereabouts. His gesture moved both families to tears of gratitude.

Meanwhile, at the edge of Le Ping City's bustling market, Springview Tower welcomed its new owner: Wang Fugui, the merchant who had previously run the Tianbao Pawnshop in the west of the city. After less than an hour of discussion with the previous tavern owner, Han Qiumu, Wang Fugui managed to acquire the struggling Springview Tower—half alive since its opening two years ago—for the low price of four thousand taels of silver.

Han Qiumu was a merchant from another province, specializing mostly in textiles and leather; tavern management was never his main business. When the world was thrown into turmoil, he had, by chance, purchased the deed to Springview Tower’s land from the former imperial office at a modest price. He worried that the deed might become invalid when the dynasty changed, but the new Qin Empire honored all interests not held by the previous regime’s officials. Relieved, Han Qiumu built the tavern, hoping to expand his sources of income. Unfortunately, he was not cut out for tavern management, and was often absent. There were no enticing dishes, and while he could procure some good wine, every other tavern in the city could do the same. Since his heart was never truly in the tavern, Han Qiumu let Springview Tower languish for two years.

It would be unfair to blame Han Qiumu for neglecting his tavern; the truth was, his textile and leather business was so busy that, since the world had stabilized, demand for his goods had skyrocketed. He had to hurry around, selling his inventory at high prices while the market was still hot. After half a year on the road, he returned and found himself getting along splendidly with Wang Fugui—so much so that he regarded him as a confidant and agreed to sell the tavern, which he considered dispensable.

Other merchants in the city, upon hearing the news, were baffled. They could not fathom how Wang Fugui had persuaded Han Qiumu. Given the size and location of Springview Tower, the land deed alone was nearly worth four thousand taels. How could someone as shrewd as Han Qiumu make such a deal—was it truly because he had found a confidant? Regardless of the speculation, the tavern reopened.

The newly reopened Springview Tower was officially renamed Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Wu You knew nothing of modern hotel management, let alone ancient taverns, but he understood one thing: the taste of the food mattered immensely. All the pots here were thick, used only for steaming and boiling, and after a round of investigation, he found almost no stir-fried dishes. That was easy enough to fix. He ordered a few custom iron woks from the blacksmith, and taught several cooks the simplest techniques for stir-frying and deep-frying. The novelty and flavor would surely outshine all other taverns in the city by far.

As for the finer points of management, he left those to Wang Fugui. That man was a born genius, a merchant so clever that even the trickster beasts would be hard-pressed to best him in this world.

...

For many in the city, the change of ownership at Springview Tower meant nothing—they rarely, if ever, visited that tavern, which was neither cheap nor distinctive. With such a large tavern and so few guests, its emptiness made people uneasy; those who had considered going simply stopped.

But today, outside Springview Tower—or rather, Drunken Immortal Pavilion—passersby were greeted with an enticing aroma drifting out onto the street. None here had ever smelled the fragrance of stir-fried food before; it was a scent that stirred the appetite deeply. Though it was not yet mealtime, small groups had already begun to gather outside.

“What smells so good? What dishes are they making in Drunken Immortal Pavilion?”
“I don’t know, but it sure smells delicious. I’d love to try it.”
“Come on, let’s go in and see—one meal won’t cost much.”
“Let’s all go together—my curiosity is piqued as well.”

...

Amid the lively chatter, people began to walk into the tavern. The staff and manager of Drunken Immortal Pavilion were the same as before, and none had ever seen so many people coming for lunch before noon. Although Han Qiumu, the previous owner, rarely managed the tavern, he enforced one rule rigorously: no laziness. Every time he returned from his travels, he would discreetly check on his employees. Poor business was tolerable, but anyone caught slacking was immediately dismissed. Thus, the staff, manager, and kitchen crew had no bad habits. None were seeking to merely drift through life. In these troubled times, work was scarce, so having a place to settle down was already a blessing. Seeing business pick up brought joy to their hearts.

The new owner promised profit-sharing for good business!

The kitchen masters were all skilled in knife work and controlling the heat for steaming and boiling, but lacked creative thinking. After just a day or two of instruction, the stir-fried dishes made with lard and salt were already tastier than those Wu You himself could prepare. There was no sesame oil in this world; all cooking fat was animal-based.

When plates of stir-fried greens, pork slices, kidney flowers, and other specialties were carried out, the customers outside felt their mouths water just at the sight. The first three guests already had seven empty bowls on their table—not because the waiter served empty bowls, but because each dish was devoured the moment it arrived. Every plate disappeared within moments, leaving nothing but bowls scraped clean of even the last drop of sauce. The trio wanted more, but the dishes had stopped.

“Waiter, where’s our food?” one asked.

The waiter scratched his head awkwardly, glancing at the empty bowls. “Uh, gentlemen, all your dishes have been served...”

“What!? That’s all?”
“Order more, order more!”
“Yes, yes, while it’s still early—otherwise, service will slow down once it gets crowded.”

They were savvy enough to realize that with such dishes, Drunken Immortal Pavilion would soon be packed. Sure enough, within fifteen minutes, the main hall was filled, and latecomers began moving upstairs. Though prices increased slightly with each higher floor, the novelty of the flavors made it worthwhile to dine early.

People love a lively scene. The earliest crowd was drawn by the aroma, the middle group was attracted by the dishes served in the main hall, and the later throng was enticed by the sight of so many diners within. The busiest place now was the kitchen. Even with the speed of stir-fried dishes—one every minute or two—and five chefs working simultaneously, demand far outstripped supply.

...

In a mansion with a garden and pond, Wu You and Wang Fugui were examining the layout.

“Master, this residence was originally Wang Fugui’s private retirement home. Few know of it, so you may settle here,” Wang Fugui said.

Wu You nodded. “Not bad. When I’m not here, be sure to collect intelligence and have someone keep an eye on the coast.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Be sharp. Make money, develop intelligence, and ensure safety.”

Wang Fugui, ever smiling, nodded in agreement.

Shortly after the transfer of Springview Tower, Wu You received notification from the system that the task had been completed. Aside from gaining two more beast slots, there were no additional rewards.

Though he had not yet explored this world fully and there was much left to do, he did not plan to stay any longer for now—he intended to return home. He needed to procure some firepower; if he ever faced a Spawn and could not summon a high-level creature, a few RPG rounds might do the trick.

After giving his instructions, Wu You did not linger. He vanished before the trickster beast’s eyes.

...

Not long after Wu You left, the waters of the Tiansha River outside Le Ping City began to rise inexplicably. Over a thousand kilometers away, outside Jiulu City in Jiangzhou, massive waves surged from the Tiansha River toward the small villages on its banks.