From a country cook to a master chef

It was getting close to night.

Inside Qinghe Tavern.

Lin Jue personally cooked a bowl of black bear steamed pork, and after enjoying it all by himself, he stuffed all the necessities into his storage bag, took one last look at the tavern, and headed toward Chen's Grain and Oil Shop on Dongning Street.

He handled the Red Flower Pavilion matter cleanly and efficiently. He was not afraid of the worst, but he was afraid of the possibility that there might be a witness in some corner.

Just in case, Lin Jue changed into a black outfit. Since the veiled hat was too conspicuous, he changed into a coarse cloth coat.

With heavy snow falling, I wrapped my face in a mask to protect my cheeks.

That makes perfect sense!

Looking at the sparsely populated street, Lin Jue couldn't help but stretch his arms and yawn.

Suddenly, he noticed a familiar figure.

The matchmaker, Wang, had insisted on introducing him to Yuan Rou.

Upon arriving at Qinghe Tavern, he learned that Matchmaker Wang lived right next door.

A luxurious four-courtyard house with blue bricks and stone tiles.

"Hey, you blind servant, watch your step! If you break my favorite vase, I couldn't pay for it even if I sold you."

"And you, hurry up and load all the luggage into the car for me."

At that moment, Wang the matchmaker was standing at the main entrance of the house, pointing at the two farmhands and muttering to herself while picking and choosing.

The moment she saw Lin Jue, she recognized him instantly, her expression changed immediately, and she swayed her hips with a cheerful smile:

"So it's Manager Lin. No wonder my left eye kept twitching today."

Lin Jue clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, "Wang Po, you seem quite happy?"

"How could this old woman not be happy to see Manager Lin?"

"Why don't you tell me what's going on, so that Mr. Lin can have a good laugh too?"

"Manager Lin speaks so well." Granny Wang covered her face with her fan and laughed, "The first time I saw Young Master Lin, I knew you were no ordinary person. And look, less than three months later, you moved from Xiayuanfang to Jing'anfang and became the manager of Qinghe Tavern."

"It's true that new people replace the old in this world, and it's you young people who know how to make money."

"You flatter me, Granny Wang. I was just lucky," Lin Jue said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting. "But Granny Wang, it seems you're planning to move out of Jing'an Ward?"

"Manager Lin guessed correctly, but I'm not moving out of Jing'anfang; I'm leaving Yucheng."

"leave?"

Lin Jue was slightly taken aback, not expecting that Granny Wang was also trying to leave Yucheng, just like him.

What a coincidence!

Besides, it's getting late, could it really be that urgent?

Seeing that the farmhands had almost finished moving the luggage, Granny Wang took a deep breath, glanced around, leaned close to Lin Jue's ear, and whispered, "Yucheng is about to become unsafe. Manager Lin should make plans as soon as possible."

To tell you the truth, Brother Lin, it's not just me; anyone in Yucheng with any standing who values ​​their life has already quietly fled north. I was even a step too late.

As far as I know, it's mostly the people from the west who have attacked. If they don't leave now, who will care about us ordinary folks later?

"I have to go now, Manager Lin, take care."

Lin Jue stood there, stunned, unable to believe it.

He didn't come to his senses until he could no longer see Wang Po's carriage.

Although he didn't understand who the person from the west was that Wang Po was talking about, Lin Jue knew very well that he had to leave Yucheng as soon as possible.

However, before leaving, he still had to deal with the hot potato that was Qinghe Tavern.

We can't just abandon a perfectly good shop like this.

The tavern is backed by the Qinghe River and faces the most bustling street in Jing'anfang. Its prime location will surely fetch a good price if it is resold.

Lin Jue estimated that he could still earn three hundred taels of silver.

Ordinary families certainly couldn't afford that price.

Since we're leaving Yucheng anyway, we might as well transfer the tavern to the Gao family.

The Gao family had been eyeing the tavern for a long time, and he could seize the opportunity to raise the price and rip them off.

However, he couldn't show himself directly, lest some people with ulterior motives target him.

The first person Lin Jue thought of was Chen Qingyang, the owner of the grain and oil store on Dongning Street.

This person has a large business and a wealthy family. If he were to negotiate, even if it were the Gao family, they would be completely at ease.

Most importantly, having experienced the mountain god sacrifice, Lin Jue was confident enough to trust this person.

Dongning Street wasn't far away; in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Lin Jue arrived at the entrance of Chen's Grain and Oil Shop.

Thinking about asking someone for a favor, and not having prepared any gifts, Lin Jue hesitated, standing there in place.

Chen Qingyang, who was fiddling with the abacus, noticed the person at the door and couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh, Manager Lin!"

"Manager Chen!"

"Manager Lin, what brings you here? How is Miss Yuan Rou? Is she alright?"

"It's alright, I'll settle her in Xiayuanfang for now. No one there should recognize her." Lin Jue waved his hand, then clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "I've come here with an urgent matter to ask of you."

"Urgent matter? Could it be...?"

Seeing Lin Jue's solemn expression, Chen Qingyang quickly stepped out from behind the counter: "Manager Lin, please come with me."

Inside the room, Chen Qingyang sent his wife to look after the shop, then closed all the doors and windows, asking earnestly, "Is this about Miss Yuan Rou?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jue was taken aback.

Why does this Manager Chen keep mentioning Yuan Rou in every sentence?

Could it be that you've taken a fancy to her?

Seeing Lin Jue's surprised expression, Chen Qingyang laughed and said, "Manager Lin, don't misunderstand. The reason I care so much about Miss Yuan Rou is because she looks so much like my deceased daughter."

To be honest, Manager Lin, Mr. Chen originally had a son and a daughter. His wife was virtuous, and they lived a decent life. Unfortunately, fate was unkind to him. Three years ago, his daughter suddenly contracted a serious illness and passed away. His wife was grieving for months and almost followed her in death.

The poor Mr. Chen, who had lost his daughter, missed her terribly every day. After seeing Miss Yuan Rou, he even mistook her for his own daughter.

I'm so sorry! I lost my composure.

Chen Qingyang realized his rudeness and, somewhat embarrassed, smiled as he got up to pour tea.

Lin Jue said calmly, "I see. Manager Chen, please accept my condolences."

"Manager Xie understands. If Manager Lin has any requests, I will do my best to fulfill them if it is within my power."

Lin Jue hurriedly took out the tavern's land deed and ivory tag from his pocket, and pushed them to Chen Qingyang with a smile, "It's not a troublesome matter, I just want to ask Manager Chen to help me sell the tavern to the Gao family."

Seeing Chen Qingyang's puzzled expression, Lin Jue quickly attributed the whole reason to the mountain god worship ceremony and recounted the gossip he had heard from Granny Wang.

In summary, he and Yuan Rou were not suited to stay in Yucheng and needed to find another way out.

"People from the west?" Chen Qingyang pondered carefully. "Although the Great Wu Kingdom is powerful, the world is vast and it is not just the Great Wu Kingdom. In the southwest of the Great Wu Kingdom, beyond Wushan, there is the Zhanbo Kingdom, which is eyeing us covetously."

The people of Jampal are known for their evil ways and have passed down black magic for generations. Daewoo and Jampal have experienced hundreds of years of war. Later, the two sides made the Wushan Agreement, and the people on the border of the two countries have been able to enjoy peace today.

To be honest, I visited the Kingdom of Jambo when I was young, and made a few friends there. Given the agreement at Wushan, it's unlikely that Jambo will invade Da Wu.

Upon first hearing of the Kingdom of Zhanbo, Lin Jue silently memorized it and said softly, "The Wushan Agreement was, after all, a matter between the kings of the previous generations. Whether it still stands is another matter. Let's not discuss this for now, and instead return to the tavern..."

After explaining the situation at the tavern, fearing that Chen Qingyang might refuse, Lin Jue continued, "Since the tavern has made its move, I am willing to give ten percent of my share to Manager Chen as a reward for his hard work."

"Money doesn't matter, leave this to Mr. Chen."

Chen Qingyang made a quick decision and agreed to Lin Jue's request, then insisted on taking him to dinner.

Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Lin Jue had no choice but to respectfully comply.

After dinner, Lin Xing got up to say goodbye.

"Manager Chen, I have other matters to attend to, so I won't bother you any longer. I'll leave the tavern to you."

"Well, I'll prepare as soon as possible and try to get it done by tomorrow. Once this matter is settled, you can take Miss Yuan Rou north."

After thinking it over, Chen Qingyang suddenly took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Lin Jue. "This is a peace charm that I always wear close to my body. Please give it to Miss Yuan Rou, Manager Lin. Don't say that it's a gift from me. Thank you."

"I will definitely deliver it, Manager Chen. See you the day after tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Manager Lin. I won't see you off any further."