Seeing the furious look on the restaurant owner's face, the waiter didn't dare to say a word. He simply went out onto the street to solicit customers obediently.
However, for years, Tianxiang Restaurant had always served the same dishes, and the diners were already tired of them.
In a shallow plate no bigger than a palm, there were only a few drops of oil floating on the surface. If one was lucky enough to pick out a tiny bit of meat residue after rummaging through the plate, it would be considered an extremely rare stroke of luck.
The diners weren't fools. For just eight copper coins, they could buy Li Ying's stir - fries, grab a big bone, and take big bites of the meat. The "smacking" sounds when they sucked the marrow not only didn't seem vulgar but actually whetted the appetites of others.
No matter how hoarse the waiter's shouts became, not a single person stopped.
Some even gave the signboard of Tianxiang Restaurant a cold look and sneered contemptuously, "Ten copper coins for just a drop of oil. Boss Tao, if people didn't know better, they'd think the meat you're selling is dragon liver and phoenix gall!"
Tao Zhi, the owner of Tianxiang Restaurant, was so angry that his face turned ashen. He tightly grasped a teacup in his hand, his knuckles turning white.
"Go and find out what's going on with that woman! How dare she sell her food so cheaply? Just because she has the backing of Deji Hall, does she think she can ignore my Tianxiang Restaurant?"
The waiter nodded meekly, afraid that the owner's anger would be directed at him. He was about to leave in a hurry when he heard a slightly sarcastic voice from outside the door.
"Boss Tao, you're wrong. For so many years, our Deji Hall and Tianxiang Restaurant have kept to our own business. Naturally, we wouldn't deliberately go against you just for a reckless woman. Li Ying just sold a prescription to our boss. If she's offended you in any way, you can do whatever you want to her."
Tao Zhi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Huang Lian standing at the door, looking humble and obedient.
He knew that although Huang Lian was just a young apprentice, he was always by Du Zhong's side and was highly regarded by him. Since Du Zhong had sent Huang Lian here in person, Tao Zhi assumed that Deji Hall still gave him some face. This thought finally made him feel a bit better.
"What kind of prescription is so amazing? Your boss has seen the world, yet he actually gave up the warehouse to that woman to open a shop just for a prescription?"
Hearing the probing in Tao Zhi's words, Huang Lian pretended to be modest and said, "It's just the therapeutic diet prescription for the tonic paste. My master spent a full fifty taels of silver on it!"
"My master just felt sorry for her as a woman. Who would have thought that she would be so ungrateful and even deliberately provoke Tianxiang Restaurant!"
Huang Lian put on an indignant look and bowed, pretending to be sincere.
"Boss Tao, Miss Li and our Deji Hall have completed the transaction. There's no other hidden relationship. I've dared to come here today just to let you know that you shouldn't ruin the relationship between our two places because of her."
Tao Zhi waved his hand repeatedly. "Easy to talk about, easy to talk about."
Only then did Huang Lian get up contentedly and bid farewell. He also felt relieved.
He had been worried that it would be inconvenient for him to act secretly as long as that woman kept hanging around Deji Hall. Now that she had provoked trouble with Tianxiang Restaurant on her own, he might as well take advantage of the situation and add fuel to the fire!
Tao Zhi looked at Huang Lian's back, a hint of contempt flashing across his face.
This inexperienced young man actually dared to scheme against him?
Did he think he could instigate a fight between Tianxiang Restaurant and Li Ying and kill with a borrowed knife?
"Boss, do you have any other instructions?"
The waiter saw the thoughtful look on Tao Zhi's face and carefully asked.
Tao Zhi thought for a moment and took out a visiting card. "Go and deliver this letter to Miss Li. Just say that I'd like to invite her for a talk."
The waiter trotted off to deliver the letter.
In front of Li Ying's "stir - fry window", the crowd was bustling. It was extremely lively.
She greeted the customers with a smiling face. Finally, she found a moment to catch her breath when she heard Shi Hu's embarrassed voice behind her.
"Miss Li... Look at this person..."
Li Ying turned around and saw a dirty - looking man following Shi Hu, making strange noises.
"A Ying, it's me. I'm Yang Er from the same village. We met at the dock!"
Li Ying thought he looked familiar. His slovenly posture finally reminded her that this was the lazy man who had tried to cheat food and drinks from her several times and had been scolded severely by the wife of the carpenter Li.
"What are you doing here?"
She asked casually. Yang Er broke free from Shi Hu's hand and said proudly, "What am I doing? I'm A Ying's friend. You should be polite to me!"
Shi Hu frowned but still politely bowed to Li Ying.
"Miss Li, according to the agreement between you and the boss, we've waived the consultation fee for all those who come to treat gout with the seafood purchase vouchers. This man keeps saying that he's your fellow villager, but he can't produce the voucher. He even insists that we give him several patches of plaster..."
Li Ying sized up Yang Er. Mrs. Li had said that this man was idle all day in the village, didn't do any work, loved gambling and drinking, and often cheated others. He was like mud that couldn't be plastered on the wall. Naturally, he had no seafood to sell to her.
"Since he is indeed your fellow villager... Come with me. I'll give you moxibustion first..."
Just as Shi Hu was about to take Yang Er away, Li Ying stopped him.
"Shi Hu, although this man is from the fishing village, he's a complete lazy and slippery scoundrel. Deji Hall has given me some face, and I'm extremely grateful. But there's really no need to waste kindness on such a person."
Yang Er had been feeling proud, but he never expected Li Ying to say such things. His shameless face suddenly showed signs of embarrassment.
"Li Ying, aren't you ashamed to just ignore me like this? Don't you forget that if our village hadn't taken you in, you'd probably be dead in the sea by now! You can't be so heartless!"
Li Ying coldly interrupted him.
"The ones who saved me were Granny Sun, Mrs. Li, and the hard - working and kind - hearted fishing girls and villagers in the village. You've been gambling, whoring, and drinking all day. When you had no money, you'd mooch off others. God knows how many families in the village you've broken into. How dare you act like a hooligan here?"
"Shi Hu, please tell the apprentices in Deji Hall that there's no need to show mercy to this kind of parasite just because of me! If this man comes here to take advantage again in the future, just throw him out!"
Li Ying said without any mercy, and Yang Er blushed with anger.
He was being pushed out by Shi Hu while still cursing obscenely.
"Heartless bitch! How dare you embarrass your grandpa? Just you wait and see!"
Naturally, all the apprentices in Deji Hall praised Li Ying for being sensible. This little incident didn't cause much of a stir.
However, Huang Lian quietly chased after Yang Er.
"Brother Yang Er, slow down. Take these patches of plaster!"
Seeing that there was no one around, he stopped Yang Er in a corner of the alley and stuffed a package into his arms with a smiling face.
Yang Er looked at him suspiciously. "Who are you?"
In the shadow, Huang Lian's smile was rather sinister.
"I'm just like you. I can't stand that little slut Li Ying."
He lowered his voice and whispered a few words into Yang Er's ear. Yang Er's eyes immediately lit up, and he slapped his thigh.
"Brilliant! Brother Huang Lian, that's a great plan! I'll go back to the village right away and talk to those women!"
He swaggered away. Huang Lian watched his back, a smug smile slowly appearing on his face.
Li Ying, you've offended Tianxiang Restaurant and lost the protection of Deji Hall and those fishing village women. Caught between two fires and unable to take care of yourself, I'd like to see how else you can be so arrogant.