Chapter 149: The Culinary Tycoon

Many Happy Occasions

Xue Baizhu’s shout caused the customers in the store to burst into laughter.

Ah, youth is truly wonderful. It reminds them of their own youthful days, eagerly anticipating the joy of marrying their beloved.

After Chang Le and Yu Qingze finished eating and were about to leave, Chang Le winked at Brother Chang and bent his thumbs towards each other.

Brother Chang felt embarrassed when Chang Le teased him again and waved his hand, saying, “Go get your acupuncture already!”

Chang Le nodded and gestured, “When my foot gets better, we’ll go to Anfu Temple to make a vow.”

“Okay,” Brother Chang nodded in agreement.

Having settled the plan, Chang Le happily held Yu Qingze’s hand and walked away.

Watching Brother Chang and Xue Baizhu successfully get together so quickly, Chang Le felt very happy. Brother Chang had been his best friend over the years, despite their five-year age difference. Their relationship had always been good, especially in the past two years when they had become as close as brothers.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Moreover, he needed to confirm with Brother Chang whether he could still work after getting married. In case he can’t, they’ll have to train a new manager before he tied the knot.

Xue Baizhu was indeed anxious. He went home and talked to his parents about it that day. The next day, the matchmaker hired by the Xue family arrived at the Chang famly.

Fortunately, Xue Baizhu had told Brother Chang’s mother in the evening, so he went back early. Otherwise, when the matchmaker arrived at their house, he wouldn’t have been home.

Brother Chang’s father naturally had no objections to this marriage. However, he was a bit worried about the Xue family’s prominent status and whether Brother Chang would be looked down upon after marrying into such a wealthy family.

But since Brother Chang had chosen this himself, they could only agree and advise Brother Chang to be diligent, filial, and do more and speak less after marrying into the Xue family.

Brother Chang agreed to everything and had a long conversation with his father, reassuring him.

The wedding arrangements were quickly finalized before the New Year, and they would officially get married on an auspicious day in April of the following year. In the three months leading up to the wedding, both families would make preparations for the marriage.

Once their wedding plans were confirmed, Yu Qingze went to ask Brother Chang about his plans.

Brother Chang was personally very willing, but he still discussed it with Xue Baizhu.

Xue Baizhu initially didn’t want Brother Chang to work too hard, but his family had a very commendable tradition. His mother continued pursuing his interests even after getting married, and his father agreed to it. Moreover, his parents had a great relationship and rarely quarreled, except for the incident where they kept Brother Le coming to seek treatment a secret from him.

Therefore, following his father’s example, Xue Baizhu respected Brother Chang’s wishes. However, he emphasized that if Brother Chang became pregnant and faced physical discomfort, he must prioritize his health and stay at home peacefully during childbirth.

Naturally, Brother Chang agreed, and then he informed Yu Qingze about it.

With this news, Yu Qingze was relieved of many concerns.

Soon, it was time for the Lunar New Year.

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the Yu family’s two shops closed for the holiday. After tidying up, they locked the doors and windows in the afternoon and went home to celebrate the New Year.

Chang Le’s treatment was temporarily paused for four days, and they planned to visit again on the second day of the lunar month. Yu Qingze brought back the rented carriage so that they could pick up Chang Le.

On the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth day, the family was busy preparing for the New Year. They slaughtered the New Year’s pig, purchased festive goods, hung lanterns, and put up New Year’s decorations.

Since the opening of House of Prosperity, Yu Qingze and the other two rarely stayed at home, leaving only Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao. Now that they had returned, the large house was no longer desolate. It was filled with vitality, and both Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao were very happy.

The happiest one was undoubtedly Chang Hao. With his older brothers back, it meant not only delicious food but also someone to play with him.

Thus, since their return, Chang Hao stuck to Jiabao’s every free moment. Sometimes they played with slingshots, other times they kicked shuttlecocks, or they went to the mountains to catch birds and sparrows. Sometimes Chang Hao even begged Jiabao to teach him arithmetic…

They were busy indeed.

On New Year’s Eve, the whole family got up early, had breakfast, and packed some New Year’s goods before setting off for the Cai Mansion.

Because of Jiabao, the two families became even closer. They arranged to have the New Year’s Eve lunch together, and Yu Qingze and the others would return home in the afternoon.

Lord Cai’s wife returned to Tongshan from Yunzhou yesterday. Cai Chenxi is in the capital and couldn’t come back due to insufficient vacation time. As a result, the whole family was missing him.

Lord Cai’s wife is a gentle and amiable person, with a refined and gentle demeanor. He is easy to get along with.

Although it was the first time for Yu Qingze and the others to meet, they quickly became familiar with each other because of Lord Cai’s friendly and approachable nature.

After a while, Yu Qingze took Chang Le and Jiabao to the kitchen to prepare the New Year’s Eve lunch.

Most of the servants in the Cai Mansion had gone home for the New Year, so only Uncle Fu was left in the kitchen. There were only Mi Ge’er and two others who had been serving the Cai Mansion since childhood, along with a few bodyguards.

Lord Cai’s wife had a long conversation with Lord Cai and Cai Yunwei, and then they also came to the kitchen to help.

The whole family followed Yu Qingze’s division of labor and chatted while preparing the New Year’s Eve lunch, enjoying themselves.

Not long after, Lord Luo and his family also came with their New Year’s gifts.

Luo Mingda is the county magistrate here, and his annual leave is only a few days, so he naturally couldn’t go back to the capital city for the New Year. Before Lord Cai returned, he had asked his father to invite them to have the New Year’s Eve lunch together.

Luo Mingda gladly agreed. The cooks in the Cai Mansion had learned from Yu Qingze, so their cooking was naturally better than their own household cook.

When they arrived at the Cai Mansion and learned that Yu Qingze’s family was also there, and they were in charge of the kitchen, he became even happier.

This New Year’s Eve lunch was just perfect!

Luo Mingda accompanied Lord Cai and Old Master Cai to write couplets, while his own wife took their two sons and left them with the servants, then he went to the kitchen to help as well. Lord Cai’s mother and Lord Cai’s wife were busy in the kitchen, so it didn’t feel right for him to just sit there.

Because there were many people and many dishes to prepare, it was already past noon when everything was ready. But it’s common for the New Year’s Eve lunch to be eaten late, so it didn’t matter much.

The Cai family, Luo family, and Yu Qingze’s family had a large round table, and the servants had their own large table, making it exactly two tables. Firecrackers were lit, and they began to eat joyfully and lively.

There was a large table full of dishes, both meat and vegetarian options, catering to various tastes. With the skills of Yu Qingze and Chang Le, the dishes were visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious. It was a perfect New Year’s Eve lunch, and everyone ate to their heart’s content.

This was also the first time the Cai Mansion had so many people celebrating the New Year together, and Old Master Cai and Old Madam Cai were very happy.

At the dining table, Lord Cai told Yu Qingze, “I have received news that the threshing machine and wind-driven grain cart you reported to the court have received great attention. After the two officials inspected them and confirmed their authenticity, I submitted a memorial to the emperor. Coincidentally, the Ministry of Works has also completed the construction of the threshing machine. When the emperor saw it, he was delighted and immediately approved a reward for you. However, due to the timing of the Lunar New Year, the reward will be issued after the holiday.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was delighted.

Yu Qingze said, “It’s all thanks to you, sir, for reporting it.”

“That’s not all,” Lord Cai continued, “I also submitted your toothbrushes, clothes brushes, baby strollers, and walking aids. Those items are small and easy to bring. When the emperor saw them, he realized that the toothbrush he has been using this year and those trendy items in the capital were actually made by you. The emperor personally gave instructions to reward you for these welfare items. He even took out some silver from his treasury to reward you.”

“What? You made toothbrushes too, Boss Yu?” Luo Mingda was curious and surprised, as it was the first time he heard that Yu Qingze was involved in creating such items.

Yu Qingze nodded and replied, “I initially made them quite rough, but later the carpenters improved them, and they turned out better with each iteration.”

“Impressive!” Luo Mingda gave a thumbs-up in admiration.

Not only was Yu Qingze skilled in cooking delicious food and conducting business, but he could also create these items. Luo Mingda hadn’t seen anyone as intelligent as him before.

What worried Luo Mingda the most was that if he had to return to the capital one day, what would he do without Yu Qingze?

During the New Year’s Eve meal, it was inevitable to drink some alcohol, and Yu Qingze accompanied Lord Cai and Luo Mingda in drinking quite a bit. After lunch, they rested at the Cai Mansion for a while before rushing back home before it got dark.

In the evening, they made dumplings and cooked a few more dishes, enjoying them together.

After finishing the meal and tidying up, they sat around the table, gathered around the charcoal brazier, snacking, and staying up late to welcome the New Year.

When the need for warmth arose as winter set in, Yu Qingze had Chang Le prepare a blanket for the brazier. At this moment, the table was covered with the blanket, and they tucked their feet inside, with the blanket covering their lower bodies, keeping them warm.

Yu Qingze and Chang Le exchanged glances and then spoke to Grandpa Chang, “Grandpa, there’s something we want to discuss with you.”

“What is it?” Grandpa Chang asked.

Yu Qingze said, “Brother Le, Jiabao, and I have been busy with our business in the city and haven’t had much time to come back here. We can’t take care of you and Xiao Hao properly. So, after discussing it, Brother Le and I plan to buy a house in the city and move our whole family there. That way, we won’t have to be separated. What do you think?”

“Moving to the city?” Grandpa Chang was surprised and then asked, “What about the farmland?”

Yu Qingze replied, “We can rent the farmland to the villagers for cultivation. We can’t take care of it properly, and it’s too hard for you to manage it alone. Brother Le and I feel sorry for you. Now that our family’s conditions have improved, we don’t have to toil so hard in the fields. We hope you can take good care of your health and enjoy a comfortable life.”

Grandpa Chang took a puff of his tobacco pipe and asked, “What about Xiao Hao’s education?”

Yu Qingze said, “I have inquired about it. There are several schools in the city, and I have already chosen one. Xiao Hao can directly go there to study.”

“What about the potatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage?” Grandpa Chang asked again.

“We can entrust those to the village chief. They will be grown for the villagers in the future, and they are aware of it. They will take care of them,” Yu Qingze replied.

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Chang fell silent for a while and then asked, “Have you found a suitable courtyard?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “There are two places in the west of the city that are relatively suitable. They are not as big as our current one, but they are still decent, and they are close to North Street. We thought that once you agree, we could go together to take a look and choose one. When we earn more money in the future, we can switch to a bigger one.”

“I understand,” Grandpa Chang glanced at Chang Hao and asked, “What about you, Xiao Hao? Do you want to go to the city?”

Chang Hao nodded and said, “I want our family to live together.”

Grandpa Chang nodded in agreement and then looked up at the house, saying, “We have only lived in this house for a short time, and now we have to move again. It’s a pity.”

With Grandpa Chang’s agreement, it meant that they agreed. Yu Qingze smiled and said, “When we want to come back and live here in the future, we can stay for a while, treating it as a second courtyard.”

Having settled on this decision, after the opening of Yu’s Delicious Delights and House of Prosperity on the eighth day of the lunar month, Yu Qingze took a day off when Chang Le didn’t need acupuncture in the morning and took the whole family to visit the two courtyards they had previously selected. After a vote, they finally chose their new home.

Yu Qingze first borrowed four hundred taels of silver from the Cai family, and then added two hundred taels himself to purchase the courtyard.

After completing the house deed, they renovated it a bit, and finally, on an auspicious day, the whole family moved into their new home.

It was already late February at this time.

The reward for the new farming tools issued by the imperial court had also arrived, totaling two hundred taels. Yu Qingze gave one hundred taels of it to the village chief’s family. If it wasn’t for their contribution, they might not have received it.

The village chief and his family hesitated for a while before finally accepting it.

Over the past year, thanks to Yu Qingze’s drawings and cured meat, the village chief ‘s family finally saved enough money. Now, construction of their new house has begun.

There’s another piece of good news worth celebrating. It was reported that the imperial court investigated the case of Lu Hongsheng, the magistrate of Qingzhou, who abused his power for personal gain and protected his relatives. Lu Hongsheng was convicted, and the two murder cases committed by Jia Xiaoren were thoroughly investigated. In the end, Jia Xiaoren was sentenced to death by beheading, the Jia family’s properties were confiscated, and Jia Xiaoren’s father, who condoned his son’s actions, was exiled. The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs was also demoted.

Upon hearing this, everyone clapped and praised the court. They commended the court for finally doing something good and eliminating harm for the people. Particularly, the residents of Qingzhou City spontaneously set off firecrackers to celebrate the day when the Jia family’s properties were confiscated.

In early March, the day after the new fleet brought back fresh squid, shrimp, and clams for the first time, Yu Qingze’s Tie Ban Shao restaurant, in partnership with Master Zhao and Master Hu, finally opened its doors.

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Thandar: what a cheapskate emperor. farming tools that could benefit the entire country and only 200 taels of rewards? are you so poor? sheeesh