In the afternoon, Qiao Chen's father, the Marquis of Guangde, returned to the home and Qiao Chen went to see him. The father and son pair hadn't seen each other for years, but they still weren't very intimate or friendly with each other. Cheng Su only spoke a few words of warnings and advice. Qiao Chen just answered and replied as needed. There were no extra words between them.
On the other side of the picture, Madame Shu noticed that her son's temperament had gone through some huge changes. She couldn't help but have doubts or suspicions grow. After she had put all the things they brought back with her and settled down, she made her way to Qiao Chen's courtyard.
"Are you feeling better yet? Or are you still unwell?" Madame Shu concernedly asked Qiao Chen.
"I feel much better after drinking the medicine. You don't have to worry anymore, mother." Qiao Chen replied.
Madame Shu dismissed the servants in the room and had them wait outside. Then she quietly whispered to Qiao Chen, "What's the matter with you today? As soon as we returned, you started laying down the law and managing Concubine Xu. You've never done that before."
"Nothing's going on. I was just tired of pretending to be weak in front the old madam. It was hard to act like the grandson she wanted me to be. It's been ten years already. I don't want to put up a façade, and I'm not going pretend to be her grandson anymore."
"What do you mean pretending to be her grandson? Of course you're her grandchild." Madame Shu lectured with a reprimanding look in her eyes.
"Mother, you no longer have to endure it anymore. Just take out your head wife's allowance and use it as you please. You have a son to support you from now on." Qiao Chen knew the kinds of days his mother had to suffer through while she lived with the old madam. He would never let his mother suffer again.
Madame Shu's heart was immensely moved because of Qiao Chen's words. Even if her little Jingyun was only speaking empty words, she still felt that all those years she suffered were worth it. Since she married into the family, the old madam had always been unhappy with her. The old madam had always made things very difficult for her. She even treated the concubines better than her, the first and rightful wife. Her husband was also an inflexible person with an unfaltering filial piety, so she couldn't rely on him to help defend her. He couldn't even spare a couple of heartwarming and thoughtful words for her to comfort her. There was no way he'd speak up for her.
Since her parents' deaths, Madame Shu's older brother had gone to a remote region to be an official. She didn't have a single person from her side of the family to speak up for her. The old madam never paid her any attention or took her seriously because of this either. She had nothing. It sounded like her identity was that of the head wife, but she was consistently and constantly oppressed by mere concubines. Who could understand her heartache and experiences?
However, if people wanted to continue to live, then they needed someone to support or help them as well. Madame Shu's only hope for survival was Cheng Jingyun. She didn't ask much of Jingyun. She didn't ask the current Qiao Chen to become more capable either. She only wanted him to be in good health as he lived his life.
Usually, when Madame Shu was tormented by her husband, she would complain a bit to her son. Cheng Jingyun would follow filial piety and would only calm her down and persuade her to be more patient. He had never said such supportive words like now. With Qiao Chen's words of support, whether he could really do it or not, Madame Shu was content. This was her own child's support.
"I'm afraid that Concubine Xu's talk wasn't a false narrative. When I was in the south, I heard your uncle and grandmother mention some things about it too. We'd better not be too hard on them, so he won't deliberately make your public life difficult." In the end, Madame Shu was still worried about whether Qiao Chen would suffer. After all, unlike Chen Jingrui who had fully dug his roots into Luodu, they had only just returned.
"Will my dear mother believe in her son?" Qiao Chen looked at Madame Shu and asked earnestly.
"Who else can your mother believe in except you?"
"Then you must listen to me carefully, mother: Do not be afraid of that mother and son pair. Display your imposing manner as the head wife. Oppress those who should be suppressed. You should enforce the house rules and conduct as it should be done. We've had to endure suffering under them for so many years now. I won't accept it anymore. Your son has studied painting for so many years now all so that I can suppress Cheng Jingrui. It was only because the old madam came back and suppressed us by using the excuse of 'filial piety' that we had to suffer and bear it in silence together. However, if worse comes to worse, we can leave the family. Your son will support you, my dear mother."
Madame Shu had always thought that her son's character was meek and unassuming. She never expected him to actually be holding back his true character all these years.
She thought that her son practiced painting day in and day out because he just liked to do it. It turned out that there were other reasons for why. Madame Shu agreed, "Alright. Mother will listen to you. We won't bother with them anymore."
…
A few days later, Qiao Chen entered a restaurant in Luodu city and asked for the best private room and ordered some of their signature dishes.
"Call your boss here. What kind of sad excuse for a dish are you calling food? It's repulsive." Qiao Chen took one bite, slammed his chopsticks down on the table, and complained.
The waiter saw that Qiao Chen wanted to nitpick and complain, so he immediately ran out to find the manager.
"Looking at this customer, I'm afraid I don't know what family this young master is from." When the manager came in, he didn't ask anything else. He had to first ask Qiao Chen for his identity. He took one look at Qiao Chen's clothes and knew that Qiao Chen wasn't some random person from an ordinary family. However, he didn't know which family Qiao Chen was from, so he didn't know how to act or deal with the situation immediately.
"I said that your food was improperly made. What are you doing asking about me? Furthermore, I'm looking for the boss. Are you the boss?" Qiao Chen said impatiently.
"I am the manager here. You can just tell me what you think is wrong." The manager still didn't know Qiao Chen's identity, so he didn't dare offend Qiao Chen.
"Call your boss over. I will tell him what's wrong." Qiao Chen knew the restaurant owner's identity. He had a lot of businesses and didn't usually stay in the restaurant. However, Qiao Chen knew that the boss was here today.
"Our boss isn't here today. If you think the food is not to your liking, why don't you find another restaurant to eat in first?" The boss wasn't someone that just anyone could see. The manager became impatient with Qiao Chen's deliberate nitpicking. For them to be able to open such a large restaurant in the Luodo city meant that their boss wasn't someone without a background.
"Why? Do you think I'm deliberately nitpicking and saying your food is bad?" Qiao Chen provoked. "With the kinds of dishes you're serving here, it's no wonder all your guests have run over to Qianxing Qingxing?"
As soon as Qiao Chen said this, the manager's face turned ugly. Qianxing Qingxing had stolen their customers over the past two years. If it hadn't been for their long established name and their several accomplished chefs, then they might have closed along with the other restaurants.
"You say this, but Qianxing Qingxing's dishes are nothing more than a novelty- a fad. The chefs in our restaurant have done solid cooking for many years now." The manager defended his restaurant.
" So what if it had been made for hundreds of years when these dishes have been made for decades now, but the taste hasn't improved?"
"So this young master is saying that our dishes need to be improved." The manager still wasn't convinced. These were the best signature dishes from their restaurant. He didn't believe the words that Qiao Chen, this person who couldn't cook, said.
Qiao Chen picked up his chopsticks and began to say, "The sweet and sour fish's skin isn't crispy and the meat falls apart easily. And the braised lion's head… The meat is too old and it doesn't taste good. The chicken soup is too oily and isn't fresh. The braised pork ribs are too tough…"
Qiao Chen found faults with seven or eight of the restaurant's best signature dishes. The manager's face turned uglier and uglier. Now he was even more certain that Qiao Chen only came to their restaurant today to deliberately complain.
The manager restrained his urge to have people throw Qiao Chen out the door and said, "If we follow Your instructions then I'm afraid that even the daoist immortals can't even cook a suitable dish, hmm?"
"No need for any daoist immortals, I can make it for you." Qiao Chen put down his chopsticks and offered.
"Can You do it?" The manager looked at Qiao Chen from head to toe again. This is a son of an official. I'm afraid he hasn't even stepped one foot in a kitchen, but he dares run his mouth so boastfully. "You shouldn't make any trouble in our establishment. We won't accept any of your money for these dishes. It's better for you to go to a different restaurant to eat."
Qiao Chen took out a one hundred silver note, slapped it onto the table, and said, "I want to borrow your kitchen. If I don't make your cooks admit that my own food isn't good, then this one hundred silvers will belong to you and I won't step one foot in your building again."
"Okay, but when the moment comes and you don't concede defeat… then don't blame us for being rude to you."The manager thought over the proposal and agreed.
Qiao Chen and the manager entered the restaurant's kitchen. Right before they entered the kitchen, Qiao Chen asked the manager to send out all the cooks. When he was cooking, Qiao Chen could only allow two people in there: the manager and himself.
The manager stood nearby and was ready to watch Qiao Chen's hands as he worked. However, he was somewhat surprised to see Qiao Chen's skillful food prep and adept knife skills. However, he still didn't believe that Qiao Chen could cook the dishes as well as he had claimed. Even if he was able to cook those dishes, how could it be better than the chefs who had been honing their craft for decades now?
When the aroma of Qiao Chen's dishes wafted out, the manager couldn't help but salivate as he stood on the sidelines. His eyes almost popped out after he saw Qiao Chen cook all the dishes he claimed he could.
Qiao Chen washed his hands after he finished plating the dishes. He asked the manager to call the waiter to bring the dishes to the private room he was in before.
The manager stared at Qiao Chen's back as he exited the kitchen. At the same time, he couldn't help but glance at the mouthwatering dishes. He wanted to taste the dishes one after the other before the waiter took them away, but he was afraid of messing up the dishes. He couldn't bear to pilfer the food in case Qiao Chen found out.
The manager continued to endure and restrain himself. However, in the end… Like a thief, he took out a pair of chopsticks and picked up a small piece of meat from the pickled vegetable and meat soup. Then he immediately opened his eyes wide, unbelievable. He had just watched the whole process from start to finish, but he didn't see how Qiao Chen was able to make the meat so tender. He couldn't even bear to swallow the pieces of meat he was chewing on.
When the manager's chopsticks reached out to the braised ribs, Qiao Chen suddenly appeared at the kitchen door and called out, "Manager."
"Ah! Ah?" The manager was startled and hid the chopsticks behind him.
"There are two dishes that should to be eaten while they are hot. Please have someone quickly serve them." Qiao Chen said.
"Oh, yes, yes. I will have someone take them out." The manager said hurriedly.
When the waiter took the plates out and served them, many guests smelled the food's aroma and came to have a look. When they wanted to order the same dishes, the waiter was embarrassed and didn't know how to explain the situation to the other guests.
"Have your chefs have a taste and see what they say." Qiao Chen said and walked behind the screen.
"Don't call the chefs. I'll try it myself." A well-dressed middle-aged man with a round face came up.
Qiao Chen turned around and looked at the person who walked up to them. He already knew who the person was inwardly, but he still asked, "This person is…?"
"This is our boss." The manager answered.
"This humble one is named Zhang Hong and your surname, young master?"
Qiao Chen glanced at him and then at the manager and the waiter. He didn't speak.
"You guys should go down stairs first. I'll have a little chat with this young man alone." Zhang Hong said to the other people present.
Before the manager left, he couldn't help but take another look at the places on the table and swallow down his saliva. Then he exited the room.
"Boss Zhang, please try my cooking and compare it with your chefs'." Qiao Chen sat down at the table and said.
After Zhang Hong sat down, he first reached his chopsticks to the sweet and sour fish. He picked up a morsel and put it into his mouth. Afterwards, he repeatedly praised, "Hmm! It's aromatic, crispy, fresh, and delicious."
Qiao Chen didn't even have a chance to try the plate himself before Zhang Hong ate the entire plate of sweet and sour fish by himself. He had even set his sights on the Sichuan fish boiled in chili oil. This time, he couldn't even make a sound, and he was sweating all over.
"Boss Zhang, don't just eat the fish. Try the other dishes too." Qiao Chen deliberately said.
Sure enough, Zhang Hong said the words that Qiao Chen wanted to hear, "Of all the things in Zhang's life, fish are the most beloved. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't have at least one fish within a day's meal. I always thought that I had tasted all the good fish in the world, but I never expected that the fish I used to eat were no compared to the two fish plates I've had today."
"Since Boss Zhang loves to eat fish so much, I have a few fish recipes in this book that I could lend to you. Have a look, Boss Zhang." Qiao Chen took out a bound booklet from his sleeve and handed it over to Boss Zhang.
Boss Zhang opened the first page of the booklet and saw a picture of a dish with seafood and chicken mixed together in a vegetable soup. Beside the picture there were words that said Dragon and Phoenix. The next page had a picture of Squirrel Mandarin Fish….Page after page; there were colored ink paintings that detailed the dish's look. The paintings were all realistic look and enticed the viewers' appetites too. Zhang Hong wished he could glue his eyes to the pictures in the book and praised, "These are really good paintings: A good fish is a good dish."
After reading through the book, Zhang Hong held the picture book in his hand and was reluctant to return it back to Qiao Chen. Zhang Hong asked, "Are these paintings all painted by this young master yourself?"
"I enjoy eating and painting, so I often paint the dishes I've made."
"Can this young master make all the dishes in here?"
"Naturally."
"How about this young master put a price on and sells this recipe book to me?" Zhang Hong asked in a discussing tone.
"Boss Zhang was born a businessman. Let's talk business. I have a big money-making business venture, but I'm not sure if Boss Zhang would like to discuss it with me?"
"I am a businessman for life. Naturally, if you have a business that can make money, I would be interested in it. However, not just any business will do. Why won't this young master tell me first, so I can have a look-see?" Zhang Hong's appearance made him seem warm and affable, but he was considered a cunning person even amongst the most cunning of people.
"As far as I know, a lot of Boss Zhang's business has been stolen by Qianxing Qingxing and Rui Fu Ji in the past two years." Both Qianxing Qingxing and Rui Fu Ji were Cheng Jingrui's industries. They were engaged in providing people's basic needs such as clothing, food, housing, and transport.
"It's true that they have snatched away a lot. Rui Fu Ji has made some new and interesting things. We old fogeys are too dull and boring. How they can have so many new ideas?" Over the past two years, Boss Zhang was earning less and less money. He was very obviously not resigned to take it while lying down. He worried over it to the point of losing sleep. He also very pointedly discussed countermeasures with other businesses, but the other party had Prince Yong An as their backer. Things would go well for them regardless of the methods they could think of or use.
"If I can make something ten times better than Qianxing Qingxing and Rui Fu Ji, will Boss Zhang be willing to cooperate with me?" This was the main purpose for Qiao Chen's visit here today. The first thing he had to do was uproot Cheng Jingrui's financial resources.
"This…" Zhang Hong looked at Qiao Chen suspiciously.
Qiao Chen smiled and took another album out of his sleeve. He handed it to Zhang Hong.
Zhang Hong took a look inside. There were a variety of dim sum, snacks, and cold dishes. There were even those ice creams that only Rui Fu Ji had. Moreover, just looking at the pictures enticed people's appetites.
"Young master, just tell me a price. I'll buy everything I've been shown today for a lot of money. However, I do have a request. You can only sell these things to me." Zhang Hong said boldly.
"I can draw a few dozens of these kinds' albums. I can say for sure that everything I showed you today: Only I can make them. Even Cheng Jingrui, the boss of Rui Fu Ji, can't do it. However, I want to talk to Boss Zhang about cooperating with each other."
"Cooperation? Cooperating in what way?"
"I'll give you the method to make it, but you're responsible for making and selling it. Then we split the profits 50/50."
"50/50." Zhang Hong looked at Qiao Chen astonished.
"If I do all of this myself, then 100% of the profits would go to me, so half isn't that much. However, it's not convenient for me to come forward now. If Boss Zhang isn't willing to, then I'll find someone else who is." Qiao Chen made the action to take the albums back.
"Wait, wait." Zhang Hong brought the album back and said. "You have to give me some time to consider it."
"Then I will give Boss Zhang three days to think it over. These two painting books will gifted to you. Even if our business venture doesn't come through, I won't sell the things mentioned today to other people. If Boss Zhang can figure it out on your own, then they can be regarded as your own things."
"Thank you very much. Thank you." As soon as Zhang Hong heard that Qiao Chen was going to give him the albums, he immediately put them away into his sleeves. It was as if he was afraid that Qiao Chen would backtrack on his words. However, he then remembered that Qiao Chen had just told him that he could draw dozens of these albums and Zhang Hong's heart couldn't help but feel itchy.
"Boss Zhang, I have come here in secret today. You must keep all the things I have said and done under wraps. You cannot let anyone else know. Your manager and the waiter also cannot let out a single sound about this matter, or else we can no longer talk business."
"What kind of identity does this young master have for you to be so mysterious about it?" Zhang Hong asked curiously.
"Even if I don't tell you now, Boss Zhang can still find out. My name it Cheng Jingyun." Qiao Chen said.
"Cheng Jingyun? What is your relationship with Cheng Jingrui?" Boss Zhang asked, distrustfully.
"Cheng Jingrui is my bastard brother born from a concubine. I am the Cheng family's eldest son. The true born son from the head wife. I have been in the south for several years, and have just returned to Luodo over these past few days."
"You are the eldest son and you have such ability. Why won't you fight him openly?" Inter-fighting amongst siblings happened among families when the bastard children struggled against the legitimate heirs. However, it was rare for the legitimate first born son to be hiding his strengths against a concubine born bastard.
"Naturally, I have my reasons.Please think about it Boss Zhang. Why would the head wife's son be forced to live in the south for so long? I'm afraid that people in Luodo city only know that Cheng family has Cheng Jingrui. Is there anyone who remembers that there is me: Cheng Jingyun?"
Qiao Chen stood up and said, "If Boss Zhang finishes thinking over this, come to Hanwu temple in three days to find me and we can talk about it in detail. Remember, you can only come alone."