The kitchen of the small restaurant had been burned to a crisp, but fortunately, no one was injured, which was a small blessing. After this incident, Madam Qi was utterly terrified and she immediately developed a high fever. Lin Dan had to call a doctor for her while also going to the yamen to file a complaint, barely getting any sleep the entire night.

However, the arsonist had long fled, and Lin Dan, being an ordinary, powerless citizen, knew the authorities would hardly bother to intervene.

After a night of turmoil, Lin Dan was utterly exhausted. To soothe Madam Qi, they didn’t stay in Sanchakou^[1]Three Forks Alley any longer and left the city before dawn, moving to a house in the suburbs. Although Lin Dan was unafraid of the Yan family, she had to consider the feelings of her mother and the others.

The next day, the people on the south side of the city were stunned to discover that Hometown Dishes Restaurant had closed down completely. Yesterday, when the Yan family had caused trouble, the restaurant was bustling with business, but in the chaos, everyone had fled without paying, and many had even stolen food. They shamelessly gossiped about Shopkeeper Lin’s personal affairs, using the most malicious thoughts to speculate about her character, all without fearing her retaliation. They knew that Shopkeeper Lin had to earn money to support her family, which meant she couldn’t afford to offend her customers.

But now, Hometown Dishes Restaurant has closed! Shopkeeper Lin had decided not to make money anymore and left with a carefree attitude. What would these people from the south side who have left their hometown eat now? They had grown accustomed to the most authentic hometown cuisine, and the thought of returning to tasteless meals was unbearable.

“Shopkeeper Lin, are you there? It’s time to open the shop!” Some people who didn’t know the situation pounded on the door. However, there was no response, and they became anxious. They did the hardest and most exhausting work and having a bowl of Shopkeeper Lin’s noodles in the morning and a small piece of braised meat at night had become a habit. That bowl of noodles and that piece of meat was the highlight of their day and their greatest comfort. But now, the noodles were gone and the braised meat was also gone. They couldn’t stop thinking about what they would do if they could never eat Shopkeeper Lin’s food again.

The more they thought about it, the more anxious they became, and they pounded on the door even harder.

Those who had crowded around the alley yesterday to watch the commotion and even snatched food were now also showing signs of anxiety. From now on, they would only be able to taste the most authentic hometown cuisine in their dreams, not in reality. Though it was just a meal, it had a profound psychological and physical impact on them.

“What’s going on?” Tang Cheng pushed through the crowd, frowning as he asked. Like the others, he had a daily routine of coming to the restaurant for a bowl of noodles in the morning, without which he felt lifeless all day.

Madam Qin, standing at the corner with her hands on her hips, sneered. “Stop knocking, no one’s inside. Yesterday afternoon, someone came to cause trouble at Shopkeeper Lin’s place, smashing up the shop, and some people took advantage of the chaos to steal her food. Then, at night, some thief set fire to the kitchen. Shopkeeper Lin didn’t dare stay here any longer and moved away overnight. She won’t come back to reopen the shop. Last night, she came to me to sell the shop for ten taels of silver. You all have really done it! You drove Shopkeeper Lin out of the capital and now I’ll never get to eat her hometown dishes again! What the hell am I supposed to do now? How did Shopkeeper Lin usually treat you all? Have you forgotten? Who else in the Southern District would give you free soup? Who else would give you free pickled vegetables? Who else would put braised meat in the vegetarian stew just so you could taste a bit of meat? Not only did you not appreciate her kindness, but you even turned around and stole her things. You’re all worse than animals!”

“Someone smashed the shop and set fire to it?” Tang Cheng’s face darkened as he pressed further, “Was Lin Dan hurt? Do you know where she is now?”

“I don’t know.” Madam Qin didn’t dare make a fuss in front of Tang Cheng, but she was still indignant and left with a cold snort. All the people she glanced at hung their heads in shame, deeply regretting their actions.

Shopkeeper Lin’s culinary skills had long spoiled everyone’s taste buds. Now that she was no longer opening the shop, they would never again be able to enjoy such delicious hometown dishes. The feelings of homesickness and hardship, already overwhelming, now surged even stronger. Shopkeeper Lin’s food was more than just tasty. It carried a sense of home that comforted the hearts of those far from their hometown. But they had benefited from her generosity yet failed to help her in her time of need, even causing her harm. Truly, they were worse than beasts.

“If I’d known Shopkeeper Lin would be driven to close the shop, I would have chased those people away yesterday!”

“What’s the point of saying that now? She’s already gone! If I’d been in the shop yesterday, I would have grabbed a stick and chased them out!”

“I have two ships to unload today and it’s going to be exhausting. I was planning to eat an extra bowl of noodles this morning for strength, but now, with Hometown Dishes Restaurant closed, I can’t even get one bowl of noodles. I don’t have any energy at all! Does anyone know where Shopkeeper Lin is? Let’s find her and beg her not to close the shop. We all rely on her skills to get by!”

This wasn’t an exaggeration. Ask anyone in the south side of the city who did hard labor. Didn’t they all start their day by coming to Lin Dan’s shop for a bowl of noodles before work? Her noodles were delicious and cheap, the vegetarian broth rich with the flavor of meat, and she even gave everyone a bowl of milky-white bone soup for free. After a hot, delicious breakfast at her shop, everyone was energized for the rest of the day.

When the shop was open, they took it for granted. After all, it was just a meal, and skipping it wouldn’t kill them. But now that the shop was closed, they felt as though something important was missing, leaving them with an empty feeling inside.

Tang Cheng left Sanchakou Alley with a somber expression, feeling worse than anyone else. He didn’t need to guess to know that the one behind the smashing of the shop and setting it on fire was undoubtedly the Yan family. Just thinking about their vile tactics filled him with an unspeakable disgust. At the same time, he was deeply saddened by Lin Dan’s silent departure, even feeling a faint anger.

He had told her countless times to come to him if she encountered trouble, but she remained the same as she had been ten years ago, bearing any grievance on her own. It was as if she didn’t need anyone, living alone and stubbornly in this world.

Suppressing the pain and pity in his heart, Tang Cheng strode toward the Southern District’s yamen. The authorities wouldn’t take action? Fine, then he would handle it himself. Whoever smashed the shop and set the fire would pay, and he would make sure they handed over their hands!

After Tang Cheng left, Marquis Weiyuan also arrived, and after understanding the situation, a cruel smile appeared on his now fuller face. “Someone burned Shopkeeper Lin’s restaurant and forced her to close? Good, very good!” With that, he flicked his sleeves and left. A moment later, the Prince of Dianqian also arrived, sighing helplessly, “I was planning to take some special Dianqian pastries back for my sister today, but now I’ll have to break my promise. I hope Shopkeeper Lin hasn’t been so scared that she’ll never open a shop again. What will we do then?”

Several luxurious carriages quietly came and went, and after returning, each sent people to search for Shopkeeper Lin’s whereabouts, and in the process, they began investigating her past. It wasn’t long before they discovered the involvement of the Yan family.

Yan Shouye still regarded Lin Dan as the pitiful, helpless girl she used to be, thinking he could easily defeat her with a single move. This made him feel incredibly smug. So what if you help Qiaoyuan Restaurant steal our business? So what if your culinary skills have improved? We will take away your signature dishes and completely destroy you, sending you to join Lin Baotian in the afterlife!

Although the fire hadn’t succeeded in killing Lin Dan and had ruined Yan Shouye’s good mood for the day, he was pleased to learn that Lin Dan and her mother were so frightened that they fled the city overnight. He wasn’t stingy about giving those thugs a little extra for their efforts.

“When you go back, keep an eye on Sanchakou Alley. If they return, set fire to the place again, and if they die in the flames, I’ll take responsibility. Don’t worry about the authorities, I’ve already taken care of them. They won’t interfere.” Yan Shouye handed over a silver ingot, which the thugs from the south side of the city eagerly accepted before leaving with repeated thanks.

“How’s business today?” He turned and asked Second Brother Lin.

“Marquis Weiyuan brought dozens of his personal guards to drink at the restaurant, filling all the seats on the first floor. The second floor is also nearly full, so business is booming.” Second Brother Lin replied proudly.

“Marquis Weiyuan came? Quickly, bring the best wine in the house!” Yan Shouye thought for a moment and then changed his mind. “No, I’ll greet our esteemed guest myself. Give me the wine.” He picked up a jar of wine and headed to the front hall, approaching Marquis Weiyuan with the utmost respect and fear, flattering him as he said, “Marquis, this is pear blossom wine brewed by my daughter herself. It’s most refreshing in the spring. Please have a taste.”

Yan Shouye was confident in Yan Langqing’s brewing skills, certain that Marquis Weiyuan would be satisfied. He had sent wine to the Marquis’s residence before but had never been allowed past the gate. Now that the Marquis had finally come to their restaurant, how could he not seize the opportunity to curry favor? Once the Marquis drank this wine, their restaurant would have another powerful backer.

“Your daughter is Yan Langqing?” Marquis Weiyuan confirmed.

“That’s right, Yan Langqing is indeed my daughter. She’s currently working as an imperial cook in the palace.” Yan Shouye replied with great pride.

Marquis Weiyuan pointed to his empty wine cup, the corner of his mouth curling. “Then fill this up.”

Yan Shouye quickly poured the wine, eagerly awaiting praise, but was caught off guard when Marquis Weiyuan suddenly raised the bowl and smashed it against his head, shouting angrily, “Damn you! How dare you try to deceive this marquis with watered-down fake wine! Men, destroy this crooked establishment!”

“Yes!” The guards, who had been itching for action, immediately drew their swords and began slashing and smashing the tables, chairs, windows, and counters on the first floor to pieces. The customers on the second floor were terrified but didn’t dare to go downstairs, so they could only watch from the balcony. After about fifteen minutes, the once luxurious restaurant was in ruins, and Yan Shouye lay on the ground, covered in blood and groaning. However, no one dared to help him.

Marquis Weiyuan, still not satisfied, kicked him a few more times and sneered. “I despise people who sell fake wine more than anything. You’re lucky I didn’t kill you today. You’d better go home and pray for salvation!” After he left, the customers upstairs also began to leave one by one, while a crowd gathered outside, craning their necks to watch the spectacle.

Only then did Second Brother Lin come out to help Yan Shouye up. Seeing the devastation and thinking of the day’s losses, his heart ached as if it were being cut by knives.

But the ordeal wasn’t over. Before a doctor could arrive to treat Yan Shouye’s injuries, the steward of the Prince of Dianqian arrived, carrying a dead dog in his arms. He claimed that the dog had died after eating the mushroom soup from Yan Family’s Restaurant, and he demanded they be taken to the authorities. Imagine if the soup had been eaten by the young lady of their household instead. Who would be dead then? The steward pointed out that their young lady was to enter the palace as a consort, so how could such a serious matter not be reported to the authorities?

The steward didn’t even glance at the wrecked front hall and ordered several strong servants to drag Yan Shouye away. They even struck the drum at the yamen gate to formally lodge their complaint. With the scandal of the fake wine and poisonous soup both erupting in the same morning, Yan Family’s Restaurant’s reputation was utterly destroyed. No matter how favored Yan Langqing was, could the emperor rebuke Marquis Weiyuan and the Prince of Dianqian for her, a mere imperial cook? Could he clarify the rumors to all the citizens of the capital? Impossible!

Second Brother Lin squatted at the entrance of the restaurant while holding his head in despair, feeling like crying but without tears.