With such a great business suddenly in the store, Jiang Yanyi didn’t dare to be negligent.

She personally supervised the kitchen preparation, fearing that any link in the chain might go wrong.

She also asked Chef Yao to add a few special dishes for the birthday celebration.

The first floor’s lobby needed to be redecorated as well.

Red silk was hung, and gold-foiled “Longevity” plaques were placed on the walls, instantly creating a festive atmosphere suitable for a birthday banquet.

The flower cakes meant for the celebration were also stamped with patterns of good fortune and longevity.

The male and female guests needed to be seated separately, so the tables in the lobby were arranged on both sides, with a twelve-panel redwood landscape folding screen purchased by Yang Xiu placed in the middle to create a nice divide.

“After the hour of Si, the guests from the An family will likely come here for their meal. Yang Xiu, go invite a theater troupe,” Jiang Yanyi said as she inspected the lobby, noticing the empty stage.

A birthday celebration required a lively atmosphere, and hiring a theater troupe, although it would cost more, would at least maintain appearances.

Yang Xiu hesitated, “Boss, we only need to provide the venue. Inviting a theater troupe will cost us extra, won’t it?”

Jiang Yanyi replied, “Just do as I say.”

It was a significant matter for the matriarch of the An family to celebrate her birthday.

Everything from the guest list to the dishes served should have been planned well in advance.

However, the servants from the An family had suddenly approached them, clearly indicating some oversight on their part that made it impossible for them to host the guests.

If this birthday banquet went well, it would not only help the An family save face but also provide an opportunity to establish a good relationship with them.

Furthermore, it would enhance the reputation of Ruyi Lou.

The patrons dining here were mostly influential figures, and if they ever needed to host an event and found it troublesome to do so at home, they could outsource it to Ruyi Lou, leading to lucrative business opportunities.

Thus, even if today’s event didn’t turn a profit, it had to be executed beautifully.

Having been with Jiang Yanyi for so long, Yang Xiu understood that she always had her reasons for doing things.

Whenever they thought she was making a loss, it often turned out to be very profitable later on.

This time, he chose to follow her lead.

When the guests from the An family arrived, the waiters on the first floor greeted them and ushered them to their seats.

Many of the guests came with some intention of looking down on the An family, but once they stepped through the door, they were immediately met by a waiter who took their cloaks and capes, offering to dry them.

It was a more thoughtful reception than at other houses where they had come to offer congratulations, and the guests couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

Once they were seated at the banquet, they noticed the festive decorations in the lobby.

Not only did the waiters serve a steaming cup of fragrant tea, but they also brought in a charcoal brazier for warmth, which further endeared the guests.

Familiar faces grouped around the same table, chatting about daily life or discussing the current war in the Da Xuan Dynasty.

The sounds of drums and gongs could be heard from the stage, where celebratory songs were being performed, creating a lively atmosphere.

Some guests who weren’t fond of antique soup pots and hadn’t dined there before came simply because it was a birthday celebration for the An family.

Hearing that the restaurant had a genuine artifact from the Prince of Liaonan and poetry collections from talented scholars who dined there sparked their curiosity, leading many to request a look, and a few even began composing poetry.

Jiang Yanyi had set aside a space on the third floor to sell stationery items.

The clever waiters would entice guests to visit the third floor, using their eloquence to persuade them to buy brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

They were particularly motivated, as Jiang Yanyi had mentioned that any items sold that they persuaded guests to buy would earn them a commission.

Opposite the stationery section was a room dedicated to selling rouge, where female customers occasionally ascended from downstairs with Chu Shubao, either after purchasing rouge or leaving the room.

Many young masters, feeling embarrassed about not buying anything for fear of being laughed at by the ladies, often ended up purchasing some paper or pens.

Seeing that most of the guests in the lobby had been seated, Jiang Yanyi instructed the kitchen to quickly bring out the pots.

For such a large banquet, it was essential to cater to the tastes of the majority.

Lamb was a suitable meat for entertaining guests, and since spicy food wasn’t common in ancient times and there were elderly people and children present, the banquet was prepared with clear broth lamb pots.

Vegetables like lotus root, winter bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and tofu were artistically arranged on various plates, with a few plum blossoms placed in the center or at the edges, adding a touch of elegance to the ordinary ingredients.

The guests praised the food, and their initial intention of watching the An family make a fool of themselves disappeared.

The matriarch of the An family, supported by her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law, entered the restaurant.

Jiang Yanyi stepped forward to greet her and was pleasantly surprised to find that this matriarch was the same one who had given her and Feng Shuo red envelopes at the Han family banquet.

“May you have longevity and health, matriarch,” Jiang Yanyi said with a smile as she greeted her.

The matriarch, hard of hearing, couldn’t quite catch what Jiang Yanyi was saying, but she seemed to recognize her, nodding and smiling back, radiating warmth.

“Mother, the guests are waiting. Let’s go over there,” said the woman supporting the matriarch.

She looked to be in her thirties, with slightly raised eyes and overly thin lips, her demeanor rather haughty, likely treating Jiang Yanyi as just an ordinary merchant.

Jiang Yanyi guessed that this woman was probably the matriarch’s daughter-in-law.

With others speaking, Jiang Yanyi felt it unnecessary to say more and instructed a waiter to lead them to the lobby.

The granddaughter-in-law of the matriarch nodded in thanks to Jiang Yanyi.

Although she wore makeup, her eyes were still red, clearly having just cried.

Jiang Yanyi also nodded back at the young lady of the An family, who gave her a familiar feeling for some unknown reason.

As the guests settled in for their meals, Chu Shubao and Chu Huibao took a moment to rest.

With her elbow resting on the counter, Chu Shubao propped her chin in her hand and whispered to Jiang Yanyi, “The young lady of the An family must have been scolded by her mother-in-law. Just look at that sharp look on her face.”

Jiang Yanyi glanced over at the main hall.

Old Lady An had finished speaking with a few elderly ladies and was now seated at the banquet.

She made a silencing gesture towards Chu Shubao, saying, “Say less; it wouldn’t be good if someone hears us.”

Jiang Yanyi was still unaware of the An family’s situation, but Chu Shubao had picked up some information while chatting with a few young ladies about cosmetics.

She leaned closer to Jiang Yanyi and whispered, “I heard that Madam An doesn’t like her daughter-in-law at all. She only married her to repay General An for saving her when he was injured…”

This familiar yet cliche plot…

Jiang Yanyi shuddered and interrupted Chu Shubao, “Is this General An called An Yongyuan?”

Chu Shubao looked puzzled. “How did you know?”

Jiang Yanyi thought to herself, how could she not know?

An Yongyuan was the villain in the original story!

In the book, his first wife was mistreated by his mother until she died.

When he met the female protagonist, he discovered she had the same eyes as his late wife and imprisoned her.

However, he was soon executed by the emperor.

No wonder when she saw Madam An earlier, she felt a sense of familiarity in her eyes.

The reason Jiang Yanyi remembered An Yongyuan as the villain was that the emperor mistakenly thought he had wronged the female protagonist, who refused to explain, leading to a series of heart-wrenching repayment plots.

Early romance novels had many cliché points, but the scale was absolutely large, and the intimate scenes were well-written, unlike later novels, which were bland and flavorless.

As Jiang Yanyi sorted through the plot in her mind, she realized that the current timeline no longer aligned with the original story.

The plot of An Yongyuan imprisoning the female protagonist happened after the female protagonist left home in anger due to Lu Linyuan and before she was abducted by the Turkic prince.

At present, both the Turkic prince and Jiang Yunxi were still locked up in prison, and An Yongyuan’s wife had not died, so he shouldn’t imprison the female protagonist again.

Thinking about it made Jiang Yanyi a bit worried, but facing Chu Shubao’s question, she deflected, “Today, the restaurant is hosting the An family’s banquet; do you think I wouldn’t know the host’s name?”

Chu Shubao thought about it and realized it made sense, patting her own head, “I was being silly.”

Jiang Yanyi used the excuse of checking the kitchen to leave the counter but actually headed over to the ladies’ side.

Though she had only met Old Lady An twice, the impression the old lady left on her was quite good.

She didn’t want anything to go wrong at today’s birthday banquet.

Moreover, An Yongyuan was an important general under Feng Shuo, and in the original story, the death of Madam An had a devastating impact on him, causing him to almost lose his footing.

Right now, Feng Shuo needed capable people, and Jiang Yanyi hoped Madam An would be well so that An Yongyuan wouldn’t follow the plot of the original story.

Jiang Yanyi glanced casually and saw that Madam An was sitting next to Old Lady An, who occasionally served her food.

The two seemed to be quite harmonious, but Madam An’s dissatisfaction with her daughter-in-law was almost written all over her face.

At a nearby table, a group of women were eating while discussing the An family’s matters.

“Today, the An family really has to thank Ruyilou; otherwise, they would have lost face completely!”

“I wonder what’s going on with the An family? It was agreed to hold the birthday banquet at their residence, so why did they change the venue at the last minute?”

“Tsk, it’s all because of that granddaughter-in-law of the An family. Coming from a small family, she doesn’t know how to manage things at all. The old lady entrusted the birthday banquet to her, so it’s no wonder it got messed up!”

“Marrying a virtuous wife is essential. To mess up such a significant event as the elder’s birthday shows how little filial piety she has.”

“That’s not all; I heard that granddaughter-in-law isn’t content with her situation!”

“Is there such a thing? To marry into the An family is already a stroke of luck; how can she not be satisfied?”

Their voices were deliberately lowered, and the women unconsciously leaned closer together.

Jiang Yanyi happened to be standing by a low table with a teapot against the wall and overheard them clearly.

She pretended to brew tea, deliberately stalling for time.

One of the women said quietly about Madam An’s discontent: “This scandal was covered up, but it’s said she had an affair with a young official named Lu from the magistrate’s office. They were caught in the act and fell into a lake together. She was saved by that Lu fellow, and when General An went to fetch her, his face was ashen.”

“No wonder General An isn’t back from the military camp to celebrate Old Lady An’s birthday today…”

Each word was like a knife.

Jiang Yanyi remained silent.

Perhaps she was being overly sensitive, but when the women mentioned the official surnamed Lu from the magistrate’s office, her first thought was of Lu Linyuan.

However, in the original story, Lu Linyuan had no connection with Madam An, so it shouldn’t be him.

Seeing the waiters coming over with trays of dishes, Jiang Yanyi snapped back to reality and personally took two plates of celebratory dishes to the table of Old Madam An. “These are complimentary birthday dishes from our small establishment, wishing you longevity as vast as the Southern Mountains and blessings as abundant as the Eastern Seas!”

“Longevity as vast as the Southern Mountains” was a turtle soup served in a beautifully carved pumpkin.

The turtle was prepared with white fungus, mushrooms, and ham, and simmered in a clay pot for two hours until tender.

The pumpkin, carved with patterns of fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness, was steamed until 70% cooked, then taken out.

At this stage, the pumpkin was soft but not mushy, allowing it to hold the turtle soup without deforming or breaking.

The lid of the pumpkin was placed back on, making for a uniquely shaped dish.

The turtle soup was not only flavorful but also had a hint of sweetness.

“Blessings as abundant as the Eastern Seas” was a steamed fish dish.

The whole fish was first pan-fried until both sides were golden, then simmered in a rich bone broth with shredded mushrooms and ham.

Afterward, the fish was garnished with mushrooms and ham, and the broth was poured into the fish’s belly for seasoning before steaming.

The finished fish had a golden skin, and the meat inside was delicate and tender, with a fragrant aroma.

Although Old Madam An had trouble hearing, she could see Jiang Yanyi serving the dishes and smiled broadly, nodding her head in acknowledgment as a form of thanks.

Madam An, for once, spoke up: “I will thank the owner on behalf of my mother.”

She looked Jiang Yanyi up and down, perhaps finding her too beautiful, her eyes betraying a hint of disdainful superiority.

Jiang Yanyi remained unfazed, still smiling as she replied, “You flatter me, Madam.”

With that, she left.

The meanings of the two dishes were excellent, especially the carved pumpkin for “Blessings as abundant as the Eastern Seas,” which elicited gasps of admiration from the guests.

This was Chef Yao’s signature dish, which not only tested knife skills but also required great delicacy; even a slight mistake could ruin the pumpkin.

After Jiang Yanyi left, Madam An covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, as if she had caught a whiff of something unpleasant. “This owner of the restaurant looks unfamiliar; I wonder where she comes from? A dining establishment that flaunts cosmetics—it’s no wonder the uninformed might think it’s a brothel!”

The woman sitting next to Madam An whispered, “Madam, you may not know this as you are devoted to Buddha, but this owner is quite remarkable. She is the second daughter of the Chu family, and just a few days ago, the Prince of Liaonan visited the Chu family to propose marriage. Just the betrothal gifts alone are astonishing.”

Madam An implied with a remark, “She’s quite pretty.”

On the surface, this complimented Jiang Yanyi’s looks, but in essence, it demeaned her as merely a pretty face.

The Chu family was gaining an excellent marriage alliance, and many families were envious, though they dared not voice it in public.

Hearing Madam An’s comments, the woman looked at Jiang Yanyi’s retreating figure and covered her mouth with a laugh. “The daughters of the Chu family are all engaging in this kind of public business. Those who don’t know might think their family is on the brink of bankruptcy.”

Suddenly, Old Madam An, who usually had trouble hearing, spoke up: “Su Niang, I’m tired.”

Madam An had to drop the subject and told the few ladies at the table, “You all take your time; my mother’s health isn’t great, so I’ll take her down to rest first.”

The ladies offered a few complimentary remarks, and Old Madam An stood up, with Young Madam An naturally stepping forward to assist her.

---

Jiang Yanyi was at the counter, reviewing the account books and tapping away on her abacus.

After a rough calculation, she realized that Ruyi Lou had already made over two hundred taels of silver within just half a day of opening.

This figure was a comforting balm for Jiang Yanyi’s soul, which had been wounded by recent expenditures.

Feeling pleased, she turned to Chu Shubao, “How much have you made selling rouge?”

Chu Huibao, who was in charge of the accounts, promptly replied, “Thirty-seven taels.”

It was a good start.

Jiang Yanyi was in high spirits.

As she watched the bustling lobby, she pondered what delicious treats to prepare for the staff as a reward.

Just then, a waiter rushed over to her in a panic, “Owner, Madam An has fallen!”

Jiang Yanyi was startled, thinking it was Old Madam An who had fallen.

She quickly stepped out from behind the counter, “Where did she fall?”

The waiter explained, “Old Madam An was tired. After Madam An helped her into the carriage, she twisted her ankle while getting out, and fell directly from the carriage, breaking a front tooth.”

Right in front of Ruyi Lou was a main street, paved with blue bricks.

With her front tooth hitting the ground, it was indeed possible for it to break.

As Jiang Yanyi stepped outside, she saw a crowd gathering in front of the An family’s carriage.

Madam An was surrounded by several maids and servants, covering her mouth with a handkerchief that was already stained with blood.

Meanwhile, Young Madam An was helplessly squeezed to the side.

Though the commotion was at the An family’s carriage, Jiang Yanyi felt a pull and glanced across the street, where she spotted a carriage parked at the roadside with its curtain half lifted.

Inside was none other than Feng Shuo.

What was he doing here?