A Good Country Wife
Chapter 379 - 373 - _1

Chapter 379: 373 Chapter_1

Upon hearing these words, Master Wei understood Zhao Lingxiang’s intention, and displeasure appeared on his face. This time it wasn’t directed at Zhao Lingxiang, but rather, he felt that his wife was no longer as virtuous as before, always against Concubine Zhao, probably because she feared the child in Concubine Zhao’s womb.

Thus, it is said that human hearts are difficult to grasp. In the past, Master Wei looked down on Zhao Lingxiang. If Zhao Lingxiang had said what she did now, Master Wei would have only blamed her for not knowing her place and slandering the lady of the house behind her back. But now, he favored Zhao Lingxiang and was dissatisfied with his wife.

"You don’t need to concern yourself with her. What matters is the child in your womb. If the lady makes things difficult for you, just come and tell me. I will decide for you," Master Wei promised Zhao Lingxiang without hesitation. Let alone the fact that he now valued Zhao Lingxiang a bit more, even for the sake of the child she was carrying, he would protect her.

"Thank you, Master," Zhao Lingxiang said with tears of gratitude, pride swelling in her heart. What of the wife’s official status? In the end, women must rely on men. As long as she had the protection of the master, no matter how angry the wife might be, she couldn’t do much. And Zhao Lingxiang was still looking forward to the day the master would reprimand the wife for her sake, to further suppress the wife’s arrogant airs, to show being the official wife meant nothing.

Leaving aside the Wei Residence’s intrigues, Lin Yue had to wait until she had enough staff and finished training them before she set the opening date. She really had to thank Old Lu once more for finding her a good chef who was said to have previously worked in a royal kitchen. Although his cooking skills were not as good as Lin Yue’s, they were still quite extraordinary. At the very least, his dishes were more delicious than those prepared by many chefs in Xin’an City’s restaurants. In truth, Lin Yue felt that if it came to a real contest of cooking skills, she would lose to him. However, she had the upper hand in understanding various condiments and modern knowledge.

This chef was named Wang Dachuan. Lin Yue did not hire him but bought him for thirty taels of silver, thanks to Old Lu’s advice. Otherwise, who would have known Wang Dachuan had this skill and could cook such fine dishes?

Wang Dachuan’s current employers treated him like a handyman. As to how Wang Dachuan, once a master chef in a royal kitchen, fell to his current state, it was due to his bad fortune. He had managed to secure a position in the royal residence with his excellent cooking, but when the prince harbored treasonous thoughts that were detected by the emperor, his family was executed, and even Wang Dachuan, a servant in the royal kitchen, did not escape. Since he had no direct connection to the prince, he wasn’t beheaded, but he was imprisoned and later sold. After being passed through several hands, he ended up in this household, where Lin Yue now bought him back for thirty taels of silver.

In the market, even a girl as beautiful as a blooming flower would only be worth a little over ten taels of silver, let alone Wang Dachuan, who was not only older but also less appealing in appearance and weak in physique. He might only fetch a few taels. This household had bought him as a laborer for six taels of silver, so they were only too willing when Lin Yue offered thirty taels to buy him. They immediately took the money and handed over Wang Dachuan’s deed of sale to Lin Yue.

Seeing Wang Dachuan’s wooden appearance, Lin Yue had some doubts at first. But after bringing him home and having him show his skills in the kitchen, Lin Yue realized the prodigious talent Old Lu had introduced her to. It was like finding a treasure; not just thirty taels, but even three hundred would have been worth it to buy him.

With Wang Dachuan’s indenture in her hand, his life and death were in her control, so Lin Yue could use him with assurance, not fearing him getting any ideas, which was far better than hiring outsiders. Of course, even though Wang Dachuan was bought by her, Lin Yue had no intention of treating him poorly. She would give him his wages as promised, and as long as he did well, he could expect even more rewards in the future.

"Wang Dachuan, you should understand what I mean. As long as you work hard, I won’t let you suffer. In the future, once you’ve saved enough money, you can even take a wife and live a good life."

"Thank you, Dongjia. I, Wang Dachuan, will never forget the kindness of your help. I will certainly work hard and will not let you down." After many twists and turns, and suffering many hardships, Wang Dachuan had almost given up hope. Unexpectedly, he found a turning point. Not only was Dongjia benevolent, but he also valued his skills. As long as he worked hard, there was still hope in his life.

Lin Yue looked into Wang Dachuan’s clear eyes and saw his upright and generous demeanor, very sincere in his speech. She thought he didn’t seem to be hiding any deceit and felt quite satisfied. That Wang Dachuan could earn praises from Old Lu meant there certainly were praiseworthy aspects to him.

After having a candid talk with Wang Dachuan, Lin Yue taught him all the recipes and the seasoning techniques she had. Wang Dachuan, having worked as a head chef in the Royal Residence, had a natural talent for cooking. With Lin Yue’s guidance, he even surpassed her in skill, creating dishes that were twice as delicious, mastering the heat and flavors with greater precision, which earned Lin Yue’s admiration.

However, for such a large restaurant, having just one head chef like Wang Dachuan was not enough. Initially, she had asked Manager Liu for help, and he had recommended several candidates. Lin Yue invited them to assist Wang Dachuan, who remained the main chef in the kitchen. She entrusted other matters to him as well, because she held Wang Dachuan’s life and livelihood in her hands, and he was all the more trustworthy for it.

After consulting with others to choose an auspicious day for opening, the day arrived. Lin Yue’s publicity had been effective; most people from Songshan Academy knew that Lin Yue’s restaurant was opening that day and anyone who dined there would receive a 50% discount. Thus, the turnout was significant. Some came for a bargain while others were curious about the flavor of the food offered by the new restaurant, thinking they might have found a new dining place.

What Lin Yue did not expect was that on the day of the restaurant’s opening, Liang Wei, the young master who had previously clashed with her brother Lin Qing, surprisingly brought a large group of people to support the venue. He even made a point of asking everyone to take good care of the restaurant’s business right in front of Lin Yue.

Lin Yue was taken aback by the reaction and even more astonished. Considering her relationship with Liang Wei, she thought it would have been good enough if he hadn’t come to cause trouble, yet now he was deliberately showing his support. What exactly was going on was beyond her comprehension.

However, since the guests had arrived, Lin Yue, though surprised, received them with a beaming smile, inviting them into the restaurant. She wouldn’t let her manners slip in front of a crowd, yet she remained cautious, hoping Liang Wei wouldn’t cause any trouble.

"Please, Young Master Liang, this is the largest private room in our restaurant. I hope it meets your satisfaction," Lin Yue said, not entirely at ease, worried that Liang Wei might cause a scene on the very first day of her opening. She personally attended to Young Master Liang and his group, presenting a menu with pictures and text. "Young Master Liang, here are the dishes offered by our restaurant. Please feel free to place your order."