Chapter 132 The Evergreen Pavilion's "New Menu" and the Forced Intensive Competition

"Achoo!"

"Achoo!"

"Achoo!"

Tianqi City, Changqinglou Tianqi Main Store (formerly Taiji Hall).

Almost simultaneously, Lei Wujie, who was busy in the lobby, Wushuang, who was chopping vegetables in the kitchen with sparks flying, and Xiao Se, who was sitting behind the counter calculating accounts with his eyes wide open, all sneezed loudly and in perfect unison.

The three sneezes echoed throughout the hall, creating a strange and unsettling resonance.

"Who's insulting me?"

Lei Wujie rubbed his sore nose, holding two plates of freshly cooked "Braised Crimson Flame Dragon" in his hands, but his stealthy steps did not stop at all.

His movements are now so skillful that he can somersault over a customer's head without spilling a drop of soup.

"This bone-chilling cold..."

Xiao Se stopped rapidly turning the abacus in his hand, his brows furrowed.

A deep sense of apprehension flashed in his eyes, which had regained their clarity.

As the former number one genius of Tianqi City and now the emperor of Beili (although he is a hands-off ruler), his intuition has always been terrifyingly accurate.

He had only experienced this feeling with one person.

That man.

The "creditor" who not only cured his hidden meridians but also helped him reclaim the throne, only to leave behind an astronomical bill.

"Sir...you haven't come up with some new way to torture me again, have you?" Xiao Se muttered to himself, feeling a chill run down his spine.

In the kitchen.

Wushuang looked at the pile of radish slices on the cutting board, which she had sliced ​​as thin as cicada wings with the "Great Ming Vermilion Bird" and could even be pieced together in mid-air to form a picture of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival". She wiped the sweat from her forehead with pride.

"No matter who's cursing me, my 'Radish Carving Sword Intent' is now complete! When Master returns, I'll definitely show him that I, the young master of Wushuang City, am a man who can take cooking to the extreme!"

Just as the three teenagers were each thinking their own things.

"Buzz—"

In the center of the main hall, on the originally empty white marble floor, a spatial ripple suddenly appeared.

Immediately afterwards, a magnificent rainbow bridge was projected from the void and landed precisely next to the huge golden nanmu wood table that Su Changqing used as a dining table.

"Daddy! Daddy! We're here!"

It was accompanied by a sweet, energetic child's voice.

Su Changqing slowly walked down the Rainbow Bridge, carrying Xiao Nuomi, who was wearing a pink dress and holding a snow-white bear cub (Da Bai) in her arms.

Following behind him was Li Hanyi, dressed in simple white robes, with a cool and aloof demeanor.

"teacher!"

"Brother-in-law!"

When Xiao Se and Lei Wujie saw this familiar family of three, especially Su Changqing's smiling face, for some reason, their hearts skipped a beat, but their bodies honestly went to greet them.

"Hmm, not bad, looks like you haven't been slacking off these past few days."

Su Changqing casually glanced around the lobby.

Despite the packed house, everything ran smoothly without any chaos.

Even the usually arrogant and domineering princes and nobles were as docile as quails here, not daring to even speak loudly.

Just kidding, this is a place where even the Emperor Emeritus has to queue up to pay the bill, who would dare to act recklessly?

"Of course! Brother-in-law, when have I, Lei Wujie, ever failed to do anything you asked me to do?"

Lei Wujie patted his chest proudly, "Look at my plate-carrying skills now, they're absolutely the best in Tianqi City!"

"Alright, stop showing off. Put the plate down and come to the meeting."

Su Changqing walked to the large table and sat down very naturally on the dragon throne that symbolized imperial power (which he had transformed into a luxurious sofa).

He placed Xiao Nuomi on his lap, then pulled out a thick booklet from his pocket that looked like it was bound in some kind of unknown animal hide, and slammed it heavily on the table.

"Snapped!"

A muffled thud.

Xiao Se, Lei Wujie, and Wushuang, who had just emerged from the kitchen, all felt their hearts skip a beat.

"Sir, this is..." Xiao Se asked tentatively, looking at the booklet that exuded an eerie aura.

"This is our Evergreen Pavilion's 'Development Outline' for the second half of the year, and it will also be your 'KPI Assessment Indicators' going forward."

With a capitalist's characteristic amiable smile, Su Changqing said, "I've been a bit bored up there these past few days, so I've been tinkering with some minor inventions and creations. To take Changqinglou's business to the next level, I've decided to launch a brand new 'God-Level Menu'!"

"A new menu?"

Lei Wujie swallowed hard. "Brother-in-law, our current menu is already outrageous enough. Fried rice for 100 taels a bowl, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for 1,000 taels a pot—we've practically squeezed every last drop out of the wealthy and powerful in Tianqi City. And you're still going to introduce new dishes?"

"Squeeze them dry? You underestimate their financial resources."

Su Changqing curled his lip in disdain. "Those were just appetizers before, used to build up our reputation. Now, it's time for the main course."

He opened the animal-skin book and pointed to the first page.

"Look carefully. The first new dish: [Nine-Turned Resurrection Soup]."

"I selected a thousand-year-old ice lotus from the coldest lands, combined with the heart's blood of a hundred-year-old demon whale from the depths of the East Sea, and simmered it for forty-nine hours with the True Fire of the Phoenix (actually, I just simmered it for half an hour). Effects: As long as there is still a breath left, drinking this soup will not only bring the dead back to life, but also cleanse the marrow and increase one's power by sixty years."

"Price: 100,000 taels of gold! Limited to one bowl per month, must be auctioned three months in advance, highest bidder wins!"

"hiss--!!!"

The three boys gasped simultaneously.

100,000 taels of gold?! Or a bowl of soup?! And it has to be auctioned off?!

This isn't just robbery, this is taking lives!

"Sir, isn't this...isn't this a bit too much?" A fine layer of cold sweat appeared on Xiao Se's forehead. "Ten thousand taels of gold, even for those top families, would be a huge financial burden. If word gets out, our Changqing Pavilion will probably become the target of everyone's criticism."

"What are you afraid of? What I, Su Changqing, sell is worth the price."

Su Changqing sneered, "Those old geezers would be willing to give up everything, even their entire fortune, just to live a few more years. We're giving them a chance to buy their lives; they'll be grateful to me more than ever."

"and……"

Su Changqing changed the subject, his gaze falling on Xiao Se.

"After deducting costs (which are actually none) and my hard-earned money, I will use half of the remaining amount to build schools in various parts of Northern Li and promote 'compulsory education.' This is also the condition you promised me back then."

Xiao Se was startled.

Looking into Su Changqing's calm eyes, he felt an indescribable respect welling up inside him.

This man, seemingly greedy and ruthless in his extortion, is actually subtly changing the world and the future of Beili with every action he takes.

Use the ill-gotten gains amassed by those powerful and wealthy to benefit all living beings.

This is the true path!

"Sir, your noble character is truly admirable. On behalf of the people of Beili, I, Xiao Se, thank you!" Xiao Se bowed deeply.

"Alright, stop flattering me. I just didn't want those corrupt officials' money to go to waste, so I helped them spend it."

Su Changqing waved his hand and turned to the second page.

"The second new dish: 【Enlightenment Sword Bamboo Shoots】."

"This dish is specially made for martial arts masters who are stuck in a bottleneck period. It uses mutated purple-gold thunder bamboo shoots that I cultivated with my sword intent, and stir-fries them with shredded 'carved radish sword intent' from Wushuang."

Su Changqing pointed at Wushuang.

"Wushuang, this dish is your core KPI. You not only need to slice it well, but you also need to infuse your swordsmanship insights into every single bamboo shoot. Let those who eat this dish experience your sword intent instantly, thereby gaining an opportunity for breakthrough."

"Of course, this dish can't be cheap either. It's 10,000 taels of silver per plate, and only ten plates will be available each day. First come, first served."

Wushuang was stunned.

To stir-fry one's sword intent into a dish and then feed it to others?

That's...that's some pretty flashy stuff!

"But sir, my sword intent is for killing, not for being used as seasoning..." Wushuang protested weakly.

"madness!"

Su Changqing reprimanded him without any politeness, "There are countless paths to the sword, but they all lead to the same goal. You can kill with sword energy, so why can't you enlighten others with sword intent? If you can help those mediocre people comprehend the sword path by eating your cooking, then your realm will naturally be countless levels higher than theirs! This is called 'Sword Path Nourished by Food,' an extremely profound method of cultivation!"

Wushuang was completely taken aback by what she heard. Although she felt something was off, she also thought that what the gentleman said made a lot of sense.

"Yes, sir! I understand! I'll go to the kitchen to practice cooking right away!"

Wushuang, as if injected with adrenaline, rushed into the kitchen carrying the sword box.

"The third new dish..."

Just as Su Changqing was about to continue reading his "pig-slaughtering menu," a burst of extremely flamboyant laughter came from outside the door.

"Hahaha! Brother Su! I heard you were back, so I came here especially to welcome you back!"

Amidst laughter, a middle-aged man dressed in a luxurious purple robe and waving a flamboyant folding fan swaggered in.

The Third Lord of Snow Moon City, the Spear Immortal Sikong Changfeng!

As soon as he entered, he pulled out a chair and sat down as if they were old friends, then casually picked up a pastry from the table and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad. This pastry still tastes the same as before."

While eating, Sikong Changfeng mumbled, "Brother Su, you've been in heaven for months, and I've missed you terribly. You don't know, since you left, although business at Changqing Tower has been good, all the customers have been urging me to see you. I'm almost driven crazy by it."

Su Changqing glanced at him sideways, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Lord Sikong, you're living quite comfortably, aren't you? While I was away, did you secretly take kickbacks from the accounts?"

"I'm innocent! Absolutely not!"

Startled, Sikong Changfeng quickly swallowed the pastry in his mouth, raised his hands, and swore, "I, Sikong Changfeng, swear to heaven that my loyalty to Brother Su is as clear as day! These past few months I've been working from dawn till dusk, acting as both manager and security guard, and I haven't even had time for my beloved romantic drinks. I'm risking my life for the sake of Changqing Tower's foundation!"

"Alright, alright, stop acting."

Su Changqing was too lazy to watch his exaggerated acting and simply threw the animal skin book in front of him.

"Since you're so free, then the promotion of the 'Changqinglou Second Half-Year Development Outline' will be entrusted to you."

"Development outline?"

Sikong Changfeng picked up the booklet with a puzzled look and opened it.

I only read the first page.

His hands, which were usually steady as a rock when he held a gun, began to tremble violently.

"Ten thousand taels of gold?! And a bowl of soup?!"

"Another bidding process?!"

Sikong Changfeng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Su Changqing! Are you out of your mind?! Are you trying to rob the entire Tianqi City?!"

"Watch your words, Steward Sikong."

Su Changqing leaned back on the dragon throne, slowly picking at his nails. "I'm providing high-end customized services for those in need. Look at the effects—resurrection, an increase of sixty years' worth of internal energy. Is this robbery? This is clearly charity!"

"Doing charity..."

Sikong Changfeng's lips twitched violently. He finally understood why Xiao Se and Lei Wujie had looked at him with such pity earlier.

This is absolutely outrageous!

"and."

Su Changqing suddenly lowered his voice, a wicked smile appearing on his face.

"I've made my decision regarding this 'Nine-Turn Resurrection Soup.' The auction for the first bowl will be held in three days. And you, Sikong Changfeng, will be the chief auctioneer for this auction."

"I?!"

Sikong Changfeng pointed to his own nose, his voice cracking.

"Yes, it's you."

Su Changqing patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "You have a good tongue and a thick skin, and you're quite a prominent figure in Tianqi City. With you hosting this auction, you'll definitely be able to raise the prices to an unprecedented level."

"If the auction is unsuccessful, or the price does not meet my expectations..."

Su Changqing's eyes instantly turned icy cold. "Then you'll spend the rest of your life washing dishes at Changqing Tower. And your precious daughter, Sikong Qianluo, will have to come and serve dishes for the rest of her life too."

"I'll do it! I'll do it, okay?!"

Sikong Changfeng was on the verge of tears. He felt that the worst decision he had ever made was getting to know Su Changqing, this living devil.

Once you're on that pirate ship, there's no getting off!

"That's right."

Su Changqing nodded in satisfaction and picked up Xiao Nuomi, who was playing hide-and-seek with Da Bai, again.

"Nuonuo, come on, Daddy will take you to the backyard to watch Brother Wushuang cook. I heard he invented 'Flying Sword Stir-fried Potato Shreds' today, let's go and support him."

"Yay! Look at the stir-fry!" Little Nuomi cheered excitedly.

The family of three walked happily into the backyard.

Left in the lobby, three workers, forced into a "competitive" environment and about to face hellish KPI assessments, stood bewildered in the wind.

"Xiao Se, do you think it's too late for us to run away now?" Lei Wujie asked with a bitter face.

"run?"

Xiao Se sighed, picked up the abacus, and began to skillfully manipulate it. "Wherever you run, the master's knife will cut you. You'd better get back to work. After all, we're now carrying the great mission of 'Northern Li Compulsory Education'."

Sikong Changfeng looked at the "Changqinglou Development Outline for the Second Half of the Year" in his hand and sighed deeply.

"Heavens above! How did I, a dignified gun master, end up as a high-level pyramid scheme operator for a heartless boss...?"

The daily life at Changqing Tower continues in a strange yet joyful atmosphere.

The "God-level Auction" three days later will surely unleash an unprecedented frenzy in Tianqi City and even the entire world.