Volume Three: The Xuanwu Gate Incident - Chapter 112: The Tavern (Part I)

Having made a promise to Li Shimin, Ming Yu threw himself entirely into the task of opening a restaurant.

Chief Steward Wang was remarkably efficient. In less than a day, he had secured a suitable storefront in the West Market for the price of one hundred strings of cash.

The property was located in the most prosperous and crowded section of the West Market. The three-story facade was grand and imposing; the first and second floors were spacious halls, while the third floor held private rooms, capable of accommodating over a hundred tables of guests simultaneously. The interior was tastefully decorated with solid wood tables, lambskin rugs, and walls adorned with the calligraphy of various scholars, showing that the original owner had truly invested heart and soul into the place.

Ordinarily, a storefront in such a prime location would never be forced onto the market. Given the scale, decoration, and location, even a price of five hundred strings of cash would have had people fighting over it. Fearing that Steward Wang might have used his status to bully the owner into a forced sale, Ming Yu specifically summoned the former proprietor to inquire about the circumstances. Only then did he realize that the owner had actually been desperate to hand it over.

The former owner, a young man also surnamed Li, was under twenty. He looked plump and fair, though his eyes were as swollen as peaches, and he was dressed in heavy mourning clothes.

This restaurant had been a long-standing establishment in Chang'an, dating back to the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Because of its prime location, combined with the Li family's fair business practices and delicious food, it had once been bustling with customers. Relying on this restaurant, the Li family, while not exactly coining money daily, had lived as a prosperous household, buying land and keeping servants.

Unfortunately, good times do not last. After the fall of the Sui Dynasty and the rise of the Great Tang, the Li family’s original patron had fallen from power. Because the restaurant sat in a prime location, it attracted many envious eyes who began to plot against it. The young man's father, the previous owner, had refused their overtures, but in Chang'an, business could not be conducted peacefully without a backer.

Ruffians and wandering swordsmen frequently caused trouble, either eating without paying or manufacturing excuses to start brawls. Their interference caused business to plummet. The elder Li had scrambled to find a new patron, but lacking connections, he had squandered much of his savings without success. Eventually, he discovered that the Dugu family’s young master had set his sights on the property and was offering a pittance—essentially a gift. The elder Li’s refusal had angered the Dugu family, who then made it clear they were determined to have the place, employing those troublemakers to harass the business.

Over the past two months, things had worsened. A fire had mysteriously broken out in the kitchen, nearly killing the chef. A waiter was crippled by a gang of thugs while soliciting customers. With few patrons left, ruffians would storm the shop every other day to smash and loot.

Unable to continue, and with no way to seek justice against a powerhouse like the Dugu family, the elder Li, already aged, had succumbed to anger and frustration, passing away. The Li family, having only this one heir, was left in despair. After burying his father and dismissing the staff, the young man had desperately sought to offload the source of his misery. Yet, despite lowering the price for a month, no one had dared to touch it.

By chance, when Ming Yu sought a storefront, the young man overheard Steward Wang’s men inquiring at the market. He had immediately grabbed his deed and volunteered himself. Upon hearing this, Ming Yu realized it was the Dugu family’s handiwork again; no wonder no one had dared to take over.

Ming Yu nodded and asked, "What is your name?"

The young man bowed respectfully and replied, "Replying to the Young Master, my surname is Li, and my name is Li Ming."

Ming Yu was taken aback, thinking it quite a coincidence that the man shared his former name. A sense of natural affinity stirred within him. "For this restaurant, three hundred or even five hundred strings of cash would have people fighting for it. The Dugu family is tyrannical and predatory, but I cannot let you suffer a loss. Let us settle it at five hundred strings."

Li Ming’s eyes reddened. With a thud, he knelt, saying sorrowfully, "I thank the Young Master for your grace! I only ask for one hundred strings! If the Young Master is willing to keep my ancestral signboard, I will take nothing at all!"

"Oh?" Ming Yu mused. Was there really such a bargain in this world? A free restaurant just for keeping a sign? He asked suspiciously, "Nothing at all? You're giving it to me for free? What is your intent?"

The young man knocked his head against the floor repeatedly. "I do not do this for anything else, but because the Young Master severely punished the Dugu family’s fop outside the city walls!"

Seeing the young man's gritted teeth, Ming Yu finally understood. Despite his soft, round appearance, the man had a resilient spirit. He laughed and said, "So, you know who I am."

Li Ming knocked his head again. "I dare not deceive you. Who in Chang'an does not know the Young Master’s name? The people cheered when you taught those Dugu fops a lesson. When I heard it was you looking for a restaurant, I came to find you myself. I am willing to hand over my ancestral home for nothing, only asking that you preserve the sign that has hung for over a hundred years, just so I may have a memory to hold onto."

Ming Yu frowned. It wasn't that he doubted the young man’s sincerity, but he felt it might be taking advantage of someone in a desperate situation.

Chief Steward Wang, moved by the young man's plight, interjected, "Ming Yu, I think you should accept. He has offended the Dugu family; in all of Chang'an, besides our Prince of Qin’s estate, who else would dare to take this place?"

Seeing Ming Yu hesitate, Wang added, "How about this? Li Ming, you don't need to talk about giving it away for nothing. Why don't you join our Prince of Qin’s estate and take a stake in the business with your property?"

Li Ming was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly. "Thank you, Steward Wang! I could ask for nothing more!"

"Very well," Ming Yu agreed. "In that case, you shall hold a ten percent stake."

He wasn't using his position to pressure the man. In his mind, this restaurant was merely a starting point. Since the original agreement was a fifty-fifty split with the Prince of Qin, he would simply carve the ten percent out of his own share. Besides, with the influence of Li Shimin—the future Heavenly Khan—this young man was gaining an incredible connection.

Steward Wang was also pleased. "However, Li Ming, since you are joining the Prince of Qin’s estate, you must change your name. Though a name is given by one's parents, yours clashes with our master’s."

The young man nodded eagerly. "I beg the Young Master to grant me a name!"

Naming was a headache for Ming Yu. Even his own name had been given by Li Shimin, and his childhood friend, Little Black, had been named just as casually. He pondered, seeing that the young man was a cook and somewhat plump. He briefly considered naming him "Li Dazui" after a fictional character, but thought better of it; a name was for a lifetime.

Recalling the restaurant’s name on the deed, "Zhiwei Lou" (Taste-Knowing Pavilion), he slapped his thigh. "How about this! From now on, you shall be called Li Zhiwei, after your ancestral restaurant! I hope you can bring glory to your family's legacy!"

"Li Zhiwei! Li Zhiwei! Excellent! From now on, I am Li Zhiwei!" the young man declared.

With the storefront secured, they could not open immediately. While the facilities were complete, Ming Yu wanted to create the best restaurant in the entire Tang Dynasty. He couldn't let his uncle down after he had provided the capital when it was most needed.

"Steward Wang, where can I find reliable ironworkers? I have some items that need crafting. Skill is secondary; reliability is paramount—no secrets must leak out!" Ming Yu paced the room.

"Our estate has its own iron workshop," Wang replied. "Though the court forbids private weapon crafting, we can make farm tools like kitchen knives."

"That is enough! Summon them at once!" Ming Yu was delighted.

Soon, an elderly man named Wang Tiechuan arrived. Ming Yu handed him a stack of diagrams drawn with charcoal, complete with measurements.

Wang Tiechuan squinted at the drawings. "I’ve been working since I was ten; thirty years of experience. I haven't seen these designs before, but they don't seem difficult."

"Good! Just ensure the thickness is uniform. How long for a sample?"

"I'll work through the night with my four sons. It will be ready by tomorrow morning," Wang replied.

"Excellent! Steward Wang, give Master Wang two strings of cash as a reward! There will be more once the work is done!" Ming Yu waved his hand. The first step was complete.