bookrandom Chapter 117 Arriving at Old Shen's House Demanding 62 in Compensation!
Chapter 117 Arriving at Old Shen's House Demanding 62 in Compensation!
In front of so many people, even if Manager Zhang was too proud to admit his mistake, he had no choice but to bow his head and apologize to his rival.
He forced out a sentence through gritted teeth at Manager Yao, "I didn't understand this matter properly and wronged you. I'm sorry!"
After saying that, he turned and left, covering his face with his sleeve, and ran away in a flash.
Manager Yao couldn't help but shake his head. The two restaurants had been secretly competing for many years. Manager Zhang's character wasn't too bad, and the two restaurants had never had any major conflicts. It was just that Manager Zhang acted somewhat rashly and inappropriately today.
However, his outburst might not necessarily be a bad thing.
After all, now everyone knows that the braised pig's trotters sold at Juxian Restaurant are not authentic, and Yunlai Restaurant's reputation has been thoroughly established.
He immediately smiled and turned to the guests who had not yet completely dispersed, and said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, the truth has now come to light. Please bear witness for Yunlai Restaurant that the matter of Juxian Restaurant has nothing to do with Yunlai Restaurant. If any false rumors are spread in the future, please help to explain."
Everyone readily agreed.
"Of course, of course, it's no trouble at all!"
"The braised pig's trotters at Yunlai Restaurant are delicious. We love them. If anyone criticizes them, we'll all stand up for them."
Manager Yao smiled and nodded, thanking everyone. He stood outside the restaurant and watched the crowd disperse before leading the waiters back inside.
The Shen brothers were taken back by the staff of Juxian Restaurant and tied to two large pillars outside the restaurant, one on each side, bound tightly, looking extremely comical.
They got up before dawn, hadn't even had a bite to eat, and were tied to the pillars, thirsty and hungry, their lips chapped from thirst.
The pedestrians on the street, seeing the commotion, all gathered around and pointed and whispered about the two brothers.
Among the crowd were passersby who had witnessed the commotion at Yunlai Restaurant before, who couldn't help but shout insults.
"Pah, they're despicable. The eldest brother has already separated from the family, and they still manage to pull this stunt. They stole someone else's recipe for braised pig's trotters, and made something that tastes like shit. Now look what's happened, they've ruined the reputation of Juxian Restaurant. The manager is furious and will definitely not let them off easily."
"What they did was inhuman, absolutely inhuman..."
"Deserves it..."
Being talked about and cursed by everyone, the two brothers felt their faces burning, more painful than being slapped.
At this moment, they began to resent Sun Shi, feeling that their mother was too blindly confident. She imitated her eldest brother but didn't even taste the braised pig's trotters he made, so the taste was nothing like his and that's why they were in this situation.
Manager Zhang sat in the restaurant lobby, listening to the heated cursing outside, with everyone spitting at the Shen brothers, and he felt a little relieved.
"Manager, we've lost a lot of money today, and our business has been affected. What if no customers come back? We need to think of a way to recover our losses quickly, so we don't lose all our customers."
Manager Li looked grave and had no choice but to report the truth and discuss countermeasures with the shopkeeper.
Just thinking about these things made Manager Zhang's scalp tingle, his head buzz, and his heart ache.
He was completely blinded by greed. He didn't even try the braised pig's trotters at Yunlai Restaurant before believing the Shen brothers. After listening to their eloquent descriptions, he thought he could soon be like Yunlai Restaurant, selling pig's trotters to attract more customers and making a fortune.
Unexpectedly, his lifelong wisdom was ruined by two young people.
It's so stupid!
He gritted his teeth and said, "You immediately send a few men to Guihua Village to find their family and make their parents bring money to ransom them. If they don't bring money, send them to the government office immediately and find someone to bribe them so they can spend the rest of their lives in jail."
Manager Li nodded in agreement, then asked, "But they are all poor farmers from the countryside. How much silver do they have? How much silver are you planning to have their parents bring to redeem them?"
"They ruined our reputation. Whatever amount of money our restaurant lost today, they must compensate us tenfold. Not a single copper coin less. If they don't have the money, fine. They can pawn them here to work, or sign an IOU to pay it back slowly. In short, we can't let them get away with this!"
"Alright, I understand. We've refunded all the money our restaurant received today to the customers. We lost money on five or six tables of food, so we'll just charge them fifteen taels. The loss of business for our restaurant today is about forty or fifty taels of profit. We'll just give them a tenfold compensation of six hundred taels. I'll personally take people to Guihua Village to ask their parents for the money."
So, Manager Li led his men to Guihua Village in a flurry of activity.
Sun was still immersed in her dream of getting rich, imagining that after her two sons returned, they would eat and rest, and then they would go to the county to buy raw pig trotters to continue braising and supplying Juxian Restaurant the next day.
When a person has a special skill, their speech and gait change; they become arrogant and look like a peacock.
She said imperiously, "Second son's wife, wash Mother's clothes for her. Third son's wife, you cook lunch today. And father, pour me a bowl of tea and bring it over..."
"Sigh, those two lads, did they finish delivering the goods and then wander around town? It's so late, why aren't they back yet? They're both such a worry."
The second daughter-in-law was unwilling, but she still smiled and took her mother-in-law's clothes to the well to fetch water to wash them. The third daughter-in-law pouted, but also agreed.
Mr. Shen poured himself a bowl of tea, and with a face full of pride, placed it heavily on the stone table in the courtyard for his wife.
"Drink it while it's hot!"
Ms. Sun felt confident in her ability to make money, and everyone listened to her. She was overjoyed.
She picked up the bowl and put it in her mouth without even looking at it.
"puff……"
It was so hot that she spat it out, and her mouth felt like it was on fire. She immediately screamed loudly.
"Ah...you're trying to scald me to death! Couldn't you have poured a warmer bowl? What a terrible thing to do..."
At that moment, a group of people suddenly rushed into the courtyard. Some were burly and stout, while others were lean and wiry. None of them looked like someone to be trifled with.
Startled, Madam Sun knocked over her teacup, her previous domineering demeanor vanished, and she stood up and hid behind her husband.
Mr. Shen shouted angrily at the people who rushed in, "Who are you? What right do you have to come to my house? Get out of here right now!"
The cooks and waiters made way for Manager Li, who walked in from behind with his hands behind his back, expressionless with a mocking smile on his lips.
"It doesn't matter if you don't recognize us, as long as you know we are from Juxian Restaurant, that's enough. Immediately give us six hundred taels to redeem your two sons, or our manager will send them to jail for life!"
What?
Six hundred taels?
The elderly couple were instantly dumbfounded. When the second son's wife, Song, and the third son's wife, Zhao, heard this, they were so frightened that they fell to the ground, as if struck by lightning.
Sun's eyelids twitched violently, and she asked in surprise, "What nonsense are you talking about? Why should we pay six hundred taels of silver to ransom our son? What have they been doing?"
Mr. Shen also asked sternly, "Yes, you're detaining people without explaining yourself or any evidence. Aren't you afraid we'll report you to the authorities?"
Report to the official?
He and the shopkeeper were worried that the family wouldn't dare report it to the authorities!
"You counterfeited, making different braised pig's trotters, tricking the shopkeeper into signing an agreement to supply you. Today, the customers ate them and are now demanding refunds and compensation. You even smashed the signboard of Juxian Restaurant. Asking you for six hundred taels in compensation is already letting you off easy!"