Chapter 121: Keeping Someone Waiting (First Update, Requesting Votes)

The Japanese man arrived outside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and saw the long, dragon-like lines of people waiting on both sides. He cast a cold, disdainful glance at them, then strode forward, cutting directly through the middle of the two queues and stepping into the restaurant.

Inside, the sight of a full house and the deafening roar of the bustling crowd left him momentarily stunned. It took a long while for him to regain his composure and remember his purpose for coming.

"Proprietor!" he called out, walking up to the counter and tapping his knuckles against the surface. He turned slightly, speaking in a loud voice, "I need thirty portions each of your 'Orleans Set' and 'Wuliangye' liquor to go. I have urgent matters to attend to, so be quick about it!"

As he gave his order, his eyes swept over the thriving crowd in the restaurant, and his curiosity and wonder regarding their culinary craft grew. He mused to himself that he must tell Ambassador Inukami about this, so that they could petition the Tang Emperor and have these techniques taught to their own people. Such a lucrative business model would surely bring great wealth to his country and bolster their national strength.

However, to the Japanese man's surprise, Proprietor Xu merely glanced at him, furrowed his brows, and replied with visible displeasure: "My good sir, if you truly wish to make a purchase, please go outside and join the queue. Do not disturb the order of others!"

Having tossed this remark aside, Proprietor Xu ignored him further, returning his attention to serving other guests and shouting orders to his waiters for more food and drink. It was as if the Japanese man had never existed.

Lost in thought, the Japanese man was startled by Xu’s words and his brows knitted together. He spun around, his face twisted in anger, and glared at the proprietor, saying, "Proprietor, what did you just say? I suggest you repeat yourself."

He stared intensely at the proprietor, looking thoroughly offended.

Proprietor Xu showed no hint of fear. He calmly reached out, pointed behind him, and said unhurriedly, "Look at the shop notice behind me. If you are illiterate, you may ask someone else to read it to you."

"You—!" The Japanese man was so enraged that he was momentarily choked for words, muttering a few curses in his native tongue.

"Hmph!" He suppressed his fury, forced himself to look up, and saw a large, conspicuous gold-lettered sign behind the counter, which read:

"Dear patrons, please queue voluntarily and pay at the counter. Those who continue to violate this rule after being reminded by staff will be expelled from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and permanently banned from entering. Thank you for your cooperation!"

Seeing these gilded characters, the Japanese man’s expression turned dark. He had not expected that, after being denied assistance from the Tang court official Zhang Yuxuan, even a mere restaurant manager would dare to give him a hard time—and instruct him to read the rules, no less!

Was this an attempt to give the Japanese a show of strength?

Patience has its limits!

The Japanese man sneered, cupped his hands in a mocking salute, and looked at Proprietor Xu, declaring loudly, "Proprietor, I am a member of the Japanese mission to the Tang court—a foreign guest! Is this how you treat envoys from abroad? Is this the fabled hospitality of the Tang?"

He stared at the proprietor with a cold, accusatory gaze, completely disregarding the rules he had just read. While he dared not offend the Tang court officials, he felt no such fear toward this lowly shopkeeper. The frustration he had bottled up earlier now erupted toward Proprietor Xu. He did not believe the Tang Emperor would punish them over such a trivial matter, which gave him a sense of confidence.

However, Proprietor Xu remained unfazed. He simply smiled at the man. "Sir, I do not care who you are. On the soil of the Tang, one must follow the laws of the Tang. In my restaurant, one must follow the rules set by my employer. If you intend to cause trouble here, I shall have no choice but to have you thrown out!"

As he spoke, several waiters set down their tasks and moved toward the counter. They were ready to seize the man and toss him out at the first sign of aggression. The eyes of the patrons inside and outside the restaurant turned like blades toward the counter. The atmosphere turned cold and tense, as if a fight were about to break out at any moment.

Seeing this, the Japanese man’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. He squinted his eyes, his brows furrowed in rage, and his fists clenched. Yet, in the end, no fight occurred.

After a long pause, the thwarted man glared coldly at the proprietor, pointed a finger at him, and hissed through gritted teeth, "You dare to treat an envoy with such disrespect? Are you not afraid that the Tang Emperor will hold you accountable?"

Proprietor Xu could not help but laugh.

Not only did he and Li Yi hold shares in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, but Li Shimin himself was a stakeholder. Furthermore, Xu had not intentionally offended anyone; he was simply following the rules set by Li Yi. Since he was in the right, why would he fear punishment from Li Shimin? The thought made him want to chuckle. However, the secret of Li Shimin’s investment was not something he could reveal in public.

"Sir, I have not offended you. Everyone here can bear witness to that. What crime have I committed?" Proprietor Xu asked with a calm, mocking tone. "It is you, sir, who refuses to follow the laws of the Tang and the rules of my employer. Pray tell... who is the one in the wrong?"

He paused, then added with a cold smile, "Even if you were to take this to the Emperor himself, my answer would remain the same!"

Proprietor Xu spoke with unwavering conviction. Since he had logic and rules on his side, he had nothing to fear.

"Hmph, you glib-tongued scoundrel!" The Japanese man’s face grew darker. He stared at the proprietor, his resentment burning like a coiled viper. He longed to rush forward and beat the man to a pulp. But as he raised his hand, he remembered the importance of their mission and, after a moment of calculation, lowered it again.

"Hmph!" He flicked his sleeves, threatening the proprietor, "Just you wait! I shall see if you dare speak to me like this when I return with the Tang court officials!"

With that parting threat, the Japanese man shoved his way through the crowd and stormed out of the restaurant in a fury.

Seeing this, Proprietor Xu’s brows furrowed, sensing that the situation had taken a turn for the worse. He immediately called a waiter over and whispered, "Go quickly to the Ministry of War and ask the Young Master to come and help!"

"Understood, Proprietor." The waiter nodded solemnly and bolted in the direction of the Ministry of War.