Chapter 65: We'll See About That

Yang Lin had never imagined that he, a dignified Imperial Guard with a blade at his side, serving before the very throne, would one day be so brazenly ignored by a young scion without rank or title, one who secretly engaged in trade.
And what was more, this happened right in front of a lowly merchant, so blatantly and without any attempt at concealment!
His face was twisted with fury. He glared at Li Yi, teeth clenched, right hand gripped tightly around his sword hilt, wishing he could draw his blade and cut the man down on the spot to vent his wrath.
Yet Li Yi paid him not the slightest heed, simply continuing to look at Manager Xu.
“Manager Xu, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to help you with this matter. After all, I’m not the actual owner of Drunken Immortal Pavilion,” Li Yi replied with a nonchalant smile, shaking his head. “You’d best ask Yue’er. She’s your real proprietor.”
With these words, Li Yi took a leisurely sip of tea, as if he hadn’t heard Yang Lin’s barking at all.
As for responding to Yang Lin? Heh...
Li Yi couldn’t be bothered.
Since Yang Lin already looked down on him from the bottom of his heart, despised the whole Li family, and his eyes brimming with scorn, why should he care? If a dog bites you, do you stoop to bite it back?
Wouldn’t that make you no better than a beast yourself?
Li Yi knew well enough why the Imperial Guard Yang Lin despised him, and why he acted so arrogantly before him. But that didn’t make the insult any easier to bear.
What’s more, Yang Lin was only an Imperial Guard in the palace—did he really think himself so impressive?
Truth be told, Li Yi was not the least bit afraid!
If he so loved to be high and mighty, let him play the lofty official by himself elsewhere.
The Li Residence was no place for him to put on airs!
Just then, Manager Xu, having grasped Li Yi’s meaning, slapped his forehead and smiled wryly. “Ah, my memory fails me! If not for your reminder, young master, I would have forgotten entirely.”
In his haste, Manager Xu had nearly forgotten that they had recently signed a new agreement.
According to that, the true owner of Drunken Immortal Pavilion was not Li Yi, but Yue’er.
Remembering this, Manager Xu turned with a respectful smile to Yue’er. “Miss Yue’er, please advise me as to what should be done.”
Yue’er nodded with a smile. Since Li Yi had already spoken, she stepped out from behind him.
She had already noticed Yang Lin’s scornful expression and felt not the slightest goodwill toward him. Now, she understood perfectly the deeper meaning in Li Yi’s words.
The man was already riding roughshod over them, behaving with such arrogance—how could one simply endure it?

Absolutely not!
Furthermore, his arrogance deserved to be slapped back in kind!
Thus, Yue’er cast Manager Xu an impassive glance and spoke slowly, “Manager Xu, since our agreement has made the rules clear, they cannot be changed. A hundred sets means exactly a hundred.”
“As for the future, you may arrange things as you see fit according to the restaurant’s circumstances, but today, absolutely not!”
She paused, and suddenly her expression grew frosty and imperious.
“Remember this: whoever dares to cause trouble, simply have the staff throw them out. I will take all responsibility!”
Her words were spoken with an authority that brooked no argument, and a trace of fierce confidence shone through her tone.
Manager Xu could not help but shiver all over.
He understood well what Yue’er meant.
Though he had interacted with Li Yi for days, he had never paid much attention to Yue’er, and had not expected even the young master’s personal maid to be so forceful and domineering!
But he also understood that Yue’er’s words were, in fact, Li Yi’s own intentions.
He hurriedly bowed his head in earnest. “Yes, Miss Yue’er, I understand!”
At the same moment, Yang Lin, who had been left aside for quite some time, finally realized the truth.
He had been mistaken: the real owner of Drunken Immortal Pavilion was not Li Yi, but the maid named Yue’er!
He also knew full well that Yue’er’s words represented Li Yi’s attitude, but he still looked down on Li Yi and all those of the Li household.
For no other reason than that they were merchants—a profession despised by Tang officials!
This ingrained prejudice only made Yang Lin’s contempt for Li Yi grow deeper.
Though he now knew that there was no hope for him to purchase an Orleans Set today, he was still aggrieved and indignant!
After all, he was an Imperial Guard with a blade at his side, a man of significant rank in the palace.
Many officials treated people like him with utmost respect—when had he ever been so ignored?
He would not let this go!
Narrowing his eyes, he fixed Li Yi with a cold glare and ground out, “Young Master Li, are you certain you absolutely refuse to sell one set to a noble from the palace today?”
His question was not only accusatory, but carried an unmistakable threat.

Yet, just as before, Li Yi paid him no mind.
Neither did Yue’er.
Nor did Manager Xu.
The three of them acted as if they had not heard him at all.
“Hmph!” Yang Lin snorted coldly, though he had already expected as much. With a final glare at Li Yi, he spat out, “Very well, we shall see what comes of this!”
With those words, his face flushed with anger, he turned on his heel and strode out.
He swore to himself that when he returned to the palace, he would make a full report before the Emperor, and see Li Yi punished to his satisfaction.
Watching Yang Lin storm off in a fury, Manager Xu could not help but feel anxious.
He asked in a trembling voice, “Young master, will we be in trouble for offending General Yang?”
As he spoke, Manager Xu realized to his surprise that his back was soaked through with sweat, and his forehead was beaded with cold perspiration.
But since he had decided to cling to Li Yi’s side, he could not allow himself to waver now.
Still, he could not help but worry about his safety, knowing that Yang Lin was an Imperial Guard with a blade at his side—a man whose status could not be taken lightly.
Li Yi, however, merely shook his head calmly, sipping his tea and smiling faintly. “Manager Xu, just focus on running your restaurant. He’s not angry at you, he’s angry at me. What do you have to fear?”
“Er... Young master, I’m not worried for myself, I’m worried about you,” Manager Xu replied, lowering his head in embarrassment.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing. I have my own ways of handling things,” Li Yi waved dismissively.
With nothing more to say, Manager Xu could only nod in agreement.
“Oh, one more thing,” Li Yi added, setting down his teacup and looking at Manager Xu with unhurried composure. “From now on, Drunken Immortal Pavilion is not to sell Yang Lin a single meal.”
“Yes, young master, I understand,” Manager Xu replied readily.
He knew that, now they had openly fallen out with Yang Lin, even a minor figure like himself must align his stance with that of his patron.

(End of this chapter)