Young master, this is bad! We've run out of ingredients!
Zhu Zi found Fang Er, who was watching the excitement on the first floor, and said.
What? The room full of meat and vegetables we prepared isn't enough?
Fang Er asked in disbelief.
Yes, young master. We've already served three shifts, and at this rate, another room wouldn't be enough!
Zhu Zi said anxiously, looking at Fang Er.
Fang Er thought for a moment, then took a piece of paper from the counter and scribbled a few words in his signature messy handwriting.
Ingredients exhausted. Closed for today!
Give this to them and post it at the door.
Fang Er handed the paper to Zhu Zi.
Damn it, if you don't have anything, just say so! Why close?
This is a good opportunity for some starved marketing!
As soon as Zhu Zi posted the notice, the outside erupted!
Damn it, I've been waiting in line for so long, and now you're telling me you're out of ingredients?
A man dressed as a family retainer saw the notice and was displeased.
Exactly! Exactly! You close whenever you want? What are we supposed to tell our masters when we go back?
Another man, also dressed as a retainer, expressed his protest.
It's over! This will be the death of me! I'm going to get beaten by my wife when I go back!
An old man with white hair muttered incessantly.
His wife had ordered him to buy food and wine. Someone had told her that the newly opened Drunken Immortal Restaurant made excellent stir-fried dishes, and she insisted he go. If he didn't buy anything, he wasn't allowed home. After decades of sleeping in the same bed, a few dishes meant more than him.
Fang Er squeezed through the crowd to the entrance. Seeing the crowd still gathered, he stood on the steps and addressed them: Esteemed guests, our establishment was simply unprepared. We have run out of ingredients, so please return home. To thank you for your patronage, I promise that all friends present today will have priority seating tomorrow!
The crowd still lingered, so Fang Er had Zhu Zi get paper and pen to register everyone, ensuring they would be served first or could take out their orders in the registered order the next day.
This finally dispersed the crowd.
After all the customers had left, Xiao Qing, calculating the day's earnings, was beaming.
Forty tables, five taels of silver per table, and four shifts. That's eight hundred taels of silver. The drinks were also popular, selling over a hundred jars, bringing in another three to four hundred taels.
Young master, we made over a thousand taels today!
Xiao Qing said proudly to Fang Er.
Damn it, a thousand taels a day, thirty thousand a month, and three hundred sixty thousand a year?
The entire Tang Dynasty's annual tax revenue is about thirty million. The Drunken Immortal Restaurant is almost one percent of the national tax revenue?
Even after deducting costs, they could easily make over a hundred thousand taels a year!
Fang Er was shocked himself!
He took a while to accept the reality.
Damn it, what's there to be afraid of? With Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde backing us, who would dare cause trouble?
Cheng Chu Mo and Yuchi Bao Lin had been following Fang Er. They heard Xiao Qing clearly and exchanged glances. Then, Cheng Chu Mo said to Fang Er, Brother Fang, our Drunken Immortal Restaurant is doing too well. We need to inform our families to send more people to watch over things and guard against any troublemakers.
Their families each owned thirty percent of the restaurant, bringing in tens of thousands of taels of silver annually. They had to be attentive.
Alright, you go ahead. Also, your father asked you to deliver the salt mine ore last time; we've refined it into fine salt. Tell him about it.
Fang Er waved at him. Thankfully, he had these two powerful allies, otherwise, he felt the money was too hot to handle.
With that thought, Fang Er greeted Zhu Zi and headed straight back to Fang Mansion in Chang'an City.
He found paper and pen and began writing down the methods and precautions for gunpowder.
Leaning on powerful allies is the way to go.
As soon as he finished writing, Cheng Chu Mo arrived, accompanied by Yuchi Bao Lin and their fathers.
Hahaha! Brother Fang, you have double good news today!
Cheng Yaojin shouted to Fang Er as soon as he entered the courtyard.
Brother Cheng, it should be shared joy!
Fang Er said happily, seeing them all arrive.
Yes, yes, shared joy, shared joy.
Cheng Yaojin patted Fang Er on the shoulder and sat down in a chair.
Brother Fang, Bao Lin said at home that the restaurant earned over a thousand taels today. Is that true?
Yuchi Jingde clearly still couldn't believe it.
It's true that it's over a thousand taels, but not all of it is profit. After deducting costs, we likely made six to seven hundred taels of silver.
Fang Er explained.
So, today I made, three shares, how much was that?
Yuchi Jingde calculated but couldn't figure it out and asked.
It's around two hundred taels of silver, Fang Er replied.
Is it really that much?
Yuchi Jingde still couldn't believe it.
It really is that much, so it would be best if you both sent an accountant from your homes to help at the restaurant. I really can't spare anyone.
Fang Er said confidently, then offered his suggestion.
Firstly, it's better to be clear about accounts, even between brothers.
Secondly, Fang Er genuinely had no one available.
Today, Xiao Qing was handling everything, but that wasn't a long-term solution. If he sent his personal maid to help, what was the point of him earning money?
Does Brother Fang have any concerns?
Cheng Yaojin looked at Fang Er displeasedly.
It's nothing much, really. It's mainly that I'm short-handed. You can't have my maid girl appearing in public, can you? Also, if anyone with ill intentions targets the restaurant, having your men around would help.
Fang Er explained.
Very well, I'll send someone over later. Oh, and about the salt, is it really handled?
Cheng Yaojin agreed to Fang Er's proposal and then asked about the salt.
The household servants were all helping at the restaurant. Fang Er got up himself, called Cheng Chu Mo along, and they went to the backyard warehouse to carry out the salt they had processed last time.
It's all here, about a hundred catties.
Fang Er pointed at the salt and said to Cheng Yaojin.
Yuchi Jingde took a pinch of it, looked at it carefully in his palm, and then tasted it: Good salt!
Brother, can you offer this salt-making method to the Emperor?
After praising the salt, Yuchi Jingde asked Fang Er.
This man was indeed Li Er's gatekeeper. When something happened, he always thought of Li Er.
It was this guy who forced Li Er to act during the Xuanwu Gate Incident!
Saying he forced him might be inaccurate, but it showed his loyalty to Li Er.
He had just seen the novelty of the tables and chairs at Fang Er's place and immediately ordered some to be made for Li Er.
Therefore, Fang Er was not surprised that he would ask for the salt-making method on behalf of Li Er.
Besides, this method was of no use to Fang Er.
So, he agreed.
The paper and pen were on the table, and Fang Er casually began to write down the preparation method.