Chapter 28: Showing Off Before a Master

"Hmph! Do you believe it now? There is definitely something wrong with the meat at your establishment!"

The young man let out a cold snort, pointing his finger at the platter of skewers and glaring at Gu An with fury.

"There must be some mistake. None of the other customers have had any issues," Gu An said, setting down the skewers in his hand and hurriedly trying to explain.

"For all we know, you’ve been mixing good meat with bad, using heavy spices to mask the stench of rot." The young man dismissed the explanation with disdain, eager to pin a serious accusation on them. "If it weren't for our bad luck today, we would have eaten this without knowing, and who knows how much longer you would have kept deceiving everyone!"

"I..." Gu An saw the eyes of the other diners turning toward them and was just about to say something more.

Before he could speak, Lin Gui, who had just emerged from the kitchen with another platter of barbecue, could no longer hold back. He walked over, disregarding all restraint, and shouted angrily, "Hmph! Stop spouting such slander! If the meat is rancid, why is everyone else eating it without complaint?"

"Ha! You shouldn't be asking us that, you should be asking yourselves!" a man standing next to the youth replied with a sneer, pointing his finger at Lin Gui’s nose.

"I see you lot are just here to cause trouble. You are definitely behind this. If you know what's good for you, get out! Our Jun You Lai doesn't welcome your kind." Lin Gui was so incensed his temper flared, and he immediately moved to drive them out.

"What? Your restaurant has issues, and now you won't even let people talk about it? Call your proprietor out and have him explain this to everyone, or this won't be settled so easily." Seeing how furious Lin Gui was, the man’s tone grew even more arrogant.

"You!" Lin Gui clenched his fists, his eyes burning with rage.

"Want to hit someone? Go ahead! Hit me right here." Seeing Lin Gui’s tightened fists, the man’s tone became even more provocative. He stepped forward and pointed at his own face, goading him.

Lin Gui was at his limit, but before he could act, the man suddenly began to cry out.

"Everyone, come and see! The staff at Jun You Lai are trying to assault people! They won't let us talk about their spoiled meat, and now they want to use violence. There is no justice left! Someone please stand up for us!"

"You wretch, how can you be so shameless?" Lin Gui’s eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at the man in indignation.

"No way? Could the meat really be bad?" one diner remarked, looking at the half-eaten skewer in his hand with disbelief.

"I think we should stop eating. Better safe than sorry. What if we get sick?" his companion whispered, choosing a more cautious approach.

"I think there might be truth to it. The seasoning on these skewers is truly overpowering. It smells fragrant, but it lacks the actual flavor of meat. There must be something wrong here. Don't you agree, brother?"

At another table, two scholars were also discussing the matter.

"Indeed! This shop is truly unscrupulous! To sell spoiled meat—they have no conscience!" his friend nodded, unable to hide his disdain.

"Miss, do you think what these people are saying is true?" Xiao Ying whispered to An Miaoyu.

"Pfft! How could it be? Don't forget who your mistress is. Do you think I wouldn't be able to taste if the meat was bad?" An Miaoyu took another bite of her skewer, scoffing at the claims made by the group.

"But Miss, if it's fine, why does the meat smell rotten?" Xiao Ying asked, relieved but still curious.

"That’s simple. I could make this meat smell moldy in an instant; it’s just a change in scent. I know at least five ways to do it myself," An Miaoyu said with a shrug, clearly unimpressed by the group's tactics.

"Then isn't Young Master Shen being framed? Miss, should we help?" Xiao Ying asked, looking worried.

"Oh, what's the rush? Let me finish this platter of barbecue first." An Miaoyu rolled her eyes at Xiao Ying, her mouth never stopping. It must be said that An Miaoyu was a voracious eater; she had been eating for nearly half an hour since the first platter arrived, and her mouth had not rested once. One had to wonder how the girl's stomach was built; she didn't look the least bit plump, yet she could eat so much.

"Lin Gui! Stand down!" A voice rang out from behind the crowd.

"Proprietor!"
"Young Master."
"Oh? Is that Young Master Shen?"

The crowd turned toward the voice and saw Shen Xuan and Liu Ruifeng walking out of the kitchen together.

"Young Master, they—" Lin Gui pointed at the men, about to speak, but Shen Xuan held up a hand to silence him.

"I told you to stand down." Seeing Shen Xuan’s stern expression, Lin Gui was startled and immediately stepped back, not daring to utter another word.

"I am the proprietor of this restaurant. So, you are the ones claiming my meat is spoiled?" Shen Xuan walked forward and addressed the youth.

Shen Xuan had already learned the details from Liu Ruifeng. That someone would come to cause trouble was expected, but he never imagined they would tamper with the food—a classic case of "wielding a broadsword before Guan Yu," an act of supreme folly.

"That’s right! It’s us. Give us an explanation now, or I will make sure your restaurant doesn't stay open!" The man who had been the most boisterous jumped forward, pointing at Shen Xuan and shouting.

"Was I talking to you?" Shen Xuan’s gaze was sharp, his voice filled with an imposing authority.

Meeting Shen Xuan’s eyes, the man felt an overwhelming pressure wash over him and couldn't help but take several steps back.

The youth, seeing the situation take a turn, stepped in to block his subordinate, looking at Shen Xuan with increased vigilance. "What is Shopkeeper Shen trying to do?"

"Just teaching an unruly dog a lesson on your behalf," Shen Xuan replied, his voice calm and unreadable.

"My people don't need Shopkeeper Shen to go to such lengths. Let’s not waste everyone’s time. Please give us an explanation," the youth retorted, pointing at the foul-smelling platter of skewers.

"An explanation? What is there to explain? Whether there is something wrong with the meat, don't you know that better than anyone?" Shen Xuan smiled and asked.

"Does Shopkeeper Shen mean to imply that we did this ourselves?" the youth sneered.

"Isn't that obvious?" Shen Xuan replied dismissively.

"Then please produce evidence, Shopkeeper Shen. If you think you can slander us just by moving your lips, don't treat everyone here like a fool!" The youth’s eyes turned cold.

"I do have evidence. But once I present it, the matter won't be so easily resolved," Shen Xuan said calmly.

"Hmph! I'll be waiting." The youth snorted, assuming Shen Xuan was just bluffing, and gave him a defiant look.

"Mr. Gu, go to the nearest pharmacy and buy these ingredients," Shen Xuan said, clearly prepared. He pulled a piece of rice paper from his robe, handed it to Gu An, and gave him his instructions.