Chapter 32: Recruiting

"Father, I understand."

Qin Shaotian kept his head bowed, not daring to offer a single word of rebuttal, and admitted his mistake submissively. He knew that in the entire Qin estate, Qin Wunian was the only person he could rely on.

"As long as you take it to heart, that is enough. It is getting late; go back and get some rest." Seeing Qin Shaotian’s compliant demeanor, Qin Wunian was fairly satisfied, his expression softening slightly as he spoke.

"I take my leave, Father!"

Qin Shaotian bowed respectfully, turned, and walked out of the study.

"Wait!"

Qin Wunian’s voice rang out once more.

"Father? Is there anything else you need to instruct me on?" Qin Shaotian paused in his tracks, turning back to ask.

"Stop looking for trouble with Shen Xuan. Do not waste your time!" As Qin Wunian spoke, an imposing aura quietly emanated from him.

"Yes!"

Feeling a heavy pressure descend upon him, Qin Shaotian bowed his head again, gritting his teeth as he answered.

After exiting Qin Wunian’s study, Qin Shaotian’s face turned leaden. He could not help but clench his fists, murmuring in a low voice, "Shen Xuan!"

"Young Master!"

Upon returning to his own courtyard, a figure silently flickered into view before Qin Shaotian.

"It failed." Qin Shaotian looked at the man. Although his words were framed as a question, his tone was exceptionally certain.

"Yes. That Shen Xuan is truly strange; I do not know how he managed to figure it out." Ye Tingjie knelt on the ground, his voice respectful.

"Hmph! Get up. This was meant to be a test from the start. If he could have been dealt with so easily, I would have found it rather boring." Qin Shaotian let out a cold snort, his expression unchanging; clearly, he had anticipated this outcome.

"Then, Young Master, what shall we do next?" Ye Tingjie asked.

"Continue according to the previous plan, but this time, do not show your face. Let the people from the Immortal Flow Pavilion handle it themselves. I must prepare diligently for the Autumn Imperial Examinations now; do not come to find me unless it is something of great importance." Qin Shaotian sat down on a lounge chair, picked up a cup of tea, took a light sip, and gave his brief instructions.

"Yes!"

***

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room, spilling over Shen Xuan and giving him an almost divine aura.

"Hoo—"

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Shen Xuan slowly opened his tightly shut eyes. Seeing that it was already midday outside the window, he could not help but feel a flash of surprise.

"Is it already this late? It seems I really drank too much last night."

"Although the alcohol in this world is not particularly strong, being forced to drink round after round by that group—without using internal energy to resist—it was indeed hard to hold up."

As he spoke, Shen Xuan rose from the bed. After a quick wash and a change of clothes, he headed downstairs. Ever since he had purchased the restaurant, he no longer stayed at the inn. Although "Jun You Lai" did not officially offer lodging, there were still rooms available for living in. Shen Xuan was currently occupying the most luxurious one in the restaurant.

"From now on, you are all part of my Jun You Lai."

Jun You Lai had not yet opened for business today. Gu An was in the main hall, his expression solemn as he lectured a few people.

"I will discuss the specific duties with you later. For now, the only thing you must remember is that this well-paying livelihood is given to you by the Master! You must always remember this kindness and never do anything treacherous!" Gu An stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over each of them as he spoke with severity.

"Yes!!!" The group answered in unison.

"Master Gu, what is this?" Shen Xuan walked slowly down from the stairs. Seeing the scene before him, although he had already guessed the situation, he asked nonetheless.

"Master, you are awake. Let me introduce them to you." Seeing Shen Xuan, Gu An walked up quickly and took him by the arm.

Being led by Gu An, Shen Xuan had no choice but to follow.

"Master, these are the helpers I found for our Jun You Lai this morning," Gu An said with a diplomatic tone.

Looking at the five people standing before him with their various expressions, Shen Xuan could not help but smile.

"Master Gu, you truly are swift and decisive. You only brought this up last night, and I didn't expect you to have it all settled by this morning. You’ve worked hard; I will double your wages for this month."

"Master, you are too kind. It is no hardship at all; it is merely my duty." Hearing Shen Xuan’s words, Gu An felt a warmth in his heart and hurried to bow his head in gratitude.

"What are you all standing there like fools for? This is the Master of Jun You Lai, Shen Xuan. Come over here!" Gu An turned and addressed the group.

"We pay our respects to the Master!" The five stepped forward, greeting him almost in unison.

"I am Shen Xuan. A pleasure to meet you all!" Shen Xuan did not put on any airs, returning their greeting warmly.

"Master, let me introduce them to you. This is Master Chen. He used to be a head chef at a large restaurant outside the capital. I have tested him; his skills are absolutely top-notch." Gu An pointed to a stout man in his thirties with a simple, honest expression.

"Welcome to Jun You Lai. I look forward to your guidance in the future, Master Chen," Shen Xuan said with a smile, his demeanor exceptionally friendly.

It was better for Gu An to play the "bad cop"; by playing the "good cop," Shen Xuan could earn their loyalty more easily.

"I wouldn't dare. I only come from a small place and will be making a living under you, Master; how could I talk about guidance?" Master Chen immediately revealed a smile, his words sounding very pleasant. "Besides, I heard that these skewers were invented by you, Master. If there is to be any guidance, it should be you guiding me."

"These two are Master Chen’s top apprentices; one is named Tang Wu, and the other is Han Yu," Gu An said, pointing to two men in their twenties.

"Greetings, Master!" The two exchanged a glance and took a step forward in unison to pay their respects.

Shen Xuan turned to look at them, observing them carefully. Tang Wu was a young man with a dark complexion and a very upright look; his eyes were bright and spirited, giving one a sense of steadiness. In contrast, Han Yu had much more delicate features, looking clean and fair. It was hard to imagine him working by the stove year-round. His eyes darted around, making him seem a bit restless, yet it was impossible to dislike him.

"Welcome! Welcome!" Shen Xuan’s thoughts flickered in an instant, but his smile remained unchanged as he personally stepped forward to help the two up.

"And these two young men are the shop assistants I hired. They are both children from local families; they are absolutely diligent and capable," Gu An added, pointing to the final two youths.

The two were somewhat plain-looking, the type that would be impossible to find in a crowd. Yet, Shen Xuan remained enthusiastic, stepping forward to exchange a few simple greetings with them. When they looked at Shen Xuan, there was even a hint of admiration in their eyes.

"Welcome once again, everyone. I hope that in the days to come, we can make Jun You Lai better and better, and turn it into the finest restaurant in the entire capital." After briefly getting to know them, Shen Xuan delivered a very official, encouraging statement.