The Staff of Lu Yue Restaurant
Three days later, the Lu Yue Restaurant hung its sign to announce the official opening day, set for the 30th day of the ninth month. Meanwhile, the clinic was already equipped with the necessary tools and herbs, marking the start of practical training for the four young maids who served dual roles as both nurses-in-training and mistresses.
Yes, the four maids had been given the appearance of the mistresses representing their enigmatic and ever-masked master. The five of them, master and servants, deliberately allowed others to misunderstand their roles. After all, in this era, having multiple wives or consorts was seen as a sign of prestige. This narrative made it easier to address questions from outsiders. At the very least, no one would suspect that the four elegantly dressed women, adorned with fine jewelry, were mere maids of a scandal-ridden eldest son from a noble household.
“Our restaurant will operate for all twenty-four hours of the day. You will need to take shifts in pairs to manage the restaurant. Additionally, you must occasionally return to the estate to prevent suspicion. I’ll arrange for messenger pigeons, so if anything urgent happens at the estate while I’m away, you can send a word to the restaurant. For truly critical matters, if I’m not in a fixed location or need to summon you urgently, use this signal flare. It was bright enough to send signals across the capital and surrounding areas within a hundred li[1],” Luxian explained, handing each maid a box of signal flares.
“So, how have you divided the responsibilities? Who wants to take on which roles?”
“We will rotate shifts among all four of us,” one of the maids answered confidently. “Our martial arts skills have improved significantly, as you instructed. Since we look similar, when wearing veils, anyone unfamiliar with us won’t be able to tell us apart. However, if one of us were to permanently stay at the Hall of Lu Yue, it would raise suspicion if we were absent from the estate for too long.”
“Good. That’s a well-thought-out plan,” Luxian replied, glancing at the maids who had been serving him for over three months with a look of pride.
The next day, Luxian gathered the former tavern staff and newly hired workers to explain the rules and sign formal employment contracts.
“I’ve called you here today because the Hall of Lu Yue will open for business in just a few days. I want to make sure everyone understands their responsibilities and the rules before we begin. If anyone feels they cannot meet my expectations, you may leave now.
As you can see, this inn has four floors, but we will only allow public access to the first floor. Workers will have quarters on the second floor. You may choose to stay in the provided rooms or return home at night. The workers’ quarters are fully equipped with bedding and necessities, and there are bathing facilities on the ground floor.
All staff will be provided with three meals a day and are allowed to take one additional meal set home per day. Clothing and uniforms will also be supplied. The only things I expect from you are skill and loyalty.
If I haven’t mentioned something, don’t ask. If there are areas I’ve forbidden, don’t go there. If there are things I don’t want you to see, act blind. If there are things I don’t want you to hear, act deaf. Above all, controlling your tongues is of utmost importance.
If you follow these rules, the Hall of Lu Yue will treat you like family. I can ensure you live comfortably with enough to eat and spend. However, if you violate the terms after signing the contract...
I will kill without mercy.”
The final words were not shouted but spoken calmly, accompanied by an icy gaze. That alone was enough to make the prospective employees of the Hall of Lu Yue tremble with fear.
“Knowing this, do you still wish to work here?”
“Good,” Chen Luxian replied with a smile.
“A bustling area is the best hub for gathering information. We must make Lu Yue Restaurant famous—not just for profit, but for intelligence as well. Your job will include collecting news from across the capital and from merchant caravans from other cities. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Good. Tomorrow, your boss will come to oversee the operations. She’ll teach you how to prepare new dishes and drinks to attract customers. These new dishes are meant to draw people in, but the traditional recipes you’ve been making must also be exceptional. She’ll guide you in managing the restaurant. That’s all for today—you may leave.”
“Yes, sir!” The workers answered and departed.
The next day, the four young maids divided their responsibilities at the Hall of Lu Yue. They trained the new staff, demonstrated the preparation of the new dishes Luxian had shown them over the past three months, and explained the structure and payment system for the “self-service station.”
The day before the official opening, Luxian ordered cold green tea and hibiscus drinks to be distributed to the locals, along with invitations to try Lu Yue Restaurant’s unique and flavorful dishes.
For the villagers, anything free was a delight—and the fact that the drinks were fragrant and delicious added to their enthusiasm. Word spread quickly about the Lu Yue Restaurant’s revamped establishment. Though its location wasn’t ideal, if the food was exceptional and widely praised, a short walk was hardly an issue.
On the morning of the grand opening, just as Luxian predicted, the restaurant was packed with customers.
Luxian left the Chen estate that day, accompanied by Qing Hai, who climbed over the estate wall to join him. After all, she was to act as the Lady Boss of the Hall of Lu Yue.
Luxian had a notice written, detailing the various sections of the restaurant and how the services worked. The locals who had enjoyed the free green tea the day before returned, eager to sample the new and unique desserts. Even elderly customers accompanying their families were delighted to sip fragrant hot tea and enjoy freshly made traditional snacks. Lu Yue Restaurant’s desserts and beverages alone were enough to set it apart.
However, what intrigued people the most was the self-service station. The 100 copper coin entry fee was steep for ordinary villagers, but the city’s wealthy elite were more interested in the novelty than the cost. Being able to take and eat as much as they wanted without limits was an exciting concept. Older patrons, on the other hand, preferred to order meals while waiting for performances to begin.
On days with musical performances, guests could even request songs from musicians hired daily from a nearby music hall.
By the hour of Hai, the musicians departed, and the crowd began to thin, though a few customers lingered. Li Hong came out to switch shifts with Qing Hai, sending her back to the estate for rest.
As for the real boss, Chen Luxian, he had already left the restaurant by the hour of Shen.
That day was one of the most relaxing and satisfying for Luxian since his reincarnation. He had spent three months building everything from the ground up. Of course, much of this was thanks to the wealth left by the original body’s mother and the unused allowances from the past seven years. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Now, all that remained for Luxian was to reap the benefits—letting the four maids handle the restaurant’s operations while he waited for profits, information, and influence to roll in.
His responsibilities at the Hall of Lu Yue going forward were simple: developing new menu items to add to the restaurant and occasionally reviewing the accounts. With the restaurant running smoothly, Chen Luxian could now pursue his true dream—a renowned divine doctor with extraordinary and unconventional healing methods was about to emerge in the Kingdom of Da Qi.
Chen Luxian’s combat skills had already been honed under the tutelage of his mafia family, but he rigorously trained in martial arts over the past three months stemmed from a desire to test his own limits. He wanted to know if he could achieve the light-footed techniques often used by martial arts heroes in the novels he had read—leaping effortlessly over walls and vanishing without a trace.
Finally, after relentless practice, he succeeded. He could now scale the walls of the General’s estate in defiance of Newton’s laws. Luxian was immensely proud of himself, but even more so of the four young maids, who had also achieved this feat. He learned that it was rare for women to have the opportunity to train in martial arts, and seeing their joy brought him happiness as well.
Chen Luxian allowed the Hall of Lu Yue to stabilize for another half month, during which it averaged daily profits of 100 taels of silver, which was an impressive sum.
Once everything was in order, Chen Luxian decided it was time to venture into the martial world. His clinic was ready and waiting. If he were fortunate enough to befriend influential figures along the way, his path forward would be paved with gold.
“The restaurant is stable now, and you’ve all done an excellent job. Now, I have another goal to achieve,” Luxian said to his maids. “I want to build a reputation as ‘Divine Doctor Xian’ and establish alliances with martial artists in the martial world. What I need is not only wealth but also influence and connections. Recently, even after my father had returned to the military camp, none of those troublesome people in the estate dared to bother me. Something seems suspicious about that. If I leave the estate, you can move to the Hall of Lu Yue. With me gone, no one has any reason to look for my maids. If anyone asks, just say I took you all on a trip outside the estate. Now that everything is in place, there’s no need to be too secretive anymore. Let whoever wants to know, know.”
“Young Master, are you leaving to travel the martial world? If you leave the estate without informing anyone, I fear the furen...”
“Why should I care about her?” Luxian cut her off. “Servant Zhu once told me I could come and go as I pleased. Naturally, if a parent hears their child is missing, they’d worry, but my mother is no longer with us, and my father is at the military camp. Who am I supposed to inform? That lady? She isn’t my mother. And her son? Doesn’t he frequently disappear to brothels? What right does she have to accuse me?”
“Yes, sir,” Li Hong replied, understanding his reasoning.
“Don’t worry. I won’t stray far from the capital. If the skies are clear, you’ll still be able to see my signal flares if I need you. Tonight, I’ll collect my things from the Hall of Lu Yue and leave at dawn. Stay quiet in the meantime.”
The next morning, Chen Luxian left the Hall of Lu Yue to wander throughout the capital. For someone from the modern world, the ancient way of life was fascinating. He spent three days exploring the city, seeing sights he had never encountered before, and indulging in countless ancient delicacies.
During his wanderings, he helped numerous people: a young child with a fever, an elderly man struck on the head with a piece of wood, a girl who had nearly drowned, and many more.
Within just three days, rumors began to spread about a mysterious miracle doctor who hid his face behind a veil and went by the single name ‘Xian’.
By the time Chen Luxian left the capital, he was unaware that the name of Divine Doctor Xian had already started to grow in fame. Had he known, he would have smiled in delight.
[1] Li is a unit of distance, equivalent to 500 meters.