Chapter 57: Taking a Hit

Previously, it was his Yuelai Restaurant that suppressed the Huai Cai Restaurant. Yet, despite this, Huai Cai still had customers and was never as barren as his place, where not a single cup of tea had been sold since morning.

"No, we can't just sit here and wait to die. Let's go—all of you, grab your weapons. We're heading to the Third Pavilion. I want Jia Ping’an to give us an explanation." Overcome with anger, Zheng Liyuan decided to vent his frustration on someone else.

He imagined that if he could smash up the Third Pavilion, the frightened guests would surely avoid dining there again.

With a spiteful mindset of “If I can’t have it good, neither can you,” Zheng Liyuan led two chefs and four waiters—a group of seven—through the streets straight towards the Third Pavilion.

In front of the Third Pavilion, Zheng Tongheng and his group were unusually alert today.

After yesterday’s conversation with Jia Ping’an, these men not only stood rigidly outside the gate but also cracked their knuckles in anticipation.

They were wary of holding sticks openly lest they scare off customers; otherwise, each of them would likely be brandishing weapons by now.

As Zheng Tongheng and his men prepared fully, Zheng Liyuan and his group of seven approached. Even from a distance, their assortment of sticks and clubs was clearly visible.

“Is someone coming to cause trouble?”

Among the gatekeepers, those with sharp eyes saw the approaching scene and muttered uncertainly.

It was broad daylight, yet someone dared to come and stir up trouble—how surreal did that feel?

“Hey, looks like they really are here to make trouble. Brothers, grab your weapons.” As Zheng Liyuan and company drew nearer, their weapons became unmistakable, and Zheng Tongheng’s group finally snapped to full alert.

The commotion drew the attention of the thirty Zheng family youths guarding the place. They gathered quickly, each gripping their prepared weapons, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Zheng Liyuan noticed the change in stance outside the Third Pavilion but dismissed it lightly.

What a joke—these gatekeepers were all Zheng family members. They shared the same ancestors; how could they possibly block him when trouble came?

He already imagined himself breaking through the gate and rampaging through the ground floor of the pavilion’s main hall.

He planned to smash the first floor, then the second, but leave the third floor untouched.

The third floor held private rooms where esteemed guests dined; he wouldn’t dare insult those people.

As long as the commotion wasn’t too large, even if Jia Ping’an wanted to retaliate later, it would be difficult for him to do so.

In short, his goal was to smash the Third Pavilion, and Jia Ping’an wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it—that was the outcome he sought.

“Stop right there!”

Zheng Liyuan was still lost in his daydreams when a sharp command snapped him back to reality. Before him stood Zheng Tongheng and his thirty men.

These thirty were handpicked from thousands of Zheng family youths—each tall, robust, and now brandishing wooden sticks, blocking their path with fierce determination.

Seeing this display, the six men from Yuelai Restaurant with Zheng Liyuan immediately halted. Though they were also Zheng family members, their status was common; unlike Zheng Liyuan, they couldn't afford to act recklessly.

The six stood firm, leaving Zheng Liyuan to step forward alone. Facing thirty men, he seemed utterly outnumbered.

Yet, as the manager of Yuelai Restaurant, Zheng Liyuan was a prominent figure in the Zheng clan and all of Ningguta. Naturally, he looked down on these small fry.

“What are you trying to do, Zheng Tongheng? Do you even know who I am?” Zheng Liyuan spoke as he stopped in his tracks.

He couldn’t keep going—if he did, he would collide with Zheng Tongheng and his men.

“Of course we know who you are. You're the big boss of Yuelai Restaurant, right? So, after tasting the food at our Third Pavilion, you realize your own place isn't as good?” Zheng Tongheng retorted without a trace of politeness.

He was a notable figure within the Zheng family, always looking down on others. Even though his father was a clan elder, he showed no respect.

Today, seizing the chance to humble their opponent, he was eager to do so.

Zheng Liyuan was taken aback by the insult.

Looking at Zheng Tongheng as if he were a fool, he said, “You... you know who I am and still dare to speak like that? Do you really want to make a mess of your life in Ningguta?”

Yuelai had once been the largest restaurant in Ningguta. Though that title wasn’t worth much, it was true nonetheless.

With his status as restaurant manager, no one dared to treat him with less than three degrees of respect. Over time, Zheng Liyuan grew arrogant, dismissing ordinary people like Zheng Tongheng outright. Even having a clan elder for a father meant nothing.

Now, the Zheng clan was led by patriarch Zheng Tianhai, and Zheng Tongheng was his man. Why bother showing face to a mere clan elder?

If Zheng Tongheng was close to elder Zheng Tianhu, the patriarch might mistrust him upon learning of this. So, if he could disregard his own father’s honor, how much less would he respect others?

Zheng Liyuan had expected that with his status, Zheng Tongheng wouldn’t dare utter a word, let alone mock him openly. When he came to vandalize the Third Pavilion, he expected them to side with him, even help him, to curry favor.

But now, the other side dared to openly insult him in public. This was outright rebellion—total insubordination.

“Oh, you’re really a toad trying to yawn with such arrogance. So what, you come wielding sticks to disrupt the Third Pavilion, and we should just let you do as you please? We block you because we don’t want to see you running around Ningguta? Let me tell you, guarding the gate is our duty, and stopping you is our obligation. If we let you wreck the place, that would show our incompetence and make it impossible for us to survive here.”

Zheng Tongheng had no intention of indulging him.

He had already discussed his position with his father late last night. Knowing where he stood, how could he fear a Zheng Liyuan?

If the patriarch were here, he might be too intimidated to speak so boldly, but Zheng Liyuan was just a small fry—he was not taken seriously.

“Exactly. Taking people’s money and doing their dirty work—Manager Zheng, what you’re doing is smashing our livelihood. So why shouldn’t we stop you?”

Seeing Zheng Tongheng take the lead with such firmness, the others followed suit.

“That’s right. Who do you think you are?”

“Watch closely—this is the Third Pavilion, not your Yuelai Restaurant.”

Voices rose as they all spoke at once, treating Zheng Liyuan as their sworn enemy.

Their words infuriated Zheng Liyuan deeply.

Why was everyone against him? And what did they mean by “my Yuelai Restaurant”? Yuelai belonged to the Zheng family, and they were all part of the same clan—how could they speak like this?

He wanted to retort, but alone he was no match against thirty.

Fighting, he was outnumbered.

Arguing, he was outmatched.

At this moment, Zheng Liyuan was completely overwhelmed by their accusations, cast as the villain in their mouths.

The worst part was, he hadn’t even done anything yet.

The commotion drew a crowd of onlookers. After grasping the gist of the situation, they began to gossip—mostly criticizing Zheng Liyuan.

They said he was a poor businessman who couldn’t compete fairly and resorted to smashing shops and dirty tricks.

Such harsh words stung Zheng Liyuan’s ears, turning his face dark.

Realizing he would gain nothing by staying, he knew that lingering would only make him a laughingstock.

“Fine, fine. You’re ruthless—just wait.” Knowing he’d get no support today, Zheng Liyuan spun on his heel and left swiftly.

As he departed, he shot a fierce glare at the six followers trailing him. He hated them for lacking the courage even to speak up on his behalf.

When Zheng Liyuan had arrived, he was full of confidence and fury.

When he left, he was utterly humiliated and crushed.

Many witnessed this scene. Some who had suffered under the Zheng clan’s oppression clapped and cheered, venting their long-suppressed grievances.

Their cheers reached Zheng Tongheng and his men, who were exhilarated—like victorious generals returning to court.

Their faces flushed with excitement, they clasped their fists in thanks to the crowd for speaking up and supporting them.

“What’s going on here?” At that moment, Jia Ping’an appeared.

Still dressed in his black fur coat, his rosy lips and white teeth stood out sharply.

“Master Jia, here’s what happened,” Zheng Tongheng said eagerly.

He had been worried about how to report the incident, but now that the main man had arrived, he eagerly embellished the story.

In truth, when Zheng Liyuan and his group approached, Chang Chao noticed them, and then Jia Ping’an was informed.

He had been watching everything unfold from the second floor.

Only after seeing the situation resolved did he step out.

Compared to Chang Chao, who clenched his fists and nervously sweated, Jia Ping’an’s expression was calm.

He understood the power of money, and he believed the words spoken last night would have their effect.

Moreover, even if Zheng Tongheng and his men hadn’t dared to stop Zheng Liyuan, only seven people had come. Jia Ping’an was not afraid they could cause much damage.