Finally enduring until the last customer left, Sheng Sanlang cursed with a dark expression: “They really can eat, they really can!”

“Cousin, don’t worry. I remember we roasted eight.”

For an auspicious opening, she had roasted a total of eight pig’s heads.

Originally thinking that with such high prices on opening day, even with the shills Grand Marshal Luo found for his daughter, they’d sell at most four.

Who would have thought there’d also be Prince Kaiyang…

Sheng Sanlang felt even more pained: “Only two left—not even enough for me alone.”

Even Minister Zhao, that old codger with half his body in the grave, ate two whole roasted pig’s heads—how could this be enough for him!

Shi Yan immediately protested upon hearing this: “Young Master Sheng, hogging all the food won’t do.”

“Stop arguing. Can’t the roasted pig’s head shut you up?” Hong Dou brought over a serving of sliced roasted pig’s head and set it on the table.

Kou’er followed closely behind, bringing the second serving.

Though Sheng Sanlang wanted nothing more than to pounce on it, he remembered his cousin was there: “Cousin, come eat.”

“You all eat. Kou’er, have Xiu Gu make me a bowl of spring noodles, then come eat together.”

Kou’er obeyed and left. Before long, Xiu Gu personally carried out a bowl of spring noodles from the back kitchen.

The female innkeeper secretly glanced over several times from the corner of her eye.

The new owner’s people were all extraordinarily attractive—only this head chef was somewhat frightening.

Fortunately, she stayed in the back kitchen and didn’t affect business.

While Xiu Gu’s appearance drew the female innkeeper’s sidelong glances, to the others it only brought joy.

Now that everyone was present, they could start eating.

Sheng Sanlang hurriedly called out: “Xiu Gu, come quick and eat roasted pig’s head.”

Xiu Gu set the spring noodles by Luo Sheng’s hand but didn’t move.

“Xiu Gu, innkeeper, you all go eat together.”

Xiu Gu curtsied slightly and walked toward Sheng Sanlang and the others.

She wanted to taste whether this roasted pig’s head had the same flavor as what the Princess made.

The female innkeeper was somewhat embarrassed: “Owner, this isn’t appropriate—”

The owner was Miss Luo, and the young man she’d called Sheng San in front of customers was Miss Luo’s cousin—actually also a young noble.

As someone who sold her labor, how could she brazenly eat and drink alongside the nobility?

“In the wine house, we don’t distinguish such things.”

Hearing Luo Sheng say this, the female innkeeper finally walked over and sat down.

“Let’s eat!” Sheng Sanlang’s chopsticks dove toward the pig’s ear.

Shi Yan wasn’t about to back down, his movements swift as lightning as he stuffed pig cheek meat into his mouth.

Hong Dou elbowed Shi Yan aside and seized the best position.

Kou’er anxiously shouted: “Oh my, you all being so unruly won’t do—”

Hong Dou stuffed a chopstick-full of pig’s head meat into Kou’er’s mouth.

Kou’er’s eyes went blank for a moment. She quickly swallowed the pig’s head meat before finishing her sentence: “The roasted pig’s head is so delicious, not fighting for it won’t do!”

The female innkeeper—the female innkeeper had nothing more to say and just knew to eat.

Luo Sheng watched everyone eating so lively and couldn’t help curving her lips, picking up a few noodle strands to eat.

The noodles were chewy and flavorful, the broth incomparably fresh—still the same taste as the spring noodles she’d eaten at the prince’s manor.

How could she have imagined back then that one day she’d be eating such a bowl of spring noodles in a small wine house in the capital?

Luo Sheng walked to the doorway and looked outside.

The night stretched endlessly, ten thousand homes lit their lamps, and the midsummer moon remained as cold and clear as ever.

Xiu Gu turned to look at the plain-clothed figure standing by the door, her expression complex.

The commotion at the dining table suddenly grew louder.

Shi Yan and Sheng Sanlang were using their chopsticks like swords, fighting over the last piece of pig cheek meat.

While the two fought, Hong Dou seized the pig cheek meat with her chopsticks and stuffed it in her mouth.

Shi Yan and Sheng Sanlang immediately looked devastated, sighing and groaning.

Hong Dou swept them a triumphant glance.

Hmph, daring to compete for food in front of her.

Kou’er hadn’t moved her chopsticks to compete at all, knowing that with Hong Dou there she definitely couldn’t win. She simply consoled herself: “Tomorrow we can still eat braised beef.”

Shi Yan and Sheng Sanlang found the same consolation, feeling that such an understanding little maid as Kou’er was truly rare.

The female innkeeper couldn’t help asking Xiu Yue: “Head chef, is the braised beef as delicious as the roasted pig’s head?”

Heavens, what kind of roasted pig’s head had she eaten?

If she’d known the roasted pig’s head was this delicious, why would she have worried about no business?

If there really was no business, she’d buy one to eat herself!

Or, if the owner allowed unlimited eating, she wouldn’t even need wages.

Xiu Yue instinctively glanced at Luo Sheng and nodded: “Also delicious.”

“How delicious is ‘also delicious’?” the female innkeeper pressed.

Xiu Yue thought for a moment and said: “The roasted pig’s head and braised beef each have their own deliciousness.”

The female innkeeper silently swallowed her saliva, with only one thought: She wanted to be the innkeeper at A Wine House for the rest of her life!

With only two tables of customers total, plus the table where their own people ate, everyone worked together and before long had the wine house cleaned spotless.

The female innkeeper pulled out the account book: “Today’s grand opening, total income one thousand forty taels. Excluding food materials, labor, and other expenses, net profit at least over one thousand taels… To make our wine house’s business even more prosperous, everyone can offer suggestions on where improvements can be made.”

“I have a suggestion.” Sheng Sanlang was first to speak.

Everyone looked at him.

“Our wine house isn’t large. I feel we don’t need so many staff—San Huo doesn’t need to come help tomorrow.”

The main competitor for pig’s head had to be sent away.

Hong Dou? Hong Dou was definitely the absolute main competitor, but he didn’t dare say that.

Shi Yan exploded upon hearing this: “I’m not leaving!”

Seeing everyone staring at him, the young guard displayed extraordinary wit: “Our wine house’s food and wine are so delicious—there’ll definitely be plenty of customers in the future. How can we have too many staff? Besides, I’m not just a simple server.”

“Then what are you?” Hong Dou asked.

Shi Yan patted his chest: “I’m actually an enforcer disguised as a server. Think about it—our wine house’s food and wine are so delicious. What if someone can’t buy it, or can’t afford it, and tries to rob us? Is anyone in this shop better at fighting than me?”

Everyone listened and couldn’t help nodding.

Made sense—they couldn’t do without an enforcer.

Seeing everyone nod, Shi Yan quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

That was close.

“Then I also have a suggestion.”

Sheng Sanlang’s heart tightened.

Was this Shi San Huo trying to get revenge?

Shi Yan glanced toward the door and lowered his voice: “I think we need to limit the appetizers per table. Like today’s roasted pig’s head—we can’t let people eat as many as they want, right? If some glutton eats them all, what about the other tables’ customers?”

Based on his understanding of his master, his master would probably come every day from now on.

Would he dare speak up in front of his master? There had to be wine house rules to constrain things.

Everyone nodded vigorously.

This suggestion was excellent—if the gluttons ate all the appetizers, what would they eat?

“I also have a suggestion.” Hong Dou raised her hand.

The little maid’s expression was serious: “No credit whatsoever.”

The female innkeeper shook her head upon hearing this: “I’m afraid that won’t work. Our wine house’s prices are a bit high—ordinary customers don’t bring that much silver when going out to eat.”

Luo Sheng spoke up: “Those who can prove which household they’re from can have it recorded, and we’ll collect from their residences later. Everyone else—no credit whatsoever.”

After the summary session, A Wine House was locked up, and the first day of opening came to an end.

Meanwhile, after returning home and washing up, Minister Zhao was resting beside his wife when she suddenly grabbed his beard.

“Husband, why does your beard smell so fragrant?”