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After sending Shopkeeper Wu away to rest, Lin Yuan clasped her head in her hands and closed her eyes in frustration at the table. Seeing her like this, Xia Zheng regretted having her take over Fuman Building, his slender fingers gently massaging her temples.

"Yuanyuan, you don’t have to take over Fuman Building, I don’t want to see you like this."

Hearing Xia Zheng’s words, a mix of heartache, guilt, and regret, Lin Yuan grabbed his hands, raised her head, and smiled brightly: "What’s wrong with me?

Don’t worry, this little matter won’t defeat me.

Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve faced such an interesting and strong opponent, I’m actually quite eager. "

Xia Zheng squinted his eyes, looking into hers, trying to discern her true thoughts.

He didn’t actually have the ambition to defeat Drunken Immortal Residence and Drunken Immortal Tower; it was just that, thinking back to his initial intentions in business, he felt somewhat guilty about leaving such a powerful adversary to Little White Rabbit.

Drunken Immortal Residence and Drunken Immortal Tower were just two business holdings under the Second Prince’s mother’s name. The amount of silver these highly profitable taverns could bring to win people’s hearts was clear.

In the end, the struggle for imperial power was really a standoff of silver.

Didn’t he just use the silver earned from his taverns for disaster relief in Jiangnan?

Even if the old man at home didn’t say it, these past days, the lack of letters urging him to return home showed that the old man was now turning a blind eye to his business dealings.

As long as he didn’t make mistakes or cause trouble, the old man basically no longer interfered with his commercial activities.

Since she had already agreed to pass on the tofu-making technique to the various branches, Lin Yuan started to expedite the matter. Soon the Shopkeepers would select suitable stewards and chefs.

Lin Yuan had Shopkeeper Liu send the stewards to the tofu workshop to learn.

Actually, making tofu was not difficult and the basic steps were easy to learn.

However, the only technique that required skill was the proportion of rice vinegar to water, as too much or too little could affect the taste of the tofu, and even alter its color.

While the stewards were learning to make tofu, Lin Yuan began intensive and almost harsh training for the chefs at Fuman Building.

To ensure the texture and flavor of the tofu, Lin Yuan had the chefs practice rigorously in the kitchen every day.

From cutting tofu to the production procedures of various recipes, and certainly including some tips and tricks of tofu-making, Lin Yuan taught them all without holding back.

Chef Wang of Fuman Building had tasted Lin Yuan’s cooking; although he had already learned quite a few recipes from her, his dishes were never as delicious as hers.

He had always been puzzled, following the recipes exactly, why there was such a big difference. But now, after Lin Yuan’s hands-on teaching, his culinary skills had improved further.

Compared to the excitement of the chefs, Xia Zheng, who stood by all this time, was miserable. Not only did he have to endure various smells from the kitchen, but he couldn’t get close to Lin Yuan, and even after standing there all day, she hardly spared a glance at him.

No, that’s not right—he couldn’t say she never looked at him.

Every time the chefs finished a new dish, Lin Yuan would smile and beckon him over.

Come over for what?

Xia Zheng curled his lips, of course to taste-test the terribly awful dishes those idiots made!

But later, Xia Zheng got smart—whenever asked to taste, he would claim it was good.

Later Lin Yuan stopped believing him and had Shopkeeper Liu call Lao Fan over.

Hearing there was good food, Lao Fan naturally came running happily, but after tasting the dishes the chefs made, he ran off faster than a rabbit!

Fortunately, the training didn’t last many days. Otherwise, not only Xia Zheng and Lao Fan, but Lin Yuan herself would have had her taste ruined by the dishes the chefs made.