69novels Chapter 1126 Gao's Restaurant? Fan Xian's Doubts!
Chapter 1126 Gao's Restaurant? Fan Xian's Doubts!
By the time all the forces converged on the courtyard where the aura of life had emerged, the courtyard had already been reduced to ashes by fire. Clearly, the person behind it all did not want to be discovered, not even to leave a trace.
However, this is, after all, the Qing Kingdom. As long as there's a place, we can definitely find some clues. The purchase of the courtyard, the people coming and going—we can always find some traces.
The capital of Qing Kingdom has always been a shining pearl of the Eastern Continent. On the bustling streets, the shouts of vendors, the crisp echo of horses' hooves on the bluestone slabs, and the hurried footsteps of pedestrians intertwine to create the unique rhythm of this capital city.
Six months ago, on this bustling main street, a seemingly ordinary three-story building was renovated over several months and hung up the signboard of Gao's Restaurant. Since then, the rhythm of this place has been enhanced by an irresistible aroma.
It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was bustling with carriages and people. Waiters weaved through the crowd, greeting each guest with smiles. Through the open, carved wooden doors, one could see that the hall was packed, filled with lively chatter that didn't feel chaotic. Instead, it exuded an indescribable sense of excitement and satisfaction.
The air was filled with an enticing aroma of oils and spices, a complex fragrance that the people of Qing Kingdom had never smelled before, causing passersby to slow down and take a deep breath.
"Brother, let me tell you, the food here is amazing! You'll see once you try it!"
Two figures squeezed out from the crowd. The one in the lead was a young man with a slightly immature face, dressed in brocade clothes. His eyes were darting around, and his face was full of eagerness.
The young man following behind him was much more composed, with a thoughtful and aloof air about him, seemingly out of place amidst the bustling surroundings.
These two people are Fan Sizhe and Fan Xian.
As soon as Fan Sizhe entered the restaurant, he headed straight for the second floor, turning back to call out to Fan Xian, "Hurry up, brother, or we won't be able to get a good seat!"
Fan Xian nodded slightly, but his gaze unconsciously swept over the interior decoration of the restaurant. This glance stirred a strange sense of familiarity within him.
The hall was decorated in an extremely simple style, without the elaborate carvings and bright colors commonly found in ordinary restaurants. The walls were a simple off-white color, with a few elegant landscape paintings hanging on them; the tables and chairs were all made of natural wood with clean and neat lines; the most eye-catching thing was the dining tables—they were all square eight-immortal tables, which was extremely rare in the Qing Kingdom, where wealthy families usually used round or long tables.
Upon closer inspection, the arrangement of bowls and plates on each table was so neat and uniform that it was almost rigid: chopsticks were placed horizontally on a specially made chopstick rest, small plates were in front, soup bowls were on the right, and teacups were on the left, as if following some kind of specific ritual.
This style… Fan Xian’s heart involuntarily quickened. It didn’t seem like the style of this era; it was more like… the modern minimalist style from his past life.
"Gentlemen, please have a private seat upstairs!" A waiter dressed in neat gray clothes greeted them with a smile and led them to a window seat on the second floor.
The second floor was a little quieter than the first, but it was also packed. Through the window frames, you could see people coming and going on the street below. Sunlight streamed in through the thin window paper, casting soft spots of light on the clean tabletops.
"Brother, look at this place, isn't it really stylish?"
As soon as he sat down, Versace couldn't help but show off, as if he owned the restaurant. "I was also stunned when I first came here. I've never seen a restaurant like this before."
Fan Xian didn't reply, his fingers lightly tracing the surface of the table. The wood was smooth, without a single burr, clearly having undergone meticulous polishing. This level of craftsmanship was uncommon in the Qing Kingdom.
"Esteemed guests, here is the menu. Please take a look and see what you would like to eat!" The waiter, who had been standing by the table at some point, respectfully handed over a booklet.
The menu was quite peculiar—not made of the usual wooden boards or cloth, but bound together from several thick sheets of paper, with the words "Gao's Menu" written neatly in regular script on the cover. Inside, each dish had a simple description, and some even had exquisite little pictures.
Versace took the menu like a regular customer and ordered without even looking at it: "Waiter, one cold shredded salad, one crystal pork knuckle, one stir-fried pork kidney, and a braised fish!"
He turned to Fan Xian and winked, "Brother, let me tell you, the cold dishes here are absolutely amazing. The taste... tsk tsk, it's indescribable, but you definitely can't find it anywhere else!"
"Alright! One serving each of cold shredded vegetables, crystal pork knuckle, stir-fried pork kidney, and braised fish!" The waiter repeated loudly, took the menu, and bowed slightly to the two of them. "Please wait a moment, the dishes will be here shortly."
After speaking, he turned and left, his movements clean and swift, his clothes barely making a sound as he walked. Fan Xian noticed that not only this waiter, but all the waiters in the entire restaurant moved with unusual lightness, clearly having received special training.
"I've never heard of this place before?" Fan Xian finally spoke, his voice calm, but his eyes held a hint of inquiry.
Versace poured himself a cup of tea and lowered his voice mysteriously: "Hey, you don't know, this place only opened half a year ago. When it first opened, there weren't many people, but then somehow, everyone who ate there said it was good, and word spread like wildfire. Now look at the business!"
He took a sip of tea and continued, "Moreover, I've heard that many officials are even sending people here to buy groceries to take home, so they don't cook at home anymore. You know Lord Wang Qinian from the Censorate, right? That notoriously stingy guy, now he sends his subordinates here every day to buy two groceries to take home!"
"That's an exaggeration?" Fan Xian raised an eyebrow.
"That's right!" Versace patted his chest, looking quite proud. "I'm a regular here, I would never rip you off. If it weren't for the fact that you've been in a bad mood lately, I wouldn't have brought you to such an expensive place!"
Fan Xian glanced at him, secretly amused. Fan Sizhe had indeed been here before, but the term "regular customer" was probably an exaggeration—when ordering just now, he clearly saw Fan Sizhe secretly glance at the prices on the menu, and his Adam's apple even bobbed involuntarily.
However, Fan Xian didn't expose him. At this moment, his mind was indeed not on the meal. The contents of Ye Qingmei's letter were still swirling in his mind. Every word was like a key, trying to open a door that he both longed for and feared.
The hints in the letter, his father Fan Jian's hesitant expression, the secrets hidden within the Censorate... all of this was like an invisible net, trapping him firmly within it.
The familiar modernity of this restaurant only added another layer of confusion to his predicament.
Just as he was deep in thought, several waiters gracefully approached carrying trays. The four dishes were carefully placed on the octagonal table, each plate arranged with great care, and even the edges of the plates were adorned with a few slices of carrot carved into flower shapes.
"Please enjoy your meal, sir." The waiter smiled and withdrew.
Versace, unable to contain himself any longer, picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of braised fish into his mouth. The moment the fish entered his mouth, his eyes widened suddenly, and he seemed to freeze in place, before an almost intoxicated expression appeared on his face.