Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 40 He Hates Me
Zari ate his chamagu in silence and did not reply to her.

Tan Huaike continued to persuade her, "Early on, when you came to the side yard to deliver firewood, you would often catch me cooking. You couldn't help but offer some pointers on my cooking, and I could tell then that you were an absolute expert. Later, you even showed off your skills in my kitchen, and I still remember the deliciousness of that meal of tripe-wrapped pork and spicy lamb trotters."

Zhali still didn't say anything and went to eat the fried noodles again.

Tan Huaike was in no hurry. He poured himself a bowl of mutton soup and began to eat the noodles. The fried beef was tender and fragrant, and the rich flavor of the beef skin and chili peppers mixed with the chewy noodles was so delicious that you couldn't stop eating.

Pei'er had already ordered a second bowl of noodles and exclaimed sincerely, "Uncle Zhali, your cooking skills are amazing! They are so fragrant, I've never eaten noodles so delicious!"

Tan Huaike said, "That's right. I've moved my cloth shop to a new shop on the Yunhexiang steps. I'm renovating the shop on Xiangling Street and plan to turn it into a restaurant. I'm worried about finding a suitable chef. With your help, our shop will definitely become the most authentic Western restaurant on Xiangling Street."

After a while, Zhali finished his meal and looked at her and asked, "You just said that your restaurant is run by you? Who else is there?"

Tan Huaike said bluntly, "I've been busy reorganizing my herbal medicine shop and looking for a new location for my textile workshop. I'm really short on money, so I had to borrow some from the second son of the Shentu Mansion. I have an agreement with him that he will be the unofficial owner and won't be in charge of the business. If the restaurant makes a profit, I'll give him a share of the profits."

Zhali immediately snorted coldly: "Shen Tu Zhuo?"

"It's him, what's wrong?" Seeing his face change, Tan Huaike felt something was wrong. When he went to buy firewood from Uncle Zhali before, he seemed to have some complaints about the Shentu Mansion. Could it be that he had a grudge against his uncle?

"Mrs. Shentu, forget about it." Zhali dropped his chopsticks, stood up and left. "Shentu Zhuo and I will never reconcile in this life! I would rather be a woodcutter for the rest of my life than accept his favor!"

After he angrily left the side yard, Pei'er came to her senses: "How big is the hatred..."

Tan Huaike felt it was strange. Why did they, if they were mortal enemies, refuse to accept his favor?
She recalled how Shen Tuzhuo had recommended Zhali's firewood to her, but he seemed hesitant to speak, unwilling to come forward himself. So, she had to ask Shen Tuzhuo about this matter in person.
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In the evening, Tan Huaike invited Shentu Zhuo to the side courtyard for dinner and took back several outer garments that had been fumigated with incense.

Shen Tu Zhuo was in a good mood. He sat down and sniffed. "It smells so good! Did you make Qiamagu mutton soup specially for me? Sister-in-law, you really took the trouble. I just borrowed some money from you. You don't have to be so attentive."

Pei'er pursed her lips to hold back her smile, not daring to say that this was made with the leftover ingredients from lunch.

The fried pork noodles were so delicious that not even a scrap of noodle residue was left. So Tan Huaike went back to the kitchen to make naan and grilled meat skewers.

Shentu Zhuo ate with great relish.

Tan Huaike first thanked him for his generosity, and then directly introduced the main topic: "Uncle, do you have any grudges with Zhali?"

"Ah? Zari?" Shentu Zhuo was eating skewers, wondering why she suddenly mentioned this person.

"It's the woodcutter you recommended to me to buy firewood," Tan Huaike explained. "I've noticed recently that he's very good at cooking Western cuisine, so I wanted to hire him as the head chef for the restaurant. But when he heard you were a part of the restaurant, he immediately got angry and refused, saying he had a sworn feud with you and would never accept your offer. I don't understand what's going on."

"He insists on holding a grudge against me, what can I do?" Shen Tuzhuo said dissatisfiedly, "Are you blaming me?"

"No, I just want to find out the reason and see if there is any room for maneuver."

Shentu Zhuo drank the soup and ate the meat, and was so angry that he didn't say anything for a long time.

Tan Huaike realized that the guests she had invited today were difficult to deal with, but she was not discouraged. If you want to run a restaurant, you will inevitably encounter some setbacks, especially since she felt that the feud between Shen Tuzhuo and Zhali was not insurmountable.

She didn't rush him, and even when Shen Tu Zhuo choked on his toasted naan, she thoughtfully gave him another bowl of soup. After Shen Tu Zhuo had a hearty meal, he finally had the heart to tell her what had happened.

He hesitated, touching the jade pendant at his waist, and asked her, "Do you know how Zari's leg was broken?"

Tan Huaike shook his head.

Shentu Zhuo reminisced, "Zhali was a master chef in the Yuefu, a master cook. Even the county magistrate often came to taste his cooking. He lived a very prosperous life at that time and had saved a lot of money. He should have lived a good life, but he fell in love with a musician in the Yuefu..."

The musician was a female member of a convicted official's family and could not be redeemed easily. Even if she was to be redeemed, she would need sufficient power or gold and silver, and Zari's family property was far from enough.

But the two were in love, and thought that if they could leave the prison together, they would be found in the vast world. The musician also wanted to regain her freedom. She planned to follow Zari to Wuxu, only to avoid Daxuan's pursuit. With their skills and abilities, they would surely live a comfortable life.

But they were too naive and their preparations were not careful and sufficient enough.

Shentu Zhuo had a good relationship with Zhali and often went to him for free meals and drinks. He soon noticed something was wrong with him. After asking him, he learned that they had such unrealistic ambitions.

Zhali had initially thought Shen Tuzhuo would support him, but he never imagined that this man, whom he considered the most loyal friend, would not only refuse to help, but would actually try to dissuade him. An argument ensued between the two, with Shen Tuzhuo telling him not to do such an irresponsible thing, as their household registrations and residence permits would be scrutinized, making it difficult to enter or leave Yangguan.

However, Zhali was no longer willing to listen. He only wanted to escape from slavery and live a carefree life in the west with the musicians.

Because of their arrogance, their secret was exposed on the day they had agreed to run away at night.

The two were caught before they left the city.

Zhali was beaten with a stick, his legs broken, and he was expelled from the music house, losing his livelihood. The musician was also imprisoned for a month, scolded and disciplined, subjected to extreme humiliation, and cried every day, no longer daring to think of escaping.

Hearing this, Tan Huaike asked, "Why did Zhali bear a grudge against you?"

Shentu Zhuo replied: "Because he always felt that it was me, the insider, who informed on them."

"It can't be you." Tan Huaike judged subconsciously.

"Of course it wasn't me." Shen Tu Zhuo sighed. "Afterwards, I asked Chi Fanyu about it. It might have been another musician who reported it. But now that things have come to this, Zhali won't believe anything I say."

"I don't think Zari distrusts you. He may believe you wouldn't do such a thing, but he can't forgive himself for insisting on his own way. He can't regret it, and he doesn't know who to blame. He can only sink into endless self-loathing, and he also resents you, the insider who failed to persuade him."

"That's why I say he has a bad temper, doesn't know how to adapt, and loves to dwell on trivial matters!"

"You still feel guilty towards him." Tan Huaike thought for a moment and said, "So, if we can resolve the misunderstanding between you and him and make him no longer hold a grudge against you, will he be willing to come to our restaurant to be the chef?"

"No, I guess he still won't come."

"why?"
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　Next Chapter: It turns out that Zari and I are the same...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)