Storm of Gods

Chapter 119 Artistic Aesthetics
The Lilong Hotel has set aside a restaurant area, which is actually just a simple shed built on the hotel's open space. The signboard is written by an artist, with the words "Liyu Longwei" written in a flamboyant style. The posters are also drawn by an artist, featuring a portrait of the owner.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of ​​hanging up the boss's portrait. It felt like once the poster was up, the company was practically on the verge of bankruptcy. But no one dared to say anything, and it was eventually put up anyway.

Wearing a sexy red dress and heavy makeup, the noble Daenerys Targaryen looks... well, you can't say she isn't Daenerys, but apart from the clothes, there's really no connection. After the artist's artistic processing of her figure, facial curves, expressions, etc., she certainly looks more like the Daenerys Targaryen that Daenerys herself believes she is.

Art can always stubbornly survive in all kinds of barren soil.

Kane performed magic tricks at the entrance, attracting a bunch of children. He could always conjure up all sorts of candies from his top hat, which were provided by Daenerys Targaryen.

In preparation for the opening, some preparations were made, such as stocking up on goods and replenishing seasonings. With the support of Dragon Mother, Li Xin actually went to the market to purchase some important raw materials, especially soy sauce, which he needed to make himself. He had done it before in Tianjing, and the materials here were more abundant. With the addition of some spiritual energy techniques, the effect was basically the same.

Black fermented soybeans, star anise, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices—the names vary slightly, and some are even different sizes. You can find all sorts of things here, including some that aren't available in Tianjing, and they're quite cheap. The abundance of local produce is no exaggeration. Take sugar, for example—it's an expensive seasoning, specifically referring to coarse sugar. But here, it's only one-tenth the price of sugar in Tianjing. This is mainly because this area is famous for its sweet bananas. The fruit is oval-shaped and can grow up to half a meter long. A single tree can produce many bananas, which are rich in sweet pulp and can be easily extracted to make sugar. The large, thick leaves can be cut from the middle section and used to make wine. The key is that this thing grows in huge, fluffy bunches.

The sexy "Mother of Dragons" and the magician still attracted some excitement. Li Xin was also busy in the kitchen. They were still going for the affordable route, after all, the ingredients were incredibly cheap. In the St. George district, large quantities and high sales volume are the key.

Li Xin was in charge of cooking, with Ma Liu assisting. They worked at lightning speed. Ma Liu was a kitchen whiz, with impeccable knife skills. He learned everything after watching Li Xin cook it just once. Li Xin didn't hold back, after all, he couldn't be a chef forever, and this dish didn't require much skill; it was just a temporary measure.

Although Ma Liu was a little embarrassed, he still widened his eyes due to the pressure of survival and tried to make up for his guilt by working hard. He did save Li Xin a lot of time, and soon there were more people outside because today was free.

Every Sunday, nobles come to the churches and chapels throughout Heldan to do charity work, offering free meals. Some charities even provide a free night's lodging. However, St. George's District is considered a moral low point. The Church of the Earth Mother is alright, but it doesn't exist for others. When this happens at the Carp Dragon Inn, everyone's first reaction is, "Did Daenerys die?"

Daenerys Targaryen didn't die, but her round face held a pain that seemed to be tearing flesh out. "Free" was the word she hated most. Who invented such a terrifying word? They deserved to be boiled in oil!
However, this was Li Xin's strong insistence, with the stake being one silver lira. It is actually very difficult to get people around to be exposed to new things; it either takes time or requires some thought. In St. George, the latter is obviously better—direct and brutal. There may be some losses in the early stages, but the promotional effect will definitely exceed expectations.

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. Of course, Daenerys needs a safety net. If she achieves the effect Li Xin described, he will receive a silver lira. If she doesn't satisfy Daenerys, he will have worked for nothing for a year.

Ignoring the painters, magicians, and even fortune tellers who tried to dissuade him, Li Xin agreed to Daenerys's request, looking at the three of them shaking their heads and sighing as if they were the ones who had lost out.

Free food is free, so why not take advantage of it? Even though there's a limit per person, it's still worth it. After three days of promotion, a lot of customers came on the opening day. As the part-time waiters brought out plate after plate of food, the customers were seeing this for the first time. It smelled delicious, but the portions were small, just enough to taste. Since it was free, they couldn't be too picky and didn't have high expectations for the taste.

Dozens of people were eating, and there was a queue outside. "Eat quickly, finish eating and leave, there are still people waiting behind!" Daenerys roared with heartache, finally revealing her true colors.

Everyone started shoveling food into their hands, thinking to themselves that just based on this attitude, they'd all say something about how bad it was after they finished eating.

...?
? ?
This kind of stir-fried dish, which is full of color, aroma and flavor, is a shock to the traditional Montcarette cuisine. Any seasoning released after being fried in oil has a different effect. Looking at everyone's expressions, Daenerys was also a little worried. After all, tastes are different, especially since she had invested so much money. Little Li is penniless. If it fails, how long will it take him to pay off his debts?

After a moment's hesitation, everyone's food was devoured in an instant. There wasn't much to begin with, but the aroma had whetted everyone's appetites, and now it was all gone.

"Boss, I can't even taste this much flavor anymore, how much is it? I'll buy it!"

"That's right, come on, give me ten servings!"

"Exactly, it's just vegetable leaves and chicken, how much could it be worth? Give me a large portion."

……

Daenerys Targaryen emerged with a beaming smile, her strong, reliable arms outstretched, exuding a formidable aura. "Ladies and gentlemen," she announced, "today is just a free tasting, no sales. The official start is tomorrow. Those who have finished, please leave; there's a queue ahead." Seeing this, Daenerys herself became more polite. Groups of people left, and groups returned. Some lingered, trying to rejoin the queue, but David pulled them away. At that moment, David transformed into a righteous hero, incredibly charming. Daenerys's eyes burned with admiration; she even thought of names for her children then, imagining a happy family of five.

In the kitchen, Li Xin and Ma Liu were also busy. One person really couldn't handle it all. Although Ma Liu was a bit of a pain in the neck, he was very efficient. He was a kitchen veteran, and his knife skills were amazing. He was also very quick and nimble. After only a few days of working together, the two of them were already dodging and weaving around in the kitchen, and they never even brushed past each other.

Everyone at the Carp Dragon Inn came to help. There was no other way; you couldn't afford to offend Daenerys Targaryen while staying there, especially since most of them had either already defaulted on or were about to default on rent.

Perhaps because the portion was so small, it amplified the effect, and the scene was more popular than expected. After eating it themselves, people went back and asked their relatives and neighbors to come and eat it too. After all, it's rare to find something so cheap that it's free and has such amazing taste.

Almost everyone who has eaten it believes that Daenerys Targaryen was finally reformed by the Earth Goddess because of her long-standing irritability and stinginess, and was now reflecting on her actions.

Daenerys Targaryen was both heartbroken and happy, thinking she would have to pay back her mother tenfold in the future. After several rounds of tasting, the day's food tasting ended. Those who had tried it were still craving more, while those who hadn't were even more curious, resulting in a maximal promotional effect.

One or two might be shills, but so many people said it was delicious and unprecedented. Whether they were curious or unconvinced, everyone was eager to try it tomorrow. After the tasting, the price was given: 6 beans per serving. For people in St. George's, it's not cheap, but it's not too expensive either. The key is that the scene was so spectacular that everyone wanted to try it.

The tasting was a great success. Daenerys came to the kitchen and saw the two of them sweating profusely. Dali, Kane, David and others who were helping were squatting on the ground cooking for them. Everyone who was enjoying their meal stopped eating when they saw Daenerys come in.

Daenerys smiled slightly and left the giant mouth. "Eat, eat, and then get some rest. Tomorrow is the real challenge."

Everyone was really supportive today. It's rare that Daenerys didn't complain. She was probably worried that Li Xin would leave soon after asking for money. Before leaving, she gave David a few more hard glances.

David, shirtless, with his muscular physique adorned with numerous scars that only enhanced his allure, exclaimed, "Little Li, your skills are truly exceptional! You've managed to transform these scraps into something so delicious!"

"Our Carp Dragon Inn is full of talents: magicians, painters, heroes, virtuosos, gourmets..." Daliwen began to pat himself on the back while eating, and everyone nodded and praised him. With the double blessing of delicious food and self-indulgence, Ma Liu, seeing that Daenerys was not around, took out a jar from behind the stove. After opening it, the aroma immediately whetted everyone's appetite.

"Big brother..."

"Shall we all drink together?" Li Xin asked.

"Hmm!" Ma Liu's constipated expression perfectly illustrated how satisfying it was to express himself clearly all at once.

Daliwen gave a thumbs up, saying that wine is an artist's second life, and he hadn't smelled wine in a long time because he was busy paying rent.

They drank from large bowls, accompanied by various stir-fried spicy dishes with meat scraps, and everyone ate to their heart's content. Listening to David's vivid and risqué jokes, the men, young and old, laughed continuously.

Hearing the increasingly loud noise from upstairs next door, Daenerys Targaryen, who was putting on makeup and trying on clothes, curled her lip. "That little brat stole my wine again. He'll pay for it in his next life, la la, hmph la..."

What's more terrifying than Daenerys Targaryen herself is her singing voice, which is like poison.

Ever since the painter's poster came out, Daenerys felt that she had been elevated and started to pay attention to her image. She was actually such a beauty in the painter's eyes. As long as they didn't mess with her, she should speak more elegantly. Yes, elegant, wasn't that the word that described her?
Daenerys Targaryen twisted her body in front of the mirror, but the movement seemed a bit too much. Should elegance be like this, or like this?

Looking at a smaller portrait beside her, quite different from the larger one, the painter said that beauty is naturally different from different angles, and that's how beauty is ever-changing. Daenerys was overjoyed. She'd find a carpenter to frame it for her after she finished her work tomorrow. Thinking about it, who in this area is a skilled carpenter…

(End of this chapter)