In the Ming Dynasty 1498, my restaurant connects two worlds.

After being recommended by the people at the first table, Tang Bohu became even more eager and urged them to bring out the wine and dishes.

"Brother Xiao Yi! What should we serve Brother Zhu and the others?" After a day of getting to know each other, Zhang Miaolan gradually relaxed and her voice became louder. Of course, she also realized that if her voice was too low, it would be impossible to hear her, and she would have to say it a second or even a third time.

"Bring over a serving of fried chicken first, and these two jugs of Brave the World. Take your time, bring them over in two batches."

Song Xiaoyi scooped all the fried chicken from the oil, turned to check the oven, and seeing that it was ready, used a hook to pull one out and placed it on a plate. Then he went upstairs to get the braised pork, cut it into pieces, and plated it.

Fried chicken, assorted platters, roast duck, and braised pork—Tang Bohu and Zhu Zhishan's dishes were served one after another.

Song Xiaoyi took out a bottle of osmanthus wine and a bottle of plum wine from the refrigerator, along with a set of small wine cups, and carried them downstairs to the table where Zhu Zhishan and the other three were sitting.

"Our shop has two new wines today. We don't know if they're any good. We would appreciate it if you four gentlemen could try them."

"Shopkeeper! What are they serving? We don't have that here, please give us the same thing!"

"Alright! Please wait a moment, sir!" Song Xiaoyi put down his cup and plate. "Lan'er, pour wine for Tang Bohu and the others."

After arranging the dishes requested by the first table of guests, the aroma of fried chicken gradually attracted more diners. Song Xiaoyi was busy greeting the new guests, preparing dishes, serving dishes, and getting wine, so busy that she didn't have time to take care of Zhu Zhishan's table anymore.

Lan'er first poured a cup of osmanthus wine into each of the four small cups. The rich fragrance of osmanthus immediately attracted the four people at the table. Tang Bohu couldn't wait to pick up his cup and drink it all in one gulp. "Wow! This! This! This!"

The chilled osmanthus wine was quite strong; Tang Bohu stammered "this" for a long time, unable to utter the rest of his words...

"Awesome! Awesome!! So awesome!!!"

Tang Bohu shouted "Awesome!" three times in a row, attracting the attention of several other tables of customers. "Hey! What kind of wine is Tang Bohu drinking over there?"

"Sir, that's our newly brewed Song Family Osmanthus Secret Wine, it's a bit strong..."

"Bring us a pot too!"

"We want some too!"

"Esteemed guests, this Song Family Osmanthus Secret Wine is meant to be savored slowly in small sips, not drunk in large gulps like you would on a adventure. I didn't make that clear earlier..."

"Brother Xiao Yi! This is what wine should be!" Tang Bohu, having recovered, excitedly interrupted Song Xiao Yi. "To drink osmanthus-scented wine together is no longer the same as the carefree days of youth. Even the finest nectar couldn't compare to this!"

With Tang Bohu's recommendation, Song Xiaoyi's previous reminders were completely ineffective, and there was no need to say more; he could only quickly serve the wine.

Song Xiaoyi ran upstairs and brought down all the stock of chilled osmanthus wine. "Ladies and gentlemen, we only have this much osmanthus wine. It's fifty coins a pot, and one pot per table."

"Give me a pot!"

"Hey shopkeeper, over here!"

.........

There are nine pots left, just enough to go around.

Meanwhile, at Zhu Zhishan's table, the group each drank two cups before starting to "taste" the third cup, but Lan'er's osmanthus wine pot was already empty.

Song Xiaoyi rushed over when he had a chance, "Brother Bohu, this Osmanthus Wine isn't drunk like that! You'll get drunk if you drink it like that! You have to savor it slowly!"

"Good wine, getting drunk? Isn't that what we should do?"

"Brother Xiao Yi, the osmanthus blossoms on this tree haven't bloomed yet. Is your secret osmanthus wine made with last year's osmanthus blossoms?"

"Of course, our Song Family Osmanthus Secret Wine is made with golden osmanthus flowers from August. In fact, the best time to drink Osmanthus Secret Wine is during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when you can drink last year's Osmanthus Secret Wine and appreciate this year's osmanthus flowers."

"The shopkeeper is right. I'll come back for the Osmanthus Wine again this Mid-Autumn Festival."

------------

The deputy commissioner of the Jubao Gate Tax Bureau never expected that I would be discovered by him just because I was loitering around his door.

When Song Xiaoyi saw the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation at the window, he felt something was off. Logically speaking, he had already negotiated the taxes and completed the formalities, and it hadn't even been a month yet. Why was he still lingering here?

Since he's already here, let's make it more familiar. Let's invite him back and treat him to a mushroom and chicken noodle soup set meal. That way, I can show him that my mushroom and chicken noodle soup has both chicken and mushrooms. Those complaints are just jealousy.

As luck would have it, the conversation turned to the house, specifically the one that was currently for sale.

Through the introduction of the deputy commissioner of the Jubao Gate Tax Office, Song Xiaoyi found the owner of the mansion, a porcelain merchant named Huang Dewang from Raozhou Prefecture, known locally as Master Huang.

Song Xiaoyi learned about Huang Dewang through the tax office and the patrol office. Due to bad luck, a batch of porcelain he was transporting to Southeast Asia by sea sank with the ship. He needed to sell his house in Yingtian Prefecture to raise funds in order to make a comeback.

During the tour of the house, Song Xiaoyi discovered that the house was very similar to the layout of modern times. The front door of the house faced the street, the back door faced the river, and there was a small dock with a seventy-year-old awning boat moored on it.

"Such a three-courtyard house, priced at six hundred taels of silver, is actually not expensive," Song Xiaoyi thought to himself. The key is that I also want all kinds of porcelain stored in the two rooms at the back of the house. Ming porcelain! Even a broken bowl would be worth money in modern times!

However, Song Xiaoyi wanted these porcelain pieces not to resell them, but simply because he thought they were beautiful and wanted to use them when he returned to the modern world to host family banquets. A complete set of tableware with matching patterns would be pleasing to the eye and definitely a plus.

Merchants bought houses on Taoye Ferry of the Qinhuai River precisely because of the convenience of river transportation.

"Master Huang, let's set aside the price of this house, six hundred taels. What I want to ask is, what do you plan to do with the porcelain in your back courtyard?"

"If the house is sold to you, young friend, you need not worry about those porcelain pieces; I will send someone to transport them back myself."

"I mean, what if I want to put in the effort?"

"Huh?" Huang Dewang paused for a few seconds, then suddenly realized, "Young friend Song is interested in the porcelain in the inner quarters?"

Song Xiaoyi nodded with a smile.

"If young friend Song is interested, those porcelain pieces can be transferred to you at 80% of their market value."

"In that case, I do not wish to waste any more words with Master Huang. Our Song family is a prominent family in the Western Regions overseas, and we still need porcelain from the Ming Dynasty."

After finishing the first half of his sentence, Song Xiaoyi paused for a moment before continuing, "I also know why Master Huang is selling this house. Therefore, I'll consider it a friendly gesture and buy your house. You don't need to discount the porcelain in the backyard; sell it to me at market price. I also want the boat at the dock at the back gate."

"..." Huang Dewang was pleased to hear this, but he was also suspicious. How could there be such a good thing? "Young friend Song, if you have any additional requests, please feel free to speak them."

This Huang Dewang is surprisingly cautious; he's truly made his way in the business world. It's even more worthwhile to befriend someone like him. "Having more friends means having more options. If I say I have no extra requirements, would Master Huang believe me?"

Huang Dewang didn't speak, his eyes fixed on the smiling Song Xiaoyi. From Song Xiaoyi's expression and eyes, Huang Yuanwai saw sincerity.

"I believe you," Master Huang nodded.

"Alright, please appraise this batch of porcelain. Come with me to get the silver."