Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

"Don't you recognize me?"

The man seemed to have heard a joke, gave a soft hum, and leaned back slightly.

"That's because you're blind! Back in the day, in this city of Beijing, hardly anyone dared to mention the word 'money' to me, Master Tong!"

The man pointed outside the door, his face full of arrogance: "Go and ask around, how noble is the Tongjia clan of the Plain Yellow Banner? It's just that times have changed, and dragons in shallow waters are mocked by shrimp. But I, Tongjia, have never paid for a meal in front of others! That would be beneath me!"

Yunniang was stunned by his words.

Plain Yellow Banner? Tongjia Clan?

Although she was a woman, she knew that the Qing Dynasty had been gone for more than ten years, so why were there still people acting like remnants of the Qing Dynasty?

"Sir..." Yunniang hesitated. This man was well-dressed and spoke eloquently, not like a freeloader, but his behavior was truly baffling. "Well... we also have to make a living, you see..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

The man's face darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table, bluffing, "What? You think I'll renege on my debt? I'm a Manchu bannerman! My ancestors followed the founding emperor into the Central Plains! Do you think I'd shortchange you on a few copper coins? Remember this! I'll reward you when I have more!"

The commotion caught Li Chunsheng's attention.

He was checking the morning's income behind the counter when he heard the arguing, so he put down his pen and came out.

"What's going on?" Li Chunsheng walked to the table and shielded Yunniang behind him.

Yunniang said in a low voice, "Chunsheng, this person didn't pay after eating. He said... he said he was from the Plain Yellow Banner and wanted to keep track of the bill."

Li Chunsheng was delighted when he heard this.

He looked the middle-aged man up and down.

Good heavens, it's already the seventeenth year of the Republic of China, almost the eighteenth year. The Northern Expedition has been victorious, and the Fengtian warlords have retreated to the Manchurian region. Yet there are still people here acting like they're part of the Eight Banners.

If this had happened in the late Qing Dynasty, Li Chunsheng might have had to think twice.

But now?

The Qing emperors have been expelled from the Forbidden City for years! Do you think it's still the Qing Dynasty with its queues?!

Li Chunsheng's lips curled into a playful smile. "Sir, what did you just say? You're a member of the Eight Banners? The Plain Yellow Banner?"

When the man saw the boss come out, he straightened his back even more, his nostrils pointing to the sky: "That's right! Tongjia clan of the Plain Yellow Banner! You're the manager here? You seem to have some sense. Put it on the books, and you'll get a good reward later."

He spoke with such confidence, as if he wasn't just eating for free, but rather giving Li Chunsheng face.

Li Chunsheng didn't move; instead, his smile widened.

"You're Master Tong, right?" Li Chunsheng pulled up a chair and sat down opposite him. "Have you been neglecting the newspapers lately? Or have you been living too comfortably and forgotten what year it is?"

The man frowned: "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean?" Li Chunsheng's smile vanished, and he tapped his finger on the table. "The Qing Dynasty has been gone for sixteen years! Are you trying to act like a Manchu nobleman and dine and dash?"

"presumptuous!"

The man, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately stood up, pointed at Li Chunsheng's nose, and cursed, "You audacious commoner! How dare you be so rude! Back in the day, even the dogs at the gate of my Tong residence were more respectable than you, little shopkeeper! I'm doing you a favor by eating your meal!"

"You think highly of me?"

Li Chunsheng sneered, stood up, and took a step closer.

"I don't think you're giving me any credit; you're probably penniless, aren't you?"

Li Chunsheng ruthlessly exposed his pretense.

"You're dressed impeccably, order the finest food and drinks, and eat with great refinement. But when it comes to paying the bill, you bring up your ancestors? Your ancestors would be furious if they knew!"

"You! You! You've disgraced scholars! You've disgraced scholars!" The man trembled with rage, his face turning a deep purplish-red, his hand pointing at Li Chunsheng shaking.

Having his sore spot touched, he finally couldn't maintain his haughty demeanor.

That's right, he really ran out of money.

The family fortune has long been squandered; the house and the land have been sold. Now all that's left is this outfit and that pitiful vanity.

I passed by here today and couldn't resist the aroma of meat. I thought to myself, with my status and this face, I should be able to get away with it, even if I have to pay on credit.

But to my surprise, I ran into a stubborn fool who wouldn't listen to reason at all!

"Civilized?" Li Chunsheng sneered. "Paying for a meal is a matter of course! That's what you call civilized! Eating without paying and then using the sword of the previous dynasty to kill the people of this dynasty, that's just being a hooligan!"

Li Chunsheng didn't want to waste words with him, so he turned and shouted to the kitchen:

"Ya Ya! Go! Go to the police station and find Captain Liu! Tell him there's someone here impersonating a former Qing dynasty nobleman causing trouble! Have him bring his men to arrest them! They'll probably be locked up for at least ten days to two weeks!"

"Okay!"

Upon hearing the words "police station" and "former Qing dynasty riots," the man was instantly terrified.

These days, even though the Qing Dynasty is over, being labeled like that can still be deadly! And once you're in the police station, a place that eats people alive, you'll be lucky to escape with your life!

Just a moment ago, Master Tong was arrogant and haughty, but now his aristocratic air has instantly collapsed.

"No! No, please!"

The man hurriedly went around the table, grabbed Ya Ya, and then turned to Li Chunsheng with a fawning smile on his face.

"Manager Li! No! Please don't call the police!"

"What? Is Master Tong no longer putting on airs?" Li Chunsheng looked at him with a half-smile.

"I'm not setting up the stall anymore! I'm not setting up the stall anymore!" The man, who had been so arrogant just moments before, was now covered in cold sweat. "Manager Li, you are so magnanimous!"

As he spoke, he frantically searched his body.

"I...I'll pay right now!"

But after searching his entire body, apart from the two walnuts and a handkerchief, his pockets were empty; there wasn't even the sound of a coin.

The man's face turned pale, and he stood there awkwardly.

"Manager Li... Manager Li..." the man said with a wry smile, "I... I really have no money. Could you perhaps use these walnuts as payment..."

Li Chunsheng glanced at the two walnuts. Although they had been played with for some years, they were just toys in the hands of someone who didn't know anything about them and weren't worth much money.

Even a hero can be brought down by a penny. Although this guy wasn't a good person, Li Chunsheng's anger had actually subsided considerably.

He's just a pathetic creature abandoned by the times.

The Qing Dynasty is gone, their world has collapsed, and all they know is how to put on airs and reminisce about the past.

Li Chunsheng sighed and waved for Ya Ya to come back.

"Alright, put away your walnuts, I don't want them."

Li Chunsheng sat back down on the stool and pointed to the empty plate on the table.

"Master Tong, I can let you remember this meal for now, but let's get this straight."

Upon hearing this, the man felt as if he had been granted a pardon and nodded repeatedly, "Please speak! Please speak!"

"First of all, don't bring up the Eight Banners or anything like that in my shop anymore. This is the Republic of China now, we're all just ordinary people, no one is superior to anyone else. If you want to eat, you're welcome; if you want to put on airs, turn right at the door, no need to see me out."

"Yes, yes, yes! I've got it!"

"Secondly," Li Chunsheng paused, "I happen to be short of an accountant. Since you're from a former noble family, you should be educated. If you're willing, you can stay and work for me. I'll give you two silver dollars a month, including three meals a day but not lodging. How about that?"