Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 281 The first batch of coal briquettes, diners say the coal stove food is hot

Chang'an City was bustling with activity. On the busiest street in the city, the flag of Zuixianlou fluttered in the wind.

Xiaoyu was wearing a light-colored brocade long dress with delicate floral patterns embroidered on the hem. A ribbon of the same color was tied around her waist, making her figure look more graceful.

Her hair was tied into a bun with a jade hairpin inserted in it. Her face was gentle and her eyes showed intelligence and shrewdness.

Yu Yu was wearing a pink silk dress, looking lively and cute, with two little braids hanging in front of her chest, swaying gently with her movements.

Li Hao was wearing a long blue cloth gown, with an upright posture and a heroic air between his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes.

One day, Xiaoyu was checking the accounts in the store when Yuyu came running over, tugged at Xiaoyu's sleeve, and said with sparkling eyes, "Mom, the first batch of coal briquettes is ready."

Li Hao also echoed, "It's true. I saw it with my own eyes."

As they were talking, Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao came back from the coal mining site in big strides.

Cheng Chumo's face was covered in dust, but he couldn't hide his excitement. He said loudly, "We are all supervising the production. The coal briquettes are being made very smoothly."

He was dressed in tight clothes, his hair was a little messy, but he had a heroic and unrestrained temperament.

Qin Huaidao was more composed. He was wearing a blue robe. Although it was stained with coal dust, he was still very elegant. He nodded slightly and said, "Yes, if these coal briquettes are put to use, the winter heating and cooking in Zuixianlou will be worry-free."

Xiaoyu smiled and nodded. "Thank you both for your hard work. Ah Fu, go prepare some tea to quench everyone's thirst."

Ah Fu responded and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

Ah Fu always wore a coarse cloth shirt that was washed to a pale color, with a cloth towel tied around his waist. At this moment, he was cutting vegetables skillfully. After hearing the instructions, he put down the work in his hands and went to make tea.

Ah Cai brushed off the dust on her body. She had a pretty face and was wearing a plain maid's uniform. She said softly, "Madam, now that the coal briquettes are made, we need to redecorate the shop and install a coal stove."

Xiaoyu frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "Don't rush for now, let me think about it and see how to arrange it most appropriately."

Chef Mi walked out of the kitchen, wearing a white chef's uniform and a tall hat, his face flushed and his eyes focused.

He said, "Madam, when placing a coal stove, you need to consider ventilation and temperature control. You can try placing one in the corner of the kitchen first."

Everyone was discussing when suddenly, a noise came from next door to Zuixianlou.

It turned out that the workers from the perfume and shampoo shop had returned. They were carrying large and small bags of raw materials and were making a lot of noise.

Yuyu ran over curiously to check it out, only to see a worker shouting, "Girl, we've found a lot of precious spices this time, so we'll definitely be able to make a better shampoo."

Yuyu's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great."

However, disagreements arose when it came to placing the coal stove.

Director Cheng believed that a large coal stove should be placed in the center of the lobby for the best heating effect.

Qin Huaidao shook his head in objection: "Placing a coal stove in the middle of the lobby will create smoke and affect the guests' dining. It would be better to place a small coal stove in each corner."

Xiaoyu listened to the argument between the two and felt a little hesitant.

Li Hao pondered for a moment and then said, "Brother Cheng, Brother Qin, I think we can place two slightly larger coal stoves on both sides of the lobby, separated by a screen. This will ensure heating while reducing the impact of smoke."

Xiaoyu nodded in approval: "Hao'er, this is a very good idea."

After the coal stove was installed, we started to light a fire for trial.

Acai carefully placed the coal balls into the coal stove and lit them with fire.

At first, the fire was a little weak. Acai fanned it gently with a nervous expression on his face.

Yu Yu watched intently from the side, clutching the corner of her clothes tightly with her little hands.

As the fire grew stronger, the coal stove emitted waves of warmth.

At this time, a diner walked into Zuixianlou.

He was dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, with a jade pendant around his waist, a golden crown on his head, and an arrogant look on his face.

He frowned and looked at the coal stove, saying, "What is this? It's so simple, please don't dirty my clothes."

Xiaoyu hurried forward and said with an apologetic smile: "Don't worry, sir. Although this coal stove may not look impressive, it is very effective in heating and there is no odor."

The young man snorted and found a place to sit down.

Chef Mi cooked the meal himself, and soon, delicious dishes were served.

The aroma filled the air, making everyone salivate.

The arrogant young man smelled the fragrance of the food, his expression relaxed a little, and he began to eat with relish.

After three rounds of drinks, more and more guests came.

The lobby was warm and the guests were laughing and chatting happily.

Ah Fu was busy serving food as he shuttled through the crowd, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Ah Cai poured wine for the guests gracefully and with light movements.

Suddenly, there was a small problem with the coal stove, the fire suddenly became smaller, and a cloud of black smoke came out.

The diners covered their noses and looked dissatisfied.

Cheng Chumo hurriedly stood up to check. He squatted down and carefully observed the coal stove with a frown.

Qin Huaidao also came over, and the two of them whispered about a solution.

Li Hao reassured the guests: "Don't panic, everyone. This is just a minor problem and will be resolved soon."

Xiaoyu was extremely anxious and secretly regretful. Yuyu ran over, took Xiaoyu's hand and said, "Mom, don't worry, it will be fine."

Xiaoyu felt a little relieved when she looked at her sensible daughter.

After some emergency repairs, the coal stove finally returned to normal.

The diners were once again immersed in the food and wine.

Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and secretly decided in her heart that she must pay more attention to the maintenance of the coal stove in the future and never make such mistakes again.

With the coal stove failure resolved, warm air once again filled the lobby of Zuixianlou.

An old man in fox fur reached out his hand to feel the temperature of the coal stove, a satisfied smile on his face as he said, "This coal stove is pretty good."

A guest nearby, who looked like a scholar, nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, it's very warm. In the past, when I dined at other places in the winter, my hands and feet were always cold, and the food got cold quickly. I didn't expect to be so comfortable here at Zuixianlou today. It seems this coal stove is truly a rare and valuable item. I guess only Zuixianlou has such a good thing."

Xiaoyu bowed slightly when she heard the guests' compliments, a humble smile on her face. "Thank you all for your kindness, gentlemen. This coal stove is also a recent acquisition for our shop. It is only to create a more comfortable environment for everyone to enjoy the food and wine to their heart's content."

Her voice was soft and melodious, like a spring breeze, making people feel comfortable.

Cheng Chumo crossed his arms, a hint of pride on his face. "Of course. Brother Qin and I put a lot of thought into this coal stove. From selecting materials to making it, we carefully supervised the whole process and didn't allow any mistakes."

As he spoke, his chest puffed out slightly and his eyes were filled with pride.

Qin Huaidao shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "Brother Chu Mo, don't brag. This is the result of everyone's concerted efforts."

His smile was gentle, his manners were elegant, and his moon-white robe looked even more graceful under the light.