Seeing Zong Guangye take the items from Gu Zhentang’s hands, Chu Hengyuan arranged for people to distribute the contents of the baskets, giving one portion to each household. It was fair and precise; every family present received their share.
"Now that the goods have been delivered to everyone, my mind is finally at ease," Gu Zhentang said to Aran and Chu Hengyuan after stepping out of the courtyard.
Over the next two days, under Zong Guangye’s urging, the villagers finished the entire banquet. During this time, no one dared to joke or chat with Emperor Chujing, Huangfu Lin, and the others. They simply ate and drank, offered their thanks, wiped their mouths, and left immediately, keeping a tight watch on their children the entire time. On the final day, the restaurant manager received a two-hundred-tael silver note—a sum equivalent to more than half a month of his restaurant’s net profit. His eyes squinted into slits with joy; even the waiters who had come with him each received several taels of silver. As for the head chef, although he was exhausted from the constant stir-frying, the money he earned made him incredibly happy. The manager even promised them a day off once everything was finished.
Chapter 273