Yun Chuhuan wasn't sure what had come over him.
He'd faced the Emperor, his own Imperial Father, without so much as flinching. But the moment he stood before Wu Anhou, discomfort crept over him like a cold draft. His shoulders stiffened, and he instinctively retreated behind Yun Shu, hoping to hide from notice.
Fortunately, neither Yun Shu nor Wu Anhou seemed to pay him any mind. They exchanged only a brief greeting before others began arriving—high-ranking ministers and generals, all of whom had returned home after court to change into civilian clothes before making their way to the newly opened Tian Waitian Restaurant.
The first to arrive was the Left Prime Minister, accompanied by Liu Ziming.
Perhaps it was the age-old rivalry between civil and military officials, but the Left Prime Minister and Wu Anhou had long been known as bitter adversaries. After offering Yun Shu and Yun Chuhuan the customary courtesies, the Left Chancellor cast a sideways glance at Wu Anhou and spoke with a mocking tone, his words dripping with feigned civility.
"How many floors does Wu Anhou plan to ascend today?"
Wu Anhou gave no reply. Instead, he calmly retrieved a silver note worth one thousand taels and handed it to Tang Xinhua.
"I'd like to apply for a Silver Card membership."
"A Silver Card membership?" a voice interjected in confusion.
No one had noticed when the mighty General Wei Yuan had arrived, but he had clearly overheard Wu Anhou's statement. Now, wearing a puzzled expression, he fished out a few fragmented silver pieces from his inner robe.
"Wasn't it written somewhere that one could dine here for just five hundred wen?"
"The sign at the entrance clearly states the prices. Did you not see it?" said Cen Yiyi.
Though General Wei Yuan and Cen Yiyi's grandfather both held military ranks, Cen Yiyi had never liked him. After all, he had once tried to obstruct the conferral of a title upon the Princess. As she explained the restaurant's pricing structure, her tone was uncharacteristically curt, lacking her usual soft charm.
"Five hundred wen per person on the first floor. Ten taels of silver per person on the second. The third floor starts at one hundred taels. The fourth floor—minimum five hundred.
If one deposits a thousand taels in advance, they receive a Silver Card membership and enjoy a ten percent discount on all expenses.
For those who deposit ten thousand taels, they become Gold Card members, with twenty percent off each visit."
General Wei Yuan was left speechless.
A hundred taels just to start? And the fourth floor had a five-hundred-tael minimum?
This was daylight robbery.
"Lord Lu looks rather troubled!" came another voice, loud and amused.
A few more officials arrived—ones who had never gotten along well with General Wei Yuan. One of them burst into laughter.
"Who in the capital doesn't know that Lord Lu fears his wife? If he managed to stash away five hundred wen, it was likely scraped together in secret over several months.
"Now you're asking him to part with a thousand taels in one go? That's as good as taking his life!"
"Who says I can't afford it?" General Wei Yuan turned red from ear to ear. Being teased by his peers struck a nerve.
"I'm simply particular about what I eat! I need to taste the food first before I decide whether it's worth applying for one of those Gold or Silver Cards.
Besides, you lot seem awfully interested in what I do. Does that mean you've all already gotten your own cards?"
Well said.
That was exactly the kind of back-and-forth needed—playful yet pointed—enough to pressure everyone into joining without making it seem like coercion.
From the sidelines, Yun Shu—the scheming merchant in royal garb—smiled sweetly and stepped in at just the right moment.
"As the cards are crafted with a more intricate design, the production process is slower. For now, we've prepared only fifty Silver and fifty Gold Cards.
Furthermore, as today marks our grand opening, Father Emperor has taken a personal interest in the matter. He has instructed me to bring the day's account book back for his inspection.
So the window for applying today will close by the hour of Shen. I ask for your understanding."
What?
Only one hundred cards in total—and only available for a limited time?
They had to apply. There was no other choice.
Never mind the prestige. Everyone in the room knew that Tian Waitian Restaurant had the Emperor's shadow behind it.
The imperial treasury was strained, and even the Emperor's private coffers weren't particularly deep.
Why had Princess Sheng An made a point of mentioning the Emperor's involvement in reviewing the account book?
Clearly, it was a subtle warning. A reminder that this establishment, no matter how beautiful or refined, served a larger purpose.
It was the Emperor's venture.
And who among them dared to snub it?
If they truly had no intention of showing face today, they wouldn't have come at all.
As Yun Shu's voice fell, the previously rowdy atmosphere stilled. Several officials who had planned to spend only a token amount looked noticeably uncomfortable.
The Left Prime Minister was the first to react. Without missing a beat, he produced five silver notes, each worth ten thousand taels.
"Your Highness mentioned that ten thousand is the minimum to qualify for Gold Card membership. In that case, I presume storing fifty thousand is acceptable as well?"
"Of course," Yun Shu replied with a calm smile.
Truly worthy of being called the scion of Jiangnan's wealthiest family—what a lavish show of support.
She glanced meaningfully at Tang Xinhua, who nodded in understanding. Accepting the silver notes, she dipped her brush into ink and, with deliberate clarity, read aloud as she recorded the transaction.
"Right Prime Minister. Deposited fifty thousand taels. One Gold Card issued."
The room fell silent.
The other ministers stood frozen.
What kind of conduct was this?
Did they really have to announce it?
Couldn't this sort of thing be handled discreetly?
They just wanted to make a modest gesture. This... this made everything so awkward.
Wu Anhou's card was processed quietly—why the double standard?
One particularly displeased voice muttered in a low grumble from within the crowd. Yun Shu caught the words, but her expression remained untroubled. She spoke without a hint of guilt.
"Ordinarily, of course, we wouldn't announce such things aloud.
But today is special. With so many esteemed guests present, and considerable amounts of silver changing hands, any mistake in the process could cause unnecessary confusion.
By reading the transactions aloud, we ensure everything is transparent. If anything seems amiss, it can be corrected on the spot.
We trust, of course, that the gentlemen will be understanding."
Her words left them no room to argue.
Even if they saw through her tactics, they had no choice but to play along.
For perhaps the first time in their careers, many of the more frugal officials found themselves envying their colleagues from humble backgrounds.
Why should those born into wealth be the ones ensnared by such elaborate schemes?
The Emperor and Princess Sheng An—how openly they favored their own!
Grumbles echoed silently in their hearts, but on the surface, all wore courteous smiles as they scrambled to line up at the counter, eager to apply for their membership cards.
Even those who hadn't brought enough silver sent their servants scurrying back home to fetch more.
In no time, the area in front of the registration table became a scene of controlled chaos, filled with light jabs and passive-aggressive banter.
"Lord Wang, only fifteen thousand taels? Just the other day, my wife mentioned how your son tossed around gold like leaves at the Wanhua Brothel. Has he squandered everything already?"
"Lord Chen is far wealthier, and yet he only deposited eighteen thousand. Just three thousand more than me. What's this? A slight toward Her Highness?"
"Mind your tongue! I merely—"
And so, the game continued.
===
The title "侯" (hóu) refers to a Marquis, one of the highest noble ranks in ancient Chinese aristocracy. The marquisate rank usually came with land, titles, and privileges, granted either due to hereditary nobility or significant military/civic achievement.