Chapter 324 The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop
This is really a thunderbolt in the snowy night.
Li Qi also went to Fan Tower the day before yesterday to discuss with Fan Shaobai about withdrawing money from the bar. He also met Fan Zheng, but because Fan Zheng was already asleep at the time, the two did not talk, but after listening to Fan Shaobai's words
, Fan Zheng's condition has stabilized, but it's only been one day, why is he dying?
Li Qi has always been a cautious person, and now it is a troubled time. Although he knew that this servant was indeed from Fan Lou, he still did not dare to believe it rashly, and immediately called Ma Qiao, knowing that this master was here
, and felt more at ease, then he and his servant hurried towards Fan Tower.
By the time he arrived at Fanlou, it was almost the fourth watch, but the backyard of Fanlou was still brightly lit, footsteps and shouts could be heard in the courtyard, and servants and maids were passing by in a hurry.
This scene convinced Li Qi that the servant was not lying.
"Master Li is here, young master, Master Li is here." The servant shouted loudly as soon as he arrived in the courtyard.
With a creak, the door opened, and it was not Fan Shaobai who came out, but Fan Lou's housekeeper. The housekeeper hurriedly came over and said with a choked voice: "Master Li, you are finally here, my master ---."
Li Qi didn't know what to say now, so he could only pat him on the shoulder and say a few words of comfort.
Before he reached the door, Li Qi heard Fan Shaobai's roar coming from inside the house, "You trash, I gave you so much money, but you told me that my father can't be cured, get out, get out, get out of here."
"
Although Fan Shaobai is far behind his father in business, he is indeed a filial son. This is also an important reason why Li Qi was willing to cooperate with him in the first place.
Just as Li Qi was about to lift his legs to go in, he saw a doctor running out of the house in despair. Li Qi grabbed him and asked, "Is there really nothing you can do?"
The doctor shook his head and sighed: "Even if there is a panacea, I'm afraid it won't be able to save the day."
Li Qi sighed, let go of his hand, and the doctor quickly slipped away. Li Qi followed the housekeeper into the house, and the housekeeper announced: "Young Master, Master Li is here."
Soon, Fan Shaobai walked out of the back room.
"Master Fan."
"Master Li, my father---sigh." Fan Shaobai's voice was a little choked, and he invited Li Qi into the back room. He saw seven or eight people standing in the room. Three or four maids, and a few of Fan Zheng's
The concubines were also there, hiding their faces and crying. Fan Shaobai waved his hand and said, "You all get out."
When Li Qi heard this, he felt that this seemed a bit unusual, and he also winked at Ma Qiao and asked him to wait outside.
After everyone left, Fan Shaobai came to the bed, held his father's skinny hand, and said softly: "Daddy, daddy. Master Li is here."
Li Qi also came to the bed and saw Fan Zheng lying on the bed, his face was pale, his breath was weak, his cloudy eyes were closed, and there was a trace of blood hanging from the corner of his mouth, obviously he had vomited blood just now.
"Old man, old man."
Li Qi shouted softly, but Fan Zheng still had no response. He frowned and said to Fan Shaobai: "Master Fan, what is going on? Wasn't the old man fine the past two days?
."
A sharp look flashed in Fan Shaobai's eyes, and he said angrily: "This is all caused by that damn bitch Zhang Chun'er."
Zhang Chun'er? Fan Lou's chef, the best chef in Tokyo. Li Qi asked in astonishment: "Isn't Madam Zhang your Fan Lou's chef? How could she harm the old man?"
Fan Shaobai snorted coldly and said: "This woman is ungrateful. My father treated her like his own daughter, but I didn't expect that she actually submitted her resignation and said she wanted to leave Fan Lou at this critical moment."
"What?"
Li Qi said in surprise: "You said Madam Zhang left Fanlou?"
Fan Shaobai nodded. He clenched his fists and said, "Not only that, she also took away some of the cooks. Now there are only three or four little cooks left in Fan Lou's kitchen. When dad heard the news, he was very angry.
He vomited blood and fainted on the spot. Dad was already very weak, so how could he bear such a blow? As a result, he fell ill. I searched all the best doctors in the capital, but there was nothing I could do."
Li Qi said with a hint of blame: "You knew that the old man was in poor health, how could you still tell him about this?"
Chefs can be said to be the foundation of a restaurant. Thinking back to the beginning, Zuixianju's business plummeted because all the chefs changed jobs. If Li Qi hadn't suddenly arrived, there would have been no Zuixianju in the world.
Fan Shaobai said depressedly: "Don't I know this? That bitch secretly sent someone to send a letter to dad. I didn't know about it at the time."
"Then what does the letter say?" Li Qi asked.
Fan Shaobai shook his head and said: "What else can I say? It's just that she has worked hard for Fan Lou for more than ten years. She has paid back everything she should have paid, and now she wants to leave Fan Lou. I don't know if I treat her badly.
Why did she stab me in the back? Now I have sent people everywhere to look for her. When I find her, if she can't give me a reasonable explanation, I will risk my life to have her buried with my father.
"
"Didn't you sign a contract with her?" Li Qi asked doubtfully. Based on his understanding of the Northern Song Dynasty, it is a hundred times more difficult to resign now than in later generations, because today's labor contracts are generally contracts of betrayal. If you escape privately, it is a crime.
.
Fan Shaobai regretted: "It's because my father and I trusted that woman so much that we didn't sign a contract with her. She was always in control of the kitchen and we never interfered, which is why I'm so passive today."
This was really an unforgivable mistake. Li Qi sighed, and suddenly heard Fan Zheng groan twice. He quickly turned around and said, "Old man, I'm here."
"Li---Master Li---."
Fan Zheng was now blind. He raised his hand with difficulty, as if looking for Li Qi.
Li Qi quickly held his hand and said, "Old man, I'm here."
Fan Zheng didn't know where he got the strength to hold Li Qi's hand tightly. After a while, his face gradually became rosy and his breath became smoother. Perhaps this was the return of the light. He said slowly: "Li -
--Master Li, this---this matter is not simple."
"I know."
Li Qi didn't want Fan Zheng to waste too much energy, so he hurriedly said: "If Zhang Chun'er doesn't want to work in Fan Lou anymore, she can leave alone without taking all the other cooks away."
Fan Zheng nodded slightly and said weakly: "I know Chun'er very well. She is not an ungrateful person. It's just that she is too arrogant and can't afford to lose. Her departure this time must be a sign of anger."
I'm going with you, you--you must take precautions in advance."
Fan Shaobai asked in confusion: "Dad, you said that woman left because of Master Li?"
Fan Zheng hummed softly.
Li Qi frowned and said, "Old man, are you referring to the crab roe feast?"
Fan Zhengdao: "Yes. Chun'er has always thought that you outmaneuvered her, and always wanted to compete with you again. I still remember that when I wanted to cooperate with you to deal with Cai Minde, Chun'er stood up and opposed it.
However, maybe it was because I was too anxious at the time and didn't care about her feelings. Thinking about it now, if I had told her my thoughts, maybe this wouldn't have happened. In the final analysis, I can't blame her entirely for this.
She."
Li Qi frowned and said: "However, if she wants to deal with me, then she should stay in Fanlou. With her current strength, there is no way she can be my opponent. Could it be that someone is helping her behind the scenes?
."
Fan Zheng sighed: "That's what I thought too. If she had such strength, she would have left by now. She has endured for so long, just waiting for an opportunity, and now she has finally waited for this opportunity."
Fan Shaobai frowned and said: "But now the restaurants in Bianjing can compete with Zuixianju, that is, we also have Jade Pavilion, Pan Lou and Yang Lou. Could it be that Old Fox Cai is causing trouble again?"
Li Qi shook his head and said: "Impossible, I just met Cai Yuanwai yesterday. We also discussed the cooperation in opening a chain store in Jiangnan. Besides, it is impossible for Cai Yuanwai to break up with me just because of the addition of Zhang Chun'er.
"
"If it's not Old Fox Cai, then who is it?" Fan Shaobai asked confused.
Fan Zheng sighed: "I have been thinking about it for a long time, but I still can't figure out who this person is."
Li Qi suddenly frowned and said, "In that case, I thought of another thing."
Fan Shaobai asked in surprise: "What's the matter?"
"Pan Lou."
Fan Zhengdao: "I have thought about this too. However, although Pan Yuanwai has always been eyeing our Fan Lou, he is more cautious. When he joined forces with Cai Minde and more than 20 restaurants, he could not defeat us. Now he is even more cautious.
We won’t take the risk of becoming our enemy just because of Zhang Chun’er.”
"That's true." Li Qi nodded slightly. If Zhang Chun'er really took refuge with Pan Lou, Fan Lou would definitely break up with Pan Lou, Zui Xianju might also help, and Jade Xuan might sit back and watch.
Dou, there is no reason why Pan Yuan can't settle this account clearly.
"Cough cough cough."
Fan Zheng suddenly coughed violently several times, and his breathing gradually became rapid.
Fan Shaobai hurriedly shouted: "Daddy, daddy, what's wrong with you?"
Fan Zheng seemed to realize that he didn't have much time, so he added a little more strength to his hand and said: "Master Li---Master Li, I'm here to see you today. I have one more thing I want to ask for your help with."
Li Qi frowned and said, "Old man, do you want to borrow a cook from Zuixianju?"
Fan Zheng nodded with difficulty.
Li Qiwei said: "Old man, this is just a trivial matter. It's just that the cooking skills of my apprentices cannot be compared with Zhang Chun'er. They still cook according to my recipes. If I let them do it alone, I'm afraid it will be bad."
Fan Lou’s reputation has improved.”
Fan Zheng no longer had much energy to think about this and said: "You---are you willing to help me?"
Seeing that he was like this, Li Qi thought to himself, promise him first, and then think of a way. He nodded and said, "Okay, I promise you."
Fan Zheng suddenly relaxed and said, "Shao Bai."
"Dad, the baby is here."
Fan Zheng said intermittently: "You have had smooth sailing since childhood and have not encountered any setbacks, but this is not a good thing. You must remember that the most taboo in business is quick success and quick profit. If you are so ambitious, you must be down-to-earth."
"Yes, my child has remembered it."
Fan Zheng said again: "Master Li, you--come here, I have something to say to you."
Li Qi hurriedly reached over.
"Please--your--hand--lower--keep--."
Before the last word could be uttered, Fan Zheng suddenly loosened his grip and died.