The Times Have Changed, The Difference Is Like Heaven and Earth

After entering the restaurant, a handsome and clever waiter immediately came up to greet them, bowing and scraping.

"The esteemed guests on the second floor, please this way!"

The first-floor hall was filled with diners, a boisterous scene as lively as a marketplace, filled with the aroma of wine and dishes.

They played finger-guessing games to order drinks, their faces flushed red, their foreheads gleaming with oil.

The private rooms were on the second floor. The waiter led the way, asking Zhou You to go up the stairs from the first floor.

Zhou You noticed that the diners in the hall looked at his destination with envious expressions.

The private rooms on the second floor were not cheap to use, often costing a middle-class family ten years of savings, far beyond what ordinary people could afford.

Esteemed guests who could host a banquet on the second floor were the wealthy and noble families of Gongliang City.

Upon reaching the second floor and pushing open the private room door, a warm, fragrant breeze greeted them.

The room had a heater and incense, and faint strains of string music could be heard from behind a beaded curtain.

A graceful silhouette reflected on the beaded curtain not far away belonged to a courtesan specially hired to play music and liven up the banquet.

"Zhou You is here, quickly take a seat."

Shen Sijing's voice came from across the table.

The apprentices standing beside him were all official apprentices, and Li Hao was among them.

As expected, everyone in this private room belonged to Shen Sijing's faction, part of the city's local faction.

"I apologize for making Senior Disciple Shen wait. Zhou You is here to apologize."

Zhou You saw Shen Sijing, who was the center of attention, and quickly stepped forward to cup his fists in greeting.

Xu Ying, standing nearby, chimed in to lighten the mood, "Just apologizing won't do. Punish yourself with three cups, and then this matter will be over."

Three cups of wine were a small matter for Zhou You.

The wine cups were as clear as jade, filled with golden-yellow liquor, looking like a piece of flawless amber from afar.

The taste was mellow and smooth, and as soon as it went down his throat, a wonderful fragrance rose from his throat.

Good wine, at least a twenty-year-old vintage.

After Zhou You finished his three cups, Xu Ying and Li Hao invited him to sit at the table, one on each side.

Shen Sijing nodded at him with a smile, and a follower behind him stepped forward with a wooden box.

"Zhou You, a small congratulatory gift to celebrate your becoming an official martial arts school apprentice."

Zhou You instinctively declined, "Senior Disciple Shen, I dare not accept without earning it."

He heard the surrounding fellow disciples chuckling and persuading him, "Accept it, we all accepted them."

Even Li Hao nodded in agreement.

Zhou You understood that accepting the gift in the wooden box meant joining Shen Sijing's faction; this was a pledge of allegiance!

"Then I will not refuse."

Zhou You opened the wooden box and was slightly stunned as the unique pure gold luster hit him.

On a silk cushion, three sets of goldware were placed.

The first was a pure gold cigarette holder, meant for Old Man Zhou, who had a smoking habit.

The second was pure gold jewelry, a pair of earrings and a pair of bracelets, all in women's styles, clearly for Zhou You's mother.

The third was naturally for Zhou You...

Hairpins, belt buckles, and other daily personal items, all made of pure gold, exuded a charming soft glow.

Setting aside the value of the gold for a moment, these items were thoughtfully prepared for his entire family of three.

The craftsmanship of the goldware was top-notch, with exquisite designs and meticulous details, suitable for both practical use and appreciation.

"It must have used at least a pound of gold, and 99.9% pure gold at that."

Pure gold is red, indicating a significant increase in refining costs, hence its higher price.

The market price for a pound of pure gold could exchange for at least 125 taels of silver.

Moreover, the goldsmith's labor costs had to be factored in.

The labor cost for top-notch craftsmanship was basically 1:1 with the price of gold.

In other words, the true value of these gold items was equivalent to around 300 taels.

Zhou You roughly calculated, surprised by Shen Sijing's generous gesture.

It wasn't just him; all the official apprentices present had received similar gifts. How much money had that cost?

Senior Disciple Shen was indeed the son of a wealthy family, his generosity severely shook Zhou You's values.

"Don't just stare, drink!"

Xu Ying incited them. He was one of Shen Sijing's confidants and played a role in livening up the atmosphere that evening.

The wine table was the best place to liven things up. After several rounds, Zhou You had gotten to know all the apprentices present.

Aside from Xu Ying and Li Hao, the other apprentices were all brought in by Shen Sijing.

Like Zhou You, they were all native to Gongliang City.

"Senior Disciple Shen is treating us tonight to the 'Four Treasures Feast.' As for which four treasures, that will become clear later."

Knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the private room door. "The main course is about to be served."

Mao Xiaoli stood at the door, feeling quite anxious. Today, he had the good fortune to accompany the restaurant manager in serving the distinguished guests in the private room; it was truly a stroke of immense luck.

The waiters at Golden Harvest Tower were also divided into tiers. The waiters serving in the first-floor hall simply couldn't compare to those serving in the private rooms.

He had originally been a hall waiter and was filling in tonight due to a shortage of staff.

Mao Xiaoli cherished this opportunity immensely, thinking that if he served the distinguished guests well, the manager might promote him to a private room on the second floor.

There was a legend among the waiters: a senior once received a tip of 10 taels of silver, which was the highest record at the time.

Only the distinguished guests in the private rooms were so generous; the first-floor hall usually only offered copper coins and small pieces of silver.

After the private room door opened, the manager quickly motioned for the waiters to serve the dishes.

"The first dish of the Four Treasures Feast is made by simmering the tendons of eight different wild beasts until tender, seasoned with aged Huadiao wine."

"This dish uses an old river fish from a hundred-meter-deep river, caught after it reached fifty years of age. Only the fish maw from its belly is taken, dried, and then rehydrated."

The waiters worked nimbly, carefully placing the dishes on the table and explaining the origin of each ingredient.

They were all handsome, eloquent, and skilled at reading people, always saying the most pleasing words.

Soon, it was Mao Xiaoli's turn.

Mao Xiaoli held the Hundred Bird Marrow on his plate, silently recalling the dish's cooking characteristics.

He put on his most respectful smile and looked up at the distinguished guests at the banquet. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly froze.

What?

Mao Xiaoli thought he must be seeing things. How could he see Zhou You from next door among the distinguished guests?

He blinked his eyes. He wasn't mistaken!

Zhou You was clearly one of the distinguished guests, and the surrounding guests were toasting him.

Looking at the table in front of him, there were seven or eight pieces of gleaming goldware, all made of pure gold and exquisitely crafted.

Mao Xiaoli's face instantly flushed red, and he was so stunned he couldn't say a word.

With his pause, the smooth flow of serving and announcing dishes immediately broke, and the atmosphere in the private room instantly turned cold.

"Insolent! What are you standing there for? Do you expect us to invite you to sit down and drink with us?"

Xu Ying reprimanded the manager without any politeness. "What kind of waiter do you people employ?"

"Forgive me, forgive me."

The manager's forehead was covered in sweat as he repeatedly bowed and apologized.

After much effort to apologize, the manager promised to give them another jar of 30-year-old vintage wine, finally calming Xu Ying's anger.

From beginning to end, Zhou You did not spare Mao Xiaoli a single glance.

After leaving the private room, the manager's face immediately fell.

"The cost of that jar of vintage wine will be deducted from your wages until it's fully paid."

"You're clumsy with your words and offended the distinguished guests. You're no longer fit to be a hall waiter; you'll go to the kitchen to wash dishes and do odd jobs."

Mao Xiaoli didn't even have time to beg for mercy. His heart instantly sank into the abyss.