Turmoil

Beef could only come from draft oxen, and slaughtering a healthy draft ox was one of the gravest crimes under the laws of the Qianyuan Dynasty.

Oxen that died of old age or in accidents were almost always reclaimed by the authorities. You would never see beef in an ordinary restaurant.

If anyone was discovered selling large quantities of beef in secret, the authorities would surely investigate them thoroughly.

If they were found to have slaughtered draft oxen in secret, they would face not only imprisonment but possibly exile as well.

So when she ordered ten jin of beef, it truly shocked quite a few people. For a moment, the place grew noisy.

Shi Lan didn't know the reason, and seeing the waiter's reaction, she was merely a little disappointed.

The vital essence contained in beef was surely much greater than that in chicken, duck, or pork...

"Where did you come from? Who sent you to ruin the reputation of my Manxiang House?"

The stout, well-fed old proprietor came out from behind the counter, his expression stern.

Several servants gathered around at once, their faces hostile.

Shi Lan frowned, completely baffled. She had only ordered a dish. If they couldn't serve it, that was one thing, but why were they treating her like this?

Seeing the odd expressions on Old Hong and A-Qi's faces, Shi Lan glanced around at the other people in the restaurant and finally understood. Had she ordered the wrong dish?

"This slanderous troublemaker should be bound and taken to the prefectural office. The truth will come out then."

As soon as one of the servants finished speaking, a calm question came from one side of the hall.

"What happened? Who are you taking to the prefectural office?"

Following the sound, three people entered the hall at