AST 2045 - Big Tiger, Treasure Basin (1/2)
Unknowingly, a month had passed by. Qing Shui's Imperial Cuisine Hall and Yu Xixuan's restaurant were on track with Qing Shui occasionally giving Yu Xixuan spices and wine. Although it had only been a month, their reputation had spread out and even the cities around the Azure Rainbow City knew of the Imperial Cuisine Hall and the Jade Fragrant Restaurant.
However, due to the difference in time, the Jade Fragrant Restaurant's reputation seemed slightly greater than that of the Imperial Cuisine Hall. The Jade Fragrant Restaurant's management method was the same one it had used before, using tokens, as well as setting restrictions. The tokens were split into a few grades, and the people who had received tokens of the lowest grade could only visit the restaurant by themselves and not bring along other guests. Moreover, they could only visit once a week.
People with a slightly higher grade token could bring a guest along and visit twice a week. The group with an even higher grade token could bring along two guests and visit three times a week. Right now, the highest grade tokens which had been given out could only allow one to bring along five guests at most and visit five times a week. There hadn’t been a person who could come every day yet.
Qing Shui and Yu Xixuan had thought it through from the start. The purpose of the business wasn't to earn money, which was why they came up with such a system. This could allow them to build up their reputation at a faster pace. The price that the guests had to pay to enjoy the food here was too high anyway and ordinary people wouldn't come. Only wealthy people, cultivators, as well as people from aristocratic clans and sects could come.
What Qing Shui wanted to obtain was their influence. It was very important for them to satiate the taste buds of some people. The more these people nitpick about food, the further the reputation of the restaurant would be spread out. When that happened, the restaurant's influence would grow. People who come here could help spur the business for the Imperial Cuisine Hall and the reverse could apply as well. It wasn't just so. The Jade Fragrant Restaurant's main purpose was to gather information. Most of the people at the restaurant probed for information. It was easier to probe for information here than doing the same elsewhere.
Although the Imperial Cuisine Hall's reputation was not comparable to the Jade Fragrant Restaurant's at the moment, its reputation in the Azure Rainbow City was very great. Furthermore, they had also provided free treatment to many people, building up a good name amongst ordinary people. There were many people who were in support of the Imperial Cuisine Hall.
Within the month, Qing Shui hadn't provided any treatment to influential people. After all, one month was considered very short. Although there were people who were either sick or injured, they had their own physicians and Alchemists to attend to them. Therefore, they wouldn't go to the Imperial Cuisine Hall. Putting aside whether or not they trusted his medical skills, everyone knew that Qing Shui was strong and no one would dare to trouble such an expert unless they were at their wits' end and couldn't be cured. If that were to happen, they could at least give it a try. In other cases, they wouldn't look for Qing Shui as long as other people could treat their conditions.
This was also why the Imperial Cuisine Hall's situation wasn't as good compared to the Jade Fragrant Restaurant's. People with tokens to the Jade Fragrant Restaurant would basically not give up on a chance to have a meal there, and they would want to bring guests along as well. The additional guests would also want to apply for the tokens and would check out on the conditions required.
The Jade Fragrant Restaurant's customer flow was very low, with only a few people daily. However, with time, there would be more and more people coming as more and more tokens were issued. The way to obtain the tokens wasn't through paying money, but to use items to exchange. They could be interesting objects, medicinal herbs, or any other things. As long as the conditions were met, they would be able to get the tokens.
It wasn't unusual for them to be collecting medicinal herbs in exchange for the tokens. After all, everyone knew that the Jade Fragrant Restaurant and the Imperial Cuisine Hall were jointly operated. The Imperial Cuisine Hall required medicinal herbs and it was very easy for great clans to offer some good things. Qing Shui was the one who set these rules. In fact, he had actually wanted to get his hands on some treasures such as the Heavenly Fate Treasure Pagoda or ores. Right now, he was still short of one material for his flying sword.
The Redcloud Grass, Tilted Moon Branch, and Lightning Fruit. Qing Shui wanted to see if he could get lucky and find them.
Even after people had exchanged for tokens at the Jade Fragrant Restaurant using the things they brought, they would still have to pay money to order the meal there. The lower the grade of the tokens, the more expensive the food would cost. On the contrary, The higher the grade of the tokens, the cheaper the food would be. If the grade of the tokens were high enough, one could possibly even eat at the Jade Fragrant Restaurant every day for free.
Other than that, they could also bring things for appraisals. As long as the requirements were fulfilled, one could enjoy free food at the Jade Fragrant Restaurant for a period of time. Even ordinary people could give it a try.
Two days ago, Qing Shui had gotten a treasure from an ordinary person, a Treasure Basin.
Not only did Qing Shui let that person become a Xiantian cultivator expert but the person was also hired to help out with odd jobs at the Imperial Cuisine Hall and given access to free food at the Jade Fragrant Restaurant.
This ordinary person was called Big Tiger. He was over 30 years old, came from a very poor family, and was single. He was an honest man with ordinary looks. There was only his aging mother in his family and he had no women. His mother, who was plagued with illnesses, had received a free treatment from Qing Shui previously. Since then, her condition had improved. This time around, in order to thank Qing Shui, he had brought his family heirloom to Qing Shui.