Black and White Reversed

The next day, Fang Zheng and Li Yuanzhao appeared on the streets of Banshan District.

Li Yuanzhao now had an exquisite and ornate long knife at his side. Overnight, he had even commissioned a beautiful scabbard!

Wearing it at his waist looked extremely stylish, making him appear more valiant.

Fang Zheng, on the other hand, seemed drowsy, clearly not having slept well the night before.

Looking at the bustling street, Li Yuanzhao enthusiastically said, "Old Fang, aren't you going to find fault with my sanitation team today?"

"I'd like to see how you'll manage that!"

"Fine, let's walk around first." Fang Zheng smiled faintly and took the lead.

Soon they found a restaurant and walked straight in.

Perhaps because it was still early and not yet mealtime, there were only two or three customers in the restaurant, with even more attendants.

Restaurant owners naturally had better eyesight than ordinary people.

The manager at the entrance counter immediately recognized Li Yuanzhao and Fang Zheng.

He was about to kneel in greeting.

Fang Zheng quickly reached out to stop the manager, saying softly, "Don't make a scene!"

The manager put on a smile, chuckling obsequiously. "Crown Prince and Minister Fang, have you come to eat something or to make inquiries?"

Fang Zheng looked at Li Yuanzhao and asked, "Your Highness, shall we eat something?"

Li Yuanzhao rubbed his stomach. "Oh, good idea. I haven't eaten yet."

"Very well! Manager, bring us some food and wine. We'll have some questions for you later," Fang Zheng said.

The manager nodded with a smile and left.

Soon he returned with several appetizing dishes, a good mix of meat and vegetables.

Li Yuanzhao was genuinely hungry. Seeing the food on the table, his appetite was roused, and he immediately picked up his chopsticks.

Fang Zheng tasted a few bites before turning to the manager standing nearby.

"Manager, what's this dish called and how much does it cost?"

"Minister, this dish is called Three-Strand Vegetable Stir-Fry, thirty coins per plate."

"This is Braised Lamb, seventy coins per plate."

"This dish..."

The manager was quick-witted. Without waiting for Fang Zheng to ask about the other dishes, he introduced them all at once.

The two ate while listening. When the manager finished, Fang Zheng asked, "How's business these days?"

The manager smiled, "Thanks to the Crown Prince and Minister Fang, business is excellent!"

Hearing this, Li Yuanzhao's face showed smugness as he happily picked up a piece of lamb.

"Before the sanitation team required renovations, how much did these dishes cost?" Fang Zheng asked.

Hearing this question, the manager's expression instantly froze.

He stammered, "The same... it's all the same...."

Fang Zheng smiled. "Don't worry. I've heard the sanitation team has been causing some trouble lately. The Crown Prince and I have come to see for ourselves."

"If you can't tell the truth, how can we help solve your problems?"

"Don't be afraid. If you have any concerns or complaints, just speak up!"

Hearing this, the manager immediately relaxed, his whole demeanor becoming more lively.

He asked tentatively, "Then... may I speak freely?"

"Speak!"

"Minister, our current dish prices are actually 10 to 20 percent higher than before."

Li Yuanzhao turned his head curiously. "Oh? Why is that?"

The manager's face showed a bitter smile as he slapped his thigh in complaint:

"Because of the sanitation team, of course! They come very frequently, every two or three days!"

"Each time, they barge into the kitchen to inspect our ingredients!"

"If anything is placed messily, or if vegetables have a small spot of rot, they make us throw it out. If they think meat doesn't look fresh, they immediately cut off a piece with a knife!"

"They don't take much each time, but they come day after day!"

"This is a small business with tight margins, so... we had to raise our prices."

"But when we raised prices, many regular customers couldn't accept it and left."

"A restaurant mainly relies on regular customers for support. Now... with the regulars gone, business is hardly sustainable. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll have to close down!"

Once the manager started speaking, all his pent-up grievances poured out.

The frustrations of recent times were finally being vented a little.

His restaurant was one of the earliest in Banshan District. Initially, the Inferno Gang and other hooligans would regularly come to collect protection money.

After a cleanup, the thugs stopped coming. But just as they were enjoying a few good days, the sanitation team arrived!

He had thought these people, who swept the district daily and seemed so concerned with cleanliness, were decent folks. But in the end, they were just a den of snakes and rats!

They were just another gang of thugs!

The manager became increasingly animated: "Come to think of it, you two probably don't know, but many other restaurants in the district have closed down recently."

"Many people can't withstand this kind of exploitation!"

"Not to mention the food, just renovating the kitchen has bankrupted many. There are many other problems too... Crown Prince, Minister Fang, if you don't mind, I can take you to see the kitchen!"

Hearing this, Li Yuanzhao's food suddenly lost its appeal. His expression grew solemn as he stood up and said gravely, "Lead the way."

The manager was overjoyed!

Seeing the Crown Prince's reaction, it was clear he had truly come to solve the problem!

So he hurriedly led the two to the kitchen. Only upon reaching the kitchen did Li Yuanzhao's expression relax somewhat.

The kitchen before them had been divided into several rooms.

Each room had its door closed, with serving boys or kitchen helpers entering and exiting the various rooms.

They all made sure to close the doors behind them.

The manager opened a door, revealing neatly arranged vegetables inside. "This room is for storing ingredients."

Fang Zheng and Li Yuanzhao both nodded. It looked good, very nice.

The manager closed the wooden door, walked a few steps, and arrived at another door.

"This is the cooked food room!"

"This is the cold dish room... this is the vegetable cutting room..."

Each room was neatly organized, with orderly arranged items that were pleasing to the eye.

Fang Zheng had to admit that his own kitchen at home could never achieve this level of organization.

Li Yuanzhao was clearly very satisfied too. The achievements of the sanitation team were outstanding.

After showing them around, the manager stood to the side, waiting for questions.

Li Yuanzhao asked, "What's the problem? The sanitation team told you to renovate, and you have."

"Everything looks excellent to me. As for whether the sanitation team has been taking your food without permission, I will investigate and ensure justice is done!"

Hearing Li Yuanzhao say this, the manager's lips trembled as if he wanted to say something but now dared not.

The words that had reached his lips were swallowed back, and his face darkened.

Fang Zheng had been examining each room carefully, following the cooking process. He circled back to the manager's side.

Patting the manager's shoulder, he said, "Don't be afraid. Speak freely today! The Crown Prince is here to ensure justice for you!"

The manager still hesitated, looking at Li Yuanzhao.

Seeing this, Li Yuanzhao added, "That's right, if you have any concerns, speak freely! I will definitely help you resolve them!"