Chapter 60：Promotion

Ye Jiaoyao needed to give this problem a serious thought. The birthday celebration of the old royal consort wasn't like any other ordinary birthday celebration. There were too many rules and customs involved and there should be no mistakes. She had never done anything quite like this before so she didn't just readily agree to it.

But this is a rare opportunity. If she organized this birthday celebration well, she would be famous. It would really help pave the path for her career in Jin Ling.

"Big Yaoyao, you must help me with this, you are the key to success," Helian Jing said expectantly.

Ye Jiaoyao smiled. Little Jingjing was really nice. He was clearly the one doing her a favor. Normally, big chefs were invited to cook for serious celebrations like this. The power of the Helian Mansion was great enough that they could get any chef they want, yet, Little Jingjing was giving this opportunity to her. He was willing to believe in her and take this risk.

"Little Jingjing, this feast is very important. I've never organized a celebration of this caliber before, I don't know if I can do it," Ye Jiaoyao told him honestly.

Helian Jing said, "There's always a first time for everything, right? How do you know you can't do it if you don't try? This is also my first time handling something like this, and I'm very confident that we can succeed this together.

Ye Jiaoyao held back a laugh and said, "Well, look at you, talking smartly. Okay, how about this? If you can get a copy of the celebration menu that big chefs usually put together, I'll take a look at what's in there before I decide."

"That's a piece of cake. I'll get it for you right away," Helian Jing said, smiling.

Helian Jing left Heavenly Residence and went to the Duke Yongan Mansion. He remembered that the grandmother of the mansion celebrated her 70th birthday last year. He knew that Zhao Qixuan would be able to help him.

However, Zhao Qixuan wasn't in the mansion. The servants told him that he was on duty. Helian Jing wrote down a note for them to pass to Zhao Qixuan.

Xia Chunyu proclaimed that he caught a cold so he retired to his home to rest. The news startled his mum and aunties and they ran all over the place calling doctors and cooking him healthy foods which annoyed him greatly.

In the afternoon, Song Qi reported that there was news in the Yang State.

Xia Chunyu closed the fan in his hand and sat upright. He looked at the maids and gave them a stern look. They left without a word.

"Speak."

"A servant kicked out of the Ye family said that Wei Liujang was already with the second daughter of the Ye family when he went to visit them last year. She said she once caught the two of them in the garden at night. I know that she could just be saying this out of anger and thirst for revenge, but when there is smoke, there is fire..."

"Where is this person right now?" Xia Chunyu asked coldly.

Song Qi answered, "I've already arranged for her to come to Jin Ling. She'll be here in a few days."

"I will interrogate her personally," Xia Chunyu said.

If it was just the second Ye daughter wanting to harm Yaoyao, he could deal with her easily. It was another thing if Wei Liujiang was involved. Xia Chunyu promised that that sorry ass excuse for a man would pay greatly along with his lover. Of course, there was also Mrs. Ye. He believed that she definitely knew about all this betrayal. There was no way that the second daughter could come up with 3000 silver pieces on her own to pay Hei Feng Gang for the abduction.

Song Qi was contemplating if he should tell the young master more.

Xia Chunyu saw Song Qi's confused look and said impatiently, "If you have something to say, spit it out."

"Young Master, this morning, Jing Young Royal Highness went to find Ms. Ye. It was said that the two of them are quite close," Song Qi reported feebly.

Song Qi didn't know that Ye Jiayao was the person Jing Young Royal Highness was looking for.

Here was Helian Jing, permitted to stick like glue by her side, but when Xia Chunyu tried to get to her, he was kicked and almost lost his manhood.

Stinky girl! I'll let you be for a few days, but be ready when I finally come for you.

Ye Jiayao looked over the menu and sniffed.

She was looking at the Man Han's Long Life Feast. Man Han Feast was formed from the essence of the Han and Man ethnic group. It was the most famous Chinese feast. There were six parts to it, Meng Gu Feast, Yan Chen Feast, Long Life Feast, Qian Sou Feast, Nine White Feast, and Jie Ling Feast.

There were 196 types of hot and cold dishes, 124 types of dessert, and 320 soup types in total.

Her dad only made four feasts and it was all modified. It was a pity that she was in university at that time and she didn't get to see this big feast.

This conjugated the essence of thousands of years of Chinese cuisine. With that and her dedicated practice, she could become the next leader in the cuisine industry.

Ye Jiayao was confident. She was going to make good use of this opportunity to make a name for herself.

When she reached the master chef level and opened her own restaurant, earning big money wouldn't even matter that much. As long as she could buy a house beside Qing Huai River, she would be okay. In her free time, she would invite her friends to drink on the boat or go out for a holiday. She would be a free and single upper class. If Dao Bao and Er Bao could come with her, it would be even more perfect.

Ye Jiayao bit the pen, laughing dumbly. She was getting carried away, yes, but it was good to dream.

"Brother Yao, the manager wants to see you," Xiao Lu called from outside.

Ye Jiayao quickly put her book away in her clothes. This was what she was going to become wealthy with, she had to take good care of it.

Manager Li made the decision, after careful thought, to promote Li Yao be the head chef.

There was nothing to doubt about Li Yao's cooking skills. The business these few days have been getting much better. A lot of customers came back, reacting avidly to their new dishes. Li Yao also got along with everyone quite well. It seemed that other than Zhong Xiang, who didn't seem to like him, other people have already taken in Li Yao as the leader. He was able to accomplish this in such a short time, it was a solid testament to his ways of socialization. 

If he didn't give this valuable asset higher privileges and a better contract, he would likely be poached away by others.

Ye Jiayao knocked on the door and called, "Manager Li?"

"Come in."

Ye Jiayao pushed the door and stepped in, smiling politely. "Manager Li, you were asking for me?"

Manager Li waved his hand to the envelope in front of him. "Come look at this first."

Ye Jiayao took it and opened it. It was a contract raising her to head chef.

"Manager, this…."

"Li Yao, I look at your abilities favorably. From the first day you came here, I knew you had the capabilities to be the head chef. After a few days of observation, you didn't disappoint. The kitchen needs a head chef, and you are the one I'm putting in this task," Manager Li said.

Ye Jiayao was very happy to have reached head chef this quickly. A head chef's salary was more than double of what normal chefs get. The salary was 18 pieces and it would increase by five each year. It was said that great chef level was at least 30-40 pieces, but the top chef had no limit. It could be 100 or more. Some owners would even give the top chefs a share of their business just to keep them.

She hesitated when she noticed the date. It was for another five years. If she just wanted a job to feed herself, this was perfect. However, her goal was to open her own restaurant. Five years was too long, and from the contract, the cost of leaving halfway was a bit too much.

"Manager Li, can we change this period? I don't even know if I'll be staying in Jin Ling for five years," Ye Jiayao said.

Manager Li shook his head and said, "This is the rules of the profession. A third-grade chef has a minimum of one year, and a first-grade chef has a minimum of three years. Brother Yao, cultivating a head chef is hard, and the treatment I'm offering you is much better than other restaurants. Even Xiang Yi Tower and Fu Ji only give their head chefs 15 pieces a month with only two to three pieces increment. I can prepare you to be the greatest chef in Jin Ling, Brother Yao."

"Manager, I'm grateful for this, I really am. It's just that... I'm used to traveling all over the place. If you can change it to three years, during of which, I'll prepare someone to be as good as me, I can accept it," Ye Jiayao offered.

Manager Li hesitated. From the restaurant's perspective, the longer the contract the better because changing chefs also meant losing customers. However, Li Yao has offered to prepare a head chef that would be as good as him. A chef's art was the basis of their survival so Li Yao's proposal had him thinking.

"I can see the merits of that, but... how about both of us think about it some more? Okay?" Manager Li still wanted Li Yao to sign with the restaurant for five years.

Ye Jiayao headed downstairs and was immediately dragged to the backyard by Deng Haichuan and Cui Dongpeng.

"What are you guys doing?" she protested.

The two looked around to make sure no one else was within hearing distance.

Deng Chuanhai asked conspiratorially, "Brother Yao, I heard that the manager was promoting you as the head chef?"

Ye Jiayao laughed. "Wow! Your ears are really good, where did you hear this from, again?"

Cui Dongpeng laughed and said, "Brother Yao, tell us, is it true?"

"Do you want it to be true?" Ye Jiayao asked them instead.

"Of course, Brother Yao. We all want to work with you," Cui Dongpeng said honestly.

Deng Haichuan nodded.

Ye Jiayao actually really liked the work environment here, there were no higher-ups abusing them nor people scheming against each other. Everyone worked together happily here. If it was just for three years, she would've signed the contract in an instant.

"Yes, the manager wants me as the head chef, but I'm still thinking about it."

Their jaws dropped.

"Brother Yao, this is a good thing! Most chefs could only dream about this! What else do you need to think about?" Deng Haichuan asked in disbelief.

"He's right, Brother Yao. If you don't accept this, the manager would get a head chef from somewhere else. If it's someone that's hard to get along with, everyone would suffer again," Cui Dongpeng said, his face sour.

"It's not that I don't want to do it, the problem is that the manager wants to sign me for five years," Ye Jiayao explained.

"Did you reject it?" Deng Haichuan asked.