Li Yanhao smiled, "Young Master Su, your little sister is almost disfigured, and you still have the mood to eat? If I were you, I’d go check on her injuries!"
With Li Yanhao’s words, Su Shimao, though fuming inside, had no choice but to go check on Su Meixiang’s injuries.
With a glance from Lily Evans, Alan beside her presented the bill to Old Master Su. "Sir, please settle the bill."
Old Master Su looked at the bill and nearly had a heart attack from the shock.
"Three hundred taels? Why is it so expensive! It’s just a table full of plain vegetables—how could it possibly be worth three hundred taels? You at Savory House think us country folk are easy to bully and want to cheat us out of our money!" Old Lady Su clutched her chest in pain—three hundred taels! Even if they sold everything in the house, it wouldn’t cover a single meal.
Alan was quick to retort, "Madam, how can you say that? At Savory House, our prices are clearly marked and fair to everyone. The all-vegetarian banquet is three hundred taels per table!"
Old Lady Su exclaimed anxiously, "Nonsense! A table of vegetables and radishes shouldn’t cost more than a hundred copper coins!"
Alan sneered, "Madam, you clearly don’t understand. Take a look at the season—it’s the dead of winter, snow’s falling outside. Where do you think fresh vegetables come from in this weather? In spring and summer, they’re cheap, but now, in winter, rarity makes them precious! A table of fresh greens is worth far more than any delicacies!"
Old Lady Su was so angry she nearly fainted, bitterly regretting her choice. A table of vegetables, and they didn’t even get a taste—so expensive! If only she’d ordered chicken, duck, or fish; at least her family could have enjoyed the meal!
"Grandma, you don’t want to treat us? If not, shall our family pay instead?" Lily Evans smiled sweetly at Old Lady Su.
As soon as Old Lady Su heard Lily Evans offer to pay, she immediately nodded, "Fine, fine, you pay!"
Li Yanhao looked at Governor Yao with a half-smile, "Governor Yao, this is the first time I’ve heard of someone apologizing and treating guests, yet making the guests pay for the meal. Is this your idea?"
Governor Yao instantly realized the young lord was angry and quickly scolded the Su family, "Outrageous! You agreed to host, so how can you refuse to pay? I went to great lengths to invite the young lord, and his attendance is a great honor for you. If you can’t even pay for this, I’ll have to charge you with disrespecting the royal family!"
Old Master Su was terrified and hurriedly said, "We’ll pay, we’ll pay! My foolish wife doesn’t know the rules and was talking nonsense. Young lord, Governor Yao, please don’t take it to heart!"
Alan strolled over to Old Master Su with a cheerful smile, "Sir, will you be paying in cash or with a silver note?"
Old Master Su wore a sullen expression—he had neither cash nor a silver note.
Alan beamed, "If you didn’t bring any silver, I’ll have one of our staff go home with you to collect it. If you don’t have enough at home, land deeds or house deeds can be used to pay off the debt at Savory House."
Old Master Su’s hand trembled at the thought of mortgaging their land and house—those were a farmer’s lifeblood. To give them up for a single meal? It was more painful than losing his own life!
But there was no choice—either pay up or go to jail. What else could the Su family do?
Old Master Su’s mouth twitched as he tried to appear calm, "Then please have your staff come home with us."
Old Lady Su realized they’d have to mortgage their land and house, and suddenly lashed out at Old Master Su, "You old fool! How will we survive without land and a house?"
Old Master Su, furious, slapped Old Lady Su in front of Li Yanhao and Governor Yao, "Shut up! Who runs this family, you or me? If you keep causing trouble, I’ll divorce you!"