Chapter 70: Dispelling Rumors with Rumors

Outside the Dingding Gate, a thatched shed had suddenly appeared this morning.

Beneath the shed were several large cauldrons, each brimming with fragrant, steaming porridge. A sign stood outside the shelter, bearing the words: “Dream Pavilion offers porridge for half a month, to bring comfort to those in the city who have nothing to eat.”

Outside Luoyang, there was no shortage of destitute souls who had fled from famine elsewhere, and within the city, beggars and the impoverished were certainly not few in number. Word spread quickly, and by noon, a crowd had gathered before the porridge shed, waiting patiently.

The scent of the cooking porridge tantalized the souls of all who stood nearby. And when they caught sight of basket after basket of steamed bread, excitement surged through the crowd.

“Everyone, the porridge will soon be ready,” Sun Peng called out from atop a square table, his voice ringing through the assembly. “I am the manager of the Dream Pavilion. Please, hear me out. When the porridge is ladled out, each person will receive a bowl of thick porridge and one steamed bread. Do not push or shove, lest the food be spilled and no one receive their share.”

He repeated these words several times before stepping down.

Someone in the crowd muttered, “Charity porridge is always watery gruel—never have I seen them serve it thick. And to hand out steamed bread too? That’s a first. Who knows if it’s true?”

But another replied, “Those baskets of bread are there for all to see. Do you think they’ll eat them all themselves? Hardly likely!”

Yet another chimed in, “I heard the Dream Pavilion used to be called the Spring Breeze Lodge. The owner of Dream Pavilion bought it cheap because the previous owner was accused of shady dealings. Maybe this is their way of atoning for past wrongs.”

“Nonsense, that’s not how it was,” a louder voice broke in, drawing the attention of those nearby. “My wife’s cousin was a maid to the lady of Spring Breeze Lodge. She said that after the owner died, the widow tried to sell the place, but the big restaurants and taverns in Luoyang bullied her and her orphaned child, driving the price down to ten thousand coins, and even then, only willing to pay five thousand. Can you imagine buying Spring Breeze Lodge for such a sum? They were taking advantage of her misfortune. Some even tried to force the widow into becoming a concubine, but the staff drove them out.”

“So how did Dream Pavilion get it?” someone else asked.

“I heard the owner of Dream Pavilion couldn’t bear to see such bullying and bought the place for thirty thousand coins. The widow was so grateful she even returned part of the money, selling the lodge to the current owner. That’s the truth, straight from the maid who served the lady herself. How could it not be?”

“But what about the rumors of ghosts in Spring Breeze Lodge? If she was the lady’s maid, she’d know the truth, wouldn’t she?” another gossiped.

“Ghosts, nonsense! The rumors were spread by those who wanted to seize the lodge after the owner fell ill, hoping to drive the price down. It was all deliberate!”

Such conversations repeated themselves among those waiting for porridge, surfacing at different times.

For those who spread rumors, the truth hardly mattered. They merely passed the words along, seldom bothering to verify anything. As rumors mingled, no one could distinguish fact from fiction—eventually, they would cancel each other out or be replaced by new tales.

The greatest danger of rumors lay in unanimity. As long as opinions diverged, there was little cause for alarm.

Wei Renshi, who had planned to return to Changgu, was compelled to linger in Luoyang for several more days because of these events.

He was certain that the hand behind these rumors belonged to one of the larger restaurants or taverns in Luoyang, but without evidence, he could not determine who had started them.

Perhaps it was Drunken Cloud Pavilion, which had sent ruffians to cause trouble at the very beginning.

But those thugs, now acting on Wei Renshi’s instructions, had turned to harass their former employers. If Drunken Cloud Pavilion were already making more moves, its owner would have to be particularly reckless. Wei Renshi did not believe someone who had built such a vast business could be so brainless.

The trouble caused by the ruffians had merely been a test. Once it became clear that Wei Renshi and Dream Pavilion were not to be trifled with, any further scheming would have to be carefully prepared, not hastily executed.

Thus, Wei Renshi doubted the rumors had originated with Drunken Cloud Pavilion.

He summoned Sun Peng and asked, “Have you found anything these past few days?”

“There are quite a few businesses in Luoyang that could be at odds with us, but only about a dozen of any real size.” Sun Peng ticked off their names on his fingers. “It could be any of them—we can’t be sure.”

“In the coming days, send out word that these establishments are jealous of Dream Pavilion’s success and are planning to join forces to bring us down, vowing to drive us out of business,” Wei Renshi instructed after some thought.

Sun Peng hesitated. “Master, isn’t that risky? What if they hear these rumors and actually do join forces against us? That’s not unlikely—after all, our business has been booming since we opened. They must be envious...”

Wei Renshi smiled. “Dream Pavilion’s white liquor already has a reputation. These rumors are damaging to them as well. They won’t let such talk stand—they’ll come forward to deny any such intent. Otherwise, they might as well give up on business in Luoyang.”

“And besides,” he continued, “even if, in secret, they really do unite against us, we have nothing to fear. Don’t forget, our main business isn’t running a restaurant—it’s brewing and selling liquor. Dream Pavilion is just one branch of our operations; Wei’s White Liquor is our primary trade. The restaurant is just a sideline—selling liquor is the heart of our business. If we want to expand, we can’t confine our liquor to Dream Pavilion alone, don’t you agree?”

Sun Peng paused, then caught on immediately. “You mean, we’ll sell our white liquor to all the other restaurants and taverns? Any establishment can stock our goods?”

Wei Renshi nodded. “In the end, our real competitors are the other distilleries. If these restaurants and taverns unite against Dream Pavilion, it just gives us a perfect excuse to draw all their attention to us, distracting them from the other distilleries. We’ll sell to everyone, high-end and low-end, wholesale and retail. Once everyone is accustomed to drinking our white liquor and can no longer stomach that sour mash they’re used to, what need have we to fear? At that point, the only danger is growing arrogant and driving away customers ourselves. As for all those other restaurants, taverns, and distilleries—they’ll be nothing but mist on the wind.”