Chang Yunwei’s words were almost laughable. While everyone was feasting and celebrating moments ago, they now complained about the food being bad. Weren't they treating people like fools?
The customers protested vehemently, some in anger even picking up eggs and tomatoes, intending to throw them at the staff.
This provided Chang Yunwei with excellent material.
Since it was a pre-recorded segment and not live, he could easily edit and splice the footage.
Chang Yunwei could claim that Mingyue Zhai had deceived consumers, causing the audience to become enraged, while portraying himself as the victim.
Tsk, how insidious.
However, Lu Ming raised his hand, signaling everyone to calm down and urging them not to cause trouble.
The bigger the commotion, the more the television station could twist the truth, pinning the blame for the public disturbance onto Mingyue Zhai.
But!
While Lu Ming wanted the crowd to be calm, someone was fanning the flames from behind.
The Wu family.
Upon seeing the situation, Wu Lingxuan sneered. She decided to assist Chang Yunwei, as helping him was helping herself.
Therefore, Wu Lingxuan instructed her brother, Wu Hao, to infiltrate the crowd of customers.
Just as Lu Ming was urging everyone to calm down, Wu Hao suddenly shouted, "No, we absolutely cannot allow Mingyue Zhai to be bullied! Friends, beat these scumbags from the television station to death!"
Wu Hao was the first to pick up a tomato and hurl it at the cameraman.
He hit his target!
With a leader, others followed suit.
One by one, they picked up tomatoes and rotten eggs, throwing them at the television station staff, showing no mercy.
The television crew dodged and filmed, creating a chaotic scene.
The more chaotic it became, the happier Chang Yunwei was. At this rate, Mingyue Zhai would be completely finished, with no chance of recovery.
He couldn't help but feel delighted.
As the commotion ensued, Xue Hong, the director of the television station, arrived.
Chang Yunwei played the tough cop, while Xue Hong would play the good cop.
With things having reached this point, Chang Yunwei's job was done. Now, it was up to Xue Hong to perform.
They intended not only to smear Mingyue Zhai but also to enhance the television station's reputation.
"Silence!"
Someone shouted into a loudspeaker, and then, under everyone's gaze, Director Xue Hong calmly walked into Mingyue Zhai.
"This is Director Xue from the television station. If you have any grievances, you can tell Director Xue. Director Xue will dispense justice for you."
Upon hearing this, the crowd stepped forward one after another to accuse the television station of being irresponsible and distorting the truth, describing something good as worthless.
Xue Hong listened with a feigned seriousness.
After a while, Xue Hong waved his hand and said, "I have heard all your demands. Now, I will dispense justice for you. Truth is truth, and falsehood is falsehood. What is true cannot be hidden, and what is false cannot be made real. Since everyone feels that the television station has maliciously slandered Mingyue Zhai, and the ten great food critics are unreliable, then I will personally taste Mingyue Zhai's medicinal cuisine and give you an answer. What do you say, can you still trust this old man?"
The customers quieted down and nodded in agreement.
Xue Hong still had a certain level of prestige among the public.
However, while he appeared to be upholding justice, in reality, Xue Hong was the biggest devil, the final straw that would crush Mingyue Zhai.
Xue Hong found an empty table and sat down, smiling as he said, "Mr. Lu, please bring me a portion of the common-grade medicinal cuisine. I will make my judgment."
"Certainly, please wait a moment."
Soon, a portion of common-grade medicinal cuisine was served.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xue Hong ate bite after bite. By the third bite, he suddenly put down his chopsticks with force and stood up with a grave expression.
"Hmph!!!"
Xue Hong's expression was one of great displeasure. "How can such unpalatable fare be called 'cuisine'? Mingyue Zhai is truly disappointing."
Huh?
Now, the customers panicked.
If the words of the ten great food critics could be dismissed as malicious slander, then surely, with the highly respected director himself declaring it unpalatable, there could be no mistake?
"How can this be? It shouldn't be like this. I've eaten Mingyue Zhai's medicinal cuisine before, and it was delicious."
"But the director wouldn't lie, would he?"
"I don't understand. I really don't understand."
Xue Hong turned to the crowd and said, "In fact, you are all not wrong. You ate it before and genuinely found it delicious, but that doesn't mean medicinal cuisine is truly gourmet.
Delicious, but not gourmet?
What kind of logic is that?
Xue Hong continued, "Mingyue Zhai's food is like instant noodles or spicy strips. They taste good at first, but they are all junk food! Eating too much of them not only fails to cure illnesses but will also ruin your health. Furthermore, the more you eat, the worse it tastes."
So that's how it is.
With this comparison, everyone understood.
Medicinal cuisine was akin to junk food like instant noodles and spicy strips, delicious at first, but increasingly unpleasant the more you ate.
Understood!
Once they understood, the customers' attitudes towards Mingyue Zhai shifted.
"Good heavens, I knew it. How could all ten great food critics say it was bad? So that's the reason."
"Sigh... So Mingyue Zhai's standards are this low."
"I apologize for my previous behavior. I shouldn't have been swayed by Mingyue Zhai. Goodness, if the director hadn't explained it personally, I would have remained deceived."
"Damn, I thought medicinal cuisine was something remarkable. Turns out it's on par with instant noodles and spicy strips. Bah, garbage, I'll never eat it again."
The customers began to curse.
Xue Hong, with his own efforts, had completely reversed the public perception. It had to be said that he was quite skilled with his words.
Seeing the customers' curses, Xue Hong was pleased. He even signaled Chang Yunwei to film more footage, which could be broadcast later.
With these customer denunciations, coupled with arranging for some writers to fabricate malicious news, they were confident they could bring down Mingyue Zhai!
At this point, Su Wanran panicked.
She exclaimed, "Director Xue, you cannot slander Mingyue Zhai like this! Didn't you agree to help us promote our business? Why are you now attacking us?"
Xue Hong said with feigned righteousness, "Slander? Heh, I am acting on behalf of heaven! I don't know what methods you used to deceive Elder Xie and gain the opportunity to appear on the program. But you will not pass off inferior goods as superior. I will help you promote yourselves, but it will be to make you infamous! I will let the entire nation know the ugly truth of Mingyue Zhai's real face!"
It seemed the outcome was decided.
However, Lu Ming showed no panic. He had been waiting for this moment; it was time to bring out the secret weapon.
Lu Ming didn't even need to make arrangements; the secret weapon arrived on its own.
Da da da, a series of footsteps echoed.
Deputy Director Yao Wenxian and his daughter Yao Xue descended from the second floor.
Yao Wenxian said as he walked, "Is Mingyue Zhai's medicinal cuisine really that unpalatable? Xue Hong, Chang Yunwei, Song Xiao, do you really believe Mingyue Zhai is utterly worthless and a scam of a shop?"
Such a familiar voice.
Xue Hong and the others looked towards the staircase. Upon seeing Yao Wenxian, they were all petrified on the spot!
"Deputy Director Yao, why... why are you here?" Xue Hong's speech immediately became stuttered.
At the same time, he glanced at Lu Ming, intentionally or unintentionally. From the cold smile on Lu Ming's lips, Xue Hong and the others realized they had fallen into a trap.