Zhao Ruyun didn't know what Su Luo was nervous about, and said, "The second day of the seventh month."

"It's the second day of the Lunar New Year, I'm doomed." Su Luo tidied herself up and asked, "Grandma, while I was unconscious, did Nangong Qing come to see me?"

Su Luo missed the time for Fu Man Lou's profit sharing. If Nangong Qing doesn't give her a share this month, she'll be at a huge loss.

“Young Master Nangong came by. He was very worried about you and said to wait until you wake up before going to see him. He also told you not to rush and to take care of your health first.”

Perhaps Zhao Ruyun was overthinking it. Nangong Qing and Su Luo were probably just friends and business partners, not what she thought.

"At least Nangong Qing has some conscience."

After leaving the kiln, Su Luo went out for some fresh air and felt much better.

"Luo Luo, these are all tonics sent by Young Master Nangong. He said it was to thank you for developing the prescription for everyone. The items are so valuable that I don't know what to do with them. Come and take a look."

When Su Luo saw these items, she realized that Nangong Qing was quite willing to spend a lot of money, as there were bird's nest, cordyceps, donkey-hide gelatin, ginseng, and angelica.

"These are all good things, Mother-in-law. I'll give you some to nourish yourself later."

"I don't need it!"

Su Luo tidied up her things, preparing to move them to the kiln: "We'll use them, we'll mend them together."

She then called to her two children, "Chuan Chuan, Huan Huan, come help Mom move things."

"oh!"

"Mother, let me help you with this big box." Yi Huan carried a box of ginseng inside.

Yan Chuan made a couple of extra trips and finished moving everything, without Su Luo having to lift a finger.

After resting at home for two days, Su Luo went to Fu Man Lou to find Nangong Qing. When he saw Su Luo coming, A Xu tactfully took the account book to the third floor.

Nangong Qing: "I sense a debt collector's aura."

Ah Xu put down the ledger, rubbed his hands together, and realized that he had delayed his dividends this month in order to wait for Su Luo.

"It's not about collecting a debt, it's about getting what I'm entitled to."

Su Luo flipped through two pages of the ledger. The shopkeeper had already calculated the accounts; all they had to do was divide the silver proportionally.

"Young master, hurry up and calculate, Lady Su is still waiting." Ah Xu's vulgar smile couldn't be hidden.

Nangong Qing snatched the ledger from Su Luo's hands and said, "No rush, let's go eat first, and we'll settle the bill after we eat."

"No, young master, it's still early for dinner."

Ah Xu has been waiting for so many days, why bother eating now that it's time to distribute the silver? How can food taste good now?

"Yes, it's too early to eat now. I can't eat without money."

Su Luo is very poor now, and she can only feel secure when she has money in her hands.

"Alright!" Nangong Qing thought these two were really obsessed with money and didn't want to wait a moment longer.

"After we've settled the accounts, I'll take you to see someone."

After Nangong Qing finished speaking, he opened the account book. Su Luo had only joined Daofu Manlou half a month ago. Based on half a month's income, Su Luo only received nine hundred taels of silver.

In addition, another hundred packets of braising spices were delivered later, which have not yet been settled, making it 1,200 taels of silver.

Ah Xu only received 10%, which was a little over 300 taels. The shopkeeper told the accountant to bring the silver notes and distribute them among the group.

Sure enough, once she got the money, all her ailments disappeared, and Su Luo felt much better.

"Su Luo, there's something I want to tell you," Nangong Qing suddenly said.

"Go ahead and say it!" Su Luo was in a good mood and was open to discussing anything.

"Your pesticide formula has been recorded by the government, but because it is poisonous, it is not allowed to circulate among the people."

But don't worry, if the farmers need it, they can ask the village chief to come to the government office to get it; it's free.

This prescription is too potent, and the government keeps it safe for safety reasons. Otherwise, it would be very dangerous if someone with malicious intent misused it or gave it to others.

"Since the prescription has been collected by the government, I took a lot of herbs from Ji'an Hall when I was studying it."

"Doctor Du doesn't charge a penny; shouldn't the government reimburse him for the cost of the herbal medicine he sells?"

Su Luo was willing to suffer a loss herself, but she absolutely could not let Du Xiuyuan lose money as well. Du Xiuyuan had not benefited at all from this matter.

"Of course, Magistrate Jiang has already written down your merits in the report and submitted it. If all goes well, you should receive a reward."

Su Luo didn't ask for any rewards or anything; she just wanted nothing to bring her disaster.

"Thank you for your kind words."

Nangong Qing: "Can we go eat now?"

"Yes, I'm hungry too."

Nangong Qing shook her head. She didn't say she was hungry when there was no money to be distributed, but now she says she's hungry.

Upon entering the private room on the second floor of Fumanlou, a middle-aged man was seen. Upon seeing Nangong Qing, he immediately stood up to greet him: "Young Master."

"Please sit down!" Nangong Qing introduced to Su Luo: "This is Fan Gaocen, the best architect in Nanning, Master Fan."

"Fan Gaocen, this is Su Luo, Madam Su. We invited you here today to build a house for her."

Fan Gaocen looked at Nangong Qing. He hadn't been invited; he had been kidnapped. When he received Nangong Qing's letter, he had agreed to come to Yongle County.

But along the way, he also needs to investigate the architectural styles of different places, as well as the different customs and cultures embedded therein, so that he can design the best house.

Originally, he was supposed to arrive in Yongle County in another half month, but Nangong Qing actually sent people to kidnap him directly. He was furious. If it weren't for Nangong Qing's special status, he would have already lost his temper.

"Hello Master Fan, I've long admired your name."

"So you are Lady Su, what kind of house do you want to build?"

Fan Gaocen was curious that Su Luo, such an ordinary woman, was actually Nangong Qing's friend.

“I don’t know much about building houses, but you can take a look at my foundation first, and then we can discuss it together.”

"Alright!"

...

Chen Dazhi had been following Li Niu at the back gate of Fumanlou for many days. He noticed that Li Niu brought a cart full of something to the back gate of Fumanlou every day. Curious, he inquired and found out that Li Niu was selling tofu.

It took ten coins to ask one of the waiters at Fumanlou Restaurant what Li Niu earned every day selling tofu—one to two taels of silver, a considerable sum indeed.

Chen Dazhi was immediately envious. Tofu, tofu. Li Niu was collecting soybeans in the village, so this tofu must be made from soybeans.

This is such a profitable thing, but no one in the whole village knew about it. Only Li Niu made it. How exactly did he do it?

When Chen Dazhi got back, he told Luo Mei about the secret. The two of them quickly made a plan to steal Li Niu's tofu recipe.

The two of them lingered at Li Niu's house for many days. They didn't even go to see the pesticide being boiled in the village. They secretly went to Li Niu's house and searched for a long time, but they still couldn't find the recipe for making tofu.

These past two days, he's noticed that Li Niu gets up before dawn to work, he must be making tofu. It seems he and Luo Mei will have to sneak over to check on him in the middle of the night.

Once they master the art of making tofu, they'll earn one or two taels of silver every day, and then they'll be rich!