Chapter 157 Hongmen Banquet?

Hu Xin'er looked at Erdong expectantly: "Tell me quickly, what are your ways to make money?"

Erdong smiled cheerfully, "This isn't a secret at all. Anyone with a bit of connections knows about it. The prices at the shops near the city are more than double what they are in the city. You can print books and paintings there, then bring them back to the city to sell them!"

"Are you serious?" Hu Xin'er was surprised and happy.

She originally thought that with the land prices in Beijing, it was impossible to make money by making comics as she did before.

Unexpectedly, such a good thing happened.

If possible, she would naturally like to go back to her old job. After all, the most taboo thing in the business world is to act rashly.

She had just arrived in the capital and had invested so much in doing business there. If anything went wrong, all her previous savings would be gone.

But if you are running a comic book business, it’s a different story.

A comic book that even the princess is obsessed with will surely become famous in the circles of the capital.

When I told Erdong about this idea, the corners of his smiling face suddenly turned down: "Are you sure her preferences are the same as those of the ladies from the capital?"

"Uh..." Hu Xin'er blushed, "It seems that your relationship with the Princess hasn't been repaired yet..."

"We have nothing to do with each other!" Erdong said with a dark face, "Do you still want those shops?"

"Yes, yes, yes, keep talking!" Hu Xin'er nodded vigorously. "Do you have a way to buy the shop there?"

Erdong said, "It just so happens that I know someone who buys and sells real estate. It would be cheaper to sell a few units at a time. You can use them yourself or rent out the extra ones."

Hu Xin'er took out a pen and paper and asked seriously, "Where is the property located? How big is it? Is the rent monthly or annual? How much is it?"

Erdong replied, "That property is newly built. To be honest, the location isn't very good; it's a bit remote. It's about the same size as your workshop in town. I'll discuss the exact rent later, but it should be around 50,000 taels per year."

He paused, giving Hu Xiner time to think.

Hu Xin'er raised her head without hesitation: "It's okay to be remote, the key is whether there are people living nearby."

If it is a shop, it should naturally be located in a busy area.

But this is just a factory, and the issue of human flow is not within her consideration at all.

Erdong was a little puzzled: "That place is my friend's farm nearby, why are you asking this?"

Hu Xin'er analyzed, "The suburbs of Beijing are different from the city. It's best to hire people nearby, otherwise the workers' food and lodging will be a huge expense."

Erdong suddenly realized: "You are really thoughtful. Otherwise, I will take you to have a look over there."

"No need to go." Hu Xiner bit the tip of the pen and wrote something quickly.

"Giving up so easily is not your style." Erdong was very surprised. Is this still the money-loving Hu Xiner?

Hu Xiner raised her head and said, "Give up? You're thinking too much. I mean, I won't go to the scene. If you think it's good enough, just buy it for me."

After she finished speaking, she stood up and went into the room. Erdong leaned over to look at her drawing paper, and saw that it neatly listed the details of what needed to be prepared, such as the number of factory buildings, the number of workers, etc.

Just when I was halfway through, Hu Xiner came back jogging.

She carefully opened the wooden box in her hand, and the brand new silver bills immediately dazzled Erdong's eyes.

"Is this... your money, or the Lu family's? Has Mrs. Lu agreed?" Erdong frowned slightly.

"Don't worry, it's all my money." Hu Xiner said with a smile.

She directly gave all the money she had saved since coming to the capital to Erdong: "This money should be enough. If not, I still have 100,000 taels of silver donated by the eldest princess, but that 100,000 taels cannot be used unless it is absolutely necessary!"

Erdong was surprised and appreciative: "You trust me so much, aren't you afraid that I might buy something careless?"

Hu Xin'er smiled slyly: "Even if you bought the wrong house, with your ability, you can rent it out, right? It will definitely not lose money!"

"That's right." Erdong smiled confidently, "Aren't you afraid that I'll run away with the money?"

"Uh..." Hu Xin'er grumbled softly, "If you want money, why not just marry the eldest princess? Then you'll have countless wealth and glory, and you can get married and have children all in one go!"

Erdong was a martial artist with excellent hearing. No matter how softly Hu Xiner spoke, he could hear it clearly and his face immediately turned black.

Hu Xiner quickly apologized and coaxed Erdong out to work.

The next day, Hu Xiner and Mu Qing set out for the Duke's Mansion to bid farewell to the Duke.

But at this moment, a servant beside Lu's mother brought a verbal message. After hearing it, the couple were both stunned.

There was no other reason, Lu's mother actually let them continue to stay in the Duke's Mansion.

Mu Qing grabbed the servant and asked, "What else did mother say?"

The servant hesitated and said, "The old lady also told you... not to hang around in the mansion, so as not to cause her trouble."

In the study, Xuanyuan Eri was practicing calligraphy at the desk.

Hu Xin'er was upset and simply picked up her pen to draw a draft.

An unknown amount of time passed, and a shadow was cast behind him. Xuanyuan Eri asked, "What are you doing?"

Hu Xiner shuddered, and the strokes of her brush became crooked, and the Second Young Lady saw clearly what she was drawing - it was the comic version of Mu Qing.

Xuanyuan Huili felt that the painting didn't resemble Master Mu Qing, so she sarcastically said, "Painting requires both form and spirit. Your painting skills are so poor, I wonder how you managed to get in there!"

Hu Xin'er was too lazy to pay attention to her.

"Second Miss, the mistress invites you."

Just as the two were arguing with each other, a maidservant from the Duke's wife came over.

Not long after Xuanyuan Huili left, someone came to call Hu Xiner.

"Miss Hu, the mistress has also invited you to a banquet, saying that she wants you to show off your skills in front of everyone."

Attending a banquet? Showing off your skills?

No matter how it sounds, it sounds like the Hongmen Banquet!

Hu Xiner was secretly on guard, and when she arrived at the front hall, she saw the Xuanyuan family surrounded by a crowd.

I saw that Xuanyuan Huili had changed her clothes. The fluttering wide sleeves made her figure more graceful, and the pink tasseled butterfly hairpin was shining.

The other members of the Xuanyuan family were also dressed very formally. The Duke looked heroic and the Duke's wife was dignified and elegant.

Xuanyuan Jing'an, dressed in a splendid round-necked robe, rushed over like a small cannonball: "Master!"

Following his gaze, Hu Xin'er finally saw Mu Qing and quietly pulled his sleeve: "What's going on?"

"It's said that we're going to a banquet at the home of Master Liu in the Hanlin Academy." Mu Qing held her hand. "Don't worry, the Duke doesn't want to take us with him. He's worried about causing trouble."

Xuanyuan Jing'an rushed over excitedly, and upon hearing these words, he burst into tears: "If Master isn't going, I won't be going either!"

Everyone's eyes were immediately focused on him.

Hu Xin'er was speechless: "Why are you crying?"

Xuanyuan Jing'an only then noticed her presence and said arrogantly, "And you, bad woman! The banquet is too boring, you also want to go to the Liu family with me!"