Chapter 446 Are you willing to go to the Imperial City with us?

"The recipe was leaked?"

Is it really like this?

Shen Xiangwan frowned almost unnoticeably. After the villagers gradually became dissatisfied with their family, she realized that the Zhao family's workshop might not be able to operate for long. Perhaps because they had made a lot of money and were too proud to care about it, those people were becoming more and more selfish. For the sake of profit, one day, they would sell out the workshop and the village. She just didn't expect that day to come so soon.

"Um."

Thinking that it was she who came up with the recipe, Zhao Dashan looked at his wife and said through gritted teeth, "You know, thanks to our cooperation with the caravan, our workshop has always had great business. We can sell as many sausages and bacon as we want, so we've hired quite a few people in the village. But I never dreamed that someone would secretly figure out our recipe and sell it to a wealthy family in the county."

"We only found out when they started selling sausages and bacon at prices much lower than ours. But no one in the village admitted it and started blaming each other, creating a huge uproar. Not long after that, countless more people started selling sausages and bacon at a lower price, and the taste was exactly the same as ours. We completely lost business, and the village was in turmoil again. Finally, after discussing it with the second and third brothers, I simply closed down the workshop."

To this day, they still don't know who was the first person to sell the recipe to the rich family, but that doesn't matter anymore. This time he was really heartbroken and completely disappointed with the villagers. Not long ago, he told the head of the village that he hoped to resign as village chief and he didn't want to care about them anymore.

Seeing that they were all very upset, Shen Xiangwan didn't know what to say. Maybe she was also wrong. At the beginning, the villagers of Yong'an Village were indeed simple and kind. If she hadn't helped them become rich and made money for every household, they would not have become what they are now. Human nature is really too difficult to understand.

"Look at what we're telling you, Wanwan. When are you leaving?"

Realizing that the atmosphere was not right, Aunt Wang poked her old man and brought the topic back to the fact that they were leaving.

"In a few days."

With a helpless sigh, Shen Xiangwan stopped worrying about it and said after a pause: "Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, I came to you today mainly to ask, are you willing to go to the Imperial City with us?"

"ah?"

The couple opened their mouths in disbelief. She wanted to take them to the Imperial City? That was where the emperor lived. Could they really go there?

"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, please think carefully about this. Although I can't offer you high positions and generous salaries, the Imperial City is the heart of the country after all. For Brother Xin and his family, there will be more opportunities. Moreover, the children will receive a better education. Maybe they can all take the imperial examinations and become officials in the future."

She really hoped that they could go. No matter how well Chenzhou developed, it was still a border state and could not be compared with the imperial city. In the past few years, if it were not for the help of Zhao Dashan and his wife, her life would not have been so comfortable. Not to mention anything else, she basically didn't ask about the things in the workshop, so she also sincerely hoped that they could live a better life.

"this···"

The couple looked at each other, undecided. They knew Wanwan wouldn't harm them, but they had lived here for generations. Could they really adapt to the imperial city? How would they make a living? They couldn't afford to live off Wanwan's comforts.

"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, if you're willing, you can also go back to the Imperial City to continue farming, raising pigs, and making sausages and bacon to sell."

As if she had guessed their thoughts, Shen Xiangwan further said that as she had just said, she could not blindly give them high positions and generous salaries. In order to protect them, she could not even interact with them openly, at least not before their younger generation entered the officialdom. But she could give them farms and shops to help them quickly gain a foothold in the imperial city. Of course, she would still protect them behind their backs.

"real?"

Hearing this, Zhao Dashan was somewhat excited. Although they might not be good at other things, they were good at farming, raising pigs, and making sausages and bacon. In this case, it seemed like it would be a good idea to go to the imperial city with them?

"It's not, old man. Don't worry."

Seeing that her old man was interested, Aunt Wang quickly pulled him back, then raised her head and said to Shen Xiangwan, "Wanwan, the land and houses in the imperial city are not cheap, right? Our entire net worth is only a few hundred taels of silver. Can we afford the land and houses in the imperial city?"

Having worked as a housekeeper for so long and having her family run their own business before, Aunt Wang has gained some experience. As far as she knows, the land in those villages outside the county town is several times more expensive than their village, not to mention the imperial city. If you can't even afford to buy land, how can you talk about farming and raising pigs?

"Aunt Wang, you think the Imperial City is too terrifying."

Unexpectedly, she was quite calculating. Shen Xiangwan couldn't help but laugh. "The land in those villages outside the imperial city is indeed very expensive, but it's not so expensive that others can't afford it. Besides, since we have dealt with all the royal relatives and many nobles and powerful officials, all the land, houses and shops under their names have been confiscated. When the time comes, I will have someone sell you a small farm at a low price, and you can just open a shop."

Originally, she wanted to give it away as a gift, but judging from their expressions, they definitely wouldn't want it, so she changed her mind and decided to sell it at a low price. As for how low the price would be, wasn't it just a matter of her saying something?

"Then, if you sell it to us at a low price, will others gossip about it?"

Aunt Wang was still a little worried. If it would bring them trouble, she would rather stay here. Wanwan had helped them enough. As a person, you must never be too greedy!

"Who dares to gossip about me?"

Raising an eyebrow, Shen Xiangwan was not without dominance, and then continued with a smile: "Aunt Wang, if you use it yourself, a small farm with dozens of acres of land will be enough. The same goes for a shop. As long as you can sell sausages and bacon and don't have to be exposed to the sun and rain, this kind of farm or shop is generally not easy to sell. Even if I sell it to you at a low price, no one will say anything."

This was clearly a lie. Land within and beyond the imperial city was incredibly valuable, and even the smallest farm or shop was a golden opportunity in the eyes of others. How could anyone possibly not want one? If their tactics weren't so drastic, many would have been tempted to seize the farms, shops, and houses they had confiscated.

"I see."

Aunt Wang never thought that Shen Xiangwan would lie to her, and she was immediately moved like her old man. Apart from anything else, they had to pay attention to the future of their children and grandchildren. Moreover, as long as she thought that Wanwan and the others also lived in the imperial city, she didn't have much fear of the imperial city in her heart.

[End of this chapter]