Because they had bought things for Meng Zhao before, they were quite familiar with the items on the list, but they didn't expect to have to buy so many this time.

"Two hundred catties! That's a lot? Last time we only bought thirty catties."

Gu Yun was somewhat surprised; several of the seasonings on the list weighed over 100 jin (50 kg), which was no small amount.

"Yes, there are quite a few things to buy on this trip. I'll trouble my second uncle and cousin to go to several places and try to buy them in different places, rather than buying everything in one place. After you've bought everything, burn this list to avoid any potential problems."

Both of them nodded solemnly upon hearing this, with Gu Changwu being particularly cautious. "I think we should just leave this form behind. We can memorize the contents, and you can take it back to avoid any unexpected problems later."

Meng Zhao smiled and nodded, "Okay, that's definitely more appropriate."

After saying that, he took out two full purses. "The mules in the workshop are probably all busy right now and can't be free. Second Uncle, please find a place to rent two mule carts. We need to hurry and try to get back within five days."

Xiao Youzhi probably wants to serve the new dishes before the New Year. She needs a large quantity of seasoning packets urgently because the snow has already delayed things for a few days. After receiving the raw materials, she still needs to mix, divide, and grind them, so she has to hurry.

After finishing the midday rush and seeing Gu Changwu and Gu Yun off, Meng Zhao called Gu Shi over.

"Mother, the new shop is opening and we need to buy a lot of things. You stay here and watch the counter while I go out for a bit."

Madam Gu nodded and asked with concern, "Okay, are you sure you can go alone? Would you like Xiaoyun to come with you so she can lend you a hand?"

Meng Zhao shook his head, "No need, Mother. I've already done it once before, so I know the way. I'm just going there today to place the order. We'll arrange a time for them to deliver everything to the new shop."

Having learned from his first experience opening a shop, Meng Zhao now had a plan in mind regarding the layout of the shop.

To maintain consistency in style between the two shops, she chose tableware in the same style as the current shop: simple, elegant, non-slip, and durable.

The new shop is larger, so we need to prepare more tables and chairs. We'll keep the things that Boss Chen left behind, keeping the ones that are useful and having Meng Zhao have them taken away and recycled the rest.

A small kitchen in the backyard was not enough, so Meng Zhao hired a craftsman to build several stoves and erected a shed that covered almost a third of the yard.

They bought several large vats and placed them indoors because ancient wells were not deep enough and would freeze in cold weather. If there was no water, it would be a big problem, so they had to store clean water in advance for future use.

During this period, Meng Zhao had to make two trips to the new shop every day. Sometimes it was to deliver things, and sometimes it was to check on the progress of the project. Although he mostly drove a donkey cart, it still took a lot of effort.

Once the shop was almost finished being decorated, and the tables, chairs, and decorations began to be brought in and placed one after another, another problem arose: a shortage of manpower.

With the new shop opening, she plans to transfer two people from the old shop first. This will leave both shops short-staffed, so she will naturally have to recruit new workers.

However, Meng Zhao did not plan to recruit people from Shenjia Village this time. Although he felt more at ease using people from this village, it would be time-consuming to travel back and forth if there was wind or snow.

Moreover, with more shops, she can't supervise them all the time. If all the people in a shop are from the same place, small groups or cliques will inevitably form, which will cause her a lot of inconvenience in managing them in the future.

When the decision was made to recruit people from the county, Meng Zhao immediately wrote two recruitment notices, one for each shop. Although she is not yet good at writing small characters, she has made considerable progress in writing large characters. Although her handwriting is not beautiful, it is neat and legible.

In ancient times, literacy rates were low, and Meng Zhao originally didn't have much hope for the job postings, but he still thought he'd give it a try and see if he could find a few literate people.

After posting the job advertisement on Xishui Street, Meng Zhao waited for half a morning but no one came to her door. She was a little disappointed and thought that she might as well ask an acquaintance for an introduction. Just then, a middle-aged woman walked in carrying a basket.

The woman asked with a slightly cautious expression, "Young lady, I saw on the notice that you're hiring here, is that right?"

Meng Zhao immediately perked up, "Yes, Auntie, you're here to answer the call?"

"Yes, I used to be a cook. I'm strong and quick. I can wash and chop vegetables and cook simple dishes without any problem. Don't worry, young lady, I guarantee I can do a good job." The man said with a hint of urgency.

Seeing that she seemed a little nervous, Meng Zhao smiled gently and said, "Auntie, don't be nervous. Let's sit down and talk."

After the two were seated, Meng Zhao got down to business, "Auntie said she saw a job posting on the notice board, so you can read, right?"

Upon hearing this, the woman immediately lowered her head and slowly shook her head. "I served a scholar before, and I only know a few characters. I came in when I saw the job posting at the door."

Meng Zhao sighed inwardly, but since she hadn't held out much hope, she didn't dwell on it and asked a few more questions.

The woman who came to register was named Lin Qiuniang. She lived in the county. Her husband used to work on a boat. With a bit of good luck and hard work, he had accumulated some wealth. However, a year ago, he had an accident while on a boat and lost an arm. After that, Lin Qiuniang took care of her husband at home for more than half a year.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!