Chapter 96
Beijing
Yingxiang is not going to the shop today. She got up early, washed up, got dressed, and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Wen Shi went to the next room, first waking his son up so he could get dressed and wash up. He usually let the child do it himself, and then he would help him tidy up a bit, and that was about it.
"You're not going to school today, your parents are taking you out to play."
"good."
Lately, Yingxiang has been busy with her business, devoting most of her energy to it, and the store's business is getting better and better.
"My lady, I'll be receiving my salary for this year soon. Should we save it?"
Yingxiang was in charge of the finances, and Wenshi trusted her completely. Yingxiang glanced at him and nodded.
"Just deposit fifty taels. After deducting the rent, you can use the rest yourself. My shop has enough cash flow."
Nowadays, there are social obligations, which inevitably involve money. Gifts given to others cannot be too meager, or one will lose face.
The streets were bustling with people. The three of them headed out of the city. These days, many people went out to enjoy the flowers and sights. Many wealthy young men and sons of officials traveled on horseback.
No one dares to ride a horse recklessly in the downtown area, potentially causing injury or death to civilians. That would be a violation of the law, punishable by fines or even imprisonment.
Wen Leqian craned his neck, watching the young men riding slowly on their horses with great curiosity. He wanted to reach out, but Wen Shi stopped him.
The leisurely young men were dressed in fine clothes, riding on strong and sturdy horses, most of them reddish-brown and black with shiny coats.
After leaving the city, these people quickly waved their whips and disappeared in a flash, some in groups of three or five, and some alone.
The weather was sunny and warm today, neither too hot nor too cold. There were quite a few people out and about. Wen Shi had heard from a classmate that there was a good place to visit, so he took his wife and son and strolled over there at a leisurely pace.
Every now and then, carriages would pass by them. Yingxiang watched this scene and secretly resolved that if she ever became rich and powerful, she would arrange all of these things for herself.
The capital city is different from other places; the roads are flat, so it's definitely not as bumpy.
There were also many sedan chair carriers at the city gate; you could pay to ride in one, so it was considered a rental service.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the surroundings were lush and green, with unnamed flowers blooming in vibrant colors, a truly beautiful sight. The birdsong in the forest was melodious and clear. There were many people going up and down the mountain. Yingxiang, who hadn't been out for a long time, relaxed and strolled around, feeling completely refreshed.
Since she was going out for a trip and would be climbing mountains, Yingxiang dressed simply and casually. She wore no makeup, only tied her hair up to reveal her long, fair neck, and secured her hair with a slender pearl hairpin.
She was still wearing a white jade bracelet on her wrist, but unlike before, she had an exquisitely crafted gold bracelet on her other wrist.
Wen Shi asked, "That's what she bought with the money she made at the store. Actually, she got it when she signed in before. Now she can wear it without any worries and she can explain the reason without arousing suspicion."
Today, the family of three was dressed in the same color, light blue, which made them look like a family. The young couple had a child who was neither too big nor too small. The child had rosy lips, was quite tall, and looked very healthy.
There are many high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital. Most passersby assume that they are ordinary wealthy families, or that they should be surrounded by carriages and servants. It is unheard of for them to be taking care of their own children.
"Go by yourself."
Wen Shi led Wen Leqian by the hand, letting him walk for a while and then rest. The mountain path was paved with bluestone slabs, so the road wasn't too difficult to walk, but it would take some effort.
Yingxiang watched the father and son walk and stop. Seeing this scene, she felt very happy. The child was not just hers. For the first three years, she was the main person in charge of taking care of the child. At that time, Wenshi had to study and go out to take exams, so she could not let him be too distracted.
Now that the child is older, it's definitely better for Wen Shi to take care of him. He won't have as much pressure anymore. They are, after all, the biological father and son, and of the same gender, so it's more convenient for him to take care of him. Ying Xiang has nothing to worry about. As for the child, apart from buying him clothes every day, she basically leaves everything else to Wen Shi.
Wen Shi is very strict and does not spoil the child. Now he is well-behaved on the road, and does not dare to run or jump, which is very worry-free.
That's good; Yingxiang also hopes the child will be well.
When they reached a pavilion halfway up the mountain, the family of three sat down to rest; it was already noon.
Looking down the mountain from here, Yingxiang sees lush green trees.
After resting for a while, the three continued climbing the mountain. This mountain was not high, but it was not low either. After reaching the top, Yingxiang saw an even more beautiful view looking down, and the view in the distance was also wider.
The stream babbled, and children's laughter filled the air. She glanced at Wen Shi and then said, "The scenery here is really nice."
Yingxiang stood on the mountaintop, determined to work hard in the future and strive to establish her own business in the capital.
"This mountain belongs to the Duke of Xu's mansion. Later, the Duchess sold it to a merchant. This merchant was really rich and powerful. He didn't have anyone guard it. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to get up here."
"yes."
Merchants may have money, but they may not have much social standing. Officials may have power, but if they don't have a family fortune, they may not be wealthy either.
In feudal society, land was privately owned and could be passed down through generations. It could be bought and sold at will, and no one cared.
Yingxiang wasn't too surprised to hear the two men talking not far away. The title of Duke was very high. Above that were Prince, Duke, and Prince of the First Rank, who were people who had a direct relationship with the royal family.
She glanced at Wen Shi out of the corner of her eye. If his career went smoothly in the future, he would be a fourth or fifth-rank official when he retired.
Yingxiang often sat in the teahouse. In the capital, all kinds of news were readily available, and she could often hear tea drinkers discussing all sorts of things. There were even young scholars sitting together analyzing the political situation. Of course, she could only make predictions; she didn't have the ability to see the future.
Judging from the current situation, the gentleman who spoke before was truly an outstanding person, and he retired with honors at the highest rank.
The mountain climate is unpredictable, and seeing that the weather was about to change, the family hurriedly went down the mountain.
The path down the mountain was easier to walk. By the time they got back to the city, Yingxiang was starving. The family of three found a restaurant to eat. Seeing that it was still early, after they had eaten and drunk their fill, Yingxiang told them to go back, while she went to the restaurant herself.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I entered, I saw Granny Yang with a droopy face and a listless appearance. She immediately came over to me after seeing me, which was something that had never happened before.
"What's wrong?"
Yingxiang sat in front of the counter, looking at the considerable number of customers, somewhat puzzled.
"Manager, nowadays several teahouses in the capital have started to follow our example. In addition to hiring storytellers, they have also started to have actors perform, which has taken away some of our business."
Upon hearing this, Yingxiang picked up her teacup and poured herself a cup of flower tea. She wasn't really surprised; the wisdom of the ancients was boundless, and there must have been people with more outstanding ideas than her.
The tea was fragrant and sweet. Yingxiang put down her teacup and said, "If one dish becomes popular in one restaurant, the others will definitely follow suit if they want to make money. It's only a matter of time."
“There are many capable people who will eventually learn everything perfectly. The most crucial thing is competitiveness. As long as we can perform well in every scene we perform in the future and make the tea drinkers happy and relaxed, those who are meant to come will still come. After all, it started with us.”
"Bring me the red paper."
Regarding the creation process, although I don't want to admit it, Yingxiang feels that in order to cater to these ancient people as much as possible, it is best for them to create their own stories. Some of these stories are really good.
Now that there is competition, and since opera is the core selling point of her teahouse, it becomes even more important.
In the future, let those scholars who like to write storybooks create them. If they are well-written, she can buy them and have them rehearsed.
She has no shortage of actors, both old and young. Granny Yang works for her, but she hasn't given up her own old profession in private.
A few days ago, she also brought several twelve or thirteen-year-old children, who had been sold off by some families. Yingxiang took them all in, knowing they would definitely be useful in the future.
Her handwriting wasn't very good; Yingxiang had already tried her best to write it neatly.
"Shopkeeper, isn't three taels of silver too much?"
"Won't."
The money was too little, and those scholars weren't stupid; they could make money by copying books, so why bother writing stories? She needed engaging stories to generate continuous profits.
Yingxiang felt that she could continue to create and revise based on this, which was better than having to start from scratch.
With more acting experience, everyone has familiar roles, and many stories are essentially the same despite variations. Currently, the time required for rehearsals is decreasing, and the price can be increased appropriately. However, the core selling point is still a good story, and Yingxiang is very clear about this.
Granny Yang nodded and immediately did as she was told.
The menu has been changed more and more. Yingxiang has also added hot milk that children can drink. She had considered milk tea before, but after trying to make it, she found that without those ingredients, the taste was not good at all and it was not as good as plain milk, so she gave up on it.
You have to understand that sugar costs a lot, and this isn't a big business for her. Most of the people who come here to watch plays and drink tea are ordinary people. Wealthy people have their own favorite teahouses, which are usually located in bustling areas and are luxuriously decorated, where you can listen to plays and music and drink famous teas.
It's too expensive; these tea drinkers won't pay for it, and she can't possibly run a business at a loss.
In the evening, after Yingxiang returned home, she went straight into the kitchen. Wenshi didn't say anything. In the small study, the little guy was repeatedly reciting words. If he didn't pronounce them correctly, Wenshi would sometimes correct him.
A few days later, out of curiosity about the default reward, Yingxiang deliberately stopped checking in for a few days.
That day, after opening her backpack, she stared blankly at the gleaming gold coins in her hand. What were these? Medieval coins? Gold coins?
"System, are these all pure gold?"
"no."
A cold, electronic voice rang in her mind, and for a moment Yingxiang thought she had misheard.
"What is this? What is it used for?"
If it's gold, she can sell it for money and then save it; but if it's not gold, she can't sell it.
"The system provides a default reward; how you handle it is up to you."
"What should I do? I can't eat or drink this, and I can't sell it for money."
The system stopped responding the next second. Yingxiang sighed and could only put away the small yellow round cakes that looked like gold coins. She had thought the default reward would be silver coins. Giving a little silver every day would be nice. Even if it wasn't much, she could slowly accumulate it. As the saying goes, little by little, it adds up.
She never expected that the default reward would be this. It seems useless now, but considering that this system can be upgraded, she can't just throw it away. Maybe she'll need it someday.
With so many clothes and jewelry, she's not that into them anymore. She doesn't like them as much now, and she doesn't have time to focus on dressing herself up. Her appetite isn't as strong as it used to be either.
She should sign in regularly in the future if she has the opportunity. If she doesn't like something, she can sell it for money, which is better than this little round cake that isn't a gold coin.
Before we knew it, it was early April, and the weather was getting hot.
Yingxiang has received many good stories written by scholars, and she has selected several. Now, she no longer needs to personally supervise the rehearsals, as Granny Yang is perfectly capable of handling this task.
Her teahouse is already quite famous in the capital; it's safe to say that no other teahouse in the area can compete with her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
