When the second prince was confined to his residence and Fang Yuan was detained and awaiting execution in the autumn, the Fang family remained silent and began grooming a new successor.
The entire Fengjing region was focused on the He family, amidst its turbulent and unpredictable events.
First, the two sons of the He family got married in a high-profile manner. The two families paraded through the city three times and scattered copper coins, winning the blessings of thousands of people.
Later, the three sons of the He family proposed marriage to the princess. Both sides were shy and hesitant, but showed no sign of resistance.
When the news reached the courtyard, the siblings were discussing the name of the mutton restaurant.
"Why hasn't the He family made a move yet? Could it be that they've changed their minds?" Jiang Sheng asked, resting her chin on her hand.
Xu Mo didn't even turn his head. "Don't worry, the He family is just building up their strength."
With a shrewd and calculating patriarch in the lead and outstanding and intelligent juniors in the rear, the He family will surely make the most of this confrontation and ensure that He Yunyao's reputation is ruined.
“Exactly, exactly. You’re so young, yet you’re worrying about so many things.” Zheng Ruqian, beaming, flicked his sister’s cheek. “Big brother understands me best. He knows I’ve changed my mind and want to open a mutton restaurant.”
Inviting He Yunyao to eat meat was an introduction, sending He's family lamb leg was to attract customers, and now they are also trying to build a brand.
The eldest brother truly lives up to his name!
"I wouldn't call myself an expert in business, but I do know that selling meat to others is far less profitable than opening my own shop," Xu Mo chuckled, picking up his pen.
Most importantly, they used to be destitute and had no choice but to sell their goods.
But now, they have a lychee business as a foundation, two shops and three workshops, as well as a flock of sheep that keeps multiplying in Shangjun, and delicious and unique meat.
“I’ve thought about it. Instead of going through all the trouble of sending mutton to the capital, waiting for others to sift and select it, and even begging and pleading, why not just sell mutton directly in Fengjing?” Zheng Ruqian grumbled. “As long as it tastes good, sooner or later people will come knocking on our door.”
The instant he finished speaking, three large characters appeared in bold, flowing strokes on the slightly yellowed Xuan paper: "A Hundred Flavors Arise."
How can one taste the flavors of life, like liver and gallbladder?
When the words were transformed into a plaque, the three Jiang siblings greeted the guests with beaming smiles.
The Jiang family came, the Yao family came, the Dou family came, the He family came, the Qi family came, the Zhao family came, and even the Chu family came.
Almost every family that had not been at odds with the other came to show their support.
Some of them were Xu Mo's classmates, some were his friends, some admired and appreciated him, and some tried to win him over.
The once-ignored youth has now blended in with the young masters of aristocratic families, exchanging toasts and joking around.
The sound reached the hall, becoming a topic of conversation among the people, but it also slightly distracted Zheng Ruqian.
"What's wrong, Xiao Qian?" Master Kong, who came to help, asked while wiping his sweat. "Are you envious of your older brother?"
As brothers, one is enjoying tea in a private room while the other is busy running around outside, it's normal for them to feel a little disappointed.
Everyone takes a different path, endures different hardships, and naturally enjoys different glories.
Master Kong rolled up his sleeves, ready to have a good heart-to-heart talk with this young man.
Zheng Ruqian spoke with emotion, "I am happy, happy that my siblings and I are getting better and better, happy that my elder brother's ten years of hard study have paid off, and happy that I have come to this point today."
"Master chef, don't worry. I've never been jealous of my elder brother. He's thriving in the officialdom, so how could I be any less successful?"
The initial customers of Baiweisheng came from Xu Mo's connections, but subsequent returnees always came for the taste and quality of the meat.
Not to mention the escort donkey carts that are almost everywhere in the Dayu Dynasty, now Master Zheng's identity is no longer just self-aggrandizement, and the number of long-term workers under his command has reached nearly a hundred.
Zheng family servants were stationed in almost every city, including Anshui County, Shang County, Fengjing County, Anyang County, and Nanyang County.
He's worked hard all these years, but all he ever has is money—he earns it, spends it, and earns it back. He hasn't saved much yet.
However, the connections and networks he has built up are unparalleled.
Once it erupts, it blossoms everywhere.
"The mutton and lychee business will be the mainstay of all my industries, but I will still do transportation. I also want to transport seafood from the south to Chongqing and dried fruits from the north to Chongqing." Zheng Ruqian said confidently, "I want to let the people of Chongqing enjoy thousands of delicious foods without leaving their homes."
A merchant who makes a fortune.
Be a merchant who can wear silk.
A confident person looks truly beautiful, radiating confidence and charm, incomparable to anyone else.
From Xu Mo, who clinked glasses and exchanged toasts, to Zheng Ruqian, who was full of ambition, to Fang Heng, who fought fiercely, to Wen Zhiyun, who listened to the pulse of the heart, and finally to Chang Yan, who planned and strategized.
Finally, Jiang Sheng returned to the glittering golden plaque, turning her head with a slight smile.
They will eventually get better and better.
Three months later, the third son of the He family, who was discussing marriage with the princess, suddenly walked the streets with his face bruised and swollen. He cried to everyone he met, complaining that the princess was unruly and violent, and that she not only verbally insulted him but also physically assaulted him.
He was delirious, shouting that women were terrifying, and refused to let any maids near him, only accepting servants to serve and take care of him.
Gradually, rumors spread that He Yunyao was being forced to change his preferences by the princess, and he was caught on several occasions whispering intimately with his friends.
Their instincts led the people to condemn the He family, but as news of the princess's increasingly violent temper spread, people fell silent.
No one wants to marry a tigress, but she is a royal princess with the power to boss people around.
It's pitiful that the He family's third son, who should have been carrying on the family line, has fallen in love with a friend, causing sentimental people to sigh and also provoking the He family's fury.
Not long after, He Yunyao was detained in the clan ancestral hall.
The Ju family visited several times, still hoping to bring the marriage together.
The head of the He family had repeatedly expressed his willingness, but when he turned around and saw his son with his pinky finger raised, he burst into tears and blamed himself, saying that he should not have delayed the princess's life. If he had really hurt the princess, he would have to pay with his life.
Having said all that, forcing them to marry would be far too blatant, so the Ju family could only leave in anger.
He Yunyao was in high spirits and invited a few friends to Baiweisheng to eat mutton and drink mutton soup. When he got excited, he put his arm around someone's shoulder, which was seen by passersby through the crack in the door.
As a result, the reputation of the He family's darling grew ever stronger.
He Yunyao, "..."
This is probably a case of unintentionally planting willows and reaping shade, but it seems that brothers won't be able to put their arms around each other's shoulders anymore.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, he could only pick up the large bowl and drink the sweet and delicious meat soup to the last drop.
The saying goes, "Good meat needs no bush." Baiweisheng, which initially relied on connections to attract customers, developed into a place where demand exceeded supply within a few months, with even people from the capital coming to buy it.
It was the same sinister father-in-law as last time, who immediately asked for twenty sheep.
He was rejected without hesitation by Zheng Ruqian.
When they were young, they were so nervous selling lychees that it traumatized Jiang Sheng.
Now I have the confidence to negotiate with my father-in-law.
"Twenty sheep definitely won't do. I only have twenty in total, and it will take almost half a year for the next shipment." He said with ease, "I can only sell two at most. We'll come back when we've finished them."
The eunuch in black had a cold expression, and after a long while, he nodded, "Alright."
From then on, Baiweisheng's mutton became increasingly famous, and countless businesses tried to imitate it, but none could find the essence of it.
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