Chapter 457 Madam Ge Arrives
As summer arrives, the lantern grass on the mountain matures.
Cheng Wanwan took some time to teach Daya and Erya how to make ice jelly.
Making ice jelly isn't difficult; two girls are enough for a small stall. If you need to supply in large quantities, you'll need to hire more people.
This business is like selling preserved eggs; it's split 20/80, with her taking 20%.
After learning for two days, Liu Daya was able to set up a stall to sell ice jelly for three coins, which was cheaper than Lotus Drink. Lotus Drink had the gimmick of lotus flowers, but ice jelly had become famous last year, so neither business was affected.
The village market gradually became lively.
The village head was quite satisfied and discussed the expansion of the market with Cheng Wanwan: "If we calculate it this way, we can earn a thousand taels of silver in two or three months. After the autumn harvest, we'll gather everyone to expand the market further. What do you think, Aunt Dashan?"
“Of course.” Cheng Wanwan also felt that the market needed to be expanded. “Some of the soap workshop owners are from the north and some are from the south. When they occasionally meet, they seem to have mentioned exchanging some special products from the north and south. I suggest that we build some more warehouses to serve these merchants who travel all over the country.”
These merchants came from the north and south and gathered in Dahe Village, where they could exchange goods, thus making Dahe Village a distribution center for goods.
However, there is only one road leading out of Dahe Village. Although it has been repaired, overall, transportation is still not very convenient.
Her gaze fell upon the long river, which was actually a tributary of the river in Hekou County. The tributary was narrower and the riverbed was shallower, making it unsuitable for large boats. If the riverbed were dredged, widened, and deepened, wouldn't Dahe Village be able to develop into a wharf?
However, cleaning up the river was too costly, and it would be too much of a waste of resources and manpower for Dahe Village to undertake this task before it had developed to a certain extent.
Cheng Wanwan suppressed this thought and continued to discuss the future development direction of Dahe Village with the village head.
Just then, Zhao Tiezhu ran in from the courtyard gate: "Grandpa, Aunt Zhao, it's incredible! The guests who came today are very important!"
"Weren't some young ladies from Fenghuang County here to admire the flowers today?" The village head had already checked the guests' information. "They all seem to be daughters of merchants. You've seen a lot of the world, so why are a few merchant ladies so frightening to you?"
“It was indeed Miss Huang who sent someone to make a reservation, specifying that it was for seven young ladies. But just now, a servant came over ahead of time to inform us that the people coming to admire the flowers today also include Madam Zheng, the wife of the magistrate of Fenghuang County, and a Madam Ge…” Zhao Tiezhu scratched the back of his head. “I don’t remember Madam Ge’s husband’s official rank, but the servant said that Lord Ge is a sixth-rank official!”
Cheng Wanwan thought for a while.
After becoming a court lady, she specifically sought out Magistrate Shen to learn about the various official positions in the surrounding area. The magistrate was like a local emperor in a small place, but he only managed political affairs. Military affairs were handled by the military officers stationed in the area. The military officer stationed in the eight counties near Ping'an County seemed to be a Flying Cavalry Captain, a sixth-rank official, and his surname was Ge.
This Lord Ge has been guarding the area east of Huzhou for ten years. Because the country is at peace, there are no internal or external troubles, and he has no opportunity to make meritorious contributions. He has not been promoted in this position. Perhaps the official in charge of assessment could not stand it anymore, so two years ago he was promoted by half a rank, from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.
Even if it's just a sixth-rank official, it's still unique in the surrounding counties and towns.
Although Madam Ge did not have an official title, she represented Lord Ge, so Cheng Wanwan, the Lady of Sui, had to go and greet her.
She asked, "When will Madam Ge and her party arrive?"
"The servant said that Madam Ge was feeling slightly unwell and rested for a while. She will arrive in about an hour," Zhao Tiezhu replied. "She also asked the village to prepare a room for her to rest in and to have hot water. She specifically requested Huangling Mountain tea, but we don't have any of that tea in our village. Last time I went to the city to buy it, the shops there didn't sell it either. What are we going to do?"
Just then, Cao Yingying's wet nurse, Granny Li, came out and, upon hearing this, said, "I heard that Huangling Mountain tea is a tribute item. Only the lower-quality tea is sold, and it's very difficult to buy. I only heard about it from the master two years ago."
"Oh my, Madam Ge is really putting on airs, insisting on drinking tea that only the Emperor can drink." The village head was a little worried. "We can only tell Madam Ge the truth. We can't make things difficult for us ordinary people over such a small matter..."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "I happen to have some here. I bought it in Huzhou last time. It cost more than fifty taels of silver, but it's just a tiny bit. Madam Ge should pay for it."
Having a certain air about them is a good thing; it means they're rich, and you might as well make that kind of money.
Zhao Tiezhu took the tea leaves and delivered them to Zhao Sanniang's shop. He prepared tea and snacks in advance and was just waiting for her to arrive.
Around noon, several horse-drawn carriages slowly drove into the village.
Cheng Wanwan and Li were greeting them at the village entrance.
The first carriage was the most luxurious. First, an old woman got out, then a maid, then Madam Zheng, followed by a slightly dark-skinned noblewoman with a full figure and sharp eyes. She didn't need anyone's help when she got out of the carriage, and she certainly looked like the wife of a military officer.
Among the carriages behind were some merchant girls, who followed Madam Zheng and Madam Ge in a proper manner.
"Madam Sui, look who I've brought." Madam Zheng laughed heartily. "This is the wife of Captain Ge of the Flying Cavalry. Hearing that the lotus flowers in Dahe Village were in full bloom, she wanted to come and admire them early this morning, so I invited Madam Ge to come along. I hope I haven't disturbed Madam Sui?"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "It is a blessing for Dahe Village that Madam Ge has come. Please come in, ladies and gentlemen. Have some tea and rest for a while before we go to admire the lotus flowers."
Madam Ge's gaze fell on Cheng Wanwan's face: "I thought Madam Sui was an old peasant woman, but I didn't expect her to be so young and beautiful. Compared to you, I look like a farmer."
These words made Cheng Wanwan frown slightly.
It didn't sound like self-deprecation; rather, it carried a hint of jealousy, and his words showed a disdain for the peasant woman.
Her smile faded slightly: "Mrs. Ge, you're joking. I already have a grandson. I really can't accept such praise as young and beautiful. Let's go have some tea."
Madam Zheng walked beside Madam Ge and whispered, "Am I right? Madam Sui is very beautiful. Although she is thirty-four, there is not a single wrinkle on her face. Who would believe that she is a grandmother?"
Mrs. Ge did not look well.
Madam Zheng continued, "The village women I've seen toil year-round, their faces to the soil and their backs to the sky, their skin rough and cracked. They look very old even before they're thirty. Lady Sui is truly an exception. I always feel that Lady Sui has never worked in the fields, but that doesn't make sense, otherwise why would His Majesty bestow the title of Lady Sui upon her, promoting her several ranks within a year?"
As she spoke, she noticed that Madam Ge's expression was becoming increasingly unpleasant.
She had inquired and learned that Madam Ge couldn't stand seeing others who were good-looking, and that all the maids in the mansion were ugly, with old women serving her.
If appearance was Madam Ge's first sore spot, then promotion was her second.
Lady Sui possessed both qualities.
Madam Zheng sneered.
The Zheng family's reputation has been completely ruined by Lady Sui. This time, she's determined to make Lady Sui taste what it's like to be powerless to resist.
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