"Okay!" Li Lao Er readily agreed, "I don't want any money, I'll just be your manager."
Jiayin didn't insist, not because she was greedy for money.
Instead, the primary goal of this flower shop was to expand Uncle Er's network of contacts, and the secondary goal was to exchange more medicinal herbs, seedlings, and seeds. Making money was the least important thing.
At the end of the year, we'll calculate and take out half of it to buy some paper, ink, brushes, inkstones, or clothes and accessories for my second uncle.
My second uncle will definitely be happy with the things my niece has done out of filial piety!
The two, one big and one small, got together and talked about everything from choosing the location of the flower shop to repairs and manpower, making quite a scene.
Even Grandma Li, who was agonizing over her grandchildren's situation, couldn't help but chime in with a few words.
That evening, the boys came home from school for dinner. When Jiaren saw that his father had stayed behind, he thought his father was concerned about him and worried that he had been complained about by his classmates, which touched him deeply.
Little did he know, his father was already thinking about opening a flower shop!
The next morning, Jiayin changed into a beautiful dress, and together with Granny He and Shuiling, she followed her second uncle into the city.
The uncle and nephew both agreed that although the flower shop was going to sell flowers, just like stealing books is not called stealing but "borrowing," and buying Buddha statues is not called buying but "requesting," then their selling of flowers could not be called selling but must be called "appreciating flowers"!
Therefore, flower shops cannot actually be opened in commercial street shops; they must choose a location that is elegant, quiet, and high-class.
After all, this flower shop will not only sell flowers in the future, but also become a place for the Li family to make connections and entertain friends and colleagues.
So the uncle and nephew went straight to the border between the east and south sides of the city upon entering.
This was the place where civil and military officials would pass through after court, and it was also the place where candidates for the imperial examinations would like to stay.
The streets between the two districts are very lively, with calligraphy and painting shops, folk art theaters, teahouses and other establishments clustered on both sides of the streets. Over the years, they have accumulated a strong cultural atmosphere.
Moreover, those living nearby were either powerful and wealthy officials from the east of the city or moderately wealthy families from the south, and there were few ordinary people coming and going.
This was the most suitable place the uncle and nephew could think of to open a flower shop.
Unfortunately, this is a place that they like, and others like too!
The carriage traveled for a full hour, and after consulting two or three intermediaries, they still couldn't find a suitable courtyard.
When they finally passed the end of the street, Jiayin found a place she liked, but it was sealed off.
Zheng Feng, who was rushing to catch the carriage, ran to a nearby teahouse, slipped some silver to the waiter, and when he returned, he said, "Sir, Miss, the waiter at the teahouse said that this courtyard belonged to a convicted official last year and has been sealed off ever since, not sold. The house deed and land deed should be with the Ministry of Revenue."
Jiayin thought for a moment and then said, "Second Uncle, let's go to the Marquis's residence. I need to borrow a gardener from the head steward. We'll need a good gardener to run the flower shop. If we're both gardening, we might not even have a single plant left..."
Li Lao Er coughed lightly, blushed slightly, and quickly agreed.
On one occasion, when the potted cyclamen plants were removed, he took a fancy to one, asked his niece for it, and brought it back to Mr. Wen's courtyard to grow.
He loved it so much that he watered it frequently, but one day the flower suddenly collapsed and died.
Later he learned that the flower prefers dry conditions and only needs to be watered once every two weeks; overwatering will cause the roots to rot.
Therefore, finding a good gardener is more important than finding a good location...
Summer was hot, and there wasn't much work to do in the Marquis's mansion.
Especially when their master goes on a campaign and is gone for two or three months, the servants, having plenty to eat and drink, all like to slack off.
After all, even if they want to compete, curry favor with their master, and gain recognition and a future in front of their master, it all depends on their master being at home!
Otherwise, it's like throwing a flirtatious glance at a blind person—a complete waste of effort.
The head steward was enjoying the cool air in his small courtyard, wearing only a set of shorts and a jacket, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan, and munching on a cucumber.
There were fruits in the manor, but he had a special fondness for cucumbers. He found the crunchy crunch of them particularly enjoyable.
Just then, his servant ran over to report, "Master Steward, Lord Li and the Princess have arrived."
The head steward was startled and sat up abruptly. He called for a servant to find him some clothes, threw down the cucumber he was holding, quickly dressed, and rushed to the front.
Jiayin doesn't come to the Marquis's residence often, but she has her own courtyard there, though she has never stayed there.
In fact, the Marquis had already left a message, and not only all the servants in the Marquis's mansion, but the entire city knew that the Marquis had given the entire Marquis's mansion to his adopted daughter, Jiayin.
She is truly the mistress of the Marquis's mansion!
At this moment, in the flower hall in the front yard, Jiayin sat in the main seat, while Li Lao Er sat in the guest seat.
The maids, dressed like butterflies, served tea and snacks, afraid of neglecting their young master.
When the head steward entered, Jiayin was eating snacks, with a maid gently fanning her.
The head steward quickly bowed, then stepped forward to take the fan from the maid and asked with a smile, "What brings the Princess and the Earl here today? The palace just bestowed a basket of grapes upon you, and this old servant was thinking of sending them to the Princess this afternoon when it's cooler, so she can enjoy them fresh."
Jiayin smiled and said, "Great! Butler, I've been craving grapes lately! The grapes on my trellis aren't ripe yet, and they're really sour."
"In addition, the melon garden in our village will open in a few days. I will ask Uncle Dashan to send some jade melons and golden fruits over. Butler will see which family the Marquis's residence has a relationship with and send them accordingly."
"Even though my godfather isn't home, we shouldn't neglect our social obligations. We don't need them to help my godfather, just make sure they don't hold us back."
At this moment, there were only two maids standing at the door serving in the flower hall; the rest were family members. Jiayin wasn't worried about word getting out that she was speaking like this.
The head steward nodded repeatedly and praised, "What the princess says is true. Many families are growing jade melons this year, but they certainly don't taste as good as our Broken Gold Beach melons."
"Our Broken Gold Beach is a blessed land; even the Emperor loves the melons we grow here. Whoever receives them as gifts will be overjoyed!"
Li Lao Er also laughed and said, "I suppose everyone thinks so. In the past few days, some people have asked Lord Liu to inquire with me, asking to buy ten or eight cartloads. It's simply absurd."
"In a few days, we'll offer some to the Emperor first, and then distribute the rest to each family. I estimate there won't be much left; there's no way we'll sell ten or eight cartloads at a time."
"The land was already suffering from drought, and the villagers carried water on their shoulders and in their hands, irrigating it three times to barely save these few acres!"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jiayin finally got down to business. "Uncle Steward, my second uncle and I are opening a flower shop, but we're short of a skilled and reliable florist. Do you have a suitable one in the Marquis's mansion?"
"We also have our eye on a courtyard house, but it's said to belong to a disgraced official. The gate is sealed off, and the property deeds are with the Ministry of Revenue. Is there any way to buy it?"
Upon hearing this, the head steward immediately perked up.
A servant is not afraid of being ordered around by his master, but he is afraid of not being ordered around by his master!
No work, no job, meaning no use, and no reason to exist...
Having finally found a good opportunity to shine, the head steward immediately said, "Oh dear, Princess, you've come to the right place. We have a gardener in our household whose skills are exceptional; his family has been growing flowers for generations. Our Marquis is not at home, and there is no mistress, so we haven't held a flower-viewing banquet for many years, and the garden doesn't need much maintenance."
"Even I, this old servant, think it's a waste of this gardener's talent. It would be perfect to send him to help the princess, making the best use of his abilities. Besides, if the princess wants to open a flower shop, she'll need someone to do the odd jobs, right?"
"This gardener also has a twenty-year-old son who can assist him with some of the rough work. The gardener's wife and daughter-in-law are also quite good at cooking, washing clothes, and serving tea and water."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com