Liang Shuyan felt dizzy and had no time to deal with these people, so she said to the innkeeper, "Innkeeper Yu, please don't make things difficult for me. I'm really not feeling well. I'll go get a room and rest for a bit!"
Manager Yu made a large gesture: "Madam, please!"
The waiter carried some tea and pastries up to the second floor. From the private room by the window on the second floor, there was a soft rustling sound. Liang Shuyan took out the things from her package and prepared to change her clothes.
The waiter's voice came from outside the door: "Madam, our manager asked me to bring some tea and food. Please enjoy them; they're free!"
Liang Shuyan's eyes widened. She opened the door and looked at the waiter: "How could it be free? Don't call me 'Madam' anymore. I don't want to cause unnecessary trouble because of 'Madam' when I'm out and about. Just call me Madam Jin!"
Sanwang walked in, glanced at the waiter, put the things on the table, and then said, "My mother said to call me that, don't always call me 'Ruren,' it's inconvenient."
The waiter nodded and left.
"Mother, you should rest here. I'll go and inquire about the tea, try to promote it, and see how things go."
Liang Shuyan shook her head and said, "No, we can't take this place. If we do, Manager Yu will expose our identities as ladies, and we probably can't stay here any longer. I'm afraid more and more people will come to visit me, the Tea Lady. His Majesty didn't give me this title just to brag. You ask around, and later you go out to settle the bill. We'll leave a little later and find a quiet restaurant in the city to stay in!"
Sanwang felt that her mother's words made some sense, so she went downstairs to pay the bill.
Manager Yu went directly to Liang Shuyan's door and gently knocked: "Madam, are you there?"
Liang Shuyan was so angry with Manager Yu that she didn't know what to say. She was furious, but she managed to suppress her anger and opened the door: "What's wrong, Manager Yu? Can you please stop calling me 'Lady'?"
Seeing Liang Shuyan's sullen face, Manager Yu didn't know what to say, so he just waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, but there's something I'd like to discuss with you, Madam. Is that alright?"
Liang Shuyan became very angry when she heard the word "Ruren" again, and raised her voice: "Enough! What do you mean 'Ruren'? When we go out to do business, you always follow behind us like this, calling me 'Ruren,' as if you're afraid others won't know I'm Ruren, right?"
Manager Yu then said awkwardly, "I'm so sorry, I was being presumptuous just now. Please forgive me, Madam Jin!"
Liang Shuyan breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, we're business partners, and we've been together for so many years. Stop calling me 'little girl.' It's really inconvenient to go out, and some thieves might try to rob me because of it. Isn't that just asking for trouble?"
After apologizing again, Manager Yu told Liang Shuyan about his situation, and Liang Shuyan expressed her sympathy.
"We came to the provincial capital this time to promote our tea. Do you know anyone who can help us sell it? I'll give you a percentage of the profits, okay?"
It turns out that after Qiongxianlou went bankrupt, Manager Yu came to the provincial capital to sell grain. However, he encountered bandits on the way, which caused him to lose money one after another, and he didn't even have money for food and lodging.
Upon hearing this, Manager Yu felt his savior had arrived and hurriedly said, "Great! I happen to know some people in the underworld; maybe I'll even like your tea. But how much does it cost?"
When it comes to the price of tea, Liang Shuyan herself is confused. She brought third-grade tea with her when she came out this time. She bought it in town for 1000 wen a car. She wonders if the price will go up when she gets to the provincial capital. She wonders if anyone would want it for 20 wen a car.
Liang Shuyan continued, "In the provincial capital, we sell it for 15 wen per jin. We brought it all the way here. If I can get it for 20 wen, that's fine. If we sell more, it's yours, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Manager Yu happily exclaimed, "Great! Great!"
Sanwang came in, saw Manager Yu, and asked in surprise, "Manager Yu, how did you know my mother was here?"
"Hehe, I just followed you when I saw you coming from this side. Don't worry, I don't mean anything by it. I just want to find a way to make a living."
Liang Shuyan coughed, signaling Sanwang to stop talking. Sanwang then said, "Oh, Mother, I've already paid the bill. Shall we leave now?"
"Oh, you were living just fine, why are you leaving?"
Sanwang glared at her and said, "You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't been following my mother around calling her 'little lady,' we wouldn't have left."
Liang Shuyan said, "It's alright. I don't want more people to know that I, the Tea Lady, live here. Besides, it would have too much of an impact and I would be punished by the Emperor. Even when the Emperor goes on a trip, he doesn't have as much of a entourage as I do!"
At this moment, Manager Yu finally understood why Liang Shuyan looked at him with such dislike. He then said awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I've caused Madam Jin a lot of trouble. In that case, let's go together. I know a secluded restaurant that's very cheap."
"No need, I'm going with my mother, you shouldn't come with us!"
Sanwang didn't want this Manager Yu following him around; he was too annoying. If it weren't for his shouting, how would so many people know that his mother was the Lady recently bestowed by the Emperor?
Liang Shuyan said, "Sanwang, Manager Yu was our business partner before. Now that he's in trouble, we should help him and walk together!"
The three of them arrived at Yuelong Restaurant, went up to the second floor, and chose two private rooms. Sanwang shared a room with Manager Yu, while Liang Shuyan shared a room by herself. It had to be said that the location was quite good, facing the green mountains and the sea.
After resting for a while, the three of them went out together, carrying a burlap sack filled with tea leaves.
They chose a spot near the dock, the busiest place. Liang Shuyan instructed Sanwang to set up a table, then she took out a sign she had made, placed it to the side, and began to shout: "Fresh tea leaves, tea leaves from Jin's Tea House, good for beauty and health, and even helps with weight loss! Free tasting on the spot, buy one get one free, a rare opportunity!"
Sanwang glanced at his mother and started shouting like her.
Manager Yu had his own methods. He carried some loose tea leaves and walked into the shops along the street, asking around in each one. He was confident that the shops along the street in the provincial capital were doing well and that he could chat with the managers.
"Where did you come from, beggar? Get out! Get out!"
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