Before long, the waiter who had been greeting everyone earlier peeked upstairs.
Seeing that the others had finished eating, he immediately came over with a big smile.
The waiter took out a handkerchief from his pocket and then a long, thin object, which seemed to be for Tang Huan to sign.
Wu Lanxi and Lin Wan'er immediately began to watch with curiosity.
"Could this be a pen?"
In Daqing today, the mainstream pens are only two types: calligraphy brushes and charcoal pencils. One is used for calligraphy, and the other is used for everyday writing.
Even in the capital, well-made charcoal pencils are pitch black, and you have to wrap them in paper before using them, otherwise your hands will be filthy after use.
Even the emperor and the cabinet could not avoid this situation, and they had to wash their hands after each work session.
Tang Huan generously accepted the pen and quickly wrote two large characters on the handkerchief.
At first glance, it appears to be a flamboyant and elegant style, yet it possesses a certain charm.
It was the name "Tang Huan".
Wu Lanxi watched as Tang Huan returned the handkerchief and pen, and the waiter thanked her with great joy.
She couldn't help but sigh inwardly, never expecting that Tang Huan had such beautiful handwriting.
Besides that, what bothered her even more was the strange pen.
Even when written on a handkerchief, the handwriting remains clearly visible, yet without any smudges or dirt, appearing exceptionally clean.
This is something that has never been heard of before.
Tang Huan noticed Wu Lanxi's expression and casually said with a smile, "Mr. Wu, are you interested in this? This is a little gadget I made in my spare time last year. If you like it, take some back with you as a gift for our cooperation this time."
After saying that, he gestured to the waiter and said, "Bring two pots of fine tea and wine."
The other party nodded repeatedly, while calling other waiters to come and clear the table.
Xie Wu and Lin Wan'er felt a pang of regret and heartache upon seeing this.
They haven't eaten much yet.
The two moved from the center of the living room to the window.
Through the open window, Wu Lanxi could clearly see the street scene.
The vendors shouted their wares loudly, chatting and laughing with each other.
Passersby walked by with smiles on their faces, greeting acquaintances.
People dressed in strange clothes and wearing heavy makeup also walked by on the street.
In addition, all sorts of strange little gadgets would occasionally appear before Wu Lanxi's eyes.
Watching this scene unfold, Wu Lanxi murmured, "Even in the capital, it's rare to see such a sight..."
"This is indeed the unique appearance of Qihuai County. Everyone lives in peace and contentment, as if living in a paradise. There is no pressure or worries, so there are naturally more smiles on their faces."
Xie Wu stood opposite Wu Lanxi, respectfully stopping behind Tang Huan.
Tang Huan pulled him to sit down next to her, which startled Xie Wu, who immediately tried to get up.
"Old Xie, you're being too polite. Boss Wu isn't an outsider."
Wu Lanxi gave Xie Wu a wink, and the latter sat down with some trepidation.
If someone looked down, they would see that his buttocks were barely touching the chair, with most of them hanging in the air.
Before long, all the tea and wine that Tang Huan had ordered were served.
"Boss Wu, try the tea and wine from Qihuai County, and help with your digestion."
Wu Lanxi had already tried it briefly when they were in Qihuai County last time, and this time, as a partner, Tang Huan specially prepared even better drinks.
A delicate fragrance lingers around the nose, making it irresistible.
Lin Wan'er said softly, "It smells so good."
"That's right, this tea is made in Qihuai County through a complicated process, and you can't find it anywhere else."
Hearing about the tea being stir-fried, Wu Lanxi was still curious, but her initial shock had lessened considerably.
It seems that anything strange can happen in Qihuai County.
Even things you've never imagined will appear.
There's nothing Tang Huan can't do, only things you can't imagine.
All the business deals were made over drinks.
The same applies to the hot pot business.
Despite Lin Wan'er's repeated attempts to stop her, Wu Lanxi was in a great mood and drank several cups with Tang Huan, her face gradually flushing red.
During this time, Tang Huan also had Li Daikui deliver the contract.
Wu Lanxi took 100 catties of hot pot base and 100 catties of dipping sauce ingredients from Tang Huan for 50,000 taels of silver.
Of course, this money was borrowed from Qihuai Bank.
Tang Huan provided top-notch service, offered advice to Wu Lanxi, and prepared several ways to promote and market the hot pot.
Listening to the man in front of her speaking eloquently, Wu Lanxi's gaze wandered, landing on the laughing and joking people outside the street, and a sense of melancholy suddenly rose up involuntarily.
People in Qihuai County live and work in peace and contentment.
Beijing will soon have delicious and novel hot pot options.
But what about Kuizhou?
What about Youzhou?
How many places in Daqing are still ravaged by disaster, and how many people are left without clothes or food?
As an emperor, Wu Lanxi would worry whenever she thought of this.
As the effects of the alcohol took hold, Wu Lanxi felt even more irritable.
"This hot pot is something that the people of Kuizhou probably wouldn't even dare to dream of..."
Tang Huan couldn't help but glance at Wu Lanxi.
"Why are you talking about the disaster all of a sudden, Boss Wu? Come on, let's have a drink, let's not talk about unhappy things."
Hearing Tang Huan's words, Wu Lanxi felt distressed and couldn't help but ask, "Didn't the disaster in Kuizhou cause Lord Tang even the slightest heartache?"
Tang Huan grinned. "What does the famine in Kuizhou have to do with me? Can it stop me from making money?"
“You…” Wu Lanxi was speechless for a moment.
A hint of disappointment was revealed.
"Actually, Lord Tang has done something for the disaster relief. As early as a month ago, he tried to send various supplies to Kuizhou and Youzhou, but..."
Xie Wu only spoke halfway through his sentence before ultimately not finishing.
He could see the Emperor's disappointment in Tang Huan, and he also knew that the disaster was a major concern for the Emperor, so he wanted to explain for Tang Huan.
But when he thought about what happened back then, he didn't know how to continue.
"But what?" Wu Lanxi looked at Xie Wu with a gloomy face.
Xie Wu sighed, "Initially, Qihuai County prepared hundreds of truckloads of disaster relief supplies, from food to clothing and some essential daily necessities, but in the end, none of the supplies were delivered to the disaster-stricken areas. Instead, they were intercepted by others."
"What? Such a thing exists?" Wu Lanxi was immediately furious.
A month ago, the disaster was not so severe. If there had been hundreds of truckloads of relief supplies from Qihuai County, the situation would certainly not be like this now.
Tang Huan shrugged. "I'm just a small county magistrate. How far is it from Qihuai County to Kuizhou and then to Youzhou? How many officials are in between? In short, almost nothing that flows out of Qihuai County ends up in the famine-stricken areas."
Is that why Tang Huan was disappointed?
Despite having done something, you end up getting nothing in return.
Anyone would be disappointed.
"This is outrageous!"
Wu Lanxi slammed her hand on the table in a fit of rage, wishing she could immediately execute the person who had tried to stop her.
However, a month has passed, and it is unknown how many officials were involved, making the matter even more difficult.
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