Xu Zhi sighed and said, "Yuanyuan, people always keep improving. Look at you now, haven't you improved a lot compared to when you first started? Now that you have experience, why not continue to do it?"
Zheng Yuanyuan sat in the chair, pondered for a long time, and then looked up at Xu Zhi and said, "Sister-in-law, actually I don't dare, I really don't dare. Look at us now, we only have a little over 20,000 sets. I not only have to purchase fabric and cotton, but also be responsible for recruiting people. Even when these people are making clothes, I have to carefully watch over them. If I'm careless and ruin a cotton coat, it could cause a soldier guarding the border to freeze. Sister-in-law, this responsibility is just too great. I don't think I can bear it."
Xu Zhi actually wanted Zheng Yuanyuan to continue this business, but since she was so resistant, Xu Zhi couldn't say anything more. She could only find a suitable person to manage it and keep the business going. Xu Zhi wasn't looking to make any money; she just felt that making quality cotton-padded clothes for the soldiers guarding the border so they could get through the winter safely was a very meaningful thing.
As evening fell, those from the south of the city went home, while those from the manor went to the rented courtyard. There was a cook in the courtyard who took care of everyone's three meals a day. As for Xu Zhi and Zheng Yuanyuan, after everyone who had done the work had left, they led the hundred soldiers to check the courtyard inside and out before locking the gate and leaving. The hundred soldiers were divided into two shifts, one for the first half of the night and the other for the second half, to keep watch in the courtyard.
Xu Zhi didn't know what she was guarding against. Subconsciously, she felt that someone would use these cotton-padded clothes to cause trouble. But since the enemy was in the dark and she was in the light, she could only guard against them day and night.
When Xu Zhi put on her padded jacket, the cotton-padded clothes were almost finished. Zheng Yuanyuan happily told Xu Zhi that she could finally relax, but Xu Zhi's heart was in her throat. Xu Zhi had a vague feeling that something was about to happen.
It was already September 20th, and she needed to cover herself with a thick blanket to sleep at night. Xu Zhi didn't sleep very well that night, waking up several times. When she woke up in the morning, she felt heavy-headed and her nose was a little stuffy. She knew she must have caught a cold.
I took a few pills and forced myself to eat a big bowl of hot soup noodles even though I didn't have much of an appetite. After the hot soup went down my throat and I broke out in a sweat, I finally felt a little better.
Just as they put down their chopsticks, Baiguo came in and said that the captain from the south of the city had arrived.
Xu Zhi felt her heart leap into her throat. She put down her chopsticks and went outside. Bai Ying quickly draped a cloak over her shoulders and said, "Miss, it's chilly outside. You've just been sweating."
Xu Zhi didn't care anymore, she just wrapped the cloak around herself and went into the courtyard.
These one hundred soldiers were led by a captain surnamed Zhao. Captain Zhao stood upright in the courtyard. When he saw Xu Zhi, he bowed and said, "Madam Zheng, in the early hours of the morning, we caught several petty thieves who came with ill intentions. They have been tied up and locked up in our courtyard. To prevent anyone else from coming, we sent another thirty men to guard the courtyard. Now the courtyard is as secure as an iron barrel; not even a fly can get in."
Xu Zhi asked, "Is anyone injured?"
Captain Zhao said with a smile, "No, we've been doing some drills these past few days to see how we should respond if someone tries to ambush us. Those few thieves weren't very skilled; they were caught in our net as soon as they entered the yard."
Xu Zhi glanced at the sky and said to Bai Ying, "Go to the Marquis's residence and tell my father to quickly take people to the south courtyard of the city. Make sure to bring someone skilled in interrogation."
Bai Ying agreed and hurried towards the Marquis's residence. Xu Zhi said to Bai Guo, "Have the coachman drive the carriage to the main gate. I'll get in the carriage now. Let's hurry to the south of the city. Also, take all the guards from the residence with us."
Bai Guo agreed and hurried off to prepare. Xu Zhi glanced at Hong Gu and Shi Liu standing to the side and said to Shi Liu, "Shi Liu, go and report this matter. Just report it as Captain Zhao just said, understand?"
Shi Liu agreed, turned around and jumped onto the roof, disappearing from sight. This startled Captain Zhao, who looked at Xu Zhi with some surprise.
Xu Zhi bit her lip and thought for a moment, then said to Captain Zhao, "Captain Zhao, let's hurry to the south of the city."
Captain Zhao responded and headed out of the mansion. Zheng Yuanyuan came over from her courtyard and, seeing Captain Zhao hurrying by, quickly asked, "Sister-in-law, has something happened?"
As Xu Zhi took off her cloak and put it back on, she briefly recounted what Captain Zhao had just reported to Zheng Yuanyuan. Upon hearing this, Zheng Yuanyuan took Xu Zhi's hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I'll go with you."
Xu Zhi nodded and asked Granny Wang to find Zheng Yuanyuan a thicker cloak. She then took Zheng Yuanyuan to the main gate.
Once inside the carriage, Xu Zhi leaned wearily against the wall. Zheng Yuanyuan took Xu Zhi's hand and asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, I heard from Bai Ying that you were sick. Are you feeling better now?"
Xu Zhi waved her hand and said, "Yuanyuan, don't get too close to me, lest you catch my illness. I probably didn't cover myself properly when I slept last night and caught a bit of a chill. It's nothing serious, don't worry. At this time of year, it's warm during the day but cold at night, so you should be careful too. If you feel cold at night, just heat up the kang (heated brick bed)."
Zheng Yuanyuan nodded, thinking about what Xu Zhi had just said, and was quite worried about the cotton-padded clothes that had already been made in the courtyard in the south city.
There weren't many people on the streets early in the morning, and we soon arrived at the house in the south of the city.
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