Upon returning to the city, the two went their separate ways. Xiao Xiyou returned to the Second Prince's residence, while Zhou Zhizhi returned to the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
"System, system!" Zhou Zhizhi exclaimed excitedly.
The system immediately switched to his usual customer service voice message and replied, "Yes, darling."
"Why are Xiao Xiyou and I so well-matched in swordsmanship? Is it because of the Northern Darkness Divine Art?" Zhou Zhizhi had this question on the desolate mountain earlier today.
"Yes, darling, the Northern Darkness Divine Art will allow your blood and qi to merge with Xiao Xiyou's, so that you will achieve an unprecedented level of harmony in both swordsmanship and fist techniques."
Zhou Zhizhi nodded, "I understand."
Now that the threat of being eliminated has been removed, Zhou Zhizhi can continue pursuing her great cause.
Zhou Zhizhi hasn't forgotten herself; she still has a shop waiting for her to make it a success.
"Xiaoyue," Zhou Zhizhi called out.
Upon hearing Zhou Zhizhi's summons, Xiaoyue quickly replied, "Yes, Your Highness. What are your orders?"
"Go prepare my bathwater and have the kitchen cook a delicious meal."
"After I bathe and change, I'll have a delicious meal." Zhou Zhizhi was in a great mood and decided to treat herself first.
"Yes, this servant will go and do it right away." Having received the order, Xiaoyue withdrew to prepare.
Lying in bed, Zhou Zhizhi still felt a sense of unreality, as if she had survived a disaster. She hadn't expected that at the critical moment, she would not only save her life but also master the Northern Darkness Divine Skill.
"Today, Xiao Xiyou called me by my name, not my official title," Zhou Zhizhi muttered to herself. "Does this mean I'm more important to Xiao Xiyou? Will he send me on a rampage after he becomes emperor?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Zhizhi sat up abruptly and patted her cheeks.
"What are you thinking, Zhou Zhizhi? Xiao Xiyou is a national first-class actor. He appears innocent on the surface but is actually cunning and ruthless. He will stop at nothing to gain power. In the original book, he was given the 'Five Horses Dismemberment' treatment to win over the Prime Minister."
Thinking of this, Zhou Zhizhi shook her head, shaking away the romantic thoughts in her heart. She was afraid that she had been spending too much time with Xiao Xiyou and had forgotten what kind of person he was by looking at his face.
"I must stop Xiao Xiyou from ascending the throne!"
"Even if I can't stop him, I'll run far away on the day he ascends the throne!" Zhou Zhizhi made up her mind.
"Grand Preceptor, the water is ready," Xiaoyue said respectfully at the door.
Zhou Zhizhi got out of bed. "Okay."
As the warm water gently caressed her skin, Zhou Zhizhi felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
After taking a bath, Zhou Zhizhi changed into pure white clothes, exuding a fresh scent. She went to the front hall and immediately saw exquisite dishes laid out on the table.
Everything was one of her favorite foods, and the aroma was irresistible, making one's mouth water.
Zhou Zhizhi took a bite of the lotus root and shrimp salad. It was crisp, tender, and incredibly delicious. There was also a crisp cucumber salad with a special dressing, which was refreshing and pleasant.
In addition to cold dishes, there is also lotus leaf steamed egg, which is smooth and tender, and exudes a faint lotus leaf aroma.
The braised pork belly, with its perfect balance of lean and fat, melts in your mouth with its tender and juicy texture; the crispy exterior and tender interior of the pan-fried chicken leg are bursting with aroma.
Zhou Zhizhi ate heartily. Since coming into this world, only the food prepared by the small kitchen could bring her any comfort.
After finishing the main course, Zhou Zhizhi began to enjoy the dessert.
Crispy fried spring rolls, thin skin and generous filling, with delicious flavor.
The purple glutinous rice soup is crystal clear and has a sweet but not cloying taste.
"I'm so satisfied." Zhou Zhizhi, having eaten and drunk her fill, exclaimed with satisfaction, then got up and left the front hall.
"Wu Da, Wu Er, let's go." Zhou Zhizhi said to Wu Da and Wu Er, who were practicing martial arts in the backyard.
"Grand Preceptor, where are we going?" Wu Da and Wu Er put down the twenty-odd-pound stone they were using to practice their strength and asked.
"Let's go check how our shop is being decorated on Zouma Street," Zhou Zhizhi said as she walked towards them.
Previously, Zhou Zhizhi was too busy learning the Northern Darkness Divine Skill to pay attention to the shop's renovation, so she asked Wu Da and Wu Er to find a construction team to demolish the guest rooms on the second floor of the shop.
Now that she has mastered the Northern Darkness Divine Art and is no longer threatened by being erased by the system, it's time for her to go and take a look.
"Alright, Imperial Advisor, we're coming right now."
Wu Er, a foodie, was very excited when she heard that she could go and see the progress of the shop's renovation.
Zouma Street was already bustling, and Wu Er could finally enjoy the food he had been longing for.
The three of them strolled leisurely and slowly to Zouma Street.
"Oh, isn't this Grandpa Wu? You've arrived!" The three of them had just entered the shop and hadn't seen the contractor when they heard his voice.
A dark-skinned man, covered in dust, rushed out of the room.
"Foreman, this is our Miss Zhou," Wu Da said to the foreman.
"Miss, this is the construction team I found, and this man is Foreman Zhang, the contractor for this project," Wu Da introduced the man to Zhou Zhizhi.
"Miss Zhou, it's an honor to meet you." The foreman smiled broadly, his dark face covered with smile lines, making him appear both honest and simple.
"Foreman Zhang, how's the construction progressing?" Zhou Zhizhi was eager to open the shop as soon as possible.
Having been a wage earner for so long in modern times, Zhou Zhizhi is finally able to rise above her circumstances and experience what it's like to be a boss. This excites her greatly, since making money is her favorite thing to do besides eating.
"The storefront sign has been removed, and ten of the rooms originally used for accommodation have been demolished, leaving twenty more to be demolished," Foreman Zhang reported to Zhou Zhizhi on the progress of the renovation.
Zhou Zhizhi looked around and nodded as she watched the workers working in an orderly manner.
"And these timbers that were dismantled were sold to timber buyers for a total of two hundred taels," Foreman Zhang continued, taking out a two-hundred-tael silver note from his pocket and handing it to Zhou Zhizhi.
Please order.
Zhou Zhizhi took the money and glanced at it briefly. "Since Wuhan University hired Foreman Zhang, it means they have complete trust in you."
Zhou Zhizhi took out two banknotes from the ones Zhang the foreman had given her. "Take this money. Treat the brothers to a drink after work today."
Zhou Zhizhi knew a little about the rules of the renovation business. Not only did she have to pay the workers enough, but she also had to provide them with food and drink so that they would work wholeheartedly.
"Thank you, Miss Zhou, thank you, Miss Zhou." Foreman Zhang thanked her repeatedly as he took the money.
He secretly glanced at the amount of the silver note in his hand; it was much more generous than any of his previous employers, a full fifty taels.
"Brothers, Miss Zhou will treat you to drinks after we finish today!" Foreman Zhang said to the workers behind him who were working.
"Thank you, Miss Zhou."
"Thank you, Ms. Zhou."
The sounds of gratitude rose and fell, and people worked even harder.
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