Chapter 68068 Solid and Reliable
Chapter 68
Although the Daxing court encouraged business and the status of merchants had improved a lot compared to the previous dynasties, Aning, a lady from a wealthy family, now had to work hard to run business for him.
Qi Jingyan was slightly startled, and an inexplicable ripple arose in his heart.
He was silent for a moment before speaking again, his voice a little softer than usual: "An Ning, there's no need for this. I have my own way of raising the money."
Meng Yuning knew he was overthinking it the moment she saw his expression. She gently patted his arm and said, "Your Highness, I'm not doing this entirely for you. I used to..."
She almost spilled the beans about her past life, but then she changed her words and spoke more cheerfully, "Back in the capital, I'd always see the women in the market busily going about their business, and I'd always envy them. I'd always wish I could do some business myself."
Her eyes sparkled, as if filled with stars. "I used to be so constrained in the capital, but now that I'm in Lingnan, no one is holding me back anymore. This is a godsend opportunity for me to show off my skills and give it a try."
Qi Jingyan looked at her shining eyes and finally believed her words, but he still couldn't help but whispered to confirm: "Really?"
"Of course I take it seriously!" Meng Yuning answered straightforwardly.
She planned to settle down in Canghai County in the future. She would have to do this business sooner or later, so she might as well take this opportunity to start early.
Qi Jingyan was still worried about her worrying about money, so he explained in a gentle voice, "I did have some private property in the past, but the incident happened suddenly, and all the visible assets were confiscated. The remaining assets are simply inconvenient to use now. Ning, there's really no need to worry about these mundane things."
Meng Yuning: "Of course I know."
Of course she knew his background, but due to Emperor Kangwen's spies, these hidden assets could not be used for the time being.
"A Ning knows?" Qi Jingyan raised his eyebrows slightly.
Meng Yuning quickly changed her words: "I mean, I guessed it. Your Highness is so powerful, how could he not have any backup plan?"
Qi Jingyan chuckled, but still didn't give in.
Meng Yuning's eyes flickered as he continued to persuade her, "Your Highness, since you have money, I will do my business even more vigorously. If you bring money to me later, you can just say that it was earned from my business."
Qi Jingyan immediately smiled: "That's great, An Ning must really care about Linglong."
Meng Yuning raised her chin proudly, with a hint of pride in her eyes and eyebrows: "Of course."
Qi Jingyan leaned forward slightly and asked gently, "What kind of business does An Ning want to start?"
A smile appeared in Meng Yuning's eyes, and without hesitation, she said, "Of course it's food."
Qi Jingyan remembered her cheeks, which were reddened by the smoke from the stove fire, and her forehead was covered with sweat every time she cooked. He couldn't help but frown, and felt sorry for her. "The heat in Lingnan is very strong, and the kitchen is even more stuffy and unbearable. Why not change your job?"
Meng Yuning waved her hands, her attitude firm: "This is all I know how to do, and I enjoy doing it. I have neither experience nor interest in other jobs, so how can I pick them up quickly?"
"But this job is really hard..." Qi Jingyan lowered his voice a few degrees, with a hint of heartache in his eyes.
Meng Yuning didn't seem to mind at all: "It's okay. I've already planned to teach Meng Jin and the others how to do it first, and then let them help with the cooking. If we become too busy in the future, we can just hire a few more helpers."
Seeing her so excited, Qi Jingyan finally couldn't stop her. "In that case, let Mu Shan and the others help you."
He turned around and instructed Mu Yun, "When you have time, go buy a few useful maids and servants."
"I understand." Mu Yun bowed respectfully.
Meng Yuning quickly waved her hand: "Don't rush to add people. We haven't even decided on a business yet. It won't be too late to make plans after we have finalized the rules."
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Alright. If you need help, feel free to contact Mu Yun."
"I know." Meng Yu responded with a smile on his face.
------
The sale was temporarily agreed upon, and Mu Yun stepped forward to report other matters.
"Your Highness, we sent someone to secretly investigate the gambling house last night and confirmed that one of the two people injured by Lin Wang is indeed dead."
Meng Yuning was surprised when she heard this: "One of them actually died. Doesn't that mean Lin Wang will be sued for murder?"
Mu Yun bowed and replied, "There's something fishy about this matter. Lin Wang didn't use too much force that day, and those two were able to escape back to the gambling house on their own."
"The gambling house had extorted money from the Lin family. Seeing that the two men's injuries were not serious, they casually gave them a few taels of silver and told them to seek medical treatment on their own."
"One of them was injured on the back, but he still knew to go to the clinic to apply medicine and bandage it."
"The other man only had a minor arm wound, but he didn't care at all. He simply wrapped the wound with a rag, took the few taels of silver given by the gambling house, and went straight to the brothel to drink and have fun."
"Later, he passed out drunk and was carried home by the brothel's servants in the middle of the night. The next morning, his mother called him for dinner but he didn't respond. When she went to see him, she found him sprawled on the bed, motionless. When she turned him over, his face was blue and purple, and he had been dead for a long time."
"So it's hard to say whether this person died from suffocation due to intoxication or from the worsening of his wounds."
"However, the gambling house wanted to use this incident to stir up trouble, and they attributed the death to Lin Wang's knife attack, hoping to extort money and then take Lin Wang's wife away."
Meng Yuning was furious when she heard this. She slammed the table and cursed, "Shame on you!"
Yi'er followed suit, raised his little hand and slapped the table, puffed out his cheeks and said in a baby voice, "You shameless bastard."
Qi Jingyan's mouth twitched: "..."
Seeing Qi Jingyan looking over, Meng Yuning quickly grabbed Yi'er's hand and said shyly, "I lost my composure. I shouldn't have said such mean things in front of a child."
Qi Jingyan said, "It's okay."
When I was in the army, I heard all kinds of vulgar words. The word "shameless" is not worth mentioning.
As a man, Yi'er will shoulder great responsibilities in the future. How can he raise a girl so pure and innocent who cannot stand a single dirty word?
He just found it funny that a girl like Yu Aning, who spoke so sweetly and softly, could actually swear.
It was like this time, and it was also like that time when she was scolding the millet merchant on the river. Her bold look with her hands on her hips was really refreshing.
But it’s better this way. With this kind of personality, I won’t be bullied.
Qi Jingyan didn't want to see An Ning act like other ladies, acting virtuous and dignified all day long, swallowing all the grievances, and feeling sad behind others' backs.
Seeing that he didn't know what he was thinking about, his expression was dazed, and there was an inextricable sadness between his brows, Meng Yuning couldn't help but look at Mu Yun.
Mu Yun sighed inwardly, knowing that His Highness must be thinking of the late Queen again.
He changed the subject: "Your Highness, we've already sent people to keep an eye on the gambling house. Let's wait for Thirteen and the others to return and see what to do next."
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Yes."
Mu Yun said again, "Your Highness, the Qingke Hall is almost ready. Would you like to take a look?"
Qi Jingyan came back to his senses and said okay, then asked Meng Yuning, "A Ning, do you want to go and take a look together?"
Meng Yuning waved her hand: "Your Highness, please go by yourself. I have things to do."
Qi Jingyan agreed and let Mu Yun push him out the door, heading towards the outer study and the guest hall.
---
After the two left, Meng Yuning took Yi'er back to the west wing and first took out all her family assets.
Then he called Mu Ying, Mu Li, Meng Jin and Qiu Lian over, and they discussed making summer clothes for the guards in the mansion.
Meng Yuning asked Mu Ying: "Mu Ying, how much is the guard uniform you're wearing worth?"
Mu Ying pondered for a moment: "My and Mu Li's outfits are relatively simple, costing about five taels of silver. As for Mu Yun and the others' outfits..."
She paused. "That's the rule for the Prince's Palace guards. Including boots, a set would cost at least twenty taels."
Meng Yuning couldn't help but gasp when she heard this. My goodness, a set of clothes is so expensive?
There are two hundred people, and each person has two sets, which means four hundred sets. Each set costs twenty taels, so wouldn’t that be eight thousand taels?
My God, how can her family background be enough?
No wonder Mu Yun said that he couldn't afford it, and no wonder Qi Jingyan hadn't bought summer clothes for the guards. If they had followed the previous regulations, eight thousand taels might not even be enough.
On second thought, times are different now.
In the past, Qi Jingyan was the crown prince, so he was naturally very particular about his expenses.
Now he has been exiled to Canghai County and doesn't even have a decent palace. He just stays in this dilapidated house with guards around him. Why should he maintain his former grandeur?
What's more, His Royal Highness Prince Shen has not even received his salary yet. If he continues to maintain his past glory, wouldn't it arouse suspicion?
Thinking of this, Meng Yuning immediately made a decision: "The guards in the mansion, including Mu Ying and Mu Li, totaling 202 people, must each purchase two sets of summer clothes and two pairs of summer boots. Each person's expenses must not exceed five taels of silver."
She turned to Qiulian and said gently, "You've always been skilled in needlework and often do embroidery work, so you're very familiar with fabrics and needlework. I'll leave the chores of purchasing, negotiating prices, and finding tailors to you."
"Style aside, comfort is paramount. Just one thing: the material must be strong, and the stitching must be fine. They practice martial arts every day, so clothes wear out the most."
Qiulian bowed and said, "Don't worry, young lady. I will do my best to see this through."
Meng Yuning continued, "And Qiulian, Meng Jin, Meng Yin, Meng Yu, and Meng Zhu, the five of you will also each have two sets of summer clothing, from inside to outside, including shoes and socks. Each person is limited to two taels."
Upon hearing this, several people showed joy and bowed quickly: "Thank you for your kindness, young lady."
Qiulian stepped forward and whispered, "Young lady, why don't you buy the fabric and sew the clothes yourself? You can save some money and the sewing will be more to your liking."
Meng Jin and the others nodded repeatedly: "We servants can all help."
The five of them now live in the same yard, with houses next to each other. When they have nothing to do, they get together to eat and talk. They have become familiar with each other and have a good relationship.
Meng Yuning was happy to see it happen: "Okay, then do it yourself." Everyone smiled at each other, with joy in their eyes and brows.
Meng Yuning looked at Mu Ying again and said, "Canghai County is not peaceful after all. Please keep these 1,100 taels of silver. For the next few days, you can accompany Qiulian to travel around."
"Dr. Tang and Young Master Su will each purchase two sets. Their expenses are not set, but will all be drawn from this sum of money. They need to plan carefully."
Mu Ying respectfully took the banknote with both hands and said, "I understand. What about the young lady and the two princes?"
Meng Yuning: "Qiulian is making my clothes for Your Highness and Little Prince. I'll go to the east wing to look for some material. Qiulian will do it."
Qiulian bowed and replied, "As you command."
Meng Yuning's gaze fell on Meng Zhu, and she said softly, "Meng Zhu is good at talking, so she should go with Qiu Lian and help negotiate the price."
When they first arrived, the maids were all trembling with fear. They didn't dare to speak loudly or walk with big steps, for fear of making mistakes and being punished.
After spending some time together, they found that they would not be punished easily, nor would they be scolded for every little thing, and their meals would not be withheld for the smallest mistake. Gradually, they began to feel relieved.
Once the defenses are down and people are no longer tense all day, their true nature will naturally emerge.
Meng Zhu is lively, clever, and articulate. Meng Yuning wanted to give her more opportunities to practice so that she could be responsible for dealing with people in the future.
Meng Zhu had never been entrusted with such an important task since she was a child. Her face was immediately filled with joy, and she quickly bowed and said, "I will definitely complete the task."
Meng Yuning nodded and said, "The weather is getting hotter. You should leave the house today and finish your business quickly. Go ask Mu Yun for a carriage and ride back quickly."
The three of them responded in unison, bowed, and left.
After they left, Meng Yuning turned to the remaining people and said, "I'm planning to start a food business. Mu Li, take Meng Jin out for a walk on the streets these next two days and find out about the various restaurants and hotels in Canghai County. Come back and report back to me in detail."
If you want to do business, investigating the market and understanding the business conditions are of paramount importance.
Through observation over the past few days, she found that Meng Jin was calm, steady, efficient, and took good care of the younger children.
Since she planned to do business in the future, she needed to train a capable person to help her manage the business, and Meng Jin was a promising person.
Mu Li and Meng Jin took the order and hurried out of the yard.
Meng Yuning looked at Meng Yin again and said, "Meng Yin, from now on, all the gold, silver, jewelry, and hairpins in my house will be registered and managed by you."
She has accumulated a lot of banknotes and jewelry over the past few days. When her business starts to develop in the future, the income will be even greater. She really needs someone to take care of it.
Meng Yin is steady and generous, thoughtful and has a good memory, making him very suitable for this position.
When Meng Yin heard this, he was stunned at first, and then a look of panic appeared on his face.
She instinctively wanted to refuse, but her mind quickly changed and she immediately agreed, bowing solemnly and saying, "Thank you for your kindness, young lady. I will do my best to take good care of your things."
After hesitating for a moment, she said softly with a look of shame on her face: "It's just that I'm illiterate, and this account book matter..."
Seeing that she was fearful but still willing to take on the responsibility, Meng Yuning nodded in satisfaction, "That's all right. For the next two days, I'll have Mu Ying and Mu Li spend an hour every night teaching you to read and write. Later, when you can write, I'll teach you how to register."
When they heard that they could learn to read, Meng Yin and Meng Yu looked at each other with joy. Their eyes were filled with gratitude, and they thanked each other in unison: "Thank you for your grace, young lady!"
Meng Yuning continued, "I'll leave the items in my west wing, including the clothes and jewelry, to you. However, you don't need to handle the things belonging to His Highness and the Little Prince; I'll take care of them myself."
It’s better for her to take care of their things herself and not let others touch them.
Meng Yin's expression was solemn, and she bowed deeply: "I will remember this."
Seeing that all the sisters had tasks, but she was the only one sitting idle, Meng Yu couldn't help but ask anxiously: "Miss, what about this servant? What should this servant do?"
Meng Yuning looked at this lively and greedy little maid and couldn't help laughing: "You like to eat, don't you? From now on, you can follow me to research new dishes and help me when I cook."
This assignment really hit the spot for Meng Yu. She immediately smiled and bowed, saying, "As you command."
Yi'er, who was standing by, heard this and stretched out her chubby little hand to tug at Meng Yuning's sleeve: "A Ning, Yi'er will help you taste the vegetables."
Meng Yuning smiled and squeezed his little hand, then said with a smile, "Okay, let's have some food, Yi'er."
After Meng Yin and Meng Yu left, Meng Yuning lay on the couch to rest for a while.
He felt emotional. Although money was tight at the moment, at least all the guards who had accompanied Qi Jingyan from the capital were still there. It was a great blessing.
Meng Jin and the other four, as well as Qiu Lian, although not the people she chose herself, are all down-to-earth and reliable, which is also a happy thing.
She lay there for a while, then opened the box containing her family fortune and began to think carefully.
When she left the Meng family, she had five hundred taels in her bag. Together with the one thousand taels that Sister Zhao took from the steward of the Meng family that day, she had a total of fifteen hundred taels.
I took out 1,100 taels today, and now there are only 400 taels left in the box.
If I were to start a business again, this amount of money might not even be enough. I might even have to pawn some of the jewelry Young Marquis Yu gave me.
But there is no rush for now. It won’t be too late to make plans based on the situation in the future.
While I was thinking, I suddenly felt my sleeve being gently pulled.
She looked up and saw Yi'er squatting beside her with her hands in her pockets. She tilted her head and asked seriously, "A Ning, how much money do you have?"
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