Chapter 28 Miss Wen, I don't eat outsiders' food
"The martial arts competition at the garden party?" Xie Shian scratched his head. "I remember my eldest brother participated in it six years ago and won first place for three consecutive years. Later, he joined the army and was busy fighting, so he didn't go again. If I could win first place, my father would definitely praise me and maybe not beat me. But..."
He hesitated for a moment for some reason.
After a long while, he seemed to have made up his mind and said, "Okay, I'll go!"
After convincing Xie Shian, Wen Xingluo was about to return to Xiejinyuan when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Does Fourth Brother have enough pocket money?"
Xie Shian cried, "How is this possible?! You don't know, my father scolded me for being stupid and embarrassing him, and he has already stopped paying my monthly allowance for two months! Even the red envelopes I received during the first month of the year were taken away by him!"
"Fourth brother, I have a way to make money."
Wen Xingluo stood on tiptoe and whispered something in Xie Shian's ear.
This method was thought up by her in her previous life.
She used this method to earn Wen Ruyun's first pot of gold in her previous life at the garden party.
Although she does not plan to do business to make money in this life, it does not prevent her from using ready-made ideas to save more private money for herself.
Xie Shian's eyes lit up: "This business is feasible! If we do it together, we will definitely make a lot of money!"
He didn't even go fishing, and stayed with Wen Xingluo all day, planning their business.
Many times in the evening, when Xie Guanlan returned home from work at the yamen, he would run into these two men with their maids and servants, bargaining in the shops along the street, and stealthily loading bags of goods into the carriage.
After running into them several times, Xie Guanlan pulled the reins and said to Fushan, "Go see what they are doing."
He suspected that there must be something bad going on when these two people were hanging out together.
Fushan quickly returned to report, "The Fourth Young Master and Miss Wen are buying candy."
"Buy candy?"
Xie Guanlan held the reins and thought of the bag of dragon beard candy he had left in the west wing.
Fushan scratched his head. "According to the Fourth Young Master, he and Miss Wen plan to take advantage of the garden party to set up a stall in Fang Garden to sell things, and they are busy purchasing goods now."
Xie Guanlan's gaze passed over the bustling crowd on the street and fell on the girl not far away.
The spring chill had subsided, and today she wore a narrow-sleeved tunic made of embroidered green gauze, with a peach-pink embroidered half-sleeve over it. The emerald green skirt tied at her waist cascaded down, swaying like water.
Perhaps because she had been busy all day, a fine drop of sweat oozed from the tip of her fair nose, and her cheeks were as red as jade. She was standing at the bottom of the steps holding a bag of rock honey, with her eyebrows curved and her head raised, smiling and thanking the shopkeeper.
The golden evening light danced on the silver butterfly on the edge of her bun, reflecting a shimmering light.
The fifteen-year-old girl inherited her mother's beauty, attracting passers-by to look back in amazement.
Although the customs in the southwest are open-minded and there is no rule that women cannot show up in public, she was too ostentatious, like an uncontrollable butterfly in spring. If Xie Guanlan wasn't paying attention, she would fly out of the palace happily.
“Big Brother!”
Xie Shian came over carrying a bag of goods: "Are you off duty?"
Xie Guanlan looked him over and asked, "You want to do business?"
"Yeah, Wen Xingluo came up with a business idea, so I joined in."
Wen Xingluo had already finished talking to the shopkeeper.
She walked to Xie Shi'an with Shi Mi in her arms, worried that Xie Guanlan would look down on her small business and stop her and Xie Shi'an.
After all, this world emphasizes scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, and merchants are ranked at the bottom.
In his previous life, Wen Ruyun looked down on this business, but he was not good at studying or martial arts, so in the end, it was only after her constant persuasion that he reluctantly agreed to try his hand at business.
Unexpectedly, Xie Guanlan did not criticize them.
He stroked the reins. "Rock honey is expensive, and ordinary people probably can't afford it. Why not sell malt sugar?"
Rock honey and malt sugar are both sugar, but rock honey tastes better. Unfortunately, it is expensive and only nobles can afford it.
"Brother, you don't understand this, do you?" Xie Shian smiled cunningly, "Who said we only sell rock honey?"
Xie Guanlan glanced at their carriage.
The carriage was piled with goods. Except for the more valuable rock honey and refined salt, the rest were worthless little things, such as dried fruits, rice cakes, and even hundreds of palm-sized sewn dolls wholesaled.
Xie Guanlan pondered for a moment and quickly guessed what business Wen Xingluo wanted to do.
He said, "Miss Wen is quite clever."
A strange emotion surged in Wen Xingluo's heart.
In her previous life, Wen Ruyun had never praised her for her intelligence.
Wen Ruyun said that she stinked of money, was a bug obsessed with money, was full of disgusting evil intentions, and was extremely materialistic and vulgar.
But Xie Guanlan did not look down on her because of her business.
She plucked up her courage and handed Xie Guanlan a piece of candy.
When she looked up at him, her round almond-shaped eyes were particularly dark, moist and clear.
Xie Guanlan lowered his eyes and glanced at Wen Xingluo, a light chuckle flickered across his thin lips, and he whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Miss Wen, I don't eat outsiders' food."
He didn't take the candy.
Wen Xingluo watched him disappear into the distance.
He had just finished his shift and was still wearing the first-rank crimson arrow-sleeved military officer's robe with its waist buckle fluttering. The thin golden evening light outlined his upright figure with broad shoulders and narrow waist.
She remembered the scene where he lowered his eyes and smiled.
It is as gorgeous and beautiful as the golden crabapple, yet as distant and cold as the barren mountains and wild waters.
Xie Guanlan...
Although he seems gentle and amiable, it is indeed difficult to be truly accepted by him.
Wen Xingluo ate the candy himself and got into the carriage with Xie Shian.
The sugar cubes melt between the lips and teeth, so sweet.
She touched the large bag of refined salt and asked, "Fourth brother, are you sure we have a salt and iron merchant order issued by the government?"
According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, salt and iron were owned by the imperial court, and private traders were not allowed to operate them without a special business license issued by the government.
Although there are still many vendors secretly selling private salt, the people do not report them and the officials do not investigate, so the people are happy to buy private salt at a lower price.
But Wen Xingluo was worried that on the day of the garden party, someone with ulterior motives, such as Wen Ruyun and others, would report her and Xie Shi'an to the government, accusing them of smuggling salt.
Therefore, she wanted to take precautions in advance.
"Have you forgotten? My third brother is a businessman!" Xie Shian stacked the goods neatly. "My third brother has been doing business in Chengdu since he was fourteen years old. He has already applied for a salt sales permit. You can rest assured. Not to mention that we are only selling a few dozen kilograms of salt, even if we sell salt from the salt mine, no one will dare to say anything!"
Wen Xingluo was finally relieved.
…
On the eighth day of April, the Spring Garden Festival officially begins.
Chengnan Fangyuan covers an area of thousands of hectares, with mountains, rivers and pavilions stretching endlessly. Vendors have already occupied prime locations and are now bustling with hawkers.
Wen Xingluo arranged for Cuicui and Xie Shian's two servants to set up stalls to sell goods. She, Xie Shian and his group of friends went straight to Xihe Gallery.
The Xihe Corridor is winding and full of calligraphy and paintings, which has attracted many literati to admire and comment on it.
Xie Shian mobilized his friends and quickly found her work: "Xingluo, your calligraphy is here!"
Wen Xingluo looked up.
Her calligraphy was hung together with the calligraphy works of two other girls in the girls' class. In the corner was a cinnabar red seal, which was carved for her by Xie Guanlan.
Wen Xingluo squeezed the purse containing the seal, and soft ripples appeared in her almond-shaped eyes.
Suddenly, a polite voice came from the side: "This year, several female students at White Crane Academy have very good handwriting. Could Commander Xie please give them some comments?"
She looked towards the end of Xihe Corridor.
Several officials were surrounding Xie Guanlan and Prefect Du.
The person who just spoke was Governor Du.
As they approached, Wen Xingluo came to his senses and saluted with Xie Shian and others.
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