Chapter 108

Jiang Yanyi knew that she was now a future princess, and if the new emperor sneaked into the city, he would definitely target her.

In order not to cause trouble for Feng Shuo, she stayed at home for the next few days, pretending to be sick, and rarely went to Ruyi Tower. She always asked Yang Xiu to do everything.

Because Feng Shuo never ate on time, Jiang Yanyi prepared the food and brought it to him at mealtime, and watched him finish eating before returning.

Seeing that Bing Shao could run the noodle shop on his own, Yang Xiu had been with her for so long, and with him watching over Ruyi Tower, nothing would go wrong. Jiang Yanyi calculated that after the funds were recovered, she would still have to discuss the porcelain kiln business.

Although Feng Shuo meant that the porcelain kiln business was not easy to do and that it would not make money in the short term, how could one know if he did not try?

After all, in the world where she originally lived, porcelain was very popular in foreign countries.

If Yang Xiu was willing to continue to work with her, Ruyi Building would have to hire a manager to manage the daily chores in the building; but if Yang Xiu wanted to stay in Ruyi Building, she would not force him. It was just that Yang Xiu was reliable and smart, and no matter what, Jiang Yanyi would always feel more at ease to let him do it.

Chu Shubao and Chu Jiabao heard that Jiang Yanyi was ill, and they brought Chu Huibao, the youngest of the Chu family, to visit her once.

"Everyone in the mansion has ordered two sets of new clothes for the New Year. I didn't come here just to see you. My sister-in-law asked me to bring back your and Yan Gui's measurements so that the embroidery workshop can make them before the New Year." Chu Shubao held Chu Huibao's hand to prevent her from touching the walnut cakes on the plate, and said to Jiang Yanyi, "Grandma has caught a cold these days, so I asked you to dress warmly."

Jiang Yanyi, who was pretending to be sick, couldn't help feeling guilty, "I think grandma is old, so she should take care of herself. When I get better from the cold, I'll go to see her."

Chu Shubao said, "It will be New Year's Eve soon. When the time comes, you can come back with Yan Gui and live there. Come back here after the New Year."

Before she knew it, Chu Huibao had picked up an orange from the fruit plate, peeled it and started eating it.

Chu Shubao said with a headache: "Huibao, didn't you just eat two strings of Tanghulu on the way here?"

Chu Huibao looked at her elder sister, then at Jiang Yanyi, her little round face looked so innocent: "Tanghulu is not enough to fill

you up." Chu Shubao said: "Save some space for your meal later."

Chu Huibao held another orange and refused to let go: "Oranges are full of water, so they won't take up space if you eat them."

The sisters were amused by her words.

Chu Jiabao threatened her: "Huibao, you are so greedy, be careful to meet a bad mother-in-law who won't give you food in the future."

Chu Huibao heard this and really showed a scared look, and put the orange back into the fruit plate.

Jiang Yanyi said with a smile: "Don't scare Huibao."

Chu Shubao said: "Ayi, don't treat her like your second brother. She has two rotten teeth in her mouth. She will be in pain."

Chu Huibao looked unconvinced: "The nanny said that those two teeth will grow new ones after they fall out."

Chu Shubao pinched her chubby face: "Wait until you have replaced your teeth. If your teeth are rotten, they will never grow again."

Chu Huibao was guilty and scared, and made a face at her sister

in anger. Chu Shubao held her forehead and said to Jiang Yanyi with a tearful face: "Look, I have to worry about the rouge business in Ruyi Tower, and I have to be angry with this little girl when I go home. I am so worried that there are spots on my face."

It is called a spot, but it is actually a small black spot that cannot be seen clearly if you don't look carefully.

Jiang Yanyi stood up and said, "I made a pot of honey grapefruit tea. It is said that drinking it regularly can remove freckles. I will make you a cup to try."

She bought some grapefruits before and made it for herself.

Chu Shubao was very excited when she heard that it could remove freckles. "There is such a good thing. Yi, go and get it for us to see."

Jiang Yanyi quickly brought a small porcelain pot and opened the oil paper that sealed the pot. Instantly, a sweet and citric fragrance wafted out.

Several sisters gathered around immediately.

In the white porcelain pot, the golden syrup was as sticky as honey, and the fine grapefruit skin inside was golden and translucent. Just looking at it would increase one's appetite.

Jiang Yanyi used a small clay stove indoors to boil a pot of water, poured it into a small white porcelain bowl with a gold-rimmed edge, then added cold water to lower the water temperature, scooped a full spoonful of honey and grapefruit syrup into the warm water to dissolve.

The reason for using warm water is that high temperatures will destroy the nutrients in the honey.

As the syrup melted, the small bowl of tea turned into a beautiful light golden color.

Chu Huibao took a sip first. She smacked her lips, as if she didn't taste the flavor. She buried her head and gulped down the whole bowl of water. Then she said, "It's sweet, but a little sour. It tastes good."

She looked at the remaining syrup in the porcelain jar eagerly and asked Jiang Yanyi, "Second sister, can I eat this directly as a snack?"

Jiang Yanyi was embarrassed to say that she often scooped this out as jam. When she was in the mood, she would toast a slice of bread and spread the sauce on it, which was also a kind of enjoyment.

She coughed twice and said, "Of course, you can, but you have cavities, so you can't eat it."

Chu Huibao's face was instantly frustrated.

Chu Shubao and Chu Jiabao were both amazed after drinking the honey sleeve tea.

Chu Shubao said, "Ayi, why don't you sell this tea in Ruyi Tower?"

Jiang Yanyi hesitated and said, "Grapefruit is only available in autumn and winter, and honey is not cheap either." After

she said that, Chu Shubao understood.

She thought for a moment and said, "Ayi, I will give you 30% of the profit from selling rouge. You teach me this recipe, and I will go back and ask the chef in the mansion to make it and see if I can sell it among the ladies of prominent status. Do you think it's possible?"

Jiang Yanyi smiled and said, "If you want to use the recipe, just take it, but don't ask for the profit."

Chu Shubao was serious for a rare time, "That won't do. Thanks to your Ruyi Tower for having so many customers, my rouge business can continue. You only collected rent before and didn't ask for profit. I have already felt bad, I have to accept it this time, otherwise... otherwise I will not go to Ruyi Building to sell rouge."

Rouge was run by her and Chu Jiabao, Jiang Yanyi couldn't bear to ask them for so much dividends, and said helplessly: "One percent is enough."

Chu Shubao said nothing, and Chu Jiabao followed suit. In the end, they both took a step back. In addition to the rent, Jiang Yanyi took the two of them as dividends and wrote the recipe of honey sleeve tea to Chu Shubao.

The method of making honey sleeve tea is simple. After washing the grapefruit, use a knife to peel off the yellow-green skin. Try to make it as thin as possible, and don't scrape the white flesh, otherwise it will have a bitter taste.

This step tests your knife skills and patience. Cut the peel into thin strips. Jiang Yanyi is good at knife skills. If she wants to show off her skills, she can cut it into thin strips as thin as hair.

Sleeve peel is a kind of medicinal material that can relieve phlegm and cough. Soaking sleeve peel in water and drinking it has the same effect.

Peel and pit the grapefruit pulp, mash it and put it into the pot with the shredded sleeve peel, add sugar and boil it with water, boil it over high heat, and simmer it over low heat.

Stir the pulp when it becomes viscous. If it becomes sticky, the sleeve tea will be bitter. When the orange peel is cooked into a translucent golden color, you can turn off the heat.

When the pulp cools down, add honey and mix well. Honey is a natural preservative, and the fruit syrup made from it can be stored for a long time. However, for the sake of safety, Jiang Yanyi only makes a small amount each time, and soaks it in water and eats it as a snack. A small porcelain jar can be finished in a few days.

The third sister of the Chu family had a happy meal at her place, and went back in the afternoon with the recipe for honey sleeve tea.

Although the Chu family would make two sets of new clothes for her and Chu Yangui, Jiang Yanyi still asked Mrs. Chen from the clothing shop to make two sets for Chu Yangui as well. What the Chu family made was Madam Chu's care for them, and what she asked others to make was her gift to her brother.

The material and lining were all selected by Jiang Yanyi herself, the fabric is Hang silk, and the base is duck down.

The employees of the noodle shop and Ruyilou had to be given new clothes for the New Year. Ordinary cloth and cotton wool didn't cost much. Such small favors during festivals not only increased the loyalty of the employees, but also made them feel proud. After all, other shops didn't have such treatment.

It was not so easy for other restaurants or noodle shops to poach people. Even some ordinary people were proud to be employees of Ruyilou.

Mrs. Chen from the clothing shop next door often joked with Jiang Yanyi, "My shop relies on making clothes for the employees in your shop. The business can only be done."

When Jiang Yanyi had free time, he would go to the next door to learn embroidery from Mrs. Chen, just as a way to cultivate his character.

Her embroidery skills were average. The last time she made a set of knee pads for Feng Shuo on his birthday, she had wasted a lot of her efforts, but unfortunately the finished product was not satisfactory. In her heart, Jiang Yanyi still wanted to wait until her embroidery skills were up to standard so that she could make a piece of clothing for Feng Shuo herself. What

made her laugh and cry was that He Xingniang, who ran a jewelry shop across the street, heard that Jiang Yanyi's Ruyi Building was doing a booming business and that all the shop owners who rushed to rent stalls from her were making a lot of money, so she also became interested. She used to be at odds with Jiang Yanyi in every way, but when she saw that Jiang Yanyi was getting close to Madam Chen, she shamelessly came over with an embroidery basket and tried to find something to talk about.

Nine out of ten sentences she said were flattering to Jiang Yanyi, and one was disparaging Lai Fu Restaurant.

"The Laifu Antique Soup Shop is thicker than a city wall. What's wrong with imitating you? Your Antique Soup Shop has now opened a big restaurant, and fewer and fewer customers go there." He Xingniang spoke in a voice like singing, with a bit of ups and downs.

"If you ask me, Shopkeeper Jiang... Hey, look at my mouth, now it's Shopkeeper Chu, and soon it will be Princess of Liaoning. You are the one who will make a lot of money. Hey, when I saw you for the first time, I felt that you had an extraordinary demeanor. I thought which family could raise such a beautiful girl..."

Jiang Yanyi seriously suspected that there was something wrong with her memory. This was different from what Xingniang said when she mocked her at the beginning. How harsh it was, but now it seems like nothing happened, praising her to the sky.

She exchanged a glance with Mrs. Chen, who was holding the needle and thread, moving quickly on the material, shook her head, and smiled helplessly at Jiang Yanyi.

He Xingniang talked for a long time, her throat almost smoking, but Jiang Yanyi just ignored her and pretended not to see her.

He Xingniang was very flexible. She didn't get angry even after being ignored by Jiang Yanyi for such a long time, and she didn't even look embarrassed: "Manager Chu, please tell me, I want to rent a place in your Ruyi Tower to sell jewelry."

Jiang Yanyi politely declined: "It's already rented out."

"Hey, how... how can it be rented out? There is clearly a notice for rent posted downstairs of Ruyi Tower..." He Xingniang wanted to continue nagging, but Qiu Kui came to the door: "Hua... Boss."

Aunt Guo had told Qiu Kui that she had to call Jiang Yanyi the boss or manager when she was outside, and Qiu Kui has now slowly changed her words.

Seeing Qiu Kui's anxious and hesitant expression, Jiang Yanyi knew that she must have something to say to him, so he said goodbye to Chen Niangzi. After she stood up, He Xingniang wanted to chase her to talk about renting the property, but Jiang Yanyi said politely but distantly: "I have something to do at home. I will talk to He the shopkeeper another day."

This sentence blocked all the conversations with Xingniang, but it was unknown when this "other day" would come.

Jiang Yanyi took Qiu Kui back to the shop.

Qiu Kui was carrying a vegetable basket in his arm, and it was obvious that he had just gone out to buy vegetables.

Jiang Yanyi asked her, "What's wrong?"

Qiu Kui pinched the corner of her clothes, looked at Jiang Yanyi nervously, and asked, "Huahua, you said before that all my wages were deposited with you, how much do you have now?"

The monthly salary of an ordinary cook in Xizhou is 500 wen. Jiang Yanyi has been paying Qiu Kui the same amount from the beginning, and now only more than three months have passed.

She said, "Before, I calculated one yuan a month for selling antique soup. Now that you are running a shop by yourself selling noodles and oden, I will calculate fifteen yuan a month. By the end of this month, you will have deposited four or five yuan with me."

"What? Are you buying a new house? Silly girl, just don't tell me about such a big thing. I have prepared a lot of money for your dowry."

Jiang Yanyi took care of Qiu Kui's food and accommodation, and also provided her with snacks. Qiu Kui had never asked Jiang Yanyi about his wages, but she suddenly asked about it today. The only thing Jiang Yanyi could think of was that she and Luo the blacksmith were going to buy a new house.

Qiu Kui shook her head: "I'm not buying a house."

She seemed to be afraid that Jiang Yanyi would be cruel to her. After hesitating for a while, she said: "On the way to buy vegetables, I met a girl who sold herself to bury her father. I... I want to buy her."

When Qiu Kui said this, Jiang Yanyi understood that Qiu Kui was kind-hearted, because when her own parents died, they didn't have a coffin, let alone a straw mat. This has always been a thorn in her heart, so when she saw someone selling herself to bury her father, she could easily empathize.

Jiang Yanyi asked her, "Could she be a charlatan?"

Qiu Kui shook her head like a rattle: "I squatted on the street corner and watched her for a long time. She is not a charlatan. That girl has a big birthmark on her face. No one is willing to buy her. They say she is unlucky."

Jiang Yanyi sighed, took out five taels of silver from his waistband and gave it to Qiu Kui, "You take this silver to that girl and let her bury her father properly. I will pay this sum of money. If there is any left, let her keep it and use it as a scam."

In troubled times, people's lives are worthless. She runs a small business and cannot help everyone in the world, but if she encounters such a situation, she will still help if she can.

Qiu Kui took the silver and her eyes were red: "Thank you, Huahua."

Jiang Yanyi said, "Just think of it as a good deed. Go quickly."

Qiu Kui nodded, put down the basket and trotted out the door.

Jiang Yanyi thought that the matter was over, but unexpectedly, when Qiu Kui went to open the door of the shop the next morning, he saw the "snowman" standing at the door of the shop.

Jiang Yanyi heard Qiu Kui say that the girl who sold herself to bury her father yesterday came to the door, and he was surprised when he went out to see.

The girl's head and shoulders were all covered with snow, and it was unknown how long she had been standing outside the shop.

She was petite, like a little bean, but she was carrying a big knife behind her that was completely inconsistent with her figure. Her hair was messy, and a lot of hair hung down, covering most of her face. The birthmark on her face was partially covered, but there was still a large red mark extending from the left side of her face to her neck. Her clothes were tattered, just like a beggar.

When Jiang Yanyi was looking at her, she was also looking at Jiang Yanyi, but her gaze was different from any gaze Jiang Yanyi had ever encountered before. This girl could make people feel the weight in her gaze just by looking at someone.

That heavy feeling can only be described by weight.

Jiang Yanyi smiled at her politely and said, "It's snowing hard outside, let's talk inside."

The little girl went into the house with her big knife on her back. Aunt Guo heard the noise outside and came out. When she saw the knife on her body, she became alert instantly.

The little girl seemed to have the sharpness of a wolf. She also glanced at Aunt Guo. When her eyes fell on Jiang Yanyi, she asked, "Did you buy me?"

Her voice was a little hoarse, and she didn't know if it was because of injury or natural.

Jiang Yanyi nodded slightly, "Yes."

The little girl said, "Before my father died, I swore that whoever paid to bury my father would be my slave for ten years. From today on, I will follow you."

Jiang Yanyi felt that the little girl might be a bandit, and said, "I have no shortage of servants here. Since you have buried your father, go find your relatives. If the entanglement is not enough, I can give you more entanglement."

"I have no relatives."

The little girl's voice was very hoarse when she said this. Her hair covered most of her face, and Jiang Yanyi could not see her expression.

"I made a vow before my father died, and I cannot break it."

Jiang Yanyi said with a headache, "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Jiang Yanyi looked her up and down. This skinny little body really didn't look like seventeen years old.

She continued to ask: "What's your name?"

"My father didn't give me a name, he always called me a girl."

Jiang Yanyi glanced at the big knife on her back and asked: "What did you do before?"

"I followed my father to escort."

Jiang Yanyi was a little surprised and said: "Is your father a escort master?"

The little girl nodded.

Jiang Yanyi and Auntie Guo looked at each other. If an escort agency wants to stand firm, it must have connections with both the officialdom and the outlaws.

Auntie Guo knew more about this than Jiang Yanyi. She asked: "What's your father's name?"

The little girl uttered three words in a hoarse voice: "Huo Linshan."

Jiang Yanyi didn't know who Huo Linshan was, but Auntie Guo knew that he was one of the best escort masters in the capital.

When the world is in chaos, merchants naturally have to flee to places where there is no war. If they can't take their valuable belongings with them, they will ask the escort agency to send them there. The common people could not even afford to eat, and there were many bandits who occupied the mountains and became kings. It was common for them to rob and kill people and steal their belongings.

After Aunt Guo whispered all this to Jiang Yanyi, Jiang Yanyi looked at the girl and said, "Do you know martial arts?"

The girl nodded and boasted, "The guy next to you is no match for me."

Aunt Guo could tell from the girl's breath after she entered the house that she was quite skilled, but her arrogance still made her a little unhappy. She said to Jiang Yanyi, "Boss, I can try this girl."

Now is an extraordinary period, and a little girl who knows martial arts suddenly appeared. Jiang Yanyi wanted to keep her, but was wary of tricks. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Let's go to the back yard, where there's more space. Call Uncle Zhong out as well."

Feng Shuo sent shadow guards to keep an eye on the surroundings of the house. When Aunt Guo and the girl fought in the yard, the other shadow guards would definitely notice what was happening here, and if anything happened, they would be able to come over in time. Chu Zhong was called to prevent the girl from having any ulterior

motives. If something really happened, Aunt Guo and Chu Zhong would have a better chance of winning if they joined forces. Chu Zhong was called to the yard outside and stood beside Jiang Yanyi. Aunt Guo and the girl were already fighting in the yard.

Jiang Yanyi was an outsider and could not understand the moves, but Aunt Guo had been able to protect her from a group of assassins before, so she still trusted Aunt Guo's skills. Every move of the girl was big and powerful. Although she looked thin and small, she was very strong. She crushed several bricks in the yard.

Jiang Yanyi felt that Aunt Guo and the girl were fighting hard, so she asked Chu Zhong: "How is it?"

Chu Zhong whispered: "The girl's breath is more stable."

What he meant was that in the end, if nothing unexpected happened, the girl would have a greater chance of winning.

This result really surprised Jiang Yanyi.

In the end, Aunt Guo did not win the fight with the girl, and Jiang Yanyi stopped them and asked them to wash their faces and have breakfast together.

Chu Zhong asked Jiang Yanyi privately: "Miss, do you want to use this girl?"

Jiang Yanyi thought for a while and said: "Put her in the noodle shop first."

Putting the person under her nose, the other party is very skilled in martial arts. If he really has ulterior motives, she would be inviting a wolf into the house.

Putting her in the noodle shop, Bing Shao can still watch her, and she can't cause any trouble.

Chu Zhong also agreed with Jiang Yanyi's approach.

Qiu Kui may have felt that the girl was in the same boat as her, so she took extra care of her.

When Aunt Guo finished washing her face and went out, Qiu Kui saw that the girl's hands and face were dirty, and she didn't know how long it had been since she had washed properly. She secretly handed her a piece of soap and said, "Don't be afraid, the Hua... Dong family is very good, and Aunt Guo and Uncle Zhong are also good people."

The little girl held the soap to her nose and sniffed it before using it on her body. It was not known whether she was curious about the fragrance or wanted to smell whether it was poisonous.

She knew that she was dirty, so she said to Qiu Kui, "I want to use this water to wipe my body."

Qiu Kui misunderstood and quickly went back to her room to get a set of her own clothes and gave them to her. The little girl refused to wear Qiu Kui's clothes.

However, Qiu Kui still accidentally saw a sheepskin scroll in the outer robe she took off.

She curiously asked the little girl, "What is this."

The little girl tied her hair up because she was washing her face. Half of her face was covered with scary red spots. I don’t know if it was because Qiu Kui helped her get close to Qiu Kui or because she saw Qiu Kui was foolishly defenseless against her. She said, “Someone asked my father to take this thing on this convoy. My father and the owner of the goods are dead. I don’t know what it is.”

Qiu Kui saw her fighting with Aunt Guo and saw how powerful she was. She said, “You are so powerful, your father must be more powerful.”

“Of course!” The little girl’s eyes were a little red, and her lips were tightly pursed: “If it weren’t for that female quack doctor, my father would not have lost!”

Breakfast was mushroom chicken porridge with sauced pancakes.

The porridge was very thick, and the chicken was torn into shreds, fresh, fragrant, tender, and boneless.

The dough of the sauce-scented biscuits is kneaded many times, and not only does it have thousands of folds inside, but also seasoned pork stuffing is stuffed into it when the dough is kneaded. A thin layer of oil is brushed on the bottom of the pan, and the biscuits are flattened and fried until both sides are golden brown. The meat stuffing inside is also cooked, and sprinkled with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, which makes it more fragrant.

Jiang Yanyi likes spicy food, and will spread hot sauce on the cut sauce-scented biscuits. A bite of chicken porridge is soft, sticky and sticky, and a bite of sauce-scented biscuits is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, spicy and appetizing.

Except for Chu Yangui and Duke Chen who ate in the inner courtyard, everyone else sat around a table in the shop to eat.

The little girl looked at the bowl of porridge in front of her, which contained not only rice but also meat. She almost gobbled it up in one mouthful. She finished half of the bowl of porridge in one mouthful. She had never smelled the fragrance of soy sauce pancakes before, so she took a bite with her hands.

She was like a hungry little animal that suddenly had two bowls of meat in front of it and didn't know which one to eat first.

Jiang Yanyi originally made an extra portion and planned to give it to Feng Shuo after she finished eating it. As a result, after finishing the meal, she found that this little girl had an amazing appetite and ate most of Feng Shuo's portion.