Chapter 172 A distinguished visitor
early morning.
It's a beautiful day.
Magpies climbed onto branches.
The continuous rain that had been falling for several days finally stopped.
After a series of loud thunder explosions.
The chicken mushrooms and fungi in the mountains have all sprouted out.
Jiangzhou Yipinju has launched a new dish, which is different from the rare and expensive wild delicacies such as chicken mushroom and bamboo fungus.
This new dish is both delicious and approachable.
It is almost famous far and wide.
From high-ranking officials to ordinary people, many people come here just to try it.
On the official road, a convoy sped towards Jiangzhou City.
In the middle was a troika, surrounded by a small team of light cavalry for protection.
Because the convoy was a bit conspicuous and there didn't seem to be many guards, we still encountered a few groups of reckless bandits along the way...
All of them come but never return.
Even the bandits inexplicably lost their lair.
When approaching Jiangzhou City.
The convoy slowed down and drove slowly into the city.
Pedestrians are used to seeing cars coming and going these days, so they don't find it strange.
Jiangzhou City is not like the capital.
Because the emperor is far away, there is no strict hierarchy in the configuration of carriages and horses.
There were also many wealthy businessmen who traveled in three or four carriages.
Everyone was just wondering why the entourage in this team was so tall and strong, unlike those in other teams.
The carriage stopped.
Stopped at the door of Yipinju.
The common people did not find it strange. There were now all kinds of carriages parked on this street, all of which were coming to Yipinju on Sajin Street to eat delicacies.
The maid lifted the curtain.
A delicate white hand stretched out from inside. Even before seeing the face, I felt that the person sitting in the car must be a very elegant beauty.
As a result, the beauty stuck her head out, looked around from the carriage, and then holding the maid's hand, she jumped off the carriage.
The movements are bold and unrestrained.
She is a beauty, and a handsome and handsome woman with neat and clean clothes.
It is beautiful, but not elegant.
But it gives people a noble and cheerful feeling.
I thought there was no one in the carriage, but the beautiful woman got out of the carriage and stretched her hand back.
I saw another slender and tender white hand resting on hers.
The person who came out at this moment was truly a beauty, a quiet and beautiful young girl.
The girl took her elder sister's hand and stepped gracefully down from the carriage.
The two of them walked into Yipinju together.
There were only two guards and two maids following him.
When Shopkeeper Jin saw the carriage parked outside the door, he hurried out to greet it.
As a result, he just stood there in a daze, "Second...Second Miss..."
His eyes swept over the young woman and the girl, finally stopping at the two guards behind him.
He suppressed his surprise.
After a moment of shock, he came to his senses and said respectfully, "Dear guests, please come to the private room upstairs!"
He led a few people to the third floor and closed the door.
Shopkeeper Jin then formally bowed again, "Master, Second Miss, Son-in-law, Third Miss... why are you here?"
He almost thought he was dazzled.
The young lady waved her hand and said with a smile, "It seems we have scared Manager Jin!"
Shopkeeper Jin put away his curiosity and responded, "Second Miss, that's not true. It's your own place. You can come whenever you want. There's no need to be scared."
Several people sat down one by one.
The youngest girl began to fuss with the tea set and made tea for her brothers and sisters herself.
This is one of her many hobbies.
While the little girl was making tea, the tall guard beside him spoke, "Jin Su, go and arrange some wine and food first, according to the preferences of the second and third ladies."
The man had a stern face, with a murderous air.
It’s not that he was born like this, but he has a sense of majesty because of years of marching and fighting.
It makes people afraid to look directly at it.
"Yes, Patriarch."
Shopkeeper Jin stepped back and quickly ordered his servants to serve wine and food.
The man's surname was Mu, his given name was Jin, and his courtesy name was Yunji.
He is the youngest and most promising general in Daliang, and also the youngest duke, Duke Shen.
He also has another identity, the owner of Yipinju.
And those two girls were the second and third girls of the Duke's Mansion.
The second girl, Mu Jiangyue, is already married.
The man she was going to marry was the one sitting next to her, who was wearing a guard's uniform but looked gentle and refined, with a bit of the look of a scholar.
The current Shaoqing of Dali Temple is Yan Huan.
The third girl, Mu Qianxue.
She is still a little girl who has not yet reached the age of marriage.
Although she is young, she has been helping Madam Mu with household affairs for many years and is one of the most distinguished ladies in the capital.
Their father, the late Duke, was a pillar of the country and a founding minister.
Their aunt is the current empress dowager.
The Mu family has a very respected status in the entire Daliang, and this Duke Shen is a pillar of the country. He often leads troops to fight outside and protect the people of Daliang.
Haven't been back for many years.
When he saw him today, Shopkeeper Jin almost didn't recognize him.
It’s not that the appearance has changed much.
But during the many years he was in the military camp, he always had a beard that covered most of his face.
When I saw him today, I saw that his face was cleanly shaved, and he was definitely a handsome man.
The food was served and Manager Jin was waiting by their side.
He would steal glances at his master from time to time, and wondered why his master, who was so handsome and already an adult, was so stubborn.
Old Madam Mu and the Queen Mother were almost worried to death.
The Mu family was already dwindling in numbers, with him being the only heir. If anything happened to him on the battlefield, it would be very bad.
The incense must not be cut off.
Not only was the old lady worried, he was also worried about his master.
Mu Jiangyue saw Jin Su stealing glances at her brother intentionally or unintentionally, and frowned from time to time.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Jin Su, do you think my elder brother is any different from before?"
Shopkeeper Jin thought for a moment and replied, "Everywhere is different."
It seems that he is deliberately trying to hide his edge, but has started to pay attention to his appearance.
Yan Huan echoed her wife, "What exactly is different? Tell me."
Shopkeeper Jin said with a smile, "Sir, it's obvious. Now that you've shaved your beard, you look even more handsome and majestic. I'm afraid you won't find a man as dignified and noble as my Duke in the whole of Daliang."
Obviously, this flattery is very pleasing to the ears.
Mu Yunji raised the corner of his mouth and said, "Jin Su's monthly salary will be doubled this year."
Everyone looked at each other.
It's strange that their unkempt big brother has actually started to pay attention to his appearance.
The sun rises from the west.
After dinner.
Mu Jiangyue began to look through the accounts of Yipinju.
I was shocked when I saw it.
He looked at Mu Yunji in disbelief, "Brother, your Pinju has made more money in just one year than it did in the past three or four years. The profit has increased several times. How on earth did you do it?"
Three years ago.
The eldest brother suddenly took Yipinju from my mother.
I originally thought he was going to sell it to subsidize military use, but I didn't expect that his business would become more and more prosperous and he would become famous throughout Daliang.
This made her and her third sister very curious and they both wanted to learn some business tips.
Mu Qianxue rested her chin on her hand and looked at her brother curiously.
"Brother, please tell me, is there someone behind this who is giving you advice?"
Seeing his master smiling foolishly without saying anything, Shopkeeper Jin was about to speak, "It's Madam Lu..."
The words that were on the tip of his tongue were swept back by Mu Yunji with a glance.
He swallowed and didn't dare to say a word.
Judging from this, it seems that the second and third girls don’t know that Yipinju has a new owner.
Mu Yunji picked up the tea and drank it all in one gulp.
Looking at Shopkeeper Jin, the corners of his lips curled up, "You'll have to ask Jin Su about this. You know, I don't have the time to take care of these things, and I don't understand business."
Shopkeeper Jin: ...
This... doesn't it mean he is not allowed to say it?
Should I say it or not? How should I say it?
He was a little troubled.
It is said that military generals are straightforward, but looking at this Duke, his intestines are actually twisted in more than ten ways.
It's so awkward.
Shopkeeper Jin is a person who has experienced this.
He somewhat understood his master's thoughts.
The Duke must not want his family to know that he has sold most of the Yipinju.
And it was sold to the one I loved.
Although he and Madam Lu had known each other for many years, they were ultimately not destined to be together.
Maybe the King of Xiang is in love with the goddess but she is not interested.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have married and had children so early, without giving him any chance at all.
Now, the money he got from selling the shop will definitely be used to support the frontier soldiers.
I have never seen a general like him who pays out of his own pocket.
Mu Jiangyue looked at him and said, "Manager Jin, why don't you just stop talking halfway?"
No one knows a brother better than his sister. This master and servant must be hiding something from her.
Big brother is different from other generals.
He is both civil and military.
When he was young, he was rebellious and did not want to live under the protection of his family and his father. He wanted to create his own world.
So he studied and practiced martial arts since he was young, without missing out on anything.
He passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi at the age of eighteen.
He quickly became a popular figure in Beijing.
But in that year, the Northern Di invaded, his father died in battle, and his military generals died.
The eldest brother resolutely gave up literature and took up military affairs, inherited his father's will and title, put on military uniform and rushed to the battlefield.
He said that there were many Jinshi in Daliang State.
However, there were only a few generals who could lead troops to fight and defeat the Northern Di.
Thousands of soldiers on the frontier need him, and the battlefield needs him.
So, before he even reached adulthood, he followed General Lu Huaian, the Northern Guardian, to the northern border.
Never to return.
In fifteen years, I have only been back twice.
He did not return to Beijing until General Lu was wrongfully imprisoned.
While shouldering the heavy responsibility in the army, he was also tracking down the whereabouts of the military pay.
Finally, hard work pays off.
He discovered that large amounts of silver, money and grain were continuously being transported into Prince Su's fiefdom.
We also received news that someone in Jiangzhou was secretly refining official silver.
This is when I came to Jiangzhou on orders.
Her husband and elder brother came to investigate a case, which was a case involving a good friend's family. She was willing to risk her life for them, so of course she had to come and help.
Mu Jiangyue looked at Mu Yunji: "Brother, are you hiding something from me?"
"No, don't make blind guesses."
Mu Yunji felt a little guilty. His second sister had been good friends with Qingyao since childhood, and he was afraid that she would let the cat out of the bag whether he told her or not.
My second sister's mouth leaks air easily.
Especially in front of good friends, there is simply no way.
Shopkeeper Jin stepped forward to help, "Second Miss, the Duke is busy with state affairs, so he doesn't have time to care about business matters. You should ask him, why not ask me..."
Mu Jiangyue glanced at him sideways, "Then tell me, why are you still talking in riddles?"
"Yes, yes, I said..."
"There's no one behind this Pinju, it just has Madam Lu's guidance and Princess Liang's financial support..."
"Is there such a thing?"
Mu Jiangyue learned about Yaoyao selling bamboo shoots from the letter. Now that she had her own business, she didn't have to worry about him anymore.
A lot of Jiangzhou specialties were sent to her every year.
It turned out that the goods were supplied to her brother's shop. This time she had to thank her brother a lot on behalf of Yaoyao.
Holding Mu Yunji's hand, he said, "Brother, you are helping Yaoyao because of me, thank you!"
Yaoyao didn't want her to be implicated by her family affairs, so she refused her help every time and even disappeared with the children for a long time.
Thanks to Mrs. Cui letting the cat out of the bag, she learned that her good friend had actually come to Jiangzhou.
I didn’t quite understand it at first.
I only found out the whole story after exchanging letters.
Mu Yunji smiled awkwardly, "I... I didn't know anything about it, it was all just a coincidence..."
If Qingyao knew, she would definitely feel disgusted.
If she had not been unhappy and her family had not suffered a disaster, he would never have disturbed her in his life.
Shopkeeper Jin shamelessly explained, "Second Miss, the Duke is indeed unaware of this. Coincidentally, it was Madam Lu who first approached me about selling bamboo shoots. This is how we have continued to cooperate. She not only supplies Yipinju with bamboo shoots, but also bamboo fungus, mushrooms, rice, and even recipes..."
"There's a talented person in her house who has developed many new dishes for Yipinju. With good ingredients and constantly introducing new dishes, Yipinju has prospered. It's a mutually beneficial thing, so there's no question of one person helping the other."
"Yes, that's right. Sister, please don't tell others that I am the owner of Yipinju." Mu Yunji nodded in agreement.
It seems that inviting Jin Su to Jiangzhou was a good decision. This man's mouth is worth ten mouths.
He was so worried that he couldn't eat his meals properly, and his meals tasted like chewing wax.
What a pity for those bamboo shoots...
"I understand! Big brother, I understand. Qingyao is afraid of getting us into trouble and has been refusing to accept help. I won't tell anyone." Mu Jiangyue looked like he understood.
She also told her husband and Mu Qianxue not to let the secret slip.
Suddenly, his eyes moved, and he looked at Mu Yunji eagerly, "Brother, now that you know it's Yaoyao, you have to help her more. How about... why not give her some dividends every year?"
Mu Yunji's face turned red and white, which made Manager Jin want to laugh.
He said embarrassedly, "I have the same plan...but you have to keep your mouth shut."
Mu Jiangyue nodded obediently.
Pulling her eldest brother's arm, she acted coquettishly, "Of course, I know that eldest brother loves his younger sister the most. You will definitely help Qingyao."
After hearing her say this, Mu Yunji felt a little relieved.
Fortunately, I didn't think of going anywhere else.
But Yan Huan's brows twitched when he saw it.
When did his wife become so gentle and soft-spoken? She is like a tigress at home.
Then Mu Jiangyue rolled his eyes at him.
Mu Qianxue took the account from her sister and took a look at it, and was also very surprised.
But what surprised her even more was that the street where Jiangzhou Yipinju was located was full of restaurants, inns and hotels, and business was still booming, which did not affect Yipinju at all.
"Shopkeeper Jin, why is it that this street is full of competitors, yet they haven't taken away Yipinju's business?"
Shopkeeper Jin smiled and said, "Miss San, this street is called Sajin Street. In fact, all the shops on this street have been bought by Yipinju. These restaurants, hotels, and inns are all rented from us, and they all use our ingredients. Each one has its own unique characteristics..."
Mu Jiangyue and his sister all widened their eyes.
Even Mu Yunji didn't know about this, after all, he didn't care about it.
Mu Qianxue asked curiously, "Then isn't the restaurant business in other parts of Jiangzhou very bleak?"
Shopkeeper Jin shook his head. "That's not true. Nowadays, Sajin Street in Jiangzhou is a well-known food street. It brings together most of Jiangzhou's restaurants and wine shops. Restaurants from other places can also move here and rent shops. There are all kinds of shops, big and small. This street has become the most lively district in Jiangzhou..."
Mu Qianxue nodded, completely stunned. "This way, the restaurants and hotels will actually be doing even better business than before. If they're doing well, Yipinju will naturally be making a fortune..."
"That's true." Shopkeeper Jin's face froze with smile.
It has to be said that Madam Lu and her clever daughter are truly business geniuses.
The little girl said: "Mom, can you gather all the delicious food in Jiangzhou on Sajin Street? Miaomiao's feet hurt from running around eating..."
Then, Yipinju had more business.
…
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