Chapter 71

After leaving Xu’s Food Mansion, everyone went home. Most shops had already closed, waiting for the New Year. There weren’t many pedestrians on the road, as everyone was busy preparing for the New Year at home.

Madam Yuan and Madam Chen lived in adjacent alleys, and they usually walked together. Today was no different. As they walked, they talked about how well Boss Xu treated them.

Previously, they earned eight hundred wen a month. Their families already praised Boss Xu and encouraged them to work hard, making them the main breadwinners. Now, not only did their monthly wages increase by two hundred wen, but they also received a ten-tael silver red envelope for the New Year. When they got home and shared the news, their families would surely be surprised.

They also discussed that this matter should only be shared with their families and not mentioned outside to avoid jealousy and trouble for themselves and Xu’s Food Mansion.

Madam Yuan laughed and said, “I definitely won’t tell anyone outside.”

Who wouldn’t keep their earnings a secret? Blatantly sharing it would only invite envy.

The two happily returned home, bringing not only a lot of food but also the ten-tael silver red envelope.

Their families were amazed and repeatedly reminded them to work hard at Xu’s Food Mansion and stay loyal to Boss Xu, unlike Madam Sun in the past.

Madam Lin also returned home with Daniu and Erniu, all three with smiles on their faces. These days, Madam Lin hadn’t saved much money. She earned eight hundred wen a month, gave five hundred to the Luo family, and kept three hundred for herself. Even though she and her daughters ate and drank at the restaurant, she still had to buy some daily necessities, saving about a hundred wen each month, which was already very frugal. Now, with the ten-tael red envelope, she didn’t plan to give it to the Luo family. She intended to save it. With the monthly wage of one tael of silver next year, she could save more each month. Combined with the New Year’s red envelope, she could buy a house on North Street in a few years and settle down completely.

Luo Daniu also earned a monthly wage, the same as Madam Lin, eight hundred wen, plus the ten-tael red envelope at the end of the year. She knew Madam Lin was saving to buy a house and planned to save her wages as well, so they could buy the house sooner.

The mother and daughters chatted and laughed. Madam Lin asked what snacks the two girls wanted for the New Year and promised to buy them tomorrow. As they talked, Luo Daniu’s smile suddenly froze, and she pressed her lips together.

Madam Lin looked up and saw Old Madam Luo and Luo Dagen. The mother and son were returning on a donkey cart, seemingly from outside the town.

Old Madam Luo naturally saw Madam Lin and her daughters, rolled her eyes, and sneered, “Oh, isn’t this Madam Lin and my two ungrateful granddaughters?”

Madam Lin held Daniu and Erniu’s hands and didn’t intend to pay attention to the mother and son. She had no relationship with the Luo family and wasn’t afraid of them. She led her daughters away.

Today, Old Madam Luo and Luo Dagen had gone to another village to look at a girl. The girl had fox-like eyes, which Old Madam Luo didn’t like, but Luo Dagen did. The girl’s family seemed to be an orphan and asked for twenty tael silver bride price. Old Madam Luo thought it was too expensive, but Luo Dagen liked her and planned to propose after the New Year to marry her and have a son.

On the way back, Old Madam Luo gave Luo Dagen a bad idea, suggesting that after the New Year, he should take more goods and wander around the girl’s house to see if he could make her pregnant. Since the girl was alone, they wouldn’t even need to pay the twenty taels of silver if she got pregnant.

Luo Dagen was quite tempted, as he was reluctant to part with the twenty taels of silver.

Seeing her son listening, Old Madam Luo was very satisfied. When they ran into Madam Lin and her two ungrateful granddaughters, she was in a good mood and greeted them. But the three of them ignored her, and Madam Lin, that wretched woman, pulled her two ungrateful granddaughters away.

Old Madam Luo was a bit angry and said, “Hurry up and bring us this month’s money. Dagen is getting married after the New Year. The girl is beautiful and virtuous, and once married, she can give Dagen a son. Unlike you, a hen that doesn’t lay eggs, what’s the use of you? See if any man will want you in the future.”

Luo Dagen drove the cart without saying a word, still thinking about how to marry the girl without paying the bride price.

Madam Lin didn’t care. She only hoped the girl was fierce enough to control Old Madam Luo. She coldly said, “I’ll bring you the five hundred wen tomorrow.”

After saying that, she pulled Da Niu and Er Niu away.

Once they turned the corner and couldn’t see the Luo family anymore, Luo Daniu was furious but didn’t know how to curse. She just angrily said, “Bad people.”

Madam Lin laughed and said, “Daniu, don’t be angry. What’s there to be angry about? Boss Xu is good to us. Together, we earn forty taels of silver a year. In a few years, we can buy a house and settle down. Life is getting better and better. There’s no need to be angry with irrelevant people.”

Forty taels of silver a year was a huge sum here. If the Luo family knew, they would regret it deeply.

Madam Lin wasn’t angry. She felt that her current life was full of energy and only looked forward to the future without fear. With her daughters by her side, she wasn’t afraid of anything and wouldn’t get angry. Sometimes, taking a step forward was really that simple, but it took her more than ten years to dare to take that step. Her two daughters had changed the most since leaving the Luo family. They were no longer timid and began to shine.

Erniu also learned, “Sister, don’t be angry. She’s bad, and we won’t pay attention to her.”

Although the little girl was young, she remembered what Madam Lin and her sister had told her: the money her mother and elder sister earned couldn’t be mentioned outside. She kept her mouth shut and didn’t say anything to anyone, not even her close friends next door. She was quite clever. When the mother of her friend from North Street asked her, “Erniu, your mother earns eight hundred wen a month. Xu’s Food Mansion must be making a lot. Do you know how much your boss earns daily? Does your boss give your mother any bonuses?”

The little girl shook her head like a rattle drum, “I don’t know. What’s a bonus? The food at Xu’s Food Mansion is delicious.”

Seeing that she didn’t understand anything, the neighbors didn’t ask further. They didn’t have any ill intentions, just curiosity. They felt sorry for Madam Lin and her daughters and admired how Madam Lin had left the Luo family and become independent.

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The next day, Xu Qinyu slept until the hour of Chen. Madam Wen cooked some noodles, and everyone had a casual breakfast.

The dinner that night was the New Year’s Eve dinner. The ingredients had already been bought, and Madam Wen had prepared what she could. The rest, which couldn’t be prepared in advance, was left untouched.

This year, Xu Qinyu didn’t fry any food. She was busy with the restaurant, unlike last year when she started resting a few days before the New Year. So this year, she planned to make a table full of New Year’s dishes for everyone to enjoy.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was held at the Zhu family’s house. The two families lived close by, so they brought the food over once Xu Qinyu finished cooking.

Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu had come over to the old lady’s place the day before, but they didn’t bring all the children and grandchildren. There were too many children and grandchildren at home. Bringing them all would be crowded and noisy, and the old lady needed peace and quiet. Bringing them all would definitely disturb her.

Moreover, Mrs. Zhu had been calling the old lady “mother” for over a month. If the children and grandchildren came, they would have to change how they addressed her. They were afraid that if they weren’t careful, someone might overhear, and they couldn’t guarantee that the children and grandchildren wouldn’t spread the news. So they decided not to let them come for the New Year.

The old lady didn’t mind. She was old and had spent many years celebrating the New Year with her children and grandchildren. Now, she just wanted to spend the New Year with Shuniang.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was very sumptuous, with a table full of Xu Qinyu’s specialty dishes.

Knowing that the old lady loved red sugar glutinous rice porridge, Xu Qinyu made a pot of it. This porridge was very comforting to drink in winter, warming the body and making the internal organs feel smooth. It was definitely good for the body. The old lady drank two bowls every morning, and her complexion was indeed better than when she was in Raozhou City.

The family ate the New Year’s Eve dinner together. Although Madam Wen smiled, she was still worried about her son.

Xu Qinyu felt the same, thinking about Fourth Brother.

Fourth Brother was like family to her. Where had he gone? When would he come back? If he was on a business trip, why hadn’t there been any news?

Meanwhile, in a distant country, Pei Weixuan was sitting on the roof, looking at the distant moon. He knew that the time here was different from that in the Great Sheng Dynasty. When it was daytime in the Great Sheng Dynasty, it was night here.

It was now early morning, and the sky was just beginning to lighten. But it was probably late afternoon in the Great Sheng Dynasty, just in time for dinner. And this year, it was New Year’s Eve, so everyone should already be having their New Year’s Eve dinner.

Did Yuniang also make this year’s New Year’s Eve dinner?

Pei Weixuan sat on the roof, one long leg propped up, half-leaning against the eaves behind him, playing with a colorful glass hairpin in his hand. The glass hairpin was entirely begonia red but much more transparent, with a slightly lighter color. Because it was made of glass, it was semi-transparent, and you could see scattered golden light inside. The head of the hairpin was a round bead, also a light begonia color, with golden light flowing inside. Although the glass hairpin was simple and light in design, it was integrated and emitted a soft glow, making it very beautiful.

Huo Ye had just gotten up and was about to practice his sword when he looked up and saw his master sitting on the roof. He quickly jumped up and sat next to the Fourth Prince.

Seeing the Fourth Prince playing with the glass hairpin, Huo Ye exclaimed, “Your Highness, did you make this?”

This thing was called glass, and it was not yet available in the Great Sheng Dynasty, but it was a common craft here.

Since it was a craft, these blond and blue-eyed people knew they came from the other side of the sea and were unwilling to teach them how to make these crafts. He and the Prince only knew that this thing was made by firing, but they didn’t know the specifics. The Prince said he wanted to make a hairpin for his wife, and those people let him try it himself.

Unexpectedly, the Prince really made it, and the glass hairpin was indeed very beautiful.

Even Huo Ye had to admit the beauty of the hairpin. As a man, he couldn’t help but keep staring at it.

If this hairpin were brought back to the Great Sheng Dynasty, it would be a unique treasure worth ten thousand taels of silver.

Huo Ye actually thought the Prince’s desire to make a hairpin for his wife was an excuse. Because as long as the Prince made it once, he would understand everything. Now, the Fourth Prince probably knew the entire process of making glass.

Huo Ye truly admired the Prince. When they first arrived here, they were unfamiliar with the place, and these people spoke in a language they didn’t understand, looking at them as if they were monkeys. The Prince learned the language in half a month and could communicate fluently with these people.

Huo Ye said, “Your Highness, with this glass-making skill, we can make money when we return.”

With money, they could recruit soldiers and horses and pay everyone, so they wouldn’t have to live in hardship.

Pei Weixuan responded faintly, still thinking about home. It had been almost a year since he left, which he hadn’t anticipated. He didn’t realize that overseas countries were so far from the Great Sheng Dynasty. If he had known it would take this long, he would have asked Chen Yi, who stayed on the island, to send a letter to his family. He hoped his family was safe and sound. When he returned with these crops and the glass-making technology, he would send some black-armored guards to secretly protect his family.

The appearance of glass crafts would attract attention in the capital, and he was worried that the new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu would investigate him.

It would be best if they didn’t notice.

Regardless, his family’s safety was his top priority.

“Your Highness, when can we set off back?” Huo Ye was eager to leave this place. Not only did he not understand the language, but the food was also terrible. It was always roasted bread and sausages, and he was tired of the taste. He missed the food made by Young Lady Xu even more.

Pei Weixuan replied, “We will set off in another month.”

In winter, although the sea doesn’t freeze like ordinary rivers and lakes, there are cold waves, and the sea tides cause strong winds and huge waves. Going to sea at this time is a dead end. After the New Year, it will be the beginning of spring. As it starts to warm up, they can set sail and return to their homeland. By the time they return to the southwest, it will be almost summer.

Huo Ye’s face turned pale when he heard they had to wait another month.

Pei Weixuan carefully put the glass hairpin in his pocket, jumped down from the eaves, and said, “Let’s go back inside for breakfast.”

Huo Ye’s face turned even paler. “Your Highness, the food here is really terrible. Everyone has lost weight.”

Not to mention it couldn’t compare to what Young Lady Xu made, it wasn’t even as good as the ordinary food stalls in the Great Sheng Dynasty. They couldn’t get used to it, but the Prince still ate it every day as if nothing was wrong.

Not only had he lost weight, but the Prince had also lost weight. His jade-colored skin had tanned from being on the sea, but after resting here for the past two months, his skin had become a bit fairer again.

Pei Weixuan didn’t tell Huo Ye that he also missed the food made by Yu Niang.

It wasn’t just the food he missed…

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On Xu Qinyu’s side, after everyone finished the New Year’s Eve dinner with the old lady, they didn’t go out to the lantern market. They stayed at home and chatted with the old lady.

After a while, the old lady became tired and went back to her room to wash up and rest.

Xu Qinyu, Madam Wen, and Ning Jie’er also went back.

This year, Xu Qinyu didn’t feel like going to the lantern market. Running a restaurant meant she couldn’t rest for many days throughout the year. Now that she could rest for a few days in a row, she just wanted to relax. She was also worried about Fourth Brother’s safety and didn’t feel like going out to play.

Madam Wen felt the same, and even Ning Jie’er was worried about her fourth brother.

This year, apart from Mrs. Zhu finding the old lady, nothing else happened.

For the next three days, Xu Qinyu rested well at home. On the first and second days of the New Year, they had to visit relatives, but Xu Qinyu didn’t have to worry about it. Madam Wen took care of it.

The Pei family only had relatives from the Wen and Zhu families here. Madam Wen didn’t visit the main and second branches of the Wen family. She hadn’t even visited Old Master Wen. The Wen family had long known that Mrs. Zhu didn’t have tuberculosis. If she went back, Old Master Wen and Old Madam Wen wouldn’t treat her well and might even scold her. She didn’t want to go back and be scolded by the Wen family.

The third branch of the Wen family was Cheng Ge’er’s family, and they had to visit them as relatives. The two families saw each other almost every day, so they just needed to pay a New Year’s visit.

It was the same with the Zhu family. They just needed to visit, exchange a few words, and then leave.

These three days passed very quickly, and Xu Qinyu felt like it was over in the blink of an eye.

On the fourth day of the new year, the restaurant reopened.

Although the New Year had passed, it was still not spring, and the weather was still a bit cold, so everyone was still dressed warmly. Therefore, many people were still eating hotpot. Xu Qinyu estimated that hotpot would be popular for at least another month and would become a specialty of the restaurant. Even in summer, people could still enjoy hotpot, and drinking cold beverages while eating hotpot was also very appealing.

On the eighth day, Madam Lu from Raozhou City came to Yuanbao Town.

With summer approaching, it was time to start making wine, so they needed to find a winery, preferably a large one. Madam Lu anticipated that wine could become a big business, so she planned to buy a large winery. If there wasn’t a large winery available, she would have to find a place to build one.

Madam Lu arrived around noon, brought by Zhen Wu in a carriage. She might stay in Yuanbao Town for a few days, so she packed some luggage and planned to stay at an inn in Yuanbao Town.

She went directly to Xu’s Food Mansion.

At noon, everyone was taking a break. The kitchen and the front hall were cleaned, and the ingredients were prepared. Half an hour before dinner, Xu Qinyu would start cooking the soup base, and Cheng Ge’er and Feng Ge’er would cut the lamb, so everyone could rest during this time.

While resting, Xu Qinyu didn’t mind if there was no space in the backyard; they could lie on the long benches in the front hall.

Even at noon, the restaurant’s door had a “Closed” sign hanging on it. If they didn’t put up the sign, some diners who couldn’t get a spot for breakfast or dinner would come specifically at noon.

Xu Qinyu couldn’t work at high intensity all day; she needed to rest too.

Zhen Wu stopped the carriage, lifted the curtain, and helped Madam Lu down.

Madam Lu was beautiful, even though she was almost forty. Her skin was fair and delicate, and she wore a white embroidered silk robe with a matching long skirt and a cloak. She usually dressed elegantly and gracefully.

After getting off the carriage, Madam Lu looked at Xu’s Food Restaurant. The ground at the entrance was clean, and the open windows were spotless. She also saw the “Closed” sign hanging at the door.

Madam Lu lifted her skirt and entered the restaurant, followed silently by Zhen Wu.

Xu Qinyu was resting in the kitchen and wasn’t in the front.

In the front, Madam Lin and the others were resting on the long benches.

Madam Yuan heard the noise, sat up from the bench, and saw Madam Lu. She said, “Madam, we don’t serve customers at noon. If you want to eat, you’ll have to wait until dinner.”

Although Madam Lu dressed elegantly, it was clear that her clothes and cloak were not cheap. Madam Yuan thought she was just another wealthy lady from Yuanbao Town coming to dine.

Madam Lu smiled and said, “I’m not here to eat. I’m looking for your boss, Bpss Xu. Is she here? I’m from Raozhou City, here to discuss the wine business with her.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan immediately said, “Madam, please wait a moment. I’ll go get our boss.” She quickly went to the backyard to call someone.

When Xu Qinyu heard that someone from Raozhou City was here to discuss the wine business, she knew it was Madam Lu. She went to the front hall and saw that it was indeed Madam Lu.

Xu Qinyu smiled and said, “Madam Lu, are you here to look at the winery?”

Madam Lu nodded.

Xu Qinyu couldn’t help but glance at the man behind Madam Lu. He was tall and strong, with dark skin and a handsome face, probably in his thirties.

After a quick look, Xu Qinyu invited Madam Lu to sit by the window.

Madam Lin went to the kitchen to make three cups of tea and then quietly left.

Madam Lu explained her purpose, and Xu Qinyu said, “I bought a workshop before the New Year. It used to be a winery, but I now use it to cure ham. I’ve used four or five rooms, and there are about ten rooms left.” She also mentioned the size of the winery.

Her workshop was previously a small winery, so it couldn’t produce much wine.

Madam Lu knew that the workshop was too small and wouldn’t be able to store many wine jars. The finished product would only be a few thousand bottles, which wouldn’t be enough for several trips by the trade caravan.

However, they still went to the workshop on North Street to take a look.

Today, Mo Yu was guarding the workshop. When it heard footsteps at the entrance, it came over and squatted at the door, howling. It recognized Xu Qinyu’s footsteps.

Xu Qinyu smiled and said to Madam Lu, “Inside is my pet leopard, Mo Yu. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt anyone.”

Madam Lu was curious. When Xu Qinyu opened the door, Mo Yu became even more excited, circling and rubbing against her legs.

Zhen Wu moved from Madam Lu’s side to her other side, probably to protect her from the leopard. Seeing the big leopard being so affectionate, he relaxed.

Madam Lu found the leopard amusing, like a big dog, so close to people. She had been a bit worried, but now she wasn’t afraid at all. She couldn’t help but reach out and pet Mo Yu. It felt even better than the silk she was wearing. It seemed that Young Lady Xu had taken good care of the leopard.

After Mo Yu rubbed against Xu Qinyu for a while, the three of them entered the workshop. Xu Qinyu also showed Madam Lu the hams she was curing.

Madam Lu didn’t mind, thinking they were just ordinary cured pig legs. She didn’t understand why they were still hanging, as cured meat could be eaten after a month.

The workshop was indeed small, and Madam Lu knew it couldn’t store much wine. Even in Yuanbao Town, there wasn’t a large enough winery. She planned to see if there was any land in Yuanbao Town to build a winery. If not, she would have to find land in nearby villages, which would be easier.

Xu Qinyu didn’t need to manage the winery for making wine, but she hoped it would be close for convenience.

Madam Lu and Xu Qinyu returned to the restaurant. Before leaving, Xu Qinyu told Mo Yu to watch over the workshop. Although it wasn’t necessary during the day, as many people were around and no one would dare climb the walls, the two pets were diligent. She told them to watch over the hams, and they took turns even during the day.

Mo Yu gently rubbed against Xu Qinyu again and then lay down in front of the room full of hams.

Xu Qinyu and Madam Lu then left.

As they went out, they encountered a few young men looking like ordinary street hooligans. The hooligans glanced at Xu Qinyu and Madam Lu, then looked into the workshop. They didn’t see Mo Yu, who had its back to them, but they did smell a faint aroma of cured meat, which was much more fragrant than ordinary cured meat, even though the scent was faint.

Zhen Wu gave them a look, and the hooligans, somewhat afraid of him, quickly ran away.

Xu Qinyu didn’t pay much attention to it and got into the carriage with Madam Lu to return to Xu’s Food Mansion. After chatting for a while, Madam Lu said, “I’ll go find an inn to stay at first. Tomorrow, I’ll walk around the town to see if I can find a large winery or some land.”

Madam Lu left with Zhen Wu.

They found an inn and settled in. Zhen Wu moved the luggage from the carriage to the best room. After resting for an hour, Madam Lu asked Zhen Wu, “Is it late afternoon now? You haven’t tried the food at Young Lady Xu’s restaurant, have you? Let’s go to Xu’s Food Mansion for dinner tonight.”