In the capital city, everyone knows that the previous teahouse is undergoing renovations and plans to reopen with a slogan targeting exclusively female clientele.

That’s quite intriguing.

As widely known, teahouses have traditionally catered to male customers, often hosting poetry and literary gatherings to attract attention and build reputation. Now, the teahouse is actively giving up on male customers. Isn’t that digging their own grave?

“I heard earlier that this teahouse was struggling to stay afloat.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard that too. Apparently, two new teahouses opened across the street. Just for that, the tea master at the new teahouse has extraordinary skills, drawing everyone away.”

“So, are they giving up?”

“It’s possible.”

Regardless of everyone’s speculations, the slogans and news released by the teahouse still attracted a lot of attention.

The Crown Prince was no exception.

“Sir, why do you think Ah Heng suddenly did this?” Following Chen Huanzhi’s previous advice, the Crown Prince had his sister and daughter go to their father, cry a little, and act coquettishly, and soon the matter was settled.

Seeing things from another’s perspective, the Crown Prince felt he probably couldn’t withstand the assault of these two women’s tears either.

Indeed, one should not underestimate a woman’s tears.

“I am truly clueless when it comes to business matters, Your Highness. But since Master Chen has done this, I believe he must have his own plans.”

“Sir, you are right. I was just too impatient.” Leaning on the railing, the Crown Prince couldn’t help but sigh. “I remember when Ah Heng was selected as a study companion, he was so young. I didn’t expect that in the blink of an eye, he would be able to share my worries.”

Although it was called a study companion, the Crown Prince had raised Chen Huanzhi like his own son, so their bond was naturally extraordinary. Now that Chen Huanzhi was dealing with such matters for the first time, the Crown Prince naturally felt some concern.

Actually, he felt a bit embarrassed to hand over this kind of task that no one was willing to do to Chen Huanzhi. However, if Chen Huanzhi could handle it well, those who thought Ah Heng was too young and inexperienced would have to shut their mouths.

When someone accomplishes what you couldn’t, there’s no reason for you to continue to interfere.

Meanwhile, Dong Changyang lay on her bed, seeing through Chen Huanzhi’s eyes into the “ancient times.”

Initially, Dong Changyang had just used the excuse to send Chen Huanzhi to see how the opening of the new shop went. But as she began to truly observe through his eyes, Dong Changyang started to feel a different kind of sensation.

After lighting the incense, what she saw through his eyes wasn’t just like watching TV, with an obvious sense of distance, but a vivid “seeing.”

Whatever Chen Huanzhi saw, she could see it too.

It was almost as if she was truly immersed in the ancient world.

“Is there no one else in the world who can truly experience the sights of ancient times like I can?

The dimensions here, the scenery here, the streets here, the people here, and all the bits and pieces are transmitted through one person’s eyes to an unknown future many years later, and are truly seen by someone from another time and space.

Excitement?

Excitement?

Honor?

All of these exist, but beyond these, there are many more emotions shining in Dong Changyang’s heart.

The ancient streets seen through the eyes of Chen Huanzhi and Dong Changyang are different from the scenes in TV dramas.

There aren’t as many colorful colors here, and upon closer inspection, it’s mostly shades of gray and white.

The people on the street don’t wear as much jewelry; more often, they just tie their hair up, with more copper and wooden hairpins. Occasionally, there are a few people dressed exceptionally brightly, often accompanied by many guards.

You can see the class at a glance.

You can tell the differences at a glance.

“Young master, do we need to go down?” The attendant asked from outside the carriage.

Truly strange.

Rarely do we see him carrying an incense burner onto the carriage today? If he didn’t have the incense burner, the young master could easily ride a horse.

Perhaps, it’s because the young master is actually a bit nervous.

“No need, we can just stay here and observe,” Chen Huanzhi was about to shake his head, then suddenly remembered that Changyang might not have seen anything yet, so he changed his mind, “You go to the restaurant and reserve a window seat, so we can get a clear view of the teahouse.”

“Yes.”

The attendant dismounted to go reserve the spot, suddenly realizing that the young master had slipped up earlier.

“I, we?”

After its renovation, the teahouse was renamed “Jinjiang Pavilion.”

Typically, teahouses often take names from classical literature to attract scholars and literati, but this teahouse, specializing in women’s business, naturally needed a name that set it apart from others.

Although customs regarding women are more relaxed nowadays compared to previous dynasties, noblewomen who can stroll freely on the streets are still few.

Jinjiang Pavilion aims to provide women with a quiet place to rest and chat, especially when they are tired from shopping.

After all, there isn’t a teahouse in the current capital specifically designated for women’s use; usually, noble ladies of prestigious families would use a vacant room at home, accompanied by servants, while remaining cautious of certain types of scholars.

Chen Huanzhi envisioned creating such a place partly to appreciate Dong Changyang’s notion of “women’s power” and partly to forge a new path.

If their teahouse were to compete normally with others, it would certainly require a significant investment of time and effort, which might not be cost-effective.

Before Jinjiang Pavilion opened, Chen Huanzhi had already coordinated with the Crown Prince, inviting the princesses and county princesses to warm the opening day, along with inviting some close noblewomen.

“Wow, will there be princesses and county princesses? Are the princesses here beautiful?” Dong Changyang exclaimed excitedly, rolling around on the bed.

Chen Huanzhi simply couldn’t bear to watch Dong Changyang’s current behavior.

Even if he were a boy, rolling around on the bed like this wasn’t appropriate.

Dong Changyang seemed to be in an overly excited mood right now, almost forgetting to maintain his composure in front of Chen Huanzhi.

But! This is a genuine princess!

A princess!

For girls who have been influenced by various fairy tales in modern times, who hasn’t fantasized about being a princess from those stories? Who wouldn’t be excited when about to meet a princess?

No one!

Absolutely no one!

“Changyang, calm down a bit,” Chen Huanzhi advised.

Dong Changyang realized that he might have exposed his true nature a bit and quickly leaned against the headboard, obediently smoothing out the blanket. “Sorry, Chen Big Brother, I’m just a bit excited.”

Seeing that Chen Huanzhi seemed a bit skeptical, Dong Changyang resorted to the universal excuse, “I’m still young.”

Just a minor.

This phrase is indeed handy in modern times, but it might not be so in ancient times.

At sixteen years old, here, one could already be married and having children.

Chen Huanzhi wisely refrained from uttering these words.

Luckily, Chen Huanzhi had sent all the servants away beforehand, so he was alone in the room.

He quietly opened the window a bit, from where he could clearly observe the comings and goings at Jinjiang Pavilion. However, seeing back from there would be more troublesome.

After all, Chen Huanzhi had his reputation to consider.

Jinjiang Pavilion primarily conducted business for women. If someone caught him openly staring at the women coming and going, rumors would surely fly tomorrow.

Meanwhile, through Chen Huanzhi’s eyes, Dong Changyang quickly spotted over a dozen luxurious carriages slowly approaching.

Oh my, white horses!

However, none of these white horses were as handsome as the one Chen Big Brother rode the first time they met.

The first person to step down from the carriage was a rather dignified woman.

She was tall and wore relatively simple attire. The jewelry on her head was also quite ordinary, giving her a simple yet elegant beauty.

“Chen Big Brother, this must be the princess,” Dong Changyang affirmed confidently.

“Correct,” Chen Huanzhi nodded. “I didn’t expect you to recognize her without relying on her robes.”

“I’m supposed to be the top student in everyone’s eyes, having topped the exams twice through thick and thin,” Dong Changyang couldn’t help but defend herself a bit. “How could such a simple thing escape me?”

Furthermore, even if she might have mistaken the princess due to her simple attire, when someone could solve a test question in two ways, how could she possibly be mistaken about a person?

“The princess grew up alongside the Crown Prince and has loved practicing swordplay and martial arts since childhood. She also has her own unique views on clothing and jewelry. Perhaps today she just came down from the training ground, hence the slightly simpler attire,” Chen Huanzhi explained simply and clearly.

After the princess stepped down, the second person to alight was a charmingly dressed young girl, slightly younger than herself. She immediately came over and warmly held hands with the princess, seeming somewhat familiar.

It suddenly struck her – she had seen this girl once before when she came looking for Chen Big Brother. Despite Chen Big Brother clearly saying he wasn’t seeing anyone, this girl still managed to come in, and then he left without even lighting incense.

The princess was fine; clearly older than Chen Big Brother and already married with a family.

But regarding this county princess, Dong Changyang suddenly felt a pang of crisis.

Girls always paid more attention to other girls.

With the princess and the county princess holding the scene, Jinjiang Pavilion quickly became lively.

Of course, these noble ladies have seen it all, haven’t they? Even if they come here as invited guests now, if Jinjiang Pavilion doesn’t meet their expectations, they definitely won’t come again next time. But if it can earn good word of mouth, then there’s no worry about customers.

The flagship of Jinjiang Pavilion is naturally its variety of cakes.

According to the tastes of these noble ladies, different cakes have been made into different fruit flavors, and their delicacy is beyond reproach.

Meanwhile, Chen Huanzhi also received a piece of cake.

“… You really made it?” Dong Changyang looked somewhat surprised at the cake placed in front of Chen Huanzhi. “Chen Big Brother, is this your signature dish?”

“Yeah, and I’ve given it a new name. Just calling it ‘cake’ would easily give away the ingredients. But the cake base is easy to imitate, whereas the cream is not,” Chen Huanzhi explained.

Milk was never popular in the capital, and whipping egg whites and sugar into this cloud-like shape could probably sustain for a long time.

Dong Changyang suddenly felt the gap in intelligence.

Chen Big Brother isn’t even a few years older than her, so why is she only good at eating while others know how to make money?

No, it’s probably because the era Chen Big Brother is from didn’t have cakes.

They didn’t even have mahjong there!

The appearance of the cake indeed captivated the hearts of these noble young ladies.

The princess and the county princess were fine, having eaten beforehand, which made them appear more generous.

This cake was fragrant and sweet, completely different from the snacks they usually ate. What’s more wonderful was the layer of “white clouds” on top, soft and delicate, with a very special texture that made people unable to stop at just one bite.

“This dessert is only available at Jinjiang Pavilion,” the county princess spoke first. “Even for me, there’s no way around it. After all, it’s the flagship treasure of Jinjiang Pavilion. I wouldn’t feel right asking for it.”

Someone had to be the scapegoat in the end.

The county princess was the eldest daughter of the Crown Prince and also the granddaughter of His Majesty. A few days ago, her tearful display had been quite powerful, causing several princes to retreat their hands, almost wishing to comfort their own daughters with a cry.

It was widely known that His Royal Highness doted on this daughter very much. As for who owned this teahouse, everyone played dumb knowing it was His Royal Highness’s property. With the county princess speaking up like this, even if others wanted the recipe, they wouldn’t dare to ask.

This was the difference between having power and not having it.

If one lacked power, even if they had a flagship treasure or a unique ancestral recipe, they would be snatched away by the powerful using various means. If they encountered kind-hearted individuals, they might still purchase as usual, but if they met those with malicious intent, they could easily fabricate charges.

However, Chen Huanzhi had temporarily not discussed these darker matters with Dong Changyang.

“If we have cakes, guests will definitely come in droves,” Dong Changyang pondered. “Should I go buy some cooking books for you? Recipes like double-skinned milk, pudding, and such, I’ll tell you how to make them.”

“No rush,” Chen Huanyu declined, despite being moved by Dong Changyang’s offer.

“Why not?”

“Fresh things, if introduced too frequently, can become a hassle,” Chen Huanzhi replied. “Although the cake is popular, people here are more accustomed to familiar tastes from their childhood. Occasionally having cake is fine, but if similar items are introduced too often, it becomes troublesome.”

After all, their main task was to gather intelligence, not to operate a confectionery.

“Oh,” Dong Changyang seemed to grasp but not entirely, “But now, Brother Chen, you’re not worried anymore, right?”

“Yeah,” Chen Huanzhi nodded slightly, “The effect is better than I imagined. As long as Jinjiang Pavilion can survive the initial phase, we’ll naturally gather a lot of information later on.”

By then, even if several other princes wanted to outspend them and squeeze Jinjiang Pavilion, it would be too late.

“Gathering information?” Dong Changyang blinked, wondering if she had misheard.

“Yeah, because men’s affairs are usually hard to hide from their wives and daughters. Many officials at court are tight-lipped, but they tend to reveal things in front of their families. If we can effectively collect this information, we can be well-prepared in advance,” Chen Huanzhi briefly explained their plan.

Of course, things weren’t that simple.

Sometimes, they could also obtain information from the wives and daughters.

“Ah? But in our TV dramas, this kind of information gathering is usually associated with gambling dens and brothels!”

“Gambling dens can’t interfere anymore, and as for brothels… high-ranking officials of the court can’t visit them. It’s just some idle officials who can, and everyone turns a blind eye.”

“The existence of Jinjiang Pavilion allows the wives to relax and inadvertently reveal some secrets during casual conversations.”

“!!!”

So cunning

Dong Changyang began to reflect on whether she had said anything that Chen Huanzhi could use against her.

Hmm… she couldn’t think of anything.

“Just kidding. You’ve seen enough, right? The incense is almost burnt out. This is my matter, and I’ll think about it carefully,” Chen Huanzhi said, noticing Dong Changyang biting her lip and feeling tempted to poke her cheek.

“Wait, wait, Brother Chen, I… I have a way to help you solve your troubles!” Dong Changyang’s eyes sparkled, her face clearly saying, “Praise me, praise me.”

“What?” Chen Huanzhi couldn’t help but laugh.

He looked really good when he smiled.

Dong Changyang covered her chest. “Ah, ah, ah, so dazzling, you’re practically surrounded by a backdrop of flowers! Fortunately, we have many handsome male stars here; otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

“What?” Chen Huanzhi didn’t quite understand Dong Changyang’s words.

Dazzling?

“It’s nothing,” Dong Changyang coughed, “My inner fangirl just acted up. You wouldn’t understand.”

Fangirl?

“Ahem, getting back to the point, Brother Chen, making the ladies inadvertently spill secrets is actually quite easy,” Dong Changyang pointed at herself. “Mahjong! Just get them to play mahjong. I guarantee you’ll know what brand of underwear their husbands wear!”

——No need to know that.