Knowing that the master was not very aware of the situation outside, Gu Yanxi picked out the important things to tell him and did not leave until dusk.
Chen Qing came forward, put the cloak on his master, raised his chin towards the carriage, and said, "The eldest lady asked you to rest."
Gu Yanxi smiled, patted Lin Ying's neck and got on the carriage.
"Make a summary of the important matters and hand it over to the master in person, as soon as possible."
"Yes." Chen Qing sat on the carriage and whipped the horse to start moving. "Have you invited the old leader to come out of the mountains?"
"The capital is the top priority. If I'm not here, I won't feel at ease without someone to keep me under control. You stay with Azhi and keep her safe. No matter what happens, Azhi's safety is the most important thing." There were blankets and hot water bottles in the carriage. He held them in his hands and smiled. Only Azhi treated him as a patient.
"yes."
Hua Zhi is not having an easy day today either. All business is opened today. Vegetarian food is fine as the orders only start from the 16th. Just like in the past, she only needs to prepare so many tables. Fu Dong is still the chef here. She has handed over the seafood to Liu Juan and only takes charge at critical moments.
The seafood is different. On the first day the shop opened, it was packed with customers. There were no seats left at noon. Fortunately, before the New Year, they bought a shop next door and made it into a waiting area. There was a brazier in the middle, so it was very warm. Everyone who came in sat down according to the order, and then went to the next shop according to the order.
It’s not that she hadn’t thought about connecting the two tables, but the shop was not big and only two tables would be enough. It would be very troublesome to really connect the two tables, so she just left it alone for the time being.
Not to mention Green Moss Lane and Liyun Lane, there were queues in front of every shop, with people lined up next to each other. If it weren't for the rule that queues cannot extend to the middle of the road, the alley would have been blocked long ago.
Hua Zhi looked everywhere and found the situation very good. She even seemed to hear the crisp sound of silver falling into her pocket.
People cannot live without food, clothing, housing and transportation, especially food. One can buy fewer new clothes, but one will be hungry if he does not eat. Anyone with a little extra money is willing to spend a little to satisfy his appetite.
Looking at this lively scene, Hua Zhi was eager to add one or two more businesses to her family's business, but after much hesitation, she decided to hold it back for now. She couldn't let the emperor find fault with her again.
After the meal, Gu Yanxi held up the teacup and said, "I asked someone to check those families. The Yuan family and the Yu family are not bad. Both their family traditions and the people themselves are clean."
"Very good. There are still several girls from the Hua family's side branches who are ready to get married. I'll ask my grandmother which family is more suitable for my second sister." Hua Zhi suddenly laughed, "We are still choosing people, and we don't know whether they will be interested in the current Hua family."
"Of course I will, Azhi. You protect your family very well, and everyone can see it." Just like my grandfather said, except for the eldest daughter who was out in the wind and waves, the others in the Hua family still had to study as usual, and those who had to stay in the inner house had to stay there as usual. There was nothing to complain about. No one expected that Hua Zhi could protect her family to this extent, but she did it, and turned herself into an indestructible wall guarding the front.
Gu Yanxi took Azhi's hand and kissed it. Her grandfather also said that now every family in the capital is a little soft-hearted towards Azhi. As men, they all believe that they cannot do better than Azhi, not to mention a woman who has troubles in everything when she goes out. From the way everyone calls her "young lady", one can see their implicit admiration for her.
His Ah Zhi, with her own strength, made those arrogant people dare not look down on her. If they knew what she did secretly, their jaws would drop. Gu Yanxi was very pleased with himself. Such an outstanding person was his!
Hua Zhi didn't think she was anything special, she was just doing the best she could.
"By the way, let me show you something."
Hua Zhi stood up and took a piece of paper with a picture on it. "This is sugar cane. It's called differently in different places. It's also called potato cane or sugar cane. Do you recognize it?"
"I've never seen it before, what's the use?"
"It can be used to make sugar. The cost is not high and the sugar quality is good. In some places, this sugar cane is only used by children to sweeten their mouths. It cannot be sold at a high price. If I remember correctly, it should be available in Yangzhou and Jingzhou."
"If it's not a rare item, then someone must have seen it. I'll ask the people below to ask." Gu Yanxi folded it carefully. "Is it a big deal?"
“What is the price of sugar now?”
“That… I don’t know.”
"This is embarrassing for you, Your Highness." Hua Zhi smiled. "As far as I know, the cheapest sugar costs 200 coins per pound, and the better quality ones cost 300 or 400 coins. If I can make better sugar than the ones on the market now, do you think this will be a big business?"
"Yes." Gu Yanxi liked to see Ah Zhi talking freely. She seemed to be glowing. "Are you planning to give this big deal to the emperor?"
"Well, we can only be better off if he feels better. We just lost face in front of him, so we have to comfort him."
Gu Yanxi laughed secretly, thinking that coaxing that person in this way should be very effective.
Hua Zhi glanced at him sideways, thinking that if she was unwilling, such a lucrative business would be given to her family and she could just sit back and collect the money.
However, the business can be handed over, but the process can be taken slowly. First, the stuff must be found, then it needs to be planted in large quantities, and after that, the production method must be slowly refined. There is no point in rushing these things. It will be a victory if we can produce sugar before the end of this year.
All she had to do was to show the emperor how profitable this deal was. As for the progress, he would know it later. She could make him happy for now and she could live in peace for a while.
Two days later, Gu Yanxi left Beijing.
Before leaving, he came to say goodbye to Ah Zhi, "If you have anything to do, let Chen Qing handle it. If the emperor embarrasses you, don't argue. Even for my sake, you have to bear with it, okay?"
"I know I can't fight against a rock with an egg."
Holding her in his arms, Gu Yanxi whispered in her ear, "Old Yu is back. Shaoyao doesn't need to go back to the palace. I have asked a master to look after the capital. If there is any emergency, let Chen Qing take you to the master. He is trustworthy."
"Okay." Hua Zhi hugged his waist, "Don't you have anything else to tell me?"
Gu Yanxi sighed. How could there be nothing? There were just too many and he didn’t know how to tell. If possible, he really wanted to keep the person by his side, so that he could feel at ease if he kept him within his sight.
After kissing her ear, Gu Yanxi's voice became softer, "I like you. I have never taken my heart away since we first met."
Gu Yanxi laughed softly, "Otherwise, why would I offer myself to be Mr. Wu? I just want to see you more, understand you better, and be closer to you. If I hadn't kept you warm every day, how could you have me in your heart?"
Hua Zhi smiled secretly, raised her head and kissed him, "I like you too, no less than you do."
Gu Yanxi chased after her and held her lips, kissing her gently for a long time before letting go, "Be well, don't get hurt, don't get sick, don't be sad, and don't be sad for anyone. I have never made you sad."
"All yours." Hua Zhi raised her hand and pressed it on his chest. "Protect yourself, and I'll come back with injuries to deal with you."
"As you wish, fiancée!"