Speaking of mushrooms, Hua Zhi suddenly remembered, "How is the situation at the estate? The mushroom yield should be quite high by now."
Nian Qiu covered her mouth with a light laugh, "I thought you had forgotten. The daily mushroom output is very high. Besides supplying the Food Studio, Manager Chen sends people to transport all the remaining stock. I heard from him that the stewards from various households who wish to purchase them collect the goods at his designated location, and not a single mushroom is left unsold every day."
Manager Chen? That must be Chen Qing. It seemed she needed to find time to visit the estate. If the timing was right, she should expand this business. Making a mental note of this, Hua Zhi stood up, "Let's go to the Food Studio. I want to review the account books."
"Yes."
They had lunch at the Food Studio. Fu Dong exerted all her culinary skills to prepare a table full of dishes—small in portion but numerous in variety. Even the rice was elaborately prepared, fragrant and glutinous, perfectly suited to Hua Zhi's taste.
"By the way, Ying Chun, select some high-quality mushrooms and deliver them to our close acquaintances. Also, give each household a bottle of the mushroom oil that Fu Dong brewed. Don’t forget Madam Sun. With Little Six away from the capital, she has no one to remind her of him. Whenever we have something special to eat, make sure to send her a portion. You don’t need to seek my approval for this—arrange it carefully as you see fit."
"Yes."
After a moment’s thought, Hua Zhi turned to Fu Dong, "Prepare two jars of that mushroom oil for me. I’ll use them as gifts."
Fu Dong acknowledged and immediately set to work.
Occasional sounds drifted in from outside, but there was no clamor, no loud conversations that disrupted the atmosphere, and no drunken misconduct. The restraint of noble families was displayed here in its entirety. Once a certain standard of elegance was established, anyone who broke it would become unwelcome. The Food Studio wouldn’t even need to take action—that person would be shamed by other guests until they never dared return.
Overall, the Food Studio’s development was progressing just as she had anticipated.
Hua Zhi lowered her head to sip her tea. With this setup, the lower end had the snacks from those two streets, the mid-range had the seafood trade, and the high end had the Food Studio. Additionally, she controlled the mushroom and canned goods businesses, and there were dividends from the soap venture. All things considered, she had built a modestly thriving enterprise.
"Young Lady, Manager Chen is here."
"Tell him to go to the back alley." Hua Zhi stood up. "No need to follow me. Everyone, attend to your own tasks."
"Young Lady!" Ying Chun was extremely anxious. How could this be? The young lady shouldn’t go alone with a man. If anyone saw, all sorts of unpleasant rumors would spread.
Hua Zhi flicked her forehead lightly. "This matter is unusual. It’s better if I go alone. Don’t worry."
"But…"
"No buts. If you have nothing to do, go back and prepare a room. A child will be coming to stay with us."
"…" Ying Chun was at a loss for words. The young lady was just too popular with children—how many was this now!
An inconspicuous carriage was parked in the back alley, driven by Chen Qing. When he saw Hua Zhi emerge, he hurriedly bowed in greeting, "Eldest Miss."
"Manager Chen." Hua Zhi inclined her head slightly in return. The Heir’s steward was no ordinary person; though he showed her respect, she couldn’t take him lightly.
Chen Qing didn’t dare accept such deference and pretended not to notice as he stepped aside to lift the carriage curtain. "Eldest Miss, please."
As soon as her foot touched the step, a pair of hands reached out from inside the carriage. Hua Zhi didn’t need to look to know who it was. She laughed before even speaking, "Not surprised in the least."
Gu Yanxi laughed as well, pulling her into the carriage and lowering the curtain. Taking the jars from her hands, he asked, "What are these?""This is mushroom oil, made from shiitake mushrooms. Elderly people often have bland tastes, so this vegetarian oil should appeal to the Empress Dowager. Bring it with you when you enter the palace. If she likes it, she can ask Fu Dong for more in the future—it's not particularly precious."
Gu Yanxi gazed at her with tender eyes, remaining silent for a long moment before finally acknowledging with a soft "Hmm." He then changed the subject, "I heard you went to look at shopfronts. How did it go? Are you satisfied?"
"Ying Chun and the others know my requirements. They were quite pleased."
"Only the maids around you would dare wield such authority, even making decisions about purchases on their own." He knew A Zhi had been searching for shopfronts, but he hadn't had any suitable ones on hand. Later, he had accompanied her to the north, and upon returning, he learned from his subordinates that Ying Chun had spent thousands of taels to buy a shopfront. Judging by the timeline from her search to the purchase, it clearly wasn't decided while A Zhi was present—meaning Ying Chun had made the decision entirely on her own. It was hard to say whether Hua Zhi was bold or Ying Chun was bolder.
But those maids truly were daring. Even Fu Dong, who seemed the gentlest, was now shouldering significant responsibilities.
Hua Zhi couldn't hide her pride, "Over all these years, I've only managed to train these few people. Of course, they need to be capable."
"Aren't you worried they might betray you?"
"Would betraying me bring them a better life than staying with me?"
Of course not. Gu Yanxi chuckled wryly. No other master would treat them as well as Hua Zhi, who gave them her complete trust. If any of them dared to abscond with the money, their death contracts were in A Zhi's hands—capture would mean certain death. Anyone would know which choice to make.
Watching her smug expression, Gu Yanxi couldn't resist pinching her nose. This person—her trust was never given lightly, whether to those maids or to him. But once she gave it, it was wholehearted, without a trace of doubt.
Hua Zhi let him pinch her nose and even swayed playfully along with his gesture, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Her maids were capable, and several business ventures were all set, waiting only for the final push. All she had to do was wait to reap substantial profits—her mood was truly excellent.
The two of them gazed at each other, smiling foolishly, yet their joy was unmistakable.
The carriage came to a stop. Chen Qing didn't dare to lift the curtain but instead knocked lightly on the carriage door.
Soon, Gu Yanxi stepped out first, holding Hua Zhi's hand. When she descended, he simply lifted her down. Chen Qing kept his head lowered but couldn't resist stealing a glance from the corner of his eye. The sight made his cheeks flush, though the two of them appeared completely unruffled.
The carriage had stopped in what seemed like a back alley. Hua Zhi looked questioningly at Yanxi.
Gu Yanxi signaled for Chen Qing to lead the way and explained in a low voice, "We're keeping a low profile today. Let's just listen for now."
Hua Zhi immediately understood. Yanxi had no intention of confronting Haoyue directly. She knew Chen Qing had been impersonating Yanxi to get close to Haoyue, and it seemed this ruse would continue.
Chen Qing led them into a room, served tea, and at The Heir's signal, bowed and withdrew.
Hua Zhi examined the unremarkable room but, even after careful scrutiny, couldn't discern anything special. Gu Yanxi deliberately waited until she looked at him before leisurely walking to the cabinet on the right. He split the cabinet in half, revealing its hidden contents.
With the cabinet no longer blocking the view, she could see that two walls had been connected, with an opening the size of a door covered by an unknown material.Just as she was about to step forward to touch it, her hand was caught. Gu Yanxi made a shushing gesture toward her, moved the table and chairs to the center of the room, motioned for A Zhi to sit, and then took a seat himself.
Hua Zhi suppressed a laugh. This scene called for sunflower seeds—the essential accompaniment for opera-listening.
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