225, Preparations (3 more releases)
Xuan Mu’s transformation was well known to the Lady of Xuan. In the past, the lesser sons, emboldened by the old master Xuan’s favor, sought affirmation from Xuan Mu. He had never minded their interruptions, but this time, asserting his authority as the eldest brother, he scolded several of his half-brothers. He informed the old master Xuan that they had disrupted his studies and accused them of harboring ill intentions and disrespecting their elders, laying out several charges against them. He also revealed their bullying done under the guise of their family status, using the example of the Duke Residence lady who was forcibly returned to the capital by Prince Huan. He questioned whether they wished to see the Xuan Residence face extermination and the confiscation of property.
The color drained from the faces of the lesser brothers, frightening them, and the old master Xuan trembled with anger. He severely enforced family discipline, locking them in the ancestral hall. Even their mothers were scolded and ordered to be educated by the Lady of Xuan, who decreed they should no longer be seen. The concubines were anxious, previously causing trouble without consequence. Now, they shrank in the courtyards like quails, daring not to emerge. The Lady of Xuan used the opportunity to reorganize the household, disposing of those with different allegiances or sending them to the manor, substituting them with her own confidants.
Meanwhile, Xuan Mu, who had always been secluded with his studies, now dressed in fine silks and visited the gentlemen who had passed the preliminary imperial examinations. He sought their advice on what to pay attention to for the upcoming provincial exams and strategies for solving exam questions.
His change brought satisfaction to the Lady of Xuan, yet amidst this satisfaction, she knew the naive, kind-hearted, and gentle Xuan Mu would never return.
Xie Zhinuan was unaware of these official matters. She was busy moving to a new residence, taking Yuanbao to organize Li Hengyi’s quarters.
Li Hengyi owned many exquisite belongings, so much so that they could not all be accommodated, resulting in many items being given to Xie Zhinuan. She didn’t object to the gifts; on the contrary, she kept everything.
After she had arranged all the belongings, by the fifth of September, everything was moved into the new residence, including the servants. These individuals had few possessions, which made the move convenient.
Xie Zhinuan looked at her new home, planning to use the front area as a tavern and partitioning the two courtyards at the back for the servants’ living quarters, one for men and one for women. She also needed to prepare for the arrival of several chefs. She had chosen two capable matrons to manage the main courtyard, responsible for cleaning and guarding the property.
Now, her primary focus was designing and managing the front area. Li Hengyi had been a tremendous help, even crafting the signboard ‘Kechanglai’ in his own hand, complete with his seal.
With just this detail alone, the tavern could open without fear of trouble from anyone.
During these days, Li Hengyi spent his time writing and painting, sending his works to be framed, all to decorate the dining hall and lend prestige to her establishment.
The servants split into groups and set about cleaning the kitchen, building the stove, sweeping the front yard, buying groceries, preparing meals, purchasing radishes, washing, chopping, and then drying them to reduce moisture-all in preparation for Xie Zhinuan to direct their mixing and jarring for preservation.
Xie Zhinuan’s three shops earned more than fifty taels of silver each day. The dried radishes were almost given away and sold out immediately, while the marinated meats were in such high demand that supply couldn’t meet it.
Yin Suwen handled the daily accounting. The finances never touched her hands as most were delivered directly to Xie Zhinuan’s residence. Despite Xie Zhinuan’s courtesy towards her, she didn’t truly trust Suwen. More often than not, Xie Zhinuan trusted only herself. She spent most of her time teaching Yin Zhe to read and almost never stepped out of the house.
To Xie Zhinuan, accounting was a trivial matter. She had a clear understanding of the inventory flow, purchase requirements, and their costs. By the end of the year, the amount of silver in her possession would tell whether it was profit or loss.
Xie Zhinuan considered that her three meat shops should offer more variety. Once the stove was ready, she intended to start producing chili sauce. She purchased several hundred large jars and smaller ones, which she stored in one of the courtyards.
Seeing her incessantly busy and coming in and out of the house every day, Li Hengyi frowned with concern. Turning to Yuanbao, he said, “Advise her not to go out so much. The sun is still fierce these days!”
Chapter 226