For several days, the visitors at Taotao Residence never ceased, and it wasn’t just students from the Women’s Virtue Academy coming to make purchases, but also male students from the Jianyin Academy.
Who knows where they heard about the special goods at Taotao Residence, but they all came to see what’s new.
And upon seeing, they didn’t leave empty-handed; even those who said they were just browsing found themselves unable to resist buying a bar of soap when they left.
However, Fu Zihan hasn’t come by these past few days, so Yu Xiaolian’s nail polish remains unhanded. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩
While waiting for Fu Zihan, it was Fu Zihan’s sixth uncle—Fu Qing—who showed up.
Fu Qing didn’t beat around the bush and directly told Yu Xiaolian that the drinks he got last time were quite good, all sorts like beer, wine, and milk liquors, and that he wanted another order of one hundred bottles each.
Yu Xiaolian happily accepted Fu Qing’s deposit, a silver note worth a hundred taels, and generously gave a few bottles of fruit juice to Fu Qing.
Pretending it was a tribute for the Princely Heir.
Fu Qing gave Yu Xiaolian a sidelong glance; he could see this girl’s strategy to easily earn money from their Princely Heir.
Sure enough, as Fu Qing expected, after Jun Mobai tried these juices, he sent Fu Qing on yet another trip to Taotao Residence.
"Sour plum juice, peach juice, iced pear sugar syrup, honey pomelo—fifty bottles each."
Yu Xiaolian once again took the silver note Fu Qing passed over, "The tinware shop next door is too slow in production; this batch might take a while. Please inform the Princely Heir that these juices have a very short shelf life, roughly three days or so, so it’s best to consume them fresh.
The Princely Heir frequently patronizes Taotao Residence’s business, yet we fail to provide timely supply. As an apology, our little store will offer the Princely Heir some complimentary..."
Fu Qing raised a hand, "No—no need!"
He felt that the Princely Heir was too easily tempted, and he had to save money for their Princely Heir, and couldn’t keep taking free gifts back.
These weren’t gifts; damn it, they were bait!
This girl was too crafty, too skilled in business.
When Fu Qing left, he seemed to beat a hasty retreat.
After Fu Qing’s departure, Yu Xiaolian went next door to the tinware shop to place additional orders.
The Zhang Family’s tinware shop was completely revitalized by Yu Xiaolian.
With so many orders, Zhang Zhihe and his son couldn’t handle them alone, so Zhang Zhihe hired a few more skilled craftsmen to make tinware.
Piecework, the more you produce, the more you earn.
Many hands make light work; roughly twenty pieces could be made each day.
In these few days, Miao Yingyao’s injuries have mostly healed.
However, being cooped up in Yu Xiaolian’s room every day and not being able to go out is quite torturous for the lively Miao Yingyao.
Moreover, she felt that Jun Mobai might very likely have sent someone to fetch Xi Sijin.
If Xi Sijin really brought the feather birds to Luocheng, it wouldn’t just be herself in trouble; Yu Xiaolian would suffer as well.
Miao Yingyao shared her concerns with Yu Xiaolian.
Yu Xiaolian remained silent.
If it’s truly as Miao Yingyao said and Xi Sijin would arrive in Luocheng, then rather than sitting and waiting to die, they might as well take action.
Miao Yingyao sighed, "How are we going to act? We can’t even get out of the city, let alone take action!"
Though they couldn’t leave the city, they couldn’t just sit and wait for misfortune.
The next day, Yu Xiaolian had Zhao Erya go out to purchase the things Miao Yingyao mentioned and made about ten sachets by hand.
She carried one on her, and hung a few beneath the roof eaves in the backyard.
But would Jun Mobai really keep the city locked down for so long?
Half a month later, Fu Qing brought people, hauling carts, and took all the drinks away. Shortly afterward, news spread in the streets that Luocheng had reopened, and the Princely Heir had left, returning to the Capital.
Yu Xiaolian deliberately went around the city gate, pretending to want to go out of the city.
Yet she found that young women exiting the city required a road permit and proof issued by the Government, and then they were cross-checked against wanted posters by the City Guard, who would question their ancestors’ three generations.
Only after they deemed you problem-free and not a suspect would they allow you to pass.
Yu Xiaolian slyly glanced at the wanted poster, which depicted an image of Miao Yingyao. Although the drawing was abstract, it still bore a resemblance to Miao Yingyao.
It seemed Miao Yingyao’s chances of openly leaving the city were unlikely.
While Yu Xiaolian worried about how to get Miao Yingyao out of the city, she heard the sound of horse hooves approaching from afar.
Raising her eyes, she saw a troop of soldiers galloping like the wind.
The leader was a gallant young man, clad in armor, exuding a commanding presence, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.
The young man reined in the horse but did not dismount.
With a cold gaze, he looked at the City Guard, "I am Yu Zhengyang, son of the Great General of Southern Pacification, coming on an imperial mission to recruit soldiers in the Northwest Three States."
Once the young general finished speaking, he tossed the notice in his hand to the City Guard.
"Except for scholars with honorary titles, each household must submit one able-bodied man without error!"
The government officer held the notice, looked up at Yu Zhengyang, and cupped his hands, "Young General, you must be exhausted from the journey; please enter the city.
I will immediately post the announcement to make it known to the public."
While Yu Xiaolian stared in a daze at Yu Zhengyang by the roadside, Jiang Lin quickly spotted Yu Xiaolian wearing a light blue gauze dress.
At Jiang Lin’s call, Yu Xiaolian shifted her gaze to behind Yu Zhengyang.
Jiang Lin dismounted, handed his horse to a soldier behind him, and strode towards Yu Xiaolian.
Yu Xiaolian excitedly ran over, grabbed Jiang Lin’s arm, and began to examine him.
Even with Jiang Lin’s martial prowess, weapons on the battlefield are relentless, and one can never be sure of avoiding injury.
Since she learned that Jiang Lin went to join the army, Yu Xiaolian had been truly worried for him.
Jiang Lin was too brave, and she feared something might happen to him.
Jiang Lin, in his black armor, was full of heroic spirit and handsome beyond measure.
At this moment, he was grinning widely, letting Yu Xiaolian check him over from head to toe.
Only when Yu Xiaolian confirmed that her brother Jiang Lin was not missing any limbs and was completely unharmed did she unconsciously release his arm.
As Yu Xiaolian inspected Jiang Lin, he also smiled warmly, assessing her in return.
She had grown fairer and taller, and slightly plumper than before.
Yu Xiaolian had been skin and bones before, with a palm-sized face, prominent cheekbones, and a sickly pallor, looking like she was undernourished.
Now, Yu Xiaolian’s face had more flesh, her skin was smooth and fair, and her clothes fit well, making her look nice.
"Brother Jiang Lin, why have you come to Luocheng?"
Jiang Lin glanced back at Yu Zhengyang, then leaned forward and lowered his voice, "The young general is recruiting soldiers in the Northwest Three States, and I’m now his Deputy General, so wherever he goes, I go.
Where do you live? I’ll come to find you in the evening, and then we can talk more."
Yu Xiaolian replied, "East of the city. My home is at Taotao Residence in the east part of town, right across from Jianyin Academy. Make sure to come early; I’ll prepare a dinner and wait for you."
Jiang Lin nodded, then turned back, mounted his horse, and followed Yu Zhengyang towards the Government Office.
As the horse galloped past her, Yu Xiaolian heard Yu Zhengyang’s teasing voice, "Linzi, your sister looks quite lovely!"