Chapter 358: Making Progress

Speaking of mushrooms, Hua Zhi was reminded, "How is the situation at Zhuangzi? There should be a lot of mushrooms being produced by now."

Nian Qiu stifled a laugh and replied, "I thought you had forgotten. The daily mushroom production is quite high. Aside from supplying the dining hall, Chen Steward sends people to transport the surplus goods elsewhere. He mentioned that those interested in purchasing will pick up their orders at the designated location, and there has been no surplus left each day."

Chen Steward?

It should be Chen Qing. It looks like she needed to find time to visit Zhuangzi. If the timing was right, she needed to kickstart this business. Taking note of this in her mind, Hua Zhi stood up, "Let's go to the Shi Zai. I'll look over the account books."

"Understood."

At lunch in the dining hall, Fu Dong showcased her full culinary skills, preparing a variety of dishes in smaller portions but with a larger quantity. The meal was not only creative but also fragrant and sticky, perfectly suiting Hua Zhi's tastes.

"Oh, and Ying Chun, pick out some good mushrooms and send some to our close acquaintances. Also, make sure to give each household a bottle of the mushroom oil that Fu Dong made. Don't forget Mrs. Sun. Xiao Liu is no longer in the capital, and she seems to have no one to think of her. Remember to send her some food occasionally. You don't need to consult me on this matter; just make the arrangements yourself and be meticulous about it."

"Understood."

After some thought, Hua Zhi turned to Fu Dong, "Prepare two jars of the mushroom oil for me. I'll take them to give as gifts."

Fu Dong acknowledged and immediately went to attend to the task.

Occasionally, sounds could be heard from outside, but there was no clamor, no disruptive loud conversations, and no drunken behavior. The aristocratic restraint was displayed to perfection here. Once a certain level of sophistication was established, anyone who sought to disrupt it would be unwelcome. No matter what was served at the Shi Zai, that person would be embarrassed by the other guests.

Overall, the development of the Shi Zai was as she had anticipated.

Sipping her tea with her head bowed, Hua Zhi reflected that with the low-end food stalls on those two streets, the mid-range seafood business, and the high-end dining hall, as well as holding the mushroom and canned goods trade, there were also profits to be shared from the soap business. All in all, things were starting to look promising.

"Miss, Steward Chen is here."

"Let him go to the back alley," Hua Zhi stood up. "You don't need to follow me, go about your own business."

"Miss!" Ying Chun was alarmed.

How could this be?

The thought of the miss walking alone with a man could lead to all sorts of scandalous rumors spreading.

Hua Zhi gave her a playful tap on the head, "This is an unusual matter. It's better for me to go alone. Don't worry."

"But..."

"No 'buts.' If you have nothing to do, go tidy up a room at home. There will be a child coming over."

Ying Chun found herself utterly speechless, left floundering for any semblance of a response. It was almost infuriating, really, how the young miss—barely out of teenage herself—managed to charm kids effortlessly, as though it were some kind of innate superpower designed purely to make everyone else feel incompetent.

*

A nondescript carriage, stationed inconspicuously in the shadowy back alley, was helmed by none other than Chen Qing. Upon spotting Hua Zhi emerge, he straightened with a respectful bow, murmuring, “Young Miss.”

"Steward Chen." Hua Zhi returned a slight bow. Stewards by the side of the Shizi were not ordinary individuals. They showed her respect, and she couldn't treat them lightly.

Chen Qing didn't dare to accept such respect and casually lifted the curtain, saying, "Young Miss, if you please,” he offered, the invitation more functional than flowery.

As Hua Zhi stepped into the carriage, a hand reached out to her. Without even looking, she knew who it was. "It's not surprising at all."

Gu Yanxi also smiled, his charm practiced and maddeningly enduring. Guiding her into the carriage, he posed a question, feigning curiosity. "What is this?"

"Mushroom oil, made from shiitake mushrooms. The empress dowager has a delicate palate—this should suit her. Take it along when you visit the palace. If she’s fond of it, Fu Dong can sort you out with more. Hardly a gift worth mentioning, but practical enough.”

Gu Yanxi accepted it with a softening gaze, the kind that suggested he wasn’t oblivious to the layers beneath her matter-of-fact delivery. With a slight nod, he pivoted, his tone sly but nonchalant. “I hear you’ve been scouting shop fronts. Found anything worth the trouble?”

Hua Zhi leaned back, the faintest smirk playing on her lips. “Ying Chun and the others understand what I need. They’ve handled it well enough.”

"It's only the maids by your side who have such power, even being able to make business decisions themselves." Gu Yanxi knew about Hua Zhi looking at shop fronts but didn't have any suitable ones on hand.

Upon returning to hear that Ying Chun had bought a shop front for thousands of silver coins, it was clear it wasn't under Hua Zhi's authority. It seemed that Ying Chun had taken matters into her own hands, and it was difficult to say who was bolder - Hua Zhi for allowing it or Ying Chun for doing it.

Those maids had quite the courage, even Fu Dong, who seemed the softest, took on a lot of responsibilities now.

Hua Zhi felt proud, "After all these years, I've trained a few capable individuals. Of course, they have to be capable."

"Aren't you worried they might betray you?"

"If they betray me, will they be better off elsewhere?"

Certainly not.

Gu Yanxi chuckled. No master would trust as completely as Hua Zhi did. If anyone dared to run away with the money, death would be waiting for them in Hua Zhi's hands. It was clear who was the better choice.

Looking at the smug face, Gu Yanxi couldn't help but pinch her nose. Hua Zhi's trust was never given lightly, whether to her maids or to him. Once given, it was complete and unwavering, without a hint of doubt.

Hua Zhi let him pinch her nose and swayed with a smile. The maids were capable, and all the business dealings were in order, waiting for the big payments to roll in. Her mood was truly joyous.

The two of them exchanged smiles, looking somewhat foolish, unable to contain their delight.

As the carriage came to a stop, Chen Qing hesitated to lift the curtain and simply knocked on the carriage.

Quickly, Gu Yanxi came out first, taking Hua Zhi's hand. When they dismounted, he even lifted her from the carriage. Chen Qing didn't dare to look up, but couldn't help casting a discreet glance from the corner of his eye. His face turned red, while the other two acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

The place where the carriage stopped looked like the back alley, and Hua Zhi glanced at Gu Yanxi.

Indicating for Chen Qing to lead the way, Gu Yanxi explained in a low voice, "Let's keep a low profile today and just be listeners."

Hua Zhi immediately understood. Gu Yanxi didn't plan on confronting Haoyue directly. She was aware that Chen Qing was pretending to be Gu Yanxi to get close to Haoyue. It seemed this identity would be maintained for a while.

Chen Qing led the two into a room, prepared the tea and, after receiving a nod from the Shizi, respectfully bowed and backed out.

Hua Zhi surveyed the seemingly unremarkable room, unable to discern anything special even after a long look. Gusansi purposely waited for her to look at him before calmly walking to a cabinet on the right, dividing it in half to reveal a hidden compartment.

With the cabinet removed, the room revealed its true self—or tried to. Two walls split apart, leaving behind a thin, almost flimsy layer covering what was unmistakably a door-sized space. The kind of space that screamed, Don’t touch me yet, plot twist incoming.

Before she could approach, her hand was grabbed. Gu Yanxi gestured for silence and rearranged the furniture in the room, motioning for Hua Zhi to sit and taking a seat himself.

Hua Zhi bit back a laugh, because what else could she do?

The whole scene reeked of over-the-top drama. All that effort, and not a single snack in sight. A few melon seeds would’ve been perfect for a front-row seat to this impromptu performance.