Chapter 161: Flowers That Won’t Wither

The sound of hooves could be heard clearly in the village. Everyone could not help but stop and crane their necks to look.

Seeing that it was Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong, the villagers immediately shouted, “Qingyu, your daughter and son-in-law are back.”

The voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire Chu Village.

Li Qingyu was washing bamboo leaves in the house. When she heard it, she dashed out of the house and hugged Chu Qingzhi, who had just dismounted. “You’re finally back. I missed you so much.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled and patted Li Qingyu’s back gently. “Mother, 1 made you worry.”

Li Qingyu was extremely happy. “It’s good that you’re back.”

At this moment, everyone from the Chu family came out.

“Qingzhi.”

“Fifth Sister.”

“Fifth Sister.”

“Jinghong.”

“Brother Jinghong.”

The villagers also walked over to see their village lucky star.

This was the first time Chu Qingzhi had received such a huge welcome. Looking at the smiley faces, the fatigue on her body seemed to have lessened.

“Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Ruyue, Eldest Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Sister, Eighth Sister, Uncles and Aunties…”

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Granny Chu held Chu Qingzhi’s hand and smiled amiably. “Qingzhi, you’re finally back. 1 missed you so much.”

Someone in the village said, “Qingzhi, every time she sees someone who looks like you, Granny Chu will go up to take a closer look. But when she sees that it’s not you, her face is filled with disappointment.”

“You’re finally back. That’s great.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Thank you for your concern, everyone. Thank you…”

Tang Jinghong shouted, “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Chu, Auntie, Uncles…”

Grandpa Chu and Chu Rong smiled and nodded at Tang Jinghong. Granny Chu and Li Qingyu looked at Tang Jinghong and said in unison, “You’ve lost weight.” Li Qingyu said, “I’ll make you delicious food to nourish your body later.”

Tang Jinghong smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Aunt.”

Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang also shouted, “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Chu, Aunt Li, Brothers, Sisters…”

The elders looked at the two young men and were puzzled.

Their skin was so fair and delicate. It was obvious that they were from a rich family. They looked smart and cute, and one of them had blue eyes. How special.

Chu Qingzhi said, “They’re my disciples. The one in white is called Yuan Hongjun, and the one in black is called Bao Linjiang.”

The villager said, “Qingzhi, you’re really amazing. You’re still so young, but you’ve already taken in two disciples.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled. “Mother, everyone is tired from traveling. Let’s go home and rest first.”

Li Qingyu hurriedly said, “Come in, come in. I will make delicious food for you immediately.”

The news that Chu Qingzhi had taken in two disciples spread throughout the Chu Village at lightning speed. Then, those who were idle came to take a look. “Aren’t Qingzhi’s disciples too obedient?”

“They’re so handsome. This is the first time I’ve seen such handsome young men.”

“Look, he has blue eyes. What a beautiful color.”

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Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang felt like they had become monkeys in a circus.

A while later, Chu Qingshuang, Chu Xuyuan and Chu Xuyao returned. They got to know each other again.

Yuan Hongjun couldn’t help but sigh. His master had so many family members. He had traveled so extensively, but he had never seen a family with nine children.

Bao Linjiang had never been out of the capital, so he was very curious about everything he had experienced now.

The Chu Family was busy until dark.

Of course, a sumptuous dinner was inevitable. The entire table was filled with food.

Grandpa Chu was very happy, “Jinghong, Hongjun, Linjiang, make yourself at home. Eat whatever you like. Don’t stand on ceremony.”

Tang Jinghong said, “Grandpa, eat. Don’t worry about us.”

The two young men nodded in agreement. “Grandpa, we can take care of ourselves.”

Grandpa Chu smiled and nodded.

Chu Qingzhi picked up a fried drumstick for her two disciples. “My family doesn’t have many rules. You can relax.”

“Yes, Master.”

Chu Xuyuan and Chu Xuyao were very interested in Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang, so they specially sat beside them.

Chu Xuyuan asked Yuan Hongjun worriedly, “Brother Hongjun, won’t your family be worried if you come out?”

Yuan Hongjun said, “My family knows. Moreover, with Master and Brother Tang around, they are at ease.”

Chu Xuyuan asked, “Actually, I really want to know what Fifth Sister and Brother Jinghong went to do. Do you know?”

Bao Linjiang beat Yuan Hongjun to it. “Don’t you know that they went to provide disaster relief?”

“Disaster relief?” These two words made everyone in the Chu family fall silent.

Tang Jinghong squeezed Chu Qingzhi’s hand and explained, “Uncle Chu, I have a post in the army. Previously, the emperor sent me to deal with the refugees in the north. Qingzhi knows medicine, so I asked her to follow me to help…” A post in the army?

Tang Jinghong is actually an official!

The Chu family immediately looked at Tang Jinghong with admiration.

Tang Shan had chased such an outstanding son out of the house. If he knew that his son was an official, he would regret it. It would be really exciting to see his expression when he found out that his son was an official.

Grandpa Chu was rather understanding. “We support doing good deeds that benefit the country and the people. It’s just that you have to prioritize your own safety first.”

Tang Jinghong said apologetically, “I’ll tell you in advance next time.”

Grandpa Chu waved his hand and said, “Hope there is no next time. It’s better if the people don’t suffer.”

Tang Jinghong hurriedly said, “You are right.”

Grandpa Chu waved his hand. “Let’s eat. No matter how big the matter is, let’s talk after eating.”

After dinner, the family asked in detail about what had happened to the refugees. When they heard about those tragic things, everyone’s eyes turned red. It took them a while to recover. They all hoped that this world could be stable.

The stars filled the sky, and the night breeze blew.

At the village entrance, Chu Qingzhi’s black hair fluttered gently. She looked very beautiful and elegant. Tang Jinghong looked at her and could not help but be intoxicated. “Qingzhi, there’s no need to send me off.”

Chu Qingzhi hugged Tang Jinghong. “Be careful on the way.”

Tang Jinghong nodded. “I will.”

The three of them got on their horses. Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang waved at Chu Qingzhi. “Master, we’ll come to look for you tomorrow.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Come and have breakfast together. I’ll prepare a delicious breakfast for you.”

The two of them immediately looked forward to it. “Yes.”

The three of them raised their whips and rode away.

After Chu Qingzhi could not see them, she turned around and walked back. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

As soon as she entered the house, Shen Ruyue pulled Chu Qingzhi back to her room. “Qingzhi, look.”

There were four vases of flowers above the wardrobe. They were very beautiful. These flowers were from the flower basket that Tang Jinghong had given Chu Qingzhi that day..

Chapter 162: A Mission

Shen Ruyue said in surprise, “Qingzhi, 1 think it’s amazing that they haven’t withered after so long.”

Chu Qingzhi’s eyes curved. “They represent Jinghong’s love for me. Of course, they won’t wither.”

Shen Ruyue pulled Chu Qingzhi to sit on the bed and gossiped. “Qingzhi, how are you getting along with Jinghong?”

Thinking of the person she liked, Chu Qingzhi couldn’t help but blush. “Jinghong has taken good care of me all the way and treats me especially well. Be it his looks or his behavior, he’s my ideal fiance.”

Shen Ruyue was happy for Chu Qingzhi. “That’s good. Brother Jinghong looks like an extremely reliable man. Qingzhi, you’re really lucky.”

“My luck is indeed not bad.” Chu Qingzhi also gossiped. “What about you and Eldest Brother? Have you made any progress?”

Shen Ruyue smiled shyly. “A little, but not a lot. However, Xuhua treats me very well.”

Chu Qingzhi put in a good word for her brother. “Brother has an inferiority complex. Give him some time. Brother is loyal. He will treat you well.”

Shen Ruyue nodded shyly. “Yes.” Then, she said, “Qingzhi, let me show you the account book.”

Chu Qingzhi sat cross-legged on the bed. “Okay.”

Shen Ruyue got up and brought the account book over. “Qingzhi, take your time. 1’11 go outside to teach everyone. During this period of time, everyone has made a lot of progress. They can read a little on their own.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “This is a good thing. Ruyue, give them an exam paper or something another day to see how well they can perform.”

Shen Ruyue agreed readily. “Alright, 1’11 plan after class.”

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“Okay.”

Chu Qingzhi opened the account book and flipped to the end. She was too tired and did not want to look at it carefully.

This month, the ice cream bars brought in a profit of 3,480 taels. After deducting the cost of 1,300 taels and the salary of 350 taels, the net profit was 1,830 taels.

The rice dumplings brought in a profit of 2,750 taels. The cost was 1,320 taels, and the net profit was 1,430 taels.

The family had built an ice cream bar and rice dumpling workshop, so they spent a total of 500 taels.

During this period of time, the family had spent 60 taels.

There was also the money spent on building the new house. So far, it cost 500 taels.

As of now, the family had a total of 5,200 taels of silver.

Chu Qingzhi looked at the amount and smiled. This profit was quite considerable.

On the original wasteland, an ancient-style bungalow had already been built to the second floor and the workers were preparing to put on beams and tiles. In about a month, the house would be complete.

There was also an ancient-style bungalow in the original sorghum field beside it, but it had just started. It would take a long time to be built.

Chu Qingzhi looked at her house first before going to her workshop.

The workshop was built according to the design she had drawn. It was built at the back of their current house.

The workshop was built like a factory, but the layout inside was very clear.

In the ice cream bar workshop, there was a water-boiling area, a sugar-melting area, a cooling area, a modeling area, a freezing area, and a packaging area. Behind it was the warehouse.

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Chu Qingzhi walked around the workshop and was very satisfied. Then, she went to the rice dumpling workshop opposite.

The two workshops were very close, but they were separated. There was a two-meter aisle in the middle.

Chu Qingzhi crossed the aisle and walked to the other side. The rice dumpling workshop was divided into the ingredient preparation area, the ingredient distribution area, the wrapping area, and the cooking area.

The cooking area was separated and was in the house next door.

5,000 rice dumplings were needed every day, so they bought special iron pots. This kind of pot could cook 250 rice dumplings at once. There were 20 pots in the workshop, looking very spectacular.

Chu Qingzhi looked at the workshop and wondered if she should sell the rice dumplings to the other two county cities. In any case, she had already started the rice dumpling business.

Chu Xuhua walked over. “Fifth Sister.”

Chu Qingzhi turned around and smiled. “Eldest Brother.”

Chu Xuhua walked towards Chu Qingzhi. “What do you think of this workshop? If you’re not satisfied, we can make changes.”

“No, I think it’s quite good.” Chu Qingzhi thought for a while and said, “Brother, have you thought of selling the rice dumplings to the other two county cities?”

Chu Xuhua could not help but be excited. “Qingzhi, I’ve long had this thought. 1 was going to ask you for your opinion.”

“1 have no objections,” Chu Qingzhi encouraged. “Brother, if you have any ideas you want to implement, you can do it without asking me. 1’11 support you.”

Chu Xuhua’s eyes shone brightly. “Then 1’11 bring the rice dumplings and go to the other two county cities to seek clients.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled and nodded. “Brother, 1 wish you success.”

“Yes.” Chu Xuhua was overcome with excitement.

Living Paycheck To Paycheck In Quezon City? He Made ₱40M Overnight

Free Entry To Over 500 Museums And Exhibitions At the dining table during breakfast.

“Master, did you invent the rice dumplings?” Yuan Hongjun ate three rice dumplings at once.

Chu Qingzhi ate the rice dumpling elegantly. “Yes, do you like it?”

Yuan Hongjun nodded. The young man’s eyes were sparkling. “1 like it. Can 1 learn it?”

Chu Qingzhi pointed in the direction of the workshop. “Sure, you can go to the workshop to learn. There’s a full process there.”

Yuan Hongjun said expectantly, “Alright, 1’11 go in a while.”

Bao Linjiang could not help but complain, “You’re really a model of hardworking and studious. Even ants aren’t as diligent as you.” Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Yuan Hongjun glanced at Bao Linjiang. “Little Abalone, no one will think that you’re mute if you don’t speak.”

Bao Linjiang rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue.

Chu Qingzhi put down her chopsticks and looked at the two of them. “By the way, I have a mission for you.”

The two of them were very curious about their master’s first mission. “Master, tell me.”

Chu Qingzhi reached out and patted Chu Qingning’s shoulder. “This is my fourth sister, Chu Qingning. She’s very interested in medicine, but I’m too busy to teach her. Can you help me teach her?”

Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang shifted their gazes to Chu Qingning. After sizing her up for a while, the two young men said in unison, “Master, no problem.”

Chu Qingzhi whispered into Chu Qingning’s ear, “These two young men have very good medical skills. One of them is even a little Divine Doctor. Learn the basics from them first. If you have any questions, ask them. If you’re too embarrassed to ask, ask me. Fourth Sister, what do you think?”

Chu Qingning treated the two young men as her younger brothers, so she agreed without hesitation. “Okay.”

Chu Qingzhi encouraged, “Fourth Sister, you’re talented. You can definitely learn well. You have to believe in yourself.”

Chu Qingning nodded. “1 will.”

Something big happened in the Chu Village again…

The county magistrate brought a group of constables and Tang Jinghong to the

Chu Village..

Chapter 163: Conferred A Title

Led by the constables, the county magistrate and Tang Jinghong went straight to the entrance of Chu Qingzhi’s house.

Chu Qingzhi walked out with her family. Everyone looked confused.

The villagers had never seen such a scene before. As they guessed what had happened, they gathered at Chu Qingzhi’s house.

Chu Laipi and Chu Peipei climbed up the tree to see what was going on.

The village chief rushed over and asked nervously, “County Magistrate, may i know what brought you here?” n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The county magistrate glanced at everyone and then looked at Chu Qingzhi. He raised his voice and said, “Everyone, kneel down and receive the imperial edict!”

Everyone was stunned. An imperial edict? Did they hear it correctly?

The constables were the first to kneel. Then, Tang Jinghong walked over and pulled Chu Qingzhi to kneel on one knee. Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang also hurriedly knelt down. When the others saw this, they were stunned and instinctively knelt down. Soon, everyone was kneeling.

The county magistrate nodded slightly, then took the imperial edict from the secretary beside him and unfolded it.

“Chu Qingzhi from the Shuiyun County, the Chu Village, contributed greatly to curing malaria and tackling the refugee crisis. His Majesty the Emperor thus bestowed on her a thousand taels of silver, 12 pieces of jewelry, and 12 bolts of silk as well as the title of a baroness.”

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Although the commoners couldn’t become nobles, they could be conferred the title of baroness or baron as a reward for their outstanding contribution to the society.

Once conferred the title of a baroness, Chu Qingzhi could travel in a carriage pulled by two horses, and the carriage was allowed to be well decorated.

No matter how rich one was, without being granted the right, they could not travel in a well-decorated carriage. Otherwise, they would be punished.

Therefore, it went without saying how huge the honor was.

The county magistrate folded the imperial edict and said kindly, “Miss Chu, you may now receive the imperial edict.”

“Long live the Emperor!” Chu Qingzhi raised both her hands and took the imperial edict carefully. Then, she stood up, and the others followed.

The county magistrate was overjoyed.

The appearance of a baroness under his rule was very beneficial to his political career. He would definitely pass the official assessment this time. Not only could he pass, but he might be able to outperform his peers.

“Miss Chu, you’ve surprised me again. In the four hundred years since our Dating Dynasty was founded, only nine commoners have been conferred the title of either baron or baroness. You’re the tenth, and there hasn’t been one in the past thirty years. Congratulations.”

After saying that, the county magistrate waved at the secretary. “Bring the rewards over.”

“Yes, my lord.” The secretary hurriedly waved at the constables. “Carry the boxes into Miss Chu’s house.”

“Yes.”

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The boxes looked heavy, and the constables carried them into the courtyard.

Chu Qingzhi said politely, “County Magistrate, why don’t you come in and have a cup of tea?”

The county magistrate waved his hand. “No, no. 1 have to go back and prepare for tomorrow’s flower parade. Miss Chu, this parade is specially prepared for you. Tomorrow, 1 will send someone to pick you up. Miss Chu, you need to dress up a little more formally. It’s best if you wear the jewelry rewarded by His Majesty to express your appreciation of His Majesty’s kindness.”

After becoming a citizen of the Dating Dynasty, she would surely abide by the rules of this dynasty. Chu Qingzhi smiled and agreed. “I understand.”

The county magistrate smiled like a flower. “I have to get going.”

Tang Jinghong said to Chu Qingzhi, “I still have something on. 1’11 leave with the county magistrate. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled. “Okay.”

She turned around and took a box from Shen Ruyue. She placed it in Tang

Jinghong’s hand. “Share it with everyone later.”

Tang Jinghong nodded. “I will.”

Everyone in the Chu Village watched the county magistrate and Tang Jinghong leave.

When Zhang Xiuqin and Tang Shan saw how close Tang Jinghong was to the county magistrate, they began to feel that something was not right.

Tang Jinghong didn’t seem to be simple. When they thought of the generous betrothal gift Tang Jinghong had given the Chu family previously, they felt more and more uneasy, as if they had missed something.

The Chu family looked at each other. Their daughter was really amazing. Not to mention in the surrounding villages, there had never been someone who was conferred the title of baroness in the surrounding county cities. They were proud of Chu Qingzhi.

Thinking of this, everyone in the Chu family straightened their backs and looked very smug.

Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang looked at each other. As expected of their master, even if she was born a commoner, she was the best among the commoners.

The village chief said excitedly, “Qingzhi, the villagers have never seen the reward given by the emperor. I wonder if you can let us broaden our horizons?”

Chu Qingzhi said generously, “Sure.”

The villagers followed Chu Qingzhi into the courtyard curiously. Their necks were about to turn into giraffes.

With two disciples around, there was naturally no need for Chu Qingzhi to do anything herself. Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang hurriedly ran over to serve her. Yuan Hongjun asked, “Master, which one should we open first?”

Chu Qingzhi glanced at a few boxes and pointed at the largest one. “Open the largest one.”

Yuan Hongjun immediately walked over and opened the largest box. This box was filled with silk.

The moment the box was opened, the silk inside reflected the light, dazzling everyone.

The twelve bolts of silk were exquisite and came from the royal family. Naturally, the quality was the best. Everyone was envious.

Chu Qingyue walked over. “Fifth Sister, I’ll choose some to make a set of clothes for you to wear tomorrow. How about that?”

Chu Qingzhi smiled and nodded. “Second Sister, that’s a good idea. Thank you.”

Bao Linjiang opened the second box. This box was relatively small and contained twelve pieces of jewelry. There were hair accessories, hairpins, earrings, jade ones, and some emerald ones. There were also collars, bracelets, and gold bracelets. They were very beautiful and suited girls well.

The last box contained a thousand taels of silver. It was filled with silver ingots and was neatly stacked. Under the sunlight, it flickered with silver light.

When the villagers saw this, their eyes lit up and they couldn’t help but swallow.

Shen Ruyue came forward and said something to Chu Qingzhi. Chu Qingzhi nodded and raised her voice. “From today onwards, our family will hold a two-day banquet. In a while, we’ll invite all the uncles and aunties in the village to stay and help prepare the banquet. I’ll have to trouble everyone for the next two days..”

Chapter 164: Consecutive Obstacles

Shen Ruyue was experienced and knew that no matter who received the Emperor’s reward, they would hold a banquet to express their gratitude towards the Emperor

The village chief took over the job. “Qingzhi, 1’11 help you arrange this. I promise to do it beautifully.”

When something big happened in the village, the village chief would always be the one handling it. However, they would usually need to ask the village chief for help. Now, it was the village chief who took the initiative to help.

Chu Qingzhi smiled and said, “Thank you, Village Chief.”

Chu Laipi rushed over like an arrow. “Fifth Sister, let us help you go buy groceries.”

Chu Peipei also raised his hand. “1’11 go too.”

The two famous hooligans in the village had already turned over a new leaf. The bamboo forest on the mountain was handed over to the two of them to manage. Now, the two of them made a living by selling the leaves. Their life was looking better and they no longer caused trouble. They even addressed Chu Qingzhi as Fifth Sister.

The village chief teased, “Did the sun rise from the west today? Why are the two of you so enthusiastic to help?”

Chu Peipei was a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and said, “Hehe, we just want to help. We don’t want to be freeloaders.”

Everyone chatted and laughed as they got busy.

Tongzi County.

Tongzi County was about the same size as Shuiyun County. Chu Xuhua decided to seek clients from this place first.

At this moment, he was walking on the street.

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He was wearing a dark blue robe today. His eyebrows were thick, and his eyes were dark and bright. Coupled with his tall figure, he was very eye-catching on the street.

The girls passing by were attracted to him.

Although he looked calm, his palms were sweating and he was very nervous.

Chu Third followed to boost his courage. The young man was dressed in navy blue clothes and the fabric was very good. He was handsome and had a smile on his face. It was very easy to feel close to him. In the village, he was especially liked by the old and the young.

“Brother, there are a total of three relatively large restaurants in the county. Which one should we go to first?”

Chu Xuhua pointed ahead. “Binghong Restaurant.”

Chu Third looked over nervously. “Brother, do you think we can make it?” Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Chu Xuhua was also worried, but he acted very confidently. “We’ll know when we try. Have you forgotten what Fifth Sister told us?”

Chu Third puffed out his chest. A smile appeared on his tanned face. “Brother, we will definitely succeed.”

Chu Xuhua nodded. “Yes.”

The brothers cheered each other on and walked into Binhong Restaurant.

Seeing that the two of them were dressed well, the waiter greeted them warmly. “Sirs, please come in.”

Chu Xuhua entered the restaurant and glanced around. He said, “Buddy, I’m looking for your shopkeeper. Is he here?”

The waiter glanced at Chu Xuhua. “Yes, 1’11 go get him immediately.”

Chu Third looked around…

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The tables and chairs in this restaurant were visibly worn.

Not only was the staircase leading to the second floor severely worn, but it also had small cracks.

A layer of dust had accumulated on the surrounding curtains. Everything in the shop was showing that this was a restaurant that had been open for a long time.

Currently, there were no customers in the restaurant. There were more than ten waiters. They were all cleaning, placing chopsticks, and busy preparing to open for business.

Chu Third retracted his gaze and thought to himself, “This restaurant’s business is not bad. It’s very likely that they will buy our rice dumplings.”

The shopkeeper walked out from the inner room and sized up the two brothers with a pair of bright eyes. These shopkeepers were all smart people and were very polite. “Young brothers, are you looking for me?”

Chu Xuhua said politely, “We’re the ones looking for you.”

“Come and sit here.” The shopkeeper led the brothers to a seat beside the counter. There were a few stools there, and the three of them sat on them.

The shopkeeper looked at Chu Xuhua and said, “Why are you looking for me?”

Chu Xuhua took the food box from Chu Third’s hand and opened it. He showed the rice dumpling to the shopkeeper. “Shopkeeper, this is our family’s rice dumpling. Are you interested?”

The shopkeeper understood what Chu Xuhua meant. He took out a rice dumpling from the food box. The rice dumpling was still warm. He sniffed it first and felt that it was alright. “Can I open it and take a look?”

Chu Xuhua hurriedly said, “Sure, sure. This is for you to try.”

The shopkeeper opened the rice dumpling and a fragrance that he had never smelled before assaulted his face. He took a small bite and slowly chewed and tasted it. The meat was fragrant and soft. The taste was not bad.

Chu Xuhua asked tentatively, “Shopkeeper, how is it?”

The shopkeeper nodded. “Not bad. How much are you selling it for?”

Chu Xuhua said, “Twenty-five copper coins each.”

The expression on the shopkeeper’s face immediately became flat.

“Twenty-five copper coins is a little expensive. Moreover, this is something new. I don’t know if the people in the county can accept it.”

Chu Xuhua hurriedly said, “It’s not expensive. We always sell at this price. Everyone likes it in Shuiyun County.”

The shopkeeper thought for a moment. “Fifteen copper coins each. 1 can order a thousand every day.”

Chu Xuhua closed the food box. “Boss, are you serious about discussing business with us?”

The shopkeeper’s eyes were bright. “Of course I’m serious. It’s just that the price is a little too high.”

Chu Third looked at the shopkeeper. This person’s eyes were small, and he looked like someone who liked to take advantage of others. “Brother, let’s go.”

Chu Xuhua was unwilling to sell his rice dumplings so cheaply, so he stood up. “Then we’ll take our leave first.”

The shopkeeper was still very polite. “Take care. If you’re willing to sell it for fifteen copper coins, you can come back and look for me.”

The two brothers quickly walked away. They wouldn’t sell their rice dumplings at a low price.

When the two of them arrived at the second restaurant, the shopkeeper took a look and declined. “Your things look too ordinary. Only exquisite things will be liked by people.”

This dealt a heavy blow to the two of them. They thought that it would be easy, but in the end, they encountered one obstacle after another.

Chu Third sighed and pursed his lips slightly. He was silent for a moment before saying, “Brother, let’s go to the third restaurant.”

“Let’s go.” Chu Xuhua was also a little discouraged. Doing business was not as easy as he thought.

The third restaurant was a little special. The shopkeeper was Chu Xuhua’s childhood playmate, Chu Yehui.

Chu Xuhua knew that Chu Yehui’s family owned a restaurant, but he didn’t know that the restaurant was so big. When he saw Chu Yehui, he waved and shouted, “Yehui.”

When Chu Yehui saw Chu Xuhua, he immediately smiled. “Chu First, why are you here?”

“I’m here to sell rice dumplings.” Chu Xuhua placed the food box on the counter. “Take a look and see if it’s to your liking.”

“Sure.” Since they were from the same village and were playmates, he had to help.

Chu Third sized up Chu Yehui. He was not dressed as luxuriously as the two shopkeepers before him. He was dressed in a simple manner like them. He was tall and had relatively clear facial features. He was a magnanimous person. Yes, this business deal was very likely to be successful..

Chapter 165: Arrival of the Esteemed Guests

Chu Yehui took a rice dumpling and ate it. The rice dumpling was no longer as warm as before, but the moment he opened the food box, a unique fragrance wafted out.

“Wow! Chu First, this rice dumpling is delicious. Who made it?”

Chu Xuhua puffed out his chest slightly and said proudly, “My fifth sister taught us how to make it.”

Chu Yehui paused and was a little puzzled. “Fifth Sister?” He had not returned to the village for a long time and did not know much about what happened in the village.

Chu Xuhua explained, “My parents brought my fifth sister back from her adoptive family.”

Chu Yehui was even more puzzled. “Wasn’t your sister enjoying a good life in the county? Why did you bring her back?”

Chu Xuhua did not want to talk about Chu Qingzhi being abandoned by her adoptive parents, so he said vaguely, “It’s a long story, but she has been home for a while.”

Seeing that Chu Xuhua did not want to say more about this topic, Chu Yehui did not ask further. “Xuhua, let’s talk about the rice dumplings.”

Chu Xuhua nodded.

Chu Yehui took another bite of the rice dumpling. It was fragrant and glutinous. It was really delicious. “How much is one rice dumpling?”

Chu Xuhua said nervously, “Twenty-five copper coins.”

Chu Yehui thought for a moment and said in a negotiating tone, “Xuhua, I think the rice dumplings are delicious, but they’re new after all. We have to see if everyone can accept it. Therefore, 1 plan to buy a hundred to try out. If they’re easy to sell, we’ll increase the quantity. What do you think?”

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It was finally a deal. How could Chu Xuhua reject it? “No problem. When do you want the rice dumplings?”

Chu Yehui quickly finished the remaining rice dumplings. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Sure, I’ll go back and prepare the rice dumplings later.” Chu Xuhua remembered something. “By the way, I’m having a banquet at home today. Do you want to come?”

Chu Yehui blinked. “Why are your family holding a banquet?”

Chu Xuhua straightened his back. “My fifth sister has been conferred the title of a baroness by the emperor.”

Chu Yehui was shocked. “Baroness?”

Chu Xuhua said proudly, “The imperial edict has already been issued. It’s the county magistrate who personally sent it. Are you coming or not?”

Chu Yehui agreed. “Yes, yes, yes. How can I not go back for such a big occasion? It’s already noon. Wait for me. 1’11 make arrangements and go back with you.”

Chu Xuhua nodded. “Sure.”

The three of them returned to the Chu Village together.

At this moment, the Chu Village was very lively. A group of villagers were preparing for the lunch banquet at Chu Qingzhi’s house. Laughter and chatter could be heard.

Ning Yuting sat behind the table with a brush in his hand. There was a stack of blank paper on the table. When someone came with a gift, he would write it down on the paper.

Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang assisted him from the side.

At this moment, the secretary of the county office walked over and took out a banknote worth 50 taels and silver ingots worth 20 taels. “The county magistrate asked me to send this over. The latter is my gift to Miss Chu.”

Ning Yuting wrote down their names and identities and placed the gifts in the box beside him.

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Then, it was Yuan Hongjun’s job. “Secretary, come and sit here.”

The secretary nodded and followed Yuan Hongjun.

Chu Qingzhi added a delicacy called leaf-wrapped sticky rice cake.

The essence of the leaf-wrapped sticky rice cake was the filling. Under Chu Qingzhi’s guidance, the aunties in the village prepared two fillings. One was pork and sprouts, and the other was peanuts and sesame seeds.

During the process of making the two fillings, everyone drooled at the smell of the fragrance.

Bao Linjiang came to the workshop to see everyone making leaf-wrapped sticky rice cakes. It was something new. On this trip, he realized that he had really been a frog in the well in the past.

After watching for a while, he went back to help.

The village chief walked up to Ning Yuting and placed a basket of eggs on the table as well as a big rooster. “Yuting, your handwriting is very good.”

Ning Yuting smiled elegantly. “Village Chief, you flatter me.”

The village chief asked with concern, “Have you recovered from your injuries?”

Ning Yuting smiled and nodded. “It’s recovered. Thank you for your concern, Village Chief.”

Since he had recovered, it meant that he had to leave. He had lived here for nearly two months and was reluctant to part with everyone.

The village chief looked at the people behind him who were waiting to present the gifts. “We’ll talk when you have time.”

Ning Yuting nodded. “Okay.”

This time, it was Xu Wanrong and Sang Wanlu. The two of them brought along heavy gifts. There was cloth, tea leaves, and silver. Ning Yuting took a long time to record it.

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Such people were naturally esteemed guests. Yuan Hongjun immediately called Chu Qingzhi out.

Seeing that it was the two of them, Chu Qingzhi immediately smiled. “Wanrong, Wanlu.”

Xu Wanrong was graceful and beautiful. Sang Wanlu was surrounded by a motherly glow. They looked very pleasing to the eye.

Chu Qingzhi called the two of them to her room. There were too many people outside and she was afraid that something would happen to Sang Wanlu. “I didn’t expect the two of you to come too.”

Xu Wanrong said excitedly, “It’s such a big matter. We definitely have to come and congratulate you.”

Sang Wanlu said in admiration, “Qingzhi, it’s such an honor to be personally conferred as a baroness by the Emperor. In the future, your family will be able to hold their heads high.”

Chu Qingzhi said humbly, “I just did what I could do.”

Xu Wanrong looked at Chu Qingzhi in admiration. “Qingzhi, you’re so brave. You actually went to help the refugees. If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled and said, “It’s better for delicate girls like you not to go to such a dangerous place.” If not for the fact that she knew martial arts and Tang Jinghong beside her, she would have been cooked and eaten by those refugees.

Xu Wanrong’s smile faded. “I hope disasters won’t happen again.”

“Let’s not talk about this. Let’s talk about something happy.”

“Yeah.”

Chu Qingzhi chatted with the two of them for a while before she was told that important guests had arrived.

The guests this time were Shopkeeper Qian of Hongyan Restaurant and Shopkeeper Zhou of Fuyuan Restaurant.

The news that Chu Qingzhi had become a baroness had long spread throughout the county. As business partners, they naturally had to send gifts and join in the fun.

Chu Qingzhi walked out of the house. “Shopkeeper Qian, Shopkeeper Zhou, welcome.”

Shopkeeper Qian said politely, “Miss Chu, you’re the first baroness in decades. You make us proud too.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled appropriately and said, “You flatter me. Please come in.

The county secretary is also in the room. You can chat together.” n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

When they heard this, their eyes lit up. “Okay..”