Chapter 331: Back and Forth (3)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
"Also, the processing of the chili peppers will not be done in the workshop. I plan to do it in the manor. This way, even if the workers here made any mistakes, the impact would be controllable."
She would plant the chilis in the manor, then dry and process them into chili powder.
Then, she would send the processed chili powder to the workshop.
In this way, the people in the village would not know how to process the chilis.
At the same time, the people in the workshop wouldn't even see a complete chili pepper, so naturally, they couldn't steal the chili seeds.
Even if someone stole the finished goods, the impact would not be too great.
Of course, security was needed in both the manor and the workshop to prevent any unwanted scenarios.
When Liang Yu heard this, he raised his eyebrows and looked at Lin Xiaoyue with admiration.
"You mentioned that all the workers in the workshop should be slaves who have signed a death contract."
"But my place isn't big. If I arrange for so many people to stay at my house, I'll have to build extra houses for these people and take care of them. At that time, the workload would increase by a lot."
Liang Yu nodded.
"The guards in the manor and the workshop will be arranged by me and Third Master Zhou." She continued.
Although he wasn't interested in the profits from the production process, he had to control the source of the goods.
Only by arranging for people to watch over the manor and the workshop could he be at ease.
Third Master Zhou quickly nodded.
"Yes! 1'11 be in charge of the guards!" As he spoke, he patted his chest.
Lin Xiaoyue glanced at Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou. When she lowered her head, a smile appeared on her face.
They wanted to get someone to keep an eye on her, which was exactly what she wanted.
"Deal! Then I'll have to trouble the two of you for this matter!" Lin Xiaoyue raised her head and cupped her hands at the two of them.
"Hehe, we're all family. Ms. Lin is too polite." Third Master Zhou smiled and replied. He was originally worried that Lin Xiaoyue would not agree, but now, he felt relieved.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled.
Just as she was about to ask the two of them about the guards, Liang Yu spoke again.
"I'm afraid one piece of land from the Zhou family is not enough. We need to have at least two more manors."
Lin Xiaoyue's eyes lit up and she quickly looked at Liang Yu.
There weren't many manors around Qingshi Town, and even if she wanted to buy more, the owner might not want to sell.
If Liang Yu could help her get two manors, that would be amazing.
Liang Yu was amused by Lin Xiaoyue's expression. He could not help but cover half of his face with the folding fan in his hand.
"Cough, 1 see. Third Master Zhou and I will each give you a manor. However, only chilies could be grown in the fields of the manor. After the chilies were produced, they had to be sent to the workshop to be processed into the three seasonings."
"Also, you can't grow chilis without our approval in the future."
Third Master Zhou's expression changed.
What? Giving away the manor?
The price of a manor was not cheap!
The smile on Lin Xiaoyue's face disappeared.
It seemed that there were conditions attached to this benefit.
"Young Master Liang wants to own all my chilis."
Third Master Zhou was stunned. After hearing Lin Xiaoyue's words, he finally understood Liang Yu's thoughts.
In an instant, he felt that giving away a manor was nothing.
Liang Yu shook his fan and smiled gently. "Ms. Lin, what do you think?"
Lin Xiaoyue smiled.
"No problem. Other than the chili peppers that I use in the eatery, I can assure you that 1 will not sell chili peppers or products made from chili peppers to any third party other than the two of you. Moreover, if the two of you need more chilis in the future, you give me a manor and let me plant chilis for the two of you."
Lin Xiaoyue looked at the two of them.
"However, the three of us have to sign a contract. Among the three of us, only I can grow and produce chili products. The two of you cannot steal my chili seeds, as well as the recipe to make chili products. You can't plant chilies and open a new workshop behind my back."
Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou were both shocked. Neither of them dared to look into Lin Xiaoyue's eyes.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled. "This is actually for all our benefits. Although I have the most shares in the business, everyone knows that the most profitable part of these chili products is in the retail segment."
"You two can treat me as a bridge that connects the common interests of both sides. Give the source of production to me, a person that both of you trust, build trust in each other, and then work together for a win-win situation.."
Chapter 332: Agreement (1)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Liang Yu looked at Lin Xiaoyue with admiration.
Third Master Zhou also looked at Lin Xiaoyue.
Well said.
Although he represented the Zhou Trading Company, he had not reported this matter to the main branch yet.
Compared to Young Master Liang, he did not have much power.
If Young Master Liang really had any ill intentions, how could he go against him?
However, if the matter blew up, the main branch would definitely support him and ask the Liang family for an explanation.
Still, he would not be able to escape blame which caused the Zhou family to miss out on a great business opportunity.
He came to discuss business with Young Master Liang and Ms. Lin sincerely.
He really didn't think of taking advantage of them.
However, he wouldn't know what Master Liang was thinking...
Ms. Lin's suggestion was good. At the same time, it controlled the three of them and bound them together so that no one would have any evil thoughts.
"After all, the biggest reason why chilis are so precious is not because of how practical and delicious the seasoning is. It's because I'm the only one who has it now. Also, I'm the only one who knows how to process it." Lin Xiaoyue continued.
Liang Yu opened his folding fan again and fanned himself.
"The rarer the item, the more valuable it is." She continued.
Third Master Zhou looked at Liang Yu, then at Lin Xiaoyue and nodded.
"So, as long as I can ensure that the scarcity of chili peppers, I will continue to cooperate with the two of you, the market will only be ours." Lin Xiaoyue said with a smile.
Liang Yu looked at Lin Xiaoyue with a meaningful look, then his gaze swept across Li Xiao's face beside Lin Xiaoyue.
He put away his folding fan.
"I have no objections." He continued. As he spoke, he looked at Li Xiao again.
"I have no objections either." Third Master Zhou quickly followed.
Lin Xiaoyue's face lit up and pretended not to see Liang Yu's reaction. Then, she invited everyone back in.
The food was already on the table.
Everyone sat down and started eating.
Zhao Shanshan didn't sit down. Instead, she stood beside Lin Xiaoyue and explained to everyone how the various dishes on the table were made and which of the three seasonings were added.
Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou tasted them one by one.
After tasting it, they all said it was delicious.
Manager Liang, Old Master Zhou, the Village Chief, and the others at the table next to him ate even more happily.
This was because they didn't need to talk. They just needed to put food into their mouths.
They couldn't stop eating them.
Manager Liang sighed as he ate.
If Ruyi Restaurant could have these three seasonings, their business would definitely go to the next level!
When all the dishes were served, Zhao Shanshan finished introducing all the dishes before leaving.
Then, the four people at the main table began to relax and eat.
Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou were obviously very satisfied with the dishes on the table.
After Zhao Shanshan left, they did not even bother to talk to Lin Xiaoyue.
On the other hand, Lin Xiaoyue gestured for Li Xiao to toast the two of them.
The meal didn't last long. Before 35 minutes were up, they had already finished eating.
After putting down the bowls, Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou looked at the remaining dishes on the table with reluctance in their eyes.
They could not eat anymore.
Lin Xiaoyue and Li Xiao were also full, so they invited the two guests to rest under the big tree in the courtyard.
Then, she instructed Zhao Fu to prepare some tea.
Liang Yu saw the row of chairs and swings and thought that was interesting.
"I heard that this Liu residence was personally designed by you?" Liang Yu turned around and asked Lin Xiaoyue.
Third Master Zhou had already sat down.
"Not bad. This wooden chair doesn't feel cold even in winter." After he sat down, his hand touched the chair.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and nodded.
"Hehe, yes. Previously, I thought that it would be good to enjoy the shade under the big tree, so I put chairs around it."
"My mother was doing embroidery under the tree with the other women in the village. So 1 thought it was nice to have them sit here as well."
Liang Yu nodded. "Your chairs are quite unique." He looked at the row of chairs again.
He thought that after he went back, he might be able to get someone to make similar ones and put them in the courtyard..
Chapter 333: Agreement (2)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and extended her hand to Liang Yu. "Young Master Liang, please."
Only then did Liang Yu retract his gaze from the row of chairs.
"Ms. Lin, Brother Li Xiao, please sit!" He cupped his hands and replied before taking his seat.
Zhao Fu quickly brought tea over and refilled everyone's cups.
Then, Lin Xiaoyue chatted with Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou.
After a while, she began to talk business with the two of them.
Before lunch, the business discussion went smoothly.
It only took two hours for them to decide on the final plan.
They also discussed the problems that might arise and the corresponding solutions.
In summary, Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou would each give Lin Xiaoyue 5,000 taels of silver and a manor of no less than 300 acres as investment funds. The money and the manors were all privately given to Lin Xiaoyue and were not included in the business account.
In terms of money, since Ruyi Restaurant had already paid Lin Xiaoyue 1,000 taels, Liang Yu only gave Lin Xiaoyue 4,000 taels this time. Third Master Zhou gave her 5,000 taels.
As for the manors, Liang Yu gave Meng Manor in the east of Qingshi Town to Lin Xiaoyue. The manor had a total of 384 acres of land. It was one of the largest in Qingshi Town.
When Third Master Zhou saw that Liang Yu was so generous, he was too embarrassed to give Lin Xiaoyue a manor with little land, so he gave the Mao'er Manor next to the Zhou Village to Lin Xiaoyue.
Mao'er Manor had a total of 358 acres of land. Although it was not as large as Meng Manor, it was adjacent to the Zhou Manor.
Third Master Zhou also suggested that he could arrange for people to get nearby villagers and those from the government office to merge Zhou Manor and Mao'er Manor.
Together with the newly bought land, the area would be larger than the Meng Manor.
Lin Xiaoyue was naturally delighted after hearing this and was extremely grateful to Third Master Zhou.
The second was management.
On Liang Yu's side, he had arranged for Manager Liang of Ruyi Restaurant to come over to the workshop to collect the share of profit and discuss important decisions.
At the same time, the guards that Liang Yu arranged were also under Manager Liang's command.
Apart from that, Manager Liang did not participate in the other management of the workshop.
As for Third Master Zhou, he would temporarily be in contact with the workshop and participate in major decisions. He would also dispatch the guards he had arranged.
As for the profit, the portion that belonged to Third Master Zhou would go directly to the Zhou Trading Company. Moreover, Zhou Shi wanted to manage it together with Lin Xiaoyue.
Thirdly, they discussed the penalty clause.
The three parties agreed that the right to grow chilis would belong to Lin Xiaoyue.
They were not allowed to take the chili seeds, privately grow chilis or even make chili products.
Of course, Lin Xiaoyue herself was not allowed to plant chili peppers in any place other than the three manors.
She was required to plant chilis for three seasons every year.
Moreover, Lin Xiaoyue could only plant other crops that did not affect the chilis in the manors.
This was, of course, Lin Xiaoyue's suggestion. It was not cost-effective to plant only chilies in the field. If other crops did not affect the chilies, she wanted to plant sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes and chili peppers could coexist without affecting each other.
At that time, these sweet potatoes could be used to feed pigs and other livestock, and the livestock could produce fertilizers.
Besides, sweet potatoes could also be made into dried sweet potato, sweet and potato powder. These could all be sold.
As for potatoes, she had no place to grow them.
However, there was still time before the start of spring. She would ask Hei Gang to help her. She just needed to buy a manor before spring.
If she really couldn't, she could ask the village chief if she could buy some land.
She only needed about 20 mu of land to produce enough ingredients for the eatery for a few years.
If she wanted to open a new chain store, she wouldn't have to worry about not having enough potatoes.
In short, Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou only wanted to make sure that she grew the chilis well. Moreover, she was not allowed to sell them to anyone else. Apart from that, they had no opinion about her other plans.
If any of the three parties violated the agreement, they would have to pay two million taels of silver to each of the other two parties.
Of course the penalty was high. The reason why it was set this way was to prevent anyone from betraying each other..
The three of them had also recorded a lot of other details in the contract..
Chapter 334: Agreement (3)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Finally, with the village chief as the witness, the three of them signed a written contract.
At this point, the cooperation between the three of them had officially been finalized.
After the contract was signed, Third Master Zhou said he would leave with Liang Yu after Liang Yu said goodbye.
Liang Yu agreed with a smile, but he was actually very annoyed. He stayed in the Liu family for so long because he wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Li Xiao.
However, this person was shameless and refused to leave first.
He had no choice but to leave.
Fortunately, Li Xiao took the initiative to appear in front of him, so he should have the intention to talk to him. Since he was in the Liu family, he could still come and find him.
Lin Xiaoyue, Li Xiao, Zhou Shi, the village chief, and the others sent the two groups of people out the door. They waited until they were far away before returning to the courtyard.
"Ms. Lin, I will get the cabbage that you need. I'll get someone to go door-to-door to inform the villagers. Then, well gather everyone to talk about this tomorrow! Those who are interested can come here to sign the contract!" The village chief said excitedly.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and exchanged glances with Zhou Shi.
"Just call me Yue'er," she smiled at the village chief.
"There's no need to go through so much trouble. Ill make the preparations and go with you."
"At that time, those who are interested can sign a contract with us on the spot. This way, it would save everyone the trouble of making another trip."
The village chief thought for a moment and nodded.
"Ms. Lin is indeed thoughtful. Then Ill go back now and get someone to arrange this. Tomorrow Ill get everyone to gather at the east end of the village." He still didn't change the way he addressed Lin Xiaoyue.
"Alright, thank you." Lin Xiaoyue thanked him with a smile and didn't say anything else.
"No trouble at all. This is a good thing for Daishi Village. I should thank you on behalf of everyone! Ill go now." The village chief said as he walked out.
Lin Xiaoyue quickly stopped the village chief.
"Wait!"
She then turned to Zhao Shanshan. "Shanshan, go get three jars of seasoning for the village chief."
The village chief was first shocked, then delighted.
He liked these seasonings! Moreover, they were very expensive.
Even Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou only got three bottles each. Manager Liang and Old Master Zhou did not get any.
Ms. Lin actually wanted to give him three jars. She was giving him a lot of face.
"You probably don't have much on you, it's okay!" He clearly wanted it, but he refused.
"Please take them. I'll just make more. I've troubled you by asking you to be a witness. In addition, I need your help to get the cabbages." Lin Xiaoyue interrupted the village chief.
"Yeah, just take them!" Zhou Shi added. She wasn't jealous because she had some too. Lin Xiaoyue even asked her to send them to her father.
"Eh, I...you're the ones who helped Daishi Village!" The village chief said embarrassedly, but he did not refuse. Lin Xiaoyue smiled and chatted with him for a while. She waited for Zhao Shanshan to bring the condiments over and hand them to the village chief before sending him off.
Lin Xiaoyue retracted her gaze from the door and looked at Zhou Shi again. "I promised Young Master Liang that 1 would prepare 20,000 catties of spicy cabbage for him. From tomorrow onwards, Ruyi Restaurant will arrange for a carriage to transport the goods. How much spicy cabbage do we have now?"
It wasn't that Liang Yu didn't want more spicy cabbage, but she had limited chilis. She really couldn't use more to make spicy cabbage sauce.
Besides, she had to keep some to grow in the fields later on. There were so many plots of land, and they needed a lot of chili seedlings.
Zhou Shi's expression immediately became serious.
"The size of the jars used before were different, so we don't know how much spicy cabbage is inside. However, the jars that came yesterday were of the same size. They were filled with spicy cabbage. After deducting the weight of the jars, they were about 50 catties each."
Zhou Shi pondered for a moment, then said, "yesterday, we made about 30 jars.
The spicy cabbage that I made before was about 1,000 catties."
"It's a good thing that Ruyi Restaurant is sending people to transport the goods. We have limited storage space. If this continues, I'm afraid there won't be any space for the jars."
"Yes. The progress is a little slow. From now on, we can collect more cabbage every day and provide the goods that Young Master Liang wants as soon as possible."
Making spicy cabbage at home with so many people in the yard every day was actually quite difficult to manage.
Fortunately, the workshop will be ready soon.
"It's not because there's not enough cabbage. It's because the workers have just started and are not skilled enough. However, it's getting better.."
Chapter 335: General Nangong (1)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
"As for the cabbages, we will try our best to collect all the cabbages in the next two days. Then, I'll get someone to ride a carriage to the nearby villages to collect them."
Lin Xiaoyue frowned slightly. "We are building a workshop. Zhao Kang and Zhao Qiang can't leave for the time being.
"Ask Erya to ask Shuanzi if he is interested in continuing to do business with Lai Shun."
"Just say that we want 10,000 catties of cabbage, and we'll pay one wen per catty. We don't care how much they buy them for."
Cabbage was the most common vegetable. Families with land would usually plant some.
At this time of the year, cabbage was produced in large quantities. 1 wen per catty was considered a high price. If she went to collect them door-to-door, or even harvest them herself, she could even get it for 1 wen per 2 catties.
One could earn a few taels by selling 10,000 catties of cabbages in two to three days.
Zhou Shi's eyes lit up. "Sure! Then I'll go see Erya now!" She quickly said.
"No rush." Lin Xiaoyue called out to Zhou Shi. She stopped and looked at Lin Xiaoyue, waiting for her to speak.
Her godsister was simply too amazing. With her around, they would definitely be able to make a lot of money.
Lin Xiaoyue stepped forward and grabbed Zhou Shi's hand. Then, she pulled her to a chair to sit down. "You weren't there when I was discussing the collaboration with Young Master Liang and Third Master Zhou today. 1'11 tell you what happened so you know what's going on."
"Alright."
Lin Xiaoyue then told her the details of her cooperation with Liang Yu and Third Master Zhou.
"Spicy cabbage is 8 wen per catty, so 20,000 catties is 160 taels of silver. The profit from this batch is calculated after deducting the workers' wages and the cost of the cabbage and jars."
"I've already received 160 silver taels. When you arrange for the workers to finish making the goods, we will get our first profit."
She estimated that the profit from this batch of goods would be close to 100 taels. Her portion would be about 40 taels of silver.
The raw materials cost about 15 wen per catty. Hence, she could easily get 40 taels of silver from this batch of goods.
Compared to the tens of thousands of taels of silver that she received in one go and the two villages that she had gotten for free, this bit of money was indeed little.
However, this was only the beginning. The workshop had not been built yet, and the workers were not skilled in their work and were not efficient enough.
When the workshop opened she would receive a continuous stream of income.
Zhou Shi pondered for a while and roughly calculated the profit of this batch of goods.
Then, she calculated the approximate amount of money she could get from the 30% share.
"In seven or eight days, this batch of goods will be ready. The profit is not low."
On average, she could earn nearly 4 taels of silver a day. It didn't sound like much, but it was more than 100 taels a month. And this was only the beginning.
When the workshop officially opened, the profits would definitely be bigger.
Lin Xiaoyue nodded. "Keep track of the accounts. After this batch of goods is done, we'll settle the accounts. 1 would need to show the accounts to Manager Liang and Third Master Zhou."
Since they were working together, they had to go through the process.
When Zhou Shi heard that Manager Liang and Third Master Zhou would see her accounts, she became nervous.
"I'm just casually listing them down. 1 didn't do it previously." She said awkwardly.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled. "It's fine. Give your notes to Uncle Fu and let him sort them out and enter them into the accounts."
Zhou Shi immediately heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright."
"Don't worry. Before we start work, 1'11 hire an accountant. By then, you don't have to worry about bookkeeping."
"That's good. However, we have to hire someone we can trust!" She quickly said.
Lin Xiaoyue nodded. "We'll ask Third Master Zhou to help us keep an eye on the candidates. In addition, we have to be aware of some expenses. In addition, we can get someone from outside to check the accounts. This should be reliable."
"Yes."
Lin Xiaoyue looked at Zhou Shi. "I'll have to trouble you for the next few days, but once this batch of spicy cabbage is done, there won't be much to do for the time being.."
Chapter 336: General Nangong (2)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
"What's so difficult? They did all the heavy work, i just talked. To be honest, it's not bad to command so many people to work!" Zhou Shi laughed out loud.
The tone of her words made Lin Xiaoyue laugh too.
"As long as you enjoy it." Lin Xiaoyue thought of something and continued, "I plan to visit a few manors after this batch of spicy cabbage is done. If you don't mind, would you like to come with me? Consider it... helping me out."
Zhou Shi laughed heartily, "sure, whenever you want to go, just let me know!
Master Liang and my cousin will get someone to go with you. With them around, who would dare to disrespect you?"
Lin Xiaoyue playfully held Zhou Shi's arm and said, "thank you. 1 feel more at ease with you by my side!"
"Flehe, we're all family, why be polite?" Zhou Shi patted Lin Xiaoyue's arm with a smile.
While they were talking, there was suddenly a sound at the entrance of the courtyard.
Both of them looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was actually Liang Yu and Manager Liang returning.
Upon seeing the two, Zhou Shi's expression froze.
"Young Master Liang, Manager Liang, did you forget something?" Lin Xiaoyue glanced at Zhou Shi, pretending not to see Zhou Shi's expression, and smiled as she asked.
"Ms. Lin." Manager Liang hurriedly entered the door, arching his hand towards Lin Xiaoyue from a distance, and his gaze kept wandering around, as if looking for someone.
"Ms. Lin, may 1 know where Li Xiao is?" He asked Lin Xiaoyue directly, looking very anxious.
Lin Xiaoyue looked at Liang Yu curiously.
Liang Yu gave a warning look at Manager Liang and then approached her.
"Halfway through, 1 suddenly remembered something and wanted to have a chat with Brother Li. I don't know if he is at home now?"
He thought that since he handled things properly and accomplished a great feat this time, he could tell him about Li Xiao. But he didn't expect him to be so anxious.
Manager Liang instantly became alert, standing to the side without saying a word.
At this moment, Zhou Shi breathed a sigh of relief.
Liang Yu and the Manager Liang came back to look for Li Xiao, so there was nothing to worry about.
She was really afraid that Liang Yu and her godsister had some secret agreement that she accidentally discovered.
On one side was her sister, on the other was the Zhou family. It would be difficult for her if there was something going on.
Fortunately...
Lin Xiaoyue caught a glimpse of Zhou Shi's reaction and felt like laughing inside.
But she looked at Liang Yu instead. "He and Uncle Fu went to the workshop to check the materials. If you need him, I can go get him for you." With that, she took a step forward.
"No need, please stay. I will go find Brother Li myself." Liang Yu once again arched his hand towards Lin Xiaoyue.
Then he left with Manager Liang.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled, stopped in her tracks, and didn't say anything to stop them.
They were quite impatient to come back so soon.
Zhou Shi saw that Liang Yu and Manager Liang had left, and Lin Xiaoyue was still staring at the entrance. She looked in that direction again.
Just as she was about to say something to Lin Xiaoyue, Lin Xiaoyue looked at her.
"Let's go check your records for those with the most cabbage in their fields."
"Oh... alright." Zhou Shi then left with Lin Xiaoyue.
Meanwhile, Liang Yu took Manager Liang to the workshop and found Li Liao.
"Brother Li, can we have a word?" Liang Yu's entire demeanor changed when he saw Li Xiao.
He lost the haughty noble image he had in front of others and showed a humble attitude.
Li Liao just glanced at him lightly and said, "there are still two piles of materials left to be counted. Please wait."
Manager Liang, who was behind Liang Yu, moved slightly but didn't have time to speak before he was shot a warning look by Liang Yu.
He hurriedly resumed a respectful posture and didn't say a word.
He didn't have any plans. He was just surprised by the attitude of General Nangong. After all, their family's status was extraordinary, even the Crown Prince wouldn't treat them with negligence.
Rumors had it that this general was reticent and unsociable, and it seemed to be true.
"Alright, we'll wait until you're done," Liang Yu then took Manager Liang to the side.
Li Xiao, under the bewildered gaze of Zhao Fu, continued counting the materials..
Chapter 337: General Nangong (3)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After a while, with Zhao Fu's help, he finally finished counting the last two piles of materials.
"Master, there are still matters to attend to in the mansion. I will take my leave first." With the task completed, Zhao Fu quickly saluted Li Xiao.
After speaking, he glanced at Liang Yu and Manager Liang, who were waiting nearby.
Master Liang actually came to see the master, and his attitude was quite respectful. This was unusual.
The master claimed to be a slave, but he didn't seem like an ordinary person.
And now, Master Liang showed such respect for the master that even Ms. Lin didn't have such a high status. The master's identity was extraordinary.
Having worked in prominent households for most of his life, Zhao Fu knew very well that there were things that he shouldn't enquire about without his master's consent.
"Alright." Li Xiao was not bothered by Zhao Fu's expression and responded indifferently.
Only then did Zhao Fu leave.
When Zhao Fu had gone far away, Liang Yu instructed Manager Liang to keep an eye on their surroundings and then walked towards Li Xiao.
"General Nangong." As he approached Li Xiao, Liang Yu bowed to him and called out in a low voice.
When Li Xiao heard Liang Yu's address, he only gave him a casual glance, and his expression remained unchanged.
Seeing this, Liang Yu's face lit up with joy.
"Indeed, you are the General Nangong! The Crown Prince will be delighted to know that you and the Ninth Prince are still alive!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Li Xiaoxiao looked at Liang Yu.
"I have no connection with the Crown Prince." When his father was alive, he did indeed speak highly of the Crown Prince.
But even so, they had never been close to the Crown Prince, or any prince for that matter, except for Qing'er.
Liang Yu smiled awkwardly.
"General Nangong and the Great General have fought on the battlefield, protecting the Great Yan, and the Crown Prince has always respected and admired you. When the Great General encountered trouble before, the Crown Prince was concerned about yours and the Ninth Prince's safety and whereabouts."
Li Xiao stared directly at Liang Yu.
Seeing this, Liang Yu averted his gaze.
"I stayed in Nan'an County on the Crown Prince's orders, to search for the whereabouts of General Nangong and the Ninth Prince," he continued under pressure.
The reputation of the God of War was indeed well-deserved.
Before, this person had restrained the oppressive aura around him, making him less intimidating.
But now, he unleashed his full presence, looking down on him from a high position, and it made him feel uneasy.
"Now you've found me, you can go back," Li Xiao said calmly.
Liang Yu looked up at Li Xiao, instantly feeling less intimidated.
"General..." Li Xiao interrupted him before he could finish.
"The past is gone like smoke. Nangong Xiao and Murong Qing have died under the pursuit of assassins. There is no longer a general of the Great Yan," Li Xiao said, looking at Liang Yu.
"Standing before you is just Li Xiao, an ordinary villager from Daishi Village."
Seeing Li Xiao's eyes filled only with indifference, Liang Yu was surprised and puzzled.
"Please tell the Crown Prince that 1 have no intention of participating in the court's disputes and only wish to live a peaceful life. Please tell him not to worry about us."
"In addition, from now on, Qing'er will only be Xiao Qing, with no more connections to the royal family."
Liang Yu was shocked once again. He couldn't accept the fact that such an exceptional person would live an ordinary and unremarkable life.
"General.." He wanted to persuade Li Xiao.
But before he could say another word, Li Xiao's gaze stopped him.
The immense pressure made Liang Yu's expression change instantly, and he lowered his head.
However, Liang Yu was no ordinary person. He wouldn't be deterred by Li Xiao's gaze.
He immediately saluted Li Xiao again.
"We both know that the Great General was framed and wrongfully accused. The reputation of the late Great General has been tarnished, and besides you and the Ninth Prince, the entire Nangong family has become victims of injustice." "Have you ever thought about avenging him?"
Noticing a flicker of emotion in Li Xiao's eyes, Liang Yu continued quickly, "even if you are disillusioned with the court and reluctant to get involved in politics, others may not be willing to let you go."
"There was no definitive proof that you really died. Considering his suspicious nature, do you think he would believe that you and the Ninth Prince are truly dead?"
Seeing another flicker of emotion in Li Xiao's eyes, Liang Yu felt greatly encouraged and continued, "in fact, various forces in the capital never gave up searching for you and the Ninth Prince. They just haven't been as blatant as before."
"Otherwise, why do you think I came to Nan'an County?"
Li Xiao's eyes turned cold, instantly locking onto Liang Yu's.
The killing intent in his eyes sent a chill down Liang Yu's spine..
Chapter 338: Agreed to Join Forces (1)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
"GeneraL.Brother Li, please don't misunderstand my intentions. Unlike the other forces, 1 have no ill intentions towards you and the Ninth Prince."
"After 1 found your whereabouts, 1 also cleaned up the traces to ensure that the others who were tracking you would not notice."
Although he was trying to persuade Li Xiao, he sincerely felt that relying on the First Prince was his best way out.
Other than the First Prince, the other people who had come to him and the Ninth Prince either wanted to get rid of them or wanted to use them to curry favor with the Emperor.
Only then did Li Xiao's expression improve a little.
Liang Yu heaved a sigh of relief and continued, "do you want to retire because of Ms Lin?" As he spoke, he looked in the direction of the Liu residence.
Li Xiao's expression changed.
"I'm sorry." Liang Yu hurriedly cupped his hands at Li Xiao.
Li Xiao was too intimidating. A weak scholar like him couldn't bear it.
"I just want to say that Ms. Lin is not inferior to men. With such a good wife, I'm not surprised that you don't want to get involved."
Seeing the approval in Li Xiao's eyes, Liang Yu wiped the cold sweat off his forehead secretly.
Who would have thought that the God of War, who was feared by many, would one day meet a strange woman and get married to her?
Besides, he had no patience for women and was even rumored to be uninterested in them. However, he was willing to let go of his hatred and future for her.
This was not a bad thing for him and the First Prince.
"Brother Li, have you ever thought that perhaps the Lin family doesn't want you to retire?" Liang Yu continued.
Li Xiao looked at Liang Yu.
"Although Ms. Lin is a woman, she is not ordinary. The collaboration between the Liang and the Zhou family is just the beginning."
"In the future, Ms. Lin will definitely become more successful, a rising star in the Great Yan's business world."
"At that time, many will be paying attention to her and those around her." At this point, Liang Yu looked at Li Xiao again.
"1 don't know if you've ever thought that when the time comes, not only will you and Young Master Xiao's existence not be able to help her, but it will also become her curse."
Li Xiao's eyes turned cold. "Continue." He said in a deep voice.
Yue'er had talked to him about this before.
But he was still shocked when he heard Liang Yu say it.
"However, if you are willing to help the First Prince. With his protection, both of your safety will be guaranteed."
"Moreover, with the First Prince and the Liang family, Ms. Lin's future business dealings will go smoothly. No one will dare to make things difficult for her."
"Also..." Liang Yu glanced at Li Xiao carefully before continuing, "I was so generous with the conditions of this cooperation because of you."
Li Xiao glanced at Liang Yu, and his expression finally relaxed.
"So, I suggest that you reconsider this matter."
Li Xiao was silent.
Seeing this, Liang Yu was delighted.
He didn't refuse him, which meant that he was considering it.
"The First Prince holds you in high regard. If you are willing to join him, the injustice faced by the Nangong family will definitely be avenged." Liang Yu continued.
"Also, you will be able to reunite with Consort Shu."
Li Xiao's expression changed.
"How is she?"lle asked.
"She is alright. After the incident, although the Emperor detested her, he did not make things difficult for her. After all, she was one of the four imperial consorts. No one in the harem dared to make things difficult for her."
Liang Yu carefully glanced at Li Xiao and continued, "it's just that when she heard about the grievous news of you and Young Master Xiao, she was extremely sorrowful and cried all day long. It was said that the situation had only eased up recently."
Li Xiao's eyes flashed with pain.
His sister had entered the palace for their sake.
After entering the palace, she was favored. He did not expect it to be an illusion.
In the end, she had witnessed her husband harm her family and even her child.
Now that things had come to this, she was considered lucky to be alive.
"Many thanks to Consort Shu for this matter." Li Xiao finally cupped his fists at Liang Yu..
Chapter 339: Agreed to Join Forces (2)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Liang Yu was delighted.
"You are too polite! The Nangong family had made great contributions to the Great Yan. As a descendant of the Nangong family, Consort Shu should not have ended up like this."
"Consort Shu and the First Prince could not bear to see a loyal minister humiliated."
The corner of Li Xiao's mouth curled up, revealing a bitter smile.
The descendants of loyal officials, loyal officials and good generals since ancient times, how many...of them had a good ending?
After a long while, Li Xiao looked at Liang Yu again.
"I already understand your intentions. Please go back and tell the First Prince that I will do it."
Liang Yu's eyes lit up.
"But 1 want to talk to him personally." Li Xiao continued.
Liang Yu's expression froze for a moment before he regained his composure.
"Alright. Don't worry. I will report this matter to His Highness."
The Nangong family had been in charge of the Great Yan's army for generations, and the generals in the army were under them.
Even if the Nangong family was convicted, there were many generals in the army who had objections.
This was also the reason why the Emperor wanted to eradicate the Nangong family.
After all, some people in the military knew that Li Xiao was the Great General's biological son.
If the First Prince could win over Li Xiao, it would be considered winning over the hearts of the soldiers.
In the future, if it really came to that, perhaps the First Prince would be able to ascend the throne before the Emperor passed.
Li Xiao retracted his gaze from Liang Yu.
Then, he walked past Liang Yu and left.
Liang Yu maintained a half-bowed posture for a long time.
After that, he straightened up and looked at Li Xiao's back for a long time.
Then, he smiled and walked towards Manager Liang.
"Let's go back to Ruyi Restaurant first." He said to Manager Liang with a smile.
Manager Liang saw Liang Yu's happy expression and guessed that he had a good talk with Li Xiao, so he quickly led the way.
Meanwhile, after leaving the workshop, Li Xiao returned to the Liu residence.
As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Xiaoyue.
Lin Xiaoyue was worried. When she saw Li Xiao return, she hurried forward.
Then, she led Li Xiao to the backyard.
"How was it? How did it go with Liang Yu?" Lin Xiaoyue asked Li Xiao impatiently when they returned to the room.
Li Xiao glanced at Lin Xiaoyue and sat down by her bed.
Then, he grabbed Lin Xiaoyue's hand and pulled her into his arms.
"Just as you expected, Liang Yu wanted to rope me in to serve the First Prince."
Lin Xiaoyue paused and instantly relaxed.
It was good that he was not their enemy.
"Liang Yu had actually been tracking Qing'er and my whereabouts. Those people in the capital haven't given up either. They are still searching for us." Li Xiao continued.
"Then what should we do? If Liang Yu found you, then others..." Lin Xiaoyue instantlv became nervous.
instantly became nervous.
"Don't worry, Liang Yu said that he got rid of the traces. As long as I'm willing to join the First Prince, our family will be safe."
Lin Xiaoyue's heart calmed down a little, but it was only for a moment before anger welled up in her heart.
"What do you mean that as long as you are willing to join the First Prince, our family will be safe? Are they threatening us?
Li Xiao smiled and lowered his head to plant a kiss on Lin Xiaoyue's head.
"It's not a threat. He only analyzed the pros and cons with me and told me that joining the First Prince was the best choice for me."
"Although Liang Yu is the First Prince's trusted aide, he is not the First Prince himself. I requested to meet the First Prince and talk to him personally."
When Lin Xiaoyue heard this, she felt a little better.
"That's true. It's more secure to talk to the main person."
"Yes." Li Xiao buried his head in Lin Xiaoyue's neck.
"There's something..."
Lin Xiaoyue was stunned. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she actually felt a hint of coquettishness from Li Xiao's murmurs.
"Tell me." Her cheeks were a little red. Lin Xiaoyue moved her shoulders, wanting to push Li Xiao's head away.
Li Xiao stubbornly held his ground.
"I want to bring my sister here."
Lin Xiaoyue was stunned.
"You mean, Consort Shu?"
Wasn't Li Xiao's sister Qing'er's mother, Consort Shu?
That's right, with the Nangong family in trouble, Consort Shu's days in the palace would definitely not be good.
However, Consort Shu was the Emperor's concubine after all. It was not so easy to escape from the palace.
"Yes." Li Xiao replied.
Lin Xiaoyue thought about it.
"You want to ask the First Prince for help to fake Consort Shu's death and then allow her to escape from the palace?"
Chapter 340: Agree to Join Forces (3)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The First Prince's mother was the Imperial Consort. Before Emperor Yan had a new empress, she was the woman with the highest authority in the harem.
Her power was almost equal to that of the Empress.
If the Imperial Consort was willing to help and let Consort Shu fake her death to escape from the palace, it was not completely impossible.
"Yes." Li Xiao replied.
He thought to himself, "his wife is so smart."
"As long as she was willing to do that, 1 have no objections." Lin Xiaoyue said.
Since that person was her husband's sister and Qing'er's mother, she could accept her.
"Thank you, Yue'er!" Li Xiao exclaimed.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled. "There's no need to thank me. Isn't your sister my sister? However, our residence is far worse than the palace's. 1 wonder if she will be used to living here."
"Of course! Before the age of ten, she stayed with father at the border. She is not a delicate woman."
"A luxurious life is meaningless to her. The Imperial Palace is just a cage to trap her." Li Xiao sighed.
"In the past, she was trapped in the palace because of the Nangong family. Now that the Nangong family is in trouble and Qing'er and 1 are not in the capital, she definitely does not want to continue staying in the palace."
Lin Xiaoyue was a little surprised.
Consort Shu was such a person?
"That's good. Then 1 will definitely welcome her to my home." Lin Xiaoyue immediately said.
"Don't call her 'Consort Shu', just address her as your sister," Li Xiao grabbed Lin Xiaoyue's hand.
"Hmm," Lin Xiaoyue replied.
"By the way, what's her name? Why don't you tell me about her?" She wanted to find out more about her sister-in-law.
Li Xiao chuckled. "Her name is Nangong Wanyue..." Then, he told Lin Xiaoyue all about her.
When Lin Xiaoyue heard her story, she completely accepted her.
It really wasn't easy for her. She had sacrificed too much for the Nangong family.
In the next few days, Lin Xiaoyue and Zhao Shanshan continued to work on the new shop.
Lin Xiaoyue only let go when Zhao Shanshan could basically take over the tasks.
At the same time, the Liu family's 20,000 catties of spicy cabbage was finally ready.
The Liu residence's front yard finally became less busy.
On the other hand, the workshop was very lively because the construction had already started.
Early this morning, Lin Xiaoyue rode the carriage to town with Zhou Shi.
Zhou Shi had not been home for a long time. Now that the spicy cabbage was done, she had nothing to do at the Liu family for the time being. She was going home to rest for a few days.
Lin Xiaoyue went to town to buy a carriage and some meat.
Yes, she was planning to buy another carriage for the family.
In addition, she was preparing to make sausages and bacon.
The spicy cabbage was already done, and she hired someone to cook their meals. There was no need for her and Chen Shi to do that.
She estimated that she would finish cooking the bacon and sausages in the next two days, and then get Zhao Fu to buy some New Year goods.
When they arrived in town, Lin Xiaoyue sent Zhou Shi home before leaving alone.
After leaving the Hei residence, Lin Xiaoyue went straight to the market and bought a carriage.
After that, she rode it to the west market to buy meat.
She loved bacon and sausages, especially sausages. She came to town to buy more.
Lin Xiaoyue first went to Butcher Zhang's stall, which had a partnership with their eatery.
"Yo, Ms. Lin! Why are you here? Was the meat sent to your shop not enough?" When Butcher Zhang saw Lin Xiaoyue, he quickly welcomed her warmly.
After the opening of the second branch of Liu Shi's Eatery, they needed more than 60 catties of meat every day. Most of it was pig offal, which was difficult to sell.
She was his big client.
"No, it's not for the shop." Lin Xiaoyue smiled and looked at Butcher Zhang. "Shanshan is in charge of the store now. If she's short of meat, she'll come to you."
"Haha, you have good eyes. Ms. Shanshan is really good at managing the shops."
"You flatter me." Lin Xiaoyue said politely.
Seeing that Butcher Zhang was going to continue to flatter her, Lin Xiaoyue quickly said, "I came here this time to buy 500 catties of meat to make bacon."
Butcher Zhang's eyes lit up when he heard that.
"Great! You're right to come to me, Zhang Biao! Tomorrow, I will ask Hu Zi to send the meat directly to your house!"
"Thank you." Lin Xiaoyue replied with a smile.
It saved her the trouble of making another trip.
"No trouble at all.. Do you have any requirements for the meat?"