In a blink of an eye, it was mid-winter again.
"Su Family's lass, Eldest Brother and I are going back to the capital tomorrow. When I come back next year, I will bring you all the novelties of the capital!" Xiao Lin Feng, who spent half a year eating at Su's house and became a white dumpling, was sitting in the small pavilion in the backyard of Su's house. The youth emphasized his worries: "This Luohe Prefecture is still too poor. There are many novelties in the capital! You must go to the capital to play when you have time. I will take you around when the time comes!"
You Jin made a pot of her freshly fried osmanthus oolong for Xiao Lin Feng to try out. Listening to him talking about the capital, You Jin smiled slightly and replied: "Sure! When we go to the capital, we will definitely look for you to do the honors."
Xiao Lin Yu picked up the steaming teacup, put it under his nose, and smelled it. He remarked, "Is this the smell of sweet-scented osmanthus?"
You Jin nodded slightly: "Exactly. This tea I created in my free time. For own use, it's not bad. Gentleman Xiao, try it." Picking up the celadon teacup on the stone table, she slightly raised it towards Xiao Lin Yu as a signal.
Xiao Lin Yu found it novel, so he sipped it. It was an unprecedented experience for the taste buds. He nodded with a smile: "The aroma of sweet-scented osmanthus mixed with the elegance of tea leaves. It certainly works. Miss Su, do you plan to sell it?" Xiao Lin Yu was a qualified businessman. when there was something novel and good, the first feeling was naturally to think about how much money it can earn.
"Gentleman Xiao thinks if this tea is on the market, there be a market?" Of course, You Jin's tea wasn't brewed for nothing. After six months of contact with Xiao Lin Yu, she had to admit that he was indeed more business-savvy than herself. This pot of tea was naturally used as a stepping stone for success.
The fair jade-like fingers were slightly curved and knocked on the stone table. Xiao Lin Yu contemplated for a while before conveying his rough plan in his heart: "The fragrance of tea is clear and the fragrance of flowers is strong. The combination of the two complements each other, but the quality of the tea that Miss Su chose is slightly poor. But if you sell it at a low price, it can pass. But if you want to make fine and top-notch tea, use Wuyi's tea and the quality will be better. Not to mention the price."
You Jin nodded in acceptance to these points. You Jin knew that the quality of the autumn tea she used this time wasn't great. But it was a tea made in a hurry to seize this opportunity to ask Xiao Lin Yu for advice. She filled the half-full teacup in front of Xiao Lin Yu to nearly full: "Gentleman Xiao is right. But Wuyi is thousands of miles away. My funds are not enough to support me to buy tea from Wuyi. If it is nearby, are there any desirable tea mountains?"
The two of them got carried away when they talked about business matters. Bored, Xiao Lin Feng went to the front yard.
"Four or five days' journey to the south of Luohe Prefecture, there is a small village called Chaxiang in Hancheng County. There, the villagers relied on tea to survive. The tea there can't compare to Wuyi's but it is much better than Luohe's side." Xiao Lin Yu had traveled outside for more than a year and had some knowledge of the customs and culture of many places in Dafeng. He happened to pass by a village called Chaxiang. The tea there was quite good. Due to this, it left some impressions.
Toward the living map Xiao Lin Yu, You Jin was very grateful: "If this is the case, the four-five day journey is quite cheap!"
The tea business that You Jin planned wasn't limited to osmanthus oolong. She was planning to make scented-tea business big. Needless to say, a stable and cheap supply of tea was required.
"I once made friends with a scholar named Zhou in Chaxiang. He is honest. I might as well write a handwritten letter. If you find him in Chaxiang, he may be able to help you." Xiao Lin Yu looked at the girl in front of him whose eyes lit up from listening to him. He couldn't help but grin. "Just take it as a little repayment for Lin Feng's eating and drinking at your house for the past six months."
"Then I'll trouble Gentleman Xiao." Although You Jin wanted to be polite, she really needed this letter. "Actually, when Xiao Lin Feng ate at our house, our family only contributed some firewood at most. It's more like us who benefitted and ate a lot of good things!"
"You and Lin Feng are so familiar, so you don't have to be too reserved with me. Just call me Eldest Brother Xiao." Xiao Lin Yu looked at the girl who smiled like a little fox who tasted meat. He couldn't help but think of the white fox he raised when he was little. He couldn't resist reaching out and pinching her beautiful cheek.
The instant he pinched, both the 'victim' and the 'perpetrator' were stunned. Xiao Lin Yu withdrew his hand a little shyly. However, the girl's unique skin that was as smooth as a peeled egg left a deep impression on him. impression. Xiao Family's family education was very strict. Xiao Lin Yu himself wasn't very keen on the affairs of men and women. He even faintly disliked having too close contacts with women. The boy who was nearly nineteen years old was still a boy now. He didn't expect to be 'touchy' with a little girl who had yet to come to age. It was insulting the word gentlemen!
You Jin let out an awkward laugh before quickly changing the subject: "I wonder when ELdest Brother Xiao will return to Luohe Prefecture after going back to the capital?"
Xiao Lin Yu hid the hand that pinched You Jin's face behind his back and rubbed his two fingers gently, as if he was savoring the wonderful feeling just now. Hearing her question, he responded: "I'm afraid I won't come back. After the New Year's Eve, my marriage will also be put on the agenda..."
"Then I'll congratulate Eldest Brother Xiao now. I didn't prepare a congratulatory gift at this moment. Certainly quite rude of me." Hearing that he was getting married, You Jin felt an indescribable feeling in her heart. Still she smilingly gave her blessings .
As soon as Yu Lan with an oil-paper umbrella entered the backyard, she saw one male and one female. One red and one white sat in the small pavilion. The man was tall and handsome, while the woman was bright and attractive.
***
After Xiao Family brothers left, Su Family returned to the old days, as if Xiao Family brothers had never appeared in their life. Occasionally little Eighth, who was already able to speak briefly, would shout 'Elder Brother' towards the direction outside the door a few times.
This year, Su Family had planted 20 or so mus of sunflowers. Nearly 3,000 jins of seeds were harvested after drying. Now that there were many people in Su's house, frying seeds wasn't too difficult. From the tenth day of Decmber, Sujiaxiang Shop launched four flavors of seeds: walnut, green tea, five-spice, and original flavor. making two-thirds of Luohe Prefecture's melon seeds. In one fell swoop, it monopolized two third of the sale of the snacking seeds in Luohe Prefecture.
Now Sujiaxiang had became a very well-known snack shop in Luohe Prefecture. It made those who looked down on Sujiaxiang for being run by a few little girls feel regretful. Looking at their increasingly quiet business and then thinking of the long queue at Sujiaxiang, they felt jealous.
However, before Xiao Lin Yu left, he specially went to Official Qin's house to give a gift. During the banquet, he specifically mentioned that Sujiaxiang was opened by a younger sister who was very close to Xiao Family and requested Official Qin to take care of them. Under the care of Official Qin, it can be said that Sujiaxiang had the biggest backer in Luohe Prefecture. Even when there were occasional people who didn't have eyes and made trouble, there was no need to alarm the magistrate. The patrolling constable below would take care of those people properly. It went without saying that Su Family's business was getting better and better.
On the twenty-sixth day of December, a few carriages parked outside the gate of Su Family. Flags embroidered with the word 'Xiao' were on the carriages. The leading man got off his horse and knocked on the gate of Su Family.
From today, Sujiaxiang will suspend its business and will not resume until the eighth day of the new year. You Jin and others were all at home. When she heard the woman guarding the door come in to report, You Jin was playing with little Eighth in her arms. Hearing that someone from Xiao Family in the capital had come, she handed little Eighth to Yu Lan before ordering: "Take him to the parlor. Bai Zhi, go and bring some tea. Then prepare some food to keep out the cold."
Afterward, she put on a thick woven satin cape and went to the parlor.
"Miss Su, this one was ordered by my family's master to bring you the New Year's gift." Standing in the parlor was the leader of the guards who came to Luohe Prefecture with Xiao Family brothers that day.
Seeing that the not-so-small parlor was filled with all kinds of gift boxes, all kinds of materials, and even high-quality hides, You Jin felt her brows twitch slightly. Was there any need to be so prodigal? However, she kept a smile and declined: "So many new years gifts. It is too expensive. We can't be rewarded for nothing. Please send the things back, Elder Brother Guard!"
Guard Xiao cupped his hands respectfully and stated with a serious look: "Miss Su, I'm only acting on the order of my master. My family's master only told me to send it. He didn't say to take it back." Then he took out two letters: "Miss Su, these are letters that my family's master and Second Young Master want to send to Miss."
You Jin, who was blocked by his words to the point of speechlessness, didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Was forcing her to accept the gifts? She accepted the letter from Guard Xiao, put it aside, and sighed: "In this case, I will not put Elder Brother Guard on the spot. There are hot dishes and hot soup in the kitchen. Elder Brother Guard, you and the brothers had worked hard all the way. Eat something to relieve the fatigue and take a rest?"
"Thank you Miss Su! This one has to rush back to the capital to report on task completion. So we won't stay overnight." Guard Xiao thanked her and then followed Uncle Song to the kitchen. Naturally, good wine and food were served to Xiao Family's guards.
In the parlor, You Jin couldn't help but sighed again at the sight of the mountain of ceremony gifts. Then she opened the handwritten letter sent by Xiao Lin Yu brothers.
Xiao Lin Feng didn't say much in his letter- only said that he had prepared some novelty toys and food for her. Looking at the things that Shan Nai and the others were arranging, You Jin burst into a chuckle: "This Xiao Lin Feng!"
After reading Xiao Lin Feng's letter, she opened Xiao Lin Yu's letter. This was already the second time You Jin had read Xiao Lin Yu's letter. As the saying goes, the writing was like the person. Xiao Lin Yu neatly wrote slightly angular characters. Before You Jin finished Xiao Lin Yu's letter, Shan Nai came to her with a box in hand: "Miss, there are bank notes!"
Listening to Shan Nai's words, You Jin finished Xiao Lin Yu's letter. In Xiao Lin Yu's letter, he had mentioned the money: "Treat the ten thousand liang as a loan from me or as an investment in your tea business."
Irked, You Jin slapped the letter onto the wooden table: "Is 'short of money' written on my face?"
You Jin didn't want to owe favors to others, especially when it was a large amount like ten thousand liang. It would be fine if the tea business worked out. But what if it failed? At that time, even if the whole family sells themselves together, they won't be able to compensate it, right?
You Jin felt that this was an untimed bomb. So she took the box that Shan Nai handed over with a sullen face. Inside were ten 1,000 liang silver notes as well as a long and narrow wooden box. You Jin's curiosity piqued: "This money box can put other treasures in too?"
Hearing Missl's irritated response, Shan Nai and the others couldn't help covering their mouths and laughing.
When she opened it, she looked. It turned out to be a jade stick. A white jade hairpin that had a warm feel. There was also a cute little fox carved on one end of the hairpin. Quite interesting.
"What a beautiful hairpin!" Not only Shan Nai and others were amazed, but even You Jin was amazed. There was a note under the jade hairpin. Once opened, it was Xiao Lin Yu's note. It said: "You are half a year younger than Lin Feng. When it's time for your coming-of-age, we will miss it. Sending your coming-of-age gift first."
You Jin only felt her face was slightly hot. She closed the box containing the hairpin with a snap. Then she rolled her eyes at all the dazzled girls: "Don't be dazed. Hurry up and tidy the things up. Put it in the warehouse."
When Xiao Family's captain guard came to bid farewell to You Jin after finishing their meals, You Jin took out the box containing a stack of banknotes and jade hairpins: "Uncle Guard, this is too expensive, I can't accept it. I need to trouble you to bring it back to Gentleman Xiao."
The captain guard had received Young Master's instruction before he set off. He was not allowed to bring back anything sent by their family. It went without saying, he shirk away in every possible way.
You Jin had no choice but to write another IOU, put it in an envelope, and hand it to the guard captain to take it to the capital along with the new year gifts prepared by Su Family.