Walking into the courtyard, Mozi called out Xiao Yi.

  "Green Chrysanthemum, your skills in turning men into women are getting more and more formidable." Xiao Yi looked her up and down with rounded eyes.

  Lu Jing didn't dare take credit, pointing at Mo Zi and saying, "It was Mo Zi who taught well from the start."

  Mo Zi originally was a soldier, he rarely wore makeup and didn't know how to apply it. However, after watching some colorful TV shows and foreign movies with makeup transformation techniques, he remembered some of the methods and shared them with Lu Ju. Lu Ju was skilled at styling hair and makeup, and Mo Zi experimented on her face several times, achieving a decent effect.

  It's not about some profound disguise, just making her face look more neutral, wearing men's clothing, and walking on the street without being stared at because of her feminine appearance. Moreover, she never wanted to deceive everyone, but rather, dressing as a man when going out could reduce unnecessary trouble.

  It's not just her, Qiu San Niang and Bai He and the others often dress as men when they go out. Although merchants who don't mind discussing business with Qiu San Niang know that they are women, if they leave this group, appearing in men's clothing won't attract too much attention or disgust from others. After all, it's not a commendable thing for women to show their faces and expose themselves, especially for those who value chastity.

  "Mei Zi, you come and go early." Bai He said, leading Lu Ju into Qiao San Niang's room.

  Mozi walked to the foot of the wall, outside which was the Ji'nian An Guanyin Temple's Qiu Shan. At this moment, most pilgrims were lingering around the Guanyin Temple. On top of Qiu Shan stood a Zixiang Tang where one could enjoy the view, drink tea and have vegetarian meals, so it wouldn't get crowded until before or after noon.

  Xiao Yi easily climbed over the wall and looked around, seeing no one, before turning back to help Meng Zi out of the wall.

  The two have collaborated many times and are now very tacit.

  How could Zhang, who never left the house and never stepped out of the gate, have expected that? She thought she had control over Qiu San Niang, who was trapped in the small courtyard, even knowing clearly how many times Qiu San Niang's maids went out to buy snacks.

  In fact, the movement from the main gate is just a decoy. The real movement is on the high wall of Qiu San Niang's secluded courtyard not far away.

  "I'm leaving." Mozi smoothed out his slightly wrinkled shirt.

  "Three hundred taels of silver... Miss... you don't blame... If she didn't trust you, she wouldn't let you go out alone." Xiaoyi said awkwardly with her back to Mozi and then ran into the forest of Qiu Shan, not knowing which tree she climbed again.

  Mozi smiled and walked in the opposite direction down a small path. Passing through Guanyin Hall, she emerged from the main gate of Ciniang An among the increasingly numerous female incense guests. Because some female incense guests also brought male servants and young boys with them, her appearance was not conspicuous at all. Moreover, her walking posture was upright and bold, with her green sleeves fluttering in the wind, without any pretentiousness or artificiality, who would have thought that she was a woman?

  The main gate of Ciniang An is down for two more quarters, and you will arrive at the foot of the mountain to Ci Nian Temple. This temple and hermitage are prosperous, bringing the eastern suburbs of Luozhou's market to a lively and extraordinary level. Many wealthy families have chosen this place to buy property, with antique shops, silk, gold, silver, jade, books, ink, and other stores gathered in the wide and spacious square. The southern mountain is vast and fertile, and the neighboring rural households often carry fresh fruits and vegetables to sell, quickly forming a small street like a modern vegetable market. There are also rice, oil, salt, medicinal material shops, clinics, snack shops, restaurants, and residential areas.

  The best part is that five miles north of the eastern suburbs, there is the Luo River, which connects to the Yangtze River and can go to the southern border of De. Luozhou is a must-pass place for merchants from both countries, with prosperous trade and many large and small businesses, known for its wealth and prosperity throughout the country.

  During the New Year, Mozi accompanied San Niang to Ci Nian An once, and what she did for San Niang was inseparable from Luohe, so she was very familiar with this Dongcheng gathering place and not afraid of getting lost.

  She wore a faded blue blouse, walking through the streets and alleys in the morning light. Some enthusiastic shop owners called out to her, asking how she had been lately. She smiled and replied one by one, strolling at an unhurried pace.

  Finally stopped in front of a bean curd shop, saw the business inside was not bad, five or six tables were almost full. Those laborers with patches on their clothes, a big bowl of hot bean milk or rice, gnawing scallion pancakes, and smearing black sauce, had an expression of satisfaction as if they were savoring all the delicious food in the world.

  Sitting on a simple wooden stool by the roadside, Mozi rushed inside with his back to her, busy as can be, and shouted, "A bowl of soy milk."

  "Ah, great!" The man first hastened to entertain the guest, then roughly made out whose voice it was, turned around and looked clearly, grinned from ear to ear, scratched his head and laughed as he ran over, "Mo brother, it's been a long time since you've come."

  "Been busy lately." Mozi looked at this dark-skinned big guy, "Gao brother, business is good, huh?"

  "Since you taught me those few things, I've had business from dawn till dusk." Gao Zhuang was extremely grateful.

  Gao Zhuang originally only sold soy milk, tofu, and bean flower. One day, Mo Zi was thirsty and wanted something sweet, so she entered his shop. At that time, there were no customers, and Gao Zhuang was about to close the shop. Seeing a customer who only wanted a bowl of soy milk, he didn't mind the trouble and heated up a pot just for her. Mo Zi thought this person was quite honest, so they chatted for a few sentences. They mentioned red and green beans, carrots, millet, and peanuts, which were cooked together to make a filling and inexpensive coarse grain rice. Then they talked about cold mixed tofu, tofu stuffed with meat and gravy over rice, and spicy tofu soup. Mo Zi mentioned several types of bean flower dishes that she loved but had never eaten before in this place.

  He was very interested and asked in detail. The first time he tried coarse grains, his mother took the name of eight-treasure rice, which immediately attracted many customers. Later, small dishes and soups with tofu as the main ingredient were also added to the menu, which were well-received. Nowadays, business can be done from morning till night.

  "I'll just eat." Mei Zi glanced at the guests who were leaving and those who were entering, "You hurry up and get busy. Has your mother returned from upstairs yet?"

  "Got home last night, went out to deliver a message early this morning and came back quickly. You can drink soy milk while waiting." Gao Zhuang said, then brought out a large bowl of soy milk and three or four small dishes from inside.

  Mozi knew that it was the largest bowl in his shop. But with his kind intentions, she couldn't decline and had to sit there slowly drinking and eating.

  At noon, the soy milk in the sea bowl was drunk more than half. Looking at those who had no place to sit, they could only squat on the ground, holding a bowl and eating with relish. She, who occupied a square table alone, thought of changing her mind and coming another day.

  "Mo Ge is here?" Gao Da Niang had just returned home and caught sight of Mo Zi, her face also lit up with a smile.

  "Mother, Mo Lao has been waiting for you for a long time." Gao Zhuang's hands didn't stop.

  "Hey kid, I've told you before, if you're looking for me, just wait inside the house. We don't have the rules of a big household, no entering when the master is not home." Old Lady Gao beckoned with her hand.

  "Madam, will this trip go smoothly?" Mozi hurriedly stood up and followed Gaodan to the inner room.

  In front of the shop, behind the house, many small shops are like this.

  "It's okay, I guess. There are always one or two that can't find a home, but the price is lower so it's given away. I don't lose or gain, forget it." Gaodan Niang pushed open the door, behind which was a small quadrangular courtyard with three rooms.

  The mother and son duo, the son grinds tofu and sells it, while the old lady is a full-time matchmaker and part-time tooth puller.