Chapter 152: Making Up One's Mind (Pink Ticket 660 + Extra Chapter)

  Aunt Chen received three pieces of wool and was taken aback: "This..."

  "Grandfather has one, Big Brother has one, and this one is for you." Shen Muqing explained with a smile.

  "How can this be?" Aunt Chen demurred, "This is what your wife left for you."

  "You've taken good care of Master, I'd like to contribute too. Take these things."

  Madam Chen gazed at the sable fur with its needle-like tips, hesitated for a moment, and finally knelt down to pay her respects to Shen Muqing: "Lady, I'd rather obey than be disobedient!"

  Shen Mu Qing smiled and returned to Ting Yu Xuan.

  Dashi Fow was practicing calligraphy at his desk, while Yatou He Xiang waited on him.

  Seeing his sister come in, Da She immediately put down the smile in his hand and politely greeted Shen Muqing.

  Shen Muqing accepted his gift, asked about his studies, and found that Dashu was not an ordinary hard worker.

  Mr. Min's brother is about to return to his hometown to take the imperial examination, so Mr. Da's lessons have also been temporarily suspended, and he has been studying at home during this period. In such a situation, he still reviews what he has learned from "Three Character Classic" and "Qiong Lin You Xue" every morning, and writes big characters in the afternoon.

  He's only eight years old! A second-grader in elementary school, yet he never indulges in play.

  Children are the most sensitive, with a sense of responsibility towards them but less warmth, so they are always well-behaved and sensible in front of their own.

  She felt some pity in her heart and asked about Da She's situation at the Min family.

  It may not have occurred to anyone that someone would ask themselves this question, and Da She was stunned for half a day before stuttering an answer to Shen Muqing. But as her attitude became more and more gentle, Da She's words also became smoother.

  "...Aunt Jinzhuang made us a pancake and we ate it. I, Weiqin and Weijian all liked it..."

  Qín Hé and Qín Jiǎn are two sons of Mr. Mǐn.

  Shen Muqing suddenly realized that when he was eight years old and started his education, Shen Jian had invited Liu Yu, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, to give him his name. Now Da She is also eight years old, but still hasn't been given a name...

  She let out a soft sigh.

  Da She's voice suddenly dropped.

  He carefully sized up Shen Muqing's expression.

  Shen Mu Qing took a deep breath and hugged Da She tightly in her arms.

  "How about we make some rice cakes too someday?"

  Dà Shě was in her arms, but his body was stiff, after a while, he nodded and responded with a "good".

  Everything has a beginning!

  Starting from today, try to gradually change the relationship with Da She...

  Shen Muqing held Da She in her arms, evaluating his calligraphy.

  The two of them chatted and gradually became more familiar with each other.

  A little maid came in and reported: "Young lady, Madam Chen has arrived!"

  Two people were stunned, Da She. Had already jumped down from Shen Muqing's knee with an excited face, seeing that Shen Muqing didn't move, he came back a bit embarrassed, standing beside Shen Muqing with his head lowered.

  Shen Mu Qing stroked Da She's head: "Are you thinking of seeing your aunt?"

  Keeping quiet despite being wronged.

  "Go if you want to go!"

  Dà Shě raised his head, and his dark, shiny eyes were full of surprise.

  "Go!" Shen Muqing patted his shoulder, "Let He Xiang follow you, don't run, be careful not to fall."

  Dà Shě smiled at her and walked out calmly and steadily.

  He Xiang saw him and hastily gave Shen Muqing a salute before quickly following after him.

  Before long, Da She returned with Chen Niang and Zhou Bing following behind him.

  Shen Mu Qing was slightly surprised and didn't know what Chen Niang and Zhou Bing meant by coming to see her together.

  Dà Shě walked in with his head held high, sat down beside Shen Mùqīng, and looked at Chen Yíniáng and Zhōu Bǐng, greeting them like an adult: "Auntie, Master Zhou, please sit!"

  Madam Chen's eyes were filled with kindness as she gazed at Da She, and she smiled as she sat down beside Shen Muqing. Zhou Bing saw this and bowed to Shen Muqing and Da She before sitting down in the armchair closest to the door.

  Ying brought up tea with lotus and osmanthus fragrances from the Da She House.

  "Shen Mu Qing said: 'Auntie, I don't know what you want from me?'"

  Aunt Chen looked at Zhou Bing. Zhou Bing nodded slightly. Aunt Chen's face showed a determined expression: "Actually, we came to find the lady, there is something to discuss!"

  It seems these two had discussed it beforehand and came to find me...

  Shen Muqing raised an eyebrow.

  Zhou Bing coughed lightly and said, "Auntie, it's like this. The accounts from the madam's side are all muddled up, really giving me a headache!"

  "Oh!" Shen Muqing responded with a single word.

  Zhou Bing said briefly: "The account expenses have doubled since I was in charge, these are small things, the big problem is that the accounts are chaotic, in my impression there should be several accounts that have not been accounted for. I asked Auntie why she wanted to check the accounts? Auntie said, we must get back the silver that her brother did not give her. I said, it doesn't make sense to check like this, because accounts must match with actual goods, that's what accounts are for. If you just look at the account book, you can't find any problems. After listening, Auntie thought for a long time and then brought me along to find my wife, saying she wanted me to help take a trip to Jiangnan."

  Shen Muqing's calm and clear eyes fell on Chen Yiniang's body.

  Madam Chen nodded hastily: "Yes, Miss, I don't understand these things either, so I can only ask Manager Zhou for help."

  Quiet and clear, looking out at Zhou Bao.

  Zhou Bing's emotions were complex, seemingly a mix of regret, perplexity, and unease.

  The eighteen shops in Jiangnan, after all, were personally managed by him, and now they have been messed up like this, his mood must be very bad... And Aunt Chen made up her mind to do something for the first time, if it ends like this, she will probably never have the confidence to take charge of things again.

  "Go!" Shen Mu said with a clear and refreshing tone, "Let Manager Zhou go on a trip to Jiangnan..."

  Both of their faces showed surprise, but more so excitement.

  "But we should bring a few more people... The road is not safe."

  Zhou Bing immediately understood Shen Muqing's concern. He stood up and bowed to Shen Muqing: "Thank you, madam!"

  Aunt Chen was somewhat perplexed: "We're walking along the post road, what's unsafe about that?"

  ******

  Sent off Yiniang and Zhou Bing, Shen Muqing went to Shen Zhen's place.

  Shen Zhen was reclining on a Buddhist bed reading Buddhist scriptures.

  Seeing Shen Muqing enter, he smiled and pointed to the embroidered stool beside the bed: "Sit down!"

  Shen Mu sat quietly, and Yat Heung brought up the tea.

  Before she went to Jiangnan, she married off Orange Fragrance and Emerald Sash. After returning, she bought four young maidservants to attend Shen Zhen.

  Shen Mu Qing took over the tea and Shen Zhen smiled: "What can I do for you?"

  "Dashu is eight years old this year, it's time to take a school name."

  "Is it already eight years old?" Shen Zhen was slightly stunned.

  Shen Muqing remained silent, lowering his head to drink tea.

  Shen Zhen remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying: "By the way, how is Yiwu Teahouse doing now?"

  Shen Mu Qing was as calm and gentle as a stream, no longer mentioning the matter of the great sacrifice.

  "...bought the yard next door, wrote a letter to Shi Jingyu asking her to find a master gardener to design the garden and attract people, making the tea house a sensation..."

  Shen Zhen nodded as he listened.

  "You previously told me you wanted to grow tea yourself, now you're thinking of asking a gardener to set up a teahouse... not bad, not bad."

  After all, these ideas are just an idea... being recognized by Shen Zhen, Shen Muqing's confidence is boosted a hundredfold.

  "I have a student named Li Yi, who was appointed as the prefect of Quanzhou in Fujian this spring. Anxi County is under his jurisdiction." Shen Zhen said, "I wrote him a letter when I was in Nanjing. Yesterday, I received his reply, saying that he welcomes me to visit him at any time."

  Fujian Anxi? The best Tieguanyin is produced in Anxi...

  Shen Mu Qing was overjoyed and pulled Shen Zhen's arm: "Thank you, sir!"

  "Alright, alright!" Shen Zhen's eyes were also filled with joy. "It's too early to say thank you now. Let's wait until your tea garden is up and running, it won't be late to say thank you then!"

  "That's settled, that's settled!" Shen Muqing's eyebrows danced with joy, and as soon as she returned to the Listening Rain Pavilion, she wrote a letter to Shi Jingyu, telling her about this matter and asking her to send someone who understood tea to Anxi to inspect the land.

  ******

  Because she was too excited, Shen Muqing got up a bit late the next day. Ying Fen reminded her that they still had to go see that mysterious woman today. Shen Muqing exclaimed "Oh no!" and quickly got ready, rushing to the One Wen Teahouse.

  It's good that Second Master is a capable person. Although he didn't receive any instructions from Shen Muqing, he still gave the craftsmen who were renovating the house a day off and tidied up a warm pavilion in the backyard, hanging cotton curtains around it. The black lacquer furniture was polished until it shone, and several pots of orchids were placed on high shelves in the corners, along with a full set of Qianlong-era famille rose porcelain tea cups.

  "Madam, don't worry, several bodyguards are hiding in the woods. As soon as there's any movement, they'll rush in immediately." He pointed to a large stick standing behind the armchair, "If by any chance... you can still block it!"

  How does Shen Muqing feel like a mafia boss negotiating with people?

  She smiled wryly and nodded, praising Er Zhuang a few words, preparing to rest her feet in the account room, then waiting for someone to come.

  As soon as the two men walked out of the warm pavilion, seven or eight sturdy men with impressive physiques emerged from the nearby woods. They were all dressed in black shorts and wide leather belts around their waists, with flying darts inserted into the belts and large knives held in their hands, looking very majestic.

  The two shopkeepers hastily explained: "These few are masters sent by the escort agency, saying they want to go into the forest to explore the road."

  As he spoke, a short and stout man, also dressed in black shorts with a cloth waistband and empty-handed, walked out from among his taller companions and grinned at Shen Muqing.

  Shen Mu Qing was taken aback for a moment, then fixed her gaze on that person, and it turned out to be Chang Hui.

  Chang Hui saw Shen Muqing recognize himself and laughed even more happily.

  "Yue Shan," Second Manager saw a group of majestic men suddenly run out with a short, flea-like man in the middle, who also smiled lewdly at his own master, and immediately shouted loudly at the leader's name, "I agreed with your head that we want tall stature... What kind of person is this?" he said, pointing to Chang Hui.

  A man with a national character face smiled somewhat awkwardly and said, "Boss, this person doesn't want money... He came by himself... No need to spend money... He is the best runner in our escort agency... The man is very clever... Can see the wind... If something happens in the warm pavilion, he will know immediately!"

  A tout, or a person who shouts out slogans such as "Tiger's roar in the central plains" and "Please let us pass, friends of the rivers and lakes".

  []

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