Chapter 231: Chapter 232: The Courtyard Residence

Lu Ping was drinking alone in a sulk. By the time Ancient Wen Heng finally arrived, he had already finished off all the fine wine Ouyang Bing had sent over.

"Seriously," Lu Ping griped, "You might as well have waited until dinnertime." He felt terribly wronged. He’d been busy since the crack of dawn, only to end up drinking alone in a foul mood.

Ancient Wen Heng sat down across from him and offered a sincere apology. "I’m treating this afternoon. Order whatever you like."

"So you really do want me to wait for dinner!" Lu Ping sighed deeply. "Never mind. I’m too tired today.

Are you done with your business here? Let’s head back then."

Ancient Wen Heng glanced at Mudou, who had come down to see them out. After giving him a nod, he walked over to help the slightly tipsy Lu Ping make his way outside.

"See? Stop ordering me around all the time," Guo Yurong said smugly to Ouyang Bing as she watched their retreating backs. "I just brought you more business, didn’t I?"

Ouyang Bing chuckled. "The value of one of your little medicine pills is probably equal to several months of his shipments. Only you would be proud of running a business at a loss."

"You wouldn’t understand," Guo Yurong said, shaking her head. "It’s all about first impressions, you know? As long as I take a liking to someone, nothing else is a problem."

Ouyang Bing couldn’t resist asking, "...Then what about me? Don’t you like what you see?"

Guo Yurong replied, "Little Ice Cube, why so insecure? Do you really need the peanuts I can offer you?

If you really want something, just pop over to my family’s home. My dad would let you plunder the place as you please. Why are you so fixated on what little I have here?"

Ouyang Bing took a deep breath. "...Weren’t you supposed to go into seclusion? You should get a move on. If you keep procrastinating, it’ll be dark soon."

"What’s the rush? A dark and stormy night is the best time to travel."

"..."

＆

Jin Qianqian was unaware that Ancient Wen Heng had already found a market for the estate’s vegetables. She was currently with Hu Dong, inspecting the shop they had previously purchased.

"This was just a cosmetics shop before. The space isn’t very large, so it could only hold a limited amount of merchandise." Jin Qianqian sketched as she surveyed the space. "We’ll install wall-mounted cabinets on all four sides, with a long counter running down the middle. That will separate the clerks from the customers."

"Madam, will all these cabinets be open?" Hu Dong asked with a glance. It wasn’t like the pastry shop, where they just covered the goods with a layer of gauze.

"In a few days, once the glass arrives, we’ll install it in the pastry shop too." Jin Qianqian didn’t explain much more. "Later, take these dimensions and designs to Chief Li’s house. Have them prepare the materials first. When the glass gets here, I’ll have Housekeeper Fu go over and show them what to do."

Although Hu Dong didn’t fully understand, he still nodded obediently.

"Also, don’t get lazy with your handwriting. Practice when you have a spare moment. Your Sister Qingzhu and the others have complained several times that while your accounts are accurate, they have to half-guess to decipher your writing."

At this, Jin Qianqian turned to him. "I’m putting you in charge of this shop as well. Will you be able to manage?"

Hu Dong nodded eagerly, a bashful look on his face. "I can! And I have been practicing my handwriting, I’m just not very good at it."

He used to just get by, but after being teased a few times, he had his pride to consider. These days, he was genuinely buckling down and practicing his characters.

Jin Qianqian said, "Take your time. I’ll have someone send a copybook over for you later. Just practice by copying from it."

Hu Dong quickly shook his head. "I’ve barely touched the last copybook you gave me. Please don’t give me another, Madam."

Jin Qianqian trailed off, "...So you really are too busy..."

Hu Dong replied, "Madam, I’m not busy at all! In fact, being busy is good. It means I can learn a lot."

Reflecting on his life now, Xiao Dongzi had more than once silently given thanks for Ancient Wen Heng’s life-saving grace.

It had transformed him from a homeless vagrant child into the widely envied Little Hu Shopkeeper.

Sometimes he even had the strange feeling that he wasn’t working for the Madam and her husband, but was instead just here to enjoy a life of ease. Any time he was idle, he felt a pang of guilt. Now that the Madam had finally entrusted him with another task, he couldn’t let the opportunity slip through his fingers.

Jin Qianqian asked, "Have you been over to the workshop?"

Hu Dong nodded. "I went with Housekeeper Fu a few times before, but I haven’t been back since production started."

"Perfect," Jin Qianqian said. "I’m heading there in a bit to check on the layout of the house. You should go get familiar with the place and, while you’re there, select some people you think would be a good fit."

Aside from Sister-in-law Xiang and Ping Sao, who she had hired for the pastry shop, Jin Qianqian had no intention of hiring outsiders for her future ventures. She placed far more trust in a binding indenture contract.

In addition to the servants brought back from Sea City, she had recently had the baby broker send over more people. They were all currently at the new estate, being trained by Housekeeper Fu.

In the past, Ancient Wen Heng was merely a minor Scholar and naturally had few social engagements.

But things were different now. If he passed the examinations to become a scholar, the women’s social circles would certainly become active, and they would need to display the appropriate standing.

Jin Qianqian was well aware of her own deficiencies. Her knowledge of traditional etiquette was superficial at best, a matter she had already discussed with Ancient Wen Heng.

To compensate for these deficiencies and avoid any future social blunders, Ancient Wen Heng had taken the opportunity in his last letter to Prince Bai to ask for his help in finding an experienced matron from a great household.

However, the letter had been sent only a short while ago. With no reply and no person yet in sight, they had no idea if his request would be successful.

"Madam." The moment her carriage stopped at the gate, Housekeeper Fu rushed out to greet her with several people in tow.

Jin Qianqian nodded and stepped into the four-courtyard estate.

As for why it wasn’t a five-courtyard estate? The rearmost section had been partitioned off to serve as a workshop. If they ever discontinued the workshop, a few modifications would easily turn it into a proper five-courtyard grand mansion.

"Is everything arranged?"

Housekeeper Fu replied, "Everything is more or less in order. We’re just waiting on some fruit trees and other plants for the rear courtyards, but that should be finished soon."

’I should get all this settled before Ancient Wen Heng returns,’ Jin Qianqian thought. ’Then, we can choose an auspicious date to move into our new home.’

"Let’s go check the rear courtyards first." Jin Qianqian led the group straight past the spirit screen, slowly inspecting everything as she went.

"Does this lacquer need another coat?" Looking at the dark red varnish, Jin Qianqian felt the color was too light, lacking a sense of dignity.

Housekeeper Fu pointed to the workers busy in another corner. "They can finish everything in the next couple of days. Let it air out for two more after that, and the smell will be gone."

Jin Qianqian knew the pigments from this era were almost entirely natural, so she wasn’t concerned about fumes.

"Tell the kitchen to buy more meat and fish for the next few days. Don’t be stingy with the workers’ meals." After all, these people had practically been living on-site. For them to have gotten the house into its current state so quickly, Jin Qianqian felt she couldn’t treat them poorly.

Housekeeper Fu nodded repeatedly. "Yes."

When she reached the main courtyard, the one belonging to her and Ancient Wen Heng, Jin Qianqian could see how much thought Housekeeper Fu had put into it.

This entire courtyard was the most well-tended of them all. Not only was all the lacquer dry, but even the flowers in the corners were already blooming vibrantly.