Feng Shan’s hands were trembling and his eyes were moist.
After his mood calmed down, Rong Xi took back the jade pendant and waited for his answer.
“Where did the young man get this thing?” Feng Shan changed from his simple and honest appearance, and his whole body burst out with momentum.
Rong Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly. As expected, he had the same military style as Chen’s masters and servants.
“Given by a friend,” Rong Xi said in a soothing tone, with a calm expression, “When he gave the jade, he told me to go to Master Feng’s place.”
Feng Shan believed most of it, he couldn’t help but sigh: “Why are you looking for me?”
“My little servant once received his martial arts instruction, but because he was busy with important matters and had no time to teach, he took this jade as a token and asked me to find Master Feng.”
After hearing this, Feng Shan pondered for a moment and said, “Since it’s his request, I should do my best.”
Seeing that he agreed easily, Rong Xi couldn’t help but smile brightly and bow, “Thank you, Master Feng!”
The two returned to the front hall, and Feng Shan looked at Liu Zishi carefully.
Seeing Liu Zishi’s innocent eyes, delicate face, and tall and strong body, Feng Shan felt a little satisfied, so he nodded and said: “Practicing martial arts is hard. You can only succeed if you persevere. If you can’t bear it, just give up.”
Seeing Rong Xi’s look, Liu Zishi immediately kneeled down to worship and said loudly: “Disciple pays homage to Master!”
Since then, Liu Zishi had started to live in hell mode.
In the morning, he read and learned calligraphy, and in the afternoon he went to Feng house’s to practice martial arts. Due to Feng Shan’s orders, he had to run back and forth every day.
Though Liu He felt distressed, he was extremely relieved to see his grandson’s energy and temperament change drastically.
That had been a subject for later discussion; for the time being, it wasn’t brought up.
After Liu Zishi became an apprentice at Feng’s carpenter’s shop, Rong Xi went to Hu’s house under their invitation.
Hu Yulin and Jiang Weiping greeted him at the door of Hu’s mansion. Upon reaching the main hall, servants presented tea on trays. Rong Xi took a seat and listened as Hu Yulin said with a smile, “My father has wanted to meet you for a long time. When he learned that you were in the city today, he was determined to meet you. I invite you to come and be my guest. It’s just that my father is temporarily involved in worldly affairs, please wait a moment.”
Rong Xi seemed flattered and said: “Your father is so kind, and I am ashamed to accept it.”
The three of them were chatting in the hall, but they didn’t know that Feng Shan and his son were studying drawings in the courtyard behind closed doors.
“Father, look at this name, do you know who he is?” The Feng boy pointed at the signature on the contract.
Feng Shan was confused, “Who is it?”
Thinking that his father did not seem to hear rumors, the young man had no choice but to explain: “Rong Xi is the eldest son of the Minister of Personnel in Shengjing. He made a mistake and offended the Prince’s son, so he was sent to Linxi.”
He told Feng Shan all the rumors.
“There are many people with the same name and surname.” Feng Shan didn’t care about the rumors at all.
“Father, I don’t know why you suddenly accepted that servant as your disciple,” the young Feng boy said with a troubled expression, “It would be good for me to have a companion to practice martial arts in the future. But if you look at this drawing, I feel that it is similar to the spiritual tablet.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
When Feng Shan just looked through the drawings, he already had such doubts. However, because the rest of the drawings were novel and unseen objects, he was not sure whether the last drawing was a spiritual tablet.
Vqlgla ajyifar kfgf jcmfragji ajyifar, asqlmjiis fcrtglcfv lc atf jcmfragji tjii klatlc j tberftbiv.
“Rb wjaafg ktja la lr, lo la lr merabwlhfv ys atf fwqibsfg, kf klii jma jmmbgvlcuis.” Mfcu Vtjc ygertfv tlr gbeut tjcvr bnfg atf vgjklcur jcv rwlifv.
Le‘r wjcrlbc.
Coafg Le Tec uba bea bo atf mjggljuf, tf tegglfv ab atf wjlc tjii. Qtfc tf rjk Ebcu Wl, tf lwwfvljafis rwlifv jcv rjlv, “Tbe tjnf yffc kjlalcu obg j ibcu alwf, Tbecu Zjrafg Ebcu. P jw tfgf ab jqbibulhf.”
“Master Hu’s words are serious,” Rong Xi bowed and replied, “I should have visited earlier.”
Several people sat down again.
Hu Yun took a closer look at Rong Xi, and realized that although he was as fat as the rumors, he was calm and elegant, and could be described as a gentleman, which was completely different from the rumors.
Indeed, as Yulin said, he was a good talent.
Hu Yun had been in business for many years and had a much richer experience than Hu Yulin. He talked with the three about his early years of entrepreneurship, which made Rong Xi and Jiang Weiping feel amazed.
Hu Yulin held his forehead helplessly. He had heard it countless times since he was a child, but he still couldn’t change his father’s habit of bragging.
He and his mother had calluses on their ears because of these stories.
Just this afternoon, Hu Yun left the house again due to urgent matters.
Rong Xi asked about the medicine shop in the city. Hu Yulin and Jiang Weiping were worried and asked hurriedly: “Are you not in good health?”
Rong Xi shook his head and said with a smile: “I am weak, and I have received a good prescription from a doctor. I want to buy medicinal materials and go back to apply them to my body.”
“You don’t have to go there in person. If there is a prescription, I can send my servant to the drug store to buy it.” Hu Yulin suggested it enthusiastically.
Rong Xi said with a smile: “That’s not necessary. I have never seen the excitement in the city, so I want to go and see it.”
He said so, Hu Yulin and Jiang Weiping should accompany him.
The three of them went to the market together, and Liu Zishi fell behind him, side by side with the servant of the Hu family.
Rong Xi had already memorized the prescription given by Chen Chuangu. He went to the pharmacy and informed the shopkeeper, and he got the medicine smoothly.
The medicine bag was held by young Liu, and they continued to wander. Passing by the cloakroom, Rong Xi said to Liu Zishi: “I’ll make you some sets of clothes, shoes and socks.”
Thinking about the young man practicing martial arts and running around without new clothes and shoes, Rong Xi wanted to buy a few more sets just in case of emergencies.
“You don’t have to spend money on me, young master. You gave me enough clothes.” He had only worn this outfit for half a month, and it was still as good as new. There was really no need to buy any more.
Hu Yulin laughed and said, “You are really blessed, and my brother is really kind.”
Hu’s servants looked at Liu Zishi with envy.
The shopkeeper of the clothing store naturally knew Hu Yulin, and he was also familiar with Jiang Weiping. He grinned and greeted them personally.
“Master Hu, Master Jiang.” When he saw Rong Xi, he was slightly stunned. When Hu Yulin introduced Rong Xi, he smiled and said, “Master Rong.”
Rong Xi nodded in response, pushed Liu Zishi to the front, and said: “Customize five sets according to his size.”
Five sets!
Upon hearing this, Liu Zishi was utterly dumbfounded. He had intended to refuse, but seeing Rong Xi’s determined expression, he couldn’t go against it, so he remained silent.
He only secretly wiped away happy tears when the shopkeeper took his measurements.
At this time, a haggard young man, who wore old clothes and had black circles under his eyes, walked in carrying a cloth bundle and came to the shopkeeper.
“Shopkeeper, can we accept old clothes in the store?”
The shopkeeper glanced at him and saw that he looked familiar, but the shopkeeper didn’t recognize it for a moment, so he replied: “It depends on what kind of clothes it is.”
The man was anxious, opened the package, and showed silk and satin clothes inside.
The shopkeeper touched it with his hand, noting the fine fabric and the fact that it was still in over 90% new condition, and said, “I can buy it, but compared to before, I’ll have to lower the price by more than 50%.”
“Can the price be increased?” The man hugged the clothes tightly and asked with difficulty.
The shopkeeper pretended to be perfunctory, saying “At most 50%.”
The man was obviously a little disappointed. He was hesitating and at a loss when he heard someone next to him say: “I want to buy it at the original price.”
Not only was the man surprised, but even the shopkeeper cast an incomprehensible look at Hu Yulin.
Jiang Weiping didn’t know what his friend meant and looked at him in confusion.
The man selling clothes hurriedly saluted and said, “It’s Master Hu, hello.”
“Shopkeeper Duan doesn’t need to be polite,” Hu Yulin said, narrowing his eyes and smiling sincerely, “I am a regular customer of Jin Shi Xuan. Although I haven’t met Brother Duan a few times, we have known each other for a long time through delicious food.”
Duan Changjin was extremely moved and replied: “It is my blessing to meet you.”
After Liu Zishi’s measurements were taken and Rong Xi and the tailor shopkeeper made the agreement, they left together. The shopkeeper was left regretting deeply; if he had known that Master Hu would intervene, he wouldn’t have rushed to offer such a low price to Duan Changjin.
Duan Changjin led the three people to Jin Shi Xuan. Madam Duan Zhang was holding a plate to entertain the guests. Although she looked haggard, she forced a smile.
“Brother Duan, what happened just now was done intentionally by me. Please forgive me.” Hu Yulin saluted and apologized. When Duan Changjin was stunned, Hu Yulin said seriously, “My purchase of clothes is false, but my conspiracy is true.”
Rong Xi stood aside and understood what he meant. He raised his eyes and met Hu Yulin’s eyes.
“Don’t blame me, brother Rong. I was in a hurry to make plans and didn’t have time to ask you.” Hu Yulin apologized. He had indeed had a sudden inspiration before and had no time to say more.
Rong Xi smiled and said, “No problem. Brother Hu, you have lofty ambitions, and I am fortunate to be able to contribute in any small way I can.”
Neither Jiang Weiping nor Duan Changjin knew what they meant.
Hu Yulin was extremely grateful and bowed, “I am very grateful to brother Rong for your generosity.”
“Master Hu, may I ask what we are planning to do together?” Duan Changjin was also a businessman and he was vaguely aware of it.
Hu Yulin curled his lips and replied with a smile: “Jin Shi Xuan is no longer able to support itself, and everyone knows this. With all due respect, I have a way to save Brother Duan from selling clothes.”
Duan Changjin was still confused, but Jiang Weiping understood instantly.
Jin Shi Xuan had been operating for decades.
Duan Changjin was the third generation chef. He was not talented enough and his cooking skills were not good, so his father had to recruit apprentices.
The apprentice was very talented and had learned Duan’s recipes to 100%, and served as the chef at Jin Shi Xuan.
It had been ten years since Duan Changjin inherited Jin Shi Xuan. The apprentices had been working hard and using their cooking skills to attract guests to Jin Shi Xuan.
Unexpectedly, people’s hearts could change. The lead apprentice did not want to be subordinated to others, and his ambition gradually grew. After saving enough money, he opened another restaurant in the city.
Duan Changjin later recruited cooks, but in the end no one could surpass this apprentice in cooking skills. Jin Shi Xuan’s business gradually declined and it faced bankruptcy.
The house leaked and it rained all night. The ancestral property was destroyed. The old mother fell seriously ill and the whole family was bankrupted, and they didn’t have the solution.
After his mother passed away, Duan Changjin had little family property, so he had to sell off his income and live in poverty.
The restaurant was also being sold.
It was just that the buyer had not appeared, but a distinguished person had come.
“What you say, Master Hu, surprises me,” Duan Changjin’s eyes showed confusion as he bowed, “However, what you pursue is quite different from what I do. How can we talk about collaborating?”
Hu Yulin smiled brightly, “Brother Duan, if you believe me, you might as well use Jin Shi Xuan to get 30% of the profit. I will pay it with money and silk, and I will get 30%, and brother Rong will get 40% of the profit.”
This would not ignore Jiang Weiping.
If Jin Shi Xuan became famous, Jiang Weiping’s name would naturally spread, and the number of people looking for him to make utensils would be even greater, and the benefits would be countless.
“This gentleman is?” Duan Changjin looked at Rong Xi with a confused face.
Rong Xi smiled gently and said, “Hello, I’m Rong Xi.”
“I’ve met Master Rong.” Duan Changjin looked ashamed, “Can I ask the two gentlemen to help me clear up my doubts?”
Hu Yulin sighed: “Words are unfounded, seeing is believing. If Brother Duan is not in a hurry to sell Jin Shi Xuan, can you wait a few days?”
After he finished speaking, he put the money on the table and said, “This is my intention. I lent it to Brother Duan. Brother Duan should recuperate his mind in the past few days and wait for the resumption of his ancestral business.”
“This is absolutely impossible!” Duan Changjin’s eyes turned red and he refused again and again.
During this period, he asked his former relatives and friends to borrow money and silk to relieve his urgent difficulties. He was met with indifference and supercilious looks. Unexpectedly, today, he received generous treatment from Master Hu, and he was extremely moved.
“From now on, Jin Shi Xuan’s profits should be deducted from your profits,” Hu Yulin said with a smart smile, “Brother Duan, please don’t be polite.”
Charcoal were just one of the needs of thousands of people. Hu Yulin did not want to stick to selling charcoal for generations.
Food is the most important thing for the people, and this saying has never changed.
Thanks for the chapter! I was thinking that our MC needs to make use of recipes, & here comes the smart business partner
Master Hu sounds like he’ll be a good businessman in the future. I’m excited for Rong xi’s weight loss journey~
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Even more food…on even a bigger scale 🤤😅