As soon as Li Huang returned to the eldest princess's residence, Mu Feng came to report: "Your Highness, our people have sent a message back, saying that His Highness the Crown Prince has bypassed Jinzhou and left from Yuzhou."
Li Huang nodded: "Let them be more vigilant. Even if they take a detour, they must be on guard against anyone revealing their itinerary."
Mu Feng responded and retreated.
At this time, the porter hurried in and handed over a message: "Your Highness, Mrs. Xu invites you to drink tea and listen to a play together."
Li Huang took it and took a look at it, then said: "Reply to the person who came for me and said that I accepted it."
Ling Yuan took off Li Huang's cloak, made a pot of tea, and asked: "Your Highness, what does Mrs. Xu mean by inviting you to drink tea at this time?"
The only interaction between them was a mere meeting at the auction banquet and a meal at Ruyi Tower. So, did Mrs. Xu still want to be friends with His Highness?
Li Huang shook his head: "Mrs. Xu is a smart person. She will not invite you for no reason. Let's go and take a look tomorrow."
But even if the other party has a heart-to-heart relationship, it doesn't matter.
She had a good impression of the wife of the richest man in Jiangnan.
At noon the next day, Li Huang arrived at the water play building in a carriage and was led by a waiter to the private room on the second floor.
Mrs. Xu had been waiting there early in the morning. When she saw her coming, she immediately stood up and greeted her: "See the eldest princess."
Li Huang raised his hand to support her: "Mrs. Xu, there is no need to be polite. I just don't know why I specially invited you today."
She sat down opposite Mrs. Xu and looked at the other person quietly with a pair of black eyes. If the other person opened his mouth to make a request to her, then she would have to re-examine this person.
Meeting her gaze, Mrs. Xu did not dodge: "A commoner woman wants to have a business and wants to do it with the eldest princess. I wonder if the eldest princess is interested?"
Li Huang raised his eyebrows and asked with interest: "What kind of business does Madam want to do? Why don't you find someone else, but come to me?"
Mrs. Xu said frankly: "A civilian woman is a businesswoman, so naturally she won't do such pointless things."
There was a set of tea-making tools on the table, and she could be seen skillfully crushing the tea, sifting it, and then started to make the tea.
The whole set of movements is smooth and smooth, which is very pleasing to the eye.
Li Huang curled his lips: "I didn't expect that Mrs. Xu is also a master of tea ceremony. This technique is much more skillful than the maids around me."
Lingyuan, who was named, moved her face away in embarrassment.
Mrs. Xu smiled gently: "They are just playing around in their free time. If the eldest princess's maid is willing, the civilian woman can teach her."
She is not modest at all about her craftsmanship.
At this time, the water was boiling. Mrs. Xu put the tea foam into the boiling water, stirred it carefully for a while, and then took the first spoonful with a long spoon to stop the boiling.
A scent of tea instantly filled the entire private room.
Li Huang took a deep breath and said, "This tea doesn't smell like the one used for entertaining guests at the Water Play House. It must be the good tea that Madam specially brought from Jiangnan, right?"
Even before she drank it, she already felt the aroma was refreshing.
Mrs. Xu first served her a cup: "Nothing can be hidden from the eldest princess. This is the purpose of the folk woman inviting the eldest princess to come over to listen to the opera and have tea."
"This tea was indeed brought over from the south of the Yangtze River by folk women, and they also hoped to start a tea ceremony in the capital."
"The eldest princess is also a tea lover. You wouldn't refuse such a business even if you think about it, right?"
Li Huang took a sip while it was hot. The tea soup melted in his mouth and left a fragrant aroma in his teeth.
"Yes, it is good tea. Even compared with the tea sent to the palace as tribute, it is not much worse."
"It's just such a good tea. How much does Mrs. Xu plan to sell it for in the capital? What can I help you with?"
Just because she reviewed the tea, it can’t be worth a hundred times as much, right?
However, Mrs. Xu made a surprising statement: "The eldest princess has misunderstood. The commoner woman does not want to sell tea, but wants to open a teahouse that can entertain the ladies of the capital."
"The store only accepts female customers, not male customers. Moreover, this tea can only be drunk in our store and cannot be taken away."
Li Huang and Ling Yuan were both surprised. After looking at each other, Li Huang said: "Madam, this idea is quite new. The tea seller actually refused to take the tea away."
Don't say she hasn't heard of it, even those old tea drinkers who have traveled all over the country have probably never heard of it.
Mrs. Xu smiled and said, "This idea came to mind when we were in Jiangnan, but unfortunately, my family didn't support it."
"That's why the common woman wanted to invite the eldest princess to open such a teahouse."
Li Huang looked at her intently and asked with a smile: "Madam, you can easily take out 300,000 taels of silver. I think it is not difficult to open a teahouse by yourself. I still don't understand why you insist on recruiting me to join the gang."
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Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xu was silent for a moment and then slowly spoke: "A commoner's wife is not afraid of the eldest princess's jokes. The commoner's wife and her husband are making peace with each other."
"The men of the Xu family believe that doing business is a man's business, and women should hide in the back house to support their husbands and raise children."
"But our people in Dayuan are civilized and do not stipulate that women cannot do business. What's more, women do not think that they are inferior to them."
"But the Xu family is what it is today, and the advice of women is indispensable behind it."
"The civilian woman was really tired of their tricks, so she came to the capital alone, but the Xu family would not just watch."
"The eldest princess dared to wield the sword of wisdom to cut off the love thread, which made the women of the people admire her very much. The women of the people felt that they could never find a more suitable person than the eldest princess."
Li Huang finally understood that Mrs. Xu in front of her was challenging the rules of the entire Xu family on her own.
As a woman, she came to the capital alone to do business, so there would definitely be many people who would give her a stumbling block, and she needed the protection of the powerful.
And looking at the entire capital, there is really no one else but Li Huang who can accept her shocking ideas.
"Since Mrs. Xu is so candid, I agree." Li Huang looked at her and lost all his respect for her, "I just don't know how Madam plans to cooperate?"
Mrs. Xu was overjoyed when she heard this and said quickly: "In fact, the eldest princess doesn't need to do anything. The eldest princess just needs to put her name in the shop. The common woman will give you 30% of the dividend every year. What do you think?"
Li Huang raised his eyebrows: "With this good thing, you don't have to do anything and you can get 30% every year?"
Mrs. Xu quickly gave her a cup of tea and said: "In business, women will not do business at a loss. With the eldest princess as the owner, if the Xu family wants to cause trouble in the future, they will naturally have to be careful.
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"Furthermore, teahouses run by women of the common people only welcome female customers. If the name of the eldest princess can be used, it can provide some protection for the reputation of the shop."
"If you live on the streets, you still need to pay protection fees, not to mention that you are protected by the eldest princess."
"Not only can I get the protection of the eldest princess, but I can also use the name of the eldest princess to attract business. The civilian woman feels that the 30% bonus is well spent."
Li Huang was a little stunned when she said it so straightforwardly.
"I really like people like Mrs. Xu." Li Huang took a sip of tea and asked, "I wonder if the girls who make tea will have Mrs. Xu's skills when the tea house opens?"
Since you can only come to the store to drink it, it is naturally made with unique craftsmanship.
Mrs. Xu nodded: "The women of the common people also have some close friends in Jiangnan. When I took the Ruyi Tower, I wrote to them and asked them to come to the capital to help me."
"Don't worry, eldest princess, their skills are only above those of civilian women, not inferior to them."
Li Huang nodded after hearing this: "In that case, I can rest assured. It's getting late and I should go back."
The play downstairs was almost finished, and people got up and walked out one after another.
Mrs. Xu put the people on the carriage, then turned back and settled the bill.
As the carriage moved forward slowly, Ling Yuan asked: "Your Highness, Mrs. Xu's trouble must be quite big, otherwise I wouldn't be able to give you this 30% bonus for free. Why did you agree?"
Li Huang curled his lips playfully: "No matter how troublesome it is, will anyone dare to offend me?"
While the master and servant were talking, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Mu Feng reported: "Your Highness, there were suddenly many people looting in front of us, blocking the road."
Hearing this, Lingyuan opened the curtain and took a look outside, and said in surprise: "Your Highness, there are so many copper coins on the ground, they are all trying to steal money!"