ng Zhaojun has been working hard recently, hoping that the soap and other products made by her small factory will stand out as high-quality items. She not only needs to break even but also hopes to earn so dowry money!
The house their family lives in is not very large, mainly because her father’s salary is not high. Every season, they have to send gifts to various relatives and superiors.
The family’s food, drink, and living expenses, along with ng Ruixiang’s tuition fees and social expenses with classmates, all add up.
The family also occasionally attends social gatherings, which requires not only preparing clothing for all seasons but also bringing gifts!
All these expenses must be covered by the inco from their shop and estate!
Life is a bit tight. They want a bigger house, but since Mr. ng is not a high-ranking official, they were not allocated an official residence and had to buy this house with so savings.
Watching the children grow older, Mrs. ng is quite worried!
She can only hope that her own family helps find suitable marriage prospects for her children!
However, her maiden family also has younger mbers who need to network with relatives and prioritize good opportunities for them. As for ng Ruixiang and ng Zhaojun, their family can only take the siblings to social gatherings, with Mrs. ng accompanying them. Whether it turns into sothing depends on fate!
That’s as much as the family can do! Helping is possible, but you can’t help those who don’t make progress.
In recent months, ng Zhaojun has been attending flower appreciation banquets hosted by officials’ families with her mother, aunt, and cousins.
As for wealthy families, the rule here is that no matter how affluent you are, it doesn’t compare to being a minor official. Eating and aiming for a higher status ans being above others!
It’s not just poor people who study for a better future; wealthy sons also want their families to beco more prosperous and aim for official exams, where connections help get things done!
ng Zhaojun’s goal is to be associated with prominent officials’ families or families with noble titles such as marquis or duke.
Don’t say her requirents are high; having been reborn here without any special favors, she only wants to enjoy a life of wealth and splendor, and with wealth and splendor cos power.
That day, Mrs. ng received a letter from her family, announcing that the day after tomorrow, the Pri Minister’s Mansion would hold a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet. They sent invitations to high-ranking officials’ families, and of course, they could bring close relatives, young n, and won to enjoy the flowers.
Mrs. ng read the letter and called ng Zhaojun over. Mother and daughter discussed it because the day after tomorrow, the academy happens to be on a break.
ng Ruixiang, studying at Julong Academy, has a day off and can bring both children along!
Mrs. ng wrote a letter to be sent to Julong Academy, asking her son to co ho the next evening.
Upon learning about attending another banquet, ng Zhaojun realized the Pri Minister’s Mansion could be considered close aides to the Emperor, a highly regarded first-rank official!
Attending such a family’s banquet ant the possibility of eting princes, princesses, first-rank officials, second-rank officials, those families, and the sons and daughters of the madams.
During dinner, Mrs. ng briefly ntioned to her husband about attending the flower appreciation banquet when he ca ho.
Mr. ng frowned, neither nodding nor making any other remarks. Observing his daughter’s expectant gaze, he only expressed his concerns during their bedti conversation.
"You may attend the banquet, but you’ll only et the madams. As for the children, it depends on fate. But be cautious,
as the Emperor is still in power. The Pri Minister is aligned with the Noble Consort’s faction, so be wary of other princes and avoid getting sucked into the battle for succession!"
Mr. ng dared not say too much to his wife, unsure if their residence had spies. When speaking to her, he kept his voice low, barely above a mosquito’s buzz.
Having been married for over a decade, Mrs. ng, brought up in the Capital City’s refined literary families, understood the ever-changing political dynamics. Aligning with the right faction could an progress, but also the potential of being collateral damage.
It’s often the conflicts at the top that bring disaster to those below. Over the years, many have sent their families north.
So people, even falsely accused of corruption, have been made scapegoats!
One word from above, and you cannot clear your na!
"Husband, we are aware; it’s up to fate for our children. They have a few more years yet!"
The Ye family of the Capital City’s General Mansion, with Ye Shiqi away for over two months, the sisters finally received her letter!
The letter described the difficult conditions at the border; the grandparents were fine but the soldiers there faced shortages of food and supplies!
She hoped the Capital City could prepare more supplies to be sent over!
Upon receiving the letter, the sisters imdiately summoned Li Zhihao, the shop and estate’s Chief Steward, who also had a letter addressed to him.
Upon hearing he had a letter, Li Zhihao returned promptly from his work outside!
Reading its contents gave him relief; his niece was so capable, able to establish shops and factories wherever she went.
Though they hadn’t received a letter for a while, they heard rumors outside, like ships exploding at sea?
An inn exploded.
All these suspicions pointed towards his niece’s route or accommodation!
They were worried then, but upon receiving her letter, they felt both more concerned and impressed!
They had witnessed Ye Shiqi’s capabilities before, even mountain bandits were mysteriously defeated!
The letter required tons of supplies, especially various grains!
Li Zhihao imdiately began to arrange it. Here, in the Southern area, crops could be grown two or three tis a year. It was harvest ti, perfectly suited to gather a large batch of grain and supplies!
In these two months, their estate also harvested, especially cultivating flowers, which were exceptionally beautiful with various splendid species that the Capital City’s nobility and those hosting flower banquets or even the Imperial Palace sought to purchase!
Initially, they sold these flowers in a single shop!
Later, they expanded through the Imperial rchant, the Tang Family’s connection, selling those vibrant and well-priced flowers effectively!
Cultivating rare species obviously brought imnse profits!
The flowers grown were uniquely vibrant, bringing vitality and making anyone nearby feel comfortable!
People noticed this phenonon and began making more purchases, offering gifts, and gradually more people learned they sold to a wider clientele!
This operated on the principle of rarity being precious without flooding the market!
Two estates fully dedicated to flower cultivation!
Unknown to others, Li Zhihao, once a week, would deliberately water the flowers with that special water Ye Shiqi had stored in the cellar!
Each precious flower could only have one or two drops of this water a week!
With this profit, collecting supplies beca stress-free!
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