Chapter 71: 71. Chapter 71 Partnership

71. Chapter 71 Partnership

Qi Jiejie, you say, is what I said correct?

After the Happy Princess finished speaking, she stared at Shen Yunyao.

She often said this to her imperial elder brother, and each time she was rebuked for talking nonsense. When she mentioned it to others, they also said she was speaking childishly.

But the Happy Princess really felt that, since the Western Regions have so many good things, why not just take them directly?

Exactly!

Shen Yunyao gave a definite answer: "Such good things should be available to all the people of Dayong; offering just a little each year as tribute is just playing with people!"

Hehe, Qi Jiejie, I knew we'd definitely think the same.

Those Western Region folks are too hateful; each time they offer a little tribute, they secretly sell large amounts on the street, a watermelon goes for several taels of silver!

They're all a bunch of greedy scoundrels!

Whenever she talks about this, the Happy Princess gets very indignant.

Looking at the furious Happy Princess, Shen Yunyao inexplicably thought of the term 'angry youth'.

Good grief, it turns out angry youth exist at any time.

All right, stop complaining here!

Let's think of a plan later to let watermelons freely grow in our Dayong lands, making those Western Region folks regret till their intestines turn green!

Will it work?

Before, the palace also had people try planting watermelon seeds, but the results were very poor.

Either they don't bear fruit, or the watermelons that do form are tiny and ugly, and taste awful.

The Happy Princess was not very confident.

Shen Yunyao also wasn't very confident, but one must always try.

If it really doesn't work, we'll later send a whole caravan to the Western Regions to get watermelon seeds, or simply transport large amounts of Western Region watermelons to Dayong, which undoubtedly involves some difficulty.

But still, the saying goes: solutions always outnumber difficulties.

Don't dwell on these unpleasant things; I'll make you something tasty!

By the way, your period hasn't come yet, right?

No, it hasn't!

The Happy Princess was suddenly asked this by Shen Yunyao, and she involuntarily blushed and lowered her head.

Indeed, she's a girl from ancient times, truly quite reserved.

If it were modern times, talking about menstruation, girls would be so uninhibited that guys would want to stay three steps away.

It's good that it hasn't come; the tasty thing I made today isn't suitable to eat when your period arrives.

Even older people shouldn't eat too much of it!

Shen Yunyao quickly had someone fetch ice from the ice cellar, crush it into ice shavings, then cut open the watermelon, take out the bright red flesh, cut it into small pieces, and mix it with the ice shavings.

During this, add a little white sugar.

A simple watermelon ice is born!

Try it?

Shen Yunyao scooped a small spoonful with a spoon and handed it to the Happy Princess.

The Happy Princess didn't stand on ceremony, opened her mouth, and took a big bite.

Mmm…

The chill of the ice, the fresh sweetness of the watermelon, mixed together, made her taste buds explode.

Delicious!

Qi Jiejie, you're so smart—how did you think of this?

The Happy Princess had eaten chilled watermelon before, but compared to this, there's obviously a difference.

I just guessed randomly.

Shen Yunyao can't exactly say she's standing on the shoulders of giants, can she?

Next, Shen Yunyao also tested other fruit ices and mixed ices, finally settling on the ingredients for various ices.

Tasty, right?

You say, if this were sold on the streets, would more people buy it?

Definitely more!

Upon hearing Shen Yunyao's question, the Happy Princess gave an answer without even thinking.

However, the Happy Princess soon raised a question: 'Qi Jiejie, this is tasty, but the method is too simple; others can easily learn it secretly and then make it at home!'

This is simple; if we just add something inside that others can't easily get, wouldn't that solve it?

This thing, Shen Yunyao thought of, is cream.

Using egg white and white sugar to foam and make cream, adding it to this fruit ice, then unless someone leaks the secret, even if fruit ice appears on the market, it won't taste the same as theirs.

Qi Jiejie, do you have a way?

Of course, but this is a secret; I can't say it now!

Can't I say it either?

Cannot!

Shen Yunyao smiled faintly, 'Good younger sister, if you know this, can you guarantee you won't tell anyone?'

Um, cannot!

The Happy Princess just thought for a moment and knew that if she knew this, she would definitely go show off to her own imperial sister-in-law, empress dowager, and even grand empress dowager.

By then, should she or shouldn't she tell them the recipe?

And once they find out, the palace maids and grannies will surely know too, so it will no longer be a secret.

Good sister, you're still the most thoughtful!

Princess Huanxi did not resent Shen Yunyao for keeping it secret; on the contrary, she felt she herself had been a little willful.

Younger sister, I've just arrived in Jingcheng and am unfamiliar everywhere. How about we go into business together: you provide the shop, I provide the recipe, we deduct ingredient costs, and split the profits fifty-fifty?

No way, no way—I only want to provide the shop and do nothing else; how could I demand that much?

Princess Huanxi refused bluntly: 'At most thirty percent!'

Otherwise, Elder Sister Qi, you'll just have to find someone else to partner with!

That works too!

Shen Yunyao thought for a moment, then stopped arguing with Princess Huanxi about this.

……

Princess Huanxi indeed has quite a bit of property in Jingcheng.

On several bustling streets, she has shops, managed by personnel from the Imperial Household Department, and she only needs to collect the money at year's end.

To find a suitable shop to open, Princess Huanxi merely summoned the head of the Imperial Household Department, and within minutes she had picked a shop.

It had been a tea shop; although the income was modest, it made a profit every year, a very steady business.

Shen Yunyao looked at the packed tea leaves and suddenly wondered whether she should also open a milk tea shop.

But after thinking it over, she decided to put it off for now.

We don't need to open too many shops; making money is enough.

In just two days, the fruit smoothie shop opened, named Clear Summer.

Cool for a whole summer!

To generate publicity for the shop, Princess Huanxi specially summoned many noble ladies from Jingcheng to show their support.

When that brightly colored fruit smoothie debuted, it left those noble ladies dumbfounded; they had eaten many delicacies, but they had never seen anything like this.

Don't stand on ceremony, everyone—this first cup is on me, the princess!

From now on, if you want to eat, you'll have to pay for it yourselves!

Princess Huanxi is also very particular about inviting people to show support.

Her conduct in life doesn't seem as arrogant as Wang Deshun said.

Shen Yunyao kept a low profile; the shop's apparent manager was Madam Yu, Cuiyu's mother.

Madam Yu had once worked as a stewardess in the Shen family; managing a shop was not too difficult for her.

Miss, there are so many people!

Can we make money?

Cuiyu and Shen Yunyao sat at a teahouse opposite Clear Summer, observing the shop's customer flow from afar.