Chapter 347

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

"Besides setting up a stall daily, my family's food shop also transports and supplies early food to quite a few places. Though it is a small business, relying on skill and doing conscientious trade, we have finally slowly made a name for ourselves and gained some regular customers. At present we employ over twenty long-term and short-term hires, and are also planning to establish a food business..."

Song Miao simply explained her idea of taking out a portion of the profits to share, so that the helpers would not merely be hired hands, but would also become the food shop's owners in the future.

She said: "Although this young woman is in debt, right now she has skill, has helpers, has customers' recognition, the yamen is clear and bright, neighbors look after us, front and back, left and right, there are already very few constraints."

"Moreover, blessings come in pairs; who could have expected that this time we would actually enjoy the fortune of heaven, with His Majesty visiting the Taixue and personally praising us? After that, the whole city, high and low, is curious. These two days many people have come to queue outside the food shop, wanting to taste what the 'Taixue Scholar-Sustaining Steamed Bun' from the Emperor's mouth looks like and what flavor it has. It has made everyone in the food shop full of confidence. With such a situation, how could this young woman not want to expand?"

"Unfortunately, constrained by the cramped house and narrow space, we cannot hire more hands, nor can we expand the shopfront. It is truly a massive headache!"

She spoke unhurriedly, her words full of hope for the future.

She also spoke of how the long-term and short-term hires were extremely busy, each one anxious, wrapping steamed buns until sparks seemed ready to rub off their fingertips. Even the manager lady's daughter in the food shop secretly proposed wanting to take a few days' leave from the medical clinic to come back and wash and peel vegetables. She also said she had this idea earlier, and had asked many middlemen to look around everywhere. Other places' houses were either too far away, or the layout was unsuitable. Each had its own problems. Only the opposite house was precisely the former gambling case site. Whether position, size, or layout, it was extremely fitting.

"This young woman entrusted someone to help inquire about it..."

She explained in detail that the gambling case was closed, and following procedure, after the several departments finished processing and approved it, the opposite house would be announced to the public, either for rent or for sale.

The previous day when Song Miao entered the palace for an audience, she had already introduced the food shop's situation in detail once.

Facing Empress Dowager Yang, she often spoke starting from people and from matters. Besides talking about her own stall anecdotes, she also spoke of Cheng Erniang and Xiao Lian, the mother and daughter's experiences; how Zhang Siniang and Wang Sanlang, the young couple, burned their bridges and came to the capital to seek a way out. She also spoke of the previously hired Xu Shifu, how he was insatiably greedy and acted in a sordid manner, and was finally dealt with by Butcher Xu and Fishery's Feng Laoniang joining forces. After that, how Cheng Erniang regretted and blamed herself for misjudging a person.

Family trivialities, market life — these have always been the easiest to evoke empathy.

Song Miao narrated leisurely, speaking very engagingly. Beyond a respectful attitude, there was also much intimacy. She depicted many people's characteristics and personalities vividly. Not to mention Empress Dowager Yang, even the palace maids and eunuchs standing around, having heard it once yesterday and once again today, already remembered the food shop's few regular personnel clearly. They not only treated it as storytelling, but even unknowingly came to regard them as their own acquaintances.

When she spoke of Cheng Erniangzi's daughter wanting to ask for leave to return home and help out, Empress Dowager Yang blurted out: "Is it that who..."

Empress Dowager Yang had actually spoken to the edge of her mouth, but the surroundings almost immediately rang out with competing answers.

"Xiao Lian!"

"Cheng Lian!!"

"It's that Xiao Lian who went to the medical clinic to study medicine wanting to ask for leave to come back and help!!!"

——A palace maid had already used the two words "come back".

Anyone who didn't know would think she was an inside agent fostered by the palace in the Song Family Food Shop.

And when Song Miao spoke of the opposite house, before the map was exhausted and the dagger appeared, Empress Dowager Yang herself very actively took the initiative to ask: "Since it is so, this old body will petition for that opposite house back and bestow it on you, as a reward for this great merit — how about it?"

Song Miao raised her head and replied: "Compared to what the Empress Dowager thinks, this commoner girl wants to be even more insatiably greedy!"

"Your Highness's kind heart bestowing a residence is naturally a thousand goods, ten thousand goods. But if I just straightforwardly accept it like this, it will most likely be only this once, with no follow-up."

"This young woman thinks: if the palace has no taboo, this time I will thicken my face and use the Empress Dowager's connection once. Because my purse is ashamed, I actually cannot take out that much silver money at once. I can only ask you to lend some copper coins, help step forward to buy that house, and sell it to me as an expanded shopfront. Here I will pay the silver money for Your Highness's house purchase either by quarter, or by year — actually I most want to pay by month, in installments."

"Besides the house, I also want to ask Your Highness to bestow a set of tables and chairs. I will specially fit out an elegant room. If joy falls from heaven and Your Highness has leisure to grace us with your presence, it can serve as reception — normally not open to outside guests."

Just as she spoke to this point, Empress Dowager Yang suddenly interjected: "Why can't it be open to outside guests?"

Song Miao truly seemed to hear an imperial edict, and hurriedly said: "I respectfully obey Your Highness's assignment!"

She paused slightly, then said: "Your Highness is always busy, mostly without leisure. But we can arrange palace ladies and eunuch officials to come 'collect the debt'. Besides silver money, I also want to present a portion of food each time, whether pastries or dishes. First, to slightly express my heart. Second, so that the palace ladies and His Majesty can personally see and personally taste."

"Thus, the palace can also know — although Song Ji is merely a tiny food shop, having received the Imperial Household's patronage, it dares not betray the holy grace. The food produced has never changed. There is absolutely no short weight or measure, no use of inferior or spoiled materials..."

"What I speak of doing now is mostly to borrow heavenly might, to use for self-promotion and self-respect. It is both verbose and troublesome, and also somewhat improper. The palace may not necessarily agree..."

Her words were not finished, when the Empress Dowager on the opposite seat laughed heartily and said: "Although my age is great, I still sometimes like to go out for spring outings and purchase things to eat, drink, and play with. Although I am the so-called Empress Dowager, am I not a person? What difference is there from a common old woman? Who says I have no leisure and cannot go to your food shop myself?"

Song Miao dared to propose such an idea, and dared to use such an attitude. Besides being able to feel the Empress Dowager's temperament was truly amiable during the audience, it was also because she had long known that the current imperial family has always been close to the people.

She had heard that a few years ago the Imperial Palace built a palace hall, originally planning an expansion. The blueprints were already drawn. The current Empress Dowager and the Emperor discussed it, and decided to first ask the "neighbors on the left and right".

The current Imperial Palace is not large. Outside it tightly borders Yu Jie and Panlou Street.

When the people below received the order and went to ask the "neighbors" on the two streets outside the palace — who would be willing to relocate?

After getting the reply, the mother and son discussed and still gave up the expansion.

It is heard that now on Yu Jie, there are still many shops widely advertising, doing some promotion. They only say that before the Imperial Palace gates close at night, eunuchs and palace people often come out to their shops to purchase food, serving as late-night snacks for the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Empress, and others.

——With such a reputation, other shops can borrow it. If I myself pass the bright road, naturally I can borrow it even more.

Seeing the Empress Dowager answer like this at this moment, for Song Miao it was truly an unexpected joy.

Before she could reply, Empress Dowager Yang already said again: "Pay by month then — you pay this old body one copper coin each month, and attach some food. Pay until whenever counts as whenever!"

Song Miao hurriedly thanked her for the grace, but then said: "Your Highness, how about still paying nine copper coins each month — only hoping Your Highness remains healthy and long-lived, peaceful and happy for a long time, and my Great Wei has favorable winds and timely rains for a long time!"

The Liu Ta He had just burst its waters and collapsed its banks. The four words "favorable winds and timely rains" struck exactly at Empress Dowager Yang's heart. How could she refuse? She could not help but sigh, nod her head, and repeatedly say good.

After all matters were spoken, she then said: "Is just one set of tables and chairs enough? No need for this old body to arrange a food shop's tables and chairs for you?"

Song Miao hurriedly shook her head and said: "Ordinary business, where would we dare to be so arrogant!"

She thought for a moment, then said: "Your Highness bestows me a courtyard residence, and gives me tables and chairs. This food shop naturally has a share of yours. If I say to share profits with the palace, it is truly arrogant. Better to give the profits from that set of tables and chairs, plus one-tenth of the food shop's profits, to the Jimin Academy, as Your Highness's kind intention. Since ancient times, a kind heart does not distinguish between large and small. I wonder if it is proper for me to boldly borrow heavenly might?"

Empress Dowager Yang did not answer directly, but said to a palace maid beside her: "You go to the storehouse and count a bit. Find a set of the dowry tables and chairs from my year. When that house matter is settled, send people to deliver them!"

And turning to Song Miao she said: "Do business well! This old body wants to see your business grow bigger and bigger, employ more people, and every month still want to taste that 'Song Ji' presented food!"

This day, Song Miao practically returned fully loaded.

Her departure hour was still early, but when she returned to Sanzao County Alley, it was already late afternoon.

The carriage had not yet entered the alley, when she saw quite a few wooden fences set up outside the alley, ropes pulled across. Pedestrians in groups of three or five, carriages and mule carts one after another blocked the way. There were also twos and threes of patrol soldiers standing by the fences.

"Don't wait anymore, don't queue anymore, go back quickly! That Song Ji's Taixue Steamed Buns are all sold out!"

"The people from inside the food shop came out to speak earlier. They have nothing left. Everything sold out!"

"Those not living inside Sanzao County Alley, those without proper business, or those not visiting relatives and friends — all vehicles must not enter. The alley inside is narrow. Today it has been blocked for half a day. One carriage and two mule carts collided, nearly injuring people!"

"Vehicles wanting to enter must have someone from inside come out to receive them! This morning the traffic jam lasted half a day. Could not enter, could not exit!"

"If you want to buy, go again tomorrow — or wait a few more days. Wait until the limelight passes, and presumably it will be easier to queue!"

Hearing all this persuasion, the whole crowd of visitors each showed disappointed expressions.

"Ah??"

"It's still early, the sky hasn't even darkened, how could it be sold out this fast??"

"Exactly! Does the storekeeper know how to do business!"

"What do you mean 'wait until the furor passes and it'll be easy to queue'?? Wait a while, after the furor passes, do you still have to queue?? Shouldn't it be that you don't have to queue anymore?? What kind of logic is this?!"

"The young master and young lady at home heard outsiders telling stories and all clamored to eat, the master sent me out to buy, if I can't buy any, and don't have a good reason, I can't even hand in the errand—what am I supposed to say?!"

Before the patrol soldier could speak, a passerby kindly replied: "What's so hard to say about this—not to mention this time there's the Taixue steamed bun title, even without this matter afterwards, Song Ji's food always requires queuing, and now her family has become the Emperor's personally designated 'Scholar-Nurturing Steamed Buns', if it were really that easy to buy, wouldn't everyone be a 'scholar'? Look, isn't that the logic!"

Another neighbor living right at the alley entrance was standing at the door watching the excitement, hearing this, hurriedly chimed in agreement: "Exactly! Even proper Taixue students, Nanlu Academy students, in the past also queued daily, whoever got up a bit late couldn't eat Song Ji's steamed buns, glutinous rice—'scholars' are like this, how much more so other people?!"

After several rounds, some realized they had made a wasted trip this time and honestly left, yet there were also those who refused to believe it, still wanting to squeeze into the alley, hadn't squeezed a few steps before seeing people cursing and grumbling coming out from inside, couldn't help but ask, and sure enough the other side said: "All sold out! Nothing left! Not to mention steamed buns, the dough basins and filling basins are all empty too!"

Thus finally a whole group of people dispersed in a hubbub.

The people dispersed fast, but the vehicles weren't that fast.

Seeing the carriages and mule carts ahead blocking the way, the palace servants driving them naturally urged them to make way, shouting: "Palace carriage, make way ahead!"

The street full of people heard the commotion and all looked over, seeing it was indeed palace horses and carriages, immediately a burst of noisy clamor rose.

"Palace sent people again??"

"What's the matter this time?"

"What did they come for?"

Song Miao inside heard the commotion, specially lifted the carriage window curtain on the side, and greeted several familiar patrol soldiers.

The various people saw her and immediately called out.

"Song Xiaoniangzi!"

"Song Stall Owner!"

"So it's Song Stall Owner—heard this morning the palace dispatched an envoy to summon you into the palace for an audience?? This is you coming back??"

Song Miao smiled and responded to each, or gave answers.

The palace servant driving the carriage saw Song Miao talking with those outside, without needing instruction, on his own initiative pulled the reins, making the carriage go slower, convenient for her to speak with those outside.

"Thank you all for your trouble—why don't you all come to the food shop to rest a while, have a drink before leaving?"

The patrol soldiers each waved their hands.

Someone pointed at a large bamboo basket on the side, said: "Just now Song Ji already sent out some perilla drink—Young Lady just go about your business, we have something to drink here!"

"There's something to drink! You go about your business, no need to mind us!"

"There's plenty of matters in the food shop!"

Very quickly, the blocking fence was moved aside, and the carriage Song Miao rode in drove inside.

She faintly heard the discussions of various people behind.

"This fence and rope, do we take them down or not?"

"No need to take them down, right? Otherwise tomorrow we'd have to move them out again!"

"Won't someone take them away?"

"Gather up the rope, the fence just have tonight's night-watch brothers keep an extra eye on it!"

"What time tomorrow? Do we have to come earlier? Otherwise this place will be queued in a mess early early, and us behind won't be able to clean up!"

"Can come earlier, we ourselves can also buy a few steamed buns to eat, heh! That broken crisp steamed bun can't be bought, right now got this opportunity, let me eat my fill too!"

—This is a group of patrol soldiers.

"Came late today, couldn't queue, are you coming tomorrow?"

"Coming, must let me eat one bite of Imperial Household steamed bun, then speak!"

"I live close, as soon as dawn breaks I'll go out, buy and it's just right to go work!"

—These are ordinary customers.

Also several other carriages each had people get down, but they quietly pulled the people at the Sanzao County Alley entrance aside one after another.

"Sister-in-law—I'll give you twenty wen, can you help go buy a few steamed buns early tomorrow morning?"

"Brother..."

"Younger brother..."

"Granny!"

And at this moment, the carriage finally arrived at the food shop entrance.

Originally the palace servants invited to come deliver her were to enter and rest a bit, seeing several people politely waving their hands, the driver left, only then did Song Miao turn back.

At this time it was mid-afternoon, neither lunch nor dinner could be relied on, but the moment she entered, she saw at the outer hall several tables, top to bottom a whole group of people surrounding and eating, though not like starving ghosts reincarnated, yet each person wolfing it down, eating so fast they couldn't even lift their heads.

Hearing the movement at the entrance, Cheng Erniang hurriedly looked up, seeing Song Miao, hurriedly swallowed a mouthful of rice, and called out: "Young Lady!"

For a moment everyone at the seats reacted, and also followed wanting to stand up to welcome.

Seeing everyone's appearance, and having experienced yesterday, Song Miao naturally knew for sure everyone was busy to the point they couldn't even properly eat, hurriedly said: "You all eat first, don't mind me!"

As she spoke, she walked quickly a few steps, just about to go to the back courtyard, turned her head, but saw at the innermost table another person sitting alone at a table.

Seeing her enter, that person long ago stood up, and didn't come to welcome, but stood in the direction of the second gate, looking like waiting for her to come over, preparing to go together to the back courtyard.

Waiting for Song Miao to walk near, he neither called Song Xiaoniangzi, nor shouted Stall Owner, even the appellation was omitted, didn't speak a word, only used his eyes to look, and also stretched out his hand to receive the bundle Song Miao was carrying in her hand.