Chapter 596 - 221: Family Arrives

Chapter 596: Chapter 221: Family Arrives

Sheng Saya was a woman of action, and her subordinates were exceptionally capable.

That very night, she discovered that Zhu Caiwei’s attempt to fish for information had indeed been orchestrated by Mrs. Xie. She also uncovered exactly why Mrs. Xie was so fixated on her future mother-in-law.

The next day, after breakfast, she chatted with her mother for a while and accompanied Sheng Kaolin as he read. Then, taking a basket of sweet tangerines, she set off for Orchid Alley.

At the entrance of Orchid Alley, she happened to run into Chen Wanqing. Sheng Saya quickly stepped down from her carriage and walked into the alley alongside her.

"One of my father’s former students arrived in the Prefecture last night and brought some gifts. I saw these sweet tangerines were juicy and as sweet as sugar, so I brought some over for the family.

"I also sent someone to deliver a batch to your home, Wanqing. We must have taken different routes, so you missed them," Sheng Saya explained, covering her mouth with a light laugh.

Chen Wanqing naturally thanked her. "To be honest, I really do love sweet and sour fruits like this. Sweet tangerines aren’t even on the market yet, so I must thank you, Kaiyan, for letting me get an early taste.

"I recently crafted a new incense. It’s a warming fragrance, and I used magnolia in the ingredients—a scent you like. I’ll have someone send some over later for you to try. If you like it, I’ll make more for you next year."

She couldn’t make any more this year, as her collection of dried flowers was completely depleted. Even if Kaiyan loved it, she would have to wait until the magnolias bloomed next year to craft another batch.

Because she had specifically crafted this warming fragrance for Sheng Saya, Zhao Jing had actually grown jealous.

She had promised to make him a custom incense before they got married, yet she still hadn’t found the inspiration for it. In contrast, she had put her heart into making something for De’an’s fiancée, whipping it up in just a few days. Zhao Jing had been so sulky about it that he even skipped dinner last night.

She had to coax him relentlessly, making concession after concession until she practically surrendered herself to him. Only after making numerous promises did she finally manage to cheer him up.

As it turned out, he must have still been harboring some resentment. He had been completely unbridled in bed, failing to hold back his strength, which led to the fish-maw contraceptive tearing at a crucial moment...

At the thought of that torn fish-maw and the intense shiver that wrecked her body when that hot current rushed inside her, Chen Wanqing pursed her lips slightly. She gave a light cough and straightened her back to conceal her physical reaction.

The two women chatted as they entered the house. Xu Su Ying was overjoyed to see them arrive together. She immediately had the servants bring out roasted chestnuts and serve them floral tea.

Chen Wanqing brought up her reason for coming first. "I’ve finished balancing this month’s accounts. Mother, take a look when you have a moment and see if I’ve made any mistakes."

Because she was so busy preparing for Sheng Saya and De’an’s wedding, Xu Su Ying had no time to manage the business affairs for Moonlight Fragrance. When it came time to balance the books at the end of the month, she had simply tossed the ledgers to her daughter to handle. Chen Wanqing’s heart ached for her mother’s exhaustion, so she naturally took over the task. Now that the accounts were settled, she had brought the ledgers back.

The mother and daughter began discussing the incense business right in front of Sheng Saya, completely treating her as one of the family.

Now that the Provincial Examination had passed, the sales for Moonlight Fragrance had slightly dipped. However, the decline wouldn’t last long. With the Imperial Examinations fast approaching, the Kangning Fragrance Workshop in the Capital City had placed a massive order. The workers at the workshop had been rushing to meet the demand, working non-stop.

The only issue was that a few of the raw spices required to produce Moonlight Fragrance had been consumed in such massive quantities over the past year that some merchants had begun raising their prices. In the long run, this would be terrible for their business.

The mother and daughter discussed using the silver they had earned to buy a plot of land for large-scale cultivation of essential medicinal herbs. Ideally, they wanted to plant all the raw spices they needed themselves. This would prevent them from being passive and falling under the control of suppliers.

Of course, whether it was buying land or planting spices, neither could be finalized with just a few words. Large plots of farmland were hard to come by, and experienced herb farmers were equally difficult to find.

Hearing this, Sheng Saya offered them some advice. She mentioned that every few years, the government office would auction off farmland confiscated from convicted officials. These were typically massive plots of land—at least several dozen acres—and mostly fertile soil that required little preparation before immediate use. However, the competition for such plots was fierce, and they usually ended up being auctioned off to wealthy merchants. If Xu Su Ying and Chen Wanqing were interested, they would likely need to prepare a hefty sum of silver in advance.

She also added that she could help with finding experienced herb farmers.

The commoners in Taoli County of Xinghuai Prefecture primarily made their living by growing medicinal herbs. Veteran herb farmers were countless over there, and as long as they could offer the right price, finding a few of these seasoned experts wouldn’t be difficult.

Naturally, many of the older generation would refuse to leave their hometowns even if they were left with no other options. If they truly wanted to recruit these people, they would inevitably have to arrange jobs for their families as well. Only then would the farmers be able to work for their new employers with peace of mind.