The elderly woman clutched her money pouch, thinking of her little grandson at home who loved eating broad beans. With a pang of heartache, she poured out half of the coins and picked up a bundle of flowering cabbage hearts to take to the counter to pay.
She handed the money to Chunxing, her face etched with painful reluctance.
Two vegetables costing the price of a whole jin of meat—truly unaffordable.
Young Master Li Zi'en's servant, gripping his silver, stared at the prices posted on the wall. He hadn't brought enough money to clear out the shop.
After pondering for two seconds, he walked towards Chunxing with heavy steps.
He slapped the silver onto the table and declared with bold bravado, "Give me a hundred jin of each variety for now!"
Chunxing pointed to a temporary notice pasted on the wall behind the counter. "Our shop's vegetable supply is limited. Each customer is limited to two jin per variety. For bulk purchases, please register next door."
"Huh?" The servant was puzzled. "But you have so much right here in the shop? Just sell it to me directly."
Chunxing raised her voice and shook her head. "If I sell it all to you, others won't get any. Please register first. We'll notify you as soon as stock is available."
While the servant was still hesitating, several restaurant workers standing behind him had already turned and rushed into the food shop next door.
By the time Li Zi'en's servant went over, he was already seventh in line.
When it was his turn, Lanxi took out a blank contract. "Bulk purchases qualify for a ninety-nine percent discount. The minimum order is ten thousand jin, requiring a fifty percent deposit."
"The winter vegetable supply is limited. The first batch is only two hundred thousand jin. First come, first served, until sold out."
The servant held the contract. "Ninety-nine percent off? That's practically no discount at all."
Lanxi offered a thin, insincere smile. "The customer may also choose to forgo the discount and purchase at the original price."
The servant pressed his lips together, utterly speechless. Seeing that a familiar restaurant manager was already signing a contract, and realizing he didn't have enough money for the minimum fifty percent deposit on ten thousand jin, he thought for a moment, then turned and went back next door. He bought five jin of each type of vegetable and hurried home.
He had to rush back and tell the young master—only two hundred thousand jin. If they were late and it sold out, it would be a disaster.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The knocking on the door was so forceful it seemed like someone wanted to break it down. "Young Master! Young Master!"
Li Zi'en, not yet fully awake, was jolted from his sleep and nearly fell out of bed.
"What's all the shouting? You scared me half to death!"
Eyes still closed, he roared, "Get in here!"
The servant pushed the door open forcefully, rushed in, and placed the vegetables before Li Zi'en.
"Young Master, the vegetables are real. Several restaurants are buying them. The Song family's servants said the first batch is only two hundred thousand jin. If we don't buy, they'll be gone."
Li Zi'en opened his eyes, picked up a vegetable in front of him, broke it, and sniffed it.
Fresh. Absolutely freshly picked.
His voice immediately grew louder. "Did you buy any?"
The servant answered with a bitter face. "Young Master, the prices are three times the usual. For bulk purchases, they require a minimum order of ten thousand jin, plus a fifty percent deposit. The silver you gave me wasn't enough."
Li Zi'en scrambled up and started putting on the clothes from the rack.
"Why didn't you say so sooner? Hurry and withdraw silver from the accounts, a thousand taels for now."
"Prepare the horses. Be quick!"
Li Tianchong, clutching a contract, walked into the room from outside. He glared at the flustered master and servant and scolded, "By the time you two get there, the opportunity will be long gone."
He tossed the contract onto the table with a thud.
Li Zi'en was stunned for a moment, then picked up the contract and opened it.
Black on white, it was an order for a hundred thousand jin, stating delivery over three days. The payment had already been made.
He relaxed, his shoulders sinking. "Father, you're truly far-sighted."
Li Tianchong placed his hands on his hips. "It seems your business sense is regressing. Get up quickly. The vegetables will arrive tomorrow, and the restaurant needs to start selling them."
"And arrange for shipments to our restaurants in the various county towns this morning. We paid a high price for these vegetables. If they freeze and spoil, the loss will be significant."
Li Zi'en swiftly finished dressing and headed out. "Don't worry, Father. I'll have everything arranged within an hour."
By the time he had arranged the transport carts and went to take a look at the Song family vegetable shop, it was already completely empty—not even a single leaf of vegetable remained.
In the tranquil main hall of the Ye residence, serene as an ink wash painting, Ye Liangyu sat in a chair carefully examining a stalk of vibrant green celery.
Fushun had just delivered a whole bamboo basket of fresh vegetables to Ye Liangyu, and the kitchen was already preparing them.
"Growing vegetables in this weather is truly a miracle."
Qin Yunqian, who was using a vegetable leaf to wrap roasted lamb, nodded in agreement. They were incredibly fresh, bursting with moisture with each bite.
"In warmer parts of the south in winter, one can grow spinach and chives, but in the north, this is absolutely unheard of."
In his memory, Song Jinzhao was highly skilled in martial arts and meticulous in thought. He hadn't expected her not only to have ingenious ideas in engineering but also such great talent in agriculture.
Ye Liangyu placed the celery on the table. "I heard the shop sells them at a very high price. The cultivation cost must be quite substantial."
The capital's climate is similar to Anyang Prefecture. Perhaps there's something that can be done with this matter.
If this were reported to the imperial court and the cultivation method promoted nationwide, it would undoubtedly be a great achievement.
But if that happened, Song Jinzhao would find it very difficult to make money next year.
Returning home from his official duties in the evening, Meng Hechuan picked up a broad bean with his chopsticks, puzzled. "Is this a fresh bean?"
Old Lady Meng lifted her chin, preening with pride. "The Song family sent it over this morning. They said they grew it themselves."
"Before Dr. Song returned to her hometown, she specifically instructed her servants to send some for me to taste. I heard their shop sold out in less than two hours."
Meng Hechuan put the broad bean in his mouth and chewed. A fresh, fragrant flavor.
Very tender, no different from what they ate in July or August.
The Meng family's servants brought out three more dishes one after another, all made with fresh vegetables.
"How much did the Song family send?"
Lady Meng answered, "Over twenty varieties, about a jin of each."
Upon hearing this, most of Meng Hechuan's attention was no longer on the meal.
Since the start of winter, the weather had grown colder and colder. In the past half month, it had snowed every few days. There was even still unmelted snow on the ground. How were these vegetables grown?
Thinking that Song Jinzhao was not currently in the city, whom should he ask?
Although the Song family vegetable shop had only been open for two hours before closing, its fame spread like the wind, quickly reaching the homes of the common people.
Along with the fame came the prohibitive high price, different from ordinary vegetables, which certainly put them out of reach for poor families.
But farmers who heard the news began to feel puzzled.
They had farmed all their lives and had never grown vegetables in winter. How did the Song family vegetable shop manage it?
Some, disbelieving and defiant, even tried sowing seeds themselves, only to have them freeze to death in less than two hours.
On the third day after the vegetable shop's opening, Lanxi, who was sorting contracts in the food shop, received an unexpected visitor.
Seeing Meng Hechuan enter in his official robes, Qingshuang, who had been weighing braised delicacies behind the display counter, quickly finished her task and stood beside Lanxi.
"Your humble servants pay our respects to the Prefect." The two knelt and bowed. They remembered what the young mistress had instructed them before leaving. They hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
Meng Hechuan looked at the two. "Rise."
He asked, "Your employer is away. Who is in charge at the residence now?"
Qingshuang raised her head to look at Prefect Meng. "Replying to Your Excellency, the young mistress instructed the four of us to discuss and decide matters together. May I ask what business brings Your Excellency here?"
Meng Hechuan said, "The vegetables in your shop are picked fresh daily. I presume the place where you grow them is within Anyang Prefecture. I, as the prefect, would like to see it."
Lanxi bowed and replied, "Your Honor is most astute. The farm is at the estate outside the city. This humble one will take you there immediately."
Upon the group's arrival at the estate, Fushun, who was busy leading the harvest, quickly washed his hands and came to greet them.
"Your humble servant pays his respects to the Prefect."
Not long after entering the estate, Meng Hechuan saw from a distance many large, arched, pale-yellow structures standing in the fields, looking almost like houses.
He curiously asked Fushun, "What are those?"
Fushun walked alongside, slightly bent at the waist. "In reply to Your Honor, those are vegetable greenhouses."
Hearing this unfamiliar term, Meng Hechuan quickened his pace with curiosity.
Drawing closer, he squinted for a better look. "Are these made of oiled paper?"
Fushun nodded. "Our young mistress said oiled paper has good light transmission, waterproofing, and flexibility, making it suitable for greenhouses."
Opening a small door supported by a wooden frame, they saw servants inside harvesting broad beans, dressed in autumn clothing and working diligently.
With two hundred thousand catties of vegetables needing delivery within three days, everyone was working overtime.
The first batch of vegetables had already ripened. If not harvested promptly, they would become tough and delay the maturation of the second batch.
A wave of heat hit them, causing the frost on Meng Hechuan's official hat to begin melting.
Upon entering, Meng Hechuan noticed many bamboo poles inside the greenhouse, each with numerous small holes from which the warm air emanated.
"What is this?"
Fushun stood beside him and explained, "In reply to Your Honor, these are flues."
"The winter is cold. Sometimes, even with sunshine, the temperature inside isn't sufficient for vegetable growth. When it gets too low, we light the stoves. The hot air travels through these bamboo tubes, naturally raising the temperature."
Intrigued, Meng Hechuan placed his hand above a bamboo tube; it was pleasantly warm.
"Was this Song Jinzhao's idea?"
The person who could invent a waterwheel was indeed remarkable.
Fushun nodded. "Everything on this estate was conceived by our young mistress. She said the winters are long and she didn't want the land to lie idle."
After inspecting every greenhouse thoroughly, Meng Hechuan, wearing thick cotton padding beneath his official robes, had begun to sweat.
"In addition to growing vegetables in greenhouses, you also raise so much livestock?"
He looked at the rows upon rows of chickens and ducks in the wooden pens, with eggs—seemingly freshly laid—filling the trays below.
Fushun replied with a smile, "The restaurant requires a significant number of chickens and ducks daily. The young mistress said we must control our own supply. Moreover, the animal manure improves the soil and provides nutrients for the crops. It serves a dual purpose."
After seeing everything, Meng Hechuan stopped and looked at Fushun.
"You brought me here today to see the greenhouses and explained the principles in detail. Aren't you afraid I might leak the method?"
According to information gathered by the yamen runners, these vegetables were priced comparable to pork. Selling ten thousand catties in bulk to restaurants fetched four hundred taels of silver.
The first batch totaled two hundred thousand catties. Selling it all would bring in eight thousand taels.
Considering many vegetables could yield several harvests, it meant Song Jinzhao could earn tens of thousands of taels in a single winter.
But if the cultivation method became known to others, this goldmine would be ruined.
Fushun relayed the words Song Jinzhao had instructed him to say.
"To be frank with you, Your Honor, bringing you here today was specifically arranged by the young mistress before she returned to her hometown. She insisted that I must hold nothing back and tell you everything."
"The world is vast, and Anyang Prefecture is not the only place. Although this cultivation method is not low in cost, if popularized, it would be a great boon for the common people."
After speaking, Fushun glanced at Lanxi.
Lanxi then took a letter from his robe and respectfully presented it to Meng Hechuan with both hands.
"This is a letter from my young mistress to you, Your Honor. All matters are detailed within. Please consider reading it at your leisure."
Meng Hechuan stared at the six characters on the envelope: "For the Esteemed Prefect's Eyes Only." Recalling how Song Jinzhao had specifically arranged for vegetables to be sent to his residence, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"She wrote this letter before leaving. Your young mistress truly leaves nothing to chance."
Lanxi bowed his head and flattered, "That is because the young mistress knows Your Honor possesses a benevolent heart dedicated to governance for the people. You would do anything that benefits the populace."
The praise was so lofty it left Meng Hechuan both pleased and feeling put on the spot.
After seeing Meng Hechuan off, Fushun moved closer to Lanxi and asked quietly, "Has the young master's letter been delivered to the Ye residence?"
Lanxi nodded. "Aunt Qingshuang has surely delivered it by now."
Fushun sighed. "The young mistress didn't tell us what was in the letter either. We worked so hard to develop these greenhouses. Earning more silver would be good, but it seems the young mistress doesn't think that way."
Lanxi, having experienced too much deceit and intrigue, looked up at the vast white sky.
"The greenhouses are built on the estate. The method couldn't have been kept secret for long anyway. It's better to offer our goodwill proactively. There's no need to offend the prefect."
Fushun plopped down on the frame of an ox-cart. "In a few years, when the young master passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, no one will dare to bully our Song family so easily."
Lanxi walked around to the other side of the ox-cart and sat down, remaining silent.
Above officials, there are always higher officials. To avoid being bullied, one must aim for the highest ranks, like becoming a marquis or a chancellor.
Meng Hechuan didn't wait until returning to the yamen; he opened the letter right in the carriage.
From the letter, it seemed Song Jinzhao made no specific requests. She only expressed hope that he would report the cultivation method to the imperial court.
Only with an imperial decree from the Emperor could the vegetable greenhouse method be popularized among thousands of households at the fastest pace.
Meng Hechuan held the letter up against the sun, obscured by clouds, for a long time, confirming no other requests were written.
But he felt something was odd. All this scheming, just for this?
Upon returning, Meng Hechuan pondered for a whole night before beginning to draft his memorial.
The next day, he even summoned Fushun to the yamen and had him explain the greenhouse construction method and vegetable cultivation precautions in meticulous detail from start to finish.
It took him three days to complete the memorial.
What he didn't know was that three days prior, Ye Liangyu's personal letter had already been dispatched to the capital and was now speeding along the road.
In a gloomy, secluded valley between deep cliffs, the tremulous cries of birds pierced the eardrums. Their eerie gaze seemed to harbor human consciousness, inspiring fear.
The master of the Life-Snatching Sect, having waited in vain for the Huangquan Ghost to return and report on the mission, showed a puzzled expression.
"So many days have passed. Why hasn't the Fourth Hall Master returned yet?"
By his calculations, the return should have occurred three days ago.
He issued an order to the subordinate standing at the foot of the steps. "Third Hall Master, go out and gather information."
The masked Rakshasa Ghost stepped forward and knelt on one knee. "Your subordinate obeys the command."
