The carriage swayed as it moved forward. Hua Zhi found the rocking rather uncomfortable. Shaoye rummaged through her own snack bag and pulled out a sour plum, popping it into Hua Zhi’s mouth. The sourness was so intense that Hua Zhi’s features scrunched together into a knot, which sent Shaoye into a fit of laughter.

Hua Zhi poked her cheek, then lifted the curtain to look outside. “How much longer?”

The ones assigned to accompany Hua Zhi were Yu Mu and Jia Yang, both familiar faces. Yu Mu replied, “First Young Miss, about a quarter of an hour more.”

“And this road — is this really the one they use every day to send mushrooms into the city?”

“It is.” Yu Mu handed the reins to Jia Yang and gave Hua Zhi his full attention. “At first the goods weren’t much. By the time the volume picked up, they had all gotten used to it.”

Hua Zhi had been nagging at the feeling that she had forgotten something. Now that it came up, it suddenly came back to her. “Who did we share the profit with for this venture?”

“A prominent local family, the Song Family. The Song Family’s eldest son, Song Qianqiu, holds the position of a clerk at the county office. We gave him three parts in ten.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“Our master described him as someone skilled at keeping himself out of trouble.”

Hua Zhi gave a small nod. Since Yan Xi had chosen him, he was likely not the sort to engage in criminal wrongdoing. His position was sufficient to protect this business.

Come to think of it, it was rather amusing. People could never live without clothing, food, shelter, and transport, yet no one ever believed that running a tailor’s shop, a food stall, an inn, or a carriage service could yield great wealth. The noble clans and great families looked down their noses at such trades. That was why, when she had first started doing business, people had said she was willingly lowering herself to the status of the merchant class. Later, though they came to know her ventures were profitable, they surely had no idea just how profitable.

This mushroom venture was no different. It appeared unassuming, yet the money it earned was by no means small. Only those who had actually received a share of the profits truly understood that.

Most of those running the operation in Jinyang were Gu Yanxi’s people, but the several stewards who held the key knowledge of mushroom cultivation were from the Hua Family. When they saw Hua Zhi, they nearly thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. One of them foolishly rubbed his eyes, and only after looking again and confirming it truly was the First Young Miss did he hurriedly kneel to pay his respects.

Hua Zhi lifted her hand in a gesture for them to rise. “Is everyone well?”

“Yes, we are all well, miss. We earn more here than we did in the capital.” The servant who answered twisted about with a hint of embarrassment. “It’s just that we miss our parents a little.”

All those who had come here were unmarried Hua Family-born servants. Their families were all still with the Hua household — their fates were truly bound together as one.

“You may arrange amongst yourselves a schedule. Every four months, you may return home for about four days. The fare for the boat journey there and back will be covered by the Hua Family.” Seeing the looks of disbelief on their faces, Hua Zhi smiled. “You have left your homes and families behind to earn money for me. Naturally, I cannot let you suffer for it.”

The servants were overcome with joy and once again bowed deeply to the First Young Miss.

To Hua Zhi, this was but a drop in the bucket. Her approach to managing those beneath her had always been simple: if you want the ox to run fast, you must first let the ox eat its fill. Yet to the servants, this was an act of kindness and compassion from the First Young Miss. And so, as they accompanied her to the mushroom cultivation site, every one of them was eager and enthusiastic, answering her questions in thorough and meticulous detail.

No underground cellars had been dug here. The cultivation was done above ground. The scale was considerably smaller than the one in the capital, but given that only a few months had passed, it was already commendable. After all, the capital was surrounded on all sides by noble families and great clans. Jinyang, though said to be a smaller version of the capital, was now little more than a shell of its former self.

This visit was meant to serve as a show of appearances — to make things officially visible to those with watchful eyes, so as not to arouse suspicion. Once she had a clear picture of the situation, they returned to the city.

She was in no hurry to head back. She tapped on the carriage wall and told Yu Mu, “Go to that place in the northern part of the city where the noble ladies and gentlewomen gather to amuse themselves.”

“Yes, miss.”

Shaoye’s eyes lit up. “Huahua, are you taking me to have fun?”

“We’re going to show our faces. Women’s lips aren’t always tightly sealed — we might be able to pick up some useful information from them. I just wonder if anyone still remembers me.”

Evidently, they did.

The moment Hua Zhi stepped down from the carriage, she heard someone let out a surprised sound. “Aren’t you the one Weiwei brought along that time? The one who had gone back to the capital?”

Hua Zhi recognized her — Wang Yu, who had a fairly good relationship with Yu Weiwei and was among the most frequent visitors to this place. If she came here five times, you could count on running into her four of them.

She dipped into a curtsy. Hua Zhi smiled and said, “I am Hua Ling. I arrived yesterday. Is Miss Yu here as well?”

“How could she be? She hasn’t come since she got married.” Wang Yu walked over and looked at Shaoye. “And this is…?”

“My elder female cousin. She doesn’t speak much. I brought her along to broaden her horizons.”

Wang Yu had only just arrived herself. Hearing this, she led the two of them inside. “Jinyang has a new game now — far more entertaining than what was here before. There have been quite a few visitors lately. Stay close to me, and don’t bother with anyone you don’t know.”

“Thank you.”

Wang Yu glanced at her. “No need to thank me. After you left, Weiwei said she considered you a friend. She and I have known each other since we were small. Since she isn’t here, naturally I’ll look after you in her place.”

Hua Zhi felt a warmth stir within her, and she developed a genuine fondness for that Yu Weiwei. When you thought about it, their connection amounted to nothing more than a few shared amusements. She herself had not been entirely without ulterior motives. Yet even so, in her absence, the girl had still extended her care. Quite unexpected.

“When I left last time, I heard she was about to be married. Has it already happened? How did things move so quickly?”

A sardonic curve touched Wang Yu’s lips. “There are always those who like to covet things that don’t belong to them. She grew tired of it. As for the details, you’ll have to ask her yourself — it’s not my place to speak for her.”

“I’ll certainly pay her a visit.”

As they talked, they arrived at the destination. It was the same room as before, with a mix of new and familiar faces.

The regulars all remembered this generous patron — they had each won silver from her — and so they welcomed her most warmly, greeting her with cheerful enthusiasm.

Hua Zhi returned each greeting in turn. Intentionally or not, her gaze kept drifting toward the white jade mahjong set.

Her expression was exactly the sort that appealed to the sensibilities of those gathered here. Someone laughed and said, “Now there’s someone who knows quality when she sees it. Do you play?”

Hua Zhi shook her head. “The last time I came, it wasn’t this game we played.”

Wang Yu had settled herself at an empty table and waved her over. “This wasn’t even around yet when you were here before. It’s more fun than dice, and easy enough to pick up. I’ll explain the rules to you, then you can watch a few rounds and you’ll have it.”

Hua Zhi pulled Shaoye along to listen as well. Shaoye was playing the role of the cousin who doesn’t talk much, and she truly didn’t say a single word throughout. When Hua Zhi pretended she had grasped the rules and asked if Shaoye understood, Shaoye simply nodded.

Wang Yu called someone over to make a full table of four, and they began to play.

Hua Zhi acted the part of a novice. Shaoye was a genuine one. Neither of them played small, and as newcomers, they naturally lost a fair amount.

Seeing that she paid up just as readily as she had before, and that she was quiet without asking prying questions, the young ladies and married women — most of whom were feeling a bit of financial strain these days — warmed to her considerably. By the time she was ready to leave, they were already making plans to play together again another day.

“Wait.”

By the stables, just as Hua Zhi was about to board the carriage, Wang Yu came hurrying after her. Hua Zhi signaled Shaoye to go ahead, then turned around. “Is there something you need, Miss Wang?”