Her trip to the county wasn’t just for the Merchant Alliance meeting that morning—she was really looking for skilled bakers.
Ever since they’d started producing dried laver, it had overtaken kelp as the base’s core product. Even more popular than she’d imagined, it kept the drying kilns running day and night without a pause.
She’d wanted to seize the moment and start making roasted seaweed snacks right away. But the base in Qianwan Village was already at full capacity—no room to spare.
Every production area was nearly saturated. Three large drying kilns had been built in the open yard, and there was no space for more. If they added new equipment, they’d have to tear down walls and expand—but the base was already crammed.
And the workforce was growing. After the New Year, they’d hired another batch; now over twenty-five people worked in the yard every day, and they might hire more—maybe forty or fifty in the future. The original fish farm’s spare rooms were all in use, so none could be demolished. With the current space and staff, they were already stretched thin.
If they added anything else, there’d barely be room to move.
More importantly, roasting seaweed snacks was a far more delicate craft than drying laver—tearing it thin, brushing with oil, controlling the heat—every step demanded precision. Nothing could be rushed. They needed experienced artisans, and she couldn’t find a single person in the base or even the whole town who met her standards.
The base workers could learn the simpler drying and baking tasks in a few days, but for this kind of fine roasting—they were miles off.
That’s why she’d come looking for artisans.
And here, right in front of her, was one.
Plus his wife—that made two.
She’d also been considering opening a separate seaweed snack workshop in Tang’an County.
She’d already learned about the county’s many conveniences and done some extra research.
She knew there was a Huangshi Ferry in the county—much larger than Mapu Ferry, busier, with more merchants coming and going. Ships docked daily, with no waiting times for loading and unloading.
The official road to the prefectural capital was smoother too. Seaweed snacks were delicate and couldn’t be jostled or crushed, so they were better suited to stable terrain. Deliveries would be faster and cheaper than from the town.
That way, they’d have both land and water routes covered—options everywhere.
She’d done the math: selling the same goods in the county meant lower shipping costs, faster delivery, and wealthier customers willing to spend more.
After weighing the pros and cons, she’d set her sights on Tang’an County.
It really was ideal.
She was satisfied with everything.
Turning her attention back, Xie Yushu looked at the fulang: “I’ll come back tomorrow and have you roast something for me.”
“There will be compensation,” she added.
This clearly unusual woman had helped him out today, and he was deeply grateful: “Sure—come back tomorrow. I’ll be here waiting.” He’d do it even without payment.
Before leaving, they exchanged names.
His surname was Qin—Qin Fulang.
Still unsettled by the morning’s encounter with her aunt, Xie Yushu decided to head back to the Tang residence and rest.
Tang Zhiyi came looking for her as soon as she heard she was back.
“You made quite a splash at the Merchant Alliance meeting today. A lot of people asked me about you—said they wanted to work with you.” Tang Zhiyi was excited.
“Tell them to place orders. I don’t have any other requirements.” Xie Yushu was indifferent.
The two sat in the reception room with its red plum screen, sipping hot tea. Cut fruit and delicate pastries lay on the table.
Xie Yushu ate a slice of melon: “How was I supposed to know those two would come out of nowhere? Completely uncalled for.”
“Good thing you think fast on your feet,” Tang Zhiyi smiled, her expression darkening. “That’s just how those people are—they’ve been in the game so long they think they’re something, so they always try to put down newcomers. I went through the same thing. But my tongue’s not as sharp as yours—I had to swallow my pride and take it.”
Xie Yushu raised an eyebrow.
Even the radiant, accomplished Tang Zhiyi had been bullied by those people. The waters here ran deep. Fortunately, she’d always had thick skin and could hold her own.
Tang Zhiyi refilled her tea: “Enough of that. Drink up.”
After pouring, she noticed Xie Yushu’s slightly tired expression: “Isn’t that a good thing? Why do you look so unsettled? What happened?”
Seeing she’d been caught, Xie Yushu didn’t bother hiding it and asked bluntly: “Do you know Xie Qi?”
Tang Zhiyi said, “Of course—the Xie family’s daughter from the prefecture. They have a porcelain branch here in the county, and she comes regularly to check the accounts. She handles everything herself. Many of us merchants know her well—I even invited her to the meeting.”
“The Xie family is truly a major household. Compared to them, my family’s nothing,” Tang Zhiyi said with a mix of admiration and a self-deprecating shake of her head.
“What if you were talking about your original family? Could it compare?” Xie Yushu pressed.
“Maybe, but the Xie family really has some skill—that’s what makes them admirable,” Tang Zhiyi explained.
She took a sip of tea, but her eyes never left Xie Yushu’s face. She seemed surprised: “Now that I look at you, I realize—”
Xie Yushu felt a little flustered at her mysterious expression: “Realize what?”
“I realize you and Xie Qi actually have similar features around the eyes.” Tang Zhiyi leaned forward slightly. Seated across from her, Xie Yushu was scrutinized closely—once, twice. A flicker of realization crossed her gaze. “You’re both surnamed Xie. Could it be—”
She lowered her voice: “What’s your relationship with Xie Qi? Are you a relative of hers?”
“That’s exactly what’s bothering me.” Since she’d been seen through, even if she tried to hide it, Tang Zhiyi would find a way to pry. Better to just lay it out. “Xie Qi came to me today, said she’s my aunt—that my mother was her eldest sister.”
Tang Zhiyi’s eyes widened slightly, but she wasn’t entirely surprised: “Is that so?”
Xie Yushu nodded: “Yes.”
Tang Zhiyi’s mind worked quickly, piecing together the logic: “So you didn’t know you were a Xie family member. She spotted you on the second floor today—likely because your looks and bearing are unmistakably Xie—and came to tell you everything. That’s what’s troubling you?”
Xie Yushu’s background wasn’t hard to find out—orphaned young, raised by her aunt, had started the kelp business to make a living.
She must not have known about her connection to the Xie family. Suddenly being approached by a relative from her grandmother’s side was bound to be overwhelming—understandable.
“You guessed right—that’s exactly it.” Xie Yushu gave a brief account of her mother and the Xie family.
To her surprise, Tang Zhiyi’s eyes now held a trace of admiration: “The eldest Miss Xie was truly resolute—giving up a gilded cage like the Xie household is something not just anyone could do.”
“Enough with the teasing.” The remark made Xie Yushu frown.
“I meant it sincerely.” Tang Zhiyi’s expression turned earnest. “Ever since I got into business, I’ve been circling around money all day. Your mother is genuinely admirable.”
Xie Yushu was about to say more when her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.
Jiang Wanxue walked slowly to Tang Zhiyi’s side and asked curiously, “What are you two chatting about?”
Tang Zhiyi quickly stood up, took his shoulders, and gently guided him to sit beside her, her voice tender: “Why aren’t you resting? What are you doing here?”
Jiang Wanxue discreetly hooked her hand where Xie Yushu couldn’t see, a small smile curving his lips: “I’ve been sleeping all day—my bones feel like jelly. Just had a small bowl of bird’s nest porridge, feeling much better now, so I came to see you.”
The moment he appeared, Tang Zhiyi lost all interest in the Xie family, her full attention on him. She reached up to gently smooth the stray hairs from his forehead, her whole demeanor softening.
Xie Yushu nodded at Jiang Wanxue, and her gaze naturally drifted behind him—where she noticed a small attendant following him step by step. He looked only about ten or so.
“This is?” Xie Yushu asked, indicating the attendant.
Jiang Wanxue, perceptive as ever, knew what she was asking and smiled: “This is Xiao An, my personal attendant.”
Xiao An stepped forward smartly and gave Xie Yushu a polite bow: “Greetings, Boss Xie. I’m Xiao An.”
Xie Yushu nodded and said warmly, “Your personal attendant looks quite young.”
Jiang Wanxue waved Xiao An off to the outer room to have some pastries. Once he’d left, he explained: “Yes, Xiao An’s been with me since he was eight. He’s clever, obedient, and very loyal.”
“He’s still young and can’t do much heavy work. He mainly keeps me company. When he’s older, he can take on other tasks and help me out.”
Xie Yushu didn’t quite understand the intricacies of inner households: “Why not hire someone older?”
Jiang Wanxue patiently explained: “Younger has its advantages. He only knows you as his master. You raise him yourself, so he’s easier to manage, and he fits your needs perfectly.”
Xie Yushu took mental notes: “I see.”
“Is Boss Xie thinking of getting one for your fulang at home?” Jiang Wanxue saw right through her.
This couple really had a knack for reading people. Seeing she’d been caught again, Xie Yushu nodded: “I am.”
Fearing Jiang Fulang might get too enthusiastic and start arranging things immediately, she added: “No rush for now. We don’t have a house in the county yet, so this needs more consideration.”
Tang Zhiyi chimed in. Having grown up knowing how to manage household staff, she shared her insights: “Personal attendants should be nurtured from childhood. Though our family isn’t extremely wealthy, it’s still good for my fulang to have one or two personal attendants—it makes everything more convenient. When they grow up, they can become his right-hand man, helping manage household affairs. Besides Xiao An, my fulang has two older ones, but he favors Xiao An most.”
“Thank you for the lesson.” Xie Yushu addressed the couple.
After dinner, a message came from the Tang family steward: the head of the Xie family’s porcelain branch had invited her to come by tomorrow—they had something important to discuss.
Xie Yushu thought it over and agreed.
Back in her room, she called for Ye Youchun.
“Youchun, tomorrow go to Jinliu Street—there’s a pancake shop at the northern alley entrance. The owner is Qin Fulang, who’s skilled at baking. Give him the dried laver we brought, and have him try roasting it into seaweed snacks according to these instructions.”
Xie Yushu handed her a sheet of paper with the recipe. “If he can’t read, read it aloud for him.” She knew Ye Youchun was literate.
Ye Youchun had been with Xie Yushu for a while now. Not only was she strong, but she was also eager to learn. Whenever there was downtime at the base, she’d seen Xiu He teaching his younger brother Xiuwei to read, and she’d shamelessly listen in.
Xiu He never chased her away. Once, he’d given her a writing notebook, and she practiced diligently every night. In this way, she’d learned quite a few characters.
She read the recipe carefully—and recognized every single character.
Xie Yushu had already mentioned the seaweed snacks to Ye Youchun before; she knew this was the focus of the boss’s next business phase. She couldn’t afford to slack off. She took the recipe sheet solemnly and tucked it securely into her clothes, replying gravely, “Understood.”
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