Blossom in Adversity

C33. Various Arrangements.

Chapter 33: Various Arrangements

Shao Yao no longer came early every morning to have breakfast as usual, and Hua Zhi hadn't either. Fu Dong was the first to break the routine.

Bao Xia chuckled and teased, "Fu Dong made extra breakfast early in the morning, the maids reminded her, but she did it again at noon. In the afternoon, Nian Qiu again had to remind her. And yet, in the evening, she did it again. She said she wanted to inscribe a word on her forehead tomorrow to remember not to forget."

Hua Zhi smiled and said, "It's rare for her to be the subject of your jokes."

"It's true, catching her making a mistake is not easy." Bao Xia handed the cooled tea to young lady, "Miss, is your wound still hurting?"

"Not hurting anymore, just itching."

"Try not to scratch it. Miss Shao Yao said that when wounds heal, they itch. It means your wound is healing. Her medicine is really effective." Bao Xia paused, sighed, and chuckled, "I'm starting to missed Miss Shao Yao."

Anyone with that kind of personality would be liked by anyone who spent time with her. Hua Zhi took a few sips of tea and, in the evening light, oddly felt a sense of peacefulness.

"How's the situation in the workshop?"

"They're doing well, as you said, the work isn't difficult. Once they're taught, they get faster. However, today someone who previously paid a deposit, Liu Yueming, brought fruit. If the orders increase, we might not have enough hands."

"I didn't consider everything." She used to run a big company, focusing on the bigger picture. This small workshop was new to her, and she didn’t anticipate the challenges of applying her previous knowledge in a different era. She had been careless.

After a moment of contemplation, Hua Zhi said, "Clear the west wing room, empty out the extra things, and then find Liu Qi. Have him and his team move all the things in the front yard room to the back yard. Start working in the back yard from the cooking stage, and store the finished products in the cellar in the back yard. Tell Wu San and his team to be faster and create at least four cellars in the back yard."

"Eldest Miss, this is where you live..."

"It's not that important." Hua Zhi shook her head. "The space is limited. When Xue Jie brings back the oranges, we won't even have enough space for the fruit, so we need to be quick. It's best to have all the peaches processed before he returns."

"So many peaches." Bao Xia's head began to ache. She used to love them, but after a few days, she didn't even want to look at them.

"What about Nian Qiu?"

Nian Qiu emerged from the room with a ledger in hand, "Eldest Miss, here I am."

"Go back and have Grandmother pick some skilled and efficient maidservants to help. Peeling the peaches is manageable, but removing the veins from the oranges will be more challenging. Also, bring a batch of jars, and tell Ying Chun to buy them quickly. We don't want to finish processing the fruit only to realize we have nothing to store it in."

"Yes, I'll go back early tomorrow." Nian Qiu nodded, looking slightly troubled at the mention of the ledger. "Eldest Miss, we have very little silver left."

"How much is left?"

"Excluding the portion you said should not be touched, we have 640 taels left. After paying the fruit farmers, we won't have much left."

Hua Zhi massaged her temples, "Go back and ask the steward Xu if the house has been sold. If not, negotiate a lower price."

"Yes."

Hua Zhi, who had never worried about money in her two lifetimes, was not in a hurry. For her, making money was never difficult. Even if she didn't think of any other way, as long as she could hold on for these two months, the canned fruits she made would fetch a large sum of money once the weather turned cold.

But she wasn't that satisfied.

As dusk descended, casting a veil of twilight over the world, a myriad of thoughts danced through her mind. The sky, painted in hues of lavender and gold, seemed to mirror the intricate tapestry of emotions she felt. She gazed up at the twinkling stars, a sense of peace washing over her.

It's different, she thought. Bai Lin would not be Hua Linqi, and her weepy mother could never become the cunning Mrs. Xu. She, too, was no longer Hua Linzhi.

On the same day, Nian Qiu returned with good news, "Steward Xu said the house was sold a few days ago, the buyer was very straightforward, didn't negotiate at all. The Old Madam speculated it might be an old acquaintance of the Old Master, wanting to make a good impression. However, when they went to complete the paperwork, only a manager was sent over, and they couldn't figure out who the buyer was. So for now, we'll have to keep this in mind and deal with it later."

Hua Zhi wasn't surprised; her grandfather had many acquaintances, and there were many students he had helped. Those who couldn't openly associate with the Hua family but secretly lent a helping hand were surely among them. "How much was it sold for?"

"Three thousand five hundred taels. Steward Xu got it appraised, and considering the prime location and good surroundings, the price had room for negotiation, but unexpectedly, the buyer didn't bargain."

Hua Zhi had estimated around two thousand seven to eight hundred taels, so this price pleasantly surprised her.

Nian Qiu continued, "Old Madam knew I returned and specifically called me over to let you know. She'll hold onto the money for now and give it to you when you return to the mansion."

"That's good. I wasn't planning to use that money here. Our current funds should be enough. And what about Ying Chun? How many jars did you bring this time?"

"Two thousand. Ying Chun said she ordered five thousand more from another place and they'll be directly delivered to the estate in a couple of days."

"Let Liu Qi know about this. Have him thoroughly inspect the goods, and don't accept any substandard items."

"Got it."

As more people gathered in the backyard, there was a sense of bustling activity. Hua Zhi didn't want to do much work and spent most of her time inside.

With the nurturing soups and medicines, her recovery was swift, and she was gradually regaining her color.

"Eldest Miss, Miss Shao Yao sent someone with medicine." Liu Xiang hurried in to report, while Bao Xia was busy in the front yard and Fu Dong was preparing delicacies for Eldest Miss.

Hua Zhi had only Nian Qiu left by her side, who was occupied with bookkeeping. She decided to promote Liu Xiang to a higher-ranking maid to serve her alongside Nian Qiu, without giving any explanation but everyone understood this was Eldest Miss's way of rewarding Liu Xiang's loyalty.

Hua Zhi sat up straight, "Where is this person?"

"In the front yard. It was a man who came. Miss Shao Yao asked him to convey a few words, saying she won't be able to come for a while. When the medicine in the blue bottle runs out, switch to the green bottle. The scar removal ointment should be applied about fifteen minutes after using the medicine for the best effect."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

Hua Zhi couldn't help but think more. Shao Yao was a physician, and if she couldn't come, it meant someone was injured. It seemed that no matter the era, there were always some people moving forward in the dark.

"Go see what Fu Dong has prepared. Have her pack up some things to send back to Shao Yao, and also tell her to bring some ice if possible."

"Got it."

With so many people around, Hua Zhi didn't want anyone to know she could make ice. The profit was substantial, even Grandmother might not be able to resist it, so it was best to keep it a secret.

———
Author's Note:

Readers, don't underestimate Kōng Kōng; she often complains, but she's actually good at writing. Not everyone can turn their hobbies into a career like she did. Kōng Kōng is one of the very few lucky ones.