I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 8 Blizzard Warning
Tang Zhao was flipping through the account book in his hand and calculating silently in his mind.

After half an incense stick of time, I was completely relieved when I saw that the total on the last page was consistent with the result of mental calculation.

With this account book, there is no possibility for Song Sheng to turn against us.

"Hiss!" Qiuyu, who was refilling tea nearby, gasped. "Profit of seven hundred and forty-five taels!"

This is so much money!
"Not much."

"Isn't this enough?" Qiuyu exclaimed.

Of course not, Tang Zhao chuckled. Bu Yi Fang was a high-end luxury shop, its customers were either high-ranking officials or prominent families. Any piece of cloth or piece of clothing could fetch several taels, or even dozens.

Haven’t you seen that modern international brands have countless zeros in their sales?

Where is this?

Tang Zhao stood up and stretched his muscles. "It's going to snow soon."

"It should be soon. It's already mid-November," Qiuyu said excitedly, looking at the gray sky outside. "When it snows, I'll help you build snowmen and have snowball fights."

"You have such a picky mouth. It's obviously your own fault for being playful, but you still want to blame it on the girl," Chunfeng joked.

"Who asked the girl to pamper me?" Qiuyu made a face.

Tang Zhao chuckled and was about to make a joke when a ding sound rang in his mind.

[Ding! Weather Warning: Heavy to severe snow is expected in the next three days, with temperatures dropping by more than 8°C. Please keep warm.]

The spring breeze and the autumn rain stopped playing, looked at the girl's slightly furrowed brows and asked with concern, "Girl, what's wrong?"

"Have you prepared your winter clothes and charcoal?"

This was Tang Zhao's first time spending winter in Dayu. Although Luoyang was not very far north, water would freeze into ice in the winter. Without enough charcoal and winter clothes, people would freeze to death.

"It's been prepared long ago. The servants and the nanny have been busy making winter clothes these days. The palace's allotment has not been lacking in the slightest."

"Go buy some more," Tang Zhao said, worriedly, "and clear out the backyard storage room."

Qiuyu sighed and went downstairs to make arrangements.

"Chunfeng, go tell the Crown Princess to prepare more charcoal."

Tang Zhao felt that she couldn't do it alone. She couldn't just stand by and watch other people in the palace suffer from the cold, right?

In Qingmo Hall, the Crown Prince's Consort Ming was in deep thought.

"Does the Crown Princess really want to listen to the Fifth Young Master's wife?" Nanny Ming was anxious.

"My sister-in-law wouldn't let someone spread this message for no reason. I'm afraid she knows something." The Crown Prince's wife was also hesitant.

"Only by following the rules can we avoid mistakes," Nanny Ming disagreed. "Fifth Young Master's wife hasn't managed the household, so how could she understand the difficulties of managing one?"

Money is also very short in the palace. This year, a lot of money was spent for the fifth young master's marriage, and the palace's daily expenses are a bit difficult.

I want to buy charcoal right away. Who will pay for it?

"Go and ask how much charcoal Bidanyuan bought?"

Tingqin responded and went down. After a while, she came back and said, "Bidanyuan bought 5,000 catties of charcoal, 2,000 catties of silver frost charcoal, and 3,000 catties of ordinary charcoal."

Five thousand kilograms, this is not a small amount, enough to support the palace for two months. "Who paid the money?"

"The young lady paid for it," Tingqin said carefully, "she said it was from her own dowry."

"Does mother know?"

"I know. When I was asking for information, Madam Zhang was there too. She said that the young lady could spend her dowry however she wanted."

Nanny Zhang is the nanny the princess relies on the most, and her words are what the princess means.

Nanny Ming gritted her teeth. Now the Crown Princess had no choice but to buy it.

"Use my private silver and buy three thousand catties of silver frost charcoal and seven thousand catties of ordinary charcoal."

The Crown Prince's Consort thought it through thoroughly. Charcoal is not a fresh seasonal vegetable. It can be used even if it is left for a year or two. It is better to have more in stock than not being able to buy it when the price goes up in winter.

For a time, the large amount of charcoal purchased by Prince Xuan's palace caused widespread discussion and ridicule in Luoyang. Three days later, the temperature in Luoyang dropped sharply and heavy snow fell.

Qiuyu ran into the house and stood in front of the stove to warm her hands. "Don't go out, young lady. It's freezing outside. I just went to collect my monthly allowance, and my hands and feet are numb from the cold."

"Aren't you going to play snowballs and build snowmen?" the spring breeze laughed.

"Who would have thought this winter would be so cold? It's only just now!" Qiuyu retorted, "We've been at the farm for ten years, and it hasn't been this cold even before the first lunar month."

Xia Mo said nothing and poured a bowl of mutton, yam and wolfberry soup, "Drink more, girl. Mutton is the best way to nourish your body in winter."

"Has my husband sent it?" Tang Zhao took a sip and felt it was particularly appropriate. "What about the others?"

"My son-in-law sent it a long time ago," Xia Mo said, "I cooked two big pots today, and everyone in the Bidan Courtyard can drink a bowl."

Qiuyu cheered and excitedly pulled Chunfeng to the small kitchen to drink soup.

In the small kitchen, Nanny Li held the soup spoon in her hand, standing guard against all odds. "One person only gets one bowl, and those who have already received one cannot take another!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and slapped Bai Cheng on the head as he pushed forward, "You little monkey, you've already had a drink, why are you still pushing?"

Bai Cheng said shyly, "I'll just smell it, just smell it."

The black-clad guards worked together to throw out the disruptive saboteur.

Nanny Li was satisfied and gave two more pieces of mutton.

The black-clad guard finished the mutton in a few bites, drank the soup in one gulp, and returned to the study to stand guard.

There are three stoves in the study, which is as warm as spring.

Gu Ci was reading official documents while drinking soup.

Chaohui and Chaoyi didn't have to go to the small kitchen to queue up for soup. Xia Mo, the girl who served the young lady, was very tactful. She brought their portion together with the master's portion, heated it on the stove, and served it as they pleased.

"Serve another bowl," Gu Ci ordered.

Zhao Hui put down his bowl and spoon, served his master the third bowl of soup, and advised, "Master, please eat less. You still need lunch later."

"Miss Xia Mo personally cooked sweet and sour spare ribs and sweet and sour pork tenderloin."

Gu Ci responded.

I don’t know why, but with the same recipe, the food made by the cook at Bidanyuan just doesn’t taste as good as the one made by the girl named Xia Mo.

It's also a strange thing.

After lunch, Tang Zhao sat by the fire and enjoyed the snow scenery.

Although I can't appreciate anything.

But it’s okay, it’s just a pretense of being cultured.

All the ladies in Luoyang City are like this.

"Miss, when will the snow stop?" Dongmei said boredly, holding her face in her hands. "I haven't gone to the Cloth Shop to get any information yet."

"Don't go. It's snowing so heavily. It's not worth it to get frozen." Tang Zhao grabbed a handful of candy for her.

Dongmei ate one and felt sweet to her heart, and all her worries disappeared.

Tang Zhao looked at the snow for a while, and his eyelids gradually became heavy.

Dongmei brought a thin quilt to cover her daughter.

Just before Tang Zhao lost consciousness, a prompt sound rang in his mind again.

[Ding! Blizzard Warning: Continuous snowfall for the next two weeks. Snowstorms are expected in Luoyang and areas north of the city. Please take precautions!]

Snow disaster!

Tang Zhao was so frightened that all sleepiness disappeared.

(End of this chapter)