Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Chen Sandao failed to see his master's despair and continued to claim credit.

"I think this thing is a treasure trove; we can't just rely on caravans."

"So I picked all the white seeds out of the dried chili peppers."

"We'll distribute it to the farmers who raise ducks, so they can plant it on the open space next to their duck sheds."

"Hey! Guess what?"

Gu Mingyue is so tired!

She didn't want to guess what would happen!

But this did not dampen Chen Sandao's enthusiasm, and he continued:

"This thing is incredibly resilient; it thrives in any soil it encounters, and it grows like crazy!"

"Our poultry division at Pujitang has now specifically allocated fifty acres of land to grow this!"

Gu Mingyue felt as if an arrow had struck her chest.

She just wanted to open a duck shop, how did she end up developing a complete agricultural and sideline product industry chain?

However, with so many varieties of chili peppers, not all of them are fragrant.

She forced back the twitching at the corner of her mouth, clinging to her last shred of hope, and asked:

"What did this chili pepper originally look like? Does it have a variety name?"

Chen Sandao slapped his thigh: "Those Western Region merchants said they call them 'spicy'."

"But I noticed it grew long and thin, winding like a bramble, with two plants growing on one stalk, so I named it 'Two Brambles'!"

Gu Mingyue: "..."

Erjingtiao tea! A top-quality product! Incredibly fragrant!

Hearing this conversation, Xiao Ye and Xiao Jue both put down their chopsticks.

"Erjingtiao?"

Xiao Ye looked at the bright red spice powder in the plate and became interested.

"Such a strange crop has never existed in the territory of Dayong before?"

Before Gu Mingyue could figure out how to get out of this, Gu Mingli had already put down the serving chopsticks.

He cleared his throat and adopted the professional demeanor of a compiler from the Hanlin Academy reporting on his work.

"These chili peppers are absolutely top-notch."

Gu Mingli pointed to the chili peppers in the plate and began to explain the science in a serious manner.

"This substance not only enhances flavor and taste, but is also a strategic resource that benefits the country and its people."

"The climate in the south is humid, and people often suffer from dampness and cold; the northern border is bitterly cold, and winters are even more unbearable."

"This chili pepper is hot and spicy. If it can be widely cultivated, people can sweat and dispel cold by eating it, which can prevent many damp and cold diseases."

"Moreover, this plant is extremely resilient, does not require fertile land, can be planted on slopes and edges, has a high yield, and is easy to preserve."

"If soldiers carried some chili powder with them on marches and battles, it would not only improve their appetite by eating it with their dry rations, but also help them make soup to ward off illness if they caught a cold. It would be a great service!"

Xiao Ye's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Gu Mingli's words hit the nail on the head regarding his struggles in governing the country.

This simple seasoning can ward off cold and prevent illness, and it's even used in the military!

"good!"

Xiao Ye slammed his hand on the table, his admiration evident on his face.

He looked at Gu Mingyue, his tone unusually gentle and complimentary.

"Master Gu is not only a shrewd businessman, but more importantly, he has this ingenious idea that benefits the people."

"Such a small shop, yet it manages to find such beneficial items for the country and its people!"

Gu Mingyue opened her mouth.

No! Your Majesty! Please let me explain!

But the emperor didn't give her a chance to speak.

Xiao Ye stood up and waved his hand with an air of heroic grandeur: "Liu An! Bring me pen and ink!"

Upon hearing this, Liu An quickly rummaged through his luggage and took out the finest Xuan paper and the imperial wolf-hair brush.

He quickly spread the ink on the empty table next to him, grinding the ink while smiling broadly.

"Oh, Mr. Gu, you're in luck today!"

Although Chen Sandao didn't know who this "Second Master" was.

Judging from this demeanor, one could tell that this was an extraordinary person who wanted to leave their calligraphy at their shop.

So excited he didn't know what to do with his hands, so he pulled his men aside.

Xiao Ye walked to the desk, dipped his brush in ink, focused his energy in his dantian, and with his wrist suspended in the air, the brush moved like dragons and snakes.

Five large characters were boldly inscribed on the rice paper, their strokes powerful and vigorous, seemingly penetrating the paper itself:

Pujitang Cooked Food

Below it was a personal seal that he carried with him.

This is a piece of calligraphy bestowed by the emperor!

Xiao Ye put down his pen and laughed heartily: "Frame this calligraphy and hang it in the center of the shop entrance."

"From now on, in Jiangzhou City, and even in the entire Dayong Dynasty, your Puji Hall will be the only one of its kind!"

Chen Sandao was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He waited quietly for his employer to speak.

result……

The hall became quiet instead.

Gu Mingyue stared at the emperor's handwritten letter with utter despair.

This is no longer a hot potato.

With the emperor's personal inscription, not only in Jiangzhou, but also in the capital, high-ranking officials and nobles would probably line up to buy braised duck made with Erjingtiao peppers.

In the future, this shop will probably never be able to spend the stolen money again!

Gu Mingyue looked at the calligraphy and took a deep breath.

A smile was on her face, but her heart was bleeding.

"Thank you for bestowing this calligraphy upon me, Second Master."

She gave Xiao Ye a curtsy, her voice steady and her posture appropriate.

"This calligraphy is precious and should be properly framed."

He turned to look at Chen Sandao.

"Old Chen."

"exist!"

Chen Sandao was so excited that his face turned red. He rubbed his hands together, wishing he could hang the words up right now.

"Go and hire the best picture mounter in Jiangzhou City."

"Use the finest silk, the best roller tips, and rosewood. The frame must also be of the highest quality, made of golden nanmu wood."

Chen Sandao was taken aback.

"That must cost...a lot of money, right?"

"Don't worry about the money," Gu Mingyue said firmly. "Second Master's calligraphy cannot be treated carelessly."

Chen Sandao nodded vigorously.

"The boss is right! We must use the best!"

Gu Mingyue silently did some mental calculations.

A frame made of Phoebe zhennan wood and top-quality silk would easily cost several tens of taels of silver.

A drop in the ocean.

But even a mosquito's leg is still meat.

She remembered something else.

"By the way, Old Chen. Go to the government office first thing tomorrow morning and pay the taxes."

Chen Sandao was carefully carrying the calligraphy towards the back room when he heard this, so he paused and turned around.

"Pay taxes?"

"right."

"But the master..."

Chen Sandao scratched the back of his head, puzzled.

"Taxes are only collected every six months, and we just paid them two months ago. The next one won't be until the end of the year."

Gu Mingyue was already getting a little impatient. "From now on, our Pujitang will pay once a month."

Chen Sandao's mouth opened into a circle.

"Once...once a month?"

"Yes. Pay the highest rate! No! Donate an extra 10% to the national treasury!"

Since we can't spend it all, we should hand it over to the national treasury.

Donating money to the country is surely acceptable, isn't it?

With interests intertwined, the emperor couldn't possibly keep an eye on the Gu family every day, could he?

The back room was quiet for a couple of breaths.

Although Chen Sandao's mind was buzzing, his expression remained firm: "Whatever the boss says goes."

"Alright! The employer said to hand it over, so I will!"

The owner never does business at a loss.

She must have her reasons for paying taxes once a month and donating extra money to the national treasury.

Xiao Ye, standing to the side, held a teacup and slightly curled the corners of his lips.

He put down his teacup and beckoned to a plainclothes attendant standing behind him.

The man leaned closer, and Xiao Ye whispered a few instructions.

The attendant accepted the order and withdrew.

Xiao Ye turned his head and looked at Gu Mingyue with a smile.

"Since Master Gu has this intention, I... cough... I will put in a good word with the government office for you."

"From now on, the tax revenue of Pujitang will be deposited into a separate account, received by designated personnel of the government, and directly into the national treasury. It will not pass through the hands of any other party."

Gu Mingyue understood.

The emperor has his eyes on the silver.

From the shops to the national treasury, not a single penny was lost.

No one can take advantage of this.

That's a good thing.

The money was spent and went straight into the national treasury, so no one could say anything.

"Thank you, Second Master." Gu Mingyue nodded.