Ch. 186..190: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 186-190

Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Ambition (1)_1

After signing the agreement with the Guo Family and returning home from Lou Zheng’s house, everyone felt as if they were in a dream, their heads buzzing.

"Uncle Guo, we have to leave soon. There’s a lot to do at home and we can’t stay any longer." By the time they reached the Guo Family’s doorstep, Lin Ziyin was already smiling at Mr. Guo and Mrs. He.

"Oh?" Mrs. He and Mr. Guo felt somewhat guilty. The family had brought such good fortune to their household, yet they hadn’t even had a meal with them.

"The first batch of salted duck eggs, I have all the ingredients here, let me mix them for you." Lin Ziyin had Yu Shaohui bring out a bag of spices, "Let me show you. You guys should first bring back some yellow soil."

Yellow soil can be found by the river, so it wasn’t hard to find.

Guo Zhongkui and Guo Shuanzhu quickly brought back a basket of yellow soil.

Lin Changshu closed the courtyard door, and Lin Ziyin personally began working with the mud and salt, then cleaning the duck eggs, adding ingredients, having the cleaned duck eggs rolled in the yellow mud, and finally sealed in a jar. "These scrubbed duck eggs will quickly take up the flavor, and with this weather, only about ten days are needed to complete the process. During winter, longer time will be required, about fifteen days. You can try them once they’re done. After the eggs are pickled, deliver them to the Vegetarian Feast at Ding’an Temple. They will have people there to accept them and will pay you in silver coins on the spot."

Actually, the method of marinating duck eggs wasn’t complex, what Lin Ziyin brought to the table was the addition of the ingredients, which one could consider a secret recipe. In this area, they used a water pickling method, so the eggs didn’t taste as good. The method she used of salting with yellow soil was probably unique.

Once Guo Zhongkui and the others had mastered the technique, Lin Ziyin had Lin Changshu fetch some water to clean their hands, and reminded them, "After the next trip to Ding’an Temple, I’ll tell you what the ingredients are. Additionally, for fifty pounds of duck eggs, the ratio of salt, yellow earth, and ingredients mustn’t be off. When you’re pickling, follow this ratio."

"We understand. We will definitely follow your instructions." Mr. Guo guaranteed.

"Mom and Dad, we need to go back." Guo Huiniang was also worried about the things at home. Not to mention anything else, the family needed to make mooncakes day and night, and they had been here for half the day, so she didn’t know what the situation at home was like.

"Little sister, brother-in-law, let me catch a few ducks for you to take back, and also select some duck eggs for you." Guo Zhongkui was in a rush to prepare a return gift.

"No need, Uncle and Auntie, we still have duck eggs from last time, I just pickled them. When you start delivering duck eggs to the Vegetarian Feast, we won’t lack any more. As for the ducks, you better keep them. I fear that in a few days, you won’t have enough for sale." Lin Ziyin said with a smile, "We are all family, no need to worry about returning gifts. If we don’t say anything, who will know, right?"

"Indeed, we don’t lack anything at home right now, Mom and Dad, we don’t need anything," Lin Changshu said, "If we need anything, we’ll come and ask."

Then, he signaled to his wife.

"Mom and Dad, here are five taels of silver, keep it safe." Guo Huiniang gave five taels of silver to Mrs. He, "Don’t be cheated by other people’s sweet talk. No matter how nice others are, when disaster strikes, will they think about us? Now not only do we have Baobao amongst us, but Shuanzhu should also be searching for a wife. Isn’t all of this needing money?"

Mrs. He’s eyes reddened when she heard this, but she refused to accept the money, "You already gave fifty taels of silver last time, and today Ziyin gave another fifty. It’s not easy for you to earn money, I can’t take this."

"Mother, the silver from last time was from Ziyin, this silver is my husband and I expressing our filial piety to you both." Guo Huiniang discreetly handed the silver to her.

Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Ambition (2)_1

Guo Zhongkui feared that Lin Ziyin and Lin Changshu would be upset. The Guo Family had already received plenty of silver from the Lin Family these past few days and if they were to receive more, the Guo Family would appear to be too greedy.

However, Lin Ziyin and Lin Changshu watched on with smiling faces, showing no signs of discontent. Amidst the struggle, Guo Huiniang grew irritated; ultimately, it was Mrs. He who collected the silver.

Once Lin Ziyin had hoisted Yanzhi into the carriage, Lin Changshu and Guo Huiniang took their places as well, leaving the Guo Family Village amidst the reluctant gazes of the Guo Family members.

By the time they returned home, the sky was painted with shadows of darkness. Their household was bustling with activity.

Guo Huiniang quickly washed her hands and joined the Mooncake-making process.

In the following days, the mooncake business fared surprisingly well, not only appealing to many pilgrims but also attracting large orders from prominent households in Feng City. The Lin Family was occupied with the constant flurry of activity. As candlelight filled their nights, servants and workers were rostered in shifts to meet the demand.

"Miss Lin, the oiled cloth has arrived, please have a look." The oiled cloth, due after the festival, unexpextedly arrived before it.

Lin Ziyin hurriedly followed Hei Yi to the courtyard to inspect it.

Truth be told, the quality of the oiled cloth far surpassed Lin Ziyin’s expectations. It was not only transparent and waterproof, but also sturdy – a suitable fabric for making umbrellas.

"Just like this." Lin Ziyin exclaimed with joy.

"As long as it suits your needs, Miss. These are the parts that you requested." Hei Yi pointed to three large boxes.

Lin Ziyin approached with a puzzled look, she did not recall asking Chu Suifeng for any parts. However, now that they were delivered, she deemed it best to inspect them thoroughly.

Upon opening the boxes, the unique shimmer of metal radiated under the sunlight.

At first glance, Lin Ziyin’s elation was palpable: the boxes contained the bicycle parts she had been longing for.

"Prince said if you need anything else, feel free to let me know. I will ensure your request is wholly conveyed to the prince," Hei Yi politely stated.

"Thank you, Manager Hei." Lin Ziyin beamed as she expressed her gratitude.

"There’s also another box over there; it’s a festival gift specially from Prince." Hei Yi came bearing another piece of surprising news.

Was something wrong with Chu Suifeng? More than bring her joy, the arrival of his festival gift had given her quite the scare. Now, hearing Chu Suifeng and Si Jinhan’s names made her apprehensive.

A received gift required evaluation.

Even though Lin Ziyin was far from pleased, she dared not let her dissatisfaction show.

Upon checking the box, she was genuinely taken aback. Chu Suifeng’s gift included an array of items such as food, drink, and also material such as fabric and tea leaves.

She guessed, Chu Suifeng, after being subjected to the Lin Family’s plain water on his previous visits, was probably trying to avoid that.

"Please wait a moment," Lin Ziyin replied with a bitter laugh, "We don’t really have much at home. However, we did make some pastries for the festival. Could you please deliver these to the Prince?" She then asked Qiaoqiao to fetch twenty boxes of mooncakes from the kitchen and assorted biscuits, specifically for Manager Hei. Naturally, she had not forgotten the share for Hei Yi and Hei Er.

"Thank you, Miss. The prince says, the shares of the Vegetarian Feast are already the greatest gift you could give him," Hei Yi replied with a grin; he longed to tell Lin Ziyin that regardless of what she sent over, the prince would always be grateful for the one time she had drawn the slingshot blueprint for him.

Lin Ziyin exchanged a few more pleasantries with him, then personally saw him out of the Lin Family courtyard.

Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Ambition (3)_1

Hei Yi, one of the king’s men, visiting Lin Family is no longer a secret. When the villagers saw Hei Yi delivering so many gifts to the Lin family, they were extremely envious. Unfortunately, Lin Ziyin was a very difficult person. She hardly interacted with the villagers and even when she did, she was always indifferent yet polite.

Some might consider her aloof, but she had helped the villagers greatly. Because of her efforts in developing the wasteland, many villagers had enjoyed an increase in their daily income. In the long run, they might even depend on her due to the vast land she controlled. Notably, she had intentionally provided jobs for Xia Shuanzhu’s widow and Fang Cao’s family. In comparison, she seemed much more compassionate and considerate than some villagers

In the end, it was the villagers who were to blame. They didn’t help when the Lin Family was in despair. Even as they gritted their teeth in envy, none dared to voice complaints against the Lin Family.

"Aunt, who were those people in the caravan?" Yan Yun and Yan Liu, who had just arrived at the Ma Family, asked curiously, their eyes fixed on the direction of the Lin family.

"Those were the king’s guards, who manage a vast estate." Although filled with envy, Yan Family had to be patient. They abided by Ma Zhicai’s advice that haste wouldn’t provide any benefits. With their nieces now living in their household, eating without contributing anything, they were left helpless and heartbroken. After all, they were relying on the nieces to establish a connection with the Lin Family, hoping for Lin Zige, that golden egg, to eventually join their family.

"The young lady from the Lin Family has connections with the king?" Yan Yun asked in surprise.

"Well, she is just lucky. She saved a servant from the king’s palace and has good relations with Ding’an Temple." Speaking about this, Yan was filled with jealousy. She was envious of Lin Ziyin’s luck which always led her to fortunate encounters.

Now, with the matter of the estates, the relationship between Lin Family and the king was expected to improve even further.

Humph, having a good relationship with the king could greatly benefit the Ma Family. As long as Zhicai could establish connections with the king, his scholarly talents would inevitably lead to a promising future. Right now, the most important thing was to marry Lin Zige into the Ma Family.

After all, the mind of a scholar like her son was sophisticated and efficient.

Thinking about this, Yan felt her nieces were not as annoying.

Knowing the relationship between Lin Family and the king, meanwhile, both Yan Yun and Yan Liu were eager to get married into the Lin Family. But how could they get acquainted with the eldest son of the Lin Family?

This was a tricky problem. They were anxious, and even the mastermind Ma Zhicai was feeling the pressure. The present circumstances of the Lin Family were different from before. Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou practically spent all their time at the workshop. Even if they needed to go out, they were always accompanied by servants from the Lin Family.

It was said that many of the Lin Family’s servants were trained in martial arts. Thus, it was not easy to naturally approach Lin Changshu.

Despite the difficulties, Ma Zhicai had no intention of giving up.

In the afternoon that same day, the Si Family also delivered gifts in two large horse-drawn carts. Almost all the masters of the houses had sent gifts, even the youngest one, Si Tingwei, had brought some children’s playthings. This delighted Changting and Yanzhi, who played with Bai Dunzi, Wu Xin, and Wu Meibao.

Lin Ziyin was fair and impartial, also sending various types of pastries back to the Si Family and gave some to Si Si.

"She is quite thoughtful." Seeing the thirty boxes of mooncakes, the old madam didn’t show any unhappiness. The others also watched with smiles, understanding the difficulty of obtaining such items in the countryside.

"The young girl produces quite interesting items. Open a box for me, I want to have a taste." The old madam instructed.

 

Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Ambition (4)_1

The little girl heard this and went ahead to open a box.

"Grandma, don’t underestimate these mooncakes. One box costs three taels of silver at the Vegetarian Feast, and I heard they often sell out," said Si Jinhan, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. He had a mischievous grin as he spoke to the females in the room.

"Three taels of silver aren’t much, the desserts at Hongyun Building cost much more," the mistress countered with a smile.

"That may be true, but can Hongyun Building guarantee that people will still want their mooncakes after Mid-Autumn Festival?" Si Jinhan retorted with a smile.

"Actually, I heard that many people have been going to the Vegetarian Feast to buy mooncakes, I didn’t realize it was a business venture by Lin’s family’s young lady." The second mistress chimed in.

"Oh, there are words on top." The old mistress exclaimed in surprise. Other households did send gifts in advance, but for mooncakes, which were only seen as holiday essentials, nobody really enjoyed eating these hard and bland items.

Because of this, the mooncakes sent over to their residence were usually forwarded elsewhere.

"Red bean filling, sweet but not greasy, nice." The old mistress remarked after a taste.

"Let’s also give it a try," the others echoed.

"I find the meat-flavored one tastier," Si Tingwei remarked, munching on a mooncake.

"It’s a pity that I wasn’t in the residence that day when Miss Lin showcased her culinary skills," lamented Si Jinyu.

"No wonder the prince regards her with special favour," the old mistress sighed.

Si Jinhan smirkly kept silent. Even the females in the Si Family didn’t know that Ziyin was the one behind the mechanical parts.

Ziyin was successful in acquiring the parts she needed and soon she had built two bicycles and two smaller bicycles. The seats were made of wood, draped over by cotton covers embroidered by Zige.

"What is this gadget?" Wu Dayou couldn’t stop circling the bikes in curiosity.

A few children were drawn over as well.

Ziyin gave a smile and mounted a bike.

"Ziyin, get down." Seeing Ziyin’s pose, Zige turned red in the face. How could a young lady be so improper?

Ziyin, not being bothered by the need for propriety, exerted force with her feet on the pedal and the bicycle started moving swiftly. The only pity was that the tires fell short, creating an awkward ride.

"It’s moving, it’s really moving!" Zige cried out in surprise.

"It’s moving on its own?" Around mealtimes, everyone was present. Bai Dazhuang watched with a shocked expression, and the others like Wu Dali were stunned too.

Ziyin rode the bike around the courtyard twice before dismounting.

"It could be used for short commutes, you see, there’s this chain, just pedal with your feet and it will move," explained Ziyin.

"Let me give it a try." Wu Dayou was the first to volunteer.

"Sure, give it a go," Ziyin replied with a smile.

Dayou jumped onto the bike with ease, but once on it, he couldn’t control its movement.

"Oh no, it’s going off balance, I’m going to fall!"

"Be careful!"

Watching the unsteady bike, everyone was getting nervous.

"Don’t worry, your legs are long, you won’t fall even if the bike topples. Just focus on maintaining balance," Ziyin advised him.

After a few rounds of practice and getting comfortable, Dayou could cycle freely.

The other men watching were eager to try and only calmed down after they each had a go.

"I’ll leave them here in the corridor, anybody can use them separately," Ziyin suggested with a smile, "Sister, you can try too."

"Why should I learn it? It would look awkward for a lady to ride it," Zige blushed as she said.

"Sister, you’re being too conventional. What’s wrong with riding a bike? It’s efficient and saves energy. Let those who want to comment do so. Brother Dayou, do you object?" Ziyin turned to ask him.

Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Ambition (5)_1

"I don’t mind." Wu Dayou grinned, "Zige, it’s quite handy to learn how to ride a bike. If you get the hang of it, you can ride it into town, even more convenient than taking a carriage."

"You’re getting just as crazy as her." Zige said grumpily, casting him a disapproving glance.

Wu Dayou laughed his head off at Zige’s retort.

Out of sheer amusement at his foolishness, Lin Changshu and others chuckled and turned away.

The Lin Family’s bicycle was assembled, and the next day, an identical one appeared in Chu Suifeng’s Tianji Pavilion.

"That lass is full of tricks." Si Jinhan wove around the yard on the bike for several laps.

"Indeed, it’s brilliant." Several leaders in the Tianji Pavilion watched intently as the gears drove the chain around.

Chu Suifeng still maintained his stoicism from the previous year. So the girl just needed the parts to build a bike. No matter how fast a bike could go, it certainly couldn’t beat a horse-drawn carriage, especially for a martial artist like him. He would never give up riding a horse to goof off on a bike.

In Chu Suifeng’s view, such a bike was nothing more than a child’s plaything.

After a few more rounds, Si Jinhan too lost interest. He handed the bike over to the guards of Tianji Building, walked up to Chu Suifeng and asked, "What made you think of sending a gift to the young girl?"

"She gave me a share in the Vegetarian Feast for no reason. Of course, I won’t be stingy with a little gift." Chu Suifeng responded indifferently.

"I heard from the farm that the young girl wants to use oilcloth to farm in winter. Does she really think she can grow vegetables in a bitterly cold place like Feng City?" Si Jinhan asked cheerfully, "I wonder what she has in mind?"

"Whether it works or not, we’ll see." said Chu Suifeng, adding that he too was quite curious.

Although the mooncake business only lasted about ten days, Lin Ziyin still made a decent profit. "Brother Bai, this is your pay. Apart from that, everyone gets five pounds of meat, five pounds of fish, a chicken, five pounds of eggs, and a pack of mooncakes and pastries each." Lin Ziyin settled the wages for Bai Dazhuang and others ahead of their original schedule.

The wages for those who helped make the mooncakes in the kitchen were settled daily as well.

"We only worked about ten days; it seems like too much, doesn’t it?" Fang Cao and Mrs. Shuanzhu were amazed when they received the money. They had worked eleven days at thirty pennies a day. That added up to over three hundred pennies, which meant that the two families would not suffer much this Mid-Autumn festival. They were surprised because they hadn’t imagined that they would get anything more.

The gifts were too extravagant!

"As everyone is here, I have something to say." Lin Ziyin spoke softly.

Seeing her serious expression, Bai Dazhuang and others toned down their relaxed laughter and sat attentively.

"In the future, the Lin Family will continue to buy death contracts." The moment her words were out, the faces of Sister Bai and others turned pale. Was Lin Ziyin no longer needing them to work?

"In my eyes, men and women are equal. I don’t discriminate. Things that men can do, women can do too. To be blunt, at least your brains aren’t as effective as mine." she said in a gentle voice.

"Ziyin, just say what you want to say directly." Wu Dali mustered the courage to speak. "Do you no longer need us to work here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes were on her, full of anticipation.

Lin Changshu wanted to say something, but was frowned upon by the old master, so he bowed his head silently.

Both Lin Zige and Guo Huiniang were slightly anxious but did not speak. Those who have been working here had a good relationship with the Lin family. They had seen over the days how hard workers like Wu Dali were. If they were told not to come and work out of the blue, it would make the Lin Family seem rather heartless.