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墨書 Inktalez
The Zhao Family was quick to act, and matters in Shanxia Village were handled just as swiftly. The court had taken over Pingyin Mountain, and the vast reserves there had everyone in the court ecstatic, especially the officials from the Ministry of Revenue, who walked with an air of confidence.
During this time, Sang Qingxiao often sighed about the missed opportunities. "What are you complaining about?" Old Vine retorted. "It's such a massive gold mine."
Old Vine dismissed her complaints, claiming she was simply being lazy. The Two Little Treasures had gone to school, Li Cu was off playing in Shanxia Village with Qi Xiaomian, and Misha had gone to the Imperial Academy to play chess with Wen Yuan's father.
With so much free time on her hands, Sang Qingxiao had even neglected her own business, creating a takeout service called Lunch Box. She had placed an invisibility charm on the Mountain Spirit, allowing them to serve customers at the Small Tavern. At first, it had startled quite a few people.
Leaning back in her chair, Sang Qingxiao shifted positions slowly and lazily remarked, "I'm just making money while slacking off. Although it scared some people at first, word spread quickly, and now there are even more people lining up to eat. My little pouch has filled up quite a bit."
"By the way, why aren't you listening at the corner anymore? Why come here to pick on me?"
"I just wanted to let you know that I've invited a few friends over for mahjong."
"Oh, so you have friends in Jingjing City now?"
Old Vine perked up at this. "Lao Huai from the Imperial Academy, Old Pomegranate from the palace, and Jin Gui Aunt from Zhu Cui Street are all my good friends."
"Wow, Old Vine, you've got quite a network; you've even managed to befriend those in the palace?"
"Well," Old Vine grinned, "everyone has a curious heart. Just show your face later; I want to impress them."
Seeing Sang Qingxiao agree, Old Vine happily went off to prepare.
As their circle of friends grew larger and outings became more frequent, the Small Tavern often found itself quiet again, leaving Sang Qingxiao alone as if returning to when they first opened—going from bustling to quiet had diminished her motivation to work.
With the scorching heat outside making business suffer significantly, she decided to close the main doors of the Small Tavern and only keep a takeout window open. Every day, Riri would portion out meals into different Lunch Boxes—each priced the same but with varying dishes—while customers would make their own change. The invisible Mountain Spirits would then pass over the chosen Lunch Boxes.
From the customers' perspective, these suddenly appearing Lunch Boxes were quite amusing. If there was an issue with payment or change, they would leave red marks on their hands as a reminder. If the Mountain Spirits sensed any malice from a customer, they could be even harsher.
Thanks to these gimmicks at the Small Tavern, business picked up considerably again. Even after dark, diligent Mountain Spirits remained by the window and began handling dinner takeout orders as well.
They were so industrious that Sang Qingxiao felt compelled to give them a monthly stipend.
The Mountain Spirits received higher wages than other tavern workers. Although they were well-fed and housed at the Small Tavern with free medical care, their low status meant they couldn't take human form and found it inconvenient to walk through markets. Thus, others helped them buy small items.
While their freedom was somewhat limited compared to their previous mountain life, the sense of safety and satisfaction more than made up for it.
A small head peeked over the wall with a soft meow.
Sang Qingxiao chuckled, "You really think of yourself as a cat, huh? You came back quite quickly."
"Afraid you would miss me," came the reply.
"Isn't it you who has been enjoying yourself outside and forgetting your home?"
"Not at all. I just wanted to see what Golden Mountain is like. Now that I've seen it, I'm back."
Li Cu jumped to Sang Qingxiao's side, unbothered, and buried his head into the half watermelon she had scooped out. He took several big bites, finally alleviating some of the heat from their long journey.
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