Chapter 181 Hongyu is complacent
Mother Yang complained to the officer: "Sir, that group of people must have found that they couldn't redeem Hongyu, so they sneaked into Xunfang Pavilion at night and kidnapped Hongyu. You must help me find Hongyu. How can we do business in Xunfang Pavilion without Hongyu? If I want to train another top girl as outstanding as Hongyu, it will take me at least several years."
When Qianhuan heard the news, she was quite surprised. She didn't expect that the thieves in ancient times could be so bold. When the redemption failed, they would just kidnap the person without saying a word.
She couldn't help but sigh: The public security in ancient times was really bad. A living person was kidnapped without any trace. It was too scary. It seemed that she had to continue to practice martial arts with Brother Yunlong.
The abducted Hongyu had been taken by the men in black to the border between Canglang Kingdom and Dayuan Kingdom. After passing through the city gate, they entered the border of Canglang Kingdom.
At first Hongyu was very scared, thinking that she had met some vicious flower-stealing thief. However, the men in black were very polite to her along the way, provided her with delicious food and drinks, and did not even dare to touch her with a finger.
She also learned the most crucial information from those men in black indirectly. It turned out that the master of this group of men in black had taken a fancy to her and wanted to take her as a concubine. Mother Yang refused to let her go, so they kidnapped her.
When Hongyu found out, she felt complacent. She thought it must be because of her great charm that the master of the man in black took the risk to kidnap her.
As the top prostitute in the largest brothel in Qingxi County, she has always known that many men have been coveting her for a long time. However, those men are not as domineering as the masters of these men in black. When they fail to redeem her, they directly let their servants kidnap her. She wants to see which customer is so infatuated.
When she arrived at the border of Canglang Kingdom, she was dumbfounded. Although Dayuan Kingdom and Canglang Kingdom had been coexisting peacefully in recent years, it was rare to see Canglang people in Qingxi County. She couldn't remember when she had ever received guests from Canglang Kingdom.
She asked with some concern: "Brothers, who is your master, and why do we have to go to the Canglang Kingdom?
The man in black said, "You will know who our master is when you get there."
"Brothers, I have been living in Qingxi County. I am afraid it will be difficult for me to adapt to the Canglang Country. I beg you to be kind and let me go."
"Let you go? How is that possible? Our master is attracted to you, it's your good fortune after several lifetimes of hard work. Otherwise, with someone like you who came from a brothel, you would never have a chance to make a name for yourself. If you follow our master, you will have endless wealth and glory in the future."
Hongyu immediately became obedient when she heard this. Judging from the tone of the man in black, their master must be very powerful.
Even though she is a citizen of Dayuan Country, she will always be a canary locked in a cage in Dayuan Country and can only be Mother Yang’s cash cow for the rest of her life.
If it was true that some nobleman from the Canglang Kingdom took a fancy to her, even if she became a concubine, it would be better than being locked up in Xunfang Pavilion for the rest of her life and making a living by performing arts.
The man in black couldn't help but show a disdainful look when he saw that she was obedient. He thought, "Huh, you become so obedient after hearing that you will have endless wealth and glory for the rest of your life. After all, she is a girl from a brothel and is only attracted by money. I don't know how her master fell in love with such a piece of trash. Although this woman is pretty, there are many women prettier than her in their Canglang Country.
The rumor of Hongyu's disappearance swept across Qingxi County like a gust of wind.
The madam of Yichunyuan, the rival of Xunfang Pavilion, was very happy to hear the news. Without Hongyu in charge of Xunfang Pavilion, no other brothel girls in the county could compare with their girl Sisi. The business of Yichunyuan was indeed getting better and better.
Qianhuan didn't care about these things. She devoted her time and energy every day to the opening of the teahouse.
The teahouse's signboard had already been made and hung on the gate, with the words "Half-Day Qinghuan Garden" written in large letters on it.
At first, passers-by didn't know what this Half-Day Qinghuan Garden was used for. Until they saw the couplets written on the wooden pillars on both sides below the plaque, "Steal a half-day of leisure from this busy life, and let a wisp of tea fragrance color the passing years", they suddenly realized that this was a plan to open a new teahouse.
After the tea arrived, Qianhuan started making milk tea with Qiukui, Qiuming and Qiushui.
Although Qianhuan often orders milk tea in modern times, if she really wants to make it herself, she can only make the simplest tea milk tea for now.
This tea milk tea is extremely simple to make. Use fresh milk in a pot and cook over low heat until it is slightly hot and bubbles appear. Stir it from time to time to prevent the bottom from getting sticky.
Then rinse the prepared tea leaves with water, drain the water from the tea leaves and pour them into the milk. Add a little sugar and cook over medium-low heat while stirring. After cooking, turn off the heat, cover it with a lid and simmer for a while to better retain the aroma.
Open the lid, take out the tea leaves, and a cup of milk tea is ready.
Because the tea milk tea recipe is simple and easy to learn, the three of them learned it quickly.
Qianhuan asked the three of them to bring the prepared milk tea to all the servants for tasting. After drinking it, everyone agreed that the milk tea tasted sweet and delicious and would definitely be very popular, especially among women and children.
There are two kinds of tea in the teahouse: black tea and green tea. Putting green tea in milk makes it milk green tea, while putting black tea in milk makes it milk tea. The choice of tea depends on the customer's personal preference.
Qianhuan made custom work clothes for everyone in a refreshing green color. They also came with a brown apron with the five words "Half-Day Qinghuan Garden" embroidered on it by the embroiderer.
A few days before the opening, Qianhuan had her servants wear work clothes and go to the streets to promote the store. They were divided into groups of two, one holding a bucket of hot milk tea, and the other holding a number of small cups for tasting the milk tea. They would walk while shouting:
"Come on, come on, everyone, come and take a look, this is a fragrant and sweet milk tea, you can try it for free..."
Everyone was attracted by the aroma of the milk tea. At first, no one could believe that they could drink it for free. It was not until the first customer tried it that everyone started lining up to try it.
After drinking it, passers-by praised it unanimously: "Wow, this milk tea is so delicious, fragrant and sweet, which store are you from?"
The servants quickly took the opportunity to advertise, "Our shop is right across from Zuixianju, the largest restaurant in the east of the city. It is a teahouse called Banri Qinghuanyuan. It will open on the tenth day of the first lunar month. Reservations can be made in advance. On the opening day, as long as you come into the store and reserve a table, you will receive a free cup of milk tea, and there will also be free plays to watch."
The servants continued to promote the store as Qianhuan had instructed, "And we also invited a great instrument master to play on the opening day of our store. That master came and went without a trace, and her music has the effect of calming the mind and concentrating the spirit. I guarantee that everyone who has listened to it will find it worthwhile."
Now the whole county knows that a new teahouse called "Banri Qinghuanyuan" will open on the tenth day of the first lunar month.
This teahouse not only serves plain tea, but also fragrant and sweet milk tea. You can also watch plays for free. I heard that there will be a great master playing on the opening day. On the first day, each table will be given a free cup of milk tea.
People in the county town who had a little money had reserved tables in advance, waiting to drink free milk tea and watch free shows on the opening day.
On the tenth day, Qianhuan asked Ji Feng to drive a horse-drawn carriage to pick up her parents early in the morning, and Manager Ji also came along.
Liang Laoer and Liu entered Banri Qinghuan Garden, their eyes red with excitement. Such a large and luxurious teahouse was actually opened by their daughter. They, as parents, were so proud and their faces were so bright.
If their daughter hadn't stopped them from telling anyone, they would have wanted to tell everyone in the village that the owner of the new teahouse in the city was their daughter.
"Dad, Mom, all the tables in the teahouse are reserved today. I only left a small table for you. There will be a play in the garden this afternoon. You can sit aside and drink tea and watch the play."
"Qianhuan, there's no need to reserve a table for us. Just leave it for the guests. Your father and I can just stand in any corner and watch the show." Liu wiped her eyes and said with a look of relief.
"Mom, that's impossible. As the owner of a teahouse, how can I let my parents stand in the corner and listen to the opera? Just listen to my arrangements. Customers will come into the store one after another. I won't greet you. I will go and get busy first."
"Hey, just go ahead and do your work. Don't worry about me and your father. If you're too busy, just ask me and your father for help."
"Okay." Qianhuan agreed with a smile.
Ever since Chu Yichen failed in his confession, he always felt embarrassed to see Qianhuan again, so he never took the initiative to look for Qianhuan again.
However, Qianhuan took the initiative to look for him once. Seeing that Qianhuan was still getting along with him without any grudges as if nothing had happened, Chu Yichen felt that he should be more open-minded, so Chu Yichen contacted her again openly.
Just then, at three o'clock in the afternoon, Young Master Chu brought Chu Lan'er, Madam Chu and the old lady of the Chu family to the teahouse to show their support for Qianhuan.
Mrs. Chu had originally refused to come, but Chu Yichen remembered that Qianhuan had said that the teahouse was under the name of the Chu family, so he lied to his mother and said, "Mom, your son has also invested in this teahouse. Although he is not the big boss, he is also a small boss."
Mrs. Chu then came over with her children and mother-in-law. Although Qianhuan disliked Mrs. Chu's snobbish attitude, she truly regarded Chu Yichen and Chu Lan'er as good friends, so she could only force herself to be as friendly to Mrs. Chu as possible.
Qianhuan came over with a smile, and then took a few people to sit down. Qianhuan also personally served hot milk tea to the four of them.
After tasting the milk tea, Chu Laner praised it highly, "I've heard people in the county discussing this milk tea a long time ago, but I didn't expect it to be so delicious. Qianhuan is amazing."
Madam Chu also nodded, "Well, this milk tea tastes really good, with a strong milky aroma.
Mrs. Chu also drank several sips. Although she agreed that the milk tea was delicious, she would not say it out loud. After all, she looked down on others because of their background.
When Qianhuan came over, Chu Laner asked, "Qianhuan, is this milk tea made by you?"
"Well, I made it, Lan'er. This milk tea tastes a little sweet. Even if you like it, don't drink too much. Especially for the old lady, you can't drink too much."
"Well, Qianhuan, thank you. I will keep an eye on grandma."
"The performance will start soon on stage. I have to direct them. Please do as you please. I'll be leaving now."
Allen Chu quickly said, “Well, go and do your work, don’t worry about us.”