Li Ying remained calm and carried on with her business as usual, waiting for the subordinates of the Tea Tax Inspector to come to her on their own initiative.
One day, she left the tea - snack shop in the care of the old shopkeeper and was concentrating in the kitchen, thinking about new styles of fancy pastries. Suddenly, a panicked shout came from outside the door.
"Boss, boss, something terrible has happened!"
The old shopkeeper rushed towards her pale - faced and staggering, unable to hide his panic and anxiety.
"Just now, several maids dressed in silk came this way in a grand manner. I recognized them. They are the servants of the Tea Tax Inspector's family. I'm afraid they've come to cause trouble again!"
The old shopkeeper had suffered at their hands before and was completely at a loss. Li Ying, however, had been waiting for this day. Hearing this, she calmly smiled.
"Don't worry, sir. Just take good care of the customers in the shop. I'll deal with the Tea Tax Inspector's people."
The old shopkeeper was still trembling. As they were talking, the maids escorted a small sedan chair and arrived in front of Li Ying's shop.
The sedan chair stopped, and a well - maintained, somewhat plump hand slowly reached out.
A maid held a scented silk handkerchief and carefully supported the hand.
A young servant quickly ran forward with a servile smile on his face and knelt down without hesitation.
The curtain of the sedan chair was lifted. A beautiful woman in brocade embroidered shoes stepped gracefully on the servant's back, got out of the sedan chair, wrapped her cloak around her, held a gilded charcoal stove, and walked in leisurely.
"Where is your shopkeeper? Our mistress has graciously come here. Why don't you come out quickly to greet her? Such rudeness! How lazy and disrespectful!"
Two maids, taking advantage of their mistress's power, looked around. Seeing that most of the people in the shop had their heads bowed submissively, they shouted loudly.
Li Ying sized them up. Seeing that they were making a racket and disturbing the tranquility of the shop, she calmly walked out from behind the screen and said with a smile, "I'm the boss. May I ask who this lady is?"
The wife of the Tea Tax Inspector didn't realize that Li Ying was feigning ignorance. She scrutinized Li Ying from head to toe and snorted.
"I've long heard that there's a rustic bumpkin who has just come to the capital. Now that I've seen you, it's exactly as I've heard!"
"Open your dog eyes wide and take a good look. This is the legitimate wife of the Tea Tax Inspector! Her presence here today should make your shabby little shop shine with glory!"
Li Ying was too lazy to listen to the maids' bluster. She turned to look at the wife of the Tea Tax Inspector, bowed gracefully, and then asked, "May I ask what advice you have for me today, madam?"
Li Ying's calm and composed manner made the beautiful woman a bit uncomfortable. But she held herself high due to her status. Besides, she actually needed something from Li Ying today. So she reluctantly regarded Li Ying as a low - class commoner who didn't understand etiquette and said arrogantly, "I've heard that the snacks in your shop are quite novel in both style and taste. The New Year is approaching. I intend to order a batch of tea - snacks from you to give to my relatives and friends. As for the detailed requirements, come back to my mansion with me. The steward will tell you everything."
Seeing that Li Ying still stood there motionless, the beautiful woman frowned unhappily.
These stupid commoners! It's really a hassle to talk to them!
Hearing this, the two maids quickly shouted, "What are you standing there for? Our mistress has graciously come to you and shown you respect. She's given you enough face. Don't be so ungrateful, you country woman!"
The servant who had served as a footstool earlier also showed a hint of eagerness in his expression. Obviously, they had a plan of using both soft and hard tactics on Li Ying.
Li Ying quickly said, "Please don't blame me, madam! How dare I be so disrespectful! Please wait a moment. I'll prepare some common tools and then go with you to your mansion to talk!"
Seeing her so submissive, the wife of the Tea Tax Inspector finally felt a bit more satisfied.
Although the old shopkeeper kept his head down obediently and didn't even dare to breathe loudly, his ears were wide open and he heard every word of their conversation clearly. While Li Ying was walking behind the screen, he quickly caught up with her and whispered anxiously, "Boss, you mustn't go!
"They're using the same old trick. I was 'kindly' invited there that day. In fact, they threatened and bribed me, strictly ordering me not to participate in the tea - snack selection for the Honglu Temple. If I showed the slightest reluctance, their people would chase and attack me relentlessly. I almost lost my life! Boss, if you go, you're likely to be in great danger!"
Li Ying smiled slightly and just told him to calm down.
The inner courtyard of a court official's mansion was not a place that one could easily enter.
In the old case of Master Ge and Aunt Lan, the key witness was the servant who had forged the handwriting.
She had finally set up a trap to lure the wife of the Tea Tax Inspector into it. How could she give up such a good opportunity?
She whispered a few instructions to the old shopkeeper, then calmly changed her clothes and walked out of the shop gracefully.
The Tea Tax Inspector's mansion had a large vermilion - painted gate with gilded door nails, looking very imposing.
The mistress's sedan chair was slowly carried in, while Li Ying was led by two maids directly to the side door of the mansion.
"Boss Li, please."
The stewardess waved to her slightly. Her tone was polite, but her eyes showed undisguised contempt.
The side door was very secluded. A young servant was just pushing out a night - soil bucket.
Li Ying raised her eyebrows, took two steps back, and her expression was half - smiling.
"A guest is a guest. Although I'm just a merchant, I was personally invited by your mistress to give advice on baking tea - snacks. The Tea Tax Inspector comes from a scholarly family. Is this how you treat your guests?"
She raised her voice, and the stewardess immediately looked embarrassed.
The mistress's intention was to handle this matter as carefully as possible. They couldn't let outsiders see Li Ying enter the mansion, otherwise, if things got out of hand in the future, it might leave a lot of room for criticism.
She had pretended to be eager to seek talents and "invited" Li Ying to the tea - snack shop just for show in front of the common people. Honest and simple businessmen like the old shopkeeper would be grateful for such treatment and wouldn't be on guard.
Letting Li Ying enter the mansion secretly through the side door to cover their tracks and then using both kindness and force, they were confident that this commoner would obediently hand over the tea - snack recipes.
By then, they would save both face and gain the practical benefits, and no one could find fault with them.
But Li Ying didn't buy it. Seeing that she refused to back down and even seemed ready to make a scene, many passers - by cast curious looks at them. The stewardess had no choice but to persuade Li Ying softly to wait for a moment and then went back to ask for instructions.
The wife of the Tea Tax Inspector never expected that her false show of "respecting talents" would now backfire on her. She was so angry that her beautiful face turned cold.
"Madam, Li Ying said that she knew you came for the Lion - Awaking Pastry. She also said that as a merchant, everything could be traded as long as the price was right. If you really want the recipe for the Lion - Awaking Pastry, you should at least show enough courtesy."
After hearing the stewardess's report, the inspector's wife frowned. Thinking that the matter of the Lion - Awaking Pastry was extremely urgent, the chefs in the mansion had tried for three days. Not only could they not make an exact copy, but they couldn't even make a rough prototype.
"Fine. Do as she says and welcome her into the mansion as an honored guest!"
After getting all the clever ideas about making tea - cakes from this commoner, she would surely teach her a good lesson!