The Beautiful Concubine spoke sharply, but Li Ying had long seen through her bravado. She didn't expose it, merely bowing respectfully.
"My lady, I would never dare to hide anything from you."
She then went on to explain in great detail how to process the coffee beans eaten by the civets. Seeing that she didn't seem to be holding anything back, the Beautiful Concubine finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She held Songzi in her arms, gently stroking its fur, and said calmly, "Fine. I'm always kind - hearted and won't argue with a commoner like you. You may leave. If there's anything wrong with roasting the coffee beans, I'll send someone to find you."
Li Ying bowed. Before leaving, she vowed earnestly, "My lady, please rest assured. Since this civet coffee is for His Majesty, I would never dare to sell it in the capital. From today on, you are the only one in the world who knows how to make it and can offer this king of coffees."
Seeing her so compliant, the Beautiful Concubine snorted disdainfully from her nostrils, finally satisfied. "You're quite sensible."
After leaving the Beautiful Concubine's palace and returning to the Lu Mansion, the servants saw that she came back empty - handed and the cute civet was nowhere to be seen. They looked at each other in dismay, their expressions all rather strange.
Hearing Li Ying's order that they wouldn't make coffee for the next few days, they were even more puzzled.
"Sister!"
Just as they were in a dilemma, A Man's clear voice rang out.
Li Ying turned around and saw her rushing over in a hurry. She couldn't help but smile.
"You're here?"
She had sent someone to deliver a letter a few days ago, asking A Man to come to the capital to help.
A Man didn't have time to ask in detail. As soon as she got off the carriage, she heard from the servants in the mansion that Li Ying had been taken into the palace. She immediately asked anxiously, "Sister, did the Beautiful Concubine make things difficult for you?"
She checked Li Ying up and down repeatedly, afraid of noticing any signs of trouble.
Li Ying waved her hand with a smile.
Seeing that she was okay, A Man finally felt relieved. Then she frowned and asked, "Sister, brother - in - law is now a royal merchant, and you have the protection of the eldest princess and the queen. Why should you be afraid of the Beautiful Concubine?"
"I saw clearly when I entered the capital that brother - in - law Lu's coffee business in the capital is booming. Are we really going to close the coffee shops just because of a single word from the Beautiful Concubine?"
There was a lot of indignation in her tone, but Li Ying just smiled indifferently at her.
"A Man, don't worry. I have my own plan."
Not wanting to say more, she changed the subject. "A Man, I asked you to come to the capital because there's another important thing that I need your help with."
Thanks to the Hu Xuan Dance she performed that day, A Man was now a well - known dancer in the capital.
Li Ying knew very well that although the life of a dancer, with young men vying to offer silk ribbons after each performance, seemed extremely glamorous on the surface, in fact, dancers were still regarded as low - class women by the literati and officials and couldn't be on the stage.
That's why she racked her brains to get A Man a job as a dance teacher in a music workshop so that she didn't have to show up in public every day.
A Man was carefree and didn't understand Li Ying's considerations at all. She only knew that whatever her sister did must be good for her.
"A Man, go take a bath and change your clothes quickly. In the next few days, I'll ask the maid in the mansion to teach you the palace rules. You're going to enter the palace to meet the queen."
The queen's post - partum recuperation was by no means something that could be solved overnight. After much thought, besides applying essential oils to the stretch marks, postpartum yoga for body recovery was also essential.
The important task of a yoga instructor naturally fell on A Man.
She was extremely skilled in dancing and very intelligent. Even the most difficult yoga moves were no problem for her.
With the protection of the queen, as a Hu girl, A Man's life in the capital would be easier in the future.
A Man didn't have time to ask what "yoga" was. As soon as she heard the words "learn the rules", her bright little face immediately fell.
"Sister!"
Li Ying knew that she had always been unrestrained. The complicated palace rules would be like sitting on pins and needles for her.
But serving the emperor was like sitting beside a tiger. One wrong move and one could lose their head. How could she let A Man act willfully?
After much persuasion, she finally managed to get the girl to go back to her room with the maid with a gloomy face.
Li Ying let out a sigh of relief. Only then did she have some free time and drank a cup of green tea to moisten her throat.
It was obviously not suitable to take any action regarding the coffee shop business in the next few days.
She simply ordered that all the coffee shops in the capital should be closed for rectification and temporarily stop business.
As soon as this order was given, the whole Lu Mansion was in a panic.
Was the Lu's coffee shop going to end like this?
Before long, someone reported the news to Lu Xunguang and asked the master of the family to make a decision.
Lu Xunguang was calmly looking through an account book in his hand. Hearing this, he just raised his eyebrows indifferently.
"Just do as the lady says. You don't have to ask me about every matter regarding the Lu family's business."
His words clearly showed that he trusted Li Ying completely.
The messenger didn't dare to say more. He left with a worried look, muttering to himself.
This news spread quickly. Everyone in the capital praised the deep affection between the master of the Lu family and his wife, Lady Li. Some thoughtful people quietly speculated that the fight between the Lu family and the Beautiful Concubine might not end well.
By the time Li Ying heard these discussions, it was already night. Lu Xunguang rushed back to the mansion through the stars and the moon and had dinner with her.
It was late at night and the dew was heavy, so it wasn't suitable to eat any rich food. Therefore, there were only a few bowls of porridge and some side dishes on the table, all carefully prepared by Li Ying herself.
"Do you trust me so much, my husband?"
She smiled and served Lu Xunguang a bowl of ham soup, chatting with him casually.
Lu Xunguang chewed the shredded beef in lamp - shadow style slowly. The meat was fragrant, infused with spicy but not pungent red oil. Every bite was very appetizing, suitable for both porridge and wine.
"The shops in the capital are part of the grand wedding gifts when I married you. They'll be yours sooner or later. A Ying, just do as you like. If it can make you smile, what's a mere coffee shop?"
He said it as if it were the most natural thing.
Li Ying laughed. "You're really such a muddle - headed master of the Lu family!"
How could she really act willfully and treat the hard - won foundation of the Lu family's revival as a trifle?
Li Ying put down her chopsticks, walked gracefully, and soon came out of the room with several porcelain pots in her arms. She lined them up neatly in front of Lu Xunguang.
"My husband, take a look. What's this?"
Lu Xunguang had long known that she must have a perfect plan, so he wasn't surprised at all.
He opened the porcelain pot, and the rich and clear aroma of wine rushed towards his face, making him feel refreshed immediately.
"A Ying, when did you start brewing wine?"
Li Ying smiled slightly.
In winter in the fishing village, the air was moist with a bit of chill, but it wasn't as bitterly cold as in the capital. It was the best time for brewing wine.
Half a year had passed, and the wine was finally ready.