Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard-Chapter 095.4: Heart-to-Heart Conversation (4)

Thinking of how Han Mingyi said she should go out to earn money to support the family while he stayed home to be the beautiful flower because she was not as good-looking as he was, Du Xiaoli squeezed her quilt to the point where it became deformed.

"Hmm, I have yet to fully mature. Wait a few more years, and we’ll see who looks better!"

It was a dreamless night.

Without the pressure of the competition weighing on her heart, Du Xiaoli was in no rush to sleep.

"Xia Yuan, did something happen last night?" Du Xiaoli asked while washing her face.

She had heard something last night. However, she had remembered what Han Mingyi said about how he would let her do nothing but sleep, so she’d merely sat up for a few seconds before falling back to sleep.

Even though she didn't get up and check what it was, Xia Yuan and the others would definitely have gone.

"Two thieves sneaked into Sui Yuan Club and were caught by Prince Ding and his men," Xia Yuan replied.

"Someone sneaked in? What was the result of the interrogation?" Du Xiaoli was a little surprised. It was already the last night of the competition. Why did they choose this time to cause trouble and commit a crime? Why didn’t they act earlier?

"There was no interrogation. Prince Ding seemed to know them. He took them away, and there was no news after that," Yingge said.

"He knew them? Since he said it's okay, it's probably fine. Today, my father and brother are going to the Fu family home to propose a marriage. After sending off all the people who are leaving today, we’ll pack up our things and return to the manor," Du Xiaoli said. She put her towel back in the basin and added, "Everyone has been working hard during this time. Have Uncle Mu give everyone a few days off. We’ll open for business again once everyone has had a good rest.”

"Yes, Miss."

The people of Northern Yuan wanted to move to the posthouse, so an envoy came to pick them up early in the morning.

People from Northern Qi and Eastern Li had also packed up all of their things. Since they were leaving together, they decided to journey together.

After getting dressed, Du Xiaoli went to the courtyards of those from Northern Qi and Eastern Li. She asked if there was anything they needed and simultaneously distributed the regional specialties and souvenirs that had been prepared for every student.

When Beiling Yu got the persimmon cake, she unwrapped and tasted it right away. "This persimmon cake is really delicious!"

After she was done eating one, she asked, "Xiao Li, where did you buy these? Why haven’t I seen them for sale?"

"I didn't buy them. They were made in my village. There aren’t many, so I’m just giving you some to eat on the road," Du Xiaoli said.

Some of the persimmons in the persimmon orchard in the village were already ripe, so she wrote down the method for making persimmon cakes and asked the people in the village to follow the instructions. She did not expect them to actually be able to make the cakes! Moreover, the cakes tasted pretty good.

However, only a small number of cakes were made, so they were not given to everyone. The cakes were split into three portions—one each for Beiling Yu, Lu Junqi, and Zhao Zirui.

"Really? Haha, Xiaoli, you’re so kind!" Beiling Yu said with a big smile.

"What are you so happy about?" Beiling Yicheng's voice came from outside the door. After that, he walked in quickly.

"Elder Brother, you are here!"

"I came to see if you’d finished packing up your belongings. I didn't expect to hear your laugh as soon as I arrived. What’s making you so happy?" Beiling Yicheng saw that Du Xiaoli was there and nodded a greeting to her.

"Elder Brother, look, this is the persimmon cakes Xiaoli gave me. They’re delicious." Beiling Yu lifted up the paper box from the table and showed it to Beiling Yicheng.

"Persimmon cake? Persimmons can be made into something like this?!" Beiling Yicheng looked at the persimmon cakes in the box with some surprise.

"Elder Brother, how about we have Xiaoli tell us the method and then make some when we’re back home?" Beiling Yu said.

"That wouldn’t be good, right? This is Miss Du's secret recipe. If you ask for it, won’t you make it hard for her?" Beiling Yicheng said disapprovingly.

"Oh, all right." Beiling Yu also realized that this was not something to be given casually and gave up.

"Actually, it’s not a problem," Du Xiaoli said with a smile. "I know that there are many persimmons in Northern Qi. This method of making persimmon cake can allow the persimmons to be kept for longer. If the common people are able to use it, I believe they will benefit from it!"

The method for making this persimmon cake was not difficult. If the persimmons were turned into cake, they could be preserved for a much longer period of time, so there would be no need to throw away the leftover persimmons. Considering it was a method that could benefit the common people, she would not hide it and keep it for herself.

"Is it really okay?" Beiling Yu asked.

"Yes, it’s fine," Du Xiaoli said. "Is there still a pen and ink here?"

"There is," Beiling Yu replied. Then she asked the servant girl to prepare a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Du Xiaoli quickly wrote out the process and blew on the paper before saying: "You only need to let people follow the written method to make the cake. Even if the taste isn’t very good, at least the persimmons can be preserved for a longer time.”

Beiling Yicheng took the sheet of paper. After reading it once, he kept it away into the folds of his clothes by his chest. He said, "I thank you on behalf of the people of Northern Qi."

"7th Prince is too polite. In truth, I, Xiaoli, grew up in a peasant family. So, I understand best from personal experience the hardships that peasants go through. I also know that peasants are easily pleased. As long as they are able to eat their fill and have enough clothes to keep them warm, they will not ask for too much. It will be a blessing if this can help the people at the lowest rung of society," Du Xiaoli said with a smile.

"It’s currently the season when persimmons ripen, so I will have someone take this recipe and ride home as quickly as possible on a fast horse." Beiling Yicheng left once he finished speaking.

"Eh, Elder Brother… Seriously, why are you in such a rush..." Beiling Yu wanted to say that he didn't need to take action so urgently and that he could just have someone else do it later, but Beiling Yicheng had already left.

Du Xiaoli smiled, got up, and said: "I heard that there are large areas in Northern Qi that have surpluses of persimmons every year, but there are also are food shortages in winter. If the persimmon cakes can alleviate the crisis a little bit, that means it will be useful. The way 7th Prince treats it as an urgent matter shows that he has the people in his heart. This is the good fortune of the people of Northern Qi."

"Xiaoli, you are so kind!" Beiling Yu naturally knew what sort of person her elder brother was, but she hadn't expected Du Xiaoli could see it just through this matter. "It is really lucky for us to know you! It is also a blessing for the people of Northern Qi."

"I just said that I come from a peasant family. I’ve also been helped by many peasants in the past, so I’ve been hoping for a chance to help everyone out anyway,” Du Xiaoli said. "All right, I won't bother you anymore as you finish packing up. I’ll take my leave now."

"Mm, my things are a mess here. I better finish putting everything in order. Otherwise, I’ll cause the others to be late," Beiling Yu said and stuck out her tongue.

MoonWhisperer, BlackieMeow's Thoughts

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