This night, Ye Jiayao ignored Xia Chunyu, partly because she was taking her anger out on him, but mostly because she felt devastated from being unable to help and did not feel like responding to anyone.
There was nothing Xia Chunyu could do too, however, he understands Yaoyao’s feelings and she would feel better after giving her some time to cool down.
The next day, Ye Jiayao went to Heavenly Residence early in the morning, calling Deng Haichuan over.
“Haichuan, there is something important that I want to hand over to you.” Ye Jiayao had thought about it for the whole night. Ah Ruan wanted her to find a chef for her and after much pondering, she felt that Deng Haichuan is the best candidate. Deng Haichuan is quick-witted and can handle things smoothly. With him around in the Prince’s mansion, even if he cannot help Ah Ruan much, at least she would be informed of anything that happens within the Prince’s mansion.
After hearing her instructions, it is not that Deng Haichuan is not willing to go “But, if I leave, what would happen to Heavenly Residence?” Right now, he is the pillar of support for Heavenly Rresidence since Wang Mingde and Cui Dongpeng are both not around.
Ye Jiayao replied “I have thought of it, for the pastry shop, I would hand everything over to Jiang Yue and Zhong Xiang would be in charge here. You go to the Prince’s mansion, I will increase your pay accordingly.”
Deng Haichuan said “Second Young Mistress, you are treating me like an outsider, if there is anywhere you need me to go, I would definitely not refuse. As for the wages, whatever I earn here in a year is already way more than what I would have earned in ten years elsewhere.”
Ye Jiayao said solemnly “Once you go to the Prince’s mansion, you have to be extra careful, don’t let others have the chance to pin fault onto you. I would communicate with the other side. You will go over there in the day and come back to Heavenly Residence at night.”
Now that the Prince’s mansion is under the charge of Lin, when Lin knows that Deng Haichuan is working for her, it would be quite improbable that she would pick on him openly but she cannot guarantee that he would not be plotted against in the dark. She had to warn him first.
Seeing how serious Second Young Mistress is, Deng Haichuan knows that this is no simple task. It is not as easy as going over to cook.
“Second Young Mistress, don’t worry, I will be careful.”
After settling things with Deng Haichuan, Ye Jiayao went over to the pastry shop. The place has already open for the sales of the snow skin mooncake and business is so good, the queue never ends.
Jiang Yue is collecting money personally and seeing the arrival of Ye Jiayao, she quickly hands the task over to someone else, welcoming Ye Jiayao in.
“Second Young Mistress, yesterday we sold 800 mooncakes and it seems like we would sell more today.” Jiang Yue says merrily while pouring tea for Ye Jiayao.
Ye Jiayao smiles “It has been hard on you.”
“It is not hard at all, business is so good that I can laugh myself awake while dreaming.” Jiang Yue replies happily.
Ye Jiayao feels sorry for her. She only put in some effort at the very start for this pastry shop and after that, she just hands it over to Jiang Yue an Zhong Xiang. It is not too much to say that the sales of the pastry shop is all thanks to the both of them, especially Jiang Yue. She only handed the ice cream’s recipe to Jiang Yue alone and since it is trade secret, Jiang Yue dared not hand the task over to anyone else and had been making the ice cream alone. She knows very well how much effort it takes. Besides, Jiang Yue practically treats the pastry shop as her own house, not even returning home at night. Auntie Jiang has grumbled about this matter to her many times, saying how she doesn’t even see Jiang Yue anymore.
“After the fifteenth of the eighth month, I will give you a few days’ holiday to take a good rest.” Ye Jiayao said.
“No need, no need, I am not tired” Jiang Yue has never felt so much sense of achievement before. She always thought she would spend her life doing nothing but now, she has become the pillar of support for the pastry shop and business has been booming ever since she has taken over. This sense of achievement offsets all tiredness and exhaustion.
She couldn’t be happier.
“Today, I have come to discuss something with you.” Ye Jiayao sits her down.
Jiang Yue smiles “Second Young Mistress, just instruct me.”
Ye Jiayao smiles “I have been thinking, that I should let you handle the pastry shop by yourself in the future. I will give you a percentage of the earnings. In the future, 20% of the profits would go to you.”
Jiang Yue is dumbstruck “Second Young Mistress, how would this do?”
Others might not know how much 20% of the profit is but she knows very clearly. 20% of the profit would amount to more than 10,000 taels a month. Whatever would she need so much money for? Besides, although she have been running the pastry shop with Zhong Xiang, 90% of the best-selling pastries here are developed by Second Young Mistress. All she did was act as her helper, how can she take so much money?
“This is what you deserve. Just take it as my gift to you for your dowry.” Ye Jiayao smiles.
Jiang Yue starts to blush, saying shyly “I am not even marrying, why would I need dowry.”
Ye Jiayao smiles meaningfully. Don’t think that she cannot tell. Jiang Yue and Zhong Xiang both have that intention. She also thinks that the both of them are quite compatible. She wanted, at first, to discuss this subject with Zhong Xiang after Ah Ruan’s wedding feast, asking him to ask for Jiang Yue’s hand in marriage. However, judging by the current situation, this matter would have to wait.
“Can’t you just save it up first? Silly lass, we’ll just set it as that. Zhong Xiang will be very busy in the near future since he has to be in charge of teaching for the training class and run Heavenly Residence at the same time. You two might not be able to meet up often.” Ye Jiayao tells her beforehand.
Aye, now she really feels that she is short of manpower. Manager Zhao has been sent to the farmlands to help Manager Bai in the renovation works while Deng Haichuan has been given another job by her and Manager Qian’s capabilities fall short a little. However, after Wang Mingde and Cui Dongpeng graduate from the training class, everything would be a lot easier since she would have gained another two helpful assistants.
Jiang Yue asks curiously “Isn’t Deng Haichuan taking care of the kitchen in Heavenly Residence?”
“I sent him to do other things, let’s just grit our teeth and bear through this period. After that, we would all have an easier time.” Ye Jiayao sighs.
Afterwards, she got Jiang Yue to prepare 40 snow skin mooncakes and some pastries for her to bring to the palace.
It is the first time Qiao Xi accompanies the Second Young Mistress into the palace. She finds the experience refreshing yet intimidating. The towering palace walls give off a sense of solemn dignity and luxury, making one even wary of breathing. She holds the ice box and follows behind the Second Young Mistress cautiously.
Ye Jiayao visits the Emperor first at his place but since His Majesty is settling stuff at the royal study, she did not enter for fear of interrupting him and hands the mooncakes to Eunuch Wei instead.
“I made some new flavours this year and sent some for His Majesty to have a try.”
Eunuch Wei smiles “Your Madam is really considerate.”
Ye Jiayao passes over another box of pastries “This is Split Yellow Pea for Eunuch Wei. It helps to clear heatiness and aids digestion. Please kindly accept it.”
Eunuch Wei’s eyes squint smaller “I love to eat Split Yellow Peas, my utmost gratitude to your Madam.”
“You are too kind, Eunuch Wei. They are only some food, if you like them, I can bring more during my next trip.”
Nexxt, Ye Jiayao went to Zhao Yang Palace to deliver the mooncakes amd pastries to the Empress and chatted with her for a while before proceeding to Consort Shu’s place.
Consort Shu is still quite happy to see Ye Jiayao deliver mooncakes to her.
It is still a long way before the fifteenth of the eighth month, business in Heavenly Residence must be very good.” Consort Shu smiles.
“I am just doing so in advance. There are a few more flavours this year so I wanted to bring some over for Your Highness to try.” Ye Jiayao smiles genuinely, showing that she is very sincere.
It has indeed made Consort Shu very happy as she ordered someone to keep them away.
The incident that happened must have been difficult for you. How are you feeling now? All better?” Consort Shu asks gently.
That was exactly the same as what The Empress asked and she answered with the same reply. Ye Jiayao has no choice but to say it for the second time “Thank you, Your Highness, for being so concerned. There are no big problems now, I just caught a cold and have recovered long ago.”
“Thank god you are alright, otherwise I would feel very bad about it.” Consort Shu says.
“You mustn’t say that, Your Highness. Your Highness’s trust and faith in me to allow me to take on such a huge responsibility has left me with utmost gratitude. I am only worried that I have not done well enough and have disappointed Your Highness. Besides, the Queen Consort and I are good friends, whether for work or selfish reasons, I have to put in my best effort.” Ye Jiayao says tactfully.
Consort Shu feels at ease after hearing that. This Ye Jinxuan is really good with words, making her even more enticed to rope her in.
“Your affinity with Ah Ruan is so hard to come by, it is also her good fortune to have such a good sister like you around so that she can feel happier here in Jin Lin.”
Ye Jiayao says “I went to visit the Queen Consort yesterday, she said that Your Highness has taken the utmost care in her in every possible way, even better than her birth mother. It is then the Queen Consort’s good fortune to have a mother-in-law like you!”
Consort Shu smiles “That child is obedient and sensible, it is difficult for me not to like her.”
“However, speaking of which, she seems to have not come over here to greet me for several days.”
Ye Jiayao replies “She wanted to come by but she has not been feeling well these few days.”
Consort Shu is shocked “She is feeling unwell? Did she see the imperial physician?”
Ye Jiayao replies embarrassedly “It might be because she lacks appetite. The food in the Prince’s mansion does not suit her preferences.”
Consort Shu ponders for a while “She is from Southern Vietnam and previously in the palace, the Empress instructed the chef to make Southern Vietnamese specialty dishes. It is negligence of my part. How can you compare the cooks in the Prince’s mansion and the royal palace.”
From her reaction, Ye Jiayao reckons that Consort Shu is unaware of the situation in the Prince’s mansion, hence, she says “She did say jokingly that she likes the dishes I made so I was thinking if it is possible to send a chef from Heavenly Residence over just to make her meals. The chefs in Heavenly Residence are taught by me so the dishes they make would taste similar to mine.”
Consort Shu smiles “Now that she is the Queen Consort, all she needs to do is say it.”
Ye Jiayao hesitates in replying her.
Consort Shu is able to infer from her reaction but does not point it out “Since she likes it, I would have to trouble you to send a chef over to cook for her.”
“I am just afraid that Yu Wang would be unhappy.” Ye Jiayao replies.
Consort Shu’s suspicion begins to grow “I would settle things on his side, it is not a big deal.”
Ye Jiayao is elated, initially, she could have skipped over Consort Shu and send Deng Haichuan over to the Prince’s mansion immediately but with Consort Shu’s imperial decree, the results would be totally different. This would ensure Deng Haichuan’s safety in the Prince’s mansion. Whoever tries to make things difficult for Deng Haichuan would have to think twice about it.
“Since that is the case, I would return to pick the best one to send over.” Ye Jiayao smiles.
After Ye Jiayao takes her leave, Consort Shu’s face hardens as she calls for someone “Get Granny Wu into the palace, I have something to ask.”
Granny Wu is an old palace servant she sent to the Prince’s mansion. The dishes are does not suit Ah Ruan’s taste, she is the Queen Consort, who dares to make dishes that does not suit the Queen Consort’s taste? Do they not want their head anymore? Today, Ye Jinxuan used mooncake gifting as an excuse. Actually, she wants to remind her some things.
Looks like something is going on in the Prince’s mansion!
