Bai Sheng chuckled sheepishly, "Young Master Wei, I'm truly sorry about today. My third child is just too mischievous. Not only did he wet your guard brother's clothes, but he also hit both of you. I'm terribly sorry. We only just realized today how strong our third child is."
"No apologies, no apologies, Sister-in-law. Rui Rui is strong and very talented. We all like him very much," Qing Yu and Wei Zhe said, overwhelmed and waving their hands repeatedly.
Lu Ye said to Wei Zhe, "Take the clothes to change first."
Wei Zhe, again overwhelmed, took the clothes and was led by Lu Tong to the rooms of Lu Yun and the others to change.
Lu Ye asked Qing Yu directly, "Qing Yu, what kind of incense were you all burning today? Third child must have been choked by it, which is why he hit them."
When Lu Ye said this, Qing Yu suddenly realized something. Recalling carefully, from the moment they entered the door, Uncle Ding had sneezed several times. Then Lu Tong and Lu Tie sneezed, followed by the Master of the Mansion sneezing a few times. The Mistress of the Mansion originally wanted to sneeze but overcame it with her strong will, and then the little ones couldn't stop sneezing, "Achoo!"
Ah, so that's what happened! The source was them! He had thought that everyone in the Master's family had caught a cold.
Truly, the fragrance is on oneself, and one becomes unaccustomed to it over time.
Qing Yu's ears turned red all the way to his roots. He chuckled apologetically, "Brother Lu, Sister-in-law, the four of us tidied ourselves up nicely to attend the banquet at your residence today. Wei Zhe specially went to buy incense, and we didn't expect it to be so pungent. We are truly very sorry."
Bai Sheng laughed heartily, "Oh dear, what's there to be sorry about? Young Master Wei, I find all of your family members incredibly endearing. Furthermore, you have provided me with a new business opportunity today."
"What business opportunity?" Lu Ye and Qing Yu asked curiously.
Bai Sheng smiled mysteriously, "I plan to concoct a new type of incense, which I will name 'Perfume.' It can be made in various scents, such as floral, fruity, woody, and so on. The fragrance will be rich and luscious, yet not pungent, giving a very comfortable feeling. If sold in the capital, it will surely be very popular."
Qing Yu's eyes lit up, "If Sister-in-law makes it, our Wei family will be your first customers. We brothers have bought that restaurant on Hongyun Street and want to turn it into a pleasure house for entertainment. We'll need to hire some geishas, and in the future, Sister-in-law's perfume – water – must be reserved for us."
Bai Sheng exclaimed, "So that restaurant was bought by you? My Second Brother Wen was just mentioning it yesterday. Opening a pleasure house in that location is truly a very business-savvy move."
Qing Yu glanced at Lu Ye and smiled, "Sister-in-law is too kind. In the future, I hope Sister-in-law will guide us more in business. We brothers are new to the business world and have many things we don't understand."
Bai Sheng waved her hand and said with a smile, "What guidance? We help each other."
"Then... help each other," Qing Yu said with a touch of shyness. "Sister-in-law, my family used to run a镖局 (escort agency), so we have many hired muscle. If Sister-in-law ever needs anything in the future, just ask."
"Alright, Brother Qing Yu, I certainly won't stand on ceremony with you," Bai Sheng felt that this eldest young master Wei was an honest person.
In a short while, Lu Yun and the other five children returned. Bai Sheng introduced them to Qing Yu and the other three one by one.
When Wen Zhi Mo returned and heard that the restaurant being sold on Hongyun Street had been bought by the Wei brothers, he was overjoyed. Doing business on the same street meant they could look out for each other in the future.
He familiarly slung an arm around Qing Yu's shoulder and called him brother, asking if he could recommend some skilled bodyguards, as his jewelry store was in urgent need.
Qing Yu glanced at Lu Ye and Wei Han, then subtly curved his lips. He whispered into Wen Zhi Mo's ear, "Of course, I know people from the Ye Sheng Sect. I'll help Brother Wen contact them. However, their fees are not cheap. I wonder if Brother Wen can afford it?"
Wen Zhi Mo also lowered his voice, "To be honest, I have hired bodyguards from the Ye Sheng Sect before. I genuinely believe in the Ye Sheng Sect's strength. Even if it's expensive, I, Wen, can afford it."
Wei Han, sitting beside them, twitched his ears and unconsciously curved his lips, a confident light shining in his eyes.
"If that's the case, I, Wei, will contact Brother Wen as soon as possible," Qing Yu said with a smile.
Wen Zhi Mo was immensely grateful.
Just then, Ding Xiang came over and said, "Madam, the food is all prepared."
"Wait for Hua Hua and the others. Once they return, we can begin the meal," Bai Sheng said.
"Yes," Ding Xiang turned and went out.
About half an hour later, Lu Hua, Qing Feng, and the others also returned.
The feast officially began.
Upon entering the front hall of the courtyard, Lu Ye had Jin, Mu, Shui, and Tu use wooden partitions to divide it into two sections: a reception area and a dining room for their own family.
The reception area was decorated with great flair. Calligraphy, fresh flowers, and other decorations were coordinated and matched, looking both elegant and understatedly rustic.
In the time it took to have a cup of tea, dishes such as Dry Pot Chicken Shreds, Spicy Rabbit Meat, Braised Fish, Boiled Beef, Spicy Lamb Ribs, Garlic Beef, Garlic Spinach, Cucumber Salad, and Stir-fried Three Shreds were successively served.
These dishes were all prepared according to the recipes Bai Sheng had written and handed over to Aunt Ding, along with the oil and salt. To her surprise, the results looked quite good.
Qing Yu and the other three gazed at the table full of unfamiliar dishes, struggling to control their overflowing saliva.
Lu Yun and the other children exchanged silent glances.
Two tables were set in the reception area: Lu Ye and his wife, the four young masters of the Wei family, Wen Zhi Mo, and Qing Feng sat at one table.
The other table consisted of Lu Yun and the five children, Lu Hua, Ga Mei, Yang Ming, and Wang Da Fa.
The rest of the people sat in the dining hall where the family usually ate, with two or three tables set.
Although they were not sitting together, the food served at every table was the same.
In the Great Xia Kingdom, only the servants in Bai Sheng's household enjoyed such treatment, eating the same quality of food as their masters at every meal.
Bai Sheng urged the four from the Wei family to feel free to indulge, stating that the more they ate heartily, the happier she would be.
Lu Ye echoed the sentiment.
Since the Mistress and Master of the Mansion had said so, Qing Yu and the others didn't hold back and began eating with great gusto.
While Lu Yun and the children were eating, they held bowls filled with food and went out frequently, saying they were playing with San Gouzi while eating. The children took turns, filling a ceramic pot hidden in a corner with good food.
Normally, they used their own money to buy food for Uncle Cripple and Uncle Madman. However, today's food was so fragrant and delicious that it couldn't be bought outside, so they thought of taking a little bit of each dish to let Uncle Cripple and Uncle Madman taste it.
Both uncles were emaciated. They wanted to help them gain some weight.
Uncle Cripple seemed to have come to terms with things and wanted to live longer, so he exercised in the courtyard every day. Lu Yun and Tian Ya were very happy to see this and wanted to supplement their nutrition even more.
This meal was a joyous occasion for everyone, and the household servants were so full they could barely move.
After the table was cleared, Bai Sheng asked Qiu Dong to make some digestive tea and bring it over. Everyone then sat together again and chatted merrily.
Qing Yu took the opportunity to consult Bai Sheng and Wen Zhi Mo for their opinions on the renovation of the pleasure house.