I was a queen in ancient times, no, a maid!

"The eldest girl said she would give you 30% of the profits and leave the bakery to you. She won't ask any questions. As long as she eats the fresh bakery you make every day, she will be satisfied."

Dingxiang looked at Cheng Yu and spoke happily.

Cheng Yu's eyes were filled with joy, "Sister Ding Xiang, did the young lady really say that? That's great."

"However, I have just accepted an order from someone and I am in a hurry to make a batch of cakes first. Can I start a business with the young lady after the New Year?"

"Sister Dingxiang, can you help me talk to the elder girl about this matter?"

Regarding renting the eldest girl's pastry shop, Cheng Yu asked his brother Cheng Bin to help him convey the message.

But Cheng Bin did not tell Ding Xiang about taking this job from outside, but today Cheng Yu explained it to Ding Xiang.

Ding Xiang smiled and said, "Guess what I am here for today? Tell me what you want to say and what you want to do, so I can pass on the message to the young lady."

Cheng Yu almost jumped up with joy.

The elder girl favors her too much.

She likes older girls more.

Cheng Yu and Ding Xiang found a place to sit down and talk, while Zhu'er went to find peaches and ate a lot of braised food.

Especially the fragrant and spicy duck brains, she ate three in one go, it was really enjoyable.

"Taozi, this sour plum soup is really delicious. You are enjoying yourself by following Yu'er."

Taozi smiled and said, "That's not true. Miss Yu is very kind to me and Lotus. Now I follow Miss Yu to make stewed food, and Lotus follows Miss Yu to make cakes."

"Miss Yu said that she would train us, and once we have learned enough, we can go out and open a branch store."

Zhuer took another bite of the duck neck and spit out the bone.

“What is a branch?”

Taozi explained seriously, "It means opening a few more stores in Kyoto."

When Zhu'er heard this, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"This is good, this is great. The next braised food shop will be on the street behind the Prince Jing's mansion. This way, if I want to eat it, I can just go to the shop and buy two duck necks to satisfy my craving. That's not very convenient."

In the small room inside the house, Cheng Yu and Ding Xiang spoke clearly.

"It's just a few things. Sister Dingxiang, please go back and explain it to the eldest girl. I will definitely do a good job in this pastry shop in the future."

"I took the order before the New Year, so it may take some time."

Ding Xiang nodded slightly, "Okay, I'll write down everything you said."

"Yu'er, you are really smart and capable. Back then, you ran around looking for people for the young lady and a few of us. We all remember this favor. If you need help, I will ask the young lady and I will bring a few smart people from Yinlan Garden to help you."

Cheng Yu was naturally willing and liked it.

The people in Yinlan Garden are all our own people. They are easy to talk to, obedient, and smart.

Cheng Yu took Ding Xiang's hand.

"Sister Ding Xiang, if this is really possible, you will be my real sister in the future. No, you will be my real sister-in-law."

"I told my brother about it, and he was very willing."

They were talking peacefully, but when Cheng Yu suddenly mentioned Cheng Bin, Ding Xiang's face suddenly turned red, and even her ears turned red.

"Yue'er, why did you suddenly change your tone?"

Cheng Yu just smiled.

Ding Xiang whispered again, "When your brother went to Yinlan Garden to deliver a message last time, he also told me that he brought me a bag of meat strips, saying that you made them and they tasted delicious. He couldn't bear to eat them and wanted to give them to me, but they were snatched away by Changfeng, the servant of the prince."

Meat strips are not jerky, but they are more delicious and chewy than jerky.

Cheng Yu made it that day, and she originally wanted her brother to take it away as a snack.

Her brother actually wanted to give it to Sister Dingxiang to eat.

But in the end, Changfeng benefited from it.

"Sister Ding Xiang will leave later this time, so I'll make more for you. You can take it back and let the eldest girl eat some."

"That would be great." Ding Xiang agreed.

This time when she went out, the eldest girl specifically said that she could go back later.

In fact, the eldest girl knew that Dingxiang had a good relationship with Cheng Yu and wanted to stay longer to talk to her.

Lilac and Pearl came today.

Cheng Yu was busy cooking in the kitchen again.

Zhu'er left the braised food shop to Taozi to manage. She was reluctant to leave and only went back with Taozi after she had finished eating.

If no one is home, the braised food shop will be open all day.

If there is something going on, we will close for about two hours at noon.

Cheng Yu and Ding Xiang went back early. Before going home, they stopped by the market to buy some vegetables, chickens, ducks, and fish.

Ding Xiang rushed to pay.

Cheng Yu stopped her and said, "Sister Ding Xiang, I have made a little money outside now, so I can still entertain you."

"When you go back this time, tell your sisters and Madam Li that when you get a chance to come out, come and sit with me. I'll give you plenty of food and drink."

Ding Xiang looked at Cheng Yu eagerly.

"If I were to say this, there would be so many people rushing to get out."

"Yu'er, seeing you living so well, I'm happy."

Cheng Yu smiled and said, "If you're happy, then have a drink later."

Dingxiang also laughed with her.

The two returned home, and Lotus was sitting in the yard picking flower petals. Fresh petals were needed for flower cakes, but there were no roses and lilies in this season, but there were plenty of chrysanthemums.

Cheng Yu chose chrysanthemum as the main ingredient, and some dried rose petals, which were bought separately and soaked before use.

Seeing it was lilac, the lotus hurriedly got up.

"Sister Dingxiang, you're here?"

"Lotus, your legs..."

Seeing her limping, Ding Xiang's eyes were a little moist. "My situation is already very good. If Miss Yu hadn't bought me, I would have died a long time ago."

"Sister Ding Xiang, I'm fine now."

The lotus is smiling with a bright smile.

Living is the most important thing.

Clove praised, "You are a strong one."

"From now on, you will follow Yu'er, and you will finally get through this."

Cheng Yu had already gone to the kitchen with the ingredients. Dingxiang chatted with Hehua outside for a few words and then followed him to the kitchen.

Dingxiang is the head maid serving Zhao Rulan. Her main responsibility is not cooking, but she is not incapable of cooking.

Before Zhao Chengyu came through, Zhao Rulan was in the Lu family orchid garden. When she was hungry at night, she would ask Ding Xiang to prepare some food.

Dingxiang does odd jobs and Cheng Yu is the chef.

Today I made spicy fish fillets, spicy chicken cubes, casserole vermicelli, boiled pork slices, stir-fried spicy and sour cabbage, meat slices and potato slices, and also cooked a big pot of Maoxuewang.

The staple food is rice.

After waiting for Taozi and Zhuer to come back, Cheng Yu had prepared lunch.

Chengyu, lotus and peach, plus lilac and pearl.

Five people were eating and chatting at the table in the main room, having a very pleasant chat.