Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

After Ji Nuan sent Aunt Zhou away, she asked about the situation of the Zhong family's father and son. Housekeeper Liu told her that they had all settled down and were resting in their rooms, so she didn't bother them anymore and turned to go to the new workshop.

Life in the village is much better now than before, and more and more families want to marry into Taohua Village. On the way, Ji Nuan met a family who had asked someone to come to the village to propose marriage. When they saw Ji Nuan, they greeted her with a smile.

The Ji family's pastries were always in short supply in Kaiyun Mansion, so the eldest brother and his wife had converted their old house into a pastry workshop and hired a dozen or so uncles and aunts from the village to help. Meanwhile, the second sister-in-law also hired a few embroiderers, and several girls from the village came to her house and asked to be apprentices, which she gladly accepted.

Ji Nuan's soap workshop is nearing completion, and she'll soon be hiring again. Taohua Village residents, enjoying the advantage of being from the same village, are willing to accept opportunities from the Ji family for those with good character and a willingness to endure hardship. This allows villagers to earn extra income near home during their spare time, a development that delights the village chief and the villagers, and is the envy of neighboring villages. Consequently, many women from other villages are eager to marry in Taohua Village.

When Ji Nuan arrived at the workshop, she found tables already set up at the door. More than a dozen villagers were lined up, and Li Xin and Liu An were busy recruiting people. Seeing Ji Nuan arrive, they quickly stood up and bowed respectfully. It was then that the villagers truly realized that the Ji family was truly different from them.

"I came over to take a look, you guys just go about your own business." Ji Nuan greeted with a smile and walked into the workshop.

Inside the workshop, workers were busy with the final cleanup, a scene of bustle and order. Ji Nuan walked into the warehouse and saw Ji Chuan and Ma Jin counting the soap drainers that had just been delivered from the porcelain workshop. These drainers were used as a base for fine soaps, and their design was both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

"Third brother, how is it? The color and style are pretty good, right?"

Ji Nuan took out a frog-shaped drain box and shook it in front of Ji Chuan.

Ji Chuan handed the account book and pen to Ma Jin and asked him to continue counting.

"Well, only you would like this ugly frog." Although Ji Chuan said this, his eyes revealed some appreciation.

Ji Nuan chuckled, "You don't understand. This style is called cute and is the most popular with children. Look, those flower-shaped ones are all loved by little girls. Third brother, I just took a look around and the materials and tools are almost ready. When do you plan to start?"

Ji Chuan thought for a moment, "The workers have been hired, and we still need to teach them how to do it. Calculating the time, it will take at least three or four days. Let's wait and see if there is a good day in four days."

Ji Nuan nodded and shrugged, looking like she didn't want to worry about anything. "You are the general manager, just make the decision. I will just be at ease and be a hands-off boss."

Ji Chuan laughed and scolded: "You little heartless one!"

Ji Nuan pointed at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense! I have a conscience." As she said that, she took out two folded pieces of paper and handed them to Ji Chuan.

"What are you looking at? I've been prepared for this."

Ji Chuan took the paper and unfolded it, exclaiming in exaggerated surprise, "Fifty percent? Sister, you are indeed my dear sister. You gave me half of the profit! But it's too much." He shook his head seriously, "I can't take it! These should all be yours."

Ji Nuan followed his expression and said, "Brother, you are truly my dear third brother. You are so unwilling to give up 50% of the profits! You are so stupid! My eldest brother has a pastry workshop, my second sister-in-law has an embroidery workshop, and my second brother is even planning to open a restaurant, but you have nothing. Aren't you going to save up for a betrothal gift to marry my third sister-in-law?"

Ji Chuan disagreed, "My salary is not bad either."

Ji Nuan: "Do you still think you're the poor farm boy you used to be, that you can marry a wife with just ten taels of silver? You're the third son of the Ji family now, so naturally you need a betrothal gift! Okay, you have to listen to me on this matter!"

Ji Chuan looked at Ji Nuan and smiled helplessly, "Okay, okay, then I will try my best to find you a third sister-in-law who loves and pampers you." After saying that, he couldn't help laughing.

Ji Nuan also found it funny and pulled him, "Come on, stop laughing. I'll help you guys count everything so you can go home for lunch."

~~~~~

Fucheng.

After Ji Shan and Zhu Dayu delivered the goods, they had just left the city when their carriage was stopped by a group of people.

Seeing that there were nearly ten people on the other side, Zhu Dayu sat nervously, not daring to act rashly.

Ji Shan thought he had not offended anyone and did not understand why he was blocked.

He mustered up the courage to ask, "Who are you? What do you want to do by stopping us?"

A high-handed voice came from behind the crowd on the opposite side. As the crowd made way, a plump, pale, middle-aged man appeared before them.

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes, looked them up and down, and then said arrogantly: "Besides the pastry recipe, do you have anything else worth my attention?"

When Ji Shan heard this, he suddenly understood. It turned out that this group of people were after their Ji family's pastry recipe. Although he was nervous, he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he replied calmly, "We are just delivering goods. How can we have a pastry recipe? You must have made a mistake."

The fat man was relentless. "Don't tell me useless things. We've already found out everything we need to know. Are you Ji Shan? The Ji family cakes belong to you, right? Hand over the recipe quickly so I can let you go."

Ji Shan pondered that the reason Ji Nuan's numerous shops remained safe and sound was likely because those greedy individuals feared the Jun family's influence, unaware that the owners behind them had changed hands. With the Ji family's cakes now selling so well, it was inevitable that some people would be jealous. They probably realized the Ji family was powerless and thought they could easily manipulate them.

Thinking of this, Ji Shan decided to calm the fat man in front of him first, find a reason to leave, and then think of a way to deal with it. He pretended to be calm and said, "I didn't make the pastry, and I don't have the recipe. Leave a place where we can find you and let us go first. I'll go home and get the recipe and send it to you."

The fat man looked at him suspiciously, obviously not quite believing what he said: "You really don't have a recipe?"

Ji Shan shook his head, his expression calm: "No."

The fat man looked at him twice, as if weighing the pros and cons. After a moment, he said, "I can let him go, but you stay."

Unable to confront him forcefully, Ji Shan had no choice but to agree: "Okay."

Seeing this, Zhu Dayu was very worried. He looked at Ji Shan with a look of uneasiness in his eyes: "Brother Ji Shan..."

Ji Shan winked at him and said soothingly, "Don't worry, they've set their sights on the pastry business. They won't do anything to me if they don't get the recipe. Go back to my little sister and ask her to come and save me with the recipe."

Zhu Dayu sat still, still hesitating. He was worried that Ji Shan would be in danger if he stayed here alone.

Seeing this, the fat man urged impatiently: "There's no point in you staying here. You might as well go back and get your things and exchange them. I'll wait for you at Chaxiangju. I want to see the things before dark, otherwise I won't be as polite as I am now."

"Brother Jishan, wait for me."

Zhu Dayu gritted his teeth, whipped the horse's butt, and drove the horse to run quickly.