Exile at the start? The princess is no ordinary woman.

Chapter 323 So you really aren't short of money!

Gu Nanzhi assumed that this simple and ancient method of making ice was already in use in their time, but judging from Jun Yanchen's reaction, it seemed not.

Okay, then she has to show it to her.

"Could you have your men get some saltpeter? I'll demonstrate it for you, and then you can make ice yourselves."

"I'll have Cang Ling handle it."

Jun Yanchen turned and ordered Cang Ling to fetch saltpeter, but then, remembering something, he earnestly explained to Gu Nanzhi the preciousness of ice.

"Nan Nan, ice is extremely precious and generally unavailable to ordinary people. The palace has a special icehouse where ice is extracted and stored in winter and used for cooling in summer..."

"...Do you understand what I mean?"

Gu Nanzhi listened attentively and nodded. She understood. Simply put, the method she possessed could be very valuable if used to make money.

"Understood,"

She hadn't expected Jun Yanchen to be such an upright person, to say these things to her.

"Jun Yanchen, tell me the truth, do you have other business connections outside, especially in the capital?"

Jun Yanchen stared at Gu Nanzhi and nodded without hesitation. Now that he understood his feelings for her and wanted to keep her with him, he wouldn't hide these things from her.

Having received confirmation, Gu Nanzhi asked again, her tone slightly displeased.

"So you really aren't short of money?"

Jun Yanchen nodded obediently again.

Sure enough, she knew she was still naive. She even felt sorry for the Prince's mansion when they accepted so little, but it turned out it was all an act.

That scoundrel is quite cunning; I wonder when he started this move.

To be able to transfer all the family assets so far in advance without anyone noticing, and even establish a foothold outside,

They don't deserve any sympathy!

Gu Nanzhi's eyes darted around.

"Alright, since you're not short of money, how about I sell you this method? You can use it to make money off those wealthy people in the capital."

"Since you've said it yourself, ice is a rare commodity. The nobles in the palace and the high-ranking officials in the capital all love rare things. Although it's starting to cool down now, when it gets hot next year, you'll definitely be able to make a fortune off those wealthy people..."

Gu Nanzhi still needed to make money through legitimate means. Although she now had enough to live a secluded life like this, after those few times, it would have been enough for her to squander the rest of her life.

But what if?

We still need to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances, and besides, who would complain about having too much money?

Gu Nanzhi, engrossed in sales, was undeniably adorable in Jun Yanchen's eyes. The little expressions she made when money was mentioned were truly cute; she seemed a bit of a money-grubber.

"Hey, say something! Are you going to buy it or not?"

No matter how mature a little girl becomes, she's still a little girl at heart, and she's very cute.

Jun Yanchen's gaze softened even more.

"How much does Nan Nan want to sell it for? Or should I give you a share?"

Hey, right, why buy it out? Wouldn't a revenue split provide a continuous stream of income?

Get on the right track, you bastard!

She did want to enter the business world and make money, but she didn't want to be personally involved. Just like in her previous life, she held a similar position in the business world, but she was always behind the scenes, the kind of person who would simply leave it to chance and only care about having money in her account to spend.

Now that she has arrived in this world, and given her current situation—coming directly to these remote mountains with no one to rely on—she is completely alone.

Jun Yanchen, that scoundrel, is an option.

"Are you serious?"

"Hmm, Nan Nan, do you still remember Huai Xu? He was in charge of business matters under me..."

No wonder,

As expected, business people are all shrewd and calculating. Despite Huai Xu's seemingly gentle and upright appearance, Gu Nanzhi could tell that he was not as simple as he appeared.

It has to be said that Jun Yanchen is indeed no simple person. From what she has met so far, he can be considered one of her four most capable lieutenants.

One is a businessman managing money, the other is a skilled doctor with considerable medical expertise, and then there's Cang Ling, his capable assistant... As for the other Xuan Ying, she doesn't know, but he's definitely not simple either.

"Alright, you don't need to say anything more. I don't want to know any other secrets, but the cooperation is negotiable. Since you've already said everything, I won't stand on ceremony."

Since we're all your people, I'll just offer a suggestion: how about a 20/80 split? You guys get 80%.

If there's money to be made, why not take it? Gu Nanzhi wasn't going to be polite. Since Jun Yanchen had offered her a way out, why wouldn't she take it?

"Okay, whatever you say, 28, it's 28."

Jun Yanchen nodded. From now on, everything he owned would belong to Nannan, but since she wanted to use this method, he would cooperate.

Moreover, Huai Xu's side does indeed need money. His troops used to be entirely supported by Huai Xu's forces. Although he's temporarily fallen on hard times and relegated to the mountains, how could he be content to remain there forever...?

"Okay, let's sign an agreement. Not only do you have to sign it, but Huai Xu also needs to sign it."

Verbal agreements are no guarantee; they need to be in writing. Even if a prince leaves in the future, he can't simply deny it, can he?

"it is good"

"Oh, right, although we are cooperating with you, you are making money from rich people in big cities. If the villagers need this ice-making method, I will teach them later. Do you mind?"

If you mind, then we won't cooperate...

I don't mind.

The ice-making arrangement was agreed upon, but Gu Nanzhi still had quite a few ideas.

"Jun Yanchen, don't worry. As long as you abide by the agreement, I guarantee you won't lose money. In the future, if I have any unusual or profitable opportunities, I'll definitely choose to cooperate with you first."

"Also, you guys probably run a gambling den, right? I have quite a few games here. It's not clear in the letter, but you can send your people over sometime, and I'll teach you. Then you can put them to use..."

"You'll definitely profit by working with me,"

Seeing Gu Nanzhi's confident and animated expression, Jun Yanchen felt a stirring within him, an increasing desire to possess her...

------

Cangling acted quickly, retrieving the saltpeter the day after Gu Nanzhi made her request. Gu Nanzhi then proceeded to conceal from them the method of making ice with saltpeter.

Seeing the water gradually freezing, they all looked at Gu Nanzhi with newfound respect. Their master had struck gold! How could she have so much stuff...?

But this is just the beginning. They will have many more amazing moments to come.

After making the ice, Gu Nanzhi led them to grind the prepared cocoa beans into powder and make chocolate. In addition, they took advantage of the early morning to bake two cakes that were about eight inches in size.

Because of the chocolate, she also separately solidified chocolate chips to decorate the cake, sprinkling matcha powder on one and cocoa powder on the other...

"Alright, Uncle Li, pack some chocolates and take these two cakes. We're heading to Snow White Village. This is the perfect time to go; we can even get a free meal."

Gu Nanzhi made the two cakes as a gift for the Qi family.