Chapter 446 Are you willing to go to the Imperial City with us?

"The recipe was leaked?"

Is that really the case?

Shen Xiangwan frowned imperceptibly. After the villagers gradually became dissatisfied with their family, she realized that the Zhao family's workshop might not be able to operate for long. Perhaps because they had made so much money and were becoming too proud, those people were becoming more and more selfish. For the sake of profit, one day, they would sell out the workshop and the village. She just didn't expect that day to come so soon.

"Ah."

Thinking that it was she who came up with the recipe, Zhao Dashan looked at his wife and said with gritted teeth, "You know, because of the cooperation with the caravan, our workshop has always had good business. We have no problem selling sausages and bacon, so we have hired a lot of people in the village. But I never dreamed that someone would secretly figure out our recipe and sell it to a wealthy family in the county."

"We only found out when they started selling sausages and bacon at a much lower price than us, but no one in the village admitted it and blamed each other, causing chaos. Not long after that, countless more people started selling sausages and bacon at a lower price, and the taste was exactly the same as ours. We completely lost business, and the village was in turmoil again. Finally, after discussing with the second and third brothers, I simply disbanded the workshop."

Until now, they still don't know who was the first person to sell the recipe to the rich family, but that doesn't matter anymore. This time he was really heartbroken and completely disappointed with the villagers. Not long ago, he told the head of the village that he hoped to resign as village chief and he didn't want to care about them anymore.

Seeing that they were all very upset, Shen Xiangwan didn't know what to say. Maybe she was also wrong. At the beginning, the villagers of Yong'an Village were indeed simple and kind. If she hadn't helped them become rich and made every household earn money, they would not have become like this now. Human nature is really too difficult to understand.

"Look at what we are talking about, Wanwan, when are you leaving?"

Realizing that the atmosphere was not right, Aunt Wang poked her old man and brought the topic back to the fact that they were leaving.

"In a few days."

With a helpless sigh, Shen Xiangwan stopped struggling and said after a short pause: "Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, I came to you today mainly to ask, are you willing to go to the Imperial City with us?"

"what?"

The couple opened their mouths in disbelief. She wanted to take them to the Imperial City? That was where the emperor lived. Could they really go there?
"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, please think about this carefully. Although I cannot give you high positions and generous salaries, the Imperial City is the center of the country after all. For Brother Xin and his friends, there will be more opportunities. Moreover, the children will also receive a better education. Maybe they can all take the imperial examinations and become officials in the future."

She really hoped that they could go. No matter how well Chenzhou developed, it was still a border state and could not be compared with the imperial city. In the past few years, if it were not for the help of Zhao Dashan and his wife, her life would not have been so comfortable. Not to mention anything else, she basically never asked about the things in the workshop, so she sincerely hoped that they could live a better life.

"this···"

The couple looked at each other and could not make up their minds for the time being. They knew that Wanwan would definitely not harm them, but they had lived here for generations. Would they really be able to adapt to the imperial city? How would they make a living? They could not do anything that depended on Wanwan's enjoyment.

"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Wang, if you are willing, you can also go to the imperial city to continue farming and feeding pigs, and make sausages and bacon to sell." As if she had guessed their thoughts, Shen Xiangwan further said, as she had just said, she could not blindly give them high positions and generous salaries, and even to protect them, she could not interact with them openly, at least not before their younger generations entered the officialdom. But she could give them farms and shops, and help them quickly gain a foothold in the imperial city. Of course, she would still protect them behind the scenes.

"Really?"

Hearing this, Zhao Dashan was somewhat excited. Although they might not be good at other things, they were good at farming, raising pigs, and making sausages and bacon. So, it seemed like it would be a good idea to go to the imperial city with them?

"It's not old man, don't worry."

Seeing that her old man was interested, Aunt Wang quickly pulled him back and raised her head to Shen Xiangwan and said, "Wanwan, the land and houses in the imperial city are not cheap, right? Our entire net worth is only a few hundred taels of silver. Can we afford the land and houses in the imperial city?"

Having worked as a housekeeper for such a long time and having her family run its own business before, Aunt Wang has gained some experience. As far as she knows, the land in those villages outside the county town is several times more expensive than that in their village, not to mention the imperial city. If one cannot even afford the land, how can one talk about farming and raising pigs?
"Aunt Wang, you think the Imperial City is too scary."

Unexpectedly, she was quite calculating. Shen Xiangwan couldn't help laughing. "The land in those villages outside the imperial city is indeed very expensive, but it's not so expensive that others can't afford it. Besides, since we have dealt with all the royal relatives and many nobles and ministers, all the land, houses and shops under their names have been confiscated. When the time comes, I will have someone sell you a small farm at a low price, and then you can just open a shop."

Originally, she wanted to give it away as a gift, but seeing how they looked, they definitely wouldn't want it, so she changed her mind and decided to sell it at a low price. As for how low the price would be, wasn't it just a matter of her saying something?

"Then, if you sell it to us at a low price, will others gossip about it?"

Aunt Wang was still a little worried. If it would cause them trouble, she would rather stay here. Wanwan had helped them enough. As a person, one must never be too greedy!

"Who dares to gossip about me?"

Raising an eyebrow, Shen Xiangwan was overbearing, and then continued with a smile: "Aunt Wang, if you use it yourself, a small farm with dozens of acres of land will be enough. The same goes for a shop. As long as you can sell sausages and bacon, and don't need to be exposed to the sun and rain, this kind of farm or shop is generally not easy to sell. Even if I sell it to you at a low price, others will not say anything."

This was obviously a lie to deceive them. Every inch of land in and around the imperial city was worth a lot of money. Even the smallest manor or shop was a golden bun in the eyes of others. How could no one want it? If their methods were not so fierce this time, I am afraid that many people would have been tempted by the manors, shops or houses they had confiscated.

"That's it."

Aunt Wang never thought that Shen Xiangwan would lie to her, and she was immediately moved like her old man. Apart from anything else, they had to pay attention to the future of their children and grandchildren. Moreover, as long as she thought that Wanwan and the others also lived in the imperial city, she didn't have much fear of the imperial city in her heart.

【End of this chapter】