NFBE Chapter 331: No Vegetables Available at the Grand Princess's Residence
Chapter 331: No Vegetables Available at the Grand Princess's Residence
The task of finding streets and shops was assigned to three boys. Zheng Sisi was responsible for food and training chefs, as well as shop decoration and design. The three sisters were responsible for following up on the work. After the division of labor, they would observe the progress and follow up one item at a time.
Zheng Sisi decided to find a chef first. Everyone suggested hiring someone, then training them, and then assigning them positions based on their skills. Zheng Sisi thought it was feasible, so she passed the news of hiring someone to Zhou Yapo and waited for her to send someone to her door.
The food tasting came to an end and everyone relaxed.
During the food tasting period, several things happened in the capital that have been talked about a lot.
Ever since the birthday party was held at the Grand Princess's mansion, word has slowly spread in the streets and alleys that Princess Jiaoyang insulted the common people as untouchables and mud-legged people, and belittled merchants. Many people spoke vividly, as if they had personally participated. But when they traced it back, they couldn't find the source, and no one knew who spread it first.
It was fine in the first two days, but it gradually became more serious. The servants in the Grand Princess's mansion went out to buy things every day, but the vegetable vendors ignored them.
These people rely on the power of the Grand Princess's Mansion and usually look down on others. They think they are doing you a favor by letting them come to this small stall to buy your things. In the past, everyone had to curry favor with these purchasing managers in order to make a living.
After hearing the rumors about Princess Jiaoyang, everyone no longer took these managers seriously. The purchasing managers had never suffered such humiliation before, and they immediately started cursing. Just like their master, they kept calling them untouchables and lowly peasants.
This really stirred up a hornet's nest, and all the merchants in the market united together and stopped doing business with the Grand Princess's Mansion.
Their original words were: "If you look down on us, then don't eat our grain, oil, rice, noodles and vegetables. If you have the ability, grow your own crops."
These stewards were unable to buy anything and were squeezed out, so they could only return to the palace in disgrace to report. When the Grand Princess heard about it, she was angry but did not take it seriously and sent some unfamiliar servants out to buy.
The first time was fine, as they bought everything they needed. But the next day, when the merchants asked the people whose servants they were from, they randomly reported a prefecture. The merchants said, "The manager of the prefecture you are talking about just bought things from here and has not even left the market yet. Which family are you from?"
The commotion attracted the attention of many people, who came over to watch the fun.
The buyer had no choice but to admit that he was from the Grand Princess's Mansion.
The vendor immediately said, "You can buy from the Grand Princess's Mansion if you want. The price is ten times the previous price."
The buyer was so frightened that his hands trembled and he asked sharply, "Why is it so expensive?"
The vendor said, "We all know that the Grand Princess's mansion is noble, so of course we have to eat noble food, otherwise it would be a disgrace to her noble status. If you think it's expensive, you don't have to buy it."
All the vendors and onlookers agreed, and the servants who went shopping had to grit their teeth and buy some vegetables at a high price. The silver they brought could have bought food for the entire mansion for a day, but now they could only buy enough food for three meals a day for a few masters. He had no choice but to buy, as he was afraid that he would not be able to buy anything later and would be punished when he returned.
When the servants went to buy food again, there were no vegetables to buy at the Grand Princess's Mansion. All the vendors said with their eyes wide open: "The vegetables are gone."
The buyer pointed to the pile of vegetables on the stall and said, "Isn't this displayed?"
The vendor replied: "They are all booked out. I am waiting for people to come and pick up the goods."
Those who came to buy could only return empty-handed in embarrassment.
When the eldest princess found out, she flew into a rage and smashed many ornaments in the yard, cursing and swearing at them, saying that they were a bunch of lowly people and that they were going too far. In the end, she told the servants in the mansion to eat porridge and steamed buns, and that everything would be fine after two days when the storm had passed.
Princess Jiaoyang was furious when she heard about it. How could what she said to Zheng Sisi that day be leaked? She thought it was Zheng Sisi's doing. A maid who only knew how to farm would only be able to wear the same pants with the lowly peasants.
She immediately drove to the county lord's mansion with her maids, servants and guards to cause trouble for Zheng Sisi.
Zheng Sisi was killing ducks with the cooks at the time. Since they bought a lot of ducks this time, she specifically asked them to collect and dry the duck feathers as they would be of great use in the future.
When she heard that Princess Jiaoyang had come to visit her, she was puzzled. She had no connection with the Grand Princess's residence, so why did Princess Jiaoyang come? She hadn't handed in a visiting card, and she didn't even enter the residence. Did she need to go to the gate to meet her?