"Sell them! We can make roast ducks, marinated ducks, and duck down. Wei Shishi used to work with duck down. She has experience!"
At the mention of duck down, the concubines all frowned simultaneously. Even Concubine Six looked utterly disgusted.
Perhaps they still remembered the stench of duck down.
"But it's already spring. Duck down won't sell well, will it?"
Concubine Ten sneered coldly, narrowing her almond eyes as she stared at Ye Zhinan. "Miss Ye, don't make fun of us."
"Why would it be a joke? Haven't you heard of off-season sales?"
Ye Zhinan squinted her eyes with a smile and said sincerely, "Even if you haven't, selling when others don't means you'll be the only ones in the market. That's a huge advantage!"
The others were taken aback by her words. It seemed right, but something also seemed off.
"I don't care what we sell. After selling the duck down, there'll still be the meat. You can teach me how to make marinated ducks!"
Concubine Thirteen had already made up her mind and calculated her business plan. Her only goal was the most profitable marinated ducks.
The Wei family was the Ye family's neighbor. The delicious aroma from the Ye family's kitchen often wafted over the wall, and she had been drooling over it for a long time. Moreover, food business was a sure profit.
"I also want to learn how to make marinated ducks..."
Concubine Six quickly chimed in softly.
"In that case, Sister Six and I can do it together. Sister Ten, you can focus on the duck down. Is this arrangement okay?"
Concubine Ten's face darkened at these words. Then the delicate voice of Concubine Eleven beside her rang out, "Sister Thirteen, how can you be arranging things for the elder sisters? Decisions on what to do have always been up to the mistress, and the mistress relies on Sister Ten. So it's not your place to speak!"
It was the first time Ye Zhinan had heard so many concubines talking. Concubine Eleven looked like a delicate beauty, but her words were so aggressive that it really opened Ye Zhinan's eyes.
Looking at Concubine Thirteen beside her, her bright face was no longer as dazzling as before. It was as gloomy as unfiltered river water.
"Master hopes that we sisters can live in harmony. I'm sure Sister Thirteen just wants to share our burdens!"
Concubine Six trembled as she tried to play the peacemaker. Concubine Ten glared at her and said in a deep voice, "Since we all have the same goal, it's more stable to work together."
With that, without waiting for others to respond, she walked straight towards Ye Zhinan. "We're all in the same boat. I hope the young lady can give us some pointers."
Ye Zhinan had been watching the show for a while. Suddenly being called out, she immediately put on a smiling face and replied, "Sure, sure."
Qin Yihuai watched coldly from the side. Seeing Ye Zhinan always being so cooperative and obedient, his eyes darkened, and a hint of playfulness flashed in his deep, black eyes.
After the canal-opening ceremony, everyone dispersed, leaving only the vast land behind.
Han Xiangmei returned home from work and saw Ye Yingfeng staring seriously at Ye Zhinan, while her daughter was sitting leisurely munching on sunflower seeds. Seeing her mother, she smiled and held up a handful of seeds. "These freshly shelled sunflower seeds are delicious. Try some, Mother."
"You still have the leisure to munch on seeds."
Ye Yingfeng finally couldn't help but speak.
"They're really good. You'll regret it if you don't try them."
Ye Zhinan said as she stuffed a seed into his mouth, then immediately went back to Han Xiangmei's side and shelled another one for her.
"How about it? Tasty, right?"
"Yeah, it is. It would be even better if they were roasted."
Han Xiangmei said as she started to munch on the seed. Then she seemed to remember something and asked, "What's going on with you two?"
"Isn't it because she wants to collude with the Wei family!"
Ye Yingfeng said angrily.
"What do you mean by collude? It's just about getting rich together."
Ye Yingfeng looked at Ye Zhinan's nonchalant face and got even angrier.
"Do they in the Wei family still need to get rich? They're clearly just greedy, and you're helping the evildoers!"
A frost covered Ye Zhinan's eyes. Han Xiangmei quickly tried to smooth things over. "Your sister wouldn't do that. But speaking of the Wei family, they've been acting a bit strange lately."
"Did they bully you?"
Ye Yingfeng and Ye Zhinan asked in unison.
"No, they didn't bully me. They're just acting a bit out of the ordinary. That Wei Shishi has been very caring towards me lately. Today, she even brought me a green silk cushion on purpose. Of course, I didn't dare to accept it."
Han Xiangmei said as she gestured the appearance of the cushion. It seemed quite expensive.
This family is really willing to spend money!
Ye Zhinan thought to herself, but she already knew their intentions. However, Ye Yingfeng didn't know. Plus, he was still feeling irritated about the canal-opening ceremony.
"What on earth are they up to?"
He glared angrily and started looking for a wooden stick, as if he was about to rush out and demand an explanation the next second.
"Brother, when did you become so impatient? Isn't their intention obvious? They just want to take advantage."
"Then you just let them? I don't understand!"
Ye Yingfeng became even more confused. As he was speaking, he found a convenient wooden stick and started fiddling with it in his hand.
Han Xiangmei quickly snatched it away. "What are you doing? It's not worth getting into a fight with their family. Your mother is standing here safe and sound, isn't she?"
Before her words fell, Ye Zhinan grabbed Han Xiangmei's hand and started feeling her pulse.
"I'm fine. Wei Shishi really just brought a cushion, and I didn't even take it."
Han Xiangmei looked at her daughter in surprise as she checked her body from head to toe. Even Ye Yingfeng looked worried.
"Yeah, you're fine."
Since Han Xiangmei got sick last time, they had been extra careful. Even the water from their own well had to be filtered several times.
Now that Wei Shishi was openly giving gifts, Ye Zhinan was afraid that they might have smeared poison or inserted poisoned needles on the cushion.
She saw Ye Yingfeng tightly clutching the wooden stick nervously and waved her hand, repeating again, "Mother is in good health. She's just a bit anemic. A bit of tonic will do."
Ye Yingfeng had just calmed down, but at the mention of "anemia", his heart skipped a beat again. "How did she get anemic?"
Ye Zhinan shook her head and laughed. "Don't be so nervous. Our bodies aren't in the best condition these days. I'll grow more medicinal herbs to nourish you all."
"Take medicine?"
At the mention of taking medicine, Ye Yingfeng frowned tightly. "Can't we just use dietary supplements?"
"Right, dietary supplements are good. Go hunt a wild boar on the mountain, and I'll make pig blood soup for you."
With that, Ye Zhinan took out a spear from somewhere and stuffed it into her brother's hand.
Ye Yingfeng stared blankly at the spear in his hand. When did his sister make this thing?
While he was still in a daze, Ye Zhinan picked up a slightly shorter fork.
"I'll go up the mountain with you."
Before Ye Yingfeng could refuse, she had already walked out.
Han Xiangmei quickly pushed Ye Yingfeng. "Hurry up and follow your sister. Don't let her get hurt by the wild boar."
This was the only way she could think of to prevent her daughter from getting hurt, which was to send her son out.