Chapter 623: Silly Son (1/2)
After a while, Princess Consort Jing woke up from this addicting sensory overload. She let out a long sigh and said, “This lass’s talent is really surprising. As long as she wants to do something and does it with all her heart, she will be able to do her best. Once this chocolate is released on the market, it will definitely cause a commotion in the capital, no less than her greenhouse vegetables and fruits and her Blossoming Beauty. It’s a pity that the raw material is so rare that only the people closest to her can even have a taste of it.”
Zhu Junyang looked at the second piece of chocolate in her hand and quickly took it from her. He put the lid back on and put the box into Meixiang’s hands, letting her put it away. He told her to only let the princess consort have two pieces every day.
Seeing his mother’s discontented expression, he gently explained to her as if he was coaxing a young maiden, “Chocolate can make people feel energized and excited. Your health hasn’t been good, so if you eat too much of it, you might not be able to sleep well at night.”
“Also, you don’t have to worry about the raw materials being too rare. I already sent people to buy an island in the south to plant cacao beans. Not just cacao beans but coffee beans will also be planted. I reckon that these kinds of food will become popular in the capital next year.”
Zhu Junyang gradually shifted the topic to avoid giving his mother time to think about how to eat more chocolate. His lady mother had been spoiled by his lord father, so she was like a young girl who was ignorant of worldly affairs. Sometimes she was even more unrestrained than Xiaocao.
Upon hearing this, Princess Consort Jing's creased brows immediately relaxed, and she said with a smile, ”There's a manor that was part of my dowry in the outskirts of the capital. It's not far from yours, so you can set up the chocolate workshop there. It would be more convenient for you and Xiaocao to take care of it. Do you have anyone under you who is suitable to manage this? Do you need your lady mother to help you take care of it?”
”Uh...Lady Mother, the chocolate workshop and coffee workshop belong to Xiaocao. Shouldn’t she decide the management and location?” Zhu Junyang didn’t doubt that his mother wanted to keep this workshop for herself, but his mother’s enthusiasm made him feel uneasy.
”My silly son! You don't even know how to make a girl happy. How could Xiaocao, that clever girl like you, a piece of wood?” Princess Consort Jing poked her slender finger at her son's head and snorted, ”Xiaocao is alone in the capital, so it's not easy for her. Since you are interested in her, you should help her more. What's more, after the New Year's, your marriage will be set. Her matters will be your matters. Be more attentive and don't be like your father, who’s not romantic at all!”
”Ahem!” Imperial Prince Jing, who had just stepped into the room, happened to hear his wife say that sentence with a tone of hidden bitterness and quickly self-reflected, 'Have I been too busy lately and ignored my wife, making her feel unhappy? Should I take advantage of the New Year's Break and take her to relax at the hot springs nearby?'
”Don't interrupt me. I'm talking to your son about important matters!” Princess Consort Jing didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what she had just said. She continued saying to her son, ”You can take both the manor and the steward in charge. I'll have Meixiang find the title deed and send it over tomorrow. At that time, you can provide the manor, workers, and raw materials, and Xiaocao can invest with her technique. Then, you two can figure out how to split the income.”
Imperial Prince Jing finally understood and quickly nodded his head, saying, “Did that lass, Xiaocao, come up with a new way to make money?”
Princess Consort Jing took a look at the box in Meixiang's hand, took a piece of hazelnut chocolate from it, and put it into her husband’s mouth. The strong fragrance of chocolate made her lick her lips unconsciously, ”Try this new food. With this delicious flavor, it will definitely sell well.”
”Mhm! Not bad!! Women and children must love it. Princess Consort, why aren’t you eating it? You don't like it?” Imperial Prince Jing, who had never liked sweets, finished the piece of chocolate. His ‘not bad’ was rare praise.
Princess Consort Jing immediately frowned, glared at her youngest son, and said with resentment, ”It’s because of your good son. He’s only allowing me to eat two a day. Wait, I’ve only had one today, so I can eat one more!”
”Lady Mother, you’ve just eaten a lot of pastries, which also contain cocoa. If you eat more, what will you do if you don't sleep well at night?” Zhu Junyang hurriedly explained when he saw his lord father, who doted on his wife, glare at him without any reasoning.
As soon as Imperial Prince Jing heard this, he immediately sided with his son and said, ”Yang'er is right. No matter how good things are, there should still be restraint. It won’t run anywhere, so let’s eat it slowly!”
”By the way, you just said to invest with the manor. In my opinion, why do you still need to invest? After the first month, the marriage of the two children will be settled and the manor can just be given as a betrothal gift!” When that girl married over, wouldn’t the manor and the workshop come back over as dowry? Why bother becoming business partners and making the relationship so distant? Although Imperial Prince Jing didn't say the rest of those words, his wife and son could understand him.
Princess Consort Jing naturally didn't covet her daughter-in-law's dowry. However, those noble-titled madams were not very optimistic about this marriage between her family and the Yu Family. They thought that their standings weren't a match. If her daughter-in-law's dowry was so amazing that it would shut their mouths, she would naturally be happy to see it.