Chapter 47

Chapter 47: My Daughter Has Made Something of Herself

With Su Yun Yan’s promise, Su Xuan Ming and Su Yun Ting finally slept well.

At a loud rooster’s crow, the quiet Capital seemed to wake all at once.

Mist lay over the earth like thin white gauze. Only the eastern horizon glowed red, tinting the clouds a pale blush.

“Mistress,” Lu Mei said briskly, “it frosted today. You should wear another layer.”

She rummaged through the trunk and pulled out a soft silver gauze robe embroidered with flowers.

Gu Nan Xi opened her eyes with effort. The bed was warm, the quilt snug. She truly didn’t want to leave.

But a promise was a promise.

“Are Eldest Son, Second Son, and Little Lady awake?”

Lu Mei moved quickly, dressing Gu Nan Xi and pinning up her hair. “Little Lady is still getting ready. Eldest Son and Second Son have been waiting in the outer hall.”

Hearing that, Gu Nan Xi sped up.

Breakfast from the small kitchen was simple and comforting: seven-treasure porridge, flower cakes, a plate of spicy radish, and pan-fried tofu.

In the early winter chill, one mouthful of hot porridge warmed them to the bones.

Su Yun Yan placed a piece of tofu into Gu Nan Xi’s bowl. “This morning Shu Yao sent word. After breakfast, we’ll meet at her shop.”

Su Xuan Ming gulped his porridge faster. “Don’t keep Miss Sun waiting.”

Sun Shu Yao and Su Yun Yan were close friends. Her father was a physician in the Tun Tian Bureau of the Ministry of Works. His rank was only assistant sixth, but the Sun family had lived in Capital for generations and owned plenty of property.

Each year, the rent they collected alone was several times Physician Sun’s official salary.

Compared to officials who came from outside the city, the Sun family lived far more comfortably.

After breakfast, Gu Nan Xi rode by carriage with them to Sun Shu Yao’s shop.

“Shu Yao has two shops,” Su Yun Yan explained. “One is near South Slant Street, right by the Zhu Family Bridge Entertainment District. She opened an Immortal Encounter Restaurant there.”

“The one we’re going to is the other—near Ming Fu Temple. It’s farther out, but it just opened up, and the rent is much cheaper.”

Su Xuan Ming’s eyes widened. “Little Sister, you know a lot, but we’re opening an academy, not renting a shop!”

Su Yun Yan’s cheeks turned pink. She glanced away and lowered her head. “This… is for me. I’m looking at the shop.”

Gu Nan Xi paused mid-bite. “Yun Yan… you want to do business?”

Su Yun Yan’s eyes shone with bright, eager light. “Mother, I want to open a restaurant. Food comes first for the people—and Mother gave me the *Culinary God Manual*…” She seemed to glow with nervous courage. “I… I want to try.”

She looked at Gu Nan Xi, tense with worry. She’d already decided, and because she didn’t dare come so far alone, she’d coaxed Mother and her brothers into accompanying her.

[Will they be angry?]

Gu Nan Xi was startled too. Su Yun Yan wasn’t asking permission—she was hoping for approval.

Kind Mother System nearly screamed itself apart inside Gu Nan Xi’s head. “Gu Nan Xi, what are you doing? A proper noble lady already spends all day in the kitchen, and now she wants to open a restaurant too! What consort in any dynasty cooks? Stop her!”

Gu Nan Xi reported it and muted Kind Mother System.

Then she smiled at Su Yun Yan. “Okay.”

She reached into her pouch, pulled out a one thousand-tael note, and placed it into Su Yun Yan’s hands. “Your brother wants to run an academy, so I gave him a thousand taels. You want to open a restaurant, so I’ll give you a thousand too.”

“Mother…” Su Yun Yan’s eyes instantly brimmed.

She rubbed her nose, then beamed—bright and fierce as sunlight. “Mother! Consider it your investment. Thirty percent. When my restaurant opens and becomes famous across Capital, you can sit back and collect money!”

Gu Nan Xi’s expression softened. The confident girl before her was nothing like the one who used to dream only of finding a good young master.

“Good,” Gu Nan Xi said warmly. “Then Mother will rely on you.”

Su Xuan Ming rushed to add his own pledge. “Mother! The Hundred Rivers Academy will have your share too!”

Gu Nan Xi pressed a hand to her forehead in exaggerated pain. “Oh? Did you two just crawl out of a honey jar? Those sweet mouths—everything you say melts straight into my heart.”

Lu Mei laughed behind her hand. “This servant is seeing two little sugar dolls.”

Su Yun Ting pouted and leaned against Gu Nan Xi. “Mother, the candied fruit you gave me was still too little.”

Su Yun Yan blushed, eyes rippling like water. She fished out a piece of candied fruit from her small pouch and popped it into Su Yun Ting’s mouth. “Brother, have mine.”

Su Yun Ting glanced at her and lifted his chin. “Fine. For the sake of your candied fruit, I won’t hold it against you for ‘tricking’ us into coming.”

Su Yun Yan hurried to defend herself. “Brother, I didn’t trick you. Shu Yao really does have a courtyard to rent.”

The carriage rolled to a sudden stop.

“What are you saying about me? I heard your laughter from far away.” A voice rang out, lively and sharp. “Were you praising me in front of your brothers?”

Before they saw her, they heard her.

Su Yun Yan’s smile widened. She lifted the curtain and jumped down. “Of course. A whole basket of praise. I said you’re Capital’s big rich lady, and we’ve come to rely on you!”

The woman’s voice sounded like a lark, joy spilling over. “Easy, easy. It’s rare that Miss Su needs me for once. Of course I’ll get it done!”

Inside the carriage, Su Yun Ting rolled his eyes and leaned out. “Don’t brag. If you can’t do it, it’ll slap you in the face.”

The woman shot back at once. “Who said women and petty men are hard to raise? If I’m like a petty man, why would I care about face?”

Su Yun Ting sniffed. “At least you know yourself.”

Su Yun Yan wedged herself between them. “You two shouldn’t be together. Stop arguing—Mother is here.”

The woman paused, then curtsied. “Shu Yao greets the Marchioness.”

With Lu Mei supporting her, Gu Nan Xi stepped down. Before her stood a young miss of around ten, dressed in bright red, with phoenix eyes and willow brows. She was slightly plump, rosy-cheeked, smiling with easy confidence.

“You and Yun Yan are like sisters,” Gu Nan Xi said. “No need for formalities.”

Shu Yao straightened cheerfully and took Gu Nan Xi’s other arm. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony. I don’t envy Yun Yan’s fine clothes or that she has brothers who dote on her. I only envy that she has a mother willing to stand up for her children.”

“A few days ago Yun Yan sent word saying the academy couldn’t find a suitable place,” Shu Yao continued. “I had people tidy up a courtyard right away. The location is a bit out of the way, but it’s quiet—perfect for studying.”