In the room of the pretty female friend, Caihong sat at the table with an anxious mind.

“Your food is good,” Yang Ying said.

“Really?” Caihong said.

“Yes.” Yang Ying nodded. “Just in two days, you can create a tasty menu. You are very good.”

“It’s not new creation.” Caihong smiled. “I usually make it at home. Before I forgot about it, so I made other food. I just remembered it. It’s what I am good at.”

“I see.” Yang Ying grinned. “Doing something that we are good at usually gives us a glad result.”

“Um.” Caihong wagged her head.

“Young lady Yang, this is the contract. You agree that you will sell your recipe to Wan Hua Lou and we will pay you.” Yang Ying put a paper on the table. “Please read the details. If there isn’t any problem, you sign.”

“I believe in you,” Caihong stated and was about to get the brush to put her name, but Yang Ying hurriedly reminded her, “Thanks for believing me, but you have to read it.”

“I don’t think I need to read it. You won’t cheat me.”

“It’s young lady Wu who wants you to read it before you sign on it.”

“Wu Lantian!” Caihong narrowed her eyebrows when she heard it.

“Yes.” Yang Ying nodded her head. “She said that if Wan Hua Lou accepts the menu you bring, let me tell you to read the contract carefully before you sign.”

“Oh, I see.” Caihong wagged her head. However, she didn’t read the text yet since she had a thing that her mind wanted to know.

“Did she come to you?”

“Yes.” Yang Ying nodded.

“When?”

“Last night.”

“Last night!” 

The brain of the second daughter of Yang began to calculate. The girl of Wu had gone to her house two nights ago and stayed with her. She had said that she would not be free the next day, but last night, she had come to meet Yang Ying.

‘Liar.’ Caihong thought.

It was not a happy news as she knew that, and at the same time she had a wonder about herself because even if the elder woman had lied and came to visit the entertained girl, there was nothing she had to care about. But why? Her heart seemed to be very angry.

After reading the agreement, the poor daughter of the rich found it was fair enough. 

Even though she had to confirm with the party.

“I forgot to tell you that I once told the cook in my house about this recipe,” Caihong stated.

“Young lady Wu had told me about this,” Yang Ying said.

“She told you? So, it means she knew that I would make this food.”

“Young lady Wu didn’t know. She just guessed. However, she is right; I can see that she pays very big attention to you or she would not be able to estimate you correctly like this.”

The younger girl didn’t say a word. It was a complication since she didn’t understand the mind of the elder high lady.

“Young lady Wu told me that she had tasted this food when she had visited your house. It was okay because that person was in your house. Furthermore, when the food is released, there is no secret about the ingredients. It can be copied anytime.”

“If so, your store will lose the benefit.”

“It’s a business. That’s why we have to search for a new menu regularly.”

Caihong blew a slight wind as she heard about this matter.

“Don’t worry, young lady Yang,” Yang Ying claimed with a smile. “We have met a lot related to this issue. We know what to do. And if you have another menu, please do not hesitate to bring it. Wan Hua Lou welcomes you.”

Caihong wagged her head, “Thanks.”

After finishing signing, Yang Ying, as a representative of the geisha's house, gave the cash to the girl.

It was the first time that she held money, especially since it was her first earning. The low young mistress was excited; she embraced the money to her chest and grinned from ear to ear.

When Caihong left, the maid said, “Miss, you are confused. Young lady Wu came two nights before, not last night.”

“Oh!” Yang Ying stated.

*****

 

  

It was the day the envoy returned to their country and the wife of Wu Guang was able to come home.

“Eldest sister, you’re back.” Lady Mei went to welcome her sisterhood at the gate. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” lady Chen said and patted her sister’s hand gently.

The two elderly women walked each other into the house with big smiles over their faces. Behind them, Lantian walked in a normal manner.

“Eldest sister, are you tired?” Lady Mei said.

“A little bit, but it was worth it,” lady Chen said.

“What do you mean?”

They arrived in the room, and lady Chen sat on a chair while lady Mei took a seat next to her.

“You know, in the event, there were a lot of top ministers participating and the eighth prince and his consort also enrolled,” lady Chen said.

“The consort of the eighth prince rarely joined the event,” lady Mei said.

“Yes. It’s fortunate I met her. Her son also attended.”

“Son of the eighth prince.” Lady Mei opened her eyes. “I heard he is as great as the eighth prince.”

“Yes, he is very good and,” lady Chen smiled, then she looked the edge of her eyes at her daughter with a knot-hiding-grin, “he was very close to Lantian.”

What the mother said, Lantian heard it all but she didn’t care. She took a tea pot to pour into cups, sliding one cup to her mother, one to her half mother, then she dropped her body on the seat next to lady Mei and enjoyed tea herself.

“Really?” Lady Mei unlocked her lips, and spun her eyes towards her half daughter who was having a normal expression.

“The consort also likes Lantian. She praised her a lot since she saw the decoration and the menu and knew that it was Lantian's idea."

“I heard the first daughter of the eighth prince just gave birth to her first son.”

“That’s right. His majesty and her majesty are so happy. His majesty bid a feast to celebrate the young prince in three days later. It is a family banquet; however, master and I are invited to attend.”

Hearing that, lady Mei was glad for her sisterhood. “It’s really good,” she said.

“Not only that. The queen assigned me to prepare the menu for the banquet and the consort told me to bring Lantian to the event as well.”

“Eldest sister, I think you will get a son in law soon,” lady Mei whispered smilingly.

“Um.” Lady Chen nodded her he