Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

Liu Futong said, ”I wish I could too, but a pile of things at home are waiting for me. If our Ming King were half as sensible as you, I’d be satisfied.”

Chen Jie responded, ”The Ming King is young, and it’s normal for him to be a bit playful.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Futong smiled bitterly, ”You’re not much older than him; why weren’t you as playful?”

At this moment, Peng Yingyu didn’t want to speak anymore; he looked down and said, ”Hey, Old Liu, isn’t that your granddaughter?”

Hearing this, Liu Futong looked over and saw four girls holding exclusive custom-made clothing from Huangzhou Prefecture for women, chatting and laughing as they arrived in front of a beverage stall.

Chen Jie glanced down and was taken aback, surprised to see these four girls mingling together.

Indeed, Chen Jie knew all four girls: one was Liu Futong’s granddaughter, Liu Caidie; another was Han Lin’er’s sister, Han Ling’er; another was Feng Hongyuan from Wushan; and the last one was Saintess Linglong from the Five Poison Sect.

At that moment, the four girls roamed the pedestrian street of Huangzhou Prefecture like little elves.

Liu Caidie stood in front of the beverage stall and said, ”Linglong, Linglong, do you want something to drink?”

Linglong, holding new clothes bought from the mall in one hand and a large skewer of lamb kebabs in the other, her mouth full of grease, immediately replied, ”Drink!”

The four girls gathered around the small beverage stall.

The stall owner was a woman, a notable feature of Huangzhou Prefecture’s pedestrian street. Many women ran the shops, which was encouraged by Chen Jie, who supported women wanting to do business and be self-reliant, and provided incentives in Huangzhou Prefecture, like this stall, leased to self-reliant women at an 80% discount the first year, 90% the second, and full price the third year.

This woman, Lady Cao, was a widow whose husband died early. She had a son and a daughter to support, along with her mother-in-law, making her a famous dutiful daughter-in-law in the nearby villages.

When she expressed wanting to do business on the pedestrian street, Chen Jie gave women in her difficult situation pursuing a better life an opportunity.

He directly rented her the best stall on the pedestrian street, as Chen Jie, as the governor of Huangzhou Prefecture, wanted to encourage and highlight such beautiful qualities.

Lady Cao lived up to expectations, somehow acquiring many drink recipes from pre-Song times, creating many flavors, making her small stall flourish. She even hired three female staff specialized in preparing these drinks.

In gratitude to Chen Jie, Lady Cao often sought the market management department’s director Liu Song (Liu Laoguai’s son) to express her desire to meet Chen Jie.

During his last return to Huangzhou Prefecture, Chen Jie took the time to commend ten merchants on the pedestrian street and gave rewards. Lady Cao saw Chen Jie, thanked him profusely, and finally asked him to name her small shop.

Chen Jie, appreciating Lady Cao’s character, gave her the whimsical name [Mi Xue Bing Cheng].

Yes, this was the most popular drink sold at Lady Cao’s shop. Chen Jie used it as her store’s name, even borrowing a certain big brand’s IP from future generations.

By then, Liu Caidie and the others had arrived at Lady Cao’s stall.

At this, Liu Caidie asked, ”What will all of you drink?”

Han Ling’er looked around and said, ”I’ll have Mi Xue Bing Cheng!”

Linglong said, ”I also want Mi Xue Bing Cheng!”

Liu Caidie asked Feng Hongyuan beside her, ”What about Sister Feng?”

Feng Hongyuan glanced and said, ”I’ll take this rose tea.”

Liu Caidie said, ”I’ll have a cup of Golden Branch Sweet Dew!”

The drinks were quickly ordered, and Lady Cao swiftly prepared them, placing them in specifically made bamboo tubes, covered with lids, and giving each a reed straw, a gift idea City Lord presented at the commendation ceremony.

Since changing to this packaging, her little stall became even more popular.

Quickly, the girls paid and happily carried their drinks away.

Then they rushed to their next stop: grilled skewers, candied haws, sugar paintings, popcorn—there were just too many delicious things.

The four girls felt reluctant to leave, having such carefree fun.

Seeing these joyful girls, Liu Futong remarked, ”This is what a peaceful and prosperous era should be!”

Peng Yingyu observed, ”They say Bianliang of Qian Song was exceptionally prosperous. I suppose it’s not much different from this, is it?”

Hearing Peng Yingyu’s words, Liu Futong said, ”I suppose so, they say it was prosperous, but I think that’s probably about it.”

Chen Jie replied, ”Bianliang may have been prosperous, but it drained the blood of a hundred cities into one; I do not accept that. What I pursue is the happiness of the people, and only secondly the wealth of the city!”

Listening to Chen Jie, Peng Yingyu looked at him with a new perspective. Uttering such words proved Chen Jie’s insight was indeed profound!

The two looked at Chen Jie, who said, ”Why are you both looking at me like this?”

Liu Futong said, ”Chen Jiusi, if you became Emperor, would you still want the people happy?”

Chen Jie, surprised, looked at Liu Futong and said, ”I may not have Lord Fan’s noble sentiment of worrying before others and enjoying after others, but I do know that if the people do not live well, those in power cannot truly live well either.”

”Only when the people are prosperous can those in power be prosperous, and the entire country can improve, achieving common prosperity.”

”Common prosperity.”

Peng Yingyu pondered these words and said, ”Amitabha Buddha, this is truly the language of Buddha Country—equality of all living beings, pursuing common prosperity, that’s right.”