128: Chapter 0128 Appropriate to the Times

After seeing Zhu Ming off, Lin Xiao headed straight to the workshop's infirmary.

The extraction of Penicillin had failed completely in the first two batches, and they had now reached the third batch of experiments.

Counting the days, he knew that upon returning today, he should be able to drain the solution.

Arriving at the laboratory, Lin Xiao drained the solution from the bottom of the specially made pottery vessel through an opening.

He added wood ash and charcoal powder, along with vinegar and alkaline water, to filter the solution.

However, the subsequent verification results still left Lin Xiao dejected.

All five extracts from the third batch were ineffective.

"It really is true that every trade is a mountain away. Plus, I haven't even managed to make glass containers; the conditions are truly too poor."

Lin Xiao actually understood that the success rate for extracting Penicillin was low, but he always wanted to give it a try.

Now it seemed he would have to find people to plant more garlic.

Next year, if he could procure more grain and extract alcohol, extracting Allicin would be more reliable.

As for medical supplies, it is better to be safe than sorry.

By the time he finished and came out, it was almost dark.

Lin Xiao did not go home; he had already told Xiao Qingxuan that he would be going to Baiyu Pavilion that evening.

Ever since he had reached an agreement with Su Chang, he had been busy going to Wushan Commandery and hadn't had a chance to talk to Su Wansha about their relationship.

Now that the business was gradually growing, he saw how Su Wansha was doing her utmost to manage everything for him.

With the end of the year approaching, it was time to give the woman some reassurance; by the time the New Year's Eve dinner arrived, they would be a family.

Baiyu Pavilion had now been renovated.

There was a large carriage yard in front, and a restroom in the back with someone specifically assigned to clean it.

Compared to when Lin Xiao first arrived—when one might smell a foul odor while eating—it was much cleaner and more hygienic.

The waiter, an old acquaintance, immediately came up to greet Lin Xiao respectfully upon seeing him.

"Lin Xiao, are you here to see our boss?"

"Yes, is she here?"

Lin Xiao had intended to surprise her and did not want to inform her in advance.

"She is here, but... she is entertaining distinguished guests tonight." The waiter looked a bit troubled.

"Oh? What kind of distinguished guests?"

"Miss Ning Junzhu, along with two of her good friends. They look like noble ladies of high birth; their carriage is quite impressive."

Lin Xiao chuckled. Well, well, his clandestine fiancée had come again!

She wouldn't see him, her future husband bestowed by imperial decree, yet she was quite diligent in visiting his woman, and even brought her friends along!

"Do they come here often?"

"Miss Ning comes often to discuss business. The other two are here for the first time. Isn't it because 'Northern Cottage' has recently become a hit in Cang Province? They just want to talk to our boss and see if they can get a piece of the pie."

The waiter looked as if he knew everything; he had certainly seen the world over the past little while!

Lin Xiao nodded. "Fine, let them finish talking first. I'll have something to eat on my own."

"Understood! Lin Xiao, please, your exclusive 'Xiaoyao Pavilion' awaits!"

Lin Xiao shook his head with a smile. Su Wansha had even set up a special private dining room for him, open only to him.

To tell the truth, it was a bit chuunibyou and a bit embarrassing, but... he was quite satisfied.

Arriving on the third floor, as soon as he entered, all the lanterns lit up, expensive agarwood was lit, and a pot of good tea was brewed.

These were all his exclusive privileges; outsiders did not have them.

Lin Xiao sipped his tea, waiting leisurely for the food to be served.

Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice coming from the room next door.

"Huh? Sister Su, has someone arrived in the private room next door?"

"Uh... it seems so."

Su Wansha noticed through the candlelight on the ceiling that someone had arrived in the Xiaoyao Pavilion.

Her heart filled with joy, knowing it was Lin Xiao.

However, besides Xie Juner, there were also two noble ladies of significant background present.

The daughter of Earl Yushan, the top noble of Yu Prefecture in the Northern Border, Yu Yingying; the niece of the Governor of E Prefecture in the Northern Border, and daughter of the richest man in E Prefecture, Hu Xinyi.

These two women were both good friends of Xie Juner from the women's academy and were noblewomen with considerable power within their families.

They had set their sights on the booming "profit prospects" of Northern Cottage in Cang Province and wanted to invest, so they had asked Xie Juner to introduce them.

Su Wansha had never dreamed that she, a small business owner from Baishui Prefecture, would be able to sit at the same table with noble ladies and have them ask her for favors.

All of this was given to her by Lin Xiao.

To put it bluntly, anyone who could invest in Northern Cottage early on was essentially picking up money!

Behind these two women, they actually represented the powerful figures of the two provinces.

Su Wansha knew very well that if their interests could be tied together, it would be much easier for the Zhenbei Army to take over Yu Prefecture and E Prefecture in the future.

After all, Prince Bai would only make these nobles bleed, while Lin Xiao could make them a fortune!

Considering the importance of this dinner, Su Wansha had to restrain herself and wait to see Lin Xiao later.

Moreover, out of selfishness, she did not want Lin Xiao to be seen by these women.

"Huh? By the way, isn't it a rule of Baiyu Pavilion that one must answer a question to go up to the third floor? Why hasn't this person brought over any poetry?"

Ning Junzhu asked with a curious expression.

Upon hearing this, Yu Yingying and Hu Xinyi's eyes lit up, and they became very interested.

"There's such a thing?"

"How interesting. Sister Su, is it really like that?"

Su Wansha nodded helplessly. "Yes, that's right. It should be... it should be that the waiter thought it was acceptable and let them pass directly."

"How can that be? What could a waiter know about poetry? Why not bring it over and let us take a look?"

Yu Yingying looked smilingly at Hu Xinyi, who was beside her.

"Sister might not know, but Xinyi is a great talented woman. She has even entered the Imperial Academy in the capital, participated in the Langya Poetry Gathering, and composed poems with talented scholars."

"As a woman, she fought three people in a row without defeat, and only lost to the great scholar Lv Sheng in the end; it caused quite a sensation! She was even praised by the Libationer, Great Scholar Meng, at the time!"

Su Wansha smiled. "How could I not know? It must have spread throughout the Great Gan by then. Miss Hu is a rare talented woman who could enter the Imperial Academy to participate in poetry gatherings as a woman; she is an idol for us scholarly women."

Hu Xinyi's face flushed slightly at the praise, but her eyes revealed a hint of confidence—that was the most glorious and dazzling moment of her life.

As a daughter of a merchant, the reason she could now represent her family and come here to discuss business was precisely because of such a brilliant resume.

"Sister Su, I think this rule of Baiyu Pavilion is quite elegant. Since we are idle anyway, why not bring it in and let us take a look?"

Seeing that the three women were all very interested, and thinking that she herself hadn't heard Lin Xiao compose poetry for a long time, Su Wansha nodded.

She called the waiter in and gave a few whispered instructions.

After that, Yu Yingying asked curiously, "Sister Su, what is the poetry topic today?"

"I've been too busy lately, so I only change the topic every seven days. Now it's the turn of 'Plum Blossom'."

Su Wansha herself did not come to Baiyu Pavilion often because there were too many branches to manage.

It was no lie that the waiters were asked to evaluate the poems; these waiters had long been influenced by the atmosphere, and their ability to appreciate poetry was truly not bad.

"Plum Blossom? How fitting for the occasion!"

Ning Junzhu nodded and looked smilingly at Hu Xinyi. "Great talented woman Hu, we shouldn't break the rule for going up to the third floor. Why don't you compose a poem?"