CHAPTER 332: CHAPTER 332: RUSHING INTO THE FIRE

Everyone naturally had no objections, when Pei Shu’er took out the gift box, everyone found it to be extremely festive.

Pei Shu’er smiled and said, "Actually, the Zhuangyuan Cake can also be made in variations. For example, when elders at home celebrate birthdays, it can be made into Fortune and Longevity Cake, using blessings like ’May you live a long life and have fortunes as boundless as the East Sea.’ The outer color can also be slightly changed."

Everyone naturally agreed, and Pei Shu’er continued, "Because the difficulty of making this is a bit high, it sells for three taels of silver per box, with twenty cakes inside, and it’s really only used for gifting on birthdays."

After these were made, it was time to sell them. In the afternoon, when everyone came to buy pastries, they discovered these two exquisite pastries.

When everyone asked about the price, they could understand.

After all, there are some pastry shops in the city, and those pastries aren’t great, but they also sell gift boxes, and they’re sold for several taels of silver too.

It’s almost customary to bring some as gifts.

Like the pastries sold by Pei’s Pastry Shop, not only are they delicious, but even the price is very cheap.

Their pastries, sold for a few coins, are as big as an adult male’s fist, which is enough for one person to eat and be full.

But pastries from other shops, even the cheapest ones, are only as big as a woman’s palm and sell for over ten coins, yet they are not tasty at all.

This is one of the reasons why Pei’s Pastry Shop’s business has been good since its opening.

And it is doing well even when grain prices are so high right now.

Everyone also found that these two expensive pastries also have trial samples.

Everyone tasted them and found that not only were they beautiful, but the taste was superb.

Even the seemingly unappetizing Zhuangyuan Cake and Fortune and Longevity Cake tasted very good.

Some parents who wished for their children to become successful immediately joined together to buy some Zhuangyuan Cakes for their kids to eat.

"Eat, and after eating, you will pass the imperial examinations."

The characters inside are actually just the words ’passing the imperial examinations,’ totaling twenty characters in five sets.

Five parents collectively bought them, with each child eating one set, just for the good omen.

This one set is six hundred coins, and everyone was really generous.

Some truly bought them for their husbands or scholar sons, hoping they would pass and bring good luck.

There were also some elderly people celebrating birthdays, who laughed heartily upon seeing the unique Fortune and Longevity Cake.

"Such a filial child, this pastry truly is innovative."

And they would be rewarded and receive praise from the elders.

As for the flower cake, when asking for favors from others, in addition to bringing money, you must also bring some tokens of goodwill. The flower cake and Fortune and Longevity Cake are essentials.

It’s fair to say that if one visits to seek favors without bringing these two pastries, it’s quite embarrassing.

For some calculative households, they wouldn’t even show a friendly face without it.

These pastries were popular. On the day they were launched, 15 boxes of flower cake were sold, earning 15 taels, and 10 boxes of Fortune and Longevity Cake plus Zhuangyuan Cake were sold, earning 30 taels of silver.

Initially thinking everyone just found it novel, unexpectedly, the next day, flower cake sales doubled.

"I saw my uncle’s family gave my mother this flower cake before, and my mother was very happy. Now I’m buying a box to cheer my mother up."

Flower cake sold for 30 taels of silver, and Fortune and Longevity Cake plus Zhuangyuan Cake sold another 10 boxes, earning 30 taels.

These two days’ revenue, from pastries alone, earned a total of 105 taels of silver.

The shop, having been open for so long, earned a total of 400 taels of silver.

Others were envious of the good business of Pei’s.

At the same time, Pei Shu’er felt it was time to give the employees some benefits.

Otherwise, over time, they might develop other thoughts.

After all, you can’t let the horse run without letting it eat grass.

The staff here were incredibly diligent since business was booming, leaving no time for leisure all day, yet no one uttered a single complaint.

Pei Shu’er gathered everyone in a room and, smiling, said: "Recent revenues have been good, so I’m giving everyone some bonuses."

There were a total of 20 staff, and Pei Shu’er gave each one three taels of silver.

When everyone received the silver, their eyes sparkled with delight.

One should know that nowadays, earning money is not that easy, either by doing business or odd jobs. But three taels of silver is quite a sum anywhere.

This was just a small bonus.

"Additionally, the monthly salary will be raised to two taels of silver. If everyone does well, wages can increase further, along with performance bonuses and commissions."

This monthly salary was very satisfactory to everyone, since back in the Deserted Mountain, they only earned fifty coins a month.

Of course, having money in that place was good enough.

Moreover, in the Capital, the average pay for odd jobs was 30 coins a day at the low end and 70 coins at the high end. Their current income, even in the Capital, was considered high.

What’s more, this was just a small county on the border, with low living expenses and prices.

This income was already very high.

Everyone wanted to decline, but seeing Pei Shu’er determined, they said no more, simply accepting the money, their hearts filled with joy, already planning what to buy for themselves.

Pei Shu’er smiled and said, "You all should go rest, I have things to discuss with Lin Yu and the others."

As soon as these words were spoken, the women wisely took their leave.

Pei Shu’er picked out a few people with high combat power.

"I’m going to the west of the city now for something, and I need you all to go with me. As for the rest, take turns to keep watch. If you encounter something you can’t resolve, go to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion branch in the city for help."

Originally, such a remote place wouldn’t have a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but since Tang Zan set a foothold in the Gulan Mountain Range, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion set up a branch here.

Previously, it was the staff from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Su County branch who gathered information.

Everyone hurried out of the city gates before curfew, and only then did Lin Yu ask.

"Young Madam, so late at night, are we heading back to the Deserted Mountain?"

Pei Shu’er shook her head, "No, we are going to the temple to the west of the city."

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow; could it be that the Young Madam thinks there are villains lately and needs to pray at the temple?

Before reaching the temple, everyone noticed billowing thick smoke ahead, the temple was indeed ablaze, with flames soaring and cries of anguish inside.

Now the fire is in its developing phase, in another three to five minutes, it will enter the flashover phase, turning everything flammable, with terrifyingly high temperatures.

She was riding fast, but still arrived a bit late.

Pei Shu’er immediately spoke to a few people.

"You go to the carriage now, take the quilts, soak them and then we enter the fire scene to save people. But absolutely do not go deep, do not force events."

At these words, everyone was taken aback.

Such a big fire, and yet they weren’t running away but heading into the fire scene?