Because the past few years have been mild winters, the price of coal has been relatively cheap. Especially now, starting to stockpile it will be even cheaper, and since Tong Huaqiong is buying in bulk, she can save a large sum of money.

When winter arrives, sell the coal stocked up, pricing it one to three wen higher per jin than last year’s coal. This can ensure the common people in Pingchuan have enough coal to burn while also making a profit, a win-win situation.

Tong Huaqiong’s calculations were precise and sharp.

"These fifty jin of coal, fifty thousand jin of golden silk charcoal, one hundred thousand jin of silver silk charcoal, and the rest is ordinary coal." Tong Huaqiong thought carefully and instructed Gu Baishuang.

Ordinary coal, which is cheap, will be used by the common people, and it’s mainly this batch that stabilizes the market price.

Silver silk charcoal is generally for well-off families, and the price can be a bit higher.

Golden silk charcoal is primarily sold to wealthy families; they have money and don’t care about the price, so it’s an opportunity to earn from them.

Gu Baishuang agreed, calculating in her heart that whether this year is a cold winter or not, the coal will eventually sell; even if it doesn’t sell out, it won’t spoil and can be sold next year.

It’s just that the return on investment might be slower.

Tong Huaqiong then called for Gu Dashi. She had written a letter to Lu Zhaozhao, asking Gu Dashi and Gu Baishuang to deliver it when they went to the prefectural city to stockpile coal, inviting the Lu Family to seize the opportunity and stockpile coal as well.

Tong Huaqiong could only dominate the Pingchuan market, but the whole prefectural city encompasses one city and three counties, so she let the Lu Family take over other areas.

Firstly, the Lu Family has the money to capture such a large market, and secondly, Mr. Lu, for the sake of his grandson’s career, would not take the opportunity to raise the prices.

If the Lu Family could stabilize the coal prices in Ning City during extremely cold weather, preventing more people from freezing to death because they couldn’t afford coal, it would benefit Lu Zhaoyang’s career path.

This is a gift from Tong Huaqiong, taking advantage of informational advantages to give to Lu Zhaoyang, and it also serves as a political achievement for Magistrate Yao.

Her family has Xiao Long, and if by any chance his protagonist halo fails, and the damned Old Emperor wants to exterminate three generations, she hopes Magistrate Yao would plead on her behalf based on this political achievement since she had heard from Mr. Lu that the Yao Family never took sides and had earned the trust of every reigning emperor.

"Mother, should we also inform the Liu Family and the Huang Family about this year’s cold weather?" Gu Dashi asked.

Tong Huaqiong thought for a moment and said, "No need."

Regardless, the Liu County Magistrate and the wealthy Huang Family would never lack coal, and besides, Tong Huaqiong didn’t want others to get a share of the pie.

If somehow the news leaked and other merchants hoarded the coal, where would her share be?

Other merchants wouldn’t be as kind-hearted as her, and they wouldn’t consider the plague problem, potentially recreating the scene from Tong Dajiao’s previous life where people froze to death because they couldn’t afford coal.

"I’m not even certain there will be extreme cold weather this winter. Do not speak carelessly outside; if it causes panic, the government will hold us accountable." Tong Huaqiong cautioned.

Gu Dashi and Gu Baishuang saw the seriousness on Tong Huaqiong’s face and quickly agreed.

After discussing the coal stockpiling, Gu Baishuang brought up the matter of buying maids and older women that Tong Huaqiong had entrusted her with.

She said that the Ya Po had already brought the people.

Lately, being busy all the time, Tong Huaqiong had almost forgotten about this matter.

The household in Pingchuan County had recently been tended to by the maids and older women that Gu Baishuang brought, and as someone who was being served, Tong Huaqiong increasingly needed more hands.

"Bring them in, and by the way, call Taohua and Yue Er to come; they can choose their own maids." Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Baishuang.

Gu Dashi’s eyes lit up with joy as he had long wanted to buy a maid or a maidservant to care for his own wife, thinking that his mother and sister still didn’t have anyone to serve them, fearing that Tong Huaqiong might be displeased with Liu Yueer.

"I’ll call Yue Er and Taohua, eldest sister, you go bring the Ya Po up." Gu Dashi joyfully ran out.

Not long after Gu Taohua and Liu Yueer came up, Gu Baishuang brought in the Ya Po.

Tong Huaqiong looked up to see a few maids and older women following behind the Ya Po.

"Manager Tong, these people are all carefully selected by me." The Ya Po said with a smile.

Tong Huaqiong waved her hand and said, "Thank you, Aunt Lu."

Tong Huaqiong carefully inquired about the names, origins, and backgrounds of the maids and older women...

They all answered one by one.

Tong Huaqiong sighed in her heart. They were all pitiable people; just like these maids, either sold because their families were poor or sold to exchange money for their brothers’ education, including one who was originally from an official’s family but was sold off due to her brother’s entanglements in officialdom.

The older women didn’t fare much better; they were either sold because the owners of their previous household left, sold on the spot because the owner moved and couldn’t take them along, or sold off by their husbands.

In short, they were all a group of unfortunate people who had no control over their destiny.

Tong Huaqiong randomly picked four clever maids, chose two older women for rough work like washing clothes and cooking, and also selected an older woman for Chen Sufen.

Gu Taohua chose two maids, and Liu Yueer selected a personal maid.

Tong Huaqiong paid the money, and the Ya Po, overjoyed, took the money and went off to the next family with the remaining people.

Tong Huaqiong looked up and noticed the official’s young lady looking at her with longing eyes, she couldn’t bear it and decided to buy the young lady.

The official’s young lady bowed down to the ground.

She excelled in piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and was truly afraid that if she ended up in a wealthy household, she might catch the eye of the master or young master and be taken as a concubine.

"Never mind, you can follow me back to Qinghe Bay and teach my granddaughter instead." Tong Huaqiong said.

This way, Man Er wouldn’t have to go to a private school; she and Duo Er could have a teacher at home.

The official’s young lady’s name was Su Qing, and Tong Huaqiong didn’t ask her to change it.

After everything was settled, Tong Huaqiong looked up to see it was already late, so she walked out of Jufu Supermarket.

"Aunt."

Tong Huaqiong heard someone calling her and saw her nephew Tong Zhijie and Tong Zhaodi carrying two chickens and some mountain goods approaching her.

Seeing the bloodsucking Tong Family members, Tong Huaqiong’s hands started to itch.

Tong Zhijie and Tong Zhaodi didn’t expect Jufu Supermarket to belong to Tong Huaqiong; when they walked in and saw all the good things inside, they were bedazzled, but they had no silver on them.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong standing at the entrance of Jufu Supermarket, the customers and clerks going in and out were calling her the owner; only then did they realize Jufu Supermarket was their aunt’s.

Whoa, how did Aunt become so amazing?

From the pastry industry to general merchandise, such a big leap.

Tong Zhijie slightly regretted offending Aunt; otherwise, given her previous temperament, she would have surely given him a share of Jufu Supermarket.

"Aunt, you opened this shop; you are truly amazing."

Since Tong Zhijie saw Tong Huaqiong’s methods last time, he didn’t dare to act recklessly in front of her, obediently flattering her.

Tong Huaqiong unceremoniously interrupted: "Whether I’m amazing isn’t for you to praise. What are you here for?"

The chickens and mountain goods they carried, could it be a conscience discovery from Tong Fusheng, gifting them to her?

The goods could be accepted, but she couldn’t invite them for a meal, nor agree to any demands.

Tong Zhaodi said, "Father asked us to visit the Wu Family."

Oh, so it was just her overthinking; the things they carried were meant for the Wu Family.

Tong Huaqiong asked, "Wu Ji is over there, go ahead."

Thinking further, since Tong Pandi had already divorced Wu Musheng, according to reason, the Tong Family and the Wu Family should have severed ties, so why were they still visiting each other like in-laws? There must be something fishy, maybe the two families were plotting against Tong Pandi together.

Thinking of this, Tong Huaqiong stopped the two and asked, "Since Tong Pandi has already divorced Wu Musheng, why are you still associating with the Wu Family?"