I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 161 Re-employing Zhao Ran

After Li Ran left, Ying Wuyou slowly shifted her gaze to the sumptuous meal laid out before her. On the table were several carefully prepared delicacies—several fragrant skewers of roasted lamb, and numerous stir-fried dishes that were visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious. These included braised pork belly, glistening with a bright red color and a tender, sweet and savory flavor; sweet and sour pork, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; stir-fried pork with celery, featuring tender meat and crisp celery; and also a dish of vibrant green leafy vegetables stir-fried primarily with fresh sunflower leaves.

It must be said that each of these dishes was one of Ying Wuyou's favorite foods. So, she couldn't wait to pick up her chopsticks and enjoy them to the fullest. With each bite, a satisfied expression gradually appeared on Ying Wuyou's face. Before long, the food on the table was completely devoured by her.

Just as Ying Wuyou put down her chopsticks, there was a soft knock on the door. Ying Wuyou casually replied, "Come in."

Immediately afterward, the door was gently pushed open, and a guard and Zhao Ran entered one after the other. When the two approached, Ying Wuyou first smiled and gestured to the guard, then instructed, "You should also have some food first. I need to talk to Zhao Ran about something." Upon hearing this, the guard quickly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, then turned and left.

However, instead of going to eat as Ying Wuyou had said, the guard quickly went to the front desk and found Li Ran, who was busy at work. He lowered his voice and reported to her, "Miss has finished her meal."

Upon hearing this, Li Ran instantly understood the guard's intention and quickly nodded to indicate that he understood. He then swiftly arranged for someone to lead the guard to the dining hall to enjoy the meal, while he himself began to diligently clean up the used tableware in Ying Wuyou's room.

Just after the guard left, Li Ran quickly came to clear the table. This action pleased Ying Wuyou greatly, because she knew that the guard must have informed Li Ran of the situation. As a result, Ying Wuyou couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards this guard.

After Li Ran quickly cleared away the dishes and carefully wiped the table clean before turning to leave, Ying Wuyou turned to Zhao Ran beside her and asked, "You mentioned earlier that you wanted to contact Zhang Fugui and other merchants to go to the Xiongnu lands to purchase wool. How is that going?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ran quickly replied, "Miss, I have successfully contacted a group of merchants who are interested in participating in this matter through Boss Zhang. They all expressed their willingness to go to the Xiongnu region to purchase wool, but... they still have some concerns about their own safety."

Ying Wuyou nodded slightly, indicating his understanding, and replied, "Yes, I understand that. I need to discuss this with my father later to see if we can send some people to assist these merchants. After all, with our personnel stationed at the border, the wool purchase should proceed much more smoothly."

Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's words, Zhao Ran's face lit up with joy, and he excitedly replied, "If His Majesty can truly send troops to guard the border, then Boss Zhang and the others will naturally have no more worries, and they will definitely be able to acquire enough wool."

Ying Wuyou nodded slightly in agreement and said slowly, "I've decided to entrust you with the entire responsibility of purchasing wool. As for the specific purchase price, you will determine it based on market conditions and the actual situation. You will also be responsible for handling the negotiations with those merchants properly."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ran was overjoyed and could hardly contain himself. He knew that if he could successfully complete the mission, it would mean that from now on, he would have the young lady's complete trust, and perhaps even more opportunities to showcase his abilities and gain promotions in the future.

However, if this matter ultimately fails, then without a doubt, the young lady will abandon her cultivation of him and instead seek another capable person to replace him.

Since the misfortune that befell his family, Zhao Ran had been living in constant fear and anxiety, his days filled with apprehension. Although the young lady had repeatedly expressed her appreciation for his talent, she had never truly entrusted him with such a crucial and important task. This wool purchase, however, was entirely different. While Zhao Ran didn't know exactly what the young lady's intentions were in acquiring such a large quantity of wool, he was well aware that this was very likely to become one of the matters she would pay the most attention to and value in the future.

Therefore, as long as she does her best and handles this matter properly, a generous reward will naturally follow. Thinking of this, Zhao Ran secretly cheered herself on, determined not to let her mistress down and to complete this task perfectly.

Ying Wuyou had no idea what Zhao Ran was thinking. She just felt that Zhao Ran was someone she could try to develop in this direction. After all, there were very few people she could trust and who were capable of doing so. Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou remembered the matter of building a professional school. Although it was a difficult thing to do, it was definitely going to happen. She would definitely put it on the agenda after the New Year.

After giving Zhao Ran a few more instructions, Ying Wuyou slowly said, "Zhao Ran, I have an important matter to entrust to you. Here, simply give this to Xu Fu." With that, Ying Wuyou calmly took a piece of paper from her handbag. She carefully folded the paper and handed it to Zhao Ran.

Seeing this, Zhao Ran quickly extended both hands, respectfully accepted the gift, and carefully placed it against his chest. Once everything was in place, Ying Wuyou said softly, "If there's nothing else, you may return." Zhao Ran immediately clasped his hands in agreement, then turned and left to receive the order.

Shortly after Zhao Ran left, Ying Wuyou followed her out of the house. Once outside, she immediately noticed the two guards standing on either side of the door. Her gaze swept across the room, and she suddenly recognized one of the guards as the same one who had gone to the estate to look for Zhao Ran. So, as she walked forward, Ying Wuyou casually asked the guard, "What's your name?"

Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's question, the guard felt a surge of excitement, but he knew that as a guard, he should always remain calm and composed, never showing his emotions. Therefore, despite his turbulent emotions, he tried his best to maintain a composed demeanor and respectfully replied, "Your Highness, my name is Zhou Xun."