Chapter 82: As Expected

Chapter 82: As Expected

"How can this shop belong to the Kang family when his surname is Lu?" someone wondered aloud.

"You're silly. Doesn't his mother have the surname Kang? These shops must be registered in her name. I never would've thought that after the Lu family broke off their engagement with the Su family, they'd stoop so low as to engage in business."

The remark triggered laughter among the crowd, and Lu Song's smile froze on his face.

Though commerce was thriving in the Great Sheng Dynasty, the social hierarchy still placed merchants at the bottom, below scholars, farmers, and artisans. The Lu family had been officials for generations, but now, Lu Song had fallen from his position as an official to become a merchant...

It was impossible not to feel ashamed, but even if he did, there was nothing Lu Song could do. He had been stripped of his post by the Emperor himself; how could he return to the world of officials?

After his mother and younger brother had their falling out, he left home in despair. Fortunately, Yun Niang and Lu Wen followed him and brought him to the small courtyard in Qingshan Alley to stay.

On one side were his family members who had deeply hurt him, while on the other was the gentle and caring Yun Niang and their sensible son. Unconsciously, Lu Song's heart had already leaned towards this new family.

Learning that Yun Niang and his son were working hard for their future and preparing to open a shop, Lu Song deliberated. Since he could no longer return to the officialdom, he had to accept his fate. He decided to give the commercial path a try.

Moreover, seeing the confidence in Yun Niang and his son's eyes, Lu Song gradually regained some of his former vigor. Eager to turn things around with these shops and wipe away the disgrace, he dove into the world of business.

As long as they could amass wealth and live prosperous lives, many would be envious. There were officials who lived less lavishly than merchants.

Lu Song quickly regained his composure, his smile returning to his face. "Today, all items in Kangji's shops will be sold at a 20% discount. I hope everyone will lend us your support."

The moment he finished speaking, two assistants brought out the ceremonial ribbon. With a joyful expression, Lu Song cut the ribbon and stepped aside. The crowd at the entrance immediately surged into the shop.

These people might not like Lu Song personally, but his actions didn't affect them. They simply wanted to join in the excitement. Besides, the pastries in this shop smelled delightful, and they could try them for free. Who wouldn't want to take advantage of such an offer?

After tasting the treats and finding them delicious, they praised them repeatedly, reaching for their silver coins and copper cash to make purchases.

Lu Song, seeing that the business was thriving as expected, felt relieved. It seemed Yun Niang and his son were right; their better days were approaching.

Jin'er, however, was irked by the scene. "These people have no backbone. They hate Lu Song, yet they still support his business."

Su Youyue remained calm. "Even if Lu Song's character is questionable, there are plenty who mind their own business. Besides, anyone would consider it foolish not to seize an opportunity. Everyone wants a taste of the free samples."

Nonetheless, she understood that most of these shops were under Yun Niang's name, not Madam Lu's. In this lifetime, without the previous encounters, Lu Song had not yet taken Yun Niang as his official wife. Yun Niang remained a concubine, and Lu Wen was a three-year-old concubine-born son. Therefore, it was inappropriate for them to openly participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"Chunya, send someone to purchase a selection of pastries from the shop for me."

Chunya promptly agreed and instructed the guards, while Jin'er was even more perplexed. "Miss, why are you supporting their business too?"

Su Youyue chuckled. "Knowing oneself and one's enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles. How can we compete with them without assessing the quality of their goods?"

In truth, she was curious about what kind of products Lu Wen, with his inherited shop and workers from her previous life, could produce.

As they conversed, the guard had already purchased the pastries and hastily returned.

At that moment, Lu Song, who noticed the urgency with which the guard ran, glanced over at the carriage parked in the corner by the entrance.

Upon recognizing it as Su Mansion's carriage, Lu Song's expression turned cold instantly.

When he saw Chunya, the girl who had once thrown manure at him, come out to receive the pastries, he immediately realized that Su Youyue had come to witness his grand opening.

Why, was she here to mock him too?

Inside the carriage, the two maidservants unpacked the pastry bags, releasing a delightful aroma that filled the air.

Indeed, the pastry was fragrant, but it didn't seem to differ much from those sold in the market. However, its appearance bore an uncanny resemblance to the ones prepared in their own private kitchen at the Wisteria Courtyard. At Su Youyue's gesture, the two of them took a bite.

Jin'er scoffed instantly, "I thought it would be delicious, but it's not even as good as what Chunya makes! It just looks similar to the ones we usually eat; the taste is far from it."

Chunya tasted it more meticulously, "This osmanthus cake might have a decent initial flavor, but it falls short in satisfying the palates of discerning gourmets. The texture is overly sticky, not flaky enough, and the sweetness is a bit overwhelming. After two pieces, one would likely grow tired of it. Compared to the desserts made from Miss's recipes, this is vastly inferior."

Su Youyue sampled each pastry before setting them aside.

This Kangji confectionery merely replicated the appearance of the treats from her shop in her past life but utterly failed to capture even a hint of their flavor. It was truly unremarkable.

She was accustomed to the delicacies prepared in her own courtyard and shop; in comparison, the food from Kangji's shop tasted like a stark contrast between sumptuous feasts and simple gruel.

Her conjecture proved true. Despite having engaged in business with her before and being aware of the items sold in her shop, Lu Wen was completely unaware of the genuine formulas. He only knew about the shop, its employees, and the appearance of the merchandise.

A shell without its essence.

Other establishments likely wouldn't fare much differently.

Su Youyue's expression was calm, and after estimating the time, she discreetly dispatched a guard to inform Kang and Lu Cheng of the situation, disguised as a passerby.

The mother-son duo had been borrowing money everywhere for the past two days but had encountered nothing but rejection, leaving them with no other options.

It would be unreasonable for one part of the family to be rejoicing while another was in deep sorrow.

Lu Song, who had been constantly observing the carriage, immediately sensed trouble when he noticed a guard leaving. His face darkened as he swiftly approached the vehicle.

"Su Youyue! What are you up to?!"

His tone was laced with resentment.

In the past, his feelings towards Su Youyue were merely contempt, never hatred. But now, he couldn't help but secretly acknowledge the truth in Lu Cheng's scolding. If not for his insistence on breaking the engagement, he wouldn't have ended up in this predicament.

Learning that their marriage had been forcefully arranged by his own family, and that they were actually unworthy of the Su Mansion, fueled Lu Song's resentment even more.

If Su Youyue had blindly adored him as she once did, why couldn't she maintain that affection? Why did she agree so readily to the annulment?

Had she only acted as she usually did and caused a scene that day, perhaps everything would have turned out differently...