Chapter 44: Thick Skin (Part 1)

Chapter 44: Thick Skin (Part 1)

A group of seven or eight young men stood stiffly in front of the counter, their cheeks puffed out. When Xianjin looked up, she saw that the leader was a scholar with unusually thick lips and two fleshy mounds on his face, followed by five or six indignant literati.

Zhang Wenbo, a good friend of Chen Ji Paper Shop, was hiding behind them, looking rather anxious.

Upon seeing Xianjin, Bo'er tried to rush forward to warn her but was held back by someone beside him who shouted, "Bo'er, what are you doing! We agreed before we came here!"

Zhang Wenbo, with wide eyes, asked what they had agreed upon!

It was just after the start of the term at the mountain academy, and a few laggards led by Sun Shun had planned to come and cause trouble for Chen Ji. They claimed that they had bought dozens of "mystery bags" but still hadn't collected all five colors of cards, convinced that the beautiful bookkeeper at Chen Ji was deceiving them, demanding "justice!"

In Zhang Wenbo's opinion, justice my foot!

He, who had bought over a hundred bags, didn't feel cheated at all. What right did this bunch of paupers who bought only a dozen or so bags have to complain?

If you don't have money, why play the card-collecting game!

When they sold the bags, there was no promise that you would collect all the cards if you bought them!

It was Six-Zhang Xuan paper!

The Six-Zhang Xuan paper that had been out of print everywhere for years!

Why should you be able to collect all the Six-Zhang Xuan paper just by buying a few bags?

Would those who spent hundreds of taels of silver to buy a stack of Six-Zhang Xuan paper understand or not?

Zhang Wenbo couldn't stand this stinky habit of the poor and raised his voice higher than the sky, "What did we agree upon! I was dragged here immediately after school! Let me make it clear, Sun Shun! I have no grievances! Playing the card collection game is about accepting wins and losses!"

Zhang Wenbo lifted his head and looked at Xianjin, "Accountant He, if you're going to settle accounts after the autumn harvest, don't include me!"

"Proprietor He," Suo'er corrected tactfully, subtly showing off, "after the New Year, she will become the chief manager of Chen Ji's Jing County branch."

Zhang Wenbo exclaimed, "Congratulations on your promotion! Congratulations on your promotion! I'll send you two boxes as a congratulatory gift later!"

Xianjin returned the bow with a smile.

Seeing Zhang Wenbo turn the confrontation into a display of sisterhood, Sun Shun became so agitated that his hair seemed to stand on end. "Zhang Wenbo. If you're not seeking justice, then get lost, don't confuse the issue here!"

Afraid that Zhang Wenbo's fool of a brain wouldn't understand and would again blur the focus, Sun Shun crossed his arms and got straight to the point. He threw a thick leather bag onto the counter with a slap and said angrily, "Proprietor He, we bought so many mystery bags just to collect your five-color cards. It's been more than a month, and no matter how hard I searched and asked around, I could only collect four color cards. The last one is nowhere to be found..."

Xianjin lowered her eyes and opened the bag, pulling out the four crumpled color cards inside. She smiled and looked up, "Actually, once you've collected four color cards, after exchanging them for the corresponding paper, you can also redeem a Four-Zhang Xuan — Four-Zhang Xuan is already rare, and we sell a stack of Four-Zhang Xuan for a high price of a hundred taels in our shop."

Sun Shun was instantly enraged, "I collected cards to complete the five colors and exchange them for Six-Zhang Xuan! Who wants any Four-Zhang Xuan? If I wanted Four-Zhang Xuan, couldn't I just pay for it myself?"

Sun Shun grew angrier the more he thought about it.

He had worked so hard to collect these color cards, spending money and owing favors, only to find that the last one was impossible to complete!

His father bought land and fields for his concubine's son, bought maids and books, all because that little bastard passed the provincial examination and became a scholar!

And him!

He bought some paper!

Just two sheets of paper!

His damned father checked the accounts, managed the money, and even froze his deposit slip at the bank!

It was all the fault of this damn bookkeeper!

The more he collected cards, the angrier he became, so he specifically sent someone to inquire about the background of this rather attractive "Accountant He" when the head of Chen Ji returned to Jing County for the New Year. But the more he inquired, the angrier he became!

This cunning little wench was indeed born to a concubine!

And not even of the Chen family bloodline!

"You little whore!"

Sun Shun, in his anger, spoke without thinking, "You didn't put all the color cards in, you deceived us! Businesspeople are cheap! They'll do anything for money!"

Sun Shun's voice was coarse and loud, and soon a crowd of onlookers gathered at the entrance of Chen Ji, mostly local merchants.

With an audience, Sun Shun was even more motivated.

Sun Shun turned around, raised both hands, and stirred up emotions, "Chen Ji cheats people! Chen Ji refunds money!"

The literati behind him took every opportunity to tell the specific story of "Chen Ji cheating people" to the onlookers like a nagging widow, chattering incessantly.

Suo'er was a bit anxious, stopping one place, but another would pop up. Seeing that Sun Shun's voice was getting louder and his words uglier, Suo'er stomped her feet anxiously at the door. Due to her natural reverence for literati, she dared not cover Sun Shun's mouth, so she stomped her feet and cried while doing so.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

Xianjin gathered her breath, placed her hands on her hips, and stood at the threshold, her voice overpowering Sun Shun's. Her practice of the Eight Pieces of Brocade wasn't for nothing; after practicing diligently for these days, Xianjin's voice was full of vitality.

"Our Chen Ji sells mystery bags for 120 wén each, inside there are tribute paper, jade edition, coral paper, and peach blossom paper! We are all in Jing County, all in the paper trade! You judge, are these shoddy goods or not!"

These papers were indeed good stuff.

Some of the onlookers nodded.

Just as Sun Shun was about to curse, Xianjin interrupted him with a question, "You are a scholar, let me ask you, 'The reason why a ruler is wise is that he listens to all sides; the reason why he is ignorant is that he listens to only one side.' Where does this saying come from?"

Sun Shun was momentarily taken aback.

"It comes from Wang Fu's 'On Brightness and Darkness' in the Han Dynasty!"

Xianjin blurted it out!

In this dilapidated era, there's not much in the way of entertainment options. What else can one do besides reading books? Cross-dressing as a man to visit the red-light district is clearly a plot device found only in novels, a place where extraordinary women make their appearances. As a businesswoman, she has no intention of joining in such a commotion.

Fortunately, the Chen family's ancestral home had a library room. According to the 100-hour rule, once you have spent a hundred hours doing something, you can at least be considered proficient. She then purchased brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, gathered a stack of books, and began to transcribe them one by one, practicing her calligraphy while also gaining a direct insight into the most immediate perceptions of this era from the books.

Xianjin raised his chin and spoke out loudly, "Listening to all sides brings clarity, while listening to one side brings darkness. Since Sun Lin has spoken his piece, it's time for Chen Ji Paper Shop to have our say. Only then can everyone make a fair judgment, right?"

Locke took the lead and responded loudly, "Yes!"

With both hands raised, the character named Suo'er led the crowd in a rhythmic clapping: "Clap clap clap."

People tend to follow the crowd, and the onlookers clapped without really understanding why.

Xianjin nodded in appreciation.

In the world of business, one must have a thick skin!

When running a business, one should greet customers from all directions with a smile.

From all directions come visitors, and naturally among them are those who are modest and virtuous gentlemen, as well as those who are petty and acrimonious; there are those who are magnanimous and do not haggle, and also those who are meticulous and very adept at managing their daily expenses; there are those who speak politely, and also those who act as if they are gods for the slightest expenditure.

In the world of business, it's all about interacting with people. When the crowd grows, you'll find some devils mixed in.

I understand the principles and have a mental preparation, but when I truly encounter it, I can't help but clench my fists.