Chapter 229 Play Along (Make-Up Update)

Chapter 229 Play Along (Make-Up Update)

The father and son of the Bai family paced back and forth in the alley, their anxiety reaching its peak. Finally, they saw a big-bellied man emerge from behind the wall, followed by Cao Assistant Prefect's sullen face.

Old Master Bai wanted to rush over but, after reading the situation, chose instead to push his eldest son on the back.

Bai Dalang stumbled.

Cao Assistant Prefect frowned and scolded, "Sneaking around is not proper! What are you doing?"

Bai Dalang looked back at his father.

His father looked up at the sky.

Bai Dalang stammered, "…this paper is easy to make, but regarding the quote…"

He seemed troubled, "Sir Cao, as you know, ever since the Chen's stepped up, our Baiji has been losing money. The wages for the workers, the cost of raw materials, the advance payments to suppliers—we lost nearly eighty taels last month…"

Just thinking about it made him angry.

The Chen's were not playing fair.

They even lured away all their apprentices!

Several master craftsmen took advantage to demand higher wages, threatening to join the Chen's if their demands weren't met!

They had no choice but to agree!

Frustrated, they were counting on making a profit from the official examination papers!

If they had to lower their quote, they might as well not do it at all!

Why bother with all the trouble?

Bai Dalang felt indignant, wiping a tear from his eye, "Doing business with the government doesn't even bring in profits… who would believe that? Who wouldn't laugh at us for losing both money and face!"

Cao Assistant Prefect was already upset, and now he found them foolish. He sneered, "It seems the Bai family isn't interested in this business?"

Bai Dalang's crying stopped abruptly.

Old Master Bai stepped forward, looking pitiful, "This fool doesn't know how to speak properly, sir, please don't take offense!—we have an idea about the paper, but we're unsure about the quote. If we quote too high, we lose; if too low, even if we get the contract, we'll only incur losses… we're here not to complain, but to seek your guidance—"

"How should we quote?"

Cao Assistant Prefect almost rolled his eyes: the Bai father and son were comically stupid, much like the dim-witted Bai Xiaoniang who tried hard but lacked brains.

How to quote?

Coax, deceive, intimidate, cheat, steal.

To win in politics, one must use every means possible.

These merchants from a small place seemed naive and inexperienced.

Seeing the eager looks of the Bai father and son, Cao Assistant Prefect decided to set the tone, "…regardless of the method, you must secure this contract for me."

It was a matter of his official dignity!

"I don't care if you lose money or lack materials—if you don't have money, earn it! If you don't have materials, acquire them! Stop acting timidly! Don't disgrace me! If you disgrace me, I'll shut down your Bai family business!"

The Bai father and son fell silent, trembling with fear.

Seeing their fearful demeanor, Cao Assistant Prefect felt slightly better and softened his tone, "According to Wang Xuezheng, if I insist on this, it will be difficult. Whether you can secure this contract depends entirely on yourselves."

The Bai father and son's eyes welled up with tears: what? Didn't they come seeking help? How did they end up with a task instead?

Cao Assistant Prefect's tone softened further, "As for your concerns about costs and profits, I assure you that if you secure this contract, I have ways to allocate funds to you, understand?"

Under threat and inducement, he believed he had made himself clear.

Bai Dalang didn't understand.

Old Master Bai understood.

The message was clear: securing the contract was now entirely on them, and Cao Assistant Prefect couldn't directly intervene. But if they secured it, he could help them secure funds.

In other words, they needn't worry about profits.

As long as their quote was lower than the Chen's, they would be set!

Bai Dalang wanted to ask more, but his father tugged him back.

Cao Assistant Prefect continued, "As for how to secure it…"

His plump face broke into a grin, "Business is like war; real money requires real action. As long as there's no loss of life, I can still protect you."

Old Master Bai was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly, "Yes, yes, thank you, Sir Cao, thank you immensely. Please ensure Zhaor serves you well to repay this great kindness."

Thinking of Bai Zhaor, Cao Assistant Prefect waved his hand.

Enough, he was already overwhelmed; more "service" might drain him completely.

…

Rushing back to Xuancheng Prefecture, Xianjin and Heng Wuniang arrived overnight.

Xianjin briefly reported the situation to Old Lady Qu, expecting her to be displeased. Instead, the old lady nodded calmly, "Do as you see fit. How to proceed and how much to earn, you have your own judgment."

Even so, she still had the mood to tease Xianjin.

"Since you're skilled with the abacus, you certainly wouldn't let Chen's suffer any losses."

Xianjin nodded in agreement.

Heng Wuniang walked alongside Xianjin on the veranda, gazing at the rising morning light, showing no signs of fatigue, her mind filled with excitement and enthusiasm, not even feeling the need to sleep.

Heng Wuniang said enviously, "…your Chen family truly embodies the principle of nurturing talent without constraint."

Xianjin smiled, curling the corners of her lips.

There was no such thing as nurturing talent without constraint.

It was because they had confirmed her determination not to marry.

Because she would not marry, she would forever be an asset of Chen's.

Her ideas, her actions, the money she earned, and the connections she built—all bore the name Chen.

Only after confirming this did Old Madam Qu feel truly reassured about her.

As for these matters, there was no need for Xianjin to explain them to Heng Wuniang. She simply asked, "If you can't secure the Wenwei paper for now, will your elders scold you?"

Heng Wuniang's expression faltered, then she smiled, "Scolding is just scolding; it won't make me lose any flesh. This business hasn't been called off yet, has it? Since the outcome is still uncertain, even if I get scolded, it won't make me give up halfway."

Xianjin nodded.

Without hardship, one cannot truly stand on their own.

Heng Wuniang had become much bolder and more resolute than before.

Xianjin only said, "Let's focus on making the paper first. Our previous samples were too ordinary to win. As soon as we start, I'll clear out Jixi Workshop, and no outsiders will be allowed inside. You must carefully vet the people around you. Anyone you don't fully trust should not be brought along for these ten days."

In a bidding competition,

dirty tricks are played.

Using a tractor to transport someone to the finish line is considered low-level.

There are many high-level pitfalls, all of which her father from her past life had stepped into one by one—he acted recklessly, relying solely on his courage. While others might turn back when hitting a wall, he would smash through it.

Things like falling for a honey trap and waking up to find all documents read; or a manager suddenly winning over a goddess, who then comes to the office to show affection, only for the bid documents to be stolen the day before the competition…

Money stirs the heart, leaving no room for complacency.

Heng Wuniang understood. The next day, she arrived at Jixi Workshop alone, bringing no one else.

She explained succinctly, "The contracts of the people around me are not in my hands."