Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Relationships between people develop over time.

At first, Jiang Chun only saw Jiang He as a duty she had to fulfill. Since she had inherited the original owner's body, she had to take on the responsibility of providing for Jiang He in his old age.

But after three years of living together, father and daughter had developed genuine feelings for each other.

Jiang Chun hoped that Jiang He would have a good life.

If he ever considered remarrying, she would fully support him and even try to find a reliable match for him.

However, Jiang He was resolute, with no intention of remarrying.

Once, after drinking too much, he inadvertently revealed his true feelings to Jiang Chun.

He felt guilty about what had happened to his late wife, Zheng Shi.

When his own mother, Madame Li, disowned him and left him with nothing, the family of three had to move into the dilapidated ancestral hall (a traditional place of worship for ancestors) in the village, where they lived hand-to-mouth, never knowing where their next meal would come from.

Zheng Shi not only had to prepare meals but also take care of their daughter. Even when she caught a cold, she refused to see a doctor, which led to her deteriorating health.

Later, Jiang He learned the skill of butchering from his brother-in-law and rented a spot from his cousin, Liu Pozi, to sell meat. Finally, he earned enough money to build a large tiled house.

But Zheng Shi's health continued to decline, and she passed away not long after they had started to live a better life.

Jiang He always felt that if Zheng Shi had married someone else, someone who wasn't unloved by their parents like he was, she wouldn't have died so young.

Additionally, his brother-in-law, Zheng Yi, had helped them a lot over the years, taking care of both big and small matters, contributing both money and effort, being closer than a real brother.

If he were to remarry, it would be too heartless.

Since he had already found a son-in-law who lives with the wife's family for his daughter, he wasn't worried about the Jiang family having no heir. He decided to stay single for the rest of his life.

Jiang Chun felt quite touched.

For a man with somewhat patriarchal values like Jiang He, to remain loyal to his deceased wife and refuse to remarry was indeed commendable.

Even in modern times, few men would remain loyal to their deceased wives. Some couldn’t even wait for the three-month mourning period to end before rushing into dating again. It’s enough to make you lose faith in people.

Jiang Chun deeply respected Jiang He's decision.

At that moment, seeing Hao Niangzi buzzing around her father like a fly, she naturally didn't give her a pleasant look.

She turned to Gui Zhi and said, "Seeing my father selling meat here reminds me of our time back in the hometown.

Back then, many widows, seeing that my father was honest and capable, and had an extremely filial daughter, would buzz around him like flies, trying to win his attention.

But do you know what kind of man my father is?

He had deep feelings for my mother. He only had eyes for her, no matter how many other women came his way. Whether it was the flirtatious Widow Wang, the wealthy Widow Li, or the virtuous Widow Xue, he didn't give any of them a second glance.

I advise some people to stop wasting their efforts. My father is a kind man and doesn't want to say harsh words, but I don't have such reservations.

From today onwards, if I catch any shameless widow trying to get close to my father again, I'll beat them up once for every time they do.

If you’re not afraid of getting beaten, then bring it on—I'll be here to meet you every step of the way!"

She isn't even afraid to beat the wife of a fifth-rank assistant magistrate or a seventh-rank county magistrate, so why would she be afraid of the sister of a grain shop owner?

"Still deeply in love," huh... Jiang He's face turned slightly red as his daughter praised him, and he lowered his eyes, too embarrassed to speak.

Holding a cup of almond tea, Hao Niangzi stood frozen in place.

Jiang Niangzi was clearly making indirect accusations, and Hao Niangzi knew exactly who she was referring to.

As someone who frequented the West Market, how could Hao Niangzi not have heard of the deeds of this heiress of the Jiang family, who was also the Eldest Madam of the Song family?

That’s why every time Jiang Niangzi came to her Chun'an Fabric Store, Hao Niangzi would keep her distance, not daring to catch her eye.

However, although she feared this "patrolling night demon," fortune favors the bold.

Jiang Langjun was an honest and simple man, and Hao Niangzi believed that as long as she could win him over, make him want to marry her and no one else, there was nothing his daughter could do to interfere in her father’s marriage.

So, despite Jiang Langjun clearly rejecting the match her brother proposed, she still found every chance to be near him.

Sometimes she would offer him tea, sometimes some food, or help with the customers, acting like the mistress of the house.

Although Jiang Langjun always remained cold and refused her offerings or assistance, it didn’t matter.

As the saying goes, "When a woman sets her sights on a man, it’s just a matter of time," and as long as she was willing to put in the effort, she would eventually win his heart.

If she couldn’t win his heart, no big deal. She had other tricks up her sleeve.

Whether by getting him drunk or using some love potion, as long as they spent a night together in the same bed, he would have to take responsibility for her.

If he refused, she would threaten to take him to the authorities.

Even if he wasn’t afraid of losing face, the Crown Prince’s in-laws, the Song family, certainly would be. They would pressure him to marry her to avoid scandal.

Her plan was perfect, but today, her misfortune was meeting Jiang Niangzi.

After a long silence, she forced a smile and said, "Jiang Niangzi, you misunderstand. I see Jiang Langjun as a brother and have no other intentions toward him."

Jiang Chun sneered.

The words sounded familiar, as if Second Miss Qiu had said something similar about Han Xiao.

But compared to Second Miss Qiu, who was more of a delicate flower working behind the scenes, Hao Niangzi, being a woman of the marketplace, was clearly more adept at persistence.

No wonder Jiang He had been in a bad mood lately.

Having such a shameless person sticking to him like glue, especially since it was a woman, made it impossible for Jiang He to beat or scold her. It was like a splinter under his skin.

But to Jiang Chun, it wasn’t a difficult problem.

When dealing with shameless people, reasoning was pointless. The only solution was to use force and show them the consequences of provoking her.

If one beating wasn’t enough, then beat them again.

Beat them until they were scared.

Jiang Chun said coldly, "We both know what’s going on here. Do you think I can’t see through your little games? Save me the nonsense. I’m not even listening."

Hao Niangzi pretended to be wronged. "Even though I haven’t read much, I’ve heard the saying, ‘If someone wants to pin a crime on you, they’ll always find a way.’"

For us widows who have lost our husbands, reputation is more important than anything. If you insist on slandering me and ruining my reputation, Miss Jiang, I can only prove my innocence by dying.

As if deeply wronged, she let the bowl slip from her hands, and it crashed to the ground.

With a crisp "clatter," it shattered into several pieces.

Mrs. Hao's eyes turned towards the stone pillars at the entrance of Chun'an Fabric Store, and with a clear purpose, she started to "run" in that direction.

But she moved so slowly, it was almost as if she were walking.

Jiang Chun couldn’t help but laugh.

Trying to pull off that old trick of crashing into a pillar right in front of me?

She took a quick step forward, stretched out her hand, and pulled the woman back.

Then, with a swift kick to her buttocks, she sent Mrs. Hao sprawling to the ground.

Looking down at Mrs. Hao, Jiang Chun sneered, "Wanting to die? You didn’t even choose a decent place to die. You actually thought of crashing into the entrance of Chun'an Fabric Store, dirtying my shop's floor, and still trying to disgust me even in death?"

Mrs. Hao, rubbing her bruised knees, looked stubborn but cried, "Miss Jiang, aren't you being too domineering? You not only slander me but also won’t let me prove my innocence by dying."

Jiang Chun smiled mischievously. "Don’t talk nonsense. I didn’t say I wouldn’t let you prove your innocence by dying. I will not only let you die, but I’ll also help you die."

After the laughter, she turned serious and said coldly, "You must have some serious guts to scheme against my father. Watch me beat the shameless vixen to death today!"

With that, she began to remove her bracelets and rings, handing them to Gui Zhi.

Then she took off the jade pendant from her waist and the headpiece from her head.

In just a moment, she was left wearing only a pair of red coral drop earrings.

She rolled up her sleeves and slapped Mrs. Hao across the face twice.

Then, lifting her skirt, she kicked her hard in the buttocks.

Kicking her in the buttocks was perfect—it hurt, but it wouldn’t cause any real damage. She loved kicking people’s buttocks the most.

Mrs. Hao, in so much pain, couldn’t even maintain her usual gentle and virtuous facade, and screamed loudly, "Ah... ah... ah..."

Jiang Chun said with a giggle, "Oh, screaming like a slaughtered pig, how miserable."

Her feet didn’t stop, and she kicked Mrs. Hao’s buttocks several more times.

Mrs. Hao’s screams drew the attention of a clerk from the nearby Han Family Grain Store, who poked his head out to see what was happening.

Seeing his boss’s sister being brutally beaten by a richly dressed lady, he was startled and quickly ducked back inside to inform Mr. Hao, who was taking inventory in the back.

Mr. Hao couldn’t stay calm when he heard this. He rushed out in such a panic that he didn’t even realize his hat had fallen off.

"Stop! Stop right away! Miss, please stop!"

Mr. Hao shouted as he ran.

When he got closer and saw that the lady beating his sister to the point she couldn’t get up was none other than the Song family’s Eldest Madam, daughter of Jiang He, his heart skipped a beat.

He quickly bowed and pleaded earnestly, "Miss Jiang, please control your anger. My sister is just a simple woman who doesn’t know how to speak properly. If she said something wrong and offended you, please forgive her. Please don’t hold it against her; she’s just a poor widow."

Jiang Chun snorted coldly. "Look at what Mr. Hao is saying. Am I the kind of person who beats someone up at the slightest disagreement?"

Mr. Hao's mouth twitched.

Isn't that what you're known for?

You’re the one who beats people up at the slightest provocation, just like a sea patrol demon. Who in the Imperial City doesn't know about you?

But he forced a smile and said, "That's not what I meant. Mrs. Hao misspoke and offended you first, so it's only right that you teach her a lesson."

"However, I beg you to show mercy and spare her, for the sake of her son and their difficult situation."

Jiang Chun sneered. "Cut the pity act. Don't play dumb with me. You set her up to target my father, didn’t you? As a matchmaker, how could you not know?"

Before Mr. Hao could respond, she snorted again and said, "Originally, I only wanted to warn her not to bother my father anymore. But she insisted on proving her innocence through death, aiming for the stone pillars in front of my fabric store. How could I let her dirty my shop's ground?

"So, I had to teach her a lesson the hard way—by sending her to the afterlife."

Mr. Hao: "..."

Although he guessed that Jiang Chun was only talking big and wouldn't actually beat his sister to death in broad daylight, not beating her to death didn’t mean she wouldn’t be beaten into disability.

Mrs. Hao and her nephew were living with him, and his wife was already resentful, often cursing them under her breath.

If Mrs. Hao were to be beaten into disability, his wife wouldn’t want to take care of a cripple and would kick them out.

So he frantically bowed and begged, "Jiang Niangzi, we were wrong. My sister and I had improper thoughts and shouldn't have targeted Young Master Jiang. We'll never dare again. Please show mercy and spare my sister's life!"

Jiang Chun kicked Mrs. Hao's butt absentmindedly and snorted coldly. "Your sister isn’t saying a word, which shows she doesn’t agree with you at all."

Mrs. Hao was indeed resentful. She hadn’t even made a move on Young Master Jiang yet and had already been beaten. It was too unfair.

And since she had already taken the beating, if she gave up now, wouldn’t it be a loss?

So she remained silent.

The promise was made by her brother, not her, and if Jiang Chun brought it up later, she would have something to say.

However, Jiang Chun was sharp and saw through her little scheme immediately.

Afraid that his sister would really be beaten severely, Mr. Hao quickly half-knelt and said to Mrs. Hao, "Sister, quickly tell Jiang Niangzi that you'll never bother Young Master Jiang again."

Mrs. Hao tightly pressed her lips, tears welling up from the pain, but she remained silent.

Jiang Chun looked down at her and turned to Jiang He. "Father, give me a hemp rope."

Jiang He quickly took out a thick hemp rope used to secure chairs and tables and handed it to Jiang Chun.

Jiang Chun held the hemp rope in one hand and swung the other end playfully. With a sarcastic tone, she said, "Oh, what a brave little thing you are!"

Then she turned fierce. "I see you need to hit rock bottom before you’ll learn your lesson. In that case, I’ll show you what I’m capable of."

Indeed, a tough, street-smart woman like her was different from those delicate noblewomen. Her straightforward approach seemed to have hit a snag.

But it didn’t matter. She had spent years in the village and frequently visited the town. She had ways to deal with someone like Mrs. Hao, a tough nut to crack.

She bent down and grabbed Mrs. Hao, pulling her up. She then slapped her twice, leaving her face swollen and red.

After that, she dragged Mrs. Hao to the entrance of the Han Family Grain Store, pushed her against the stone pillar by the door, and quickly tied her to the pillar.

Jiang Chun folded her arms behind her back and walked around the pillar, smiling as she said, "Since Mrs. Hao isn't afraid of getting beaten, I won't waste my energy on her.

I’ll leave you here for everyone in the West Market to see what kind of shameless widow you are.

It would be best if your son could see what kind of mother you really are. When he marries, he’ll know not to choose a wife as shameless as you."

She then turned to the Song family servants following her and said, "You nine, divide into three shifts and take turns guarding her here. Make sure she doesn't escape."

The servants all responded in unison.

After a moment of thought, she added another order, "Remind Mr. Hao to send his sister meals three times a day. If she starves to death, we'll send Mr. Hao to the authorities and charge him with the murder of his own sister."

The servants again responded in unison.

Mr. Hao: "……"

This was the busiest part of the West Market, with the densest flow of people.

With his sister tied up here for all to see, it wouldn’t take long for everyone in the West Market—and eventually the entire Imperial City—to learn about her failed attempt to seduce Young Master Jiang and the humiliation she suffered at the hands of his daughter.

This was a classic case of losing the battle and ending up worse off. Not only had she been beaten, but her reputation was also ruined.

Even if his sister managed to keep her life, there would be no chance of remarriage. Who would want to marry her as a second wife? No decent man would risk becoming a cuckold.

Panicking, he dropped to his knees and begged, "Jiang Niangzi, please, have mercy on my sister. She’s foolish and doesn’t understand right from wrong. For the sake of her ten-year-old son, spare her life!"

Jiang Chun shrugged and feigned innocence, "I'd like to spare her, but she’s brought this on herself. What can I do? I’m just as helpless as you are."

With that, she turned and headed towards the neighboring Chun'an Fabric Store.

Gui Zhi quickly followed, holding a bundle of jewelry wrapped in a handkerchief.

Inside the fabric store, Gui Zhi had a servant bring over a chair for her lady to sit on, and she efficiently helped her put on the jewelry.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Chun was once again a noblewoman dressed in fine silks and adorned with hairpins.

Zheng Kun hurried down the wooden stairs, saying with a smile, "I was settling accounts upstairs and just heard that you had a fight with Mr. Hao's sister. I was on my way to watch the excitement."

He didn’t need to worry—whether or not she was learning martial arts from Coach Yu, she could handle Mrs. Hao easily.

Jiang Chun grinned, "Cousin, you’re out of the loop. You missed the show."

She had been about to say that he was late even to eat, but considering her status as the Song family’s Eldest Madam, she chose a more elegant phrase.

Zheng Kun scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, "Watching the excitement is important, but I had to finish settling the accounts first, or I'd have to start over."

Jiang Chun gave him a thumbs up, "Uncle was right. Cousin, you’re truly meticulous and responsible. I couldn't be more at ease leaving the store in your care."

Zheng Kun blushed at her praise and humbly replied, "I'm just learning as I go. There are many things I still need to learn. As long as you don't think I'm stupid, cousin, that's enough."

Jiang Chun took the opportunity to praise him some more.

Zheng Kun eventually couldn't take the compliments and hurriedly changed the subject, "Cousin, would you like to take a look at the account books? It might give you a better idea of things."

This was exactly why Jiang Chun had come over today, so she nodded, "Alright, since I'm free anyway, looking at the account books won't hurt."

Zheng Kun hurriedly led the way, guiding her up to the second floor.

He stopped in front of the door marked "Shopkeeper's Room," used his key to open it, pushed the door open, and ushered Jiang Chun inside.

The shopkeeper's room was furnished simply, modeled after a modern office.

On the east side, a large desk dominated the space, with Zheng Kun's armchair behind it and two armchairs in front.

Along the wall, there was a file cabinet with drawers for storing account books and other documents.

On the west side, a rectangular tea table stood, with six armchairs on either side.

There was no other furniture besides these items.

Zheng Kun pulled out an armchair and invited Jiang Chun to sit.

Jiang Chun didn't take the seat but instead sat on the opposite armchair, smiling. "Why are you being so formal with me, cousin?"

Zheng Kun smiled and didn't insist further. He walked to the file cabinet, opened it with his key, and took out a red-covered account book, placing it in front of her.

Jiang Chun reached out, opened the account book, and flipped through the pages.

The more she read, the more her brows furrowed.

The complicated ancient accounting method gave her a headache and made her eyes cross.

It was time to introduce the modern double-entry accounting system.

But to avoid revealing her secret, this task had to be handed over to Zhong Wenjin.

Once back at the estate, she would subtly guide Zhong Wenjin to take the initiative, ensuring she took the bait.

Then she could sit back and enjoy the benefits.

She roughly flipped through a few pages and went straight to the end, feeling a little surprised.

Chun'an Fabric Store had only been open for just two months, yet the net profit had already reached 120 taels of silver, averaging 60 taels per month.

That would amount to about 600 taels annually.

After deducting the annual rent of over 300 taels, the annual profit would be about 300 taels.

While the store was theirs and didn't require rent, leasing it out in such a prime location could fetch around 300 taels.

This should be considered a cost.

Of course, it was just moving money from one pocket to another, as it would eventually end up in her own pocket.

But accounting shouldn't be done that way.

She said happily, "An average monthly profit of 60 taels? Our Fabric Store's business is quite good, isn't it?"

Zheng Kun also smiled.

After a moment, he reminded her, "Cousin, there's something you shouldn't forget.

When we first opened, we ran a promotion—buy three feet, get one free—so many people came to buy fabric."

After the event ended, the number of customers dropped significantly.

So it might not be possible to earn sixty taels of silver every month in the following months.

Jiang Chun smiled and said, "What's the big deal? We can have events every now and then, like this festival or that day, offering deals such as 'buy three, get one free,' 'buy four, get one free,' or even 'buy five, get one free.' People will definitely rush to grab the deals.

Besides, everyone needs to make new clothes at the end of the year, and the common folks will basically come to the West Market to buy fabric. We might even do better in the twelfth month than we did when we first opened.

On average, we should still be able to make around sixty taels of silver per month."

Zheng Kun immediately gave her a thumbs up and said, "Cousin, you've got great guts. Most shops wouldn't be willing to spend so much money like this."

Jiang Chun said with a smile, "You have to spend money to make money, and in the end, we won’t lose out."

After thinking for a moment, she added a reminder, "There's something you said that's not quite right. The managers and owners of other shops aren't stupid. When they see that we're attracting a large number of customers with our events, they'll likely copy us, and their discounts might be even bigger than ours.

You need to be ready for that and not freak out if it happens."

After all, every modern merchant has been through a price war.

Many small businesses even face cutthroat competition, where a bunch of large businesses collude to drastically lower prices in order to take down these small businesses.

Then those big players would collude to jack up prices again.

Jiang Chun wasn't afraid of this.

Since it’s my own shop, I can factor in the rent when business is good, and ignore it when things are slow.

Moreover, I have the fabrics I get from the check-in rewards. If push comes to shove, I can use these fabrics as a gimmick for events to lure the rich customers who usually shop in the East Market.

In a price war, I’m not going to be the one losing out.