Chapter 91: Buying a Whole Street of Shops, Chu Hongyu Shocked

Chapter 91 Purchasing an Entire Street of Shops—Chu Hongyu's Shock

Bing Jingyao and Bing Jingwan, two little ones, widened their eyes in amazement, their gazes darting around as they exclaimed, "Uncle's home is huge!"

Nan Jinping affectionately ruffled the children’s heads. "This isn’t just Uncle’s place—it’s yours now too!"

Hearing this, Aunt Bing looked away, not wanting anyone to see her reddened eyes. Yaoniang and Wanniang’s eyes grew misty too. "Thank you, Uncle."

"No need for thanks," Nan Jinping replied gently, his demeanor warm and kind. "You’re Wengu’s kin—that makes us family."

Yaoniang gazed at him with adoration. "Uncle, you’ve changed so much! Not only have you become incredibly handsome, but your personality is different too. Back in the village, you hardly ever interacted with the family, always keeping your head down and staying silent, as if you were shy. But now, you’re so gentle and kind—just like the poem our teacher taught us: *A jade-like gentleman, unmatched in this world!*"

Nan Jinping laughed at the little girl’s earnest and effusive praise. He didn’t feel shy like he might’ve before—after all, he’d grown accustomed to such flattery, especially since Wen Gu showered him with compliments as easily as breathing.

"Thank you for the kind words, Yaoniang," Nan Jinping replied graciously.

"I like the way you are now, Uncle!" Yaoniang declared immediately.

"I like Uncle too," Wanniang, the quieter of the two, chimed in from Aunt Bing’s other side.

Nan Jinping smiled. "And I like both Yaoniang and Wanniang."

"Dad, Mom, you’ve had a long trip. Let’s get you settled first—we can talk more tonight."

The Bing family split up to their own quarters to unpack.

Nan Jinping turned to Miao Shi. "Mom, come with me. I’ve bought a three-section compound for you in Jixian."

As he led the Nan family outside, Gu Shi couldn’t contain her excitement. "I thought we’d have to stay with the Bings for a while until we found a suitable place. I never expected Jin Geer to have already arranged everything—that’s so sweet of you! A three-section compound? That must be enormous! I’ve never stepped foot in one, much less owned one!"

Miao Shi side-eyed Gu Shi, her heart dropped instead of lifting.

"Jin Geer, why did you buy such a big house for us? We don’t need that much space, and think of the cost!" Miao Shi fretted, unwilling to let her son spend so much on his birth family.

"Mom, with the disaster in Jixian, most people have fled, so property prices are low. A three-section compound like this only cost around 250 to 260 strings of coins. Before the disaster, it would’ve been at least 100 strings more—it’s a bargain right now."

Though the price still pained her, Miao Shi couldn’t bring herself to scold her son for his filial gesture.

"Fine, but let me pay you back for it," Miao Shi said, quickly calculating her savings. Excluding the silver notes Nan Jinping had given her—which she’d saved as his backup—she realized she barely had enough.

"Jin Geer, I don’t have the full amount right now. I’ll give you half first and pay the rest later."

"Are you saying that because you no longer see me as your son? Just because I’m married, does that make me an outsider?" Nan Jinping pouted playfully, though his tone carried a hint of genuine hurt.

"Don’t talk like that!" Miao Shi’s eyes reddened in distress.

Nan Jinping gently took her hand. "But when you talk about repaying me, you’re breaking my heart. Since when does a son’s filial piety come with such strict accounting? A little silver isn’t something you should ever have to pay back."

Miao Shi searched his eyes and found nothing but sincerity and warmth.

"You’ve become so eloquent—I can’t argue with you anymore," Miao Shi sighed, though she still sounded uneasy. "Jin Geer, of course I don’t see you as an outsider. Your thoughtfulness makes me happy. But I’m concerned about what your husband might think..."

Without hesitation, Nan Jinping replied, "I bought the house with my own money. He’s got no say in it—just live there without worry."

Miao Shi knew from Nan Dalang that Nan Jinping had achieved great success with his storybooks, bestsellers in Bianjing and earning a considerable sum. But she had no idea just how much.

"Jin Geer, how can you cut him out like that? You and your husband are one family now. Even the money you earn belongs to both of you—how can you claim it has nothing to do with him? If he heard you say such a thing, he’d be heartbroken!" Miao Shi chided automatically, her face stern.

Nan Jinping was momentarily stunned, not understanding why Miao Shi had suddenly become so stern. "But this money was indeed earned by me and has nothing to do with Wen Gu. What's wrong with using my own earnings to support my parents?"

Miao Shi was about to scold Nan Jinping further when Nan Dalang stopped her.

Nan Dalang cast a complicated glance at his younger brother, then leaned close to Miao Shi's ear and whispered, "Mother, you shouldn’t scold Jin Geer anymore. Have you forgotten how, last time, just because you mentioned Jin Geer in front of his husband, he stormed off and refused to work?"

"But—"

"Mother, no 'buts.' Let me put it this way: the more successful Wen Gu becomes, the more he spoils Jin Geer rotten. Nowadays, even if Jin Geer were to poke a hole in the sky, Wen Gu would just clap and cheer, calling him amazing, like the Monkey King himself."

Fearing Miao Shi might still be confused, Nan Dalang repeated with utmost seriousness, "I’m telling the truth—every word of it. If anything, the reality is even more exaggerated."

Miao Shi hesitated, unsure whether to continue scolding Nan Jinping.

"Mother, I forgot to mention—the kaleidoscope venture, the one partnered with the Marquis’s household and the Secretariat Director’s office, is actually registered under Jin Geer’s name. That means if Jin Geer and Wen Gu were to split up, it would all count as dowry and be taken away by Jin Geer." As Nan Dalang said this, he himself seemed dazed. He still couldn’t comprehend why Bing Wengu would transfer such a massive fortune to Nan Jinping. Even as Jin Geer’s elder brother, biased in his favor, he couldn’t make sense of it.

"So, Mother, don’t scold Jin Geer over such a trivial sum. To him now, that amount is peanuts."

Miao Shi’s mouth fell open in shock as she stared at Nan Jinping, as if seeing him for the first time.

Nan Jinping squirmed under her gaze. "Mother, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It seems you’re not just a lucky star reincarnated but a vixen too. You’ve got Bing Dalang so bewitched, his clever head turns to mush around you." Miao Shi accidentally blurted out her thoughts.

"Mother!" Embarrassed beyond words, Nan Jinping wished he could sink through the floor.

Realizing what she’d said, Miao Shi clapped a hand over her mouth and awkwardly urged, "Let’s go, let’s go! I’m dying to see the house."

She quickened her pace and hurried off. Gu Shi quietly tugged Nan Dalang’s sleeve from behind. "Just how much did Jin Geer earn from his storybooks? To gift such an expensive house so casually."

Nan Dalang glanced at her. "They don’t count their money in front of me. How would I know?"

In Ji County now, everything was abundant except people. Large houses were plentiful, and this one had been personally chosen by Nan Jinping—a three-section compound with ample rooms and, most importantly, two small gardens, front and back. Come spring, flowers would bloom, creating a beautiful scene in summer.

The Nan family oohed and aahed at every turn, buzzing with excitement, everyone brimming with joy.

After the tour, Miao Shi doled out the rooms. The main courtyard naturally went to her and Father Nan, while the others were distributed according to seniority.

Once the rooms were allotted, Nan Jinping handed over the deeds to Miao Shi in front of everyone.

When Miao Shi opened them, she saw her and Father Nan’s names listed as the owners.

Tears welled up in her eyes once more, moved by Nan Jinping’s thoughtfulness.

This simple act of adding her name meant everything—it was as if a drifter had finally put down roots. With her name on the deed, this house truly belonged to her as well.

Now, even if she and Father Nan were to split up, he couldn’t simply kick her out with nothing. This home was half hers; a split would only mean splitting it down the middle. And if their sons wished to inherit the property in the future, it would no longer be solely Father Nan’s decision—Miao Shi’s signature would be required. This was her real, tangible home.

Choked up, she kept repeating, "My Jin Geer, my dear Jin Geer!"

Seeing Miao Shi’s name on the deed, Father Nan wasn’t angered but rather pleased. After so many years together, he had never considered splitting up with Miao Shi, so he had never thought to exclude her from ownership.

That evening, when Wen Gu returned from duty, both the Nan and Wen families waited for him. The moment he appeared in his official robes, the entire room held its breath.

If Nan Jinping’s transformation had been from an illiterate villager to a refined gentleman, as if reborn—then Wen Gu’s change was even more drastic. From a rough villager, he had become a man of formidable power, like an untouchable bigwig.

Back in the village, Wen Gu had occasionally oozed authority. Now, an aura of power surrounded him entirely, as if he could move heaven and earth with a mere gesture.

The unspoken pressure from the Bings and Nans had everyone holding their breath.

When Miao Shi first saw Nan Jinping, she hardly recognized him, and neither did Liang Shi—was this even her eldest son anymore?

Liang Shi pinched her thigh hard to keep herself from bursting into tears in front of everyone.

“My god, is that Da Lang?” He Shi whispered in astonishment. “He’s gotten even more intimidating!”

“I’m a little scared,” Bing Wulang murmured.

“Yeah, he looks pretty scary,” Bing Sanniang muttered under her breath.

Yaoniang and Wanniang clung tightly to Aunt Bing’s sleeves. Though Aunt Bing herself was somewhat frightened, she still comforted the two children in a low voice, “Don’t be afraid. Have you forgotten? It was your eldest uncle who rescued the four of us from that wolf’s den.”

“Mm, I’m not afraid.”

“Me neither.”

Even as they said this, their small bodies still pressed closely against Aunt Bing.

On the Nan family’s side, Miao Shi herself was taken aback. She began to doubt what her son had told her.

Miao Shi whispered, “A son-in-law like this would actually spoil Jin Geer rotten like you said?”

“Absolutely true. Though when I left, my brother-in-law didn’t have such an overwhelming presence. Being an official really does something to a man.”

Bing Wengu, eagle-eyed, noticed all the subtle reactions from both families but pretended not to. He first gave Nan Jinping a gentle smile.

Seeing this smile, Miao Shi patted her chest in relief. “He’s still the same son-in-law—that lovesick grin, still the besotted fool who’d lose his wits for beauty.”

Bing Wengu said, “Father, Mother, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, you’ve just arrived. We should’ve thrown a bigger welcome feast, but given the severe famine in Ji County and the extreme shortage of food, this spread’s pretty humble. I hope you won’t mind.”

The two families gathered together, taking up three tables.

The seating arrangement no longer followed the old custom of separating by gender—all because of Bing Wengu’s stance.

He cherished Nan Jinping and did not discriminate based on his gender, so no one in the household dared to bring it up.

The head seats at the main table were naturally reserved for Bing Wengu and Nan Jinping. To Bing Wengu’s left sat Bing’s father, Liang Shi, and Bing Silang, while to Nan Jinping’s right sat Nan’s father, Miao Shi, and Nan Dalang.

The seating was arranged by Miao Shi and Liang Shi, a quiet show of which family’s kids called the shots. Neither family objected to this arrangement.

“Not at all, not at all!” Miao Shi quickly reassured. “This is plenty fancy enough.”

Nan’s father added, “Along the way, we’ve seen the state of Ji County’s people. As the county magistrate, you must set the example. As your parents-in-law, we naturally shouldn’t indulge in extravagance.”

Liang Shi chimed in, “Given the conditions our families used to live in, we’d have never seen food this good even during New Year’s. Now that we can enjoy it, who are we to complain?”

Bing’s father also said, “Da Lang, don’t worry about us. Your official duties come first now. Whatever you need us to do, we’ll do it. Even if we end up eating dirt again, we’ll manage.”

“Thank you, Father, Mother, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, for your understanding.” Bing Wengu poured himself a cup of tea. “I have official business tomorrow and cannot drink, so let me toast you all with tea instead. Thank you for trusting me and traveling all this way to join me.”

Bing Wengu knocked back his cup and turned it upside down. The others, including the parents from both families, hurriedly raised their cups in response.

When plates were nearly clean, Bing Wengu asked, “What are you all thinking for next steps?”

Miao Shi said, “With the recipes you gave us, I plan to open another tofu workshop here. Though Ji County is suffering from famine, tofu’s cheap eats. Regular folks can still swing it, so there’ll be a market.”

Bing Wengu looked at Liang Shi and Old Man Bing, who were both stunned. They had no plans for the future—weren’t they here to lean on their son? But what did their eldest son mean by this? Was he saying he wouldn’t just take care of them and instead wanted them to be self-sufficient? What could they even do?

The elderly couple, not well-traveled, could only turn to Bing Silang, the second most knowledgeable person in the family.

Bing Silang wanted to suggest doing business with red and green fermented bean curd but then remembered his elder brother had already given those recipes to the Nan family. Unable to think of anything else, he just stared at each other, lost.

Miao Shi jumped in, "When Da Lang returned, he mentioned you had given him two new recipes—red and green fermented bean curd. Silang knows how to make them too. Why not let our in-laws handle those? I already have enough with the tofu recipes."

Miao Shi didn’t hide the fact about the red and green fermented bean curd recipes. After all, Bing Wengu’s status was now different—what was given was given, and no one would dare complain.

Bing Wengu shook his head. "Those two recipes are for my in-laws to keep. Additionally, I’ll provide an oil-pressing recipe so they can open an oil mill. The people of Ji County are in need of oil."

Miao Shi blinked in shock. How could there be even more recipes?

Bing Wengu glanced around, satisfied that the Bing family no longer had any objections to his words. It seemed they had been whipped into shape and were now ready to be of use.

"Dad, Mom, what I meant was, if the family has no immediate plans, why not follow my arrangements?"

"Elder Brother, you call the shots. Our family will listen to you," Bing Silang eagerly chimed in before anyone else could respond.

The reason was simple—he knew all too well that his elder brother’s plans were always beneficial.

Bing Wengu nodded. "Good, then it’s settled. The family will establish a glass workshop."

"What workshop? A glass workshop?" Bing Silang almost choked. Had he heard correctly?

Glass? Colored glaze?

Nan’s eldest brother gasped. He knew all too well how valuable glass was—even a small kaleidoscope made from glass cost a fortune. To directly manufacture glass—how enormous would the profits be?

"Elder Brother, do you... do you also have a recipe for making glass?" Bing Silang’s voice trembled.

"I do," Bing Wengu replied indifferently.

This sent both families into a frenzy.

Bing Silang said shakily, "I knew following Elder Brother was always the right move."

"Then stick with me and work hard," Bing Wengu said. "Right now, Ji County is suffering from drought—land is plentiful, but people are scarce. Prime street-front shops are selling for pennies. My suggestion is, if you have money, snap up a whole block of storefronts. I guarantee their value will triple within a year. As for the workshop location, choose the outskirts—it’s even cheaper there. My advice remains the same: buy now while prices are low."

The two families looked at each other nervously. This would require a hefty sum—the problem was, they didn’t have that much on hand.

Bing Wengu noticed their predicament but didn’t step in to help.

He had already acted as their backer and provided the recipes—he couldn’t possibly supply the silver too. If so, what good were they? Just to mooch off him?

The families seemed to realize this as well, and none dared to ask Bing Wengu or Nan Jinping for money.

Instead, it was Nan Jinping who stepped up, using his own silver to purchase an entire street and several properties.

Even for Nan Jinping, the county magistrate’s spouse, filing the deeds at the yamen was necessary.

His appearance raised a few eyebrows in the yamen. Chu Hongyu, who naturally recognized the new magistrate’s spouse, assumed he had come looking for Bing Wengu and hurriedly said, "Magistrate Bing’s spouse, Magistrate Bing is busy with official duties in the back. If you’re here to see him, I’ll have someone fetch him right away."

Nan Jinping shook his head. "I’m not here for him. I’ve bought a few properties and came to register the transfers."

Chu Hongyu beckoned to his subordinates. "Get over here and help Magistrate Bing’s spouse with the paperwork."

He didn’t leave immediately, instead staying to observe what Nan Jinping had purchased. To his astonishment, Nan Jinping pulled out stack after stack of property deeds.

By the end, the clerk in charge of registration was completely numb, and Chu Hongyu's expression momentarily slipped out of control.

Chu Hongyu swallowed hard. "Were all these shops and properties purchased by Magistrate Bing's spouse in just the past few days?"

Nan Jinping didn’t think it needed hiding and nodded.

"Don’t... don’t you need to discuss this with Magistrate Bing?"

Nan Jinping smiled slightly. "This is within my authority."

At the same time, Chu Hongyu noticed that Nan Jinping had registered all these shops and properties under his own name, which left him stunned.

Such vast property holdings were entirely under Nan Jinping’s name—how was this allowed? After all, officials were not permitted to engage in business, so fixed assets became one of the few legitimate ways for them to accumulate wealth. Many officials would buy shops and estates, with rental income and estate yields considered legitimate income.

But now, all these assets that could have legally belonged to Bing Wengu were registered under Nan Jinping’s name. How could Chu Hongyu not be astonished?

Unable to hold back, Chu Hongyu asked, "Magistrate Bing’s spouse, if everything is under your name, shouldn’t you at least discuss it with Magistrate Bing?"

Nan Jinping smiled but said nothing.

Once the transfer was complete, Nan Jinping left with the deeds in hand.

The clerk in charge of registration, looking utterly bewildered, said to Chu Hongyu, "Registrar Chu, wasn’t there talk in the yamen that Magistrate Bing came from a poor farming family? How could his spouse just buy an entire street and several large estates in a single transaction? Even with Jixian County’s economy declining, all that must have cost thousands of taels."

"How could he possibly have that much money?" Chu Hongyu wondered aloud.

Just then, the Nan family arrived—Bing Wengu’s in-laws. Though they hadn’t been in town long, Chu Hongyu certainly recognized them.

"Uncle Nan, Aunt Nan, are you here to see Magistrate Bing's spouse? He just left," Chu Hongyu said politely.

"No," Miao Shi waved her hand. "I bought a few shops and a plot of land. I’m here to register them."

"What?" Chu Hongyu nearly doubted his own ears.

But he hadn’t misheard. Miao Shi was indeed there for the transfer, though her acquisitions were merely three shops and a plot of land, along with filed applications for various permits to build workshops and an oil mill on the land.

Thanks to Bing Wengu’s influence as the county magistrate, processes that typically took days were expedited immediately.

"Registrar, the Nan family seems quite wealthy too! They hardly seem like they come from a farming background at all," the clerk remarked.

Before the clerk could finish speaking, the elder Bings and Bing Silang walked in.

Learning from earlier encounters, Chu Hongyu didn’t ask if they were there to see Bing Wengu. Instead, he inquired, "Uncle Bing, Aunt Bing, are you also here for a property transfer?"

Liang Shi looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"Magistrate Bing’s in-laws and his spouse were just here to register their purchases."

"They sure moved fast," Liang Shi said with a smile.

Chu Hongyu noticed that Liang Shi showed no surprise whatsoever about Nan Jinping buying shops and estates. Carefully testing, he said, "Magistrate Bing’s spouse bought an entire street’s worth of shops and several large estates—that’s an impressive dowry."

Government officials wouldn’t speak bluntly. Unlike villagers who might outright say Nan Jinping registered everything under his own name, they would discreetly frame it as a dowry.

A dowry was a shuang’s* private property. By mentioning its size, Chu Hongyu was subtly implying that Nan Jinping had taken ownership of all those assets for himself. * A historical term for male spouses in certain contexts.