Chapter 71

Chapter 71

After the last stall session, Zhong Yizhu basically shut himself away in the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain, starting to prepare the incense products needed for the shop opening.

On the other side, Sun Yunniang's progress was also going smoothly. Since many people had been selected, everyone was racing against each other, striving not to fall behind, and the embroidery pieces used for practice improved day by day.

Sun Yunniang kept her own work as a model; as long as someone reached that threshold, she would accept it. Of course, if someone had the ability to embroider with a different spirit, they didn't have to strictly follow her example. But for now, no one in the village had such skill, so everyone still copied her embroidery.

The incense pills in the shop now came in many varieties, each paired with different patterns of scented sachets and pouches, totaling over a dozen types. Although Sun Yunniang taught everyone each one, she worried that they would all choose the simpler patterns to embroider, causing a shortage of stock. Therefore, she differentiated the purchase prices based on the complexity of the patterns and asked everyone to coordinate so they wouldn't all embroider the same things repeatedly.

As for the Wang couple, they were also tirelessly making wooden boxes. The next month would start sowing, which meant farm work, and they had to tend to the fields, afraid of neglecting this task. So they wanted to make a batch in advance. Having accompanied Sun Yunniang in setting up stalls for over a month, they knew how popular the incense products were at the market, so they had full confidence in the new shop.

They still worked in the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain. Originally, they thought that since Zhong Yizhu was making incense there, they should maintain some distance to avoid suspicion. After all, they now knew that the most valuable thing about the incense shop was the recipes. Even though Zhong Yizhu didn't avoid them, they should still be careful.

But Zhong Yizhu said that until the shop opened, having them work there would keep others from figuring out the details. Otherwise, with so many boxes being transported daily—even if they were just preparing materials—people who saw them might not believe it, and it would only invite jealousy.

So the couple settled into making wooden boxes. Over the winter, they had earned nearly four taels of silver from box-making, which was already a year's spending for an ordinary farming family, not counting the batch they were preparing for the shop opening. The more they worked, the more motivated they became, feeling that life was full of hope.

As they worked more, their hands became skilled. Pei Mu gave them a new box design, much more complex and delicate, and they mastered it in just two days.

Pei Mu said this new box would be priced at six wen. Although the monthly demand was half that of the ordinary boxes, it was still a significant amount! Wang Ping'an and Chen Xiaorong spent all day carving wood, paying little attention to outside matters, until Chen Xiaorong's maternal family sent word that his mother was ill. Only then did the couple put down their work and rush back to visit.

Chen Xiaorong's maternal home was a bit farther than Liu Village, which was adjacent to River Village. It took over half an hour to walk there.

Chen Xiaorong and Wang Ping'an had come in a hurry without bringing anything, but they had brought silver. The Chen family's life was modest. Chen Xiaorong, hearing the vague message from the messenger, feared his mother had fallen seriously ill and that the family might not have money on hand. He and Wang Ping'an had no misunderstandings between them, so there was no need to ask further. Wang Ping'an naturally shared his urgency and wouldn't mind such things.

They hurried to the village and entered the house, only to find Chen's mother sitting properly in the main room. Although her complexion wasn't rosy, she showed no signs of illness. Chen Xiaorong hesitated and asked, "Mother, Dahuzi came to our village saying you were sick. Are you alright? Did he spread false news?"

Chen's mother was silent for a moment, not speaking. Sitting beside her was Chen Xiaorong's brother-in-law (his elder brother's husband). Chen Xiaorong's elder brother was ten years older and taciturn, so Chen Xiaorong had never been very close to him. After his brother married, his brother-in-law turned out to be sharp-tongued and domineering, openly and covertly belittling Chen Xiaorong several times. Chen Xiaorong knew his brother's husband didn't like him.

Before Chen Xiaorong married out, life wasn't easy for him. Although his parents treated him well, his brother's husband couldn't stand him. He felt that as a lad, he didn't pull his weight, framing him several times. His elder brother always remained silent, and his parents, who would rely on the eldest son for support in old age, mostly played peacemaker. That just made his brother's husband more arrogant, causing Chen Xiaorong much grievance.

Later, he married into the Wang family and finally lived a life free from mistreatment. With distance between them, he occasionally missed his parents and some of his resentment toward his brother and brother-in-law faded. After he married out, no longer consuming the family's resources, his brother's husband's attitude got a bit better, at least on the surface.

Now, seeing his mother was fine, and that his elder brother and brother-in-law were in the main room, along with his father, who usually liked to idle in the fields, smoking his pipe, Chen Xiaorong sensed something was off. Then his brother's husband put on a sickly sweet voice that gave Chen Xiaorong goosebumps.

"Oh, your ma's fine. We just missed you, Rong Ge'er, so we had Dahuzi deliver the message. Maybe Dahuzi got mixed up. It's been a while, and we've really missed Rong Ge'er."

Chen Xiaorong didn't respond, and the other continued, "I only heard a few days ago that the lad Zhong from Liushan Village is starting an incense business. I heard he's even opening a shop. And I heard he married into the Pei family, that Hunter Pei you're friendly with, right?"

Chen Xiaorong already had a good idea what he was after. He answered flatly, "So what?"

His brother's husband's face stiffened. He glanced at the little kid playing with insects in the yard outside and said pitifully, "Rong Ge'er, you know what life is like for us. Tiedan and Erwa didn't even get new clothes last New Year. We only have so much land. Your elder brother hasn't found decent work all winter to save any silver. With so many mouths to feed, the burden on us is heavy. I thought, since you and your husband are close with Hunter Pei and have gotten work from them, maybe you could put in a word for your elder brother and me. After all, we're blood brothers, a family. It'd be better to work together."

Chen Xiaorong looked at the room full of people. His parents were silent, his elder brother wore a look of entitlement. A lump formed in Chen Xiaorong's chest, and he repeated "Good" three times, his voice flat.

His brother-in-law, thinking he agreed, started to smile, only to be scolded harshly.

"Like hell you will! Remember the face you made when you found out we were dealing with Pei Mu? Now you want to take advantage of them? It's too late! Don't play the victim with me. Remember when you swiped my new clothes to alter for your own kids? They didn't have new clothes for New Year? Why didn't you tear up your own clothes for them? When we came to pay New Year's respects, weren't you showing off your new clothes?"

His brother's husband's smile turned sour. He burst out angrily, "If you don't want to help your brother, just say so! Why bring up the past? You ungrateful little…! You only care about yourself, ignoring your own brother and brother-in-law. Ma, Pa, take a good look at the precious son you raised!"

Wang Ping'an interjected, "It's not our gig. Brother's husband, why talk about helping? Rong Ge'er and I aren't that capable. Rong Ge'er is a good man—we already know that."

Chen Xiaorong stared at his elder brother for a while. Though Feng Zhi had done all the talking, he knew his brother was fully aware.

He looked at his parents again, ignored Feng Zhi's ranting, and pulled Wang Ping'an out of the house.

They didn't stop until they were far from the village. His hand was still trembling.

Wang Ping'an put an arm around his shoulder, calming him. "Don't think about it, Rong Ge'er. Let's not think about it. Just pretend it's nothing."

Chen Xiaorong's eyes blurred with tears, which he couldn't wipe away. He knew that after this, he might never be able to go back to that home. But he didn't regret it.

He could tell who truly treated them well. He couldn't blindly favor someone just because they were family. Even in Liu Village, many people had no work. They were quietly making money, so how could they shamelessly drag their own relatives into it?

Moreover, Feng Zhi's character was not trustworthy. If trouble arose, they would be letting down Pei Xiongdi and Zhu Ge'er.

The round trip took less than two hours. Seeing it was still bright, they went back to the small courtyard to work.

Zhong Yizhu saw they returned quickly and, upon learning it was just a minor cold, felt relieved. He advised them not to overwork themselves, as getting sick would be a loss.

Chen Xiaorong looked at his concerned expression, nodded, and felt a pang in his heart. He held back his feelings and replied, "Zhu Ge'er, you should rest well too. Once the shop opens, there'll be plenty to do."

They parted ways to mind their own business. The Chen Xiaorong couple had no intention of telling Zhong Yizhu and his husband about this incident; they didn't even plan to mention it. But in the village, secrets were hard to keep, even from neighboring villages. Add to that the commotion at the Chen house that day, and Zhong Yizhu and his husband eventually heard about it from others.

If the other party had been decent, helping out would have been fine. Given their relationship with Wang Ping'an and Chen Xiaorong, it wouldn't have been a big deal, even if they were from another village, as long as it was through family ties. No one could complain.

But Chen Xiaorong's elder brother and his husband were clearly troublemakers. If they had treated Chen Xiaorong well, Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu would have heard him mention them at least once. Seeing that their brother was doing slightly better, they immediately clung to him, causing trouble. What kind of people were they?

Both Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu tacitly avoided mentioning it to the Wang couple, treating them as usual. This disappointed some villagers who had deliberately spread the news to sow discord, hoping to push the Wangs out and give themselves a chance. But that plan failed.

The village had few households, but plenty of twists and turns. While some people worked hard and moved forward, others tried to drag down those doing well and take their place.

·

During this time, if there was one thing in the village that attracted the most attention, it was the family in the small courtyard at the foot of the eastern mountain.

When Sun Yunniang first taught embroidery, some people made snide remarks. They said Zhong Yizhu talked a good game, but when it came down to it, he would probably be as picky as the embroidery shops in town, rejecting their work for being poorly done.

But when women actually started selling sachets and earning silver, exactly as Zhong Yizhu had promised, and at higher prices than the town embroidery shops and cloth merchants, the snide remarks vanished completely.

Especially as more and more women, Fulang, young men, and girls got work and earned money, during this off-season when even men couldn't find jobs, whoever made money stood tall. Everyone envied them, and everyone wanted an extra income at home.

Under the big tree at the village entrance, people talked every day about the Pei and Zhong families. Now, of course, "Pei family" referred only to Pei Mu. They heard that the couple would open a shop on the third day of the next month. "Like father, like son," they said. After all, Zhong Yizhu was the biological son of Zhong Lao'er, and he was truly talented.

One aunt whose daughter had been selected to learn embroidery had already sold over a dozen sachets and brought home over a hundred wen. Afraid of jealousy, she didn't reveal the exact amount, but she praised to the curious villagers:

"You don't know, Miss Sun pays so promptly! Even my husband, after all these years looking for work in town, has rarely met such a generous employer. I'm not just saying this because I've benefited. Ask anyone—as long as your embroidery meets the standard, you get paid immediately. Where else can you find such a good employer in these parts? My daughter Qian is so motivated, I'm worried she'll hurt her eyes."

The others advised her to be careful and take care of her health so she could keep working. The aunt agreed, then praised Zhong Yizhu, his mother, and even Pei Mu. No one disagreed.

Many families in the village secretly regretted not pursuing Zhong Yizhu as a spouse. He wasn't a poor young man; he was a god of wealth! Alas, they were blind.

But it wasn't too late. Zhong Yizhu was still willing to help the villagers. If they didn't have a chance now, they might in the future. As his business grew, he would need more people.

The Liu family lived near the village entrance. Hearing the chatter outside, the whole family felt terrible. If they had been sincere back then, would Zhong Yizhu have married into their family? It was too late for regrets now. They had deeply offended Zhong Yizhu and his mother, and that troublemaker Pei Mu would never let them get a share of the benefits.

Over the past half year, Liu Fulang had arranged a marriage for Li Jian. The new wife had just been welcomed after the New Year. She wasn't from Liu Village and only learned about the past events after moving in. She was already unhappy, and seeing the family wallow in regret, she couldn't take it anymore and started a fuss.

The villagers outside, hearing the commotion, gathered to watch, not even noticing the arrival of a stranger.

"Excuse me, Fulang, is this the village where Zhong Xiao Ge'er and Pei Xiongdi live?"

The voice was loud enough to make those watching the drama turn their heads. Boss Li, under the scrutiny of the crowd, instinctively stepped back. The Fulang he had asked looked at him warily. "Who are you? What do you want with them?"

Boss Li quickly explained, "I came from Songyun County to discuss business with them. I'm not a bad person." He couldn't help thinking that the villagers seemed quite protective of their own.

Upon hearing it was good news, the crowd pointed him in the right direction, as they watched the Liu family's drama unfold, they couldn't help blurting out in surprise, "Even bosses from the city have come to the village to discuss business, that's really something."

The speaker flashed a thumbs-up, and the others chimed in.

The crowd didn't swarm to watch the commotion, fearing they might disrupt the business. Besides, the Liu family had bullied Zhong and his mother before; watching this fuss might give them something to tell Zhong Yizhu and Sun Yuniang to cheer them up.

Over there, Li Youming followed the directions given by the villagers and knocked on the door of the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

The one who opened the door was Pei Mu. He glanced at the person outside, blocked the door with his body to keep him out, his expression cold and hard, and his words indifferent: "Something?"

Li Youming's face stiffened, but he quickly forced a smile: "I heard that Boss Pei is about to open a shop. I was wondering if you've already chosen a spice supplier? I came today to recommend myself. If you choose to source from me, I will give you 20% below the market price. Does this show enough sincerity for you, Boss Pei?"

Li Youming was actually quite confident; the price he offered had squeezed the profit margin very low just to secure this deal. Although he had previously followed the Liu family's instructions to give the couple the cold shoulder, and at that time they hadn't thought much of these two young men, who would have imagined that the couple could still keep the business going under such circumstances, and now they're even opening a shop!

Having been in business for so many years, he was already a seasoned veteran; what was a little pride worth? He was determined that even if Pei Mu wanted to settle old scores today and trample his dignity into the ground, he'd still admit it served him right.

He never expected that Pei Mu wouldn't even give him a chance to talk, and simply slammed the door shut, clearly refusing, not even willing to say another word.

Li Youming's face flushed red and purple; Pei Mu's action was like slapping him across the face. Even cursing him a little would at least show that the other party cared and there was still room for negotiation, but Pei Mu couldn't even be bothered to do that.

Li Youming regretted it bitterly. Back then, they had put on airs, refusing to sell spices to the couple and keeping quiet about who was really behind it, just waiting for them to come begging. But instead, they ended up losing out, and now he was the one begging, yet the other side wouldn't even accept his offer.

He didn't know whether the couple were just young and impulsive or had indeed obtained another supply channel. As far as he knew, other spice bosses shouldn't have been faster than him; he had even gone to a lot of trouble just to find out where they lived.

Li Youming left unwillingly. In the following days, two more bosses from Spice Street came, but they were all turned away.

The crowd originally thought someone had beaten them to it, but now it seemed something was off.

When the spice street bosses privately compared notes, none of them had secured the couple's business. This made them all think the couple was deliberately playing hard to get. It was one thing when they were just running a stall and buying small quantities from the neighboring county, but now that they were opening a shop, buying from the neighboring county again would be stupidly throwing money away, right? The neighboring county's spices were all shipped from their county, and Rongcheng County didn't have a dock.

The spice bosses were also feeling defiant. They agreed among themselves to make things difficult for the couple when they came to them. Each had their own thoughts, yet there was a strange solidarity, as if they were dead sure that would force the couple to give in.

...

Time passed quickly in the daily hustle and bustle.

On the second day of the third lunar month, Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu, along with Wang Ping'an and his husband, drove a cart packed to the brim with goods into the city.