Chapter 186: Waiting for the Heavens to Deal with You

Mother, don't eat what's in the bowl while staring at what's in the pot; if my cousin is willing to teach me the craft, I'll study hard, and our whole family will work together and surely buy a small courtyard like this in the Town.

Hmm, then let's all work hard together!

The next day, when it was known that guests had arrived at the house—the old Wang couple, the Qiao Mai couple, and the children—after breakfast they all went over to visit.

After exchanging a few polite words, Old Mr. Wang took the children to class.

The old lady went to feed her poultry, Qiao Mai sat at the head of the living room, watching the restrained Liu family members.

Why be nervous? I can't eat you; now that we're close, just hum whatever you lack.

Got it!

Cousin, go to the kitchen, find Zhang Momo; I've spoken with her, she'll teach you a few dishes. These days you follow her and learn well; when you've mastered them, we'll talk about the shop.

Understood, cousin!

Qiao Mai placed Ten Taels of Silver on the table and said, "Since you choose to stay at my house, at least dress cleanly and decently. Take this silver to buy cloth and make your own clothes, and also buy medicine for the lice on your hair and clear them."

Choose a room, and I'll have them vacate it!

This thing can serve as a meal and also as a snack; it's satisfying to eat. Someone who had tried liangpi in the County Town knew it was delicious, so they called their family to taste it together.

Can we really do it like that?

After Qiao Mai finished speaking, a murderous aura on her surged toward Qiao Shicheng; he let out a wail and fell onto the ox cart.

Qiao Mai stood with her hands behind her, waiting at the side of the Guan Dao.

After all that turmoil, the disaster victims living in the Qiao Family shop became much more honest; Qiao Mai handed the shop's key to Lin Hai.

If you don't acknowledge your parents and mistreat the old, just wait for the heavens to punish you.

They spent three days cleaning the interior spotless, and the outside shed was made exactly like Qiao Ji Snack Puzi.

Another three days were spent preparing all the utensils and ingredients, and only then did the small shop open on the first day of the ninth month.

So Liu Hai went back and brought the whole family into the shop; although the space wasn't as large as the Qiao Family's courtyard, it still had blue bricks and green tiles, a hundred times better than their home.

Several older women went into the shop; after a while, someone emerged carrying bedding and entered the southernmost shop.

Hmph, trading in one's own flesh and blood, regardless of their life or death, squeezing children—heaven and earth will not tolerate it. I want to see whether you die first or I die first!

The older woman saw the Master angry, hurried to the Mayor's House, reported the matter to the guards, and the guards were also angry.

Let's go with this: guard near your snack shop; I think that's better.

Qiao Mai stood in front of the shop with her hands behind her, watching; after a short while, several guards escorted four people out of the shop.

The guard captain paused briefly and whispered to her.

Did their house collapse?

Thank you for your hard work!

The snack shop became bustling for a while; Liu Hai set the price of liangpi, mixed noodles, and sour and spicy noodles at fifteen wen per bowl, and oil‑fried pastries at five wen for two.

She brought him to the front of the shop; some of the disaster victims inside had not yet left.

In a while, call your family to move here, then tidy this place up properly; it's not clean enough. Remember, when making food, it must be clean; don't be stingy with things—if they're spoiled, throw them away. Never let customers eat spoiled food; it must be fresh.

These three snacks, regardless of the time, if you want to eat, just come; the shop stays open all day.

Let's go and take a look at the shop!

Please worry about this for me: after five days, have them all move out. Now the weather isn't cold, so sleeping outside won't freeze you, and it's not raining.

He found Qiao Mai and said, "Cousin, Zhang Momo taught me four dishes in total, and I've learned them all!"

The guard sniffed his nose and said, "Qiao Niang, he's still alive."

You know, the two from the Qiao Family and the two from the Yuan Family; since the day the shop started housing disaster victims, they've been staying there.

Someone was about to complain that it was expensive, but after hearing that someone had tried liangpi in the County Town, they fell silent; there it costs twenty wen per bowl and you have to queue.

Later, a guard summoned two ox carts; an old pair of goods from the Yuan Family were thrown onto them, and two guards boarded the carts, striking their backs hard with the backs of their swords.

Hmm

Qiao Niang, you're too kind.

Why haven't they moved out yet? Didn't I distribute food?

Wow, blue and blue—seeing it lifts one's spirits.

Qiao Niang is a brand; wherever she is, there are customers. Many people come just for her.

Aye, aye!

These three days at half price, two bowls for fifteen wen, compared to the County Town's price, the Town's is truly cheap.

She happily picked up a silver ingot from the table and left with her daughter‑in‑law.

Go ahead and do it; as long as you don't die, you may trouble yourselves as you wish.

Five days later, Liu Hai set out on a campaign.

Qiao Mai led him inside; a foul smell made her wrinkle her brow.

Good thing, with your words we dared to act; we've long found them unsightly, they swagger around the Town all day relying on your influence, constantly drinking and being noisy, it's driving us crazy.

Qiao Mai casually gave the guard Ten Taels of Silver, "Take people to escort them back to the village, throw them back into their homes, and if they continue to loaf and drink, send them to the County Magistrate's Office to spend a few days in prison."

Qiao Mai handed the guard captain Ten Taels of Silver, "Thanks for your effort, guard brother!"

Liu Hai's liangpi shop opened on the first day of the ninth month, and Qiao Mai had someone place a lounge chair at its doorway.

As Qiao Mai passed by, Qiao Shicheng glared at her viciously.

Their house collapsed and is being rebuilt, so they're staying here temporarily.

Seeing the shop a mess was one thing, but there were also several puddles of feces; her anger flared instantly.

Liu Hai, following the kitchen maid, learned four snacks: first liangpi, second spicy mixed noodles, third sour and spicy noodles, fourth oil‑fried fire‑bread.

Sun Shi, let's go, follow Mother to buy something; we can't disgrace my niece's reputation.

Who is it?

The person who had been shouting fell silent at once, and the Qiao Family couple, seeing this, obediently boarded the ox cart, where two guards sat on top and escorted them.

Lu Shopkeeper had little reaction after hearing about it; the girls' shops on either side are all in the County Town, and this place also belongs to Qiao Mai. Qiao Mai is willing to open anywhere, even in the County Town—what could she say about that?

With Qiao Mai there, Liu Ji Liangpi Puzi's business is extremely booming.

She reclines, a tea set placed at her side, sipping tea leisurely while watching.

Qiao Mai left, and Liu Qiaoshi, flushed and a little embarrassed, glanced at the family's clothing and hair.

Damn, this bunch of troublemakers—no need for the mayor to step in; the captain of the guards immediately led men to find those who caused the mess.

"Go fetch Mayor Qian!"

When everyone heard it was opened by Qiao Niang's relative, they all came to support; for the first three days of opening, all snacks were half price.

The few displaced disaster victims were escorted by the guards back into the shop, and after a short while, everything inside and out was cleaned up.

"Of course, they have food, drink, and a house at home; they deliberately caused trouble here, they deserve it!"

"If you need silver to get through the County Magistrate's Office, come find me."

"Hmm, thanks to having spent some time at Tong Shopkeeper, watching over my Small Food Puzi, you'll gain great credit. People, tell them all to go live in the shop at Nantian."

In the blink of an eye it was late August; since that torrential rain, the heavens seemed to have opened, and these past few days there hasn't even been a wisp of cloud in the sky.

"Two pairs of troublesome customers have settled at Nantian; I'm afraid they won't be easy to drive away."

"No,"

"Yes, Qiao Niang!"

Seeing that customers' reviews of several dishes were quite good, the Liu Family grew increasingly confident about earning money from the shop.

They were all very grateful for Qiao Mai's help, proactively paying rent to Niu Shopkeeper each month; without Niu Shopkeeper needing to say, they paid five taels per month.

In the first three days, business was extremely booming, and a line often formed at the entrance waiting to get in and eat.

Even after three days, business remained quite good; although there were fewer customers, prices rose again, and they still didn't earn less money.

(End of Chapter)