Chapter 147

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Song Miao

Xiang Yuan finished speaking, but Song Miao had not yet answered when the large flatbread behind her could not help but speak up: "Our young lady has to manage the business and use her skills, yet she only gets thirty percent of the profit—isn't that a bit too little?"

Xiang Yuan saw it was a child, so he turned to Song Miao and said, "Young lady, do you feel thirty percent is too little?"

Hearing this, Song Miao only found it amusing and was too lazy to calculate back and forth with him, saying, "Sir Xiang flatters me, but my family has its own property, and I have my own skills; for now, I have no plans to open a food shop outside."

Xiang Yuan said, "I know your family has its own property, but isn't that location at the end of an alley? How can one do business there?"

He added, "You have run a stall yourself—surely you know what 'good wine fears a deep alley' means?"

He put on an appearance of speaking from the heart and said, "I myself started from small business and know that running a morning stall is the hardest work—you have to get up before daybreak, your days and nights are reversed. Though you can earn some money, in the end, you're just a young lady; are you really going to wear yourself out, ruin your health, and only then think of other things?"

He added, "Once my food shop opens, you won't have to manage anything else—just use your skills. I'll handle all the setup and staffing for the front of the shop, and I'll also arrange some kitchen staff to help you, so you won't have to manage everything alone. If we lose money, it's on me; if we make money, we split it seventy-thirty."

"If you're afraid the food shop won't succeed and you'll suffer for nothing, I can pay you a monthly wage—how about five guan a month? You'll also get a share of the profits. The rest of the details can be discussed later!"

"Because the young lady bumped into my good-for-nothing scoundrel coming out, I am very grateful in my heart. Rest assured, I won't let you suffer any loss."

From the moment Xiang Yuan entered with great fanfare, everyone was watching the excitement. There were also some students, said to be there to thank Song Miao, all of them happy at first, rejoicing along.

Later, as they listened and listened, since they weren't people of business and didn't know how to calculate, they only knew it was over five hundred guan.

Someone felt something seemed not quite right, while another felt it seemed not bad either, and they argued in low voices.

But among them were some who had seen the world.

That Wu Gongshi wrinkled his brow and came over from behind, saying, "Young man, one thing at a time—first give the three hundred guan as thanks; whether the shop opens or not is another matter. Don't mix them together."

Xiang Yuan glanced at him.

An old man around fifty, wearing an ordinary plain robe, his shoes splattered with mud, wiping his two dirty hands with a handkerchief, his beard smeared with some unknown sticky substance—he didn't know this was because Song Miao's brown-sugar sesame-paste flower rolls had too much filling, and "Wu Yikou" had eaten too hastily. Hearing something was amiss, he rushed forward without even wiping his hands clean.

Wu Gongshi was originally a waterworks official, often going up mountains and down rivers, with little authority and no official dignity, looking just like an ordinary old man wandering streets and alleys.

Though one shouldn't judge by appearances, Xiang Yuan still found it hard to think highly of him, only saying, "Old sir, you're joking. I would like to, but isn't it because Young Lady Song Xiaoniangzi refuses to accept?"

Wu Gongshi sneered and said, "You bring money with you, and in your words you set her up like this—how can anyone accept it?"

Xiang Yuan immediately said, "Xiang Mou is truly sincere!"

As he spoke, he called out to his subordinates, stood up, and bowed to Song Miao, saying, "Young Lady Song Xiaoniangzi, there's no rush to answer today about opening a food shop. Xiang Mou is a rough man, straightforward by nature, and sometimes I don't speak pleasantly, but it's all good intentions. Please keep this money safe and think it over. We'll talk again later!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he greeted the people inside the yamen and strode away.

Song Miao stepped forward to stop him, but she was alone, and here were six pole-loads of money—effectively six pole-loads of a mess—which she couldn't all carry away to chase after him, nor could she pull and tug at him. She called out a few times, but seeing he didn't look back, she simply let him go.

Wu Gongshi was about to expose Xiang Yuan's false face, but watched the man run away, leaving the money behind. Furious, he cursed, "This treacherous ghost!"

He then said to Song Miao, "Young lady, you must not fall for his scheme—he originally wanted to give you three hundred guan, but now uses five hundred guan as capital. Actually, more than sixty percent inside is already yours. You contribute your skills and sixty percent of the capital, yet you only get thirty percent profit. How can there be such a thing!"

At that moment, the large flatbread beside them couldn't calculate clearly. Hearing about opening a food shop and not having to manage anything, he was actually quite eager and couldn't help but ask, "This person says he'll provide manpower, find a shop, and pay the young lady a monthly wage. If they split more profit, say fifty-fifty, would that work?"

Wu Gongshi sneered and said, "Child, I only ask—he finds the shop, he provides the people, so this shop is his. The young lady inside is just working for him. A monthly wage of five guan sounds like a lot, but over three years that's only one hundred eighty guan—less than half of that three hundred guan. She spends her own money to pay herself, works hard for years, builds the shop's reputation, and it all becomes a dowry garment for someone else. Is she a fool?"

"If she were just an ordinary cook working for a master, this treatment would naturally be good. But this fellow claims to come to repay kindness and thank her—is there such a way of thanking in the world?"

He earnestly advised Song Miao, "Young lady, with your skills, just these two flower rolls today are enough to establish yourself. Opening your own steamed bun shop—you don't need anyone else! If you truly have no difficulties, it's best not to partner with someone like him. He's used to doing business, and you're just a young lady—you truly can't afford to provoke him!"

Song Miao replied, "Thank you, Official Wu, for the advice. I originally had no intention of accepting that reward money."

The students had been gathering around. Hearing Official Wu's analysis, they quickly understood the scheme and were all filled with righteous indignation. Now, seeing Song Miao say she didn't plan to accept, they immediately began to clamor.

This one said, "Go! Let's hurry to his door and return this money! Don't let him gain an undeserved reputation!"

That one said, "My family farms and is used to carrying loads on poles. Young Lady Song, don't worry—I'll carry it back for you!"

Official Wu looked at the three pole-loads of six burdens of money before him, and saw the passersby inside the yamen staring at this place, discussing in groups. He found it a bit troublesome. Looking up again, he could no longer see Xiang Yuan's back, and couldn't help but say, "It was originally Young Lady Song Xiaoniangzi who found him a child, yet in the end she gets none of the benefits. That's not reasonable!"

Song Miao shook her head and said, "He will still go to the Capital to do business in the future, and has many acquaintances and old friends. By then, if he spreads the word about today's events, who knows how it will be twisted—people might say I'm shameless and greedy for money, that I'd take any money."

"If it were three thousand guan or thirty thousand guan, that would be one thing. But now it's only three hundred guan—not enough to make me ruin my reputation for it."

Immediately, a student said, "Young lady, don't be afraid. I have a loose tongue! When I go back, I'll spread the word day and night outside, so everyone in the Capital knows how improper his conduct is!"

But others felt it was inappropriate and hurriedly said, "If we send it back like this and he doesn't open the door, what then? We can't keep guarding the doorway, can we?"

Another said, "Going now, it will be dark soon. When he came, he made a great show, but when we return it, few people will see. We'll feel like we've suffered a great loss!"

Official Wu said, "Why not wait until after the fifth watch tomorrow, while the hour is still early? I'll change into official robes and have them carry the money to his door to return it—after all, it wouldn't be proper to turn away a court official!"

Seeing everyone offering her advice, Song Miao hurriedly returned the salute and said, "Thank you all for your kindness. I already have a plan in mind. I'll come ask for your help after I leave the yamen tomorrow—let's talk about it tomorrow!"

She thanked them solemnly. Then, taking one look, she saw the six pole-loads of money on the ground and suddenly found it quite troublesome.

Official Wu saw her hesitation and said, "Have someone carry it to my room. Tonight, two people can stay with me and watch the money with me. If anything is lost or missing, I can take responsibility. The rest can be discussed tomorrow."

On the other side, Song Miao finally finished tidying up the loose ends of those several pole-loads of money, thanked Official Wu and the students again and again, and then returned to her room.

She had been working properly, the document half-written, when Xiang Yuan interrupted like this. She thought she'd be back soon, but it took half a while, and even the tip of her brush and ink had stiffened somewhat.

Song Miao didn't have an inkstone with her, so she took a bamboo tube filled with half a tube of water and carefully washed the brush tip.

Xiang Yuan suddenly pulled this stunt. As the party involved, she naturally couldn't be unaffected. After changing the water three times, the brush was already washed clean, but she still felt uncomfortable in her heart.

It was like eating a peach—clearly big and fragrant, ripe just right, the whole body pink and tender, the peach tip red and flushed. The skin tore lightly and easily separated completely from the flesh. The flesh was very fine. One bite, extremely soft—she loved soft peaches—but the juice was too abundant, constantly dripping, dripping so much her hands couldn't dodge it. Sure enough, it was especially sweet.

But just as she swallowed, she looked down and saw that where she had bitten, only half a worm remained, wriggling back and forth, wriggling vigorously.

—How could that not be nauseating.

She truly didn't want to waste emotions on such an annoying person. She washed the brush clean, reread the half-written thing she had just written twice, then once more, before slowly calming her mind.

After she had finished this document seven or eight tenths, only the ending was missing, when she suddenly heard someone knocking at the door outside.

Song Miao hesitated for a moment, but the knocker outside already called out, "Song Stall Owner, sorry to disturb. It's Han Li."

She immediately put down her brush and went out to answer the door.

The door opened, and the rain air drifted in. Han Li was standing at the door, still wearing a robe, holding a "Zha" lantern, illuminating his wet shoes—looking like he had just returned from the yamen.

By now the sky was completely dark. Song Miao greeted him, then said: "Young Master returned quite late today—there's still a small steamer of flower rolls left on the stove top. Has Young Master Kong returned too? I'll heat them up for you."

Han Li shook his head. "Cooking is hard work; such a small task, we can do it ourselves."

Song Miao caught a hint of his meaning, looked up at him, and waited for him to speak.

Han Li hesitated for several breaths, then said: "The night is too deep; coming to the door at this hour is somewhat rude after all. I'd like to borrow a moment of your time, Stall Owner Song—how about we sit in the front hall together?"

Han Li invited her, and since it was a brightly lit, busy front hall, Song Miao naturally had no objection.

Soon the two went to the front hall. Indeed, though it was late, because there were lamps in the front hall, many lodging guests still sat outside—some talking, some settling accounts, some ordering drinks to chat idly, quite lively.

Han Li chose a quiet corner spot, asked a runner to brew a pot of tea, and after the others left, he asked: "I heard them talk about this afternoon's matter—a traveling merchant named Xiang Yuan came to offer thanks, thanking you for helping him find his young son at home, and wanting to give you five hundred guan, hoping to open a wine shop with you. I don't know if this is true or false?"

Song Miao said: "There is such a matter, but there are other circumstances behind it."

She only briefly mentioned that Xiang Yuan had some scheme, and said she had no intention of partnering, and had refused, and so on.

Han Li asked again: "I also heard that the five hundred guan is currently placed in Wu Gong's office."

Song Miao nodded, explained a bit, then said again: "Originally I had no intention of taking that reward silver, but since he made things so ugly, I came up with another idea."

"Didn't Young Master say last time that if digging a canal, people, grain, money, and materials are all indispensable? But now the roads around Hua Prefecture are half blocked; even if people are in place, the rest may not be supplied in time?"

"Originally the plan was to borrow from local merchants first, then repay after the funds were transferred back, but no one was willing to agree."

"Xiang Yuan's three hundred guan was never going to reach my hands anyway, and I don't want his money—I just want to exchange it for a favor. Since the Xie Family is willing to lend him their house, their relationship must be quite good? This house is originally a grain shop, exactly what we need this time."

"Xiang Yuan put on such a show of gratitude on his lips; if he won't even agree to make an introduction, how can he save face?"

Na Han Li responded with a sound, but then fell silent for a while. He first reached out to take the tea, but when he had taken it halfway, he put it back. He looked up at Song Miao, then lowered his head again.

He took out a folded letter from his sleeve, opened it again, smoothed it flat, drew out a sheet of paper from within, leaned his body slightly forward, and placed the envelope along with the already-opened page together gently before Song Miao.

Song Miao only lowered her head to glance at it, then was stunned.

It was a banknote, worth six hundred guan.

A banknote from Yuan Heng Merchant House, with excellent reputation in both Jingji regions. Even if there is no branch of the merchant house locally, one can still exchange it for money at other merchant houses.

Han Li said in a low voice: "I'll buy this favor from Stall Owner Song, how about it?"

Song Miao knew that all expenses for this trip to Hua Prefecture were paid out of pocket by the Tongpan Cen. She laughed for a moment and asked: "Buying a favor with several hundred guan—Tongpan Cen won't agree, will he?"

Han Li shook his head. "It has nothing to do with him; this is a favor I'm buying."

Song Miao laughed and cried at once, and hurriedly said: "This time is truly an accident. Although I am in debt, I am not actually impoverished. No matter how generous Young Master is, such a sum of wealth—if the elders at home knew..."

"There are no elders."

Han Li said softly: "In the third year of Chunhua, there were floods, and after the floods a great plague. Only I survived alone in the family. The money I earned myself, I can decide for myself."

As if guessing what Song Miao wanted to say, he added: "You know I have some reputation. Though it may not be pleasant, it can quite intimidate people. I have a hand at calligraphy, and often people come to request it. Or a clan may erect a stele or repair a shrine, and descendants seeking to honor their ancestors ask me to write their posthumous biographies. Through introductions, they come to me. Year after year, I have accumulated quite a lot. I usually have nowhere and no one to spend it on. To say something immodest, not to mention six hundred guan, even if..."

He wanted to say more, but in the end felt it was unsuitable, and did not speak it out. He only lowered his voice again and said: "I cannot comment on how others act, but as long as this favor is bought, the matter of Xiang Yuan and the Xie Family Grain Shop can be handed over to me to handle, right?"

?? Three thousand monthly votes are too many and too hard. Even if Xiao Miao jumps on my head, I still can't reach them. But it's the end of the month, and I still want to thicken my face to ask. If everyone has extra monthly votes, could you give Xiao Miao one? Thank you thank you thank you!