Chapter 58: Compromise

Seeing that Hall Master Zhu and his group had not caused any harm to the old Shopkeeper,

Cheng Feng also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

In his own plan, the old Shopkeeper was an indispensable and important figure.

No matter how the Mei Family Tavern did business,

at least the brand name still remained.

The old Shopkeeper's face alone could support the initial setup.

Why does everyone say old shops are good?

Because old shops are cheap, affordable, honest, and have guaranteed quality.

People in the surrounding area all like to come to the familiar old shop to have a drink or two.

Gradually, the reputation can be spread.

Cheng Feng did not narrate the situation between himself and Meiniang.

This should be left for Meiniang to clarify with her family first.

Cheng Feng was not about to overstep his bounds to do that.

Cheng Feng gave Meiniang a look.

Meiniang understood tacitly; it was time for her to speak about this matter herself.

Now that Hall Master Zhu had come to the door, it seemed he had not yet given up.

If they did not do as Cheng Feng said,

then not only would they provoke the Green Bamboo Gang,

but going back on their word would also bring shame upon the Tieshan Martial Arts Hall behind Cheng Feng.

Giving the two of them private space,

Cheng Feng walked around by himself.

Watching Cheng Feng go out, Shopkeeper Mei grabbed his daughter's arm: "Meiniang, are you alright? How do you know that young brother who was drinking yesterday?"

Meiniang first knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Mei Zhou, then said: "Father, your daughter truly cannot bear to watch our family foundation be wasted in vain. In the past, your daughter was still young and truly had no choice but to watch you labor and toil. Now that your daughter has grown up, I also hope to preserve this family business for the Mei family."

Shopkeeper Mei slapped the table and said excitedly: "Since when is it your turn to make decisions in this family? Do you still have me, your father, in your eyes? We were originally going to leave, yet you still got others involved. What are we to do if we implicate them?"

Meiniang explained: "Father, Cheng Feng is an Inner Sect Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall. You have seen his skills; in the future, we don't have to leave, and we don't have to fear the Green Bamboo Gang."

Shopkeeper Mei was furious: "Foolish! What kind of people are those in gangs? They are all people who lick blood from the edge of a blade. Young Brother Cheng has a limitless future ahead of him; you must not harm him!"

Meiniang also began to cry: "Father, where can we run to? As long as we are watched by people from those gangs, we have nowhere to run. Either we submit—and your daughter marries that pig-like Hall Master Zhu and is ruined by him—or we find a backer. A backer with power and background could protect our family, but where would we find one? We simply can't find one.

Other families look down on us, and going back and forth is never a good idea. Yesterday, when you were drinking with Young Master Cheng, I saw that he was wearing the shoes of an Inner Sect Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall, which is why I took the risk to run out."

Meiniang cried like a pear blossom drenched in rain,

delicate and pitiful.

But she still intermittently laid out the entire deal between herself and Cheng Feng.

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Mei felt his head spinning.

If it weren't for Hall Master Zhu coming to the door to look for people today,

Shopkeeper Mei would have truly thought he had forgotten about the tavern.

Listening to Meiniang's tight-knit analysis, and adding that they had been saved by Cheng Feng,

Shopkeeper Mei could not catch his breath and fainted from anxiety.

When he woke up again, he was already at home.

Looking at Meiniang lying by his bedside,

Shopkeeper Mei had a change of heart.

His old bones had indeed thought about it the wrong way; he wasn't even as open-minded as Meiniang.

Meiniang, lying by the bed, felt the movement on the bed, held Mei Zhou's hand, and looked at Mei Zhou's face: "Father, you're finally awake. Don't be angry, don't make yourself sick. If you want to leave, we'll leave; I will never say these things again."

Listening to Meiniang's words, Shopkeeper Mei felt even more heartbroken: "Ever since your mother left, you have basically taken care of everything in the house. You are already eighteen; in ordinary families, you would have been married long ago. It is I, Mei Zhou, who am useless and have delayed you."

On the sickbed, the father and daughter could not help but shed tears.

Mei Zhou struggled to sit up: "Tell me honestly, what do you think of Young Brother Cheng?"

Meiniang said calmly: "Cheng Feng has already agreed with me; as long as we get through this hurdle, I will marry him as an Equal Wife."

Mei Zhou was very anxious: "You know that is not what I meant. If you are not happy, what is the use of this tavern?"

Listening to her father's meaning, Meiniang thought carefully. She probably didn't like him, but the image of Cheng Feng fighting Hall Master Zhu's group alone yesterday suddenly appeared before Meiniang's eyes.

Meiniang said shyly: "Affection can be cultivated. At least for now, I do not dislike Cheng Feng."

Seeing the shyness that flashed across his daughter's face,

how could Mei Zhou not understand Meiniang's meaning?

Mei Zhou was finally relieved.

At least Meiniang would be able to live a little better in the future.

Things having reached this point, Mei Zhou could only nod and agree to this matter.

Seeing his father relent,

Meiniang also breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

At least, she and Cheng Feng...

Oh my, why was she thinking about these things?

Only then did Meiniang suddenly reveal the thoughts of a young woman.

Last night, when Shopkeeper Mei fainted, Cheng Feng naturally busied himself to show his worth,

carrying the person, calling for a doctor, and running back and forth.

Only after the doctor said it was fine

did he brave the night to hurry home.

Past noon, Cheng Feng brought gifts and visited again.

Meiniang naturally received Cheng Feng.

It was dark last night, so he hadn't looked closely.

Only today did he see that Meiniang's family was indeed a decades-old established business.

Their family assets were also quite wealthy.

It was a deep and quiet two-courtyard residence, surrounded by high walls that gave one a sense of being cut off from the world.

Walking through the gate, the first things to catch the eye were several upright small trees; they stood quietly in the corners, as if they were the guardians of this residence. Although these trees were not tall, they were lush and full of vitality, adding a touch of freshness to the entire courtyard.

Looking further up, one could see the roof covered with neatly arranged grey tiles; these tiles had weathered the wind and rain yet remained sturdy and durable. The grey tile roof was not only elegant but also provided excellent insulation and waterproofing, allowing the residents to feel a hint of coolness in the sweltering summer and enjoy warmth in the cold winter.

Honestly, this courtyard must be worth at least over a hundred taels of silver.

This was the accumulation of three generations of the Mei family.

Only then did they manage to scrape together this house.

The courtyard was divided into front and back; the Rear Courtyard had eight side rooms, and to the north were the two suites for the head of the household.

The front courtyard had four side rooms, which were for servants during the Mei family's peak.

Now it had fallen into decline.

There was only one old man who acted as the gatekeeper.

Meiniang also had a younger sister named Meijiaoer.

She was only thirteen this year; he had seen her last night, but today she was nowhere to be found.

Meiniang took Cheng Feng to see Shopkeeper Mei.

Shopkeeper Mei had already compromised.

He accepted the marriage between Cheng Feng and Meiniang.

Shopkeeper Mei was bedridden, so the tavern was temporarily left for Meiniang to handle.

Cheng Feng was secretly delighted; he had originally worried that Shopkeeper Mei might be frightened or unwilling to cooperate with his plan, but now it seemed everything was progressing very smoothly.

"Then I will trouble you, Uncle Mei. What we need to do next is to act according to the plan," Cheng Feng said.

"Very well, your wine is excellent and will surely sell well; I will certainly do my best," Shopkeeper Mei nodded and said.

The doctor said Shopkeeper Mei needed to rest for a few days, and at most five or six days would be enough.

Cheng Feng could afford to wait.

His previous plan was about to set sail.