Chapter 138: Offering Advice
Young Master Cui of Jin Le Fang said: “Isn’t Peach Blossom Workshop running a rouge shop? A mere rouge shop actually managed to produce so much grain and medicine. Those who don’t know might think the owner of Peach Blossom Workshop has the ability to foresee the future and prepared these things in advance.”
Su Yaoguang had long anticipated that someone would talk nonsense, and she calmly retorted: “Peach Blossom Workshop is just a small business, nothing compared to Jin Le Fang’s century-old foundation. Originally, we planned to open a grain shop, so that if business ever turned bleak one day, we wouldn’t end up like Jin Le Fang, stuck in a dead end after making a bad move. Who would have thought it would be so timely—just as the shop wasn’t open yet, the natural disaster struck.”
Her saying that Jin Le Fang made a bad move meant that their shop had misattributed Peach Blossom Workshop’s product, completely losing face.
Originally, that manager of Jin Le Fang had some brains; he punished those who should be punished and apologized where apologies were due, and everyone was happy to let it go. But this young owner turned out to be petty and actually held a grudge.
Even if there was a grudge to hold, it should be Peach Blossom Workshop holding it. Jin Le Fang had acted dishonorably in that matter; anyone smart would want to keep it tightly under wraps for life and never mention it again. But from the moment he entered until now, this young master had been glaring with nose upturned and eyes askew—he was clearly spoiled rotten, unable to distinguish right from wrong. So why should she give him any face?
“You…” Cui Rong slapped the table and angrily cursed.
Before he could curse out loud, Boss Chen of the dance hall next to him, that is, Chen Buyu’s father, said: “I say, Young Master Cui, the city is now full of starving corpses. You shouldn’t let personal grudges affect everyone’s proper business.”
Magistrate Chen said: “Peach Blossom Workshop’s righteous act is a model for us all. How can we say there’s something wrong with them just because they prepared grain and medicine to save people in advance? Could it be that this disease was caused by Peach Blossom Workshop? This illness came from other places; by the time it reached our city, many people in other places were already sick. Young Master Cui, Peach Blossom Workshop is saving the dying and healing the injured—you must not wrong them.”
“County Magistrate, since the village can no longer accommodate them, we can only concentrate the power of all you bosses. Each boss has their own industry, like mines, villas, dye workshops, kilns, and so on. If we gather all the refugees and have each boss take a batch to settle, then after this matter is over, reduce taxes according to each boss’s contribution—wouldn’t that hold things together for a while?”
Everyone looked at each other in dismay.
If each boss took a hundred people, with fifty people present, that would be equivalent to settling five thousand people.
If any one of them were asked to settle five thousand, that would be outright extortion. But everyone here had some means; settling a hundred was no problem.
This way, they could do the government a favor and get tax exemptions—a win-win deal where they only stood to gain and not lose.
“County Magistrate, this commoner thinks Boss Su’s idea is good. I am willing to cooperate with the government to settle the refugees.”
“County Magistrate, ordinary refugees are no problem, but those infected with the disease—Jin Le Fang won’t take them,” Cui Rong said. “That disease spreads from one to ten to a hundred; losing one or two people is fine, but if it implicates people from Jin Le Fang, then this rotten good deed isn’t worth doing.”
“Everyone, rest assured—those infected ones, Peach Blossom Workshop will take responsibility for them,” Su Yaoguang said. “Peach Blossom Workshop will cooperate with the government to settle those patients.”
“Boss Su is so generous,” Cui Rong said sarcastically.
The gambling house boss, that is, Zhong Chushan’s father Zhong Feng, said: “Boss Su is so young yet has such boldness—we big men can’t let you outdo us.”
“I heard that Yicheng has dealt with quite a few patients,” Jiang Ziqian said. “The government stepped in: anyone with symptoms, whether it’s the epidemic or not, all settled near the mass grave. The dead ones were directly thrown into the mass grave. To prevent the disease from spreading, they burned them with fire, reducing the corpses to ashes.”
Magistrate Chen’s face was full of reluctance: “This official has already submitted a memorial. As for whether anyone goes there to handle it, this official is alone and powerless to interfere. What this official can do is protect the people of this land.”
Next, they discussed when to pick up the people, how to pick them up, and how to settle them. Additionally, when the bosses took the people, their information needed to be recorded. If any of them suddenly fell ill, they must immediately report to the government and absolutely not act without authorization. The government was entrusting the refugees to the bosses, and the bosses had to ensure their safety, and so on.
“Boss Su, please wait a moment,” Jiang Ziqian called out to Su Yaoguang who was preparing to leave.
Su Yaoguang stopped and looked at Jiang Ziqian, saying: “Boss Jiang, is there something wrong?”
“I heard you bought a lot of charcoal before—could you share some with me? I’ll pay whatever the current selling price is; I absolutely won’t let you lose out.”
“What did I think it was?” Su Yaoguang laughed. “Boss Jiang is an honest man, and I’m no unscrupulous merchant! I’ll give it to you at eighty percent of the current price.”
“Good, many thanks, Boss Su.” Jiang Ziqian’s horse-drawn carriage arrived, and he invited her: “Boss Su, are you heading back? Let me give you a ride.”
“I’m going to the academy—mind giving me a lift, Boss Jiang?” Su Yaoguang said. “I’ve taken on this errand from the County Magistrate, so I’ll be busy from now on. I need to go to the academy and give them a heads-up.”
In the carriage, Jiang Ziqian and Su Yaoguang talked about rescuing the refugees. Though most refugees were pitiful, some were sneaky and slippery. For that type, it was better to hand them directly to the government for management. The government was severely short-staffed now; keeping the strong and able ones around to do odd jobs could keep an eye on them, prevent them from bullying the weak, and solve the manpower shortage.
The two chatted more and more congenially, sharing similar views on certain points. When the carriage stopped, they both felt a bit reluctant to part.
“The situation is bad now. Once this natural disaster ends and business in your shop recovers, I’ll bring my family to patronize you—remember to give me a discount then.”
“If Boss Su graces us, Jiang Family Restaurant will always have a seat for you. Though we’ve only known each other a short time, I feel we get along so well—it’s like we’ve met too late.”
Su Yaoguang thanked Jiang Ziqian and strode into the academy.
“Still sleeping?” Su Yaoguang saw Zhou Wangshu lying on the bed with his back to her, and she walked over in surprise, touching his forehead.
Smack! Zhou Wangshu brushed her hand away.
“Did you go to the moon to buy breakfast?” Zhou Wangshu ground his teeth, looking quite gnashing.
Su Yaoguang: “…You’re still hungry?”
“What else? It’s not like some eldest sister-in-law came to feed me.” Zhou Wangshu was like a child who hadn’t gotten his candy, throwing a tantrum.
Su Yaoguang burst out laughing and pinched his cheek, saying: “Oh my, how are you so cute?”
