Chapter 265: Extorting Money
The servant brought tea and placed it in front of Zhou Wangshu.
Zhou Wangshu picked up the cup and drank, discovering a note under the teapot.
He glanced at the servant.
The servant withdrew.
Zhou Wangshu unfolded the note, and upon seeing the words on it, the corner of his mouth twitched.
Cheng’an Marchioness contacted people under his command, wanting to pay a high price for his head.
A playful look flashed in Zhou Wangshu’s eyes.
He walked to the study room, picked up a pen, and wrote a few words: Take the money, do nothing, and extort another sum.
Cheng’an Marchioness heard that the assassination organization had accepted her order, but this one required fifty thousand taels of silver.
Fifty thousand taels of silver is no small amount. When she got married back then, the silver cash in her dowry was only ten thousand taels, and including the other dowry, it was no more than thirty thousand. Now, to kill an illegitimate child who should have died long ago, she actually spent so much wasted silver.
Cheng’an Marchioness felt heartbroken, but upon careful thought, this silver must be spent. If not, everything in Marquis Cheng’an’s Mansion would belong to others. As long as she eliminated this major worry, all the industries of Marquis Cheng’an’s Mansion would be theirs, mother and son, and it wouldn’t be just a mere fifty thousand taels then.
“You all closely pay attention to the situation at Hui Yuan recently,” Cheng’an Marchioness instructed her confidant.
That very evening, Cheng’an Marchioness learned there was commotion at Hui Yuan. She sent people to watch there, only seeing a group of black-clothed men surrounding and attacking Zhou Wangshu, while the men he brought from General’s mansion had extraordinary skills, fighting fiercely with those black-clothed assassins.
“Madam…” The subordinate returned to report, “Young Master Zhou… Eldest Young Master is fine, his people only suffered minor injuries, most of those assassins are dead, with only one escaping.”
Bang! Cheng’an Marchioness slammed down the cup in her hand and said angrily, “Are you brainless? What I want is him dead, not him unscathed.”
“But those black-clothed assassins were indeed no match for the people from General’s mansion, today’s assassination failed.”
“How could that be? Those are all professional killers who have never failed. Today they actually fell into that illegitimate child’s hands.” Cheng’an Marchioness grew angrier the more she thought.
That was fifty thousand taels of silver.
She spent such a large sum, yet got only a result with much thunder but little rain. No, having spent the silver, she must get a satisfactory result.
“Contact them immediately and tell them I’m not satisfied with this result. I want them to continue sending people to assassinate him, make him die without a burial place. I don’t care what methods they use, poisoning or luring him out of the capital city secretly then surrounding him, anyway, make sure he dies miserably.”
The person Cheng’an Marchioness sent out soon returned to report the other side’s attitude: “They said they’re not doing it anymore. They said we didn’t make clear that this time’s target was such a formidable expert, causing them heavy losses, with twenty top killers sent out and only one surviving. If we want to continue discussing cooperation with them, we must compensate a sum of silver, to make up for their losses.”
“Truly greedy and insatiable. I’ve already given fifty thousand taels of silver, how much more do they want?”
“They said cultivating one top killer costs them tens of thousands of taels, this time nineteen died, they lost big.”
Cheng’an Marchioness frowned and said, “Since they chose to eat this bowl of rice, they’re destined to have feasts without follow-ups, they can’t possibly put this debt on my head. I spent fifty thousand taels of silver to buy their lives. In short, I paid the silver but didn’t achieve the goal, absolutely can’t let it go like this.”
Zhou Wangshu was reading the note sent by his subordinates.
When the subordinates reported that Cheng’an Marchioness indeed fell for it, paying an extra three thousand taels as family compensation.
Su Yaoguang walked over from the side, hugged his shoulders, and looked along his line of sight, seeing the words on it.
She pinched Zhou Wangshu’s cheek and said, “You call me unscrupulous merchant, but in my view, you are the unscrupulous merchant. This Cheng’an Marchioness spent fifty thousand taels of silver to buy your life, yet you had your people put on a show here, all that so-called fighting and killing was fake, even faker than stage fights.”
Putting on a show cost an astonishing fifty thousand taels of silver. No wonder Zhou Wangshu was reluctant to end it just like that, still thinking of ways to hook this big fish, Cheng’an Marchioness.
Zhou Wangshu hugged Su Yaoguang’s slender waist and kissed her forehead: “It’s so late, go to bed soon.”
“I’m waiting for you…” Su Yaoguang said, “Look at the dark circles under your eyes, you haven’t slept well these days, better to sleep early.”
Zhou Wangshu gathered all the notes, held Su Yaoguang, and walked toward the big bed. When he got restless, Su Yaoguang stopped him.
Su Yaoguang held his arm, not allowing him to harass her anymore, only letting him sleep obediently.
For several consecutive days, sounds of fighting always appeared on the rooftop of Marquis Cheng’an’s Mansion.
The neighbors went from initial tension and worry to later calm indifference.
For half a month straight, Zhou Wangshu encountered assassinations every day. This matter even reached a memorial from the censor, saying Zhou Wangshu was living in fear at Marquis Cheng’an’s Mansion.
Cheng’an Marchioness was settling all the accounts, and when she discovered she had spent seventy thousand taels yet Zhou Wangshu was still alive and kicking, she was furious.
The other side was a killer organization; what they ate in, they certainly wouldn’t spit out. Moreover, they lost so many killers; if she dared demand back the compensation silver, next time they stepped into Marquis Cheng’an’s Mansion, they’d kill her and her son Xia Zhen, so she didn’t dare offend that organization.
Zhou Wangshu was hard to kill because he was surrounded by experts.
Once the assassination target switched to her, she feared within less than an hour, her corpse would be hung on the city wall.
Precisely because of this, even though she lost seventy thousand taels in silver notes and got nothing, she could only endure it.
“Seventy thousand taels… The mansion’s accounts already don’t match up, now another seventy thousand taels used, if the Marquis finds out, I’m afraid he’ll chop me.” Cheng’an Marchioness could only give up.
“Madam…” The old wet nurse ran in from outside and said to her, “The doctor from Peach Blossom Workshop is back, I’ve invited her over.”
Cheng’an Marchioness immediately stood up and hurried toward Xia Zhen’s courtyard.
Just arriving at the courtyard entrance, a sharp scream came from inside.
“Zhen’er…” Cheng’an Marchioness pushed the door and went in.
She saw Jiang Jing had inserted several needles into Xia Zhen, with several silver needles around his eyes.
Seeing Jiang Jing only inserting needles into Xia Zhen, Cheng’an Marchioness breathed a sigh of relief.
“You scared me to death, I thought something happened. Doctor, how is my son’s condition? He says his vision is a bit blurry.”
Jiang Jing said indifferently, “His eyes were damaged by smoke, some harm done. To recover, the price is a bit high, do you want to discuss it?”
“How much?” Cheng’an Marchioness asked.
“Thirty thousand.”
Cheng’an Marchioness: “…”
If she hadn’t used the silver to hire killers, a mere thirty thousand taels could restore her son’s eyes, of course she’d be willing. But now the biggest problem is she doesn’t have that much silver.
“You’re from Peach Blossom Workshop, so you should know your owner married into our family, do we still need to pay so much silver as family?”
“Madam, the medicinal herbs your son uses are extremely expensive, no one can change that. If you can’t prepare that much silver, then don’t treat, just right I recently met other benefactors needing those medicinal herbs, and they’re willing to pay. I was thinking for our owner’s sake, prioritize you all, but if you can’t afford it, then forget it.”
“Treat it, thirty thousand is a bit expensive, but no matter how expensive, treat it.” Cheng’an Marchioness said through gritted teeth.
Xia Zhen was the key to turning the game around. If Xia Zhen’s eyes went blind, leaving such an obvious disability, he fundamentally couldn’t seize the heir apparent position.
Peach Blossom Workshop. Su Yaoguang fiddled with the abacus, verified all the accounts, then tallied them up, finally handing a list to Zhang Yingdi opposite.
Zhang Yingdi took it and looked at the numbers on the list.
This was a statistical chart for nearly half a year, clearly listing how much they spent, how much income, and pure profit during this period.
Expenses included raw materials, wages, and various losses.
After deducting those expenses, the pure profit for these months was tens of thousands of taels of silver.
“Yaoguang, Jing’er went to treat that Xia Zhen’s eyes, you’re not stopping her?” Jia Chunni said, “That family is so bad, especially that Xia Zhen, he should be blind for life, become a waste, that way fewer people harmed.”
“Jing’er is a doctor, patients invite her to treat at home, why should I stop her? Besides, Cheng’an Marchioness is foolish with much money, this kind of sucker delivered to the door not only needs serving well, but serve very well. Jing’er earns this sum, then more silver to waive fees for those poor people.”
This could also be considered robbing the rich to help the poor in another sense!
Zhang Zhaodi walked in from outside, her face full of joyful expression.
“I just heard some news, do you want to hear?” Zhang Zhaodi said, “Marquis Jing’an’s original wife can already get out of bed and walk. Just now she sent someone to find Jing’er, meaning she wants to invite our family to visit, she wants to properly thank our family.”
“She wants to thank Jing’er, just have Jing’er go to the banquet.” Jia Chunni said, “Why invite us, we didn’t do anything.”
“We didn’t do anything, but among us there is General’s wife and future Cheng’an Marchioness.” Zhang Yingdi said, “That original wife of Jing’an Marquis Manor is also smart. She’s been ill too long, now without her man’s favor, rashly seizing back power isn’t easy. Befriending us is wanting to borrow our influence, let Marquis Jing’an know she has connections.”
Now Jing’an Marquis Manor should all be Jiang Yihuan’s people. Marquis Jing’an’s original wife rashly wanting to grab back power must leave an important place in Marquis Jing’an’s heart. For a man whose heart has changed, what he keeps in mind is utility value.
“Since so, then go to the banquet!” Su Yaoguang said, “Honestly, I’m quite interested in Jing’an Marquis Manor. Not to mention else, I want to know how Jiang Yihuan covers the sky with one hand in Jing’an Marquis Manor. I most like watching her lose the things she cares about bit by bit.”
“Then I’ll send someone to reply, saying we’ll go to the banquet tomorrow evening?” Zhang Pandi asked.
Su Yaoguang nodded: “Yes, reply, go see Jing’an Marquis Manor tomorrow. Right, today all accounts calculated, just right issue bonuses to everyone according to the table here. Our Peach Blossom Workshop’s business does so well because of everyone’s joint efforts.”
Jia Chunni took the note handed by Su Yaoguang, carefully looked at the data on it, and said, “Everyone will definitely be very happy.”
Half a month ago they just received wages, now to issue is bonuses based on their work situation this year. Peach Blossom Workshop has always been fair, how much one does, gets that much dividend. Shop assistants are usually attentive and enthusiastic to customers, making guests feel at home. Except those deliberately causing trouble, most people have high praise for Peach Blossom Workshop.
“Right, today also met customers from the imperial palace.” Zhang Pandi said, “That person spoke in a shrill voice, clearly a eunuch from the palace. Thought people from palace would be hard to deal with, but the other side was polite, made me worry for nothing.”
“Before coming to capital city, everyone worried there are many nobles here, easy to offend those we can’t afford. Now good, even palace people are so polite to us, other customers dare cause us trouble?”
“At that time we never dreamed brother-in-law still alive, and doing so well.” Zhang Pandi said, “Right sis, brother-in-law alive, shouldn’t you pick a time to return to old residence, at least change brother-in-law’s situation in the genealogy there, let everyone know you guarded Su family, guarded Yaoguang all these years, finally made it. Those people bullied you plenty daily, should show off your glory, let them know how happy you are now.”
Zhang Zhaodi said: “I used to think that way too, but after reuniting with husband, seeing Yaoguang and Wangshu’s days better and better, instead less care what others think. Old residence definitely going back, but pick suitable time. My man in prime, definitely not retiring to hometown so soon. Tonight I’ll discuss with him, see if after New Year return to old home once, spend time ancestor worship and tomb sweeping, and record his experiences these years into genealogy, that also counts as bringing glory to Su family ancestors.”
In the afternoon Peach Blossom Workshop distributed bonuses, entire Peach Blossom Workshop full of cheers.
Everyone had bonus, the most one got five hundred taels of silver, the least also one hundred taels, shows how generous Su Yaoguang is to them.
Jia Chunni counted her silver notes, surprisingly two hundred taels of silver.
Zhang Pandi had one hundred fifty taels, Zhang Yingdi one hundred eighty taels.
Jia Chunni got more than the two elders because she also helps Jiang Jing care for those seeing doctor patients, occasionally sees some common cold cases.
“Tonight in backyard we’ll have hot pot, count as relaxing.” Su Yaoguang said, “Close shop early today.”
