Chapter 76: Borrowing The Wind
Even if Jin Le Fang’s customers aren’t short of money, that doesn’t mean they’re willing to be suckers.
Since there are cheaper products, of course they want to buy products of the same quality for less money.
“Little lady, where is Peach Blossom Workshop?”
“Peach Blossom Workshop hasn’t opened yet, but their products are already made, and they’re now being sold on consignment at Embroidered Ready-to-wear Shop. If you want to buy, go early because they don’t have much inventory.”
“I’ll go right now.”
“I’ll go too.”
“We don’t want this. Why should you charge double for the same things? We’re not fools.”
One customer after another put down their things and left.
“Don’t go… please don’t go…”
“Who are you? Why are you ruining our business?”
The shop assistants glared hostilely at Su Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang said softly, “I’m just telling the truth. If I’ve accidentally ruined your business, that’s your own fault. Cousin, let’s go.”
“You ruined our business and think you can just leave?” The shop assistants blocked the door.
Bang clang! They closed the door.
“Cousin, what should we do?” Jia Chunni fearfully hugged her arm.
“If a fight breaks out later, you find a place to hide first. Leave this to me.” Su Yaoguang instructed.
“What’s going on?” A middle-aged man walked out from inside.
“Shopkeeper, these two stinking girls ruined our business.” One of the shop assistants went up to the shopkeeper, muttered to him, and explained the general situation.
The shopkeeper sized up Su Yaoguang in front of him and said flatly, “Young lady, you’re from this Peach Blossom Workshop, right?”
“We’re just people who can’t stand injustice. Shopkeeper, how can a big shop like Jin Le Fang deceive customers? Is this thing really made by Jin Le Fang?” Su Yaoguang said. “If you try to bully us with your power and numbers today, this matter won’t end. Before we came in, we already had someone watching outside. If we don’t walk out safe and sound, this matter will definitely go to the officials today.”
“Open the door and let them go.” The shopkeeper waved his hand and gave the order.
The shop assistants didn’t dare disobey and opened the door.
Su Yaoguang pulled Jia Chunni and walked toward the outside.
Jia Chunni didn’t come back to her senses until they were standing on the street. She shook Su Yaoguang’s arm and said, “Cousin, you’re amazing. You just threatened them casually and they let us go.”
“It wasn’t a casual threat; it’s that Jin Le Fang doesn’t dare to take the gamble. Jin Le Fang is a famous big shop here, and reputation is so important. If they stumble because of today’s matter, the reputation built by so many people would be ruined.” Su Yaoguang looked back toward the doorway of Jin Le Fang’s shop. “Let’s go!”
Jin Le Fang’s inner courtyard. Slap! Tong Fu slapped him. Tong Lu, standing in front of him like a quail, covered his face and didn’t even dare breathe, like a child who had done something wrong.
“I was wondering why you’ve been so capable lately, actually cultivating such a talented master. Turns out you procured goods from other places, swapped the bottles, and misattributed them. Do you want to ruin Jin Le Fang? If the owner finds out, how many lives do you think you have?”
“Elder brother, I didn’t want to either, but lately the owner has been pressing hard, and our masters really can’t make new products. I originally wanted to use those village girls’ things to figure out the recipe, but those good-for-nothings couldn’t even replicate the prescription. I figured things from Jin Le Fang aren’t affordable for those villagers anyway, so I might as well procure directly from her hands. We resell and make several times the profit— isn’t that an easy way to make silver?”
“Now the silver isn’t made, and you’ve sent all our customers to them. What do you call this? Failing to steal the chicken and losing the rice instead.” Tong Fu sneered. “I don’t care what method you use; in any case, within a month, make new products and definitely take back the customers that originally belonged to us.”
After Tong Fu left, a vicious expression appeared on Tong Lu’s originally honest face.
He beckoned to his confidant nearby and said, “Go check out the situation at Embroidered Ready-to-wear Shop.”
Embroidered Ready-to-wear Shop. Shop owner Chun E sent off the last customer, carried the wooden box to the backyard, and said to Su Yaoguang, who had just changed out of that gorgeous dress, “My good little sister, you’re really something. Not only were all the goods sent today sold out, but you also got thirty big orders, all for full sets.”
Jia Chunni said delightedly, “Does that mean we have work again?”
The more capable her cousin was, the more they could benefit. She wasn’t as capable as her cousin and knew she couldn’t earn big money. Being able to follow her cousin and earn some wages like now already felt like a dream to her.
Su Yaoguang was looking at the order records.
“Thank you, elder sister Chun E.” Su Yaoguang opened the wooden box and took out a tael of silver in fragments.
Chun E didn’t refuse and accepted the money.
“But from what you said earlier, you’ve offended Jin Le Fang. I’m afraid you’ll be targeted later.”
“If they hadn’t bullied us too much, I wouldn’t have resorted to this. I know it would offend them, but if I swallowed this humiliation, how could we establish our own brand in the future? Since it’s happened, rather than going to them to argue, better to borrow their wind to promote our brand.”
“This move of yours is really ruthless!” Chun E said. “But what’s done is done. Go back and make more goods; making the silver is the proper business. No matter how domineering Jin Le Fang is, under the county magistrate’s jurisdiction, they wouldn’t dare go too far. The county magistrate’s control is very strict.”
“The goods need to be made, but the matter of opening a shop cannot be delayed either. I plan to stay in the city today and go to the real estate agency early tomorrow morning to ask if there are any shops for rent.” Su Yaoguang said, “I already had my mom and the others go back first just now. Chunni and I will stay in the city.”
“Since you’re staying in the city, why don’t you stay at my house tonight! My son passed away a few years ago, and there’s an empty room. If you don’t mind it being unlucky…”
“Sister Chun E, what are you saying?” Su Yaoguang held her hand, “We’re grateful and couldn’t be more so! Staying at an inn for one night isn’t cheap.”
“We’ll close the shop early today, and I’ll let you taste my cooking.” Chun E was happy to hear her say that.
It was Jia Chunni’s first time entering the city and also her first time staying in the city. She and Su Yaoguang followed Chun E to her house.
The Embroidered Ready-to-wear Shop was a shop that Chun E had rented; it wasn’t her shop front. She had her own house in the small city, but it was very remote and clearly in a commoner area.
The house wasn’t big, and the sounds from the entire alley could be heard clearly—someone hitting a child, dogs barking, and the sounds of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fighting.
Chun E said: “Don’t mind them. We’ll close our door and live our own lives. No matter how noisy others are, just don’t get involved in trivial matters.”
