Ji Changru?

Sun Miao'er picked up the wooden bucket. She had only met the man in front of her once, but because of the rumors, she was always wary of Ji Changru and did not want to get into trouble.

"I'm late today, and it's a real pity that I didn't get any business from Manager Sun."

Ji Changru wore a moon-white robe with wide sleeves, made of plum blossom pattern, which was highly sought after by Yunmiao Manor.

Under the hazy moonlight, the plum blossom pattern evokes the beauty of "sparse shadows slant across the clear, shallow water, a faint fragrance drifts in the twilight."

Seeing that he intended to get entangled with her, Sun Miao'er tightened her grip on the bucket and calmly replied, "Manager Ji has such a large business, why should you worry about the employees' livelihood?"

"That's not quite right. As the manager of Yunmiao Manor, I should learn from Manager Sun's hands-on approach to everything, big or small. Whether the staff can eat or not is a long-term matter. Manager Sun's business is thriving, so why shouldn't I, Ji, patronize it?"

"Miao'er is confused and can't do the math. If you need anything, please let me know."

Fu Yuchi went back to the medicine hut during the day to handle some important matters, and rushed back in the evening, only to find Xiao Miao'er being harassed by a strange man.

An inexplicable anger welled up from the bottom of his heart; as expected, what he had feared had come to pass.

Upon hearing the sound, Ji Changru slowly peeked over. Fu Yuchi was about the same height as him, and the two of them stood on the street, forming a beautiful scene in themselves.

"Oh, is this Manager Sun's elder brother or...?" Ji Changru's eyes narrowed, focusing on Fu Yuchi. He had never seen such an aura in Pingnan City.

Before Fu Yuchi could speak, Sun Miao'er interjected, "My dear friend, Young Master Fu is both a teacher and a friend to me."

"It seems you are very fortunate to be friends with Manager Sun." Ji Changru sighed and shook his head with a smile in his eyes. "I am not so fortunate. I have tried to befriend Miss Sun several times, but she has turned me away."

When it comes to the skill of a smiling tiger, Fu Yuchi acknowledges that he is number one and there is no one who can rank second. He also smiled and said, "Miao'er is just a little slow at accounting, but she is still clear-headed."

"Enough." Ji Changru suddenly became serious. "They say you can't hit a smiling face. I actually came here today to talk business with Manager Sun, but she didn't even give me that much face. Instead, she had her best friend argue with me back and forth. How can I continue my business negotiations?"

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Ji Changru's visit was clearly purposeful. Sun Miao'er initially didn't want to talk to him, but upon hearing that he had come to discuss business, she immediately changed her mind.

"I don't have time for casual conversation, but if we're talking business, then it's not impossible."

Fu Yuchi stood beside her and said in a low, stern voice, "Miao'er!"

“It’s alright, let me talk to him.” Sun Miao’er politely gestured for him to come in. “Manager Ji, please have a seat inside.”

Sun Miao'er led Ji Changru into the back room and boiled a kettle of water. "Manager Ji, I don't have any good tea here, please make do with this."

"That horse, is it Brother Fu's?" Ji Changru asked, pointing to the northwest corner of the window.

Fu Yuchi looked over in response and said, "Yes."

“We don’t produce such fine horses in Yingzhou. Brother Fu, are you from outside?” Ji Changru asked and answered himself, “The outside world is not as peaceful as Yingzhou right now.”

Fu Yuchi's gaze returned to the woman, and he said, "I came back specifically to see Miao'er. If it weren't for the unrest outside, I wouldn't have let her stay here."

The two chatted back and forth like they were practicing Tai Chi, when Sun Miao'er brought over hot water and filled two cups of tea.

"What business does Manager Ji want to discuss with me?" Sun Miao'er asked directly, getting straight to the point.

Ji Changru pulled out a string of small-leaf sandalwood beads from somewhere, held them in his hand and twirled them, saying, "I value Manager Sun very much."

Sun Miao'er thought to herself: So what if I like it? Am I going to give you my brain?

"If Manager Sun can be put to my use, he will be even more powerful, and even those shops in the capital will be defeated by us."

So they wanted to join forces. But if they're going to cooperate, they should first see if the other party's terms are satisfactory.

Ji Changru's ambition wasn't the kind that was written on his face and could be seen through at a glance. In contrast, his hidden ambition was more frightening because you could never guess how much he wanted, like a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

Sun Miao'er had been observing the plum blossom pattern on Ji Changru's clothes. The fabric was more exquisite and luxurious than the one she had seen at Yunmiao Manor that day. It would probably be a hot commodity in the capital.

But he didn't see it in the shop. There was only one reason: he was still hiding it. Yunmiao Manor was definitely not a small cloth shop in Pingnan City that could be brought down by a simple plum blossom pattern.

Beyond calculations, strength is even more important.

After thinking it over carefully, Sun Miao'er finally spoke up: "What does Manager Ji intend to offer me in our negotiation?"

"What does Manager Sun think about the alliance between Pingting Cloth Shop and Yunmiao Shop?" Ji Changru only revealed three-tenths of what he wanted to say, leaving the other party to guess the remaining seven-tenths.

Sun Miao'er had seen many alliances in the business world. If she wanted to gain the upper hand in an alliance, she had to take the initiative. "How do we form an alliance? Manager Ji, let me make this clear: it is absolutely impossible for Pingting Cloth Shop to be a stepping stone for others."

"If we're going to form an alliance, we can only do it my way."

Ji Changru had actually come today with the intention of acquiring Pingting Cloth Shop, but he didn't expect Sun Miao'er to guess it so easily. "Manager Sun, why don't you tell us?"

"If Manager Ji is sincere in forming an alliance with me, he can invest money in me, and I will return it to you in multiples, which is called profit sharing."

Ji Changru had never seen anyone talk about borrowing money in such a high-sounding way before. "Oh? If Manager Sun loses money, wouldn't I lose everything?"

"Manager Ji, you shouldn't think like that. You should think about how if I make a profit, you'll make a profit too. We're both business people. Who doesn't dare to take risks when doing business? You have to give up something to gain something."

Sun Miao'er thought Ji Changru wouldn't agree, but to her surprise, Ji Changru readily agreed, "Alright, Manager Sun, I agree. However, you have to return double the amount I invested in you."

"Alright, Manager Ji is a man of principle, two rounds are fine."

Ji Changru changed the subject, "However, if there is a loss, or if Manager Sun cannot pay the money, then Manager Sun will have to use Pingting Cloth Shop as collateral."

Sun Miao'er nodded and smiled, her eyes full of confidence, "Don't worry, Manager Ji, that day will never come."

Doing business is a game of strategy. At the beginning of the game, the outcome is uncertain, and everything is subject to change.

If he dares to gamble, she dares to accept.

"By the way, Brother Fu's horse should be from Kezhou. Kezhou horses, Hanzhou iron, Yingzhou cloth, and Pizhou jade are the best in our dynasty."