Chapter 44 The Zhang Family's Conspiracy

"Hey, look, isn't that Zhang Jia and Zhu Er?! Where are they going, one after the other?"

"Hai, haven't you heard? You don't even need to guess, they're going to cause trouble for the Fan family!"

The gossip of the people around them did not stop Zhang and Zhu Er. When they passed by the market, Zhang the butcher saw the two of them and quickly followed behind, whispering to Zhang, "Hey! Wife, weren't you going to find our daughter? Why did you bring Zhu Er with you?"

Zhang followed his example, covering her mouth and slowing down her pace. She then whispered to Zhang the butcher, "I ran into Zhu the Second Son at the Huang family's door. He asked me what I wanted to see Mayor Huang for, so I told him about it."

"Oh, and then? He came to help us?"

Butcher Zhang was puzzled. He still couldn't understand why Zhu Er would help them for no reason. You see, Zhu Er usually relied on his status and treated small merchants and vendors like they were skinning them alive.

Although he treated them a little better than Hou San, he was still extremely stingy and greedy. How could someone like that suddenly be kind and help them for no reason?

"Yes, but not entirely. I told him about that little slut from the Fan family's business, and then I made an agreement with Zhu Erlang that if he helped us get the Fan family's secret recipe, I would give him 30% of the profits from the braised pork recipe in the future."

Butcher Zhang raised an eyebrow, his expression one of disbelief: "What? You're going to get the Fan family's secret recipe!?"

Butcher Zhang's voice was quite loud, and his shout attracted the attention of many passersby. Zhang's wife immediately slapped him hard on the head.

"Keep your voice down, you son of a bitch!"

Zhang glanced at Zhu Er, who was walking quite a distance away from them. Seeing that he hadn't turned around, he must not have heard their conversation. So she pinched Zhang the butcher's ear again, gritting her teeth and cursing, "Can't you keep your voice down?! Do you have to make a scene so everyone can hear?"

Butcher Zhang rubbed his ear, which his wife had pinched painfully, and gasped for breath in pain.

"Hiss! I, I didn't mean to. Didn't you say you were going to do it yourself? Why do you want the Fan family's secret recipe now?"

"Tsk, why do we have to figure out how to do it ourselves when there's something ready-made? Besides, isn't that girl's business doing very well? If we had the secret recipe, all that good business would be ours!"

"Then why did you go to Zhu Er? Don't you know his background and what kind of person he is? Besides, that's a 30% profit margin! The Fan family's recipe alone is worth at least fifty taels!"

Zhang rolled her eyes at him, thinking that her husband was even more stingy than her when it mattered most. She couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Do you think the two of us can easily get the Fan family's secret recipe? We have to rely on the Huang family's influence for this! Besides..."

At this point, Zhang paused, glanced at Zhu Er walking ahead, and lowered her voice even further to Butcher Zhang, saying, "Who we sell this recipe to is up to us, isn't that our decision? When someone from out of town buys the recipe, how much we get for it is entirely up to us!"

Upon hearing this, Butcher Zhang immediately understood what Zhang was planning. His eyes lit up, and he gave his wife a thumbs up.

“Brilliant. Zhu Er knows one price, but we actually sell it for a different price. Brilliant.”

"That's right! Don't you even know who I am!"

"But why did you ask my daughter to do this? It's a 30% profit! I'd be heartbroken if it were less..."

As soon as Butcher Zhang finished speaking, his wife gave him a sharp rap on the head.

"Are you stupid! Finding our daughter is a last resort! I ran into Zhu Er at their door this time, which was a wake-up call. If we really find our daughter to do this, the income will be more than 30%! We'll probably get 30% and the Huang family will get 70%!"

The two were making quite a racket, and Zhu Er, who was walking in front, turned around and said impatiently on his fat face, "What are you two doing? Whispering in the back."

The sound startled the bystanders, who quickly shrank back and pretended nothing had happened, leaving the scene. Meanwhile, the Zhang couple, who were quietly plotting the Fan family's secret recipe, both flashed ingratiating smiles.

Zhang quickened her pace to catch up with Zhu Er, her flesh trembling with each step.

“Zhu Erlang, we’re a little worried that girl might cause trouble! You don’t know, that little brat from the Fan family! She’s got a silver tongue! Last time she even managed to get Hou Sanlang to speak up for her on the street! Sigh, we’re practically family, but Sanlang’s easily swayed, he’s so easily fooled by that little brat…”

After saying this, Zhang Shi clutched her chest and shook her head with a sigh, seemingly heartbroken. Zhu Er looked at her affected manner and sneered inwardly. Everyone knew that Hou San hated the Zhang family the most in Guqu Town.

I heard that last time Hou San caught his family making a huge fuss at the market, saying that without his family, the Fan family, they couldn't do business. He acted as if the entire ancient town of Guqu had to listen to his Zhang family.

Hou Sanke detests arrogant people like this the most. In addition, considering what the Zhang family did in the past to send their daughter to the Huang family, it's already considered generous of Hou Sanke that they haven't caused any trouble in the past.

They're still talking as if they're close to Hou Sanduo, but if Hou Sanduo were standing here, would the Zhang family still dare to say that?

However, Zhu Er didn't voice his true thoughts. He simply smiled and responded, "Who says otherwise! But Aunt Zhang, you don't need to worry too much. Look, I'm here to help you! Hou San is easily swayed, but I, Zhu Er, am hard-hearted! As long as you're sincere, Aunt Zhang, we'll naturally stand by your side. After all, we've lived in the same town for so many years, don't you think?"

Zhu Er's voice rose slightly at the end, and although he smiled, his small eyes were filled with coldness. Zhang Shi's heart trembled, and the hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood on end.

Did Zhu Er overhear her conversation with Butcher Zhang? Just as Zhang was feeling uneasy, Zhu Er spoke again.

"But I don't think Aunt Zhang is ungrateful, right?"

Her words were full of threat, and cold sweat trickled down Zhang's forehead. Looking into Zhu Er's small eyes, she felt a strange, inexplicable unease creeping into her heart. She chuckled, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Hehe, yes...yes! Aunt...Auntie can't be that kind of person!"

And so, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang, each with their own ulterior motives, headed towards the Fan family's residence. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to any of them, a figure overheard their entire conversation and then ran off in another direction…

(End of this chapter)