Chapter 341 Bastard

But Chu Jinnian also said that he would not do that. Although that guy was a bit too cruel, he kept his word.

I don't think so...

Forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore.

Anyway, this matter is in line with his thoughts, just teach Zhuang Qingsui to study well.

Actually, he has never taught female students. If Zhuang Qingsui can really achieve academic success and become an excellent female teacher in the future, it would be a great achievement and a benefit to the world.

Fan Wenxuan felt much more relieved when he thought about it. He took a sip of tea, talked to Zhuang Qingning for a while, and then took Zhuang Qingsui and Zhuang Mingli to the study.

After a short while, the sound of reading aloud and Fan Wenxuan's explanation could be heard from the study.

Zhuang Qingning prepared some tea, snacks, and fruits and placed them in the study for several people to use.

After I finished this, someone else came to the door.

It was the county merchant named Cheng that Cao mentioned.

Just as Cao said, the man was called Cheng Ruize, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. He was dressed in a brocade robe but did not have the temperament of a merchant. Instead, he had a handsome appearance, gentle manners, and a refined bookish air, more like a scholar.

"I came to bother Shopkeeper Zhuang today because I heard that the preserved eggs here in the county town are unique in appearance and delicious in taste. After asking around, I learned that they are sold by Zhuangji Tofu Shop in the town. So I wanted to ask if they are willing to sell these preserved eggs in the county town."

"I have been to the tofu shop several times and have seen that the bean curd sticks and tofu they sell are all very delicious. I wonder if Shopkeeper Zhuang is willing to ship all of these things to the county town to sell."

Cheng Ruize smiled and continued, "I told Manager Zhuang my purpose directly, but I didn't even tell him about my family situation."

"My family has been doing business for generations. We have businesses and shops in the city and surrounding counties. In the county town, we have a medicine shop, a spice shop, and a tea shop. Business is pretty good."

"I'm not saying this to show off my wealth. I just want to tell Shopkeeper Zhuang that, firstly, my family has been doing business for generations, and I've learned business from my parents since I was a child, so I'm pretty experienced in running a shop. Secondly, my family has some wealth, so even if the business doesn't go well in the early stages, we can still support it."

"I understand what Shopkeeper Cheng means." Zhuang Qingning nodded. "But your last name is Cheng, and you opened a herbal medicine store in the county. Then I would like to ask, is this herbal medicine store the Cheng Family Herbal Medicine Store that supplies herbal medicine to Zhuang Ji Cloth Shop?"

"That's right." Cheng Ruize was slightly startled, with a bit more doubt on his face, "But I don't know how Manager Zhuang knew about it?"

After a moment, Cheng Ruize laughed, "Since it's called Zhuang's Cloth Shop, could it be a relative of Shopkeeper Zhuang?"

"It's run by an uncle from our village. I sell the mosquito repellent herbal bags with that uncle." Zhuang Qingning smiled, "My uncle mentioned before that the Cheng family is wealthy and has a big business. They are also a business family. As the young master of the Cheng family, I think I don't have to worry about this business in the future."

"Manager Zhuang, you are too kind. I am not worthy of the title of Young Master. I am only one of the three sons in your family, and a concubine's son. However, my parents saw that I have a good understanding of business, so they trusted me to manage all the shops in the county town."

Cheng Ruize smiled and said, "Manager Zhuang, you should just call me Manager Cheng."

"I am sorry for my words, please forgive me, Manager Cheng." After a moment of pause, Zhuang Qingning quickly apologized.

Zhuang Qingning never expected that Cheng Ruize was actually a bastard.

In this era, the status of illegitimate sons and daughters is quite low. Except for the illegitimate sons who must inherit the family business when there is no legitimate son, the other illegitimate sons cannot inherit the family business, nor can they manage the household affairs like the legitimate sons. Previously, Cheng Ruize was seen managing several shops at a young age, so he must be a person who is highly expected by the family.

So Zhuang Qingning never thought of this at all.

The word "young master" just now made it seem that her words were extremely inappropriate and that she was exposing someone's shortcomings.

"Master Zhuang, don't take it to heart." Cheng Ruize didn't care. "Although I am a bastard, my aunt died early, so I was raised by my mother. My father and mother also had high hopes for me, and my brother was even more caring. I never thought that the word bastard was an embarrassing word. It's just that people are how they are. I don't want to hide it, and I'm used to telling others."

Cheng Ruize said it very clearly, and the smile on his face did not diminish at all, it seemed that he really didn't care about the matter.

Zhuang Qingning felt relieved, but he also felt that Cheng Ruize was indeed quite good as Cao said.

People with large families and big businesses are used to seeing money and doing big business, so they naturally look down on many small businesses. However, Cheng Ruize looks favorably upon them, which shows that Cheng Ruize is a very down-to-earth and visionary person.

Previously, Cao also said that Cheng Ruize was very sincere and humble.

Now it is seen that Cheng Ruize does not regard himself as the young master of the Cheng family, and when he mentions his identity, his attitude is generous and frank, without any concealment or inferiority complex, which is enough to show that Cheng Ruize has an open mind.

Moreover, judging from what Cheng Ruize said about the situation at home, compared to other families where the mistresses oppress their illegitimate sons and daughters and there is unrest in the harem, it seems that the Cheng family is strict in managing their household but also very humane, with brothers being friendly and respectful to each other, mothers being loving and children being filial, and illegitimate children being educated very well and being entrusted with important tasks.

"Just now, Shopkeeper Zhuang mentioned that this mosquito repellent herbal bag is sold together with the uncle from the cloth shop. Does that mean that this mosquito repellent herbal bag is made by Shopkeeper Zhuang? It turns out that Shopkeeper Zhuang is a person who is proficient in medicine?" Cheng Ruize asked.

"Not really, it's just that one of the medicinal powders in this herbal bag was left by my parents. I was afraid of mosquitoes before, so I tried it and found it very good."

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Zhuang Qingning said, "Later, I thought about selling the herbal bags for money, so I found an uncle from the same village who was doing business in the county town, and started the herbal bag business together."

"I see." Cheng Ruize nodded slightly. "This herbal bag is indeed very good. The herbal medicine store has shipped a large number of these herbal bags to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Lingnan areas. They are very popular, so the medicine store has also made a lot of profit."

"I never thought that this thing was made by Shopkeeper Zhuang."

It seems that the Cheng family and this shopkeeper Zhuang have a good relationship.

Cheng Ruize looked at Zhuang Qingning, and there was more admiration and amazement in his eyes.

When Cheng Ruize first learned that the owner of Zhuang's Tofu Shop was a woman, he was surprised but not shocked.

After all, there are many smart and capable women in this world.

But when I saw Zhuang Qingning in person today, I was really surprised.

He really didn't expect that Zhuang Qingning was such a young girl.

Girls of this age are usually at home, acting like spoiled brats in front of their parents, embroidering, chasing butterflies, and having fun. Most of them are ignorant of the ways of the world. Even in a family like the Cheng family, which has very strict requirements for their daughters, the things they learn are quite limited.

Also, I will upload it in the evening. I will update as much as I can write today. 　　At least there is one more chapter.

(End of this chapter)