Chapter 82

The Wu family's workshop had just started making scented soap, and the scented soap that had been damaged was the first batch of goods produced by his workshop.

To be honest, the Wu family originally only wanted to gain a foothold in the soap business. After all, the bulk of their business was rouge and powder, and they had no intention of focusing on soap. But once the soap incident came to light, it caused a lot of trouble. Due to their improper handling, not only did they dissatisfy their old customers, but they also gave the Zhou family a huge advantage.

"I don't believe that the Zhou family had no hand in this! It must have been that family's doing!" Young Master Wu locked the man in the house after this incident, and even smashing a room full of broken porcelain bottles couldn't vent his anger.

Wu Min agreed wholeheartedly and sneered, "Who else could it be besides the Zhou family? There are only two workshops in this town. Only by ruining the reputation of the Wu family's perfume and soap can the Zhou family become prominent. I've told you before, Dad, you can't be too polite to this family! The more you take them seriously, the more they'll think we're afraid of them! If we give in, the Zhou family might start making a fuss about rouge and powder, and our business will be over..."

"Shut up! Don't you think it's not chaotic enough? You're still gossiping here!" Wu En knew that his eldest son had an impatient temper, but he used to look like he could take on responsibilities, but now he is extremely impatient.

Wu Min sneered. His father, now older, had become increasingly timid and hesitant. In his opinion, going directly to Luntai to seek the Grand Protectorate and removing Zhou Jingchen, the corrupt official, would be more effective than anything else, solving the problem once and for all. Excessive concern would only lead to further escalation. If he didn't nip him in the bud, he'd have to wait until Zhou Jingchen truly established himself. Once he did, his Wu family wouldn't have a comfortable life.

Seeing that Wu En was not getting through to him, Wu Min became annoyed and immediately gave up trying to persuade his brother. Too lazy to listen to his father's repeated rhetoric, he just tossed his sleeves and left.

Not to mention that the Wu family had quarreled several times because of the Zhou family father and son, Ye Jia had already planted the spring rice seedlings. On the other hand, he cleared out the sunny fields to plant rapeseed and cotton, and also planted many herbs.

The purpose of growing herbs was to prepare for the future sale of pear blossom paste, in case there was a shortage of herbs. Ever since Yu bought the recipe for pear blossom paste, the old doctor at the herbal medicine shop stopped selling it. However, Ye Jia had plenty to use. Yu had stockpiled enough, enough to last until August. Yu had also purchased a large amount of herbs for pear blossom paste and sent them to the workshop, and they would begin making pear blossom paste this month.

"Stop the idea of ​​consignment as soon as possible." Spreading rumors will leave traces. Regardless of whether the Wu family has found out or not, the future cooperation between the Zhou and Wu families will definitely be affected. If Ye Jia dares to do it, be prepared for a breakup. "It's time for our family to buy a shop."

The Zhou family now had fertile land and savings, so opening a shop was a reasonable option. However, considering the small size of Dongxiang Town and the low customer flow, they abandoned the idea because they already had four rouge and powder shops on East and West Streets. However, if the Wu family severed their partnership with the Zhou family and stopped selling their goods, they would be left to fend for themselves.

"Indeed, but it's not easy to move this shop. The good locations on East Street are already occupied." Yu naturally agreed with Ye Jia's idea, but East Street is so long, and if the good locations are gone, it would be hard to force people to move to them, right?

Ye Jia was stunned and looked at Yu.

Yu had been pondering this for days. The Wu family's antics had made her less trusting of others. It wasn't the first time these merchants had done something shady. Previously, there was Xu Youcai, the bath bean supplier. He was so greedy that he broke the law, cutting off supply mid-sale and trying to raise prices. Now, there was this Third Young Master Wu, who, while publicly signing the contract, was secretly eyeing the Zhou family's recipe.

One by one, the Yu family had already given up on entrusting their business to the local merchants. After all, the family was not short of money, so they could also set up a shop of their own.

"...If it doesn't work, move Xishi's shop out."

Yu pondered for a moment and suggested, "Since everyone in town is used to the food at Xishi's shop, it will sell well no matter where we move it. Why not give up the good location and open a shop on West Street to sell meat?"

"Mom, even if we wanted to open a shop, we wouldn't choose Dongxiang Town."

Putting aside the numerous issues in Dongxiang Township, the main issue is the lack of local purchasing power. Just like with Xiangpizi, there are very few people in this area who can afford skincare products and are willing to spend a lot of money on them. In the past, they had no choice but to set up a small family workshop, collaborating with the Wu family on consignment sales to gain a foothold and, of course, save money. Now that they have the capital, they don't have to limit their thinking too much.

"If we want to open a shop, we should go to Luntai." Ye Jia thought for a moment and said, "Compared with Dongxiang Town, the prosperity of Luntai is far superior. Why should our family focus on this small piece of land in Dongxiang Town?"

Yu was stunned by what Ye Jia said. After thinking about it, it was true.

This pear blossom paste is not uncommon in Dongxiang Town. Herbal medicine shops often stock a dozen bottles, lasting from winter to the following year. While some believe the locals don't know the product well, those who have actually used it should know its benefits. Applying it to the face not only benefits wounds but also moisturizes and protects the skin. Ultimately, it's simply because the locals are poor.

"Jia Niang, what are your plans? Do you have a good plan?" Yu Shi felt that her daughter-in-law's ideas were really unpredictable, but after listening carefully, they made a lot of sense. Every time Ye Jiayi made a move, he always got money back.

What plans did Ye Jianeng have? She had visited Luntai last winter and observed some things. On a snowy day, she and Ye Wumei and a few others explored the city's bustling districts, selling everything from food and drink to clothing and daily necessities. Unlike the streets of Dongxiang Town, where all shops were closed, they were open despite the heavy snow. This alone speaks volumes about the locals' purchasing power and consumption levels.

"After a few days, when the farmland is completely settled and the fragrant soap business needs to be handled, I'll find time to go to Luntai."

Ye Jia thought for a moment and said, "The Xishi shop will definitely not move. We decided to open it here, and the townspeople all recognize it as the location. We can set up a storefront outside the workshop. It doesn't need to be big, just for retail."

Speaking of this, Ye Jia slowly exhaled and said, "The price of our fragrant soap needs to change. Not only the price of the fragrant soap, but also the quality needs to be improved. We can make corresponding improvements based on the different ratios of the ingredients, and add more fragrances. The Wu family's rumors have earned Zhou's fragrant soap a good reputation. We must consolidate this reputation while it's hot, and appropriately tie it into the sentimentality to sublimate it..."

Yu was completely bewildered, unable to grasp the meaning of "appropriately binding emotions to enhance them." The tightly closed door then made a soft click. Then, with a creak, it was pushed open from outside.

The two people who were talking paused and looked over immediately.

A tall figure stood quietly by the door, his dark hair draped over his shoulders, unable to be half-tied with a simple mahogany hairpin. When Zhou Jingchen's hair was meticulously combed, he looked aloof and unapproachable; when it was slightly disheveled, he resembled a fairy in the clouds, to be admired from afar and not touched. He was rarely not wearing his military uniform, a wide-sleeved, flowing green robe.

His crow-like eyelashes drooped, the upper half of his face hidden in shadow, his smooth jaw and upper lip stained like a smudge of crimson ink. Seeing the two staring at him blankly, he raised the corner of his mouth slightly in amusement. "What's wrong? Seeing me like this?"

The words that were on the tip of Ye Jia's tongue got stuck in his throat. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Yu was stunned for a long time, then suddenly stood up, walked over and grabbed the man's sleeve: "Yun'an, why are you back at this hour!"

"I just happened to have something to do and needed to come back."

Zhou Jingchen walked in. I hadn't seen him for more than a month, and he seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

He hadn't looked so thin earlier in the camp, but now, in this emerald green robe, he looked exceptionally slender and graceful. He walked slowly to the table, sat down, took an empty cup, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it slowly. Then, setting the cup aside, he looked at the two men staring at him. "Is there something going on at home? You look so serious."

Yu opened her mouth and was about to talk about the Wu family, but she didn't know where to start and was stuck for a moment.

Ye Jia shook his head: "It's not a big deal, it can be solved. But why are you back at this hour? Did something happen?"

Ye Jia had gone to see how busy Zhou Jingchen was; they were counting on him for many things. It wasn't a big deal; he probably wouldn't be back. While Libei Town wasn't far from Dongxiang Town, it still took a day for the subordinate villages to get there.

"Someone's coming from Luntai. I have to go there in the next two days."

"Luntai? What could be going on in Luntai?" Yu knew Zhou Jingchen's personality. He would take his time unless it was something important. "Have you finished with the things in Libei Town? How long will you stay home this time?"

"Not yet, there's still some work to do. It should be finished in another half month. I'll stay one night and then it's time to set off."

Zhou Jingchen's gaze fell on Ye Jia's face, and he looked at her quietly like flowing water.

Ye Jia silently averted her gaze, and seeing that he was still staring, she curled her lips and said, "I might go to Luntai in a few days. Here's the thing, my mother and I decided to open another shop to sell fragrant soap and pear blossom paste. Dongxiang Town is too small, and we can't sell good things in the shop, so we plan to open this shop in Luntai. What do you think, my husband?"

"Of course you can. Luntai is much more prosperous." Zhou Jingchen was a little confused. "But why did you suddenly have this plan?"

Before Ye Jia could speak, Yu sighed and told him about the conflicts she had been having with the Wu family recently.

Actually, this matter is over now, so there's no need to pursue it. After all, they live in the same town, and I don't know what the Wu family's true intentions are. Will their actions towards the Wu family leave any future trouble? Yu Shi was cautious and careful in her inquiries, as wealthy families these days are all like that. They never act alone, and each family has a complex network of connections.

"The Wu family?" The Wu family was quite quiet in Dongxiang Town, mostly unnoticed. But Zhou Jingchen was well aware of the Wu family's wealth and status, and he had long since learned about the various families in Dongxiang Town. "Someone's been investigating my background lately, and I wonder if it's related to this matter."

As soon as Zhou Jingchen finished speaking, Yu and Ye Jia looked at each other, and their expressions suddenly changed.

"Is it serious? What did you find out?" The charge of treason against King Jing was a sharp sword hanging over the Zhou family's head that could not be moved. If someone made a big fuss about it, such as accusing Zhou Jingchen of stationing troops in the northwest waiting for an opportunity to retaliate, or attempting to rebel, then it would be a big disaster.

"Nothing." Zhou Jingchen said calmly, "I know what I'm doing, don't worry."

Yu was about to say something, but seeing her son's eyes fixed on Ye Jia's face, she knew the young couple, having not seen each other for a long time, must have something to say. She swallowed the worry that was about to come out of her mouth and said, "Forget it, you two can talk. I'll go see if Yuanniang has prepared dinner."

As she left, she closed the door behind her.

Ye Jia's brows furrowed tightly. She wondered who might be investigating Zhou Jingchen. If it was the Wu family, what would they do? Suddenly, Zhou Jingchen across from her put down his cup with a click. She was startled and looked up.

Zhou Jingchen raised his eyelashes, slightly curved his eyes and smiled at her: "Jia Niang, does my hairpin look bad today?"

Ye Jia, who was originally worried, choked on his breath.

Ye Jia: “…”