Chapter 55 Establishing Authority for the Store Manager
"That's good then," Zhang said with relief.
"Your Majesty, please take care."
Leaving these words behind, Mu Cenlin's figure disappeared into the night.
Zhang Yinqing's body tensed almost imperceptibly for a moment. Looking at that tall, unfamiliar figure, a deep pain flashed in her eyes.
Her tragic life after leaving Huaqing Mountain, the other children she lost, the fate of her brother's family... all these events are shadowed by the Empress and the Crown Prince.
At this moment, Aunt Su, who had been following Zhang, came out and asked with a puzzled look, "Your Highness, it's windy outside. Be careful not to catch a cold while you're out alone."
Looking at Aunt Su, Zhang softly uttered a long-forgotten title, "Wang Yuezhi."
Aunt Su was taken aback and was quite surprised.
But Zhang continued, "When she first came to Huaqing Mountain, she was weak, so the Wang family sent her up the mountain to recuperate. But she was very stubborn and didn't consider herself a pampered young lady. We ate and lived together, practiced swordsmanship under the moon, and gathered herbs in the mountains. It was such a wonderful time."
"So when I learned that she had been chosen to assume the position of Empress, I truly believed that, in this deep palace, I would at least have a close sister by my side."
Zhang Yinqing paused, as if lost in that brief but sincere time, a bitter smile curving her lips: "Later I realized that what I thought was deep sisterly affection, for her, might have been mixed with something else from the very beginning. She envied my ability to wield the sword freely, envied Master's favor, and even envied that insignificant talent."
"She admires Zhang Yinqing from Mount Huaqing and cannot accept that I would willingly be trapped in the deep palace and have my wings broken for the sake of a man."
"But who knew that I was forced into this situation... If I didn't go down the mountain, my brother would be dismissed from his official post. Our family finally produced a martial arts champion, how could I implicate others because of myself?"
"I gave my heart to the emperor's sweet words day after day, but he ultimately broke the promise he made to lure me down the mountain. All true feelings are fleeting."
“So, in order to silence public opinion, it was inevitable for His Majesty to marry her. I never complained, and even… I was genuinely happy for her, thinking that we could be together.” Zhang Yinqing shook her head, her voice lowering.
"But after she became empress, the way she looked at me changed. She became distant, indifferent, and even... with a kind of disdainful disappointment. She probably felt that I had let down the martial arts world and tarnished the image in her heart."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Su's lantern swayed slightly, its warm yellow light flickering uncertainly in the night. She remained silent for a moment, finally letting out a barely audible sigh.
“Your Majesty,” she stepped forward and gently draped an old cloak that had been prepared beforehand over Zhang Yinqing’s trembling shoulders, “Why do you still remember those old things so clearly?”
Aunt Su carefully tied the sash of Zhang Yinqing's cloak.
“The snow on Mount Huaqing falls every year and melts every year.” Aunt Su raised her eyes and looked at the distant mountains beyond the palace walls, her gaze distant. “The friendship on the mountain is like the snow water. It seeps into the soil and nourishes the plants and trees, and that is enough. If you try to hold on to it, you will only freeze yourself.”
Zhang suddenly came to her senses and tightly grasped Aunt Su's hand: "You're right, so from now on I won't consider our past relationship anymore."
From now on, she will protect that child.
"Su Niang, will things get better from now on?"
"It definitely will."
*
With the wedding date set, the Prime Minister's residence was naturally bustling with activity. However, Li Bao'er found an excuse to slip out of the residence with Linglong and Qiuhe.
With the wedding imminent, it will likely be even more difficult for Princess Jing to personally manage these private properties in the future. She must take advantage of this time to thoroughly verify the last few shops that she extorted from her father and half-brother Li Zhou, and replace them with capable and reliable people.
The carriage stopped in front of a rather large silk shop, one of Li Zhou's most profitable shops, and the one he had given her as compensation for the arrow he had shot last time.
Today, Li Bao'er was dressed simply in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), without any makeup or hair ornaments. She was completely different from the glamorous daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion in her usual attire. She deliberately kept a low profile because she wanted to see the true state of the shop's business.
As soon as you enter, you can tell that business is indeed booming.
The shop assistants were busy, and the store was packed with customers.
The shopkeeper was a lean man around forty years old, surnamed Qian. He was originally the son of Li Zhou's wet nurse and considered himself one of the young master's own people.
He was fiddling with his abacus when he glanced up and saw Li Bao'er. Seeing that she was dressed plainly, he assumed she was a girl from a humble family looking at fabrics. He then lowered his head again and lazily dragged out his words: "Look at whatever fabrics you want to see yourself. The prices are all written down. Don't touch them randomly, or you won't be able to afford to pay for them if you damage them."
Qiu He was so angry that she wanted to go forward and argue, but Li Bao'er stopped her with a look.
She wasn't annoyed. She wandered around the shop on her own, her eyes sweeping over the various silks on the shelves, and then glancing at the counter. She already had a plan in mind.
Although the shop was bustling with customers, the displays were cluttered. High-end silks were mixed with ordinary cotton cloths that were easy to dye, and the warehouse management was obviously problematic. Several bolts of brocade, clearly damaged during transport, were scattered on the ground at the entrance.
Li Bao'er walked up to a piece of Yun brocade with an extremely high price tag, gently ran her fingertips over it, and said in a calm and even voice, "Shopkeeper, the weaving technique of this Yun brocade seems to be an old style from last year in southern Jiangsu. Is it really appropriate for you to sell it at the price of a new product?"
Shopkeeper Qian paused in his abacus work, then looked up at her with some surprise. Someone who could tell the age of the brocade weaving at a glance was no ordinary young lady.
But relying on being one of Li Zhou's men, and seeing that Li Bao'er was young and tender, he assumed that she had just overheard it somewhere by chance. So he curled his lips and said with a hint of contempt, "This young lady has a good eye, but our shop is catering to our regular customers. They only like this style! If you think it's too expensive or don't like it, the door is over there. Goodbye."
Li Bao'er smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes: "Oh? An old customer prefers the old style? Then may I ask Manager Qian, last year's ledger recorded that thirty bolts of this type of brocade were sold in the same period, but why does the warehouse record show that only twenty-five bolts were put into storage? Did those five bolts run away?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, causing Manager Qian's face to change drastically! How did this woman know the shop's accounts?!
"You! What nonsense are you spouting!" Manager Qian stood up abruptly, his face flushed. "Where did this little brat come from, daring to spout such nonsense and slander me! Employee, throw her out!"
Several men surrounded them. Qiu He was so frightened that her face turned pale, but she still managed to stand in front of Li Bao'er.
Li Bao'er remained calm and composed, even slowly taking out a small seal from her sleeve. It was the new seal issued by the government after the change of the land deed and house deed of this shop.
"Qian Youbing, look carefully. Now, who is the boss?" Li Bao'er's voice suddenly turned cold. Her almond-shaped eyes, which always seemed gentle and affectionate, were now sharp and piercing, carrying an undeniable pressure.
"From this day forward, you are dismissed. You are to settle all accounts and return every penny of the outstanding debt by today, or else we'll see you in court!"
When Manager Qian saw the seal, he was struck dumb, his face turning red and then white. He never expected that Young Master Li Zhou would actually give this golden goose to this sickly eldest daughter who was rumored to only chase after the Third Prince!
After the initial shock, a strong sense of resentment and contempt welled up inside me. What business a woman confined to her chambers could possibly know? She must have gotten incredibly lucky to guess the accounting problems correctly; she was just trying to scare him.
His eyes darted around, and a plan formed in his mind. Instead of admitting his mistake, he straightened his back, deliberately raised his voice, and shouted to the shop assistants and customers, "Oh my! Who do we have here! It's the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion, gracing us with her presence!"
His shout immediately drew everyone's attention.
Everyone knew about the rumors surrounding the Prime Minister's eldest daughter and the Third Prince, and now they also knew that she was about to marry Prince Jing. Although Prince Jing had a bad reputation, he was exceptionally handsome, so they couldn't help but feel jealous. Their gazes toward Li Bao'er immediately took on a scrutinizing and disdainful air, as if they were watching a spectacle.
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