Chapter 361 Looking for the Shopkeeper
"Mother, I heard from the shopkeeper next door, Baochang, that his surname is Chang and he's a very powerful man."
Manager Chang has been the head manager of Baochang for more than ten years. Not only is he in charge of the largest branch in Beijing, he also manages more than a dozen other branches. He is also a major contributor to the continuous expansion of Baochang.
Erya cares most about this shop and runs there from time to time.
She is sweet-mouthed and talkative, and can find out any news.
Xiao Yan also knew about this.
However, they couldn't poach Manager Chang from their shop, so he didn't dare to think about it.
After all, Baochanghao paid Manager Chang a salary of 500 taels of silver every year, and dividends were calculated separately.
Moreover, the dividends should far exceed the fixed salary. In a good year, it can be several thousand taels.
"We can't afford Manager Chang." Xiao Yan told the truth.
People tend to go to higher places, and their temple is small and cannot accommodate a big Buddha.
"Dad, I didn't ask for Manager Chang." Erya blinked her eyes, looking mischievous. "I heard a secret, hehe."
She is so capable.
"We're family, why are you keeping us in suspense?" Lu Qiniang asked, "Hurry up and tell me."
"Mother, Shopkeeper Chang is a good person in every way, except for two flaws. One is henpecked, and the other is lustful."
In the end, lust overwhelmed his henpeckedness, so Manager Chang left his first wife in his hometown in Shanxi to take care of his parents and raise the children, while he went to Beijing and kept another wife there.
This concubine gave birth to a son and a daughter for Manager Chang.
I don’t know who reported this to Manager Chang’s wife.
The first wife immediately rushed to the capital, made a big fuss, and forced Manager Chang to send the concubine away.
As for his young son and daughter, his wife took them back to Shanxi to raise them, and it is said that she treated them as her own.
As soon as she left, Manager Chang secretly brought his mistress back.
The concubine was worried about her own two children, so she always cried and made a fuss to the shopkeeper Chang for the children.
Those who knew the situation felt that his first wife was very powerful. She had the concubine's child in her hands. Even if Manager Chang found the child, he would have to let her control him.
Later, his first wife died of illness. Before she died, she cried bitterly in front of her mother-in-law, expressing her concern for her own children. She was worried that Manager Chang would "let a wolf into the house" and let his concubine come in and bully her children.
Her mother-in-law, grateful for her years of dedication, gave her two children from another wife to someone else for adoption, so that she could feel at ease.
After all, not all mothers-in-law only bully their daughters-in-law. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have lived together for many years and have feelings for each other.
The wife felt relieved and passed away.
However, after her death, Manager Chang brought his two children born to his concubine back to the capital.
——Although they are no longer his children in name, Manager Chang feels that he should make up for it by having a pair of children.
Especially when he saw that they were being taken care of by their first wives and had completely forgotten the hardships they had shared in their youth, Manager Chang was left with only resentment.
Manager Chang brought his son Chang Hui, born to his concubine, with him.
"I heard that Chang Hui is a good person," said Erya, "but because of his background, many people look down on him. I think we can ask him for help."
"That won't do." Lu Qiniang said subconsciously, "I'm also disgusted by his background."
"Mother, a hero's origins are not questioned." Erya said, "Besides, it's not his fault. Can he choose who to give birth to? He hasn't harmed anyone, so why is that not allowed?"
"When I think about him making money and using it to support his concubine, I feel uncomfortable." Lu Qiniang said, "What kind of world is this? He doesn't support his wife's son, but he supports a concubine's son?"
"Mother, no one asked you to be the judge. We run a shop and we're doing business," Erya said. "What happens at home is different from what happens outside."
Public and private cannot be mixed.
"Think about it carefully, did Chang Hui commit murder or arson? He has the ability to help us run the shop and make us a lot of money. Why do you care what he does after getting the money? As long as he doesn't commit any crime, it's fine." Erya said.
Lu Qiniang thought about it and it seemed to make sense.
Although she was angry, her emotions should not affect the overall situation.
She couldn't invite Manager Chang because she felt that his character was questionable.
But Chang Hui was indeed innocent.
"How old is Chang Hui? How many years has he been with Manager Chang?" Daya asked pointedly.
"Chang Hui isn't very old, he's only eighteen this year," Erya said, "but he's been with Shopkeeper Chang for four years and can handle things on his own."
"Isn't she a little too young?" Lu Qiniang hesitated.
He's a big talker and doesn't do his job well, yet he has run such a big business!
"Even if Chang Hui is in trouble, he still has Shopkeeper Chang to back him up, right?" Erya smiled slyly. "Shopkeeper Chang is pissed because no one wants to hire his son! Do you think he can mess up Chang Hui's first job as shopkeeper?"
Is she looking for Chang Hui?
She is looking for half of the Chang storekeeper!
Lu Qi Niang looked at the other people in the family and asked, "What do you think?"
Yun Ting was the first to express his opinion, "I agree. Zhuozhuo's idea is great."
Daya said, "I think we can give it a try too."
Xiao Yan also agreed.
Seeing this, Lu Qiniang said, "Let's just make it like this and give it a try. Who knows, maybe they won't agree."
Daya knew what she was feeling uncomfortable about, so she found an opportunity to persuade her alone.
"Mom, a few days ago I saw someone escorting a group of corrupt officials from Henan to Beijing for trial."
"Is that so?" Lu Qiniang was very interested. "Are there a lot of people?"
"There are many, all in the prison cart, as far as the eye can see. This time, the emperor is probably going to kill a lot of people."
"Corrupt officials must be severely punished. Killing the chicken to scare the monkeys will prevent others from doing the same." Lu Qiniang said gritting her teeth.
Don't feel sorry for them.
Aren’t the tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of people who were harmed by them pitiful?
Autumn is supposed to be the harvest season, but so many disaster-stricken refugees come here to beg.
"Yes." Daya smiled. "The people of the capital are just as happy to see this as you are. Moreover, they highly praise Zhang Heyao for eliminating evil for the people and his loyalty and courage. Some people even adapted his deeds in Henan into a play."
When Lu Qiniang heard Zhang Heyao's name, she was silent for a moment and then said, "He did a really good job this time."
"Mother, will you blame those people and forget that he abandoned you?"
"Then I won't. How can I be so bold as to say that?" Lu Qiniang said, "What does the matter between us really matter?"
"Mother, people are so realistic," Daya said. "In the past, there must have been people who criticized him for you, but now they praise him. The same is true of Chang Hui's case. His background is indeed unpleasant, but if he can make our shop a fortune and he hasn't hurt anyone, why should you mind?"
You can’t choose your birthplace; ability is the key to survival in society.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
