Chapter 105 Anyone would have a headache dealing with such a difficult customer.
The Imperial Censor's wife was one of the few people who knew that Qingling had dealings with bandits.
When Qingling lived in the new mansion, she and the Imperial Censor's wife were just neighbors. Their friendship truly blossomed on that night at Yongning Temple.
Because of their good relationship, Qingling didn't want the Imperial Censor's wife to get involved.
If something really happens, the censor's family won't be implicated.
Imperial Censor Cao was upright and incorruptible, hating evil as if it were his enemy; he was a useful person to the court.
The silver note was proof of the Imperial Censor's wife's investment. She gave it to Qingling in front of Madam Ma to help her out of a predicament. This idea came from Qingling herself, and she asked the Imperial Censor's wife for help.
Now that the shop has officially opened, Qingling naturally can no longer accept the Imperial Censor's wife's silver notes.
She returned the silver notes, and the entry was removed from the ledger; as for the censor's wife's share of the profits, she gave it to her privately in other ways, and that was it.
If a confrontation ever occurs in the future, and the ledger doesn't record it, Qingling can simply say that the Censor's wife has already withdrawn her investment, and she won't be implicated.
The Censor's wife understood Qingling's meaning, but pressed the silver note into her palm: "Why are you giving it to me again? I really want to invest in you. Old Cao's salary is low, so what's wrong with me having an extra source of income? If you give me a share of the profits privately, isn't that bribing an official's family member? That's really hard to explain."
Qingling pursed her lips: "Then I won't give you a share of the profits, I'll give you something else—"
"Hey, girl, you dared to block even a broadsword, what are you afraid of?" The Censor's wife pushed the silver notes back, sat down in her chair, crossed her legs, and cracked a handful of melon seeds. "Even the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture has been dragged into this by you, what am I afraid of? We've been through thick and thin together, do you think I'd hide?"
"Honestly, I don't think it's a bad thing that you dare to use those people. If they are guided properly, they can return to normal life and will no longer harm the community. You have done a good deed."
“You’re taking a huge risk, while I’m only contributing a little money, getting some merit along the way, and even making money. What a worthwhile deal.”
"If anything happens, we can just tell Lao Cao to resign."
"Girl, opening a shop in the capital isn't easy. Don't be fooled by the fact that there's business everywhere in the four markets; every single one of them has some kind of powerful backing. Be careful when you open this shop, and make plenty of friends."
"My husband, Lao Cao, doesn't hold a high-ranking official position, but he's still good at scolding people..."
The Imperial Censor's wife leisurely cracked melon seeds, and the risks that Yao Qingling valued were nothing to her.
She's seen it all.
Qingling was touched and nodded with a slight smile: "I understand."
The censor's wife smiled; she was sitting by the window, looking through the window lattice, her eyes slightly narrowed.
I could vaguely see a man dressed in a red brocade robe, followed by several guards, swaggering in.
He had a grand air about him and was also very good-looking. Many people stopped being picky about what they had and just stared at him.
The censor's wife spit out a melon seed shell with a "pfft": "Why is he here? Wasn't he bedridden and unable to get up?"
Yao Qingling walked to the window, squinted and looked ahead. Who else could that conspicuous bag be but Prince Xin?
He was still the same as always, holding a folding fan in his hand, fanning himself, and when he stood there, people around him had to take three steps back to avoid him.
Taoye arrived at the backyard, her displeasure and worry written all over her face: "Miss, Prince Xin has arrived."
Qingling: "Yes, I saw it."
As the shop owner, she had to go out and serve the customers.
In the front yard, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Prince Xin strode up to the second floor with an arrogant and extraordinary air.
On the second floor, you will be served by top-notch waiters. Distinguished guests can simply sit down, state what they want, and someone will bring it to them for them to choose from.
However, Lien Cheng-tai only said he wanted to buy something, but didn't say what he wanted. How can anyone serve him like that?
When Qingling arrived, he was greeted personally by the shopkeeper, who could only smile and comply in the face of Prince Xin's unreasonable demands.
Qing Ling glanced indifferently at the items that had already been presented to Prince Xin.
The South Sea pearls, as big as eyeballs, are snow-white and round, their quality only slightly inferior to those of tribute pearls; the Zhuang brocade is colorful and vividly patterned; the Liubao tea has a unique aroma, and just one tea cake can fill the air with its distinctive fragrance.
But Prince Xin didn't even glance at it, simply saying it wasn't what he wanted.
Dealing with such a difficult customer is a headache for anyone.
Prince Xin looked at Qingling with a half-smile, gently shaking the folding fan in his hand: "Yao Qingling, your shop is not very good. It doesn't even have what I want, yet you have the nerve to say that it has 'everything you could want'. I think you should have someone smash that signboard."
He gave a wink, and the two guards behind him came out, ready to go downstairs and smash the signboard.
Qing Ling smiled slightly and said coldly, "Wait."
She stared at Prince Xin.
The two people didn't listen and had already reached the stairs.
Qingling continued, "The Prince Xin was just joking with me. You servants took it seriously. It's a small matter if you ruin the reputation of the Prince, but can you bear the loss of face for him?"
The two men stopped and turned to look at Prince Xin.
Prince Xin leisurely waved his folding fan: "Yao Qingling, are you trying to scare me?"
Qing Ling laughed and said, "What ability do I have to scare people when I'm all alone?"
She picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea, but instead of giving it to Prince Xin, she drank it herself.
Prince Xin stared at her, his hand holding the cup dangling in mid-air.
Qingling put down her teacup: "It's our opening day, and the place is packed with people inside and out. Look at them, they're all leaving with their purchases; they really love my little shop."
"If you ruin my reputation, won't people say I'm bullying you?"
Prince Xin chuckled, rolled his eyes at her, and arrogantly turned his head away: "You only met their demands. You failed to meet my demands, so I can naturally ruin your reputation."
"What would Your Highness like?"
The shopkeeper glanced at Yao Qingling. He had asked this question several times, and the Prince of Xin had only said one thing from beginning to end: "Let me think about it again."
Prince Xin: "Aren't you clever? Then guess what I want."
He stared at Yao Qingling, a malicious glint in his eyes.
Qingling stared at him intently. After a moment, she clapped her hands and called over two waiters from downstairs.
The waiters downstairs were bandits from the village. After training, they were competent in their interpersonal skills; they had no ill will towards ordinary people, only kindness and enthusiasm towards those of their own social class.
The waiters on the second floor were people who used to work in the shop. These people had a lot of contact with important people and were skilled at their work, but they were prone to being obsequious to those important people.
This kind of servility comes from the very core of their being; a single displeased glance from a superior is enough to make them shut their mouths and turn pale with fright.
Soon, the waiter from downstairs came upstairs. Qingling pointed to the chair under Prince Xin's bottom and said with a smile, "Prince Xin has difficulty moving around. Could you help him lift the chair so he can see what good things we have in our shop?"
"Putting everything else aside, our store's service must be impeccable."
Before becoming bandits, these bandits were just like these top waiters—dutiful and cowardly at heart. But after they rebelled, these noblemen were no different in their eyes.
The two walked straight to Prince Xin, one on each side, and lifted up a chair, along with Prince Xin himself.
But their actions were rude, unlike those of Prince Xin's entourage. Prince Xin shook his chair violently, angrily pointing his fan at Qing Ling. Before he could speak, two more people came up from downstairs.
Tao Weixian and Shao Wenchou.
Tao Weixian said, "Hey, Yao Qingling, your way of turning away customers is a bit unusual."
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