CHAPTER 211: CHAPTER 211: OUTSMARTED

Zou Yuwan saw Zou Yuzhen acting like this, filled with rage, haste, and a sense of injustice, unable to hold back her tears and sobbing aloud.

She came to this shabby countryside, just to let Master Qi witness her kindness and virtuosity, so that once back at Qi Mansion, he would speak for her and allow her to marry into the Qi Family as a granddaughter-in-law.

Now, to her dismay, Master Qi had left in anger, and her own brother had even scolded her!

Maid Hua’er came to support her and tried to calm her, saying, "Fifth Miss, please calm down, Third Young Master didn’t mean what he said about you."

With a slap, Zou Yuwan harshly struck Hua’er across the face, rebuking, "You little wench, who exactly is your mistress? Do you think I’m not aware of what you’re after? If you want to be taken in by Third Brother, you need to serve me well. If you do a good job, before I get married, I’ll help you out and send you to Third Brother. But if you don’t, I can just sell you off!"

Hua’er, being slapped, did not dare utter a word of protest, with tears welling in her eyes, she supported Zou Yuwan and said, "This servant acknowledges her fault, please quell your anger, Miss."

"Hmph," Zou Yuwan snorted coldly, letting Hua’er help her back to her guest room. However, she would never really send Hua’er to Third Brother.

Families of high status, especially those of government officials, are most concerned about reputation. There has never been a brother who takes a sister’s maid into his room, such an act would make one the laughingstock of all if it were to get out. Only a naive girl like Hua’er, who has not seen much of the world, would believe it.

With Master Qi’s abrupt departure, the siblings Zou Yuzhen and Zou Yuwan were quite distressed, but Gu Jinli and the others were delighted.

Third Grandpa said to Elder Lei Wu, "Brother Lei, thank you so much. I truly apologize, as you have just returned to the county, and now we have to ask you to make another trip."

Elder Lei Wu, a straightforward and loyal man, waved his hand and replied, "What’s the big deal? We are yet to partner in business together. If your workshop does well, we’ll be able to get the goods. I certainly don’t want the workshop’s work to get delayed, or our pick-up time to be affected, just because of some dodgy people."

Hearing this, Third Grandpa’s heart filled with joy. Their families had truly struck fortune, first encountering someone as generous and righteous as County Captain Jiang, and now Elder Lei Wu. Each one of them was aiding their homes. Without their help, having fled famines, protecting the tofu and spices would have been as hard as reaching the heavens.

Elder Qin, however, wasn’t as pleased. He had initially thought that to get rid of Master Qi, Ah Ji would surely bring out the Ning Family Token. Yet Ah Ji was cunning. Instead of bringing out the Ning Family Token, she brought Elder Lei Wu along, letting him reveal the Lei Family’s Trading Team emblem, scaring Master Qi away with the name of the Lei Family’s Trading Team.

Qin San Lang’s expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he became more wary of Ah Ji. This man didn’t easily leave others with anything to hold against him. Without proof in their hands that Ah Ji was the legitimate son of Ningbo Mansion, they couldn’t form a life-for-life bond with him.

Ah Ji knew what the ’grandfather and grandson’ were thinking, but for now, he couldn’t lay all his bets on the shoulders of Elder Qin and Qin San Lang. At the very least, he would need to wait another three years.

Three years, that’s when everything would begin.

"Grandpa Lei, it’s getting late now. If you wouldn’t mind, why not stay the night and then head to the county town with us early tomorrow morning?" Qin San Lang said to Elder Lei Wu.

While Elder Lei Wu was willing, Ah Ji was not.

Ah Ji knew what Qin San Lang was thinking, so he said, "Uncle Wu, tonight a batch of goods will be coming from Linhe Prefecture. We need to go back and inspect the goods."

The Lei Family’s Trading Team did not often come to the south, so every time they did, they would take away a lot of things from the south, such as tea, salt, sugar, and brocade. These goods needed to be purchased in large quantities, and many items had to be collected every day.

However, the inspection of the goods could be done by Kunzi and Ah Chuan as well. Ah Ji did not want to stay, and Elder Lei Wu did not insist, and merely said to Qin San Lang, "Qin family lad, our trading team still has business to attend to, so we will not stay any longer. Working at the Military Office and government office may not pay much, but it can help out the family and is a decent way out. You guys need to work hard."

Elder Lei Wu really liked a young fellow like Qin San Lang — calm and unhurried, with real skills, not panicking in the face of troubles, and able to find ways to solve problems. If not for Qin San Lang going to the Military Office, he really wanted to recruit him into the Lei Family’s Trading Team to run business together.

"Rest assured, Elder Lei, I will surely do my best," Qin San Lang said as he looked at Gu’s Workshop, his face showing a trace of concern: "All of our families fled here to escape famine, and now that we have some noticeable businesses, and with Brother Luo Wu and I going to the county again, I’m really worried that without us, who know how to fight, someone might come to make trouble at the workshop."

Hearing this, Elder Lei Wu laughed heartily and said, "You lad, you’re trying to get something from this old man. Alright, in consideration of the Gu Family, the old man will give you something."

Ah Ji’s expression stiffened when he heard this, wanting to stop it but it was too late. Elder Lei Wu took out a small copper plate, about two fingers wide and an inch tall, and handed it to Qin San Lang: "This is a small copper plate from the Lei Family’s Trading Team. You take it, and if anyone who’s short-sighted comes to make trouble at the workshop in the future, you just show this plate and report the name of the Lei Family’s Trading Team."

"Anyone coming from the Prefecture with a bit of influence has heard of the name of the Lei Family’s Trading Team. Seeing this small copper plate, they wouldn’t dare to trouble your workshop anymore. And if they haven’t heard of the Lei Family’s Trading Team, then they must be insignificant folks like the Zou and Lu families, and you can just find Brother Jiang."

Qin San Lang smiled, revealing shallow dimples, and took the small copper plate with both hands: "I thank you, Elder Lei."

Ah Ji felt a fire brewing inside him; this Young Marquis was indeed scheming. Unable to get hold of his Ning Family Token, he resorted to a roundabout tactic, taking the small copper plate of the Lei Family’s Trading Team.

If the Emperor’s people found this small copper plate on the Qin family’s three generations, neither the Lei Family’s Trading Team nor he could escape!

Ah Ji’s visit was the result of careful calculation, yet now he was outwitted by Qin San Lang. He needed to work hard to suppress the anger in his heart to keep his expression normal.

After a moment, he urged Elder Lei Wu, "Uncle Wu, it’s getting late, let’s go back."

Spending another moment here, he feared he would not be able to restrain himself.

Hearing this, Elder Lei Wu said to Third Grandpa, "Then we shall leave first, and we will be back on the twenty-sixth of April."

"Ah, Brother Lei rest assured, before the twenty-sixth of April, our workshop will make sure to get the seasoning spices ready for you." Third Grandpa and the others saw Elder Lei Wu and Ah Ji off from Gu’s Workshop.

The two of them got onto a mule cart and drove away.

Before leaving, Ah Ji gave Qin San Lang a glance, seeing Qin San Lang smiling at him, which caused him to choke up. With a flick of the whip, he struck the mule’s behind, driving the mule cart away from Da Feng Village.

With Master Qi’s matter resolved and Elder Lei Wu leaving behind the Lei Family’s Trading Team’s small copper plate for the workshop’s protection, Third Grandpa was very pleased. Thinking that the Qin Brothers and Luo Wu had to go to the county early tomorrow, he suggested that the families come together tonight for a meal as a send-off for the three kids.