CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 88 CONGRATULATIONS_2

The children were attracted to the commotion as well.

"Shopkeeper, is it time for the ribbon-cutting?" Wu Gui had someone arrange large red cloth flowers at the entrance.

"Wait a moment, we are waiting for someone," Chen Ku said.

Hardly had he spoken, when several bosses, dressed in long robes of varying heights and wearing clean melon-peel hats, approached from not far away.

"HAHAHA, hearing that Shopkeeper Chen is opening today, we specially came to offer congratulations, to prevent it from being too quiet!"

The leader, wearing a black long robe, bowed to Chen Ku and said, "This humble one, Kou Shuxun, am the Shopkeeper of the Kou Family’s Iron Shop on East Street. Hearing of Shopkeeper Chen’s opening today, and being in the same industry, I specifically came to bring a gift."

With that, he had his assistant bring over three ducks, proclaiming loudly, "Shopkeeper Kou congratulates Shopkeeper Chen on his auspicious opening, offering three dried ducks as a gift!"

Chen Ku politely bowed with a smile.

Then, the shopkeepers behind Shopkeeper Kou also had their assistants bring out their respective gifts, joining in with their announcements, "The Liu Family Iron Bank on West Street, Liu Song, congratulates Shopkeeper Chen on his auspicious opening, presenting a bolt of cotton cloth!"

"Boss You from the South Street Iron Shop brings three liters of Japonica rice!"

"Shopkeeper Hu from North Street brings half a slab of pork."

...

Owners from more than a dozen Iron Banks came to offer presents, celebrating the grand opening of the shop.

For a time, everyone on the street—neighbors and shop owners alike—was watching the excitement.

Inside the Commoners’ Restaurant, Boss Huang chuckled and said, "These gifts might be common in the countryside when someone is marrying off a daughter or building a new house. But these Iron Bank owners, each rich enough to own mines, bringing such modest gifts? They’re clearly just here for the spectacle, aiming to embarrass him."

Inside the shop, anger also showed on Wu Gui’s face.

He knew that the county’s dozen or so Iron Banks wouldn’t allow them to suddenly cut in and take a share, but he hadn’t expected them to make such a show of dominance on the opening day.

Instead, Chen Ku’s expression remained unchanged; he even wore a smile as he told his assistants, "Make a note of all the names. These are congratulatory gifts from our fellow shopkeepers, and we must not overlook these kindnesses."

Then, he bowed to the shopkeepers before him, "Your presence is an honor, and though the gifts may be light, the sentiment is heavy. Many thanks, many thanks!"

Hearing Chen Ku speak like this, Shopkeeper Kou, the leader of the group, couldn’t help but take a serious look at this young man.

Normally, a younger person would have been furious after such an ordeal. Yet this youth, who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen, not only refrained from anger but also maintained his composure, accepting each gift so graciously that they couldn’t find a single fault.

Shopkeeper Kou pondered for a moment, then his face broke into a smile again. "Since Brother Chen has accepted the gifts, presumably there’s a feast for today’s opening? I wonder where we guests should go to partake of the meal?"

"Since he can afford to run an Iron Bank, I think we should go to Hongyan Tower!" someone laughingly suggested from behind.

Immediately, someone else interjected, feigning a serious tone, "How could we do that? Shopkeeper Chen is selling crow sink sand to the major iron shops at half the market price, inexplicably allowing us all to make a fortune. If we then go and eat a feast worth several hundred taels of silver at Hongyan Tower at his expense, wouldn’t that be bullying him too much?"

"That’s right!"

Listening to the shopkeepers outside with their bantering and cutting remarks, Wu Gui’s face darkened with anger. He was just about to roll up his sleeves and charge out but was stopped by Chen Ku.

Chen Ku, addressing Shopkeeper Kou with a smile, said, "Of course, Hongyan Tower it shall be. My fellow shopkeepers are right; a grand opening indeed calls for a feast at the best restaurant in the county, which has already been booked. However, our guests have not all arrived yet. Why don’t you esteemed shopkeepers wait a while? Once all our guests are here, we can all head to the banquet together. How does that sound?"

Shopkeeper Kou was struck by this.

"There are more guests?"

"It must be his brother-in-law, Li Yuancheng."

"I knew it. Just a Deputy Constable, after all. Among us who can afford to run an Iron Bank, who doesn’t have significant backing? My maternal uncle is even the head of the Rites Section, one of the Yamen’s Six Sections, a half rank above Li Yuancheng!"

After exchanging glances, several shopkeepers smiled and agreed.

Sure enough, after a while, they saw Li Yuancheng approaching, accompanied by his wife, Chen Tian, who was carrying three boxes.

When Li Yuancheng saw all the Iron Bank shopkeepers gathered there, his expression immediately darkened. As a Deputy Constable for so many years, how could he not know the inner workings of the industry? They were here to intimidate their new Iron Bank.

But just as those shopkeepers thought, Li Yuancheng recognized that at least half of them had connections with people from the Yamen’s Three Divisions and Six Sections. As a Deputy Constable, he really couldn’t suppress them here.

"Deputy Constable Li, my elder brother also works at the Yamen, and he often mentions Brother Li," Boss You from South Street came forward with a smile to greet him. "I heard from Shopkeeper Chen that your esteemed establishment will be hosting a banquet at Hongyan Tower later. We must definitely have a few more drinks then!"

Chen Tian’s face showed concern. As a woman who rarely ventured out, she was unfamiliar with such scenes, but she could still detect the undertones of hostility and veiled threats in their expressions and words. She knew one thing for sure: these people were here to obstruct her brother’s business. She couldn’t help but tug at her husband’s sleeve.

Feeling his wife’s gesture, Li Yuancheng wrestled with his thoughts. This was a massive business deal involving tens of thousands of taels of silver; how could he willingly let it be blocked? Especially since he had a personal stake in it. He was about to put on a stern face and forcibly dismiss these people.

But just then, a voice came from the street.

"Jiang Shaoyou of Tongwen House congratulates my junior brother on the auspicious opening of his business!"

A young man’s voice, resonant and charismatic, rang out from nearby, immediately causing everyone to turn their heads.

There, Jiang Shaoyou appeared, dressed in elegant scholarly robes, followed by four servants. They carried a chest slung on poles, brought it to the Iron Bank, and placed it before Chen Ku. Jiang Shaoyou smiled and said to him, "Junior Brother, I came uninvited for your opening. I didn’t prepare much, just some simple gifts. Inside is a collection of carefully selected curios, calligraphy, paintings, and the Four Treasures of the Study—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—all meant to decorate your shop."

As he spoke, the servants opened the chest, instantly revealing its contents.

The Iron Bank shopkeepers who saw this were all shocked and envious. They were wolf’s hair brushes, Songjiang ink, Xuan State paper, an antique-grade inkstone, and several paintings and calligraphy scrolls, each worth several hundred taels.

"Tongwen House? The young master, Jiang Shaoyou?!"

"Who would have thought that this Chen from Medicine King Hall would have such close ties with the young master of such a major family!"

Not only were these shopkeepers shocked that Chen Ku had such connections, but the other shopkeepers on the street were also surprised. The owner of the painting and calligraphy store, in particular, looked at Jiang Shaoyou’s departing figure with immense respect; that was Tongwen House, which monopolized an entire street of art, calligraphy, and curios.

"Senior Brother, these gifts are too generous," Chen Ku smiled at Jiang Shaoyou. "How could I possibly accept them?"

Jiang Shaoyou flicked his paper fan and winked at Chen Ku. "This is nothing. Someone will be sending an even more valuable gift soon."

"Someone else?" The other shopkeepers were stunned upon hearing this.

A mere apprentice from Medicine King Hall, what other connections could he possibly have?

Just then, the CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP of carriage wheels echoed from the distance, growing louder as they approached on the main street.

"That is..." Shopkeeper Kou turned his head and instantly recognized the emblem on the carriage. "Isn’t that the carriage of the Martial Arts Scholar Chai family?"

As he contemplated, he saw two carriages pull up in front of Chen Ku’s shop, one arriving right after the other.

Winter was approaching, and the weather was slightly cold. Chai Tiangui, dressed in luxurious silks with a fine mink scarf around his neck, alighted from the carriage. He amiably bowed to Chen Ku with a smile and said, "Brother Chen, congratulations on your opening! I have prepared some humble gifts and hope you will kindly accept them."

As he spoke, men from the carriage behind him began unloading three large chests.

Upon opening them, a bright silver light reflected the sun, glittering brilliantly.

"Silver! So much silver!!"

The onlookers on the street cried out in shock, staring at those three large chests.

"Three thousand taels of silver!"

What is the relationship between this Official Chai and this young Chen?

Just for a grand opening, to give three thousand taels?