Yuan Zhao was indeed sleepy. He buried himself in his arm for a moment, his breathing quickly becoming even. He didn’t say anything more and fell asleep almost instantly.
“Yuan Zhao—”
Shi Wuxiang quickly finished reciting a chapter, committing those obscure and difficult self-questions and answers to memory. When he turned his head, he saw that the other person had already fallen asleep.
He sighed softly, set the book down, and got up to carry Yuan Zhao horizontally into his arms. He placed him steadily onto the heated brick bed.
The bed was warm all over. Shi Wuxiang only touched it briefly, and the heat made him drowsy as well. So he simply took off his outer robe, climbed onto the bed, pulled Yuan Zhao into his arms, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, in town, the common people were still enthusiastically discussing what had happened the day before, all waiting for the county magistrate to deliver a proper ruling.
After hearing Shi Wuxiang’s explanation, Yuan Zhao felt much more at ease. As long as the other man could successfully enter the academy, that was enough. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a little curious about how the case would ultimately be judged.
More and more people came to Yuan Zhao’s stall to buy things. There were even customers from neighboring villages and towns, clearly showing that the matter involving the Cui family and the Li family had spread across the entire county.
Everyone was also eagerly waiting to see how the county office would handle the case.
It wasn’t until noon, when most of Yuan Zhao’s goods had been nearly sold out, that two yamen officers posted a notice on the public bulletin board.
The crowd immediately gathered around. Most of them were illiterate, so they could only watch from the sidelines and wait for the officers to explain the contents.
It was exactly as Shi Wuxiang had predicted.
The notice detailed the punishment for the Cui and Li families.
Cui Qi’s scholarly title of “recommended man” was stripped, and because he had acted as a go-between for the Li family’s Hanshi Powder dealings, he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment.
The Li family’s punishment was even more severe. Their entire household was confiscated, all property seized. Li Haiyuan, who had trafficked large quantities of Hanshi Powder, was sentenced to imprisonment until death. Li Qingwei, who had ordered a servant to harm and kill a maid, had his scholar status revoked and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Even if Li Qingwei were released, the Li family would no longer have any way to survive.
Yuan Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. They had committed such vile acts, yet in the end, their entire families were dragged down with them. Truly detestable.
The surrounding people also cheered loudly, praising the county magistrate for his fairness and keen judgment.
Among the evidence against Cui Qi was a list clearly recording which scholars had purchased how much Hanshi Powder. The yamen officers were ordered to investigate at the academy, and they discovered that all the students listed had already left the academy temporarily for various reasons.
Although the academy’s headmaster was not guilty due to ignorance, he was still held responsible for failing to properly manage the institution, allowing such events to occur. The magistrate therefore ordered the academy to undergo a full restructuring, and it would only reopen after the new year.
This decision instead made the students at the academy somewhat pleased, as it meant they received an early “holiday.”
“This time you can finally rest easy,” Madam Shi Zhang said softly. Her breath turned into faint mist as she spoke, her gaze toward Yuan Zhao unusually gentle.
“Yes,” Yuan Zhao replied, his eyes curving into a smile. But when he thought of what happened the previous night, the smile faded slightly.
He didn’t care about that annoying person at all!
Just from his expression, Madam Shi Zhang could tell the two of them had likely quarreled again. And judging by Yuan Zhao’s temperament, he was always the one being teased and never winning the exchange, only left to sulk. She simply treated it as a small, playful interaction between them.
More than anyone else, she hoped Yuan Zhao would soon become her true son-in-law.
“Oh, Wuxiang is here,” Madam Shi Zhang suddenly said.
“How could that be? The restaurant must be busy right now! Mother must be mistaken—Wuxiang?!” Yuan Zhao hadn’t finished speaking when his eyes lit up with joy. “Wuxiang! Why are you here at this time?”
Shi Wuxiang smiled faintly. “Naturally, I have something to discuss with you. Leave the stall to Mother for a while. Come with me.”
“Alright. Mother, I’ll trouble you to take care of Yuan Ge’er and the stall. We’ll be back soon,” Yuan Zhao said.
“Don’t worry,” she replied.
Yuan Zhao turned and followed Shi Wuxiang, unable to stop himself from asking as they walked, “What exactly is going on? Where are you taking me? Aren’t you busy right now? You can’t just slack off these last few days before leaving the restaurant…”
“Shut up. Behave yourself,” Shi Wuxiang said. “Earlier, a broker came to the restaurant. I asked him about shop properties. He said he has a few suitable ones, so I thought I’d take you to have a look.”
As for the restaurant, arrangements had already been made.
Yuan Zhao immediately widened his eyes. His bright gaze filled with anticipation and excitement. “Really? I almost forgot about this myself, hehe… hehehe…”
“Idiot,” Shi Wuxiang pinched his cheek. Of course he hadn’t forgotten—it was just that he knew the other had been busy recently and was too embarrassed to bring it up.
But Shi Wuxiang himself had also remembered. This was an important matter concerning their household’s future livelihood.
The broker was waiting in front of Xiangxiang Restaurant. When he saw them arrive, he hurried over to greet them warmly.
“If you’re planning to do food business, you’ll need a shop with good surroundings. I happen to have a few ready properties. Please follow me!”
He led them forward, then turned into another street. After turning a corner, he stopped.
He pointed at the shop in front of them and said, “This shop is in a corner position. It’s a bit small, but it has two floors. Even continuing to sell pancakes would be more than enough. It’s located in a busy area, so the price isn’t cheap.”
Most wealthy households in town already owned their own shops and didn’t need to buy additional properties. Ordinary families, on the other hand, couldn’t afford such expensive locations. So this shop had remained unused.
The intersection of two streets was indeed a good location, but the price required careful consideration.
“Take a look inside. If it’s not suitable, we can go see others,” the broker said as he unlocked the door and led them in.
Inside was a fairly spacious hall with a counter and four to five sets of tables and chairs. Behind the counter was a small door leading to the kitchen, which was clean and well-maintained, with a convenient stove setup.
There was also a small room where one could rest or stay overnight.
Upstairs, the space was also quite large and bright. Using such a place solely to sell pancakes would be somewhat wasteful; it could easily support additional snacks as well.
“If renting, how much is the monthly rent?” Shi Wuxiang asked.
“Three taels per month, which comes to thirty-six taels a year,” the broker replied. “Honestly, it’s better to buy it outright. This shop is mine. If you want to purchase it, I can give you a fair price. The location is excellent. Even if you stop doing food business later, it can still be used for other purposes.”
“How much to buy it outright?” Yuan Zhao asked urgently.
“The listed price is eighty-six taels, paid in full at once. Alternatively, you can pay one-third upfront, but then you’d have to pay interest monthly,” the broker explained clearly.
Yuan Zhao immediately tightened his grip on Shi Wuxiang’s sleeve. Eighty-six taels—it was practically daylight robbery!
And there was no guarantee they would even earn that much back after moving the stall, yet they would still have to pay the full eighty-six taels.
Shi Wuxiang wrapped an arm around his waist and patted him gently, signaling him to stay calm. Then he said to the broker, “A fair price.”
“Eighty-five,” the broker said.
“Heh.” Shi Wuxiang didn’t even bother responding further. He simply tightened his hold on Yuan Zhao and turned to leave.
The broker was stunned. “W-wait! Don’t go yet! We haven’t even properly negotiated! Isn’t this supposed to be the process?”
He was supposed to name a high price, then the other party would bargain back and forth, until both sides finally reached an agreement.
Wasn’t that how it worked?
“Mr. Shi! Mr. Yuan! I can lower the price!”
“Wuxiang, he’s calling us,” Yuan Zhao said softly. “Are we not buying it anymore? I think even if we do, we won’t be able to earn it back. We should save the money for you and Yuan Ge’er to study. Eighty-six taels is enough for us to live for ten years! Don’t listen to him!”
Shi Wuxiang said, “If he gives a price close to what I expect, can I buy it?”
Yuan Zhao froze for a moment, then a wave of joy surged in his heart. “Yes. If you think it’s good, then it’s good. But… are we not going to look at other shops anymore?”
“He brought us here because he intended for this deal to be completed. The other two might be cheaper, but the location or layout may not satisfy us,” Shi Wuxiang explained quietly as they walked slowly, giving the man behind them time to catch up.
“Then how much do you want to pay? I still think it’s too expensive. This definitely isn’t a fair price!” Yuan Zhao said angrily.
Shi Wuxiang was not someone who liked prolonged negotiations. He already had a target price in mind. If the broker had been honest from the beginning, things would have been easier. But since he had spoken nonsense instead of being straightforward, he would have to be taught a lesson.
This shop was already close to being unsellable for the broker. Now that he finally had buyers, he was naturally anxious. If he could earn more, he would. He just hadn’t expected Shi Wuxiang to walk away without even bargaining!
He hurried after them in a few quick steps, putting on a flattering smile.
“Mr. Shi, we can talk things through! Business is all about negotiation. You didn’t even make an offer yet—how can you just leave? We can adjust the price!”
“Fair price,” Shi Wuxiang repeated again.
Seeing his serious and unwilling expression, the broker understood. This was a straightforward man. He needed to be given a fair price immediately; otherwise, he truly would not return.
His usual strategy of gradual bargaining would not work here. He had to state his lowest price from the beginning.
“Mr. Shi, what price are you expecting?” the broker asked awkwardly, now the one eager to close the deal.
“Seventy-seven,” Shi Wuxiang said calmly. “Go ahead and add it.”
The broker froze. “You’re cutting it way too hard! Even if I add a couple more rounds of bargaining, I still can’t cover that gap! Add a bit more!”
Shi Wuxiang lowered his gaze at him. “Seventy-eight.”
“This—this won’t do, Mr. Shi!” the broker laughed awkwardly. “Eighty-three!”
“Seventy-nine. If it doesn’t work, then forget it.” Shi Wuxiang smiled faintly. “I don’t actually like haggling. Let’s leave it at that.”
The broker immediately fell into hesitation.
That tone meant seventy-nine was already the highest price. If he pushed even a little further, the deal might be gone entirely.
It wasn’t an especially high price, but whether the other party truly intended to buy was another matter.
If he lost the deal just because he tried to squeeze out one more round of bargaining, and the shop ended up unsold, it would be completely stuck in his hands. Better to secure the seventy-nine first—otherwise there would be nothing left to earn in the future.
Besides, cooperating with Shi Wuxiang would also make things easier for himself. It wasn’t a difficult decision, but he still felt uncomfortable.
Who didn’t want to earn a little more?
Yuan Zhao hurriedly said, “Then let’s go ask someone else. There’s no need to cling to just this place. Anyone who likes our pancakes will eat them wherever we are.”
To him, no matter the price, it was expensive. If the broker refused to sell, they could simply find another shop.
Even though Shi Wuxiang had already chosen this one, they could always look elsewhere if needed.
In truth, compared to monthly rent, a one-time purchase was much cheaper in the long run. But this shop was the kind that wealthy people didn’t bother with, and those without money couldn’t afford it… Only someone like Shi Wuxiang—neither truly rich nor poor—could take it down.
The broker hesitated for a long time before finally agreeing.
“Seventy-nine it is!”
Shi Wuxiang raised a brow. He had assumed the man would still try to squeeze another round of bargaining.
“We didn’t bring the money today, and you don’t have the property deed documents either. I also have a day off the day after tomorrow. Let’s meet then, bring everything we need, and register the transfer at the county office,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“Alright, but you’ll need to pay a deposit first,” the broker explained with a smile. “That’s the rule.”
“Understood.” Shi Wuxiang nodded, then turned to Yuan Zhao. “Did you bring money?”
He rarely carried cash himself.
Yuan Zhao nodded and pulled a pouch from inside his thick cotton coat. “It’s all copper coins and some broken silver pieces, about one tael.”
The broker didn’t waste words. “For convenience, I’ll take one tael as deposit. If you don’t show up the day after tomorrow, the deposit won’t be returned—but of course, I trust both of you.”
“We’ll come to collect it from Xiangxiang Restaurant during business hours,” Yuan Zhao quickly said. He absolutely couldn’t bear to just hand over a whole tael like that.
“Alright.”
Half the matter was settled.
The broker hurried off to handle the paperwork. As soon as he left, Yuan Zhao practically jumped into Shi Wuxiang’s arms.
“We’re going to have our own shop!”
“Yes.” Shi Wuxiang held him loosely with one arm, patting his back with the other. “Once we go back, we can start preparing for renovations. After the New Year, we might be able to open directly without waiting any longer.”
Yuan Zhao grinned. “Then we’ll get people to fix the shop. Where do we find workers? What should we turn it into? Can we still use the pots we already bought?”
“Yes, they can still be used. Leave this to me,” Shi Wuxiang said. “The shop will be transferred directly into your name. Bring your documents the day after tomorrow.”
“I don’t want that,” Yuan Zhao immediately refused.
Shi Wuxiang looked at him in surprise. “Why? Feeling pressured? There’s no need to be embarrassed. We’ll just divide the profits monthly to the family. How about that?”
He had already planned for everyone to have a share of income so no conflicts would arise.
But Yuan Zhao shook his head firmly. “No. This was your idea. At most, I’m just working for you. You give us wages and split profits—that’s enough. The shop should stay yours.”
He spoke seriously. “This is important. You can’t just decide it alone. Mother and Yuan’er’s opinions matter too. Even if they don’t say it, they’ll care.”
Shi Wuxiang had indeed seen families fall apart because of uneven distribution of money.
But Yuan Zhao’s contribution was obvious. Still, what he said made sense—people’s hearts were unpredictable.
“If that’s the case,” Shi Wuxiang said, “then the shop will have both our names. It’s our shared property as a couple. You contributed more anyway. Later, we’ll account for all earnings properly, and I’ll give you a larger share from the meat dishes.”
“But I don’t know how to keep accounts…” Yuan Zhao said, both happy and troubled.
“It’s fine. I’ll teach you slowly on my day off.”
“Alright.”
After parting ways in front of Xiangxiang Restaurant, Yuan Zhao returned to his stall full of energy. Business was still booming, and curious customers immediately surrounded him.
“Mr. Yuan, you look so happy—something good happened?”
Yuan Zhao simply smiled and said, “We’re getting our own shop. We’ll move there soon so we won’t have to run back and forth anymore.”
“A shop?!”
A sharp, unpleasant voice suddenly interrupted. “So you’re buying a shop with the money you made off us?”
Before Yuan Zhao could respond, Madam Shi Zhang calmly cut in, “We can’t afford to buy anything in town. We’re only renting. It’s just to make things more convenient for everyone.”
Yuan Zhao also nodded with a smile. “Once we open the shop, we’ll even give discounts. My husband also plans to add more food options so everyone has more choices.”
The customers quickly shifted tone again, praising them warmly and reassuring that they would continue buying.
As they were preparing to close up, Ma Fu from the academy rushed over.
“Mr. Yuan!”
“Steward Ma, you’ve been busy lately. What brings you here? Let me make you a pancake—”
Ma Fu quickly waved his hands. “No, no, I’m here to talk about what we didn’t finish last time.”
Yuan Zhao blinked, then realized. “The pancake matter? The academy dining hall?”
“Yes. I’m now in charge of everything at the academy. The dining hall has also been handed over to a reliable person. I want to continue our discussion,” Ma Fu said. “Now that Cui Qi is gone, Shi Wuxiang can return to the academy. Wouldn’t it be perfect if he could eat his own household’s pancakes there?”
That struck right at Yuan Zhao’s heart.
He and Shi Wuxiang had already discussed this before and had been waiting for the academy to come back to them.
Since they had now come voluntarily, there was no reason to refuse.
“Alright, I’ll discuss it with Wuxiang. He knows how to handle this,” Yuan Zhao said.
“Good, I’ll speak with him later as well,” Ma Fu replied, relieved.
More income was coming into the household again.
On the way back, Yuan Zhao mentioned it to Shi Wuxiang while hitching the ox cart.
Shi Wuxiang nodded. “We can supply batter and dough. The sauce should also be purchased from us like Xiangxiang Restaurant.”
“He said he’ll come talk to you,” Yuan Zhao added.
“Alright, I’ll handle it,” Shi Wuxiang said, pinching his cheek lightly. “Your face is all red from the cold. Go back quickly with Mother.”
“Okay.”
As always, every small parting made Yuan Zhao reluctant to let go. He never hid his feelings.
And Shi Wuxiang always understood them perfectly.
—
Life continued slowly and warmly.
Soon it was Shi Wuxiang’s rest day. Yuan Zhao wasn’t going out to sell that day, so the two of them went to meet the broker again, this time with Yuan Zhao’s younger siblings Yuan’er and Ranran helping along.
They met in the backyard of Xiangxiang Lou, where they exchanged money and the deed to the property, and then immediately set off for the county magistrate’s office to complete the formalities.
Yuan Zhao had never been to the county magistrate’s office before. He fidgeted nervously in the carriage, and Shi Wuxiang held him tightly in his arms; otherwise, he would likely have jumped out to drive the carriage himself.
The real estate agency provided its own coachman, and since both parties needed to handle the matter together, they naturally proceeded in whatever way was most convenient.
“I’ve long heard that the two of you get along well,” he chuckled. “Seeing it with my own eyes confirms it.”
Yuan Zhao knew he was teasing him, so he immediately curled up in Shi Wuxiang’s arms and remained motionless. Shi Wuxiang, however, praised him: “He has a good temperament.”
“You’re not so bad yourself…” Yuan Zhao murmured softly.
They arrived at the county town three quarters of an hour later. Unlike the narrow lanes of the small town, the county town was spacious and grand, stretching as far as the eye could see. Restaurants and shops stood side by side in neat rows, and even at the intersection of the narrow path they’d passed on their way here, there were vendors selling buns and wontons—it was simply bustling beyond belief.
Yuan Zhao felt as though there was too much to take in at once. If Shi Wuxiang hadn’t complained about the cold wind blowing against his face, he would have gladly let him look around a little longer.
“How about we take a look around after we’ve taken care of the urgent business?” Shi Wuxiang asked.
“No, we won’t be looking around. We still have to ride back,” Yuan Zhao said with a mischievous grin. “We don’t have a coachman of our own, so we might as well hitch a ride on his carriage!”
Since it was naturally up to him to decide, Shi Wuxiang didn’t say anything further.
The constables in front of the county magistrate’s office saw the carriage approaching and immediately stepped forward to block it. Upon learning that they were travelers passing through, they began to scheme to take advantage of the situation.
“This is going to be a problem. It’ll take at least ten days to half a month, or even a month or two—do you understand?” The constable didn’t even bother to feign reluctance; he went straight to the point.
“We understand, we understand—”
“How dare you!”
Before the broker could even pull out his money, a stern shout rang out from inside.