At the sound of that stern command, everyone at the door looked up in surprise. A middle-aged man with a goatee stepped out. Though he was dressed plainly, the constables reacted to him like cats seeing mice.
The middleman was startled as well. He frequently went through the motions at the magistrate’s office and knew these officers’ ways well; if he didn’t pay them enough, things would be very difficult to handle.
When he first entered the trade, he hadn’t known any of this. He’d once been owed a month’s wages; despite repeated demands, he’d been met with denials. Later, a bailiff, seeing his naivety, gave him a few pointers. From then on, he always brought some silver whenever he came to the magistrate’s office on business.
This silver, of course, came from his shop.
He had long since grown accustomed to this, but he never expected to run into the county magistrate’s clerk!
“Clerk Lin,” Shi Wuxiang said, clasping his hands in greeting. “It’s been a long time.”
Clerk Lin smiled back at him. “It has indeed been a while. I see you’re here to buy a shop? Have you already made arrangements? If you’re not satisfied, feel free to look around some more.”
Shi Wuxiang nodded with a smile. “I’ve already set my sights on one, so I came today specifically to go through the proper channels and handle the paperwork. However, the constables said it would take at least ten days to half a month, or even as long as two months or more. We’ll have to wait a while.”
“They don’t know the rules. I’ll report this to the magistrate shortly and have them severely punished, but before that, I’ll make sure they get this done first.” After saying this, Clerk Lin gave the two constables a sharp look. “Hurry up and take these documents through the proper channels! If you delay this, you’ll be in for it!”
“Yes, sir! We’ll go right away!” The two constables were terrified out of their wits and hurried off with the documents.
“You two wait here for a moment,” said Clerk Lin. “I have some business to attend to right now, but we’ll have a chat later. However, since you’re already here, you’d better go pay your respects to the Magistrate; otherwise, he’ll go on and on about it.”
“Yes.” Shi Wuxiang replied gently.
The broker cast a furtive, bewildered glance at Shi Wuxiang. He hadn’t expected him to be so favored by the magistrate. Fortunately, he hadn’t continued to talk back; otherwise, offending him would have been disastrous.
Not long after Secretary Lin had left, the two constables who had departed earlier returned with the brand-new documents, now stamped with the official seal. Their expressions were much better than before; they even appeared respectful.
“Scholar Shi, here are your documents,” the constables said with a hint of flattery. “Earlier, we didn’t recognize a great man when we saw one. Please forgive us!”
Shi Wuxiang smiled and nodded. “It’s all right.”
Even if he hadn’t mentioned it, Magistrate Lin would certainly have brought it up.
Less than a quarter of an hour had passed since the constables went inside. The broker was stunned speechless—this was the first time he’d ever received an official document so quickly!
And he’d saved some silver, too!
“Mr. Shi, let me escort you both back!” the broker said with a beaming smile, his eyes gleaming with a hint of flattery.
“No need. Since we’ve come this far, we must go in to pay our respects to the magistrate; we can’t return with you,” Shi Wuxiang replied.
The broker nodded repeatedly. At this moment, he naturally couldn’t say much more, so he hurriedly took his leave.
Upon learning they intended to enter, the constable immediately rose to escort them inside. Yuan Zhao clung tightly to Shi Wuxiang’s arm; the moment they stepped into the county office, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were heading to the courtroom to be beaten.
“Wuxiang… I’m a little scared,” Yuan Zhao whispered.
“Just looking at how the magistrate handled the matters involving the Cui and Li families, what kind of person do you think he is?” Shi Wuxiang asked in a low voice, mimicking his tone.
Yuan Zhao thought for a moment: “The magistrate is an upright and impartial good man, a good official who serves the people…”
Shi Wuxiang smiled: “That’s right, so what are you still afraid of?”
“You’re… you’re talking nonsense… “I can’t keep up with you…” Yuan Zhao pouted. “I’m a good citizen, a good boy, but even the best people are afraid of the constables…”
“A good official wouldn’t bully a good boy.” Shi Wuxiang gently squeezed his hand. “If you’re afraid, just hide behind me, just like you’ve always done.”
Yuan Zhao clung tightly to his arm and nodded obediently.
Two constables quickly led them to the entrance of the magistrate’s study, where the guards at the door immediately stopped them. “Please wait a moment; we’ll go announce your arrival.”
“Thank you.” Shi Wuxiang nodded.
The guard went inside to report. Upon learning that the visitor was Shi Wuxiang, Magistrate Zheng’s delight was evident; when he heard that Shi Wuxiang had brought his husband along, his satisfaction grew even more.
He thought to himself: Shi Wuxiang actually remembered what he’d said earlier—to bring his husband by when he had the chance. And today, having found the time, he’d actually come.
Shi Wuxiang led Yuan Zhao inside and bowed respectfully: “This student has brought his husband to pay his respects to Your Honor.”
“Please sit,” Magistrate Zheng said, still maintaining a touch of his usual air of superiority. “You’ve been quite busy—how is it you’ve found the time today?”
Yuan Zhao immediately grew so nervous he wished he could squeeze onto the same chair as Shi Wuxiang.
Seeing him speak this way, Shi Wuxiang knew he was slightly displeased, though not truly upset. He clasped his hands and smiled: “Thanks to Your Honor’s kindness, I have indeed been quite busy lately. I came to the county seat today specifically to handle the matter of purchasing a shop, but I have always kept you in my thoughts. I feel truly ashamed to have come empty-handed today.”
“I’ve never been interested in your trinkets. If you truly have something of value, you should keep it for yourself.” Magistrate Zheng wasn’t truly angry with him; hearing these words, he felt both pleased and a touch reproachful.
“I’ll do as you say, Your Honor.” Seeing that his expression had softened, Shi Wuxiang introduced Yuan Zhao, who stood beside him: “This is my husband, Yuan Zhao. We’ve only met briefly before, but today I’m honored to introduce him to you properly.”
Yuan Zhao, being a merchant at heart, was exceptionally skilled at reading people’s expressions. As soon as the words left his mouth, he hurriedly stood up and, mimicking Shi Wuxiang’s manner, bowed: “I pay my respects to Your Honor.”
This must be what they call “loving the house and the crow that perches on it.”
Magistrate Zheng was also quite impressed by Yuan Zhao. Smiling, he raised his hand and gestured lightly toward Yuan Zhao. “I remember you. You carry yourself with neither arrogance nor subservience—you have real backbone!”
Is he actually complimenting me?
Yuan Zhao was a bit surprised inside, but he still smiled shyly and thanked him. After all, even Ah Xiang had never used such words to praise him before; it felt quite novel.
Shi Wuxiang could tell at a glance what he was thinking—just a little bit of kindness and he was over the moon.
Magistrate Zheng gave him a smiling glance, then steered the conversation back to Shi Wuxiang. “You’ve all opened shops now, so business must be going well. The tax collectors are currently tallying up the taxes, and I imagine your little shops have paid quite a bit.”
“That is only right,” Shi Wuxiang replied.
“If you pass the provincial examination, even these taxes will be waived. Even if it’s just for your family’s sake, you must study diligently.” Magistrate Zheng couldn’t help but offer a few words of advice every time he saw him.
He knew Shi Wuxiang was a natural scholar. He understood how to study—not by rote memorization or mindless cramming—but with a mind that seemed born to pass the county-level examination.
Even so, he still worried that Shi Wuxiang might neglect his studies because of his family responsibilities—that would truly be a pity.
If he passed the provincial examination and went on to pass the imperial examination to become a jinshi, he would be the first to do so during his tenure!
This would also be a tremendous boost to his own career.
Shi Wuxiang knew that many people were quietly pinning their hopes on him. He never found such encouragement tiresome; he responded with exceptional earnestness every time.
“Your Honor, please rest assured. After the New Year, this student will enter the academy.”
“As it should be. Now that Cui Qi is no longer at the academy, you can study with peace of mind. No one will dare treat you with disrespect again.” Magistrate Zheng grew particularly angry whenever he thought of Cui Qi.
He was well aware that the scholars and students could be somewhat unscrupulous in private, but Han Shi San was strictly prohibited. That such an incident could occur even in the small county of Mingqu was beyond belief. He had already ordered a thorough, covert investigation; once Han Shi San was discovered, it would be immediately destroyed, and the possessors apprehended.
“Thanks to Your Honor’s care,” Shi Wuxiang said, “my husband is also deeply concerned about this matter. Knowing that Your Honor is so perceptive and has taken action against the Cui family, he can even eat an extra bowl of rice.”
“You…” Yuan Zhao was a bit puzzled; did that make him sound like a glutton?
Hearing him mention Yuan Zhao, Magistrate Zheng couldn’t help but ask a few more questions: “Where in Qingshui Town are you from? Do you have any other relatives at home?”
Yuan Zhao remained composed as he said, “I’m originally from Xiahé Village. I have a younger brother named Yuan Ge’er; other than him, I have no other relatives.”
“Xiahé Village… A few months ago, there was a heinous poisoning case in Xiahé Village. I recall that the family involved also bore the surname Yuan?” Magistrate Zheng suddenly remembered the incident.
The Yuan surname was uncommon in Mingqu County, and since that family’s case had caused such a stir, it had left a deep impression on him.
It wasn’t until he saw Yuan Zhao again today that he recalled the incident. However, he noticed that the expressions of the two men before him shifted slightly the moment he finished speaking, indicating that there must be something amiss.
Shi Wuxiang had originally been reluctant to speak of the Yuan family’s affairs, but since it involved Yuan Zhao’s privacy, even the county magistrate could not force him to speak if he did not wish to—yet he spoke nonetheless.
In just a few words, he recounted his past experiences clearly and concisely, even mentioning the severing of family ties. That was why he could state so calmly that, aside from Yuan Ge’er, he had no other relatives.
After hearing his story, Magistrate Zheng found it absurd, but he felt even more admiration for Yuan Zhao. It was truly remarkable that such a family background could raise a child of such pure and virtuous character.
“You’re quite a young man, aren’t you?” Magistrate Zheng chuckled.
What did he mean?
Yuan Zhao turned to look at Shi Wuxiang, gesturing for him to explain, but the latter merely shook his head slightly, indicating they would discuss it later. Yuan Zhao did not press the matter further.
Magistrate Zheng observed their exchange closely. At first, he had assumed Shi Wuxiang was unwilling to marry Yuan Zhao, but seeing them get along so harmoniously, he thought it was actually quite nice.
“Well then, it’s getting late. you should go home first. I have pressing matters to attend to, so I won’t see you out.” Magistrate Zheng said, “Guards! Escort our two distinguished guests out.”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards stepped forward to escort them out with the utmost respect. By the time they emerged, it was nearly noon. With so many constables coming and going in the county office, they naturally all saw the magistrate’s guards seeing them off with such deference.
Some of the uninformed officials gathered together to ask one another.
“Who are they? I’ve never seen them before.”
“I’ve never seen those two expressionless guards escort guests out so respectfully, but I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“I’m such a fool—isn’t that Mr. Shi? The Mr. Shi from Qingshui Town. The magistrate holds him in high regard. As for the man beside him, that’s his husband—the one who sells rolled pancakes!”
“Why didn’t you say so sooner? Those pancakes are really delicious. Too bad it’s so far away, and with all my work, I never get a chance to go over there and eat them.”
“Zhang Dacheng and Wu Nian are on patrol over there. I’ll ask them to bring some back for us later!”
“……”
Shi Wuxiang and Yuan Zhao were naturally unaware of their whispered conversation, focused only on getting Yuan Zhao back as quickly as possible.
The two guards escorted them to the gate. “Mr. Shi, please wait a moment. We’ve already had a carriage arranged; we’ll send you back shortly.”
“Thank you very much,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“It’s our duty. The大人 is short-handed right now, so we’ll head back first. Please wait just a moment.”
“Alright.”
Soon, a coachman arrived with the carriage. Shi Wuxiang helped Yuan Zhao climb aboard, and they set off for the village.
The carriage came to a smooth stop in front of their house. After expressing his gratitude once more, Shi Wuxiang led Yuan Zhao inside. The family was in the middle of dinner; they had been told beforehand not to wait up for him.
“Just add a little oil to yesterday’s leftover rice, stir-fry it with some eggs and vegetables, and serve it with steamed buns and greens. There’s also soup in the pot,” said Mrs. Shi.
“Mother, don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of it ourselves,” Yuan Zhao quickly interjected. “What would you like to eat, Xiang?”
“Just a bowl of soup will do,” Shi Wuxiang replied; he wasn’t very hungry.
Yuan Zhao knew his habits, so he didn’t ask any further. He served a bowl of hot soup and grabbed two steamed buns for him as well.
After the meal, the family sat around the table, and Mrs. Shi Zhang asked about the shop. Instantly, the children all pricked up their ears to listen.
“It’s all taken care of. The shop is registered under my name and Brother Zhao’s,” he said.
“Then shouldn’t we find someone to manage the shop again? We should aim to open for business right after the New Year!” ” Mrs. Shi paid no mind to the fact that half the shop belonged to Yuan Zhao. “Shouldn’t we get this sorted out while we’re celebrating the New Year?”
Shi Wuxiang replied, “I’ve already asked around in town. If there are any craftsmen available right now, we can have them take over immediately. The shop is already quite clean; we just need to buy a few missing items ourselves, and it’ll be sorted out quickly.”
“That’s wonderful! I was actually thinking that if it didn’t work out, I’d have Zhaozhe and Raran set up a street stall, while I took A Yue to tidy up the shop.” Mrs. Shi was overjoyed at the prospect of reopening the shop; life suddenly felt full of hope again!
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll find people to handle these tasks.” Shi Wuxiang naturally didn’t want her to do such hard labor; anything that could be solved with money wasn’t really a big deal.
Mrs. Shi let out a slightly disappointed “Ah.” She had been looking forward to seeing their shop sooner, too!
Yuan Zhao said, “ “That shop is really nice—a two-story building with a small room for sleeping. We’ll be able to squeeze into that little room later; it’ll be so much easier!”
“Great, great…” Yuan Yuan nodded repeatedly. After all, it was a shop right in town!
“Let’s pick a day soon and go take a look together. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to speak up.” Seeing how eager they all were to help, Shi Wuxiang naturally couldn’t stop them anymore.
Shi Qingyue immediately cheered and, unable to resist, reached out to tug at Ranran’s pigtails. She only calmed down after Ranran smacked her arm.
Everyone was curious to see exactly what their own shop would look like.
And so, the matter was settled.
After dinner, Shi Wuxiang took Yuan Zhao back to their room. The two sat down in front of the charcoal brazier and began studying arithmetic.
“If you memorize these formulas thoroughly, you’ll be able to calculate much faster. You can handle transactions of just a few coins now, but what if the amounts get larger in the future? Are you going to keep counting on your fingers then?” Shi Wuxiang asked, furrowing his brow slightly. “Don’t give me that pitiful look.”
“How am I acting pitiful?” Yuan Zhao looked at him in surprise, then immediately furrowed his brow and puckered his lips. “This is what acting pitiful looks like! Why are you always scolding me? Every time you teach me something, you have to scold me!”
Shi Wuxiang was at a loss for words. “I said I’d teach you arithmetic, and you’re already pouting like that. Am I not even allowed to say that?”
“But you clearly said you were going to teach me bookkeeping.” Yuan Zhao felt that arithmetic and bookkeeping were completely different.
Bookkeeping sounded impressive, while arithmetic was child’s play—no, wait… even kids can do arithmetic!
Shi Wuxiang shot him a sidelong glance. “You haven’t even learned to crawl yet, and you’re already trying to run. Why don’t you just fly straight up to the sky?”
“You’re just picking on me. How could anyone possibly fly up to the sky?” ” Yuan Zhao was still a little upset.
“Human ingenuity should not be underestimated.” Shi Wuxiang repeated the exact words County Magistrate Zheng had used.
Yuan Zhao instantly forgot his displeasure. He grabbed Shi Wuxiang’s sleeves with both hands, his clear eyes brimming with anticipation as he looked at him. “You still haven’t told me what the magistrate meant! What does ‘not to be underestimated’ mean? Where are we going?”
Shi Wuxiang looked at his dazed expression and decided it wasn’t worth getting into a debate with a child whose sensitive period for order had come late. He picked up his brush and wrote the four characters “不容小觷” on a piece of paper.
“‘Not to be underestimated’ means you shouldn’t be looked down upon or taken lightly—it’s a compliment saying you’re really impressive,” Shi Wuxiang explained.
“I told you I’m impressive!” Yuan Zhao snorted. “Even the county magistrate praised me.”
Shi Wuxiang didn’t argue with that. Yuan Zhao was indeed impressive; he’d grown into the person he was today entirely through his own efforts—it was nothing short of outstanding.
Therefore, he no longer intended to go against Yuan Zhao. He decided to go along with the other’s rhythm; once Yuan Zhao realized there was a problem, he would naturally ask to learn arithmetic on his own.
As Shi Wuxiang had predicted, after teaching just a few sentences, Yuan Zhao began to fall behind.
He fiddled with the abacus in his hand. “You’re calculating too fast! I haven’t finished yet!”
“That’s your problem; you’ll have to learn to overcome it,” Shi Wuxiang said with particular coldness. “Now let’s move on to the next calculation: one catty of tofu costs five cash, but one catty of tofu can make five servings of iron plate tofu. One serving is five cash, so five servings would be twenty-five cash—”
“Wait! I’m still calculating… click-clack… click-clack… it really is twenty-five cash.”
Shi Wuxiang looked at him with a touch of exasperation.
Yuan Zhao didn’t even look up, muttering quietly, “Don’t look at me—I’ll just learn it…”
And so, before learning bookkeeping, what he learned first were arithmetic formulas.
Fortunately, Yuan Zhao was quite clever. After Shi Wuxiang had him recite them a few times, he was able to memorize them once he got the hang of it. Once he’d memorized them, doing the calculations wasn’t nearly as difficult as it had been earlier.
Their lessons gradually fell into a routine. Compared to practicing calligraphy and character recognition, Yuan Zhao clearly had a knack for arithmetic. Aside from that initial disagreement, they never had another falling out.
Today’s lesson also concluded successfully.
“When the time comes, I’ll hire another bookkeeper for the shop. I’ll leave the accounts to him,” Shi Wuxiang said. After all, everyone has their own strengths, and a bookkeeper was naturally more professional than Yuan Zhao.
Yuan Zhao didn’t object; he’d already come to terms with this. Hiring someone to help was one thing, and hiring two was no different. He didn’t mind having an extra bookkeeper.
As for why he was learning these skills, well, it never hurt to pick up an extra trade. After all, in the future…
Vacation days always flew by; in the blink of an eye, another day had passed.
Thanks to Yuan Zhao’s deliberate publicity, the news of renting the shop couldn’t be kept under wraps. After all, they had already informed the guests in advance that they would soon be able to shop there, dine there after their purchases, and that the menu would be expanded with even more food options.
As soon as Shi Wuxiang stepped into the accounting office, he was teased by Zhang Xiang and Wen Hao—specifically, Zhang Xiang was doing the teasing, while Wen Hao nodded in agreement from the side.
“It’s just a rented shop,” Shi Wuxiang said. “At least it’s a place to shelter from the wind and rain, so we don’t have to work as hard as we do at home.”
“That’s true. Every winter is a source of worry, with cold so bitter it’s hard to bear. If it weren’t for the charcoal brazier in the house, our hands would be frozen stiff—let alone doing the accounts!” Zhang Xiang sighed softly. “If even we are suffering like this, imagine how miserable those poor families must be.”
Wen Hao said, “Why bring up such self-inflicted worries?”
Though they cared deeply for the common people, the fate of the realm was ultimately beyond his control; speaking further would only add to his distress.
Shi Wuxiang changed the subject, “My shop is still short a bookkeeper. Do you happen to know anyone reliable? Could you put me in touch with someone?”
“We’ll ask around when we get back. There are bound to be people who’ve given up on pursuing official positions and need a job to support their families. With a client like you, they’d be more than willing to work,” Zhang Xiang said with a smile.
He had a lively personality and knew many people, so this small matter was naturally no problem.
“My shop is small, but the owner has a good temperament,” Shi Wuxiang said. “Please help me find someone who is steady and reliable—and above all, must have a good temperament.”
“Rest assured on that point. If we find a suitable candidate, we’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Thank you.”
With the bookkeeper’s duties handed over to them, Yuan Zhao would take on the role of shop manager. With Nang, Ranan, and Yuan’er as clerks, the two of them would be sufficient to assist in the shop.
That left them needing one head chef and a full-time shop assistant.
Finding a shop assistant would be easy—he could simply ask Liuzi if he had any reliable friends. But finding a head chef would be a bit trickier.
Once the head chef was on board, they would naturally master all the ingredient ratios and recipes. In truth, those details were secondary; an experienced chef wouldn’t bother with such a small operation. Still, he worried about attracting someone ungrateful.
After giving it some thought, perhaps the only way to feel truly at ease would be to hire someone from within his own circle.
He’d just need to find a middleman to put out the word. After all, there was plenty of empty space in the shop; he could simply clear out a bit more during the renovation and build an extra small room.
Shi Wuxiang organized everything in his mind, making sure he wouldn’t overlook anything as he tackled each task one by one. Only then did he feel at ease.
“Mr. Shi, the boss needs to see you.”
“Alright.”
Shi Wuxiang guessed that Yang Zixiang had likely already found someone to take over the shop, and was simply summoning him to offer a few perfunctory words of reassurance.
But for him, this was actually a good thing.
After all, he needed to start handling matters at the shop. Yuan Zhao wanted to set up a stall, and he planned to resolve these issues with Shi Qingyue first to avoid future complications.
He knocked and entered. Sure enough, he saw a dignified-looking guest seated behind Yang Zixiang. From his demeanor alone, it was clear he was the scholar sent to take over Shi Wuxiang’s position.
“Sir.”
“Please take a seat, Mr. Shi. I know you’ve been very busy lately, so I quickly found someone to take your place. This is Sun Fu, the new bookkeeper. Just go through the accounts with him today, and then you won’t have to work so hard anymore.” Yang Zixiang spoke with genuine sincerity.
Even if the Shi family weren’t busy with the new shop, he wouldn’t dare keep this scholar waiting. This was a scholar whom even the county magistrate held in high regard; he might very well pass the imperial examinations next year. To offend him at such a critical moment would make life unbearable.
Sun Fu furrowed his brow slightly, seemingly surprised that the owner of such a prestigious tavern would show such deference to a scholar.
It was rather unsightly.
Shi Wuxiang glanced at him impassively, thinking to himself how noble this man truly was.