Chapter 738 - 740: Grand Opening
Chapter 738: Chapter 740: Grand Opening
Gu Wenheng no longer had any desire to open the window. It was understandable for a child to show kindness, and if he had been deceived, the guards accompanying him would have reported it long ago.
Standing to the side, Gu Benluo’s head was spinning with questions, while the little abacus in his mind was already calculating furiously, CLACK CLACK CLACK.
Exhausted after a long day, Gu Wenheng was in no mood to stay here and settle minor accounts with him. He summoned the guards stationed outside to escort the boy back to his room.
"If you have the energy, go back and calculate it slowly. If you can’t figure it out, get a few of your older brothers to help.
"Just tell me the results tomorrow. I have faith in you."
He patted Gu Benluo on the head and shut the door before the boy could even react.
Gu Benluo was rendered speechless.
Gu Leshun, who had been waiting outside for a while, saw him standing in a daze at the door and quickly ran over to pull him back to their room.
"What happened? Did Seventh Uncle find out?"
Gu Benluo nodded. "My father didn’t say anything. Have Brother Le Ping and the others sent the items out yet?"
"They’ve been sent out," Gu Leshun said, breathing a long sigh of relief. "I told you we were doing a good deed, so Seventh Uncle definitely wouldn’t object.
"However, Brother Le Ping and the rest haven’t returned yet. They probably haven’t finished distributing the supplies. I have a feeling we might not have brought enough out. I wonder if there will be enough to go around."
Thinking of the little beggars they had seen today, Gu Leshun recalled the days when he had fled from disaster with the rest of the family. They hadn’t been much better off than those children back then.
"Whether it’s enough or not, this is the limit of our abilities," Gu Benluo said, patting his deflated money pouch. "I’m completely broke now. What about you, Brother Le Shun?"
"I don’t have much left either," Gu Leshun replied. "I didn’t bring much silver when I came out with Seventh Uncle this time. If push comes to shove, I’ll go borrow some and pay it back when we get home."
"Are you stupid?" Gu Benluo said, grabbing Gu Leshun’s arm. "How much silver did Fifth Uncle even give you? That was for emergencies.
"I don’t object to us brothers doing good deeds together, but we have to act within our means. If we really can’t manage, we don’t need to pay out of our own pockets—we can just go to my father. He has his salary, anyway."
He thought to himself, "Who told him to refuse to show me the letter just now? When the time comes, I’ll rally my brothers and make him bleed some wealth."
Gu Benluo had clearly forgotten that the others lacked his courage. Normally, they wished for nothing more than to avoid Gu Wenheng entirely.
Gu Leshun remained silent. He wondered if Seventh Uncle would have them flogged with boards if he found out.
Meanwhile, unaware of his own son’s scheming, Gu Wenheng took out the letter from home to read it over again.
He figured he wouldn’t be able to make it back in time for the opening of Tianfu Restaurant. Based on their current progress, it would likely be another month or so before he could return.
The letter only reported good news and glossed over the bad. Even though Jin Qianqian hadn’t mentioned the difficulties caused by Mrs. Liang He and her clique, he had learned about them through other channels.
These people really thought they were easy targets, showing up at their doorstep to bully them while he was away from home. Although his wife had managed to regain some face, it wasn’t enough to vent the fierce anger simmering in his chest.
Soon after, the officials of Yongchang County began to feel as if they had an endless mountain of work.
Even though Inspector General Gu Wenheng was still out on his inspection tour, he delegated different tasks to them every day, having the assignments rushed into their hands by fast horses. If their work was even slightly unsatisfactory, they were highly likely to receive a severe reprimand.
These people couldn’t even endure it for half a month before they started to crack, leading some of them to seek out Governor Liang.
"These are all Inspector General Gu’s responsibilities," Governor Liang said. "If he gives you tasks, just do them properly. I cannot interfere in his affairs."
Oblivious to the underlying reasons, Governor Liang simply thought it was great to be young and full of drive. He assumed Gu Wenheng was eager to make drastic reforms and build a strong track record. Having long since thought highly of Gu Wenheng, he naturally intended to fully support him.
Regardless of their intentions, those who came knocking on his door were thoroughly scolded and sent back to do their jobs properly, warned not to make a fuss over trivial matters.
They had no idea that this was just an appetizer. By the time Gu Wenheng finally returned, they would come to realize that their current busyness was actually a blessing.
Upon receiving Gu Wenheng’s reply, Jin Qianqian learned that he wouldn’t be able to return to the city in time for the opening. Thus, she proceeded with the grand opening on the auspicious day she had previously chosen, complete with the beating of gongs and drums.
Lady Liang and the others were also on the guest list. At this moment, they were standing on the second floor of Tianfu Restaurant, looking down at the deafening gongs and drums below. Although they tried their best to appear composed, the subtle expressions on their faces betrayed their inner jealousy.
They couldn’t even match a tenth of this single property, yet in Jin Qianqian’s hands, it was merely one small asset.
"This Mrs. Gu is truly a capable woman. I wonder how her brain is wired. This piece of land lay barren in our hands for so many years, yet the moment it fell into hers, it instantly turned into a golden goose," Lady Wu said, touching and inspecting her surroundings. "Take this glass, for instance. If anyone in our estates managed to get their hands on just two panes, it would be considered a major event.
"But look at this place. The entire restaurant—every single private room—is fitted with it."
In her own estate’s main courtyard, only her husband’s study utilized such precious glass. Furthermore, it had been purchased at a steep price and brought back from a neighboring province through personal connections. Yet, looking at what they had discovered today, the material was being used here on a massive scale.
"That just shows Mrs. Gu has deep pockets. I heard someone say earlier that even the shops on the front street have been fitted with this kind of glass.
"Look at the guest rooms over there; they have the same decor. When you think about it, there’s really no comparison," Mrs. Wang said, smacking her lips. The gap between them was so vast that she felt she could only look up in awe.
"This is far too showy," Mrs. Liang He said with a cold expression, holding her niece’s hand. "If business is poor in a place like this, we’ll see how she cleans up the mess when the time comes."
Supporting her aunt’s hand, He Xiaoyu was also gazing into the distance. Many buildings were still under construction over there, including the properties owned by her uncle by marriage.
She was genuinely confused. Did her aunt want East City to prosper, or did she want it to fail?
"Oh my, we actually hope her business here truly takes off," Mrs. Chen laughed, covering her mouth. "My husband followed her lead and bought a few acres of land. Do you see that area over there? It’s almost finished.
"If her business flourishes, my plot of land will increase in value too."
"The land your husband bought belongs to your family’s communal estate. It won’t be given to you personally, so why are you worrying over nothing?" Mrs. Liu, finding her displeasing to the eye, retorted coldly.
"That is where I differ from the rest of you," Mrs. Chen said, shooting her a sideways glance. "Even though my husband didn’t give the land deed to me, it’s registered under my son’s name. That makes it my son’s private property. Of course I hope it does well."
Mrs. Liu tightly twisted the handkerchief in her hands. Those words truly struck a nerve.
Her own belly had failed her, and she was surrounded by nothing but concubine-born sons and daughters. Wasn’t Mrs. Chen’s statement a deliberate dig at her?
Her husband had also purchased some land in this area, but since she hadn’t borne any children of her own, wouldn’t this massive family fortune eventually be divided among those concubine-born sons? Just thinking about it made her chest ache.