Chapter 753 - 755: Coming to Ask for Help
Chapter 753: Chapter 755: Coming to Ask for Help
Gu Benluo knew this hurdle would be hard to pass, but he hadn’t given up hope. Trying to win some sympathy, he copied his younger brother and hugged Jin Qianqian’s arm, whining affectionately.
"Mother, there’s a lantern festival in Yongchang County tonight. I promise I’ll memorize all the essays Father assigned by tomorrow. Can I please...?"
"Why didn’t you plead your case when your father was just here?" Jin Qianqian asked.
"Mother~" Gu Benluo continued to whine, "You’re the one who calls the shots for matters big and small in our family. As long as you give the word, Father definitely won’t object..."
Jin Qianqian pinched his nose. "Do you dare say that to his face? Your father is doing this for your own good. You’ve been playing around for so long; it’s time to focus your mind."
He had spent so much time outside with Gu Wenheng, and then returned just in time for the New Year festivities. If he kept playing around, it would be unreasonable. Although Jin Qianqian felt a bit sorry that her child would have to work hard, she agreed with Gu Wenheng’s approach. They were already far more lenient with their children compared to other households. As the children grew older day by day, certain rules had to be established.
"Mother..."
Gu Benluo wanted to keep arguing, but Jin Qianqian turned to look at him sternly. "This is completely non-negotiable. If you can persuade your father, then I won’t play the bad guy."
Gu Benluo fell silent. From her tone, he knew there was no room for further discussion.
He walked out of the courtyard with his head drooping, casting a longing glance at the front yard before sighing and heading back to his own quarters.
Hearing about his melodramatic exit, Jin Qianqian smiled and shook her head. "These children really can’t be spoiled. Go tell the kitchen to prepare some fruit soup and send it over to him."
She hoped the fruit soup would dispel his restlessness so he could get back on track sooner.
Having sent Gu Benluo away, Jin Qianqian finally stared at the visiting card in front of her. Someone was coming over this afternoon, and from then on, it would be endless socializing.
The fact that Lady Liang was the first to visit seemed somewhat incredible to Jin Qianqian.
Mrs. Liang He’s hints for everyone to ostracize her hadn’t been very clever, and they were all just maintaining a superficial peace. With this sudden visit, Jin Qianqian couldn’t figure out what she was plotting.
Mrs. Liang He didn’t come alone; she brought her niece, He Xiaoyu, with her.
Jin Qianqian received them according to etiquette. After serving tea, she didn’t initiate the main topic. Instead, she engaged He Xiaoyu in a casual conversation about her daily activities.
Although Mrs. Liang He wanted her niece to gain some experience, she had come today on official business. Since Jin Qianqian wasn’t bringing it up, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and speak up.
"My apologies for intruding on you with this sudden visit today, Mrs. Gu."
"Not at all. Anyone who comes is a guest. I’m the one who has been a poor host," Jin Qianqian replied.
Jin Qianqian didn’t take the bait; she just treated her like any ordinary visitor.
Mrs. Liang He paused. "...Aren’t you curious as to why we visited so suddenly, Mrs. Gu?"
"We’ve just arrived in Yi Province, so we aren’t very familiar with the local customs," Jin Qianqian said. "Is it a tradition to start visiting each other after the New Year?
"My servants are truly careless to have forgotten to remind me of such an important custom. I will definitely send a card to your residence and return the visit another day."
"...You misunderstand, Mrs. Gu. We came today for another reason." Mrs. Liang He looked uncomfortable for a moment before quickly regaining her composure. "You truly live up to your title as an Imperial Merchant. In such a short time, you’ve turned East City into a bustling area. We admire you greatly.
"Now you’ve opened the Soap Workshop and are dominating the market. It really makes us quite envious."
"It’s just a small endeavor, nowhere near as grand as you make it sound, Lady Liang," Jin Qianqian replied modestly. "I heard that you’ve also opened a few shops. Allow me to pre-emptively wish you great prosperity."
"I can’t compare to you, Mrs. Gu. I’ve opened the shops, but business has been rather lackluster. I came today hoping to ask for a few pointers so I can at least earn some inheritance for the boys in my family." Over the past month or so, Mrs. Liang He had finally realized that doing business wasn’t that easy.
She had opened several shops, but aside from the general store which barely made a profit, the embroidery workshop and the fabric shop barely saw any customers all day. She had invested her own dowry silver into them; if she kept taking losses like this, she’d have less to leave for her sons in the future. Persuaded by her niece, she finally swallowed her pride and came to ask Jin Qianqian for advice.
"Business takes time," Jin Qianqian said, feeling like she had already said this to many people. Although her mind was full of ideas, she didn’t feel capable of taking on everyone’s burdens.
"That’s true, but a small family like ours can’t afford to lose money." Mrs. Liang He leaned slightly toward Jin Qianqian. "With such a large business empire, Mrs. Gu, I hope you can offer some guidance."
Jin Qianqian found this somewhat baffling. Everyone privately knew about the tension between them. It was truly amusing that Mrs. Liang He could show up at her door with such righteous confidence.
"I only managed to build my business through blind luck. With my level of skill, I really wouldn’t dare guide anyone else," Jin Qianqian said. "You know how hard it is to earn silver. If my terrible ideas end up causing you losses, how would I ever explain myself?"
Jin Qianqian put on a conflicted expression. "A merchant like me, who has only been struggling for a few years, is no match for the local aristocratic families.
"I know there are several deeply rooted aristocratic families in Yi Province who own centuries-old shops. Just thinking about it is awe-inspiring. If you asked them for ideas, Lady Liang, I imagine it would be much better than consulting an amateur like me."
Everyone present knew exactly who she was referring to. Lord Liang had rented out the shops, specifically dividing them among several aristocratic families, which couldn’t have been unintentional. Back then, when Gu Wenheng presented the blueprints, it was Lord Liang who picked first, and his top choices were all clustered around the area Jin Qianqian had mapped out. Regardless of whether there were deeper implications, based on their connections, Lady Liang should have been seeking help from them instead.
Mrs. Liang He lowered her head and fiddled with her teacup. When she opened those shops, she had sought help from those exact families, and her suppliers were introduced through them. She didn’t know if she just wasn’t cut out for business, but her shops had always been stagnant.
Jin Qianqian, however, knew that with shops like those, one really just had to weather the storm. East City had only recently begun to prosper, and there weren’t many residents yet. Without establishing a reputation, the commoners of Yongchang County wouldn’t go out of their way to travel so far just to shop.
"To be honest with you, Mrs. Gu," He Xiaoyu said with a smile, seeing her aunt putting on airs again. "At the time, my aunt exhausted herself asking many people for advice just to get these shops running.
"But business has been stagnant, and she’s been terribly anxious about it lately.
"We came today to ask for your understanding of the hardships we women in the inner courtyard face. We hope you might offer some guidance and help find a way out for these shops."
Having gathered the courage to finish her speech, He Xiaoyu’s palms were sweating.