Chapter 64: The News Mo Jianjia Overheard
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In Lisui Pavilion, inside Mo Jianjia’s room, Wang Shunyang was lying on the divan, dozing off, when the sound of the door being pushed open suddenly roused him.
He turned his head and saw Mo Jianjia returning, her expression somewhat displeased.
Wang Shunyang immediately sat up, hurried over, and asked, “Jianjia, how did it go? Did you find anything out?”
Saying this, he rushed to close the door, afraid anyone might overhear.
Mo Jianjia sat down with a gloomy face, poured herself a cup of water and took a few sips before replying in frustration, “Find out what? I wasn’t even qualified to go up to the second floor!”
“What are you talking about? Why do you need some kind of qualification to go upstairs?” Wang Shunyang was completely confused.
Mo Jianjia sighed helplessly and recounted everything that had happened at the Xiangfu Specialty Store.
“Young Master Wang, you’d better find someone else for this. I’m of humble status and have no money—I’m afraid I can’t help you,” she said regretfully.
Seeing his beloved so aggrieved, Wang Shunyang was instantly displeased and raised his voice, “Isn’t it just two hundred taels? I’ll pay for it!”
That was exactly what Mo Jianjia had been waiting for—she would never be so foolish as to spend her own money on this.
Besides, it was Wang Shunyang who had asked her for this favor, so naturally, he should be the one to pay.
“Young Master Wang, two hundred taels! Not twenty…” Mo Jianjia confirmed, all the while watching Wang Shunyang’s reaction closely.
With long strides, Wang Shunyang went to the door, opened it, and called to the servant outside, “Bring the money!”
The servant immediately handed over a pouch of coins.
Wang Shunyang, however, was impatient: “Banknotes! Banknotes! What good are these scattered coins?”
The servant hurriedly produced a banknote from his robe.
Wang Shunyang took it and saw it was only worth fifty taels. He frowned. “Give me all of them!”
“Young master, that’s all we have,” the servant replied cautiously.
Wang Shunyang was a bit embarrassed. He stepped outside, pulled the servant aside, and whispered: “Hurry home and tell the steward to bring me a two-hundred-tael banknote. Do you hear me?”
The servant’s face fell. “Young master, to get that much money at once... I’m afraid... I’m afraid I can’t do it!”
“What do you mean you can’t? You’re my servant—if I ask you to get money, would the steward dare refuse?” Wang Shunyang said sternly.
With a thud, the servant knelt down and pleaded, “Young master, have you forgotten? Last time, the master was furious over the teahouse, and he said unless he gives permission, you’re not to get any more money…”
Only then did Wang Shunyang remember.
A few days ago, when Old Master Wang learned that Fenghua Restaurant had no hope of catching up to Zhenxiu House, he had flown into a rage at home.
He had scolded Wang Shunyang for his incompetence and for disgracing the family, regretting all the favors he’d spent recommending Fenghua Restaurant to his friends.
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It was precisely because of that scolding from his father that Wang Shunyang had chosen to completely give up.
What annoyed him most was that, in the end, his father had even restricted his pocket money.
After thinking for a moment, Wang Shunyang said, “Then go to Changlong Gambling House and find Xu Tong. Tell him to bring me the money!”
“Huh?” The servant was startled. “Young master, that... that’s not a good idea. If the master finds out you’re borrowing from the gambling house…”
Wang Shunyang suddenly lost his patience and interrupted, “Are you going or not? Believe me, if my father finds out, I’ll deal with you before he does!”
The servant was terrified and ran off at once.
In less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Xu Tong arrived with the banknotes.
But Wang Shunyang only borrowed one hundred and fifty taels for a simple reason—who would be foolish enough to pay high interest on an extra fifty?
Wang Shunyang then handed the two-hundred-tael banknote to Mo Jianjia.
Mo Jianjia put it away and immediately returned to the specialty store.
By evening, she was back.
As soon as the door opened, a bodyguard came in carrying a large basket filled with soap.
Mo Jianjia followed, holding a delicate little wooden box in her arms as if it were a treasure.
“Jianjia, how did it go? Did it work this time?” Wang Shunyang asked eagerly.
Mo Jianjia sat down with the little box, and only after the bodyguard closed the door behind him did she say, “Young Master Wang, I’ve made inquiries—right now, the Ning family is the sole general distributor of Peony brand.”
“General distributor? What kind of title is that?” Wang Shunyang said with disdain.
“It means that from now on, anyone who wants to buy scented or regular soap has to go through the Ning family,” Mo Jianjia explained.
Wang Shunyang wasn’t interested in that and immediately asked, “Did you find out who actually makes the soap?”
Mo Jianjia shook her head. “Young master, who would reveal such an important secret to me? Would you, if it were you?”
Wang Shunyang realized she was right and changed his question: “Did you at least find out why Liu Rushi lost the business to the Ning family?”
Mo Jianjia answered honestly, “I asked, but Shopkeeper Xie said she didn’t know either—she just runs the store and sells goods.”
“So you don’t know that, and you don’t know this—did you find out anything at all?” Wang Shunyang was getting frustrated. He’d spent two hundred taels—borrowed at high interest!—and still learned nothing of value.
Mo Jianjia, however, remained calm. “Young master, don’t be impatient. Shopkeeper Xie may be tight-lipped, but others aren’t necessarily so careful.”
Wang Shunyang brightened and quickly coaxed, “My dear Jianjia, don’t keep me in suspense—just tell me!”
Mo Jianjia lowered her voice. “Young master, I bribed a clerk. According to him, the soap comes from Gushan Village.”
“Gushan Village?” Wang Shunyang was very surprised.
He knew Gushan Village—a poor, insignificant place. He never would have thought it was the source of the soap.
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After a moment’s pause, Wang Shunyang asked, “Are you sure? It’s really Gushan Village?”
Mo Jianjia replied, “The clerk said so. He knows one of the villagers who delivers the soap—they chatted for a while. It’s definitely from Gushan Village, there’s no mistake.”
With this confirmation, Wang Shunyang nodded, his mind working rapidly.
Mo Jianjia glanced at him, immediately guessing his thoughts. “Young master, are you planning to snatch this business away, to get back at the Ning siblings and avenge your loss at Fenghua Restaurant?”
That was exactly his intention. In just a few days, he’d have to stand atop the city tower and proclaim himself a failure to all—how could he not seek revenge?
Wang Shunyang shot back, “What, do you doubt the Wang family’s abilities? With the Wang family’s resources, could a mere soap business really be out of reach?”
Mo Jianjia only smiled faintly, saying nothing, still cradling her little wooden box as if it were a treasure.
Wang Shunyang grew curious. “Hey, what’s in the box? You’ve been holding it since you walked in.”
“Scented soap! Peony fragrance.”
Mo Jianjia opened the box and displayed the peony-scented soap for him to see.
Then she extended her right hand. “Young master, smell for yourself—doesn’t my hand smell lovely?”
Wang Shunyang leaned in and sniffed. Indeed, her hand carried a faint, delightful scent of peonies.
He shook his head. “Two hundred taels of silver, just for a tiny piece like this?”
It did smell wonderful, but he still felt it wasn’t worth the price.
Mo Jianjia, a little displeased, withdrew her hand and frowned. “Young master, this is scented soap! Not everyone can get their hands on it, you know. Forget it—you just don’t understand…”
Wang Shunyang, his mind now entirely occupied with how to seize the Ning family’s soap business, had no interest in lingering. He turned, intending to leave.
But as he turned, his gaze fell upon the large basket of soap.
The next moment, he opened the door and called the servant in to take the basket away.
Mo Jianjia protested, “Young master, why are you taking all my soap?”
Wang Shunyang retorted, “What do you mean, your soap? I paid two hundred taels, didn’t I? This is all mine!”
“Young master, how could you? Can’t you even leave me a little?” Mo Jianjia was instantly anxious.
Wang Shunyang pointed to the little box in her hands. “There, I gave you the scented soap, didn’t I?”
With that, he gave a quick “Let’s go!” to the servant and disappeared from the doorway.
“Hmph! So stingy!”
Mo Jianjia pouted, hugging her little box tightly.