Chapter 63: Bean War

Translator: Antonia

“You still have the face to follow us? Fuck away! Don’t let me see you again, or I’ll beat you up every time you stand before me.”

The carriage arrived at the entrance of the village, but the people in it still didn’t give up, “From today, send people to collect beans. She gets beans at one cent per kilogram, then we offer two cents for per kilogram. Soon, we’ll own all beans in Tianxiang city. Let’s see how she can make tofu without beans!”

“Right! Right! Master you’re so wise. Now it’s winter, the earliest time she can buy a new batch of beans will be June next year. Now each day Baiyunju sells so much tofu. At this speed, even if they have a preserved stock, they will run out of beans in a short time.”

“Eating too many beans will cause flatulence, so there aren’t too many people who grow beans. I suppose there aren’t too many beans across the whole Tianxiang city.”

“Beans are cheap goods. At two cents per kilogram, it won’t cost too much money even if I buy all of it...”

“Great idea! Even if she doesn’t plan to make tofu anymore and doesn’t turn to us, Baiyunju can’t prosper for long without tofu. By then, with all beans in our hands, it’s up to you my master to set the price for beans.”

The carriage went on, and the two people in it whispered to each other, believing that their conversation couldn’t be known to anyone else. Nobody expected that when the carriage past the ancestral hall, there was a tall slim figure, standing there and watching it with a cold face.

“That ungrateful bitch! There will be one day she regrets. I’ll let her beg me on kneels...”

“Without Baiyunju, that bitch...”

They just got out of the village when a stone broke the wheels of the carriage, which fell to one side and threw out two people.

Boss Xue and manager Liao were cast to the ground, and the latter hurriedly helped his master stand up. Seeing that boss Xue’s head were bleeding, manager Liao immediately smacked the driver in the face.

“Don’t you know how to drive?”

“...”

Over there, all was in a mess while here the man standing beside the ancestral hall sneered and walked into the classroom.

Xiaoqizi of Baiyunju saw Yingkexuan’s carriage coming back and rushed to report to manager Li.

“You said that boss Xue went back with anger?”

“Yes. I don’t dare to lie. Once he came back, boss Xue kicked his guardian servant to the ground and then gave him a dozen of smacks in a row. It was so loud that neighbors across the street could hear.”

“Does it mean that he didn’t nail the business?”

“I don’t dare to make a conclusion, but I heard boss Liao cursed the waiter, saying that he is too blind to ruin a big business.”

“That’s it. I have to report this to the seventh young lord. Good job Xiaoqizi. Go and get your reward at the counting house.”

“Thank you, manager Li.”

After reporting the news, manager Li walked out of the study in light steps.

Su Qi put down the fan and removed his inadvertent expression, standing up and pacing back and forth.

This woman really looked up to his expectation. She really didn’t break her promise!

“Azhao, prepare me a horse.”

The night was as dark as ink, hanging over the tranquil village which was remote from hustling cities. The wavering shadow of branches in the wind was just like intertwined emotions of humans in the world, either fading away or missing, they would be submerged by time again and again.

He didn’t know why he must come here. He just wanted to take a look at the place where she was.

Azhao followed behind him silently. Though he didn’t know what was wrong with his young lord, but he could sense the kind of exhaustion and despair from him.

The winder sky was chilly and deep. For Su Qi, the small village over there was full of unfathomable remoteness and mystery. He stared in a distance at the house in the west of the village, air in his inky long hair, standing straight and lonely.

If she didn’t get married, he thought he will try at all costs... Why fate liked to tease people? Why was him not the one who met her first?

Suddenly an abnormal breath in the wind around approached. Su Qi turned serious while Azhao got near him too.

“You’re Su Qi?” A voice sent over, and out of the dark walked over a tall slim shadow.

The darkness covered his face, but judging from the tone, figure and bearing, Su Qi knew that this wasn’t an average person.

The long shadow behind him merged with the darkness and disappeared in a second.

No! More than one person! The long shadow was nothing but a shadow guard!

Shadow guard? Special guards for the imperial family. Among the super families, Xie family didn’t have but Su family did, and he heard that Ning family had too.

Su Qi was stunned. Who was this person?

The world couldn’t no longer shock him.

But...

Pushing away Azhao, Su Qi stepped forward, putting on a stern face which even distinguish him from the usually mischievous and disregarding young lord, “Yes, I am. And you are...?”

“My surname is Ning.”

“Ning? Can I know you relation with the Ning family of the capital?”

“I show up only with the purpose of thanking you for ‘taking care’ of my wife.” Ning Shaoqing sounded impassive, but when he said ‘taking care’, the resentment in the tone give him away.

How he wished to rush over and tear up the person called Su Qi and have a good fight with him!

Yet, his body...

He didn’t obtain the whereabouts of the strange doctor yet, so his martial art could only be performed to ten to twenty percent. Yet, certainly this wasn’t the main reason why he didn’t start a fight.

He was taking into consideration the possibility that his poison couldn’t be cured. He must pave a way for her future.

The man before him could reach the threshold.

Yet, even if he had the plan of compromising and paving the way for her future life, he wouldn’t allow others to cast their eyes on her when he was still alive.

The pain of putting the hand of his beloved woman in that of another man would be as bad as cutting his own flesh.

“Do you find a way a cure the poison in your body?” Su Qi asked tentatively.

“Thanks for asking, but I won’t die immediately.” Ning Shaoqing’s voice was cold and indifferent, as if the one who had been poisoned wasn’t him.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Ning. I’ve sent my people to search for the whereabout of the strange doctor across Tianqi...”

“Unnecessary!” Ning Shaoqing replied resolutely.

He didn’t want his grace and friendliness. Between two men, some words didn’t need to be articulated clearly.

He didn’t meet him to be friends or to display his jealousy, even though now he was indeed jealous like crazy.

But for the things he had to discuss with Su Qi, Ning Shaoqing wouldn’t stay with him for a mere minute.

Heaven knew that he was feeling uncomfortable bodily.

However, Mo Qianxue managed to build the workshop through painstaking efforts, so he mustn’t sit idle. Besides, the girl longed to starting a what-she-called soy sauce factory or vinegar factory, which he heard would require a hundred times more beans than the tofu workshop.

To make a batch of soy sauce would easily need thousands of kilograms of beans.

He pinched his fist again and again, but his voice was still cold and deadpan, “The people of Yingkexuan is planning to collect beans at a higher price, threatening to collect all beans in Tianxiang city. How will you deal with this?”

“Uh?” Ning Shaoqing shifted the subject too quick for Su Qi to wake up from his sadness and feeling of loss.

Getting back to earth, he said with indignation, “If that old bastard dares to increase the price, I can collect some beans at the same price too. It’s okay to make less tofu. The restaurant can do till the next year when new beans are on the market again.”

Ning Shaoqing asked coldly, “He is sending you money and his life, why don’t you take it?”

Su Qi got stunned and confused!

Why collecting beans at a higher price would be giving out his money and life?

Ning Shaoqing answered calmly, “If he purchases beans at three cents per kilogram, you can raise the price to four cents and collect in large amount, so as to spur him to raise price again.”

“When he raises the price to five cents, you take out the beans that you purchase at four cents from the back door and sell to him at five cents. Then, you raise the price again and purchase more beans...”

Excellent strategy! After the buying and selling as such, he wound earn one cent per kilogram at the cost of nothing. This would be just the beginning. If the manipulation of price continued, he would earn more and more. At this moment, the always confident Su Qi had to admire his wise.

Ning Shaoqing could think of an excellent idea while Su Qi wasn’t a fool either. Only by these few words, Su Qi understood from inside and out all details, “Once in a dilemma, he will have no choice but to engage in the price war against me. As this cycle goes on, my Baiyunju will make a fortune, and at the same time, Yingkexuan will be pushed into a dead corner. Right?”

If bean price soared all the way along, Yingkexuan just couldn’t quit halfway but struggle to fight to the end. Then, with no way out, just let him collect all beans across the country. By then, he must use titanic amount of silver to stock beans.

But without tofu recipe, every move of them would be futile.

Brilliant! Hardcore!

The way Su Qi looked at Ning Shaoqing again was different. There was admiring and willingness to give in to him...

This person didn’t go to the city but was able to analyze the situation so neatly. He really wasn’t simple. Last time by one letter which let Su Qi to sign exclusive contracts with all story-tellers in the city, Baiyunju turned around the situation from losing to winning. Then with the public opinion Su Qi led, Yingkexuan lost the battle completely.

Su Qi had always been disregarding of worldly affairs and thinking highly of himself, never regarding anyone as his real rival, not even his eldest brother, the heir of Su family, a position that he just didn’t like to win over through schemes and plots.

However, now he had a real opponent.

He said with a smile, “Brother Ning is really talented! Since the idea is yours, I’ll share my profit with you.” If Ning agreed to take the money, he would fall into a morally disadvantaged position which made him no longer a match of Su Qi.

Ning Shaoqing’s tone remained calm, “It’s not necessary. I will be grateful as long as by then you won’t compete with my wife for the thousands of kilograms of beans.”

Finishing the words, he cast aside his sleeves and left.

His leaving steps were neat and calm, but the leaving without greeting in Su Qi’s eyes became rudeness and disrespect.

Azhao wanted to step forward, but he was stopped by Su Qi’s gesture.

Unexpectedly, in a remote village, there should be such an unparalleled elegant intelligent and brave man. Su Qi regretted to look down on others.

This person, his opponent, deserved his respect.

It seemed that he shouldn’t pretend anymore and idled all his days. In order to win this person, Su Qi must show some real things.

Silent for a moment, he turned over and got on the horse, galloping away.

Azhao didn’t talk and just followed his lord, whose expression had spoken of his determination. Azhao felt that his young lord grew up 10 years older in an instant.

Hearing the sound of galloping, Ning Shaoqing paused and turned to look in that direction in silence, but what greeted his eyes were the long winding black mountains in the distance.

In fact, the more why he met Su Qi today was more than intimidate him. More importantly, he wanted to revenge for her.

He would never forgive anyone who dared to bully her. Yingkeju should have treated his wife like beggars. How hateful! These people should become beggars.

However, these things should be done by himself, but now he had to resort to another man’s hand.

Ning Shaoqing’s expression was complicated. After a while, he murmured, “Qianxue, don’t’you always want to open a soy sauce factory? You said that a soy sauce need thousands of kilograms of beans. Very very hard. Now I finally help you solve this problem.”

Although he made it, Ning Shaoqing didn’t look happy. The cold poison sat on his heart like a heavy stone.

The shadow guard stood behind him without hiding his body and hesitated.

Ning Shaoqing turned around and quietly looked at him.

The shadow guard was a little intimidated by his cold eyes, biting his teeth, and he opened his mouth finally.

“Lord, in my view, since Su Qi has undue thoughts about lady, he should go to hell. Even if to consider the face of his brother lord Su, at least we should give him a lecture instead of helping him to solidify his position in his family.”

Ning Shaoqing sighed and turned around, eyes closed and silent.

He wished so too, but...

In silence, tree leaves rustled by the wind from the mountains.

Ning Shaoqing;s straight figure turned into sadness when reflected into the eyes of the shadow guard. His body towering in darkness reminded him of one year ago...

His young lord was a talent in both learnings and martial arts and brilliant in scheming. Yet, he was too kind in nature and valued much on relationships. He had always put in his mind the bitch’s bringing him up and the brotherhood with that bitch’s son, so he must suffer the consequences he was facing today.

At this point, lord got emotional again. Was he, was he...?

The shadow guard kneeled down, “Lord, are you planning to give up lady?”

He asked the question out of discontent, and more out of care for lord.

He broke the rule! But, he would regret if not asking.

Even if lord didn’t wish to go back and fight in the capital, he shouldn’t lose the dignity as a man.

As long as lord made the order, he would go and kill Su Qi for him.

His heart got gloomy, secretly making up his mind: if Asan and Awu couldn’t find the strange doctor to cure his lord’s cold poison, then the day his lord passed away, he wouldn’t let him die alone. He would definitely let lady accompany him, forever.

At most, he killed himself too as an apology!

Ning Shaoqing didn’t look up all the time and didn’t let the shadow guard get up.

The bitter winter wind blew through forests, the trees waving and leaves rustling. But all that in his mind was her figure.

Last time he passed out, he thought that he would be utterly stay away from the bustling world, but when he woke up and saw her holding his hand, innocently smiling and introducing herself in a fluster.

When he woke up again, her numbly staring face instantly turned surprised and there was all worry for him in her eyes.

He coughed, and she reacted like a startled bird.

His lost his appetite, and she hurriedly tried out different dishes with one single purpose of letting him eat more.

And... Ning Shaoqing returned to his room. It approached dawn. Mo Qianxue was in sound sleep due to the tiredness in day time. In the dark, there was a touch of smile on her lips. She must be having a sweet dream.

historical

Ning Shaoqing’s long hand gently stroked her warm face, slightly upturned eye corners and the smiling soft lips...

To be honest, the last time he wanted was to leave her.

If he lived on, he would stay by her side to the end of the world and never separated. If he died, he wanted to take her with him, either to heaven or hell.

However, he couldn’t bear it!

How could he deprive her of her happiness? She was so sweet and selfless for him.

How could he be so cruel and selfish?

He hoped she could be happy forever.

Slightly pulling the perfect lips, Ning Shaoqing smiled bitterly: this wasn’t to give up, but to sacrifice.

However, as long as he lived for one more day, no other man shall approach her. No one.

The bitter smile on his face turned into coldness.

He would try all means to dissolve the poison in his body!

*

Su Qi got serious, marching speedily back to Baiyunju and calling over manager Li at night.

He ordered to inform all their men to secretly purchase beans and transported to Tianxiang city as fast as possible.

That night, all workers of Baiyunju got up to their ears, and messenger pigeons constantly flew in and out.

Early in the next morning, Yingkexuan and its related shops hung the signs to purchase beans at a high price.

Baiyunju appeared to make no actions, but in fact, all stores and shops belonging to Su family hung the same sign boards as Yingkexuan.

For a time, beans became the most sought-after goods.

The bean price in Tianxiang city rose from the original two cents to ten cents, and from ten to twenty.

After mere seven days, it surged from two cents to one hundred cents, and finally Baiyunju rose the price to three hundred cents per kilogram and the roaring trend continued.

Now the hottest topic in the city was what the price of beans became.

All villages around collected all of their beans and came to Tianxiang city to sell them.

However, the last moment they were happy about the much money they made from beans, and the next moment, they regretted because the price increased again.

They hated it so much that some of them even smacked themselves directly.

Such things played in every minute.

Su Qi stood by window and glanced out.

Wu Dafu, the owner of Yingkexue showed up in person.

The daughter of boss Xue married to Wu mansion three years ago and was said to be a worldly sophisticated woman. The second year after she got married, her gave birth to a child for old master Wu who was over sixty years old. Now, she was the most-loved concubine at Wu mansion.

This was why boss Xue got promoted from a manager, which followed by Liao getting promoted from a waiter to manager.

Wu Dafu listened to what his wife told her and didn’t blame his fake father-in-law, only thumping heavily on the table with anger, producing ear-deafening noise.

Xue advised that now they were in a dilemma, but if they managed to collect all beans and got the tofu recipe, Yingkexuan would not only hit a huge prosperous period, but also made huge profit if later they sold tofu across the country.

Manager Liao reported that now there were little beans on the market, so as long as they further raised the price, they would possess all beans.

What they had no idea of was the fact that all beans across the country were flooding to them through roads or waterways.

Wu Dafu was cold-hearted that he ordered manager Liao to make sure to burn the warehouses of the shops who competed for beans. Only when those warehouses were burnt down could they truly own beans to himself and rest assured.

The eyes of boss Xue and manager Liao were lit up, keeping saying brilliant.

At that night, fires at several places lit up the sky of Tianxiang city and many warehouses were burnt down.

Su Qi stood at a high site, watching the fires and murmuring: this person was really giving out his money and life...

Afterwards, manager Li of Baiyunju walked around to have a check and reported, “Lord, your prediction comes true. Luckily, they don’t know that beans weren’t stock in the warehouses. What they burned was only dry grass.”

Manager Li was excited while Su Qi sneered and remained silent.

Only when Wu Dafu believed that the warehouses of beans were burnt, he would take out all his money to collect the rest beans.

Only when he took out all of his money, he would lose his life.

Yingkexuan had used filthy plots against Baiyunju since long ago. What was more, all businesses in Tianxiang city were spoiled by Wu Dafu as long as he got involved.

This time, with that man’s idea, he was going to deal with the rogue completely.

Manager Li asked, “Are we going to report to the police?” His expression indicated unprecedent admiring and respect.

Su Qi laughed, “Keep the evidence and wait a moment.”