On her way home, Wu Auntie was both happy and afraid.
She was happy because she had won a big prize. The silver and copper coins in her arms were enough to cover her family's food and clothing for half a year. She was afraid because she knew some people would be envious when they saw her win such a big prize, and some might even harbor evil intentions.
Moreover, ahead was a small grove where there were few people. If something happened there...
"Stop right there!"
Suddenly a loud shout made Wu Auntie jump in fright. She turned around in panic to find two men with their faces covered in black cloth. Her soul nearly jumped out of her body.
This was exactly what she had feared!
"Good...good sirs...what do you want?"
"What do we want?" Housekeeper A grinned evilly. "Hand over all your money!"
"I don't have any money!" Wu Auntie was about to cry. "I'm just a poor old woman, where would I get money from..."
"Still pretending?" Housekeeper B said. "You think the big prize you won at the Li's Luxury Shop was really just given to you for nothing?"
Li's Luxury Shop?
Wu Auntie was stunned. "You...you were sent by Ms. Li to take back the big prize she gave away?"
"Humph, you're not that stupid after all," Housekeeper A said. "Hand the money back quickly, and we might spare your life! Otherwise, this grove will become your burial ground!"
Seeing the vicious look in the two men's eyes, endless despair rose up in Wu Auntie.
She knew it was too good to be true. How could anyone give her so much money for no reason?
Since they were sent by Ms. Li, she should just give the money back. It was never hers to begin with anyway.
"Alright, I'll give it back to you."
"Wise choice."
With weak limbs, Wu Auntie took out the silver ingots and copper coins from her pocket.
Just as the two housekeepers got the money and were about to flee, two bailiffs suddenly leapt out from the nearby woods, pressing their bare blades against the housekeepers' necks.
The icy cold blade pressed against their skin, scaring the two housekeepers so much that they squeezed their eyes shut and begged for their lives.
"Spare us...spare us..."
"Take the money, just let us go!"
"Want to leave? It won't be so easy."
Just then, Zhang County Captain walked out from the woods, looking majestic as he came before the two men.
"Open your dog eyes and see who we are!"
The two housekeepers opened their eyes, only to see the man in front of them dressed in official robes - it was none other than Zhang County Captain from the county government!
Damn it!
Why would a county captain come to a godforsaken place like this?
"Captain Zhang, this is a misunderstanding..."
"What misunderstanding?" Zhang County Captain loudly rebuked as he ripped the black cloth off the two men's faces. "You two scoundrels dare to brazenly commit robbery in broad daylight. And now that you've been caught red-handed by me, you still dare to make excuses?"
The two housekeepers' hearts turned icy cold.
Now not only had they failed their task, they would also be thrown in jail. What had they gotten themselves into!
Zhang County Captain slowly walked up to Wu Auntie and returned the money to her. At this moment, Wu Auntie felt as if she were dreaming - she didn't even dare accept the money when she saw it.
"I...I don't want it anymore..."
"This is your money, why don't you want it?"
"I really don't want it anymore," Wu Auntie waved her hands again and again. "Please return it to Ms. Li for me. I really don't want it."
"Take it," Zhang County Captain said. "Those two men were not sent by Ms. Li."
"What? They weren't?"
"That's right. They were trying to frame and slander Ms. Li. But don't worry, these two will surely be punished according to the law. At the very least they'll be exiled, so they won't come back to take revenge on you. You can rest assured and take this money. I'll also send someone to escort you home."
At that, Wu Auntie could no longer hold back her tears.
"Thank you, Captain. I bow to you in gratitude!"
Zhang County Captain quickly stopped Wu Auntie from bowing, and had a bailiff escort her home.
After the two had left, he gave the housekeepers a kick in the backside. "Walk!"
...
In the county office.
After listening to Zhang County Captain's report, Song County Magistrate was quite surprised.
"You're saying Ms. Li was the one who told you all this?"
"That's right," Zhang County Captain said. "If not for Ms. Li informing me, I wouldn't have been able to catch these two. But I've already interrogated them, and they stubbornly insist it was their own idea to rob her when they saw the money. They'd rather be exiled than reveal who put them up to it."
This was not surprising to Song County Magistrate at all.
Housekeepers would take the fall for their masters. Otherwise they and their families would suffer.
But that was beside the point.
He already knew Li Yao was clever and skilled, but now it seemed there was more to her than that.
Just who was this Ms. Li?
After thinking for a moment, Song County Magistrate said, "Since Ms. Li has rendered merit, she should naturally be rewarded. And since this matter involves you, go with me to He Wan village to commend her."
"Yes sir! What shall we award her?"
Although he was the county magistrate, Song County Magistrate's coffers were embarrassingly empty. There was little silver or copper coins in the government treasury either. The ceramic set he had previously awarded Li Yao was paid out of his own pocket.
"Let's just give her a verbal commendation." Song County Magistrate said. "But do it in front of all the villagers of He Wan, so go and have Wang Village Chief gather everyone first."
"Understood."
...
Things were going smoothly at the shop. All the soap had been sold, and Old Master Zhou had the bookkeepers tally up the day's accounts.
Per Li Yao's prior instructions, the shop didn't earn a single copper coin from the 400 bars of lye soap they sold. Any profit was used for the lucky draw.
Of course, Li Yao still made a small profit.
She sold the soap to the shop for 100 copper coins a bar, so 400 bars earned her 32,000, or 32 taels.
So while the selling price was low, with enough volume, the profits were still considerable.
The glycerin soap was even better.
Each bar cost just a few copper coins more than the lye soap, but sold to the shop for 2 taels of silver.
200 bars made 400 taels of silver. Deducting costs of about 5 taels, the profit was 395 taels.
Add to that the 200 copper coins per bar the shop paid out, which was another 40 taels.
Before noon had even arrived, 467 taels of silver were already in hand.
The remaining 200 bars of glycerin soap would surely sell out soon, adding another 435 taels.
At this rate of earning, Li Yao felt she would soon attain financial freedom and could just lie back and relax every day.
Leaving Old Master Zhou to handle shop matters, Li Yao went to the market and bought half a lamb. The children had been craving lamb skewers, and she was also quite hungry for them, so they would eat well today.
"Mother," Da Zhuang said on the way home, "when I went to pick you up earlier, the bookkeeper quietly told me something."
The bookkeeper?
Li Yao's brows furrowed slightly. Could there be a problem with the shop's books?
But the bookkeeper was hired by Old Master Zhou, and had some reputation in Baichuan Market. And they had only been open a few days, so there shouldn't be any issues.
"What did he say?"
"Nothing major," Da Zhuang said. "He just asked if I wanted to buy a house in the market town. He said he knew of two good locations if I was interested in buying."
So he wanted to broker a real estate purchase.
She had never considered buying a house in the market town. Wherever she had money she could live comfortably.
But Da Zhuang was already a grown man, and would become a father next year. It was time for him to start thinking independently about some matters.
"What do you think?" Li Yao asked.
"Me? I don't know. I'll listen to whatever you say."
"A man should have his own opinions," Li Yao said. "Tell me what you're thinking."
"Yes." Da Zhuang thought for a moment. "I think each has its pros and cons. Living in the market town is convenient, while the village is peaceful. I prefer the village. If only..."
"What?"
"If only this road was a bit wider and more level," Da Zhuang said, "then you could ride in the ox cart more comfortably."
Li Yao: ...Thank you for thinking of me, but I definitely won't be riding ox carts for the rest of my life!
Even if it takes all her money, she would absolutely not ride ox carts forever!
No way!
"Ms. Li," a voice suddenly called from the roadside, "please wait."