Born to Be Either Rich or Noble - Chapter 34

The people who escaped from the Cui family’s broker houses were all outsiders who had come to Yangzhou to make a living. Some had no one left at home; others were the only hope of their families. A few were young dreamers, eager to strike it rich in Yangzhou. After the catastrophe, those who were still healthy and strong had already left. The ones remaining were either injured or disabled.

In times like these—when the strong preyed upon the weak—even the able-bodied struggled to find food, let alone those who had lost their limbs.

If the government let these people go now, it would be sending them to their deaths. Thus, those who were still wounded or crippled remained sheltered in the prefectural office for the time being.

But they couldn’t stay there forever. The prefecture was not a charity—it couldn’t afford to keep feeding them indefinitely.

Just a few days ago, Wang Zhao had been worrying about this very issue.

He hadn’t expected the seventh daughter of the Qian family to volunteer a solution today—to hire those people herself. Charity could never compare to giving someone a way to earn their own living.

Restaurants and teahouses were places where the wealthy gathered their fortunes; they required only the most quick-witted servants. Few merchants would willingly employ people with physical disabilities.

So Wang Zhao was surprised. His impression of the Qian family’s seventh daughter shifted sharply—she was far more insightful than he had assumed. He asked, “You mean to employ all of them?”

Qian Tong nodded and did a quick calculation. “My lord destroyed five of the Cui family’s broker houses in total. If I’m not mistaken, there were over five hundred people involved. Around seventy percent have already left, leaving about thirty percent—mostly women and those who are disabled—so roughly a hundred or so remain, yes?”

Wang Zhao nodded. “Your estimate is correct. As of now, there are a hundred and twenty-five people still under my care.” He wasn’t sure if she fully understood the condition of these people, so he added, “Would you like to inspect them first, Seventh Lady?”

“No need,” Qian Tong replied. “Both my husband and I saw them clearly that night.”

Wang Zhao had almost forgotten—she had been the one to lead the raid that destroyed the Cui family’s broker houses. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the young heir, Song Yunzhi, who was also watching Qian Tong quietly.

His expression was calm and unreadable, but Wang Zhao could tell he too was surprised by the woman’s proposal.

Qian Tong continued, “I’ll take all of them. In addition, I’ll hire three hundred more refugees. Once they’re under my management, I’ll find proper work for every one of them. I can guarantee that each person will be able to earn a living in Yangzhou through their own ability.”

More than a hundred disabled refugees, plus three hundred displaced people—such a number was no small matter for a merchant.

Wang Zhao had originally planned to compensate the Lu family with the Cui family’s restaurant and teahouse after granting Qian’s family the salt licenses. But before he could even bring the matter up with the head of the Lu family, he had already found himself in the middle of a legal mess.

Now, compared side by side, the seventh daughter of the Qian family’s offer was truly impeccable.

“My lord may rest assured,” Qian Tong said. “As for the restaurant and teahouse, I’ll pay fair market price—not a coin less. But if my lord could grant me an extra month’s grace, I would be deeply grateful.”

An extra month wasn’t much to ask.

Wang Zhao wasn’t like Lan Mingquan—he wasn’t greedy for silver. But there wasn’t a man in office who didn’t crave fame.

If he could achieve merit here in Yangzhou alongside the young heir, his name would spread far and wide—a glory no amount of silver could buy.

Wang Zhao decided it was worth approving. “I’ve heard your terms, Madam Qian. Please return for now. Once I’ve spoken with my superiors, I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

“Very well,” Qian Tong said easily. “Then I’ll await your good news, my lord.”

Wang Zhao rose and personally escorted the two of them out.

Throughout the walk, the young heir never once looked back. That alone told Wang Zhao all he needed to know—the matter was as good as settled. By tomorrow, the Cui family’s restaurant and teahouse would be under Qian Tong’s name.

——

After watching the whole lively affair and negotiating a hefty business deal, by the time they left the prefecture, it was already past noon.

She was hungry. Song Yunzhi likely was too. Qian Tong told the coachman, “Find a good restaurant nearby—expensive, with good food. My husband and I will dine there.”

With the Cui family’s restaurants gone, only the Park family’s White Pavilion remained among the top establishments, along with a few smaller ones. Hearing that she wanted the best, the coachman went straight to the White Pavilion.

On the way, Qian Tong glanced at the quiet man beside her. “What do you feel like eating? Order whatever you want later. I’m short of big money, not small change.”

For once, Song Yunzhi didn’t meet her with that usual cold look. The corners of his lips curved slightly. “All right. As long as you’re happy.”

That faint smile made her freeze for a moment.

So this was what he looked like when he smiled sincerely, without mockery or restraint—pure and bright, like moonlight spilling over still water, or fresh snow rinsed clean by a spring.

If he could smile like this, why did he insist on being so sharp-tongued the rest of the time?

He was a sight worth savoring—so much so that her hunger seemed to fade.

Today, the young heir didn’t shy away from her openly admiring gaze. He didn’t stop her or turn away. When she stared for too long, he finally asked, “What would you like to eat?”

“Pineflower fish, spicy chicken, roast chicken, roast lamb—anything roasted!” she said eagerly. “I could eat a whole cow.”

Knowing more talk would only make her hungrier, he said softly, “Bear with it a little longer.”

He was so agreeable today that she decided to listen. Somehow, with him by her side, even hunger felt less unbearable. The carriage soon came to a halt.

When she saw the large plaque reading “White Pavilion,” Qian Tong paused and looked at the coachman.

But the man had already gone off with the waiter to stable the horses.

Without Fu Yin here today, the coachman didn’t know her well enough to read her mind—he had simply followed her literal instructions and brought her to the priciest place.

Well, since they were already here, they might as well go in.

The waiter at the White Pavilion recognized her immediately. His face froze for a moment before he smiled and came forward. “Oh my, what an honor! It’s been ages since the Seventh Lady of the Qian family graced our humble place.”

Qian Tong caught the flicker of wariness in his eyes and sighed. “I’m just hungry. Came for a meal, that’s all.”

Whether the waiter believed her or not, he politely led them upstairs into a private room. “Please, order whatever you like, Seventh Lady.”

Qian Tong didn’t hold back—she was genuinely starving. After ordering several of her favorite dishes, she looked across the table. “Anything else you’d like to add?”

The mild-mannered young heir was easy to please. “That’s plenty.”

While waiting, Qian Tong poured him tea, chattering nonstop. “The White Pavilion’s specialty is seafood. Their tea, though, is ordinary—just loose leaf. Think about it: if customers drink too much tea, they won’t have room for food. Every trade has its tricks. You’ve never done business before, Yunzhi, so you don’t know the ins and outs. Someday, I’ll take you around to see how each trade makes its money—you’d be surprised how many ways there are to get rich…”

She went on and on, while Song Yunzhi quietly watched her.

He hadn’t expected her to use the crippled workers from the broker houses as leverage to obtain the Cui family’s properties.

When she had proposed it, his mind had flashed back to that night—the girl covered in blood, comforting the dying woman in her arms. She had promised her a future, gave her hope, and let her leave this world in peace.

He had thought it was just a gentle lie.

But she had meant every word.

Judge not by intentions, but by deeds.

Once again, her actions forced him to reconsider everything.

Even if she had once cursed him, even if she’d plotted to take his life and used him to secure the ledgers, even if she’d schemed with the Park family to monopolize the tea trade—none of her actions had ever broken a single law. In fact, everything she’d done had helped the common people.

Realizing this, Song Yunzhi found he no longer had any reason to hate her.

The emperor had once said: “To speak of profit or silver with disdain only hinders progress. Commerce is no shame; earning wealth is no sin.”

To overcorrect is to lose balance.

In that moment, Song Yunzhi’s thoughts shifted again. As long as she didn’t stray onto a dark path, perhaps he could let go of all the harm between them—as if none of it had ever happened.

The Cui family’s restaurants and teahouses—she could have them all.

Qian Tong, of course, had no idea that she had just earned another absolution in his heart, and such a glowing one at that. If she had known, she might have asked for even more.

After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, their dishes finally arrived—but far more than she had ordered.

All of them were luxurious seafood delicacies: codfish, scarlet shrimp, and more.

Qian Tong blinked. “Did I order the wrong dishes?”

The waiter smiled, bowing slightly. “No, Seventh Lady. The Young Master happens to be here today. When he heard you had come, he sent these over himself. He said, as long as you’re satisfied, whatever you wish to eat, we’ll serve it all to you…”

So generous—clearly, he’d made a fortune from the sea these past years.

Free food was always the tastiest. Since it was already on the table, it would be wasteful not to eat. “Then please thank—”

“No need.”

She hadn’t even finished her sentence before Song Yunzhi rose, pulled out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve, and counted them in front of the waiter—five hundred taels in total. “No need to return the change,” he said coolly, handing it over.

The waiter stared at him, baffled.

Qian Tong looked at the ever-proper young heir and couldn’t help it—she burst out laughing. His sharp gaze snapped toward her, so she quickly composed herself, took the notes from his hand, and pressed them into the waiter’s palm.

“My husband’s right,” she said with a straight face. “We brought silver today. Thank the Young Master for us—but no need to return the extra. Consider it a tip from the Qian family’s Seventh Son-in-law.”