Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
In September, Chu Qingzhi planned to plant cowpeas, radishes, tomatoes, spinach, peas, green onions, garlic, sesa leaves, mustard greens, cabbages, and other vegetables.
She bought a large quantity of seeds for each type, intending to plant all the vacant farmland with vegetables. Vegetables were scarce in the city during the New Year, which presented an opportunity to make a profit.
After leaving the store, Chu Qingzhi glanced at the display paintings placed at the entrance and noticed many other shops on the street doing the sa. She smiled, recognizing that these cute-style paintings had beco a unique attraction in Shuiyun County.
Everyone took the paintings back from the food festival. As if they had discussed it, they placed them at the entrance of the shop to continue attracting custors.
It had to be said that there were benefits to being unique. These shops that displayed the cute-style paintings would have better business.
People usually went directly to the workshops to buy water tanks, as there were no stores selling this. The porcelain workshops in Shuiyun County were concentrated near the Li Family Porcelain Workshop, forming a district conducive for doing business.
At the Li Family Porcelain Workshop.
Li Zhenzong summoned Chu Qingshuang, Li Shaoliang, and Yan Yanrong into a room, his expression stern and his gaze oppressive as he scrutinized the three of them.
Seeing him like this, the three of them did not know what had happened and felt uneasy.
Li Shaoliang was the first to speak. “Father, now that the business of the shop 1 manage is getting better, why are you still unhappy?”
When Chu Qingshuang and Li Shaoliang saw that the porcelain with cute-shaped pictures was easy to sell, they imdiately used this as a gimmick to promote the shop. Now, the shop’s business was very good compared to before.
Li Zhenzong glanced at his youngest son, “My displeasure isn’t about the business, but because soone among you is lying.”
These words made Yan Yanrong’s heart skip a beat. Her eyes imdiately flickered and she lowered her head, not daring to look at Li Zhenzong.
Chu Qingshuang and Li Shaoliang felt confused but soon rembered the incident of the most expensive porcelain piece being broken. Unsure of how to confess to Li Zhenzong, they guiltily lowered their heads.
Li Zhenzong narrowed his eyes.
Clearly, all three were hiding sothing. Li Zhenzong’s anger intensified upon seeing their reactions.
The air grew tense, and the three felt like small animals with their necks caught, breathing cautiously.
Li Zhenzong’s gaze swept over his disciple and his disappointing youngest son, “I’m giving you a chance to confess now. I won’t bla you afterward, but if you don’t, you’ll bear the consequences.”
Li Shaoliang and Chu Qingshuang, after exchanging glances, both said in unison, “I’ll confess.”
Li Zhenzong narrowed his eyes.
Yan Yanrong, looking enviously at Chu Qingshuang, wondered why her cousin seed closer to Chu Qingshuang than to her.
His disciple was a successor, not a scapegoat. The scapegoat role was suitable for his son, so Li Zhenzong pointed at his youngest son with an angry expression. “Shaoliang, tell .”
Li Shaoliang began slowly, “Father, the most expensive piece of porcelain for the exhibition broke before it was displayed. We replaced it with another one. We planned to tell you, but you found out first!”
Li Zhenzong’s face darkened instantly. He hurried to the warehouse where the porcelain was stored and returned with a box containing the broken piece.
That piece was worth five thousand taels!
Returning to the room, Li Zhenzong’s face was as dark as ink. He sat down and slamd the broken porcelain onto the table with a sharp crack, heightening the already tense atmosphere.
“Who broke it?”
Li Shaoliang said, “Father, it must have been an accident. When we took it out for display, it was already broken.”
Li Zhenzong was furious, “Out of the entire batch, it just had to be the most expensive one that got broken. That piece, because it was the most expensive, was handled with the utmost care. Li Shaoliang, can’t you use that not-so-bright brain of yours to think?”
Yan Yanrong’s head sank lower, her palms sweating profusely with nervousness.
Li Shaoliang looked at Li Zhenzong with a sense of grievance, “Father, my mind might not be sharp, but can you leave so dignity? Qingshuang is here too!”
Li Zhenzong countered, “Is this a matter of dignity? It’s about five thousand taels. What are you going to do about it?”
What could he do? Was he expected to pay it off with his savings from over the years? Li Shaoliang remained silent. Five thousand taels was not a small amount, and he thought it best to let his father figure it out.
Yan Yanrong took a deep breath, pushing her emotions down, and slowly raised her head, glancing at Chu Qingshuang before saying, “Master, based on what you said, it must have been soone who deliberately broke the porcelain?”
Li Zhenzong turned to Yan Yanrong with an even more serious expression, “Yanrong, be careful with your words.”
Yan Yanrong’s heart sank, but then she thought it was an opportunity to make her master dislike Chu Qingshuang, so she pressed on, “Master, you said that out of all the porcelain, the best-kept piece was broken. There must be sothing fishy. And since Chu Qingshuang and my cousin were responsible for transporting it, if it wasn’t my cousin who broke it, then it must have been Chu Qingshuang.”
Chu Qingshuang, seeing Yan Yanrong trying to fra her again, glared back, “You’re saying 1 broke it? Why would 1 intentionally do that? If it’s broken, I would be the main one responsible. Am 1 stupid?”
Yan Yanrong aggressively retorted, “How would I know if you’re stupid or not? Anyway, it broke in your hands, so you have to take responsibility.”
Chu Qingshuang looked at Yan Yanrong suspiciously, “That’s not right. 1 rember there was a ti when you were alone with the porcelain…”
Yan Yanrong, like a cat on hot bricks and clearly guilty, protested, “1 didn’t break the porcelain, don’t fra !”
Chu Qingshuang confidently replied, “Why would 1 fra you? You know if you did it or not.”
Li Zhenzong, observing their reactions, had a good idea of what happened, “Yanrong…”
Yan Yanrong imdiately beca defensive, “Master, it wasn’t who broke the porcelain, it was Chu Qingshuang who broke it to fra . It’s not my fault.”
Li Shaoliang interjected, “Qingshuang never said it was you who broke the porcelain, yet you claim she broke it to fra you.”
Turning to Li Zhenzong, Li Shaoliang continued, “Father, during the food festival, Qingshuang and I were together all the ti. It’s impossible that she broke the porcelain.”
Yan Yanrong was on edge, “Cousin, I’m closer to you, why won’t you help ?”
Li Shaoliang pressed Yan Yanrong, “Did you break the porcelain to fra Qingshuang?”
Though not sharp in business, Li Shaoliang wasn’t foolish. Seeing Yan Yanrong’s reactions and her words, it was clear the broken porcelain had sothing to do with her..
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