Chapter 163: Settling Accounts

Disclaimer: 

1. This is an unofficial translation and no permission has been obtained from the author/ official publisher. It may be taken down if the author/official publisher requests. 

2. This is a fan work and the interpretation represents only the translator’s personal views without any input from the author. 

3. No permission has been granted to use, publish, upload and/or copy this translation to any other site except for Second Life Translations.

---

Liu Xu’er still remembered Shi Cheng’s words from before. She was spending some time thinking about buying more servants for the family. This time, she wanted to buy Liu Shu a servant boy to help him. Also, the family needed another two people to do the work around the house. 

One after the other, the slave traders sent over people. Liu Xu’er and He shi chose three 11 to 12 year-old boys who had been sold young and had worked in several households before. They didn’t have fixed names, so Liu Xu’er gave them new ones. She called them Xiaobei, Xiaodong and Xiaoxi. They had also bought a family of three. The father was about 35, called Tian Xiaofeng, his wife was Tian Liu shi. Their son was Tian Yu, and at 15, he was older than the other boys. He shi warned him repeatedly not to carelessly go into the courtyard that Liu Xu’er stayed in. 

Seeing that the number of servants had increased suddenly in the family, Liu Xu’er felt that they needed to be clear about each of their roles. The family rules also had to be standardized – it would be bad if they continued the way they had. It would make things too messy.

Of the four lads, Tian Yu was assigned to Liu Shu. Liu Shu was the bookkeeper and frequently had to carry money on his person. Tian Yu was the best choice for Liu Shu as he was older, and could also function as a guard. Xiaobei was assigned to Liu Lin, while Xiaodong was Liu Sen’s servant. Xiaoxi would help Liu Tao. For these four, it was made clear that they could only work in the main courtyard or the east side courtyard, where the boys stayed. Liu Xu’er’s courtyard was strictly out of bounds. They would stay in the east courtyard’s side room. 

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Mkyd Dkysqldt yde Mkyd Nkw pbk oswze pvyu kd vbl pkel assx kd vbl xykd nswavuyae. Mkyd Dkysqldt’p xykd alprsdpkckzkvu oyp vbl qasdv uyae. Tl oswze twyae vbl tyvl, yde nyal qsa vbl qzsolap. Pakhkdt vbl nyav, sa pldekdt yzsdt xlppytlp olal yzps ryav sq bkp alprsdpkckzkvklp. Mkyd Nkw pbk oyp kd nbyatl sq vbl zywdeau, obkzl Hbsw pbk, Eydt pbk, olal lynb kd nbyatl sq nzlydkdt yde nssjkdt.&dcpr;

Lso vbyv lhlausdl bye clld tkhld vblka aszlp, Nkw Dw’la nswze alzym. Ju dso, vbl srlayvksdp yv vbl qyxkzu’p osajpbsr olal awddkdt pxssvbzu – vblal olal ds xyfsa rasczlxp okvb kv. Gde clnywpl sq vbyv, vblu olal yczl vs pwrrzu vbl pvsalp okvb ds kppwlp. Mbl pvsalp vblxplzhlp olal ds zsdtla qynle okvb yd wdelrldeyczl pwrrzu nbykd, ps cwpkdlpp bye pvyckzkple. Mblu olal yzz vbakhkdt.&dcpr;

Nkw Dw’la yzps oydvle vs blzr vbl Fbys qyxkzu. Gqvla vbkdjkdt kv shla, pbl elnkele vs ekpnwpp okvb bla eytl kq rlabyrp Fbys Qwk sa Fbys Ssdt oydvle vs osaj kd vbl osajpbsr? Gqvla yzz, vbl ryu yv vbl osajpbsr oyp hlau alzkyczl – lhlau xsdvb, vblu tsv 500 old. Xq nswapl, vbyv oyp sdzu kq vblu nswze xydytl vbl osaj kd vblka qzsola qklzep, yde kq vblu olal okzzkdt vs osaj vblal.&dcpr;

Gde ydsvbla vbkdt – ycswv vbl Tydgbsdt nkvu pvsal. Rv bye clld ayvbla zynjzwpvla. Nkw Dw’la rzyddle vs tlv bla lzela casvblap vs ts shla qsa y zssj yde pll kq ydu nbydtlp dllele vs cl xyel.&dcpr;

Gqvla ekpnwppkdt bla rzydp okvb Nkw Fbw, bl ytalle ycswv vbl dlle vs blye esod vs Tydgbsdt nkvu. Gp qsa vbl Fbys qyxkzu’p xyvvlap, bl vbswtbv qsa y xsxldv clqsal pwttlpvkdt, “Zsw nyd ypj vblx, cwv R vbkdj vblu oswze rascyczu cl wdyczl…. Rq vblu olal vs osaj yv vbl osajpbsr, vblu oswze dlle vs xyjl vblka sod oyu esod. Gqvla yzz, swa nyavp sdzu ts vs vos hkzzytlp, Mysbwy yde Ckydgbwydt. El nyd’v xyjl y elvswa qsa fwpv sdl rlapsd. Jwv kq vblu esd’v vyjl vbl nyav, Fbys Ssdt… Xa Fbys Qwk, oswze byhl vs xyjl vbl vakr yzsdl. Rv’p dsv vss pyql.”

Nkw Dw’la byed’v vbswtbv yp ellrzu yp vbl xyvvla yde byed’v lmrlnvle bla eytl vs byhl lhlauvbkdt ps olzz vbswtbv swv. Rd y eygl, pbl pyke, “Rv’p vawl R byed’v vbswtbv sq vbyv….”

Nkw Fbw vbld pyke, “Nlv xl vbkdj ycswv kv psxl xsal.”

Nkw Dw’la dseele bla ytallxldv.

Actually, Liu Shu had been thinking a lot about the Shao family these days. After the discussion with the Village Head, they could only swallow the loss of the flowers in the pond as well as all the grievances that came before that because the Shao family was still staying in the village. The only piece of land the Shao family had wasn’t even theirs. In other words, if the Village Head wanted to make things difficult, it would be easy for him to just take away their piece of land. 

As such, Liu Shu could only bear with things as they were. But that did not mean that Liu Shu forgave the Village Head, it was just not yet time to take action. 

Liu Shu was also a villager by birth. His family had been through their share of hard times, and as the eldest son in the generation, he clearly recalled those periods. Their family was poor, and everyone had looked down on them. At that time, Dashenzi Ma shi had even secretly slapped his baby sister when she wasn’t yet two-years-old. For two rabbits, she had even tried to attack his sister. Liu Yun’er had viciously beat up Senzi…. He remembered all of these incidents very very clearly.

As such, when he saw the Shao family being bullied, Liu Shu didn’t think twice before helping them. 

Liu Shu’s personality was honest and loyal, but having done business for years, he had a merchant’s cunning. As such, he had only grown more and more stable. In everything, he could hold his peace. It was never too late to take revenge – he was living proof of that. 

With regard to Niangou Village the most important thing right now wasn’t to take care of the Village Head, but to help the Shao family settle the issue of land. When they had their own land, and could farm their flowers in peace, given how hardworking the Shao family was, they would be able to make a decent living. 

Liu Shu knew that Shao Huai didn’t have any inside help. Even if he now had money, it wouldn’t be easy for him to buy some land. So, the first thing he needed to do was to look for a good plot for him. 

Xu’er was still worried about the store in Hanzhong city. Liu Shu and Liu Lin discussed it before packing up and leaving for Hanzhong city the next day. 

The day they left, Shao Huai brought Shao Rong over. They were there to help plant lotuses and water lilies into the family’s pond. 

Liu Xu’er had gone to the workshop, so only Liu Sen was at home. The store had already hired assistants, so the brothers didn’t need to go down to the store daily. Senzi mainly went only to school. After that, he usually went home to study. Although he kept saying that, like dage, going for the examinations was only for the experience, and that it didn’t matter whether he passed or not, Senzi actually had his own plans. These past few days, he had been studying really hard. 

Doorkeeper Tian brought Shao Huai and Shao Rong to the pond, before heading back to keep watch over the front gate. Shao Rong started to make the preparations at the side of the pond, while Shao Huai waded in to start planting. 

Liu Sen took a book out to have a look. He asked Shao Rong, “After planting these today, when will the flowers start to bloom?”

Shao Rong smiled and said, “They will take about a year to grow. Next year, your pond will have lotus flowers.”

Liu Sen nodded his head in understanding. 

Shao Rong looked at the courtyard and asked, “Your home…. Is your sister, Xu’er not around?”

Liu Sen shook his head, “They’re not at home. All of them are out.”

Shao Rong nodded. Then she lowered her head and busied herself with her work. Because she was lost in thought, she tipped out her already prepared flower pots, scattering soil everywhere. 

Liu Sen was watching from the side and started to wonder. 

Shao Rong was dazed for a while before realising. She hurriedly swept the soil back into the flower pot with her hand. A bit anxiously, she glanced at her brother in the pond. Shao Huai was still busy and clearly hadn’t noticed anything. Shao Rong let out a sigh of relief before clearing up the ground. 

Liu Sen watched silently. Blinking, he asked, “Shao Rong jie, aren’t lotus flowers and water lilies grown in the mud? Why do you need to prepare flower pots?”

Shao Rong quickly replied, “It’s good to first grow them in pots. When they’ve become more mature, they can be transplanted. That way, they will grow better.”

Liu Sen nodded his understanding. He used his book to scratch his head. 

Shao Rong smiled and asked, “Senzi, aren’t you studying? Why didn’t you go to school today?”

Liu Sen said, “Today, erge’s gone to Hanzhong city. I need to stay home to watch the house!”

Shao Rong nodded in realisation. She didn’t give it too much thought. 

Liu Sen continued to wonder. After a while, he said, “Studying also is very effortful. In the second month next year, my dage is planning to take the examinations. He’s been working very hard, I don’t dare to slack off.”

Shao Rong immediately jumped. Anxiously, she lifted her head to ask, “Your dage…. Is planning to take the examinations?!”

From her reaction, Liu Sen understood. He smiled and nodded, “That’s right, he’s planning to take it… We are all going to take it.”

Shao Rong lowered her head, but her mind had clearly drifted off. Again, she flipped the flower pot, and tipped everything out before mechanically repacking it. After a long while, she heard someone calling her from the side, “Shao Rong jie, Shao Rong jie?”

“Huh?!” Shao Rong suddenly realised she had drifted off. She looked up and saw Liu Sen looking at her and immediately flushed red. To cover up, she quickly lowered her head back down and pretended to be busy. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing, I just thought about something my jie said a few days ago. She’s been thinking about making some rose rouge and some jasmine soap and was asking when you’d be by. She’s not around today – could you come tomorrow to teach her?”

Shao Rong raised her head. Her face was still red, but she had managed to force a calm expression on her face. She nodded and smiled, “Of course! I will come by tomorrow.”

“Great, then you and Shao Huai ge continue with your work. I’ll be off.” Liu Sen smiled and nodded. He turned and headed off. 

Back to Shi Cheng. 

Shi Cheng was similarly very busy. The meticulous plans he had started before the Mid Autumn Festival had finally borne fruit. 

Juxianlou’s head chef had been given an offer he couldn’t resist by Yuelou and so agreed to jump ship. Shi Cheng was rather evil – he didn’t let him give any warning. On the 14th of the eighth month, the head chef had gone to work in Juxianlou as usual. In the evening, after he had packed up, he headed over to Yuelou. 

Shi Cheng didn’t plan to let him work at Yuelou. That very night, he sent him to Hanzhong city’s restaurant. 

The next day, during the Mid Autumn Festival itself, Juxianlou realised it was missing their head chef! And Yuelou and Shiyusi had engaged in a series of promotions. Even if their head chef was still present, Juxianlou still might have difficulty competing! Manager Wei was completely blindsided! The entire day, he paced around anxiously, but couldn’t come up with a good countermeasure!

Time waits for no man. In the three to five days after the Mid Autumn Festival, the two partnering restaurants were doing a booming business, while Juxianlou basically had no customers. 

After the festival had passed, and all the excitement had died down, Yuelou pushed out the next in its planned series of activities. From the ninth month onwards, all the way to the New Year, there would be a new promotion every 10 days or so. Every day, there would be new dishes. 

Shi Cheng didn’t bother trying to compete with fish dishes – that wasn’t their strength! He continued to work with local cuisine. He pushed out set meals – he would select dishes to serve together, so that the customers didn’t have to individually select them. The set meals were specially curated to accommodate different price ranges, and every time the meal was ordered, guests would be given some free wine. 

The set meal’s price would naturally be cheaper than ordering the dishes individually, but each set meal would include one or two expensive items. That way, the expensive items, which were ordinarily rarely ordered, could also start to move. 

Juxianlou’s business had taken a big blow from the Mid Autumn Festival activity. Although it didn’t bankrupt them, they started to quickly fail. It would be difficult for them to recover from this. 

And Manager Wei’s ability was only so-so. He didn’t have the capability to fight with Yuelou. After a few months of poor business, just before the New Year, Juxianlou’s owner gave him his salary for the year, and told him there was no need for him to return next year. 

But all that was something that happened later. 

---

Translator’s note: Just FYI, I will be away for the next 10 days or so. The chapters will be pre-set at my usual release rate so there shouldn’t be any delays on that front, but any replies to comments or questions might take a while. Thanks!