Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 182 A Resentful Woman in Her Chamber
“That boy Anfeng has racked up a mountain of gambling debts,” Tan Li said, seeing that she wouldn’t listen to reason, so he tried to appeal to her emotions. “The cash we finally managed to get together was all gone in the blink of an eye. Several shops are struggling to stay afloat, and Grandpa has to do business on credit, barely making enough to cover the costs.”

"You know the Tan family's resources. As long as I can clear my debts, this huge family business can be revitalized in an instant. So why do you keep these two or three dowry shops in your hands? As long as they are under the Tan family's name, we will definitely share the benefits with you once we obtain the imperial merchant status."

Tan Huaike scoffed inwardly.

Given the Tan family's past behavior, how dare this man call himself "Grandpa" in front of her? Could there possibly be any filial piety between them?

They kept saying they wanted to clear the debts and revitalize the family business, but Tan Anfeng was addicted to gambling and was a bottomless pit that could never be filled. Did they really try to control him? Tan Li himself was ambitious and liked to take shortcuts. He stumbled time and time again, but he never learned his lesson. He only wanted to seize the businesses that others had built up and then use the Tan family's former reputation to cover up the truth.

How can a business that is rotten inside and out be trusted in any way?

Tan Huai Ke coldly refused again: "Boss Tan, last time I traded five shops on Huaqi Street for my indenture. Since then, I have had no connection with the Tan family. And to tell you the truth, who knows if Si was opened by me alone, or if the Shentu family was secretly supporting me behind the scenes? Otherwise, given my financial straits at the time, where would I have gotten so much money for renovation and operation? So I can't decide on these shops by myself. Please don't try to take over my family's property again."

It was indeed Shen Tu Zhuo who lent her the capital, but the money was never lent openly, and to outsiders, she was the only employer. Now that Shen Tu Zhuo has entered officialdom, she, as Shen Tu Heng's widow, has established her own business, making them a perfect match.

Tan Li persisted: "As long as you still hold the identity of my daughter, the Shentu family and the Tan family are related by marriage. We should share both good times and bad. That's what was agreed upon when the old lady Shentu and I discussed the marriage. You should quickly withdraw the registration and merge your business with the Tan family's. At that time, the title of Imperial Merchant will be yours for the taking."

"You don't need to worry about any losses. Even if things go wrong, you still have the shop on Huaqi Street that I gave you. Although the business there isn't exactly respectable, it'll still guarantee you a fortune. It's just that you won't be able to clean your name and become a royal merchant. I don't know why you would risk being rejected to register for the election. Are you perhaps trying to spite the Tan family? Making you marry in their place and become a widow was a last resort for us. I apologize to you, Grandpa. Is that alright?"

"Boss Tan, I'll say it again, I have no connection with the Tan family anymore." Tan Huai Ke was almost amused by him. "I don't care about being a substitute bride or a widow anymore. Right now, I'm the head of the Guangli Chamber of Commerce in Hexi and the owner of the Salan Trading Company. As for whether I can be selected as a royal merchant, that's up to our abilities."

"Hmph, so you're saying you want to completely break ties with the Tan family?"

“Yes,” Tan Huaike said matter-of-factly, “Do we still have any feelings for each other?”

"You lowly barbarian slave, you won't listen to reason, so don't push me too far..."

"How dare you turn the tables on me, Mr. Tan, and steal my words." Tan Huai Ke left the private room, walked up to the manager, pulled out Yan Zhi Si's accounts, and said with a sneer, "While I was away on business, Mr. Tan really treated Yan Zhi Si as his own property? He never pays cash for meals or banquets here."

"The shopkeeper dares not make decisions on his own. I'll make this clear today: from now on, no one from the Tan family will be allowed to buy on credit. As for the 180 taels already owed, I will send someone to settle the debt."

"Fine, fine." Tan Li flicked his sleeve. "If you're going to go to such extremes, then don't blame me for being ruthless and unjust."

"Mr. Tan, please take care and don't come back."
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After returning home, Tan Huaike leaned wearily against the couch and let out a long sigh.

Lately, the affairs of the Chamber of Commerce, the management of the shops, and the inquiries and arrangements made everywhere had been exhausting. After resting with her eyes closed for a while, she smelled the familiar scent of incense approaching and greeted him with a smile without even opening her eyes: "Uncle is here? Please don't talk to me about opening up trade routes anymore. Let me have some peace and quiet." Shen Tu Zhuo didn't speak, but sat down to the side and made some rustling noises.

The next moment, Tan Huaike smelled the sweet and tempting aroma of pastries. He sniffed it, opened his eyes abruptly, and saw freshly baked sea buckthorn cakes: "Wow, let me have a taste!"

After a busy day filled with social interactions, he hadn't had a proper meal. The soft, chewy rice cakes, with their sweet and sour taste of sea buckthorn, instantly revitalized Tan Huaike.

Seeing her eating with gusto, Shentu Zhuo finally spoke up: "I heard you really humiliated Tan Li today?"

With a pastry in his mouth, Tan Huaike mumbled, "Yes, he's been showing off his wealth and doing favors at my Yanzhi Market, and he's even thinking about transferring all my businesses to the Tan family. I have to make him realize who the real owner is."

“Aren’t you afraid that if you fall out with the Tan family now, they will turn around and bite you back?” Shen Tu Zhuo asked with some concern. “Tan Li has never been a kind person, and his methods should not be underestimated.”

“I’m just waiting for him to bite me,” Tan Huaike said.

"Why do I feel like... you deliberately provoked him?" Shen Tu Zhuo couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at her sly, smirking expression.

“I was just figuring out where to start when he delivered himself to my door.” Tan Huaike swallowed the cake with difficulty, took a sip of water and said, “It’s quite delicious, but a bit dry… After all, I’m not a real illegitimate daughter of the Tan family. Even if the indenture has been destroyed, this handle is still a threat in the hands of the Tan family.”

"Yes, indeed." Knowing that she was aware of the situation, Shen Tu Zhuo felt relieved. "This matter is a double-edged sword. It poses a threat to both the Tan family and you. It all depends on how you use it."

"Therefore, I need to resolve this matter before the selection of imperial merchants. Otherwise, if they turn around and bite me at the crucial moment, at best I will lose my qualification to become an imperial merchant, and at worst I will be stuck with the Tan family and they will not let me go, which would be a real problem."

"I was worrying unnecessarily. It turns out that Manager Tan had already prepared a backup plan." Shen Tu Zhuo took the last cake to eat.

"Hey, give me half again!" Tan Huaike rushed over and snatched half of it, chatting with a smile, "You don't know, Tan Li still thinks I'm some lonely, resentful woman, asking me if I'm sulking with my grandfather..."

Meanwhile, the Tan family was shrouded in gloom and despair.

Tan Li was seething with anger, and he berated his family members one by one. He scolded his wife for letting Tan Anfeng gamble away the family fortune; he also scolded Tan Anfeng for being a good-for-nothing who would ruin even the best shops; and finally, he scolded Tan Anfu for her confidence that she could persuade Shen Tu Zhuo to marry her, but she ended up making things worse and almost ruining the Tan family's reputation.

The other two knew they were in the wrong and dared not speak, but Tan Anfu was unwilling to be scolded and immediately retorted: "What's the use of saying these things now! I came back to my parents' home hoping to find someone to rely on, but who knew that my family would become such a mess! If I had known this would happen, I should have gone all the way and let my son accompany me, so that I could have become dependent on the Shentu family!"

Her tone was filled with deep resentment.
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Next chapter: Why should those things belong to me!