The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 10 Who is the Tyrant of Qinghe County?

"Now that the plague is breaking out again, he's even thinking about his old business of selling medicinal herbs. He's trying to steal my goods. How is he going to do it?"

Wu Yueniang replied, "Manager Li had already prepared the goods, but this wealthy man somehow got wind of it and secretly raised the price by 30%!"

"From then on..." Yue Niang's voice also carried a hint of resentment: "She bought up all the honeysuckle available in the Zhili area! She didn't even leave any roots for anyone else!"

"Manager Li, who had agreed to the deal with us, was greedy for his 30% profit and also feared his local influence, so he broke his agreement with you, sir!"

"A 30% price increase? A full refund?" Ximen Qing frowned.

He had just learned from his memories that Pan Jinlian had not yet appeared.

As long as I don't provoke that harlot, Wu Song won't come looking for trouble.

He even thought he could leisurely be the local tyrant of Qinghe County.

Enjoy the peaceful life with beautiful wives and concubines.

But unexpectedly, this tyrant's position was not secure.

This large sum of money suddenly felt like a cold needle, piercing through his previous comfort.

It seems that in this cannibalistic world, one has to desperately climb to the top.

Otherwise, a moment of negligence could lead to the destruction of one's family and death.

Either you eat others, or others eat you.

In the face of this plague, honeysuckle is both a life-saving medicine and a source of immense wealth.

Zhang the Big Boss!
It's not surprising that an old colleague who made his fortune by lending money to the devil and seizing land would suddenly return to his old ways and try to snatch food from the tiger's mouth.

"Well, well done, Mr. Zhang!" Ximen Qing's voice was deep: "This old coffin-stuffer is getting more and more energetic! He actually dares to go back to his old ways and reach into my bowl to snatch food!"

He lowered his head and said, "Moon Lady, don't worry. This old bastard... since he's tired of living, isn't he afraid of burning his hands by stealing my money..."

"Tomorrow, I will personally go and meet this 'Master Zhang.' I want to see if his 30% profit can buy him a 'peaceful' life for the rest of his days!"

"Master, you should still be careful," Wu Yueniang said worriedly. "This wealthy man has some connections with the yamen, so it might not be so easy for him to deal with."

"If you want to go find him, sir, why don't you call my elder brother along?"

Makes sense.

Ximen Da Guanren's expression softened.

Although the court now values ​​civil officials over military ones, his brother-in-law, a military officer, still has some power.

nodded.

What a great wife!

He looked down at Wu Yueniang's face by the candlelight.

The lust that had been directed at Qin Keqing and Wang Xifeng had now been vented on her.

Normally, things would have been a bit boring, and everyone would have gone to sleep.

But looking at it now, it actually seems surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

What Yue Niang's eyes held was gentleness, tenderness, and the sincerity to treat his every matter, big or small, with utmost care.

"It's truly thanks to you, my wife, that you manage the household so well and have such a clear mind." Ximen Qing patted her smooth shoulder twice with his large hand, the force quite strong, making Yue Niang sway slightly. "She's a reliable person! I can rest assured!"

"You flatter me, sir." A slight blush spread across Yue Niang's face as she leaned back into his arms, casually pressing her body even closer.

"Speaking of our family business, there's something else. Last month, the master approved five hundred taels of silver to lend to the Liu family, who sell silk in the south of the city, for working capital."

"Old Liu personally delivered the first quarter's interest yesterday, a full twenty-five taels of pure silver, and handed it to me in person, saying that he dared not delay the master's orders by even a penny."

"I've put it away safely. I had the servant add it to the principal and interest from the medicine shop a few days ago, and then had it locked in the camphor wood cabinet in the back storeroom. It's a secure place with double locks."

Ximen Qing grunted and continued his unrestrained actions: "You can handle it yourself. There's no need to ask me about such trivial matters. I trust you to do things!"

“Look at what you’re saying, sir! You are the pillar of the Ximen household, the stabilizing force! No matter how small the matter, I must tell you about it. And those three herbal medicine shops outside the city…” Yue Niang composed herself, forcing down her slight trembling, and continued in a low voice:
"The daily transaction records for the past few days were delivered to the inner quarters by Zhang An this afternoon, in a proper manner. I noticed that business is better than last month." "Now that it's autumn and the weather is getting cooler, the wealthy families in the city are urgently requesting the 'Ginseng Nourishing Pills,' 'Cough-Relieving Ointment,' and the 'Longevity Elixir' that Master specially ordered."

"Although the profits are not as substantial as the real money we lend out, the key advantage is its stability. It is the foundation of our family's livelihood."

She paused, her tone laced with a request, "Regarding the other newly arrived raw herbs, I dare to instruct the stewards to purchase them according to the old rules established by Master, at a price one cent lower than the market price... If Master finds this inappropriate, I will..."

"Perfect, perfect!" Ximen Qing interrupted her before she could finish, his tone full of satisfaction: "You make the decision!"

The hand that had been twirling her hair had somehow slipped to her soft waist, and through the thin silk satin, it gently pinched a small handful of soft flesh.

Yue Niang stiffened for a moment, then softened even more and melted into his arms, her cheeks quickly burning.

Ximen Qing laughed and said, "I'll leave the inner courtyard to my wife to look after. I have a good idea of ​​the total amount of money coming in and going out in this account book."

“Those scoundrels outside are always stealing chickens and dogs. With my wife inside holding the key and locking the cabinet, I feel more at ease than if I were to do it myself!”

The soft flesh on Wu Yueniang's waist that he had pinched felt as if it had been set ablaze, sparks crackling and exploding, instantly spreading along her skin and burning her entire body, making her ears and neck feel a scorching heat.

“Master…” Yue Niang’s voice escaped from her throat, carrying a nasal tone that she herself was unaware of, soft and sweet, like melted malt candy, sticky with her slight breaths, “…This is all my duty…”

Three poles in the sun.

After getting up and washing up, Master Ximen carefully examined his current assets.

[Cash] 8000 taels

among them.

Cash and banknotes: approximately 3000 taels

Core Industry - Herbal Medicine Shop: Capital: 2000 taels

The house also contains some gold, silver, and valuable items, with a total value of approximately 3000 taels.

real estate:
A herbal medicine shop on the main street in front of the main gate of the Qinghe County Government Office in Shandong Province.

The most bustling commercial area in Qinghe County.

Storefront: Five bays, 800 square meters.

It also includes a workshop and warehouse.

There is a large mansion on the west side of the county, facing south, with seven courtyards and seven exits.

The plaque above the gate reads "Ximen Mansion" in gold lettering on a black background.

The mansion has everything: courtyard, garden, drill ground, stables, side rooms, back building, etc.

It occupies nearly 6 acres, which would be equivalent to 4000 square meters in modern times.

As expected, he firmly holds the top position in Qinghe County.

But at this moment.

Ximen Da Guanren was facing an unspeakable crisis.

Zhang, the wealthy man, has now swallowed his own honeysuckle.

They also colluded with the clerks in the government office.

But he usually treats them like brothers and spends a lot of money on them, so at most he doesn't help either side.

We still need to find a way to deal with this audacious thing.

He needs to know whose territory this Qinghe County is!
If they dare to block my goods today, they will lose this round.

They'll dare to rob my shop and kidnap my women tomorrow.

This is a dog-eat-dog world.

If you want to live a stable life, you need to find a powerful backer.

I remember how Cai Jing climbed up the ranks.
(End of this chapter)