Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

"I don't care! This material is defective! Isn't your Liu's supposed to be the best in Beijing? You sell this kind of inferior goods to your customers?"

Pei Yaojun frowned and stepped inside.

Liu Wenying grabbed his sleeve and shook her head, "Leave it to me."

Inside the shop, a woman dressed in a worn-out dress was holding a piece of light red brocade, spitting as she cursed and swore.

The satin had been cut, with uneven edges and several stains.

The waitress was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen, who was sweating profusely and bowing repeatedly.

"Madam, you've already cut and used this fabric, how can you return it? And even if you return it, why do you want us to compensate you?"

"I only discovered the problem after using it!"

The woman's voice was louder.

"You're selling inferior goods as superior ones, and you won't even let me say it?"

Liu Wenying glanced at the piece of satin and already knew what was going on.

She stepped forward and said gently, "Madam, I am the shop owner. Please tell me what your problem is."

The woman turned her head at the sound, and the two were somewhat surprised when they saw the other person clearly.

The woman was in her twenties, but her face was haggard, with deep wrinkles around her eyes. Years of hardship in making a living were etched on her face, making her look much older than her actual age.

Even so, Liu Wenying recognized her at a glance.

Zhao, the wet nurse, was the one who took care of Ye'er with her when they were in the Duke of Yu's mansion.

It was under her care that Ye'er was kidnapped by the flower seller.

After Ye'er was found, Zhao, the wet nurse, was expelled from the manor.

The capital city is neither too big nor too small, and the two of them unexpectedly met again.

Zhao clearly recognized her as well, her eyes widening in surprise.

Finally, it settled into a complex resentment. Her lips trembled twice, and the satin in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.

"Liu...Liu Wenying?"

"Sister Zhao, it's been so many years!"

Considering that the other person was older than her, Liu Wenying greeted him politely.

Pei Yaojun leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, looking at the door without saying a word, but his eyes had turned cold.

Zhao's expression changed repeatedly.

She glanced at Liu Wenying's dark brown silk dress with subtle patterns, the embroidery at the waist being of the finest Suzhou embroidery.

Looking down at her faded skirt and her rough, cracked hands, she realized how much she had washed them.

A sour feeling of resentment rushed to the top of my head.

Zhao spoke, her voice sharp, "Lady Liu, you're really something! Back in the Duke's mansion, we were both wet nurses, and now I'm supposed to call you 'Master'?"

She pointed to the bolt of satin and said, "Look at this material! It's five taels of silver a bolt! I saved up for half a year before I could finally afford to buy it to make a wedding dress for my sister-in-law."

"And what happened? It snagged as soon as I put it on. Mr. Liu, you be the judge. Did your shop sell inferior goods as superior ones?"

Liu Wenying didn't reply, but simply unfolded the satin and examined it closely against the light.

It was indeed from her shop, a light red brocade satin, and the pattern was even drawn by her own hand.

However, the snag was clearly caused by something sharp, and the marks were fresh, indicating it was not a defect during weaving.

"This fabric was used by your sister-in-law on her wedding day, wasn't it?"

"Can't I return it after using it? That's precisely because I've used it that I know there's a problem."

"If there's a problem with the shop's goods, then of course they should be returned."

Liu Wenying pointed with her hand, "But look at the place where the thread is snagged. The edges are rough, as if it was scratched by a gold hairpin or some hard object. If it were a flaw during weaving, the thread should have broken neatly."

The shop assistant added in a low voice, "The owner is very strict. Even the cloth produced on his own farm will inevitably get scratched when it's transported over. We always check it before putting it on display for sale."

Zhao became agitated, "What do you mean? It's clearly your big shop bullying its customers, and you're trying to turn the tables on us?"

Liu Wenying said in a deep voice, "Back then in the Duke's mansion, you were kicked out for neglecting your duties."

Zhao blushed. "So what? What does it have to do with me buying substandard materials?"

Liu Wenying said calmly, "I want to say that although we have some working relationship, relationship is relationship and business is business."

"You've already used the material, and the stains aren't the shop's responsibility. It's Liu's rule that used goods cannot be returned."

"you--!"

Zhao was about to shout when Liu Wenying interrupted her.

"Consider this piece of cloth a gift from me. If things really get tough for you, don't try to extort money from me again."

Zhao was exposed and stared blankly at her, her eyes turning red.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, a flash of resentment in her eyes, and declared defiantly, "I don't want it anymore! I don't need your pity!"

After saying that, he pushed aside the shop assistants and the crowd of onlookers and ran out.

The shop assistant asked timidly, "Boss, what should we do with the fabric?"

Liu Wenying picked up the scissors on the counter and cut the silk into pieces, causing the onlookers to exclaim in surprise, "The perfectly good silk is gone just like that!"

Even if it has flaws, they don't detract from its overall excellence, so it's usable as is.

Liu Wenying tossed aside the scraps of cloth and declared loudly, "Everyone, be my witnesses! From this day forward, if any silk you buy from my shop has any problems, you can bring it back for a refund or exchange. Liu's Shop will never sell inferior goods!"

The onlookers and guests did not disperse; instead, they gathered even more densely.

Everyone witnessed what happened earlier; the young female owner of Liu's restaurant handled the situation with neither servility nor arrogance.

An old woman carrying a vegetable basket said, "The master is truly kind. I know that Zhao woman; she complains all day long, saying how glamorous she used to be in the Duke's mansion. Now it seems she's just not good enough for herself!"

Another person chimed in, "Exactly! They bought the material so long ago, used it all, and then came back to return it. Isn't that just trying to scam people?"

"The landlord didn't report it to the authorities; he's already showing a compassionate heart..."

Pei Yaojun also came over and took Liu Wenying's hand. "As everyone can see, Liu's business is all about integrity. We offer genuine products at fair prices, and we treat everyone honestly, young and old. But if anyone intends to cause trouble..."

His gaze swept over the crowd. "Heh, you won't be so lucky next time. I, Pei Yaojun, will be the first to object!"

After he finished speaking, there was silence.

Someone recognized him and exclaimed in surprise, "It's Third Master Pei! Commander Pei of the Imperial Guards!"

"Still the Marquis of Wuping, a member of the Pei family with two noble titles!"

"No wonder he has such an extraordinary air about him..."

Having just maintained order at the shop, Liu Wenying remained calm, but now, being led by Pei Yaojun and watched by everyone, she felt somewhat uncomfortable, her cheeks flushing slightly.

She tried to pull her hand away, but he gripped it even tighter.

Liu Wenying blinked, signaling him to let go. Pei Yaojun laughed freely and whispered in her ear, "I'll back you up."

She felt a warmth in her heart and stopped struggling.

After the crowd dispersed, the shop was left with customers who continued to look at the silks.

Liu Wenying brought over tea, which Pei Yaojun took and drank in one gulp.

She took the empty teacup and teased, "Third Master was so imposing when he was speaking just now."

"That's right, anyway, with me around, no one can bully you."

Liu Wenying, feeling envious, quickly changed the subject.

"Third Master, you see important military and national affairs every day in the Imperial Guard, while I only deal with trivial matters. Don't you find it boring?"

"How could it be boring?"

Pei Yaojun, however, did not think so.

"I spend my days in the palace scheming against those old foxes, listening to their high-sounding nonsense, which is boring. Coming here to see how you deal with these unreasonable people is the real way to live."

…………