CMWKSD -Chapter 77 Grand Opening of the New Shop

Jiu Yue was thoroughly annoyed. That “so-called mansion”? It wasn’t like she couldn’t afford it.

The reason she didn’t buy it was simple: after Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian passed the provincial exam, they would be heading to the capital. What use would buying a fancy house now serve—just for decoration? She wasn’t some poor soul trapped in a small mountain village.

So Jiu Yue firmly refused the wealthy merchant’s mansion.

As for the Ji family’s rundown house—what did that have to do with her? She’d stay there for a few months. Besides, it was their roots; if they ever returned in the future, at least they’d have a place to settle.

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian didn’t care either way.

Shen Mei and Ji Dahu, however, were eager to throw a three-day banquet for their two sons. This was a chance to gain face. After all, when Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian passed the preliminary exams, Ji Dahai had been showered with compliments.

But Jiu Yue smashed that idea with a single slap.

“Last place and seventh-to-last want a banquet?” Her eyes radiated genuine scorn.

Ji Wanqiao and Ji Zhouye, who had been quietly smug, went off to their studies in tears.

Ji Weizhou didn’t dare utter a word. Among the five sons of this generation, he was the only commoner.

Next, Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian threw themselves into preparing for the April academy exams.

Jiu Yue took some time to visit the county town.

Regardless of whether Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian passed, Jiu Yue was used to making two plans at once. Relying on others was unreliable; she preferred keeping everything in her own hands.

Shao Qing listened carefully to Jiu Yue’s plans for the capital city shop. He was very capable in execution, but he didn’t have Jiu Yue’s creative ideas.

Listening to her plans, he had to admit that Jiu Yue’s shops were always extraordinary.

Jiu Yue left 300 taels of silver with Shao Qing to collect rare books and manuscripts.

Fearing that the capital shop might thrive as well as Dark Moon Pavilion, she decided not to replicate the county shop. Yet she still wanted the Ji brothers to build a reputation. For scholars, the easiest way to gain fame was through books.

Cheerfully, Jiu Yue arranged everything. By now, Shao Qing’s mother could already see that he had found someone to take over his duties at Dark Moon Pavilion in the county.

At this moment, Jiu Yue looked at the tiny, scraggly boy Shao Qing brought along. Kids only liked playing with kids.

She didn’t feel guilty about child labor. She had killed for the first time at eight; this boy was already thirteen or fourteen—fine.

Shao Qing let Jiu Yue inspect the boy freely. He was confident in the boy’s abilities. A child able to shoulder the responsibility of supporting a family might not be book-smart, but intelligence was undeniable.

Jiu Yue quietly watched the boy, who had been carefully prepared by Shao Qing. Under her penetrating gaze, the boy was nervous, but he did not back down.

He didn’t want to remain a helpless orphan; this was his first step toward changing his life.

Jiu Yue stood up: “Fine. If you think he’s capable, then he is. Once he fully takes over all your duties, you can head to the capital.”

Shao Qing and the boy both smiled, and Jiu Yue’s lips curled as she took a pill from her bag.

“Take this,” she said.

The boy froze. “This… master, what is this?”

Shao Qing was puzzled as well. Jiu Yue said lightly: “What else? A poison to control you. But don’t worry, it only activates once a year. As long as you don’t betray me, you’ll never have a chance to experience it.”

Jiu Yue’s approach was simple and sincere: “I gave you poison; betray me, and it will destroy your insides.” She worried that if she gave poison to too many people in the future, she might forget about one or two.

She didn’t care; if they died, they died. But she still needed a list—what if a particularly useful person died?

Shao Qing and the boy stiffened. Jiu Yue placed the pill on the table, waiting silently. The pill was certainly poison, but she had no interest in testing it. She simply liked keeping everything under her control—what could be better than having someone’s life literally in her hands?

The boy took a deep breath several times, then reluctantly swallowed the pill.

Shao Qing looked at Jiu Yue smiling at him and realized clearly for the first time that she wasn’t a kind person—she habitually controlled everyone, including him.

But Shao Qing didn’t regret it. Whether or not the pill was real, Jiu Yue had given him a new life and cured his mother’s eyes. He would never betray her; it was just a pill—what was the harm?

Shao Qing was smart; he never fantasized about her not giving him poison. If anything, he admired her skill—she might have poisoned him before he even realized it.

Time passed swiftly.

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian performed brilliantly in the academy exams. The county magistrate rewarded each with ten taels of silver. Don’t underestimate this; for many farming households, ten taels could be a lifetime’s savings.

Just after the Dragon Boat Festival, Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian, still bewildered, took their families to the capital. Everyone went, including Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan.

Although they were mentally prepared, having so many people in the capital surprised Ji Yiqing—they were supposed to just take the provincial exam. Was this overkill?

Jiu Yue felt no burden; she could afford it. Family was meant to stay together. Without them, who would wash her clothes, cook her meals, or obey her orders? In ancient times, family and clan mattered far more than today.

If she were genuinely kind-hearted, that would be nice.

She brought everyone, including Ji Dajiang, who was covered in sores and could die at any moment.

First, without so many people, she’d have to buy servants. With so many ready-made helpers, she didn’t want to spend more—new servants needed training, which was troublesome.

Second, she wouldn’t let potential threats go free. Bringing the family ensured they wouldn’t impede Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian. In a society governed by filial piety, a single misstep could affect everything.

If it weren’t for the rule against taking the imperial exam during mourning, she would have disposed of Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan outright.

Firecrackers popped along a street in the capital as curious passersby looked at the newly opened shop.

Ji Yiqing had planned to stay home and study, but Jiu Yue said the new shop was opening today, so he—her nominal husband—had to see her enterprise. After all, they were still a married couple.

Ji Yiqing stared at the shop, which was at least three times the size of Dark Moon Pavilion. “Th… this new shop… is yours?”

Jiu Yue exclaimed: “Husband and wife are one—so it’s yours too!”

Her eyes gleamed at Ji Yiqing. Moved? Little one, still can’t handle me!