TGCFNM -Chapter 394 Offering an Idea

After finding a few townspeople to help, Chu Ling brought over a chair for Yunliu and let her sit down. Then, in full view of everyone, she took her pulse.

When she finished, Chu Ling looked at her and scolded, “You’d throw your life away over something this small? If you truly had any backbone, you’d poison them all first and then die—I might even admire you for it.”

Yunliu couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The Xue family also visibly relaxed, the tension easing from their faces.

“Only fools seek death. It only brings pain to those who care about you and joy to your enemies. How could you bring yourself to do something so stupid?” Chu Ling said, then pointed at Shiyu. “What? Her situation wasn’t any better than yours. Isn’t she living just fine?”

Shiyu pressed her lips into a smile. “I’m alive, yes—but not exactly fine. My family’s all gone out to earn money, but with such a big household, expenses are still heavy.”

Seeing that the Wei family still hadn’t come out, Chu Ling simply started chatting with them. “What kind of work can your family do now?”

“We take on labor work. For every sack we carry, we get two wen. By the end of the day, it adds up to about thirty wen,” Shiyu replied. “Right now, the one earning the most in our family is my elder brother. He used to be idle and good-for-nothing, always carving wood for fun. Now he’s found work as a carpenter.”

“And you?” Chu Ling asked curiously. Since the young maid was still by her side, she must be earning something too.

Shiyu’s eyes brightened. “When I was at the brothel, I noticed some of the older sisters were very skilled with makeup. I learned from them and started blending cosmetics myself. Later, after they left, they even taught me a few perfume-making formulas. So I practiced and began selling them to Yunyan Tower.”

Wan Sanjin exclaimed, “You sold them to my family’s place?”

Shiyu nodded. “They even wanted to buy my formula outright, but I couldn’t bear to part with it.”

Wan Sanjin stroked his chin thoughtfully, then looked at Wang Qi beside him. “Xiao Wang~ Women understand cosmetics better, right?”

Wang Qi nodded blankly, not sure what his young master was getting at.

“Go ask Uncle Hong whether we need someone to blend perfumes. Tell him Miss Shiyu is my friend—and that she’s especially good at playing pai gow,” Wan Sanjin said, then turned to Shiyu. “My elder brother always says that working for others is only short-term business. If you’ve earned some money, opening your own shop is a different story.”

Shiyu lowered her gaze, thinking carefully. Then she looked at Wan Sanjin. “Master Wan, may I offer my formula and learn proper perfume blending? Once I’m skilled enough, could I manage a shop? I want to run a business.”

Wan Sanjin replied casually, “Of course. Everything in the Wan family belongs to my elder brother—and everything of his is mine.”

Seeing that no fight was about to break out, Wang Qi decided he might as well escort the young lady to take a look, since she was a friend of his young master after all.

“How can a woman run a business?” one of the Wei family’s maids suddenly interjected, her tone sharp and mocking as she looked Shiyu up and down. “Showing her face in public like that—what will people say?”

Chu Ling turned to the townspeople behind her and asked with a smile, “When buying cosmetics for the women in your household, wouldn’t it be more convenient if a female shopkeeper received you? No one understands cosmetics better than women, right?”

The townspeople nodded. Whatever Magistrate Chu said must be right.

Chu Ling looked at Shiyu. “Go with Xiao Wang and give it a try. What’s wrong with showing your face? Men can do it, but women can’t? Does the Great Zhou law forbid it? Are they greater than the King of Heaven himself?”

Shiyu nodded earnestly. “My lord, I can do it!”

Chu Ling clapped her hands. “That’s right. There’s no shame in earning your own living. The shame belongs to those who live off others and don’t even dare show their faces!”

Shiyu couldn’t help but laugh, and the surrounding townspeople laughed as well.

Chu Ling quickly urged Wang Qi to take her along.

Shiyu looked at Yunliu. “Yunliu, once your injuries heal, come find me. We’ll go into business together. There’s no shame in earning our own living.”

Yunliu’s eyes reddened, and tears fell at once. “All right. Together. I won’t be afraid either.”

Reassured, Shiyu followed Wang Qi and left first.

Chu Ling looked toward the doorway and deliberately called out, “It’s nearly dark. Even if you have to crawl, you should’ve crawled out by now!”

Wan Sanjin immediately led the townspeople in cheering.

Chu Ling smiled smugly, then looked at Yunliu. “Your injuries are serious—you need to replenish your qi and blood. But I know you don’t have money, so I’ve thought of a solution for you.”

As she spoke, Chu Ling told Su He to fetch paper and brush.

“I went out to the outskirts today for some leisure and noticed a few kinds of medicinal herbs growing along the road. They’re easy to gather. The price isn’t high, but money is money. Your family may not have much strength, but gathering herbs is something you can manage.” Chu Ling had Su He hand the paper and brush to Xue Yang, then described several herbs, their appearance, and their medicinal effects.

“I remember that young ladies from the inner chambers are supposed to learn cooking, right?” Chu Ling asked.

Madam Xue quickly replied, “The matron by my side knows how, and I can manage a bit as well.”

“Shiyu just said that carrying a sack of goods earns two wen. That’s hard labor, so they must eat their fill—but it can’t be too expensive. So you could try selling coarse-flour steamed buns. Two wen each. Give it a try first,” Chu Ling said. “I’ve never done business myself, but sitting at home feeling sorry for yourselves definitely won’t work. You have to go out and find something to do.”

Xue Yang nodded as he wrote it down. “Rest assured, my lord. With four healthy limbs, how could we possibly starve to death?”

Madam Xue said awkwardly, “But there’s no money left at home.”

“Yes, there is!” Yunliu suddenly exclaimed. “The Wei family owes me money!”

Chu Ling’s eyes lit up, and she immediately lowered her voice. “What money?”

“Because of the huge uproar in Crime Street over the Canghua Tower incident, ransom prices dropped. I paid seventy thousand taels to redeem two families. After coming out, I even rented a house… If you divide it evenly, they owe me thirty thousand taels!”

Chu Ling’s eyes widened. So wealthy.

“And there’s also Wei Liang’s medicine expenses—twenty taels,” Yunliu added.

Chu Ling immediately said, “That’s life-saving money, Yunliu. You understand, right? Life-saving money!”

Yunliu’s eyes brightened. “That’s right! It’s life-saving money—how could it be worth only twenty taels?”

From the side, Wan Sanjin suggested, “Then you might as well directly manage a shop. Partner with my Wan family—we run an honest business, fair to young and old alike.”

Yunliu smiled. “Many thanks to Advisor Wan for building the bridge.”

Grandmother Xue watched her granddaughter’s complexion improve and couldn’t help shedding tears again.

Madam Xue held her. “Mother, we’ll get through this.”

Xue Yang’s eyes were red as well. “Yes, we’ll get through.”

At that moment, Wei Liang of the Wei family finally came out, shuffling slowly. The moment he appeared, he frowned at Yunliu, hesitating as if unsure what to say.

Yunliu slowly stood and walked over.

Wei Liang let out a light sigh. “Miss Xue, let us call off our engagement.”

Yunliu nodded. “Alright. Let’s call it off.”

Wei Liang froze. Just like that? The engagement dissolved so easily?

“The Xue family won’t go back on their word, will they?” Wei Liang frowned. “In this matter, you were also at fault. I—”

Yunliu cut him off directly, her voice much firmer than before. “Since we’ve said the engagement is dissolved, then it is dissolved. All the townspeople here can bear witness for me. From now on, whether men marry or women wed, we have nothing to do with each other!”

The tension Wei Liang had been holding finally eased. “It’s a deal.”

Yunliu said, “Good. Since the engagement is dissolved, then the silver I used to redeem the Wei family—please return it to me at once. Since we’re no longer in-laws and have no further ties, this silver must be settled clearly, shouldn’t it?”

Wei Liang’s face changed drastically.