Chapter 96: Song's Dilemma

County town marketplace.

Qin Huiyin sold the last skewer of barbecue, then turned to see that Tang Lüwu had also just sold her final portion. “Time to pack up,” she said.

Tang Yixiao quickly gathered up the stools. “We came a bit late today,” she remarked, “an hour and a half later than usual before we finished selling.”

Third Uncle Tang tidied the tables, loaded the folding tables onto the ox cart, then went to move the mobile stall.

“Didn’t you hear what the other vendors said? Many regular customers saw we hadn’t arrived and thought we wouldn’t come at all, so they left.”

“Luckily we made it. Even though we were late, at least we arrived in time and didn't let the remaining regulars leave. I just wonder how things are with Mother and Father—can the two of them handle Aunt Wang and Tang Mingxiu?”

“Don’t worry, Mother won’t let herself be taken advantage of,” Qin Huiyin reassured the anxious Tang Lüwu, swiftly packing up. As she looked up, she happened to catch sight of someone passing by and set down her things.

“You two keep packing up; I’ll go over for a moment.”

Tang Lüwu, puzzled, followed her gaze and saw a familiar figure. “Is that Song Ruizhe?”

Tang Yixiao, hearing Song Ruizhe’s name, glanced over with a sour expression. “Second Sister always seems to concern herself with his affairs.”

Qin Huiyin had indeed spotted Song Ruizhe.

It struck her as odd—Song Ruizhe should be up at the dam now, so why was he here? She decided to follow and see what he was up to.

She looked at the sign, which read: “Zhang’s Blacksmith Shop.”

“Young man, you’re buying quite a lot. By rights, I should give you a discount, but mine is a small business. The price you’re offering is just too low.”

“Ruizhe, Boss Zhang is honest; he really can’t go any lower. I think the higher-ups are just making things hard for us—why else would they give so little money?”

“It’s not the higher-ups; it’s Chen Zhe.”

“Yang, the foreman, isn’t making trouble for you anymore. He gave us the easiest jobs, and we finally had a few peaceful days. But this Chen Zhe and Song Tiegen are two peas in a pod, deliberately making things difficult for you. Let’s go straight to Yang and raise a fuss, let everyone know Chen Zhe pocketed the silver meant for purchasing tools.”

“Boss, we’re buying this batch to repair the dam. We’ll be coming back for more in the future. Can’t you sell us this batch at my price?”

“This price really is—”

“How about this: I think these tools could be improved. If I draw up better designs for you, would you sell to us?”

“Oh? Which tools are you referring to?” The boss’s interest was piqued.

“Many of them could be modified a bit to make them easier to use and much less laborious. If you lend me ink and paper, I’ll sketch them for you.”

Jiang Qibin looked at Song Ruizhe with adoration. “Ruizhe, you can do this? I thought you couldn’t read a single character.”

Song Ruizhe recalled how he had secretly learned to read. When Li Taohua taught Qin Huiyin in the courtyard, he’d chop wood nearby while furtively watching, nearly chopping his own hand several times. When they left, if the paper hadn’t been tidied, he’d pick it up and review what he’d memorized, practicing with branches when hunting in the mountains.

Jiang Qibin burst out laughing at Song Ruizhe’s crooked sketches.

Song Ruizhe shot him a look, and he quickly stopped laughing, making a show of clamping his mouth shut—looking more ridiculous by the moment.

The boss was speechless as well.

With such drawing skills, even if he had good ideas, they’d be impossible to decipher.

“All right, all right, quit messing around…” the boss said impatiently. “I know you’re working for the dam, but I can’t let myself, an ordinary man, take the loss, can I? I have a family to feed. I really can’t do business at a loss.”

“Boss, who says you won’t profit?” Qin Huiyin, seeing the situation, stepped forward, unable to hide any longer. “If you sell at this price, no other blacksmith in town can compete with you. You’ll be the only smith officially appointed by the imperial court—that’s a big honor for your family. When people talk about it later, you’ll be known as someone who worked for the court.”

“How come you’re here?” Song Ruizhe asked.

“Hello, sister,” Jiang Qibin greeted politely.

“Hello,” Qin Huiyin replied to Jiang Qibin, then answered Song Ruizhe, “I was doing business nearby, just finished selling my goods and was packing up to head home. I saw you pass by and came to see what you were up to.”

“Young lady, that all sounds nice, but it’s just empty fame,” the boss said, unconvinced.

“Who says it’s empty? Just write ‘Imperial Dam Project Exclusive Iron Supplier’ on your sign. If everyone knows the court uses your tools, how could you lack business?”

“What does ‘supplier’ mean?” the boss asked curiously.

“A supplier is a merchant who provides tools for the court. You handle ironwork, so you’re the iron supplier. Later, when people talk about the dam, they’ll praise your tools for making it so sturdy,” Qin Huiyin continued her flattery. The boss’s honest, hearty face broke into a wide smile. “But we won’t let you lose out, either. My brother said he could improve all your tools, making them easier to use. But that means he deserves a commission!”

“Commission?” The boss was baffled again. “What’s that?”

“A commission means, after deducting costs, you share a portion of your profits with whoever contributed to the success. My brother helps you improve the tools, so giving him ten percent of the profits is only fair.”

“Wait, young lady, ten percent means—”

“For every ten coins you earn in net profit, you give him one. Your interests are tied together—the more you earn, the more my brother gets, so he won’t harm you,” Qin Huiyin explained. “Plus, he can bring you more orders. That way, he earns, you earn; isn’t that a win-win?”

The boss listened, stunned.

But he wasn’t foolish—he understood.

“About the modifications…” The boss eyed Song Ruizhe’s drawings with distaste.

“No problem, I’ll draw them for him. My brother and I are in perfect sync; whatever he explains, I’ll understand and put on paper for you,” Qin Huiyin said, picking up a sheet. “But we’ll need a quiet place without interruptions. Here, people come and go. If someone sees our new designs and word gets out, you’ll lose out.”

“If your drawings really let me create better tools, I’ll agree to everything you said,” the boss promised.

“Words alone aren’t enough—we’ll need a written contract. Is that acceptable?” Qin Huiyin asked.

“Agreed,” the boss replied readily.

“Brother Jiang, please go to the ‘Ever-Smiling Restaurant’ and tell the elderly man and the sister-brother pair there that I’ll be delayed for a bit and to find somewhere to rest,” Qin Huiyin instructed.

“Sure, I’ll go right away,” Jiang Qibin answered.

If you enjoy “The Adopted Sister in a Farming Family After Transmigration, Her Powerful Brothers Are a Bit Overprotective,” please bookmark it: (xiakezw) “The Adopted Sister in a Farming Family After Transmigration, Her Powerful Brothers Are a Bit Overprotective.”