Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Causing Trouble at the Family Shop
The shopkeeper snapped: “Look where you are. In Man Lin City, no one dares say the Snow Swallow Resin from our shop is fake.”
Chun Yue was blocked by the door guards, anger in her eyes, and she shot back: “You are the foolish one, not me. I have handled Snow Swallow Resin more times than I can count. One look and I can tell real from fake. You sell fakes and still won’t let me leave. Crooked shop.”
Seeing that the doorway was packed with onlookers, the shopkeeper’s face turned dark as coal. He knew he could not explain this clearly, and if the master heard, he would be blamed. He glanced at his trusted aide, who understood at once and slipped into the back courtyard.
The shopkeeper said, trying to sound reasonable as he pointed at the signboard: “You must be from out of town. Not knowing our shop’s rules is understandable. This is a Lin Family shop. Do you dare claim I sell fake goods?”
Chun Yue looked toward the street. When she was first held back, she had shouted to the crowd, asking someone to run to the front street and find Xia Meng Yan. Whoever found her would get five taels of silver. But so much time had passed. Why hadn’t Big Miss come yet?
She had spoken up only because this was a Lin Family shop. She had seen fake goods slipped in with the Snow Swallow Resin. If she didn’t often stew bird’s nest for Big Miss, she might not have noticed.
She had thought the shopkeeper was a sensible person, but he kept hounding her and even wanted her to apologize.
Now that the scene had blown up, Chun Yue was not worried about her own safety; instead, she worried the Lin Family might start treating Big Miss coldly because of this. [I can handle a beating, but I can’t let Big Miss be wronged.]
When the shopkeeper saw Chun Yue refusing to explain and only staring outside, he grew bolder and shouted: “Someone, teach her a lesson.”
Xia Meng Yan had already arrived, but she listened to the crowd’s gossip and did not step forward. [No need to rush.]
Lin Qing Wan stood nearby. She wanted to step out and explain, but Xia Meng Yan stopped her.
Keeping her voice low, Xia Meng Yan asked: “Does the shopkeeper recognize your people?”
Lin Qing Wan nodded.
Xia Meng Yan whispered a few words in her ear, and Lin Qing Wan sent her attendants inside.
Soon the shopkeeper looked their way. Seeing Lin Qing Wan smile and nod, he let the guards relax and then turned to the people at the door to bow: “It was all a misunderstanding. This young miss saw wrong. Our master does not hold grudges. Everyone, please disperse.”
Most of the townsfolk often bought from the Lin Family’s shops. They had never heard of fake goods there, so they naturally trusted the shopkeeper.
“Fourth Miss,” the shopkeeper said as the crowd scattered. He hurried to Lin Qing Wan’s side and gestured, “Please come in.”
Lin Qing Wan supported Xia Meng Yan into the shop. Chun Yue bit her lip and stood close to Xia Meng Yan.
Lin Qing Wan asked, calm but not naïve: “What is going on?” She rarely handled shop matters, but she was no fool. The maid serving Xia Meng Yan had seen plenty of good things. It was unlikely she had made a mistake.
The shopkeeper quickly brought out the same Snow Swallow Resin Chun Yue had examined: “Fourth Miss, please look. I wasn’t trying to make trouble. This young miss simply saw wrong and almost ruined our business.”
Lin Qing Wan picked up the Snow Swallow Resin and looked it over. She saw no problem. She turned to Chun Yue and asked: “Do you think this Snow Swallow Resin is fake?”
Chun Yue took it, glanced down, and froze: “This… I… what I saw just now clearly…”
“Miss, you saw wrong,” the shopkeeper cut her off as he snatched it back. “Everyone in Man Lin City knows the Lin Family values quality. How would we sell fakes? For the sake of you being kin to the Lin Family, I will let this go.”
He put the Snow Swallow Resin back into its box and handed the box to the clerk behind him.
Chun Yue still wanted to explain, but Xia Meng Yan stopped her with a light tug.
“Today it is our fault. This silver is compensation,” Xia Meng Yan said as she looked at Chun Yue.
Chun Yue did not understand. She had clearly seen the truth. Why didn’t Big Miss trust her? Unwillingly, she took out a banknote and passed it to the shopkeeper. [Big Miss, why?]
The shopkeeper’s cold face warmed at once. He smiled and made a show of refusing: “No need, no need. It was only a misunderstanding. A quarrel today, friends tomorrow. This young miss asked for Snow Swallow Resin earlier. I will have it wrapped up right away.”
Xia Meng Yan said nothing. She only squeezed Chun Yue’s hand, warning her not to act rashly.
A quarter of an hour later, they stepped out of the shop.
Lin Qing Wan, still eager to shop, went off again. Xia Meng Yan sat upstairs in a teahouse to wait.
In a private room, Chun Yue finally spoke her mind: “Big Miss, I was not wrong. They must have swapped it in secret. The Snow Swallow Resin I saw was fake.”
Xia Meng Yan patted her hand: “I believe you.”
“But just now…” Chun Yue still didn’t understand.
Xia Meng Yan beckoned her closer. Chun Yue bent down, listened, and then stared wide-eyed: “Will this really work?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Go,” said Xia Meng Yan.
Chun Yue hesitated, then left the teahouse.
Lin Qing Wan came back excited, carrying parcels. She plopped into the seat across from Xia Meng Yan and drained the tea cup in one go, saying: “You don’t even know. If Grandmother hadn’t given me extra silver, I would have missed the new release at Golden Jade Atelier. And don’t say I never think of you: look, this is for you.”
She pushed an embroidered box across the table. Inside lay a jade hairpin, crystal clear, as if water flowed inside when the sun hit it.
Xia Meng Yan, who had seen many fine things, still breathed out softly: “So pretty.” The hairpin was truly special.
Lin Qing Wan grinned in pride: “I knew you’d like it. It matches your usual clothes.”
“Thank you, cousin.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two of them rode the carriage back to the manor, satisfied.
The moment they stepped inside, Madam Jia came toward them with several people and scolded, then raised her hand at Lin Qing Wan: “You stupid girl, at least you still know to come back. You almost ruined the Lin Family. Going to our own shop to spout nonsense. I have never seen someone so brainless. The Lin Family’s hundred-year reputation almost fell into your hands.”
Nanny Sun could barely hide her smile, though her voice sounded worried as she said: “Madam, please don’t hit. This isn’t Fourth Miss’s fault. She was taking the blame for someone else.”
“When the sky falls, others have someone to hold it up. What does she have? She still calls people sister like a fool. They sell her and she helps them count the money.”
This short chapter is not yet over. Please click to the next page to keep reading the rest!
Xia Meng Yan rested a hand on her belly and said, cool and firm: “Big maternal aunt, no need to talk in circles. Say it to my face.”
Lin Qing Wan, only now recovering from being slapped at the door, rushed to explain: “Mother, it was a misunderstanding. Cousin would never do it on purpose.”
“Be quiet,” Madam Jia snapped, glaring at her. How had she given birth to such a foolish daughter? The Lin Family’s good name had almost been ruined by outsiders, and her daughter still didn’t understand. “Since Meng Yan wants me to speak, I’ll speak. Your maid made trouble at the Lin Family shop and almost destroyed our reputation. Tell me, how should this be handled?”
If Nanny Sun hadn’t told her, Madam Jia would never have known Xia Meng Yan hid such a harsh plan in her heart.
If the Lin Family ran into trouble, the two elders would surely shift the property to Lin Yue in the Capital. Giving it to Lin Yue meant giving it to Xia Meng Yan, since they were mother and daughter.
So that was why she had come to the Lin Family to give birth. This was the scheme.
After the last time Xia Meng Yan taught her a lesson, Nanny Sun had kept watching for a mistake. She saw Xia Meng Yan’s maid hurry back to the manor, grab a large amount of silver, and rush out again. After asking around, she learned the maid had caused trouble at the Lin Family shop and had returned to get silver to shut the shopkeeper’s mouth.
To be safe, Nanny Sun went to the shop to confirm and found it was true.
Such a perfect chance was not to be missed. She told Madam Jia and tied the matter to the Lin Family’s property. As expected, Madam Jia panicked.
Ignoring the coldness in Madam Jia’s eyes, Xia Meng Yan walked forward and said evenly: “Big maternal aunt, Sister Qing Wan knows the whole story. My maid has already compensated the shopkeeper. The matter is settled. What more do you want?”
Madam Jia did not disappoint. Her temper lit at once, faster than firecrackers.