Competitor
Jiang Wan summoned a carrier pigeon, wrote a note, tied it to the bird’s leg, and sent it to the undercover agents, instructing them to investigate the matter—especially the customer surnamed Chen who had gotten into an argument with Sheng Zixu.
She had felt that something was strange about this man from beginning to end. He was dressed in luxurious clothes yet had chosen to sit in a corner of the main hall. He was also rather portly and wore a jade thumb ring on his hand.
Could he have come here specifically to cause trouble?
She still could not be certain.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Xiao Ba, a worker from the back courtyard, who called from outside the door.
“Shopkeeper, Young Master Sheng asked me to tell you that he just caught someone suspicious in the back courtyard. He wants you to go take a look.”
Jiang Wan frowned slightly. At first, she did not understand who Xiao Ba meant by “Young Master Sheng.” She thought there was a customer with that surname.
Only after hearing the rest did she realize he meant Sheng Zixu.
A suspicious person?
They should not have been exposed this quickly, right?
Perhaps this person was not one of the people investigating them?
The doubts in Jiang Wan’s heart grew heavier. Following Xiao Ba’s lead, she headed toward the back courtyard.
The moment she stepped inside, she saw Sheng Zixu coming out of the woodshed. He locked the door behind him, then tossed the key into the air and caught it precisely in his palm before repeating the motion.
Sheng Zixu spotted Jiang Wan standing at the entrance almost immediately.
He had not expected her to arrive so quickly, and a hint of surprise flashed across his face. But he quickly returned to his usual arrogant, haughty expression and had no intention of greeting her or saying anything.
The woodshed was directly opposite the wine cellar. He simply walked leisurely past Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan did not pay much attention to his attitude.
She first told Xiao Ba to go back to his work. Then she followed in the direction Sheng Zixu had gone, shortening the distance between them until she finally stopped directly in front of him.
“Tell me. How did you catch that suspicious person?”
“And what exactly did he do?”
Jiang Wan fired off two questions in succession.
Sheng Zixu answered without hesitation. “Of course he sneaked into the wine cellar, so I knocked him unconscious with a wine jar.”
“He didn’t say anything, so how would I know? The moment I went in, I saw him sneaking around. He obviously didn’t look like he had good intentions.”
After understanding the situation, Jiang Wan nodded.
“Good job. You don’t need to worry about this matter anymore. Consider this a merit. I’ll raise your monthly wages.”
When Sheng Zixu heard Jiang Wan praise him, a faint blush spread across his ears. He stammered slightly, “Then… you’d better raise them by quite a bit.”
Jiang Wan nodded solemnly. “I won’t shortchange you.”
It seemed there was nothing more to discuss. Jiang Wan told him to inform her immediately if anything happened and reminded him to keep himself safe.
She then went to retrieve a carrier pigeon and sent another message to the undercover agents, instructing them to send people to take the captured man away for interrogation.
The moment she released it, the gray-and-white carrier pigeon spread its wings and flew into the sky. After circling several times, it seemed to identify its direction and shot into the distance like an arrow.
The undercover agents received the pigeon and immediately dispatched several people. They disguised themselves and quickly and safely brought the man back.
The leader of the undercover group then had a note tied to another carrier pigeon and sent it to Jiang Wan.
When Jiang Wan received the message, she was in the middle of organizing everything that had happened over the past few days and writing it down on paper.
She untied the note from the pigeon’s leg.
The message basically said that the investigation and interrogation would take several days and that she should focus on other matters in the meantime.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Sheng Zixu leaned against the doorframe, resting.
He felt somewhat lost.
He did not know who he was, what he was supposed to do, or whether he had any family worrying about him.
Everything seemed tangled together like a ball of thread. He could neither distinguish nor see through any of it.
He also did not understand why he continued staying by Jiang Wan’s side.
The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. He swung his fists at the empty air several times, venting his frustration.
In the end, he magnanimously decided to let Jiang Wan reluctantly keep taking care of him.
Once he recovered his memories, he would give her a large sum of money as compensation.
He really was such a good person.
Jiang Wan was not in a hurry either.
She began wandering around the restaurant.
Every seat in the restaurant was occupied, and all kinds of voices continuously rose and fell through the air.
“The tea from that street in the southern part of the city is really good. Big Brother, I’ll take you there to try it sometime.”
“Thank you. As it happens, there’s also a famous pastry shop in the southern part of the city. We can buy some and enjoy them together.”
“Hahaha, how thoughtful.”
“…”
“I heard the butcher Li’s daughter went missing a few days ago. She’s only three years old. What a pity,” a young man said regretfully.
The person sitting opposite him hurriedly asked, “Did they report it to the authorities? I don’t even know how many daughters that butcher Li’s family has lost. I really wonder if someone is deliberately targeting him.”
The young man spoke knowingly. “Of course they reported it. But I’m afraid the child may be in serious danger. And haven’t you noticed? After butcher Li’s daughter went missing, he wasn’t even heartbroken. He continued selling meat as usual.”
“You don’t think he could be…”
The person opposite him hurriedly interrupted.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Parents all have compassion for their children. Perhaps he’s simply seen too much of this kind of thing, but is grieving in private. He still has to make a living, after all.”
The young man nodded. “That’s true. Even a tiger won’t eat its own cub.”
“Hahaha, come on, let’s not talk about it anymore. Drink!”
The later part of their conversation was drowned out by the other sounds around them.
Jiang Wan did not react much after hearing it. She simply continued walking from one floor to another.
She noticed that although the people coming and going were dressed rather plainly, the quality of their fabrics was excellent. They gave off an understated yet refined impression.
Some garments even had subtle patterns woven into them, which would briefly reveal themselves when the sunlight happened to flash across the fabric.
Jiang Wan wandered aimlessly, passing one room after another, walking past countless customers and climbing flight after flight of stairs.
Eventually, she arrived at the back courtyard.
After hesitating for a moment, she stepped inside.
Most of the workers in the back courtyard already recognized her. Whenever Jiang Wan passed by, they would greet her.
“Good day, Shopkeeper!”
She nodded in response to each greeting.
Sheng Zixu heard the commotion, but he remained sprawled in the reclining chair without moving, letting the rocking chair sway him gently.
Jiang Wan remembered this reclining chair. Someone had come to tell her that the old bench had become too worn and dilapidated after years of use and neglect. It had not lasted much longer before it had officially retired.
Jiang Wan had originally planned to replace it with another bench of the same style, but Sheng Zixu had strongly refused. That was why they had replaced it with the reclining chair he was using now.
Still, she had the new bench sent to the other workers in the back courtyard.
“Are you taking an afternoon nap?” Jiang Wan asked the person lying in the chair.
Sheng Zixu moved the book covering his face slightly upward.
“Can’t you see for yourself? Or are your eyes bad?”
“If your eyesight is poor, I suggest you see a physician. Otherwise, once something really goes wrong, it’ll be too late.”
Jiang Wan gave an exasperated smile.
“Then your ears must be bad too. The book covering your face is crooked.”
“And another thing, are your ears really that useless? I walked all the way over here before you noticed me. If someone went inside to steal wine or poison it, you’d be seriously neglecting your duties.”
When Sheng Zixu heard her first remark, he instinctively reached up and straightened the book on his face, though he still did not remove it.
But when he heard the latter part, he immediately became displeased. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, as though he had been welded to the chair, and he retorted, “I was the one who caught that suspicious person. Doesn’t that prove what I’m capable of?”
Jiang Wan’s expression remained calm as she shot back, “You did catch him, but you knocked him unconscious with a wine jar. Doesn’t that just prove you have no real skills at all? You’re a total weakling.”
The people nearby sensed that the atmosphere between them was becoming tense. They immediately found excuses to leave, lest they get caught in the crossfire.
Sheng Zixu removed the book from his face and sat upright, straightening his back as he tried to save his dignity.
“I’m not a weakling! I’ve just forgotten how to use martial arts. I’m still very clever.”
Jiang Wan continued mercilessly exposing him.
“Oh, is that so? Your saber is being kept at Guihai Wharf. I’m sure seeing it will bring back your memories of martial arts.”
Sheng Zixu immediately felt a little guilty.
“Do you really have to make things so difficult for an amnesiac injured man?”
Jiang Wan saw right through him.
“Fine, I won’t make things difficult for you. Just keep watch properly. And while you’re at it, get some exercise. You really do look like a frail boiled chicken.”
After saying that, she turned around and walked away briskly, leaving Sheng Zixu behind, roaring furiously at her as she departed without a care.
Once she and the others had completely disappeared from sight, Sheng Zixu subconsciously looked himself over.
I’ve only been lying around for a few days. How did I become a frail boiled chicken!?
This is infuriating!
No!
He refused to accept this!
For the sake of his dignity, he absolutely had to make Jiang Wan see him in a different light and prove that she was wrong.
The Following Morning
The restaurant had only been open for a short while when two constables walked in. They specifically asked to see Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan was equally puzzled. She approached the two constables and asked softly, “May I ask what brings the two of you here?”
One of the tall constables asked, “You’re the owner of this restaurant?”
“Yes. May I ask what this is regarding?”
The constable explained, “The people you sent to the authorities yesterday have been confirmed to have deliberately caused trouble and fabricated lies. Does the restaurant have any thoughts on how you’d like the matter handled?”
Jiang Wan answered appropriately, “Please handle the case impartially according to the law. I’m sorry to trouble the two of you with making this trip here. I’ll have one of my waiters attend to you.”
The waiter immediately stepped forward.
“This way, gentlemen.”
The two constables nodded.
“Thank you. We’ll pay for everything ourselves.”
Jiang Wan’s expression remained calm.
“Very well.”
After the two constables had walked away, Jiang Wan went to the counter and took out the account book to check the restaurant’s revenue over the past few days. Everything was looking fairly good.
Half an hour later, the two constables returned to the counter to settle their bill.
“Take care, gentlemen.”
One of the constables had already stepped out with one leg when he suddenly remembered something and turned back.
“The people who deliberately fabricated those lies will have to pay compensation. The money will be sent over to you later.”
Jiang Wan thanked him. “Thank you for reminding me.”
Seeing that there was nothing else to say, the constable left with his companion and returned to the government office to report back.
Three Days Later
The group who had deliberately fabricated the lies were publicly paraded through the streets and made to apologize. They were also ordered to pay twenty taels of silver in compensation.
People on the street threw rotten vegetables and stinking eggs at them. Some children even secretly pelted them with stones.
Blood soon appeared on the bodies of the group, and they began wailing and howling in pain.
Yet no one paid them any attention.
Even the scholars and literati publicly condemned them, denouncing their behavior as utterly unbecoming of a gentleman.
After this incident, business at Fuxin Restaurant became even better.
Another day passed, and the restaurant was once again packed to capacity.
After finishing her inspection of the restaurant, Jiang Wan returned to her room to rest.
A pure-white carrier pigeon suddenly flew over and landed on her hand.
She untied the letter from its leg and opened it.
There were only a few lines written on it:
The people were sent by Cangman Tower, including the customer surnamed Chen. The people who deliberately caused trouble were also sent by them.
Jiang Wan understood immediately.
They were competitors from the same line of business.