Kang He smiled: “Husband, is that shop you promised me earlier still good?”
Since Zou Fulang had already said it, Kang He knew he couldn’t back out. Even if he got the candle-making technique, it wouldn’t be much use to Kang He alone. But since they all made a living in the city, who could say who would end up wealthy or poor in the future?
He said confidently, “Let’s not talk about this for now. As long as you make the arrangements for me properly, how could I leave out my brother?”
Kang He smiled but didn’t say anything.
Zou Fulang knew this man didn’t fool around, so he led him over to Shuiqiao Lane to take a look at the shop.
This Shuiqiao Lane wasn’t one of the four main streets. It was similar to Douhui Lane, where the Fan family now ran their shop, but the lane was less crowded, and the shop was at the very end.
Just as Zou Fulang said, the shop was large. Behind the storefront was a small courtyard, fenced in, used for storing miscellaneous goods and cooking. It was spacious enough for boiling water and preparing meals.
Zou Fulang explained this was the shop he used to sell candle oil at. Later, when the business grew well, he moved to a larger and better location.
It had been rented out before, fetching no less than three guan per month. But when the lease expired, no one renewed it, so it was left vacant.
Kang He looked over the pros and cons of the shop. Having seen many shops before, he had a sense of reasonable rents. Such a large space wasn’t worth three guan a month; that price was too high.
At this lane and this location, a rent of three guan would explain why no one was willing to renew.
A rent of two guan a month would be about right. As for the shop’s price, he roughly estimated it to be over a hundred guan — after all, it was a large place.
Kang He didn’t nitpick too much. Since no one had tried to cheat him, he let it slide.
It wasn’t like anyone would open a shop for him on the four main streets. If he used the candle-making technique to squeeze people now, it might not work.
But if he angered Zou Fulang and made an enemy, once the formula was in his hands, it would be easy for Zou to find fault with him later.
Everything should be done with some measure.
Kang He said a few agreeable words and happily took the shop’s deed.
Within two days, Kang He went out to find a rough old villager who often wandered around outside. After giving him some instructions, the old man took the formula to Zou Fulang.
They met at the candle oil shop. The old man was inconspicuous, and entering the shop didn’t attract much attention.
Zou Fulang looked the man over — a blackened face full of wrinkles, dirt in the nails, clearly not an educated person.
He thought it no wonder Kang He had so many candle batches on hand. Kang He bought candle pairs from him for five hundred wen each; the old man surely didn’t get less than fifty wen per pair.
“Old sir, you’re skilled. People say the best masters live among the common folk, and it seems you’re such a master.”
The old man didn’t respond to the flattery, keeping a straight face, saying bluntly, “What’s the use of empty talk? I still have to get back to the mountains later. Hurry and finish the business.”
Zou Fulang glanced at Kang He, who winked to signal that the old man was cantankerous but honest.
Zou Fulang nodded; he had a sharp eye. Then he asked the old man, “Old sir, about the numbers — I have everything ready here. Did you bring the East Lake [formula]?”
He made a two-eight hand gesture, trying to see if Kang He was playing tricks.
The old man took a paper from his chest and slapped it on the table. “Thank you for your trouble.”
Zou Fulang saw the old man made no objections to the price. Either Kang He and the old man had already agreed on his cut, or the old man wasn’t greedy.
Seeing the secret formula, Zou Fulang also took out some prepared notes.
One hand counting money, the other scanning the formula.
Zou Fulang examined the detailed writing carefully. Since he understood candle-making, he could tell at a glance if he was being tricked. Although he kept a composed face without smiling, his eyes betrayed his excitement.
He found the formula content legitimate, but asked, “Why does every two lines have different handwriting?”
The old man replied, “I don’t read or write. If I asked one person to write the formula for me, that would be giving it away. So I find several different people to write it for me, mixing it up.”
Zou Fulang was instantly pleased. Although the old man was crude, he was thorough. Seeing the old man’s appearance put him at ease — even if he went into business again, no trouble would arise.
With the deal settled, Kang He said goodbye to Zou Fulang and sent off the old man. The two left the street and quietly slipped into an unremarkable alley.
The old man hurriedly handed the notes to Kang He, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Do you think I can perform well?”
“How could you not? You fooled even the big shopkeepers.”
Kang He took some money from his body and gave it to the old man. “Later, come by my place, and I’ll treat you to three jin of good meat.”
The old man was overjoyed and kept thanking him.
After seeing the old man off, Kang He returned to Zou’s shop. “That old man doesn’t talk much, but every time I go, I get the short end. Now that he’s taken so many notes, he still wants a few jin of pork.”
Zou Fulang was happy to get the formula and said, “Rustic fellows like him like to pocket a few small favors. Too bad.”
Kang He smiled, knowing he didn’t lose out.
“Well, that old man doesn’t have much vision. The candle medicine business will flourish from now on. Don’t forget the one who runs the errands like me.”
Zou Fulang said, “How could I forget you? If you hadn’t introduced me, I wouldn’t have gotten this business.”
Kang He said a few flattering words but didn’t ask for any promises of wealth or status.
People change easily. If someone is kind, even without promises, they will keep faith. But if someone is evil, even a promise made in joy can become a knife that cuts.
After chatting for a while, Kang He returned to the shop.
Fan Jing was at the stall cutting pork when he noticed a tall man walking briskly toward him.
The man came up, smiling as he packaged the pork, and leaned close to whisper, “It’s settled.”
Fan Jing’s eyebrows lifted. They had been busy for over a month making the candle formula. Luckily, he was patient enough to see it through.
The two tacitly agreed not to say much. This matter wasn’t to be broadcast.
At noon, while Chen Sanfang was napping, the two made an excuse to go buy sweet water, and Kang He led Fan Jing to see their new shop.
“It looks big, but the location isn’t as good as our current pork shop.”
Fan Jing looked around. The storefront was nothing special; many shops in the city varied little in size. It was the courtyard behind that people liked.
He also felt the shop’s location at the end of the lane was a bit lacking. But if not for the poor location, who would so easily hand it over?
“We thought since he gave us a shop, if it’s suitable, we’d move the pork shop here. After all, the deed is in our own hands, so we wouldn’t have to pay another rent. Plus, it’s much more spacious.”
Kang He laughed: “Seeing the shop made me hesitate.”
Fan Jing said, “The business over there is just starting and it’s not easy to get familiar customers. If we move across several streets, we’d lose them.”
“Exactly.”
After considering, they didn’t want the trouble of moving and losing customers. They decided to find an agent to rent out the new shop, offsetting the rent costs.
That night, Kang He took out three promissory notes to show Fan Jing — two worth one hundred guan, one worth eighty guan.
The two sat barefoot, cross-legged on the bed, looking at the thin pieces of paper whose value was nearly equal to a whole bed full of copper coins.
This time, they had become considerably wealthier overnight.
Kang He asked Fan Jing, “Do you want to build a big house all at once? We have enough money now.”
Fan Jing actually didn’t care much about the house, as long as it sheltered them from wind and rain.
Of course, who wouldn’t want a better home? And he wasn’t selfish enough to want a better home just for himself, forcing others to live in squalor.
Their current thatched roof shack was rough, but now that they had money, it was time to improve it. The summer rain leaks were a hassle, and winters were particularly cold without charcoal fires.
Fan Jing said, “Building a big house is good, but how do I explain the money for building to the family? Even if they know, what would the village say?”
Everyone in the village knew their family rented a shop in the city selling pork. But they only started this business in February, and by July, they were tearing down the old house to build a mansion. What business made money so fast?
Moreover, with money on hand, there was no need to rush to buy or sell anything. It was better to keep some cash for emergencies instead of selling land or belongings in haste. Such sales rarely got good prices, and sometimes they couldn’t sell at all.
Kang He had thought about this too. If the news got to Zou Fulang’s ears, it might arouse suspicion, making all his earlier efforts go to waste.
“Then let’s stick to the original plan — buy bricks and tiles to fix the roof and floors, and just live with it for now. In a few years, when the time is right, we can buy land to build the big house.”
This couldn’t be rushed. Like building roads, the house had to be spacious, occupying more land, and required negotiation for land purchase and usage. It wasn’t something done by a slap of the thigh.
Fan Jing agreed, then added, “With our current foundation, I don’t want to check feng shui anymore. Building a dozen or so rooms will encroach on neighbors’ land. If we choose a new spot, we’ll need a feng shui master, and we might not even pick our own land.”
Kang He was troubled and said, “Then let’s put this matter aside. If there’s suitable land, try to buy some and hold onto it.”
Fan Jing nodded. Kang He laughed, thinking no matter what, having money in hand made things much more reassuring.
He tidied up the promissory notes and the shop deed, hugged Fan Jing, and kissed his chin. They were about to rest.
The child was not even four months old yet — the most unstable time. Kang He dared not be careless and was as steady and honest as when he first came to the Fan family.
He stretched his neck to blow out the lamp when the room suddenly went dark. He heard what sounded like the beating of a gong outside.
Kang He hesitated, standing by the bed a moment. “Is it thunder?”
Fan Jing sat up immediately, jumping off the bed. “It’s the sound of a bronze gong.”
Kang He frowned. Who would beat a gong at this hour if nothing was wrong? He lit the oil lamp, put on clothes, and went to wake Fan Da.
“What’s going on? Could it be thieves again?”
Fan Da and Mrs. Chen were just dozing off when they heard urgent knocking and hurried to light the lamp.
“I don’t know what’s going on. There’s a gong outside. Let’s stay alert.”
Fan Da listened carefully and confirmed it was indeed the sound of a gong.
The quiet night was stirred up again by the gong’s clang.
Soon, people ran past the village gate, shouting loudly, “There are thieves! They ran toward the south of the village! Hurry and chase them!”
Kang He and Fan Jing exchanged a glance. Both grabbed weapons and hurried after the crowd to the village gate.
Fan Da and Mrs. Chen didn’t dare run out; they stayed behind calling for Kang He and Fan Jing to be careful.
The night wind rustled. Kang He squeezed Fan Jing’s hand. “A Jing, slow down a bit.”
Fan Jing nodded. If it were before, he would have dashed ahead.
But now, considering the child in the belly, he kept his composure.
They looked around and saw a group of dark figures darting into the fields. The village strongmen followed in pursuit.
The crowd grew larger, carrying hoes and sickles, chasing the thieves who disappeared from sight near the south end of the village.
Kang He and Fan Jing moved cautiously.
When they caught up with the villagers, they found everyone stopped in front of a house, hesitating to go further.
“They saw someone come this way, then suddenly lost sight of them. Maybe they ran into the house.”
“What do you mean maybe? Whether they ran inside or hid somewhere, let’s go in together and catch them!”
Kang He and Fan Jing approached and saw it was the Cheng family’s house.
“The Cheng family only has a widow and a young widower. What kind of sense is it for a bunch of grown men to barge in at night? Let’s call out and have the people inside open the door.”
“If you go in so slowly, the thieves would’ve long escaped! Last time they stole dozens of jin of cured meat from my house; I can’t bear to eat it myself. How can we let them get away this time!”
Several households who had been robbed still held anger. Hearing there was a thief again made their tempers flare.
They paid no mind to the widow and the widower and the young man named Feng San grabbed his weapon and charged in, ignoring any advice.
About thirty men followed him in.
Kang He frowned, feeling something strange. But he didn’t have time to think more.
The door was pushed open with a bang. Fan Jing raised his bow, and a scream came from inside.
“The thieves got caught?!”
“I think that’s You Ge’s voice.”
Outside, people whispered, wanting to see clearly inside. But before anyone could get close, the few men who rushed in lowered their heads and came back out.
Kang He saw this and held Fan Jing’s bow arm, signaling him to lower it.
“How come they’re all blocking here? The thieves got caught for sure!”
Xu Yang, holding a torch, led a dozen villagers rushing over. The torchlight shone brightly as if dawn was breaking.
Within moments, over twenty people surrounded the Cheng family’s house. Even if there were no thieves, they could beat down any birds flying out.
“Feng San, why did you come back so fast? Where are the thieves?!”
The young man, flushed red with embarrassment, stammered, “No… no…”
“No what no! Are you trying to kill us with worry? We’re going in!”
Feng San quickly grabbed the crowd. “Don’t go in.”
A woman, sensing something was wrong, said, “Da Liang, you men stay back. I’m a woman and will go in. There are only two widowed folks inside.”
The crowd quieted down somewhat. The man called Da Liang let the woman bring her sister-in-law inside, but Feng San still stopped them.
“What are you doing, boy? Are you with those thieves?”
The crowd grew angry at Feng San. The Cheng family was strange — even though there was a commotion outside, they didn’t open the door.
The impatient began yelling, “Maybe those two widowed folks are the thieves. Every time I walk past their house, I smell the scent of meat. Let’s go in and see!”
The villagers became restless and started to push to enter. Feng San was anxious and embarrassed, shouting, “Don’t go in, don’t go in! They’re inside!”
His hoarse yell silenced the noisy yard instantly.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, dumbfounded.
“Why would the village chief be inside the Cheng house at this hour?” someone stupidly asked.
No one answered. The Cheng family had only one old widow and one young, pretty widower.
During the day, respectful men stayed in the courtyard. But why was a man in the widower’s room at night?
In public, this was a shameful and embarrassing matter. No one dared to speak.
If it were anyone else’s man, it might be different, but it was the village chief. What could people do?
“Village chief… village chief, what are you doing? This matter is causing such trouble…”
Qian Er Ye, hearing the news of thieves again, hurriedly got up. Hearing the thieves were trapped in the Cheng house, he rushed to see for himself.
He hobbled quickly, but no thieves were caught. Instead, he heard that the village chief was hiding in the widow’s room, making the villagers think the thieves were trapped inside and too ashamed to show their faces.
Qian Er Ye was both angry and annoyed, almost losing his breath.
Others didn’t want to go in, but he strode into the Cheng house. Moments later, loud scolding came from inside.
“Have you no shame? What kind of person are you?!”
“You’ve embarrassed my old face. You’re a worthless scoundrel!”
With so many villagers around, Qian Er Ye wanted to spare Chen Yushun some face, but he was too angry to care.
The curses inside were harsh, and everyone felt awkward listening.
Kang He didn’t care and went in to watch the commotion. The villagers still had some decency.
At this point, the village chief was already laughing but didn’t dare enter to invite trouble.
“Everyone, let’s disperse, disperse. The house has a wealthy uncle inside.”
Xu Yang saw the situation and quickly told the crowd to disperse and look for the thieves elsewhere, but not to stray too far in case the thieves returned to steal again.
Under his urging, the crowd broke up.
Kang He looked at Xu Yang. Under the torchlight, they exchanged a glance without speaking.
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