Chapter 14

The servant boy from the Zhang residence scratched his nose and called into the courtyard, “Miss Xiao!”

Xiao Wanling was brewing tea. She wiped her hands on her apron and went to open the door. “I was just about to ask you to pass a message to your lady.”

The servant replied with a grin, “My lady sent me to ask if you’ve made up your mind.”

Xiao Wanling nodded. “I’m used to simple meals and a plain life. The Prince of Jin’s residence isn’t a good fit for me.”

The servant gave a nod, showing no expression. “My lady heard you and Master Shen are building a house, so she sent two carts of bricks.”

“Please thank your lady for me!” A cart of bricks costs several taels of silver.

Xiao Wanling called toward the house, “Shen Qing, the bricks we ordered are here!”

Shen Qing came out, wiping his face with a cloth. “Mm.”

The corners of his mouth lifted when she said “we.” From inside, he had heard her refuse the Prince of Jin’s offer. Holding back his grin, he went to hitch the ox cart and told her not to rush; he’d go keep an eye on the delivery.

Xiao Wanling poured the brewed tea into a wooden bucket, secured it on the cart, added the freshly steamed rice cakes and prepared ingredients, then got on the oxcart and headed to the teahouse.

When she arrived, the cart drivers from earlier hurried over with the delivery slip. Xiao Wanling checked it—yes, it was her order. She pressed her thumbprint and paid the remaining amount.

The two drivers complained to her that earlier, some shady fellow had tried to impersonate her and steal the bricks. Xiao Wanling immediately guessed it was Chen Gui. But he was nowhere in sight.

The teahouse was on a plot that included a small house. Xiao Wanling had originally planned to repair the stall first and use the extra bricks to build two rooms next to her home. Now that she had some surplus, she had two carts of bricks sent back to continue the home construction.

Shen Qing set out the tea and rice cakes, then led a few people home to work on the building.

It was nearly lunchtime. Xiao Wanling packed the orders for Dayan Village and Qishan Village into a basket and carried it up.

Jiang Ting spotted her from afar and hurried down to help support the basket. When they reached the tea fields on the mountain, she quietly whispered, “Thank you.”

Xiao Wanling smiled but was quickly surrounded by people. Aunt Wu and Cheng Qiao’er helped pass out food and drinks, offering to deliver the batch for Dayan Village.

Xiao Wanling declined; she had already delayed orders for two days and wanted to check in herself, as well as pay Chen Gui a visit.

A road had been built from the tea mountain to the back of Dayan Mountain, making it easier to transport tea and timber. It was Xiao Wanling’s first time visiting another village. Dayan Mountain was also planted with tea trees. Since the mountain looked like a goose from afar, the village at its base was named Dayan Village for easier administration.

The tea-picking girls spotted her from afar and paused their work. When the tea steward spoke, a woman named Madam Shi put down her tools and rushed over to help unload the basket.

Xiao Wanling said to the women taking the refreshments, “I’m sorry! I had some things to take care of the past two days, so your tea and snacks are two days late. Is that alright?”

Madam Shi poured the syrup from the bamboo tube into her large bowl, showing a sincere smile. “Of course! That’s alright!”

Xiao Wanling gathered the bamboo tubes. That was settled.

At the foot of the tea mountain sat Dayan Village. Xiao Wanling followed the path down. Suddenly, a person stepped out from behind a tree, startling her.

The tea steward looked embarrassed. “Did I scare you?”

Xiao Wanling replied, “No,” though the way he hid behind the tree suggested he had something to say.

He pointed behind the tree, and the two of them walked over.

Only then did the steward speak, “I already talked to Chen Gui. I told him to treat this as normal competition. I don’t think he’ll do anything underhanded. He was wounded on the battlefield and can’t do heavy labor. So don’t overthink it.”

That was a lot to process. Xiao Wanling took a few seconds before replying, “Thank you for the reminder! I’m planning to buy some grain in Dayan Village.”

She nodded and turned to walk downhill.

The steward frowned; he’d made himself clear, and she was still going? She didn’t seem to take in a word!

Dayan Village was built along the mountain, all gray-brick, tile-roofed houses. With two to three hundred residents, it was larger than Qishan Village. She couldn’t understand why Chen Gui made the choices he did.

At the village entrance stood a row of small shops, their signs reading “Winery,” “Meal Hall,” and “Teahouse.” Most were vacant, but there were two people arguing at the teahouse.

The owner—wasn’t it Chen Gui?

A villager slammed a white rice cake onto his pot lid with a loud thud. The rice cake bounced and hit the ground. The villager shouted, “What kind of rice cake is this?” Even worse than what that Shen Qing kid makes! I was almost choked to death! And you dare charge three cents?!”

Chen Gui shouted back, “Stop pretending! I’ve tasted Madam Xiao’s rice cakes myself—they’re nothing special. Mine are denser!”

“Rice cake and dense?!” The villager nearly passed out from anger. “Refund me!”

When he heard the word “refund,” Chen Gui froze. Then he turned and saw Xiao Wanling—and yelled, “What are you laughing at?!”

Xiao Wanling had been trying not to laugh at the thought of someone making rice cakes harder than steamed buns. When he said “dense,” she couldn’t hold it in. “Just passing by. Isn’t this stall in a good location?”

Chen Gui snorted and straightened up. “Afraid now, are you?”

He conveniently ignored the arguing villagers, who cursed under their breath and stormed off.

Xiao Wanling noticed many people in the village, including children playing and women and girls out walking. It was getting late, so she turned and headed back.

Shen Qing was laying bricks under the guidance of a hired mason, none other than the lean uncle. The two had their sleeves rolled and were hammering away at bricks.

Xiao Wanling put her things down and brought two bowls of tea, then returned home to cook and deliver food.

By the end of the day, the teahouse was fully built; only the two main doors weren’t installed yet.

Shen Qing picked out wood behind the house and focused on making the doors. He also made a signboard, smoothed it out, and lacquered it, saying her handwriting was beautiful and asking her to write the characters for “Tea House.”

When it came time to build their home, the Xue family men came to help. Cheng Qiao’er said that Xue Zhengyang had been close to Shen Qing’s late father. Seeing Shen’s parents pass early and his mother fall ill, he’d once suggested marrying Xue Cui to Shen Qing so the families could support one another. Shen Qing had been ostracized as a child, so the matter was never pursued.

Xiao Wanling felt her heart ache. How did a five-year-old survive alone in such troubled times?

When the tea house officially opened, Shen Qing set off firecrackers made of bamboo inside a barrel. They crackled loudly, drawing people from both villages.

Two tables were set up outside the entrance, with rice cakes, sweet drinks, mung bean tea, herbal tea, and limited servings of fruit tea and juice.

In a blink, the tea house was surrounded. People waved their cents in the air and shouted,

“I want rice cakes!”

“Give me two servings of sweet tea!”

Shen Qing yelled, “Line up!”

The crowd immediately formed a queue. Shen Qing passed out food, and Xiao Wanling handled payments. Their teamwork was seamless.

Meanwhile, not a single person stood in front of Chen Gui’s teahouse. His face darkened. Weren’t people just trying to force him to lower prices? His ingredients were better with more filling!

Why did everyone buy from Madam Xiao? They must’ve added something to the food. Rumor had it there was a drug powder that caused addiction. Her parents had been doctors; surely she knew some pharmacology.

The more he thought, the more convinced he became. He shouted toward the line, “Don’t eat it!” There’s something addictive in there!”

Xue Cui quickly covered her face and smirked. Just yelling? Pathetic. She cursed Chen Gui internally and wished he’d start a real fight.

The villagers lining up all turned to look at Chen Gui, waiting for him to say more.

Shen Qing clenched his fists and was about to go over when Xiao Wanling stopped him. “Wait till we’re done. Then I’ll deal with him.”

Shen Qing nodded and continued pouring tea into clay jars for the customers.

Xiao Wanling asked with a smile, “Aunt Wu, what would you like?”

Aunt Wu stared wide-eyed at the fruit tea and clenched her teeth. “One of each.” Her grandson had been craving it for days. Plus, the tea house was celebrating its opening—each customer got a free piece of “Immortal Tofu.” Today she was going all out.

Xiao Wanling and Shen Qing were too busy to think. The line kept moving. As some Dayan villagers passed Chen Gui, one of them deliberately bumped into him.

Chen Gui tried to fight back, but someone held him back. Enraged, he shouted, “It’s laced with something! Two cents could buy a whole gin of grain!”

“Mad,” muttered the lean uncle. No one believed Chen Gui, but it was annoying.

When the rush was over, Xiao Wanling shouted at Chen Gui, “You said there’s something harmful in the food? You’d better have proof.”

People nearby slowed their steps and perked up their ears.

Chen Gui, finally getting a response, exploded, “Your rice cakes barely use any grain! Not even enough to fill a tooth gap, yet you charge two cents! And the fruits are cheap—your fruit tea is three cents? You’ve got no conscience!”

Xiao Wanling replied, “If you think it’s expensive, don’t buy it. The ones who do can fill their bellies—that’s all that matters.” There’s no point arguing logic with him.

Shen Qing nodded. He ate a lot too, but it filled him up. Just buy a few more.

Chen Gui stormed up to the tea house and yelled, “You’re just making excuses!”

Shen Qing growled, “Scram.” Ever since Chen Gui opened a teahouse nearby, he had clung to Xiao Wanling like a leech. Shen Qing had long been sick of him. She was right; fighting now would hurt business. Another time, then.

Chen Gui was intimidated by Shen Qing’s fierce look and quickly ran back to his stall. “No wonder they call you a wild beast! Say a word, and you want to kill someone?”

Xiao Wanling heard him muttering and came out, shouting, “You’re the wild one! Your whole family is wild!”

Chen Gui had just been startled by Shen Qing and hadn’t yet calmed down. Now seeing Madam Xiao storming out, he slammed his door shut, not willing to take more.

Xiao Wanling grew more and more upset. Shen Qing had been orphaned at five, and people had whispered that he cursed his parents to death, calling him a “wild child.” Surrounded by people like Chen Gui, how had he survived?

She picked up a rock and hurled it at Chen Gui’s door. With a loud bang, the wooden panel splintered.

Inside, Chen Gui jumped in fright.

Xiao Wanling stood with hands on hips and shouted, “If I hear you insult Shen Qing again, I’ll beat you until your teeth scatter!”

She suddenly noticed Shen Qing staring at her in a daze. Her heart jumped. Had she blown her cover? Had he figured out she wasn’t the real one?