Chapter 65: Envy Away

“This…”

Jiang Mixia was momentarily at a loss for words.

The student’s regretful demeanor just now seemed to be stemming from something profound. Observing her and then looking at Song Jingyun, it probably appeared to him that she was handling all the business matters, while Song Jingyun remained silent, perhaps making him think that Song Jingyun was somewhat useless.

After all, in this era, male dominance was the norm. If a woman was too capable, especially more so than her husband, it would undoubtedly lead to gossip behind her back.

The scholarly student, adhering strictly to traditional values, was not entirely surprising in his thinking.

But they had no idea about the capabilities of the “small husband.”

Truly, feudalistic thinking could be the death of people!

Jiang Mixia was unimpressed by the student’s behavior. Seeing her “small husband” inquire at this moment, she retorted, “I reckon he’s envious of marrying such a capable wife as me?”

“Absolutely,” Song Jingyun proudly straightened his chest. “My wife is the best, so if he’s envious…”

“Then let him be envious.”

Jiang Mixia paused.

Fifteen minutes passed, and the two individuals who had ordered the waterproof satchels still hadn’t shown up.

“Let’s go, no more waiting.” Jiang Mixia loaded the satchels onto the ox cart.

“Shall we come back tomorrow then?” Song Jingyun inquired.

As a person who keeps her promises, Jiang Mixia was determined to deliver the goods to their intended recipients.

“I’ll leave the satchels at Qiu’s place later, asking one of Qiu’s assistants to keep them safe. After that, I’ll inform the gatekeeper and the other students to pass on a message to those two, letting them know to pick up the satchels from Qiu’s place,” Jiang Mixia explained. “This way, it won’t delay their affairs or ours, and we won’t have to make repeated trips to the county town.”

“That’s a good idea, Xia,” Third uncle Jiang nodded repeatedly. “It works out for both sides.”

“Third Uncle, give me a moment, I’ll go leave a message for them.”

With that, Jiang Mixia went to find the gatekeeper and a few passing students, asking them to help deliver the message.

Once everything was arranged, she and Song Jingyun made their way to Qiu’s place.

Qiu’s shopkeeper recognized Jiang Mixia, warmly welcoming her inside for a conversation.

After explaining the purpose of their visit, Jiang Mixia expressed her gratitude to the shopkeeper. “I appreciate your help with this.”

“It’s just lending a hand. Madam Jiang, no need to be so polite,” the shopkeeper assured. “I’ll keep the items here and make sure they are handed over to those two students when they come.”

“Thank you so much, Shopkeeper Ge.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

With the matter settled, Jiang Mixia exchanged some pleasantries before taking her leave.

Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Ge continued with his business at the store.

“Shopkeeper Ge,” a tall middle-aged man entered the shop.

“The honored guest has arrived,” Shopkeeper Ge hurriedly greeted him with a smile. “When did you arrive in Fengyang County?”

“I just got here,” Zheng Yuanhe replied.

Glancing around, he asked, “Is the young lady not in the shop?”

Zheng Yuanhe was Madam Zheng’s eldest cousin, the eldest son of the Zheng family’s uncle.

When Madam Zheng’s mother died from excessive bleeding during childbirth, his father, overwhelmed with grief over his wife’s death, passed away within two years. As a result, she was raised in the home of his elder uncle.

The elder uncle had only three sons and no daughters. Additionally, despite being a merchant family, the Zhengs maintained a virtuous family tradition, refraining from taking concubines. Consequently, after Zheng Yuanhe’s mother suffered complications during the birth of her third child, leaving her with a weakened constitution, she was unable to have any more children.

Zheng Yuanhe’s parents were fond of children and had hoped for a daughter. When they brought the then young madam Zheng into their home, they treated her as their own. The three brothers cherished their little sister as well, showering her with affection.

When Madam  Zheng got married, in addition to the dowry originally belonging to her family, Zheng Yuanhe’s parents added significantly to it, treating her as if she were their own daughter.

Zheng Yuanhe also took great care of his sister, often visiting her from Taisong Mansion, fearing she might be mistreated at the Qiu household.

Especially after Madam Zheng became a widow, Zheng Yuanhe became even more diligent. He even opened a shop in the county town, aiming to conduct his affairs in a more legitimate manner.

“Madam came by in the morning, saying that the elderly mother is about to celebrate her birthday. She wants to look for a suitable gift and plans to come to the shop this afternoon to pick out some wood for the newly embroidered bed screen,” Shopkeeper Ge said.

Glancing at the sky outside, he added, “I reckon it’s about time. Would the esteemed guest like to wait here for a while?”

A waiter brought over some tea.

“That’s fine. If I go home now, I might take a wrong turn and miss her. I’ll wait here for a while,” Zheng Yuanhe said, taking a sip of the tea and then pacing around the shop, inspecting various items.

Running a shop was not easy for madam Zheng, especially as a widow and mother. She was susceptible to being underestimated. Every time Zheng Yuanhe visited the shop, he would walk around, not offering any suggestions on operations, but his presence served to intimidate the shop assistants, making it clear that Madam Zheng had support and couldn’t be taken lightly.

Shopkeeper Ge, having been in the shop for many years, understood Zheng Yuanhe’s habits and intentions. He stayed by his side, occasionally providing some explanations.

Satisfied with the state of the shop, Zheng Yuanhe finally sat down, chatted with Shopkeeper Ge while sipping his tea, and inquired about the current business situation of the shop.

He learned that the shop was doing even better than the last time he visited, with the newly added wooden carvings and dolls proving to be quite popular. Zheng Yuanhe smiled, “My little sister has always had good taste.”

Noticing the two bamboo Satchels near the door, he asked, “Is my little sister thinking of getting into the business of bamboo crafts and other miscellaneous items?”

“Sir, those are not items from the shop…” Shopkeeper Ge explained the origin of the satchels to Zheng Yuanhe.

“I see,” Zheng Yuanhe nodded slightly.

As they were talking, two individuals who looked like students entered the shop to pick up the satchels.

The shop assistant verified the individual’s name, received the remaining money, and handed over the satchels. The student expressed gratitude, apologizing for the delay due to matters at the county school, and went on at length about forgetting to inform others about the matter before finally leaving with the satchels.

“These satchels aren’t cheap.”

Once the student had left, Zheng Yuanhe clicked his tongue. “Is it because the prices in the county town have gone up significantly?”

“The prices haven’t gone up, but these satchels are indeed expensive. However, there’s a reason for the price,” Shopkeeper Ge explained. “These satchels are waterproof, so they don’t leak when filled with water, and they keep the contents dry even in the rain. They are very practical for the students. I reckon next year, there will likely be one for each student from Wen De Academy who’s going to take the imperial examination.”

Zheng Yuanhe raised an eyebrow. “Oh? That’s unusual. It’s the first time I’ve heard about bamboo crafts that are waterproof.”

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