Chapter 180 2/3

He divided the leftover food among the students who stayed for the New Year, giving each of them a boiled egg for breakfast.

As for his own family, they also ate vegetable rice cakes along with the leftovers from the previous night.

“Brother Chang, the food you make is really delicious!” Gou Ying said, eating non-stop.

Qian Fugui also found Chang Zhan’s cooking very tasty and happily ate the rice cakes.

However, he ate in his own room upstairs because he didn’t want to run into Gou Ying. He claimed he was tired and needed to rest.

Indeed, he was a bit tired. He had gone through a lot in the past few days and felt exhausted after everything settled down.

After breakfast, Li Qingzhi told Gou Ying to go play with the other children at the school, and then he began writing a letter to Vice Magistrate Gou.

He explained that Gou Ying had come to his house late last night. Since it was so late, he didn’t send Gou Ying back. Now, Gou Ying didn’t want to return to the prefectural city and wished to study in Chongcheng County. He asked Vice Magistrate Gou to make a decision…

Li Qingzhi didn’t elaborate much in the letter but mentioned that Gou Ying was very emotional. If pressured too much, he might do something rash…

Though Vice Magistrate Gou might not know how to educate children, he did care about Gou Ying and likely wouldn’t force him to leave.

After writing the letter, Li Qingzhi found someone to deliver it to the prefectural city.

Even though it was New Year’s Day, there were plenty of people willing to run errands for money.

Moreover, despite the festive season, it wasn’t an easy time for the poor.

After sending the letter, Li Qingzhi went to the county town to get some medicine.

On New Year’s Day, the pharmacies were closed, but everyone knew where the doctors lived. After finding a doctor’s house and offering money, the doctor cheerfully prepared the medicine.

Li Qingzhi got some medicine for treating bruises and injuries, planning to make a poultice for Qian Fugui’s back.

Of course, this common traditional medicine couldn’t heal bone injuries; Qian Fugui’s recovery would still rely on his own resilience.

After getting the medicine, Li Qingzhi remembered that Li Laogen wanted a silver peanut necklace last night. He went to a jewelry store and bought a silver peanut that could be worn around the neck.

When he returned with the silver peanut, he found Li Laogen pestering Jin Xiaoye to take him back to Miaoqian Village.

“Xiaoye, it’s New Year’s Day. You should visit relatives…”

“No one has invited me for a meal today,” Jin Xiaoye replied, exasperated.

“As long as you go, someone will invite you. Xiaoye, please go…” Li Laogen pleaded.

Jin Xiaoye knew that Li Laogen just wanted to show off. After thinking for a moment, she agreed, “Alright, I’ll take you back later.” She wanted to visit Fang Jinniang anyway and had nothing else to do at home…

“Xiaoye, if you’re going, be careful,” Li Qingzhi advised Jin Xiaoye, handing the silver peanut to Li Laogen.

This made Li Laogen pester even more, insisting that Jin Xiaoye take him back immediately.

Since it wasn’t yet lunchtime, Jin Xiaoye had planned to leave after eating. But, tired of Li Laogen’s pestering…

She packed a basket of food and set off for Miaoqian Village with Li Laogen.

Jin Xiaoye didn’t bring the two children along; she wanted to have a private conversation with her parents. However, the next day, the second day of the New Year, she would take both children and Li Qingzhi with her to visit.

After Jin Xiaoye left, Li Qingzhi chatted with Qian Fugui while grinding the medicine into a paste.

Qian Fugui didn’t think that just any medicine could cure his back injury, but he was pleased with his nephew’s filial piety. Happily, he shared his plans: “Before I came south, the King of Yan arranged for his counselor’s son to take over Yulong Trading Company’s northern business. I knew the king wanted to control the company. I thought I was getting old and it was okay to hand over the business… Now I realize he was preparing to betray me… That man has no experience; I can set some traps and quietly move the money out…”

Li Qingzhi listened and offered some advice on business strategies, having seen similar things before.

However, Qian Fugui said, “Aqing, if we were doing normal business, your ideas would be great. But nowadays, without powerful backers, no matter how well the business does, it won’t matter! It’s better to have my managers secretly siphon off the money.”

After hearing this, Li Qingzhi immediately understood.

This was a feudal society, not the modern era.

In modern times, large companies often bullied and swallowed up emerging small companies. In ancient times…

The King of Yan had already allied with some officials. With a few hints, those officials would crush Yulong Trading Company’s competitors.

The Chang family’s restaurant had been easily taken over by the Lou family, after all.

Compared to him, Qian Fugui was more experienced in business matters, especially with Yulong Trading Company, which he had built from scratch.

Qian Fugui had a natural talent for business. He wasn’t interested in women, focused on his career with a sense of vengeance, and had a likable appearance… Over the years, he had done very well in business.

Previously, Qian Fugui thought that although he founded Yulong Trading Company, he had only invested a third of the capital, with two-thirds coming from the King of Yan. Giving ninety percent of the profits to the king seemed reasonable, but now…

That initial capital likely came from the disaster relief funds stolen seven years ago!

His sister’s family had lost their lives because of that money!

“Dad, are you going to take medicine again?” Li Damao and Li Ermao approached, curiously looking at the medicine in Li Qingzhi’s hand, admiring him.

Their father was really impressive, willing to take such nasty medicine!

Li Qingzhi: “…” The question felt odd.

Qian Fugui had lunch in his room again—his back was covered in medicine, so he had to lie down.

In the afternoon, Qian Fugui quietly left. He planned to stay in Chongcheng County until the fifth day of the New Year but didn’t want to stay at the Li family’s house. However, Li Qingzhi could visit him at the inn.

If it weren’t for Li Qingzhi offering to treat his back injury, he wouldn’t have stayed so long in Chongcheng County.

But since his nephew wanted to care for him, staying a few more days was no problem.

In recent years, the King of Yan’s power had grown rapidly, but he had no presence in Jiangnan. In fact, much of his information came from Yulong Trading Company.

After Qian Fugui controlled the people around him, the King of Yan couldn’t find out what he was doing.

In Miaoqian Village.

Li Laogen, holding the silver peanut, bragged to everyone in the village, even visiting Mr. Yao’s house, boasting about how his son bought him the silver peanut and how filial he was.

He didn’t mention the gold coins—Jin Xiaoye had scared him, saying if he bragged, someone might come to steal them. He refrained from mentioning it, content with showing off the silver peanut.

Mr. Yao wanted to chase Li Laogen away with an oar.

Jin Moli was also unhappy but felt better knowing that Jin Xiaoye had come back alone. Maybe Jin Xiaoye and Li Qingzhi had fallen out, so he didn’t accompany her?

In her past life, Yao Zhenfu also distanced himself from Jin Xiaoye…

However, Jin Moli’s satisfaction only lasted a day. The next day, Li Qingzhi accompanied Jin Xiaoye, bringing their two children and lots of gifts back to Miaoqian Village.

Jin Moli grew even angrier, resorting to thinking about other matters. For instance, Jin Xiaoye hadn’t had any more children in the past two years. Maybe the previous twin birth had harmed her body, making her infertile… Li Qingzhi would eventually take a concubine!

With this in mind, Jin Moli, who had returned to her parents’ home, glared at the neighboring Jin Xiaoye.

Jin Xiaoye didn’t pay any attention to Jin Moli. She used to care a lot about Jin Moli when she was young, but now… with money, those old matters seemed insignificant to Jin Xiaoye.