Chapter 530: Chapter 530: Going to the Prefecture
After Village Chief He left, the families exchanged a few more words, then each went back to their own homes.
But Gu Daya came back again, and she brought Qi Kang Le with her, saying to Qi Kang Le: "Kneel down."
Qi Kang Le immediately knelt down on the ground.
Third Grandpa and Third Grandma looked on and asked, "Daya, what’s this all about? Why are you making the child kneel for no reason?"
Third Grandma tried to help Qi Kang Le up, but was stopped by Gu Daya: "Third Aunt, let her kneel; it would serve her right to kneel to death!"
Third Grandpa frowned upon hearing this and asked Gu Daya, "What on earth is going on? Out with it."
Gu Daya explained all about Qi Kang Le not wanting to marry and wishing to set up a female-led household and open a tavern.
"You all listen to this, what kind of notion is she harboring? Which girl doesn’t marry off? And she even fancies opening a tavern? Can a maiden like you manage such a place? The tavern is frequented by Old Masters, each becoming capable of anything after drinking. You, an unmarried girl, acting as the shopkeeper in a tavern, what are you...?" Selling vegetables or selling smiles?!
Gu Daya was almost furious to death: "She isn’t content even when not allowed to open a tavern. You two elders, please talk some sense into her, I can’t persuade her anymore."
Third Grandpa and Third Grandma looked unhappy after hearing this and asked Qi Kang Le, "Do you really want to open a tavern? Do you truly not wish to marry?"
Qi Kang Le, without any fear, looked up at the elders and said, "Yes, Third Grandma and Third Grandpa, Kang Le doesn’t want to marry. I wish to open a tavern for a living and later adopt a child to spend my days."
Third Grandma, heartbroken, asked Qi Kang Le, "Is it because of... past incidents?"
After seeing Qi Kang Le nod, she continued to persuade, "It wasn’t your fault what happened in the past—that plague of a Li Family caused all the troubles. Besides, you were unharmed; you’re still a clean and decent girl, no need to fear idle gossip."
Qi Kang Le bitterly smiled: "Third Grandma, even if I am innocent, having been to such places, if people find out, I will be despised for life. I cannot stand being mistreated; rather than being scorned for life by my husband’s family, I’d rather not marry and open a tavern to support myself."
Gu Daya scolded, "Opening a tavern, again with the tavern! How many times have I told you, taverns serve mostly male patrons. As a girl, running a tavern, have you no shame?!"
Courage bolstered by wine, wine turns men evil; once men are drunk, those without bad intentions could conjure malice. Seeing her, a young maiden, as the shopkeeper of a tavern, wouldn’t they bully her to death?
Qi Kang Le said, "Mother, I can do it well, I won’t let myself be taken advantage of."
With a slap, Gu Daya gave Qi Kang Le a slap across the face: "Shut your mouth, I’m telling you, if you want to open a tavern and be a shopkeeper, you can only do so over my dead body!"
"What are you doing, Daya?" Third Grandma hurriedly intervened, pulling Gu Daya aside.
Gu Daya could not help but burst into tears, "Third Aunt, you don’t understand; this damned girl is so stubborn... What am I working so hard for? Isn’t it all for the sake of them marrying well, for them to lead a happy life in the future? It’s bad enough she doesn’t want to marry, but she also dreams of opening a tavern; she’s delusional about flying to the heavens."
Gu Jinli listened with some difficulty; Qi Kang Le’s matter, she was at fault too... She asked Gu Daya, "Auntie, do you not want Cousin Le to open a tavern, or do you not want her to be the shopkeeper of a tavern?"
She further suggested, "If it’s just that you don’t want Cousin Le to be the shopkeeper of a tavern, in a little while we can go to Prefecture and buy a shopkeeper to bring back. Cousin can just manage the accounts and oversee the shopkeeper, that’s all."
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Qi Kangle’s eyes lit up when she heard this and she hurriedly said to Gu Daya, "Mother, that’s exactly what I mean... I know my thoughts are unconventional, but we know our own business. I don’t want to marry in trepidation, nor do I want my in-laws to know about my past and to live a life of silent endurance among them. I really can’t bear to live such a life."
Other people don’t care whether she is innocent; the moment they know she has been to Yingxian Square, she becomes a dirty woman in their eyes.
Third Grandma felt very heartbroken when she heard this and said to Qi Kangle, "Sister Le, you don’t have to think like that. There are still many families with a clear sense of right and wrong. Even if they know about your near experience with being sold, they won’t look down on you. There will always be a good family waiting for you."
Third Grandma was right; there was indeed a good family in Qingfu Town waiting for Qi Kangle. She just didn’t know it yet.
When Gu Daya heard Qi Kangle’s words and thought about the suffering she had endured, she couldn’t help but cry out loud.
Seeing this, Qi Kangle was heartbroken and hugged Gu Daya, the mother and daughter crying together.
Looking at Qi Kangle’s pitiful crying, Gu Daya also felt great distress and began to waver... If this girl really didn’t plan to marry, then she needed to have some kind of business to rely on.
But Sister Le wasn’t like Sister Xiu who had superb embroidery skills and could earn Silver without showing her face in public, nor was she like Xiao Yu who had the hard skill of making medicine and could earn a substantial amount of Silver just from working in a pharmaceutical workshop. The only skills Sister Le had to offer were her cooking and a bit of courage.
After much hesitation, Gu Daya finally asked Gu Jinli, "Xiao Yu, you mentioned buying someone to be the Shopkeeper of the restaurant. Is it reliable? Can we buy a woman for the job? If we get a male Shopkeeper, it would not be appropriate for your Cousin Le to meet with him frequently."
Gu Jinli smiled and said, "Auntie, if you’re concerned, we can divide the restaurant business into three parts: me, Cousin Le, and Cousin Ping. Cousin Ping is a man and can handle external affairs. We can hire an experienced Shopkeeper to assist him, and with a good chef and a few signature dishes, the restaurant can start operating. You and Uncle are also in town, just drop by to check on things from time to time to prevent any issues."
Gu Daya was pleased with the idea, "That’s an excellent plan, how come I didn’t think of that? I was so flustered by that girl that my mind went blank. Right, right, let your Cousin Ping manage the restaurant’s external affairs. He is too honest, so it would be good for him to develop his courage, and when he starts a family in the future, he will have a family business to support his children. When your Uncle and I get old, we can let him take over the cured meat shop as well."
As for Qi Kangming, he intended to pursue an official position, and if he succeeded, he would not take over the family shop.
Qi Kangle was also pleased to hear this, and after sharing some of her own thoughts with Gu Daya, the mother and daughter reconciled and returned home happily.
The matter of Qi Kangle starting a restaurant was settled.
In the following period, after everyone had visited the newly purchased farmland, Gu Jinli started to prepare for the trip to the prefecture.
This trip to the prefecture was not only to buy people to work in medicine-making but also to take the Qi Kangping brothers for a follow-up consultation with Doctor Xiao to see the progress of their limbs’ recovery.
This had been agreed upon at the time of setting their broken bones: no matter how the injury had healed, they had to go for a check-up.
Luo Wu learned that they were going to the Prefecture and specially came back to ask Luo Huiniang to speak with Gu Jinli, inquiring, "Will Sister Xiu accompany you to see Granny Li of the Huaiyu Embroidery Shop?"
Gu Jinli glanced at her, "Did your brother ask you to come?"
Luo Huiniang was shocked, "You knew?"
Gu Jinli: "I am not foolish."