As Su Xiaoqi had predicted, everyone who tasted the complimentary bitter buckwheat tea wanted to buy a pound.
"Come, come, my employer announced new stock today, and you are all neighbors.
I'll give you a great discount: buy three jin, get one free."
"Wow, that's a good deal. Give me three jin, so that means you'll weigh out four jin?"
Su Xiaoqi smiled sweetly, "Naturally."
She weighed out a full four jin for them, collecting one hundred fifty wen.
Soon, one person wanted four jin, and another wanted four jin as well.
These people couldn't be said to be wealthy, but they weren't so short of a hundred wen either.
Moreover, the tea was indeed fresh and delicious.
They had only heard of it before, with nowhere to buy it.
Now they could buy it and enjoy it at home.
And it was said to be good for their health too.
Everyone, chattering amongst themselves, was enticed.
In less than half an hour, Su Xiaoqi's one hundred jin of bitter buckwheat tea was reduced to only twenty jin remaining.
She had earned three taels and one hundred wen in total.
Seeing the promotional effect and the speed, Zhao Dayou's eyes were filled with envy.
He was profoundly impressed with Su Xiaoqi.
Su Xiaoqi immediately stuffed ten wen into the hands of Xiao Xique and Xiao Liu, telling them to use it to buy candy.
The two were hesitant to accept, especially Xiao Xique.
She said that Sister Xiaoqi had already given them enough.
Their help was expected.
Su Xiaoqi smiled and told them, "I said I would provide you with food and lodging for now.
If you want to continue staying there later, you will have to pay for the rent and the meal fees to Aunt Wen."
Of course, she would tell Grandma Wen not to charge too much, just a nominal fee.
This was to prevent them from thinking she could provide food and lodging unconditionally.
That would lead to them becoming lazy, which would truly harm them.
Therefore, Su Xiaoqi gave them a month's buffer period.
Then, she would do her best to provide them with work opportunities.
Later, she would also offer learning opportunities based on their individual personalities.
Whether it was studying for the imperial examinations.
Or, like Zhao Xiaozhu and Xiao Mei, learning a skill they were interested in or adept at.
In short, all measures implemented had only one purpose:
To empower them to support themselves and improve their lives without relying on anyone else.
This task was easier said than done.
Su Xiaoqi currently only had a preliminary vision, and many practical issues needed to be resolved subsequently.
She believed that by tackling them one by one, they would eventually be resolved.
She mused to herself and wrote a letter.
She found the waiter again and asked him to make a trip to Chen Jin Ji.
She instructed him to deliver the letter to the owner of Chen Jin Ji, saying she would tell him what to do.
The waiter, known for his swift feet, acknowledged Su Xiaoqi's instructions and ran off quickly, disappearing in a flash.
Soon, Xiao Yi returned.
However, his expression was not pleasant.
"What's wrong?" Su Xiaoqi asked.
Xiao Yi frowned deeply and said, "Sister Qi, Su Dafu has been released."
"What, released? On what grounds?" Su Xiaoqi said sternly.
He was a recidivist; to be released after being held for just one day seemed too lenient.
Xiao Yi had already inquired.
It was Su Dafu's father who, relying on the Su family's influence, had bribed the county magistrate's clerk with money.
That clerk, named Hua, had a glib tongue and in a few words managed to persuade the elderly and dim-sighted magistrate to release the man without charge.
"Hateful," Su Xiaoqi snorted.
She thought of the Su family's old steward, who was no good.
But he truly doted on his good-for-nothing son.
It was understandable that he would pay money to resolve the trouble for him.
What a pity.
Su Xiaoqi sighed.
She then asked about Xiao Liu.
Xiao Yi lowered his voice, "I heard that Su Dafu resents him for betraying him and wants to have him dealt with."
"Dealt with? Just because he says so? Is there no law?" Su Xiaoqi said angrily, slapping the table.
"Sister Qi, keep your voice down. The Su family is a dominant force in Mianzhou City, as you well know." Xiao Yi was implying that she should consider the Su family's situation.
She herself had stayed there for several months and should have experienced their influence.
Su Xiaoqi naturally knew.
The original owner of her body wasn't that outrageous.
It was precisely because she had been steeped in the Su family's corrupting influence that her heart had blackened, leading her to commit acts of betrayal.
"If they want to deal with him, then I will save him.
I will let them know that this world is not theirs to do with as they please."
Su Xiaoqi was currently fueled by anger.
She took out the three taels of money she had just earned from selling bitter buckwheat tea and handed it to Xiao Yi, asking him to make another trip to Xiao Liu's house.
"Give this to him and tell him to leave here quickly."
"Sister Qi, you..." Xiao Yi started to dissuade her.
But he knew Su Xiaoqi's temperament too well.
She would not listen to his advice.
He had no choice but to make the trip.
It was better than watching Xiao Liu be killed by the Su family.
Su Xiaoqi's mood instantly soured, and she lost the desire to stay in the shop.
She instructed Zhao Dayou to look after the shop, and when the waiter brought the pastries from Chen Jin Ji, he was to put them on display.
Then, he was to call out to passersby so that they would know they could also buy Chen Jin Ji pastries here.
Zhao Dayou repeatedly replied, "Alright, if it has the Chen Jin Ji brand, I'll definitely sell them."
Su Xiaoqi went into the back courtyard and happened to arrive for lunch.
Due to everyone's concern, Su Xiaoqi ate a little perfunctorily.
She noticed Zhao Xiaozhu constantly looking at her.
Remembering the agreement made in the mule cart that day, she quickly set aside her worries and spoke to Grandma Wen on Zhao Xiaozhu's behalf.
Grandma Wen squinted at Zhao Xiaozhu.
She began to ask about Zhao Xiaozhu's experience with embroidery and clothing making.
Zhao Xiaozhu was not eloquent, and only after Su Xiaoqi's encouragement did she speak in a murmur.
At first, her voice was as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.
Later, when she became enthusiastic, her voice became slightly louder.
Su Xiaoqi thought of this and took out the outfit Zhao Xiaozhu had made to show Grandma Wen.
"Huh, not bad skill. Can do, can do, a thoughtful person.
Young Lady Qi, I'll boldly accept Xiao Zhu as my disciple," Grandma Wen declared, clapping her thigh and agreeing.
Su Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and gave Zhao Xiaozhu a thumbs-up.
She said the matter was settled.
She would go buy some dried fruits and pork later to perform the apprenticeship ceremony.
Grandma Wen had initially thought it would just be a verbal agreement.
She hadn't expected Su Xiaoqi to make it so formal.
It made her a little embarrassed.
She quickly declined, saying it wasn't necessary to go to such trouble.
How could Su Xiaoqi agree to that?
From the time she had known Grandma Wen, she had felt great sympathy for her misfortunes and also admired her character and integrity.
After tidying up, she took Zhao Xiaozhu out to the market.
She already had experience and followed the same gift-giving protocol as Shen Yun.
They walked down the street carrying the items.
Su Xiaoqi couldn't resist visiting the intermediary Meng again.
She inquired if there was any progress on the shop they had discussed.
Intermediary Meng squinted and smiled, saying it would be soon.
He asked her to wait patiently.
Su Xiaoqi also smiled, "Alright then, a good house is worth the wait."
As they were speaking, she saw someone walking directly towards her.
Su Xiaoqi quickly moved aside.
But seeing her move, the person also moved, and the two almost collided.