Fan Zehao snorted, "Anyone with half a brain can figure it out. It's either Fan Zhang or Bai Damei. We only have grudges with those two families!"
This was indeed what she had thought, but without any proof, they couldn't just go and demand an explanation.
It felt incredibly frustrating. Zhao Jiaqi turned over, pouted, and finally fell asleep after a long while.
Listening to his wife's sleeping breaths, Fan Zehao opened his clear eyes. The hatred that burst forth from them could not be concealed at all.
He quietly got up, picked up the smooth wooden stick he had prepared a while ago, went out of the courtyard, and headed straight for Fan Zhang's house.
The next day.
The young couple went to town to buy farming tools. As they walked under the big locust tree, they heard people discussing something.
Fan Zhang had been brutally beaten the previous night. Cao Meihua was found lying naked on the roadside early in the morning, with scattered blankets beside her. The passing men had seen everything clearly, and feared their wives would get pregnant if they went home.
Hearing this, Fan Jiaqi found it absurd. If he was beaten, wouldn't his family have heard any commotion?
She wanted to hear more, but the man beside her was full of displeasure and dragged her away.
On the way, the more she thought about it, the more something felt off. Could it be such a coincidence?
Did the scarred man, failing with her, go to Fan Zhang's house?
Or did they have a common enemy!
Lost in speculation all the way, Fan Zehao couldn't stand it any longer. He tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Don't overthink it. I beat the old man, and I dumped the shrew!"
Zhao Jiaqi was stunned. Only then did she recall that Bai Damei's family had been involved in arson, so what was beating someone?
"No killing or arson. Last time, thankfully Li Sheng and his wife ran fast, otherwise there would have been a death!"
If not for this incident, she would have almost forgotten the last time.
This person looked meek, but his heart was wicked, taking revenge in secret.
Fan Zehao shrugged indifferently, "I have my limits and won't cause any deaths. If Bai Damei hadn't gossiped, I wouldn't have bothered with them. This is just a small punishment. I've long disliked that old man Fan Zhang. Yesterday, I just beat him a few times. If he pisses me off again, I'll break his legs and see if he can still jump!"
"Then how did you know it was Fan Zhang? What if it was someone else? Wouldn't you have hit the wrong person!"
Fan Zehao shook his head and replied with certainty, "I wouldn't hit the wrong person!"
Seeing his persistence, Zhao Jiaqi didn't bother to pursue it further, but she was curious. Wouldn't Fan Zhang have cried out if he was beaten?
"You beat Fan Zhang, didn't Fan Fu hear anything?"
Fan Zehao chuckled, scratched his hair a few times, and said a little shyly, "I knocked Fan Zhang out first, then knocked Cao Meihua out. After that, I stuffed Cao Meihua's foot-binding cloth into Fan Zhang's mouth, covered them with a quilt, and then I beat him!"
He had won, but it felt unsportsmanlike, making Fan Zehao a bit ashamed!
However, half of the anger in his heart was released.
Zhao Jiaqi was speechless. Her husband's trick was truly cunning.
They bought a pile of farming tools, some pots and pans, and a large quantity of grain. Starting from tomorrow, ten mu of wasteland would be cleared. Twenty long-term laborers were hired, who would be provided with one meal at noon and paid twenty copper coins a day.
Thinking about feeding twenty people made Zhao Jiaqi's head spin. Tonight, she would find two women who could cook; she had no intention of doing it herself.
She went to Piggy Rong's stall and bought another ten jin of fatty pork. The shopping spree had cost a considerable amount of silver.
She lamented that money was hard to earn but easy to spend, and only hoped that this greenhouse would bring them more income this winter.
Fan Guangping and Wang Zhaodi finished packing up their stall and gave the couple a ride home. They walked back, laughing cheerfully.
On the way, Wang Zhaodi said, "The weather is gradually getting cooler, and I don't sell much Liangpi every day. I plan to stop setting up the stall from tomorrow. I'll see how much Xie Kun can take and make that much for him."
It was almost October, and not much could be sold. If they didn't do it, they wouldn't do it!
"Have you finished harvesting your corn?" Zhao Jiaqi asked.
Wang Zhaodi nodded, "Yes, we finished. Tomorrow we'll plant wheat. Working hard in the fields is exhausting, and it doesn't earn much money. Besides taxes, it's just enough to eat."
She sighed, "Fortunately, I've earned quite a bit of money with you. Otherwise, all year round, my pockets would be tight!"
She was very grateful to Zhao Jiaqi. At least now they had a steady supply of meat and grain, and had saved two taels of silver. Compared to previous years, they were much more content.
"Don't plant wheat. Plant cabbage. I'm telling you now, planting this season's cabbage will earn you more than planting wheat. Don't ask me why, I'm not telling you now!"
She smiled and kept it a secret. Although she didn't explain the reason, Wang Zhaodi trusted her implicitly.
"Alright, no problem. Sister-in-law trusts you!"
Halfway down the road, a horse-drawn carriage rushed towards them from behind. Fan Guangping quickly made way, but the carriage slowed down to follow them.
Xiao Liuzi called out to them, "Master Fan, Madam Fan, our shopkeeper invites you for a talk at the restaurant!"
Tianxiang Tower wanted to see them?
Fan Guangping's hand tightened, and the ox cart stopped.
He turned back and said, "You two go ahead. I'll take the things back. I'll come to Tianxiang Tower to pick you up later. Don't walk back. Have dinner at my place tonight and ask Mom to cook a few more dishes."
After instructing the young couple, Fan Guangping drove his ox cart away.
Xiao Liuzi picked them up, and the carriage sped towards the town.
Tianxiang Tower, study room!
Murong Sheng sat at the round table, drinking tea. On the other side were Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi, also quietly sipping tea.
Song Mingliang stood by Murong Sheng's side, smiling as he introduced the two to his employer!
"These two are villagers from Nanling Village, a young couple. The man is Fan Zehao, a hunter, and the woman is Zhao Jiaqi. All the braised meat and other items we receive are from her!"
As if remembering something, Song Mingliang quickly added, "The Liangpi that's very popular in town was also created by this young lady. It tastes very good."
After the introduction, he stood back as expected, his cautious demeanor completely lacking his usual imposing manner.
Fan Zehao frowned, seeing that with money in hand, people would be somewhat feared.
His eyes lit up, and he suddenly understood. In the future, he also wanted to be a superior person and earn more money, so that he would not be bullied!
Murong Sheng put down his teacup and looked at the couple. They were dressed simply and unpretentiously, low-key and restrained, not arrogant or overbearing. Most importantly, the braised meat tasted very good and sold well in restaurants in the county and prefecture.
"You're using dishes as shares. Aren't you afraid my accountant will falsify how many portions are sold?" Murong Sheng posed this question.
Fan Zehao immediately replied, "No, I'm not afraid. If I find out later, I won't cooperate with you anymore. These few dishes are just a small matter; we have more and better ones here. But I also believe in Shopkeeper Song's character. I believe those he follows won't be bad either, and such a large establishment as Tianxiang Tower wouldn't covet my meager contributions!"
Straightforwardness was Fan Zehao's guiding principle.
At this, Murong Sheng finally understood what Song Mingliang meant by a simple and honest person.