Chapter 17: Someone is playing tricks?!

Lu Jia took the opportunity to glance over: "What is the Zhang family doing guarding the Imperial Commissioner? What does it have to do with him whether the Commissioner comes or not?"

"I don't know what's going on. After the Commissioner arrived in Tanzhou Prefecture, he didn't stay long and headed straight for Shawan County. I also heard that as soon as he arrived, he started paying attention to the merchants at the pier. Once they heard the news, they were definitely looking to make a good impression."

The two youths pondered this, eyes locked.

Lu Jia felt it was likely so. Since she had time to kill and saw it was still early, she headed out again.

"Sister, I went to the Chamber of Commerce with my father today, and I heard some news."

Just as she stepped out, Li Chang caught up to her, dropping his wood-chopping knife. "I heard them mentioning your shop. They were saying the location is good, but the owner isn't decent—ugh, anyway, they were talking nonsense. I scolded them on your behalf!"

Lu Jia turned around. "Not decent? What are they talking about?"

Li Chang stood with his hands on his hips, gritting his teeth and shaking his head repeatedly before gesturing for her to step outside to avoid Xie Yi. "They are slandering Aunt Qiu. You know how it is—there's always trouble around a widow's door. This rumor has probably been circulating for more than a day or two; it just hasn't reached your ears yet. In short, they're implying that your shop is bad luck."

Hearing this, Lu Jia felt a sudden chill run down her spine. "I was wondering! It makes sense why the merchants are scrambling to get my shop, yet they act like they've seen a ghost when it comes to actually renting it. So, someone is playing dirty behind the scenes!"

Li Chang said hurriedly, "I was furious when I heard it, but I was also afraid Aunt Qiu might be hurt if she heard it. Yi-ge was angry too, so I came to let you know. You're smart; I'm sure you can find a way to stop this rumor."

Lu Jia took a deep breath, crossed her arms, and frowned in thought. Suddenly, she glanced toward the Zhang family's direction and asked him, "Zhang Qi went to the yamen to suck up to the officials, but what about He Shi? Do you know where she went?"

"Didn't her family buy a warehouse? A while ago, they moved their business out of your shop and bought two units upstream, merging them into one large shop. They've already started operations. He Shi is busy collecting grain; she's probably still at the shop."

Lu Jia immediately lost interest in watching Zhang Qi. She beckoned, "Lead the way for me. I happen to be going upstream to buy some cured meat to stir-fry with fresh bamboo shoots tonight. Stay and join me."

Li Chang scratched his head. "Forget the meal, but do I have to pay you for helping you with chores? Follow me!"

With that, he bolted toward the street.

Xie Yi, who had been chopping wood, watched them dash off. Seeing Da Huang lying nearby, he sent the dog out to follow.

The upstream part of the pier had the widest expanse of river, with a small islet in the middle called Yangmei Islet. There were villages and many inns on the islet. Because the waters of Lianshui flowed around Yangmei Islet and converged here to join the Xiang River, this was the most prosperous area.

The Zhang family's new shop was indeed bustling. Even though the sun was setting, the large black signboard reading "Yufeng Hao" still saw a continuous stream of people coming and going.

Lu Jia walked in quite openly. Everyone inside was busy, so no one paid her much attention.

She scanned the room and saw, behind a bead curtain to the east, He Shi entertaining two women dressed in silk with a beaming smile.

After a moment's pause, Lu Jia walked out and found a shop on the street that was also up for rent. Amidst the crowd of people vying to rent it, she asked a nearby merchant as if casually

"There's a rice shop downstream with a good location and cheap rent. Why are you all crowding here instead of checking that one out?"

"Are you talking about the Xie family's place?"

Lu Jia nodded. "I believe it's the Xie family."

"Hah, who would go there!" The man slapped his thigh. "I heard that after the Xie woman's husband died, she became involved with the neighbors—people even caught them! They say those three women haven't done a lick of productive work all these years and have lived solely off the Xie woman's 'talents.' If anyone rents their shop, won't their own backyards catch fire?"

"Exactly," several people nearby chimed in. "The ones of us who rent short-term are small-scale traders, usually husband and wife working together. If any kind of scandal breaks out, the shop won't even be able to stay open!"

Lu Jia suppressed the anger in her heart. "I'm a local from Shawan Pier, so why haven't I heard these things? Where did this come from?"

"If you want to get to the bottom of it, it's hard to say. It's spread all over the pier now. I reckon everyone knows except the traveling merchants—how that in the middle of the night, the Xie woman's brother tried to go talk to her and ended up getting blocked there! What happened, you figure it out yourself."

As everyone began talking at once, the topic opened up completely.

Lu Jia walked out of the crowd with a face ashen with rage. Li Chang, having overheard everything, stepped up with a grim expression. "This must be the Zhang family's doing! But who exactly is the person being blocked? Are they slandering my father or Li Er?"

The rumor the Zhang family fabricated definitely referred to what happened that night.

That night, both Li Er and some people brought by Taoist Li had appeared at the Xie residence. Since the slander targeted Qiu Niang, it didn't match Li Er. Dammit, was this gossip-monger accidentally targeting his own father?

Lu Jia didn't answer. Instead, she glared heavily at the Zhang family's shop across the road and let out a sharp huff. "They never learn. A single warehouse isn't enough to fill their bellies!"

Having said that, she looked at Li Chang. "Do you recognize those women who were talking to He Shi just now?"

The Li family had been Taoists for generations, and the locals were very devout. Having followed his father around for funerals since childhood, Li Chang naturally knew many people.

Sure enough, he replied immediately, "The one in the blue shirt is from Wealthy Man He's family in Shitan. The one in purple with her seems to be from Wealthy Man Lu's village. Both families are landlords; they're most likely discussing grain collection."

Lu Jia snorted and turned to him. "Are you free these next few days?"

"Of course!" Li Chang said resentfully. "They even dragged my father into this. Shouldn't I go and settle things with the Zhang family?"

"Don't bother settling things. Your mother is still working as a cook for them. Listen to me: these next few days, find out what new business the Zhang family has recently secured. Which families are involved? How far along are they? Also, look into the backgrounds of the He and Lu families. Find out everything."

As she spoke, Lu Jia poured all the copper coins she had earned from selling sewing kits into his hands. "Take this for expenses."

Li Chang tried to decline, but Lu Jia forced it upon him. "Just do as I say. Once my business takes off, you won't have to be a laborer at the pier anymore. Don't be useless; come work with me."

Given his sense of justice and passion, as well as his flawless coordination with Xie Yi that night, Lu Jia knew that while she was pulling Xie Yi up, she couldn't let this boy fall behind.

Li Chang's chest heaved a few times before he pocketed the coins and nodded heavily. "You got it!"