The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

Ning Feng was slightly hesitant.

The cook at Qingzhuyuan wasn’t incapable of making this dish, but if Ning Feng had remembered correctly, this dish wasn’t the cook’s specialty. Previously when the cook made this dish, Chu Jinnian had said that the taste was not as good as that of Eight Treasure Restaurant in the capital city, so he only ate one bite and didn’t eat any more. Therefore, ever since then, Ning Feng hadn’t let the kitchen prepare this dish again.

But now, to his surprise, Chu Jinnian claimed this dish as his favorite, praising its wonderful taste and expressing his longing for it. This left Ning Feng pondering why his attitude had suddenly changed.

Regardless of the reason, as an order from Chu Jinnian, there was no way he was not going to get the kitchen to make it.

After agreeing, Ning Feng left his study and instructed his servants to urgently go to Zhuang’s Tofu Shop in town to buy tofu.

Just a moment ago, Jing Zhao returned with interesting news about the tofu shop and brought back tofu and bean sprouts. Without groundless rumors circulating now, Ning Feng felt more assured. Moreover, he was thinking about using the tofu from Zhuang’s Tofu Shop, known for its excellent taste, to compensate for the cook’s insufficiencies when preparing the almond tofu dish.

In the front yard, the sound of Chu Jinzhou reading could be heard clearly in the study, causing Chu Jinnian to slightly curl his lips in contentment.

However, the moment he remembered what Fan Wenxuan had said, his intense gaze softened, and the smile on his lips faded a fraction. He picked up his pen and wrote rapidly, enclosing the finished letter in an envelope.

“Dispatch a courier to deliver this letter to the capital city as quickly as possible. The Fourth Prince must read it personally.”

“Yes.” Jing Zhao responded and quickly left.

This time, it won’t only be about cutting off a piece of the old thief’s flesh, but rather chopping off his entire arm.

Chu Jinnian squinted his eyes slightly.

Business at the tofu shop was notably booming these couple of days.

Even though Zhuang Qingning had gradually increased the daily supply to meet the usual demand, it was still sold out early.

“Look at this momentum, our business is about to reach a new level.” While tidying up the baskets and wooden boxes in the shop, Zhang Qiuying said, “Isn’t this the result of the recent incident? Is this considered a blessing in disguise?”

“I once complained how unlucky we were to encounter such an incident. But now it turns out we have really benefited from it!”

“That’s why there’s a saying ‘Misfortune might be a blessing in disguise’. It may seem like a bad thing, but there might be a great fortune hiding within.” Zhuang Qingning laughed, “We shouldn’t make conclusions too early in the future. We need to wait and see how things turn out.”

“That makes sense.” Zhang Qiuying nodded in agreement.

Just like her own family situation, they had been constantly worrying about not having a son or a younger brother. But now with this incident, without the need to worry about arranging a new house or marriage for a son, things seemed to be working out as a blessing.

Similarly, the incident that they thought would bring their world crashing down, now allows her and her mother to make some money by selling fried chop rice cake, tofu, and other items every day in the town. Though Zhang Xiangrong can’t farm now, he can weave straw sandals, supplementing their income. This can be considered having a way out in times of misfortune.

While thinking about this, Zhang Qiuying felt that what Zhuang Qingning said was absolutely correct.

“Speaking of this matter, it’s been a few days since the pavilion chief took Feng Ershu, who caused the chaos, away. Has there been any decision?” Mrs. Cao asked.

“Also, will the pavilion chief blame us for faking the supernatural?”

Even though this was the best strategy at the time, it still had a deceptive aura. Officials most despised those who utilized such methods to manipulate public opinion and instigate incidents. Still, Mrs. Cao had some fear in her heart that Zhuang Qingning might be blamed for this deception.

“The pavilion chief sent for me yesterday and questioned me again about the cause and effects of this incident. I explained everything clearly,” Zhuang Qingning responded. “There is no blame on us, understanding that we had acted out of necessity. We are, however, forbidden to use this incident to attract customers in the future. Also, regarding this incident, the pavilion chief’s intention is to apply all the silver extracted from Feng Ershu’s punishment to repairing the river embankment, showing that I harbor no ill will and making a good case for me before the county governor.”

“I don’t disagree with this. Moreover, I heard that our county’s governor is rather incorruptible. Assuming this money will be put to good use, sacrificing this profit, after already benefiting from it, that could bring fortune to the public, would be a good deed.”

“As for Feng Ershu, his case seems to have been reported to the county governor, who may conduct further investigations. It is likely that a final verdict will be reached for his crime soon.”

“It’s hard to predict Feng Ershu’s fate as of now, according to the pavilion chief. But given his malicious intentions and his tactic to deceive the public with false supernatural phenomena and unscrupulous pursuits of wealth, it is certain that he won’t be spared of a beating. Moreover, if Mrs. Bai can’t be found, he will bear full responsibility for this incident, and two or three years of labor could be his punishment.”

“Feng Ershu deserved such punishment for his deceitful methods in attempting to get the store at a lower price!”

Mrs. Cao spat on the ground in disdain as she said this with indignation.

People generally believe in ghosts and deities. Trying to acquire the shop at a lower price using rumors is a naive thought. Once the rumors spread, they tend to drift away from the original story, and the scope of their impact tends to expand. When it gets to this point, it is not merely about the shop, but everyone in and around it will be affected by these rumors.

Many innocent people could suffer undeserving misfortunes, unintentionally carrying a stigma or an unlucky reputation that follows them for life. When this happens, they are not only despised everywhere they go, but their daily life and even their marriages are greatly affected.

It is truly despicable for someone to ruin people’s reputation and spread rumors to achieve selfish ends.

“Exactly, such people have no right to live in this world.” Zhang Qiuying agreed. “And also Mrs. Bai and her son, who are accomplices. It’s a pity that they managed to escape.”

“It’s not a thorough escape though. The pavilion chief has declared that Mrs. Bai and Xiao Liuzi are not allowed to set foot in the town anymore. The homes and other possessions of Mrs. Bai and her family have been confiscated. It appears that they intend to sell these possessions and put the money towards the repair of the river embankment. From now on, they will likely lead a vagrant life outside the town.”

Zhuang Qingning continued, “They are notorious for their dishonest behavior, and cheating and deceiving people comes naturally to them. Even if they manage to satisfy their hunger, living a life likened to a rat crossing the street won’t be pleasant.”

“Such a life can often feel more tormenting than receiving a flogging.”

“That’s true.” Zhang Qiuying nodded in agreement.

The group cleaned up the shop, and for lunch, they ate vegetarian dumplings filled with chives, eggs, and glass noodles. Later in the afternoon, when Zhuang Sifu arrived, Zhuang Qingning and Zhuang Qingsui returned home with him.

They bought a slab of ribs on their way home, intending to make steamed ribs with rice flour for dinner..