Chapter Four: The Right Decision

Early the next morning, the entrance to Drunken Immortal Tavern was already packed with people. Beneath the grand sign advertising their signature preserved egg and lean pork congee, a line stretched as far as the eye could see, winding from one end of the town to the other.

“Brother, why are so many people queued up here?”

“The Lin family’s boy just launched a new promotion! Buy congee in pairs—two for the price of one and a half! Bring a newcomer, and they eat for free!”

“What?” The newcomer was Wu Qingshan, son of the Wu family, returning from a night of revelry with the town’s young scions. His face was filled with surprise.

“That’s their business strategy? Aren’t they losing money?”

“Don’t even mention it! This congee—preserved egg and lean pork congee—is unique to Drunken Immortal Tavern! Everyone who’s tasted it raves about it. Why else would so many people come? I heard the county magistrate even sent people to line up!”

“What?” Wu Qingshan was utterly shocked at the news.

What kind of business acumen was this? Was there truly such a commercial genius in the world?

Wu Qingshan’s dream was to become a great merchant. For that dream, he had even abandoned his family’s traditional butchery business, trailing after the wealthy sons of the town day and night in hopes of learning the secrets of commerce. Yet all he’d learned was how to squander and indulge.

This time, he was determined to see just who had devised such a strategy! He wanted to apprentice himself to this person!

Spurred by this thought, he ignored the disapproving looks of his companions and hurried toward the entrance of Drunken Immortal Tavern.

But when he finally saw the “commercial genius” in his mind’s eye, he was dumbfounded.

Impossible! Wasn’t that useless fellow Jiang Chen, the one who lived next door to him?

How could it be?

Meanwhile, Lin Qingxuan stood at the upstairs window, gazing at the sea of people below, his heart brimming with joy.

Just this morning, his subordinate had informed him that they’d earned twenty taels of silver in only a few hours!

He’d made the right bet!

He sent all the money to Jiang Chen.

This Jiang Chen was a prodigy! His value was worth far more than thirty taels of silver.

…

At noon, in the Wu household.

Jiang Chen stepped into the inner room and slowly placed the silver on the table.

“Uncle Wu, here are ten taels of silver. May I now marry Yue’er?”

Butcher Wu, in the midst of his meal, raised his eyebrows at these words but said nothing. In truth, he’d long known the boy had scraped the money together, and now he was weighing whether to entrust his daughter to Jiang Chen.

To be honest, he was reluctant. Jiang Chen had shown some business talent, but in his heart, the boy was still nothing but a bookworm.

Yet he was a man of his word. If he went back on his promise, he’d be no better than Jiang Chen in the eyes of others.

The two remained at an impasse for a while until Wu Qingshan, panting, emerged from a room nearby and broke the silence.

“Father!”

“Qingshan?” Butcher Wu was surprised, and just then, a graceful figure rushed out from the room.

“Brother Chen!”

Not far off, Wu Yue spotted Jiang Chen, and like a traveler in a parched desert glimpsing a cool oasis, she ignored her father and ran straight to the one she loved.

Jiang Chen understood the affection in her call, and his heart trembled. When he turned, a fragrant breeze swept into his arms—the soft warmth pressed to his chest instantly dispelling all the cold within him.

“Brother Chen…”

The young woman gasped for breath, trembling without a single sob.

“I thought I’d never see you again!”

“How could that be…” Jiang Chen gently ran his fingers through her silky, pitch-black hair.

“I promised I’d wait for you—no matter if the seas dried up or the heavens crumbled, I would come for you.”

In the distance, Wu Qingshan, supporting himself on his knees, finally allowed a faint smile to appear.

But Butcher Wu, seeing his son take the outsider’s side, flushed with anger and was speechless for a long while.

“Qing… Qingshan! You’ll be the death of me! A scholar is a useless thing, and she is your elder sister! How can you treat her so? And have you forgotten? That boy’s father is—”

But before he could finish, Wu Qingshan interrupted.

“Father! How could I ever harm my sister?”

He leaned in and whispered the news he’d picked up from the wealthy scions into his father’s ear.

Hearing this, Butcher Wu’s expression softened.

Wu Qingshan, seeing his father’s reaction, knew his father was starting to accept Jiang Chen, so he added, “Father! Even if he’s a scoundrel, this is a scoundrel with ties to the Lin family! That’s the Lin family—if we get a share of their fortunes, my sister will never want for anything!”

He looked to his father, who was now gazing at Jiang Chen and Wu Yue embracing, his eyes filled with the weariness of age.

Once, he too had been a penniless youth.

Once, he too had someone willing to wait for him, no matter how long.

Perhaps it was a memory, or perhaps he’d finally understood.

Butcher Wu cleared his throat, putting on a gruff facade, and glared at his son. Then, taking the opportunity his son had provided, he said, “Hmph! Enough of this public affection.”

“Take your ten taels of silver and fix up your shabby hut. Give my daughter a proper home!”

“Father!” Wu Yue, at once shocked and overjoyed, looked at her father with disbelief and a blush on her cheeks.

Jiang Chen, ever perceptive, understood the gesture at once.

Without a word, he knelt down on one knee.

“One day, when I, Jiang Chen, make my mark on the world, I will grant the Wu family a lifetime of glory!”

Butcher Wu’s gaze softened further. Though his heart swelled, he remained dismissive.

A lifetime of glory? Such arrogance! In these troubled times, survival alone is a luxury—this was just the youthful fancy of the young.

Still… who among us has not been young? Once, he too had ridden high, but…

He slowly shook his head and looked at Jiang Chen.

“Get up! Enough with the empty promises. In these chaotic times, just living is enough.”

With that, Butcher Wu went back into the house, as if he no longer wished to see his daughter and Jiang Chen together.

He cast a glance at the dusty ancestral tablets of the Wu family in the corner, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

…

The night passed. Early the next morning, Jiang Chen hurried into town, hired a crew, and tore down his old thatched hut to build a new house. Thanks to his connection with the Lin family, he even hired a famed local craftsman to redesign the Wu family’s courtyard.

The little mountain village, usually deserted, was bustling with life. The commotion drew all the villagers out, young and old.

Jiang Chen, having grown up in the countryside before his transmigration, knew well the customs of village life. To silence gossip, he brought in some cooks and treated the villagers to a lavish banquet.

Though envy lingered in their hearts, the villagers, their mouths full, raised their thumbs in praise.

“Old Wu! You’ve really found a golden son-in-law!”

“Brother Wu! Don’t forget us when you make it big!”

Some, seeing Jiang Chen’s generosity, even took Wu aside to inquire whether he’d consider taking another concubine for Jiang Chen.

Butcher Wu, elated and proud, had never been praised so highly in all his years as a butcher, despite never wanting for money.

Only now did he realize what a wise decision he’d made the day before.

Looking at Jiang Chen, he thought, the boy really does have some talent!