Chapter 168 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

Thinking of Sister Jiang, He Yunxiao's mind was no longer somewhere else. There were still three and a half days left until Sister Jiang was redeemed. The "supermarket card" had to be brought up. "Kiln Master, I need to discuss something with you. Can we talk in the living room?" Having said this, He Yunxiao had given Kiln Master no reason to refuse. After all, Kiln Master's status was there. He was the legitimate son of the Hou's family, the future Martial Prosperity Marquis, and the current Young Master. Although the storefront of Yaohui Porcelain was impressive, the layout of the residence was quite plain. It even paled in comparison to the Fan's mansion. A room with some tables and chairs made a living room. In front of He Yunxiao, Kiln Master didn't dare to sit in the main seat and instead sat beside him. Of course, Kiln Master was positioned to face He Yunxiao directly. At the same time, he pulled out a chair for Nan Zhu to sit in, and also considerately handed her a small porcelain piece to play with. Nan Zhu's aura would make business negotiations easy, but He Yunxiao didn't want to use Nan Zhu as a tool. Besides, he never intended to use Nan Zhu for anything from the beginning. He just wanted to take her out to have some fun. Not seeing Meng Qingrou, Kiln Master's emotions became more normal. He asked, "Young Master, what is the matter?" He Yunxiao didn't hold back, starting with three questions that lowered the other's self-expectation. "Kiln Master, is the business of Yaohui Porcelain not as good as expected? Do you have very little silver left now? If Yaohui Porcelain were to fail again, would you still open a new one?" The Kiln Master was speechless when asked these questions, only managing a bitter smile and saying, "How does Young Master know about these things?" How do I know? You are in your thirties, unmarried and childless, solely focused on the craftsmanship of making porcelain. You don't read literature, and your martial arts skills are not refined. Ten years ago, you were still the notorious playboy of the Yanjing city! He Yunxiao didn't explicitly mention the other's family background, just saying, "There used to be a wealthy family, but unfortunately, the children were not very dedicated. Some liked literature, some liked to play with porcelain. In the end, not a single one inherited the family business, leaving the old master to manage the property." Kiln Master shook his head and said, "I have been unfilial." Seeing that the emotions were appropriately heightened, He Yunxiao immediately offered a big promise. "Kiln Master, I have a way to rejuvenate Yaohui Porcelain, and make others look at you with new eyes!" Kiln Master was skeptical, given He Yunxiao's reputation. He Yunxiao continued to paint a picture, "Don't you want one day for Yaohui Porcelain to open branches all over Daqi, and even expand to Beiyen? Don't you want Yaohui Porcelain to have a place in Qi's ceramics in the future?" This proposition moved Kiln Master sincerely. If that day truly came, not only could he continue making porcelain, but he could also use his achievements in porcelain-making to persuade his father to retire and enjoy his later years without clinging to the family business. He Yunxiao threw one last bombshell. "You don't need to give anything up, just cooperate with me." ... As it turned out, once both parties were interested, the conversation became very enjoyable. He Yunxiao knew that Kiln Master's only concern about the "supermarket card" was whether, after receiving it from customers, he would be able to exchange it for money. After all, silver and silver bills were the real deal, while the supermarket card was not. However, after He Yunxiao expressed his willingness to pledge a portion of the funds in Yaohui Porcelain, and to use the Hou's family as a guarantee, Kiln Master's worries dissipated. Where there's a will, there's a way. The Hou's family couldn't escape. Furthermore, with the abilities of the Hou's family, there was a way to compensate for potential losses in Yaohui Porcelain. ... Shortly after leaving Kiln Master, the sun was high in the sky, and it was lunchtime. For He Yunxiao, this morning was a series of mishaps, starting from the moment he met Nan Zhu. Thankfully, it ended perfectly, successfully negotiating a deal for the supermarket card. The two walked hand in hand along a small path behind the residential area north of the main street, where there were fewer people. Nan Zhu was more at ease here, even skipping along with joy in her small steps. "He Yunxiao." "What's the matter?" Meng Qingrou still didn't quite understand the content of the conversation between He Yunxiao and Kiln Master. Everything else she understood, except for the "consumption voucher," which she couldn't comprehend. "Why do you want to create a 'consumption voucher'? Don't you already have silver bills?" He Yunxiao shamelessly said, "Of course, it's to give people discounts while shopping. And I can earn a little money on the side. It's a win-win." "Nan Zhu, imagine this: a customer comes to me, and for ninety-nine taels, they can purchase a one-hundred-tael consumption voucher. Then they can use the ninety-nine taels to buy something originally sold for one hundred taels. This way, I'm saving them one tael." Meng Qingrou couldn't understand the notion of "spending money to help others make money" no matter what. "But when Kiln Master comes to redeem it, it's one hundred taels for one hundred taels. Aren't you losing one tael?" He Yunxiao patiently explained to his wife, "I'm not losing. The customers who exchange for the consumption voucher won't immediately spend it, and the businesses that receive it won't rush to my shop for redemption. So, the vouchers that they redeem at my shop will always be less than the ones I issue. Hence, much silver will remain in my hands without being exchanged. I can use this money for investment or loans and make a profit." Meng Qingrou questioned again, "Why can you make money from investments and loans?" He Yunxiao said meaningfully, "Because my father has a military warrant." Meng Qingrou still didn't understand. But compared to making money, she was clearly more concerned about her "little animals." "He Yunxiao, don't forget to bring the kittens, lambs, little frogs, etc., when you return to the palace tonight..." As she listed everything, He Yunxiao indulgently said, "I won't forget. Nan Zhu, it's already noon, let me take you out for a meal. What do you want to eat?" "Stuffed cakes." "Stuffed cakes are snacks, they can't be a full meal." "In that case, Nan Zhu doesn't have anything specific she wants to eat." He Yunxiao thought for a moment and smiled, "Do you want to eat grilled fish?" Meng Qingrou also remembered the night they had grilled fish by the lake, and perhaps she was hungry at the time, but she still found it delicious. "Okay." There were many places in Yanjing city to have barbecue, but eating with Nan Zhu in public, she couldn't lift her veil to eat. That way, the "pre-meal warm-up" might take a long time to finish. He had to find a place with private rooms and the option to grill the meat oneself. Fortunately, the original owner was a so-called "master of everything," and after recollecting, He Yunxiao immediately found a good spot. The place was a bit away from the main commercial street, but it was very close to the Martial Prosperity Marquis's mansion. He didn't want to rush over with Nan Zhu courtesy of his lightness skills, and instead, he went back to the carriage and informed the coachman of the location before settling in. Meng Qingrou was not afraid of sitting in the carriage. Hence, there was no need for them to hold hands. However, both of them tacitly didn't mention it and focused instead on what meat they wanted to have for lunch. ... Not long after He Yunxiao left the main street in Yanjing city, Chu Chu arrived. The place was crowded with various levels of internal energy waves mixed together, making it highly misleading. When people with similar internal energy waves were together, they could even directly enhance each other's skills by a notch. The overcrowded place was quite overwhelming for Chu Chu. Suddenly, she had an idea: "Chu Chu, at this time, He Yunxiao must be back at the Marquis's mansion for a meal. Let's go and see." Chu Chu: "Okay." Tl. Soothsayer.io