Chapter 16: Helping Out

“I couldn’t sleep tonight, so I thought I’d come over and give you a hand,” a scrawny man said with a smile.

Zhao Mengcheng frowned. This man was Liu Fengping, the younger brother of Liu Fengshou.

Unlike his older brother, who was well-off and generous, Liu Fengping was a loafer who loved taking advantage of others.

“Uncle, if you want to buy tofu, come back in the morning. We’re busy right now and don’t have time to entertain you,” Zhao Mengcheng said, trying to see him off.

Liu Fengping acted as if he didn’t understand. “That’s perfect then, I’ll give you all a hand.”

As he spoke, his eyes scanned the courtyard, looking as if he wanted to crawl right into the house to see what was happening.

Zhao Mengcheng gave a cold laugh. “Uncle, my tofu has a secret recipe. How can we work with you standing here? Those who know might say you’re helping, but those who don’t might think you’re here to steal the recipe.”

Liu Fengping hadn’t expected him to be so blunt. He looked embarrassed for a moment. “We’re all neighbors, what’s all this talk about stealing?”

“Of course I know you aren’t that kind of person, Uncle. But if the recipe ever leaks out, you’ll be the first person I suspect. In a fit of anger, I might even go to the yamen and report you.”

Zhao Mengcheng said this with a cheerful smile, as if he were merely joking.

However, the smile made Liu Fengping’s skin crawl. He understood the threat hidden in those words.

“I see how it is. Your business just started and already you’re looking down on people. Fine, don’t come looking for me if you ever need help,” he said, his face darkening as he stormed off.

Even after he left the gate, they could hear him grumbling. “What kind of person is he? Throwing my kindness back in my face. I wouldn’t come back even if he invited me.”

Wang Ming spat on the ground. “Him, helping? He just wants to get something for nothing.”

Auntie Wang added, “He was likely after the secret recipe. Mengcheng, you must keep that recipe hidden. Don’t let anyone know.”

She even glanced at her son. “Don’t even tell Ming.”

Zhao Mengcheng smiled. “Thank you for the reminder, Auntie.”

The Brine used to set the tofu had already been upgraded. It was now made from the leftover water from the previous days’ batches. Unless someone stole the Brine itself, they would never be able to produce the exact same result without the tofu.

“Uncle Fengshou is such a decent man, how could he have a brother like that?” Wang Ming muttered.

Auntie Wang replied, “The same rice feeds a hundred different kinds of people¹. Just stay away from him now that you know what he’s like. Why bother arguing with him?”

“True. Brother Mengcheng is so nice, yet he has such a troublesome brother too,” Wang Ming said instinctively.

“What nonsense are you talking?” Auntie Wang glared at him and then looked at Zhao Mengcheng. Fortunately, the latter seemed not to have heard.

Zhao Mengcheng had actually heard him, but he didn’t care at all. Wang Ming was just telling the truth, so why would he be angry?

While they talked, Wang Ming and Uncle Wang had already started working. Zhao Mengcheng felt it was time to give Wang Ming a raise. He had hired one person, but all three members of the Wang Family came to help every day.

They worked through the middle of the night until all four were panting with exhaustion. Even Zhao Chun and Zhao Mao, who had woken up to help, were worn out. Only then did they finish making four hundred pounds of tofu.

Zhao Mengcheng rubbed his shoulders. It was lucky his health had improved a bit, otherwise, he would have collapsed after a night like this.

“I need to buy a donkey. Otherwise, we’ll all be broken after a few days of this.”

Wang Ming’s hands were shaking, yet he still said, “No need, I can do it. I have plenty of strength.”

Zhao Mengcheng reached out and patted him, nearly knocking him over. “Do you take me for some tyrannical landlord? I’m buying one. Not only am I buying a donkey, but I’m also giving you a raise.”

“Uncle, Auntie, Ming, don’t try to refuse. The wages must be increased. From ten wen to thirty wen. I’ve only been able to get this tofu business off the ground thanks to Ming’s help these past few days.”

“Now that business is good, it’s only natural to give him a raise.”

Auntie Wang frowned. “Thirty wen is too much. The porters at the docks work all day without rest and only get twenty wen.”

“Yes, we can’t take advantage of you,” Uncle Wang added.

Zhao Mengcheng insisted, “Ming doesn’t just help me grind beans, he has to go to town with me to sell tofu and negotiate business. I actually think thirty wen is too little, but since the business is just starting, this is all I can give for now.”

“How is that not enough? Plenty of people would fight for a job like this,” Uncle Wang said, clicking his tongue in amazement.

Auntie Wang said, “I know you’re looking out for Ming.”

“Aren’t you and Uncle looking out for me? You come to help in the middle of the night for free, and during the day you help look after the three little ones.”

Under Zhao Mengcheng’s persistence, the wages were finally raised.

Uncle Wang patted his son’s shoulder. “Work hard, and remember your brother’s kindness.”

Wang Ming nodded vigorously. He began working even harder, looking as if he wanted to fetch a chair for Zhao Mengcheng to sit and drink tea while he did all the work himself.

Zhao Mengcheng’s business grew more prosperous by the day. Yingbin Lou was crowded with customers thanks to the tofu, and other restaurants soon followed suit, coming to Zhao Mengcheng to buy tofu.

Except for Shopkeeper Wang, Zhao Mengcheng charged everyone the retail price.

However, Zhao Mengcheng’s production capacity was limited. Soaking the soybeans, grinding them, and making the tofu all took time.

Zhao Mengcheng had the foresight to prepare wooden buckets and tofu crates, but even those were becoming insufficient.

Now, even with all three members of the Wang Family helping, they could only produce six hundred pounds of tofu a day at most, and that amount left everyone exhausted.

Seeing this, Zhao Mengcheng decided to put buying a donkey on the agenda.

So, one day, the three children waited and waited, and what they finally saw was a donkey.

Zhao Chun ran toward it, nearly getting a kick to the head from the stubborn animal. Fortunately, he was agile enough to dodge.

Zhao Mengcheng was also startled and quickly helped his dust-covered son up. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Zhao Chun was very brave and wasn’t scared at all. He scrambled up and grinned. “Dad, did you buy a horse?”

“What horse? It’s just a donkey.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Have you ever heard of a stubborn donkey? These things have terrible tempers. Don’t be so reckless in the future.”

“A donkey? It’s so tall and strong!” Zhao Mao exclaimed.

“Dad, I want to sit on it,” Zhao Chun requested.

Zhao Mengcheng had no choice but to lift him up as requested. Fortunately, he had bought an adult female donkey. She had a gentle temperament and didn’t react to the child on her back, simply stretching her neck to eat the tender grass by the roadside.

Zhao Chun proudly shouted “Giddy-up,” but unfortunately, the donkey didn’t understand and remained perfectly still.

Zhao Mao and Zhao Xin also looked on longingly, tugging at Zhao Mengcheng’s clothes and acting spoiled. “Dad, I want to sit too.”

Zhao Mengcheng simply picked them all up. The three children were small, so sitting one behind the other on the donkey’s back was just enough room.

He led the donkey from the front while the three children sat on its back, their laughter echoing along the way.

The villagers watched this scene with a mix of emotions.

“I thought his family was done for, but they’ve bounced back. Look, they’ve even bought a donkey.”

Liu Fengping also saw this. He curled his lip as a wicked idea suddenly occurred to him. He turned and left with a cold sneer.

When Zhao Mengcheng got home, Uncle Wang and Auntie Wang were already waiting. They also found the donkey quite a novelty.

“This donkey was a good purchase. Look at its teeth, it’s in its prime,” Uncle Wang praised.

Wang Ming sighed. “Isn’t it? The price was half a tael of silver more than the other donkeys.”

Zhao Mengcheng lifted the children down. They were still reluctant to leave, especially Zhao Chun, who grabbed the donkey’s ears and refused to get off.

“This donkey belongs to our family now. You can sit on it as long as you want in the future,” Zhao Mengcheng said helplessly.

Only then was Zhao Chun willing to come down.

Zhao Mengcheng hitched the donkey to the Stone Mill to test it out. It turned out that the extra half-tael of silver wasn’t wasted, the donkey worked steadily.

“Actually, I could have kept turning the mill. There was no need to spend money on a donkey,” Wang Ming was still muttering.

Zhao Mengcheng was amused. “Don’t worry, I have more important things for you to do.”

“What things?” Wang Ming pressed.

Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “I need to go out for a bit first. We’ll talk about it when I get back.”

On the other side, Liu Fengping found his older brother and started complaining.

“Brother, this Zhao Mengcheng is going too far. He still owes our family money, yet his family is eating meat and buying donkeys. Is he planning to dodge the debt and not pay us back?”

Liu Fengshou frowned. “Don’t talk nonsense. He’s not that kind of person.”

“How is he not? If he has money, why doesn’t he pay it back first? Instead, his own family is enjoying themselves. Where is the logic in that?”

Liu Fengping looked full of righteous indignation. “Brother, stop always thinking the best of people. The Zhao Family are just outsiders. If you don’t get the money back soon, it’ll go down the drain.”

He even blamed him. “I’m saying, you have money but you don’t help your own brother, yet you insist on lending it to someone named Zhao. Am I even your real brother?”

Liu Fengshou’s face darkened at his words. He slapped the table and said, “That’s my money. I’ll lend it to whoever I want. It’s none of your business.”

Seeing him lose his temper, Liu Fengping fled. As he left, he shouted, “Sister-in-law, you’d better talk some sense into my brother, or he’ll squander all the family’s money.”

Sister-in-law Liu couldn’t stand her brother-in-law, but in her heart, she felt his words made some sense. She said, “Husband, why don’t you go talk to Mengcheng? Everyone says he’s making money now.”

“Big bosses from town are coming to his house to buy tofu. He must have money in his hands,” Sister-in-law Liu muttered.

“Doing business requires capital. He already said he would pay it back, so I’d be too embarrassed to bring it up,” Liu Fengshou frowned. “Let’s wait a bit longer. I believe Mengcheng isn’t the type to dodge a debt.”

Liu Fengshou was too kind-hearted to speak up, but there were plenty of others willing to do so. Liu Fengping spread rumors everywhere, claiming that Zhao Mengcheng had money but refused to pay his debts, all while living in luxury and eating the finest food every day. Soon enough, some people could no longer sit idly by.

“If your elder brother won’t say it, I will. It is only right and natural to pay back what one owes.” Third Uncle Liu² stood up, intent on heading to the Zhao Family home.

Liu Fengping gloated, shouting after him, “Uncle, if he refuses to pay, just take his donkey! Besides, that tofu recipe of his is worth a fair bit of money too.”

After he finished shouting, Liu Fengping ran toward the Village Chief’s house. He knew the Village Chief had lent Zhao Mengcheng a significant amount of money, and since the Old Village Chief also belonged to the Liu Clan³, he doubted the man could remain indifferent given how prosperous the Zhao Family’s business had become lately.

If the Village Chief was willing to take the lead, that tofu recipe would belong to the Liu Clan.

Translator’s Notes