Chapter 32: Bai Family
Mo Ying woke up the next morning only to find Lin Xu out of bed.
Standing up, he went to clean himself and get dressed before leaving the room.
Upon stepping out, he could hear the loud voice of Lin Xu as she ordered a bunch of people around.
"Put that there... No! Take that away, yes I want that there..." she pointed as some young boys helped her move some baskets from their wagon.
When they were done, they left as Mo Ying approached her, confused. "What are all these?"
Smiling, Lin Xu placed her hand on her waist as she said, "All these are for you... seeds, hoes, shovels, rakes... things you will need for our farm."
"F-farm? What farm?" Mo Ying was very confused now.
Taking hold of his hands, Lin Xu dragged him towards the backyard of their compound and behold, a huge two-plot farm field... discarded and abandoned.
In there were Fuhan, Mo Yuen, and Mo Bao as they helped clear out the dry and rotten harvest, clearing out the field.
"So you had a farm... interesting, now what does all that got to do with me?" Mo Ying said as Lin Xu folded her hands.
"Isn’t it obvious? It’s for you to farm, or have you forgotten how you are the ’farmer’s son’ so you should be very good when it comes to doing farm work." She said with a grin as Mo Ying smirked slightly.
’You fireball, now you’re messing with me huh?’ Mo Ying thought.
"Alright, go join them... When you guys are done clearing the farm then you can come for breakfast. Yan Mei and Yiling are making breakfast so hurry up."
She said as she handed him a hoe quickly and ran for it before he refused.
Sighing, Mo Ying approached the three as Fuhan said worriedly, "Brother Ying, you don’t have to do it... I can get it all done, you should go and have breakfast."
"No need... She still suspects me... it’s better if I prove to her that I’m good at farm work so her mind can be at rest, unless she would always have her guards up around me... C’mon, let’s get this done with."
---
After breakfast, I made my way to the market, ready to sell today’s batch of meat. Yiling accompanied me as together we were able to sell 50 bowls of braised meat, earning us over 30 taels today.
Just as we were packing up to leave, a tall, mid-forties looking man approached us. From his dressing you could already tell that he wasn’t an ordinary folk.
Behind him was a younger man dressed like a servant as he bowed slowly to me, "Greetings young lady," he said.
"Good day, how can I help you?" I asked with my brows raised.
"Well... young lady, here with me is my master and boss, Young Chief Bai... he is the head of the Great Bai Restaurant here all around the village even all the way to the capital."
"So why are you telling me all this?" I asked, confused.
The servant puffed his chest, speaking louder, "My master, Young Chief Bai, tasted your meat yesterday. He says it’s decent, so we’ve decided to buy your recipe."
I blinked at him, stunned. "...Buy my recipe?"
Chief Bai, with a proud face, finally spoke. "Yes. Name your price. Hand over the recipe, and you’ll save yourself the trouble of waking early, sweating in the market, and shouting to sell like a commoner."
My brows shot up. "So you think I’ll just hand it over because you throw money in my face?"
The servant scoffed, stepping closer. "Do you know who you’re speaking to? This is Chief Bai, the man who controls half the restaurants in this region. If you hand it over, he’ll reward you. If not—"
"If not what?" I cut in, folding my arms. "You’ll scare me into submission? You want my recipe, yet you dare come here with arrogance and insults. Dream on."
Chief Bai’s eyes darkened, his voice low and cold. "Careful, girl. If I say the word, no one in this village, nor the next five towns, will buy from you. Your little stall will rot, and you’ll starve before the season ends."
I took a step forward, glaring right at him. "Then go ahead and try. Even if you destroy this stall a hundred times, I’ll build it again a hundred and one times. My recipe stays with me, and no one, especially not a pompous man like you, will take it."
The servant’s face twisted with anger, but Chief Bai raised a hand to silence him. He gave me one last long stare before sneering.
"You’ll regret this, girl."
He turned sharply, his robe swaying as he walked off with his servant.
Yiling tugged my sleeve nervously. "Mama... they looked serious."
I exhaled, forcing a smile even though my chest was tight. "Let them try. I’ve fought harder battles than this. No Bai will scare me off."
After I was done packing, I took Yiling home and quickly went to visit Zu Shi at her matchmaking pavilion.
I didn’t really know much about other businesses and noble people here in the village but I was sure Zu Shi would.
"Newlywed, what are you doing here? Ha! Don’t tell me you are already bored of your hubby and want a new man... I know it’s wrong but I can still help... Hahaha!" She teased as I just sighed.
"You and your naughty thoughts... I’m not here for any of that, I’m actually here to ask you something," I said, taking a seat as her face immediately turned serious.
"What do you wanna ask me?"
"Do you know anything about the Bai Restaurant?" I asked as she nodded immediately.
"Of course I do, they are one of the top three merchant families here in the village. A very influential family they are. They have different shops all around the village and towns, even leading to the capital. Their most famous is their restaurant, it’s so popular and expensive too."
She said, taking a sip of her tea. "But why are you asking? Is something wrong, Lin Xu?"
I explained to her all that had occurred and she seemed unsurprised.
"Sigh! The Bai family are very proud and rude, I expected from your temper you would surely make enemies with some influential families here..."
"What am I going to do now? He would obviously find a way to ruin my business... it’s my only means of making money at the moment. I have to do something," I said as Zu Shi took hold of my hand.
"Don’t worry... I have a solution to your problem!" She revealed.
"Really? What’s the solution?" I asked hurriedly as Zu Shi smiled deviously.
"Though the Bai family are powerful and rich... they aren’t the only powerful family here in the village. Have you heard of the Yun family?"
"Yun family? Who are those?"
"They are the second most rich and most powerful merchant family here in the village followed by the Song family at the highest rank... but the Yun family are who we need now to help you."
Zu Shi explained how the Yun family and the Bai family have been nemeses for almost two decades, competing for everything. Just like the Bai family, they also have a famous restaurant which we could use to their disadvantage.
"If you can have an audience with the Yun restaurant head and convince him to buy your recipe instead and back you up... he won’t agree, but once he finds out that the Bai family are after your recipe then he will protect you with all he has, trust me."
Zu Shi said as I nodded. "Thank you so much Zu Shi, I’ll meet them first thing tomorrow."
After that, I left the pavilion and headed back home, but I stopped at the market midway to get some new clothes and foodstuffs for the house before heading back.
Upon arriving, it was already dark and Yan Mei seemed to have already left and put the kids to bed.
Sighing, I walked in and placed everything I bought on the table as I took a seat, sighing slightly.
Life in the past wasn’t easy at all, rich people believe they can do anything they want to anyone just because they have the power.
It disgusted me to my stomach. Just then, someone familiar stepped out and approached me.
"You’re back late... How was sales today?"
I looked up. Mo Ying stood there, his hair slightly messy, probably from the day’s work at the farm.
"Sales were good," I said, forcing a smile. "Fifty bowls gone. Thirty taels earned."
"That’s not bad," he replied, taking a seat across from me. His sharp eyes lingered on me a moment longer. "But your face says otherwise. What happened?"
I hesitated, fingers brushing the rim of the basket beside me. For a second, I considered brushing it off, but the weight in my chest wouldn’t let me.
"I ran into trouble at the market," I finally said. "The Bai family. Their restaurant chief showed up, demanding my recipe. When I refused, he threatened to destroy my business."
Mo Ying’s expression darkened instantly. "Bai family..." His jaw tightened, and for a brief second, I saw a dangerous glint in his eyes. "And you told him no?"
"Of course," I said firmly. "I’m not handing it over. But... he wasn’t bluffing. He has power. If he really blocks me from selling, I..." My voice trailed.
Mo Ying just stared at me, as though he was reading me. "Do you hate them?"
"I don’t hate them but I don’t like them," I said weakly. I was so tired, I didn’t even know when I yawned.
Walking towards me, Mo Ying carried me in his arms, taking me by surprise.
"Y-you, what are you doing?"
"You’re tired, come to bed." And before I could say anything, he carried me straight to the bedroom and placed me on the bed.