Chapter 34: Exploring the Market

Chapter 34

Exploring the Market

After arriving in Huangjing City, Nie Shuang didn’t rush into starting her business. The journey had taken almost two months, and her body had endured a lot. She decided to take some time to rest and recuperate. Although she had spent a significant amount of cash purchasing the mansion, she still had plenty of money left—mostly in promissory notes that her father, Nie Ran, had given her when she got married. Before leaving the capital, she had asked the Hou to send word to her parents so they wouldn’t worry. By now, they would have received the message. One day, if the opportunity arose, she planned to visit them.

She invited the hired guards to rest in the mansion before they returned to the capital. There were seven servants who had followed her from the commander’s manor. Compared to the size of the mansion, this number wasn’t enough, but Nie Shuang didn’t plan to hire more just yet. Instead, she ordered some sections of the mansion to be closed off to reduce maintenance costs.

Before the several dozen guards could leave, they received urgent news from their colleagues who had rushed to catch up with them:

The protection agency they worked for had been shut down!

“No way! That’s impossible! Our master was in perfect health. How could he have been assassinated?”

Yan Zhan, the head of the guards, exclaimed in disbelief.

“Big Brother, after you all left, most of the skilled escorts followed this procession. The master happened to take on a risky job himself, one that promised a high reward. Who would have thought that while escorting the goods, he was ambushed and killed, and the goods were stolen. The Furen couldn’t bear the responsibility, so she packed up the household and returned to her hometown.”

The headguard fell to his knees. His life had been tied to the protection agency since he was a boy. The agency’s master was like a father to him, and the training hall was his home. Now, he was at a loss and didn’t know what to do. If he went back, there would be nothing left.

Da Shi, who had volunteered to be Nie Shuang’s butler, heard the disheartening news and quickly reported it to her. She was resting in a pavilion by the water. Upon hearing what had happened, she immediately stood up.

After traveling together for many months, Nie Shuang had gotten to know the character of Yan Zhan, the head guard, and his men. They were loyal and responsible. Now, with nowhere else to go, she figured that with all her wealth, it wouldn’t hurt to take them in. In the future, if she decided to do business, they might become an important asset. With this thought, she went to meet them.

The head guard, Yan Zhan, was about thirty years old and unmarried. Most of the guards came from poor families who couldn’t afford to care for their children, so they sent them to the agency from a young age to learn skills and reduce household expenses. If the children were skilled, they could earn a salary by guarding trade caravans. Many had been away from their families for years, and the agency had become like a second home.

“I’m truly sorry to hear about the misfortune that has befallen your agency. I intend to settle down here in Huangjing City and plan to start a business in the future, for which I will surely need skilled guards. If any of you are willing to stay and work for me, I would be happy to have you. If any of you decide to leave, I would like to offer you a small sum of money out of gratitude for the excellent care you’ve provided me on this journey.”

Her gracious offer revealed her kind and generous nature. Although their duties were officially over, she still treated them well. When she learned of their misfortune, she not only offered them shelter but also financial support. Many, now without a place to go, decided to stay and work for her.

Yan Zhan’s eyes welled up with tears as he knelt and addressed her as mistress. Nie Shuang quickly gestured for Da Shi to help him up.

“With the master gone, Yan Zhan has nowhere to go. From now on, I dedicate my life to you, Mistress.”

Seeing their leader make the decision to stay, the rest of the guards also knelt, except for a few who still planned to return to the capital. Nie Shuang had Da Shi hand some money to those leaving, then turned to address the ones who decided to remain.

"Please, everyone, stand up. Don’t call me mistress. I am not anyone’s master. In the future, when I start doing business and you work for me, I’ll pay you accordingly. How about you call me Lady Boss instead?”

The guards agreed, and she continued,

“I’ll pay you the same wages you used to receive at the protection agency. However, I haven’t started trading yet, as I need some time to rest and explore the market. In the meantime, there won’t be any escort work, so would you mind helping me manage the front quarters of the mansion for now? I hope it’s not too much trouble for you."

Yan Zhan quickly replied,

“Not at all, Lady Boss. At the protection agency, we apprentice often had to do such work. The master took care of many of us, so we didn’t have the means to hire servants. We’re familiar with this kind of work. Also...regarding wages, since there’s no business yet, we don’t ask for money—just three meals a day and a roof over our heads will be enough."

Nie Shuang shook her head.

"I won’t take advantage of you. If you’re willing to work for me, I can’t have you working for free."

With around twenty people from the protection agency left, she allocated two quarters in the southern part of the mansion for them. The seven maids who had come from the commander’s manor would help maintain the back of the mansion, so managing the tasks wouldn’t be too overwhelming. Once everything at the household was settled, Nie Shuang decided to go out and explore the city, observing the local lifestyle and the various shops. Huangjing was a prosperous city, almost on par with the capital. It had shops of all kinds, and the quality of the goods displayed indicated that the people were well-off. Even though she hadn’t yet decided what kind of business to start, Nie Shuang smiled, feeling content.

She went out with Xiao San, Xiao Tong, Da Shi, and Wang Dongpo in tow. After walking around for a while, they decided to rest at a tavern, ordering some tea and snacks. As they sat and watched people pass by on the street, Nie Shuang asked Da Shi for his thoughts on the tavern. Da Shi glanced around and replied,

"The location is good, but the food quality isn’t great.”

Nie Shuang smiled and asked further,

“I haven’t even ordered any food yet. How do you know?”

Da Shi chuckled sheepishly before lowering his voice,

“Not to boast, but I used to work at Tianfu House. Just by smelling the food, I can tell if it’s good or not. If this place weren’t on such a busy street, I doubt it would stay in business. But I will say the tea here is excellent."

Hearing that, Nie Shuang realized that Da Shi was an observant person with experience in the restaurant business. She turned to ask Wang Dongpo,

“Dongpo, you’ve been in the palace since you were a child and are familiar with refined things. What do you think of the tea here? Is it as good as Da Shi says?”

Wang Dongpo glanced at the cheap porcelain cup, then replied in a calm, measured tone,

"The tea is the only quality item in this place."

Nie Shuang laughed at his somewhat haughty response. Wang Dongpo still harbored some resentment over being sent from the palace to follow a commoner like her by Princess An Le, but he knew he didn’t truly belong in the royal palace. His proud nature and dislike of flattery meant that his survival up to this point was due to his intelligence and skill. Otherwise, he likely would have ended up dead long ago.After hearing their responses, Nie Shuang smiled with satisfaction, her mind starting to form a clearer vision for her business empire.