Chapter 24: You Are Still Too Kind

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Xu Mo and Liu Rushi had finished signing their contract.

They agreed to deliver the goods in two days—two hundred bars of soap, with payment and delivery to be exchanged at the same time.

Liu Rushi, still slightly uneasy, smiled and said, "Young Master Xu, since I’m purchasing these soaps at such a high price, you must keep your word and not sell them to Tian’s Trading House as well."

Xu Mo replied earnestly, "Rest assured, Manager Liu. I am a man of my word."

"Very well. I am willing to trust your character," Liu Rushi said.

Xu Mo then prepared to take his leave.

But as he was about to go, Liu Rushi called after him, "Young Master Xu, if it’s not inconvenient, might I ask where you live? In two days, I could send someone to your home to collect the goods and pay you there, saving you the trouble of making the trip yourself."

Xu Mo smiled and shook his head. "No need to trouble you, Manager Liu. I shall be going out that day anyway, and since this is our first transaction, I prefer to deliver the goods myself."

Seeing his insistence, Liu Rushi did not press further.

"My dear, let’s go," Xu Mo said.

He picked up the rosewood box, and together with Chen Miaoyi descended the stairs.

Just as Xu Mo and Chen Miaoyi had boarded their carriage and set off, Liu Rushi appeared at the shop entrance.

She watched the carriage grow distant, then suddenly called, "Xiao Wu, come here!"

A wiry shop assistant immediately approached, "What are your orders, Manager?"

In a low voice, Liu Rushi instructed, "Follow them discreetly. Find out where they’re staying... And remember, don’t let them notice you."

"Understood, Manager." Xiao Wu answered and trotted after the carriage.

In Liu Rushi’s eyes, although Xu Mo wore a satin robe and jade pendant, everything seemed too new, as if just purchased. Their carriage was clearly hired as well. It was obvious Xu Mo was deliberately putting on an appearance.

Liu Rushi’s decision to send Xiao Wu wasn’t out of ill intent; she simply wanted to know where Xu Mo lived, so she wouldn’t have to worry about finding him in the future.

Inside the carriage, Chen Miaoyi was still in a daze. She pinched her own cheek, feeling as if she had just been dreaming.

"Miaoyi, what are you doing?" Xu Mo happened to notice her pinching herself.

She turned and replied, "Husband, that little bar of soap—you actually sold it for five strings of cash each! I... I still can’t believe it’s real!"

Xu Mo shook his head. "I only set the price at five strings to leave her room to bargain. Who would have thought she’d accept at once? It seems I was still too timid."

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Chen Miaoyi quickly said, "Husband, five strings per bar is already five times your expected price. That’s plenty. One should not be too greedy."

"You’re right, one mustn’t be too greedy," Xu Mo smiled and nodded.

Then Chen Miaoyi asked, "But husband, why did you sell only two hundred bars to Manager Liu?"

Xu Mo explained, "It’s as I said before—rarity makes things precious. If we want to keep selling soap at high prices, we can’t flood the market with too much at once."

"If there’s too much soap available, the price will drop, just like with soapberries: when they’re in season, the price plummets. I don’t want that to happen."

Chen Miaoyi immediately understood and praised him, "Husband, you’re so clever!"

Xu Mo smiled without replying.

Because the streets were crowded, the carriage moved slowly, stopping and starting.

With nothing else to do, Chen Miaoyi lifted the curtain to peer outside.

Suddenly, she spotted a fried cake stall by the roadside.

Delighted, she pointed and said, "Husband, that stall makes delicious fried cakes. My mother used to bring me here when I was little."

Upon hearing this, Xu Mo told the driver to stop at once.

"Miaoyi, wait here. I’ll go buy some," Xu Mo said, preparing to get down.

Chen Miaoyi hurriedly pulled him back, shaking her head, "No need, husband, I was just speaking on a whim. I’m still full from lunch and not hungry..."

Xu Mo smiled, "Miaoyi, actually, I want to taste the flavor of your childhood. Won’t you let me?"

Hearing this, Chen Miaoyi let go and shook her head, smiling.

So Xu Mo went to buy two piping hot fried cakes.

Just as he was about to return to the carriage, Xu Mo noticed a suspicious figure not far behind. Looking closely, he recognized the man as a clerk from the General Sundries Hall—he had seen him in the shop earlier.

Xu Mo betrayed no sign of awareness, simply boarded the carriage with the cakes.

He handed the fragrant fried cake to Chen Miaoyi, then told the driver, "Head to Zhenxiu Tower first."

Chen Miaoyi was eating her cake and asked, "Husband, didn’t you say you didn’t need to go to Zhenxiu Tower today?"

Xu Mo shook his head and whispered, "I didn’t go... Miaoyi, when I got down just now, I found that Manager Liu actually sent someone to follow us..."

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Chen Miaoyi was startled and immediately turned to open the rear window.

Xu Mo quickly stopped her, "Don’t! If he realizes we’ve noticed, he’ll be much harder to shake off."

Obediently, Chen Miaoyi withdrew her hand. "But husband, why would Manager Liu have us followed?"

Xu Mo took a bite of his cake, pondering, "It’s hard to say. I can think of two possibilities..."

"Two possibilities?" Chen Miaoyi asked curiously.

Xu Mo nodded, chewing as he spoke, "First, she fears she won’t be able to find me later to buy more soap. With something so valuable, wouldn’t she want to keep a close watch?"

Chen Miaoyi found this reasonable and nodded at once.

"Second, she sent someone to find out our true identity..."

"But why would she care who we are?" Chen Miaoyi was puzzled.

Xu Mo’s expression suddenly grew grim as he looked at her and said seriously, "Miaoyi, have you considered—if she learns we’re just ordinary folk, might she be tempted to imprison us and torture us for the soap-making method?"

Chen Miaoyi was terrified, her face changing, "No... surely not! Manager Liu doesn’t seem that kind of person..."

"Miaoyi, you’re still too kindhearted. You don’t know how treacherous people can be," Xu Mo said.

Having the technique is important, but using it to become wealthy and powerful will never be smooth and easy. No matter how advanced your skill, if you don’t understand the ways of the world and its dangers, one careless moment and you become the hen that lays golden eggs for someone else.

"But I’ve heard the Liu family has a good reputation in Xinzhou. They often help the poor and run porridge kitchens for beggars," Chen Miaoyi still found it hard to believe Liu Rushi would do such a thing.

Xu Mo shook his head, his face solemn, "Miaoyi, never let down your guard! Maybe Liu Rushi means no harm, but we must always be prepared."

"Soap holds tremendous profit. If the Liu family mastered its production, they’d soon be the richest in Xinzhou—perhaps even rise to prominence throughout Liang. Faced with such enormous gain, it’s hard to believe anyone would remain unmoved," Xu Mo sighed.

Having listened, Chen Miaoyi finally realized the danger. For the first time, she felt panic. "Then... then what should we do now, husband?"

Xu Mo answered calmly, "Don’t worry. We just need to shake him off."