Chapter 399 - 400: Taking the Spot

Chapter 399: Chapter 400: Taking the Spot

A surprising number of people were traveling with the escort this time. By the time Jin Qianqian and her party’s carriages arrived, a long line had already formed.

Gu Yuanshui took out the number tag the housekeeper had given him and went straight to a dart master to arrange their position.

The dart master in charge was quite diligent and quickly led them to the front of the line.

But the area was already packed with carriages. There was no way for Jin Qianqian’s two carriages to squeeze in.

"All of you, move back a bit," the dart master said after checking the carriage that was taking up the spot, and immediately tried to clear them out. But the person who had taken the space refused to comply.

"That’s not what you arranged before. Besides, people are bound to get lost in a long caravan. You can’t just leave a spot empty waiting for them." A scrawny old man lifted his carriage curtain and glanced in their direction.

"Besides, what difference does it make who’s in front and who’s in back? How shameless of a young man to bicker with an old man like me."

Gu Yuanshui took a deep breath. "Since you’re so generous, old sir, why not bring up the rear of the caravan? What are you trying to show off for up here?

It’s true you’re an old man, but my mother isn’t young either. Why should she have to yield to you?"

"Heh, you little brat, do you have any idea who I am? Squawking away the moment you arrive. You’d be better off using that time to ask around, so you don’t end up offending someone you can’t afford to."

The dart master wanted to smooth things over, so he turned to Gu Yuanshui. "How about I arrange a few spots for you further back?"

Gu Yuanshui hesitated. He was worried about causing trouble for Seventh and was wondering if he should back down.

Just then, Jin Qianqian lifted the curtain and said to the dart master, "Do me a favor and tell your Leader Li that if he doesn’t want the Gu family’s business, he should just say so. We can simply switch to another escort agency."

"The Gu family? You’re killing this old man," the old man cackled before the dart master could speak. "I’ve been in Shangjing for so long and I’ve never once heard of any prominent family named Gu. How dare you threaten a leader of the escort here."

But to everyone’s surprise, the dart master’s expression changed. "Are you from Doctor Gu’s household?"

Jin Qianqian simply grunted in affirmation and let the curtain fall, paying them no further mind.

The dart master didn’t dare to delay. He turned and whispered to a colleague, who immediately hurried away. Only then did the dart master turn back to the old man, his expression now serious.

"Your number tag. Please take it out. If you’ve cut in line, please return to your original position."

Seeing this complete reversal in attitude, the scrawny old man was incensed. "Do you have any idea which household I belong to? I am Minister Huang’s brother-in-law. Do you really want to make an enemy of me?"

Listening from inside the carriage, Jin Qianqian couldn’t help but roll her eyes. ’We’re really destined to clash with Minister Huang’s Mansion. To think we’d run into them even out here.’

"Please move your carriage, sir." The dart master’s tone was firm now. ’So what if he’s from the Minister’s Mansion? It’s not like we don’t have powerful backers ourselves.’

"Fine. Just fine," the old man sneered. "The people from my household haven’t gone far. We’ll see how you answer for this then!" He then ordered his servant outside to hurry up and get them.

Jin Qianqian, sitting in the carriage, asked with amusement, "The old saying goes, ’beat the young and the old will come.’ Have things fallen so far that now the old have to call for backup?"

Gu Wenheng squeezed her hand and said with a smile, "As the saying goes, a dog is only fierce with its master’s backing. Old Mrs. Huang of the Huang family comes from a humble background, so it’s no surprise her perspective is a bit shallow. Otherwise, the First Madam wouldn’t be the one running the Minister’s Mansion right now."

They made no effort to lower their voices. The implication was clear to everyone, both inside and outside the carriages: this so-called brother-in-law was not someone worth being wary of.

"Who’s that hiding in there, some wet-behind-the-ears brat? If you have any guts, come out and face me!" The scrawny old man was still shouting when a pair of hands shot out from the carriage behind him and yanked him inside.

Leader Li hurried over. He didn’t recognize Jin Qianqian, but he immediately spotted Qing Lan waiting outside the carriage. It was always this formidable young woman who settled the accounts with their escort agency.

"Miss Qing Lan, it’s so cold out here! You should wait inside the carriage." ’Don’t be fooled by her youth; that girl could talk your ear off. Even our accountant had to admit defeat against her.’

Qing Lan looked at them with her usual haughty expression. "Our Housekeeper Fu reserved these spots with you, yet someone else has taken them. It seems we’re normally too agreeable, which has led you to be so careless in arranging our household’s carriages."

Leader Li was no fool. The Gu family was one of their biggest clients. The goods they transported north and south took up nearly twenty percent of the escort agency’s capacity. The amount of silver they paid each year was a considerable sum.

Besides, Housekeeper Fu had specifically stressed that Mr. Gu’s mother was returning to her hometown, so of course, he had to give them the best possible position to look after them.

"It’s all a misunderstanding. It must be a new dart master who doesn’t know the rules. I’ll have them clear out the space for you right now." ’It wasn’t just about this one job; I’d never be able to answer to my boss if I messed this up.’

Just as Leader Li was negotiating with the other party to get them to move, another carriage pulled up.

"It seems your escort agency no longer wishes to do business in Shangjing." The familiar voice made Jin Qianqian raise an eyebrow.

’Talk about enemies crossing paths,’ Jin Qianqian thought. ’That’s the voice of Old Mrs. Huang. I can’t believe we’d run into her here.’

After all, the woman was a lady of the First Rank. Jin Qianqian said a word to those inside the carriage before following Gu Wenheng out, lifting the curtain and stepping to the ground.

"Greetings, Mrs. Huang," Jin Qianqian said, giving a slight bow toward the other carriage. "I never expected we would be so destined to meet in a place like this."

Mrs. Huang hadn’t expected to run into her nemesis, Jin Qianqian, here either. "Well, I was wondering who it was. If it isn’t Mrs. Gu. Shouldn’t you be at home studying your business methods instead of coming here to join the commotion?"

Jin Qianqian covered her mouth with a laugh. "I can’t help it. I make a fortune just by casually using my brain a little. If I were to truly apply myself, I’m afraid some people wouldn’t even be able to afford to eat."

"...You have some nerve," Mrs. Huang was infuriated by her pointed words, but she immediately changed her target. "And this must be Mr. Gu? I truly pity you. You must have absolutely no standing in your own home!"

"You worry too much, Madam," Gu Wenheng said with calm composure. "My wife is wonderful just as she is. Having her own little hobbies keeps her from becoming unhappy over the trivial matters of the inner household."

Mrs. Huang was speechless. ’There truly is a lid for every pot.’

"Sister, they’re the ones who made me give up my spot!" The scrawny old man who had been yanked back into the carriage poked his head out again. Seeing a man of his advanced age putting on such a pitiful expression made the onlookers unable to bear the sight, and they all turned their heads away.

"Mr. Gu, don’t you think you’ve gone too far?" Old Mrs. Huang glared at them furiously.