Gu Jinli looked at Master Qiâs gloomy expression and smiled, "Master Qi, actually, weâre only business partners, we could part ways at any time. I donât mind that your family is avoiding mine for fear of getting dragged down."
Master Qi gave a skeptical look, as if to say, "Who are you kidding?" If she wasnât mad, why would she refuse his visit? Why would she come to his shop to cut ties?
However, he was also worried about Gu Jinliâs suggestion that they could part ways anytime, and hastily said, "Gu Familyâs daughter, we canât split up. This business is hard-earned; if we part ways, what will your uncleâs family do?"
The spice business was truly lucrative. In just three years, his family had accumulated quite a bit of silver from it. Even if something happened in Great Chu in the future, having this silver would give his family a better chance to survive difficult times.
Therefore, this business must not be disrupted.
"Master Qi, donât worry, I wonât make things difficult for you." Gu Jinli looked at Master Qi and said, "Avoiding danger is human nature. You donât need to apologize; my family doesnât mind much about it. Itâs just that, after cooperating for three years, I didnât expect Master Qi still wouldnât trust us, thinking we are such a malicious and unfilial family."
Master Qiâs face turned pale at this, and he hurriedly tried to explain, "Gu Familyâs daughter, you..."
"Master Qi, listen to me first." Gu Jinli interrupted Master Qi and said, "Iâm not trying to put on airs or make things difficult for you. But Master Qi should know, our family has always treated yours very well. In the past three years, weâve met plenty of people more influential than your family, and replacing you would be easy. Yet, we never did, remembering the relationship weâve had over the past three years. But it seems Master Qi doesnât value this friendship."
She continued, "If itâs not valued, thereâs no need to apologize, just be ordinary partners at best."
And ordinary partners can part ways at any time.
"So, Master Qi shouldnât come to apologize and make amends afterward, but should think in advance whether my family is worthy of your trust. If we are, then trust us; if not, donât bother doing these useless things afterward." Gu Jinli concluded.
Master Qi felt deeply ashamed as he listened. He clearly understood that Gu Jinli was admonishing him for not trusting her familyâs integrity and was transparently telling him that there are two types of cooperative relationships: one maintained by trust like old friends, and the other just business dealings, which can end at any time.
He needed to choose one in order to continue and not keep vacillating, clinging to the Gu Family when it benefitted him but running away as soon as trouble arose for them.
In essence, one needs to be sincere, and his behavior was almost like that of a scoundrel.
"Gu Familyâs daughter..." Master Qi wanted to say something but didnât know how to, especially since he was the one who left the Gu Family in difficult times.
Gu Jinli also didnât want to hear Master Qiâs nonsense and simply said, "Master Qi, no need to say more. Our cooperation will continue, but how far our familiesâ relationship goes, weâll have to see in the future."
She wanted to find a reliable backer in the Prefecture comparable to Elder Wu, but the current Qi Family wasnât good enough, so she could only take it one step at a time.
However, if the Qi Family continued to be cowardly, fleeing as soon as her family encountered trouble, she wouldnât hesitate to replace them.
Pointing to the things in the shop, she said, "Thereâs too much stuff, it would be too much trouble for us to take it all back. Master Qi, could you help us send it back to the village?"
Master Qi quickly replied, "Oh, donât worry, Iâll definitely have it sent back to your hometown."
He added, "Gu Familyâs daughter, your uncle would like to host you and your family for dinner tomorrow at his residence, how about it?"
Master Qi still wanted to make amends, but Gu Jinli declined, "No need, weâre leaving for the village tomorrow, no time for a banquet."
"Youâre leaving for the village tomorrow?" Master Qi exclaimed, "Why leave so soon?"
Gu Jinli replied, "Itâs not that soon. Other students go back home to pay respects to their ancestors as soon as the results are announced. My family has already stayed in the Prefecture for quite a while."
If they didnât return soon, theyâd miss the college examination in June after the ancestor rituals.
They could have waited until after becoming a Scholar to pay respects, but her brother was a student from Tianfu County, came here on its behalf, and topped the county exam, he had to go back and meet with the County Magistrate; otherwise, it would be considered impolite, so they had to return.
After saying that, Gu Jinli didnât stay longer and left with Qin San Lang.
Master Qi hurriedly called after them, "Your uncle will come to see you off tomorrow!"
Gu Jinli didnât turn back, leaving Master Qi helpless as he asked the old housekeeper, "Should I not have been so snobbish back then?"
At the time, the rumors in the Prefecture were rampant, saying that not only did Gu Dashan not respect his stepmother, but he also didnât support his biological father, who ended up suing him in the government office.
Being accused of such a grave sin as unfilial conduct by your own father would ruin the familyâs reputation for life, and Gu Jinâan could forget about taking the exams.
But who couldâve thought the true villains were the Old Gu Family, and Gu Dashan even counter-sued Granny Gu for attempting to harm his mother?
The old housekeeper sighed, "Second Young Master, itâs too late to say this now. We should be sincere with the Gu Family from here on out. The Gu Familyâs daughter is reasonable, as long as we sincerely treat them well, she wonât cut off business with us."
Master Qi sighed, having no other choice.
He then instructed the shopkeeper, "Wrap up the fabrics they picked and send them to Da Feng Village, Qingfu Town, Tianfu County, Gu Family. Send them today."
"Yes, Iâll have someone prepare the cart to deliver it right away," the shopkeeper saw how much Master Qi cared about the Gu Family and promptly had people ready the cart to load the goods.
After speaking, Master Qi told the old housekeeper, "Prepare a generous gift, accompany me tomorrow to see the Gu Family off."
...
While Master Qi was thinking of various ways to make amends, Gu Jinli and Qin San Lang had already arrived at Qingshan Medical Hall, starting to select various good medicinal herbs.
Doctor Xiao was scared by her arrival, regretting giving her those promises because of his gratitude for her discovering Miss Ranâs poisoning.
Seeing Gu Jinli happily picking herbs, he said, "Take it easy, those pearl powder, Dendrobium, ginseng, Lingzhi, and Red Abdomen poison arenât cheap."
Gu Jinli gave Doctor Xiao some face, replying, "Iâll buy less of the pearl powder then, and leave some for you."
As for pearl powder, Brother Qin had plenty; those flawed pearls were all ground into powder for her scar removal ointment.
Doctor Xiao was half-relieved, but then saw her choose several expensive herbs, almost fainting.
Not wanting to infuriate Doctor Xiao, Gu Jinli put some of the herbs back and smiled, "Donât worry, I wonât let you lose too much."
Doctor Xiao waved his hand, saying, "Hurry and choose, finish soon and hurry back."
Every moment she lingered, his heart was on edge, fearing all the good medicinal herbs would end up in her hands.
Gu Jinli laughed and finally left with only three big bags of herbs.
These herbs were discounted, cheaper than buying at Xuanhu Fang; not buying them would be a loss.
They wandered around, buying quite a lot of things.
Seeing they had bought too much, Qin San Lang sent a young beggar to inform Erqing at the Gu Family to bring the mule cart to pick them up.
Seeing it was getting late, Gu Jinli decided to wait for Erqing and returned with him on the mule cart.
Just as they arrived at the house, they saw Gu Jinâan and Brother Cheng sending off guests.
The two guests were Yao Youqian and Lv Bai, who had come to bid farewell.