She was well aware that what she had done was not quite right.
But these were special times. Feng Linyuan's revenge plan was at a critical juncture, and the closer they got to the end, the more money they needed.
Although the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion had a thick foundation, money was always something that could never be too much.
She had involved the Song family back then because the goods sold in those five shops were extremely profitable.
A tall tree was bound to catch the wind.
If someone with ill - intent came to investigate, it would be extremely easy to find out the real owner of the shops. If they traced it back to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, how could Feng Linyuan have an easy time?
So they had to let the Song family be the nominal bosses to take the brunt of the attacks from all sides so that this matter could be covered up.
Of course, the Song family didn't act as the scapegoat for free. As a token of gratitude, Bai Zheng had to give them 30% of the profits.
Just thinking about it made Bai Zheng's heart ache. According to the turnover of the past half - month or so, 30% would amount to at least a hundred thousand taels of silver.
"You look at yourself. Those five shops have only been open for a few days, and you've lost so much weight. Your dark circles are so heavy. You must not have slept well at night. You're Linyuan's friend, and now you're my friend too. How could I bear to drag your Song family into every matter? What if I work you to death?"
Bai Zheng still soothed him gently.
Song Yiqing gave her a hard look. "Making money is never easy. I'm used to being idle on weekdays. It's rare for me to work hard once. This makes my father and elder brother look at me in a new light, and those old guys in the family finally pay attention to me. So what if I lose a little weight and get a little tired? I'm more than happy about it! Don't use the guise of being good to me while actually going back on your promise!"
Being pointed out so bluntly by Song Yiqing, Bai Zheng felt a bit embarrassed. But she still forced a smile and analyzed the situation for him.
"Because of those five shops, the Song family is now at the center of the storm. Although I've been fully focused on opening new shops these days and haven't paid much attention to your side, I've heard a lot from Linyuan about the obstacles you've encountered.
Linyuan always tells me that he feels sorry for you, and I've always wanted to help you.
That's why this dessert shop has come in handy. It can draw the attention of those who are trying to trip you up. Otherwise, how long do you think those five shops can stay safe?"
Song Yiqing frowned slightly.
He had really suffered losses in the past few days. So although he was still full of grievances, he had to admit that Bai Zheng's words made sense.
He could still muster the energy to come and quarrel with Bai Zheng after enduring such days for three or five days. But if it went on for ten days or half a month, he would probably be crying for help and struggling to take care of himself.
He looked up at Bai Zheng angrily but couldn't say a word.
Bai Zheng sighed and softened her tone. "You can't become a fat man by eating one mouthful. There's never an end to making silver.
You're Linyuan's friend, and you know his situation. Right now, I really need the silver more. So I have to take this dessert shop for myself without telling you.
After everything is settled in the future, I won't bother with so many things. You can rest assured that I won't treat you badly then."
Song Yiqing slowly lowered his head, and his anger finally subsided.
The two were so engrossed in their conversation that neither of them noticed a shadow flash by at the connection between the front hall and the backyard.
After eavesdropping, the shadow quickly ran out of the shop and walked eastward along Anren Alley until it turned into a small door of the General's Mansion.
The news that the wife of the Dingyuan Marquis had opened a very profitable dessert shop spread throughout Yongding that day.
After much persuasion, Bai Zheng finally sent Song Yiqing out. After his anger subsided, Song Yiqing also kept his promise and sent her thirty or forty cooks.
The next day, Bai Zheng started the professional training for the cooks. With a continuous supply of manpower, the dessert shop gradually got on the right track.
Bai Zheng no longer had to be trapped in the back - kitchen like when the shop first opened. Although the supply of the shop still seemed insufficient due to the booming business, the desserts were so delicious that word spread quickly. Many people even came from neighboring towns to buy them, and the number of people coming in and out of the shop increased day by day.
Even Song Yiqing felt sorry for her when a large number of customers were lost every day due to insufficient supply.
Then Bai Zheng opened a three - story teahouse next to the dessert shop.
It was called a teahouse, but what it served was not ordinary tea but the desserts from the neighboring shop. They were just more delicate and more appealing.
Moreover, its decoration didn't look like an ordinary teahouse at all.
On the first floor, there were rows of small wooden long tables. Each table could seat about three or four people. There was also a whole wall of books, all newly printed and the hottest books at the moment.
The types of books were extremely rich. There were some elegant collections loved by scholars, military books loved by soldiers, and storybooks that common people couldn't put down.
On the second floor, there was also a whole wall with rarer elegant collections and military books. In the middle were small round tables, and there were soft - cushioned chairs with flowered cloth beside each table.
On the third floor, there were private rooms just like those in the Jizhen Tower. Each private room was far apart. Inside, there were sofas and small round tables. The sofas came in different styles, including those that could seat two or three people and single sofas.
What was even more peculiar was that this teahouse was not accessible to ordinary people.
One had to pay an annual membership fee of two hundred taels of silver to become a senior member of the teahouse before they could enter to read books and consume.
When people first heard the figure of two hundred taels of silver, almost everyone thought it was robbery.
But looking at the elegant environment inside, those good books that they couldn't see on ordinary days, and the more delicate and appealing desserts without having to queue for a long time.
Many people were wavering.
There was no shortage of rich people in Yongding City.
Those who came from outside Yongding City specifically to buy desserts from the dessert shop were surely not the kind of people who would be short of two hundred taels of silver.
So on the first day of its opening, nearly twenty people became members of the teahouse.
This achievement made Song Yiqing exclaim again and again.
Bai Zheng must have been a money - magnet in her past life.
Those who were willing to pay a hundred taels of silver for the membership fee on the first day were almost all there for the desserts.
On the second day, the number of people who wanted to enter the teahouse doubled instantly, and their purposes were different from the day before.
They were no longer simply there to eat the delicate and delicious desserts but for the unique storybooks that were so fascinating.
The stories in these storybooks were one more wonderful than the other. No one knew where Bai Zheng had collected them from.
There was the sad love story of Lady White Snake and Xu Xian, the strange story of a fox spirit transforming into a human to seduce a young man, and the adventure story of a stone monkey accompanying a Buddhist monk on a journey to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures...