A New Shopkeeper Arrives

The next morning.

Su Yi carried a travel bundle and left the courtyard where he had lived for a year.

Starting today, he would take charge of Apricot Yellow Medical Hall, and he would be living there from now on as well.

"I won't go to the banks of the Great Cang River to cultivate today. Once I've settled in, it won't be too late to go then."

"As for forging a sword, I can only set it aside for now."

As he thought, Su Yi had already left the Wen Family.

Guangling City, Azure Sparrow Street.

The bustling street was alive with noise and clamor.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, those able to cultivate the Martial Dao were few in the end. Most were ordinary mortal commoners.

Every day, they ran themselves ragged for their livelihoods, playing out all the myriad faces of the mortal world.

Su Yi walked at an unhurried pace through the crowd, feeling an indescribable ease of mind.

"At Apricot Yellow Medical Hall, I'll be able to come into contact with all sorts of medicinal herbs every day. I can very well use them to cultivate the Martial Dao."

"For me, this is actually a good thing. It should be enough to speed up my cultivation progress."

"However, the prerequisite is earning a thousand taels of silver every month..."

"Mm?"

Su Yi suddenly stopped and looked not far away.

A youth in brocade finery came trotting over with a face full of smiles. Before he even arrived, he cupped his hands in delighted surprise and said, "Brother Su, you're out shopping too? What a coincidence!"

The newcomer was none other than Huang Qianjun.

The moment this arrogant silkpants, famous throughout Guangling City, appeared, the pedestrians on the nearby street all retreated one after another, looking at him as if he were a flood or a savage beast.

"I think you've been waiting for me all along."

Su Yi glanced at him. It was early morning; who would be idle enough to go shopping at a time like this?

Huang Qianjun was slightly embarrassed and opened his mouth to explain. "Brother Su..."

Su Yi cut him off. "Enough. Your father told you to do this, didn't he? Go back and tell your father there's really no need."

As he spoke, he had already strode straight ahead.

Huang Qianjun felt a burst of guilty unease. Su Yi had exposed the reason with a single sentence.

It was precisely his father, Huang Yunchong, who had ordered him to find every opportunity to get close to Su Yi. No matter what, he had to establish a connection with Su Yi.

If there was no opportunity, he had to create one!

At the time, Huang Qianjun had even foolishly asked his father whether he wanted him to become Su Yi's friend.

Huang Yunchong had looked as if he hated iron for not becoming steel and cursed him for indulging in wild fantasies. Forget becoming friends—even being able to serve as Su Yi's subordinate would require burning high incense!

And that was what had led to today's scene.

"How can I become a qualified subordinate?"

Seeing Su Yi gradually walk farther away, Huang Qianjun gritted his teeth and, bracing himself, hurried after him.

He thought of those attendants who had followed at his side in the past. Every day, they had shadowed him step for step, glib-tongued, considerate, loyal to the bone. If he told them to go east, they absolutely would not dare go west...

Most importantly, everything had followed his horse's head!

And now, Huang Qianjun planned to learn and apply it on the spot...

Su Yi noticed Huang Qianjun chasing after him all the way, but he paid him no attention.

"Brother Su didn't drive me away!"

Huang Qianjun was secretly delighted and hurried forward, saying shamelessly, "Brother Su, let me carry that bundle for you."

He had noticed the travel bundle on Su Yi's shoulder.

"As you like."

Su Yi flung the travel bundle over with a casual toss.

A grand silkpants villain was now eagerly delivering himself to the door to do odd jobs for him. What sort of spirit was this?

Huang Qianjun carefully hugged the bundle, wild joy surging in his heart. Did this mean... Brother Su did not reject him that much?

If Father knew, he would definitely be happy for me too, right?

Next, I have to perform well!

I, Huang Qianjun, don't even want my face anymore, so why should I be afraid I can't become a good subordinate before Brother Su?

Su Yi never would have thought that merely letting Huang Qianjun carry a travel bundle would make him so delighted inside.

Very soon, Su Yi saw the signboard of "Apricot Yellow Medical Hall" from afar.

It was a three-story building facing the street, built in an antique style.

As one of Guangling City's Three Great Clans, the Wen family had built its fortune on "medicinal herbs," monopolizing more than ninety percent of the Medicinal Herb Business and cultivating over ten thousand mu of medicinal fields.

The Wen family also employed over a thousand herb gatherers, who ventured into the deep mountains and old forests every so often to harvest medicinal herbs.

And in Guangling City alone, the Wen family operated sixteen medical halls and nineteen Medicine Shops.

Apricot Yellow Medical Hall was merely one of them.

The people waiting to see a doctor or fill prescriptions had long since formed a winding line before Apricot Yellow Medical Hall.

Yet at that moment, two manservants came out, shouting as they drove people away.

"Everyone, hurry up and go to another medical hall. Apricot Yellow Medical Hall is closing today and won't be opening!"

"We can't do anything about it either. Starting today, our shopkeeper's been replaced, and the new shopkeeper still hasn't arrived."

At once, the people in line broke into a commotion. Some sighed in disappointment, some shook their heads helplessly, and some cursed under their breath. For a time, the scene descended into chaos.

But the two manservants did not care. They turned and were about to shut the medical hall's doors.

"Hold on."

A voice rang out. "The new shopkeeper has arrived. We're not closing today."

The two manservants froze.

The people waiting in line all looked over as well.

They saw a figure already strolling over, dressed in coarse blue robes, tall and slender, his face refined and clean.

"Who are you?"

One manservant muttered, his face full of suspicion.

"Your new shopkeeper."

Su Yi's expression was calm as his gaze swept over Apricot Yellow Medical Hall. Inwardly, he thought, This place isn't far from the Great Cang River outside the city. Not bad at all.

"You're that Su Yi?"

The manservant blurted out.

Su Yi!

The other manservant also reacted. He laughed with a sneer and mocked, "You haven't even stepped through the door, and you're already itching to treat yourself as the shopkeeper? I'm just afraid that before your backside even warms the seat, you'll be slinking away with your tail between your legs!"

Hearing this, Su Yi keenly sensed that because of his arrival, everyone in Apricot Yellow Medical Hall had likely discussed countermeasures in advance, planning to give him, the new shopkeeper, a taste of their power.

"So it's him, the Wen family's live-in son-in-law."

"A useless good-for-nothing like him actually became Apricot Yellow Medical Hall's new shopkeeper? Is he worthy?"

"No wonder Apricot Yellow Medical Hall is closing today. So it was all because of him."

...The people waiting in line whispered among themselves.

In Guangling City, who did not know the name of the Wen family's live-in son-in-law, Su Yi?

Even now, who knew how many people still felt sorry for Wen Lingzhao, sighing that she had married the wrong man.

"Son-in-law, this lowly one is bold enough to offer you a word of advice. You'd better hurry home and obediently be your live-in son-in-law. The position of Apricot Yellow Medical Hall's shopkeeper simply isn't something someone like you can sit in!"

The manservant grew even more emboldened, his words Two-Faced, his face full of disdain.

Su Yi looked at the manservant and said calmly, "Starting today, you don't need to come to Apricot Yellow Medical Hall anymore."

The manservant froze, pointing at his own nose. "You want to dismiss me? Hahaha, I forgot to tell you, three generations of my family have served Second Master Wen and long since signed an 'Indentured Servitude Contract'! Other than Second Master Wen, no one can drive me away!"

He had signed an Indentured Servitude Contract, yet was actually so smug about it. Su Yi could not help but marvel.

Su Yi stepped forward, patted the manservant on the shoulder, and said, "You sold yourself to the Wen family, not Apricot Yellow Medical Hall. Right now, I am the shopkeeper. If you don't want to leave, that's fine too. When the time comes, I simply won't pay your wages."

"You dare!"

The manservant's eyes reddened. He had been provoked into anger.

"Screw your grandmother! How are you talking to my Brother Su?"

Huang Qianjun, who had followed Su Yi all the way here, could no longer restrain his temper at this moment. He strode forward and, with a backhand swing, slapped the manservant across the face.

Smack!

The manservant's figure lurched, and he tumbled down the steps, falling so hard his head split and bled, his cheek swelling red as he let out a pig-slaughtering scream.

"You damned—"

The manservant climbed to his feet and was just about to curse.

But when he clearly saw the person who had hit him, his whole body shuddered, and he cried out despite himself, "Young... Young Master Huang?"

The nearby crowd waiting to see the doctor also burst into uproar, recognizing Huang Qianjun, this vicious young villain of infamous repute.

"Still not getting lost? Or do you want to invite me over to your house as a guest?"

Huang Qianjun's eyes were savage.

How could the manservant dare hesitate? He scrambled and crawled away, not daring to let out even a fart.

"What a piece of trash."

Huang Qianjun spat, then looked around and realized Su Yi had already walked into Apricot Yellow Medical Hall. He hurriedly followed him in.

"What's going on?"

"Why is that Huang Family wastrel hanging around with the Wen Family's Son-in-law?"

"Who knows..."

The crowd discussed it heatedly, all of them utterly astonished.

Inside Apricot Yellow Medical Hall.

A faint scent of medicinal herbs permeated every inch of air in the main hall, calming the mind.

Rows of medicine cabinets stood on display, and all kinds of antique, elegant furnishings adorned the different areas. It was neat and spacious.

"Not bad."

Su Yi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, rather satisfied.

For the next while, this would be the place where he settled down.

"Son-in-law, what is the meaning of this?"

A lean middle-aged man's face filled with anger.

Beside him stood more than ten figures, including stewards, hired hands, medicine apprentices, and servants. None of them looked pleased.

They had all witnessed what had happened outside the medical hall.

Su Yi went behind the counter and casually sat down in the grand armchair reserved exclusively for the shopkeeper. He comfortably stretched his waist, then looked at the lean middle-aged man and said calmly:

"Starting today, I am the shopkeeper of Apricot Yellow Medical Hall. No matter what you think in your hearts, if you want to keep working here, you had best not oppose me."

Immediately, a Gray Robe Man sneered. "A fellow like you, who doesn't understand anything, what right do you have to be our shopkeeper? If you anger us Old Men, Apricot Yellow Medical Hall will definitely have to shut its doors and be finished!"

Su Yi glanced at him and said, "If you're unconvinced, you can leave right now."

The Gray Robe Man froze, as if he could not believe his own ears. "Do you know who I am?"

Beside him, the lean middle-aged man reminded him expressionlessly, "Son-in-law, Wu Yong is an Old Man of our Apricot Yellow Medical Hall. He has worked diligently for our Wen Family for thirty years and is experienced and seasoned..."

Before he could finish, Su Yi tapped the tabletop with a finger, cutting him off. "No matter who it is, if you don't want to work, leave at once. Whether Apricot Yellow Medical Hall shuts its doors and collapses has nothing to do with you."

The expressions of everyone in Apricot Yellow Medical Hall changed, and they looked at one another.

None of them had expected that Su Yi, the Son-in-law who had always been looked down on by everyone in the Wen Family, would actually be so forceful—even completely unreasonable!

"Hmph! I'm not willing to serve at the side of a Son-in-law like you, who doesn't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth!"

The Gray Robe Man called Wu Yong flung his sleeve in fury, turned, and strode toward the outside of Apricot Yellow Medical Hall.

But halfway there, Huang Qianjun blocked him.

This vile young wastrel said unhurriedly, "Wu Yong, right? You can leave if you want. Tonight, I'll pay a visit to your home, and we can have a proper chat."

Wu Yong's face changed drastically.

--

P.S. Keep calling for votes! If everyone votes, Goldfish will keep adding more chapters today, okay?