The next morning, Song Jinzhao brought the silver to the brokerage, only to find the agent sitting in his chair with a grim face.
She looked around and asked, "Has the seller not arrived yet?"
The agent raised his eyes, his gaze evasive, somewhat unable to meet Song Jinzhao's directly. The words stuck in his throat wouldn't come out nor go down, churning in his chest until he felt stifled.
"The seller says the shop is jointly owned with a cousin. The cousin thinks the price is too low and has gone back on the deal."
Song Jinzhao was taken aback. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly in a semblance of a smile that wasn't quite one. "They just agreed to sell a few days ago, and now after only a few days they think the price is low? Who do they think they're fooling!"
The agent's brow furrowed deeply. He sped up his speech, trying desperately to justify himself.
"I don't know either. Everything was fine when I went there yesterday. Who knew they'd send someone first thing this morning saying they felt the price was too low? Unless we add another hundred taels, they won't sell."
Song Jinzhao found it utterly ridiculous and let out a heavy, cold snort.
"Add another hundred taels? Does he think that shop is made of gold?"
"Two hundred and sixty taels. He really dares to open his mouth like a lion."
The agent clenched his jaw. He too thought the other party's demand was exorbitant.
Joint ownership? Clearly just an excuse to jack up the price.
But the problem was, the other party was Provincial Graduate Wang. He, a mere agent, dared not offend him.
Suppressing her anger, Song Jinzhao said, "Tell the seller I'm not buying. And he needs to refund double the deposit."
The agent's frown deepened, his expression turning pitiful. "To be frank with you, Miss Song, the owner of that shop is Provincial Graduate Wang from West Street. I can return the forty-tael deposit you left at the brokerage to you. But getting Provincial Graduate Wang to pay another forty in compensation... I'm afraid he won't give it."
Song Jinzhao's gaze turned sharp, a powerful sense of oppression emanating from her that made one feel as if plunged into an icy abyss.
"What does being a Provincial Graduate matter? He broke the contract after I signed the deposit agreement, so he has to pay."
The agent shuddered, as if the King of Hell himself had him by the throat.
"If he doesn't pay, then we'll see each other at the magistrate's court."
Watching Song Jinzhao's straight, unwavering back recede as if carved by knife and axe, the agent collapsed into his chair, speechless for a long time.
The deal falling through was one thing, but now it felt like a knife was at his neck.
What on earth was he to do?
No matter how much he didn't want to go, the agent had to find Provincial Graduate Wang and convey Song Jinzhao's stance.
"She says she's not buying, and wants me to compensate the deposit?" Provincial Graduate Wang's face changed dramatically, his hand gripping the teacup lid so tightly it seemed he might shatter the cup.
The agent kept his head slightly lowered. "Two hundred and sixty taels is far above the market price. The buyer can't come up with that much silver. According to the deposit agreement, you are required to compensate."
The teacup slammed onto the floor with a crash.
"She sold that recipe to Shi You Ji and made hundreds of taels. Her stall business is so good, what's two hundred and sixty taels to her?"
"Mine is the only shop for sale on Central Street. Even doubling the price is justified."
The agent looked up in disbelief. So, he knew the buyer's identity.
But no matter how much money someone has, they won't be willing to be a fool.
Moreover, that Miss Song didn't seem like the type to swallow insults. She even mentioned going to court.
"Miss Song said if you don't pay, she'll see you at the magistrate's court."
Provincial Graduate Wang slapped the table with his palm, the pain making him grimace.
"Let her! A peasant girl running a stall. Should I, a Provincial Graduate, be afraid of her?"
When the agent turned to leave Provincial Graduate Wang's house, his face carried a look of disdain.
Bullying others by flaunting one's power. Serves him right if he never passes the imperial examination in his lifetime.
Wang Shizhang returned from the gambling den to find Provincial Graduate Wang sitting in the main hall with a dark expression, a puddle of tea spilled on the floor. He hurriedly asked, "Who has angered Father?"
Provincial Graduate Wang slapped him across the face and began pointing at his nose, cursing, "How did I end up with a son like you? Obsessed with frivolities, idle all day, causing me nothing but trouble."
"If you hadn't gone to the gambling den and lost so much money, why would I need to sell off family property to pay your debts? Now I'm being insulted by a lowly street vendor who even wants to drag me to court!"
After being roundly cursed and slapped, Wang Shizhang, his blood boiling, went to find Madam Wang to ask what exactly had happened.
After Madam Wang finished explaining, she sighed heavily. "We just wanted to get a bit more money. Who knew that Miss Song would refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit? Not only is she not buying the shop, she wants your father to pay compensation."
Wang Shizhang clenched his fists, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. "A low-born wench from a farming family dares to oppose our Wang family? She's looking for death."
After noon, Old Lady Song came to help at the stall on Central Street and noticed Song Jinzhao didn't look well.
Remembering she had said she was going to the county office to sign the deed that morning, Old Lady Song asked softly, "The shop deal didn't go through?"
Song Jinzhao nodded, her expression neutral. "The other party raised the price at the last minute. I'm not buying."
Just as she thought.
Old Lady Song took a deep breath and tried to console her. "If you ask me, don't buy on Central Street. It's expensive and the space isn't big."
"The street next door looks pretty good to me. Cheaper prices and still plenty of people."
"Buy a bigger shop. Then if you close late in the future, you, Qiming, Shixue, and Anhao could even stay there."
Song Jinzhao turned her head to glance at the intersection, then nodded slightly in agreement. "I'll go look around again in a couple of days, see if there's anything suitable."
After leaving the brokerage, she had been thinking about this very thing.
She had originally chosen to set up her stall on Central Street firstly because it was crowded, and secondly because only Central Street allowed stalls; other streets did not.
Now that there were no shops for sale on Central Street, perhaps she could look to the side.
Half past the hour of Wei (around 2 PM), when the temperature was at its peak, there were relatively fewer people on the main street.
After seeing off a few customers, Song Jinzhao and Old Lady Song sat down to rest.
Before long, they noticed someone walking towards the stall holding a plain oil-paper umbrella.
Song Jinzhao stood up to ask, "What would you like, sir?"
Provincial Graduate Wang scanned the samples on the table and said coldly, "A cup of mint and licorice herbal tea."
Song Jinzhao frowned slightly. This man's tone was laced with suppressed anger, and his demeanor held hostility towards her.
She filled a bamboo cup with the mint and licorice tea and handed it over.
Provincial Graduate Wang took the bamboo tube and said slowly, "I hear Miss Song has a younger brother studying at Scholar Zheng's private school on South Street?"
Song Jinzhao looked up.
Provincial Graduate Wang poured the herbal tea onto the ground, his tone meaningful.
"Not many students who study there ever pass the county-level examination. After struggling for a few years, they can only come begging to me to take them in."
"If you behave yourself and buy the shop, I, being magnanimous, won't hold a grudge against someone of your lowly status. I'll even allow your brother to study at my private school next year."
Old Lady Song, sitting behind, sensed something was wrong and immediately stood up, moving to Song Jinzhao's side, eyeing Provincial Graduate Wang warily.
The corner of Song Jinzhao's mouth lifted. Her light laugh carried sarcasm and disdain, like a snake flicking its tongue, the tail of her words drawn out very long.
"So Provincial Graduate Wang is aware of how greedy and shameless his own actions are."
"Afraid of being seen, you only dare to come threaten me when there's no one around. A teacher with such poor character, no matter how learned, only misleads his students."
"My brother is pure of heart and honest. I'm afraid he is unworthy of climbing into your cesspit."
Provincial Graduate Wang's eyes widened until they seemed about to split, his fury making his hair stand on end. The veins on the back of his hand gripping the umbrella handle bulged.
He said through gritted teeth, "Since you are so ungrateful, don't blame me for being impolite."
Song Jinzhao gave a cold laugh.
"However you wish to be 'impolite,' I'll be happy to oblige."
"Deliver the compensation silver to the brokerage tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind having a very 'impolite' meeting with Provincial Graduate Wang in the magistrate's court."
