They were kicked out without a shred of mercy.
Having just learned that Su Zhenzhu was actually Su Ning's younger sister, the Fangs found their marriage alliance not only cancelled but replaced by the anxious dread of a retaliation that could strike at any moment.
The Fang family was physically and mentally exhausted. Their only thought was to rush home, change their clothes, call for a doctor, and get some rest. Once they had recovered, they would figure out how to handle the situation.
Unfortunately, even that small comfort was denied to them.
In a way, it was still related to Su Ning.
The funeral was grander than anything seen before. Between the high-ranking dignitaries and the ordinary guests who outnumbered them tenfold, the crowd was staggering.
When there are too many people, the roads get blocked.
There was a tacit understanding among the attendees: unless one was of high enough status to arrive by car, everyone used rickshaws, as horse-drawn carriages simply took up too much space.
Cars were precious commodities, and the Fang family naturally couldn't afford one.
They traveled via a rickshaw they hired on a monthly basis. On the way there, Fang Qingqing had even complained that the rickshaw offered little shelter and that the cold wind was blowing in from outside.
Now, as they stepped out to look for it—
The rickshaw was gone.
"It was parked right here! Where did it go?" Mrs. Fang was in such pain that she could no longer maintain her usual poise. She let out a shrill scream.
The parking area was only so large.
Each family's private rickshaw had its own markings and should have been easy to spot at a glance, yet they had circled the area twice without finding it.
"Don't waste your breath," a driver from another household chimed in helpfully.
"Just a moment ago, a few burly men came over and chased your rickshaw driver away, man and vehicle both. Who knows where they are by now."
"What!"
Fang Qingqing suddenly flew into a rage. "Are they dead inside? They just leave because someone tells them to? Why didn't they fight back? Do we pay them to sit around and eat for free? Argh! Dammit, they're all useless trash!"
Her voice was sharp and incredibly grating.
Even Master Fang and Mrs. Fang couldn't stand it and hurried her to be quiet.
In ordinary times, their reprimand might have worked.
But right now, Fang Qingqing was consumed by hatred at the thought that Su Zhenzhu—whom she had always looked down upon—was now superior to her. She felt betrayed by her parents, who were shifting all the blame onto her, and terrified of Su Ning.
She had to let it all out, or she would truly go insane.
Seeing they couldn't stop her, the Fang couple gave up. They were irritated themselves, silently cursing Su Ning, Su Zhenzhu, and the rest of the Su family.
Nearby, the other rickshaw drivers grew disgruntled.
They began to speak up: "Such a young lady, yet such a foul mouth. 'Dead' this and 'dead' that? There were seven or eight of them, and they looked like men who had seen blood. If a fight had actually broken out, your man would've been downed in a couple of punches."
"Truly, she doesn't view servants as human beings."
One driver, feeling a sense of shared hardship, spat on the ground and mocked them: "Looking at you lot, you were clearly kicked out. You must have offended the host, right? Definitely. The men I saw earlier were familiar faces; they work for Miss Su."
"Pah! And you have the nerve to complain? If it weren't for you dragging them down, they wouldn't have been chased off."
"Exactly! This is what you call... what's the phrase? Getting what you deserve!"
At this, the drivers couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Fang Qingqing's face flushed with rage. She couldn't believe it. "You lowly cart-pullers! How dare you insult me?" She instinctively turned to Master Fang to complain. "Father, teach them a lesson!"
"Enough! You've been making a scene this whole time. Shut your mouth!"
Fang Jingde scolded her impatiently. What time did she think it was to be throwing a spoiled tantrum? Besides, these drivers weren't freelancers; they were employed by other families.
As the saying goes, before you beat a dog, you must look at who its master is.
Not only did he not teach the drivers a lesson for his daughter, but Fang Jingde even apologized to them. He used the same old tired excuses—that she was poorly disciplined as a child and spoiled rotten, and that she didn't mean it.
Seeing his attitude, the drivers softened slightly.
However, when Fang Jingde offered two silver dollars for someone to pull them home, the crowd fell silent.
Two silver dollars was a significant amount.
After paying for food and lodging, that was about as much as they could save in a whole month.
Their masters were inside and wouldn't need them until evening. Logically, they should have been fighting over such an offer.
Unfortunately...
Seeing that no one responded, Fang Jingde’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly added, "Is the price too low? I'll add another dollar."
"It's not about the money," one driver finally said after hesitating for a long time. "Someone gave us a heads-up. If anyone dares to give you a ride, they'll tell our masters, and we'll be in for a beating."
"That's right. No amount of money is worth that."
Taking a beating for three silver dollars might have been worth it, but the problem was that their masters would be informed. Wouldn't that mean losing their steady jobs?
In this day and age, jobs were hard to find.
Without this bowl of rice, one could easily end up begging on the streets.
Even when the price was raised to ten silver dollars, no one was willing.
The Fangs didn't have much more cash on them and didn't want to spend more anyway. They had no choice but to start walking out on foot, hoping they would find a rickshaw further out.
To their horror, it was like they were seeing ghosts.
Rickshaws that were usually available at a wave of a hand were nowhere to be seen.
This left them dumbfounded. From here to the Fang residence, it took over half an hour by rickshaw. On foot, it would take at least an hour and a half.
They seemed to have overestimated their own endurance.
Stopping and starting, it took them a full three hours to reach home. By the time they arrived, they collapsed.
***
"Ding! System detects that the host has acted with 'unscrupulous wealth,' dealing both physical and mental blows to innocent plot characters. Reward: 300,000 in funds and one lucky draw."
Su Ning arched an eyebrow.
The rewarded funds weren't much—any more would just be a burden—but the lucky draw was a rare treat.
She called Lin Sen over to inquire and learned, quite regretfully, that nothing catastrophic had happened to the Fangs on the road. It was just that the wind was cold, the road was slippery, and their stamina was poor. They were simply exhausted.
"They're quite the walkers," she muttered.
Su Ning felt a bit disappointed; she had hoped to figure out the specific rules for triggering a lucky draw. Despite her disappointment, she praised Lin Sen for his efficiency.
The "male lead's" capabilities were indeed no joke.
With just a small test of his skills, the Fangs had been forced to trek across half of Beijing on foot without being able to catch a single rickshaw.
How should she reward him? Only a raise would do.
Su Ning increased his monthly salary by fifty silver dollars. Lin Sen was overjoyed and took the initiative to report further:
"I have already spread the word that you intend to deal with the Fang family. Several major tailor shops have sent word back; they will no longer source fabric from the Fang family's textile business."
"Furthermore, many of the guests who came to pay their respects have indicated they will boycott the Fang family's business... The newspapers have also been taken care of. I guarantee the Fang family's reputation will be dragged through the mud."
One by one, the news was all good.
Su Ning listened intently.
Dealing with the Fangs was both a system requirement and a way to establish her authority in Beijing. Everyone was watching this wealthy socialite from abroad to see exactly how far she would go.
And how much could she actually achieve?
This also allowed her to discern the true attitudes of the various families in Beijing toward her. Those who stepped up to help were naturally allies she could draw closer to.
However, this wasn't enough.
This would only bruise the Fangs' bones; it wouldn't make them collapse entirely.
Su Ning thought for a moment and instructed Lin Sen:
"Find me two people with unfamiliar faces but an air of wealth. Remember, they must be reliable and sharp. Nothing less will do."
"Are you planning to seize the Fang family's business?"
Lin Sen couldn't help but speculate. It was a viable strategy; with her massive financial backing, Miss Su could easily crush them. By using low prices—or even selling at a loss—she could squeeze the Fang family until they could no longer hold on.
"No."
Su Ning gave a mysterious smile.
"I’m not only going to avoid stealing their business, I’m going to hand them a massive one... Have these two men pose as merchants from out of town. Tell them to buy the Fang family's cloth—buy every last bolt they have."
