Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Liu Xiu’s housekeeper was somewhat aware of Miss Chen’s business concerns, and he leaned in to whisper a few words to Liu Xiu. After hearing him, Liu Xiu appeared thoughtful, as if he had something on his mind. He paused for a moment before instructing the housekeeper to bring Miss Chen to him.

The matter at hand was nearly concluded, and sensing that Liu Xiu had something else to attend to, and it seemed to involve a woman, everyone tactfully took their leave. Han Yu also excused himself along with the others, but as he walked out, his gaze lingered momentarily in a certain direction before he turned to leave.

Miss Chen arrived just in time to see Han Yu’s retreating figure. Her eyes flashed discerningly, and upon seeing Liu Xiu, she masked her expression and approached him with a smile, warmly looping her arm through his—a gesture that would not have seemed out of place had she been dressed as a man, but was somewhat scandalous in her current feminine attire. Miss Chen, however, was completely unfazed by this; having grown up in modern times, she had little regard for the conservative attitudes of ancient times.

“Big Brother Liu, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” she said with feigned concern. “You look haggard these days. You must remember to rest, for health is the capital of revolution.”

Liu Xiu found Chen Li’s words strange and awkward, even though he knew she was showing her concern. What did she mean by “the capital of revolution”? He had been a student at the Imperial College before his uprising, and despite not considering himself worldly, he was fairly knowledgeable. Yet, Chen Li always seemed to say things he couldn’t quite understand.

“Lady Li, there’s no need to worry. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself,” Liu Xiu replied briefly, not fully convinced by her words. He was in the prime of his life, strong and vigorous, far from vulnerable.

Miss Chen was merely looking for an opportunity to show her concern to Liu Xiu. Once she had conveyed her message, they chatted about various topics until she finally brought up the Heavenly Pavilion.

“Big Brother Liu,” she said, “the person behind Heavenly Pavilion is so mysterious. Not only do they have deep pockets, but it seems like they are targeting me. Their store has many items similar to what I sell, and this could be detrimental to us.” Miss Chen implicated Liu Xiu in her concerns, noting that he seemed indifferent. She quickly escalated the rhetoric, trying to make a broader point.

“Big Brother Liu, I’m just a woman; business isn’t the most important thing to me,” she continued. “The reason I entered the business world was to help you shoulder the burden of supporting the entire army, which I know isn’t easy. I never imagined I’d face such a tricky situation. Big Brother Liu, I can’t shake the feeling that Heavenly Pavilion’s master might not be targeting me, but rather seeking to undermine your greater plans through me.”

Chen Li was indeed capable; she transformed what was merely business competition into what sounded like a conspiracy theory. It nearly seemed plausible if Liu Xiu didn’t already know who was behind Heavenly Pavilion.

After considering several thoughts, Liu Xiu once again witnessed the depth of Miss Chen’s cunning. Han Yu had earlier confided in him about Su Wenyue running the department store to prove his sincerity and loyalty. Liu Xiu and a few of his confidants, including the Yin Family, knew that Su Wenyue was the matriarch behind Heavenly Pavilion. That’s why they had celebrated its opening – to show their support to Han Yu and demonstrate their stance to Liu Xiu.

Of course, Miss Chen was in the dark about this. Although Liu Xiu recognized her talent in business and had thus “taken her under his wing,” he did not truly trust her. He saw her ambition and desire yet lacked what he valued most: loyalty. He kept her from learning any secrets, such as the identity of Heavenly Pavilion’s backer; even Yin Lihua was privy to this information, while Miss Chen remained oblivious.

“I know the owner behind Heavenly Pavilion,” said Liu Xiu sharply, “and they do not intend to oppose you. Instead of worrying about this, you would do better to focus on your business. To my knowledge, while Heavenly Pavilion competes with your department store, they engage in fair competition without any underhanded tactics. If you’re outperformed, it only highlights your incompetence.”

Liu Xiu had plans for Miss Chen, which is why he bothered to invest effort. After all, he didn’t wholly trust Han Yu and the Su Family. If he completely trusted them and they turned against him, he would be at a disadvantage. Together, Han Yu and the Su Family were powerful enough to shake his authority and position. Although everything they had done so far proved their loyalty and sincerity, as a ruler, Liu Xiu had to understand doubt and weigh his options.

When Miss Chen heard Liu Xiu’s stern reprimand, she took it to heart. The man who had once been patience personified and extremely kind to her had changed his attitude, and she knew she needed to adjust her strategy. Especially since she sensed his support was no longer as crucial to her, and considering the relationship between Han Yu and Liu Xiu, as well as the connection between Heavenly Pavilion and Su Wenyue—could it be?

Miss Chen had a keen intuition and quickly grasped the essence of the situation, although she couldn’t confirm it. Nonetheless, based on Liu Xiu’s reaction, she rapidly shifted her demeanor.

“Yes, I understand,” she said. “Don’t worry, Big Brother Liu, I’ll strive even harder to improve my business. As for Heavenly Pavilion, I was merely wary of their secretive backer, which is why I couldn’t help but be concerned. There’s no other implication. Now that you’ve spoken, I’m reassured since you must know the owner behind Heavenly Pavilion.”

By saying this, Miss Chen was probing, trying to learn about the owner behind Heavenly Pavilion from Liu Xiu. But Liu Xiu was not so easily fooled; when he heard Miss Chen’s inquiry, his gaze turned icy.