mtl008 Chapter 486 A New Predicament
Chapter 486 A New Predicament
After Li Qiumei and Liu Zhilan were apprehended, Yu Wan put the matter out of her mind and paid no further attention to it.
Half a month later, it was heard that the two had been sentenced to exile thousands of miles away and were strictly forbidden from setting foot in the capital for ten years.
Although Sun San Niang went to see Old Man Feng for facial treatment every day, the ulceration on her face was so severe that it left some faint scars.
These scars wouldn't affect ordinary people, but Sun San Niang originally made a living with this face, so having a face full of shallow scars was tantamount to disfigurement.
The madam of the Red Sleeve Brothel usually received a lot of money from Sun San Niang for the brothel, but once Sun San Niang was no longer of any use to her, she completely disregarded the years of friendship and kicked her out.
Yu Wan was unaware of these things at first.
One month later, on her way to inspect Chunshui Pavilion, she met Sun Sanniang, who was selling handkerchiefs with a bamboo basket.
Because her appearance was disfigured, Sun San Niang wore a veil on her head, completely covering her face.
Yu Wan recognized the voice and asked a question before realizing it was Sun San Niang.
Compared to when they first met, Sun San Niang had lost a lot of weight and was very thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
She invited Sun San Niang to have tea at a teahouse on the street.
The two found a quiet corner in the teahouse and sat down, with Xizhu standing beside them.
After sitting down, Sun San Niang kept her head down, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes, as if she was still a little uneasy about this rare moment of comfort.
She didn't say a word.
Yu Wan looked at her for a while, then reached out and poured her a cup of tea.
The rising steam blurred their vision.
Yu Wancai asked softly, "Why are you selling handkerchiefs on the street?"
Sun Sanniang lowered her head and gave a bitter smile, "Although Hongxiufang is not a good place, in my current state, even such a place would not want me anymore..."
“The madam kicked me out. My younger brother at home still needs money. I have no other skills, so I can only make a living by selling handkerchiefs.”
As he spoke, his fingers unconsciously tugged at the curtain, as if trying to hide himself even deeper.
Yu Wan felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
Upon closer examination, there were reasons why Sun San Niang was disfigured.
Yu Wan felt a little guilty and asked softly, "So what are your plans for the future?"
“Your younger brother is studying at school, which costs a lot. I’m afraid it’s difficult to support him by selling handkerchiefs alone.”
Sun San Niang's voice was tinged with numbness and despair: "Yes, but what can I do... I can only take it one step at a time, and sell handkerchiefs to make ends meet."
After thinking for a moment, Yu Wan said seriously, "Why don't you come to Chunshui Pavilion to help me? I'm in need of a capable assistant."
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Sun San Niang's eyes, which then dimmed: "Miss Yu, I appreciate your kindness."
"With my current appearance... if I go to Chunshui Pavilion, I'm afraid I won't be of any help, but will only be a burden to you, causing customers to dislike me and ruining your business."
Yu Wan waved her hand, her tone firm: "Spring Water Pavilion doesn't do prostitution. Your knowledge and skills are far more useful than this face."
"You've been in Hongxiufang for many years, so you must have some experience in dressing up and maintaining your appearance. Chunshuige is just missing a manager like you."
“Manager…” Sun San Niang murmured, repeating the two words. Suddenly, a light shone in her eyes, and her previously lifeless and dim eyes instantly became expectant. “Really?”
Yu Wan nodded with a smile.
"I...I...Thank you so much, Manager Yu. I don't know how to thank you enough."
Sun San Niang's excitement was palpable, and she became incoherent for a moment.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Yu Wan smiled and patted her hand, reassuring her.
That day, Yu Wan took Sun San Niang back to Chunshui Pavilion on the way.
She introduced Sun San Niang to everyone, without mentioning that Sun San Niang was previously a dancer at Hongxiufang, only saying that she would also be a member of Chunshuige in the future.
Most of the staff at Chunshui Pavilion were people Yu Wan had picked up along the way. When they saw Sun San Niang's face, they understood why Yu Wan had brought her to Chunshui Pavilion.
After Yu Wan left Chunshui Pavilion, several waiters surrounded Sun San Niang, their attitude friendly and kind.
He smiled and said to her, "Sister Sun, you've met a good employer, just like us."
"Yes, yes, if it weren't for the boss, I'd probably be starving to death on the streets by now."
After listening to the chatter of the shop assistants at Chunshui Pavilion, Sun San Niang finally understood that, apart from the manager, all the other staff at Chunshui Pavilion were people Yu Wan had picked up from the road.
Some of them were people with nowhere else to go, while others were orphans who had lost both parents and were on the verge of begging.
Tears welled in Sun San Niang's eyes, but she smiled brightly and said, "Our boss is a good person."
……
Yu Wan was unaware that she had been friend-zoned.
Settling Sun San Niang down made her feel much more at ease, but this good mood didn't last long.
After the new emperor ascended the throne, he vigorously eliminated the accumulated abuses of aristocratic families, which affected all walks of life. Because of the downfall of aristocratic families, many shops in Shengjing City that relied on them closed down. Due to the large number of them, it has affected the overall commerce of Shengjing City.
The number of unemployed people in the city is increasing, and with the addition of people who have been converted from slaves after their homes were confiscated, the total number has reached tens of thousands.
Yun Shang was extremely busy with this matter, and when Yu Wan went out these past few days, she saw people who looked just as haggard as Sun San Niang had been.
The number of shops in Shengjing plummeted overnight, leaving many people without a livelihood.
Other shops were struggling to survive and simply couldn't accommodate so many unemployed people. Frustrated by their repeated failures to find work, the people, in desperation, went to the government offices to protest and cause trouble.
The government offices didn't have a good solution for the time being.
As a result, other shops in the city were also greatly affected. The people who came to apply for jobs blocked the entrances of the shops, making it impossible for customers to enter. The shops' business plummeted and declined sharply.
The shop's business is declining, and the owner is struggling to keep it afloat—it's a vicious cycle.
For two consecutive months, this situation persisted, and even Yu Wan's usually profitable Chunshui Pavilion and hot pot restaurant suffered significant losses.
Over the past two months, Yun Shang's expression has grown increasingly cold.
It wasn't that he couldn't come up with a solution, but rather that as the method was implemented, those powerful families, officials, or merchants repeatedly changed their minds and delayed the process in order to maximize their profits.
As a result, the economy of Shengjing City stagnated.
If this continues, Shengjing City will inevitably descend into chaos.
The chirping of insects on a summer night is unsettling and disturbs one's peace of mind.
Yun Shang had not yet returned to the manor. Yu Wan sat alone in the pavilion in the courtyard, looking through the account books of Chunshui Pavilion and the hot pot restaurant over the past few months.
We've been losing money for two months in a row.
From the moment she started looking at the account books, Yu Wan's brows were furrowed, and she looked like she had a deep grudge.
Xizhu knew what her mistress was troubled by, but she had no good ideas, so she could only stay quietly by her side, not daring to make a sound to disturb her.
When Yun Shang returned to the courtyard, this was the scene that greeted him.
Yu Wan held the account books in both hands and leaned on the table, sighing from time to time.
She had her back to Yun Shang, so she didn't see him arrive.
Xizhu did see it, and she was about to bow when Yunshang raised his hand to stop her.
Yun Shang waved his hand, signaling her to leave.
Xizhu understood immediately, shut her mouth, and quietly walked away.
Yu Wan remained completely unaware.
Suddenly, a familiar, cool fragrance wafted to her nose, and then she was gently lifted up and pulled into a warm embrace.
"Yun Shang?" Yu Wan was quite startled and instinctively raised her hand to punch him. "Why do you walk so quietly!"