Chapter 107 -

Chapter 107: Chapter

Outside the heavy gates of the Bai Manor, a sleek wooden carriage rolled smoothly over the snow-covered street toward the East Market.

Inside the carriage, Qinqin sat opposite Yimei, holding a small metal hand-warmer wrapped in thick cloth. She couldn’t keep the bright smile off her face as she leaned forward to share the morning news.

"Young Madame!" Qinqin said happily, her eyes sparkling. "Thank goodness, Old Madame Bai finally woke up early this morning! I heard from the servants in the main kitchen that she is still feeling weak, but the head physician said the worst has passed!"

Yimei looked up from her small notebook, her expression calm and unbothered. She tucked her brush into her bag and adjusted her fur cloak.

"That is good news," Yimei said smoothly. "Her body was under too much stress last night."

Qinqin tilted her head, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Young Madame, what do you think Old Madame Bai will do now that she is awake? Will she really call the Great Uncles and force Second Uncle out, or will she try to save face for the family?"

Yimei looked out the carriage window at the bustling morning market, watching shopkeepers sweep snow off their wooden storefronts. A small, clever glint flashed in her dark eyes.

"Grandmother is tough," Yimei replied, her voice steady and clear. "She built this estate from nothing, and she won’t let Second Uncle destroy it. But as for how she plans to handle him..."

She turned back to Qinqin with a sharp, cool smile.

"We will find out tonight when we return from the pavilion. Right now, our only focus is making sure Master Chen and Lin Fang finish the tea room."

Qinqin nodded quickly, her excitement rising. "Yes, Young Madame! Leave the manor drama behind for today!"

As the carriage pulled up right in front of the grand three-story pavilion at the corner of the busy East Market, Yimei stepped out into the crisp morning air, completely casting the moody First Young Master and the chaotic Bai family from her mind.

Throughout the long day, Yimei stayed inside her big, private office on the second floor.

The room smelled of fresh wood and clean paint. Yimei sat at a large rosewood desk, dipping her brush in dark ink as she carefully made reports and checked financial accounts.

Lin Fang stood nearby, holding a wooden board with a long list of tasks.

"Listen closely, Lin Fang," Yimei said clearly, looking up from her papers. "Once Master Chen finishes the main renovation, we will need to hire a large team of workers. We need skilled tea makers for the first floor, well-trained waiters for the second-floor dining rooms, and quiet, sharp servants for the private halls upstairs."

"I understand, Young Madame," Lin Fang replied, writing quickly on her board. "I will start putting out notices in the East Market tomorrow so we can interview the best people."

"Good," Yimei nodded smoothly. "Make sure every person we hire has clean hands and a good reputation. We cannot afford spies or lazy staff in this place."

Before Lin Fang could answer, a loud, angry shout echoed from the main entrance downstairs.

CRASH!

The heavy sound of a wooden chair being kicked over echoed right up the wide staircase, followed by the nervous, raised voices of Master Chen’s builders.

Yimei’s sharp eyes narrowed instantly. She set her ink brush down on the stone holder, stood up calmly, and smoothed her dark blue winter dress.

The two of them walked out of the office and stood at the top of the big staircase, looking down at the main hall.

Two middle-aged men in heavy, expensive silk coats were standing right in the middle of the room. Their faces were twisted with dark anger, and their arms were crossed tightly over their chests.

The man on the left was tall and fat, holding a thick wooden walking stick. He was Boss Qian, the owner of the wealthy Qian family restaurant across the street. Beside him stood Boss Sun, a thin, sharp-faced man who owned the largest wine shop on the corner.

Both men had been watching the busy renovation of the abandoned three-story pavilion all morning, and their hearts were filled with pure envy and hatred. For years, this prime corner building had sat empty, leaving all the rich market customers to their shops. They could not accept a new, grand competitor opening right in front of their doors.

"Where is the owner of this place?!" Boss Qian yelled, slamming his wooden stick against the floorboards with a loud BANG.

Master Chen stepped forward, holding a wooden hammer, his brow furrowed. "Who are you to come in here kicking our furniture? We are working!"

"Working?!" Boss Sun sneered, spitting right onto the freshly scrubbed floorboards. "You are building an illegal structure! This building has been abandoned for five years! Who gave you permission to open a business in our market without paying respect to the local shopkeepers?!"

"I did," a clear, cool voice called down from above.

Boss Qian and Boss Sun snapped their heads up, looking straight toward the top of the grand staircase.

Yimei walked down the wooden steps slowly, her posture straight, her eyes dark, sharp, and completely unbothered by their loud, scary appearance.

Her

Qinqin quickly ran up behind Yimei, her face pale as she gripped her hands together in fear. Down on the main floor, Master Chen and all twenty of his builders stopped their saws and hammers, gathering around the edges of the room to watch the drama unfold.

Everyone in the East Market knew exactly who Boss Qian and Boss Sun were. They were infamous for bullying and terrorizing any new business owner who tried to open a shop on their street. Rumor had it that three months ago, when a young merchant opened a nice tea house down the road, Qian and Sun hired thugs to destroy his furniture and spread fake rumors about his food until the poor man was forced to shut down his shop and flee the city.

Now, they thought they could use the same dirty tricks against a young woman.

"Look who came down," Boss Qian sneered, sizing Yimei up with a arrogant grin. "A little girl playing shopkeeper! Did your father give you some pocket money to buy this dusty old building?"

"Young lady," Boss Sun chimed in, stepping closer with a fake, mean smile. "If you know what is good for you, you will stop this renovation right now and pack your bags. We own this street. No one opens a business here without our permission and a monthly protection fee of fifty silver coins!"

The builders gasped softly, whispering among themselves in fear. Fifty silver coins a month was a ridiculous amount of money, it was enough to ruin any business before it even started.

Yimei reached the bottom of the staircase and stood calmly right in front of them. She didn’t look scared, nervous, or angry. She just stared at Boss Qian and Boss Sun like they were two noisy flies buzzing in her face.

"Fifty silver coins?" Yimei asked, her clear voice cutting through the silent room.

"That’s right!" Boss Qian laughed loudly, banging his heavy wooden stick against the floor. "Fifty silver coins every month! If you don’t pay, my men will make sure not a single customer ever steps foot inside this place. Your windows will break every night, and your tea will turn sour!"

Lin Fang’s face went white, but Yimei just let out a quiet, cold laugh.

Their screen showing their names appeared beside them wheee they stood as nine gave yimei some warnings about who these men were.

"Boss Qian, Boss Sun," Yimei said smoothly, taking a small step forward. "You two have been bullying weak shopkeepers on this street for years, haven’t you? You ruined the young merchant three months ago, and now you think you can stand in my way?"

Boss Sun narrowed his sharp eyes, feeling a strange chill from her calm attitude. "So what if we did?! Who do you think you are, little girl?!"

Yimei lifted her head high, her eyes cold as ice. "I am the First Young Madame of the Bai family. This building belongs to the main Bai estate."

The moment the words "Bai family" left her lips, Boss Qian and Boss Sun froze completely. Their smug grins vanished in an instant, and their faces turned pale.

"The... the Bai family?" Boss Qian stammered, his heavy hands trembling slightly on his wooden stick.

Everyone in the capital knew the Bai family. They owned the biggest farming lands in the East Market, controlled half the city’s grain supply, and had deep ties to powerful city officials. Messing with a helpless young merchant was one thing, but messing with the main estate of the Bai family was complete suicide.

"Master Chen," Yimei called out clearly, not even looking back at the terrified shopkeepers.

"Yes, Young Madame!" Master Chen called back instantly, stepping forward with his heavy hammer.

"If these two men do not leave my property in three seconds," Yimei commanded, her voice dropping into a cold threat, "have your men throw them out into the snow. And if a single window in this pavilion breaks, I will personally make sure the city guards inspect both of their shops by tomorrow morning."

Boss Qian and Boss Sun didn’t wait for Master Chen’s men to move.

"This... this is a mistake! We were just passing by!" Boss Sun squeaked out, turning around so fast he nearly tripped over his own silk robes.

"Yes, yes! We were just leaving!" Boss Qian gasped, scrambling out the front doors as fast as his fat legs could carry him, almost dropping his wooden stick on the way out.

The front doors slammed shut behind them, leaving the main hall completely quiet.

The twenty builders stood in stunned silence for two seconds before bursting into loud cheers and applause. Master Chen grinned widely, looking at Yimei with deep respect.

Yimei smoothed down her sleeves calmly and turned to Lin Fang. "Make sure the guards lock the doors at night. Now, let’s get back to work."