Chapter Thirty-Two: Trials on the Merchant’s Path

The shop assistant’s exclamation rang out like thunder, shattering the silence of the guild hall.

“Some are missing?!” an elderly shopkeeper repeated in disbelief, his thick brows furrowed as he cast a skeptical glance at Qu Wanqing.

Whispers surged around them like a tidal wave—doubt, ridicule, schadenfreude—a tangle of emotions pressing down on Qu Wanqing, making it almost hard to breathe.

But who was she?

Qu Wanqing!

Since crossing over, she had never known peace; she had long forged a body of iron and skin of bronze. Such a trivial matter was nothing to her.

She smiled gracefully, her tone light and unruffled. “Everyone, please remain calm. It is indeed odd that some goods are missing. But the innocent have nothing to fear. I, Qu Wanqing, conduct myself with integrity—I welcome any investigation!” Her sharp eyes swept over the crowd, lingering meaningfully on Shopkeeper Sun, a knowing smile curling at her lips.

Shopkeeper Sun forced a calm facade, clearing his throat before feigning concern. “Boss Qu, this... what are we to do? Missing goods mean compensation, you know!” His words dripped with mockery, and a gleeful glint betrayed his true feelings.

“Compensation? Shopkeeper Sun is right,” Qu Wanqing took over, her voice suddenly icy. “But who should pay must be determined after a thorough inquiry.” She immediately ordered her men, “Go—search meticulously! Leave no corner unchecked. I refuse to believe the goods vanished into thin air!”

At that moment, Master Song stepped forward. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke deliberately: “Boss Qu, missing goods is no trivial matter. According to guild rules, the custodian bears full responsibility for any loss!” His words, seemingly impartial, were laced with accusation aimed squarely at Qu Wanqing.

A cold sneer curled in Qu Wanqing’s heart. The old fox had finally revealed his true colors.

“Master Song’s advice is noted,” she answered unperturbed, “yet the manner of loss remains undetermined. To jump to conclusions now would be improper.”

“Oh? Then what does Boss Qu suggest?” Master Song pressed.

Qu Wanqing’s eyes gleamed with sudden inspiration. “In that case, why not invite several respected senior shopkeepers to jointly count the remaining stock? Their judgment will ensure fairness, don’t you agree?”

Master Song was caught off guard, speechless for a moment.

The elder shopkeepers nodded in agreement—they were seasoned veterans of commerce and could sense the underlying deceit.

The recount confirmed what was expected: the number of missing goods matched exactly the discrepancy in the records.

“This... this can’t be!” Shopkeeper Sun’s face drained of color as he blurted out.

“What do you mean by that, Shopkeeper Sun?” Qu Wanqing raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly. “Do you think these respected elders would collude in dishonesty?”

Sun was silenced, only able to glare at her in frustration.

Qu Wanqing smiled softly, about to speak, when a hurried assistant came running over, whispering a few words in her ear.

Her expression shifted slightly, voice low: “Take me to see.”

“Wanqing, what’s going on?” Jiang Yu appeared at her side, concern etched on his face.

Qu Wanqing shook her head, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. “I fear this matter is more complicated than we imagined…”

Following the assistant, Qu Wanqing arrived at a narrow alley behind the warehouse. Scattered on the ground were scraps of packaging identical to those of the missing goods.

She bent to pick one up, scrutinizing it carefully. Her fingertips brushed the oily stains still clinging to the paper, and a plan began to form in her mind.

“Someone’s trying to frame me,” Qu Wanqing sneered, a chill flashing through her gaze. “The question is—who is this ‘mastermind’?”

Back at the guild hall, Qu Wanqing calmly mingled with the senior shopkeepers.

At that moment, Jiang Yu silently slipped a small slip of paper into her palm.

Qu Wanqing opened it discreetly. The note read: “Shopkeeper Sun, Master Song, warehouse alley, oil stains.”

The message unraveled everything instantly.

Drawing a deep breath to suppress her fury, she smiled with a hint of amusement.

What a classic case of “the thief crying ‘stop thief’”!

She approached Shopkeeper Sun, a faintly mocking smile playing on her lips. “Shopkeeper Sun, you said the custodian bears full responsibility for any missing goods, correct?”

Sun felt a chill under her gaze but masked it with forced composure. “Naturally, that’s the guild’s rule!”

“Very well,” Qu Wanqing raised the slip of paper, “I have proof that the goods were not lost but deliberately concealed!”

The hall erupted in stunned whispers.

Sun’s face turned ashen, stammering, “You... you’re lying! What proof do you have?”

Qu Wanqing smirked, holding up the paper for all to see, then pointed to the oil stains on Sun’s sleeve. “Shopkeeper Sun, those oily marks on your cuff seem identical to those on the packaging found in the warehouse alley.”

Sun instinctively reached to wipe his sleeve, but the more he tried, the worse it looked. Laughter erupted around him. He grew increasingly disheveled, eyes darting nervously, unable to meet anyone’s gaze. “Th-this is just a coincidence.”

Master Song, too, grew flustered and hastily defended, “Th-this is merely coincidence! It proves nothing!”

“Coincidence?” Qu Wanqing arched an eyebrow. “Then Master Song, care to explain why only you and Shopkeeper Sun hold the keys to the warehouse?”

Song’s complexion darkened. Stammering, he fell silent.

With the evidence in hand, what more was there to say?

The truth laid bare, the crowd turned on Sun and Song, condemning their despicable conduct.

Both men looked defeated, their faces flushed with shame, wishing to disappear into the earth.

Qu Wanqing watched their disgrace with satisfaction.

She turned to Jiang Yu, gratitude shining in her eyes.

He returned her gaze gently, silent understanding passing between them.

Witnessing this, those around shared knowing smiles, the atmosphere sweet and warm.

At that moment, Boss Li slowly approached, his gaze deep and thoughtful as he looked at Qu Wanqing.

“Boss Qu,” he began after a pause, “truly a woman who rivals men...” His eyes glimmered with admiration.

“Boss Qu, you are a heroine among women. Your methods and resolve command my respect!” Stroking his beard, his tone shifted. “I believe you are destined for greatness. Why not join forces with me? I can offer you unparalleled resources, ensuring your fortune grows by leaps and bounds!”

Li’s offer was tempting. He commanded near-monopoly over the finest resources on the commercial street. Qu Wanqing’s heart stirred—this was a rare opportunity. Yet the terms seemed almost too good to be true, and she sensed a trap beneath. Refusing risked losing a golden chance, but she quickly regained her composure. This was no partnership—it was an attempt to puppeteer her.

“I appreciate your kindness, Boss Li,” Qu Wanqing smiled elegantly, “but for now, I wish only steady growth without entanglement in too many disputes.”

Li was taken aback by her refusal. His expression flickered briefly before reverting to a smile. “Very well, I won’t press. Should you need anything, come to me.” His smile was hollow as he turned away, a shadow flickering in his eyes.

“Hmph, refuse the wine, and you must drink the penalty!” Shopkeeper Sun, lurking in the shadows, ground his teeth in rage.

He immediately sought out several peers unhappy with Qu Wanqing’s rise, stirring dissent and urging them to collectively boycott her business.

These peers already envied Qu Wanqing’s ascent and agreed readily under Sun’s instigation.

Together, they controlled supplies and hiked prices, hoping to force her hand.

“Heh, scheming behind my back?” Qu Wanqing sneered, utterly unshaken.

She had already uncovered their weaknesses.

First, she leaked news accusing one competitor of cutting corners and passing off inferior goods. That rival panicked, scrambling to smooth relations and brace for inspections, utterly overwhelmed.

Then she anonymously reported another for tax evasion, plunging him into chaos, desperately seeking solutions, neglecting his business as he scurried like an ant on a hot pan.

One by one, she dismantled them—each move decisive.

Within days, these competitors were so preoccupied with their own troubles they had no time to challenge Qu Wanqing.

They came to her, apologizing profusely and begging mercy.

Qu Wanqing did not finish them off but warned them to behave henceforth before letting matters rest.

With the situation stabilized, Qu Wanqing finally exhaled in relief.

Yet peace was short-lived.

Suddenly, news spread of a new product sweeping the market, rapidly capturing market share and causing prices to fluctuate wildly.

For Qu Wanqing’s fledgling business, this was a devastating blow.

She stood by the window, gazing out at the bustling crowd, her brow furrowed deeply.

Jiang Yu stepped beside her, gently taking her hand. “Wanqing...”