Chapter 124: The Curtain Rises

August 25th, afternoon. When Ning Yi returned home, the entire Su family estate still felt bustling, though it was unclear why the activity remained so intense. The weather was fine; it was a warm, pleasant autumn afternoon. Some leaves had turned golden, swaying gently in the breeze before falling. As he walked along the path through the courtyards toward his own, he saw two servants rushing past. He presumed some steward was scolding someone, as faint voices drifted over from the side.

The area belonging to the main branch was relatively quiet, mostly because few people lived there. As he neared, he encountered two cousins from the collateral branches coming from that direction, accompanied by their attendants, having likely just visited Su Tan’er. They greeted Ning Yi and exchanged a few pleasantries, though there was a subtle tone of reproach in their voices regarding his early return. Since the outcome of the imperial merchant bid was to be revealed tonight, many store managers were out busy working, and they felt he should have been out there holding the fort at such a critical time.

After brief pleasantries, they parted ways. Ning Yi walked back to his small courtyard, which was quiet and peaceful. Su Tan’er sat in the pavilion in the center of the yard, wearing a long green dress, her head tilted back as she gazed at the leaves of a nearby parasol tree. On the second floor to one side, a figure flickered, likely Juan’er or Xing’er tidying up. Seeing Ning Yi, Su Tan’er turned back and flashed a smile. "Husband, you're back."

"You're quite relaxed," Ning Yi said, sitting down in the pavilion.

"It is you who are relaxed, Husband. You stayed in bed all morning refusing to get up."

"There was nothing left for me to do anyway," Ning Yi laughed. "I went out late this morning and missed the early meeting. Then I spent the whole morning watching them bustle about, preparing all sorts of things. I was thinking, how could there be so much to prepare... Ahem, Manager Liao came over to chat with me sometimes and said, 'Whenever I encounter times like this, I'm usually very nervous. I couldn't sleep last night and had a bit to drink, and then I almost couldn't wake up this morning...' About half an hour later, Manager Luo passed by and told me that he was actually very nervous too..."

Ning Yi stated this calmly, and Su Tan’er burst into laughter. When she heard about Manager Luo, she couldn't stop, reaching out to lean on the railing. Ning Yi shook his head. "They are all good people. Knowing I couldn't get up because I was nervous, they still came to comfort me despite being so busy. At noon, Manager Xi even told me how nervous you all were during the Jiangzhou business venture last time..."

"Husband, you were clearly doing it on purpose this morning."

"Not at all. I really couldn't get up. Look, this is the first time I've been late since I started working a month ago. Honestly, every time I see everyone else busy as a beehive while I have nothing to do, I feel guilty. Today is probably their busiest day."

"Husband, you are not being sincere." Su Tan’er smiled subtly. Ning Yi shook his head. "You see, we have a deep misunderstanding. I was busy outside—ahem, busy for the whole morning—while you were sitting here in the courtyard watching the scenery, so relaxed. It's clear who is diligent and who is lazy, yet you say I'm not sincere..." He had spent the morning wandering around and daydreaming, but he said this without the slightest blush. They knew each other well enough, and Su Tan’er just smiled and lowered her head. "In truth, I am nervous..."

"Are you?"

"After all, it is years of hard work, and after that incident, I really felt like I had lost my backbone. Now—now it is much better, but the nervousness is still there, just as you said, it’s all happening tonight. Just now, I was sitting here thinking about the events of the past few years. I had anticipated a day like this that would decide our fate, whether it ended in success or failure, and I had thought about how I might feel then. I just never imagined it would turn out like this." She felt a little embarrassed. "Are you nervous, Husband?"

"Uh, there must be some nervousness, I suppose." Ning Yi thought for a moment and nodded. "A moderate amount of nervousness helps one focus."

Su Tan’er looked at him. "Husband is truly more composed than anyone." In her words, there seemed to be a hint of jealousy regarding his composure.

"Ha..."

"After today, what does Husband want to do?"

"Once everything is settled tonight, I will naturally go back to teaching. Your illness is cured anyway, so don't think you can make me help again. It’s obvious to everyone that I'm not cut out for business." Ning Yi smiled. "Besides, I married into your family to be a kept man. I don’t want to exert myself too much; I want to live the life of a wealthy person, having my clothes brought to me and my meals served. It's such a good life; I’ll be furious with anyone who tries to stop me."

"You're saying the opposite."

"I'm telling the truth."

"Hmph, so, Husband intends to keep living off Tan'er? You really intend to do that?"

"Ha, if there are no problems, I’ll keep it that way. Actually, I think this is quite good. Look, I can teach, I can write poetry; with the reputation of Jiangning’s top talent, if I go out and call for someone to keep me, there are plenty of wealthy women who would be willing. It’s a respectable thing to show off, isn't it? How about it? You won't find this opportunity again if you miss it..." Ning Yi joked, trying to market himself as a commodity. Such a joke might have been common a millennium later, but it was a bit avant-garde for the present. Su Tan’er couldn't stop laughing, covering her mouth with her hand, but she lowered her head, her face flushing red. "Husband is shameless..."

"Your words have hurt my heart; this deal is going to be hard to close now..." Ning Yi shook his head and sighed.

"Uh, alright then." Su Tan’er barely managed to compose herself. "In any case, I am... I am a 'wealthy woman'."

"Mm, you are a wealthy woman, so Tan'er's 'kept man' meal will be eaten by her husband... This deal is settled."

She projected the aura of a businesswoman closing a deal, but Ning Yi just smiled and shook his head. "It's not that simple. You hurt my feelings just now. The deal needs to be renegotiated. There are so many wealthy women; why must I choose you?"

"Uh, but I... I am the one who married you. I am..." Su Tan’er stiffened, preparing to boast, but after considering it for a while, she finally sighed in embarrassment, bowed her head, and laughed. "Oh, Husband..."

"Forget it, this is too ridiculous." Ning Yi waved his hand with a smile. "After today, let's keep things as they are. I really don't intend to do anything; it's too much trouble."

"But I feel sorry for you, Husband..."

"Hmm?"

"I never intended to treat you like a typical matrilocal son-in-law. I never even thought about it, it's just... I have a strong-willed personality and I wanted to accomplish things, and yet it turned out like this. Since we married... well, in any case, I never hoped that you would feel... I don't even know what I'm saying..."

She struggled to organize her words, then finally revealed an expression that was both embarrassed and helpless. Ning Yi nodded. "I know."

Su Tan’er looked at him, confirming he wasn't just humoring her, and let out a sigh of relief. "I know this isn't good, that I don't act like a refined lady, not like those... ha, wealthy women. But this is all I can be..."

"That is exactly what a qualified wealthy woman should be," Ning Yi murmured. Su Tan’er didn't hear him clearly; in this era, the concepts of "wealthy woman" and "strong woman" were different—the latter had barely even taken shape as a concept. She thought for a while.

"Actually, I was thinking here just now, and I remembered one more thing I wanted to tell you."

"What is it?"

"When I married you, I snuck away. It wasn't to give you a hard time or anything, but because I didn't know what to do. Tan'er is, after all, a woman..." She lowered her head slightly. "I know that was wrong, but I wouldn't apologize to the husband I was back then. If it happened again, even though I know it's wrong, I might still handle it the same way..."

She looked up at Ning Yi. Ning Yi nodded. "Because we didn't know each other then?"

"Yes, Tan'er didn't know you then, and you didn't know Tan'er... But I want to tell you now that I will definitely never do such a thing again."

She spoke with great courage, and after finishing, she lowered her head again. It took a long time for Ning Yi to laugh. "So, you are apologizing after all..." His voice was soft, but Su Tan’er heard it and blushed, looking like she was about to explode with embarrassment, but in the end, she didn't refute him.

The two sat in the pavilion for a while. Xing’er came down from the upstairs carrying some items; seeing them, she didn't disturb them and went about her own business. As evening approached, Chan’er and Juan’er also returned. When Ning Yi stood up, he asked, "If you are nervous inside, would you like to go to the banquet tonight together?"

Su Tan’er smiled and shook her head. "Better not. Husband wants to be a kept man, but it's rare for you to actually do something. You've been the one in charge for over a month, and today is the most critical day, so you should be the one to preside over it. I will just wait here for your good news while being nervous."

"Tsk, no problem. Watch me shine today, take back the imperial merchant quota in style, and then retire in triumph."

Ning Yi stretched his arms in the sunset. Beside him, Su Tan’er glared at him with a hint of playful annoyance. The curtain was about to rise on the ownership of the imperial merchant title, and the small courtyard remained peaceful, blending into the warm sunset.

...As night fell, a small convoy drove out of the Su family estate. Ning Yi, Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang, and several members from the main, second, and third branches, along with the main stewards, were all in the convoy. Representing the Su family, there were fewer than twenty people in total. Xiao Chan sat in a carriage with Ning Yi, feeling slightly nervous. Not long after the carriage departed, an unmarked vehicle joined the rear of their line, carrying guards from the Prince Kang’s residence, while the Zhou siblings, disguised as a servant boy and maid, jogged to catch up and then boarded Ning Yi's carriage to witness the final result of the imperial merchant bid.

Soon, a restaurant named the Green Ripples Tower by the Qinhuai River came into view. Carriages arrived one after another—the Xue family, the Wu family, the Chen family, the Lu family... along with officials from the Manufacturing Bureau. The momentum was grand. Such events were common in Jiangning, and passersby glanced at them before ignoring them. However, the people greeting each other there were already on edge.

What would happen tonight was, without a doubt, a major event for the textile industry in Jiangning.

The focus was naturally on the struggle for the imperial merchant title among the Su, Xue, and Wu families. Ever since the assassination attempt a month ago, those in the know had smelled the gunpowder inherent in this affair, waiting for tonight to see the outcome of this business war.

Ning Yi lifted the curtain, took a breath, and stepped down with a smile.

Under the night sky, the lights stretched out like a dragon, burning along the length of the long street.