Chapter 57: Born to be a Toiler

"Oh? Is there such a thing? How is it that I know nothing about it?" Li Qi asked with a feigned look of surprise.

Seeing that he was still keeping up a stubborn front, Bai Qiannuo chuckled softly, "Your 'outflanking maneuver' was truly brilliant indeed!"

At this, Li Qi was completely speechless. He had long realized that Song Yuchen was an absolute blockhead, but he never expected him to be foolish to this extent. No wonder his attempts at romancing women were such a total failure.

Little did he know that while Song Yuchen was usually considered quick-witted, the moment he encountered Bai Qiannuo, it was like gypsum dropping into brine—everything had its natural conqueror, leaving him with no choice but to take a passive beating.

Over the past few days, Song Yuchen had adopted Li Qi's suggestion and began employing the outflanking strategy, trying hard to curry favor with the people around Bai Qiannuo, which had yielded decent results.

However, the second most talented woman in Bianjing was not one to be easily fooled. Suddenly noticing that those around her were praising Song Yuchen, Bai Qiannuo sensed something fishy must be going on. Thus, she put on a few smiles for Song Yuchen and then probed him indirectly.

Seeing such a dramatic change in Bai Qiannuo's attitude toward him, Song Yuchen was instantly overjoyed, ready to spill his very heart out.

With Bai Qiannuo employing just a few minor tricks, how could Song Yuchen possibly resist? He ended up recounting every single detail of his conversation with Li Qi at the Emerald Pavilion that day.

"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Bai Qiannuo asked with a smile, seeing Li Qi struck dumb.

Things having reached this point, Li Qi could no longer deny it. He nodded and said, "Fine, what I did was indeed wrong. Well, you don't need to thank me either; we're even now."

Before his voice had even faded, Bai Qiannuo curtsied slightly and said, "This young woman is deeply grateful to Master Li."

Seeing this display, Li Qi was left somewhere between laughter and tears. "Hey, Lady Bai, do you really desire my apology that much?"

Bai Qiannuo smiled. "I have always been clear about gratitude and grudges. Besides, these are two separate matters and cannot be lumped together."

"You are ruthless!"

Li Qi completely conceded defeat. He bowed deeply with cupped hands and said, "If there was any offense in my actions, I hope Lady Bai will forgive me. I'm sorry!"

Having won back a round, Bai Qiannuo beamed with delight, nodded, and said, "Very well! In consideration of your sincere apology, I shall be the magnanimous one and forgive you this time. However, if I ever catch you speaking ill of me behind my back again, I certainly won't let the matter rest so easily."

Damn it! Next time, even if someone put a knife to my neck, I'd never do such a stupid thing again.

Li Qi rolled his eyes and let out a disgruntled huff.

Seeing his puffed-up expression, Bai Qiannuo covered her mouth and giggled lightly.

During their conversation, the steamed buns Bai Qiannuo had brought had all been distributed. The refugees who received the buns stepped forward one after another to bow and express their gratitude.

"Lady Bai, you truly have the heart of a Bodhisattva—!"

"Thank you, Lady Bai—!"

Bai Qiannuo was slightly startled. She hurried forward to help them up, calling out, "Please, rise quickly. A gesture of such magnitude is far more than this humble person can accept. Please, get up."

Xing'er and the three manservants also rushed over to help the bowing refugees to their feet.

This action left Li Qi with a complex mixture of emotions. He sighed, stepped forward, and helped lift them as well.

Once they were all standing, Li Qi was suddenly overcome with emotion and shouted to the crowd at the top of his lungs, "Tomorrow at this same time, Lady Bai will be distributing food here again. Everyone, remember to come early!"

A simple sentence, yet it brought tears of gratitude streaming down the refugees' faces, making them want to drop to the ground and bow once more—fortunately, Li Qi and Bai Qiannuo stopped them in time.

After some persuasion, the refugees finally dispersed.

Once the refugees had all left, Li Qi let out a long sigh and glanced at Bai Qiannuo, who was staring fixedly at him. He smiled and said, "You don't need to look at me like that. I can still afford the cost of a few steamed buns, but it looks like you'll have to trouble yourselves to make another trip."

Bai Qiannuo opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions, and finally, she softly uttered a "Thank you!"

Li Qi bantered, "If you truly wish to thank me, just lead me back. To be honest with you, I actually lost my way, which is how I ended up here."

Bai Qiannuo was stunned for a moment, then burst into giggles.

After giving Xing'er some instructions regarding the aftermath, Bai Qiannuo led Li Qi toward the city.

Along the way, Li Qi noticed the refugees by the roadside and asked out of curiosity, "Lady Bai, where do all these refugees come from?"

Bai Qiannuo sighed softly, "They used to be Song subjects living in the Khitan Liao territory. Recently, Liao has been at war with the Jin Dynasty, and their homes were seized by Jin, so they fled here."

"I see!"

Li Qi was also familiar with this history; eventually, the Liao Dynasty would be destroyed by the Jin. He sighed and said, "It's a pity our capabilities are limited. We can only provide relief for a temporary moment."

"We can help as much as we can. This humble person only asks to have a clear conscience."

Bai Qiannuo sighed wistfully, "It's just a pity that the imperial court lately only cares about conscripting soldiers and levying taxes; there's no way they would ever come to relieve them."

"Depend on the imperial court?"

Li Qi laughed derisively. "Then you might as well depend on steamed buns falling from the sky."

Bai Qiannuo smiled faintly. "When you speak, you truly hold nothing back. However, what you say makes some sense—in the end, they still have to rely on themselves."

Still have to rely on themselves in the end?

Li Qi frowned, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He turned to Bai Qiannuo with a smile and asked, "Lady Bai, would you say it's harder to relieve a thousand people's hardship for a day, or twenty people's hardship for a lifetime?"

Bai Qiannuo was slightly taken aback, evidently not understanding why Li Qi would ask such a question. She replied, "Naturally, relieving hardship for a lifetime is harder. Why do you ask this?"

With a profound smile, Li Qi said, "I want to make a deal with you."

"You want to make a deal with me again?" Bai Qiannuo cast a wary look at Li Qi and said, "If it's one of those deceptive schemes, I advise you to look for someone else."

Li Qi smiled bitterly. "Rest assured, I've already gotten the money, and I won't be making you go write couplets for Steward Cai again. What I mean is: I'll put up the money, and you help me select ten women and ten men from among these refugees, aged between fifteen and thirty. They must be in good health, with ordinary looks and builds. You first find a place to settle them down, and then you'll be responsible for teaching them how to read. I'll give you one month, and you only need to teach them characters related to food. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Qiannuo understood immediately and said, "You plan to have them help out at Drunken Immortal Pavilion?"

A flash of appreciation crossed Li Qi's eyes, and he nodded. "Indeed, that is precisely my intention."

Bai Qiannuo asked doubtfully, "But the tavern is mostly staffed by men; why do you want women?"

"Never mind that, I have my own plans." Li Qi shook his head and smiled, "If you're willing, we'll do it. If you're not, then pretend I said nothing."

Bai Qiannuo frowned in thought for a moment, then asked, "Then how much silver do you plan to put up?"

After calculating in his mind, Li Qi said, "One hundred taels. I believe that should be enough for steamed buns, and of course, this includes tomorrow's steamed bun money as well. As for how to allocate the rest, you can arrange it yourself."

Upon hearing this, Bai Qiannuo felt something was still amiss. Upon closer reflection, she suddenly realized and smiled faintly, "It seems you've forgotten someone?"

"Who?" Li Qi asked in surprise.

Bai Qiannuo snorted, "You put up the money, but you also got the people. What about me? I'm helping you settle them, and I'm helping you teach them to read, but what do I get out of it?"

Li Qi was slightly startled and immediately shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. How can you say you're helping me? You're helping Drunken Immortal Pavilion, you're helping the Madam, and you're helping those refugees. You always say you and the Madam are as close as sisters; surely you wouldn't refuse to help with such a small favor?"

Are you kidding me? Steward Cai had to pay a heavy sum just to get you to write a couplet! Where would I, Li Qi, have extra money to hire you?

"Don't drag Sister Wang into this again. You just said yourself that this is a business deal. Since it's a business deal, we naturally have to settle the accounts clearly," Bai Qiannuo said, the corners of her lips curling up with a sly smile.

Why is this woman so astute? Don't ancient times advocate that a woman without talent is virtuous?

Li Qi muttered inwardly to himself before saying, "Then tell me your conditions first. However, I must make one thing clear beforehand: I only have this much silver. If you want to skim some profit from it, you can just have those refugees eat only one meal a day, with a single steamed bun per meal. I'm sure you could pocket fifty or sixty taels that way."

"Bah! I'm not as despicable as you."

A blush crept over Bai Qiannuo's cheeks. She spat lightly and said, "Rest assured, I am not trying to embezzle your little bit of money."

No money wanted? Then everything is easy to discuss.

Li Qi chuckled mischievously, "You wouldn't be coveting me, would you?"

Bai Qiannuo's delicate brows knitted together in anger. "If you talk nonsense again, I won't do this business with you."

"Hehe, just joking around, no need to take it seriously. Alright, alright, I won't say it, you speak."

Rolling her eyes at him, Bai Qiannuo said, "My demands are very simple. First, you must treat them well. Second, when the business of Drunken Immortal Pavilion improves in the future, you must frequently come to relieve these refugees. Lastly, how can I, a single woman, take care of all twenty people? Therefore, you must also help."

"The first two demands are no problem, but as for this third one," Li Qi feigned a look of distress, "You know that the rise and fall of Drunken Immortal Pavilion currently rests entirely on my shoulders. I'm run off my feet with work; even taking a trip to the privy has to be calculated a day in advance."

"Then you had better find someone else," Bai Qiannuo said indifferently, clearly not believing a word of Li Qi's nonsense.

Seeing her expression of absolute unyielding stubbornness, Li Qi curled his lip. With Drunken Immortal Pavilion about to open, he was in urgent need of manpower, and these people were currently going through their most difficult times. If you were willing to give them a bite to eat, they would surely work themselves to the bone for you. Above all, there were no women in the city willing to work in a tavern. Weighing things in his mind, he nodded and said, "Fine, fine, I agree. Who says I was born with a hard-working destiny?"

"That's more like it," Bai Qiannuo pouted and said.

"So you agree then?"

"Hmph, I'm just doing it to help Sister Wang."

"Didn't you just say business is business? Why are you talking about helping the Madam now?"

"You—you can walk back by yourself! I'm ignoring you."

"Damn it! You can't be serious, what kind of ghost place is this? Hey, don't run away!"