In the backyard of Yun Xiaorong’s counterfeit Weaving Pavilion, the female shopkeeper is reporting the situation to Mrs. Li Mingyuan.
"Madam, I am helpless about the poor business. Recently, the customers have been accusing us of imitating Hua Xiangrong. They claimed that our needlework is too simple and our designs identical to Hua Xiangrong’s, lacking originality," the female shopkeeper told her, with a deeply troubled expression.
Mrs. Li glared at her sharply. "What use have I for keeping you? Can’t you think of a solution, like organizing a new product launch?" she challenged.
The shopkeeper mopped the cold sweat off her forehead, her countenance visibly collapsed, "I can’t think of anything, Hua Xiangrong seems to have exhausted all of our ideas. Our embroiderers also can’t come up with anything."
"Bullshit, if Hua Xiangrong can announce a new collection every season, why can’t you? You bought these expensive samples for research and still haven’t figured out the technique, what use do I have for you?" Mrs. Li’s fury was manifesting physically, a finger, painted with Dan Kuo nail polish, jabbed the shopkeeper’s forehead.
"Yes, yes, Madam, you are right, it’s my incompetence." The shopkeeper mopped away her cold sweat as she responded.
"We can duplicate Hua Xiangrong’s designs, at half the price. Only a fool would pay more at Hua Xiangrong’s shop! Can’t you explain this to the customers properly?" Mrs. Li continued hectoring.
The shopkeeper nodded obligingly, but on the inside, she thought those fools were actually quite astute, preferring to spend more rather than buying counterfeit products. The wives of the important families, who are extremely conscious of appearances, won’t even cast a glance at them. Thus, they only have visitors from small, obscure households.
"If you can’t memorize Hua Xiangrong’s needlework, send someone to infiltrate her shop and learn from her. I refuse to accept I can’t outspend her" Mrs. Li continued jabbing the shopkeeper’s forehead, "What are you using your brain for? Use your head more often. If the business doesn’t improve, you can pack your bags and leave!"
All of a sudden, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, a steward cried out, "Madam! Disaster!"
Just when Mrs. Li was in a fit of rage, she threw the teacup in her hands at her, "You damn servant, what’s the panic about? Who’s in trouble, slap him!"
The head maid, standing beside her, upon hearing the order, rushed forward and slapped the steward several times in a lively manner, and almost instantaneously the steward’s face swelled like a pig’s head.
Only after being chastised, could he muster the courage to speak. Between the grunts of pain, he exclaimed, "Madam, there’s a big problem! The man in the jail has informed on you, and the government office has sent someone to arrest and interrogate you. They could be here any moment."
Upon hearing his report, Mrs. Li abruptly stood up, staring at the steward, "Why didn’t you just say so? Hurry up and send a message to Lady Meng and ask her to help me."
The steward agreed and hastily turned and ran, afraid that if he lingered, he would become the target of her tantrum. He had always wanted to report about it earlier, but he was slapped before he had the chance to speak.
Mrs. Li also started to leave. She didn’t want to be arrested at the premises of Yun Xiaorong, as by then other ladies in the city would come to know that she’s the owner of Yun Xiaorong. How will she face them then?
Unfortunately, it was too late. As soon as she stepped out of the shop, she was intercepted by the officer from the government office.
"Madam Li, someone reported that you are the mastermind behind Yun Xiaorong Weaving Pavilion. You have implicated and conspired against Hua Xiangrong Weaving Pavilion, and the prefect has summoned you to court for an explanation," the officer announced loudly.
The word spread quickly, and whispers started among the people around. It probably wouldn’t be more than three days before all the noble ladies in Beiyu city come to know about Madam Li running a counterfeit shop.
Mrs. Li was visibly angered, but she dared not to provoke the officer. Maintaining her composure, she told him, "Don’t blindly believe the false accusations. I will explain everything to the prefect myself."
...
When Bai Ruozhu received the news, she jubilantly told guard Zhang Liangcai, "Start the operation. Be meticulous."
"Yes, Miss Bai." Zhang Liangcai accepted the order and rode away on his horse.
In Public Hall, Kuai Minglang was interrogating Mrs. Li. Mrs. Li didn’t want to admit that she was the owner of Yun Xiaorong, but the trade association had records incriminating her, so she had no choice to deny it. She had to bite the bullet and blame it on her subordinates, who, fearing punishment due to poor business, came up with this ridiculous idea. Moreover, she made a show of scolding the steward on the court, "How can you be so spineless? Even when business goes bad, you can always think of solutions. How dare you resort to such despicable malpractices?"
Whilst saying this, she fiercely glared at the steward, who was in her power. She once thought that even if something went wrong, he wouldn’t dare to name her. Little did she know that in desperation he would implicate her indiscriminately. Mrs. Li’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness, doesn’t he care about the lives of his family anymore?
"You told me to conjure that plot, threatened me using my wife and child. If I didn’t work for you, you threatened to kill them." The steward pleaded to Kuai Minglang while banging his head, "My Lord, please save my wife and children. I am ready to confess everything, but please send someone to rescue my family from Mrs. Li before she harms them."
The sincerity in his speech and the blood oozing from his forehead moved Kuai Minglang so much that he sent an officer to Mrs. Li’s residence to fetch his family.
Mrs. Li was visibly irritated. She clenched her teeth, but wisely refrained from annoying the prefect by making a reckless comment.
Just then, a woman came forward to lodge a complaint against Yun Xiaorong, accusing her of deceiving customers by using imitation pearls in her products.
Mrs. Li perked up her ears to listen carefully. She hadn’t misheard, had she? The complaint was against Yun Xiaorong, not Hua Xiangrong?
Mr. Kuai asked the complaining woman to explain her accusation against Yun Xiaorong. She proffered a gown adorned with tiny beads, and proclaimed, "To answer your question, Sir. Last month, I bought this dress at Yun Xiaorong’s. I went for it because it was cheap, but I never thought that the small pearls on it are fake. We know that these small pearls are not worth much, that’s why I didn’t pay much attention to them at first. Today, while pressing it, I crushed one of them and discovered the hidden truth. Shops like Yun Xiaorong which deceive customers in the name of good business should not be allowed to operate!"
"You... are framing us. How could Yun Xiaorong use fake pearls?" Mrs. Li blurted out in astonishment.
However, the guilt was evident in her voice. Indeed, she had used imitation pearls in her products, as she believed none would pay much attention to the tiny pearls, considering their insignificant value and how they were used just for decoration. But, how had someone discovered this?
Little did she know, Bai Ruozhu had already learned about the imitation pearls from the jeweler’s supplier and had even spotted that they were being used, much earlier. Bai Ruozhu was just waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Today was that day!
The woman lodging the complaint glanced at her and told the court, "The shops tend to sell a lot of clothes and accessories with small pearls. If you may, Sir, ask her to provide the account book, it would have the names of all who were sold these items. Once the items are inspected, we’ll know the truth. It can’t be possible that I’m the only unlucky one to have bought a counterfeit product."