Overnight Riches! My Factory Spans Past and Present – Chapter 31

Ch 31: Grateful Beyond Measure for Your Kindness

It was clear that Old Qian was genuinely coveting it.

And this time, it wasn’t because he wanted to resell it, but because he personally loved ancient paintings and the four treasures of the study.

Chen Jinyue had heard Professor Yan mention it before, so she generously decided to give him one.

Without taking any money.

Old Qian’s face blossomed into a smile, and fearing she might change her mind, he hurriedly loaded it onto his car.

Before leaving, he warmly instructed Chen Jinyue, “Next time you’re in the provincial capital, if you need anything, come straight to me!”

Chen Jinyue beamed, “Alright!”

Watching the car disappear into the distance, she couldn’t help but sigh.

Having a car is really nice.

You can just go whenever you want, no need to check for ticket availability.

She made up her mind—after delivering this batch of goods, she’d buy herself a car!

And a house too, to live in all by herself!

…

Xiurong City, after a day and night of relentless repairs, had barely regained a few traces of life.

There weren’t many clothes left from before; only a few households together could claim a single thick cotton coat.

But the heating stones were just enough to go around, with every family receiving a small bag.

Wisps of smoke drifted out from doors and windows, dispelling the despair of the icy, snow-covered land.

The snow on the streets had been cleared, revealing clean pavement once more. Occasionally, one or two people could be seen hurrying back with steaming bowls of porridge, though most were lining up at the porridge sheds, waiting their turn.

It was dusk.

Jiang Qi’an stepped out of the military camp, and upon seeing this scene, his stern expression softened rare, a hint of relief appearing between his brows.

The common folk noticed him too, their frostbitten, cracked faces breaking into smiles.

“His Highness has come out! His Highness has come to see us!”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for still caring about us!”

“His Highness is wise! He drove those barbarian troops out of the city! Otherwise, we’d all have become their winter rations!”

“Long live His Highness!”

“Long live His Highness, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”

“…”

The streets erupted with one cheer after another, the people prostrating themselves in waves, their voices carrying an indescribable sincerity and emotion.

Jiang Qi’an felt moved, but when he heard those last few shouts, his brow twitched uncontrollably.

“Ten thousand years”?

These common folk meant no harm or ulterior motive.

They were simply expressing their gratitude.

But to the ears of someone with intentions, it would sound entirely different.

No wonder the Xiao Family Army had been so heavily guarded against by the capital and his Father Emperor before…

After carefully explaining to the people that “ten thousand years” shouldn’t be shouted carelessly, Jiang Qi’an set off for the original city. He had an appointment with Miss Chen today to check the results at her shop.

Whether there were more healing medicines or not, she’d give him an answer.

“Has the letter been sent?”

Jiang Qi’an suddenly turned his head, asking the attendant beside him.

The attendant replied respectfully, “It’s been sent, via eight-hundred-li express. His Majesty should see it soon and send provisions to support us!”

Since His Majesty had personally appointed His Highness to the border, he must surely trust him.

His Highness was the eyes of the capital here. He’d witnessed the border’s dire state and the loyalty of the Xiao Family Army—His Majesty would surely realize the previous misunderstandings.

Jiang Qi’an let out a breath of relief and nodded firmly in agreement.

They just needed to hold on a little longer, and the imperial court would come to their aid.

…

Chen Jinyue spent the entire afternoon playing the role of a generous benefactor, repaying debts left and right or allocating funds to the factory.

By the time she was mostly done, night had fallen.

Through the half-open warehouse door stepped a familiar figure.

“Miss Chen,”

Jiang Qi’an strode in, unable to hold back as he spoke first, “That batch of medicine you gave me yesterday worked wonders! The soldiers’ fevers stopped, and it greatly reduced our losses in combat strength!”

Chen Jinyue looked up at him, her smile brimming with pride. “Of course it did. Medicine these days is pretty advanced.”

Jiang Qi’an gazed at her, his eyes full of gratitude. “The heating stones burn longer than ours too. The border folk all got some, and they’re no longer just hiding at home, waiting to die…”

Perhaps because of last night’s events, when Chen Jinyue had urgently sent a batch of life-saving medicine, Jiang Qi’an felt an unspoken closeness to her now.

He hadn’t even noticed it himself, but his desire to share had grown.

Before, though he’d been candid enough, he’d never let slip anything unnecessary, especially about military matters.

Now, his expression was relaxed, his joy irrepressible. “This time, the Xiao Family Army reclaimed a city with minimal casualties. I sent word to the capital—my Father Emperor will surely reward us handsomely!”

“Handsomely? Are you sure?” Chen Jinyue didn’t believe it.

A border general who needed a prince to keep watch over him, now winning a battle so easily—wouldn’t the emperor just want to get rid of him as soon as possible?

In an era where imperial power reigned supreme, an emperor would rather kill by mistake than let someone slip through.

Hearing her counter-question, Jiang Qi’an’s smile froze, his eyes turning to her with a hint of confusion.

Chen Jinyue didn’t keep pouring cold water on him—otherwise, she’d seem like a scheming merchant stirring trouble. “A victory’s a victory. So, can you all rest for a few days now?”

Jiang Qi’an shook his head. “Thanks to the medicine working so quickly, the soldiers’ morale is soaring. General Xiao decided to press the advantage and pursue the enemy.”

After speaking, he paused and pulled over a small cart loaded with boxes.

On it sat one large box and one smaller, delicate one.

Jiang Qi’an picked up the small box and handed it to Chen Jinyue with both hands. “Here are the wooden blocks you wanted. Young General Xiao found them in Xiurong City.”

Chen Jinyue’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected him to actually find them. Taking the box, she opened it and examined the contents closely.

“That’s right, these are the ones!”

“…”

Jiang Qi’an said nothing, quietly watching as she dragged out a small table, dumped the wooden blocks onto it with a clatter, and looked eager to start assembling them.

Chen Jinyue had intended to dive right in, but then she realized someone was still standing there.

She looked up, meeting the deep hope in his eyes.

Her hand paused, and she led him toward the back of the warehouse. “You’re in luck. I got in touch with a pharmaceutical factory and secured a batch of their stock. Everything I gave you before is here, plus some remedies for colds and chills. I figured you’d need those too, right?”

“Yes! All of it!”

Jiang Qi’an didn’t hesitate.

Chen Jinyue explained how to use the cold medicine packets, along with some cough suppressants, expectorants, and digestive aids.

Yuyuan Pharmaceutical Factory had a wide range, so this batch was impressively comprehensive.

The more Jiang Qi’an listened, the more excited he grew, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

With this batch of medicine, the soldiers would be secure moving forward.

Reclaiming the occupied cities would be no problem at all.

And the border folk wouldn’t die from untreated colds anymore…

After hearing the full rundown, he took several seconds to steady himself, suppressing the surge in his chest. Then, with a solemn bow, he said, “Miss Chen, I am grateful beyond measure for your kindness! Once the border is stable, I, Qi’an, will build a living shrine for you to repay your great benevolence!”

Chen Jinyue’s eyes widened, and she quickly waved her hands. “No, no, that’s not necessary. You paid me in silver—it’s just what I should do.”

Speaking of silver, Jiang Qi’an opened the large box, revealing yet another crate of exquisite porcelain.

Last time, she’d accepted a box of porcelain and said she’d get him more supplies, so he assumed she really liked porcelain.

This time, he’d brought nothing but porcelain.

“Miss, is this enough? If it’s not, I’ll have more brought over!”

“…It’s enough.”

Chen Jinyue smiled. Honestly, the jade ruyi from last night had already been more than sufficient.

She used to accept everything offered because she was drowning in debt and desperate to pay it off.

Now that her debts were cleared, her mindset was calmer. “The things you give me vary in value to me. Next time, mix and match accordingly.”

She decided to be a slightly more ethical merchant and kindly offered him a value benchmark.

“That jade ruyi you gave me last night is worth as much as this box of porcelain—it’s more than enough for a batch of healing medicine. But since medicine is special, I’ll take on the risk, so I accepted it all.”

“The inkstone and brush washer you gave me before were also very valuable. With those, you don’t need to include ordinary items.”

“Next time you come for cotton quilts, you’ll need to bring more ordinary stuff, but if it’s something on par with the jade ruyi, one piece will do.”

“…”