Chapter 205 Fraud

"Yun Dong's family."

When Xie Chengzhi saw Yun Zheng, he slightly raised his chin, his expression arrogant.

Upon seeing this, Yun Zheng quickly bowed and smiled obsequiously, "Second Master Xie, we've been waiting for you for so long, are you busy today?"

"Yes, I've been busy revitalizing my family business lately, and it's been quite tiring. May I ask what brings you here, Mr. Yun?"

"There is a business deal I'd like to discuss with Second Master."

Yun Zheng said, "There have been some rumors circulating in the city lately. Have you heard of them, Second Master?"

Recently, rumors have been circulating in the city that Xie San Niang was angered to death by Xie Chengzhi, and that he was able to seize power because of his despicable deeds.

Xie Chengzhi had certainly heard such rumors before.

However, he could only suppress his anger in secret and couldn't come forward to say that such a thing had happened.

Hearing Yun Zheng mention it to him, Xie Chengzhi's face suddenly darkened.

"Hey, what do you mean by this, Yun?"

Yun Zheng smiled faintly: "Second Master, please don't be anxious. I didn't mean anything by it. I just feel that the Xie family's eldest branch did a really underhanded thing. It's not worth it for you, Second Master."

"The first wife?"

After Yun Zheng instigated him, Xie Chengzhi also felt that the eldest son's family was unwilling to let him take power, so they deliberately spread rumors to ruin his reputation and make him return the power in a humiliating way...

Thinking this, Xie Chengzhi's face twitched.

Yun Zheng glanced at him and continued, "I feel sorry for Second Master, so I would like to ask if Second Master would be willing to do business with me."

"What kind of business?"

"Has Second Master ever considered becoming the true head of the Xie family?"

Xie Chengzhi asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Yun Zheng smiled and handed over a stack of contracts.

"This is the business I want to discuss with Second Master."

Yun Zheng said, "I hope to work with Second Master to establish another Xie Family Dyehouse."

"I told you the truth, Second Master. The reason why Jixia Manor used Xie family's brocade to participate in the sample cloth competition of the Prince's Mansion was not because I had any grudge against Xie family, but because I did not have any fundamental means of survival, namely, top-notch weaving and dyeing techniques."

"The reason I'm approaching you now, Second Master, is because I hope you can bring the Xie family's secret recipe and craftsmen to my Jixia Manor."

"Naturally, I will reopen a textile and dyeing plantation in your name, and you and I will split the profits 30/70."

"You get seven, I get three."

Yun Zheng picked up the teacup on the table and poured tea for Xie Chengzhi: "I've already chosen the location for the weaving and dyeing garden. It's near Xiecuifang, and the land deed is here..."

Yun Zheng pulled a land deed from his sleeve and flashed it in front of Xie Chengzhi, holding up a corner of it.

“I will provide the land and take care of all the capital and costs. Second Master only needs to do one thing, which is to bring the Xie family’s craftsmen and technology to my place.”

Looking at Xie Chengzhi's face, Yun Zheng said, word by word, "To put it bluntly, Second Master is now just an empty figurehead in the Xie family. You and I both know in our hearts that this power will eventually return to the eldest branch of the Xie family, to your eldest brother Xie Boyu."

"Second Master is a man of integrity. As such, he can't be without ambition. Rather than working for the Xie family's eldest branch for nothing, why not cooperate with me? I can give you at least 70% of the shares, making you the true owner of the new shop..."

At this point, Yun Zheng paused for a moment, then added, "Oh, by the way, given the rumors spread by the eldest son's family, even if you, Second Master, want to help them, I'm afraid you don't have much time left."

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengzhi's heart pounded.

He held the teacup, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

Fearing that Yun Zheng would notice, he pressed down slightly.

After a long silence, Xie Chengzhi said, "Master Yun, you are being unfair."

Yun Zheng asked in confusion, "Why do you say that, Second Master?"

Xie Chengzhi pursed his lips and pretended to sigh, "The eldest son is indeed treacherous, but no matter how treacherous he is, he is still my own brother. No matter what, we are siblings from the same mother. He is unrighteous, but I cannot be unrighteous."

"And you want me to bring the Xie family's technology and craftsmen to your Jixia Manor. Isn't this instigating me to betray the Xie family and become a thief who steals from their home?"

"Although I, Xie Chengzhi, am a reckless person, I am not the kind of person who would do such a despicable thing."

Upon hearing this, Yun Zheng smiled calmly: "Second Master, if you truly had no intention of doing this, you should have already turned and left, instead of still sitting here chatting with me."

"As for me, I truly admire Second Master's character and sincerely want to cooperate with him. However, it depends on whether Second Master can seize this opportunity."

"Although the technology that Second Master possesses is something I need, I will never force anyone to do anything against my will."

Yun Zheng stood up, raised his hand and gestured towards the door, inviting the other party to leave: "Since Second Master has no intention of cooperating with me, then I will not force you. I will take my leave."

After saying that, Yun Zheng was about to leave when Xie Chengzhi suddenly said, "Wait."

He stepped forward and stopped Yun Zheng, his arrogance gone, while Yun Zheng's previous fawning was gone, replaced by a serious expression.

Xie Chengzhi smiled obsequiously and advised, "Boss Yun, this is your fault. There's no such thing as a one-shot deal in business."

"We need to talk back and forth a few times, right? I can't just agree to a collaboration immediately, or agree to something just because you say so."

“Second Master Xie, I, Yun, have come here today with sincerity. If you have any requests, please feel free to make them. There is no need for us to test each other like this.”

Yun Zheng said, "Why waste each other's time?"

"Yes, yes, what Boss Yun said makes sense."

Xie Chengzhi rubbed his hands together and cleared his throat.

In fact, the conditions Yunzheng offered him were already quite good, a 30/70 share, something he couldn't even get from the Xie family.

But desires are insatiable; when will human nature ever end?

Xie Chengzhi chuckled: "Since Boss Yun is so straightforward, then I won't stand on ceremony. This is fine, but I want eight-tenths of the shares."

Yun Zheng pondered for a moment, then sat back down.

"Second Master, you must understand that I am a businessman. I will invest the principal, but the Xie family's secret formula and people are in your hands. If you only give me a 20% share, then I won't make much profit."

Yun Zheng said, "To be honest, Second Master, I don't lack money. It's just that I need skills to support my father-in-law's work. In the entire Suzhou Prefecture, only the Xie family's skills are decent..."

Xie Chengzhi said, "Boss Yun, since you put it that way, I won't play hard to get. How about this: we'll still split the profits 20/80, but we'll agree on a time limit."

"Ten years from now, I will teach you all the Xie family's techniques. In this way, you will have the skills, I will have the money, and we will both have achieved our goals."

Seeing Xie Chengzhi's scheming mind, Yun Zheng smiled faintly.

"Second Master is very generous. Since you are willing to give away your family's secret recipe, I naturally cannot push my luck any further."

Yun Zheng smiled and said, "Then let's do as Second Master says."

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengzhi's eyes gleamed with a hint of greed.

With his talent and intelligence, would it really take him ten years to develop and expand the Xie family?

Furthermore, if Yun Zheng were to snatch away his people and his technology after holding onto them for ten years, then Xie Chengzhi would be considered incompetent.

Xie Chengzhi couldn't suppress the smile on his lips, and Yun Zheng shook his head inwardly upon seeing this.

"Then come on, Second Master, I've prepared the contract."

Having said that, Yun Zheng took out two bronze seals from his sleeve. He looked down at them, thinking that if Xie Chengzhi signed them, Xie Qi would have no more worries...