Chapter 254 See you

Shen Yuanzhu said, "What's wrong with Cui Yulin? Is it worth making such a fuss over?"

Ling'er, her hands trembling, returned to the carriage: "Miss, you don't know, when we were at the Xie family, the servants were all saying that Xie..."

Ling'er paused, then cautiously glanced at Xie Qi.

Seeing her expression, Shen Yuanzhu chuckled and said, "It's alright, what's wrong with Xie Xuchuan?"

Ling'er said, "It's said that one of the two people who used to be inseparable suddenly disappeared. Cui Yulin didn't even show up for Xie Xuchuan's wedding. The servants all say that Cui Yulin actually died outside."

She counted on her fingers and said, word by word, "I think they are right. You see, the Cui family has been working for the Xie family for three generations. They don't have any relatives or friends outside, so it's impossible for them to visit relatives for so long."

"Besides, Xie Xuchuan doesn't have any business, so it's unlikely he's out doing anything, so... so..."

So what?

"So the servants all say that Cui Yulin actually died outside, otherwise he wouldn't have missed his young master's wedding..."

Shen Yuanzhu frowned: "Don't talk nonsense. If you saw him just now, wouldn't that person still be alive and well?"

"Alas, I only believed what others said. I will not talk nonsense again."

Luo said, "You have no right to curse someone's only son. If Steward Cui hears you, he'll tear you apart."

Ling'er covered her mouth in a huff, her eyes revealing a look of utter defiance.

Shen Yuanzhu had no interest in what Cui Yulin was like. She had only been married to Xie Qi for a year, but the things she had experienced felt like a lifetime. Occasionally, when she thought of Xie Xuchuan, Cui Yulin, and others, she even felt a little unfamiliar with them.

None of them made her as concerned as Ruan Fulan.

Shen Yuanzhu sighed softly, but Xie Qi suddenly raised his head.

"What's wrong?"

Xie Qi clutched his sleeve, his heart filled with worry.

He hadn't yet mentioned the messy accounts between Cui Yulin, Xie Xuchuan, and Jiang Wansu to Yuanzhu.

Xie Qi was somewhat annoyed, and he flicked the small folds in his clothes with his fingers to vent his frustration.

He is now certain that Yuanzhu will no longer have any feelings for Xie Xuchuan, but when he learned the truth about Xie Xuchuan's marriage to Jiang Wansu, he chose to keep it a secret because he did not believe that Yuanzhu would stay by his side forever.

Xie Qi looked up and stole a glance at Shen Yuanzhu's profile. Seeing that she had no expression, he felt relieved.

He will pretend he knew nothing about Cui Yulin's matter...

He didn't want Yuanzhu to know that he had once doubted her belief that she would always stay by his side.

Xie Qi raised his hand and took Shen Yuanzhu's hand in his palm, only then did he feel at peace.

When they went to the capital, everyone was full of ambition, thinking that they would rise to prominence and have smooth business opportunities in the future. Therefore, they were full of expectations and desires.

At that time, I felt that Shangjing was far away and that I could never get there no matter how hard I tried. It took a lot of effort before I finally saw the majestic city gate of Shangjing.

On the way back, the whole family stayed together, stopping and starting along the way, and time seemed to pass by quickly.

Shen Yuanzhu felt as if time flew by, and she returned to Suzhou Prefecture.

She had only been away from here for a few months, but Shen Yuanzhu missed her little courtyard terribly.

Pushing open the door, she saw the old leaves in the courtyard turning yellow and falling, but she and Xie Qi felt no sense of desolation, only warmth.

After putting her things down, Shen Yuanzhu lay on the small couch in the room and muttered, "Home is still the best. From now on, I will only stay at home and I don't want to be a royal merchant anymore."

She looked up at Xie Qi, her eyes slightly lowered: "Now I understand that some positions and some things are for specific people."

"Not all traveling merchants can become imperial merchants."

Xie Qi stroked her hair and said gently, "Imperial Merchants, the title of 'Imperial Merchant' came before the title of 'Merchant'. Most of them were members of the royal family and nobility who wanted to do business, so they were given the position."

"For others, like us, the higher we climb, the more dangerous it becomes."

Xie Qi thought of Yuan Xu, whom he had seen on the day they parted ways at the same guild hall.

Shen Yuanzhu squeezed Xie Qi's palm: "From now on, I won't be a royal merchant, I'll be a wealthy merchant!"

She scrambled up from the bed, full of fighting spirit. "Let's go to the bed. We haven't told Brother Nai and Yunzheng that we're back yet. Don't let them worry."

Xie Qi nodded, "Now the two of us can go to the shop together."

The couple smiled at each other and then rode away in the carriage together.

Xie Qi went to Jixia Manor, while Shen Yuanzhu went to Xiecui Workshop.

When Luo Qing saw her arrive, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and his eyes reddened.

"It's good that Miss is back."

Shen Yuanzhu told Luo Qing that Shen Yanhuai had not yet returned. The two were talking about everything that had happened since they went to the capital when suddenly the shop assistant walked in.

"Master, manager, the young master of the Xie family is here again."

"Xie Xuchuan?"

Shen Yuanzhu asked with some confusion, "What is he doing here?"

Luo Qing said, "Miss is here, so it's perfect for you to make the decision."

He sighed, "Ever since the son-in-law tricked Xie Chengzhi into hiring a craftsman, the Xie family has been ruined."

"The Xie family's textile and dyeing plantation has closed down, leaving them with neither men nor looms, and their inventory was burned down by Xie Shan. It can be said that the Xie family is now just an empty shell."

"Xie Jingyuan went to the West, and Xie Chengzhi spends all his days lying around in the shop at Jixia Manor..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu exclaimed in surprise, "What is he doing...?"

Luo Qing coughed lightly: "Didn't Yun Zheng sign a contract with him before, saying that they would open a shop together? Later, many things happened, and Yun Zheng went to the capital with Miss and her son-in-law."

"When Xie Chengzhi couldn't find anyone, he would cause trouble at Jixia Manor every day. Even after being kicked out, he would come back again. This went on until Yun Zheng returned and he finally calmed down."

Shen Yuanzhu asked, "How did you handle Yun Zheng's situation?"

"I don't know."

Shen Yuanzhu nodded: "Alright, let Xie Qi handle it."

Although they were husband and wife, she had no intention of interfering in the affairs of Jixia Manor.

Luo Qing continued, "After Xie Jingyuan went to the West, Xie Chengzhi made a fuss every day, forcing Xie Boyu to take out all the money in the family account. After this went on and on, Xie Boyu fell ill."

"Now, the Xie family is being held up by Xie Xuchuan."

Luo Qing paused for a moment, then continued, "He... has had a tough time too. He's changed a lot. You'll know when you meet him, Miss."

“Oh…” Luo Qing said, as if suddenly realizing something, and continued, “He doesn’t know who owns Jixia Manor and Xiecui Workshop. The Xie family was cheated by Jixia Manor, and Shen Yanhuai is not in Suzhou Prefecture, so he came here to us.”

"He came to buy a loom."

"Buy a loom?"

Shen Yuanzhu frowned: "The Xie family's agricultural and weaving chart, isn't it made by loom makers?"

Luo Qing shook his head: "The master craftsmen have all left. Master Song was sent to another residence by his son-in-law. Xie Xuchuan has no one to rely on. He has the farming and weaving charts but no skills..."

Luo Qing looked at Shen Yuanzhu and sighed again: "Miss, the Xie family has truly fallen for three generations..."

Shen Yuanzhu lowered her eyes, and after a moment said, "I'll go see him..."