Chapter 145 Appeasement
"You don't think that stealing the dyeing manual and denying it will solve everything, do you?"
Xie Qi said, "Stealing Yuanzhu's dyeing manual is nothing more than wanting to participate in the sample fabric competition at the Prince's Mansion. At that time, whoever uses the Shen family's dyeing technique in their sample fabric will be the thief who stole the dyeing manual."
"You little brat..."
Xie Qi's words clearly meant that even those who had obtained the dyeing manual could not use it in this sample fabric competition.
In this way, although Xie Chengzhi could hide the dyeing manual for future use, there was one person who would absolutely not agree.
Sure enough, Xie San Niang spoke up.
Although the Xie family has a few fools, they are not many. Even if some things are not said openly, they all have their own judgments in private.
Xie Sanniang glanced at Xie Qi, then lowered her eyes and said, "The Shen Family Dyeing Manual is indeed important. I'm afraid that money can be a powerful motivator, so someone has reached out to Yuanzhu."
"But reporting to the authorities is indeed not feasible."
She coughed lightly: "The government investigation will inevitably involve a lot of trouble. At that time, all the servants, employees, young ladies and maids in the house will be questioned by the officials."
"What if they take this opportunity to extort money from us? Should we take action or not?"
"The reputations of the young lady and her maids are ruined."
Xie Boyu and Xie Xuchuan fell silent.
Xie Chengzhi and Zheng Shu held their heads high, while Jiang Wansu pursed her lips, now understanding the deeper meaning behind Xie San Niang's words.
This thing was definitely taken by the Xie family, either the second or third branch, so Xie San Niang was protecting her own family.
Once the dyeing manual reaches the Xie family, whether it's Xie Chengzhi or Xie Jingyuan, the old lady will eventually ask for it and hand it over to Xie Xuchuan.
Jiang Wansu lowered her eyes, knowing that all she needed to do now was help the old lady smooth things over and appease Shen Yuanzhu.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Wansu said, "Grandmother, the 'Shen Family Dyeing Manual' is a keepsake from Yuanzhu's mother, so she would never make things up."
"Moreover, Mianhe has already fled to avoid punishment. A day and a night have passed, and it may be difficult to track him down."
"If she were a faster walker, she would have disappeared by now, so we can only search for her slowly..."
Jiang Wansu gently touched her lower abdomen and looked at Hua Nanzhi: "So, I'm thinking that since Grandmother and Mother are both kind and compassionate, what do you think about handling this matter in this way..."
Hua Nanzhi said, "Tell me, what good ideas do you have?"
"That's what my daughter-in-law thinks. Since Yuanzhu is marrying into the Xie family, the two families have agreed to exchange farming and weaving charts and dyeing manuals."
"It's certainly not a good thing that this has happened. But since it has already happened, there's no point in complaining or arguing anymore."
"How about this, the Xie family can search for the dyeing recipes on Mianhe's side. If they find them, it will save the two families the trouble of exchanging them. As for Yuanzhu's side, Grandmother and Mother can see if the farming and weaving charts can be handed over directly to her younger siblings."
"In this way, the previous agreement between the two parties can be considered fulfilled."
Listening to Xie Qi's words in his arms, Shen Yuanzhu couldn't help but laugh.
She had originally intended to take advantage of the theft of the dyeing manual to obtain the "Xie Family Farming and Weaving Chart".
She had initially planned to approach Xie Xuchuan, but now that Jiang Wansu had spoken up for her, it saved her a lot of effort.
Xie San Niang and Hua Nan Zhi exchanged a glance, both knowing who held the dyeing manual. At this moment, the most important thing was to keep Shen Yuan Zhu quiet.
As for the rest, they settle accounts behind closed doors as family members, and they always manage to do so properly.
"Grandmother, Mother, Sister Yuanzhu, what do you think?"
Xie San Niang didn't speak, but Hua Nan Zhi said, "That's one way too. The Xie family has been doing business for many years and has some connections in the area."
"Finding a convict is not difficult, although it is troublesome and requires spending some money, but it is still better than reporting to the authorities."
Hua Nanzhi said, "Yuanzhu, what do you think?"
Shen Yuanzhu wiped away her tears: "That was my mother's keepsake. I just wanted to keep it with me as a memento. What would I do with the Xie family's farming and weaving chart?"
“I neither weave cloth nor run a dye shop.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qi was about to speak when Shen Yuanzhu pinched his waist.
He groaned softly, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
It was Mrs. Luo who exclaimed, "Miss, you're confused!"
"Miss, the exchange of dyeing manuals and farming and weaving charts between the two families was an agreement between Madam and the Xie family long ago. The old lady is kind, so please accept them."
“If a newlywed bride reports something to the authorities because she has lost something, causing unrest in her husband’s family, how will she live in the Xie family in the future?”
Luo's voice was soft and light, but everyone understood what she meant.
Jiang Wansu thought to herself that what Shen Yuanzhu's wet nurse said wasn't entirely wrong; if a married woman is disliked by her husband's family, her future will be difficult.
Let alone exchanging the farming and weaving chart for Shen Yuanzhu, even if we don't give it to her, in the end the only outcome will be that the new bride suffers in silence.
Hearing Luo's words, Shen Yuanzhu's little face became wrinkled from crying, looking very pitiful and helpless.
Madam Luo then said, "Young master, please persuade Miss."
"..."
Xie Qi lowered his head and thought for a long time before patting Shen Yuanzhu on the back.
Yuanzhu hadn't let him speak yet, and he didn't know what to say, what if he messed things up?
For safety's sake, Xie Qi lowered his head and whispered in Chen Yuanzhu's ear: "What do you want me to do?"
"Since it was my husband who said so, then let it be."
Madam Luo quickly said, "Miss has been wronged."
The farming and weaving charts from the Xie family had been prepared before her marriage. Shen Yuanzhu knew in her heart that they were unlikely to be fake, but whether they were complete was unknown.
But she didn't care; she just wanted to get her hands on the items first.
He could only nod, looking extremely aggrieved.
Before long, the farming and weaving picture was handed to Shen Yuanzhu, who held it casually, as if she was quite unwilling.
Luo coaxed and comforted them repeatedly until they stopped crying, and then she embraced Shen Yuanzhu and Xie Qi and left Yujintang.
When only the Xie family remained, there was a moment of silence in the house.
Xie Jingyuan touched his nose and spoke first: "These past few days I met a craftsman from a foreign land. He said that his hometown has a kind of Western red that is more vibrant than the color produced by madder."
"My son saw the cloth sample in his hand, and it was indeed very dazzling."
"Not only are Western dyeing methods different from ours, but their techniques are also quite..."
After carefully considering his words, Xie Jingyuan said, "Rare indeed."
He glanced at the people in the room and sighed inwardly.
Although he was of the same generation as Xie Boyu and Xie Chengzhi, there was a significant age difference between them. As the eldest brother, he was like a father to them, and there were many times when he couldn't offer advice or even say it aloud.
The Xie family's skills were considered quite good in Suzhou Prefecture, but compared to other parts of the country, they were not particularly novel.
Xie Jingyuan said, "My son wants to find those foreign artisans to see if he can learn Western weaving and dyeing techniques. If..."
"What did you say?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Boyu immediately frowned: "When did you get involved with those foreign devils? And you even want to learn their dyeing techniques?"
"Have you abandoned all the rules of our ancestors? How dare you compare the things of these barbarians with the secret techniques passed down from our ancestors?"
Xie Boyu rarely lost his temper, and this was the first time he had ever lost his temper so badly with Xie Jingyuan.
Xie Jingyuan frowned, wanting to argue but ultimately remaining silent.
The Xie family will eventually be handed over to his eldest brother. There are some things he can play around with out of curiosity, but... he can't say anything more about the deeper aspects.
Even Xie San Niang frowned deeply: "Third brother, I don't say anything about your past habit of collecting foreign trinkets, but you must never abandon your ancestral principles."
Xie Jingyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded helplessly.
"Oh dear, the third brother is disobedient and has been hanging out with foreign devils. He really deserves a beating."
Xie Chengzhi rolled up his sleeves, making a move to whip Xie Jingyuan.
But the movement pushed the person away, and he himself also wanted to leave.
But as soon as he moved his foot, he heard Xie San Niang's cold voice: "Everyone else, leave. Second brother, you stay here. I need to talk to you."
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