Chapter 224 Winning Hearts and Minds
Xie Qi asked, "You mean Master Song and Steward Wu?"
Yun Zheng nodded: "Yes, this Master Song is quite capable, and he is also very loyal to Xie San Niang. Although the long-term contract was transferred to us because of Xie Chengzhi, he hasn't said a word in the past two days."
"He sits in the accounting room all day, silent and seemingly very temperamental. If he could see Xie Chengzhi, the old man would probably slap him so hard he would have to go see Xie San Niang."
Xie Qi raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this.
"And that Manager Wu, he looks slick and cunning, always running around like a madman. I thought he was unreliable."
"Unexpectedly, Xie San Niang had exceptionally good eyesight. I had dealt with this person several times, but he kept going around in circles with me, like an elusive mudfish. No matter what I said, I couldn't get a single word out of him."
"He doesn't seem like someone who gets things done, but I think that since Xie San Niang entrusted him with overseeing the entire Xie family's textile and dyeing plantation, he must have some extraordinary abilities."
"So I kept it there, hoping you would come and clean it up."
Xie Qi replied, "I understand. Let them come over."
"To Jixia Village?"
"Um."
Yun Zheng said, "I'll go and call someone to bring them here."
After saying this, Yun Zheng left, while Xie Qi bent down, took out a brocade box, and casually placed it on the table. He also prepared writing brush and ink and placed them aside.
When Yun Zheng brought Steward Wu and Master Song to Jixia Manor, Xie Qi was sitting upright in the room, writing something with a pen in hand.
He stopped what he was doing when the two entered.
"You're here? Have a seat."
Xie Qi casually pointed to the chair in front of him, but did not get up.
Master Song had a long face, while Steward Wu said with a grin, "Oh dear, this is..."
He rubbed his hands together and turned to look at Yun Zheng.
Yun Zheng said, "This is our boss."
"Oh my, the owner of Jixia Manor is such a handsome young man! He's truly a promising young man!"
Manager Wu stepped forward solicitously, picked up the teapot, and poured tea for Xie Qi.
"The master is handsome, with a full forehead and broad forehead; he looks every bit the part of a master. May I ask his name? Tell me your name so I can admire you?"
Manager Wu was indeed as slippery as Yun Zheng had described, with a mouth full of slick words.
Xie Qi raised his eyes and gave a cold smile.
He ignored Steward Wu and instead looked at Master Song, whose face was solemn.
"Mr. Song, do you still remember me?"
Master Song's brows furrowed into a deep frown. He squinted at Xie Qi's face, staring intently for a long time before finally exclaiming in surprise, "You...you are..."
"Judging from your reaction, you must know about my background. You should thank Third Sister for her high regard."
Master Song's face was grim. He stared at Xie Qi for a long time before coldly snorting, "I started working for the Xie family when I was just over ten years old. I've worked there my whole life, so naturally I deserve to be looked up to by my master."
"Since you already know this, you don't need to waste your time on me."
He glanced at Yun Zheng and said coldly, "I know that you have been collecting information on the workers' production process these days, and you even tried to use the warehouse's in-and-out process to deduce the Xie family's secret recipe."
“But let me tell you, all of this is in vain. The most important things in the Xie family are with me. Without the techniques for making and repairing those looms, your textile and dyeing workshop won’t last long.”
Hearing this, Xie Qi was not angry. He simply said, "If I remember correctly, your only son fell into the well in the Xie family's textile and dyeing garden and drowned a few years ago, didn't he?"
"What do you mean by bringing this up?"
Ignoring the old man's expression, Xie Qi continued, "Your grandson should be married by now."
He looked at Master Song's face and said calmly, "I remember Xie San Niang once said that she wanted your grandson to come and work for the Xie family, but you refused."
"Is your grandson still farming in the countryside these days?"
"What exactly do you mean? Are you threatening me with my grandson?"
"You're overthinking it."
Xie Qi said, "You've spent your whole life in the textile and dyeing workshop, and you know how dangerous it is there. Especially after witnessing the accidental death of your only son, you don't want your grandson to continue in this line of work..."
Seeing that Master Song's brows furrowed more and more after hearing his words, Xie Qi smiled faintly.
Whether it's Xie San Niang, him and the manager of Xie Cui Fang, or even Shen Yan Huai.
The wages offered by their textile and dyeing workshops were considered very high even in Suzhou Prefecture.
It wasn't that they were rich and powerful, but rather that few of the artisans and embroiderers in the textile and dyeing workshops met a good end.
The dye vat is toxic, and the old dyers are mostly deformed, suffering even more in the rainy and cloudy weather.
While the work of the embroiderers may seem easy, in reality, as they get older, nine out of ten become blind.
This profession is all about sacrificing one's lifespan. Xie San Niang had experienced this hardship, so she had great respect for craftsmen.
When Xie Qi was young, he once saw a dyer whose arm was twisted and could neither be raised nor lowered. The man had left the Xie family's dyeing garden a long time ago, but because of a serious and incurable illness, his wife came to the Xie family for help.
That day, he was taking a nap in a tree when he witnessed the man writhing on the ground in agony.
Therefore, even though Master Song was highly skilled, he did not want his grandson to inherit his talents, and he knew why.
Xie Qi hooked his finger, raised his hand to open the jade clasp on the brocade box, took out a stack of silver notes, and threw them on the table.
“Master Song, you acquired all these skills by spending thirty or forty years in the textile and dyeing workshop, but your grandson can only rely on the weather for his livelihood…”
Xie Qi tilted his head and clicked his tongue: "He's getting old, isn't he? He'll be having children soon, won't he?"
Master Song pursed his lips and remained silent.
If a mere sum of money isn't enough to sway him and make him betray the Xie family, then...
Xie Qi then said, "At your age, you probably don't have many years left to live. I wonder if you are willing to let all your skills go with you."
"Now that you're gone, your grandson and great-grandson will probably have a hard time."
The old man's lips were pressed tightly together, and his face was extremely pale.
"How about this? Before you die, do your children and grandchildren a favor."
Xie Qi picked up the stack of silver notes and threw them in front of Master Song: "Your craftsmanship is excellent. I guess you are not willing to let your descendants rely on the weather for their livelihood forever, or be craftsmen who are ordered around by others."
"How about this, you write down the recipes you know, or give me everything you know, and I'll fund the opening of a weaving workshop for you."
"In that case, you will no longer be a craftsman, but a business owner. As a business owner, your skills can be passed down from generation to generation. Who knows, in ten or twenty years, your great-grandson may become a giant like Xie or Chen, or even a giant like Xie Cui Fang or Ji Xia Zhuang."
Xie Qi stretched out his hand and pointed to the front of him: "What do you think, old man?"
Passed down through generations...
With just a few words, Xie Qi made Master Song's breathing quicken, as if he were both angry and excited.
If he had only offered money to tempt him, he certainly wouldn't have been fooled.
Can……
His great-grandson was a very intelligent and quick-witted child. With Xie Qi's help, the weaving workshop was successfully opened. While he was still alive, he could personally teach his grandson for a few years.
If you miss this opportunity, you'll never have another chance...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
