Chapter 230 Departure
Xie Jingyuan remained silent for a moment, then finally shook his head.
He never imagined that the young wife he had hastily married would be so eager to escape from him.
Xie Jingyuan paused, his hand on the door faltering, and for some inexplicable reason, he couldn't help but smile silently.
He took two steps back, turned and left.
Seeing this, the maid followed, and after they were a little further away, Xie Jingyuan said, "Go and find the shop deeds on Changchun Street and send them to Jiang Zao."
With this shop, at least Jiang Zao and her mother could be guaranteed a comfortable life; there was nothing more he could do.
Xie Jingyuan turned around and looked at Zhiyunxuan, where he had lived for almost twenty years, and couldn't help but feel sad.
Going to the West was actually part of his plan, but he never expected that he would set off so many years ahead of schedule.
Even without Xie Shan burning down the warehouse and Xie Chengzhi selling off the craftsmen, the Xie family was bound to decline little by little.
He had long ago made up his mind to find a way out for the Xie family.
He just didn't expect this day to come so soon.
With a sigh, Xie Jingyuan walked out of the courtyard.
Since there's no need to consider Jiang Zao, he can set off in the next few days...
After Xie Jingyuan left, the maid took the shop deed and gently knocked on the door.
Jiang Zao wiped away her tears and stood up gracefully.
"Madam, this is what Third Master instructed me to give you this morning, but I was so busy that I forgot..."
Jiang Zao said, "It's alright, it's not too late now."
After saying that, she took the item and opened it, asking, "What is it...?"
She was slightly taken aback when she saw that it was a shop deed on Changchun Street.
The maid spoke up: "This shop was a birthday gift from the old lady to the Third Master a few years ago, and no one else knew about it."
“Now that it’s been rented out, there’s a considerable amount of rent every year. Third Master said that this shop will be left to you so that you can make a living in the future.”
Jiang lowered his head, clutching the contract in his hand, feeling a mix of emotions.
However, she was still young and did not understand these complex thoughts, nor could she explain them clearly.
After a long while, she finally said softly, "Thank him for me."
The maid nodded and closed the door behind her as she left.
Zhou He and Shen Yuanzhu stood behind Jiang Zao.
Seeing this, Zhou He sighed sadly, feeling extremely reluctant to part with him.
She felt that Xie Jingyuan was already quite good, but after he left Jiang Zao with so many things to rely on, she was indeed reluctant to let her daughter, whom she had raised single-handedly, go overseas...
Jiang Zao looked down at the shop deed for a long time, and after a while she said to Zhou He, "Mother, if you have nothing else to do, you can go back with Sister Yuanzhu first."
"Xie Jingyuan is going to the West. Although I cannot go with him, I will still need time to prepare the things he needs."
Zhou He's eyes reddened: "Have you thought this through?"
"I've thought it through, Mother, you don't need to worry."
Jiang Zao looked at the sales contract in her hand and smiled, "He is thoughtful, and I accept his offer."
Seeing that Zhou He was still worried, Jiang Zao comforted her, "Mother, don't worry about me. I have money and shops. Although he gave me a divorce decree, you don't need to worry about me being misled by others."
"There's no need to announce our divorce to the world, and..."
Her eyes were clear: "I never intended to remarry. I took his things, so what's wrong with waiting for him for a few years? If he has no wife by his side after a few years and returns to his hometown, who knows what might happen to the two of us..."
She paused, then said calmly, "Who can say for sure what will happen in the future?"
Shen Yuanzhu looked at the little girl in front of her and smiled with satisfaction.
"Yes, Aunt Zhou, who can say what the future holds? It's not bad as it is now. Let Xiaozao live the life she has chosen, and then let everything take its natural course."
Zhou He hesitated for a moment, then nodded with satisfaction.
After Shen Yuanzhu and Zhou He left, Jiang Zao looked at the contract in her hand repeatedly before finally putting it away silently.
When Xie Jingyuan returned to Zhiyun Pavilion, it was already late at night.
But the candlelight in Jiang Zao's room was still on. He stood outside the door, wanting to say a few words to this wife he barely knew, but after standing there for a long time, he still didn't know what to say.
He has already told his friends that he will be leaving in three days.
This departure raises the question: will we ever have the chance to meet again in this lifetime?
After hesitating for a long time, he remained motionless, leaving only a sigh before turning and leaving.
Jiang Zao was unaware that Xie Jingyuan had returned, and lingered in front of her door for a moment.
She was now intently stuffing dried Hangzhou white chrysanthemums into her embroidered pouch, with the things she had bought after her mother left beside her...
Jiang locked herself in her room day and night without rest. It wasn't until the maid told her that Third Master was currently in the eldest master's courtyard and would be leaving later that she realized Xie Jingyuan was about to depart.
"Tell him to wait for me, just fifteen minutes."
The maidservant pondered for a moment upon hearing this, nodded in agreement, and turned to find Xie Jingyuan.
Xie Jingyuan was in Xuanji Courtyard at this time.
Xie Boyu had aged considerably, and she held his hand, talking on and on for a long time.
He asked, "When will you be able to return? Will you be able to send a message home?"
"Why are you leaving in such a hurry? The Dyeing Competition is coming up soon. Why don't you wait until you've participated in the competition before you go?"
As Xie Boyu spoke, he murmured, "Look at me, our Xie family is no longer qualified to compete this year."
“I went to the textile and dyeing plantation yesterday. The dye vats there had been out of use for many days and were rotten and smelly.”
"Your sister-in-law asked me to seal up the textile and dyeing plantation so that Xu Chuan can recover from this busy period and get better..."
When Xie Xuchuan was mentioned, Xie Boyu's voice was hoarse: "Wansu is in poor health, and family matters have burdened her. I don't know what will happen to her in the future."
Xie Jingyuan patted his shoulder, and Xie Boyu's eyes reddened slightly: "Why did you leave in such a hurry?"
“My parents’ courtyard is empty, and now the second son… Zhiyunxuan is going to be empty too. This huge house, which used to be so lively, is now so desolate.”
"Big brother..."
Xie Jingyuan was also feeling bad, but he couldn't say anything to comfort her. He could only pat Xie Boyu's shoulder hard.
"When you go to the West, you must remember the three words: humility, forbearance, and trustworthiness."
"The people of barbarian lands are treacherous. You are alone abroad, so do not act recklessly or speak rudely, lest you incur hatred."
“In the past, when you were a merchant in Suzhou, people would give you some face when you went out to trade, but it’s different outside.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Jingyuan nodded with reddened eyes.
Xie Boyu, hunched over, took out a palm-sized amulet.
After gently stroking it, he personally placed it around Xie Jingyuan's neck.
"Be careful on your journey. Nothing else matters. Don't think too much. If you can't stay outside, remember to come home as soon as possible."
"I remember your brother, sister-in-law, and nephew are still at home."
Xie Jingyuan nodded, his voice choked with emotion: "My brother knows."
Upon hearing this, Xie Boyu reached into his robes and pulled out a cloth bag filled with inch-long gold bars.
"Even if you're poor, you should travel with extra money. Take these gold bars for a rainy day."
"No need, elder brother, I've already brought plenty of Yun brocade..."
"Take it."
Xie Boyu forcefully stuffed the things into Xie Jingyuan's arms, then he remained silent for a long time before saying, "Go and say goodbye to your second brother as well."
Xie Jingyuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and hummed in agreement.
When he left Xuanji Courtyard, Xie Boyu watched him go. Xie Jingyuan dared not turn back, for fear that if he did, he would become attached to the place and be unwilling to leave.
He didn't see his maid until he left the courtyard.
The maid said, "Third Master, Madam said you should wait for her for a quarter of an hour..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Jingyuan shook his head slightly: "Never mind, let's set off."
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