Chapter 277 Northern Desert
After the meal, Xie Chengzhi went to the main house of the Xie family.
He knocked on the door for a long time before the doorman finally arrived.
"Why did you come over today, Second Master?"
"Can't I come?"
"Not at all."
The doorman opened the door and explained, "But today neither the eldest mistress nor the eldest young master are here. Only the master is in the room. Second Master, would you like to go find the master?"
"My older brother is here? Okay, I'll go find him."
Xie Chengzhi went to Xuanji Courtyard, where Xie Boyu was airing books. He looked much better now, and was also much plumper than when the family separated. It was clear that he had been having a very happy time.
Xie Boyu turned her head and saw him, paused for a moment, and then continued to air out the books.
Seeing his expression, Xie Chengzhi was furious and, without any preamble, said directly, "Brother, do you know that Xie Qi is the owner of Jixia Manor?"
"He's the one who set me up and cheated me, leaving the Xie family with nothing!"
"What?"
Xie Boyu was very surprised to hear this: "You mean Jixia Manor belongs to Xie Qi?"
"Yes! This ungrateful wretch! Our Xie family has raised him for so long, and this is how he repays us?"
"Jixia Manor belongs to Xie Qi..."
Xie Boyu sighed, then smiled faintly: "It's better if it belongs to Xie Qi than to someone else. It's better for it to fall into his hands than to fall into someone else's hands."
"And Yuanzhu... knowing that she is his wife and son, I can face Shibai and his wife with a clear conscience."
"Otherwise, if all this had happened, I really don't know how I would explain it to them if I were to die."
"Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? I said Xie Qi set me up, and you're cheering?"
Xie Boyu said, "Your wicked intentions attracted Xie Qi. Even without him, you would have ruined the Xie family. Rather than letting the Xie family's skills fall into the hands of others, I think it would be better if they fell into Xie Qi's hands."
"This is the sin committed by my Xie family. Every drink and every bite is a consequence of our actions."
"What are you talking about? You're getting senile, I can't explain it to you."
He was rebuffed at home, and he couldn't reason with Xie Laoda either. In a fit of anger, Xie Chengzhi went to confront Xie Qi again.
"What? Your boss went to the northern desert?"
Yun Zheng nodded: "Yes, the whole family went to the northern desert, not just our boss, but also our boss's wife."
Seeing Xie Chengzhi's discomfiture, Yun Zheng crossed his arms and pointed to the city gate: "They just left today. If you go after them now, you might still be able to catch up."
Xie Chengzhi slapped his thigh and ran towards the city gate.
He didn't know what he was chasing; he just blindly wanted to grasp Xie Qi as a lifeline.
Shen Yuanzhu sat in the carriage, occasionally lifting the curtain to look back.
Xie Qi, seeing this, asked in confusion, "What are you looking at?"
"It sounds like someone is calling your name to me."
Xie Qi laughed and said, "You must have misheard. Who would come to call me at this hour?"
Shen Yuanzhu pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.
They had never intended to go to the northern desert. The northern desert caravans that Song Shebu had previously introduced to Xie Qi had always purchased "rough goods" that were looked down upon in the Jiangnan region.
After acquiring this trade route, Xie Qi continued to produce hemp, cotton cloth, and other similar goods.
It wasn't until his identity as the manager of Jixia Manor was exposed that Shen Yuanzhu asked him to introduce her to several leaders of the Northern Desert caravans.
Brocade is precious, and although the northern desert is wealthy, such exquisite goods have no market there. Originally, Shen Yuanzhu thought of using the influence of these merchant caravans to have them help introduce some local "nobles," but after the battle in the capital, she completely gave up the idea.
Until the day before, when she and Xie Qi were chatting idly about the scale-patterned dyeing and the crown of heroes, as well as Shen Yanhuai's piece of ice-torn cloth, they suddenly came up with a good idea.
If cotton and hemp could be dyed with colors, patterns, or even designs unique to the northern desert, their prices would naturally increase.
They have the recipe, the craftsmen, and now they even have the sales channels. If the two of them can figure out a material that has the characteristics of the northern desert and can also combine the comfort and durability of hemp and cotton, they can monopolize the entire northern desert market.
Both of them were decisive and efficient, and with Yun Zheng and Luo Qing in charge of the shop, the couple decided to set off for the northern desert.
Of course, it was just something Shen Yuanzhu mentioned casually, but Xie Qi took it to heart.
We had just talked about this the day before yesterday, and yesterday Xie Qi packed all his clothes and belongings at home.
Would you like some water?
Xie Qi handed the water pouch to Yuanzhu, who took it and smiled knowingly, as if she had just thought of something.
Xie Qi said, "I noticed your lips were a little dry just now, so I knew you were thirsty. How was it? I served you just as well as Madam Luo, didn't I?"
Before Shen Yuanzhu could speak, Ling'er, who was sitting outside the carriage, said, "Not bad at all. The young master is best at serving the young lady."
These were Xie Qi's own words, which Ling'er now uses to tease him.
Luo was originally going to travel with them, but Shen Yuanzhu, considering her advanced age and the vast distance to the northern desert, couldn't bear to see her endure such a grueling journey.
Moreover, since they were traveling with a caravan, which caused many inconveniences along the way, after discussing it among themselves, only Ling'er and Wei Hu decided to go with them.
Before leaving, Luo hugged Shen Yuanzhu while crying, saying that she had never left her and was afraid that Shen Yuanzhu would not be able to take good care of herself.
Xie Qi stood to the side with a proud look on his face and said, "I can take care of Yuanzhu. I'm best at that."
One sentence made Luo laugh until she cried.
Shen Yuanzhu opened the water pouch and took a sip with a smile.
The journey to the northern desert was long, and Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu originally thought they would be back in eight or nine months at most. However, they were so engrossed in the northern desert that they didn't want to leave and ended up staying for two years before finally returning.
In the past two years, the two have traveled to many places in northern Mongolia and made many close friends.
Even Ling'er married and stayed in the northern desert.
During this period, Shen Yuanzhu devised a new dyeing formula, which was exclusively supplied to the northern desert region. Xie Qi also became the largest supplier of kudzu and cotton in the entire northern desert region.
If it weren't for Yun Zheng and Luo Qing writing to them every few days, the two of them might have stayed for a while longer.
As the carriage entered Suzhou Prefecture, Wei Hu couldn't help but exclaim, "We're finally back!"
Xie Qi frowned slightly upon hearing his voice, and even Shen Yuanzhu covered her mouth and smiled.
One day, this child suddenly woke up with a hoarse and rough voice.
They talk in a lot of "baba aba" sounds, which is really irritating to listen to.
During his time in the northern desert, Wei Hu somehow grew taller at an alarming rate. What was once a robust and chubby child now looked frighteningly broad-shouldered and thick-waisted.
Xie Qi patted Wei Hu on the shoulder and said with a laugh, "When you get home, talk less and don't scare Xiao Zhi and Aunt Luo."
Wei Hu scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
The three of them sat in the carriage and couldn't help but take a closer look at Suzhou Prefecture.
Although I have lived here for a long time, returning after two years still feels somewhat novel and unfamiliar.
When the carriage arrived at Wanbao Street, Xie Qi instructed Wei Hu to stop the carriage on the street.
He led Shen Yuanzhu toward Jixia Village.
As soon as I reached the shop, I saw four shop assistants carrying a person out of the shop like they were carrying a Buddha statue.
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