Chapter 134: Xu Nian visits Qian's residence and finally obtains food and fodder for the border
After Xu Nian and her group arrived in Huaicheng and settled down, she did not go directly to Master Qian Sanye to buy food, but wrote a visiting card and sent it to the Qian Mansion.
That afternoon, a horse carriage came to the inn where Xu Nian and his companions were staying to deliver the reply. Mo Yu and Mo Jian were a little surprised. They didn't expect that Mr. Qian Sanye was so approachable. What they didn't know was that this was because what Xu Nian wrote in the letter was too tempting.
At noon on the second day, Xu Nian took Mo Jian and Mo Yu to Qian's house. Qian's house was located on the main street of Huaicheng. The whole house was not built like a wealthy businessman's residence, but just a very quiet and simple residence.
When the doorman saw the reply, he politely took the three people to the hall.
"Please wait a moment. The master will be here soon."
"Hard work"
Xu Nian picked up the teacup brought by the maid, took a sip of the tea, and then began to look around.
All the way from the gate to the hall, through the arrangements everywhere, Xu Nian also had a rough understanding of this Mr. Qian Sanye.
"Hahaha... I'm sorry for not being able to welcome you, distinguished guest."
Xu Nian stood up and looked towards the hall door, only to see the man coming in. He was about thirty years old, with a pale face and no beard, very different from the current scholars who liked to grow beards. He looked even more elegant in a moon-white gown. If he walked out, people would think he was more of a great scholar than a businessman.
"My daughter has met Mr. Qian."
As Mr. Qian Sanye called out, he looked at the young girl sitting there and was very surprised. He had not expected that the person who delivered the visiting card would be a little girl.
"I wonder what this lady's name is, and what important matter has brought her to see me, Qian?"
Qian Youhuai did not look down on Xu Nian because of his young age. During his business career, he had met all kinds of people, including many young people with extraordinary talents.
"My name is Xu Nian. Master Qian can just call me Xiao Nian. I came to visit Master Qian today to discuss something, but more importantly, I want to help him find a better future."
"Oh?" Qian Youhuai raised his eyebrows and said with interest: "I wonder if Miss Xu has any misunderstandings about my Qian family. You know, although I am not a big shot, I still have some face in Huaicheng. I really don't know what future I need."
Xu Nian smiled but didn't say anything, but glanced at the person next to Qian Youhuai.
Qian Youhuai waved his hands and waited for everyone to leave. Xu Nian did not answer but asked, "Back then, Master Qian had the talent of the top scholar. I wonder why he gave up the imperial examination and switched to business?"
Qian Youhuai smiled for a moment, then quickly returned to normal, but this small change in expression made Xu Nian more confident in the subsequent negotiations.
"Why did Miss Xu ask this? Of course, it was to carry on the family business and live up to the trust of our ancestors."
"As far as I know," Xu Nian looked into Qian Youhuai's eyes and said seriously, "Master Qian has two elder brothers who are quite accomplished in business. The Qian's cloth shop was also a well-known company. But after Master Qian took over, he decisively changed it into a grain shop. I'm very curious about the reason."
Qian Youhuai put away the smile on his face and looked seriously at the girl opposite him again, knowing in his heart that the other party was well prepared.
"It seems that Miss Xu did some research on Qian before coming here. I wonder why Miss Xu went to such great lengths to ask for this?"
Xu Nian placed a purse on the tray, and Mo Jian placed the tray next to Mr. Qian.
Qian Youhuai opened his purse and saw that it was filled with rice.
"That's exactly what I want."
Qian Youhuai had been a grain merchant for thirteen years. He could tell at a glance that the rice in the pouch was unusual. He took it out and examined it repeatedly, and his eyes lit up more and more.
"I wonder if this thing in my hand can be exchanged for the things in the old master's warehouse?"
Qian Youhuai was speechless for a moment, and Xu Nian did not urge him. He just drank tea quietly and waited for Mr. Qian's reply.
Qian Youhuai looked at the rice seeds in his hand and then at the calm little girl opposite him, and leaned over and said, "May I ask, for whom is Miss Xu running around like this?"
Xu Nian smiled and said, "Of course it's for the wise leader that Mr. Qian is looking forward to."
Qian Youhuai's eyes widened upon hearing this. Who is this little girl? How much does she know about what happened back then?
Seeing Mr. Qian's surprised look, Xu Nian knew that he might be overthinking it, but he didn't explain. Sometimes, just the right amount of mystery can make the other party feel wary.
"How much does Miss Xu need?"
"Of course it depends on how far Mr. Qian wants the Qian family to go."
Qian Youhuai narrowed his eyes, "Ms. Xu, how do you plan to change it?"
This time Xu Nian did not use any code words, but said directly: "I will exchange 10,000 kilograms of new grain seeds for the grain and grass needed for the border of Yangcheng."
Qian Youhuai shook his head. "Ms. Xu, I admit that I covet the new grain seeds, but the grain and grass needed for the border of Yangcheng are not something my small grain store can afford."
"Since I have made this request, I naturally know Mr. Qian's ability. You have provided the fodder for the 50,000 troops at the border of Yangcheng for a month, and this new grain seed is yours."
Qian Youhuai was very tempted, but he was still a little hesitant because he was not sure how far this grain could take the Qian family.
Xu Nian saw Mr. Qian's hesitation, so he took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and motioned Mo Jian to give it to Mr. Qian. Mo Jian looked at the jade pendant in his hand with some hesitation, but finally put it next to Mr. Qian.
"I'll use this jade pendant as proof to guarantee that the yield of this batch of grain seeds will not be less than eight stones per acre. I wonder if Mr. Qian dares to take the gamble?"
Qian Youhuai looked at the jade pendant in his hand, picked it up and examined it carefully, and was a little shocked. He stood up, returned the jade pendant to Xu Nian, and bowed.
"Someone Qian is willing to bet on this round!"
Xu Nian breathed a sigh of relief, and only felt relieved when Mr. Qian agreed.
"I will deliver the prepared grain seeds to Mr. Qian's granary at 11:00 today."
"Tomorrow, the grain and fodder will be delivered to the Yangcheng border on time."
The two of them said the same thing at the same time, and then smiled at each other.
…
After the steward of the Qian Mansion saw Xu Nian and his group off and came back, he saw his old man staring at a handful of rice in a daze.
"Master, the guests have left."
Qian Youhuai came back to his senses and ordered: "Prepare the food in the granary and the secret storehouse and transport it to the border of Yangcheng."
The old steward was shocked and asked uncertainly, "Have all the food in the dark manor been transported away?"
Qian Youhuai nodded and said, "Let the eldest and second masters escort it personally."
Although the old steward was worried, he still left the house as ordered.
Qian Youhuai harvested the seeds and stared at his right hand in a trance. People only knew that he gave up his official career and turned to business after passing the imperial examination, but few knew that his right hand had been unable to lift a pen thirteen years ago.
If someone were here at this time, they would have noticed that Qian Youhuai's eyes were red and full of hatred, without a trace of elegance in his look.
He had endured it for thirteen years, and today he finally saw hope for revenge. With high-yield grain in hand, his Qian family would be protected by the people of the world in the future, and the tragedy that happened thirteen years ago would never happen to his son again.