Cheng Muyun said earnestly, "I will definitely give her a stable future."
Xu Jixin looked into Cheng Muyun's eyes for a long time, then said, "Alright, I believe in the young marshal."
Cheng Muyun tried to open the cell door, but Xu Jixin stopped him, "Young Marshal, do you know the future of the Eastern Route to the South?"
The man paused, holding the keys. "Dongzhou is gone. The Dongxing South Route has lost its value."
"No!" Xu Jixin's eyes shone brightly. "It is precisely because Dongzhou has been lost that the southern route eastward is even more important."
The man became interested. "What do you mean?"
"Foreigners want to build an arsenal in Dongzhou to produce weapons and ammunition. Once the goods are produced, they will naturally need to be transported out, and the Dongzhou-Nanzhou route will be targeted."
"Those foreigners are best at directly robbing."
Xu Jixin shook his head. "The eastbound and southbound routes involve many complex interests. It took the Xu family three years to sort them out. The scheduling of goods transportation, personnel scheduling, and so on are very complicated. Only the Xu family can do it."
The construction of the Eastbound South Line has been firmly in the hands of the Xu family since then, and it has not been taken away by anyone else, which is also because of this.
This route involves not only waterways and land routes, but also human and horsepower transportation, and even branch lines to the west, as well as train transportation.
Only the Xu family can sort these things out.
Cheng Muyun was clearly persuaded. "Continue," he said.
Xu Jixin seemed to have considered it for a long time before saying, "But the young marshal also knows that the Xu family is just a merchant family. Now that Dongzhou has been lost, our roots are gone. This piece of fat meat on the Dongxing South Line has been eyed by many tigers and wolves."
"And then?" Cheng Muyun had already guessed what Xu Jixin was going to say.
"Young Marshal, you must know what I'm trying to say. Rather than have it taken away by others, the Xu family would prefer to find a powerful backer. We can achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. Using the Eastbound-Southbound route to transport weapons and ammunition is your privilege, as long as you can help the Xu family keep their livelihood."
As Xu Zhuohua said, this land will become increasingly chaotic. In chaotic times, weapons are the power to speak.
Only a fool would refuse such a sure-fire way to make money.
"I remember the eastern route to the south is currently under your older brother's control, right? You don't seem to have been involved in these matters, have you?"
Xu Jixin remained calm, saying, "No matter who is in charge, they are all members of the Xu family and do not want to be taken away. If the young marshal is willing to cooperate, my elder brother and father will definitely agree wholeheartedly."
Cheng Muyun now found the Xu family really interesting, and he lowered his head to open the cell door.
"I'll give you two days. I need to see the Xu family's sincerity."
Xu Jixin stepped into the cell. "Young Marshal, rest assured, the Xu family will show you the utmost sincerity."
...
When Xu Zhuohua woke up, Xinghua's voice exploded in her ears.
"Wow! The young lady is awake!"
Xu Zhuohua covered her ears. Wasn't this a prison cell? What was Xinghua doing here?
She opened her eyes and looked closely at the familiar furnishings. Wasn't this her own room? How did she get back here?
"Am I not in a prison cell?"
Xinghua looked distressed. "The second young master brought Miss back. Miss is really brave. She was able to sleep in the prison cell. It's almost night now, and Miss has been sleeping all day."
"..."
Cheng Muyun didn't say anything and just sent her back.
Xu Zhuohua touched her head. The bandage had been changed to a new one. She had been sleeping so soundly that she hadn't even felt the dressing being changed.
How can I feel so at ease sleeping next to Cheng Muyun?
Iron has no future, has it?
well--
"What time is it now?"
"It's time for dinner. The Madam just told us that Miss should go downstairs to eat as soon as she wakes up."
The thought that he had put Xu Minghua, Xu Jixin, and Xu Jiyi in jail and that the three of them had been injured filled Xu Zhuohua with fear.
Now the First Madam will definitely not let him off the hook.
“I’m not going. Just say I’m not awake yet.”
Xu Jixin's voice suddenly came from outside the door, "It's too late. I know you're already awake."
Xu Zhuohua looked towards the door, where Xu Jixin was standing with his hands in his pockets, watching him.
In fact, of the three Xu brothers, the eldest, Xu Jixiao, was calm and composed, and the youngest, Xu Jiyi, was prudent. Only Xu Jixin always exuded a wildness and aggression, which added a touch of spiritedness to his handsome face.
"I don't want to get scolded," Xu Zhuohua said truthfully.
Xu Jixin smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mother won't scold you. You are now a great contributor to the Xu family."
"What's the meaning?"
Xu Jixin said, "You'll find out when you go downstairs."
After the person left, Xu Zhuohua was still half-believing and half-doubting, but she couldn't resist her hunger. People are made of iron and food is steel. She could take the scolding as long as she could eat her fill.
Downstairs, the atmosphere was lively and festive. Everyone was there, and the dishes on the table were so plentiful that it felt like Chinese New Year.
Xu Zhuohua was stunned. Their old home in Dongzhou was gone, so why was this family so happy?
Upon seeing Xu Zhuohua come downstairs, the First Madam immediately stood up, walked to Xu Zhuohua's side, took her arm, and smiled.
"Zhuohua, you're finally awake. Are you hungry? Come and have something to eat."
Xu Zhuohua was placed next to the seventh concubine, and the servants immediately handed her tableware. Everyone was looking at Xu Zhuohua.
She... is not used to it at all.
Did the First Madam take the wrong medicine today? Or has she also been possessed by a soul?
Watched with smiles by everyone, Xu Zhuohua didn't dare to touch her chopsticks, even though her stomach was growling with hunger.
Xu Minghua broke the awkward silence by placing a chicken leg on Xu Zhuohua's plate.
"Eat."
Xu Minghua's genuine smile inexplicably reassured Xu Zhuohua, making her certain that these people meant her no harm.
Xu Zhuohua cautiously took a bite, while the others watched her with smiles.
Xu Zhuohua felt extremely uncomfortable during the meal. Everyone glanced at her, seemingly unintentionally, with a strange smile on their faces.
It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Xu Zhuohua thought she could escape after eating her fill, but Xu Jixin stopped her as she tried to leave, saying, "Father has something to say to us."
Huh? Xu Shi Nong? You want to talk to me?
It seems you can dodge the first day of the month, but not the fifteenth.
Xu Zhuohua resignedly walked to the study.
The First Madam was also there, as was Xu Jixiao.
The three men seemed unusually serious, and Xu Zhuohua sensed that what they were about to say was probably not what she was thinking.
“Sit down, Zhuohua,” Xu Shinong said.
Xu Zhuohua sat down cautiously, facing four people who seemed to be interrogating her.
"Let me explain," Xu Jixin said. "Dongzhou has fallen. Our family's farmland and shops will be seized. Now we only have the southern line of Dongxing left."
Xu Zhuohua listened with a frown.
...
"Therefore, the best solution now is for you to marry Cheng Muyun. Only by forming a marriage alliance between our two families can we be bound together by our interests and prevent the Xu family from being destroyed."
Xu Zhuohua wasn't stupid; she knew that this was the Xu family's way of showing sincerity to Cheng Muyun.
Cheng Muyun's arms smuggling proved history right; he would eventually seize power and his wife would be burned to death by a mob.
Having finally escaped a certain death, Xu Zhuohua had no intention of jumping into a fire pit herself.
"I will not marry Cheng Muyun."
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