Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Father-in-law and Son-in-law Cooperation
During dinner that night, Qin Feiyu asked Xu Yunfan about it. Xu Yunfan coughed and said, "Raising horses? Why would I raise that thing? Horses are not easy to sell!"
Horses are very expensive. The one Qi Xiuyuan gave to Xu Yunfan cost more than one hundred taels. No ordinary family could afford it. Some rich kids wanted to buy one, but not all horses would suit their tastes. Xu Yunfan thought it was too much trouble.
Qin Feiyu was stunned by the question. "What about you raising cattle? Aren't cattle hard to sell? Doesn't a cow cost more than ten or twenty taels of silver?"
Xu Yunfan swallowed the chicken in his mouth. "Hey, what's so hard to sell? Beef jerky, beef balls, cowhide and tendons are all very useful. Even the horns are very useful. It can be said that the whole body is a treasure. How can it be hard to sell?"
"What?" Qin Feiyu's eyes bulged, and he put the meat back into the bowl just as he was about to put it in his mouth. "You..."
Qin Feiyu couldn't utter a word of rebuttal. There was nothing he could do. What was wrong with what Xu Yunfan said?
Qin Run picked up the bowl in front of Xu Yunfan, skimmed off the oily layer of chicken soup, and then poured a bowl of chicken soup for Xu Yunfan. "Drink more soup. I've been stewing this for a long time."
"It's really delicious." Xu Yunfan picked up the bowl and took a sip. The hen Qin Run brought back today was indeed an old hen. Xu's mother probably raised it for several years. Qin Run stewed the chicken for an hour before it was chewable. Although this old hen was very old, it tasted delicious and lingered on the lips and teeth. Xu Yunfan ate it happily.
Qin Feiyu seemed very disappointed. Qin Run couldn't bear to see this and asked Xu Yunfan, "Yunfan, if we raise horses and cooperate with the court, will the sales be better?"
Xu Yunfan shook his head. "But this isn't a good idea. The Qi family is our partner. If we bypass them and seek cooperation with the royal family, wouldn't that be stealing people? The business world is like a battlefield. Sometimes it's all about winning or losing, but Xiu Ze is still my brother after all. We can't do this."
The cattle and horses of the Dayan Dynasty were expensive, not only because they were difficult to raise, but also because of the wars that year, when the imperial court requisitioned a large number of these livestock, making them scarce and expensive. Nowadays, most of the cattle and horses are still trafficked from other countries, and the prices are only getting higher, so it is even more difficult for ordinary people to buy them.
Another thing is that cows and mares reproduce once a year. Not to mention the length of the gestation period, they usually only give birth to one baby at a time, and twins are rare. Therefore, almost no one is willing to spend all their money to buy and raise one.
Qin Feiyu hurriedly asked, "What if we, the father-in-law and the son-in-law, can directly cooperate without going through the imperial court?"
"Ah... Is this okay?" Xu Yunfan thought for a moment. "As far as I know, we in the Great Yan Dynasty actually have specialized horse breeders who raise these things. Do I really need to raise them?"
Xu Yunfan is reluctant to raise horses. On the one hand, the customer base for purchasing horses is limited. Another reason is that horses are different from cows. Professional horse breeders have experience in training horses, and it would be really troublesome for them to raise horses.
Qin Feiyu: "But they still don't have enough. I don't know if you have experience raising horses, but the gestation period is usually more than ten months. In the past ten years, the number of horses raised by horse breeders has been a little less, and they dare not raise more, otherwise it will be troublesome when winter comes."
So, after all, the difficulty for professional horse breeders in raising horses lies in the horse grass.
Xu Yunfan: "Father-in-law, although I don't know how to raise horses, as long as you ask, I can provide you with a steady supply of horse grass and feed. I make money selling feed, and they make money raising horses. Isn't that great?"
"You mean to say you can mass-produce horse fodder?"
Xu Yunfan vowed: "Sure, as long as there is a market and I can make money, I can do anything."
…
Capital city.
As the Chinese New Year approaches, people who have gone out to do business or study flock back to the capital, and the streets and alleys are bustling with activity.
When Qi Xiu Ze and his companions first returned to Beijing, they stayed at home obediently to accompany their families. However, after two days, the four of them could not stand it any longer. It was too boring. There were not many interesting things to talk about with their families in the academy. They were closely watched by Jiang Lanfang. Now that Jiang Lanfang was gone, there was still Jiang Yunshen. Therefore, most of the time, they were in the academy. Except for occasionally going to see Xu Yunfan, the uncle and nephew of the Jiang family would wave goodbye and tell them to get out.
Qi Xiu Ze and his three companions sat in the restaurant and ordered a few dishes. After taking a few bites, they found the food tasteless.
Xie Baizhou said quietly, "Grandpa Fang and Uncle Fang are such great cooks that they've made me a picky eater."
"Who said it wasn't? I've only been back for a few days, and I already miss the food they cook." Shen Ruxi put down her chopsticks. "The cook in the mansion and the chef in the restaurant are still a little bit lacking. It doesn't taste good enough."
“Puff…”
"Oh my, this is hilarious! Some people actually say that the food at Baiweiju isn't tasty enough. It's like a wild boar can't stomach fine bran."
Cheng Chiyan, He Fan, Ji Ning, and Guo Shuwen were known as the four young men of literary talent in the capital. Like Qi Xiu Ze and his three companions, they usually went everywhere together. As soon as Guo Shuwen and his three companions went up to the second floor, they heard the low whispers of Shen Ruxi and his three companions, and they couldn't help but sneer.
Shen Ruxi and the others only heard the voice and knew who dared to say such words to them without turning around.
Xie Baizhou pouted, "What bad luck!"
I went out for a meal today and unexpectedly encountered such a disgusting thing!
"Hey, Third Young Master Qi, you're back in Beijing? I thought it would take you a few days to get back to Beijing, as the journey is long and arduous. It seems your academy closed its doors pretty quickly!"
"It's really enviable. Unlike us at the Imperial College, we still have to attend classes on time every day in this cold winter."
"There's nothing we can do. Our Imperial College is different from other academies. Their students have to rush back, and the journey is long. It's not a top priority. Our Imperial College can't compare to them."
Several people sang the same tune, and every word they said seemed to be "disdaining" the Imperial College, but in fact every word was a sarcasm.
Yes! Why doesn't the Imperial College close so soon? Isn't it because they have a heavy responsibility to train talented people for the imperial court?
Other academies are so far away, but Qi Xiu Ze and his friends have to go far away from the capital to enroll. Why is that?
It’s because a few of them can’t make it in the Imperial College anymore!
After all, who would choose other colleges if they can get into a key institution like the Imperial College?
If it were in the past, faced with such sarcasm and ridicule from He Fan and the others, Qi Xiu Ze and the other three would probably have lost their temper and slammed the table and started fighting.
But today they sat there motionless, turning their heads to look at the four people standing there, chatting with each other. Just now they said they had no appetite, but now, Xie Baizhou picked up the bowl and ate with relish.
He Fan and the other three talked for a while. In the past, Xie Baizhou and the others would have lost their temper and started arguing with them. When other people came over, they would pretend to be serious. Qi Xiu Ze and the others would have been so angry that they would have said something without thinking. But this time it was different.
Xie Baizhou and his companions were so quiet that they looked like clowns.
"Hey, keep going. Why are you stopping talking? Keep going with your performance!" Xie Baizhou picked up a dish with chopsticks and said meaningfully, "Don't mention it. Having something to eat with makes my appetite better."
Xu Yunfan is usually like this, and Qi Xiu Ze and others follow his example.
They actually dared to treat them like monkeys. Ji Ning gritted her teeth and said, "Xie Baizhou, don't go too far."
"How is that excessive?"
Shen Ruxi just found it funny. "You guys were the ones talking the whole time. What did we say? Did we ask you to say anything? I don't think so. Some people just love to direct and act themselves, and they don't allow others to watch. Don't you love acting so much just to let others watch? If others watch it, you won't be happy. If you don't like it, then go back and act in your room. You can say whatever you want, but no one will watch, let alone laugh. This is not your home. We brothers can look wherever we want and laugh however we want. It's none of your business."
Qi Xiu Ze said coldly, "Some people are used to being whores and trying to be virtuous."
"Qi Xiu Ze, don't be so harsh in your words. It's simply disrespectful." Cheng Chi Yan's face turned red with anger. There were no outsiders here, so they didn't need to pretend, but it would still be embarrassing to be exposed in front of others.
Ever since Qi Xiu Ze and his friends were kicked out of the Imperial College, few dared to stand against them. They had been living a miserable life. Today, he had wanted to show off in front of Qi Xiu Ze and his friends, but after going to Qingfeng Academy, he had become so eloquent. "How vulgar, and so uncultured."
Cheng Chiyan, He Fan, Ji Ning, Guo Shuwen are only seventeen or eighteen years old this year. They are usually strictly disciplined by their teacher. When it comes to talking, how can they be a match for Qi Xiu Ze and others?
Qi Xiu Ze and the others had been with Xu Yunfan before, so they naturally knew how to irritate him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. We're vulgar, we're rude, but we're not the same kind of people. So, why are you all barking like dogs? You're acting like we want to pay attention to you. It's obviously you who are the ones who have to be so cheap and ask for a scolding, and we're fulfilling your wish. And you're still talking about us? That's a bit too much."
Cheng Chiyan, He Fan, Ji Ning, and Guo Shuwen are used to pretending to be gentle and elegant in front of others. They are very graceful. In addition, they have made some names for themselves in the Imperial College and are highly regarded by the teacher, so they got the damn title of the Four Young Masters of Wenjie.
Qi Xiu Ze and his companions were not on good terms with Cheng Chi Yan and the others. Others might not know what kind of people they were, but how could they not know?
Some people are like people whose faces you can only judge by their appearance but not their true heart. They wear a human skin coat but never speak human words.
"Qi Xiu Ze, is it because you guys went to Qingfeng Academy and argued with people there a lot that you're so eloquent?"
Qi Xiu Ze said nonchalantly, "If you say so, then so. So, can you please move aside now? Stop standing here and making people feel sick."
Shen Ruxi laughed at the side, but the laughter was filled with undisguised sarcasm.
He Fan frowned slightly, clearly displeased. However, a guest happened to be coming upstairs at this moment. He Fan bowed and performed the scholar's greeting. "Master Qi, I haven't seen you for a few months. Thinking of our former schoolmates, I came forward to say hello. Why are you doing this?"
Qi Xiu Ze rolled his eyes. These people are always acting hypocritically, which makes people sick!
The person who came upstairs was none other than the young master of the Xiao family, Xiao Lin.
Xiao Lin just came back from the southern border yesterday. He had been thinking about the dishes at Baiweiju for a long time. But as soon as he went upstairs, he saw a few famous young men in the capital.
Xiao Lin is also a young master, but he has been training with his grandfather since he was a child, and rarely goes out. When other young masters are playing with cats and dogs or enjoying the lanterns at night, he is sweating profusely in training. When other young masters are holding beautiful women or listening to the teacher's teachings, he is still practicing martial arts. As a result, Xiao Xiao naturally cannot play with other peers.
Although they couldn't play together, Xiao Lin still knew a thing or two about the affairs of the capital. Now, he met eight young masters at once. Xiao Lin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. They seemed unruly, but they were also eye-catching. There was no other way. The Xiao family had good genes. Even if Xiao Lin couldn't compare to his uncle who charmed thousands of boys and girls, he was not ugly either. "Several young masters are also having dinner here."
"It turns out to be Young Master Xiao." Cheng Chiyan and others bowed to Xiao Lin.
Qi Xiu Ze and the other three also stood up. When Xiao Lin looked over, Xie Baizhou and the others nodded to him.
Even though Xiao Lin was not a student of the Imperial College, nor a disciple of any master, and his reputation was not as great as theirs, in terms of strength and background, they had to speak politely in front of Xiao Lin.
It is true that Xiao Lin's father's official position is not as high as Qin Feiyu's, but his uncle is the king of the opposite sex. Xiao Hengzhi is now in his thirties. He had been through many flowers in his early years, but he was able to stay away from even a single leaf. Now that he is not feeling well, he stays away from all kinds of flowers and plants, and keeps himself very clean. Many people speculate that Xiao Hengzhi has seen through the world after his poor health, and he may have to adopt a child from the second house in the future.
The second branch of the Xiao family, that is, Xiao Xuanzhi, has three sons. As a young man, it is not easy for Su Yan to give birth to three sons for Xiao Xuanzhi. Even if he is not adopted, Xiao Lin's status in the Xiao family is not low.
There is no way around it. Even if a family of military generals has seven or eight children, no one will think it is too many, because these families have many descendants, but once a war breaks out, some families can be said to be full of heroes.
Throughout history, wars have been so cruel. After ten years of fighting, few people returned. Xiao Hengzhi of the Xiao family was "wasted", and the three sons of the second branch all went to the southern border. None of them chose the literary way. Therefore, even in the eyes of some scholars, the idea that the men of the Xiao family are all rough men was only dared to think about it in their hearts, and they would not dare to say it out loud even if they had ten courage.
Although Cheng Chiyan and others looked down on young masters like Xiao Lin who were strong but simple-minded, they had to bow their heads even if they were unwilling to do so because of the status of the Xiao family.
Xiao Lin glanced at Cheng Chiyan, then at Qi Xiu Ze and the others. Even though he couldn't get along with these young masters, he knew everything about the capital. "Are you almost done eating?"
"Not yet." Shen Ruxi glanced at the half-eaten meal on the table, not sure what Xiao Lin meant by this.
Was the other party telling them to get out of here? Or was there something else going on?
Xiao Lin said, "Can I share a table with you guys?"
Um?
No, what is Xiao Lin trying to do?
"Of course." Qi Xiu Ze pulled a stool over from the next table. "If you don't mind, you can join us. I'll just ask the waiter to bring a few more dishes."
Qi Xiu Ze naturally didn't dare let Xiao Lin eat the dishes they had already eaten. Just as he was about to call for help, Xiao Lin shook his head and said, "No need. There are more than enough dishes. Some of them you haven't even touched."
Ji Ning frowned and said, "Young Master Xiao, we just arrived. If you don't mind..."
Ji Ning wanted to invite Xiao Lin to join them, but Xiao Lin shook his head and refused, "No, I'll eat here, please help yourself."
How can I do what I want?
They were fighting overtly and covertly, and now Xiao Lin actually chose to sit at the same table with Qi Xiu Ze and the others. How could they leave? They immediately chose the nearest table to sit down.
"Young Master Qi, I heard that the owner of Yunrun Store has some connections with you guys. I wonder if you could introduce him to one or two people?" Xiao Lin was not a scholar to begin with, and he couldn't speak politely or tactfully. As soon as he sat down, he stated his purpose.
There was no way. Ever since returning from the southern border, Xiao Lin thought he could have a good rest for a few days. Unexpectedly, his grandparents secretly told him that something was wrong with his little daddy and uncle recently.
As for what was wrong, after the two elders told Xiao Lin, Grandma Xiao asked Xiao Lin, "Tell me, is there something wrong with your uncle? Is your little father abnormal?"
"Grandma, it's true when you say that." Xiao Lin scratched his head. "So, could the owner of the farm know my uncle, or my little dad?"
"How could it be possible that grandma wouldn't know someone your uncle knows? There must be something fishy going on here. Xiaolin, go check it out for grandma."
"Why should I go?"
"It's not good for us elders to investigate the affairs of our juniors."
Xiao Lin: “…”
So, it's okay for him, a junior, to investigate the affairs of his elders in private?
Xiao Lin had a bitter face. His grandmother would push this kind of thankless task to him, but he couldn't refuse.
It's not good to do this kind of thing secretly, so Xiao Lin decided to investigate openly.
"Master Xiao, what's this?" Shen Ruxi didn't understand what Xiao Lin was planning.
Xiao Lin said sheepishly, "My uncle has been going to the Yunrun store quite often recently. Grandpa and grandma are quite curious. I heard that the Yunrun store sends silver frost charcoal to your house every month. I guess you and the owner of the Yunrun store are acquainted."
"Yes, we do. The owner of Yunrun Store is our brother. He exempted us from the monthly queue at Yunrun Store because of us." Xie Baizhou couldn't help but feel proud when talking about his brother. "Yunrun Store not only sells Silver Frost Charcoal, but also other things that can't be found anywhere else in the capital. If you're interested, you can go and have a look, Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Lin nodded. As for who the brothers they were talking about were, Xiao Lin didn't need to ask any more questions. He could just send someone to investigate.
They chatted for a while longer, Xiao Lin ate three bowls of rice, went downstairs to pay for the meal and left.
Cheng Chiyan and the other three ate slowly, their manners and demeanor all noble. Qi Xiu Ze and the other three were full and went downstairs without even looking at them.
"Xiao Lin is asking about the owner of Yunrun Store?"
"From what I know, the owner of Yunrun Store seems to be the teacher of Qingfeng Academy. He showed up once on the 60th birthday of the old man of the Qi family. Everyone is saying that he is from overseas, but I don't know if it's true or not."
"If this person is really the teacher of Qingfeng Academy and is from overseas, if he really has the ability..." then he will naturally be recruited into his own camp.
Guo Shuwen angrily said, "What kind of shit luck did Qi Xiu Ze and the others have? It's really infuriating. I finally kicked them out of the Imperial College, and now they're meeting people like this in a place like that."
Ji Ning took a sip of hot tea to warm himself up, his eyes darkening. "This person actually has such a talent that he can even produce something like the Silver Frost Charcoal, a gift from the Emperor. I wonder if he has any other skills."
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