Dong Mu He works

Chapter 361: The Qiao Family's Actions

    

fight back We have more people, we could easily handle a hundred or so of them."Xu Huaiyi flatly refused, “No.”"Why" Village Chief Xu was puzzled. When it came to fighting, nobody in the village was l...The next day, Gu Huan learned that Xu Honglian had not only bewitched the people of Lao Xu's family yesterday but also met with several girls from the village. They included Xu Yangliu, the daughter of the village head, and Xu Hongying, the daughter of Xu Da Bo.

After breakfast, the two girls came to see her with their best-crafted velvet flowers. At first, they were a bit awkward sitting in the flower hall, but when they saw that Gu Huanxi hadn't put on airs because of her changed status, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief and became more at ease.

Yes, in their eyes now, Xu Huaiyi and Gu Huanxi's status is different from the past. They have land and workshops that bring in daily profits. The entire village relies on them for their current good life. Xu Huaiyi has even apprenticed under Sun Yu, a capable master, and his future is bright. He is no longer an ordinary peasant.

But at this moment, Gu Huanxi was still politely welcoming them, with gentle eyes, a smile on her lips, just like before. The only difference was her attire, which was more refined and elaborate than in the past, but it wasn't ostentatious to the point of being unattainable. Anyway, as they looked at her, they felt very comfortable, there was just a hint of envy, but not enough to cause jealousy.

After some initial pleasantries, Xu Yangliu got straight to the point. "Yesterday, Xu Honglian came to my place to play. She was very generous and gave me a pair of silver bangles as a gift. Her words were full of warmth, like we used to be best friends. In reality, I didn't get along with her in the past..."

Xu Hongying took over the conversation in a soft voice, “She also came to me, bringing a pair of gold earrings. I said they were too expensive and refused to accept them. She started to cry, saying that I must despise her, thinking that now that she had become a concubine, she was no longer respectable, and I didn't consider her a sister anymore...”

Xu Yangliu muttered, “My mother said that being a concubine is dishonorable. True loving families would never let their daughters become concubines. A concubine must always bow her head before the main wife, and her children are considered illegitimate, receiving little inheritance when the family divides its wealth. So it’s better to be a poor man’s wife than a wealthy man’s concubine.”

Xu Hongying nodded. “Both my sisters-in-law have said the same thing. Although the wives of poor people live a harder life, they can be independent, whereas being a concubine in a wealthy family, even with daily delicacies and fine silks, means being subservient to the legitimate wife and losing one's freedom. But everyone has their own desires. Like Sister Honglian, she was unwilling to marry a peasant and endure hardship. She wanted to be a concubine for a young master in a rich family. Unfortunately, fate played tricks on her, and she ended up as Old Master Qiao’s concubine…”

Mr. Qiao is old enough to be Xu Honglian's father.

Gu Huanxi rubbed the warm teacup, patiently listening to the two of them speak back and forth. She had already guessed their intentions, but these two girls were too shy and had to beat around the bush. She found it amusing, but she didn't expose them.

Xu Yangliu continued, "When things are unusual, there must be a demon. Although she and I don't get along well, she suddenly became so enthusiastic and generous towards me. I became suspicious and wanted to see if she was hiding something bad. Sure enough, she kept trying to get close to me, inquiring about village affairs and Xu Sange's business. I pretended to be clueless, saying that I spent all day in the house making embroidered flowers to earn a living and didn't know anything about what was happening outside. After that, she stopped asking and started reminiscing with me about old times, saying she would visit often and even invited me to her place at Qiao's house to play. It felt so sickeningly sweet; I got goosebumps all over."

Xu Hongying smiled wryly, “She does the same to me. I tried hard to find excuses to decline, but she just burst into tears and said that she was lonely at the Qiao family, with no one to talk to. She begged me to spare some time to stay with her for a while, just to chat. And…”

Xu Yangliu curiously followed up, "What else did he say"

Xú Hóngniáng lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's whine, "You said... that Master Qiao knows many talented young men who could help me find a good husband..."

Xu Yangliu blushed upon hearing this, but she couldn't resist the allure of gossip and pressed on, "Did you agree"

Xu Hongying shook her head hastily, "How is that possible Marriage is a major affair, arranged by parents and matchmakers. How could we possibly have a say in it Sister Honglian, you've forgotten the rules..."

Xu Yangliu spat, "She didn't forget the rules, she deliberately used this good thing to dangle it in front of you. She wants you to owe her a favor so that she can continue the sisterly relationship with you. Afterward, she'll come and go frequently, making everyone know how close she is to your family."

Xu Hongying raised her eyes, glanced at Gu Huanxi, and whispered, "I understand. She doesn't really want to continue our sisterhood. She knows that Third Brother treats my family well, so she wants to get close to him and use this opportunity to climb up the social ladder."

Xu Yangliu, hearing this, raised her lips in a smile. “You understand. I’m clear about it too. My second brother always says that if someone acts kindly without reason, they must either be a traitor or a thief. She's nice to us because she wants Xu San and his wife. We can't fall for her trap, and fulfill her wishes…”

Xu Hongying nodded honestly, clutching her handkerchief.

Xu Yangliu looked at Gu Huanxi, "Third sister-in-law, rest assured, we won't be bought by her little favors. My father told me everything about this, I understand it all. My mother also said that concubines don't have the same rules as main wives when it comes to showing their faces and going out. Main wives shouldn't interact with concubines either, it makes them look down upon. So from now on, I won't see her again, I promise she won't be able to use me."

Xu Hongying immediately followed up, "Me too. After this, if she comes to our door again, sister-in-law will help me send her away."

Gu Huanxi smiled faintly and said, “Thank you both for your concern, but there's no need to be so anxious. As Qiao Family's concubine, she wouldn't resort to shameless tactics and do anything embarrassing. So, knowing your stance, she shouldn't bother you again.”

Xú Yángliù asked, “Will he still pester your sister-in-law”

Gu Huanxi said, "It's possible, but I have a way to deal with her. Don't worry."

Xu Honglian is a woman confined by the social conventions of her time. She has limited experience and cannot make much of a wave. The real danger lies with the men in the Xu family. They are ambitious and will stop at nothing to climb the ladder of success. As long as there is profit to be made, they will betray any line or conscience.

Xu Huaiyi said he would send someone to keep an eye on things, and as soon as there was any sign of trouble, they would nip it in the bud. He didn't know if it would work. After Gu Huan sent the two girls away, she still felt uneasy and instructed Wei Liang a few more words, asking him to be more careful. If there was any movement in the Lao Xu family, he should respond promptly.

Wei Liang obeyed and immediately went to the farm to pick a quick-witted young man. He placed him around Lao Xu's house as a lookout.

But no one expected that the Qiao family would move so quickly. Just one day later, the people of Lao Xu's family followed suit with 'when one person ascends to heaven, all chickens and dogs prosper'.

First, there was Xu Huai-ren. He was directly assigned to a restaurant under the Qiao family's name as an accountant, with a decent monthly salary of five taels and red envelopes during festivals. His clothes for each season were never lacking.

Then there was Xu Huai Li. Though he had a limp, his mouth was sharp as a knife. He just wasn't good at socializing in the shop, so they sent him to Qiao's farm to be an overseer, managing ten or so people.

As for Xu Huai-lian, because he was skilled in hunting and martial arts, he became a guard at Qiao's residence. This allowed him to become closer to the Qiao family, and Xu Hong-lian also had someone she could rely on within the Qiao household.

Last was Xu Huaiyu. Ever since he injured his arm and was declared ineligible to take the civil service exams, he became disheartened. He couldn't do farm work, and he wouldn't stoop to working in a shop. It was difficult to arrange for him. The Qiao family did their best, even finding him a position as a teacher at a school, teaching a group of children. This job was easy on the eyes and not tiring. With a monthly salary of ten taels of silver, it finally suited him perfectly.

The four Xu brothers were suddenly in a good position. They felt proud and confident, no longer needing to look at Xu Huaiyi's face or fear the warnings of Uncle Xu and Village Chief Xu. Even Xu Huaili, with a large bag of silver, swaggered to Village Chief Hu's house, wanting to buy land and build a house. He casually offered ten mu (acres) of land, boasting that he would build a magnificent five-entrance mansion, even grander and more spacious than Xu Huaiyi's.

Hù Village Head had long asked Xú Village Head for advice on how to handle the Lao Xǔ family. Xú Village Head gave a clear attitude, so he readily agreed. However, when it came to laying the foundation, he seemed hesitant. There wasn't much good land left in the village; the scattered corners barely amounted to ten mu of land. To build a five-entry mansion, they would have to locate it on the edge of the village, which would be quite remote. But there was no other way, after all, they had arrived late.

Xu Huai-li didn't suspect that it was Hu Cunzhang deliberately making things difficult for him. After all, he had a general understanding of the situation in the village these days. There was indeed no such large open space to build houses. So, he complied and agreed, saying that he wanted to buy land. However, he was told that the good farmland in Hutan Village had already been bought up, and now only wasteland remained.

This made Xu Huai-li displeased. He put on a sullen face and tried to persuade Village Head Hu, repeatedly emphasizing that his younger sister had married into the Qiao family. Who was the Qiao family They were the in-laws of the Fourth Prince, legitimate imperial relatives. The silver he carried was given by the Qiao family. If Village Head Hu refused to sell the land, it would be a slap in the face to the Qiao family.

Hu Cunzhang wasn't afraid at all. Even under threat, he remained calm and chuckled, saying that the land had indeed been sold, not a single acre left. If you don't believe him, go around the village and ask, or simply ask Xu Huaiyi directly.

Xu Huai-li only then realized that all the good land in the village had been bought up by Xu Huai-yi. He was filled with both hatred and jealousy, but also helplessness.

It was supposed to be a show of pride, a way to bring glory to his own side. However, the results fell far short of what he had in mind. Instead of success, he ended up humiliated, looking like a clown who made fools of himself, leaving people laughing at his expense.

But the news of the Xu family's affair quickly spread throughout the entire village, and all the villagers learned that the several brothers of the Xu family had found good jobs, rising to prominence overnight. It was hard to say if there were even greater prospects awaiting them in the future. Some people envied them, some scoffed at them, while others watched from the sidelines with cold eyes. Those like Uncle Xu and Village Head Xu were filled with worry and anxiety, unable to sleep. However, this kind of thing couldn't be stopped. Interfering with someone's career path was as serious as killing their parents; it was a deep grudge. To speak about it aloud would put them in the wrong.

Since Xu Huaiyi wasn't there, they had no one to consult. So they relayed the message to Gu Huanxi, letting her know what was going on.

Gu Huan had been prepared, but he hadn't expected this day to come so soon. He thought it would at least wait until after the New Year, who knew, the Qiao family was so eager to tie the Xu family to the Fourth Prince's ship.

The Lao Xu family thought they had struck it lucky, but unbeknownst to them, they had boarded a sinking ship. Before this, Xu Huaiyi had also warned them through Xu Dabao's mouth, urging them not to get involved in those matters. He said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew. Competing for power and trying to climb the ranks is not something ordinary people should meddle with"

But the people of the Lao Xu family wouldn't listen. They only felt that Xu Huaiyi looked down on them. They were just peasants from the countryside, so why should Xu Huaiyi be able to enter the Jingwu Academy and learn from Sun Yu Why should he play with those powerful people while they weren't worthy of sharing in Qiao's glory or doing things for the Qiao family

When it comes to intelligence, the Xu brothers all think they are smarter than Xu Huaiyi. If Xu Huaiyi can thrive in the capital, why can't they

They secretly competed with Xu Huaiyi, so they naturally wouldn't take Xu Dabao's reprimands to heart. Instead, it would only further fuel their unwillingness and resentment, encouraging them to climb higher with all their might.

Now I have finally achieved my wish.

And this is just the beginning.

When it was night and Xu Huaiyi had entered the car, Gu Huanxi told him everything that had happened.

Xu Huaiyi has also been quite busy these days. After returning to the academy, he taught several fellow classmates how to play cards. The new deck of cards was made by Li Yunting, very exquisite. Zhao Sanyou and others played a few rounds and became addicted. When there were six people, they would play "mahjong." If there were fewer people, they would play "Doudizhu." They didn't sleep at noon and even dragged him along in the evening, not letting him go back to his new house.

The most interesting is still Su Zhe. Not only did he play with enthusiasm, but he also brought this gameplay to the teahouse he opened, making it a new source of profit for the teahouse. With tea drinking, watching plays and playing mahjong, customers prefer to frequent it more.

Of course, he didn't treat Xu Huaiyi badly either. After all, the idea for the playing cards came from Xu Huaiyi. When it came to cooperation, Xu Huaiyi disagreed. He didn't want to take advantage of this and get something for nothing. Su Zhe refused to give up. Finally, Li Yunting suggested that Su Zhe offer a suitable price to buy out the idea, wouldn't that make everyone happy

Su Zhe is generous, opening his mouth is a thousand taels.

Xu Huaiyi repeatedly refused, and finally made a compromise, exchanging silver for books. Gu Huan liked to read travelogues and historical books, or even storybooks. Preferably those that were not commonly found on the market, whether they were original copies or copied ones didn't matter, as long as they were rare. If he could copy a few rare manuscripts, that would be perfect.

Su Zhe readily agreed. Although the Su family was a merchant family, they also placed importance on their descendants' education. Their home study was filled with good books and rare ones. Xu Huaiyi didn't demand genuine originals, so it would be even easier. He had already thought about finding several more people to copy several books and send them over, just to repay this kindness.

Besides playing cards, the things that were made by craftsmen recently are also finished. Xu Huaiyi just went to see them at noon today and was very satisfied with the finished products. In the evening, he took them back to his new house and planned how to start installing them. He got into the campervan and wanted to discuss with his wife, but who would have thought that he would hear such upsetting news.

Xu Huaiyi calmed down after a moment of irritability, "It was expected. Let them be. It's like rain falling from the sky; there's nothing we can do about it. When people are determined to marry their daughters off, even good words won't help. We've said what we needed to say, so what else is there"

"Shall I let you go"

“It’s not the time to stop them now, after all, they haven’t done anything wrong, nor have they taken action against us. Stopping them now would likely lead others to misunderstand me as being petty and begrudging the Xu family’s success, wanting to suppress them and cut off their future. That would give Qiao’s family a handle on me. I’m not foolish; I’ll wait until they start making mistakes, then aim for a decisive blow.”

Seeing his thoughtful look, Gu Huan said happily, “Then you take charge. I estimate that in the short term, the Qiao family won't give them any overly demanding tasks. We'll play the long game and fish with a big hook. They haven't reached the point where they are useful. Actually, from another angle, it's good for the Qiao family to take them in. At least, they won't be thinking about us anymore. The Qiao family not only arranged jobs for the Xu brothers but also found a renowned doctor from the city to treat your parents. Although he couldn't cure them, he left behind a lot of medicinal supplements. Oh, right, they also arranged maidservants and nannies to take care of them.”rother, I can’t do it. I really can't just let them die. It's my duty to take care of my son and his mother. It's also right to help my nephews when they are in trouble. How can I shirk my responsibi...