**Chapter 22: Three Generations of the Family**
"Little Mei, go downstairs to the manager and get twelve hundred taels in silver notes."
Chang Haowen's tone was gentle and light.
"Yes, young master."
The maidservant left the room and returned after a short while with the silver.
Xu Mingwei was relieved to see his brother's abilities once again.
With just a few words, he had sold the pelts for two hundred taels more.
That was no small sum of money for the family.
"Young Master Chang." Xu Mingyuan cupped his hands. "My family will be opening a fruit and vegetable shop on West Main Street in a few days. If you're free, please come and grace the ceremony."
"At that time, we'll have Green Jade Pears for sale. Young Master Chang can buy some to try."
"If I haven't left the river district by then, I'll come and join the celebration."
Then the two brothers took their leave and parted ways.
---
After they left, the maidservant named Xiaomei looked at the tiger pelts and suddenly said, "Young master, our household lacks nothing like this. Why give them such face?"
"As for Green Jade Pears—we have our own orchards."
"They might be precious here in Qingjiang County, but in our prefectural city, Green Jade Pears aren't such a treasure."
Chang Haowen laughed. "Different places have different standards. You can't generalize."
"The Xu family has grown from ordinary peasants to their current scale in just over a decade. Their methods are far from ordinary."
"Aren't they just nouveau riche?"
Xiaomei was a little dismissive. She continued shaking her jade fan.
"Whether they're nouveau riche depends on their descendants. If three generations of inheritors are shrewd, the family's foundation can be forged for a lifetime."
Chang Haowen suddenly turned his head to look at her, the corners of his mouth hanging with a three-point smile. "What did you think of those two people today?"
Xiaomei tilted her head and thought, then smiled. "They're both quite good. But not as good as my young master."
Chang Haowen laughed and scolded her. "You shallow little girl. What use is there in saying that to you?"
"Hehe."
Xiaomei stuck out her tongue and laughed twice. "What I really mean to say is—that Xu Mingyuan has a sharp tongue and clever ideas. His brother is stupid. A piece of wood, just sitting there. Very boring."
"Xu Mingyuan is the second son. His brother is the eldest son and head of the family. The requirements for them are naturally different."
"Did you notice? My brother isn't a dull person. Meeting me, he was also simple and restrained, rarely relaxed or talkative."
"Exactly." Xiaomei nodded in amazement after thinking. "Every time Xiaomei sees the eldest young master, she is afraid from the bottom of her heart."
"The Xu family's eldest son is enough to carry on the family. At the very least, their brotherhood will still thrive."
"And—"
"And what, young master?"
"I am somewhat envious of them. Though they don't have gold and jade, they treat each other with sincerity. Unlike some children of great families, born into luxury but not knowing that every thread of their swaddling clothes was sewn with calculation."
"I don't want to defend it. And I can't."
"Is that so? Why can't I see it?"
"Silly girl. If you could see it, you'd be a young lady, not a maidservant."
"I like being the young master's maidservant. I'll serve you for the rest of my life." Xiaomei laughed twice. One hand slipped from the back of his neck and landed on his chest.
He held her softness and gently pulled her.
Xiaomei suddenly couldn't help but plead, half-resisting, half-yielding, and fell between his legs.
---
"This Young Master Chang is quite extraordinary. He probably isn't from Qingjiang County. With such bearing, perhaps he comes from the prefectural city."
Walking down the street, Xu Mingwei spoke quietly.
"I thought so too, brother. That's why I've kept in touch. I hope this connection will help us in the future." Xu Mingyuan responded.
"In this regard, your younger brother is better than you."
"Haha, big brother, you've been taught by Father all along. How could you be worse than me? You've seen how Father deals with people appropriately."
"I'm not even one-tenth as good as Father."
"It's just that your energy is mainly focused on martial arts."
Xu Mingyuan's eyes lit up, becoming luminous. "For the Xu family to go further, in the end, we must have strong warriors sitting in our house. Look at the Xu family—they produced one first-rate warrior, and that let their household dominate Dongxi Village for over twenty years."
"With our father's wisdom, we could only stay low and small."
"But those days are over."
Xu Mingwei smiled and said, "Yes."
Xu Mingyuan offered to show him around some more, but Xu Mingwei shook his head and refused, saying he wasn't in a hurry.
After that, he went out of the city gate, mounted his horse, and returned to Dongxi Village.
---
Xu Mingyuan and the others, in the West City, had attracted many small-scale growers of fruits and vegetables. But they had only agreed to sell their produce through him—as for rent or renting stalls, no one had agreed.
He knew this matter needed to be taken step by step, so he didn't press.
Purchasing a shop wasn't cheap. More than half of the shop space was used for stalls. Since no one had agreed yet, he could only temporarily seal it off.
The remaining space was enough to store all the fruits and vegetables the family produced.
Soon, the opening day was set.
Xu Mingyuan sent invitations to some of the people he knew.
All he could say was—just wait for the Green Jade Pears.
Xu Mingyuan was afraid that once the Xu family learned they would no longer sell them Green Jade Pears, they would cause trouble for his family—perhaps even use force, or come directly to make trouble on opening day.
For this matter, he had specifically returned home to discuss it with Xu Chuan.
But Xu Chuan said he didn't need to worry about it. He could just go back to the county and prepare for the opening.
Xu Mingyuan naturally believed him and returned to the county.
He bought a house that was half shop, half residence in the northern part of the city near the West City, to serve as the Xu family's residence in the county.
---
The day of the Green Jade Pear harvest arrived.
There was only one day left before the shop opened.
The Xu family, naturally, didn't know about the Xu family's activities in the county. Surprisingly, Xu Mao brought seven or eight family members to the Xu household.
Xu Mao was the eldest son of the Xu family's Third Master.
The Xu family's Third Master was getting older. The acquisition of Green Jade Pears had been handed over to Xu Mao for several years.
Arriving at the gate of the Xu house.
Xu Mao looked at it for a moment, his eyes wide open.
A middle-aged manager beside him whispered, "Young master, the Xu family isn't what it used to be. Their reputation in Dongxi Village is no less than our Xu family's."
"Don't forget the Third Master's words before you left."
"I know. Be kind to them."
Xu Mao replied impatiently, but added in his heart: *If they know their place.*
The middle-aged manager looked at him several times and sighed a little inside.
Both of them were nearing forty, yet he and Xu Chuan were worlds apart.
Xu Mao spoke like a teenage boy, regardless of consequences.
"Is the master of the house available?" The middle-aged manager changed to a smiling face and shouted loudly.
No sooner had the words fallen than a boy and a girl came out with two dolls. The girl was holding a white cat in her arms. Its red-gold eyes were fixed on the people in the yard.
The two were Xu Mingxian and Xu Mingyi.
"Who are you?" Xu Mingxian asked cautiously.
Hearing the noise, Bai Jing walked out of the house. After seeing who it was, she smiled and said, "It's Young Master Xu and Manager Xu."
"My husband went to pick the Green Jade Pears. I think he'll be back soon."
"In that case, we'll wait in the yard."
"Alright."
Bai Jing nodded, then moved out two chairs for Xu Mao and the middle-aged manager.
Xu Mao stared at the docile white cat in Xu Mingyi's arms. Seeing that its eyes were red-gold, he was surprised in his heart. *Where did this unusual white cat come from? If I bring it to the prefectural city for the Yang County magistrate, he'll be delighted.*
"Let me see the white cat in your arms."
Xu Mingyi turned her head away, ignored him, and continued playing with her pet.
"Hey—so ill-mannered. Truly the seed of wild children."
Bai Jing listened, and a flash of anger crossed her face. She said sharply, "Young Master Xu, please choose your words with care!"
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