Chapter 7: The Great Wisdom Appears as Foolishness
I have inquired. Although I do not understand why the young master neglects important matters and only pays attention to trivialities, Ruisheng still honestly said, "There are various types of Songjiang cloth available in the market, with prices ranging from cheap to expensive. The most common standard cloth, which is the large cloth, costs approximately 170 to 180 wen per bolt. The small cloth, being smoother and denser, is not as wide in appearance but is actually more expensive, costing around 220 to 230 wen per bolt. As for the fine cloth, it is even more expensive, costing about 300 wen. The most expensive are the green and blue cloths, which are dense and long; the green cloth costs over 500 wen, while the blue cloth costs over 400 wen, more than double the price of a standard bolt of cloth. The small cloth, being smoother and denser, is not as wide in appearance but is actually more expensive, costing around 220 to 230 wen per bolt. As for the fine cloth, it is even more expensive, costing about 300 wen. The most expensive are the green and blue cloths, which are dense and long; the green cloth costs over 500 wen, while the blue cloth costs over 400 wen, more than double the price of a standard bolt of cloth. As for those that are claimed to be imported, the most expensive can reach a hundred taels, which is more expensive than most Hangzhou silk, and those cloth merchants simply do not allow me to see them.
Under Xu Xun's seemingly smiling yet ambiguous gaze, Jin Liu could only nod and smile apologetically, while a cold sweat broke out on his back. This individual either suddenly became enlightened or was originally wise yet appeared foolish; in this light, was his display not utterly ridiculous?
Jin Liu instinctively turned to look at Rui Sheng. To his surprise, Rui Sheng remained silent, only murmuring softly when Jin Liu grew impatient from staring: "What’s the point of keeping secrets? I knew about it earlier than you, and the young master knew even before me"
Unlike the anticipated panic and anger, Rui Sheng found Xu Xun sitting on the Luohan bed before him, not even blinking, calmly gazing at him as usual. In this unexpected situation, his speech gradually became stammered: "Young Master, you... are you alright? This... such a big matter..."
Nowadays, one or two taels of silver, which is equivalent to one guan, can only buy three sheng of rice. It is said that the market price has increased by twenty to thirty percent compared to the beginning of the year. At this point, Ruisheng glanced around and then leaned close to Xu Xun's ear, whispering, "Young Master, if Jin Liuge comes to ask you for more money, please do not pay him any mind. I have visited several grain shops in Taiping, and they say that Jin Liuge bought eight sheng of rice all at once when the price was low at the beginning of the year. This should be enough for us to eat until August or September."
This time, Xu Xun did not divert the conversation as he had previously done with Rui Sheng; instead, he examined Jin Liu for a moment and then nodded, saying: "Go ahead."
Xu Xun originally only used this pretext to send Rui Sheng to inquire about the market price, not truly expecting him to gather such detailed information about the fabric prices. At this moment, he couldn't help but regard this stubborn young man with newfound respect. However, he had no intention or capital to engage in the fabric business; he merely noted it down in his mind and then asked, "What are the current prices of rice and flour?"
At this moment, recalling the previous entanglements and hesitations, he immediately felt greatly relieved and hurriedly smiled, saying: "It is good that the young master knows. However, there are quite a few intricacies involved, so please allow me to explain."
Come in
Young master, does it still suit your taste
If it is for what reason the elders of the Xu family want to convene the ancestral hall to judge me, and regarding the matter of the Shen family wanting to break off the engagement, I am already aware.
At this point, Jin Liufang was genuinely astonished. He did not care about Rui Sheng's words, as that young man was likely just inquiring in general. To ascertain the detailed circumstances, he spent the entire afternoon running around outside, even nearly violating the curfew. However, his wife said that Xu Xun had not left the house at all today, so how could he possibly know...? Or perhaps someone kindly reminded him out of regard for the Second Master! It has long been said that the Second Master was the most capable among his peers back in the day, and many had benefited from his kindness, which is quite possible!
The three land deeds collectively amount to three hundred mu of paddy fields. Even for someone like him, who is not familiar with current land prices, it is clear that this is not a small sum for the sparsely populated southern Zhili, and it holds considerable value. As for the house deed, it goes without saying that without it, he would find himself homeless. Yet, such an important real estate document was carelessly placed together with a pile of dusty calligraphy practice sheets by Xu Xun in the past. As for the house deed, it goes without saying that without it, he would find himself homeless. Yet, such an important real estate document was carelessly placed together with a pile of dusty calligraphy practice sheets by Xu Xun in the past.
I still have so many things to do, how can I just stand guard at the door?" Sister Jin Liu, not understanding the meaning, immediately laughed and said, "Our family rarely has visitors, and there is nothing worth stealing, so it's fine to leave the door ajar. I am all ears and will definitely know if someone comes in, so you can rest assured, young master.
Listening to this tone, Xu Xun realized that Jin Liu's wife was completely unaware of the little girl in male disguise who had come in and out earlier. He was too lazy to say anything further, simply stating that he would have her come back to clean up later, and waved the woman out the door. After that, he disregarded everything and quickly finished the meal, leaving the dishes there, and then went straight into the east room.
It was uncertain whether he had taken on an important task and was putting in all his effort, or if he had been distracted by play outside and failed to return. By the time the sun had set, Xu Xun had organized all the writing paper in the cabinet, yet there was still no sign of Rui Sheng. It was already dinner time when Sister Jin Liu arrived with a food box. As before, it contained two dishes, one soup, and a large bowl of rice, but her expression was much more pleasant than the previous perfunctory demeanor. After setting the table, she even stood by for a moment, watching Xu Xun take a couple of bites.
"I ate two large sesame cakes, so I'm not hungry," Rui Sheng replied, yet he still foolishly went to fetch a stool. Just as he sat down to speak, he was interrupted by Xu Xun: "Have you managed to take care of the important matter regarding the *illustrated* book? Have you gathered all the information?"
At this moment, he lit the oil lamp and gathered the thin sheets of paper along with the calligraphy books, stuffing them back into the cabinet. He then took down the large volumes from the neatly arranged bookshelf once again. This time, he did not merely glance at the titles and front pages; instead, he flipped through them from beginning to end until he confirmed that nothing had been inserted within these books. With a sigh of relief, he felt utterly exhausted and simply sat down on the Luohan bed.
Understood, you may go!" Xu Xun, who was busy stuffing things, casually replied. Before long, the commotion outside had ceased.
Xu Xun was momentarily taken aback and chuckled, shaking his head before casually inquiring about something else. This exchange gradually helped Rui Sheng forget the long-standing concerns regarding the Xu family clan, and a smile appeared on his face. He spoke animatedly, his brows dancing with enthusiasm, revealing that he rarely ventured out. Just as the two of them were engrossed in conversation, a voice suddenly called out from outside the door
On the luohan bed facing south, there lay a stack of calligraphy practice sheets that he had just retrieved from the bottom of the cabinet, among which were prominently inserted three land deeds and the title deed for the current house.
Amidst the commotion, Xu Xun did not need to look up to know who the person bursting in was. Sure enough, as the door curtain was flung open, a gust of wind followed, and the newcomer finally stopped a few steps in front of him, yet did not speak immediately. Xu Xun glanced up and saw Rui Sheng bent over, supporting his knees, gasping for breath, his entire head drenched in sweat.
Xu Xun gave a command, and immediately, Rui Sheng sprang up from the stool. Before long, a person lifted the curtain and entered the room; it was Jin Liu. Compared to Rui Sheng's earlier appearance, drenched in sweat, Jin Liu's demeanor was hardly composed. His shoes were covered in dust, and there were even mud spots on the cuffs of his trousers, while his hat was so dirty that its original color was unrecognizable. Upon entering and seeing Rui Sheng present, he paused for a moment, then forced a smile and bowed slightly.
Xu Xun casually replied, noticing that Jin Liu was looking at him as if he had seen a ghost. He realized that this cunning Jin Liu probably knew something, so he smiled even more nonchalantly, yet offered no further explanation.
Young master, I have cleared away all the bowls and plates. If you feel hungry in the evening and wish for a late-night snack, just give me a word! If the oil for the lamp is insufficient, and my master is not at home, you may also just call for me.
"Alright, alright, getting all worked up over such a trivial matter, you're even stuttering! I've known about this for a long time already." Xu Xun said with a smile, waving his hand and pointing to a nearby chair, "Bring a chair over to sit and talk. You've been running around all day; if you're not tired, just looking at you makes me feel exhausted! Also, have you eaten yet? If not, go eat first and then we can talk."
Jin Liu, however, did not answer this question. Following Xu Xun's gesture, he hurriedly sat down and said: "There is some progress. However, young master, let me discuss this matter later; what is urgent is another issue. Today, both the third and fourth masters have been invited to the house by the eldest master, reportedly concerning your affairs, as well as Mr. Shen from your future in-laws..."
The deed of this property left almost no impression in his complete recollection, and he was only able to find it by sheer chance. Having learned this lesson, he naturally dared not rely entirely on those memories that did not originally belong to him
Young Master, Young Master
Only after catching his breath did Ruisheng straighten his back, hastily wipe his forehead and chin with his sleeve, and hurriedly say: "Young Master, it's not good! When I just returned, I ran into Aunt Su at the street corner. She privately told me that she went to the Longfang family to do some sewing work, and inadvertently heard that the master has invited several clan elders. They plan to hold a meeting at the ancestral hall after celebrating the promotion of the Sixth Master, and this time they are determined to expel you from the Xu family!"
Hmm. Xu Xun reluctantly nodded, then without raising his head, asked, "Has the head of your household been out these past few days, and are you in charge of the household?"
At this point, Jin Liu cast a sidelong glance at Xu Xun, noticing that he did not display any signs of displeasure. This further convinced him that the young master had suddenly undergone a significant change and had gained insight. He swallowed and cleared his throat, continuing, "The marriage proposal that our master arranged for you with the Shen family is from a well-known wealthy household in Taiping. Although they are not as rich as Shen Wansan during the Hongwu era, they still possess at least ten thousand taels of wealth. Who in the clan does not envy them? If they can use this incident to expel you from the family, they could choose another person to inherit the second branch, thereby not only continuing the family business but perhaps also having the opportunity..."
The four branches of the Xu family were all passed down from a great ancestor before the Five Dynasties. That venerable ancestor served as a county magistrate twice during the Xuande period. Therefore, although the young master addresses the elder as "Uncle," he is, in fact, merely a relative within the fifth degree of kinship. As for the second branch, there is only you left as a sole descendant, with no external family to rely on. Consequently, with the benefits from the family estate and the farmland and properties of the second branch, there are many within the clan who covet your position.
Young master, are you able to sleep? If you haven't fallen asleep yet, I will come in right away
In this case, I had previously strayed from the right path, indulging in a life of debauchery, and nearly lost my life; perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye
Have you made any progress on the matter you were inquiring about
You are indeed thoughtful
At this moment, he stepped forward and sat on the Luohan bed, pinching those few thin pieces of paper, his brows furrowing and then relaxing, only to furrow again, until the sound of light footsteps from outside finally prompted him to lift his head