Volume 1 Chapter 100 Journeying South

  "Do you have anything else to say? A decent woman shouldn't jump to conclusions and make wild guesses!" Mr. Yao lost his patience when he saw Mrs. Ma staring blankly into space. From years of marriage, he knew that she must still have something on her mind that she wanted to tell him.

  Madam Ma hesitated for a moment, feeling slightly annoyed in her heart. However, since she had already spoken up, it wouldn't be good to back down halfway. After some deliberation, she forced a smile and said: "My husband's second brother from my maiden family has also made significant progress in recent years. Since you're so busy, sir, I think it would be a good idea to let him follow you around and do some odd jobs for you. It would not only help him gain experience but also allow you to relax a bit."

  Mr. Yao's eyebrows rose slightly, and he became even more vigilant in his heart, but his face remained calm and relaxed, and after a moment of contemplation, he asked lightly: "Why did the lady suddenly think of mentioning this?"

  Her second brother-in-law has always been around, and in all these years she hasn't mentioned him once. Suddenly bringing him up at this time makes it hard not to arouse suspicion.

  Madam Ma had already thought of an excuse and was thinking about how to explain the reason to Old Master Yao. When she heard him ask about the reason, it was just what she wanted. Madam Ma's face turned slightly pale, and she sighed lightly: "It's all because of Hui'er! Hui'er, a young lady who never leaves the house, has gone to help out at the shop. It can be seen that Old Master's business is indeed very busy! Hui'er is after all a girl, and she hasn't promised anyone yet. If things go on like this... it won't be good in the end! I was thinking about whether I could find someone else to share Old Master's worries. After thinking about it, I thought of people from my hometown who could be used..."

  "Ah, I see!" Old Master Yao nodded his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

  "So what does Master Yao mean——" Madam Ma's heart tightened, and she hastily asked another question. She secretly glanced at Old Master Yao, but couldn't tell from his face what he really meant.

  Mr. Yao said slowly, "This matter still needs to be carefully considered. Your second brother has always been in charge of your mother's family affairs and is not familiar with business matters. It's not easy for him to help me share my worries. Let me think about it some more before we discuss it further. As for Hui'er, she'll just be helping out around the shop for a few days. She doesn't need to get involved in business matters or show her face outside. After a while, she'll naturally return to the manor and resume her life as a young mistress." Mr. Yao smiled and glanced at Madam Ma, "It's good that you're concerned about Hui'er, it's not in vain that she calls you 'mother'!"

  Ma's heart felt a bit unnatural, and she forced a smile, lowering her eyes to say: "That can't be, Hui'er is my daughter after all!"

  "Hmm." Old Master Yao nodded slightly without giving a clear answer and said he had something to attend to before leaving.

  Ma's eyebrows furrowed, staring in the direction he had gone, silent for a long time.

  She knew that Old Master Yao had always taken the family business very seriously, and even if someone from the Yao family wanted to help out, he would find all sorts of excuses to politely decline, except for a select few. The fact that he didn't directly refuse her today was already a relatively good outcome!

  However, it was precisely because of this that he unexpectedly let Yao Cunhui participate. Ma thought to herself and couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart again.

  She didn't know that at this critical moment, Old Master Yao would not allow any strangers to enter the house. Anyone who tried to use connections to get in was immediately suspected of having ulterior motives. His doubts made him unwilling to directly refuse, but he also wouldn't agree, his plan was to stall and see if anyone would lose their patience and jump out!

  The next day, Old Master Yao called for Yao Cunhui early in the morning.

  The father and daughter exchanged a few words of small talk, when Old Master Yao suddenly changed the subject, smiling as he asked Yao Cunhui: "Do you want to go to Jinling to visit your sister?"

  Yao Cunhui was taken aback, slightly surprised, and widened her eyes to stare at Old Man Yao. A hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes. She didn't understand why her father suddenly brought this up.

  "Xie Jia - didn't you just say that everything is fine with your sister?" Yao Cunhui smiled.

  "Hehe!" Old Master Yao smiled and lightly sighed: "But I won't be at ease if I don't see it for myself! You just say, do you want to go or not?"

  "Think? Of course I have!" Yao Cunhui hastily replied.

  "Uh-huh." Old Master Yao seemed to have expected her response, and smiled: "Alright then, go back and prepare, we'll set off tomorrow!" He also instructed: "The Xie family is a household that values etiquette, when you arrive there, be dignified and composed, don't lose your manners in front of others, understand?"

  Yao Cun Hui thought for a moment, and smiled: "Grandma's family is also a very disciplined household. Hui'er will do things and speak according to what she saw at Grandma's house, and besides, her sister will definitely remind her, so Father can rest assured!"

  Old Master Yao's eyes flashed with praise, and he smiled: "The child is teachable, and she doesn't disappoint as a good daughter! Your sister is pregnant, go over there and say some comforting words to her, tell her to prioritize her body above all else, and absolutely must take good care of herself, and under no circumstances should she get angry over small things."

  Yao Cun's heart couldn't help but "thump" once, nodding and smiling: "Hui'er remembers! Sister has never been someone who doesn't understand the situation, she must also understand this principle!"

  "Father is worried! Just say that this is what Father specifically entrusted, and let her take good care of herself!" Old Master Yao sighed lightly and said: "Alright, Father has said so much. You sisters are close, you go and take care of your sister, when you come back Father will ask you in detail."

  The implication is that you have gone and must carefully observe your sister's living situation, and when you come back, report to me!

  Not seeing his daughter's living situation, thinking of Madam Ma's words, Old Master Yao was uneasy at heart. After deliberating for a night, he decided to dispatch Yao Cunhui as the "Imperial Envoy" to head south to Xie's residence and personally pay a visit.

  Sister misses her sister, and it's only natural for her to visit when her sister is pregnant. If Yao Cun Jia's biological mother were still alive, she would be the one to go, and many things wouldn't need to be explained by herself, as a mother would naturally instruct her daughter in detail. Unfortunately, now only Yao Cun Hui can go.

  Yao Cun Hui nodded and smiled: "Dad, don't worry, I understand." After a pause, she said: "Actually, Dad, I also have something to tell you. I was thinking of going south for a trip!"

  "Oh?" Old Master Yao gave her a deep glance and said with a smile: "Father's Hui'er, what else is on your mind?"

  "Father," Yao Cunhui's expression suddenly turned solemn, and he said seriously: "I want to go south to buy land. Our Yao family is in the grain business, we can't be strangled by others at the source of grain!"

  Mr. Yao's eyes flashed, and he gazed at her silently for a moment before sighing softly: "Foolish child, distant water can't quench present thirst. Now buying land won't immediately yield grain production, so we can't waste funds on this right now! Besides, you have no idea how expensive the land in Jinling is; that's not even mentioning that it's hard to find land to buy even with money!"

  "If, daughter has a plan to quench the thirst nearby? Would father be willing to consider this distant water?" Yao Cunhui's eyes shone brightly, like the twinkling stars in the sky.

  Mr. Yao was taken aback for a moment, his eyes flashing as he stared at Yao Cunhui, momentarily forgetting to respond. Her confident expression and tone left him somewhat dazed for a moment. Was she joking or being serious?

  "Dad, if Hui'er has a good solution to alleviate the drought, would you consider her proposal?" Yao Cunhui's palms were slightly sweaty with nervousness, and she couldn't help but ask again.

  "Does Hui'er have a plan? Tell me and let's hear it." Instinctively, Old Master Yao felt that her plan was bound to be useful, but thinking carefully about it again, he thought it unlikely! He had discussed with his trusted advisors countless times, racked his brains, and finally came up with the only and most foolish plan - to collect grain at all costs. Apart from surrendering and submitting, is there a second way?

  Yao Cunhui smiled slightly and said slowly: "Father, since the other party can make those more than a dozen grain suppliers abandon their relationships and defect together, then within the borders of Dazhou, we will certainly not be able to get much grain. Who knows, there may even be traps set for us here! So, we might as well not consider buying grain in Dazhou and instead turn our attention overseas!"

  "Overseas?" Old Master Yao was taken aback, and a bright light flashed through his mind. The smile on his face grew bigger and bigger, and under the excitement, he couldn't help but slap the table and laugh: "Not bad, not bad! I had forgotten, there's still overseas!"

  "Father, please take a look at this map of the island nations around South China Sea. I've researched the local gazette and found that the climate there is warm and suitable for rice cultivation. I believe it can help alleviate our family's current difficulties! What we need to do now is send someone to inspect the place and reserve the grain we need. This matter requires discretion, so you, Second Uncle, and the store manager cannot be involved. If you trust me, Father, I am willing to take on this task."

  Mr. Yao's eyes dimmed slightly, and he sighed softly: "What you said is not wrong, now if Father and your Second Uncle leave the capital, someone will definitely investigate their whereabouts, and Father also has no guarantee that he can keep it completely confidential. You leaving the capital won't be noticeable. However, this matter is of great importance, can...you do it?"

  "Old Master Yao paused for a moment, then said: "You're a young lady who has never been on a long journey before, and now you want to take a boat out to sea. Although it's not too far, the wind and waves are big at sea, can you handle it? Moreover, when you arrive in the countries of Southeast Asia, you'll be unfamiliar with the local customs, how will you get along with the locals? How will they trust you easily? And as for business negotiations, there are even more issues involved. Can you really handle it?"

  Mr. Yao couldn't help but feel some regret, if he had known earlier, he should have brought this daughter by his side to cultivate her long ago, and it wouldn't have ended up like this.

  Yao Cun Hui stared blankly for a moment, then smiled and said: "If Father believes in Hui'er, Hui'er will definitely do well. Why not let Lin Zhanggui accompany Hui'er? With him around, it's always better, and his identity is also inconspicuous. Hui'er plans to go to Jinling first to visit her sister, trying to get the help of the Xie family to go out to sea. If she can get someone from the Xie family to follow along, that would be even better!"