Chapter 119: Sister and Cousin (4)

  "A boat sailing against the current will go backward if it doesn't move forward. Is this saying only about sailing a boat?" Yao Cunhui said again.

  All things in the world are of the same origin and share a common ancestry, the great way is connected to heaven, used throughout the four seas and all are accurate, isn't it the same on the business scene? Yao Cunhui vaguely remembered that there was such a record in world history, referring to the old capitalist Britain's textile industry. At first, it was the best in various countries, and no one could surpass it; later, the equipment became outdated, and they did not give up investing in new and more advanced equipment, eventually declining and being surpassed by other countries. Today, Xie Fu Yun asked, so she said it casually.

  "Second sister is right! I will discuss this matter with Father!" said Xie Fu Yun thoughtfully.

  Later, after discussion between the father and son, they decided to do this in the name of the Xie family. That is to say, all the new drawings, methods, dyes, etc. that were recovered would belong to the Xie family, not the Jiangning Weaving Bureau. As for the core technology, it was guaranteed to be controlled by the Xie family. Anyway, since the imperial court had not issued an edict ordering the Xie family to do so, they could simply not report it and handle it themselves.

  "Sister-in-law is indeed as gentle as a valley, not one bit false!" Yao Cunhui couldn't help but clap her hands and laugh loudly, causing the couple from the Xie manor to also burst into laughter.

  Xie Fu Yun said with a smile: "In that case, I'll be humble to the end. Second sister, can you point out where to search for new things?"

  Yao Cunhui rubbed his temples and thought to himself, "I'm really all-powerful now!" He thought for a moment and said, "Inside the four seas or outside the four seas, it's all possible! In the east, west, south, and north, in each ocean, overseas, in regions with developed textile industries, in surrounding countries, in minority areas of Zhou Dynasty, such as Sichuan, Hainan, Mongolia, etc., just send someone to gather information every year or two. Where do new things happen every day?"

  Xie Fu's expression was slightly disappointed, but then he thought that his wife's sister was still a young girl after all, and it was too much to expect her to explain herself clearly, so he smiled and nodded in agreement.

  Yao Cunhui thought of the future Huang Daopo, who learned advanced textile technology from the Li people in Hainan and brought back new textile tools. Although Huang Daopo had not been born yet and it was unknown whether the Li people's textile technology was more advanced than that of the Central Plains, it would still be good to remind her brother-in-law to pay attention. So she smiled and said: "The ethnic minorities each have their own skills, brother-in-law mustn't look down on them! For example, the Li people in Hainan, the Shu people in Sichuan, etc., brother-in-law can send someone to take a look."

  Xie Fu Yun thought for a moment, and smiled: "Shu brocade is famous all over the world, it's really worth sending someone to take a look. If we can get their weaving skills, that would be great! But what about the Li people of Hainan - are they really exceptional in this regard?"

  "I'm not clear either," Yao Cunhui shook his head, "I just vaguely heard someone mention it when I went out to sea, and I don't know if I misheard!"

  "Hmm, then I'd better consider sending someone to take a look!" The Xie estate finally took it seriously.

  Yao Cun Hui wanted to mention the cotton matter to Xie Fu Yun, but after some thought, it's better not to bring it up. After all, there is no such thing as cotton in the territory of Da Zhou, and there are no records of it in books on regional products. The word "cotton" doesn't even exist. Even if he mentioned it, nobody would understand what it was. If they meet again in the future, he can talk about it then.

  The three of them talked for a while, and Yao Cunhui and Xie Fuyun took into account Yao Cunxia's body and timely stopped the conversation. Yao Cunhui returned to her room to rest, and Yao Cunjia and his wife also washed up and went to bed.

  Xie Fu thought carefully about Yao Cun Hui's words, his mind was exceptionally excited, secretly sighing and praising, but he couldn't sleep. He had always thought that he was already very excellent, but unexpectedly, his young wife had such insight, it wasn't something he had personally seen or heard, it really made him unbelievable!

  "Husband, I want to talk to you about something." Yao Cun Jia felt that he was not sleepy and gently pulled his sleeve.

  Xie Fu Yun lowered his head and smiled, "What does Jia Er want to say?"

  "Ah, Hui'er's affair!" Yao Cun Jia took the opportunity to laugh and say: "I was just thinking about it earlier. I'm not very reassured about Hui'er in Jinling. If Hui'er were also married in Jinling, that would be great! My sister and I could often meet up, and our husbands could often discuss things with Hui'er."

  Xie Fu Yun's eyes lit up and he immediately exclaimed with joy: "Jia Er, this idea is not bad!" If his wife's younger sister were to marry into a family in Jinling, it would indeed be a good thing.

  "Well, husband, you help me ask around outside to see if there's a suitable person," Yao Cun Jia said with a smile: "Hui'er has high aspirations, so you must be careful when finding someone."

  Xie Fu Yun listened to Yao Cun Jia's words, and thinking of Yao Cun Hui, his enthusiasm suddenly extinguished. He sighed after a while: "Jia Er, I think it's better to forget about it! The young masters from those noble families that I know are not suitable for your second sister!"

  "Why?"

  "Jia'er," Xie Fu Yun imagined the state of Yao Cun Hui getting married and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "I simply can't imagine it, who in this world will be able to marry Second Sister! Who can tame her?"

  In other words, who dares to marry her!

  "Oh?" Yao Cun Jia was taken aback, and without realizing it, she raised an eyebrow and lifted her head from her husband's chest, staring at him with a hint of sadness: "So, you married me because I'm easy to control!"

  "Jia'er..." Xie Fu Yun's heart wailed in sorrow, and he couldn't help but gather all sorts of gentle and soft words to comfort his beloved wife.

  Yao Cun Jia insisted on trying, Xie Fu Yun was forced to be helpless, his wife's orders were hard to disobey, so he had to list a few unmarried young men who were close to him and introduce them to his beloved wife. The two of them carefully selected three or four people from the list and invited two or three good friends, thus came up with the proposal to go boating on the lake.

  Although Yao Cunhui felt it was strange, her brother-in-law and friends invited her to go boating on the lake with them. This reason for taking her to admire the scenery of Jinling was a bit far-fetched, wasn't it? Even though her sister strongly urged her to go, saying she was being too reserved and should let loose! But shouldn't her brother-in-law and his friends be avoiding suspicion? With her sister not around, how could she possibly go?

  Yao Cunhui refused to surrender even in the face of death.

  Xu Wantong somehow found out and insisted on going with him, so Yao Cunhui immediately changed his mind: Let's go!

  Xu Wanting's face turned cold and she glared at her: "Didn't you say you weren't going?"

  "I'm afraid Wan'er will be bored!" Yao Cunhui smiled warmly.

  Xu Wantong choked back her words and turned away in silence. She really wanted to ask her cousin not to bring Yao Cunhui along, but she also knew that he would definitely not agree.

  The three of them, with their delicate and subtle relationship, got into a carriage together again. This time, Xu Wanting didn't hold back, chatting enthusiastically with Xie Fuyuan along the way. Xie Fuyuan responded briefly, and Yao Cunhui often took over the conversation with "good intentions", which ended up making Xu Wanting feel very displeased.

  Three people arrived at the Peach Golden Ferry by the shores of Xuanwu Lake, and Yao Cunhui's body stiffened slightly as she looked around. This was precisely the ferry where Xiao Yun had occasionally seen the Shuo family's boat docked.

  As before, a magnificent giant painting boat swayed and docked at the pier, with people faintly visible on board. The difference is that she was an onlooker last time, but this time she's in the midst of it all.

  Yao Cunhui couldn't help but glance at Xie Fu's operation, and a hint of displeasure arose in her heart. Pretending to be nonchalant, she smiled and asked: "Brother-in-law seems quite familiar with this."

  "Sometimes I go out with friends to relax and take a boat ride on the lake," he said with a smile. "It's a pity your sister is pregnant, otherwise we could rent a painted barge and all go together."

  Yao Cunhui smiled and said, "Just strolling around the lake, nothing else?"

  Xie Fu Yun's eyes lit up and he smiled, "Second sister wants to play what? Composing poetry, painting, drinking games, playing cards, playing double six or playing the zither, playing chess?"

  It's okay if you just want to have fun. As you play, won't you become familiar with each other? Once you're familiar, feelings will develop, right? Who knows, maybe Second Sister's marriage is still in the making here!

  He spoke fluently! Yao Cunhui smiled and asked: "Can you play the piano and sing a little song?"

  Xie Fu Yun was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "How come Second Sister likes listening to little ditties?" Normally, I wouldn't have thought she had this hobby!

  "Yes! It's much more pleasant and refreshing than the opera!" Yao Cunhui said. In his heart, he was secretly seething with anger, pretending to be calm, thinking that the scene that day was really annoying!

  Xu Wanting snorted and said disdainfully, "What decent girl would want to listen to that kind of thing!"

  Yao Cunhui retorted: "There is also the Pear Garden Teaching in the palace, what can't be heard?"

  Xie Fu hastily mediated with a smile: "It doesn't matter if you listen to the origin, but today is not convenient. How about another day?"

  Yao Cunhui smiled and didn't say anything else, while Xu Wantong hummed again.

  On board, everyone had met each other. There were about eleven or twelve people, all from prominent families in Jinling City, either from famous clans, scholarly families, or official families, in short, they were either rich or noble.

  Apart from Yao Cunhui and Xu Wanting, there were two other women. The daughter of Jiangning Lu Zhi Prefecture and her niece also followed their brother here, coincidentally they were also sisters-in-law - genuine first cousins, not like Yao Cunhui and Xu Wanting who originally had no relation at all!

  "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Brother Xie. Are you at home accompanying your sister-in-law?" asked the young master of the Lu family.

  Xie Fu Yun smiled and said, "My wife is getting more and more pregnant, it's really time for someone to accompany her!"

  "Sister-in-law is really blessed with good fortune!" The crowd laughed and sighed in admiration.

  Lu Jinyu smiled and said, "You're all wrong! It's actually Brother Xie who is lucky to have such a wonderful wife! With her character and looks, it's hard to find another person like that in the world! Brother Xie, now that your wife is pregnant, you don't dare disturb her. When the child is born, be sure to tell me right away, I must come over to congratulate you!" The Lu family and the Xie family were close friends, and Lu Jinyu had met Yao Cunjiang several times before, they got along quite well.

  Everyone who heard it laughed, and the Xie family's luck was indeed laughable. Lu Jinyu, however, would not give in, saying that if he made a mistake, he should be punished; everyone laughed, and today they didn't drink wine, so did they have to punish him with a belly full of tea?

  As they chatted and laughed, the painted barge slowly began to move, gliding across the water's surface, leaving behind a trail of rippling waves, heading towards the center of the lake.

  Nearby, the emerald water is like silk and satin, soft and boneless. In the distance, the green mountains are silent, with eyebrows and eyes full of charm. Between the mountain light and the water color, the scenery is bright and clear, suddenly feeling the vastness of the world.

  Suddenly saw one or two white water birds spreading their wings and lightly skimming over the water's surface, letting out a clear cry, then flapping their wings and leisurely flying away, dissolving into the light ink landscape.

  Yao Cunhui leaned against the railing, her eyes gazing out at a distant point, a faint smile playing on her lips, feeling carefree and content.