Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 69 Greedy
The maid didn't know what Master Xie meant, but she was overjoyed to hear that the Xie family was going to suffer.

“My mother said,” the maid said, “that Seventh Master will definitely avenge his wife in the future.”

The "madam" mentioned by the maid is Xie Qiye's birth mother, and also the most favored concubine of Xie Daye, Xie Chongjun, according to rumors.

Seventh Master Xie sneered inwardly. If he had believed that Xie Chongjun was so affectionate, he might never have had the chance to grow up in the Xie family. Even though the midwife and doctor from back then were no longer around, there was nothing in this world that could be completely covered up. As long as one investigated carefully, one could still find clues.

His life before the age of five was relatively smooth. At that time, the Xie family had not yet completely seized control of the porcelain kiln left by his mother, and they still needed to conceal their intentions to some extent. Every year on the anniversary of his birth mother's death, Xie Chongjun would close the door tightly and refuse to eat or drink in front of the portrait of his birth mother, Lady Miao. In public, he was raised as a legitimate son, and Xie Chongjun often held him in his arms, saying to others, "Shao-ge'er resembles me the most."

The name Zishao was chosen to signify that the son should inherit his father's business.

He happily grasped Xie Chongjun's hand, lifted him high, and looked down at the entire Xie family.

Xie Chongjun stopped pretending when the porcelain kiln left by his mother was staffed entirely by Xie family members.

That year, he almost drowned while playing by the lake. Fortunately, he was rescued by a merchant who was visiting the Xie family. The merchant had been doing business with his maternal grandfather, and after his grandfather passed away, his birth mother took over the business. The two families had always been close, and seeing this, he became suspicious.

Having offended that merchant, the Xie family's porcelain business was bound to suffer a setback. Xie Chongjun's greatest desire was to expand his family's porcelain kiln and have the opportunity to produce tribute items for the imperial court. How could he allow such a thing to happen? So he became Xie Chongjun's beloved illegitimate son again.

Before leaving the Xie family, the merchant meaningfully told him to take good care of himself and not to trust others easily. The merchant's daughter also gave him a good luck charm, which he always wore.

From then on, whenever Xie Chongjun mentioned his birth mother and showed a sorrowful expression, his stomach would churn, and if he didn't hold it in, he would vomit.

Xie Chongjun "doted" on him, and he pretended that nothing had happened, continuing to be as close to Xie Chongjun as before, studying by Xie Chongjun's side, and writing characters that were very similar to Xie Chongjun's. However, he was also extremely playful and incapable of achieving anything great, posing no threat to the Xie family's business. That's how he managed to survive to this day.

Therefore, kneeling in the ancestral hall and being beaten with a cane were light punishments for him. What wouldn't he do to save his life?

When he grew up and had some money, he was able to bribe the servants who were beating him to reduce his suffering.

"Don't worry," Xie Qiye looked at Ziyun, "I can get justice for my mother and take you away from this place."

Zi Yun's eyes lit up slightly as she listened, tears welling up in her eyes. Her mother had served Miao Niangzi, the birth mother of Seventh Master. After Miao Niangzi passed away, her mother served Seventh Master. When Seventh Master was six years old, her mother also passed away under mysterious circumstances. Although she was young, she remembered that there were bruises on her mother's body. At that time, she wanted to say something, but Seventh Master covered her mouth.

Seventh Master is right. If you want to take revenge, you have to survive first.

Zi Yun wiped her eyes, pretending nothing had happened: "The master sent me to the outer courtyard, so I couldn't get any news from there."

“This is a good thing,” said Master Xie. “Although the work in the outer courtyard is heavy, it is much more stable than being by his side.”

Zi Yun, of course, knew: "But this servant..."

“It’s alright,” Xie Qiye suddenly laughed, “Your Qiye has found a new helper.”

Zi Yun was taken aback: "Who? Is it a master who knows how to fire porcelain kilns?"

Seventh Master Xie narrowed his eyes: "She's more capable than those people. The Xie family even sent her to me. Maybe this is just the way things are, and retribution is inevitable."

Zi Yun seemed to understand: "Seventh Master is talking about... Xie... Tenth Lady."

The Yang family owned a porcelain kiln, and their ancestors had a set of skills. The eldest son and his wife both knew how to fire the kiln, but unfortunately, the Yang family saw other benefits and abandoned the kiln passed down from their ancestors.

But Yang probably didn't expect that the kiln would be lit again, and what would be fired were those clay kilns.

The clay stove looked crudely made and was far inferior to a well-fired porcelain piece, but he believed it would sell very well, just like hot water, selling the clay stove before anyone else could even react.

Because only the Yang family kiln in Daming Prefecture had this clay kiln.

Yangjia Kiln has been sealed away for so long, who would remember that there was such a porcelain kiln in Daming Prefecture? No matter what means or methods are used, if we can make everyone remember Yangjia Kiln again, then we will have achieved our goal.

Seventh Master Xie looked towards the door. It seemed he had to go out of the house to help his tenth sister.

...The Yang family.

Only a morning had passed, and some people were already getting restless.

No one expected that the Xie family's water shop would be so successful. Hot water was delivered continuously, and from sunrise to midday, there was a constant stream of people at the water shop.

In fact, most of the Yang family members were just waiting to see the show fail, because they hadn't contributed any money to do this business with the third branch of the family. If the business were to succeed, wouldn't they be at a huge loss?

When they learned that the third wife's family ran a hot water shop, they secretly mocked her relentlessly. They thought that Xie was completely clueless about business and had been misled by someone into trying to make money by selling water.

How much profit can be made from this?
Upon hearing that a deposit of one string of cash was required, some people couldn't help but try to curry favor with Madam He, hoping to reinstate her as the head of the household. However, no one knew what had happened, but on the fourth day, the water shop suddenly became a hot commodity.

Many clansmen were still in shock, fearing the news was inaccurate, and went to the entrance of the water shop to check.

"I thought there would be no one left after the midday sun, but to my surprise, the waterwheels are still lined up one after another."

"This is still a small amount; we'll need even more when we eat."

"Those who sell hot water also sell hot water bottles on the side. I heard that the water shops reminded them of this. In the past, some people couldn't afford to boil hot water and couldn't use those things, but now it's different..."

"What a great deal! If the Xie family had made it clear earlier, who wouldn't have paid up?"

"Maybe it's just a one-day spectacle," someone couldn't help but say, sounding pessimistic.

“How could that be?” the man and woman immediately retorted. “Hot water isn’t like other things; you can’t use it today and then use it again tomorrow.”

"Don't even mention today or tomorrow, it will get cold if you use it slowly. Who doesn't use up the hot water as soon as they get it? What do you do when it's all gone? You have to buy more."

The more people talked about it, the more they felt this business was good.

"How much money do you think we can make?"

The members of the Yang clan looked at each other, their eyes filled with envy and regret.

"If we take the money to the third branch of the family now, will Madam Xie accept it?"

……

In the third room, Zhang asked the same question.

“No,” Xie Yuyan said. “Rules are rules. They can’t get involved in the water shop business anymore.”

She wanted to set rules for the Yang clan, and she only kept those who knew how to follow orders.

Although Zhang was soft-hearted, she always listened to Xie Yuyan without question, so she nodded and said, "Then I'll go and tell them."

The clansmen dared not come to Xie Yuyan, so they had to go to Zhang for help.

Xie Yuyan said, "Mother, there's no need to reply to them. They'll come looking for me if they get anxious."

Madam Yang smiled and said, "This is only the first day. Let's wait and see. Those people will probably be so anxious they'll be stamping their feet."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion broke out outside.

"We want to see Madam."

(End of this chapter)