Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 76 Good idea

Yang Mingde's mind had stopped working; he couldn't understand why asking for wages wasn't enough.

Xie Yuyan said, "Today, Uncle only wants to keep firing the kiln because the Yang family's porcelain kiln is dilapidated. It's already difficult enough to revive it. If one day, the porcelain you fire becomes sought after and the kiln brings in a fortune every day, how will you feel? Will you feel deceived by me?"

“I can use the Yang family’s ancestral techniques and the current state of the kiln to make my uncle willingly work for the new kiln, but this path will not go far. It’s better to weigh the pros and cons now to avoid future misunderstandings.”

Yang Mingde frowned and said, "How could I be that kind of person?"

"When you're poor, no one cares if you live in the city; when you're rich, even distant relatives come to visit if you live deep in the mountains. Even if your uncle doesn't know how, there's no way he can avoid being instigated by others."

“Don’t think that just because they shut down your porcelain kiln before, they will put themselves in your shoes and think about you in the future. I don’t want to deal with these troubles.”

“I’ll take out 20% of the profits. Whether it’s my eldest uncle or the eldest son’s family, they’re all tied to Xinyao. They won’t be easily separated. This way, we can both feel at ease.”

Besides the porcelain stone, the most important factors in firing a porcelain kiln are the craftsmen, and Xie Yuyan wanted to control both to prevent anyone from causing trouble. The price she offered was also quite fair to the Yang family's eldest branch.

Yang Mingde couldn't see through his sixth brother's daughter-in-law's thoughts, but he also understood that what she said made sense, so he let her arrange it.

Yang Mingde said, "Whatever you say, that's fine."

Xie Yuyan nodded and called out to Mother Yu. Mother Yu immediately brought over the prepared documents. Liu Zhi, who had just arrived, followed Mother Yu into the room.

After carefully examining the documents, Yang Mingde and his son signed their names, and Liu Zhi acted as the intermediary.

As Yang Mingde saw Liu Zhi off, he finally couldn't help but ask Xie Yuyan, "How did you know there were porcelain stones in Gushan?"

Xie Yuyan smiled slightly: "I have my own methods." In her previous life, the porcelain kilns of Daming Prefecture were already quite famous, and several pieces were even sent to the palace as tribute. Mentioning Daming Prefecture would bring to mind the porcelain kilns and the vast porcelain stone mines, but now the porcelain stone mines of Lanzhou are still unknown. How could she miss such a lucrative opportunity?
Looking into Xie Yuyan's clear eyes, Yang Mingde's heart clenched, and he suddenly remembered what his wife had said when she mentioned Xie Yuyan.

"Mrs. Xie has forgotten what happened before, but says that she comes from a scholarly family and a wealthy family."

"I think so too. How could an ordinary woman be so capable?"

Having witnessed these things firsthand, Yang Mingde believed that Xie Yuyan's identity was extraordinary. The way those truly powerful families taught their descendants was always different, and their knowledge was beyond the reach of others.

Yang Jiang said, "Then I'll set off now." He would rent a horse and reach Luzhou by tomorrow.

Xie Yuyan said, "Take some of this money with you for travel expenses. I will have someone deliver the rest to them. They will stay at the first inn at the east gate of Luzhou. The person who delivers the money is called Shi Yong. Remember to go and inquire about it."

Yang Jiang responded without lingering, took five strings of cash and five taels of silver and went to pack his belongings.

Xie Yuyan stood up: "These days, people will come to the kiln to inquire about things. Uncle, just do your own thing and don't let strangers into the kiln for the time being."

Yang Mingde nodded.

Xie Yuyan lifted his foot and walked outside. As soon as he stepped out of the house, the cat suddenly leaped up, climbed up the pillar, and reached the roof beam in a few quick movements. With a swipe of its paw, it swatted a gray rat down, and then, as if nothing had happened, it jumped onto Yang Qin's shoulder. However, the way it puffed out its chest made it look like a victorious general.

Once inside the carriage, just as the cat was about to snuggle into Xie Yuyan's arms, Yang Qin whispered, "Sister-in-law, I just saw it; the cat had just finished catching a gray rat."

Xie Yuyan frowned in disgust, pushed the cat's furry head, and pressed it back onto Yang Qin.

The cat immediately shook its whiskers and barked at Yang Qin.

Lately, it seems like there are always people who have a problem with raccoon dogs and their dried fish.

"Madam," the servant outside reported, "someone has delivered a letter, specifically addressed to you." Madam Yu opened the window to look at the letter; two words were written in the lower corner.

"Thank you, Qi."

……

Xie family.

Xie Chongjun was looking at the lotus root charcoal in the warm cage.

This lotus root charcoal not only produces no smoke, but also burns for an exceptionally long time.

Several managers were sitting in the room, discussing matters concerning the Yang family's water shop.

"Why don't we buy all those deposit contracts?" the steward suggested after careful consideration. "If we buy them all at high prices but don't buy water from the water shops, won't the water shops lose their business?"

Another manager asked, "What should we do if the water shop reneges and demands another deposit?"

“Then let’s throw out this contract again,” the steward said. “At that time, there will be such contracts everywhere in Daming Prefecture, and the water-selling business will naturally be unable to continue. Everyone will then go to the water shop to return the contracts.”

"Furthermore, the water shop promised not to collect any more deposits after three days. The contract has a thousand characters for numbering, and the number of contracts sold can be verified. If the water shop is found to be forging documents, we can report them to the yamen, and their shop will naturally be unable to continue operating."

Upon hearing this, the managers all agreed that it made sense.

The few small water shops had limited contracts available, so buying them would be a simple matter for the Xie family. Their real worry was that water sellers were everywhere.
Just then, someone outside the window chuckled.

The steward's voice followed: "Seventh Master, the Master is busy and we really can't go in now."

"Get away."

The door was still pushed open.

Master Xie lifted the curtain, and a cold wind carrying a strong smell of alcohol blew in.

Xie Chongjun frowned. This unfilial son had just knelt in the ancestral hall last night, and yet he had already caused trouble again today.

"You're already this drunk before noon," Xie Chongjun's forehead veins bulged, he gripped the inkstone beside him, wanting to throw it at him immediately, "I think you haven't been punished enough."

If it weren't for the fact that it was almost New Year's Day, he would have ordered his men to break the legs of this unfilial son and lock him in a room for several months.

“Father, don’t be angry,” said Master Xie. “I only went out to drink and inquire about information because I wanted to help you with your worries.”

Xie Chongjun asked coldly, "What have you found out?"

Master Xie pointed to the steward in the room: "The method they suggested won't work. If no one is carrying water to sell, can't the water shops hire people to carry water out? They thought of this a long time ago. If they had thought of this method earlier, it might have been useful, since hiring people takes some effort..."

“But things are different now. People have access to hot water and naturally know the benefits of this place. There’s no need for anyone to persuade or promote it, so those contracts are useless.”

"Furthermore, the water shops are selling less hot water, but the Yang family can still sell lotus root charcoal. I heard that some shops have already bought over a hundred catties of lotus root charcoal from the Yang family and are currently building the furnaces to burn it."

“My son has a good idea.” Xie Qiye said, stumbling forward. He leaned against the table and leaned towards Xie Chongjun. Just as he was about to speak again, he suddenly burped, and a stench of mutton and wine wafted directly onto Xie Chongjun’s face.

(End of this chapter)