Ji Yangzong quickly chimed in: "That’s a good point. If Yuan Fei runs off with Huo Shu to some faraway place, even if he meets a suitable girl or ger along the way, they’d think a traveling merchant’s life is too unstable. Why would they let their child follow Yuan Fei?"
"But within the prefecture or nearby counties, how far could it be? They might even be happier knowing Yuan Fei is close to the city."
Her son’s marriage was Ji Wanglan’s biggest worry, her top priority.
After hearing Ji Taoyu and Ji Yangzong lay it out like this, she thought it really did sound better and immediately changed her mind: "Eldest Brother, why don’t you just take Yuan Fei under your wing?"
"With you keeping an eye on him, even if he tries to act up, he won’t dare!"
Ji Yangzong said, "Let’s settle it like this, Eldest Brother. How about it?"
Ji Yangkai coughed dryly. "That might not be appropriate. My team already has enough hands. At the end of last year, I had to let two long-time workers go, it was awkward. Business hasn’t been great these past two years."
Before Ji Wanglan could even speak, Ji Yangzong cut in: "More hands mean more help, how can there be too many? And even if the team is full, what’s one or two more for family? He’s your own nephew, not some outsider."
He threw back the exact same unreasonable arguments Ji Wanglan had used on him the day before.
Ji Wanglan found the words oddly familiar, but they struck a chord, so she said, "That’s right, Eldest Brother. You can’t just watch Yuan Fei grow older without settling down, can you?"
"Before, I did find him work, but he quit in less than half a month. Construction work is hard, he can’t handle it."
"But that was someone else’s business. He had no motivation. Your team is family work, and with you personally overseeing him, he’ll definitely put in the effort."
Watching Ji Wanglan pester his eldest brother, Ji Yangzong was secretly delighted. Let him taste his own medicine, always acting so high and mighty, telling others what to do.
"Eldest Brother, just agree. Since we were kids, you’ve always doted on Third Sister the most. Don’t tell me you stop treating her as family just because she’s married now."
With things put so bluntly, and with everyone present, Ji Yangkai had no choice but to relent: "Fine, we’ll do it this way for now. We’ll discuss it more later."
After eating at Ji Yangkai’s place and heading back, Ji Yangzong was still chuckling to himself.
"Now your eldest uncle has something to worry about. With Yuan Fei’s lazy, gluttonous nature, having him on the team will be nothing but trouble. He knew exactly what Yuan Fei was like but kept pushing him onto others. Now that it’s his problem, he’ll finally understand how it feels."
Ji Taoyu, full from the meal, swung Huo Shu’s hand back and forth.
Just as they reached the courtyard gate, Daniu’s voice called out first.
"Guests are here."
"Who is it?" Ji Yangzong asked.
Daniu replied, "They’re here for the young master’s husband."
Huo Shu’s brow twitched slightly.
"Someone here for you?" Ji Taoyu asked.
"Probably Ge Liang."
Huo Shu quickened his steps inside.
To his surprise, the visitor was Fang He.
"Brother Huo, may the new year be better than the last."
Fang He greeted him with a smile, bringing some New Year’s gifts and politely addressing everyone.
"What brings you here?"
Fang He didn’t answer directly.
Ji Yangzong said, "Take your guest to the main hall. Have some tea."
Huo Shu acknowledged and led him to the sitting room, where Daniu served tea.
"How have you been lately?"
"All is well. My master finally understood my situation, that I wasn’t cut out to inherit his craft. I suppose he’s come to terms with it."
"After Qiao’er and I got engaged, he told me not to bother coming back to the shop after the new year and to focus on my family’s business instead. We’ll hold the wedding in March, once the weather warms up."
Huo Shu nodded. "That’s good news. You’ve always had a head for business, working in your own shop will suit you better."
It was only a matter of time before Butcher Qiao came around. Fang He’s family was well-off, and though he was the youngest son, he had been willing to humble himself and work in a butcher’s shop. Any parent who cared for their daughter would want her to marry a man like that.
"Brother Huo, when the time comes, if you’re free, stop by for a drink at the wedding."
Huo Shu said, "I will."
Fang He continued, "But I didn’t just come to invite you to the wedding. A few days ago, I overheard my master and his wife talking about village affairs and mentioning that you’re planning a trade trip north. I wasn’t sure if it was true."
"It’s true. The team’s set, and we’ve mapped out the route. We’ll leave around February or March."
Fang He asked, "What kind of goods are you planning to take?"
He paused, then quickly added, "Don’t misunderstand, I’m not probing. I’m here to discuss business. My family deals in tea, and last year we acquired another mountain plot, so we’ve got a surplus."
"What I mean is, if you’re considering taking tea north and think our product is worth it, we’d be happy to supply you. Since we know each other, we can negotiate a fair price."
Thank you for the update!!!
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