Chapter 37

Marquis Ningyuan Prefecture

Sun Shi and her two daughters, Pingmei and Anmei, were in the room with Madam Bai, and there was also a two-year-old little girl whose appearance was quite similar to Madam Bai.

However, her eyebrows were exactly like a replica of Marquis Gu Gu Yankai's.

"Sister, these are things brought back by the merchant ships that returned to the port last year. Father said that many of them are gadgets rarely seen in our Great Zhou, so I invited sister to come and see."

"We are all women of the inner chambers; in terms of vision, I am not as good as you. My maternal home in Bianjing is also a small family."

Gu Tingyu and Gu Tingye were both boys and not very young, so they were not with the women,

but were playing pitch-pot in the courtyard with the three Xu Zaiduan brothers.

Just as they were playing happily, Gu Tingye's servant Zhique came to the courtyard and said: "Brother Ye, the Bai family Master has sent several pots of flowers rarely seen in the Great Zhou again."

"Ah? Quickly move them over."

Soon, servants moved six flower pots into the courtyard.

Three were moved into Madam Bai's room.

Three remained in the courtyard,

inside were flowers that Xu Zaijing and the others had never seen.

Xu Zaijing looked at one of the plants called a flower and showed joy on his face.

Gu Tingyu saw Xu Zaijing's expression and asked: "Jingge'er, do you like this pot of flowers?"

Xu Zaijing looked at Gu Tingyu and said: "Yes, this is the first time I've seen such a flower." (Parentheses, this lifetime.)

"According to books, this is 'White Fold', also known as 'Weaving Shell', mostly planted in the Northwest frontier of the previous dynasty; nowadays it is north of the Bai Gao Kingdom. I heard from a guest under the Fifth Uncle's gate that there is a large island in the Southern frontier of the Great Zhou, and there are many such flowers on the island."

Xu Zaijing: "... Brother Yu is truly learned."

At the same time, he secretly thought: "I thought I was the first to discover this cotton."

Gu Tingyu smiled shyly.

"Brother Yu, I wonder if anyone has used this flower for weaving?"

"I haven't heard of it, but I see that the flower is quite tight, perhaps it can be used for weaving."

Gu Tingye on the side said: "Jingge'er, do you like this flower? Then I will ask my maternal grandfather to send you a few more pots."

"Good, then I will thank Brother Ye here."

"Let's go, let's continue looking; maternal grandfather also sent quite a few other things."

Xu Zaijing and his brothers followed Gu Tingye into the room.

Only to see quite a few things placed on the table, including large ivory, exquisite hawksbill, smooth rhinoceros horn, and southern pearls strung into necklaces.

Xu Zaiduan and the others, although they were in a somewhat declined Marquis Prefecture, were not yet drooling over these things.

At most, they were just curious and wanted to broaden their horizons.

After a sigh, Xu Zaijing and the others walked out of the room.

In the courtyard, there were servants holding brooms sweeping the floor.

Seeing several distinguished guests, the servants stood on the side and did not continue sweeping, fearing that dust would rise and disturb the guests.

Several people continued walking, and inadvertently glancing over, they discovered several yellow and white particles on the ground.

When they walked closer, Xu Zaijing discovered that these things were more and more like the seeds of a plant from his previous life.

Stopping his steps, squatting down, Xu Zaijing suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Sensing Xu Zaijing's action, Gu Tingyu on the side turned to look.

"Jingge'er?"

Xu Zaijing picked up the seeds stained with dust, his gaze looking at the servant somewhat frighteningly: "Where did this come from?"

The servant looked at Xu Zaijing's somewhat frightening gaze, hurriedly bowed in panic and said,

"Returning to Young Master, it, it, it was just when moving the exotic flowers, a box tilted, and these things fell out from inside."

"Jingge'er, what's wrong?"

Xu Zaijing's thoughts turned rapidly: "Nothing, I see these little things are yellow and white, quite good-looking; I wonder if there are more?"

"What's difficult about that? Zhique, you go ask."

Xu Zaijing carefully picked up these few seeds and put them into his palm.

"Corn! Corn that can grow food on barren land in the previous life! Corn leaves and skin can feed cattle and sheep, and stalks and corn cobs can also be used as firewood."

Xu Zaijing opened his palm holding these few seeds and said to Gu Tingyu beside him:

"Brother Yu, I wonder what kind of thing will grow if these seeds are buried in the soil."

"I haven't seen such seeds in books."

As they were talking, they returned to the outside of the room where Madam Bai was.

Zhique ran back panting, holding four seeds in his hand and said,

"Young Master, I rummaged through those wooden boxes containing exotic flowers, and there were only these few left."

"If Jingge'er likes them, give them to Jingge'er."

The group played at the Gu family until the Shen hour (3-5 PM) before saying goodbye and leaving.

Sending off the Xu family, Madam Bai and Nanny Chang, accompanied by maids, returned to the inner courtyard.

"Young Lady, why do you think our family Master said we should be closer to the Xu family?"

"I don't know either, but Father has always been wise and in control; now that I think about it, ever since we went to the Xu family for a banquet that day, life has indeed been much smoother."

"This is not the Xu family's credit; Young Lady, you are the Marquis Prefecture's Madam, life should naturally be smooth."

"Then these years, how many noble families have invited me to a banquet? How many have responded to my invitations? Even the sister-in-law from the Yang family has come a few times?"

"Young Lady, don't worry; our family Master hasn't always been in Bianjing; he will definitely plan for you."

"Father is already at this age, and there are businesses in Yang Zhou to worry about; how can I let him worry so much."

The Gu family side will not be mentioned for now.

In the capital, the Bai family,

Bai Shi family Master sat on the chair at the head,

listening to the report of his own servant in the Marquis Prefecture.

Beside the Bai family Master Bai Wanshu was that Daoist surnamed Yuan, and below was a strong, black-faced man.

After the servant finished reporting, Bai Wanshu waved his hand to let him retreat.

"Ninth Young Master, do you have any impression of the yellow seeds mentioned just now?"

The man below pondered for a long time, as if recalling something.

The two above also did not urge him.

After a quarter of an hour, the man said in a clear voice: "It should be on the southern sea; our large ship once encountered a terrifying storm."

Bai Wanshu didn't speak, continuing to listen,

"That time was truly a desperate situation; the wind was strong and the waves were high; if it weren't for the brothers on the ship risking their lives to protect the mast, our ship would have only been waiting for death."

A look of lingering fear appeared on the man's face; he took a sip of tea and continued,

"At that time, it wasn't just rain in the rain, there were other things; two-foot-long large fish hit the ship like rain."

Daoist Yuan also showed surprise.

"When the wind and waves calmed down, our ship was almost falling apart. Fortunately, the Master prepared quite a few things when we went to sea, otherwise, something would definitely have happened."

Bai Wanshu sat at the head, his eyes also trembling.

Since ancient times, disaster and fortune depend on each other; for a highly auspicious divination, you must first withstand the test before the good fortune arrives.

The ship he used to make his fortune that time had even greater dangers.

The man continued: "At that time, there were quite a few of these yellow seeds mixed among the fish on the deck. Some were washed into the cabin by the rain, and some were swept into the sea by the brothers. Perhaps a few fell into the box."

"What about those pots of exotic flowers?"

Daoist Yuan stroked his beard and said: "This is not considered a rare plant; it is the weaving shell of ancient times, but it is rare to be as soft and tight as the one sent to the Gu family."

Bai Shi family Master tapped his fingers lightly, looked at Daoist Yuan and said: "I wonder what is so special about it."

"Just tell your sister, pay more attention, and send more gold and silver things; these noble families have many long-term farmers."

Bai Shi family Master Bai Wanshu said: "The person for Yang Zhou Assistant Prefect has already been decided."

"Oh?"

"It has some connection with the Xu family; tomorrow that Lord Sheng will come to visit."

"Your sister told you?"

"Correct, listening to her, it should be that the Xu family and the Sheng family are no longer breaking off relations as before."

"That's good, that's good; I am old friends with the Yang Zhou Department Magistrate; with this new friend, Lord Sheng, it should be even better in the future."

(End of chapter)