Chapter 587: Qing Dynasty Time-Travel Spirit Spring System (38)

"My dear niece, Jiu Shu hasn't treated you badly, has he? All these years, I've sent you your dividends on time, not a single Copper short. When there's a new business venture, why don't you think of your Jiu Shu?"

Xie Yang smiled and said, "I thought that since Jiu Shu is such a fastidious person, you wouldn't be interested in the livestock business."

"How could that be! Jiu Shu is interested in any business that makes money."

The farm was indeed a bit dirty and smelly, but since he didn't have to do the work himself, wouldn't hiring someone suffice?

Jiu Ye sat up straight and said solemnly, "My dear niece, in all seriousness, with the foundation the Li family has, that's the limit of their scale. But Jiu Shu is different; Jiu Shu can help you expand the business across the length and breadth of the country. How about it? Shall you and I, uncle and niece, collaborate once more?"

Xie Yang sighed, "Jiu Shu, it's not that your niece doesn't want to collaborate with you, but the last time I sought a collaboration with you, after Shisi Ye found out, he nagged until my ears ached, saying I was favoring outsiders and not keeping him, his own uncle, in mind when there was a good opportunity..."

"..."

Jiu Ye was so angry that he scolded Lao Shisi, "What favoring outsiders? We were all born to the same father..."

Unexpectedly, Shisi Ye had also come to this restaurant to eat. Seeing Jiu Ye's attendants outside the private room, he knew Jiu Ge was inside, so he boldly lifted the door curtain and walked in.

"Jiu Ge, what bad things are you saying about your younger brother? Oh, my dear niece is here too? Discussing business with Jiu Shu? I don't care, whoever sees it gets a share!"

"..."

"Jiu Ge? Shisi Di? You are here too?" Shi Ye walked up the stairs humming a tune and laughed heartily, "That's great! It's damn cold today, shall we brothers have a drink? I also saw Shisanye outside chatting with Si Ge."

Jiu Ye: "..."

Damn it, the number of people who "see it and get a share" is growing!

In the end, the whole table sat together to discuss the farm collaboration.

Si Ye was purely a passive "whoever sees it gets a share."

However, who wouldn't be happy to have a hand in Lao Jiu's business? At worst, he could save the dividends and leave them all to his daughter in the future.

The other brothers were truly there for the dividends.

You say they are all imperial princes? It is precisely imperial princes who are short of money! After moving out of the palace to establish their own mansions, all expenses must be borne by themselves. Don't look at the generous stipends they receive each year—enough for ordinary commoners to live on for several lifetimes—but they have many people to support: Fujin, Side Fujin, Gege, concubines, legitimate sons and daughters, illegitimate sons and daughters... Besides feeding their families, they also have to support retainers and advisors... Just ask, which of these doesn't cost money?

Since they knew their niece had a Feed Formula that could make poultry and livestock grow strong and fall ill less often, who wouldn't want a piece of the action?

Last time with the Health Pill, they were one step behind Lao Jiu, and in the end, Lao Jiu made a fortune all by himself. This time, they had to secure a share no matter what.

"My dear niece, Shishu doesn't have much money on hand. Is this enough to take a ten percent share?"

Shi Ye immediately took out several silver notes.

This was his last bit of private money, and it had been hard-won, squeezed out from between his fingers.

He looked at Xie Yang with eager eyes:

"If it's really not enough, Shishu will shamelessly go ask your Shi Shen for some."

"Lao Shi, have some shame!"

At this pathetic, worthless display by Lao Shi, the other brothers indicated they couldn't bear to look.

Shisi Ye slapped down a silver note with a face value of Wanyi and said heroically, "I'm investing this much!"

"Whoa! Lao Shisi, did you strike it rich? When did you save up so much private money? Does your Fujin know?"

"Hehe! No need for you brothers to worry about that; my Fujin has always listened to me."

In reality, he had just obtained it from his mother.

He had given his mother some beautiful jewelry he had seized from the enemy, which made her beam with joy, and she had turned around and given him a silver note.

He had only thought of coming out to drink and have some fun, but before the money was even warm, he was using it to invest in a business.

"My dear niece, Shishu is resisting the urge to drink and handing this over to you!"

Shisi Ye reluctantly handed the silver note to Xie Yang.

Seeing this, the other Ye simply agreed to invest Wanyi each.

Those who didn't have enough silver on them sent their servants back to their mansions to fetch it.

In short, the brothers either wouldn't invest, or if they did, they would invest the same amount.

This way, no one would suffer a loss, but no one should think of taking advantage of anyone else either.

After confirming the investment amounts, everyone picked up their pens and signed the contract, and even took out their personal seals to stamp it.

Looking at the signatures at the bottom, each with a different style but all from people who were essentially masters of calligraphy, Xie Yang sighed inwardly: If these were collected and taken to some Modern Plane in the future, couldn't they be auctioned for a high price?

"Why isn't Ba Ge here today?"

After the signatures were finished, Shisi Ye finally remembered Lao Ba, who used to be inseparable from Lao Jiu and Lao Shi.

Shi Ye: "Oh, Ba Ge is accompanying Ba Sao to Hongluo Temple to burn incense today."

Hongluo Temple?

One could tell at once that it was for the purpose of praying for a child.

Lao Ba still hadn't fathered a legitimate son or daughter, so it would be a lie to say he wasn't anxious.

If it were any one of them, they would probably be even more anxious than Lao Ba.

Thus, everyone didn't dwell on this topic but branched off to chat about other things.

Si Ye had business at the Ministry of Revenue and asked his daughter if she was leaving; if so, he would take her back to the mansion on his way.

Just as Xie Yang stood up, she heard Jiu Ye say:

"Si Ge, go ahead and attend to your business. I will send someone to take my niece back later."

He then said to Xie Yang: "There is a novel dessert today, something your Ba Sao came up with. A batch was test-baked yesterday, and the taste is indeed quite good. It is officially on sale today, so stay and have a taste, and take some back for Si Sao and Xiao Si Sao. It doesn't matter if it gets cold; have the kitchen bake it until hot, and it will be just like fresh out of the oven."

Xie Yang sat back down, waiting to taste the novel, unique, and delicious dessert that her Jiu Shu spoke of, which made one want to eat it again and again.

While bored, she cracked melon seeds and listened to her uncles chat.

As she listened, Xie Yang remembered something and asked Shisi Ye: "Shishu, are you accompanying your niece when we head south after the New Year?"

Shisi Ye's face showed a look of hesitation.

He liked fighting, but the days on a military campaign were truly too arduous; how could they compare to the comfort of the mansion?

Shisanye, however, expressed that he wanted to go.

Because he had spoken up for the Crown Prince previously, he had nearly been placed under house arrest; now, remaining in Peking University, he was filled with depression, so it would be better to apply to go to the southwest, and along the way, he could also help Fourth Brother look after his eldest niece.

"Eldest niece, Thirteenth Uncle will go beg Imperial Father right now; as long as Imperial Father permits it, Thirteenth Uncle will accompany you."

Xie Yang nodded.

She had originally wanted to take Fourteenth Uncle away; this person had more courage than strategy, and more often than not, he acted based on a burst of hot-blooded passion, making him very prone to acting impulsively and easily swayed by others. If he remained in Peking University, and he were to have a brain cramp and stir up opposition against her father, Defei would likely be in a very difficult position caught in the middle.

However, since Shisi Ye was unwilling to go to the southwest, Xie Yang did not try to force him.

After thinking for a moment, she changed her approach: "Fourteenth Uncle, then you should rest well at home; once you have rested enough, remember to train the troops more. When your niece returns, how about we organize a grand competition between the male and female soldiers? As the saying goes, troops are not strong without training and skills are not refined without practice; with the pressure of a competition, I believe the male and female regiments will make rapid progress in their training."

"..."