Chapter 9: Xu Mingyuan's Choice

"Will this work? My father's ability..."

Daniu didn't even want to continue.

No good at anything, but number one at eating at home.

No wonder even his uncle looked down on his father a bit.

"My father once said, heaven bestows talents for a purpose. Everyone has what they're good at. One must guide according to their advantages."

"He once told me a story. The protagonist of that story was just like Uncle Ergou, an ordinary person, but later he took the path of commerce. From then on he made his fortune and became a famous wealthy merchant in the southern prefecture city. Even the prefecture magistrate treated him with courtesy."

"What's this story called?"

"Chen Ergou's Extraordinary Life!"

Hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent.

"Go back and tell Uncle Ergou to give up growing green jade pears and work with my father."

"You can hire people to plant, have my father guide them. The melons, fruits, and vegetables grown, our two families can sell together. However, my father's thoughts aren't on commerce, so it will probably be Uncle Ergou who does this."

"As for the profits, I think a seventy-thirty split is appropriate. Seventy for my family, thirty for yours."

"Why seventy-thirty?"

Xu Mingwei suddenly interjected. He was very curious how his younger brother arrived at this ratio.

"Right, since Uncle Chuan and my father are good brothers, why not fifty-fifty, or divide according to how much each family provides?"

Daniu had been attending school for several years and was no longer an ignorant child.

Xu Mingyuan chuckled and began to explain, "First, if Uncle Ergou wants to grow good melons, fruits, and vegetables, if he doesn't hire my father, won't he still need to hire someone skilled in this? Don't you think that would cost money?"

"If you just plant casually, look at which household in Dongxi Village can make money growing melons, fruits, and vegetables. Not losing money would already be quite good, right?"

"Although my father and Uncle Ergou are good brothers, even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Your uncle wouldn't help your family for no reason either, would he?"

"My father is a farmer famous for miles around. Would hiring him be cheap?"

"If it's just occasional guidance, that's fine, but if it's frequent, my father is also very busy."

Xu Mingyuan kept talking while Chen Daniu nodded repeatedly, feeling that what he said made a lot of sense.

"Second, when both families' products are sold together, let's not even mention how yours will turn out eventually. At least my family's melons, fruits, and vegetables have already made a name for themselves. Not only do people in Dongxi Village prefer to buy from my family first, but this is true even for miles around."

"Father told me a term, that is 'brand effect.'"

"Just like some century-old herbal medicine shops and jewelry stores in the county town. If your father and mother go to the county town, wouldn't their first choice be those shops?"

"When many customers frequent them, profits naturally increase."

"If your family sells separately, you can calculate how much you'll end up with."

"Of course, there's another cooperation method, which is to sell separately. The melons, fruits, and vegetables produced from my family's farmland, the income from selling them all goes to us, while your family can similarly use my father's reputation."

"Profits can be thirty-seventy or twenty-eighty."

Xu Mingwei's eyes immediately lit up. This method could be called win-win cooperation.

It helped Uncle Ergou's family while also giving their own family an extra income.

After all, Uncle Ergou's family had quite a few more connections than their own. With Father's guidance, the quality wouldn't be too bad at least. If the scale increased, the annual profit would probably be quite considerable.

Xu Chuan stood at the doorway of the hall. Hearing Xu Mingyuan's views, he was very surprised.

Although he himself had given some guidance, for a seven-year-old child to understand to this degree and think of this type of cooperation method was absolutely exceptional talent.

"Way of Generating Wealth, it seems this talent is destined for him."

Xu Chuan smiled slightly, having also made his decision in his heart.

Chen Fangfang's eyes lit up as she looked at Xu Mingyuan with adoration, "Ahyuan, you're so smart."

"I'll go back right now and tell this idea to my father and mother."

Chen Daniu also immediately went back with Chen Fangfang.

"Ahyuan, come here." Xu Chuan suddenly spoke.

The two turned their heads to look, then said in unison, "Father."

Xu Mingyuan stepped forward and asked curiously, "What is it, Father?"

"That idea just now was quite thoughtful. How did you figure it out?"

"Father also thinks it's good?"

Getting Xu Chuan's approval, Xu Mingyuan was overjoyed. The smile on his face couldn't be stopped.

"Actually, I was just thinking randomly."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly, "What thoughts do you have for the future? Do you like commerce? Or do you want to be like your older brother and walk the martial path, or learn farming from me?"

Xu Mingyuan thought for a moment, "As for the martial path, I studied with big brother before. At first I just thought it was fun, but later I realized it was too hard. I find it difficult to persist daily like him."

"As for farming, I feel I'm not cut out for it."

"If possible, I'd prefer commerce. I quite enjoy counting money."

"Mm, then come with me. Shitou, you guard outside. Don't let anyone come in."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Chuan planned to bestow fate talents upon Xu Mingyuan.

…

At the Chen Ergou family's courtyard.

The husband and wife had already calmed down.

Chen Daniu and Chen Fangfang returned and told Chen Ergou about Xu Mingyuan's idea.

Chen Ergou slapped his thigh, "This is a good method!"

"Following Brother Chuan, I definitely won't suffer a loss."

"Tsk tsk, how is Ahyuan's brain built? Only seven years old, yet he has such ideas. Worthy of being like Brother Chuan. He's had ideas since he was small too."

Xu Yan sneered twice, "Only you, a complete good-for-nothing, would agree without even thinking."

"What's wrong? You wouldn't agree to such a good opportunity?"

"It's all your fault for coveting Brother Chuan's green jade pears before. Three years of manpower and resources invested, and what results? Aren't we left with only half-dead saplings now?"

"Let me tell you, if you're unwilling, let's divide the family assets. I'll follow Brother Chuan on my own, and you can live with your green jade pear trees."

Xu Yan's willow-leaf eyebrows first trembled slightly, then drew together toward the center, forming small wrinkles above the bridge of her nose.

Her brow furrowed slightly.

In just a few years, Xu Chuan had managed the Xu family extremely well, already surpassing Chen Ergou, even showing great momentum in catching up to his father-in-law's family.

After the old man passed away, Chen Ergou wasn't the eldest legitimate son, so at most he would receive a portion of the family assets but following the Xu family, there was real hope for prosperity and wealth. However, her own relationship with Xu Chuan could only be considered average. Even though they called each other cousin, it was only superficial.

Relatives beyond five degrees of kinship weren't as good as close neighbors with whom one had a good relationship.

"Why are you so fierce? Did I say I disagreed?"

Xu Yan's tone and manner obviously softened, speaking gently and softly.

"What I mean is, this is ultimately just children's joking words. In the end, it still requires cousin's agreement to work."

"You should think carefully first, consider the cooperation matters and profit distribution thoroughly, then go have a detailed discussion with cousin. Otherwise you'll be asked and know nothing, only nodding constantly."

"At least you're almost thirty years old. Don't let my cousin look down on you."

"My older brother might look down on me, but Brother Chuan absolutely won't. We grew up together wearing the same split-bottom pants."

Chen Ergou said with certainty, but then changed his tune, "However, what you said is also right, wife."

"Then let me think it over carefully, and go to Brother Chuan's house in a couple days."

At this time, Chen Daniu and Chen Fangfang's stomachs started gurgling.

Xu Yan slapped her forehead, "I was so confused by your father's anger that I forgot to cook. You still have to go to school in the afternoon. Go eat a meal at Uncle Chuan's house first."

"Then I'll go too." Chen Ergou was very thick-skinned.

"Do you have no shame?" Xu Yan's expression immediately changed again, "Is there nothing to eat at home?"

"The children need to go to school. Are you going too?"

"If I can't go then I won't. Just hurry up, I'm hungry."