Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 44 Asking for Help at Night
Wu Chengjian stayed on the Huacha until it was almost sunset, then left and went ashore in a small boat.
Usually, Tietou Junba was at the helm himself. This time, without this number one thug, the boat seemed to be having trouble sailing. The rudder broke during the journey, and the boatman hurried to repair it. Wu Chengjian said, "It's really like a leaky roof and a rainy night. I've been unlucky lately, and everything has gone wrong. Fortunately, the bottom of this boat is not broken."
Wu Qi said, "Third Young Master, didn't you say at the Business Protection Conference that you went to pray to Mazu, and Mazu will ensure that everything goes smoothly for you this month?"
“That’s a car cannon."Others can't hear it, but you can't hear it? It's been a long time since I went to worship Mazu."
Wu Qi said: "Maybe it's because you haven't worshipped Mazu for a long time, and you talked nonsense at the business protection meeting, so Mazu punished you."
Wu Chengjian slapped himself twice and said, "That's right, that's right! Go back and prepare some incense, candles and three animals for me. I will go to the Tianhou Temple to burn incense and beg for mercy tomorrow."
The rudder was not a big problem. After it was repaired, we moved it towards the shore. But we were delayed for so long that it was already dark when we landed.
Wu Qi suddenly said, "Third Master, this time the rudder just happened to be broken. We must be careful next time. Without Junba, if someone wants to mess with us and drills a hole through the boat, we will all be finished."
"Stop it!" Wu Chengjian said, "You can say more nice things, but swallow these unlucky words!"
Because of Lao Zhou's greeting, there were no more problems on the way back to Xiguan. Wu Chengjian sighed in the car and said, "The most chivalrous ones are butchers. The Pan family always said that they were related to our Wu family by blood, but since our Wu family got into trouble, the Pan family ignored us. The Ye family arranged a marriage with my old man, and that was my father-in-law's family, but as soon as something happened, the Ye family betrayed me. The group of drinking and eating friends who used to have fun in Shenxianzhou are now gone. But Lao Zhou, Junba, Tankaer and the others still remember my kindness."
Wu Qi said: "That is also the good deeds that Third Young Master has accumulated in the past."
Wu Chengjian said: "Although I have spent money and helped them, the money I spent on them is not even a fraction of what I spent on the second-generation rich."
Wu Qi said: "But those second-generation rich kids never spent even a fraction of your money on these poor people. Even if they occasionally gave them tips, it was like giving alms to beggars. They did good deeds without any good intentions, and those poor people knew it well."
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "That makes sense, that makes sense, they are all idiots. Compared with them, I, the Third Young Master, immediately become wise."
I chatted with Wu Qi about random things along the way, and my mood improved a lot.
During this period, Wu Chengjian was ordered to take charge of the family and Yihe Bank. Facing the open and covert attacks from the official and business circles, he had to rack his brains to fight back. It was really tiring and painful, and it ran counter to his intention of being a second-generation rich man for life.
He suddenly remembered that he burst into tears for no reason after learning that his elder brother was seriously ill. Was it because he was sad about his elder brother's illness, or because his good days were gone forever?
He thought about it, but couldn't come up with an answer for a while - he really cared about his elder brother from the bottom of his heart, but his own carefree life was also important, probably... it was both...
"Alas, Wu Qi, if you have to take care of this family, I, the Third Young Master, won't have many good days in the future. Even if I survive this disaster, the abacus... the account book... am I really going to be trapped in these things for the rest of my life?"
If it was Master Chuan Longci, he would definitely say, "Third Young Master, just be content. Many people can't hope to live a life as wealthy and prosperous as yours."
Wu Qi said, "Third Young Master, didn't you say a few days ago that there's nothing fun to do recently?"
Wu Chengjian said: "Yes, so what?"
Wu Qi said: "Then why don't you treat these trivial matters as another kind of fun, isn't it?"
Wu Chengjian was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: "That makes sense, that makes sense! Fighting with others is also endless fun - that makes sense, that makes sense! Come on, Lao Cai, come on, Jishan, and Heshen, and... and you, the upright people who don't treat businessmen as human beings, let's have some fun!"
After giving himself a reason to keep moving forward, Wu Chengjian felt much better. He felt that the wheels were rolling faster along the way, and soon he returned to the Wu mansion.
It was late at night, and after entering the door, I saw a group of people holding shovels and other things heading to the right courtyard. Wu Chengjian asked: "What's going on? What are you doing?"
"Third Young Master, the eldest young lady asked us to remove the pear tree in the right yard."
Wu Chengjian was stunned: "Why are you chopping down the pear tree for no reason?"
"We don't know either. It was the eldest young lady who ordered it."
"Wait a minute, I'll go ask."
He went to the right courtyard first, but the eldest sister-in-law and Lianqiao were not there. He asked Bitao, and Bitao started crying: "I don't know what happened to the eldest young lady. She stood in front of the pear tree in the courtyard for a long time in the afternoon, and suddenly tears started to fall. Then she suddenly asked us to find someone to shovel the tree. We didn't dare to ask more questions at that time, let alone report to the master."
Wu Chengjian looked at the pear tree for a long time, and suddenly seemed to understand something.
The mason who came in asked, "Third Master, do you want to shovel this tree?"
Wu Chengjian waved his hand: "No, no."
Bi Tao called out, "Third Master."
Wu Chengjian said, "If sister-in-law asks later, just tell her that it was me who said so. Don't dig it up! This tree was planted by me personally after my elder brother gave his approval. I, Wu Chengjian, planted it, so I can keep it alive!"
Cai Qiaozhu was no longer at home at this time. She took advantage of the night, got into a sedan chair, and quietly crossed half the street and entered the side door of the Cai family mansion.
Lian Qiao stepped forward and informed the doorman, who said, "Please wait for a moment, Madam Wu. I will go see if the master and his wife are here first."
Wu Liu next to him interrupted him and said, "Mr. Cai just went home an incense stick ago, right?"
The doorman felt a little embarrassed. Wu Liu had been standing across the street since this afternoon. He had also noticed that although Mr. Cai came back late today, the sedan chair of the eldest lady of the Wu family arrived not long after. He was watching closely.
The doorman said, "I'm back, but it's late now, and the master and mistress have already gone to bed."
Wu Liu thought that he had only spoken a few words since entering the room, how could he have fallen asleep, but Lian Qiao had already interrupted him - Wu Liu's words were a bit rude, but he wanted to leave the doorman with no room for excuses, but if he was more serious, it would be too much.
Lian Qiao said, "It's not too late now. We live close to each other. As your niece, I'd like to take advantage of the moonlight to visit my uncle and aunt. Please let them know."
The concierge knew that at this time of year, how could he be visiting relatives? He wanted to refuse, but he felt it would be impolite - the Wu family might lose power, but not tonight. Yihehang's head mistress should treat him as a junior and ask for an audience through the side door. If he, a concierge, dismissed him, it would be impolite for Wanbaohang.
The alley outside the side door was small, and a sedan chair stuck in it would block all entry and exit. I wonder how many eyes of the neighbors were secretly watching through the crack of the door.
The doorman had no choice but to report back.
Lian Qiao got angry first. No matter whether Mr. Cai would meet her in the end or not, he should first welcome the sedan chair into the yard as the proper etiquette. In the past few years, the two families had visited each other and Mr. Cai had always said in public that Cai Qiaozhu was his half-daughter. It was so disheartening to treat her like this tonight.
They were connected as master and servant, and Cai Qiaozhu knew what was on Lian Qiao's mind in a split second. She reached out and patted Lian Qiao's back to comfort her. Now was an extraordinary period, and she had to endure any humiliation she encountered.
After a meal, a steward came out with two male servants and two maids and said, "It's windy outside. Hurry and bring Madam Wu in."
The sedan chair was carried in, and the maid used a lantern to light the way: "Mrs. Wu, be careful."
Lian Qiao helped Cai Qiaozhu out. Cai Qiaozhu was sad and helpless under the pear tree, but she didn't show any worry on her face. She was dignified and steady. The housekeeper and the maid of the Cai family secretly admired her: "She is worthy of being a girl from our Cai family. She is so calm at this time."
After paying respects to her uncle and aunt, Cai Qiaozhu followed the steward's lead and went straight into the inner house. Cai Zongshang was sitting on a chair in the back hall, with a piece of clothing draped over his shoulders, as if he had really gone to bed and woke up again. The Cai family lived frugally in some aspects , and only two oil lamps were lit in the huge back hall. The flickering lights made the whole environment dark, just like Cai Zongshang's face.
Cai Qiaozhu stepped forward to greet him: "Uncle!"
Mr. Cai quickly helped him up: "It's not a big day, just visiting, no need to be polite."
A maid helped Cai Qiaozhu sit down on the side of the ground, and the maid brought her tea. Cai Zongshang asked, "Why are you here so late at night? It's autumn now, be careful of the strong wind at night."
Cai Qiaozhu said: "Uncle Lao is concerned about my niece's body, and I will remember it in my heart."
"Why are you being so polite?" Mr. Cai said, "Although your father and I are cousins, we are almost brothers. How are your parents doing these days? I haven't seen them for half a month."
Cai Qiaozhu said: "My parents are still in good health and strong. The last time they came back, they almost left their niece behind."
Mr. Cai frowned and ignored the remark.
Cai Qiaozhu knew that the other party would not take the initiative to bring up business tonight, so she had to do it herself: "My niece shouldn't have broken into your house at night, but your uncle is busy outside, and your niece is a woman, and it's not convenient for me to go outside to find your uncle, so I had to wait for your uncle to come home, so I shamelessly broke into your house, please don't mind, uncle."
Mr. Cai raised his hand and said, "We are all family, all with the surname Cai, so why should we be surprised?"
Cai Qiaozhu said: "Chengjun also came with his niece to visit uncle, and uncle still acknowledges me as his niece. I wonder if he will also acknowledge Chengjun as his niece-in-law?"
