"Little sister, brother-in-law."
Arriving at South Mountain Courtyard, Yang Shichang saw Xu Mingwei accompanying Yang Ronghua on a walk. Yang Ronghua held an infant wrapped in silk cloth in her arms.
Both wore smiles on their faces as they played with the baby.
Seeing this scene, Yang Shichang's heart completely settled.
"Brother, you've come!"
Seeing her own brother, Yang Ronghua immediately wept tears of joy.
Coming to his side, Xu Mingwei cupped his hands, "Brother-in-law."
"Come, let me see my eldest nephew."
Yang Shichang took Xu Dezhao from Yang Ronghua's hands and smiled as he played with him endlessly.
"Call me uncle, quickly, call me uncle."
"Not crying or making a fuss, he's a bold one."
Yang Shichang laughed heartily and returned him to Yang Ronghua, saying, "His name is the same as Father's. The old man was also very happy."
"Dezhao, is there any special meaning?"
"A gentleman values virtue, with character shining bright. Husband chose it."
"Mm." Yang Shichang nodded and walked alongside the two. "I brought a bloodline stone to test Yang family bloodlines. As for martial arts texts, the others are negotiable, but our clan's inherited martial arts are almost never transmitted outside."
"Father's intention is that if Zhao'er's bloodline is rich, he'll naturally petition the family."
"It should naturally be so," Xu Mingwei said.
They went to Xu Mingwei's study, where Yang Shichang began testing the bloodline.
It also involved dripping blood.
Xu Dezhao was pricked with a needle and immediately burst into loud wails. Yang Ronghua hurried to the side to comfort him continuously.
The pigeon-egg-sized bloodline stone immediately lit up with pure red light.
Joy appeared on Yang Shichang's face. "He truly inherited my Yang family's martial bloodline, and it's very pure, far exceeding mine."
"With this bloodline, just through his own cultivation, he'll definitely become innate. If fully cultivated, reaching grandmaster is no problem, and there's even a thirty percent chance of reaching grandmaster perfection."
"If my Yang family could produce such a brilliant child, Father would probably smile from ear to ear."
"Zhao'er also has Yang family blood, so naturally he's also part of the Yang family."
"Haha, exactly, exactly. This older brother was narrow-minded."
Yang Ronghua smiled and looked over. "As expected, having older brother make this trip was the right choice. This way, Zhao'er's talent won't be buried."
"Then I'll return to the commandery city this afternoon to tell Father this good news."
"So soon? Brother-in-law rushed here for Zhao'er's sake, yet our Xu family hasn't even properly hosted you."
"Just treat me to a meal of wine at noon. I really miss your Qianjin Workshop's wine."
Yang Shichang patted Xu Mingwei's shoulder. "Everything your Xu family produces is excellent. Even in the commandery city, such things are rare."
"Similar items, when placed in the commandery city, have their prices doubled or more. I really do miss your fine wine and delicacies."
"Oh right, does your Xu family currently have any intention of developing toward the commandery city?"
"With Zhao'er having such talent, with my father vouching for you, my Yang family should lend a helping hand to assist your Xu family in establishing roots in the commandery city."
Xu Mingwei wouldn't say everything. He smiled and said, "Commercial matters are all managed by my second brother. Even my father rarely inquires."
"However, from my observations, there shouldn't be such intentions for the next year or two."
"After all, our Xu family hasn't yet completely solidified our foundation even in Qingjiang County."
"Haha, brother-in-law is truly modest. Even if your Xu family isn't counted as Qingjiang's foremost aristocratic family, you surely rank among the top, right?"
Xu Mingwei smiled without speaking, not responding directly. Instead, he said, "Since brother-in-law likes our Xu family's items, when you return this afternoon, take some perfume for mother-in-law, and leave the fine wine for brother-in-law and father-in-law."
"Oh right, if sister-in-law is pregnant, remember not to let her use it, or it will affect the fetus."
"Then I thank brother-in-law." Yang Shichang said, "By the way, brother-in-law, let's spar. This older brother has now reached peak Postnatal realm, only one step away from innate martial artist."
"After tempering for two or three years, I can definitely step into it in one go."
"This speed is quite a bit faster than when my father was young."
Yang Ronghua's lips slightly pursed. She didn't say much, just stood in the courtyard corridor, quietly watching the two spar, with a maid attending her.
Xu Mingwei accompanied Yang Shichang in a match but after it ended, Yang Shichang was drenched in sweat, his pupils contracting irregularly, while Xu Mingwei showed little change.
"That was truly exhilarating!"
"Yes." Xu Mingwei echoed.
"Something's wrong." Yang Shichang quickly noticed something amiss. "Your breathing isn't disordered at all."
"You couldn't have broken through to innate, could you?"
"I remember you reached peak Postnatal less than two years ago. To sense the power of heaven and earth and draw qi into the body on your own is incredibly difficult."
"Even with the help of Qi-Drawing Pills, it takes half a year to over a year before it's possible."
Yang Shichang's eyes were full of disbelief.
At this moment, Yang Ronghua walked over, handed him a towel, and said with a light smile, "Brother, my husband stepped into innate over half a year ago."
"And because the Xu family was opening a martial hall and was targeted by Qingjiang County's three major martial halls, during the opening, he single-handedly defeated the hall master of Black Wind Martial Hall."
"Hall Master Black Wind?!" Yang Shichang's heart trembled again. "That Hall Master Wang who's over sixty?"
"He's been innate for more than ten years. You actually defeated him?"
He circled around Xu Mingwei, finally sighing and giving a thumbs up, "This older brother has to admire your talent."
"Perhaps the reason Zhao'er's Yang family bloodline is so pure is also because he's your son."
"By the way, I've been here for so long without paying respects to your father. That's truly rude of me. Brother-in-law, take me to pay my respects."
"Alright."
In the afternoon, Yang Shichang rode horse back to the commandery city.
The things he needed to take had all been prepared, but since he was riding horse, he couldn't bring much.
"Little sister, brother-in-law, if you have time to come to Yuehu commandery city, this older brother will definitely host you well."
Yang Ronghua had followed Yang Zhao and his wife to Qingjiang County shortly after birth and had no impression whatsoever of the commandery city.
She watched Yang Shichang's figure disappear over the horizon before lowering her head to wipe her tears.
Xu Mingwei drew her into his embrace. "Don't worry, when we have the chance, we'll definitely go to the commandery city to visit brother-in-law, father-in-law, and mother-in-law."
"It won't be too long."
He well knew his father's ambitions. Qingjiang County would ultimately be unable to contain the Xu family, this hidden dragon.
…
In the blink of an eye, it was May.
To this day, it hadn't rained for three months.
The weather was also exceptionally hot. The water in the rice paddies had almost dried up. Even the river water levels had dropped dramatically, unable to divert water to irrigate the paddies.
Many common people wailed because their rice had died.
For them, these were the fundamental basis of survival.
The Xu family had over five hundred mu of rice paddies, over three hundred mu of farmland, and also over three hundred mu of mountain forests. Naturally, they were also affected but because they responded promptly, it was still within acceptable range.
In the past month, vegetable, fruit, and grain prices in Qingjiang County had risen again and again.
Some common people in Dongxi Village, seeing they couldn't survive, simply sold their rice paddies and farmland to the Xu family and became Xu family tenant farmers.
Currently, only the Xu family household could afford to take on people.
The Xu family had been declining continuously these years. Many servants and maids in the residence had been dismissed, let alone tenant farmers.
At Questioning Heart Courtyard, in Xu Chuan's study, the two brothers Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were both present.
"Father, recently our family has already acquired over four hundred mu of rice paddies, over three hundred mu of farmland, and over two hundred mu of mountain forests. Although due to the great drought, the prices aren't even half of what they originally were, Heaven won't rain. The drought will only grow more severe. We don't know when it will end. We can't keep buying like this, can we?"
Furrows appeared between Xu Mingwei's brows, faintly carrying worry.
Xu Mingyuan stood to the side, his expression equally grave.
"They're all neighbors from the same village. If we don't help at this time, they might all become beggars or even starve to death."
"Is Father gathering popular support?"
Xu Mingyuan's eyelids lightly lowered, then he looked up at Xu Chuan.