Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 14 Iced Melon (Seeking Further Reading)

Time is long.

Summer has arrived in the blink of an eye.

The weather was hot, and the sun hung high in the sky like a giant fireball, scorching the earth.

During this period, Xu Chuan took in three more servants, all of whom were young and strong men in their twenties.

They were all refugees.

One of them, Zhou Ming, has management talent.

A quick mind can help handle many trivial matters and mediate disputes.

The other three were all martial arts practitioners, but they came from ordinary families and were busy with miscellaneous matters, so they had not yet opened up the thirty-six acupoints.

However, they all adhered to the bottom line and did not act recklessly by relying on force.

That's why Xu Chuan took a liking to him.

They became the guardians of the Xu family's home, fields, and forests.

If Xu Chuan supplies them with a large amount of medicinal food, qi and blood-nourishing herbs, all three of them have a chance to become third-rate martial artists, or even second-rate martial artists.

Several simple thatched huts appeared around the Xu family's house; these were theirs.

The thatched huts were only for their living.

As for food, they ate together with Xu Chuan and the others in the Xu family courtyard.

"Brother Chuan, the watermelons in the melon patch are all ripe. When are we going to pick them?"

Chen Ergou rushed to the Xu family's house, his expression a mixture of excitement and agitation.

After all, this was his first time seriously doing business.

"I went to check this morning. We can pick them tomorrow and sell them in the surrounding villages the day after tomorrow."

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Let Zhao Dalong, Sun Fugui and Qian Youcai go together. They have some martial arts skills, so dealing with a dozen or so adult men won't be a problem."

"Well, that way, I won't have to go looking for my brother."

"After all, I don't want to see his sullen face that looks down on everyone."

"Second Uncle Gou".

Xu Mingyuan came out of the room and greeted him with a smile.

Chen Ergou stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, saying cheerfully, "Ah Yuan, are you excited to go with Uncle Ergou to sell melons in the surrounding villages the day after tomorrow?"

"Uncle Er Gou, you're just getting excited. It's just selling melons, not some huge business."

Xu Mingyuan said calmly.

"Hey, how dare you talk to your Uncle Er Gou like that? I think you're asking for a beating."

Chen Ergou pretended to raise his hand, but Xu Mingyuan was not afraid at all.

He could tell at a glance whether it was a joke or not.

No matter what, Chen Ergou would not teach him a lesson in front of Xu Chuan.

The day after tomorrow.

Xu Mingyuan and Chen Ergou set off.

Bai Jing's face was full of worry, and her eyes showed some reluctance.

After all, Xu Mingyuan was only seven years old and was going on a long trip that would last for several days.

The child travels thousands of miles and the mother is worried.

Xu Chuan sighed inwardly, took Bai Jing's hand, and comforted her, "With Er Gou and Da Long here, everything will be alright."

Zhao Dalong cupped his hands in a fist salute to Xu Chuan and said, "Patriarch, rest assured, we will ensure that the Second Young Master is safe and sound and that he returns unharmed."

Xu Mingyuan also said, "Mother, I'm only going out for a few days, I'll be back soon."

"Let's go."

Dozens of cartloads of melons, worth hundreds of taels of silver.

The Xu family accounts for 35% and the Chen family accounts for 65%.

Everyone in Dongxi Village knew that the Xu family grew good melons, so before Chen Ergou and his group even left Dongxi Village, many families bought a few to take back and try.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds were sold.

"Father, I want to eat watermelon."

Feeling the heat, Xu Mingxuan ran over.

Xu Chuan smiled and readily agreed, "Okay, let's wait for Father to help the watermelon cool down first."

He found a large wooden bucket, poured in water, dropped in a white crystal, and then put a watermelon weighing four or five pounds into the bucket.

The watermelon bobbed up and down in the wooden barrel.

Xu Mingxuan put his hand in, then looked at Xu Chuan in surprise, "Father, this water is so cold."

"Right? In half an hour, we can eat chilled watermelon."

"Yay!" Xu Mingxuan ran over to the side to play with Li Zhi.

Li Zhi is no longer as thin as a rake; he has returned to the appearance of a normal three- or four-year-old child.

He was chubby and had a rather handsome face.

Xu Chuan thought for a moment and then put in two smaller watermelons.

Half an hour passed.

He called Xu Mingwei over, pointed to the melons in the bucket, and said, "Shitou, go and give one to Uncle Chen's family and one to your Second Uncle Gou's family."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Mingwei carried two watermelons out the door and soon arrived at Chen Ergou's house. After delivering them, he went to Uncle Chen's house.

"Grandpa Chen, this is a chilled melon my father brought. It's hot in the summer, have some to cool down."

"Iced?" Uncle Chen touched the watermelon and said in surprise, "It really is. Your father is becoming more and more capable."

Xu Mingwei smiled shyly.

"Please thank your father for me."

After Xu Mingwei returned, Xu Chuan, Bai Jing, and Li Er and his son were all watching the drama unfold.

He walked over and casually picked up a slice of watermelon from the table.

Then he sat down next to Xu Chuan and took a bite.

Instantly, pale red liquid splattered.

"So sweet."

Five days later.

The melon-selling team returned.

The trip went very smoothly; all the melons were sold, totaling over three hundred taels.

Chen Ergou's family.

When Xu Yan saw the nearly one hundred taels of silver that Chen Ergou had brought back, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.

The silver and copper coins were counted several times.

This is just the money from selling watermelons. There are also other seasonal watermelons, which can bring in a couple hundred taels of silver.

As for the thirty acres of mountain forest fruit trees, the earliest harvest will be next year or the year after.

All together, it should be worth at least three or four hundred taels.

"Wife, let me tell you, our melons are selling very well. In other places, as soon as people hear that they are grown by Brother Chuan, they basically don't even bother to haggle."

Chen Ergou leisurely took a sip of tea, a smug smile on his face.

"That's great, then you can raise the price next time."

“No, I mentioned it, but A Yuan rejected it. He said that this melon is already more expensive than usual and can make a lot of profit, so there is no need to ruin the reputation because of it.”

"Moreover, he also gave gifts to those who bought more than five at a time."

What gift?

"It seems to be some kind of stone or something that, when placed in water, can lower the temperature and make chilled watermelon."

"So that's how the chilled watermelon that Shi Tou brought last time came about."

Xu Yan was quite surprised. She felt that there were many business opportunities in this stone, especially in the summer, when it should sell very well.

"Do you want to know where that stone came from?"

"I asked, but A-Yuan didn't know either. It was given to him by Brother Chuan, and there weren't many of them."

Chen Ergou rolled his eyes and stretched out his legs on the bench.

"Wife, now you see what your husband is capable of, don't you? Come and massage my shoulders and legs, I've been so tired these past few days."

Chen Ergou wanted to assert his authority as a husband.

Xu Yan glanced at him, letting him figure it out for himself.

Chen Ergou was exhausted.

This bitch!
They've made money and still treat me like this? They're really difficult to deal with!
"By the way, we're having dinner at Brother Chuan's place tonight to celebrate our success on this trip."

night.

Xu Yan naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass, and asked about the origin of the white stone.

Xu Chuan only said that he found it by chance in the mountains and forests and unexpectedly discovered its usefulness.

This is not cheating.

However, after some investigation and research, he discovered a saltpeter mine nearby.

We simply don't have the capability to mine it yet, so we have to put it on hold for now.

Most importantly, that area was an unclaimed forest, which, strictly speaking, belonged to the Qingjiang County government.

(End of this chapter)