Dressed as a farmer's widow, she brought her daughter to stock up on food and reached the top

Chapter 410: The Strange Situation in Jizhou

Soon, several people hurried to Xiuying. Mother Yang sat aside, looking at her two granddaughters with loving eyes, her heart filled with satisfaction. These children grew up slowly without her noticing, and she herself was getting older day by day.

Taohua and Shiliu walked up to Mother Yang with smiles on their faces, bowed respectfully, and said in unison, "Grandma."

Then, they turned and walked towards Xiuying, and Taohua called out sweetly, "Mom."

Shi Liu then asked, "Mom, what do you want to talk to us about?" Xiuying looked gentle and waved her hand gently, motioning everyone to sit down.

"Your uncle Qingfeng is not at home now, and mom has encountered a very difficult problem. There is no one to discuss with for the time being, so I want you to help mom make a decision." Xiuying looked at the children and said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Awang thought to himself: Aunt Xiuying doesn't really need help making a decision; she's clearly testing us. However, this is a great opportunity for me. Now is the time to shine. I must seize the opportunity and impress Auntie and everyone else. Only then will Auntie trust me with the Peach Blossom.

Awang tried to keep his face calm and said calmly, "Aunt Xiuying, don't worry. No matter what happened, just tell us."

Xiuying gently picked up the teacup and used the lid to slowly brush away the tea leaves floating on the water. She narrowed her eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and then slowly said, "I've heard some news recently that many shops in Jizhou are in very bad business conditions and are almost unable to continue. Many shop owners are considering selling their shops.

I was just thinking, our village's sweet potato shop has always been doing well, and our family's herbal medicine business is also flourishing. Is it possible to consider opening our business there?"

When Awang heard this question, he thought to himself that this was indeed a test for him. He was the only one among the group whose family was a merchant, and he had been exposed to it since childhood, so he had some understanding of business.

He took a deep breath, calmed down and thought for a while, then said methodically: "Based on my father's many years of business experience, he will definitely not choose to go to Jizhou.

Because there are too many unknowns and variables, the risks are extremely high. If you don't manage it properly, you may lose everything.

Jizhou has no shortage of experienced and shrewd businessmen, and their business skills are no less than ours. If they all fail, then as a foreign businessman, unfamiliar with the place, it will be difficult to gain a foothold there.

Our Chen family does have three jade and jewelry stores in Jizhou, but their current operating conditions are barely enough to sustain daily operations. Further expansion is extremely difficult. Therefore, I think we should proceed with caution and not rush in.

After saying that, Awang looked at Xiuying nervously, only to see Xiuying holding the teacup in her hand calmly, sipping the tea, as if she was not surprised at all by what he said.

Xiuying slowly closed the lid of the teacup and gently placed it on the table. She spoke softly, "The Chen family's business is vast, spanning the length and breadth of Dayan. Losing Jizhou isn't a huge loss. However, for less powerful merchants eager to break through, Jizhou's current situation could present a rare opportunity. Risks and opportunities often coexist; it all depends on whether you have the courage and strategy to seize them."

Xiuying naturally wouldn't act rashly. She had already made a plan in her mind: once Qingfeng returned, she would have him go to Jizhou in person to find out the truth.

After all, that was Liu Guozhong's territory, and things were definitely not as simple as they seemed. Therefore, before understanding the situation, we must not act rashly.

Awang naturally had no idea what Xiuying was thinking. He was just guessing based on his understanding of Xiuying's past behavior.

"Aunt Xiuying, I understand what you mean." Awang stood up excitedly. "It's just like the last time you went to Nanyang Prefecture and bought the sweet potato shop. I've always remembered what you said then: the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish. If we want to grow bigger and stronger, we can't always be timid. We must bravely seize this rare opportunity before us."

Xiuying smiled softly and didn't mention the matter anymore. "Let's wait until Taohua's coming-of-age ceremony is over. Qingfeng should be back by then." After that, she turned to look at Yang's mother, "Mom, it's time for the piglets in the pen to be slaughtered, right?"

Mother Yang nodded, a smile on her face. "Don't worry, Xiuying. The piglets have already been delivered to the families they were destined for. This is the third litter of piglets this year. The lambs born last month are almost ready for slaughter. Your father and I have a clear plan. You don't have to worry about these things."

"Dad and Mom, thank you for your concern." Xiuying's tone was full of gratitude.

Mother Yang feigned anger and said, "Silly girl, we are family. Besides, your father and I don't have much to do, so why would we be so tired? The servants are responsible for gathering grass for the pigs and herding the sheep. We just go over occasionally to give some pointers and advice. It's not a big deal."

Xiuying and Yang's mother were chatting animatedly when Dongmei suddenly walked in quickly, bowed slightly, and said, "Madam, the village chief is here."

"Please come in quickly." Xiuying said quickly.

After a while, the old village chief came in with a smile on his face. "Xiuying, our Shenghui wrote to us, saying that he and Qingfeng are leaving for home together. I estimate that they will be home soon."

Xiuying quickly stood up to greet him, "Old Village Chief, please take a seat. Dongmei, please serve the tea."

Xiuying smiled and slowly sat down on the chair next to the village chief. "We also received Qingfeng's letter, and we feel much more at ease. It's better to come back. The world outside is chaotic, and it's always safer in our hometown. Now our Futian Village is developing better and better, but we lack knowledgeable scholars like Qingfeng and Shenghui. With them around, maybe we can take our village to a higher level."

"Yes, yes, it's good to be back." The village chief quickly agreed.

Xiuying's words made the village chief's heart, which was originally a little lost, suddenly become bright and warm.

Xiuying leaned slightly to the side, her eyes full of inquiry as she asked, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

The village chief paused and said, "I've carefully reviewed the account books Taohua and Shiliu brought, and there's nothing wrong with them. The income and expenditure records for each household are very detailed and clear at a glance. The quarterly payout will be distributed tomorrow, and Shenghui is away, so I'd like to ask you, Taohua, and Shiliu to come and help out. I came here specifically to ask for your opinion."