Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 57 Heart-to-heart talk
The General's Mansion delivered the silver and land deeds as promised. After receiving them, Zhu Shenzhu immediately divided the agreed shares among the three of them.

Seeing the huge sum of silver in their hands, the three were ecstatic, especially Zhu Minyu, who was so excited that he shed tears while holding the silver and the land deed.

After so many years of suffering, there is finally hope. With this money, life at home will get better all of a sudden. The other two were the same. Zhu Qiuqi was laughing so hard that he couldn't even close his mouth.

According to Zhu Qiuqi's suggestion, we must have a good drink today and have fun together. However, Zhu Shenzhu refused, saying that the New Year is coming soon and he has things to do at home. There is a long time to come, so there is no need to drink this wine today.

He also reminded them that although the money was not small, it would eventually run out. It would be better to use the money to invest in some industries, buy a few acres of land, or even lend it out, rather than living off the money.

The three of them smiled and said that they knew what was going on, and asked Zhu Shenzhui to rest assured. Zhu Minfeng and Zhu Minyu were fine, and Zhu Shenzhui was quite relieved, but Zhu Qiuqi was a man who spent money recklessly. Zhu Shenzhui winked at Zhu Minfeng, signaling him to keep an eye on his nephew and not let him waste the money easily. Zhu Minfeng nodded in understanding.

After the breakup, Zhu Shenzhui did not go home. Seeing that it was still early, he went straight to Kang's tofu workshop.

When we got there, we saw that Kang's tofu workshop was doing good business, with many customers coming and going.

Although the business was affected a little by the incident before, with the passage of time, Kang's tofu workshop business has slowly recovered a lot. In addition, now that the Chinese New Year is approaching, more people are buying tofu than before. It seems that the previous impact has almost faded.

After standing at the door for a while, Kang Youfu, who was busy inside, looked up inadvertently and saw Zhu Shencui outside the door. His face immediately lit up when he saw him coming. Kang Youfu was about to put down the work in his hands to greet Zhu Shencui, but saw Zhu Shencui shaking his head at him, and at the same time stretched out his hand and pointed in a direction. Kang Youfu immediately understood and nodded.

It was still the same teahouse where he had tea last time. Zhu Shenzhui entered the teahouse and went up to the private room on the second floor. He ordered a pot of tea and sat down. He drank the tea and waited patiently. Not long after, Kang Youfu arrived.

"Have you finished serving the customers in the store?"

"The workshop in the back has been closed at this time, so I asked the second brother to go to the front to replace me. Now I have time to come and see you, Sixth Master." Kang Youfu said with a smile.

Zhu Shenzhui was also happy when he heard this, nodded, and poured a cup of tea for Kang Youfu: "Is your Kang family's shop doing good business these days?"

"Thanks to you, Sixth Master, the business in the shop has indeed recovered a lot." Kang Youfu said, straightened his face, and knelt down in front of Zhu Shenzhui: "Sixth Master, your great kindness and virtue are beyond my ability to repay you. I kowtow to you..."

"Get up, get up. This is a teahouse. It's not good for people to see us." Zhu Shenzhui hurriedly advised.

But even so, Kang Youfu still kowtowed three times to Zhu Shenzhui respectfully before standing up.

“Sit… sit…” Zhu Shenzhui shook his head in reproach and pointed to a chair beside him and asked Kang Youfu to sit down and talk.

Kang Youfu sat down and looked at Zhu Shencui with admiration and gratitude. Zhu Shencui had told him before that revenge was not difficult. At that time, Kang Youfu was still skeptical. After all, the Liu family was not an ordinary family, especially the head of the Liu family, Liu Shancheng, who was a local resident in Pingyang City and had many connections in the business and official circles. How easy would it be to bring down the Liu family?
But Kang Youfu never expected that Zhu Shenzhui would defeat the Liu family with just a few moves. In the blink of an eye, the huge Liu family became a thing of the past. Liu Shancheng had "committed suicide out of fear of crime" in prison. Not only him, but also the second and third branches of the Liu family and even the entire Liu family suffered no benefits. Except for a few people, the entire Liu family was implicated.

The Liu family was finished, and the head of the village, Liu Qi, who had framed the Kang family, was not much better off. Just a few days ago, Liu Qi was also involved in the Liu family's affairs and was arrested. After inquiring, Liu Qi's crime was not a small one. Although it was not punishable by death, he was definitely sentenced to exile.

In this way, the Kang family's revenge was avenged, and Kang Youfu was relieved. All this was thanks to Zhu Shencui. If Zhu Shencui hadn't helped the Kang family, this revenge would probably never be avenged in their lifetime.

Zhu Shenzui had saved the Kang family before, which had made Kang Youfu very grateful. This time, he even avenged the Kang family. In Kang Youfu's heart, even if Zhu Shenzui asked him to go through fire and water, he would never frown.

"There is no need to talk about the Liu family's affairs anymore. You reap what you sow. Everything is predetermined. The Liu family brought this upon themselves." Zhu Shenzhui said this calmly while drinking tea. He then took out thirty taels of silver from his bosom and placed them in front of Kang Youfu, telling him that this was the claim he had made for the Kang family after the Liu family's downfall. It was also the compensation that Liu Shancheng had almost cheated the Kang family by helping Liu Qi.

Seeing this, Kang Youfu's eyes suddenly turned red, and he was inexplicably moved. Although thirty taels of silver was not a small amount, although their Kang family was a businessman, they could not earn this much money in two or three months of business. Now Zhu Shenzhu not only helped him to avenge his revenge, but also got back the compensation for their Kang family. Such a kindness was simply unrequited. If he accepted this silver, would he still be considered a human being?

Kang Youfu immediately shook his head and refused to accept the silver, no matter how Zhu Shencui persuaded him. Seeing his determination, Zhu Shencui had no choice but to give up and take the silver back.

"It's almost the New Year, how is your father's health?"

"Thank you for your concern, Sixth Master. After what happened last time, his body has become much weaker, but he has been taking medicine these days and is getting better."

"How's the business in the shop? Can you handle it?"

"It's okay. Actually my father planned to let my younger brothers take over the family business two years ago. My second younger brother is an expert at making tofu. My father even said that he is better at making tofu than him. The workshop at the back is managed by my second younger brother. Although it's busy, he can handle it." Kang Youfu smiled when talking about family matters.

Zhu Shenzhu praised it and said that it was not bad. The old man was old and it was time for him to enjoy his life. Since the two brothers could carry on the family business, there was no problem. However, the old man was still alive and the brothers had not separated. But once the old man was gone, the family business could not be managed by the two brothers together, right? No matter how good the relationship between brothers was, there had to be a distinction between the primary and the secondary. Didn't the old man consider this?
Hearing Zhu Shenzhui's question, Kang Youfu sighed and told Zhu Shenzhui frankly that what he said was correct. In fact, after the last incident, his father Kang Tai had already talked to the two brothers privately. According to Kang Tai's idea, the foundation of a tofu workshop is making tofu, and the skill of making tofu is the foundation of their Kang family's survival.

When it comes to this, it has to be Kang Youlu.

However, Kang Youfu is the eldest brother, and the efforts he has made in his own shop over the years are obvious to all. Kang Tai has no prejudice against the two brothers. They are all flesh and blood, and whether the eldest or the second brother takes over the family business, it is their own business.

But no matter what, as Zhu Shenzhui said, even if they are a family, they still have to distinguish between the primary and the secondary, and Kang Youfu knows this. So Kang Youfu has privately promised his father Kang Tai that the family business will be given to his younger brother Kang Youlu in the future. With Kang Youlu's tofu-making skills, he can definitely take on this family business. If it was Kang Youfu, it would be different. When it comes to making tofu, he can't compare to his younger brother.

As for himself, Kang Youfu is confident that he can build a new family business with his experience over the years, so his father Kang Tai does not have to worry about this. In the next few years, he will assist his younger brother Kang Youlu, and then slowly find opportunities to do other things. After hearing what the eldest brother said, Kang Tai felt mixed emotions. He was happy for the eldest brother's understanding, but at the same time he felt guilty for owing the eldest brother.

"Do you really think so?"

"Half and half." Kang Youfu smiled and said, "We have had a good relationship since we were young, and to be honest, my second brother's tofu is really good. If he takes over the family business, the Kang family tofu shop brand will not fall, this is a fact. But then again, it's not entirely true to say that I don't have any knots in my heart, but so what? The younger one is the eldest brother, and my second brother is a taciturn person with a straightforward personality. It will definitely not work if he goes out on his own. As for the younger one, maybe I can give it a try. Even if I can't make it outside, the family business is still there. If I can't make it, my second brother will not disown me as the eldest brother when I return home, right?"

"Hahaha, that makes sense." Zhu Shenzui immediately clapped his hands and laughed. Kang Youfu spoke truthfully, he was indeed a smart man. Many people did not understand what it meant to be willing to give up, but Kang Youfu knew it very well. His choice not only took family affection into consideration, but also left himself a way out. On the surface it seemed that he had suffered a loss, but in fact he had gained an advantage.

(End of this chapter)