After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 222 I Have a Good Older Sister

The next day, Madam Du came to visit in person with Du Huan.

Du Huan was no longer as confused as he had been the day before, and Madam Du, having heard Bai Wanqing's words from Du Huan, felt more at ease about the matter.

"Wanqing, Huan'er caused you trouble yesterday, please don't take it to heart," Madam Du explained.

Bai Wanqing smiled and said, "It's only natural. I should appreciate my brother-in-law's kindness."

Seeing that Bai Wanqing understood, Madam Du stopped beating around the bush.

"Wanqing, although the Du family and the Lin family are making a deal this time, Du Wei and Huan'er believe in you from the bottom of their hearts."

Bai Wanqing nodded slightly, "I know about Aunt Du. The Du family isn't ruled by Aunt alone. That's how it should be."

Madam Du knew that Bai Wanqing truly understood, and nodded with satisfaction.

“You understand our hearts,” Madam Du said.

Bai Wanqing and Madam Du chatted for a while longer about everyday matters before Madam Du brought the topic back to the cloth shop business.

"Wanqing, you said yesterday that you had a way to contend with the Fang family. Could you tell me what that way was?"

When they finally got down to business, Du Huan perked up.

Bai Wanqing asked Ruixin to go to her room, bring her a booklet, and then turned to a page and handed it to Madam Du.

"Aunt Du, look at this!"

Madam Du and Du Huan exchanged a glance, then huddled together to examine the drawing in their hands.

Du Huan couldn't figure it out, but Madam Du's eyes widened even more.

"My God, Wanqing, is this thing real?"

"Did you come up with this idea?"

Madam Du was so shocked that she stood up abruptly. She was both surprised and delighted, and for a moment she lost her composure.

Du Huan didn't understand why his aunt was so agitated. He was startled by Madam Du's expression and actions. It was just a weaving picture, why was his aunt reacting so strongly?

Bai Wanqing shook her head. "This drawing wasn't done by me, nor was it my idea."

Madam Du looked slightly disappointed, but she understood the principles of weaving, and with this diagram, it might actually work.
Thinking about this, Madam Du had some questions in her mind. "Wanqing, since you have such a plan, if it is successfully realized, it may be a huge fortune."

"Why don't you keep it for yourself and give it to us instead!"

Du Huan was completely confused. He didn't understand. Wasn't it just a larger loom?

Why did my aunt say it could create enormous wealth?

"I don't need it!" Bai Wanqing said simply, without offering any further explanation.

"Aunt Du, all I can do now is hand over these blueprints to you."

"I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do to help with the rest."

Du Wei shook her head, "Wanqing, if what is depicted in this picture can be realized, then you will have done a great service."

Madam Du stood up and bowed directly to Wanqing. Although Du Huan did not understand the implications, he also bowed.

Bai Wanqing quickly got up and helped Madam Du up.

"Aunt Du, what are you doing!"

Madam Du said with some shame, "Wanqing, it's because the Du family has such narrow-mindedness."

"Just now I thought this was a transaction between our two families based on friendship."

"But now it seems that our Du family has let us down."

Du Huan looked back and forth between his aunt and older sister in confusion. How come it wasn't a transaction anymore? He now felt that he was probably not cut out for business.

There are some things he just can't understand.

"Aunt Du, you're exaggerating."

“This was originally my mother’s notebook. My mother had no interest in developing the cloth shop; her mind was only on medicinal herbs.”

"It is no exaggeration to say that we don't need it."

Du Wei was still moved. She carefully put away the drawings Bai Wanqing had given her and, together with Du Huan, bowed to Bai Wanqing.

This time, Bai Wanqing did not refuse.

After leaving the Lin family home, Madam Du's face was beaming with a smile that she hadn't seen in recent days.

"Auntie, are these blueprints really that important?"

The two sat in the carriage, and Du Huan finally couldn't help but ask.

Du Wei's eyes lit up when she mentioned this, "Silly boy, this time Wanqing has probably given our family a weapon that could make us richer than a country."

Du Huan gasped, "Wealthy enough to rival a nation!"

Du Wei nodded. Looking at her silly nephew, she couldn't help but sigh. She never imagined that this silly boy's persistence would bring such great fortune to the Du family.

She still couldn't understand why Bai Wanqing was so kind to her younger sister, Furong.

"Yes! You silly boy, you really are lucky in your own way!"

Du Huan didn't understand and stared blankly at Madam Du.

Then Madam Du said, "We are all thanks to Furong!"

"She really has a wonderful older sister."

As soon as Madam Du returned to the Du family, she took everyone in the family to study the blueprints.

Although the blueprints were drawn in great detail, they had never seen them before, so it would still take some effort for them to understand them.

As for the Du family's current cloth shops, Madam Du ordered them all to be shut down.

Everyone in Huaizhou City believed that the Du family's cloth shop would not be able to continue operating.

Therefore, the Fang family naturally held the same view.

"Sir, we've already poured a lot of money into this business recently." "Now, shouldn't we raise the price?"

The manager of the Fang family was currently reporting the recent battle results to the patriarch of the Fang family, who was holding an account book.

The patriarch of the Fang family smiled slightly, "It's just a little money, what's there to be sad about?"

“Even if it takes another year or two, I can afford to continue spraying,” said Master Fang.

The shopkeeper naturally knew the Fang family's strength; they were wealthy families from Jiangnan, unlike the small gentry from their northern border region.

"Sir, what do you mean?"

Having been in business for so many years, the Fang family knows best that only a dominant player can make more money.

Isn't that exactly what the Fang family did? They were just a bit more despicable in their methods.

But the Fang family is different. Their current preferential cloth prices will only make the people of Huaizhou City like and admire them from the bottom of their hearts.
Fang Laosan has finally accomplished something great; from now on, he'll be the only one who can bring glory to the Fang family.

"Putting aside what I think, tell me how the Du family is doing!"

The only rival of Fang Family Cloth Shop in Huaizhou City was the Du Family, but the Du Family was far smaller than the Fang Family.

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Sir, all of the Du family's cloth shops are now closed."

"I'm afraid it won't be long before we have to sell it all off."

Upon hearing this, Third Master Fang burst into laughter, "That's right! It was only a matter of time."

"Then let's..." the shopkeeper asked.

“If we continue to sell cloth cheaply, we can take back the Du family’s shop in less than a month.”

"At that time, the cloth business in Huaizhou City will belong to our Fang family."

Master Fang was overjoyed, and the shopkeeper praised him for his wisdom.

Meanwhile, on the trade route of the Northern Dynasty, Lin Yunche and his group had already reached the heart of the Northern Dynasty and chose to stay at an inn outside the city.

"Mr. Yun." Yang Cong brought in some food.

Because of their special identities, everyone gave themselves code names. Now, in the caravan, everyone calls Lin Yunche Mr. Yun.

Lin Yunche immediately let Yang Cong in, "How is it? Is everyone settled in?"

Yang Cong nodded and said, "Everything is fine, don't worry."

“But we’re going into the city first thing tomorrow morning, Mr. Yun. Once we’re in the city, I’m afraid we can only move forward.”

Yang Cong reminded him.

In the past few days, Lin Yunche, following Cao Zhe's instructions, sent people to investigate in Kyoto again.

The news that came back was that no one had ever heard of Lin Sishu, and even Cao Zhe was starting to have doubts about whether Lin Sishu was even in the Northern Dynasty.

Therefore, Yang Cong and Xu Long no longer trusted Cao Zhe and wanted Lin Yunche to go back. They took Cao Zhe to Kyoto to find someone.

But Lin Yunche has already come to the Northern Dynasty, how could he leave without doing anything!
"I know!"

"I had no way out to begin with," Lin Yunche said.

Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Yang Cong stopped trying. "Alright, then let's proceed according to the original plan and enter the city tomorrow."

The next day, they arrived at the city gate with five or six horses.

The soldiers guarding the city gate, seeing that there were many of them, simply stopped them outside the city gate.

"What are you doing here? Why are there so many of you?" the soldier guarding the city gate asked.

Yang Cong immediately ran forward, smiling as he handed over their caravan's documents and a bag of loose silver.

"We are merchants, please do us a favor, sir?"

The soldier guarding the city gate weighed the money bag in his hand twice and smiled with satisfaction.

"Alright, alright, we're all merchants, making money isn't easy. Hurry up and go inside. There are so many people, don't block the entrance and obstruct other people's way."

Yang Cong smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes, we'll be going now."

Then Yang Cong waved, and the group entered Xuancheng.

Xuancheng is located at the southernmost edge of the heartland of the Northern Dynasties and can be considered a relatively prosperous city.

The streets were filled with merchants from the Northern Dynasty, who hawked their wares along the roadside, mostly selling furs and milk tea.

Lin Yunche and his group did not linger on the road. As soon as they entered the city, Yang Cong led his men to the port of Xuancheng to rent a boat.

Lin Yunche and his group then found a shop to stay at.

When the shopkeeper saw that the leader of the group was a handsome young man, he greeted them warmly.

"Young master, are you and your companions looking for a room at the inn?"

Lin Yunche nodded, "Ten guest rooms."

The shopkeeper was surprised to find that this was a big customer. "Alright, sir, please wait a moment, I'll get it for you right away."

The shopkeeper called over the manager to prepare a room for Lin Yunche and his group, while he himself went to a house in Xuancheng, knocked gently on the door, and soon the people inside peeked out and quietly led him inside.

"Boss Wang, it's been a long time since you've come."

"Our master misses you very much."

The shopkeeper had beads of sweat on his forehead. "It was my fault. I hope you can put in a good word for me with the owner."

As he spoke, the shopkeeper took out a money bag and stuffed it directly into the visitor's hand.

The newcomer slightly curled the corners of his lips, "That's why we say Boss Wang has always been a favorite of our master; he's really good at what he's doing."

The shopkeeper chuckled twice but didn't say anything.

But the person who came clearly had no intention of letting him go so easily.

(End of this chapter)