Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Cooperation
Chen Daniu and Chen Fangfang once again went to Wentian's house, arriving just in time for lunch.
Naturally, Bai Jing welcomed them.
Jianyi Mingwei and Jianyi Mingyuan did not attend the village school. Instead, they studied at home whenever they had spare time.
Sometimes, Chen Daniu and his sister would bring their schoolbooks and assignments over for the two brothers to use as reference.
It had to be said that both Jianyi Mingwei and Jianyi Mingyuan were intelligent.
Their learning was no worse than Daniu and Fangfang's, and their insight was even broader.
Tempered through real life, the two brothers had been polished into even more outstanding children.
Three days later, at dusk.
Chen Ergou stepped through the evening glow and entered Wentian's courtyard carrying a bottle of fine yellow millet wine.
"Sister-in-law, has Brother Wentian come back yet?"
Seeing Bai Jing in the corridor in front of the hall, supervising Jianyi Mingyuan as he practiced calligraphy, Chen Ergou called out with a smile.
"Husband should still be a while. If you have something to discuss with him, sit and wait for a bit. You can also stay for dinner."
"Many thanks, Sister-in-law. This is good wine I stole from my father. He hid it for more than ten years, and there isn't much left."
Bai Jing smiled in surprise, accepted the wine, and brought it inside. She also carried out a stool for him.
Chen Ergou looked at Jianyi Mingyuan's handwriting and nodded.
"It's much better than my Daniu's. Sister-in-law, you really know how to teach."
"How would I have that ability? It was all taught by your Brother Wentian, hand by hand. I only supervise them every day to make sure they finish the homework Husband assigned."
"With Brother Wentian's level of learning, he could become a teacher at the school."
Bai Jing giggled. Hearing others praise her husband naturally made her happy.
"What are you talking about that's made you so happy? Ergou is here?"
Chen Ergou turned his head and saw Wentian and Jianyi Mingwei walking over, each carrying a hoe on his shoulder with his trouser legs rolled up.
Jianyi Mingwei was also carrying an iron bucket in his hand.
"Brother Wentian, you're back."
Jianyi Mingwei handed the iron bucket to Bai Jing and smiled honestly.
"Mother, Father and I caught quite a few field snails today."
"Tsk, there really are quite a few."
Bai Jing smiled faintly.
"But field snails need to be kept for a day or two first. Otherwise, they would have been just right as a drinking dish for your father and Uncle Ergou."
"You have something to discuss with me? Let's talk inside. Dinner will probably take a while."
Chen Ergou nodded.
At that moment, Jianyi Mingxuan saw Wentian return and ran over with quick little steps, wanting Wentian to play with him.
Jianyi Mingwei picked Jianyi Mingxuan up in one motion.
"Tantou, Big Brother will play with you. Big Brother will show you some boxing."
"Okay! Okay! I want to watch boxing!"
Jianyi Mingxuan clapped happily.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As Jianyi Mingwei began practicing his punches, bursts of explosive sounds rang out through the air.
Chen Ergou was startled. He stared at Jianyi Mingwei in the courtyard for quite some time.
"Brother Wentian, Shitou is really extraordinary. He feels almost like a martial artist. I'm afraid in just a few more years, he'll become a true martial artist, won't he?"
In the end, Chen Ergou's vision was still limited.
If his elder brother were here, he would probably see at a glance that Jianyi Mingwei was already a martial artist who had given birth to internal strength.
He only needed to open thirty-six acupoints to become a third-rate martial artist.
After several years, the thirty-six-year-old Chen Daming was still only a second-rate martial artist.
Although he had some talent for martial arts, it could only be considered average. In this lifetime, he would likely only reach the realm of a second-rate martial artist at most.
"My brother even said that you and Shitou wouldn't be able to practice the Little Dragon-Elephant Art. From what I see, it must be his own talent that isn't very high."
Chen Ergou laughed twice.
"The next time I see him, I must mock him properly. I wonder how those Green Jade Pear trees of his are doing."
"Enough. Tell me what you came for. What did you want to discuss today?"
Chen Ergou said, "It's about what A'Yuan told my two children a couple of days ago. I think it's extremely suitable."
"Now, the Jianyi family has already been developed by you to a certain scale. If you want to expand further, relying only on yourself definitely won't be enough. You also know that I'm relatively free. For things you don't have time to handle, I can do them."
"That way, everyone will be happy."
"Uncle Chen agreed?"
"My father thinks very highly of you. Once I told him, he agreed immediately and even said that my brain had finally opened up."
Wentian smiled faintly.
"Then how do you plan for us to cooperate?"
"We'll choose the second method. The products from both our families will be sold by me. Your family's profits will all belong to your family. As for my family's profits… we'll split them thirty-seventy."
"Thirty percent of the profit is no small amount. Are you truly willing to part with it?"
Chen Ergou patted his chest.
"Even forty percent would be fine."
"I appreciate your goodwill."
"Brother Wentian, you won't agree?"
Chen Ergou became somewhat anxious.
"No. What I mean is that twenty percent is enough. Your family will handle the planting in your own fields, and the amount doesn't matter. I'll only be responsible for giving guidance. Your family will handle the selling, but my family will also send someone."
"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that this would be fair."
"Brother Wentian, you're going to personally take action? Will you have enough time?"
"Naturally, it won't be me. It will be my A'Yuan."
Wentian smiled.
"He has quite a bit of talent in commerce. Letting him follow you around whenever he has time and broaden his horizons will be very good training."
"A'Yuan is indeed impressive. If he hadn't brought up this suggestion, I absolutely would not have thought of it."
Wentian nodded.
"There is another matter. I suggest you contact your elder brother. During the days when you are selling, hire a few honest, reliable martial artists to prevent any accidents."
"Brother Wentian, you really think things through carefully."
After considering it in detail, Chen Ergou said, "Not long ago, I heard from my father that a disaster happened in the west. Quite a few refugees are heading toward our region."
"Is that so?"
Wentian narrowed his eyes.
He felt that when he had time, he should divine whether this matter was auspicious or ominous.
Recently, because the farming season was busy, he had mostly used his divinations to calculate the weather and similar daily matters.
After the cooperation between the two families was settled, the weight hanging in Chen Ergou's heart finally fell.
He thought that when he went back tonight, he should finally be able to sleep peacefully.
That night, Chen Ergou drank until he was utterly drunk.
In the end, it was Jianyi Mingwei who supported him and brought him home.
However, on the road, a figure suddenly darted out.
A wooden club struck Jianyi Mingwei on the head, making his mind spin and his vision blur.
His hand loosened, and Chen Ergou fell straight to the ground with a cry of pain.
Jianyi Mingwei held his head and turned to look closely.
Although the night was hazy, his eyes were no ordinary pair.
In a dark corner, he saw a ragged beggar holding a wooden stick. The beggar's body trembled slightly, and his greenish eyes stared at Jianyi Mingwei like those of a starving wolf.
Seeing that his full-strength strike had done almost nothing to the other party, the beggar's eyes filled with disbelief.
"Who are you?" Jianyi Mingwei shouted.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the disheveled beggar turned and ran.
Jianyi Mingwei originally wanted to chase after him, but Chen Ergou was hugging his leg and refused to let go, his mouth mumbling, "Wife… wife…"
Jianyi Mingwei could not possibly leave Chen Ergou alone here, so he helped him up and brought him home first.
Afterward, he did not forget to remind Xu Yan not to go out casually at night. He told her that even he had been struck from behind.
If his physical constitution had not been good, the valuables on both of them might already have been looted, and their lives might even have been in danger.
"So that's what happened. Shitou, be careful on your way back too."
After Jianyi Mingwei returned home, he also told Wentian about the incident.
"A beggar?"
"It seems things are going to be chaotic for a while."
"Recently, don't go out at night unless there is something important."
"I understand, Father."