Chapter 775: New Partnership

Translator: Henyee Translations | Editor: Henyee Translations

The road from Xu Village to Xu Village was narrow. When it rained, the ground softened, and the mud could reach up to the calves, allowing only one carriage to pass at a time.

Now, five cargo carts were lined up in a row, stuck on this road, with their wheels sunk a third deep into the mud. Despite the horses’ efforts, they couldn’t pull the loaded carts out of the mud.

The pouring rain drenched the horses, their fur completely wet, and they kept blinking to keep the water out of their eyes.

With no shelter nearby, the cargo team stood in the rain, looking like drenched chickens.

After arriving, Chu Qingzhi went to the back of the carts, lifted the cargo bay with her hands, and the wheels were out of the mud, allowing them to move forward easily.

Everyone, including Chu Xuhua, was stunned. How could Chu Qingzhi, with her slender arms, exert such tremendous force to lift the cart out of the mud?

With the help of her spiritual power, all five cargo carts were quickly rescued.

“Let’s go back!”

They hurried back to Chu Village and arrived at the pavilion outside the horse barn, where they unloaded the carts and let the horses rest. They then checked the goods.

Fortunately, emergency measures were taken before the rain started, so the goods weren’t wet.

Chu Qingzhi said, “You’ve all worked hard. It looks like the rain might last all day. Go back for now, and we’ll deliver the goods tomorrow.”

There was no choice but to return on a rainy day.

Chu Qingzhi waved her hand, forming a transparent barrier around the goods to preserve them and block rain and moisture. Otherwise, the biscuits inside would soften quickly, and other food would also be affected.

Seeing Chu Qingzhi, Wan Haonan, wearing a raincoat, ran out of the horse shed, “Miss Chu, go back first. I’ll watch over here. There won’t be any problems.”

Chu Qingzhi nodded, “Thankyou for your hard work.”

On her way back, Chu Qingzhi thought about road repair. As the saying goes, to get rich, build roads first.

At least within her domain and the routes frequently used for cargo transport, some roads should be renovated. Otherwise, each rain could lead to accidents, which would be exhausting.

With this idea in mind, Chu Qingzhi returned to her room to take out a map and start planning.

She had maps of her domain and the entire Shuiyun County. After careful consideration, she marked several routes with ink lines. These were the main routes used daily for cargo transport. Starting with these, she planned to repair the primary roads first, then secondary ones, and finally all roads within her domain. If possible, she would discuss extending the repairs with the county office.

She decided to use bluestone slabs for the material, as they are flat, quick to install, and more durable, avoiding the need for frequent repairs.

With the plan in place, Chu Qingzhi put down her pen and looked out the window at the heavy rain.

The rain continued until evening before stopping.

A knock on the door was followed by Li Qingyu’s voice, “Qingzhi, Wanwan is here to see you.”

Chu Qingzhi replied, “Got it, Mom.”

She went downstairs with Li Qingyu, moving quickly to the main hall.

Inside, a much slimmer Yu Wanwan sat quietly waiting for Chu Qingzhi.

Now weighing around 140 pounds, Yu Wanwan had undergone a dramatic transformation from when she first arrived. In another month, she would be back to normal.

The slimmed-down Yu Wanwan began to show her beautiful features, looking quite pretty.

Chu Qingzhi entered the hall, “Wanwan.”

Yu Wanwan stood up immediately, smiling and politely said, “Qingzhi, sorry to disturb you.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled back, “It’s fine, please sit.”

Yu Wanwan sat down again. Now that the rain had stopped, Chu Qingzhi surely had many things to attend to, so she went straight to the point, “Qingzhi, do you remember the leading merchant of Wan City, the Qin family?”

Chu Qingzhi nodded, “I remember, what about them?”

Yu Wanwan seemed a bit embarrassed, “The young master of the Qin family is currently staying in my courtyard. He wishes to partner with your family.”

Chu Qingzhi responded promptly, “That’s fine. He can come to see me directly, or talk to Ruyue or my brother.”

Yu Wanwan nodded, “Alright, I’ll call him over right away.”

“Good,” Chu Qingzhi escorted Yu Wanwan out.

Qin Yunfei stood under the eaves, looking towards Chu Qingzhi’s home, his brows slightly furrowed, eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhuang Ziqian stood beside him, dressed in a white robe, emanating a gentle demeanor. He glanced at Qin Yunfei, “Why be so stubborn? He’s your father. Couldn’t you just give in? Now you’re driven out and homeless. What was the point?”

Mentioning this, Qin Yunfei grew angry, “It’s about standing up for myself. My father wanted to gamble with my marriage, and I simply couldn’t accept it. I’d rather be expelled from the family than compromise.”

Zhuang Ziqian patted Qin Yunfei’s shoulder, “I sort of understand you now.

Don’t worry, there’s me and Wanwan. We’ll help you.”

Qin Yunfei gratefully said, “Thankyou, brother.”

Yu Wanwan quickly returned, “Yunfei, I’ve spoken with the divine doctor. You can go to her.”

“Did you tell her about my situation?” Qin Yunfei asked.

Yu Wanwan shook her head, “No, you should tell her yourself. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing.”

Resigned, Qin Yunfei said, “Fine, I can’t rely on you guys anyway.” They had been friends since childhood and were very casual with each other.

Zhuang Ziqian commented, “Look at you, we’re sheltering you, and you still talk like that.”

Qin Yunfei glanced at Zhuang Ziqian, “I’m off.”

Chu Qingzhi brewed a cup of tea, and just as she brought it to the main hall, she saw a young man in purple entering the courtyard. She put down the teacup and approached, “Young Master Qin?”

Qin Yunfei secretly admired Chu Qingzhi’s appearance and demeanor, and politely introduced himself, “I am Qin Yunfei, pleased to meet Miss Chu.”

Chu Qingzhi welcomed him, “Please, come in.”

“Thankyou.”

They entered the main hall, where Chu Qingzhi served tea to Qin Yunfei, then sat down across from him.

Chu Qingzhi got straight to the point, “Young Master Qin, please speakyour mind.”

“Miss Chu is straightforward.” Qin Yunfei liked Chu Qingzhi’s character, “I wish to discuss a business opportunity with Miss Chu.”

Chu Qingzhi was puzzled, “If I remember correctly, our Chu family already has a partnership with the Qin family.”

Qin Yunfei clarified, “It’s not about partnering with the Qin family, but with me personally.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled, “I’d like to hear the details.”

Qin Yunfei explained, “I’m branching out from the Qin family to do business independently. Moreover, my business focus will be on Peng City. Your family’s products are popular, and while the business opportunities in Wan City might be fully tapped, Peng City is still a fresh market for Chu Shi Yimao’s goods. It seems like a significant opportunity.”

Peng City and Wan City are brother cities, almost equidistant from the capital, differing only in their directional orientations.