Cooperation

Daniu and Chen Fangfang went to Xu Chuan's house again, arriving just in time for lunch.

Bai Jing welcomed them, of course.

Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan had not gone to school. They studied at home whenever they found time.

Sometimes, Daniu and his sister brought their school textbooks and homework for the brothers to use as reference.

It had to be said that Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were both bright.

They were no less learned than the other two, and they had seen more of the world.

The trials of everyday life had honed them further.

At dusk three days later.

Chen Ergou came through the gate of Xu Chuan's courtyard beneath the evening glow, carrying a bottle of fine Sorghum Wine.

"Sister-in-law, is Brother Chuan back yet?"

He called out with a smile when he saw Bai Jing on the corridor outside the main hall, supervising Xu Mingyuan's calligraphy practice.

"My husband should be back soon. If you need him, sit and wait a while. You can stay for dinner, too."

"Thank you, sister-in-law. I stole this good wine from my father. He's kept it hidden for over ten years, and there's hardly any left."

Bai Jing laughed in surprise, took the wine inside, then brought out a stool for him.

Chen Ergou looked at Xu Mingyuan's writing and nodded. "It's much better than my Daniu's. You really know how to teach them, sister-in-law."

"I don't have that skill. Your Brother Chuan taught them himself, guiding their hands. I only make sure they finish the homework my husband assigns each day."

"With Brother Chuan's learning, he could be a teacher at the school."

Bai Jing giggled. Naturally, hearing someone praise her husband made her happy.

"What's making you so happy? Oh, Ergou's here."

Chen Ergou turned to see Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei approaching, hoes on their shoulders and trouser legs rolled up.

Xu Mingwei also carried a wooden bucket.

"Brother Chuan, you're back."

Xu Mingwei handed the bucket to Bai Jing and grinned. "Mother, Father and I gathered a lot of river snails today."

"Well, that is quite a haul." Bai Jing smiled faintly. "But the snails need to sit for a day or two. Otherwise, they'd make a perfect snack with your father's and Uncle Ergou's wine."

"You wanted to talk to me? Let's go inside. Dinner will still be a while."

Chen Ergou nodded.

Just then, Xu Mingxuan spotted Xu Chuan and came pattering over, wanting him to play.

Xu Mingwei scooped Xu Mingxuan up. "Charcoal Head, big brother will play with you. I'll show you my punches."

"Yes, yes! I want to see you punch!" Xu Mingxuan clapped happily.

Bang, bang, bang!

As Xu Mingwei practiced his punches, bursts of sound cracked through the air.

Chen Ergou jumped and stared at Xu Mingwei in the courtyard for a long moment.

"Brother Chuan, Shitou is something else. He feels like a martial artist already. In a few years, he might become a real one."

Chen Ergou's experience was limited, after all.

Had his elder brother been there, he would likely have seen at a glance that Xu Mingwei was already a martial artist who had developed Inner Force.

Once he opened all thirty-six Apertures, he would be a Third-Rate Martial Artist.

Years had passed, and Chen Daming, now thirty-six, was still only a Second-Rate Martial Artist.

He had some talent for martial arts, but it was nothing exceptional. He would probably never advance beyond the Second-Rate Martial Artist realm in his lifetime.

"My brother even said you couldn't master the Little Dragon Elephant Art. Maybe he's the one who lacks talent."

Chen Ergou laughed twice. "Next time I see him, I'll have to give him a good ribbing. I wonder how his Jade Pear tree is doing."

"Enough of that. What did you come to see me about?"

Chen Ergou said, "It's about what A Yuan suggested to my two boys the other day. I think it's a good idea."

"You've grown the Xu Household to a certain size. If you want to expand further, you can't handle everything alone. You know I have time on my hands. I can take care of whatever you're too busy to do."

"That way, everyone benefits."

"Does Uncle Chen agree?"

"My father thinks highly of you. As soon as I told him, he agreed. He even said I'd finally started using my head."

Xu Chuan smiled. "Then how do you want to work together?"

"Let's go with the second option. I'll sell the produce from both our households. Your household keeps all its profits, while mine... we split ours thirty-seventy."

"Thirty percent of your profits is no small sum. Are you sure you can part with it?"

Chen Ergou thumped his chest. "Even forty percent would be fine."

"I appreciate the offer."

"Brother Chuan, you're not agreeing?" Chen Ergou grew anxious.

"No. I mean twenty percent is enough. You handle the planting on your own land; how much you grow doesn't matter. I'll only offer guidance. Your household can handle the sales, but mine will send someone along."

"It's not that I don't trust you. This is simply fairer."

"You're going to go yourself, Brother Chuan? Will you have the time?"

"Of course not. A Yuan will go." Xu Chuan smiled. "He has a knack for business. Letting him travel around with you when he has time will broaden his horizons. It'll be excellent experience."

"A Yuan is impressive. Without his suggestion, I'd never have thought of this."

Xu Chuan nodded. "One more thing. I suggest you speak to your brother and hire a few honest, reliable martial artists for the days you're selling, in case anything unexpected happens."

"You've thought of everything, Brother Chuan." After considering it carefully, Chen Ergou said, "My father mentioned not long ago that disaster had struck in the west. Quite a few refugees are headed this way."

"Is that so?"

Xu Chuan narrowed his eyes. When he had time, he ought to divine whether this would bring good fortune or ill.

He had been busy with farmwork lately, so his divinations had all been about things like the day's weather.

With the two households' partnership settled, Chen Ergou finally felt the weight lift from his heart. I can finally sleep soundly tonight.

That evening.

Chen Ergou drank himself into a stupor, and Xu Mingwei had to help him home.

But on the way, a figure suddenly sprang out and struck Xu Mingwei on the head with a club, leaving him seeing stars.

His grip loosened, and Chen Ergou fell straight to the ground with a cry of pain.

Xu Mingwei clutched his head, turned, and peered at the attacker.

Though the night was dim, his eyes were far from ordinary.

In a shadowy corner stood a ragged beggar, wooden club in hand. His body trembled slightly, and his eyes gleamed green as he stared at Xu Mingwei like a vicious wolf.

The beggar had struck with all his strength, yet Xu Mingwei seemed barely hurt. Disbelief filled his eyes.

"Who are you?" Xu Mingwei shouted.

Before his words had faded, the filthy, disheveled beggar turned and ran.

Xu Mingwei wanted to chase him, but Chen Ergou clung to his leg, crying, "Wife, wife..."

Xu Mingwei could not leave Chen Ergou there alone, so he helped him up and took him home.

He also remembered to warn Xu Yan not to go out at night without good reason, telling her that someone had struck him with a club from behind.

If he had not been so sturdy, the two of them might have been robbed of everything they carried—or even lost their lives.

"I see. Be careful on your way home too, Shitou."

When Xu Mingwei got home, he told Xu Chuan what had happened.

"A beggar?"

"Looks like things will be unsettled for a while."

"Don't go out at night unless you have to."

"I know, Father."