Selling Jade Pears

"Bai Jing, push harder!"

"Sister-in-law, give it another push!"

"Push!"

"Ah—"

Bai Jing's heart-rending cries came from inside the room.

Xu Chuan heard every word from the kitchen, his heart lurching up and down.

"Is the hot water ready?"

Xu Yan poked her head out the door and shouted toward the kitchen.

"Coming, coming."

Xu Chuan grabbed two kettles and hurried over. He handed them to Xu Yan. "How is she?"

"Almost there, almost there."

With a bang, she shut the door again.

Time passed, second by second.

"Bai Jing, the baby's head is out! One more push!"

"Sister-in-law, you're almost there."

"Ah—"

Suddenly, a baby's loud cry rang out from the room.

"He's born!"

"He's born!"

A smile spread across Xu Chuan's face. At last, his heart settled.

"Brother Chuan, see? I told you she'd be fine. From the sound of him, he's definitely another boy." Chen Ergou offered his congratulations.

Xu Chuan chuckled. "I can't compare with you. A son and a daughter—you've completed the character for 'good.'"

The door opened, and the Midwife came out carrying a basin of bloody water. Looking rather tired, she said, "Mother and son are safe. It's a boy. Go in and see them."

Xu Chuan said no more. He nodded and went straight inside.

At the bedside, he saw Bai Jing lying there utterly spent. His heart ached as he stepped closer, took her hand, and said softly, "My dear, thank you for all you've been through."

"It was no trouble. Bearing children for the Xu Household is what I should do."

Her words made Xu Chuan's heart ache all the more. "Get some rest."

Only then did Bai Jing slowly close her eyes.

"Cousin, hold him."

Xu Chuan took the baby, beaming as he cooed, "There, there," to make him smile.

A while later.

His father-in-law and the rest of the family arrived too.

Everyone gathered around the baby and chatted.

"San Shu, have you thought of a name for the child?" his kindly father-in-law, Bai Fu, asked.

"Yes." Xu Chuan nodded, his gaze resting on the baby.

"Xu Mingxuan. 'Bright and radiant, with a dignified bearing.'"

"And we'll call him Charcoal Head."

After Xu Chuan tipped the Midwife, she left.

Chen Ergou's family left next, followed by his father-in-law's family.

Er Gou had brought Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan over once Charcoal Head was born.

"Dad, little brother's skin is all wrinkled. He looks like a tiny old man," Shitou said, sounding a little disgusted.

"You looked the same when you were born."

Bai Jing smiled as she spoke. Xu Chuan had given her the Qi-Blood Pill, and her face was no longer deathly pale. It had regained much of its color, and she even had the strength to get out of bed.

Xu Chuan would not allow it, though. He told her to lie down and rest.

As if dealt a blow, Xu Mingwei touched his own face doubtfully.

"A Yuan, I'll make good on my promise today. Tell me which rooster picked on you."

The moment Xu Mingyuan thought of eating chicken and drinking chicken soup, his mouth watered.

He hurriedly tugged Xu Chuan outside. "Dad, I'll show you."

"Shitou, take good care of your mother."

"Don't worry, Dad." Xu Mingwei thumped his chest.

Once the work in the rice paddies was done, it was time to harvest the Jade Pears.

Basket after basket of Jade Pears was carried home.

Jade Pears rivaled the lowest-grade spirit fruit. They fell short of true spirit fruit only because they lacked spiritual energy. Even with just ten mu of trees, Xu Chuan could sell the harvest for a handsome sum.

The best place to sell them was Qingjiang County Seat. After all, they were not cheap even in the Commandery Seat.

But Dongxi Village lay more than a hundred li from Qingjiang County Seat.

Bandits appeared along the road from time to time.

It was not particularly safe.

More importantly, his former employer had its eye on the Jade Pears. So last year, he had taken the initiative to sell to them, leaving them no opportunity to make trouble for him.

After all, a thief stealing from you was less frightening than a thief setting his heart on what you had.

In the Xu Household's courtyard.

"Third Master Xu, these are this year's Jade Pears. Six thousand four hundred jin in all," Xu Chuan said respectfully.

Before him stood a slightly plump man in his forties with a short beard.

"Four hundred jin more than last year?"

"The yield has nearly reached its limit unless I expand the orchard. But you know how difficult Jade Pears are to grow, Third Master."

Third Master Xu nodded. "We'll use last year's price."

"Of course."

"Start weighing them. If the weight is right, you'll be paid in full on the spot."

The Xu Lineage's servants began weighing the pears, and soon they were done.

A young man in fine brocade stood beside Third Master Xu. His eyes burned as he looked over the Jade Pears. Then he glanced at Xu Chuan, disdain plain on his face.

"Master, the weight is correct."

Third Master Xu nodded slightly, and the goods and payment were exchanged.

"Xu Chuan, you have quite a knack for this. Would you be interested in selling your secret method for growing Jade Pears to the Xu Lineage? We'd pay a high price."

"Third Master, I have some experience, but I truly have no secret method."

"If you need to know anything, I'll tell you all I can. But I've only been lucky. I can't promise I'd keep another batch of Jade Pear trees alive."

"I might spend six or seven years, or even longer, only to end up with nothing. That would let down not only you, Third Master Xu, but my late father as well."

Third Master Xu lowered his head and considered this for a moment. Then he smiled. "I was only asking."

"Well, now that our business is done, I have other matters to attend to. I'll be going."

"Take care, Third Master."

Xu Chuan saw the Xu Lineage's party out. Only after they had gone some distance did he let out a breath and return inside.

Once they had left the Xu Household, the brocade-clad young man could no longer hold back. "Father, why were you so polite to a commoner?"

"He used to be nothing but a hired hand who relied on our family to put food on his table."

"Jade Pears are valuable. Why not just take his secret method? Would he dare refuse?"

"Do you really think our Xu Lineage rules Dongxi Village?"

Third Master Xu glared at the young man. Hearing those words from him filled his eyes with disappointment.

"Leaving aside whether there even is a secret method, Jade Pears truly are difficult to grow. I've only heard of a few Aristocratic Clans in the Commandery Seat who know how to cultivate them. Do you think he could have worked it out on his own in just a few years?"

"Xu Chuan was right about one thing. Spending seven or eight years and pouring in manpower, materials, and money, only to come away with nothing, would hardly be worth it."

"Instead, we can buy a ready harvest, sell it in the county seat, and make several hundred taels in profit. What easier way is there to make money?"

"You're right, Father."

Seeing that his eldest son was still unconvinced, Third Master Xu said, "Don't underestimate Xu Chuan. He even caught your great-grandfather's eye."

"The Xu Lineage stands where it does today because of its reputation and good faith."

"Do not ruin the Xu Lineage's name over a few Jade Pears. If you do, I won't go easy on you."

Since Old Master Xu's passing, the Xu Lineage had produced no capable head of the family. They had barely managed to hold on to what they had.

Now some of the younger generation had taken to luxury and pleasure, and the family had begun to decline.

At the Xu Household.

"Husband, how did the Jade Pear sale go?"

"We got a little more than last year. They're no ordinary pears, after all. People in the county seat can't get enough of them!"

Xu Chuan took out the banknotes. Bai Jing patted her chest and said, "That's a relief. I was afraid the Xu Lineage might simply seize them."

"They wouldn't go that far for now. In the future, though, who can say?"

"What do you mean, husband?"

"I think Third Master Xu's eldest son, Xu Tao, has ideas of his own."

"What should we do?" Bai Jing's heart rose into her throat again, worry showing on her face.

"Don't worry. Third Master Xu is a sensible man." Xu Chuan took her hand. "He won't throw away the reputation and good faith the Xu Lineage has built over so many years for a little profit."

"My husband is so clever." Seeing that her man understood such matters, Bai Jing could not help praising him. "With you here, the Xu Household may one day become a wealthy and influential local family like the Xu Lineage."

The two older boys had gone out to play.

They were still young, and Xu Chuan did not want to curb their nature, so he let them be.

With no one else around, Xu Chuan looked at Bai Jing's full figure, and his hands began to wander.

"Husband, it's broad daylight. This isn't proper."

"What's improper about it? Shitou and A Yuan aren't here."

"Charcoal Head is."

Xu Chuan turned and saw that the baby in Bai Jing's arms had woken at some point. He was looking straight at Xu Chuan with his dark eyes.

They stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Xu Chuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. He stroked the baby's cheek. "So he is."

"Never mind. I'll go to Er Gou's. That Qi-Blood Pill was worth a great deal. I need to pay him back."

As soon as Xu Chuan left, Charcoal Head slowly closed his eyes again, as though there was nothing interesting left to see.