

Chapter 366: Would They Go to Any Lengths?
just fate. With sincerity, comes sincerity."There was still another point he didn't finish, lest people think him too arrogant. In truth, he and Sun Yu were mutually beneficial, achieving success toge...This is indeed a solution. What's the difference between Su Zhe and his older brother Isn't it just that he lacks status If he could have a capable wife, someone his father would fear, then he wouldn't dare to disregard him anymore. At the very least, this feeling of being robbed and cheated, he wouldn't have to endure it any longer.
But it is indeed a bit difficult, after all, Su Zhe's elder sister-in-law is the second daughter of the Shaoxing (少卿) of Guanglu Temple, her father was a fourth rank official, his official position isn't low, and Guanglu Temple isn't a low-profile unit, it still has some real power.
Marrying into the Su family would be considered a high match for even their legitimate eldest son. As for Su Zhe, he was merely an illegitimate son. His wife wanting to elevate her status further was like daydreaming.
Seeing Xu Huaiyi looking worried, Jiang Yong said meaningfully, “All things are possible with human effort.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Huaiyi immediately said, "Please instruct me, sir."
In the past, whenever he had a request, Jiang Yong would readily help him solve his problems. This time, however, he just smiled but said nothing.
Xu Huaiyi blinked in a daze, still wanting to ask, but was interrupted by Gu Huanxi, "The dishes are getting cold, don't affect Mr. eating."
His wife’s words, he couldn’t disobey. And at this moment, he also realized that Jiang Yong didn't say anything, it must be inconvenient to talk about. If he continued to press him, it would put the other person in a difficult position, making himself look foolish.
After dinner, Jiang Yong went back to take a nap.
Gu Xiaoyu took her younger sister to her room to play, so as not to argue with their father over who got more attention.
The couple went to the study. Gu Huanxi was very interested in the books Su Zhe had recently sent her. Whenever she had free time, she would lie on the rocking chair next to the bookshelf, pick out a favorite one and flip through it. She had a wolfskin under her body and a cashmere blanket over her, feeling very comfortable and cozy.
Today, there's no peace. Xu Huaiyi kept muttering beside her, "Wife, what did Mr. Jiang mean just now He gave a hint but didn't make it clear. Could he be testing me But I can't guess either. I understand forming a good alliance, but how do we form one Su Zhe's status isn't high enough for a grand family. Besides, he's marrying down. Even if Su Zhe says so himself, his father and older brother definitely won't agree to him finding someone higher up..."
Gu Huanxi said helplessly, "So what Mr. Jiang means is to let Su Zhe plan it himself."
Xu Huaiyi scratched his ears and pulled at his lung, "How can we plan this That's too difficult, right I don't think it's possible. This isn't our modern day with Phoenix Men and Cinderella stories. In ancient times, they emphasized marrying within one's social class, the difference in status couldn't be too big…"
I see he still hasn't figured it out, and I reminded him, "You might not be able to do it, but Su Zhe might. If he wants to make a good marriage and increase his leverage, he will definitely find a way."
Seeing that he still didn't understand, he had to make it clearer: "Normal marriages don't work, but what about abnormal ones"
Xu Huaiyi suddenly realized. He hadn't thought about it that way before, which is why he was so confused. Now that it had been pointed out to him, several plots came to mind instantly. He was excited for three seconds, then hesitated and said, "Isn't it too unkind to scheme against a young lady like this"
Gu Huanxi said, "Therefore, when you just asked Mr. Jiang for advice, he wouldn't say anything."
No gentleman would teach someone to be bad, let alone someone as upright as Jiang Yong.
Xu Huaiyi mumbled, "That Mr. Jiang still comes up with that kind of trick."
Gu Huanxi sighed, put down her book, and looked at him seriously. "Because she knew, based on your character, you wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics to achieve your goals, but Su Zhe might."
Xu Huaiyi's face changed slightly, "Su Zhe is not that bad..."
"Gu Huanxi reminded calmly, 'Su Zhe's situation is not optimistic now. He has the ability, intelligence, ambition, and means to compete fairly with his brothers. If he loses, he might just accept it. But his father got involved, openly favoring him while actually using him as a target, attracting the firepower of other brothers for his eldest son. How could he bear it He could endure being tripped up by Young Master Su and having his achievements stolen by his father, but what if he's backed into a corner'"
Xu Huaiyi pursed his lips and remained silent.
Gu Huanyi continued, “He's definitely going to resist. People with ability and ambition, how many are willing to be subservient Don't you remember how he approached you in the beginning Although it might have been the Second Prince’s suggestion, what was his status back then, and what was yours There was a chasm between your ranks, yet he could bend down, lower himself. What does that tell you”
Xu Huaiyi took over the conversation, "He's willing to sacrifice anything for his goals, money or reputation..."
Gu Huan nodded, "That's right. He gets along well with us, whether it's socializing or collaborating. He's very generous with his hands, which shows that he doesn't mind money. He can also bend to the situation and, in order to keep the Chamber of Commerce from being exploited by his father again, he's even willing to be controlled by you and become your subordinate. This kind of patience, would you be able to do it"
Xu Huaiyi subconsciously said, "I don't have any airs, I don't put on airs, and I would never look down on him for... rubbing..."
“I know he understands, but what about outsiders Outsiders wouldn't understand. They would only think Su Zhe 'willingly lowered himself' and shamelessly did errands for you. To you, this is raising your status and saving face, but to him, it's definitely humiliating. After all, he's the seventh young master of the Su family, not the son of an ordinary merchant. He's the first wealthy merchant in Dayong.”
"... "
"
Gu Huan spoke earnestly, "Look, Su Zhe's nature, can you still guarantee he won't take a 'back door' path to plan his own marriage His character isn't that bad, but it depends on the situation. When someone is backed into a corner with no way out, what can they not do Moreover, you can't view him through our three views. He is the Su family's young master, raised in an environment where scheming and plotting are commonplace. To use means to scheme a marriage might not be a big deal in his eyes."
Xu Huaiyi frowned, "I still can't believe he would stop at nothing for his goals."
Gu Huanxi followed his words and said, "Well, I don't want to believe it either. After all, we are business partners with him. If he resorted to any underhanded tactics, how could we sleep at night He shouldn't use such vulgar and despicable methods to scheme against us. Even if he succeeded that way, he wouldn't get the Yue family's support. I guess..."
Xu Huaiyi's eyes were fixed on him, "What do you think he did"
Gu Huanxi smiled, "I guess he should compromise himself."
Xu Huaiyi was puzzled. "What do you mean"
Gu Huanxi explained, "Even in families of high social standing, not every daughter is a perfect accomplished lady. Some have bad reputations, others are physically weak or unable to bear children, and some have blemishes on their faces. Even if they come from prestigious families with powerful fathers and brothers, it's impossible to find a suitable match for them. They can only marry below their station, or in some cases, they may not even be able to get married at all and are sent to convents by their families, ending their lives as nuns."
Xu Huaiyi felt as if he had been struck by lightning. "That's right, how could I have not thought of this before Before, Mr. Jiang must have meant this, right He just thought it was difficult to persuade Su Zhe to choose such a wife, so he didn't respond to me. Yes, letting someone else marry a flawed wife, to put it mildly, those who don't know the inside story might even think they have a feud."
Gu Huanxi didn't respond. She didn't think Jiang Yong meant it that way just now, he was just giving a suggestion, as for how to carry it out, it depended on Su Zhe himself. If Su Zhe acted unscrupulously, Jiang Yong would later advise Xu Huaiyi to break off ties with him. Therefore, in a way, this was also a test of Su Zhe's character by them, worth befriending or not.
"Daughter-in-law, should I remind Su Zhe"
"Forget it, he's not stupid. If Mr. Jiang could come up with the idea of kinship, he'd certainly be able to too. You better stay out of it."
"Alright..." Xu Huaiyi saw his daughter-in-law finish speaking and picked up a book to read again, giving the impression that she didn't want to deal with him anymore. He then said, "I'll take the child to go for a walk in the mountains and see if we can find any game. He's been practicing archery for some time now, so let's see how accurate he is."
Gu Huanxi didn't stop him, just reminding him, "Don't bring A Li, the wind is strong in the mountains and she's still too young."
Xu Huaiyi didn't plan to take his daughter hunting originally, but he readily agreed.
Al-Li happened to be asleep. The maidservant in charge of taking care of her, a rather plain girl, was guarding her bedside. Al-Li didn't sleep soundly and would move slightly at times. The maidservant would immediately rush to help straighten the blankets, fearing she might catch cold.
When Xu Huaiyi entered the room, the young maid stood up nervously and curtsied. He thought for a moment, "What's your name Lancao No, Xiaochao"
The little maidservant hung her head low, "My original name was Xiaochao. After serving by the young mistress's side, Madam bestowed upon me a new name, and from now on, I shall be called Tuan Yuan. May my life be as round and whole as the word 'Tuan Yuan'."
"Oh, right, Reunion. Such a good name. I'll take good care of Miss for you from now on."
Yes, Master...
Xu Huaiyi felt awkward facing such a seven or eight-year-old girl. He glanced at his daughter, seeing that she was sleeping soundly. He turned around, called Gu Xiaoyu over, and left with Bao Puguan Zhuo and Simba.
With Simba around, hunting was like having an extra pair of eyes. They didn't go too deep into the mountains before Xu Huaiyi managed to bag several wild chickens and rabbits. He let Gu Xiaoyu try shooting, her aim was decent but her strength wasn't enough, the arrows only caused minor injuries when they hit their targets.
Gu Xiaoyu was a little discouraged. When he practiced at home, he shot through straw bundles; those things would pierce with just a bit of effort. But when it came to the real test, he realized that his skills were far from enough.
However, Xu Huaiyi expressed his praise.
If Gu Xiaoyu hadn't trusted his character so much, she would have suspected that this was a setup to ruin her.
When I was going down the mountain, I unexpectedly ran into people from Old Xu's family. We were on the same path and met face-to-face. There was no way to avoid each other.
What a coincidence!
Xu Huaiyi looked at the two people approaching, his expression indifferent, but he didn't pretend not to see them. "Big Brother, Fourth Brother."
Those who ascended the mountain were Xu Huai-ren and Xu Huai-lian. Compared to their destitute appearance when they first arrived in Hutou Village, they now seemed reborn. The two wore silk long robes, with thick cloaks over them. From head to toe, they were dressed more elegantly than even Xu Huai-yi. Xu Huai-yi went into the mountains to hunt and, for convenience, wore rough linen clothes that he didn't mind getting snagged by branches.
And these two obviously don't know what low-key means, dressing like nouveau riche or hillbillies, with Xu Huai holding a bow and arrow in his hand.
Xu Huaiyi took the initiative to greet them, and the two couldn't help but respond. Xu Huailian coldly called out "Third Brother" and then stood aside without saying another word. However, Xu Huaiwen was more enthusiastic, saying, "Huaiyi, are you on vacation from the academy Come hunting in the mountains"
Xu Huaiyi replied faintly.
Xu Huai-ren then said, “You’ve harvested quite a bit, you are truly worthy of being from the Jingwu Academy. Your progress is indeed fast. Back then, you couldn't even draw a bow, how could you possibly hunt”
His words were both a test and a lament, not meant to be sarcastic. Xu Huai-lian cast a hostile glance at Xu Huai-yi and tightened his grip on the bow in his hand. If he could get into Jingwu Academy too, he would certainly learn better and progress further than Xu Huai-yi, and have a brighter future.
Huai-yi turned a blind eye to his animosity and didn't want to play coy with Huai-ren, "Brother, are you going into the mountains I won't hold you up. Otherwise, it'll be dangerous walking in the dark later..."
Saying that, he made way.
Xu Huai-ren still wanted to say a few more words, but seeing his cold attitude, he felt indignant and blurted out, "Third brother, what do you mean Avoiding us like snakes and scorpions We're not here to beg for money, so what are you afraid of"
Xu Huaiyi calmly said, "Brother, you misunderstood."
Xu Huai Ren sneered, “We all know there's a misunderstanding here. Wai Yi, don't bully the poor just because they are young. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, leave a line for others, so that you can meet in the future with ease. Don't completely cut off your path.”
Thank you, elder brother, for your teachings.
"You..."
Xu Huailian impatiently interrupted, "Big Brother, what's the point of you talking to him so much You still don't understand, do you They look down on us, treat us like beggars who beg for a living. It's understandable, after all. They are now students of the Jingwu Academy, their master is the son of a prominent aristocratic family, and they work with the young masters of the Da Yong imperial merchant house. They have fame, backing, and money. Why would they even look at us poor relatives"
This remark is so sarcastic, you can smell the sourness from ten miles away.
Xu Huaiyi found it amusing, but he was too lazy to argue. Anyway, the conflict between them had long been irreconcilable, so it didn't matter if there were one more or fewer disagreements.
Xu Huai-ren seemed still not to give up, "Huai-yi, we are brothers after all, flesh and blood. Can't we just let go of the past grudges Things are better at home now, we won't cling onto you anymore. You don't have to worry. In the future, we can help each other and become rich together. We are all members of the Xu family, so who benefits isn't important, right
"Xu Huaiyi said, "Brother, you forgot again. I'm a family man now, and the affairs of the Xu family have nothing to do with me."
Seeing that he was still acting aloof and indifferent, Xu Huai Ren grew impatient and let out a cold snort, "Uncouth," before flicking his sleeve and walking past him.
Xu Huai-lian followed closely, but left a remark, "The wheel of fortune turns. Don't regret this later."
Xu Huaiyi did not respond.
After the two walked away, Gu Xiaoyu worriedly asked, "Father, if you treat them like this, they will definitely harbor resentment and may seek revenge against you later."
Xu Huaiyi said, "So what I'm nice to them, and they still hold a grudge against me. Don't bother with them. Right now, they can't make much of a fuss."
They are ruining your reputation and it's affecting you.
If they really talk nonsense and do some stupid things, it's better. There's a good reason to deal with them.
Gu Xiaoyu immediately understood. Only if the members of the Lao Xu family took the initiative to die would Xu Maoshan and Xu Village Head have enough reason to deal with them. Whether it was expelling them from the clan or driving them out of the village, anything was better than their current situation of enduring this...""Longsong, don't try to guess what he's thinking with your own ideas. You're not him, and you wouldn't dare to go against the norm like he does. But he has the courage and confidence to do so. Why...