"Also, in a few days, I need to go to the Tibetan region to check on medicinal herbs. Things like saffron and caterpillar fungus are much purer there. Aohan and I plan to go buy a batch." Zhu Yanyi continued.
"It seems you are really quite busy," Zhu Xinfu said. "A few days ago, Zhu Shengyao called. He wanted to meet me, saying Zhu Shenfu left something for me before he died."
"Grandpa, I think it’s better not to take anything from them," Zhu Yanyi said. "Zhu Shengyao’s wife is from the Xiangshui Chen family. With her mindset, would she kindly send gifts? I think there might be a trap."
"Exactly. So I refused. I just wanted to warn you, in case Zhu Shengyao tries to target you," Zhu Xinfu agreed with Zhu Yanyi.
Zhu Yanyi knew Zhu Xinfu was just talking and wouldn’t actually meet Zhu Shengyao. However, she was curious about what Zhu Shengyao was planning, so she asked Yan Aohan, "What is Zhu Shengyao trying to do? What is his goal? Do you know?"
Yan Aohan smiled lightly. "I’m not sure of his exact goal, but I know that in Xiangshui, Ma Tianliang and Wu Han are helping Shangguan Haohan."
Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow slightly. "So they can’t handle the pressure anymore."
That was right. Because the Godfather had withdrawn, although a mysterious person had helped briefly, the Xiangshui Chen family truly couldn’t withstand the suppression from the Shangguan family. The Chen family didn’t understand why the Shangguan family had such powerful backing. They sent people to investigate but found nothing. Meanwhile, Zhu Shenfu’s death caused chaos for the Chen family. Later, someone suggested using internal forces on the mainland to fight the Xiangshui Shangguan family. Thus, the Chen family asked Zhu Shengyao to step forward.
Zhu Shengyao had first approached the Zhu family in Zhu City. However, that branch had declined, and Zhu Jinfu did not allow his family to cause trouble, so they refused immediately. Therefore, Zhu Shengyao thought of the capital. He also remembered some property Zhu Shenfu had left to compensate Zhu Xinfu on his deathbed. Although it wasn’t much, it gave him a reason to approach Zhu Xinfu.
However, Zhu Xinfu now enjoyed vice-ministerial treatment from the state, so he naturally didn’t care about such worldly possessions. Even if Zhu Shenfu had sincerely left something for him, he didn’t need it.
Moreover, even without state benefits, he had his son and daughter-in-law. His son, Zhu Shunyao, was a famous farmer entrepreneur, so the family wouldn’t lack anything for his old age. Thus, he had no interest in Zhu Shenfu’s belongings. When Zhu Shengyao proposed he go to Xiangshui to collect them, he refused without hesitation.
Xiangshui was at a critical juncture. He couldn’t go there casually. If he fell into the hands of those with ill intentions, it would be bad.
It had to be said that Zhu Xinfu’s thinking was very good. Zhu Shengyao’s original plan was to use Zhu Xinfu to threaten Zhu Shunyao and the others. Unfortunately, Zhu Xinfu didn’t covet Zhu Shenfu’s small amount of property, so the plan naturally failed.
Zhu Yanyi naturally didn’t know Zhu Shengyao had this idea. If she had known, she probably would have asked the Ma and Wu families to join the Shangguan family in increasing pressure on the Chen family.
"What kind of families are the Ma and Wu families?" Zhu Shunyao asked casually.
Zhu Yanyi smiled and said, "The Ma and Wu families are quite traditional. Although they aren’t famous among local aristocratic families, they have been passed down for hundreds of years. They are families with long histories."
"Oh." Zhu Shunyao nodded slightly. "I didn’t realize it until I reached this position. Once here, I discovered many families. I wonder why I never noticed so many local aristocratic families before."
Zhu Shunyao’s sudden sigh left everyone present slightly speechless. They looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
Yan Aohan smiled faintly. "Father, how high you stand determines how much you can see.
Look, if we stand parallel at the entrance of the Beijing club, we can only see a few cars at the entrance. But if we stand on the first floor, we can see the streetlights nearby. Now, standing on the seventh floor, we can see many nearby houses, people walking on the road, and moving cars.
It is the same for people. Different statuses mean seeing different things. If you were still just a farmer, you would only see your small plot of farmland. But now, as a farmer entrepreneur, a successful person, and the chairman of Azure Sovereign Qingdi Group, the people you meet and your perspective are naturally different from those of an ordinary farmer."
Hearing Yan Aohan’s words, Zhu Shunyao said, "Little Yan, what you say makes sense. Before, I only thought of planting crops according to the seasons. But later, I discovered greenhouse planting. With greenhouses, I found I could grow many things, not just crops, but also medicinal herbs. Each stage gave me different experiences."
"Talking so much proves you are a sensible person. Then why are you sighing?" Xie Xinlian said directly. Was this a form of complaining without cause?
Zhu Shunyao laughed. "I was just looking for a topic. Tell me, how long has it been since our family gathered for a meal like this? Even last Spring Festival, Ani didn’t come home."
Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi stuck out her tongue slightly. At that time, she was outside and trapped by a group of patients. She couldn’t ignore them, so she didn’t go home for the New Year. "Father, I only missed one year at home, and you miss me this much? If I travel around in the future and don’t come home for several years, or go to the Sage Academy to study and don’t return for years, won’t you get lovesickness?"
"What kind of talk is that?" Xie Xinlian scolded with a smile. "You’re almost twenty, and still not serious. Only Little Yan can tolerate you."
"Mother, what do you mean 'almost twenty'? I am nineteen this year. I turn twenty next year. It hasn’t even been half a year this year. You can’t round up so aggressively like this," Zhu Yanyi said, looking as if she were being bullied.
Xie Xinlian said directly, "No choice. The man you tease is my husband. I protect my own husband."
Zhu Yanyi never expected that in such a short time, her mother’s flirting skills had improved so much.
Yan Aohan also said softly nearby, "Wife, only I can get lovesickness for you."
The Venerable Yanluo’s cold humor appeared again. Zhu Yanyi could only cough. "That was just a joke, a joke."