Second Brother's Thoughts

"Okay, then let's go together tomorrow." Qibao said.

Others were very happy when they heard that their family was planning to open a new shop.

After everyone got off the table, the Twelve Guards were practicing writing the calligraphy that their Master taught them today.

Qibao looked at their writing, it wasn't very pretty, but it was pretty decent, after all, they were just starting to learn it.

Qibao went back to her room and prepared what she would need for tomorrow, she had to let Master Qian taste the flavor of this hot pot before anything else, so she wrote a copy of the ingredients she would need for the hot pot, and the recipe as well, all of which would be used tomorrow as well.

Fu Rui walked in at that moment, carrying a plate of fruits, and seeing that Qibao was busy, she said: "Miss, can you take me with you tomorrow?"

Qibao looked at her and asked: "What's wrong? Do you want to buy something?"

Fu Rui shook her head and said: "Miss, you don't take me with you every time you go, and you rarely let me serve you personally, so Fu Rui wonders if she is particularly useless and can't help the Miss."

Qibao didn't know what to say for a long time, thinking about it, it was indeed true, she had never brought Fu Rui with her by her side in what she did, after all, she was her personal maid, and this girl was beginning to have self-doubt.

Qibao said: "Okay, then you can follow me tomorrow. From now on, as long as I have nothing special to do, I will take you with me wherever I go!"

"That's great! Miss!" Fu Rui was beyond happy.

"Okay, you go get some hot water first, I want to wash up!"

"Yes! Miss, I'll go right away!" Fu Rui happily trotted to the kitchen.

At this time, the Twelve Guards also came to Qibao's room. Without saying a word, they were taken into space and handed over to Xiaoling.

After Qibao washed up, she thought about the expression on her second brother's face at the dinner table in the evening, and thought that there must be something he wasn't comfortable talking about, and that she would have to go and ask before she could do anything about it.

Qibao knocked on the door and said: "Second brother, I am Qibao."

Soon, the door opened. Xu Zhiyong was standing at the door wearing a white undershirt. After seeing his sister, he said with a smile: "Why are you here, sister? Is there something wrong? Come in and talk."

He took Qibao's hand and pulled her into the room to sit down.

"Second brother, are you hiding something from your family?" Qibao asked.

"No, what can happen to your second brother..."

Qibao said: "I saw it all at the dinner table this evening, so if there's something wrong, just say so, and I'll be able to figure out a way to help with it."

Xu Zhiyong struggled a little and said after a while: "I want to learn how to do business!"

Qibao was surprised. She had never heard her second brother mention this matter.

So she asked:"Is that why Second Brother doesn't want to take the imperial exams?"

"Well, I have no intention of pursuing an official career. Having an elder brother at home is enough. I want to learn how to do business, and I can help you share the burden in the future."

"Second brother, if you only want to learn business because you want to share the burden with me, I absolutely disagree. You should do what you like!" Qibao said.

"No, second brother just likes to be in business, by the way, to help you share the burden, it's just that I'm afraid that grandpa and my father and the others won't agree." Xu Zhiyong finished speaking with some disappointment.

"Second brother, this business is not as simple as it seems, you have to learn how to deal with people, and you can't offend people easily. You have to be flexible and know how to adapt, there are a lot of tricks in this, can you adapt to it, second brother?"

"Does sister mean to say that second brother is not flexible mentally? That's right, I'm not as calm as big brother, I'm not as thoughtful as third brother, I'm not as smart as fourth brother, I'm not as true to myself as fifth brother, little six is even worse, and even less wise than you, sister. Could it be that I'm really not suited to walk this path?" Xu Zhiyong Xu Zhiyong said a little frustrated.

When Qibao heard this, she felt that her second brother was giving up on himself, so she quickly said: "Who said you're not smart, Second Brother? Second brother you are also a person with ideas, if second brother really wants to go into business, you need to discuss with grandpa and uncle and the others and make your ideas known, it's not good to hide them like this."

"I know, but I'm afraid they won't agree..."

Qibao said: "I support my second brother's choice."

"Sister, are you saying that you agree with your second brother to go into business?" Xu Zhiyong asked in surprise.

"Well, but that also depends on whether you are suitable for doing business." Qibao said.

"How is this going to be proven?" Xu Zhiyong asked.

"When you're not doing anything, you can go to the barbecue restaurant to learn how to do business from Shopkeeper Zhang. I'll give you some books on the subject, so you can take a look at them as well, if you think you're not made for this, give up immediately and don't get into a corner, got it?" Qibao said. 

"Okay, thank you sister!" Xu Zhiyong said happily.

"Tomorrow you'll tell grandpa and the others what you think, understand? Look at Third Brother, he's doing just fine, didn't Grandpa and Second Auntie agree?" Qibao exclaimed.

"I'll remember that, sister!"

"Okay, it's getting late. Second brother, you should rest early. I'm going back." Qibao said with a yawn.

"Okay, I'll walk you to your room, sister."

Qibao did not refuse. Xu Zhiyong took Qibao's hand and led her to the door of the room. Fu Rui was already standing at the door waiting for Qibao to come back.

"Sister, go to bed quickly!"

Qibao nodded, looking at the cheerful steps of her second brother as he left, she couldn't help but curl her lips.

The next day, Qibao got up early, and Fu Rui got the clothes Qibao was going to wear ready, and went to fetch some hot water, helped her comb her hair, and when she was properly cleaned up, she followed behind the young miss and came to the main hall.

The family sat down and started eating. Xu Zhiyong mustered up the courage and said: "Grandfather, father and mother, I...I want to learn how to do business."

The family immediately stopped eating and looked at him in surprise.

"Zhiyong, what did you say? You want to get into business?" Xu Dabo asked.

"Yes, father, I want to learn how to do business..."

"This... What are you saying, you child! You're still studying at the academy, why do you suddenly want to get into business? How old are you now?" Mrs. Zhang spoke.

"Mother, I'm eleven years old, and not far from twelve, I'm no longer considered young, and I've already thought about it, father and mother just agree to your son's request..." Xu Zhiyong said. 

"Zhiyong, why are you suddenly thinking of getting into business?" The old man asked.

"I want to make money on my own with my skills, I know that business is not that easy to do, but I want to try. Grandpa, just let me learn from Shopkeeper Zhang! And I don't have any thoughts about the imperial examinations, the kind of path your grandson wants to take in the future, you've decided it all on your own!" Xu Zhiyong said.

For a moment, everyone else fell silent.

Qibao knew what the family was thinking, so she said: "Grandpa, although nowadays the status of the scholars, farmers, and businessmen is the lowest, but when a person is wealthy enough that no one else dares to underestimate them, these unwritten rules will become useless, and since Second Brother doesn't want to go down the path of the Imperial Examination, why don't we just let him give it a try, and if he's really unsuitable, it won't be too late to turn back again."

Xu Zhiyong gratefully glanced at Qibao, knowing his sister's importance at home, and with his sister's help in the conversation, everyone in the family would be all ears.

The old man said: "You should take advantage of school time to learn from Shopkeeper Zhang and make a decision. If you still don't change it, then I will agree."

"Yes, grandpa!" Xu Zhiyong said, and then looked at his parents.

Xu Dabo and Mrs. Zhang looked at each other and didn't say anything, although there was some worry in their hearts, they didn't say anything, hoping that it wasn't a decision made by this child on a whim.