The news that Hangzhou had fallen and that Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were about to return began to spread to the Su family ten days ago.
Since Ning Yi and his wife went south last year, the Su family's situation was naturally stable at first. After defeating the Wu Family through the matter of the imperial merchants, Su Tan'er went south to expand. Although Su Boyong was paralyzed, his vision, ability, and connections were all there. Su Tan'er's original intention of going south was to prevent her father's influence from being suppressed. After leaving, the Su family's first branch developed as expected. At this time, the Wu Family was already weak. Under this situation, the Su family became the number one in the Jiangning weaving industry.
Although the Wu Family was still the leader of the weaving industry at that time, the Su family was almost set to become the next Hangzhou. However, the biggest turning point naturally came from the chaos in July. Fang La went to Hangzhou and shook Tiannan. All kinds of businesses in the Yangtze River and Qinhuai River valleys were affected. Within the Jiangning weaving industry, there were rumors that Su Tan'er and Ning Yi were lost in the chaos. The Su family and even the Wu Family and the Xue family, who had been watching, suddenly began to move.
The Wu Family, who had just retired from the position of the Jiangning weaving industry, still had great ambitions. The Xue family, on the other hand, was extremely jealous of the Su family's sudden rise. Under such circumstances, the two families had already joined forces. Internally, the second and third branches also seemed to see an opportunity. If Su Tan'er and the calculative Ning Liheng met with an accident in the south, and the Su family had now reached such a height, there was no reason for them not to take advantage of it.
Su Wending and Su Wenfang, who went south with Ning Yi and Su Tan'er, rushed back to Jiangning after returning to Huzhou. At that time, the south was already in a state of chaos. Every day, there were all kinds of news. Su Wending and Su Wenfang brought back Ning Yi and Su Tan 'er, but they were nowhere to be found. Although the couple was protected by soldiers when they were separated, it was still unknown whether they were alive or dead. In fact, not knowing whether they were alive or dead was already the worst news.
Su Boyong and the others could only wait for further news. According to Su Wending and Su Wenfang, Ning Yi could be considered to have saved the lives of those who were on the run. Half a month later, when Su Tan'er sent a letter back, those who should take action had already begun to take action.
The Wu Family and the Xue family had already begun to negotiate with some upstream and downstream merchants. The second and third branches of the Su family originally wanted to wait, but people were like this. When one of them began to plan to divide up the first branch, the others would not be left behind. After all, at this time, Su Boyong might not be able to completely control the whole situation. Under the pretext that everyone was a family, they began to guard against the Xue family and the Wu Family. They began to arrange shopkeepers in some of the shops that originally belonged to the first branch, checking the accounts and so on. Someone even indirectly asked Su Boyong if he wanted to adopt a child, but Su Boyong directly smashed his head with a teacup.
When Su Tan'er's letter came back, she was pregnant and devoted all her heart to Ning Yi. She didn't give any explanation about what might have happened at home. These people had already taken the lead, and it was hard to get off. They also hoped that they would be lucky. Since they were out of danger, why didn't they come back? The south was so chaotic, and there would be problems sooner or later. Moreover, Ning Liheng was most likely dead.
Some people also suspected that this letter from Su Tan'er was simply forged by Su Boyong. This was a rumor spread by the Xue family and the Wu Family. They didn't care what would happen if Su Tan'er came back. As long as they seized the territory at this time, Su Tan'er could do nothing even if she came back. In turn, this statement convinced many people in the second branch and the third branch. After that, Su Boyong sent a letter asking Su Tan'er to return to Jiangning as soon as possible. This letter was like a stone sinking into the sea, which confirmed everyone's speculation.
In the next few months, the second branch and the third branch, together with the Wu Family and the Xue family, suppressed the first branch of the Su family. Of course, the position of the second branch and the third branch in this matter was basically external. Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang and others thought that the eldest brother could not support the current situation of the first branch. Of course, they couldn't let the Xue family and the Wu Family take advantage of them. They must let all kinds of cousins take over, and everyone should unite against the external enemies. That being said, it was followed by a huge internal friction.
After all, Su Boyong was paralyzed. In the next few months, he could only support the first branch based on his previous contacts and the possibility that his daughter was still alive. In the imperial business war against the Wu Family, the first branch had gained a lot. Such a huge capital was enough for him to slowly consume. The old grandfather, Su Yu, had been watching this matter. He could only watch. His authority could only be used when the Su family was facing a disaster. If Su Tan'er really died, then the first branch's share could only be distributed to the second branch and the third branch.
After that, the weaving industry in Jiangning was in chaos. It was even more chaotic than when the Su family defeated the Wu Family with the imperial business war. There were steady merchants who were unwilling to leave the Su family, and there were also many speculators who chose a new side in this business war. Both the Xue family and the Wu Family began to make profits again. This situation lasted until ten days ago, when the news of the city of Hangzhou was spread. Su Tan'er also sent a letter, and this letter was even sent by the government.
Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were all in good condition and returned safely. Su Tan'er was already nine months pregnant, and it was possible that she would go home after giving birth on the way.
After the news came, the chaos outside gradually calmed down. The Wu Family and the Xue family knew that they didn't have much chance. However, in the past half a year, they had also made a lot of profits. Many merchants in the upstream and downstream had taken sides in these months, and it was not good for them to go back to the Su family. Only inside the Su family, there was a dull scene. The meaning of the two people's safe return was not just a simple return. They had saved many high-ranking officials and dignitaries on their way to escape. Who knew whether they would reach out their tentacles? Even if they didn't reach out immediately, the relationship and network of the first branch of the Su family had expanded to an unknown extent. Under the same roof, if they wanted to settle accounts in the future, they really couldn't hide from it.
Only those who had been leaning towards the first branch during this period of time knew that they had ushered in the dawn. For example, Su Wending and Su Wenfang began to talk to others these days, "Do you know how those people called second brother-in-law brothers on the way to escape? Let me tell you, the situation was really dangerous at that time …"
Some people were complacent, and some people were confused. In a few days, the second branch, the third branch, and some relatives of the Su family who were close to them were in a mess. Some people had already begun to worry about settling accounts in the future. They discussed with others nervously whether they should return the shops and materials of the first branch that they had swallowed recently. There were also some people who were still tough, like Su Yunfang, who banged the table in the yard and shouted, "I won't return them. In that case, it's natural for me to worry about them. Let's see what they can do to me …"
Although the pressure had been relieved, there was still a buffer time. After all, at the beginning, the news came that Su Tan'er might come back after giving birth. However, in the evening of the first day of March, the people who reported that Second Miss and the second son-in-law got off the ship at the dock had already arrived. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's departure from Zhenjiang was an impromptu idea. No one informed them in advance. When they got off the ship, they arranged for people to quickly return to the mansion. Before the news had spread completely, the carriage stopped at the gate.
In the sunset, Ning Yi and his wife stepped into the gate of the Su Mansion. The servants and stewards came to greet them. The children of the Su family who passed by came to greet them. In everyone's eyes, this young couple who had been away from home for a year seemed to have a completely different aura from before.
In that dangerous situation, they saved many people and got to know many people. Among these people were rich businessmen, officials, and great scholars. Although the specific concept of these relationships was not clear to everyone, it did not prevent people from letting their imagination run wild. Moreover, this son-in-law Ning, who could only be said to be able to predict every ten steps, had even faced the Seven Buddhas of Fang, Wang Yin, and Shi Bao in the dangerous situation of Hangzhou. In the stories that Su Wending and Su Wenfang told after they came back, the most talked about was the battle in Taiping Alley.
Now that they were back, everything felt real.
The seemingly gentle young son-in-law had killed people with his own hands. He had turned defeat into victory for the imperial army and indirectly killed thousands of rebels. He had even faced the most ferocious rebels and was not at a disadvantage at all. What kind of concept was this?
Because the news had just spread, not many people came to greet them. After all, Su Tan'er and Ning Yi were not considered elders in this family. Going home was going home. Xing'er, Juan'er, and the others asked the servants to move some simple things into the small courtyard and then went to tidy it up. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er first went to Su Yu's place. When they arrived at the courtyard and paid their respects to the old grandfather, Su Boyong had already asked someone to push his wheelchair over.
On a practical level, there were many problems to deal with, but Su Tan'er was already nine months pregnant, so rest was the most important thing. Ning Yi's solution was also simple and crude. He told them the general situation of this trip to Hangzhou, what kind of relationships they had, who they had met, and at the same time laid out some of the official and business relationships that Jiangning could visit in front of Su Yu and Su Boyong.
"Next, the Su family's cloth business will develop along the Yangtze River to the direction of Qinhuai River. As for some things that may have happened in the family, grandpa and father-in-law will deal with it. Tan'er will not intervene in these things for now and focus on taking care of the baby. "
After these things were said, he accompanied Tan'er back to the courtyard. Everyone was still tidying up. At this time, there were already groups of people coming over. Most of them were relatives of the family, such as Su Wending, Su Wenfang, and some others. There were also some people who were originally close to the second and third branches, who came over to vaguely apologize. And the people of the second and third branches were naturally also watching the movements here, wanting to see what Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were going to do to them. In the small courtyard, there were also people who began to talk to Ning Yi and Su Tan'er about the situation of the Su family in the past few months, trying to instigate revenge. However, for this kind of problem, Ning Yi just dismissed it with a sentence, "You should look at the big picture and don't fuss over these small things." Then he sent them away so that they would not disturb Su Tan'er.
When Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang, and others heard this, they also faintly breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts. Su Yunfang said, "At least he knows the big picture. We are all a family. No matter how powerful he is, will he really fight against a family? To be honest, although they came back from the chaos, the family affairs are not the same as outside. They may not be able to do anything to us."
As he said this, someone came to report that someone from Princess Cheng's Mansion had sent an invitation to Ning Yi and his wife to attend a banquet. Su Yunfang's expression froze, and the messenger said, "But he was rejected by the second son-in-law. He said that he had to settle down first and would visit in the evening …"
Su Yunfang sat on the chair and swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva. The corner of his mouth slightly twitched a few times.
*****
It was true that they had just arrived home. Of course, Ning Yi could not go to Mr. Kang's place immediately. They were more familiar with each other, so it was okay to refuse a little. He directed a group of servants to clean and decorate the yard that he had not lived in for nearly a year. After dinner, Ning Yi was ready to go to Kang Xian's house to visit. When he left the yard, he met Su Zhongkan, who also seemed to have just had dinner.
After greeting each other, the two of them walked together. Su Zhongkan asked him about what had happened in Hangzhou and expressed his concern. Then he vaguely revealed the idea that the family should be united and so on. This was to sound out the situation. Naturally, Ning Yi smiled and answered perfunctorily for a while.
He really did not intend to care about what would happen to the second and third branches of the Su family. They were a group of people from a small family, which was really ridiculous. Of course, his indifference was also based on the fact that others would get along with him. If people like Su Zhongkan and Su Yunfang thought that things might be over in this way, then they were really wrong.
At this time, the Su family already had a further opportunity to soar. If it continued to develop, it would be on the scale of the Lou family in the past. At this time, the most taboo thing was that the family was not united. If such a thing happened again in the future, the Su family must unite against the external forces. In this way, the family could have the greatest development. Ning Yi knew that Old Grandpa Su understood these things. If he wanted Su Tan'er and his many connections to be really successful, all the resources at present should be tilted to the first branch.
In the past few months, Su Yu did not speak because the first branch was still able to stabilize the situation, and Su Tan'er's life was also uncertain. But everything that happened in the whole family must be seen by the old man. Now that he and Su Tan'er were back, the next step was bound to be a big purge to completely prevent similar things in the future. This purge was probably more serious than the imperial merchant incident. The second and third branches would definitely be fiercely beaten by the old man and beaten by their own people. They could only really stand up in the future if they were not seriously injured.
Of course, this was just Ning Yi's observation of the old man. If it were him, he would definitely do the same. If Su Zhongkan and others thought that it was okay to just take a stand on this side, they were really naive. For the future of this family, Su Yu was the one who cared the most. Of course, if the old man did not do these things, he did not care. In the future, if they schemed against each other, his and Su Tan'er's status would not change, but the second and third branches would only suffer greater losses.
With this kind of understanding in his mind, he left the Su family, did not call for servants, and drove the carriage to the streets of Jiangning alone. After a year, Jiangning was as prosperous as it was yesterday. But when he passed by a street, he stopped for a moment. At the intersection of the street, he saw a magnificent and elegant restaurant that he had never seen before. It was open, and business was quite good. What attracted him were the few words that served as the signboard: Takeshi — Memory Blue House.
In a year, it seemed that Takeshi had developed well. He smiled. But what was going on with Memory Blue House? After not seeing each other for so long, did Yuan Jin'er fall in love with someone else? Did she fall in love with someone called X Blue or XX Blue?
Well, after visiting Kang Xian … he would ask her …
*****
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