They didn't have to wait too long before the Jiangnan governor, Xue Qing, also hurried over. Imperial Censor Guo Zheng, who had been dawdling in the back courtyard, finally walked to the front hall. At this time, the officials from all four sides who were in charge of and supervising the opening of the palace treasury finally gathered together. Guo Zheng was no longer the Imperial Censor of the Left, who was the prestigious Imperial Censor of the Imperial Censorate, but he still had a certain amount of power in inspecting the various roads. His and Fan Xian's old grievances had not been resolved, so it was difficult to avoid awkwardness when they met. As the four officials bowed to each other, they always felt that Fan Xian's calm and cold gaze hid a glimmer of danger.
Of the four officials, Eunuch Huang, who had come from the capital, represented the Palace. The Jiangnan governor, Xue Qing, represented the court official system. The Imperial Censor, Guo Zheng, represented the Imperial Censor system. As for Fan Xian, he represented many powers, such as the palace treasury transport company, the Overwatch Council, and even Taichang Temple, the organization that managed the royal family.
Of course, everyone represented the court and the Emperor.
Fan Xian sat in the second chair and smiled slightly as he spoke to Xue Qing. He saw the situation clearly. There were too many people watching this matter. Regardless of who it was, regardless of which power, it would be difficult for them to complete the transactions under the table. The palace treasury bidding process formed in history effectively ensured fairness.
At least, it was fair on the surface. As long as the merchants had money, they could fight for the right to sell the 16 items of the palace treasury.
He thought this way, and the other three also thought this way. Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng met each other's eyes. Although there was a hidden uneasiness, in their opinion, Fan Xian could not play any tricks in front of everyone. What they had to ensure was that the Ming family would still be able to obtain the same share as in previous years.
Eunuch Huang and the Imperial Censor were originally two classes that were as incompatible as fire and water in history. Today, they stood in the same camp with great tacit understanding. However, these two did not understand many secrets and did not pay enough attention to the last person to enter the palace treasury door, Master Xia, Xia Qifei.
Xue Qing was different. The Jiangnan governor had the attitude of watching a show. With a face full of peace, he watched the giant merchants and the people around him below the stage. Watching a show was not afraid of the height of the stage. It was always easier than acting.
A number of people sang on one side of the stage.
…
…
The thick doors of the palace treasury courtyard slowly closed again. The soldiers and Overwatch Council officials outside pulled up tight defenses. In the past, the palace treasury bidding usually ended in a day. However, the rules of the court allowed each merchant to use two days to bid.
There was a loud bang.
Fan Xian smiled and covered his ears, looking at the spring thunder rising into the sky outside the courtyard.
The spring thunder soared into the sky, exploding under the light clouds. The sound was clear and crisp, spreading far and wide to the ground, causing countless people's hearts to tremble.
In the city of Suzhou, the brothel girls who had worked hard last night were roused by this thunderclap. They cursed a few obscenities, then crawled back into their quilts and slept soundly. The child who was begging his parents for money to buy candies on the street thought that God was punishing him for being naughty. He was so scared that he started crying. In the backyard, the black dog that was peeing on an old tree root was startled by the thunder. It lowered its front limbs and buried its head in its furry bag, mimicking an ostrich.
Humans' reactions were always different. When this spring thunder fell into the ears of some people, it had a different meaning. Regardless of whether it was the various advisors and shopkeepers gathered on the north pier of Suzhou or the Suzhou residents discussing the matter of the bidding in the tea houses, everyone raised their heads and looked in the direction of the south of the city. Looking at the invisible courtyard, they knew that the palace treasury bidding had already begun.
The palace treasury bidding in the spring of the sixth year of the Qing calendar had actually not gone smoothly from the beginning.
First, the palace treasury transport company summarized the profits and losses of each merchant last year. Naturally, there was no lack of words of encouragement. The deputy of the transport company, Ma Jie, who was responsible for giving the speech, sternly reported the situation of the court's investigation of the Cui family. This was a warning to the merchants below not to think that the court was not watching them.
These were the rules of the past, so no one cared. However, when Ma Jie talked about the specifics of today's bidding, the mansion was in an uproar. The merchants all stood up to express their opposition. Even the four high officials sitting in the main hall began to argue.
The transport company had suddenly decided to divide the original 16 items into 34 smaller items and would not carry out bundled bidding this year.
This change did not appear to be big, but for the merchants below, it was something they could not accept.
The reason was very simple. Three months before the bidding, these Jiangnan merchants had already privately colluded with each other, drawing up the boundaries and boundaries between each other. Well water does not interfere with river water, so as to avoid hurting each other's harmony, and even more so by raising the price and hurting their wealth. For example, what the Lingnan Xiong family had to fight for this year was the northern bid for the wine category, while the Quanzhou Sun family wanted the overseas marketing rights for their porcelain goods.
If they followed the transport company's intentions and divided the 16 major items into 34 smaller items, although on the surface, everyone could still maintain their bottom line, the eight major items that were expected to go to the Ming family would be divided into two bundled bids. After they were all broken down, who knew whether or not some merchant would suddenly become envious and want to steal some of the Ming family's share? After all, after they were no longer bundled, it seemed that the most profitable sources of income did not need that much silver.
Once someone was tempted by the Ming family's share, what would happen to the Ming family? They would certainly go back and steal someone else's share. This was determined by the profit-seeking nature of merchants. They were only afraid that when the palace treasury opened its doors today, it would be a mess.
These Jiangnan merchants … what they were most afraid of was chaos. The Ming family had already agreed that they would not interfere with the Cui family's share. These merchants could already eat a few more bowls of fat meat today. Of course, they didn't want anyone to mess up their plans.
In their eyes, the reason why the imperial envoy would make such a change was actually very simple. First, he wanted everyone's eyes to turn red from killing in the chaos and raise the price. Second, he wanted to break down the income and dilute the amount of silver needed for each item. He wanted... Xia Qifei, who entered the courtyard last, to also get a share of the pie!
These crafty merchants had already realized that the long-silent room B4 was the imperial envoy's chosen representative.
However, we can all understand that the imperial envoy wants to earn money, but you can't use such a seemingly fair but actually evil method!
…
…
"Sir Fan, this proposal is not appropriate." After Eunuch Huang's face had been shaved by Fan Xian, he still appeared sufficiently calm. He squeezed out a smiling expression on his fat face and said, "According to the rules of the past, 16 items are 16 items. Why do we suddenly have to divide them? This matter has to be decided by the capital. "
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and said a few words. He then turned his head and said to Xue Qing in a low voice, "Governor, dividing them into smaller items and no longer binding them is actually just to allow more people to have the right to enter … this matter is always beneficial to the court."
Xue Qing was silent for a moment and revealed a difficult expression. "Although it is so, this matter is no small matter. I think Sir Fan should report it to the court and after it has been discussed in the Palace, we can slowly push it forward next year."
Seeing that Xue Qing had also expressed his opposition, Fan Xian felt a bit unhappy. Looking at the rowdy merchants below, a glimmer of pity flashed through his mind. The reason he had to divide the items today was not at all what these merchants thought was the reason.
Indeed, he wanted to test whether or not it was possible to dig out the two most profitable items from the Ming family's eight large items and give them to Xia Qifei. But, the truly important reason was actually thinking for these merchants.
These merchants all thought that the six items left behind by the Cui family were already in their pockets, so they would not fight with the Ming family for them. However, in a moment, Xia Qifei was certain to swallow all six of the Cui family's items into his stomach. These merchants could only eat those two pitiful items. Earlier, there had been reports that the Lingnan Xiong family and Quanzhou Sun family had both prepared a large sum of silver and were sharpening their knives in preparation to accept the Cui family's route. In a moment, once all their efforts were in vain, these merchants would suffer a great loss.
Because of the Cui family's collapse, the number of merchants who came to the palace treasury to bid today was three times more than in previous years. Fan Xian's original intention was for these merchants to have something to eat, which was why he had suggested dividing the items. Unexpectedly, no one appreciated it. Although he understood that these merchants did not know how the situation would develop in a moment, which was why they raised their opposition so forcefully, Fan Xian still found it difficult to suppress the sullen feeling in his heart.
He argued a little more with Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng beside him. After explaining for a while, he found that the merchants still insisted on doing things according to the usual practice of previous years. The other three officials were also dead set on the word "rules" and did not dare to loosen their tongues. Fan Xian finally decided to give up. As the saying goes, retreat in order to advance. Sometimes, this was the logic.
Deputy Ma Jie turned his head and glanced at Fan Xian with difficulty. Fan Xian waved his hand, indicating that the discussion was over.
The merchants were overjoyed and all bowed deeply, saying that the imperial envoy was wise. Fan Xian looked at these merchants with cold eyes and couldn't resist shaking his head. He thought to himself, Just don't cry in a moment.
Xue Qing sat beside him and smiled slightly as he stroked his beard without saying anything. In reality, his gaze was focused on the room closest to the main hall and the room furthest away. At first, there was a lot of noise in the front, but the calmest were those two rooms. He knew Xia Qifei was Fan Xian's person. However, he didn't know where Fan Xian had prepared the silver or how the Ming family was planning to respond.
— — —
The bidding had not been going on for long. There were already merchants who began to regret it. The head of the Xiong family in Lingnan became the first pitiful fellow to almost cry.
The palace treasury transport company officials stood on the high steps and gave a salute. Then, each room began to bid. Naturally, the bids could not be shouted out like bidding for girls in a brothel. 50 liang! 100 liang! When the court did things, there had to be some rules. For example, the merchants of North Cotton Yarn Road would, after the officials gave the salute, calculate last year's profit and this year's trend. They would have their own old shopkeepers make detailed calculations and then write down an accurate number on a piece of paper. They would seal it in a kraft paper bag and have the transport company officials below deliver it to the Flower Hall on the left of the main hall.
The merchants had three chances to bid, and they all opened open bids. If someone bid higher than them the first time, these merchants still had a chance to raise the price. In the end, the third bid would be the final one. It was a very simple rule for bidding — the highest bidder wins. Then, the merchants who won the bid had to, in the first instant, either joyfully or painfully, take out up to 40 percent of the deposit and deliver it to the Flower Hall. In the Flower Hall were the accountants of the transport company, as well as old accounting officials sent over by the Jingdou Ministry of Revenue. They were responsible for comparing the numbers each merchant brought up and inspecting the banknotes the merchants finally handed over. It had been many years since a merchant had stupidly brought a dozen boxes of silver to the bidding.
From this point of view, the palace treasury bidding was not much different from bidding for a prostitute in a brothel. It was just that the girl in the palace treasury was a bit more expensive. Regardless of whether it was the merchants or the busy officials, they were no strangers to this scene.
At this moment, in the courtyard, the officials were busily walking around, holding the envelopes each family had handed over. The officials of the Overwatch Council were vigilantly watching everything to prevent cheating that was already difficult to happen.
At this time, the bid was for the wine category from the north. This was already the third bid.
The person who came from the Lingnan Xiong family today was the current head of the family, Xiong Bailing. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Looking at the previous two bids, the muscles on his face twitched. He wanted to cry but had no tears. The Lingnan Xiong family had always done business in the south of the Qing Kingdom. Because of geographical and opportunity problems, they had never had the opportunity to extend their reach to the north, so it was difficult to open up business. This year, because of the fall of the Cui family, these merchants had the opportunity to seize the northern marketing rights, so Xiong Bailing was determined to win this bid. He was also the one who had opposed Fan Xian's division of the project the most.
However, at this time, he began to regret it. He had clearly already had the clan prepare enough silver, but the previous two bids had been forcefully suppressed by someone else.
Xiong Bailing's eyes were red. Anxiety attacked his heart. If he didn't win this bid, it wasn't just a matter of how much money he would earn this year. Rather, his family's march to the north around the Ming family would be forced to slow down. Thus, he hated the person who didn't follow the rules and dared to compete with him for the bid. Other than the hatred, there was also endless fear. He knew that person had the imperial envoy as a backer, but the problem was … where did he get so much money?
"B4!" He looked hatefully at the quiet room in the back. Xia Qifei and his group in room B4 had been very quiet the entire time, but when it came to bidding, they were very vicious and merciless. Most importantly, they didn't know what kind of expert was helping them. They had calculated a year's profit in the north of the wine business so clearly, and they also had a clear estimate of his family's bottom line. The previous two bids, each bid had just happened to suppress him.
For some reason, a feeling of defeat grew in Xiong Bailing's heart. Could it be that he, who had been in business for generations, was not as good as a bandit leader?
At his side, the old shopkeeper's face was full of defeat and he reminded him, "Master, you can't go any higher. If you go any higher … then there won't be any profit."
Xiong Bailing thought for a while, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes. The Xiong family earning money from this bid was a small matter. Opening up a trade route was the important matter. He decided to fight it out with the bandits in room B4.
"Just give me this price." Xiong Bailing made a hand gesture and made up his mind to cut off all means of retreat. He gritted his teeth and said, "Bandits don't care about stolen silver … but there's no need to lose money to steal business from me."
At this time, the courtyard had quieted down. It was the third bid, and there was no one else participating. Everyone's gaze was focused on the Lingnan Xiong family and room B4.
Although Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng had doubts in their hearts and glanced at Fan Xian, they still didn't pay enough attention to it. After all, this was only a small bid. Perhaps Fan Xian just wanted to fish for some profit. As long as it didn't hurt the Ming family or their interests, it was fine.
The two officials each took out a leather envelope from the two rooms and silently entered the Flower Hall.
Everyone waited anxiously for the result. Although this bid was not the biggest or most profitable of the 16, the people in the courtyard had already begun to feel something strange about room B4. Everyone wanted to know whether room B4 was here to fight for the bid or was the imperial envoy using it to raise the price.
…
…
"Room B4, Xia family, 370,000 liang, win …"
The transport company official responsible for announcing the result stood on the stone steps and expressionlessly sang out the result. His singing was very moving. Even the last "win" swayed and sounded like he was singing on a stage.
The courtyard immediately sank into a deathly silence. A moment later, everyone seemed to wake up from their shock and let out a heaven-shaking cry of surprise.
370,000 liang! However, to sell wine to the North … if it was calculated according to previous years, this would certainly be a loss. The Lingnan Xiong family had bid 300,000 liang, which was already a desperate bid. Who would have thought that they would still lose to room B4!
However, with this, the merchants also understood one fact. Xia Qifei of room B4 was definitely not a shill used by the imperial envoy to raise the price. He was truly going to fight for business with them.
For a moment, everyone didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
At this time, a muffled sound came from the room of the Lingnan Xiong family. It seemed that something heavy had fallen from a chair to the ground.
Everyone stared at the room with lingering fear.
The master of the Xiong family, Xiong Bailing, climbed up from the ground. With great difficulty, he picked up a cup of cold tea and poured it into his stomach. Panting, he said, "That bastard … f * ck, to bid 370,000 liang. These bandits are indeed bandits. Even when doing business, they are still so bandit like. You guys win."
Fan Xian sat in the grand wooden chair in the hall with his head slightly lowered. He was not happy with this price. It was indeed too high. Originally, the first two bids had been very beautiful on Xia Qifei's side and just enough to beat the Xiong family by a head. This last bid had cost him an extra 70,000 liang of silver.
No matter how much money he had, he couldn't afford to spend it like this. He sighed in his heart, but he knew that the bidding was certainly not Xia Qifei's decision. He had placed a few crafty Ministry of Revenue officials in room B4. They were experts he had secretly asked for from his father in Jingdou. However, it seemed that those officials had overestimated the determination of the Lingnan Xiong family.
— — —
In a moment, a brocade box had been brought out from room B4 and handed over to the Flower Hall for inspection. It was indeed a full 150,000 liang of banknotes issued by Taiping money house. The seal was not fake, and the old man was not deceived.
At this moment, everyone knew that the person sitting in the quiet room B4 was a merchant among bandits. A bandit among merchants did not give any face when it came to bidding. It only knew how to use silver to smash people. Furthermore, the other party did indeed have this much silver.
However, no one knew how many more bids the bandits in room B4 were prepared to take.
The following development of the situation made everyone, other than the Ming family, feel hopeless. The leader of the Jiangnan water bandits, Xia Qifei, perfectly displayed the style of a bandit. Using the banknotes as a knife and the exquisite bidding as a fist, he forcefully carved out a bloody path in the midst of the crowd of merchants. Amidst the singing of the officials on the stone steps, the brocade box was endlessly handed into the Flower Hall. People seemed to see countless beautiful banknotes dancing in the air while Xia Qifei held a large knife and clamored lasciviously, "Who has more money than me?"
Four hours had passed. Other than missing an unimportant small bid, Xia Qifei had taken four bids in a row. Among them were the three bids that had originally belonged to the Cui family's northern route. Not only had he killed Xiong Bailing until he fell to the ground, he had also killed the Quanzhou Sun family until their faces were deathly pale. The other merchants were even more frightened out of their wits. They thought to themselves that they had not come today to take bids, but to see bandits kill people.
It was only now that the merchants regretted not accepting Fan Xian's initial proposal. If they split it up, there were still 10 more major bids. Even if the Ming family was eyeing them covetously, they would still have a chance to take a bite.
They would rather shed all pretense of cordiality and fight with the Ming family than face off against the bandits in room B4. This was the Jiangnan merchants' biggest feeling today.
Fan Xian sat in the grand wooden chair with a calm expression and spoke casually with Xue Qing. In reality, he was jealous of Xia Qifei in his heart. He thought to himself, why didn't this kind of cute game of using silver to smash people into the arena and make it so easy for him?
Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng had already shaken off the shock of a moment ago. They met each other's eyes with a not-quite-there smile. They were thinking the same thing. Fan Xian … where did all this silver come from? The Minister of Revenue in Jingdou was probably not clean.
The fifth bid had begun. This was the northern route glassware that had originally belonged to the Cui family.
The door to room B4 was pushed open again. Another brown paper bag was handed out.
At this time, there were already no merchants willing to play with this bandit, so they were all quiet and only hoped that the bandit would eat his fill earlier.
It was at this moment that the door to room A1, which had been unusually quiet, was pushed open. For some reason, the Ming family had made their move early.
…
…
"We don't need to win the bid, but we need to drag it out. At least drag it out until the end of the day." Ming Qingda closed his eyes to rest and said to his son beside him, "The other party's momentum has already been formed. We need to be careful and give ourselves enough time to respond tonight."
Ming Lanshi was silent. He knew that his father was also beginning to worry about the seemingly bottomless amount of silver in room B4 and was preparing to raise it at night.
Ming Qingda didn't open his eyes, but he was thinking about the bandit in room B4. Why did he make him so uneasy? That Xia Qifei, why did he look so familiar?
…
…
(The bandit in room B4 robbed the monthly tickets.) If you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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