The Sisi I wrote about yesterday was Yun Zhilan's disciple, the female swordsman Lu Sisi of Dongyi. She had once appeared in Hangzhou in the first volume, but she was just a minor character. She was not the same person as the one in Fan Xian's family. That Sisi is pregnant, how could she kill people?
…
…
Ming Qingda glanced at her coldly and said, "Mother doesn't know you were once the Eldest Princess' serving girl, but you know I know this very well, so there is no need to purposely remind me of anything. Her Highness and I have always been on the same boat, so I am not planning to leave. "
He paused and felt that there was no need to vent his anger on this woman. He shook his head and said, "The letter has long been sent to the Palace. The Eldest Princess will certainly have a way to delay Fan Xian's hand."
If the Eldest Princess had free time, of course, she would have enough schemes and arguments in court to delay the Overwatch Council's advance on the Ming family.
The problem was, everyone was actually very busy right now.
— — —
The head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house sat coldly in the luxurious Flower Hall in Ming Garden. The tea by his hand had not been touched. His right hand was wrapped in bandages. No one knew if he had been injured in the battle the night before.
That was then and this was now. The day before yesterday, Zhaoshang money house had taken the initiative to discuss business with the Ming family. Today, after the Ming family's secret attack was ineffective, they had helplessly taken the initiative to ask. Thus, the attitude of this head shopkeeper was clearly different.
Ming Qingda secretly watched the other party's expression from the back. He thought that although this head shopkeeper was angry, he still came. Presumably, the owner behind the scenes of the money house did not want the matter the day before to affect the large business between the two sides.
He was just about to lift the curtain and go out when he found that his sleeve had been pulled. Turning his head in shock, he saw that his favorite son, Ming Lanshi, had a deathly pale face and wanted to say something.
Ming Qingda furrowed his brows and scolded in a low voice, "What time is it now? If you have something to say, then say it."
Ming Lanshi glanced into the hall and his expression became even uglier. Pulling on his father's sleeve, he entered the back hall. Without another word, he knelt down with a thud in front of him.
"I am unfilial … please, father, kill me …" Ming Lanshi gathered his courage and raised his head. "We must not let Zhaoshang money house use the transferred silver to exchange for shares!"
Ming Qingda was silent for a moment. He then slowly opened his lips and asked, "What exactly happened?"
Ming Lanshi lowered his head in shame and said, "I … privately transferred a batch of silver to Zhaoshang money house. I used half of the shares in my hands as collateral."
Ming Qingda sucked in a breath of cold air. His expression became extremely ugly, but he immediately recovered his calm and hurriedly asked, "When can the silver be returned? What contract? Can we find Taiping to transfer the contract? "
These were a few key questions. Because the matter concerned the ownership of the Ming family's shares, Ming Qingda had no time to scold his son. He rushed to ask them first, hoping that Zhaoshang money house wouldn't gain another 5 percent.
"Death contract …" Ming Lanshi said with a sad face. "As for the money back … I originally thought it would be three months, but now it looks like not a single cent will be returned. Taiping should know of this matter. They will not accept it."
The Ming family had been in the wind and rain for a year. Fan Xian had relied on the production of the palace treasury to choke them until they could barely breathe. The young master of the Ming family was just as he had said to his father that day. He had always thought that he should adjust the general direction of the Ming family's business. Only by doing this could they not forever be toyed with by Fan Xian.
Because of Ming Qingda's insistence, Ming Lanshi could only secretly carry out his own experiments. At the end of last year, he used his 5 percent shares in the Ming family to exchange for the silver support of Zhaoshang money house. He had thought that this attempt would allow him to obtain a large profit in a short amount of time and convince his father.
Ming Qingda's mind buzzed and he almost fainted. A moment later, he panted slightly and asked, "Just what kind of business is it? How can it not return a single cent of the capital? "
Ming Lanshi looked at his furious father and hesitated for a moment before saying with a trembling voice, "It is … the illicit salt business."
Ming Qingda was startled and didn't say anything for a moment. There were always only three most profitable businesses in the Qing Kingdom. One was the brothel business, one was the palace treasury's royal merchants, and one was a large family that sold illicit salt. Among these three, selling illicit salt returned the fastest and had the highest profit.
"Why can't it return the capital?" Ming Qingda stared coldly into his son's eyes and said each word clearly, "I know you are a steady person. Even if it is a highly risky illicit salt business, you must have a way to protect your capital … tell me, why can't it return the capital?"
"Because …" Ming Lanshi wanted to cry but had no tears. "A few days ago, the salt and tea yamen suddenly began an investigation. I don't know how they found out the news and seized all 12 ships of illicit salt … I went to find someone, but there was nothing I could do."
He didn't notice his father's increasingly ashen face and continued to explain, "Those related checkpoints and yamens have always been well taken care of by the family. I had no idea they would suddenly act. Besides, Yang Jimei has always walked that path. He promised me that it would be fine … "
A crisp slap rang out. Ming Qingda gave Ming Lanshi a fierce slap and forcefully slapped him to the ground.
Ming Lanshi covered his numb face and half-lay on the ground. He felt blood trickle out of his mouth. Looking at his father, who was as angry as a sick lion, he couldn't say anything.
"Yamen? Yamen! You also know that's a yamen! The salt and tea yamen doesn't dare to investigate the family … but wouldn't the Overwatch Council force them to investigate? " Ming Qingda roared in a low voice. His eyes were filled with disbelief, dejection, and rage. "Yang Jimei! Is there something wrong with your brain? That salt selling laborer is one of Xue Qing's dogs! The place Fan Xian lives in in Suzhou is his garden! "
Ming Qingda's chest felt a wave of coldness. He kicked his son and gritted his teeth as he cursed, "How did I raise such a stupid prodigal son like you?"
With great difficulty, he calmed his emotions and said weakly, "Did you leave anything behind in the salt business? Be careful that the Overwatch Council uses this crime to execute you. "
"Father, please don't worry." Ming Lanshi struggled to kneel in front of him. "That batch of silver came directly from Zhaoshang money house. Although that dog Yang Jimei knew it was me, the government couldn't find any evidence."
"If Zhaoshang money house brought your contract with them to court … then the government would have evidence." Ming Qingda sighed helplessly.
Ming Lanshi's heart suddenly chilled. "This money house … it wouldn't be Fan Xian's, would it?"
Ming Qingda's body trembled. A moment later, he silently shook his head. "It can't be Fan Xian's. The Eldest Princess has investigated the Ministry of Revenue in the capital. We have also kept a close eye on Fan Xian. He doesn't have that much silver to do this."
These words were simple, but the effort behind it was great. The Ming family wanted to do business with Zhaoshang money house. Of course, they had clearly investigated the background of Zhaoshang money house and confirmed that Fan Xian had no connection to Zhaoshang money house. However, Ming Qingda had not thought that although the results of his investigation were correct, the owner of Zhaoshang money house was indeed not Fan Xian … the owner was the young Emperor of Northern Qi!
"Everything starts from being cautious." Ming Qingda raised his head and barely managed to control his emotions of failure. "Giving up 30 percent … is letting down our ancestors, but it can let us delay for a while longer and wait for the backup plan in the capital."
However, the Ming family's gradual decline and eventual destruction these two years was actually because of this "delay."
…
…
After a long time, when the head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house yawned for the 20th time, the current master of the Ming family, Ming Qingda, walked out with a gloomy face.
The head shopkeeper smiled slightly and said, "Master Ming, you've made people wait for a long time."
Ming Qingda did not raise his hands in greeting, nor did he say anything else. Coldly, he asked, "Bring over the contract for Lan Shi's half of the shares. Cancel all the books, and I will agree to your owner's request."
"Yes, Master Ming." The head shopkeeper's expression still did not change. He took out a document from his clothes and presented it in front of Ming Qingda. It was the contract Ming Lanshi had left behind to collect the silver from selling salt. It seemed that he had long been prepared.
Without waiting for Ming Qingda to speak, the head shopkeeper said in a quiet voice, "Cancel that portion when we get back."
Ming Qingda nodded his head weakly.
In the afternoon, the various accounts masters of the Ming family and Zhaoshang money house filed in. The wealthy merchants that the head shopkeeper had strongly requested to come to watch the ceremony also sat to the side. The official notaries sent by the Suzhou government had also finished their preparations.
Three pieces of white paper were spread out on the table. An ink brush danced in the air. In a flash, three debt transfer documents were written. The wealthy merchants of the Sunxiong family and the elderly people in Suzhou, who were watching from the side, looked for a while before they understood what was written. They couldn't help but repeatedly suck in a breath of cold air with an unspeakable shock.
Zhaoshang money house invested in the Ming family, 30 percent of the shares.
Although the major figures in Jiangnan had long seen the Ming family's predicament, no one had expected that the Ming family, which was as rich as a country, would be in such a difficult situation. It could not be said to be at the end of the line. But to use 4 million liang of borrowed silver to exchange for 30 percent of the Ming family's shares? The merchants pondered it for a while and remembered that the Ming family's current predicament was mainly focused on cash flow, so they immediately understood this point. On the contrary, they felt that Zhaoshang money house's asking price was very fair.
Ming Qingda raised his brush and was silent for a moment. Without any pretense, he calmly signed his name and pressed his fingerprint on it.
Everyone watched this scene silently. Regardless of whether they were friend or foe of the Ming family, they all felt incomparable admiration for the shrewdness and boldness of the old Ming master. For a century-old family to give 30 percent to outsiders, only an extraordinary person would be able to do such an extraordinary thing.
The person representing Zhaoshang money house to sign and press his fingerprint was a young man. A young man with a pretty face who stood behind the head shopkeeper of the money house the entire time.
No one had noticed his existence. It was not until now that they all came to their senses and cast strange gazes, thinking, Was the mysterious owner of Zhaoshang money house this unknown young man?
Ming Qingda finally furrowed his brows and said, "So, you are the owner of the money house. Forgive me for my rudeness the other day."
It was no wonder he couldn't see it. Thirteenth Wang's carefree and relaxed aura truly did not seem like an ambitious and ruthless figure in the business world. There wasn't even a glimmer of the feeling of someone in a superior position.
Thirteenth Wang was slightly startled. He didn't know whether or not he should admit it. He didn't know whether or not Fan Xian would remain behind the scenes.
…
…
At this moment, there was a clamor at the door of Ming Garden. Immediately after, there was the sound of the middle door opening. Immediately after, the second door opened again, and the third door opened. The clamor traveled directly into the hall where the signing was being done. The hurried footsteps came quickly, even faster than the sound of the singing. They carried a glimmer of dominance and arrogance.
Ming Qingda furrowed his brows tightly and gazed out of the hall. He didn't know who had come.
The footsteps were light and fast.
The owner of the footsteps was in an unusually light mood.
Fan Xian, dressed in the black robes of the Overwatch Council, stepped over the long threshold and walked in. There was a pleased smile on his face. Behind him followed Hong Changqing and the other Overwatch Council officials, as well as Xia Qifei, the Seventh young master of the Ming family.
He didn't greet the officials and merchants. Instead, he walked directly in front of Ming Qingda and looked at the old man with an unfathomable gaze.
After looking for an indeterminable amount of time, Ming Qingda furrowed his brows slightly. Looking at the imperial envoy who was rumored to still be in the Shazhou area, he asked, "Imperial envoy, you have graced us with your presence.
Fan Xian smiled slightly and said, "How could I not come to such a grand event, particularly since I still have to say thank you to the old Ming master."
"Thank you?" Ming Qingda's heart trembled slightly.
"Thank you for your 30 percent share." He moved closer to Ming Qingda's ear and used a voice only he could hear to quietly say, "Zhaoshang money house … is mine."
Ming Qingda furrowed his brows slightly and wondered if he had heard incorrectly.
Fan Xian looked at the documents on the table where the ink had not yet dried. A happy smile bloomed at the corners of his lips. He had painstakingly planned for a year and endured silently for a year. Finally, he had seen results today. How could he not be happy?
Although he knew that revealing his identity would make it impossible for Zhaoshang money house to hide from the eyes of the court, this was something that would happen sooner or later. He also needed to use this limelight to let the little Northern Qi Emperor earn enough and stop. Although under the Emperor's gaze, Fan Xian might have to bear a loss of over a million liang of silver, he did not care about this.
The Ming family that had roamed Jiangnan for a hundred years, dominated the court and the jianghu, and controlled the lives and deaths of countless commoners … had changed owners today. How could Fan Xian miss such a grand show? Spending a million liang of silver to buy a theater ticket to be able to see this scene with his own eyes was truly worth it.
He looked at Ming Qingda, whose expression changed endlessly. He narrowed his eyes and thought naughtily that if the old Ming master suddenly fainted, then this theater ticket would be even more worth it.
It was as if the heavens had heard his thoughts. Ming Qingda looked at the head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house standing behind Fan Xian and watched as the young man handed the contract into Fan Xian's hand. He finally understood everything. However, he still could not understand. The Ministry of Revenue could not have emptied the national treasury. Where did Fan Xian get so much silver to start a money house?
Ming Qingda's entire body trembled. His eyes were slightly red. His throat made a gurgling sound, but he could not speak. His blood and qi attacked his heart. His body straightened and then collapsed.
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