Chapter 104 – Strangling the Throat of Destiny

There were not many people in the world who were qualified to pay homage to the Chen Garden where the imperial court’s supervisory director, Lord Chen Pingping, resided, so in their eyes, the Xinyang Li Palace, the Dongyi City Sword Lodge, and the Jiangnan Ming Family’s Ming Garden were the three most beautiful and richest privately owned buildings in the world. Of course, this ranking, naturally, does not count the black and blue Yishan Palace in the capital of Northern Qi, which is as beautiful as a fairy palace.

Away from the palace lived the nobleman, the sword hut there is a great master, are away from the ordinary people distance from the existence of the only Jiangnan Suzhou not far outside the city of the Ming Garden, to give the world of scholars and people more close to the possibility of appreciation.

The Ming family has not been very powerful, and did not deliberately keep the mystery of the high family, so many Jiangnan readers as well as tourists from afar, will be in the city of Suzhou after strolling, along the broad avenue of the forest, around to the outside of the city, far away from the beautiful manor to see a few eyes.

Although you can not play close, but so far to see some, but also enough to entertain the eyes.

Ming family low-key and not mysterious, so this repair has been nearly forty years of Ming Garden, also maintains their family’s deep imprint, a brick and tile, a grass and a tree, a step and a pavilion, and not how ornate eye-catching, instead of through a light sense of intimacy, and along the mountain to repair the walls into the courtyard is not too high, tourists stand above the official road, you can see the inside of the flying eaves, stand closer, and more can hear the inside of the The sound of murmuring water can be heard from inside.

Close, does not mean homely, simple, of course, is not simple, in the eyes of people who really know how to do, must be able to see that this spoiled manor in every detail can not pick, every kind of material and design of ingenuity, and in the eyes of the military, can see that this manor does not seem to have the ability to defend, but as long as they are simply transformed, in a very short period of time, can become a castle can be defended for half a year long! ……

Today’s weather is not too good, early spring, fine rain, young master Ming’s carriage ride alone on the road home, there is no usual can see three or two tourists and trekking women.

When the carriage reached the side gate, it stopped in a strange manner. Young Master Ming pulled back a corner of the curtain, revealing a face covered in somber colors as he looked at the main gate of his house.

There, it seemed like they were sending off a guest, and a middle-aged man in official clothes was walking up to his carriage with a face full of anger.

Ming Lan Shi put down the curtain of his carriage and looked back at Zou Lei with slight anger and said, “When I said Guo Zheng, Guo Zheng arrived, how come you, the superior, are so uninterested?”

Zou Lei silent, Guo Zheng is his immediate superior, last year in Kyoto as the left imperial inspectorate. After the Chunwu case, Guo Zheng led in the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, three divisions of the trial of Fan Xian, at that time, he relied on the Princess to support, hard to beat Fan Xian a few sticks, want to a forced to beat into a move, but how to think of Fan Xian’s background backing is so powerful, not to mention the Fan family, but also because of the aftermath of the offense of the Lin Siang masters Fan and the Supervisory Yuan, these three giants out of the gate, and did not make much noise, will simply the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, Han Zhiwei to get the official, and the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, Han Zhiwei to get the official, and also sent to the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, the Ministry of Criminal Affairs and the Supervisory Court. At the same time, Guo Zheng was sent to Jiangnan.

Guo Zheng, the Imperial Historian, had suffered the greatest loss in his life because of Fan Xian, so he had always held a grudge, and now that Fan Xian had traveled down to Jiangnan, Guo Zheng looked like he wanted to provoke the Ming family to go against the Minister of Justice.

That’s why Ming Lan Shi’s face was so ugly, thinking that that old Guo, holding a personal grudge, had come to his house today, only to exert those pressures again.

“Father, it has already been handed over.” Ming Lan Shi respectfully stood at the bottom of the stone steps of the small courtyard at one corner of the Ming Garden and reported to the house.

The voice of Ming Qingda, the contemporary master of the Ming family, who was slightly tired and comforted, was heard from inside the house, “Good, how can we say that we have to survive this year, not only should the people in the clan be instructed to, not to be caught by the officials, that is,…… LanShi, you have always been calm and steady, but nowadays you also have to be even more careful.”

Ming Lan Shi hurriedly nodded his head and answered yes.

Ming Qingda slowly walked out from the room, with a hint of fatigue on his face, “Saw Guo Zheng earlier?”

Ming Lan Shi frowned and replied, “Yes, father, if he went up to the door in such a dignified manner, I am afraid that he would fall into the eyes of Lord Qin.”

Ming Qingda let out a bitter smile, “It’s just, the brand on our body is already deep enough, at this time, we want to tear ourselves away from that aspect again, for one thing, it’s impossible, and for another, no one will believe it, don’t think about these problems anymore.”

“Is he …… coming by himself, or is he representing those people in the capital?” Ming Lan Shi asked hesitantly.

Hearing these words, the wrinkles at the corners of Ming Qingda’s eyes grew deeper and deeper, and only after a long time did he sigh and say, “These officials, when can they have their own identity?”

Ming Lan Shi’s heart tightened, knowing that the meaning of his father’s words represented that Guo Zheng had come to convey the opinions of the Eldest Princess and His Highness, and looked at his father somewhat nervously.

“You don’t worry, also don’t pay attention to the meaning of the capital, His Highness let us trip up Lord Qinzhi ……,” Ming Qingda, the contemporary richest man, said with a cold smile, “This is to use us as a knife, can I be so stupid? Of course, on the surface we still have to follow them, because who knows what will happen in the future, and which one will sit on that dragon chair.”

Ming Lan Shi frowned slightly and said, “The order has already been issued, as long as Lord Qin is in Jiangnan for one day, we will be quiet for one day, it is just that …… always showing weakness like this is always not a solution.”

“Is a good way.” Ming Qingda face floated a faint smile, “Fan Tisi, and is not the devil who eats people and does not spit out bones, on the surface can not catch our handle, but also to be afraid of the rebound of the officials and gentry in Jiangnan, he can not end a bowl of water to us swallowed a mouthful of …… us honestly, to give him face, I think he will also give us a few moments of face. will give us a few points of face.”

“This little Lord Fan …… is not even giving face to the Second Highness.” Ming Lan Shi said with a bitter smile.

Ming Qingda laughed to himself and said, “The identity of a businessman has always been unseemly at this level of history, but nowadays it is the opposite, Lord Fan is the son of Miss Ye back then, and observing his actions, he has always hurt the officials without harming the people, and there is no prejudice against businessmen, and while he doesn’t give face to His Second Highness, he doesn’t see that he won’t give face to us. In the end, the second highness and how to counterattack, but also in the official field above to give him a set, we …… but has the ability to pry the civil power.”

“Of course, as long as the situation hasn’t developed to the point of a white-knuckle confrontation, make sure not to ruffle his feathers.” Ming Qingda said.

Ming Lan Shi was a little tired of it, in the past few days also don’t know how many times father adult said, father in this matter show too cautious and cautious, let a person feel very is a little uncomfortable, although he understand the cause, but still hard to accept. At this time looking at the faint sorrow on his father’s face, he couldn’t help but comfort, “Father, it really can’t be done, let’s call it quits.”

After a while of silence up and down the stone steps, Ming Qingda, the richest man in contemporary Jiangnan slowly shook his head.

A moment later, a flash of sternness flashed in the eyes of this nearly half-hundred year old elder and said, “There are some things that can’t be stopped just because my father wants to.” He then smiled coldly and said, “If I stop, what will the tens of thousands of people in the clan eat? Don’t forget that those nobles in the capital accounted for so many dry shares, even if we don’t do it anymore, won’t they reach out to me for silver? The Princess, the Crown Prince, the second prince, the capital’s several big families, these years used to eat us, if we really close our hands this time, the momentum together, who knows what they do? Never underestimate the degree of greed of royalty and officials ……”

Ming Lan Shi looked at his father, a trace of sympathy flashed in his heart, who could know that the richest man in Jiangnan, also has all sorts of last resort.

Ming Qingda said with a face full of hatred: “The Ming family looks like scenery, in fact, it is not an old hen that will lay eggs in their eyes, if the old hen does not lay eggs, those who originally support our characters, I’m afraid that than the Lord of the Qinzhi would like to slaughter us, and finally eat a fragrant chicken meat.”

Ming Lan Shi face hate color a appear and hide, low voice curse: “If not those people in the capital every year to eat silver is too powerful, we will be a serious sales of the inner treasury production, than today is not worse than where to go. Even if the inner treasury side was intercepted by Lord Qinzhi, but our family’s industries all over Jiangnan, can also maintain the clan.”

Ming Qingda waved his hand, signaling him not to continue talking about this topic, and said with a cold smile, “All these years, my Ming family has been doing those unseen businesses just to fill those people’s appetites……. This time, little Lord Fan went down to Jiangnan, maybe it’s also a chance given to me by the heavens to take advantage of the opportunity to get out of those Things to get rid of out, from this year onwards gradually thinning the share of the Beijing, the Princess they are not good to say anything. As long as this time open the door, the winning bid is not lower than last year’s six achievements good …… don’t be like the Cui family, the building is suddenly tumbling down, speaking of serious business, could it be that my Ming family can’t do it?”

Ming Lan Shi slightly owed, said: “Father said reasonable.” The heart is not a taste, give up to the East Barbarians City smuggling road, cut off the branch of the family overseas pirates, this year’s silver outside the account, I’m afraid to earn too much less, the capital of those dry shares still have to pay dividends, so that at least this year, the family will certainly be a loss of money, but also have to take the principal to fill in, if the Chinaman has been staying in the south of the Yangtze River, is it that the family will have to always be filled with silver, even if the family’s wealth and mighty, can not help the ants moving mountains. Can’t help but ants moving mountains ……

Know what his son is worried about, Ming Qingda also do not want to make more explanations and comfort, because the fact is that, if the Ming family to cut with the past and self-preservation, then the two years of the necessary price is bound to pay.

Speaking of the matter of the inner treasury opening the door for bidding, after Ming Lan Shi thought about it, he said softly, “My child met with everyone in the past two days.”

The so-called everyone in these words referred to the giant merchants in the Jiangnan belt who were famous and had the strength to participate in the matter of bidding for the inner treasury.

He continued to report: “Several familiar families have asked, Lingnan Xiong family, Quanzhou Sun family, are aware of the current situation, although the appearance, they are very greedy for the marketing rights of the inner treasury, but the goal is still placed in the Cui family to stay in the share of those who have also assured the child, will not be with us to raise the price.”

Ming Qingda nodded and said, “This golden rice bowl, which family would like to hold one, but since we are in front of the point, they are not good to openly do with us, unless they do not want to do business in Jiangnan.”

Speaking at this point, the master of the Ming family only vaguely revealed a few silk of the richest man in Jiangnan should be confident and proud.

“The key is those few private salt dealers.” Ming Qingda frowned slightly frowned and said: “those salt dealers are between life and death to fish silver ruthless role, the hands of the free money is also enough, if they are involved in the bidding matter, there will be some trouble, although not afraid, but just have to pay out some more silver, the imperial court stipulates the death of, forty percent of the fixed silver …… “He shook his head and said:” accounted for too much. Fear of some turnover in the first half of the year.”

Jiangnan’s richest is the so-called imperial merchants and salt merchants, the two sides were originally well water does not offend the river water, but now the Cui family has collapsed, who knows if those salt dealers will not covet the business of the inner treasury, those salt dealers in the hands of the money is extremely strong, and also have a backer in the dynasty, the Ming family has some hidden worries about this.

“I’ve visited all these salt dealers in Suzhou city.” Ming Lan Shi thought of what he had seen and heard in the past two days, some unexpected back: “They said extremely dry, said this year is definitely not going to enter the door of the inner treasury …… don’t know what’s going on.”

Ming Qingda slightly stunned, a little thought will understand what is going on, scoffed to himself: “It seems that …… everyone knows that small Fan Lord this year in the rectification of the inner treasury out of the sales channels, are not afraid to grab this bowl of rice in the first time ah …. …This is ready to watch how we and the Qin Emperor will end up, those salt dealers look like they are ready to enter the field next year.”

Ming Lan Shi raised his head and asked with a frown, “Those salt traders …… don t look like such forward looking people.”

“Who are their backers?” Ming Qingda sneered, “Our Jiangnan Road’s parental official, Lord Xue Qing Xue …… Xue Qingming knows what Lord Fan means, and at least for this first year will suppress the salt merchants and not let them enter the inner treasury to cause trouble for Lord Fan, which is Lord Xue’s way of giving young Lord Fan, the old Fan Shangshu in the capital, and that dean lord face.”

Ming Lan Shi was silent.

“Just as well.” Ming Qingda said after thinking about it, “Being subdued by the Qinzhi Tianwei, no one enters the mess, we can also plan, as long as we get the bid, and spend this year in peace.”

“Lord Qinzhi …… will let us?” Ming Lan Shi tentatively asked his father.

Ming Qingda said, “As long as everything comes from the open, why do we need to be afraid of Lord Qinzhi? Doing business this kind of thing, he is always inferior to us …… about the inner treasury to open the door to bidding, the highest bidder gets it, the palace to come to people, Jiangnan Road will be on the side of the supervision, is not the inner treasury transshipment division can single-handedly manipulate the thing, as long as my Ming family is willing to pay out the silver, the small Fan adults can not be hard to pressure not to give me.”

“What my child means to say is that will Lord Qin secretly instigate another family to deliberately raise the price? This is the simplest trick, they don’t have to lose anything but they can make us suffer a big loss.”

Ming Qingda shook his head confidently and said, “Those who dare to offend Lord Little Fan on the Jiangnan Road may not be there yet, but other than him, those who dare to offend our Ming family may not be there yet either, you have also gone to ask the wind earlier, and the families that have some strength should all be on the sidelines this year.”

“If it is to find a puppet to raise the price.” Ming Qingda frowned and said, “Bidding requires explicit silver, Lord Qinzhi doesn’t have so much silver, simply can’t lift much.”

A faint sense of mockery surfaced on his face as he said, “Don’t be swayed by that box of 130,000 taels of silver, if you want to use silver to smash people, the officials still can’t.”

On the subject of smashing people with silver, under this sky, of course, the Ming family smashed the most thrilling, the weather, the air swallowed the wind and clouds, once threw out 400,000 taels of grain silver with the intention of smashing Fan Xian into unconsciousness, although it did not succeed, but this kind of spirit, where are the realm of those who bribe and accept bribes in the capital can be exposed to.

“The father …… of Lord Qinzai, Old Lord Fan, is the Minister of the Household Department of our Daqing Dynasty, and he manages the state treasury under him.” Ming Lan Shi reminded with a bitter smile, “When it comes to silver, he has quite a bit more than our Ming family.”

“Fan Shangshu?” Ming Qingda said with a slight sneer, “If the Ministry of the Household does not move, then it’s fine, if the minister of Qin has used his father’s power …… in order to suppress my Ming family, this will be a bit of fun, believe me, Her Highness the Princess has been so quiet, she must have waited for that time.”

Ming Garden was quiet all of a sudden, Ming Lan Shi heart slightly chilled, knowing that although his father’s adults seem to step back, but and the nobles in the capital has long been discussed to deal with the method of the Lord Qinzhi, the background of the inner treasury bidding matter, I do not know how much blood and danger is hidden.

Matters related to the treasury, Shangshu, Ming Lan Shi dare not continue this can not be declared in the mouth of the topic, calmly changed the topic, endowed: “according to the practice of previous years, Taiping Chancery side of the silver has been prepared, the father instructed the tight, so this time and additional preparation of more than 30% of the silver, so as not to the bidding of the time to be caught unawares.”

The inner treasury tender is explicitly marked silver, not to mention the deposit of up to 40% after the transaction, that is, the tender silver itself is required to be prepared in advance, or real gold and silver, or the court-approved bank notes, must be sent to the special venue within the day of the opening of the door.

This is a cumulative to incomparable horror of the number, like the Ming family, the richest man in Jiangnan, it is difficult to immediately take out so much cash silver, after all, it is not possible to go to sell the land and sell the house, and there are 60% of the bidding silver in the bidding can be immediately after the return, the royal merchants do not want to take up the flow of water, it will be borrowed from the outside. And like Cui Ming two such large households, the annual tender when the need for cash silver is very much, are through the Taiping money bank to raise silver, to produce goods as collateral, has formed a customary practice.

This year, anticipating that the inner treasury will open some trouble, Fan Xian will surely find a way to let the Ming family more blood, so the Ming family this year, let Taiping Chuangzhuang ready to open the silver, more than two percent, do not look down on this two percent, the base is too large, two percent is already a very horrible number, let the Ming family more pledge out a lot of things.

“Taiping Money Bank is trustworthy.” Ming Qingda said in a deep voice, “Old relationship, and after all, it is the property of Dongyi City, those barbarians always rely on us to supply.”

“Yes.” Ming Lan Shi softly answered, “And we are not transferring silver for nothing. Nowadays, there are always some white-eyed people in Jiangnan who want to see our Ming family’s jokes, this time, if we can win the bid, it is also considered to give them a slap in the face, and at the same time, it is also to let Lord Qinzai understand that the family that can act as an agent of the inner treasury for such a large sum of money, is still the only one that can act as an agent of the inner treasury for such a large sum of money, is still our family.”

Ming Qingda gave him an appreciative glance and said, “That’s the meaning. That’s why we have to go next with this bid, the court’s system requires such a large amount of silver to be pressed into the Transit Division, the intention is to weed out those merchants who are not strong enough, and likewise, it is to sweep away a lot of rivals for my Ming family. The world can transfer such a large amount of silver to the people, has fallen a family, then who else? Unless the Qinzhi adults want to see the next year within the library of goods no one can take over …… otherwise only to me, we have to ensure that, one is the price problem, do not be too high outrageous, the second is the problem of bundling, the Beijing will come to the pressure, the pressure of the Transit Division in accordance with the rules of the past years, sixteen items divided into four parts of the six eight a one, we …… still …… just that eight.”

Half of the share, the master of the Ming family also said “as long as”, the words between the confidence show undoubtedly.

Ming Lan Shi heart pleased, seemingly very tense situation, in the father of the court system analysis, then became extremely easy, want to win the big bid, in the court that kind of absurd system of regulations, seems to be only their own family has this ability.

“The matter at sea is already done.” The master of the Ming family finally said slowly, “You tell the one at home to shut up as well.”

When Ming Lan Shi heard that the matter at sea was done, he couldn’t help but feel his body relax, that was the Ming family’s biggest handle, as long as it was cleared, according to the Ming family’s smooth behavior in the local Jiangnan Road, Fan Xian shouldn’t be able to catch any reason to deal with himself, but when he heard his father’s last words, the young master of the Ming family still couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.

He didn’t know how his father had solved the matter on the sea, and how those pirates who were encamped on the island were silenced. Regarding the Ming family’s help, part of it must come from the military, but his father’s words were extremely strict, so even he, the young master of the Ming family, didn’t know which side of the army the capital had used this time.

The matters at sea were resolved by his father, but the matters at home, but only by himself, Ming Lan Shi’s face flashed a fierce color.

Into the night.

The young master of the Ming family was in a remote golden house in the city of Suzhou, he was lying on the bed, his eyes staring at the sky, he did not know what he was thinking about, a woman in his arms who was not wearing a single inch of silk was ambling obediently like a kitten, and her slender fingertips were drawing circles on his naked chest.

This woman was Ming Lan Shi’s third concubine, who had been kept outside of Ming Garden because of her special status.

“Lan Shi.” This concubine exhaled slightly hot breath and gasped, “I want more.”

Men were most disgusted to hear these words afterward, and Ming Lan Shi sneered, “Want more of what? Don’t you know how to be satisfied?”

The concubine suddenly changed her face and said through clenched teeth, “What do you mean? Is it because Lord Qin’s investigation is so tight that he doesn’t dare to leave his ship at sea, do you think that we siblings are of no use?”

Ming Lan Shi smiled back and said softly, “Little boy, you have earned so much silver for my Ming family in these years, how could it be useless?”

As soon as the words fell, his hand slapped heavily on top of the concubine’s snowy buttocks, shaking up white waves and pouting.

The concubine’s charming eyes were full of anticipation.

Ming Lan Shi was full of smiles as he slashed his palm at the back of her neck and watched as the concubine fainted with a cry before using his own hands to steadily and mercilessly strangle the snow-white neck that he had kissed countless times.