Chapter 109 – The Robbers of the Fourth House of Yi

Did not wait too long, Jiangnan Governor Xue Qing also rushed over, and has been dilly-dallying in the backyard of the imperial historian Guo Zheng also finally walked to the front hall. At this point, presided over and supervised the opening of the internal treasury bidding matter of the four sides of the great officers finally gathered in one place. Guo Zheng is not the left imperial inspector of the capital, but he still has a certain power to inspect the road, he and Fan Xian old grudges have not been removed, so it is inevitable that the meeting is awkward, the four officers salute each other, always feel that Fan Xian’s calm indifference to the gaze hidden a few threads of menace.

Today, among these four officials, Eunuch Huang from the capital naturally represents the palace, Jiangnan Governor Xue Qing represents the court official system, Imperial Historian Guo Zheng represents the speech official system, while Fan Xian …… represents somewhat more forces, such as the Internal Treasury Transit Division, such as the Supervisory Yuan, and even includes the Taishang Temple, the institution that manages the imperial family.

Of course, everyone represented the court and His Majesty.

Fan Xian sat on the second chair, smiling as he spoke with Xue Qing, but saw today’s situation clearly, there were too many people staring at this matter, no matter who, no matter which power, it was difficult to complete the under-the-table deal in one go, and the historically formed procedure of opening the bids for the inner treasury was extremely effective in ensuring fairness.

At least it was fair on the surface, as long as the merchants had money, they could all come and fight for the right to sell the sixteen outgoing items of the inner treasury on their behalf.

He thought so, and so did the other three. Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng exchanged glances, and although they were vaguely uneasy, it seemed to them that it was always impossible for Fan Xian to play any tricks in front of everyone, and that all they had to ensure was that the Ming family would still be able to obtain the same share as in previous years.

The eunuch and the royal historian, originally in the history of the two classes of fire and water do not blend, but today is extremely tacit agreement in the same camp, just these two people do not understand many hidden information, also did not enter the inner treasury door of the last Xia Qifei Xia big pawns cast enough attention.

Xue Qing is different, the Governor of Jiangnan holding the mindset of watching the play, full of peace and watching the giant merchants and people around the stage, watching the play is not afraid of the stage high, always more relaxed than the people who acted in the play.

One side of the theater several people sing.

Inner library mansion of the thick door slowly re-closed, outside the door of the soldiers and officials of the Supervisory Yuan pulled up a tight defense. In previous years, the inner treasury bidding, usually a day’s time is over, but the rules of the imperial court, in fact, allows each household businessmen to use two days of time to shout the price.

There was a loud boom.

Fan Xian smiled and covered his ears as he looked at the branch of spring thunder that shot up into the sky outside the mansion.

The spring thunder shot straight up into the sky and exploded beneath the shallow clouds, the sound clear and bright and crisp, reaching far down to the ground and causing countless hearts and minds to be shaken.

Suzhou city last night’s hard work of the greenhouse girls were woken up by this thunder, cursed a few words of profanity, and burrowed back into the quilts and fell into a deep sleep. The children who were on the street asking their parents for big money to buy candies to eat, thinking that it was God saying that they had misbehaved and punished themselves with thunder, cried out in fear. The black dog in the backyard that was crossing its legs and peeing on the old tree roots was shivering from the thunder, and leaned down on its front limbs, burying its head in its furry package and learning to be an ostrich.

Human reaction is not the same, this sound of spring thunder fell in some people’s ears, but it is another meaning. Whether it is in the north city of Suzhou City on the dock gathered on standby in the various masters and shopkeepers, or teahouses in the discussion of today’s opening of the bidding of the residents of the city of Suzhou, the people look to the direction of the south city, looking at the invisible mansion, know that the inner treasury bidding has begun.

Qingli six years in the new spring of the inner treasury bidding, in fact, the beginning of the extraordinarily poor.

First of all by the inner treasury transit division of last year’s surplus and loss of each business firm to summarize the situation, in which naturally no lack of words of encouragement, and responsible for the speech of the transit division of the Deputy Secretary of the Ma Kai last is a stern and unparalleled notification of the court for the investigation and punishment of Cui’s family, which is a warning to those merchants under the stairs, do not think that the court did not look at you.

This is the rule of the past, no one cares, but when Ma Kai said the specific matters of today’s tender, the mansion exploded. Those merchants stood out to express their opposition, and even the four great officials sitting in the main hall began to argue.

Because the Transit Division suddenly decided to subdivide the original sixteen items into thirty-four smaller items, and no longer conduct bundled bidding this year.

This change may not seem like much, but for these merchants down below, it was something that was simply unacceptable!

The reason is very simple, every bidding before three months, these Jiangnan giant merchants have long been privately strung together, the proposed boundaries between each other and the division of field, well water does not offend the river water, so as not to hurt each other and more because of the price of injury to the financial strength. For example, the Lingnan Xiong family this year will fight, is the liquor category northward a bid, and Quanzhou Sun family, is to take the overseas marketing rights of porcelain goods.

Today, if according to the meaning of the Division of Transit, will be sixteen items into thirty-four small items, although on the surface, we can still hold the bottom line, but expected to belong to the Ming family to get the eight items, in two bundled bidding, all were refined, who knows whether any businessman suddenly red-eyed, want to grab some of the Ming family’s share? After all, after no longer bundled, those most profitable items, seems to need the silver, is not too much.

And once someone is interested in the Ming family’s share, what about the Ming family? Definitely turn back to grab someone else’s share, this is the nature of the merchants profit-oriented decided, I’m afraid that today the inner treasury open tender will be a mess.

These Jiangnan merchants …… are now the most afraid of chaos, the Ming family has said that the original belongs to the share of the Cui family they do not intervene, these merchants have been able to eat more than a few bowls of fat today, of course, do not want someone to disrupt their own plans.

In their view, the reason why the Chinaman adults will have such a change, the purpose is actually very simple, one is to let the big guys in the chaos to kill the red eyes, the price up, the second is to want to subdivide the entry after the thinning of the fixed silver needed for each item, so that …… the last to enter the yard of the Xia Qufei can also get a slice of the pie!

These cunning merchants have realized that the silence of the B four room, is the Lord Qinzhi intended spokesman.

It’s just that you, Lord Qinzhi, want to make money, we can all understand, but you can’t use this kind of seemingly fair, but in reality, it’s a vicious method!

“Lord Fan, this is not a good idea.” Eunuch Huang, after being chipped in the face by Fan Xian, still showed enough composure to squeeze out a smiling expression on his fat face, saying, “In previous years, sixteen items were sixteen items, so how can we suddenly have to make a fine line? This matter always has to be the capital to take the idea is.”

Fan Xian frowned, said a few words, and then turned back to Xue Qing and whispered, “Lord Governor, the delineation into fine items, no longer bundled, in fact, the idea is just to be able to let more people qualify to enter …… this matter, for the court is always beneficial.”

Xue Qing pondered for a little while, his face appeared to be difficult, said: “That said, just this matter is not trivial, I see Lord Fan or report to the court, handed over to the palace after the discussion, next year and then slowly implement it is not too late.”

Seeing that Xue Qing also expressed his opposition, Fan Xian’s heart was a bit unpleasant, looking at the merchants who were making a mess under the hall, a trace of pity flashed through his mind, in fact, the reason why he wanted to prepare the subitem today was not at all the reason these merchants thought it was.

Indeed, he is trying to test, there is no possibility, from the Ming family that bundled in one place of the eight big items inside, dig out the most earning the two to Xia Qufei, but the real important reason, in fact, is for the sake of these merchants.

These merchants at this time always think in their hearts, Cui family left behind the six items is their own in the bag, so will not go with the Ming family to fight …… but stay Xia Qufei certainly want to Cui family’s six items all swallowed into the stomach to go, these merchants only to go to eat the poor two items. Beforehand there is information over, Lingnan Xiong family and Quanzhou Sun family this time have prepared a large sum of silver, sharpening the knife ready to accept Cui family line, stay once the basket is empty, these merchants are to suffer great losses.

Due to the collapse of the Cui family, the merchants who came to the inner treasury to open bids today were three times more than in previous years. Fan Xian’s original intention was for these merchants to have a bite to eat, which is why he made this proposal, but he didn’t realize that no one would appreciate it – although he understood that it was because these merchants didn’t know what would happen in the future that they were so forceful in their objections, Fan Xian was still struggling to repress the feeling of frustration he had in his heart.

After arguing with Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng at his side and explaining for a while, and realizing that the merchants were still insisting on following the usual practice of previous years, and that the other three officials were also sticking to the word “rules” and didn’t dare to loosen their lips, Fan Xian finally decided to give up, and the so-called retreating for advancement is sometimes this kind of reasoning.

The deputy ambassador Ma Kai looked back at Fan Xian with difficulty, and Fan Xian waved his hand, signaling that it was just a suggestion.

The merchants were overjoyed and bowed long and hard, saying that Lord Qin was wise. Fan Xian looked at these merchants with cold eyes and couldn’t help but shake his head, thinking, “Just don’t cry later,” he said.

Xue Qing sat next to him, smiling and stroking his beard, in fact, his eyes were on the room closest to the main hall, and the room furthest away from the scene, which was the most peaceful of all the previous noises. He knew that Xia Qufei was one of Fan Xian’s people, he just didn’t know where Fan Xian had prepared the silver from, as well as exactly how the Ming family was going to respond.

The bidding hadn’t been going on for long, and already some merchants were beginning to regret it, and the head master of the Xiong family in Lingnan had become the first poor fellow to come dangerously close to crying out.

The officials of the Internal Treasury and Transit Department stood on the high steps and sang the salute, then each house began to bid, and naturally, the bids could not be shouted out as if they were bidding for a girl in a green house – fifty taels! One hundred taels! –The court to do things, there must be some rules, so intends to a certain bid, such as cotton yarn North Road merchants will be in the official singing salute, through the accounting of last year’s profits and this year’s trend, by their own band of old bosses to carry out detailed calculations, and then write down an accurate number of paper, sealed into a kraft paper bag, by the step down the Transit Division should be Officials handed over to the flower hall on the left hand side of the main hall.

Merchants bidding a total of three opportunities, and open the bidding, so if the first time someone shouted more than their own price, these merchants still have the opportunity to raise the price, and finally the third time shall prevail, very simple principle of winning the bid – the highest bidder wins. Then the bidding business is to be in the first time, or happy, or heartache belly pain to take out as much as 40% of the fixed silver, handed over to the Hall of Flowers in the Hall of Flowers is the Division of Transit accountants, as well as by the Kyoto Department of the transfer of the accounts of the old officials, they are responsible for comparing the number of merchants proposed to come up and on the final bidding merchants handed over to the Silver check, there have been many years no merchants stupidly carry more than a dozen boxes of silver to open the bidding ……

From this level, the inner treasury bidding in fact and in the greenhouse mark red herdsman is not too different, only the inner treasury this girl is a little on the expensive side only. Whether it is the merchants or those busy officials, for this kind of scene is not strange.

At this time in the mansion, the officials are busy walking around, holding the envelopes handed over by each family, and the officials of the Supervisory Board are vigilantly watching everything to prevent fraud, which would be very difficult to happen.

At this time the opening was for the northward bidding of the liquor category, and it was already the third time that the bidding had been called out.

Lingnan Xiong family today is now the person in charge of Xiong Bai Ling, he wiped his forehead cold sweat, looking at the other side of the first two offers, facial muscles twitching, some want to cry without tears feeling. Lingnan Xiong family has always been in the southern part of the Qing country businessmen, due to geographical and opportunity problems, has not had the opportunity to extend the tentacles to the north, so the business situation is extremely difficult to open, and this year, due to the downfall of the Cui family, gave these businessmen the opportunity to seize the right to the north of the marketing, so Xiong Bailing for the bid is determined to win, the previous opposition to the Fan Xian subdivision of the project is the most energetic is also him.

…… But, at this time he began to regret, obviously he has let the clan prepared enough silver, but the first two bidding actually be hard to suppress!

Xiong Bai Ling eyes red, anxious fire, if this mark is not taken down, not how much less money to earn this year, but the family bypassed the Ming family this mountain, the footsteps of the march to the north, but to be forced to slow down, so he is for that do not abide by the rules, dared to grab the mark with their own, really hate to the bone, but in addition to hatred, there are also countless police fear, because he knew that person has the Chinaman adults as a backer, but The question is …… where did the other party get so much money?

“B four!” He hated to look at the last party of that quiet house, B four room in the Xia Qufei line has been extremely quiet, but grabbed the label, but is very ruthless. The most critical is, the other side do not know what high people to help, actually will be liquor line north right one year’s profits calculated so clearly, and on their own family bottom line is also estimated very clearly, the first two times to call the price, each time to call the price is just right to pressure their head.

Xiong Bai Ling heart without reason to give birth to a wave of frustration, is not a generation of their own business is not as good as a robber boss?

Beside the old shopkeeper full of defeat color, reminded: “Master, can not be added, and then add …… can be nothing to earn.”

Xiong Bai Ling thought for a while, the eyes of the stern color, the Xiong family rely on this bid to earn money is a small matter, to open the commercial road is a big deal, he decided to fight with the robbers of the B four houses.

“Directly quote this price.” Xiong Bai Ling gestured, made a breakthrough determination, gritted his teeth and said, “When the robbers are not distressed by the robbed silver …… but there is no need to lose money and I rob business.”

This time the courtyard has been quiet, the third bidding, there has been no other people to participate in, all eyes are fixed on the Lingnan Xiong family and the B four room.

Although Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng had misgivings and glanced at Fan Xian, they still didn’t develop enough importance because this was after all just a small item, perhaps just Fan Xian trying to get some oil, as long as it didn’t hurt the Ming family or his own people’s interests, it was fine.

The two officials took out two kraft paper bags from these two rooms respectively and entered the flower hall in silence.

Everyone was nervously waiting for the result, although this bid was not the biggest and most profitable bid among the sixteen items, but the people in the courtyard at this time had already begun to feel the eccentricity of the B fourth house, so everyone wanted to know whether this B fourth house came to grab the bid, or was it something that Lord Qin used to make a buttress to raise the price.

“B fourth house, Xia family, three hundred and seventy thousand taels, get ……”

The official of the Transit Division who was responsible for singing the ceremony, stood on the stone steps and sang the result without expression, singing extremely melodious, and even the last word “get” fluttered and sang a few minutes of the flavor of the opera stage.

The courtyard immediately fell into a deathly silence, a moment later, people seem to come to their senses from this shock, and issued a shocking exclamation.

Three hundred and seventy thousand taels! Just to the north to sell liquor …… if according to previous years to calculate, this is certainly to lose money price, Lingnan Xiong family reported is three hundred thousand taels, this is already in the pot to compete for the bid, did not expect, actually still lost to the B four houses!

However, so, the merchants are also clear about the fact that the fourth room of the B Xia Qufei, absolutely not the Lord Qin used to raise the price of the child, but really want to fight with their own these people business.

For a while, the crowd did not know whether to be happy or sad.

Just at this moment, Lingnan Xiong family room came a muffled sound, seems to be what heavy thing from the chair fell to the ground.

The crowd gazed at that room with palpitating hearts.

Xiong Bai Ling, the master of the Xiong family, climbed up from the ground. Very painstakingly took a cup of cold tea and poured it into his stomach, panting and said, “A lousy …… fuck, actually marked three hundred and seventy thousand taels, this bandit is a bandit, doing business is still so banditish, count yourselves ruthless.”

Fan idle sitting in the hall of the tai shi chair, slightly bowed his head, the heart is not happy with this price, this price is too high, originally the first two bidding, Xia Qufei side of the call is extremely beautiful, just over the Xiong family a head, this last price, but it is born more than seventy thousand taels of silver.

He is rich again, also can’t help so spend ah – he sighed in his heart, but also clear call this thing is certainly not Xia Qufei do the main, he put a few old treacherous Household Department officials in the B four rooms, he secretly to the Kyoto father’s side over to the good hand, just seems to be that those Household Department officials still overestimated the determination of the Xiong family in Lingnan! The Xiong family’s determination has been overestimated by those officials of the Ministry of Finance.

Not a moment, b four room has taken out a box, handed over to the flower hall examination, is indeed full of 150,000 taels of silver checks, issued by the Taiping money bank, the seal is not forged, the child and the old man.

At this time, all people know, quiet b four room sitting is a robber in the merchant, merchant in the bandit, rob up the standard is half not give mercy, will only bloody incomparable to take the silver smashed people, and, the other side does have so much silver.

I just don t know how much more the bandits …… of the B four houses are ready to rob the mark.

The next development of the situation, so that everyone except the Ming family despaired, Jiangnan Water Walled big leader Xia Qufei students, perfectly carry forward the style of robbers, to the silver ticket as a knife, to the brilliant call for a fist, hard in the crowd of merchants ringing confrontation to kill a bloody road. Among the sound of officials singing rituals on the stone steps, the brocade box keeps passing to the flower hall, people seem to see countless pieces of extremely beautiful silver tickets flying in the air, while Xia Qufei is holding a big knife, lewdly and uncontrollably clamoring, “Who is richer than me?”

Two hours past, in addition to missing a not too important small bid, Xia Qufei is actually four consecutive bid, which also includes the original belongs to the Cui family’s northern line of the three bids, not only killed Xiong Bai Ling fell to the ground, but also killed the Sun family of Quanzhou pale, the rest of those merchants is the soul fly scared, thinking that their own today, dare not to come to capture the bid, but to see the robbers kill people.

Until this time, the merchants have some regrets, did not accept Fan Xian’s proposal at the beginning, if the split to the back of the ten items, even if the Ming family eyeing, they also have the opportunity to eat some into the mouth.

Rather than tear the face of the Ming family and fight, but also do not and the robbers in the fourth house, this is the Jiangnan merchants today’s biggest feeling.

Fan Xian full of calm sitting on the tai shi chair, and Xue Qing have a talk, in fact, the heart but in the cynicism of Xia Qufei, thinking of this kind of silver smashed people lovely game, how can not take their turn to ink on the scene, but the good death of you.

Eunuch Huang and Guo Zheng have already got rid of from the shock of the previous moment, smilingly looking at each other, the things in their hearts are quite the same, where did you Fan Xian …… get all this silver from? I’m afraid that the Minister of the Household in Kyoto will not be clean.

The fifth bid began, which was originally belonging to the Cui family s line north glassware.

The door of the room in room B four was pushed open again, and another letter of kraft paper bag was handed out.

At this time, there is no longer any merchant willing to play with this bandit, so they are all quiet, only hoping that the bandit will be able to eat early.

And just at this time, the door of room A1, which had been unusually quiet, was pushed open, and the Ming family …… somehow came out early!

“Not to win the bid, but to drag time, at least to the end of today.” Ming Qingda closed his eyes to recuperate, said to the son beside him, “The other party’s voice has become, we need to be more careful, and leave ourselves enough time to respond for one night.”

Ming Lan Shi was silent, knowing that his father had also begun to worry about the seemingly bottomless amount of silver in the Fourth House of B, and was prepared to raise it again at night.

Ming Qingda did not open his eyes, but in his heart, he was thinking about that robber in the fourth house of B. Why did he make himself so uneasy? That one called Xia Qufei, why does he look somewhat familiar?