Chapter 125 – Behind the Sorrowfulness of the Ming Family

For many years, the Ming family has been in the south of the Yangtze River, after decades of careful management of several generations of masters, bold pioneering, and finally became one of the world’s premier large families. And later climbed on the relationship with the Princess, turned into the inner treasury after the royal merchants, with the help of the inner treasury goods brought a constant infusion of silver, the Ming family’s hands and feet reach farther and deeper, not only in the Suzhou-Hangzhou two states have countless industries, direct control of a large number of ships, car dealerships and stores, but also indirectly the family members also control a lot of inconspicuous, but deeply with the people of the people of the South Jiangnan business is closely related.

For example, grain and oil, meals, green houses, and even some people have said that as long as the people of Jiangnan open their doors, they will definitely deal with the Ming family’s industries.

Such a huge family, the factions within the family itself is exceptionally complex, but the highest power part, is still the Ming’s own family of two houses and six sons, the rest of the remote room, just responsible for taking care of the lower and middle level of the business only.

Because of the deep understanding of the harm of the family internal division, so Ming Lao Taijun that year in sole control of the Ming family after the power, the first arrangement is made, in addition to the eldest house Ming Qingda one, all the other five children of the Ming family, only the right to dividends, for the Ming family’s huge industry but there is no arrangement and the power to suggest, strictly prohibit them from participating in the family business.

This arrangement is undoubtedly wise, at least with this kind of strong means to ensure that the Ming family on the surface of the unity and good cooperation, did not produce as other families in general the same problem, the family so far is still quite consistent within the outside world.

However, although can not be involved in the family business, that the remaining five masters year after year to receive a large amount of dividends from the family, it is not possible to so much silver covered in the quilt to give birth to a small silver chicken, always get to the periphery of the investment, naturally, also in the south of Jiangnan to do a lot of business.

The Ming family is to use this method, step by step, the hand will reach longer and finer, because the business of these several houses, the last is still to be attached to the big branch of the Ming family, if the Ming family fell, the business of the five masters will also be a big problem, so they are bound to use their own hands of the strength of the long house to protect the escort.

So in Fan Xian’s eyes, these businesses …… that don’t nominally belong to the Ming Clan’s public center still have the surname Ming, and naturally, the Supervisory Yuan began to harass these businesses without discrimination.

Now, the five masters can be some can’t stand it, thinking that the family’s benefits they did not get much, they still have to be implicated, the more difficult it is to do business. This can be how to do?

“Open your dog eyes and see, in front of you is the fourth master!”

Ming family fourth master is born of an aunt, in the family’s status is not high, so has always just like walking birds for fun, so as not to offend the old Taijun and big brother, every year rely on their own to get the annual silver, do some business, opened a fruit and vegetable business, do do do the public in the fingers of the pinch of leakage of the business, the days of natural is also smooth and unparalleled.

But recently he is no matter how also smooth not up, the firm every day in the check, business slightly decadent, although not too serious results, but the bad trend is clear. Usually in front of their own nodding and bowing officials, but also rarely willing to drink tea with themselves.

He understood that those officials were scared by the Supervisory Yuan.

But how also not the turn in front of this person to provoke their own, Ming fourth master slightly pale face flashed a caracal color, a slap slapped the past, slapped in front of the southern barbarians turned in place three times, face suddenly appeared a red palm prints, a trace of blood flowing out of the lips.

Ming four master is Suzhou city’s largest fruit and vegetable vendors, look inconspicuous, but monopolized the Jiangnan thirty percent of the melon business, including the palace of the input matters, is also by his hand to deal with, call him a melon king, is no problem. And he relied on the prestige of the Ming family, self-established guilds, from the overall management of the entire Jiangnan melon market, so many years, there has not been any strong characters, dare to his field to pick some fruits to eat.

But these days, but suddenly from Lingnan came a merchant, skipped the agreement between the Ming family and the Xiong family, not through the hands of the Ming four masters, directly to the melon fruit peddling to Suzhou.

Lingnan days hot fruit beautiful, as long as the solution to the problem of long-distance transportation, naturally very profitable. If the businessman knows the rules, come to Suzhou after the first to pay a visit to the four masters, perhaps the four masters will nod, give him some share to do, who knows that the businessman does not know is not know the rules, or what can be relied on place, is relying on their own hands of goods more cheap, hard to Suzhou and even the Jiangnan melon prices, within ten days to hit the lower two percent, the businessman’s business is also rapidly expanding up.

The fourth master of the Ming face full of grimace staring at his own slap knocked to the ground Lingnan merchant, hehehe laughs: “Now who are all bully to my Ming family head? A mere southern barbarian, where did you get the guts?”

In fact, he was clear in his heart, when his own business began to be suppressed by the Supervisory Yuan, regardless of the Supervisory Yuan can really play much of a role, but this kind of wind once spread, the trend of one into the countless previous years by the family pressured by the merchant forces, will begin to be stupid, want to take advantage of the Ming family scorched, to take advantage of the situation, to obtain some benefits.

But …… Ming four masters take Fan Qinzhi did not have any law, afraid of all too late, but how will let a southern barbarians in their own territory to engage in three or four!

“Use the stick to educate.” Fourth Master Ming looked at the Lingnan melon merchant crying and begging for mercy on the ground, a hint of contempt flashed across the corner of his lips.

As soon as the words fell, the sound of screams in the courtyard rose again, the Fourth Master Ming’s men took wooden sticks and ruthlessly smashed at that Lingnan melon merchant’s body, hitting with a thud, the poor merchant’s bones were unknown how many bones were broken, the sound of screams diminished, and the whole person was covered in blood and was knocked unconscious.

Next to the heart of the accountant looked at this bloody scene, his heart trembled, came over and said, “Fourth master, this person …… should be the people of the Xiong family.”

“I know.” Ming fourth master said sternly, “Xiong Bai Ling, this old bastard, wants to use this melon merchant to test, I do not fight back, he really thought that my Ming family can be deceived.”

The accountant smiled bitterly and said, “Fourth Master, at this time of the year, you can’t cause trouble for the family.”

Fourth Master Ming thought of a pile of things, his complexion darkened and said, “Old Taijun has already begun to suspect me, what if I don’t act impulsively at this time?”

The accountant also had countless complex emotions welling up in his heart, and simply didn’t know what to say.

Master Ming Si stood up from his chair, looked at the Lingnan merchant on the ground who was covered in blood, and said in a grim voice, “It’s not that I won’t let you do business, but doing business isn’t bullying, you can’t bully me.”

That Lingnan merchant had already woken up, and hearing this, he was terrified and hurriedly nodded his head desperately.

“Pay 10,000 taels of silver, while adjusting the price back, let’s play fair.” Master Ming Si heatedly laughed, incomparably sinister in his laughter, “If you don’t bully me, I naturally won’t bully you.”

After fixing this person, Ming fourth master shouted for someone to fork the merchant out, looked at the blood stains on the floor, pooh-poohed a mouthful of spittle, gritted his teeth and cursed, “Fan Xian bullied me, I have no choice, and you Xiong family which fucking onion is it?”

Back inside the house, Master Ming Si washed his hands, rolled up his sleeves, took down the birdcage from the side of the porch, and began to tease it, only his mouth whistled, but his eyes drifted away a bit.

The accountant cowered and followed behind him, whispering, “Fourth master, are you saying …… that the meeting with Xia Qufei was known by the old imperial lady?”

Fourth Master Ming’s body stiffened, and suddenly cursed with great anger, “It wasn’t even your bad idea! Said what foot in two boats, Ming Laoqi’s great difficulty is not dead, there will be a later blessing, and there is the backing of the imperial police, the industry in the public is always going to be taken back by him …… to ask my old son to meet with him and snatch the first to say something! Fuck, the next day was called by the old Taijun to give a lecture, almost did not come out alive!”

He was infuriated beyond measure, and only with great difficulty did he calm his chest, saying coldly, “The Supervisory Court is targeting our family recently, if I don’t be more ferocious today, what will Old Taijun and Big Brother think of me?”

The accountant was scolded by the proprietor of the atmosphere did not dare to come out, crying and said, “But Xia Dangjia’s that day to meet with you, you do not see is also not, the fourth master …… you really do not want to listen to Xia Dangjia that words?”

“Seven brother ah seven brother ……” Ming fourth master thought of that suddenly appeared brother, feel very some strange, about Xia Qufei mother and son by Ming old Taijun Yin harm, he also only occasionally heard, his own and his mother is clean, so not like the long house as afraid of The other party, a thought of that day Xia Qufei conveyed the words of the Qinzhi, the divine aura in his eyes flickered, helplessly sighed: ”I’m afraid of Lord Qinzhi, but I’m even more afraid of the old Taijun …… And after all, the Ming family is now our Ming family’s Ming family, we really want to listen to your words to join forces with Xia Qufei, and there is that a terrible Chinaman watching from behind, the Ming family will …… become the Ming family of the imperial court.”

Ming fourth master said with a miserable smile, “No matter how overbearing the long house is, but after all, we have been brothers for so many years, I am still surnamed Ming after all.”

The bookkeeper didn’t dare to enter into further persuasion.

Fourth Master Ming formally rejected Fan Xian’s goodwill handed over via Xia Qufei, and so the response from the Hua Yuan side arrived extremely quickly at the mansion he had purchased in the southern city of Suzhou.

Suzhou government officials pushed their way into the house, and under the watchful eyes of the Ming family’s thugs, they trembled as they came to the Tang family’s house, taking out a citation and requesting that Mr. Ming return to Suzhou with them to listen to the trial.

“Trial?” The Fourth Master Ming, not realizing that he, too, would be arrested and interrogated, shouted at the officer, “Are you out of your mind? Who is accusing me? What are you accusing me of?”

The magistrate had no choice but to do so, otherwise under normal circumstances, where would he dare to offend the fourth master of the Ming family? Normally, they can’t wait to kneel on the ground to lick each other’s boots …… This yamen smiled bitterly, passed a look to the Ming fourth master, signaling that there was someone behind him, and lowered his voice to plead, “It’s a Lingnan merchant, suing the Ming family’s fourth master for bullying, injuring people, and condoning the next to commit murder. ”

Ming fourth master froze, his eyebrows wrinkled, he is not thought that that Lingnan merchant actually dare to go to sue himself, more not thought that Suzhou House actually will take this case …… has been many years, the Ming family in Jiangnan is so special, Suzhou House and his own family’s relationship is so close, how can accept that Lingnan merchant’s pleadings? Although recently the Supervisory Yuan in blocking play Ming family, but the biggest problem of the Supervisory Yuan is that it can not interfere in local government affairs, and can not directly interfere in civil affairs, this kind of criminal lawsuits, the Supervisory Yuan can not lead the way to do, so his previous纵奴行凶时, and did not have too much to worry about.

But Suzhou Prefecture actually really sent someone!

His gaze crossed over the yamen’s head and saw a very unfamiliar looking court official standing at the back of several officials, looking at the official uniforms of low rank and not like the clothing of the court official system. His eyes narrowed, guessing the identity of the other party – it turned out that from the time the Lingnan merchants entered the courtyard, all of this had been watched by officials from the Supervisory Court, so it was no wonder that the other party’s reaction was so quick!

Ming fourth master eyes jumped, know that they have miscalculated one thing, although the Supervisory Yuan can not directly interrogate themselves, but can keep an eye on the Suzhou House to do things, if the Suzhou House really ignore themselves …… only fear that the Supervisory Yuan will go to catch the officials of the Suzhou House to go back for questioning. With such a strong deterrent here, no wonder Suzhou House dares to come to take himself today.

He laughed coldly and looked at the yamen and said, “I just don’t go so what?”

The magistrate was so anxious that he was about to cry out, pleading, “Fourth Master can at least give Lord Zhi Zhou face.”

The subordinates of the Ming family all clamored up, holding wooden sticks to surround the magistrates in the middle, cold eyes but intentionally or unintentionally staring at the last of the crowd of the Supervisory Yuan officials.

That Supervisory Yuan four officials smiled and said: ”Several officials big brother, what exactly are you prepared to do? There seems to be someone …… here who is ready to rebel.”

What is the difference between beating up an official and disobeying the orders of the court, and revolting?

Suzhou Prefecture’s official messenger listened to this and knew that this person had to be arrested back today, otherwise, the governor of the state would not even be able to deliver to the Supervisory Court. The Lingnan merchant’s tragic situation, the public hall has been seen, and at this time, Hua Yuan also came to the people, is the public hall opposite the tea store to drink tea, all the every move can not be hidden from the eyes of the Lord of the Qinzhi.

The official put his heart on the line and looked at Fourth Master Ming and said, “Fourth Master, please!”

He kept signaling to the other party with his eyes, letting the other party understand that this time is different from the past, when it’s time to be soft, first soft, as for after being taken into the Suzhou Prefecture, things naturally still have a chance to turn around.

Ming fourth master slightly bowed his head, pondered for a long time, forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart, also clear about what is going on in today’s situation, nodded his head.

That official let out a huge sigh of relief and sighed, “Fourth Master has pity on my little one.”

That young fourth official of the Supervisory Court watched the scene from the back with a sneer.

The accountant came over to Fourth Master Ming’s side and said worriedly, “Fourth Master, what should we do?”

Ming fourth master smiled grimly, smashed the birdcage in his hand on the ground, smashing the birdcage crumbling, bird feathers flying, bird blood splattered …… He laughed coldly, “Go then go, so many years, only in the back garden of the Suzhou House to drink tea, but did not have the opportunity to see the real appearance of the Suzhou prison, this day to go to open the eyes. ”

He also lowered his voice and said urgently, “Immediately pass the message back to the Ming Garden, let big brother bail me out …… Don’t worry, the old Taijun will believe in me more because of this matter.”

After delivering the matter, the fourth master of the Ming family was thus, for the first time in his life, invited back to the prison of Suzhou House by the officials.

“It seems that fourth brother …… doesn’t mean anything else.” After the news spread back to the Ming Garden, Ming Qingda on the one hand sent people to get through the channels, he went to walk into the quiet courtyard where his mother lives, and reported to the old Taijun who was sitting in the chair, “I’m going to go to get him back, although he hurt a Lingnan merchant, Suzhou House was forced by the pressure of the Supervisory Board to ask him to return to the house, but after all, it is not a big thing, and should not have any aftermath, and Lord Fan Jr. did not have any way to use the this matter to bite Fourth Brother to death.”

Ming Lao Taijun on the chair but fell into silence, old and deep-set eyes closed, seems to be thinking about what problem, never answered Ming Qingda words.

Ming Qingda felt slightly strange, and a moment later a chill welled up.

Ming Lao Taijun slowly opened some godless eyes, said: “the Ming family has been shaky, the old four is first with Xia Qufei secretly meet, is not loyal, and then delusional behavior, causing the family to worry about him, is not filial piety, so unfaithful and unfilial disciples, to protect him for what?”

Ming Qingda after silence and then again sadly, the Ming family to Fan Xian aggressive offensive, the established policy taken is to retreat for progress, play the sadness, that’s why he will be on the inner library on a knee, after the fact, a sick …… Nowadays the Supervisory Yuan bully extremely fierce, the Ming family trembling, it looks indeed extremely pitiful, and the meaning of the Ming Lao Taijun …… seems to be ready to draw a deeper bloody mouth on the self family s wound.

He took a deep breath, and said smoothly, “Now the situation is still in control, the little Fan Taoren can only go to the periphery, can not take our real handle, this time there is no need to sacrifice so much …… he is also the bloodline of the Ming family, after all.”

Ming Lao Taijun looked at him coldly and mercilessly, said, “The Qinzhi adults will force more and more ruthless, we ultimately need to sacrifice a take out of the character, in exchange for the sympathy of the people of Jiangnan, the tendency of the world’s gentry, and now that the oldest four are taken to prison, is this not the best opportunity? If let people know that Lord Qinzhi forced an old master of the Ming family to die for the sake of demanding silver money, the court will be shocked, and we will gain a lot of benefits and time …… This deal is cost-effective.”

Ming Qingda’s face was unchanged, and after thinking for a moment, he said, “All according to mother’s meaning.”

He was clear in his heart that the fourth brother was after all the aunt’s son, and in his mother’s eyes, they all belonged to dispensable characters.

Elder Taijun Ming looked at him and said coldly, “Is the water flow at home poor like this? Why do you have to transfer silver to Merchants from time to time recently?”

Ming Qingda smiled coldly in his heart, thinking that the seal of Taiping money bank has always been in your hands, if I want to take the Ming family really in the hands, don’t want to some other way, how can I do it? The heart is like this, but the mouth is gentle and incomparable to explain a few sentences.

Ming Lao Taijun nodded, and finally said slowly: “Just the old four, I’m afraid it’s not enough to make the world’s hearts and minds fall to our Ming family …… Qingda, you have to be ready, maybe the position of the head of the Ming family, you have to be forced to let it out, so as to let the world perceive our Ming family’s tragic situation. ”

Ming Qingda was slightly stunned, bowed deeply, and exited the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, he smiled with his son Ming Lan Shi who had been waiting for him and said, “Hear that? I told you …… that the one she loves the most is only your sixth uncle.”