Chapter 488: This Is A Conspiracy
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The valley was silent. The atmosphere was oppressive and terrifying, but no one dared to make a move.
Ming Lanshi knew that Fan Xian had planned everything from the very beginning, but he didn't understand. After all, he was an official of the court, how could he do something so shameless? Faced with such a terrifying cavalry, Ming Lanshi didn't want to fight against the other party and lose his life. However, the shatter pieces on the ground filled his mind with rage.
"I will go to Jingdou to file a lawsuit!"
Ming Lanshi cursed shrilly in anger.
"As you wish. I will not be accompanying you."
Jing Ge coldly tossed out these words and led the troops away. Before he left, he didn't forget to lift the heavy stones back onto the carriage. He left behind Ming Lanshi, who wanted to cry but did not have the tears. As well as the dazed and tongue-tied private Ming family soldiers, and shining pieces of glass that were scattered all over the ground.
In the past, the Ming family had secreted funded pirates and colluded with the Jiaozhou Navy to steal goods on the East Sea. They killed without care, harmed countless lives, and forcefully stole innumerable amounts of court goods. Now, Fan Xian did the very opposite. Instead of striking on the water, he attacked on land. He neither harmed the lives of the Ming family members nor stole their goods. He only destroyed everything so that the Ming family couldn't even cry.
The cycle of the natural order was absolutely fair and reasonable. This is what it was.
The matter was still not over.
Wearing official robes, Hong Changqing coughed a few times and walked down from the mountain to Ming Lanshi's side. He smiled slightly and said, "Greetings, young master Ming."
"Sir Hong?" At this time, Ming Lanshi was already numb. He wasn't even surprised at seeing Fan Xian's trusted aide. He just didn't know what the other party wanted to say to him.
"My original name was Qing Wa. I was once one of the brothers on that island." Hong Changqing moved closer to Ming Lanshi's ear and coldly gritted teeth. "These worthless pieces of glass are my thanks to you on behalf of Brother Meng Zi, Sister Lan Hua, and the hundreds of brothers who died on the island. You haven't forgotten Sister Lan Hua, right? She was your favorite concubine…"
Hong Changqing finished speaking. His chest was filled with the joy of revenge. In a loud voice, he said, "Thanks!"
Amidst his roaring laughter, Hong Changqing left carelessly, leaving behind Ming Lanshi, whose face was the color of dirt and filled with shock. He looked with shock at his own hands as if he only just remembered that he had once used this pair of hands to end the life of a woman who was infatuated with him.
When the news got back to Ming Garden outside of Suzhou, Ming Qingda's right hand shook. The superior porcelain bowl held in his hands shattered onto the ground into countless pieces. However, he didn't care at all.
The crisp sound of the mirrors shattering into broken glass already numbed his heart to the pain. This old man suddenly felt that his heart was also like the porcelain bowl and those mirrors, shattered into countless pieces.
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"A lawsuit? I'm not afraid. I would be even less afraid if it was before the Emperor. Who is he going to find to make the case for him?"
After hanging around in Yingzhou for half a month, Fan Xian waited until Wang Qinian arrived before finally climbing into the carriage and continuing toward Hangzhou.
The news from the Overwatch Council had long arrived. Fan Xian raised his brows. He found it funny and joyful. Although he stirred up trouble last year in Jiangnan, he was always gloomily obstructed by that old fox, Ming Qingda. At this moment, Jingdou was calm and he had his opponent in the palm of his hand. It was truly a very joyful thing.
He had only given a general direction. The specifics of it were left to the person carrying it out. He had not thought that Hong Changqing still hung onto the tragic scene on that island and refused to let the Ming family die quickly, instead insisting on using a slow knife to cut flesh.
"A slow knife to cut flesh and boiling a frog in warm water," Fan Xian said to Wang Qinian beside him. "Even I feel bad for the Ming family. Send the order down. The time has come. Tell the boys to stop playing and quickly wrap everything up."
Wang Qinian had stayed in the capital for almost a month just to watch the movements in the Palace. "In a few days, the Eldest Princess and Crown Prince won't have time to care about the life and death of the Ming family. We have to act before the Ming family realizes this. Right now is the best time."
Fan Xian nodded and said, "What we want is for them to think I won't come down hard. Right now, the Ming family is afraid that I will continue to wear them down. I want to catch them by surprise."
He suddenly smiled. Lifting the curtain at the front of the carriage, he watched the slowly retreating Jiangnan official road. Unable to contain the joy in his heart, he began to hum a tune.
As Wang Qinian listened to that weird sounding tune, he couldn't resist smiling and asking, "Sir, are you really this happy?"
Fan Xian laughed loudly and said, "After being suffocated for a year, I can finally let go and do things. It's difficult to not be happy."
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As the imperial envoy's carriage headed toward Hangzhou at the slowest possible speed, the various people in Suzhou were all lost in their own thoughts. After Governor Xue Qing, who was all-powerful in Jiangnan, had received Fan Xian's personally written letter, he had sat in his study in a daze. His left and right advisors also knew the contents of the letter and were also in a daze.
They looked like three clay Bodhisattvas.
Xue Qing had left the capital early and traveled quickly. He arrived in Suzhou 25 days ago. He was very aware of the losses the Ming family had suffered recently, but he had thought that this was the Overwatch Council once again weakening the Ming family. He had not Fan Xian to be so confident in his letter. It seemed like he was preparing to finish everything in one stroke.
"What makes Fan Xian so confident? This isn't a fight."
It was clear that Xue Qing did not know of the collusion with the Zhaoshang money house. He was thinking deeply about where Fan Xian's confidence came from and why he was letting him know in the letter to have him be prepared.
"Since the imperial envoy has said so, then he must have a measure of certainty." The left advisor furrowed his brows and ventured an idea. "The problem now is, what should we do?"
Xue Qing sank deep into thought. If Fan Xian was truly able to bring down the Ming family, as a trusted aide to the Emperor who well knew his thoughts, he would cooperate fully. However, he also felt a slight fear of the royal power behind the Ming family. As long as the capital did not clearly lean a certain way, he would not act first.
"What if we…do the same as last year and just keep watching?" The right advisor thought for a long time and only managed to think of a way to smooth things over.
Xue Qing suddenly opened his eyes wide. Two streaks of light shot out. "Watch…of course, we have to keep watching, but we can't just watch. Fan Xian is only a Jiangnan Road imperial envoy. Even if had a way to chase away Ming Qingda publicly, he won't be able to secretly have the Overwatch Council take action. He has to look out for the feelings of the Jiangnan people."
The Jiangnan Governor finally said, "Move the provincial soldiers to keep an eye on Ming Garden and the Ming family's 1,000 private soldiers…if Fan Xian doesn't have a way, then we will keep watching. If Fan Xian succeeds, then we have to help him clean up these people!"
The right advisor said in a trembling voice, "Sir, moving troops and killing people…if those people in the Palace found out, it will cause big troubles."
Xue Qing waved Fan Xian's personally written secret letter that was in his hand and calmly said, "Since he dares to take action, then he must be certain of the situation in the capital. This young imperial envoy is not an idiot. He wrote a letter to inform me because he wants to share the credit with me. However, the Jiangnan Road yamen has not done anything this year. If we want some of the credit, then we have to do something."
Suddenly, a bout of urgent knocking came from outside the study. Xue Qing furrowed his brows. An advisor went forward to open the door. A lower-level official of the Jiangnan Road Yamen rushed in. Without time to bow, he directly reported to Xue Qing, "Governor, Sir, something has happened to the Ming family!"
Something happened to the Ming family?
Xue Qing was shocked and sighed quietly to himself that Fan Xian sure acted quickly. However, his expression remained calm. "Tell me the details."
The official swallowed and said, "In the morning, the palace treasury transport company yamen went to the Ming Garden and took a payment. The item was mirrors, I think."
Xue Qing knew the inside information about Fan Xian having someone shatter that batch of mirrors. He furrowed his brows slightly and couldn't help feeling a little heartsore about it. "What about it? The Ming family had signed a contract, naturally, they had to pay the silver."
These words clearly favored Fan Xian's side. When the court turned against merchants, they were always so shameless.
"What's important isn't the silver," The official glanced at the Governor and carefully said. "I heard…the Ming family's cash flow has had some problems. The money houses that are connected to the family have now all gone to the Ming Garden to demand repayment of debt!"
Repayment of debt?
Xue Qing suddenly stood up. The Ming family had been in Jiangnan continuously for a hundred years. There were not many who would dare go to the Ming Garden to demand a repayment. The Ming family had a lot of silver, and no money house wanted to offend that family. How…how had it suddenly changed today? Countless thoughts immediately spun thought Xue Qing's mind. Had Fan Xian messed with the Ming family for a year and had pushed the Ming family to the end of the line?
If the Ming family truly could not repay the money and were forced by the money houses to sell the business, the family would fall into chaos…this…Xue Qing's brows furrowed. He knew the Emperor's intentions. The Ming family must be controlled by the court but, the Ming family could not fall into chaos.
Once the Ming family went bankrupt, never mind the tens of thousands of people within the clan, what about the Jiangnan people who were closely bound up with them?
"Did Taiping money house go as well?"
"No."
"Send someone to keep a watch outside Ming Garden." After hearing that the Ming family's largest partner, Taiping money house, had not participated in this matter, Xue Qing's heart felt slightly more at ease. However, his expression remained dark and he ordered, "Tell those people, the court does not care about the disputes between the Ming family and the money houses, but the Ming family cannot fall!"
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Like Xue Qing, Fan Xian also understood what the Emperor wanted. The Ming family had to be taken down and taken down as a whole. However, it could not be done in too ugly a fashion. The Ming family could not lose too much of their power, which would affect the stability of the rest of Jiangnan.
Thus, he would not watch as the Ming family fell. Ming Qingda could also not watch as the Ming family fell.. There was no intention of clearing the Ming family out with this forced repayment, he only wanted to obtain some significant benefits. The reason a number of money houses went to Ming Garden together to demand money was purely because Fan Xian still held onto a hope…that he would be able to hide the unseen owner of Zhaoshang money house.
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In this world, the one who owes money always has more reason and confidence that the one who lent the money. Thus, the current Master of the Ming family, Ming Qingda, held a slightly warm bowl of tea and drank it slowly, barely bothering to raise his eyelids even though below him sat the representatives from various money house who, in name, were all his creditors.
The shopkeepers from the money houses did not have the sense of being debt collectors. They sat wretchedly in the chairs, only daring to place a third of their bottoms on the chair and occasionally raising their eyes to look at the Master of the Ming family with a glimmer of fear flashing through their eyes. They certainly didn't look like they were here to collect debt.
These shopkeepers of the money houses knew they were all little ants. The Master of the Ming family only had to move his finger to crush them to death and chase them out of Jiangnan. However, they had no choice but to come today because the problems the Ming family had suffered for a year had already made them worried. Additionally, someone had stirred up their hearts, so they were all gathered in the Ming family's guest meeting hall today.
They represented capital. Although it was not a lot of silver, it was still capital. The capital always loved itself best. The thing it could least endure was loss. Particularly in this month, everyone knew that the Overwatch Council's harassment of the Ming family had increased again. The Ming family repeatedly suffered losses. Recently, the batch of mirrors went to waste and now the palace treasury transport company had come to demand payment. This finally successfully crushed the defensive line in the hearts of these shopkeepers.
An old shopkeeper with an uncomfortable expression respectfully said, "Master Ming, the Ming family has been part of the Jiangnan commercial world for almost a hundred years, if someone said you could not repay the silver…no one would believe it. However, there are many rumors on the market. You can't fault us for asking you to give us a promise."
"A promise?" Ming Qingda furrowed his brows in disgust at these shameless locust-like creatures. Usually, even if they came on their knees, he wouldn't be bothered giving them a glance. Now, they dared to come and extract promises.
The Master of the Ming family did not care about these money house shopkeepers at all. No matter how difficult the Ming family's cash flow was, they still had sufficient silver to repay them. He only slightly slanted his gaze at the shopkeeper who had been sitting silently at the very back.
That was the head shopkeeper of the Zhaoshang money house with a handsome young man standing behind him. Not many people knew of the connection between Zhaoshang money house and the Ming family. Zhaoshang money house's reputation in Jiangnan was also not very bright, so he sat at the very back. Ming Qingda had an unlucky premonition. What was Zhaoshang money house doing here today?
He had no more interest in talking more with these shopkeepers and lifted his tea bowl to send off the guests. At the same time, he coldly had these people go to the account house to clear off all the debts. It was a total of a 100,000 liang or so of debt. The Ming family could not suffer such humiliation.
After the shopkeepers felt overjoyed, they were greatly shocked. First, the money was finally in their hands, though they had lost some interest. What was shocking was seeing the wealth of the Ming family. Was there something wrong with the news they had received?
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All of the shopkeepers had already left. Ming Qingda tilted his head and looked at the unmoving shopkeeper with interest. In a quiet voice, he said, "I know they were all here on your urging."
The head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house smiled warmly and did not deny this.
Ming Qingda furrowed his brows slightly and said, "Speak, what do you want?"
They were both foxes who had risen and fallen for countless years in the commercial world. Looking at this year of cooperation with Zhaoshang money house, Ming Qingda was sure that this unknown head shopkeeper of the money house had once been a ruthless figure. Now that all the annoying little ants had left, the two of them spoke much more straightforwardly.
Ming Qingda knew exactly how much silver the Ming family had borrowed from Zhaoshang money house. If Zhaoshang money house had joined in the demands for repayment earlier, the Ming family could only go and sell land and property. Even if they managed to make it through this time, the family's foundations would have been damaged. However, since the other party had stayed silent, until now, then they did not want to laugh at the Ming family. There must have been something else they wanted.
Given the receipts in the hands of Zhaoshang money house, they indeed had the right to ask for something from the Ming family.
The head shopkeeper smiled slightly and said, "Master Ming, the owner wants…to work with you."
Work together? Ming Qingda's eyes narrowed. A cold light shone out and was immediately restrained. What kind of partnership could there be between a money house and a merchant? He closed his eyes and thought deeply for a moment then quietly said, "No."
Although the word "no" was quiet, it was powerful and resonating, leaving no room for doubt.
The head shopkeeper seemed not to have expected for the Ming family to reject it so straightforwardly. Recovering from his surprise, he continued to smile and said, "Even if it's no…it has to be yes."
Ming Qingda opened his eyes wide and stared at the shopkeeper with pity and disdain. His cold voice seeped through the spaces between his teeth, "Are you…threatening me?"
"I dare not," The shopkeeper of the money house said warmly, "It is only a request."
Ming Qingda once again sank deep into thought. He didn't ask what the other party was going to threaten him with. In this year, he had borrowed a significant amount of silver from Zhaoshang money house. It was enough for the other party to have some confidence in what they said.
The head shopkeeper said, steadily, "Business is business. You understand the current situation. If my money house used our receipts to demand repayment, the Ming family's cash flow would immediately break. What would you use for the follow-up payments to the palace treasury? Sir Fan junior is waiting for you to run out of silver…then he can halt your right to sell to the East. Although the Ming family is wealthy and powerful…it cannot lose its status as a royal merchant, and it cannot do without the silver flowing out of the palace treasury."
Ming Qingda fell silent. He knew that the other person had hit on his weakness. Right now, the biggest problem facing the Ming family was that their cash flow looked to be drying up.
"It's written clearly on the lending contract. Until the time arrives, you won't get a single liang back." Even now, Ming Qingda still did not panic at all because he had sufficient confidence.
Unexpectedly, the head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house smiled slightly and said, "Who says I can't take it back? It's written in the contract that if the money house is willing to sell the debt at a discount, then you must return the silver within five days. Even if you take this case to Jingdou, I will still win and you will still have to return the silver."
"Discount price!" Ming Qingda spoke up abruptly as an expression of disbelief appeared on his tired face. He lowered his voice and reprimanded in a dark voice, "You're crazy! You'll lose 30 percent!"
The head shopkeeper's expression did not change, "If we really cannot work together…even if we have to lose 30 percent, the money house will still ask you to return the silver early."
Ming Qingda stared at him coldly as if determining whether or not the other person was a lunatic. He slightly relaxed his tone and said, "If you really do this, then the Ming family will just sell some land. We will still be able to repay you. However, your money house will suffer a large loss…"
"This precisely proves our determination and sincerity." The head shopkeeper smiled warmly. "The owner has long been in the money house business but is greatly interested in the country's trade. He is a man with wild ambitions and wants to work with a towering figure such as you, thus please give him this face."
Ming Qingda slowly sat down. He finally understood. The owner of Zhaoshang money house had planned, a year ago, to use the matter of lending money to enter into the Ming family's business. This plan was very far thinking
"Who is the owner?"
"The day the contract is signed, the owner will definitely come personally to thank you."
"What if I really don't want to?" Ming Qingda had already recovered his calm and lightly asked. "Even there is a lawsuit, the Ming family will go all the way. However, for the silver, it can always be dragged out for a year or so."
"Can you really drag it out?" The head shopkeeper smiled warmly. "A case before the Emperor was only a joke. Following the first three articles of the Qing Law that governs people's welfares, you should know that lawsuit concerning lending among the people can, at most, reach the Jiangnan Road yamen…it could only reach Sir Xue Qing. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Of course, Ming Qingda did not want to do this. The court had already looked at his family hungrily for a whole year. If they ran into such a lawsuit, they would certainly think of a way to trap them.
He had not expected for Zhaoshang money house to have already calculated all the other options and grasped the fight between the Qing court and the merchants so well. Ming Qingda's finger shook slightly. He stared at the head shopkeeper. His tired heart roared out, "This is a conspiracy!"
After a long bout of silence, Ming Qingda tiredly said, "How does the owner want to work with me?"
"Debt to balance out the silver, turning it into shares," the head shopkeeper said efficiently.