Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 64: Selling the Ship
"What?" Wu Chenggou looked at Wu Chengjian again at this time, and didn't know whether he was looking at a madman or a fool. However, when he heard that there were flag soldiers guarding the gate, he couldn't help but jump out of the yard and rush to check what was going on.
Wu Guoying looked gloomy: "Eight chips? Then Ye Dalin..."
Wu Chengjian sneered and said, "Of course he voted for our Wu family—this guy's words are like farts ."
Seeing Wu Guoying's sad face, Wu Chengjian said, "Dad, it seems that you are not in the mood to eat the family feast, so I will go back and let Chunrui open a small kitchen."
Wu Guoying waved to them, and Wu Chengjian came out with Cai Qiaozhu. Cai Qiaozhu whispered, "Come to the right courtyard."
The uncle and his wife walked to the right courtyard. Just as they entered the far gate, they heard Wu Chenggou roaring outside: "They are really here, they are really here! Third brother! You really provoked the bannermen! I knew it... I knew it! If you are the head of the family, this family will be finished sooner or later!"
Cai Qiaozhu was already very sad, and she became even more annoyed when she heard her second uncle yelling. She asked Wu Liu to close the door to the yard, and the yelling finally subsided a lot.
When they reached the pear tree, Cai Qiaozhu sent Wu Liulianqiao away, and then asked, "Uncle San, what are your plans for Guang'er's matter?"
Wu Chengjian asked, "Sister-in-law asked me to come here just to ask this?"
Cai Qiaozhu said, "Things have come to this point. I don't know if you really have any backup plan. But even if you don't, or if your plan fails, I... I am mentally prepared. If there is no improvement after seven days, I will just go with your brother. I won't go to those dirty and lowly places to be humiliated. But Guang'er... he is so young, what crime has he committed? I just hope to save his life, and I don't ask for anything else."
Wu Chengjian did not give any advice or analysis at this time, but just said: "I have already arranged Guang'er's affairs, and he will still go to Nanyang. Sister-in-law, find a reason to drive Wu Liu away in the next two days."
Cai Qiaozhu was stunned.
Wu Chengjian said: "Wu Liu can't leave with Guang'er, let him go first, I will arrange for the two of them to meet outside."
Cai Qiaozhu suddenly realized and asked, "When will the light leave?"
Wu Chengjian said, "Seven days later, at the birthday banquet."
"This..." Cai Qiaozhu said; "Is it too late?"
Wu Chengjian said, "We have to wait until then to make arrangements. Sister-in-law, you are right to listen to me. Let's prepare first. I will have my own ideas on how to send him off when the time comes. Don't ask me now."
As he spoke, he entered the room, looked at Wu Chengjun again, and then went back. As soon as he walked out of the right courtyard, he heard ghosts howling behind him. Aunt Yang's crying was deafening. Wu Qi ran over and said, "The second young master went to the master to cry and complain, but the master slapped him and told him to shut up. In the end, not only did he not shut up, he even shouted even louder. Aunt Yang was crying too."
Wu Chengjian asked, "What is the second brother yelling about?"
"The Second Young Master is yelling that the Wu family has fallen to this point because of you, the Third Young Master... Hao Guan." Wu Qi whispered, "Hao Guan, the Second Young Master is yelling all over the house, he is setting an ambush for everyone. If everyone believes him, then when he tries to seize power, no one will stab him in the back."
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "It's still the same old tricks. After all these years, the second brother hasn't made any progress. And he doesn't even think about it. If the Wu family is really defeated, what is he fighting for?"
After saying that, he went back to the left courtyard. He also asked Wu Qi to close the courtyard door so as not to listen to Wu Laoer's various shouting.
Compared to last night, Chunrui's eyes were even more desperate, Qiu Wen's eyes were also red, and Wu Chengjian had no intention of comforting them, and suddenly he saw a table full of food in the room.
"Ouch, ouch!" Xia Qing, who had just brought up a casserole of something unknown, hurriedly put the casserole down and quickly touched her earlobe - apparently she had burned her hand.
Wu Chengjian hurried forward, grabbed her finger, and scolded, "Why are you doing this?"
Although Xia Qing was deft at embroidery, she was not good at cooking. She was clumsy when it came to cups, plates and bowls, and it was not her turn to cook and serve food. Today's table of dishes did not look very good. If Qiu Wen or Chun Rui cooked, it would not be so ugly.
Xia Qing pursed her lips and said, "It's them. They all look like they are dying. But, even if the sky is going to fall apart tomorrow, we still have to eat a full meal before we go on the road, Master, don't you think so?"
She had figured it out last night - if something really happened to Wu Chengjian, she would die with him. Now that she had figured it out, she was no longer afraid and decided to live a good life one day at a time.
Wu Chengjian understood her thoughts, and when he helped her warm her hands, he was even more gentle and said with a smile: "My dear Qing'er, it's not in vain that I love you."
Chun Rui stepped forward and said, "It's not that I don't want to cook, but today... such a big thing happened, and I don't know how the master will arrange it. I originally thought that the whole family would have a big meal, so I didn't cook. I want to wait until you come back."
"Everyone in the family probably doesn't feel like eating now." Wu Chengjian said with a smile, "But no matter what happens, we in this family have to eat as usual." He glanced and saw that Chunrui and Qiuwen were still looking sad. "Forget it, if you want to be sad, then be sad by yourselves. I don't care about you, young master. Let me try Qing'er's cooking. Wow! Qing'er, how many spoonfuls of salt did you put in this mustard stew? It's already bitter, don't you know!"
The results of the second meeting to protect merchants quickly spread throughout Xiguan and were immediately transmitted to Shenxianzhou.
Soon, everyone on the Huachai also knew about it.
Tan Sanniang invited Zhou Yijin over and said, "Yijin, the second meeting to protect merchants ended with the Wu family. Have you heard about it?"
Zhou Yijin's expression didn't change at all: "Didn't I guess this from the beginning?"
Tan Sanniang said: "The Wu family...the Wu family..."
Zhou Yijin said: "The Wu family must follow the 'promise' and raise the money."
"What if we can't raise the money?"
"How could it be that we can't raise it?" Zhou Yijin smiled faintly. "This is something that the Thirteen Hongs have decided. If we can't raise it, Jishan will accuse the Wu family of deceiving the emperor. With this crime, they can seal up the Wu family's property and seal up the existing silver flow. If we put these two together, minus the money that was tainted in the middle, we can probably make up 50% to 60%. If the stolen tea from our family is also in their hands, they can sell the tea to Milton. With this big chunk of money, the first two sums of money can be less tainted. If we can also take out the money sealed in the Pan family's silver vault, it will probably be enough. Not only enough, but it can also give a good meal to all the officials, merchants, and servants. But by that time, Chengjian and his sons will probably have been hanging on the beams with ropes."
Tan Sanniang was born in a Tanka family, which marked her as a Tanka fishing girl. Her vision was too narrow at first, but after all, she had been in the flower trade for so many years and had gained some experience. After listening to Zhou Yijin's light talk, she became more and more frightened: "This...this...did they plan this all along?"
Zhou Yijin smiled and said nothing.
Tan Sanniang recalled how Wu Chengjian got so excited when Zhou Yijin came back from Master Cai and brought back news about Beijing. "So, when Chengjian said something about the dragon coming out of its lair and the beasts sharing the food... you all figured it out?"
"Some things were still unclear at the time, not as clear as they are today, but I had figured out the general plan."
"What if..." Tan Sanniang said, "What if the Wu family can raise the money?"
"How much can be raised?" Zhou Yijin said, "Under the current situation, no one in Guangzhou dares to lend money to the Wu family. Chengjian cannot borrow money from outside. At this time, he can only plan internally. All the capital of the business must be withdrawn, and the immovable property must be sold. If it is sold hastily within seven days, the price will definitely be very low. Adding all these together, it can barely cover the donation. However, after the property is sold and the capital is pledged, there is no way to pay the upstream merchants. The creditors will sue the Supervisory Office, and Yihehang will still fall. If the money cannot be repaid, it will go bankrupt. The Baoshang is actually an imperial merchant. If it goes bankrupt, the entire family will be held accountable. Therefore, the end result for Chengjian and his father and son is still a few ropes hanging on the beam."
"This..." Tan Sanniang said, "Is it possible... is there no other way?"
"Any solution?" Zhou Yijin said leisurely, "Sanniang, maybe you shouldn't worry about this."
"Ah?" Tan Sanniang said, "I'm not worried about these, so what else should I worry about?"
Zhou Yijin said: "In fact, you should be more worried about yourself now. The matter of Xiguan Mansion can be postponed for seven days, but the disaster of Hua Chahao is imminent."
After hearing this, Tan Sanniang was neither surprised nor surprised, let alone worried: "I know this very well. Without the Third Master, I would not be able to keep the Huacha. But I have already made preparations."
Zhou Yijin asked: "What are you going to do?"
"Sell it." Tan Sanniang said, "It's a small supplement, at least."
Zhou Yijin: "You are kind-hearted. But even if you sell the flower number, it will only be a drop in the bucket."
"After listening to your analysis, I also understand that the donation is a bottomless pit." Tan Sanniang said, "So I will not use this money to fill that hole. I will keep it outside for the time being. When the Third Young Master comes out, he can use this money to escape or to make a comeback. It will at least be a base fund."
"Hmm?" Zhou Yijin asked, "Do you think Chengjian can come out alive?"
"I know him!" Tan Sanniang said, "He must be alive. If he really was going to die... he would have sailed out to sea on the Huacha long ago."
Zhou Yijin narrowed his eyes and said, "He is so lucky... to have a confidante like you. A lucky person should not die."
