Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 77: Separation
Then I heard my sixth uncle say, "Guoying, Chengjun was sick and confused at the time, so he handed over the family business to his third brother under such circumstances. You shouldn't have been soft-hearted and let Chengjun act selfishly."
When Cai Qiaozhu heard that her husband was involved, she interrupted coldly, "Sixth Uncle, our Chengjun is sick, but why is he confused? Why did he act selfishly? Don't accuse him of this."
The sixth uncle wanted to yell at her, "How dare you butt in on someone like that?" But thinking about how Bo Siyou was treated during the day, he held back and said, "Among the three brothers, Chenggou is obviously older, more stable, and more familiar with the business. But Chengjun, the eldest brother, didn't consider these. Just because they are not born of the same mother, he handed over the family business to the lazy and idle third brother. Isn't this acting out of selfishness?"
Cai Qiaozhu was furious and was about to speak when Wu Guoying said, "Sixth Uncle, do you think we should hand over Yihe Bank to Chenggou?"
"That's right!" said the Sixth Uncle. "They were born to different mothers, so they are different in terms of closeness. But Guoying, to you, they are all your flesh and blood, all the same. We are businessmen, and we don't care about legitimate or illegitimate children like scholars do. As long as they are our own flesh and blood and have a promising future, that's all."
Wu Guoying nodded and said, "Sixth Uncle thinks that my second child has more potential?"
Seeing Wu Guoying nod, Sixth Uncle thought that he also agreed with his opinion and said, "Chenggou is definitely not as good as Chengjun, but at least it is much better than Haoguan."
Wu Guoying then asked the rest of the tribesmen: "Do you all think this way?"
All the clan members nodded, except for the fifteenth uncle who sneered beside them.
Wu Guoying turned to Wu Chenggou and asked, "What do you say?"
Wu Chenggou said hesitantly: "My uncles and aunts are praising me."
But there was no refusal, instead the words sounded humble.
Wu Guoying chuckled twice and said, "Well, if I take charge now and hand over the family business to you, what are you going to do?"
Wu Chenggou uttered "uh" and twitched his mouth, saying: "It has come to this point now, what else can I do!" He did not want to go to the Guangdong Customs Supervision Office to die on behalf of Wu Chengjian at this critical juncture.
Cai Qiaozhu saw that her second uncle only wanted to take advantage but was unwilling to shoulder the burden, and she despised him in her heart. But since Wu Guoying had taken over the conversation, she couldn't interrupt him.
"It is indeed difficult to save Yihe Bank from the current state." Sixth Uncle sighed, "Let alone Cheng Gou, even if Cheng Jun suddenly recovered from his illness, he would not be able to save the situation."
Wu Guoying asked, "What does Sixth Uncle mean?"
The Sixth Uncle said, "If Hao Guan goes to the Guangdong Customs tonight and acts as a decent head of a family and can shoulder this responsibility, then Yihehang is not hopeless."
Wu Guoying said: "Forgive me for my poor hearing. I didn't understand what you said."
"Do you really want me to make it so clear? Well, let me be the bad guy." Sixth Uncle said, "Guoying, Yihe Bank can go bankrupt, but the Fujian Wu family in Xiguan cannot go bankrupt. Haoguan can get into trouble alone, but the Wu clan members in Xiguan cannot be buried with him."
Uncle Fifteen said coldly, "Are you planning to let Hao Guan go to the Supervisory Office to take on all the debts, and then let Wu get away with it?"
"It's probably impossible to get away unscathed." Sixth Uncle said, "But if we divide the family property tonight before Hao Guan enters the Supervisory Office, and keep a portion of the property for the first and second wives, then not only will your descendants, Guoying, be able to make a comeback, but all of our Wu clan members in Xiguan will also have hope in the future."
At this point, the real purpose was finally revealed. Cai Qiaozhu finally understood everything and said, "Sixth Uncle, are you going to split our family?"
"Alas, persuading people to divide the family is a bad thing. I also know that it is not easy to be such a bad person." The sixth uncle sighed, "But now is not an ordinary time. In this situation, is there any better way than this? Dividing one person saves one person, dividing a portion of the family property saves a portion of the family property. Guoying, don't you think so? I am doing this for your descendants."
As Sixth Uncle spoke, his old eyes became wet, and it was unclear whether it was tears or eye oil. At another table, the Wu clan members who came with him echoed him: "Sixth Uncle is right!" "Sixth Uncle is right!"
Wu Guoying remained silent for a long time, but Cai Qiaozhu felt that his breathing seemed a little unstable. Just when she was worried that her father-in-law would get angry, Wu Guoying said calmly: "Second brother, what do you say? Do you also want to split the family?"
Wu Chenggou said hurriedly: "No, I have never thought about it."
Wu Guoying asked: "So you are against it?"
Wu Chenggou said hurriedly, "This... what Sixth Uncle said makes sense. My son didn't want to split up the family, but now in our Wu family, if we can save one person, we can save one person. If we can save one share of money, we can save one share of money. If you remove us, I'll let it go, but the main thing is that Guang'er can also be saved." Then he turned to Cai Qiaozhu and asked, "Sister-in-law, am I right?"
He thought that if the division of the family property could be accomplished, not only would he benefit, but the eldest wife's family would also be safe, and his eldest sister-in-law would definitely speak for him.
Unexpectedly, Cai Qiaozhu said flatly: "Although Chengjun is ill, he and Haoguan are blood relatives. I know his character - he has always been the only one as an elder brother to bear the brunt of the disasters and difficulties for his younger brother, and there is no reason for him to hide behind and let his younger brother die."
After saying this, Wu Chenggou's face became hot and he almost couldn't hold it anymore: "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about!"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Cai Qiaozhu said, "In short, it would be best if Haoguan goes to the Supervisor's Mansion tonight safely. If Chengjun is sick and can't leave, I won't leave either. If there is any disaster, we brothers, uncles and sisters-in-law will bear it together."
Wu Guoying said, "The first wife doesn't plan to divide the house, so second son, you should divide it."
There were three brothers, but only one was to be given away. Wu Chenggou felt that if he agreed to it now, it would not sound good if it got out. But for the sake of face, he said no, otherwise he would be dead if something went wrong. He hesitated and could not bring himself to say it.
Wu Guoying looked at his eyes, which were getting colder and colder. She touched her chest and said, "Then how are you going to divide it?"
Wu Chenggou said, "I...I...Father, I really don't want to divide the family property, I just think what Sixth Uncle said makes sense."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Wu Guoying could hardly suppress her anger. "Tell me, how do you want to divide it? Do you want money? Do you want land? Do you want Yihe Bank? Or do you want the tea mountains in Fujian?"
Wu Chenggou said: "Our family's money... has been sealed, and the land is registered in the county government. Yihehang... Since it is the eldest brother's arrangement, let's give it to the third brother."
Those things he didn't want were nowhere to be found, and as for those he wanted... there were some things he really couldn't say.
At this time, the Sixth Uncle said, "Guoying, I heard that in addition to the business of the Thirteen Hongs, Chengjun has also arranged some business industries in secret. Although they cannot be compared with the big business of the Thirteen Hongs, they are better in being kept in secret. Why not give these to Chenggou?"
Wu Guoying asked coldly: "Which industries?"
Wu Chenggou was still a little too embarrassed to do so, so his wife secretly twisted him, and Wu Chenggou took out a piece of paper from his arms.
As the saying goes, "a cunning rabbit has three burrows." The Wu family has such a large business, and they are aware of the huge risks of being a guarantor of the Thirteen Hongs, so how can they not leave one or two ways out? Therefore, they have been secretly arranging some businesses and depositing some loose money for emergencies. This did not start with Wu Chengjun. After Wu Chengjun took over the family business, he did not hide the newly added hidden assets from his father, so Wu Guoying knew everything.
At this time, his hands were shaking - he didn't know whether it was because of anger or sadness - he took it, glanced at it, and handed it to Wu Chengjian, saying, "Take a look."
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, take a look first."
Cai Qiaozhu took it and took a look. She knew everything written on it, so she said, "I'm sorry, second brother." She still handed the list to Wu Chengjian and said, "Haoguan, you are the head of the family, you have the final say."
Wu Chengjian then took a quick look and said to Wu Chenggou, "Second brother, half of this list was drafted by Shopkeeper Dai, right?"
Wu Chenggou's eyelids twitched, but he didn't say a word.
Fortunately, Wu Chengjian did not delve into it and just said, "Okay, as long as father and sister-in-law have no objection, all of these will belong to second brother. From now on, the three of us brothers will live separately. I will live together with my eldest brother, and you will live on your own. But there are two things I want to make clear. First, the things on this piece of paper can be known by Dai Er, the shopkeeper, and those who are watching us may also know them. So if something happens to Yihe Bank, how much of the property on this piece of paper can be saved depends on luck. Second brother, you have to think it through."
Wu Chenggou said: "You don't need to tell me this, I understand it too."
Wu Chengjian added, "Secondly, the tea mountain belongs to the Wu family, but it also belongs to Yihe Bank, and it is open to the public. If you want it, I'm afraid Master Jishan won't agree, so you can't take it away ."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Although Wu Chenggou was mentioned by his sixth uncle, he also knew that the tea mountain was a serious matter and he would most likely not get it, so he accepted it. Compared to being involved in the forced donation and bankruptcy incident and ruining his family, being able to keep that part of the hidden property was enough to make him a rich man.
At this time, the Sixth Uncle became anxious and said, "That won't work. How can our Wu clan in Fujian make a comeback?"
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "What does Sixth Uncle plan to do?"
Sixth Uncle said, "The government will probably interfere with the shares of the tea mountain that belong to Yihe Bank, but the operation of the tea mountain can be handed over to the contractor. As long as the contractor manages this business well, he can support a new business in three to five to seven years. In this way, the Wu family can make a comeback."
What he said made sense, and even Cai Qiaozhu was impressed. You have to know that although the Xiguan Wu family of Fujian's tea mountains accounted for the majority, the cultivation and management of the tea mountains were all done by the old Wu family in Fujian. Even if outsiders occupied the shares of the tea mountains, if they wanted to run this tea road like Wu Chengjun, the relatives in Fujian might not agree. In that case, Wu Chenggou would have a great chance to get the management rights of the tea produced by the tea mountains.
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Okay, as long as the relatives in my hometown in Fujian agree, the operation of this tea road will belong to you, second brother. But if they don't agree, then we can't do anything."
"Of course, of course." Sixth Uncle thought to himself, how could he not agree? Fujianese value relationships and acquaintances the most when doing business. If something unexpected happens in , Fujian will also be in a state of panic. When Wu Chenggou takes over, the Fujian clansmen will naturally not abandon their own family members with the surname Wu and hand over the management of the tea mountain and tea road to outsiders.
Wu Chengjian added: "Since Second Brother has already made the plan, why don't all the uncles and aunts who are connected with Yihe Bank transfer all their businesses to Second Brother?"
The Sixth Uncle and the others were afraid of being implicated in this incident, which was exactly what they wanted, and they all agreed. Only the Fifteenth Uncle said, "I don't want the money. I have a shop in Xiguan and Guangzhou. Although life is a little difficult, I can still survive without having to rely on scheming against my own family to suck blood and eat meat."
Wu Chenggou's face became stiff due to the ridicule and he was almost about to quarrel, but he finally held back.
Wu Chengjian said: "It's just that the documents and certificates for the property transfer cannot be prepared in a short time. How about waiting until I come back from the Supervisory Office..."
Before he finished speaking, Wu Chenggou hurriedly took out a bunch of things and said, "We can't wait, we can't wait!"
What if what comes is a seizure order from the Supervisory Office?
Everyone looked carefully and saw that what Wu Chenggou took out was either a transfer document or a draft of a deed.
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Second brother is really thorough. He even prepared these things."
With the well-prepared documents and the witnesses of the clan, it took less than a cup of tea for Wu Guoying and Wu Chengjian to sign and seal the agreement. Wu Chenggou felt relieved when he received the documents. Today's result was much smoother than he expected.
"It's over." Wu Chengjian smiled and said to his sixth uncle, "I still need to wash up so that I can go to the Supervisor's Mansion to pledge the money. My dear uncles, I hope you will leave me well."
He actually issued an order to expel us.
The Sixth Uncle and the others had already achieved their goal and left one after another. The Fifteenth Uncle was the last one to leave and said, "Hao Guan..."
"Uncle Fifteen, you don't need to say anything. I know you are different from them." Wu Chengjian said with a smile, "But please rest assured, Uncle Fifteen. We Hokkien have an old saying: Heaven and earth reward loyalty and honesty. Uncle Fifteen is a loyal and honest person, and he will surely be blessed in the future."
After everyone left, Wu Chenggou was still fiddling with his pile of documents, his eyes fixed on them. Wu Guoying also stood up, and when Aunt Yang tried to help her, she was slapped hard by Wu Guoying, which stunned both her and her son.
Wu Guoying was holding Wu Erliang with one hand, and pointing at Aunt Yang with the other hand: "What a good son you gave me!"
Aunt Yang fell to the ground and cried, "Master..."
"Don't call me master!" Wu Guoying said, "Since we have already separated, you don't have to be around me anymore. Just follow your good son and live your life!"
