Volume 2: Eagle vs. Dragon Chapter 78 Cai Shiqun’s Suggestions
Cai Shiqun said: "In fact, all the officials in Guangzhou have already done this. Didn't you see that Governor Zhu used the Green Camp troops to surround the Thirteen Hongs, which should have been under the jurisdiction of the Guangdong Customs, and the Guangzhou general turned a blind eye? As for the Guangzhou prefect, he has been even more submissive to Governor Zhu recently. Why is that? Because a new emperor chooses new ministers! After Emperor Jiaqing ascended the throne, how could he still reuse the old man who was used by the retired emperor? So Heshen's resignation was just a matter of time. And in Guangdong, everyone knows that our current governor is not an ordinary governor. He is the teacher of the emperor. Although he is a Han Chinese, he has a bright future as an imperial teacher. Maybe he will become a prime minister like Zhang Tingyu one day."
Cai Qiaozhu listened in silence.
Cai's mother also said, "My dear daughter, I think your father can understand these principles, and a smart person like Haoguan can definitely understand them. But there is a saying: Those who are involved are confused, while those who are on the sidelines can see clearly. Haoguan is in the game, so he may be confused for a while. But we who are around can see clearly, so we have to remind him. I think you should go and deliver a meal tomorrow, and then you can persuade Haoguan. If the Wu family can abandon darkness and join the light, then there is hope. If they can get on the big ship of the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, they will have the support of Emperor Jiaqing. In that case, maybe they can not only save their lives, but also the foundation of Yihe Bank and the wealth of the Wu family."
Cai Qiaozhu thought about it and felt that her parents were really thinking about the Wu family, so she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go in tomorrow and discuss it with Hao Guan."
In the side hall of the Governor's Mansion, a servant came out. Cai Qinghua, who had just had a nap, looked better, but his face was still a little swollen. He sneered and said, "Only one sister-in-law went to deliver the meal. Jishan can really bear it."
Cai Shiwen had already figured out Cai Qinghua's intentions by then, so he said, "Master, you didn't put Hao Guan in the Governor's Mansion, but put him in Guangzhou Prefecture instead. Are you trying to lure the snake out of its hole?"
Cai Qinghua chuckled lightly but did not answer.
Cai Shiwen smiled flatteringly and said, "Master, you are a master of divination. Others cannot match you. But Master Cai, since Guangzhou Prefecture has poor defenses, people who want to communicate with Wu Chengjian can get in, and people who want to do something bad can also get in. So we have to be on guard against Jishan's desperate actions."
Cai Qinghua said, "How else can they go desperate?"
Cai Shiwen said: "There are many people in Guangzhou Prefecture, and there may be a day when Wu Chengjian will die in prison without a sound..."
Cai Qinghua sneered: "Jishan wouldn't dare."
Cai Shiwen said: "I have been dealing with Jishan for several years. There is nothing in this world that he dare not do."
"When I said he didn't dare, I didn't mean he didn't dare to kill people to silence them." Cai Shiwen said, "I meant he didn't dare to touch Wu Chengjian."
Cai Shiwen said: "I am confused, can you please give me some advice?"
Cai Qinghua asked: "After what happened last year, do you think Wu Chengjian is someone who can be manipulated by others?"
Cai Shiwen said: "This..." In fact, after the incident last year, if there was anyone in Guangzhou who was most afraid of Wu Chengjian, Cai Shiwen would undoubtedly be one of them.
"Although Wu Chengjian is in prison, Yi Jin is still outside." Cai Qinghua said, "I dare to assert that Wu Chengjian must have a backup plan in this matter. Last year, the situation was so dangerous and time was more urgent than it is now. He could not mobilize as many manpower and material resources as he does now, but he was still able to do that. What about this year? I dare to bet my life that if Jishan dares to take action against Wu Chengjian, the Wu family will definitely give him a big surprise. So now I am not afraid of Jishan taking action, I am just afraid that Jishan will not take action! If he takes action, then I guess, what I want to do will be easier to do."
Cai Shiwen's face showed a look of sudden enlightenment: "No wonder Master wanted to keep Wu kid until now, he deliberately wanted to give him time to prepare."
Cai Qinghua said calmly: "It's not entirely because of this."
Cai Shiwen said: "Then now..."
"Now it all depends on what choice Wu Chengjian makes." Cai Qinghua said, "We are not in a hurry. Someone will put pressure on him on our behalf. If he still refuses to change his ways in the end... then I can only help him."
Although Wu Guoying was old, he was still decisive. In the evening, he sent someone to Yihehang to ask Ou Jiafu to remove Chuanlongciye and Tietoujunba, and publicly announced on Xiguan Street that they had no relationship with the Wu family. As for Short Legs Charlie, he was a foreigner, and his relationship with the Wu family had never been officially acknowledged.
Short-legged Charlie had just returned from overseas two days ago. He didn't have many connections in the country, so he went directly to Ritianju to discuss the matter of the Lord's special envoy with Wu Chengjian after returning. Therefore, he didn't know much about what had happened recently. It was not until this time that he found out and hurried to find Master Chuanlong Ci, who told him what had happened.
After the three were publicly "expelled" from the Wu family, they rushed to find Zhou Yijin overnight.
The four of them met at the Xiguan building. After Wu Xiaojiu made some tea and retreated, Short-legged Charlie said, "My goodness, I just came back to China and I've already encountered something like this. Is it because Haoguan is in trouble in his zodiac year? Why has he been in trouble for the past two years?"
Master Chuan Longci laughed and said, "You are an Englishman, and you even know about things like offending the Tai Sui."
Short-legged Charlie shouted, "Of course I understand. This year I'm in bad luck with Tai Sui. You see, I had someone prepare a pair of red underwear and a red bellyband for me last year!" As he spoke, he turned up the waistband of his trousers, revealing a piece of underwear and bellyband inside.
Master Chuan Longci laughed loudly, and the usually serious and silent Tietou Junba couldn't help but smile. Zhou Yijin immediately turned his head away and didn't want to look at his ugly appearance.
Tietou Junba coughed and said, "Let's get back to business."
Zhou Yijin suddenly said: "Hao Guan is indeed offended by Tai Sui."
Tietou Junba was stunned. He didn't expect Zhou Yijin to respond to this.
But Zhou Yijin continued, "When it comes to the conflict of Tai Sui, the weak avoid it, as it will lead to failure; the strong enjoy it, as it will lead to prosperity. People with weak horoscopes avoid conflict, as conflict will lead to poverty and misfortune. But people with strong horoscopes will become prosperous and wealthy when they encounter conflict." There was some classical Chinese in his words, so he explained to Short-legged Charlie, "In short, it means that some people will suffer from conflict with Tai Sui, while some people will become better off."
Short-legged Charlie shouted, "Oh Master Zhou, you know so much."
Master Chuan Longci smiled and said, "Medicine, Fengshui, Divination and Litigation are all inherited from the same lineage. All the lawyers have to learn them." Medicine refers to Chinese medicine, Fengshui refers to Fengshui, Divination refers to fortune-telling, and Litigation refers to lawyers. The underlying logic of these five disciplines is the same.
Short-legged Charlie said, "So is Hao Guan's horoscope strong or weak? Well, it must be strong and prosperous, right?"
Zhou Yijin said: "If we calculate according to his horoscope, his horoscope was extremely prosperous, and he would almost certainly die young, but he survived. We Chinese have an old saying, 'after all adversity comes good fortune', and this is also his fate. So, things may be difficult in the near future, but as far as the future is concerned, I never worry."
Even though Short-legged Charlie is a foreigner, he has been in Guangzhou for so many years and is sometimes even more superstitious than the locals. He nodded repeatedly: "That's good, I feel relieved."
Master Chuan Longci said: "Then what should we do next?"
Zhou Yijin said, "Master Ci, you don't have to do anything. Just rest for a few days. Wait until the Wu family gets through this crisis and comes back to work. If there is anything I need your help with during this period, I will ask."
Master Chuan Longci said happily, "Okay." If Zhou Yijin made such arrangements, there would be no risk at all for him.
"Charlie," Zhou Yijin said, "You can go back to Shamian for the time being. If there is anything involving foreign affairs, I will send someone to find you."
They both agreed, and when they were about to leave, Zhou Yijin said, "Brother Scar, please stay a while. I have something to trouble you with."
After Chuan Longci and Short Legs Charlie left, Tie Tou Jun Scar suddenly said, "I'm being followed."
Zhou Yijin raised his eyebrows: "Didn't get rid of it?" He knew Tietou Junba's ability.
"I got rid of two of them. One was from the Lu family, and the other seemed to be a soldier from the Green Camp." Tietou Junba said, "But soon the officials came to my house and looked for my mother. I had no choice but to show up. The people who followed me changed from following in secret to following openly. I dare not get rid of them again, otherwise my mother will not be able to live in peace."
Zhou Yijin's expression also dimmed a little.
In this stalking operation against Tietou Junba, the forces of the Thirteen Hongs, the Green Camp officers and soldiers, and the local officials were mobilized at the same time. From the small, we can see that Cai Qinghua has probably already integrated his influence on the military, local government, and merchants in Guangzhou Prefecture, which is a big trouble.
Zhou Yijin knew that the situation in Guangzhou would definitely change after Jiaqing ascended the throne, but Cai Qinghua's power expanded so quickly and he was even able to use the forces of all parties with ease, which was somewhat beyond his expectations.
"If even you can't shake off the surveillance, then the others will be even more unable to shake off." Zhou Yijin snorted, "Then at least half of our open manpower will be useless."
