Volume 2: Eagle vs. Dragon Chapter 97 The Rain is Coming
After Zhou Yijin left, Pan Youjie's mood was just like his facial expression, always looking changeable.
Pan Haigen did not dare to disturb him. When the shopkeeper Liu came in, he saw Pan Youjie's appearance and asked tentatively: "Sir, has this Master Zhou come up with any new tricks?"
"No." Pan Youjie said, "What else can they do now!"
Having said that, he was still unsure. After thinking for a long time, he finally stood up.
"Let's go." Pan Youjie said, "Go back to the old house in Xiguan."
Just as the Wu family has moved to Henan but still preserves the old house in Xiguan, the Pan family also has an old house in Xiguan. Although they rarely live there anymore, someone still cleans it diligently on a daily basis. After the Panjiayuan side became the main residence, the other side became a villa.
"Sir," Pan Haigen said, "what happened?"
"I don't know yet." Pan Youjie said, "But it's always a good idea to monitor him nearby, rather than being isolated in Henan and being caught off guard if something unexpected happens."
If it weren't for that layer of prison pillars, Guangxing would have almost rushed in. If he had the power, he would have had Wu Chengjian dragged down and skinned alive in a rage.
But at this time he could only breathe outside the cell.
After panting for a while, he finally calmed down for the second time.
When he first entered prison, he acted arrogantly, trying to use the pressure from his superior to make the "merchant slave" in his mind surrender. However, he found that Wu Chengjian was not buying it at all, so he changed his strategy and used "deception" to trick Wu Chengjian into working for him, but he was discovered again.
At this point, he had to admit that the insurance merchant in front of him was not as simple as he thought.
"Tell me!" Guangxing said, "Mr. Wu, what do you want?"
Wu Chengjian said: "Do you know why I can see through your tricks? "
Guangxing frowned. He actually wanted to know, but he couldn't bring himself to ask why.
Wu Chengjian did not embarrass him and answered himself: "Whether it is Jishan or Liu Quan, no matter what they think in their hearts, when they are forced to compromise and cooperate with me, they will still change their words to call me Haoguan. But what about you? From the time you came in until now, you have been bossing me around, shouting and yelling, "I'm either Wu Chengjian or my surname is Wu." This shows how much you despise me in your heart, to the point that you are not even willing to say a perfunctory word. How can I trust you when you talk to me with such an attitude?"
Guangxing was so angry that he could hardly vent his anger. However, in the end, he still said, "Well... Haoguan, tell me, what do you want?"
Wu Chengjian asked: "Can we talk about business now?"
"Business..." Guangxing sneered, "I told you guys you're southern barbarians, and you still don't accept it! All you have in your eyes and your heart is business."
"Everything in the world is business." Wu Chengjian said, "Besides, I am the guarantor of the Thirteen Hongs. If we don't talk about business, how can we talk about morality? If I talk to you about morality, are you willing to listen?"
Guangxing sneered lightly and waved his hand: "Business is business, go ahead."
Wu Chengjian pointed to the bench that Guangxing had kicked over and said, "Sit down and talk."
Guangxing snorted, pulled up the bench and sat down.
Wu Chengjian folded up his bedding and sat down in the cell. Facing Guangxing across the prison pillar, he said, "Three points: First, I don't like Heshen. Second, I don't think highly of Heshen. Third, I am helping Heshen now because I am forced by the situation, not because I want to."
Guangxing's disgust turned into joy: "That's good. Then we have no conflicts. Our goals are the same."
"No, our goals are not the same." Wu Chengjian said: "Although I hate Heshen and have a bad impression of him, I can't do what you want me to do now. If I do it, I will die. So it's not that I, Wu Chengjian, want to argue with you, Master Guangxing, nor is it that I, Wu Chengjian, am not loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but now you want me to do this thing, and I can't bear the consequences."
Guangxing's face darkened: "Then the three points you just mentioned are just bullshit!"
Wu Chengjian said, "I really can't agree to this matter now. I can only ask you to give me a way out. We Guangdong businessmen have a saying: Even if the business fails, the friendship remains. The Tanka also has an old saying: Boats will meet on the water. Although this business cannot be done now, if there is a chance in the future, I will definitely repay you, whether it is to repay the emperor, repay Governor Zhu, or repay you, Master Guangxing."
Guangxing finally lost his patience with Wu Chengjian. He patted the hem of his long gown and said coldly, "If this is your final answer, then there is nothing more for us to discuss."
He turned around and slowly walked towards the prison door, expecting Wu Chengjian to change his words, but Wu Chengjian said nothing. Guangxing walked to the door and paused, but still did not get the final beg for mercy he expected. He turned around and saw Wu Chengjian looking at him calmly.
Guangxing became annoyed and slammed the cell door.
Cai Qinghua was outside, and in the light of the corridor, he cast an inquiring look.
Guangxing snorted, "It seems that some people will not give up until they see the Yellow River, and will not cry until they see the coffin!"
Cai Qinghua's expression turned ugly: "Master Guangxing, what do you mean?"
"What do you mean?" Guangxing sneered, "Let's go to Shisanhang! Open the box and check the contents!"
Cai Qinghua suddenly became a little anxious.
If the box is not opened, there is still room for maneuver. Once the box is opened, the Wu family will be doomed! But by then, this incident will end here.
How could it be their original intention to let the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi violate the law and mobilize troops, and finally end up with the destruction of a merchant family? If this matter really ended like this, Zhu Gui might not be in trouble, but people would just say a few gossips behind his back, but Cai Qinghua would not be able to explain himself.
However, looking at Guangxing's expression, he guessed that the negotiations between the two must have broken down and the situation might be irreversible.
Guangxing brought some bannermen with him, and he immediately waved his hand and asked them to drag Wu Chengjian out.
By this time, the sky had completely darkened, and the night watchman's voice could be heard faintly: "It's dry... Be careful with fire..."
Cai Qinghua advised: "Haoguan, once the box is opened, there will be no turning back. You should think about it again." He was sincere in his advice.
He had been battling wits and courage with Wu Chengjian and Zhou Yijin for more than half a year, but the other party always treated him with courtesy, so they had some personal relationship. If he could defeat Heshen, it would not be a pity if Wu Chengjian died. But if this goal could not be achieved and Wu Chengjian was killed in vain, that would not be what he wanted.
At this time, Wu Chengjian's face showed anger: "I, Wu, earn honest money. After earning money, I build bridges and roads, and help the orphans and widows. The three generations of Wu family merchants have only accumulated virtues and never committed sins! I really don't understand why you treat me like this, why God treats me like this!"
Cai Qinghua had been in Guangzhou for some time and had inquired about the character of various insurance companies. When he found out that Wu Chengjian had not lied, he couldn't help but show a hint of guilt on his face.
"No more, no more." Wu Chengjian said, "Master Cai, I dare not ask for anything else. Our Wu family...there is nothing we can do! But the charity cemetery in Henan, although our Wu family spent money on it, it has nothing to do with our Wu family after it is built. If you can, I hope Master Cai will protect the charity cemetery and not let the orphans and widows living in it be innocently implicated because of our Wu family."
Cai Qinghua knew that Wu Chengjian's request was openly for the charity cemetery, but secretly for the Tanka Sanniang. He sighed softly and said, "You are indeed a sentimental person. Unfortunately, if this matter fails, I probably won't be able to stay in Guangzhou. I will do my best as entrusted by Hao Guan, but I dare not boast whether it can be accomplished."
Wu Chengjian said: "Thank you very much, thank you very much. I am at my wit's end now and don't know who else I can ask for help."
Guangxing shouted, "Why are you still talking so much? Let's go!" He wanted to take Wu Chengjian to Xingchenghang's secret warehouse, and before the stolen goods were opened, he would force Wu Chengjian to do something!
If Wu Chengjian still doesn't come back at the last moment, then let him die!
Just then, someone came running over and reported: "Oh no! The Thirteenth Floor is on fire!"
Guangxing and Cai Qinghua were both shocked, and then they looked at Wu Chengjian together. Guangxing said sternly: "If you dare to set fire to the stolen goods, humph, don't think you can get away with it, you will still die!"
Cai Qinghua asked hurriedly: "Where is the fire? Is it the warehouse of Xingchenghang?"
The visitor said, "No, no, it's the warehouse of Sanjiang Bank."
Cai Qinghua breathed a sigh of relief.
Guangxing asked, "Where is that? Is it next to Xingchenghang?" The warehouse of Xingchenghang was guarded by soldiers, so it was not easy for the enemy to set fire to it, so Guangxing thought of setting fire to the warehouse next door.
Cai Qinghua had paid a lot of attention to the Thirteen Hongs in the past few months. He had just searched the area, so he was deeply impressed and knew the locations of several warehouses very well. He replied, "They are not next to each other. Next to Sanjiang Hong is Shunda Hong, next to Shunda Hong is Yihe Hong, and next to Yihe Hong is Xingcheng Hong. Although they are next to each other, the warehouses of these big merchants occupy a lot of space and are separated by a long distance."
Guangxing felt relieved after hearing this. The Sanjiang trip had nothing to do with his major concern. Even if it was burned down, it had nothing to do with him.
He kicked Wu Chengjian and said, "Let's go!"
