Volume 3: The Richest Man in the World Chapter 7: Wanbao Bank collapsed
Hutabu cried so hard that his nose started running: "He said that after he left, I would stay here to make way for the next Guangdong Customs Supervisor after he takes office."
This may sound normal, but considering what happened before, you can’t blame Hutabu for thinking too much!
The master left but the servant stayed. If any "accident" happened later, Hutabu's life might be left in Guangzhou forever.
"Haoguan, Haoguan!" Hutabu said, "Save me, you have to save me!"
Wu Chengjian said in embarrassment: "Brother Hu, everything else is easy to deal with, but this matter..."
Hutabu's tears and snot were all over Wu Chengjian's trouser legs. "I know this is difficult, but I... I have no other choice, and there is no one else I can ask for help. I have been good to you these past few months, right? Just because we are good friends, please save me."
Wu Chengjian said: "What can I do? I can't interfere in the affairs of the Supervisory Office!"
"Yes, yes!" Hutabu said, "If the master really wants to abandon me, he will treat me better during this period to reassure me, so it will be easier for me to do things in the mansion. Hao Guan, I know you have a wide network of contacts and a lot of connections . As long as you are willing to help, this will definitely work, it will definitely work!"
Wu Chengjian was in a dilemma, not because he wanted to repay Hutabu for his cooperation during this period, nor was it entirely out of pity, but because Hutabu had laid all the cards on him. If he refused in person, Hutabu would do anything in the face of life and death. As he himself said, during this period of time, Jishan might delegate more power to him in order to appease or paralyze him. If he rejected him now, there would be serious trouble within a few months!
He pondered for a moment before saying, "I'll go back and discuss this with Yi Jin."
Hutabu was overjoyed: "Okay, okay! If Master Zhou is willing to help, my life will be saved!"
Wu Chengjian comforted Hutabu for a while, and Hutabu also gathered his spirits. The two did not dare to stay too long, and they left the meeting place separately.
That evening, eight wealthy merchants held a banquet at Zhenhai Tower to celebrate.
Everyone in the world knows that "Guangzhou is the best place for food". Firstly, because it is a place with both mountains and seas (the Five Ridges in the north and the South China Sea in the south), and is located in the subtropics (vegetables can be grown in winter, and the species are more diverse than in the north), and it also benefits from overseas trade (food from Southeast Asia also gathers here), so the diversity of food is unparalleled in the world. Secondly, after the opening of one port to trade, Guangzhou became the first gathering place for wealth in the Kyushu region. As wealth accumulated, more things to enjoy followed. Therefore, when Chinese cuisine developed to the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, Guangzhou cuisine had a tendency to dominate the world.
As for Guangzhou's cuisine, in terms of flavor, the old brands in the streets and alleys are the best, and in terms of quality, the eight major restaurants in Guangzhou are the best. However, everyone in the provincial capital knows that the pinnacle of true cuisine still has to be the private kitchens in the homes of thirteen merchants.
It was rare for the eight wealthy merchants to get together like this, so after Lu Guanhuan made connections and obtained permission to hold a banquet in Zhenhai Tower, each family sent out their chief chef. Of course, they not only sent people, but also brought their own ingredients, such as top-quality bird's nests, double-headed abalone, top-quality shark fins, bear paws and tiger bones from the north, mountain delicacies and exotic vegetables from the Five Ridges, hundred-pound sea fish, century-old turtles, and animals that fly in the sky, walk on the ground, and swim in the water. Only those who cannot be named know what they don't have.
The kitchens of each family were secretly competing with each other, and they were afraid that the ingredients they used would not be amazing, and the skills they put in would not be up to par. The merchants wanted to present all the good products, and the chefs wanted to use all they had learned in their lives. Therefore, on that evening, the fragrance from the Zhenhai Tower wafted from miles away. The wine pool and meat forest were not enough to describe its beauty, and the delicacies were not enough to describe its abundance. Anyone who had participated in this banquet would remember it for a lifetime and be amazed.
The Zhenhai Tower was extremely lively and joyful.
The Cai family residence on Xiguan Street was dead silent.
Cai Shiwen called his wife and son over, and talked to them for four hours starting from the evening before sending them away. He then called in a few concubines. The concubines were a little worried when they saw the wives and masters crying and leaving, but after entering the house and seeing that the master seemed to be in a good mood, they felt relieved.
"I'm having some troubles today. Please keep me company and have some fun to relax." Cai Shiwen said, and asked a concubine to open a box on the table. Inside the box were a bunch of black things.
"This is a new good thing from England. It's called opium, also known as longevity cream. Eating it can make people feel ecstatic and all their troubles go away. The master will give it to you tonight. Let's have fun together."
The concubines cheered happily and helped Cai Shiwen to smoke. Seeing that Cai Shiwen was so happy from smoking, they came over to enjoy it. Soon the whole room was filled with the heavenly smell and everyone was addicted to it. Cai Shiwen then coaxed the concubines to eat it.
At that time, opium had not yet become widely popular, and these concubines did not know much about the medicinal properties of this stuff. They all got addicted to it, and were half coaxed and half forced by Cai Shiwen. When they saw that Cai Shiwen himself was smoking opium, they all swallowed up half a box of opium together.
The next day, when Cai's sons opened the door and the smell of smoke dissipated, what they saw was a room full of dead bodies.
Wu Chengjian walked into the backyard. Wu Guoying was now unable to move easily and was lying on the bed. Wu Chengjian helped his old father sit up against the quilt.
Wu Guoying asked: "Do you have something to tell me?"
Wu Chengjian thought for a moment and said, "Cai Shiwen is dead." He hesitated for a long time before deciding to tell his father about this matter - regardless of whether he was an enemy or a friend, Cai Shiwen was, after all, an old man's old friend for most of his life, and their relationship had already deteriorated. Telling him the news of his death probably would not cause much mental shock to Wu Guoying.
Wu Guoying was stunned for a while before nodding.
He probably expected it.
"How are his family members?"
“Already in the grassWu Chengjian said: "They will probably flee overseas."
Wu Guoying sighed, "After all, this is the only way out." He pressed Wu Chengjian's hand and said, "Hei Caitou went too far last year. Half of Chengjun's life should be attributed to him. But when a person dies, everything is gone. Now that Hei Caitou is dead, the grudge between the two families is over. Let the Cai family go their own way."
He knew the power his son had in Guangzhou Port. If Wu Chengjian didn't agree, it would be difficult for the Cai family to escape.
Wu Chengjian nodded.
The Cai family is from western Guangdong, and the Wu family is from Fujian. Continuing to retaliate against each other and prolonging the hatred is not what either side wants.
Wu Guoying added: "Since we have decided to end our feud, we must let the Cai family know what we mean. You can use my name to send something to the Cai family, so that we can end our friendship."
Wu Chengjian said, "Okay." People from Fujian and western Guangdong have relatives and friends overseas. Even if the Cai family has fled to Southeast Asia, the Wu family's things can still be delivered.
Wu Guoying said: "Wanbao Bank has collapsed, and the assets of Wanbao Bank... never mind." He suddenly shook his head: "Why should I care about these things now!"
The news of Cai Shiwen's death spread throughout Xiguan in less than half a day, and Cai Qiaozhu naturally knew about it.
She looked at her husband lying on the bed, and thought that the Cai family was a relative after all, and for a moment she didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
Bi Tao came to report: "Madam, the old lady from Daxing Street is here."
Cai Qiaozhu guessed that A Niang's arrival was probably related to Cai Shiwen's death, so she asked someone to invite Cai's mother into the house. After drinking a cup of tea, Cai's mother said, "Your uncle Shiwen is gone."
"He is not my uncle!" Cai Qiaozhuo's face was stern, not wanting to show any sadness.
Cai's mother also knew that her daughter hated Cai Shiwen deeply, so she sighed softly and said, "Okay, let's not talk about him. But..." She pulled her daughter to sit closer and said, "Once Hei Caitou dies, Wanbao Bank will be liquidated. Recently, there was a rumor that the Guangdong Customs saw that the number of insurance merchants had decreased, so they were going to issue more licenses . My dear daughter, have you heard from Officer Hao about this?"
Cai Qiaozhu frowned and said, "I haven't heard of it. I am paying less and less attention to what's happening outside now."
"I know, I know." Cai's mother said, "Who in Xiguan doesn't know how virtuous you are? But, my dear girl, sometimes you have to think about yourself. Even if you don't think about yourself, you have to think about Guang'er."
Cai Qiaozhu asked, "What are you considering Guang'er for?"
"Oh!" Cai's mother said, "My foolish daughter, don't you think about it... If your mother's family is well, you and Guang'er will have someone to rely on." He pointed in the direction of the left courtyard: "The one over there is about to give birth. If she gives birth to a boy..."
"So what?" Cai Qiaozhu said, "Our Wu family is going to have a new baby, this is a happy event."
"A happy event, of course it is a happy event!" Cai's mother said, "But from now on, Guang'er will have to take a back seat in the Wu family. I still say that since ancient times, no matter how close a nephew is, can he be closer than a son? So, my daughter, you have to plan for multiple options."
Cai Qiaozhu became irritated when she heard this: "Back-up plan, back-up plan! I don't need any back-up plan, mother, please don't tell me these things again. I don't want to hear them."
