The Fan family's courtyard in Zhangyuan Village, Jiexiu, Shanxi, is filled with a heavy atmosphere from top to bottom. Fan Yongdou, the Fan family's sea-fixing needle, is no longer working. The servants dare not breathe for fear of upsetting the panic-stricken Fan family.
Masters.
Although Mr. Fan has stopped taking care of things over the years, as long as he is alive, the sky will never fall in the old Fan family.
Fan Sanba was waiting quietly outside the main door with his eldest son Yu Xin, second son Yu Fu, fourth son Yu Tan and fifth son Yu Qi. The eldest son of the Fan family, except for the third son Fan Yubin who was far away in Yangzhou, all
Arrived.
"Master, the old lady is calling you." The maid who was waiting in the room came out quietly to deliver the message.
Fan Sanba went in nervously. He was very afraid that his old father would suddenly leave him. Over the years, as the head of the family, he had kept the Fan family in good order and the family business had grown a lot. He thought he was no better than his father.
He did a poor job. But for some reason, when he heard that his father was dying, he suddenly felt that he had no backbone.
"Is it Ba'er?"
Fan Yongdou called out with difficulty.
"Father, my son is here," Fan Sanba responded.
"After my death, you will discuss matters with Yubin's grandson more often." Fan Yongdou began to explain the funeral arrangements and appointed the next generation head of the old Fan family.
"Father, I know that after my death, the family property will be handed over to Bin'er," Fan Sanba quickly expressed his position.
Fan Yongdou breathed a sigh of satisfaction. Among the five grandsons in his direct lineage, his favorite was his third grandson Fan Yubin. He was smart, flexible, visionary, and courageous. He would definitely be able to take charge of the Fan family in the future.
"Huh, huh", Fan Yongdou took a few breaths, his face suddenly became rosy, and his voice became much clearer. Fan Sanba's heart sank as he came back to his senses.
"What do you think of the Ming Dynasty's recapture of southern Zhili? How to deal with it?"
"I thought the worst option would be to just cross the river. But the south is so big that we have to send people to run it."
Fan Yongdou hummed: "No, the most important thing now is not to go to the south to open up trade routes, but to do two things: first, secretly send someone to give gifts to Emperor Guangwu of the Ming Dynasty, congratulate him on his accession to the throne, and send 500,000 taels
, no, one million taels; secondly, quickly move our business to the northwest."
"Move to the northwest? Father, do you mean to transfer our family's business to the Mongolian Heshuote and Junggar tribes in the desert?"
"No, further away".
Fan Sanba was shocked: "How far further? Rakshasa Kingdom?"
Fan Yongdian sighed, "Exactly, this matter must be started immediately."
"Father, are you a little worried? The Qing Dynasty may not be able to defeat the Ming Dynasty. Besides, didn't you ask your son to give money to Emperor Guangwu to show your loyalty? If he accepts our gift, why should we run away?"
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"What do you know? A cunning rabbit knows that there are three caves. Since ancient times, accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger. What if Emperor Guangwu takes our money and still raids our home? Don't forget, our family is the emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
Shang, once the Ming Dynasty gained power and was charged with being a 'tonglu', the wealth accumulated over several lifetimes would be wiped out."
After hearing this, Fan Sanba broke into a cold sweat and said, "Father, don't worry, I will send someone to handle these two things immediately."
"Who are you going to send to the south?"
"I plan to send Xin'er."
Fan Yongdou's face flushed and hissed: "No, he is the eldest grandson. If he is caught by the Qing Dynasty, our family will be in trouble! This matter can only be left to Qi's grandson. He is young and has a dissolute nature. Even if he is caught by the Qing Dynasty, our family will be in trouble!"
If Qing is caught, they will just think that he is going to the south to enjoy the mountains and rivers."
"My father is right. I immediately asked Qi'er to go to Jiangning and immediately transfer the family property to Mongolia and the Rakshasa Kingdom."
Hearing what Fan Sanba said, Fan Yongdou felt relieved, suddenly became short of breath, kicked his legs, and stopped making any sound.
"Father!"
"Grandpa!"
There was a lot of crying in the mansion, and the sky of Lao Fan's family was about to collapse.
??
"Young master, the city of Nanjing is ahead," the steward of the Fan Mansion reported to the fifth young master Fan Yuqi.
Fan Yongdou asked Fan Sanba to send Fan Yuqi to Nanjing, and he was very insightful. This fifth young master was in his twenties, with fair face and red lips, handsome and plump. He had many hobbies, and his favorite was to spend time and wine, and he was generous by nature and devoted money to charity. This was mainly because
He grew up in a money jar and never lacked money.
Normally, these are all shortcomings. Now, they are all advantages. He behaves like a young master, and even if he is caught by the Qing court, he will not take it seriously. He can play, spend money, and be loyal. This is also
It means that he can make friends. The old Fan family was late in the Ming Dynasty, and not a single powerful person could ingratiate themselves with it. They desperately needed this little ancestor who knew how to spend money to open up the situation.
"Oh, this is the city of Nanjing? So impressive! It is indeed the place where Emperor Taizu Gao made his capital. The city wall is actually bigger than Beijing!"
Fan Yuqi had never been to Nanjing, so he couldn't help but be impressed by the momentum of this most majestic city in the world. Of course, he was only impressed for a moment, and the fifth young master's attention shifted to another thing.
I called the steward and asked, "Tell me, which is the most interesting place in Jinling?"
"The Jinling area is naturally the most prosperous of the Qinhuai River within ten miles."
Fan Yuqi slapped his thigh and said, "Yes, Qinhuai River, I remembered it. I heard from my friends that there are Gongyuan, Jiuyuan, Pearl Market, and famous prostitutes who can sing Nanqu on the Qinhuai River. Let's go to the Qinhuai River to see famous people.
Prostitute, listen to southern music.
After saying that, he took out a folding fan, opened it with a snap, and fanned himself, shaking his head in a very coquettish manner.
But the manager of the Fan Mansion was frightened, "You can't do this, Fifth Young Master, we have to do business. Have you forgotten what the master told you when you came here? This is the old master's last order, and he personally appointed you to do it.
You can’t let this old man live up to his spirit in heaven."
When the manager mentioned Fan Yongdou, Fan Yuqi immediately stopped talking. There is a hero in every child's heart. Fan Yuqi has admired his grandfather Fan Yongdou since he was a child. Back then, Fan Yongdou dared to go to Zhangjiakou alone with a few dates in his heart, and his heroic feat has always been
It is the legend in Fan Yuqi's heart.
People change, and as he grows older, Fan Yuqi gradually matures. Especially during the commercial war between Yangzhou and Huizhou merchants, he was caught by Jiang Guomao, the general merchant of Huizhou merchants, for evading taxes and money, and reported him to the government.
After a few months in prison, I have actually made a lot of progress.
"Okay, let's do the business first. After we finish the business, we can go to the Qinhuai River to have some fun," Fan Yuqi said with a smile.
The so-called doing business is to give gifts to Emperor Guangwu's bachelors. Fan Sanba specifically told him that if he didn't make friends with officials, he would make friends with high officials. Those below the bachelor's degree would not be considered.
Fan Yuqi didn't take this seriously. He brought a lot of money this time, and he was still worried that the cat wouldn't eat the fish?
As a result, I got a bad result.
The academicians He Wuzou and Zheng Feng were very clean and honest. They returned the greeting notes and 100,000 taels of silver without being seen by anyone.
When I went to the house of Guan Shouzhen and Sun Jinding to deliver greeting notes and banknotes, the servants were very enthusiastic at first. But when I walked in, they all said, "The master is not at home, please come back."
In fact, it was not that they were not at home. It was that Guan Shouzhen and Sun Jinding were both old men who followed Emperor Guangwu and knew the emperor's likes and dislikes best. Emperor Guangwu hated these eight imperial merchants the most, especially the old Fan family, calling them big traitors.
This money is so hot that the two of them dare not accept it, so they politely refuse.
Fan Yuqi was so angry that he ran into obstacles everywhere. In the north, even emperors and princes had to give our old Fan family some thin noodles. Why did they suffer everywhere in the south?
The more Fan Yuqi thought about it, the angrier he became. He had nowhere to vent his anger, and his anger grew in his guts. He immediately shouted: "Let's go to the Qinhuai River to relieve our boredom."