A few days later, Zhao Zongji gave the answer. The owner of the deep mansion was Zhao Zongchu, the eighth prince of the Runan Palace. Zhao Zongji also told Chen Ke that this guy was the backstage of Wuyou Cave in the past. After the beggar gang was wiped out with lightning speed, Zhao Zongchu
So he left home and lived in that house.
As for the reason, it should be a secret. But who calls the son of Prince Runan a talker? Several of his brothers have scolded him on different occasions, saying that he has lost hundreds of thousands of wealth...
"According to reliable information, he also secretly gathered the remnants of the Beggar Gang in an attempt to make a comeback and rebuild Wuyou Cave." Zhao Zongji said to Chen Ke worriedly: "It is said that they have issued a death order in the world. The person who takes your life is an outsider.
The reward is 50,000 yuan, and the gang insider will be the new leader..."
"Holy shit," Chen Ke was relatively calm before. When he heard the news, he was immediately stunned: "Is it true?!"
"It's absolutely true." Zhao Zongji spread his hands and said, "To tell you the truth, my family also has some sources of intelligence."
"Unexpectedly, I still have a golden head." Chen Ke touched his chin and said, "It turns out they are staring at me for this reason."
"You must be careful." Zhao Zongji said with concern: "If it doesn't work, I will go to the official and ask him to send another guard."
"No need." Chen Ke shook his head and said, "I finally got rid of those hanging-boot ghosts."
"Is safety more important, or freedom?"
"Life is precious, but love is more valuable. If it is for freedom, both can be thrown away..."
"..." Zhao Zongji was speechless, and after a long while he said feebly: "If you don't want to be escorted, don't go out before spring. When you pass the Jinshi exam and have an official status, they won't dare to act rashly."
"Okay." Chen Ke agreed casually: "By the way, there is something I want to tell you."
"What's the matter?"
"Do you know why I bought the house in Luwei Lane?" Chen Ke said leisurely.
"Isn't it going to be a club?" Zhao Zongji said.
"Do you believe it?" Chen Ke stared at him and asked.
"I don't believe it." Zhao Zongji smiled, with a hint of relief on his face. "I don't know you yet, how could you choose that kind of place?"
"Yeah." Chen Ke nodded, took out a rattan box from under the table and said, "That's what I'm doing."
"What is this?" Zhao Zongji asked curiously.
"You'll know after you see it." Chen Ke said calmly.
Zhao Zongji opened the lid of the box with force and saw a stack of brand new banknotes.
In the original period of history, the popularization of banknotes in the Song Dynasty was completed by Cai Jing a few decades later, and then lasted for two Songs, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, creating a glorious history of banknotes in ancient China. But now, Jiaozi, the predecessor of all banknotes,
It is also limited to circulation in central Sichuan and outside Sichuan. People still mainly use gold and silver and do not recognize this kind of paper currency.
But this is only for ordinary people. In the eyes of the wealthy businessmen in Beijing, Jiaozi has unparalleled convenience and security. It is also endorsed by Jiaozi Shop in Dongdu, so it has long been involved in large-scale business transactions.
Jiaozi is used for settlement in China. And Jiaozi Shop in Dongdu has also attracted the funds of many wealthy people in Beijing because of its good reputation. Although Zhao Zongji’s family has no money to participate, they have never eaten pork and have always seen pigs running away, so he is very
Knowing that friendship equals wealth...
Picking up a stack and flipping through it, Zhao Zongji widened his eyes and said, "How much does this cost?"
"Five hundred thousand dollars." Chen Ke said softly.
"..." Zhao Zongji suddenly felt difficulty breathing, and after a while he said: "Could this be the money Zhao Zongchu lost?"
"That's right." Chen Ke said calmly: "This money was hidden by the big faucet. I found it the day before yesterday."
"No wonder..." Zhao Zongji said suddenly and in surprise: "How could the Prince of Runan have so much money, and why is it in the hands of the beggar gang?" The clan of the Song Dynasty was known as idle and wealthy. Idleness was true, but wealth was not.
Of course. Especially if the prince of Runan County has more than fifty children and hundreds of grandchildren, and his daily expenses are still limited, it is absolutely impossible to accumulate such a huge amount of wealth.
Chen Ke shook his head and let him think about it.
No need to think about it. Zhao Zongji also knew what was going on, and couldn't help but sigh: "It is really outrageous for a noble man like me to collude with rat-like gangsters and do something that is a waste of money and life."
"Have you ever thought about why there is so much money," Chen Ke said quietly, "but the Prince of Runan still has to live frugally?"
"..." The reason is obvious. Zhao Zongji's face looked ugly.
"Think again, if they want to pretend to be frugal, why do they have to spend so much money?" Chen Ke said solemnly: "For so many years, they will definitely not just save but not spend, so where did they spend it?"
"..." Zhao Zongji's face turned even uglier. It was obvious that the money was either used to bribe ministers or to secretly cultivate informants for dead soldiers. It could not be a silent donation to out-of-school children...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a long time, Zhao Zongji slapped his palm hard on the table, suddenly stood up and said: "I have ulterior motives, I will report it to the officials!"
"How do you prove that this money belongs to the Runan Palace?" Chen Ke sneered: "It is said, or is it speculation?"
"That's right," Zhao Zongji sat down and said, "It's not possible without evidence."
"Yes." Chen Ke nodded and said, "I estimate that the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty have been bribed by them a lot. If you rashly file a complaint, you will only get burned."
Zhao Zongji pursed his lips and stopped talking, but there was still anger on his face.
"Am I honest enough with you?" Chen Ke patted the rattan box and said suddenly.
Zhao Zongji had not yet regained his composure, so he nodded blankly.
"Are you honest with me?" Chen Ke said softly.
Zhao Zongji nodded again.
"Okay, can you tell me the reason for your anger?" Chen Ke said quietly: "I want to hear the answers from the deepest part of my heart, not the high-sounding ones."
Zhao Zongji was silent for a long time. Just when Chen Ke was about to give up hope, he finally said two words: "Unwilling..."
Yes, unwilling.
Although he escaped by pretending to be crazy, Zhao Zongji's inner demons never disappeared. After finally walking through the world, why can some people be so spectacular and earth-shattering, but he has to accept the fate of being left alone and waiting to die?
It's just that Zhao Zongshi has an absolute advantage, and he has no chance of winning. Moreover, Zhao Zongshi himself is also under suspicion and wariness, so Zhao Zongji has to suppress his inner demons and dare not reveal the slightest ulterior motives...
But in front of his lifelong friends, Zhao Zongji didn't want to hide it anymore. He confided his feelings to others for the first time: "I want to make a career, and I don't want to die silently..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chen Ke, Song Duanping and Wulang had discussed how to deal with this huge sum of money before.
After several days of careful consideration, Song Duanping came up with his attitude: "I don't need a penny of this money. Thanks to you these years, I have become a little wealthy, and I don't have to worry about spending. I have thought about it carefully.
, having too much money is of no benefit, it will not only bring trouble to oneself, but also turn one’s children and grandchildren into losers.”
Wulang said: "We don't want it either. Anyway, Third Brother won't miss my expense..."
Chen Ke finally understood that they were frightened by the huge sum of money and couldn't help laughing.
"Not to mention where did the money come from? It was obtained by the people from Wuyoudong who bullied the market, forced girls into prostitution, smuggled and trafficked, and killed people to buy goods. Every penny has a bloody stench. If we act like this, we are afraid that we will suffer retribution."
After hesitating for a while, Song Duanping said again: "It's up to you to decide how to deal with this money." He rarely said seriously: "I believe you will not let us down."
Wulang also nodded.
"Since you let me make the decision." Chen Ke smiled and said, "Then I will tell you what I think."
When the two of them met, Chen Ke said: "No matter what the source of money is, it is an energy. The greater the amount, the greater the energy." He patted the rattan box and said: "We now have unprecedented energy.
, you can do a lot of things.”
"What do you want to do?" Song Duanping asked.
"I came here for a walk, and I always want to leave something for this era." Chen Ke said softly: "Let me use this money to do something that no one has ever done before..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How to deal with this money?" After provoking Zhao Zongji, Chen Ke brought the topic back.
"You have the final say over your money." Zhao Zongji has not lost his cool yet.
"Dedicate it to the officials and ask for verbal praise." Chen Ke said cheerfully: "Then wait for Zhao Yunrang to ascend the throne, and then kill me with a thousand knives."
"..." Zhao Zongji said softly: "If you don't donate it, what are you going to do?"
"It depends on you." Chen Ke said leisurely: "You know, I have plenty of money. If I want to have fun, my own money is enough. So for me, the easiest way is to burn it on fire. Once and for all, it's over.
, pretend that nothing happened." He scratched his head with a wry smile and said, "But it seems that after Zhao Yunrang ascends the throne, he still won't let me go."
"Why are you so sure it's him?" Zhao Zongji lowered his voice and said, "The official family just accepted Shimei, who knows if a prince will be born this time?"
"Have you ever been free from desires before becoming an official?" Chen Ke said lightly: "He is destined to have no children. No one can resist fate, not even the emperor."
"If it were Zhao Zongshi, I wouldn't have a good end either." Zhao Zongji said with a bitter smile: "He has resented me a lot over the years."
"It's up to you now. If you can make up your mind, all this money will be yours." Chen Ke patted the box and chuckled: "I don't think anyone needs to tell you how to spend this money."
Money, right?”
"..." Zhao Zongji looked at the box. Of course he didn't need Chen Ke's teachings. But this is a road of no return. How could you ask him to agree to it?
"Don't worry, think about it carefully." Chen Ke smiled and said: "No matter what, take the box back. It's too unsafe to leave it here. It would be bad if they find it..."