Liu Qing was born as a guard in the Prince of Youyan's Palace. He watched several princes grow up and knew that Emperor Zheng Rong doted on this young emperor even more than the other princes. If he submitted a memorial to the emperor, not only would his own career and future be ruined, but he would also be unable to save his life.
Thinking of this, Liu Qing could only stammer and say, "This... This is the custom in Jiangnan. If I don't accept it, wouldn't it seem too noble..."
"Alas!" Qiu Yizhi sighed, "It's only been a few days since your predecessor Shi Changjie did bad things? Are you going to break the law again? As the saying goes, 'If the heart is not right, the eyes will be blind'. Since you have accepted the benefits from others, how can you still act impartially and speak for justice?"
Liu Qing was so frightened by Qiu Yizi's words that he almost fell to his knees.
At this moment, the businessmen in the hall became agitated again.
Qiu Yizi no longer wanted to pay attention to Liu Qing. He turned his head to look at the hall, but saw that the merchants also ignored him. They all ran to the main door of the government office, tidying up their clothes, as if they were about to welcome the arrival of some distinguished person.
Qiu Yizhi was stunned, thinking: At present, the only people of high status in Jiangnan Road, besides the governor Qian Feng and the governor Liu Qing, are the left general Cui Nan and himself, the emperor's adopted son. However, one of these two people is commanding the battle at the front line, and the identity of the other has not been exposed. I really don't know who is so powerful that this group of wealthy merchants can leave their parents behind and go to meet him.
But after a moment, Qiu Yizi saw the group of merchants step forward together, bowing and saluting one after another, saying, "Master Jiu, you are here too?"
Someone said, "Master Jiu, I haven't seen you for a long time. I wonder where you've been making money these days?"
Others took a different approach and said, "Uncle Jiu, I haven't visited you for a long time. I see you look much better than before!"
Qiu Yizhi heard everyone's flattery and didn't know the person's origin, so she couldn't help but tiptoe to look outside the hall, and saw a man walking quickly out from behind the screen wall of the Taoist temple. He was only wearing a short grey coarse cloth robe, and had a half-foot long dry pipe in his mouth. He puffed out smoke while bowing to everyone in return.
Surrounded by a crowd of people, this man finally reached the main hall of the Taoist temple. Just as he was about to pay his respects to Qian Feng, the governor of Jiangnan Province who was sitting in the hall, he saw Qiu Yizi standing beside him with a look of surprise. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly lifted the corner of his robe and knelt down, kowtowed twice.
Everyone in the hall was shocked when they saw this scene—
What shocked the businessmen was that given the visitor's power and status, ordinary fourth and fifth rank officials in the government would have to curry favor with him, so why would they need to pay such great courtesy to a seventh rank county magistrate who had not even grown a full beard
Governor Qian Feng was shocked - he had known for a long time that Qiu Yizi had some background, but he did not expect that this person's background was so profound. In the eyes of this "Jiu Ye", he was actually more valued than himself, so much so that he wanted to pay homage to this county magistrate first and leave himself, the number one official in Jiangnan Road, aside.
What surprised Jiedushi Liu Qing was that Qiu Yizi, as the adopted son of the current emperor, was extremely powerful, but he did not expect that this man's influence was so widespread. Even in the Jiangnan business community, there were people who followed his lead. If this nominal subordinate interfered, his days as Jiedushi of Jiangnan would be very difficult.
Qiu Yizi was also very surprised. He was surprised that since this person kowtowed to him and paid his respects, he must know his identity. But he didn't know who this person was. Isn't it dangerous to use the open to fight the dark
Among the people in the room, only Lin Shuhan could remain calm. He watched the man who had knelt down to worship Qiu Yizhi slowly stand up with a wait-and-see attitude. He said with a smile on his face, "Sir, you are really a forgetful person. It's only been more than a year, and you don't recognize me?"
Qiu Yizi saw that the man was about sixty years old, with gray hair and beard, and the skin around his eyes was loose, but his eyes were full of shrewdness and vitality. He immediately smiled and said, "Isn't this He Jiugong? Why did you come here?" As he said that, he reached out and helped He Jiugong up.
He Jiugong took the opportunity to stand up and said, "I just came here because I received an invitation from General Liu, the governor. I didn't expect that you are the one who is talking here. It's just that I am old and my legs are slow, so I came a little late. I wonder if I have delayed your business?"
Qiu Yizi held He Jiugong's old but still very strong hand and said very affectionately: "Jiugong, are you kidding me? I'm not asking why Jiugong came to the government office, but how did you end up in Jiangnan and how did you receive the invitation?"
All the wrinkles on He Jiugong's face were relaxed with joy: "So this is what you are asking, sir. It's all my fault for being so confused that I made a fool of myself."
He Jiugong continued, "This is all the idea of my boss, Mr. Zhou. He said that he has to stay in the capital and can't be separated. The business south of the Yangtze River must be taken care of by someone. According to the old man, Sun Shouqian of Huamao Tower in Mingzhou Prefecture is quite promising. He is also an old man who is experienced in doing things. We can try to use him."
He Jiu gently pulled his hand out of Qiu Yizi's, took two deep puffs from his pipe, and said, "But the boss said that this person is useless and can't take on half of the Zhou family's territory, so he insisted that an old man like me come to Jiangnan to do business. Sir, although the boss seems to be willing to discuss everything, he never changes his mind once he makes up his mind. There is no other way. Who told me to be a servant of the Zhou family since I was sensible? I have to leave this old bone here in Jiangnan for now..."
Hearing this, Qiu Yizhi suddenly realized and said with a smile: "Jiu Gong, what you said is too polite. You are the most senior and capable person in front of Mr. Zhou. I guess he doesn't want you to work hard, but he sent you here. On the one hand, the Mr. Zhou can rest assured, and on the other hand, it can stop others from fighting for power and profit. He has no choice!"
Qiu Yizi's words made He Jiugong very happy. He kept being humble, but he said, "Oh, I remember a few days ago, the senior official gave me a business, saying that he wanted to make money on the sea with the old ship owner Li Zhi. It is said that it was you who took the lead and connected the line. Tsk tsk tsk tsk, with this one in and one out, each business is worth tens of thousands of taels, and it is a long-term business. The young master's move is really extraordinary! I think you should give up your official position and just follow the senior official to do business. These nephews and nieces of the Zhou family are useless. Not to mention being useful, there are not many who are good-looking. Maybe the senior official will hand over the Zhou family's property to you!"
At this point, He Jiugong suddenly remembered Qiu Yi's extremely noble status, and realized that he had already spoken out of turn. He suddenly blew out the cigarette he had just inhaled into his lungs, choking the old smoker He Jiugong and making him cough constantly: "Master... Master... The old man saw that you were happy, so he said a few nonsense casually, you must not take it to heart!"
Qiu Yizi knew that He Jiugong's words were all spoken from the bottom of his heart, so he did not mean to blame him at all. Instead, he reached out and patted He Jiugong on the back to help him calm down.
Qiu Yizi, a seventh-rank official, was actually chatting and laughing with He Jiugong, the representative of Zhou Cijing, the world's number one imperial merchant in Jiangnan - and it seemed that He Jiugong was trying to curry favor with him - this scene made all the merchants in the hall dumbfounded. No one even interrupted to say a word. They all stood there at a loss.
But He Jiugong asked Qiu Yizhi: "After talking for such a long time, I still don't know why you want to gather so many merchants to the government office?"
The governor Qian Feng, who was sitting in the hall, heard the conversation between Qiu Yizi and He Jiugong clearly, and thought: Although it was Qiu Yizi who took the initiative to convene the merchants to discuss matters, he used the title of the governor of Jiangnan Province. Why is it that He Jiugong only discussed with Qiu Yizi and didn't say a word to him
But Qiu Yizi seemed to have forgotten Qian Feng. His face darkened, and he pointed at the group of merchants standing in the hall and said, "It's these people. I've chewed my tongue so much that it's rotten. If Jiu Gong wants to ask, don't ask me. Just ask them."
He Jiugong took a deep puff of his cigarette, then exhaled gently. He pointed his pipe at the fat businessman standing in the front and asked, "Fatty Tang, what did Mr. Qiu just say to you? Tell me again."
The fat on the face of the fat merchant Tang trembled, and he said, "Master Qiu said that we should let the reinforcements from outside the city to rest. Aren't we worried that they have poor military discipline and will suffer losses during the looting? This... Isn't it you who decided not to let the outside soldiers into the city after discussing with a few of us..."
He Jiugong coughed twice in embarrassment after hearing this, and immediately put on a flattering smile and said to Qiu Yizi, "Sir, you can't blame them for this. The old Youyan Army is stronger than the Imperial Army, the Imperial Army is stronger than the Jiangnan Army, and the Jiangnan Army is stronger than the militia. The militia is organized by the gentry to defend the country, but in fact, it is mostly to restrain a few trouble-making and unruly young men in the village, and the military discipline has always been poor. They are worried that if they let these people in, their family business will be ruined. Sir, please don't blame them."
Qiu Yizhi said: "I have also recruited 200 new militiamen. None of them are bad guys. They are all from good families. I pay them two taels of silver every month. If they violate military discipline, they will be killed without any discussion. Are you afraid that they will rob the people?"
"That's right, that's right!" He Jiugong bowed repeatedly, "I know your ability best."
He Jiugong turned around and faced the merchants and said, "This Mr. Qiu is the nephew of my great official Zhou. He came to Shanyin County to serve as the county magistrate and has more than 200 brothers under his command. I, He Jiu, have never broken my promise, but today I am going to break my promise and let Mr. Qiu's brothers enter the city. What do you think?"
After hearing this, the merchants began to make plans:
Just now, He Jiugong said that Qiu Yizi is Zhou Cijing's nephew. Since he has the same surname as Zhou Cijing, he is most likely a cousin or nephew. Although Qiu Yizi's surname is not Zhou, his manners and conversation are very outstanding. He has a good reputation through formal examinations. Not to mention among the Zhou family's young dandies, he is also a standout among all the businessmen in the world. If Mr. Zhou is not bound by rules and really hands over all the Zhou family's assets to this person, it is not impossible. Moreover, with the financial power of the Zhou family, Qiu Yizi, who was born as a Jinshi, will rise to prominence. Even if he has no intention of entering the officialdom, just based on his previous speech and demeanor, he will definitely be a person who will have a say in the future of the Zhou family.
—Therefore, no matter how you look at it, giving him face now is a good thing with no disadvantages.
So Fatty Tang took a half step forward and said, "Master Qiu is really a man of few secrets! If you had told us your identity earlier, how could we object?" (To be continued)